Week 4 Midtern Essay Example

Week 4 Midtern Essay Midterm Exam Return to Assessment List Part 1 of 1 96. 0/ 100. 0 Points Question 1 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Which of the following is the most complete and accurate definition of psychology? A. The study of behavior and mental processes B. The study of the mind of humans and other animals C. The study of mental health and illness D. The study of the human mind Answer Key: A Question 2 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Empirical evidence is derived from careful observation, experimentation, and ______________. A. Psychology B. Measurement C. Psychobabble D. Common sense Answer Key: B Question 3 of 50 2. / 2. 0 Points Graphology or handwriting analysis, uses precise measurements in order to determine personality characteristics from a sample of ones handwriting. However, there is little empirical evidence to suggest that graphology is accurate in determining ones personality from a handwriting sample. Graphology is an example of ______________. A. Fortune-telling B. Common sense C. Pseudoscience D. Numerology Answer Key: C Question 4 of 50 0. 0/ 2. 0 Points Mark has a strong desire to quit smoking. A psychologist from the biological perspective would most likely try to help by _____________. A. Delivering a shock to Marks wrist juts as he inhales B. Probing Marks unconscious desire to smoke and his need for oral fulfillment. C. Finding a drug that helps Marks craving for nicotine D. Emphasizing that smoking is a decision and that Mark has the cognitive control to quit. Answer Key: C Question 5 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points The _________________ perspective emphasizes what goes on in peoples heads, including mental process, such as perception, memory, language, or problem solving. A. Biological B. Learning C. Cognitive D. Sociocultural Answer Key: C Question 6 of 50 0. 0/ 2. 0 Points Several middle-school girls were watching their classmates, Jon and Jason, engage in a rough-and-tumble wrestling match. The attention of the girls seemed to intensity the boys play. A psychologist trained in the psychoanalytic perspective would most likely wonder, _______________. A. What are the basic emotional reactions evoked by the presence of the girls B. Do these boys have smaller head bumps devoted to cautiousness than most boys C. What is the purpose of rough-and-tumble play in the adaptive changes of early adolescence D. Did these boys have early childhood traumas that unconsciously cause aggressive behavior. We will write a custom essay sample on Week 4 Midtern specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Week 4 Midtern specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Week 4 Midtern specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Answer Key: D Question 7 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Making a generalization based on a personal experience or a few examples is referred to as ______________. A. Argument by anecdote B. Examination of evidence C. Principle of falsifiability D. Analysis of assumptions Answer Key: A Question 8 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Procedures used to measure and evaluate personality traits, emotional states, aptitudes, and values are called ____________. A. Laboratory observations B. Control conditions C. Psychological tests D. Field research Answer Key: C Question 9 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points A psychological tests is said to be valid if it ________________. A. Measures what it is designed to measure B. Compares results against established standards of performance C. Produces the same results from one time to the next D. Allows test-takers to fully demonstrate the extent of their abilities Answer Key: A Question 10 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points When two variables are not related, the correlation coefficient will be close to ___________. A. 0 B. -1 C. +1 D. +10 Answer Key: A Question 11 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points A researcher plans to investigate whether a cup of hot milk at night helps eople relax so that they fall asleep quickly. In this study, _____________. A. The independent variable is the amount of time it takes the person to fall asleep B. The independent variable is the lab in which the research is conducted. C. The independent variable is the hot milk at bedtime D. The independent variable is the hypothesis of the study. Answer Key: C Question 12 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points An inactive substance or fake treatment that is used as a control in an experiment is called a(n)____________. A. Dependent variable B. Experimental group C. Placebo D. Control condition Answer Key: C Question 13 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points A(n) ________________ is a characteristic of an individual describing a habitual way of behaving, thinking, or feeling. A. Personality B. Trait C. Defense mechanism D. Archetype Answer Key: B Question 14 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Jesse becomes furious when her favorite hockey player is intentionally hurt by an opponent. According to Freuds model of the mind, her id would unconsciously tell her, ____________. A. Thou shalt not kill. B. Im going to tear this program in half! C. What, me angry? I could never get angry. D. Im so angry I could kill that player! Answer Key: D Question 15 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points One of the most influential trait theorists was ____________ who recognized that not all traits have equal weight and significance in peoples lives. A. Abraham Maslow B. John B. Watson C. Gordon Allport D. Karen Horney Answer Key: C Question 16 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Rachel is talkative, sociable, and adventurous. She loves to be the center of a ttention. Which of the Big Five personality traits pertains to Rachels characteristic behavior? A. Agreeableness v. antagonism B. Openness to experience v. resistance C. Extraversion v. introversion D. Neuroticism v. emotional stability Answer Key: C Question 17 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points ______________ is a statistical estimate of the proportion of the total variance in some trait that is attributable to genetic differences among individuals within a group. A. Reciprocal determinism B. Heritability C. Factor analysis D. Congruence Answer Key: B Question 18 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points In behavioral-genetic research, __________________ includes the family background in which you grew up and the experiences you shared with your siblings and parents. A. Surface structure B. Nonshared environment C. Shared environment D. Deep structure Answer Key: C Question 19 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points According to Maslow, the most important aspects of personality are the ___________________ _. A. Big Five personality traits B. Instincts and repressed conflicts of a person C. Qualities of the self-actualized person D. Reinforcers and punishers in a persons learning history. Answer Key: C Question 20 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points According to Carl Rogers, ______________ is love and support given to another with no strings attached. A. The condition of worth B. Unconditional positive regard C. Existentialism D. Self-actualization Answer Key: B Question 21 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points After implantation of the zygote is completed, the ____________ stage of prenatal development begins. A. Embryonic B. Structural C. Germinal D. Fetal Answer Key: A Question 22 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Which of the following outcomes is associated with maternal exposure to lead during pregnancy? A. Defects in the eye, ear, and heart B. Attention problems and lower IQ C. Increased likelihood of prematurity and low birth weight D. Mental retardation, blindness, and other physical disorders Answer Key: B Question 23 of 50 2. 0/ 2. Points Researchers have found that baby talk by parents _________________. A. Helps babies learn the melody and rhythm of their native language B. Holds children back from learning real language faster C. Promotes telegraphic speech, especially if it is overused D. Teaches children the correct grammar of their native language Answer Key: A Question 24 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Noam Chomsky viewed language acquisition in children as the result of _______________. A. An innate mental module that allows young children to develop language B. Reinforcement by adults of correct language production C. Utilitarian learning in which children learn that correct language produces desirable results D. Classical conditioning of innate utterances produced by infants and young children. Answer Key: A Question 25 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points In Jean Piagets theory, the process of absorbing new information into existing mental categories is called __________________. A. Assimilation B. Accommodation C. Conservation D. Egocentrism Answer Key: A Question 26 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Layla understands that Daddy is her father but does not understand that she is Daddys daughter. Piaget would suggest that Layla is in the ___________ stage. A. Preoperational B. Formal operations C. Sensorimotor D. Concrete operations Answer Key: A Question 27 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points All of the following would be considered gender differences EXCEPT the difference between men and women in regard to ______________. A. Sexual attitudes B. Doing laundry C. Reading romance novels D. Color blindness Answer Key: D Question 28 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Learning theorists believe that gender socialization begins _______________. A. At the moment of a childs birth B. When the child comprehends speech C. When children label themselves boys or girls D. When children have developed a secure gender identity Answer Key: A Question 29 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Comparisons of hormone production in boys and girls show that ______________. A. Before puberty, boys have higher levels of estrogen than girls do B. From puberty on, boys and girls produce the same amounts of androgens and estrogens C. Before puberty, girls have higher levels of estrogen than do boys D. From puberty on, boys produce more androgens and girls produce more estrogens. Answer Key: D Question 30 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Adolescent girls who are lonely, depressed, worried, or angry are more likely than boys to express these concerns by _______________. A. Engaging in rule-breaking and risk-taking behaviors B. Internalizing their feelings C. Becoming aggressive and acting out sexually D. Attempting suicide Answer Key: B Question 31 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points During Eriksons stage of _____________, a person is acquiring new physical and mental skills, setting goals, and enjoying newfound talents, but must learn to control impulses. A. Initiative versus guilt B. Generativity versus stagnation C. Autonomy versus shame and doubt D. Ego integrity versus despair Answer Key: A Question 32 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points As people move into old age, the speed of cognitive processing ______________. A. Slows significantly B. Increases for those who take vitamins C. Slows rapidly D. Does not change at all Answer Key: A Question 33 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Which of the following is NOT one of the child-rearing practices suggested by child development research? A. Set high expectations that are appropriate to the childs age B. Allow children to express their disagreements about rules C. Encourage empathy by showing how fighting hurts and disrupts others D. Always punish behavior that violates family rules Answer Key: D Question 34 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points The spinal cord is actually an extension of the _______________. A. Bodys visceral organs B. Skeletal nervous system C. Brain D. Sensory nerves Answer Key: C Question 35 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Which is one function of the myelin sheath? A. To form cranial nerves B. To speed up neural transmission C. To create interference among neural signals D. To release neurotransmitters Answer Key: B Question 36 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Which hormones are involved in emotion and stress? A. Estrogen B. Melatonin C. Adrenal hormones D. Progesterone Answer Key: C Question 37 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points The outer part of each adrenal gland produces _____________, which increases blood-sugar levels and boosts energy. A. Estrogen B. Androgen C. Cortisol D. Melatonin Answer Key: C Question 38 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Which structure of the brain is called the gateway to memory? A. Amygdala B. Hippocampus C. Cerebellum D. Thalamus Answer Key: B Question 39 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points ______________ area is responsible for language comprehension and is located in the left ________ lobe. A. Brocas; temporal B. Wernickes; temporal C. Brocas; frontal D. Wernickes; frontal Answer Key: B Question 40 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points According to the text, what is the primary nervous system stimulus that informs the biological clock? A. Visual B. Taste C. Smell D. Balance Answer Key: A Question 41 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Emilio is currently in Stage 2 sleep. This means his EEG is showing ________ waves. A. only delta B. occasional delta C. rapid, high peaking D. small, irregular brain Answer Key: C Question 42 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Depressants exert their influence on the brain by _____________. A. Slowing down activity in the central nervous system B. Mimicking the action of endorphins, producing a feeling of euphoria C. Disrupting normal thought and perceptual processes D. Speeding up activity in the central nervous system Answer Key: A Question 43 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Which of the following drugs is a psychedelic? A. LSD B. Alcohol C. Amphetamines D. Heroin Answer Key: A Question 44 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points At the orientation for first-year students, April felt overwhelmed by the number of people, the multiple conversations and the forms that needed to be completed. April is experiencing ____________. A. Sensory overload B. Notable differences C. Sensory adaptation D. Sensory deprivation Answer Key: A Question 45 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points Which of the following is a Gestalt principle? A. Brightness B. Saturation C. Proximity D. Acuity Answer Key: C Question 46 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points The thing that makes a middle-C note on a flute sound very different from a middle-C note on a clarinet is ____________. A. Frequency B. Loudness C. Timbre D. Pitch Answer Key: C Question 47 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points What two senses keep us informed about the movement of our own body? A. Homeostasis and balance B. Equilibrium and homeostasis C. Equilibrium and Kinesthesis D. Kinesthesis and homeostasis Answer Key: C Question 48 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points The deepest stage of sleep is______________ sleep. A. Stage 1 B. Stage 2 C. REM D. Stage 4 Answer Key: D Question 49 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points As Bridget is walking through a parking lot, a bicyclist swerves toward her. Her heart races and sweat breaks out as she jumps out of harm’s way. Soon, Bridget’s heart begins to decrease and return to a regular rhythm. This calming reaction is due to the action of Bridget’s ______________. A. somatic nervous system B. keletal nervous system C. parasympathetic nervous system D. sympathetic nervous system Answer Key: C Question 50 of 50 2. 0/ 2. 0 Points How did infant rhesus monkeys that were raised with both an artificial â€Å"wire mother† and an artificial â€Å"cloth mother† respond to these objects? A. They became attached to the artificial mother that supplied milk. B. They avoided both mothers except when they were hungry. C. They would not eat or drink, and soon died. D. They would cling to the â€Å"cloth mother,† especially when they were frightened or startled. Answer Key: D http://biology-forums. com/index. php? topic=33156. 0

How to Pin a Tweet That Makes the Most of Your Content - CoSchedule

How to Pin a Tweet That Makes the Most of Your Content Sometimes small actions can have outsized impact. While smart bloggers and social media marketers often focus on 10X projects that drive massive results, sometimes taking several smaller steps in succession can add quick wins to your work week. That can also take some of the pressure off feeling like everything you do as a marketer needs to make a big splash. Pinning tweets is one such thing you can do that takes just a few moments, but can make a meaningful contribution toward improving your results. Whether you have a particularly popular tweet, or a major campaign to promote, it’s a simple thing anyone can do to get more attention to an important message. In this post, you’ll learn not only how to pin tweets, but how to optimize them for best results. It’ll cover: How to identify a strong topic for a pinned tweet. The best ways to optimize them for maximum results. Some examples of actual tweets from real-life brands and bloggers. Table of Contents: What Are Pinned Tweet? What Are the Benefits? Pinning a Tweet in 3 Steps Optimizing Your Tweet Examples

Creating a Bankruptcy Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Creating a Bankruptcy Plan - Essay Example assets and liabilities, a liquidation plan of reorganization stating the financial benefits for creditors, and approval of the plan by the company creditors. Within 20 days after filing, debtor meets the appointed bankruptcy trustee to discuss details of the reorganization plan. Within 30 to 45 days after filing, debtor meets creditors in a meeting presided over by trustee to agree on the payment plan proposed by debtor. Discussions, approval, or rejections by the creditors on the disclosure statement, proposed payment plan and analysis of the liquidation plan should be finalized not more than 120 days after filing. When the plan is approved, the debtor is discharged from any debt that arose before confirmation. After confirmation of plan, debtor is required to make payments as stated in the reorganization. A new contractual right replaces the pre-bankruptcy contracts. (Chapter 11) is â€Å"when one is unable to pay his debts any more. The bankruptcy law gives a person who is burdened with debts to have a new start by wiping out his/her debts.†(Maller-Barnes-Bowers-Langvardt, Chap. 20) A debtor is not given a discharge if he has not paid debts for taxes and debts related to committed crimes. or if there are â€Å"debts covered by a waiver of discharge executed by the debtor and approved by the court. An order of discharge cannot also be given to a debtor who has a judicial order to pay domestic support obligations unless he can certify that he is up to date in payments. (Mallor-Barnes-Bowers-Langvardt, Chap. 20) A debtor who has a confirmed plan for reorganization is allowed to request for modification of the plan anytime after its confirmation. According to Chapter 11 Bankruptcy code, modification is allowed if he/she has met some requirements of the Bankruptcy Code. This request will require the creditors’ consensus and approval of the court. Flynn, E, Bermant, G. and Burke, Virginia (2000). â€Å"Bankruptcy by the Numbers†. Executive Office for the

Organizational change part i Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Organizational change part i - Essay Example All stakeholders have to be involved in the change process for it to be effective. There are various types of change depending on which part of the organization needs to be changed. The most critical part of organizational change lies with the leaders. An organization’s leaders have to manage the change through planning, assessment and evaluation and have to ensure that every stakeholder in the organization buys in to the ides of change and is involved in it (Cole, Harris & Bernerth, 2006). Despite change being recognized as an inevitable and necessary evil in almost all spheres of life, organizational change poses a lot of challenges to leaders. Effective management of organizational change takes four main steps namely; recognizing the need to have effect the change, planning for the change, training staff with regard to the impending change, and getting support from the employees and other stakeholders during the change process (Cole, Harris & Bernerth, 2006). The first step involves conducting a systematic diagnosis of the organization as it is currently so as to identify the need for initiating change and determine the organization’s ability to manage the change. Planning process involves determining the objectives of the change as well as outlining the procedures to be taken when effecting the change. At the end of the change process, it is necessary to conduct an assessment of the whole process to determine if the objectives were met. Organizational change can be said to be successful if it meets its objectives and the benefits of the change are realized by the management and employees of the organization (Cole, Harris & Bernerth, 2006). Successful change also improves communication among employees and other stakeholders. Health care organizations have also encountered numerous challenges that have often forced them to change in one way or another so as to effectively treat patients (Rashid, 2007). Changes in lifestyles have led to emergence of new diseases while technology has made treatment of some diseases much easier. Healthcare organizations need to adopt technology and also support research so as to discover better ways of fighting diseases. This requires a change of strategy, mission, and mode of operation or human resource. In some cases change may be needed in all aspects of the organization (Rashid, 2007). Readiness for change is one of the issues that change management experts have focused on in the recent few years by recommending strategies that organizations need to take in order to be fully prepared for change. Readiness for change is a very crucial concept in healthcare given the ever changing nature of treatment. Healthcare organizations have to be strategically positioned so as to meet the demands brought about by change (Rashid, 2007). An organization’s readiness for change depends on various factors such as organizational culture, flexibility of the organization’s policies, and the abi lity of leaders to manage changes in the working environment. Managing change in a healthcare facility is not different from other organizations. The leaders have to be very assertive and proactive in steering health organizations in the right direction. This requires constant assessment of the current level of operations in the organization and determining what needs to be done so as to help improve treatment of patients. Departmental heads

A Review of the Literature Essay Example for Free

A Review of the Literature Essay Introduction Because the focus on market orientation has steadily increased over the last decade, academicians and marketing managers have begun to debate the effectiveness of market orientation as a profit enhancing strategy. Researchers and marketing managers are attempting to measure the benefits and costs associated with the implementation of market orientation. For researches and managers, the key questions that surround market orientation are whether or not it increases performance, and if so, in which circumstances should market orientation be implemented. In order for market orientation to become a cornerstone of business practices in years to come, these questions must be answered. This review will focus on three articles which address these key questions: Market Orientation and Company Performance: Empirical Evidence from UK Companies by Greenley, G (1995), Market Orientation: Antecedents and Consequences, by Jaworski and Kohli (1993) and The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability by Narver and Slater (1990). Summary of The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability by Narver Slater (1990) In The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability (1990), Narver and Slater address the lack of empirical evidence surrounding the effectiveness of market orientation. They begin the article by stating: market orientation is the very heart of modern marketing management and strategy ? yet to date, no one has developed a valid measure of it or assessed its influence on business performance? as a result, business practitioners have had no specific guidance as to what precisely a market orientation is and what its actual effect on business performance may be. Their study attempts to develop a valid measure of market orientation and its effect on the profitability of the firm. Narver and Slaters study is designed to test the hypothesis that there is a strong correlation between market orientation and profit levels for both commodity and non-commodity businesses. Narver and Slater  hypothesize that market orientation is a one dimensional construct consisting of three behavioral components: customer orientation, competitor orientation and inter-functional coordination. Additionally, they hypothesize that there are two decision criteria: a long term focus and a profit objective. Based on these criteria, Narver and Slater developed a questionnaire which was given to a sample group of 140 strategic business units in the same division of a major Western corporation. They then used statistical analysis to try to determine the correlation between the adoption of market orientation and the increase in profit and overall performance. In order to obtain accurate results, the researchers attempted to limit the influence of the other forces that impact a businesss profit margin; by doing this, they were able to isolate two key variables and find the relationship between them. Based on their data and analysis, Narver and Slater concluded that there is a monotonic relationship between profit and market orientation for the non-commodity business, whereas the relationship with commodity business was only apparent above the stated median in market orientation. Narver and Slater also concluded that market orientation is economical in all environments, and the question was finding the optimal level of market orientation. Critique of The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability by Narver Slater (1990). Narver and Slaters study is one of the first major empirical studies on the subject of market orientation and its impact on the firms profit. This ground-breaking study offers empirical validation to theories that were unproven prior to the study. However, based on the results of Narver and Slaters study, there are still many questions that remain unanswered. I found that the most significant problem with the study is that their sample was taken from a single corporation, meaning that the data they used was limited to only one industry and one region. As Narver and Slater noted in their conclusion, a sample this limited means that their results can be influenced and skewed by many variables, including corporate culture and regional practices. It is also possible that their findings are industry-specific and do not pertain to other companies outside of foresting. However, in the articles conclusion, Narver and Slater acknowledge these shortcomings and are eager for others in different regions to conduct further research in this field. Although the limited nature of the study makes it difficult to draw any large scale conclusions about the effectiveness of market orientation, Narver and Slater have created a useful model for an empirical study of market orientation which can now be applied to other industries and regions. The most interesting part of the study is not necessarily the results, but the fact that they were able to design the first successful empirical study. Another problem with the study is that Narver and Slater concluded that an equilibrium existed: the point at which the level of market orientation reaches a point at which its cost is equal to its benefit. At this point, any increase of market orientation would only be detrimental to the firms profit margin. Although the study states that the equilibrium is present, the authors offer no guidance on how marketing managers can identify this critical point. Further studies should be dedicated to answering this question in order to make market orientation a more effective strategy for businesses. Additionally, in the articles conclusion, Narver and Slater neglected to discuss a very key finding which surfaced in their data. Their study revealed that market orientation can have a detrimental effect on a companys overall performance when certain market forces and internal conditions apply. In my opinion, this finding was largely ignored in the conclusion in order to validate their original hypothesis: that market orientation has a positive impact on the performance of an organization. Although this finding was acknowledged in the article, I felt the conclusion was somewhat misleading with regard to the outcome of the study in this respect. Summary of Market orientation: Antecedents and consequences, by Jaworski and Kohli (1993) In Market orientation: Antecedents and consequences (1993) Jaworski and Kohli set out to empirically build upon Narver Slaters study. Jaworski and Kohli attempt to study the relationship between market orientation and its effect on numerous aspects of the firm. The authors lay out a series of 13 hypotheses which they attempt to prove within their study. The four hypotheses that dealt directly with the key questions noted in the introduction of this review are: A. The greater the market orientation of an organization, the higher its business performance. B. The greater the market orientation, the greater the (1) esprit de corps and (2) organizational commitment of employees. C. The greater the market turbulence, the stronger the relationship between market orientation and business performance. D. The greater the competitive intensity, the stronger the relationship between market orientation and business performance. The other nine hypotheses are related to the antecedents of market orientation, including managements role on market orientation and the impact the organizations structure and communication has on market orientation. Although these questions are important, I am primarily interested in Jaworski and Kohlis conclusions on whether or not market orientation affects overall performance and profit/return on equity. Jaworski and Kohli set up two samples from which they derived their data. The first sample was made up of executives from 102 companies; the second sample was made up of 230 executives taken from the membership roster of the American Marketing Association. The authors gathered data via a questionnaire that was sent to participants by mail. Based on the data reviewed, Jaworski and Kohli concluded that market orientation is an important determinant of overall performance regardless of factors such as market turbulence, competitive intensity or technological turbulence. However in both samples, the authors found little correlation between market orientation and return on equity and market share. Jaworski and Kohli also found that the commitment of top management towards implementing market orientation is an important factor on the strategys overall performance, as are the levels of interdepartmental coordination and interdepartmental conflict. Critique of Market orientation: Antecedents and consequences, by Jaworski and Kohli (1993) Jaworski and Kohlis study measures the value that market orientation creates for a business. In their introduction, the authors state their intentions quite clearly: The purpose of this research is to address the voids in knowledge [in the Narver and Slater study]. (Jaworski Kohli 1993) In this study, Jaworski and Kohli build upon and answer many of the questions left unanswered in Narver and Slater (1990). In my opinion, one of the most important aspects of Jaworski and Kohlis article is that they attempted to explain their study in an accessible manner by including a section that dealt with the implications of their findings for market managers. Unlike Narver and Slater, I felt that Jaworski and Kohli went to great lengths to try to answer the key questions that managers might have and attempted to lay down guidelines that managers could use in the implementation of market orientation. Jaworski and Kohli also realized the importance of one of the findings Narver and Slater neglected in their conclusion: that market orientation could be detrimental to a business in certain circumstances. Jaworski and Kohli explained the relationships between market orientation and certain environmental contexts including market turbulence and competitiveness. The aspect of the study that I found most interesting was Jaworski and Kohlis discovery that there is neither an association between market orientation and return on equity nor a relationship between market orientation and market share. Although the two authors still concluded that market orientation was beneficial for overall performance, the finding that it does not help return on equity is very significant. Return on equity, for many firms, is the guiding factor in the decision-making process, especially for private equity groups and investment banking firms. Having worked for a private equity firm, where return on equity is the principal goal, I can confidently say these findings are a huge blow to the advocacy of market orientation. However, I would not feel comfortable ruling out market orientation based on one study; further research must be done on this topic. Additionally, I found one aspect of Jaworski and Kohlis conclusion problematic: the authors concluded that market orientation had a direct relationship with overall performance, organizational commitment and esprit de corps, yet they stated that it did not influence return on equity and market share. This finding seems to be contradictory to common business beliefs, which would suggest that if market orientation had a positive impact on commitment, overall performance and esprit de corps, it would therefore have an impact on profit or return on equity. This finding is either misleading or it indicates that common beliefs regarding performance and employee motivation are incorrect. Summary of Market orientation and company performance: empirical evidence from UK companies by Greenley, G (1995) In the article Market orientation and company performance: empirical evidence from UK companies Greenley identifies a clear need for an  empirical study in the United Kingdom. As of 1995, no major empirical research had taken place anywhere but the United States. Greenley created his study based upon this research gap. His basic hypothesis, that market orientation is positively associated with performance, is taken from the aforementioned studies by Narver and Slater (1990) and Jaworski and Kohli (1993). Greenley also tested additional hypotheses from Narver and Slaters 1990 study. The hypotheses Greenley tested dealt with the relationship between market orientation and cost, size of the company, market entry, customer power and competitive hostility in the market. Additionally, he tested hypotheses pertaining to market growth, turbulence and technological change. To obtain his data, Greenley used a slightly altered version of Narver and Slaters 1990 questionnaire, adapted for UK business culture. The questionnaires were sent to 280 top level managers, mainly CEOs. Of those 280 questionnaires, he received 240 usable responses, which made up the data for his study. Based on the analysis he conducted, Greenley concluded that market orientation does not have a direct affect on performance. (Greenley 1995) He also concluded that with high levels of market turbulence, market orientation is negatively associated with return on equity, whereas with low levels of market turbulence, market orientation is positively associated with return on equity. Critique of Market orientation and company performance: empirical evidence from UK companies by Greenley, G (1995) Greenleys study is the first major empirical study of market orientation in the UK, and quite surprisingly, his results were very different than the previous findings of studies conducted in the United States. Any reader of Greenleys study Market orientation and company performance must immediately question whether or not business culture and practices in the UK are so different from their United States counterparts that one strategy empirically proven to work in the United States will be rendered ineffective in the UK. If Greenleys results are accurate, multinational corporations using a centralized control method would have to rethink using market orientation. This, however, does not seem to be the case. Proctor and Gamble (PG) appear to successfully implement global strategies, including market orientation, profitably. Therefore, I propose that Greenleys inability to find a positive relationship between market orientation and performance is a result of a problem in his data collection process. As Greenley stated in his conclusion, his data was gathered during a recession, and therefore a managers thoughts on a long-term profit schemes such as market orientation might have been skewed. Also, Greenley obtained nearly 60 percent of his data from top level CEOs and Chairmen, a different sampling base than previous studies in the United States. For instance, Narver and Slater used CPUs and Jaworski and Kohli primarily used market managers for their samples. The difference in sample bases significantly impacts the results of Greenleys study; typically, CEOs and top management, like those that Greenley questioned, are not as involved in the day-to-day implementation of market orientation and tend to be short-term profit oriented. Managers lower on the organizations hierarchy, such as marketing managers, might have a more direct involvement with the implementation of market orientation. For future research, I think it would be more prudent to take a broader sample of managers at all levels, thereby eliminating any bias that can occur when only sampling a certain section of the managerial hierarchy. Another problem that I found in Greenleys conclusion was the fact that he did not make the individual participants aware of the studys purpose. Although he intended for this to be a tool for gathering accurate and unbiased data from participants, I believe this strategy actually had the opposite effect, given the timing of his article. During a recession, CEOs and Chairmen are attempting to regain short term profitability and/or attempting to scale down costs in order to survive until the recession ends. At such a time, market orientation would not be a viable option and it is unlikely that the top management Greenley questioned would consider it a useful strategy. Therefore, the data collected by Greenley during this period would have little or no relevance for the measurement of the effectiveness of market orientation outside of a recession. Conclusion All three of the articles discussed deal with the task of empirically studying the relationship between market orientation and its effects on businesses. Narver and Slater produced the first major study in this field and their research became a significant starting point for future studies. Narver and Slaters article stated that they found a direct relationship between marketing orientation and performance; however, the study also brought to light many holes in their research and aspects of this relationship which needed further study. Jaworski and Kohlis 1993 study attempted to answer some of the key questions that arose from Narver and Slaters article. The questions Jaworski and Kohli addressed included why some organizations are more market oriented then others and whether or not the linkage between market orientation and business performance depend on the environmental context. The Greenley study in 1995 was the first major study done outside the United States. Greenley followed Narver and Slaters model in his attempt to empirically study market orientation in the United Kingdom. While his methods were the same, Greenleys research produced very different results than that of Narver and Slater, and only agreed with some of Jaworski and Kohlis conclusions. In my opinion, Greenleys research only added to the confusion that surrounds the study of market orientation; the differences in his results can be attributed to many factors, including gaps in previous research, differences between the United States and the UK, or differences in the economy at the time of the studies. The ambiguous results of this study confirm the need for more research in order to answer the key question of market orientations relationship with performance and profit. Therefore, after reading and critically reviewing the above articles, my conclusion is that further empirical research must be done in order for there to be any confidence in the use of market orientation as a performance-enhancing strategy. A multi-national study or the study of multiple multinational companies would provide valuable insight into whether market orientation is exclusively suited to companies operating in the United States or if its implementation in different countries can also be profitable. Further research must also be done in order to affirm or refute Jaworski and Kohlis claim that market orientation has no positive relationship with market share and return on equity. I believe that if Jaworski and Kohlis claim is true, managers, especially those operating publically traded companies, will inevitably need to rethink the use of market orientation within their corporations. List of References Greenley, G. (1995). Market orientation and company performance: empirical evidence from UK companies. British Journal of Management, 6:1-13. Jaworski, B. and Kohli, A. (1993). Market orientation: antecedents and consequences. Journal of Marketing, 57(July): 53-70. Narver, J. and Slater, S. (1990). The effect of a market orientation on business profitability. Journal of Marketing 54(October): 20-35.

Genesis Chapters 5-9 Essay -- Bible Religion Genesis Religious Essays

Genesis Chapters 5-9   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the lord said, ‘I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created-people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord.†(Genesis 6:5-8)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this essay I will take an interpretive look at Genesis chapters 5-9. The main focuses will be: the relationship between God, Noah, and Noah’s generation of mankind; the barriers and boundaries for humankind that were present and created by God in these chapters, the characteristics of God throughout the text and the overall importance and message of this passage in the Bible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the days of old -when life could reach more than nine hundred years- â€Å"sons of god†(6:2), angels and warriors ruled the earth. One walked the righteous path in the land of the wicked; one saw the grace of the Lord. In these chapters of Genesis, God is seen as an active participant in the story. Through His words and interactions, we can see that His character and relationship towards man is ever-changing and evolving. God is a ruler with expectations. What He had sought out to create in mankind was not being represented, all He saw was evil all the time.(6:5) In Genesis 6:6 we see a God that feels pain from a broken heart. From the grief he has sustained, he demands judgment and justice. His decision and reaction is to destroy all that He has created.(6:7) The Lord’s character here is repentant, judgmental and a potential destroyer. In His grief He finds â€Å"favor† for one man: Noah.(6:8) Though it was only one man in an entire genera tion, we see the grace of God present here. Because of Noah, God finds himself modifying his plans, â€Å"the planned destruction becomes a reconstruction† of this earth.(Harper Collins, Study Bible, Notes pp.13) In Genesis chapter 6, we begin to see a God that is forewarning. The lessening of life, to that of one hundred and twenty years, is a disciplinary measure taken due to His displeasure with humankind. This punishment was a warning in and of itself. In Genesis 6:13, God gives a direct warning to Noah ab... ...his creating of the flood. If not for Noah there would have been no human community left at all. Though some may disagree with me, I believe the decreasing of the human life span to be the biggest boundary God has ever put on mankind. Besides the spirit of God, what is more than life itself in this existence of being?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most everyone knows something about the story of Noah and the great flood. It is one of the most illustrated and common stories from the Bible. The knowledge that God was angry, Noah built an ark to carry animals and then there was a flood that killed everything. Though this is the basic picture of the story, it does not capture alone the main point of the story. God’s saving grace is the message. Believe and follow in the path of the Lord and salvation will be yours. All of God’s characteristics and boundaries he conveyed spawn off of the following of this or the ignoring of His omnipotent power and being. Just like in much of the text in the Bible, you have to read between the lines to find the meaning; the same is true for Genesis 5-9. Works Cited Meeks, Wayne A., ed. The Harper Collins Study Bible. New York: Harper Collins Publishers Inc., 1993.

How to Support Bilingualism in Early Childhood Essay

Bilingualism is very important. Although most people speak English in this country, there is not really a national language in the United States of America. However, speaking more than one language will, without a doubt, get you father. Many children that enter early childhood centers have another primary language. Although it is very important that all the children learn English, it is just as important that they do not lose their first language. Besides being able to keep close to your roots and communicate with your family, being bilingual can open doors professionally. This in itself is a great reason to make sure schools support bilingualism. Accepting the child’s first language is a great step to show respect for the child and his culture and family. This acceptance is important in the early years, especially when the child first enters preschool / daycare. In showing tolerance and acknowledgement to the primary language, the child will feel comfortable in the classroom and this will make the transition to go much smoother. This article continues to explain ways in which educators and school staff can support bilingualism. Preschools and daycares play an important role in the lives of the children. The seeds we plant about bilingualism will grow forever in that child. As we accept and learn, so will the children. If we were to treat this in a negative manner, the children will perceive it that way as well. Getting to know the families in our centers is imperative. Knowing what language they speak and where they come from is a sure way to make them feel secure and comfortable. As stated in the article, the attitudes of the staff are essential to supporting bilingualism. Making sure that staff members speak both English and another language (majority at center) is the first step in having a bilingual school/program. It is never â€Å"ok† to simply disregard the native language of the child or the child’s family. Parents should continue to speak in their native language and no one should make that child feel embarrassed or ashamed to speak another language. This article is pro children and pro responsibility. As educators, it is our duty to have our children reach for the highest goal possible. It is our responsibility to take the children far in life. Guiding children and their families towards bilingualism is a great way to give value to immigrant families. Achieving the â€Å"American dream† does not mean leaving your roots behind. Having a strong self-esteem includes being proud of ourselves and where we come from. Teachers need to nurture this.