Employee Monitoring Essay

Employee Monitoring: Employer Safeguard or Invasion of Privacy? Employee privacy has been a controversial topic especially with the rise in internet usage, the popularity of social media increasing, and the addition of GPS to mobile devices. With these advances in technology there are numerous ways for employers to monitor their employees’ time at work. According to Evans (2007) as many as eighty percent of the employers, who employ twenty percent of the American population, monitor employees’ telephone conversations, e-mails, and voicemails. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technology has made tracking the whereabouts of employees easier rather than tracking only information passed between employees and other individuals. The United States does offer privacy laws to help safeguard employees’ expectations of privacy; however, the laws are formatted around the physical realm such as desk drawers or an employee’s home, not an employee’s computer files or even social networking site (Riego, Abril, & Levin, 2012). It has become apparent that social media is here to stay. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have changed how people communicate in their daily lives and even how organizations do business. Employers have begun using social networking sites not only to market themselves but also as a human resource tool, making themselves accessible to potential customers and employees alike. Some of the ways employers have begun utilizing social networking include orientation, training, faster innovation of products and services, and improved efficiencies of operations through employee collaboration (Mello, 2012). Although there are clear advantages for employers using social networking sites, there are some murky areas that are becoming increasingly common when using these sites as an instrument to monitor and screen employees as well as applicants. The Social Norm of Employee Monitoring In the digital era of today’s working environment, almost all employees are aware their employer is performing some form of monitoring with email monitoring being the most expected. However, the degree of monitoring employers partake in varies. With the lines between personal lives and the  work environment blurring, employers are taking advantage of the array of technology they have at their disposal. A heightened awareness of this blurring requires employers to become more probing towards their employees. This becomes apparent with the discovery of 85% of employers recognizing their employees’ use of social networking and personal internet usage during work hours (Mello, 2012). There are many ways that employers utilize applicable technologies, including GPS and social networking sites. GPS: Advantages and Disadvantages Employers have a legitimate reason to need and want to monitor their employees. GPS systems can be useful for organizations that have a mobile workforce. Installing GPS systems can be used to help cut cost as well as unauthorized usage of company vehicles (Towns & Cobb, 2012). Most GPS systems not only have the ability of pinpointing locations within 100 feet but also track speed and inform the drivers of the current speed limit. Major cost savings can be seen due to increased productivity of employees due to more effective usage of their time when employees are aware of employers tracking their movements. Likewise, when employees follow the speed limit it can be translated in savings in fuel costs and decreased number of accidents (Towns & Cobb, 2012). Like most advancements in technology, when there is a positive use there is also a negative misuse. While there is a potential for efficiency to increase with GPS usage, there is also the potential for employers to set irrational time frames and quotas to try to increase efficiency (Towns & Cobb, 2012). This can place unwarranted pressure on employees. Some employees start to be concerned about the lack of privacy with the use of GPS tracking. It is often a necessity for mobile workforces to use their company vehicle to facilitate breaks such as lunch. GPS systems have the potential to disclose personal information about employees when used during such nonworking hours. All travels tend to be recorded with the use of GPS tracking which can lead to an employer knowing detailed information about an employee’s personal life such as preferences or appointments. To avoid conflict with the use of GPS systems, Towns and Cobbs (2012)  suggests taking the following steps. Incorporate GPS usage with other policies by publicizing a policy limiting the use of company property, including electronic devices such as phones and computers as well as vehicles, to work related purposes. Combined with policies, employers should inform their employees of their right to monitor their usage of such property. However, employers should proceed with caution when monitoring with GPS technology by informing employees that GPS systems and tracking are specifically being used. Obtaining employees’ consent to use tracking systems can assist in preventing employees from feeling scrutinized. Limiting the use of GPS to working hours only will also help employers and employees alike. This can be done by placing a timer or an on/off switch on the device to prevent tracking when an employee is on personal time. Finally, maintain both equipment and records that pertain to GPS systems. Restricting access to these items will ensure privacy for the employee and continue a positive working relationship between employee and employer. The Use and Abuse of Social Networking Sites Most monitoring of employees is done electronically. Software programs are available to track time, content, and size of data being shared through e-mail or viewed on the internet alleviating the need for manual monitoring. The electronic monitoring that is being conducted manually is primarily done through search engines or social networking sites. According to Mello (2012), an average of 26% of human resource departments admit to using search engines while 18% use social networking sites to screen and disqualify applicants rather than recruit them. Riego, et al. (2012) discovered reports that many employers were requesting job applicants to make login and password information to their social networking sites available during the interview process. This kind of monitoring of employees and applicants is not only detrimental to morale and trust by making individuals feel violated due to lack of privacy but also can leave open a wide range of legal issues. The American legal system currently does not adequately regulate privacy issues as related to modern technology (Evans, 2007). US law and courts struggle with current privacy laws to incorporate employees’ rights to a  degree of privacy within such technologies and employer’s â€Å"legitimate interest, rights, and concerns† in obtaining relevant information (Riego, et al., 2012). However, questions as to the motivation of an employer’s searches into private lives of current and potential employees could come into play. When the information obtained from such monitoring is not job performance related, speculation starts to rise on how the information gathered is going to be used. Despite the cost effectiveness and ease of this type of monitoring, ethical issues also arise. Employers defending the appropriateness of these searches argue on behalf of due diligence and the desire to provide the fit for both applicant and the company (Mello, 2012). They use their right of having a legitimate business interest as grounds for justification due to the cost of recruiting, hiring, and training employees being too high if the working relationship is terminated by either party due to an improper fit. Organizations also claim this use of monitoring on current employees helps expose misconduct in the workplace during work hours. Global Stance The US is not the only country to face dilemmas posed by breaches of privacy by employers due to modern technology. However, most countries focus on the dignity of privacy rather than the physical aspect (Reigo, et al., 2012). The dignitarian approach emphasizes the fundamental human right to privacy with respect to their personal life (Evans, 2007). Due to this approach, most employers in other regions of the world have allowed for a certain amount of digital private space in the work environment if properly labeled as such. Some countries have gone so far as to issuing guidelines for social networking background checks, recognizing that the employees and employer are not equally leveraged once information from such searches has been ascertained. The ability of the US to use foreign regulation on privacy issues as related to technology in order to draft one of its own is feasible. Disclosure to applicants and current employees of social networking monitoring, both before and after the search, should be required just as it is for a criminal and credit background check. Provisions for â€Å"clear remedies and preventative  measures against such intrusions† (Reigo, et al., 2012) are an immediate necessity as more aspects of employees lives become digital. Conclusion Until there are clear rules and regulations put into place concerning privacy issues in the digital age of the work environment, employees and applicants alike should be aware of the potential use of their electronic data. If employees and employers are both willing to respect one another’s needs a mutual understanding can be easily reached. Employers have the right to know how their property is being used and where with the assistance of GPS tracking and software monitoring. Nevertheless, employers also need to recognize employees’ rights to maintain some autonomy in their personal life with concerns to their social media outlets. References Evans, L. (2007). Monitoring technology in the American workplace: would adopting English privacy standards better balance employee privacy and productivity?. California Law Revie, 95(4), 1115-1149. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Mello, J.A. (2012). Social media, employee privacy and concerted activity: brave new world or big brother?. Labor Law Journal, 63(3), 203-208. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Riego, A.D., Abril, P.S., & Levin, A. (2012).Your Password or Your Paycheck?: A job applicant’s murky right to social media privacy. Journal of Internet Law, 16(3), 2-3. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Towns, D.M. & Cobb, L.M. (2012). Notes on: GPS technology; employee monitoring enters a new era. Labor Law Journal, 63(3), 165-173. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.

Traditions of Scapegoating Found in

Cresia Reese English 1020 Prof Sparks Traditions of scapegoating found in â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas† and â€Å"The Lottery† The various cultures that exist in the United States all have different ways to scapegoat a variety of people and cultures in society today; as depeicted in the fiction stories â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson and â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas† by Ursula K. Le Guin.In â€Å"The Lottery,† is a story about a community that has passed down a tradition of death by stoning for many years, this person would become the scapegoat of the community. In the story â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas†a community has a hidden secret which involves the captivity of one person who has to live a life of despair in order for a community to thrive. In comparing both stories to life as we know it today, we have found that there are traditions which have been passed down in our communities and eventually l ead to a person to become the scapegoat of the community.How do our various cultures today allow passed traditions to use individuals as scapegoats just like we find in our fictions stories? The word scapegoat means, a person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place. The idea of a scapegoat applies to both stories in the same manner, a person is used as a scapegoat to uphold there communities. Both stories use traditions of there past ancestral history to use a person as a scapegoat to carry on the behaviors that were passed down to them via traditions.Shirley Jackson was an author who used a perfect example of scapegoat in her stories. â€Å"The Lottery† brings us to the scapegoat aspect of this story you see that the traditions in the community allows for another scapegoat victim every year, they are stoned to death in a symbolic process. Ursula K. Le Guin also used a scapegoat the hidden person to hold up a community and keep it from the dange rs of the outside world. These traditions were passed down by the ancestors of the people who currently live in this place. Also in â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away rom Omelas† there are several people who have chosen to walk away from the hidden secret that was revealed to them and they did not wish to remain in that community any more. The hidden secret was symbolic as a scapegoat because without this person this community would have failed based on passed traditions. To compare the traditions of stoning a person to death and hiding a person to up hold a community are both forms of scapegoat. The scapegoat matters in both the stories and show that as human beings that we believe in history and certain traditions in our communities.Also people and things are used as scapegoats as passed down by traditions and as a symbolic way to forge ahead in life, so they do not hinder there communities. Why should the people in our communities not follow along with the traditions of the past ? Because we feel that these traditions followed by our ancestors did not prove to be right and they should not be followed in the current times. When you think about the story â€Å"The Lottery† you have been thrown a curve ball, most people think about a lottery used in our current day and age where you have a slim chance of winning something good like prizes or money.We soon come to find out that a lottery in this story is all a sham; â€Å"At mid morning on a late June day a peaceful village crowd gathers on the square for the annual lottery. The procedures have been handed down over generations with little change. While in the harmless process of drawing lots the villagers reveal their excitement. Suddenly, when the winner is selected, the innocent game turns out to be a horrifying sacrifice: the winner is stoned to death for the welfare of the community. Such is the limited picture that could be given of Shirley Jackson’s ‘The Lottery’. (Schaub 1) A s we find out in this story there is another thing that also stands out in this story and that would be the black box in this story. In the story the black box is used as a way to single out one person to be the winner of the said lottery. The black box is a symbol in the story of the way to reduce the size of a community. This is why they held the lottery each year they would bring all the families together in the square and have them to pull a slip of paper from the box and eventually at the end of the gathering one of the residence in this community would lose there life.We can see that scapegoats are recognized in both objects and actions as we find in both stories â€Å"The Lottery† and â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas†. In â€Å"The Lottery† the pulling of a name from a black a black wooden box and then there was the death of one person at the end by being hit with stones. The character (Tessie Hutchinson) was one who was always ready to be the one to throw the stones, but when it came time for her to be the on being hit by the stones she felt that it was not fair and or right. â€Å"It isn’t fair’ she said. A stone hit her on the side of the head† (Jackson 218).You have (Tessie Hutchinson) who was very excited every year to be a part of the traditional lottery process and when it came time for her to be stoned she was the scapegoat in the traditional process. Then we move on to â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas† where there are several characters: one (the child) who was forced to be the scapegoat, and al the ones who walked away from the community (many people). They all chose to be free from the scapegoat act of holding this child to support the community which was free of all major problems that many communities face today.The issues today in different cultures, religions, and stories using people and things as scapegoats to uphold current and traditional believes. Moving forward to comp are the scapegoats used in both stories to show how our traditions, which are passed down still eventually lead to people to being used as scapegoats in our communities today. â€Å"So that the lottery is to be understood as a modern representation of the primitive annual scapegoat rite† (Schaub 1). This information hits the nail on the head as the lottery process is a primitive act that we are not sure why this was even being done and it was never explained.In today’s society there are still several groups (cults, religious groups, & clubs/organizations) that are secluded from most communities and societies today. We know some of these groups have different rituals and rules as to who and how you are allowed to become involved. These rituals most times come from traditions which were taught by the ancestors of the leaders or promoters of said cults and groups. The definition of a cult is listed as Sociology: A group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centerin g around their sacred symbols or ideas.

Binge Drinking on the rise in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Binge Drinking on the rise in the UK - Essay Example Other bits of information are presented more somberly, such as information concerning the amount of alcohol in a standard drink and how fast the body metabolizes alcohol. The source achieves these objectives by providing the information Dr. Hanson has collected from studies over the past forty years. The sections are arranged in a format familiar to young people. Question and answer sessions that are devoid of preaching but flush with scientific fact are easily accessed. Dr. David Hanson has published over 300 scholarly articles on issues related to alcohol consumption over the past forty years. He has written two full length books and appeared on numerous television and radio programs as a recognized expert. He is currently Professor Emeritus at the State University of New York at Potsdam. He clearly states in his biographical information that he receives absolutely no funding for his research from outside sources, so he is beholden to no one. He states that he publishes what logic dictates regardless of who it may offend. This source for information on alcohol consumption is decidedly left of center. The author spends much time debunking myths about alcohol consumption that seem to be near and dear to the heart of right wing discourse concerning alcohol consumption. Most notably, the author makes a strong case for parents to consume alcohol with their children within the home. This is a radical notion in the United States, where a prohibition of alcohol consumption for anyone under the age of 21 is in effect. While more common in Europe, American families rarely drink together until the children are of a legal age to do so. Another segment of the web site that is decidedly left-leaning is the suggestions the author makes concerning the deterrence of drunk driving. The author argues that proactive initiatives such as Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) courts are especially helpful because their outcomes

Medical Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Medical Law - Essay Example Moreover, the evaluation of the physicians, with regard to the continuance or otherwise of the patient’s life, is bestowed with primacy. In many instances the courts have agreed with the physicians’ evaluation that it would defeat the best interests of the patient to continue with life prolonging medical measures (Mendelson & Jost, 2003, p. 131). The 1993 case of Airedale NHS v Bland proved to be a landmark case in the area of cessation of artificial feeding and therapy. The court permitted the withdrawal of treatment from persons in a persistent vegetative state (PVS). In this case, the defendant Anthony Bland was in PVS as a result of having been asphyxiated in a stampede. The physicians attending upon him proposed the discontinuation of artificial feeding and antibiotic therapy (Tibballs, 2007, p. 233). Subsequent to undergoing a persistent vegetative state for three years, a court order was procured by the physicians attending upon Bland. This order permitted the me dical authorities to write finis to the indignity and degradation that had become an integral and overwhelming component of this hapless individual’s life. It was the considered opinion of the judges, ruling in this case that the inability of Bland to execute a will had prevented an earlier end to his pain and indignity filled life (Docker, 2000). It was clearly realised by the medical authorities that such cessation of feeding and treatment would result in death by starvation. However, such a course of action would not cause discomfort to the patient. It was also assumed that it would be in the best interests of Bland to legally discontinue the life sustaining treatment and tube feeding. Lord Hoffmann opined that the discontinuation of treatment was not only in the best interests of Bland but was also aimed at stopping the humiliation being undergone by him and to prevent distress to his family members. According to Lord Mustill, Bland had to be allowed to die in the best in terests of the community. He further stated that this decision was in the best interests of the family members of Anthony Bland (Tibballs, 2007, p. 233). While pronouncing judgement in the Bland case, one of the presiding judges stated that the States of the Union in the US, which had enacted laws to permit living wills, there was an explicit exclusion of terminating life by discontinuing nourishment and hydration (Ozimic & Fleming, 2011). It is the duty of a doctor to take into account, the best interests of a patient. However, there is an erroneous presumption that the best interests of the patient can be determined only by reference to the patient’s wishes, prior to his becoming incapacitated. The choice exercised by a patient need not necessarily be in his best interests, on every occasion (Ozimic & Fleming, 2011). In addition, ignoring the wishes of an incompetent person, should not be invariably be deemed to be disrespectful to the patient, and in contravention of his r ights. Although, patient autonomy is of considerable significance, doctors take other factors, such as life and health, and the provision of adequate health care in order to support the health and life of the patient. With respect to an incapacitated individua

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For law admission - Personal Statement Example Unfortunately, the government of Nepal is a highly repressive force and there were few opportunities for me to utilise the skills I learned in the academic realm. While working as a trekking guide in the Himalayans I met my future wife, the most wonderful and steady influence of my adult life. As she was an Australian citizen, I found the strength to leave the people and mountains that had structured my life for twenty-four years to enter into an uncertain future. Finding myself in a foreign land, with my language skills stretched and only a few hundred dollars in savings, we shared a small room in the outskirts of Perth and began the tremendously challenging yet rewarding task of building a life together. Within three weeks, I earned a position as a food and beverage attendant at Burswood Casino and Resort, where I am still employed. Eventually our hard work resulted in financial stability, and I began to consider the future. Wishing to take advantage of the freedom of expression and action available to me as a legal resident of Australia, I decided to dedicate myself to the goal of entering the legal profession. With that in mind, I passed the Education Institution University Board exam and submitted the application in your hands. Although I am Although I am only twenty-eight years old, I have learned much through my varied life experiences. Born and raised in Nepal, I comprehend the fundamental challenges of life and how a government can disregard what many see as fundamental human rights. My undergraduate experience in social science and humanities trained me in logically accessing issues and solving problems effectively. Never one to limit myself to a classroom, I also led tourists from around the world on challenging treks through the mountains and glaciers of Nepal. When I found love, I embraced the situation and was able to establish myself in a new country. Excited and committed to my life in Australia with my wife, I am still the son of Bal Bahadur and Laxmi Thapa and dedicated to individual justice and making a difference both here and in my homeland. For me, this opportunity transcends the simple considerations of financial renumeration on a growing field. In addition to the great benefits of further understanding varied aspects of the legal profession, eventually I want to enter the realm of investigating and protesting international human rights violations, especially in the highly conflicted regions of Rolpa and Rukum. In order to accomplish the ultimate goal of my life I need a strong and challenging education in law. I believe your university, with its excellent professors, extensive library and esteemed reputation, would provide the best home for me. I long to make a difference and I want the opportunity to dedicate myself to bettering the life of others. Please give me the opportunity to demonstrate that my intellectual capacity, real world experience and personal courage will lead to success at your institution. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you in the

AIDS is a Mass Murderer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

AIDS is a Mass Murderer - Essay Example It’s spokesperson says that the ad is intended to wake up young Germans to the reality of AIDS prevalence in the country – a subject that has faded of late in public discourse. The discouraging statistics pertaining to the spread o AIDS in Germany, is warrant enough for this bold provocation, the charitable group justifies. And there is some merit in their point of view. For example, â€Å"Germans need the encouragement - the facts about HIV rates in the country are alarming. Eight people become infected with HIV in Germany every day. Across the country, 60,000 people are living with HIV.† (Moore, www.time.com, 2009) This essay will assess if the campaign would be effective if it were to be run in the United Kingdom. While the image of Adolf Hitler generates lots of unpleasant feelings in Germans, it is more so in the United Kingdom. As part of the Allied forces, the UK bore the brunt of German aggression during the Second World War. Hence, the ad is bound to do better in the UK that what it did in Germany. Similarly, the image of Joseph Stalin and Saddam Hussein too does not sit well in the British audience’ mind, for the two were enemy personalities during the Cold War and the Iraq War respectively. Moreover, young people of UK are not immune to the threat of HIV infection. In the last few decades when over 28 million people have already succumbed to the disease - this includes a percentage of the British. Each passing day, 5,000 people succumb to the condition worldwide. In this respect it is not inappropriate to call AIDS a mass murderer of our times. (Moore, www.time.com, 2009) The campaign finds relevance in the British context for other reasons too. For example, awareness about the nature and modes of transmission of the disease is not properly understood by most young people. This is despite the fact that relevant information is made available in the Internet and other media. The fact that many youth in the country do not und erstand how exactly HIV is transmitted is a cause of concern. They need to be educated about the many ways through which HIV could be transmitted from one human to another. Contact of mucous membrane during sexual intercourse is one of the common modes of transmission. Other modes include bloodstream contamination of HIV infected body fluids such as blood, vaginal fluid, semen, pre-seminal fluid, and breast milk. The infection can occur through conventional vaginal sexual intercourse or through anal, oral sexual acts. There are recorded cases of HIV infection being perpetrated through blood transfusion, transfer from mother to baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, contaminated hypodermic needles, etc. It is only through thought provoking awareness campaigns such as the one conceived by the Rainbow group that young people (including those in Britain) will get to understand the nature of the AIDS threat fully. The spread of AIDS has now assumed pandemic proportions acro ss the world. When statistics were compiled last year, as many as thirty three million people worldwide were afflicted with this condition, of which close to ten percent eventually died. The more worrying aspect is the fact that a significant portion of AIDS patients are children. The region worst hit by the AIDS pandemic is sub-Saharan Africa, where economic and cultural progress is

Gun control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Gun control - Research Paper Example This law is, in effect, in many parts of the world. Even with the gun-control policy, gun ownership is still faced by many controversies and challenges. The Gun-control policy has a significant importance on the safety of people and ensuring that guns licensed are not used wrongly and addressing the challenges and controversies facing this policy will be imperative in meeting the objective of safety of individuals, societies and communities. The Gun Control Gun control is policies and laws that are designed to restrict gun ownership in a given jurisdiction. Most countries are concerned about the safety of the people. They license individuals to carry guns. Those licensed are supposed to use their guns for defense only. However, there are cases where the owners get false alarm and use their guns out of panic. At the same time, there are some people who feel they are secure enough and threaten other people using the gun they obtained (Hemenway 1). Some licensed gun holders may also use their guns inappropriately and for criminal purposes. This has made it a challenge for the gun-control policies and law makers. They do not know who to trust and who not to trust. The current regulations Any person in any country across the world has right to a licensed gun. However, there are regulations that come with this. ... Policy makers usually worry that a mentally ill person owing a gun can be disastrous to the society and have to ensure that applicants are sane. The third process involves providing reasons as to why the applicant would like to own a gun. In most countries, the applicant has to go the nearest police station for an interview. Once they provide all the reasons why they would like to own a gun, a police board evaluates the application. It is discussed by that board and decision made. It is important to note that the police have the right to disregard an applicant’s application without providing any reasons. If the police decide that the application is successful, the applicant has to prove that they know how to handle and use guns. If they do not know how to use, they have to enroll for a class on the same. The class may day a few days after which the applicant is provided with the gun and the permit. The newly licensed gun holder has to go through the requirements and conditions for using the gun (The New York Police Department 1). The terms and conditions for gun application and the process differ from country to country. They also differ in different parts of an individual country, especially countries that have a state system. This also differs if the applicant requires large guns for hunting or other purposes. The Gun Control Debate There has been a gun-control debate for the last decades. Of course, some support gun ownership while others do not. Most people apply for gun ownership for self-defense purposes. They claim that there are times they may be in danger, and guns may be important in protecting them. For example, a person could be walking down a dark alley at night only to come across criminals. If they

Identify the types of risks a business is exposed to Assignment

Identify the types of risks a business is exposed to - Assignment Example For instance, and organization that found out fraudulent payments were being paid out put in place measures to detect and account for payments not made within the accounting system, such as petty cash and manual checks. This response was in recognition that adequate internal controls and auditing were key elements in fraud deterrence initiatives, and that upper management and accounting personnel committed 50 percent of the occupational fraud. Apart from an enterprise resource planning application for detection on the large scale, the fraud risk management program included written policies on what was expected of senior management by the board of directors regarding fraud risk. The organization also undertook to assess fraud risk exposure periodically to uncover potential schemes. Such structured responses are designed to minimize chances of alerting the fraudsters, and are supplemented by reporting process aimed at soliciting input on probable fraud (Cohen, 2006). This way, it was p ossibly to detect curious payment patterns and missing or altered documents, such as backdating and inconsistent invoice serialization and amounts under specific approved

Moral Judgment and Ethical Leadership in Chinese Management-The Role Research Paper

Moral Judgment and Ethical Leadership in Chinese Management-The Role of Confucianism and Collectivism - Research Paper Example The paper throws light on moral judgment and ethical aspects are two of the most important aspects used in management leadership. Management leaders need to take decisions in regard to greater moral judgments and ethical perspectives. Moral judgment and ethical decision making abilities are important in management leadership in order to develop the organizational science. Moral judgment and ethical leadership management help organizations to reduce the uncertainties in management issues related to interests of multiple stakeholders and management values. In Chinese management system theses concepts are highly important in creating greater effective management leadership practices, Confucianism is the most important ethical as well as philosophical system which was developed by the renowned Chinese philosopher Confucius. This ethical and philosophical aspect is also applied in management leadership practices. The notion of collectivism deals with the any political, social, economic, a nd religious aspect which emphasizes on the interdependence of each and every human being and the concept is very much important in Chinese leadership management for increasing the level of collected interests in management practices. The political structure of the country is the most important inspiration for promoting the collectivism approach in the country and Confucianism acts as the moral guiding support for management leaders across the country to apply moral judgment and ethical aspects in business management practices. ... This ethical and philosophical aspect is also applied in management leadership practices. The notion of collectivism deals with the any political, social, economic, and religious aspect which emphasizes on the interdependence of each and every human being and the concept is very much important in Chinese leadership management for increasing the level of collected interests in management practices. The political structure of the country is the most important inspiration for promoting the collectivism approach in the country and Confucianism acts as the moral guiding support for management leaders across the country to apply moral judgment and ethical aspects in business management practices (Cheng, 2011, pp. 657-658). Literature Review and propositions Development: A) The Nature of Confucianism: Confucianism plays an important role in the process of development of strong cultural perception in Chinese social, cultural, economic, and business management perspectives and also it plays t he most crucial role in the process of development in the culture of the country. Confucianism leads to greater and stronger perceptions in the cultural context of the country. The core idea of Confucianism is humanism which is the guiding force for developing the stronger perspective in the cultural context of the country. The ethical and sociopolitical teaching of the notion of Confucianism and the humanism approach of the performing social, cultural, economic, and political practices and acts are helping the development of all cultural contexts of the country to become stronger with the passage of time (Husted and Alan, 2008, pp. 297-299). This property of Confucianism of dealing with humanism helps the culture of the country through developments of people

Act 3 Scene 5 dramatic in romeo and juliet Essay Example for Free

Act 3 Scene 5 dramatic in romeo and juliet Essay The play Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona, Italy, in the 1600s. During this time violence and rivalry had been common around rival families; fighting and feuding because of their differences. Discipline was an issue in a household. Rules and regulations were to be obeyed and if one chose to break the authority, their sins would have to be confessed to the church. Religion was very important to a catholic family. Going to church and praying was an obligation. Parents had a strict conduct at the time. Weddings were arranged usually by the father of the household; mainly choosing a wealthy man to suit his daughter. Most children from rich and influential families were cared for by a Wet Nurse; normally a lady who had lost a child previously so she would care for another child as if it were her own. As Juliet grew up her wet nurse became a very important figure in her life. William Shakespeare creates tension when Capulet sends Lady Capulet to Juliets room to tell her of the marriage they have planned for her. The audience knows that Romeo and Juliet are married and actually in bed together. The audience wonders if the lovers will get caught. As Romeo and Juliet are lying together in Juliets chamber they discuss whether it is morning or night. It is not yet near day: it was the nightingale, and not the lark. Juliet is pretending that it is not morning, all the while Lady Capulet is on the way to her room. Juliets nurse breaks the atmosphere of tension when she warns that Lady Capulet is approaching the room. Your lady mother is coming to your chamber, the day is broke, be wary, look about. Romeo escaped out through the window just in time. Farewell farewell, one kiss and Ill descend When Lady Capulet enters Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to cause confusion and misunderstanding between Juliet and her mother. Indeed I shall never be satisfied with Romeo, till I behold him- dead. Lady Capulet believes Juliet wants Romeo dead, however the audience is aware of the truth; Juliets heart is dead without Romeo. When Capulet enters he speaks kindly to Juliet at first but becomes insulting and violent. Shakespeare is the master of the Elizabethan insult. This makes the scene extremely dramatic for the audience. Capulet threatens Juliet hang thee young baggage, disobedient wretch, I tell thee what, get thee to church a Thursday, or never after look me in the face. Juliets father is confused at how his daughter isnt thankful for the marriage arrangement he has made for her and takes it personally which makes him react unsympathetically. Lady Capulet stands back and watches, not wanting to help her daughter from unrestrained fathers anger. Juliet pleads with her mother to call the wedding off but she refuses to interfere. Talk not to me for Ill not speak a word, do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee. The audience would feel pity for Juliet, as a parent deserting their child is a very dramatic statement. The nurse is aware of Juliets grief and hopelessness and she suggests that Juliet marries Paris even though this will be bigamy. I think it best you married with the county, o hes a lovely gentlemen. Juliet is discomforted at her nurses proposal so she goes to see Friar Laurence to see if there is anything he could do to stop herself from marrying Paris. Juliet then states that if this fails she will kill herself. Ill to friar to know his remedy, if all else fail, myself have power to die this is a self-fulfilling prophecy, which the audience will understand because it was mentioned in the prologue. The fact that the audience knows that the star-crossed lovers will die creates a dramatic atmosphere. Shakespeare makes act 3 scene 5 dramatic through the use of many techniques viz: dramatic irony; the creation of suspense; the use of insults and the prophetic prologue. All of this would have ensured that an Elizabethan theatre audience were sat on the edge of their seats throughout the dramatic and exciting performance. Of this, Shakespeares most famous tragedy.

Hinduism Buddhism in India

Hinduism Buddhism in India Chapter II: Ancient India Birthplace of Hinduism Buddhism. Hinduism and Buddhism There is a nice analogy which was told to me while visiting a Thai monastery many years ago. Buddhism and Hinduism are like two siblings raised in the same household, such as a brother and sister may have a certain family resemblance. A visitor would not mistake one for the other. And just like siblings they may differ in opinion in many things even to the point of arguing. Yet they still love and respect each other. If the household of these siblings is the Ancient Indian sub-continent then that is the logical place to start. Before looking at Hinduism or Buddhism in the following chapters it is necessary to look at the Ancient Indian civilization and culture prior to any written records as both of these religions have their origins in the ancient history of the Indian sub-continent. The references used are some of the earliest written works and the study will look at these in greater detail in the chapter concerning Hinduism and its teachings. The reader should note that modern science is now re-examining many of the statements made in these earlier works due to discoveries made by modern research which has scientific facts as its proof. Ancient India Pre-History Period For this section I have chosen to follow the consensus of opinion, and for that reason, the dates given here are those found in other references. We must begin by stating that the Indian continent was first populated 250,000 years ago. When the original thesis paper was written, the first major civilization was considered to be the Harrapan civilization that occupied the Indus Valley where Baluchistan was a farming community from 3500 BCE (this may well have been pre-dated by the 9000 BCE Gulf of Cambay civilisation once more is known about it) Prehistoric India The consensus held by scholars and historians, is that ancient Indias indigenous people were a dark skinned race. There are prehistoric cave paintings and rock art, which provide the basis for these assertions. This is said to be a 40,000-year-old cave painting seen on a white silica sandstone rock shelter depicting existence of human civilization is seen in Banda district 800 kilometers (500 miles) southeast of New Delhi, India. The painting below depicts hunting by cave dwellers in the Paleolithic age. These caves were discovered recently. Notice the horse with rider. A 40,000 Year Old Cave Painting (AP Photo/Shekhar Srivastava) Origins of the Indus Valley Civilization The geography of India is one of many extremes. The land mass encompasses desert, mountains, forest, and jungle. All of these environments were susceptible to unpredictable periods of flood, drought, and monsoons. Though India contained some of the most extreme geological and climatic features, these difficult conditions were also an asset to the development of its early civilizations. The Himalayas provided a natural protective barrier from any nomadic or military invasions from the north, and other mountain ranges provided similar protection in the west and east. The account of the Indus valley and its people, (also known as the Harappa civilization), is a story of a people intricately tied to their environment. The waterways of the Indus valley provided an excellent resource for trade, commerce, and agriculture. Throughout Indias history, the rivers were crucial to the inhabitants of the region. As is found with most societies, especially non-nomadic ones, a rise in the cultivation of agrarian resources often leads to a surplus. Other factors permitting, this normally leads to an eventual population increase. As far as we can surmise, the development of civilization in the Indus valley followed this pattern ie. a static society, fertile soil , good harvest and no major wars or pestilence diminishing the populace. The diverse geography of ancient India resulted in an increase of both the quantity and the specialization of agrarian crops. Faunal remains around the era of 3000 BC shows such trends and suggests that the Indus valley civilizations were benefiting from the rich alluvial soil of the Indus River. This region produced high yields of cereal grains, cultivated crops and plant materials. By 2,700 BCE, the presence of a state level society was evident, complete with hierarchical rule and large-scale public works (irrigation, etc.). Such large-scale growth in so short a period can be attributed to two factors: The unique and rich environmental resources India provided, An organized civilization, which took direct control of its natural environment. By 3000 BCE turmeric, cardamom, pepper and mustard were harvested in India. The Harappans who occupied Harappa and Mohenjodero in the Indus Valley, were of mixed stock They had club wheat, barley, sheep and goats from the Iranian Plateau and cotton from Southern Arabia or North East Africa. Sumer had trade links with the Indus Valley via Hindu Kush by 3000 BCE. and by sea from 2500 BCE, thus linking the Harappans with both Sumerians and Egyptians, where cumin, anise and cinnamon were used for embalming by 2500 BCE We can summarize by saying the Indus valley was populated by a dark skinned race of indigenous people who had a structured hierarchical agrarian society, the floods of the local rivers providing rich alluvial topsoil, which replenished the minerals on cultivated land. The non-nomadic conditions coupled with the harvest surplus were conducive to growth population. Why then, can we assign some stories of ancient India to the period of nearly 10,000 BCE? Are there any material facts or evidence? Pre-Harappan Evidence Found in Gulf of Cambay VADODARA, INDIA, July 19, 2004: In an underwater exploration in the Gulf of Cambay, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), scientists discovered almost 9,500-year-old bricks made of clay and straw. Archaeological experts of the MS University who, too, are involved in a part of the exploration near Surat and the coast of Gulf of Cambay, however, feel that a further insight into the size of the bricks can confirm its age and its period. The bricks, believed to be pre-Harappan, have been identified to be of the Holocene age. In the NIOT surveys in the 17 sq km area, stone artifacts like blade scrapers, perforated stones and beads were found. The bricks, according to NIOT scientists, were used for construction. It indicates that the people of that age led an advanced form of life. The artifacts found on the seabed, 20 to 40 ft below the present sea level, consisted of housing material. It is important to confirm the brick size as people of the pre-Harappan age made bricks in the ratio of 1:2:3. A confirmation on the brick size can add more credence to the discovery, says head of the archeology and ancient history department V. H. Sonawane. WARANGAL, INDIA, Feb 12, 2002 Mysterious Sunken City Found Near Surat Michael Cremo recently attended a meeting of ranking Indian governmental officials at which Murli Monohar Joshi, Minister for Science and Technology, confirmed the archeological find by an Indian oceanographic survey team. Could the recent discovery of a sunken city off the Northwest Coast of India near Surat revolutionize our concept of history? Michael A. Cremo, historian of archeology and author of Forbidden Archeology, claims that all the history textbooks would have to be rewritten if this ancient find proves to be of Vedic origin. Radiocarbon testing of a piece of wood from the underwater site yielded an age of 9,500 years, making it four thousand years older than earliest cities now recognized. According to Cremo, The ancient Sanskrit writings of India speak of cities existing on the Indian subcontinent in very primeval times. Although historians tend to dismiss such accounts as mythological, these new discoveries promise to confirm the old literary accounts. Michael Cremo is acknowledged as a leading authority on anomalous archeological evidence. Asserting the recent find may be just the first step, he says, It is likely that even older discoveries will follow. The cultural identity of the people who inhabited the underwater city is as yet unknown. Most historians believe that Sanskrit-speaking people entered the Indian subcontinent about 3,500 years ago, from Central Asia. Other historians accept India itself as the original home of Sanskrit-speaking people, whose lifestyle is termed Vedic culture because their lives were regulated by a body of literature called the Vedas. A City Dating Back to 7500 BCE As was announced on January 16, 2002 from New Delhi, Indian scientists have made an archaeological discovery that dates back to 7500 BCE. This suggests, as a top government official said, that the worlds oldest cities came up about 4,000 years earlier than is currently believed. The scientists found pieces of wood, remains of pots, fossil bones and what appeared like construction material just off the coast of Surat. Science and Technology Minister Murli Manohar Joshi told a news conference. He said, Some of these artifacts recovered by the National Institute of Ocean Technology from the site, such as the log of wood date back to 7500 BCE, which is indicative of a very ancient culture in the present Gulf of Cambay, that got submerged subsequently. Current belief is that the first cities appeared around 3500 BCE in the valley of Sumer, where Iraq now stands. A statement issued by the government said. We can safely say from the antiquities and the acoustic images of the geometric structures that there was human activity in the region more than 9,500 years ago (7500 BCE), said S.N. Rajguru, an independent archaeologist. Malleswaram boasts of many temples, but none is so shrouded in controversy and mystery as this one is. The ancient Nandeeshwara temple at Malleswaram 17th cross was discovered only three years ago, but it has stood for 7,000 years on that spot. Being buried over the years has not dim inished its aura at all. It still draws huge crowds all day. According to residents living nearby, the temple was completely buried and the land above it was a flat stretch. Three years ago, a politician tried to sell this plot. But people objected on the grounds that the land should first be dug through to see if they could find something, says the priest, Ravi Shankar Bhatt. Therefore, when they started digging up the land, they found buried underneath, this temple. It was in perfect condition, preserved by the thick layers of soil. This underground temple was enclosed within a stone cut courtyard supported by ancient stone pillars. At the far end of the courtyard, a Nandi was carved out of a black stone with eyes painted in gold. From its mouth a clear stream of water flowed directly on to a Shivalinga made out of the same black stone at a lower level. There were steps that led to a small pool in the centre of the courtyard where the water flowed and collected. The pools centre had a 15 feet deep whirlpool. Everything remains the same today. Nobody knows where the water comes from and how it passes from the mouth of the Nandi idol on to the Shivalinga. Nobody knows how the whirlpool came into being. The source of water, the sculptor, even the time when it was built remains a mystery. There has been no scientific explanation for the source of water to date, says resident Shivalingaiah. Some say it was built by Shivaji Maharaj. Some say its older. However, of one thing we were sure, the temple has remained untouched over the years. We found it exactly as it might have been before it was covered by soil, he adds. On Shivaratri day, overwhelming crowds gather at this temple. Some perform the milk puja. Others just come to marvel at a temple. A Malleswaram committee has been specifically created to look after the temple. Committee president C Chandrashekhar functions along with a 11-member committee. We are slowly introducing improvements in the temple to keep it in good shape. A lot of people come even from other parts of Bangalore, he says. The committees next step is to build a gopuram in the temple premises. Mehgarh 6,000 BCE Mehgarh is located 125 miles west of the Indus valley, and provides early evidence of village dwelling level within the Indus Valley. The initial site is quite small and exhibits evidence of crop farming, with produce such as Asiatic wheat. The site also shows use of domestic goats and extensive trade with the west. Traded goods included turquoise, copper, and cotton from as far away as Arabia. By 5,000 BCE the dwellings of the Mehgarh went from simple semi-permanent housing to mud brick, and then large permanent housing. The economy was largely dependent upon trade. Such trends, specifically emphasizing trade, continued well into 4,000 BCE when the culture clearly identified as Harappan became evident. 5000 Year Old Harappan Township Found in Haryana Evidence of a township of the 5,000-year-old Indus Valley Civilisation (Harappan Era) has been found during excavations near Bhirdana village in Fatehabad district of Haryana . The excavations are being carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).The ASI had earlier discovered the presence of same townships of the Indus Valley Civilisation at two other places, Kunal and Banawali, in the district. The evidence found at Bhirdana includes many structures made of mud bricks, peculiar of the Harappan era; a well, a fortification wall, pottery and other antiquities. Mr L.S. Rao, Superintending Archaeologist of the ASI, who is leading the team of excavators here, informed that the team, comprising a Deputy Superintending Archaeologist, three Assistant Archaeologists and other officials like photographers, draftsmen, artists, and surveyors, was working on the excavation site spread across 62,500 square meters and situated on a mound. Fifteen students of Institute of Archaeology, New Delhi, have also been assisting the team. The excavations, being carried out under the `Saraswati Heritage Project of the Union Government, were part of a series of such excavations being made to unearth the old civilisations on the bank of the ancient Saraswati river. The Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Haryana, had protected the area of the present excavations. Mr Rao said the area where the excavations were being carried out was the bank of the Saraswati. The whole riverbed had been converted in to agricultural lands with the passage of time, he added that the ASI based its findings on the antiquities collected during the excavations on the surface of the mound. Pottery, among the antiquities, is the main criteria for ascertaining the civilization. The excavators have also discovered a 2.4-metre-wide wall considered to be the fortification wall of the township on the excavation site. Ms Ankum, from Nagaland, a student of the Institute of Archaeology, who was manning the fortification area, said a clinching evidence of the township was that the earth outside the wall comprised of virgin soil while the one inside the fortification wall had all the evidence of structures. Mr Prabhash Sahu, Assistant Superintending Archaeologist, explained that it was a horizontal excavation and the whole mound had been divided into four parts for convenience. Mr Rao said the residents of the area were cooperative and were showing keen interest in the excavations. First Harappan Burial site Found in Sinauli, Uttar Pradesh SINAULI, June 28, 2006: Imagine for a moment that youre a farmer, leveling your field, when suddenly your plough hits something hard. You wipe away the dust and discover its a bone, hardened over time. You dig some more and discover the remnants of pottery next to an ancient human skeleton.This is what happened to Sattar Ali while working in the sugarcane fields in Sinauli village near Baghpat in western UP, some 75 km from Delhi. Although he didnt know it at that time, Ali had chanced upon an ancient burial ground of the late Harappan period, believed to be more than 4,000 years old. Matters would have rested there had not a local youth, Tahir Hussain, informed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) about it. Since August last year, ASIs excavations have been going on in full swing. Dharamvir Sharma, superintending archaeologist, ASI, says, The findings here are very important and have the potential to change the way we look at the history of Asia. Sinaulis find is unique because this is the first Harappan burial site to be found in UP. More importantly, its the first Harappan site where two antenna swords were found buried next to the skeletons. These were of the copper hoard culture, which has been a cause of debate among historians. These findings might just prove that the copper hoard was associated with the late Harappans, says Sharma. The excavations have already yielded a rich haul. Almost 126 skeletons have been recovered, which indicates that the mound was a fairly large habitation. While some are broken, others are remarkably well preserved. One of the first skeletons to be discovered was found wearing copper bracelets on both hands. Some distance away, another was found buried along with an animal, presumably intended to be a sacrificial offering. Other finds include bead necklaces, copper spearheads, gold ornaments, and a few anthropomorphic figures which were typical of Harappan settlements. While these are all relative evidence of the late Harappan period, believed to be around 2000 BC, carbon dating of the skeletons would put a firm date on it. Sinaulis findings might also prove that the Harappans were a part of the Vedic culture and followed prescribed Vedic practices. Sharma says, All the skeletons have been found lying in the North-South direction, as prescribed by the Rig Veda. Near their heads have been found pots, which probably contained grains, ghee, curd and somarasa as an offering to Yama, the God of Death. This was in accordance with ancient Vedic burial practices, mentioned in the Shatpath Brahman. However, not all historians agree with this view. They feel it is too early to jump to conclusions without carbon dating being done. The Early Harappan 4,000 BC to 3,000 BC From the humble, but rapidly advancing beginning of the Mehgarh, came the eventual arrival of the early Harappan. The early Harappan evidenced very densely packed villages and village centers, all with extensive irrigation systems, and much the same subsistence pattern as the Mehgarh. The early Harappan people planted a wide variety of crops, including barley, and wheat, and did so according to the predictable cycles of the Indus River. The farmers of the Indus would plant their crops as the floods receded between June and September, and by early Spring harvested them. The result of the Harappan civilizations emphasis on agriculture and irrigation lead to a plethora of irrigation systems around which human settlements were built. The settlements along the river were susceptible to periods of violent flooding. In such cases, stone walls were erected as flood barriers. Ironically, these flood barriers eventually became the city walls of some settlements. The Harappan 2,500 BC. to 2,050 BC From the Early Harappan arose such settlements as Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, as well as numerous other settlements which spanned roughly 1,000,000 miles of the Indus Valley. The culture of the classical Harappan era surrounded the rivers of the Indus valley and was greatly dependent upon the valley and trade for its subsistence. Indicative of all Harappan sites are the fire mud brick houses and the net-like city plans that took generations to evolve.3 The Indus Valley Civilization The Indus Valley Civilization was one of the worlds first great urban civilizations. It flourished in the vast river plains and adjacent regions in what are now Pakistan and western India. The earliest cities became integrated into an extensive urban culture around 4,600 years ago and continued to dominate the region for at least 700 years, from 2600 to 1900 BCE It was only in the 1920s that the buried cities and villages of the Indus valley were recognized by archaeologists as representing an undiscovered civilization. Modern satellite images and field surveys indicate that the once mighty Saraswati River appears to have changed its course several times and became completely dry in approximately 1900 BCE. Some experts believe that the phonetically close affinities between the Deva Bhasha Sanskrit and several European languages may be due to natural calamities that may have caused the Indus Valley people to migrate out of India. The Mohehjodaro in Sind was discovered in 1922 and Harappa in West Punjab a few years later. Although the two sites were about 600 km apart, these two civilisations covering an area in excess of a million square kilometers, were considered as one Indus civilisation in view of the similarity of the objects discovered in the ruins. A comparison of the archaeological remains of Indus Valley with the Vedic civilisation can be made from the Vedic hymns. These reveal almost one hundred per cent similarities between the two civilisations in food habits, animal rearing, cotton weaving, personal cleanliness, use of metals for weapons and ornaments, method of worship, practice of Yoga, cremation of dead, belief in immortality of soul and after-life etc. Indian Trade and Maritime Sea Routes India, situated at the central point of the ocean that washes its coasts on three sides, appeared destined for a maritime future. The majority of Western scholars have underestimated Indias achievement with regard to commerce, shipbuilding, navigation, and sea travel. The Indian world stretched far beyond its borders, and it must be noted, that India had no policy of violent conquest to spread her influence. The antiquity of these voyages are most remarkable; regarding Indias Western trade routes:- there is archaeological and historical evidence to show that as early as the 8th century BCE, there existed regular trade relations, both by land and sea, between India on the one hand and Mesopotamia, Arabia, Phoenicia, and Egypt on the other. The Eastern routes, which are the most pertinent to this study, can be traced back to the 7th century BCE using Chinese literary texts, which refer to their maritime trade activity. The fact that this information is recorded and documented by non-Indian races, having nothing to gain by stating these ancient links, must lend substantial weight to the claims of Indian scholars and historians. The evidence may support many claims made by Hindus about the advanced culture that existed in Indias ancient past. However, it is inconceivable that the Chinese, Egyptians, Romans etc wrote these articles to enhance or raise the status of what would have been a foreign power and alien religion. We can confidently conclude that there was a time in the ancient past, when Indians were masters of the sea borne trade of Europe, Asia, and Africa. They built ships, navigated the sea, and held in their hands all the threads of international commerce, whether carried overland or sea. Sanskrit literature is replete with tales of merchants, traders, and men engrossed in commercial pursuits. Manu Smriti, the oldest law book in the world, lays down laws to govern commercial disputes having references to sea borne traffic as well as inland and overland commerce. Lord Elphinstone has written, The Hindus navigated the ocean as early as the age of Manus Code because we read in it of men well acquainted with sea voyages. Noted historian, R. C. Majumdar, observed: The Indian colonies in the Far East must ever remain as the high watermark of maritime and colonial enterprise of the ancient Indians. It has been proved beyond doubt that the Indians of the past were not, stay-at-home people, but w ent out of their country for exploration, trade, and colonization. For some of the oldest information we have to look in the ancient Rig Veda. One passage speaks of merchants going everywhere and frequenting every part of the sea for gain (L. 56.2) and another (I. 25.7) represents Varuna having a full knowledge of the sea routes. The Ramayana (translation in the English language by T.H. Griffith), refers to the Yavan Dvipa and Suvarna Dvipa (Java and Sumatra)* and to the Lohta Sayara or the Red Sea. The drama Sakuntala Ratnavali of King Harsha Sisupalvadha of Magha, relates stories of sea voyages of merchants and others. Ancient Indian books the Kathasagara, the Jatakas and others refer to these wondrous regions that set the imagination of civilized Indians on fire, to Suvarnabhumi, the fabulous Land of Gold. Overall, the Indian influence on Southeast Asia proceeded peacefully. Local chiefs and petty chieftains were admitted into the caste structure as Ksatriyas through a ritual known as vratyastoma, performed by an Indian Brahmin. The Brahmin pri ests would, no doubt, have found it a relatively simple matter in persuading a local ruler to elevate his status and standing among his people. Professor A. L. Basham, who reduced India along with her culture to a wonder-land in his book Wonder That Was India has observed that: certain over-enthusiastic Indian scholars have perhaps made too much of the achievements of ancient Indian seafarers, which cannot compare with those of the Vikings or of some others early maritime peoples. Is this comment a fair assessment of the facts? What was the Viking achievement? It is clear that the Vikings, during the period 800 to 1200 BCE, migrated to all the corners of Europe. They did not do this peacefully, and had no lasting cultural influence on the people they came into contact with. On the contrary, they lost their identity when settling under the influence of the superior cultures of the lands they visited.In comparison to this, both from the qualitative and quantitative viewpoints, what was the Indian achievement? With regard to their contact with Southeast Asia Professor D. P. Singhal remarks, Indians came into contact with the countries of Southeast Asia principally for commercial reasons. Wherever they settled, they introduced their culture and civilization. In turn, they were influenced by the indigenous culture, laying thus the foundation of a new culture in the region. Indian cultural contact with Southeast Asia covers a period of more than thirteen hundred years, and segments of Indian culture even reached eastwards of this region. 1 Sir Aurel Stein (1862-1943) a Hungarian and author of several books including Ra`jatarangini: a chronicle of the kings of Kashmir and Innermost Asia.The vast extent of Indian cultural influences, from Central Asia in the North to tropical Indonesia in the South, and from the Borderlands of Persia to China and Japan, has shown that ancient India was a radiating center of a civilization, which by its religious thought, its art and literature, was destined to leave its deep mark on the races wholly diverse and scattered over the greater part of Asia. 2 Indians of old were keenly alive to the expansion of dominions, acquisition of wealth, and the development of trade, industry, and commerce. The material prosperity they gained in these various ways was reflected in the luxury and elegance that characterized their society. Some find allusion in the Old Testament, to Indian trade with the Syrian coast as far back as 1400 BCE, and we have noted the archaeological evidence shows Chinese links from the 8th century BCE. Recent excavations in the Philippines, Malay Peninsula, and Indonesia confirm early and extensive trade, which continued down to the historical period. This naval network enabled Indians to explore and colonize the islands in the Indian Archipelago. Shortly after, there grew up a regular traffic between India and China, both by land and sea. India also came in close contact with the Hellenic world. We learn from ancient authority that in the processions of Ptolemy Philadelphus (285-246 B.C.) were to be found Indian women, Indian hunting dogs, Indian cows, also Indian spices carried on camels, and that the vessels of the ruler of Egypt had a saloon lined with Indian precious stones. Everything indicates that there was a large volume of sea-trade between India and the western countries as far as African coast. From the coast the goods were carried by land to the Nile, and then down the river to Alexandria which was a great emporium in those days. There was a mercantile colony of Indians in an island off the African coast in the first century CE. The adventurous spirit of the Indians carried them even as far as the North Sea, while their caravans traveled from one end of Asia to the other.3 On journeys by sea, there were jalaniryamakas guides who could predict the behavior of waters. In the sea-coast town of Shurparak, there was an arrangement to train persons with the help of the Niryamak Sutras. According to these verses, those persons who traveled together in a ship were called sanyatrika. The Greater India with Islands Comparing the achievements of the Indians and the Chinese in Southeast Asia, T. V. Mahalingam observes. Though China also exercised a considerable influence over countries of Southeast Asia, Indian influence was more effective and durable for the Chinese always remained colonies of foreigners with little inclination to mix with the local population and in contrast to what the Hindus achieved, there is nowhere any trace of the taking-over of Chinese culture by the children of the soil. His views have been upheld by John F. Cady who concluded that: Indian cultural patterns in particular became widely disseminated during the early centuries CE, while Chinese influence, although culturally less contagious, virtually dominated from Sung times (960 and later) the trade and politics of the eastern seas.4 Amaury de Riencourt wrote: The brightest sun shining over Southeast Asia in the first centuries CE was Indian Civilization. Waves of Indian colonists, traders, soldiers, Brahmins and Buddhist beat upon one Southeast shore after another. Great military power based on superior technical knowledge, flourishing trade fostered by the remarkable increase in maritime exchanges between India and these areas, the vast cultural superiority of the Indians, everything conspired to heighten the impact of the Indian Civilization on the Southeast Asian. Passenger ships plied regularly between the Ganges, Ceylon and Malaya in the middle of the first millennium CE. Indian settlers from Gujarat and Kalinga colonized Java, for instance, while others set out for Burma, Siam and Cambodia. Old Indian books the Kathasagara, the Jatakas and others refer to these wondorous regions that set the imagination of civilized Indians on fire, to Suvarnabhumi, the fabulous Land of Gold. On the whole, the Indianization of Southeast Asia proceeded peacefully. Local chiefs and petty chieftains were admitted into the caste structure as Ksatriyas through a ritual known as vratyastoma, performed by an Indian Brahmin. All over Southeast Asia tremendous ruins are strewn, testifying to the immense influence of Indian Civilization. 5 Ancient Indians knew Atlantic Ocean Buddhist Jataka stories wrote about large Indian ships carrying seven hundred people. In the Artha Sastra, Kautilya wrote about the Board of Shipping and the Commissioner of Ports who supervised sea traffic. The Harivamsa informs us that the first geographical survey of the world was performed during the period of Vaivasvata. The towns, villages and demarcation of agricultural land of that time were charted on maps. Brahmanda Purana provides the best and most detailed description of a world map drawn on a flat surface using an accurate scale. Padma Purana says that world maps were prepared and maintained in book fo

Bullying in Schools Essay -- Bullying Essays

Introduction Bullying has been a part of schooling for as long as children have been congregating. To some it seems like a natural, though uncomfortable, part of life and school experience, while to others it can mean terrifying experiences which spoiled and characterized otherwise happy years in school. Dan Olweus, a pioneer in bully behavior research documented that 2.7 million children are affected as victims, and that 2.1 children act as bullies (Fried, 1997, as cited in Aluedse, 2006). With bullying cited as the reason for violent, gun-related crime in the past few years, school districts as well as national governments have put anti-bullying policies in place. Bullying is a complicated phenomenon, involving more than one child demanding lunch money from a smaller child. It is a worldwide epidemic hitting schools everywhere. Virtually everyone has seen or experienced bullying. With technological advances, bullying is even hitting the internet. Parents, teachers, students and governments agen cies alike are attempting to put a stop to bullying practices. I chose to write about bullying because I experienced it first hand while working in Japan. As an English teacher at Tomobe Junior High School in Kasama, Japan, I witnessed how one twelve year old boy routinely abused not only his schoolmates, but physically assaulted teachers as well. At times when all students were seated, he walked around the classroom and picked on the other students; I saw how the classroom teacher glanced at him then turned his head so he would not bear witness and need to act. I saw how this boy verbally bullied his classmates by yelling and making comments in a hostile, insolent tone; I saw how he would often get physical and smack, shove, push an... ..., K., & Coie, J. (1987). Social-information-processing factors in reactive and proactive aggression in children's peer groups. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 1146-1158. Fried, S. (1997). Bullies and victims: Children abusing children. American Journal of Dance Therapy, 19, 127-133. Olweus, D. (1984). Aggressors and their victims: Bullying at school. In N. Fmde & H. Gault (Eds.), Disruptive behavior in schools. New York: Wiley. Smith, P., & Sharp, S. (1994). School bullying: Insights and perspectives. London: Routledge. Roland E., & Munthe E. (1997). The 1996 Norwegian program for preventing and managing bullying in schools. The Irish Journal of Psychology, 18, 233–247. Ross, D. M. (1996). Childhood bullying and teasing: What school personnel, other professionals, and parents can do. Virginia: American Counseling Association.

DNA Fingerprinting :: Technology, Science

DNA Fingerprinting It is widely known that each individual has a DNA profile as unique as a fingerprint. Actually, over 99% of all 3 billion nucleotides in human DNA which we inherit from each parent are identical among all individuals. However, for every 1000 nucleotides that we inherit there is 1 site of variation or polymorphism, in the population. These DNA polymorphisms change the length of the DNA fragments produced by the digestion of restriction enzymes . The resulting fragments are called restriction fragments length polymorphisms. Gel electrophoresis can be used to separate and determine the size of the RFLPs. The exact number and size of fragments produced by a specific restriction enzyme digestion varies from individual to individual. DNA fingerprinting has proved valuable, not only for convicting felons and exonerating the innocent, but also for establishing maternity or paternity and proving family relationships. More exotic uses include the identification of missing children in Argentina, soldiers killed in war, and even the body of Nazi physician Joseph Mengele, the so-called "Angel of Death." The way it started: The fundamental techniques involved in genetic fingerprinting were discovered serendipitously in 1984 by geneticist Alec J. Jeffreys of the University of Leicester in Great Britain while he was studying the gene for myoglobin, a protein that stores oxygen in muscle cells. He found that the myoglobin gene contains many segments that vary in size and composition from individual to individual and that have no apparent function. Jeffrey called these segments minisatellites because they were small and they surround the part of the gene that actually serves as a genetic bluprint.

Essay --

John Donne’s poetry is rife with analogous themes, which allows the reader’s mind to wrap itself around the poems in the most superlative way possible. Donne’s poems are alive with collective themes of paradoxes and fidelity. Fidelity, in Donne’s vision of humanity, also weaves aspects of love: be it physical or spiritual. His theology and religious dogmas are abundant in his poems as well as his conception of cosmic forces beyond our control. â€Å"The Flea† portrays a young girl, fearful of losing her chastity, who is being sought by a cavalier young man. His efforts to beguile her are shattered when she destroys their â€Å"conjectural marriage† while he is in the throes of his seduction. She deters him by killing a flea, drunk on their intermingled blood after it has bitten both the fellow and the lady. The supposition of marriage is called off by the woman, suggesting a paradox in Donne’s time; women did not have the right to end a marriage, unlike a man who always had the prerogative to end a marriage. â€Å"Donne's manner of blurring boundaries between male and female has typically been regarded as a way of entrenching conventional gender roles and of suppressing the assertiveness of female sexuality† (Mintz, B Susannah. "Forget the Hee and Shee": Gender and Play in John Donne); this creates the paradoxical image of a cloud between male and female gender roles which can be seen in the fo llowing. There is no marriage of course. He is trying to convince her to have sex with him, â€Å"a sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead: † (line 6) based solely on the fact that their blood is already commingled in the flea so they might as well share other bodily fluids. This is in common with â€Å"The Triple Fool† in which Donne demoralizes himself for havi... ...cept often that divine love is perfect love and serves as the only genuine model for all others. In another of Donne’s poems â€Å"The Canonization,† the poet writes, â€Å"Countries, towns, courts beg from above/A pattern of your love† (lines 44-45). This indicates that two lovers have such a perfect love that it serves as a paragon for the rest of the world. John Donne and his poetry exemplify the type of verse that connects the themes of derisive cosmic forces out of our control, to love, to religion, to paradoxes within the poems, and the theme of fidelity. These themes are evident in â€Å"The Flea†, in which the woman kills the flea and the supposed marriage between the man and the woman, â€Å"The Hymn to God My God in My Sickness† in which Donne feels he is on the verge of dying, and â€Å"The Triple Fool† in which Donne feels depressed after rejecting his love in a sexual manner. Essay -- John Donne’s poetry is rife with analogous themes, which allows the reader’s mind to wrap itself around the poems in the most superlative way possible. Donne’s poems are alive with collective themes of paradoxes and fidelity. Fidelity, in Donne’s vision of humanity, also weaves aspects of love: be it physical or spiritual. His theology and religious dogmas are abundant in his poems as well as his conception of cosmic forces beyond our control. â€Å"The Flea† portrays a young girl, fearful of losing her chastity, who is being sought by a cavalier young man. His efforts to beguile her are shattered when she destroys their â€Å"conjectural marriage† while he is in the throes of his seduction. She deters him by killing a flea, drunk on their intermingled blood after it has bitten both the fellow and the lady. The supposition of marriage is called off by the woman, suggesting a paradox in Donne’s time; women did not have the right to end a marriage, unlike a man who always had the prerogative to end a marriage. â€Å"Donne's manner of blurring boundaries between male and female has typically been regarded as a way of entrenching conventional gender roles and of suppressing the assertiveness of female sexuality† (Mintz, B Susannah. "Forget the Hee and Shee": Gender and Play in John Donne); this creates the paradoxical image of a cloud between male and female gender roles which can be seen in the fo llowing. There is no marriage of course. He is trying to convince her to have sex with him, â€Å"a sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead: † (line 6) based solely on the fact that their blood is already commingled in the flea so they might as well share other bodily fluids. This is in common with â€Å"The Triple Fool† in which Donne demoralizes himself for havi... ...cept often that divine love is perfect love and serves as the only genuine model for all others. In another of Donne’s poems â€Å"The Canonization,† the poet writes, â€Å"Countries, towns, courts beg from above/A pattern of your love† (lines 44-45). This indicates that two lovers have such a perfect love that it serves as a paragon for the rest of the world. John Donne and his poetry exemplify the type of verse that connects the themes of derisive cosmic forces out of our control, to love, to religion, to paradoxes within the poems, and the theme of fidelity. These themes are evident in â€Å"The Flea†, in which the woman kills the flea and the supposed marriage between the man and the woman, â€Å"The Hymn to God My God in My Sickness† in which Donne feels he is on the verge of dying, and â€Å"The Triple Fool† in which Donne feels depressed after rejecting his love in a sexual manner.

Psychological Contract in the Contemporary Organisation Essay

Every human being is an unique individual. This is an undeniable fact, thus organisations have to explore the various antecedences of the psychological contracts between employees and the organisation. Employees have different perceptions and thinking over the concept of psychological contracts. Generation Y is slowly filling up the positions in contemporary organisations. Therefore, what are the influencers revolve around this power craving group of people? Research has concluded that employees and employers have different perceptions on job support and resources (Attridge 2009, 392; Kahn 1990, 708) and even job satisfaction (McShane and Travaglione 2007, 180). Employee disengagement has been occurring more and more often nowadays (Bates 2004, 44). Employee engagement is closely linked with the result of the organisation (Medlin and Green 2009, 948; Harter, Schmidt and Killham 2003, 27), where employee disengagement may cause unsatisfactory employee achievement; leading to undesirable organisational advancement and financial development. Because of these, organisations should examine the psychological contracts between them and the employees, especially that of the Generation Y. Psychological Contracts Ppsychological contract is defined as ones beliefs about shared responsibilities and commitments in the framework of the relationship between employees and the organization (Robert, Kristie and Kathryn 2010, 220). Cyril (2004, 1) mentioned that psychological contracts are the employees’ mindset about what they look forward to from the organization and what they feel they should commit to the organization. The psychological contracts emphasize more on the relationship between an employee and employer as a whole rather than traditional compensation issues (Robert, Kristie and Kathryn 2010, 220). The concepts of the psychological contract are commitments particularly based on perceived obligations by the others (Robert, Kristie and Kathryn 2010, 220). Whether well expressed or not, the perceived obligations create commitment and responsibility that must be executed for the contract to be affirmed (Robert, Kristie and Kathryn 2010, 220). For instance, the organization making use of a relational psychological contract is responsible to account for the individual fairly, provide hazard free working conditions, allow employees justifiable personal time, and provide adequate materials to accomplish their job. On the contrary, the employee is responsible to accomplish given tasks, display a positive attitude, boost the reputation of the company, and abide corporate policy (Robert, Kristie and Kathryn 2010, 220). Given so, these obligations do not only encompass on the quantity of work is to be carried out for a certain amount of pay, but also draw in the whole pattern of rights, privileges, and obligations between employee and organisation (Mario Pepur, Sandra Pepur, and Dr. Ljiljana Viducic 2010, 231). For instance, after serving the company for a number of years, the employee may expect the company not to fire him and similarly, the company may expect that the worker not to tarnish company’s reputation or leak out confidential secrets to rival companies(Mario Pepur, Sandra Pepur, and Dr.  Ljiljana Viducic 2010, 231). Expectations as such are not transcribed into contractual agreement between employees and organisation, yet they work as power determinants of behaviour (Mario Pepur, Sandra Pepur, and Dr. Ljiljana Viducic 2010, 231). Literature Review No doubt, the theory on psychological was established in the 1960 by Argyris (Cyril 2004, 1), it is still highly applicable in today’s context. Rothbard’s (2001, 656) empirical study shows that there is a relationship between psychological contracts and employee engagement. Rothbard (2001, 656) mentioned that attention is the psychological presence and the time spent by the employee contemplating about his responsibilities at work, while absorption is concerned with the affection of employee to put emphasis on the responsibilities on duties. It is believed that the psychological contract is generally an appropriate and impactful construct that can aid explain, and inform effective management of, contemporary academic work performance and workplace relations (Grant, Branka and David 2010, 6). The psychological contract can help both employee and employer to gain awareness on contemporary employment relationships; indeed, it has been debated that perceived obligations within the psychological contract are usually more vital to work related attitudes and behaviour than are the official and explicit elements of contractual acknowledgement (Grant, Branka and David 2010, 6-7). Employees trust that the employer has the obligations to facilitate them the following: career advancement, incremental salary, alary based on the current working efficiency, upgrading, safe long-term employment, opportunities to build their career as well as support in case personal problems occur (Mario, Sandra and Dr. Ljiljana 2010, 233). On the other hand, the employees believe that they have the following obligations towards their employer: working overtime, staying loyal, taking initiative to take up new responsibilities at work, providing a beforehand notice when taking another position, be ready for transfer, rejecting support to rivalry, protecting confidential company information, spending a minimum of two years doing the routine (Mario, Sandra and Dr.  Ljiljana 2010, 233). Many studies indicated that personal and psychological factors have significant influence on employees, including biological factors and the work attitudes of employees (Hung-Wen 2010, 92). Hung-Wen (2010, 92) mentioned that Yu suggested work attitude is the level of organizational identification, the levels of involvements in current jobs and overall job satisfaction. Therefore, this research explains job satisfaction and work involvement as its two variables (Hung-Wen 2010, 92). Job Satisfaction Job satisfaction is an assessment of the work and job context by employees (McShane and Travaglione 2007, 116; Spector 1997, 2). Little and Little (2006, 115) deemed job satisfaction as an enjoyable experience or positive emotional condition . They agreed with the research done by Kreitner & Kinicki in 2004 that job satisfaction is associated with job involvement, organizational behaviours and commitment (Little and Little 2006, 115). In an adverse effect, it is also associated with turnover and stress. Similarly, experimental studies on 7,939 business units in 36 organizations find out that job satisfaction concludes employee engagement, and are forecasting organisation progression (Harter, Schmidt and Hayes 2002, 268). The extended studies by Harter, Schmidt and Hayes (2002, 268) states that it is crucial to constantly stress on the degree of employee engagement and contented and happy employees would be very much motivated in the organisation (McShane and Travaglione 2007, 180). Poornima (2009, 35) has given a hypothesis that statistically, there is a strong relationship between age and difference between expectation and fulfillment levels of employees with regard to monetary and non-monetary compensation practices followed by the organizations (Poornima 2009, 35). The result shown that those aged between 25to28 are not responding positively to monetary motivation. Research shown 85% of the young people want progressive management to inspire them and 52% of them think that the managers are not helping in their development (Robin 2007, 34). Kim (2007, 154) agrees with (Henry 2006, 11) that Generation Y is motivated by the chances to grow and develop, thus they welcome comments and feedback. Therefore, Generation Y would expect organisation to enrol them with training and development program, as well as providing them with feedback for improvement. Failing to do so, goal is not achieved, thus motivation of Generation Y decrease. With that, these create job dissatisfaction in Generation Y. Taking consideration of Poomima and Kim’s studies, Generation Y is a group of people who are more intrinsically driven rather than monetarily motivated. Work Involvement In today’s context, organisation should anticipate expectations of their employees through their psychological contracts if they want to gain their loyalty (Mario, Sandra and Dr. Ljiljana 2010, 236). Mario, Sandra and Dr. Ljiljana (2010, 236) agrees to Rousseau that the main difference between new and old psychological contracts lies in the lack of job security. She proves this by quoting an employee of a telecommunication company who says that: â€Å"It used to be that working for the company meant being part of a family (Mario, Sandra and Dr. Ljiljana 2010, 236). As organisation moves towards the modern era, the younger generations are beginning to fill up most of the positions. Tulgan (2009, 3) shared that Generation Y is so far the hardest generation to manage. While organisation expects employee to stay loyal to the company, Generation Y, a group with high expectation and believe in their capability tends to switch jobs to satisfy their hunger for fast career advancement (Tulgan 2009, 3). Another contributing factor to the frequent job switch is the Generation Y’s expectation; they are constantly looking out for jobs that provide training (Sue and David 2008, 368). Sara and Ans (2010, 256) have come up with two hypothesizes. â€Å"The level of careerism will be emphatically related with psychological contract expectations in account of job description, employment development, training, and monetary rewards. The level of careerism will be cynically related with psychological contract expectations in account of social environment, work-life balance, and employment assurance† (Sara and Ans 2010, 256). The first hypothesis does make sense as the three factors mentioned act as a motivator to increase the level of careerism. However, the second hypothesis is countered by the research of Sue and David (2008, 368) which points out that â€Å"although Generation Y has a desire for defined goals and managerial reinforcement in what is to be done, they also crave for autonomy and flexibility in decision making process. Furthermore, despite being autonomous, they are viewed as being emotionally needy and consequently, continuously looking for acknowledgement and commendation. In terms of work, they are power thirst. However, they do look upon work life balance and if given a choice will choose family and friends rather than work†. Evaluation Given the unique characteristics of Generation Y, it is difficult for the organization to determine their psychological contract with the organization, thus making it a challenge for the organization to come up with strategies to motivate and retain these â€Å"potential job switchers†. Demanding for power in workplace, yet craving for work life balances; organizations have to come up with plan to satisfy these employees before they can be aligned and work towards the same goal. Event such as Bring Your Child to Work promotes work life balance yet not disrupting the normal working procedure. Organizations can consider such event to strike a balance for the employees. Employee disengagement is one of the crucial explanations for organization turnover. With this getting more and more common in the organization (Pech and Slade 2006, 22), management should seek to understand the reasons behind the dissatisfaction and explore the psychological contract between them and the employees to reduce the possible unhappiness, thus creating a conducive work environment. Conclusion The concept of psychological contracts is characterised by dynamic features. They are continuously adjusted to new trends in the working environment. A triumphant resolution to the productive handling of employee engagement kicks off with recognition of the uniqueness of each employee. Accessing the factors influencing their needs and perception after presuming that employees are engaged is an fallacious way and is not very much encouraged. Psychological contracts can encompass various areas such as work involvement and job satisfaction. However, psychological contracts involve many other factors. For instance, human resource practices such as employees’ relation and welfare, training and development, and compensation and benefits (Saks 2006, 613). Therefore, effective understanding of psychological contracts would require organisations to contemplate the perception of individual employees towards the influencing variables. Franking speaking, how many organisations are prepared to go for the extra mile for the employees? Even though the organizations may acknowledge the significance of psychological contracts, it is intricate to get to a mutual understanding for both the organisation and employee. Organisations may only see the link between the understandings of psychological contracts in both aspects with beneficiary outcomes as a theoretical model, thus are not convinced that their employees can make it happen. Every employee is unique. They have different needs and perceptions in terms of psychological contracts with the organisation, which may also change over time. This would also mean that the organizations have to take into consideration of the incalculable factors catering to the different employees. Is this cost and time efficient? Management would rather spend the time on the operations and focus on the visible and instant results. Nevertheless, there are organizations that are still prepared to spend their effort working on psychological aspect in employees. Personally, I feel that understanding of psychological contract is essential to organization success. However, it is very much reliant on the distribution of time, effort and loyalty of the organizations to form a successful understanding and alignment of the psychological contracts between themselves and their employees.

How My Childhood Affected Who I Am Today Essay

Childhood is my most cherished and missed memory. Along with innocence, naivety, and stress-free enjoyment came safety, and the care of others around me. I believe the person I am today was shaped from living in the neighborhood I grew up in and the people I was surrounded by. During my youth I was lucky enough to live in the town of Webster, New York. From age four to seventeen I lived in a very safe neighborhood. My environment was my life. My adult neighbors were like second parents, babysitting my brother and I, taking all the kids to the beach, making meals and hosting sleepovers. The children were my best friends, and partners in crime. I spent my days taking long walks and bike rides with my next door friends and my younger brother, selling lemonade at the end of my driveway, swinging and singing on the infamous swingsets, playing classic games such as hopscotch, four square, and capture the flag. Eat, sleep, and play was our daily routine. We would circle the neighborhood streets day after day, stopping by other nieghbors houses, starting kickball games at the local elementary school, collecting cans to make money. When we were old enough our parents us allowed to walk 10 minutes down the road by ourselves, a great reward at the time, to the neighborhood grocery to buy a candy bar and a drink. Even though my mother taught me about safety and cautioned me about strangers, I believe that my childhood has made me a very friendly, trusting person. There was never a worry of crime in my neighborhood. We were able to grow as independent children without our parents having to keep a very close eye on us every second of the day. This freedom molded me into a very trusting person today. That can be viewed both positively and negatively. On the plus side, I am a very easy person to become friends with. I trust each and every one of my friends, and I know they can trust me. I am reliable, a result of being cared for as a child. I think that many children that are neglected during their youth become far less trusting and reliable further on in life. I see the innocence in each person I meet, allowing a personal relationship to create at the first hello. This has opened a wide array of friends for myself, which I feel extremely lucky to be blessed with. On the other hand, my naivety tends to come into play along with the trust. Although I’m not proud to say it, I can definitely say that I have been taken advantage of in several instances by those who were not worthy of my trust. This has happened at school and in the workplace. It is hard for me to judge whom I can trust, and I do not like to think negative thoughts about a person when considering them as a friend. This strong sense of trust could also put me into danger in the future, with strangers or while I am alone. All in all, I believe my circumstances as a child have helped form my identity today. I would not change who I am, and do not regret growing up where I did. I formed dependable relationships that I will have throughout life and memories that will never perish.