MOTIVATION THEORIES AND PERSONALITY TRAITS Essay Example

MOTIVATION THEORIES AND PERSONALITY TRAITS Essay Example MOTIVATION THEORIES AND PERSONALITY TRAITS Essay MOTIVATION THEORIES AND PERSONALITY TRAITS Essay Running Head: MOTIVATION THEORIES AND PERSONALITY TRAITS Motivation Theories and Personality Traits DeVry University Psychology: 110 November 27, 2013 MOTIVATION THEORIES AND PERSONALITY TRAITS 1. Take a look at the material on sensation seeking on page 286 (Ch. 11). Do you consider yourself a sensation seeker? Why or why not? What are the advantages and disadvantages of your level of sensation seeking? After reviewing the material in the textbook and answering all the questions on sensation seeking I find that I am not a sensation seeker. I say this for many reasons such as I like things to remain orderly nd calm. Typically, I would rather be around the same group of people with the same interests rather than a wild crowd and I am not adept to trying new things such as white water rafting or Jumping out of an airplane. Advantages to being a non- sensation seeker are that I can get things done without distractions or being to high- strung. For instance if I had an office Job that required mostly sitting down at a computer all day I would not be trying to Jump out of my seat all day or having the boredom effect. Disadvantages of being a non-sensation seeker would prevent me rom trying new and exciting things that could very well enhance my personality and increase my happiness level. 2. How would you rate your own achievement motivation? Why? In what ways is this an advantage to you? In what ways is it a disadvantage? I would rate my own achievement motivation as responsibility because I prefer being, in my view in control for a task so that I can feel fulfilled when a Job is properly performed (Carpenter 294). Also, it is gratifying to know that someone can put forth to you such a task knowing that you are capable of completing it successfully. That to me is an advantage in itself. Not to mention completing such tasks can earn you higher positions in employment. I also find myself to have intrinsic (Carpenter 297). I say this for the reason when I complete a tasks or project with success I really get a sense of happiness with myself. For example when my grade was a 90% and I brought it up to a 92% I was really happy with myself for improving that grade. A disadvantage to this is that you can get ahead of yourself and become a little big headed which in turn can make others think of you in a not so good way uch as (stuck up). In the employment field that is last thing you really want to have happen if you want that peaceful environment. 3. What did you learn about yourself from reading about the trait theories of personality? Reading about the trait theories was a great experience and I found that you can remember them as O. C. E. A. N. which stands for Openness to Experience/lntellect, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. Nonetheless, I really learned more about myself by taking the Big Five Personality Test which relates to the readings. I found that I cored the highest on Neuroticism which means I am usually an anxious person and tend to worry about things too much and in reality that is very true; however, there is one aspect that I do like and that is that I am very well-organized and reliable and have been told that often by friends and family members. While Neuroticism can be hindering it can be fixed to a point with different methods such as counseling (having someone to talk to), simple psychiatric medications, or even meditation like yoga etc Just because you are high in one category does not mean it has to be permanent. I also learned that Neuroticism is not typically what is wanted when choosing mates/ partners; however, having some control over this factor could help although in my personal relationship it can be hindering at times and puts pressure on the relationship. 4. What did you learn about yourself from reading the other theories of personality? (List and explain at least three things. ) I would have to say the first thing I learned about reading about the other trait theories is that opposites do attract. I say this because my spouse and I are completely different in all aspects. Where I worry and am anxious all the time, he is cool, calm, and collective. I think his calmness helps with me being so high-strung. However, although he never says anything Im sure it does put some stress on him by wondering if I am o. k. in the long-run of things. The second thing I learned about myself takes me back to the discussion board this week. I feel the one that suits me best is the Bio-psychosocial theory which includes MasloWs hierarchy of needs. Lower needs must be met before moving on to the higher needs. Its like I mentioned sometimes I get so wrapped up n looking for employment and delving into my schoolwork Ill put off things like eating Just to finish an assignment or an application. However, all the theories are just as important as the next. It really Just depends on which one suits you the best. The third thing is all of the theories seem to build on each other and I can find a little of myself in each one. For instance, with the Social-cognitive Theories you have self- efficacy where one is adept of generating preferred outcomes, such as learning new abilities and accomplishing individual objectives (Carpenter 326). I would say this relates to me personally by furthering my education to build my future career and as for the individual objectives I am always setting the bar high as with my grades and being a successful student. 5. How will you use this material on personality to improve your relationships (personal and/or professional)? In truth I feel I can use the and to be able to assess situations in a new light. Moreover, there are things that I can work on internally that will benefit my relationships with others such as the worrying too much; which puts stress on a relationship; my relationship. Professionally, I can work on getting out there more and try to be more social so to benefit the type of work I would like to do instead of dream of doing. Being social is not really my forte I am a to myself nervous individual so by changing this it would benefit me in the long-run in the career field of Information Technology since it deals with a lot of diverse individuals. This is the career that I really want and would love to be doing. References Carpenter, Siri. Visualizing Psychology, 3rd Edition. John Wiley Sons, 02/2013. VitalBook file.

Learn About the Von Thunen Model

Learn About the Von Thunen Model The Von Thunen model of agricultural land use (also called location theory) was created by the farmer, landowner, and amateur economist Johann Heinrich Von Thunen (1783–1850) in 1826 in a book called The Isolated State, but it wasnt translated into English until 1966. Von Thunens model was created before industrialization and is based on the following limiting assumptions: The city is located centrally within an Isolated State that is self-sufficient and has no external influences.The Isolated State is surrounded by an unoccupied wilderness.The land of the State is completely flat and has no rivers or mountains to interrupt the terrain.The soil quality and climate are consistent throughout the State.Farmers in the Isolated State transport their own goods to market via oxcart, across the land, directly to the central city. Therefore, there are no roads.Farmers act to maximize profits. In an Isolated State with the foregoing statements being true, Von Thunen hypothesized that a pattern of rings around the city would develop based on land cost and transportation cost.   The Four Rings Dairying and intensive farming occur in the ring closest to the city. Because vegetables, fruit, milk, and other dairy products must get to market quickly, they would be produced close to the city. (Remember, people didnt have refrigerated oxcarts!) The first ring of land is also more expensive, so the ag products would have to be highly valuable ones and the rate of return maximized. Timber and firewood would be produced for fuel and building materials in the second zone. Before industrialization (and coal power), wood was a very important fuel for heating and cooking. Wood is very heavy and difficult to transport, so it is located as close to the city as possible. The third zone consists of extensive field crops such as grains for bread. Because grains last longer than dairy products and are much lighter than fuel, reducing transport costs, they can be located farther from the city. Ranching is located in the final ring surrounding the central city. Animals can be raised far from the city because they are self-transporting. Animals can walk to the central city for sale or for butchering. Beyond the fourth ring lies the unoccupied wilderness, which is too great a distance from the central city for any type of agricultural product because the amount earned for the product doesnt justify the expenses of producing it after transportation to the city is factored in. What the Model Can Tell Us Even though the Von Thunen model was created in a time before factories, highways, and even railroads, it is still an important model in geography. The Von Thunen model is an excellent illustration of the balance between land cost and transportation costs. As one gets closer to a city, the price of land increases. The farmers of the Isolated State balance the cost of transportation, land, and profit and produce the most cost-effective product for market. Of course, in the real world, things dont happen as they would in a model.

Compare and contrast two Middle Eastern civil wars, such as Lebanon, Essay

Compare and contrast two Middle Eastern civil wars, such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, or Libya - Essay Example Through associate degree analysis of various cultural constructions, the conflict that passed off throughout the war has helped in Lebanon’s healing method (Horowitz 2008, 217). In Syria, President Bashar Al- Assad took power in the year 2000 immediately after the death of his father Hafez that had dominated Syria right from 1970. President Assad hastily dotted hopes of political reforms, as the power remained targeted within the ruling family, and therefore the system of one party gave few avenues for political opposition. With lack of nonviolent transfer of leadership since the Fifties, amendments will only happen solely through a military coup or a well-liked struggle. This report, will explain the similarities and differences of the civil wars in Lebanon and Syrian states in the Middle East and their roles in bringing political reforms in the respective nations. The vicious loop of enhanced sectarian attitude, escalating sadism and out of doors support has up to now, prevented any serious attempts to resolve the conflict between the war-ridden factions in the Syrian nation (Leenders & Heydemann 2012, 142). The government and the opponent deny one another as conflict partners in an exceedingly competitive struggle however regard each other a vital enemy to tumble or destroy. Anassessmentof Lebanon provided that sectarian as well as ethnic identities had changed into settled markers for violence and thrown the nation into a destructive war (Sambanis 2004, 823). The main issue is if a power-sharing approach that resembles the one efficiently employed in Lebanon can be suitable in making sure the war in Syria is ended. Opponents to the idea the application of the Lebanon model to Syria argue that the two nations that are characterized by social compositions of a sectarian nature have administrative arrangements that are incommensurable (Ghosn & Khoury 2011, 381). The area is the foundation of the three most

Employment plan coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Employment plan - Coursework Example I have always dreamt of working at a construction company like Terna. Terna is known for its projects, its highly qualified personnel and the work opportunities that it gives to young engineers. I hope that the demonstration of my skills and experience are suitable for the junior civil engineer position. Task 2: My SWOT Analysis for my Continuing Professional Development (CPD) In no more than 400 words critically appraise your current position using the SWOT analysis framework. Strengths a) My University degree is in Civil Engineering and I was among top five performers. b) I have relevant experience - I spent three months at a construction site in Saudi Arabia. c) I have good knowledge of project management. d) I am able to demonstrate team working and time management skills. I was managing a small team of workers at the construction site in Saudi Arabia. Weaknesses a) Although I have basic knowledge of AutoCAD, I am still not considered an experienced user. I currently attend seminars for improving my knowledge in AutoCAD. b) I do not speak Arabic. Speaking Arabic can be advantage since a civil engineer has to communicate in Arabic with the workers. I would consider learning Arabic prior to obtaining the position. Opportunities a) There is a shortage at a national level for engineers wanting to live and work in Saudi Arabia. Experienced engineers do not want to leave their families and migrate and young engineers do not possess relevant experience. b) Our country is famous for the large construction projects that its construction companies take over all around the world. In addition, University programs prepare top quality engineers. c) There are also many... I am aware that Terna looks for candidates that have a basic experience at this kind of projects and gives a particular emphasis on team working skills, time and project management. During my university years I attended a module called Project Management which enabled me to study the requirements of a construction project. In addition, I attended two free choice modules concerning team working and time management and two seminars dealing with these issues. The project in Middle East gave me the opportunity to practice these skills since I was part of a large construction team and as one of the chief engineer assistants I was responsible for a small number of workers. I have always dreamt of working at a construction company like Terna. Terna is known for its projects, its highly qualified personnel and the work opportunities that it gives to young engineers. I hope that the demonstration of my skills and experience are suitable for the junior civil engineer position. a) There is a shortage at a national level for engineers wanting to live and work in Saudi Arabia. Experienced engineers do not want to leave their families and migrate and young engineers do not possess relevant experience. a) Global economic crisis has a negative effect on construction projects esp

The Process of Canonization Essay Example for Free

The Process of Canonization Essay The canonization process has existed in Catholicfor centuries. This process is steeped with history, as well as tradition, and rewards people for their unwavering commitment and faith to Catholicism. The process is long, arduous, expensive, and eventually requires authorization from the highest of Catholic officials. This paper will review the history, requirements, and financial expenses involved in the process of canonization into sainthood. History Saints are human, like us, but they personify divine power and have privileged contact with the supernatural. Saints perform miracles, receive visions, and are in love with the spirit. They truly are â€Å"the chosen few† (Dunn-Mascetti, 1994). As Catholics we refer to saints as people who are extremely holy; living their lives as perfect Christians, thus allowing them the right to serve God, on a personal level, in heaven (Schreck, 2004). Canonization is the process in which the pope declares a deceased constituent of the faithful is projected as a model and intercessor to the Christian principles and recognized as a saint due to living their life in a heroic manner or becoming a martyr because of their continued faith to God (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). This persons name is then inducted into the canon of saints, citing those who are to be given veneration universally into the church. Canonization is an earthly decision, meaning it honors them as a saint on earth, not their entry into heaven (Bunson, M. , Bunson S. Bunson, M. , 1998). According to Molinari O’Donnell (2000), canonization originated during the early formulation of the Christian doctrines of worship, invocation, and intercession. The faithful believed that martyrs were true Christians and saints because they made the supreme sacrifice, by giving their lives, for God, the Gospel, and the good of the church. Their suffering earned them ete rnal life. Toward the end of the great Roman persecutions, the veneration of martyrs was extended to confessors, those who defended and suffered for their faith, but did not die doing so. Those confessors who had been excellent Christians, in austerity and penance, were now eligible to be rewarded with sainthood (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). â€Å"The first formal canonization came in year 993, when Pope John XV raised Ulric of Augsburg to the altars during a synod at the Lateran Basilica†. As you will see, the qualifications for canonization in the later years became more stringent after previous inductees were found to be of imperfect sanctity (Bunson et al, 1998, p. 17). Requirements The process for canonization is divided into two phases; diocesan and Roman, or apostolic. When a person dies, and it is determined they lived a perfect and holy Christian life, a formal process for canonization is initiated. In the diocesan phase, the investigation is guided by the procedural law of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, by the diocesan bishop who formally conducts the process where the candidate died. A cause defined as â€Å"recent† is one where the person’s eligibility for sainthood can be corroborated through the disposition of eye-witnesses, and can only begin after a five years following the death of the candidate. A cause defined as â€Å"ancient† is where the evidence of virtues or martyrdom can be gathered only from written sources, subsequently, there is no time limit for this cause (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). The postulator, a person approved by the bishop and responsible for the presentation of evidence for authenticity, also agrees to bear the moral and financial expense of the cause. Their primary job is to supervise the investigation and to determine the candidate’s fitness for canonization, by researching their life, work, and holiness. After the diocesan phase is complete, the postulator will reside in Rome where he will develop the formal argument for canonization with the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, which is comprised of cardinals and bishops. During this time, the postulator will create a Positio, a book containing an account of the candidate’s life and virtue (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). In the diocesan phase, information, both positive and negative, on the candidate’s life, work, and holiness are collected and documented to establish the validity for the petition to canonize. In order for the nominee to advance to the next step, their published writings will be submitted for approval to two theological censors, selected by the bishop, and will be graded on doctrine and moral teachings. Other writings from the candidate will then presented to a historical commission, also selected by the bishop, which will conclude this particular phase. Evidence must clearly show that the candidate lived a life of faith, hope and charity beyond that of a common Christian (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). The Roman, or postolic, phase commences when the acts of the diocesan process have been turned over to the Congregation for the causes of Saints, and they have declared the cause as â€Å"valid†. At this point a â€Å"relator†, an official of the Congregation, will be appointed and will assist in the creation of the Positio. Another official of the Congregation, known as the â€Å"promoter of faith†, will be accountable for the assessment of the cau se by historical and theological consultants to whom the Positio may be submitted for their endorsement. At last, all of this information is submitted to the Congregation for the causes of Saints, who will then forward it to the pope upon their endorsement. If the pope determines the candidate as suitable for canonization, a Bull of Canonization is issued, infallibly affirming the candidate’s perfection of the saint’s life and distinguishing their role as a divine intercessor; thus becoming a saint (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). Even through the long, demanding process involving in-depth research, historical study, and theological manifestation, the decision to canonize lies solely with the pope, and requires a confirmation from God in the way of two miracles, which is scrutinized heavily by the Congregation. Miracles are a product of divine intervention and reinforce the candidate’s holiness as a servant of God. Martyrs are exempt from this miracle requirement because the act of sacrificing one’s life is viewed as the perfection of charity; they need not prove their worthiness in miracles (Molinari O’Donnell, 2000). Financial Expense The tremendously long hours of interviews, research, travel, and other intangibles make the canonization process an exhaustive event. The thoroughness of the process comes at a steep price. After sainthood is declared, the expenses include paintings representing the new saint which is given to the pope, cardinals, and other officials of the Congregation for the causes of Saints. Other expenses include decorations of the Basilica, Pontifical Mass, Sacred Vestments, and incidental expenses that make for a sizeable bill to the postulator of the cause. For example the final expenses for the canonization by Saint Leo XIII of Saint Anthony Maria Zaccaria and Saint Peter Fourier came to the total of 221,849. 10 Italian lira. When we convert that to the U. S. dollar, the total becomes $42,816. 87 (Beccari, 1907). Conclusion Canonization has long been a tradition in Catholicism that goes all the way back to year 993. The process is a thorough procedure that involves intensive investigation of a nominee and standard they maintained in their Christian and personal life. The requirements are tightly scrutinized, and for good reason, due to the nature of the appointment to saint. A saint is in personal contact with God in heaven; we worship and pray to them. We rely, trust, and place our faith in the pope and Congregation to make the right decision, to allow only the most deserving and most holy to be rewarded with the highest honor the church can bestow upon a human being. The cost is great, but the return on the investment is heavenly.

Epic of Beowulf Essay -- Epic of Beowulf Essays

The Lead of Beowulf Huy Ngo   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beowulf displays the qualities of a good leader that were mentioned in the speech given by Hrothgar. The speech speaking of the vices and virtues of great political leaders contains many of the same qualities that Beowulf embodies. His boastfulness, generosity and kindness are evidence that he is a good leader and provides for his people. Although the qualities he posses may not be the best-fit qualities of a common man, they are admirable qualities of a strong leader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beowulf’s high self-regard acts as a promise to his people. It is a promise saying that he will provide for them and he can keep his country in order and away from harm. Because Beowulf speaks very highly of himself he is required to support his claims and give to the people. Hrothgar claims that flaunting is a way to keep the Geats happy because they believe what he says. â€Å"I will stand by my word make good my promises. To your Geat-friends now will make you come with counsel courage for their hearts through long comfort years†(1706). The Geats need someone to believe in and who would believe in someone with low self-esteem or someone who didn’t believe in themselves. The people need assurance and they found that assurance in Beowulf. Beowulf reassures his people that the Dragon will be dealt with and gives them courage to withstand this threat. â€Å" I lived in my youth through hard war-moments--- now here I am ready battle weary king battered with winters for final glory-time if that grim hall burner will come to meet me from his mound of gold† (pg. 81). Beowulf wants to reassure his people that he can once again succeed in defeating his enemies. The people believe that Beowulf will succeed again. Beowulf’s obligations to the people require him to slay the dragon. Beowulf’s self centeredness is what makes him an ideal leader in the eyes of Hrothgar.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another reason Beowulf is seen as a good leader is because he does not share the characteristics that were spoken of Heremod. Heremod was portrayed as a bad leader due to his murderous attitude and actions. The vices of Heremod characterize a bad leader and Hrothgar points them out like in his treatment of the Danes. Not so kind was Heremod to the kin of Ecwela care heavy Shield Danes—he brought them no joy but baleful murder ... ...y of your strength lasts for a while but not long after Sickness or spear point will sever you from life. (1762-64) †¦or bane-bearing age – the brightness of your eye will dim and darken. (1767-68) Hrothgar predicts that Beowulf’s pride would be his demise and he was correct because Beowulf chooses to fight the dragon alone in his older years. Beowulf is no longer in his prime and he knows he will not be around forever and hopes to make a final â€Å"score† and let the people live out the rest of their days wealthy and without worry. But Beowulf still wants to fight the beast alone. â€Å"Our old gift lord meant to manage this monster hot battle alone once again with his great wonder strength armed with a war name earned through a lifetime forged now with deeds† (2642-46). Beowulf is not fighting these monsters because he believes he is a god but because he wishes to carry out a promise he gave long ago to his people. His only desire is to make the Geats happy. Beowulf risks his life for his people. He was the apitamy of great kings and was dedicated to his country and people. His promise to the people and his devotion, generosity and kindness are the reasons he is Hrothgar’s ideal leader.

Comparison assessment beetween Miss Trunchbull and Mrs Honey Essay

In ‘Matilda’ the director clearly shows the contrast between Miss Trunchbull and Miss Honey. Even though they share the same job occupation their characteristics contrast entirely. For example the behaviour of the two teachers is unalike. The director uses a range of techniques to convey this. Roald Dahl chooses the teachers name specifically to reflect that character. This sets up an expectation, to the audience, of the character’s role and personality in the film. Miss Trunchbull’s name can be dispersed into two words. ‘Trunch’ can be associated with the word ‘Truncheon’. A violent, harmful, dominant weapon as a result the audience may interpret her as a violent person and sets up an expectation of her character. ‘Bull’ is an animal that behaves aggressively. It loses its temper easily and is very strong and dominant. This reflects on Miss Trunchbull’s character and leaves the audience a source to judge upon w hat role she plays in the film. However this is not the case with Miss Honey. The connotations associated with her name are totally opposite to that of Miss Trunchbull. ‘Honey’ is a sweet substance and is taken as a treat; therefore her name has connotations of sweet and delightful. Others may interpret her as a pushover. Normally you relate kind, sweet people as pushovers because they don’t have the confidence to stand up for themselves The actor that plays Miss Honey clearly displays Miss Honey’s behaviour, so that it contrasts to the Behaviour of Miss Trunchbull. Miss Honey’s behaviour is nervous and timid and is conveyed in her acting. It is conveyed by her fumbling her fingers and staring at the floor. When Miss Honey walks into Miss Trunchbull’s office her body language is discrete. She looks at the floor and fumbles her fingers indicating that she is uncomfortable and doesn’t feel welcome. The audience observe that she is the less dominant because of her displayed body language. Others may interpret her body language as scared and afraid of Miss Trunchbull. Miss Honey’s head down may indicate that she is trying to hide from Miss Trunchbull and feels intimidated by her. Unlike Miss Honey, Miss Trunchbull’s behaviour is intimidating and mean. It is shown through many key ways such as her gait, posture and speech. When Miss Honey comes to speak to her on behalf of Matilda, her posture is a critical way that she shows the audience that this is her territory. She rolled back shoulders and straight masculine arms with shut legs shows that she is confident. In  comparison with Miss Honey there is a big difference. Straight arms compared to fumbling fingers shows a clear contrast in their confident. Miss Trunchbull’s speech is a key conductor of her mean, intimidating behaviour.

Du Pont Case

The Lally School of Management & Technology Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rev. June 28, 2006 DuPont’s Biomax ®: The Push for Commercial Applications Biomax ®, a polyester material that can be recycled or decomposed, holds up under normal commercial conditions for a time period established in the product specifications.The material itself can be made into fibers, films, or resins and is suitable for countless agricultural, industrial, and consumer products: mulch containers, mulching film, seed mats, plant pots, disposable eating utensils, blister packs, yard waste bags, parts of disposable diapers, blown bottles, injection molded products, coated paper products, and many, many others. In the United State alone, where the average household creates over three tons of disposable waste each year, the number of potential applications for Biomax ® is immense.Its development represents a potentially huge business for DuPont and an important solution to the mounting problem o f solid waste in developed countries. In 1989 at the inception of the project, DuPont executives were pressing research units to find new products with commercial applications. One of these research units had-developed a new â€Å"melt-spun† elastomeric material and was seeking commercial applications through the Success Group, its business development unit. The initial target application was as a substitute for the tapes then used on disposable baby diapers, which at that time used more expensive DuPont Lycra for that purpose.Rather than lose that business, however, the division dropped the price of Lycra. The project had reached its first dead end. A senior research associate of the Success Group, Ray Tietz, had noted the degradable characteristics of this new material. â€Å"One of the problems they had with the fibers we made with this material was that it would disintegrate if you boiled it in water. This was because of the sulphonate in it. I knew that if I made a poly ester with this stuff in it, it would probably hydrolyze quickly. Iit might even be biodegradable. John Moore, the head of the Success Group, was a high energy â€Å"promoter,† as one colleague described him. He was determined to find a customer for whom degradability would be an important benefit-hopefully, a big one. A logical target was Procter & Gamble, a major vendor of disposable diapers. Procter & Gamble first introduced the disposable diaper in 1961 and by 1989 had built it into a huge business. Its success, however, coincided with a period of growing environmental This case was prepared by Mark Rice, Gina O’Connor, Richard Leifer, Christopher McDermott, Lois Peters, and Robert Veryzer, Jr. f the Lally School of Management and Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY as a basis for class discussion, and is not designed to present illustrations of either correct or incorrect handling of management problems. All rights reserved  © 2000. To order c opies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-518-276-6842 or write Dr. Gina Colarelli O’Connor, Lally School of Management & Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 Eighth Street, Troy, NY 12180.No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the permission of the Lally School of Management & Technology. 1 DuPont’s Biomax ® awareness, and it didn't take long before the millions of used diapers sold by P and it imitators were attracting the attention of activists and regulators. By the 1980s, a growing number of voices were talking about either banning or significantly restricting the use of this class of products.Sensing the public mood and nervous about possible regulations, P was more than willing to listen to Moore's pitch about the new de- gradable material. It even rev ealed its interest in the development of an entirely new material, one that was both degradable, and that didn't have the â€Å"crinkly† feel of plastic or the â€Å"rustling† sound of paper. The diaper that P's people envisioned would be a laminate with a cloth-like feel on the inside and a waterproof film on the outside, and they encouraged DuPont to work on a prototype. Sensing a huge potential market, Moore's people were quick to oblige P. We spent a lot of research effort trying to make a degradable polymer that would be tough enough for the job,† Teitz later recalled. Months of effort produced a new laminated material that Teitz and others in the Success group thought would meet P&G's needs. Time and events, however, combined to work against them. Sensing that political pressure for restrictive regulation was on the wane, and that cost-conscious customers would not pay a premium for biodegradable materials, Procter & Gamble discontinued interest in the mate rial under development by Moore's development unit.From Degradable to Biodegradable The Success Group was now at a dead end. Furthermore, the standards for environmental acceptability were changing, becoming more stringent. Being degradable (i. e. , a substance that would disintegrate) had become passe; the new standard was biodegradability. Further, anything that passed itself off as biodegradable had to disappear in a reasonably short period of time. As of 1991, two years into the project, no one knew for sure whether DuPont's new material would qualify as biodegradable.Given these new conditions, senior management was concerned about John Moore's ability to command the respect of the technical community and decided to assign a new project manager, Ron Rollins. Credibility on the issue of biodegradability would be necessary for market acceptance. Obviously, no one would make a commitment to the new material until DuPont had firm data on its snack food appeal to microbes and on the rate at which it would disappear. Some suspected that the big opportunity with P&G had been missed because of the absence of solid test data.To test the material, which by this time had been registered as Biomax ®, and to assure the credibility of it data, the project recruited a highly respected company scientist on a parttime basis. Henn Kilkson was a DuPont Fellow with experience in biodegradation. His job was to design and implement a system for evaluating the biodegradation of the new material. The choice of Kilkson for this job was deliberate; he was, in fact, DuPont's representative to both an international committee and one formed by the American Society of Testing and Materials to set standards for biodegrabability.Before long, Kilkson's researchers were busily making and composting prototype diapers that incorporated the newly developed laminated material. Using a sludge composting facility in Fair- field, Connecticut as a test bed, researchers tossed the 2 DuPontâ€⠄¢s Biomax ® prototypes into the unsavory mess, and at the end of the composting cycle raked through the remains to observe the number and size of the remaining materials. This exercise determined the rate of disintegration, but never answered the question of biodegradability.Meanwhile, Kilkson found a European company that was actively involved in compost testing. A number of trials with Biomax ® samples were conducted; all indicated a favorable rate of biodegradation. However, Kilkson was not satisfied with the validity of these tests. Researchers also struck up a relationship with the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, which had a program for bagging and composing grass, leaves, and other yard wastes. The Charlotte facility used lots of manpower to empty bags of waste into a huge grinder and then transfer the ground waste to a composting pile.If employees could simply toss these bags into the grinder without having to cut them open and dispose of them separately, program mana gers reasoned that they could save substantially on labor costs. Of course, the ground up remnants of these bags would have to disappear — and quickly. The DuPont people gave the Charlotte facility a supply of net bags made from Biomax ® and enlisted their collaboration in testing biodegradable characteristics. Ideally, all remnants of these bags would be undetectable in less than a year.The bags themselves were made at a DuPont plant in Canada using a process introduced by a research associate in an- other laboratory. Employees in that tab were, like Rollins' people, also searching feverishly for commercially attractive projects that the operating units of the company would support. Results at the Charlotte facility were positive. Not only did the bags decompose quickly, but they degraded biologically as well. The Charlotte experiment gave the Biomax team something to cheer about. The bag-making plant in Canada was also elated; it too was looking for a big market to serve. Things were at last looking up. But real customers willing to write out real purchase orders were still illusory. Meanwhile, Down in the Banana Groves †¦ By 1992, the Ron Rollins' Success group had been disbanded and Biomax ® seemed destined to sit on the shelf—-one of many good ideas developed by DuPont scientists for which no market application could be found. Before this happened, however, the material caught the eye of Terry Fadem, head of the Corporate Development Group. Fadem thought that Biomax ® was worth another try.Even though a real customer had not signed on, the new polymer had two important features: first, no major capital investment would be needed to produce it in commercial quantities; and second, the potential market for a biodegradable alternative to the mountains of synthetic materials piling up in the industrialized world was huge-at least in the abstract. European consumer products companies, Fadem knew, were facing much stricter environmental controls than were their North American counterparts. The â€Å"Greens† were an active political force, particularly in Germany. Perhaps he could get some commitment from a European customer.According to Fadem, â€Å"I was of the opinion that if that didn't work, or if we didn't get some break in the market that was big enough, that we should either put the technology on the shelf or sell it off † So Fadem provided funds to support a small team of people working part time to keep the project alive As luck would have it, a break in favor of 3 DuPont’s Biomax ® Biomax ® appeared, but from a source that neither Fadem nor anyone else would have anticipated: the banana plantations of Costa Rica. Steve Gleich was a senior technical researcher working the DuPont's Research Division for Agricultural Products.A chemical engineer by training, Gleich was experimenting with different packaging systems for controlling the delivery of pesticides. One was by means of a wat er soluble â€Å"bio-disappearing† film, as he later described it. The pesticide was distributed evenly through the film; when the film became wet it disappeared into the soil, leaving the chemical behind. Thus, farm workers could lay lengths of the chemical-laden material over a row of strawberries, for example, and the first watering or rain would lay down a perfectly even and prescribed dose exactly where it was needed. Gleich was aware of the Biomax ® project.He was also familiar with work on biodegradables being conducted by a joint venture company owned by ConAgra and DuPont. One day, another packaging engineer told Gleich, â€Å"If you solve the banana bag problem down in Costa Rica, you'll be a big hero. † Banana bag problem? Gleich had no idea what he meant. So the engineer pulled a low-density polyethylene bag from his drawer. â€Å"They use millions of pounds of this stuff in the banana plantations,† he said. â€Å"They put a bag over every banana bunch. Some are impregnated with pesticides, but most are simply used as little hot-houses to ripen the fruit and protect it from bruises. This bit of information flipped on a switch in Gleich's mind. Millions of pounds of nondegradable polyethylene translated into two things: big revenues for the vendor and a massive waste disposal problem for growers. If a bag material could be designed to disintegrate and biodegrade at the right time, growers could eliminate major labor and waste handling costs. Working with contacts in Fadem's development unit, Gleich arranged to have 50 bags made from Biomax ® and sent down to a sales agent working with Delmonte's banana operation in Costa Rica.These bags were used to cover the fruit in the normal way and were observed over a 3-4 month period. As the bananas were harvested, the bags, now brittle, began to break apart into small strips and fall to the ground, where they could easily be raked up and composted. These first bags, however, turned brittle too soon in the cycle of fruit production, causing some bruising. So the enterprising researcher asked for another batch of bags — slightly heavier and formulated to come apart more readily.This second batch worked much better and Delmonte and its competitors, Dole and Chiquita, were soon expressing interest. They also wanted to explore applications for melons, strawberries, and other fruit. Ironically because of an internal squabble between the field manager and his counterpart at the head office, the field manager refused to install the redesigned banana bags and this application reached a dead-end. About this time Steve Gleich was assigned new duties within his business unit and his involvement in the Biomax ® project waned.The little band of part timers continued seeking applications. Some new potential agricultural applications emerged, but the project was going nowhere fast. Finally, Fadem convinced senior management to provide substantial corporate funding fo r a high profile advertising campaign soliciting inquiries. Approximately thirty serious responses were received. 4 DuPont’s Biomax ® They were deemed sufficiently promising that in 1996 Biomax ® was transferred out of development and into DuPont's polyester resins and intermediates business unit.When Fadem's team contacted the business unit manager to initiate the handoff, the manger asked where the prototype materials had been manufactured. She was surprised when Fadem told her that the prototype production had been done in her manufacturing facilities. Additional applications development work was required before significant production could be undertaken, and hence, even after the transfer, Terry Fadem's team remained involved. A product manager in the business unit was assigned the task of completing the technical and market development for Biomax ®.Unfortunately for the project, he had only just begun the effort when he was promoted. The project was at a standstill for almost a year until a new product manager was assigned and brought up to speed. The second product manager forced his team to assess the thirty plus leads that had been generated by the advertising campaign and to select four on which to focus. As of mid 2000, development of the product and the search for commercial applications continued. The new product manager was convinced that the first significant revenues were just around the corner. 5

Organizational Capabilities of Consulting Company

Organizational Capabilities of Consulting Company We are glad to receive your request for information. Our company works in the field of consulting for more than ten years. Over this period we have already gained trust of a large number of clients. This company specializes in the following areas: technology implementation, change management, strategy development, operational improvement, technology implementation, and employee training.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Capabilities of Consulting Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More We have already assisted several companies that underwent mergers and acquisitions. Moreover, we have already worker with those organizations which needed to prepare, guide and assess the merging of networks. If you refer to them, they will tell you that our consulting firm gives the best price-quality ratio. Executive Management This diagram presents the services our company and its structured development. It shows how various departments of our company interact with one another. This are the services which we can offer to you. Our IT consultants, HR managers and financial accounts can assist you with implementation of this project. Our team of consultants can address various aspects of your network mergers. The IT experts will determine the IT needs of the two companies. They will make sure that the two networks perform to their full capacity. Their work will be based on continuous cooperation with your managers and administrators and they will take into account the opinion of different stakeholders. Moreover, our HR consultant will help your company to develop training for the personnel. These people have in-depth experience in this area and they will do their best help you with the network design.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Our consultants will evaluate various alterna tives what your company can choose from and provide you with information about the possible costs entailed by this project. They will help you with selection of equipment and software solutions. Their assistance will allow you to minimize the costs at no expense for the quality of network design. When the merger is completed, we will conduct follow-up assessment of the network design. We know that you as our prospective client value meticulous planning, attentiveness toward customer needs, integrity, and continuous improvement. Our consultants attach great importance to each of these things and you can expect them from us. There are several things that our consulting company can offer to you. One of them is complete confidentiality; we ensure that the information provided to us by our clients is never transferred to any third-parties. Secondly, our consulting company guarantees customization of our services; we never offer generic strategies to our clients. The recommendations, prov ided by our consultants are always based on in-depth research of the situation within the company, its managerial policies, organizational structure, or financial performance. Thirdly, accountability is another thing you can expect from us. Our consultants provide regular reports about their progress. In addition to that, out consulting firm ensures that customers are directly involved into decision-making. Our consultants always inform the clients about the options available to them and explain their advantages and disadvantages. By using the services of our consulting firm, you will ensure that your best interests are strongly upheld. Reference List Alred. G. Brusaw C. Oliu W. 2006 Handbook of technical writing. London: St. Martins Press. Oppenheimer P. (2004). Top-down network design. NY: Cisco Press.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Capabilities of Consulting Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Congressional Checks On Presidential Authority - Smart Custom Writing Samples

Congressional Checks On Presidential Authority - Smart Custom Writing Letter From The Future YouDear Mark the Past, The people around me and the fans have consistently asked me on how I have managed to be so successful in being an author. Today’s Mark is the celebrity of the day when it comes to writing. I am now very different from the Mark you were since I have managed to publish various books and series in the last twenty years. Lately, a fan, that is, our fan asked me the key reasons for our success. I have reflected on this for some time and I have found it vital to analyze success from the time I first wrote ‘The Phoenix Factor’. Well, for all that effort, it got very little attention both in the media and in the readers. That, however, did not serve to break my dreams as an author. After a deep self-assessment, I have identified various reasons that kept me going. When I wrote ‘The Phoenix Factor’, the legend in the fiction book, Long John Carraghan, was a character that I now feel was not clearly brought out. Back then, I felt that it was my best effort and that it would be a bestseller. It never did. That strong faith, the urge to better the unbreakable endurance and myself are just some of the key factors that kept me going. The Review, a Massachusetts journal, commented that I was emotionally detached not only from this leading character but also from other key figures. I decided that I had to fight rather than quit. I resolved to write on issues that I deeply cared about. That, I believe, as an author, was my first lesson in the world of writing. Lesson two was all about taking risks. The Mark Doughty known today is for his slightly larger than life characters in the fiction series ‘The Lighthouse’. It is funny how the idea all began. Old Mark, do you still remember it? Sue, this lady I have proclaimed my love for and spent my life with since the 70’s, and I, were exiting from the cinema where the Second Chance series was screening at the height of its fame. At that time, I had almost a non-existent fan-base. At the exit, a young high school kid with a girl at his elbow roughly pushed me aside. Instantly, my temper flared and I demanded an apology from the lad. Before the kid apologized, the girl was excitedly bubbling on how she loved The Phoenix and whether there would be a follow-up on it. I was dumb-founded and mumbled about expecting a lot more to come. Needless to say, I hurriedly left, Sue in hand. All night long, I thought about it and I could not help but think that I had to take a leap of faith a nd start on my new series. Well Mark, you know that was the onset of the success story. You took the risk and you in turn became me. I cannot ignore the fact that J.K. Rowling spent 5 years planning the entire Harry Potter series before putting pen on paper in order to write this famous series. Planning, Mark, was something you never ignored. You did not spend five years but rather three, but that was in the spirit of The Lighthouse. When you finally wrote it down, the ideas were so fluent and the image so clear that success was almost guaranteed. Planning was something you instilled in me and is a weapon that I have learnt to use in the upcoming series ‘The Love Nest’, a series I intend to finally turn into a movie. I do not plan to end the success story any time soon; you worked too hard for this old Mark: The long nights sketching and visualizing on the Series. There was minimal success to show for it at all and it almost broke our marriage. Planning, old Mark was the key. Those early sacrifices are what turned you into me. Finally, I cannot afford to ignore the virtues of hard work and persistence. My experiences have taught me as much. Key role models such as Joyce Carol Oates who said, â€Å"I would write, even when her soul felt as thin as a playing card† have taught me that determination and pure persistence have been vital in shaping me as a celebrity and a success legend. I have had my manuscripts rejected repeatedly, work that I wrote down in over a year, but I never said enough was enough until success came my way. Mark, we made it; let us live the dream! Yours sincerely,

Legalizing of Marijuana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Legalizing of Marijuana - Essay Example This is in a quest to have a share of the war against drugs, which is counterproductive as people tend to go against the law. Decriminalizing marijuana improves the levels of safety in the society by having a reduced number of users, as is the case with over the counter drugs and cigarettes. This is evident since there are fewer cigarette smokers than there are non-smokers. This owes to the fact that smoking is considered a vice, and thus the reduced number falling into the habit. In addition, the use of drugs by black market dealers would be a thing of the past as they use drugs to perpetrate crimes. This is due to the street value attached to marijuana as an illegal drug, and its abundance to anyone who needs it. This way, it is considered fast moving merchandise for which many are willing to put their lives at risk as it is a valuable cash crop. Therefore, legalizing it removes the risk factor and rids mobsters of their criminal activities; moreover, the article states that the us e of legal marijuana blocks anger resulting in fewer incidents of crimes committed in anger, such as wife battering (Havelka). In light of the above issue, Havelka suggests that legalization could bring down the rates of domestic abuse and murder. This is in the last paragraph where he says that the country’s prisons would be less congested and people’s lives would not be ruined by possession of marijuana. Moreover, marijuana holds medicinal benefits to the society in ways that exceed the already available and legal drugs such as tobacco. This is because the toxicity of other drugs like cigarettes affects the health of an individual by causing lung cancer which, in turn, causes death. According the article, there are minimum effects in that there is no evidence of it ever, directly, causing death (Havelka). In addition, it is used to the advantage of the user in that it saves him or her from any kind of stress available, inducing a state of well-being and bringing abou t relaxation, which forms a basis for legalization. Governments stand to benefit from the legalization of marijuana by spending less in incarceration of users and those found in possession in marijuana related cases (Havelka). According to the article, legalization would come in handy by implementing regulations as to who buys and buyers’ age in the consumption of marijuana just as is the case with other drugs such as alcohol and tobacco. In this light, it would keep drug dealers off children and their antics of selling their merchandise to them. This means that members of the society stand to benefit from a legal business that is highly unsaturated and with few investors, governments could make up 6.2 million dollars annually. Havelka argues that the legalization of marijuana could be highly beneficial to the society by coming up with new means of using it other than as drug. This is by using it to make stronger paper for printing that is developed from hemp. He also goes on to argue that decriminalization of marijuana results in fewer marijuana use penalties as compared to its illegalization. Legalization of marijuana is a step towards a dark past where the health of the nation was at risk. This is because the war against drugs, collectively, has had a positive impact on the good health of the population and the social policy. Legalization of marijuana cuts back on the benefits in regard to regulation as availability of marijuana, both legal and illegal one, is