Keynesian Liquidity Preference Framework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Keynesian Liquidity Preference Framework - Essay Example Apart from this optimistic approach there will be some negative characteristics of high money supply like, it will hike the inflation rate up to an optimal level (Fontana 31). Let's say the treasury printed so much in Federal Reserve Bank (FED) which made every American a millionaire, after the retirement of everyone, there would be no more workers or servants left to do the biddings which urges the industries to attract people by raising their wages. This of course is the essence of inflation; so persistency in spending the money would be required to overcome the circumstances which may arise due to higher money supply and we can say that it's a best cure of recession. A recession will change in depression if a "Liquidity Gap" occurs in it. A liquidity gap is when people hoard money and refuse to spend, no matter how much the government tries to expand the money supply. There are ample reasons why people hesitate to invest the money; it can be a consumer loss of confidence on the ec onomy probably due to stock market crash or the law and order situation in the country, natural disaster like earthquake or hurricane are also the major cause which abate the spending of the money in the country, although saving is a good thing but it is not viable if spending and investment are not on an adequate level. You know "Wars are good for economy" (it must astonish you) almost all the economist agree that World War II cured the great depression because the U.S finally began massive spending on defense. Social Programs are much more preferable over the ways to avoid depression. The success of Keynesian economics can be evaluated by having a glance over the recession periods. In U.S, before the World War II, eight recessions worsened into depression which happened in (1807, 1837, 1882, 1893, 1920, 1933 and 1937) and since world war II there have been nine recessions under Keynesian policies happened in (1945-46, 1949, 1954, 1956, 1960-61, 1970, 1973-75, 1980-83, 1990-92) and not a single recession turned into a depression. Richard Nixon who was the 37th president of the United States (1969-1974) once declared that "We are Keynesians now" shows the importance of Keynesian Liquidity Preference Theory. As mentioned earlier savings is a must for the economy. According to Keynes saving is equal to investment; means every dollar which is saved is ultimately utilized as an investment in the economy (Keynes 150). Now the concept of money supply and price level effect comes into place; if the economy reaches on an optimal level then people become less interested to invest and under this influence price level increases because the income level also increases. In liquidity preference framework, Keynes (211) states that the money demand can be equated with the term Marginal Efficiency Unit (MEU). Keynes further apprises that nothing will induce the people to invest money if they are on a consensus that the economy is on its peak point from where the prices of the commodities begin to rise and result in increasing the inflation rate up to a vulnerable position (Handa, 511). The industry which badly gets hurt from this jeopardous situation is the banking industry because

Audustine's Confessions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Audustine's Confessions - Essay Example The traditional understanding of free-will asserts that Adam and Eve were born of Godly nature, but because of illicit impulses or greed were torn away from this goodness and thrown into sin. The resultant occurrence is that all of humanity is then born into sin and requires God’s grace for their freedom. Furthermore, Augustine makes the point that original sin is not only embodied in wayward reason and impulses, but in the very physicality of man. This is, after Adam and Eve committed their act of original sin they had to wear clothing, because their actual pure physicality was an extension of the sin. This concept indicates that man is a physical extension of the depravity of existence. That even as depraved reasoning is an essential characteristic of humanity leading them towards sin, and even as Augustine allows for the concept of the freedom of the will, man is ultimately damned because his physicality is even embedded as a sinful act. This essay considers Augustines conc ept of original sin, arguing that his philosophical construct is misguided as it gives too much credence to deterministic thinking, ignores that wrongdoing is often the result of external circumstances, and doesnt acknowledge the amount of altruism that exists in the world. If all actions are predestined, as Augustine believes they are, then the idea of free will seems impossible, and ascribing responsibility to persons who cannot make their own choices seems wrong. However, to some extent it seems that Augustine’s philosophy demonstrates a hard to define confluence between pre-destination and free-will that have led some scholars to argue that there are actually two different Augustinian philosophies, themselves mutually contradictory (Rist 1972). Adequate research into Augustine demonstrates that these concepts are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as Augustine’s understanding reveals subtle characterizations that bind their philosophic elements in hybrid

Is Depression Genetic? An Experiment

Is Depression Genetic? An Experiment Research Plan Quantitated research is information collected and the production of data via statistics and numbers. The data is collected through questionnaires, surveys or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data. For example, calculating the number of people who suffer with depression, this research can provide a number of manifestations but cannot provide an explanation to why people are depressed (Skills you need, 2018). Primary research (field research) is inspected first hand by individuals via surveys, interviews and observations. Variables of such research should be considered when addressing the results in particular age groups, sex and number of participants within a survey. Secondary research (desk research) involves collection on existing research using primary research sources as a source of data to analyse. (Research Optimus, 2018) In order to complete the project brief a secondary research technique has been applied opposed to primary research due to the absence of ethics committee within the college. The research will include looking at journal articles, statistics, legitimate websites and newspaper articles with further reading. This will then allow analysis and evaluation of material in attempt to answer the essays question with an unprejudiced perspective. 23/02/2018 – 05/03/2018 Decided topic; begun research and finalised essay question with supervisor. 06/03/2018 23/03/2018 Continued research and analysed data. 24/03/2018   – 17/05/2018 Assembled information into essay format; final meeting with supervisor.   Review work, conclude and evaluate. 18/04/2018 Submit the assignment Table 1 Project timeline and Key activities The research will focus on six key areas: What is depression?Who’s more likely to suffer from depression?What is the genetic explanation for depression?What is the biochemical explanation for depression?What are the psychological explanations of depression?What are the sociological explanation of depression? Information contained within this essay will not be open to debate as statistics collected are the result of a worldwide research being high in validity and reliability. Moral judgement, assumptions and personal opinions is not suitable or necessary for the purpose of this essay.   This essay will include conflicting perspectives with the intention to enable the reader to form their own conclusion. Throughout this essay efforts will be made to assess the validity and reliability of the information available such as government statistics highlighted in reputable studies. Health and safety protocol will be followed during the process of researching and assembling the essay such as regular breaks to reduce eye strain and upper limb problems. Information will be referenced accurately ensuring plagiarism is avoided, whilst observing all ethical and legal obligations at all times. Introduction Depression is one of the most common and serious illness with devastating consequences in its most server form, it is estimated that more than 300 million people suffer with depression worldwide (WHO, 2017) Depression is the most common mental disorders within the UK and reports suggests that it’s hit a record high, increasing by nearly a third in the last four years. The total estimated number of people living with depression worldwide increased by 18.4% between 2005 and 2015 to 32 million according to the World Health Organisation (Families for depression Awareness, 2017). This has prompted urgent calls for the government to ensure better health provisions are put in place, with the need to look deeper into this phenomenon to enable an understanding of the disorder enabling them to overcome it. Research has shown that depression does run in families, which could potentially mean that depression is genetic (inherited condition) NHS (2013). However, families don’t just share genes they also experience similar environments. Depression is a common and serious mental disorder that negatively effects how we feel, how we act and how we think (American Psychiatric Association, 2018). Depression is classified as a mood disorder that has an impact on both physical and mental health, affecting a large portion of the UK population with around 3 in 100 adults suffering every year (Mind Org, 2013). An episode of depression serious enough to require treatments occurs more commonly in 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men at some stage in their lives (Kalat, 2001). This could just be due to the fact women are more open to express their concerns and feeling then men are or that women are more willing/ likely to seek treatment. To meet the criteria for having depression the sufferer needs to display at least 5 symptoms that are laid out by the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and statistical Manual of mental health disorders, 2013). World Health Organisation WHO (2001), marks depression as when â€Å"capacity for enjoyment, interest, reduced concentration and marked tiredness after even minimum effort is common. The core symptoms of depression would entail persistent sadness or low moods, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, disturbed sleep or tiredness, change in appetite, feeling worthless or in server cases recurrent thoughts of death, excessive feelings of guilt and hopelessness (NHS, 2016). It’s also common for people with depression to develop physical symptoms such as headaches, palpitations, chest pains and hallucinations these are called psychotic symptoms. Depression is generally divided as follows; major depressive disorder, dysthymia, Bipolar disorder, Seasonal affective disorder, premenstrual dysphonic disorder and atypical depression affecting anyone at any time (Very well mind, 2018). There are many contributing factors that seem to increase the risk of developing or triggering depression. These include certain personality traits, traumatic or stressful events, a history of mental health disorders, history of depression in blood relatives, abuse of recreational drugs or alcohol, chronic illness and medication(Kalat, 2001) However, this does not factor in the environmental factors such as poverty with the affects it has on an individual’s well-being. Genetic assessment There are strong biological links with those who sufferer with depression, in terms of genes family research- especially twin and adoption studies shows a genetic link were Individuals may inherit pre-dispositions to depression or other mood disorders( kalat, 2001). Wender et al (1986) conducted family correlational research into depression through adoption study which observed whether genetics or the environment appeared to be more associated with depression in adopted adults would suffered depression. Psychiatric evaluations were conducted and the study produced results showing that the biological parents of the adopted adults were eight times more likely to have the disorder than the adopted parents. Twin studies are an additional way of studying if genetic factors are the cause of the pre-dispositioned disorder. Monozygotic twins (MZ) share 100% of their genes whereas dizygotic twins (DZ) only share 50%, of the   rate is the process for assessing the likelihood of one twin having the disorder in which the other also has to have the same. A significant note that need to be considered, is in previous research it wasn’t possible to differentiate between the MZ and DZ twins so statistics may also be incorrect.   Diverse studies have produced fluctuating statistics but the overall trend pattern was usually the same concluding MZ twins indicated increased rates in depression in contrast to DZ twins. From these studies environmental factors cannot be ruled out, MZ twins share comparable environment’s than DZ twins so influences such as friends and education are more likely to be similar on both. Even in MZ twins being raised apart their environments may not be that diverse. Despite the thousands of studies carried out to locate the gene, studies have failed to identify locus of any significant gene specific to depression (http://www.psychology4a.com/depression.html, no date). It is however possible for people with no family history to also develop depression. A British team of scientists has recently located a gene that seems to be predominant in multiple family members suffering with depression, chromosome 3p25-26 was situated in more than 800 families with recurring depression. This study looked at DNA from over 800 families including 971 sibling pairs who had European origin and who were affected by recurring depression. It also included 118 pairs of siblings with one affected by depression and the other not.   Other studies were conducted at the same time as the British researchers which matched the link between the same chromosome and depression. (Heath line, 2016) However the results could not be applied to those suffering with less serve depression. This evidence also lacks ecological validity as it cannot be generalised to the whole population and only represents the European. Research has also shown that individuals with parents suffering with depression are 3 time more likely to have the disorder.   Scientists now have confidence in that as many as 40% of individuals suffering with depression can be linked back to genetics.   (Health line, 2016) Biomedical Assessment The biological aspect of depression looks for indications that relate to diagnostic categories of mental disorders with an outlook that a sick body can be restored to health (McLeod, 2014). This theory links depression to imbalances or problems in the brain regarding the neurotransmitters, serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. Evidence of the imbalances is very difficult to monitor and measure in a person brain. The neurotransmitter serotonin involves the regulation of important physiological (body orientated) functions such as sleep, aggression, mood and sexual behaviours. Research suggests that the decrease in the production of serotonin by the neurons can cause depression in some people but not all. Catecholamine hypothesis was a popular explanation in the 1960s to why people developed depression, suggesting that a deficiency of norepinephrine in certain areas of the brain was responsible for creating depressed moods. (Mental help net, 2007) Autopsy studies support this theory a s it shows that individuals who experienced multiple depressive episodes had less norepinephrine neuron than individuals with no history of depression. Conversely, the research outcomes also revealed that not all people who experienced mood change was the reaction to the norepinephrine levels being lower. Modern studies also suggest that decreased levels of serotonin triggers a drop in norepinephrine levels leading to depression.(Harvard medical school,2009)With this explanation or approach anti psychotics have long been established as a fairly cheap, effective and speedy treatment at reducing symptoms for the individual. However, it could be argued that the side effects and addiction caused by these types of medication is a weakness of this approach. Although this approach created psychological treatments for many mental disorders it has neglected the treatment process. Scientists have been testing the chemical imbalance theory validity for over 40 years (approximately) and regardl ess of thousands of studies been conducted there’s still not one direct supporting evidence proving the theory accurate (Psychology Today, 2017). Psychological assessment The psychological perspective on depression explores unconscious thinking, possible past traumas and focuses on aiding the individual to realise their potential and emphasis on social support and psychological interventions. Freud was the first to offer an explanation on depression. This theory delivers evidence based explanations for how people think, behave and feel the way they do (http://www.psychology4a.com/depression.html, no date).   The psychodynamic approach regards the source of mental disorder being the cause of loss or rejection by a parent (McLeod 2015). Although, this does not take in to account current experiences/problems that the individual may be going through. Supporting evidence of this was Bifulco et al (1992) studies found that children who lose their mother are more likely to suffer with depression (http://www.psychology4a.com/depression.html, no date). The cognitive- behavioural model has a strong emphasis on reinforcements (positive or negative) as an explanation for depression. Beck’s (1976) hypothesised that individuals with negative thoughts towards themselves or those who have low self-esteem are far more susceptible to suffer from depression, suggesting that the negative perception that they held towards themselves was built up through negative experiences. Beck anticipated that experiences in childhood could lead to a cognitive traid resulting in the individual suffering with depression. This traid is built up in three parts in which people hold negative thoughts; the self, the world and the future. In addition those who suffer with depression or are susceptible to it magnify the bad experiences and minimise the good (Eysenck, 2012). Weissman and Beck (1978) as cited in Dobson (2010) supported this theory by using self-schemas to discover out how people perceived themselves and the world around them. The results showed that those people with negative self-schemas were far more likely to suffer with depression. Although, White (1985) agrees that there was enough evidence to suggest that Beck’s theory was correct although, he suggests it does not show the true connection of depression and failed to identify that logical errors might be triggered by biological factors such as chemical imbalance in the brain. Becks theory was based upon questionnaires, although there are limitations to this form of information gathering. This questions the reliability of the research as the participants of the questionnaire can be effected by social desirability (McLeod, 2015) Ferster (1973) behavioural theory suggests that it’s a lack of positive reinforcements is the cause of depression. For instance a loss of a loved one may cause depression due to the loss of a positive reinforcement. Lewinsohn (1976) suggested that when others give the depressed individual attention this reinforces the depressive behaviour and symptoms. This can also have the reverse effect when there’s a lack of attention given by family or friends and thus lack of reinforcements, this can equally exacerbate depressive symptoms. This raises the debate to whether depression causes negative thinking and perceptions or that the negative perceptions were the cause of depression. Abreu and Santos (2008, p.131) Sociological explanation The sociological explanation for mental health such as depression regards social forces as the most important determinants of mental disorders, taking a broader view of a psychiatric disorder than any other model. Regarding an individual’s environment and behaviour as being fundamentally linked. In some perspective it’s similar to the psychodynamic model which also sees individuals moulded by external events. However, whereas the psychodynamic model views depression as highly personalised and determinants are not immediately recognisable. This model views depression based on general theories of groups and caused by observable environmental factors such as poverty, poor neighbour hoods, low education, ethnicity, divorce and the loss of a loved one WHO (2014). Although short term sadness is a normal response to these triggers and should not be confused for depression. People who live in poverty struggle causing them to be in a continuous stressful state, feeling overwhelmed and inadequate of taking control over their own lives. Health Ross (2000) as cited in Cockerham, (2008) linked better quality neighbourhoods with those of a poor disadvantaged neighbourhoods, the   findings were higher levels of depression occur in the latter with individuals suffering psychologically due to their environment (although there were also links to their individualism). The daily stressors of living in these deprived areas with low income, unemployment etc. are linked to the symptoms of depression (Haralambos and Holborn, 2008). Individual’s living in clean and safe environments displayed lower levels of depression further supporting that social factors contribute. Individuals living in poverty become the strongest predictor of depression WHO (2004) Consideration must also be given to the possibility that individuals living in communities   with increased employment opportunities are still being diagnosed with depression as a result of losing their jobs through suffering with depression rather than not having a job and becoming depressed. This raises to the question is depression the cause of the environmental factors or is the environmental factors the cause of depression. In conclusion, there doesn’t seem substantial evidence in any one area to state that there is a single source of depression. Evidence points towards genetics playing 40% role in cause of depression, especially in cases of family studies. However, it is suggested that instead of being a direct cause of it makes a person more prone to getting depression than others.   The behavioural and cognitive theories have reputable aspects of validity to such that you can apply findings to real life situations and cases of depression. However it does have a weakness with both approaches being that either do not consider or recognise the biological or genetic effects of depression. The research has established that mental illness is complex and depression is no exclusion, therefore it cannot have a singular, unpretentious explanation and is a result of a combination of biological, psychological and social factors. Evaluation of the available research would suggest that although genetics may have an impact on depression there is more sound evidence to suggest other factors heavily contribute. Evaluation    The introduction of this essay specified clear figures regarding those suffering with depression within the UK and women being more susceptible as pose to men. However it could have given more insight to that particular causes of this issue such as evidence based studies to suggest why. The research throughout this essay was gathered by a wide variety of reliable sources and used the most up-to-date information as possible. As this essay was limited to secondary research this restricted access to research on a more personal level such a questionnaires within the community on families who suffer or have recurring depressive disorder. Due to the word count set on this essay it restricted more divulge information on other cause/ explanations for depression. For example Personality, Gender, Disabilities etc. The Researched statistics that was presented in this essay was analysed and evaluated were possible. Links to genetic theories supported the findings of certain studies which in turn strengthened the statistics enabling the essay question to be answered.   However there could have been additional analysis of genetic studies not relating to the MZ twins and DZ twin siblings. From the supporting evidence and statistics gathered within this essay the conclusion was able to answer the essay question giving a figure of 40% of depression is caused through genetics. It also acknowledges the serious mental health disorder and its complex problems and cause. Yet it was unable to single out one defining cause of depression. A more enhanced insight and knowledge was obtained by carrying out this project in the wider field of depression and its root causes. References Abreu, R.B. and Santos, E.C (2008) Behavioural Models of Depression:A critique of the emphasis on positive reinforcements.4 (2) pp130-145 International Journal of behavioural consultation and therapy [online] Avaliable at:https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ800945.pdf (Accessed 25April 2018) American Psychiatric Association (2018) what is depression? Available at: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression. (Accessed 20 March 2018) Beck, A.T.(1976). Cognitive therapy of emotional disorders. New York: New American Library Cockerham, W. (2008). The social causes of health and disease. Oxford: Polity. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. (2013) 5th Ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association.   Dobson, K. (2010). Handbook of cognitive-behavioral therapies. 3rd ed. New York, N.Y.: The Guildford Press, p.150. Eysenck, M. (2012). AS level psychology. 5th ed. Hove: Psychology, pp.278-280. Families for Depression Awareness (2017) Depression on the rise worldwide, says WHO. Avaliable at:http://www.familyaware.org/who-2017-depression-report/ (Accessed 13 March 2018) Haralambos, M. and Holborn, M. (2008). Sociology. 7th ed. London: Collins. Harvard Medical school (2009) What causes depression? Available at:https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/what-causes-depression (Accessed 19 April 2018) Health Line (2016) Is depression Genetic?. Available at: http//www.heathline.com/health/depression/genetic (Accessed 15 March 2018) Kalat, J. (2001). Biological psychology. 7th Ed. Belmon,CA: Wadsworth Thomson Learning, p428-429 McLeod, S. A. (2014). The Medical Model. Retrieved from www.simplypsychology.org/medical-model.html (Accessed 19 April 2018) McLeod, S.A. (2015). Psychological theories of depression. Retrieved from www.simplypsychology.org/depression.html (Accessed on 20 April 2018) McLeod, S.A. (2015). Unconscious mind. Retrieved from www.simpplypsychology.org/unconscious-min.html (Accessed 23 March 20180   Mental help net (2007) Biology of depression. Available at:https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/biology-of-depression-neurotransmitters/ (Accessed 10 April 2018) Mind Org (2013) Mental health facts and statistics. Available at: https://www.mindorg.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/statistics-and-facts-about-mental -health/how-common-are-mental-health-problems/#Wv1x9BbTXYU. (Accessed 21 March 2018) NHS (2011) Genetic link. Available at:http://www.NHS.uk/news/genetics-and-stem-cells/genetics-link-for-depression-found/ (Accessed 20 March 2018) NHS (2016) Symptoms of depression. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/clinical-depression/symptoms/ (Accessed 24 March 2018) NIH (2013) Common genetic factors found in 5 disorders. Available at: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/common-genetic-factors-found-5-mental-disorders (Accessed 25 March 2018) Organisation, W (2001) World health report 2001. Geneva: World Health Organisation   Psychology Today (2017) On myth of the chemical imbalance. Avaliable at:https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/mental-illness-metaphor/201709/the-myth-the-chemical-imbalance (Accessed 20 April 2018) Psychology4A.com http://psychology 4a.com/depression.html/(no date) (Accessed 20 April 2018) Research Optimus (2018) Primary research methods. Available at: https://www.researchoptimus.com/article/primary-research-methods.php. (Accessed 10 March) Skills You Need (2018) Quantitative and Qualitative Research methods. Available at:https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/quantitative-and-qualitative.html (Accessed 10 March 2018) Very Well Mind (2018) Common Types of Depression.   Available at:http://www.verywellmind.com/common-types-of-depression-1067313 (Accessed 10 April 2018) WHO (2004) Promoting mental Health. Available at:http://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/en/promoting_mhh.pdf (Accessed 05 May 2018) WHO (2014) Social determinants of mental health. Available at:http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/112828/9789241506809_eng.pdf;jsessionid=AB96531936427A020E8E24B7E0F0C8F2?sequence= (Accessed 05 may 2018) WHO (2017) Depression: let’s talk says WHO, as depression top llist of causes of ill health. Available at: http://www.who.int/news-room/details/30-03-2017depression-let-s-talk-says-who-as-depression-tops-list-of-causes-ill-health. (Accessed 20 March 2018)

Paradise Lost :: essays research papers fc

John Milton was born in Bread Street, Cheapside, London, on the 9th of December 1608. The first sixteen years of Milton’s life, coinciding with the last sixteen of the reign of James I. His father, a prosperous business man, was known ass a man of great taste, and was interested in the music of London at the time. Music was thus a part of the poet’s life since birth. His father forced him to get an education in all scholarly areas. He was taught by Puritan clergymen who gave Milton his extreme ideas about God. At the age of eighteen he was excepted as a student of Christ’s College, Cambridge, and in less than two months moved up to University. He attended the prestigious Cambridge University four seven years where he learned Latin and studied many books on religion. After schooling, he traveled all over Italy [this is also the time of the Italian Renaissance] and learned much about theology, philosophy, and literature. He lived in the rich culture of Rome for al most ten years. After returning to England, he began writing and publishing stories in local papers. He wrote many controversial things about the government and God and was put on trial for Heresy upon all counts. His punishment was exile and his eyes were removed so he could Phillips 2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   no longer write. To the surprise of high officials he wrote the epic Paradise Lost: A poem in ten books. It sold millions of copies, and is still considered the greatest piece of English literature ever written.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the 8th of November 1674 Milton died at the age of 66, due to gout-fever. He was buried the next Thursday beside his father.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As stated in the first book of Paradise Lost, Milton’s intentions for writing his religious epic are to â€Å"assert Eternal Providence/And justify the ways of God to men† (Book I, ll. 25-26). Milton’s audience, of course, is a fallen audience like the narrator of the epic, Therefore, because the audience is innately flawed there is a danger that we may not read the text as it is intended to be read. Some may think Satan is the hero of the epic. Others may be inclined to blame God for allowing the fall to occur. However, both of these readings are shortsighted and are not what Milton explicitly intended. Therefore, to prevent these deviant readings Milton has deftly interwoven a theme of personal responsibility for one’s actions throughout the epic.

Mission Statement Internet Research

The mission statement is a brief description of the company and its purpose. The mission statement is basically a brief profile of the company which should essentially show a distinct picture of the organization in limited sentences. The scope of the statement is not limited; instead the statement attempts to cover the vision for the whole organization. The statement should answer the questions as to what the company is about, what it does, who are its customers, how it operates and why does it operate in a particular manner. The length of this statement is usually from one to five sentences and energy words are usually used transmit the message.Companies do use this statement as an advertisement slogan to build relationships with the shareholders and customers; however a more common use of this statement has been to set specific strategic goals for the senior staff and employees of the company. Aside from this the mission statement is also used to resolve any differences between the business stakeholders who are essentially the shareholders, the employees, and the customers.The first mission statement to be chosen for the purpose of this research was for an accountancy firm by the name of Brinks, Hofer, Gilson and Lione. The firm provides various financial services to the customers. The mission statement for the HR department of this company was â€Å"Our mission is to treat each person as a valued customer while contributing positively to the overall objectives of Brinks Hofer Gilson and Lione.We are dedicated to providing the highest level of quality services, and support in employment, training, employee relations, benefits, Compensation and safety beyond the expectations of all employees, enabling them to better serve our external customers. We do this with a commitment of attaining the highest level of personal integrity. We seek to recruit the most qualified people while recognizing and encouraging the value of diversity in the work place. We establish, administer and communicate sound policies, rules and practices that treat employees with dignity and equality while maintaining firm compliance with Local, State and Federal employment and labor laws.† (‘Human Resource Statement’, 2007)The HR mission statement for the company does cover what services the HR department provides to the firm, how it benefits the management and how it their efforts resulting the ultimate contribution towards the company’s overall objective of providing the highest quality of service to its customers. The HR mission statement for the company however does not state how the efforts of the department help or benefit the external stakeholders, i.e., the shareholders and investors of the company. This HR statement is employee and customer oriented and does contribute towards the goals of the company itself but does not specifically depict any benefits for the stakeholders.The second mission statement chosen for this paper is that of Wharton County Junior College. The HR department of the college states that â€Å"The Human Resources Department will serve as a strategic partner along side of WCJC's administration, faculty, and staff in supporting the mission of Wharton County Junior College. The Human Resources Department will take a leadership role in providing services that support the College by promoting the concept that our employees are our most valuable resource and will be treated as such. The Human Resources Department will act as catalysts enabling all employees to contribute at optimum levels towards the success of the college.† (‘Human Resource Department’, Wharton County Junior College)The focus of the department emphasizes the optimal level of activity in the company to enable the productivity to increase to higher levels. The company also seeks to computerize its HR department to enable computerized monitoring and managing capability in the business. Aside from this statement also mentions that the department will follow the four key points of the company which are dignity, justice, service and excellence.The department seeks to provide the external the employees as well as the customers of the company with respect, fair treatment, quality and high standard of performance, however as with the mission statement for the accounting firm discussed earlier this statement also does not identify how the department looks forward to help the stakeholders and provides them with benefits. An indirect link between satisfied customers, and employees and increasing profits is there but no specific point is made in regard to the investors.The third mission statement which has been chosen for this paper is that of the HR department for The Santa Cruz City in the United States. The mission statement of the HR department for the city goes as follows:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The mission of the City of Santa Cruz Human Resources Department is to provide quality human resource services to the public and to all City departments.As we serve, we commit to: maintaining excellence, honesty, integrity and high standards in the quality of service which we provide; giving personalized, trustworthy service, courteous assistance, patience, and compassion for any client needing our assistance or service; taking responsibility as a department and as individuals for the work we do and for the image we present as representatives of the City; working as a team to develop partnerships by continuous open communication with our internal/external clients and our co-workers; promoting personal and professional growth as well as job satisfaction for all City staff, and fostering an environment in which employees' creativity, productivity and risk taking are recognized, valued and encouraged; respecting and celebrating the diverse world in which we live and work and actively promoting diversity in our workforce;Never forgetting to see the human side of our work, maintaining our sense of humor and valuing each other.† (‘Mission Statement’, Santa Cruz Human Resources Department)  The mission statement for the Santa Cruz city covers the aspects of what the HR department for the city does for the City government. The main activities undertaken by the department are highlighted and the value provided to the employees and the customers is specifically stated in the statement.Special attention has been paid top the work environment and how the improvements made and sustained in it help in contributing value and significance for the employees. However like the above depicted mission statements, this statement also does not cover as to how it provides benefits to the stakeholders of the company.Conclusively it can be seen that the mission statement for HR departments is usually much longer and detailed than the mission statement of the company. Similarly, according to all the mission statements that have been explored for the purpose of this project, al most all of the mission statements do not provide information related to any advantages and steps taken for increasing the value for the shareholders.Referencesâ€Å"Human Resource Statement†, Brinks, Hofer, Gilson & Lione, (2007), accessed 25/07/2007,

American Films and Backhoe Operators

Case Analysis Jim worked as a laborer for a gas utility in Winnipeg, Manitoba. When the opportunity came to apply for a backhoe/front-end-loader operator job, he was excited. Three people applied. To select the one who would get the job, the company asked each of them to go out and actually work on the backhoe for a day. Jim felt his chance for the job disappear because he had never even driven a tractor, let alone used a backhoe. When he went out, he did not know how to start the tractor.One of the other backhoe operators had to show him. He managed through the day, and to his surprise, did better than the others. He was given the job. On his first day at the new job, one of the other backhoe operators showed him where to check the hydraulic fluid and said, â€Å"These old Masseys are foolproof. You will be okay. † Jim taught himself how to dig a hole by trial and error. He initially believed that the best way was to fill the bucket as much as possible before lifting it out o f the hole and emptying it.He would wiggle the bucket back and forth until it was submerged and then curl it. When it came out of the hole, the earth would be falling off the sides. This job was not so difficult after all, he thought. He cut through his first water line about two weeks after starting his new job. Going into a deep, muddy hole did not make the crew happy. After Jim cut through his third water line, the crew chief pulled him aside and said, â€Å"You are taking too much earth out with each bucket, so you don’t feel the bucket hitting the water line; ease up a bit. Water lines were usually six to eight feet down, so Jim would dig until about four feet and then try to be more careful. It was then that he pulled up some telephone lines that were only about three feet deep. Realizing that more was involved in operating a backhoe than he first had thought, he sought out Bill Granger, who was known to have broken a water line only twice in his 15 years. It was said that he was so good that he could dig underneath the gas lines—a claim that Jim doubted. Bill said, â€Å"You need to be able to feel any restriction.The way to do that is to have more than one of your levers open at the same time. Operating the bucket lever and the boom lever at the same time reduces the power and causes the machine to stop rather than cut through a line of any type. † Jim began to use this method but still broke water lines. The difference now was that he knew immediately when he broke a line. He could feel the extra pull, whereas in the past, he found out either by seeing water gushing up or by hearing the crew chief swearing at him. He was getting better. Jim never did become as good as Bill Granger.In fact, two years later, he applied for another job as gas repairperson and was promoted, but the training as a gas repairperson was not much better. Case Questions 1. What are the potential costs to this lack of training? Why do you think the company operated in this manner? 2. What type of training would you recommend: OJT, classroom, or a combination? Describe what the training might entail. 3. What type of training environment would you provide? 4. Who would you get to do the training, and why? 5. Would you consider purchasing a training program for backhoe operators? Provide your rationale.

Bases Of Power Essay

Bases Of Power Essay Bases Of Power Essay By: Raven, Bertram H. Analyses of Social Issues & Public Policy. Dec2008, Vol. 8 Issue 1, p1-22. 22p. DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-2415.2008.00159.x. Database: Academic Search Complete Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, Vol. 8, No. 1, 2008, pp. 122 The Bases of Power and the Power/Interaction Model of Interpersonal Influence Bertram H. Ravenâˆâ€" University of California, Los Angeles This article provides a summary of work done by Raven and his colleagues on bases of power. It ranges from the initial work in 1959 of French and Raven through decades of follow-up work, and ties the work to that of others doing work on power bases. After the summary, the author responds to a series of questions that probe the work in greater depth, allowing explication of much of the thinking underlying and leading to publications of Raven and colleagues that are well known to social psychologists. While ours has been described as one of the most widely cited analyses of social power, many Analysis of Social Issues and Public Policy readers may not be familiar with its development since our original statement was published in 1959. It therefore seems useful to summarize our original statement, plus the later developments, which include the Power/Interaction Model of Interpersonal Influence. In our initial papers (French Raven, 1965), we first defined social influence as a change in the belief, attitude, or behavior of a person (the target of influence), which results from the action of another person (an influencing agent). Social power was defined as the potential for such influence, the ability of the agent or power figure to bring about such change, using resources available to him or her. These resources are represented in six bases of power: Informational, Reward, Coercion, Legitimate, Expertise, and Referent. âˆâ€"Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Professor Bertram H. Raven, Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563. (e-mail: raven@ucla.edu) Editor’s Note: This article continues a series of occasional invited papers from distinguished scholars. Bert Raven was invited to reflect on his work on power and impacts that he has seen. After his paper, Jamie Peterson, the editorial assistant for ASAP, and I asked him a series of questions about his work; the questions and responses are appended to the paper. We hope that readers enjoy his paper and responses as we did. 1 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-2415.2008.00159.x 2008 The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues The bases of power differ in the manner that the social change is implemented, the permanence of such change, and the ways in which each basis of power is established and maintained. Let us as an illustration examine the resources of different power bases in terms of a supervisor/subordinate relationship. Power That Leads to Socially Independent Change One basis of power, which the supervisor might use, then, is Informational Power. The supervisor carefully explains to the subordinate how the job should be donedifferently,withpersuasivereasonswhythatwouldbeabetterandmoreeffective procedure. The subordinate understands and accepts the reasons and changes behavior. Informational influence then results in cognitive change and acceptance by the target. It is thus called â€Å"socially independent change† in that altered behavior, though initiated by the influencing agent (supervisor) now continues without the target necessarily referring to, or even remembering, the supervisor as being the agent of change. Power That Results in Socially Dependent Change, with Surveillance Necessary Reward Power stems from the ability of the agent to offer a positive incentive, if the target complies (a raise in pay, a promotion, special work privileges...). In Coercive Power, the agent brings about change by threatening the target with negative, undesirable consequences (demotion, termination, undesirable work