Thursday, November 28, 2019

Why is the Great Wall of China built an Example of the Topic History Essays by

Why is the Great Wall of China built? Great Wall of China is one of the eight wonders in the world and it is significant to know of why the great wall was built. The primary reasons are territorial boundary and protection during the war. Historians and archeologists explain further the beginning grounds of this spinning dragon spanning across the whole ChinaThe Great Wall. Need essay sample on "Why is the Great Wall of China built?" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed University Students Usually Tell EssayLab support: Who wants to write paper for me? Essay writers advise: Get Your Essay Before The Deadline Best Essay Writing Service Reviews Writers For Hire Best Essay Writing Service Write My Essay Online Historically, The Great Wall is the world's longest human-made structure, stretching over approximately 6,400 km (4,000 miles) from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia, but stretches to over 6,700 km (4,160 miles) in total (Britannica 2007). It is also the largest human-made structure ever built in terms of surface area and mass. At its peak the Ming Wall was guarded by more than one million men. It has been estimated that somewhere in the range of 2 to 3 million Chinese died as part of the centuries-long project of building the wall. The first major wall was built during the reign of the First Emperor, the main emperor of the short-lived Qin dynasty. This wall was not constructed as a single endeavor, but rather was created by the joining of several regional walls built by the Warring States. It was located much further north than the current Great Wall, and very little remains of it. A defensive wall on the northern border was built and maintained by several dynasties at different times in Chinese history. The Great Wall that can still be seen today was built during the Ming Dynasty, on a much larger scale and with longer lasting materials, solid stone used for the sides and the top of the Wall, than any wall that had been built before. The primary purpose of the wall was not to keep out people, who could scale the wall, but to insure that semi-nomadic people on the outside of the wall could not cross with their horses or return easily with stolen property (China Highlights, 1998). The Great Wall is not just a wall. Other defensive works such as forts, passes and beacon towers were built along the Wall to house auxiliary soldiers, store grain and weapons, and transmit military information. As a product of the clashes between agricultural and nomadic economies, the Great Wall provided protection to the economic development and cultural progress, safeguarded the trading routes such as the Silk Road, and secured transmission of information and transportation. Further, The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of successive dynasties. Several walls, referred to as the Great Wall of China, were built since the 5th century BC. The most famous is the wall built between 220 BC and 200 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang; little of it remains; it was much farther north than the current wall, which was built during the Ming Dynasty. Since this wall is a centuries-long project, the wall is divided into four major walls which represent the dynasty of the century. First, the Qin Dynasty, 208 BC. Second, the Han Dynasty, 1st century BC then followed by the Five dynasties and Ten kingdoms period during 1138-1198, lastly is the Hongwu Emperor until Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty from 1368-1620 (Britannica 2007). The Chinese were already familiar with the techniques of wall-building by the time of the Spring and Autumn Period, which began around the 7th century BC. During the Warring States Period from the 5th century BC to 221 BC, the states of Qi, Yan and Zhao all constructed extensive fortifications to defend their own borders. Built to withstand the attack of small arms such as swords and spears, these walls were made mostly by stamping earth and gravel between board frames. Qin Shi Huang conquered all opposing states and unified China in 221 BC, establishing the Qin Dynasty. Intending to impose centralized rule and prevent the resurgence of feudal lords, he ordered the destruction of the wall sections that divided his empire along the former state borders. To protect the empire against intrusions by the Xiongnu people from the north, he ordered the building of a new wall to connect the remaining fortifications along the empire's new northern frontier. Transporting the large quantity of materials required for construction was difficult, so builders always tried to use local resources. Stones from the mountains were used over mountain ranges, while rammed earth was used for construction in the plains. The peasants who died working were buried inside the wall, to be unearthed later by archaeologists. There are no surviving historical records indicating the exact length and course of the Qin Dynasty walls. Most of the ancient walls have eroded away over the centuries, and very few sections remain today. Possibly as many as one million people died building the Wall under the Qin Dynasty (Zimmerman, 1997). Later, the Han, Sui, Northern and Jin dynasties all repaired, rebuilt, or expanded sections of the Great Wall at great cost to defend themselves against northern invaders. The Great Wall concept was revived again during the Ming Dynasty following the Ming army's defeat by the Oirats in the Battle of Tumu in 1449. The Ming had failed to gain a clear upper-hand over the Mongols after successive battles, and the long-drawn conflict was taking a toll on the empire. The Ming adopted a new strategy to keep the nomadic Mongols out by constructing walls along the northern border of China. Acknowledging the Mongol control established in the Ordos Desert, the wall followed the desert's southern edge instead of incorporating the bend of the Huang He. Unlike the earlier Qin fortifications, the Ming construction was stronger and more elaborate due to the use of bricks and stone instead of rammed earth. As Mongol raids continued periodically over the years, the Ming devoted considerable resources to repair and reinforce the walls. Sections near the Ming capital of Beijing were especially strong (Zimmerman, 1997). Towards the end of the Shun Dynasty, the Great Wall helped defend the empire against the Manchu invasions that began around 1600. Under the military command of Yuan Chonghuan, the Ming army held off the Manchus at the heavily fortified Shanhaiguan pass, preventing the Manchus from entering the Liaodong Peninsula and the Chinese heartland. The Manchus were finally able to cross the Great Wall in 1644, when the gates at Shanhaiguan were opened by Wu Sangui, a Ming border general who disliked the activities of rulers of the Shun Dynasty. The Manchus quickly seized Beijing, and defeated the newly founded Shun Dynasty and remaining Ming resistance, to establish the Qing Dynasty. Under Qing rule, China's borders extended beyond the walls and Mongolia was annexed into the empire, so construction and repairs on the Great Wall were discontinued. A counterpart wall to the Great Wall in the south was erected to protect and divide the Chinese from the 'southern barbarians' called Miao (meaning barbaric and nomadic). The making in general is really a true and pure determination. It handed from period to period. The 4 major walls that are initiated from the great leaders are truly a product of heroic and valiant. Political, territorial, economic and social bases were their motivating grounds of why they made the great wall. Indeed, its a history. Today the world has completely changed. No wall can withhold the progress that modern science has brought about the lives of people. The Great Wall has lost its former function. However, it must not be forgotten the real value and essence of it. It was a long project century as said, it marks a record and so everyone is welcome to make better understanding of great wall, and to better protect the precious remains for the generations to come. Reference: ICE Case Studies: The Great Wall of China, Damian Zimmerman, December 1997 "Encyclopedia Britannica online - Great wall of China". The Great Wall of China. https://maas.museum/ .2007

Monday, November 25, 2019

Can One Person’s Suffering Be Another Person’s Happiness Essays

Can One Person’s Suffering Be Another Person’s Happiness Essays Can One Person’s Suffering Be Another Person’s Happiness Essay Can One Person’s Suffering Be Another Person’s Happiness Essay The novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky draws two impossible scenarios that together highlight the mundane world of the possible struggles between one’s ain felicity and the felicity of others. First conceive of a universe that is a utopia except that it is built upon the agony of a individual kid. Then conceive of a individual who is willing to give the remainder of the universe in order to procure his ain wellbeing. The inquiry. one we face on a day-to-day footing whether we contemplate it or non. is how we experience and value our ain felicity in relation to the felicity of others. Dostoevsky indicates. through the tone of these transitions. that any individual willing to give others for his ain benefit must be in the wrong–be it everyone in the universe giving one individual. or one individual giving everyone else in the universe. But more significantly. Dostoevsky implies that something must be incorrect with any individual who could accept such a sacrifice- it’s non so much a affair of moral judgement against the people who could accept that a kid be tortured for their interest. or against the Underground Man for taking his ain peace of head over the public assistance of the remainder of the universe. Dostoevsky clearly disapproves of these Acts of the Apostless. but the novels from which these transitions are taken invite us to feel for these people and to seek to understand how they came to be so barbarous. and therein lies Dostoevsky’s deeper significance. How. so. could anyone accept their felicity on the undue blood of a anguished c hild and how could the Underground Man stomach his cup of tea bought at such a beloved monetary value? A critical component that would do this inhuman treatment possible for some people but impossible for others is whether one could really be happy under such fortunes. As the character Ivan admirations. holding accepted such a forfeit. how could anyone remain everlastingly happy? In order to bask the benefits. one would hold to barricade out. or someway defuse. the cognition of the agony child–her cryings must be unrequited. For if one were non asleep to it. the cognition of that enduring would interfere with one’s ain felicity. A individual who could non assist but experience the agony of others as existent and important would neer accept such blunt forfeits for his ain happiness–in fact would non be able to be happy anyhow. under such conditions. For a individual who feels the agony of others as at least partially his ain agony. there could be no simple struggle between his ain felicity and the felicity of others. But whether one condones it or non. the fact is that many of us have benefited in some important manner from the unwilling forfeits of others. See. for illustration. how a society that became affluent through developments such as bondage or the loot of war would go through on untold advantages to its posterities. These advantages include non merely material wealth. but besides less touchable goods such as instruction. or even psychological benefits such as assurance. Or see a adult male or adult female who is pressured by their partner or parents into giving up their dream occupation in order to be able to back up the household at a higher criterion of life. From single. personal Acts of the Apostless of selfishness to political unfairnesss on a societal graduated table. we may be entangled in some manner or other with below the belt gained wagess. Though these benefits may non hold been sought by us. and we may hold had no direct function in the forfeits that brought them about. still it seems incumbent on us to see Dostoevsky’s poignant question- how much should we experience the hurting of others. peculiarly those whose enduring somehow became our advantage?

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Attacking Cryptography Computer Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Attacking Cryptography Computer Security - Essay Example Operating Systems store information about commonly used programs and through the network, programs such as KeePass can read encrypted files, posing a serious attack to cryptography as a data protection technique. Even so, the challenge for KeePass is that it operates for a limited duration beyond which it does not have the capability to read encrypted files. A number of encrypted data files stored in the various cache locations are at risk of attacks by such malicious program as KeePass. These programs can study the number of times a cryptographic system used the same cache locations (Dong & Chen, 2012). This study investigates and presents cryptographic attack trees which illustrate the methods Charlie can use to read Alice’s data files in the data transfer channel. KeePass can use the memory address information in the network to access the locations of the files using a set of secret coded access keys in the operation (Vacca, 2012). The attack trees demonstrate a clear and r eliable procedure for studying the access keys considering the information on the patterns of memory access. The trees have to show the possibility of KeePass increasing its speed of data search in order to access the secret keys within a fraction of a second to enable the actual attack on cryptographic process to be successful. 2. Possibilities of Attack Out of the study, the expectation is to discover ways of improving cryptography as a means of data protection. Various computer security firms provide information about data protection methods, encryption and decryption being one of them (Echizen, Kunihiro & Sasaki, 2010). The experts in the field of information security use special software applications to block hackers from accessing information from their servers and in the entire unsecure channels in the networks. These hacker-proof programs are the targets of cryptography attack, using the same strategies as KeePass. Another common open source hacker-proof application in the g lobal network is triple-DES security. In essence, it is intriguing to realize that secure channels are also at risk of being broken into at any time. Cryptography has for a long time been among the safest methods for transferring information in the global data transfer networks. With the possibility of breaking through the unbreakable security calls for newer ways of improving the cryptographic designs apart from discovering other alternative options of data protection (Handschuh & Hasan, 2005). The capability of KeePass and other key cracking software programs is a real proof that even strong cryptography keys get broken into. This implies that there are attacks that are beyond the capability men. Information security experts must first exhaustively identify the sources of cryptographic attacks (Anupam, 2009). This can be done through designing ways of modeling threats of attacks against computer systems. This requires a god understanding of all possible ways through which system a ttacks can be possible. This study focuses on ways of designing counterattacks methods such as access key protection in order to frustrate the possible attacks. 2.1. Key Protection The possibility of information attacks emerges as a result of ignorance of information

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Take home exam paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Take home exam - Term Paper Example This â€Å"unnatural† inelastic demand is created as a means of encouraging and influencing the consumer to integrate with the given good or service. This approach is used rather often as a means of encouraging a higher than average integration with a given good or service; hence the way that certain types of goods or services are so heavily marketed and ultimately create an unnatural level of demand as compared to what might otherwise exist should an aggressive level of marketing not be utilized (Van Heerde et al., 2013). Marginal cost refers to the change in overall cost that occurs when the quantity produced increases by an increment of a certain unit. This is useful in terms of understanding at what point a given manufacturer or producer should cease production and/or at what point it will be economically beneficial to upgrade the production capacity to deal with increasing demand or expected increased demand in the future (Rogerson, 2011). As such, marginal cost is not only associated with raw material inputs and/or labor, it can include the cost of building or purchasing new production space and machinery; up to and including a new factory or factories. The decreasing marginal returns can be noted in the graph below as the areas in both blue and red that appear as high values on the x and y axis. An oligopoly can be defined as a type of market form that is dominated by only handful of sellers. These oligopolies then have a high likelihood of colluding as a means of setting prices and reducing the entrants to the market that might threaten to drive down price. Oligopolies exist throughout the world and can be noted in the banking sector, automobile production sector, and telecommunications markets (Goettler & Gordon, 2014). Broadly speaking, governments around the globe have made gestures towards regulating and enforcing

Monday, November 18, 2019

Ethical issues - New centry financial corporation Case Study

Ethical issues - New centry financial corporation - Case Study Example These decisions prompted the stakeholders of the company to quit thus leading to its bankruptcy. It is notable that the ethical issues associated with New Century Financial Corporation were damaging to various groups of people in the subprime mortgage industry. The groups included mortgagors, investment banks, and mortgage brokers, rating agencies, lenders and investors (Palepu, Srinivasan & Sesia, 2009). The low quality of loans that the company offered affected the Mortgagors (borrowers). Investment banks realized massive losses from the money they had invested by offering New Century Financial Corporation mortgages. Mortgage brokers also made losses by conducting business with the corporation. Lenders and investors, likewise, realized massive losses due to New Century Financial Corporations misuse of their funds. By 2005, the subprime market was already experiencing advancement both in technology and loan quality. However, New Century Financial Corporations management failed to adapt to these changes. Instead, the companys performance continued to deteriorate due to a poor management. Most of the decisions New Century Financial undertook based on efficiency. The company ensured that the distribution of its securities to investors was favorable. It also terminated loan applications for efficiency due to the withdrawal of its lenders. The companys decisions and operations were associated with various ethical issues. First, it was unethical for New Century Financial Corporation to lack proper documentation of its operations. Proper documentation would enable the company to keep perfect records. Secondly, the corporation had an ethical issue in the valuation of the loans it was selling. For instance, the management was unable to account for purchase of its mortgage loan reserves. Next, the loan quality offered by New Century Financial Corporation was an ethical issue. The company

Friday, November 15, 2019

Indicators of Motivation | Research Methodology

Indicators of Motivation | Research Methodology 1.1 REASON FOR SELECTING THE TOPIC AND THE ORGANIZATION Motivation among employees in a certain organization has been given immense importance for the success of that organization these days. Especially in the rapidly changing world, without identifying the key indicators in the motivation of employees, their commitment towards the work cannot be achieved. Therefore, while I was going through the various topics suggested in the RAP guidelines provided by Oxford Brookes University, as soon as I came across this topic, I instantly decided to work on it for my research project after having discussed it with my mentor. As far as selection of the company is concerned, I felt that Coca-Cola being an international brand that has gained loyalty among the masses, could actually be of great interest to base my research on. Moreover, I personally knew a relative of mine who is currently an employee at Coca-Cola. He had told me that the companys human resource department since the past few years has been doing a lot to increase employee motivation and commitment towards the organization. According to its official website, the company has a portfolio of over 3,300 products, among which the popular ones are Coca Cola soft drink, Sprite, Fanta, Diet Coke, Minute Maid juice, Aquarius mineral water and POWERADE energy drink. The company is currently striving to research on low calorie products and to substitute sweeteners in place of sugar considering the fact the people have now become more health conscious towards their diet. Moreover, Coca-Cola had revenue generation of $8.7 billion in the year 2010 and has targeted to achieve $500 million annual sales by the end of 2011 (Alazraki, 2010). Other than that, I had studied about different motivational theories in text books during my school life, so applying it to a global organization would actually make me learn how to convert theory into practice. Since I already knew one of the employees working at Coca-Cola, doing analysis on this company was particularly easier as well as accessible for me, which facilitated in increasing the efficiency of my project. 1.2 PROJECT OBJECTIVES The objectives of my research project were as follows: To know about the history of Coca-Cola, how it started and where it stands now, along with the developments that took place in its human resource. To study the key variables that affect motivational level of employees such as promotion, personal growth, status, independence and simulation. To identify what initiatives have been taken by the company to increase its employee motivational level, and relating it to different motivational theories. To compare its initiatives with the techniques used by its competitors. To make a questionnaire based on my research topic and get it filled by the employees at Coca-Cola to find out what variables effect their motivational level and how far are they satisfied with their work. Analyzing the questionnaire, supporting it with graphical representation and also finding out the impact of the key indicators on motivational level of the employees. Commenting on the research findings. Drawing a conclusion from it. Suggesting some realistic recommendations that can be implemented in the future. 1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND OVERALL RESEARCH APPROACH Before starting with my research, it was extremely important for me to frame reasonable research questions that would help me answer my research project. So, I developed the following questions that could help me answer by research approach: Have I completely understood the topic of my report? What information do I need to have, before I visit the organization? What are they key variables, usually, that help in employee motivation? What will be the sample size of my analysis? Is it large enough? Will I be able to manage such a large sample? Will I be able to apply statistical calculations effectively to analyze the questionnaire? Are my questions relevant enough to match my project objectives? Therefore, after identifying the questions, I tackled with each question one by one to make sure that I am not missing out on anything. I was also referring to the ACCA Project guideline constantly to keep my objectives clear and to strictly go according to what is required from the research project. I then had to decide on what sort of tools to use for carrying out the research and whether I was familiar with those tools or not. Technical tools included use of spreadsheets and using statistical features available on different softwares to calculate the results and facilitate its comparison. A questionnaire was built up based on the research question in which I had posed such questions where I had given appropriate ranges that would not only help employees in answering easily, but would also help me in interpretation and analysis of the data. Moreover, giving ranges had increased the reliability and relevancy of the data. The questionnaire was made to judge the key variables and factors that influence the motivational level of employees at Coca-Cola. The sample size taken to fill in the questionnaire was 200. A large sample size was taken so that more accurate results could be obtained by considering opinions of maximum number of employees. I also made a point to stay constantly in touch with few of the employees of Coca-Cola so that they are aware of how much important this project means to me and how much carefully and accurately they need to fill in the questionnaire. In addition to this, I made a point to compare each result with that of its competitors, so that my research becomes more relevant. I used various websites from the internet as my secondary research to find out information Coca-Colas competitors. Thus, deciding on proper sources of information, making a close-ended questionnaire from where maximum answers to my research can be extracted and analyzing that questionnaire with the help of technical skills and reasonable comparison, were my basic steps in conducting the research. INFORMATION GATHERING AND BUSINESS TECHNIQUES USED 2.1 SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND METHODS USED TO COLLECT IT 2.1.1 Secondary source The basic secondary sources of information used in information gathering were the internet and the text books I had, in which different motivational theories were discussed in great detail. Management by Daft and Business Studies by Peter Stimpson were the two main books I frequently referred to while working on my project. Moreover, for my own understanding of these theories in a better way, I also referred to Psychology in Action written by Karen Huffman. I had also reviewed some sample reports to understand completely, how to interpret results or in what manner people, usually, write interpretations and gave recommendations. Different and very interesting articles were also available online that enriched my knowledge and made it easier for me to understand the whole scenario existing in the organization, thus, helping me in interpreting the results. The official website of Coca-Cola was also a major source to gain information about the history of the company and to access some published articles, which discussed the achievements of Coca-Colas HR department in motivating the employees reach their organizational goals. After referring to these sources, contra-verification was done in order to ensure that the particular website or article is providing the accurate information. 2.1.2 Primary source After building upon the secondary research and gathering sufficient information about the company, I then did the primary research. To conduct my primary research, I designed a questionnaire about which I discussed earlier. Before starting with the survey, I had arranged a meeting with the HR manager of Coca-Cola to have an overview about the workings of their department and to brief him about my research project. The meetings with him also acted as a source of gaining information on the factors they considered important to influence motivation of their employees and how far has the company been able to address those factors. Incase of any incomplete information, I then again referred to the authentic websites to find out the details. Statistical techniques were used to analyze the raw data obtained. 2. 2 LIMITATIONS IN INFORMATION GATHERING The internet: While browsing the net, we usually come across a lot of irrelevant and unauthentic websites; therefore, I had to be very careful in avoiding such websites to ensure authenticity of information. It was also very time-consuming to visit numerous websites and select information that best suited my research. Referencing material from electronic media was also an issue, as the originality of the source was sometimes in doubt. Also, the information gathered had to undergo a lot of editing so that the focus of my topic was not deviated and irrelevant material could be avoided. Questionnaire: Although I tried to put in straight forward questions in the questionnaire, still the information achieved from it cannot be fully reliable as employees sometimes reluctantly do not go for the right option and deliberately go against their actual opinion due to their own psychological reasons. Since the sample size was large I had emailed the questionnaires to the respective employees and to get back the filled questionnaires was again time-consuming as constant reminders had to be sent and great care had to be taken to not bother them much. Interviews: The initial interviews with some employees and the HR manager helped in gaining a lot of information about the company, but still not all the relevant information was provided, such as the drawbacks and the issues being faced by employees. So interviews helped me in knowing about the pros of the company but not the cons. Moreover, some complex questions asked by me to the employees and the manager were either left unanswered or were answered diplomatically in order to prevent disclosure of information that the company considered as confidential. Sample reports: The limitation faced in reviewing sample reports was that every report used different formats according to the requirements of his/her instructor or employer. Moreover, authenticity of the information presented in the report could be questioned. The interpretations made in those reports were according to their subject matter and the same could not be applied here. 2.3 ETHICAL ISSUES FACED AND HOW THEY WERE RESOLVED One of the main ethical issues that I faced during my research was the confidentiality of information. Some of the information that was useful for my project could not be made part of it as the company considered such information as private. Secondly, employees did not actually give the true picture of the organization and only narrated all the good stuff about the company. Moreover, when comparing Coca-Colas statistics with its competitors, it was not ethical to name those competitors weaknesses and leak information without their consent, therefore, I had to be careful when interpreting my results. Also, getting questionnaires filled from such a large size was a tedious task and I had to patiently deal with it in order to give minimum trouble to the employees. Questionnaires had to be made according to the mental capability of the employees and such questions had to be avoided where employees feel that their weaknesses are being judged and portrayed. To overcome such problems, I firstly ensured the employees that they could fill in the questionnaires without mentioning their names. Secondly, I assured them that their opinions will be strictly used for the purpose of analyzing the research project, and would not be exploited by any means. 2.4 BUSINESS AND STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES USED ALONG WITH THEIR LIMITATION To facilitate my analysis and interpretation, I used some famous motivational theories by renowned psychologists. For instance, Maslows Hierarchy of needs theory by Abraham Maslow states that satisfaction of employees basic physiological needs such as adequate heat, air and a base salary, is the first step to increase his/her motivational level in the hierarchy. Following it are the safety needs such as safe work and job security; the third level comprises of belongingness needs such as relationship with co-workers; the fourth step includes esteem needs such as high status and recognition; and after all these needs are satisfied, the employees look for fulfillment of self-actualization needs such as growth, advancement and creativity. Thus, an employee would first want an adequate salary that could fulfill his physical needs and then he would strive to achieve the top level needs such as achievement and growth. Limitation: The limitation in this theory is that employees not necessarily go through all the levels when satisfying their needs and their might be a possibility that a high-order need might be satisfied before the low-order need; it varies from one person to another. Frederick Hergbergs two-factor theory also identifies the key indicators of motivation and the factors that lead to dissatisfaction of employees. According to this theory, if hygiene factors are poor, employees would be dissatisfied. Limitation: The theory ignores the fact that their might be employees who are adaptable to poor working conditions and the hygiene factor might not be of significant importance to them if other factors such as their pay and position in the company are satisfactory. Moreover, when I was designing my questionnaire, I also kept in mind the acquired needs theory developed by David McClleland and the schedule for reinforcement tools to be used by organizations (Daft, 2003). Acquired needs theory states that needs, such as need for achievement, power and affiliation, are not in born in a person, but are acquired by the person as time passes by. On the other hand, the reinforcement approach links the behavior with its consequences. For instance, if employees are given rewards, a variable-ratio schedule should be used instead of fixed-ratio schedule, because when the number of rewards is not fixed and is dependent upon to what extent employee performed well, employees are motivated more to work harder in order to get a greater reward (Daft, 2003). Statistical techniques used and their limitation The statistical technique used to analyze the data collected was exploratory factor analysis. Some basic tests were carried out to see if the assumptions of the techniques are applicable in our data set or not. Primary Component analysis was done to extract the results and explain variance, and the Eigen values derived from the results were graphically represented using a Scree Plot. The variables were then grouped into components by using Varimax Rotation. Moreover, before starting the analysis, pre-testing was done through reliability analysis. The method used for reliability analysis was Cronbachs alpha. The limitations associated with these techniques there are several ways to implement different techniques, so argument exists over which technique is the most suitable one. Likewise, opinion diversity is there about what amount of components to use or which rotation matrix to apply. Therefore, all such limitations lead to the problem of reliability. ANALYSIS, CONCLUSION AND FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 ANALYSIS 3.1.1 Pre-testing The instrument was pre-tested by getting filled 5 to 6 samples of questionnaire to discover if there were any issues with the instrument and to find out whether the questions were easily understood and comprehended. By pre-testing, it was concluded that all respondents were at ease in responding and the instrument appealed them. Reliability analysis is done through various methods (Cronbachs alpha being one of them), and the purpose of analysis is to know whether the same set of items would result in same responses if the questions are re-administered or re-casted. The variables are considered as reliable if they are portraying stable results after being repeated a number of times (Santos, 1999). Cronbachs Alpha is the internal consistency model which is based on the average correlation. The data is split into two halves and the correlation coefficient is taken out, and the average of the two values represents Cronbachs Alpha (Field, 2006). Here the value of Cronbachs Alpha is 0.839 which signifies consistency of data. 3.1.2 Respondent Statistics The above diagram displays the total no. of people in terms of gender that have participated in our study. The total no. of sample size is 200 (N=200). Out of the sample size of 200, 128 of the total population is represented by male and 72 respondents are females. Although, the number of females, were less as compared to males, but were enough to understand the behavior of both the genders with respect to the factors that affect the motivation level of the employees. The above diagram displays the total number of people in terms of age that participated in our study. In our analysis the total no of sample size is 200 (N=200). Out of the sample size of 200, people lying in the age bracket of 21-30 is 43; 46 people lie in the bracket of 31-40; 60 are in the age bracket of 41-50; 40 lie in the bracket of 51-60; and only 8 of the respondents lie in the age category of above 61 years. The population division in terms of age is well diversified. The above diagram displays the total number of participants in terms of marital status. In the analysis, the total number of sample size is 200(N=200), out of which, 81 people were single and 116 were married. This indicates that the population division in terms of marital status is almost equal, however, in terms of specific numbers there were more married people as compared to single ones. The above diagram displays the total no. of people in terms of working experience that participated in our study. In our analysis the total no. of sample size is 200 (N=200). Out of this size, 123 people were having a working experience of 1-5 years; 66 had it of 6-10 years; and only 8 people had an experience of 11-15 years. Thus, we conclude that majority of the respondents lied in the category of 1-5 years. The above diagram displays the total number of participants in terms of designation. Out of the sample size of 200, there were 62 Junior Employees, 51 were Supervisors, 64 were working as Managers, and 20 people were working as Senior Managers. In this study, the focus was to collect the data from all the levels of organization, so that a better understanding of the results is prepared. 3.1.3 Description of the factors There are some basic assumptions of every test/technique that need to be fulfilled before their implementation; factor analysis also has its own assumptions. The two basic assumptions of the factor analysis are the KMO value and the Bartletts Test of Sphericity. For the validation of factor analysis, the KMO value should be greater than 0.5 and the significant value of the Bartletts Test of Sphericity should be less than 0.05. In the above table, the value of KMO is greater than 0.5 that is 0.644 and the significant value of Bartletts Test of Sphericity is 0.000 that is less than 0.05. It means that both the basic assumptions of the factor analysis are met; therefore, we can apply factor analysis on our data. Communalities table is one if the primary output of factor analysis, initially it was assumed that all the variables were equally important by assigning them value equal to one. Later on, based on the data, variables that were most important or prominent in the data set were identified. The highest extraction value gave us the idea about the variable that is most important in the analysis. The highest extraction value in the above table is 0.824 for the variable perks. Perks are the facilities granted to employees, such as day care centers, parking space, free car washes, flexible timings and vacations (Mintzer, 2006). It means that perk, available to the employees in Coca-Cola, is the most important variable in terms of enhancing the motivation level of the employees, apart from their salary and other benefits. Granting perks to employees improves the overall work environment of the organization, making it more attractive for its employees to work for the organization. Following per ks, the second most important variable is teamwork; the extraction value of the variable is 0.821. Teamwork fosters a culture that increases unity, equality and collaboration in the organization. Teamwork removes any barriers that exist between departments or divisions (Susan, 2011). Total Variance Explained The Principal Component analysis was used to extract the results for the given data set. The table of total variance explains the different aspect of the analysis. Firstly, it explains the number of factors or groups that are building out of the analysis; the basic criterion behind developing the components is Eigen Value. The components that have Eigen value equal to or greater than one would be included in the final set; here we have also included the factor that has an Eigen value of 0.910 for displaying better results. As it can be observed in the above table that out of a total number of 38 components, 14 components have been formed representing the 72.706% variation of the data set. The minimum requirement of the variation explained by the factors is 60%. The above table shows the variance percentage represented by each group individually as well as collectively. The variance percentage of the first component is the maximum among all other components in the extraction square of sum loadings, but when the Varimax rotation was applied, the variation explained by all the components becomes equal, as it shows that all the formed components are of equal importance. Scree Plot is just a graphical representation of Eigen Values and components. On the x-axis we have components and on the y-axis, there are Eigen values. If we examine the above diagram in detail, it can be observed that same pattern is followed after component thirteen in the graph. Before that, the line is in curve, showing a downward trend, but after component fourteen the line becomes steeper showing a similar pattern. Scree plot, therefore, helps in identifying that what number of components should be used to be formed in the analysis. From the above diagram, maximum thirteen components would be enough to prepare the results. Rotated Component Matrixa Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. a. Rotation converged in 26 iterations. The above table Rotated component Matrix is been developed by using Varimax rotation. Rotation of the components helps in minimizing the errors as well as biasness in the results. There are total fourteen components that have been formed. As seen in the table, The first component represents the factor equipment, visibility, and variety. The second component represents simplicity, social interaction, clarity, and bonuses. Third component factor is represented by independence, insurance, and flexibility. Fourth component includes regularity, responsibility, and power. Fifth component comprises of Location, intellectuality and organizational image. Sixth component includes teaching, competition, and tranquility. Seventh component includes perks and pays. Eighth component consists of status and simulation. Ninth component includes personal relevance, recognition, and personal growth. Tenth component includes balance and contribution. Eleventh component includes security and benefits. Twelfth component has teamwork and conditions. Thirteenth component comprises of busy and jockey, The last fourteenth component consists of a single factor that is promotion. The variables in each component having highest value are also known as surrogate variables, therefore, all these variables are essential factors in affecting the motivational level of the employees. Surrogate variables also gave the idea that if they are achieved or are on the higher side, the other factors of the component will automatically be achieved or moved towards the higher side too, collectively increasing the motivation level of the employees. For e.g. if teamwork is the surrogate variable for component twelve, it means that if in any organization the teamwork is promoted, and people are joined together to work on a task or a project, it will increase the motivational level of the employees. With this, the person starts to find out good working conditions in his work too and performs much better. 3.1.5 Analysis of the Factors on Gender basis Affecting Motivation The above studied variable is one of the important variables that plays important role in the motivation level of the employees. If we look at the above diagram, we can observe that the behavior of the equipment is same in both the genders. People working in organization either male or female consider availability of equipment equally important. If facilities such as printer, scanner, and photocopy machine, writing pad, files and other such equipments are round the clock available in the organization, it helps in speeding up their work and removes barriers that could exist in increasing their efficiency. Over here, Hergbergs two-factor theory is applicable, which considers work environment an important factor in satisfaction or dissatisfaction of employees. Availability of equipment contributes to a positive work environment that is employee-friendly and affects their level of satisfaction including both, male and female (Daft, 2003). The above studied variable is also one of the important variables affecting the motivation level of the employees. If we look at the above diagram, we can observe that the behavior of promotion differs with respect to Gender. Promotion is the most important factor for males as compared to females. Male motivation highly differs with respect to the promotion they get. Although the median line of both the genders is equal, but the overall box plot of males is on the higher side. There are some outliers also present in the male category, but we have considered them as exceptional. Promotion is a factor that extremely plays a highly essential role in employee motivation, especially among the males. Promotion increases their focus on the work and affects their pay as well as position in the organization, thus employees after a considerable period of time; desperately wait for the organization to promote them to a higher level. Applying the reinforcement approach over here, if promotion instead of at fixed intervals and ratios, is given at variable intervals, it would increase the motivation of employees to work harder and with more focus, since the time of promotion would be unexpected. Secondly, variable ratio means that the amount of reward or the degree of promotion is variable and according to the tasks performed by a certain employee, therefore, if promotion is also given in variable ratios, it would act as a positive reinforcement tool in the organization (Daft, 2003). The above studied variable is one of the important variables that plays role in the motivation level of the employees. If we look at the above diagram, we can observe that the behavior of status is highly important for females as compared to males. Females are highly specific about the respect and status they got in the organization. In addition, this factor has a huge impact on their motivation level, as the median line is upward for the females. However, as compared to males, status is important but relatively less essential when compared with other factors. There are other factors that motivate males, but for females status is highly important and it affects their performance highly in the workplace. If we apply the acquired needs theory over here, it could be seen that women are not status conscious by birth, but this factor has built in them over time and status defines power, affiliation and achievement, which is to be superior above all. So, if their acquired needs are fulfilled by the organization that would be a key variable in increasing their willingness to do work. As far as males are concerned, Maslows hierarchy of needs theory could be applied, since status in Maslows hierarchy could be categorized under self-actualization, it comes after the satisfaction of other basic needs. The graph shows that having a high status is an essential key variable but there are other factors that males consider more important than status. According to this theory, those other factors could include pay, promotion, job security and condition of the work place (Daft, 2003). 3.2 CONCLUSION Coca-Cola is a company that encourages a work environment that satisfies all its stakeholders existing within and outside the organization. Studying these variables helped in understanding the management techniques to be used in the organization to drive employees effectiveness and efficiency in their work. In our analysis, promotion is standing separate among all the other factors, showing that this factor is of prime importance and has a huge impact on the motivation level of the employees. Personal relevance is also one of the most important motivation factors. Employees find themselves highly motivated when they are able to use any of their personal talent, education or training in their jobs. Therefore, Coca-Cola needs to develop programs and design jobs in a way that encourages employees to show their personal talents and skills, which would then help them in performing well and boosting their enthusiasm. The analysis further concludes, that status is also one of the important aspects that directly affects the motivation level of the employees, who feel that their job is of high status and seen as a respectable one in the society. Simulation refers to the personal liking of the job work. If employee finds things to do in a job that is of his/her personal interest it improves his readiness level. If employee finds something in his/her work that he or she loves to do, then this aspect of the job increases his/her willingness to do so. Past researchers have witnessed that material reward and motivation has a direct relationship with each other. Thus, Coca-Cola needs to focus on material rewards and should plan according to the need of the employees. Further it has been witnessed, that independence of doing work is also one of the prime factors that has a huge impact on the motivation level of the employees. If the people are provided the liberty to work with less supervision and perform their job in a way they want to, this will surely develop their motivation in doing work. Apart from this, personal growth is also exceedingly important. Every one wants to develop him/her self with the passage of time, therefore, providing opportunity to employees to develop themselves and grow as an individual has a direct positive impact on their level of keenness. Thus, we conclude that the study has identified that a number of factors have a direct impact on the motivation level of the employees, so if proper working is done on it, it will result in a higher motivational level of the employees. Working on these factors would help Coca-Cola in enhancing their productivity of the work, as well as in improving the job satisfaction of the employees. 3.3 RECOMMENDATIONS After a thorough analysis of my

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

It’s Time for Cities to Reject the Welfare Mentality :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

It’s Time for Cities to Reject the Welfare Mentality All over the nation-from New York to Los Angeles, from San Diego to Milwaukee-cities are on the rebound. Each successful city has accomplished its renaissance in its own particular way, with its own special twist. But if you look across the spectrum of flourishing cities, you can discern a clear set of principles that leads to urban health. To start with, there is a total rejection of the old municipal welfare state ideology, whose decades of failed policies led the nation's cities to the brink. Urban government, that idea went, was above all to achieve social justice and the uplift of the poor. It seemed to make sense: Cities always had big concentrations both of poor people to help and of wealth to tax. So cities piled on welfare benefits and social services, created huge bureaucracies to administer them, and taxed heavily to fund them. But things didn't work out as expected. With the information revolution, all those companies whose great skyscrapers made them look eternally rooted there no longer had to be in the cities to be near their suppliers, customers, or bankers. And global competition required them to get efficient and cut costs. No more could they justify paying high corporate income taxes, commercial rent taxes, inflated utility taxes. So the number of Fortune 500 companies headquartered in New York fell f rom 140 in 1947 to 31 now. And the new, smaller businesses that have generated all of the new jobs of the past decade or more never started up in many of the old cities. Result: A city like New York has created not one single net new job since World War II. Worse, the costly municipal welfare state turned out not to work. All the indicators are worse, not better, than when the whole rescue effort began. The inner city illegitimacy rate is way up, the urban high school graduation rate way down. The poverty rate hasn't dropped and, until the new-paradigm reforms, the welfare dependency rate had soared. All these billions of dollars made things worse, because, we learned, if communities don't make their citizens personally responsible for themselves and their families, but instead tell them they're victims, they will become dependent and demoralized. If the welfare state tells people that it's fine to have illegitimate children, that poverty excuses crime, that welfare payments are appropriate reparations for historical victimization, and that working in "dead-end" jobs for "chump change" is undignified-what can possibly result but illegitimacy, crime, welfare dependency, and non-work?