Implementing Change Free Essays

Executing change in a branch of association can be troublesome. The executives must have an arrangement before actualizing the change. The manager’s job and duty in executing change inside an office is significant. We will compose a custom article test on Executing Change or on the other hand any comparable point just for you Request Now The manager’s job is to survey the change that requirements to happen, think of an arrangement to actualize a change, execute the change, and assess the adjustment in a convenient request. To have an effective usage of another procedure, the supervisor must be associated with each progression. The chief must keep the staff in question and let the staff know why the change is occurring and how it will influence the work procedure. The director faces numerous difficulties, for example, meeting the associations objectives and working with staff individuals who may oppose the change. This paper will concentrate on the manager’s job and duty in actualizing change, the manner in which a director ought to effectively deal with staff protection from change and characterize each progression of the change procedure, for example, appraisal, arranging, usage, and assessment. When there is an adjustment in the work procedure inside the office, the manager’s job and obligation is to ensure the execution of the progressions happens easily with the assistance of the staff. As indicated by Sullivan Decker (2009), the chief must have the option to impart transparently and genuinely with the staff, bolster the staff on the off chance that they are opposing the change, accentuate the positive results from starting change, discover answers for issues that are deterrents to change and acknowledge the consistency of progress. The supervisor must have the option to distinguish the change, gather and examine information, build up an arrangement, help the staff get ready for the change, plan to deal with opposition, give input, and assess adequacy of the change. The administrator ought to include the staff in the usage of the new work process. As indicated by Knoer (2011), correspondence is one of the most significant apparatuses that a pioneer must use to effectively execute. In the event that the administrator doesn't include the staff, the staff may think their info isn't significant or their work will be influenced. This can prompt opposition from staff and have a negative effect in the division. The staff can give supervisors their contribution on what regions ought to be centered around and raise worries that administration may investigate. By having the staff included the chief can keep them from opposing the change or have a superior comprehension of why the staff may be opposing and deal with approaches to bring down the staff obstruction. With change comes opposition. As indicated by Fiedler (2010), obstruction is considered to potentially have positive and additionally negative effect on a change, and to be applied by interior or outside situations. The division chief must have the option to effectively deal with opposition from staff individuals. A few reasons why a staff part may oppose the change is on the grounds that the individual probably won't trust the director, have a dread of disappointment, accept the change is pointless, staff may think if a specific change didn't work in the past it will bomb once more, and the main explanation is the staff part may figure the individual will lose their employment. Opposition can likewise come as poor work propensities, not appearing at deal with time, phoning in debilitated, and absence of enthusiasm for the change. The division supervisor can oversee obstruction by conversing with staff individuals who are against the change. By conversing with the staff, the supervisor will comprehend the staff’s concerns and explain any misconception. The director must be happy to tune in to the staff’s thoughts yet disclose to the staff why the change needs to occur and the positive changes the usage will bring to the division. The supervisor must keep open correspondence, support, and keep up trust of the opposing staff. An administrator can be effective with opposing staff in the event that the individual in question is adaptable, sure, sensible, remaining concentrated on the 10,000 foot view, by joining thoughts, invigorating the resistors with interests, and tackles issues. The change procedure ought to be made in strides of appraisal, arranging, execution, and assessment. The initial step surveying the change requires gathering and investigating significant information. Surveying the division will enable the administrator to realize what changes are required, how to improve the nature of work, remain in front of the opposition, and how to move toward the usage. The arrangement is the subsequent advance and includes gathering the assets expected to actualize the change. As per Lombardi Schermerhorn, â€Å"planning is the way toward setting execution goals and figuring out what moves ought to be made to achieve them† (p. 7). By having an arrangement the executives can keeps missteps and mishaps from occurring, without an arrangement the new change can turn into a mayhem. Workers will do what they believe is correct and this can cause numerous issues between the staff and the board. At the point when the board has an arrangement workers recognize w hat is anticipated from them and skill to accomplish the offices objectives. The following stage is to actualize the change, where the arrangement is placed vigorously. The administrator needs to ensure the staff has the assets required for the change. On the off chance that the staff should be prepared they ought to get all trainings before the usage of the change. This can enable the administrator to keep representatives centered and invigorated. The last advance is the assessment of the change. In this progression the chief will assess the new advance after a set measure of time. The assessment permits the trough to perceive how the change has influenced the division, regardless of whether the change is working, and meeting the objectives required in the arrangement. When actualizing change, the chief must knows their jobs, duties, and how to move toward the staff. The chief ought not choose what changes needs to occur without surveying the divisions needs. The supervisor must mull over how the new change will influence the representatives work process, profitability of the division, the spirit of the office. Workers concerns ought to be thought about just as the desire for obstruction from certain representatives. At each period of the change the administrator must allude to the arrangement and must have the option to assess the adjustment in a convenient way. Executing change can be troublesome however on the off chance that the administrator follows the change procedure they will be effective. Step by step instructions to refer to Implementing Change, Papers

The Fukushima Daiichi disaster and the future implications for Research Paper

The Fukushima Daiichi catastrophe and the future ramifications for building new atomic force plants in the United States - Research Paper Example The disaster was seen to have occurred in the eastern coast, Tohoku in Japan. The extreme tremors of the shake were competent at Fukushima too (American Nuclear Society, 2012). The previously mentioned calamity was later found to have essentially influenced the ‘nuclear power station’ or rather the atomic plant that is arranged at Fukushima Daiichi in Japan. This debacle was accepted to have set off the most broad launch of radioactivity rather than the Chernobyl setback that occurred in 1986. This specific radioactivity discharge was viewed as considerably shoddier than the case or calamity of Three Mile Island that occurred in 1979 in the United States. Nonetheless, the event of Fukushima Daiichi was considered to vary from the expressed episodes of Chernobyl and Three Mile Island as the destruction that happened at Fukushima was figured out how to be activated attributable to characteristic catastrophes which was a gigantic seismic tremor pursued by tidal wave. The re lease of the radioactive gases was viewed as an outcome of the cataclysmic event instead of any glitch with respect to the types of gear and even precluded any odds of human flaws. The wave was estimated to have cracked the frameworks that helped in giving reinforcement force and which were required for the explanation of chilling off the reactors that were available in the clear plant. The breakdowns of the reinforcement frameworks subsequently caused countless those reactors to experience hydrogen blasts, fuel dissolving and at last radioactive discharges (Holt, Campbell, and Nikitin, 2012). The paper will plan to concentrate on the current circumstance of the accident that happened at Fukushima Daiichi alongside giving an understanding into the different strategies or stands taken by the US after this episode. The Accident at Fukushima Daiichi in Japan The tremor that occurred in March, 2011 in the eastern bank of the island Honshu in Japan brought about starting a mechanical shu tdown of around eleven atomic plants out of fifty five. Lion's share of the shutdowns were found to have continued with no sort of further occasions. In any case, the Fukushima and the Onagwa atomic plants were seen as the ones that were firmly situated towards the focal point attributable to which extreme harms were endured by those plants. The plant at Fukushima Daiichi, because of the tremor, went with the tidal wave experienced hydrogen upheavals and grave harms according to atomic fuel which set off the release of an important amount of radioactive components in the general condition (Holt, Campbell, and Nikitin, 2012). The tainting of the general condition, with the radioactive components that began from the plants, constrained the moving out of networks from the nearby or the neighboring zones till 25 miles. The strong move out of the networks brought about upsetting the customary existence of around 100,000 occupants, dominant part of whom were accepted to stay prohibited fr om getting to their particular homes for an uncertain period. The clearing exercises made in this setting are considered to have checked the level of radiation introduction as to the concerned populace from outperforming the Japanese dictator limits in larger part of the rates. Be that as it may, the results of the introduction to the radioactive gases with respect to the inhabitants were estimated not to be very grave. Future passings just as

Book Riots Deals of the Day for December 16th, 2019

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Facebook Catalyzing Social Media - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1813 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/04/10 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Social Media Essay Did you like this example? A world without the internet is a world that seems impossible to imagine, just as a world without information is impossible to comprehend. Facebook is to communication as Tesla is to energy, paving the way to the future with game-changing technology, dictating the way humans live life. Sharing a lifetime worth of experiences takes less than a couple of seconds. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Facebook Catalyzing Social Media" essay for you Create order Emotions, feelings, and opinions are instantly expressed through the click of a button. Childhood memories flash by as you connect with old friends again. One simple application, Facebook, reunites friends and families and gives an easy platform to always stay connected. By the time he was a sophomore in Harvard, Mark Zuckerberg launched what would soon stay a part of billions of lives. Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire at age 23, did not always start as the man working to connect mankind with Facebook. During his years at Harvard, Zuckerberg launched an app called Facemash, which gave pictures of two Harvard students and allowed people to choose which was better looking and which was worse. Facemash spread virally throughout the campus and led to a quickly prompted outrage and was taken down (Yglesias). After nearly being expelled for inappropriate behavior and misconduct, Zuckerberg decided it was time to create something useful, so when he heard rumors that there was a team currently working on a project called Harvard Connections, where three people were trying to convert their paper directories into a soft copy, Zuckerberg saw an opportunity. Recommended by a mutual friend, Divya Narendra and the Winklevosses came to Mark Zuckerberg as the coder to execute their plan (Carlson). They wanted to create a website called Harvard Connections that would be an online directory, but needed an experienced coder in order to get the project running as quick as possible. Meanwhile, there were two other popular social networking sites, MySpace and Friendster, but each of them had their own problems. MySpace became far too complex to grab audiences from all ages. Those too young a nd too old were unable to use MySpace and quit in frustration. Friendsters demise was due to its large fan base, and it was unable to build software capable of handling such load (Blodget). Keeping the weaknesses of these sites in mind, Zuckerberg began working on his project. One of the most popular trials of the decade was about the controversial origins of Facebook. Originally called thefacebook, Zuckerberg and his team had a completely different purpose in mind than what Facebook is today. Divya Narendra, Cameron Winklevoss, and Tyler Winklevoss presented this online directory in order to accomplish two main goals: build a Harvard-only website directory and soon expand to other colleges to act as an online directory. But on February 4th, 2004, Mark Zuckerberg released thefacebook to Harvard students, and immediately caught the attention of them (Carlson). Within a week, Divya and the Winklevosses filed a lawsuit claiming the Zuckerberg stole their idea, however, they presented a very weak case. From contracts to patents, Divya and the Winklevosses were lacking any form of tangible proof, to the point where they could not even prove that Zuckerberg worked with them with the Harvard Connection project (Carlson). After initial hurdles, the credit of its s uccess goes equally to the design of the app and its creator, Mark Zuckerberg. Zuckerbergs popularity contributed to the initial success. Due to Marks notoriety of creating the viral game Facemash, and the simplicity of the design, Facebook became an instant hit. Zuckerberg took into account what led to the death of other social networking sites, such as complexity and overload, and understood what would kill Facebook (Carlson 2018). Even though the Facebook became a hit in Harvard, he still needed to accomplish his second goal: expansion. So in the summer of 2004, Zuckerberg left Harvard and started a full time Facebook job in Palo Alto.Facebook still had a long way to go before it became the powerful entity that it is today. By taking the first step to introduce the marketplace, which is is a convenient destination to discover, buy, and sell items with people in your community onto Facebook, it was able to attract many businesses and sellers, further expanding the company (Ku). With the ability for companies or individuals to sell their products, Facebook added a new perspective to the existing idea. Rather than just being a place for people to post pictures and see faces, Facebook became a professional site where customers and producers can meet and interact. Then, on April 9, 2012, Facebook made the decision to buy Instagram for one billion dollars, an investment that proved to be very useful. Until then, Facebook was reluctant on making large purchases and acquisitions, with nothing exceeding $100,000 (Rusli). Another simple piece of software that improved the overall experience was released in April of 2008, called Facebook Chat (Boyd). Essentially, it allowed users to text their friends from the same application that allowed them to share pictures and sell products. Facebook had successfully built a one stop shop technique in the world of connectivity, but was certainly not going to be the last company to make it.Between the release of Facebook and today many competitors appeared, but rather than taking Facebook out of the race, the competition pushed Facebook toward a more immersive experience and integrated it into our lives. The simplistic aspect is what kept Facebook ahead of its competitors. While companies added software updates every month with brand new features, it forgot to balance the simplicity. Products became bulky in an attempt to cram everything onto one piece of software, therefore overcomplicating the original app, leading to frustration when used by customers. Facebook , on the other hand, kept in mind that people were not always able to navigate a webpage or smartphone, so kept it as natural as possible. Zuckerbergs genuine passion for the product, rather than the money behind it, also put Facebook ahead of the curve (Blodget). Companies that began to lose focus of their original goals and began to chase after money, started to sacrifice on the quality of the product. Whether that be lowering maintenance costs or implementing too many ads, Facebook turned away any opportunity that took away from the overall experience (Blodget). Another idea Zuckerberg believed in to make Facebook into the product that it is today, is the constant updates and improvement he made. Zuckerberg turned away from the traditional approach of using focus groups and beta testing, before any update (Blodget). He would let the reviews and voice of the users determine how well the update was. By taking this approach, Facebook started to know what exactly the customer wanted, and soon outgrew its competitors.Fourteen years later, Facebook has revolutionized the concept of social media, which used to be limited to interacting with your friends online, but has now been incorporated into more than two billion lives and thousands of companies. One reason Facebook has changed social media is because of how it incorporates business into its system. It does this with the process of a dvertising, where other businesses will pay by either clicks or views. Even if each click or view pays very little individually, with all of Facebooks users and all the businesses who market on it, the revenue can stack up quickly. Since a majority of Facebooks total revenue comes from advertising, about 98%, it is critical they emphasize it. In 2017 alone, Facebook made almost 39.9 billion U.S. dollars (Statista). This relation between Facebook and its businesses is mutualistic, because Facebook gets money, and companies can gain awareness and customer through advertising, boosting the economy. Society also relies on Facebook for its element of instantaneous feedback and outreach. People are aware of what is happening at all times around the world, whether it pertains to a catastrophe, politics, or an event your friend is attending (Blodget). Even if one were to stay offline for a couple days, they would be able to catch up in the matter of minutes, and this catalyzation of information is what Facebook is able to offer the 21st century. Although it may seem obvious, Facebooks greatest strength that brought it to its height is the connectivity it presents. With about 400 million people visiting each day, Facebooks scope has widely increased with people making friends and meeting each other online (Carlson) . As people continue to join Facebook for social, educational, or corporate purposes, the large scope makes it more imperative in our daily lives. Having messenger, marketplace, ones Facebook feed, and much more in one location is far too convenient for any user to leave. With 2.2 billion users, Facebook has a huge responsibility for keeping the users happy, safe, and secure when using their site, something that they have not lived up to at times. With fake news, Russias intervention in the election, and most recently, the scandal involving Cambridge Analytica, Facebook has not had the greatest track record when it comes to privacy. In an interview, Zuckerberg acknowledged that, We have a responsibility to protect your information. If we cannot, we do not deserve it, (Ygleias). After the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook saw a sharp decrease in users, and ever since the overall trends are going down. The reason behind this is the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where in mid-March, people discovered that a data-mining company, Cambridge Analytica, took tens of millions of profiles without their permission in an attempt to alter the outcome of the 2016 election (Anderson). People were afraid that any action by Facebook would start a ripple effect and could impact their lives in negative ways. Facebook, however, is not one to simply move forward with their mistakes, they make changes. Facebook now allows users to download their personal data and gives customers more freedom with their privacy settings (Jenkins). They also hired the first head of cybersecurity, Nathaniel Gleicher, the former white house official (Salinas). Cyber attacks are increasing every year, and with Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook is determinan t on fighting back. They have developed software and made more restrictions and precautions with their databases. Everytime Facebook invests in cybersecurity, it is not only Zuckerberg who has changed, it is all the other tech companies who continue to take the same actions. Seeing the consequence of the lack of security, many companies, whether that be a startup, or a tech giant such as Google, are taking cyber security more seriously. With each mistake Facebook makes, they find a way to protect users from the dangers of the internet and behind them are all the other companies, following in their footstep. One man, one idea, and one goal is all it took for Zuckerberg to create an empire that influenced the way people live their lives. Facebook has become an integral part of society in almost every aspect, whether it be social, corporate, and educational. Facebook has catalyzed the way we communicate and has become a part of our daily lives.

The Effectiveness Of Supermax Prisons And Extreme Solitary...

The Effectiveness of Supermax Prisons and Extreme Solitary Confinement Kelsey R. Eborall Boise State University Abstract This paper discusses what supermax prisons are and the philosophy behind them. There are minimum, medium, and maximum-security prisons, so what was the reasoning behind forming a supermax security level? Supermax prisons are an extreme form of solitary confinement used to keep away the worst inmates. Many questions are raised on whether this is a humane form or incapacitation or not. Does this form of extreme solitary confinement work or is it too extreme? Mental heath, costs, and lack of programs make this a form of isolation that wouldn t be found anywhere else. This paper is designed for the reader to gain a perspective on the arguments for and against supermax prisons, as well as layout how supermaxes were formed and the underlying goals behind them. The Effectiveness of Supermax Prisons and Extreme Solitary Confinement Various studies have been conducted testing the effectiveness of supermax prisons. Is the level of confinement too extreme, does it act as a deterrent; is it a successful form of incarceration, and who gets sent to supermaxes? All of these questions are relevant in beginning to understand the philosophy behind this form of incarceration. However, there is no empirical research regarding the need of supermax prisons, past or present (Mear 2013). Little research has actually been conducted on the basis inShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Prison Segregation1490 Words   |  6 PagesWhen it comes to segregation in prisons, there is a great deal of controversy. There are people who argue that this type of segregation (also referred to as solitary confinement) is necessary in certain situations, while others find that it is absolutely unnecessary and should be abolished. Ashley Smith was one such individual that spent most of her sentence in segregation unti l she took her own life. In the case of Smith, there was a lot more that should have been done to prevent her tragic demiseRead MorePrison Overcrowding Essay3058 Words   |  13 PagesPrison Overcrowding In America’s tough economic society, over population has become an exceedingly hot topic issue. However, overcrowding in America’s prison system has been a severe problem since the 1970s. The majority of the changes have come from different policies on what demographic to imprison and for what reason. The perspective of locking up criminals because they are evil is what spawned this (Allen, 2008). Because of this perspective the prison system in America is in need of serious

Virgin Group †Richard Branson Free Essays

RICHARD BRANSON’S VIRGIN GROUP —Problems— Although certainly notorious, Richard Branson’s Virgin Group has experienced several problems. In the short-term, brand overextension has become a threat since the company has entered multiple markets. Brand overextension leads to damaging the comprehensive Virgin brand. We will write a custom essay sample on Virgin Group – Richard Branson or any similar topic only for you Order Now Since the Virgin brand itself is the company’s greatest asset, protecting the brand image is critical. The Virgin brand image has a connotation of value and lifestyle. Due to many joint ventures, licenses, and alliances with other companies, the objective of the â€Å"Virgin experience† could be destroyed. Furthermore, as Virgin becomes more global and more adaptive to individual cultures, the customer experience will certainly vary, again leading to brand overextension. For example, although the United Kingdom may condone Virgin’s racy and edgy advertisements, other parts of the world, as our group testifies, views such material quite explicit and even shocking. Thus, while Virgin enters different markets, negative impacts can arise, hindering Virgin’s brand. A second short-term problem is Virgin’s financial information that is fragmented, hard to locate, and even interpret. With the company’s different alliances and joint ventures, questions about the financial health of the Virgin group were being asked. Thus after examination, Virgin faced financial challenges that led to negative cash flow. This was mainly due to the Branson’s approach of stand-alone basis where the most profitable company’s revenues financed new market entrances. Despite some profitable areas of Virgin, many did not generate cash. Therefore, as Virgin grows, a more systematic approach must be implemented to create synergies between businesses. Long-term problems also exist for Virgin. First is Branson’s close affiliation to Virgin. What happens if the public tire of his exploits? What will happen to Virgin when Branson 1 leaves? An implication of these questions is that Virgin needs Branson. Virgin’s strong brand is fortified by Branson’s own personal values. A second long-term problem for Virgin is the company’s little formal structure and management system. Although this structure presently works for Virgin, allowing the company to be viewed as entrepreneurial and innovative, in the long-term creativity must be managed at Virgin. Company Analysis— After analyzing Virgin through various analytical frameworks including internal/external analysis, SWOT analysis, and value chain analysis, we have discovered the importance of Virgin’s strong brand and diversification strategy. In sum, Virgin’s strongest capability is the company’s strong brand. The brand’s foundations of entrepreneurship and eccentricity result in Virgin being a strong customer-oriented company. Since the Virgin brand is so strong, the company has been able to diversify into many new markets. Diversification for Virgin is made possible by joint ventures and strategic alliances that are ultimately less risky. Thus the Virgin brand leverages Virgin’s resources. Furthermore, Branson’s values are revealed in the Virgin company. The brand image, which is the motor of the company, results in innovative start-ups that keep Virgin both successful and sustainable. —Alternatives— To continue Virgin’s success, we have identified several alternatives. First, Virgin could go public; thereby gaining additional capital that could be used to fund new start-ups. The disadvantage with this alternative is that Virgin would be forced to abide by formal accounting rules, which Branson states he does not favor. Furthermore, Virgin’s brand could become diluted since the image would move towards a more traditional stance. 2 A second alternative is that Virgin’s management could designate Branson’ s successor and prepare that person to take on the task of CEO. The advantage of this alternative is that the fate of Virgin is not attached to Branson alone. This could help separate Branson from the Virgin brand that allows Virgin to flourish as a company, and not merely an extension of Branson himself. Additionally, new leadership could prove beneficial for Virgin’s long-term success, and namely deciding Virgin’s structure. However, Branson’s absence could also weaken the brand in the short-term. Since the public easily identifies with Branson’s traits as loyal and fair, customers could perceive Virgin negatively. To thwart such initial negativity, Virgin could slowly implement the new successor, allowing him or her to also revel in the spotlight alongside Branson. Thirdly, Virgin could dispose of unprofitable companies. This consolidation would result in money saved and the creation of a more formal organizational structure. Therefore, across the board, Virgin would be able to have a more uniform decision processes. Consolidation would also reassure investors since the corporate structure would be less complex and financial data more readily available. The motives for diversification are growth, risk reduction, and profitability. If Virgin cannot achieve those goals through the diversification strategy, then there are no reasons why Virgin should keep unprofitable companies. Focusing on related industries would then give Virgin expertise; and thereby creating both value for shareholders and exploiting economies of scale. Furthermore, Virgin could allocate resources among the firms more efficiently, giving Virgin better future strategy formulations. 3 —Recommendations— One must analyze Porter’s essential tests that that include the attractiveness test, cost-ofentry test, and the better-off test, to determine whether a diversified strategy has a sustainable competitive advantage. Because Virgin’s strong brand is firmly embedded in the company’s corporate structure, the attractiveness test reveals that many—though not all (example is the unprofitable Virgin Money)— of Virgin’s diversified companies are attractive. Secondly, costof-entry must be considered. For Virgin, many entry costs are feasible, because profitable Virgin companies support the new start-ups. And thirdly, the better-off test shows that new companies within Virgin must be profitable and add value. Although many new companies do not add financial benefits, the new companies do add brand value. Thus the answer to the question whether Virgin is a successful diversified company is clearly yes. Overall the diversification works quite well. However, we do recommend that Virgin exit the unprofitable industries and consolidate. This would be beneficial in the short-term as capital immediately becomes available. Furthermore, this would also help Virgin in the long-term as only profitable companies remain, allowing Virgin to increase revenue. In looking at Virgin’s long-term success, we recommend that Virgin continue its short-term strategy of further developing expertise in key areas. Thus, long-term market saturation would be avoided, while also maintaining Virgin’s strong brand awareness. Despite Branson’s strong presence, we also suggest that Virgin slowly implement a successor. Virgin’s brand is about personality—indeed the company needs a strong focal point. As humans are not immortal, the slow implementation of a new personality could also capture the public’s attention. 4 5 How to cite Virgin Group – Richard Branson, Papers

The Sleeping Gypsy Essay Example For Students

The Sleeping Gypsy Essay Lory Astacio Art Paper The Sleeping Gypsy Henri Julien F? ©lix Rousseau (born May 21, 1844 died September 2, 1910) was a French artist. Rousseau was a largely self-taught painter, although he had ambitions of entering the Academy. Henri Rousseau had a passion for painting and in his forties decided to take art more as a profession and then becoming a genius Post- Impressionist artist. Rousseaus most famous painting is called The Sleeping Gypsy or in French La Bohemienne Endormie, an oil on canvas work created in 1897, which depicts a Jungle scenes like other paintings he is known for. Although he had never encountered anything wild in him life he has met soldiers who had stories he heard about the subtropical countries and the animals. The Sleeping Gypsy got him a lot of fame and in his time critiques as well. Many did not like his unique style of work and considered it untutored, but he stuck to his painting which eventually struck a chord with a younger generation of painters including Pablo Picasso, Vasily Kandinsky, and Frida Kahlo. The oil on canvas painting of The Sleeping Gypsy measures 51 x 6 7 (approximate proportion of 1 :1. ), and is said to be an icon in the Modern Art forms. The horizontal painting is of a wandering Negress who seems to be a mandolin player because of the instrument beside her. She is lying on the desert beside a vase of what seems to be drinking water and seems to be in a deep sleep. She has a colorful dress which I assume to be traditional. There is a lion next to her that smells her but does not devour her. There is a moonlight ef fect in the dark blue sky and there is a beautiful landscape in background of mountains. Between the mountains and the main subjects there seems to be a body of water. We will write a custom essay on The Sleeping Gypsy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Now the frame f this painting is pretty plain and harmonious which makes it appropriate to the subjects of the lion and gypsy woman. It does not cut the shape of the painting nor does it take attention away from the work. Now on the oil on canvas art work (no other materials have been used), the paint seems to be applied thinly except for on the womans dress that has bright colors and the brush strokes are coarse since we can see it compared to everything else, which is thinly applied. The colors are opaque and solid. The painting looks pretty simple or plain and geometrically positioned. Obviously Rousseau didnt place the subjects scattered but he positioned them to create a specific image. He also only has a few subjects, the woman and the lion which are large in relation to the picture read but small in relation to life. This doesnt mean it cant be close to being in relation to life, since the subjects are large but not large enough. In The Sleeping Gypsy there is more emphasis in the center of the canvas than in the marginal. Marginal is pretty empty compared to center. One thing that does stand out more is the womans dress. It seems to be an oriental dress, ince all many traditional or oriental dresses are colorful. The dress is or seems to be bulging because the paint is applied thickly there and then everything else isnt. The lines are clear subservient lines they are lightly painted. Now when observing the painting as a whole there are regular shapes and no pattern, the subjects are flat but and the ground. There is symmetry on the landscape part of the painting in the mountains. The painting is spacious and they vary there is only one of each subject. The only thing that repeats is the mountains in the background. .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821 , .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821 .postImageUrl , .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821 , .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821:hover , .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821:visited , .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821:active { border:0!important; } .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821:active , .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821 .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ueda1269ef8f30bdb9ce1d250347ab821:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Woodstock Music And Art Fair EssayThe general colors eing used are warm. The blue is very dominant since it is used for the sky which is most of the painting and there are other shades of blue used as well. There are a few colors except for on the dress. There are extreme contrasts and large areas. As for the light source in the painting, I believe the moon is the light source. It seems as if it is shining on the subjects Just a little. But there are no shadows anywhere. Rousseau shows the moonlight on the lions back lightly and precisely, that t is noticeable. Another thing that you can notice is that the space is deep. You can see this because f the mountains and the lake in between, which creates layers. The space is suggested by planes in depth. There is a little overlapping. Not only that but it is open space as well such that the subjects look isolated in the center and the background seems far. The painting is linear and it seems as if we were beside the main interest, the gypsy. There is no illusion. Its is not religious it is simply a private painting I believe. The story a black woman gypsy is depicted in an outdoor setting in this. The action seems pretty calm because she is sleeping but the lion makes it more dramatic.

Police officer cover letter Essay Example

Police officer cover letter Essay Example Police officer cover letter Essay Police officer cover letter Essay Cover letter for police officer Police officers and detectives are individuals who have undergone extensive training in order to excel in their work. Since I am interested in becoming a police officer, I have a plan on how to build my career. This is because I want to ensure that my country is free and crime rates are reduced. My plan involves undertaking the necessary education requirements and training requirements before joining the police force. It also involves interacting with the relevant individuals such as those who have retired. Through this, I believe that I will be able to build a proper career. The first important step that I want to plan for before joining the police force is to undergo the necessary education requirements. There are different education requirements for becoming a police officer that can range from high school certificate to a degree in college (Gresham Para. 2). However, I plan to attain a college degree so as to have higher chances of being recruited in the force. Basically, I plan to pursue a bachelors degree in criminal justice (Gresham Para. 2). This is because it is related to a lot of other fields of study such as psychology, public administration and sociology. Besides this, I will want to learn about political science or police science as minor areas of study in college. Once I complete my college studies and attain the relevant educational requirements, I plan to join the police training academy. The purpose of joining the police academy is so as to allow me to get the necessary training that is required of each police officer (Gresham Para. 3). I plan to be part of the academy for about 14 weeks that has been put forward by the administration. Throughout the 14 weeks, I will gain information on different topics such as traffic rules, defense, conducting first aids and also responding to emergency services (Gresham Para. 3). I plan to deeply engage in the training so as to emerge among the best and as such graduate from the academy directly to the police force. Police officer cover letter entry level After completing my training program which I believe I will excel in, I will join the police force in the rank that I will be assigned. I want to work in an area that has high crime rates and drug dealing. I believe my starting salary will be $49,500 as a new officer. However, this may increase in the future since the demand for police will be high owing to the fact that crime rates and other insecurity issues are increasing. Once I have gained the necessary experience, I plan to specialize only on one sector which is narcotics. I am mostly interested in this sector because I believe that it is a major problem in our country which needs to be dealt with effectively. My success in handling this field will determine my promotion. I believe that with my passion and dedication I will quickly rise through the ranks. However, as I rise through the ranks by getting promotions, I will continue pursuing other relevant courses in the police force. This is the plan that I have in mind and which I believe that will work and get me into the police force. I will ensure that I pursue a degree course in a university that has the best police courses. I will also ensure that I can be able to further my education without any challenges once I am in the police force. The most important thing that I intend to maintain is discipline and respect for each and every person that I encounter on my way to becoming a police officer. Gresham, Tom. What Kind of Training and Education are needed to become a Cop? Demand Media 29 Sep. 2016. Web.

15 Military Terms Used in Civilian Contexts

15 Military Terms Used in Civilian Contexts 15 Military Terms Used in Civilian Contexts 15 Military Terms Used in Civilian Contexts By Mark Nichol The English language includes some words that, originating in the vocabulary of warfare, have been applied to competitive contexts such as sports and business, while others that did not originate in that realm are associated with both the military and other endeavors. Here’s a list of terms pertaining to military units and formations that also have other, sometimes derivative, senses. 1. army: from medieval Latin armata (â€Å"army†)- also the source of the Spanish term armada, meaning â€Å"war fleet†- referring to a nation’s entire body of land forces or to one major unit of that body 2. brigade: from Italian briga (â€Å"quarrel†), a word for a unit consisting of thousands of soldiers or, by extension, to any large group of people organized according to common belief or toward achievement of a common goal; brigadier is a military rank for someone in command of a brigade, and related words are brigand (originally meaning â€Å"soldier† but later denoting a bandit) and brig and brigantine for types of warships during the Age of Sail (the use of the former as prison ships led to brig being applied to military prisons) 3. corps: from Latin corpus (â€Å"body†), a set unit of tens of thousands of soldiers; by extension, also a more or less numerous group of people involved in the same activity, such as the press corps or a corps de ballet, or ballet company 4. detail: from Old French detaillier (â€Å"cut into pieces†), originally only a reference to a part or facet of something, but it also came to apply to a small group of military personnel assigned a specific task, as well as to the task itself or the action of selecting the group 5. division: from Latin dividere (â€Å"divide†), a word with numerous senses, including referring to a unit consisting of tens of thousands of soldiers or a unit of aircraft or ships 6. echelon: from Late Latin scala (â€Å"ladder†) by way of French eschelon (originally â€Å"rung of a ladder† but later â€Å"grade,† â€Å"level,† or step†), adopted into English to refer to a military formation in which units are offset so that from above, they resemble a stairway in profile; the word then came to denote grades or levels of an organization or the people at one of those grades or levels 7. fleet: from Old English fleotan (â€Å"float†), a set unit of military naval vessels or the entirety of such vessels belonging to a navy or to a company; by extension, now also applied to collections of vehicles, such as a group of cars owned by a company or a government agency and available for employees’ use 8. flotilla: from Spanish (â€Å"little fleet†), a set unit of small warships; by extension, a large number of like things 9. host: from Latin hostis (â€Å"enemy† or â€Å"stranger†), which is also the source of hostile, with multiple meanings, including a large army or a multitude of indeterminate size 10. legion: from Latin legere (â€Å"gather†), originally a Roman military unit equivalent to a modern brigade; now, vaguely describes a multitude 11. phalanx: from Greek (â€Å"log†), originally referring to a closely arrayed military formation but now denoting a mass of people, animals, or things; also refers to bones of a hand or foot 12. platoon: from French pelaton (â€Å"little ball†), originally referring only to a set unit of about several dozen soldiers and by extension coming to mean a squad of athletes with a common function (such as offensive and defensive teams in football) or any group of people with a common characteristic or goal 13. regiment: ultimately from Latin regere (â€Å"lead straight† or â€Å"rule†), regimen was adopted into English to refer primarily to a fitness or health plan, but its cognate regiment refers to a military unit of about a thousand or more soldiers; to regiment is to control strictly 14. squad: ultimately from Vulgar Latin exquadrare (â€Å"make square†) by way of Middle French esquade, initially denoting a set unit of about a dozen soldiers but later also referring in general to a small group engaged in an activity (see also squadron) 15. squadron: from Italian squadrone (â€Å"squad†), cognate with squad, refers to any one of several types of military units depending on the branch of service (it can apply to soldiers, aircraft, or ships), and by extension a large group of people or things involved in a particular endeavor Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should Know225 Foreign Phrases to Inspire YouMankind vs. Humankind

Individual report information Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Individual report information - Coursework Example These include Hosfede and Trompenaars models among others. This paper aims at demonstrating how multinationals can manage and lead people across the border as well as how the expatriates can be made to improve on their productivity through proper hiring and training them among other motivational factors. Geert Hofstede analysis Due to the use of technology people who are from different workplace do interact in many ways since the world has been globalised. Hofstede cultural dimension theory tries to explain how people from different cultures do communicate and intermingle together due to technology. To explain the theory, Hofstede carried a research on employees and was put in five dimensions of culture. Power distance (PD) Power distance explains how imbalance power exists to individuals either in firms or even in homestead. For example high power distance in the society encourages for unequal distribution of power while a low PD encourages equal power sharing among the members (Chu lman, 1999). In country like Malaysia, a high PD exists among the companies and thus the companies are centralized and management is under strong hierarchical powers from top management to lower level. Individualism (IDV) High individualism shows how one has a loose connection to others and this can also be related in countries which have high IDV meaning the countries have no strong connection with other countries. Low IDV indicates strongly groups among the countries or individual who work together for common goal (Rutherford, 1990). High IDV indicates that a country like US has one of characteristic that it enjoys challenges and in turn it will have to be rewarded due to the hard work and enjoyment of freedom since it will base its challenges as personal and will not involve other stakeholders. Masculinity (MAS) In country like Japan male are regarded as tough due to traditions and seen as superior than females since they are the provider in the families. In high MAS a female wor king in the firm is underrated and thus treated as feminine while in low MAS male and female works together without looking at the professionalism of individuals. The traditions are erased in the society and thus a female can do what a male can do. Uncertainty/Avoidance Index (UAI) Uncertainty considers how individual in the society feel when they are in unknown situation. In high UAI, individual tries to avoid as much as possible and when the situation is unknown they are emotional (Jonathan, 2011). In low UAI, individuals are ready to risk and change is regarded as important to the growth of firms. Individual are concerned with long term goals and not what is currently taking place. Long term orientation (LTO) This shows how traditions to the society still exist up to date. For example, in high LTO families are regarded as the root of the society, grandparents and men are the most respected and authority comes from them (Davis, 2004). Education is a must to the society while low L TO encourages individual to be more creative and respect must be shown to the others in the society. According to Hofstede the theory is important and should be practiced by individuals in their life. Trompenaars theory The theory is based on understanding and how one can manage cultural differences. Universalism versus particularism Universalism is based on individual ownership of property and can be shared when one is willing while particularism is state ownership of prop

UNIT 5 DISCUSSION BOARD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

UNIT 5 DISCUSSION BOARD - Essay Example Here the cost center is a responsibility center whose employees control costs but do not control its revenues or investment level. On the other hand a revenue center is a responsibility center whose members control revenues but do not control the cost of the product or service they sell or the level of investment in the responsibility center. Thirdly there is a profit center which is a responsibility center whose manager and other employees control both the revenues and the costs of the product or service they sell or deliver. Lastly, we come up to the investment center that is a responsibility center whose manager and other employees control the revenues, costs, and the level of investment in the responsibility center. If we take into account the policies incorporated by Howard Works ltd the scene could be easily clarified. In Howard Works Ltd the four aspects of Responsibility Centers are dealt in the most efficient manner. Cost centers, Revenue centers, Profit centers and Investment centers are in able hand and they are evaluated in every possible way. In Howard Works Ltd Responsibility Centers are evaluated in regular interval by the dint of underlying the accounting classifications of responsibility centers is the concept of controllability. Moreover, the controllability principle asserts that people should only be held accountable for results that they can control. Though it should be remembered that, according to Rick Dobson, the CEO of Howard Works Ltd, â€Å"it is often difficult to apply the controllability principle†. (Hobbs, 84) Rick Dobson also pointed out some problems associated with controllability; according to him the problem stays with jointly earned revenues and/or jointl y incurred costs. He also pointed out the problem regarding intricate, and often arbitrary, accounting procedures. But with management principals applied in a more perfect manner and with more vigor it is expected that these problems would gradually

Three Synchronic And Three Diachronic Approaches Theology Religion Essay

Three Synchronic And Three Diachronic Approaches Theology Religion Essay In this essay I will attempt to critically apply three synchronic and three diachronic approaches to Matthew 15:21-28. I will endeavour to illustrate responsible biblical interpretation by giving examples of good application as well as examples of abuse. 2. Matthew 15:21-28 21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession.23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us. 24 He answered, I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.25 The woman came and knelt before him. Lord, help me! she said. 26 He replied, It is not right to take the childrens bread and toss it to the dogs.27 Yes Lord, she said. but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters table. 28 Then Jesus answered, Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted. And her daughter was healed from that very hour. 3. Synchronic approach With this approach, the final form of the text is examined in terms of language and literature. The synchronic approach has evolved from modern linguistic and literary criticism. Tools of structural linguistics are used. I will explore three synchronic approaches namely: discourse analysis; narrative criticism and ideological criticism. 3.1 Discourse analysis In discourse analysis, the flow of larger sections of language is studied. This enables one to understand how the text is organized and how this affects ones understanding of the text. In this analysis I will use the method as described by Holgate and Starr (2010:49-54). Key: The main verbs are in bold; the text is divided into separate lines with one verb per line; lines belonging together are grouped into distinct statements and indented according to their relative positions. Subjects are underlined and a dotted line inserted to mark changes of subject. 21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. 23 Jesus did not answer a word. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ So his disciples came to him and urged him, Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. 24 He answered, I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. 25 The woman came and knelt before him. Lord, help me! she said. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. 26 He replied, It is not right to take the childrens bread and toss it to the dogs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. 27 Yes, Lord, she said. but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters table. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. 28 Then Jesus answered, Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. And her daughter was healed from that very hour. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Recurrent words and phrases: Answer (v.23; 24; 26; 27); Came (v.22; 23; 25); Crying (v.22; 23); Send (v.23; 24); Said (v. 25; 27). By doing this discourse analysis, it can be seen that: people (the woman and the disciples) came to Jesus. people turn to Jesus with different agendas the woman because of distress; the disciples in self- righteousness/ intolerance. Jesus answers questions and requests. in verse 24, Jesus is actually speaking to the disciples and not necessarily to the woman. Jesus was using the situation to illustrate a point to his disciples. Just prior to this event, Jesus had to explain to them (v 16-20) to look past the single-minded concern for the law to the principle of the law. Application: Proper use: This shows us that everyone can come to Jesus with whatever they need to bring to him. It teaches us not to disregard a person, like the disciples did, because of a feeling of cultural or religious superiority. Misuse: To misinterpret Jesus initial reaction and to use that to justify cultural, religious or gender arrogance. 3.2 Narrative criticism This is a technique whereby a Biblical text is evaluated as a story, considering various aspects including the implied author as well as the implied reader. It views the text as a whole, analysing it and emphasizing the effects of the narrative on the implied reader. It considers the events, the characters, conflict and the literary strategies used. In this text, the following analysis can be made: The events occur in the region of Tyre, which was a Gentile, i.e. a non -Jewish area. This is the same region where Elijah healed a gentile womans son. The narrative takes place after Jesus had been talking to the Jewish religious leaders, a crowd of people and his disciples about ritual cleanliness. The characters are Jesus, a Canaanite woman, Jesus disciples, and indirectly the womans daughter and the nation of Israel. Conflict can be detected between the disciples and the woman, as well as in Jesus initial responses. The implied narrator is Matthew. Application: Proper use: It reflects the attitude of the rest of the Gospel of Matthew that the good news of Jesus the saviour is not only for the Jewish people, but for the whole world. We should take this point and realise that we need to bring the message of grace to whoever is seeking mercy and wants to believe. Misuse: This can happen when this text is misunderstood, creating a perception of intolerance to women and outsiders. 3.3 Ideological criticism Ideological criticism considers three areas in which ideology affects texts. These are: the ideological context in which the text was produced; the ideology expressed within it and the ideology of those who read it (Holgate Starr 2010:132). Due to the wide range of possible readers, there will always be more meanings of the text than what the author intended. This can result in more than one legitimate interpretation of the text. This happens because when reading the text, readers bring with them their pre-understandings, assumptions, values and interests. Feminist ideological criticism, for instance, points out that the Bible has been written by men from the perspective of men and the final list of books that were included in the canon was likewise decided by men. Application: Proper use: To use ideological criticism to expose stereotypes and to highlight the sometimes not so obvious inclusiveness which Jesus has for those who feel disregarded. Misuse: When this is used to support the interests of some at the expense of others. For example, with feminist criticism, if the importance of women in the Bible is highlighted (rightly so) but then taken to the extreme of rejecting any masculine input and ignoring the voices of other marginalised groups. 4. Diachronic approach In this approach, an analysis is made as to how the text came to be here in the Bible, in this form and in this place. The goal of diachronic analysis is the reconstruction of the historical course along which the texts reached their final forms. 4.1 Form criticism This is a way of analysing a passage to determine whether some or all of the text first existed in oral form. It also considers how and where such forms were actually used in the context or life situation (Sitz im Leben) of religious communities. Part of this analysis is to determine the genre of the biblical text. There are four steps involved (Holgate Starr 2010:75): i) Determine the start and end of the unit and analyse the structure: This passage, taken from Matthew 15 starts at verse 21 and ends at verse 28. ii) Determine the genre: This is a narrative, the purpose of which is to recount a miracle of Jesus involving an exorcism. iii) Consider the literary, historical and social setting of the text: The passage is in Matthew chapter 15 and follows discussions on ritual purity. It precedes the description of Jesus healing many people and feeding 4000. The social setting is that of a group of Jewish men who are not in a Jewish area, being harassed by a gentile woman. iv) Examine how this information assists in determining the earlier use of these units in the oral tradition: The Jewish nation was the Chosen People and this would be emphasised weekly in the synagogues. The Gospel of Matthew was written between AD 70-90 when there was conflict concerning the place of Gentiles within the early Jesus movement. Application: Proper use: By realising that this text is positioned between Jesus discourse on ritual purity and Jesus healing and feeding many people, it compels one to look beneath the surface of the text. The author intended his audience to understand that the message of this narrative was directed more at the attitudes of Jesus disciples (us), than as a story of perseverance. Misuse: This can happen with a superficial reading of this passage which could result in an image of Jesus being uncaring, especially to women. 4.2 Redaction criticism: Redaction criticism builds upon the results of source criticism since it can only be used when there are identifiable sources. Redaction criticism regards the author of the text as the editor or redactor of the source materials. It analyses the way in which the author organized information available to express his/her theological goals into what we read as the biblical text. When one compares this passage in Matthew with that of Mark, a different emphasis on the significance of the events can be detected. It can be assumed the difference in the narrative would be due to the theological emphases that each stress in their respective gospels. In Marks account, the disciples, people of Israel and faith are not mentioned. In Matthews version the woman refers to Jesus as the Son of David but she does not do so in Marks version. The reason might be that Matthews own theology is imposing itself on the story; that is, Matthew had the woman address Jesus by his messianic title because this is how Matthews community understood Jesus. Application: Proper use: This shows that Biblical passages are written with specific purposes in mind. Matthew used this story to highlight his specific theological message to a Jewish audience. Misuse: It would be incorrect to dogmatically use certain verses to prove a point. For example, it would be incorrect to state categorically that the womans daughter was healed because of her mothers faith, since Mark does not mention faith. Faith may or may not have had anything to do with the cure. 4.3 Tradition criticism: This flows from form criticism and tries to reconstruct the history or development of the Gospel traditions, from the earliest stages to the final form in which they appear in the passage under consideration. Traditional aspects seen in this passage are the people of Israel as Gods chosen; women occupying inferior positions to men; the Messiah as a descendent of David. There is a similarity with Matthew 8:5-13 (and Luke 7:1-10) where a Roman officers servant is healed by Jesus. This story also draws on the rich history of Jesus healings and his interaction with outcasts. Application: Proper use: With an appropriate application, one will realise the context of when this text was written, in which case one can see the appropriateness of the situation and characters. Misuse: An inappropriate reading would be if this text is used as a basis to justify an exclusive religious attitude or to sanction a subservient position for women. 5. Conclusion In this essay I used the passage from Matthew 15:21-28 and applied three synchronic and three diachronic approaches to the text. The Synchronic approaches used were discourse analysis; narrative criticism and ideological criticism. The Diachronic approaches were form criticism; redaction criticism and tradition criticism. I also used examples of proper use as well as misuse in the application of these methods.

Psychological Assessment Essay

Organisations worldwide are currently facing increasing competition, price pressures and slowergrowth rates and in order to be successful, for many organisations, this prompts the need to constantly change to survive. Having the right employee fit-for-purpose is imperative to the success of an organisation faced with such challenges. The use of psychological assessment is a key enabler for the appropriate selection and development of employees in the workplace to meet the constant changes in the internal and external economic and social environment (Bartram, 2004; Paterson &Uys, 2005). However, the nature and value of current day psychological assessment needs to be assessed as it faces many challenges, particularly in a South African context that is influenced by political injustices of the past. Psychological test use in South Africa currently faces many challenges including the adaptation of tests in a multicultural context, language, age and gender barriers and other measurement challenges (Foxcroft, 2004; Foxcroft, 2006). These challenges introduce criticism of the fairness and ethical practices of psychological assessment and highlight the need  for enhancing fairness in assessment and developing equitable and unbiased psychological tests (Foxcroft, 2011; Paterson & Uys, 2005). In order to respond to these challenges, it is important to gain an understanding of how psychological assessments have developed over the years so that meaningful changes can be made ((Foxcroft, Roodt & Abrahams, 2005). It is important to reflect on the history and development of psychological assessment as it helps explain how and why it is currently practiced, it allows for critical analysis of psychological assessment, identifying the strengths and weaknesses  of tests used today and provides lessons to be learned from the weaknesses and injustices of past assessment practices so that psychologists can develop new assessment tools and techniques and ensure fair and ethical social practices of psychological assessment (Gregory, 2000; Moerdyk, 2009). The perceptions of psychological assessment being unfair and biased are slowly changing as improvements are made in the development of tests and in South Africa this is closely linked to the developments and changes in legislation and the professional bodies that govern the control and use of  psychological assessments (Mauer, 2000; Paterson & Uys, 2005). The objective of this discussion is to evaluate the nature and value of psychological assessment practices in the South African work context by critically reflecting on the historical developments that have shaped and influenced current psychological assessment, focusing onhow test use have been transformed by legislation, government and society and the challenges that exist for fair and unbiased psychological assessment in South Africa. Finally, the ways in which fairness and bias in testing is currently being addressed and the steps in developing further ethical practices of  psychological assessment will be discussed. This discussion will also include an overview of psychological assessment STUDENT NO: 44674481 4 and clarification of central concepts such as psychometrics, testing, measurement and evaluation, fairness and bias. 1. WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT? 1. 1. DEFINING PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT Foxcroft & Roodt (2005, p. 4), define psychological assessment as a â€Å"†¦ process-oriented activity aimed at gathering a wide array of information by using assessment measures (tests) and information from many other sources.. † in order to make inferences about human behaviour. Shepard & Spalding (as cited in Setshedi, 2008) note that psychological assessments make use of standardised instruments, which, combined with other sources of information, are evaluated to inform some intervention. 1. 2. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND RELATED TERMS Psychological assessment refers to the overall multidimensional process that uses tools (tests) and techniques for measurement and evaluation of human behaviour (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005). Psychological assessment can be distinguished from some related terms commonly used, such as, psychometrics, testing, psychometric testing,  measurement and evaluation. 1. 2. 1. Measurement and Assessment Measurement refers to the ‘how much’ in an assessment. When doing an assessment, psychologists use measurement to ascribe values or numbers to a phenomenon against certain criteria or standardized norms, following predefined rules (Moerdyk, 2009). Measurement therefore helps in gathering information to add to the holistic assessment of a phenomenon. 1. 2. 2. Evaluation and Assessment Evaluation refers to â€Å"†¦interpreting or attaching a judgemental value to an assessment†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Moerdyk, 2009, p. 4). In other  words, evaluation refers to reaching conclusions about the measurement outcomes (Moerdyk, 2009). Thus evaluation forms part of the process of the overall assessment. STUDENT NO: 44674481 5 1. 2. 3. Psychometrics and Assessment Psychometrics is the subfield of psychology that refers to the use of scientific methods, theory and techniques used in psychological measurement (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005). Psychologists base their assessments on these scientific ways of measurement in an attempt to learn more about or predict behaviour. Thus psychological assessment is informed by the study of Psychometrics (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005). 1. 2. 4. Testing and Assessment Testing refers to the use of a tool (for example, psychometric tests, scales, or instruments) to inform decision making (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005; Moerdyk, 2009; Patterson & Uys, 2005). Tests are not used in isolation but as part of the bigger process of assessment in order to make fair and informed decisions. Patterson & Uys (2005) argue that assessment is the overall process which includes testing, but more than testing, it implies the holistic evaluation based on test results and other information from other assessment methods. 1. 2. 5. Psychometric Testing and Assessment. Psychometric testing refers to testing based on psychometric theory and practices and is mainly used in industries for recruitment, selection and counselling purposes (Gregory, 2000). According to van der Merwe (2002), psychometric testing can be a useful tool in making decisions about management of employees and if used appropriately with insight and sensitivity it can become one of the most effective ways in predicting behavior that is not surfaced during screening interviews. In South Africa psychometric testing is regulated by the Employee Equity Act of 1998 which prohibits the use  of psychometric tests or assessments unless it proves to be scientifically valid and reliable, is fair and free from bias (Foxcroft et al, 2005). 1. 3. THE USE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT Psychologists use techniques and tools in assessment in attempts to gain a better understanding of human behaviour, to describe certain phenomenon, as well as topredict future behaviour. Psychological assessments are also used to identify and plan interventions to change behaviour and in decision making (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005; Moerdyk, 2009). Some of the main areas of assessment are cognitive, behavioural and personality assessment (Moerdyk, 2009). 1. 4. THE VALUE OF PSYCHOLIGICAL ASSESSMENT IN INDUSTRY Organisations benefit from psychological assessments as it aids in making clear and informed decisions in managing STUDENT NO: 44674481 6 human resources. Bartram (2004, p. 238) highlights the value of assessments in personnel selection enabling â€Å"†¦organisations to act both tactically and strategically to increase their effectiveness†. Psychometric tests make it possible for organisations to measure attributes that can’t easily be assessed at face value but that may be crucial in job performance, such as personality and leadership assessments (Moerdyk, 2009). Assessments are also used to measure work performance to identify training needs (Moerdyk, 2009), management and leadership assessments to inform development plans (Bartram, 2004), as well as assessments to improve employee wellness (Moerdyk, 2009). Assessments can also inform career counselling needs, career and organisational development plans, and research (Moerdyk, 2009). 2. FAIRNESS AND BIAS IN SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT From the above it is clear that there is a need for psychological assessments in the workplace for organisations and individuals to benefit from human resource management. However psychological assessment practices over the years have drawn attention to bias in testing and fairness and ethical issues in assessment. The developments of psychological testing and assessment practices in South Africa will be further discussed to show how historically assessments have been unfair and bias and how this has been addressed in current practices. First it is important to clarify what is meant by fairness and bias in testing and assessment. 2. 1. THE CONCEPT OF FAIRNESS AND BIAS Bias can be defined as the â€Å"systemic error in measurement or research that affects one group (e. g. race, age, and  gender) more than another† (Moerdyk, p. 261). In the work context this means that the psychometric tests that are administered to people need to measure what it’s supposed to measure and it needs to be consistent and systematic in measurement across different groups. Bias in testing can be controlled through the use of statistical procedures or other objective measures (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005; Moerdyk, 2009). Fairness refers to the equitable nature of the psychological assessment processes and procedures and the lack of bias in testing methods and interpretation. Fairness is both subjective and contextual as can be seen in South Africa where  the use of affirmative action is used in human resource practices to address discrimination in past assessment practices. To be fair to previously disadvantaged groups it has become necessary to select and develop employees that score lower on tests. This raises the debate of whether the previously advantaged groups are now being unfairly treated. There is the option of treating both groups fairly, however it does not resolve the unfair, bias and discriminatory practices of the past (Moerdyk, 2009). STUDENT NO: 44674481 7 Both fairness and bias are important in psychological assessment in South Africa and are governed and regulated at the  individual (practitioner) level, through professional bodies as well as through legislation. Fairness and bias in assessment has been a challenge in South Africa and has been shaped and influenced particularly by the political ideologies through time. These challenges in fair and unbiased testing and the development of psychological test methods inSouth Africa will now be further explored. 2. 2. THE DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT PRACTICES IN SOUTH AFRICA 2. 2. 1. Early Use (Pre-Apartheid Era) of Psychological Assessments The early developments of psychological assessments in South Africa were introduced in the twentieth century and  followed closely with the developments internationally (Painter & Terre Blanche, 2004). The psychological tests that were introduced at the time in the country were largely influenced by the political context (Foxcroft et al, 2005). South Africa was a British colony and thus the psychological tests used were influenced by the political ideologies of the British rule and focused on assisting in the regulation of differential treatment (Louw, 2002). Most of the tests that were administered were for whites only and were based on either adaptations of international tests (e. g. Stanford-Binet adaptation) or were  developed specifically for use in South Africa (e. g. South African Group Test). Other examples include the study by Fick, who measured intellectual abilities across different race groups using tests that was standardized for whites and concluded that whites had superior intellect. This study influenced the Bantu Education system but the limitations of the study were also highly criticised (Foxcroft et al, 2005). Thus in this era of British colonial rule, tests in South Africa were biased, discriminatory against other races and psychological assessments ignored the influence of other social factors on  test performance such as poverty, language, culture, etc. (Claassen, 1997; Foxcroft et al, 2005; Louw, 2002). 2. 2. 2. Development of Tests During the Apartheid Era In the early 1900s the political rule in South Africa was based on laws of segregation (apartheid) which believed that blacks and whites were different and should be treated differently (Claassen, 1997; Louw & van Hoorn,1997). Thus, most of the tests that were used supported the regulation of legislature that encouraged such thinking (Foxcroft et al, 2005; Louw & van Hoorn, 1997). Between the two world wars, research started to focus on understanding the â€Å"Native† and psychology aimed to support the government and apartheid rule (Louw & van Hoorn, 1997). After the Second World War, assessments focused on suitable placements of blacks in the workplace, and tests such as the General Adaptability STUDENT NO: 44674481 8 Battery (GAB) were used. In this era, tests were used without adapting to South African norms, on whites, such as the Otis Mental Ability Test (Foxcroft et al, 2005). Between the 1960’s and 1990’s institutes were formed (National Institute for Personnel Research, Institute for Psychological and Edumetric Research) as well as changes in legislation were made to regulate the administration of  psychological assessments. The Health Professions Act 56 of 1974 regulated that only psychologists were allowed to administer psychological assessments. Radical changes in the socio-political situation started in the 1980’s and apartheid rules started to soften. Different races started to compete for positions in the workplace and this raised concerns about the test measures that were being used. Tests such as the General Scholastic Aptitude Test (GSAT), the Ability Processing of Information and Learning Battery (APIL-B) and the Pencil and Paper Games were introduced to address these concerns. The Pencil and PaperGames was made available in all 11 languages in South Africa to address bias and application in a multicultural context. These tests however we criticised as it was based on inappropriate norms. As the apartheid regime came to an end, psychological assessment was held under much scepticism and negative perceptions were developed because of the discriminatory nature and use of tests at that time (Foxcroft et al, 2005; Van de Vijver & Rothman, 2004). 2. 2. 3. Development of Tests in Post Apartheid Era After the abolition of the apartheid era, South Africa became a country based on democracy and radical changes were  made in political policy and legislation to address the wrongs of the past (Foxcroft et al, 2005). Psychological assessment was held under much criticism and the changes in constitution and legislation lead to a major shift in the approach of testing in South Africa. Some of the issues that were highlighted in the practices of testing during the apartheid era were the discriminatory use of tests, the lack of applicability in a multicultural context creating bias, as well as other ethical issues such as the use of inappropriate norms and standards (Foxcroft et al, 2005). The changes in politics will now be  further discussed to show how it addressed the above issues and regulates fair, ethical and unbiased assessments in current society. 2. 3. ENHANCING FAIRNESS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA 2. 3. 1. Changes in Constitution Chapter 2 of the South African Constitution addresses the Bill of Rights, which calls for democracy based on dignity, equality and freedom. Furthermore, Section 9 of the Bill of Rights states that no persons may be subject to unfair STUDENT NO: 44674481 9 discrimination or unfairly discriminate unto others (Mauer, 2000). This means that no tests may be used to discriminate  against any individual, group or institution and called for fair assessment approaches. Psychological assessments therefore are required to aim to eliminate any bias in testing. Thus a dynamic and multicultural assessment approach is necessary which encourages the development of culture-specific and culture-informed psychological practices for the various cultural groups in South Africa (Van de Vijver & Rothman, 2004). 2. 3. 2. The Labour Relations Act (66 of 1995) The Labour Relations Act (66 of 1995) (LRA) protects individuals against unfair labour practices and discrimination in the  workplace (Mauer, 2000). This has an impact on the ethical considerations of organisations when employing psychological assessments. Joiner (2000) provides guidelines for fair and ethical practices in psychological assessment which ensures that psychologists take responsibility in assessments protecting the rights of individuals, treating individuals fairly, and not misusing the information from test results. Both the constitution and LRA address unfair discrimination and allow for fair discrimination if it can be proven that the discrimination is fair. 2. 3. 3. The Employment Equity Act (55 of 1998) The Employment Equity Act (55 of 1998) (EEA) enforces fair, unbiased and equitable practices in psychological testing by regulating the requirements of tests. The Act clearly states that psychological testing and other forms of assessment is prohibited unless it can be scientifically proven to be valid and reliable, can be applied fairly and is unbiased to any employee or group. The impacts of this act means that psychological tests need to be cross-culturally applicable (Foxcroft et al, 2005). Foxcroft (2004) highlights the need for more tests to be developed in South Africa that can be used  in a multicultural context. Organisations need to take cognisance of the above legislation that regulates fair and unbiased practices of assessment and should aim to practice testing ethically by ensuring that the rights of individuals are protected, the processes of assessment is fair, confidentiality of individuals is protected, individuals are given feedback to assessments, and the outcomes of assessment is not harmful to the individuals (Moerdyk, 2009). In line with the LRA the EEA also allows for fair discrimination in employment, specifically affirmative action if used in  accordance with the Act. It also allows for fair discrimination in employment based on criteria that are inherent to the job which means that the assessment tools used to assess individuals need to assess evidence of these criteria. 2. 3. 4. Professional Bodies Other bodies such as the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), the Professional Board of Psychology STUDENT NO: 44674481 10 and the Board for Personnel Practitioners govern the practice of psychological assessment in South Africa to ensure fair and ethical approaches in psychology (Moerdyk, 2009; Wassenaar, 1998). Psychological tests can only be administered by individuals professionally registered with the HPCSA, which provides professional guidance and advice for the use of psychological assessments (form 208). The HPCSA regulates the training of professionals, the development of psychological tests and the use of psychological tests. 2. 4. ENHANCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF FAIR AND UNBIASED ASSESSMENT MEASURES 2. 4. 1. Steps in Test Development To address some of the issues in fairness and bias in testing, Foxcroft (2004) has identified some critical steps in developing tests, particularly for a multicultural context. These include: (a) Defining the purpose of the test and the intended target population This involves outlining what is being tested, how the outcomes of the tests will be used and specifying that the test can be used in a multicultural setting. This implies that the test developer needs to identify aspects of the constructs that are common and unique across the groups being tested. The test developer should also identify the characteristics of the target population (such as educational status) and also identify the characteristics that may impact on test performance  (such as language) (Foxcroft, 2004). One of the major challenges in assessment in South Africa at the moment is language. In South Africa there are eleven official languages, and although English is the commonly accepted business language, psychologists need to ensure that in administering tests language is not a barrier in test performance. Translation of tests into different language is complex and makes the validity of constructs vulnerable (Foxcroft, 2006). (b) Defining the construct and creating a set of test specifications to guide item writing  This step refers to identifying the specific observable measures that will be tested. This can be derived from a job analysis which highlights the key knowledge, skills, abilities and other attributes required to perform a job successfully. It is important in a multicultural test that the norms and values across the different cultural groups for a specific construct are identified upfront so as to eliminate the construct bias. The constructs being measured need to also be of value and have meaning to the test user. Language is often a barrier in the meaning of a construct across multicultural groups and  research also indicates that in South Africa some groups attach political meanings to some constructs which can impact on test performance. Developing the content and specifications of the test is dependent on the methods used to develop the test, which can be theory-based (this means that the theory used needs to be applicable in a multicultural context), empirical (this implies that for a multicultural context the criterion being measured need to only discriminate on the specific criterion and not on other variables) or criterion-referenced (this implies that the development of the cross  STUDENT NO: 44674481 11 cultural criterion need to be developed by a panel representing the different cultural groups). The different specifications and dimensions of tests should then be tabulated (Foxcroft, 2004). (c) Choosing the test format and item format, specifying the administration and scoring methods In choosing the best method to present a test it is important that the tools (paper vs. computer), the format in which it is presented (multiple choice, diagrams, etc) and the response methods (verbal, written, etc) take into account the capability and familiarity across the different cultural groups. The administration and the scoring methods should also be fair across cultural groups (Foxcroft, 2004). Moerdyk (2009) identifies seven key steps in test development. The first step conceptualising involves identifying what phenomenon is trying to be understood. The second step is identifying the observable measures of the phenomenon (operationalising). The third step involves quantifying the observable measures. This requires content validity, distracters and a response set. The next step involves a pilot session of the test. By administering the test to a pilot group that is a  representation of the final test group, the opportunities for improving the test can be identified. Once the test is administered to the pilot group the next step is to conduct an item analysis and the correlation of items identified. The item analysis can then be used to revise the test and compile the final test (what is known as validity shrinking). The last step is to develop a set of norms that can be used to measure the responses against for interpretation (Moerdyk, 2009). Lastly, the test needs to be published and the HPCSA provides guidelines for test development to ensure fair and ethical  standards are met. De beer (2006), research findings indicate that for a South African multicultural and multilingual context the need for dynamic assessment is important as it accounts for differences across cultural groups as well as identify opportunities for further development. Other issues that are challenging to psychologists are the influence of other factors such as age, gender, socio-economic status, environment and cultural differences on test performance (Moerdyk, 2009). Some considerations for the future of assessment in South Africa are the use of technology advances in testing (artificialintelligence), the need to develop more culture specific tests, and the need for fair and ethical practices of psychometric testing (Moerdyk, 2009). 2. 4. 2. Core Characteristics of psychometric test Some of the core characteristics that psychometric tests should adhere to can be summarized as follows: ? It is based on standardized procedures and methods of assessment; ? It makes use of norms, comparing individuals performance against a category or norm group; ? It is scientifically proven to be valid (i. e. , it measures what it says), and reliable (the consistency and accuracy of  STUDENT NO: 44674481 12 measuring instruments); ? It can be applied in various institutions (health, education, occupation, etc. ) and the measures can be cross- culturally adapted with minimal test bias; ? It can be fairly administered to all individuals groups and organisations (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005). In South Africa psychometric testing is regulated by the Employee Equity Act of 1998 which prohibits the use of psychometric tests or assessments unless it proves to be scientifically valid and reliable, is fair and free from bias (Foxcroft et al, 2005). 3. CONCLUSION From the above discussion it can be concluded that an understanding of the developments of psychological assessment is imperative to understanding the value in current society and in highlighting aspects to focus on change. In the past, psychological tests developed were used internationally in psychological assessments despite the differences in culture and language. This produced issues of bias and unfairness, as can be seen in misuse of assessments in the apartheid era in South Africa (Foxcroft et al, 2005). For a long time psychological tests in South Africa were perceived as unfair and  unjust (Sehlapelo & Terre Blanche, 1996). However, with the political changes in government and legislature ( such as the Employment Equity Act 1998) , the introduction of governing bodies (such as HPCSA) and the changes in ideologies (a move toward a dynamic approach in assessment), psychological assessment has progressed toward a more fair and ethical practice that is slowly changing these perceptions (Mauer, 2000). Challenges still do exist, however, in producing tests that can be applied in such a diverse country that has 11 official languages, and a vast number of cultural groups as  well as moving toward testing using the advances in technology. STUDENT NO: 44674481 13 4. REFERENCES Bartram, D. (2004). Assessment in organisations. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 53(2), 237-259. Claassen, N. C. W. (1997). Cultural differences, politics and test bias in South Africa. European Review of Applied Psychology, 4th trimester, 47(4), 297-307. De Beer, M. (2006). Dynamic testing: practical solutions to some concerns. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 32(4), 8- 14. Foxcroft, C. D. (2004). Planning a psychological test in the multicultural South African context. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 32 (4), 8-14. Foxcroft, C. D. (2006). Critically examining language bias in the South African adaptation of the WAIS-III. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 32, p. 97-102. Foxcroft, C. D. (2011). Ethical issues related to psychological testing in Africa: What I have learned (so far). Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(2). Retrieved 10 April 2014 from the World Wide Web: http://dx. doi. org/10. 9707/2307-0919. 1022 Foxcroft, C. , Roodt, G. & Abrahams, F. (2005). Psychological assessment: a brief retrospective overview. In Foxcroft, C. & Roodt, G. (Eds.), An introduction to psychological assessment in the South African context (2nd ed. , pp. 8-23). Cape Town: Oxford University Press. Foxcroft, C. , & Roodt, G. (2005). An overview of assessment: definition and scope. In Foxcroft, C. & Roodt, G. (Eds. ), An introduction to psychological assessment in the South African context (2nd ed. , pp. 3-7). Cape Town: Oxford University Press. Gregory, R. J. (2000). Psychological testing: History, principles and application (3rd ed. ). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Joiner, D. A. (2000). Guidelines and ethical considerations for assessment center operations. Public Personnel  Management, 29(3), 315-331. STUDENT NO: 44674481 14 Louw, J. (2002). Psychology, history and society. South African Journal of Psychology, 32(1), 1-8. Louw, J. & van Hoorn, W. (1997). Psychology, conflict, and peace in South Africa: Historical notes. Journal of Peace Psychology, 3(3), 233-243. Mauer, K. F. (2000). Psychological test use in South Africa. Retrieved November 24, 2003 from the World Wide Web : http. //sunsite. wits. ac. za/conference/psychology/pai1 Moerdyk, A. (2009). The principles and practices of psychological assessment. Pretoria: Van Schaik. Painter, D. & Terre Blanche, M. (2004). Critical psychology in South Africa: Looking back and looking forwards. Draft of a paper written for the Greek journal Utopia, 24 February. Retrieved on 15 May, 2014, from http://www. criticalmethods. org/collab/critpsy. htm Patterson, H & Uys, K. (2005). Critical issues in psychological test use in the South African workplace. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 31(3), 12-22. Sehlapelo, M. & Terre Blanche, M. (1996). Psychometric testing in South Africa: Views from above and below. Psychology in Society, 21, 49-59. Setshedi, M. J. (2008). Investigating the use of psychological assessment in South African schools. Unpublished Masters Dissertation. Johannesburg: University of Witwatersrand. Retrieved 10 April 2012 from the World Wide Web: http://wiredspace. wits. ac. za/handle/10539/5927. Van de Vijver, A. J. R. & Rothmann, I. (2004). Assessment in multicultural groups: the South African case. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 30(4), 1-7. Van der Merwe, R. P. (2002). Psychometric testing and human resource management. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 28(2), 77-86. Wassenaar, D. R. (1998). A history of ethical codes in South African psychology: an insider‘s view. South African Journal  of Psychology, 28(3), 135-145. STUDENT NO: 44674481 15 5. SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 5. 1 70%. I feel I have understood the question and logic to the assignment. I have best understood the value of psychological assessment and the developments in South Africa and I feel I need to improve on how fairness can be enhanced in testing. 5. 2 Foxcraft & Roodt (2009) was most useful. I have used other journal articles for reference and examples such as other studies by by Foxcroft, as well as some internet references (example dissertation on the use of psychological assessment). 5. 3. 2 months, approximately 1-2 hours daily 5. 4. It is relevant in the working context as it provides an appreciation and understanding of the value of psychological assessment as well as creates awareness of the challenges and opportunities for fairness and ethical practices in assessment 5. 5. Yes. It provides guidelines on how tests should be used, where it should be used, what aspects to consider in test development, what are the governance systems in place for fair and ethical testing, what challenges and opportunities exist for further development. 5. 6. I would like to improve my knowledge in referencing techniques, logical and systematic application of work. I would like to improve on my knowledge of dynamic testing by reading more literature. 5. 7. The quality of material is very good, it provides clear guidelines; gives one the opportunity to reflect on overall concepts and to assess quality of work. 5. 8. Yes the learning outcomes and assessment criteria was helpful in planning the assignment 5. 9. Yes the lecturer provided timeous guidelines and support on how to answer the questions as well as the important aspects to be covered in this learning outcome.