the Canterbury tales.comparing and contrasting the tradesman and the cook to the kinght. examples and quotes from the story included.

the Canterbury tales.comparing and contrasting the tradesman and the cook to the kinght. examples and quotes from the story included. The tradesmen and the cook are not really comparable to the knight. They have different contrasting personalities, views and priorities.The tradesmen also known as the guildsmen appear as a unit or a group in the prologue. They are craftsmen or an organization of workers with comparable occupations joined together to enhance the bargaining power for their unions. ‚“All in the livery of one impressive guild-fraternity‚” (371-372). The word livery suggests that the tradesmen are wearing matching clothing that represents what they stand for and believe in. Their identical apparel or livery also shows that they may be protestors that will fight for their establishment and they have the power to decide who may be a member of the union and who may not. Guilds, like some modern labor unions today, were highly restrictive in their membership and included only skilled craftsmen who practiced a particular trade. Their matching livery also represents competition and sacrifice.Na tional Committee of the Chinese Educational, Sci...It represents competition because labor unions are competing for employers by negotiating. And it represents sacrifice because the employer is not authorized to seek out the services of another labor union or hire another competing labor union even when he is not satisfied with the performance of the current labor union. ‚“Their wisdom would have justified a plan to make each one of them alderman‚” (381-382). This line is implying that the labor union members are very knowledgeable and their main priority was to establish and protect their members' livelihoods and to always get the best from their employers. The cook represents the strength and also the weakness of the tradesmen. The description of the cook shows the guild‚s devotion to material wealth, and the narrator praises the guildsmen only in terms of their possession by describing their knives and the...

Tips for Filling Out USCIS Forms

Tips for Filling Out USCIS Forms Let’s face it, even native-born American citizens don’t like filling out forms for the federal government. For an immigrant, the task can be daunting. Language barriers and cultural differences can complicate even simple, straightforward communication with the government. Each year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services receives millions of forms and applications from immigrants. Unfortunately, untold thousands of those are rejected or discarded because they were not filled out properly. Here are some simple tips to make sure the government accepts your form: Make sure you fill out the form legibly. If it’s messy or damaged and the government can’t read it, you’ll have not chance of getting what you want.Answer all questions truthfully and completely. It can be a serious offense to give the government incorrect information.Make sure the spelling is correct - especially with names. If you need help understanding the English, then get help. Generally, most applicants will not need to consult an immigration attorney to fill out a form. You can do it yourself! But if you have a complicated you, you may want to seek a lawyer’s advice. Follow the instructions carefully. If you need to send a fee with your document, make sure you send the right amount the right way.Don’t forget to sign your form. An unsigned form is a simple mistake that can delay your case for months. USCIS is constantly changing its forms, so it’s important you are sure you are filling out the right one. Here are some tips from the government. Remember that forms and applications are free, though there may be a charge to file them. Beware of dishonest service providers who might try to charge you for a blank form. A warning from the federal government: Never pay for a blank USCIS form! Some useful tips from USCIS: You can get a form by downloading them on line at the USCIS website, or by calling 1-800-870-3676.Make sure you are using the most current version of the form you want. Again, USCIS is changing and revising them all the time.When possible, download the form from the USCIS website and complete it with a computer. This will help ensure your document is legible.If you do write your answers by hand, use black ink and make sure your writing is neat and stays within the space provided.USCIS uses special scanners to read forms and documents. The scanners will not read the information properly if it is greyed-out, highlighted or corrected using correction fluid or tape. Take time to make sure your for form is as neat as possible!If you do make an error, the government recommends that you start over with a clean form. Again, they’re free!Complete the entire form. A partially completed form will not get you what you want. Barcoded Forms - USCIS Adds New Technology USCIS says it has added 2D barcode technology to some of its most used forms. They include: G-28, I-90, I-131, I-821, I-864 and N-400.The government says that when you complete these barcoded forms with a computer, the barcode at the bottom of the page will store the data entered on the form. USCIS will be able to scan the information from the barcode and upload it directly into the USCIS system.USCIS says you are not required to complete the barcoded forms electronically, but immigrants are encouraged to use them and to visit the government’s online form site. Remember the barcode captures only typed information; handwritten information is not captured by the barcode. So, you have to complete the forms fully electronically or full in handwriting.Take care not to damage the barcode. Give Your Form One Last InspectionBefore you file your form, look it over one last time to make sure it’s accurate and complete.USCIS says you should check these things in particular:Did you sign it?Are you sending the correct fee if one is required?Have you answered everything truthfully and completely?If you are sending more than one form, have you written your name and date of birth exactly the same way on each form? This is very important, whether you’re trying to get a visa, applying for citizenship or just changing an address.Are you mailing your form to the correct government address? If you’re not sure, check it.

Rain water harvesting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rain water harvesting - Essay Example The rainwater harvesting systems involves three main elements that are collection system, conveyance and storage system. The type of harvesting system rely on the magnitude as well as the nature of the catchment area. Simple roof water catchment is one of the collection systems used in many households whereby cistern, pipe and appurtenances are the materials used in roof water collection system. Second is the large systems that are made for the large institutions such as stadiums, schools among other facilities. The system appears complex as ground and roof water is preserved in underground reservoirs. Roof water systems for the higher buildings are another rainwater harvesting technique. In this system, roof water is often designed for collecting rainwater and the water is stored in a different cistern. Land surface catchments are regarded as the simplest way of harvesting runoff water as compared to rooftop catchment. Lastly, is the collection of storm water in urban areas whereby the storm water is subjected to various contaminants? In this catchment, maintaining the catchment clean is the central aim of the system and thus it entails consideration of water pollution control.The collection of the rainwater using gutters is determined by the material used in water harvesting that can affect the efficiency of the system. For example, the low-pitched roofs do not lose much water like steep-pitched roofs. The materials used in water harvesting and the location of the storage facility affect the efficiency of the system operation.

Globalization College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Globalization College - Essay Example Still, globalization transforms natural environment and cultural spheres of all countries brining new threats and financial capitals. There are different views and understandings of the problem of global warming, its significance and threat for the population (Friedman, 2000). The progress of globalization increases environmental degradation and extension of wild life. Improved transportation facilities and immigration led to occupation of new territories and lands. The world has yet to face a more important environmental policy decision than that to be made about controlling greenhouse-gas emissions. Striking a balance between the implied threat and those immense costs is an imposing challenge. The relationship between pollution and global warming is a complex one (Bengtsson and Saito 2003). The progress of globalization leads to technology exchange and increased production. The result is increased pollution in all geographical areas of the world. Assessments of the impacts of global climate change are frequently based on estimates of biophysical changes, particularly potential changes in agricultural yields and water resources. The direct approach traces the impact of a specific change in a physical input variable (such as temperature) on yields or biomass, and then, through a series of steps, to impacts on economy and society. This type of assessment relies on (and is often limited to) physical models of the climate, water balance, and vegetation growth. The main problem is that this policy would deepen economic differences between the countries and worsens the situation in developing countries. Concerns over the ramifications of the flexibility mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol remain, less developed countries have become less skeptical and more receptive as the st ructure of the mechanisms evolves and as understanding of the mechanisms and their potential benefits to less developed countries becomes clearer. The principal concern appears to revolve around the possible imposition of emissions targets or other additional obligations on less developed countries. Meanwhile, less developed countries called for unremitting efforts to combat climate change by adhering to the established principles and goals, and implied that less developed countries would welcome an agreement on the implementation of the Kyoto mechanisms. The central piece of the Kyoto Protocol is, of course, its legally binding emission commitments for Annex I Parties which, assuming compliance, will together lead to a reduction in emissions from 1990 levels for that group of parties of around 5.2 per cent (Wade et al 2006). The worldwide publicity that proposed carbon taxes are drawing merits some special attention. From at least one standpoint, a tax strategy in the climate context is easier to defend than taxes in the more familiar contexts of domestic water or air basin pollution. As we saw, in those situations taxes were complicated by the fact that damage from the same chemical agent can vary considerably, depending on the point of release-whether upwind or upstream of a large population center, for example.

Solid and Melting Point Essay Example for Free

Solid and Melting Point Essay (2pts) Indicate the correct waste container for the following compounds: a. hexane non-halogenated organic b. 10% NaOH aqueous c. methylene chloride (dichloromethane) halogenated organic d. magnesium sulfate solid e. sodium hypochlorite halogenated organic 2. (1pt) Describe the proper way to separate ground glass joints if they become stuck. The proper way to separate ground glass joints is to hold the two pieces of glassware with paper towels so that your hands are touching as close to the joint as possible and pull with a firm grip. Try to loosen with a slight twisting motion. If that does not work try to tap with a wooden handle and try to pull apart. Lastly you can heat the joint with hot water or steam bath, but to be careful not to over heat. 3. (1pt) What is a solute? What is a solvent? A solute is the solid that is dissolved in a liquid. The solvent is the liquid in which something is dissolved. 4. (1pt) What is the purpose of a water trap (used during vacuum filtration)? The purpose of a water trap is to prevent filtrate from being sucked into the vacuum system. 5. (2pts) What is the difference between crystallization and precipitation of a product? List three differences. Crystallization forms crystalline solids while precipitation produces amorphous solids. Crystallization is slow and a pure compound comes out of solution and precipitation is fast and a mixture of compounds falls out of solution. Crystals have an ordered structure than amorphous solids and are harder to produce. 6. (1pt) What will happen if you choose a solvent whose boiling point is higher than the melting point of the compound to be crystallized? The solvent would boil out before the compound could melt. 7. (1pt) How does the melting point of a product help determine its purity? The purer the material the higher its melting point and the narrower its melting point range is. The range should fall in to the melting point range of what the substance you are determining its purity for. 8. (1pt) Generally describe how to predict solubility. Like dissolves like. The solvent/solute molecules are structurally similar so the solute will dissolve in the solvent.

Clinical dentistry :: essays research papers

Fundamentals of Clinical Dentistry: Intro to Indices and Charting Specific Objectives: 1) Define the purpose of dental indices, such as DMF-T, DMF-S, Gingival Inflammation Index and Plaque Index. Dental indices are important tools used in examinations to provide a numeric score that quantifies the magnitude of the disease measured. DMF-T: The number of teeth that are decayed, missing, or filled, the DMFT index, is a total score of all affected teeth and provides a caries experience score for an individual. DMF-S: A count of tooth surfaces that are decayed, missing, or filled and provides a greater precision about the caries history of an individual or a population group when mean scores are derived. Gingival Inflammation Index: Provides an assessment of gingival inflammatory status that can be used in practice to compare gingival health before and after dental visits and or treatments. Plaque Index: Same as Gingival Inflammation Index but deals with plaque. 2) Differentiate between the terms prevalence and incidence of a disease. Disease Prevalence: The number of decayed, missing, and filled surfaces that exist in the mouth at any one time. Only one examination is required to determine prevalence. (Prevalence is what is present at one point in time!) Disease Incidence: The number of decayed, missing, and filled surfaces that occur over a given period of time. Two different examinations are required to determine incidence- one before, and one at the end of a selected time period. (Incidence is what happens over a period of time!) 3) Describe the rationale and demonstrate how to chart existing restorations (amalgam, composite, gold, crowns, bridges, other), missing teeth, incipient caries and caries. Rationale- Well I think this is pretty common sense. Charting the information listed above will give you a record of your patient. This record can be reviewed upon future visits to note and record any changes. If you want me to explain how to wipe the fog off a mirror against the inside of your patient’s cheek, let me know. I also think I could get the point of a modified pen grasp across if someone really needs the help. Code for Dental Charting Existing Restorations: Fixed bridge (3 units)- Outline tooth crowns and place an X through tooth root to indicate which tooth is the pontic. Crown- Outline tooth crown and use diagonal lines to indicate gold. Non-metallic restoration (e.g. composite)- outline margins of the restoration. Metallic restoration (e.g. amalgam)- fill in the shape of the restoration with blue pencil. â€Å"Cracked† or â€Å"chipped† restorations- use red pencil to outline the existing restoration.

Keynesian Economics

Keynesian economics is the view that in the short run, especially during recessions, economic output is strongly influenced by aggregate demand . In the Keynesian view, aggregate demand does not necessarily equal the productive capacity of the economy; instead, it is influenced by a host of factors and sometimes behaves erratically, affecting production, employment, and inflation The theories forming the basis of Keynesian economics were first presented by the British economist John Maynard Keynes in his book, The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, published in 1936, during the Great Depression.Keynes contrasted his approach to the aggregate supply-focused ‘classical' economics that preceded his book. The interpretations of Keynes that followed are contentious and several schools of economic thought claim his legacy. Keynesian economists often argue that private sector decisions sometimes lead to inefficient macroeconomic outcomes which require active policy resp onses by the public sector, in particular, monetary policy actions by the central bank and fiscal policy actions by the government, in order to stabilize output over the business cycle.Keynesian economics advocates a mixed economy – predominantly private sector, but with a role for government intervention during recessions. Keynesian economics served as the standard economic model in the developed nations during the later part of the Great Depression, World War II, and the post-war economic expansion (1945–1973), though it lost some influence following the oil shock and resulting stagflation of the 1970s. The advent of the global financial crisis in 2008 has caused a resurgence in Keynesian thought. OverviewPrior to the publication of Keynes's General Theory, mainstream economic thought was that the economy existed in a state of general equilibrium, meaning that the economy naturally consumes whatever it produces because the needs of consumers are always greater than t he capacity of the economy to satisfy those needs. This perception is reflected in Say's Law and in the writing of David Ricardo which is that individuals produce so that they can either consume what they have manufactured or sell their output so that they can buy someone else's output.This perception rests upon the assumption that if a surplus of goods or services exists, they would naturally drop in price to the point where they would be consumed. Keynes's theory was significant because it overturned the mainstream thought of the time and brought about a greater awareness that problems such as unemployment are not a product of laziness, but the result of a structural inadequacy in the economic system. He argued that because there was no guarantee that the goods that individuals produce would be met with demand, unemployment was a natural consequence.He saw the economy as unable to maintain itself at full employment and believed that it was necessary for the government to step in a nd put under-utilised savings to work through government spending. Thus, according to Keynesian theory, some individually rational microeconomic-level actions such as not investing savings in the goods and services produced by the economy, if taken collectively by a large proportion of individuals and firms, can lead to outcomes wherein the economy operates below its potential output and growth rate.Prior to Keynes, a situation in which aggregate demand for goods and services did not meet supply was referred to by classical economists as a general glut, although there was disagreement among them as to whether a general glut was possible. Keynes argued that when a glut occurred, it was the over-reaction of producers and the laying off of workers that led to a fall in demand and perpetuated the problem. Keynesians therefore advocate an active stabilization policy to reduce the amplitude of the business cycle, which they rank among the most serious of economic problems.According to the theory, government spending can be used to increase aggregate demand, thus increasing economic activity, reducing unemployment and deflation. Theory Keynes argued that the solution to the Great Depression was to stimulate the economy (â€Å"inducement to invest†) through some combination of two approaches: 1. A reduction in interest rates (monetary policy), and 2. Government investment in infrastructure (fiscal policy). By reducing the interest rate at which the central bank lends money to commercial banks, the government sends a signal to commercial banks that they should do the same for their customers.Investment by government in infrastructure injects income into the economy by creating business opportunity, employment and demand and reversing the effects of the aforementioned imbalance. Governments source the funding for this expenditure by borrowing funds from the economy through the issue of government bonds, and because government spending exceeds the amount of tax in come that the government receives, this creates a fiscal deficit. A central conclusion of Keynesian economics is that, in some situations, no strong automatic mechanism moves output and employment towards full employment levels.This conclusion conflicts with economic approaches that assume a strong general tendency towards equilibrium. In the ‘neoclassical synthesis', which combines Keynesian macro concepts with a micro foundation, the conditions of general equilibrium allow for price adjustment to eventually achieve this goal. More broadly, Keynes saw his theory as a general theory, in which utilization of resources could be high or low, whereas previous economics focused on the particular case of full utilization.The new classical macroeconomics movement, which began in the late 1960s and early 1970s, criticized Keynesian theories, while New Keynesian economics has sought to base Keynes's ideas on more rigorous theoretical foundations. Some interpretations of Keynes have emp hasized his stress on the international coordination of Keynesian policies, the need for international economic institutions, and the ways in which economic forces could lead to war or could promote peace. Concept Wages and spending During the Great Depression, the classical theory attributed mass unemployment to high and rigid real wages.To Keynes, the determination of wages is more complicated. First, he argued that it is not real but nominal wages that are set in negotiations between employers and workers, as opposed to a barter relationship. Second, nominal wage cuts would be difficult to put into effect because of laws and wage contracts. Even classical economists admitted that these exist; unlike Keynes, they advocated abolishing minimum wages, unions, and long-term contracts, increasing labour market flexibility. However, to Keynes, people will resist nominal wage reductions, even without unions, until they see other wages falling and a general fall of prices.Keynes rejected the idea that cutting wages would cure recessions. He examined the explanations for this idea and found them all faulty. He also considered the most likely consequences of cutting wages in recessions, under various different circumstances. He concluded that such wage cutting would be more likely to make recessions worse rather than better. Further, if wages and prices were falling, people would start to expect them to fall. This could make the economy spiral downward as those who had money would simply wait as falling prices made it more valuable – rather than spending.As Irving Fisher argued in 1933, in his Debt-Deflation Theory of Great Depressions, deflation (falling prices) can make a depression deeper as falling prices and wages made pre-existing nominal debts more valuable in real terms. Excessive saving To Keynes, excessive saving, i. e. saving beyond planned investment, was a serious problem, encouraging recession or even depression. Excessive saving results if invest ment falls, perhaps due to falling consumer demand, over-investment in earlier years, or pessimistic business expectations, and if saving does not immediately fall in step, the economy would decline.The classical economists argued that interest rates would fall due to the excess supply of â€Å"loanable funds†. The first diagram, adapted from the only graph in The General Theory, shows this process. (For simplicity, other sources of the demand for or supply of funds are ignored here. ) Assume that fixed investment in capital goods falls from â€Å"old I† to â€Å"new I† (step a). Second (step b), the resulting excess of saving causes interest-rate cuts, abolishing the excess supply: so again we have saving (S) equal to investment. The interest-rate (i) fall prevents that of production and employment.Keynes had a complex argument against this laissez-faire response. The graph below summarizes his argument, assuming again that fixed investment falls (step A). Firs t, saving does not fall much as interest rates fall, since the income and substitution effectsof falling rates go in conflicting directions. Second, since planned fixed investment in plant and equipment is based mostly on long-term expectations of future profitability, that spending does not rise much as interest rates fall. So S and I are drawn as steep (inelastic) in the graph.Given the inelasticity of both demand and supply, a large interest-rate fall is needed to close the saving/investment gap. As drawn, this requires a negative interest rate at equilibrium (where the new I line would intersect the old S line). However, this negative interest rate is not necessary to Keynes's argument. Third, Keynes argued that saving and investment are not the main determinants of interest rates, especially in the short run. Instead, the supply of and the demand for the stock of money determine interest rates in the short run. (This is not drawn in the graph.)Neither changes quickly in respons e to excessive saving to allow fast interest-rate adjustment. Finally, Keynes suggested that, because of fear of capital losses on assets besides money, there may be a â€Å"liquidity trap† setting a floor under which interest rates cannot fall. While in this trap, interest rates are so low that any increase in money supply will cause bond-holders (fearing rises in interest rates and hence capital losses on their bonds) to sell their bonds to attain money (liquidity). In the diagram, the equilibrium suggested by the new I line and the old S line cannot be reached, so that excess saving persists.Some (such as Paul Krugman) see this latter kind of liquidity trap as prevailing in Japan in the 1990s. Most economists agree that nominal interest rates cannot fall below zero. However, some economists (particularly those from the Chicago school) reject the existence of a liquidity trap. Even if the liquidity trap does not exist, there is a fourth (perhaps most important) element to K eynes's critique. Saving involves not spending all of one's income. Thus, it means insufficient demand for business output, unless it is balanced by other sources of demand, such as fixed investment.Therefore, excessive saving corresponds to an unwanted accumulation of inventories, or what classical economists called a general glut. [ This pile-up of unsold goods and materials encourages businesses to decrease both production and employment. This in turn lowers people's incomes – and saving, causing a leftward shift in the S line in the diagram (step B). For Keynes, the fall in income did most of the job by ending excessive saving and allowing the loanable funds market to attain equilibrium. Instead of interest-rate adjustment solving the problem, a recession does so.Thus in the diagram, the interest-rate change is small. Whereas the classical economists assumed that the level of output and income was constant and given at any one time (except for short-lived deviations), Key nes saw this as the key variable that adjusted to equate saving and investment. Finally, a recession undermines the business incentive to engage in fixed investment. With falling incomes and demand for products, the desired demand for factories and equipment (not to mention housing) will fall. This accelerator effect would shift the I line to the left again, a change not shown in the diagram above.This recreates the problem of excessive saving and encourages the recession to continue. In sum, to Keynes there is interaction between excess supplies in different markets, as unemployment in labour markets encourages excessive saving – and vice-versa. Rather than prices adjusting to attain equilibrium, the main story is one of quantity adjustment allowing recessions and possible attainment of underemployment equilibrium. Active fiscal policy Classical economists have traditionally yearned for balanced government budgets.Keynesians, on the other hand, believe this would exacerbate the underlying problem: following either the expansionary policy or the contractionary policy would raise saving (broadly defined) and thus lower the demand for both products and labour. For example, Keynesians would advise tax cuts instead. [10] Keynes's ideas influenced Franklin D. Roosevelt's view that insufficient buying-power caused the Depression. During his presidency, Roosevelt adopted some aspects of Keynesian economics, especially after 1937, when, in the depths of the Depression, the United States suffered from recession yet again following fiscal contraction.But to many the true success of Keynesian policy can be seen at the onset of World War II, which provided a kick to the world economy, removed uncertainty, and forced the rebuilding of destroyed capital. Keynesian ideas became almost official in social-democratic Europe after the war and in the U. S. in the 1960s. Keynes developed a theory which suggested that active government policy could be effective in managing t he economy.Rather than seeing unbalanced government budgets as wrong, Keynes advocated what has been called countercyclical fiscal policies, that is, policies that acted against the tide of the business cycle: deficit spending when a nation's economy suffers from recessionor when recovery is long-delayed and unemployment is persistently high – and the suppression of inflation in boom times by either increasing taxes or cutting back on government outlays. He argued that governments should solve problems in the short run rather than waiting for market forces to do it in the long run, because, â€Å"in the long run, we are all dead.†This contrasted with the classical and neoclassical economic analysis of fiscal policy. Fiscal stimulus could actuate production. But, to these schools, there was no reason to believe that this stimulation would outrun the side-effects that â€Å"crowd out† private investment: first, it would increase the demand for labour and raise wag es, hurting profitability; Second, a government deficit increases the stock of government bonds, reducing their market price and encouraging high interest rates, making it more expensive for business to finance fixed investment.Thus, efforts to stimulate the economy would be self-defeating. The Keynesian response is that such fiscal policy is appropriate only when unemployment is persistently high, above the non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment (NAIRU). In that case, crowding out is minimal. Further, private investment can be â€Å"crowded in†: Fiscal stimulus raises the market for business output, raising cash flow and profitability, spurring business optimism. To Keynes, this accelerator effect meant that government and business could be complements rather than substitutes in this situation.Second, as the stimulus occurs, gross domestic product rises, raising the amount of saving, helping to finance the increase in fixed investment. Finally, government outlays ne ed not always be wasteful: government investment in public goods that will not be provided by profit-seekers will encourage the private sector's growth. That is, government spending on such things as basic research, public health, education, and infrastructure could help the long-term growth of potential output. In Keynes's theory, there must be significant slack in the labour market before fiscal expansion is justified.Contrary to some critical characterizations of it, Keynesianism does not consist solely of deficit spending. Keynesianism recommends counter-cyclical policies. An example of a counter-cyclical policy is raising taxes to cool the economy and to prevent inflation when there is abundant demand-side growth, and engaging in deficit spending on labour-intensive infrastructure projects to stimulate employment and stabilize wages during economic downturns. Classical economics, on the other hand, argues that one should cut taxes when there are budget surpluses, and cut spendi ng – or, less likely, increase taxes – during economic downturns.Keynesian economists believe that adding to profits and incomes during boom cycles through tax cuts, and removing income and profits from the economy through cuts in spending during downturns, tends to exacerbate the negative effects of the business cycle. This effect is especially pronounced when the government controls a large fraction of the economy, as increased tax revenue may aid investment in state enterprises in downturns, and decreased state revenue and investment harm those enterprises. â€Å"Multiplier effect† and interest rates Main article: Spending multiplierTwo aspects of Keynes's model has implications for policy: First, there is the â€Å"Keynesian multiplier†, first developed by Richard F. Kahn in 1931. Exogenous increases in spending, such as an increase in government outlays, increases total spending by a multiple of that increase. A government could stimulate a great dea l of new production with a modest outlay if: 1. The people who receive this money then spend most on consumption goods and save the rest. 2. This extra spending allows businesses to hire more people and pay them, which in turn allows a further increase in consumer spending.This process continues. At each step, the increase in spending is smaller than in the previous step, so that the multiplier process tapers off and allows the attainment of an equilibrium. This story is modified and moderated if we move beyond a â€Å"closed economy† and bring in the role of taxation: The rise in imports and tax payments at each step reduces the amount of induced consumer spending and the size of the multiplier effect. Second, Keynes re-analyzed the effect of the interest rate on investment. In the classical model, the supply of funds (saving) determines the amount of fixed business investment.That is, under the classical model, since all savings are placed in banks, and all business investo rs in need of borrowed funds go to banks, the amount of savings determines the amount that is available to invest. Under Keynes's model, the amount of investment is determined independently by long-term profit expectations and, to a lesser extent, the interest rate. The latter opens the possibility of regulating the economy through money supply changes, via monetary policy. Under conditions such as the Great Depression, Keynes argued that this approach would be relatively ineffective compared to fiscal policy.But, during more â€Å"normal† times, monetary expansion can stimulate the economy. IS/LM model The IS/LM model is nearly as influential as Keynes's original analysis in determining actual policy and economics education. It relates aggregate demand and employment to three exogenousquantities, i. e. , the amount of money in circulation, the government budget, and the state of business expectations. This model was very popular with economists after World War II because it could be understood in terms of general equilibrium theory. This encouraged a much more static vision of macroeconomics than that described above.History Precursors Keynes's work was part of a long-running debate within economics over the existence and nature of general gluts. While a number of the policies Keynes advocated (the notable one being government deficit spending at times of low private investment or consumption) and the theoretical ideas he proposed (effective demand, the multiplier, the paradox of thrift) were advanced by various authors in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Keynes's unique contribution was to provide a general theory of these, which proved acceptable to the political and economic establishments.Schools See also: Underconsumption, Birmingham School (economics), and Stockholm school (economics) An intellectual precursor of Keynesian economics was underconsumption theory in classical economics, dating from such 19th-century economists as Thomas Malthus, t he Birmingham Schoolof Thomas Attwood, and the American economists William Trufant Foster and Waddill Catchings, who were influential in the 1920s and 1930s.Underconsumptionists were, like Keynes after them, concerned with failure of aggregate demand to attain potential output, calling this â€Å"under consumption† (focusing on the demand side), rather than â€Å"overproduction† (which would focus on the supply side), and advocating economic interventionism. Keynes specifically discussed under consumption (which he wrote â€Å"under-consumption†) in the General Theory, in Chapter 22, Section IV and Chapter 23, Section VII.Numerous concepts were developed earlier and independently of Keynes by the Stockholm school during the 1930s; these accomplishments were described in a 1937 article, published in response to the 1936 General Theory, sharing the Swedish discoveries. Concepts The multiplier dates to work in the 1890s by the Australian economist Alfred De Lissa, the Danish economist Julius Wulff, and the German American economist Nicholas Johannsen,[15] the latter being cited in a footnote of Keynes. [16] Nicholas Johannsen also proposed a theory of effective demand in the 1890s. The paradox of thrift was stated in 1892 by John M.Robertson in his The Fallacy of Savings, in earlier forms by mercantilist economists since the 16th century, and similar sentiments date to antiquity. [17][18] Today these ideas, regardless of provenance, are referred to in academia under the rubric of â€Å"Keynesian economics†, due to Keynes's role in consolidating, elaborating, and popularizing them. Keynes and the classicists Keynes sought to distinguish his theories from and oppose them to â€Å"classical economics,† by which he meant the economic theories of David Ricardo and his followers, including John Stuart Mill,Alfred Marshall, Francis Ysidro Edgeworth, and Arthur Cecil Pigou.A central tenet of the classical view, known as Say's law, state s that â€Å"supply creates its own demand. † Say's Law can be interpreted in two ways. First, the claim that the total value of output is equal to the sum of income earned in production is a result of a national income accounting identity, and is therefore indisputable. A second and stronger claim, however, that the â€Å"costs of output are always covered in the aggregate by the sale-proceeds resulting from demand† depends on how consumption and saving are linked to production and investment.In particular, Keynes argued that the second, strong form of Say's Law only holds if increases in individual savings exactly match an increase in aggregate investment. Keynes sought to develop a theory that would explain determinants of saving, consumption, investment and production. In that theory, the interaction of aggregate demand and aggregate supply determines the level of output and employment in the economy. Because of what he considered the failure of the â€Å"Classica l Theory† in the 1930s, Keynes firmly objects to its main theory – adjustments in prices would automatically make demand tend to the full employment level.Neo-classical theory supports that the two main costs that shift demand and supply are labour and money. Through the distribution of the monetary policy, demand and supply can be adjusted. If there were more labour than demand for it, wages would fall until hiring began again. If there were too much saving, and not enough consumption, then interest rates would fall until people either cut their savings rate or started borrowing. Postwar KeynesianismMain articles: Neo-Keynesian economics, New Keynesian economics, and Post-Keynesian economics Keynes's ideas became widely accepted after World War II, and until the early 1970s, Keynesian economics provided the main inspiration for economic policy makers in Western industrialized countries. Governments prepared high quality economic statistics on an ongoing basis and tried to base their policies on the Keynesian theory that had become the norm. In the early era of new liberalism and social democracy, most western capitalist countries enjoyed low, stable unemployment and modest inflation, an era called the Golden Age of Capitalism.In terms of policy, the twin tools of post-war Keynesian economics were fiscal policy and monetary policy. While these are credited to Keynes, others, such as economic historian David Colander, argue that they are, rather, due to the interpretation of Keynes by Abba Lerner in his theory of Functional Finance, and should instead be called â€Å"Lernerian† rather than â€Å"Keynesian†. Through the 1950s, moderate degrees of government demand leading industrial development, and use of fiscal and monetary counter-cyclical policies continued, and reached a peak in the â€Å"go go† 1960s, where it seemed to many Keynesians that prosperity was now permanent.In 1971, Republican US President Richard Nixon even pr oclaimed â€Å"I am now a Keynesian in economics. † However, with the oil shock of 1973, and the economic problems of the 1970s, modern liberal economics began to fall out of favor. During this time, many economies experienced high and rising unemployment, coupled with high and rising inflation, contradicting the Phillips curve's prediction. This stagflation meant that the simultaneous application of expansionary (anti-recession) and contractionary(anti-inflation) policies appeared to be necessary. This dilemma led to the end of the Keynesian near-consensus of the 1960s, and the rise throughout the 1970s of ideas based upon more classical analysis, including monetarism, supply-side economics, and new classical economics. At the same time, Keynesians began during the period to reorganize their thinking (some becoming associated with New Keynesian economics).One strategy, utilized also as a critique of the notably high unemployment and potentially disappointing GNP growth rates associated with the latter two theories by the mid-1980s, was to emphasize low unemployment and maximal economic growth at the cost of somewhat higher inflation (its consequences kept in check by indexing and other methods, and its overall rate kept lower and steadier by such potential policies as Martin Weitzman's share economy). [22] Multiple schools of economic thought that trace their legacy to Keynes currently exist, the notable ones being Neo-Keynesian economics, New Keynesian economics, and Post-Keynesian economics.Keynes's biographer Robert Skidelsky writes that the post-Keynesian school has remained closest to the spirit of Keynes's work in following his monetary theory and rejecting the neutrality of money. In the postwar era, Keynesian analysis was combined with neoclassical economics to produce what is generally termed the â€Å"neoclassical synthesis†, yielding Neo-Keynesian economics, which dominated mainstream macroeconomic thought. Though it was widely held t hat there was no strong automatic tendency to full employment, many believed that if government policy were used to ensure it, the economy would behave as neoclassical theory predicted.This post-war domination by Neo-Keynesian economics was broken during the stagflation of the 1970s. There was a lack of consensus among macroeconomists in the 1980s. However, the advent of New Keynesian economics in the 1990s, modified and provided microeconomic foundations for the neo-Keynesian theories. These modified models now dominate mainstream economics. Post-Keynesian economists, on the other hand, reject the neoclassical synthesis and, in general, neoclassical economics applied to the macroeconomy.Post-Keynesian economics is aheterodox school that holds that both Neo-Keynesian economics and New Keynesian economics are incorrect, and a misinterpretation of Keynes's ideas. The Post-Keynesian school encompasses a variety of perspectives, but has been far less influential than the other more main stream Keynesian schools. Relationship to other schools of economics The Keynesian schools of economics are situated alongside a number of other schools that have the same perspectives on what the economic issues are, but differ on what causes them and how to best resolve them: Stockholm SchoolThe Stockholm School rose to prominence at about the same time that Keynes published his General Theory and shared a common concern in business cycles and unemployment. The second generation of Swedish economists also advocated government intervention through spending during economic downturns although opinions are divided over whether they conceived the essence of Keynes's theory before he did. Monetarism There was debate between Monetarists and Keynesians in the 1960s over the role of government in stabilizing the economy.Both Monetarists and Keynesians are in agreement over the fact that issues such as business cycles, unemployment, inflation are caused by inadequate demand, and need to be addressed, but they had fundamentally different perspectives on the capacity of the economy to find its own equilibrium and as a consequence the degree of government intervention that is required to create equilibrium. Keynesians emphasized the use of discretionary fiscal policy and monetary policy, while monetarists argued the primacy of monetary policy, and that it should be rules-based The debate was largely resolved in the 1980s.Since then, economists have largely agreed that central banks should bear the primary responsibility for stabilizing the economy, and that monetary policy should largely follow the Taylor rule – which many economists credit with the Great Moderation. The Global Financial Crisis, however, has convinced many economists and governments of the need for fiscal interventions and highlighted the difficulty in stimulating economies through monetary policy alone during a liquidity trap. Criticisms Austrian School criticisms Austrian economist Friedrich Hay ek disagreed with some of Keynes' views.Journalist and Austrian publicist Henry Hazlitt, wrote a detailed criticism of Keynes's General Theory in The Failure of the New Economics. James M. Buchanan and Richard E. Wagner James M. Buchanan and Richard E. Wagner, writing Democracy in Deficit: The Political Legacy of Lord Keynes and â€Å"The Consequences of Mr. Keynes† with John Burton, criticize Keynesian economics. According to them, The implicit assumption underlying the Keynesian fiscal revolution was that economic policy would be made by wise men, acting without regard to political pressures or opportunities, and guided by disinterested economic technocrats.They insisted that the fundamental flaw of Keynesian economics was the unrealistic assumption about political, bureaucratic and electoral behavior. Some economists such as James Tobin and Robert Barro commented about the thesis. They replied these comments New Classical Macroeconomics criticisms Another influential schoo l of thought was based on the Lucas critique of Keynesian economics. This called for greater consistency with microeconomic theory and rationality, and in particular emphasized the idea of rational expectations.Lucas and others argued that Keynesian economics required remarkably foolish and short-sighted behavior from people, which totally contradicted the economic understanding of their behavior at a micro level. New classical economics introduced a set of macroeconomic theories that were based on optimising microeconomic behavior. These models have been developed into the Real Business Cycle Theory, which argues that business cycle fluctuations can to a large extent be accounted for by real (in contrast to nominal) shocks.Beginning in the late 1950s new classical macroeconomists began to disagree with the methodology employed by Keynes and his successors. Keynesians emphasized the dependence of consumption on disposable income and, also, of investment on current profits and curren t cash flow. In addition, Keynesians posited a Phillips curve that tied nominal wage inflation to unemployment rate. To support these theories, Keynesians typically traced the logical foundations of their model (using introspection) and supported their assumptions with statistical evidence.New classical theorists demanded that macroeconomics be grounded  on the same foundations as microeconomic theory, profit-maximizing firms and rational, utility-maximizing consumers The result of this shift in methodology produced several important divergences from Keynesian Macroeconomics 1. Independence of Consumption and current Income (life-cycle permanent income hypothesis) 2. Irrelevance of Current Profits to Investment (Modigliani-Miller theorem) 3. Long run independence of inflation and unemployment (natural rate of unemployment) 4. The inability of monetary policy to stabilize output (rational expectations) 5. Irrelevance of Taxes and Budget Deficits to Consumption (Ricardian Equivalenc e)

Nurse on Thinking Outside the Box

Innovative thinking is required but In order to do so, one must gain ample experience to foresee crisis that may happen upon the application of the unconventional. Getting out of the box means sucking with the problem longer, and looking at It from various sides, which may not always be suitable for a fast paced nurse, even with the right time management nurses are naturally multi-tasters and are known to accomplish one job to get on with the other. In the box thinkers often believe that every problem needs only one solution; therefore, folding more than one possible solution is a waste of time.In Nursing Leaders/Supervisors: Nursing leaders on the other hand, thinking outside of the box may mean seeking the opinions of others which can help in the creative thinking process. As a nurse leader, one can improve out of the box thinking if one seeks ideas from those outside of one's own profession. Asking oneself on how things are being done in other industries could go a long way from J ust going around his/her own department. Through this, a leader can easily seek what ideas can be best applied to a particular situation/task/problem and this requires a willingness to take new respective to day-to-day work.As nurse leaders, they need to nurture their ability to think outside the box and promote this skill in others. In Nurses Working in Offices: While nurses who have ventured outside the clinical set-up and have chosen the cubicle type of work environment, by doing so only proves that they're one of the outside of the box thinkers. They are the ones who like to challenge their own assumptions on a regular basis, which can be the most difficult part of out of the box thinking. One must remember that Just because something has always been one ay, doesn't mean that it has to continue to be that way.Out-of-the box thinking requires openness to new ways of seeing the world and willingness to explore. It means considering other Innovative options, from roles as nurse edu cators, executive nurse leaders and policymakers, to nurse entrepreneurs, retail clinic nurses, nurse Informatics and researchers–to name a few–we have seen how nurses have been able to parlay their clinical backgrounds and health care skill sets Into entirely new realms, one must not stop because even great creative people can become In-the-box thinkers when they stop trying.

Jackson And His Importance.

Jackson And His Importance. Jackson and his Importance.Andrew Jackson's election in 1828, represented the forceful movement west. Andrew Jackson was from Tennessee and was firm in his beliefs agenst the Indians. He was the leader of their displacement to places less wanted for instance, Oklahoma which at the time he considered "God forsaken"‚ . Under his presidency Andrew Jackson was able to push westward past the Mississippi adding several new states as he went. The increase in land lead to an agricultural boom this gave the American economy a large boost, up until 1819 when the great scare came about and dropped land prices from 69$ and acre to 2$.Andrew Jackson was a symbol of the common man. He used this view to gain votes. It has been said that he was illiterate. It was this type of perception that gave him an advantage. People saw him as a successful version of themselves, and from this they inferred that their voice would be heard.78 year old Andrew JacksonIn reality Andrew Jackson was a wealthy m an and by no means a good representation of the average man.With the growing amount of product being produced and the demand from European countries such as France (who were in need of food and supplies because of war) there was a large push to evolve their current forms of transportation and shipping. In 1819 it became apparent to people that they need to be more stable in their trading, like the European counter parts. This feeling was aided buy industrialization and rapid changes in transportation from canals to steam boats, to trains.Also the growing number of children lead to a desire for better schools. Under Jackson the schools change from one room all ages to schools that are state funded (not yet federally funded) to schools that...

How to Write a Romance Novel ðŸ ðŸ

How to Write a Romance Novel ðŸ’â€" 📕 How to Write a Romance Novel Romance novels have always captured our hearts - they contain the intrigue, intimacy, and basic human drama that all readers love. And while it was once a â€Å"shameful† genre read mostly in secret, romance today is having a huge moment, with mega-popular books like Outlander and Crazy Rich Asians even being adapted for film and TV. So why not get in on the zeitgeist and learn how to write a romance novel of your very own?Luckily, though love itself may be hard to explain, the process of writing about it isn’t. Here are our seven best tips for writing romance, including all the crucial elements you need. We’ll use examples from a variety of sources to show you how to employ them - though not all these examples are strictly romance themselves, their tropes and techniques are key to the genre. How to write romance that'll make your readers swoon  Ã°Å¸Ëœ  1. Find your nicheIf you've never even tried to write romance before, don’t worry - we’ll start you off easy. The first thing to know is that the genre, like Walt Whitman, is large and contains multitudes. There’s no one right way to write romance, as evidenced by the fact that it encompasses so many subgenres!Popular subgenres of romance include:HistoricalContemporaryYoung adultFantasyParanormal/supernaturalReligious or spiritualEroticSo if you’re concerned that your writing won’t â€Å"fit† with the genre, never fear: you just have to find the right niche. And the best way to do that is by reading romance yourself! Of course, you may have already read quite a bit within a particular subgenre and you’re confident that’s where you fit in. But if not, now’s the time to explore the many glorious facets that romance has to offer. 2. Set the stage effectivelySetting is absolutely paramount in romance. Why? Well, for a couple of reasons:Romance is all about escape - and if the setting isn’t immersive enough, readers won’t be able to lose themselves in the story.Many romance authors go on to write a series based on their first novel (more on that later). So the setting needs to be a place both reader and author will want to return to, book after book.What defines a strong setting in romance?Contemporary romances tend to have cozy, small-scale settings: quaint villages, college campuses, etc. There might be a local haunt where the main characters frequently meet (such as a diner or bookstore), and where gossiping friends and neighbors hang around to add a bit of comedy. If you’re sticking to the standard, you’ll want to have one of these â€Å"compact† settings where people can’t help but run into each other. 😉If you’re writing for a more specific subgenre , however, your setting could take on different qualities. For example, the historical romance Outlander takes place in a small settlement in the Scottish Highlands, but the constant tension and violence that occurs there doesn’t exactly make for a cutesy, cozy setting. Nevertheless, it works for the story because threats from the outside ultimately bring the main couple closer together. A strong main couple is key to compulsively readable romance. Image: Buena Vista Pictures4. Use tried-and-true tropesNow we’re getting into the meat and potatoes of the story. Again, there are so many possible paths for your main couple to take, it’d be impossible to describe them all! But here are just a few tried-and-true devices that many romance authors have used successfully. (If you’re hungry for more, you can always check out this post on classic romance tropes.)Friends/enemies to loversTwo of the most beloved romantic devices of all time. The main couple knows each other, but they just don’t see each other in that way - or they may not like each other at all.  Ã°Å¸Ëœ § Luckily, all that's about to change.Friends to lovers tends to work best when there’s another big conflict or project distracting one or both of the main characters, so they don’t get together until the very end. This is basically the plot of that Netflix movie Set I t Up: the two main characters are so focused on getting their bosses to fall in love, they don’t realize that they themselves would make a great couple.Enemies to lovers is the perfect device for two characters who clash in some fundamental way. For example, one might be very Type A and the other more Type B (see: 27 Dresses). Or one is a hardworking single parent while the other is a spoiled rich bachelor/bachelorette who’s never had to work a day in their lives (see: Overboard).And of course, there’s always enemies to friends to lovers - arguably the most effective and realistic iteration of this trope, as evidenced by Pride and Prejudice and When Harry Met Sally. The hero and heroine hate each other at first sight, gradually get to know one another and become friends, and ultimately fall deeply in love. It’s the perfect combination of fiery tension and genuine connection, and if you can pull it off, the payoff is incredibly satisfying.One helps the ot her one healAs we discussed, the hero in romance often has some deep psychological wound inflicted by his past. (The heroine can, too, but it’s more common among heroes.) It might just be a backstory detail, but it can also serve as a source of conflict for your couple: the damage impedes their relationship or his mental health, so the heroine has to help the hero heal.A prime example of this device occurs in Me Before You, in which the heroine, Louisa, literally becomes a carer for a quadriplegic man named Will. Will is bitter and depressed at first, but eventually he opens up to Lou and becomes much less negative - not to mention he helps her see own potential. We’re not going to give out any spoilers, but it’s safe to say that he’s much better off for having met her, and both agree that their time together was invaluable.Choosing each other all over againAh, the quintessential trope of Rachel McAdams movies. For those who haven’t seen The Noteb ook or The Vow, this device involves the hero and heroine either being separated for a very long time, or one of them outright forgetting who the other one is - due to amnesia, dementia, or some supernatural phenomenon. Then they have to choose each other all over again, hence proving that they’re well and truly soulmates. (For a more recent example, check out the season four Black Mirror episode â€Å"Hang the DJ.†)Also remember that, as much as readers love these devices, it’s still important to put your own spin on them. Infuse unique elements to add intrigue/suspense, or just for pure entertainment! For example, Ten Things I Hate About You is based on Shakespeare’s classic romantic comedy The Taming of the Shrew - but it’s set in modern day with high schoolers, which makes it much more fresh and accessible. A new romance book template... that's made for you Read post One of the best tactics for writing intimate scenes is to simply study those that you think are written well. The author you emulate will depend on your subgenre and personal taste, but some mainstream authors who write good, nuanced love and sex scenes are Curtis Sittenfeld, Sally Rooney, and yes, Nicholas Sparks. The more you read and hone your own language for it, the better your love scenes will be. Trust us: your readers will thank you. Tips for writing love scenes 🔠¥ and more on how to write romance ⠝ ¤Ã¯ ¸  6. Don’t neglect secondary charactersWhile the main couple is obviously where most of your characterization focus should be, secondary characters are critical to a well-rounded romance. After all, when the heroine’s agonizing over her hot-and-cold text conversation with the hero, who’s she going to ask for advice? Why, her Tinder aficionado roommate, of course.Secondary characters fill out the world of your romance novel. Friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, and even arch-enemies - say, someone who’s competing with one of your main characters for the other character’s interest - all contribute to making the story come to life.Best friends are typically the most important secondary characters in romance, since they’re the ones who dispense advice, give pep talks, and generally add color to the story. They’re often a little bit quirky, but that’s why the main characters love them†¦ and why readers do too!Still, ensure tha t most of the focus remains on your main couple, as we mentioned. Former Harlequin editor Ann Leslie Tuttle notes that secondary characters can sometimes become â€Å"too pervasive† in romance, which is a big no-no. â€Å"You don’t want to run the risk of making them more interesting than your own hero and heroine,† she says.Series potential?Having a solid secondary character presence is especially important if you want to turn your novel into a series. There are a few ways to create a series from a standalone romance, but one of the easiest (and most enticing to readers!) is to write the next novel about one (or two) of the secondary characters - especially best friends, siblings, or romantic competitors of the main characters. Emily Giffin does this seamlessly in her novels, Something Borrowed and Something Blue: two of the heroine’s best friends in the first book, who initially seem like opposites, end up getting together in the sequel.This strategy i s great because it ensures a smooth transition from book to book, since readers will already be familiar with the setting and cast of characters. Plus, it sets you up for a cycle that you could theoretically repeat ad infinitum: each new sequel simply centers around characters who were secondary in the previous book. Best of luck and have fun romancing your readers!  Ã°Å¸â€™ËœWhat's one of the best ways to hone your romance writing craft? Reading, of course! Here are some Reedsy Discovery lists of romance books to get you started (and possibly find your niche):40+ Paranormal Romance Books with Bite30+ Best Young Adult Romance Books That You Can't Miss Out OnThe 10 Best Historical Romance Novels Like Outlander

Psychology and operant conditioning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Psychology and operant conditioning - Essay Example These include variable ratio, fixed ratio, variable interval and fixed interval. For fixed ratio, reinforcement occurs after a fixed number of responses, while in variable ratio, the average number of responses may be pre-determined, but may not be followed on individual reinforcements. For fixed interval, reinforcement comes after a fixed period of time, while in variable interval, the average time is fixed but not necessarily followed on each individual reinforcement. Operant principles can be used to bring about more appropriate behavior. These principles can be used to define the development of behaviors that operate upon the environment in order to bring about behavioral consequences in such an environment. Operant principles lead to learning which occurs when an appropriate response is demonstrated following the occurrence of a particular behavior. Thus, learning more appropriate behavior is seen to occur when there has been a noticeable change in the behavior after the delivery of the relevant instructions to a learner. The principles of reinforcement and punishment involve positive punishment, positive reinforcement and operant conditioning. Punishment is usually applied in order to reduce the incidence of an undesirable behavior. In the concept of positive punishment, the term ‘positive’ might be confusing to some people, due to the fact that in common terms ‘positive’ means when something is good, or pleasant, or upbeat, or rewarding. The positive here is a technical terminology though, so it is meant as ‘started’ or ‘added’. It should be noted too that in this situation, it is not the individual that is being punished, but the behavior that is being tackled, in an attempt to be reduce or eliminate it. Positive Reinforcement is one of the easiest and most effective control tools. It involves the addition or starting of

Effective Team and Performance Management Essay - 1

Effective Team and Performance Management - Essay Example But that was just a start of the many lessons that I learnt concerning working in a group. The process of team formation was a unique experience as I had to work with people I did not know neither had interacted with before. Thinking back on the way that the team initially got together, I can clearly understand why Tuckman (1965:87-89) developed his four step model. The very first thing we had to do was select a leader, and since all of us were quite uncomfortable and held back a little, Hana who was the first to break the silence and quite seemed to be directing the group, was chosen as the leader of our group. We were four members in the teams diverse both in gender, race and culture. I realized that this could possibly present a problem as noted by Cox (1991:57) concerning diverse teams, but this was proved wrong as different members though uneasy at first, brought in different thoughts and perspectives into the group discussions and the search for a solution as shown by Kravitz ( 2011). I got to understand that a team would not be able to get focused direction without a leader who fosters the team towards bonding, familiarity and working together rather than individually (Chieh-Wen, Yi-Fang, & Ming-Chia, 2010:1299). Notably at first we had to develop rules on how the team would work out, the various expectation of the team and how we need to behave to accomplish various tasks and accountability. Though initially I felt I did not own the group or understand exactly what we need to and how we need to do it, after laying out the rules and interacting for while and after realizing that my team members were as anxious as I was, I became more comfortable and gained trust in the group. This is certainly a reflection of one of Hackman’s (2002:54) that a team needs to have a strong direction and focus in its direction and needs to develop a structure upon which tasks are assigned. This is clearly noted in the manner with which various tasks are roles were assi gned in the team. One of the most unique lessons that I gained were from the survival activity. Not only was I able to see my team develop its own unique character, but me and my teams became as one dependant on each other and highly seeking to accomplish the same thing. Different team members tended to have different characters. While two were action oriented, one was more of realist while I was a planner engrossed on details (Chieh-Wen, Yi-Fang, & Ming-Chia, 2010:1302). At first I thought it incredulous but fun that we had to take animal names for our group and had to develop a survival strategy for our species to survive in a constraint environment. As we continued with our survival strategy I thought, aha, this is not about just some other random assignment, but was rather a deeper look into team building, what makes teams act in togetherness, have the same goal, same zeal and work together proactively to attain what is good for all in the group (Cook, 2009:124; De Jong, & Elfri ng, 2010:540). This is highly reminiscent of the social exchange theory which looks at how different people in a team exchange resources in manner that created utility for our group and enabled us to be able be able to brainstorm and come up with effective survival tactics for the lion in the jungle (Flynn, 2005:743). It also made me think of Freud’s group behavior model where he notes that people often have a herd instinct which potentially