Key Elements of Communication Essay

By Barbara Bulleit, Global Knowledge Instructor Communication We communicate all the time, every day. Sometimes we’re even aware of it! We communicate through gesture, body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice as well as through the words we speak. These variables can be joined in a variety of ways in our communication. Add to this mix: language; cultural and social differences; educational background; physical proximity; and individual fears, insecurities, strengths, and weaknesses. No wonder communication is complex! There is a huge amount of information on communication and different methodologies for improvement. The following offers one perspective on communication. First of all, being successful in business requires effective communication. This paper focuses on effective business communication, although the information can be applied generally. To untangle the mix described above and to improve communication, we can focus on several key elements: Purpose Style Listening Purpose In business, when we communicate we usually have a purpose. Sometimes we have not considered that purpose sufficiently before beginning the dialogue, which can lead to confusion and mixed messages. So, first we must clarify our purpose. What do I want as a result of this communication? What would be a successful outcome? As an example, let’s consider dialogue with an employee regarding a new assignment. Initially, we may look at the assignment and consider that its successful completion is the purpose. But let’s break this process further down into smaller steps, with handing off the assignment being the first step. Our desired outcome FOR THE MEETING to hand off the assignment might be: Employee fully understands the assignment Responds to questions to ensure understanding Is able to paraphrase assignment requirements Is aware of consequences of completing or not completing assignment Employee has an idea of how to proceed Articulates next steps Identifies problems, etc Or we and employee discuss together Employee knows resources available Employee knows where to go for help We and employee agree on a follow-up status check meeting If we have been successful in this first communication regarding the assignment, we have already established a paradigm for communication during the assignment work, including follow-ups to check status, make corrections, and to compliment upon completion. Clarity in the initial communication makes a huge difference. And to back up one step, clarifying our purpose before starting the communication can separate effective communication from that which is unclear, does not have sufficient detail, leaves no room for questions or advice, or does not ensure the employee can gain access to sufficient resources. A clearly identified purpose can mean the difference between success or failure, and while thinking through a purpose may take time initially, we will eventually form a consistent habit of clarifying desired outcome – which usually leads to better results. Style Style has to do with who we are and how who we are affects our communication. We may engage in dialogue with little knowledge of the impact of individual differences. Some of us may have a higher awareness of style differences and still not use this awareness when communicating. Others of us become aware of stylistic differences only when having a problem communicating. Let’s stop for a moment and further define â€Å"style.† Style is influenced by many factors, some of which were defined at the beginning of this article. A longer list might include culture, upbringing, religion, gender, age, education, language, race, politics – and this is not a total list. Some of the influences of our early years are mitigated or enhanced during our growth and experience. In all, we become who we are, and who we are influences our communication. Let’s stay at this level of detail and agree that generally at work we do not sit down and tick off this list every time we communicate with someone! Then how do we overcome some of our differences in order to communicate effectively? We consider style: mine and theirs. Some of us tend to be more direct and/or assertive, or even aggressive. Some of us tend toward being indirect and/or passive. Here are some characteristics of each type. Direct and Assertive/Aggressive â€Å"Take charge† attitude; may have aggressive tendencies May interrupt or tend to dominate the dialogue Passive and Indirect More laid back tendency May hesitate, wait to speak up, or have to be drawn out Lack of response does not necessarily Does not always seek dialogue; instead indicate agreement or approval; has to â€Å"tells† a lot be probed Does not always see the other person’s Sometimes prefers for others to make side; may be perceived as closedecisions minded May assume that passivity indicates agreement Passive style may not indicate true feelings and attitudes Non-verbal clues follow passive Non-verbal clues easier to detect since characteristics and require more careful they are more openly expressed attention Tends to decide or answer quickly May need time rather than having to respond immediately This simple table provides a general understanding of two basic styles. It’s easy to see how communication may break down between these two types. Most of us do not easily fall into these simple categories but may have characteristics of each, which may change or vary on different days. All of this adds to the complexity of communications. Having some knowledge of a person’s style can help us. To try to break down the complexity we can use the elements in the table to formulate helpful questions, such as the following. Generally, what is his attitude: take charge or laid back? Does she comfortably engage in dialogue with others? Does he add comments and ask questions? Is it necessary to draw her out, to solicit her opinions? Does she listen to others or have a tendency to interrupt? We can see how to use this style information to gain a better understanding of the person with whom we want to communicate. For example, if Sally’s style is to be assertive or aggressive, she might have to work hard to hold back some of that take charge mentality and her tendency to speak up, dominate, and not read non-verbal clues. If Sally’s style is passive and indirect she might have to make more effort to participate in a discussion, to voice her opinions or misgivings, and to ask questions. It’s easy to see how we can use this same information to gain more insight about our own style. After all, it takes at least two people to communicate and we are part of that formula. So we have to apply these questions to ourselves as well. Am I more aggressive or laid back? Do I ask questions of others? Is my tendency to accept in the moment then voice my opinions later? Do I consider other people’s opinions, do I ignore their input, or do I just withdraw? Once we’ve determined our style and the style of the other person, we have to consider the dynamic of the two. Two aggressive people may have to each work harder at allowing the other to talk and voice opinions. Two passive people may tend to come to conclusions too quickly, or may not uncover issues or differences. One of each will have to be very aware of the other’s differences and make the effort required to accommodate those differences. Taking the time to think about our own style, then to consider the style of the other person, generates huge returns in communication. These returns include: Increased ability of the passive/indirect person to express Increased ability of the aggressive/direct person to listen Ability to allow and work out differences Realization that we each offer strengths as well as weaknesses Achieving more together than possible as individuals Recognizing style or personal characteristics is key to successful business communications. Listening Active listening takes energy; it’s work. To actively listen to someone means the following: Focus eyes and mind on the person speaking Indicate listening through eye contact, note taking, and body language Respond appropriately with comments, questions, or paraphrasing The first step is the most difficult: focusing solely on the person speaking versus thinking of what we want to say next, beginning to analyze, or even coming up with a solution! We can minimize these tendencies by making good eye contact with the person speaking so that our focus is only on that person. Quelling the desire to analyze, problem solve, etc. means we have to WORK hard. It takes a strong effort to halt or slow down these urges. If we don’t stop them, then our focus is not on the person but is on our own words and thoughts, and we are not getting all of the information they are telling us. Short circuiting active listening means we short circuit them and ourselves. When this does happen and we’re aware of it, we can stop the person and ask him or her to repeat what they said. We might say, â€Å"Would you please repeat that so I will have a full understanding,† to cover our embarrassment for not listening! Making eye contact with a person may depend upon style or culture. Some cultures prefer not to have direct eye contact. Our style assessment will help us to determine whether or not that is true for the person with whom we are dealing. Our assessment will also help us to establish which other mechanisms to use to indicate we are truly focused on what the person is saying. Responding appropriately is a real indication of active listening. When we talk with teenagers we might ask them to repeat what we just said. If they repeat verbatim we know they heard us and can â€Å"parrot.† If they paraphrase or explain what we said in their own words, we know they really listened and understood. The ability to paraphrase is a powerful tool to use with our fellow employees. If we have any doubt of their understanding, having them paraphrase is a good way to check it out. Another appropriate response is to ask questions. If we are listening to the person, asking appropriate questions helps that person to know we are really listening. It works the other way as well. If an employee or colleague does not ask us questions or does not respond appropriately, we know we need to review again, repeat using different words, draw a diagram, or whatever else we need to do to help that person understand. Active listening is not something we need to do all the time; in fact, we could not. What’s important is to determine when to use active listening. A good measurement is to say that we should actively listen anytime not listening could result in damaging or hurtful consequences. Summary Behind our communication is a purpose. That purpose may be assigning a new task, asking an employee to solve a problem, or providing feedback on performance. Our next step is to understand style: that of the employee and our own, which helps us to modify our own style and better understand how to work with the employee’s style. As we talk with the employee we can use active listening to ensure that we are getting complete information and to ensure the employee is listening to us.

Aquinas on Conscience Essay

For Aquinas. scruples is the act of using our cognition of good and evil to what we do ( or might make ) . So in order to ( of course ) know what is a good action or bad one. one needs to understand how things are of course ordered by God — chiefly what human nature is and what things it needs and deserves. This order which dictates what is good or evil behavior is called the Natural Law by Aquinas. God can and does besides preternaturally uncover what is and is non in conformity with his will. e. g. the Ten Commandments and Christ’s Two Great Commandments. One besides needs to use this cognition to what one does. and so one needs to be free to move in conformity with what one knows to be the Divine order of things. or non. Our scruples is our realisation that what we might make or hold done is good or non. but it is non the existent making or the choosing. On a proficient note. for Aquinas scruples is the act of understanding what is right and incorrect. though the name may be applied by extension to a wont or power of executing this act of understanding. The virtuousness of doing right judgements about right or incorrect. i. e. appropriate exercisings of scruples is called prudence. The ground that this is of import is that one can non make the right thing if one does non cognize what the right thing is. So. if person has jobs with their scruples. it does non look appropriate to fault them. Children do non hold to the full formed scrupless. and do non ever understand what the right thing to make is. If a kid does incorrect because he or she didn’t know any better. or because he or she thought it was the right thing to make. we do non ( or should non ) incrimination and penalize him or her. Aquinas hence believes that non merely is one excused from wrongdoing if one’s scruples is in mistake. one besides is bound to make the incorrect thing if one’s scruples tells one that it is the Right thing to make. He besides believes that one has a responsibility to hold a grammatical scruples. one that knows what the right thing to make is. Even though an earring witting alibis one from making incorrect. one may hold done incorrect in allowing one’s scruples autumn into mistake.

Ansel Adams life and two analysis of his photographs Essay

Ansel Adams was born February 20, 1902, in San Francisco, California. Ansel took an interest in music at an early age. He taught himself how to play the piano and enjoyed the surroundings of nature. In 1916, he and his parents went on a trip to Yosemite National Park where he received his first camera, the Kodak Box Brownie. His first photographs recorded their vacation. Ansel fell in love with Yosemite National Park and would return every summer. He worked four summers as the caretaker of the park’s club headquarters. During this time, he became an expert mountaineer and conservationist and gained vast of experience as a landscape photographer. Ansel struggled between two professions, photography and music. In 1920, he decided to become a concert pianist. For seven years he gave piano lessons and concerts. After viewing Paul Strand’s wonderful work, Adams decided to switch careers to photography. A short time later, he joined â€Å"f/64†, a group dedicated to the concept of photography that looked like photography, not like an imitation of other art forms. Ansel stands as one of America’s greatest landscape photographers. His career was punctuated with countless elegant, handsomely composed, and technically flawless photographs of outstanding natural landscapes. His strength as an artist is largely attributed to his diligent investigation of the methods of photography, developing a careful darkroom technique of exposure and development he called the Zone System. In each of his images, Adams aimed to vary the range of tones from rich black to whitest white in order to achieve perfect photographic clarity. His reputation has been firmly established by exhibitions in virtually every major American art museum, three Guggenheim Fellowships and a score of publications. One of Ansel’s landscape photographs is Forest of Aspen. Forest of Aspen is an excellent example of chiaroscuro. The focal point is the tree on the left side that looks as if it is illuminated by the sun. Ansel was good at producing black and white photographs that had the whitest whites all the way to pitch black. The tree is a bright white while the rest of the photograph is a variety of grays and blacks. There are several skinny tree trunks behind the bright tree extending to the top and width of the photograph. Some grey leaves can be seen at the vary top of the photograph making the bright tree look like a younger tree. Between the skinny tree  trunks there is black space. The skinny tree trunks are a variety of grays starting from light gray to black as they retreat out of sight. Just to the left of the bright tree there is another tree a bit smaller. This tree isn’t bright, but rather a light gray. Small gray and black shrubbery occupies the lower portion of th e photograph. When looking at this photograph, one wonders how the sun seems to shine only on the small tree located on the left. Another photograph taken by Ansel Adams is Moonrise, CA 1966. This is another example of chiaroscuro. This photograph is looking at the campus of UC Berkeley and the sky. The top of the photo till midway is pitch black. Then in the middle but a little to the left is a small white circle which is the moon. Below the moon is a small section of sky that is still lit up. This section of sky contains scattered clouds. Under the skyline there are silhouettes of several buildings and trees. Some of the buildings details can be seen while others are black. The lower section of the photo is hard to make out. There appears to be a car in the lower right section indicating a possible parking lot. This photo shows excellent representation of the transforming sky from day to night. Ansel captured this transformation in mid-form. The sky contains both the pitch black night sky and the bright white sky with scattered clouds. Ansel Adams was a man who loved photography. He showed this love through countless studies he did with photography. No one could print his negatives the same way he could. Ansel was the best black and white photographer of his time. The ranges of black and white he could print were outstanding. I thought the film that we watched was very dry and dull but the photographs that Ansel Adams took were amazing. He truly was an artist. I have worked a little bit with black and white photography and the variety of color he got from his negatives was truly incredible. I have respect for Ansel because he loved photography. He showed this love through his photographs; and when he died in 1984, he arranged for all his photographs and negatives to go to the University of Arizona. Now his negatives can be observed and even reprinted to help the study of photography continue. This shows that he was a very giving person. He did whatever he could to help advance photography. He even  tested and pro moted the Polaroid Land camera, which he sent over 3,000 memos to Polaroid. Ansel Adams was dedicated to photography.

Health Administarion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 23

Health Administarion - Essay Example This helped them to take skill development programs and improve their performance. Most importantly, the reflective practice encouraged them to evolve and become more flexible to accept environmental changes vis-Ã  -vis technology, cultural diversity, challenges of job etc. While some believe that leadership is inherent, I am of the view that leadership traits can be developed. The various traits like accountability and strong sense of responsible behavior, integrity, honesty, critical thinking, flexibility, communication skill etc. are hugely important factors that make leaders effective. These traits are also something that can be cultivated. I foresee leadership development as means of enhancing the skills of communication, relationship building, improving decision making skills through informed choices. These things can be learnt through simulated clinical cases which are critical and require quick decisions. Moreover, interacting with senior and their peer group helps them to learn new ways of handling issues and resolve conflicts. Most importantly, programs must encourage acceptance of negative qualities so that they can be changed. It should equip them to turn adverse circumstances into new opportunities for success. (words:

Planning my assignment on a case study of child typical development Essay

Planning my assignment on a case study of child typical development - Essay Example Low self-esteem is triggered by the child’s inability to interact academically with his peers. Peccei (2006) identify schemas as the bridging gaps between low literacy levels and improvements. The one on one assistance issued to the student acts as a schema based on Piaget theory to literacy development. The 17 year old lacks organisational skills that are essential to literacy development. There is need to identify the student’s environment and plan based on these environments. Cognitive abilities enable students to identify tasks and perform them based on priorities and allocation. The environment around the child if effective, this is enhanced by the fact that both the teachers and parents are interested in his development. In assisting the student, various aspects would be considered. Basic cognitive abilities need to be identified upon which literacy development stages would be introduced to the student to enhance his learning. Once the student identifies priorities, different study schedule should be designed. This will enable the student identify the key areas of development and perfect on

The Impact of Strategic International Job Placement Term Paper

The Impact of Strategic International Job Placement - Term Paper Example The companies hired for these functions are well equipped with trained personnel and tolls to perform the jobs more efficiently and cost effectively. Typically, an outsourcing process includes four different stages. The first stage includes the strategic thought processing for building up the philosophy for outsourcing activities. The second stage involves the evaluation of the outsourcing projects and selecting the suitable one. The third stage deals with the development of the contract and the determination of the price of SLA (service level agreement). Finally, the fourth stage deals with the relationship management between the client and the service provider. Business Process Outsourcing and Information Technology Outsourcing are the most common forms of outsourcing. The task of outsourcing becomes more delicate when the work is offshored i.e. the work is done in a different country. This brings in certain differences of culture and time zone. In USA, business processes are outsourced at a huge rate. Since 1980s the outsourcing by US started gaining momentum. The range of outsourcing is also wide since USA outsources material inputs outside the firm and also hires services from beyond the borders through FDI in foreign countries. The process of outsourcing thus has multifaceted implication on USA. It has influenced USA's trade, labor market, welfare, growth and industrial structure. Out of all the impacts of outsourcing, the impact on the US labor market happens to be the most sought after issue. Effect of Outsourcing on GDPThe prime reason for outsourcing in US is the cost and time savings. These benefits of outsourcing offer immense growth potential for the US firms. The outsourcing of functions in USA has had a significant effect on the country's GDP. It is estimated that outsourcing added $33.6 billion to the real GDP of USA in 2003. The analysis in 2003 estimated that by 2008 outsourcing will add $ 124.2 billion to the real GDP of USA. The trade effects of outsourcing were seen to be positive. In 2003, US exports were higher by $2.3 billion because of outsourcing and the estimated value of exports from outsourcing in 2008 was $9 billion. Extensive research on outsourcing revealed some magical figures on savings. It was seen that the IT industry in USA will save up to $ 390 billion through software development and offshore services. The GDP of USA also grew considerably through massive rounds of outsourcing. Between 1999 and 2002 USA experienced an additional growth of $2 30 billion in their GDP. Some of the remarkable figures in US export and import indicate that the significant improvement is due to outsourcing. In 2004, the export figure on services was $343.9 billion in services while the import was $296.1 billion. US trade in services increased by 33 % from $482.3 billion (1999) to $640 billion (2004), with exports rising by 22 percent and imports increasing by 48 percent (Greene W. January 2006). Outsourcing of Manufacturing and IT jobs The benefit of IT outsourcing is enhanced productivity. II capital prices are significantly low and tend to fall. Hence, a company which is focusing on the outsourcing IT will have two options open before it; purchase IT capital

The problems of Cyprus Airways during the recent years Essay

The problems of Cyprus Airways during the recent years - Essay Example It flies to many destinations in Europe, the Middle East and the Gulf region through its scheduled operations. Its main operational base was the Nicosia International Airport, which had to be abandoned in 1974 subsequent to the Turkish invasion of the Turkish areas of Cyprus. It now uses the Larnaca International Airport as its main hub and also has a hub at Paphos International Airport. It was on September 24, 1947 that Cyprus Airways came into being as a joint business venture consisting of the Cypriot government, British European Airways and private investors. Commercial operations started on April 18, 1948 through a Douglas DC – 3 aircraft flying on regional routes out of Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus. On the basis of a charter agreement use of British European Vickers Viscount airliners commenced five years later on April 18, 1953. Another five years down the line British European Airways took over the operational aspects of all Cyprus Airways services from January 26, 1958. Expansions to the business activities of Cyprus Airways took place through the establishment of a wholly-owned charter subsidiary in 1992, as a means to tap the growing IT charter market in and out of Cyprus. A decade down the line it founded Hellas Jet in Athens, Greece, in 2002 with a seventy-five percent share in the carrier. These were the days of prosperity for Cyprus Airways. The current ownership of the Cyprus is more than sixty-nine percent with the Government of Cyprus and the rest with private shareholders making it a more of a public sector undertaking. It has tried to incorporate quality as strategy in its business model with its Business class and Economy class offering upgraded in-flight service that goes well in comparison with the quality conscious international airlines. (1). In May 2004, Cyprus joined the European Union and by August 2004, Cyprus Airways was fighting for its survival (2). In 2004 Cyprus Airways reported a net loss of CYP 39.4 million,

Business Plan on The Fitness Club Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Business Plan on The Fitness Club - Essay Example The paper tells that the Fitness Club will provide workout and various fitness routines. It will also help develop individual diet plans for its members. Health clubs and gyms business is booming all over the world and UK is no exception. People are getting interested in losing weight and eating healthy. Staying in shape and looking ‘good’ is the new trend and people are willing to invest money in their health plans and the Fitness Club is here to help them. What sets this club apart from other health clubs is the variety it offers at a very low cost. It can be afforded by people from all walks of life. They not only get the place to get in shape but coaches customize their diet plans and encourage them to keep up with the schedule. The coaches and nutritionists at this club are highly qualified and experienced in their respective fields. They have helped so many people achieve their dream body figure. Other than the fitness trend, the fact that a huge market area is til l untapped justifies this business plan. People are also joining health clubs to stay away from obesity and its related diseases. According to a survey, 17% of boys and 16% of the girls in UK between ages 12-15, have some form of obesity (BBC, 2012). That is why it is a great opportunity to cash in this factor and get people motivated to achieve a healthy life style and this club exactly does that. Competitors in the health and fitness industry mostly ignore low income people and a perception has started to develop that health and fitness clubs are only for rich people. ... This perception is completely wrong and needs to be taken off the market. Even though the fitness market is extremely competitive but there is a lot of room for growth. Health awareness and fashion clothing are the main contributors towards motivating people to join health clubs. State of the art equipment will be available for all members of The Fitness Club. Financial Highlights Start-up Costs Expected Growth in Revenue Expected Growth in Profit Company Description 1.1 Company Overview The Fitness Club will start its central office in Bicester Oxon, UK this June 2012. Later on, more branches will be opened throughout UK starting from Edinburg. The company is also looking forward to opening health centres in areas of UK that haven’t been tapped by fitness industry. The Fitness club is planning to provide great quality fitness services at extremely competitive costs. The objective is to appeal to the affordability of the customers so that people from all walks of life could jo in in. 1.2 Mission & Vision Vision: To create sentience among people about healthy lifestyle. Mission: To provide custom made exercises and meal plans for the mass market. 1.3 Strengths and Competencies State of the art fitness equipment available to use at the lowest price Highly qualified and experienced trainers and nutritionists Dedicated staff that actually inspires and motivates people 1.4 Challenges Despite of having the advantage of highly qualified coaches and nutritionists, there are few competitors that can cause neck to neck competition. The Fitness Club will have to plan its strategy of promotion and marketing by keeping an eye on ‘The Fitness Company’, which operates exactly in the same area where the central office will be built

Emergence of Global Markets (BUS 250) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Emergence of Global Markets (BUS 250) - Essay Example Technological developments have been immense over the years in all sectors. There are a number of advantages and disadvantages. This essay aims at understanding the effects of technological developments. Technology can be a rather empowering at times but often can also be very frustrating. The computer related technology is becoming one a very important part of the society, and the usage of these technologies has increased a lot over the past few years. With the introduction of Internet there has been a great improvement in the overall lives of many. Internet has infiltrated almost every aspect of life, making it a necessity rather than a luxury. The internet has to a great extent provided a strong ability for globalization. As discussed, the technological developments have been immense over the years in all sectors. The technological developments over the past few years have been immense in almost every field. These developments have been clearly noted a transformation in the commun ication, transport and travel industries and has also led these industries towards a converging harmony. The technological development has been able to push and force attention to the isolated ‘Third World’ Societies into contact with the products of modernity and globalised products. As mentioned earlier, the access to higher and more advanced technology has led to the ability for the industrial activities to flow easily within the markets. It has also provided a chance to allow for better and more flow of finances across the industries. Also it allows for hampering the national government controls. This in simpler terms means that the companies are able to now take on a different approach. Instead of providing customized items, companies have now led to developing more standardized products to meet the global standards. The focus is to provide

Response Speech of Sotomayors 2012 NYU Commencement Essay Example for Free

Response Speech of Sotomayors 2012 NYU Commencement Essay This speech was not awesome, but more than that. Her tenacious and benevolent appearance was enough to attract the audience’s attention. She made jokes to make the audience comfortable and to keep the speech accessible and fresh. Also, she used various anecdotes from her life that both those in the stadium and I could empathize with. Her speech at the commencement ceremony at NYU struck a chord with me. More especially, there was a hopeful message to the young people starting fresh in life. First, she had the ability to convert her weak points into strengths. Her life story is literally ‘a dream come true’. She was born and raised in the Bronx, New York which is not the greatest place to live. Yet, she grew up and graduated from a prestigious university. Moreover, she became the first Hispanic justice of the Supreme Court and the third-ever woman to hold the post. She is a person of great wisdom, because she embraced her identity as a Hispanic woman, in order to make her dreams a reality. Furthermore, her life story shows that anyone can succeed whatever the obstacles or barriers. As we already know, she grew up in a public housing project in the Bronx and never imagined that she would stand on that podium. However, she finally became a supreme justice after going through so many challenges. There might have been enormous trials and tribulations, but it is obvious evident from her example that we can achieve our dreams despite the challenge we face, if we do exert ourselves enough. Last, the five essential emotions that she had referred to are a further guideline for us. In fact, the current tendency in Korea is to be stable rather than to challenge. People think that it may take too much time to reach their dream, so they choose a job that they can do comfortably, rather than what they really want. However, her speech showed me that I should choose what I truly want to do, and I can do that if I embrace her five emotions necessary for a successful life Her speech made me have second thoughts about and reconsider everything about myself, such as my attitudes or my life. Everyone has disadvantages and hardships, but the matter is whether we overcome those things or not. I believe that we all have the ability to do that. So, now I echo her word, dream big, achieve much and keep asking ‘are you ready to challenge and enjoy the engagement of your own life? ’

Shamus Khans Concepts of Gender and Sexuality

Shamus Khans Concepts of Gender and Sexuality In chapter four of Privileged, Shamus Khan writes about the young women at St. Pauls being taught to perform gender (Kahn, 2013). The idea behind performing gender for the young women at St. Paul was the necessity to appear feminine. This concept is not very uncommon outside of St. Pauls learning institution; many individuals dress, speak, and present themselves in a way to show their gender identity as well as their sexual preference. At this specific institution, many of the girls developed a way to use their sexuality as a gift and in some cases, they thought of it as power. Since these girls attended St. Paul they might have felt as though it was necessary to appeal to the young men so that they can more feel comfortable at the school. In a sense, many of the young women at the school attempted to exploit their own sexuality for gain. The main concept behind the young women using their sexuality was the ability to maintain a sense of ease so this was a way of them embracing their femininity. However, the teachings and idea of embracing femininity can be modified in a way so that the young women are not just limited to embrace being feminine to be at ease at St. Paul. It should be taught that the young women should be able to be comfortable expressing their sexuality by being feminine, masculine or both at St. Paul and continue to go to the school with an ease and not feel mistreated in any way based of their display of sexuality. There is no doubt that many of the young women at St. Paul were very intellectual individuals. It was very clear from the chapter that the young women at the school needed to work harder for them to be successful at the school. That did not dismiss the fact that they still needed to act as though the success that they received at the school came with ease. Khan gave an example in the chapter of Mary who was a very hard worker and was successful because of it; however, she was still viewed differently from her peers at the school. This was because she succeeded, but did so without ease (Khan, 2013). This concept of ease was to be upheld from all students at the school, but as we can see from this chapter it was more difficult from the young women at the school to maintain the appearance of ease. So, although they were intellectual they still had the need to endorse their sexuality and show their femininity as well as appeal to the men for them to feel as though they secured a certain amount of ease at St. Paul. In this chapter embracing their sexuality is very important to the young women at St. Paul, it is shown when Kahn described these girls going to seated meals dressed in their formal clothing. Although St. Paul has the no bare shoulders seated meal rule the girls found ways around these rules by making up excuses about the necessity to wear the dressed because they could not have changed fast enough to make it to eat their meals on time among many other excuses (Kahn, 2013). In a way, that one way that they embraced their sexuality, we can often see this is social institutions outside of St. Paul. As a woman if you are going on a date with a man you are expected to look a certain way to appeal to the mans sexually. For a woman, this also occurs when you are going to an interview, if you ever take a workshop on how to have a successful interview they usually recommend women wear a skirt and a blouse with low heels. Woman dressing up to show their sexuality is not very uncommon today an d throughout history, it is one of the ways that women perform gender. At St. Paul, many of the girls had to teach and figure out their sexuality from other girls that had attended the school longer or by themselves. This was apparent when the younger girls where taught by older and more experienced girls how to use their sexuality to appeal to the young men at the school. The young girls were given pointers about how to go about their sexual exploits. Before they spend too much time with any boy, new girls are told, they should talk to the seniors in the dorm to learn his reputation (Kahn, 2013). Essentially, they are setting up the younger girls so that they can also know how to technically exploit their own sexuality. At St. Paul, the young women are essentially expected to give out signals to appeal to the young man to show that you are interested. This can be shown through performing you gender, dressing up in certain clothes, the way you speak and act to displays these sexual preferences. The idea of performing gender for young women at St. Paul was to appear feminine. That is what St. Paul taught if you were a young woman at the school then you needed to make sure that you acted and presented yourself in a feminine manner. Either you were feminine or masculine at St. Paul and if you were a young woman that did not perform your gender in accordance with a feminine way you were teased and talked about in negative ways. Khan mentions this when talking about Lynn, a young woman who was in a relationship with another girl at the school. Lynn dressed in baggy clothes and a St. Pauls sweatshirt. That was considered wrong not because of her sexual preference but because of the way that she performed her gender it was interpreted as not in a feminine way. This concept can be modified to appeal to the sense that if the young women that are attempting to establish their sexuality want to perform their gender to the fullest they should be able to do so without the limitations th at St. Paul attempts to build upon.ÂÂ   If Lynn feels more comfortable wearing baggy clothes and not dressing up or conforming to dress in a feminine manner than she should not be teased or treated differently because of that. St. Paul needs to modify the idea that if you are female you need to present yourself in a feminine way and if you are a man then you need to present yourself in a masculine way. The reality is that the students are attempting to find their own sexuality, and this cannot be fully achieved if they are limited through dress, speech, and actions. St. Paul has attempted to uphold old and outdated ideas on sexuality and performing gender. In the past women were expected to dress and act feminine no matter what their sexuality because society has closed ideals on family and upheld the patriarchal family. Although it took a while women are free to express their sexuality and dress and act in a way that feel. Even in workplace settings, an individual who identifies as female can dress in a masculine way and be working a high paying job. Over time too many women have fought to be themselves in society without being denied or mistreated from others. Many young women outside of St. Paul are str uggling with feeling comfortable in their own sexuality and expressing that the way they would like. If those girls are struggling outside of St. Paul imagine the girls that would love to express themselves in a non-feminine manner but are pressed to present themselves in a feminine way for them to be comfortable in school. In chapter four it is very clear that St. Paul is upholding the barrier that the young women need to appear feminine regardless of their way of expressing their sexuality. That barrier needs to be broken down, because when female students graduate St. Paul, they are left in a state confusion towards their sexuality; because they feel as though they cannot dress, speak, and act in a way that does not reflect feminism. If the young women are encouraged to embrace their sexuality, but are limited to expressing that only through a feminine aspect it is a contradictory concept. Although I completely agree with the idea that the young women need to find a way to embrace their sexuality, because it helps shape your identity. Many of the girls at St. Paul probably felt that they would love to dress like Lynn because it would feel comfortable for them but they were afraid of being in the same uncomfortable position and the lack of ease that came with not presenting yourself in a feminine mann er. I still feel as though if the young women are encouraged to discover and embrace their sexuality, then they should not be limited to that embracement of sexuality expressed in a strictly feminine manner. If St. Paul can adjust to the concept that young women need to be able to discover and embrace their sexuality in a way that allows them to be feminine, masculine or both than many of the women would feel more comfortable and at ease. Bibliography Khan, Shamus R. 2013. Privilege: The Making of an Adolescent Elite at St. Pauls School. Princeton University Press.

What Is Rdbms Ordbms And Oodbms Information Technology Essay

What Is Rdbms Ordbms And Oodbms Information Technology Essay A set of computer programs which controls the formation, preservation, and the use of database with computer as a platform is called a database management system (DBMS). The control of organization-wide database development in the hands of database administrators (DBAs) is permitted by the database management system. It helps the use of integrated collection of data and files and also easily permits the access of the same database to different user application programs. The database models like network model or relational model can be used by the DBMS. Another feature of the DBMS is allows users and other software to store and get back data in a structured way in large systems. The users can write simple question in query language to retrieve information instead of writing computer programs. Fourth-generation programming language (4GLs) and other application development features provided by DBMS are very helpful to specify the logical organization for database and access and use the information within a database. Relational Data Base Management System (RDBMS) The abbreviation form of Relational Data Base Management System is RDBMS. The structure of RDBMS is database tables, fields and records. Each RDBMS table consists of database table rows and each database table row consists of one or more database table fields. RDBMS is used by main frame, midrange and microcomputers. MS SQL Server, DB2, Oracle and MySQL are the most popular RDBMS. The data are stored in the form of tables which might be related by common fields. The data stored in the database table are manipulated by the rational operators given by RDBMS. SQL is the database query language in most RDBMS. Why RDBMS? We will use the terms tables and relations interchangeably. In a RDBMS, the data is logically perceived as tables. _ Tables are in logical data structures that we assume hold the data that the database intends to represents _ And tables are not physical structures. _ Each table have a unique table name There are advantages and as well as disadvantages in the RDBMS. The advantages of RDBMS are Fast and easy to pop out data as relation among entities is well defined More secure and normalization Problems are avoided when two things are processed at the same time data can be managed in proper manner Accuracy The disadvantages on the other hand are A professional is needed to deal with Proper training is required Need software and hard ware The model is not easy to the end user to run quires Object Relational Database Management System (ORDBMS) The object relational database management system is known as a database management system which is alike to a relational database, but with an object oriented database model. This system supports classes, objects and inheritance directly in database schemas and in the query language. Besides, extension of the data model with custom data type and methods are supported by ORDBMS. The well-organized management from a limited set of data types is focused in traditional RDBMS but object relational DBMS on the other hand permits web sites development experts to join their own data types and methods. Advantages of ORDBMS: Large storage capacity is ensured in Object Relational Database Management Systems which benefits for the web based development. Reasonably quick access speed Massive scalability of ORDBMS is beneficial. Outstanding manipulation power of object databases is boasted in ORDBMS APIs and server subsystems are added to support object functionality. The database engine is completely redesigned A new object-oriented layer is added to support rich data types Disadvantages of ORDBMS ORDMBS fails in High speed internet applications. The IDC opines that the ORDBMS market has the possibility to exceed the size of ODBMS in the next two years time in web based development Object Oriented Database Management system (OODBMS) Object Oriented Database Management system is the most excellent alternative to resolve impedance mismatch causing in the use of Relational Database Management System as objects have to be mapped to table. Database management is combined with object oriented programming concepts by the object oriented database management system. The principles of database management such as isolation, durability, consistency and atomicity and the object oriented programming concepts consist of of inheritance, encapsulation and polymorphism. The mixture of these ideas permits easiness in the management of large number of data, results in system reliability and guarantees support for query languages. Therefore, from the description given above it can be concluded that an OODBMS is not only a database management system but also a complete object oriented development setting. Software development companies use OODBMS as an alternative because it follows intelligibility while objects are accessed in the database. The Main objective of the OODBMS is to give consistent, data independent, secure, controlled and extensible data management services to support the object-oriented model. They were created to handle big and complex data that relational databases could not. The most main characteristic is the joining of object-oriented programming with database technology, which provides an integrated application development system. Object-oriented programming results in 4 main characteristics: inheritances, data encapsulation, object identity, and polymorphism. Object Identity, Object Structure, and Type Constructors Object Identity An OO database system provides a unique identity to each independent object stored in the database. This unique identity is typically implemented via a unique, system-generated object identifier (OID). The OID cab is assigned to program variables of the appropriate type when needed. The main property required of an OID is that it be immutable; that is, the OID value of a particular object should not change. This preserves the identity of the real-world object being represented. Merits of OODBMS over RDBMS The impedance mismatch is completely cancelled out in OODBMS and on the other hand in a relational database system a problem is always faced by a custom software development company. There was lot of wastage of time in RDBMS while objects had to be mapped with tables and the table mapped with objects. In the RDBMS, problems have to be faced by the users when identifying the records and they have to make sure that no two records have the same primary key. In the OODBMS this problem is completely avoided by its unique OIDs. OODBMS can deal with complex data than RDBMS as in ODBMS, a large class able to hold lot of intermediate sized classes, which can keep even more medium sized classes. The database management system maintains the connection between objects and the constraints on objects in an object oriented database, which means, the objects themselves. They permit support of complex application which is not supported by the other models. The programmability and performance, improve navigational access, and simplify concurrency control are improved by the object oriented database. The risks linked with the referential integrity are reduced in OODBMS and it gives an enhanced user metaphor than the relational model. Object oriented database can store both complex component and large structure. The large objects in object oriented database do not need to be broken apart and reassemble by application. Therefore object oriented data base do not suffer performance degradation. RDBMS does not allow the nested structure. These category of applications widely found in CAD/CAE, aerospace, etc. But these applications are easily supported in OODBMS. Besides, it is better to deal with the complex structure in the form of objects rather than table, tuples and records in RDBMS. Limited numbers of data types such as integer and string and limited number of built in operations are available in the relational database management system. This database management system is suitable for simple and few number of data types. The OODBMS on the other hand are appropriate for application where the relationships among elements in the database carry the key information. Conclusion According to the report we can takes some con-clusions regarding RDBMS and OODBMS: †¢ Relational databases have as their objective to ensure data independence ie> Normalized data is separated from processing and the processing corresponding to satisfy-ing informational requirements need not be totally pre-defined, thus accepting ad-hoc re-quirements too. †¢ Object oriented databases have as their main objective encapsulation, being stored together with the data and the methods. They are inseparable. It is said that we have to do with an independence of classes and not with an independence of data. †¢ An OODBMS and not an RDBMS is needed while in the reference applications we have to do with complex data. †¢ The object oriented database mar-kets will continue to develop, but they will still (represent) only a fraction of the traditional databases. †¢ It is appreciated that RDMSs hold the largest part of the largest part of the data-bases. But the prospect is that they will still co-exist for a long time future with the OODBS. ORDBMS complicates database design due to its new richness. There are more alternative designs that can be used to represent a particular situation, and it is not always obvious which to pick. Unthinkingly applying some of these features, such as the COLLECTION columns, create problems.

Road Traffic Injuries in Cameroon Essay -- Transportation, Social Issu

It is estimated that almost 16 000 people die every day from all types of injuries throughout the world (1). Injuries account for 12% of the global burden of disease. They are the third most important cause of overall mortality and the leading cause of death among 1–40-year-olds (2). Road traffic accidents (RTA) are responsible for the highest number of injuries worldwide. According to data published by the World Health Organization (WHO) road traffic injuries account for around 25% of all injury related deaths (1). The report portrayed road transport crashes as a leading cause of injury related morbidity and mortality the world over. The World Bank and WHO estimates reveal that about 1.2 million people die each year and as many as 50 million sustain injuries as a result of road transport accidents. This represents about 25% of all injury related deaths worldwide. Developing countries account for up to 85% of all road traffic deaths world wide; 90% of global disability adjuste d life years lost (DALY); and 96% of global traffic related child mortality. Most of these victims are the poor masses that commute as passengers in public transport vehicles, cyclist or pedestrians and users of vans, coaches and minibuses (1, 3, and 4). The actually numbers of road deaths are unknown. This is as a result of variations and limitations in RTI data collection; analysis, differences in interpretation and underreporting. Road traffic related deaths account for over 50% of deaths are among young adults in the age range of 15–44 years (5); and are the second leading cause of death among children aged 5–14 years, and young people aged 15–29 years worldwide. It is projected that without a major improvement on prevention strategies and policies, ... ... healers. The bulk of non-profit facilities are operated by the Catholic and Protestant Health Services: the former operate 179 facilities (including 8 hospitals) with a staff of 1,315 and the latter122 health facilities (including 24 hospitals) with a staff of 2,633 (World Bank op cit); there were roughly 200 for-profit clinics (Deschamps, 1996; p. 2) and a few thousand traditional healers (Lantum, 1996; personal communication). The plethora of health care providers and institutions means a wide variety of sources making it difficult to identify all cases of road traffic related injury reported or treated. Some victims of RTI injuries may not show up in hospitals or report to the police as they may prefer to seek alternative treatment and as Dixey (1999) argues the health help seeking behavior of a people maybe informed by the believe of disease and causation.

Percussion :: essays research papers

Drums are among the oldest musical instruments. The best known of percussion instruments, they are found throughout the world and in a great variety of shapes and sizes. A drum normally consists of a skin or other membrane, called a head, which is stretched over an enclosed space or over one or both ends of a hollow vessel. Exceptions include the African slit drum, made from a hollowed-out tree trunk, and the Caribbean steel drum, made from a metal barrel. Drums are usually played by the hands or by one or two sticks. In some non-Western cultures drums have a symbolic function and are often used in religious ceremonies. They are sometimes used in sending signals. The talking drums of Africa can imitate the inflections and pitch variations of a spoken language and are used for communicating over great distances. Many drums used in Western societies are of African, Arabic, or Turkish origin. The kettledrum was introduced into Europe during the Crusades. The European tabor, derived from an African instrument and sometimes called a tambour, was a small drum played with the right hand, while the left hand fingered a 3-hole flute. Across its center, the tabor often held a snare, which produced a strong vibration and sustained the sound between beats. The modern symphony orchestra employs a variety of drums. Kettledrums are the most common; the bass drum, tenor drum, and snare drum, or side drum, are also sometimes used, along with tambourines and bongo drums on occasion. Among these, only the kettledrums produce sounds of definite pitch, which is adjustable. The tenor drum is a large deep drum with two heads that is played with wooden sticks. The larger bass drum, also with two heads, stands upright on its side and is struck with felt-padded sticks. Bongo drums are small single-headed drums struck with the hands and usually played in sets of two or three.