Monday, December 30, 2019
The Worst Vacation Of My Life Essay - 886 Words
I used to spend the last part of my summer vacation with my uncle and aunt. As a continuation of a long-ago-established tradition we decided going to York - a small, picturesque tourist town at the seaside, located in the southeastern part of Maine. On the 27th of August, early in the morning we went to my uncleââ¬â¢s car with the entire luggage, prepared to leave and spend a nice, relaxing vacation, far away from the problems of the city. Unfortunately the unpleasant surprises started from the first second of our vacation. To our great disbelief the two front tires of the car were missing, and as later became clear, stolen during the night so at this moment the car was lying on the pavement, like a big wounded animal. I remember that myâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Our mood was bad, because we were tired from the hours spend in the car and the accidents, that happened to us. As far as I remember we had another problem with the reservation of our hotel rooms, but after such an e xhausting day those things seemed almost normal, too easily-predicted to make us an impression. The very first days of our vacation passed smoothly, without any sign that our bad luck will follow us. We started to enjoy our rest, making jokes from the strange situations that happened to us the previous days. Then the event that changes my life happened. It was the fourth day of our vacation and we had already forgotten the events from our departure. As usual, after breakfast we went directly to the beach with the intent to stay there till late afternoon. This time my uncle proposed us to change the place and go to some more quiet and far from the crowd one. We of course accepted the idea. This new beach was exactly what I was dreaming for ââ¬â beautiful shore, clear and calm sea, clean sand. I was really excited. This magnificent ââ¬Å"heavenâ⬠was naturally surrounded by high cliffs, which separated us from the rest of the beach, that is, from the crowd. The day passed very smoothly. At the end of it we were even slightly bored from those sunbathes. Then my aunt proposed me to climb up one of the cliffs that surrounded the beach. I grinned broadly and accepted the idea with enthusiasm ââ¬â, as all kids will do when proposingShow MoreRelatedDescriptive Essay About Vacation1179 Words à |à 5 PagesWhat comes to mind when I say the word, ââ¬Å"vacationâ⬠? According to Merriam Webster, vacation is ââ¬Å"a period of time that a person spends away from home, school, or business usually in order to relax or travelâ⬠. My family (my mom, little brother, my grandmother, and I) take a vacation every summer to relax and have fun in the sun. Our destination and vacation spot this particular year, 2016, was the beautiful city of Panama City Beach, Florida. Little did I know that what could have or should haveRead MoreMy Memories A Favorite Memory880 Words à |à 4 Pagessome way whether it be emotionally or physically. From one memory to another, good or bad, develops the entity of a personââ¬â¢s personality or logic. I consi dered one of my worst memories a favorite memory because, from that experience, I gained development as an individual. The start of that development occurred on vacation without my parents attending. Like any other child, I became very enthusiastic of the whole idea of freedom and self-guidance. After the majority of the trip, I became uninterestedRead MoreThe Worst Day Of My Life965 Words à |à 4 PagesIt was the worst day of my life. Let s start with the not so bad part of the story. It was our first family vacation all together. My first vacation was in Arizona with my mom to see my aunt and uncle and two of my cousins. Anyway, we went to Disneyland to ride a bunch of roller coasters. I have never been on a roller coaster, but everyone else in my family loves them. So, I wanted to try it to see if I liked them too! There was a one of a time roller coaster that they only had for the summer ofRead More My Summer Vacation in Florida Essay1288 Words à |à 6 PagesHave you ever been on a vacation? To me a vacation is a time to be with friends or family. When I think of vacations, I think of packing, the flight or drive, and relaxation. Not only is it very exciting to go on a vacation, but you get closer to the people that go with you. Linda, my best friends mom had asked me if I would want to go with their family to Florida. When she asked me I thought she was kidding, but when she said, I need to know because if you are I need to get you a airplane ticketRead MoreMy Experience In My Summer808 Words à |à 4 Pageslot of his work before. I had a great summer full of family, fun, and travel. My summer was not as interesting as your summer Mrs. Cole, but I sure did have fun. The first trip I went on this summer was to New Orleans, which was pretty Amazing because I got to walk down the historic streets of the world famous French Quarter. I have not been to New Orleans since I was 4 years old with my whole family, but this time my parents and I were the only ones who went. On the first day we went to Cafà © DuRead MorePersuasive Essay About You Love You Learn811 Words à |à 4 Pages So what did happen to make me feel like this you may ask. Well it all started when I made the choice to date a boy as a freshman. He was two years older than me and from that point we had dated for 16 months. Well that WAS the best 16 months of my life until Evan and I got into a fight. He hadnââ¬â¢t been texting me and when I asked what was wrong he said he was talking to his ââ¬Å"friendâ⬠that was a girl. Yeah you see where this is going. So I told him that I didnââ¬â¢t like h im hanging out with her becauseRead MoreUnexpected Outcomes Of The Vacation Essay841 Words à |à 4 Pagesknowing, the vacations that I had most wished for turned out a nightmare. For many years my brothers and I begged our parents for some family vacations. Everything was always the same. Every morning we would wake up, my parents would get ready for work, and I got ready for school. It soon became a habit we never went out. One day we as a family made a promise. My dad agreed to take us on vacations if we got our grades up in school. My dad took a second job to keep his promise and so did we. My brothersRead MoreWhy I Should Become A Nurse1214 Words à |à 5 PagesEvery person has their dream of how their life will play out. For years I have wondered where life will take me in the future. Abraham Lincoln once said, The best way to predict your future is to create it.â⬠Success is not easily obtained and often takes a great deal of time; however in my eyes, success is the key to my future. I have plans to become a registered nurse, live in Franklin, Tennessee, and spend my free time making memories with my family. Over the course of the past three years, IRead MoreHow Sandy s Illness Narrative Did Concord With Some Of Labov s Narrative Structures1101 Words à |à 5 Pagesappointment, going through various tests, telling her family about it to finally receiving treatment. In line 10, during her complicating action is highly evident that Sandy was scared saying things like it is ââ¬Å"the worst day of my life. I assume that it was her worst day of her life because a vast majority of people have this misconception that having cancer symbolizes death. This feeling of extreme fear is highly evident in line 14 after I asked her what she fear most about breast cancer. SandyRead MoreI m Chevy Chase And You re Not1594 Words à |à 7 PagesChevy Chase and Youââ¬â¢re Not à à à A classic American icon, Chevy Chase had an incredible career brimming with accomplishments and tribulations. à The time spanning from 1975 to 1985 was a period in which America idolized Chevy, a man who cruised through life with the perfect blend of cynicism, contempt, and charm. à Looking back, Chevy is considered one of the most hated comedians in the world, a close runner-up to Bill Cosby; however, nobody can deny Chevyââ¬â¢s influence in comedy in film, the development
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Gays Should Be Legal Contract - 1290 Words
Gays Should Be Allowed To Marry Calling something marriage does not make it marriage. Marriage is a legal contract between a man and a woman. It is the institution that establishes kinship and relations in the family. Marriage is mostly recognized by a state, organization, religious authority, local community, or peers. Marriage is for procreation, education, the unity, and well-being of the couple. Some say marriage is for two people who love each other and ready for commitment. Nevertheless, in the bible times, couples were not allowed to choose the one him or her married. Therefore, the person he or she married was not the person him or her loved. Divorce was not an option; the couples had to learn to love the person they married. Stating this, marriage is not all about love and emotions, but the purpose of marriage. Marriage is unique and universal. (Rauch) Marriage of homosexual couples would not provide the same benefits of a heterosexual couple. Homosexual are not allowed to produce children. They must have vitro-fertilization or surrogacy. Same-sex couples should not be allowed to marry, because marriage is for a man and a woman, all religion is against gay marriages, and gay marriages are the slippery slope for other marriages. (Ferguson) The History of Gay Marriage The history of same sex marriage has been recorded since the beginning of civilization. Ancient Roman Empire accepted same-sex relations. A lot of the roman emperors were homosexuals. However,Show MoreRelatedMarriage Discrimination: Ending Soon1120 Words à |à 5 Pagesemphasizing that GLBT people should not have to wait for public opinion or governmentââ¬â¢s approval for establishing or continuing their relationships. On the other hand, in his article ââ¬Å"What are we fighting for?â⬠, Wedgewood asserts that couples marry not only to make a legally binding commitment to each other, but also to get the rest of the society to understand that they have a serious commitment to an intimate relationship. Although I concede Howleyââ¬â¢s argument that public opinion should not matter to LGBTRead MoreSame Sex Marriage1643 Words à |à 7 Pagesgroup presents valid and reasonable arguments to support their belief. Both hold their beliefs strongly and, therefore, arenââ¬â¢t wil ling to compromise. Those opposing claim that marriage is sacred and should be kept that way. Those supporting same-sex marriage state that marriage is nothing but a contract and prohibiting this right is unconstitutional and discriminatory. Same-sex marriage is a sacred, traditional bond between a man and a woman: Religious conservatives definitely believe that same-sexRead More Same-sex Marriage Should be Legal Essay1000 Words à |à 4 PagesSame-sex Marriage Should be Legal à I do. These two simple words have the power change lives in an instant. For most people, the phrase conjures up images of a man and a woman being joined in marriage. But for gays and lesbians, having the chance to legally say I do is a far-off dream, not a reality. In many European countries, marriages between same-sex couples are federally recognized, but unions of American homosexuals still go unrecognized by the United States government. Same-sexRead MoreShould Gays Be Allowed to Marry1476 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Prusuit of Happiness! Should gays be allowed to marry? Stacey Dockery PHI103: Informal Logic (GSJ1231E) Instructor Name: Daniel Beteta September 3, 2012 Argumentative Essay on Gay Marriage Marriage: a legally recognized relationship, established by civil or religious ceremony, between two people who intend to live together as sexual and domestic partners. Typically this is between a man and a woman, in love, as they come before their families, to pledge to spend the rest of their lives togetherRead MoreJonathan Rauch : For Better Or Worse?1296 Words à |à 6 Pageshis article, Rauch debates on the negative views of gay marriage. He states his contempt for these views and states a detailed reason why gay marriage makes sense. He makes it known that he feels that gay marriage should be viewed as normal and gay marriage should be held to a similar standard. He feels that this union would help in domesticating men and make them reliable caregivers. In his article, he concludes by articulating that he is gay and would be ashamed if other homosexual individualsRead MoreThe Agreement And Living Together Contracts775 Words à |à 4 PagesNonmarital Agreement Living Together Contracts Under Nonmarital agreements and simple ââ¬Å"living together contracts they both function similarly to prenuptial agreements. The two are set up as business agreements which set forth how money, property and debt will be handled during and after the relationship. Living together contracts are more suitable for long-term relationships where a significant amount of money, property and debt are expected to accumulate. For example, the purchase of homes, combiningRead MoreA Refutation of an Argument by William J Bennett on Recognizing Same-Sex Marriage1749 Words à |à 7 Pagesï » ¿REFUTATION OF ARGUMENT AGAINST GAY MARRIAGE In a remarkable article that appeared in the Washington Post, William J. Bennett argued that recognizing same-sex marriage would be detrimental to the concept of marriage and to the nation. The only thing more remarkable than the logical fallacies relied upon in the article was the fact that the author was the former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities and Secretary of Education in the Reagan administration and Director of the OfficeRead MoreMargaret Marshall The Chief Juice Of The Supreme Judicial Court1062 Words à |à 5 Pagesargues marriage is a vital institution, the commitment should be between two people who offer mutual support to children, and to bring stability to our society. Marriage provides legal, financial, and social benefits. Which leads to legal, social, and financial obligations. The department of health states the purpose of marriage is to have children, the state is only interested if children are involved. She believes the court is downgradin g marriage gay marriage for no rational reason. The responses fromRead MoreCalifornia s Statutory Prohibit Marriage949 Words à |à 4 PagesQUESTION PRESENTED 1) Whether Californiaââ¬â¢s statutory prohibit marriage between two persons of the same sex violate the California Constitution by denying equal protection of laws to gay, bi-sexual, lesbians and transgender a right to marry, or by denying the right to privacy and freedom of expression? BRIEF ANSWER No. Because the Constitution was written for a man and a woman to marry based on religion and would be a direct violation of what we have been taught all of our lives. Such a profoundRead More Gay and Lesbian Issues - Homosexual Couples Must Be Allowed to Marry798 Words à |à 4 Pagesmarriage. But for gays and lesbians, having the chance to legally say I do is a far-off dream, not a reality. For years in other countries, same-sex couples have had their marriages federally recognized, but the unions of American homosexuals still go unrecognized by the United States government. Same-sex marriages deserve to be legalized in this country. Homosexual couples should be entitled to the same rights as heterosexual couples. First, look at the issue in purely a legal fashion. A legally
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Creative Thinking Free Essays
Much of the thinking done in formal education emphasizes the skills of analysisââ¬âteaching students how to understand claims, follow or create a logical argument, figure out the answer, eliminate the incorrect paths and focus on the correct one. However, there is another kind of thinking, one that focuses on exploring ideas, generating possibilities, looking for many right answers rather than just one. Both of these kinds of thinking are vital to a successful working life, yet the latter one tends to be ignored until after college. We will write a custom essay sample on Creative Thinking or any similar topic only for you Order Now We might differentiate these two kinds of thinking like this: Critical ThinkingCreative Thinking nalyticgenerative convergentdivergent verticallateral probabilitypossibility judgmentsuspended judgment focuseddiffuse objectivesubjective answeran answer left brainright brain verbalvisual linearassociative reasoningrichness, novelty yes butyes and In an activity like problem solving, both kinds of thinking are important to us. First, we must analyze the problem; then we must generate possible solutions; next we must choose and implement the best solution; and finally, we must evaluate the effectiveness of the solution. As you can see, this process reveals an alternation between the two kinds of thinking, critical and creative. In practice, both kinds of thinking operate together much of the time and are not really independent of each other. What is Creativity? An Ability. A simple definition is that creativity is the ability to imagine or invent something new. As we will see below, creativity is not the ability to create out of nothing (only God can do that), but the ability to generate new ideas by combining, changing, or reapplying existing ideas. Some creative ideas are astonishing and brilliant, while others are just simple, good, practical ideas that no one seems to have thought of yet. Believe it or not, everyone has substantial creative ability. Just look at how creative children are. In adults, creativity has too often been suppressed through education, but it is still there and can be reawakened. Often all thatââ¬â¢s needed to be creative is to make a commitment to creativity and to take the time for it. An Attitude. Creativity is also an attitude: the ability to accept change and newness, a willingness to play with ideas and possibilities, a flexibility of outlook, the habit of enjoying the good, while looking for ways to improve it. We are socialized into accepting only a small number of permitted or normal things, like chocolate-covered strawberries, for example. The creative person realizes that there are other possibilities, like peanut butter and banana sandwiches, or chocolate-covered prunes. A Process. Creative people work hard and continually to improve ideas and solutions, by making gradual alterations and refinements to their works. Contrary to the mythology surrounding creativity, very, very few works of creative excellence are produced with a single stroke of brilliance or in a frenzy of rapid activity. Much closer to the real truth are the stories of companies who had to take the invention away from the inventor in order to market it because the inventor would have kept on tweaking it and fiddling with it, always trying to make it a little better. The creative person knows that there is always room for improvement. Creative Methods Several methods have been identified for producing creative results. Here are the five classic ones: Evolution. This is the method of incremental improvement. New ideas stem from other ideas, new solutions from previous ones, the new ones slightly improved over the old ones. Many of the very sophisticated things we enjoy today developed through a long period of constant incrementation. Making something a little better here, a little better there gradually makes it something a lot betterââ¬âeven entirely different from the original. For example, look at the history of the automobile or any product of technological progress. With each new model, improvements are made. Each new model builds upon the collective creativity of previous models, so that over time, improvements in economy, comfort, and durability take place. Here the creativity lies in the refinement, the step-by-step improvement, rather than in something completely new. Another example would be the improvement of the common wood screw by what are now commonly called drywall screws. They have sharper threads which are angled more steeply for faster penetration and better holding. The points are self tapping. The shanks are now threaded all the way up on lengths up to two inches. The screws are so much better that they can often be driven in without pilot holes, using a power drill. The evolutionary method of creativity also reminds us of that critical principle: Every problem that has been solved can be solved again in a better way. Creative thinkers do not subscribe to the idea that once a problem has been solved, it can be forgotten, or to the notion that ââ¬Å"if it ainââ¬â¢t broke, donââ¬â¢t fix it. â⬠A creative thinkerââ¬â¢s philosophy is that ââ¬Å"there is no such thing as an insignificant improvement. â⬠Synthesis. With this method, two or more existing ideas are combined into a third, new idea. Combining the ideas of a magazine and an audio tape gives the idea of a magazine you can listen to, one useful for blind people or freeway commuters. For example, someone noticed that a lot of people on dates went first to dinner and then to the theater. Why not combine these two events into one? Thus, the dinner theater, where people go first to eat and then to see a play or other entertainment. Revolution. Sometimes the best new idea is a completely different one, an marked change from the previous ones. While an evolutionary improvement philosophy might cause a professor to ask, ââ¬Å"How can I make my lectures better and better? a revolutionary idea might be, ââ¬Å"Why not stop lecturing and have the students teach each other, working as teams or presenting reports? â⬠For example, the evolutionary technology in fighting termites eating away at houses has been to develop safer and faster pesticides and gasses to kill them. A somewhat revolutionary change has been to abando n gasses altogether in favor of liquid nitrogen, which freezes them to death or microwaves, which bake them. A truly revolutionary creative idea would be to ask, ââ¬Å"How can we prevent them from eating houses in the first place? A new termite bait that is placed in the ground in a perimeter around a house provides one answer to this question. Reapplication. Look at something old in a new way. Go beyond labels. Unfixate, remove prejudices, expectations and assumptions and discover how something can be reapplied. One creative person might go to the junkyard and see art in an old model T transmission. He paints it up and puts it in his living room. Another creative person might see in the same transmission the necessary gears for a multi-speed hot walker for his horse. He hooks it to some poles and a motor and puts it in his corral. The key is to see beyond the previous or stated applications for some idea, solution, or thing and to see what other application is possible. For example, a paperclip can be used as a tiny screwdriver if filed down; paint can be used as a kind of glue to prevent screws from loosening in machinery; dishwashing detergents can be used to remove the DNA from bacteria in a lab; general purpose spray cleaners can be used to kill ants. Changing Direction. Many creative breakthroughs occur when attention is shifted from one angle of a problem to another. This is sometimes called creative insight. A classic example is that of the highway department trying to keep kids from skateboarding in a concrete-lined drainage ditch. The highway department put up a fence to keep the kids out; the kids went around it. The department then put up a longer fence; the kids cut a hole in it. The department then put up a stronger fence; it, too, was cut. The department then put a threatening sign on the fence; it was ignored. Finally, someone decided to change direction, and asked, ââ¬Å"What really is the problem here? Itââ¬â¢s not that the kids keep getting through the barrier, but that they want to skateboard in the ditch. So how can we keep them from skateboarding in the ditch? â⬠The solution was to remove their desire by pouring some concrete in the bottom of the ditch to remove the smooth curve. The sharp angle created by the concrete made skateboarding impossible and the activity stopped. No more skateboarding problems, no more fence problems. This example reveals a critical truth in problem solving: the goal is to solve the problem, not to implement a particular solution. When one solution path is not working, shift to another. There is no commitment to a particular path, only to a particular goal. Path fixation can sometimes be a problem for those who do not understand this; they become overcommitted to a path that does not work and only frustration results. Negative Attitudes That Block Creativity 1. Oh no, a problem! The reaction to a problem is often a bigger problem than the problem itself. Many people avoid or deny problems until itââ¬â¢s too late, largely because these people have never learned the appropriate emotional, psychological, and practical responses. A problem is an opportunity. The happiest people welcome and even seek out problems, meeting them as challenges and opportunities to improve things. Definition: a problem is (1) seeing the difference between what you have and what you want or (2) recognizing or believing that there is something better than the current situation or (3) an opportunity for a positive act. Seeking problems aggressively will build confidence, increase happiness, and give you a better sense of control over your life. 2. It canââ¬â¢t be done. This attitude is, in effect, surrendering before the battle. By assuming that something cannot be done or a problem cannot be solved, a person gives the problem a power or strength it didnââ¬â¢t have before. And giving up before starting is, of course, self fulfilling. But look at the history of solutions and the accompanying skeptics: man will never fly, diseases will never be conquered, rockets will never leave the atmosphere. Again, the appropriate attitude is summed up by the statement, ââ¬Å"The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer. â⬠3. I canââ¬â¢t do it. Or Thereââ¬â¢s nothing I can do. Some people think, well maybe the problem can be solved by some expert, but not by me because Iââ¬â¢m not (a) smart enough, (b) an engineer, or (c) a blank (whether educated, expert, etc. Again, though, look at the history of problem solving. Who were the Wright brothers that they could invent an airplane? Aviation engineers? No, they were bicycle mechanics. The ball point pen was invented by a printerââ¬â¢s proofreader, Ladislao Biro, not a mechanical engineer. Major advances in submarine design were made by English clergyman G. W. Garrett and by Iri sh schoolmaster John P. Holland. The cotton gin was invented by that well known attorney and tutor, Eli Whitney. The fire extinguisher was invented by a captain of militia, George Manby. And so on. In fact, a major point made by recent writers about corporate excellence is that innovations in industry almost always come from individuals (not research groups) outside of the area of the invention. General Motors invented Freon, the refrigeration chemical, and tetraethyl lead, the gasoline additive. Kodachrome was invented by two musicians. The continuous steel casting process was invented by a watchmaker (fooling around with brass casting). Soap making chemists turned down the problem of inventing synthetic detergents: those detergents were invented by dye making chemists. In a nutshell, a good mind with a positive attitude and some good problem solving skills will go far in solving any problem. Interest in and commitment to the problem are the keys. Motivationââ¬âa willingness to expend the effortââ¬âis more important than laboratory apparatus. And remember that you can always do something. Even if you cannot totally eradicate the problem from the face of the earth, you can always do something to make the situation better. 4. But Iââ¬â¢m not creative. Everyone is creative to some extent. Most people are capable of very high levels of creativity; just look at young children when they play and imagine. The problem is that this creativity has been suppressed by education. All you need to do is let it come back to the surface. You will soon discover that you are surprisingly creative. 5. Thatââ¬â¢s childish. In our effort to appear always mature and sophisticated, we often ridicule the creative, playful attitudes that marked our younger years. But if you solve a problem that saves your marriage or gets you promoted or keeps your friend from suicide, do you care whether other people describe your route to the solution as ââ¬Å"childish? â⬠Besides, isnââ¬â¢t play a lot of fun? Remember that sometimes people laugh when something is actually funny, but often they laugh when they lack the imagination to understand the situation. 6. What will people think? There is strong social pressure to conform and to be ordinary and not creative. Here are some overheard examples: Creative Person: ââ¬Å"I like to put water in my orange juice so itââ¬â¢s less sweet. â⬠Ordinary Person: ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re weird, you know? â⬠Ordinary Person: ââ¬Å"What are you doing? â⬠Creative Person: ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢re painting our mailbox. â⬠Ordinary Person: ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re crazy. â⬠Creative Person: ââ¬Å"Why donââ¬â¢t we add a little garlic? Ordinary Person: ââ¬Å"Because the recipe doesnââ¬â¢t call for garlic. â⬠Ordinary Person: ââ¬Å"Why are you going this way? Itââ¬â¢s longer. â⬠Creative Person: ââ¬Å"Because I like the drive. â⬠Ordinary Person: ââ¬Å"Did anyone ever tell you youââ¬â¢re strange? â⬠The co nstant emphasis we see in society is toward the ruthlessly practical and conformist. Even the wild fashions, from those in Vogue to punk rock, are narrowly defined, and to deviate from them is considered wrong or ridiculous. Some peoplesââ¬â¢ herd instinct is so strong that they make sheep look like radical individualists. So, what will people think? Well, theyââ¬â¢re already talking about you, saying that your nose is too big or your shoes are funny or you date weird people. So, since others are going to talk about you in unflattering ways anyway, you might as well relax and let your creativity and individualism flow. Almost every famous contributor to the betterment of civilization was ridiculed and sometimes even jailed. Think about Galileo. And look what happened to Jesus. Quotation: ââ¬Å"Progress is made only by those who are strong enough to endure being laughed at. â⬠Solutions are often new ideas, and new ideas, being strange, are usually greeted with laughter, contempt, or both. Thatââ¬â¢s just a fact of life, so make up your mind not to let it bother you. Ridicule should be viewed as a badge of real innovative thinking. 7. I might fail. Thomas Edison, in his search for the perfect filament for the incandescent lamp, tried anything he could think of, including whiskers from a friendââ¬â¢s beard. In all, he tried about 1800 things. After about 1000 attempts, someone asked him if he was frustrated at his lack of success. He said something like, ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ve gained a lot of knowledgeââ¬âI now know a thousand things that wonââ¬â¢t work. â⬠Fear of failure is one of the major obstacles to creativity and problem solving. The cure is to change your attitude about failure. Failures along the way should be expected and accepted; they are simply learning tools that help focus the way toward success. Not only is there nothing wrong with failing, but failing is a sign of action and struggle and attemptââ¬âmuch better than inaction. The go-with-the- flow types may never fail, but they are essentially useless to humanity, nor can they ever enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes after a long struggle. Suppose you let your fear of failure guide your risk taking and your attempts. You try only three things in a year because you are sure of succeeding. At the end of the year the score is: Successes 3, Failures 0. Now suppose the next year you donââ¬â¢t worry about failing, so you try a hundred things. You fail at 70 of them. At the end of the year the score is Successes 30, Failures 70. Which would you rather haveââ¬âthree successes or 30ââ¬âten times as many? And imagine what 70 failures will have taught you. Proverb: Mistakes arenââ¬â¢t fun, but they sure are educational. Myths about Creative Thinking and Problem Solving 1. Every problem has only one solution (or one right answer). The goal of problem solving is to solve the problem, and most problems can be solved in any number of ways. If you discover a solution that works, it is a good solution. There may be other solutions thought of by other people, but that doesnââ¬â¢t make your solution wrong. What is THE solution to putting words on paper? Fountain pen, ball point, pencil, marker, typewriter, printer, Xerox machine, printing press? 2. The best answer/solution/method has already been found. Look at the history of any solution set and youââ¬â¢ll see that improvements, new solutions, new right answers, are always being found. What is the solution to human transportation? The ox or horse, the cart, the wagon, the train, the car, the airplane, the jet, the SST? Is that the best and last? What about pneumatic tubes, hovercraft, even Star Trek type beams? What is the best way to put words on paper? The word processor? Is that the last invention? How about voice recognition, or thought wave input? On a more everyday level, many solutions now seen as best or at least entrenched were put in place hastily and without much thoughtââ¬âsuch as the use of driversââ¬â¢ licenses for ID cards or social security numbers for taxpayer ID numbers. Other solutions are entrenched simply for historical reasons: theyââ¬â¢ve always been done that way. Why do shoe laces still exist, when technology has produced several other, better ways to attach shoes to feet (like velcro, elastic, snap buttons, and so on)? 3. Creative answers are complex technologically. Only a few problems require complex technological solutions. Most problems youââ¬â¢ll meet with require only a thoughtful solution requiring personal action and perhaps a few simple tools. Even many problems that seem to require a technological solution can be addressed in other ways. For example, what is the solution to the large percentage of packages ruined by the Post Office? Look at the Post Office package handling method. Packages are tossed in bins when you send them. For the solution, look at United Parcel. When you send a package, it is put on a shelf. The change from bin to shelf is not a complex or technological solution; itââ¬â¢s just a good idea, using commonly available materials. As another example, when hot dogs were first invented, they were served to customers with gloves to hold them. Unfortunately, the customers kept walking off with the gloves. The olution was not at all complex: serve the hot dog on a roll so that the customerââ¬â¢s fingers were still insulated from the heat. The roll could be eaten along with the dog. No more worries about disappearing gloves. (Note by the way what a good example of changing direction this is. Instead of asking, ââ¬Å"How can I keep the gloves from being taken? â⬠the hot dog server stopped think ing about gloves altogether. ) 4. Ideas either come or they donââ¬â¢t. Nothing will help. There are many successful techniques for stimulating idea generation. We will be discussing and applying them. ________________________________________ _______________________________________ Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking and Problem Solving 1. Prejudice. The older we get, the more preconceived ideas we have about things. These preconceptions often prevent us from seeing beyond what we already know or believe to be possible. They inhibit us from accepting change and progress. Example problem: How to connect sections of airplanes with more ease and strength than using rivets. A modern solution is to use glueââ¬âglue the sections together. We probably wouldnââ¬â¢t think of this solution because of our prejudice about the word and idea of glue. But there are many kinds of glue, and the kind used to stick plane parts together makes a bond stronger than the metal of the parts themselves. Another problem: How can we make lighter weight bullet proof windows? Thicker glass is too heavy. Answer: Use plastic. Again, we are prejudiced against plastic. But some plastics are not flimsy at all and are used in place of steel and in bullet proof windows. Another problem: Make a shipââ¬â¢s hull that wonââ¬â¢t rust or rot like steel or wood. Solution: Use concrete. Our prejudice is that concrete is too heavy. Why not make lightweight concrete? Thatââ¬â¢s whatââ¬â¢s done. Final example: How to divide a piece of cake equally between two kids so they wonââ¬â¢t complain that one kid is preferred over the other: ââ¬Å"You gave him the bigger piece; you like him better! Waaaah! â⬠Solution: Put the kids in charge of dividing the cake. Our prejudice is that immature, selfish kids canââ¬â¢t do the job. But the solution, one cuts the cake, the other has first choice of pieces, works very well. 2. Functional fixation. Sometimes we begin to see an object only in terms of its name rather in terms of what it can do. Thus, we see a mop only as a device for cleaning a floor, and do not think that it might be useful for clearing cobwebs from the ceiling, washing the car, doing aerobic exercise, propping a door open or closed, and so on. (Later on in the semester, we will be doing ââ¬Å"uses forâ⬠to break out of this fixation. ) There is also a functional fixation of businesses. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the railroads saw themselves as railroads. When automobiles and later airplanes began to come in, the railroads didnââ¬â¢t adapt. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s not our business,â⬠they said. But if they had seen themselves as in the people transportation business rather than in the railroad business, they could have capitalized on a great opportunity. Similarly, when the telephone began its rise, some of the telegraph companies said, ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s not our business; weââ¬â¢re telegraph companies. â⬠But if they had said, ââ¬Å"Hey, weââ¬â¢re in the communication business, and hereââ¬â¢s a new way to communicate,â⬠they would have grown rather than died. Compare Western Union to ATT. And have you heard of those big calculator companies Dietzgen or Pickett? No? Well, they were among the biggest makers of slide rules. But when electronic calculators began to rise, they didnââ¬â¢t know what business they were in. They thought they were in the slide rule business, when they were really in the calculator business. They didnââ¬â¢t adapt, they didnââ¬â¢t accept the challenge of change and opportunity, and they fell. And thereââ¬â¢s a functional fixation of people, too. Think a minute how you react when you see your pastor mowing his lawn, or your auto mechanic on a television show promoting a book. Stereotyping can even be a form of functional fixationââ¬âhow many people would laugh at a blonde quoting Aristotle? Too often we permit only a narrow range of attitudes and behaviors in other people, based on bias, prejudice, hasty generalization, or limited past experience. Think of those statements like, ââ¬Å"I canââ¬â¢t believe he said that,â⬠or ââ¬Å"Imagine her doing that,â⬠and so on. But recall the proverb, ââ¬Å"The goal of my life is not to live down to your expectations. â⬠3. Learned helplessness. This is the feeling that you donââ¬â¢t have the tools, knowledge, materials, ability, to do anything, so you might as well not try. We are trained to rely on other people for almost everything. We think small and limit ourselves. But the world can be interacted with. If you are in need of information, there are libraries, bookstores, friends, professors, and, of course, the Internet. And there are also city, county, and state government agencies with addresses and phone numbers and web sites. There are thousands of government agencies that really exist and that will talk to you. Contact the EPA if youââ¬â¢re working on air pollution or pesticides. Get some government publications. Call your state senator or federal congressman for help on bills, information, problems. Contact the manufacturer of a product to find out what you want to know about it. If you are technologically poor, you can learn. Learn how to cook, use tools, make clothes, use a computer. You can learn to do anything you really want to do. All you need is the motivation and commitment. You can learn to fly an airplane, drive a truck, scuba dive, fix a carââ¬âname it. 4. Psychological blocks. Some solutions are not considered or are rejected simply because our reaction to them is ââ¬Å"Yuck. â⬠But icky solutions themselves may be useful or good if they solve a problem well or save your life. Eating lizards and grasshoppers doesnââ¬â¢t sound great, but if it keeps you alive in the wilderness, itââ¬â¢s a good solution. Perhaps more importantly, what at first seem to be icky ideas may lead to better solutionsââ¬âde-ickified analogues of the original. When doctors noted that some unsophisticated natives were using giant ant heads to suture wounds, they imitated this pincer-closing technique by inventing the surgical staple. Psychological blocks prevent you from doing something just because it doesnââ¬â¢t sound good or right, which is a pretty ridiculous thing. Overcoming such blocks can be really beneficial. Navy commandos in Vietnam overcame their blocks and put on womenââ¬â¢s panty hose when they marched through the swamps and jungle. The pantyhose cut down on the friction and rubbing from the plants and aided in removing the dozens of leeches after a mission. Overcoming the block to using your own blood to write a help note could save your life someday if you got kidnapped. Positive Attitudes for Creativity 1. Curiosity. Creative people want to know thingsââ¬âall kinds of thingsââ¬â just to know them. Knowledge does not require a reason. The question, ââ¬Å"Why do you want to know that? â⬠seems strange to the creative person, who is likely to respond, ââ¬Å"Because I donââ¬â¢t know the answer. â⬠Knowledge is enjoyable and often useful in strange and unexpected ways. For example, I was once attempting to repair something, without apparent success, when an onlooker asked testily, ââ¬Å"Do you know what youââ¬â¢re doing? â⬠I replied calmly, ââ¬Å"No, thatââ¬â¢s why Iââ¬â¢m doing it. â⬠Next, knowledge, and especially wide ranging knowledge, is necessary for creativity to flourish to its fullest. Much creativity arises from variations of a known or combinations of two knowns. The best ideas flow from a well equipped mind. Nothing can come from nothing. In addition to knowing, creative people want to know why. What are the reasons behind decisions, problems, solutions, events, facts, and so forth? Why this way and not another? And why not try this or that? The curious personââ¬â¢s questioning attitude toward life is a positive one, not a destructive one reflecting skepticism or negativism. It often seems threatening because too often there is no good reason behind many of the things that are taken for grantedââ¬âthere is no ââ¬Å"whyâ⬠behind the status quo. So ask questions of everyone. Ask the same question of different people just to be able to compare the answers. Look into areas of knowledge youââ¬â¢ve never before explored, whether cloth dying, weather forecasting, food additives, ship building, the U. S. budget, or the toxicity of laundry detergents. 2. Challenge. Curious people like to identify and challenge the assumptions behind ideas, proposals, problems, beliefs, and statements. Many assumptions, of course, turn out to be quite necessary and solid, but many others have been assumed unnecessarily, and in breaking out of those assumptions often comes a new idea, a new path, a new solution. For example, when we think of a college, we traditionally think of a physical campus with classrooms, a library, and some nice trees. But why must college be a place (with congregated students and faculty) at all? Thus, the electronic college now exists, where students ââ¬Å"goâ⬠to college right at home, online. Correspondence courses have existed for years, too, beginning with the challenging of the school-as-centralized-place idea. When we think of an electric motor, we automatically think of a rotating shaft machine. But why assume that? Why canââ¬â¢t an electric motor have a linear output, moving in a straight line rather than a circle? With such a challenged assumption came the linear motor, able to power trains, elevators, slide locks, and so on. Problem: We make brandy, and for this special edition of our finest kind, we want a fully-grown pear in one piece inside each bottle. The bottle is narrow necked. How can we do it? As you think, watch for the assumptions you are making. Possible solutions (assuming fully grown pear): close the neck or bottom after insertion, use a plastic bottle like heat-shrink tubing, change to a wide mouth bottle. If we do not assume a fully grown pear: grow the pear from a bud inside the bottle. 3. Constructive discontent. This is not a whining, griping kind of discontent, but the ability to see a need for improvement and to propose a method of making that improvement. Constructive discontent is a positive, enthusiastic discontent, reflecting the thought, ââ¬Å"Hey, I know a way to make that better. Constructive discontent is necessary for a creative problem solver, for if you are happy with everything the way it is, you wonââ¬â¢t want to change anything. Only when you become discontent with something, when you see a problem, will you want to solve the problem and improve the situation. One of the hallmarks of the constructively discontented person is that of a problem seeking outlook. The more problems you find, the more solutions and therefore improvements you can make. Even previously solved problems can often be solved again, in a better way. A constructively discontent person might think, ââ¬Å"This is an excellent solution, but I wonder if there isnââ¬â¢t another solution that works even better (or costs less, etc). â⬠Another mark of constructive discontent is the enjoyment of challenge. Creative people are eager to test their own limits and the limits of problems, willing to work hard, to persevere and not give up easily. Sometimes the discontent is almost artificialââ¬âthey arenââ¬â¢t really unhappy with the status quo of some area, but they want to find something better just for the challenge of it and the opportunity to improve their own lives and those of others. 4. A belief that most problems can be solved. By faith at first and by experience later on, the creative thinker believes that something can always be done to eliminate or help alleviate almost every problem. Problems are solved by a commitment of time and energy, and where this commitment is present, few things are impossible. The belief in the solvability of problems is especially useful early on in attacking any problem, because many problems at first seem utterly impossible and scare off the fainter hearted. Those who take on the problem with confidence will be the ones most likely to think through or around the impossibility of the problem. . The ability to suspend judgment and criticism. Many new ideas, because they are new and unfamiliar, seem strange, odd, bizarre, even repulsive. Only later do they become ââ¬Å"obviouslyâ⬠great. Other ideas, in their original incarnations, are indeed weird, but they lead to practical, beautiful, elegant things. Thus, it is important for the creative thinker to be able to suspend judgment when new ideas are arriving, to have an optimistic attitude toward ideas in general, and to avoid condemning them with the typical kinds of negative responses like, ââ¬Å"That will never work; thatââ¬â¢s no good; what an idiotic idea; thatââ¬â¢s impossible,â⬠and so forth. Hospital sterilization and antiseptic procedures, television, radio, the Xerox machine, and stainless steel all met with ho-hums and even hostile rejection before their persevering inventors finally sold someone on the ideas. Some of our everyday tools that we now love and use daily, were opposed when they were originally presented: Aluminum cookware? No one wants that. Teflon pans? Theyââ¬â¢ll never sell. Erasers on pencils? That would only encourage carelessness. Computers? Thereââ¬â¢s no market for more than a few, so why build them? Remember then that (1) an idea may begin to look good only after it becomes a bit more familiar or is seen in a slightly different context or clothing or circumstance and (2) even a very wild idea can serve as a stepping stone to a practical, efficient idea. By too quickly bringing your judgment into play, these fragile early ideas and their source can be destroyed. The first rule of brainstorming is to suspend judgment so that your idea-generating powers will be free to create without the restraint of fear or criticism. You can always go back later and examineââ¬âas critically as you wantââ¬âwhat you have thought of. Proverb: ââ¬Å"A crank is a genius whose idea hasnââ¬â¢t yet caught on. â⬠6. Seeing the good in the bad. Creative thinkers, when faced with poor solutions, donââ¬â¢t cast them away. Instead, they ask, ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s good about it? â⬠because there may be something useful even in the worst ideas. And however little that good may be, it might be turned to good effect or made greater. Example problem: How can we get college students to learn grammar better? Solution: Spank their bottoms with a hickory stick. This isnââ¬â¢t a good solution, partly because itââ¬â¢s probably illegal. But should we just toss it out? Why not ask whatââ¬â¢s good about it? 1) it gives individual, attention to the poor performers, (2) it gives them public attention, (3) it motivates other students as well as the student being spanked, (4) itââ¬â¢s easy and costs nothing. The next question is, Can we adapt or incorporate some of these good things into a more acceptable solutio n, whether derivative of the original or not? We easily fall into either/or thinking and believe that a bad solution is bad through and through, in every aspect, when in fact, it may have some good parts we can borrow and use on a good solution, or it may do inappropriately something thatââ¬â¢s worth doing appropriately. And often, the bad solution has just one really glaring bad part, that when remedied, leaves quite a good solution. In the above example, changing the physical spanking to a verbal spanking changes the entire aspect of the solution while keeping all the good points we identified. 7. Problems lead to improvements. The attitude of constructive discontent searches for problems and possible areas of improvement, but many times problems arrive on their own. But such unexpected and perhaps unwanted problems are not necessarily bad, because they often permit solutions that leave the world better than before the problem arose. For example, the first margarine was made from beef fat, milk, water, and chopped cow udder. It wasnââ¬â¢t extremely tasty or healthy. Then about the turn of the century a shortage of beef fat created a problem. What to use? The margarine makers turned to vegetable fats from various plants and the soybean, corn, and sunflower oils they used are still used today. The margarine is healthier and tastes better. Or think about exams or papers. When you donââ¬â¢t do as well as you want, you think, ââ¬Å"Oh no! â⬠But actually, you have a good insight into what you donââ¬â¢t know and still need to learn. You are aware of the geography of your knowledge in a much more detailed form than before the errors showed up. 8. A problem can also be a solution. A fact that one person describes as a problem can sometimes be a solution for someone else. Above we noted that creative thinkers can find good ideas in bad solutions. Creative thinkers also look at problems and ask, ââ¬Å"Is there something good about this problem? â⬠For example, soon after the advent of cyanoacrylate adhesives (super glue), it was noted that if you werenââ¬â¢t careful, you could glue your fingers together with it. This problemââ¬âa permanent skin bondââ¬âwas soon seen as a solution, also. Surgeons in Viet Nam began to use super glue to glue wounds together. Another example, also involving glue: 3M chemists were experimenting with adhesives and accidentally came up with one that was so weak you could peel it right back off. Hold strength, shear strength, all were way below the minimum standards for any self-respecting adhesive. A glue that wonââ¬â¢t hold? Quite a problem. But this problem was also a solution, as you now see in Post-It Notes. 9. Problems are interesting and emotionally acceptable. Many people confront every problem with a shudder and a turn of the head. They donââ¬â¢t even want to admit that a problem existsââ¬âwith their car, their spouse, their child, their job, their house, whatever. As a result, often the problem persists and drives them crazy or rises to a crisis and drives them crazy. Creative people see problems as interesting challenges worth tackling. Problems are not fearful beasts to be feared or loathed; they are worthy opponents to be jousted with and unhorsed. Problem solving is fun, educational, rewarding, ego building, helpful to society. Miscellaneous Good Attitudes 1. Perseverance. Most people fail because they spend only nine minutes on a problem that requires ten minutes to solve. Creativity and problem solving are hard work and require fierce application of time and energy. There is no quick and easy secret. You need knowledge gained by study and research and you must put your knowledge to work by hard thinking and protracted experimentation. Youââ¬â¢ve surely read of the difficulties and setbacks faced by most of the famous inventorsââ¬âhow many filaments Edison tried before he found a working one, how many aircraft designs failed in the attempt to break the sound barrier. But planning to persevere is planning to succeed. 2. A flexible imagination. Creative people are comfortable with imagination and with thinking so-called weird, wild, or unthinkable thoughts, just for the sake of stimulation. During brainstorming or just mental playfulness, all kinds of strange thoughts and ideas can be entertained. And the mind, pragmatist that it is, will probably find something useful in it all. We will look at several examples of this later on. 3. A belief that mistakes are welcome. Modern society has for some reason conceived the idea that the only unforgivable thing is to fail or make a mistake. Actually failure is an opportunity; mistakes show that something is being done. So creative people have come to realize and accept emotionally that making mistakes is no negative biggie. One chief executive of a big American corporation warns all his newly hired managers, ââ¬Å"Make sure you make a reasonable number of mistakes. â⬠Mistakes are educational and can lead to successââ¬âbecause they mean you are doing something. Sir Francis Pettit Smith, one of the early developers of the screw propeller, tried one design in 1836. During the test, half of it broke offââ¬âwhat a failureââ¬âbut then the boat increased in speed substantially, revealing the efficiency of a new design, formed from a mistake. In sum, as Vergil once said, ââ¬Å"They can who think they can. â⬠Having the proper positive attitude about generating new and useful ideas and solving problems is really a large part of the whole process. A few years ago, the pipes in my momââ¬â¢s house had finally rusted through and I was faced with the task of finding a plumber to get a bid. Knowing how much they charge for small repairs, I knew that doing a whole house would cost a fortune. I thought, ââ¬Å"You know, Iââ¬â¢d really like to do this job myself, but I wonder if I can. â⬠My neighbor happened to be around once when I said this, and he said, ââ¬Å"Oh, you can do it. â⬠Just that simple expression gave me the positive attitude I needed to do it. So I did. Characteristics of the Creative Person â⬠¢curious â⬠¢seeks problems â⬠¢enjoys challenge â⬠¢optimistic â⬠¢able to suspend judgment â⬠¢comfortable with imagination â⬠¢sees problems as opportunities â⬠¢sees problems as interesting â⬠¢problems are emotionally acceptable â⬠¢challenges assumptions â⬠¢doesnââ¬â¢t give up easily: perseveres, works hard How to cite Creative Thinking, Papers Creative Thinking Free Essays 1. If you had the power to transform the educational system to more effectively develop critical thinking abilities, what suggestions would you want to see implemented? You should focus on only one level. Draw upon the research and principles presented in Chaffeeââ¬â¢s book and identify the specific processes that you wish to encourage. We will write a custom essay sample on Creative Thinking or any similar topic only for you Order Now If I had the power to transform the educational system to more effectively develop critical thinking abilities, I would start to familiarize children with the concepts as early as possible. In the past when I was growing up, the emphasis for learning was placed largely on memorization. Since then, however, there is a trend toward teaching critical thinking skills in the classroom. These skills emphasize more than memorizing. They emphasize analysis and logic. If I were revamping the education system I would have classrooms begin to teach these concepts as early as kindergarten. ââ¬Å"Being open to new ideas and different viewpoints means being flexible enough to change or modify your ideas in the light of new information or better insight. â⬠(Chaffee p. 56) This would be an important concept to foster in kindergarten because at that age children are still open to new ideas and concepts. To teach them at that age to be open to new ideas would help them when they get older. This would help the child to grow as a thinker. Having children become critical thinkers at an early age can be accomplished by asking questions that have more than one correct answer. This teaches the child that they can answer the question without being afraid of being wrong. Another important method for teaching young children is to have them work in groups. This exposes them to othersââ¬â¢ thoughts and ways of thinking. This is where being flexible comes into play. Young children are naturally flexible in their thinking and open to new ideas. If we emphasize the importance of being flexible at this young age, the child will have an easier time remaining flexible in their thinking and be more open to new ideas later on in life. Even though working in groups is important, encouraging young children to think independently is also important. (Chaffee p. 71) This can be encouraged in a young child by giving them various ideas and having the child arrive at his own thoughtful conclusion. The reason I would start so young is that I feel that the earlier children are exposed to these concepts the earlier they will be able to use a combination of cognitive abilities, basic attitudes nd thinking strategies. These skills enable a person to clarify and better understand the world. (Chaffee p. 71) 2. Imagine that you were born in a different sociocultural context. Describe the factors that would influence your chances of achieving creative breakthroughs. Emphasize whatever domain you feel best reflects your potential. Be sure to also include the cognitive and developmental notions that are discussed by Csikszentimihalyi. For this question I imagined that I was alive during the depression era and was not part of the wealthy class of that time. My domain would be the writing of novels because I have always liked writing stories. The following factors would influence my chance of achieving a creative breakthrough. One factor is exposure. One canââ¬â¢t be creative in a domain without being exposed to it. For example, ââ¬Å"No matter what mathematical gifts a child may have, he or she will not be able to contribute to mathematics without learning its rules. â⬠(Csikszentimihalyi p. 29) What this means is that if I was not able to be exposed to writing, books or famous authors through school, I would not be successful in writing myself. If I donââ¬â¢t learn the rules of grammar and spelling it would be very hard for me to write anything worthwhile that anyone would want to publish. Chance, perseverance or being at the right place at the right time is also important. Conditions might not be favorable for me as a writer during the depression. Times were hard for everyone and everybody was struggling just to put food on the table. There might not be much opportunity for chance no matter how much I persevere. Also, I might not have much energy to put into writing after spending the majority of my time earning enough money to live. No matter how gifted a person is, he or she has no chance to achieve anything creative unless the right conditions are provided by the field. ââ¬Å" (Csikszentimihalyi p. 330) The book gives the example of Michael Jordan and stated that if he ââ¬Å"had been born in a country where basket ball was not practiced, he would not have been able to refine his skills and would not have been recog nized. â⬠(Csikszentinihalyi p. 331) Also, I would need to have hope. If there is no hope to use my skill, I will not be successful. It is extremely difficult to make a living as a successful writer. If I donââ¬â¢t have hope, I will not have much of a chance. One of the most important things I would need is luck. Without luck on my side, my book wonââ¬â¢t ever be read by an editor. One would have to have luck for the publisher to choose my manuscript out of the many they receive. It is very important to be at the right place at the right time. The book gives the example of a painter who made an important contact at a party. Using this example, if I go to a party, I might make an important literary contact which could start my career. If I choose not to attend this party for any reason, I may never meet that contact person and therefore never jump start my career. It is the luck of being at the right place at the right time. Cognitive variables may make me more predisposed to become a writer. I may have more of a strength for writing and less of a strength for math. Writing may come easy to me and if I was exposed early to books, authors and good writing, I may be able to develop this inherited potential. Overall, I feel that it would be extremely hard to become a successful author during the depression unless luck was on my side and I was able to persevere. . The last chapter in Chaffee and the last two chapters in Csikszentimihalyi discuss improving creativity. Analyze the differences and similarities between the two authors on this issue. How does critical thinking facilitate creativity and what else, beyond critical thinking is necessary for creativity to occur. Chaffee states that both thinking critically and creatively are ââ¬Å"two essential and tightly interwoven dimensions of the thinking process. These two forms work as partners to produce effective thinking enabling us to make informed decisions and lead successful lives. Chaffee p. 276) Both Chaffee and Csikszentmihalyi have views on creativity. There are both similarities and differences to these views. Csikszentmihalyi feels you should be be surprised and surprise others frequently while Chaffee feels that a person should expect the unexpected. Both authors agree that the creative person should follow up on ideas that create a spark of interest when they emerge. They also agree that it is best to look at a problem from multiple perspectives and that this can be done by using the confirmation of other people. Csikszentimihalyi suggests the following for improving creativity. First of all he suggests both keeping notes of your interests and having specific goals. He also suggests that a person interested in improving their creativity do things that are enjoyable but also have some challenge to them. Also, by taking charge of your time, being open and focused, allowing time for relaxing and making a space conducive to the creativity you are trying to achieve you will be able to be more creative. Both Chaffee and Csikszentimihalyi feel that establishing a creative environment is important. This would be a physical environment that allows the person to be more creativ Chaffee feels that in order to improve creativity, one should begin by understanding how the creative process works. He also states that by allowing yourself to be absorbed by the task and the more knowledge you have on the subject in which you wish to be creative the more prepared you are to be creative. Chaffee feels that it is also important to stop thinking about the subject and let the subconscious take over. A personââ¬â¢s mind will continue to work on the subject in the background. He also says in his book to become aware of our negative voice which he calls the ââ¬Å"voice of criticismâ⬠. This is a danger to a personââ¬â¢s creativity and the creative person has to learn to recognize the voice of criticism and to ignore it. A person can create a positive voice to put in place of the voice of criticism. When a person thinks of different ways to solve a problem, they are using creative thinking. The evaluating of these alternatives is the critical thinking process. Beyond critical thinking, having the ability to choose freely and decide in what area you choose to be creative facilitates creativity. To exercise genuine freedom, you must possess the insight to understand all of your options and the wisdom to make informed choices. â⬠(Chaffee p. 293) Chaffee goes on to state ââ¬Å"You can learn to redefine your daily life in a new light and enhance its value through free choices derived from thinking critically and creatively. ââ¬Å" (Chaffee p. 293 ) Sources Chaffee, John. Thinking Critically A Concise Guide. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. Print. Csiksentmihalyi, Mihaly. Creativity:Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1996. Print. How to cite Creative Thinking, Papers
Friday, December 6, 2019
Carbon Disclosure Project Of Greenhouse Gas Protocol â⬠Free Samples
Question: Discuss about the Carbon Disclosure Project Of Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Answer: Data Inferential Pearson's coefficient test is a statistical correlation that measures the relationship or statistical association of continuous variables. Pearson is the best method.It is known as the best method of measuring the association between variables of interest because it is based on the method of covariance (Hammill and Pearson, 2017). Pearsons Coefficient was designed to provide researchers with an efficient way for assessment. Hypothesis Testing Whenever we conduct research, we are doing it to clarify our speculation or answer the hypothesis. There are always two hypotheses out of which one must prove right, and other one gets eliminated. Likewise, in this research, we are leading a theory if companies use an internal price of carbon and that will happen if we compare the results with the p-value with the significance value of 0.05. In this Pearson coefficient, the alpha value turns out to be 18.65 which is high than 0.05 which implies that null hypothesis will be rejected. There is a relationship between the two variables. Correlation: H1 and H0= Companies uses an internal price of carbon Standard Error In statistics, we define standard error as an error which digresses from the sample mean. The distance of every data point from the mean is squared, summed and averaged to discover the change. Standard error= 2.16 Standard Deviation Standard deviation is the deviation of the information from its actual mean. It is calculated on the mean. It can get influenced by the extreme high or low values in the data. The difference of every data value from the mean is first squared, summed and after that averaged to discover the deviation. On the off chance that the information point is far from the mean, the higher is the standard deviation. In this paired sample test, the standard deviation turns out to be SD = 18.65, which is high and states that the disclosure scores are far away (in any event roughly 59%) from the normal esteem. Discussion The research project has been done on the subject of whether companies use an internal price of carbon from a legal perspective of the legitimate theory. It was an incredibly fascinating and vital subject of discussion about because carbon emanation is turning into a worldwide issue (Andrew and Cortese, 2011). The convergence of carbon has been expanding after some time and is turning into a matter of concern. At the overall scale, rates of soil CO2 efflux relate out and out with temperature and precipitation; they do not connect well with soil carbon pools, soil nitrogen pools, or soil. Wetlands cover around 3% of the land zone, however, diminish foreseen CO2 surges by just around 1% (Raich and Potter, 1995). Numerous huge ventures are contributing towards it consistently, and in this undertaking, we will assess how their commitments are influencing this carbon changes. The dependent variable was disclosure of internal carbon pricing, and the independent variable was carbon emission . Control variable was administration quality. The theory was to assess if the companies use an internal carbon pricing and do that impact carbon disclosure scores. In this research, we had taken 74 organisations information and analyse their reactions in yes or no towards our examination question. We had taken combined example test as 37 organisations reaction was yes, and rest 37 organisations reaction was no. Both independent and control factors are inspected. Matched example test was directed because we had two examples whose response can be compared with another example response. The outcomes appear that there is a huge connection between the two factors that implies that companies are using an internal carbon pricing. The discoveries of the research uncovered that the legitimacy theory powerfully affects looking at the carbon emission (Hrasky, 2012).The viewpoint of the legitimacy theory is to protect the enthusiasm of their stakeholders by overseeing ethics and qualities (Cooper, 2017). The outcomes indicate given the nearness of the investors; there was a link between the given factors. By subsidising the research association, these organisations are supporting every one of those bussinesses with commitment towards carbon emission and are a piece of voluntary carbon disclosure. The organisations which demonstrate their exposure scores are contributing towards enthusiasm of their speculators and administration about their hazard administration and how they are managing it. What will this data do? This data, maybe, will support trust in their financial specialists about the organisation because the organization had ascertained their hazard efficiently that assistance speculators in choosing any interest in the organisation. If this data is not given to the clients, at that point, they may not be occupied with putting resources into those organizations because the speculators need a higher rate of return for non-exposure of carbon outflow. In a nutshell, organisations who had uncovered their carbon disclosure tend to pull in a higher number of financial investors as a contrast to the firms that give no exposure. Thus, disclosing the environmental performace if benefitial to the organization. Limitations Just 74 organisations are chosen out of 5055 organisations that imply just a smaller sample was taken to close an aftereffect of such a major issue of carbon disclosure. The independent factors are likewise limited as we are taking legitimacy theory which incorporates large gatherings like government, providers, clients, investors (Freedman and Park, 2017). The perceptions are autonomous of each other. The day and time of the investigation were restricted to 3 months which may have influenced the clarification of the exposure. Out of every one of the 74 organizations chosen for this research many them had not given their data implies they had not unveiled their deliberate carbon emission. Assumptions are taken to finish the examination venture. We are accepting the consequence of 74 test organisations and inferring their outcomes as a populace of 5055 organizations. We are additionally expecting the legitimacy theory from investors and corporate administration perspective as it were. Organizations who are revealing their carbon emission are might uncovering their carbon disclosure through different means too. There are different speculations likewise like stakeholder theory and agency theory which can give some clarification; thus, legitimacy theory does not give a restrictive clarification of voluntary carbon disclosure. A further constraint to the investigation is powerlessness to give level with some firms in each gathering like the fund, utilities, social insurance, modern, data innovation and so on. Further, this task is constrained to 2015 disclosure information that implies the outcomes are bound to one-year information instead of a series of the year. Further Research The mission of this research project was to upgrade our insight on carbon emission. There are yet many open doors on this subject on which more point by point study should be possible. In this project, we attempted to present how conclusively associations is wilfully demonstrating their commitment on carbon emanation and how adequately we are utilizing that information in our theory (Legitimacy theory) to discover a few outcomes and demonstrating the hypothesis. A similar research can be replicated in a different area to add to the global resource and understanding of the international status of environmental performance and environmental disclosure. Morover, there are numerous areas on which research can be focussed. For instance, one might opt to determine the finance and how it influences environmental changes. Further studies could focus on how to connect the findings of the study to improve the progressing activities of local businesses. Finally, research has been done on legitimacy theory, and results have been generated, but there are other theories also like stakeholder theory and agency theory which might give different results. Both theories gave a different insight into the topic and had relevancy towards the voluntary carbon emission disclosure. The niche is still available for further research to overcome existing constraints. References Andrew, J., Cortese, C.L., 2011. Carbon disclosures: Comparability, the carbon disclosure project and the greenhouse gas protocol. Australas. Account. Bus. Finance J. 5, 518. Cooper, S., 2017. Corporate social performance: A stakeholder approach. Taylor Francis. Freedman, M., Park, J., 2017. SECs 2010 Release on Climate Change: Shifting from Voluntary to Mandatory Climate Change Disclosure. Soc. Environ. Account. J. 37, 203221. Hammill, D.D., Pearson, N., 2017. A comprehensive test of nonverbal intelligence, in: Handbook of Nonverbal Assessment. Springer, pp. 167184. Hrasky, S., 2012. Visual disclosure strategies adopted by more and less sustainability-driven companies. Presented at the Accounting Forum, Elsevier, pp. 154165. Raich, J.W., Potter, C.S., 1995. Global patterns of carbon dioxide emissions from soils. Glob. Biogeochem. Cycles 9, 2336.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
The Secret World Shopaholic Review Essay Example
The Secret World Shopaholic Review Paper Essay on The Secret World Shopaholic It would seem, can be witty book that begins with a letter and invoice from the bank? But no, can Meet Rebecca Blyumvud, young professional, writing articles about the finances of booklets funds probably handy practice of students in writing essays and other works on abstruse subjects, in which they know nothing about.. But it does not interfere with getting a good score for abstracts))))) Rebecca too damn thing does not understand anything in economy and finance, but it feels like a fish in water, in the London stores. Selfless love shopping (well, as you can indulge in rassprodazhnyh jeans or buy 2 funds from Clarins for divine beauticians with probes lipstick from Clarins do not just hand out) leads her to a financial collapse at the rate of one a personal budget. But the city is full of temptations, and banks so easy to produce a credit card a sin not to use it! And Rebecca enjoys indulging in pleasant trifles, and then gets a nasty dry letter from the bank manager who, without reading it, throws it in the trash We will write a custom essay sample on The Secret World Shopaholic Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Secret World Shopaholic Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Secret World Shopaholic Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer No, honestly, she was trying to save -. But we know how difficult it is, whether to blame her that she could not hold out for a week. on loans problems are growing like a snowball, but the heroine tries to ignore them, to get away from the problem, she runs from his evil genius the banks financial expert, which should discuss the repayment of its debt. But you can not escape from problems, and once in her life bursts into a nightmare her credit card void, exposing to ridicule in front of the store customers As Rebecca has solved this problem, I will not tell spoil the impression of the book . / p> between shopping trips, and presentations with free champagne (but why would they go, just for the sake of champagne?) Rebecca romantic snip off a hefty sum. But if she was not Rebecca, if almost hacked to death at the root of almost began a relationship In general, the book left a pleasant light impression and helped to rethink their attitude to spending -. This does sometimes need to be careful, in spite of marketers.
Monday, November 25, 2019
Brand Identity Development Assignment Example
Brand Identity Development Assignment Example Brand Identity Development ââ¬â Assignment Example The paper "Brand Identity Development" is a wonderful example of an assignment on marketing. These are a brand of human characteristics, which are in most cases attributed to the name of a certain brand. When brand personality is mentioned, it reflects the sense that a consumer/client can easily relate to the brand. Also, it is expected in the business world that a good and effective brand should have the capacity to brand equity, and this can only be achieved by having consistency in a certain set of traits. Apart from the core values of the brand, brand personality comes in as an added value. The elements of brand personality shall be integrated into the paper, and include sincerity, ruggedness, competence, excitement, and sophistication (Amelia 48). Every individual possesses their personality. The personalities can be categorized to five, the openness to experience where the individual is known to appreciate emotion, adventure, art, ideas among other positive attributes. The othe r personality is the conscientiousness, where the person is organized and efficient. Extraversion is a personality portraying energy and zeal and is usually compared to the reserved people who are not outgoing. Agreeableness is a friendly personality that also depicts compassion the last is the neuroticism, where an individual possesses the stability of emotions (Mike, 2013). According to Katharina (9), brand personalities are directly linked to human personality. The above-mentioned attributes are expected to be linked to brand personalities such as excitement and sincerity, so as to achieve the best branding effects. The mood board depicts different images of certain drugs, which are both pain killers and curative in nature. The temporary logo that is to be used is the Vicks symbol which is a symbolization of the entire products on the mood board. The consumer has the impression image, through visuals, of the product that relates to them (Daniel 40).
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Analysis how political processes impact a Canadian industry Term Paper
Analysis how political processes impact a Canadian industry - Term Paper Example Another major contribution of the increased competitive market structure in Canadian shipping industry is the implementation of the 1985 task force recommendations on deep-sea shipping. This government amendment made the Canada shipping industry most competitive compared with other countries as the ship owners were not compelled to pay for taxes also increasing employment opportunities (Johnson 2001). This industry has few customers mainly shippers who are mainly involved with the transportation of bulky goods, the major shippers involved in this industry are importers and exporters who engage on the movement of large quantities of cargo for over long distances. The customers are provided with a highly efficient international network of shipping as the agencies are mostly global carries (Johnson 2001). The products and services of the Canadian shipping industry are mainly the movement of goods and services across Canada and other global countries. The main activity is being shipping service providers where they engage in the provision of shipping and shipping related services, this include shipping services and multimodal services. Shipping services include shipping clearance, extensive vessel containers and container fleets, provision of cargo solutions, crew change services, loading and offloading cargo, provision of warehouse facilities, chartering and brokerage. The agencies in this industry extend their services in providing railway, road and river freight as well as providing services such as container fleet management, special transport services, air freight and supply chain management and turnkey supply-chain solutions. Agencies and firms in this industry engage in tough competition through specialization on the specific products and services that they provide where specific firms and agencies engage on specialized shipping activities which results into having competitive advantage over other players in the industry most of the firms are engaging in spe cialized transport services such as reefer fleet which is the latest trend in the industry involving refrigerated containers which are transported to all the countries worldwide. The industry is considered to be dynamic as the firms compete to offer their various customers innovative and quality services that suit the needs and requirements to achieve full customer satisfaction (Johnson 2001). The growth of shipping industry in Canada is as a result of the consistent prospects for growing knowledge-based industries in Canada. Shipping industry in Canada offers a variety of goods and shipping services which are wholly a spectrum. The most significant aspect of this industry is the existing markets and the global potential markets which are constantly emerging as well as the future markets; this knowledge base has enhanced the potential growth of the opportunities as well as the expected challenges in the shipping industry. With the available types of knowledge bases including machine -readable knowledge bases which has been largely adopted operations that machines are largely involved and the expert information is passed across the industry and the firms focus on putting into practice the acquired knowledge. Secondly widely adopted knowledge base in the Canadian industry is the knowledge base analysis design where this approach allows the firms, agencies and individuals in this industry to carry out analysis and design in which a knowledge base is
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Global & International Business Contexts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 2
Global & International Business Contexts - Essay Example etailers of the world, one can find that the company has more than 2,300 supermarkets & convenience stores and has employee strength of 326,000 people. Tescoââ¬â¢s main business is located in Great Britain, where it is the largest private sector business house in United Kingdom and also has the largest food retail business, has more about 1,900 stores (Tesco, n.d.). In continental part of Europe, Tesco have businesses in Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, the Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, and Turkey. In Asia, this company has business in Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. It also has financial services known as Tesco Financial Services that have 4.6 million customers which is roughly divided into credit card holders and car insurance policy holders. It also has 100-unit Tesco Express chain, due to which the company is ranked as the largest seller of gasoline in United Kingdom. It also has small urban stores known as Tesco Metro and hypermarkets known as Tesco Extra. It is now expanding its business with a TV channel and a "retail based education institutionâ⬠. The SWOT and PESTAL analysis show that Tesco currently has the resourcing capabilities to introduce the baby wear segment in the market and able to implement a market developing strategy built on the success of its stores in the country. Tesco targets the high-end marketing segment with the differentiation strategy. It opts for introducing a segment of baby wear in Sweden, although there numerous stores operating in Sweden. The current report, using PESTLE and SWOT analysis, will analyze Tescos situation in market and that will be a valuable information for the management team to opt for the correct and definite strategies mainly in corporate level and international level which relates to introduce designer baby wear for infants & toddlers in Northern Europe i.e. Sweden. This report shows that how Tesco tend to diversify market and will also handle its own corporate portfolio. Tesco can
Monday, November 18, 2019
Social media Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Social media - Research Paper Example This paper shall seek to explain the manner in which online listening offers productive ways of analyzing the various forms of online engagement which have been overlooked for a long time (Crawford 525). Crawford asserts that online listening can be considered in several contexts. These contexts can be wikis, mailing lists, MUDs, blogs, RSS feeds, among others. Additionally, she says, ââ¬Å"listening has not been given much attention as opposed to speaking-upâ⬠(Crawford 526). In this context, speaking up refers to writing articles or updating of status on the various types of social media. It is a fact that many people write their updates in order to catch up with their friends or inform the public of various issues. Therefore, there is need for the members of the public to read and comprehend what is being updated. This is what ââ¬Ëlisteningââ¬â¢ of social media entails. There are three types of social media listeners, namely; politicians, individuals, and corporations. All the three groups face the need to listen to others by creating a social media presence. In this case, they may create twitter accounts which may give them platforms to listen to other people and be listened to as they interact online. In order to facilitate interactions, they can use the three modes of listening namely: ââ¬Å"background listening, delegated listening, as well as reciprocal listening.â⬠Crawford asserts that twitterââ¬â¢s use as a forum for background listening comes about as a result of the flow of conversations and commentary with few moments of concentration. From this, it is evident that Twitterââ¬â¢s conversations circulate in the background, just like radio. On reciprocal listening, social media I used by several politicians to update their activities, seek for support on policy announcements, among others. For instance, Gordon Brown and Barack O bama have Twitter accounts which they use to communicate to their supporters (Crawford 529). This is
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Factors that lead to employee motivation
Factors that lead to employee motivation Employees are considered as one of the most valuable asset of an organization and they contribute to various activities of an organization. There is a need in every organizational to motivate their employees in order to render organizational commitment of the employees and if an employee is committed toward to an organization than there will be strong desire in an employee to work toward s the goals of an organization and to remain in the organization which will in turn lead to success of the organization. The purpose of this research is to examine and evaluate the factors which motivate the employees. One reason for choosing this topic is that it is an important fact that employees spend a lot of time at work for almost 40 years of their lives therefore it is important that employees should be satisfied with their job and the working environment. Apart from this topic being so interesting and important, there are different theories than can be used to look at motivation from different angles. Reasons for choosing Pepsi Pepsi co has a work oriented approach with highly skilled and knowledgeable employees. Pepsi is a world leader in producing beverages and other consumer product. PepsiCo in Pakistan produces financial rewards for its investors and provide growth opportunities to its employees. The aim of the management of PepsiCo is to build a work force that is motivated and associated with the objectives of the organization. At PepsiCo both financial and non financial practices are undertaken to motivate the employees. My research will focus on the non financial practices for motivation. Project Objectives and research questions: The objective of this research is to understand the factors that motivate employees. Employees not only focus on financial rewards but also non financial rewards and benefits which are responsible for motivation among employees. The objective of this report focuses on the impacts of non financial practices on employee motivation. A smaller part of this report will focus on the financial factors responsible for motivating employees. The main aim of this research is to identify and analyze the factors that motivate the employess using different theories of motivation. Both primary and secondary sources will be used to identify these factors. Primary research will give more detailed and in depth analysis. The main primary question will be: Are PepsiCo employees motivated? What factors lead to employee motivation? How can PepsiCo improve motivation of its employees? The answers to the above three questions will help in identifying and analyzing the areas of strengths and weakness in overall motivation process at PepsiCo. At the end recommendation will be given that how Pepsi can improve and work on their areas of weakness. Overall research approach: To begin with the research first of all I will analyze whether the employees at PepsiCo are motivated or not. I will use results obtained from primary research and secondary sources to do the overall analysis of motivation. Once I have found that employees at PepsiCo are motivated or not I will identify and analyze the factors that are responsible for motivating employees or responsible for their dissatisfaction. The factors that I will use will be based on the theories of motivation I will be using. There is at least one question in the primary research questionnaire for each factor. The questionnaire will ask the participating employees to put in order of importance the factors they consider are most important and will motivate them. The theories that I will be using are: Herzbergs motivation hygiene theory Vrooms expectancy theory From the information that I will obtain from primary and secondary research I will make recommendations to PepsiCo that on which factors they can improve on and which factors they should not focus on as they do not help in motivating employees. Finally in the conclusion I will discuss the overall effectiveness of the motivation process of employees at PepsiCo. Part 2: Sources and methods used for collecting information: The secondary sources that I am using for my research are websites, books and business magazines, whereas primary research will be conducted through a questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed among different employees working at different positions at PepsiCo. The questionnaire has at least one question relating to the factor considered. The participating employees were asked to put in order of importance the factors that the considered are the most important for their motivation. This help me identifying that where PepsiCo is putting its emphasis and on what factors it is not putting much emphasis. Limitations of your information gathering Ethical issues and how they were resolved The main ethical issue concerned was of confidentiality as this report discusses private personal information as well as information about PepsiCo which gives PepsiCo completive advantage. To overcome the issue of confidentiality the surveys are kept anonymous and individual results will not be shown. I am a customer of PepsiCo and I am an admirer of it. However I ensure that my results are not biased in favor of PepsiCo. I made sure that I focused on the factual data for my results. Accounting and/or business techniques and their limitations Motivation is the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behaviour (Princeton, 2010). There are two types of motivation theories, process theories and content theories. According to content theory man has needs which tend to change over time. Man will be motivated when these needs are satisfied. Therefore the theory identifies factors that are needed to be satisfied in order to motivate an individual. Whereas process theories believe that motivation leads to actions which will satisfy an individuals need. Content theory believes thats if needs of an individual are satisfied then he is motivated whereas process theories believe motivation leads to actions that can satisfy needs. There are two types of process theories, expectancy theory and equity theory. According to expectancy theory an individual has to expect that their ability and skill will help them to complete a task which will lead to fulfillment of desired need. Therefore a job design is important. Equity theory analyzes the ratio between an individual input and the expected outcome. An individual input includes his effort, his ability, his training etc where as the expected outcome includes the pay he is getting, his status etc. An individual is de-motivated when he believes that his input to output ratio is not similar to his coworkers in the company. For example if one employees earns à ¢Ã¢â¬Å¡Ã ¬200,000 of revenue for the company in a year and earns an income of à ¢Ã¢â¬Å¡Ã ¬30,000 whereas his coworker who has been at the company for 4 years longer than him earns an income of à ¢Ã¢â¬Å¡Ã ¬40,000 even though he also earns à ¢Ã¢â¬Å¡Ã ¬200,000 of revenue for the company. For my research project the motivation theories I have chosen is one process and one content theory, which are discussed below: Herzbergs Hygiene Motivation theory Frederick Herzberg (1966) was a student of accountants and engineers in Pennsylvania and he identified the two-factor theorem for job satisfaction. He noted that the opposite of satisfaction is not, no satisfaction but is dissatisfaction. Therefore the two factors he indentified ere hygiene factors and motivating factors. The hygiene factors are those which remove job dissatisfaction and motivating factors are those which cause job satisfaction. Hygiene factors are the needs which an employer must provide in order to stop an employees dissatisfaction. Some of the primary hygiene factors are : Company policy Supervision Working conditions Relationship with peers Salary Security These factors are all external and will satisfy human physiological needs. Physiological needs include such as food and shelter etc Whereas motivating factors will satisfy a persons psychological needs and are fundamental. The important motivating factors are: Achievement Recognition Work itself Responsibility Advancement and Growth Motivating factors will not be met until and unless hygiene factors are not met. However if both factors are successful then the employees will be loyal and will be more productive. Now looking at the limitations of the theory: The first limitation this theory has is that it does not see employees as individuals with different personalities. As all human beings have different needs and different wants therefore it is inappropriate to consider that same factors will motivate everybody. The second limitation with this theory is that it assumes that only motivated employees are productive however this may not hold true in some cases. Therefore it can be seen that theory does not consider an individuals ability and his skills. Also at time the managers blame that hygiene factors lead to employees dissatisfaction and they tend to ignore the motivating factors, which may be the main reason for an employees de-motivation. Vrooms Expectancy theory of motivation. Vroom presented the following equation for motivation: Motivation = Valence x Expectancy (Instrumentality) In this equation Valence means the depth of want and expectancy and instrumentality considered the employees perception about his chances of receiving bonus or reward. This theory is based on the employees ability to predict whether he will be able to complete the given task. This ability to predict can be low for tasks which are complex and in such cases the theory will be considered ineffective. Part 3 Results, analysis conclusions and recommendations Are employees at PepsiCo motivated? Interest in task According to the content theories, when an individual is attracted in what they are doing it motivates them to complete the task. According to Herzberg this is an essential factor and therefore is a need to develop this factor in the employees. Therefore it is important to understand that if the need for interest of the employees is satisfied than they will be motivated to work and perform the task successfully. Process theorists also agree that interest fac t is important for motivation bur however according to them, individuals are motivated because they believe that they will get the desired reward. According to Vroom if an individual is interested in their wok and are satisfied with their job then they will believe that they will succeed and they are motivated to work for their success. Hence Interest in task by the employee is an important factor and PepsiCo should give time to it. Graph exp As in the questionnaire question 1 and 2 are about the factor interest in task. The results shows that employees at PepsiCo believe that their work task gives them personal satisfaction as they have answered these questions as agree and strongly agree. None of the employees said that they were dissatisfied with their job, however it is seen from the survey that satisfaction level of some employees need to be improved therefore there is a room for improvement for PepsiCo. Also on the important list of the survey this factor varies from levels 1 to 9, which shows that how different employees view this factors importance. This shows that the result match with Vrooms theory because the employees feel that interest in task does not have a positive relation with skills and ability and the results does not correlate with Herbergs theory which believes that interest in task is a motivator. Recognition Recognition means that you are acknowledged by the other because of your good performance in a task. According to Herzberg recognition is an important intrinsic motivating factor because it gives an employee the feeling of self worth and an employee feels good about himself. If an employee feels good about him and is confident then he will be motivated as well. According to Vroom recognition makes an employee motivated to do the work again as he knows that it will lead to success. Process Theorist believe on larger rewards such as financial bonuses where as Herzbergs theory prefers smaller rewards and frequents recognitions for making one feel good about himself. Graph Working environment According to Herzberg working environment is a hygiene factor that is required to keep away dissatisfaction but it is not a motivator itself. According to Process theories a factor is only motivating if it helps individuals in achieving a specific goal. According to Vroom a working environment is a motivator as it is required to perform a task. This factors shows that how both theories have different conclusions about it. Graph n explanation 4. Relationship with peers According to Herzberg relationships are not needed by individuals as they are an external factor. Content theories don not encourage companies to spend their resources on building relationships among peers. According to Vroom the need for relationship among peers is important depends on whether it is an important factor in achieving success. According to the equity theory motivation depends how individuals sees themselves by comparing himself with the others in the same organization. Graph n explanation Relationship with senior The use of the theories for this factor is alike to the conclusion drawn in the above factor relationships with peers but process theorist would see this factor as a motivating factor because it is important to build relationship with seniors and gain their respect in order to get promotion. Graph n explanation Reasonable expectations from the organization Reasonable expectations mean that a just quantity of work is given by the manager. According to Herzberg this factor is a hygiene factor and not a motivator because unreasonable expectations from the manager will lead to dissatisfaction even if other motivating factors are also present. According to Vroom this is a motivating factor because if they expectations are reasonable the employee will believe that he will be able to succeed and hence will be motivated to perform the task. Graph n explanation Career advancement According to Herzberg career advancement is a motivating factor because it indicates personal growth and the employee who is given growth opportunities and promotions will be motivated to work. According to process theorists career advancement is a motivating factor as long as the individual feels that it is realistic and the expectations for promotion are high. According to Vroom career advancement is a motivating factor as this will lead to employees ability to succeed. Graph n explanation Company Pride Graph n explanation 9. Monetary rewards Graph n explanation 10. Job Security Graph n explanation Sample questionnaire Gender: Male Female Age Length of time working at the company: Less than 1 year 1-3 years 4-6 years 7-10 years More than10 years Department: The numbers indicate the following: 1 Strongly disagree 2 -disagree 3 Neutral 4 -agree 5 Strongly agree My work is interesting. 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree Doing my job fine gives me personal satisfaction. 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree My manager gives me recognition when I do an excellent job. 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree The company has reasonable expectations from its employees. 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree I am satisfied with the working environment 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree There is a feeling of teamwork in the company. 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree The people I work with improve my job satisfaction 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree I respect my manager as a capable professional. 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree My manager treats me with respect. 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree I have satisfactory opportunities for professional growth in this company. 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree I am satisfied with the level of training 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree I am rewarded for the work I perform 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree I would leave the company if I was offered better salary at another company 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree I feel my job is secure 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree I expect to leave the company within the next 12 months 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree I am proud to work for the company. 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree Overall, I am very satisfied with my job at the company. 1 2 3 4 5 . Strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree Put the following in order of importance to you regarding your satisfaction (number 1 most important, 9 Least important, next to each item) Interest in job Recognition Working conditions Relationship with peers Relationship with seniors Reasonable expectations from my manager Career progression Monetary rewards Job Security Other Please state
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