Executive Derailment: The “Dark Side” of Management Essay

According to Lambardo & McCauley (1988), the term derail is when a manager who has the ability and is expected to go higher in an organization is instead fired, demoted, or plateaued below the expected levels of achievement. Derailment is a metaphor for a train coming off its tracks. Shockingly, between 30-50% of high-potential managers and executives derail during their business career. There are shocking similarities between a successful individual’s career and that of one headed towards derailment, so this paper will help us have a better understanding of the derailment process, the signs that it is hitting an individual, and how it can be prevented. There are clear indicators and patterns in a person’s career that point towards this downward spiral called derailment; however, their career starts our very similar to that of a successful person. The individual is usually very bright, holds and outstanding track record, identified early as a â€Å"high potential employee,† personable, ambitious, sacrificial for the organization, has been moved up in authority, and excellent at motivating and organizing. The differences between a successful individual and one headed towards derailment will show up in areas such as track record, interpersonal style, composure, handling of mistakes, and solving problems. For instance, an individual who is intelligent but headed towards derailment may be intellectually arrogant, putting down others whose opinions and ideas may not seem as helpful. Also, they may be a committed and focused person, but they are â€Å"workaholics† and close-minded. Another characteristic is ambition, but the individual may use manipulation to reach their goals. Sometimes, when an individual seems to have so much potential for the company, it is easy to overlook their potential faults. â€Å"These derailers are often noted in advance, but frequently overlooked or forgiven because of the individual’s high potential or because their strengths were highly value.† Denton et. al. (2006). So what does the process of derailment look like in an individual’s career? First, we see an early strength in that individual’s career become a weakness. For example, someone who is driven, focused and experienced may begin to become rigid, narrow-minded and a workaholic. Secondly, often times a deficiency is overlooked during the individual’s time in lower levels of hierarchy eventually begins to become a problem. These flaws may be discovered through different factors. The individual may suddenly have a clash with someone in authority above them, or there may be a boss covering for the individual’s faults who is replaced. Usually problems arise and people are offended, causing an unwanted tension in the workplace, and giving light to the individual’s issue. Third, the individual may suddenly be exposed to extreme and unexpected challenges that they cannot handle. Finally, the success of the individual’s career and potentially a promotion may go to their head, causing an arrogant, disconnected attitude. Around 42% of executive derailment is a result of unethical or fraudulent behavior, 17% is caused by excessive aggression, 14% is caused by poor decision-making skills, 11% by error in judgment , another 11% caused by unreliable and deceptive communications, and a random 5% is caused by other miscellaneous reasons. How do these derailment situations affect the company? First of all, business goals are not met, affecting company morale and decreasing productivity. There are also many expenses put on the company, from recruitment costs, wasted salary, relocation expenses, and replacement costs, derailment not only affects the individual, but also the company. At a lower level of employment, an individual’s derailing characteristics will only affect their immediate organization of function; however, in upper leadership levels, they affect the entire organization and almost everyone involved. It is important to fix a derailment problem in an organization, before it affects the entire company in a negative way. An organization must not be willing to tolerate derailing behaviors, and the executive has to believe that this is the case presently taking place in the company. Most often, there are two options for preventing a derailing situation. First, a company can try to prevent derailment in its early stages. This involves being aware of the characteristics and causes and implementing an early warning system. This system should include feedback, coaching, developmental assignments, exposure to role models and mentors, coursework, and leadership challenges. Another key prevention method is to provide support during major changes in a company and an individual’s part in the organization. A rigorous interview and hiring process should help employers understand individuals and if they have the potential to derail. Also, a company should promote accountability throughout the entire organization in order keep people in constant communication and available to talk. Executive derailment can be seen throughout the business world, in many stories of individuals and executives in companies. Many of these individuals started out extremely successful, but soon found themselves completely self-destructing. This past spring, the chief financial officer of my hometown was arrested and found to have stolen over 53 million dollars from our city over the course of 15-20 years. The city was enraged. This woman was in total power and authority, but she had no one holding her accountable or checking in on her. It was an expensive mistake for our city. Executive derailment affects everyone in a negative way, so it is important to take the necessary steps to prevent derailment in early stages, or completely avoid it in the first place.

Prejudice, Stereotype, and Discrimination Essay

Have you ever gone a day without judging someone? Probably not. It is so easy to judge others without even meaning to do it. In the textbook Education Psychology, Anita Woolfolk describes prejudice as â€Å"prejudgment or irrational generalization about an entire category of people† (Woolfolk, 2008). Prejudice is a major problem in everyday lives. It is happening all around us. Prejudice can be a positive or negative thing. It is usually negative, brings people down, and not all the way true. Discrimination is â€Å"treating or acting unfairly toward particular categories of people†. (Woolfolk, 2008) Conflict Research Consortium says â€Å"Prejudice and discrimination are negative manifestations of integrative power. Instead of bringing or holding people together, prejudice and discrimination push them apart†. (Prejudice and Discrimination, 1998) Prejudices can be judged by race, appearance, gender, values, location, and religion. By about the age of four, children are aware of differences among people, like appearance, language and names. Later they become aware of religious and cultural distinctions. â€Å"Young children will not develop biases unless their parents teach them to be prejudiced. Even without direct coaching from their parents, many young children develop racial prejudice†. (Woolfolk, 2008) It is sad that children are learning about racial prejudice at such a young age. Young children may or may not be aware of the special treatment boys tend to receive from their teachers over girls. They are very much aware that their feelings, opinions and beliefs receive less consideration because of their youth. When children approach adolescence, they become more alert of the subtle prejudices about the differences in social class and religion. Stereotyping is a â€Å"schema that organizes knowledge or perceptions about a category†. (Woolfolk, 2008) It is so hard not to stereotype others. Stereotyping organizes what you know or believe about people into groups. People use stereotypes to make sense of the world. Stereotypes distort information to fit your thinking better. â€Å"Prejudice creates social and emotional tension, can lead to fear and anxiety and occasionally hostility and violence, and can ruin the self-esteem and self-confidence of those being ridiculed and make them feel terrible, unaccepted, and unworthy. Children’s school performance suffers, they may become depressed and socially withdrawn. † (Prejudice, 2007) Prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination have been going on for a long time. African Americans were considered worthless a long time ago. They were used as slaves. There were segregated schools, buses, and stores. In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his speech about whites and blacks should be treated equally. The laws started to change after that point in time. I do not think prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination has gone down. I think it is still a big factor in society. This parenting website I looked at said this â€Å"children are also being exposed to different cultures through the media. They are learning and forming opinions about people and events all over the country and the world. As a result, there is more of a need and opportunity to help children learn to understand and value diversity. † (Prejudice, 2007) Children need to know why people are different and do things differently. Media is still a big part of prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. Children see what actors and actresses wear and how they act in movies. They see the commercials about food (if I eat this, I will look like that). I think as teachers and parents we need be good examples for children today. They should not say bad things about people in front of children. Teachers and parents need to tell children that it is okay to be friends with a person who is different. I found an article on this website that parents have asked some questions about prejudice. Some of the questions are â€Å"Is there prejudice in public schools? Yes. Do educators hold different expectations for minority children? Yes. Are children denied access to advanced or gifted placement classed based on racial biases? Yes. Can the battle against prejudice in public education be successfully fought and won? Yes†. (Prejudice and Discrimination In Public Schools, 2001) I really like the last question, prejudice can be fought and won. It all starts at home, parents are their child’s first teacher. Children see what their parents say and how they act. One example of stereotyping that I thought of was that I did an internship my senior year of high school. I helped a second grade teacher. After a couple of times going into the class, the teacher would always whisper to me about this little girl. She says she never gets anything right, she always has messy hair, she is always talking, and the list went on and on. One Sunday I was at church and I saw that girl. I told my mom what the teacher had told me about that girl. My mom said that she has had a hard couple of months. She told me that the little girl’s mom had left her and her family. I felt really bad for the girl. After that day, I started to recognize the girl. I would say hi to her when I would see her. I did not care what she looked liked. To this day, the girl always comes up to me in church and gives me a hug. â€Å"Stereotyping often results from and leads to prejudice. Prejudice leads to discrimination. Prejudice can be spread by the use of propaganda. Language, particularly slang, is often used to dehumanize members of certain groups of people†. (Grobman, 1990) All three of these judgments go together. It is hard to do one without doing the other two. It is really bad that people rather make judgments about people than getting to know them. People really need to take the time to know the person or group of people before they start making judgments. It is sad that young children are making judgments about people. Parents and teachers need to turn prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination around. It can be fought and won. Works Cited Grobman, G. M. (1990). The Holocaust–A Guide for Teachers. Retrieved November 29, 2009, from A Guide for Teachers Web site: http://remember. org/guide/History. root. stereotypes. html Prejudice. (2007, June). Retrieved November 29, 2009, from American Academy of Pediatrics: http://www. aap. org/publiced/BK5_Prejudice. htm Prejudice and Discrimination. (1998). Retrieved November 29, 2009, from Conflict Research Consortium: http://www. colorado. edu/conflict/peace/problem/prejdisc. htm Prejudice and Discrimination In Public Schools. (2001). Retrieved November 29, 2009, from The Public School Parent’s Network: http://www. psparents. net/Prejudice%20&%20Discrimination. htm Woolfolk, A. (2008). Education Psychology: Active Learning Edition. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

Assignment Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assignment - Math Problem Example The multiple regression analysis helps in examining relationship between one continuous dependent variable with one or more continuous independent variables. The regression analysis uses numeric data for analysis. In the field of public affairs, a researcher usually has to study various variables to quantify effect of one variable to other. In the case researcher does not include other factors affecting a particular variable it would lead to a particular bias known as ‘omitted variable biases. Multiple regression analysis helps in removing this bias by dealing with large number of explanatory variables. The study of these variables helps in asserting hypothesis wrong or vice-versa. This helps in identifying and generalizing the research findings for a larger population. The sample size needs to be sufficient for the analysis. The t-test or ANOVA is used with the data where variables are categorical and continuous. The mean scores of the groups are compared in order to understan d the difference between the groups. In the case of public affair, this analysis helps to test the probability differing two means. The correlation studies help in conducting rigorous research that can be done in order to understanding the nature of relationship between the variables. The correlation study helps in testing the validity of the research. The paired variables are linked with each other. The scatter plot produced to graphically present the correlation of a variable with the help of a linear line. The more is the gap between points from the straight line, the higher will be the weakness of relationship between those two variables. The direction refers to the slope of the scatter point. The variables can be in positive or negative relationship. The difference in one variable will have corresponding changes in the other variable. The positive correlation provides us information about the nature of change towards one another. The negative correlation shows that the change i s opposite direction. The correlation method is an appropriate method to examine the relationship of meaningful data. The data should be quantifiable. The correlation cannot be examined using categorical data. The correlation and regression studies are used for testing hypothesis and determining cause-and-effect relationships. The associated variables are studied for the association and the nature of association. There are various benefits of correlation test. This can help in predicting and helps in validating. This is a reliable method and helps in verifying theory. The Pearson coefficient is used when the variables are continuous. This requires one independent and one dependent variable. For example if there is a need to study the level of awareness of a social-environmental sustainability programs among different genders and its relation with success of program in particular geographic region. The level of awareness and the difference of awareness among the population can be und erstood by the correlation study. The regression analysis will help in identifying if the level of awareness was linked to the level of success of program. The t-test can help in accepting or rejecting the hypothesis that success of progra

A briefing paper on Housing Policy & Finance Outline

A briefing paper on Housing Policy & Finance - Outline Example Other than that, the need to increase the income and bargaining power in order to move on has been hampered by unemployment, special needs, and the least desirable dwellings and areas(Malpass&Murie, 1999). Therefore, in severe times, the system always seems to fail. Of course, the blame can be easily put on the restricted objectives of the social housing. The separated residual housing provision and the dependency of policy on selected Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) can also be mentioned here as it is very faithfully working towards decreasing the private landlord solution and their number has been rising since the deregulation of housing markets in 1988 (Garnett, 2005). The social housing financial policies thus have a sizeable effect on the degree to which government’s policy agenda is supported.Since housing is also taken as a form of market, it holds a very compound supply and demand route. Thus, the government agendais highly affected. This can be said so, because of market closure, as in this area, finance contains only a few big players in credit allocation because the market contains the roles of future values and borrowing which is what this market is paid for, and market volatility, since the buyers and sellers are the only part of the market that is dominating at a given point in time. Certainly, the affect can also be traced to the externalities and uncertainty(Spicker). After the 1988, the social housing construction was seen to be increased in the times of a new financial regime. Since then, many programs have been dependent over the financing that is private in nature so that the public capital subsidies can be aided. The private funds are thus collected from the financial institutions. The data justifies the previous statement by stating that as a housing benefit, rent subsidies have been largely increased. This means that when the government’s

Urban Transport Crisis in New York City and Berlin Essay

Urban Transport Crisis in New York City and Berlin - Essay Example The identification of the problems related with the urban transport policy of the above cities is followed by the presentation of cities which have introduced an effective model of urban transport policy and which could therefore operate as an indicator of the changes that should be made on NY’s and Berlin’s urban transport policies. A general reference to the urban transport policy and its structure in the European area has also be included in order to present issues that should be taken into account when re-designing the urban transport policy of Berlin and New York. Description and general characteristics of urban transport in New York City New York City has adopted and applies a series of programs regarding the urban transport. More specifically, according to the official website [7], the local authorities have tried to resolve current problems regarding the public transportation by proceeding to specific measures, like the provision of seminars on Safety for pedestrians, drivers and bicyclists while the Traffic Safety is also taught in NYC Schools. Specific measures regarding the disabled have also been included in the City’s transport policy. On the other hand an advanced Traveler Information System has been introduced through which City drivers can be informed on the Traffic online through video from various locations in all City’s boroughs [7]. On the other hand, there had been specific provision for the provision of parking throughout the City (and its boroughs) and there is also a relevant guide provided to any interested driver. There are specific measures proposed for the safety in the Subway whic h are presented to the public through a guide published by the City Council.

Define international business and explain how it affects each of us in Essay

Define international business and explain how it affects each of us in our daily activities - Essay Example The great Silk Road was another prominent trade route, which facilitated trade between different countries across Asia and Europe. The present global trade has evolved from ancient practices, where merchants engaged in trade to get profit, while the governments engaged in the trade for the same reasons in addition to expansion of their political influences. Due to the movement of people and services across different countries, international trade affects cultural, social, economic, and political aspects of the countries and the people engaged in the trade (Vadime, 2000). This paper examines international business in context with historical development and its influence on our daily lives. The objective of the earliest trade just like the current international commerce was to satisfy diverse human needs and wants. Because of diverse distribution of resources in different geographical regions, scarcity and availability of goods and services initiated the early trade. People from one re gion exchanged their commodities at their disposal with goods and services from other regions. In this regard, goods and services were exchanged directly without use of currency in transactions called barter trade. One of the earliest challenges that plagued early trade was geographical distances between the source and market of the commodities and services. This resulted to the development of transportation networks, linking all the trading regions involved. Allen, et al (2000) noted that the earliest forms of transport during the early trade were human porters and the use of domesticated animals such as camels and donkeys. According to Francis (2007), domesticated animals enabled early traders to travel long distances and this form of transport made early Arabian traders very successful in the trade. Francis (2007) noted that as early as in the second millennium, Arabs organized trade caravans across the Arabian Peninsula and the Far East. This resulted to the formation of the ear ly trade routes where valuable goods such as silk, precious metals and spices were traded across the regions. Early caravans across long distances were not profitable for trading in cheaper commodities. However, people could travel across shorter distance to exchange cheaper but essential commodities such as food, animals, ornaments and textiles with one another (Francis, 2007). The earliest trade routes were on the land and could not take place across regions isolated by large water bodies (Allen, et al 2000). In addition to geographical limitations of the land routes, many caravans were attacked as they travelled across hostile regions resulting to heavy loss of lives and trade. To ensure the safety of trade routes, Curtis, et al (1999) noted that most traders formed partnerships with people along the routes and in other cases, established empires resorted to military intervention and expanding their territorial boundaries across the region of trade interests. However, the discove ry of water transport in the third millennium solved some of the challenges of land routes, such as insecurity and limitations of the quantity of cargo carried. According to Curtis, et al (1999), maritime trade developed after realization that monsoon winds could be manipulated to propel sea vessels across large geographical regions isolated by water bodies. According to Daniel (2007), the waterways enhanced international trade further by opening up

Visible and invisible techniques in the architecture Essay

Visible and invisible techniques in the architecture - Essay Example Therefore, the idea for use in this case is exploring the unknown to known using visible spaces. According to Blundell- jones, Petrescu & Till (125), spatial boundaries and connection are created by the mind upon conceiving a piece of artworks.   In most cases, space relies on the construction already in place such as a building or the existing natural environment. This is to mean that the idea of using space is not a nouvelle concept in the field of architecture. It is from it that creativity emanated and other ideologies associated with creative construction such as architecture.   When visible and invisible space is used in architecture, it guides in focusing on the right medium since all pieces of art are constructed in space (Blundell- jones, Petrescu & Till 3). It complication comes from the designing stage. It is from the presentation that it will influence the viewers for a given piece of artwork.   Space is a reminder that our experience in real life is spatial in show ing connections that exist; therefore, it is evident that beings and the universe are similar.   Ã‚  According to Blundell- jones, Petrescu & Till (143), the unique aspect about invisible and visible space is that they experience a flow as a form of architecture. They indicate imaginary boundaries, which can be shifted in whatever direction depending on the artists and the viewer for the art works. This technique is commonly used in construction of modern buildings. Usually, space flows by sequencing connections shown by the voids present. in a given piece of construction. Consequently, rhythm and tonal variation are the visible elements when considering the creation of space for a piece in architecture. Therefore, artists intending to be compassionate in their architectural works have no obligation but to utilize space in its visible form in order to express the invisible. In construction, the use of space elements wisely, an architect is not supposed to experience distraction by his/ creation. Instead, they should use the template and the construction

Amazon case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Amazon case study - Essay Example Since July 1995 when it began, Amazon.com has enjoyed a 30 percent increase in business every month. Industry analysts believe the company is grossing up to $12 million a year. This was in spite of the fact that up until recently Amazon.com was not turning a profit. (Horvitz 1997: 37) Bezos believed the power of the Internet lay in continuous communication and word of mouth, which made branding even more important. As a result he chose to name his site after the world’s largest river, believing Amazon.com would become the biggest bookstore in the world. (Stockport & Ivory 2004: 648) He was somewhat mistaken. Now amazon.com has not only become one of the largest bookstores in the world but it is also one of the largest on-line retailers for just about everything both new and used worldwide. As mentioned previously one of the main driving forces for Amazon.com’s strategic intent in the marketplace was to be the biggest provider of goods and services to the largest amount of customers. This required a great deal of planning and certain focus to bring it all together. A central tenet of Amazon.com’s strategy, therefore, had been the customer-focused innovation designed to improve the convenience of the online shopping experience. This had included offering the world’s biggest collection of goods and services in a vast array of categories (Stockport & Ivory 2004: 648) They achieved this by paying very close attention to the needs of their customers and putting in place the strategic technologies and the support services necessary to do so. They completed this strategy but a great deal more was needed in order to keep up with the technological changes that were happening in leaps and bounds as well as keeping pace with the changing marketplace around them. They experienced ‘first mover’ growth between 1994 and 1997, but the competition was soon piling up, companies such as Barnes & Nobel as well as E-bay

Kuder and Major paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Kuder and Major paper - Essay Example Workplace is extremely important to me where everyone’s views are respected with people being supportive to each other. I strongly believe that workplace must be attractive enough so that one can devote maximum time there willingly and not out of compulsion. I would like to earn prestige from my colleagues and seniors through my hard work and commitment and therefore organization should provide me enough leeway to go ahead in my chosen field. That is what precisely I mean by prestige and why it is important to me. I know that I will be able to climb higher ladders in my career path through my zeal and devotion to the work that I willingly choose. So I am not concerned about salary as much as I am bothered about my recognition in the job and that is necessary to have a sense of achievement in my life. While pursuing my high school in Qatar, I was determined to acquire a Bachelors degree from a good university in the US. The variety of subjects in my course provides me a basic and essential understanding about several important disciplines such as management, administration, finance, managerial accounts; banking, general management; knowledge of all these subjects provide me a basic platform to choose from the numerous career paths available to me. Often, I think and work innovatively too; however, I see that ‘innovation’ in work values, in Kuders assessment is registered low. As I said I would prefer to do my work independently without much of the supervision except wherever necessary. From my self-knowledge, I can state that while working at Qatar Petroleum for almost four months, I worked with my colleagues and modified ways so that the total service time to customers got reduced by 25%. I always have a feeling that my work is important to me and I see myself as an important link in the whole chain of process to accomplish a given task. I do recognize that my inefficiency will affect not only the work of others

Roads and Transport Authority Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Roads and Transport Authority - Coursework Example In this regard, the report for indicate information on the following: (1) a list of the main products and services; (2) an identification of the main customers; (3) the purpose and goals of RTA; (4) an analysis of a minimum of 4 external factors and their impact on the business activities of RTA; (5) The structure and at least 4 functions of RTA; (6) an explanation of how these different functions work together within the organisation to optimise performance; and (7) an identification of the culture of the organisation and at least 2 ways this affects operations. The official website of the RTA (2011) revealed that the organization is â€Å"responsible for planning and providing the requirements of transport, roads & traffic in the Emirate of Dubai, and between Dubai and other Emirates of the UAE, neighboring countries in order to provide an effective & an integrated transport system capable of achieving Dubai's vision & serving the vital interests of the Emirate† (RTA, par. 2 ). Since it is a service and governmental organization, its product is the service of providing crucial functions of road safety and effective management for the transport system of Dubai. Its main customers are all commuters and drivers of buses, taxis, inter-city transport, marine, rail, and those affected by traffic and road management and safety. Its mission is to â€Å"prepare legislation and develop integrated solutions of road systems and land/marine transportation networks that are safe and in line with Dubai’s economic development plans and the highest international standards† (RTA: mission, par. 1) with the goal of ensuring safety and smooth transport to all commuters at all times. Since the organization is focused on road safety, the external factors that impact their operations are: (1) environmental (weather conditions and disturbances); (2) political factors (changes in laws and policies); (3) economic conditions (taxes paid by the public, purchasing powe r, rate of infrastructure development); and (4) technological factor (updates on the IT used in systems and procedures in RTA due to external advancement; the condition and status of the vehicles). The official portal of the RTA indicated that â€Å"it is responsible for planning and executing transport and traffic projects in Dubai, preparing legislation and strategic plans, planning and constructing the Dubai Metro, developing other integrated solutions of road systems and marine networks that are safe and in line with the city’s economic development plans and the highest international standards† (RTA: profile, par. 1). The functions of planning, organizing, directing and controlling relevant legislations, rules and policies on road safety and management are crucial to ensure that there is a smooth transition and governance of transport administration. Since the RTA is a governmental organization, the culture, values, beliefs and practices of the Saudi people are man ifested. The flag, king, borders, regions, population, currency, landmarks (Kingdom Center) and food have shaped the lives of this nation. The cultural traditions, values and beliefs helped them stand out as one of the largest and richest countries in the Middle East. Therefore, any celebration of the rich cultural tradition impacts the administration of traffic and road safety in terms of determining the number and route of commuters and vehicles that could possible converge in commercial districts or religious institutions, as the situation warrants. Activity B Given the scenario that one’s Executive Directors are proposing to reduce the size of the HR section, or even close the function completely. One is therefore tasked to write a short report to the Board that supports the retention of the HR

Linguistics and Language Essay Example for Free

Linguistics and Language Essay While bilingualism has always been an object of interest and thorough research for scientists of various fields, mixing languages had been, until the last few decades, cast aside as its defective by-product. However, recent linguistic studies show that intermingling languages should not be considered an ill-conceived overlapping tendency that implies carelessness and a improper use of language, but a linguistic phenomenon with its own intricate rules and purposes. The addition of objectivity towards this subject has enabled linguists to describe in length the downsides and benefits of intermingling languages. None of the pros and cons can be treated with absolute certainty as language mixing itself is often subject to different interpretations. The term ‘intermingling languages’ is sometimes replaced with ‘code switching’ or ‘code mixing’, and the latter two treated as synonyms, although their meaning differs in multiple aspects. Code switching implies that the alternation between languages takes place after longer periods of time. Since code-switch mostly occurs at a clause or sentence boundary, it is referred to as intersential switching. According to the Sridhar brothers (1980) code mixing comprises of changing languages after shorter utterances within a single sentence, and can therefore be considered intrasential. Unlike code switching, it is not accompanied by a shift in speech situation. Code mixing also differs from borrowing, which is a less comprehensive form of using multiple languages in a short period of time. Code mixing, unlike borrowing, is not necessarily caused by a lexical gap in the host language. Neither are the mixed elements limited to a collection of terms accepted by the speech community. The mixed sequences are longer than single words (as is immanent to borrowing), but they are not always assimilated into the base language according to usual grammatical rules. The greatest difference of the two linguistic devices is probably the fact that code mixing is inevitably the result of bilingualism, however, borrowing can also occur in monolingual speech. (Sridhar Sridhar 1980) Despite the availabilty of aforementioned precise definitions numerous studies use code/language switching, mixing and intermingling synonymously without notable deficiency in the results, since these definitions tend to not hold a high level of importance when it comesto analysing the reasons, benefits and downsides of mixing languages. Contrary to popular belief, code mixing is not necessarily a sign of improperly acquired languages or inability to switch from bilingual to monolingual mode. Instead, the contradicticting mixing occurs when the usage of a single language no longer efficiently conveys meaning that is appropriate to a certain situation. According to Crystal (1987 cited in Rezaei Gheitanchian 2008) the benefits of code-switch become apparent when solving communication problems in three types of situations. The most obvious reason for a switch in languages being the difficulty in expressing oneself due to a deficiency in the base language. This shortage of a lexical item may come about because the expressed concept has no equivalent in the culture of the other language, or simply because of a momentary inability to remember said term in the host language. This type of code switching is especially prone to happen when the speaker is upset, tired or distracted in some manner. Work related mixing also falls into the ‘lexical gap’ category. For example, code switching becomes a useful tool when individuals lack the appropriate jargon while speaking about a particular topic. One may mix languages when talking about work because the technical terms associated with work are only known in one language. The second important cause in switching is the wish to ensure social belonging. An individual my want to express solidarity with a particular social group. In this case rapport is established between the speaker and the listener if the latter responds with a similar switch. Code mixing may also be used to exclude people from a conversation: for example, when travelling companions switch to their native language when mentioning things they do not wish to convey to the surrounding people; or when bilingual parents mix languages to keep their monolingual children from understanding private conversations. Thirdly, the reason for switching may be result of the wishing to convey one’s attitude towards the listener. Whereas monolinguals can express attitudes by means of variation in the level of formality in their speech, bilinguals have an extra device in this situation – code switching. When two bilinguals are accustomed to communicating in a fixed language, switching to the other is thought to create a special effect. This idea suggests that code switching can be used as a socio-linguistic tool, that aids bilinguals to emphasise a particular point in a sentence. While these benefits havebeen pointed out only during the last few decades of language studies, the downsides of code switching have always been an emphasised parallel to bilingualism research. The most common allegations have been the inability to fully comprehend either language; delays in thinking, speaking and understanding; language pollution and deterioration. The notion that intermingling languages is a results of insufficient knowledge of either of the languages, their grammatical structures and syntax, can be dismissed with the aid of the Equivalence Constraint by Poplack: â€Å"Codeswitches will tend to occur at points in discourse where juxtaposition of L1, and L2 elements does not violate a syntactic rule of either language, i. e. , at points around which the surface structures of the two languages map onto each other. † (1979 cited in Sridhar Sridhar 1980). This means that when the two languages have very different syntactical rules, the mixing is done in a way that switches occur in those parts of the sentence that allow the presence of a foreign word without causing grammatical discrepancies. However, when this is not possible the following principle of linguistics minimises the incongruity of the situation: â€Å"Dual Structure Principle: the internal structure of the guest constituent need not conform to the constituent structure rules of the host language, so long as its placement in the host sentence obeys the rules of the host language. † (Sridhar Sridhar 1980) Another problem associated with intermingling is the claimed time delay that occurs in switching. However, Gollan and Ferreira (2009) suggest that bilinguals switch languages only when non-dominant language responses are easily accesible and the switching does not occur with the price of accuracy, or if the switches improve accuracy. Furthermore, if the switches are not forced, bilinguals can actually make up for some of the costs linked with language mixing, including the small costs in time. The uncertainties that bilinguals experience when expressing emotions can also be considered a problematic aspect of language mixing. The common belief that emotions conveyd in the mother tongue have the most strength and sincereness, implies that code switching somehow lessens the truthfulness of one’s emotions. In contrast, Grosjean (2008) points out that the notion of bilinguals always expressing their emotions in their first language is a myth. The opposite can be true when a childhood in one language lacked affection or had an abundance of distressing events – in  that case, the second language may be used more often as it has stronger reaffirming emotional tones. Despite the emergence of the previous pattern, there are instances where a person might benefit more from using an emotionally less-dominating language. For example, code switching is sometimes strategically used in psychological counseling. This can be accounted to the usefulness of speaking in a second language when trying to distance oneself from emotional events. Language switching becomes a defence mechanism because of usaging a language that is not associated with such a broad range of emotions (often L2). (Altarriba Santiago Riviera 1994 as cited in Altarriba, Heredia 2001). Language mixing is an important aspect of bilingualism, and a natural occurence the conversations of bilinguals. Some linguists see it as a polluting factor which indicates the lack of language proficiency. This notion is supported by findings alike the apparent delays that switching has shown to occasionally cause in speech formation and comprehension. The claim of language mixing resulting in improper use of syntax has been counteracted with proving the well-formed and grammatically correct unwritten rules of code switching. Therefore, most of the downsides of code mixing have either not found enough proof or are minimised by counteractive processes. Analysing the reasons for language mixing has enabled us to point out its benefits. Intermingling may be induced by a simple lack of a lexical term, the need to build rapport with a fellow bilingual, a wish to restrict the conversation from surrounding monolinguals or the necessity to convey a different tone or opinion towards what is being expressed. When the problemic conditions that triggered code switching are solved this linguistic devices proves its usefulness. Keeping these notions in mind, it is easy to agree with practitioners, who despite some downsides, see language mixing as an inevitable linguistic occurance that enhances communication rather than decreasing its quality. Intermingling strengthens the content and the essence of the message, thus becoming an important social funtion of communicating. References Altarriba, J. and Santiago-Rivera, A. L. 1994. Current perspectives on using linguistic and cultural factors in counseling the Hispanic client. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 25, 388–397. Altarriba, Jeanette and Heredia, Roberto R. 2001. Bilingual Language Mixing: Why Do Bilinguals Code-Switch? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 10: 15, 164-168. Crystal, D. 1987. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. Gollan, Tamara H. and Ferreira, Victor S. 2008. Should I stay or should I switch? A cost-benefit analysis of voluntary language switshing in young and aging bilinguals. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 35: 3, 640-665. Grosjean, Francois. 2008. Studying Bilinguals. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. Poplack, S. 1979. Sometimes I’ll start a sentence in Spanish y termino en Espanol: Toward a typology of codeswitching. Linguistics, 18: 7-8, 581-618. Rezaei, Seyyed Hassan Seyyed and Gheitanchian, Mehrnaz. 2008. E-proceedings of the International Online Language Conference (IOLC), 61-67. Sridhar, S. N. and Sridhar, Kamal K. 1980. The Syntax and Psycholynguistics of Bilingual Code Mixing. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 34: 4, 407-416. | | |

Unitary PLC, Rack-Mounted PLC and Modular PLC

Unitary PLC, Rack-Mounted PLC and Modular PLC Overview Before PLCs were created many industries such as the automobile industry used hundreds of thousands of relays to control their processes. This was very time consuming and expensive, sometimes resulting in a two year change around between different products because electricians would have had to individually rewire every relay to change a production system for a different line of cars etc. Programmable Logic Controllers or PLCs were first designed in 1968 when General Motors decided that a replacement for this type of process was needed. PLCs are designed for multiple inputs and outputs. A PLC is essentially a small computer which is used for mainly industrial purposes but also has other uses. Industrial uses could be: Packaging lines Robots Hydraulic machines Pneumatic machines Other uses could be; Traffic lights Car parking barriers Signalling systems PLC Units There are three types of programmable logic controllers (PLCs). They are Unitary, Modular and Rack mounted. All three types have different features both good and bad which make each type suitable for many different applications. Unitary PLC Design and characteristics A Unitary PLC contains all the features of a basic system in one compact unit, the features include; A power supply. The main module which contains a central processing unit (CPU). The input module. The output module. Unitary PLCs are fitted directly to the component or machine that they are controlling. The advantages of a unitary PLC: They are small and compact. They hold all the basic components in one unit. They allow portable and easy access. They are usually the cheapest type of PLC. The disadvantages of a unitary PLC: They cannot be expanded. If any feature fails then the whole unit has to be replaced. They are very simple and basic. Applications Unitary PLCs can be used for any application that does not require a lot of inputs or outputs. For example a car park barrier, this would not use many inputs/ outputs and would only require a simple program. Modular PLC Design and Characteristics Modular PLCs are a system of modules that can be slotted together to build up a system. The basic modules contain; A power supply. The main module which contains a central processing unit (CPU). The input module. The output module. Other types of module can be attached as well as extra input and output modules to increase the capacity or to cope with changes in hardware system. The advantages of a modular PLC: The amount of input and output terminals can be expanded to cope with any changes to the hardware system. If any feature fails then only that part has to be changed saving on cost. The disadvantages of a modular PLC: They are expensive compared to unitary PLCs. Applications Modular PLCs are useful for applications where there would be a lot of inputs and outputs because more input/output modules can be added if needed. This type of PLC is widely used in the manufacturing industry to control process lines. Rack-Mounted PLC Design and Characteristics The design and characteristics of a rack mounted system are very similar to a modular system however these modules are on standard cards which then slot together into a rack inside a control cabinet. These modules communicate via the rack. The advantages of a rack-mounted PLC: They are easily modified or expanded. They have more I/O points than any other type of PLC. If any feature fails then only that part has to be changed saving on cost. The disadvantages of a rack-mounted PLC: They are usually the most expensive of the three PLCs Applications Like the modular PLC this type of system is widely used in the manufacturing industry. This is mainly because of the amount of input/output points that the system can contain but also because it has the ability to communicate with other networks. Internal Workings of a PLC CPU The CPU- Central Processing Unit acts as the brain of the PLC. It contains a memory unit into which the PLC program is written into. It is basically used to process the information it receives from inputs and carries out instructions to the outputs according to the logic programmed into it. This process is called the scan cycle and it occurs every 5ms. The scan cycle is shown below. (Ref 2) When a program is written on a programming device such as a laptop it is uploaded to the CPU, once it has been uploaded it is then written into the CPUs memory. The programming device can then be disconnected without losing any data from the PLC because the program is now saved into the memory of the CPU. Only the unitary PLC has a CPU built into it, on the modular and rack-mounted PLCs the CPU comes as a separate module. On modular PLCs the CPU would be the first module whereas on rack-mounted PLCs the CPU is governed by the amount of inputs and outputs that are being used. Input and Output Devices In PLCs data is collected from inputs which are connected to the input modules and sent to the CPU, this data is then executed within the program logic and then sent to the output devices via the output modules to perform a specific task. The inputs and outputs are assigned a reference point in the PLC so that they are easily recognisable when programming. An input device is any peripheral piece of hardware that is used to send data information and control signals to any information processing system, in this case the PLC. In terms of PLCs there are two different types of inputs, analogue and digital. An example of an analogue input would be a sensor or transmitter and an example of a digital input would be a switch, push button etc. Inductive proximity sensor An inductive proximity sensor will detect metal surfaces or devices without coming into contact with them. The sensor face is made up of windings from the oscillator. These form an alternating magnetic field around the sensor face called an inductance loop. The inductance of a loop will change if a metal is placed inside it because metals are much more effective inductors than other types of material. Once the inductance loop is altered the change is detected by sensing circuitry which then signals to another device such as a PLC. Capacitive sensor A capacitive sensor will detect any surface or device without coming into contact with it. A capacitive sensor uses an alternating voltage which in turn causes the positions of the charges to continually reverse. This then creates an alternating electric current which is detected by the sensor face. The sensor face is made up of capacitors from the oscillator. The amount of current flow is determined by the capacitance, and the capacitance is determined by the area and proximity of the conductive objects. Therefore the larger and closer the object then the greater the current will be and vice versa. Photo Electric Sensor A photoelectric sensor uses light to operate. When a preset level of light is picked up by the sensor the sensor switches. This type of sensor is used to detect moving objects, for example bottles on a conveyor are detected due to the bottles breaking the line of light. Once the line has been broken the switch signal is fed into the electrical control circuit which provides a corrective action. There are three types of photo electric sensor. These are Reflective, retro-reflective and separate type. Optical Reflective Sensor The light is reflected off the surface of the bottle back to the receiver. Optical Retro-reflective Sensor The light is transmitted and reflects off a reflective surface back to the receiver. Optical Separate Sensor Outputs An output device is basically any device that is controlled via the output module of a PLC. In terms of PLCs there are two different types of outputs, analogue and digital. Analogue devices are devices that the output can be varied. Digital outputs are used to control two state devices, this means that they are either on or off. An example of an analogue output would be motor speed; valve position etc and an example of a digital output would be a relay, solenoid valve etc. Indicators Indicator light The simplest of the PLC outputs, the indicator light simply shows that a certain function has worked correctly, for example if a machine was in run mode then a green indicator light could also be activated to notify operators etc that the machine is running. Indicator buzzer Acts in the same principle as the light but uses sound; it is more effective at alerting someone to a problem especially if that person does not have a line of sight of the machine. For example if there was an error that has caused a machine to stop then the buzzer would sound. Solenoid valve A solenoid valve can be operated electrically and pneumatically. In the case of a normally open 3/2 valve it uses one of these to switch it from off to on. Solenoids are named after the amount of states or ports they have and also what function they do. For example a 3/2 spring return solenoid has 3 ports, 2 states and once it has been deactivated it returns back to its natural position via a spring. The 3/2 valve below is shown in two stages. Stage 1 is where the valve is in its natural state where air is flowing from P (the air supply) to b (the exhaust). Whereas in stage 2 the valve is activated allowing air to flow from P to a where the air is sent to another device for example a cylinder. Stage 1 (Ref 1) Stage 2 (Ref 2) Signalling Signalling refers to the use of signals for controlling communications. Signals can be either digital or analogue. With digital signals the signal is logic therefore it is either a 1 (True) or a 0 (False). With analogue signals the entity is continuous where the signal is constantly varying based on real time. For example the amount of light a sensor receives is an analogue signal because it can be any value within the range that the sensor can pick up. (Ref 1) In some systems both digital and analogue signalling is needed. For example a house phone shares the same network connection as a pc. In this case a device called a modem is used to convert the signal between the two. (Ref 2)http://geekrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/home-network-diagram.gif Networks A PLC must communicate with other devices in order to operate. These devices are connected to the PLC via a network. There are many different types of network such as: Bus Network A bus network is a long cable acting as a backbone which links devices together, the backbone has nodes connected to it via a single line. The signal travels in both directions until they are terminated at either end. The amount of nodes that can be attached however is limited to the strength of the signal. http://www.olson-technology.com/mr_fiber/images/bus_network.gif (Ref 1) LAN- Local Area Network A LAN network is used to connect different hosts in a small area such as an office or a small building. Data is sent in the form of a data packet which includes the address of both the sender and the destination. http://berbagisolusi.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/lanwan11.gif (Ref 1) Programming There are three main types of programming that are used in PLCs. These are; Ladder logic Structured text Functional block Ladder logic Ladder logic is one of the most common styles of PLC programming and it is used in most manufacturing companies. It is called ladder logic simply because the style resembles a ladder as shown below where the two vertical rails are connected by a rung. Rung Rails (Ref 1) It is popular because of its similarity to relay logic which in turn allows most program designers to easily grasp the concept. Ladder logic is written using logic symbols which are shown below and is read from left to right. Ladder logic symbols (Ref 1) Normally open Normally closed Normally open immediate Normally closed immediate NOT Positive transition Negative transition Output Output immediate Set Set immediate Reset Reset immediate Set-dominate bistable Reset-dominate bistable No operation Example of Ladder logic Below is a simple circuit designed to mimic a drilling process where 3 cylinders are used to drill a part. Cylinder a when extended places a part below cylinder b, whilst cylinder c is already extended holding the part securely in place and also preventing the part from falling through the gap below cylinder b. Cylinder b then comes down, drills the part, goes back up and cylinder c retracts allowing the part to fall through the gap. (Ref 1) Cylinder B Cylinder A Cylinder C The ladder diagram for this circuit is shown below. (Ref 1) As can be seen from above the system uses sensors to show whether each cylinder is extended or retracted. This information is then used to activate each cylinder. For example in the first part of the programme which has been highlighted; Relay R1 is activated when the start button is pressed given that the stop button is in the normally closed position. Sensor 5 (S5) is off which is showing that cylinder 3 is extended. When this is off it allows Relay 1 to stay permanently on because one of the contacts from R1 can then complete the circuit and create a latch. R1 is then used to activate solenoid 1(Sol1) to extend cylinder 1 provided that S2 and R4 are off. Structured text Structured text is a text based language that uses statements to define what needs to be executed. Structured text uses statements such as: IF†¦THEN†¦ CASE†¦OF†¦ FOR†¦DO†¦ WHILE†¦DO†¦ REPEAT†¦UNTIL†¦ People who are trained in computer language find structured text easier to understand than ladder logic because they are of a similar format.

Study on understanding research process

Study on understanding research process Research methodology refers to the various sequential steps adopted by a researcher in studying the problem with certain objectives in mind. It is an explanation of the method of systematic and critical investigation into an identified subject of study. With an explanation of the elements in the concept of Research Onion (Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil, 2007) the researcher will describe the steps adopted to do this research. In short we can say that a research methodology is the description, explanation and justification of various methods of conducting research (Sharavanavel, 2006). 3.2. UNDERSTANDING RESEARCH PROCESS The concept of research onion (Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil, 2007) will be used to understand the research process used by the researcher. The main layers in the research onion are research philosophy, research approaches, strategy, choices, time horizon, and techniques and methods of data collection. An explanation of some these elements of research onion will provide the researcher with required knowledge to conduct this study (Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil, 2007). Figure : 3.1 Source: Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil (2007) 3.2.1. RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY A research philosophy is a belief or an idea regarding the collection, interpretation, and analysis of data collected. There are various philosophies are explained in Saunders research onion. The most significant among them are Positivism, Realism, interpretative, Objectivism, Subjectivism, Pragmatism, Functionalist, Interpretative, Radical humanist, Humanist and structuralist (Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil, 2007). Positivism holds reality as stable. An objective view point can be described by this. This philosophy further says that knowledge that are not based on positivism is invalid and blurred (Miller Strang Miller, 2010). Realism is a philosophy that holds scientific approach to development and knowledge . The basic assumption of this philosophy is that which is actually is. It is independent from the belief of the people. There are two types of realism. The one is direct and the other critical realism. From the point of view of a direct realist the world is static and having no change. Critical realism holds change as constant (Buchanam Bryman,2009). In Pragmatism problems are dealt with directly. This philosophy is more interested in results or truth rather than the principles associated with it. (William James, 2009) This philosophy holds that a concept or theoretical principle should be set on the basis of how it works (Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil, 2007). The philosophy adopted by the researcher in this study realism 3.2.2. RESEARCH APPROACHES The second last layer of the research onion of Saunders (Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil, 2007) is research approaches. APPROACHES DEDUCTIVE INDUCTIVE Figure:3.2 Source: Created by the author (2010) There are two types of approaches the Deductive and Inductive (Jonker Pennink, 2009). 3.2.2.1 Deductive Approach It is a journey from general to particular. Here the hypothesis and the theory are checked first and then move to results that are more specific. Here conclusion follows logically from the available facts (Jonker Pennink, 2009). 3.2.2.2 Inductive Approach In this approach an empirical observation takes the researcher to a result. Here specific observations will reach to more generalizations and forming up of theories. It is from specific to general. This method is mainly used in the qualitative research (Myers, 2009). 3.2.2.3 Quantitative Approach Quantitative methods always focus on the numbers and its frequencies. It does not emphasize on the experience and meanings but quantify the data collected. In quantitative approach the data will be subject to rigorous and strict analysis (Kothari, 2008). 3.2.2.4. Qualitative Approach In qualitative Approach the data is collected mainly to describe factors rather than reaching to a statistical inference. It is an unstructured exploratory research method. Here the important factors of character, behavior, attitude, opinion etc are subjectively assessed. (Myers, 2009) Usually qualitative studies are used for explanatory purposes (Kothari, 2008). This research study is a qualitative research with an inductive approach. Here the researcher will look into the specific situation of the nurses in the selected hospital and attempt to move to the generalization of the findings. 3.2.3. RESEARCH STRATEGY The next important layer in the research onion is research strategy. There are various strategies that researchers adopt for a particular research study. In Saunders research onion various research strategies are explained. Some of the strategies are experiment, survey, action research, case study, grounded theory, ethnography and archival research (Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil, 2007). Experimental research is mainly used for the research in physical sciences. It is used to identify the cause effect relationships and verifying inferences. The main features of this technique are isolation of factors, replication of experiment, and quantitative measurement of results (Sharavanavel, 2006). Survey research studies large and small populations by selecting and studying samples chosen from the populations to discover the relative incidence, distribution and interrelations of sociological and psychological variables. This research is mainly used to investigate social and psychological factors (Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil, 2007). Case study is a comprehensive study of a social unit. Here the subject of the study is a person, group, or a social institution. In this research the context is analysed in detail. Real life situations in real life context is analysed and studied (Sharavanavel, 2006). Action research is a study associated with a particular project and problem (Coghlan Brannick, 2009). The objective of this research can be finding immediate solution for a problem faced in a society. Therefore we can say that action research is concerned with actual life. It studies the what, how, and why of actual life. In short it is an attempt to understand the present issues and a help to predict the future changes (Jonker Pennink, 2009). Grounded theory is a qualitative research study. It is mainly used in the social sciences. When the traditional scientific method looks to start the research with a hypothesis this method is adopts the system of going directly into the data collection first. All the data collected are placed in different codes to identify common factors. From the group of these codes then a theory is formed (Charmaz, 2006). Ethnography is a unique qualitative research method. In this study the researcher will stay in the research location. The researcher stays with the population and get a first hand information from the particular culture or group (Murchison, 2009). The final element in the Research strategy is Archival research strategy. It means the entire study will be based on the materials of the study kept in some archives by some other researchers. In this strategy a huge quantity of data is available and so often the data remain uncontrollable. Therefore it is not possible to make casual conclusions on the basis of such types of data (Graham, Towl . Crihton, 2010). In this research the researcher has adopted the strategy of a case study to obtain data from the samples selected. The study will be conducted among the nurses in a single hospital. 3.2.4. CHOICES The next layer in the research onion is Choice. These choices can be divided into Mono method, Mixed method and Multi method. In this researcher adopts one method for his study from various methods of research. In Mixed method the researcher adopts generally two methods such as qualitative or quantitative research methods. In Multi method a number of research methods are brought together to investigate or to make a study (Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil, 2007). In this study of the occupational stress of the nurses the researcher has adopted mixed method and multi method of choice. Yet only the qualitative research method is used here by the researcher to do the studies on the occupational stress among the nurses. 3.2.5. TIME HORIZONES Time Horizons can be indicated as a time target fixed. A time limit is usually fixed for the completion of a task or activity. It refers to a planning or a preparation. Here the time limit for the completion of a research study is explained. There are two types of time horizons. The first one is Cross Sectional and the second is Longitudinal. In Cross sectional study the time is prefixed for the completion a study. In longitudinal no time is limit for the data collection, data analysis, and other completion of the research. Behavioral studies usually conducted in longitudinal methods as it needs a long time for observation (Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil, 2009). In this study of the occupational stress of the nurses the time horizon was cross sectional method that was adopted by the researcher. The time horizon for conducting the research was prefixed and planned. A limited period of time was allotted to the researcher to conduct the data collection for the samples selected. 3.2.6. DATA COLLECTION AND DATA ANALYSIS The most important elements in a research study are data collection and data analysis. A systematically collected data and its proper analysis will answer a research question. It is a technique with a procedure (Bryman Bell, 2007). The reliability and validity of a research is directly applied to the measurement of data (Wood Ross-Kerr, 2010). There are two types of data collected for a systematic analysis for any research. They are Primary Data and Secondary Data (Kumar, 2008). 3.2.6.1.The Primary Data Primary Data refers to that information that are generated first time or that are generated to meet the specific requirements of the investigation at hand. Primary data is collected directly from the respondents or the subjects of experiment (Yin, 2010). Here there is a proper control over the information gathered (Bhattacharyya, 2006). The major disadvantage here is that it is more time consuming. Some times the primary data collection becomes more difficult as the suitable persons or samples are not at hand (Reason Bradbury, 2006). There are various sources of primary data. They are, Questionnaire, Interview Schedules and interviews, Focus groups, Case Studies, Experiments, Observations, Surveys and Discussions (Collrel McKenzie, 2010). The researcher, in this study, has collected the primary source of data by employing interview schedule, and structured questionnaire. The Questionnaire enlists questions, which translate the research objectives into specific questions. The question must also encourage the respondent so that the necessary data is obtained. In this study the researcher has employed both factual as well as opinion and attitude questions. 3.2.6.2. Secondary Data Secondary data is not collected directly from the respondents. Here the data has been collected by some others (Bhattacharyya, 2006).   Ã‚  It can be collection of the review of the primary data. The collection of secondary data is cheap in terms of time and economy. For a comparison of two types of statistics and reaching to an inference secondary data can be very effective. Yet the secondary data can be outdated and can be subjective as it has already evolved in the mind of somebody else. Secondary data can be uncontrollable and vast making it to be inappropriate for a particular purpose (Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil, 2007). There are various sources of secondary data. Books, Journals, News Papers, Reports and publications, Articles in magazines and websites, government statistics, company or organization statistics (Bryman Bell, 2007). In this study to collect the secondary data the researcher will be using various materials pertaining to the topic of the research. A number of books, health related articles, health journals, web pages, hospital statistics and news papers will be used for the collection of secondary data. Data analysis is an important area in the completion of the research (Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil, 2007). There are various techniques to analyse the data collected, such as Frequency Distributions, and Cross Tabulations, Descriptive Statistics, T-Tests and Analysis of Variance, Self Analysis, Regression, Data Reduction or Factor analysis, Cluster and Discriminant Analysis and Hierarchical Liner Modeling etc.(Bernard Ryan, 2009). In this research the researcher has used the self analysis method for the analysis of the data collected. The Data will be analyzed systematically. The information collected will be presented in tables with equivalent charts and diagram wherever required. The researcher also used pie chart and bar diagrams for data analysis. 3.3. RESEARCH DESIGN A research design is an outline of the plan, structure and strategy of the research. This outline specifies the how the research is carried out, what methodology and techniques are adopted for achieving objectives. With out such a logical and systematic plan no scientific study is possible (Myers, 2009). EXPLANATORY EXPOLORATORY DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH DESIGN Figure: 3.3 Source : Created By the Author (2010) The Exploratory study aims at formulation of a new insight into a phenomenon. The Descriptive study aims at portraying accurately the characteristics of a particular group or situation. Explanatory study only and explanation of something happening will be looked into (Pope Mays, 2006). In this study of the occupational stress of the nurses the researcher has used a descriptive design. It enables the researcher to describe or present the picture of the phenomenon under investigation. This design is used in the study to describe the relationship between the occupational stress and the nurses employed in the hospital selected for the study. 3.4. SAMPLES A sample is a smaller representation of a large whole from where it is taken. It is a section of the population selected in such a way that they are the representative of the universe (Kothari, 2008). 3.4.1. Sample Size Sample size is the number of items to be selected from the universe to constitute a sample. For the study here the sample size is 40. 3.4.2. Sampling Techniques It is the selection of a part of an aggregate on the basis of which a judgment about the totality is made. It is the method of selecting some fraction of the total population or target group. This small group will allow judgments to be made about larger groups. Basically there are two types of sampling methods used. They are probability sampling and non probability sampling (Kumar, 2008). Figure: 3.4 Source: Saunders, Lewis, Thomhil, 2009) In research process, there are Probability sampling methods and Non-probability methods used to obtain data from the samples selected. Since this research is carried out among the nurses working in a hospital, the availability of the respondents in the sample population cannot be ensured. Moreover, the researcher employs a couple of associates to collect data and for them time and availability of respondents are crucial. Thus, the researcher has used Non-Probability Convenient method of sampling in which all the members of the sample have equal chances of selection and they have been chosen according to their availability and convenience of the research associates (Offredy Vickers, 2010). 3.5. CONCLUSION The explanation of the research onion helped the researcher to understand the process and different variables of the research. This chapter presents the methodology used by the researcher. The methodology used in this study will is qualitative and inductive. The researcher will also use primary and secondary sources of data to make his analysis and conclusion.

The Internet Market In Kuwait :: essays research papers

Many competitive markets have been appeared in Middle East lately, and specially in Kuwait. The One which I will discuss is the Internet competitive market in Kuwait . Internet has been a great demand in all over the world. In 1992, The ministry of communication in Kuwait provided the internet service. Since there was no community attraction toward the internet, the price of the provided service was pretty high. Since this company was the only one produced a certain market's product, they had inflated the price to the absolute highest cost that people would still pay. Because of that, there was an absolute need for competition. Competition lowers the price because of the competition for costumers. Moreover, the provided service by the only company didn't have the quality that worth its price, like the lines were always busy or even if you get connected to the network the connection speed wouldn't be higher than 2400 bps. Companies were rarely thinking of joining this market, because the number of people demanding this service was unstable, and depending just on the high educated class or the university. Over the last 6 years, the demand of the internet has greatly increased, and many competitive companies showed up to satisfy the consumer's demand. Many companies started to break the monopolization of this market, and the price has been dropped incredibly. Thus, the demand of this market started to raise up again. This competition among companies also raises the quality of the products because if a company put little technology and capital into their output, consumers would not buy from them, rather they would buy from the competition. In my own opinion, the companies would receive better advantages if they made a special discount for students. The Internet Market In Kuwait :: essays research papers Many competitive markets have been appeared in Middle East lately, and specially in Kuwait. The One which I will discuss is the Internet competitive market in Kuwait . Internet has been a great demand in all over the world. In 1992, The ministry of communication in Kuwait provided the internet service. Since there was no community attraction toward the internet, the price of the provided service was pretty high. Since this company was the only one produced a certain market's product, they had inflated the price to the absolute highest cost that people would still pay. Because of that, there was an absolute need for competition. Competition lowers the price because of the competition for costumers. Moreover, the provided service by the only company didn't have the quality that worth its price, like the lines were always busy or even if you get connected to the network the connection speed wouldn't be higher than 2400 bps. Companies were rarely thinking of joining this market, because the number of people demanding this service was unstable, and depending just on the high educated class or the university. Over the last 6 years, the demand of the internet has greatly increased, and many competitive companies showed up to satisfy the consumer's demand. Many companies started to break the monopolization of this market, and the price has been dropped incredibly. Thus, the demand of this market started to raise up again. This competition among companies also raises the quality of the products because if a company put little technology and capital into their output, consumers would not buy from them, rather they would buy from the competition. In my own opinion, the companies would receive better advantages if they made a special discount for students.

Analysis of Nothings changed by Tatmkhulu Afrika :: essays research papers

The poem Nothing’s changed is based on an apartheid in district six near cape town in south Africa exploring the portrayal of racism. The ironic title reveals to the reader how the apartheid has changed nothing but the physical appearance of district six. The poet gives the reader the impression that the speaker in the poem has grown up throughout his childhood in district six and has left and returned after the apartheid has supposedly begun. The poem is written in enjambment and is said as a narrative, in stanza one the speaker has returned to district six that has evicted all its ethnic cultures to be replaced by a white minority, to find that the place is a shambles and people have no respect for it he talks about the â€Å"seeding grasses thrust bearded seeds into trouser cuffs, cans, trodden on† this shows how littered it has become, the fact he mentions it shows the reader it did not use to be like that. Also the mention of the â€Å"purple-flowering amiable weeds†, purple being the colour known for dried blood implies to the reader that some sort of massacre went on throughout the apartheid, and amiable meaning sociable and friendly as a mask over what is really going on in the village. The overall emotion in the poem is revengeful and tragic, however the emotion from the speaker is anger and repulsion towards the white minority and the way they have took over the black’s home, he is aware that he has entered district six without any acknowledgement towards his surrounding, the way he says â€Å"District six.† As a short sentence sounds cold but built up with anger, he knows where he is and he doesn’t particularly want to be there.† No board says it: but my feet know,† this gives the impression he has steps on this ground many times before for his own feel to be aware of its surroundings, â€Å"and the skin about my bones, and the soft labouring of my lungs, and the hot, white, inward turning anger of my eyes.† The repetition of â€Å"and† makes the wording like a list and makes out the speaker has endless bad feelings towards this environment. Afrika then talks about the new buildings that have emerged since he has been gone to illustrate the diverse condition between the two social cultures within his society. He talks about the new building â€Å"flaring like a flag† as if it is taunting him, â€Å"it squats in the grass and weeds,† this gives the reader a horrible impression of the place but also implies the building stand out of its surrounds, it doesn’t belong there. Analysis of Nothing's changed by Tatmkhulu Afrika :: essays research papers The poem Nothing’s changed is based on an apartheid in district six near cape town in south Africa exploring the portrayal of racism. The ironic title reveals to the reader how the apartheid has changed nothing but the physical appearance of district six. The poet gives the reader the impression that the speaker in the poem has grown up throughout his childhood in district six and has left and returned after the apartheid has supposedly begun. The poem is written in enjambment and is said as a narrative, in stanza one the speaker has returned to district six that has evicted all its ethnic cultures to be replaced by a white minority, to find that the place is a shambles and people have no respect for it he talks about the â€Å"seeding grasses thrust bearded seeds into trouser cuffs, cans, trodden on† this shows how littered it has become, the fact he mentions it shows the reader it did not use to be like that. Also the mention of the â€Å"purple-flowering amiable weeds†, purple being the colour known for dried blood implies to the reader that some sort of massacre went on throughout the apartheid, and amiable meaning sociable and friendly as a mask over what is really going on in the village. The overall emotion in the poem is revengeful and tragic, however the emotion from the speaker is anger and repulsion towards the white minority and the way they have took over the black’s home, he is aware that he has entered district six without any acknowledgement towards his surrounding, the way he says â€Å"District six.† As a short sentence sounds cold but built up with anger, he knows where he is and he doesn’t particularly want to be there.† No board says it: but my feet know,† this gives the impression he has steps on this ground many times before for his own feel to be aware of its surroundings, â€Å"and the skin about my bones, and the soft labouring of my lungs, and the hot, white, inward turning anger of my eyes.† The repetition of â€Å"and† makes the wording like a list and makes out the speaker has endless bad feelings towards this environment. Afrika then talks about the new buildings that have emerged since he has been gone to illustrate the diverse condition between the two social cultures within his society. He talks about the new building â€Å"flaring like a flag† as if it is taunting him, â€Å"it squats in the grass and weeds,† this gives the reader a horrible impression of the place but also implies the building stand out of its surrounds, it doesn’t belong there.

effects of television on children :: essays research papers

THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBES THE TERMS ON WHICH EBAY OFFERS YOU ACCESS TO OUR SERVICES. Welcome to eBay Inc.'s User Agreement. This Agreement describes the terms and conditions applicable to your use of our services at http://www.ebay.com and our general principles of our International affiliates. If you have any questions, please refer to our User Agreement Frequently Asked Questions at (http://pages.ebay.com/help/basics/f-agreement.html) or our User Agreement Revision Frequently Asked Questions at (http://pages.ebay.com/help/basics/uarevision1-faq.html). We may amend this Agreement at any time by posting the amended terms on our site. Except as stated below, all amended terms shall automatically be effective 30 days after we initially post them on our site. This Agreement may not be otherwise amended except in writing signed by you and eBay Inc. This agreement is effective on March 21st, 2001 for new registering users, and is otherwise effective on May 15th, 2001 for all users registered prior to March 21st, 2001. 1. Membership Eligibility. Our services are available only to individuals who can form legally binding contracts under applicable law. Without limiting the foregoing, our services are not available to minors or to temporarily or indefinitely suspended eBay members. If you do not qualify, please do not use our services. Further, your eBay account (including feedback) and User Id may not be transferred or sold to another party. 2. Fees and Services. Joining and bidding on items at eBay is free. Our Fees and Credits Policy is available (at http://pages.ebay.com/help/sellerguide/selling-fees.html) and is incorporated by reference. We may change our Fees and Credits Policy and the fees for our services from time to time. Our changes to the policy are effective after we provide you with at least fourteen (14) days' notice of the changes by posting the changes on the announcements board. However, we may choose to temporarily change our Fees and Credits Policy and the fees for our services for promotional events (for example, free listing days) and such changes are effective when we post the temporary promotional event on the announcements board. When you list an item you have an opportunity to review and accept the fees that you will be charged for the use of our listing services. We may in our sole discretion change some or all of our services at any time. In the event we introduce a new service, the fees for that service are effect ive at the launch of the service. Unless otherwise stated, all fees are quoted in U. effects of television on children :: essays research papers THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBES THE TERMS ON WHICH EBAY OFFERS YOU ACCESS TO OUR SERVICES. Welcome to eBay Inc.'s User Agreement. This Agreement describes the terms and conditions applicable to your use of our services at http://www.ebay.com and our general principles of our International affiliates. If you have any questions, please refer to our User Agreement Frequently Asked Questions at (http://pages.ebay.com/help/basics/f-agreement.html) or our User Agreement Revision Frequently Asked Questions at (http://pages.ebay.com/help/basics/uarevision1-faq.html). We may amend this Agreement at any time by posting the amended terms on our site. Except as stated below, all amended terms shall automatically be effective 30 days after we initially post them on our site. This Agreement may not be otherwise amended except in writing signed by you and eBay Inc. This agreement is effective on March 21st, 2001 for new registering users, and is otherwise effective on May 15th, 2001 for all users registered prior to March 21st, 2001. 1. Membership Eligibility. Our services are available only to individuals who can form legally binding contracts under applicable law. Without limiting the foregoing, our services are not available to minors or to temporarily or indefinitely suspended eBay members. If you do not qualify, please do not use our services. Further, your eBay account (including feedback) and User Id may not be transferred or sold to another party. 2. Fees and Services. Joining and bidding on items at eBay is free. Our Fees and Credits Policy is available (at http://pages.ebay.com/help/sellerguide/selling-fees.html) and is incorporated by reference. We may change our Fees and Credits Policy and the fees for our services from time to time. Our changes to the policy are effective after we provide you with at least fourteen (14) days' notice of the changes by posting the changes on the announcements board. However, we may choose to temporarily change our Fees and Credits Policy and the fees for our services for promotional events (for example, free listing days) and such changes are effective when we post the temporary promotional event on the announcements board. When you list an item you have an opportunity to review and accept the fees that you will be charged for the use of our listing services. We may in our sole discretion change some or all of our services at any time. In the event we introduce a new service, the fees for that service are effect ive at the launch of the service. Unless otherwise stated, all fees are quoted in U.

Akbar the Great Mughul Emperor

Akbar: The Great Mughal Akbar's Education and Education Akbar short for Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar also known as Akbar â€Å"The Great† was born on October 11, 1542 to the 2nd Moghul emperor â€Å"Humayun† and Hamida Banu Begam. His mother was a Persian Shi’ Muslim and â€Å"the daughter of a famous Persian scholar who served his youngest uncle, Hindal, as a civil servant† (Moujloum Khan, 172). His birth came at â€Å"an astrologically propitious hour. The unique pear l of the vice regency of God came forth in his glory,’ wrote Abu-l-Fazl, ‘and at his birth the first opening of his eyes on the visible world, rejoiced the hearts of the wise with a sweet smile’† (Andre Wink 7). It was a very auspicious time to be brought to this world and his everyone rejoiced, as it is a sign of wisdom to be born with the eyes open on the stars. In addition he was born at time when his father Humayun was struggling with maintaining his power and expanding his empire even prior to his birth.Humayun’s father Babar, the founder of the Mughal Empire, had left the empire’s administration unstable and unorganized therefore Humayun had to face many problems soon after his father’s death as the successor of the empire. First he had to take action against the aggression of his biggest rival Sher Shah, founder of the Suri dynasty, to regain his power. He was then forced to flee for from time to time to Persian and Sindh and that is where he met Akbar’s mother.In addition Humayun’s rebellious and treacherous brothers Mirza Kamranm, Askari and Hindul were plotting against him and contributed immensely in his defeat and banishing by the Afghans, therefore he took military action against them and as a result he subdued them and took back Lahore, Punjab, Delhi and Agra, and reclaimed his power. After years of attempting to get his kingdom back, Humayun finally was able to get back his rule but not for to o long. When Akbar was only 13 years old, his father died of an unfortunate accident in the palace while rushing to answer the call to prayer.The sudden turn of events changed Akbar’s life and he was suddenly thrust into an empire in jeopardy. * Akbar was born at an adverse political period, which prevented him from attaining a proper education. When he was just a year and three months he was separated from his parents. The royal couple fled to Hijaz to preform pilgrimage and to solicit support from the emperor of Persia in order to regain control of Hindustan leaving baby Akbar with his uncle Askari. He was then taken to Qandahar where his uncle’s wife, Sultan Begam, took him in and raised him for a short period.In 1944, about a year after being separated from his parents, Akbar’s father Humayun returned to Qandahar with Persian auxiliary troops and took control while Akbar was taken to Kabul where he was to be handed over to Khazanda Begam, a sister of the lat e emperor Babur. He was a very fortunate little boy as his caretaker was very fond of him and took him in as her own son. Soon after his father-captured Kabul, Akbar was reunited with his parents after being away from them for more than two years.This period of time is known to be â€Å"the beginning of the beating of the drum of victory and conquest of His majesty† (Wink 9). Since the beginning of his life, Akbar did not have a proper home as his family was on the run from one place to another and he was deprived of formal education. For this reason he remained unlettered and he â€Å"failed to gain proficiency in literacy† (Moujloum Khan, 172). At the age of none he was given governance of the village of Carkh and just a year later when his uncle Hindal died he was given charge of his servants and entourage.As one could see that Akbar was given great responsibility despite his young age, which prepared him for his reign after his fathers demise. It is said that this great responsibility was given to him so â€Å"that his greatness might be tested†¦ [and] that all might know his abilities, and also that he might have practice in the art of rule† (Wink, 10). When Akbar was twelve years old, his father succeeded in the re-conquest of Hindustan and ordered that the conquest be inscribed in Akbar’s name â€Å"indicating thereby that Akbar was nominally in command of the entire campaign† (Wink, 10).After the great occurrence of reclaiming Hindustan, Akbar was sent to Sirhind in the Panjab where he was given a tutor to educate about Indian manners and customs and â€Å"who brought the Indians after the unique age† (Wink, 10). By surrounding himself with other educated people Akbar did not only learn about the customs and manners of India but he also grasped and mastered an extensive variety of objects including philosophy, art, history, religion and poetry without great efforts.He proved himself to be an intelligent pe rson with a sharp intellect and a prodigious memory. He is described â€Å"as a man of excellent judgment and good memory who had attained a considerable erudition in many fields by listening to others, †¦[and] no one who did not know that he was illiterate would suppose him to be anything but very learned and erudite† (Wink, 14). Through constant communication In addition to his intellectual abilities, he was also well trained in all aspects of political military and civil affair.When his father established himself on the imperial throne in 1555, Akbar just like his forefathers was trained in archery, horse riding, wrestling and swordsmanship, which prepared him for the battlefield. As his grandfather at the age of twelve, the first Mughal emperor, and his father Humayun at the age of eleven, Akbar went to on his first military operation when he was only thirteen. He was instructed by his father to prepare a safe route from Kabul through the Punjab and â€Å"keep the r emaining Afghans at bay in the northern hills† (Wink, 11).Also while he was in Punjab, Akbar took the opportunity and acquired skills in artillery by the finest available Ottoman tutor, Rumi Khan. Akbar also attained skills in drawing with prominent Persian artists and in learning the Hindi language as well. When he was about fifteen or sixteen while in his 3rd year of kingship, he was started diving into Sufi mystical writings like that of Hafiz. He was put in an educative program that taught refinement of character, Qur’an, historical knowledge and poetry.Notwithstanding his illiteracy Akbar was well rounded, intelligent and most certainly a person with a sharp intellect and prodigious memory. He later son Jahangir writes about him in his memoirs saying: â€Å"My father always associated with the learned of India, and although he was illiterate, so much became clear to him through constant intercourse with the learned and the wise, and in his conversations with them, that no one knew him to be illiterate, and he was so acquainted with the niceties of prose and verse composition that this deficiency was not thought of† (Tuzuk, I, 33).Akbar's Military history * Humayun’s death meant many things to the Mughal empire and especially Akbar; he was to succeed his father and step to the throne as the emperor of a troubled land. Akbar came to power at a fairly young age and it seems that it did not stop him from making military judgments as a result of his extensive military and practical training when he was younger.At the start of his journey as a ruler, â€Å"he instigated military in order to regain the lost territories, and thereby restore political stability, social peace and security across the Mughal dominion† (Moujloum Khan, 173). He was operating under Bairan Khan, his civil servant and regent, who trained him in all aspects of governance to prepare him in succeeding his father as the ruler of the Mughal dynasty. By general agreement he was far too young to rule autonomously so on that account Bairan Kahn who also assisted his father Humayun when he was ruling operated over him.Under his supervision and stewardship, Akbar â€Å"took action against all remaining rebellious governors and sultans, before winning a decisive victory at Panipat in 1556, where he inflicted a c rushing defeat on Hemu, his most powerful Hindu rival, who at the time ruled both Delhi and Agra†(Moujloum Khan, 173). Despite the Hemu’s strength and history in battlefields, Akbar was not intimidated and marched fearlessly into the battlefield with his army and overpowered his adversaries’ forces.As Bairan khan’s influence grew, he started to take advantage of his role in making decisions without Akbar’s consent and became a liability as opposed to a benefit to the Mughal Empire. He was heavy-handed when it came to military tactics. Six years into his role an emperor under his authoritative guide an d mentor, Akbar had enough of him and dismissed him and sent him to Mecca to preform the sacred pilgrimage. Akbar was only eighteen when he became fully-fledged and responsible for the political and military affairs of his empire.His decision enabled him to think for himself and to make decisive actions in consolidating the empire. He was keen to expand the empire further onto the bordering countries and then battled with them in order to gain new territories. His intent in conquering other lands was not only to expand the empire but only to liberate the oppressed from tyranny. Abul-al-Fazl writes: â€Å"In conquering countries and cities his first thought is to inquire into and sympathize with the condition of the oppressed† (Wink, 21).In 1568 he marched with his military to the lands of Rajasthan in response to the Rajput’s threatens against the Mughal empire. Despite their resistance they were eventually defeated due to Akbar’s superior military force. After he succeeded in capturing Rajasthan, his next target was the state of Gujarat. It was an important commercial city in a prominent location with prosperous ports and coastal resorts. For this reason, Akbar took the stance in capturing it and sett off with his military forces as soon as he received the news of riots in the capital of Gujarat, Ahmedabad, in just over a week covering six hundred miles en route.He was effective in his planning and military strategies and captured the province without conflict and hence joined his empire with the Arabian Sea, which opened up a naval route to the rest of the world. To him expanding the empire did not just mean more land but also joining and uniting a people. After he annexed Gujarat, he went to the wealthy northern Indian in Bengal, Kabul, and the beautiful basin of Kashmir, Orissa, Sind and Baluchistan and captured them all in a matter of less than 20 years.His achievements in conquering lands are astonishing and how he managed to establi sh his authority in the Mughal Empire throughout Northern India is an astounding accomplishment that many rulers would not be able to triumph as he did. According to his son Jahangir Akbar â€Å"passed his days his nights in wakefulness and slept little in the day†¦He counted his wakefulness at night as so much added to his life. His courage and boldness were such that he could mount raging, rutting elephants, and subdue murderous elephants† (Moujloum Khan, 174).As a tactical and strategic leader, Akbar was well aware that without employing and developing an effective civil and political governmental system it would not be possible to unite and strengthen the territories. He was resolute to transform his empire especially because he did not want the history to repeat itself from when the Mughal Empire was disintegrated. He had to come up with a long-term plan and increase the growth of the financial treasury. He also knew that he could reform his empire without winning t he hearts and minds of his people-Muslims and Hindus alike.This meant promoting dialogue between the two prominent religions that is Islam and Hinduism in the subjects of religion and culture. * He â€Å"hoped to establish lasting political stability, social solidarity and cultural understanding and tolerance throughout Mughal India. In order to achieve this objective, Akbar reformed the existing Mughal political and administrative structure which depended heavily on the goodwill and support of the wealthy, independent feudal chiefs to function effectively†(Moujloum Khan, 174).To prevent economic corruption, political disarrangement and social dissatisfaction, Akbar assigned regional administrators who were fairly responsible and reliable for overseeing the affairs of their own provinces and frequently reported to him. He subsequently went out of his way and created ties with the influential Hindu groups. The Rajputs, who were one of the most influential Hindu groups shortly, joined the Mughal Empire’s political, military and civil services.This approach that Akbar took in forging alliances was very affective because it ensured that Muslims and Hindus work together in running the administration of the Mughal Empire. Both the Muslims and the Hindus came together to â€Å"consolidate Mughal political power and authority across India. Thus politically speaking, Akbar’s efforts to unite Muslims Hindus proved a success† (Moujloum Khan, 174). Akbar and Religion * In addition to uniting the Hindus and the Muslims together in the civil, political and civic realm, but Akbar was rather ineffective when he tried to harmonize Islam and Hinduism.Islam and Hinduism are two very different religions; Islam on one hand preaches the absolute oness of God while Hinduism the worship of multiple gods. Islam considers the association of god with other deities’ disbelief. The two religions are more completely opposed to one another than any other m ajor world religion. There is no doubt that Akbar’s intention to bring the two groups together is a praiseworthy and admirable intention but his approach to inter-faith discourse proved both heavy-handed and impulsive. Akbar was reacting to the constant conflicts and disagreements that have been occurring between the two groups.He and â€Å"his advisors began to explore ways in which they * could end these bitter conflicts by emphasizing the common elements between the two faiths, rather than focus on the differences; this eventually inspired them to create a religious synthesis by combining aspects of Islamic mysticism and Hindu philosophy. But, fat from uniting the two rival religious factions, this only served to make matters worse, because both orthodox Muslims and Hindus considered Akbar’s religious eclecticism very offensive† (Moujloum Khan, 175).Unfortunately both Hindus and Muslims alike labeled him as a heretic and a freethinker because of his views on religious tolerance. Despite these accusations, Akbar was a devout Muslim who prayed his five daily prayers and was very much afraid of displeasing god with the choices he made. His idea to join the religions was highly questionable hence it was contradictory to the Shariah. In the beginning of his reign, Akbar reformed many laws that were highly problematic from an Islamic point of view although it was done in respect of other religions.For example, the abolishment of non-shariah trade and market taxes and the taxes that were â€Å"imposed on certain Hindu pilgrimage, normally associated with fairs; †¦but he also forbade the questionable jizyah tax on dhimmi non-Muslims throughout his reign† †(Marshall G. S. Hodgson, 71). Because of the reforms he has made, it appears that it did not matter to Akbar whether the reforms he made were contradicting the shariah as long as they were acknowledging people from other faiths especially the Hindus.He also banned the slaught ering of animals on certain days of the year and in areas that are deemed sacred to the Hindus. He disallowed child marriages, which was a common practice among the Hindus and the Muslims and the Hindu forced practice of widows that burnt themselves alongside their husbands’ corpses unless it was voluntary by the widows. It was not an easy task for him to do because some people would not submit and let go of their traditions but he was very patient very patient with them.To support other faiths he contributed financially† to the building of temples of other faiths. In this way he put practice into a universalist orientation in religion itself, which formed an important component of the interconfessional cultural climate of the court†(Hodgson, 72). To further take the idea of having a universalist orientation Akbar organized, Akbar was very interested in religion, especially Islam therefore he organized â€Å"a house of worship† where Muslim scholars various points of view could gather to dispute and discuss their respective faiths and claims.In order to consolidate his power, Akbar introduced a series of reforms of religious beliefs. Besides his strong belief in the holy Qur’an, he also believed all the other faiths were true and that there is a way to bring unity of all the faiths. This became the basis of his new â€Å"religious synthesis, namely din-i-ilahi (or the Devine Religion†), which as expected, was vigorously opposed by both orthodox Muslims and Hindus†(Moujloum Khan, 175). It was a dedicated to a universalist outlook, moral purity and personal devotion.This was indeed a questionable and controversial religious matter because it was a deviation from Islamic dogma. Akbar was told by one of his devotees, Abul al-Fazl, that he was a spiritual leader and he was responsible of his people’s lives and the source of sorting out the common truth by uniting the world religions. This was a continuation of hi s past project when he established the â€Å"house of god† where people from different faiths could debate at his court, as it did not work out because the intolerant Jesuits who wanted to convert.Akbar was a devout Muslim and he always cared about pleasing god, it is said that he â€Å"would spend whole * Nights in religious discussion. ‘ And from a feeling of thankfulness for his past successes he would sit many a morning alone in prayer and meditation on a large flat stone of an old building which lay near the palace in a lonely spot, with his head over his chest, gathering the bliss of the early hours of dawn’†(Wink, 97). Although his new religion was meant to synthesize and consolidate the world’s religions into one it was predominately based on Islam.The main dogma of din-i-illahi is that the world is a creation of God and is a unified and single place, which manifests the unity and ones of God. In addition to the fundamental beliefs of the â €Å"Divine Religion†, Akbar derived from Zoroastrianism sun worship and the idea of kingship and from Jainism the care and respect of all living things. This is obviously contradictory to Islam and the Ulama were very disturbed and considered it as â€Å"outright heresy† (Unity of Religions). * Conclusion As a leader, Akbar was determined, tolerant, ruthless and dedicated to his empire. He not only expanded his empire but also established political stability, promoted economic prosperity and reformed the civic administration that his forefathers worked for but also built one of the most beautiful and breathtaking monuments ever built in the Islamic civilization. Although he was illiterate, he managed to hold stimulating political and religious intellectual discussions.He was also very fond of poetry especially Persian poetry. The Mughal Empire became one â€Å" of the most influential political and military powers of the time. And having once fallen out with his only surviving so, Salim (Emperor Jahangir), Akbar became reconciled with him just before his death; he died at the age of sixty-three†(Moujloum Khan, 175). He was buried in Sirkandra in a mausoleum that he had prepared for himself before his demise west of Agra, India. * * * Works CitedAkbar, the great Mughal: his new policy and his new religion. Delhi: Aakar Books, 2009. Print. Bedi, P. S.. The Mughal nobility under Akbar. Jalandhar: ABS * Publications :, 1985. Print. Khan, Muhammad Mojlum. Muslim 100: the lives, thoughts and achievements of the most influential Muslims in history. Leicestershire: Kube, 2008. Print. Lal, Muni. Akbar. New Delhi: Vikas, 1980. Print. Malleson, G. B.. Akbar and the rise of the Mughal empire,. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1890.Print. Srivastava, Ashirbadi Lal. Akbar the Great. Agra: Shiva Lal Agarwala, 1967. Print. * Akbar. Oxford: Oneworld, 2009. Print. * â€Å"THE LIGHT OF TRUTH For the Respect and Honour of Islam. † Unity of * Religions . N. p. , 2 Oct. 2004. Web. 20 May 2012. *