How Effective Communication improves employee performance

Introduction Communication is the act of passing messages from one person to another through a given medium. Communication in an organization is vital because it facilitates how decisions are passed from the top level management to the lowest level management. Communication is used to facilitate the delivery of guidelines and policies that necessitate the proper management of any given organization.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on How Effective Communication improves employee performance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, communication is a crucial process in any organizational operation. In this case, it determines how guidelines are followed. It also establishes new ways to manage the resources and the human power in the organization (Murphy Hildebrandt, 1988). This paper discusses communication and its impact on building relationships, professionalism, and motivating employees in an organization. Bui lding relationships with employees For effective communication to be achieved in an organization, the management should create good relationships with the employees and clients. Good relationships create a clear environment to make appropriate decisions. An organization deserves an excellent leader so that the decisions made are accurate. Therefore, the qualities of a leader are important in encouraging employees to perform their tasks. Leadership also helps to execute a plan to make decisions and pass them to employees. Effective communication plays a major role in improving the performance and morale of employees in any given organization. A leader should possess effective communication skills that he or she uses to pass a message to the followers. Communication skills are a necessary tool for a leader because people are influenced by the ability of the leader to express himself or herself to the people. A leader should communicate about the issues arising in an organization effec tively and give proper advice on how to meet the set goals and objectives (Roodman Roodman, 1973). A leader should possess management skill in the sense that the leader can manage human skills and talent. The leaders should inspire the followers to work towards achieving the goals. A manager should possess a good attitude to facilitate a respectable leadership of people. A leader should possess business skills in the execution of duties because they set how each decision plan is applied in the organization. Business skills help in the management of finances and how to draw viable plans that are of great help to the whole team. Harnessing business skills help the leader to assign and delegate duties and responsibilities to the subordinates.Advertising Looking for term paper on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An excellent manager should create a working relationship with people within and outside the org anization. They should create friendship with all stakeholders so that people can approach the leaders for consultation (Adair, 2009). An example of a leader is Steve Jobs, the former CEO of the Apple Company. He built strong relationships with the employees. This empowered employees to develop innovative products. Creating a strong relationship with employees is of paramount importance as it helps the organization to operate well and effectively without many interruptions, which delay the operations. The creation of a good working environment through proper communication helps the employees to perform better as their concerns are heard and addressed. The employees feel recognized and motivated to work, and thus their performance is greatly improved. Communication channels should be improved in order for employees to contribute and be a part of the decision making process. Motivation Motivation is the drive that an employee has to achieve the goals of an organization. Motivation inc reases the efficiency of employees in any given organization. Motivating factors do not only have to be financial incentives. Therefore, non-monetary incentives may be offered to the employees to improve their performance. A good manager should improve the working conditions of employees in the workplace. Effective communication in the organization enables the leaders to know about the complaints from the subordinates. In addition, communication facilitates effective decision making because the employees contribute towards making appropriate decisions. When employees are trained in effective communication, they improve their communication in the workplace (DelPo, 2007). A leader should empower team members by setting attainable objectives for individuals and the whole team. A leader should ensure that team members have access to facilities and resources that help to attain the set goals and objectives. Rewarding employees who have effective communication encourages other employees t o improve on their communication processes (Nelson Quick, 2008). An example where motivation affected the performance of employees is the case of Wal-Mart. The company does not motivate its employees, and this has caused many strikes. The company has experienced lawsuits because employees have sought to get better working conditions. Wal-Mart is one of the world largest retailers.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on How Effective Communication improves employee performance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company is incorporated in the United States. In addition, the company operates international outlets in a number of countries worldwide. It is one of the largest employer in the world through its numerous facilities in the United States and other nations. An example of an entrepreneur who motivates the employees is Richard Branson, the president of the Virgin group of companies. Branson approaches each a ctivity of the company with a lot of smartness and manages to attain leading business goals. Branson has encouraged the employees to improve their performance to achieve the goals of the company. The company operates in several countries, and there are people from different cultures. Branson has been successful in managing people from the different cultures effectively. Richard has good communication skills because he can intermingle with people from different cultures. The company has achieved a lot of success because it has created a good relationship with customers globally. Developing professionalism Professionalism is the process of achieving goals of an organization according to the standards of the organization. It involves adhering to the standards of a certain work. Managers should be encouraged or trained to learn the emotions of their subordinates and the senior managers. Therefore, managers should have emotional intelligence in the workplace. They should apply this strat egy when interacting with various people in the organization. Passing information in an organization is crucial because it helps to increase the productivity of the firm. When decisions are to made in the firm, managers should know how such changes affect the work ethics of the employees. This is important because it helps to lower the possibility of encountering resistance by fellow employees when the changes are implemented. Communication is an integral part of management because it incorporates changes in the organization. Professionalism is evident when the management chooses to use modern forms of communication that are effective. Modern communication methods have improved the way people in an organization communicate and pass information. This is crucial because it establishes clear plans and goals for the organization. Information in the organization is critical because leaders and managers need to have a clear feedback of operations at the lowest level, and this helps in the continuation of services (KozÃŒ minÃŒ ski Cushman, 1993).Advertising Looking for term paper on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Feedback system will guide the employees on areas of weakness, and this helps them improve on the communication process. Providing feedback is important in solving the communication problems facing the workers. As a manager, one should formulate a good way to solve problems facing employees at the workplace. A leader may install suggestion boxes that act as information gathering tools in the organization. A leader may open a joint email where employees can send their suggestions and the leader should reply to mails. As a manager, one should exercise professionalism when passing information across the organization. This facilitates proper decision making and execution of plans and goals for the organization. This strategy ensures that the business is monitored, and the performance of employees is improved over time (Garber, 2008). Conclusion The power of communication cannot be ignored. Communication is an important process in an organization because it links various stakeholders. Pe ople understand the processes of an organization through communication. In addition, decisions are made through communication. The management of any organization should account for the economic importance of its workforce and the role that employees play in attaining organizational goals and objectives. This ensures that the performance of employees is improved. Motivation of employees may take the form of non-monetary incentives through recognition and offering training facilities. Communication can also be used to motivate employees. When communication is improved in an organization, the employees interact well. This helps to motivate employees, and the performance is improved. Therefore, managers should embrace good communication strategies to improve the performance. References Adair, J. E. (2009). Effective communication: The most important management skill of all. London: Pan Books. DelPo, A. (2007). The performance appraisal handbook: Legal practical rules for managers. Berk eley, Calif: NOLO. Garber, P. R. (2008). Performance feedback. Amherst, Mass: HRD Press. KozÃŒ minÃŒ ski, A. K., Cushman, D. P. (1993). Organizational communication and management: A global perspective. Albany: State University of New York Press. Murphy, H. A., Hildebrandt, H. W. (1988). Effective business communications. New York [etc.: McGraw-Hill. Nelson, D. L., Quick, J. C. (2008). Understanding organizational behavior. Mason, OH, USA: Thomson/South-Western. Roodman, H., Roodman, Z. (1973). Management of communication. Toronto [usw.: Methuen. This term paper on How Effective Communication improves employee performance was written and submitted by user Lucille Kinney to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Beattles and the Rolling Stones essays

The Beattles and the Rolling Stones essays For more than four decades, rock and roll music has been the most popular genre in the world. According to wikipedia.org, a free online encyclopedia, rock and roll music became a new musical style in America in 1950s. However, its popularity was not exploded in US but in England by the newborn rock and roll bands, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. During 1960s, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, which were definitely two of the most successful rock bands in British history, rocked the world with their own rock and roll music. Eventually, they became new icons in every teenagers life. Most people know both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones have a close relationship with drugs; however, they have differences in their music styles and their popularity. Without doubt, most people know both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones had a close relationship with drugs. The Beatles, whose members of the group were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey), were all addicted to drugs. According to an article from David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, the Beatles began taking drugs in 1964 while they had their first world concert in Denmark. They took drugs such as Phenmetrazine and LSD to stay awake during long performances. We can trace back some facts that the Beatles had made a record for making 5 concerts in only 3 days. Furthermore, many of the Beatles songs were related to drugs such as Strawberry Fields Foreve, Day Tripper, Yellow Submarine, and many more. The student newspaper for the University of Wisconsin, once said that the Beatles had proselytized the use of drugs so subtly that words and conceptions once only common to drug users are found in the sentences of teeny-booper s and statesmen alike (Daily Cardina, Dec. 3, 1968, p. 5, cited by David Noebel, The Legacy of John Lennon, p. 63). The Rolling Stones, on the other han...

Governmental Structure of Canada. Is the Canadian Prime Minister Too Research Paper

Governmental Structure of Canada. Is the Canadian Prime Minister Too Powerful - Research Paper Example Majority of the evidences sighted in various literary works point towards the fact that the Canadian prime minister has a lot of power and can influence the decisions of the government and the country of Canada. The fact that cannot be ignored is that the Canadian prime minister exercises a great deal of power especially when in the parliament his party enjoys the majority (Dickerson, Flanaganand O’Neill, 2009). There are obvious evidences of the Canadian prime minister not being too powerful but the majority facts are in the favor of him being powerful and dictating the rules and regulations governing the state resulting in the favor of prime-ministerial power. Governmental Structure of Canada Canada’s parliament is divided into three levels. The main governing body is the Queen of Elizabeth II and the Governor General (David Johnston currently) who acts on the behalf of the Queen to perform official functions as the Queen is not physically present in Canada. The secon d level is of the senate that is appointed on the prime minister’s recommendation and the third being the House of Commons consisting of the government members and the Opposition members. Queen Elizabeth II performs the ceremonial functions in Canada. All the political, executive and legislative powers are directed from the Queen .The Governor in General acts on behalf of Queen Elizabeth, he performs functions such as General elections declaration, closing and opening the Parliament and reads speeches from The Throne. The role of the Prime Minister who is the first amongst the parliament members and is the head of the government is to make and implement decisions pertaining to the policy of the government. He is designated to choose cabinet and its members for carrying out the various tasks of the country. No one person can handle all the tasks therefore cabinets are formed but the supreme authority is the prime minister himself. He can shuffle the cabinet members from one po rtfolio to another, can delete the cabinets and can add cabinets for whatever reason he thinks is right. This statement is strong evidence in favor of the Canadian President being a powerful governing body. The Cabinet and the Canadian prime minister speaks as one voice because conflicts amongst them can result in Cabinet members being demoted or dropped from the Parliament (Mallory, 1984). The legislature is a part of the government and has the duty of making the laws. It consists of the appointed as well as elected members, the Senate is appointed and the House of Commons is elected. Drawn from the House of Commons, the executive (the prime minister and the cabinet members) control the agenda in the House of Commons and they have the right to vote in order to turn the legislative that is proposed into practice (Malcolmson and Myers, 2009). Concluding the structure it could be said that there are three levels and the prime minister is the part of the second level and governs the th ird level that is the legislature. He is an important figure and works under the supervision of the Governor General who is acting figure in lieu of the Queen. Power in the Hands of the Canadian Prime Minister The Canadian Prime minister is the central figure in the Canadian politics and the law governing the state of Canada. He is behind all the progress that is currently under process

Forward the Foundation Chapter 2

2 But Seldon, while he did not forget Amaryl's warning, did not think of it with any great degree of concentration. His fortieth birthday came and went-with the usual psychological blow. Forty! He was not young any longer. Life no longer stretched before him as a vast uncharted field, its horizon lost in the distance. He had been on Trantor for eight years and the time had passed quickly. Another eight years and he would be nearly fifty. Old age would be looming. And he had not even made a decent beginning in psychohistory? Yugo Amaryl spoke brightly of laws and worked out his equations by making daring assumptions based on intuition. But how could one possibly test those assumptions? Psychohistory was not yet an experimental science. The complete study of psychohistory would require experiments that would involve worlds of people, centuries of time-and a total lack of ethical responsibility. It posed an impossible problem and he resented having to spend any time whatever on departmental tasks, so he walked home at the end of the day in a morose mood. Ordinarily he could always count on a walk through the campus to rouse his spirits. Streeling University was high-domed and the campus gave the feeling of being out in the open without the necessity of enduring the kind of weather he had experienced on his one (and only) visit to the Imperial Palace. There were trees, lawns, walks, almost as though he were on the campus of his old college on his home world of Helicon. The illusion of cloudiness had been arranged for the day with the sunlight (no sun, of course, just sunlight) appearing and disappearing at odd intervals. And it was a little cool, just a little. It seemed to Seldon that the cool days came a little more frequently than they used to. Was Trantor saving energy? Was it increasing inefficiency? Or (and he scowled inwardly as he thought it) was he getting old and was his blood getting thin? He placed his hands in his jacket pockets and hunched up his shoulders. Usually he did not bother guiding himself consciously. His body knew the way perfectly from his offices to his computer room and from there to his apartment and back. Generally he negotiated the path with his thoughts elsewhere, but today a sound penetrated his consciousness. A sound without meaning. â€Å"Jo†¦ Jo†¦ Jo†¦ Jo†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was rather soft and distant, but it brought back a memory. Yes, Amaryl's warning. The demagogue. Was he here on campus? His legs swerved without Seldon's making a conscious decision and brought him over the low rise to the University Field, which was used for calisthenics, sports, and student oratory. In the middle of the Field was a moderate-sized crowd of students who were chanting enthusiastically. On a platform was someone he didn't recognize, someone with a loud voice and a swaying rhythm. It wasn't this man, Joranum, however. He had seen Joranum on holovision a number of times. Since Amaryl's warning, Seldon had paid close attention. Joranum was large and smiled with a kind of vicious camaraderie. He had thick sandy hair and light blue eyes. This speaker was small, if anything-thin, wide-mouthed, dark-haired, and loud. Seldon wasn't listening to the words, though he did hear the phrase â€Å"power from the one to the many† and the many-voiced shout in response. Fine, thought Seldon, but just how does he intend to bring this about-and is he serious? He was at the outskirts of the crowd now and looked around far someone he knew. He spotted Finangelos, a pre-math undergraduate. Not a bad young man, dark and woolly-haired. â€Å"Finangelos,† he called out. â€Å"Professor Seldon† said Finangelos after a moment of staring as though unable to recognize Seldon without a keyboard at his fingertips he trotted over. â€Å"Did you come to listen to this guy?† â€Å"I didn't come for any purpose but to find out what the noise was. Who is he?† â€Å"His name is Namarti, Professor. He's speaking for Jo-Jo.† â€Å"I hear that, † said Seldon as he listened to the chant again. It began each time the speaker made a telling point, apparently. â€Å"But who is this Namarti? I don't recognize the name. What department is he in?† â€Å"He's not a member of the University, Professor. He's one of Jo-Jo's men.† â€Å"If he's not a member of the University, he has no right to speak here without a permit. Does he have one, do you suppose?† â€Å"I wouldn't know, Professor.† â€Å"Well then, let's find out.† Seldon started into the crowd, but Finangelos caught his sleeve. â€Å"Don't start anything, Professor. He's got goons with him.† There were six young men behind the speaker, spaced rather widely, legs apart, arms folded, scowling. â€Å"Goons?† â€Å"For rough stuff, in case anyone tries anything funny.† â€Å"Then he's certainly not a member of the University and even a permit wouldn't cover what you call his ‘goons'. Finangelos, signal through to the University security officers. They should have been here by now without a signal.† â€Å"I guess they don't want trouble,† muttered Finangelos. â€Å"Please, Professor, don't try anything. If you want me to get the security officers, I will, but you just wait till they come.† â€Å"Maybe I can break this up before they come.† He began pushing his way through. It wasn't difficult. Some of those present recognized him and all could see the professorial shoulder patch. He reached the platform, placed his hands on it, and vaulted up the three feet with a small grunt. He thought, with chagrin, that he could have done it with one hand ten years before and without the grunt. He straightened up. The speaker had stopped talking and was looking at him with wary and ice-hard eyes. Seldon said calmly, â€Å"Your permit to address the students, sir.† â€Å"Who are you?† said the speaker. He said it loudly, his voice carrying. â€Å"I'm a member of the faculty of this University,† said Seldon, equally loudly. â€Å"Your permit, sir?† â€Å"I deny your right to question me on the matter.† The young men behind the speaker had gathered closer. â€Å"If you have none, I would advise you to leave the University grounds immediately.† â€Å"And if I don't?† â€Å"Well, for one thing, the University security officers are on their way.† He turned to the crowd. â€Å"Students,† he called out, â€Å"we have the right of free speech and freedom of assembly on this campus, but it can be taken away from us if we allow outsiders, without permits, to make unauthorized-â€Å" A heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he winced. He turned around and found it was one of the men Finangelos had referred to as â€Å"goons.† The man said, with a heavy accent whose provenance Seldon could not immediately identify, â€Å"Get out of here fast. â€Å" â€Å"What good will that do?† said Seldon. â€Å"The security officers will be here any minute.† â€Å"In that case,† said Namarti with a feral grin, â€Å"there'll be a riot. That doesn't scare us.† â€Å"Of course it wouldn't,† said Seldon. â€Å"You'd like it, but there won't be a riot. You'll all go quietly.† He turned again to the students and shrugged off the hand on his shoulder. â€Å"We'll see to that, won't we?† Someone in the crowd shouted, â€Å"That's Professor Seldon! He's all right! Don't pound him!† Seldon sensed ambivalence in the crowd. There would be some, he knew, who would welcome a dust-up with the University security officers, just on general principles. On the other hand, there had to be some who liked him personally and still others who did not know him but who would not want to see violence against a member of the faculty. A woman's voice rang out. â€Å"Watch out, Professor!† Seldon sighed and regarded the large young men he faced. He didn't know if he could do it, if his reflexes were quick enough, his muscles sturdy enough, even given his prowess at Twisting. One goon was approaching him, overconfidently of course. Not quickly, which gave Seldon a little of the time his aging body would need. The goon held out his arm confrontationally, which made it easier. Seldon seized the arm, whirled, and bent, arm up, and then down (with a grunt-why did he have to grunt?), and the goon went flying through the air, propelled partly by his own momentum. He landed with a thump on the outer edge of the platform, his right shoulder dislocated. There was a wild cry from the audience at this totally unexpected development. Instantly an institutional pride erupted. â€Å"Take them, Prof!† a lone voice shouted. Others took up the cry. Seldon smoothed back his hair, trying not to puff. With his foot he shoved the groaning fallen goon off the platform. â€Å"Anyone else?† he asked pleasantly. â€Å"Or will you leave quietly?† He faced Namarti and his five henchmen and as they paused irresolutely, Seldon said, â€Å"I warn you. The crowd is on my side now. If you try to rush me, they'll take you apart. Okay, who's next? Let's go. One at a time.† He had raised his voice with the last sentence and made small come-hither motions with his fingers. The crowd yelled its pleasure. Namarti stood there stolidly. Seldon leaped past him and caught his neck in the crook of his arm. Students were climbing onto the platform now, shouting â€Å"One at a time! One at a time!† and getting between the bodyguards and Seldon. Seldon increased the pressure on the other's windpipe and whispered in his ear, â€Å"There's a way to do this, Namarti, and I know how: I've practiced it for years. If you make a move and try to break away, I'll ruin your larynx so that you'll never talk above a whisper again. If you value your voice, do as I say. When I let up, you tell your bunch of bullies to leave. If you say anything else, they'll be the last words you'll say normally. And if you ever come back to this campus again, no more Mr. Nice Guy. I'll finish the job.† He released the pressure momentarily. Namarti said huskily, â€Å"All of you. Get out.† They retreated rapidly, helping their stricken comrade. When the University security officers arrived a few moments later, Seldon said, â€Å"Sorry, gentlemen. False alarm.† He left the Field and resumed his walk home with more than a little chagrin. He had revealed a side of himself he did not want to reveal. He was Hari Seldon, mathematician, not Hari Seldon, sadistic twister. Besides, he thought gloomily, Dors would hear of this. In fact, he'd better tell her himself, lest she hear a version that made the incident seem worse than it really was. She would not be pleased. 3 She wasn't. Dors was waiting for him at the door of their apartment in an easy stance, hand on one hip, looking very much as she had when he had first met her at this very University eight years before: slim, shapely, with curly reddish-gold hair-very beautiful in his eyes but not very beautiful in any objective sense, though he had never been able to assess her objectively after the first few days of their friendship. Dors Venabili! That's what he thought when he saw her calm face. There were many worlds, even many sectors on Trantor where it would have been common to call her Dors Seldon, but that, he always thought, would put the mark of ownership on her and he did not wish it, even though the custom was sanctioned by existence back into the vague mists of the pre-Imperial past. Dors said, softly and with a sad shake of her head that barely disturbed her loose curls, â€Å"I've heard, Hari. Just what am I going to do with you?† â€Å"A kiss would not be amiss.† â€Å"Well, perhaps, but only after we probe this a little. Come in.† The door closed behind them. â€Å"You know, dear, I have my course and my research. I'm still doing that dreadful history of the Kingdom of Trantor, which you tell me is essential to your own work. Shall I drop it all and take to wandering around with you, protecting you? It's still my job, you know. It's more than ever my job, now that you're making progress with psychohistory.† â€Å"Making progress? I wish I were. But you needn't protect me.† â€Å"Needn't I? I sent Raych out looking for you. After all, you were late and I was concerned. You usually tell me when you're going to be late. I'm sorry if that makes me sound as though I'm your keeper, Hari, but I am your keeper.† â€Å"Does it occur to you, Keeper Dors, that every once in a while I like to slip my leash?† â€Å"And if something happens to you, what do I tell Demerzel?† â€Å"Am I too late for dinner? Have we clicked for kitchen service?† â€Å"No. I was waiting for you. And as long as you're here, you click it. You're a great deal pickier than I am when it comes to food. And don't change the subject.† â€Å"Didn't Raych tell you that I was all right? So what's there to talk about?† â€Å"When he found you, you were in control of the situation and he got back here first, but not by much. I didn't hear any details. Tell me-What-were-you-doing?† Seldon shrugged. â€Å"There was an illegal gathering, Dors, and I broke it up. The University could have gotten a good deal of trouble it didn't need if I hadn't.† â€Å"And it was up to you to prevent it? Hari. you're not a Twister anymore. You're a -â€Å" He put in hastily, â€Å"An old man?† â€Å"For a Twister, yes. You're forty. How do you feel?† â€Å"Well-A little stiff.† â€Å"I can well imagine. And one of these days, when you try to pretend you're a young Heliconian athlete, you'll break a rib. Now tell me about it.† â€Å"Well, I told you how Amaryl warned me that Demerzel was in trouble because of the demagoguery of Jo-Jo Joranum.† â€Å"Jo-Jo. Yes, I know that much. What don't I know? What happened today?† â€Å"There was a rally at the Field. A Jo-Jo partisan named Namarti was addressing the crowd-â€Å" â€Å"Namarti is Gambol Deen Namarti, Joranum's right-hand man.† â€Å"Well, you know more about it than I do. In any case, he was addressing a large crowd and he had no permit and I think he was hoping there would be some sort of riot. They feed on these disorders and if he could close down the University even temporarily, he would charge Demerzel with the destruction of academic freedom. I gather they blame him for everything. So I stopped them. Sent them off without a riot.† â€Å"You sound proud.† â€Å"Why not? Not bad for a man of forty.† â€Å"Is that why you did it? To test your status at forty?† Seldon thoughtfully clicked the dinner menu. Then he said, â€Å"No. I really was concerned that the University would get into needless trouble. And I was concerned about Demerzel. I'm afraid that Yugo's tales of danger had impressed me more than I realized. That was stupid, Dors, because I know that Demerzel can take care of himself. I couldn't explain that to Yugo or to anyone but you.† He drew in a deep breath. â€Å"It's amazing what a pleasure it is that I can at least talk to you about it. You know and I know and Demerzel knows and no one else knows-at least, that I know of-that Demerzel is untouchable.† Dors touched a contact on a recessed wall panel and the dining section of their living quarters lit up with a soft peach-colored glow. Together, she and Hari walked to the table, which was already set with linen, crystal, and utensils. As they sat, the dinner began to arrive-there was never any long delay at this time of evening-and Seldon accepted it quite casually. He had long since grown accustomed to the social position that made it unnecessary for them to patronize the faculty dinners. Seldon savored the seasonings they had learned to enjoy during their stay at Mycogen-the only thing about that strange, male-dominated, religion-permeated, living-in-the-past sector they had not detested. Dors said softly, â€Å"How do you mean, ‘untouchable'?† â€Å"Come, dear, he can alter emotions. You haven't forgotten that. If Joranum really became dangerous, he could be†-he made a vague gesture with his hands- â€Å"altered: made to change his mind.† Dors looked uncomfortable and the meal proceeded in an unusual silence. It wasn't until it was over and the remains-dishes, cutlery, and all-swirled down the disposal chute in the center of the table (which then smoothly covered itself over) that she said, â€Å"I'm not sure I want to talk about this, Hari, but I can't let you be fooled by your own innocence.† â€Å"Innocence?† He frowned. â€Å"Yes. We've never talked about this. I never thought it would come up, but Demerzel has shortcomings. He is not untouchable, he may be harmed, and Joranum is indeed a danger to him.† â€Å"Are you serious?† â€Å"Of course I am. You don't understand robots-certainly not one as complex as Demerzel. And I do.†

It took a long time, but there is now a good standard of protection Essay

It took a long time, but there is now a good standard of protection against unfair standard contract terms imposed by one par - Essay Example In the past, one party to a contract could violate the contract by exploiting the loopholes in the English Law. But today, legal safeguards are in place to stem such practices (Gretchen 2000, p.67). UK has various statutes stating that when one of the parties to a contract disobeys the contract, the other is at liberty to seek legal redress. Contract law encompasses issues as whether a validly executed contract is in place, what it entails, whether the actions of a party amounts to contract violation, and the level of compensation that a victim of contract violation is entitled to. Historical development Standard clauses were in a contract conceived out of the need for discipline among parties in business practices; however, it was insignificant in pre-commercial practices (Howells, and Weatherill, 2005p.p.101). In ancient times, the largely primitive societies employed other methods of implementing the dedication of parties to an agreement. Before the advent of contract law, deals a nd promises between individuals were done through familial connections or under religious organizations. In the ancient system premised upon barter, transactions were self-enforcing since transactions would be deemed complete by both parties at once. In contrast, Blythe (2005, p.77) argued that many parties is such transactions would notice problems with the commodities after the transaction was complete, but these historical challenges have been usually arbitrated through property law. The lack of fair standard terms in contact law would complicate the issue, since clear rules guiding the promise such as the conduct of both parties was lacking. In the ancient English law, the then primitive society continued to employ notions of issues to do with property instead of a pledge (Gretchen 2000, p.67). In the society’s ancient forms of transactions involving informal contracts, familial connections helped in securing the credit in as much the same way as when a community or an et hnic group provided hostages for the period within which the debt was to be settled. Other types of security included promising a property such as land or giving away individuals as pawns (Bar 2004, p.54). Some credit options were basically commonly accepted across board: livestock, for example, would be assigned to a concierge whose services were paid with a fixed proportion of the animal’s young ones. The problems arising from the quantification of values of assets impacted the enforceability of the largely casual agreements, especially following the expansion of business transactions beyond familial connections in the second half of the twentieth century. These business activities eventually led the development of solid, enforceable, binding laws of contracts in the modern United Kingdom (Heidemann 2007, p.35). Modern statutes put in place enforceable promises, which basically went hand in hand with the expansion of the country’s market economy. In contrast though, cases of violations of standard terms of contract even after the enactment of the first major contract law in 1977 persisted. The Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977, which basically aimed to streamline the behaviour of parties in a contract were still rampant in the United Kingdom (Forte 1999, p.121). Legal safeguards The English law of contract has sections dealing with unfair standard terms

Critically evaluate the theories that attempt to explain why women Essay

Critically evaluate the theories that attempt to explain why women continue to suffer disadvantage in the employment relationship - Essay Example The majority of women are employed in low skilled jobs, and the manner of their dealings with employers is not subject to protections presented by competitive forces within the labour market. Majority of women at the work place are exposed to unfair dealings and outcomes with companies (Colgan & Ledwith 2002, p. 172). Their bargaining power is unequal compared to the firm due to lack of protection. This system works unfairly to women even as nonmarket mechanisms try to provide some form of protection to them. Since early 1800 there have always been legislations meant to protect female workers. This includes prohibition from working in certain occupations, hours of work and compulsory maternity leave. Consequently, firms responded by either substituting female labour or lowering their wages to cater for the costs. Critics observe that protective policies stand in the way of women in their bid to compete with men for high paying jobs (Brown et al 2009, p.151). The paper addresses a range of theories which have been put forward to explain the position women occupy in employment. These theories including radical feminism, Marxist feminism and liberal feminism share some things in common. Apart from postmodernists, labour market segmentation and human capital model the proponents assume human behaviour is determined biologically. On the contrary knowledge from social sciences asser ts that as much as people shape society, the society too shapes people. This is to say that the mainstream feminist theories consider women in employment relations in terms of sex as opposed to gender. This theory puts much emphasis on the need for human agency as opposed to social structure, in suggesting improvement and explaining women’s position. According to the theory it is vital that both individuals and legislation are subjected to change. However, the behavioural change among people is given much emphasis. The equality between man and women is

Emerging HRM issues in China

Emerging HRM issues in China The following essay will discuss some of the emerging HRM issues in China and analyse the implications for multi-national enterprises (MNEs). Initially, a brief overview of the Chinas economic landscape will be given and the role that China plays in the global environment will be highlighted. For the purposes of this essay, in-depth discussion and analysis will be on two of the main emerging issues which are the management of culture integration and HRM knowledge transfer in modern China and secondly, addressing the lack of skills and highlighting the importance of retention in China through modern HRM practices. Background information concerning current issues. Prior to the 1970s, much of the economic landscape in China was dominated by State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) (Liu, 2003). However, reforms concerning the economy, labour relations, ownership and other social systems in the late 1970s through to the 1980s opened the door to an increase in foreign investment, which mainly occurred through the joint ventures with domestic enterprises (Lewis, 2003). Since then, further reforms developed the opportunity for privately owned enterprises, and wholly foreign owned enterprises to exist in China. Due to these significant reforms, the last twenty to thirty years in China has seen its society shift in a number of ways, firstly, from the country being primarily rural farming and agricultural to urban and industrialised, secondly the economy itself shifting from being ‘rigid and centrally planned to very market orientated. Thirdly, the transition of domestic enterprises from being state owned allocations systems to representing private and collective forms of ownership. Next, there was an evident shift in the culture in China moving from being a socialist mentality dominated by Confucianism to a more diverse society with emerging capitalist values and greater openness to the global community (Wang Wang, 2006) These changes according to Selmer (2002) have meant that China has grown into an attractive and important market for international business and this attractiveness has been boosted by Chinas vast population and its entry into the World Trade Organisation. As China has become inevitably linked to the international economy, it increasingly faces the challenges of globalization which mean enterprises have to adapt to a new, fast-changing environment (Warner, 2008). As such, this type of significant growth for China may hold many implications for managers, because aided by the injection of technology and managerial expertise into Chinas economic development, China has experienced a significant economic leap forward with increased complexities in people management that have been strongly influenced by political factors, economic factors, and social systems, as well as national culture (Wang Wang, 2006) .   Managing culture integration and knowledge transfer. The first significant emerging HRM issue that will be discussed is the extent to which cultural differences in China influence the management behaviour of multi-national enterprises(MNEs) and moreover, the importance of cultural integration in a dynamic society. Firstly, organisational â€Å"culture† is defined as the norms, values and shared beliefs by employees and refers to individual behaviours which make up how work gets done in an organisation (Hill, 2007). Essentially, it is how a business outcome is achieved by the behaviours of people, and the drivers which produce desired behaviours. Beechler and Yang (1994) suggests that as the gap between the parent country culture and host country culture widens, the likelihood of the MNE conforming is reduced. However, other research by Gamble (2003) suggests that with a cultural gap, MNEs themselves conform to local customs and practices to bridge that gap. In regards to modern China, through analysis of companies such as Orica who have changed areas like recruiting practices to conform to Chinese cultural influences, it can be said that the latter HRM theory by Gamble (2003) holds true in China. Communist philosophies such as reliance on the government are also still prevalent in China and this combined with other Chinese cultural concepts such as and ‘guanxi and ‘danwei can be a siginificant barrier for MNEs trying to achieve business outcomes (Fan, 2002). Guanxi is a measure which reflects feelings in an interpersonal relationship, the moral obligation to maintain that relationship, and, the idea of being perceived as a morally correct whilst holding ones place in society (Fan, 2002). Whats important to note is that ‘guanxi influences business interactions such as employment represents and financial transactions and not just casual social interactions. The issue for MNEs here is that where in the home-country HR practices such as selection may have been based on knowledge, skills and competencies as well as pay and merit, ‘guanxi influences become a barrier to strategic recruitment and selection as local HR practices are guanxi-based and require th at relationships to be built ahead of time (Zhu, Thomson DeCieri, 2008). Another example of this barrier is that of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) which still heavily rely on state agencies to assign jobs from the labour market. This is due to historical and cultural roots which are derived from communist philosophies and relations of ‘guanxi built over a long period of time (Zhu, Thomson DeCieri, 2008). With such a diverse culture in China, cultural integration becomes a critical people issue for MNEs in China. This was made clear in a global survey conducted by Wang Nishiguchi (2007) that stated 67% of both Chinese and non-Chinese survey respondents agreed that cultural integration is the most important people issue and the most critical success factor for a MNEs in China. In regards to this, differences in culture between firms are also a major source of attrition, especially after mergers, and yet according to research and surveys, these differences are rarely investigated by MNEs. For example in mergers or acquisitions, companies may fail to even identify the nature of the â€Å"culture† that exists in the other company prior to merging (Wang Nishiguchi, 2007). Without defining the type of culture prevalent, it is impossible to deal properly with issues of cultural integration. In more recent times, a significant problem in China concerned company specific culture. For example, there are SOE workers that have communist philosophies that everyone is equal but when MNEs enter the scene, they are often perplexed that managers ask them to focus on customers or implement a system where top performers are rewarded while those falling behind are punished (Bacani Peavy-Sima, 2006). Many of these workers find it difficult to adjust to a culture where their performance is constantly graded against others and this is the modern dilemma for MNEs. Another example is that of Philippine company Jollibee Foods whom setup in China and experienced issues with cultural alignment. Philippine managers and employees were accustomed to a democratic environment and having the freedom to raise concerns with superiors but in China, the culture is more authoritaria n with a greater power distance between workers and superiors so it deemed acceptable for managers to be controlling and for workers not to raise immediate concerns (Bacani Peavy-Sima, 2006). MNEs also need to see some of the implications of failing to address cultural integration issues in China. The coexistence of traditional and reformed economic, institutional, and cultural systems in China has created strong resistance to change so consequently, problems arising for MNEs in human resource areas cover job design, leadership, motivation, performance and productivity improvement, and especially in organizational development through knowledge transfer (Wang Wang 2006). Knowledge transfer according to Saka-Helmhout (2009) refers the movement of knowledge, policies and practices from home countries to host countries and flow can be one-way from the parent to the subsidiary or two-ways between the parent and subsidiary. Employees in a home-country have many sources of power they can use to block the transfer of knowledge, for example, they assumingly have superior knowledge of the language and culture which can be used to promote local culture and restrict MNE impositions on them (Saka-Helmhout, 2009). It is also worthwhile mentioning that expatriates have the ability to facilitate, disseminate and transfer standardized MNE practices and knowledge into host countries. Research by Gamble (2003) suggests that companies with a high expatriate presence will abide by management practices of the MNE and be wary of traditional host country practices to close the cultural gap. This is primarily because expatriate managers play a control function role in area s such as setting overall strategy and transferring much of the administrative heritage. Expatriates also spread explicit knowledge through the adoption of employee handbooks, training manuals and standard operating procedures as well as valuable tacit knowledge of ways of managing the organisation (Taylor et al, 1996). An example of this is evident in the UK based ‘StoreCo who set up operations in China named ‘DecoStore to serve the local market. Expatriate managers for DecoStore participated in and oversaw the entire operation and this allowed for long term dialect with Chinese employees in which cultural values and expectations, on both sides, were negotiated and this set a platform for effective knowledge transfer. Essentially, DecoStore demonstrated that even a few expatriates can have a great impact as they initially operated with two UK expatriates (Gamble, 2003).. Implications of expatriates however are that in China, few expatriates can speak Mandarin and fewer can read it, consequently, some expatriates cannot talk directly to their staff, let alone read legislation in Chinese and this may have a detrimental impact on long term relations and business outcomes (Gamble, 2003). Lack of skilled labour resources and retention issues. The second major emerging HRM issue in China is the growing need for talented managers and the lack of skilled workers. For MNEs, this is stated as by far the biggest HRM challenge in China and this applies for locally owned businesses also (Bacani Peavy-Sima, 2006). According to the China Economic Review (2009), ‘the imbalance between business opportunities in China and qualified executives to manage them will get worse, before it gets better. In a recent survey of US-owned enterprises in China by ‘AmCham Shanghai, 37% of the companies said that recruiting talent was their biggest operational problem and this issue was greater than regulatory concerns, a lack of transparency, bureaucracy, or the infringement of intellectual-property rights which are all deemed as significant issues also (Bacani Peavy-Sima, 2006) . In another survey, 44% of executives at Chinese companies surveyed by ‘ The McKinsey Quarterly stated insufficient talent locally was the biggest barr ier to their global ambitions. With a population of`1.3 billion people, one would assume that labour resources are freely available and skills abundant in China but this is not the case currently and this is due to Chinas history. One reason historically is due to the ‘iron rice bowl approach of managing people in China prior to the reforms of the 1970s. Essentially, from a HR perspective, the ‘iron rice bowl approach involved cradle to grave welfare coverage, no layoff/firing policies, egalitarian pay systems, and group based rewards which coincided with lack of organizational autonomy and discretion due to the centrally planned economy at the time. (Wright, Mitsuhashi Chua, 1998). To add to this, the government controlled all resources and centralized the allocation of the material supplies, filling quotas assigned by the state, rather than improving productivity and quality. Consequently, there was no incentive for organisations to reduce costs, alter work processes for productivity or improve pro ducts. No incentive system in organizations meant that employees were not motivated and this had a detrimental impact on organisational competitiveness (Goodwall Warner, 1997). A second reason historically for the lack of skilled human capital in China was the absence of higher education in general and management training which is primarily linked to the ‘Cultural Revolution from (1966-76) where universities and educational institutions were closed and a whole generation of potential managers were lost (Wright et at, 1998). This action by those in power meant that the cohort of workers entering work came without the benefit of quality education and consequently, created human capital shortages. Therefore, a huge HR dilemma exists in that MNEs in China face a workforce supply that is synonymous with low skills, degraded motivation at both management and employee levels. To coincide with this, the growth of enterprises in China has exponentially increased demand for skills and motivated workers (Ke. et al, 2006). Another implication of these historical events are that many managers existing knowledge, skills and abilities have become obsolete and inadequate to cope with competitive business environments because of the state run systems and their lack of exposure to competitive markets. This is especially true for older managers, particularly in SOEs who hold no education beyond a high school diploma and have been appointed or promoted to existing positions because of cultural reasons or status (Lau Roffey, 2002). Under a market-oriented economy, there would be emphasis on performance, individual accountability and strategic decision making but this was not to be as these managers followed and implemented decisions made by state and local governments (Zhu Nyland, 2004). Evidently, there is a significant gap between organizations requirements and managers competencies and skills, especially in areas such as HR, marketing, and organizational analysis, which appear as relatively new concepts in China. Interestingly, organisations that successfully address the skills shortage in China stand out in a number of ways. According to Shen Edwards (2004), the most effective organisations have a clear strategic view of their labour talent needs four to five years ahead, segment their executives and identify gaps at all levels of the organization. They develop and adopt sophisticated external-recruiting techniques coupled with internal-development and training programs adapted to the local Chinese environment. As such, to address this issue, managers of MNEs in China might need to know more about simplifying products, that is, localise techniques that have worked elsewhere globally and look into finding low-capital solutions, managing strategic alliances and government relations. A higher level of cultural openness may be necessary as well. MNEs in China must therefore be prepared to recognize and address the differences between their talent needs in that country and in the rest of the wo rld which again highlights the importance of cultural integration. At telecommunications company Motorola, employees are provided with tailored offerings such as the ‘China Accelerated Management Program, for promising local managers; the ‘Motorola Management Foundation Program, to train new managers in such areas as problem solving and communication; and the ‘Motorola high-tech MBA program, a partnership with Arizona State University and Tsinghua University, which allows high-performing employees in China to earn an MBA (China Economic Review, 2009). Incentives like these also contribute to the retention of valuable skilled employees and essentially demonstrate that the MNE see â€Å"human capital† as a valuable resource, requiring investment and sound management in order to receive the best possible returns. Another example of an organisation retaining skilled talent is of Lenovo who promote young talent aggressively within, with three of its seven most senior executives are under 40 years old. (China Economic Review, 200 9. Ultimately, China proves to be a juggling act for MNEs that choose to invest into a market of extremes, with imbalances in supply and demand of skilled talent and exposure to frequently changing corporate and social domains that pose distinct challenges. Therefore, MNEs hoping to compete in China need to raise talent to the top of their agenda in order to create a sustainable source of competitive advantage. Essentially, the two of the major HRM issues occurring currently in China include culture integration issues and the problem of skilled labour shortages in contrast to rising labour demands. Ultimately, it can be said that the political and economical changes that have occurred in Chinas past has led to these significant issues and for the modern day HRM manager of an MNE in China, it is imperative not to not assume that home-country HRM practices can be applied to Chinese enterprises and ensure that the global implications of what they can learn in the Chinese context are applied. In a dynamic and ever-changing environment such as Chinas, MNEs must thoroughly analyse this environment in which they are in and look to set long term goals and address each issue through the amalgamation of Western HRM practices and Chinese HRM practices. References Bacani, C. Peavy-Sima, K. (2006), â€Å"The great buy-out: MA in China†, The Economist Intelligence Unit. Beechler, S. and Yang, J.Z. (1994) â€Å"The Transfer of Japanese-style Management to American Subsidiaries: Contingencies, Constraints, and Competencies†, Journal of International BusinessStudies, Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 467-91. China Economic Review, â€Å" How to address Chinas growing talent shortage†, (2009), viewed 17 Aug. 2009, . Fan, Y. (2002), â€Å"Questioning Guanxi: Definition, Classification and Implications, International Business Review, Vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 543-561. Gamble, J. (2003), â€Å"Transferring human resource practices from the United Kingdom to China: the limits and potential for convergence†, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 369-387. Goodall, K. Warner, M. (1997), â€Å"Human resources in Sino-foreign joint ventures: selected case studies in Shanghai, compared with Beijing†, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 8, No. 5, pp. 569-593. Hill, C.W.L. (2007), International Business Competing in the Global Marketplace, 6 th edn, McGraw-Hill, New York. Ke, J., Chermack, T., Lee, Y., Lin, J. (2006), â€Å"National human resource development in transitioning societies in the developing world: The Peoples Republic of China†, Advances inDeveloping Human Resources, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 28-45. Lau, A., Roffey, B. (2002). â€Å"Management education and development in China: A research note†, Labour and Management in Development Journal, Vol. 2, No. 10, pp. 3-10. Lewis, P. (2003), â€Å"New China old ways? A case study of the prospects for implementing human resource management practices in a Chinese state-owned enterprise†, Employee Relations, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 42-60. Liu, S. (2003), â€Å"Cultures within culture: Unity and diversity of two generations of employees in state-owned enterprises†, Human Relations, Vol. 56, No. 4, pp. 387-417. Saka-Helmhout, A. (2009), â€Å"Agency-Based View of Learning within the Multinational Corporation†, Management Learning, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 259-275. Selmer. J (2002), â€Å"Adjustment of Third Country National Expatriates in China†, Asia Pacific Business Review, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 101-117. Shen, J. V. Edwards, V. (2004), â€Å"Recruitment and selection in Chinese MNEs†, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 15, No. 5, pp. 814-835. Taylor, S., Beechler, S. Napier, N. (1996), â€Å"Toward an Integrative Model of Strategic International Human Resource Management†, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 959-985. Wang, B.X. Nishiguchi, N. (2007), â€Å" MA in emerging markets a focus on China The human capital challenge†, Mercer Human Resource Consulting, London. Wang, J. Wang, G.G. (2006), â€Å"Exploring National Human Resource Development: A Case of China Management Development in a Transitioning Context†, Human Resource Development Review, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 176-201. Warner. M (2008), â€Å"Reassessing human resource management ‘with Chinese characteristics: An overview†, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 19, No. 5, pp. 771-801. Zhu, C.J. Nyland, C. (2004), â€Å"Marketization and social protection reform: emerging HRM issues in China†, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 853-877. Zhu, C.J., Thomson, S.B. De Cieri, H. (2008), â€Å"A Retrospective and Prospective Analysis of HRM Research in Chinese Firms: Implications and Directions for Future Study†, Human Resource Management, Spring 2008, Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 133-156.

Forward the Foundation Chapter 2

2 But Seldon, while he did not forget Amaryl's warning, did not think of it with any great degree of concentration. His fortieth birthday came and went-with the usual psychological blow. Forty! He was not young any longer. Life no longer stretched before him as a vast uncharted field, its horizon lost in the distance. He had been on Trantor for eight years and the time had passed quickly. Another eight years and he would be nearly fifty. Old age would be looming. And he had not even made a decent beginning in psychohistory? Yugo Amaryl spoke brightly of laws and worked out his equations by making daring assumptions based on intuition. But how could one possibly test those assumptions? Psychohistory was not yet an experimental science. The complete study of psychohistory would require experiments that would involve worlds of people, centuries of time-and a total lack of ethical responsibility. It posed an impossible problem and he resented having to spend any time whatever on departmental tasks, so he walked home at the end of the day in a morose mood. Ordinarily he could always count on a walk through the campus to rouse his spirits. Streeling University was high-domed and the campus gave the feeling of being out in the open without the necessity of enduring the kind of weather he had experienced on his one (and only) visit to the Imperial Palace. There were trees, lawns, walks, almost as though he were on the campus of his old college on his home world of Helicon. The illusion of cloudiness had been arranged for the day with the sunlight (no sun, of course, just sunlight) appearing and disappearing at odd intervals. And it was a little cool, just a little. It seemed to Seldon that the cool days came a little more frequently than they used to. Was Trantor saving energy? Was it increasing inefficiency? Or (and he scowled inwardly as he thought it) was he getting old and was his blood getting thin? He placed his hands in his jacket pockets and hunched up his shoulders. Usually he did not bother guiding himself consciously. His body knew the way perfectly from his offices to his computer room and from there to his apartment and back. Generally he negotiated the path with his thoughts elsewhere, but today a sound penetrated his consciousness. A sound without meaning. â€Å"Jo†¦ Jo†¦ Jo†¦ Jo†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was rather soft and distant, but it brought back a memory. Yes, Amaryl's warning. The demagogue. Was he here on campus? His legs swerved without Seldon's making a conscious decision and brought him over the low rise to the University Field, which was used for calisthenics, sports, and student oratory. In the middle of the Field was a moderate-sized crowd of students who were chanting enthusiastically. On a platform was someone he didn't recognize, someone with a loud voice and a swaying rhythm. It wasn't this man, Joranum, however. He had seen Joranum on holovision a number of times. Since Amaryl's warning, Seldon had paid close attention. Joranum was large and smiled with a kind of vicious camaraderie. He had thick sandy hair and light blue eyes. This speaker was small, if anything-thin, wide-mouthed, dark-haired, and loud. Seldon wasn't listening to the words, though he did hear the phrase â€Å"power from the one to the many† and the many-voiced shout in response. Fine, thought Seldon, but just how does he intend to bring this about-and is he serious? He was at the outskirts of the crowd now and looked around far someone he knew. He spotted Finangelos, a pre-math undergraduate. Not a bad young man, dark and woolly-haired. â€Å"Finangelos,† he called out. â€Å"Professor Seldon† said Finangelos after a moment of staring as though unable to recognize Seldon without a keyboard at his fingertips he trotted over. â€Å"Did you come to listen to this guy?† â€Å"I didn't come for any purpose but to find out what the noise was. Who is he?† â€Å"His name is Namarti, Professor. He's speaking for Jo-Jo.† â€Å"I hear that, † said Seldon as he listened to the chant again. It began each time the speaker made a telling point, apparently. â€Å"But who is this Namarti? I don't recognize the name. What department is he in?† â€Å"He's not a member of the University, Professor. He's one of Jo-Jo's men.† â€Å"If he's not a member of the University, he has no right to speak here without a permit. Does he have one, do you suppose?† â€Å"I wouldn't know, Professor.† â€Å"Well then, let's find out.† Seldon started into the crowd, but Finangelos caught his sleeve. â€Å"Don't start anything, Professor. He's got goons with him.† There were six young men behind the speaker, spaced rather widely, legs apart, arms folded, scowling. â€Å"Goons?† â€Å"For rough stuff, in case anyone tries anything funny.† â€Å"Then he's certainly not a member of the University and even a permit wouldn't cover what you call his ‘goons'. Finangelos, signal through to the University security officers. They should have been here by now without a signal.† â€Å"I guess they don't want trouble,† muttered Finangelos. â€Å"Please, Professor, don't try anything. If you want me to get the security officers, I will, but you just wait till they come.† â€Å"Maybe I can break this up before they come.† He began pushing his way through. It wasn't difficult. Some of those present recognized him and all could see the professorial shoulder patch. He reached the platform, placed his hands on it, and vaulted up the three feet with a small grunt. He thought, with chagrin, that he could have done it with one hand ten years before and without the grunt. He straightened up. The speaker had stopped talking and was looking at him with wary and ice-hard eyes. Seldon said calmly, â€Å"Your permit to address the students, sir.† â€Å"Who are you?† said the speaker. He said it loudly, his voice carrying. â€Å"I'm a member of the faculty of this University,† said Seldon, equally loudly. â€Å"Your permit, sir?† â€Å"I deny your right to question me on the matter.† The young men behind the speaker had gathered closer. â€Å"If you have none, I would advise you to leave the University grounds immediately.† â€Å"And if I don't?† â€Å"Well, for one thing, the University security officers are on their way.† He turned to the crowd. â€Å"Students,† he called out, â€Å"we have the right of free speech and freedom of assembly on this campus, but it can be taken away from us if we allow outsiders, without permits, to make unauthorized-â€Å" A heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he winced. He turned around and found it was one of the men Finangelos had referred to as â€Å"goons.† The man said, with a heavy accent whose provenance Seldon could not immediately identify, â€Å"Get out of here fast. â€Å" â€Å"What good will that do?† said Seldon. â€Å"The security officers will be here any minute.† â€Å"In that case,† said Namarti with a feral grin, â€Å"there'll be a riot. That doesn't scare us.† â€Å"Of course it wouldn't,† said Seldon. â€Å"You'd like it, but there won't be a riot. You'll all go quietly.† He turned again to the students and shrugged off the hand on his shoulder. â€Å"We'll see to that, won't we?† Someone in the crowd shouted, â€Å"That's Professor Seldon! He's all right! Don't pound him!† Seldon sensed ambivalence in the crowd. There would be some, he knew, who would welcome a dust-up with the University security officers, just on general principles. On the other hand, there had to be some who liked him personally and still others who did not know him but who would not want to see violence against a member of the faculty. A woman's voice rang out. â€Å"Watch out, Professor!† Seldon sighed and regarded the large young men he faced. He didn't know if he could do it, if his reflexes were quick enough, his muscles sturdy enough, even given his prowess at Twisting. One goon was approaching him, overconfidently of course. Not quickly, which gave Seldon a little of the time his aging body would need. The goon held out his arm confrontationally, which made it easier. Seldon seized the arm, whirled, and bent, arm up, and then down (with a grunt-why did he have to grunt?), and the goon went flying through the air, propelled partly by his own momentum. He landed with a thump on the outer edge of the platform, his right shoulder dislocated. There was a wild cry from the audience at this totally unexpected development. Instantly an institutional pride erupted. â€Å"Take them, Prof!† a lone voice shouted. Others took up the cry. Seldon smoothed back his hair, trying not to puff. With his foot he shoved the groaning fallen goon off the platform. â€Å"Anyone else?† he asked pleasantly. â€Å"Or will you leave quietly?† He faced Namarti and his five henchmen and as they paused irresolutely, Seldon said, â€Å"I warn you. The crowd is on my side now. If you try to rush me, they'll take you apart. Okay, who's next? Let's go. One at a time.† He had raised his voice with the last sentence and made small come-hither motions with his fingers. The crowd yelled its pleasure. Namarti stood there stolidly. Seldon leaped past him and caught his neck in the crook of his arm. Students were climbing onto the platform now, shouting â€Å"One at a time! One at a time!† and getting between the bodyguards and Seldon. Seldon increased the pressure on the other's windpipe and whispered in his ear, â€Å"There's a way to do this, Namarti, and I know how: I've practiced it for years. If you make a move and try to break away, I'll ruin your larynx so that you'll never talk above a whisper again. If you value your voice, do as I say. When I let up, you tell your bunch of bullies to leave. If you say anything else, they'll be the last words you'll say normally. And if you ever come back to this campus again, no more Mr. Nice Guy. I'll finish the job.† He released the pressure momentarily. Namarti said huskily, â€Å"All of you. Get out.† They retreated rapidly, helping their stricken comrade. When the University security officers arrived a few moments later, Seldon said, â€Å"Sorry, gentlemen. False alarm.† He left the Field and resumed his walk home with more than a little chagrin. He had revealed a side of himself he did not want to reveal. He was Hari Seldon, mathematician, not Hari Seldon, sadistic twister. Besides, he thought gloomily, Dors would hear of this. In fact, he'd better tell her himself, lest she hear a version that made the incident seem worse than it really was. She would not be pleased. 3 She wasn't. Dors was waiting for him at the door of their apartment in an easy stance, hand on one hip, looking very much as she had when he had first met her at this very University eight years before: slim, shapely, with curly reddish-gold hair-very beautiful in his eyes but not very beautiful in any objective sense, though he had never been able to assess her objectively after the first few days of their friendship. Dors Venabili! That's what he thought when he saw her calm face. There were many worlds, even many sectors on Trantor where it would have been common to call her Dors Seldon, but that, he always thought, would put the mark of ownership on her and he did not wish it, even though the custom was sanctioned by existence back into the vague mists of the pre-Imperial past. Dors said, softly and with a sad shake of her head that barely disturbed her loose curls, â€Å"I've heard, Hari. Just what am I going to do with you?† â€Å"A kiss would not be amiss.† â€Å"Well, perhaps, but only after we probe this a little. Come in.† The door closed behind them. â€Å"You know, dear, I have my course and my research. I'm still doing that dreadful history of the Kingdom of Trantor, which you tell me is essential to your own work. Shall I drop it all and take to wandering around with you, protecting you? It's still my job, you know. It's more than ever my job, now that you're making progress with psychohistory.† â€Å"Making progress? I wish I were. But you needn't protect me.† â€Å"Needn't I? I sent Raych out looking for you. After all, you were late and I was concerned. You usually tell me when you're going to be late. I'm sorry if that makes me sound as though I'm your keeper, Hari, but I am your keeper.† â€Å"Does it occur to you, Keeper Dors, that every once in a while I like to slip my leash?† â€Å"And if something happens to you, what do I tell Demerzel?† â€Å"Am I too late for dinner? Have we clicked for kitchen service?† â€Å"No. I was waiting for you. And as long as you're here, you click it. You're a great deal pickier than I am when it comes to food. And don't change the subject.† â€Å"Didn't Raych tell you that I was all right? So what's there to talk about?† â€Å"When he found you, you were in control of the situation and he got back here first, but not by much. I didn't hear any details. Tell me-What-were-you-doing?† Seldon shrugged. â€Å"There was an illegal gathering, Dors, and I broke it up. The University could have gotten a good deal of trouble it didn't need if I hadn't.† â€Å"And it was up to you to prevent it? Hari. you're not a Twister anymore. You're a -â€Å" He put in hastily, â€Å"An old man?† â€Å"For a Twister, yes. You're forty. How do you feel?† â€Å"Well-A little stiff.† â€Å"I can well imagine. And one of these days, when you try to pretend you're a young Heliconian athlete, you'll break a rib. Now tell me about it.† â€Å"Well, I told you how Amaryl warned me that Demerzel was in trouble because of the demagoguery of Jo-Jo Joranum.† â€Å"Jo-Jo. Yes, I know that much. What don't I know? What happened today?† â€Å"There was a rally at the Field. A Jo-Jo partisan named Namarti was addressing the crowd-â€Å" â€Å"Namarti is Gambol Deen Namarti, Joranum's right-hand man.† â€Å"Well, you know more about it than I do. In any case, he was addressing a large crowd and he had no permit and I think he was hoping there would be some sort of riot. They feed on these disorders and if he could close down the University even temporarily, he would charge Demerzel with the destruction of academic freedom. I gather they blame him for everything. So I stopped them. Sent them off without a riot.† â€Å"You sound proud.† â€Å"Why not? Not bad for a man of forty.† â€Å"Is that why you did it? To test your status at forty?† Seldon thoughtfully clicked the dinner menu. Then he said, â€Å"No. I really was concerned that the University would get into needless trouble. And I was concerned about Demerzel. I'm afraid that Yugo's tales of danger had impressed me more than I realized. That was stupid, Dors, because I know that Demerzel can take care of himself. I couldn't explain that to Yugo or to anyone but you.† He drew in a deep breath. â€Å"It's amazing what a pleasure it is that I can at least talk to you about it. You know and I know and Demerzel knows and no one else knows-at least, that I know of-that Demerzel is untouchable.† Dors touched a contact on a recessed wall panel and the dining section of their living quarters lit up with a soft peach-colored glow. Together, she and Hari walked to the table, which was already set with linen, crystal, and utensils. As they sat, the dinner began to arrive-there was never any long delay at this time of evening-and Seldon accepted it quite casually. He had long since grown accustomed to the social position that made it unnecessary for them to patronize the faculty dinners. Seldon savored the seasonings they had learned to enjoy during their stay at Mycogen-the only thing about that strange, male-dominated, religion-permeated, living-in-the-past sector they had not detested. Dors said softly, â€Å"How do you mean, ‘untouchable'?† â€Å"Come, dear, he can alter emotions. You haven't forgotten that. If Joranum really became dangerous, he could be†-he made a vague gesture with his hands- â€Å"altered: made to change his mind.† Dors looked uncomfortable and the meal proceeded in an unusual silence. It wasn't until it was over and the remains-dishes, cutlery, and all-swirled down the disposal chute in the center of the table (which then smoothly covered itself over) that she said, â€Å"I'm not sure I want to talk about this, Hari, but I can't let you be fooled by your own innocence.† â€Å"Innocence?† He frowned. â€Å"Yes. We've never talked about this. I never thought it would come up, but Demerzel has shortcomings. He is not untouchable, he may be harmed, and Joranum is indeed a danger to him.† â€Å"Are you serious?† â€Å"Of course I am. You don't understand robots-certainly not one as complex as Demerzel. And I do.†

A mom before the Prom Essay

Teen pregnancy has been gravelly increased in the last few years. Bad media influences (Many programs at TV programs or sexual content movies as well as other mediums) can be the factors that teen girls nowadays are getting a wrong advice that teen motherhood can a common way to live. Partners and friends’s bad influence is making them think that is right to have sex at a young age and will make them feel more popular. In that regards, this essay by Cristina page is restating the issue that more forms of bad media and wrong people’s influences are available today than ever before and consequently teens girls are much more exposed to a lot of information and these sometimes switch teen girl’s mind to do something wrong when they think is totally normal and it also has made teen girls to believe that having children at a young age might be beneficial because they think giving a child for adoption might improve their fortune giving them away for millions of dollars , so it can’t ruin her adolescence too but in reality it can really affect them. – Personally I can share the view of the author in this essay: Teen pregnancy is in reality one of the most difficult experiences a teen girl might ever face when that can interrupt her education or other plans such as getting a better career or maintain fathers with them, but most of the time it doesn’t work and that’s when the situation gets worse. Children usually grow without a father figure when their parents have them at a very young age or sometimes they don’t even live with both parents because they can’t take care of them or support them economically. So when this children start to live without a parental guide , they grow adopting a bad behavior and getting the wrong advices from other bad people and turned into criminals , stealers, or other people of bad reputation because they live in a poor ambient without having a parent who can guide and help them to raise their levels of education. – Most of the time, when teen moms decide to have a baby, teen girls don’t really take care of their babies when they are still formatting inside their body as old mothers and because of their immaturity, sometimes they don’t realize the huge damage they cause to their babies if they start smoking and drinking or working so hard because now they need to support themselves economically carrying heavy stuff when they have to rest the most during their pregnancy. Children are tending to born prematurely, with a disease, a mental retardation or even born death. – Usually we think that there’s not any difference of acquiring the same standards of education or a good life when a kid’s parents are so young and the other’s parent are more mature. The children of teen parents can suffer more of abuse at home and at school or disregard from their parents and grow more with farness or adopt a bad behavior, so that implies that they could not do so well at school, they could get lower grades and repeat their classes or drop out from High School without completing their education. This might increase the raise of poverty in families with young parents too and this leads society into decreasing its economy too. I really enjoyed reading this essay because it deals with a controversial issue and restates the causes of why teen pregnancy is becoming a worldwide problem, it must be thought in class so we can share our own viewpoints about it. 10-) – I encourage people to consider more this issue because if we want a better life for our

Investigate peoples judgement of measurements Essays

Investigate peoples judgement of measurements Essays Investigate peoples judgement of measurements Essay Investigate peoples judgement of measurements Essay I have decided to investigate peoples judgement of measurements as the subject for my Statistics Coursework. Before starting this experiment I needed to define guidelines that would establish the fairness of the tests method of assessment. The method I chose to fulfil this requirement was to: 1. Place the test candidates at one end of a table with their eyes level with the table-top 2. Ask the candidates to look horizontally across the table at a pin located at a fixed position in the middle of a sheet of graph-paper [see diagram 1]. 3. Require the candidate to mark (on the graph-paper) that distance where they thought the pin was located (firstly marking using their right hand, and then their left). Viewing, per hand, is firstly using both eyes followed by each eye individually, right first. The difference between the estimated and the actual position of the target pin is measured for each of the eye conditions. These 3 results are added together to give the final result. This method creates two problems: 1. How the candidate should mark the point which they feel is in line with the pin. I have chosen to use a pin as a marker since I feel it both represents the object they were viewing and gives a greater degree of accuracy than a pencil mark. 2. How far to the side from the target pin should the candidate mark the graph-paper. The closer to the pin they are allowed to get, the less individual judgement is involved and the more likely cheating will occur. To combat these effects I have elected to enforce a minimum of 100mm between the target pin and the candidates mark. 3. Candidates must keep their eyes at the level of the tabletop The experimental set up is shown in Figure 1. The results of the individual estimates will be recorded and compiled into a computer database. Figure 1 : Experimental Set up Hypothesis To predict outcomes in an investigation such as this is very difficult as individuals vary markedly in their ability to judge distances. However a few predictions are possible albeit rather sketchy and basic. I predict: 1. whether the individual is right or left handed will have no effect on judgement of distance 2. individuals who wear spectacles, other than for reading, will have better judgement when wearing those spectacles than without 3. on average girls will be more accurate than boys because girls tend to be more precise, thoughtful and careful There will be individual anomalies to the above predictions as peoples judgement is a personal attribute and also luck will be a random factor. Sample 1 Data: Right or Left handedness I have calculated from the database that there are 25 left handed and 150 right handed people. As this is a ratio of 1:6 then to have equal sample populations I have sampled every sixth right handed person. Each candidates three results, using both eyes individually and together, when using both their right and left hand have been recorded, and the sums of results are displayed in this table. Table 1 Distance estimates in mm (sum of estimates from left, right and both eyes) Right handed people Left handed people Right hand Left hand Right hand Left hand 22.5 44 98 35 63 31 21 17 43 42 45 26 83 73 36 48 81 50 25.5 46 38 115 4 9 7 7 42 54 46 24 13 30 82 59 24 22 43 9 23 21 0 2 53 100 10.5 20 34 30 15 12 31 11 50 34 34.5 5 34 18.5 40 33 21 28 25 22 32 31 56 61 78 22 10 30 13 47 18 12 22 24 16 36 39 22 42 53 40 29 28 7 29 36 3 3.5 38 17 94 75 17 23 36 53 TOTAL: 947 819.5 852 839.5 MEAN: 37.88 32.78 34.08 33.58 My initial inspection of Table 1 results suggested that the average results in each column supported my first prediction that there would be no significant difference between right or left handed people. However inspection of the component results reveals such a wide spread of values that such a conclusion is unsafe. I have therefore decided to display my results in a stem and leaf diagram. From this presentation I can calculate inter-quartile ranges and transfer the data into a box and whisker'(see Fig 2 and Fig 3) Table 2 Stem and Leaf diagram for Right handed people Right hand estimates Left hand estimates 7,0 0 2,7,9 7,5,3,0.5 1 2,7,8.5 9,2.5,2,1 2 0,2,2,3,4,4,8,9 9,8,8,4,2 3 1,1,4,6 6,3,3,0 4 2,4,7 0 5 0,9 3 6 8 7 3 3,2,1 8 9 10 11 5 1QR: (25 + 1) = 6.5 4 1QR: (25 + 1) = 6.5 4 Therefore 48 19 = 29 Therefore 43 19.25 = 23.75 Median = 38 Median = 28 Mean = 37.88 Mean = 32.78 Table 3 Stem and Leaf diagram for Left handed people Right hand estimates Left hand estimates 4,3 0 3.5,5,7,9 8,6,3,0 1 1,2,7 8,5.5,5,4,3,1 2 1,2,2,6 6,6,4.5,4,1 3 0,0,0,3,5,6 5,2,2,0 4 6,8 6,3 5 3,4 6 1 7 5 8 8,4 9 10 0 1QR: (25 + 1) = 6.5 4 1QR: (25 + 1) = 6.5 4 Therefore 42 19.5 = 22.5 Therefore 47 14.5 = 32.5 Median = 31 Median = 30 Mean = 34.08 Mean = 33.58 Sample 2 Data: Effect of wearing spectacles To test my second prediction that those who wear spectacles, other than for reading, will better judge distance whilst wearing their glasses than when not, I will take every candidate who wears spectacles, 30 in total, and compare their data measured both with and without their spectacles on. Again this test used three estimates ie when using both and individual eyes (right first) but using their favoured hand only for marking. The summed results are displayed in table 4. I will then transfer this data into a scatter graph, plotting data with glasses on against data without. This transfer is to demonstrate whether my prediction is valid. If it is correct there will be a positive correlation and the line of best fit will have a gradient less than 45à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. The prediction will not have been validated if there is no correlation or a line of best fit is above 45à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. Table 4 Distance judgement of spectacle wearers (sum of 3 estimates in mm) With Glasses on Without Glasses on 14 7 17 38 41 23 20 23 10 8 23.5 33.5 41 42 20 6 9.5 19 4 3 7 7 12 9 3 2 17 8 12 6 15 10.5 13 15 26 15 12 6 11 22 * Denotes anomalous results which have been disregarded for the purposes of the graph, table totals and averages. This was thought a result of seeing the target between tests with and without glasses on. 22 23 21 8 131* 8* 13.5 18.5 44 14 3 9 3 9 20 9 16 20 5 5 TOTAL: 344.5 410.5 MEAN: 11.9 14.2 Sample 3 Data: Girls judgement compared with that of Boys To test whether girls are better judges of distance than boys I will compare every fifth boy and girl results when using their favoured hand. Candidates must not be spectacle wearers, as we would then be introducing another variable. The data shown is the total score of the candidates three estimates using their preferred hand. Table5 Distance judgement by Girls compared with Boys (Sum of estimates mm) Boys Girls 52 81 21 44 13 14 29 6 33 9 19 5 19 20 16 4 22 12 18 50 11 19 20 5 39.5 40 6.5 14 27 6.5 20 16 40 16 20 11 0 11 53 5 1 4 6 12 4 17 76 40 18 3 5 12 59 13 4 11 28 8 27 20 TOTAL: 707 528.5 MEAN: 23.6 17.6 The data from table 5 has been grouped here into a second table 6. The reason for me doing this is so that I am able to then transfer the data in table 6, firstly into a frequency density graph, and then cumulative frequency graphs from table 7. Table 6 Boys vs Girls grouped into 10mm increments Mm Boys(f) Girls(f) x (midpoint) Boys(fx) Girls(fx) 0 10 7 10 5 35 50 -20 10 15 15 150 225 -30 6 0 25 150 0 -40 3 2 35 105 70 -50 0 2 45 0 90 -60 3 0 55 165 0 -70 0 0 65 0 0 -80 1 0 75 75 0 -90 0 1 85 0 85 Sum fx 30 30 ? fx 680 520 Table 7 Cumulative frequency mm Boys Cf Girls Cf 0 10 7 10 0 20 17 25 0 30 23 25 0 40 26 27 0 50 26 29 0 60 29 29 0 70 29 29 0 80 30 29 0 90 30 30 Cf Cumulative frequency Conclusions for Sample 1 1. Whether the individual is right or left handed For this sample I predicted that handedness will have no effect on judgement of distance. I made this prediction because the hands have nothing to do with a candidates judgement of distance, it is their eyes. As you can see from my results this apparently is the case. There is no conclusive difference between Left or Right handed people. There is more variation between the hand being used to estimate than there is between Left or Right handedness. The Right handed sample shows both the best and worst results. Another point that my data sample shows is that in both cases the mean result is less with the left hand (whether that is the candidates preferred hand or not). However this could be explained by the fact that the trial with the candidates left hands was made after that of their right. Because it is after I can put this down to the fact that they have realised if they are aiming too far or falling too short and therefore they adjust using common sense so they improve their score. This is not true in all cases and in future trial the candidates should: a) Not be allowed to stand up between estimates (or potentially view the table). This could be prevented by screening the table top and only having eye holes in the screen at the viewing level. b) Not be told what their previous Right hand result was. This should combat the problem and make the way for a fairer test. To help verify my original prediction, I shall take a different sample of right handed candidates (I can not do this for the left handed people as there arent enough) and repeat the comparison with the original Left Handed results. In this sample, instead of taking every sixth persons results I shall sample every fifth right handed candidates data. The results have been tabulated in Table 8 in the same way as table 1 and the data displayed in the same Stem and Leaf format in Table 9. From the two sets of data I will be able to confirm these conclusions by comparing the data samples. Table 8 2nd Test: Sample 1 Right handed people Left handed people Right hand Left hand Right hand Left hand 6 8 98 35 81 69 21 17 21 23 45 26 22 30 36 48 76 18 25.5 46 11 12 4 9 46 10 42 54 14 2 13 30 10 3 24 22 13 7 23 21 12 12 53 100 16 40 34 30 6 8 31 11 29 32 34.5 5 14 25 40 33 11 49.5 25 22 11 5 56 61 27 17 10 30 5 6 18 12 31 22 16 36 11 25 42 53 4 3 28 7 24 8 3 3.5 60.5 45.5 94 75 42 17 36 53 TOTAL 603.5 497 852 839.5 AVERAGE 24.14 19.88 34.08 33.58 Table 9 2nd Test. Sample 1: Stem and Leaf diagram for Right handed people Right eye Left eye 6,6,5,4 0 2,3,3,5,6,7,8,8,8 6,4,4,3,2,1,1,1,1,0 1 0,2,2,7,7,8 9,7,4,2,1 2 2,3,5,5 1 3 0,2 6,2 4 0,5.5,9.5 5 0.5 6 9 6 7 1 8 1QR: (25 + 1) = 6.5 4 1QR: (25 + 1) = 6.5 4 Therefore 30 11 = 19 Therefore 27.5 7.5 = 20 Median = 14 Median = 17 Mean = 24.14 Mean = 19.88 The Stem and Leaf formats clearly show the shape of the distributions and, because I was comparing the distance from the target point with both the left and right hand I felt it was more explanatory to display the comparison in this way. The data that was displayed in the Stem and Leaf diagrams can be transferred into Box and whisker diagrams to display the spread of data and how it is distributed across the range. The 1st test of sample 1 is shown in Fig 2 for Right handed candidates and Fig 3 for the Left handed. The 2nd test of sample 1 is shown in Fig 4 for Right handed candidates only. These confirm the spread of results is such that any effect of handedness affecting judgement of distance is inconclusive. Conclusions for Sample 2 2. Whether the candidate wears glasses For this example I predicted individuals who wear spectacles, other than for reading, will have better judgement when wearing those spectacles From the table alone it is clear to see that my prediction has been proved correct, this is evident from both the total, and the mean result: With Glasses On Without Glasses On TOTAL: 344.5 410.5 MEAN: 11.9 14.2 It is shown by this that on average spectacle wearers estimates are over 2mm closer with their spectacles on. Despite my predictions being proved correct I am a bit surprised to see that the effect of spectacles is only (on average) 2mm better. I would expect them to have a greater influence. Maybe glasses influence the clearness of objects more the further they are away. Alternatively it may be influenced by the individuals optical deficiency being either long, short or asymmetric. However, as I do not wear spectacles I can not be sure of this effect. As an extension to this I could see who was most greatly influenced on the judgement of distance, long sighted people or short sighted people. Unfortunately the occurrence of suitable sighted candidates from this database would be too small to draw any significant conclusions. The data from Table 4 was plotted as a scatter graph as Figure 5. To transfer the data from table to graph I did not need to draw any other tables or charts. The reason I chose to plot a scatter graph is because I wanted to show whether glasses influenced a persons judgement of measurement. I knew that if the line of best fit was of less than 45à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ gradient my prediction would be proved correct. This proved to be the case although considerable scatter (variability of results) was evident. Conclusions for Sample 3 3. Girls are more accurate than boys For this sample I predicted that on average girls will be more accurate than boys because girls tend to be more precise and careful From the table 5 it is evident once more that my prediction has been proved correct as shown by both the total, and the mean: Boys Girls TOTAL: 707 528.5 MEAN: 23.6 17.6 The results show that girls are (from the mean result) 6mm better than boys. From the table I have plotted the following graphs: Fig 6 Frequency density diagrams, showing the spread of data across the range for both male and female candidates, this also made a comparison possible. Figs 7 Cumulative frequency diagram, displaying how the frequency changes as the data values increase. I could also use this to get a closer value for the median. From Fig 6 it is evident that there is a higher frequency density of closer estimates for girls than boys. This is followed by a lower frequency density for the girls than boys, further away from the target. This is more apparent from Fig 7 where the girls cumulative frequency is well separated from the boys I am able, in this case, to take another sample (as there are enough boy and girl candidates) and confirm or disprove my prediction and first set of results. If this second sample agreed with my first I could conclude that my prediction is true. On the other hand if this second sample went against my prediction I could investigate this further, possibly by creating a different database. The results of this second test are shown in Table 10. 2nd Test: Sample 3 Table 10 Distance judgement by Girls compared with Boys (Sum of estimates mm) Boys Girls 6 8 4 20 13 13 29 6 33 8 19 13 19 23 16 12 22 50 4 4 3 34 63 5 20 10 42 6.5 24 16 13 16 13 11 12 11 3 31 53 12 1 5 34 20 44 19 15 5 46 40 10 14 35 3 39 10 14 12 7 14 TOTAL: 656 451.5 MEAN: 21.8667 15.05 Boys(fx) Girls(fx) Sum Boys (fx) Sum Girls (fx) 0 10 8 11 8 11 -20 10 14 18 25 -30 3 1 21 26 -40 4 3 25 29 -50 3 1 28 30 -60 1 0 29 30 -70 1 0 30 30 -80 0 0 30 30 -90 0 0 30 30 Sum fx 30 30 The cumulative frequency for this data has been plotted in Fig 8 with a similar result to that shown in Fig 7. The results appear so consistent I have compared both sets of girls data in Fig 9 and of boys in Fig 10. As can be seen, the respective lines of best fit agree very well between the tests. This would indicate also that the investigation on the whole was a success, due to the consistency shown throughout the data. Overall Conclusions I have carried out three tests of candidates Judgement of Distance. By summing the three estimates, using both eyes together and the eyes individually, I have eliminated any preference candidates may have for a favoured viewing technique. Usually both eyes together by focusing on a single target from two sides should give a better estimate than each of the eyes used individually. This would enable an extension to the work by comparing estimates using each of the three viewing conditions. The tests I applied examined: * Firstly, the effect of an individuals handedness. My measurements, including a repeat second test, when analysed by tables of comparison, stem and leaf and box and whisker diagrams confirmed my prediction 1. There is no conclusive difference dependant on handedness. There was however considerable individual variability between candidates confirming my hypothesis that estimation of distance is an individual attribute. * Secondly, estimates of distance by candidates requiring spectacles would be better when wearing their spectacles than when not. My measurements did indicate estimation of distance was better when wearing their spectacles. A line of best fit from a scatter graph supported this conclusion although again there was considerable variation of estimates. * Thirdly, that girls would be better than boys at estimating distances. My measurements, including a second test, clearly supported this conclusion. The results were probably the most conclusive of all the tests. Superimposed graphs of the two tests for the Boys and Girls showed very good reproducibility of these results although individual estimates varied widely in both groups. However the Boys showed the greatest variation further supporting the conclusion that, on average, girls are better at estimating distance. Whilst the indications are all my predictions have been shown to be apparently correct, the degree of variability from individual results makes absolute conclusions difficult. In any extension of the work I would try and increase the size of the test population database. This would increase the confidence in the conclusions.