time capsule :: essays research papers

Lanyard I chose this object for the time capsule because it is the school of my choice. I hope to start in October of 2002. Currently I do not know whether I will attend the university because of money issues, this place is very expensive! This object fits into or nation because it represents the school, which represents the nation. Kettering is one of the top overall schools in the nation, and the number one mechanical engineering school, it represents how important education is to us Americans. Bible I chose to put the Bible into the time capsule to represent the ongoing fight between the Jews and the Palestinians. The Bible contains the First Testament, which the Jews believe in, and the Palestinians don’t. The Jews believe that Israel is their holy land and rightfully theirs, the Palestinians have lived there for hundreds of years before they were kicked out in WWII and replaced with the Jews. This relates to our nation because we are trying to help solve the dispute between these two. President Bush has tried many times to form a treaty between these two, but has recently demanded that they solve their problems now. Messy Pictures   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I took these pictures to represent out economy. The first picture represents the state of the economy just after Sept. 11. The second picture shows the state of the economy currently, things are not quite as messy as the picture to show that the economy is cleaning up and getting better. The third picture is what I hope to see when I reopen this time capsule in a couple of months. Everything is cleared up, and all that is left is money. Birth Certificate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I chose to include a copy of my birth certificate to represent the second American Taliban member found in Afghanistan. Yasser Esam Hamdi was found fighting with the Taliban and was also found to be and American citizen. He was born in America to Saudi parents, but moved back to Saudi Arabia when he was just a toddler. I put my birth certificate into the time capsule because that is what Hamdi had shown U.S. officials to prove he was an American. Just because he was born in America he has caused an uproar in the media and will face different charges than the non-citizens that committed the same crimes he did. Does this little paper make someone a citizen even though they lived their entire lives in another country and fought along side that country against America?

Intrapersonal effectiveness

Definite aim, vision and repose are three attributes out of a long list that have been deemed â€Å"Qualities that make ordinary people extraordinary' Monsoon, M. C. And Hager, P , 2008). As a result, in this portfolio, I will conduct an indented analysis of my own interpersonal strengths and weaknesses in relation to those attributes that are likely to assist me in my perusal of success, and those attributes that are likely to assist me in my own career path as an investment banker.More specifically, I will be focusing on a reelection of my interpersonal effectiveness using the NEO ‘PIP measure of personality and associate these to my life experience. In conjunction to this, I also identify how I intend to build such attributes in regards to my career goals, which will be done in relation to the â€Å"SMART† criteria. 2. Interpersonal Effectiveness The definition of interpersonal effectiveness is given as ‘understanding yourself (and your goals, strengths, weakne sses, style and biases) and improving self-management skills, such as time management and stress management. (De Janis, Wood, Gotcha, Dodd & Schneider, 2006, p. 3). The detailed intricacies of interpersonal effectiveness will be cross examined through the use of the Big Five, a highly accurate hero based on the personality and performance of an individual. 2. 1 The Big Five An individuals personality can be defined as â€Å"the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make a person unique. It arises from within the individual and remains fairly consistent throughout life†, (Genera Cherry, 2014).Personality is commonly seen as being made up off number of attributes which can be defined as vast dimensions on which people vary, such as conscientiousness. Knowing which category we fit into in regards to major personality traits is likely to aid us in our pursuit to reach our personal and professional goals. Many contemporary personality psychologists beli eve that there are five basic dimensions of personality, often referred to as the â€Å"Big five† personality traits.The five broad personality traits described by the theory are extroversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neurotics, (Genera Cherry, 2014). It has been observed over time that certain personality traits can result in greater success in life on both a personal and professional level. In relation to investment banking, personality traits such as being resilient, charming and flexible have all been shown to align with 2. Analysis and reflection of results My personality test scores (see Table 1 below) show that I am high in extroversion and conscientiousness but low in Neurotics.This result labels me as an individual whose traits include characteristics such as excitability, sociability, talkativeness, assertiveness and high amounts of emotional expressiveness in the extroversion category, and high levels of thoughtfulness, with good impulse cont rol and goal- directed behaviors in the conscientiousness (Costa & McCrae, 1999). From both my personal and professional experience, I can see a strong connection between the rats of a extroversion and conscientiousness individual and myself.In the past I have been regarded as social and assertive (almost overpowering), but also a friend who is willing to help others solve their personal problems, all of which are characteristics of extroversion and conscientiousness. In terms of neurotics, I also feel as if the low score was an accurate scaling for me as I am a very positive young member of society who is blessed with the opportunities and success that life has presented me with so far. Table 1.NEO-PIP Results Dimension My score Neurotics 15/50 Extroversion 43/50 Openness to Experience 9/50 Agreeableness 27/50 Conscientiousness 35/50 that I do poses extroversion qualities which will help me in my pursuit to become a successful investment banker, but I also poses qualities such as c ompassion and thoughtfulness which might pull me back, (Sarah Butcher, 2013). Investment banking can be a cut throat industry where your personal decisions can determine the future of hundreds of peoples Jobs. If I let my conscientious traits get in the way of the bigger picture, I might not be able to perform at the top of the league.Although it might be perceived as a negative attribute, it is possible that to be successful in my reflections career, I need to learn to be less compassionate and let situations take on there natural course without trying to fix them myself. I plan on doing this by goal setting using the SMART criteria, and Kola's experiential learning theory. 2. 3 Goal setting My personal goal is to improve on the core elements of the trait â€Å"conscientiousness†, but rather than trying to increase my depth in this field, I intend to decrease my score on the NEO ‘PIP test over a period of twelve months.By doing so I will score low in all traits except Extroversion, which is where I need to be to excel and match the resonantly of a successful investment banker. By using SMART goals and experiential learning theory (Kola, 1984), I believe that I can set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely goal of decreasing my conscientiousness to a score of below 25 on the NEO ‘PIP test. I aim on doing this by actively implementing a reflective learning method that will decrease amounts of sympathy, compassion and the need to solve issues that don't directly affect me.I will implement this plan using Kola's experiential learning theory (Salesman, C. K. , & Rider, E. A. (2008). This involves; 1. Understanding the importance f emotional intelligence in all aspects of life. 1. 1 . Self-awareness: Understanding and mastering my own emotions and being aware of their origins. 1. 2. Self- management: knowing my boundaries, only get involved in situations that will directly affect my personal and professional performance. 1. 3. Soc ial awareness: Becoming familiar with recognizing hierarchy within groups and knowing when to take control of a situation. . 4. Relationship management: Learning the ability to become unanimously liked by social groups, manage conflict, inspire and influence people to communicate clearly. 2. Join a real work group in a study area with a clear performance goal. 3. Incorporating communication strategies in the first group meeting, including 3. 1 Not blindly rejecting opinions or options that seem weak or lack creativity. 3. 2 Not forcing my ideas onto others, use â€Å"l suggest† or â€Å"l propose†. 4.Examining my behavior and performance by creating a reflective Journal at the end of each meeting, and seek constructive criticism to enhance my learning procedure and gain a higher understanding of the impression I leave behind. 5. Reflecting on my overall performance of the process and repeating all steps in a second work rope if necessary. Throughout this portfolio, I h ave reflected on my interpersonal attributes, and have set specific SMART goals to solve the primary imperfection identified (higher levels of conscientiousness than needed for an investment banker).First, I assessed my interpersonal effectiveness through the use of the Big Five model of personality. Second, I evaluated the likely implications of these attribute scores for both my personal and my professional success. Third, I identified one detailed SMART goal, which focused on decreasing my empathy, compassion and need to resolve issues hat don't directly affect me, and provided a detailed outline to show how I intend to meet this goal.In conclusion, I believe that although decreasing my conscientiousness might mean that I come across as a slightly less caring person, in the long run it will help me achieve my professional goal of becoming a successful investment banker.

South Africa Essay - 1004 Words

South Africa is a nation with a wonderful and varied culture. This country has been called â€Å"The Rainbow Nation†, a name that reflects the diversity of such amazing place. The different ethnic and cultural groups of the South Africa do, however, appreciate their own beliefs and customs. Many of these traditions, besides African culture, are influenced by European and Western heritage. The complex and diverse population of the country has made a strong impact to the various cultures. There are forty-five million people; about thirty million are black, five million white, three million coloured and one million Indians. The black population has a large number of rural people living in poverty. It is among these inhabitants that cultural†¦show more content†¦Many black musicians who sang in Afrikaans and English during the apartheid period began to sing in traditional African dialects developing a singular style called Kwaito. This is a music genre that became the favorite way of representing social and economic issues. I believe that in certain way, Kwaito is a political power that shows activism in its apolitical actions. In the other hand white and coloured South African singers were strongly influenced by European music. African Indigenous Churches were the largest of the Christian groups during the apartheid period. It is argued that many of the people who claimed no relation with any religion were part of indigenous religions. This is a religion that combines Christian and indigenous influences. Many South African Muslims are described as Coloureds, especially those whose ancestors were slaves. Others are described as Indians including those whose ancestors came as traders from South Asia. Religion plays such an important fact in South Africa giving an special taste to the culture. The culture during the apartheid time is still powerful in much of South Africa countryside. For example, across the many ethnic groups, marriage traditions are different, but all the beliefs are based in a masculine deity, ancestral spirits and supernatural forces. Usually, plural marriages are permitted and a lobolo (dowry) is usually paid. Cattles play an important part in many ofShow MoreRelatedSouth Africa 1004 Words   |  5 Pages South Africa is known to be successful after the Apartheid but it really wasn’t. The South African Revolution also known as the time of the Apartheid took place during 1908-1994. It was a long struggle for the Africans, which included riots, protests, segregation and physical pain. During the period of the Apartheid, blacks were not treated with equal respect to the whites. They weren’t allowed to vote, hold office and the children couldn’t go to school with whites. It was a horrific time for blacksRead MoreSouth Africa812 Words   |  4 PagesThe history of South Africa encompasses over three million years. Ape-like hominids who migrated to South Africa around three million years ago became the first human-like inhabitants of the area now known as South Africa. Representatives of homo erectus gradually replaced them around a million years ago when they also spread across Africa and into Europe and Asia. Homo erectus gave way to homo sapiens around 100,000 years ago. The first homo sapiens formed the Bushman culture of skilled hunter-gatherersRead MoreSouth Africa3003 Words   |  13 PagesSouth Africa South African landscapes provide us with the lush greens of the jungle, the dry grass of the savanna, the majesty of the mountains, the eroded clay of the desert and the high-rise mortar of the city. A filmmaker can find there any background desired as the scenery for his motion picture, but variety is not the only true value of the African landscape. Here we find the lush, well tended greens that represent the wealth and control of the Europeans who have invaded the country; theRead MoreA better South Africa for the new South Africa Essay625 Words   |  3 PagesA better South Africa for the new South Africa The Apartheid struggle is not an anecdote about a few black people that lived under a suppressive government; it is a story about millions of black people who suffered tremendously under the oppressive classification system of the National Party. It is a story about bloodshed, suffering and tears. It is a story that serves as a painful reminder of the extent that a group of people would go to ensure that the purity of their race was conserved. The ApartheidRead MoreThe Apartheid Of South Africa Essay788 Words   |  4 PagesSouth Africa, after experiencing the apartheid, is trying their best to overcome the apartheid. Now, the country even has its own leader. He is Jacob Zuma. It is already his second term as a president.( News, B. (2016, August 5)) The country went over a lot of things, and the history of democratic political system is not very long for them. English and Dutch colonized South Africa in the seventeenth century. After South Africa got its independence from England, Afrikaner National Party became a majorityRead MoreThe Apartheid Of South Africa1750 Words   |  7 Pagesfirst black President of South Africa. Referred to as the living embodiment of black liberation, Mandela specifically fought against the government system of South Africa known as apartheid (Lacayo, Washington, Monroe, Simpson). Apartheid is an Afrikaan word meaning apartness and was a system of racial segregation for the South African people from 1948 until F.W. de Klerk became president in 1991. Although Nelson Mandela was both literally and metaphorically imprisoned by South Africa’s racist ideologiesRead MoreApartheid in South Africa711 Words   |  3 PagesRacial discrimination dominated South Africa in 1948, and this was further witnessed when the ruling party made the discriminatory apartheid policy into law, in the same year (Pfister, 2005). The Afrikaans word, which literally translates to racial discrimination ‘apartheid’, was legislated and it started with the Dutch and the British rulers. The initiators of apartheid applied it to all social nature of the South African people. For instance, the majority of the population who were Africans wasRead MoreApartheid in South Africa1154 Words   |  5 Pagesend to Apartheid in South Africa because he was a believer in basic human rights, leading both peaceful and violent protests against the white South African Government. His beliefs landed him in prison for twenty-seven years, almost three decades. In doing so, he became the face of the apartheid movement both in his country and around the world. When released from prison in 1990, he continued to honor his commitment to fight for justice and equality for all people in South Africa. In 1994, Nelson MandelaRead MoreThe Segregation Of South Africa846 Words   |  4 PagesAfrica is a country with many differe nt government parties, each having its own legislation. Although much of the country is of the non-white population, the government officials in South Africa were all white. This lack of diversity within the government led to the establishment of racial segregation, the term used for this segregation was apartheid. Many of the issues that led to the eventual establishment of segregation stemmed from the 1913 Land Act, â€Å"marked the beginning of territorial segregationRead MoreThe Apartheid Of South Africa1608 Words   |  7 PagesFrom 1948 to 1994, South Africa functioned under the policy of apartheid, a system of racial segregation and white supremacy in which nonwhite racial groups were deprived of their South African citizenship and forced to live separately from whites. Stripped of their rights and marginalized in a country where they were in fact the majority, nonwhites launched strikes and campaigns of passive resistance against the all-white South African government. One freedom fighter stood out amongst the rest:

Hemp Is The Most Important Most Desirable Industrial...

Hemp is one of the most desirable industrial plants on the planet. The plant is also one of the most versatile plants known to man and can be used for the purposes of feed, clothing, paint, paper, and plastic, but cultivation is still illegal. More importantly, hemp is one of the most eco-friendly and sustainable resources that can improve people’s lives with minimal environmental impact. Hemp is more commonly referred to as Cannabis, which is the entire genus. Cannabis sativa is what is grown for industrial/commercial use. Mainly the cannabis stalk and seed is used for products such as textiles, food, fuel, building materials, personal hygiene, paper, and biodegradable plastics. Hemp is different from marijuana, specifically in the THC†¦show more content†¦More importantly, hemp has some of the most useful sustainable material nature has to offer. It is evident that humanity is living in an unsustainable fashion; the earth’s resources are being depleted at a rate at which it cannot be replenished. Still, some of these products (paper, plastic, fuel, building material, etc.) are essential for modern day living and, therefore, practices and processes continue as they are. That is why it is so crucial to explore alternative products to promote a more sustainable world. Hemp has the ability to maintain ecological processes, functions, and biodiversity in the future, which current processes cannot manage. One of the major benefits of hemp farming is that the hemp plant grows in a short period of time. A plant can mature in 70-90 days, producing a very large bulk of plant material. The plant is highly resistant to most insects and diseases, which largely eliminates the need for pesticides and herbicides. The plant is a natural weed suppressor. By producing its own shade the plant shades out weeds, leaving the fields weed-free at harvest. The tall stalks drop its leaves creating a self-mulching eco-system (Hemp Facts, n.d). In contrast, logging is a major cause of global deforestation. Additional consequences of deforestation include killing of animals and plants, wiping out species, and polluting the environment. Although the timber industry is recognized as being essential to creatingShow MoreRelatedHemp Is The Most Desirable, Industrial Plants On The Planet1263 Words   |  6 PagesHemp is one of the most desirable, industrial plants on the planet. The plant is also one of the mos t versatile plants known to man, and can be used for the purposes of feed, clothing, paint, paper and plastic, but cultivation is still illegal. More importantly, hemp is one of the most eco-friendly and sustainable resource that can improve people’s lives with minimal environmental impact. Hemp is more commonly referred to as Cannabis, which is the entire genus. Cannabis sativa is what is grown forRead MoreHemp Is The Most Desirable, Industrial Plants On The Planet1264 Words   |  6 PagesIndustrial Hemp Hemp is one of the most desirable, industrial plants on the planet. The plant is also one of the most versatile plants known to man and can be used for the purposes of feed, clothing, paint, paper, and plastic, but cultivation is still illegal. More importantly, hemp is one of the most eco-friendly and sustainable resources that can improve people’s lives with minimal environmental impact. Hemp is more commonly referred to as Cannabis, which is the entire genus. Cannabis sativaRead MoreAgriculture and Technology6502 Words   |  27 Pageshuman civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants (i.e. crops) creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and stratified societies. The study of agriculture is known as agricultural science. Agriculture is also observed in certain species of ant and termite. Agriculture encompasses a wide variety of specialties and techniques, including ways to expand the lands suitable for plant raising, by digging water-channels and other forms of irrigationRead MoreEuropes Second Logistic5530 Words   |  23 Pagesin eastern Europe exclusive of Russia, and only about 1.5 or 2 in Russia and the Scandinavian countries. These figures clearly show that population density was closely related to the productivity of agriculture. For example, Wurttemberg, one of the most advanced agricultural re gions of Germany, had a density of 44. Southern England was far more densely populated than Wales or the north country, and northern France and the Mediterranean coastal regions of Provence and Languedoc more than the mountainousRead MoreSustainable Building Material...24522 Words   |  99 Pagesmaterials and methods found in the guide, visit our area planning departments and browse the informational kiosks on display there. This project was made possible through generous contributions of funding, time and materials from many organizations, most importantly the County of Santa Cruz Departments of Public Works and Planning, City of Santa Cruz Departments of Public Works and Planning Community Development, and Ecology Action. Many thanks to Ana Maria Rebelo, Dick Stubendorff, Mary Arman, andRead MoreHbr When Your Core Business Is Dying74686 Words   |  299 PagesYour Next Core Business Chris Zook It may be hidden right under your nose. Here’s how to evaluate your current core and where to look for a new one. 78 Promise-Based Management: The Essence of Execution Donald N. Sull and Charles Spinosa The most vexing leadership challenges stem from broken or poorly crafted commitments between employees and colleagues, customers, or other stakeholders. To overcome such problems and foster a productive, reliable workforce, managers must cultivate and coordinate

Sociological Insight The Coming Apart of a Dorm Society

Edward Peselman writes about social structure, social status, and social power in the essay The Coming Apart of a Dorm Society. The essay begins with the commencement of freshman year at college, when the narrator moves into his dormitory along with five other young men from different walks of life. Not only are the six freshmen from different backgrounds, but they also demonstrate unique personalities. Dozer and Reggie are the narrators two roommates. Eric, Mark, and Benjamin lived across the hall. Because they occupy the same geographic space, the six men develop a sort of pecking order. They create an artificial power structure in which some of the men, namely Erik and Mark, attempt to dominate the others. Ultimately, Benjamin buckles under the pressure and leaves the dorm: an act that the narrator lauds as being righteously subversive. Peselman constructs a logical argument in The Coming Apart of a Dorm Society. The author substantiates his claims with ample scholarly references, which are cited properly. He first defines his terms, enabling the logical structure of the essay. For example, Peselman cites Randall Collins, who is a sociologist at the University of California, Riverside, to define the exercise of power as the attempt to make something happen in society, (p. 1). The author repeatedly weaves quotes from Collins throughout the essay, rather than using an emotional appeal or relying on his personal credibility. Peselman also describes the scenario inShow MoreRelatedThe Coming Apart of a Dorm Society: An Analysis1462 Words   |  6 PagesThe Coming Apart of a Dorm Society by Edward Peselman offers insight into the environment that college students are subjected to if they choose to or are required to live in assigned dormitories on their school campuses. Peselmans analysis of the college dormitory environ ment is approached from a sociological perspective and provides scientific credibility into the points that he makes throughout his essay. In the essay, Peselman explores the power dynamics that are made present through habitationRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 Pagesor for worse, and these we have captured to add to learning insights. After so many years of investigating mistakes, and more recently successes also, it might seem a challenge to keep these new editions fresh and interesting. The joy of the chase has made this an intriguing endeavor through the decades. Still, it is always difficult to abandon interesting cases that have stimulated student discussions and provoked useful insights, but newer case possibilities are ever contesting for inclusionRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesFOCUS ⠝  Luthans, Rosenkrantz, and Hennessey (1985) †¢ 52 managers in 3 organizations †¢ Participant observation of skills demonstrated by most effective versus least effective managers ⠝  Curtis, Winsor, and Stephens (1989) †¢ 428 members of the American Society of Personnel Administrators in the United States †¢ (1) Skills needed to obtain employment †¢ (2) Skills important for successful job performance †¢ (3) Skills needed to move up in the organization Employment Verbal communication Listening EnthusiasmRead MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 Pagesconcluded that increasing the level of job specialization—the process by which a division of labor occurs as different workers specialize in speciï ¬ c tasks over time—increases efï ¬ ciency and leads to higher organizational performance.5 Armed with the insights gained from Adam Smith’s observations, other managers and researchers began to investigate how to improve job specialization to increase performance. Management practitioners and theorists focused on how managers should organize and control the workRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesSkills 19 †¢ Stimulating Innovation and Change 20 †¢ Coping with â€Å"Temporariness† 20 †¢ Working in Networked Organizations 20 †¢ Helping Emp loyees Balance Work–Life Conflicts 21 †¢ Creating a Positive Work Environment 22 †¢ Improving Ethical Behavior 22 Coming Attractions: Developing an OB Model 23 An Overview 23 †¢ Inputs 24 †¢ Processes 25 †¢ Outcomes 25 Summary and Implications for Managers 30 S A L Self-Assessment Library How Much Do I Know About Organizational Behavior? 4 Myth or Science? â€Å"Most

Type of Decision Making Enviroment Free Essays

string(257) " to decide this question by weighing the reasons pro and con \(what are the benefits and drawbacks of getting married\) and then to move to the next part of the process, the identification of criteria \(supportive, easy going, competent, affectionate, etc\." .:VirtualSalt Introduction to Decision Making, Part 1 Robert Harris Version Date: June 9, 2012 Previous versions: December 2, 2009, October 17, 2008; July 2, 1998 We all make decisions of varying importance every day, so the idea that decision making can be a rather sophisticated art may at first seem strange. However, studies have shown that most people are much poorer at decision making than they think. We will write a custom essay sample on Type of Decision Making Enviroment or any similar topic only for you Order Now An understanding of what decision making involves, together with a few effective techniques, will help you make better decisions. What is Decision Making? Some Definitions A good place to start is with some standard definitions of decision making. 1. Decision making is the study of identifying and choosing alternatives based on the values and preferences of the decision maker. Making a decision implies that there are alternative choices to be considered, and in such a case we want not only to identify as many of these alternatives as possible but to choose the one that (1) has the highest probability of success or effectiveness and (2) best fits with our goals, desires, lifestyle, values, and so on. The two important ideas here are that first, there must be some genuine alternatives to choose from among. Note that â€Å"Do it† or â€Å"Don’t do it† does not qualify as a set of alternatives. Only â€Å"Do this† or â€Å"Do something else† really qualfies. Second, every decision must be made in the light of some standard of judgment. This standard usually gets expressed in the form of criteria, which reflect the values and preferences of the decision maker. These values and preferences are often influenced by corporate rules or culture, law, best practices, and so forth. 2. Decision making is the process of sufficiently reducing uncertainty and doubt about alternatives to allow a reasonable choice to be made from among them. This definition stresses the information-gathering function of decision making. It should be noted here that uncertainty is reduced rather than eliminated. Very few decisions are made with absolute certainty because complete knowledge about all the alternatives is seldom possible. Thus, every decision involves a certain amount of risk. If there is no uncertainty, you do not have a decision; you have an algorithm–a set of steps or a recipe that is followed to bring about a fixed result. Kinds of Decisions There are several basic kinds of decisions. 1. Decisions whether. This is the yes/no, either/or decision that must be made before we proceed with the selection of an alternative. Should I buy a new TV? Should I travel this summer? Decisions whether are made by weighing reasons pro and con. A simple worksheet with two columns (one for Pro–reasons for, and one with Con–reasons against) can be useful for this kind of decision. It is important to be aware of having made a decision whether, since too often we assume that decision making begins with the identification of alternatives, assuming that the decision to choose one has already been made. . Decisions which. These decisions involve a choice of one or more alternatives from among a set of possibilities, the choice being based on how well each alternative measures up to a set of predefined criteria. 3. Contingent decisions. These are decisions that have been made but put on hold until some condition is met. For example, I have decided to buy that car if I can get it for the right pric e; I have decided to write that article if I can work the necessary time for it into my schedule. OR even, We’ll take the route through the valley if we can control the ridge and if we detect no enemy activity to the north. Most people carry around a set of already made, contingent decisions, just waiting for the right conditions or opportunity to arise. Time, energy, price, availability, opportunity, encouragement–all these factors can figure into the necessary conditions that need to be met before we can act on our decision. Some contingent decisions are unstated or even exist below the awareness of the decision maker. These are the type that occur when we seize opportunity. We don’t walk around thinking, â€Å"If I see a new laser printer for $38, I’ll buy it,† but if we happen upon a deal like that and we have been contemplating getting a new printer, the decision is made quickly. Decisions made in sports and warfare are like this. The best contingent and opportunistic decisions are made by the prepared mind–one that has thought about criteria and alternatives in the past. 4 . Contingent alternatives. Similar to contingent decisions, contingent alternatives involve two or more choices of action, one of which will be taken when the appropriate trigger occurs. Often this trigger is an event or more information. For example, If tomorrow is cloudy or rainy, we will mount a ground attack through the pass, but if the day is clear, we will launch an air strike to the north. OR, if, after this patch attempt, the leak is under 50 gallons per minute, we will sail to the home port for a repair. But if the leak is over 50 gpm, we will stay here and order a replacement pump. Decision Making is a Recursive Process A critical factor that decision theorists sometimes neglect to emphasize is that in spite of the way the process is presented on paper, decision making is a nonlinear, recursive process. That is, most decisions are made by moving back and forth between the choice of criteria (the characteristics we want our choice to meet) and the identification of alternatives (the possibilities we can choose from among). The alternatives available influence the criteria we apply to them, and similarly the criteria we establish influence the alternatives we will consider. Let’s look at an example to clarify this. Suppose someone wants to decide, Should I get married? Notice that this is a decision whether. A linear approach to decision making would be to decide this question by weighing the reasons pro and con (what are the benefits and drawbacks of getting married) and then to move to the next part of the process, the identification of criteria (supportive, easy going, competent, affectionate, etc. You read "Type of Decision Making Enviroment" in category "Essay examples" ). Next, we would identify alternatives likely to have these criteria (Kathy, Jennifer, Michelle, Julie, etc. ). Finally we would evaluate each alternative according to the criteria and choose the one that best meets the criteria. We would thus have a scheme like this: decision whether †¦ select criteria †¦ identify alternatives †¦ atch criteria to alternatives †¦ make choice However, the fact is that our decision whether to get married may really be a contingent decision. â€Å"I’ll get married if I can find the right person. † It will thus be influenced by the identification of alt ernatives, which we usually think of as a later step in the process. Similarly, suppose we have arrived at the â€Å"identify alternatives† stage of the process when we discover that Jennifer (one of the girls identified as an alternative) has a wonderful personality characteristic that we had not even thought of before, but that we now really want to have in a wife. We immediately add that characteristic to our criteria. Thus, the decision making process continues to move back and forth, around and around as it progresses in what will eventually be a linear direction but which in its actual workings is highly recursive. Key point, then, is that the characteristics of the alternatives we discover will often revise the criteria we have previously identified. The Components of Decision Making The Decision Environment Every decision is made within a decision environment, which is defined as the collection of information, alternatives, values, and preferences available at the time of the decision. An ideal decision environment would include all possible information, all of it accurate, and every possible alternative. However, both information and alternatives are constrained because the time and effort to gain information or identify alternatives are limited. The time constraint simply means that a decision must be made by a certain time. The effort constraint reflects the limits of manpower, money, and priorities. (You wouldn’t want to spend three hours and half a tank of gas trying to find the very best parking place at the mall. Since decisions must be made within this constrained environment, we can say that the major challenge of decision making is uncertainty, and a major goal of decision analysis is to reduce uncertainty. We can almost never have all information needed to make a decision with certainty, so most decisions involve an undeniable amount of risk. The fact that decisions must be made within a limiting decision environment suggests two things. First, it explains why hindsight is so much more accurate and better at making decisions that foresight. As time passes, the decision environment continues to grow and expand. New information and new alternatives appear–even after the decision must be made. Armed with new information after the fact, the hindsighters can many times look back and make a much better decision than the original maker, because the decision environment has continued to expand. The second thing suggested by the decision-within-an-environment idea follows from the above point. Since the decision environment continues to expand as time passes, it is often advisable to put off making a decision until close to the deadline. Information and alternatives continue to grow as time passes, so to have access to the most information and to the best alternatives, do not make the decision too soon. Now, since we are dealing with real life, it is obvious that some alternatives might no longer be available if too much time passes; that is a tension we have to work with, a tension that helps to shape the cutoff date for the decision. Delaying a decision as long as reasonably possible, then, provides three benefits: 1. The decision environment will be larger, providing more information. There is also time for more thoughtful and extended analysis. 2. New alternatives might be recognized or created. Version 2. 0 might be released. 3. The decision maker’s preferences might change. With further thought, wisdom, and maturity, you may decide not to buy car X and instead to buy car Y. And delaying a decision involves several risks: 1. As the decision environment continues to grow, the decision maker might become overwhelmed with too much information and either make a poorer decision or else face decision paralysis. 2. Some alternatives might become unavailable because of events occurring during the delay. In a few cases, where the decision was between two alternatives (attack the pass or circle around behind the large rock), both alternatives might become unavailable, leaving the decision maker with nothing. And we have all had the experience of seeing some amazing bargain only to hesitate and find that when we go back to buy the item, it is sold out. 3. In a competitive environment, a faster rival might make the decision and gain advantage. Another manufacturer might bring a similar product to market before you (because that company didn’t delay the decision) or the opposing army might have seized the pass while the other army was â€Å"letting the decision environment grow. † The Effects of Quantity on Decision Making Many decision makers have a tendency to seek more information than required to make a good decision. When too much information is sought and obtained, one or more of several problems can arise. (1) A delay in the decision occurs because of the time required to obtain and process the extra information. This delay could impair the effectiveness of the decision or solution. (2) Information overload will occur. In this state, so much information is available that decision-making ability actually declines because the information in its entirety can no longer be managed or assessed appropriately. A major problem caused by information overload is forgetfulness. When too much information is taken into memory, especially in a short period of time, some of the information (often that received early on) will be pushed out. The example is sometimes given of the man who spent the day at an information-heavy seminar. At the end of the day, he was not only unable to remember the first half of the seminar but he had also forgotten where he parked his car that morning. (3) Selective use of the information will occur. That is, the decision maker will choose from among all the information available only those facts which support a preconceived solution or position. (4) Mental fatigue occurs, which results in slower work or poor quality work. (5) Decision fatigue occurs where the decision maker tires of making decisions. Often the result is fast, careless decisions or even decision paralysis–no decisions are made at all. The quantity of information that can be processed by the human mind is limited. Unless information is consciously selected, processing will be biased toward the first part of the information received. After that, the mind tires and begins to ignore subsequent information or forget earlier information. (Have you ever gone shopping for something where you looked at many alternatives–cars, knives, phones, TVs–only to decide that you liked the first one best? Decision Streams A common misconception about decision making is that decisions are made in isolation from each other: you gather information, explore alternatives, and make a choice, without regard to anything that has gone before. The fact is, decisions are made in a context of other decisions. The typical metaphor used to explain this is that of a stream. There is a stream of decisions surrounding a given dec ision, many decisions made earlier have led up to this decision and made it both possible and limited. Many other decisions will follow from it. Another way to describe this situation is to say that most decisions involve a choice from a group of preselected alternatives, made available to us from the universe of alternatives by the previous decisions we have made. Previous decisions have â€Å"activated† or â€Å"made operable† certain alternatives and â€Å"deactivated† or â€Å"made inoperable† others. For example, when you decide to go to the park, your decision has been enabled by many previous decisions. You had to decide to live near the park; you had to decide to buy a car or learn about bus routes, and so on. And your previous decisions have constrained your subsequent ones: you can’t decide to go to a park this afternoon if it is three states away. By deciding to live where you do, you have both enabled and disabled a whole series of other decisions. As another example, when you enter a store to buy a DVD player or TV, you are faced with the preselected alternatives stocked by the store. There may be 200 models available in the universe of models, but you will be choosing from, say, only a dozen. In this case, your decision has been constrained by the decisions made by others about which models to carry. We might say, then, that every decision (1) follows from previous decisions, (2) enables many future decisions, and (3) prevents other future decisions. People who have trouble making decisions are sometimes trapped by the constraining nature of decision making. Every decision you make precludes other decisions, and therefore might be said to cause a loss of freedom. If you decide to marry Terry, you no longer can decide to marry Shawn. However, just as making a decision causes a loss of freedom, it also creates new freedom, new choices and new possibilities. So making a decision is liberating as well as constraining. And a decision left unmade will often result in a decision by default or a decision being made for you. It is important to realize that every decision you make affects the decision stream and the collections of alternatives available to you both immediately and in the future. In other words, decisions have far reaching consequences. Go to Introduction to Decision Making, Part 2 Introduction to Decision Making, Part 3 Other Tools for Creative Thinking and Problem Solving Critical Thinking Course Homepage Introduction to Creative Thinking Creative Thinking Techniques Criteria for Evaluating a Creative Solution Introduction to Problem Solving Human-Factor Phenomena in Problem Solving Problem Solving Techniques Biases Affecting Information Processing Decision Making Techniques Decision Simplification Techniques Difficulties Created by the Videographic Presentation of Information Why Are We So Busy? Truths of the Information Age VirtualSalt Home Copyright 1998, 2009, 2012 by Robert Harris | How to cite this page w w w . v i r t u a l s a l t . c o m About the author: Robert Harris is a writer and educator with more than 25 years of teaching experience at the college and university level. RHarris at virtualsalt. com How to cite Type of Decision Making Enviroment, Essay examples

Human Rights vs. Sovereignty Essay Example For Students

Human Rights vs. Sovereignty Essay By Gerard Chretien The massive, protracted bombing of Serbia was the first offensive action for NATO, and the first time that Allied armed forces were unleashed against a sovereign nation with which the United States was not formally at war or without express authorization by the United Nations Security Council, observes Stephen Presser, professor of law at Northwestern University. What we were doing in the Balkans is part of the post-Vietnam creation of a new set of doctrines of international law. These doctrines lack clearly defined limits, he warns. We may be witnessing the opening moves in the forging of a New Global order that fundamentally impairs national sovereignty and allows possessors of superior military force to dictate the basic terms of domestic life to other nations without even the formalities of conquest. In the current issue of Orbis, a quarterly publication of the Foreign Policy Research Institute (fpri. org), Presser argues that the real reason for NATOs bombing of a sovereign nation appears to have been to compel Belgrade to cede autonomy, if not territory, to a minority ethnic group. What is there, then, in the United Nations charter or in international law that would authorize our action in the Balkans, he asks, and what, if any, are the reach and the limits of our new doctrine of Humanitarian Intervention? The UN Charter seeks to secure both the protection of fundamental human rights and the equal rights of nations large and small,' Presser notes. The Charter clearly undertakes to protect the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of individual nations, and seems to preclude interference in a nations domestic affairs unless the Security Council declares a situation a threat to international peace and security and expressly authorizes intervention. While the UN and its agencies expressed official concern about what went on in the Balkans, he affirms, the Security Council did n ot authorize intervention in Kosovo by UN or NATO forces. Presser points out that a series of international law doctrines wholly outside the UN Charter authorize interference by one state in anothers affairs. These have included military actions to protect ones own citizens who are within anothers borders, and there have been several armed interventions by individual or groups of nations purportedly to protect the rights of minorities in particular or human rights in general, whether or not the individuals to be protected were citizens of the intervening nations. A third type of intervention has occurred, usually through UN auspices, in the cases of failed states incapable of protecting human rights. There is even some scholarly and UN support for a fourth type of intervention to prevent human rights violations that have not yet occurred. For these theorists, Presser laments, national sovereignty counts for very little, if anything. He worries that the U.S. and its western allies are sailing into uncharted waters, and nothing less than the Anglo- American tradition of the rule of law is at stake. Words / Pages : 487 / 24 .