Benefits to Getting a College Degree

Benefits to Getting a College Degree Being in college is hard in many ways: financially, academically, personally, socially, intellectually, physically. And most students question why they are trying to get a college degree at some point during their college experience. Simple reminders of the reasons why you want to get a college degree can help keep you on track when you feel like getting off. Tangible Reasons to Get a College Degree Youll make more money: figures range from several hundred thousand to a million dollars or more over your lifetime. Regardless of the details, however, youll have more income.Youll have a lifetime of increased opportunities. More job openings, more chances at promotions, and more flexibility with which jobs you take (and keep) are just a few of the doors that will be opened when you have your degree in hand.Youll be more empowered as an agent in your own life. Youll be better educated about the things that have an impact on your day-to-day existence: knowing how to read a lease, having an understanding of how the markets will influence your retirement accounts, and handling the finances of your family. A college education can empower you in all kinds of ways to be more in control of your lifes logistics.Youll be better able to weather adversity. From having more money available (see #1 in this list!) in a savings account to having marketable skills and an education during an economic downturn, having a degree can come in handy when life throws you a curve. Youll always be marketable. Having a college degree is becoming increasingly important in the job market. Consequently, having a degree now will open doors for the future, which will in turn open more doors and make you more marketable later ... and the cycle continues. Intangible Reasons to Get a College Degree Youll lead a more examined life. The critical thinking and reasoning skills you learn in college will stay with you for a lifetime.You can be an agent of change for others. Many social service positions, from doctor and lawyer to teacher and scientist, require a college degree (if not a graduate degree). Being able to help others means you have to educate yourself to do so through your time in school.Youll have more access to resources. In addition to the financial resources, youll have access to through your higher income, youll also have resources in all kinds of unexpected and intangible ways. Your roommate from freshman year who is now an attorney, your friend from chemistry class who is now a doctor, and the person you met at the alumni mixer who may offer you a job next week are the kinds of benefits and resources that are hard to plan for but that can make all the difference in the world.Youll have future opportunities in ways you may not be considering now. When you graduate from college, you may have never even given a second thought to graduate school. But as you get older, you may unexpectedly develop a strong interest in medicine, law, or education. Having that undergraduate degree already under your belt will allow you to pursue your dreams once you realize where they are going. Youll have a strong sense of pride and self. You may be the first person in your family to graduate from college or you may come from a long line of graduates. Either way, knowing you earned your degree will undoubtedly give a lifetime of pride to yourself, your family, and your friends.

Value of Flexible Management Essays

Value of Flexible Management Essays Value of Flexible Management Paper Value of Flexible Management Paper Introduction Prior to researching this topic, my impression of management was limited. My concept was meshed within the framework of business and economics. Therefore, my definition of this construct was in error. For rectification, and foundational reference, management is the process of directing resources towards the accomplishment of a specific goal. This definition, one that I have derived from the compilation of many, incorporates two key variables. The first operative word in this definition is â€Å"resources. Resources can mean anything from money, employees, athletes, students, or just about any organized effort, group or cohort. The other functional variable in this definition is â€Å"goal. † The goal or aim of the organized effort can be defined in countless ways, not only in terms of economic gains or corporate success. This definition helps to illustrate just how much management filters through a gamete of industries. Management roles ar e found in business as well as sports, academics, and many other industries in many forms. Now that there is a foundation for what management is, why is this process important? Management has the ability to realize potential and direct resources in such a way that will optimize the return on the invested resources. Managers can create opportunities of advantage and promote successful goal attainment. Herein lays the importance of this role. Effective management ensures that with the application of minimal resources, there will be a return of maximum benefits. Since there are such benefits of good management, it is helpful to explore the variety of styles. This paper will, first, outline the major styles of management. While there are many different names and classifications of management styles; there are three main types. These include autocratic, participatory, and laissez-faire. The major difference of the three styles is the degree to which the manager directs the given resources. The autocratic style of management involves the managers making all the decisions for resources, with no other input. The participative style of management calls for the consultation of others, such as employees, in the decision-making process. In laissez-faire style of management, the manager has little to no part in the direction of resources. Considering the differences of these major styles of management, is there one style that takes precedence over another? Is there a â€Å"best† managerial practice? In 2006, Harvard Business School published an article delving into the differences of management techniques (Silverthorne, 2006). The basis of the article explores how one’s management style is heavily influenced by what kind of person they are. Therefore, managers need to be aware of the type of person they are to fully understand how they manage and in what situations they will be successful. This article supports the notion that a manager’s effectiveness is limited by their dominant style of management. In addition, because of personal dispositions, managers are unable to change themselves and must be careful to align themselves with situations that agree with their style of management. In reality, this construct is quite impractical. We are, oftentimes, unable to choose the situations in which we operate, professionally. How, then, does one manage effectively? Various management styles can be employed dependent on the culture of the business and the nature of the task, workforce, and resources. This idea supports that the prevailing circumstances dictate the most effective management style and managers should exercise a range of techniques. This is the subsequent focus of this discussion. While many are defined by a dominant style of management, an effective manager is one who can adapt their management techniques to a variety as they arise. Autocratic Management Autocratic Management is the style in which the manager has the greatest degree of control over the direction of the resources. In this style, managers make all decisions unilaterally. Managers usually dictate orders and employ a strict system of checks and balances to ensure adherence to protocols. Also know as directive management, managers tell their subordinates what to do, how to do it and when to have it completed by (Coye Belohlav, 1995, p 16). They assign roles and responsibilities, set standards, and define expectations. Within this style of management communication is one way, and go from management to resources. For example, when the manager speaks the employee listens and reacts. As defined above, the purpose of management is to direct resources toward a goal. In autocratic management, the manager sets all goals with specific deadlines to track progress. The autocratic manager is the principal of the decision making process. When a problem arise the resources report to the manager and the manager evaluates the options and makes the decision as to the direction and action that should be taken (Coye Belohlav, 1995). In terms of management feedback, the autocratic style of management calls for detailed instructions of changes that need to be made to the final product. Any rewards and recognition bestowed by autocratic managers are dictated by how well people follow directions. A perfect illustration of a working application of the autocratic style of management can be seen though the management employed in United States Military. Within the military the ranking system sets a scene for the role of the manager. In accordance with a strict chain of commands, members with a higher rank than another, have the responsibility to direct the actions of subordinates (See Exhibit A). Subordinates such as Airmen, in the U. S. Air Force, are charged with carrying out the orders of their Sergeants and other commanding officers. There is no discussion or exchange of ideas. Here, managers, or senior officers, give directions and expect that their resources are allocated according to exact orders. Goals are set by military officials and then handed down through the ranks. All strategy is developed by high ranking members, as well. Members of the military are rewarded with a successive rank as a result of properly serving within their assigned role. Though autocratic management seems limited, there are definite benefits to behold. Because there is clear direction given by managers who subscribe to the autocratic style, there is no confusion about expectations. This clear understanding of what is expected promotes tasks being completed according to deadline and product consistency. Along with the positive aspects of the autocratic management style there are certain negative points. With this type of management, employees or resources have no input in the tasks that they are given (Vanderburg, 2004). This causes the producer to be disconnected from the product. Resources do not feel valued and have no ownership in their work. Therefore there is a decrease in motivation and a high turnover rate. (See Exhibit B) Participative Management The participative style of management is different from autocratic in that there is a lesser degree of direction from the manager. A participative manager, rather than making exclusive decisions, seeks to incorporate others in the process. Participative managers possibly include subordinates, peers, superiors and other stakeholders in the decision-making process (Coleman, 2004). Because this type of manager considers the views of others, decisions are often made based on the agreement of the majority. Although there is major consideration of external sources, the most participative activity remains within the immediate team of peers. The participative manager allows less control and direction to transfer to subordinates. The question of how much influence may vary on the personal preferences and beliefs of the manager. This style of management may also be known as the democratic style. The communication is quite extensive in this style of management. There is considerable exchange in both directions, from manager to resources and vice-versa (Coleman, 2004). The ideal is for the majority to reach a consensus over a business decision. The goal setting process is also done in a cooperative effort. Participative managers decide upon goals with the consideration of outside ideas, as well. The accessibility of reaching these goals is also a point of discussion in the participative style of management. This type of manager has a paternal quality in that the well-being and success of subordinates, peers, superiors and other resources are taken into account (Coleman, 2004). Therefore the decision-making process is not unilateral. The participative management style promotes constructive manger feedback. If changes are to be made to the product, there is discussion of the direction that should be taken. Participative managers give positive feedback, as well. This is in line with the paternal characteristics of this style of management. When deciding on rewards and recognition, participative management incorporates the performance review process. Because participative managers welcome the active role of subordinates, they are willing to discuss employee performance, celebrate strengths, and develop weaknesses. This type of management is, perhaps, the most prevalent in the infrastructure of many large corporations, today. Corporations such as IBM, Home Depot, Pitney Bowes and countless others have embraced participative management style. It is very common for employees to operate in cohorts and subgroups and work as teams. Many are given year-end performance reviews and are able to access company management. The participative style of management can be particularly useful when complex decisions need to be made that require a range of specialist skills. From the overall businesss point of view, job satisfaction and quality of work will improve. By creating a sense of ownership in the company, participative management instills a sense of pride and motivates employees to increase productivity in order to achieve their goals. However, the decision-making process is severely slowed down, and the need of a consensus may avoid taking the best decision for the business. It can also grant decision-making responsibility to unqualified parties. In some cases of participatory management, decisions are swayed by politics and hidden agendas; which can also act as a barrier to the best business decision. (See Exhibit C) Laissez-faire Management The management style with the least degree of managerial direction of resources is known as laissez-faire. In this particular style the manager’s role is very much â€Å"hands-off† and peripheral (McCoy, 1996). The resources, be it employees, or others; manage their own area of business. There is an evasion of official managerial duties and uncoordinated delegation is, often times, inevitable. The communication within laissez-faire management is horizontal but flat. There is little to no communication that occurs in comparison to the autocratic and participatory styles of management. With no communication there is no opportunity for goal setting. Resources have to be internally motivated and set their own goals. Managers who participate in this type of management also incorporate unilateral decision making within their framework (McCoy, 1996). However, it is not the manager who engages in this practice. It is the subordinates and resources who are totally responsible for making all decisions. Because managers are uninvolved in the production processes in laissez-faire management, they provide no feedback or rewards for a job well done. A real-world example of laissez-faire management can be seen in partnerships of colleges. We can think in terms of a law firm, a private medical practice, a consulting firm or any other cooperative effort in which all parties posses a similar level of expertise. A more vivid illustration can be made through the following example. As emergency room doctors, with equal training, receive a patient, they simply begin to take action without formal direction. As we can glean from the above example, there are certain situations in which it is effective to apply laissez-faire management. An environment in which employees are highly skilled, experienced and educated is a prime setting to apply the laissez-faire practices. This creates a setting where employees have pride in their work and the drive to do it successfully on their own. Employees who thrive under this type of management are usually trust worthy and experienced. On the contrary this style of management would be detrimental in situations were the resources needed direction and lack experience. Laissez-faire management may cause employees to feel insecure at the unavailability of a manager. The manager does not provide regular feedback to let employees know how well they are doing or how they may improve. This leads to a lack of staff focus and sense of direction, which in turn leads to much dissatisfaction, and a poor company image. (See Exhibit D) The Most Effective Style After considering the three major styles of management above, there must be one model that supersedes the others. Perhaps we are more apt to choose participative management as the most effective. This would not be a far reaching selection, since it was the style of management that prevailed in the 1970s (Robbins, 2005). The participative style of management was seen as an amalgamation of democratic styles of management. It represented the most successful qualities of each style. The participative style of management is alive and well in the infrastructure of business models. It is probably the style of management that the majority of people are familiar with, and the style that most mangers strive to imitate. However, I do not accept that perfection has been attained within the participative style of management. There are very apparent limitation like slow business processes and difficult decision making that can undercut the best interest of a business (Keef, 2004). If the participative style of management is not the most effective; is there a â€Å"best† practice? Although participative management is quite popular, we may be witness to a shift in ideology. More and more, business leaders and managers are subscribing to the effectiveness of versatility rather than one dominant management style (Sumukadas Sawhney, 2004, p 1013). It is more efficient for a manager to apply the most effective style of management as situations arise rather than use a cookie-cutter approach. This flexible approach to management is the most practical when considering today’s changing technology, global trading and dynamics of business. Managers must be willing to abandon traditional ways of decision-making and adapt to their environment, in order to stay competitive and collect the greatest return on invested resources. In such a growing, diversified business landscape, one manager may be responsible for new hires, project management, and resource development. In order to best handle the new hires, this manager must take an autocratic approach, and painstakingly detail expectation. When acting as project manager, this same manager must incorporate a more participative style. Projects are, usually, assigned to a team of resources that come together in a collective exchange of expertise. The manager would then garner optimal results by delegating resource development to industry experts, and taking a laissez-faire approach. It is most valuable for one manager to be all things to all people. In essence, the most effective style of manager knows what style to apply in every situation. Though they were not managers in the conventional business industry, Bobby Knight and Mike Krzyzewski, dubbed Coach K, are fine examples of effective managerial practices. To further expand the analogy, I offer that their business was college basketball; their resources were young athletes, and their goal was the glory of a national championship. Many argue that these two coaches are among the most successful in the game of college basketball; though, their overt management styles could not be more different. Both coaches support the idea that one’s ability to exhibit various style of management is the most effective style of management. Both coaches exhibit key behaviors that are inline with flexibility in management. Both coaches are aware of and understand their personal assumptions and human nature. This promotes the awareness of how human nature influences their behaviors and automatic responses to given situations. This understanding of personal tendencies and over styles, allows a manger to rise about inherent responses and adapt their leadership and management skills to effectively govern a circumstance. Coach Bobby Knight was overtly a top-down, autocratic manager to his college basketball players. He would throw chairs, yell, get physical, and tightly supervise his team toward winning games. However, as Coach Knight’s style would change as he spent more time with his team (Sliverthorne, 2006, p 2). His control and direction was relaxed as he was confident in the training and ability of his players. Over the years, Coach Knight managed his athletes according to their needs for direction. He exhibited â€Å"tough-love† and versatility in management, and led many victories in college basketball. Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s overt management style would be defined at the other end of the spectrum. He had more of a laissez-fair management philosophy. Coach K believed that â€Å"people were fundamentally good and they want to do their best and would be self-motivated to perform. † (Silverthorne, 2006, p 1). Though Coach K had this inherent approach, he definitely knew how to mobilize and motivate his players. He knew how to toughen up and manage his players more autocratically. He also determined his management techniques according to the tasks and resources at hand, which lead to many won games. There is a twist to this pseudo-case study of mangers. In the 1960s, Coach Knight was a basketball coach at the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, where he recruited a young Mike Krzyzewski. â€Å"Coach K was a young scrappy kid. He wasn’t the best athlete on the team, but he had a lot of leadership potential,† remarked Knight (Silverthorne, 2006, p 2). After Krzyzewski left the Army, he joined Knight as a graduate assistant at Indiana, where Knight was a valuable mentor. Though very different in nature, the coaches have been great friends for many years. Though these coaches have very different overt styles, their situational adaptability allows them to share in the success of effective management and many college basketball victories. Conclusion There is greater value found in managing according to a given situation than applying a â€Å"one-size-fits-all† approach. The three major types of management all have effective practices. Therefore it is more appropriate to be autocratic to resources that require detailed direction, participative to peers and engaged employees, and laissez-faire to high-level experts. A aluable lesson can be gained from successful managers like Bobby Knight and Coach Krzyzewski. In order to nurture their resources to create the greatest return on investment, they had to become all things to all men. In the end it is adaptability that will not only support survival, but success, as well. References Coleman, P. T. (2004) Implicit Theories of Organizational Power and Priming Effects on Managerial Power- Sharing Decisions: An Experimental Study. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 34, no. 2: 297–321. Retrieved October 24, 2007, from tc. columbia. edu/icccr/Documents/Coleman/AbstractImplicitTheories. df Coye, R. W. , and J. A. Belohlav. (1995) An Exploratory Analysis of Employee Participation. Group and Organization Management 20, no. 1: 4–17. Greenfield, W. M. (2004) Decision Making and Employee Engagement. Employment Relations Today 31, no. 2: 13–24. Kaner, S. , and L. Lind. (1996) Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision-making. Gabriola Island, BC, Canada: New Society Publishers. Keef, L. (2004) Generating Quality Interaction. Occupational Health Safety 73, no. 5:30–31. McCoy, T. J. (1996)Creating an Open Book Organization: Where Employees Think and Act Like Business Partners. New York: Amacom. Robbins, S. P. Essentials of Organizational Behavior. (2005)8th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Silverthorne, S. (2006) â€Å"On Managing with Bobby Knight and â€Å"Coach K†. † Lessons from The Classroom. Boston, Massachusetts. Retrieved October 27, 2007, from http://hbswk. hbs. edu/pdf/item/5464. pdf Sumukadas, N. , and R. Sawhney. (2004): Workforce Agility through Employee Involvement. IIE Transactions 36, no. 10 1011–1021. Vanderburg, D. (2004) The Story of Semco: The Company that Humanized Work. Bulletin of Science, Technology Society 24, no. : 430–34. Retrieved October 24, 2007 from brainfuel. tv/maverick-the-story-of-semco-an-amazing- workplace Weiss, W. H. (1998) Improving Employee Performance: Major Supervisory Responsibility. Supervision, 6–8. Exhibits Exhibit A List of Military Rank ________________________________________ Officers LetterNavyArmy/Air Force/Marines O-12 (GAm ) Grand Admiral O-11(FAm ) Flee t Admiral(COp) Chief of Operations O-10(Adm ) Admiral(Gen) General O-9(VAdm ) Vice Admiral(LtG) Lieutenant General O-8(RAdmU) Rear Admiral(MG ) Major General O-7(RADmL) Commodore(BG ) Brigadier General O-6(Capt ) Captain(Col) Colonel O-5(Cdr ) Commander(LtC) Lieutenant Colonel O-4(LCdr ) Lieutenant Commander(Maj) Major O-3(Lt ) Lieutenant (Cap) Captain O-2(LtJG ) Lieutenant Junior Grade(1Lt) First Lieutenant O-1(Ens ) Ensign(2Lt) Second Lieutenant Warrant Officers W-4(CW4) Chief Warrant Officer W-3(CW3) Chief Warrant Officer W-2(CW2) Chief Warrant Officer W-1(WO1) Warrant Officer Enlisted Personnel GradeNavyMarinesAir ForceArmy E-9(MCPO) Master Chief Petty Officer(SgtMaj) Sergeant Major(CMSgt) Chief Master Sergeant(CSM) Command Sergeant Major E-9(MGySgt) Master Gunnery Sergeant(SGM) Sergeant Major E-8(SCPO) Senior Cheif Petty Officer(1stSgt) First Sergeant(SMSgt) Senior Master Sergeant(1SG) First Sergeant E-8(MSgt ) Master Sergeant(MSG) Master Sergeant E-7(CPO ) Chief Petty Officer(GySgt ) Gunnery Sergeant(MSgt ) Master Sergeant(SFC) Sergeant First Class E-7(PSG) Platoon Sergeant E-6(PO1 ) Petty Officer First Class(SSgt ) Staff Sergeant(TSgt ) Technical Sergeant(SSG) Staff Sergeant E-5(PO2 ) Petty Officer Second Class(Sgt ) Sergeant(SSgt ) Staff Sergeant(Sgt) Sergeant E-4(PO3 ) Petty Officer Third Class(Cpl ) Corporal(Sgt ) Sergeant(Cpl) Corporal E-4(SrA ) Senior Airman(Sp4) Specialist 4 E-3( ) Seaman(LCpl ) Lance Corporal(A1C ) Airman First Class(PFC) Private FIrst Class E-2(SA ) Seaman Apprentice(PFC ) Private First Class(Amn ) Airman(PV2) Private E-1(SR ) Seaman Recruit(Pvt ) Private(AB ) Airman Basic(PV1) Private The Value of Flexible Management I. Abstract II. Introduction a. Thesis: â€Å"While many are defined by a dominant style of management, an effective manager is one who can adapt their management techniques to a variety as they arise. † III. Body a. Define autocratic Style i. Give examples of what situations require this style of management b. Define participatory Style i. Give examples of what situations require this style of management c. Define laissez 1 ii. Example 2 iii. Anti-Model IV. Conclusion a. Restate thesis and summarize the value of adapting to situational nuances V. Exhibits that may be relevant VI.

Is America a country that is in a constant state of flux as it is in a Essay

Is America a country that is in a constant state of flux as it is in a constant state of flux as it relates to identity or is it - Essay Example Therefore, it is only appropriate that debate regarding the character of the nation, one which is shaped by political convictions and cultural factors should be pushed towards a decisive conclusion. It is only through the resolution of such debate can there be a better appreciation of national and social traits be achieved, which would consequently lead to solutions for other problems in society. In presenting the arguments involved in the said debates, two articles may help. These are Who and What is American: the Things We Continue to Hold in Common by Lewis Lapham and Dinosaur Dreams: Reading the Bone’s of America’s Psychic Mascot by Jack Hitt. Both articles are attempts at understanding the American psyche, especially in relation to identity. Lapham’s article is more direct in presenting his arguments that Americans have the tendency to constantly make changes in there perspectives, stand, or tastes, many aspects, from the most important to the most trivial. On the other hand, Hitt insists that Americans are to use old symbols in order to represent their resilience and their proclivity to stabilize everything. Although both may have differences, it is obvious though these articles ultimately reach an agreement that the American mode of thinking is actually open to changes. Therefore, it is clear that the country itself cannot avoid being a state of flux always. Just like all other societies in different parts of the globe, America continues to evolve. Naturally, this means that changes are still occurring in whatever aspect, whether it is political, cultural, and economic. Even if the country is actually centuries old, its development never ceases because of the simple fact that its people are never contented about what they already have. This is not a bad thing though. In fact, the reason why innovations are made, ones that improve industry, make lifestyles more convenient, and cultures more advance is that Americans are always trying to discover something new. As American society continues to evolve, it can only be in a state of flux, largely triggered by its response to challenges of existing situations. One proof of this continuous instability is in the field of politics. It is quite clear that a huge majority of Americans voted for President Obama in the 2008 elections. However, now that he is in power, it did not take long for many to shift sides in politics. Lapham explains that â€Å"democratic politics trades in only two markets – the market in expectation and the market in blame.† (January 1992) This means that when Americans feel that their expectations are not met, they automatically lay the blame on the on the person which they previously believed could solve problems of society. Because of this attitude, there will always be the impression that Americans are rarely contented with what they have; hence, the inclination towards flux. There is, however, a counter-argument to Lapham’ s theory. This articulated by Hitt as he tries to explain the Americans’ penchant for dinosaur, particularly the T-rex. Hitt points out that they tend to hold on to old symbols or extinct objects such as the dinosaur. He explains that the dinosaur’s â€Å"periodic rebirth in pop culture neatly signals deep tectonic shifts in our sense of ourself as a country.†

Analyzing the Movie Avatar Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Analyzing the Movie Avatar - Term Paper Example From Alien presentation to the grand military, from racial issues to excessive use of cigarettes, the movie has faced criticism on various topics. In short, Avatar is not only a manifestation but also an influence on the contemporary society. Starring Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Peter Mensah, Laz Alonso, Wes Studi, Stephan Lang and Matt Gerald, this movie is a full time entertainment for its viewers for the span of two and a half hours. Synopsis of the Movie Avatar happens in the imaginary world of Pandora, which is created by James Cameron using digital hi-tech methods, which is occupied by incredible living beings and a local race of blue aliens named as Na’vi. The movie has been present in three dimensions which is a relatively new technology but the use of the 3D technology has been done without novelty. Twentieth Century Fox together with James Cameron, have made a movie which is in fa ct an experience, which cannot be pirated. A relatively large number of audiences are paying extra to watch the movie in 3D even numerous times on a monolithic IMAX screen. (Jesser. 152) The imaginary world of Avatar is somewhat evocative of imaginary virtual spaces like the second life, in both situations the people make use of avatars to go to the space, live there and act in an imaginary world. Avatar takes a step forward, and is able to fully transmit his consciousness into his own secondary living being, disposing off his weak and disabled body in the last moments of the movie. The association between the body and the avatar, the real and the imaginary spaces, is depicted in the movie although the avatars and the humans occupy the same planes of existence. Cameron has depicted a variety of styles and genres in the movie. It is no doubt an idea of post-colonialism: it portrays the Na’vi as the harmless and respectful population, while the humans are exposed as the corpora te military that leave their dying planet earth to excavate the precious resources of Pandora. The movie has presented an anti-war concept portraying the soldiers as cruel and brutal people who only aim to chase the company dollar. All soldiers are males except for a female pilot, who rejects the violent actions against the native population of the Na’vi. Many critiques have not mentioned the topic of gender in the movie but it is worth mentioning. Jake Sully is the main character of the movie who is a Marine. Because of his protagonist status, and that of his avatar, he is shown to negotiate between the masculine corporate structure and the feminine sphere of nature and science. The prominent scientist, played by Sigourney Weaver, is a biologist who is interested to have the samples from Pandora. Many critiques have attacked less relevantly on her cigarettes. She interacts with the natives to learn more about them in contrast to Sully, who approaches the world in his own nai ve and playful way. A female Na’vi acts like his guide in the film who guides him through the world. Sully and his avatar are soon introduced to the tribe of the Na’vi and promptly become the most competent of them. This plot is somewhat the reminiscent of the movies like â€Å"The last Samurai† and â€Å"Dances with Wolves†. (Wilhelm. 45) This kind of narrative is also considered to have the â€Å"white savior† theme, in which a dominant race member, often not

Ways Models May Help Or Hinder The Search For Knowledge Philosophy Essay

Ways Models May Help Or Hinder The Search For Knowledge Philosophy Essay A model is a simplified representation of some aspect of the world. In what ways may models help or hinder the search for knowledge? Q10. A model is a simplified representation of some aspect of the world. In what ways may models help or hinder the search for knowledge? The search for knowledge is an ongoing process through which certain humans intend to find answers and confirmations to questions and statements which continually arise in our society. The use of models as representations may help this task; however these may come in many forms. Different people will have a different opinion on what can be considered a model. I believe the word model implies people as role models of a community, recreation of happenings, exemplary of ideas and any possibly fitting set of information which can be made to represent something. These may be divided into categories such as physical, conceptual or mathematical amongst others depending on the way they have been brought together, what they represent and when and how they are used. An Area of Knowledge in which models may be thought to help is in the Natural Sciences. Scientists try to prove laws and theories with them but there is a great jump between a model and the real life situation. For example, a few months ago I was doing the capture/recapture method estimating population size of an organism. In order to do this we used boxes to represent habitats and beans to represent specie. We tried to prove that the smaller the habitat the less percentage error as well as the greater the habitat the more specie found in it. This was the result expected, nevertheless we all had different ways of looking for the beans, some students did not follow the rules and others had their boxs sides flop out. Consequently, our data was not accurate. The environment had been controlled and human fault made results less realistic. This model helped understand the concept and attain knowledge from its simulation but also hindered the latter as there was room for error. Another example is maps. These are a representation of the world on paper; they transmit geographical information and specific characteristics. Maps guide and help to understand the placement of things on earth. They help the search for knowledge as they are easy to comprehend; they show clear and important objects through which an individual can know where he is standing or going to next visually. However, maps also hinder as roads may be added or changed and information is limited as if absolutely everything was to be drawn on them things would overlap each other and make the search for knowledge difficult rather than clear and easy. Interpreting symbols may be confusing, scales may not be accurate and maps may not always be updated. All these factors alter the quality of knowledge that this model provides. Another example is when a company is to manufacture a product to launch onto the market. Before the real product is made, a prototype is produced. This is the closest representation to the final product. It may be used to change functions or features like shape and colour. It is a base which offers knowledge on how the final product will be like and therefore allows people to work on it to achieve the desired result. This however can be limited by technology, scarcity of adequate resources or perception in the sense that it may not come across in the same way to different people. Some may think the prototype is perfect while others may argue it is not exactly what they wanted. Another important area of knowledge where models are used is in history. Historians try to reconstruct the past with sources such as books written at the time, pictures or other documents. They create models for events to acquire knowledge from an earlier period of time. Here we should question to what extent are models accurate and therefore reliable. For example, the plane crash into the Twin Towers on September 11th was not perceived by everyone in the same way. People who were inside the building and survived will give a different account to that of someone who just witnessed the event on the street or on the news. Based on perspective and emotion, these two people would provide a different re-enactment of what they claim to know. How do we know which one to trust? In this case the accuracy of media and its manipulation of language will also have to be an important factor in the search for knowledge for what really happened and how. In addition, the use of ways of knowing is fairly important when attaining knowledge from a model. Are we using reason or emotion and whether this reason is deductive, Everyone who eats chocolate is fat. John eats chocolates. Therefore, John is fat. Or inductive, All of the Spanish girls we have seen are brunettes. All Spanish girls are brunettes. The latter implies a generalization in which assumptions are problematic because truth is suggested but not ensured. Consequently, the conclusion reached may not be right and result in misleading knowledge which then may be preceded by a wrongful model. Models are created by humans who are led by either language, reason, emotion or perception which make them somehow biased. Models have an input, a processor and an output. Hence, the way we intake information is vital as it will vary our way of seeing the model and detecting to what extent our findings are being hindered or helped. The language in relation to models is also significant. We must examine whether professionals in each field of the areas of knowledge would refer to models in the same way. Would an artist see a model and the information it provides with the same eyes a mathematician would? The same model may not be equally useful to both and the extent to which it hinders or helps what they are looking for may be different to each. This may depend on what they are seeking and what they already know. Take for example Mozarts music. If a mathematician and an artist where to listen to it, a mathematician may be finding a mathematical structure in terms of notes, beat or rhythm whereas the artist may be looking at the emotion the harmony provides. The model is the same, but they both look into it differently. We could think that if they were both to find the same specific information from it which was more inclined to one area of knowledge than the other; one would obtain better results as he is more of an expert in it. Another example of models helping the search and understanding of knowledge is in economics. Graphs, for example, help students understand trends and social behavior. However, these may not always be right as they tend to generalize. Not all people concerned with the study represented may have had a say in it so assumptions have been taken. When thinking of models we should consider whether there are any for resolving ethical situations. Is there a model we can look at for moral direction? For example, if someone comes up to you and asks what they should do if a ship were sinking and they had to save either a relative on one side or a newborn on the other, Is there a model to which we can refer to, to solve this dilemma? We should consider whether models can tell us how to behave, if so, who is to design such models and can they really be universally trustworthy to lead us to a right decision. A table of results may be considered a representation of a community in some aspect. Take for example a set of data which shows a survey on whether the death penalty should be adopted in a country or not. This would help the search for knowledge of peoples opinion on this. Similarly, it would hinder it as different people would have based their answers on different principles. How do we know that the methods used to obtain the results are precise? Can we be certain that it is a true reflection of the countrys view on this topic? Have we considered peoples backgrounds, culture or religious beliefs and if this affects the answer given? Likewise, stereotypes may be seen as role models. For example, Homer, a character from The Simpsons may be seen as a white American stereotype. He is a negative example of what some people may think is the typical American; fat, lazy and not very bright. This may help to understand the qualities and characteristics an American may have, but is it right for people to prejudice a group of individuals on the image a series gives of them? Does this mean they are all like that? How do we know to what extent the series portrays the real American or provides a misleading view of it? In conclusion, models are an important part of our daily life. They may be treated differently in the distinct areas of knowledge and may help or hinder to different extents. When looking at models some of the key factors are baring in mind assumptions, limitations, perspectives and reliability. Can we define the accuracy of knowledge? Probably not, but models do help attain a close representation of reality which contribute significantly to the search for knowledge.

Double-crest Cormorant

The Double-crest Cormorant is more or less uniformly distributed throughout the country. It is seen in temperate climates with most concentrated in the upper half of the United States. Judging from the map, they seem to be attracted to heavily wooded areas such as northern California and Oregon, the Dakota’s in the Midwest and northern New England. The exception to this is the relatively concentrated population in south east Florida. Because of their seeming desire for temperate wooded areas, I would say that this bird is a specialist. Great Blue Heron The Great Blue Heron is definitely a generalist.It is spread all throughout the country with heavy concentrations mostly in the southern part of the United States. It seems as though it does best in the Midwestern and southern parts of the country but also has significant populations in the desert areas of Arizona and New Mexico and the harsh winter climates of the most northern parts of the country. Wood Stork The Wood Stork is definitely a specialist. Its populations are seen exclusively in the South and the Southeastern parts of the country with its heaviest populations in Florida and more so in south Florida.It seems to do best in hot climates with high humidity and is never seen any further North than Tennessee. American Robin The American Robin is by far the most populous bird in this group. It is seen in nearly ever state in the country, with the exceptions being Florida and much of Texas, making it a generalist. Its most significant populations are in the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest but it is generally well distributed throughout the whole country. Work Citied â€Å"Breeding Bird Survey Summary and Analysis. † USGS Bird Population. USGS. 28 Mar. 2006 .

Online Social Network

Online Social Network: Advantages & Disadvantages Social network is a place for people to interact with each other from around the world, it’s also gave benefits for us to make a new friend. It’s also gave us bad effect. From this assignment we can created a few objective. The objective is †¢We can make a difference between good and bad effect of social network. †¢We can gain more knowledge about social network. †¢Improve communication and productivity by disseminating information among different people. †¢Gain higher GPA, intelligence and general knowledge. IntroductionSince their introduction, social network sites (SNSs) such as MySpace, Facebook, Cyworld, and Bebo have attracted millions of users, many of whom have integrated these sites into their daily practices. As of this writing, there are hundreds of SNSs, with various technological affordances, supporting a wide range of interests and practices. While their key technological features are fa irly consistent, the cultures that emerge around SNSs are varied. Most sites support the maintenance of pre-existing social networks, but others help strangers connect based on shared interests, political views, or activities.Some sites cater to diverse audiences, while others attract people based on common language or shared racial, sexual, religious, or nationality-based identities. Sites also vary in the extent to which they incorporate new information and communication tools, such as mobile connectivity, blogging, and photo/video-sharing. Scholars from disparate fields have examined SNSs in order to understand the practices, implications, culture, and meaning of the sites, as well as users' engagement with them.This special theme section of the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication brings together a unique collection of articles that analyze a wide spectrum of social network sites using various methodological techniques, theoretical traditions, and analytic approaches. By c ollecting these articles in this issue, our goal is to showcase some of the interdisciplinary scholarship around these sites. The purpose of this introduction is to provide a conceptual, historical, and scholarly context or the articles in this collection. We begin by defining what constitutes a social network site and then present one perspective on the historical development of SNSs, drawing from personal interviews and public accounts of sites and their changes over time. Following this, we review recent scholarship on SNSs and attempt to contextualize and highlight key works. We conclude with a description of the articles included in this special section and suggestions for future research. Social Network Sites: A DefinitionWe define social network sites as web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system. The nature and nomenclature of these connections may vary from site to site. While we use the term â€Å"social network site† to describe this phenomenon, the term â€Å"social networking sites† also appears in public discourse, and the two terms are often used interchangeably.We chose not to employ the term â€Å"networking† for two reasons: emphasis and scope. â€Å"Networking† emphasizes relationship initiation, often between strangers. While networking is possible on these sites, it is not the primary practice on many of them, nor is it what differentiates them from other forms of computer-mediated communication (CMC). What makes social network sites unique is not that they allow individuals to meet strangers, but rather that they enable users to articulate and make visible their social networks.This can result in connections between individuals that would not otherwise be made, but that is of ten not the goal, and these meetings are frequently between â€Å"latent ties† (Haythornthwaite, 2005) who share some offline connection. On many of the large SNSs, participants are not necessarily â€Å"networking† or looking to meet new people; instead, they are primarily communicating with people who are already a part of their extended social network. To emphasize this articulated social network as a critical organizing feature of these sites, we label them â€Å"social network sites. While SNSs have implemented a wide variety of technical features, their backbone consists of visible profiles that display an articulated list of Friends1 who are also users of the system. Profiles are unique pages where one can â€Å"type oneself into being† (Sunden, 2003, p. 3). After joining an SNS, an individual is asked to fill out forms containing a series of questions. The profile is generated using the answers to these questions, which typically include descriptors suc h as age, location, interests, and an â€Å"about me† section. Most sites also encourage users to upload a profile photo.Some sites allow users to enhance their profiles by adding multimedia content or modifying their profile's look and feel. Others, such as Facebook, allow users to add modules (â€Å"Applications†) that enhance their profile. The visibility of a profile varies by site and according to user discretion. By default, profiles on Friendster and Tribe. net are crawled by search engines, making them visible to anyone, regardless of whether or not the viewer has an account. Alternatively, LinkedIn controls what a viewer may see based on whether she or he has a paid account.Sites like MySpace allow users to choose whether they want their profile to be public or â€Å"Friends only. † Facebook takes a different approach—by default, users who are part of the same â€Å"network† can view each other's profiles, unless a profile owner has decide d to deny permission to those in their network. Structural variations around visibility and access are one of the primary ways that SNSs differentiate themselves from each other. After joining a social network site, users are prompted to identify others in the system with whom they have a relationship.The label for these relationships differs depending on the site—popular terms include â€Å"Friends,† â€Å"Contacts,† and â€Å"Fans. † Most SNSs require bi-directional confirmation for Friendship, but some do not. These one-directional ties are sometimes labeled as â€Å"Fans† or â€Å"Followers,† but many sites call these Friends as well. The term â€Å"Friends† can be misleading, because the connection does not necessarily mean friendship in the everyday vernacular sense, and the reasons people connect are varied (boyd, 2006a). The public display of connections is a crucial component of SNSs.The Friends list contains links to each Fr iend's profile, enabling viewers to traverse the network graph by clicking through the Friends lists. On most sites, the list of Friends is visible to anyone who is permitted to view the profile, although there are exceptions. For instance, some MySpace users have hacked their profiles to hide the Friends display, and LinkedIn allows users to opt out of displaying their network. Most SNSs also provide a mechanism for users to leave messages on their Friends' profiles. This feature typically involves leaving â€Å"comments,† although sites employ various labels for this feature.In addition, SNSs often have a private messaging feature similar to webmail. While both private messages and comments are popular on most of the major SNSs, they are not universally available. Not all social network sites began as such. QQ started as a Chinese instant messaging service, LunarStorm as a community site, Cyworld as a Korean discussion forum tool, and Skyrock (formerly Skyblog) was a French blogging service before adding SNS features. Classmates. com, a directory of school affiliates launched in 1995, began supporting articulated lists of Friends after SNSs became popular.AsianAvenue, MiGente, and BlackPlanet were early popular ethnic community sites with limited Friends functionality before re-launching in 2005-2006 with SNS features and structure. Beyond profiles, Friends, comments, and private messaging, SNSs vary greatly in their features and user base. Some have photo-sharing or video-sharing capabilities; others have built-in blogging and instant messaging technology. There are mobile-specific SNSs (e. g. , Dodgeball), but some web-based SNSs also support limited mobile interactions (e. g. , Facebook, MySpace, and Cyworld).Many SNSs target people from specific geographical regions or linguistic groups, although this does not always determine the site's constituency. Orkut, for example, was launched in the United States with an English-only interface, but Portugu ese-speaking Brazilians quickly became the dominant user group (Kopytoff, 2004). Some sites are designed with specific ethnic, religious, sexual orientation, political, or other identity-driven categories in mind. There are even SNSs for dogs (Dogster) and cats (Catster), although their owners must manage their profiles.While SNSs are often designed to be widely accessible, many attract homogeneous populations initially, so it is not uncommon to find groups using sites to segregate themselves by nationality, age, educational level, or other factors that typically segment society (Hargittai, this issue), even if that was not the intention of the designers. A History of Social Network Sites The Early Years According to the definition above, the first recognizable social network site launched in 1997. SixDegrees. com allowed users to create profiles, list their Friends and, beginning in 1998, surf the Friends lists.Each of these features existed in some form before SixDegrees, of cours e. Profiles existed on most major dating sites and many community sites. AIM and ICQ buddy lists supported lists of Friends, although those Friends were not visible to others. Classmates. com allowed people to affiliate with their high school or college and surf the network for others who were also affiliated, but users could not create profiles or list Friends until years later. SixDegrees was the first to combine these features. SixDegrees promoted itself as a tool to help people connect with and send messages to others.While SixDegrees attracted millions of users, it failed to become a sustainable business and, in 2000, the service closed. Looking back, its founder believes that SixDegrees was simply ahead of its time (A. Weinreich, personal communication, July 11, 2007). While people were already flocking to the Internet, most did not have extended networks of friends who were online. Early adopters complained that there was little to do after accepting Friend requests, and most users were not interested in meeting strangers.From 1997 to 2001, a number of community tools began supporting various combinations of profiles and publicly articulated Friends. AsianAvenue, BlackPlanet, and MiGente allowed users to create personal, professional, and dating profiles—users could identify Friends on their personal profiles without seeking approval for those connections (O. Wasow, personal communication, August 16, 2007). Likewise, shortly after its launch in 1999, LiveJournal listed one-directional connections on user pages. LiveJournal's creator suspects that he fashioned these Friends after instant messaging buddy lists (B.Fitzpatrick, personal communication, June 15, 2007)—on LiveJournal, people mark others as Friends to follow their journals and manage privacy settings. The Korean virtual worlds site Cyworld was started in 1999 and added SNS features in 2001, independent of these other sites (see Kim & Yun, this issue). Likewise, when the Swedish we b community LunarStorm refashioned itself as an SNS in 2000, it contained Friends lists, guestbooks, and diary pages (D. Skog, personal communication, September 24, 2007). The next wave of SNSs began when Ryze. com was launched in 2001 to elp people leverage their business networks. Ryze's founder reports that he first introduced the site to his friends—primarily members of the San Francisco business and technology community, including the entrepreneurs and investors behind many future SNSs (A. Scott, personal communication, June 14, 2007). In particular, the people behind Ryze, Tribe. net, LinkedIn, and Friendster were tightly entwined personally and professionally. They believed that they could support each other without competing (Festa, 2003). In the end, Ryze never acquired mass popularity, Tribe. et grew to attract a passionate niche user base, LinkedIn became a powerful business service, and Friendster became the most significant, if only as â€Å"one of the biggest d isappointments in Internet history† (Chafkin, 2007, p. 1). Figure 1. Timeline of the launch dates of many major SNSs and dates when community sites re-launched with SNS features Like any brief history of a major phenomenon, ours is necessarily incomplete. In the following section we discuss Friendster, MySpace, and Facebook, three key SNSs that shaped the business, cultural, and research landscape. ttp://jcmc. indiana. edu/vol13/issue1/boyd. ellison. html Content Pros Of The Social Networking Sites †¢The best advantage of social networking sites is that these sites allow you to keep in touch with your friends, classmates, and relatives. It is also the most cost effective way to keep in touch with your people. Here geographical locations are no barrier to stay in touch. †¢These sites allow you to send and receive messages, upload photos, and videos. As such, they are very interactive as you can get to see what your friends and relatives are up to. With social networki ng sites, you are not bound by any geographical and cultural differences. You get to meet and know a variety of people whose interests are similar to your own. These sites are a window to different cultures and places. †¢You can build a network of contacts and interact with a lot of people at the same time. As such, you can spread your thoughts and interests to a large number of people. †¢The social networking sites also facilitate you to procure information on any subjects from anywhere. These sites also make it easier and faster to collect the information. Social networking sites can also be a tool to promote your business, services, products, or websites. Due to the huge number of people who regularly use networking sites it has found huge favors among advertisers. http://wiki. answers. com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_social_networking The Cons Of Social Networking Sites †¢The most glaring disadvantage of social networking sites is the risk of id entity theft and fraud. The personal information of users can be used by dubious people for illegal activities. Information like the e-mail address, name, location, and age can be used to commit online crimes. Also, many people pretend to be someone else and prepare their online profiles with false information, so as to dupe unsuspecting users. So, if you do not know the person face to face then it will be very hard for you to find the real identity. †¢Another cause of concern is cases of online harassment and stalking. Since the social networking sites, are very poorly regulated so it can be a very fertile ground for people trying to get even with you. They can spread malicious humor among your friends and also download and morph your photos. http://wiki. answers. com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_social_networking