Friday, October 25, 2019

Neo-liberal model of economic policy-making Essay -- Article Review, J

After reading the article from John Lovering, the first impression was that we, even those who are planners, sometimes forget what it means to be a planner and underestimate the importance of proper planning and its impact when practiced on a specific city or a region The fundamental argument that forms basis of the article is that the Neo-Liberal model which conceptualized and practiced planning for a couple of decades has been crashed. Now, as a planner, the main task is to help transform the physical and social legacies of Neo-liberal urban regeneration into resources for â€Å"real development† by converting failed exchange values into viable use values (Lovering, 2009). The article emphasizes the importance of contribution from the planners in achieving the goal. In the article, the arguments of the author seem to correspond to three fundamental arguments in regards to Neo-liberal approaches to planning. The three fundamental arguments of the author included criticisms of Neo-liberal model of economic policy-making, as well as the planning and planners during the era, and the possible ways to reconstruct through planning. The article started with criticisms of Neo-liberal model of economic policy-making. In this section, the first argument the author clearly stated that the Neo-liberal model is over, as well as its opportunity-driven pseudo-planning. According to the author, the â€Å"urban regeneration† which the Neo-liberalism supported, is more of a biased term for the urban construction which only created socially questionable and often environmentally harmful developments (Lovering, 2009). Looking at the absence of net growth in global employment during 1990s and 2000s while GDP per capita decreased, it is clear that the ur... ...ources and non-market opportunities. In this way, the benefit will be even spread among the public, disregards to their status. In practicing planning in the era of austerity, theory of Rational Comprehensive planning should be used to help planning. The classic rational process of rational comprehensive model which include identifying issues and opportunities, setting goals and objectives to collect data required to create alternatives, implementing the selected alternative, and monitoring and evaluating the solutions (Shipely, 2010). In terms of land used planning, there is no simple right solution. Because all the planning theories have both positive and negative sides of it, planners must learn to balance between theories to achieve broader social goal, while maximizing the equality among the people from the benefits which they must be getting as a public.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Job Design at Pepperdine University Essay

This case study primarily focuses on the dimensions of specific roles for Pepperdine University employees. The aspect of job analysis or job reviews is an overall exploration of specific responsibilities accountabilities and duties of specific jobs. This is quite a lengthy process that requires the gathering of background information and the creation of a job specifications and descriptions. This case study highlights the roles of several employees at the Graziadio School of Business and Management at the Pepperdine University. Job design There is no definite job design that can be clearly identified at the Graziadio School of Business and Management therefore most of the observations can only be inferred from obervation of employee duties and responsibilities(Cummings & Worley, 2009). Job design is supposed to determine the manner in which specific jobs are supposed to be carried out and how this ultimately affects the individuals worker as well as the overall work place. This includes aspects such as employee authority, processes of decision making, amount of respnsibility among other criteria. It was noticed in the case study that there were three jobs that would be categorized in the same job design group and these were the program administrator, the administrative assistant and the faculty director. The roles of employees in these positions have distinct job descriptions but from their duties it is clear that they are interdependent. Another issue that is dealt with in this case study is that of employee rewards. From the example in the test, the university clearly appreciated the diligence and loyalty of the Program Administrator and for this he was to be rewarded through the enrichment of his current position. The job enrichment was partly due to the personal character of the Program Administrator because he was able to exhibit diligence and patience for 15 years. Assesment of an  employee’s persoanality is therefore key when an organization is considering formulating a formal job design model. Skill appraisal In the case of the Program Administrator, it was evident that the specific duries were very varied in nature ranging from student recruitment and supervision to advisory roles. Other aspects in this analysis include the assesment of task identity, task significance as well as job autonomy (Cummings & Worley, 2009). Planning and implementation The planning of this study was quite thorough and widely encompassing. There was a great deal of assesment and also use of diagnostic models which were associated with individuals and groups. All the models that were used were carefully structured and diagnostic in nature. They included the issues to do with design components, inputs, and output of both individual and group job specifications. The reason was doing group diagnostic was deemed necessary is because the organizational make-up is considered as a primary input that needs to be properly examined. This brings out the functions of group dynamics. However, to bring out the individual aspect of the study, the plan included an individual job level assesment to offer infomation regarding issues like individual task significance, task autonomy, identity and all the feedback that can be achieved from all this collective data. Overall the planning of the case can be considered quite thorough. Reference Cummings, T, Worley Christopher. (2009). Organizational Development & Change. South-Western CENGAGE learning, 9th Edition

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Equal Pay for Equal Work Essay

In society today, â€Å"full-time working women earn just 77 cents for every dollar a man earns,† (whitehouse.gov), for putting in same amount of effort. This injustice is unacceptable in this day in age when women are more involved in society, both politically and socially, than ever before. Women should have equal pay to men for the same amount of work they do because it is not only their right but they have the education to support their position in the workforce. Women are as educated or in some cases even more educated than men. Data collected in studies revealed ,†25-34 year old women were 21 percent more likely than men to be a college graduate† (whitehouse.gov) in 2013. If women are graduating college at a greater rate than men, then it is illogical for females to be paid less than men, who are increasingly becoming less qualified themselves when compared to the female population. Not only are women graduating undergraduate college but, â€Å"women account for almost half of students in JD, MBA, and MD programs† (whitehouse.gov) in recent years. Some might argue that, although women are getting educated, if they want to be paid more, then they need to start choosing career paths that suit their goal salary. But the fact of the matter is, â€Å" college educated women ages 30-34 are now as likely to be employed as doctors, dentists, lawyers, professors, managers, and scientist as traditionally female-dominated occupations such as teachers, nurses, librarians, secretaries, or social worker,† (whitehouse.gov), and yet they are still getting paid less than men. So, the problem is not that women are not striving for a high paying career, rather their effort is not being appreciated. Women are not only qualified to be awarded the same salary as men, but it is their right as well. In 1963 the Equal Pay Act which â€Å"prohibits covered employers from discriminating on the basis of sex by paying unequal wages for equal work,† (Sobieski) was signed into law by former President John F. Kennedy. This means that neglecting to pay a female worker the same as a male worker, who has the same occupation, is technically against the law. It is important to  understand that is act does not elevate the female population over men, but fairly brings both genders to an equal playing field in the workforce. Another law that can support this injustice is the â€Å"Public Law 88-352† (arhives.gov) which was passed by Congress in 1964. This civil right also† forbade discrimination on the basis of sex† (arhives.gov) in the workforce. As the data exposes, this prejudice against women is uncalled for and ultimately illegal. This social issue is incredibly unjust and belittling to the female population. It needs to be dealt with immediately. Women are not only as competent and educated as men, but they also have the legal right to get paid equally to men. Yet, every day, women are being ignored and unappreciated for all the work and effort they put into society. It is only possible for women to overcome this unfair treatment, if they take action and fight for what they deserve. Women need to be informed of their rights presented in acts such as the Equal Pay Act, and stand up for themselves when these rights are violated. Work Cited â€Å"Did You Know That Women Are Still Paid Less Than Men?† The White House. The White House, n.d. Web. 04 May 2014. Sobieski, John L. â€Å"Equal Pay Act.† American Government. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. â€Å"Women’s Participation in Education and in the Workforce.† Whithouse.gov. Counsel of Economic Advisors, 12 Mar. 2014. Web. 8 May 2014. â€Å"The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.† National Archives and Research Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Web. 08 May 2014

Practice in Identifying Adjectives

Practice in Identifying Adjectives This exercise will give you practice in recognizing adjectivesthe part of speech that modifies (or qualifies the meaning of) nouns. To learn more about adjectives in English, see: Adding Adjectives and Adverbs to the Basic Sentence UnitPractice in Turning Adjectives Into AdverbsSentence Building with Adjectives and AdverbsSentence Combining With Adjectives and Adverbs Instructions The sentences in this exercise have been adapted from those in two paragraphs of E.L. Doctorows novel Worlds Fair (1985). (To read Doctorows original sentences, go to Ritual in Doctorows Worlds Fair.) See if you can identify all the adjectives in these 12 sentences. When youre done, compare your responses with the answers on page two. Grandmas room I regarded as a dark den of primitive rites and practices.She had two wobbly old candlesticks.Grandma lit the white candles and waved her hands over the flames.Grandma kept her room clean and tidy.She had a very impressive hope chest covered with a shawl and on her dresser a hairbrush and comb.There was a plain rocking chair under a lamp so she could read her prayer book.And on an end table beside the chair was a flat box packed with a medicinal leaf that was shredded like tobacco.This was the centerpiece of her most consistent and mysterious ritual.She removed the lid from this blue box and turned it on its back and used it to burn a pinch of the leaf.It made tiny pops and hisses as it burned.She turned her chair toward it and sat inhaling the thin wisps of smoke.The smell was pungent, as if from the underworld. Here are the answers to the  Exercise in Identifying Adjectives. Adjectives are in bold print. Grandmas room I regarded as a  dark  den of  primitive  rites and practices.She had  two wobbly old  candlesticks.Grandma lit the  white  candles and waved her hands over the flames.Grandma kept her room  clean  and  tidy.She had a very  impressive  hope chest covered with a  shawl  and on her dresser a hairbrush and comb.There was a  plain  rocking chair under a lamp so she could read her prayer book.And on an end table beside the chair was a  flat  box packed with a  medicinal  leaf that was shredded like tobacco.This was the centerpiece of her most  consistent  and  mysterious  ritual.She removed the lid from this  blue  box and turned it on its back and used it to burn a pinch of the leaf.It made  tiny  pops and hisses as it burned.She turned her chair toward it and sat inhaling the  thin  wisps of smoke.The smell was  pungent, as if from the underworld. See also:  Exercise in Identifying Adverbs

Sunday, October 20, 2019

The American Civil War, first war photographed essays

The American Civil War, first war photographed essays Seeing a picture makes one feel as if he or she knows what is happening. When a person sees a familiar face suffering, it shocks them. Someone may feel as if they are experiencing, or at least comprehending better, what the image in the picture is going through. If the photograph is of people laughing, for a brief second, the person looking at it, thinks that they are a part of the inside joke going on. When the images in the pictures are hurting, the person looking will feel the pain slicing through their flash as well. When the civil war broke, photography had existed in the United States for almost 20 years. The new technology was quickly catching on, and many photographers at the time took it as a challenge to bring the truth about war out to the public. Pictures of lost battles started showing up in newspapers. Images of hurting soldiers fighting for their lives startled the country. The public was able to see the awful reality of war for the first time. Most people did not lik e it. The old myth of an honorable war was somewhat broken, and the battles were no longer a question of imagination. People saw their kids dying, families saw pictures of others loved ones hurting, and thought of their own suffering in the same way. The option to see, and for a second feel, what soldiers were experiencing daily during the way, shocked the public. Other than shocked, the public was interested. When the Harpers Weekly first published pictures of the Bull Run battlefields, its popularity increased so much that even today, one can subscribe to the original copies it has printed in the civil war (ipeters.de/photography.html#intro). Peoples new perspective that war is not a glorious act but rather dreadful and deadly brought rivals to seek and appreciate unity, and helped end the war. A war usually breaks over disagreements on specific ideologies parties may have. The American Civil War broke mainly over the conce...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Virtue and Utility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Virtue and Utility - Essay Example Aristotle’s and Mill’s philosophies share similarities in terms of application, the greatest good and the requirement for happiness; and they differ when it comes to how happiness can be exactly attained. The philosophies of Aristotle and Mill are similar in that the rightness or wrongness of an action depends on the situation or on the external circumstances. For Aristotle’s virtue ethics, the basis of moral virtues is action and that â€Å"we learn by doing them† (Nicomachean Ethics II.1). This means that virtues are never inborn in man except that â€Å"we first acquire the potentiality† of doing these virtuous acts (II.1). However, despite this potentiality, there is a need for action. For Aristotle, therefore, one is never a good man unless he does good deeds. Nobody is born good – one has to do good in order to be called good. The Greek philosopher gives an example in the Ethics when he says, â€Å"By doing the acts we do in our transa ctions with other men we become just or unjust† (II.1). This means that no one can be called just or unjust unless he proves this through his dealings with his fellowmen. In the same way, according to John Stuart Mill, the rightness or wrongness of an act is also based on the situation. ... both Aristotle’s virtue ethics and John Stuart Mill’s utilitarian ethics is both happiness and, as previously mentioned, pleasure is a major element in not only Mill’s philosophy but also in Aristotle’s. However, it is but necessary for us to look into the concept of happiness first before delving into the idea of pleasure. The concepts of happiness for both philosophers are a little different from each other. Happiness, for Aristotle, is the â€Å"end of the things we do, which we desire for its own sake (everything else being desired for the sake of this)† (Ethics I.2, 7). Aristotle, therefore, gives us a very lofty and strict meaning of happiness – something that is desired as an end in itself. Money, friends and family therefore are not the summum bonum for Aristotle for they are not necessarily desired for themselves but for the for happiness that they can give us. John Stuart Mill has the same attitude towards happiness. For Mill, †Å"The utilitarian doctrine is that happiness is desirable, and the only thing desirable as an end; all other things being only desirable as means to that end† (Utilitarianism IV, 433). Based on the aforementioned statement, it is clear that Mill shares the same sentiments towards happiness as Aristotle does. When it comes to happiness, both Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and Mill’s Utilitarianism underline the importance of the nobleness of character in the attainment of the happiness that they have set as their summum bonum. For Aristotle, happiness can only be attained through a virtuous life or the good life and this is defined as â€Å"the good and noble performance of [a man’s function which is based on a rational principle]† (Ethics I.7). From this statement of Aristotle’s, one can therefore deduce that not

Friday, October 18, 2019

Creative Process Essay Entry Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Creative Process Entry - Essay Example several common ideas such as the fact that creativity entails innovative and novel contemplations of the world, I do not think it is a teachable skill. A person is born with a certain amount of creativity, and while these can be developed through experience and education, if one is not naturally creative, your creativity can only improve to a limited extent through education. According to Franken, creativity entails a tendency to generate or recognizes ideas alternatives and possibilities, which can be applied in problem solving or communication with others (396). I found this definition to be in line with my own since I believe creativity is best understood when observed in a functional perspective in view of how it can solve problems or help one deal with issues. In my life, I believe creativity often surfaces when I am face with unusual situations that call for me to be innovative and think outside the box, sometimes, it emerges when I am under pressure to do something, and not all the conventional methods produce the desired result. I remember an incident when I was in high school, and my creative writing teacher told us to construct a sentence using the word flummox. We had no idea what the word mean, and we were given 30 seconds in which to do it. After realizing that none of my word attack skills was going to get me an answer, I wrote, the sentence â€Å"Flummox is not a very common word in most high school students vocabulary†. The teacher said that was not the way to construct sentences, but she gave me a mark because I had used my imagination where less none of my classmates had. My creative process is dictated by circumstances and managing it is more often than not a subconscious activity. For instance, there are times I am b ursting with new ideas when I cannot apply them, sometimes I come up with what I feel are incredible storylines for creative writing essays, and shorts stories when am in the bus or shower but forget them almost