Teach for America - Profile on the Teach for America Program

What is Teach for America: Part of Americorps, Teach for America is a national program for new and recent college graduates where they commit to teach for two years in a low-income school teaching disadvantaged students. The mission of the organization according to their website is to build the movement to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting our nations most promising future leaders in the effort. Since its inception in 1990, 17,000 individuals have participated in this rewarding program. Benefits of Participation: First and foremost, participating in Teach for America is a service organization where new teachers can truly make a difference right from the start. Over the course of the two years of involvement, teachers recive five weeks of intensive pre-service training and then ongoing professional development for the course of the program. Participants receive the pay and benefits of a typical teacher for the region where they are working. The program also provides teachers with loan forbearance along with $4,725 at the end of each year of service. They also provide transitional grants and loans ranging from $1000 to $6000. A Little Bit of History: Wendy Kopp presented the idea for Teach for America as an undergraduate at Princeton University. At the age of 21, she raised $2.5 million dollars and began recruiting teachers. The first year of service was in 1990 with 500 teachers. Today over 2.5 million students have been affected by this program. How to Get Involved: According to their website, Teach for America seeks a diverse group of promising future leaders who have the leadership skills to change the prospects of students.... Those recruited do not have to have any prior teaching experience. The competition is stiff. In 2007, only 2,900 were accepted out of 18,000 applicants. Applicants must apply online, participate in a 30 minute phone interview, and if invited attend a full-day face-to-face interview. The application is long and requires a lot of thought. It is suggested that applicants spend some time preparing for the application process before submitting. Issues and Concerns: While Teach for America is in many ways an excellent program, there are some concerns of which teachers should be aware. While according to studies including a recent one by the Urban Institute, teachers who work with Teach for America are in fact more effective than their traditional counterparts. On the other hand in terms of the experience for teachers, some new TFA teachers feel unprepared to be thrown into such a challenging teaching environment. It is important for any potential participant to fully investigate the Teach for America program and if possible speak with those who have actually participated in it.

The Ucc Essay example - 1263 Words

UCC Crystal Pierce Rasmussen College Author Note This assignment is being submitted on March 17th, 2013, for Rick Barrett’s B491 course at Rasmussen College by Crystal Pierce. UCC It has been a good year and you have decided to put an addition on the side of your house. You hire Bob the Builder to do the job and have a signed contract. You review the plans, make a sizable down payment, and Bob starts demolition. But then after a week, Bob seems to disappear. Several weeks go by, construction has not continued, and Bob cannot be found. The rules governing contracts traditionally came from common law, meaning the law that is produced on an ad hoc basis by courts. When the courts came up against a novel problem, they look at†¦show more content†¦(FindLaw, 2013) Contract is defined as an agreement between two or more parties creating obligations that are enforceable or otherwise recognizable at law. For purposes of this chapter, we are concerned with agreements to buy and sell some type of agricultural product. Contracts 101 You should be concerned about contract law because it determines how parties to the contract will need to keep the promises th ey make. Although very few contracts ever end up in court, if the parties to a contract disagree on something and are unable to resolve the disagreement, they may have to resort to the judicial process. This means that as the parties negotiate a contract, they need to consider how a judge might ultimately interpret it. For a contract to be enforceable, it must involve: 1. Competent parties. A court will not uphold a contract entered into by parties the law does not believe have the capacity to take on such a legal responsibility, such as minors or people who are mentally incapacitated. 2. A legal subject matter. A court will not uphold a contract requiring anyone to do something illegal. 3. An offer. An offer occurs when a party communicates the intention of doing something if the other party does another speciï ¬ c thing. Either the buyer or seller can initiate an offer so it could occur when you approach a cranberry cooperative with anShow MoreRelatedUniform Commerical Code (UCC)1005 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction The UCC refers to the Uniform Commercial Code which originally created in year 1952 by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and the American Law Institute, which are two national nongovernmental legal organizations (Steingold, 2013). These two private entities recommend that the 50 state governments adopt the UCC; however, it does not become law unless it’s enacted by the state. The UCC is a â€Å"comprehensive statutory scheme which includes laws that cover aspectsRead MoreBranches of Government and UCC1558 Words   |  6 PagesBRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT AND UCC 1.FLOWCHART OF BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT The government is a single term yet comprised of several different components that collaborate to run the business of the country by making, stating, implementing and ensuring law. The US government has three branches namely legislation, executive and judiciary (Three Branches of Government, 2008). 2. DESIGNATE TWO UCC CLAUSES THAT ALIGN WITH EACH BRANCH The term UCC stands for Uniform Commercial Code that was publishedRead MoreThe Uniform Commercial Code ( Ucc )1329 Words   |  6 PagesThe Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) is just like a whole big book of all the collection of the lawful regulations and acts. They eventually control the trading’s/behavior and negotiations of businesses. It manages the conveys and/or the selling of private property, in other terms personal property. UCC doesn’t state the trading in real property. Well overall, the Uniform Commercial Code institutionalizes business laws within the United States of America. Along with that, it also looks for stabilityRead MoreThe Uniform Commercial Code ( Ucc )1696 Words   |  7 Pagesare mostly judge-made, from court decisions over the years. The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC): The common law does not control contracts that are primarily for the sale of goods. The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), a standardized collection of guidelines that govern the law of commercial transactions, controls contracts for the sale of goods. Most states have adopted the UCC in whole or in part, making the UCC s provisions part of the state s codified laws pertaining to the sale of goods. The classificationRead MoreThe Uniform Commercial Code ( Ucc )1261 Words   |  6 PagesCommercial Code (UCC) in the private sector and the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) are the documents that govern contract formation in the private verses public sector industry. UCC regulates commercial transactions between merchants, individuals, and across state lines (except Louisiana, where common law prevails). The intent of UCC was to simplify the law, clarify it, modernize, as well as codify uniformity for commercial transactions. The formation of a contract by the UCC is intended toRead MoreThe Uniform Commercial Code ( Ucc )897 Words   |  4 Pagesadults must be of sound mind to consent to a contract. Lastly, writing some types of contracts must be in writing to be enforceable. There are two contract rules for governing the sales of goods and the sale of services. The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) is the code used for the sales of goods. The sales of services is use common law to govern these contracts. The Uniform Commercial Code was published in 1952 by legal scholars in order to facilitate the easy information and enforcement of contractsRead MoreThe Universal Commercial Code ( Ucc )1345 Words   |  6 PagesIssue #1 The issue is whether the UCC is applies to the alleged offer and acceptance made between Kevin and the department store. Rule The Universal Commercial Code (UCC) governs transactions in goods, which are all things that are tangible and movable at the time of identification to the contract for sale, and the common law governs transactions involving services provided by professionals. When a mixed contract exists involving both goods and services, most courts use the predominate factorRead MoreHow Does The Ucc Apply For Finance Leases?1867 Words   |  8 Pages10. How does the UCC apply to finance leases? Lease financing is a contractual relationship formed between a lessor, lessee and a supplier. The lessor buys goods from the supplier and rents the goods to a lessee who is given the right to possession of the good for a specified amount of time. This turns into a financing situation, since the lessee owes a debt to the lessor for purchasing the goods on behalf of the lessee . The lessor will usually benefit from an interest rate percentage that is collectedRead MoreDelaware s Adopted Version Of The Ucc Defines A Good Essay1979 Words   |  8 PagesDelaware’s adopted version of the UCC defines a good as â€Å"all things which are moveable at the time of identification of the contract for sale† and necessitates said goods to be â€Å"both existing and identified before any interest in them can pass.† 6 Del. C.  §2-105. If these requirements are found to be met â€Å"an action for breach of any contract for sale must be commenced within in 4 years after the cau se of action has accrued.† Further, â€Å"a breach of warranty accrues when tender of delivery is made,Read MoreInteraction of American Laws with International Law962 Words   |  4 PagesUCC and International Law Because the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) generally regulates commerce or trade on a national basis, one may not realize that it also has an impact on international commerce. However, this assumption would ignore the critical role that American laws and policies play in the arena of international trade. These roles are both formal and informal. In other words, American law has direct and indirect effects on international commerce. In order to understand the impact of

Assigment Free Essays

Individuals in the work field are legalizing that developing good skills helps in the workforce and many concepts of project management helps with everyday lives. Advantages: Better control of financial, physical, and human resources Improved customer relatives Shorter development times Lower costs and improved productivity Higher quality and increased reliability Higher profit margins Better internal coordination Positive impact on meeting strategic goals Higher worker morale What is a project and what are the main attributes? How is a project different from what most people do in their day-to-day jobs? What is the triple constraint? A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. Projects are not operations. We will write a custom essay sample on Assigment or any similar topic only for you Order Now Projects end when objectives are reached or had been terminated. Attributes of a project are the following: A project has a unique purpose A project is temporary A project is developed using a progressive elaboration A project requires resources, often from various areas A project should have a primary customer or sponsor A project sponsor provides direction of funding the project A project involves uncertainty As stated above projects are temporary and every day operations is work one in organizations to sustain the business. Triple constraint means scope, time, and cost. Successful projects must consider these objectives. Some consider quadruple constraint because quality is a key factor too, so scope, time, cost and quality. What is project management? Briefly describe the project management framework, providing examples of stakeholders, knowledge areas, tools and techniques, and project success factors. Project management is â€Å"the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. † Elements of ramekin are stakeholders- people involved in or affected by project activities and include project sponsor, project team, support staff, customers, users, supplies and opponents of project. Knowledge areas managers must develop. For core knowledge areas are project scope, time, cost, and quality management. These lead to specific project objectives. Project management tools and techniques assist managers and their teams in carrying out work in all nine knowledge areas: Knowledge- Integration Management- tools- project management software, change request, lesson earned reports, Scope Management- scope statements, work breakdown structures, requirement analysis, Time Management- Gaunt charts, Cost Management- net present value, return investment, payback analysis, earned value management, project portfolio, cost estimates, cost management plans, cost baselines, Quality Management, quality metrics, checklist quality control charts, diagrams, fish bone diagrams, maturity models, statistical methods, Human Resources Management, motivation techniques, emphasize listening, responsibility assignment, matrices, project organizational charts, resources castigator, team building exercises, Communication Management, kick off meetings, progress reports, Risk Management, risk management plans risk registers, probability, impact matrices, risk rankings, Procurement Management, make or buy analyses, contracts, requests for proposals or quotes, source elections, supplier evaluation matrices. Project Success Factors: The project met scope, time, and cost goals The project satisfied the customer or sponsor The results of project met its main objective, such as making or saving a certain amount of money providing a good return investment or making the pompons happy. What is a program? What is a project portfolio? Discuss relationships between projects, programs, and portfolio management and contributions they each make to enterprise success. Program is a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually. Infrastructure Application Development User Support Portfolio Management is organizations group and manages projects programs as portfolio investments. Program managers coordinate the efforts of project teams, functional groups, suppliers, and operations staff purporting projects to ensure that project products and processes are implemented to maximize benefits. Also responsible for not only delivery of projects but they are change agents. Responsible for success of products and processes produced these projects. Portfolio managers help organization make Wise investments decisions by helping to select and analyze projects from strategic perspective. Important principles make sure your projects are driven by strategy and engage stake holders. Portfolio management allows viewing and managing all projects at the enterprise level. These can be Rosen down into categories venture, growth and core of IT projects. Many organizations use specialized software Enterprise or portfolio to organize and analyze all types of projects data into project portfolio. What is the role of project manager? What are suggested skills for all project managers? Why is leadership so important for information technology project managers? Project managers can have different job descriptions which can vary from industry to organization but all they all have similar tasks. Skills for project managers are the following: The project management Body of Knowledge Application area of knowledge, standards and regulations Project environment knowledge General management knowledge and skills Soft skills or human relation skills Very important for IT project managers must be willing to develop more than their technical skills to be productive team members and successful project managers. â€Å"Leaders determine vision and managers achieve the vision. † â€Å"You lead people and manage things. † Ten key trades: People skills Leadership Listening Integrity, ethical behavior, consistent Strong at building trust Verbal communication Strong at building teams Conflict resolution Conflict management Critical thinking problem solving Understand, balances priorities Careers for information technology project managers are in demand. Although the new approach will be populated with versatility those with technical backgrounds will also need to know business sector inside and out. The IT project manager will need to architect and carry out IT plans that will add business value and can cultivate relationships both inside and outside company. IT executives listed the skills predicted would be most in demand in the next two five years. Project program management come first, followed by business process management, business analyst and application development. Briefly describe some key events in history of project management. What roles do the Project management Institute and other professional societies play in helping the profession? 191 7 Henry Gaunt developed famous Gaunt charts for scheduling work for factories. Now used for displaying project schedule information by listing project activities ad there corresponding start and finish date. Now used with the aid of computers. Military key holders for refining several project management techniques as well as critical path which are the longest path through a network diagram that determines the earliest completion of a project. Manhattan project key to modern project management. PM was founded in 1969. A large percent of members work in information technology field and because there are so many people working on projects in various industries, PM has created GIGS. Specific Interest Groups that enable members to share ideas about project management in particular application areas and other societies are available on PM website. They also offer certifications that continue to rise to higher demand. For a project manager or student it is important for a person to become member. What functions can you perform with project management software? What are some popular names Of low-end, mid-range, and high-end project management tools? How to cite Assigment, Papers

Creativity and Innovation Management

Questions: (1) Describe the starting challenge in the chosen situation of your group, identify the methods used to better establish and define this problem, and clearly show the project focus. (2) Describe exploration and idea generation methods and techniques applied to your identified problem, and show what was found during exploration, and the ideas generated. (3) Describe methods used for evaluating and developing the ideas generated into possible solutions, and show the results, outcomes, solutions, designs, or strategies developed, including any possible recommendations. (4) Include some reflection on the strengths and limitations of the methods / techniques used in your project. (5) Include copies of supporting documentation that show the groups work and application of creative techniques (e.g. Mind Maps, ideation notes, photos, visual representations, and a copy of any PowerPoint slides. Answers: 1.0 Introduction In this assignment, it has been described that how innovation and creativity can be model and deliberate creative thinking skills can applied to solve a real life problem. This study will help to find out the opportunity to observe and analyze different creative thinking process. For this study, the company Woolworths has been selected. It is one of the most successful retail organizations of Australia. The company is presently facing issues related with human resource management. They are such as less chance of promotion, unethical working hours and gender discrimination at workplace. All these issue have affected the business performance of the organization. Creative problem solving method is used to resolve these issues of the organization. 2.0 Overview of the company Woolworths is a supermarket of Australia established in the year of 1924 (Woolworths, 2016). The total revenue of the company is A$ 40 billion. There are more than 111, 000 employees are involved with the company. Currently the company has more than 980 stores in Australia (Woolworths, 2016). It has been found that some of the Woolworths supermarket trade as Safeway. The brand slogan of the organization is The Fresh Food People. This long term campaign had been developed by the company in the year of 1987 and it existed until 2012 (Woolworths, 2016). Then the companies changed its slogan and directly identify it as Aussie. In the year of 2014, the company had brought back its old slogan. The company has developed its offercard to attract more customers towards its services and products. Presently there are more than 1 million customers are presently connected with offercard of the company. As Falkoski (2012) stated that, Woolworths is one of the most recognized brands in Australia. T he company has developed world class experience for its customers at all level of business. As Arajo Burcharth Knudsen and Sndergaard (2014) stated that, the current growth plan of the organization includes four major strategies. They are such as: Leading the food and liquor business in Australia Developing company portfolio to maximize the value of shareholders Maintaining the track record of new growth business Implementing innovation to improve business performance 3.1 Challenges within the organization (Problem Statement): Presently the company Woolworths is facing various employment related issues. There is a survey analysis has been done on 900 employees of the organization. It has been found from this survey analysis that there are two major issues that employees have to face in a workplace. They are such as unfair hours of working and less chance of promotion. As Falkoski (2012 stated that less chance of promotion has decreased the motivation level of employees, which affect their business performance. As De Spiegelaere et al. (2014) mentioned that, many employees of the organization has face bullying while working in the workplace of Woolworths. As the job security level of employees is high at Woolworths, some employees try to change the roster drastically to save the wages (Bais, 2012). In order to gain better position in the company, some employees try to change or control the business operation. As Falkoski (2012) stated that, it increases the stress level of employees at workplace and sufferi ng level of customers. One of the female employees of the organization has stated that she is facing issues related with discrimination. It has been found that most of the management position of the company is holding by males. As Anderson Poto nik and Zhou (2014) argued that some of the managers of Woolworths take their decision about promotion, rewards depending on the age, sex, race, gender and material status of the employee. As Foote and Goodman-Delahunty (2012) mentioned that, over work and little payment is the major issue that the company is presently facing. It has been found that the average working hour of employees of Woolworths is 10 hours in average. Majority of the employees overwork and their pay is much lesser their expected level. As Falkoski (2012 argued that, the typical working day for the company is not fixed, as the management is not being able to develop appropriate time schedule to complete a set work. 3.2 Methods used to cope up with the situation: There are three creative and innovative ways have been proposed by the group in which the critical situation of the company can be handled. They are such as active listening, giving behavioral feedback and be courageous to take tough decisions. Active listening In order to cope up with the problems of employees, management of the organization needs to develop active listening skills (Gregory, 2013). Management needs to turn their attention towards the complaints of employees. They need to jolt down all the problems of employees such extra working hour, less chance of promotion and workplace bullying. After that they need to find out innovative solution for these problems. Giving behavioral feedback The management team needs to analyze the behaviour of all employees. Depending on the assessment, feedback needs to be given to their employees. It will motivate employees towards better performance. Be courageous to take tough decisions In order to stop bullying and organizational politics, the management of the organization has to be courageous to take tough decisions to fire some employees who are related with unethical business practices. Development of weekly roster The management of the organization needs to develop appropriate weekly roaster in order to avoid any kind of confusion related with working hours (Roscigno, Williams Byron, 2012). 4.0 Models used to deal with the situation: There is a new model of employee engagement has been implemented in the company in order to deal with the situation. It is known as refreshment model. This model has following factors which are suitable to resolves the issues of the company Woolworths (Stainback Irvin, 2012). They are such as: Time for a change In order to control bullying inside the organization, the management of the organization needs to implement some changes. They need to develop Zero Tolerance Policy (ZTP) in order to stop mental and physical harassment of female employees (Roscigno, Williams Byron, 2012). Making work attractable As Gregory (2013) stated that, the company needs to think about improving their engagement with the employees. They need to capture employee feedback and their sentiment about their work (Stainback Irvin, 2012). It will make the work more attractable. The HR department needs to develop fun sessions every week to develop a friendly working environment. Compensation and remuneration The management of the organization needs to develop effective compensation and remuneration program so that employees of the organization become motivated towards their work (Anderson, Poto nik Zhou, 2014). The management needs to find out the best performing employees and give rewards and promotions accordingly. As Falkoski (2012) stated that, it will motivate employees to conduct their work in appropriate manner. 5.0 Methods for evaluating the ideas There are a number of methods which are used for the evaluation of ideas. In this section, three most important methods of idea evaluation have been discussed. These methods are namely, Six thinking hat. Six Thinking Hats is one of the time-based, proven and practical thinking tools that provide a framework to assist people in thinking clearly and thoroughly by directing their thinking attention in one specified direction at a time. This is a simple mental metaphor and is easy to put on and to take off. It can be seen that each hat has different color that signifies different thinking ingredients. Sheth (2012) has stated that six thinking that facilitates productive thinking, collaboration, creativity and creativity. Most importantly, this enables the unique point of view of the persons to be highly included and considered. It is regardless to say that the critical thinking procedure can be complex and this might be confusing. However, it can be stated that one of the well proven and successful methods for organizing both the group and individual thinking is the Six Thinking Hats, which is also known as De Bonos Six Thinking hats (Gregory Masters, 2012). This procedure was first int roduced in the year 1985 by Edward De Bono in a book with the same name. The six thinking hat is a time-tested, practical thinking tool which provides the framework for helping people to clarify thinking and thereby directing the thought process. Geissler, Edison and Wayland (2012) in their research work have stated the fact that human thinking is unstructured and reinforced in a procedure that different types of thinking can drive the individuals and design the thinking groups to think in an unorganized manner that often leads to the unexpected out comes. In this part, details of this model have been explained for gaining in-depth knowledge on this model. Blue Hat Thinking Process focus on the below mentioned points like thinking about thinking, what thinking is required, organizing the entire thinking procedure and properly planning for the action. Therefore, it can be stated that the Blue Hat is used to manage the thinking procedure. Smith and Cook (2012) have stated that this is the control mechanism that makes sure that the guidelines of the Six Sigma hats are observed. In a nutshell, it can be mentioned that the blue hat thinking concentrates on managing the entire thinking procedure, focusing on that point, next steps and the action plans. White hat thinking process focuses on the thoughts on information, especially the facts and the figures. This includes what information is available and how to get this information. Other considerations of this hat process are information and data, neutral and objective, what a person know, what a person need to find out and most importantly, how a person would get the information they require. Smith and Cook (2012) in their research work have started the fact that this white hat calls for information known or required. It can be seen that during this part, the stock holders only share the information and data regarding the issue and take the notes with it. Therefore, it can be stated that no further development in the thinking procedure should be done and the questions in this section can be what available information is and what the facts and figures that one have are. Green hat thinking process represents that creative thinking procedure part of the discussion. This part focuses on conscious creative effort and at the same time generates ideas and look for the best possible alternatives. This part focuses deeply on solving the issues and gives innovative ideas of what the features can be implemented. Therefore, it can be opined that arguments and endless discussion become a thing of the past and thinking becomes more thorough (Smith Cook, 2012). Figure: Six thinking Hat approach (Source: Sheth, 2012) Yellow hat thinking- Yellow hat helps to explore the plus points and positive thinking. Through this hat, the optimistic, clear, constructive and effective thinking are processed. It helps the individual to see and assess all the benefits of the decision and their values. It helps to explore the brighter and sunny side of the decision and 1thereby promoting the implementation of the decision (Sheth, 2012). Therefore, it can be said that the yellow hat is the sign of positive thinking. It helps to explore why the idea is suitable in that particular situation when the decision has been taken place. Black hat thinking- The black thinking hat is the sign of cautions in the decision making or through processing regarding an idea. In this condition, the black hat thinking helps the individual to see the difficulties and dangers in the idea or decision making in the business process. It helps to spot the risks of the process which would be implemented through the though process following the black hat thinking. As the yellow hat thinking, in this process, logical reasons are also given, however, this time, the negative sides of the though process are highlighted (Smith Cook, 2012). It helps to direct the thinking by analyzing the facts that why the decision might not work. Red hat thinking- The red thinking Hat represents the feelings in thought process and idea shaping. The red thinking Hat promotes the emotional sides of the decision. It helps to think with judgment, institution and suspicions. While thinking by following the red thinking hat, or while wearing the red hat, the issues in the decision making through the institution, emotion and gut reactions are explored, thereby helping to prioritize the emotional aspects in the thought process and their contribution in the process where the decision or idea would be implemented. It helps to prioritize the current feelings of the thinker, the feelings can be changed through the decision making proves, thereby changing the entire thought process and final outcome of the decision (Gregory Masters, 2012). However, this thinking hat does not support the clear, logical thinking. In this context, the importance of this thinking hat is less than the other thinking hats, it is because, in professional decisi on making, there is no place for emotional judgment in business. 5.1 Outcome of the process: The outcome of the six thinking hat gave rise to the same solution. The ideas, which were generated for solving the employee related issues in Wool Worth like gender discrimination, unfair working hours and less chances of promotion, are intended to solve by the process of group idea generation (Jiang, Wang Zhao, 2012). The first and foremost idea that came up for solving the concerned problem is to design the company specific human resource policy. Thereby design a significant pay structure and convenient working hour. Both of these models depicted that it is the most important idea that came up. Next in the queue was the idea of implementing zero tolerance policy in order to avoid the gender discrimination (Eisenbei Boerner, 2013). 5.2 Recommendations: Therefore, in order to provide plausible recommendations it can be stated that the group is efficient enough to come up with the plausible ideas that can help the company to cope up with the current scenario. However, the idea evaluation process has determined which idea is more important and which one is more essential to be implemented. Therefore, it is recommended that the company should follow the ideas given by the group. 6.0 Strengths and Limitation of the process used: Strengths of the Six thinking hat approach The six thinking hat approach is one of the best tool for brainstorming which helps to shape the decision making process. The six thinking hat approach also helps to improve the communication process, both verbal and non verbal. One of the major strength of the six thinking hat approach is that, this approach promotes the creative thinking. It helps to improve the decision making process in addition to the communication improvement. The improvement in decision making helps to improve the critical thinking capability of the thinker, thereby enhancing the potential of being a leader and shaping the career path (Sheth, 2012). It is a convenient mechanism for switching gears. The six thinking hats approach allows the thinker to make decision without having risk. The six thinking hats approach allows the process of understanding multiple perspectives on any severe issue generated in the organization. The six thinking hats model helps to concentrate upon thinking process Limitations of Six Hat thinking approach However, after going through this six thinking hat, it can be seen that the realistic application of this model is comparatively less. However, it can be stated that the disadvantages of the Six Thinking Hats are much less compared to the advantages and these have been mentioned here. The entire procedure of thinking is highly time-taking. Moreover, some of the team members prefer to think alone rather than in a group and most importantly, conflicts can still take place between people of different perspectives (Geissler, Edison Wayland, 2012). 7.0 Documents in support of the group work Figure 2: Mind map (Source: Author) It has been found from this mind map that there are 5 major issues are related with innovative solution development. They are such as meaningful work development, hands-on management, and positive development of working environment, growth opportunity and trust in leadership. The company needs to develop small and empowered teams to monitor all the issues of the organization. Woolworths need to develop transparent goals so that task can be divided effectively between different employees. As Falkoski (2012) stated that a company must need to focus on self directed dynamic learning and training program to increase growth opportunity of employees. Increasing transparency and honesty in the leadership style can motivate employees to work ethically. In order to gain in-depth knowledge, some other models and theories have been gone through and it has been seen that Six Thinking Hat is the most appropriate one in this regards. Over the other models and theories, this six thinking hat theory allows one to say things without any risks and successfully generates understanding that there exist multiple perspectives on a particular issue. Apart from that, it has been seen that this model is one of the convenient mechanisms for the switching the gears and focuses intensely on thinking. It is needless to mention that in case of innovation, focusing intensely on thinking is highly necessary and this model precisely leads to more creative thinking. Some other models have failed to enhance communication procedure and on the contrary to this situation Six Thinking Hat is more efficient in improving the decision making procedure. Therefore, the selection of this model is justified enough in this research work. Reference List Anderson, N., Poto nik, K., Zhou, J. (2014). Innovation and creativity in organizations a state-of-the-science review, prospective commentary, and guiding framework.Journal of Management,40(5), pp.1297-1333. Antonites, A. J., Van Vuuren, J. J. (2014). Inducing entrepreneurial creativity, innovation and opportunity-finding skills. South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, 8(3), 255-271. Arajo Burcharth, A. L., Knudsen, M. P., Sndergaard, H. A. (2014). Neither invented nor shared here: The impact and management of attitudes for the adoption of open innovation practices.Technovation,34(3), pp.149-161. Bais, D. (2012). Employee Retention Management:some Issues.IJSR,1(4), pp.22-24. De Spiegelaere, S., Van Gyes, G., De Witte, H., Niesen, W., Van Hootegem, G. (2014). On the relation of job insecurity, job autonomy, innovative work behaviour and the mediating effect of work engagement.Creativity and Innovation Management,23(3), pp.318-330. Eisenbei, S. A., Boerner, S. (2013). A double edged sword: Transformational leadership and individual creativity. British Journal of Management, 24(1), 54-68. Falkoski, J. (2012). Burnout, employee engagement, and coping in high-risk occupations.Journal Of Psychological Issues In Organizational Culture,2(4), pp.49-63. Fojo, T., Mailankody, S., Lo, A. (2014). Unintended consequences of expensive cancer therapeuticsthe pursuit of marginal indications and a me-too mentality that stifles innovation and creativity: the John Conley Lecture. JAMA OtolaryngologyHead Neck Surgery, 140(12), 1225-1236. Foote, W. Goodman-Delahunty, J. (2012).Evaluation for workplace discrimination and harassment. New York: Oxford University Press. Gino, F., Ariely, D. (2012). The dark side of creativity: original thinkers can be more dishonest. Journal of personality and social psychology, 102(3), 445. Gong, Y., Cheung, S. Y., Wang, M., Huang, J. C. (2012). Unfolding the proactive process for creativity integration of the employee proactivity, information exchange, and psychological safety perspectives. Journal of Management, 38(5), 1611-1633. Gregory, R. (2013).Women and workplace discrimination. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press. Jiang, J., Wang, S., Zhao, S. (2012). Does HRM facilitate employee creativity and organizational innovation? A study of Chinese firms. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 23(19), 4025-4047. Kessel, M., Kratzer, J., Schultz, C. (2012). Psychological safety, knowledge sharing, and creative performance in healthcare teams. Creativity and innovation management, 21(2), 147-157 Norman, D. A., Verganti, R. (2014). Incremental and radical innovation: Design research vs. technology and meaning change. Design Issues, 30(1), 78-96. Roscigno, V., Williams, L., Byron, R. (2012). Workplace Racial Discrimination and Middle Class Vulnerability.American Behavioral Scientist,56(5), pp. 696-710. 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Banduras Social Learning Theory essays

Bandura's Social Learning Theory essays BACKGROUND OF SOCIAL LEARNING AND COGNITIVE THEORY Social learning and imitation was proposed by Miller and Dollard but rejected ideas of behaviorism related by association. It was a theory of learning, however, that did not account for new responses or the processes of delayed and non-reinforced imitations. Bandura widened the not yet developed parts of social learning theory in his book Social Learning and Personality Development written in 1963. It was not until the 1970s, that Bandura discovered there was something missing to the present day learning theories as well as his own social learning theory. The missing link to his theory were self-beliefs. This was identified in his writing Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Albert Bandura discovered the big debate in dealing with the concept of behaviorism. He felt that it was inadequate for describing complex human functioning and that it is a persons environment that causes behavior. He argued that the cause and effect relationship between environmental forces and behavior outcomes are reciprocal, that peoples environments and their behavior simultaneously create and affect each other. In his publication of Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory he stresses that people have certain understandings that allow them to have a certain amount of control over their feelings, actions, and thoughts. Bandura wrote, what people think, believe, and feel affects how they behave. This understandings or beliefs are based on five ideas: symbolizing, self-regulatory, self-reflexive, vicarious and forethought. They are also referred to as his five human competencies. As a result, human behavior is made from a combination of outside influences an d these five ideas. Banduras social learning or cognitive theory is best explained in three categories: observational learning, self-regulation, an...

Crowdfunding †Whether You Need the Money or Not

Crowdfunding – Whether You Need the Money or Not FundsforWriters is all about helping you earn enough money, whether its finding jobs, publishing or freelancing. Crowdfunding is off and running, and its Like with grants, many writers I know do not want to bother with crowdfunding. Its another learning curve, they dont like asking for money, theyd have to pay taxes on the money, you name it. But the one that doesnt make sense is I dont need the money, so I shouldnt ask for it. Crowdfunding has turned into more than the needy asking for funds. Crowdfunding is a strategic method of finding supporters. When you proudly and passionately promote your project, then offer rewards for people to jump on board your train, you are campaigning for all of you to propel a project into fruition. It isnt a poor person asking for a handout. Its the group of you making something exciting happen! Look at the successful BIG projects on crowdfunding. Watches, movies, all sort of inventions. Publishers even post their next book project. i Just saw a nonprofit press post about their next poets chapbook, asking for support. What they are doing is not only financial, but also promotional. Its getting the news out ahead of time, and the blog updates within the crowdfunding page keeps the supporters updated as to progress. It becomes a community effort instead of an author, a publisher, and a reader. Hello Ru 1000 Days of Spring is a memoir that asked for $6,400 and gained $12,790. www.indiegogo.com/projects/1000-days-of-spring With each dollar comes a reader or two! See crowdfunding as a tool in your promo toolbox, not just a place to find money. Not only will you gain readers, but successful campaigns are trolled

Encouragement and Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Encouragement and Motivation - Essay Example The types of workers in these organizations may range from highly skilled staff to relatively unskilled staff workers. In order to be successful, the managers need to motivate and encourage their wide array of employees. This paper describes the methods I would use, as a manager, to encourage and motivate the workers. Motivating Staff Motivating staff in order for them to perform at optimum ability is integral to running the workforce. Most people need work in order to make money but, although this proves to be a strong incentive, there are other ways. Employees will gain satisfaction and enjoy their jobs if they are aware that they are achieving results (Williams, 2012). First, a manager will need to recruit suitable employees, and then define their responsibilities and roles clearly before finally enabling them to do their job well. The first way to motivate employees is to celebrate results. The manager should focus on activities that are rewarding on an immediate basis (Williams, 2012). Afterwards, the manager should ensure that even those who were not directly involved in experiencing a project’s success get to hear or witness it. Another way to motivate employees is via the creation of a good work environment, which, in turn aids in getting the work done. Comfortable conditions with common amenities and a few luxuries encourage and motivate employees. Additionally, there should be suitable equipments for the job, which will require regular maintenance maintained to avoid interference and frustrating breakdowns with the job schedule. The manager should also attempt to establish a clear goal, as well as ownership. The staff needs to comprehend and focus their energy towards achieving the goal. All the workers must comprehend the organization’s mission and vision with ideas being encouraged from all staff levels (Williams, 2012). This helps since the staff will care more for the implementation of plans that originated from them. Finally, the ma nager can motivate his workforce by fostering communication, teamwork, and feedback (Williams, 2012). People want to be told that their work as a team member is commendable. The best way for a manager to handle this is by treating all staff as valued team members. To create and maintain teamwork, good communication, should be effected, as well as a clear understanding of the other member’s role, as well as fostering close involvement. Meetings need to be conducted with clear outcomes at the end, with employees motivated by seeing and getting things done (Williams, 2012). Equally, if something is agreed on then not put into action, the employees could be disheartened. Therefore, difficulties or delays need to be fed back to the workforce. Without this feedback, the employees become puzzled and frustrated when promised changes do not come to fruition. Encouraging Staff Appraisals act as the starting blocks for managing a worker’s motivation and performance (Williams, 201 2). Appraisals are of huge importance since they help the staff in understanding their role in the organization, as well as the enhancement of communication between themselves and the manager. The appraisals are aimed at getting an employee’s suggestions or wishes and encouraging them in a suitable direction, while maintaining focus on what is required by the organization. The appraisal needs to come up

Macroeconomic Objectives of the UK Govenment Economic Policy Assignment

Macroeconomic Objectives of the UK Govenment Economic Policy - Assignment Example This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the framework of macroeconomic policies of the government of the UK. In order to exercise effective administration of the country the government must determine the objectives of its policy. Then the target has to be selected. The next task is to choose the instruments of policy to be used in pursuit of the objectives. Four major economic objectives, that any government should pursue, include low unemployment level, price stability, satisfactory balance of payment position and sufficient sustainable economic growth. In addition to four major economic objectives a government may have other objectives for the economy. These may include a more even distribution income of wealth and a cleaner environment. It is difficult to achieve all four macro economic objectives at a time. Countries rarely experience stable economic growth. Instead they experience business cycles. Periods of rapid economic growth are followed by periods of low growth or even a fall in output. Sometimes, these cycles can be the result of government policy of raising taxes in a recession in order to compensate for falling tax revenues caused by lower incomes and expenditures. Unemployment fluctuates with business cycles. High employment has a number of significant advantages. Most people receive higher incomes from employment than from state benefits. Governments usually not aim for complete price stability but for low and stable rate of inflation. The government also is to ensure balance of payment equilibrium. ... New classical economist refers to the non-accelerating rate of unemployment ( NAIRU). It can also be called the natural rate of unemployment. It is the rate of unemployment which exists when all those who want to work at the going wage rate and who have the appropriate skills can find a job (Storm & Naastepad 2012).  . Whether it is example four percent or 8 percent will depend on a number of factors. These include the gap between paid employment and state benefit, attitudes towards living on benefits, labor market information and skill levels. A government basing its policies on new classical theory would seek to reduce NAIRU by improving the working of the labor market ( Top of Form Fabiani 1998).   Bottom of Form . Furthermore, Governments usually not aim for complete price stability but for a low and stable rate of inflation. Complete price stability or zero inflation would mean that the general price level is not changing. In practice, in a dynamic, growing economy the gener al price the general price level is likely to rise by between 1% and 2% per year. This rise will reflect the buoyancy level of demand and the fact that the quality of goods tends to rise. For example, a television purchased in the year 2013 may be 5% more expensive than one purchased in 2012 but it may also, for instance, have extra channels and give better reception. If the rate of inflation is equal to or below rival countries, the countries can at least maintain its international price competitiveness. If it is stable then firms do not have to guess what wage claims they need to make to maintain their real wages. However, high and accelerating inflation is clearly undesirable. It can reduce a country’s international competitiveness, reduce the real income of some groups, create

Heat Transfer from Steam to Water Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Heat Transfer from Steam to Water - Lab Report Example Heat is a form of energy and the level of energy contained in a certain object is shown by the level of temperature in the object. The main purpose of this experiment was to test on the heat transfer from steam to water. Stem is usually produced when the water is heated to its boiling point and the heat can also be transferred from steam to water. Unlike the heat transfer by the other processes, e.g. condensation, radiation and conduction, heat transfer by condensation for example in steam does not involve temperature change. The steam passes on its latent heat to the products when it condenses on the heat transfer surface. This product formed for the condensate still contains its own sensible heat and this heat is of the same temperature that is contained in the steam from which it was produced. This experiment uses two sets of equipment. The first set is described under â€Å"Heating Liquids in Tank Storage.† The second set is described under â€Å"Corning Heat Exchanger.â €  The main aim of this experiment is to test on the heat transfer from the steam to water and to produce analysis from the data collected in the lab. Usually, the latent heat that is contained within the steam is released instantly as the steam condenses into the liquid state. The amount of latent heat that is released ranges from 2-5 times greater than the amount of sensible heat available from water after cooling.The objective is to determine the overall heat transfer coefficient (Uo) for the external heat exchanger at two different water circulation rates.   The rate of heat transfer that is often obtained during the condensation of the vapour is always very crucial since it is used in many industries in the steam heated vessels where the steam condenses and produces the heat. It is also applied in the distillation and evaporation where vapors produced must first be condensed. The latent heat of vaporization is produced at a constant temperature that is the boiling temperat ure of the liquid. The Equations were used to compute the over-heat transfer coefficient. The equations enabled the valves of both experimental as well as heat transfer coefficient to be calculated.

Non-standard English: Usage and attitudes

Non-standard English: Usage and attitudes Introduction Spoken language is a powerful method of communication that conveys more than intended referential information. Depending on the listeners attitude, a speakers accent or dialect may imply a number of characteristics such as social class and professionalism. Examples of non-standard linguistic features are discussed under Task 1; followed by summaries of two studies under Task 2, which focus on attitudes towards West Indian Patois (Edwards, 1986) and the Cockney accent (Giles Sassoon, 1982). Task 1 Thats the girl he gave the bracelet to. This sentence contains a grammatical, non-standard linguistic feature because it ends with the preposition to. In Standard English, a preposition usually proceeds a noun, hence the sentence should read: Thats the girl to whom he gave the bracelet. However, there are cases where sentences sound unnatural if they are arranged in a way that avoids a final proposition. This is usually seen in conversational English, for example: in relative clauses and questions which feature phrasal verbs, passive constructions, and short sentences which feature an infinitive or verbal noun. Nonetheless, in formal writing, it is considered better practice to avoid placing a preposition at the end of a sentence where it may seem stranded. (Preposition, 2008) Buffy the vampire slayer is dead cool. This sentence contains a lexical, non-standard linguistic feature because dead functions as an adverb of degree, such as very; the sentence should read, Buffy the vampire slayer is very cool, or of a similar effect. Dead typically functions as an adjective, meaning no longer alive, and is used in contexts such as a dead bodyor a dead issue. It has therefore undergone semantic change, and its meaning has been broadened. (Dead, 2017) My old man gave me a set of wheels for my birthday. This sentence contains lexical, non-standard linguistic features because slang is used. My old man is a colloquial, informal noun phrase meaning ones father or a womans husband or boyfriend; set of wheels is also a colloquial, informal noun phrase meaning a motor vehicle, as opposed to a literal set of wheels. According to Standard English, the sentence should read: My father gave me a motor vehicle for my birthday. The phrases have thus undergone semantic change. (Old man, 2017) The guy that works in the bar is really nice. This sentence contains a lexical, non-standard linguistic feature due to the use of the informal noun, guy, meaning man (Guy, 2017). There is also a grammatical, nonstandard linguistic feature because, in Standard English, that should not be used as a relative pronoun when the antecedent is personal. A human antecedent is typically proceeded by who in a defining clause. An inanimate antecedent or a human but representative of a class is followed by that; for example, the chair that collapsed / the baby that laughed. In Standard English, the sentence should therefore read: The man who works in the bar is really nice. (That, 1998) Who did you see? This sentence contains a grammatical, non-standard linguistic feature because who is used in place of whom. In Standard English, who is a relative pronoun or an interrogative when it refers to the subject (who is there?). Whom is the objective form, hence the sentence should read: Whom did you see? However, the use of whom is declining and is often replaced by who in modern usage. (Who and whom, 2017) Task 2 A study of West Indian Patois, conducted by Viv Edwards (1986) A study of 45 British-born black adolescents in a West Midlands community (Edwards 1997: 409) reveals the attitudes of teachers and pupils towards West Indian Patois. Attitudes to Patois in the educational world are generally negative. The Association of Teachers of English to Pupils from Overseas (ATEPO 1970) describe West Indian language as babyish and lacking proper grammar (Edwards 1986: 25); the National Association of School Masters (1969) refer to West Indian language as a plantation English which is socially unacceptable and inadequate for communication (Edwards 1986: 25). These negative attitudes reflect some of the findings of Edwards (1986) West Midlands study. Conducted in Dudley, the study consisted of a judgement sample and comprised of 3 measures which were applied to the speech of 21 women and 24 men, aged between 16 and 23: frequency of Patois features, competence in Patois, and patterns of Patois usage. (Edwards 1997: 410). The studys findings are presented in 3 sets of interactions, as summarised below: Classroom Interaction, Pupil-Pupil Interactions and Pupil-Teacher Interactions. Classroom Interaction The stereotype that Patois speakers are limited to monolingualism was opposed by recordings of Black pupils using different language patterns in the classroom. Pupil-Pupil Interactions Contrary to the beliefs of the White community, Black pupils, who reduced the frequency and range of their nonstandard linguistic features, made a marked choice not to speak Standard English (despite their competence to speak both varieties). The use of Patois in the classroom was rare but virtually all black pupils could understand it, and used features in at least some situations. Within Black peer groups, it marked solidarity and acceptance; in mixed-raced groups, it functioned to exclude the White outsider. However, a few White pupils sought acceptance from Black friendship groups by using Patois, but their degree of competence varied. Some Black pupils responded with amusement and approval; most responded negatively to the White community for using a variety of English that was distinctively Black. Pupil-Teacher Interactions Black pupils used Patois to exclude their White teacher as means of defiance. Teachers then felt threatened when Patois was used in a confrontational way. Teachers who responded punitively elicited negative attitudes towards Patois. Other reports of teacher responses included learning nonstandard linguistic features in an attempt to understand Black dialect. Edwards (1997) concludes that teachers punitive responses and the use of Patois to exclude the White community are a reflection of the issues caused by negative attitudes towards nonstandard varieties of English. A study of Cockney, conducted by Howard Giles and Caroline Sassoon (1982) A study of a speakers accent and social class reveals the attitudes of 120 undergraduate listeners towards Cockney, in comparison to Received Pronunciation (RP). Based, on Ryan Sebastians (1980) study of the attitudes of middle class listeners towards Mexican-American in the USA, both studies were reminiscent of Lamberts (1967) matched-guise test and consisted of a tape-recording, followed by a questionnaire. Ryan Sebastian (1980) found that by disconfirming the listeners assumption of the accented speakers social class, their evaluations improved. Giles Sassoon (1982) referred to this as the Ryan Sebastian effect, which they later opposed in their hypothesis: awareness of a Cockney speakers social class would not attenuate significantly the unfavourable status associations commonly levied against nonstandard speech (pp. 306). The participants of the study (Ss) consisted of 63 males and 57 females, aged between 18 and 23. Ss heard 1 combination of a male students voice and social class information who was recorded reading two stimulus passages using RP and Cockney accents. The legitimacy of his bidialectal skills was assessed in a pilot study by 24 undergraduates. The studys dependant measures involved 5 small questionnaires, each consisting of 7-point rating scales and instructions. The questionnaires were: measures of Ss perception of the speakers social class, accent and formality of speech; social evaluation scales based on the speakers intelligence, success, friendliness and trustworthiness; belief similarity items which measured the extent that Ss agree[d] with the speaker on social issues such as the legislation of marijuana; social distance items which measured how close a relationship Ss were willing to have with the speaker; and social role items which determined Ss willingness to work with the speaker as subordinate to, superior over, or colleague with them (pp. 307). Ss were recorded in groups of up to 6 other undergraduates; they were handed the 5 questionnaires in the format of a response booklet with the social class information facing upwards. Once they had completed the task, they were debriefed and engaged in discussion. The results proved Giles Sassoons hypothesis; the awareness of the speakers middle class background did not prevent Ss from perceiving him as a low status evaluation when he used Cockney. Accent influenced the ratings on only 1 of 4 social issues; listeners shared more beliefs on the legislation of marijuana with the speaker when he used an RP accent; accent had no effect on social distance items; but the findings from the social role items showed that Ss preferred an RP speaker as their superordinate, and as a subordinate too (pp. 311). Giles Sassoon conclude that the awareness of a Cockney speakers middle class background does not prevent the stereotyped negative attitudes towards low status ratings (pp. 311). Conclusion The nonstandard linguistic features in Task 1 and the studies summarised in Task 2 portray several varieties of English. The mixed attitudes towards the widespread use of nonstandard linguistic features are a clear reflection of an ever-changing language. Word count: 1500 words References Allen, R. Fowler, H. (2008). Preposition. Pocket Fowlers Modern English Usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://www.oxfordreference.com.idpproxy.reading.ac.uk/view/10.1093/acref/9780199232581.001.0001/acref-9780199232581-e-3016?rskey=4f5JCxresult=1 Allen, R. Fowler, H. (2008). Who and whom. Pocket Fowlers Modern English Usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://www.oxfordreference.com.idpproxy.reading.ac.uk/view/10.1093/acref/9780199232581.001.0001/acref-9780199232581-e-4155?rskey=ducoglresult=2 Dead. (2017). Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford. Retrieved from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/dead Edwards, V. (1986). Language In A Black Community. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Edwards, V. (2007). Patois and the Politics of Protest: Black English in British Classrooms. In Coupland, N. Jaworski, A. Sociolinguistics: A Reader and Coursebook. (408-415). London: MacMillan Press. Fowler, H. Burchfield, R. (1998). That. The new Fowlers Modern English usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Giles, H. Sassoon, C. (1983). The effect of speakers accent, social class background and message style on British listeners social judgements. Language Communication, 3(3), 305-313. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0271-5309(83)90006-x Guy. (2017). Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford. Retrieved from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/guy Lambert, W. E. (1967). A social psychology of bilingualism. Journal of Social Issues. 23, 91- 109. Old man. (2017). Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford. Retrieved from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/old_man

The Automatic Transmission and Decline of Western Morals :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Automatic Transmission and Decline of Western Morals When first struck with this notion, that the automatic transmission has caused the decline of Western morals, I was pumped-up and ready to go. I could've written the whole thing right then and there, sans research, sans forethought, sans plan. But then, what I thought to be the better angel of my nature kicked in and said that the responsible thing to do was to do research. Despite my future difficulties, I still think this to be the right course of action. What I wanted for the essay on automatic transmissions was automatic writing. The problems began to set in when it came time to actually do that research. I didn't wanna. Days stretched into weeks. Weeks into more weeks. The bloom was off the rose; the research just seemed like too much work-too much work on top of teaching, on top of domestic responsibilities. After many weeks, I realized that it was, in fact the automobile that I was at the time driving that influenced my attitude and created my lethargy. You see, due to a problem with my wife's car-an automatic-that made it difficult for her to drive, I was using it for my daily commute. After only a single week of driving her automatic-equipped car, I had lost all desire to do anything; I, like America, had become shiftless. The trend actually started before Oldsmobile marketed the first automatic in 1940 ("Stick Shifts" 4A). An ad for the 1939 model Chevrolet promises a "Perfected Vacuum Gear-Shift" that "does 80% of the work of shifting gears," beginning the trend to automobiles that were increasingly easier to operate (General Motors 31). This ad is echoed by rival Plymouth in the same issue of Time magazine: "Perfected Remote Control Shifting. . . with Auto-Mesh Transmission. Much Easier" (Chrysler 1). The implications are clear: even before the debauchery we associate with the 1960s, American values were beginning to crack; the idea that one should do things for oneself were beginning to be questioned by Madison Avenue, and, within a decade-and-a-half, by America itself. We don't, of course, associate the late 1930s with licentiousness, but our history-or our memories-deceive us. In the exact same issue of Time magazine that we find the telltale ads described above, we find a short report on the Golden Gate International Exposition of 1939. What makes this fair,