How The Adoration Of Jenna Fox Essay

The Adoration Of Jenna Fox relates to real life because of meeting new people, feelings and also as the Kirkus Reviews said – â€Å"Outstanding examination of identity, science and ethics. Reason reveal the truth layer by layer, maintain taut suspense and psychological realism as she probes philosophical notions of personhood.† Protective parents, Jenna had very protective ones but for a reason, In the book Jenna almost dies and get cloned with â€Å"bio gel† to make a new body that she can live in with the same memories and feelings. Claire is very protective of Jenna because she doesn’t want anyone figuring out of knowing that she is not a human but a clone. Claire does not want anyone to know Jenna of make contact with her, but Jenna is a very curious young woman and is eager to start a new life with new people â€Å"I should be afraid. Mother would want me to be afraid. But other than Mother, Father and Lily, Mr bender is the only human being I have seen since I woke up. I want to speak to someone who doesn’t know me.† (pg. 17) Being curious. Jenna Fox is a very curious and questioning person, she is always thinking new things and as has so much to learn and even though some of it is really bad she is still very eager to find out about her past and figure out her future. When she tells a very close person to her what she is and she is scared and frightened to see what their reaction is. â€Å" He stares at me. His face is stiff. Frightening. I feel weak. What have I done? I should’ve kept quiet. Listened to mother. To Lily. I want to take back every word, but it is too late.† (Pg.156) Finding herself, Jenna’s brain is really her own, with the rest uploaded onto her brain. When Jenna finds out about the accident, she realises why remaking her identity so difficult. She doesn’t know who she is, and she is trying to uncover her past. We see that Jenna’s parents maybe did not make the best decision, as Jenna struggles to remake her identity, going through lots of ups and downs throughout the book. Using the available technology,  Matthew and Claire re-created their perfect daughter. But, as Jenna finds remaking her identity difficult, this maybe says that her parents might have been too early and not thought out in their decision to save her. They made the right choice, but Jenna is not without her problems. In conclusion, The Adoration Of Jenna Fox relates to the real world in many ways apart from being made more than half out of â€Å"bio gel† But she experiences many simular things to modern day teenagers. Such as having parents that really care about her, learning new things at different paces and finding herself throughout life.

Education System in Desperate need of Change Essay

Sir William Haley once said, â€Å"Education would be so much more effective if its purpose were to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they don’t know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it†. If students were guaranteed to leave school with knowing of what they don’t know and the desire to continue learning, the method of learning will be correct. Today’s education system does not give students the opportunity to enjoy what they are learning. The banking method, where students are empty vessels which educators must deposit knowledge into, deprives them of creativity and the desire to learn. No child is given the chance to shine and be unique. Students today are simply being placed on a conveyer belt, sorted, and then labeled according to their so called intelligence. We need an education system that provides a slower learning method, a method where you focus on what is being learned instead of zipping through it, and the freedom to make mistakes as this will electrify and stimulate students to fulfill their potential. We must recognize students as individuals and keep in mind their diverse backgrounds. In â€Å"Lives on the Boundary,† Rose states, â€Å"The canon has intended to push to the margins much of the literature of our nation: from American Indian songs and chants to immigrant fiction to working-class narratives† (100). The messages that are received from the text are crucial. The students need to be able to relate to what they have before them. One of the problems with today’s education system is we are given material to read, memorize, and expected to repeat it back at the snap of a finger. But without the ability to relate and connect with the material, the learning doesn’t take place. Everything that is read or being said is just going through one ear and out the other. By adding relatable texts, you add life to learning. In â€Å"Learning in the Key of Life,† Jon Spayde states, â€Å"people cannot learn what they do not love† (69). When students are reading or learning about a subject they love, they are inspired and motivated to learn more. This alone can benefit the learning process for students. It becomes much easier to grasp concepts learned in class. Today’s education system does not allow all students to thrive in their own way. It is fast paced with limited space for creativeness. We are given large amounts of information at a time and attempt to move as quickly as possible through all that we can. There is never â€Å"time† to stay longer on a topic. The instructors try their hardest to keep the pace, but this way of teaching does not benefit any student. In â€Å"Learning in the Key of Life†, Jon Spayde states, â€Å"†¦we are focusing far too much of our energy and resources on fast knowledge, ignoring all the richness and meaning slow knowledge adds to our lives† (68). When the focus is on just getting through the material, we are skipping over the value and richness of slow knowledge. Instead of zipping through a lesson because it needs to be done by a certain day to move onto the next, the focus needs to be on what is being learned than making a time requirement. Spayde also states, â€Å"You can figure out what you can do pretty quickly, but the ethical understanding of what you ought to do comes slowly†. We need to adopt the slow learning method, without it we are missing out on more than we think. There is so much more to learning than getting through the material, the purpose of it is to benefit and gain from it. With slow knowledge we will achieve this. One of the most important changes that needs to be done is the view on mistakes. In the article, â€Å"How to Make Mistakes,† Dennett states, â€Å"Mistakes are not just golden opportunities for learning; they are, in an important sense, the only opportunity for learning something truly new†. When fear is being put into a student to never make a mistake, their education is stunted. They lose the ability to explore and take the chance of being wrong because they are repeatedly punished for being incorrect. When a mistake is made, students will learn where they went wrong and will then grow from it. The key to progress is making mistakes. The reason we are in school is to learn, but with this opportunity taken away from students their ability to learn is ripped from their grasp. Daniel C. Dennett also states, â€Å"You should seek out opportunities to make grand mistakes, just so you can then recover from them†. Instead of using all of their energy to attempt to be perfect and run from being inaccurate, every student should look for every opportunity to be wrong. Without errors, the students can not accomplish much. If you look at Todays’ education system is in desperate need of change. No student is given the opportunity to show what they are fully capable of. Instead they are told what they can do. They are simply labeled and placed where they â€Å"should be†. But when students begin to pursue their mistakes and soak in the richness of slow knowledge, they will begin to truly learn. Maria Montessori once said, â€Å"If education is always to be conceived along the same antiquated lines of a mere transmission of knowledge, there is little to be hoped from it in the bettering of man’s future. For what is the use of transmitting knowledge if the individual’s total development lags behind? †. If many students are having difficulty learning in the method we have created ages ago, why not change it? The time is now and there is no time to waste. We must refocus this outdated system to insure that the students will have a secure future and keep the standard of living that we have today.

Motivation and Performance Theories in Relation to New Zealand Post

A simple game of bingo, if analysed closely, can be shown to be a tedious task consisting of a repetitive action that occurs after being prompted by a repetitive stimulus. The skill level needed to make that action is low, and the variability in the rules of the game rarely changes. This game is not unlike many of the jobs that can be classified as having low motivational performance. So why do people not only enjoy playing games like bingo, but actually pay money to have the pleasure? The answer directly points to the motivating factors of monetary rewards, which is the stimulus for the individual†s performance. In this essay I will discuss the theory behind â€Å"Motivation† and â€Å"Performance† in relation to New Zealand Post and the theoretical ideals that their management should adopt with employees. There are many theories regarding motivation with the most prevalent being the theories of Abraham Maslow and Frederick Herzberg. It is important to understand these theories and their implications to accurately comment on reinforcement theories of motivation. According to Maslow†s hierarchy of needs, there are five classes: (1) physiological, (2) safety, (3) social, (4) esteem, and (5) self-actualisation. (Karen. P. Harlos Lecture Notes) each lower level need must be satisfied before an individual experiences higher level needs. Also, as Hall, Batley, Elkin, Geare, Johnston, Jones, Selsky and Sibbald (1999) found that Maslow hypothesized that as physiological, safety, social, and esteem needs were satisfied, they ceased to motivate, while the self-actualisation needs actually motivate an individual more as they are satisfied (Hall et al. 999). Herzberg used this theory as a base to build his motivation-hygiene theory, which ties Maslow†s needs to on the job achievement. The hygiene elements relate to low needs (physiological, safety, and social)(Harlos 2000). For an individual, hygiene conditions include company policy and administration, supervision, relationships with peers and supervisors, work conditions, salary, status, and security. These, according to Herzberg account for 69% of the factors that cause employee dissatisfaction or lack of motivation. The motivation conditions, which include achievement, the job itself, recognition, responsibilities, and personal growth, accounted for 81% of the factors that contributed to job satisfaction. The hygiene conditions are extrinsic factors (behaviour that is performed for material or social rewards as defined by Harlos 2000) while the motivation conditions are intrinsic factors (behaviour that is performed for its own sake not for material or social rewards as defined by Harlos 2000), and the only way to sustain motivation toward organizational goals is through the achievement of intrinsic outcomes. Each of these theories has proven to contain ideas consistent with human nature, but each also has its limitations within organizational settings. Because lower order needs are generally satisfied in the workplace today, managers have to deal with how to provide esteem and self-actualisation to their employees, and that can be a vague concept to a manager who demands results immediately. Also, studies demonstrate that different workers are motivated by different factors be them intrinsic or extrinsic. In relation to New Zealand Post the above theories can be applied to achieve an excellent level of motivation within the organization, however there are potential disadvantages also, where the employees may get over-motivated or become too empowered and thus create divisions within the organization. In terms of Maslow†s theory, the five levels of needs could be ensured by mangers of NZ Post and overall by the corporate planners of NZ Post by the following; in terms of physiological needs, money is the driving factor here as it provides the a means of achieve food, shelter, warmth and sleep, thus that management role is very limited, as it is controlled to a degree by relevant laws of the country. However those above the management who set wages must be careful not to set wages too low, otherwise workers will become grossly dissatisfied and look elsewhere to achieve their basic needs (Hall et al. 999). At the safety level NZ Post can provide their employees with agreeable contracts and work benefits such as health care. A work environment that is considered safe as well as adequate ongoing training is another aspect, also assurances of long-term employment (Hall et al. 1999). Social level issues can be resolved by NZ Post by organising teams maybe by regions and encouraging group satisfaction, or perhaps even making sure contact is established by way of team sports days, or annual picnic†s etc, any activity that ensures worker contact (Hall et al. 999). The next level is perhaps the most crucial in terms of how much NZ Post management is concerned, management may be able to fill esteem needs of the employee by showing recognition of a job well done, which may lead to a internal structure whereby levels of achievement are reached, and as the employee reaches these levels they may gain more responsibility within the organisation (Hall et al. 1999). Self actualisation needs in terms of what management can do for employees to reach this stage, entirely depend on the individual, and the previous stage, as itself esteem is realised then self actualisation becomes of more importance, and so the employee is self-motivated and the role of the NZ Management is merely one of maintenance (Hall et al. 1999). The above are all very good in theory, but in practice the implications of some of these theories for an individual and for the organisation can be crucial. NZ Post Management couldn†t be blamed if they felt the offering of money to an employee over and above what the individual needs to satisfy there needs would result in that individual working harder, however what is more likely to happen is the individual isn†t motivated anymore by that factor, and is instead motivated by esteem needs, as cited in Hall et al. 2000) â€Å"A satisfied need is not a motivator† The application of the Herzberg two-factor model is in practice much more involved that I first thought, there seems to be a large amount of criticism about Herzberg, which I will attempt to briefly outline, and thus if NZ Post was to adapt this theory it may not provide the right answer to any problems they may be facing. Firstly there has been research done into the methodology of Herzberg's research, it seems that by asking the questions in the way that they did it was only natural that individuals would attribute the good things about the job to themselves and the bad things to the organisation (as suggested by Vroom 1964 cited in Thomson 1989). So the good things simply became meting challenges, getting promoted and assuming responsibility, whereas bad things were in affect always the fault of the organisation. Thus it was reasonable for individuals to attribute their lack of performance as being a result of poor organisational structure or communication, or poor wages or bad working conditions, therefore Herzberg†s findings were more a result of the way the questions were asked and not altogether an indication of what motivated individuals at work. The second criticism that arises is whether or not it is possible to clearly â€Å"distinguish between motivator and hygiene variables in the way that two factor theory does. † (Thomson 1989 pg 164). At times factors like the gender of the worker and the structure of the organisation tends to influence whether or not a job characteristics acts as a motivator or a hygiene, thus the distinction is not as clear cut as Herzberg†s theory would suggest. Finally the two-factor theory just doesn†t take into consideration the differences between individuals, its just known that individuals do not always react in a similar fashion, for the same work characteristics which will motivate one individual may not necessary motivate another. I suggest for NZ Post to be able to maintain the calibre of people they strive for, and to provide tools to develop and grow, the best way to create the desired environment and create the best management would be to adopt Maslow†s theories, as it allows for more of an individual touch to individual situations. McGregor developed an additional theory on human behaviour, motivation, and especially performance in the late 1950†³s. His theories X and Y and were based on assumptions made regarding the â€Å"system† and individuals. In short, in Theory X (the most common management practice) management organizes all elements of production, motivates and controls employee behaviour to fit the needs of the organization, and without this intervention, employees would be indifferent to changing organizational needs. McGregor further assumes that managers believe that the average employee is by nature are lazy, dislike work, want security and dislike responsibility (as cited by Harlos 2000). McGregor†s alternative to Theory X was Theory Y. This theory made the assumptions that management has the responsibility for organizing the elements of production, people are not by nature passive, but become so as a result of experiences, management should enable employees to develop their motivational characteristics, and that it is essential for management to arrange organizational conditions in a manner where employees can achieve their own goals by directing their personal effort towards organizational objectives. The contrast between X and Y solely relates to who controls human behaviour. Theory X touts external control, and Theory Y promotes a self-fulfilling prophecy and that Theory Y management will breed Theory Y employees and vice-versa. In the application of McGregor†s theories an obvious pitfall is that obviously given the choice management will opt for Theory Y, however the application can result in a very different outcome. Theory Y places an unrealistic amount of burden on the management, and thus they have to sometimes resort to Theory X as no matter how much nurturing or inspiration managers give to employees, there will always be some who just have no desire to work, and show little or no initiative. So NZ Post may run many seminars to attempt to increase performance, or empower those who management feel need a performance boost, yet inevitably those who have no desire to perform better will just not respond to any of these performance motivators and hence management will have to resort to Theory X management to get these employees to work as they should be. Another problem may be with those employees who have been part of the organisation for a number of years, and a new fresh inspirational manager comes along who has been to all the courses and seminars and has used all the theories, and yet these employees are so used to old school Theory X management, they will just simply not be able to conform to this new Theory Y management style, as suggested in Hall et al. (1999) In conclusion I have outlines both Maslow†s and Herzberg†s theories in relation to motivation and McGregor†s theories in relation to performance. I also have suggested ways in which NZ Post could apply these theories to enable them to better fulfil their corporate profile statement. I suggested that perhaps Herzberg†s theory would not be best suited to NZ Post due to the many flaws in the application of his theory and that Maslow†s theory in practice would enable a better fufilment of the corperate profile statement.

Cross-calture management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Cross-calture management - Essay Example Researchers studying the success of cultural diversity programs have identified models that can be implemented into organizational environments. Having support for of senior management for diversity programs is identified as a major theme among most of the program models (Matton & Hernandez, 2004; Jayne & Dipboye 2004). This paper will examine the background of diversity in organizations, benefits of workplace diversity, challenges of diversity, popular diversity management models, the relevant research related to the importance of having support of senior management for diversity programs, and the individuals responsible for implementing diversity programs, that is, the diversity practitioner. Overview Workplace Diversity and its Importance Diversity can be defined as, "a mix of people of different socially relevant group identities working or living together in a defined social system" (Cox & Beale, 1997, p.13). Healthy workplace diversity can provide an organization with the tools to improve problem solving, enhance marketing, be more creative and flexible, and ultimately improve productivity and "the bottom line" (Thomas, 2006; Cox, 1994). While a company may recruit in order to create a climate of diversity, it can simultaneously open the door to truly hiring the best available talent in the global market instead of another "company man." Diversity promotes a multiplicity of viewpoints, thus creating the potential to generate more creative ideas and stimulate consideration of non  ­obvious alternatives (Kyriakidou, 2009). Further, diverse groups bring a broader and richer base of experience. This dynamic tends to create a higher level of critical analysis and a lower probability of "group think" (Cox, 1994). For example, studies show that women tend to be more tolerant of ambiguity than men. As a result, they tend to excel in completing tasks that are cognitively complex and/or ambiguous. Individuals with bilingual capabilities are another group that dem onstrates a great capacity for flexibility. Thus, workgroups that incorporate individuals with these characteristics are likely to demonstrate greater group cognitive flexibility (Cox, 1994). With the minority population growing, organizations are finding the need to adapt products, advertising and services to appeal to diverse interests. Studies show that members of minority cultural groups are more likely to give patronage to representatives of their own cultural group (Cox, 1994). Thus, organizations find the need to have their workforce mirror, at least in part, their clientele. In the for-profit sector, it has been seen that the evolving demographics in the United States have had a significant impact on the manner in which products currently need to be marketed in order to maintain or increase market shares. For example, Cox (1994) notes two examples of cosmetic companies, Avon and Maybelline, changing either their product or transferring the management of an otherwise unprofit able market of minorities, to people of color. Under different management these companies have adapted their products using shades that are more palatable to people of color and have reflected these changes in their advertisement. The results have been very positive and profitable for these companies in a previously

To Defend a Killer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

To Defend a Killer - Essay Example When this generalization is applied to the current circumstances, it becomes clear that the solicitor’s actions could not have been following utilitarianism as he did not know the outcome of his actions. It could have been possible that his forged signature would enabled Jane’s freedom but it was also possible that his forgery would have been caught leaving him in peril. Thus, when the solicitor was taking the action of forging Jane’s signatures, he was exposing both Jane and himself to risk which does not conform to utilitarianism as it requires the greatest happiness for all involved. However, when the consequences of the solicitor’s actions are considered, it becomes clear that his action was utilitarian in nature as it ensured Jane’s freedom and did not put the solicitor in danger either. In this sense, the solicitor’s action is utilitarian in nature. Ethical egoism contends that moral agents ought to act in order to preserve their self-interest (Sanders, July, 1988). However, this does not mean that ethical egoism is beyond ethical measure because it is extremely self-centered. Instead, the ethical egoist perspective delineates that a moral agent can only act in self-interest if the interest of another person are not endangered (Smith, 2006). When the current case is reviewed it becomes clear that one person, Jane was already in danger and that the solicitor acted to minimize the danger present to her. However, in doing so the solicitor exposed himself to danger knowingly because if the forged signatures were detected, the solicitor would be punished under law. This behavior on the part of the solicitor puts him in direct conflict with the ethical egoist perspective as ethical egoism would advocate protecting personal interests. Under the ethical egoism domain, the solicitor should have left the case as is because his

Assignment 3 Buyers Behavior Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

3 Buyers Behavior - Assignment Example Marketing, understanding the customers would help an organization to develop and distribute its products at the right places and appropriate prices (2014). Therefore, understanding of the organization’s customers, regardless of if it is small or large, is an essential factor towards the financial success of the company. Both the consumers and businesses have specific patterns that can enable an individual to determine the buying behaviors. There are various steps, both for the business and customers, which determine how well their buying behaviors are. Adopting an appropriate buying behavior for the business will ensure that the customer will the product that they need at the right place and at the right time. There are various steps that a typical business or organization will go through when purchasing its products. In summary, the business should first identify the existing need or problem among the available customers. This would help it to determine how they will be able to meet those needs. Secondly, the business should develop product specification to determine what specific products will meet their needs. The search for products and the supply points is the third step in the purchasing process. This can be achieved through ways such as exhibitions, the company’s sales force, and other advertising ways that can provide relevant valuable information. Fourth, the business can now be ready to place an order, after which the management would evaluate the performance of the product and supplier. After all these steps, the business should follow on the purchase made, since the first purchase should not be viewed as merely a one of a time purchase, but as the beginning of a long te rm business relationship. Likewise, Shah points out that there are several processes that are involved in the determination of the consumer behavior (2015). Primarily consumers would tend to look at the commodities that they would like to consume after which they will tend to select

What is the purpose of government in the United States Essay

What is the purpose of government in the United States - Essay Example Seeking to explore the purpose of the US government with respect to the roles that it plays in the modern 21st century, the following will argue that there are many roles for the government of the United States. These include the promotion and continuation of democratic governance, economic development, the provision of social services, promoting justice and securing the nation from outside threat. All of the functions are inherent to the purpose of the United States. We now turn to an exploration of the government of the United States of America and its role as the torchbearer of democracy (Almond et al, 101-102). . One of the most important functions of the government of the United States is the promotion of liberal democracy. In a liberal democratic society, power rests with the people. Liberal democracy can be characterized by free and fair elections, universal suffrage and a plural society in which power is transferred through peaceful political means. Accordingly, stability in much of the world is defined as the establishment of both democracy and democratic rules of governance. By giving everyone a voice at the ballot, the argument follows that the political regime which gains power will be perceived as being legitimate and the result will be political stability. Accordingly, the role of the United States government is to ensure that political power is transferred through peaceful means and that political contiguity is maintained through the democratic system. As an entrenched cultural value of the United States, the promotion of liberal democracy is an important task for the government o f the United States. The promotion of economic development is another responsibility for the government of the United States. As a society with a capitalist economic system, the government of the United manages the economic system while understanding the importance of free