The Gilded Age Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Gilded Age - Essay Example During the so called Gilded Age, the economy of America went up significantly by more than 400% between 1860 and 1900. During the same time, the United States Patent office gave out up to twelve times more patents than it had been the case in the past 70 years. There was also a notable increase in the productivity of the agricultural sector due to invention of farm machinery; â€Å"In 1872, the vast majority of Americans equated logging trees, plowing prairies, grazing grasslands and mining mountains with progress.† The same advancement was made in the factory sector. The business communication sector made a step with the invention of Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone which was developed on February 14th, 1876. The lighting of homes and the power required by the various factories in carrying out several of the operation were made possible by Thomas Edison. This was as from 6th December, 1977.Still on the American economy, the growing industrial sector made available the goods needed for the upcoming urban markets. This led to a shoot in the number of the urban dwellers due to migration of individual to urban centers, most of who came from Europe. As a percentage, those living in urban areas represented 40% of the total American population. This was an increase from the initial 20%. The immigrants wanted to get jobs in the expanding manufacturing sectors, and also to have a taste of the city-life.However, there is an irony regarding this economic development of the gilded age.The growing of this economy came with weighty negatives.

Social Psychology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Social Psychology - Assignment Example The people of different races are provided equal access to education and job opportunities. It is largely believed that the provision of equal opportunities would increase the tolerance level and a feeling of fraternity between different races. However racism and discrimination is realities that do exist at some level till date. We still have a long way to go. The results of the Clarke and Clark study demonstrated that young African American children in segregated school gave priority to the white dolls over the black dolls as opposed to children in integrated schools. It is said to reflect the low self esteem, self depreciation and self-hate amongst the children as a function of the segregation. This experiment practically demonstrates that the young children are taught from the beginning to accept and endorse the separation and inequality on the basis of their skin color alone. The children by choosing to opt for the white doll negated the principle of humanity that should be followed at all costs. The young and impressionable minds learned from an early age that they were inferior to their white counterparts. The effects of discrimination in the personality development and the over all perception of on life is drastic because they happen at such an early influence able stage (Killen and Levi, 2010). The black people who tend to face discrimination have such low self esteem that they are known to settle for jobs which pays inadequately. On top of dealing with the inner demons, the black people also have to overcome many a mental stereotypes and a substandard preformed ideology about them at the societal level. Their feelings of self worth is further depreciated and infringed when they are discriminated and segregated at a larger scale. According to the experiment of Clarke and Clark the segregation and discrimination at an early point in life

The Apprentice TV Program Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Apprentice TV Program - Assignment Example The shortlisted contestants live communally in a suite at Trump Tower in New York City. The successful applicants become divided into two groups. The groups indulge in tasks set to stretch their creativity and business skills. Each group selects a project manager to lead them in the mission. The failing team leaves the competition. The remaining group then splits into two other groups. These undertake another task in the subsequent week. Elimination follows until three contestants remain. The competition ends with the selection of one participant who secures a one year contract in one of the business interests belonging to Donald Trump. The elimination is competitive with profitability heavily emphasized. Teams that make losses during their task face elimination. Elimination takes place in two phases. After failure, the project manager in charge of the team selects two to three people most likely to be the cause of poor performance. The other members get dismissed while the project m anager and the selected members face Trump in the boardroom where their fate awaits. Executives from selected companies interview the finalist duo from which Trump hires the apprentice. The apprentice TV program places its basis on apprenticeship. It is one of the oldest forms of work-based learning. The traditional system, however, lacked sufficiency causing variance in quality. A time-based apprenticeship presents the most benefits to both an organization and a prospective worker. It forms a strategic approach to learning in a field of work as opposed to possession of certain skills. Apprenticeship allows workers to absorb values and ideas of a field of trade. Placement into apprenticeship varies with company's policy. Some firms prefer young people straight out of school while others prefer new learners in the team (Cunningham et al, 2004, pp.62). Apprenticeship programs began way back in time. They incorporate what is learned in class with hand on experience.

Information Assurance perspective on cloud ERP solution implementation Term Paper

Information Assurance perspective on cloud ERP solution implementation for Lesley Stowe Fine Foods (LSFF) - Term Paper Example Implementation of cloud ERP solution is a viable option for the enterprise; however, its implementation needs to meet information assurance objectives. Many variables like risks and values exist within any cloud program or opportunity that influences the perspective of the adopted cloud application be it from a business or risk perspective (Information Systems Audit and Control Association, 2011). Nevertheless, the enterprise needs to weigh the variables in order to decide if cloud ERP is the appropriate solution. Clearly, for LSFF to support future business development, the enterprise needs to enhance its IS and IT infrastructure while ensuring it does not incur huge expenses on expensive software and hardware licenses (Compeau& Scott, 2013). Many of these values and risks that affect information assurance in cloud computing vary and include the form of cloud service model, robustness of the existing enterprise IT operations, the prevailing level of business risk acceptance in the e nterprise and the risk from the cloud service provider (Information Systems Audit and Control Association, 2011). Through the cloud ERP solution, LSFF incorporates the value-adding solution to the enterprise by changing its perspective through IA in order to enhance competitive advantage for the business. The paper evaluates the comprehensive concept of IA offered by the cloud ERP solution to ensure that IS serves LSFF’s transactional needs like operational capability and transformational needs like rapid adaptation, innovation and knowledge management. Over the past 10 years, LSFF witnessed phenomenal growth, which in return had implications on the information systems and IT. Although during this period, rainforest Crisps, which was the enterprise’s core product, was available in more than 4,000 outlets across North America, LSFF’s distribution of the product in US was limited. In addition, even though the enterprise in 2010 moved to a large-scale manufacturing location

Metaphysics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Metaphysics - Essay Example In this paper, the author examines the concept of metaphysics by surveying the changes in the use of the term, from the ancient, philosophic sense, to the contemporary esoteric sense, such as that found in New Age teachings. Ancient Metaphysics The term â€Å"metaphysics† was coined by Andronicus, the editor of Aristotle’s works, to refer to the collection of writings that dealt with a subject outside of physics, that is, Aristotle’s works on the natural or physical sciences. Aristotle himself did not refer to his works as being divided into the Physical and the Metaphysical. Instead, he somewhat classified his works as dealing primarily with the nature of the natural or physical world, and those that deal with first causes. But does it make sense to make such a distinction? It appears that it does make sense, because in seeking to understand the nature of the physical world, Aristotle argues that the latter is characterized by change. Thus, Aristotle’s ph ysics deals with change. Consequently, the â€Å"metaphysics† or those â€Å"beyond or after the physics† deals with first causes, or those that do not change. This latter point explains why the concept of Being is central to Aristotle’s metaphysics. ... In tackling the question of Being and existence, metaphysics deals essentially with the question of reality. In book 12 of his Metaphysics, Aristotle writes that â€Å"the subject of our inquiry is substance; for the principles and the causes we are seeking are those of substances. For if the universe is of the nature of a whole, substance is its first part† (â€Å"Metaphysics†). Indeed, if the observable world is subject to change, of what substance is this world made of? Could there be an unchanging, hence, metaphysical substance? In other words, he was preoccupied with examining the nature of reality. Modern Metaphysics In the e-book, Metaphysics (2006), Ethan Vorly states that â€Å"Metaphysics is the science of all realms, their laws and functions†(2). He defines metaphysics as the â€Å"study of multi-dimensional energies, forces and substances† (5). This view of metaphysics clearly delves into the esoteric interpretation of the term. In discussing m etaphysics along the lines of energy forces and dimensions of existence, Vorly has much in common with the Eastern philosophies of Taoism and Confucianism. For example, he writes of reality in terms of an Ultimate Reality, not very different from the Eastern concept of Tao. In this sense, an esoteric understanding of metaphysics is somewhat consistent with the ancient Greek conception of the term, to the extent that there is a search for an ultimate principle or substance, as Aristotle would refer to it. However, while the ancient Greek approach to the question of reality was meant to gain an understanding of the nature of reality itself, the modern esoteric interpretation of metaphysics tends

Term Paper; Case Study Leadership Theory & Practice 5th Edition, Peter Paper

; Case Study Leadership Theory & Practice 5th Edition, Peter G. Northhouse - Term Paper Example Skills have been stated to be a quite different aspect compared to characteristics or features of leaders. Skills have been defined to be the comprehension or the competencies which could be attained by the leaders (Nothhouse, 2009). Three fundamental skills have been stated to be possessed by an individual to become an effective and successful proprietor. The three set of fundamental administrative skills entail human, technical and conceptual aspects. The development of the mentioned skills would aid an individual to become a successful leader along with achieving success in the works carried out (Nothhouse, 2009). For instance, with regard to the considered case, it could be stated that operating a restaurant business would require knowledge regarding the kind of foods that is offered in the particular restaurant and the way those foods or dishes are prepared for satisfying the taste buds of the customers. From this instance, it could be understood that technical skills entail a practical and concrete activity with regard to the core or fundamental products offered along with the organizational processes. Technical skills are considered to be quite vital as it aids in delivering the exact products that is intended to be produced by an organization (Nothhouse, 2009). The notion of human skill is believed to be quite vital for an individual to become a successful leader or administrator. Human skill refers to the know-how and capability of working along with numerous other individuals. Human skills have been defined as the aptitudes that aid a leader to carry out the tasks effectually in harmony with the peers, subordinates and superiors. This is required to be done for the reason of attaining the organizational aims (Nothhouse, 2009). Leaders with this particular skill help to generate an environment of trust which creates a comfort level for the employees and make them feel

Human factors in aviation accidents Essay Example for Free

Human factors in aviation accidents Essay As a result of researches that recognized the existence of human factors in error management, the aviation industry also began to take initiatives to reformat aviation organisations. The aviation industry shifted to a more open culture that valued communication and at the same time recognized that human error will always be present but through time and more advanced studies can be reduced further (Sexton, Thomas Helmreich, 2000). Almost all aspects have been looked into. Selection and training processes were raised to a different level. While technical skills were highly valued before, they have been found to be inadequate in dealing with safety concerns. Selection of aircrew now includes processes that determine their ability to learn from errors and to become team players. There also has been a new approach for training – not only the pilots, but the entire crew is trained. There are also a mounting number of interventions that are being tested for their effectivity to modify behavioral patterns that could injure a system’s safety. Because crew resource management (CRM) failure is implicated in most aircraft accidents, CRM training programs, which began as a part of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA] program in 1979, began to be widely received by aviation organisations. Now on its 5th generation, CRM trainings for the crew have been conducted by major airlines and even the navy. The CRM training program encompasses many aspects of aviation safety such as situation awareness, task management and communication (Thomas, 2004). The 5th generation CRM programs can be viewed as a tool to effectively manage errors. CRM combats errors in three ways: obviously, the first one is the avoidance of error; the second Human Factors in Aviation Accidents 10 one is the â€Å"suppression† of the error before it happens; and third, the mitigation of the effects of the errors should it not be avoided (Helmreich, Merritt Wilhelm, 1999). The focus of the 5th generation CRM is the normalization of errors – whether due to active or latent failures – and the development of strategies to manage these errors (Helmreich, Merritt Wilhelm, 1999). Although CRM programs focus on human errors and its effects on aviation safety, it is never entirely a behavioral training. After all, if you recall, a â€Å"productive system† is an interaction of human and technological factors. Therefore, CRM is not to be taken as a stand-alone program. It is meant to be incorporated to technical trainings where the crew has to be adept in the operation of modern aviation technology and at the same time has to learn non-technical skills such as effective communication, coordination and teamwork. Despite the fact that intervention programs like the CRM has been introduced and conducted for crews in major and regional airlines for the two decades, the percentage of CRM failures in aviation accidents remained relatively flat (Wiegmann Shappell, 2001). Although initial results of CRM programs have been found to be encouraging such that positive results were seen almost immediately after the conduction of the program, it was soon obvious that such results were short-lived (Taneja, 2002). What could have happened that prevented such interventions to perform as expected? Helmreich Merritt (2000) offers an explanation at least for CRM. First, not everybody responds to CRM training. Some may have become less accepting of CRM after the training. Although attitudes do not necessarily define behavior, it has been a well-known maxim that those who reject a concept are more likely not to follow the principles that it imparts. (Helmreich, Merritt Wilhelm, 1999). Human Factors in Aviation Accidents 11 Culture – national, professional and organisational – is also a significant factor that determines the level of acceptance for a CRM concept (Helmreich Merritt, 2000). When CRM was introduced to other national cultures, it soon became evident that certain CRM concepts can either be readily accepted or rejected depending on the national culture. Cultures such as China and many Latin American countries that stress the importance of absolute power and authority of their leaders will necessarily be less receptive to the idea of subordinates questioning the decisions of their leaders, than cultures that are less hierarchical (Hofstede, 1980 as cited by Helmreich, Merrit Wilhelm, 1999). While CRM programs encourage subordinates to be more assertive in questioning their leaders, junior crew members in these cultures are quite disinclined to do this because of fear of showing disrespect. These same cultures are also collectivists who stress interdependenc and the necessity to work together for a common goal. In contrast, American and European cultures, which are highly individualistic, give more value to independence and more priority to individual goals. The value of teamwork and the need for coordination will most likely be readily accepted in the former than in the latter. There are also High Uncertainty Avoidance cultures like Greece, Korea and many Latin American countries that prefer CRM concepts already specifying required behaviors. Cultures that are low in Uncertainty Avoidance tend to be more flexible when it comes to behaviors but have difficulty adhering to standard operating procedures. Furthermore, this kind of culture, along with non-collectivist cultures are more questioning with regards to the usage of automation while High Uncertainty Avoidance and collectivist cultures accept the idea of automation usually without, or relatively less, questions. Intervention programs such as CRM should therefore not be patterned after a single national culture. From the discussion it can be seen above that autocratic cultures can also Human Factors in Aviation Accidents 12 value teamwork and interdependence than non-autocratic cultures (Helmreich, in press). Cultures exhibiting difficulty of adherence to SOPs may be more innovative when dealing with novel situations not covered by procedures. In contrast, cultures who stress strict adherence to rules may find it difficult to be more flexible in new situations. Although CRM programs require behavior modification, certain beliefs ingrained into a culture are quite difficult to modify. If CRM has to attain widespread global use, it has to design programs that are congruent to national culture and yet still enhances safety. Error management should therefore be embraced as a culture in itself. Focusing on threat and error management as goals, training programs should not aim for a total reversal of norms and beliefs but rather for a drawing out of positive behaviors without directly confronting national culture. Many professions, including aviation, have strong cultures and develop their own norms and values (Helmreich, in press). Each culture encompasses both positive and negative aspects. Aircrew for example has a high level of motivation and a strong sense of professional pride. The negative component, which is seen to be universal, is the inability to admit vulnerability to stressors. Majority of pilots in almost all national cultures agree that their decision-making abilities are not hampered by personal problems and that it is as good in emergency situations as in normal situations. Furthermore, most of these pilots have indicated that they do not make errors even while under stress. This â€Å"macho† culture, when left uncorrected, can lead to risk taking, failure to coordinate with other crew members and error. Indeed, one focus of the 5th generation CRM program is to help pilots acknowledge that human error does occur and they are more vulnerable to it if they continue to deny the existence and effect of stressors. As stated earlier, the organisational culture determines the principle of the organisation towards safety. One reason why CRM does not deliver results when it should is Human Factors in Aviation Accidents 13 the organisational context on which the program was delivered (Helmreich Merritt, 2000). Organisations may have a highly evolved safety culture and possesses a positive outlook on safety. Such organisations will most likely benefit from CRM and other intervention strategies. Others react only to safety threats once they are looming while some organisations give perfunctory attention to safety issues without really embracing a safety culture that works towards a highly effective accident prevention program. The current process of investigating errors during accidents also contributes to the apparently limited success of intervention strategies. Most accident reporting systems are primarily technological and have been designed with little regard to human factors. Such systems are on their way to being perfected in terms of identifying mechanical failures but in itself is also a bit of a failure when it comes to assessment of human errors (Wiegmann Shappell, 2001). An examination of an accident investigation process may help drive down the point. When an accident due to mechanical failure happens, investigators examine objective and quantifiable information such as that obtained from the flight data recorder. The data is processed and the probable causes of the accident are recorded so that safety recommendations can be identified. After the investigation, the data obtained is entered into a database which can be periodically accessed to provide feedback to investigators. The information in the database can also be used by funding organizations to determine which researches to fund. As a result, intervention strategies are further developed to prevent mechanical failure from happening or mitigate consequences once they do happen (Helmreich Merritt, 2000). Either way, the number of accidents due to mechanical failures has been greatly reduced. Human Factors in Aviation Accidents 14 In contrast, investigations of accidents due to human errors produce results that are not tangible and are difficult to quantify. And because the studies of human factors came later than studies of mechanical failures, investigative techniques used in human error analysis are less refined than those used to assess engineering and design concerns. When these techniques are used to analyze accident data, the results are rarely very useful and safety issues cannot be readily addressed. Therefore any intervention strategy designed using this data is not assured of success. Taneja (2002) echoes this concern stating that human errors have been implicated in 70-80% of aircraft accidents demonstrating the very limited success of current intervention strategies and also proposes a solution: a holistic approach to intervention strategies. To date, most researches on human factors in aviation have focused on specific aspects of aircraft accident prevention. Sarter and Alexander (2000) have observed that current researches on human error focus mainly on three key aspects: the development of error classification schemes, the design of error-tolerant systems, and error prevention through improved design and additional training (as cited by Taneja, 2002). Because accident prevention is such a wide field of study, it is very possible that certain aspects have been missed out or overlooked. Error framework also abound as almost every human factor researcher comes up with his own error framework. With so many intervention strategies proposed by researchers and some even practiced in the industry, there have been inadequate attempts to integrate these strategies into a holistic solution. A holistic approach to intervention strategies involve looking at all the possible links to an aircraft accident in order to come up with an intervention that best fits an organisation. Basing on all the links, an organisation must assess in what area their weaknesses lie and determine if these need intervention. The intervention strategy to be used in a certain Human Factors in Aviation Accidents 15 organisation will therefore be customized according the weak links in the organisation’s system. The two links that are directly related to aviation accidents are the aircraft and the aircrew. Although accidents due to mechanical failures have been greatly reduced to advancement in technology, there needs to be constant assessment of the aircraft in general and the human factors affecting the man-machine interface in particular (Taneja, 2002). Intervention strategies that can be applied to aircrew can be divided into two broad categories: selection and training. Ever since the knowledge that human factors contribute to aviation accidents, the selection process have been amended such that the pilots are not chosen based on technical skill alone but more so on their ability to coordinate with fellow aircrew, recognize their own errors and be willing to work with others to deal with these errors. Once chosen, the pilot’s training will have a great impact on his proficiency and possibly, on his ability to avoid accidents. Possible interventions on these two main links can have a major influence on the number of accidents encountered by the organisation. The process of accident investigation, although a secondary link, should also be looked into in for possible intervention strategies. To date there is no benchmark as to the training and expertise a safety investigator must have. In order for a standardised level of investigation to be achieved, there needs to be a minimum with regards to the exposure an investigator must have. The investigative tools that the safety investigator uses could also be subject to an intervention. As discussed earlier, investigation techniques for human errors are inadequate at present and needs further researches in order the reach the level of refinement of evaluative techniques for mechanical failures. The kinds of human errors as discussed by Wiegmann and Shappell (2001) while developing HFACS, are also links that could be used to come up with more effective Human Factors in Aviation Accidents 16 intervention strategies. Furthermore, autopsy results during aircraft accidents, although unable to prevent future accidents, can be used to design intervention strategies that will make an aircraft accident more survivable. Upon carefully assessing the links just mentioned and determining the areas that need intervention, it is recognized that the success of any strategy ultimately depends on the Organisational Safety Culture (Taneja, 2002). Toft (1989) defined an organisation’s safety culture as â€Å"the set of norms, beliefs, attitudes and roles, social and technical practices that minimizes the exposure of the managers, employees and the general public to conditions considered dangerous or injurious† (as cited by Taneja, 2002). Discussed in brief earlier, the way an organisation handles errors and error management strategies depend on its safety culture. A safety conscious organisation will not treat an accident as just another unavoidable circumstance but rather will focus its efforts in preventing future accidents from happening. A careful investigation that searches for the possible factors leading to the occurrence of the accident will be performed. Ideally, an organisation with a highly effective safety culture will aim to plug the hole in the Swiss cheese model before another opportunity for a catastrophe will be created (Reason, 1990 as cited by Taneja, 2002). Even organisations that have a sound safety culture however can still be plagued by errors caused by human limitations such as fatigue, severe workloads, inadequate training, poorly-maintained equipment and errors caused by the air traffic control which would consequently affect the aircrew and the organisation. Even if the organisation has tried to remove every conceivable active and latent failure, chance errors can still take place (Heimrich Merritt, 2000). But every organisation is bound to have a loophole. Thus, constant monitoring of all aspects in the organisation , whether directly related to safety or not, is essential. Human Factors in Aviation Accidents 17 Because errors can arise from a variety of sources, any single intervention strategy, such as the CRM must not be taken as a panacea for eliminating error. CRM is only a tool that organisations use to perform error management. All intervention strategies have its limitation – the effects it will have on an organisation depends on the national culture, the strengths and weaknesses of the professional culture, and the organisational safety culture. Furthermore, the way the people at the frontline perceive the intervention strategy will affect the outcome of such a strategy. In summary, the study of human factors affecting aircraft accidents has fostered an abundance of researches in this field. With the conception of CRM almost three decades ago, numerous error frameworks and intervention strategies have been proposed and used. Unfortunately, such a plethora of studies have not created a significant reduction on human error-related aircraft accidents. Presumably because it is still a relatively young field, the researches need more focus and the intervention strategies need more refinement. Intervention strategies have to address differences in national, professional and organisational culture. It is also important that intervention strategies be customized to a certain organisation to ensure a greater amount of success. With the continuous development and improvement of researches in this field, there will bound to be a breakthrough in time, and the success that has long been sought will finally be at hand. Human Factors in Aviation 18. References Helmreich, R. L. (in press). Culture, threat and error: Assessing system safety. In Safety in Aviation: The Management Commitment: Proceedings of a Conference. London: Royal Aeronautical Society.Retrieved October 2, 2007 from http://homepage. psy. utexas. edu/HomePage/Group/HelmreichLAB/Publications/pubfiles/Pub257. pdf. Helmreich, R. L. Merritt, A. C. (2000). Safety and error management. The role of Crew Resource Management. In B. J. Hayward and A. R. Lowe (Eds. ), Aviation Resource Management. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate Publishing Ltd. 107-119. Helmreich, R. L. Merritt, A. C. Wilhelm, J. A. (1999). The evolution of Crew Resource Management training in commercial aviation. International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 9(1):19-32. Reason, J. (2000). Human error: Models and management. BMJ, 320(7237): 768-770. Sexton, J. , Thomas, E. J. Helmreich, R. L. (2000). Error, stress and teamwork in medicine and aviation: cross sectional surveys. BMJ, 320:745-749. Taneja, N. (2002). Human factors in aircraft accidents: A holistic approach to intervention strategies. Retrieved October 1, 2007 from www. humanfactors. uiuc. edu/ReportsPapersPDFs/humfac02/tanejahf02. pdf. Thomas, M. J. W. (2004). Error management training: Defining best practice. ATSB Aviation Safety Research Grant Scheme Project 2004/0050. Retrieved October 1, 2007 from www. atsb. gov. au/publications/2004/pdf/error_management_training_best_practice. pdf. Wiegmann, D. A. Shappell, S. A. (2003). A human error approach to aviation accident analysis. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate Publishing Ltd. Human Factors in Aviation Accidents 19 Wiegmann, D. A. Shappell, S. A. (2001 February). A human error analysis of commercial aviation accidents using the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System [HFACS]. Office of Aviation Medicine. Retrieved October 2, 2007 from www. hf. faa. gov/docs/508/docs/cami/0103. pdf.