Gender Differences In Communication Essays - Gender Studies

Gender Differences In Communication Gender Differences in Communication Every race, culture, civilization, and society on this planet shares two things in common: the presence of both the male and female sex, and the need to communicate between the two. The subject of gender differences appears to have engaged peoples' curiosity for as long as people have been writing down their thoughts, from as far back as the writing of the creation of Adam and Eve, to its current popular expression in books such as Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. The assertion that men and women communicate in different ways, about different things, and for different reasons seems to go un-argued and is accepted as true by a vast majority of Americans. It is the reason why we communicate differently that conjures up quite a bit of debate and conversational turmoil. One of the most traditional hypothesis is the one John Gray wrote about in his book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, which essentially points to differences in brain structure, hormones, and socialization as the cause of such an enormous gender gap in communication. But that was then and this is now, scientists throughout the world are working to learn more about gender differences in communication, and much has been discovered since the days of Mars & Venus. One such research team is that of Canary and Hause of the Communication Quarterly. In their study, they conclude that the previous 50 years of research on sex differences in communications, such as that of John Gray, brought about no conclusive findings for such differences. The researcher's analyses of their findings provided evidence for an expectation of small differences due to sex: approximately 1% of variance, concluding that the effects found were due mostly to society and culture. Deborah Tannen, a leading scholar of communication, also shares this view of gender and communication. She studied ethnic groups, which speak the same language using different styles, and found that the effect of gender on communication is miniscule compared to the effect of culture and socialization. In her research, Tannen asserts that the basic uses of conversation by women are to establish and support intimacy; while for men it is to acquire status. These styles and motives for communicating represent different cultural upbringings, and one is not necessarily better than the other. However, she also notes in her findings that men tend to interrupt more and ask questions less. In fact, the female tendency to ask more questions sometimes results in receiving lower grades from male professors who view frequent questioning as proof that a student knows less than her male counter parts. The theory that differences are fabricated early in a child's life and are not biological doesn't account for everything. David Cohen, in his article regarding Tannen's findings points out a mystery in the connections she made. Since women are primarily responsible for child-rearing and therefore disproportionately responsible for teaching the species to speak, when is it that boys learn to speak in the male style? From a very early age, males and females are taught different linguistic practices. For example, communicative behaviors that are considered acceptable for boys may be considered completely inappropriate for girls. Whereas a boy might be permitted to use rough language, a girl in the same situation might be reminded to use her manners and be lady-like The research on women and language shows that women experience linguistic discrimination in two ways: in the way they are taught to use language, and in the way general language usage treats them. So, for example, women reflect their role in the social order by using tag questions, qualifiers, and fillers to soften what they have to say. Women exhibit their subordinate status through avoiding direct and threatening communication. While in recent years this gap has narrowed, our society retains a tendency to imply that maleness, after all, is the standard for normalcy. This unwritten standard society uses to judge people dates back thousands of years and is clearly depicted in the quotes of some of the most famous people in history. Aristotle described women as a deformity, a misbegotten male, St. Thomas Aquinas argued that god should not have created women,

Free Essays on Success In High School

High school is a strange time. After two years of trying to develop identity and friends in middle school, students are expected to mature immediately on the first day of ninth grade, but I never did this. I never fully realized in the earlier grades how important high school success is, and how it is measured by GPA. As a result I am applying to college with seemingly contradictory measures of my ability to perform college-level work. If I had worked and studied hard rather than hanging out with friends and viewing high school as an opportunity to socialize, I would not have to apply to school with a 23 ACT score and a 3.3 GPA. Had I taken my grades in my earlier years seriously, I could have been a college's dream candidate. This year I have made an earnest effort to improve my work ethic. My grade point average is rising and my study habits are improving. However, after performing poorly for three years, my GPA cannot reflect the transformation I underwent at the start of my junior year. Dedicated to making something of myself, I finally matured and am now trying to lessen the consequences of my past actions. Armed with my new attitude and my understanding of the extreme importance of earning good grades to signal my capacity to work responsibly, I assure you that I will never revert to the student I once was. In retrospect, I believe that it was my inability to choose my classes that resulted in my lack of enthusiasm on the ride to school each morning. I enjoy the freedom to pursue my own interests and anxiously anticipate the ability to choose my own class schedule in college. While I understand that college will be significantly more challenging than high school, I have always found it easier to study for a class that interests me. I am also willing to accept the fact that as long as I am in school, I will be forced to take required courses that I might be less than enthusiastic about. However, with my new goal-oriented ... Free Essays on Success In High School Free Essays on Success In High School High school is a strange time. After two years of trying to develop identity and friends in middle school, students are expected to mature immediately on the first day of ninth grade, but I never did this. I never fully realized in the earlier grades how important high school success is, and how it is measured by GPA. As a result I am applying to college with seemingly contradictory measures of my ability to perform college-level work. If I had worked and studied hard rather than hanging out with friends and viewing high school as an opportunity to socialize, I would not have to apply to school with a 23 ACT score and a 3.3 GPA. Had I taken my grades in my earlier years seriously, I could have been a college's dream candidate. This year I have made an earnest effort to improve my work ethic. My grade point average is rising and my study habits are improving. However, after performing poorly for three years, my GPA cannot reflect the transformation I underwent at the start of my junior year. Dedicated to making something of myself, I finally matured and am now trying to lessen the consequences of my past actions. Armed with my new attitude and my understanding of the extreme importance of earning good grades to signal my capacity to work responsibly, I assure you that I will never revert to the student I once was. In retrospect, I believe that it was my inability to choose my classes that resulted in my lack of enthusiasm on the ride to school each morning. I enjoy the freedom to pursue my own interests and anxiously anticipate the ability to choose my own class schedule in college. While I understand that college will be significantly more challenging than high school, I have always found it easier to study for a class that interests me. I am also willing to accept the fact that as long as I am in school, I will be forced to take required courses that I might be less than enthusiastic about. However, with my new goal-oriented ...

The Considerations of Pricing Strategies in Multiple Industries Essay

The Considerations of Pricing Strategies in Multiple Industries - Essay Example Burrows (2009) describes the dilemmas at Microsoft company when deciding pricing policy on its many different technology and consumer-oriented products. Microsoft maintains tremendous buying power in its technology market but is facing pricing issues in the midst of a global economic slowdown and rising competition in this market. Microsoft is now wondering, in order to keep sales volumes up and profit at expected levels, whether the business should consider lowering the prices on a wide variety of Microsoft branded products. Says CEO Steve Ballmer of Microsoft, â€Å"we’re focusing on gaining share in (new markets) that are most critical† (Burrows, p.51). Apparently, Microsoft has considerable problems in some markets, such as in Asia, with large volumes of pirating occurring in its computer-related technology marketplaces. Piracy, when customers are able to get their hands on Microsoft products without a proper license, erodes sales success at the company. Therefore, Microsoft considers that in these markets where piracy runs high, they can lower the price of the technology software to make the product less appealing from illegal markets and will bring buyers into the store instead to make a purchase. Even though there is no research evidence which shows that Microsoft has determined a price policy that fits with the company’s leadership expectations, clearly a consideration of pricing is the ability to avoid piracy and also to make products seem more attractive to buyers with fewer resources in order to boost higher sales volumes. Cooper (2009) describes how the regulatory environment impacts pricing, by describing data from the Digital Britain Report.  

The Role of Knowledge Management and Human Resource Management in Research Paper

The Role of Knowledge Management and Human Resource Management in assisting the employees' replacement process - Research Paper Example Conclusions 22 References Appendices List of Abbreviations HRM: Human Resource Management KM: Knowledge Management IC: Intellectual Capital RBV: Resource-based-view 1. Introduction: Ulrich (1998) asserted that knowledge management through intellectual capital will be the basis for direct and indirect competitive advantage for organisations; and that successful organisations will be the ones that are most adept at attracting, developing and retaining individuals who can drive global organisation that is responsive for both its customers and the burgeoning opportunities of technology. Ulrich’s perspective on knowledge management and human resources management provide a strong foundation to understand contemporary organisations’ providence in sustaining their position in the global market. This paper will discuss the Ulrich perspective in depth and to show the link between the role of both Human Recourse Management and Knowledge Management in sustaining the competitive adv antage of organisations through knowledge workers. 2. What is Intellectual Capital: Ulrich (1998) emphasizes the ability to attract, develop and retain individuals that can run organisations at global levels while exploiting technological advancements for achieving and sustaining success. This is possible by building intellectual capital, which the Business Dictionary explains as the collective knowledge of individuals in an organisation or society, which can be used to produce wealth, multiple output of physical assets, gain competitive advantage, and/or to enhance value of other types of capital including customer capital, human capital, intellectual property, and structural capital (Skiba & Dulong, 2010; p.264). Human capital constitutes the knowledge gained by employees through specific activities that result in learning and innovation (Edvinsson and Malone 1997). Overall, Nahapiet and Ghoshal (1998; p.245) regard IC as â€Å"a valuable resource and a capability for action base d in knowledge.† Moreover, they regard IC of greater value compared to other organisational assets. According to them, IC operates in two dimensions, first based on types of knowledge; secondly, levels of analysis in knowledge and knowing. From the types of knowledge perspective, its classification into tacit and explicit knowledge by Polanyi (1967) stands good in organisational contexts. Intellectual capital is the hidden value of the organisation, and closely linked to Knowledge core processes such as acquisition, codification, dissemination, development and application (Davis, 2009). Establishment of this link between Knowledge core processes and IC requires an understanding of knowledge and its management in organisational contexts. 3. Knowledge and its management: Knowledge: Distinguishing from information and data, Lang (2001) identifies knowledge as a human creation that is embodied in mind, and argues that it cannot be delivered by systems or technology. A highly accep ted and notable classification of knowledge is that of Polanyi’s (1967) tacit and explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge is that which is captured by an individual’s mindset and manifests through their actions. This knowledge can be acquired through interpersonal interaction (Lee & Choi, 2003). Explicit knowledge forms the formal and systematic knowledge which can be shared and communicated by codifying into manuals, procedures, rules etc (Nonaka & Konno, 1998; Stenmark, 2001). Explicit knowledge can be transferred to others in simpler manner than tacit

MPH 504 - Epidemiology (Module 4 - SLP) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MPH 504 - Epidemiology (Module 4 - SLP) - Essay Example This means that the outcome which is E.Coli diarrhoea in this case, is associated with the exposure, the alphalpha sprouts. The confidence interval is 7.5 to 545.7. Since the confidence interval does not include 1, the Odds ratio is significant, indicating that there is a positive association between exposure and outcome. Confidence interval is an interval estimate of population parameter, measuring as the interval which is likely to include the parameter given. Most of the times, the confidence interval is qualified as "95% confidence interval." The end points of this interval are known as confidence limits. In this case, the end points are 7.5 and 545.7. Just because there is statistical association between alphalpha sprouts and E.Coli diarrhoea, it does not mean that there exists a cause-effect relationship between alphalpha sprouts and E.CColi diarrhoea. There are five aspects which have to be examined before determining the causality. The first one is the strength of association. In this case, it is the Odds ratio. The greater the Odds ratio, the greater is the association. The Odds ratio is 29 which means that the strength of association is significant. Other four aspects which need to be determined are dose-response relationship, consistency of association, temporally correct association and biological plausibility. Since we do not have information about these aspects, it cannot be positively said that there exists a cause-effect relationship between alphalpha sprouts and E.Coli

Defining SMEs and Identifying their features

Defining SMEs and Identifying their features Governmental committee findings and research schemes have different approaches about the definition and the characteristics of small and medium businesses. Regarding performance of SMEs Westhead Storey have mentioned the small firm is not a scaled down version of a large firm. In short, theories relating to SMEs must consider the motivations, constraints and uncertainties facing smaller firms and recognize that these differ from those facing large firms. There are so many criteria either qualitative or quantitative to decide what form an enterprise is. In case of quantitative measures; staffing level, turnover and asset can be mentioned while others carry qualitative approach. Not only there is a large number of prospects regarding the features of SMEs but also governmental viewpoints conduct a numerous of SMEs definitions depending on the county being considered. For example the report which has been issued by Wiltshire Committee in Australia has shown this flexible definition of any SMEs (Meredith, 1994) Small business is one in which one or two persons are required to make all of the critical decisions (such as finance, accounting, personnel, inventory, production, servicing, marketing and selling decisions) without the aid of internal (employed) specialists and with owners only having specific knowledge in one or two functional areas of management. United states pay more attention to the position of organization within the overall marketplace. According to United States Small Business Administration (SBA) SMEs have the following definition An SME shall be deemed to be one which is independently owned and operated and which is not dominant in its field of operation. On the other hand the quantitative attitude has been emerged in United Kingdom, defining an SME as: Having fewer than 50 employees and is not a subsidiary of any other company. Small and medium enterprises have their own characteristics and applying large-scaled companies features to SMEs is not suitable. The studies which have done by Reynolds et al., (1994), Murphy (1996), Bunker MacGregor (2000) show differences in management style between large business and SMEs. These studies have illustrated SMEs tend to have a small management team rather than a group of people (often prefer to have one or two individuals), they are strictly monitored by owner of the firm and they have little control over their environment and responsibilities and the wish they could be independent. Differences between SMEs and larger firms are magnified even more when they move toward IT (Bunker and MacGregor 2000). Khan and khan (1992) mentioned that SMEs prefer not to run complicated applications on their computers. According to a general point of view of literature, a summary of features of SMEs has been reported by MacGregor and Vrazalic (2004) which is illustrated in Table. SMEs characteristics can be categorized either internal or external. Internal features embrace management, decision making and planning processes, and acquisition of resources on the other hand external characteristics are associated to the market (products/services and customers) and external environment. ID Characteristics of SMEs Reported by INT1 SMEs have small and centralized management with a short range perspective. Reynolds et al.. (1994) Bunker MacGregor(2002) Welsh white (1981) INT2 SMEs have poor management skills. Blili Raymond (1993) INT3 SMEs have informal and inadequate planning and record keeping processes. Reynolds et al., (1994) Tetteh Burn (2001) Miller Besser (2000) Rotch (1981) INT4 SMEs exhibit a strong desire for independence and avoid business ventures which impinge on their independence. Dennis (2000) Reynolds et al., (1994) INT5 The SMEs owner(s) has/have a strong influence in the decision making process Reynolds et al., (1994) Murphy (1996) Munker MacGregor (2000) INT6 SMEs owners often withhold information from colleagues. Dennis (2000) INT7 The decision making process in SMEs is intuitive, rather than bases on detailed planning and exhaustive study. Reynolds et al.. (1994) Bunker MacGregor (2000) INT8 Intrusion of family values and concerns in decision making processes. Dennis (2000) Bunker MacGregor (2000) ID Characteristics of SMEs Reported by INT9 SMEs are more intent on improving day-to-day procedures SMEs face difficulties obtaining finance and other resources, and as a result have fewer resources. MacGregor et al., (1998) Cragg King (1993) Welsh White (1981) Gaskill Gibbs (1994) Reynolds et al. (1994) Blili Raymond (1993) INT 10 SMEs are more reluctant to spend on information technology and therefore have limited use of technology. Walczuch et al. (2000) Dennis (2000) MacGregor Bunker (1996) Poon Swatman (1997) Abell Limm (1996) INT11 SMEs have a lack of technical knowledge and specialist staff and provide little IT training for staff. Martin Matlay (2001) Cragg King (1993) Bunker MacGregor (2000) Reynolds et al., (1994) Blili Raymond (1993) Table 1: Internal characteristics of SMEs categorized by MacGregor and Vrazalic (2004) ID Characteristics of SMEs Reported by EXT 1 SMEs have a narrow product/service range. Bunker MacGregor (2000) Reynolds et al. (1994) EXT2 SMEs have a limited share of the market (often confined toward a niche market) and therefore heavily rely on few customer. Hadjimonolis (1999) Lawrence (1997) Quayle (2002) Reynolds et al. (1994) EXT3 SMEs are product oriented, while large businesses are more customer oriented. Reynolds et al. (1994) Bunker MacGregor (2000) MacGregor et al(1998) EXT4 SMEs are not interested in large shares of the market. Reynolds et al. (1994) MacGregor et al. (1998) EXT5 SMEs are unable to compete with their larger counterparts. Lawrence (1997) EXT6 SMEs have lower control over their external environment than larger businesses and therefore face more uncertainty. Westhead Storey (1996) Hill Stewart(2000) EXT7 SMEs face more risks than large businesses because the failure rates of SMEs are higher. Brigham Smith (1967) Delone (1988) Cochran (1981) Table 2: External characteristics of SMEs categorized by MacGregor and Vrazalic (2004) Obviously, the most significant SMEs feature which clarifies border between small businesses and their larger counterpart is uncertainty the characteristic which has been come up by Westhead Storey (1996) and Hill Stewart (2000). It takes root in lacking control over external environment and this feature shows differences between large enterprises and their small counterparts. Electronic Commerce As the term electronic commerce is still an emerging concept, the definition varies between different contexts. Generally electronic commerce refers to the replacement of physical economic processes with electronic ones and the creation of new models for collaboration among trading partners. According to Tuunainen (1999) E-commerce consists of transaction oriented internet base functions (e.g. on-line catalogs, purchasing and payment).For online retail selling, the term e-tailing is sometimes used. There are a numerous studies regarding E-commerce so there are so many definitions for E-commerce.Turban et al. (2002) have expressed this definition as an emerging concept that describes the process of buying, selling or exchanging services and information via computer networks. Cummings and LeMaire (2005) described the meaning of E-commerce as an online system that allows customers to perform transactions over Internet. This process consists of whole business steps from ordering to delivery. Raymond (2001) specified E-commerce as functions of information exchange and commercial transaction support that operate on telecommunications networks linking business partners (typically customers and suppliers). Another definition which has been mentioned by MacGregor and Vrazalic (2004) is one of which presented by Damanpour (2001) as any net business activity that transforms internal and external relationships to create value and exploit market opportunities driven by new rules of the connected economy. Zwass (1996) identified another definition for E-commerce as sharing of business information, maintaining business relationships and conducting business transactions by means of telecommunications networks. An e-commerce and development report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) anticipated total value of world e-commerce in 2002 at about US$2.3 trillion, and it came to US$12.8 trillion by 2006 (E-commerce and Development Report, 2002) so in the words of Kofi Annan, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations: E-commerce is one of the most visible examples of the way in which information and communication technologies (ICT) can contribute to economic growth. It helps countries improve trade efficiency and facilitates the integration of developing countries into the global economy. It allows businesses become more competitive. And it provides jobs, thereby creating wealth (E-commerce and Development Report, 2002).

Pumping Iron: Women and Sports :: Movies Television Film Females Essays

Pumping Iron: Women and Sports Ever since sports has been introduced into our society it has always been gender specific. Today, sports are still gender specific but not as much as before due to the change in social norms. Many people enjoy playing sports. For some it may be the competition, for others it may be for the love of the game. It has been difficult for individuals who enter non-traditional sports for their gender. Women have especially struggled with this matter until the Title 9 was issued. Before Title 9, many women were not allowed to participate in track and other sports that were not considered feminine. During the Victorian Times, women were only allowed to play sports that didn't make them look sweaty, tired or just messy. They had to stick to the norm of being conservative and looking proper. Can you imagine, they had to even wear skirts for baseball and other sports? How can you be comfortable and play well in that kind of an outfit? When it came to tennis, they had to look graceful like a ball erina. The main concern in playing a sport is enjoying it and playing it well. It never had to do anything with being part of a beauty contest. Women were given limitations into what sports they could participate in. However, realistically women were just as good as their counterpart when it came to playing sports in which they were not allowed to play. Being a female and seriously competing in a non-traditional sport is an arduous task. Many individuals question your sexuality, race and class just because you have decided to participate in a non-traditional sport. However, the main fact that is being disregarded here is that everyone has the capability of playing any sport that they want to play. There should not be any boundaries to anything because of gender. It is unfair because there are certain things that are acceptable and unacceptable in society which puts a lot of pressure on people that are into non-traditional sports. The question is, why does being accepted matter so much in society? Why is it so hard to be accepted for something that you want to do? I mean you are not hurting anybody yet you are made to feel guilty for trying to be good in a non-traditional sport. For this essay, I would like to use the movie "Pumping