Organizational Behavior Essay Example for Free

Organizational Behavior Essay There are basically 2 types of organizational structures commonly found in every organization. Namely these two are the vertical organization or the horizontal organization. (Deal, Kennedy, Deal Kennedy, 2000). I myself have worked in both scenarios and personally favor the horizontal approach as the proposition for success is to work in teams, and cross functional teams. If a company follows a vertical approach then supervision of work becomes a much more difficult task and communication gaps arise which have been termed as the major component of project and process failures. In a horizontal organization hierarchal levels are divided in such a way that management of work becomes easier and people of different departments can share their expertise and knowledge when working together. An organization’s bottom line consists of 2 aspects, which are sales and costs. It is the major objective of any organization to maximize its sales and decrease its costs to the minimum in order to extract maximum revenues and hence increase profits and growth (Belker Topchik,2005). Costs can be reduced when a horizontal structure is being followed as the number of channels through which information flows till it reaches its destination is reduced but opposite is in the case of a vertical approach where any information needs to cross through many channels before it reaches its destination. his results in the altering of the original message which negatively affects business plus due to the number of channels costs also increase (Porter, 1998). In the same way cross functional teams in a horizontal approach can lead to better and efficient performance as each member of the team is representing his or her department and wants to prove his or her abilities, hence this results in more efficient business processes (Singer, 2004). On the other hand a vertical approach makes it difficult for the company to work because no department is ready to share his or her data with other departments and it is difficult to manage the circulation of information throughout the organization, which results in slow business processes and inefficiency.

The Fungus Rhizopus Stolonifer

The Fungus Rhizopus Stolonifer The fungus Rhizopus stolonifer is a widely distributed thread like mold which is commonly found upon bread surfaces and other food. This is why it has the common name of black bread mold. Due to the fact that it is so common and can easily grow upon bread substances it makes it a very appropriate fungal choice to experiment on. Rhizopus stolonifer grows rapidly when placed in a moist environment where the temperature stays between 15 and 30 degrees Celsius and can easily reproduce in these temperatures. Rhizopus stolonifer is capable of causing infections in humans and so it makes it appropriate to choose Dettol, Savlon, and Bleach as substances to apply to the fungus as these substances are known to kill pathogens, fungus and clean surfaces. Fungi are known to have a resistance to certain antiseptics however if sufficient concentration of a substance is added, the antiseptic can overcome such resistances. Aim: To determine the effect of certain household substances on the growth of the Rhizopus stolonifer fungus species. Hypothesis: From the research gathered in the literature review, it is expected that- if the variables of the fungus being tested such as species, size are kept constant- Dettol will have the greatest effect on the fungal growth. As it will most efficiently overcome the resistance of the cell membrane as it will be the the first to overcome the resistance of the cell membranes of the fungi due to two of its active ingrients (CHLOROXYLENOL and ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL). It is expected that Savlon will have little or no effect on fungal growth, as through previous research gathered ( stated in literature review) Savlon only has anti-bacterial properties. Literature Reviews: There is a research paper by Mahmood and Doughari from the African Journal of Biotechnology, from the Department of Microbiology, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Federal University of Technology which was posted for peer review on 16 May 2008. It shows an experiment that was conducted in order to determine the effect of Dettol on the viability of some microorganisms associated with nosocomial infection such as Candidia albicans which is a fungus. The experiment sought to determine which concentration of Dettol the fungus would be more susceptible to destruction. Results showed that after adding Dettol little change occurred in the cell count of the fungus in 5 minutes however after 10 minutes there was a rapid decline in the cell count of the fungus. Cove and Holland suggested in 1983 that in order to completely kill all of the fungal cells, a sufficiently high concentration of the antiseptic must be in contact with the cells for longer than those cells resistance time. Cove and Holland also reported that microorganisms which were exposed to toxic agents will almost always show a constant death rate in the cells. Doughari found and then supported the idea of Cove who stated that there is a constant death rate of the cells when in prolonged contact with an antiseptic. What was good about the experiment/research? The same type of fungus was tested and all the fungi were grown to the same size. The fungi were all exposed to the same volume of antiseptic. Two types of water were used to dilute the Dettol. Bad things about the experiment/research: It was not repeated more than twice for each concentration. Our hypothesis stated that if fungi, with constant variables, were exposed to equal concentrations of Dettol, Savlon and Bleach, the Dettol would be the first substance to overcome the fungus resistance and therefore start decreasing the growth of the fungus by killing its cells. This report shows exactly how quickly the Dettol kills the cells and therefore supports our hypothesis. [1] Similarly there was another research paper by Emeka, Awodele, Agbamuche and Akintonwa which was peer review and posted on 16 April 2007 at the African Journal of Biotechnology, from the Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Idi-Araba. University of Lagos, Nigeria. Which was all about the antimicrobial activities of some commonly used disinfectants on several bacteria and fungi such as Candilida albicans. They tested Savlon, Jik and Methylated Spirit. The experiment showed that Jik and Methylated Spirit had inhibitory activities on both fungi and bacteria however Savlon had only antibacterial activity. Good things about the experiment: They inoculated and incubated each of the fungi and bacteria before the experiment to keep them sterile and to avoid cross contamination. Constant variables such as temperature were kept constant. A control was introduced. Bad things about the experiment They did not repeat the experiment enough times. In our hypothesis we expected Savlon to be weaker as an antifungal substance compared to Bleach because through this research we have come to realise that there is a potential issue that no matter how concentrated the Savlon is, it proves to be unable to kill the cells of the fungus and therefore it has no effect on the growth of the fungus. However we will still be incorporating Savlon in our experiment in order to test whether this result was valid and correct. [2] There was a third journal which had a similar experiment which was conducted in Nigeria by Oyewale, Mojeed and Oladapo at the Department of Applied Sciences. The experiment tested the effectiveness of antiseptic substances such as Savlon and Bleach on fungal growth. The results matched their hypotheses: both Bleach and Savlon managed to completely kill off the mould. Existing knowledge is that Pelczar observed that there was an initial time which enables penetration of chemical agents into the fungal cells and then this will interfere with those cells protein synthesis. The results relate to our hypothesis because it shows that Bleach can act as an effective antifungal antiseptic and therefore there is the potential that our original hypothesis is valid and correct however it opposes the experiment results of Emeka, Awodele, Agbamuche and Akintonwas experiment which stated that Savlon has no effect upon fungal growth. [3] Method: Data Plan: We will measure the size of the fungi using a series of utensils such as a square cm grid, as well as using a ruler to measure the area regularly. The growth of the fungi will be monitored and recorded daily. Then once the fungi have grown to a useable size we will measure and record the size of each fungus in each Petri dish using the same methods as before. We will then trim the fungi which are too large as we need to keep size a constant. Temperature will remain constant as well as light available to the fungi. We will then record exactly what the concentration of substance used on each fungus. This will be constant for every dish. We will then measure the change that this substance causes every 30 min for 6 hours. We will leave the fungi for a week longer, recording results and appearances daily. After a week we will restart the experiment but increase the concentration of the substances added to the fungi. Method: Prepare the bread which will be used to grow the fungus by cutting one slice into 4 equal pieces and then removing the crusts on all pieces. In this way the type of bread, thickness and size of the slice and the age of the bread is kept constant. The size of the bread should be 5 x 5 cm however this will differ according to chosen bread size. Place one piece into each Petri dish. Label the dishes A-D. Contaminate each piece with chosen fungus by using sterilized instruments. Each bread piece must receive spores of the same species of fungus. Monitor the fungi growth for about two weeks until it has grown enough to undergo the experiment with. These dishes must be left in the same environment therefore keeping light and temperature equal for all dishes, preferably a temperature/light controlled room. Trim the larger grown fungi so that the size of the fungi is constant in all dishes however this is not strictly necessary. Record the size of the fungi. Prepare the household substances which you will be treating the fungi with. The concentration of substance to water must be equal for all the substances; therefore if one substance is mixed with water, then all are mixed with the same volume of water. Using substance A, place 2ml of substance on every 1cm of fungus growth in dish A. Do the same for dishes B and C. Place the same amount of sterilized water onto the fungus in dish D. Record the size of the fungi every 30 minutes for 8 hours. Take note of any other observational changes such as colour and smell. Note: Replace the lid on the Petri dish and place back in a light/temperature controlled room. After an hour, leave the fungi for the night and take notes the next day. Record size changes again if available. Do this every day for the rest of the week. After a week, clean up the dishes and sterilize all equipment. Repeat the experiments however use a stronger concentration of substances this time. Results: Table showing the results recordings every 30 minutes for the size changes in the fungi after 3 different substances were individually placed in contact with the fungus.

The History of Modern Women and Body Art Essay -- Art Tattoos Arts Ess

The History of Modern Women and Body Art I chose to do this field report on body art because I, personally, find the topic very complex and interesting. It is for this reason that I decided to narrow the scope of my field research. I am focusing this report on the trends and evolution in body art as relating to modern women. When I say modern women I am referring to the women from about the 18th century to the current day. I chose to focus on women imparticular because of the strong societal pressure that is specifically place upon them to fulfill a certain role and aesthetically look a particular way. I wanted to research the history of body art and how it related to these pressures and stigmas. In my research I found everything from information on tattooing practices to body modification through clothing. As De Mello noted in her book, Bodies of Inscription, "Contemporary tattooing has evolved from a practice that was originally imported from the islands of Polynesia and later transformed into a form of working-class folk art" (p10). The credit should be duly given to the original tattoo artists of Polynesia, but the art form also existed in North America within Native Tribes. James Swan sights a specific tribe known as the Haida who practiced the cultural tradition of tattooing (Gilbert, 94-5). Both women and men were tattooed, but as common in many cases, the markings were different for each. The women more commonly had tattoos on their hands and forearms. Most had tattoos also on their breast and legs below the knee. These markings are very culturally significant. They allow the tribe identification on the basis of the design which tells the family name of the wearer (Gilbert, 94-5). The popularization of tattooin... ... to be. I was looking for more information that gave details on societal views and how that influenced women in particular in the way they modified their bodies. I did find a wide variety of ways in which women modified their bodies, but perhaps not as many specifics about the society and their reaction to that particular method of adornment. I think I could've probably found much more detailed sources had a looked hard enough for them. In the future I will try to find more detailed information on a variety of subtopics within a main topic to better guide my research. Works Cited Brain, Robert. 1979. The Decorated Body. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc. De Mello, Margo. 2000. Bodies of Inscription: A cultural history of the modern tattoo community. Durham: Duke University Press. Gilbert, Steve. 2000. Tattoo History. New York: Juno Books.

Adolf Hitler Essay examples -- essays research papers

Adolf Hitler On April 20, 1889, the world was changed forever when Adolf Hitler was born to Alois and Klara Hitler in a little town named Braunau-am-Inn, Austria. Alois worked as a customs officer on the border crossing near their hometown. Adolf was the third born in his family, but first to survive. Later would come Edmund, who would live to the age of six, and Paula who would live to out survive Adolf himself. With a poor record in school, Adolf Hitler dropped out with ambitions of becoming an artist. Alois passed away when Adolf was thirteen, so Klara raised Adolf and Paula on her own. Between the ages of sixteen and nineteen is when Adolf Hitler began to become interested in politics. Then, in 1909, Klara Hitler died of cancer and Adolf moved to Vienna in hope of earning a living. Within a year he was living in homeless shelters and eating at charity soup kitchens though. In 1913, Adolf moved to Munich, Germany and volunteered for service in the Germany Army at the outbreak of the First World War. He was accepted into the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment. Hitler was promoted to corporal and decorated with the Iron Cross Second Class and First Class, he wore the Second Class Iron Cross until his dying day. Ironically, the captain who recommended him for the award was a Jewish man. After this, he began to join a few local army organizations with the mindset of persuading returning soldiers not to turn to communism or pacifism. Hitler was gave his first speech to a large audience. This meeting was a great success, so afterward he organized a much larger event for a crowd of nearly two thousand in Munich Germany. The party was the National Socialist German Workers Party, otherwise known as the Nazi party for short. Shortly after this speech in February, Adolf Hitler was discharged from the army. He continued to expand his influential power inside the party; he began to form groups of friends, thugs, which helped to break up opposing party meetings later. Hitler became the main speaker at all party events, and in 1920 chose the now hated swastika as the Nazi party emblem. By 1921, Adolf Hitler had gained the majority of the support of the Nazi party, and became the leader of the Nazi party with dictatorial powers. But in 1923, Hitler tried to overthrow the German Weimar Republic by force known as the Beer Hall Putsch. Despite capturing the l... ...g countries, he formed alliances with Mussolini and other nations, he had world conquest in sight and he was trying to conquer his neighbors in one blow. Hitler’s main problem was he started to fight to many wars; he had to many fronts to defend so he couldn’t keep his defense fortification strong enough. So his empire began to fall, and his country with it. He was slowly driven back, and his troops moral was declining fast. His dream was over. On May 1, at 9:30 in the evening, Hamburg radio told Germans that a grave announcement was to be made, that the Fuehrer had fallen a war hero. But he didn’t actually die in combat, one theory is that Adolf Hitler was told about his death, and read about it in the London paper obituaries. He actually committed suicide on the previous day in the bunker under the Reich chancellery, where he had been since January 16, 1945. Adolf Hitler’s dream of a one-world government was a good idea and dream; it just came to a corrupt and insane man in a time period that was impossible for such a dream. The world would have been a radically different place if this one man would have had a few small things go different for him during his time of power.

The Effects of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY HMPYC80 ASSIGNMENT 02-03 RESEARCH PROPOSAL TITLE: THE EFFECTS OF MINDFULNESS BASED STRESS REDUCTION TRAINING ON ADOLESCENT SELF-AWARENESS AND THE REDUCTION OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND STRESS. AUTHOR: 5888743 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY HMPYC80 ASSIGNMENT 02-03 RESEARCH PROPOSAL TITLE: THE EFFECTS OF MINDFULNESS BASED STRESS REDUCTION TRAINING ON ADOLESCENT SELF-AWARENESS AND THE REDUCTION OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND STRESS. AUTHOR: 5888743 Mr P Smith The ANIKA Foundation 234 West Highland Drive Newport 2843 Australia 1 May 2011 Dear Sir, Re: Research Proposal: THE EFFECTS OF MINDFULNESS BASED STRESS REDUCTION TRAINING ON ADOLESCENT SELF-AWARENESS AND THE REDUCTION OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND STRESS. I am currently studying Psychology Honour’s at the University of South Africa. I am a school counsellor at a private school in Sydney where I work with children from Year K through to year 12. I have a keen interest in Adolescent mental health and suicide prevention.The Department of Mental Health at the World Health Organisation states that: â€Å"WHO figures clearly show that by 2030 depression will be the single biggest burden of care on our health care system, exceeding cardio vascular disease and obesity†. It is becoming increasingly more urgent to look at preventative strategies to reduce the number of young people presenting with depression, anxiety and stress. I understand that the ANIKA Foundation was set up in response to the tragic death by suicide of your daughter Anika.The purpose of foundation is to support and promote the prevention of anxiety and depression in young people. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction training has been shown to develop the capacity to: †¢Consciously act and respond with awareness and clarity rather than react out of a habitual pattern †¢Bring greater concentration and focus to daily activities †¢Monitor levels of stress and distress, and take effective steps to address them †¢Positi vely take action to renew your energy – physically, emotionally and mentally.It therefore seemed appropriate to contact you with information about my proposed research topic to see if you would be interested in this new area of prevention. I look forward to hearing from you soon Yours Sincerely 5888743 Psychology Honours student and school counsellor. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY HMPYC80 ASSIGNMENT 02-03 RESEARCH PROPOSAL TITLE: THE EFFECTS OF MINDFULNESS BASED STRESS REDUCTION TRAINING ON ADOLESCENT SELF-AWARENESS AND THE REDUCTION OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND STRESS. AUTHOR: 5888743 IntroductionMy experience as a School Counsellor along with current research coming out of the World Health organization indicates that by 2030 depression will be the single biggest burden of care on our health care system, exceeding cardio vascular disease and obesity. It is becoming increasingly more urgent to look at preventative strategies to reduce the number of young people presenting with depressio n, anxiety and stress. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is part of an exciting new field in psychology that combines ancient wisdom with modern day knowledge. The associated field ofPositive Psychology looks not only at the elimination of negative mental states but also at ways in which we can understand how people grow and flourish. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction training has been shown to develop the capacity to: †¢Consciously act and respond with awareness and clarity rather than react out of a habitual pattern †¢Bring greater concentration and focus to daily activities †¢Monitor levels of stress and distress, and take effective steps to address them †¢Positively take action to renew your energy – physically, emotionally and mentally.MBSR strategies based on the ancient Buddhist practice of mindfulness and meditation, seek to give people the tools to develop self-awareness in order to be able to identify the different emotions that present themselves during our lifetime. And then respond to those emotions is a way that is constructive rather than destructive. The way that we think and feel about things profoundly affects the way we act in the world, so it is important to be able to recognize the feelings and thoughts that arise habitually in our lives. Research Problem A literature review indicates that MBSR has been researched quiet extensively in the medical field.The literature shows very promising results with researchers finding significant reductions in stress, anxiety and depression after participants completed MBSR training. 1,2,3, In another study, normal healthy working adults who participated in Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) training, showed improvement in behavioural, psychological, and physiological outcomes measured. This study assessed the effects of a shortened (low-dose [ld]) work-site MBSR intervention (MBSR-ld) on indicators of stress in healthy working adults to determine if results sim ilar to those obtained in traditional MBSR could be demonstrated.Participants were randomized into MBSR-ld and wait-list control groups. Self-reported perceived stress, sleep quality, and mindfulness were measured at the beginning and end of the 6-week intervention. Salivary cortical was assessed weekly. Significant reductions in perceived stress (p = . 0025) and increases in mindfulness (p = . 0149) were obtained for only the MBSR-ld group (n = 22). Scores on the global measure of sleep improved for the MBSR-ld group (p = . 0018) as well as for the control group (p = . 0072; n = 20). There is however at this time no literature available on the effects of teaching MBSR to adolescents, in a school setting as part of the PDHPE curriculum. This research may unlock the door to an exciting field of preventative psychology in youth mental health. What we consider stressful or what causes us to feel ‘mad’, ‘bad’ or ‘sad’ varies from one person to anot her. But any negative state can have a profound effect on the way we function in our day-to-day lives. Left unacknowledged or untreated it can develop into Stress, Anxiety or Depression.Very simply one of the first impacts of practicing mindfulness can be the capacity to move out of an aroused, activated, stressed state into a calmer, reflective more regulated state. This relaxed state – called the parasympathetic state shows in responses such as slowing down of the heart rate, increased expiration, relaxation of the muscles, increased digestive activity and recuperation and rest. Many of us spend time in our sympathetic branch of our nervous system that prepares us for active engagement. It is associated with emotions such as anger, rage and fear as well as joy, excitement and interest.This is commonly known as the fight or flight response, our hard wiring for survival. However ongoing and excessive fight/flight response that is not regulated or modulated can lead to increas ed cortisol levels creating stress and distress. By cultivating in the students an innate capacity to ‘pay attention’ on purpose, in the present moment in a non-judgmental way, we can hopefully decrease overall levels of stress, anxiety and depression. Research Design The study will include both qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the efficacy of the MBSR program.The study will include 42 year 9 students, aged 14 -15 years. They will participate in an 8 week program where they will learn techniques of mindfulness and meditation. The course will be taught in conjunction with the personal health and development curriculum (PDHPE). The quantitative part of the research includes two surveys. The surveys will be administered before the training begins, at the completion of the course and then again 6 months later. This methodology is useful as it quantifies variables by making them empirically observable, and makes replication and retesting plausible.Survey 1: The DASS (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Questionnaire) developed by Peter Lovibond from the University of New South Wales. The DASS is a set of three self-report scales designed to measure the negative emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress. The DASS was constructed not merely as another set of scales to measure conventionally defined emotional states, but to further the process of defining, understanding, and measuring the ubiquitous and clinically significant emotional states usually described as depression, anxiety and stress.The DASS should thus meet the requirements of both researchers and scientist-professional clinicians. 5 Survey 2: The Self-Assessment Questionnaire: The MAAS (Mindfulness Awareness Attention Scale) is a 15-item scale designed to assess a core characteristic of dispositional mindfulness, namely, open or receptive awareness of and attention to what is taking place in the present. The scale shows strong psychometric properties and has been validated w ith college, community, and cancer patient samples.Correlational, quasi-experimental, and laboratory studies have shown that the MAAS taps a unique quality of consciousness that is related to, and predictive of, a variety of self-regulation and well-being constructs. The measure takes 10 minutes or less to complete. 6 Both surveys will be administered electronically and the student response will be anonymous. Although the data gathered will be intra-personal in nature, the trends being assessed will be more general. The data will be analysed electronically and will give me and overall level of the participating student’s self-awareness, depression, anxiety and stress.This will be compared to the surveys conducted at the end of the 8 weeks as well as those in 6 months’ time. The qualitative aspect of the research will be the weekly small discussion groups. As the students move through the training they will have opportunity to give feedback through semi structured inter views. The qualitative information gathered will give me evidence of trends and patterns emerging. I will rely primarily on interviews and observations. â€Å"the analyses produced by qualitative researchers most often are narratives and are based on words used by informants to describe their life experiences. Royce, 2004. Pg 237) In terms of sampling, it would be ideal if I could have a control group in which I could randomly assign half of the group, however unless the control group could have the opportunity to participate in the training at a later stage, this would in fact be unethical and unfair. Given the constraints of a school curriculum, this would also be very difficult. If the initial results coming out of the pilot program were promising then it would be prudent to run the program again with a control group. This would enhance the reliability and validity of the initial results.Data Analysis The study will use qualitative and quantitative research methodology. Creswell (1998, pg 15) defines qualitative research as â€Å"an inquiry process of understanding based on distinct methodological traditions of inquiry that explore a social or human problem. The researcher builds a complex holistic picture, analyses words, reports detailed views of informants and conducts the study in a natural setting. † The small weekly discussion groups will give me an opportunity to provide detailed and dynamic feedback on both individual and group process.Terre Blanche, Kelly and Durrheim (2006, pg 273-274) describe this as interpretative research, interested in experiences, feelings and meaning. The interviews will be semi structured, and developed according to data collected from the previous week and current literature. All interviews will be transcribed. The intention behind the analysis of the transcripts will be to extract a common narrative There are no costs associated with my research at this time. Ethics and expected Outcomes The children will be give n permission slips and consent forms to take home to be signed by their parents.At all times the welfare of the children will be monitored and they will have access to the support of the school counsellor and the PDHPE staff. All participants will be given a letter explaining the idea behind the program. The online surveys will be anonymous and data transcribed from the semi structured interviews will be anonymous and made available to the students should they wish to see the transcripts. The students will be re-surveyed in 6 months’ time to assess whether the program has had sustainable effects. There are expected short term and long term outcomes for this research.In the short term we hope that the children will learn to meditate and make meditation and mindfulness part of their everyday routine. Obviously we hope they will also reach the goals they set for themselves on a physical level. In the long term we are hoping that the skill that they learn during this 8 week progr am will be the inoculation and thereby increased resilience that they will need for the upcoming stress associated with their HSC (Matric), and all of the other life stressors going forward. Literature Review 1.Impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on sleep, mood, stress and fatigue symptoms in cancer outpatients: Linda E. Carlson and Sheila N. Garland 2. A qualitative study of self-perceived effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in a psychosocial oncology setting: Michael J. Mackenzie1, Linda E. Carlson1,2,*, Marleny Munoz1, Michael Speca1,2 Article first published online 28 NOV 2006 3. Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for survivors of breast cancer: Cecile A. Lengacher1, Versie Johnson-Mallard1, Janice Post-White2, Manolete S. Moscoso1, Paul B.Jacobsen3, Thomas W. Klein4, Raymond H. Widen4,5, Shirley G. Fitzgerald1, Melissa M. Shelton1, Michelle Barta1, Matthew Goodman6, Charles E. Cox3,4, Kevin E. Kip1,* Article first published online: 20 FEB 2009ne: 28 NOV 2006 4. Effects of Low-Dose Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR-ld) on Working Adults: Maryanna D. Klatt, PhD. College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, klatt. [email  protected] eduJanet Buckworth, PhD. College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University, Columbus William B. Malarkey, MD. College of Medicine, the Ohio State University, Columbus Scales 5. Lovibond, S. H. Lovibond, P. F. (1995). Manual for the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. (2nd. Ed. ) Sydney: Psychology Foundation. ISBN 7334-1423-0. Lovibond, P. F. & Lovibond, S. H. (1995). The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33, 335-343. 6. Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) Kirk Warren Brown, Ph. D. & Richard M. Ryan, Ph. D. References 1. Cresswell, J. W. (1998) Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among 5 traditions. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publishers 2. Kelly, K. 2006) From encounter to text: collecting data in qualitative research. In Terre Blance, M. , & Durrheim,K. , Painter, D. (Eds), Research in Practise (Second Edition). Cape Town: University of Cape Town Press. 3. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduciton/Mindfulness Based Cognitive therapy Course Book. Open Ground Training and Consultancy. Sydney, Australia 4. Royse, D. (2004) Qualitative Research from Research Methods in Social Work, Fourth Edition, Brookes/Cole-Thomson Learning, Pacific Grove, CA, USA. 5. Terre Blance, M. , & Durrheim,K. , Painter, D. (Eds), Research in Practise (Second Edition). Cape Town: University of Cape Town Press.

Retail Store Manager

Retail Manager as TrainerBy  Malcolm Fleschner, Monster Contributing Writer Since founding The Friedman Group, a global retail consulting and training organization, in 1980, Harry Friedman has heard plenty of excuses from retail store executives who refuse to provide much training to their front-line store employees. One of the most common is: â€Å"What if I train them, and they leave? † Friedman says this is the exact opposite approach they should take. He suggests a better question is, â€Å"What if I don't train them, and they stay? † Cost of Not TrainingThe unfortunate reality, which anyone who ventures into a mall these days can confirm, is that today's retail store employees often lack basic sales and  customer-service  skills. This is especially true at the big-box stores where management is unconcerned about high turnover, Friedman says. Retailers that expect high turnover essentially ignore training but pay a price for doing so. â€Å"The decision to ne glect training is typically made by someone at the top who does not appreciate the value of a human asset and what they can mean to sales and the bottom line,† Friedman says. Retail is a merchandise-driven business, not a people-driven business, after all. † Nevertheless, Friedman estimates that with more effective training, most retail organizations could increase sales 15 percent to 25 percent. â€Å"That's a lot of money,† he says. â€Å"There's no chance they could hit those numbers any other way. † Management by Numbers Individual store managers would no doubt also appreciate increasing the six to eight hours that Friedman says retail stores typically devote to training new employees.But since a boost in training time is unlikely to happen, store managers must focus on those aspects of employee management they can control. To start, he suggests looking at two key numbers. The first is conversion rates, which means if a sales associate talked to 10 cust omers, how many bought something? â€Å"If you sold two out of the 10 people you talked to and you can bump that up to three of the 10 people you talked to, you've just increased your sales 50 percent,† says Friedman, author of  No Thanks, I'm Just Looking: Professional Retail Sales Techniques for Turning Shoppers into Buyers.The second number is average sale per customer. â€Å"There are two ways to increase this number,† he says. â€Å"One [is] by selling them the $40 item instead of the $30 one. Second [is by selling] the customer the $30 [item] and also $10 in batteries to make it work. † What Seems to Be the Trouble? Armed with this information, store managers can then determine which sales associates are performing well and which aren't. The next step is to uncover the source of any problems.If you have one sales associate with a low conversion rate, for example, you need to determine whether the problem occurs when the associate is demonstrating the mer chandise or when he is trying to close the sale, Friedman says. â€Å"You might find out it's up front,† he says. â€Å"[The associate] keeps approaching customers and saying, ‘Can I help you? ‘ and the customers say, ‘No thanks, I'm just looking. ‘ It doesn't matter whether he can close, because he's not getting out of the blocks in the first place.That's the opportunity for the manager to intervene and explain to this guy that he's using a terrible opening line. † Hit the Floor This type of hands-on coaching leads to another of Friedman's suggestions for store managers: Get into the fray. â€Å"The biggest missing ingredient I see in retail today is that managers are not running the store from the floor,† he says. â€Å"A lot of managers are either too busy with operational paperwork or making sales for themselves to do more than just hope their salespeople are doing a good job. The best store managers, Friedman says, are always  "pointing, pushing, doing and working the floor. They listen in, see how employees behave and what they say so that they can step in to reinforce the good behaviors and correct areas that need improvement.A good store manager is like a cop with a whistle directing traffic at a busy intersection. † You Can Survive the Behavioral InterviewBy  Carole Martin, Monster Contributing Writer When asked a traditional question like, â€Å"What would you do if you had a customer who wasn't interested in buying the product? you can make up a story. But when you're asked behavioral questions, the interviewer is listening for specific examples of how you have handled situations or problems in the past. When presented with interview questions beginning with phrases like â€Å"tell me about a time when† or â€Å"give me an example of† the interviewer wants to hear your real-life examples. When interviewers ask such behavioral interview questions, they are listening for example s of how you handled situations similar to the ones you may handle for this company. This is your chance to talk about your accomplishments.If you can demonstrate through examples (preferably recent ones) that you've succeeded in certain areas of interest, you'll likely be considered a strong candidate for the position. After all, if you did it somewhere else yesterday, you can do it for this company tomorrow. Your success stories should include the situation, the action you took and the result. Here is an example if you were interviewing for a sales position: The Situation:  I had a customer who did not want to hear about the features of my merchandise because of a prior interaction with my company.The Action:  I listened to her story and made sure I heard her complaint. I then explained how I would have handled the situation differently and how I can offer her better service. I showed her some facts that changed her mind about dealing with the company again. The Result:  She not only bought the merchandise, but also complimented how I handled her account. She is now one of my best customers. One way to prepare for behavioral interview questions is by writing out your stories before the interview. Determine what stories you have that would be appropriate for the position based on its job description.If the job requires dependability, write your story about a time when your dependability was recognized or made a difference with a customer. You can use the stories you prepare even when the interviewer does not ask behavioral questions. If you are asked a traditional question, use your prepared story and preface it with, â€Å"I can give you an example of a time when I used that skill on a previous job. † By  preparing for the interview  ahead of time and recalling your past successes, you will be able to have examples in mind and will not be caught off guard.There is no way you can predict what the interviewer is going to ask you, but you can p repare what you want him to know about your past as a predictor of your future performance. Retail Manager Job Interview Questions and AnswersHere are some of the retail interview questions that are related to the career in retail management: Tell us a bit about your professional background/educational qualificationThis question is asked, basically because the person applying for a retail management position would either have an educational degree as well as experience or a great experience in sales.Therefore, this question is aimed at finding out the professional details of the person. What do you feel is the role of a retail manager? This question is basically asked to find outfit you have a general idea of a retail manager’s job. Therefore, this is your chance to speak to the interviewer about what you know of the retail management business and what you think would be your responsibilities. Once you present the fact to the interviewer that you are aware what the role of a retail manager is, they will also be convinced that you are ready to take on the role of a retail manager.Some duties and qualities required of the retail manager are:†¢   Team leader and Team development†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Hiring process, HR activities and employer’s training†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Workplace scheduling – Day to day operations†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Problem solving skills – Communications skills†¢Ã‚   Sales management†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Product and project management – proffesional qualities and priortizationIf you have worked as a retail manager before, what did you like the most in your job and what did you not like?All jobs have their advantages and their disadvantages. Therefore, if you have worked somewhere as a retail manager, you would certainly have some good things to share as well as bad things to share. This question will give a deeper insight into your experience as a retail manager and whether you are fit for the job. What would you consider your biggest advantage as a retail manager?As a retail manager, or even as a novice, you would have a fair understanding of what would be the biggest advantage that a retail manager would require, or what is that something that a person learning to be a retail manager should have. Possible answers could be – Leadership (a born leader), sales manager or good communications skills. What do you feel are the basic qualities that a retail manager should have? The post of a retail manager is one that requires the person to have experience.Rarely will a novice be hired as a retail manager. Therefore, these questions will be posed at you to understand whether you have the knowledge required for a retail manager. If you are asked about the basic qualities of a retail manager, the safest answer would beplanning and vision. A retail manager is more or less the proprietor of the store and has many responsibilities as compared to the other store employees. If a retail manager is good at planning and has a vision for the future, he or she can take the company to the next level.Deliver excellent customer service and maintain a high standard of customer management, at all times Take full responsibility for the set-up and effective operation of the pub, within company policy, at all times Take full responsibility for the results achieved in the pub, including profit and loss (P&L) performance, Megastock, standards, Cask Marque and audits Ensure that opening and closing procedures are adhered to, in line with company policy, taking account of security and the health & safety of people and property Work in all areas of the pub, bar, floor, cellar, kitchen and office, to ensure that best practice is maintained by the team and that any areas requiring improvement may be identified Control all aspects of finance in the pub, including sales, gross profit, stock control, core wages and controllable expenditure Control all office administration procedures and ensure th at the management team complies with company standards Be accountable for all cash management throughout the pub, including third-party providers (such as ATMs, Securitas, AWP and SWP Machines etc); conduct thorough investigations for all cash-loss issues Review P&L account monthly with the team and area manager, agreeing on clear targets for improvements for any targets not achieved Maximise all sales opportunities in the business, including quality of food and drink service and availability, using all company point-of-sale as directed; have an understanding of all promotions and point-of-sale requirements and work with the team and area manager to maximise sales at every opportunity Forecast sales and wages weekly/quarterly, using the standard forecasting planner Be responsible for accurate rota-planning, based on forecast sales and core wage budget Plan all rotas in line with budgeted targets and forecasts, taking the necessary daily action to reduce/increase hours, in line w ith sales Manage all delivery processes, including checking in orders, storage, stock rotation, security, loss investigation and staff training Manage all stock-management processes, including timely stock counts, line checks, wastage reports, loss investigation and staff training Complete roduct-ordering on time, every time; ensure full availability of all drink, food and non-consumable items Follow all company security procedures, including loss prevention measures and procedures for the security of staff and premises, at all times Carry out risk assessments to ensure staff and customers’ safety; ensure the adherence to children-specific guidelines Monitor and manage all maintenance issues and manage third-party contractors, including cleaners, where applicable Be aware of and adhere to licensing, data protection, Health & Safety at Work and COSHH legislation, at all times Carry out commercial activities as instructedManage the pub team, including motivating and leading the team to work to the highest standards, at all times Identify and monitor training needs and take an active role in developing people Manage the day-to-day performance of staff and managers, in line with company personnel policies and procedures Manage the day-to-day attendance of staff and managers, in line with company sickness and absence management policies and procedures Deal with any employee complaints and/or grievances promptly, in line with company guidelines Manage and maintain correct staffing levels, in line with targets and in relation to sales-forecasting Communicate effectively with the team, through regular meetings – manager’s meetings to be held weekly and staff meetings to be held monthly, in line with the communications calendar Manage the timely distribution and briefing-in of all company communications Manage and maintain employee personnel & training files Identify recruitment needs and take an active role in search and selection activiti es and the appointment of staff, in line with the company recruitment process, ensuring that all paperwork (including ‘proof of right to work’ documentation) is certified, copied and completed, in line with Home office and company guidelines Maintain personal knowledge by completing in-house training, attending courses and completing workbooks Always adhere to all company policies and procedures and licensing laws Carry out any duties as instructed by area manager and head office

The Failure Of The American Prison System - 940 Words

The Failure of the American Prison System What if someone broke into your house and stole everything of value and sold it so they could buy their next dose of heroin? Would you rather see them spend the next ten to fifteen years in prison? Or would you prefer the crime never happened because they got the rehabilitation they needed so they never robbed you for drug money? The United States correctional system uses both punishment and rehabilitation when dealing with offenders. There are many ways that the justice system handles these punishments such as incarceration, probation, and sometimes death. However, punishment does not seem to work. It seems that the only way to effectively handle criminals successfully is with rehabilitation.†¦show more content†¦Currently there are over three thousand criminals on death row, with seven hundred and forty six from the state of California (DPIC). While many people argue that the death penalty is an effective way of deterring crime th e reality is that most criminals on death row spend their entire lives in prison and die without ever receiving a lethal injection, and wasting the tax payers money. Punishment is not the only way that we currently deal with criminals. Rehabilitation is another form of justice used , although it is not used as much as it should be. It seems like most people believe incarceration is a form of rehabilitation, when in-fact it isn’t and more and more criminals are no longer scared of prison. There are many forms of rehabilitation such as drug treatment, community service and mental institutions. The most common of these rehabilitation’s is Drug Treatment. In 2013 there were 210,200 inmates serving on drug related crimes (BJS, 2014, p.16) By helping these offenders to quit doing drugs, we can reduce the number of drug related crimes in the future. I feel the best way to handle criminals is by rehabilitation and not punishment. Not all criminals can be rehabilitated and for these criminals we have punishment such as prison, death, or probation, however, minor crimes should not be punished. Many

Classical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning - 1492 Words

To expand upon the concepts of the two forms of conditioning listed above, three additional principals not previously listed for the sake of convenience are present in both forms of conditioning; these three principals-extinction, spontaneous recovery, and stimulus discrimination-are among the number of basic principals of conditioning that are found in most forms of conditioning. To explain, Extinction refers to the process by which the steady weakening or diminishment of a conditioned response occurs due to the repeated appearance of a conditioned stimulus without an unconditioned stimulus-in the case of Classical conditioning-or when reinforcement is no longer given to a conditioned behavior/response or no longer has the effect it†¦show more content†¦In the Bobo doll study, an organized group of 72 nursery-school aged children composed of 36 boys and 36 girls was divided into three groups of 24 consisting of 12 boys and 12 girls and subjected to a three-staged experiment designed by Bandura; these three groups were categorized based on whether they were exposed to the â€Å"aggressive model†, the â€Å"non-aggressive† model, or no model (the control group). In the first stage of the experiment, the group viewing the aggressive model individually observed an adult physically and verbally abusing an inflatable doll with a weighted base modeled after the iconic Bobo the Clown, the group viewing the non-aggressive model individually observed an adult playing with other toys in a calm and peaceful manner, and the third group, control group, did not observe any such model. In the second stage, each child from each group was brought into a room filled with a number of possibly appealing toys for them to play with, however, once each child began to play with the toys, they were told that they could not play with the toy(s) they had selected, as they had supposedly been reserved for the other children; instead, they were invited to play with the toys contained within another room. Once each child was led to this other room, they wereShow MoreRelatedClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning1204 Words   |  5 Pagesknown as classical condi tioning and operant conditioning. These forms of learning are very practical and can be seen and used in everyday life. Classical and operant conditioning are different forms of learning which have importance in everyday life and can be found in advertising, PTSD, and even lifestyle changes. To fully understand the importance of classical and operant conditioning, it is important to first understand what they are and how they are different. Classical conditioningRead MoreClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning1249 Words   |  5 Pagestwo stimuli or a behavior and a learned stimulus. Associative learning is divided in to two central techniques, classical conditioning and operant condition. Classical and operant conditioning are basic methods of learning and conditioning is used to adapt a behavior or association through a stimuli or consequence (Ciccarelli, 2012). While classical conditioning and operant conditioning are key elements in associative learning, they have significant differences. A clear contrast between the two theoriesRead MoreClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning1693 Words   |  7 Pagesexamples of their work, as well as an exploration into the advantages and disadvantages that some of these approaches possess. Behaviourism is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviours are attained through conditioning. Behaviourists believe conditioning occurs when we interact with the environment and that the environment we are in determines the way we respond to a stimulus. The behaviourist approach believes we learn behaviours through association between response and consequenceRead MoreClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning913 Words   |  4 PagesClassical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning There are two learning processes that are used, classical condition and operant conditioning. One learning process used is classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is a learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus and acquires the capacity to elicit a similar response. I found two TV commercials that are excellent examples for classical conditioning. The first commercial I found is an Old Spice commercialRead MoreClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning1146 Words   |  5 Pageslearning is known as conditioning. Conditioning stresses the relationship between stimuli and responses. The two types of conditioning found are Classical conditioning and Operant conditioning. As stated before, learning may occur in different ways but Classical and Operant conditioning are two of several theories on learning which take the behaviorist approach. â€Å"Classical conditioning is an association of one event with another that results in a pattern of behavior.† Operant conditioning however, is â€Å"learningRead MoreClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning883 Words   |  4 Pagesexperiments conducted by Ivan Pavlov, B.F Skinner, and various others, our learning process can be--and normally is--significantly influenced by the social and physical world around us. Two particular examples of this are classical conditioning and operant conditioning. â€Å"Classical conditioning occurs when a natural stimulus produces a response after being paired with a stimulus that naturally produces a response† (Schacter). For example, in horror movies suspenseful music tends to precede dramatic eventsRead MoreClassical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning959 Words   |  4 Pagesthrough the experience of something. Two important associative learning styles that I learned that grasped my attention are classical conditioning and operant conditioning. These forms of learning are used everyday, and with that, peo ple can categorize their certain behavior into places in which they fall in. The first type of associative learning is classical conditioning, which was discovered by Ivan Pavlov during an experiment. It is a learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associatedRead MoreClassical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning1189 Words   |  5 Pagessimilarities between Classical conditioning and Operant conditioning? Many people believe that Classical and Operant are similar. Several people don’t know what the similarities and differences of Classical and Operant are, several people think it is the same learning method, which in this case I’m going to compare and contrast each behavior and give you information about each one, so you could have a better understanding of each method and what they do. Classical and Operant are very similar to eachRead MoreBehaviorism And Classical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning Essay1504 Words   |  7 Pagesfounders of the theory who are John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner. However, the information will foc us more on their early education and known achievements. Furthermore, you will find different theories regarding behaviorism such as classical conditioning and operant conditioning. In order to understand the difference and similarities between the two of them examples have been provided. To fully comprehend in what Behaviorism consists of, modern applications examples of the theory have been also includedRead MoreClassical Conditioning Vs. Operant Conditioning Essay1088 Words   |  5 Pages 1. a) Define Classical Conditioning and Behaviorism. b) Identify the two major characteristics that distinguish classical conditioning from operant conditioning. Classical Conditioning is a type of learning process of an individual when they come in contact with certain stimuli. According to Pavlov, a Russian psychologist, he developed several experiments on learning and he discovered that classical condition is the basic form of learning for an individual. However, according to Pavlov, behaviorism