Brazil Will Eventually Become Economic Powerhouse Essay

Currently, Brazil with its population hitting 186. 6 million has the ninth largest economy in the world (Jaeger, p. 2). Since the beginning of the 21st century the country has been enjoying a well-established economic stability, low inflation, high productivity rates and developing macro-economic infrastructure. Currently, Brazilian economic indexes are gradually improving in their dynamics, though some of them still remain on the average level for Latin American region. In particular, GDP growth in 2006 was hardly over 3% (Estevao). Since the middle of the last century Brazil was expected to develop shortly into â€Å"the world’s next economic power. † However due to two-decade long economic stagnation and financial crises in the mid-1980s Brazil has lost its positions and fell short of expectations regarding its economic development, especially in comparison with rapidly progressing economies of the countries in Asian region, such as China, Taiwan or South Korea, etc. (Adrogue, Cerisola & Gelos, p. 3). Nevertheless, in the 1990s a series of well-planned governmental policies were implemented and Brazilian economy went through a number of structural economic changes, which allowed achieving certain stability, especially on macro-economic level. Therefore, country’s inflation was taken under control, external debt was considerably decreased, and numerous measures directed on reformation of financial infrastructure, liberalization of trade, achieving price stability and stimulating general economic growth were undertaken (Jaeger, p. 5-6). This way the country managed to improve its international image and gain a reputation of â€Å"trustworthy† nation again. As a result, since recent times Brazil has been receiving a lot of private investments. Foreign investors are attracted by high return of their funds and relatively low risks. Such significant factors, as good demographic situation in the country, high interest rates, stable political situation and prudent governmental policies regarding overseas trade, created absolutely favorable environment for foreign businessmen, who intend to invest their funds and start their businesses in Brazil. Good investment climate and economic stability are not the only factors determining future rise of Brazilian economy. In addition to that, Brazil is very rich with various natural resources. Those are, first of all, huge territories of arable lands available for cultivation of a great variety of crops. Moreover, there are large mineral and plant resources including iron, copper and even gold, which have not been even properly explored yet. That is why there are great opportunities for different industrial and agricultural companies in Brazil. Undoubtedly, there are some problems which require immediate attention and solution in order to fasten economic development and achieve high levels of social wellbeing. Those include corrupted educational system and problems with human capital, insufficient financial and fiscal systems, poverty and income disparities, etc. Certainly, such reforms are hard to implement within some short period of time, therefore, positive transformations are expected to become effective gradually. Nevertheless, modern Brazil can be called the â€Å"country of the future† with its huge national market, cheap working power, abundance of natural resources, and many other factors determining a large long-term economic potential of the country (Jaeger, p. 2). Great economic stability and openness, steady increase in manufacturing and consumption, establishment of new international trade connections and other fundamentals will definitely contribute greatly to future prosperity and economic power of the country. Works Cited: Estevao, Marcello. â€Å"Brazil Seeks to Unlock Economic Potential. † International Monetary Fund. 26 Feb. 2007. 25 Nov. 2007 . Jaeger, Marcus. Brazil: Economic scenarios for the next 15 years. Ed. Maria L. Lanzeni. Deutsche Bank Research. Frankfurt Am Main: Deutsche Bank AG, 2006 Adrogue, Richardo, Martin Cerisola and Gaston Gelos. Brazil’s Long-Term Growth Performance -Trying to Explain the Puzzle. International Monetary Fund, unpublished manuscript, December 2006.

Detection and Differentiation of Tomato Cell Death Essay

The lesions, yellowing, abnormal growth, and drying of tomato leaves at the early stage of the plant affect its fruit bearing. This phenomenon is ascribed to cell death which caused primarily of either â€Å"programmed cell death† or as consequences of the plant’s spontaneous response with pathological agents. Although cell death is an integral part of the plant’s development, extraneous loss of the cell results to the aforementioned consequences. Thus, proper regulation of cell death must be done. Since apoptosis and necrosis can possibly occur in plants, the determination of the type of cell death is crucial in the identification of the appropriate technique for its regulation. In this study, sterilized Solanum lycopersicoides seeds will be germinated at 25  °C culture laboratory. Prior to experimentation, the generated cells will be washed and a two-millimolar pyruvate will be added for ATP production. Then, the cells will be exposed to 2. 5 micromolar of oligomycin for ATP depletion. Also, to limit energy generation to cytosolic ATP production cell will be incubated in the 5 millimolar glucose with 2. 5 micromolar oligomycin. After this, cells will be incubated with staurosporine. Meanwhile, the cell death will be analyzed with respect to morphological criteria, intracellular proteolysis, and DNA fragmentation through conventional agarose gel electrophorosis or field inverted gel electrophoresis. While death detection of the cell will be done by means of Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay, ATP measurement will be done through luminometry. Moreover, phosphatidyl serine traslocation analysis will be done by means of Annexin-V-FLUOS technique to be followed by confocal microscopy and fluorescent-activated cell sorting. Detection and Differentiation of Tomato Cell Death Introduction The term â€Å"apoptosis† was derived from a Greek word which literally corresponds to â€Å"falling off† or â€Å"dropping off†, as analogous to abscission to signify cell death as integral part of every organism’s life cycle (Gewies, 2003). In the mid-nineteenth century, it has been noted that cell death occurs in parallel with physiological functions for every multi-cellular organism (Gewies, 2003). In connection to this, in 1964, expert postulated that cell death occurs not accidentally, but rather in a controlled sequence of steps (Gewies, 2003). Meanwhile, cell death is classified either as apoptosis or necrosis based on morphological and biochemical changes undergone by the cell (Schulze-Osthoff, 2008). As such, plasma membrane of the cell may suffer necrosis due to extreme physiological conditions like hypothermia and hypertonic environment (Schulze-Osthoff, 2008). This plasma membrane damage can also be induced by pathological agents and viruses. On the other hand, the cell can incur apoptosis even at normal physiological conditions, thus, often called as â€Å"programmed cell death† or â€Å"cellular suicide† (Schulze-Osthoff, 2008). The â€Å"programmed cell death† involves intricate biochemical processes; pathogens and environmental stresses attack every cell by means of chemical signals. For example, death signals can be originated from malfunction in DNA repair mechanism, cytotoxic drug treatment, ligation of cell surface receptors, and irradiation (Gewies, 2003). In relation to this, plant responses to inhibit pathogenic growth and disease development by means of protective genes activation which in turn, through chemical reactions, kills the infected cells. The cellular death process then is directed by specific signals and independent biochemical processes in every cell (Dickman, Park, Oltersdorf, Li, Clemente, and French, 2001). Hence, understanding the intricacy of cell death requires an intensive knowledge on chemical principles behind apoptotic or necrotic process. Literature Review Apoptosis, on the basis of pathological and physiological conditions, serves a crucial role in the development of multicellular organisms and regulates cell populations in different tissues (Gewies, 2003). Apoptotic processes direct biological processes such as elimination of harmful cells, differentiation, immune system regulation, and homoeostasis (Gewies, 2003). Hence, apoptotic program dysfunction may lead to pathological conditions like viral infections, cancer, and even AIDS (Gewies, 2003). On the other hand, necrosis occurs when the cell’s inability to regulate homeostasis led to the passage of extraneous water and cellular ions into the cell which results to swelling and lysis (Schulze-Osthoff, 2008). As a consequence, the organelles are then exposed to the extracellular fluid. In contrast, apoptosis may arise even at normal cell condition or tissue homeostasis (Schulze-Osthoff, 2008). This involves chromatin accumulation, cytoplasmic and nuclear condensations, cytoplasm and nucleus transformation into apoptotic bodies that encapsulate nuclear material, ribosomes, and mitochondria (Schulze-Osthoff, 2008). While in vivo necrosis results to damaged tissues causing inflammation, the apoptotic bodies formed by in vivo apoptosis are engulped by adjacent ephitelial cells or macrophages (Schulze-Osthoff, 2008). Conversely, the apoptotic bodies formed by in vitro apoptosis undergo â€Å"secondary necrosis† or final swelling and bursting (Schulze-Osthoff, 2008). Every human body has an estimated 1014 cells that are in continuous progress (Schulze-Osthoff, 2008). In fact, hundreds of thousands cells are generated through mitosis in every second but almost equal number suffers apoptosis due to specific tasks and homeostasis regulation (Gewies, 2003). For instance, the elimination of the tail, and the separation of fingers and toes of a tadpole during its metamorphosis are all attributed to cell death (Schulze-Osthoff, 2008). In addition, newly formed or perilous lymphocytes are destroyed through cell death (Schulze-Osthoff, 2008). Furthermore, programmed cell death or PCD has been observed in variety of species such as in mammals, metazoans, nematodes, insects, cnidaria, plants, and even in unicellular organisms (Gewies, 2003). Thus, cell death is scientifically viewed as essential in the functionality maintenance of an organism. Even though plants have the capability to protect themselves from pathogenic invaders through cell death, viral pestilence and antibiotic stressors, most often, are the cause of loss in tomato harvest (Xu, Rogers, and Roossink, 2004). As defensive response, cell death occurs only in the infected sites or termed as hypersensitive response (Morel and Dangl, 1997). Other means of plants’ defense are through cell wall reinforcement, phytoalexin synthesis, and defense-related genes activation (Kazan, Murray, Goulter, Llewellyn, and Manners, 1998). In hypersensitive response, the pathogen is restricted to a specific part of the plant through localized necrotic reactions (Taliansky, Ryabov, Robinson, and Palukaitis, 1998). Significance Researches showed that at some points PCD of plants and animals is similar. As such, jus like animal cells, plant cells generate apoptotic bodies during apoptosis (Greenberg, 1996). Also, DNA fragmentation is both observed in plants and animals apoptosis (Greenberg, 1996). Moreover, antiapoptotic gene, homologous to dad 1, in animal cells was also detected in plant cells (Greenberg, 1996). However, despite these similarities, differences were also noted. For instance, unlike animal cells, plant cells do not exhibit phagocytotic characteristics. In fact, dead cells of the plants may still perform important functions for the whole architectural organization of the plant (Greenberg, 1996). Hence, further exploration on the nature of PCD in plants should be done to gain an intensive understanding on the underpinning principles behind plant cell death. Similarly, yellowing, abnormal growth, and drying of tomato leaves at the early stage of the plant directly affect its photosynthetic activities. These observations are ascribed to cell death which caused primarily of either â€Å"programmed cell death† or as consequences of the plant’s spontaneous response with pathological agents (Greenberg, 1996). Although cell death is an integral part of the plant’s development, extraneous loss of the cell results to the aforementioned consequences. Thus, proper regulation of cell death must be done. Since apoptosis and necrosis can possibly occur in plants, the determination of the type of cell death is crucial in the identification of the appropriate technique for its regulation. Therefore, it is an imperative to determine the possible type of death, under specific physiological conditions, experienced by tomato cells in order to employ the appropriate intervention in regulating cell death. Experimental Design Sterilized Solanum lycopersicoides seeds will be germinated at 25  °C culture laboratory (Leist, Single, Castoldi, Kuhnle, and Nicotera, 1997). Prior to experimentation, the generated cells will be washed and in the absence of glucose, a two-millimolar pyruvate will be added for ATP production (Leist, Single, Castoldi, Kuhnle, and Nicotera, 1997). Then, the cells will be exposed to 2. 5 micromolar of oligomycin for ATP depletion. Also, to limit energy generation to cytosolic ATP production cell will be incubated in the 5 millimolar glucose and 2. 5 micromolar oligomycin concoctions (Leist, Single, Castoldi, Kuhnle, and Nicotera, 1997). After this, cells will be incubated with staurosporine or STS, a cell death inducer. Meanwhile, the cell death will be analyzed with respect to morphological criteria, intracellular proteolysis, and DNA fragmentation through conventional agarose gel electrophoresis or field inverted gel electrophoresis (Leist, Single, Castoldi, Kuhnle, and Nicotera, 1997). While death detection of the cell will be done by means of Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay or ELISA of Roche Technology, ATP measurement will be done through luminometrical technology of Boehringer Mannheim Biochemicals (Leist, Single, Castoldi, Kuhnle, and Nicotera, 1997). Moreover, phosphatidyl serine or PS traslocation analysis will be done by means of Annexin-V-FLUOS technique to be followed by confocal microscopy and fluorescent-activated cell sorting or FACS analysis (Leist, Single, Castoldi, Kuhnle, and Nicotera, 1997). Cell Death Detection and Differentiation The following instrumental techniques will be utilized in this study for the detection of tomato cell death, and for the apoptotic and necrotic death differentiation. Agarose Gel Electrophoresis of Nucleic Acids Nucleic acids are nucleotide polymers joined by diester bonds of the sugar units (Devor, 2005). These linkages between nucleotides give a negative overall charge to the nucleic acid polymer. Molecules with net electrical charges move predictably under electrical field. Hence, when nucleic acids are subjected to semi-solid gel matrix, they move toward the positive pole (Devor, 2005). In an agarose matrix, the mobility of nucleic acids can be formulated by treating its viscosity as gel density with respect to its entire length (Devor, 2005). This migration is then expressed as a negative exponential function of the radius of nucleic acid (Devor, 2005). ELISAPLUS Cell Death Detection ELISAPLUS is a one-step colorimetric technique of detecting cell death. It can differentiate necrosis from apoptosis with relative quantification (Roche Applied Science, 2007). This can be done without cell staining. ELISAPLUS can be utilized for culture supernatants, plasma, lysates, and serum (Roche Applied Science, 2007). About three hours after induced apoptosis, histone-complexed DNA fragments can be detected through immunochemical method (Roche Applied Science, 2007). On the other hand, the histone-complexed DNA fragments are determined directly in the culture supernatant (Roche Applied Science, 2007). Annexin-V-FLUOS Annexin-V-FLUOS, employed for microscopic and cytometric analysis, is done by means of direct fluorescence staining (Roche Applied Science, 2007). This technique can differentiate necrotic from apoptotic cells and typically used for apoptotic detection of membrane-altered cells especialy in PS-translocation (Roche Applied Science, 2007). In line with this, freshly isolated cells and suspension or adherent cell lines are the appropriate samples for this test (Roche Applied Science, 2007). As such, the PS of the cell surface and necrotic cells are stained by FLUOS or green dye and Annexin-V-Alexa or red dye respectively (Roche Applied Science, 2007). Lastly, about 15 minutes after induced apoptosis, determination test is already done (Roche Applied Science, 2007). References Devor, E. J. (2005). IDTutorial: Gel Electrophoresis. Integrated DNA Technologies. Retrieved March 6, 2009, from http://www. idtdna. com/Support/Technical/TechnicalBulletinPDF/Gel_Electrophoresis. pdf Dickman, M. B. , Park, Y. K. , Oltersdorf, T. , Li, W. , Clemente, T. and French, R. (2001). Abrogation of Disease Development in Plants Expressing Animal Antiapoptotic Genes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 19, 12, 6957-6962. Gewies, A. (2003). Introduction to Apoptosis. Apo Review. Retrieved March 6, 2009, from http://www. celldeath. de/encyclo/aporev/apointro. pdf Greenberg, J. T. (1996). Programmed Cell Death: A Way of Life for Plants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 93, 12094-12097. Kazan, K. , Murray, F. R. , Goulter, K. C. , Llewellyn, D. J. and Manners, J. M. (1998). Induction of Cell Death in Transgenic Plants Expressing a Fungal Glucose Oxidase. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 11, 6, 555-562. Leist, M. , Single, B. , Castoldi, A. F. , Kuhnle, S. , and Nicotera P. (1997) Intracellular ATP Concentration: A Switch Deciding Between Apoptosis and Necrosis. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 185, 1481–1486. Morel, J. B. and Dangl, J. L. (1997). The Hypersensitive Response and the Induction of Cell Death in Plants. Cell Death and Differentiation, 4, 671-683. Roche Applied Science. (2007). Apoptosis, Cell Death and Cell Proliferation, 3rd ed. Mannheim, Germany: Roche Diagnostics GmbH. Schulze-Osthoff, K. (2008). Apoptosis, Cell Death and Cell Proliferation, 4th ed. Roche Applied Science. Mannheim, Germany: Roche Diagnostics GmbH. Taliansky, M. E. , Ryabov, E. V. , Robinson, D. J. and Palukaitis, P. (1998). Tomato Cell Death Mediated by Complementary Plant viral Satellite RNA Sequences. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 11, 12, 1214-1222. Xu, P. , Rogers, S. J. and Roossink, M. (2004). Expression of Antiapoptotic Genes bcl-xl and ced-9 in Tomato Enhances Tolerance to Viral-Induced Necrosis and Antibiotic Stress. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 101, 4, 15805-15810.

Global Warming Problem/Solution Essay

For the past two centuries, at an accelerating rate, the basic composition of the Earth’s atmosphere has been materially altered by the fossil-fuel effluvia of machine culture. Human-induced warming of the Earth’s climate is emerging as one of the major scientific, social, and economic issues of the twenty-first century, as the effects of climate change become evident in everyday life in locations as varied as small island nations of the Pacific Ocean and the shores of the Arctic Ocean. The â€Å"greenhouse effect† is not an idea which is new to science. It has merely become more easily detectable in our time as temperatures have risen and scientists have devised more sophisticated ways to measure and forecast atmospheric processes. The atmospheric balance of â€Å"trace† gases actually started to change beyond natural bounds at the dawn of the industrial age, with the first large-scale burning of fossil fuels. It became noticeable in the 1880s, and an important force in global climate change by about 1980. After an intensifying debate, the idea that human activity is warming the earth in potentially damaging ways became generally accepted in scientific circles by 1995. Addressing the consequences of global warming will demand, on a worldwide scale, the kind of social and economic mobilization experienced in the United States only during its birthing revolution and World War II, and therein lies a problem. The buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is a nearly invisible, incremental crisis. Carbon dioxide is not going to bomb Pearl Harbor to kick start the mobilization. Author Jonathan Weiner observes, â€Å"We do not respond to emergencies that unfold in slow motion. We do not respond adequately to the invisible† (Weiner, 1990, 241). It has been said (not for attribution) that the best thing which could happen to raise worldwide concern about global warming would be a quick collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet, which would raise worldwide sea level a notable number of feet over a very short time. When stock brokers’ feet get wet on the ground floor of New York City’s World Trade Center, all the world’s competing economic interests might mobilize together and provide the sociopolitical responses necessary to address the atmosphere’s overload of greenhouse gases before it is too late. The same water that could lap at the ground floor of the Trade Center also would ruin most farmers in Egypt and Bangladesh and slosh in the lobbies of glass towers of Hong Kong and Tokyo. Perhaps, only then, might all of humankind heed the implications of Chief Seah’tl’s farewell speech a century and a half ago. We may be brothers (and sisters) after all. So far, humankind’s collective nervous system—national and international leadership, public opinion, and so forth—hasn’t done much about global warming. As of this writing, the flora and fauna of the planet Earth are still in the position of a laboratory frog submerged in steadily warming water. This is not a secret crisis, just a politically unpalatable one. Al Gore, in Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit, raised a sociopolitical call for mobilization against human-induced warming of the Earth: â€Å"This point is crucial. A choice to ‘do nothing’ in response to the mounting evidence is actually a choice to continue and even accelerate the reckless environmental destruction that is creating the catastrophe at hand† (Gore, 1992, 37). In his book, Gore, then a U. S. senator, called for a â€Å"global Marshall Plan,† to include stabilization of world population, the rapid creation and development of environmentally appropriate technologies, and â€Å"a comprehensive and ubiquitous change in the economic ‘rules of the road’ by which we measure the impact of our decisions on the environment† (Gore, 1992, 306). Eight years after Gore issued his manifesto, fossil-fuel emissions had risen in the United States. Gore had captured the Democratic Party’s nomination for president of the United States, and global warming had slipped from campaign radar. From this vantage point, one imagines the world lurching through the twenty-first century as global public opinion slowly galvanizes around year after year of high temperature records, and as public policy only slowly begins to catch up with the temperature curve. The temperature (and especially the dewpoint) may wake the global frog before he becomes poached meat. Whatever the outcome of the public policy debate, the odds are extremely high that the weather of the year 2100 will be notably warmer than today, as greenhouse â€Å"forcing† exerts an ever-stronger role in the grand dance of the atmosphere which produces climate. Ross Gelbspan observes, â€Å"Global warming need not require a reduction of living standards, but it does demand a rapid shift in patterns of fuel consumption—reduced use of oil, coal, and the lighter-carboned natural gas to an economy more reliant on solar energy, fuel cells, hydrogen gas, wind, biomass, and other renewable energy sources. It is doubtful that capitalistic market forces will bring about this shift on their own, because market prices of fossil fuels do not incorporate their environmental costs. † (Gelbspan, 2004) George Woodwell has been quoted as saying, â€Å"[For] all practical purposes, the era of fossil fuels has passed, and it’s time to move on to the new era of renewable sources of energy. † The other alternative, says Woodwell, is to accept the fact that â€Å"[t]he Earth is not simply moving toward a new equilibrium in temperature†¦. It is entering a period of continuous, progressive, open-ended warming† (Gordon and Suzuki, 2001, 219). In Jeremy Leggett’s opinion, â€Å"The uniquely frustrating thing about global warming—to the many people who see its dangers—is that the solutions are obvious. There is no denying, however, that creating the necessary changes will require paradigm shifts in human behavior—particularly in the field of cooperation between nation-states—which have literally no precedent in human history†¦. There is no single issue in human affairs that is of greater importance. † (Leggett, 2000, 457) According to a Greenpeace Report edited by Leggett, â€Å"The main routes to surviving the greenhouse threat are energy efficiency, renewable forms of energy production†¦less greenhouse-gas-intensive agriculture, stopping deforestation, and reforestation† (Leggett, 2000, 462). Greenpeace also recommends redirecting spending away from armaments and toward development of a sustainable energy for the future of humankind (Leggett, 2000, 470). Of the broader picture, Michael MacCracken writes, â€Å"The underlying challenge is for industrialized society to achieve a balanced and sustainable coexistence with the environment, one that permits use of the environment as a resource, but in a way that preserves its vitality and richness for future generations†¦. The challenge [is] to transform our ways before the world is irrevocably changed†¦ toward displacing militarization and the ever-increasing push for greater national consumption as the primary driving forces behind industrial activity. † (MacCracken, 2001, 35) According to Donald Goldberg and Stephen Porter of the Center for International Global Law: â€Å"The Clinton administration has bungled repeated chances to initiate domestic measures. For example, recent legislation proposed by the White House to restructure the electric utility industry could have been crafted to require utilities to reduce their carbon-dioxide emissions. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency lobbied hard for the authority to impose a cap-and-trade program on utilities’ CO2 emissions, similar to the trading system that has lowered sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions in a cost-effective way. This was a golden opportunity, as the restructuring bill is projected to save the average consumer roughly $200 a year, which would have more than offset the cost of reducing GHG [greenhouse-gas] emissions. Unfortunately, the White House chose to forgo this opportunity. † (Goldberg and Porter, 1998) According to Goldberg and Porter, loopholes in the Kyoto Protocol, adopted at the insistence of the United States, permit richer countries to avoid many of its mandated emission reductions by purchasing allowances from other countries through the protocol’s â€Å"flexibility mechanisms. † The Buenos Aires Climate Conference (1998) negotiated a mechanism allowing trade in greenhouse gas emission rights in two markets. The first market would allow â€Å"sellers,† nations which exceed greenhouse gas-reduction targets set in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, to offer their rights for sale to â€Å"buyers,† countries which have not met their targets. The second market, the Clean Development Mechanism, will allow industrialized countries to meet part of their greenhouse-gas-reduction quotas by transferring clean technology to poorer countries so that antipollution projects can be carried out there. â€Å"If it buys all (or most) of its reductions,† Goldberg and Porter write, â€Å"the United States will not get its own house in order. In the long run, efficiency and productivity in the U. S. economy will suffer because domestic industry will be shielded from any incentive to adapt† (Goldberg and Porter, 1998). Under these provisions, the United States could â€Å"purchase† emission reduction credits from nations, such as Russia and Ukraine, which reduced their greenhouse-gas emissions during the 1990s because their economic infrastructure collapsed. The continuing political wrangling over the Kyoto Protocol illustrates why the world is responding so slowly to the impending crisis of global warming. Climate diplomacy remains an arena dominated by competition of special (mainly national) interests. Meanwhile, a few countries, most of them in Europe, are taking steps to mitigate greenhouse forcing on their own. While British emissions of greenhouse gases by the year 2000 had fallen between five and six percent compared to the Kyoto Protocol 1990 targets, emissions in the United States rose 11 percent between 1990 and 1998. Canada’s greenhouse-gas emissions rose 13 percent during the 1990s, while several European countries (including Britain) made substantial progress toward meeting the goals of the Kyoto Protocol by reducing their greenhouse-gas emissions as much as 10 percent compared to 1990 levels. Denmark (which produces less than one percent of humankind’s greenhouse gases) underwent something of a mobilization against global warming during the 1990s. Denmark was planning â€Å"farms† of skyscraper-sized windmills in the North and Baltic seas that, if plans materialize, will supply half the nation’s electric power within 30 years. The Danish wind-energy manufacturers’ association believes that electricity produced through wind power on a large scale will be financially competitive with power from plants burning fossil fuels, which will be phased out if wind power proves itself. Svend Auken, Denmark’s environmental and energy minister, said that with half of his country’s power coming from Norwegian hydroelectric plants and the other half from wind power, the country is planning to meet its electricity needs within three decades while reducing carbon dioxide production to nearly zero. The wind farms must prove their endurance in winter storms and stand up to the corrosion of seawater, but if they can, Denmark’s windmills will prevent the production of 14 million tons of carbon dioxide a year. While the fossil-fuel economy remained firmly entrenched in most of the world at the turn of the millennium, gains were being achieved in some basic areas of energy conservation. In 1994, for example, the average person in the United States was recycling 380 pounds a year, up from 62 pounds in 1960, a 613 percent increase (Casten, 1998, 101–102). Following the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1972, the United States also made a concerted effort to limit the production of nitrous oxides by gas turbine engines. Before regulation, the typical gas turbine engine emitted 200 parts per million (p. p. m. ). Since then, several technological innovations have reduced emissions to below 10 p. p. m.. Technology was being developed in the late 1990s which could reduce the rate to two to three p. p. m. (Casten, 1998, 117–118). The problem is at once very simple, and also astoundingly complex. Increasing human populations, rising affluence, and continued dependence on energy derived from fossil fuels are at the crux of the issue. The complexity of the problem is illustrated by the degree to which the daily lives of machine-age peoples depend on fossil fuels. This dependence gives rise to an array of local, regional, and national economic interests. These interests cause tensions between nations attending negotiations to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The cacophony of debate also illustrates the strength and diversity of established interests which are being assiduously protected. Add to the human elements of the problem the sheer randomness of climate (as well as the amount of time which passes before a given level of greenhouse gases is actually factored into climate), and the problem becomes complex and intractable enough to (thus far) seriously impede any serious, unified effort by humankind to fashion solutions. References Casten, Thomas R. (1998). Turning Off the Heat: Why America Must Double Energy Efficiency to Save Money and Reduce Global Warming. Amherst, N. Y. : Prometheus Books. Gelbspan, Ross. (2004). A Global Warming. American Prospect, 31 (March/April). Goldberg, Donald, and Stephen Porter. (1998). In Focus: Global Climate Change. Center for International Environmental Law, May. Gordon, Anita, and David Suzuki. (2001). It’s a Matter of Survival. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Gore, Albert. (1992). Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin. Leggett, Jeremy, ed. (2000). Global Warming: The Greenpeace Report. New York: Oxford University Press. MacCracken, Michael. (1991). Greenhouse Gases: Changing the Global Climate. In Joseph P. Knox and Ann Foley Scheuring, eds. , Global Climate Change and California. Berkeley: University of California Press, 26–39. Weiner, Jonathan. (1990). The Next One Hundred Years: Shaping the Fate of Our Living Earth. New York: Bantam Books

Discuss the arguments for and against the use of toluidine blue Essay

Discuss the arguments for and against the use of toluidine blue staining as a screening method for oral cancer in dental practic - Essay Example This paper elucidates on the arguments for and against the use of toluidine in screening for oral cancer. The use of toluidine blue in uterine and oral cancer screening was pioneered by Richart in 1962. A 1% aqueous solution of toluidine blue is painted over the target area for ten seconds followed by a rinse of 1% solution of acetic acid. The toluidine blue binds to the DNA on surface cells, causing the surface to take on a bluish hue. The amount of DNA material present may be used as an indication of suspected dysplasia or neoplasia (Richart 1962). 2.0. Arguments for toluidine screening Jones and Rankin (2008) consider toluidine blue staining as a diagnostic aid for the dental professional in the evaluation of the possible malignancy of oral lesions. The potency of staining with toluidine blue has been likened to that of brush biopsy in terms of early detection, speeding up of biopsy and subsequent diagnosis of oral cancer. Application of aqueous toluidine blue to a lesion followed by a rinsing of 1% acetic acid results in selective binding with dysplastic and malignant cells accurately. The blue stain also marks a good site to extract for biopsy. Extreme care should, however, be practiced to ensure that the dye is neither mutagenic nor carcinogenic for best results. Patton, Epstein and Kerr (2008) performed a systematic review of literature related to several adjunctive techniques used in the early detection of oral premalignant and malignant lesions or OPML, such as toluidine blue. A total of 23 articles were reviewed wherein the majority focused on the use of toluidine blue. Results of the review revealed the effectiveness of toluidine blue in diagnosing oral premalignant and malignant lesions in high-risk populations and suspected mucosal lesions. However, clinicians are advised not rely much on diagnostic adjuncts alone. A complete oral mucosal examination is recommended together with specialty referrals or tissue biopsy to correctly diagnose OPML. Epste in, Silverman, Epstein, Lonky and Bride (2008) evaluated the effects of ViziLite, a chemiluminiscent light source in conjunction with toluidine blue in the process of verifying lesions identified by oral soft tissue examinations. Lesion assessment by chemiluminiscense combined with toluidine blue staining was compared with conventional visual examination. Subsequently, the suspected lesions were subjected to biopsy and diagnosed through conventional histopathological methods. Moreover, toluidine staining was performed on lesions related to severe dysplasia, carcinoma in situ, and squamous cell carcinoma. Results of the assessment show an improvement in the brightness and sharpness of margin in 60 out of 97 identified lesions that underwent the chemiluminiscent exam. Meanwhile, toluidine staining exhibited a false positive rate of 55.26% while maintaining a 100% negative predictive value (Epstein, Silverman, Epstein, Lonky and Bride 2008). Fedele (2009) described toluidine blue as an indispensable tool in identifying the area damaged by a malignant lesion due to its ability to stain nucleic acids. This effect makes it easier to remove malignant lesions since toluidin blue clearly marks the boundaries of the lesion, thus allowing precise excision. Recent studies on the use of toluidine blue were rather limited due to the dearth of research efforts in relation to randomized controlled trials, histological diagnosis

Organisational Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Organisational Change Management - Essay Example Organization structure shows the expressed allocation of responsibilities for different functions and processes to different entities like branches, its departments, workgroups and individuals. There are two most common organization structures known as vertical and horizontal structures. In case study there is vertical organizational structure as everyone has to be accountable to upper management for their doings and they have to obey all policies and rules made by them no matter they are favorable for them or not. Key issues that organization is facing: This case study is about a French car component manufacturing that has two plants operating in France, Spain and UK. D2’s focuses is on having perfect return on investment and have growth in shareholders’ value. But over recent years D2 is facing a lot of problems and issue that hinders its growth. Recent economic downturn has a bad impact on demand and D2 has to struggle a lot for its survival. This is because of reces sion in business cycle, which represents a general slowdown in activities related to economy. D2 is facing problems in capacity utilization and generation of profits as it need investments and has to cut down its cost to certain level. There is widespread drop in spending of the industry that is called as an adverse demand shock. D2 has decided to stop producing some components and to concentrate the production of other components at fewer sites in order to benefit from economies of scale. D2 will face so many problems when this decision would be announced because its plant’s workers are expecting D2 to invest highly in manufacturing departments of the D2 as many of the plants of French car component manufacturing are out-dated. Another problem is that D2 is not working to utilize its capacity up to the mark. Production expansion by the D2 is not up to the standards. D2 cannot produce as much as it needs to produce because of its outdated plants. UK plant has to face closure because of its outdated technology. Production expansion is required through Blois in France because Blois has the most advanced technology in it and provides the opportunity to the D2 to have expansion in production and survive and grow. The new strategy will involve expanding production at the D2’s main factory at Blois in France. Production is to be expanded in Blois because Blois has the most advanced manufacturing technology and the factory is not yet working to capacity. It is anticipated that increasing production at Blois will lead to a significant reduction in costs. Product development is needed in didcot (UK). D2 would be facing redundancy when it would announce these strategy and framework for product development and production expansion because these workers have no idea of using latest technology as they were playing with outdated version of technology and these employees and workers would be having no way to switch to other plants as other plants are operating in advanced technology. D2 is expecting another problem that many of the D2 product developme

Event this week Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Event this week - Assignment Example The context of the article is relevant to the past years when oil prices rose to unexpected levels, leading to low productivity and high cost of goods. This is also relevant to the dwindling Russian economy after the US influenced the price cuts to impose sanctions on the country. However, most industries are shutting down production for maintenance purposes, which reduces the oil demand across the American States. The implication for a broader international development is that the producing countries are crying foul because the reduction in prices will affect their market shares. This is because of the increasing American reserves that take advantage of the fall in prices to store additional oil. For instance, Saudi Arabia expresses fear that the reduced demand will affect future market shares and productions. The contents of the article relate to the course because it analyses the implication of reducing oil prices to economies that depend on its sales. This is evident through the effect of the prices on workers, global economies and industrial production. As a result, the concept of demand and price is clearly

Art review Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Art review - Term Paper Example id and severe reality for the purpose of fixing into perception of a viewer another real dimension that rather encapsulates hopeful emotion within the realm of humble magic. It is as if to get someone into a scene, typical enough to avoid confusion at attempting to figure its meaning yet as one learns in the process how geometries were simplified in distinct strokes and clever mix of colors by Bluemner, it eventually bears a culminating approach to realize how overwhelming it could get once the essence of each detail is assessed. The artists works in general provide a feel of the museum which enables a basic critic to yield at an aspect where simplicity drives out sophistication though it is in itself sophisticated. In unique terms, the overall idea of Oscar Bluemner possesses a side of complexity that is potentially generous with effortless understanding of a nearly surreal possibility. The Form and Light, Motif in West New Jersey (Beattiestown) is especially captivating to the extent I could automatically relate to the 18th century genre which draws me to engage to what was taking place at the time Bluemner necessitated a moment of thought as from a personal experience, imagination or mode of preference in expressing both his style and passion. As an oil on canvas original released in 1914, the painting depicts a view of life into life, of wonders to unfold out of the mundane attitude toward an ordinary setting or picture in which reality puts in a huge amount of routine. Being the work I chose with great significance compared to the rest of his collection, I believe that it teaches me to moderate on perspective between elegance and its far extreme rustic opposite just like a plausible analogy to the proper way of treating bad from good, in recognition of equivalent worth for both. I am well astonished by Bluemners means of smoothing borders of shapes that altogether produce a dreamy yet adventuresome interpretation of the theme. To a scrutinizing audience,

Corporate Social Responsibility Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Corporate Social Responsibility - Term Paper Example They also realized that injudicious exploitation of the communities and the environment is nothing more than making graveyards for themselves. The importance of a healthy community and environment has been realized quite late by the corporate world. The above realization resulted in the development of topics such as corporate social responsibility, sustainable development etc. he needs of nature and societies should be balanced with the needs of the corporate world in order to create a healthy business environment. Earlier, business world were concentrated more on their own needs which resulted in weakened relationships between the business and the society or nature. In short, current companies are aware of doing something to the communities and the environment in which they operate. This paper briefly analyses various dimensions of corporate social responsibility. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Change is an inevitable aspect of human life. One can see tremendous changes in ev ery aspect of human life if he compares the current standards of living with respect to that a couple of decades before. Business circle is also undergoing lot many changes over the past few decades. The introduction of globalization, privatization and liberalization forced corporate companies to implement many changes in their business strategies. Earlier, organizations were more focused increasing their profits. They did so at the expense of the interest of the people. However, current organizations realized the importance of doing something in return to the community in which it operates. Corporate Social Responsibility is thus evolved as a new term in organizational world recently. Nexen (2009) defined Corporate Social Responsibility â€Å"as a commitment to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of our workforce and their families as well as the local community at large† (Nexen, 2009). Ethics and morality are rapidly d isappearing words from human life; however in the corporate world, these topics are much debated ones now. Relationship building is accepted as the core of every business activity by the modern companies. They are keener in establishing or developing strong relationship with the community in which they operate. Companies often strengthen their relationship with the communities with the help of doing some favors to the communities for the re4sources they exploited from the community. In short, modern companies are so particular in protecting the community and the environment in which they operate. Corporate social responsibility is currently accepted just as another business strategy by the modern organizations. Various dimensions of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Hawkins, (2006) has pointed out that it is â€Å"the society which provides both customers and resources to fulfill the business objectives of the corporate companies† (Hawkins, 2006, p.2). A company can never operate in vacuum. Moreover, a company can never operate with the help of their own resources alone. For example, Coca Cola is the biggest soft drink manufacturer in the world at present. It operates in more than 200 countries worldwide. The major ingredient of every soft drink is water. Coke can never generate water from vacuum. They are exploiting both ground water and under water resources to produce their soft drinks. Exploitation of water resources will create drinking water

Created or intended identity Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 12500 words

Created or intended identity - Coursework Example The aim of this research was to determine how women form their identities in today's modern atmosphere, to understand how these identities shift and change over time and with age and finally to discover the positive or negative effects of changes on a woman's perception of herself as a result of the world's perception of her. Sociological imagination is the way in which we stratify ourselves within our society and plays a large role in how we create our own identity. By linking our own personal experience with the collective understanding of what that represents, we classify not only ourselves but others within specific social groups. Three aspects of the sociological imagination include class, race and gender. Class is based upon a variety of factors including profession, income levels and educational attainment. People with a high level of education are typically seen as holding higher level professional positions which typically pay at higher rates than more commonly educated individuals. This is, of course, not always the case, but remains one of the ways in which we determine our rank in association with those around us. While class is, to some extent, quite flexible, race and gender remain relatively constant and difficult to change. Race is determined based primarily upon physical characteristics, but can also be influenced by ethnic concerns. Generally, ethnicity is considered to refer to your national origin, language, religion, dietary practices or common historical heritage. While race is inherited through a person's genes, ethnicity is inherited through the process of socialization from one generation to the next. Similarly, gender is a learned identification with a particular biological sex - male or female - while sexuality refers to the way in which people organize their world based on sexual identity. Using the sociological imagination, it can be seen that before identity can be fully determined, one must have an understanding of where they stand in the world, which typically depends upon an understanding of some element of society as the lowest or inferior. Throughout recent history, white males have held most of the power in society, first because the more technologically advanced countries were predominantly peopled by white people and controlled by white men and later, because of their subjugation of other nations thanks to their advanced tools and weapons. By withholding education and opportunity from people with color and from women, white men were able to retain their power and establish a system in which women and people of color were seen to be socially inferior. By setting those with color socially below white people, even the lower class was able to feel superior to someone. Through the same channels, men managed to dominate over women. Women were socially constrained within homes, legally oppressed and deprived of an education throughout a great deal of history, thus keeping them at low levels of the social scale. These social stratifications help the individual to place themselves within the greater world just as the various behaviours the individual participates in help to define

Barn Burning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Barn Burning - Essay Example Even though the story itself is not set in the Depression Era, but somewhere at the end of 19th century, the same themes of family heritage, maturation, and inequality are present in the story as they were at the time that Faulkner wrote this story. Faulkner's ability to impart his "strongly topographical imagination"(Miller 211) adds color and zest to this story, which can be taken at face value with some implicit tones contributing to the dilemmas of Sarty. The story, in a fairly solid Faulknerian manner, is centered on the conflict a young boy, Sarty Snopes, experiences, in relation to being faithful to his father versus behaving in the right manner ethically. From the beginning, we can see the extreme anguish of young Sarty, who once again has to lie to protect his father, feeling "fear and despair and the old grief of blood" (Faulkner 350). Sarty has no choice; he was born into this family, and inherited with it "the old fierce pull of blood" (Faulkner 348). His father is described as a man with "wolf like independence and even courage when the advantage was at least neutral which impressed strangers, as if they got from his latent ravening ferocity not so much a sense of dependability as a feeling that his ferocious conviction in the rightness of his own actions would be of advantage to all whose interest lay with his" (Faulkner 350).

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels The Communist Manifesto Essay

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels The Communist Manifesto - Essay Example All those in the ranks who have a desire or an occasion to have a better understanding of their own work should carry to mind the causes and the moving forces which is firm on the genesis of the Manifesto, the circumstances under which it appeared on the eve of the Revolution which rupture forth from Paris to Vienna, from Palermo to Berlin (Katz 2001). This is the only way will it be probable for people to find in the current social form the clarification of the propensity toward socialism, thus showing by its present the requirement the predictability of its triumph. Is not that in fact the fundamental part of the Manifesto, its core and its distinguishing character? (Labriola 1999). People should be taking a false road if it is looked upon as the essential part of the measures advised and proposed at the end of the second chapter for the unforeseen event of a revolutionary success on the part of the proletariat, or again the suggestion of political relationship to the other revolutionary parties of that era which are found in the fourth chapter (Labriola 1999). These indications and these measures, although they have the right to be taken into contemplation at the moment and under the conditions where they may be very vital for forming a exact estimate of the political action of the German communists in the revolutionary period from 1848 to 1850, hereafter no longer form for people a mass of sensible judgments for or against which we should take sides in each contingency (Labriola 1999). The political parties since the International have recognized themselves in dissimilar countries, in the name of the proletariat, and taking it obviously for their base, have felt, and feel, in amount as they are born and expand, the domineering requirement of adopting and in compliance in their program and their action to conditions are always different and multiform. But not one of these parties feels the totalitarianism of the proletariat so near that it

Psychoanalytical Approach to Family Counseling Essay Example for Free

Psychoanalytical Approach to Family Counseling Essay Whether one is conscious of it or not, we all have our respective worldviews. The way we view life in general and our approach to it is the worldview that control and guide us in every decision that we make – in the way we cope pressures, and even as we celebrate and enjoy good days. Since on a particular worldview a person stands or falls, it is very important to constantly check and evaluate one’s philosophy of life. If I will be asked the question: â€Å"Which philosophy is the best philosophy? † The best answer that I can come up with is, â€Å"Of course, the philosophy that encourages intellectual development. † Christianity is a religion that has been compared, every now and then, to many philosophical persuasions; and most of the time, it was either mixed with other worldviews which were totally strange to it, or the proponents of other strange worldviews have attempted to enjoin Christianity to their philosophy, which inevitably have resulted in confusion and clever duplicity in individuals who follow and experiment into this game (Cheung, 2007, p. 34). For generations, people in different civilizations have become witnesses of how their fellows advocated multiple philosophical disciplines. In fact, today, if one would just observe closely, many hold a compound of various beliefs that got rooted and accumulated for years in the family via environmental conditioning. The by-product of this kind of influence is an individual who cope through the varying situations and circumstances of life with the competence of a chameleon. This kind of approach will not properly help in the development and growth of a person as he or she wades his/her way through college. Contrary to the perception of many, the Biblical Worldview is the one philosophy that encourages the pursuit of true knowledge. It, in fact, commands the engagement of the intellect in the pursuit and exploration of true scientific studies. What precipitated the period of Enlightenment? Was it not when people were hungry for the Truth (Shelley, 1982, p. 55)? And these are periods in the history of humankind when the Biblical Worldview was being brought to the fore of society’s endeavors. If there are two philosophies that developed naturally from one to another, they are Judaism and Christianity. The flow of growth from beginning to consummation is recorded in the Old and the New Testament of the Bible (Escalona, 2008, p. 87). B. Literature review The Extent of Usefulness of the Theory A survey in literature reveals that there is little evidence so far in studies that deliberately seek to determine the efficacies of psychodynamic approach in comparison with any of the other approaches in the treatment of abnormal behavior. A few which came out, in particular one research looked into the applicability of treatment in anorexia and bulimia cases which utilized the psychodynamic model and other models such as cognitive orientation treatment. Results of the experiment by Bachar et al (1999, p. 67) showed positive outcomes where this particular approach was used. It must be remembered that mainstream psychology and psychiatry widely use the cognitive model in explaining and treating abnormal behavior. In the controlled, randomized study by Bachar and team members however, the research highlighted the efficacy of psychodynamic approach in the treatment of anorexia and bulimia disorders. Other studies however show that therapists usually employ a combination of cognitive and psychodynamic approaches or an integrative method in the psychological treatments and interventions (Kasl-Godley, 2000, p. 92). Many of the cases today then, support this view rather than a single method in an efficacious treatment of many of these mental and emotional diseases. The disadvantages of the psychodynamic approach in many of the studies done based on a using this as a single method is that of the apparent difficulty of precise measurements on the treatment procedure itself. The approach usually is limited by whether it can be exactly replicated. Specifically, one other limitation or disadvantage is that the cause of phenomena (i. e. , symptom substation) cannot be located. In addition, another setback is that not all individuals can be hypnotized when using hypnosis in the therapy especially (Kaplan, 1994, p. 431). Reference: Bachar, Eytan, Yael Latzer,Shulamit Kreitler, Elliot Berry 1999. Empirical comparison of two psychological therapies: Self Psychology and Cognitive Orientation in the treatment of Anorezia and Bulimia. Journal of Psychotherapy Practice and Research. American Psychiatric Association 8:115-128, Freud, Sigmund. [1901] 1990. The psychopathology of everyday life. New York. W. W. Norton and Company, Inc. Halonen, JS and JW Santrock, 1996. Psychology: Contexts of Behavior, Dubuque, IA: Brown and Benchmark, p. 810. Hilgard, ER, RR Atkinson, and RC Atkinson 1983. Introduction to Psychology. 7th ed. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanich, Inc. Hurlok, E. B. 1964. Child Development. New York: Mcgraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. Kaplan, HI, BJ Saddock and JA Grebb. 1994. Kaplan and Saddock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry: Behaviroal Sciences clinical psychiatry. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins. Kasl-Godley, Julia 2000. Psychosocial intervention for individuals with dementia: An integration of theory, therapy, and a clinical understanding of dementia. Clinical Psychological Review. Vol. 20(6). Leahey, B. B. 1995. Psychology: An Introduction. Iowa: WCB Brown and Benchmark. Rathus, S. A. 1990. Psychology 4th ed. Orlando Fl. : Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc. Sdorow, L. M. 1995. Psychology, 3rd ed. Dubuque, IA:WCB Brown and Benchmark Publishers Santrock, J. W. 2000. Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill. ________ Models of abnormality http://intranet1. sutcol. ac. uk:888/NEC/MATERIAL/PDFS/PSYCHO/ASPSYCHO/23U2_T5. PDF Part II. Integration Section A. Introduction Nowhere is counseling more relevant than the conditions and dilemmas faced by man today. The Bible mentions about the the fears that assail humans then during the early days, and which will be experienced also as time draws to a close. Jeremiah 17:8 implies about the kind of fear which some if not many, will succumb â€Å"when heat comes† (RSV). This illustrates as well that the stressful days are but natural to one’s existence; an affliction to being born into a fallen world. Ephesians 2 is even more clear what befalls on a person who is â€Å"dead in trespasses and sins† (KJV); he is subject to the dictates of a world system (v. 2a, KJV), being in the clutches of the evil spirit (v. 2b, KJV), and awaits the anger that God has on them (v. 3, KJV). All these may position any individual to a life of anxiety, depression, wrongful habits ((v. 3, KJV), substance abuse and other addictions that definitely determine the deterioration of overall mental and physical health. The functioning therefore of any person may be compromised and taxed to the limits, producing individuals who are abusive and getting abused. When not operating in optimal condition, man is sure to experience what psychology tends to diagnose and label as malfunctioning and maladjusted; at worst, the evidence of mental institutions’ existence only shows how this truth has long been spoken about in the Bible. Hence, the Bible becoming more relevant, and a theologically and scientifically trained counselor is even more needed these days. In the field of counselling, the primary considerations that those in the field who are practicing directly or indirectly have something to do with the previously held belief system, or the worldview or philosophy behind the notion of human behaviour. This goes to say that one who ventures into the business of healing and curing emotions and psychological problems must get into a thorough understanding of his/her personal approach to the study of human behaviour. The counselor seeks to explain human nature, the issue of sin or prbably emphasizing or reducing the Scriptural mandate and God’s verdict (whichever side he/she is on), and which eventually dictates intervention strategies, if any. It is even bold as to say that counseling in whatever front is basically â€Å"religious† in nature because in the end, what is upheld or emphasized by the counselor expresses deep-rooted philosophy or religious beliefs. The paper thus seeks to present a personal understanding of how practice in counseling is believed to be done considering the personal qualities, depth and realizations of Biblical truths (this is pre-eminent), and many of the nitty-gritty concepts that comprise the practice of counseling in one’s context. Being in contemporary America, with the recent economic meltdown that leave many surprised and shocked of the reduction of most of their economic capabilities to barely the minimum, being relevant as a counselor is not only a necessity, but it is the very important ingredient to helping many survive with their mental faculties intact. Therefore, this paper makes bold assumptions about human nature in general, how this is addressed in various situations that the average man will be meeting, and how growth (which is interpreted as a positive direction the individual will take) in all areas of his existence may take place. B. Psychoanalytic therapy Leading figures Primary importance is given into the development of one of the most influential disciplines in the world today and that is psychology. This is due to the fact that psychology seemed almost foremost in virtually every kind of decision making process that man makes. Because of this serious biblical ministers and/or scholars or theologians have long studied these effects and have come up with their answers and with their verdict. A Brief History of Modern Psychology by Ludy T. Benjamin, Jr. (2006, p. 23) starts to trace the roots of psychology when Wundt, in 1879, initiated what is now recognized as the first psychology laboratory. The author Benjamin satisfies the reader on what made the psychology today a very much pursued subject of interest as well as a career. Tackling on the lives of the people foremost in this discipline, the book made an otherwise boring and usually uninteresting subject matter into an exciting topic any student will be able to handle. The author mentioned details of the pioneers’ lives and the social milieu that characterized their lives and culture during their day which in all realistic evaluation had made its contribution to what their theoretical perspectives had developed. Other important highlights include the development of psychological tests and assessment techniques that Stanford and Binet spearheaded among others. The following narrative on one of psychology’s key players and foremost in what is now known as the â€Å"first force† in the field gives the reader the importance of their contribution to cotemporary psychology (Benjamin, 2006, p. 76). -Freud, Sigmund Viennese neurologist, founder of psychoanalysis (1856-1939) took his medical degree at the University of Vienna in 1881 and planned a specialist’s career in neurology. Lack of means forced him to abandon his research interests for a clinical career. His interest in what was to become psychoanalysis developed during his collaboration with Josef Breuer in 1884, which resulted in Studies in Hysteria, The Interpretation of Dreams appeared in 1900, Three Contributions to the Theory of Sex in 1905, and the General Introduction to Psychoanalysis in 1916 – a book which contained the evolving theory of the libido and the unconsciousness, in subsequent years, Freud’s outlook became increasingly broad as revealed by the titles of his later works (Benjamin, 2006, p. 54). C. Psychoanalytic Theory The psychodynamic perspective is based on the work of Sigmund Freud. He created both a theory to explain personality and mental disorders, and the form of therapy known as psychoanalysis. The psychodynamic approach assumes that all behavior and mental processes reflect constant and unconscious struggles within person. These usually involve conflicts between our need to satisfy basic biological instincts, for example, for food, sex or aggression, and the restrictions imposed by society. Not all those who take a Psychodynamic approach accept all of Freud’s original ideas, but most would view normal or problematic behavior as the result of a failure to resolve conflicts adequately. This paper attempts to distinguish itself in trying to not only understand the theory that Freud pioneered and polished by some of his faithful followers but especially determine the extent of its usefulness in explaining and treating abnormal behavior.. It is the aim of the author to present in precis a description and explanation of the psychodynamic approach and its usefulness in the context of abnormal behavior (Kaplan, 1994, p. 657). To interpret the theoretical framework of Freud in the context of the Christian religion or Biblical Christianity is essential in order to discover whether their fundamental teachings can mix well in mainstream Christianity. Freud taught about the personality constructs of id, ego and superego; about free association, instincts (life and death); his very controversial psychosexual stages of oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital; the fixation and cathexis concepts. In general this is a theory of personality dynamics which is aimed at the motivational and emotional components of personality. It sounds good that according to Freud, man inherits the life and death instincts (libido and mortido). In the Biblical perspective, however, all these concepts are traceable to the sinful nature which all human species have inherited from the first couple Adam and Eve. In some portions of the Biblical record (Roman 5:12), Adam is said to be the federal head and from him has proceeded both sinful nature, which is inherent in all men, and death – which is the Fall’s eventual outcome. The Bible highlights sin as the main problem of all of the manifestations of abnormality as reflected or manifested in the psyche or human behavior (Bobgan, 1987, p. 543). This theory discounts religion’s God’s pre-eminence, sovereignty and will, and active role in a person’s life. It also discounts man’s ultimate accountability before an almighty God. Moreover, it discounts many of the fundamentals that the Bible teaches, like sin and repentance, just Freud’s other followers propounded (Bobgan, 1987, p. 544). Fundamentally, environment is not to be blamed. Nothing could be more accurate than stating it in exactly the same manner that the Apostle has echoed the true state of affairs. It is somehow true to say, â€Å"It’s all up in the mind. † People violate neighbors because first they have violated the laws of God. And so, â€Å"In the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness† (Eph. 4:17-19). As daily news in the headlines air everyday, and practically speaking, people have made it their daily business to work driven by greed, never minding what they leave behind in their wake. Because the fight has long been lost – which is in the level of consciousness – everyone now is at the mercy of chance, relationally, in this world. And it goes both ways. Many of the disorders or mental illnesses recognized today without a doubt have their psychodynamic explanation aside from other viewpoints like that of the behaviourist, or the cognitivists. From simple childhood developmental diseases to Schizophrenia, there is a rationale that from Freud’s camp is able to explain (Kaplan et al, 1994, p. 76, 98, 456). I. The Psychodynamic concepts A. Theory of Instincts Libido, Narcissism, Instincts and Pleasure Reality Principles. Freud employed â€Å"libido† to denote to that â€Å"force by which the sexual instinct is represented in the mind. † This concept is quite â€Å"crude† or raw in its form hence this refers far more than coitus. Narcissism was developed by Freud as his explanation of people who happened to have lost libido and found that in the pre-occupation of the self or the ego, like in the cases of dementia praecox or schizophrenia. Persons afflicted with this mental illness appeared to have been reserved or withdrawing from other people or objects. This led Freud to conclude that a loss of contact with reality is usually common among such patients. The libido that he conceptualized as innate in every person is herein explained as invested somewhere else and that is precisely the role of self-love or narcissism in the life of one afflicted. The occurrence of narcissism is not only among people with psychoses but also with what he calls neurotic persons or in normal people especially when undergoing conditions such as a physical disease or sleep. Freud explains further that narcissism exists already at birth hence, one can expect realistically that newborn babies are wholly narcissistic (Sdorow, 1995, p. 67). Freud classified instincts into different distinguishing dimensions namely: ego instincts, aggression, and life and death instincts. Ego instincts are the self-preservative aspects within the person, while aggression is a separate construct or structure of the mind which is not a part of the self-preservative nature of the human mind. Its source is found in the muscles while its objective is destruction. Life and death instincts called Eros and Thanatos are forces within the person that pulls in opposite directions. Death instinct is a more powerful force than life instinct (Rathus, 1988, p. 55). The pleasure and reality principles are distinct ideas that help understand the other aspects of Freud’s theory. The latter is largely a learned function and important in postponing the need to satisfy the self (Sdorow, 1995, p. 98). B. Topographical theory of the mind Much like real physical mapping or description of a land area, the topographical theory appeared as attempt to designate areas of the mind into regions; the unconscious, the preconscious, and the conscious. The Unconscious mind is shrouded in mystery (Kaplan, 1994). It is the repository of repressed ideas, experiences and/or affects that are primary considerations when the person is in therapy or treatment. It contains biological instincts such as sex and aggression. Some unconscious urges cannot be experienced consciously because mental images and words could not portray them all in their color and fury. Other unconscious urges may be kept below the surface by repression. It is recognized as inaccessible to consciousness but can become conscious by means of the preconscious. Its content is confined to wishes seeking fulfilment and may provide the motive force for the formation of dream and neurotic symptoms. In other words, unconscious forces represent wishes, desires or thoughts, that, because of their disturbing or threatening content, we automatically repress and cannot voluntarily access (Santrock, 2000, p. 43). The Preconscious is a region of the mind which is not inborn but developed only when childhood stage is beginning to emerge. The preconscious mind contains elements of experience that presently out of awareness but are made conscious simply by focusing on them. Freud labelled the region that poked through into the light of awareness as the Conscious part of the mind. Conscious thoughts are wishes, desires, or thoughts that we are aware of, or can recall, at any given moment. It is closely related in understanding as that of the organ of attention operating with the preconscious. With attention the individual is able to perceive external stimuli. However, Freud theorized that our conscious thoughts are only a small part of our total mental activity, much of which involves unconscious thoughts or forces (Leahey, 1995, p. 433). C. Structural Theory of the Mind Freud conceptualized the mind into what is called as three provinces equivalent to its functions: the id, ego and superego. The id is that aspect which only looks forward to gratifying any of its desires and without any delay. The ego is the structure of the mind which begins to develop during the first year of life, largely because a child’s demands for gratification cannot all be met immediately. The ego â€Å"stands for reason and good sense† (Freud, 1901, p. 22), for rational ways of coping with frustrations. It curbs the appetites of the id and makes plans that are compatible with social convention so that a person can find gratification yet avert the censure of others. In contrast to the id’s pleasure, the ego follows the reality principle. The reality principle has a policy of satisfying a wish or desire only if there is a socially acceptable outlet available (Halonen et al, 1996, p. 43). The superego develops throughout early childhood, usually incorporating the moral standards and value of parents and important members of the community through identification. The superego holds forth shining examples of an ideal self and also acts like the conscience, an internal moral guardian. Throughout life, the superego monitors the intentions of the ego and hands out judgment of right and wrong. It floods the ego with feelings of guilt and shame when the verdict is negative (Halonen et al, 1996, p. 43). As children learn that they must follow rules and regulations in satisfying their wishes, they develop a superego. The superego, which is Freud’s third division of the mind, develops from the ego during early childhood (Hurlock, 196, p. 66). Through interactions with the parents or caregivers, a child develops a superego by taking on or incorporating the parents’ or caregivers’ standards, values, and rules. The superego’s power is in making the person feel guilty if the rules are discovered; the pleasure-seeking, id wants to avoid feeling guilty. It is motivated to listen to the superego as a moral guardian or conscience that is trying to control the id’s wishes and impulses (Hilgard, et al, 1979). From the Freudian perspective, a healthy personality has found ways to gratify most of the id’s demands without seriously offending the superego. Most of the id’s remaining demands are contained or repressed. If the ego is not a good problem solver or if the superego is too stern, the ego will have a hard time of it (Halonen et al, 1996, p. 43). D. Therapeutic goals Sigmund Freud offered a psychoanalytic viewpoint on the diagnosis and understanding of a person’s mental health. Other perspectives, the behavioristic paradigm offers to see this in a different light. The psychoanalytic perspective emphasizes childhood experiences and the role of the unconscious mind in determining future behavior and in explaining and understanding current based on past behavior. Basing on his personality constructs of the Id, Ego and the Superego, Freud sees a mentally healthy person as possessing what he calls Ego strength. On the other hand, the behavior therapist sees a person as a â€Å"learner† in his environment, with the brain as his primary organ of survival and vehicle for acquiring his social functioning. With this paradigm, mental health is a result of the environment’s impact on the person; he learns to fear or to be happy and therein lies the important key in understanding a person’s mental state. Considering that the achievement and maintenance of mental health is one of the pursuits of psychology, the following is a brief outline of what psychologists would endorse a healthy lifestyle. The individual must consider each of the following and incorporate these in his/her day to day affairs: 1. The Medical doctor’s viewpoint – well-being emphasis than the illness model 2. The Spiritual viewpoint- a vital spiritual growth must be on check. 3. The Psychologist’s viewpoint- emotional and relationship factors in balance. 4. The Nutritionist’s viewpoint – putting nutrition and health as top priority. 5. The Fitness Expert’s viewpoint- Exercise as part of a daily regimen. The theory I have in mind then is an amalgamation of several approaches, primarily the integration of the Christian worldview and the theories set forth by Cognitive-behaviorists and psychoanalytic models, and biological/physical continuum. There are other good models but a lot of reasons exist why they cannot be â€Å"good enough;† a lot depends on my own personality. Being authentic to who you are, your passion, is effectively communicated across an audience whether it is a negative or positive one. The basic way of doing the â€Å"amalgamation† or integration is that the Christian worldview takes precedence over the rest of the approaches. Although many of the concepts and premises of each theory mentioned are sound and at times efficacious, when it clashes with the faith-based theory, the former must give way to the latter. It is understood then, that I thoroughly examined each of the theory and set them against the backdrop of spirituality. Interpreting a problem that a client suffers for instance, entails that the theoretical viewpoint that I am convinced with, has better chances of properly understanding the maladjustments that the client had been suffering. To come up with the balanced worldview (an integration in other words), the balance between the realms mentioned, including the true frame of human individuals and the true nature of God (or theology) are properly considered. Thoroughly accepting the fact that there is no contest between the natural and the spiritual; only that troubles arise when one realm is overemphasized at the expense of another. This thin line or slight tension between the two levels is best expressed in the personhood of Jesus Christ, who was a perfect man as well as God. If we start to equate ourselves with that notion (which is usually happening) and we start to think that we are balanced, then we surely lack understanding or real self-awareness of the fact that we are deeply and seriously out of balance and this is one reason why we need help. ~ What are your general goals in therapy? Christian counseling admittedly embraces in reality, a basic integration of the biblical precepts on the view of man and psychology’s scientific breakthroughs in addressing the dilemmas that beset human individuals. Depending on the persuasion of the practitioner, especially whether he or she comes from either the purely theological or â€Å"secular† preparation, Christian counseling can either lean to certain degrees of theology or psychology. According to Larry Crabb, â€Å"If psychology offers insights which will sharpen our counseling skills and increase our effectiveness, we want to know them. If all problems are at core spiritual matters we don’t want to neglect the critically necessary resources available through the Lord by a wrong emphasis on psychological theory† (Crabb in Anderson et al, 2000). Dr. Crabb’s position certainly ensures that science in particular, has its place in counseling in as much as theology does. He made sure that all means are addressed as the counselor approaches his profession, especially in the actual conduction of both the diagnostic and therapeutic or intervention phases (Crabb in Anderson et al. , 2000). Trauma inducing and crisis triggering situations have spiraled its occurrence and in its primacy in the US and in many other countries in recent years. Its broad spectrum ranges from the national disaster category such as that of Hurricane Katrina or the 911 terrorist strikes in New York, Spain and England, to private instances such as a loved one’s attempt at suicide, the murder of a spouse or child, the beginning of mental illness, and the worsening situation of domestic violence (Teller et al, 2006). The acute crisis episode is a consequence of people who experience life-threatening events and feel overwhelmed with difficulty resolving the inner conflicts or anxiety that threaten their lives. They seek the help of counselors, paramedics and other health workers in crisis intervention centers to tide them over the acute episodes they are encountering. These are defining moments for people and must be adequately addressed else they lead lives with dysfunctional conduct patterns or disorders (Roberts et al, 2006). In the integrated or eclectic approach the goal of the therapy is not just relief to the patient or client. Although an immediate relief is very helpful, this may not always be the case in most illnesses. The goal as mentioned in the preceding pages is to provide long-term reduction of the symptoms and the occurrence of the disease altogether if possible. The management then is not impossible but neither is this easy. Specifically, the counselee or patient must want to heal or believe that there is going to be curative effects in the process. It presupposes that he/she must learn to trust the therapist in his/her capabilities as well in leading or facilitating the changes or modifications. It is very much essential that (in the perspective of a cognitive-behaviorist) that the client understands ownership to the deeds and choices in thought patterns he/she made are crucial to the recurring or occurring condition that s/he experiences (Rubinstein et al. , 2007; Corey, 2004). Moreover, the identification of specific treatments or interventions according to the diagnosed issue will be accommodated and implemented based on the chosen treatment modalities fit with the therapeutic approach utilized. It may be a single modality based on a single approach (e. g. , learning principles and desensitization for a patient with specific phobias) or it maybe a combination of many modalities (CBT, Rogerian, Phenomenological, or Family systems) (Rubinstein et al. , 2007; Corey, 2004). E. Summary Every theoretical approach has its own assumptions. In the psychodynamic theory, the following three assumptions help guide a student of human behavior or an expert in this field determine the underlying factors that explain the overt manifestations of specific behaviors. These assumptions therefore, help guide the diagnosis of the presence or absence of mental illness. They are the same assumptions that guide the therapist in choosing what treatment that will better help heal, cure or alleviate the symptoms. These assumptions are: â€Å"There are instinctive urges that drive personality formation. † â€Å"Personality growth is driven by conflict and resolving anxieties. † â€Å"Unresolved anxieties produce neurotic symptoms† (Source: â€Å"Models of abnormality†, National Extension College Trust, Ltd). The goals of treatment here include to alleviate patient of the symptoms is to uncover and work through unconscious conflict. The task of psychoanalytic therapy is â€Å"to make the unconscious conscious to the patient† (â€Å"Models of abnormality†, National Extension College Trust, Ltd). Employing the psychodynamic viewpoint, the therapist or social scientist believes that emotional conflicts, or neurosis, and/or disturbances in the mind are caused by unresolved conflicts which originated during childhood years. Reference: Corey, Gerald, 2004. Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Thomson Learning, USA. Corey, Gerald. 2001. The Art of Integrative Counseling. Article 29: â€Å"Designing an Integrative Approach to Counseling Practice† Retrieved May 9, 2009 in http://counselingoutfitters. com/vistas/vistas04/29. pdf Crabb, Larry, 2000. Found in Anderson et al resource. Christ-centered therapy. http://books. google. com/books? id=Rn-f2zL01ZwCpg=PA11lpg=PA11dq=effective+biblical+counseling+by+larry+crabb+critiquesource=webots=WFVYLIqP1nsig=MqIhqE_XfGzIQODAKV5iMPjqz14#PPA19,M1 Davison, Gerald C. and John M. Neale. 2001. Abnormal Psychology. Eighth ed. John Wiley Sons, Inc. Ellis, Albert 2001. Overcoming Destructive Beliefs, Feelings, and Behaviors: New Directions for Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. Prometheus Books Kaplan, HI, BJ Saddock and JA Grebb. 1994. Kaplan and Saddock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry: Behavioral Sciences clinical psychiatry. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins. Benjamin, Ludy T. Jr. 2006. A brief history of Psychology. Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition. Bobgan, Martin Deidre. 1987. Psychology: Science or Religion? From Psychoheresy: The psychological seduction of Christianity. Eastgate Publishers. Retrieved May 6, 2009. http://www. rapidnet. com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/psych. htm Boring, Edwin G. et. al. 1948. Foundat

Structure, methodologies and approach towards employee satisfaction and motivation

Structure, methodologies and approach towards employee satisfaction and motivation The case study traces over Volkswagen, (South Africas) organization overview highlighting the structure, methodologies and approach towards employee satisfaction and motivation. The entire backdrop of the case study is about Volkswagens internal organizational behaviour, management practices and their effective implementation. In this context, the assignment is focussed initially on the innovatory measures suggesting right direction to retain workforce allegiance and devotion towards an organization. Volkswagen is amongst the few organizations believed to produce world class automobiles, and stands out distinguish, hence the responsibility and related degree of expectations are higher. Considering the competitive environment, todays employee is intelligent yet demanding and hence it has become more complicated to meet their target expectations. The management of VW (SA) is diligently engaged to resolve the issues pertaining to employees financial stability, professional progression, compensations and benefits, challenging and highly equipped surrounding. In extension to this the company has tremendously transformed its cultural values. The introductory part elaborates the management and organizational behaviour practices of VW (SA), discussing the primary objectives, present situation and future prospects determining specific goals. Employee motivation is essential to keep progressive functioning of an organization. The intermediate portion of the assignment is emphasized on the significance of employee incitement and motivational procedures by discussing four substantial theories of workforce motivation and critical analysis of Volkswagen (SAs) initiatives towards employee motivation strategies. The later part concentrates on the importance of co-workers to amalgamate and function as a single unit. Team work introduces a healthy culture that values collaborative efforts and the team firmly believes in thinking, planning, discussing, deciding and functioning to gether with cooperation. Team efforts with positive attitudes and correct path are inevitable to succeed. Critical discussion is based upon the conceptions and innovative ideas by which VW (SA) can ensure their teams to produce efficient synergy and higher productivity. TABLE OF CONTENTS: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. Introduction 1 2. VW (SAs) Management Organizational Behaviour 1 2.1 Overview 1 2.2 VWs Behavioural Management Practice 1 (i) In Context of Behavioural Management Theories 2 2.3 VWs Organizational Environment Practice 2 (i) In Context of Organizational Environment Theories 3 3. Motivation 3 3.1 Theories of Motivation 4 3.2 Analyzing VWs Employee Motivation Strategy 5 (i) Structuring Remuneration Package and Benefits 5 (ii) Stipulating Fundamental Equipment 6 (iii) Leadership Training and Development 6 (iv) Open Lines of Communication 7 (v) Professional Content and Indemnity 7 (vi) Company Values 8 (vii) Service Excellence Culture 8 4. Definition of a Proficient Team 9 4.1 Team Contribution to Enhance Productivity 9 (i) Credence on the Leadership 9 (ii) Solidarity of the Members 10 (iv) Articulate Objective 10 (v) Colloquial Ambiance Group Participation 10 (vi) Dissolving Perplexity 10 (vii) Constructive Criticism 10 5. Methods to Ensure VWs (SA) Labour Efficiency 10 5.1 Appropriate Selection 11 5.2 Specifying Codes of Conduct 11 5.3 Establish Substantial Goals 11 5.4 Praise and Appreciation 11 5.5 Developing Sense of Direction 11 5.6 Building Team Spirit 11 5.7 Employee Empowerment 12 6. Conclusive Remarks 12 7. Bibliography 13 8. Appendices 14 (i) Appendix A 14 (ii) Appendix B 14 (iii) Appendix C 15 Page # 1 1. INTRODUCTION: Modern global world is comprised companies and enterprises having highly skilled, knowledgeable, sophisticated and decisive workforce, with dramatically increasing role. Organizations performance and productivity is directly influenced by the commitment and loyalty of its employees. Todays competitive professional atmosphere has compelled the attention of the organizations to apprehend the significance of employee retention and thereby constrained them to develop strategies tailored to fulfil employee satisfaction. The sustainability of an organization is subjected to the overall periphery and circumstances which affect its growth and development. The exemplary employee oriented culture represents correct environment, challenges, individual development, recognition and accurate motivating artifice. Reconciliation of effective leadership and consistent workforce while applying the positive attitudes and correct mind set accounts for higher productivity of an organization. 2. VW (SAs) MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR 2.1 Overview: Volkswagen of South Africa was established in 1946, and is owned subsidiary of VW Aktiengessellschaft (VWAG) in Germany, located in Uitenhage. VW group is the worlds fourth-largest automobile manufacturer, and the largest car producer in Europe, consisting eight brands and operates 44 manufacturing facilities found in 12 European and 6 other countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa. Being aware of its prestigious affirmation in the automotive industry, the organization is focused and consistently engaged to heighten its profile. In order to achieve the desired level of productivity, internal and external customer satisfaction and indemnification has to be prioritised. VWs brilliant strategy makers have apprehended the situation and are continuously involved in developing policies for the inducement of employees to ensure their retention. 2.2 VWs Behavioural Management Practice: Employee positive or negative interaction with its organization and its management is based on the level of satisfaction. An individual is motivated to work proficiently when given appropriate Page # 2 work environment with sufficient equipment. The behaviour at work is directly affected by the overall atmosphere, the relationship with co-workers, job conditions and requirements, the remuneration package and professional stability. The management must habitually practice to evaluate and address constructively the needs and demands of its employees to gain satisfactory and productive employee behaviour. (i) In Context of Behavioural Management Theories: Behaviour analysis is the study of individual interaction with the environment and management of such behaviour is an essential element characterised to produce direct effect on the profitability of an organization. The frustrating behaviour of an employee is a clear indication of the system failure as the general workers behaviour is the reflection of the management policies. Sound policies addressing employees needs including job security, peaceful atmosphere, stipulated necessary equipment, equality and professional progression is more likely to produce the breed of workforce essential for an ongoing productive organization. Mary Parkers behavioural management theory focuses on the fact that influential leadership is the key to motivate employees and for that assessment of their job improvement capacity will benefit. A Hawthorne study highlights the importance of observing the frequency of behaviours and their outputs. An immediat e feedback on performance with sufficient information for self correction is necessary to improve functioning. VWs approach towards team building session is appreciable and is in correct direction. However, employees of today are not restricted to information instead willing to participate, share and discuss their own views and creative ideas for implementation. The worker is aware of the strengths and weaknesses relevant to the job and is the one who has excessive knowledge and command over it and hence knows how to control and improve the task. 2.3 VWs Organizational Environment Practice: Workforce of an organization is essentially compelled to work within groups where behaviour of employees may vary according to the relevant circumstances, work conditions physical or mental state. Provided the situation the environment of an organization is rooted in the behaviour of its employees. Organizational environment must be friendly, supportive and constructive by allowing the management and the common employees to discuss and share their opinions. Page # 3 Progressive organizations are inclined towards building excellent work status and valued atmosphere for their workforce in order to attain desired results. (i) In Context of Organizational Environment Theories: An organization is comprised of a group of people and resources brought together essentially for interaction and conscious coordination to acquire a common purpose or an objective. The survival of an exemplary environment is subjected to its equilibrium. There are several processes ongoing simultaneously within an organization and the major difficulty is with proposing any change of structure because once the structure is developed it deters to adapt to environmental changes. Understanding the difference between formal and informal communication becomes a difficult task for leadership. The organizational environment theories underline the internal and external relationships; external resources serve as inputs which are further processed into goods and services resulting in finished outputs in the environment. An open system is usually interacts with the environment while the closed system is self centred and usually fails to be a ccepted. VWs management is consistently working to develop a culture of excellence where freedom of speech, informal interaction, and service quality meetings can be carried out as casual practices. The concept is commendable yet challenging. The contingency theory emphasizes that the management must be flexible to react to environmental changes. Modern and technological organizations have likelihood to alter the conventional procedures rapidly, so the management must adapt to change with positive attitudes. There can be mechanistic structured organization where management is centralized at the top monitoring its employees and is stable, on the other hand organic structure of an organization is decentralized and reaching out to employees with a lesser control. Sound environment guarantees the motivated and efficient employees and leads to the higher productivity of the organization. 3. MOTIVATION: There could be a single or a set of reasons for human behaviour, engaged in certain activity for the desired outcomes, the ground for such activity is referred as Motivation. Every individual has needs and specific goals and human life is engaged in satisfying those needs and to acquire the desired goals. To attain the sense of fulfilment and feeling of achievement can be the prime motivating factors. Motivation refers to the initiation, direction, intensity and persistence of Page # 4 human behaviour Geen, (1994). Human nature can be simple yet too complex at the same time. Understanding of human nature is a pre-requisite for effective employee motivation which accounts for higher productivity. Regimentation of aims, purpose and values amongst the staff, teams and organization is the most fundamental aspect of motivation. The better the alignment and personal association with organizational aims, the better the platform for motivation. Work organizations offer a degree of satisfaction for an individual which may include financial support, social engagements, mental and physical challenges, self development, and sense of belonging and intellectual stimulation. It is said to believe that Best businesses have the best motivated workers. It has been observed that the overall productivity of an organization is increased with highly motivated employees in comparison to the organization with poorly motivated workers. 3.1 Theories of Motivation: Motivation theories are the combination of needs, inducement, goals and reinforces. Need Hierarchy Theory was put forth by Abraham Maslow, which is one of the most highly acclaimed and widely mentioned theories of motivation. He envisioned human needs according to a hierarchical structure of importance, from the lowest to highest, highlighting the five basic physiological needs, sense of security, social drives, self esteem and need of self actualization. The management must pay huge amount of attention to the needs of employees and as the needs may vary from individual to individual, hence it is essential to implement an efficient system to evaluate employees necessities and furnish feasible solutions. Herzbergs two factor theories in accordance with Maslows theory, proposed an idea that certain factors such as challenging work, responsible position and sense of recognition may contribute as prime motivators but on the other hand certain factors including desired salary, fringe benefits and appropriate environment, if absent may result as de-motivators. According to his theory as multiple goals and benefits serve as precursor of motivation, probability of de-motivation arises when perks and privileges do not exist. Page # 5 Hawthorne experiments of Elton Mayo focused on incentives, pay-cheques and financial satisfaction to be the primary motivation factor. People are motivated by pay and work conditions at higher level. Furthermore he believed that attitude of people at work are highly influenced by the groups and work environment. His theory concluded that human relations and the social needs of workers are crucial aspects of business management. Mc Rogers theory heavily emphasized on two basic kinds of managements which he categorised in Theory X and Theory Y. The management which falls under Theory X is believed to have a negative approach towards the employees considering them untrustworthy and incapable. Theory Y addresses the kind of management having faith in their employees and thereby recognising their needs positively. He concluded that managers view of the human nature is based on a certain grouping of assumptions and tends to mold their behaviour towards subordinates according to these assumptions. Numerous theories has been put forth addressing the benefits and moral value of an altruistic approach to treat colleagues and workforce as human beings and respecting their dignity in all its forms, developing a phenomenon to understand that people can never be forced to work, they will work positively only if they want to or otherwise if they are motivated. It has been observed that when an obvious likelihood is establ ished between performance and reinforcement, it leads to and maintains high levels of motivation. 3.2 Analysing VWs Employee Motivation Strategy: VW is a German manufacturer of automobiles which is the third largest car producer of the world. The name by itself indicates the value for people as Volkswagen stands for peoples car in German, (more literally, folks wagon). Within the past few years the intricacy and dynamics within and outside organisations have drastically altered. In this context, it has become prime concern of organisations to carry out future-oriented, active development which pursues an elementary goal i.e., Stand out as a winner. The organization must propose additional benefits for employees, clients and stakeholders because only then will its culture, values and products be responded to with commitment and interest. (i) Structuring Remuneration Package and Benefits: Volkswagen approach towards pay and benefits is commendable as it involves market research Page # 6 and salary surveys. There is a continuous effort behind structuring the salary packages and fringe benefits. However, there is an important aspect slightly ignored during the practice which is to involve the workforce by itself to comment on the remuneration structure thereby, visualising the basic needs and desires within the employees which in-turn will serve as a helping tool for developing effective payroll strategy by keeping in view of employees physiological needs as everyone desires to be financially secure. Payroll must be structured such that the income level of an individual well addresses the living standard. Pay scale must be determined by analysing qualification, experience and skills of the employee and must be reviewed according to the efficiency level as reported by the relevant department. While rewarding high performers, average and below average performers might feel neglected hence it is essential not just to recognise the efforts by high performers but to issue certificate of participation and non-monetary rewards to the rest, recognising their contributions and to keep them within the string. (ii) Stipulating Fundamental Equipment: Ceaseless review of the budget for essential materials and equipment is highly recommended. Necessary equipment is a pre-requisite as it enhances the work efficiency and performance level of employees thereby promoting professional satisfaction and rewarding appreciation. In absence of the required material it is imbecilic to expect efficient service by the workforce. It is appreciative that essential equipment can be furnished in accordance to a specific budget but smart management plan keeps control of the equipment handling and propose for a budget review where necessary. (iii) Leadership Training and Development: Leadership training is vigorous only when sensibly articulated into the corporate culture with its positive intents and values. Development of a leader is only focused upon an individual personal attributes, behaviour and approach whereas, leadership development is emphasized on the process unfolding interpersonal relationships, social influence process and team kinetics amongst leader and the team at the conjugation level. Volkswagens strong organizational structure do not require just managers but crave for smart leadership which is essential for workforce motivation and infusing energy in the team members. True leadership is what an ordinary employee will look up to, in order to comply with effectiveness and efficiency. A dynamic leader supports Page # 7 trains and develops his personnel, while increasing job satisfaction and genuine interest to do the job, within his team. Trusted leaders are likely to produce splendid motivating spirits.To keep people motivated, you need to display dynamic leadership, and make they feel they are working with you and not for you. Corelli (iv) Open Lines of Communication: Employees feel confident and equally responsible when they believe they are trusted. It stimulates a sense of incitement within the employees, resulting in a propitious work environment. If a supervisor or team leader approaches the workplace with a positive, upbeat attitude about the work projects, that enthusiasm should transfer to associates, thus creating a better work environment for all. Leaders and supervisors, who are serious about maintaining a productive work environment and motivating their staff to do their best, need to talk with the associates to find out what is important to them. For example, some associates may not appreciate public forms of recognition, while others will. Howell, (2000) (v) Professional Content and Indemnity: Highly trained and seasoned employee is an asset to a company. Remnant of todays face paced work environment is the increasing rate of job churn or employees switching one job to another within short time frames. Employee turnover is costly, causing workforce instability, reduced efficiency, lower effectiveness, and negative impact of the company. There could be variety of reasons in the background explaining the boredom, frustrated, discontented and least interested behaviour of the employees. Another important aspect is the lucrative job offers which tend to satisfy the needs and basic requirements but in some cases employees are looking for more than just compensation and rewards and are more inclined towards their visions and challenges. The underlying cause might differ due to the fact that humans act, think, behave and respond differently in accordance with the relevant circumstances, however, the issue remains unchanged. Volkswagen as one of the giants in the automobile busine ss world is relentlessly involved in figuring out possible solutions to this emergence. In order to retain employees it is required to offer a package that satisfies financial, intellectual and the career aspirations of an individual. Page # 8 (vi) Company Values: The value of a company represents culture, shared beliefs, attitudes, institutions, and behaviour patterns that characterize the members of an organization. Values of a company naturally emphasize continuous improvement of processes, transformation into a healthy workplace, satisfied customers, and a growing, profitable business. The level of employees commitment to their work is closely linked with the extent to which the company values are practiced. Ensure that the values of the company are strongly understood and equally treasured by the management and individual employee. Demonstrate professionalism, respect, integrity and duty as the core values of the company. According to a key quote of Harvard Business Review Companies that enjoy enduring success have core values and a core purpose that remain fixed while their business strategies and practices endlessly adapt to a changing world. (vii) Service Excellence Culture: Volkswagen is amongst the very few organization which thinks through, work diligently and proactively to create the culture that will allow the company to succeed long term. Culture is the distinctive personality of the organization which indicates its strength, by which it understands the needs of the workforce and affects the value created for the customers. Therefore, organizations make effort to understand what motivates their workforce and give them what they need to perform well by providing them clear mandates, operating principles, resources, authority, knowledge, and tools so they can fulfil their responsibilities to bring out the best of their talents and recognize by rewarding them in ways they value. Volkswagen is among such high calibre companies demonstrating successful conceptual thinking and with the ability to see patterns among seemingly diverse phenomena and thereby strengthening their employees and motivating them with positive attitude. An effective organisationa l culture enables a two way process to occur where employees help to influence the direction of the corporate values system, through their individual beliefs and approaches they adopt. A service excellence culture is that which develops a sense of responsibility and achievement together within employees, recognising their contributions and considering themselves as an integral part of the overall reputation and success of the company. Motivation can either produce profitability to an organization or improve productivity if it is Page # 9 positive, on the other hand if employees are de motivated it is more likely to reduce profit margin and will hinder overall productivity. The core vision is to encompass human behaviours, needs, attitudes and demands, as machines can operate according to the desired level and mostly produce accurate results, but considering where human beings act as a major workforce it involves a thought process based on mutual understanding in between the management and the employees. It is highly recommended to understand associates yearn and necessities and fulfilling them to some degree and thereby motivating them to produce desired results in the best interest of the organization. The summation accounts for the fact that if appropriate motivation level is maintained within an organization, the management will gain productive associates. 4. DEFINITION OF A PROFICIENT TEAM A bunch of individuals possessing particular expertise, collectively working to attain a common purpose or goal; by collaborating and consolidating their knowledge and actively participating in healthy discussions. The essence of a team work is togetherness and the success lies within its concrete leadership, which accounts for the productivity of an organization. It is well addressed that When you break down barriers, misunderstandings, prejudices, insecurities, divisions, territories and hierarchies you begin to build teams. 4.1 Team Contribution to Enhance Productivity: Firm belief in the reliability and trust upon the honesty of the members are the prerequisites of a productive team. The level of cooperation and understanding builds strong bondage between individuals. Every member of an efficient and productive team is open to support and encourage the co-workers for the completion of required task. Following are the characteristics by which teams can contribute effectively in the success of an organization. (i) Credence on the Leadership: It is essential that a high level of trust and confidence is present within the team members upon the leadership. True leader make sure that each individual of the team is equally supported, respected, privileged and heard. The amount of patience and credible efforts for keeping the team members within a string enhances acceptance and faith of the members which results in high performance. Page # 10 (ii) Solidarity of the Members: Every team member must actively participate to explicitly discuss the team procedure and functioning to attain a common goal or a sole objective. The entire team tends to share mutually agreed approach, mechanics, norms, expectations and rules to follow. The unity of team pledge for its success. (iii) Articulate Objective: The team must set clear and focused objectives and translate into well-defined concrete milestones against any measured obstacles. Larger goals and objectives are easily accessible followed by a habit of practicing a series of small wins. (iv) Colloquial Ambiance Group Participation: Environment to function effectively as a team requires being informal, homely and comfortable enough for each member to open lines of communication with ease, but must remain pertinent to the purpose of the team. This encourages bringing about creative ideas and unique concepts and gives equal freedom of speech to all. Another important aspect is that the team members become easygoing with each other and believes that everybody is equally heard and respected. (v) Dissolving Perplexity: Where there is freedom of speech confusions and disagreements are most likely to occur. Agile and intelligent teams welcome disagreements and complexities to test their brilliance and understanding. Reasons are carefully examined and a midway is figured out to resolve the issues. In case of an opposition to a general agreement, an apparent consensus is practiced for a fair outcome. (vi) Constructive Criticism: Healthy and positive criticism is highly appreciated as it provides pivotal grounds to review and evaluate critical decisions. Criticism must be arbitrary and benefaction oriented toward removing an obstacle that is hindering the way of a team to achieve goals. 5. METHODS TO ENSURE VWs (S.A.) LABOUR EFFICIENCY Intellectual management serves as a catalyst to amplify work level and overall performance of the apprentice. Volkswagen approach towards reducing maximum doing from their teams is exceptionally good. However, there are multiple measures which can add value to the existing strategy of the organization to ensure high degree of performance and matchless effectuation. Page # 11 5.1 Appropriate Selection: While selecting a candidate it is ideal to analyse the qualities complementing the job nature. Selection must be based on the relevant skills, a blend of technical, problem solving and interpersonal skills account for effective performance. A right set of people at the right place on the right time are the key for a successful team and productive organization. 5.2 Specifying Codes of Conduct: Identifying rules is necessary for developing focus, receptivity, commitment and trust. Rules must be well-defined and strictly governed without discriminating position and genders. The most crucial rules may pertain to attendance, behaviour, confidentiality, contributions, positive confrontation and end product orientation which must be set as a code of conduct. 5.3 Establish Substantial Goals: The basic starts from the fact that each and every team member has a task to achieve. It is necessary to make every individual believe that the team has significant purposes and tasks and there is high level of expectation associated with their performance. There must be a sense of worth associated with the tasks apart from being easy or difficult. A strong team is build when every member knows that they are a vital part of a significant accomplishment. 5.4 Praise and Appreciation: This is a natural urge within human beings to be praised and rewarded upon successful completion of a project or a great accomplishment. Intelligent organizations never ignore this fact and develop strategies to encourage their workforce by appreciating their efforts. 5.5 Developing Sense of Direction: This is another important aspect of team building to develop sense of direction amongst the members. The team leader or the manager must efficiently distribute tasks and provide sufficient guidance by defining responsibilities and adopting clear direction towards the common goal. 5.6 Building Team Spirit: Assign performance oriented small tasks that will allow the subordinates to grow and take on additional responsibilities. The idea generated by such challenging but achievable goals is not limited to overall productivity but to evaluate the Page # 12 mobility of potential team. This will in return enhance the spirit of the team and build an effective bond of togetherness. 5.7 Employee Empowerment: A strategy which enables employees to decide for themselves is worth giving as it develops a sense of responsibility and helps them to take charge of their work and learn from their mistakes. It is a reliable process for enabling people to contribute effectively in the continuous improvement and ongoing success of the organization. 6. CONCLUSIVE REMARKS Positive and reinforcement and correct motivational strategies are the compulsion of modern organization in which employees are completely aware of their rights and understand the significance of their roles in the productivity and profitability of an organization. The growth level heightens when the structure of the organization is concrete and is based upon specific values and contemporary culture, where an employee is empowered and actively participating in the progression of the company. Volkswagen (South Africa) has successfully managed to develop a progressive atmosphere and the management has understood the need to focus on retaining employees loyalty and commitment. The efforts and strategies of the company towards maintain their internal environment is tailored with excellence and absolu