Terms Comparison Paper Hcs 552 Free Essays

Terms Comparison Paper HCS/552 February 4, 2013 John J. Schibler Terms Comparison Paper Health care economics involves making plenty of choices. Individuals, groups, businesses, and organizations choose how to use resources . We will write a custom essay sample on Terms Comparison Paper Hcs 552 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Economics and health care are linked, because health care professionals apply economics in their everyday professional activities. They are able to do this through resource allocation. Any health care organization has to plan out how they will use their resources to their advantage. Health care economics are able to incorporate terms like cost, quality, and resources. In this paper, I will compare these terms as they relate to health care economics. In this paper, I will also explain how they differ from one another. Resources are considered to be any physical thing or virtual element that has limited availability. A resource can also be anything that is used to help people earn a living. There are different types of resources such as human resources, and natural resources. In economics, human resources refer t human capital or employees in an organization (Getzen, 2007). Many times resources are considered to be a means of factors of production. When health care organization is in production of something, natural resources are being used. Resources are usually limited, and most organizations have to look for ways of allocating resources that they need. Resources in health care means that all materials and funds are used to provide health care for people. The term â€Å"resource† has similar meaning in health care and economics. When used in health care, it means that all materials and funds are used to provide health care. When referring to the economic portion of health care, resource means that they are the personnel, the funds, facilities, or any material used in production. Another similarity is that resources are limited and they have value. For example, funds, as well as personnel are limited, and they may hinder delivery of health care services and productivity. Most people prefer to have quality health care. Quality may also have many different meanings. Quality in health care economics means the superiority of something. This can also mean the best of something. Quality in health care can be determined by determining if the health care is a great fit for the person. Quality of health care can be considered as the right treatment for the right illness, and also delivering health care at the right time. Quality in health care economics means to give the best health care possible. Getzen (2007), states that medicine often involves life and death situations (p. 12). In these situations, quality is crucial and quantity is irrelevant (Getzen, 2007). Quality cannot simply be added up or multiplied to arrive at a total spending limit. In medical care, getting more ounces or pounds or boxes or whatever is usually not very important, but getting higher quality is. When referring to health care economics, â€Å"cost† refers to the funds that are used to deliver health care to patients. Cost can also mean the amount of funds used to access health care or to deliver health care (Getzen, 2007). It is applied in many different ways such as, health care professionals applying economic principles like cost benefit analysis, or cost effect analysis to determine if the choice is good or bad. The principles help the government to provide the best intervention in health care (Getzen, 2007). In conclusion, all the terms are interlinked when discussing health care economics. This is so and will always be so, because health care professionals always apply economic principles in health care. All of these terms help when deciding how to make and provide the correct interventions when making difficult decisions. When referring to resources, it has the same meaning when dealing with health care as well as economics alone. It means, materials, funds, employees and the facilities used in achieving goals set by the health care organization. While the term cost means something differently when separating health care and economics it all ties in when they are applied together in an organization. Cost means the funds used to deliver health care or when a patient is trying to access health care. Costs can also be rejected when making decisions about health care. Quality means to give the best possible when delivering care to a patient as well as when making decisions about a health care organization. All of these terms are the same in making health care economical decisions. We depend on all the terms in this paper when trying to make an ethical decision as it relates to health care and health care organizations. The essence of health care economics is simply trade or making a buck (Getzen, 2007). Its focal point will always be the market and the place where buyers and sellers exchange dollars for goods and services (Getzen, 2007). References Getzen, T. E. (2007). Health, economics, and financing (3rd ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Sons. http://www. healthcarefinance. org/HEtext_files/chap01. pdf How to cite Terms Comparison Paper Hcs 552, Papers

Effectiveness of Pay for Performance

Question: Discuss about the Effectiveness of Pay for Performance. Answer: Introduction For workers globally, a high pay acts a motivating instrument for better work performance and enhanced productivity. In labor economics, the efficiency wage hypothesis highlights the fundamental relationship between workers performance and their pay. By and large, it elucidates that paying workers beyond the market clearing rate helps to increase employee productivity and boost their morale. Furthermore, the model suggests that organizations should offer their workers higher wages than the equilibrium wage to enhance workplace cohesiveness, reduce shirking, and increase employee responsibility and loyalty to the firm. In contrast, paying wages below the market rate will result in employee dissatisfaction, increase shirking and escalate the turnover rate. Overall, the theory suggests that offering employees higher wages than the market rate is beneficial to both the firm and the worker. Notably, paying wages and salaries is one of the major costs of running a company. Normally, in a competitive labor market, the remunerations of the employees are dictated by the forces of demand and supply[1]. Thus, such markets offer its workforce an equilibrium wage. However, this phenomenon is not usually existent and applicable in the modern economy. Instead, the actual amounts that employers pay its employees vary significantly from one firm to another. For this reason, the efficiency wages theory provides an illumination to the fact that it might be beneficial for firms to pay its workers more than the equilibrium wage. More specifically, if the business pays its workers a high wage, they work harder and produce more output than if they are paid the market rate. Therefore, according to this hypothesis, there is a positive relationship between worker productivity and pay. The Concept of Pay for Performance To a large extent, the theory of efficiency wages serves as a justification as to why certain organizations prefer to pay workers more than prevailing market rate. Profoundly, paying employees a pay premium boosts their efficiency, increases workplace unity, enhances loyalty and moderates shirking[2]. Conversely, low wages contribute substantially to reduced productivity and worker dissatisfaction which may then give rise to shirking, disruption as well as high turnover rates[3]. In this regard, there are various efficiency wage models that help illustrate the relationship between pay and performance. Currently, the most prominent models include the shirking model, labor turnover model, the adverse selection model and the sociological hypothesis. The Shirking Model In most occupations, the labor force has some discretions regarding its performance. Mainly, these discretions arise from the fact that work contracts cannot explicitly specify all characteristics of an employees performance[4]. For this reason, piece rates become unrealistic because monitoring may be too expensive or imprecise. Furthermore, they may not be viable since the basis on which they are founded are not verifiable by employees, thus generating the problem of moral hazard. Consequently, in this case, the payment of a wage that is above the equilibrium wage acts as a way for businesses to offer its workers motivation to work. According to Cheat-threat theory,' employees can choose to work or not to work. However, employees who do not work run the risk of getting caught, which may, in turn, lead to loss of their jobs[5]. Hence, if there is a risk associated with shirking, the fear of being caught and fired motivates the employees not to shirk. Instead, they would remain diligent in their work. Conversely, if all firms paid the same wages to its workers, and the labor market operates at full employment, then there would be no cost associated with shirking[6]. In turn, this would create an incentive for workers to shun their duties. For this reason, it is beneficial for the firm to raise its wages over and above the market clearing rate as it eliminates shirking. When all companies do this, then the level of wages rises while the unemployment increases. Notably, firms prefer to hire workers at wages above the market price. If the organization were to employ personnel at lower wages, it would be beneficial for the employee to abscond his duties. Given that the firm is aware of this, it maintains a relatively high wage portfolio for its workers to avoid discretions on the employees part[7]. Since all firms raise their salaries to prevent shirking, involuntary unemployment may arise. Subsequently, the prevalence of high unemployment in the market increases the opportunity cost associated with shirking. More precisely, it creates a small or no alternative income for the unemployed, which makes losing ones job more costly. In turn, this serves as an instrument that disciplines workers against shirking. Critics of the model argue that moral hazards may shift to employers. Fundamentally, organizations are responsible for monitoring employees efforts. Thus, unambiguous incentives may arise for organizations to proclaim shirking even when the workers work diligently. Typically, firms may have reasons to fire older employees and replace them with more energetic younger workers. Particularly, one can attribute this to the fact that older workers are often paid above their marginal productivity level, thus creating substantial costs for the firm. As a result, this may create credibility problems in the firm. However, the gravity of this issue largely depends on the degree to which external auditors can evaluate employees efforts. This way, companies may reduce their cheating and declare shirking among its workers only when it is true. Labour Turnover Model Aside from reducing shirking, the firm may also offer above average wages to reduce the costs of labor turnover. Prominently, the formal structure of the two models is almost similar. More specifically, workers will be more keen on maintaining their current employment if it offers a high wage above the average wage rate[8]. Also, they would be discouraged from quitting their employment if the economy depicts a high aggregate unemployment rate. Thus, if all firms offer an equal pay above the equilibrium rate, then there would be a high rate of involuntary unemployment. Consequently, this would serve as a deterrence for a high turnover since employees would prefer to maintain their current wages than becoming unemployed. Contrary to this view, Salop provides an alternative solution for the involuntary unemployment. More precisely, he argues that more sophisticated job contracts may offer Pareto-superior solutions to the problem[9]. Instead of paying both new and old workers an identical wage, the firm may differentiate their salaries. Thus, the new employees should be offered a pay equal to the disparity between training costs their marginal product. Specifically, a seniority salary system may help achieve this. Unlike in the shirking model, a training or employment fee may be initiated to reduce the risk of a moral hazard[10]. According to this model, it is not in the interest of the firm to dismiss its trained workers, as it would be disadvantageous. As such, training costs are expensive for the firm, and thus, try to avoid them as much as possible. The business may also draw explicit term contracts with the employee to insure themselves against high labor turnover. Besides, the great pay and salar ies offered by the firm act as a perfect deterrent to turnover as workers who to remain in employment than become unemployed. Adverse Selection Model Remarkably, this model further builds on the concept of pay for performance by highlighting the relationship between wages and employee productivity. Performance highly depends on workers abilities and the labor force has a heterogeneous ability. Notably, the workers reservation wage and their ability are positively correlated. Thus, firms offer high pay attract skilled applicants. Mainly, this model assumes that each firm compensates its workers with an efficiency wage. For this reason, the employer rejects persons who offer their expertise for below average wages. Predominantly, one can attribute this to the fact that employees who offer their services and expertise below the market clearing wage have doubt in their ability to perform productively, thereby raising the firms suspicion that they are unproductive. Primarily, this model provides that wage rigidity may be as a result of social principles and conventions of proper actions that are not typically individualistic. More profoundly, employees effort relies on their work standards[11]. Likewise, the partial gift exchange model suggests that the business can be successful in enhancing the average work effort and elevate group work norms by offering its employees a gift. In this case, the gift is a salary above the equilibrium wage rate to award employees for their effort above the minimum expectation. Predominantly, this hypothesis applies to public sector workers and firms. According to economic literature, monetary incentives may crowd in workers enthusiasm when they view the rewards as an acknowledgment of their high productivity and effort[12]. This way, both the employer and employee benefit from higher wages. Characteristically, the worker thrives on the feeling of acknowledgment and appreciation while the firm benefits from a hig her level of worker productivity. Application of Efficiency Wages in Real life For a long time now, economic models and theories have been implemented in the real world to achieve desired objectives for the firm and the economy as a whole. In the same way, the efficiency wage hypothesis is applied in various enterprises and sectors of the economy to achieve improved productivity, enhance labor force morale and reduce turnovers[13]. One famous example of the application of the theory of efficiency wages is Henry Fords US$5-a-day wage[14]. Notably, Ford Motors utilized the model to reduce the high turnover ratio that the company was experiencing. Often, working in the assembly sector is tedious and repetitive, thus unattractive for many workers. As a result, the firm was spending a lot of money in training new workers now and then[15]. New workers were also slow and less productive compared to old workers. Indeed, this was too expensive for Ford Motors. Eventually, the firm introduced an efficiency wage to reduce the high turnover and ultimately drive down costs associated with training new workers. Hence, it compensated its employees with a pay above the market-clearing rate for their skill level. Sequentially, this brought about significant benefits for the company[16]. First, the company achieved a lower turnover of its workers. What is more, the workers exhibited better performance of their duties which significantly improved their productivity. Eventually, the firm achieved high productivity alongside reduced training costs following the reduction of the turnover rate of its labor force. Conclusion Normally, in the contemporary business world, firms seek to maximize their profitability by minimizing costs and maximizing productivity. Essentially, the efficiency wage theory provides a foundation for businesses to achieve this goal[17]. As a whole, the hypothesis depicts the effectiveness of pay for performance incentives and highlights how incentive compensation is essential to business. In addition, it outlines the various benefits associated with paying workers an efficiency wage. Typically, by paying its workers a salary above the market clearing rate, the firm can achieve high employee productivity, improved workplace cohesiveness, enhanced employees loyalty and responsibility. Furthermore, a favorable pay helps the organization in reducing the level of shirking among its employees. If the firm pays its employees low wages, it runs the risk of creating worker dissatisfaction and diminished employee loyalty which in turn results in high turnover. Typically, high turnovers are expensive and disadvantageous for the firm. Therefore, all factors considered, it is highly imperative for a company to pay its workers a high wage to induce high performance. Generally, this is explained in the adverse selection model, sociological model, labor turnover hypothesis and the shirking model[18]. Through these examples, one can understand that the firm reaps more benefits from paying its workers above average wages since it results in greater productivity while significantly reducing costs. For this reason, it is rational to portend that pay for performance in both public and private sector firms will result in high profitability of organizations. Thus, companies should endeavor to pay its workers an efficiency wage, pay for performance. Bibliography Alfred, Marshall. Principles of Economics. London: Macmillan, 2008. Beggs, Jodi. The Efficiency-Wage Theory. ThoughtCo, 2014 Fan, Simon. Sticky Wage, Efficiency Wage, and Keynesian Unemployment. Journal of Economic Literature Classification E24, no. J64 (1984): 1-26 Kumar, Manoj. Top 3 Theories of Wages. Economics Discussions, 2012. Kurtzman, Ellen, OLeary Dennis, Sheingold, Brenda, Devers Kelly, Ellen, Dawson and Johnson, Jean. Performance-Based Payment Incentives Increase Burden and Blame For Hospital Nurses. Health Affairs, 2011. Lawrence Katz. Efficiency Wage Theories: A Partial Evaluation. National Bureau of Economic Research 1906 (1986): 1-62. Mankiv, Gregory, and Taylor, Mark. Macroeconomics. Europe, 2008. Megan, McArdle. Push for higher wages: Not all will benefit. Bloomberg, n.d. Morgensen, Gretchen. Pay for Performance? It Depends on the Measuring Stick. The New York Times, 2014. Pacitti, Aaron. Efficiency Wages, Unemployment and Labor Discipline. Journal of Business Economics Research 9, no. 3 (2011): 1-10. Salop, Stephen. A Model of the Natural Rate of Unemployment. American Economic Review 69, no. 1 (1979): 119-120 Stephen, Miller. Study: Keys to Effective Performance Pay. Society For Human Resource Management, 2010. Stiglitz, Joseph. Alternative Theories of Wage Determination and Unemployment in LDC'S: The Labor Turnover Model. The Quarterly Journal of Economics 88, no. 2 (1978): 199-220. Taylor, Jeanette, and Ranald, Taylor. Working Hard for More Money or Working Hard to Make a Difference? Efficiency Wages, Public Service Motivation, and Effort. Review of Public Personnel Administration 31, no. 1 (2011): 67-86 Yellen, L Janet. Efficiency Wage Models of Unemployment. The American Economic Review 74, no. 2 (1984): 200-205.

Analysis of Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides Essay Example

Analysis of Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides Paper Linsay Gonzalez Mrs. Bean AP English, Period 4 02 January 2010 Middlesex â€Å"Poseidon, enraged, caused Mino’s wife Pasiphae to be smitten with love for a bull. How the child of that union, Asterius, came out with a bull’s head attached to a human body†¦The Minotaur appeared†¦He growled; drums pounded; chorus girls screamed and fled. The Minotaur pursued, and of course he caught them, each one, and devoured her bloodily, and dragged her pale, defenseless body deeper into the maze† (Minotaurs, 108). Allusion Jeffrey Eugenides was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1960. His father was American but his grandparents were Greek and his mother was from Irish decent. He drew some of his own experiences and incorporated them into the novel to make it more realistic and credible (Keenan). There are a lot of similarities between the main character and Eugenides like both attended public school and then transferred to private. They both state that they attended to Stanford and as older men they fall in love with a Japanese-American woman (Bloomsbury). A remarkable connection is the Obscure Object. In an interview, Eugenides remarks that during college he and his friend were in love with a mysterious woman and they named her the Obscure Object (Weich). As a fourteen year old, Callie has a crush on a classmate whom she also calls the Obscure Object and she is the cause of Callie’s life to finally spiral out of control. Eugenides admits to placing himself in Callie’s shoes in order to make the next step (Weich). Imagery: It is 1922 and the Turks have invaded Greece. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer They take over Smyrna and are destroying everything in their path without compassion. Coming back from delivering a baby, â€Å"it didn’t occur to Dr. Philobosian that the twisted body he stepped over in the street belonged to his younger son. He noticed only that his front door was open. In the foyer, he stopped to listen. There was only silence†¦Toukhie was sitting in the sofa, waiting for him. Her head had fallen backward as though in hilarity, the angle opening the wound so that a section of windpipe gleamed†¦Dr. Philobosian took a step and slipped, then noticed a trail of blood leading down the hallway†¦ He followed the trail into the master bedroom, where he found his two daughters†¦Rose’s hand reached out toward her sister as though to adjust the silver ribbon across her forehead† (An Immodest Proposal; 60-61). The images it describes are gruesome and despairing. Just the idea of him not knowing that he stepped over his son without recognizing him is unbearable. This passage expresses a disturbing and melancholy tone. Disturbing because of the cold blooded way the soldiers killed them and melancholy because the doctor lost every single person he loved. Diction: Callie is spending a week with the Obscure Object in her summer home and during the night, instinct and desire take over her, motivating her to experiment with the emotions she’s been feeling. As she approaches the Obscure Object she reminiscences, â€Å"tiny muscles in my flank, muscles I hadn’t known I possessed, suddenly made themselves available. They propelled me millimeter by millimeter across the sheets. The old bedsprings gave me trouble. As I tried nonchalantly to advance, they called out ribald encouragement. They cheered, they sang. I kept stopping and starting† (The Gun on the Wall; 383). This passage contributes to theme. Callie thinks she is discovering her sexuality but she is really discovering her gender identity. The diction gives a tone of amusement and self-discovering. Syntax: When the Turks invaded Greece in 1922, they not only ransacked, raided, and vandalized the city but they also burned everything in their path. The omniscient Calliope points out that â€Å"the smell of things burning that aren’t meant to burn wafts across the city: shoe polish rat poison, toothpaste, piano strings, hernia trusses, baby cribs, Indian clubs. And hair and skin. By this time, hair and skin† (An Immodest Proposal; 57). First the author gives you a list of normal household things burning but instead of adding a comma after â€Å"Indian clubs† he ends with a period. This is to setup up a more important idea. The omniscient narrator says it with a casual tone and with the period there is a pause leaving a little doubt. It is to give a more lasting impact. By repeating the statement, the narrator has an assertive tone, affirming what is happening true. Characterization: Beginning- Over the summer of sixth grade, most of Callie’s classmates have â€Å"developed† but she doesn’t pay much attention assuming that her moment will arrive. A year later she is still the same and in an impetuous moment, a frantic Calliope throws â€Å"a tantrum-edged scream. Twelve-year-old feet running up the stairs, while Tessie called out, ‘don’t be so dramatic, Callie. We’ll get you a bra if you want. ’ Up into my bedroom, where after locking the door, I pulled off my shirt before the mirror to see†¦that my mother was right. Nothing! Nothing at all to hold up anything. And I burst into tears of frustration and rage† (The Mediterranean Diet; 288). This shows Callie as immature, confused, and with low self-esteem. At a young age, Calliope becomes enraged because she doesn’t understand why her body isn’t developing. She is perplexed and desperate because she is at an age when the only important thing is to belong. Middle- After discovering that she is a male and is offered a cosmetic surgery to be able to keep living as a girl, Callie or Cal, decides to run away and renounce that life. After almost a year of disappearing Cal reflects that â€Å"unlike other so-called male pseudo-hermaphrodites who have been written about in the press, I never felt out of place being a girl. I still don’t feel entirely at home among men. Desire made me cross over to the other side, desire and the facticity of my body†¦Biology gives you a brain. Life turns it into a mind† (Hermaphroditus; 479). At fourteen years old, Calliope has matured and understands what goes on in her body. He is able to make reflections on his decisions. Cal is brave because after running away not only does he worry about money, but also has to forget being a girl and learn the ways of men. He now takes responsibility of his actions instead of letting his parents choose who he will be. Cal is attempting to accept who he is. End: Cal has never had any real relationship because just when things were going to get serious he fled before any woman even got near to know the truth about him. With Julie he to a plunge. Cal remarks, â€Å"I was trying to keep up the banter. I was also taking off my clothes. So was Julie. It was like jumping into cold water. You had to do it without thinking too much. We got under the covers and held each other, petrified, happy† (The Last Stop; 514). Cal finally accepts himself as a male but with both male and female genitalia. He has not had surgery. He has accepted himself but he is afraid of rejections, of being seen as a monster, of being treated differently. With Julie, he has proved that he is finally at peace with his body. Tone: â€Å"Every morning a great wall of fog descends upon the city of San Francisco. It begins far out sea. It forms over the Farallons, covering the sea lions on their rocks, and then it sweeps onto Ocean Beach, filling the long green bowl of Golden Gate Park. The fog obscures the early morning joggers and the lone practitioners of tai chi. It mists up the windows of the Glass Pavilion. It creeps over the entire city, over the monuments and movie theaters, over the Panhandle dope dens and the flophouses in the Tenderloin. The fog covers the pastel Victorian mansions in Pacific Heights and shrouds the rainbow-colored houses in the Haight. It walks up and down the twisting streets of Chinatown; it boards the cable cars, making their clanging bells sound like buoys; it climbs to the top of Coit Tower until you can’t see it anymore; it moves in on the Mission, where the mariachi players are still asleep; and it bothers the tourists† (Gender Dysphoria in San Francisco; 468). At first all those commas set a tempo, but by the semicolons, it’s more like the fog is moving in faster and consuming the city in its vastness. It gives a cheerless and sullen tone. The imagery makes it look like everything is silent but the fog is making a silent commotion. It reminds me of â€Å"When You’re Gone† by Avril Lavigne. The slow tempo of the piano while she sings about the person missing, the pace gets faster as she talks about hope. The violin adds a melancholy tone but the guitar adds a tone of hope. Theme: After the Watergate Scandal is made public, and the Turks attack Cyprus, Milton and his friends argue that â€Å"America betrayed the Greeks†. In the heated debate â€Å"Milton shook his head. He lowered his chin aggressively and made a little sound, a bark of disapproval, deep in his throat. ‘We have to do whatever’s in our national interest. ’ And then Milton lifted his chin and said it: ‘To hell with the Greeks. ’ In 1974, instead of reclaiming his roots by visiting Bursa, my father renounced them. Forced to choose between his native land and his ancestral one, he didn’t hesitate† (Flesh and Blood; 363). Many immigrants believed that through effort and moral values the American dream could be achieved, but many found themselves renouncing their traditions and beliefs. Here, Milton has Americanized and rejects his ethnic background. It is all about money now, not about moral values. Callie and Ethan are both trying to find themselves, to prove that they are not â€Å"monsters†. Their families have a really rich history. -In the end, they find a purpose to keep on going, Julie and Ellen. -Both of their families are going for the American Dream, wealth. -Ethan renounces his moral values and Calliope renounces life as a female. -Callie’s father and Ethan both had very dutiful wives that trusted them. Callie and Ethan are both trying to find themselves, to prove that they are not â€Å"monsters†. Their families have a really rich history. -In the end, they find a purpose to keep on going, Julie and Ellen. -Both of their families are going for the American Dream, wealth. -Ethan renounces his moral values and Calliope renounces life as a female. -Callie’s father and Ethan both had very dutiful wives that trusted them. Memor able Quote: â€Å"Ecstasy†¦meaning not what you think. Meaning not euphoria or sexual climax or even happiness. Meaning†¦being driven out of one’s senses† (Flesh and Blood; 374). Works cited The Herculine Effort That Grew. Interview by Catherine Keenan. Webcitation. org. The Sydney Morning Herald, 19 Oct. 2002. Web. 1 Jan. 2011. http://www. webcitation. org/5onHI4JBj. Jeffrey Eugenides. Bloomsbury. com. Bloomsbury Publishing. Web. 1 Jan. 2011. http://www. bloomsbury. com/jeffreyeugenides. Jeffrey Eugenides Has It Both Ways. Interview by David Weich. Powells. com. Powells City of Books, 25 Oct. 2002. Web. 1 Jan. 2011. ;http://www. powells. com/authors/eugenides. html;.

The Killer Angels of Gettysburg essays

The Killer Angels of Gettysburg essays The Killer Angels is a book about the battle at Gettysburg, a battle of the Civil War that changed it's very direction. The book is told from several points of views, going through each day and telling the stories of several officers present at the Battle of Gettysburg in the summer of 1863. The book describes their thoughts and actions in high detail and showing the reaction by the opposite confederate or union side. Before the book begins Michael gives background information on each character that shares a portion of each day. The Book begins with Bufords advancement to the hill top which soon becomes a defensive line when General Lee gets word that there are forces at Gettysburg he sends troops as leaders of northern Virginia supported by the Army of Potomac to attack creating the begging of the critical battle. The first day took place in three waves as troops from all around got word and headed to Gettysburg. It went back and forth on the first day as troops would arrive at different time the union was under a lot of pressure but maintained ground. On the second day, the Union maintained their position as the Confederate army attacked the defensive formations. Throughout the town of Gettysburg assaults where performed at Little Round Top, Devil's Den, Wheatfield(Bloody Wheatfield), Peach Orchard, Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill. Both sides lost many men that caused significant changes. However, the Union was still persistent and held their positions. On July 3, the battle began again at Culp's Hill. The fronts had moved just outside of the town and were now to the east and south of the town. A critical event of this day was an Assault ordered by the confederates on the Union at Cemetery Ridge containing over 12,000 infantrymen. The Confederate army couldnt handle the pressure forced back and retreated to Virginia with several casualties. After an artillery attack, Lee raided the Union center on Cemetery Ridge. Th...

Juvenile Justice System of the Future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Juvenile Justice System of the Future - Essay Example It will also talk about the challenges faced by juvenile delinquents at present time and how to improve the current juvenile justice system. A concrete plan or proposal on how to improve the current justice system is given by including the objectives, goals and how to measure the success rate. Keywords: juvenile delinquency, youth offender, crime rate, criminal justice system, trial court JUVENILE DELINQUENCY The number of juvenile delinquents or otherwise known as children in conflict with the law has significantly increased for the past decade. It has become one of the alarming problems that requires immediate attention by countries all over the world. The current situation of the justice system needs major overhaul as many children who are behind bars are not given proper care and guidance by the government to ensure that youth offenders emerge as better citizens after serving imprisonment. The primary purpose of serving sentence is for retribution for the wrong doing that they ha ve committed against the law and social order. However, the justice system should oversee that public safety will not be compromised because they are dealing with children. Towards the end of their ordeal, government support must at hand to guarantee that the youth offenders are rehabilitated and turn-out to be disciplined and responsible individuals after going through the process of trial and serving. It has been said that the nation’s hope lies on children so we must treat them with utmost compassion. Challenges of Juvenile Delinquency at Present Time â€Å"At present time, the juvenile justice system conducts the trials of the youth offenders in adult courts. In effect, they are also penalized in the same degree of judgment that is expected of adults† (Corriero, 2006 p.3). In a Supreme Court decision entitled Roper Vs. Simmons, 543 U.S. 551 (2005), Justice Anthony Kennedy held that executing juveniles and imposing capital punishment for crimes committed while under 18 years of age is unconstitutional. According to him, â€Å"From a moral standpoint, it would be misguided to equate the failings of a minor child with those of an adult, for a greater possibility exists that a minor’s character deficiencies will be reformed.†( Corriero, 2006, p. 3). It is at this tender age that the youth offender still cannot exercise his discretion to decide what is right from wrong. The level of responsibility that they possess to justify their actions is nil and they cannot fully comprehend the effect of their actions. Children as seen have the tendencies to reform and change for the better compared to adults. If they will be exposed to trial, pre-trial detention and imprisonment, more likely than not, they will experience abuses, cruelty and violence, which will leave them defenseless and unprotected. How to Improve the Juvenile Justice System Judge Michael Corriero stated that: â€Å"At the turn of the 20th Century, our juvenile justice proce ss reflected a concept of childhood based on the notion that children are innocent, vulnerable, dependent and incapable of making matured decisions. As we enter the 21st Century, after decades of disillusionment with the juvenile court process, the ideas and beliefs that had inspired the progressive and humane treatment of children, especially disadvantaged children, have been largely abandoned in terms of fixing criminal responsibility. America and its children deserve a justice system that not only holds children accountable for their

Research Paper 5 pages( Two Artist) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Research Paper 5 pages( Two Artist) - Essay Example Yayoi moved from Japan to New York at the age of 27 years where she made a name for herself in avant-garde art; her work incorporates elements of Pop, Fluxus, Minimalism, and Surrealism, but remains unique in its fanatical, often sexually suggestive ways. This present work belongs to the body of works that she started in 1962, which she labeled ‘aggregation sculptures’, or ‘compulsion furniture’; Yayoi’s fascination with the theme of self-obliteration is explored in this work of art as well, just as in the rest of her other pieces. These works are best known for incorporating objects related with the work of women such as the metal oven pan alongside the stuffed, phallic limbs as in the present case; often than not, Kusama was fond of presenting her works in installations fitting rooms. Joseph Richards of The What Where When holds says this of the artist—â€Å"†¦Kusama’s meditative obsessiveness is a mind-bending effect that can never really be pulled off inside a gallery space†¦infinity can’t sit inside a frame, and when the gallery space becomes the piece, that’s when the magic happens† (Art radar, 2012). Tabish Khan, Londonist says, â€Å"†¦it’s only when you are surrounded by her repeating patterns that you realize what it’s like to be immersed in her hallucinatory and fantastical world, where there is a constant struggle between light and dark†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Art radar, 2012). The 60’s, a time when the painting of the Oven-Pan was made, was characterized by new, radical and subversive events as well as trends that shook the rest of the globe in great extents; in the US, the 60’s were typically characterized with anger and violence following the assassination of J.F. Kennedy. There were many protests and civil unrest in the country due to the various socio-economic as well as political upheavals; many Americans protested against the unfair treatment of blacks as well as because

The History And Current Applications Of Behaviorist Theory

The History And Current Applications Of Behaviorist Theory Behaviorism is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Behaviorism is the idea that behavior can be studied in a systematic and observable manner and according to John B. Watson; it should have nothing to do with introspection because introspection is too subjective (Goodwin, 2008). Besides John B. Watson there were others also interested in the study of behavior, specifically, Ivan Pavlov and Burrhus F Skinner. Behaviorism was a major change from earlier views because it discarded the importance of the conscious and unconscious mind and instead it attempted to make psychology a more scientific field, by focusing just on the observable behavior. Behaviorism had its earliest start with the work of Ivan Pavlovs and his research on the digestive systems of dogs that led him to the discovery of classical conditioning process, which demonstrated that behaviors could be learned through conditioned associations (Goodwin, 2008). This pap er will discuss the work of Pavlov, Watson and Skinner and how they contributed to todays behaviorist theories like cognitive behavioral therapy. It will also discuss how these early behaviorists theories are the same as todays behaviorist theories and how they are different. The History and Current applications of Behaviorist Theory Behavioral psychology, also known as behaviorism, is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Conditioning occurs through our interactions with our surroundings. Behaviorism proposes that behavior can be studied in an organized and observable way without consideration or thought of inner psychological conditions (Goodwin, 2008). There are two major types of conditioning in behaviorism, classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning is a technique used in behavioral training in which a naturally occurring stimulus is paired with a response. It involves taking a neutral stimulus (i.e. the ringing of a bell) and then pairing it with a naturally occurring stimulus (i.e. dogs salivate when presented with food). Continuing this pairing will eventually cause the previously neutral stimulus to induce the response without the presence of the naturally occurring stimulus (i.e. the dog will salivate with the ringing of the bell even when food is not immediately presented). The two components are then called the conditioned stimulus (the ring of the bell) and the conditioned response (the dog salivating) (Todes, 2002). Operant conditioning is a process of learning that uses rewards and punishments for behavior. With operant conditioning, a relationship is created linking a behavior and a consequence for that behavior (Skinner, 1954). Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson and Burrhus F. Skinner all developed significant contributions to the advancement of behaviorism. While Pavlov, Watson and Skinner paved the way for behaviorist thinking, what is left of their findings? If we take a critical look at cognitive behavioral therapy we can see how the early behaviorists ideas are still alive today and how these ideas have changed with time. In the late 1800s, Pavlov was studying the gastric function of dogs. Pavlov inadvertently discovered that dogs would salivate prior to the food being presented to them, and decided that his discovery of dogs salivating prior to the actual food arriving was more interesting than gastric functions, and changed the focus of his research (Goodwin, 2008). Pavlov began to experiment with the dogs using a tone to signal for food. Pavlov found that the dogs had begun to salivate with the tone without the presentation of food (Schwartz Lacy, 1982). Pavlov realized that this response is not a natural response and was a learned response, and he consequently called this response a conditioned response and the neutral stimulus became a conditioned stimulus. In Pavlovs experiment the tone was the neutral stimulus that became paired with the unconditioned stimulus which was the food. The unconditioned response of the dog salivating became a conditioned response to the conditioned stimulus of the t one (Beecroft, 1966). Pavlovs work became known in the West, mainly due to the writings of John B. Watson. Pavlov thus coined what we now know today as classical conditioning. Pavlovs research also had a direct affect on bringing behaviorism to the attention of the American public in the 1930s. John B. Watson is known as the founder of behaviorism however Watsons Behaviorism did not catch on immediately and in 1913 when he publicized his Behaviorist Manifesto, he was initially met with a lot of criticism and doubt (Goodwin, 2008). It was not until the early 1930s when behaviorism began to catch the attention of America, in part due to Watsons continued push on the public to recognize it as a valid theory in psychology. Finally after several articles were published citing the use of behaviorism as a way to improve lives, the public began to recognize behaviorism as a positive, meaning it could help to raise children more efficiently, improve marriages, improve business and overall help people to lead more productive lives (Goodwin, 2008). With Watsons book, Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It, behaviorism for the first time was given well defined goals, methods and thought (Goodwin, 2008). Watson made behaviorism a discipline that created a structure based heavily on the principle that learning is the key to development and behavior (Rilling, 2000). Watson and Rayner, in 1927, conducted a study that produced an intense fear of rats in a 9 month old boy they called little Albert. When little Albert reached for a white rat, Watson would make a loud noise that scared little Albert. Using classical conditioning, little Albert associated rats with the loud noise and shifted his fear with the noise to a fear of rats. Little Albert then associated rats, which have fur, to all things with fur (this is known as second order conditioning). With second order conditioning, little Albert formed an irrational fear of all objects that had fur (Mischel, 1993). Although Watson was asked to leave John Hopkins and essentially could no longer work in academia he continued to promote his belief in behaviorism until it finally caught the attention of the American public. The impact of behaviorism was huge, and was a school of thought that continued to dominate psychology for the next fifty years. Psychologist B.F Skinner advanced the behaviorist perspective with his theory of operant conditioning. Operant conditioning verified the effect of punishment and positive reinforcement on behavior. Operant conditioning consisted of two important factors, the response and the consequence (Skinner, 1954). If the consequence is positively reinforcing, then there is the likelihood of getting a similar response. If the consequence is punishing the likelihood of repeating the response is not probable (Mischel, 1993). Skinner conducted an experiment known as the skinner- box (Goodwin, 2008). In Skinners experiment a rat was put into a box with a lever. Each time the lever was pressed, food was released. The rat learned to press the lever to receive the positive reinforcement, food. When the food was replaced with shocks, the lever pressing stopped almost immediately due to the consequences of receiving a shock (Skinner, 1954). Similar results were produced by stopping the positive reinforce ment of food altogether in a process called extinction, but the operant conditioned response decreased at a much slower rate than when punishment was used (Goodwin, 2008). This kind of operant conditioning will also occur in the rewarding or punishing action when utilizing this same technique to elicit certain behaviors from a child (Schwartz, 1982). During 1950 to 1970 cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) became widely utilized and was inspired by the behaviorist learning theories of Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson and Clark L. Hull (Rachman, 1997). In the United States, psychologists were using B.F. Skinners behaviorism and applying it to clinical work and much of this work was focused towards severe, chronic psychiatric disorders such as psychotic behavior and autism (Rachman, 1997). The therapeutic approaches of Albert Ellis and Aaron T. Beck gained popularity among behavior therapists. These systems included behavioral elements and interventions that focused primarily on problems in the present. Elliss system began in the early 1950s and was called rational therapy and is one of the first forms of CBT. (Ellis, 1975). Aaron T. Beck developed cognitive therapy in 1960 after being inspired by Elliss work and Becks cognitive therapy became a favorite intervention technique to study in the psychotherapy research in academic settings. I nitial research focused on comparing this cognitive therapy with behavioral therapys to see which was more effective (Beck, 1975). During the 1980s and 1990s cognitive and behavioral therapys were officially merged into what we now know as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) (Rachman, 1997). Samuel Yochelson and Stanton Samenow introduced the idea that CBT approaches can be used successfully with the criminal population (Yochelson and Samenow, 1976). In conclusion, behaviorism is based upon observable behaviors, so it is easier to measure and collect data and information when performing research. Effective therapeutic techniques such as intensive behavioral intervention, rational therapy and CBT are all rooted in behaviorism. These approaches are often very useful in changing maladaptive or harmful behaviors in both children and adults. Some differences between todays CBT and behaviorism is that behaviorism is a one-dimensional approach to behavior and that it does not account for free will and internal stimulus such as moods, thoughts, and feelings. Behaviorism also does not account for other types of learning, especially learning that occurs without the use of reinforcements or punishments. Behaviorism does not take into account that people are able to adapt behavior when new information is present, even if a prior behavior was established through reinforcement. Behaviorism without the addition of cognitive influences is not en ough. When we can get an understanding of the thinking behind the behavior we have a better chance at changing it. In the words of Stan Samenow change the errors in thinking and we can change the behavior (Yochelson and Samenow, 1976).