AutoZone’s Stock Essay

AutoZone’s shareholders had enjoyed strong price appreciation since 1997, with an average annual return of 11.5%. Over the previous five years, AutoZone’s stock price has increased dramatically. On February 1. 2012 the stock price was $348 compared to the $125 on February 1. 2007. The strong price appreciation resulted from several occurrences; some of them are U.S. economy recession and share repurchase program. Auto-part business was somewhat counter-cyclical. Company’s growth and stock price were directly related to the economy and number of miles a vehicle had been driven. As the age of car increased, more repairs were required. Because of these reasons, AutoZone’s stock price was significantly improving from 2008. AutoZone’s financial statements reflect the stock price performance. Net sales have increased for 30.85% from 2007 to 2011. Cost of sales also increased during that period, but at lower rate of 27.30%, what helped in additional improv ement of gross profit. AutoZone’s increasing operating profit indicates the efficiency and profitability of the company. Further, the increase of operating profit led to the slight increase of operating margin, from 17.10% in 2007 to 18.52% in 2011. One financial measure that is strongly related to the stock price performance is EPS. EPS, a key driver of stock price, have been increasing at an extremely high rate. From 2007 to 2011, basic EPS have increased for 131%, and diluted EPS have increased for 128%. Another important financial measure is PEG ratio. PEG ratio is been constantly decreasing, which is a good sign for the company and investors. Decrease of PEG ratio signals a greater value for AutoZone’s company, because its investors are going to pay less for each unit of earnings growth. How does a stock repurchase work? Why would a company use this tactic? What impact does it have on: EPS? ROIC? Stock repurchase is one of the methods of returning cash back to its investors. A company buys back its own shares either from marketplace or from their own shareholders who want to sell their shares. Buying a shares back, company is reducing the number of shares outstanding, increasing the shareholders’ value and raising the price of the stock. Company can also use this method to: prevent a hostile takeover cover up poor performance create more attractive financial ratios signal the market that the company is strong create tax efficient way to return investors’ money The biggest impact of share repurchasing program is evident in EPS of the company. EPS is calculated as Net Income divided by the average outstanding shares. Since buying back its own shares is reducing the number of shares outstanding, it automatically increases the EPS. In 2007, AutoZone’s Net Income was $595,672 and the number of shares outstanding was 69,844. This resulted in $8.53 EPS. If we suppose that the income is going to stay the same, but the number of shares outstanding is going to decrease for 5,000, then we get a higher EPS of $9.19. This is how a share repurchase work. It reduces the number of shares outstanding, resulting in improved EPS. Share repurchase also affect the ROIC, which is one of the best metrics to evaluate corporates performance. ROIC eliminates much of the non-economic accounting noise and impacts of financial leverage. AutoZone’s management was very focused on this measurement, because ROIC was a primary way to measure value creation fo r the company’s capital providers. On the balance sheet, a share repurchase will reduce a company’s cash holdings, and therefore reducing the total assets and total shareholders’ equity. As a result, ROIC will improve subsequent to a share repurchase. It is noticeable that the growth was accelerated from 2008, when the economy recession occurred. Together with share repurchase program, this two effect had a large impact on creating a desirable ROIC. Taken all of these into account, AutoZone’s ROIC is indicating that the company offers a strong returns for its investors. How much of AutoZone’s stock price performance should we attribute to the share repurchase program? Share repurchase program is strongly related to the increase of AutoZone’s stock price. Share repurchase program, as mentioned above, reduces the number of shares outstanding, and therefore, creates a strong EPS and increases the price of the stock. EPS is one of the most important measures that investors look at because EPS measures company’s performance. In 2007, AutoZone had 69,844 shares outstanding, while in 2011 the number of shares was reduced to 43,603. This led to an increase of 128% in EPS, from $8.53 in 2007, to $19.47 in 2011. Next, the stock price increased from $120 to $298 in the same time period. Given the same capital value for AutoZone Company, more shares outstanding will result in lower share price, while reduced number of shares outstanding will impact the price of a share to grow. Q#4. Assume that AutoZone is planning to stop its share repurchase program. What would be the best alternative use of those cash flows? Why? If we assume that AutoZone is going to quit its share repurchase program, the best alternative to use the cash flows would be to expand its business,  either by opening a new stores or by acquisition. The first proposition considers opening a new stores in domestic and foreign markets. The expansion is necessary to override the competition and to keep its position of leading retailer of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States. Leading retailer position in the U.S. gives AutoZone more motivation to expand overseas. AutoZone already owns some stores outside the U.S., in Puerto Rico and Mexico. Those stores have been operating successfully, giving a company more reasons to continue with its overseas investments. Next AutoZone’s target is Brazilian market. Company’s plan is to expand there over the next several years. Overseas investments can be very profitable for AutoZone, but they also bear a lot of risk. All investments should be developed very carefully, with a high level of cautions and with expertise person for targeted markets in their management. The second proposition is growth by acquisition. U.S. market became oversaturated with auto part stores in the last couple of years. Even though AutoZone’s management was not seeing any signs of oversaturation at that time, that doesn’t mean that they will not see it in the near future. I believe there are still some free attractive locations in the U.S., but at some point, most of the good locations will be covered by the auto parts retail stores, and the remaining locations would not be a profitable investment. Another reason for acquisition is that such stores would be profitable much more quickly than it would be opening of a new stores. The return time for AutoZone would be shorten. So far, AutoZone has acquired over 800 stores from competitors.   What should Johnson do about his holdings of AutoZone shares? Johnson had one of his largest holdings in AutoZone’s company. The fact that Johnson was concerned about is that Lampert, AutoZone’s main shareholder, was rapidly liquidating his stake in the company. Johnson was concerned about the future performance of the stock price. He was not sure what the Lampert’s reason for liquidating his stake was. This can also have a negative influence on other investors. Lumpert’s liquidation is not necessarily a bad sign. The reason for his liquidation might be the need for funds or some other personal reasons. I believe that Johnson should keep his  holdings in AutoZone’s company. AutoZone’s financial measures indicates that the company is been constantly improving. The most important measures for investors, EPS, ROIC and stock price, are been increasing at a desirable rates. AutoZone’s investors have been enjoying strong price appreciation, and I believe they will enjoy it also in the future. Lumpert’s liquidation should not affect the share repurchase program. Company should continue with its share repurchase program even after Lampert liquidates all his stake. There is no signs in financial statements that the company is going to have a decrease in the stock price. AutoZone has created a desirable value for the company over the long time period and I believe in the continuing future growth of this company.

Outline for Speech on Sex Education

The question we want to answer today is should sex education be offered in school? In my opinion, yes it should. If we offer it, less pregnancys would happen. Less sexually transmitted diseases would be passed in. Less emotional/physical pain would occur. This type of education can leave a footprint on your brain. According to seventeen magazine 750,000 girls get pregnant each year. This number could be cut in half and divided by three if we enforce that it's not right until marriage.In the 7th and 8th grade when the hope center came to the middle school and taught us about all these diseases, infatuation, love, gave us situations and talked about how to prevent it. If we had this prgram 3-4 times a year we would not see 5 prgnant girls walking down the hall way ashamed of themselves. Nobody knows what its like to be in ther shoes, so why even label them. I bet your doing the same except your doing it more carefully. It only takes one moment to ruin your life, but if we have sex educ ation, those moments could happen alot less. People don't know how much of an eye opener sex-ed is until they someone enforcing everything.No one wants your future to be ruined by something that could have been prevented by one class. Now you might think this has to be taught at home well that's true, parents have more say than teachers. Some parents dont give a crap though. They turn their kid loose like there is no tomorrow. Now if we have this at school maybe they will have a new view on sex and what the after causes will/might be. Everyone needs to pause before they play. Sex-ed would teach us all that. I like sex-ed, it's actually a good course from all the people that taught me.You also might say not everyone is mature enough for the topic. Well lets see how mature you are wgen you have a baby on the way, no money, no diploma, no nothing. I'm pretty sure high schoolers sexually active should not take this class lightly becaus it could happen to any of them. Sex-ed would change their ways. Show that sex isn't everything; its just something that should only be done while bein married or when you are at the right age to handle the responsibility. So yes Sex education should be offered. You shouldn't live your life risking everything in your future.

Personality Theories

Introduction The purpose of this essay is to review theories that have been linked and discussed in regards to personality. It aims to define personality, summarize the main ideas across different articles, pointing out the strengths and weaknesses that are in the articles. It also links my personal experience of personality traits to the theory of personality. The essay begins by defining personality from different articles and books, then analyzing critically the key definitions. Furthermore the essay discusses the relationship between personality and job performance and the relationship between personality and motivation. The essay contains a reflective writing section, based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a theory of motivation and personality, in which my personal experience is discussed. Definitions The word personality has many definitions across many fields, in different articles. Hogan and Holland (2003), defines personality as the unique pattern of psychological and behavioral characteristics by which each person can be distinguished from other people. This means each person’s characteristics are different from the other, and people are unique beings. Unlike Griffin (2007), who suggests that personality is understood by some people to mean self concept, by others, the consensus of other people’s opinions about one’s character, and by others, one’s true character. This definition is vague and over simplistic. It places individuals in single categories, ignoring the fact that every personality represents a unique combination of qualities. Walter (1986) goes on further to look at personality from two angles, the actors view and the observers view. Personality from the actors view is a person’s identity, which is defined in terms of the strategies a person uses to pursue acceptance and status, identity controls and actors social behavior. Personality from the observers view is a person’s reputation, and it is defined in terms of trait evaluations-conforming, helpful, talkative, competitive, calm, curious and so forth. However, the common trait on the definitions is restored on the following definitions. Griffin (2007) defines personality as the relatively stable set psychological attributes that distinguish one person from the other. This is often referred to as the long standing debate often expressed as nature versus nurture, that people’s personality is shaped by both inheritance and environment. The next definition implores a new trait that of interaction with others. It is suggested that personality is the term used to describe the overall combination of characteristics or traits that reflect the nature of a person and the way they react to and interact with others (De Janasz, Wood, Gottschalk & Schneider, 2006). Here the authors suggest that personality determinants appear to be shaped by inheritance, environmental and situational factors. Hellriegel and Slocum (2006) also define personality as the overall profile or combination of stable psychological attributes that capture the unique nature of a person. This definition suggests that personality combines a set of physical and mental characteristics that reflect how a person looks thinks, acts and feels. Hellriegel and Slocum’s definition contains two important ideas, the first being what sets people apart and what they have in common and the second refers to personality as being stable and happening overtime. The relationship between personality and job performance Since 1990 analytical reviews have shown that personality measures are useful predictors of job performance. Although these results represent a substantial revision in how applied psychology views personality assessment (cf. Guion & Gottier, 1965; Locke & Hulin, 1962), there is still no agreed theoretical account for the findings. A theory of individual differences in work effectiveness that links assessment to performance would enhance the value of personality measures for forecasting occupational outcomes. The current study organized criterion measures into the broad themes of getting along and getting ahead, and big five personality categories (Hogan & Roberts, 2001). The results suggest that there is some practical utility for the theory driven research. Nevertheless, some researchers have criticized the big five factors as an incomplete taxonomy and have suggested that important relationships are obscured when analysis is limited to the big five rather than a seven factor model. Tellgen & Waller (1987) found seven factors, five of which corresponded to the big five and two additional factors. This goes on to show that more extensive research is needed and current theories are not enough to draw conclusions from. However, research related to personality has recently clarified the utility of using personality variables for predicting job performance. This research by (Barrick & Mount, 1991; Hough, 1992; Salgado 1997) has demonstrated that personality constructs are indeed associated with work performance. Other traits are correlated with specific occupations. However, very little research has examined the mechanisms through which personality traits influence performance. Barrick and Mount (1991) found autonomous goal setting, and to a lesser extent goal setting, to mediate relationships between measures of job proficiency and supervisory ratings of job performance and sales volume for sales representatives. Organizational researchers have long been interested in relationships between personality traits and job performance. With the resurgent interest in theories of personality and the discovery of the big five model structure, research in this area has flourished. Researchers of personality and performance studies frequently make the implicit assumption that performance is a stable construct and thus rely on cross sectional and one time measures of performance to capture something that by its very nature unfolds across time. In depth studies have shown that the relationship between personality and performance measures have been the norm despite longstanding evidence that performance is dynamic (Bass, 1962). *The relationship between personality* and motivation Personality has had an uneven history in work motivation research. Most researchers would implicitly agree that there are individual differences in motivation, and these differences can be traced to dispositional tendencies. In response to a question about what is known in regards to individual differences in motivation, Austin and Klein (1996) commented, â€Å"Despite studies addressing individual differences within each of the perspectives, a considerable amount of research is needed before precise statements can be made about their role†. Gellatly (1996) noted that†attempts to empirically link personality characteristics with motivational variables have produced inconsistent results†. This is a result of lack of theoretical progress and conceptual clarity in the motivational area itself. However, motivational research has made substantial theoretical progress and with respect to the theory for which the most progress has been made it is not clearly defined. As Locke, Shawn, Saari and Latham (1981) noted in their seminal review, the only consistent thing about studies of individual differences in goal setting is their inconsistency. A more likely explanation for the lack of progress in personality and motivation literature is as Hogan and Roberts (2007) put it, â€Å"there are thousands of personality measures in the published literature†. These authors commented further that past personality research was sprawling in conceptual disarray, with no overarching theoretical paradigm and the subject matter was operationalized in terms of a large number of poorly validated scales with different names. With so many traits related to different aspects of motivation, it is no surprise that reviews of the literature have come away apathetic by the observed findings. Reflective Writing Maslow’s hierarchy aims to explain human behavior in terms of basic requirements for survival and growth. These requirements are arranged according to their importance for survival and their power to motivate the individual. The most basic physical requirement, such as food, water and oxygen constitute the lowest level of the need hierarchy. These needs must be satisfied before other higher needs become important to individuals (Scmuttle, 2002). While the order of satisfaction is subject to debate, I have worked as a farm manager and the most of my subordinates only cared about the first two needs. The physiological and safety needs. The basic needs of survival are what seemed to motivate them to work. The farm workers were not driven by ambition, esteem needs or self actualization needs. If by chance the basic requirements were lacking the workers would revolt, but in abundance farm output would double or triple in certain quarters. Although Maslow agrees that other needs do not fit into his hierarchy for example cognitive needs such as curiosity and scientific interest. I feel that in developing countries those needs are not yet valued and hence a forfeited which renders the hierarchy of needs valid. In conclusion, the literature on personality and job performance, and personality and motivation shows a connection between each of the two. In theory a strong connection exists but often that is not the case. Incorrect assumptions about personality in relation to job performance and motivation could result in erroneous conclusions in firms and organizations, which can be costly. However, this does not render the theories invalid, in my personal experience the connection was evident but only on the first two levels of the hierarchy. The differences can be attributed to different cultures and values between developing countries and Western countries. References Austina, J. T & Klein, H. J. (1996). Work motivation and goal striving. In K. R. Murphy (Ed), Individual differences and behaviour in organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Barrick, M. R. & Mount, M. K. (1991). The Big Five personality dimensions and job performance: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 44, 1-26. Bass, B. M. (1962). Further evidence of the dynamic nature of criteria. Personnel_ Psychology_, 15, 93-97. De Janasz, S. Wood, G. Gottschalk, K. D. & Schneider, B. (2006). Interpersonal skills in organisations. McGrawHill: NSW. Gellatly, I. R. (1996). Conscientiousness and task performance: Test of cognitive process model. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81, 474-482. Griffin, M. (2007). Organizational Behavior. Managing People and Organizations. 8th Ed. Houghton Miffling: Boston. Guion, R. M. & Gottier, R. F. (1965). Validity of personality measures in personnel selection. Personnel Psychology, 18, 135-164. Hellriegel, D. & Slocum, J. (2006). Organizational Behaviour. Thomson South-Western:China Hogan, R. & Roberts, B. W. (2001). Personality and Industrial and organizational Psychology. In B. W. Roberts & Hogan (Eds) _Personality Psychology in the workplace (pp. 3-16). _Washington, DC: American Psychology Association. Hough, L. M. (1992). The Big Five personality variables-construct confusion: Description versus prediction. Human Performance, 5, 139-155. Locke, E. A & Hulin, C. L. (1962). A review and evaluation of the validity studies of activity vector analysis. Personnel Psychology, 15, 25-42. Locke, E. A. , Shaw, K. N. Saari, L. M. , & Latham, G. P. (1981). Goal setting and task performance. Psychological Bulleting, 90, 125-152. Salgado, J. F. (1997). The five factor model of personality and job performance in the European Community. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82, 30-43. Schuttle, D. (2002). Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health. 3, 1500-1503. Tellegen, A. & Waller, N G. (1987). Re-examining bas ic dimensions of natural language trait descriptors. Paper presented at the 95th annual convention of the American Psychological Association, New York. Personality Theories Answer: c. â€Å"us versus them. † Correct Answer: Question 2 O out of 2 points Because they both thought In terms of privacy an power, Nixon and Singer could relate well to one another, according to Kelly's Corollary. Answer A. Choice D. Sociality Question 3 In order to emphasize that his theory was concerned with the â€Å"nature of the animal† rather than with environmental forces, Kelly called his theory Answer a Jackass theory. Question 4Kelly explained personality change as a result of Answer adjusting to environmental pressures. Successive constructions of the replications of events. Question 5 increase the predictability of events. Question 6 Slot movement describes changing to the contrast pole of a construct. Question 7 â€Å"Is your teacher happy? † a student is asked. The student replies, â€Å"I don't know; I never thought about that. † What interpretation from Kelly's theory is appropriate? B. The teacher is outside the range of convenience o f the student's construct â€Å"happiness. † Correct Answer: â€Å"happiness.Question 8 Despite numerous physical difficulties, artist Friday Kohl believed she could be successful in her work. This is called Answer self-efficacy. Question 9 Michel focuses particularly on variables. Cognitive Question 10 According to Michel, traits contradict describe Question 1 1 behavior. â€Å"If I ask Jane to go to the movies, will she go, or reject me? † This is a question of behavior-outcome expectancies. Question 12 According to Michel, people are not passively controlled by their environment because they can develop to influence their own behavior.Answer self-regulatory systems Question 13 Michel conducted research on the delay of gratification in Answer children. Question 14 Delay of gratification is easier if the child sees models who delay their own gratification. Question 15 Bandanna's concept of describes the mutual influences of the person, the environment, and behavior. Answer reciprocal determinism The main function of the self-system, as described by Bandeau, is to Answer regulate behavior. Question 17 A person high in self-efficacy believes he or she can act effectively in a situation. Question 18

A Modest Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

A Modest Proposal - Essay Example Jonathan uses numerous techniques complete his writing. This power of satire portrays to the lack of morality and expedience of how Ireland's dealings are managed. The lack of authority held by the Irish people springs from the extensive amount of power the English Protestants held over the Irish, especially the penal laws imposed upon the Irish Catholics. Jonathan uses this truth to exploit his prominent satire and eventually to suggest the consumption of the babies of deprived Irish mothers. The author uses satire severely in his writing. One of the most apparent uses of satire Jonathan uses is when he talks about the likely English response to his suggestion. He claims, "Maybe I could name a nation, which would be happy to consume our whole country." Here, Jonathan is reflecting the degree to which the English had power over the Irish. The basis of his proposal centers in the notion of consuming the newborns, as food, is no mistake.This idea was selected in order to symbolize the collapse of Ireland through the "consuming" power the English had over the Irish. This made the Irish seem as powerless as infants (Smith 138). At one point, while making his suggestion, Jonathan guarantees the politicians who dislike his approach that the deprived people of Ireland would rather surrender their life than experience the everlasting scene of misfortunes. While Jonathan is giving his suggestions to the ruling class, he ironically represents the hardships as being the sole liability of the poor (Smith 140). Jonathan is talking to the politicians who have denied the Irish Catholics some of their rights, but he argues that the Irish are repressing their landlords by not settling their rent on time. The author contradicted himself at this point. The satire, of course, was the immense economic cruelty imposed on the Irish by the English through agricultural protectionism and other things. Jonathan’s use of satire, in his writing, serves to portray, to the English lea ders, the reality of the circumstances that they are subjecting to the people of Ireland. However, despite Swift's obvious dislike for the English, he, at some instances, also partly blames the Irish for the conditions of the country. Specifically, his depiction on the part of the Irish is what appears to trouble Jonathan the most (Smith 140). While a person might assume that Irish Catholics should have united to deal with English, they instead fell victim to forfeited certain liberties and land seizures. Jonathan asserts that his suggestion will greatly reduce the number of papists, who stay, at home, to deliver the empire to the Pretender. It is obvious that Jonathan does not, in fact, believe that the papists are exploiting the Protestants. However, I feel that he is attacking the Irish Catholics for not trying to take back their nation from them. Jonathan argues that the Irish have gladly handed their nation over to the English, and that makes them the most treacherous enemies t o Ireland (Smith 140). Throughout the writing, Jonathan, when talking about the Irish infants, uses terms as if he were describing farm animals. Phrases and words such as pigs, stock, flesh, cattle and carcass, were all present in

Gay Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Gay Marriage - Essay Example Though the country is democratic, rules and governing is determined by the majority vote which means that the principles of 76% of American people disregard the legalization of gay marriages. With the increasing divorce rate and other societal flaws gay marriage will only increase the flaws in the institute of marriage. This paper will illustrate the problems associated with gay marriage and show that it does not belong in our society. Nine states in America have recognized gay marriage as a legal binding of two individuals. In the other 41 states it is not legally and socially acceptable. Firstly, gay marriage is not a natural process. If same sex marriages were to prevail and out number marriages between opposite sexes, there would a huge decrease in the population. Hypothetically, this would result in the annihilation of the human race which further solidifies the fact that gay marriage is not a natural process. Two females or males are unable to biologically reproduce, which raises questions on the purpose of the subject matter. There is a misconception that individuals who oppose gay marriage are homophobic and perpetrators of hate. However, there are substantial reasons behind this opinion. Gay activists associate legalization of gay marriage with equal rights. In our society equal rights do not exist in this perspective. Some states have laws prohibiting the marriage of close relatives. There are also laws which prohibit individual from marrying minors, animals, multiple individuals and inanimate objects (Normandin, n.p). Hence, equal rights do not qualify as legitimate reason to legalize same sex marriage. Research has also shown that children brought up in families without a male figure usually engage in early sexual activity. Children living in same sex marriages are usually separated from their mother or father who can have adverse psychological effects in the future. It has also

Writing letter, Memorandum and email Assignment

Writing letter, Memorandum and email - Assignment Example eedom of speech, and to showing all sides of an issue make it troubling to print a retraction of the article, or to publish an apology, as you suggested in your own letter. If we were to retract the article, Blaze’s readership would no longer trust the other articles we print, and our circulation would plummet. This would not only have a negative effect on the quality of our journalism, as we would be unable to retain top writers, but would create a deep reduction in the efficacy of our advertising. However, you will be pleased to know that your view is by far the majority. Blaze received many letters over Mr. Smith’s article on vaccines, and fully two-thirds of them did not agree with the author. If your company would like to draw up an equally objective article in response to Mr. Smith’s, Blaze would be more than happy to run it in the next issue, along with a selection of letters from readers who both agreed with and disagreed with his assessment. This will allow your company to properly address its complaints without sacrificing the objectivity and engagement with debate that our readers have come to expect from Blaze Magazine. In closing, please know that we do understand the situation that this puts you in as our advertiser, and deeply regret this. We thank you for supporting Blaze over the years, and hope that this matter can be resolved to ensure that our mutually beneficent relationship lasts for as many more. Yesterday, I had the alarming experience of finding several participating year 9 students in a state of intoxication in the boys’ toilets. Upon being questioned, these students revealed that they had been passing around and smoking Kronik, which they said they had purchased from one of the university students on duty at the facility. After making sure the boys were not in immediate danger, my course of action was to determine whether their account of how they acquired the Kronik was accurate or not. I left the boys in the care of

The Civil Rights Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Civil Rights Movement - Essay Example The movements were different in their cultural focus, racial ideals, and strategy. The 1920s saw the emergence of the New Negro movement and its focus on African-American culture. While there were militant protests, mainly led by the NAACP under the direction of WEB DuBois, much of the movement was directed at celebrating African-American culture. Faced with segregation and the legal denial of the right to vote African-Americans turned to their own community for support. The Harlem Renaissance brought forth writers and artists that defined the African-American culture and popularized black art, music, and literature. This would form the backbone of future organizations that were based on black culture. The 1920s were ushered in with a nation that was tense from the riots of 1919 and African-American leaders were faced with the task of framing the new movement. The goal of the New Negro movement was to codify a set of ideals that would organize the African-Americans as a group with a common cause. Racism was rampant in many parts of the country as groups such as the Ku Klux Klan violently intimidated African-Americans from gaining any political power. While there were attempts to rise up against the violence, the goal of the movement was to define and organize the African-Americans as a cohesive political and social unit. During the 1920s a large number of African-Americans migrated from the South

Critical thinking Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Critical thinking - Case Study Example The bid is recorded as â€Å"one of the shock and exasperation† that could only bring jubilation among the small bid team from the tiny Gulf state that had travelled to Switzerland.    The success of the bid brought with it a mired of questions from the potential counterparts who could not make it. First was the manner in which it could have succeeded with the vast representation of big countries in the committee. The capacity to host an event of such magnitude and their inexistence in the football arena was questionable. The country itself has very hash temperatures, which could not favor any tournament of this kind. It was evident that high profile and highly influential figures like The UEFA president Michel Platini had voiced their opposition to the notion. He said, â€Å"You cannot possibly play football in Qatar.† (YANKS ABROAD 2013) One of the executive committee members Mr. Franz Beckenbauer stated, â€Å"One should think about a different solution.† It was more evident that there were some hidden tactics behind the bid when a number of senior FIFA officials with the inclusion of Qatar head of the Asian Football Confederation, Mr. Mohammed bin Hammam were suspended as a result of questioning the legitimacy of Qatar wining the bid. There are also concerns raised on the country’s commitment to Sharia law, which does not support homosexuality and the questionable human rights records. The case has been viewed as a possible reaction from the looser of the bid that controls the huge numbers of football fans in the aim to water down the tournament and get a revote. This is possible because they have millions on internet users. The temperatures were viewed to be attainable through control but would cost the country billions of cash higher that the expenses used in the South African tournament. On the bribery case, FIFA President exclaimed, â€Å"we are anxiously

Philosphy 103 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philosphy 103 - Essay Example In his work entitled â€Å"The Ethics of Belief†, Clifford highlighted two core reasons he felt beliefs are not just peoples’ private business (Kessler, p. 324). This stance on beliefs courted as many enemies and friends for Clifford as people opposed and supported his notions in equal measure. â€Å"The Ethics of Belief† sought to emphasize the principles of his feelings about beliefs. However, the central issues in this essay, like in most other essays he wrote on belief, was to show that it is wrong for a person to accept or believe in or about things without supporting and considerable evidences (Kessler, p. 324). In fact, it is Clifford’s notions and principles, which are considered the principles on which modern scientific reasoning is based. The main reason Clifford asserts that beliefs are not personal businesses is the fact that one’s beliefs affect others in society. ... The other strong argument fronted by Clifford is that believing things on poor or flimsy grounds makes a person and society vulnerable to believe in falsehood, which may then be transferred to the larger family or society (Kessler, p. 324). On the contrary, in 1896, William James conducted a lecture entitled â€Å"The Will to Believe†. In essence, this lecture sought to counter Clifford’s assertion that beliefs should be based on significant evidences. That is, James felt that beliefs need not be based on prior evidences of truth (Kessler, p. 324). The lecture by James is largely regarded as being defensive of religious faith, which is often seen to lack evidence of truth. The central argument in this lecture was that the initial adoption of beliefs should form the basis of accessing truth and ascertaining whether evidences exist for the beliefs in question (Kessler, p. 324). For instance, according to James, one may believe in his ability to execute a given task, if su ch a task requires one to be confident. In fact, James opines that even scientific inquiries are based on first believing that something exists without first having significant evidence. Thus, for James, like one may believe in his or her ability to accomplish a task, religious belief may be rational if a person initially lacks evidence of the truth of the belief (Kessler, p. 324). However, James’ theory gives room for situations in which it is not entirely clear whether one is likely to lose or gain truth. That is, by not making up one’s mind, one may save himself or herself by throwing away the chance of gaining the truth about a belief (Kessler, p. 324). These scenarios are those in which one is not often forced to choose between believing falsehood and truth

Analytical reviews Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Analytical reviews - Assignment Example There is a clear agenda to highlight the exploitation of the working classes, called the proletariat, by the ruling classes, called the bourgeoisie. This manifesto is, as its title suggests, a book of political theory but it is also much more than that. The opening line indicates a wider concern with human history on a global scale: â€Å"The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.†2 What follows is a theory which covers all societies from the classical Roman times of patricians and slaves, through medieval serfs and lords in a feudal system to Victorian industrialization and the huge enterprise network of colonialism, spanning many countries from Europe to India and America. The wide scope of the work and its emphasis on human culture places it firmly in the genre of global history, and it displays remarkable insights into economic and political processes which are far ahead of its time. Many of the ideas contained in the treatise, such as economic determinism, have inspired whole generations of politicians, and the authors are credited with molding the foundations for revolution and the creation of Soviet Russian and many other major modern states. The idea that the working classes in any society are bound to rise up and forcibly seize power was naturally seen as a threat by many European commentators, and it provoked both ardent followers and severe critics. Events in the twentieth century, and now very dramatically in the twenty-first century, have shown that this kind of generic analysis makes perfect sense in describing many specific historical situations. People do tend to rise up against repressive regimes and this manifesto gives them rational arguments and encouragement to do just that. As a complete analysis of human society, however, the manifesto fails to measure up. The world has adopted a largely capitalist methodology, and the predicted rise of the working class has not been universally observed. In fac t there are many examples of how the Marxist working class utopias have turned into a different kind of oppression, where people were trapped in stultifying centrally planned universal poverty. The Communist Manifesto is nevertheless a classic of world literature, homing in on vital issues like labor and its value, forms of government for an industrial age, and the economic inter-connectedness of the modern world, and it is extremely useful as a counterpoint to the currently dominant ideas of capitalism. Part Two: World-Systems Theory: Capitalism, Development, and Under-Development. The important theoretical study entitled World Systems Analysis: An Introduction by Immanuel Wallerstein is a description of the way that our understanding of many disciplines loosely gathered under the title â€Å"social sciences† has changed. Epistemology is a key concern, because any artificial divisions between fields of knowledge can distort the way that we perceive and therefore understand r eality. Wallerstein describes how, until the second world war, scholars operated in separate subject areas like history, geography, politics, economics, sociology, etc. but that by the 1970s the boundaries between these areas had become less fixed. The late twentieth century was marked by

Report Proposal - Recommendations for Corporate Email Policy Essay

Report Proposal - Recommendations for Corporate Email Policy - Essay Example The vast potential of internet and email services, therefore, necessitates the organizations to re-evaluate their business strategy and incorporate business plans so that the organizations can successfully exploit its potential for business purposes. But it is equally true that the internet, with its huge scope for expansion has also wide ranging implications, which may have damaging effects for the overall development of the organization if it is not used with caution and with an approach that calls for greater control and discipline. The impact of computer has been extensive in almost every area of one’s life including professional and personal. The direct and indirect use of computer technology in every sphere has made it extremely popular which has, in turn, made it highly susceptible for misuse by one and all, in the absence of any tangible means of control. According to a report in CNN ‘the survey of 294 U.S. companies with at least 1,000 employees found that, in many cases, employees who sent e-mails containing confidential information about the organization or e-mails that were considered obscene and offensive were disciplined or terminated’ (CNN, 2006). We would, therefore, be focusing on the urgent need for addressing the proper and efficient use of internet and email services in the organization that would help to develop internet and email policy to effectively monitor its use. Internet has become a very cost effective and time efficient tool with its wide ranging ramifications. But at the same time, it can also be easily misused by unscrupulous people for their own vested interests that may be extremely disastrous for the organization, general public and the states at large. As is evident by the latest trend, the use of information technology and internet by the various terrorist outfits has resulted in some of the worst human tragedies in

Headphones vs Speakers Essay Example for Free

Headphones vs Speakers Essay A man was shot and killed for having his music too loud. This would not have been a problem had the teenager been listening to his audio with headphones rather than some ill-fated speakers. Speakers and headphones’ main use is to transmit sound produced by a certain source. They both have the same fundamental purpose but man’s erroneous actions lead us to believe one is better, or often more preferred, than the other. Headphones are better than speakers because they are cheaper, portable, undisruptive, and personal. For the same overall performance, headphones are much cheaper than speakers. One thing you can rarely battle against is a good product at a low price. When thinking in economic terms of the price-performance ratio (the performance value is divided by the price value), headphones come out with a higher ratio. A good surround sound system will disperse the sound through a room to try and deliver it to the listener’s ears. The listener will be receiving the sound from multiple angles producing an effect that makes up for a good experience. Take for example; watching a war movie in surround sound will make one feel like he really is part of the action in the film. All the sound is traveling in form of waves and is being picked up by your pinna which is the outer part of the ear whose function is to collect sound and also to reveal the location the sound is coming from. All the speakers stay in the same place which can cause minor disruptions when moving your head. Headphones on the other hand will always stay on your head. One would think that headphones can’t possibly produce the same sound as the speaker set but after all you only have two ears. One thing that headphones have is 3D audio effects. These effects manipulate the pinna and give the human ear the impression that so und is not coming from two sources but is being received from all 360 degrees around a man. When listening to the audio, the sound can be heard coming from the front as well as from the rear. So if headphones can easily be manipulated to have the same performance as speakers, then the quality of sound is not something that will influence the decision of which one, either headphone or speaker, to pick. The big difference and the thing that will make a person in today’s economy decide which one to purchase lies ultimately in the price of the product. A good and reasonable pair of headphones can go for around $100. A speaker system that will play at same quality will cost you about three or four times as much. The most expensive headphones cost around $2000 $5000 dollars. The most expensive speakers go for up to fifty times that amount. Over all it’s clearly seen that the price-performance ratio for headphones is higher. Headphones have the same performance as speakers and cost a lot less. So you love listening to Frederic Chopin’s Nocturne in E Flat Major on your speakers but figure out that when travelling on a cross continental trip to Japan it is very difficult to bring your speaker system into the plane and more difficult to set it up once inside. Fearing you might end up being shot like the teenager from Florida you are immobilized because of the problem. The solution to this most troubling issue, having once found out that headphones can play at the same if not better quality than speakers, is to have a pair of headphones. One thing speakers cannot do is be portable. They are just not meant for travel. Headphones on the other end can easily and comfortably be placed on your head and carried to and fro Los Angeles and Japan. Headphones are highly portable to the point where they even make them to be waterproof; resisting the craziest weather on any given rainy day. They are also very stylish so that you can buy a pair or two that fit your style and character. They can also be wireless for any people that might be offset by any cables You’re caught in an intensely long firefight in Halo 4 but your roommates were being so loud that you could not hear the footsteps of the enemy that crept up to assassinate you from behind; or you finished finals early and decided to play Halo 4 but with the crossfire, showering grenades, and speeding vehicles your roommates complained they could not concentrate for their study for the Electronic Music final. Sadly, due to signed dorm room policies you are left immobilized and find yourself in another problem. The solution would of course be headphones or in this case headphones with an attached microphone. Speakers can sometimes be too loud and disruptive for other people that headphones are more reliable in these cases. With a pair of headphones there is no one that can tell you to lower your volume because you are too disruptive. Headphones also have the ability to cancel out ambient sounds that can negatively affect what should be a good sounding experience. Having to watch a movie or listen to music with an extra contribution of chatter and yelling from friends or neighbors is not pleasant. Neither is it pleasant to be disruptive to other people in the household by blasting your sound through the roof. These are problems that people which own speaker encounter. Speakers are disruptive, inconsiderate of others, and have a low ability to block outside noises a person does not want to hear. When using headphones there is a personal feeling of intimacy one can feel. Speakers might be able to play sound from many places and into your ears but when you put headphones on it feels like the music is travelling within your skull. When speakers play their sound it takes time for the sound to travel to a person’s ears. During the time it takes to travel, some of the high frequencies of the sound waves have been absorbed into the air and not all the sound is perceived in your ears. When using headphones you can hear all the frequencies clearer because the strength of the sound is not reduced over time. Headphones give you a greater and richer sound experience than what speaker can produce. When comparing headphones to speakers, speakers are surpassed in many aspects. For one headphones are cheaper which make it more accessible for people who have trouble coming up with income. Headphones are sleek, stylish and can be included in just about any activity you do. They are also very discreet and unobtrusive which is something speakers can never be; neither can speakers be as easily portable as headphones. Above all headphones give the listener the full spectrum sound and produce a listening experience unsurpassed by that of speakers. Works Cited Best Headphones. ! Recommendations Grouped by Price Range. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. Guttenberg, Steve. Headphones vs. Speakers: Which Is Better? CNET News. CBS Interactive, 10 Mar. 2012. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. Head to Head Headphones versus Speakers. Head to Head Headphones versus Speakers. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. HeadWize Article: Preventing Hearing Damage When Listening With Headphones (A HeadWize Headphone Guide). HeadWize Article: Preventing Hearing Damage When Listening With Headphones (A HeadWize Headphone Guide). N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. Man Who Killed Florida Teen Over Loud Music Alters His Story to Fit Stand Your Ground. PoliticusUSA. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. The Soundry: The Outer Ear. ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. ROBERT A. BUTLER and RICHARD A. HUMANSKI. Localization of sound in the vertical plane with and without high-frequency spectral cues. Perception Psychophysics 1992,51(2), 182-186

Oceanic Bank International PLC Training Methods and Practice

Oceanic Bank International PLC Training Methods and Practice INTRODUCTION The importance of training in the human resource management efforts of any organisation cannot be overemphasised. That is why training is key to the survival of every human resource strategy of any given organisation. Employee training is becoming a necessity to every organization nowadays as training enables them to carryout roles and responsibilities efficiently and also learn new things, which will prepare them to take up higher responsibilities in the future (Karthikeyan, Karthi Graf 2010). Human relations management training, broadly conceived, is a popular means by which numerous public organizations seek to enhance productivity. Public managers consume prodigious quantities of management training and should be seriously concerned with the effectiveness and success of such intake (Gerald, 1989). Traditionally, training and development was not seen as actively that could help, organizations create value and successfully deal with competitive challenges (Oludairo, 2006). According to Cascio (2003), many organizations both small and large shy away from training their employed because they think that by improving the skills of their workforce, their employees will be more marketable to competitors. And where there are well training programmes, there are poorly implemented, like too much fine wine, may actually impede rather than invigorate a robust organizational health (Gerald, 1989). Operational definitions of key concepts The Concept of Training Trainings focus has broadened in the past few years (Bernadin, 2003). Training used to focus mostly on teaching technical skills, such as training assemblers to solder wires or teachers to device lesson plans. However, technical training like that is no longer sufficient (Oludairo, 2006). In recent time, organization has had to adapt to rapid technological changes, provide quality goods and services, and increase revenue to stay competitive. Improving quality required remedial education training. Similarly, employees today need skills in team building, decision making, and communication as well as technological and computer skills (Oludairo, 2006). According to Fajana (2002), training is the process that involves developing skills and learning concepts, rules or attitudes in order to increase effectiveness on a particular job. Casco (2003) sees training consisting of planned programme designed to improve performance at the individual, group and/or organizational level. Ubeku (1975) in his own contribution, defines management training as the process of developing managers knowledge, skills and attitude through instruction, demonstration, practice, and planned experience to meet the present and future needs of the business. This management training is the same as development or management development. Development refers to the process of teaching managers and professional employees that knowledge, skills needed for present and future task accomplishment. Considering the above definitions, one can conclude that training and development involve the systematic and continuous developing skills, learning concepts, attitudes and knowledge needed by employees to perform effectively and efficiently at work. Oceanic Bank International PLC Oceanic Bank International Plc is regarded as one of banks that brought new revolution in the banking sector to Africa. Incorporated in on March 26, 1990, the bank commenced business on June 12, 1990. The bank has been growing from strength to strength since then. Its shares were listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on June 25, 2004, having achieved a public liability company status. The bank is second to none in excellent deliveries and world class banking technologies in Africa. According to the banks website, the bank has a strong presence in asset management, commercial banking, health management, insurance, investment banking, pensions, registrar services, savings loans and trustee services, as well as over 370 business offices spread across Nigeria, Cameroun, the Gambia and Sà £o Tomà © Prà ­ncipe, Oceanic Bank is one of the most recognized financial services brands in West Africa. The rational for choosing Oceanic Bank for this essay is hinged on the fact that the author is an insider who has been working with the bank for years and have undergone series of training within the bank. Currently on the banks study leave, the author has unfettered access to the training methods and practices of the organisation and is able to specifically assess and examined the banks training methods and practices as demanded by the question at hand. Brief review of literature Various scholars and researchers have contributed to training especially in the banking sector. Among them is Richards (1997) who posits that during a management trainee programme, the real objective is to focus on the individual manager and not the position in the company. Richard contributed to training needs analysis, vis-a-vis; about core competencies, job profiling and identification of competencies gaps-either against core competencies for individuals or against job profiles for generic roles. Another important work that focuses on training in the banking industry is that of Niki Glaveli and Stella Kufidu (2005). The authors jointly analyzed the changes that took place in the Greek banking industry in three good years. The author also looks at the impact of the changes on the role of employees training and development for strategic implementation and success, using four case studies to investigate the effect of the environmental changes on these particular banks and the role of their training and development strategies in adjusting themselves to the changing industry environment (Glaveli Kufidu 2005). In a more related work to this study, Rainaye (2004) empirically examined the training policy in two commercial banks. The banks are the State Bank of India and Jammu Kashmir Bank Limited. The aim was to study some kind of training styles including Managements attitude towards training, training inputs, quality of training programmes and transfer of training to the job. The study found out that the training scenario is to a large extent satisfactory. The study also evaluates the opinions of the employees of two cadres of both banks and in particular that it can be made fully effective only when the training needs assessment and transfer of training to the job are considerably improved, besides bringing in finer improvements in other dimensions (Rainaye 2004). Badhu and Saxena (1999), in their work titled Role of Training in Developing Human Resources proved that an organization should have well-defined training policy as well as training manual and training should be made an ongoing process. The duo also proved that the executive development programmes have been found to be useful in improving the productivity, efficiency and effectiveness of managers. In their research, Karthikeyan, Karthi Graf evaluated the effectiveness of training in six banks and how training contributes for growth of the banks. The study which carefully focussed on three public sector banks and three private sector banks has core objectives of analyzing the effectiveness of Training in selected banks in Tiruchirappalli District, South India and also to find the association between effectiveness of training and growth and result of banks. Assessing Training Needs Organisations spend over $200 billion annually on employee training and development (Wexley and Latham, 1991). They rely upon this training to help develop employee skills that are critical for success in todays fast-changing, competitive environment (Guthrie and Schwoerer, 1994). There training programs are a dubious investment, however, unless they are based upon a sound training needs assessment TNA (Goldstein, 1993). According to Burton and Thakur (2003), a good training program should identify: (i) the specific skill areas that are to be strengthened as a result of the training; and (ii) the resources that is available to support the training. They posit that an effective training process must begin with a thorough need analysis to clearly identify the learning to be achieved, and it must end with an objective training program evaluation. A comprehensive training needs assessment provides information on organization needs- the organizational units in need of training; task needs- the knowledge and skills trainees must acquire for effective job performance; and person needs-the individuals in need of specific types of training (Wexley and Latham, 1991 Guthrie and Schwoerer, 1994). As shown in the figure below, the first step of training process is the assessing of training needs and providing answers to the following questions: (i)Who needs the training?(ii) Exactly what do they need to know or be able to do? (iii)What do they already know or are now able to do? (Burton and Thakur,2003). The other steps deal with identification of training objective which should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound, implementation of training program, evaluation, and adjustment if necessary. Assess training needs Who need to be trained? What do they need to know? What do they already know? Set training objectives (specific, measurable etc.) Plan training evaluation Did trainees like the training? Can they meet the training objectives? Do they perform better on the job? Develop training program: content, location, methods, trainers, duration Conduct Training Evaluate Training Modify training program based on evaluation Training methods and practices at Oceanic Bank International PLC Oceanic bank places great importance on its training and thats why the bank is known as a workplace where staff can really learn and work at the same time. Training at oceanic bank intl plc has been an important task or function to be completed by the human resources department. Whichever level an employee enters the organization; it is mandatory for such new employee to go through series of training both on- the- job and off- the- job. The Oceanic Leadership Academy The oceanic Leadership Academy is the training school for the bank. It is the first port of call for every new staff of the bank. The new staff members resume rigorous academic studies in the Academy for five weeks where their success is chiefly determined by written and oral examinations. The Academy goes a long way to determine whether a new staff will be retained in the bank or sent packing as staff who failed the short course will be asked to leave the employment of the bank. The Academy has very reach curriculum and work modules, most of which are packaged to deliver the peculiar nature and businesses of the bank. The Oceanic Academy, being the learning arm of the bank is run by the Human Resource department. According to the Banks websites, the department is responsible for all capacity building and training interventions aimed at developing the skills and capabilities of employees, thus improving their competencies on the job, their overall productivity and the competitiveness of Oceanic Bank Group. Induction courses After the graduating from the Academy, the induction processes of the bank follows. Induction training is conducted to newly employed staffs of oceanic bank within the branches of the bank. The programme is intended to improve the financial literacy of participants whilst strengthening their knowledge and competencies. This is carried out both on-the -job and off- the-job which enables the new entry level officers to understand the business and development of skills needed to carry out their job functions required by the organisations standard and practise. A one-week induction course for experienced new hires and a three-day induction course are available to certain grade levels. In addition, desk-to-desk induction is structured specifically for senior management staff. Off-the-job training in Oceanic Bank This is a training programme outside the organization which is encouraged by the bank. The bank usually sponsors and support their staffs for specialised training in various fields especially in the area of the modern day technology, credit and mortgage. Staffs are been sent on training in different training programmes such as (core banking application) finacle training in Indian and other European countries. Such staffs have come back more enlighten and are able to pass done such knowledge to subordinate and co- workers. On-the-job training in Oceanic bank Oceanic bank make most use of on-the-job training by assigning a trainer to the newly employee to put such employee through by learning the practical aspect of the job on-the-job. Job rotation is also an important training method employed by the bank where staff members are been moved from different department to gain more experience and familiarise themselves with all areas of banking, from marketing, credit, operations and application of core banking software. Oceanic bank staff members gain a lot through job rotation as given employees opportunity to work in different department of the bank is helpful. This initiative also helps staff members to move round different department which enable them bring in new ideas to other departments to enhance employee performance. Job rotation of staff also reduces boredom on the job because of diverse task to be carried out by employees. This also enables the staff to understand all the core aspect of banking as well as working with different people and senior managers across the business. Knowledge sharing section: This is a training programme designed by oceanic bank to be conducted by each branch on weekly basis. It is anchored by designated staff of the bank on a rotation basis. The aim is to bridge learning gaps on the operations of the bank. This is done specifically to update each staff of the bank on operations of the bank, the position of the bank, introduction of new products as well as knowledge outside the banking operations Short courses in Oceanic bank The bank periodically organizes Open Courses which cover diverse areas of development including Leadership, Communication, Health and Wellness, Credit Skills, Marketing Skills and Soft Skills. Mostly the bank sends mails to staffs to indicate there interest whenever the organisation organises open courses for staff The bank encourages the staff to register and monitors their progress for professional courses. In line with this the Oceanic Academy partners with various organisations like the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) in the area of Continuous Professional Development Programmes. They also encourage personal development of each staffs by allowing staffs to go on study leave for further studies, and opportunity the writer of this essay is currently enjoying. E- learning: This is the bank internet training facilities provided to the employees of the bank for training purpose. There are various materials on this site which employees can read and download to enable them broaden their knowledge on the core banking subjects as well as non-banking related areas of study. Effectiveness of Oceanic Bank Training programmes The oceanic bank training scheme is by far one of the best in the banking sector as attested to by staff of other banks. The programme is well structured in such a way that it makes it easy for every member of staff to undergo it without any stress. This is desirable as it makes the staff to love and appreciate their work. This in turn encourages efficiency and increased productivity. Because staff had gone through certain training processes, they are confident in doing their job and they build up work ego and pride in delivering stated task. Shortcomings of the Oceanic Bank Training programmes While it is good to have a formal training school for staff training like the Oceanic bank leadership academy, it is somewhat unfair to based performance of new staff on classroom examinations, worstill, that those who failed the examination are shown the way out of the employment. This is hinged on the commonly known assertion that examination is never the best way of testing human knowledge. A very good staff that has sound practical knowledge of the banking system might be unable to successfully pass written examination for one reason or the other. For this reason, the mode of determining whoever successfully passed through the academy is put to question. Another shortcoming observed from the Oceanic Bank Training programmes is the management of the delivery of the on-the-job training. More often than not in the department where this author work, the pressure of work and overwhelming customer demands and queries do not allow room for teaching someone else on the job. The implication is that most new staff spend longer than usual in learning new skills while working. Often, those doing the training may have no experience in training, no time to do it, and no desire to participate in it. Under such conditions, learners essentially are on their own, and training likely will not be effective. Another problem is that on-the-job training can disrupt the flow of regular work. Unfortunately, on-the-job training can amount to no training at all in some circumstances, especially if trainers simply abandon the trainees to learn the job alone. Also bad habits or incorrect information from supervisor or manager can be transferred to the trainees. Conclusions and Recommendations for Improvement Owing to the complex nature of jobs in the banking sector, the importance of employee training has increased. In a rapidly changing society, employee training is not only an activity that is desirable but also an activity that an organization must commit resources to, if it is to maintain a viable and knowledgeable workforce Karthikeyan ,Karthi Graf (2010) Because of the enormous advantages of training to an organisation, the amount spent should be seen as an investment rather as a cost to the organisation. Training has been a very formidable part of every organisation. In fact it is a prerequisite for effective employees performance and growth on their jobs. Logically speaking, the higher the quality of training an employee receives, the higher the quality of productivity and vice versa. It must be stressed therefore, that training and development improve quality, customer satisfaction, morale, profitability, business expansion and development i.e. overall organizational productivity. Hence, it gives organizations competitive advantage. This essay recommends an informal approach to accessing staff performance in the training school, vis-avis, the Oceanic Bank Leadership Academy. In this way, emphasis should be laid on assessing the delivery of practical tasks assigned to the new staff rather than just asking them to write written examinations. Also, new staff should not be laid off for failing the written examinations in the academy. It is also recommended that on-the-job training should be more formalise such that pressure and workload would be reduced from the shoulder of the trainer. Such trainer, as a matter of fact, should be allowed concentrate more on the trainee rather than the customers during the period of the induction. It is also advisory that Oceanic bank introduces a kind of personality development programmes such as role play, group discussion and business games. By this, the senior, management and other lower staff can build synergy and the superior and subordinate relationship can be strengthened for the overall productivity of the bank. In General, the Human Resources department should enhance their training programmes in line with latest demands in the banking sector, especially in this age of online bank and sophisticated fraud. This is because every organization that want to survive in this very dynamic world of banking needs to have well-trained and experienced people to perform the activities that have to be done.

Chances of Winning the Lottery

Chances of Winning the Lottery Introduction Ive already won a hundred dollars in the state lottery, and hardly anyone wins that much twice. So, Im not likely to win that much again. This statement has been said by numerous people who has played the lottery and those who continues to play the lottery seeking a chance to become an instant winner for money that on just dreams about on a daily basis. To break it down, the chances of winning thee Lotto jackpot are roughly 1 in 3.5 million, or that the overall chances of winning any prize in the Lotto games are about 1 in 20. So why do people all over the world play the Lotto? When it comes to the Lotto it comes down to luck, it is nice when a person wins money playing the Lottery and the ore a person plays the better the odds for them, so technically there is a chance to win money twice buy playing the Lottery. In 2014 people in 44 states spent about 70 billion dollars playing the Lotto, so it is safe to say that someone within those 44 states hit some type of Lotto money twice no matter how small or large the amount was. In March 2014, The Palm Beach Post newspaper revealed that serial Florida jackpot winners, many of them store owners or operators, defied incredible odds to claim thousands of dollars in winnings. The most prolific winners cashed in tickets worth $600 or more every 11 days. [March 2017, Jeffrey Stinson]. Just from this statement alone we can pretty much say that there is a good chance to win some type of Lotto money twice especially if you are a serial Lotto player like the people in Florida. Four people who won two or more lotteries. Steven Ontell (right) of New Jersey; Melvyn Wilson, a four-time winner in Virginia; Connie Cottingham, who won twice in Indiana; and Delma Kinney, who won $1 million twice in Georgia. None of them won nearly as much as Joan Ginther, who won $5.4 million, $2 million, $3 million and $10 million in Texas. [ 2014, Peter Mucha Philly.com]. There are many stories about how many people have won the Lotto twice and more. It makes you wonder how is this happening when there are people how has played the Lotto all their life and has not won at all. If a person has won a hundred dollars in the state Lottery after reading about the people in this paper who has won big money twice, I think the odds are good for a person to win the state Lotto for a hundred dollars a second time. Lottery history is full of mind-boggling examples of winners winning again. Thats one reason the Texas Lottery never investigated Joan Ginther, who won $5.4 million in a 1993 Lotto Texas drawing and then hit it big in three scratch-off games, $2 million in Holiday Millionaire in 2006, $3 million in Millions Millions in 2008, and $10 million in $140,000,000 Extreme Payoff in 2010. Still, the $20.4 million she won tops not only cases involving seemingly normal players, it even beats examples involving crooks or master mathematicians. An MIT group, for example, mined the Massachusetts lottery for seven years, and reportedly won $3.5 million. [ 2014, Peter Mucha Philly.com]. This kind of make you wonder if a person can be this lucky, or is there so type of criminal activity that happen, and at the end of the day is the Lottery crooked. The evidence clearly proves that people can and will continue to win the Lotto multiple times throughout the United States. Questions will continue to rise are people just that lucky, is there Lotto scams through the States and why is playing the Lottery so addictive to so many people. No matter what there will always be a difference in opinion when it comes to this topic between the so, called experts. Conclusion The question at the end of the day will continue to be argued even though there seems to be overwhelming proof that a person can win the Lotto multiple times in ones life. There are some people in the world that could care less about the argument or debate but for the millions or even billions of people who plays the Lotto on a daily basis trying to become rich quick by either scratching or playing different numbers will continue to play. So, to the person who won a hundred dollars in the State Lottery, and hardly thinks anyone wins that much twice, and thinks he/she will not win that much again. Please read the stories of people who have broken all the odds win it comes to the Lotto. References www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2015/1/ www.lottonumbers.com/lotto-odds-calculator.asp www.philly.com//lottery/multiple_winners_in_lottery_history.html Some Lottery Retailers Beat the Odds and Cost States (January 27, 2015 By Jeffrey Stinson)

Showing up the Actor :: Boxing Personal Narrative Papers

Showing up the Actor When I was younger I spent much of my time alone. My father bred in me, perhaps by nothing more than his example, a certain New England stoicism which thrived on solitude. Nothing displayed this rustic discipline more than the pop-up camper my father bought from our neighbors when I was six. From that summer our family spent most vacations on the road, pulling the camper behind us, my father winching it up and spreading the canvas roofing in Nova Scotia or Florida or upstate New York. Many summers later I insisted that I live in the camper, parked in the driveway. My mother brought me my meals and my father decided I should begin reading Hemingway. I sat propped in the tent-like house, eating hot dogs and reading terse, athletic prose about boxers and bullfights and impotent veterans. I figured out why my father named our dog Brett. I also spent a good deal of time at elite institutions of learning. When he wasn't camping my father taught math at prep schools. From my birth until my fourth birthday we lived at St. George's in Newport, Rhode Island, among the brocaded mansions like Egypt's pyramids, crafted of heavy-set stones. Then, in 1981, we moved to Phillips Academy in Andover, where the shops on the main street came in threes: bank boutique salon bank boutique salon. I can think of no better reason than that for why I took up boxing in the summer before my Senior year of college -- than that I spent most of my youth alone at elite institutions. And yet, in my four years as a student at Phillips, enrolling eleven years after my family's arrival, I wasn't entirely alone. A friend of mine, Noah -- his father also taught on the faculty. Noah also received the ninety percent tuition discount. Noah's fridge was also usually empty, because he had also eaten in school cafeterias for most of his life. He had also, for four years, somehow slipped between the kid whose wealth was a ticket to fuck around and the boy whose mother was a janitor, between the blonde suburban girl whose father owned The New York Times and the tight-knit handful of urban kids who came under the banner program of "A Better Chance" -- that is, between privilege and opportunity. This is not to say that the two sides of this educational gauntlet weighed in equally. Showing up the Actor :: Boxing Personal Narrative Papers Showing up the Actor When I was younger I spent much of my time alone. My father bred in me, perhaps by nothing more than his example, a certain New England stoicism which thrived on solitude. Nothing displayed this rustic discipline more than the pop-up camper my father bought from our neighbors when I was six. From that summer our family spent most vacations on the road, pulling the camper behind us, my father winching it up and spreading the canvas roofing in Nova Scotia or Florida or upstate New York. Many summers later I insisted that I live in the camper, parked in the driveway. My mother brought me my meals and my father decided I should begin reading Hemingway. I sat propped in the tent-like house, eating hot dogs and reading terse, athletic prose about boxers and bullfights and impotent veterans. I figured out why my father named our dog Brett. I also spent a good deal of time at elite institutions of learning. When he wasn't camping my father taught math at prep schools. From my birth until my fourth birthday we lived at St. George's in Newport, Rhode Island, among the brocaded mansions like Egypt's pyramids, crafted of heavy-set stones. Then, in 1981, we moved to Phillips Academy in Andover, where the shops on the main street came in threes: bank boutique salon bank boutique salon. I can think of no better reason than that for why I took up boxing in the summer before my Senior year of college -- than that I spent most of my youth alone at elite institutions. And yet, in my four years as a student at Phillips, enrolling eleven years after my family's arrival, I wasn't entirely alone. A friend of mine, Noah -- his father also taught on the faculty. Noah also received the ninety percent tuition discount. Noah's fridge was also usually empty, because he had also eaten in school cafeterias for most of his life. He had also, for four years, somehow slipped between the kid whose wealth was a ticket to fuck around and the boy whose mother was a janitor, between the blonde suburban girl whose father owned The New York Times and the tight-knit handful of urban kids who came under the banner program of "A Better Chance" -- that is, between privilege and opportunity. This is not to say that the two sides of this educational gauntlet weighed in equally.

Diabetes The Silent Killer Essay -- essays research papers

The Silent Killer: Diabetes Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death by disease. It is a chronic disease that has no cure. Therefore it comes to no surprise that this disease has acquired countless number of attentions. Unfortunately, 5.4 million people in the United State are unaware that they have this disease. Until they do, they have already developed life-threatening complications. This may include blindness, kidney diseases, nerves diseases, heart diseases, strokes, and amputations. It is no wonder that diabetes is known as the silent killer. Diabetes is condition where the body does not produce or properly use insulin, which is a type of hormone that converts sugar, starches, and other types of foods into the energy that humans need everyday. It controls the blood sugar level and without it, death is inevitable. There are two major types of diabetes: Type I, and Type II. Type I is where the body does not produce any insulin also known as insulin dependent or immune-medicated diabetes. It is a disease that destroys the cells in the pancreas that produces insulin. Type II, is where the body can’t make enough or properly use insulin, also known as non-insulin dependent. Other specific type of diabetes may have its origin from certain genetic syndromes, surgery, drugs, malnutrition inflection and other illness. The cause of this disease remains a mystery. Genetics, environmental factors, lack of exercise, plays an important role in the cause of diabetes. Diabetes can cause different types of problems depending on which types of diabetes they have. For Type I diabetes, two problems may occur: ketoacidosis, and hyperglycemia. In ketoacidosis, your body produces ketones. This occurs when your blood glucose level increases too high. The productions of ketones have its unpleasant results. Ketones can cause you to vomit, have trouble breathing, become dehydrated, have dry itchy skin, and/or go into a coma. Hyperglycemia is where your blood glucose level is too low. In results, one may feel shaky, tired, hungry, confused or nervous. Lastly, there may be complications for Type I diabetes. Since the levels of glucose are high, it can damage organs. Eyes, kidney, and nerves can be damaged. It may also provoke heart and blood vessels more likely. In Type II diabetes, three types of problems can occur such as high blood glucose, low blood glucose, and complicati... ...with diabetes have blood sugar problems, meal planning for sugar control, and excising is just one method of treatment for diabetes. But sometimes, these treatments are not enough to help out with the problems. The next step is to take medicine. These methods are: oral medicine such as pills or insulin shots. However, people with type 1 diabetes don’t produce any insulin for the glucose to pass into a cell, therefore they can’t take any oral medication and insulin shots are their only way to keep blood sugar levels down. When diabetics signs starts to appear upon an individual, it is imperative that they must seek a physician immediately. If not, one may develop life-threatening complications, which in severe cases, can result in death. The numbers of deaths will only climb even higher, and diabetes will remain its title as the sixth leading cause of death by disease in the United States. As information about diabetes continue to spread out across the nation, more people will be informed and familiar about this serious disease, in result, advance action will take place for care and maintenance. The silent killer title will thus be removed, and diabetes will not remain in the dark.

Structure of Language

he Structure of Language Language is a system of symbols and rules that is used for meaningful communication. A system of communication has to meet certain criteria in order to be considered a language: A language uses symbols, which are sounds, gestures, or written characters that represent objects, actions, events, and ideas. Symbols enable people to refer to objects that are in another place or events that occurred at a different time. A language is meaningful and therefore can be understood by other users of that language.A language is generative, which means that the symbols of a language can be combined to produce an infinite number of messages. A language has rules that govern how symbols can be arranged. These rules allow people to understand messages in that language even if they have never encountered those messages before. The Building Blocks of Language Language is organized hierarchically, from phonemes to morphemes to phrases and sentences that communicate meaning. Phon emes Phonemes are the smallest distinguishable units in a language.In the English language, many consonants, such as t, p, and m, correspond to single phonemes, while other consonants, such as c and g, can correspond to more than one phoneme. Vowels typically correspond to more than one phoneme. For example, o corresponds to different phonemes depending on whether it is pronounced as in bone or woman. Some phonemes correspond to combinations of consonants, such as ch, sh, and th. Morphemes Morphemes are the smallest meaningful units in a language. In the English language, only a few single letters, such as I and a, are morphemes. Morphemes are usually whole words or meaningful parts of words, such as refixes, suffixes, and word stems. Example: The word â€Å"disliked† has three morphemes: â€Å"dis,† â€Å"lik,† and â€Å"ed. † Syntax Syntax is a system of rules that governs how words can be meaningfully arranged to form phrases and sentences. Example: On e rule of syntax is that an article such as â€Å"the† must come before a noun, not after: â€Å"Read the book,† not â€Å"Read book the. † Language Development in Children Children develop language in a set sequence of stages, although sometimes particular skills develop at slightly different ages: Three-month-old infants can distinguish between the phonemes from any language.At around six months, infants begin babbling, or producing sounds that resemble many different languages. As time goes on, these sounds begin to resemble more closely the words of the languages the infant hears. At about thirteen months, children begin to produce simple single words. By about twenty-four months, children begin to combine two or three words to make short sentences. At this stage, their speech is usually telegraphic. Telegraphic speech, like telegrams, contains no articles or prepositions. By about age three years, children can usually use tenses and plurals.Children’ s language abilities continue to grow throughout the school-age years. They become able to recognize ambiguity and sarcasm in language and to use metaphors and puns. These abilities arise from metalinguistic awareness, or the capacity to think about how language is used. Ambiguous Language Language may sometimes be used correctly but still have an unclear meaning or multiple meanings. In these cases, language is ambiguous—it can be understood in several ways. Avoid biting dogs is an example of an ambiguous sentence. A person might interpret it as Keep out of the way of biting dogs or Don’t bite dogs.Theories of Language Acquisition The nature vs. nurture debate extends to the topic of language acquisition. Today, most researchers acknowledge that both nature and nurture play a role in language acquisition. However, some researchers emphasize the influences of learning on language acquisition, while others emphasize the biological influences. Receptive Language before E xpressive Language Children’s ability to understand language develops faster than their ability to speak it. Receptive language is the ability to understand language, and expressive language is the ability to use language to communicate.If a mother tells her fifteen-month-old child to put the toy back in the toy chest, he may follow her instructions even though he can’t repeat them himself. Environmental Influences on Language Acquisition A major proponent of the idea that language depends largely on environment was the behaviorist B. F. Skinner (see pages 145 and 276 for more information on Skinner). He believed that language is acquired through principles of conditioning, including association, imitation, and reinforcement. According to this view, children learn words by associating sounds with objects, actions, and events.They also learn words and syntax by imitating others. Adults enable children to learn words and syntax by reinforcing correct speech. Critics of t his idea argue that a behaviorist explanation is inadequate. They maintain several arguments: Learning cannot account for the rapid rate at which children acquire language. There can be an infinite number of sentences in a language. All these sentences cannot be learned by imitation. Children make errors, such as overregularizing verbs. For example, a child may say Billy hitted me, incorrectly adding the usual past tense suffix -ed to hit.Errors like these can’t result from imitation, since adults generally use correct verb forms. Children acquire language skills even though adults do not consistently correct their syntax. Neural Networks Some cognitive neuroscientists have created neural networks, or computer models, that can acquire some aspects of language. These neural networks are not preprogrammed with any rules. Instead, they are exposed to many examples of a language. Using these examples, the neural networks have been able to learn the language’s statistical s tructure and accurately make the past tense forms of verbs.The developers of these networks speculate that children may acquire language in a similar way, through exposure to multiple examples. Biological Influences on Language Acquisition The main proponent of the view that biological influences bring about language development is the well-known linguist Noam Chomsky. Chomsky argues that human brains have a language acquisition device (LAD), an innate mechanism or process that allows children to develop language skills. According to this view, all children are born with a universal grammar, which makes them receptive to the common features of all languages.Because of this hard-wired background in grammar, children easily pick up a language when they are exposed to its particular grammar. Evidence for an innate human capacity to acquire language skills comes from the following observations: The stages of language development occur at about the same ages in most children, even though different children experience very different environments. Children’s language development follows a similar pattern across cultures. Children generally acquire language skills quickly and effortlessly. Deaf children who have not been exposed to a language may make up their own language.These new languages resemble each other in sentence structure, even when they are created in different cultures. Biology and Environment Some researchers have proposed theories that emphasize the importance of both nature and nurture in language acquisition. These theorists believe that humans do have an innate capacity for acquiring the rules of language. However, they believe that children develop language skills through interaction with others rather than acquire the knowledge automatically. Language, Culture, and Thought Researchers have differing views about the extent to which language and culture influence the way people think.In the 1950s, Benjamin Lee Whorf proposed the linguistic re lativity hypothesis. He said language determines the way people think. For example, Whorf said that Eskimo people and English-speaking people think about snow differently because the Eskimo language has many more words for snow than the English language does. Most subsequent research has not supported Whorf’s hypothesis. Researchers do acknowledge, however, that language can influence thought in subtle ways. For example, the use of sexist terminology may influence how people think about women.Two ways that people commonly use language to influence thinking are semantic slanting and name calling. Semantic Slanting Semantic slanting is a way of making statements so that they will evoke specific emotional responses. Example: Military personnel use the term â€Å"preemptive counterattack† rather than â€Å"invasion,† since â€Å"invasion† is likely to produce more negative feelings in people. Name Calling Name calling is a strategy of labeling people in order to influence their thinking. In anticipatory name calling, it is implied that if someone thinks in a particular way, he or she will receive an unfavorable label.Example: On the day a student buys a new desk, he might say, â€Å"Only a slob would pile junk on a desk like this. † This might help ensure that his roommate keeps it free of junk. Bilingualism Although people sometimes assume that bilingualism impairs children’s language development, there is no evidence to support this assumption. Bilingual children develop language at the same rate as children who speak only one language. In general, people who begin learning a new language in childhood master it more quickly and thoroughly than do people who learn a language in adulthood. Language and Nonhuman PrimatesSome researchers have tried to teach apes to use language. Because of the structure of their vocal organs, apes can’t say words, but they can communicate using signs or computers. Using these means, a pes can make requests, respond to questions, and follow instructions. The Case of Washoe the Chimpanzee Researchers at Central Washington University taught a chimpanzee named Washoe to use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate. She could sign not only single words but also meaningful combinations of words. She could follow instructions and respond to questions given in ASL.Later, Washoe’s foster child, Loulis, learned signs just by watching Washoe and other chimps that had been trained to use language. Some research even suggested that language-trained chimps may use signs spontaneously to communicate with each other or to talk to themselves, although this behavior is not thoroughly documented. Skepticism about Ape Language Critics of the idea that apes can learn and use language have maintained several arguments: Apes, unlike people, can be trained to learn only a limited number of words and only with difficulty.Apes use signs or computers to get a reward, in the same way that other animals can be taught tricks. But learning tricks is not equivalent to learning language. Apes don’t use syntax. For example, they don’t recognize the difference between Me eat apple and Apple eat me. Trainers may be reading meanings into signs apes make and unintentionally providing cues that help them to respond correctly to questions. Clearly, communication in nonhuman animals differs drastically from language in humans. The spontaneity, uniqueness, and reflective content of human language remains unmatched. Nonprimates Can CommunicateResearchers have taught nonprimate animals, such as parrots, to communicate meaningfully. Parrots that participated in language acquisition studies learned to identify dozens of objects, distinguish colors, and make simple requests in English. One famous example is Alex the African gray parrot, owned by Irene Pepperberg from the University of Arizona. Alex can â€Å"speak† hundreds of words, but what makes him mor e unique is that he appears to do more than just vocalize. Though Pepperberg does not claim that Alex uses â€Å"language,† she does believe that when Alex talks, he is expressing his thoughts, not just mimicking.The Structure of Cognition Cognition, or thinking, involves mental activities such as understanding, problem solving, and decision making. Cognition also makes creativity possible. The Building Blocks of Cognition When humans think, they manipulate mental representations of objects, actions, events, and ideas. Humans commonly use mental representations such as concepts, prototypes, and cognitive schemas. Concepts A concept is a mental category that groups similar objects, events, qualities, or actions. Concepts summarize information, enabling humans to think quickly.Example: The concept â€Å"fish† includes specific creatures, such as an eel, a goldfish, a shark, and a flying fish. Prototypes A prototype is a typical example of a concept. Humans use prototypes to decide whether a particular instance of something belongs to a concept. Example: Goldfish and eels are both fish, but most people will agree that a goldfish is a fish more quickly than they will agree that an eel is a fish. A goldfish fits the â€Å"fish† prototype better than an eel does. Cognitive Schemas Cognitive schemas are mental models of different aspects of the world. They contain knowledge, beliefs, assumptions, associations, and expectations.Example: People may have a schema about New York that includes information they’ve learned about New York in school, their memories of New York, things people have told them about New York, information from movies and books about New York, what they assume to be true about New York, and so on. Theories of Cognitive Development Cognitive development refers to the change in children’s patterns of thinking as they grow older. Jean Piaget’s Stage Theory The scientist best known for research on cognitive dev elopment is Jean Piaget (see pages 72–75), who proposed that children’s thinking goes through a set eries of four major stages. Piaget believed that children’s cognitive skills unfold naturally as they mature and explore their environment. Lev Vygotsky’s Theory of Sociocultural Influences Psychologist Lev Vygotsky believed that children’s sociocultural environment plays an important role in how they develop cognitively. In Vygotsky’s view, the acquisition of language is a crucial part of cognitive development. After children acquire language, they don’t just go through a set series of stages. Rather, their cognitive development depends on interactions with adults, cultural norms, and their environmental circumstances.Private Speech Vygotsky pointed out that children use language to control their own behavior. After children acquire language skills and learn the rules of their culture, they start to engage in private speech. They first talk to themselves out loud, and then, as they grow older, silently, giving themselves instructions about how to behave. Current Research on Cognitive Development Current research indicates that children have complex cognitive abilities at much younger ages than Piaget suggested. As early as four months of age, infants appear to understand basic laws of physics.For example, a four-month-old infant can recognize that solid objects cannot pass through other solid objects and that objects roll down slopes instead of rolling up. At five months of age, infants can recognize the correct answers to addition and subtraction problems involving small numbers. These observations have led some researchers to speculate that humans are born with some basic cognitive abilities. Critics argue that researchers who find these results are overinterpreting the behavior of the infants they study. Quick Review The Structure of LanguageLanguage is a system of symbols and rules used for meaningful communi cation. A language uses symbols and syntax and is meaningful and generative. Language is organized hierarchically from phonemes to morphemes to phrases and sentences. Children develop language in a set sequence of stages. Theories of Language Acquisition Behaviorist B. F. Skinner strongly supported the idea that language depends largely on environment. Skinner believed that people acquire language through principles of conditioning. Critics argue the inadequacy of behaviorist explanations.Some cognitive neuroscientists have created neural networks that can acquire some aspects of language by encountering many examples of language. They think children may acquire language in the same way. Noam Chomsky is the main proponent of the importance of biological influences on language development. Chomsky proposed that human brains have a language acquisition device that allows children to acquire language easily. Some researchers believe that language is both biologically and environmentall y determined. The linguistic relativity hypothesis states that language determines the way people think.Today, researchers believe language influences, rather than determines, thought. Two ways that people use language to influence thinking are semantic slanting and name calling. People master a new language better if they begin learning it in childhood. Nonhuman animals can learn some aspects of language. Language and Nonhuman Primates Some researchers have tried to teach apes to use language. Apes can communicate, but researchers are divided on whether this communication can really be considered â€Å"learning language. † The Structure of CognitionCognition involves activities such as understanding, problem solving, decision making, and being creative. People use mental representations such as concepts, prototypes, and cognitive schemas when they think. Theories of Cognitive Development Jean Piaget believed that children’s cognitive skills unfold naturally as they ma ture and explore their environment. Lev Vygotsky believed that children’s sociocultural environment plays an important role in cognitive development. Some researchers have shown that humans are born with some basic cognitive abilities. Problem-SolvingProblem-solving is the active effort people make to achieve a goal that is not easily attained. Three common types of problems involve inducing structure, arranging, and transformation. Some approaches to problem-solving are trial and error, deductive and inductive reasoning, use of algorithms and heuristics, dialectical reasoning, creation of subgoals, use of similar problems, and changes in the way the problems are represented. Researchers have identified many obstacles to effective problem-solving, such as focus on irrelevant information, functional fixedness, mental set, and assumptions about unnecessary constraints.Decision-Making Decision-making involves weighing alternatives and choosing among them. Additive strategies and elimination strategies are ways of making decisions about preferences. Using expected value, subjective utility, the availability heuristic, and the representativeness heuristic are all ways of making risky decisions. Using the representativeness heuristic can make people susceptible to biases, such as the tendency to ignore base rates and the gambler’s fallacy. Using the availability heuristic can make people susceptible to overestimating the improbable or underestimating the probable.In an effort to minimize risk, people also make decision-making errors, such as the overconfidence effect, the confirmation bias, and belief perseverance. Creativity Creativity is the ability to generate novel, useful ideas. Creativity is characterized by divergent, rather than convergent, thinking. Some characteristics of creative people are expertise, nonconformity, curiosity, persistence, and intrinsic motivation. People can best realize their creative potential if they are in environmental circumstances that promote creativity.