Mountain Dew Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Mountain Dew - Research Paper Example Second, the company's flagship advertising campaign, "Do the Dew," is now in its eighth year. In that period, competitors have had ample time to copy many of the once-distinctive elements of the marketing strategy and erode the freshness, as well as the impact, of the primary campaign and any pool-outs. This analysis will present these issues using a SWOT approach to focus on the significant issues of the case. Analysis. The managers responsible for marketing the Mountain Dew brand are in a difficult place; they are not dealing with a new product entry, but are responsible for maintaining the brand's place at the top. The brand's advantages include the very things that have made them successful so far, but they still face several challenges. Even though their brand health indicators remain strong, the brand is almost certain to lose market share without some proactive and effective changes. As shown in the SWOT analysis in Table 1, the brand enjoys some key strengths and good opportunities, but the Mountain Dew product is not without its weaknesses, and it is exposed to some potentially serious threats if management can't tune its position and get sales back on track. Table 1 Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Brand Recognition Image Saturation Re-engage primary market Non-Carbonated Products Corporate Resources Loss of Niche Branding Enhance Brand Health Advocacy Marketing Commitment -- Super Bowl Ads -- The market has a strong recognition of this brand, and the marketing efforts have been successful in making product perception match market trends. That success, however, is now creating difficulty as the market is trending away from the very image the brand has been building for the past eight years. Further, the competition has co-opted many elements of the image and the market is virtually saturated with alternative sports, music, and young faces. Additionally, the traditional cola market is eroding as it looses market share to non-carbonated, alternative beverages. The idea of having a "kick" which is derived from sugar and caffeine successfully played to the cool generation, but the counterculture demographic is more likely to see those compounds as unhealthy. Nevertheless, products like Red Bull show that there is still a strong market for such products. The corporate resources that a company like PepsiCo can bring to bear on the marketing are certainly a strength; but just bec ause a company can speak broadly doesn't free it from needing to have something significant to say. As the product begins to loose its distinctive niche branding to better-positioned offerings, management has the opportunity to recapture its core constituency and enhance the brand; but the new creative is going to have to move beyond skateboards and rock music. The marketing commitment shown by PepsiCo, particularly the prohibitively expensive Super Bowl ads, is both a key strength and opportunity. The message those strategies deliver, however, is the main thing. Alternatives. Management has three fundamental

Importance of communication plan in trail transport Essay

Importance of communication plan in trail transport - Essay Example Despite the existence of various transport methods that are fully researched on, the trail system has been neglected and even not cared for because of the social perception (Ministry of Health Promotion). The involvement of organizations such as Rail-to-Trails and other organizations has helped change the perception of the society. Through highlighting of the benefits of the trails the organizations have helped shape the use of trail transport in the country (Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Organization). Rails-to-trails offer several support activities for the use of trails in transport. The organization advocates and influence policy development both for the state and national governments. In addition, the company offers technical assistance to the local trail builders to ensure their design factor in issues of safety and environmental conservation. Through defending the federal Trail banking statute, the organization supports government efforts in the process by developing the necessary support and watchdog activities. The research carried out by the organization helps in shaping the belief and the nature of the existing trails (Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Organization). Trails are important because they improve the health of the community by encouraging involvement in physical activities.

Analysis of Co-producing Riboflavin in ABE

Analysis of Co-producing Riboflavin in ABE

Edith Whartons The House Of Mi :: essays research papers

Lily Bart, the central character in Edith Wharton’s novel, The House of Mirth , was born into the fringes of high society in late nineteenth century New York. She developed a, “lively taste for splendour';(page 30) and a fear of, ';dinginess';.(page 35). Everything within this social circle is measured in monetary value, people and things alike are treated as commodities. This is the only way of life Lily knows, and without the financial means to sustain herself, Lily is destined to be a victim of this commodification of people and objects. Victim is defined in the Oxford Concise Dictionary , as a, “person or thing harmed or destroyed in the pursuit of an object or in gratification of a person';. Commodifiaction is defined as “the action of turning something into, or treating something as a commodity'; and commodity is defined as, “an article of raw material that can be brought and sold';. It was Mrs Bart who had raised Lily to value the finer things in life and fear the “dinginess';(page 35) that she associated with those who did not have money, or those who did not choose to spend their money on luxury. When Mrs Bart died, she died, “ ......of a deep disgust. She had hated dinginess, and it was her fate to be dingy';(page 35). But Lily’s mother alone is not solely to blame for this want, Lily says of her need for luxury, ..I suppose (it was) -in the way I was brought up, and the things I was taught to care for. Or-no I won’t blame anybody for my faults: I’ll say it was in my blood (page 226) Although Lily felt that she should not blame anyone else for her high tastes she does not blame herself. She uses the excuse that it was in her blood that her fate to live for splendour was predetermined. Lily therefore sees herself as victim, a victim because it was her fate. Mrs Barts parental guidance did help to shape Lily’s value for the extravagant. It was Mrs Bart who taught Lily to value her beauty. Lily was told by her mother, “after they had lost all their money'; (page 28) that Lily’s asset was her beauty. Mrs Bart saw the potential for trading Lily’s beauty for a rich husband, so they would have the means to sustain themselves in ‘high society’. Mrs Bart saw Lily’s beauty as:

Killology Essay

Do violence in the media and interactive entertainment, such as video games and movies, influence children to have the will to kill? According to Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, an expert on the psychology of killing, both play a big role in child murders. There are several methods to this madness by which people can actually motivate themselves to take another human life, such as, operant conditioning, classical conditioning, brutalization, and role models. These practices are used in the military to train soldiers to kill, just as the media is doing to our children. Monday, December 1st, 1997 began like any other day for the students of Heath High School in Paducah, Kentucky. Student Michael Carneal rode to school with his sister, carrying with him, what he claimed to be, an art project. As his fellow classmates gathered that morning in the lobby of the school, holding a prayer group, he fired eight rounds from a . 22 caliber pistol. Out of those eight rounds he landed five head shots and three upper torso shots, killing three teenagers. Not only did he land all eight shots, but the shots were so precise that elite military and law enforcement agencies were stunned by his expertise. The fact that he had never fired a real gun in his life was something that disturbed authorities even more. Nowhere in the records of military or law enforcement history could the â€Å"equivalent† achievement be found. So what was it that made this young man so violent and deadly at such a young age? (â€Å"The shooting,† 2010, para. 1) It’s one of the methods used by the military to train their soldiers called operant conditioning, a powerful procedure of stimulus-response training techniques that attempt to influence behavior by manipulating reinforcers. They learn to fire at realistic figures that pop up in the field. The stimulus is the target, and the response is, shooting to kill. This procedure is repeated over and over, hundreds of times, until their natural response when someone pops up on the battlefield is to kill. Research has suggested that violent video games played a big role in the choice Michael made that day. He was trained through operant conditioning just as the soldiers are, except his was through violent video games. Following the shooting there was a $130-million law suit filed against the video game manufacturers in that case. This case is said to be working its way through the appeals system of the courts. (Metcalf, Stubblefield, & Ettinger, 2011, p. 152) Violent video games train our children to kill, glorify violence, desensitize them to suffering, and trivialize violence. Every time a child plays an interactive video game, he or she is learning the exact same conditioned reflex skills as a soldier or police officer in training. Kids are playing more and more violent video games that are rated for a mature audience. So, ask yourself this question; how do fourteen year old teenagers obtain video games that are rated â€Å"Mature? † Better yet, why are they allowed by their parents to play the evil, sadistic games? Parents should replace the violent video games with non-violent, stimulating, and educational games; those which enhance knowledge, creativity and imagination. The violent crime rate is at a phenomenally high level, not just in America, but worldwide. According to Interpol, the per capita assault rate increased nearly fivefold in Norway and Greece between the years of 1977 and 1993. In Mexico and Brazil, the numbers are skyrocketing, and in Japan juvenile crime went up by thirty percent in 1997 alone. (Metcalf, Stubblefield, & Ettinger, 2011, p. 150). The virus of violent crime is occurring worldwide, and the explanation for it has to be some new factor that is occurring in all of these countries. There are many factors involved in the action of violent crime, and we must never downplay any of them. There is only one new variable present in each of these nations, and it is that media violence is now being presented as a viable entertainment option for children. Metcalf et al. , 2011, p. 150) Another method used by the Japanese, in World War II, which we also see done with the media, is classical conditioning. This technique is best remembered as Pavlovian conditioning, associating a stimulus with a response according to a specific reinforcement schedule, such as violence linked to pleasure. As Pavlov did with the dog, by associating the bell with food and eventually the dog could not hear the bell without salivating, the media does with the children. How often do we watch the news and learn of something good that has happened in the world? They are always focusing on all of the violence that is going on in the world. Our children see this as well, and they learn to associate death with pleasure. To better understand the role that violence and the media inherit, in the entertainment complex, plays in the increase of murders among the young and impressionable. We must first look at the methods by which killers can be made. Though such a difficult subject cannot be completely explained by these factors alone, it is important to note the contribution each one makes. Throughout the course of human history, it is thought that healthy members of most species have a natural resistance to killing their own kind. However, when human beings are overwhelmed with anger and fear, thought processes become primitive. We slam head-on into that hardwired resistance against killing. One of the methods that shift this natural resistance is what is commonly known as brutalization. Quite similar to a military boot camp, brutalization is a forced shift in values. The subject is made to conform to a new set of rules, abandoning all sense of individuality. They are trained relentlessly in a total immersion environment and the end result is a person who not only embraces the violence and the discipline, but accepts them as normal and an essential survival skill in a new and increasingly brutal world. (Metcalf et al. , 2011, p. 151) A very similar thing is happening to our children through violence in the media. At eighteen months old, a child can begin to understand and mimic what they see on television, and up until the ages of six or seven they are physically, developmentally, and psychologically unable to distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality. When they see an instance of rape, murder or degradation on the television or in the media, to them it is real. Some of them welcome the violence and accept it as a normal and vital survival skill in a cruel, new world. In nations, regions and cities where television is a constant source of entertainment, there is an immediate eruption of playground violence, and within fifteen years, there is a doubling of the murder rate, but why fifteen years? That’s how long it takes for a desensitized toddler to reach their â€Å"prime crime† years. Metcalf et al. , 2011, p. 151) By the time the brutalized toddlers have reached their teenage years, they have developed role models. Today, violence in the media is providing our children with role models. When the images of young killers are broadcast on television, they become role models. The media has every right and responsibility to tell the story, but they have no right to glorify the killers by presenting their images on television. (Grossman, 2000, p. ) The ultimate achievement for our children is to get their picture on television, and with such vulnerable, young minds they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that. I say it is time for the world to stop televising such violence and let law enforcement deal with it. If they know who the killer is then why does it have to be broadcast for our children to see? I truly believe that the media is highly responsible for a lot of killings in this world, along with the violent video games, and I pray that one day there will be something done to stop it.

Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management Essay

The nursing shortage and high turnover rate in nursing impacts the economic life of every health care organization in America. The purpose of this paper is to define and discuss the approaches in leadership and management styles in relation to the nursing shortage and nurse turnover using theories, principles, skills, and roles of the leader versus manager and to identify this student’s professional philosophy of nursing and personal leadership style. INTRODUCTION The Affordable Care Act has changed the landscape of health care delivery in America. Many more patients are seeking health care. Mary Force concludes one of the most serious issues facing healthcare delivery is the nursing shortage. It is estimated the current shortage of registered nurses will be 340,000 by the year 2020 (Force, 2005). There is inadequate nursing staff to meet the heavy demands of the current patient climate seen in acute care hospitals today. Hospitals need dependable, highly trained nurses. Nursing turnover and shortages mean current nurses seek different employment, resign, transfer or are terminated. Causes of turnover and shortages are an aging RN population and a demographically large aging boomer population, low enrollments in nursing schools, increased workload, poor nurse staffing ratios and high patient acuity according to Ribelin (2003). Nurses do not leave hospitals; they leave their managers (Ribelin, 2003). Lack of good leadership by nurse leaders and managers, limited upward mobility, unsatisfactory remuneration, lack of teamwork, poor communication, and inflexibility in work schedule all also contributing factors to high staff turnover. COMPARE AND CONTRAST LEADERS APPROACH It is important to understand the different role the nurse manager and nurse  leader play in order to understand their approach to the staff they have responsible for, especially in the area of staff retention. The roles are different yet there is interface between both. The nurse manager’s role is defined by the organization that gives her or him authority (control) and has subordinates (nurse leader) to delegate tasks to so that the goals of the organization are met. They value stability and focus on short-term results. Their objectives are to complete tasks, perform time management, control productivity, and maintain necessary equipment. They plan, budget, organize, coordinate, solve problems and make decisions. They focus on the organization’s policy and procedures, systems, efficiency, and doing the work in their assigned area per organizational boundaries. It is little wonder that staff sometimes see themselves as little more than a number in the eyes of some nu rse mangers. The nurse manager can address the problem of turnover by being visible and present in the unit and be seen by their staff frequently. They can assist with flexible scheduling and adequate staff-patient ratios. They can also be champions for adequate reimbursement, benefit plans, and the synchronization of resources that enhance the nursing experience. When coupled with organizational reimbursement for advanced education such as completion of baccalaureate and master degrees, nursing satisfaction is higher and managers are better able to retain their staff. Hunt suggests job sharing as a possibility also (Hunt, 2009). They can also recognize staff for their services and give tokens of appreciation. Unfortunately nurse managers have little control over the nursing shortage. The U.S. federal government must allocate more educational funds to support nursing programs. There must be more programs available so teachers can be trained and additional seats made available to students at universities and community colleges. The nurse leader’s role and activity with the staff is an important link in assisting the organ ization reach its goals. They earn the right to lead by influencing people through communication, consensus, explaining vision, listening, teaching, inspiring, motivating, creating, building trust relationships, and empowerment. Effective nurse leadership is about teamwork, listening, mentoring, coaching, and persuasion. Nurse leaders assist staff with the big picture, the vision. Nurse leaders look for new ways to solve problems by being flexible and adaptive. They are excellent at communication and being involved with their staff. They  encourage participation by the nursing staff in clinical ladders for career advancement. Their followers value them. They are a positive force through their communication, sense of purpose, and thus assist in staff retention and turnover. Effective leadership is an essential component in staff retention (Kleinman, 2004). PESONNAL LEADERSHIP STYLE The writer’s own personal and professional philosophy blends well with the role of nurse leader. She has the qualities to be a manager but her personal and professional style revolves around teaching, communicating creating vision and team building. To be positive and inspiring is part of this nurse’s innate character. This nurse has the capacity to be a transformational nurse leader, leading by example, inspiring others of the organizations vision, and to encourage others to further their education. This writer identifies and promotes shared responsibility for actions and a democratic process in which nurses communicate effectively with management. This nurse leader empowers everyone to work as a team and accomplish goals. The collective group then takes ownership if they feel they are heard and valued. They catch the vision. The organization’s vision becomes their vision. Success comes from people working together understanding that together they can all do great things. The issue of turnover and retention can be addressed by increased satisfaction in the nursing career. This often comes by nurse leaders like myself knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the staff, treating the staff as individuals with great potential to contribute to the team, listening, persuading, encouraging, being sensitive to the workload of the staff, showing empathy for the staff and involving nurses in the decision making process. This also involves nurse leaders communicating clearly with the nurse manager, linking the team together to achieve goals. CONCLUSION Nursing shortages and turnover are ongoing issues. All levels of Leadership must collaborate to address the ongoing issues of nursing shortages and turnover. Good leadership by nurse managers and nurse leaders can reduce the nurse turnover rate but the nursing shortage that is plaguing the health care system is hindering the ability of nurses to provide adequate care of their patients. It is a policy matter to be addressed by the highest levels  of government. Nurse managers and nurse leaders have differing roles and methods of obtaining objectives but both are needed to successfully meet the goals of the health care organization. References Force M. V. 2005. Relationship Between Effective Nurse managers and Nursing retention. Force, M. V. (2005). The Relationship Between Effective Nurse managers and Nursing retention. , 35(718), 336-341. D Hunt, S. (2009): Nursing Turnover: Costs, Causes, & Solutions. Retrieved on October 6, 2013 from http://uexcel.com/resources/articles/NursingTurnover.pdf Kleinman, C. (2004). Leadership: A key strategy in staff nurse retention. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 35(3), 128-132. Retrieved from http://tools.hhr-rhs.ca/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=att_download&link_id=5677&cf_id=68&lang=en Ribelin, P. (2003). Recruitment & retention report: Retention reflects leadership style. Nursing Management, 34(8), Retrieved from http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/journalarticle?Article_ID=418488

Use Spanish Words for Pets to Become Fluent

Use Spanish Words for Pets to Become Fluent If you are looking for someone to talk in  Spanish with, how about talking directly to your pet? Learning Spanish can be easy with ongoing practice - even with your pet dog or cat. There are benefits of talking to an animal over a human. You will not get any nasty corrections, and you will  get a chance to practice talking without any interruptions. Plus, even when you make a mistake, your  pet will still be there unconditionally throughout your Spanish-language learning journey. Learn how to say phrases referring to pets in Spanish. Phrases Referring to Pets in Spanish Note that a pet in Spanish can be referred to as una mascota,  the same word used for a mascot, such as an animal symbolizing a team. The term un  animal domà ©stico  and the adjective domà ©stico can also be used to mean pet as an adjective, as in un perro domà ©stico, a pet dog. Additionally, the phrase  un animal de compaà ±Ãƒ ­a  and the phrase de compaà ±Ãƒ ­a can be appended to an animals name to indicate it is a pet. Remember that most of the time the genders given below for animals remain the same, whether the particular animal is male or female. Canary: el canarioCat: el gatoPopular cat types include:el bobtailel gato de pelo largo (long-hair)el gato persa (Persian)el gato de pelo corto (short-hair)el gato siamà ©s (Siamese)Chinchilla: la chinchillaCockatoo: la cacatà ºaDog: el perroPopular dog breeds include:el dogo argentino  (Argentine dog)el terrierel perro San Bernardo (St. Bernard)el caniche (poodle)el xoloitzcuintle (Mexican hairless)el mastà ­n (mastiff)el perro esquimal (husky)el gran danà ©s (great Dane)el galgo/la galga (greyhound)el dlmata (Dalmatian)el perro salchicha (dachshund)el collieel bulldogel bà ³xer (boxer)el sabueso (bloodhound or beagle)el basset (basset hound)un chucho  is a muttFish: el pez. A tropical fish is un pez tropicalFrog: la ranaGerbil: el jerbo, el gerboGuinea pig: la cobayaHamster: el hmster (usually pronounced as jmster; plural can include either versions  hmsters or hmsteres)Horse: el caballoIguana: la iguanaLizard: el lagarto, la lagartijaMouse: el ratà ³nParakeet: el peric oParrot: el papagayo, el loro ï » ¿Rabbit: el conejoRat: la rataSalamander: la salamandraSnake: la serpienteSpider: la araà ±aTortoise, Turtle: la tortuga Talk to Your Pet in Spanish After discovering what to call your pet in Spanish, you can progress to learning the  animal sounds  your pets might make, just in case they do make some noises or otherwise talk back to you while you are speaking to them in Spanish.

Freemen essays

Freemen essays Americans view of the world and our place in it has changed many times over. Our history is filled with significant dates that shaped our history, July 4, 1776, December 7, 1941, June 6, 1944, and most recently September 11, 2001. April 19, 1995 was such a date. That day, at approximately 9 a.m. a massive explosion destroyed most of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City. 167 people were killed in the explosion, which was caused by a bomb made of fertilizer that was placed in a rental truck. The arrest and later conviction of Timothy McVeigh helped to shed light on a new threat to Americans, homegrown militias. Modern Militias have become synonymous with fringe elements of society, and they are more often feared and dismissed as lunatics. The militia movement has affected practically every part of the country, some more than others. The west, it seems, has been particularly affected. In 1995 the relatively peaceful routine of the residents of Jordan, Montana was shattered by a standoff between a group known as the Montana Freemen and Federal authorities. Many thought that Jordan would become synonymous with places like Ruby Ridge, Idaho, and Waco, Texas. The standoff, however, remained peaceful, and the Montana Freemen surrendered on June 13, 1996. For some, there are many questions that are left unanswered, who were the Freemen, what did they believe, and why did they defy the government for so long? This paper will look at the Freemen organization and its leaders. I will look at the background of the group; its motivations, and the results of the standoff. More importantly, I will tackle the why. Why did the group issue threats against government officials, and why do they claim that the U.S. government is illegal? I will try and determine if these men are patriots or criminals. Two men, Rodney Skurdal and LeRoy Schweitzer, formed the Montana Freemen in the early 1990s....

A Study on Employee Attitude and Leadership Behaviour

ABSTRACT The Research titled namely â€Å"A Study on Employee attitude Leadership Style† is a research study conducted among various managers in different functional areas in Sify Software Limited Everonn Education Limited. In this research study, the researcher has made an attempt to identify the various styles followed by leaders due to different behavior among employees. The study mainly focus on the various attitudes of employee’s in different groups and its impact of the performance if individual, group or team organization. Further, the study also focuses on finding out the significant relationship between the attitude of employees and its impact of completion of module, work, deadlines, and target. This study is limited to the managers working at Sify Software Limited Everonn Education Limited. The Researcher has proposed to use descriptive type of research Analytical type of result. The Researcher has proposed to use descriptive type research, in order to collect the real facts from the respondent’s regarding the attitude of the employees. The Researcher has also proposed to use Analytical type of result to analyze the behavior of employees and its impact of deadline productivity. Once the data has been collected from the respondents (Managers), the Researcher has proposed to use various statistical tools like Percentage Analysis, Weighted Average Method, Chi-Square Method, One-Sample Run Test, etc. , and in order to analysis the various types of behaviors, the researcher has also planned to use cause and effect of diagram. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1. 1INTRODUCTION Employee values, attitudes, and leadership behavior play a very important role in enhancing employee work motivation and performance. Employee work values, attitudes and leadership behavior can carefully be adjusted to produce a strong impact on employee work motivation. It would, therefore, be interesting to examine the precise nature of their roles in influencing the intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation of employees. Individuals vary in their value systems. For example, achievement is a concern for the advancement of one’s career while concern for others may reflect caring, compassionate. Supervisory behavior may vary considerably in the same job situation. Behaviors such as encouraging other employees or helping others work on difficult tasks. A supervisory behavior may adopt democratic orientation or punishment when interacting with employees and thus may affect the work behavior. Though research on leadership styles, work values, and attitudes is concerned with finding the conclusions as to what specific leader behavior, work values and attitudes would produce a strong impact on employee work motivation and performance, no clear-cut conclusions have yet been rendered. It is, therefore, necessary to examine these issues, on a relative basis, which characteristics may act as more effective motivators in employee motivation and work performance. With such an understanding, management would better be able to use available motivational tools for their maximum impact on employee work performance. Thus the objective of this study is to examine the importance of values, attitudes and leadership behaviors in employee work motivation and performance. To gain a deeper insight into the exact nature of such influence, the roles of employee values, attitudes and leadership behavior in influencing intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation and performance are examined. Finally, the study explores the managerial implications of the findings and discusses the actions that might lead to improvements in employee motivation. VALUES, ATTITUDES AND EMPLOYEE WORK MOTIVATION The following description relates to values, attitudes, and employee motivation. VALUES Values are enduring beliefs that a specific mode of conduct or end state of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end state of existence (Rokeach, M 1973). Some basic values, which are expected to affect the attitude and work motivation of an employee, would logically include: Family: The extent to which the job offers family well-being to the employees Recreation: The extent to which the job offers recreational facilities to the employees A sense of accomplishment: The degree to which the person feels the job gives the person a sense of accomplishment after the job is done. Advancing at the company: The degree to which the person feels the job will create opportunities for advancement. Financial security: The extent to which the job offers financial security to person. Integrity: The extent to which the job provides information accurately and emphasizes impartiality and recognizes different points of view ATTITUDES Attitudes are not the same as values. Attitudes are evaluative statements –either favorable or unfavorable—concerning objects people, or events. It has been treated both as a general attitude and as satisfaction with five specific dimensions of job: pay, the work itself, promotion, opportunities, supervision and co-workers (Smith, Kendall, and Hulin, 1969; Balzer and Smith et al, 1990). The combined effects of these factors produce for the individual some measure of satisfaction and dissatisfaction (Herzberg, Mausner, and Snyderman, 1959). Definitions of these five dimensions of the job are given as under: Definitions of key Job Dimensions Job DimensionsDefinition Work SatisfactionThe extent to which an employee is satisfied with work, including opportunities for creativity and task variety, allowing an individual to increase his or her knowledge, changes in responsibility, amount of work, security, and job enrichment (Balzer and Smith et al, 1990; Smith et al, 1969) Pay SatisfactionThe extent to which an employee forms an attitude toward pay based on perceived difference between actual pay and the expected pay. Expected pay is based on the value of perceived inputs and outputs of the job and the pay of other employees holding similar jobs or possessing similar qualifications (Balzer and Smith et al, 1990) Supervision SatisfactionThe extent to which an employee is satisfied with his or supervision, as measured by consideration and employee-centered actions of the supervisor and the perceived competency of the supervisor by the subordinate (Balzer and Smith et al, 1990, Herzberg et al, 1957) Satisfaction with promotionsThe degree to which an employee is satisfied with the Company’s promotion policy, including frequency of promotions, and the desirability of promotions (Balzer and Smith et al, 1990, Herzberg et al 1957) Co-workers’ SatisfactionThe work-related interaction and the mutual liking or admiration of fellow employees (Bazler and Smith et al, 1990, Smith et al, 1969, Alderfer, 1969) Overall Job SatisfactionThe extent to which an individual’s desires, expectations and needs are fulfilled by employment (Szilagi, Sims, and Terrill, 1977) 1. 2INDUSTRY PROFILE As the study is applicable only for e-Learning industry let us have a brief introduction about the software industry below. The current e-learning boom in India has added to the existing woes. Standards apart, the industry hangs on the edge where processes and players are dubious. Much of this blame can be put on the Indian government’s inability to put together a regulatory body. Unregulated and unstructured, the e-learning industry in India is likely to wreck havoc for the global e-learning industry as small vendors pile up huge learning garbage for clients worldwide. E-learning in India has come of age. Two decades and the nation already cherish several global e-learning players on its soil. This can be attributed to some basic reasons like cheap human resources, a large pool of English-speaking workforce and ‘business discounts’ offered by the central and state governments. Although exact figures of the size of the industry is not available, a conservative estimate shows the offshore e-learning industry at about $150 million in 2004-05, up almost by 200 percent in the last two years. In spite such impressive figures, the e-learning industry in India remains mired with a plethora of issues. Some of these issues include lack of uniform e-learning standards and workplace practices, and the lack of adequate human resources to power the spiraling upward growth. These concerns apart, government apathy has also bolstered fly-by-night e-learning entrepreneurs who eye quick bucks and increasingly deliver ‘learning garbage’ to a global clientele. Smaller vendors in India have setup e-learning business houses with paltry investments of a few thousand dollars – in the hope of getting a sizeable pie of the global e-learning business. Most of these short-term vendors run their shows from North India – from places in and around the National Capital Region of Delhi. The modus operandi for these vendors is simple. They rent in a couple of rooms in an urban area and advertise for resources in job websites and newspapers. Writers, designers and technology professionals – mostly unskilled – are hired by the dozens. The average salary of the employees ranges anything between $100 to $400 and the working hours stretch well over 72 hours per week. Next, these companies setup small sales calling teams to call up international clients asking for work. The sales pitch is often exaggerated and boasts of a few â€Å"big names†. To show their experience, these vendors cull-out a few odd CBT’s from other companies or ‘steal’ courses through their contacts. The basic quality that behooves a standard e-learning company is absent in these companies. Proprietors remain ignorant of even the most basic information that is essential to run the show. A Java programmer, for example, is asked to hone his skills in C++ or any other program since he is responsible for all ‘programming’ needs. Almost anyone who walks in for the position of writers is employed as an ‘instructional designer’, primarily because they can be asked to work for lesser salaries on the pretext that they lack instructional designing experience. Vendors also rely on these writers to validate the learning content for authenticity even when content validation remains the domain of the expert, the Subject Matter Expert (SME). The writers and designers are instructed to download content from Internet websites and ‘rewrite’ them before using it. A basic ignorance of the Internet medium on the part of the owners means that the writers are often confused with the content because no single idea or information on the Internet appears consistent. E-learning processes are virtually absent in these companies. All that offers a direct benefit to the proprietor becomes part of the practiced processes. A Project Manager, for example, may be required to recruit people, review e-learning courses, undertake marketing activities, and do just anything that catches the fancy of the owner. In some companies, it was observed that programmers were asked to work as typists. The motto: no resource should sit idle. Employees who work for more than 9 hours a day are neither paid additional remuneration nor are given facilities like cabs and food for their late stay and long hours of work. As an e-learning professional once remarked, â€Å"employees in these fly-by-night ventures reminds one of the rampant practice of human slavery in Africa and Arabian countries a few centuries back. Professional torture apart, these employees are also subjected to extremely inhuman conditions of work – congested workplace, outdated computers, stinking toilets, and the same paltry salary year after year. Employees in these companies too appear to have resigned to their fates – partly because their poor education that doesn’t stand them in good stead for jobs in big e-learning MNCs and also because most do not have a professional competence in English language. This phenomenon is rarely reported by any section of the Indian media, perhaps due to ignorance or for fear of antagonizing the international fraternity. The abysmal condition and the unplanned e-learning sector, however, have both a positive and a negative side to it. The positive side is that these e-learning ventures help to reinforce the fact that there is no alternate to quality, and quality comes from the big guys, not the fly-by-night operators. The flipside is that the employees in tiny Indian -learning ventures rarely get the exposure to standard work processes and world-class e-learning products thereby subjecting themselves to professional impairment. Unfortunate for the Indian e-learning industry, at a n era of globalization and information revolution, Indian laws too have failed to contain these IT hawks. While the existing labour laws do have provisions against inhuman practices in the private workplace, in practice they remain a mirage. Most of the employees neither have the financial resources to chase litigation nor are they willing to ‘waste’ their time. The Southern part of India presents a striking contrast to the North. Recent years have seen a rapid and strategic development of global e-learning companies in the South, in places like Bangalore and Chennai. Several global players have also setup their centers in Pune, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Not surprising, the South has become a favorite e-learning destinations for serious e-learning players because of the absence of the mayhem so rampant in the Northern part of the country. Although the same Indian laws apply to all states across India, security and infrastructure is usually better in the Southern states than in the North. Consequently, most of these global giants are reluctant to setup their operations in the North for obvious reasons: lax security, incompetent e-learning resources, and rampant corruption. However of all the paraphernalia, one primary reason that dissuades the big names in e-learning from setting bases in North India is the abysmally poor skill-sets of the workforce here. In an era of cut-throat competition, generalized skills fetch little or paltry returns. In the past companies like Tata Interactive Services, Brainvisa, Sify e-learning and Accenture have all failed to locate substantial trained workforce from the North for its setups in the South. Amidst all the rigmarole, smaller global clients seeking ‘cheap’ e-learning courses remain unconcerned about the operatives of these vile businessmen. The only thing that seemingly matters for them is ‘cheaper products’, even if it comes in poor quality or if the employees who developed them are subjected to inhuman practices. Its time that global clients shed their ignorance and act responsibly by seeking detailed credentials from smaller e-learning vendors in India on their HR processes, employee welfare schemes and workforce competence. Failing to do this will not result in the development of shabby e-learning courses. The state of e-learning in India, particularly the frenzy in North India, remains a serious concern for the industry. Either the law of the land has to haul-up the desperados or wait till the hawks eat up the industry for the worse. A regulatory authority is essential now, if the industry is to survive and prosper. Money-eyed hawks can’t be allowed to have a field day. If they hang around for long, the death of the industry in India is imminent. 1. 3 COMPANY HISTORY 1. 3. 1 SIFY SOFTWARE LIMITED Sify eLearning was formed in December 2000. With over 8 years of experience in the training domain and our speciality in Instructional Design and Interactive Multimedia Content Development, we have developed over 5000 hours of learning content comprising Web based training (WBT), Computer based training (CBT), and Instructor Led training (ILT) courses. We have close to 300 employees located in our offices in India, the US, UK, and the Middle East. In India, Sifys offices are located in Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore. Sify eLearning, which ranks among the top three eLearning Services providers in India, is a part of Sify Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ:SIFY), with a revenue of US$150 million in 2008. Sify Technologies (www. sifycorp. com) is a pioneer and leader in the Internet, networking, and e-Commerce services in India and serves more than 1500 corporate and 600,000 retail consumers. We are proud to be the preferred eLearning vendor to many Fortune 100 companies. 1. 3. 2EVERONN EDUCATION LIMITED Everonn is one of the leading educational companies in India. Everonn today is the largest VSAT education network in the World. Everonn is listed in both the NSE and BSE. With a firm belief that technology-enabled learning can truly nullify social and economic boundaries, Everonn’s achievements have helped millions of students achieve their dreams. From its pioneering VSAT-enabled virtual and interactive classrooms to its emphasis on offering only the highest-quality content to students, Everonn’s quest for excellence has enabled the company to repeatedly break new grounds in the Indian education industry. Everonn’s commitment to a better standard of education is the guiding principle behind all its activities, from making Pre-school toddlers school ready to enhancing the employability of college students and providing the best entrance exam guidance in the nation. 1. 4PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED The Research titled namely â€Å"A Study on Employee attitude Leadership Style† is a research study conducted among various managers in different functional areas in Sify Software Limited Everonn Education Limited. In this research study, the researcher has made an attempt to identify the various styles followed by leaders due to different behavior among employees. The study mainly focus on the various attitudes of employee’s in different groups and its impact of the performance if individual, group or team organization. Further, the study also focuses on finding out the significant relationship between the attitude of employees and its impact of completion of module, work, deadlines, and target. This study is limited to the managers working at Sify Software Limited Everonn Education Limited. 1. 5NEED FOR THE STUDY The need for the study is to bring out the various attitude of employee in different groups and its impact on the performance of individual, group or team organization. This research study is restricted to employees working in Sify Software limited Everonn Education Limited. Generally employees working in any software companies are from different background in the sense they are from different regions, different culture, language, belief, Qualification, religion, communities etc. , which generally varies from the employees working in other sectors. This difference in attitude of employees is a very big challenge for software companies since it leads to many conflicts among the employees that affect the conducive working environment of the organization. In this study the researcher mainly focuses on changes in attitude of employees and the level of impact on their performance. Further the researcher has made an attempt to analyze the change in leadership behavior due to changes in employee attitude. In addition, the study will also be helpful in finding out the significant relationship between the attitude of employees and its impact on completion of module, work, deadlines, and target. 1. 6OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 1. 6. 1PRIMARY OBJECTIVE 1. To study the changes in attitude of employees and the behavioral changes of leadership at Sify software limited Everonn Education Limited. 1. 6. 2SECONDARY OBJECTIVES 1. To identify and analyze the relationship between employee attitude and leadership behavior in Sify Software Limited Everonn Education Limited. 2. To analyze the level of impact of leadership behavior on the team and performance of team. 3. To find out various ways to improve the attitude of people towards organizational commitments. 4. To identify the relationship between the attitude of employees and their performance towards their job. 1. 7SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study may help to find out the style to be adapted by leadership that may help them to effectively control the attitude of employees and also it helps to influence the workers and to extract work from them. This study may show the various characteristics of employees and its impact on the performance. Generally employees working in any software companies are from different background in the sense they are from different regions, different culture, language, belief, Qualification, religion, communities etc. , which generally varies from the employees working in other sectors. This difference in attitude of employees is a very big challenge for software companies since it leads to many conflicts among the employees that affect the conducive working environment of the organization. In this study the researcher mainly focuses on changes in attitude of employees and the level of impact on their performance. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE SURVEY 2. 1REVIEW OF LITERATURE ?Attitudes are not the same as values. Attitudes are evaluative statements –either favorable or unfavorable concerning objects people, or events. Employee values, attitudes, and leadership behavior play a very important role in enhancing employee work motivation and performance. Employee work values, attitudes and leadership behavior can carefully be adjusted to produce a strong impact on employee work motivation. It would, therefore, be interesting to examine the precise nature of their roles in influencing the intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation of employees. ?Leadership Theory Leadership Styles: Leaders and followers each have different traits, values and levels of motivation. Theories that explain leadership effectiveness in terms of situational moderator variables are called contingency theories of leadership (Yukl 2006). Fiedler’s (1964) contingency model of leadership effectiveness is contingent upon the interaction of leadership style and situational favorableness (Liu et al. 2003). Thus, leader effectiveness is the product of many variables related to the followers, the task, and the organization (Tatum, et. al. , 2003). Transformational leadership theory emphasizes longer-term and vision-based motivational processes (Bass Avolio, 1997; Liu et al, 2003) and attempts to capture the emotional and symbolic aspects of leadership, helping researchers understand how leaders influence followers and motivate them to make self-sacrifices, putting the needs of the mission or organization above materialistic self-interests (Yukl, 2006). Researchers have found that most managers believe there is no single universal style of leadership applicable in all situations (Yun, Cox, and Sims, Jr. , 2006; Lord et al. , 2001). For example, a task-oriented leadership style may be most appropriate where a job involves psychologically immature or inexperienced workers; whereas, a relations-oriented leadership style may be most appropriate where workers are highly experienced and can be trusted to work autonomously (Tatum, et. al. , 2003). ?Group Types: Yukl (2006) defines several types of teams that can be found within an organization; two such teams include: Functional and Cross-Functional. Yukl (2006) provides the following about each team: â€Å"Functional teams are characterized by members of an organization with specialized jobs but are all part of the same basic function (e. g. maintenance, quality, etc. ). These teams operate for a long duration of time with membership that is relatively stable. Cross-Functional teams are characterized by members from a combination of functional subunits (e. g. quality, production, sales, and maintenance) working together on projects that require joint problem-solving skills. These teams operate until their task is completed. Membership may be stable over the life of the team or it may change as some functions increase/decrease in importance†. Leadership Credibility: Credibility is the foundation of leadership, and employees want their leaders to be honest, inspiring, competent, and forward looking (Kouzes and Posner, 2000). The credible leader must be seen as well informed and worthy of belief (Stoner, 1989). Credibility n urtures collaborative, cooperative relationships where employees assume responsibility for accomplishing work-related objectives voluntarily (Gabris Ihrke, 1996). For credibility to exist there must be trust between leader and follower (Kouzes Posner, 2000). Leadership credibility deals with perceived believability toward the leader-supervisor as someone an employee can trust in a supervisor-subordinate relationship (Gabris Ihrke, 1996). Organizational Justice: Organizational justice theory is intimately tied to leadership and decision processes (Tatum, et. al, 2003) and is based on the idea that a set of justice rules is used by individuals to evaluate fair treatment; and the extent to which those rules are satisfied or violated determines perceptions of justice or injustice (Mayer, et al. , 2007). Procedural justice refers to the perceived fairness of the methods used to make organizational decisions (Tepper, et. al. , 2006; Bauer, et al, 2001). In procedural justice, employees are concerned about whether the decision process is fair and the process used to determine the outcome was just (Fernandes Awamleh, 2006). Perceptions of fair procedures enhance employee acceptance of organizational outcomes (Latham Pinder, 2005), lead to organizational commitment (Lind Tyler, 1988) and satisfaction at the individual level (De Cremer, 2007). Shared perceptions of justice at the group level are positively related to satisfaction and commitment to the organization (Mayer, et al. , 2007). Just outcomes signal to employees that they are valued by the organization (Tyler Lind, 1992). Individuals experience procedural injustice when they are denied voice and decision control (Tepper, et. al. , 2006). Interactional justice is defined as the interpersonal treatment people receive as procedures are enacted (Bies Moag, 1986; Colquitt, 2001). Interactional justice is concerned with how information is communicated and whether individuals affected by a decision are treated with respect and dignity (Fernandes Awamleh, 2006). ?Group Commitment: Commitment is believed to affect organizational performance (Fiorito, et al. , 2007) and outcomes such as job satisfaction (Williams Hazer, 1986). Commitment is strongly influenced by leadership (Kouzes Posner, 2000). When employees feel unfairly treated, they may respond affectively with low commitment (Latham Pinder, 2005). The effect of leadership style on group interaction depends on both the consistency of the leadership style and the attitude group members have toward the leadership style (Kahai, Sosik, Avolio, 1997). Describing the task in a way that links it to member values and ideals, explaining why a project or task is important, involving members in planning strategies for attaining the objectives, and empowering members to find creative solutions to problems (Yukl, 2006). If members see leadership as legitimate, they should remain more attached to the team and exert more effort to benefit it (Colquitt, Noe, Jackson, 2002). ?It is readily accepted that organizational change impacts employees in a variety of ways (French, Bell, Zawacki, 2000). Consequently, the impact of organizational change on employee attitudes has received considerable research attention (e. g. Gardner, Dunham, Cummings, Pierce, 1987; Griffin, 1997; Lines, 2004; Saari Judge, 2004; Schweiger DeNisi, 1991). Research indicates that employee attitudes are related to how individuals perceive or react to change (Mossholder, Settoon, Armenakis, Harris, 2000). This is important since positive perceptions of change can enhan ce the implementation of these organizational initiatives (Lines, 2004; Armenakis, Harris, Feild, 1999). In this study, employee attitudes are investigated when organizational change is caused by the introduction of new technology. As depicted in Figure 1, salient attitudes of interest include job satisfaction, organizational commitment, intent to turnover, and job stress. The most-used research definition of job satisfaction is by Locke (1976), who defined it as â€Å". . . a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job or job experiences† (p. 1304). Implicit in Locke’s definition is the importance of both affect, or feeling, and cognition, or thinking. When we think, we have feelings about what we think. Conversely, when we have feelings, we think about what we feel. Cognition and affect are thus inextricably linked, in our psy-chology and even in our biology. Thus, when evaluating our jobs, as when we assess most anything important to us, both thinking and feeling are involved. Continuing this theoretical development, Judge and his colleagues (Judge Bono, 2001; Judge, Locke, Durham, Kluger, 1998) found that a key personality trait, core self-evaluation, correlates with (is statistically related to) employee job satisfaction. They also found that one of the primary causes of the relationship was through the perception of the job itself. Thus, it appears that the most important situational effect on job satisfaction—the job itself—is linked to what may be the most important personality trait to predict job satisfaction—core self-evaluation. Evidence also indicates that some other personality traits, such as extra-version and conscientiousness, can also influence job satisfaction (Judge, Heller, Mount, 2002) In the research literature, the two most extensively validated employee attitude survey measures are the Job Descriptive Index (JDI; Smith, Kendall, Hulin, 1969) and the Mi nnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ; Weiss, Dawis, England, Lofquist, 1967). The JDI assesses satisfaction with five different job areas: pay, promotion, coworkers, supervision, and the work itself. The JDI is reliable and has an impressive array of validation evidence. The MSQ has the advantage of versatility—long and short forms are available, as well as faceted and overall measures. Another measure used in job satisfaction research (e. g. , Judge, Erez, Bono, Thoresen, in press) is an updated and reliable five-item version of an earlier scale by Brayfield and Rothe (1951). All of these measures have led to greater scientific understanding of employee attitudes, and their greatest value may be for research purposes, yet these measures may be useful for practitioners as well. In practice, organizations often wish to obtain a more detailed assessment of employee attitudes and/or customize their surveys to assess issues unique to their firm. ?Job satisfaction is one of the most extensively researched work-related attitudes (Loscocco Roschelle, 1991). Saari and Judge (2004), however, observed that HR practitioners lack thorough knowledge of job satisfaction and related antecedents. Job satisfaction is operationally defined as an individuals assessment of the degree to which their work-related values have been achieved (Locke, 1969; Locke, 1976). Research suggests that organizational change has a discernable impact on job satisfaction (see, for example, Ferguson Cheyne, 1995) which is associated with organizational citizenship behaviors that are beneficial to organizational effectiveness (Organ, 1990). ?Organizational commitment is also a frequently studied job attitude (Lines, 2004; Loscocco Roschelle, 1991). Definitions and conceptualizations of the organizational commitment construct are numerous and diverse. Morrow (1983) observed at least 25 different conceptualizations of organizational commitment. Despite this diversity, OReilly and Chatman (1986), among others, suggest that psychological attachment to an organization is a theme underlying most conceptualizations of organizational commitment. Of particular interest in this study is the relationship between affective organizational commitment and reactions to the organizational changes since individuals with high levels of affective commitment tend to exert extraordinary effort on behalf of an organization (Porter, Steers, Mowday, Boulian, 1974). In addition, individuals with high levels of affective commitment are likely to remain with an organization because they want to remain with the organization (Porter et al. , 1974), not because they have no other alternatives or because of social pressure. CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3. 1PROPOSED METHODOLOGY 3. 1. 1FOR EMPLOYEES The Researcher has proposed to use Qualitative and Analytical type of research. The Researcher has proposed to use Qualitative type of research, to assess the behavior of various employees in different teams which has an impact on overall performance of the team. The Researcher has also proposed to use Analytical type of result to analyze the effect of behavior on their individual performance towards their relationship with peers etc. 3. 1. 2FOR MANAGERS To assess the changes in leadership behavior due to changes in employee attitude, the Researcher has used the same Qualitative and Analytical type of research design. 3. 2RESEARCH DESIGN The research design is the blue print for fulfilling objectives and answering questions of specific research problem. A research design is purely and simply the framework a plan for a study that guides the collection and analysis of the data. The research designs used in this project are listed below. 3. 2. 1 DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH To describe the characteristics of certain groups e. g. users of a product with different age, sex etc. , to determine whether certain variables are associated e. g. , age and usage of a product. 3. 2. 2 ANALYTICAL RESEARCH To analyze the behavior of employees and its impact of deadline productivity. 3. 3DATA COLLECTION METHOD In this study the researcher has proposed to use both Primary and secondary data. 3. 3. 1PRIMARY DATA Primary data will be collected through a structured Questionnaire from the target respondents.

If a tree falls Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

If a tree falls - Essay Example From his portrayal of McGowan, the producer seems sympathetic of the plight of this radical activist and the ELF as a whole, albeit from a neutral perspective. The producer has used McGowan’s case to represent plight of the ELF and has also examined the origin of radical environmentalism and has highlighted the destruction that was brought by the Earth Liberation Front in the 1990’s. He has also discussed the issue of terrorism as explained by the government, and in the process he has presented a character, McGowan who does not meet the criteria of being a terrorist in the post 9/11 era. The documentary aims to establish whether crimes directed towards property, and no person is injured constitute terrorism. Through the documentary, we learn that the ELF, which is a conglomeration of radical environmental organizations/groups, opted for civil disobedience and annihilation of environmental abuse symbols when it was unable to accomplish its objectives (Miller & Vandone 67). Therefore the producer of the documentary seeks to establish whether these heinous acts, in the name of radical environmentalism, were terrorist acts. As th e documentary progresses, we feel that Curry is sympathetic about the manner in which radical environmentalists are regarded as terrorists. He gives one example in Oregon when protesters were dispersed by police by tear gas canisters. From this, the audience pities these radical environmentalists who were manhandled by police officers. Therefore, it would seem that the producer used this scenario to depict his sympathy towards radical environmentalists like McGowan. The producer has used McGowan effectively to post the questions that he had in mind. Through McGowan, we sympathize with a former member of the ELF who has been sentenced to life imprisonment due to charges of ‘terrorism’’. McGowan had already

The Fall Prevention Among High Risk Patients Research Paper

The Fall Prevention Among High Risk Patients - Research Paper Example to population at high risk, and one step closer to this goal is through this study by raising awareness about this problem and propose solutions in minimizing falls, more specifically for patients at high risk. Literature Review A fall is an incident when a patient â€Å"unexpectedly comes to rest on the ground, floor or another level† (Haines et al, 2007). Falls are a major safety concern for hospitals, which accounts to 32.3% of incidents related to safety, and 35.3% of those incidences resulted to harm and even death (Healey et al, 2007). Medicaid has a greater utilization costs resulting from falls (Shumway-Cook et al, 2009). Fortunately, there are already a vast number of studies which were addressed for falls and fall prevention is already a part of the nursing curriculum a long time ago. Researches in risk identification for falls are abundant especially the studies among the elderly population. The study of Rubenstein (2006) tabulated the risk factors for falls from th e most frequent to the less common; the most prominent risk factor is weakness, followed by balance deficit, gait deficit, visual deficit, limited mobility, cognitive impairment, impaired functioning and postural hypotension. Other risk factors identified by Faulkner et al (2009) are height, fear of falling, â€Å"fast-paced walking speed†. Lee & Stokic (2008) investigated the risk factors for falls in patient undergoing rehabilitation identified the diagnoses of stroke, amputation and large co-morbidities as additional risk factors for falls. Among the postmenopausal women, the risks factors for falls were related to age, education, hearing status, history of fracture and hypothyroidism (Barrett-Connor et al, 2008). In terms of visual deficit, visual field loss appears to be the specific risk... This study aims to reduce the incidence of falls among the populations who are at high risk for falls in the hospital setting. This study will take place at a community hospital in Maryland. This study is a non-experimental, retrospective, descriptive case study. This design is selected since the paper will identify the risk factors that are present in the study setting without any manipulation of the variables. This study will try to investigate the fall incidences and the risk factors present retrospectively rather than prospectively. It is a case study since it will attempt to investigate in-depth the institution selected by the researcher to understand the issues underlying the risk factors and fall incidents in order to come up with fall prevention strategies in response to the risks identified. This study has a major strength in data collection, which does not require experimental treatment and is convenience for the researcher to gather data using available records. However, weaknesses of this study is the sampling bias (though the convenience sample of the hospital selected), small sampling size and poor generalizability of the findings. The study will use descri ptive statistical measures through the use of SPSS. This study will only identify the risk factors and use simple statistical tables in determination of the most frequently observed risk factors and to be place on a graph. Relationship of the variables will be assessed using the product-moment correlation coefficient.

The Olympic Games do not bring lasting benefits to the host country Essay

The Olympic Games do not bring lasting benefits to the host country. Discus - Essay Example What is required is such an uplift which will make the country more prosperous and developed after the completion of the Olympic Games, but sadly the same is missing in the long run. The Olympic Games have been the most renowned and expensive events and the fact that these come every four years raises quite a few points for the different sectors. The public sector sees benefits coming in from different angles and the private sector gets in touch with the different companies, institutions and organizations to extract the best possible mileage for their respective areas of business. (Crowther, 2005) The financial benefits start becoming lesser when the Olympic Games finish and this is one aspect that is looked upon by the economic domains of the host country with an eye of skepticism and worry. The prosperity of the host nation must be such that it remains in the longer duration but it fades out in an instant fashion – a discussion which has more questions than answers on the part of the people at the helm of affairs when it comes to the successful hosting of the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games bring a cultural boom within the host country. Its different economic sectors start getting the positive vibes about the happenings on and off the Olympics fields. Also there is a lot of room for the media to showcase the talent which is available on display. The whole society experiences a completely different mindset, emitting from the Olympics’ domains. This happens each time a host nation is chosen, usually some 5-6 years before the actual holding of the Olympic Games. For instance a couple of years back, London was given the rights to hold the 2012 Olympic Games and thus the festivity began just then. (Roulac, 1993) It will continue to increase until the day it essentially gets inaugurated (when the Games get launched with the Olympic torch). However what happens after the holding of these Olympic Games is

CRIMINAL EVIDENCE AND PROCEDURE ONLINE WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT

CRIMINAL EVIDENCE AND PROCEDURE ONLINE WRITTEN - Assignment Example Hymon identified himself as a police officer and ordered the suspect to stop. The young man crouched at the fence ignored the officer's command and attempted to over the fence. While the suspect was going over the fence, the police officer fired at the suspect hitting him in the head. The burglary suspect was a fifteen-year-old named Edward Garner who consequently died as a result of the shooting. The officer who shot Garner was acting pursuant to the law of Tennessee and the Memphis police department policy. The Memphis police policy authorizes a police officer to use deadly force to apprehend a fleeing suspect. It provides that where all other means to apprehend that suspect have been exhausted. The police are taught to shoot to kill and not trained to shoot to wound, therefore, it is apparent that Garner's death was not accidental. Thereafter the suspect’s father brought a civil rights action against the Director of Police, the Memphis Police Department, the City, the mayor and officer Hymon. Legal point of issue The action was founded on the claim that when Hymon shot and killed Garners he violated his constitutional rights as under the fourth, eighth and fourteenth amendments. The other defendants in the case were enjoined in the suit on the basis that they failed to exercise due care in the employment, training, and supervision of officer Hymon and, therefore, they were equally responsible for Garners death. Decision of the court The court decided that the using deadly force to seize a fleeing and unarmed felon is unconstitutional as indicated by the mandates of fourth, eighth and fourteenth amendments. Additionally the court found that the rule of the fleeing felon does not violate the provisions of either the fourth or the eighth amendments. Reasoning of the court In arriving at its decision, the court reasoned that a police officer could arrest an individual if there is the probable reason that the individual has committed a crime. The fourth am endment does not make any provisions concerning how the seizure is made. The seizure should have a balance of the extent of intrusion as against the reasonableness of the manner the arrest is made. To determine the reasonability of an arrest, there must be a balance of both nature and the quality of the intrusion on the individuals interests as provided for by the fourth amendment against the importance of the interests of the government to justify the seizure. The court referred to the case of Michigan v summers where it was held that the key principles of the fourth amendment are balancing competing interests. Furthermore, the court found that reasonableness depends on when the arrest is made and how it is executed. In view of this and in light of the current case, the court found that irrespective of the probable cause to apprehend a suspect the officer apprehending the suspect must not always do so by killing him. The use of such deadly force by an officer in conducting an arres t is unmatched (Kevin, Rick, & Betsy 2007). The fundamental interest of the suspect is his life and the use of lethal force in effecting an arrest frustrates the interest of the individual (Gino 2003). The use of lethal force also frustrates the interest of the society in judicially determining the guilt of the suspect and

Investigation of REDBULL Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Investigation of REDBULL - Research Paper Example caffeine and glucose on the cognitive and cardiovascular performances of students during a two hour long lecture. An interventional study was conducted to test whether stimulation (caffeine, caffeine + glucose, glucose drink) can effect physiological and cognitive changes in an individual within a controlled environment amongst 16 students. The participants were required to fill out a lifestyle questionnaire after which their cardiovascular parameters (i.e. heart rate and MAP) and cognitive performance (via a reaction time test) were assessed. Subsequently, they were asked to consume a 250 ml drink on 7 different occasions, from a selection of the following beverages: water, red bull, red bull with no added sugar and soft drink. The participants were then asked to wear an ambulatory device during a 2 hour lecture which was set to read their heart rate and blood pressure every 30 min. At the end of the 2 hour lecture, the participants were required to undertake a repeat reaction time test. ... Thus, it can be concluded that the consumption of Energy Drinks results in an improvement in cardiovascular and cognitive performance and both the glucose and the caffeine component have a contributory role in the improvement of these parameters. Introduction: Over the last few decades, there has been a witnessed increase in popularity of diet/health food and other food fads, and a concurrent rise in the popularity and demand for functional foods, an example of which are energy drinks, such as Red Bull (Smit et al., 2004; Finnegan, 2003). Energy Drinks are categorized as â€Å"stimulant drinks,† which have been defined by the Stimulant Drinks Committee as ‘a beverage which typically contains caffeine, taurine and vitamin(s) and may contain an energy source (e.g. carbohydrate) and/or other substance(s), marketed for the specific purpose of providing real or perceived enhanced physiological and/or performance effects (Stimulant Drinks Committee, 2003, p. iv).’ The m anufacturers of Energy Drinks claim that such drinks enhance both mental and physical functions, resulting in improved physical endurance, increased alertness and concentration, augmented reaction speed and an elevated mood (Kim, 2003; Kaminer, 2010). â€Å"Energy Drinks† are so called because they are thought to be stimulant in nature, providing the consumers with an instant boost of energy and alertness and decreasing lethargy and sleepiness, have been present in the global market in their current guise from the late nineties, but under the banner stimulant drinks, these have been sold and marketed for many years, and have been gaining widespread fame ever since (Kim, 2003). For example, Lucozade, a UK branded energy

Social and governmental environmental of business Essay

Social and governmental environmental of business - Essay Example Tess can file suit against, JP Morgan Chase Manhattan bank, for sex discrimination. Employees claim this common discrimination, about companies’ ways of dressing of respective gender. That is particularly so, when employers have dressing rules, for each gender and are perceived by employees of a gender, as singling them out. The courts usually do not let employers get away with setting up or implementing dress codes in ways that deliberately discriminate, based on sex. Tess may file a discrimination charge with a State Equivalent. (Bender-Baird 75) However, sex discrimination is illegal thus; the courts normally defend employers’ rights to set up gender-differentiated dress codes, because men and women have normally dressed differently. The bank can defend itself for terminating Tess’s employment because she refused follow orders and directions of the work place. Employers are always under their employers’ supervision. They must do what their supervisors or employers ask them to do provided it is legal, ethical or immoral. Since Tess was aware of the company’s dress rules, and the company had warned her, the chances are that JP Morgan could win the case. Tess deliberately could not follow the company rules. The production of the nude photos of Tess by the company gave enough evidence of how Tess ignored the company rules. This would make Tess to lose the case even if she was to

Investigation of REDBULL Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Investigation of REDBULL - Research Paper Example caffeine and glucose on the cognitive and cardiovascular performances of students during a two hour long lecture. An interventional study was conducted to test whether stimulation (caffeine, caffeine + glucose, glucose drink) can effect physiological and cognitive changes in an individual within a controlled environment amongst 16 students. The participants were required to fill out a lifestyle questionnaire after which their cardiovascular parameters (i.e. heart rate and MAP) and cognitive performance (via a reaction time test) were assessed. Subsequently, they were asked to consume a 250 ml drink on 7 different occasions, from a selection of the following beverages: water, red bull, red bull with no added sugar and soft drink. The participants were then asked to wear an ambulatory device during a 2 hour lecture which was set to read their heart rate and blood pressure every 30 min. At the end of the 2 hour lecture, the participants were required to undertake a repeat reaction time test. ... Thus, it can be concluded that the consumption of Energy Drinks results in an improvement in cardiovascular and cognitive performance and both the glucose and the caffeine component have a contributory role in the improvement of these parameters. Introduction: Over the last few decades, there has been a witnessed increase in popularity of diet/health food and other food fads, and a concurrent rise in the popularity and demand for functional foods, an example of which are energy drinks, such as Red Bull (Smit et al., 2004; Finnegan, 2003). Energy Drinks are categorized as â€Å"stimulant drinks,† which have been defined by the Stimulant Drinks Committee as ‘a beverage which typically contains caffeine, taurine and vitamin(s) and may contain an energy source (e.g. carbohydrate) and/or other substance(s), marketed for the specific purpose of providing real or perceived enhanced physiological and/or performance effects (Stimulant Drinks Committee, 2003, p. iv).’ The m anufacturers of Energy Drinks claim that such drinks enhance both mental and physical functions, resulting in improved physical endurance, increased alertness and concentration, augmented reaction speed and an elevated mood (Kim, 2003; Kaminer, 2010). â€Å"Energy Drinks† are so called because they are thought to be stimulant in nature, providing the consumers with an instant boost of energy and alertness and decreasing lethargy and sleepiness, have been present in the global market in their current guise from the late nineties, but under the banner stimulant drinks, these have been sold and marketed for many years, and have been gaining widespread fame ever since (Kim, 2003). For example, Lucozade, a UK branded energy

Objectivist Epistemology and Ayn Rand Essay Example for Free

Objectivist Epistemology and Ayn Rand Essay The starting point of Objectivist Epistemology is the principle, presented by Rand as a direct consequence of the metaphysical axiom that Existence is Identity, that Knowledge is Identification. Objectivist epistemology[9] studies how one can translate perception, i. e. , awareness acquired through the senses, into valid concepts that actually identify the facts of reality. Objectivism states that by the method of reason man can gain knowledge (identification of the facts of reality) and rejects philosophical skepticism. Objectivism also rejects faith and feeling as means of attaining knowledge. Although Rand acknowledged the importance of emotion in humans, she maintained that the existence of emotion was part of our reality, not a separate means of achieving awareness of reality. Rand was neither a classical empiricist (like Hume or the logical positivists) nor a classical rationalist (like Plato, Descartes, or Frege). She disagreed with the empiricists mainly in that she considered perception to be simply sensation extended over time, limiting the scope of perception to automatic, pre-cognitive awareness. Thus, she categorized so-called perceptual illusions as errors in cognitive interpretation due to complexity of perceptual data. She held that objective identification of the values of attributes of existents is obtained by measurement, broadly defined as procedures whose perceptual component, the comparison of the attributes value to a standard, is so simple that an error in the resulting identification is not possible given a focused mind. Therefore, according to Rand, knowledge obtained by measurement (the fact that an entity has the measured attribute, and the value of this attribute relative to the standard) is contextually certain. Ayn Rands most distinctive contribution in epistemology is her theory that concepts are properly formed by measurement omission. Objectivism distinguishes valid concepts from poorly formed concepts, which Rand calls anti-concepts. While we can know that something exists by perception, we can only identify what exists by measurement and logic, which are necessary to turn percepts into valid concepts. Procedural logic (defined by Rand as the art of non-contradictory identification) specifies that a valid concept is formed by omitting the variable measurements of the values of corresponding attributes of a set of instances or units, but keeping the list of shared attributes a template with measurements omitted as the criterion of membership in the conceptual class. When the fact that a unit has all the attributes on this list has been verified by measurement, then that unit is known with contextual certainty to be a unit of the given concept. [9] Because a concept is only known to be valid within the range of the measurements by which it was validated, it is an error to assume that a concept is valid outside this range, which is its (contextual) scope. It is also an error to assume that a proposition is known to be valid outside the scope of its concepts, or that the conclusion of a syllogism is known to be valid outside the scope of its premises. Rand ascribed scope violation errors in logic to epistemological intrinsicism. [9][4] Rand did not consider the analytic-synthetic distinction, including the view that there are truths in virtue of meaning, or that necessary truths and mathematical truths are best understood as truths in virtue of meaning, to have merit. She similarly denied the existence of a priori knowledge. Rand also considered her ideas distinct from foundationalism, naive realism about perception like Aristotle, or representationalism (i. e. , an indirect realist who believes in a veil of ideas) like Descartes or Locke. Objectivist epistemology, like most other philosophical branches of Objectivism, was first presented by Rand in Atlas Shrugged. [5] It is more fully developed in Rands 1967 Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology. [9] Rand considered her epistemology and its basis in reason so central to her philosophy that she remarked, I am not primarily an advocate of capitalism, but of egoism; and I am not primarily an advocate of egoism, but of reason. If one recognizes the supremacy of reason and applies it consistently, all the rest follows.

Self Objectification and the Sexualization of Girls

Self Objectification and the Sexualization of Girls Contemporary Western culture has essentially commodified the female body and form and we now live in a society where womens bodies tend to be valued as appearance-based, sexual objects; objects that can be viewed and appraised, bought and sold, and ultimately consumed, by other individuals and society as a whole. Sexual objectification of the female body exists along a continuum ranging from the literal (e.g., human sex trafficking, modeling, participating in pageants) to figurative (e.g., media representations, using womens bodies in advertising). Further, sexual objectification represents both a cultural as well as interpersonal phenomenon; one in which women and girls are reduced to and primarily valued for their appearance and, more specifically, their ability to conform to societys increasingly narrow standards for a sexually desirable body. Thus, the experience of sexual objectification can be both direct (e.g., women and girls personal experiences of being judged on their appe arance and sexual desirability) as well as indirect (i.e., women and girls observation of the treatment and sexual objectification of other women and girls) (Crawford et al., 2009). A number of feminist theorists (e.g., Kaschak, 1992; Ussher, 1989) have argued that one of the many potential consequences of living in a society of pervasive sexual objectification, girls and women will internalize this sexual objectification and begin to objectify themselves. That is, over time women learn, through both their interpersonal experiences and vicarious observation of society and popular culture, that their looks matter, that other peoples appraisal of their appearance can determine how they are treated, and, these evaluations can even affect the quality of their social and economic lives. Objectification theory (Fredrickson Roberts, 1997) is a framework for understanding a variety of psychological and physical consequences women may face as a result of living in a culture that sexually objectifies their bodies. This theory describes the process through which women internalize both the belief that appearance is critical component of womens worth as well as cultures standards of near physical perfection and then ultimately determine their value as an individual based on their ability to meet these standards (Crawford et al., 2009). However, as each successive cohort of women since the late 1950s has faced standards of thinness and beauty that are increasingly more difficult to achieve (Garner et al., 1980; Wiseman et al., 1992), the current cultural body and appearance standards for women are now both incredibly unhealthy as well as virtually unattainable (Sptizer, Henderson, Zivian, 1999). For those women who connect these standards to their identity and self-worth, the failure to achieve or compare to this idealized female body is likely to result in feelings of shame and anxiety about their bodies (Bartky, 1988; Lewis, 2000). The traditional view of self-objectification (i.e., valuing ones body more on the basis of outward appearance than performance, health, or function), in turn, is theorized to be associated with an array of emotional and physical consequences, including an increase in body shame, body dissatisfaction, decreased awareness of internal states, depression, sexual dysfunction, and symptoms of eating disorders (Noll Fredrickson, 1998). In the literature, the concept of self-objectification has been used interchangeably with the term objectified body consciousness. McKinley and Hydes (1996) similar construct of objectified body consciousness consists of three primary components: Self-surveillance, body shame, and appearance control. An individual with an objectified body consciousness closely monitors their body from the view of a third person, exhibits body shame when they fail to achieve the cultural expectations, and believes that individuals are able to control their appearance, respectively. Over the last decade, a considerable body of evidence has been documented in support of the proposed tenets of these theories among both adult and adolescent women within a variety of contexts (for an extensive review: Moradi Huang, 2008). Self-objectification and objectified body consciousness have been empirically linked to a plethora of negative psychosocial and physical outcomes, including low body esteem (McKinley, 1998, 1999; McKinley Hyde, 1996; Noll Fredrickson, 1998), depression (Harrison Frederickson, 2003; Miner-Rubino, Twenge, Fredrickson, 2002; Muehlenkamp Saris-Baglama, 2002; Tolman et al., 2006), restrictive eating and eating disorders (Fredrickson et al., 1998; McKinley, 1999; Muehlenkamp Saris-Baglama, 2002; Noll Fredrickson, 1998; Slater Tiggemann, 2002; Tiggemann Lynch, 2001; Tiggemann Slater, 2001), sexual dysfunction (Roberts Gettman, 2004; Wiederman, 2001) and even an increased likelihood of smoking cigarettes (Harrell, 2002). Additionally, experimen tal induction of temporary states of self-objectification has resulted in decreased performance, both physical and cognitive. In one study of over 200 girls, aged 10 to 17 years, Frederickson and Harrison (2005) found that increasing levels of self-objectification predicted poorer motor performance while throwing a softball. Additionally, in their now infamous study, Frederickson and colleagues (1998) found that after asking women to try on a swimsuit and evaluate their appearance in a mirror, these women performed worse on a short math test compared to the women in the control group who completed the same appearance evaluation task in a sweater; findings which have been consistently replicated across multiple sexes and sexual orientations (Hebl, King, Lin, 2004; Martins, Tiggemann, Kirkbride, 2007). To date, much of this research has been conducted utilizing convenience samples of predominately U.S., undergraduate university students (e.g., Miner-Rubino et al., 2002; Morry Staska, 2001; Muelenkamp Saris-Baglama, 2002; Quinn, Kallen, Cathey, 2006) as well as other subgroups vulnerable to objectification, such as dancers (Parsons Betz, 2001; Slater Tiggemann, 2002; Tiggemann Slater, 2001) in part due to their high rates of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders as well as the perceived likelihood of these groups experiencing sexually objectifying situations. While these characteristics certainly make these groups ideal for testing predictions based on objectification theory and the objectified body consciousness construct, they also mean that demographic qualities such as age range, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity are restricted in comparison to the general population. This has greatly limited the generalizability of the findings to other groups of women and made it d ifficult to investigate developmental aspects of self-objectification. Furthermore, given the ubiquitous nature of the sexual objectification of women, self-objectification and an objectified body consciousness are likely to be relevant constructs in the lives of all women. This line of research is far from complete and prior studies and reviews have repeatedly called for additional research addressing group specific manifestations of self-objectification and its related concepts and outcomes within the framework of objectification theory. Despite the notion and evidence to suggest that eating and body image issues begin to develop prior to adolescence, from a developmental perspective, preadolescent girls remain one group that has been understudied to this date. Puberty and Adolescence One potential reason for this exclusion is due to the particular importance assigned to the contribution and timing of puberty in the emergence of self-objectification by both objectification theory as well as objectified body consciousness theory. Specifically, as girls physically and sexually develop into their mature adult forms, their bodies are increasingly judged and commented upon, and subjected to sexual objectification from others, which, according to objectification theory, results in girls adopting a outsiders view of their own bodies to ensure compliance with the social standard (Fredrickson Roberts, 1997). Although there is considerable variation in the individual timing and tempo of puberty (Tanner, 1972), research in the related, albeit more general, areas of body image and body dissatisfaction have routinely shown puberty to be an important risk factor for a variety of psychosocial problems in adolescence, including depression and eating disorders (Angold, Costello, Worthman, 1998; Stice, Agras, Hammer, 1999; Weichold, Silbereisen, Schmitt-Rodermund, 2003). This work in the areas of body image and body dissatisfaction suggests three primary ways in which physical development during puberty could result in body shame. First, the start of puberty initiates a series of dramatic appearance related changes for most adolescents. For example, normal female pubertal development involves the addition of approximately 24 pounds of body fat (Warren, 1983) which represents a typical change in body fat composition from about 16% to 27% and a muscle-to-fat ratio of 5 to 4 by the end of puberty (Brown et al., 2010; Smoll Schutz, 1990). This weight gain and increase in body fat is entirely inconsistent with the current social ideal of an ultra thin, prepubertal, female body ideal and a likely source of adolescent girls dissatisfaction with their bodies (Graber et al., 1994; Spitzer, Henderson, Zivian, 1999; Stice Whitenton, 2002). Similarly, all of these sudden physical changes may redirect or enhance adolescents already greater tendency toward self-consciousness (Jones, 2004; Rankin et al., 2004). Some of the previously described body image research with adults supports this concept and has shown that directing individuals attention to their physical appearance, even temporarily, can result in increased reports of self-surveillance as well as body shame (e.g., Fredrickson et al., 1998; Hebl, King, Lin, 2004; Martins, Tiggemann, Kirkbride, 2007). Finally, in addition to directing adolescents attention to their own physical appearance, the physical changes of puberty likely direct others attention to the adolesce nts body as well; attention that is commonly in the form of peer sexual harassment, particularly for early developing girls (American Association of University Women, 2001). A growing body of research suggests that sexual harassment during adolescence is normative and related to pubertal development (McMaster et al., 2002; Murnen Smolak, 2000). Likewise, in a study of 166 girls aged 10- to 12-years-old (mean age 11.2 years), Lindberg, Grabe, Hyde (2007) showed that more advanced pubertal development and greater sexual harassment from peers predicted increases in both girls engagement in self-surveillance as well as body shame. Consequently, much of the research on the tenets of self-objectification and objectified body consciousness, as well as the proposed psychosocial outcomes has focused on the experiences of mostly post pubertal adolescents and young adults. However, despite the proposed role of puberty in the development of self-objectification; research in related areas suggests that body image concerns are likely starting much earlier than puberty. Numerous researchers have documented that body image concerns and dissatisfaction are significant for most adolescent girls in both clinical and non clinical samples (Bunnell et al., 1992; Smolak Levine, 2001; Thompson et al., 1999b), regardless of eating pathology or weight (Rodin, Silberstein, Streigel-Moore, 1985); findings which have subsequently been explained as normative discontent. In other words, because a majority of women tend to be dissatisfied with their bodies, negative body attitudes are, in fact, quite normal. Thus, by adolescence, many girls have already developed weight and body concerns and may even have engaged in attempts to alter or control their weight and body shape. Although a significant proportion of the previous research on disordered eating and body image dissatisfaction has focused on adult women and adolescent girls, an emerging line of research has begun to examine these constructs among pre-pubescent children as well (Cusumano and Thompson, 2001; Davison, Markey, Birch, 2003; Dohnt Tiggemann, 2004; Field et al., 1999a; Ricciardelli McCabe, 2001; Ricciardelli, McCabe, Banfield, 2000; VanderWal Thelen, 2000). And thus, while the role of pubertal development is certainly notable, it is also an incomplete picture of why and how self-objectification likely develops. Sexualization of Girls A complimentary perspective and emerging line of research particularly relevant to the potential causes and outcomes of self-objectification concerns that of the sexualization of girls. According to the Report of the American Psychological Association Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls (2007), sexualization is used to describe the treatment of others or oneself as sexual objects and, as things rather than as people with legitimate sexual feelings of their own. Sexualized individuals are valued primarily for their physical appearance and, more specifically, their sex appeal. The phenomenon of sexualization has been observed and commented upon by an ever widening array of academics and cultural critics, as well as the popular media. Emma Rush and Andrea La Nauze of The Australia Institute (2006b) have similarly defined sexualization as, the act of giving someone or something a sexual character, which, when applied to children includes inappropriately imposing or encouraging, ster eotypical forms of adult sexuality. In the book, The Lolita Effect, Gigi Durham (2008) commented at length on the complimentary social phenomenon of viewing and treating little girls as sexy as well as encouraging adult women to be sexy by adopting childlike habits and clothing trends (e.g., Mary Jane shoes, lollipops, school uniforms). While children have always been exposed to adult sexuality through popular culture and media, the very direct sexualization of children by media and society, is a considerably more recent development. According to Rush La Nauze (2006b), the term corporate paedophilia is a metaphor coined by Phillip Adams to describe the marketing strategy of age compression, where previously adult/adolescent products are aimed at younger and younger children in order to guarantee more consumers (Lamb and Brown, 2006; Levin and Kilbourne, 2008; Rush La Nauze, 2006a). Rush and La Nauze (2006b) operationally define this concept as advertising and marketing that either seek to present children in sexually suggestive ways, or seek to sell product to children using overt forms of adult sexuality. Despite the potential negative connotations, with 27 million children aged 7 to 14 years, the contemporary tween market is a rather lucrative demographic with tremendous discretionary purchasing power, including a subset of 2.7 million that, in 2001, spent more than $14 billion on clothing alone (Nieder and Figueroa, 2001). Although both girls and boys are exposed to adult sexuality through popular culture and media, the direct marketing of sexualized materials to children is notably directed toward young girls (Rush La Nauze, 2006b). A 1999 article in Entrepreneur magazine described how girls represent a better niche market than boys because, like their adult female counterparts, girls tend to purchase predictable economic stuff, including clothing, accessories, and beauty products (Phillipps, 1999). And, in 2007, NPD Group reported that 7- to 14-year-old girls spent $11.5 billion on apparel, up from $10.5 billion in 2004 (Sweeney, 2008). Taking notice, corporations like MGA Entert ainment, producer of the Bratz dolls, have licensed a line of Bratz clothing and accessories for little girls that include a matching hip-hugger underpants and padded bra set (Opplinger, 2008). Slim-fit t-shirts in stretchy fabrics are now sold in childrens sizes with slogans such as, So many boys, so little time and, Scratch and Sniff across the chest and Pollett and Hurwitz (2004) noted that thong underwear are now offered in tween stores as well as childrens wear departments, often with decorations that will specifically appeal to children. Retail stores such as Limited Too and Justice, which cater exclusively to the tween demographic sell lingerie items such as camisoles and lacy panties, items that once would have been marketed solely to adults (Lamb Brown, 2006). Likewise, the younger sister of Miley Cyrus (of Disney Channel fame) recently began marketing her own lingerie line for tweens. National chains such as Target and J.C. Penny are now selling padded bras and thong pant ies for young girls that feature cherries and slogans such as Wink-Wink and Eye Candy, while in 2008, Wal-Mart offered a pair of thong underwear in childrens sizes emblazoned with the phrase, Who needs a credit card? Not to be left out, pink baby bibs sold at that same chain bore such phrases as, Always Dress to Impress, Kisses 25Â ¢, and Drama Queen. The cosmetics industry has also seen the value of marketing their products to younger and younger girls. In 2001, a survey by the NPD Group showed that, on average, women began using beauty products at 17. Today, the average is 13, and even this is likely to be an overstatement. According to the same report, 8- to 12-year-olds were already spending more than $40 million a month on beauty products. In 2003, according to Experian, a market research company based in New York, 43% of 6- to 9-year-olds were already using lipstick or lip gloss; 38% used hairstyling products; and 12% used other cosmetics. In a study last year, 55% of 6- to 9-year-old girls said they used lip gloss or lipstick and nearly two-thirds said they used nail polish. From 2007 to 2009, the percentage of girls ages 8- to 12-years-old, who regularly use mascara and eyeliner nearly doubled to 18% from 10% for mascara, and to 15% from 9% for eyeliner. The percentage of girls using lipstick also rose, to 15% from 10% (Qu enqua, 2010). Of serious concern within the medical community is research that suggests some of these products may have highly negative consequences from prolonged usage, particularly for children and pre-pubertal adolescents. While race, obesity, and genetics are likely determinants of pubertal timing, a growing body of research suggests that hormonally active environmental agents may also alter the course of pubertal development in girls, which is controlled by endogenous steroids and gonadotropins (Jacobson-Dickman Lee, 2009; Rasier et al., 2006). Some of these chemicals include a number of phenols and phthalates, such as Bisphenol A (BPA), which act like estradiol as hormone agonists and, in animals, have been shown to accelerate pubertal development (Rasier et al., 2006). In the previously described study examining early onset puberty among 7- to 8-year-old girls, Wolff and colleagues (2010) discovered elevated exposure to endocrine disruptors that are commonly found in nail polishes and oth er cosmetics. Toy shops now sell items such as the Girls Ultimate Spa and Perfume Kit (for use by up to eight kids and perfect for spa parties, sleepovers, and rainy days); the Body Shop has lip glosses intended for teens and fruity lip glosses for preteens; Claires, an accessory store in almost every shopping mall, offers lip gloss in flavors that appeal primarily to young girls (e.g., Dr Pepper, Skittles). Mattel Corporation, producer of Barbie dolls, offers lip glosses and perfumes to their junior consumers with names such as, Free Spirit, Summer Fun, and Super Model (Opplinger, 2008). Similarly, large spa chains and salons now offer a variety of services for children, including several companies devoted to providing services to child customers exclusively. Sweet Sassy salons and Dashing Diva franchises advertise services for girls 5- to 11-years-old and offer options such as virgin Cosmos in martini glasses and pink limos as part of birthday parties for groups of girls. Similarly, at any of t he 90 mall-based, Club Libby Lu stores nationwide, girls can mix their own lip gloss and partake in celebrity makeovers and mini fashion shoots (one of the most popular being Hannah Montana) (Sweeney, 2008). Products and services such as these highlight just how mainstream it has become to turn children into cute and sexy little objects. And, although adults and much of society have become somewhat desensitized to this sexualization of girls, children remain especially vulnerable to marketers efforts because of the very way they think. Under the age of eight, children have trouble understanding that the purpose of an ad is to get them to buy something and if they see a child smiling and looking happy, they are unlikely realize its because the child is being paid to look that way. Young children tend to believe what they see, so that when other children are presented as both sexualized and happy, they believe it will be that way for them too (Oates, Blades, Gunter, 2002; Singer Revenson, 1996). Young childrens thinking tends to focus on one thing at a time and only on what they can see. They dont consider multiple aspects of a situation or the relationships between those aspects and they tend not to look at what lies beneath the surface of objects, images, and actions such as the motives, intentions, and feelings underlying sexual behavior Singer Revenson, 1996). In other words, children are already predisposed to attend to appearance and this is particularly damaging and problematic to children and adolescents who are developing their sense of themselves as sexual beings (APA, 2007). Ultimately, girls are encouraged to construct a sexy appearance, yet it is highly unlikely they personally understand what it means to be sexual or to have sexual desires (APA, 2007). Strasburger and Wilson (2002) argued that preadolescents and adolescents are like actors who experiment with different features of their newly forming identities; a plasticity which may make them especially sus ceptible to media and cultural messages linking social popularity and acceptance with various sexualized products and services. Given the tendency for adult women to internalize and actively pursue these social ideals despite greater cognitive resources and media/marketing literacy, it is likely that young girls would also start to adopt an observers view of their bodies and an increased focus on appearance over time and particularly with increased interaction with and consumption of culture that promotes this ideal. Quite simply, between padded bras, adult fashions in youth sizes, make-up and accessories, girls are no longer living in a world where puberty is the true beginning of their sexual objectification by others. Thus, it stands to reason that given enough exposure to this appearance culture, some girls may internalize these values at early ages than previously theorized. Body Image and Concerns in Childhood Although the work is limited, as compared to studies with adults, body image research with children suggests that children as young as 3-years-old may start to show an awareness and even mild endorsement of popular social attitudes about bodies, most notably anti-fat bias and a preference for thinness (Cramer Steinwert, 1998; Musher-Eizenman et al., 2003). However, while measurable, research with young children is generally interpreted with great caution due to their limited cognitive development and generally studies show support for greater awareness and endorsement of these beliefs and preferences beginning between the ages of 5- and 6-years-old (Cramer Steinwert, 1998; Davison, Markey Birch, 2000; Lowes Tiggemann, 2003; Musher-Eizenman et al., 2003; Thelan et al., 1992; Tiggemann Wilson-Barrett, 1998). Because research with children is generally limited by their language and reading skills, most studies on weight and body image have relied primarily on a variety of verbal preference and adjective attribution tasks using age and sex specific figure arrays (Collins, 1991; Hill, Oliver, Roger, 1992; Gardner, Sorter, Friedman, 1997; Musher-Eizenman et al., 2003; Stager Burke, 1982; Truby Paxton, 2002; Williamson Delin, 2001) while reserving surveys and questionnaires for older children (Flanneryschroeder Chrisler, 1996). Unfortunately, a thorough understanding of weight and body image concerns in children is also limited by the great variety in actual constructs being measured (e.g., anti-fat bias, preference for thinness, body dissatisfaction, weight concerns, dieting) as well as differences in the age ranges of the child participants (Smolak, 2004). Despite these limitations, results from several studies suggest that childrens reports of weight and body concerns range between 3 7% and 50% for girls aged 8- to 13-years-old (Collins, 1991; Field et al., 1999a; Rolland, Farnill, Griffiths, 1997; Schur, Sanders, Steiner, 2000; Schreiber et al., 1996) and a 1998 review by Smolak, Levine, and Schermer (1998) found that an average of 40% of girls in late elementary school reported weight and body image concerns. In addition to simply being present and measurable at these ages, weight and body image concerns also appear to be rather consistent and predictive over time. In a longitudinal study of 182 girls, Davison, Markey, and Birch (2003) found that girls were consistent with regard to their reported weight and body concerns from 5- to 9-years-old. Furthermore, even after statistically controlling for weight, girls who reported higher weight or body image concerns between the ages of 5- and 7-years-old also reported higher rates of dietary restriction, disordered eating attitudes, and dieting at age 9 (Davison, Markey, Birch, 2003). Research on the relationships between childrens weight and body image concerns to dieting mirrors patterns in similar studies with adults (Feldman, Feldman, Goodman, 1998; Flanneryschroeder Chrisler, 1996; Freedman, 1984; Gilbert, 1998; Wardle Marsland, 1990) as in adult women. Although dieting behaviors are more commonly reported by older children ranging from 8- to 13-years-old (Rolland, Farnill, Griffiths, 1996; Thelen et al., 1992), there is evidence to suggest elementary school children (grades 3 through 6) are not only knowledgeable about weight loss methods (Schur, Sanders, Steiner, 2000), but they may be reliable reporters of dieting behaviors as well (Kostanski Gullone, 1999). Thus, while weight and body image concerns are perhaps more obvious during adolescence (Striegel-Moore, Silberstein, Rodin, 1986), their origins are likely found in childhood, as by middle childhood, weight and body image concerns are already normative among girls. Contributing Factors An overwhelming number of studies with adolescents and adult women point to a variety of sociocultural factors, most notably family, peers, and media, as the primary source of influence in the development of poor body image and disordered eating (Stice, 1994, 2001, 2002; Stice Shaw, 1994; Thompson et al., 1999b; Thompson Stice, 2001; van den Berg et al., 2002). The basic premise of these models is quite consistent with both objectification theory and the construct of objectified body consciousness and addresses a number of relevant constructs from Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954) while ultimately focusing on internalization of the thin ideal. In general, these theories posit weight and body image concerns develop as a result of discrepancies between the actual and ideal self resulting from social comparisons and feedback from family, peers, and media. As the previously discussed sexualization material suggests, children are likely no less subject to societal pressures tha n adults and adolescent and sociocultural models have now been adapted to explain the development of childrens weight and body concerns (Ricciardelli et al., 2003; Smolak Levine, 2001). Mothers Given the pivotal role of families, more specifically mothers, in young childrens lives, it is perhaps not surprising that much of the sociocultural research on the development of weight and body concerns in childhood has focused on the potential role parents (e.g., Davison, Markey, Birch, 2000; Hill Pallin, 1998; Kluck 2010; Lowes Tiggemann, 2003; McCabe et al., 2007; Ricciardelli et al., 2003; Smolak, Levine, Schermer, 1999). Despite many changes in contemporary culture and across a wide variety of developmental theories, families consistently remain important social reinforcers and role models often credited with constructing and maintaining environments that influence childrens beliefs and behaviors, not only during childhood and adolescence but across the lifespan as well (Bandura McDonald, 1963; Killeya-Jones et al., 2007; Parke Buriel, 2008). With specific regard to self-objectification and objectified body consciousness, McKinley (1999) found significant positive correlations between mothers and their late adolescent daughters body surveillance, body esteem, BMI, and desired weight. Similarly, in a cross cultural study of objectified body consciousness, Crawford and colleagues (2009) found that body shame in mothers was related to body shame in adult daughters for a Nepali sample. With regard to related body image and dietary constructs, numerous studies have identified similarities between mothers and daughters body image concerns and disordered eating patterns (Evans le Grange, 1995; Hill Franklin, 1998; Hill, Weaver, Blundell, 1990; Kichler Crowther, 2001; Rieves Cash, 1996; Sanftner et al., 1996; Smolak, Levine, Schermer, 1999). One way researchers have suggested that a mothers physical appearance orientation can negatively influence daughters is through modeling of behaviors such as dieting or disordered eating (e.g., Keel, Heatherton, Harnden, Hornig, 1997; Kichler Crowther, 2001; Pike, 1995; Pike and Rodin, 1991). Although much of this research has focused on adolescents, similar results emerge in studies of younger children (e.g., Abramovity Birch, 2000; Stice, Agras, Hammer, 1999 Williamson Delin, 2001). Interestingly, in a sample of 5- to 10-year old girls, Williamson and Delin (2001) found it was mothers weight concerns rather than the childs actual weight that predicted childrens weight concerns. Similarly, Abramovity and Birch (2000) found a sample of 5-year-old girls were twice as likely to report ideas about dieting if their mothers were dieting. Yet another way researcher have suggested that a mothers appearance orientation can negatively influence daughters body image and eating behaviors in a more direct manner through verbal comments, which range in form from criticism (Hahn-Smith and Smith, 2001; Smolak, Levine, Schermer, 1999) to teasing and fat talk (Nichter, 2000; Schwartz et al., 1999), and even encouraging to diet (Benedikt, Wertheim, Love, 1998); phenomena which appear to increase as girls approach adolescence (Striegel-Moore Kearney-Cooke, 1994; Thelen Cormier, 1995). However, while most studies have found strong positive relationships between daughters and their mothers self-reports of weight and body image concerns among late adolescents and adults, several notably inconsistent exceptions exist, particularly in studies of younger girls. In the previously mentioned cross cultural study (Crawford et al., 2009), none of the objectified body consciousness measures correlated between mothers and their late adoles cent daughters in the US sample, and in the previously mentioned McKinley (1999) study, there were no relationships between mothers and daughters scores for body shame or control beliefs. Likewise, Lindberg, Hyde, and McKinley (2006) did not find any positive associations between mothers and their 10 to 12-year-old daughters objectified body consciousness measures, and in fact, found small negative correlations between mothers and daughters surveillanc