An Overview of Game Theory in Sociology

An Overview of Game Theory in Sociology Game theory is a theory of social interaction, which attempts to explain the interaction people have with one another. As the name of the theory suggests, game theory sees human interaction as just that: a game. John Nash, the mathematician who was featured in the movie A Beautiful Mind is one of the inventors of game theory along with mathematician John von Neumann. How Was Game Theory Developed? Game theory was originally an economic and mathematical theory that predicted that human interaction had the characteristics of a game, including strategies, winners and losers, rewards and punishment, and profits and cost. It was initially developed to understand a large variety of economic behaviors, including behavior of firms, markets, and consumers. The use of the game theory has since expanded in the social sciences and has been applied to political, sociological, and psychological behaviors as well. Game theory was first used to describe and model how human populations behave. Some scholars believe that they can actually predict how actual human populations will behave when confronted with situations analogous to the game being studied. This particular view of game theory has been criticized because the assumptions made by the game theorists are often violated. For example, they assume that players always act in a way to directly maximize their wins, when in reality this is not always true. Altruistic and philanthropic behavior would not fit this model. Example of Game Theory We can use the interaction of asking someone out for a date as a simple example of game theory and how there are game-like aspects involved. If you are asking someone out on a date, you will probably have some kind of strategy to â€Å"win† (having the other person agree to go out with you) and â€Å"get rewarded† (have a good time) at a minimal â€Å"cost† to you (you don’t want to spend a large amount of money on the date or do not want to have an unpleasant interaction on the date). Elements of a Game There are three main elements of a game: The playersThe strategies of each playerThe consequences (payoffs) for each player for every possible profile of strategy choices of all players Types of Games There are several different kinds of games that are studies using game theory: Zero-sum game: The players’ interests are in direct conflict with one another. For example, in football, one team wins and the other team loses. If a win equals 1 and a loss equals -1, the sum is zero.Non-zero sum game: The players’ interests are not always in direct conflict, so that there are opportunities for both to gain. For example, when both players choose â€Å"don’t confess† in Prisoner’s Dilemma (see below).Simultaneous move games: Players choose actions simultaneously. For example, in the Prisoner’s Dilemma (see below), each player must anticipate what their opponent is doing at that moment, recognizing that the opponent is doing the same.Sequential move games: Players choose their actions in a particular sequence. For example, in chess or in bargaining/negotiating situations, the player must look ahead in order to know what action to choose now.One-shot games: The play of the game occurs only once. Here, the players are likely to not know much about each other. For example, tipping a waiter on your vacation. Repeated games: The play of the game is repeated with the same players. Prisoner’s Dilemma The prisoner’s dilemma is one of the most popular games studied in game theory that has been portrayed in countless movies and crime television shows. The prisoner’s dilemma shows why two individuals might not agree, even if it appears that it is best to agree. In this scenario, two partners in crime are separated into separate rooms at the police station and given a similar deal. If one testifies against his partner and the partner stays quiet, the betrayer goes free and the partner receives the full sentence (ex: ten years). If both remain silent, both are sentences for a short time in jail (ex: one year) or for a minor charge. If each testifies against the other, each receives a moderate sentence (ex: three years). Each prisoner must choose to either betray or remain silent, and the decision of each is kept from the other. The prisoner’s dilemma can be applied to many other social situations, too, from political science to law to psychology to advertising. Take, for example, the issue of women wearing make-up. Each day across America, several million woman-hours are devoted to an activity with questionable benefit for society. Foregoing makeup would free up fifteen to thirty minutes for each woman every morning. However, if no one wore makeup, there would be great temptation for any one woman to gain an advantage over others by breaking the norm and using mascara, blush, and concealer to hide imperfections and enhance her natural beauty. Once a critical mass wears makeup, the average facade of female beauty is artificially made greater. Not wearing makeup means foregoing the artificial enhancement to beauty. Your beauty relative to what is perceived as average would decrease. Most women therefore wear makeup and what we end up with is a situation that is not ideal for the whole or for the indivi duals, but is based on rational choices by each individual. Assumptions Game Theorists Make The payoffs are known and fixed.All players behave rationally.The rules of the game are common knowledge. Resources and Further Reading Duffy, J. (2010) Lecture Notes: Elements of a Game. pitt.edu/~jduffy/econ1200/Lect01_Slides.pdfAndersen, M.L and Taylor, H.F. (2009). Sociology: The Essentials. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

How John McAdam Changed Roads Forever

How John McAdam Changed Roads Forever John Loudon McAdam was a Scottish engineer who modernized the way we build roads. Early Life McAdam was born in Scotland in 1756 but moved  to New York in 1790 to make his fortune. Arriving at the dawn of the Revolutionary War, he began working in his uncle’s business and became a successful merchant and prize agent (in essence, a fence who takes a cut from selling off the spoils of war).   Returning to Scotland, he purchased his own estate and soon became involved in the maintenance and governance of Ayrshire, becoming a road trustee there. Builder of Roads At the time, roads were either dirt paths susceptible to rain and mud, or very expensive stone affairs that frequently broke down not long after whatever event precipitated their construction.   McAdam was convinced that massive stone slabs would not be needed to carry the weight of passing carriages, as long as the road was kept dry. McAdam came up with the idea of raising roadbeds to ensure adequate drainage. He then designed these roadbeds using broken stones laid in symmetrical, tight patterns and covered with small stones to create a hard surface. McAdam discovered that the best stone or gravel for road surfacing had to be broken or crushed, and then graded to a constant size of chippings. McAdams design, called MacAdam roads and then simply â€Å"macadam roads,† represented a revolutionary advancement in road construction at the time. The water-bound macadam roads were the forerunners of the tar- and bitumen-based binding that was to become tarmacadam. The word tarmacadam was shortened to the now-familiar name: tarmac. The first tarmac road to be laid was in Paris in 1854, a precursor to todays asphalt roads. By making roads both significantly cheaper and more durable, MacAdam triggered an explosion in municipal connective tissue, with roads sprawling out across the countryside. Fittingly for an inventor who made his fortune in the Revolutionary War- and whose life’s work united so many- one of the earliest macadam roads in America was used to bring together the negotiating parties for the surrender treaty at the end of the Civil War.  These reliable roads would be crucial in America once the automobile revolution began in the early 20th century.

Quality and environmental management systems 111 Essay

Quality and environmental management systems 111 - Essay Example If Timmerhus wishes to integrate its QMS and EMS into a single system, then this can be achieved because the International Standards ISO 9000:2000 governing the QMS and ISO 14001:1996 have been designed in such a way as to be compatible with one another. Many organizations find integration easier when they have already implemented QMS (Darnall 2002, 143). These systems can thus be integrated to increase their overall effectiveness and to achieve efficiency in the use of organizational resources. Curkovic (2004, 164) explains that the two systems can be integrated with minimal extra expenditure to achieve significant synergy. The eight principles of QMS (Singhal and Singhal 2008, 15) and the five principles of EMS have much in common to enable them to be integrated to a great extent (Bose 2011, 380). For instance, much of the planning requirements for the QMS and EMS can be met by a single set of procedures and resources. For instance, the documentation requirements for QMS specified in Section 4.2 of ISO 9001, including documentation control and control of records, can be prepared through the same procedures used to prepare the EMS documentation required under Section 4.4.4 of ISO 14001. ... Communication channels can also be integrated for the two systems. Finally, the internal audit required under Section 8.2.2 of ISO 9001 and the EMS audit required under Section 4.5.4 of ISO 14001 can also be achieved through an integrated system that uses a common pool of organizational resources and processes (Whitelaw 2004, 133). In general, a number of activities including planning, management review, internal audit and control mechanisms can be shared in common by the QMS and EMS in an integrated system. Kymal (2004, 74) recommends a common internal communication system for the integrated QMS and EMS. However, Timmerhus management needs to ascertain whether the employees are sufficiently fluent in the use of the existing QMS system to make the integration of the new EMS system a profitable decision. Significant Environmental Aspects of Timmerhus UK Ltd Although prefabricated construction is said to be environmentally friendly compared to traditional forms of construction, the lik elihood of Timmerhus having significant environmental aspects of its own manufacturing processes and operations cannot be excluded. The company is likely to have an impact on the environment as a result of its use of natural resources in the process of manufacturing, transportation of supplies and finished goods, and in the disposal of defective items and waste. These actions can have an impact on the communities and the natural environment. Hence, it is essential that the company be aware of such environmental impacts and take steps to address them in its environmental policy and the EMS. The primary natural resource used in the manufacturing process of custom-designed prefabricated housing materials is

Oppotunity cost Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Oppotunity cost - Essay Example The customers may thin k that they are getting a free meal at the cost of a drink and hence more people would be attracted towards the shop. This paper briefly explains the phrase 'TINSTAAFL' in terms of opportunity cost. Opportunity cost is the cost of passing up the next best choice when making a decision. For example, if an asset such as capital is used for one purpose, the opportunity cost is the value of the next best purpose the asset could have been used for. Opportunity cost analysis is an important part of a company's decision-making processes, but is not treated as an actual cost in any financial statement" (Opportunity cost, n. d). Every problem has more than one solution as economics says. While solving problems we normally opt for the best possible solution. But it is not necessary that our decisions would be always the best because of our inability to analyze or evaluate problems properly. If another better option was available, the opportunity cost is the benefits we could have received by taking that option. In the current world, there are lots of investment opportunities. Some of them may be risky while the others might be risk free. For example, consider a person invest his entire extra money in a savings bank account which provides him an annual interest of below 3%. On the other hand, if that person invests his money in fixed deposits, he can earn more than 8% interest. Here the person losing 5% (8 - 3 = 5) and his opportunity costs are 5% In the initial example of the salon owners who offer free lunch, they are not losing any money since they are accommodating the charges of the meals in the charge of the drink. But at the same time they were able to attract more customers because of this business strategy. In other worlds, the salon owners were able to make more profit by selecting an alternate option for selling their drinks. It should be remembered that if the salon owners do not offer any free lunch and function like other shop owners, their sales might be the same as that of the others. But by selecting an alternate option without sacrificing anything, they were able to increase their profit. "Any decision that involves a choice between two or more options has an opportunity cost" (Joanne, 2008)' Characteristics of Opportunity cost Thus the opportunity cost is not restricted to financial costs alone. The real cost of output forgone, lost time, or any other benefit that provides utility should also be considered as opportunity costs. Consider a person with $ 100 in his hand. He can purchase some shirts or some books or even he can invest it in shares or fixed deposits. If he purchases shirts or books for the money he has, the value of the goods may decrease as time passes and he loses his money as opportunity cost. At the same time if he invests the money in term deposits, he may get more money as time passes. In other words the same money yields negative opportunity cost in the first instance whereas it yields positive opportunity cost in the second instance. Opportunity cost is a key concept in economics because of its worth and value in taking decisions. It is capable of describing the economic terms like scarcity and choice and moreover it can establish the relationship between the

Reflection about the discomfort Essay Example for Free

Reflection about the discomfort Essay When I met a stranger at a party, I said to myself I wouldnt be shy. I told him my life story and my opinions within 10 minutes of meeting him. How odd it seemed. And finally he escaped from me. This was not a good start of a relationship, from that I learned self-disclosure was a kind of communication which worked best a little at a time. I had to sensitive to the other persons needs and feeling, to be empathic. When I communicated with my boyfriend in the first week, I reminded myself I should practice self-disclosure and I gave me a license to blurt out everything to him. Several times he said to me, Youre doing that communication thing on me. From his reflection about the discomfort, I thought I was over disclosing. The next week, when I stayed with him, I paid more attention on listening to him, gave him chances to disclose, but he complained that he was disclosing more than I was. This time I made another mistake, I was underdisclosing. I understood that deciding when and how much personal information to disclose was not a simple case, if I couldnt handle well, not only I would lose the chance to make friend with that stranger, but also lose my boyfriend. I was so regret that I was not prepare well for this part in the methodology section. I should modify it. Then I went to do some reading and found the guideline for disclosure. Self disclosure is best when it is to the right person-often one who is capable of empathic understanding; to the right degree- you may decide to disclose all or part of your experience; for the right reasons-be sure your goal is to disclose yourself rather than to burden the other or show off; at the right time-in hours that are appropriate and when the other is not heavily burdened with his own need; and in the right place-in a location conducive to this kind of communication.(Bolton, 1986, p. 180) In the following days, I kept these guidelines in mind when I communicated and made a great effort in using disclosing, no complaints again and the relation between my boyfriend went even intimacy.  I was amazed how I was able to self disclose to my friend Jane after nearlly 3 weeks disclosing training. I opened myself to her and revealed things about my past that I very rarely talk about. I found she was able to relate to me and I even led the way for her to reveal things about herself. This gave us a great beginning. One behavior that has hindered my self-disclosure with her was when she told me she was not happy for me when I told her a serious mistake I have made before. Unfortunately, after she did that I have not been able to open myself up anymore. I didnt take confrontation too well and said nothing at all. I needed to change this by telling her how I felt when she said that to me. If I could do this it would be a big step for me. This was a problem that I didnt foresee, I should learn how to deal with confrontation, prepare for it. I kept a diary of my disclosing within these 3 weeks. I found I was easy to disclosure to women than men. I avoid interact with people with different culture, I rarely talked about my family, and I often pushed me to self-disclosing too much and this turned people off. A lot of problems involves in my skill, I need to learn more about confrontation, learn how much I should disclose and to whom the disclosures are made. These were not included in my initial plan, and I will add them in my follow up plan. Conclusion and reflection  1. Self-disclosure is a process of providing information to another individual. The information that is disclosed includes ones thoughts, feelings, past experiences, and future plans.  2. For me, self-disclosure was the hardest piece of the puzzle, I did not tell people who I really was because I was afraid that they would not like the real me. Plus I had the need to protect myself.  3. I think an ideal self-disclosure (my goal) involves openness, a desire   o get closer to another, and an implied trust in the person were revealing ourselves to. It also can increase self-acceptance. 4. The amount of information we disclose in our interpersonal relationships also influences our relationships. The Johari window is a model that helps us assess the type of information we disclose; whom we make disclosures to and the communication environment we find ourselves in. By using this model, I found I was a person I r who had a lot of hidden area and a little open area.  5. My relationship with my friend May was an example of using the social penetration theory. I thought I understood this theory and did quiet well with disclosing to May. Although the disclosing slowed down in the last week, it was due to the different background. From that, I knew disclosure happened frequently with people had common ground. 6. Although I overcome the mental barrier to communicate with the stranger, I still done badly. I fell in an extreme-overdisclosing and made him escape from me. I realized that self-disclosure couldnt be used as a mere device to force the other people into a relationship. It was a kind of communication which worked best a little at a time. I should sensitive to the other persons needs and feeling, to be empathic. 7. I failed to use self-disclosure with my boyfriend in the first two weeks, but with the help of the guidelines, I did better in the last week. During the first week, I made a same mistake (overdisclosing) again. I blurted out everything to him. After he reflected his uncomfortable, I forced myself to listen more, but still fell into another extreme- underdisclosing. In order to solve the problem, I found some guidelines and kept in mind in the following week and got a lot of benefit. 8. I done really well in disclosing to Jane, but a new problem arose. I didnt know how to deal with confrontation when she said she didnt like my past behavior. This hindered my disclosing and I couldnt open myself any more. The lack of prepare for confrontation leaded to my failure.  9. I thought the approach I adopted was quiet successful, such as prepare for disclosing and handle the anxiety, using a method to gradually work up to being more open.  10. I benefited a lot by keeping a diary about my training. From that, I discovered what feelings and needs I didnt disclose; which friendships grew the most. I also knew certain of my disclosures turn people off and what I was uncomfortable discussing certain things and who I avoid interacting with. 11. Prepared other for my change by telling them I would use a new communication skill gave me a lot of benefits. They would give me feedback and if I done badly, they wont easily get annoy.  12. There were many shortcomings in my approach. Such as ignore when and how much personal information to disclose, havent prepared for confrontation. Those problems made my disclosing failed.  13. I thought my origin goal was appropriate-became openness, got closer to another, and had an implied trust in the person were revealing ourselves to. My goal also included increasing my self-acceptance. After 3 weeks training, I found I was more open than before, I wouldnt always hide myself and I would like to share myself with the right person. I got closer to May, my boyfriend by disclosing. During the process of disclosing, a trust had built. I showed some trust in another by making a disclosure that had a little risky, when the other accepted and was supportive about my disclosure, trust was likely to be enhanced. Due to the acceptance by others, my self-acceptance enhanced.

Essay --

Shinji vs. Yasuo: The Use of Foils in The Sound of Waves Yukio Mishima’s The Sound of Waves tells of a timeless love story between Shinji, a young fisherman, and Hatsu, the beautiful daughter of the wealthiest man in the village of Uta-Jima. But rumors and gossip throughout the whole village attempts to separate them. The concept of foils is used in this novel to emphasize the characteristics of Shinji, a good moral man who values the importance of hard work, and Yasuo, a man of lust, power, and selfishness. These two characters conflict throughout the novel to win Hatsue’s heart. As they chase after the girl, Mishima reveals significant traits that are demonstrated throughout The Sound of Waves. Mishima uses Hatsue, the girl that Yasuo and Shinji are after, to demonstrate Shinji’s respectful nature and also Yasuo’s disrespectful nature. The meeting between Shinji and Hatsue at the observation tower reveals Shinji’s characteristics of respect and moral values. As Shinji confronts Hatsue’s body, he treats her with respect because â€Å"Shinji had a sort of haphazard respect for moral things† (Mishima 77). Having respected Hatsue’s decision of abstinence, Shinji received Hatsue’s respect and kindness. However, Yasuo does not respect Hatsue and has even attempt to rape her. Through nature’s intervention by the hornet, Hatsue was able to escape Yasuo’s grasp. Through Yasuo’s actions of attempting to rape Hatsue and trying to conceal the incident by making a deal, Mishima reveals Yasuo as lustful and selfish, the opposite of Shinji. Mishima signifies the concept of foils as the setting takes place in the Utajima-maru, the ship where Shinji and Yasuo â€Å"began their maritime training in the capacity of rice-rinsers†, to demonstrate Shinji’s ... ...ffected Shinji. He was able to adapt to the situation and did not react to Yasuo’s desires of anger and revenge. Shinji was able to stay calm and to remain faithful towards Hatsue. Mishima had revealed Shinji as tolerant as he was able to communicate with others despite the false gossip and serene as he let the gossip die down as well as Yasuo’s hopes for Hatsue’s heart. In conclusion, Mishima brings Yasuo and Shinji together to highlight the foils between two characters. Mishima reveals Yasuo as a jealous, lustful, and selfish character and Shinji as being the hardworking, respectful, and of good moral character through various incidents throughout The Sound of Waves. Having these traits demonstrated to be morally good, Shinji was able to win Terukichi’s approval by doing â€Å"that great thing at Okinawa† and Hatsue’s heart through kindness and respect (Mishima 175).

Motivation/Reward System

Essay 1: Motivation/Reward System by Blake P. Rodabaugh EDD 9100 CRN 35455 Leadership Seminar Nova Southeastern University January 15, 2012 Essay 1: Motivation/Reward System Employee motivation seems to be at the core of what defines leadership or more importantly a leader. The success or failure of an organization is dependent upon the ability of those in leadership positions and roles to motivate and inspire the members of the organization to high levels of performance.Leaders that are effective have the ability to increase the level of job engagement and organizational commitment on the part of employees. Particularly in the field of education, highly qualified and motivated faculty members are critical to the economic and academic success of the organization. Without them the organization at best stumbles along at a mediocre level and at worst fails (Siddique & Khan, 2011). There are two types of rewards when dealing with motivational factors of staff, extrinsic and intrinsic.Ext rinsic motivation is that which comes from outside of the individual such as money, promotion, coercion, grades, or the fear of punitive action. Intrinsic motivation is that which comes from within the individual through a feeling of enjoyment, pleasure, or interest in the task at hand. In investigating the type of reward system to be implemented whether extrinsic or intrinsic it becomes apparent that neither is the answer in itself. As with many aspects of leadership there appears to be no one style that works best all the times but rather is situational as to need.Extrinsic reward has been connected strongly with the encouragement of innovative behavior on the part of employees. This however needs to be taken on in moderation as there is a tendency for excessive motivation of an extrinsic nature to actually depress innovative behavior through the erosion of self motivation. Intrinsic motivation through the application of empowerment, development of human capital, recognition of ac complishment, learning and training support has shown to have a strong impact upon the level of employee innovation.When the two approaches are combined in a situation where extrinsic motivation is added to the aforementioned types of intrinsic motivation, the positive effects are amplified. The intrinsic aspects prevent the over-erosion effects often produced by extrinsic motivation. Thus, as with so much of leadership a combination of approaches is stronger than a single approach (Zhou, Zhang, & Montoro-Sanchez, 2011). A study designed to investigate the motivational factors that were of the greatest importance to faculty members in higher education found that there was a desire for a mix of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards.Results demonstrated that while employee compensation and the overall benefits package were of significant importance to faculty members there was an expressed need for non-monetary rewards as well. Key were concepts of empowerment, positive and supportive work environment, recognition, training, involvement in the decision making process, and a sense of value from the organization. Crucial to the successful implementation of this is clear and open communication between faculty and those participating in all roles of supervision (Rasheed, Aslam, & Sarwar, 2010).An additional view of the concept of motivation is through the application of equity theory. Through this lens motivation of individuals is dependent upon how they view their ratio of outcomes to inputs in comparison to their perception of the outcomes and inputs of their peers in the workplace. This then serves as the basis for the individual to judge whether or not they are being treated fairly in the workplace. They may perceive a situation of either under or over reward, with those workers perceiving an under-reward taking action to restore perceived equity.Typically this action resolves into either a reduction of effort on the part of the employee or a request for greater rewar ds. Typically, the end result of this being that, if the employee is unable to achieve a perception of equity through either a reduction of input or an increase in rewards, they will eventually change employment (Skiba & Rosenberg, 2011). Professor Edgar Schein of MIT’s Sloan School of Management emphasizes a need for behavioral change to take place at all levels of an organization if it is to be successful in the creation of a strong organizational culture.According to Professor Schein it is important to have more than an empowering process in place. Organizations need to have everyone at all levels of the organization actively working together to establish behaviors that lead to an environment in which equal partnerships and mutually helping relationships are the order of business (Kleiner & vonPost, 2011). A Brazilian study of nine administrative units, composed of three factories, two bank branches, a university, and a municipal office focused on the impact of wages upon motivation and employee job satisfaction.The results of this study were in opposition to several others in that the administrative offices with the lowest wages displayed the greatest amount of employee job satisfaction and overall motivation due to intrinsic factors present in the work environment. In opposition to this the offices with the highest wages showed the lowest level of overall satisfaction and motivation. In total there were 458 respondents of which 252 were male and 206 female.In all instances of this study correlations were apparent with respect to perceptions of satisfaction and motivation in connection with leadership’s attitude towards staff in areas other than extrinsic (Pinto, 2011). Analysis of the Writer’s Workplace At the writer’s place of employment there really does not exist any real system of positive motivation and rewards beyond that expressed in the contract signed at the beginning of employment. Some might equate it to a system whi ch utilizes a carrot and a stick except that there is no carrot.Overall leadership and organizational culture is reflective of leadership neglect with the occasional out lashing of reactionary and punitive actions on the part of senior administration towards staff. The culture is one that reinforces a perception that unless you are among the chosen ones, the inner circle, that the best you can do is to hole up in your classroom and not draw attention to yourself. Senior administration sees itself as enlightened and visionary. Staff sees it overall as untrustworthy, arbitrary, reactionary, and punitive.The next step down from the most senior of administrators is seen overall as clueless, out of touch and somewhat delusional in a benign way. Middle level administration and leadership is viewed as having their heart in the right place but with very little power or influence to shape things in a more positive direction. Overall the motivation and rewards system is dysfunctional at best, unless you happen to be one of the chosen ones. What is needed is a system wide change similar to that proposed by Professor Schein in which observation, inquiry, and leverage are applied.This would entail observation of the manner in which employees at all levels of the organization behave, inquiring or deducing the manner in which they think or believe, and then applying the leverage. The leverage in this instance is small incremental behavioral changes that lead the organization as a whole to think and act differently. The impact and role of management in this process is critical as the various subcultures within an organization exist within all levels and facets of the organization including the various levels of leadership (Kleiner & vonPost, 2011).References Kleiner, A. , & vonPost, R. (2011, January 19). A corporate climate of mutual help. Strategy & Business. Retrieved January 21, 2012 from http://www. strategybusiness. com/article/11102? pg=all&tid=27782251 Pinto, E. P. (2 011). The influence of wage on motivation and satisfaction. The International Business & Economics Research Journal, 10(9), 81-91. Rasheed, M. I. , Aslam, H. D. , & Sarwar, S. (2010). Motivational issues for teachers in higher education: A critical case of IUB. Journal of Management Research, 2(2), 1-23. Siddique, A. , & Khan, M. (2011).Impact of academic leadership on facultys motivation, and organizational effectiveness in higher education system. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(8), 184-191. Skiba, M. , & Rosenberg, S. (2011). The disutility of equity theory in contemporary management practice. The Journal of Business and Economic Studies, 17(2), 1-19,97-98. Zhou, Y. , Zhang, Y. , & Montoro-Sanchez, A. (2011). Utilitarianism or romanticism: The effect of rewards on employees innovative behaviour. International Journal of Manpower, 32(1), 81-98. doi:10. 1108/01437721111121242

Bible Interpretation: Steps Involved in Interpretation of New Testament Letters Essay

In the book â€Å"Journey into God’s Word: Your Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible (pp. 100-102), Duvall and Hays teach the four steps of the Interpretative Journey for the New Testament letters. These steps, when utilized properly, helps us grasp the meaning in the scriptures Galatians 5:16-18, but also gives us an understanding of how we interpret things in the modern world as opposed to those in the biblical world. Step one of the Interpretative Journey for the New Testament letters asks the reader to â€Å"Grasp the text in their town.† By this the author wants the reader to understand the difference in culture and time, as well as understand that the message Paul was trying to teach when writing that letter to the Galatians. In chapter 5:16-18, Paul states very clearly and to the point, â€Å"Let the holy spirit guide your lives, then you wont be doing what your sinful nature craves.† This powerful verse allows the reader to understand how great the fight between the flesh and the Spirit are. These three verses allowed Paul to reassure that anyone who walks in the path of the Spirit will less likely give in to the urges of the Flesh. Those who do right to fulfil their obligation to the Spirit are slowly cleansing their own soul of their sinful desires. ‘Measure the width of the river to cross’ is step two of Interpretative Journey for New Testament letters. The biblical audience and modern day interpretations of the scriptures in Galatians form the proverbial river that we must measure in order to cross. The biblical audience found themselves in a fight between the flesh and the Spirit. We in modern times also have the same battle to overcome. The river however I think was much higher in biblical times because of the constant strain for acceptance and understanding that they lacked in first-century theology. I think finding a clearer path in the Spirit in earlier times was much easier to find and hold onto since the majority of life was home and church, unlike today which many do not believe in the Spirit. Step three asks us to â€Å"Cross the Principalizing Bridge.† To give ones entire devotion to the Spirit is a very hard, daunting task that can sometimes feel like the wrong path.The theological principle is to walk in the Spirit. To give in to ones sinful desires to the flesh seems like an easier route. However the second theological principle is to Not give into the evils of the flesh, but to believe in the Spirit and walk in his light. Both biblical day Jews and modern day Christians face this decision everyday. This makes the  theological principles timeless and apparent in the text. It follows the scripture and pertains to both audiences. The final step in the Interpretative Journey for New Testament letters is â€Å"Grasp the text in our town.† This step is used t o ask oneself how modern day Christians utilize apply the theological principles by giving two real-life stories that focus on them.

Research Proposal on the Topic Internal Assessment System Essay Example

Research Proposal on the Topic Internal Assessment System Essay Example Research Proposal on the Topic Internal Assessment System Essay Research Proposal on the Topic Internal Assessment System Essay Research proposal on Internal Assessment System Submitted to: Submitted by: Dr. Ajay Solkhe Arpit Gupta(14) Asstt. Professor Keshav Monga(54) USM,KUK MBA(P)(Gen. ) Title Internal assessment system: creating satisfaction or dissatisfaction among students! Background and justification of ResearchIn the current scenario there are many complaints addressed by the students regarding internal assessment system (IAS). They are of the opinion that their teachers are biased in giving marks to students. They say that the student who is in the good books of the teacher is given more marks then of the student, who is not, besides he is much better than him. They also complaint that the students who are having jacks are also given more marks. In this, we are basically focussing on the students’ behaviour regarding the IAS.Up to what extent students are comfortable and satisfied with the IAS. We are also focussing on the parameters which the teachers consider while giving marks to students in their assessment. The parameters adopted by the teachers are acceptable or not. Whether the teachers are biased with students or not will be also studied in the research, which will be made. Research Objectives * To get of views of students and teachers on Internal Assessment System. * To identify the satisfaction level of students. To check the consent of student Criteria Included in IAS. * To get suggestion to make efforts for improving IAS. * To know the criteria’s made by teachers for the allotment of marks in internal assessment of students. * To check whether the teachers are biased with the students or not.* To check whether IAS enhance students’ performance or not. Literature Review In this section, the satisfaction level of the students will be explored in context of the internal assessment system. Research Methodology Hypotheses IAS helps in enhancing students’ performance. * Biasness in IAS demotivates students and their performance is affected. Re search Design For this research, exploratory and conclusive research methodology is selected. We will be using this research design because for this more precise investigation is needed. Sampling We would be taking data of 50 students and 10 teachers from each department for studying this problem. Data will be collected through random sampling so that the conclusion drawn out of that is accurate and reliable.Data collection procedures Data will be collected through primary sources by the help of questionnaires which would be having 25 questions approximately. Near about 15 questions out of that would be for students and 10 questions are for teachers. Potential Difficulties The researcher might face various difficulties during the research regarding the authenticity of sources, reliability and validity of collected information, completing the research in limited time and cost.

Emile Durkheim and His Impact on Sociology

Emile Durkheim and His Impact on Sociology Émile Durkheim, one of the founding thinkers of sociology, was born in France on April 15, 1858. The year 2017 marks the 159th anniversary of his birth. To honor the birth and life of this important sociologist, well take a look at why he remains so important to sociologists today. What Makes Society Work? Durkheims body of work as a researcher and theorist focused on how it is that a society can form and function, which is another way of saying, how it can maintain order and stability (See his books titled The Division of Labor in Society  and The Elementary Forms of Religious Life). For this reason, he is considered the creator of the functionalist perspective within sociology. Durkheim was most interested in the glue that holds society together, which means he focused on the shared experiences, perspectives, values, beliefs, and behaviors that allow people to feel that they are a part of a group  and that working together to maintain the group is in their common interest. In essence, Durkheims work was all about culture, and as such, it remains deeply relevant and important to how sociologists study culture today. We draw on his contributions to help make sense of what holds us together, and also, and quite importantly, to help us understand the things that divide us, and how we deal (or dont deal) with those divisions. On Solidarity and the Collective Conscience Durkheim referred to how we bind together around a shared culture as solidarity. Through his research, he found that this was achieved through a combination of rules, norms, and roles; the existence of a collective conscience, which refers to how we think in common given our shared culture; and through the collective engagement in rituals that remind us of the values we share in common, of our group affiliation, and our shared interests. So, how is this theory of solidarity, crafted in the late 19th century, relevant today? One subfield in which it remains salient is the Sociology of Consumption. In studying why, for example, people often make purchases and use credit in ways that conflict with their own economic interests, many sociologists draw on Durkheims concepts to point out the important role that​  consumerist rituals play in our lives and relationships, like giving gifts for Christmas and Valentines Day, or waiting in line to be among the first owners of a new product. Other sociologists rely on Durkheims formulation of the collective conscious to study how certain beliefs and behaviors persist over time, and how they connect to things like politics and public policy. The collective conscious- a cultural phenomenon premised on shared values and beliefs- helps explain why many politicians are elected based on the values they claim to espouse, rather than on the basis of their actual track record as legislators. The Dangers of Anomie Today, Durkheims work is also useful to sociologists who rely on his concept of anomie to study the way violence often crops up- whether to the self or others- in the midst of societal change. This concept refers to how societal change, or the perception of it, can cause one to feel disconnected from society given changes in norms, values, and expectations, and how this can cause both psychic and material chaos. In a related vein, Durkheims legacy also helps explain  why disrupting everyday norms and routines with protest is an important way of raising awareness of issues  and of building movements around them. There are more ways that Durkheims body of work remains important, relevant, and useful to sociologists today. You can learn more about that by studying him, and by asking sociologists how they rely on his contributions.

Report on article Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Report on article - Case Study Example There are four basic management styles described in the management literature: Each of these styles has certain advantages and drawbacks, and there is no way to objectively compare their effectiveness: in some organizations directive democrats may be more successful than permissive democrats, in other organizations directive or permissive autocrats may exhibit high effectiveness, and visa versa. Effectiveness of the management style directly depends on the type of organization and nature of work performed. The style of permissive democrats seems to be the best solution for the Department of Justice filled with highly skilled professionals. The involvement in planning and decision making provides them with the sense of belongingness to work and they demonstrate more commitment in performing their duties. However, the style of permissive democrats has one essential limitation: active involvement of the subordinates in the process of decision making, coupled with lack of strict control often produces a deceptive impression that the manager adopts a laissez-faire attitude and simply does not perform his direct functions, namely controlling (Muczyk, 2004). Probably this confusion can be held responsible (at least partially) for the failure of Eileen to keep obey the rules. However, the fact that 8 other members of the team did not have similar problems with discipline suggests that Eileen's case is unique in this organizational setting. Therefore, as a new manager for strategic planning and design within the department of justice, my first step will be to closely analyze the system of relationships established and maintained by my predecessors within the team. The analysis will largely focus on defining the style of management keeping in mind that highly experienced, skilled and responsible employees do not require excessive supervision and control, unless in emergency cases. The next step will be to work individually with Eileen and her colleagues in order to find out the reasons for her misconduct. A series of individual interviews is likely to provide rich and very useful information necessary to find out whether Eileen is a victim of some subjective prejudice or stereotype or she does have some personal problems which prevent her from becoming a full member of the team. Probably, there is a person within the team that maintains negative view of Eileen and successfully promotes this view among other members of the team. At this point the manager should keep in mind that his position does not automatically make him a leader - the most influential persons within the team. The so-called 'workers of influence' theory is particularly important to understand the distinction between managers and leaders. The key