The Secret Life of the Brain Essay - 1996 Words

The Secret life of the Brain The PBS special The Secret Life of the Brain took us through all different aspects of the brain and its formation through life. These five movies taught us that the brain is plastic and is always changing, cutting unused neurons and filling with different ideas and thoughts that you learn from your environment. The five videos go through the five stages of life; baby, child, teenager, adult and finally the aging brain. The Babys Brain: Wider than the Sky When you are born your brain is in taking all the different sounds and figures around you. Your brain was developing before you even arrived in the world that you are now aware of. After conception your brain starts to grow at a rapid rate; neural tubes†¦show more content†¦I find it interesting is that it is so simple to read yet there are so many steps that are needed to just read one word. The Teen Brain: A World of their Own Your brain has fully developed and you are emerging as a teen into a world of pressures. There are many addictions and disorders that begin at this stage in life. There are addictions to cocaine, pot, and alcohol. The main disorder that is discussed in the video is schizophrenia. Looking back to the pressure of teens to use psychoactive drugs such as cocaine , amphetamines , and even caffeine , it is seen that they are easily abused and have negative effects on the brain. The film taught us about a group of teens that had experimented with different substances and have become addicted to them. As many of the teens explained their addiction had taken over their lives, and they didnt want to do it anymore but because they had been doing it so long they were unable to function without it. I personally cant relate to this strong of an addiction, I have gone through phases in life where I really want something but never to the point of not being able to function. There are people that I personally know that are caffeine addicts where their days dont start until they have had there cup or two of coffee from Starbucks. What many people may not realize is that when you start taking a drug you get an immediate high, but after aShow MoreRelatedBrain Dysfunction913 Words   |  4 Pages Brain Dysfunction in Criminal Behavior Jose Luis Abreu CRJ308: Psychology of Criminal Behavior (BLG1319A) Instructor: Cheryl Cabero May 27th, 2013 Brain Dysfunction in Criminal Behavior After viewing the ABC video â€Å"The Brain and Violence: Secrets of Your Mind† I do believe that people are predisposed to violence. I do maintain my position that even if the same Neurological and genetic factors that lead to crime are present in a person the lack of a healthy environment is what will causeRead MoreBarnhouse Effect Essay854 Words   |  4 Pagesamong all the living creatures. Brain is the thing which makes human superior to any other living creature. Both the stories selected by me are an exceptional examples of the human brain power. Moreover the writers have used their imagination in a beautiful way to depict the stories also the stories have a hidden moral which is only known to those who really get into the core of them. One of the story is â€Å"The report on Barnhouse effect† and other one is â€Å"the secret life of Walter Mitty†. To begin withRead MoreThe Influence Of Heredity And Environment On Development1647 Words   |  7 Pagesto a number of topics we discussed this semester, including stress, post-partum depression, Alzheimer’s disorder (all in lectures/Power Points), happiness (in the movie some lecture), babies born prematurely (Secret Life of the Brain, Episode #1), and alcoholism (Secret Life of the Brain, Episode #3).For this question, start by explaining clearly and thoroughly what each side of the debate – nature vs. nurture - says or argues, in general. Then, pick one of the topics above (or another one fromRead MoreSemiotics of the Landscape1006 Words   |  5 Pages The secrets that are held within our hearts always find a way to express themselves. This is true of every individual. Our secret desires and experiences show themselves little by little through our dreams, our personalities, and even through our hobbies. This is a partial description of Sigmund Freuds theory of th e unconscious mind. What secrets are being expressed in Margaret Atwoods short story which is called Death by Landscape? How are these secrets manifesting themselves through the storyRead MoreThe Secret Lives of The Brain1377 Words   |  6 Pages PART I. Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain, was very straight forward and extremely intriguing. As David Eagleman, a neuroscientist, elaborates on the American criminal justice system, he brings out important factors that I believe everyone should be focusing on in this country. He states that our actions are not only made up by our unconscious mind, but the way we perceive things is controlled by our unconscious ability to even realize we are controlling it. The conscious mind not onlyRead MoreEssay On The Secret To Staying Mentally Sharp In Later Life1036 Words   |  5 PagesThe Secret to Staying Mentally Sharp in Later Life Aging and its concomitant physical and mental deterioration is an inevitable part of life. One of the most prominent changes accompanying old age is a decline in mental abilities (e.g., learning and memory, processing speed, visual and auditory perception) in association with a degenerating brain size (Costandi, 2017). A wealth of research has suggested that age-related cognitive decline begins relatively early in adulthood—as early as the thirdRead MoreWhat Makes A Fad Diet?1250 Words   |  5 Pagesinsecurities. They will often charge you a great deal of money for their â€Å"proven† secrets. Most honest health and fitness experts will charge for their services but their rates are typically more affordable long term. This is because real fitness experts know that weight loss takes time. Creators of fad diets want to sell you as much merchandise as possible in a short time before you figure out that their so-called secrets are ineffective. #3. Paid Endorsements Many fad diets are endorsed by celebrityRead MoreAnalysis Of The Article The Secret Of Raising Smart Kids By Carol S. Dweck1217 Words   |  5 PagesJack Garceau Mr. Ebert AP Psychology 06 November 2017 Phase Two: Essay Thesis: Initially, In the article, â€Å"The Secret to Raising Smart Kids†, Carol S. Dweck analyzes the correlation between parents who praise their children for intellect and how that praise negatively affects the child’s academic performance. In 1972, a study was performed when a group of elementary and middle school students displayed helpless behavioral attributes. One group who exhibited the â€Å"helpless behavioral trait† learnedRead MoreEssay on The Correlation Between Body Mass and Brain Function987 Words   |  4 PagesThere is a strong correlation between obesity and brain performance.Being overweight or obese causes poor brain performance. When there is an excess of cholesterol in the human body, there will be delays in motor skills, memory, and constant exhaustion. Simply being overweight or obese causes all these negative effects. Being overweight or obesemeans weight numbers are greater than what is considered healthy. In other words,the higher the weigh t number, the higher the chance of catching a diseaseRead MoreAnalysis Of The Article Secrets Of The Brain Essay1468 Words   |  6 PagesI read the article, â€Å"Secrets of the Brain†, found in the February 2014 issue of National Geographic written by Carl Zimmer. I chose this subject because I have been fascinated with the brain and how it works. The research of the brain has been ongoing for many centuries now. The history in this article is interesting. It explained how scientists used to understand the brain and its inner workings. For example, â€Å"in the ancient world physicians believed that the brain was made of phlegm. Aristotle

Genuine Progress Indicator free essay sample

The Motor City: Industrial Hero to Zero The Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) is a fantastic model to measure the overall well being of the economy in great detail. Opposed to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which only takes into account total dollar value, the GPI does just that, but also includes figures that represent the cost of the negative effects related to economic activity. It gives the important details of the economy and the state of the citizens within in it that the GDP simply cannot. Look at Detroit, Michigan; the â€Å"Motor City†, was at one time one of the most prosperous cities in the world, and a global industrial giant. Today, it’s a ghost town, not to mention a hellhole. The collapse of the automotive industry from the early 2000’s to the present has completely destroyed the former global giant in every way. The precipitous decline of the Detroit economy can be substantiated by using both the GPI and GDP method. Using academic and popular media references, these two approaches will be compared using the issue of the collapse of the automotive industry in the â€Å"Motor City†. The GPI approach represents this situation most accurately, and is most relevant because it not only takes the financial state of Detroit into consideration; it takes the environmental and well-being factor of the citizens into consideration as well. The GDP does not. Through the disappearing population, the rising rates of unemployment and poverty, and the exploding crime rate, it is clear that the costs of the overall well being of this city are much more important than just the economic costs. The city of Detroit, Michigan was once the most prosperous, ‘booming’ cities in the world, especially in the second half of the twentieth century. This was thanks to their automotive industry, ‘the Big 3’. ‘The Big 3’ included Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler, who all have their world headquarters located in Detroit and its vicinity. During this time period, ‘Big 3’ sales had soared from 6 million units in 1950, to 17 million in 2000. To break this time period down in depth, from 1950 to 1991, the sales of the units increased by double-digit percentages annually. In contrast to that, from 1992 to 2007, figures of annual sales rarely fluctuated by more than 3 percent per year (Klier, and Rubenstein 36). Consumers had an insatiable appetite for American vehicles manufactured by the ‘Big 3’; they were on top of the world so to speak. This surge in sales was not only bringing in great amounts of money into Detroit and its vicinity, it was bringing in great job opportunity, whether it was factory jobs or office jobs. This was truly the golden era for Detroit, and its populous prosperity was to be found everywhere. The statistics don’t lie, stating that Detroit’s population peaked at around 2 million in the 1950’s (Linebaugh). During that time, it was the fifth largest city in the USA only behind New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, and was in the top 10 as recently as 1990 (Linebaugh). With all going so well, it was just a matter of time before things turned for the worse. As the saying goes, â€Å"all good things come to an end†, and this describe Detroit’s ugly, disastrous transformation in a nutshell. According to CNBC, Detroit is the 3rd worst city to live in the USA, and is the most dangerous (Crowe). What was the catalyst for this metamorphosis from prosperity to urban decay? It’s quite simple; their automotive giants were getting out performed by foreign competitors such as Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai. One of the factors that lead to this was that the ‘Big 3’ became complacent and arrogant due to the fact that they had little to no foreign competition prior to this decade. Thus they had an extremely large portion of the North American market share. Because of this arrogance and complacency, both quality and reliability began to suffer. The foreign automakers rated consistently higher in both quality and reliability. Another was the fact that the ‘Big 3’ depended critically on selling large volumes of light trucks (minivans, SUV’s, and pickups); these vehicles were their backbone (Klier, and Rubenstein 36). As gas prices began to rise, and eventually soared, consumers were looking for more affordable alternatives, with regards to fuel-efficiency. This was one characteristic all of the ‘Big 3’’s light trucks lacked. What was the alternative? Foreign-headquartered automakers (such as Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, etc. fuel-efficient vehicles. These vehicles would cut down the time and money consumers would spend at gas pumps, which was extremely attractive. The statistics of the ‘Big 3’’s production of light trucks from 2007 to 2009 do not lie. In 2007, 10. 4 million light trucks were produced. In 2009, this number decreased by a staggering 46% to 5. 4 million (Kli er, and Rubenstein 36). The foreign automakers fuel-efficient vehicles took the market by storm in that period, and completely dominated the US automakers in the market share. This was the nail in the coffin for the city of Detroit. The one main thing that drove their economy through its history was becoming more and more irrelevant as the time passed. No one was buying American made vehicles. It got to the point where General Motors and Chrysler had to be bailed out by the government. To Detroit’s fairness, the economy is on its way back up today, and the automotive industry is starting to regain some ground, but the city of Detroit will never be the same, not even close to what it used to be. How has this historical collapse affected the â€Å"Motor City† today? It begins with the population. As previously mentioned, Detroit’s population peaked at about 2 million people in the 1950’s. This is the highest their population was, and ever will be. Kate Linebaugh of The Wall Street Journal states that as of 2010, Detroit’s population had fallen back 100 years. The population as of that date was 713,777, the lowest it has been since 1910, 60 percent less than it’s peak in the 50’s, and 25 percent less than it had been in 2000 (Linebaugh), which is absolutely unbelievable. Also, Detroit is now the nineteenth largest city in the USA behind Indianapolis, and Columbus (as it used to be in the top 5, and top 10 as previously stated) (Linebaugh). The population is literally disappearing as time moves on. Along with this issue, is the skyrocketing poverty and unemployment rate. The current unemployment rate is 19. 6 percent, which is almost double the national rate, and the highest the city has even seen (Daily Mail Reporter). This number has been on a steady rise within the past decade, and as a result has put ore and more people on the streets, being homeless. 34. 5 percent of Detroit’s population is below the poverty line (US Census Bureau). Also, the rate of violent crimes is at 2,137 per 100,000 residents, which is the highest in the USA above St. Louis and Oakland. This statistic makes the â€Å"Motor City† America’s most dangerous city for the fourth year in a row (Fisher). The city is in complete ruin; it seems like absolutely ev erything is going downhill. With all going so wrong, especially in the last decade, how on earth could the GDP of Detroit increase at all? Take a look at the numbers from the recent decade. From 2001, there is a steady increase in the GDP until 2007, until a short but steady decrease until 2009, where it goes up again from there (BEA: US Department of Commerce). This is a completely inaccurate representation of the state of Detroit overall. With the collapse of the automotive industry, which lead to all the problems previously mentioned (population diminishing, poverty and unemployment rate rising, and crime rate sky rocketing) the GDP is not an appropriate measure or representation of the Detroit economy overall. This is due to the fact that the GDP just takes into account total dollar value, and not the well being of the citizens or any environmental factors. According to the GDP, Detroit has been brining in increasing amounts of money from one year to the next in some periods of this collapse, but the overall state and well being of the city and its population has been on a constant downward spiral. To truly understand and represent the real state of the Detroit, and what is really going on within the economy and the well being of its citizens, the GPI must be used. If the GPI were taken in contrast to the GDP of Detroit since 2001, it would steadily be going downhill and opposed to the fluctuating GDP, which was mostly increasing (with exception to 2007-2009). All the situations Detroit is encountering as a result of the auto industry collapse bring the GPI downward. For example, take the cities record high unemployment rate. In Clive Hamilton’s article about the GPI, he talks about the issue of unemployment and underemployment. He says that social costs of unemployment lead to declining levels of health, increased amounts of suicide, and increasing levels of crime. Also there are the psychological osts of unemployment, which include trauma, stress, and family breakdowns (Hamilton, 20). Therefore, unemployment is a major negative factor on the GPI. Also, Hamilton talks about defensive expenditures, saying that GDP counts them as additions to output, however GPI deducts them, because they are undertaken to offset some decline in social we lfare (Hamilton, 16). For example, this means that the record-high crime levels in Detroit create additions to the GDP because there would be a need for more police, more medical staff, and things would need to be repaired. On the other hand, the crime would deduct the GPI. This is because the cost of more police, medical staff, and repairs are undertaken to offset the decline in social welfare that crime causes. Lastly, the diminishing population of Detroit is a ‘no brainer’ as a deductive quality of the GPI. Clearly people want to leave, or avoid living in the city of Detroit in this era. The social welfare of the citizens is at an extreme low. It is clear that the GDP cannot represent the economic state of an area in nearly as much detail as the GPI can. This is why in my opinion the GDP is not relevant in terms of an indicator of an economy’s overall well-being. I strongly believe that the GPI gives a more accurate representation of the overall state of the economy thus should be used as the primary economic measure rather than the GDP. Detroit’s GDP was on the rise for most of this decade, even through the historical collapse of its worldwide automotive industry. However, it is clear that the welfare of its citizens and the state of the city are and will continue to be at a devastating low. This is made clear through Detroit’s disappearing population, the rise of unemployment and poverty rates, and the skyrocketing crime rate. With all of these factors considered in the GPI, as well as dollar value, the GPI ultimately triumphs over GDP and gives people a true assessment of an economy overall, that the GDP simply fails to do. Works Cited Klier, Thomas H. , and James Rubenstein. Economic Perspectives. Economic Perspectives. Q II (2012): 35-54. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. Linebaugh, Kate. Detroits Population Crashes. Wall Street Journal 23 3 2011, n. pag. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. lt;http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424052748704461304576216850733151470. html Crowe, Aaron. 10 Worst Places to Live in America. CNBC. com. , August 6 2010. Web. 13 Nov 2012. lt;http://www. cnbc. com/id/38584814/10_Worst_Places_to_Live_in_Americagt;. BEA:US Department of Commerce, . GDP of the Detroit metro area from 2001 to 2010 (in billion U. S. dollars). Statista. September 2011. Web. 13 Nov 2012. lt;http://www. statista. com/statistics/183873/gdp-of-the-detroit-metro-area/gt;. Daily Mail Reporter, . Detroit ranked most dangerous city i n the country fourth year in a row as economic devastation continues to take its toll . Mail Online. October 20 2012. Web. lt;http://www. dailymail. co. k/news/article-2220603/Detroit-ranked-dangerous-city-country-fourth-year-row. htmlgt;. Fisher, Daniel. Detroit Tops The 2012 List Of Americas Most Dangerous Cities. Forbes. October 18 2012. Web. lt;http://www. forbes. com/sites/danielfisher/2012/10/18/detroit-tops-the-2012-list-of-americas-most-dangerous-cities/gt;. US Census Bureau, . Detroit (city), Michigan . . US Department of Commerce. Web. lt;http://quickfacts. census. gov/qfd/states/26/2622000. htmlgt;. Hamilton, Clive, 1999, The genuine progress indicator methodological developments and results from Australia, Ecological Economics, Vol. 30, pp. 13-28. ?

Short Time Recall Essays - Mental Processes, Memory, Recall

Short Time Recall We were interested in examining patterns of short-term information recall. We used the Brown-Peterson distractor technique to investigate the effects of stimuli type and delay interval on recall for 17 Ss. Each S was tested under 4 conditions, combined of word triads or nonsense syllables triads, with a short (10-sec) or long (45-Sec) delay interval. S read aloud the visually presented stimulus items, and aurally recalled them after the delay interval, in which S was engaged in counting backwards in threes from a presented 3-digit number. Measures were taken only for recall proportion. Results suggest a significant difference in recall between words and nonsense syllables, with words significantly better recalled. For the delay interval, results show no significant effect, and thus differ from those obtained in previous research. This discrepancy is discussed in terms of technical differences in procedure. No other effect or interaction approached significance. Short-term Recall As a function of Type of Stimulus and Length of Delay Interval Short-term memory (STM) has been vastly studied and tested. One of the popular testing methods for STM has been the short-term recall, in which S is shortly presented with a single or multiple items, later to be recalled. Various researchers have focused their studies on different aspects, while attempting to identify those factors that most strongly influence short-term recall. A short-term memory model based upon a limited capacity to process information suggests that the recall of verbal material can be effected by the activity which consumes the retention interval, referred to as the interpolated activity. Diverse studies examine the significance of elements involved in the interpolated task. In general, researchers have attempted to prevent Ss from rehearsing, i.e., processing exposed stimuli by keeping the material within the short-term store through the use of rehearsal-preventing interpolated tasks. The most famous of these has been suggested in the Brown-Peterson technique (Peterson & Peterson, 1959) in the form of backwards counting. In the original Peterson studies (1959), Ss attempted to retain aurally presented consonants trigrams while counting backwards by three or four from a three-digit number. This interpolated activity was continued for some predetermined retention interval, immediately after which Ss were asked to recall the originally presented consonants. Using this technique, the Petersons demonstrated a very rapid decline in recall. The probability of recall decreased exponentially with duration of interpolated activity. Murdock (1960) investigated the effect of the stimulus type and the effect of varying the rate of interpolated activity. Similarly to the Petersons (1959) he found that in all cases forgetting, whether measured by accuracy or latency, increased with the duration of the interpolated activity. In addition, Murdock suggested little difference between the retention of three consonants and three words; consonant syllables and word triads were equally well recalled. Murdock (Tell, 1971) has shown that short-term recall is effected by whether the presentation is visual or auditory. According to Neisser (Tell, 1971) there is an auditory-storage system which results from auditory input and can function as a source of information in short-term recall. This temporary storage system is referred to as echoic memory. Echoic memory is passive, continuous, composed of sounds, and decays rapidly (Tell, p. 150). However, auditory input may also function as auditory noise. Voiced recall, vocalized irrelevant interpolated activity, or certain types of presentation conditions can mask, erase, or overwrite information available in the echoic memory store. This assumption is especially important when considering the interpolated activity. Tell (1971) suggested that a verbal interpolated task, in addition to its role as a rehearsal-prevention activity, would also produce auditory feedback, which masks information from echoic memory. Tell and Ferguson (1974) further explored this issue of vocalization by examining the influences of active and passive vocalization on short-term recall. As distinguished by Crowder (Tell & Ferguson, 1974), active vocalization refers to presentation conditions where the to-be-remembered stimulus items are voiced aloud by S as they are visually presented. Under passive vocalization conditions, S listens to E read each stimulus item as it is visually presented. Tell & Ferguson suggested that active and passive vocalization differ mainly at the longer retention intervals, with recall much higher under the passive vocalization condition. This supported the idea that active vocalization could interfere with effective rehearsal or encoding strategies. Another variable manipulated in search of significant effect on recall is whether interpolated tasks were rewarded or not. Soucar, Walk, and Covert (1971) suggested that retention of syllables is reduced under rewarded conditions. However, productivity and accuracy of the actual interpolated tasks was unchanged by reward. The present experiment is designed to examine short-term recall as a function of stimulus type and

Celie and Shugs first physical encounter Essay Example

Celie and Shugs first physical encounter Essay Example Celie and Shugs first physical encounter Paper Celie and Shugs first physical encounter Paper In the following letter Shug approaches Celie and says that she must leave. Celie is devastated by this, and is shown by the following quote, I dont say nothing. Feel like I felt when Nettie left. This extract highlights the growing feelings Celie has for Shug. Celie now begins to see Shug as a close personal friend; Nettie was the only female Celie had a close relationship with; Shug has now taken this role. The first section of the letter on pages 68-70 conveys Celies jealousy towards the relationship between Shug and Albert. The first sentence shows that Celie is still upset that Shug is leaving; Celie then turns this sadness into anger through realising that Shug is sleeping with Albert. Now we all know she going sometime soon, they sleep together at night. The two diverse issues mentioned show that Celie is confused and does not know what to think of Shug. The alliteration of sometime soon and also the consonance on the s sound create a feeling of pace and rhythm, this conveys that Celie is willing to move onto another subject as the current one brings much sadness. The second part of the sentence shows Celies hatred, the consonance on the t and its plosive edge portrays Celies anger and frustration on the matter. This part of the sentence is also monosyllabic except for the word together, as this word contains three syllables we get the feeling that Celie is running this word over in her mind and picturing the relationship between Shug and Albert. As the rest of the section is monosyllabic it shows Celie does not wish to elaborate and so is shocked at the actions of Shug. In the next sentence there is more of a realisation from Celie that Shug and Albert sleep together frequently. Not every night, but almost every night This strong, mid-line pause creates this understanding. In the following paragraph Celie becomes frustrated at Alberts treatment of women as mere objects, And just to look at her. The sentence begins with the conjunction and; this represents negative thoughts and anger from Celie over Alberts lack of consideration for Shugs personality. The use of the pronoun her shows that Celie has little respect for Shug at this present moment. Celie may be confused as to why Shug has a relationship with Albert when Celie knows that she respects Shug as a person as well as taking into account her good looks. The quote is monosyllabic and conveys that Celie does not wish to waste her breath over something she has seen many times before. Celie is depicting Albert as a stereotypical male. The feeling that Shug enjoys her relationship with Albert is shown through a number of sentences. do you mind if Albert sleep with me? The wording of this extract builds up a feeling that Albert is very much in control of Shug; Albert sleeps with Shug, Shug does not sleep with Albert. Shug then openly declares to Celie that she enjoys sleeping with Albert, I just love it. Additionally, Shug states that she still has a passion for Albert. It becomes clear that Shug still loves Albert even though she sees him as a bully as well as weak and many other negative statements. Celie seems to have latched on to the fact that Shug still loves Albert; this factor increases Celies jealousy and hatred towards Albert, and possibly Shug. You still love him, I ast. The lack of a question mark signifies the quote as imperative. Celie is not asking but simply stating, in an aggressive manner, that Shug loves Albert. The use of the pronoun him conveys that Celie still has little or no respect for Albert. Monosyllabic words are used to create a short and sharp sounding sentence to reflect Celies anger and frustration. Celie is most likely confused as to why Shug is sleeping with a man who is violent towards women.

Challenges of Recruitment Processes Samples

Google, an American company with multinational presence and specializing in products and services relating to the internet, was founded by the duo of Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998. It is one of the most desired workplaces in the world, and that has been magnified by the production of a recruitment video that seeks to provide prospective applicants with a sneak peek into what it entails to work for the organization. One of the key messages from the video about google as an employer is, life at the organization is about more than just work. For example, there are recreational facilities for employees. The fact is, it is not just about productivity, but also, the experience is meant to be pleasant. The other key message is, ‘things happen,' implying that there is fast decision making with regard to whether projects will be approved or not. One of the interviewed engineers stated that ideas are approved at a faster rate i.e. on the order of weeks, months or less in comparison to the institutions that they worked for earlier. Also, there are certain qualities that are rooted for by the company when recruiting. They encompass the following: individuals with ambitious ideas, fast responses to requests, big achievers, passionate about projects, high energy levels, a good understanding of the product base and commitment to clients (Google Inc, 2006). Hence, employees are surrounded by bright and enthusiastic colleagues, working on interesting problems and products that impact a lot of lives e.g. Gmail (Google Inc, 2006). Again, they place huge importance on balancing work and life. To demonstrate, it has a child care center touted as one of Google’s most valuable programs. Further, expectant mothers are given time off before and after delivery. Additionally, they have 75% pay for all of the 12 weeks that mothers were expectant. Furthermore, they are afforded flexibility at work such as working fewer hours. According to Google’s engineering director featured in the video, Google’s culture, philosophy and personalities drawn from its founders. Organizational culture evident from the video is briefly outlined below. Google has a work environment that fosters flexibility, creativity, and innovation. Specifically, the organization has a 20% rule where engineers have 20% of their time to work on individual projects. Some of the projects highlighted in the video included the below mentioned. One, where an engineer created a rotating globe showing where on the globe Google users were searching from. Two, an added feature on google.com where when a user types in the name of a movie and the zip code, it will return to them a list of theatres around that area, with show time and reviews to that particular movie. Importantly, there is a free exchange of information through different setups. First, there is an impactful mentoring program where both incoming and resident employees are assigned official mentors and could also take up unofficial mentors. Therefore, there is an easy transition for new comers and those stepping up to new positions. Second, to stimulate the mind of its employers, the organization has educational talks called Ted talks in different topics such engineering and the latest theories about the origin of the universe (Google Inc, 2006). Again, the organization has a great startup spirit in that projects take a shorter period to launch. Lastly, it provides impactful products to the general public. The development of the theories began in 1920’s amidst the industrial revolution, during which productivity was at the core of businesses (Jerome, 2013). A particular theory that fits well with the Google recruitment video is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory. The theory is built on the premise that the desire of many employees is to be included in an entity that supports their growth and development (Jerome, 2013). Thus, if special attention is a guarantee and there is an encouragement for participation, the view that their work is of significance motivates productivity and high-quality work. Concerning the theory, the video is effective in attracting the right candidates, for the reasons outlined below. The behavior of humans is related to needs. The video comes across as testament that the needs, as outlined by Maslow, will be met. First, ranked at the bottom of Maslow’s hierarchy, is psychological needs. It entails the basic needs that sustain human life. Such include food, shelter, clothing among others (Wahba&Bridwell, 1973). The video outlines the provision of all these at Google. Second, the security and safety needs which are connected to the psychological fear of job loss. Expectant mothers, for instance, are guaranteed of keeping their jobs. During the 12 months, they are afforded 75% of their salary and flexibility in terms of working hours (Google Inc, 2006). Third, the need according to the theory is the social need. The need posits that it is the desire of an employee is to be in a group and be accepted. This is made possible by Google by mentorship p rograms that facilitate regular interaction with superiors and other forms of activities that make interactions with other employees easier and possible. Ideally the video advocates for the creation of a sense of community. Fourth, the theory stipulates a self-esteem need that has much to do with recognition (Wahba&Bridwell, 1973). The importance of this fact has been duly emphasized in the video citing various activities that enhance self-esteem e.g. the 20% rule. Last, and the highest ranking need according to Maslow, is self-actualization. It entails the desire of an employee to become what they think they are capable of. Google provides for this through the 20% rule, enabling employees to utilize their maximum potential. Attracting the right kind of candidates for job openings is important to any organization in existence,so as to meet the organizational goals and values (Arachchige& Robertson, 2011). According to Maroko& Uncles (2008), there are certain characteristics that come into play when a potential employer is seeking to attract the right candidates for a job opening:attractiveness and accuracy. These are some of the factors that the video by Google looked to enhance by a brief documentation of its organizational culture. About attractiveness, the video demonstrates awareness of employee needs, differentiation in the market and relevance to a particular pool of enthusiasts.   Further, it accurately portrays accuracy regarding organizational culture, values, employee experience and the employer brand (Maroko& Uncles, 2008). A study by Williamson et al. (2010) emphasized the above claim on attractiveness stating that the amount of information given attributing the company and the different positions on offer has an interactive effect on potential applicants. Arachchige& Robertson (2011), provides other characteristics of an organization that fresh graduates look for. The most preferred attributes are: will gain experience that is relevant to career, promotes self-esteem, faster decision making, better relationships with colleagues and superiors, fun working environment among others. These are some of the â€Å"attraction† factors put across by the video. First,   finding a qualified employee in time has become more difficult.Uncontrollable circumstances may lead to someone being laid off, or alternatively, an employee might have left for another opportunity.In these situations, the position needs to be filled promptly (Meister, Willyerd& Foss, 2010). As such filling, the position becomes the next order of business. However, in as much as the market is full of applicants who would be interested in the position, there are challenges. A considerable amount of time is spent on sourcing suitable applicants and profile and CV reviews. Thus, there is a need to find ways of getting applicants of good quality into a recruiter’s short list fast. Second, ascertaining the legitimacy of a resume is an uphill task.Reason being, faking resumes has been a common occurrence in a recruiter’s bid to find a fit for a position. Included here are fake referrals, education, and certification (Mallory, 2014). Researching an employee’s resume to establish if every qualification is genuine is time consuming when working under a strict time frame. Third, settling for the right choice is a daunting task. A culmination of the above-mentioned factors that make the recruitment process challenging results in difficulties settling for the right candidate. A recruiter might have lots of talented candidates but with limited positions to accommodate at least the majority, chances are they might let extremely talented individuals leave. According to the survey by PWC and KPMG, the cost of a bad hire is estimated at double the salary he would have been paid to the individual. Last, as per the findings of a study carried out by Cappelli (2008), career decisions are no longer made by managers and executives as it was in the past where individuals were matched with jobs. As such, the most talented of individuals have the freedom to turn down offers if the offer that they expected does not come along. Similarly, there is a general talent problem that has since been burdensome to recruiters in companies of Google’s magnitude. They want the skills they need at the time of their choosing and in a manner that is desirable to them. Employees on the other hand desire the guarantee of advancement and an autonomous level of control n their careers (Cappelli, 2008). Arachchige, B. J., & Robertson, A. (2011). Business Student Perceptions of a Preferred Employer: A Study Identifying Determinants of Employer Branding. IUP Journal of Brand Management, 8(3). Cappelli, P. (2008). Talent management for the twenty-first century. Harvard business review, 86(3), 74. Google Inc. (2006). Google Recruitment Video. Google: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcXF1YirPrQ. Jerome, N. (2013). Application of the Maslow’s hierarchy of need theory; impacts and implications on organizational culture, human resource and employee’s performance. International Journal of Business and Management Invention, 2(3), 39-45. Mallory, M. (2014). A Research Proposal: Negligent Hiring and Fraudulent Resumes. Meister, J. C., Willyerd, K., & Foss, E. (2010). The 2020 workplace: How innovative companies attract, develop, and keep tomorrow's employees today (p. 5). New York, NY: Harper Business. Moroko, L., & Uncles, M. D. (2008). Characteristics of successful employer brands. Journal of Brand Management, 16(3), 160-175. Wahba, M. A., &Bridwell, L. G. (1973). MASLOW RECONSIDERED: A REVIEW OF RESEARCH ON THE NEED HIERARCHY THEORY. In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 1973, No. 1, pp. 514-520). Academy of Management. Williamson, I. O., King, J. E., Lepak, D., &Sarma, A. (2010). Firm reputation, recruitment web sites, and attracting applicants. Human Resource Management, 49(4), 669-687.

Discussion Topics for Management Course - United States Essay

Discussion Topics for Management Course - United States - Essay Example In this case, employees feel motivated and increase their dedication business practices, something that enhances its chances of success and quality outcomes. It is important for business executives to understand that risk and uncertainty are not actually similar. Uncertainty often concerns possible results and outcomes, which are not known to the business managers. On the other hand, risks can be described as certain kinds of uncertainties that involve actual probabilities of loss for various outcomes (Ferrell & Fraedrich, 2005). In this case, it is evident that situations involving risks can be accounted for easily as compared to those involving uncertainties. The process of making decisions based on risky conditions has to seek, where possible to provide a definite identification of risks, quantifying and absorbing them. In this case, business executives have to understand that the quantity of a risk is often equivalent to the total of all the probabilities relating to the particular risky outcome, alongside the expected loss from the outcome. From the foregone discussion it is evident that business managers are better placed to account for the management outcomes that are made under risky situations that those involving certainties. One of the most important aspects of a business’ management decision-making process is accounting for the outcomes. Accountability, in this case is needed in the process of making assessments and evaluations, which are important in the growth and development stages of the business (Ferrell & Fraedrich, 2005). Business managers are expected to avoid uncertainty situations in the business, this is because, they often lead to many losses in the management process. Risky situations can often bring positive outcomes depending on the effectiveness of the decisions made in the business. This is the reason why business managers that make effective decisions over

HRM Case study (giving HR advice) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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