Organizational Behavior and Design Essay Example

Organizational Behavior and Design Essay You are the manager of a Hotel. You have decided to apply the Big Five Model in order to understand your employees and their work habits because it is generally supported by an impressive body of research. You want to use the five dimensions of personality to match individuals with jobs to which they are well-suited. You know that your customers are demanding and sometimes difficult. As a result the job is stressful and makes employees feel insecure. Which personality dimension taps a persons ability to cope with this job? Discuss. The Big Five Model or the five-factor model of personality which is typically called the Big Five-?has received Strong supporting evidence. An impressive body of research supports that five basic dimensions underlie all others and encompass most of the significant variation in human personality. Research on the Big Five has found relationships between these personality dimensions and job performance. From the Big Five factors I. E. Extroversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Openness to experience (McCrae Costa, 1 997), the one factor that taps a persons ability to cope with stress is Emotional Stability. Let us see the five factors one by one and how emotional stability is the factor answering our question above. Extroversion Extroversion includes traits such as sociability, assertiveness, activity and talkativeness. Extraverts are energetic and optimistic. Introverts are reserved rather than unfriendly, independent rather than followers, even- paced rather than sluggish. We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Behavior and Design specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Behavior and Design specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Behavior and Design specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Extroversion is characterized by positive feelings and experiences and is therefore seen as a positive affect (Clark Watson, 1991). It was found that Extroversion is a valid predictor of performance in jobs characterized by social interaction, such as sales personnel and managers (Barrack Mount, 1991; Pincher et al. , 1998). Johnson (1997) found a positive relationship between Extroversion and job performance of police personnel, and explained this relationship in terms of the high level of interaction in the police service. Agreeableness An agreeable person is fundamentally altruistic, sympathetic to others and eager to help them, and in return believes that others will be equally helpful. The disagreeable/antagonistic person is egocentric, skeptical of others intentions, and competitive rather than co-operative. According to Teeth et al. (1991 Agreeableness is a significant predictor Of job performance. Salad (1997) found that Agreeableness is related to training success. The co-operative nature of agreeable individuals may lead to success in occupations where teamwork and customer service are relevant (ledge et al. , 1999). Conscientiousness Conscientiousness refers to self-control and the active process of planning, organizing and carrying out tasks (Barrack Mount, 1993). The conscientious person is purposeful, strong-willed and determined. Conscientiousness is manifested in achievement orientation (hardworking and persistent), dependability (responsible and careful) and orderliness (planned and organized). On the negative side, high Conscientiousness may lead to annoying fastidiousness, compulsive neatness or workaholic behavior. Low scorers may not necessarily lack moral principles, but they are less exacting in applying them. Barman, White, Pulaski and People (1991) and Hough et al. (1990) found a correlation of 0,80 between reliability (an aspect of Conscientiousness) and job performance. Various researchers (Barrack Mount, 1991; Barrack, Mount Strauss, 1993; Rink Ferns, 1999) reported significant correlations between Conscientiousness and job performance. According to Jackets and Weaned (1 996), the relationship teens Conscientiousness and job performance could be attributed to the conceptual relationship between Conscientiousness and integrity. Furthermore, autonomy and goal setting influence the relationship between Conscientiousness and job performance (Barrack Mount, 1993; Barrack et al. , 1993) Emotionally stability (often labeled by its converse, neurotics) this dimension taps a persons ability to withstand stress. People with positive emotional stability tend to be calm, self-confident, and secure. Those with high negative scores tend to be nervous, anxious, depressed and insecure. Neurotics is a dimension of normal personality indicating the general tendency to experience negative effects such as fear, sadness, embarrassment, anger, guilt and disgust. High scorers may be at risk of some kinds of psychiatric problems. A high Neurotics score indicates that a person is prone to having irrational ideas, being less able to control impulses, and coping poorly with stress. A low Neurotics score is indicative of emotional stability. These people are usually calm, even-tempered, relaxed and able to face stressful situations without becoming upset (Hough et al. , 990). HÂ ¶Raman and Massacre (1996) found that Neurotics is a predictor of performance in various occupations. Dunn, Mount, Barrack and Ones (1995) showed that emotional stability (the opposite of Neurotics) is the second most important characteristic that affects the employability of candidates. In a recent study Judge, Higgins, Theories and Barrack (1999) found that Neurotics is inversely related to job performance. However, according to Salad (1 997), Neurotics predicts job performance in certain circumstances. Openness to Experience Openness to Experience includes active imagination, aesthetic sensitivity, attentiveness to inner feelings, a preference for variety, intellectual curiosity and independence of judgment. People scoring low on Openness tend to be conventional in behavior and conservative in outlook. They prefer the familiar to the novel, and their emotional responses are somewhat muted. People scoring high on Openness tend to be unconventional, willing to question authority and prepared to entertain new ethical, social and political ideas. Open individuals are curious about both inner and outer worlds, and their lives are experientially richer. They are willing to entertain novel ideas and unconventional values, and they experience both positive and negative emotions more keenly than do closed individuals. Research has shown that Openness to Experience is related to success in consulting (Hamilton, 1 988), training (Barrack Mount, 1991 ; Pincher et al. , 1998) and adapting to change. In contrast, Johnson (1997) found that successful employees (compared with unsuccessful employees) obtained significantly lower Scores on Openness. Teeth et al. (1 991 ) reported that Openness to Experience is not a valid predictor of job performance. A Seibel explanation for the contradictory results regarding the relationship between Openness to Experience and job performance is that different jobs have different requirements. In conclusion, according to the Social Science Dictionary, emotional stability is individuals steadiness of mood, their ability to withstand minor setbacks, failures, difficulties, and other stresses without becoming upset emotionally. Emotionally stable persons tolerate minor stresses and strains of day to day living without becoming emotionally upset, anxious, nervous, tense, or angry. They are able to maintain composure under minor emotional stress. They are fairly constant in their basic mood, and they generally revert quickly to that state following those occasions when they have experienced considerable stress or have been exceptionally provoked which may be a frequent case in serving Hotel customers. The unstable person, on the other hand, is subject to fairly wide, frequent, and often unpredictable mood shifts that may swing from pole to pole. Simply put, emotional stability refers to a persons ability to remain calm or even keel when faced with pressure or stress. Someone who is emotionally unstable is more volatile, which means the person faces an increased risk of exacting with violent or harmful behaviors when provoked. People with positive emotional stability tend to be calm, self-confident, and secure. Those with high negative scores tend to be neo. us, anxious, depressed, and insecure. A workers emotional state influences customer service, which influences levels of repeat business and levels of customer satisfaction. Providing quality customer service makes demands on employees because it often puts them in a state of emotional dissonance. Over time, this state can lead to job burnout, declines in job performance, and lower job satisfaction. In addition, employees emotions may also be transferred to the customer. Studies indicate a matching effect between employee and customer emotions, which B practitioners call emotional contagion, the catching of emotions from others. How does emotional contagion work? The primary explanation is that when someone experiences positive emotions and laughs and smiles at you, you begin to copy that persons behavior. So when employees express positive emotions, customers tend to respond positively. Emotional contagion is important because when customers catch the positive moods Or emotions of employees, they feel encouraged to visit again. The verse also works in case of negative emotions and moods. When an employee is cranky or nasty, these negative emotions tend to have negative effects on customers. 2. Your management team is made up of people who are very different in their lifestyles and their stages of life. Metastases is a 23-year-old single parent who is working for minimum wage. Yanks is 60 years old, extremely wealthy and works because he enjoys it. Hellion earns a good living. She is single, 45 years old and has few interests outside of the office. You have decided to attempt to apply Masons hierarchy of needs to determine what motivates each Of these individuals. What is the need that you would expect that each is trying to satisfy? Discuss Measles Hierarchy of Needs (often represented as a pyramid with five levels of needs) is a motivational theory in psychology that argues that while people aim to meet basic needs, they seek to meet successively higher needs in the form of a pyramid. According to Masons hierarchy of needs, framed by A. Moscow, a U. S. Numismatic psychologist, it was explained that different human needs have different level of satisfaction. The hierarchy moves up from lower order needs such as physiological needs, safety and security, social needs to higher order hat is esteem needs and self-actualization needs. Individuals cannot move to the next higher level until all needs at the current (lower) level are satisfied. Abraham H. Moscow felt as though conditioning theories did not adequately capture the complexity Of human behavior. In a 1943 paper called A Theory of Human Motivation, Moscow presented the idea that human actions are directed toward goal attainment. Any given behavior could satisfy several functions at the same time. Measles Hierarchy of Needs has often been represented in a hierarchical pyramid with five levels. The four levels (lower order needs) are considered histological needs, while the top level of the pyramid is considered growth needs. The lower level needs must be satisfied before higher order needs can influence behavior. The levels are as follows: Physiological Needs These are needs required to sustain life, such as: air, water, nourishment, sleep. According to Measles theory, if such needs are not satisfied then ones motivation will arise from the quest to satisfy them. Higher needs such as social needs and esteem are not felt until one has met the needs basic to ones bodily functioning. Safety Once physiological needs are met, On?s attention turns to safety and security in order to be free from the threat of physical and emotional harm. Such needs might be fulfilled by living in a safe area, medical insurance, job security, financial reserves and the like. According to Masons hierarchy, if a person feels that he or she is in harms way, higher needs will not receive much attention. Social Needs Once a person has met the level physiological and safety needs, higher level needs become important, the first of which are social needs. Social needs are those related to interaction with other people and may include: need for friends, need for belonging, and need to give and receive love. Esteem Once a person feels a sense of belonging, the need to feel important arises. Esteem needs may be classified as internal or external. Internal esteem needs are those related to self-esteem such as self-respect and achievement. External esteem needs are those such as social status and recognition. Some esteem needs are: Self-respect, achievement, attention, recognition, and reputation. Self-actualization is the summit of Measles hierarchy of needs. It is the quest of reaching ones full potential as a person. Unlike lower level needs, this need is never fully satisfied; as one grows psychologically there are always new opportunities to continue to grow. Self-actualities people tend to have needs such as: Truth, Justice, Wisdom, Meaning. Self-actualities persons have frequent occurrences of peak experiences, which are energize moments of profound happiness and harmony. According to Moscow, only a small percentage of the population reaches the level of self-actualization. From the given information in the above question, and the details of the Measles theory, Metastases, who is a 23-year-old single parent working for minimum wage, is trying to satisfy his/her physiological needs. Had it not men for this specific need he/she would have not worked for a minimum wage. She could have been searching for a higher paying job if its physiological needs were satisfied. Yanks, who is 60 years old, extremely wealthy and is working because he enjoys it is trying to fulfill his self-actualization needs. The fact that he goes to work for enjoyment shows that he has a choice not to work at all as all his other needs are satisfied. On the other hand, Hellion who earns a good living, is single, 45 years old and who has few interests outside of the office is tying to satisfy her Esteem needs. She might be looking for social recognition or achievement. Then. Vise it is shown that she earns a good living and also has few interests outside of the office. 3. You manage a department of five employees. You have identified that Joe scores high in the need for achievement, Mary scores high in the need for power, and Tim scores high in the need for affiliation. Sarah scored high in the need for power and low in the need for affiliation. Doug scores low in both need for power and need for affiliation. A. Which employee would be best suited to a challenging new assignment where they would receive rapid dieback? B. And who would probably be best to leave in charge while you are on vacation? Support your answer with sufficient reason. In the early sass, Abraham Moscow created his theory of needs . This identified the basic needs that human beings have, in order of their importance: physiological needs, safety needs, and the needs for belonging self-esteem and self-actualization. Later, David McClellan built on this work in his 1 961 book, The Achieving Society. He identified three motivators that he believed we all have: a need for achievement, a need for affiliation, and a need for power. People will have different characteristics depending on their dominant motivator. According to McClellan, these motivators are learned (which is why this theory is sometimes called the Learned Needs Theory). McClellan says that, regardless of our gender, culture, or age, we all have three motivating drivers, and one of these will be our dominant motivating driver. This dominant motivator is largely dependent on our culture and life experiences. These characteristics are as follows: Dominant Motivator Characteristics of This Person Achievement Has a strong need to set and accomplish challenging goals. Takes calculated risks to accomplish their goals. Likes to receive regular feedback on their progress and achievements. Often likes to work alone. Affiliation Wants to belong to the group. Wants to be liked, and will often go along with whatever the rest of the group wants to do. Favors collaboration over competition. Doesnt like high risk or uncertainty. Power Wants to control and influence others. Likes to win arguments. Enjoys competition and winning. Enjoys status and recognition. Managing a group of people with different personalities is never easy. But if we are managing or leading a team, it is essential to know what motivates our people, how they respond to feedback and praise, and what tasks fit them well. David Miscellanys Human Motivation Theory gives us a way of identifying peoples motivating drivers. This can then help us on how to give praise and feedback effectively, assign them suitable tasks, and keep them motivated. Therefore, using this theory we can match people to jobs. Let us take a closer look at how to manage these team members who are driven by each of Miscellanys three motivators: Achievement people motivated by achievement need challenging, but not impossible, projects. They thrive on overcoming difficult problems or situations. People motivated by achievement work very effectively either alone or with other high achievers. When providing feedback, give achievers a fair and balanced appraisal. They want to know what theyre doing right -? and wrong -? so that they can improve. Affiliation People motivated by affiliation work best in a group environment and therefore it is best to integrate them with a team (versus working alone) whenever possible. They also do not like uncertainty and risk. Therefore, when assigning projects or tasks, we have to save the risky ones for other people. When providing feedback to these people, we need to be arsenal. It is still important to give balanced feedback, but if we start our appraisal by emphasizing their good working relationship and our trust in them, they will likely be more open to what we say. These people often do not want to stand out, so it might be best to praise them in private rather than in front of others. Power Those with a high need for power work best when they are in charge. Because they enjoy competition, they do well with goal-oriented projects or tasks. They may also be very effective in negotiations or in situations in which another party must be convinced of an idea or goal. When providing feedback, we need to be direct with these team members and keep them motivated by helping them further their career goals . In conclusion, those high on achievement like Joe, tend to prefer jobs with personal responsibility, feedback and moderate risks. They DO NOT always care about motivating others! Therefore, given the information in the above question We can conclude that Joe would be best suited to a challenging new assignment where he would receive rapid feedback. He had scored high in the need for achievement which means that he would strive to succeed no matter how challenging the job would be. In general, individuals high on the need for Power and low on the need for Affiliation tend to perform better in managerial roles. Thus, Sarah who had the same result as above would be the best to be left in charge while the Manager is on vacation. 4. Your colleagues at work are constantly talking about the manager in your organization. He is perceived throughout the organization as a ruthless man who is not to be antagonized. It is necessary for you to bring him a report, and you are very nervous about having to deal with him. What seems the Managers major base of power? Why? ND what is the most likely reason for the success of this manger? Explain. Power refers to the possession of authority and influence over others. Power is a tool that, depending on how it is used, can lead to either positive or negative outcomes in an organization. In 1959, American sociologists John French and Bertram Raven published an article, The Bases of Power, thats regarded as the basis for classifying power in organizations. They identified five sources of power, namely: Legitimate, Expert, Referent, Reward, and Coercive, power. Legitimate Power Legitimate power is also known as positional power. Its derived from the position a person holds in an organizations hierarchy. Job descriptions, for example, require junior workers to report to managers and give managers the power to assign duties to their juniors. For positional power to be exercised effectively, the person wielding it must be deemed to have earned it legitimately. An example of legitimate power is that held by a companys CEO. Expert power Knowledge is power. Expert power is derived from possessing knowledge or expertise in a particular area. Such people are highly valued by organizations for their problem solving skills. People who have expert power perform critical tasks and are therefore deemed indispensable. The opinions, ideas and decisions of people with expert power are held in high regard by other employees and hence greatly influence their actions. Possession of expert power is normally a stepping stone to other sources of power such as legitimate power. For example, a person who holds expert power can be promoted to senior management, thereby giving him legitimate power. Referent Power Referent power is derived from the interpersonal relationships that a person cultivates with other people in the organization. people possess reference power when Others respect and like them. Referent power arises from charisma, as the charismatic person influences others Via the admiration, respect and trust others have for her. Referent power is also derived from personal connections that a person has with key people in the organizations hierarchy, such as the CEO. Its the perception of the personal relationships that she has that generates her power over others. Reward Power Reward power arises from the ability of a person to influence the allocation of incentives in an organization. These incentives include salary increments, positive appraisals and promotions. In an organization, people who wield reward power tend to influence the actions of other employees. Reward power, if used well, greatly motivates employees. But if its applied through favoritism, reward power can greatly demoralize employees and diminish their output. Coercive Power Coercive power is derived from a persons ability to influence others via threats, punishments or sanctions. A junior staff member may work late to meet a deadline to avoid disciplinary action from his boss. Coercive power is, therefore, a persons ability to punish, fire or reprimand another employee. Coercive power helps control the behavior of employees by ensuring that they adhere to the organizations policies and norms. Coercive power rests in the ability of a manager to force an employee to comply with an order through the threat of punishment. Coercive power typically leads to short-term compliance, but in the long-run produces dysfunctional behavior. Coercion reduces employees satisfaction with their jobs, leading to lack of commitment and general employee withdrawal. Given the information in the question above, the Managers major base of power is Coercive power. The most likely reason for the success of this manager is hat his subordinates fear negative sanctions if they fail to comply. Case Questions case 1 Differing Perceptions at Coloration Industries Susan Harrington continued to drum her fingers on her desk. She had a real problem and wasnt sure what to do next. She had a lot of confidence in Jack Reed, but she suspected she was about the last person in the office who did. Perhaps if she ran through the entire story again in her mind she would see the solution. Susan had been distribution manager for Coloration Industries for almost twenty years. An early brush with the law and a short stay in prison ad made her realize the importance of honesty and hard work. Henry Coloration had given her a chance despite her record, and Susan had made the most of it. She now Was one of the most respected managers in the company. Few people knew her background. Susan had hired Jack Reed fresh out of prison six months ago. Susan understood how Jack felt when Jack tried to explain his past and asked for another chance. Susan decided to give him that chance just as Henry Coloration had given her one. Jack eagerly accepted a job on the loading docks and could soon load a truck as fast as anyone in the crew. Things had gone well at first. Everyone seemed to like Jack, and he made several new friends. Susan had been vaguely disturbed about two months ago, however, when another dock worker reported his wallet missing. She confronted Jack about this and was reassured when Jack understood her concern and earnestly but calmly asserted his innocence. Susan was especially relieved when the wallet was found a few days later. The events Of last week, however, had caused serious trouble. First, a new personnel clerk had come across records about Jacks past while updating employee files. Assuming that the information was common knowledge, the clerk had mentioned to several employees what a good thing it was to give ex-convicts like Jack a chance. The next day, someone in bookkeeping discovered some money missing from petty cash. Another worker claimed to have seen Jack in the area around the office strongbox, which was open during working hours, earlier that same day. Most people assumed Jack was the thief. Even the worker whose wallet had been misplaced suggested that perhaps Jack had indeed stolen it but had returned it when questioned. Several employees had approached Susan and requested that Jack be fired.

Word Choice Altar vs. Alter - Proofeds Writing Tips

Word Choice Altar vs. Alter - Proofeds Writing Tips Word Choice: Altar vs. Alter One little letter can make a very big difference sometimes, so it is important to make sure you know the difference between similarly spelled words which nevertheless have dissimilar meanings. In the case of altar and alter, for instance, the contrast couldn’t be much bigger! Whilst alter is a commonly used verb in English, altar is a noun which should only be used in a very specific context. Mixing these words up can therefore seriously impact upon the quality of your written work. So to help out we’ve thrown together this guide on how to use them. Alter (Modify) Alter is a verb which means â€Å"change† or â€Å"modify.† Thus if you are looking to describe an adjustment or change that something has undergone, use the word alter: After his sister forgave him, William decided to alter his will to include her. Altar (A Ceremonial Table) Altar, on the other hand, is a noun which refers to a table or raised surface used in religious ceremonies, including the Christian Eucharist. For example: The congregation faced the altar as they awaited Holy Communion. The word altar is also sometimes seen in the idiom â€Å"to sacrifice X on the altar of X.† This means to give up or neglect something in favor something else. Usually this is used in a negative way, such as: John sacrificed his family life on the altar of his career. The above relies upon the religious meaning of altar, metaphorically suggesting that John has failed to fulfill his family duties by sacrificing them in favor his work. Alter or Altar? It is quite easy to remember which of â€Å"alter† or â€Å"altar† to use in any given situation. Just keep the following in mind: Alter (verb) = Change Altar (noun) = A ceremonial table If you’re looking for a word meaning â€Å"change† or â€Å"modify,† it will always be a verb you need. As such, â€Å"alter† is the term you’re after. The noun â€Å"altar,† meanwhile, will usually only be applicable if you’re describing a religious ceremony of some kind. For further advice on vocabulary in your writing, you will find plenty of helpful tips in the word choice archive section of our academic blog. And to make sure that the spelling, grammar and vocabulary in your work are perfect, Proofed’s professional proofreaders provide a comprehensive range of proofreading and formatting services.

Aptitude In Second Language Acquisition English Language Essay

Aptitude In Second Language Acquisition English Language Essay In second language learning, motivation, attitude and aptitude relate closely to each other. It influences the learner and therefore dominates the particular individual motivation towards learning the target language. In casual observations in our daily life reveal to us that some people learn a foreign language easier, faster or better than others do (Grigorenko, Sternberg ‘integrative’ and ‘instrumental’ attitude to language learning. An integrative attitude is a desire to know and become friendly with speakers of a language, whereas an instrumental one is a desire to better oneself materially by means of the language. He adds, â€Å"an integrative attitude is more likely to lead to success than an instrumental one†. Brown (1994: 168), in his great work ‘Principles of Language Learning and Teaching’ adds: â€Å"Attitudes, like all aspects of the development of cognition and affect in human beings, develop early in childhood and are t he result of parent’s and peer’s attitudes, contact with people who are different in any number of ways, and interacting affective factors in the human experience†. Here it seems clear that there are many stimulants lead to positive or negative attitude of an individual. Nevertheless attitude can be simply defined as a set of beliefs developed in a due course of time in a given socio-cultural setting. Although it does not necessarily determine behavior but can have some impact on it. Chamber (1999) asserts that learning occurs more easily, when the learner has a positive attitude towards the language and learning. Gardner and Lambert (1972) in their extensive studies give evidence that positive attitudes toward language enhance proficiency as well. Language attitude studies explore how people react to language interactions and how they evaluate others based on the language behavior they observe. Language learning is affected by the attitude and motivation. Motiva ted, de-motivated and a motivated students have different perceptions. Their perceptions are responsible to for their attitudes.

LLB - CONTRACT LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

LLB - CONTRACT LAW - Essay Example Georgian era ended in 1830 and this means Peter meant that candlesticks came to the family during Victorian era and perhaps John should have found out details about their previous owner. Still there is no doubt that he was totally misled as he trusted Peter. This contract could be set aside because it is a misrepresentation1 from one side and a mistake on the other. Misrepresentation was done in clear words, with a special knowledge2, over dinner at Peter's residence by Peter, upon which the entire Contract stood. John has to prove that it was not a matter of opinion regarding the nature and originality of the candlesticks, but was an intentionally made statement, because if it was a matter of opinion, misrepresentation does not come into picture3. John can prove it easily because Peter did not refuse the 7000, which is exorbitant for a piece as recent as Victorian. Peter also has a possibility of showing that he genuinely believed that the piece was Georgian; but such possibility is remote. John's mistake could be argued as 'being led to it' and not an incorrect understanding and this can be a ground to invalidate the agreement.

Managerial and Professional Development Assignment - 1

Managerial and Professional Development - Assignment Example ussion presented will be based on the evaluation of policies, practices and approaches of learning and development by British Airways, in particular, the examination of the learning approach will focus on the double loop learning mechanism. Secondly, the essay will present a personal reflection in relation to studying an MBA and further connect the learning approach with personal experiences. Double loop learning has been central to the subject of learning and development programs by organisations. Chris Argyris first proposed the concept of double loop learning in the 1970s and it has consequently become a pertinent component of strategic management in the 21st century. According to Argyris and SchoN (1978), double loop learning refers to a learning model in which the predominant assumptions regarding goals and objectives of an organisation are assessed to determine whether the ongoing pursuit of objectives and goals are justified. Double loop learning approach principally underpins the prudence of error detection and correction in the management of an organisation. According to Argyris (1999),  it focuses on the theory of action by strategically examining the potential effects of changes on values, behaviours, and leadership of an organization. British Airways, the largest international airline in the UK has successfully integrated double loop learning approach in th e training and development of its employees (British Airways, 2014). Incorporating double loop learning and continually exhibiting generative learning strategies, British Airways has been labelled as a learning organisation. Dierkes (2001), defined learning organisation as learning model whereby employees continually enhance their capacity to achieve set objective in an environment where new concepts and expansive ways of thinking are developed and individuals are further encouraged to learn from each other. Consequently Argyris (1982) identified five disciplines as essential components of

Launch behaviourism Essay Example for Free

Launch behaviourism Essay Ivan P.Pavlov was the first initiator of behaviourism as he formed the basis and groundwork of behaviourism. Pavlov was a Russian scientist who was particularly interested in conditioned reflexes which led him to his infamous experiment of dogs and their salivary glands. In Pavlovs experiment he found that a dogs behaviour can be conditioned. Firstly when the dog was given food it would salivate, then the next time the dog received food a bell would be rung. This continued until the dog would salivate by the mere sound of a bell. This experiment provided the basis for Pavlovs idea that behaviour and responses could be conditioned (Tennant, 1997) John B. Watson drew from Pavlovs ideas and was the man to launch behaviourism. Watson was a psychologist from the United States. His infamous experiment was on a human baby code named Albert B. When Albert was exposed to a rat he showed no sign of fear but then a loud banging when there was a presence of a rat, which made Albert cry. Therefore every time Albert saw a rat he would associate it with his past experience and immediately cry whether there was a banging or not (Tennant, 1997) B.F Skinner was a major contributor to the school of behaviourism and believed that behaviour is maintained and produced by its consequences. Skinner believed that rewards and positive reinforcers have a greater affect on behaviour. He demonstrated this through his famed Skinner Box where animals were placed inside a box and were given an option of levers which they could press, one gave them food, the other an electric shock or similar. The animals soon learned which lever not to press and this demonstrated Skinners theory of learned behaviour (Van Iersal and others, 2005) Behaviourism is not the stimulation in psychological science as it once was. Psychologists and much of the public prefer more cognitive explanations of human behaviour. Thus the application of behaviour analysis is still active and successful in fields such as child development, education and drug abuse but is not reliable, as technology and scientific advances have proved otherwise to the denial of internal processes. Behaviourism is very much about nurture when it comes to the nature vs. nurture debate as it focuses on external stimuli affecting behaviour. Where behaviourism applied behaviour can be controlled, as action and external operations are controllable. Behaviourism can only explain a small part of human behaviour but it can no fully describe it. (Kazdin, 2000). To explain human behaviour an updated perspective is needed and not one convention is 100% right. The best approach is to take a little from each (McIerney 1998). Behaviourism was extremely influential in the early 20th century as it was the most up to date information available. Since scientific advances in brain chemistry and thought processes behaviourism has become outdated. Pavlov, Watson and Skinner had major impacts on not only behaviourism but also to psychology. Their techniques can still be applied today. Although behaviourism can explain a bit about behaviour it is far too narrow as it does not encompass or consider mental working of a human and brain functions which is a very important role in behaviour. Even though it is outdated behaviourism is still an interesting convention of psychology and can still be useful in explaining behaviour and treating behaviour problems. Bibliography: The Behavioural Approach : Class Handout  Behaviourism, Microsoft(r) Encarta(r) Online Encyclopaedia 2005

Is Life Taken For Granted? :: Personal Narrative Drugs Essays

Is Life Taken For Granted? It was a wet cold night that could only give the impression that something was just not quite right. I was driving in the middle of the forest with a packed car on our way home from the semester’s best party. The roads were slick from the melting snow that had turned to ice. There were four of us total in the car and we were all pretty smashed that night. This was the first night that I had in fact been driving while intoxicated. Sumner in the back seat decided to light up. I myself was never around marijuana until that night. â€Å"Hey man, hurry up and pass it,† Danny anxiously said. He was the known addict of the group, even though I never witnessed him using until now. The thickness of the smoke filled the car, and 5 minutes later gave everyone a high, including myself. The windows were sealed shut, confining the smoke in the car. It was chaotic, with everyone singing while the radio was blasting, and the agonizing piercing sound of everyone shouting and laughing. I began to feel paranoid about the given circumstances. â€Å"Turn it up bro, this song rocks! You wanna hit this?† Ian breathlessly asked. I was caught off guard. I began to break a sweat and feel sick to my stomach. My hands tensed around the steering wheel, as I swallowed hard. I didn’t know what to say, I found myself being peer pressured for the first time in my life. I began to feel lightheaded and extremely uneasy. â€Å"Gary, you want this or not?† Ian demanded. My head felt as if it were going to literally float away into the darkness. I kept hearing the faint voice of Ian sitting next to me as everything began to go black. All the frenzied noise was slowly disappearing. The car began to slightly drift to into the left lane, which was the lane for the oncoming traffic. I needed to snap out of this state of shock. I was completely petrified. It was like something had a hold of me, and clutched on so tight that it was taking complete control over me. â€Å"Gary, snap out of it! Watch where you are going!† Ian screamed. â€Å"What’s going on, oh my god we’re going to hit the semi!† shouted Danny.

Intellectual Property Laws of India

Intellectual Property Laws of India James Thanickan When India became a Republic in 1950, India had Intellectual Property legislations on copyrights, patents, designs and trade marks. These were mostly adaptations of the laws of Great Britain in each area and were of general international norms. Subsequently, India modified the Intellectual Property legislations to make them meet national needs and requirements. Pursuant to the country’s joining the World Trade Organisation, India either modified the existing legislations or enacted new legislations in all the intellectual properties identified in the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement), as per the obligations it committed. There are now specific legislations on Copyrights and Related Rights, Patents, Trade Marks, Designs, Geographical Indications of Goods, Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights, and Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout-Designs. In addition, India also has legislations on protection of biological diversity and competition. The Indian Intellectual Property legislations are now fully TRIPS compatible. A brief overview of these legislations is presented in the following paragraphs. Copyrights India has a long history of copyright law enactment. As early as 1857, India passed a law to protect copyrights. Later, another Act was passed in 1862. But the Act which became a milestone was the Copyright Act, 1914. This was based on the Copyright Act, 1911 of the United Kingdom with suitable modifications for India. This Act remained in force until replaced by the present Copyright of 1957 on 21 January 1958. The present legislation was amended periodically in 1983, 1984, 1992, 1994 and 1999 to meet requirements of the times. Presently, a set of amendments is under consideration of the Parliament. Regulations regarding procedures and other matters are prescribed in the Copyright Rules, 1958 as amended from time to time. The Copyright Act extends copyright protection to the following classes of works: (a) Original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works (b) Cinematograph films, and c) Sound recording. The definition of literary work in the Act is an inclusive definition stating specifically that computer programmes, tables and compilations including computer databases are literary works. Artistic works include architecture but the copyright subsists only in the artistic character and design and not in the process or methods of construction. Copyright will not subsist in any design register ed under the Designs Act or an article to which the design has been applied is reproduced more than fifty times by an industrial process. There shall be no copyright in a cinematograph film if a substantial part of the film is an infringement of copyright in any work. Similarly, if a sound recording contains infringing work, then it will not have any copyright. The law makes it also clear that that the separate copyright in any work incorporated in a cinematograph film or sound recording is not affected by the copyright in the cinematograph film or the sound recording. The following rights accrue to the owners of copyright: reproduction, issuing of copies, communication to the public, translation, and adaptation. Similar rights are also available for translations and adaptations. For computer programmes, sale and commercial rental rights have also been provided. In the case of original artistic works, the author is eligible for a share of the resale proceeds also. The Indian law also provides for special rights to claim authorship of the work and to restrain or claim damages in respect of any distortion, mutilation, modification or such other acts on the work. The duration of copyright in India is life plus sixty years. However, in case of cinematograph films, sound recordings, photographs, government works, works of public under takings and international organisations, the term of copyright is sixty years. The Act permits certain acts without specific permission of the copyright owner. These include a fair dealing with a literary (not being a computer programme), dramatic, musical or artistic work for the purposes of private use including research, and criticism or review and also for reporting of current events. Such works can also be reproduced for judicial proceedings and by legislature secretariats for use by members of a legislature. Reproduction of literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works is also permitted by a teacher or pupil in the course of instruction and examination. In the case of a computer programme, making of backup copies by the lawful possessor is permitted. Decompilation and reverse engineering are also permitted under certain circumstances. Performance of a literary dramatic, or musical work or the communication to the public of such work or a sound recording in the course of any bona fide religious ceremony or an official ceremony held by the government is also permitted. While copyright accrues without any formality, facility for voluntary registration is available. The registration is made by the Registrar of Copyrights. The registration certificate is prima facie evidence of copyright. There is a copyright Board to appeal against the decisions of the Registrar of Copyrights. A person can also relinquish his copyright with the Registrar of Copyrights. All acts which are the exclusive rights of the owner when done without his permission are infringements. Similarly, importing into India, exhibiting for sale, etc. f infringing copies of a work are also infringements. Civil and criminal procedures are available to the owners in cased of infringement of copyrights. Civil suits can be filed in the district courts of the place where the owner is ordinarily resident or where his business is. Damages and accounts can be claimed in civil suits. Indian courts have now started imposing punitive damages also. All acts of infringement are criminal offences. Mand atory minimum punishments of six months imprisonment and Rs. 0,000 fine for the first offence and double that which can go upto three years imprisonment and Rs. 200,000 fine are prescribed in the Act. Knowing use of an infringing copy of a computer programme is an offence. Police have powers to seize infringing copies of copyrighted works and the machinery and equipment used for such infringement without a warrant. The Indian Act also provides for compulsory licences in certain circumstances such as non-republication and non-permission for translation after certain number of years. For administering the copyrights, the Act provides for copyright societies. There are separate societies for performing rights, sound recordings, cinematograph films and reprography rights. The Copyright Act has also provisions for extending copyright to foreign works. This is done through a special notification. At present citizens of all countries who are members of the Berne Union or the World Trade Organisation get copyright for their works in India. Related Rights Related Rights are also governed by the Copyright Act. The two categories of related rights provided are for broadcasters and performers. Broadcasters et the broadcast reproduction right which entails that no person shall re-broadcast or cause the broadcast to be heard or seen by the public on payment of any charges, make any sound or visual recording of the broadcast, or sells or rents to the public any recording without licence from the broadcaster concerned. These rights last for twenty-five years. Performers get performers’ right over their performance which means no one can make a sound or visual recording of his performance, or reproduce any such recording or broadcast such recording without the performer’s permission. This right lasts for fifty years. Both broadcasters and performers rights extend to the importation of copies of sound or visual recordings made without permission. There are exceptions to the enjoyment of the related rights on the lines of exceptions for copyright. Civil and criminal remedies are available for infringement of the related rights, again on similar lines as for copyright infringement. Patents History of patent protection in India also goes back to the late nineteenth century. The first Patent Act was that of the year 1856. This law gave certain exclusive privileges to inventors for a period of 14 years. The Act was replaced by another Act in 1859. This was patterned after the British Act of 1852. Later, the Protection of Inventions Act was passed in the year 1883. The Inventions and Designs Act of 1888 replaced all the existing Acts in these two areas. Subsequently the Patents and Designs Act of 1911 replaced all the previous Acts. This Act really established a system for proper administration of the Act by appointing Controller of Patents. Later the Patents Act 1970 was enacted on 20th April 1972. This Act was amended in 1999, 2002 and 2005 with a view to making it compatible with the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement and is now fully TRIPS compatible. Prior to 2005 amendment, products in the field of pharmaceuticals and food items were not patentable. New Patent Rules were notified in 2003. Patents are available for all new inventions, both products and processes in all fields of technology which satisfy the patentability criteria, that is, novelty, inventiveness and industrial application. The Act defines invention as a new product or process involving an inventive step and capable of industrial application and further defines ‘new invention’ as â€Å"any invention or technology which has not been anticipated by publication in any document or sed in the country or elsewhere in the world before the date of filing of patent application with complete specification, i. e. , the subject matter has not fallen in public domain or that it does not form part of the state of the art. † The Indian Act provides an elaborate list of what are not patentable inventions. These, inter alia, include frivolous inventions or inve ntions which claim anything obviously contrary to well established natural laws or which are meant primarily for use which could be contrary to public order or morality or which cause prejudice to human, animal or plant life or health or to the environment. Mathematical or business methods or a computer programme per se is also not patentable. Methods of treatment of humans, animals or of agriculture or horticulture are also not patentable. Traditional knowledge, literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works, topographies of integrated circuits, presentation of information, a mere scheme or rule or method of performing mental act or method of playing games and plants and animals in whole or in any part thereof are certain other non-patentable items. However, microorganisms are patentable. While submitting an application for patent, the applicant has to clearly indicate the source from which the biological material from India has been obtained and also that the necessary permission from the competent authority will be submitted. Such permission is to be obtained from the National Biodiversity Authority. A patent grants the exclusive right to the patentee to prevent third parties, who do not have his consent, from the act of making, using, offering for sale, selling or importing the patented product or process. The Indian Patent Act makes it clear that patents are granted to encourage inventions and to secure that the inventions are worked in India on a commercial scale and not merely to enable the patentee to enjoy a monopoly for the importation of the patented article. With a view to keep a balance of the rights of owners and public interest, the Act also provides for compulsory licences in certain circumstances such as an epidemic or for government use. Provisions also exist for granting compulsory licence in cases of application from countries that do not have adequate manufacturing capacity. However, so far no compulsory licence has been granted in India. Patent is granted on application to and after examination by the Patent Office. The application can be made by the true and first inventor of the invention or by any assignee or by the legal representative of any deceased person who was the true and first inventor or his assignee. As per the Act, the first person to apply gets the patent, if other conditions are satisfied. Provisional application can be made. However, in such case the complete application should be made within one year of the date of the provisional application. Ordinarily, patent applications are published in the Patent Journal 18 months after receipt of the application. However, in case the applicant applies for early publication, it will be done. After publication, the applicant or any third party can request for examination of the same. Decisions of the Controller of Patents are appealable to the Intellectual Property Appellate Board. Pre-grant representation against grant of a patent can be made upto six months from the date of publication. Opposition can also be made after grant of a patent. The grounds for opposing a patent clearly enunciated in the Patents Act. These mostly pertain to the patentability criteria and the non-patentable subject matter specified in the Act itself. The term of a patent is 20 years from the date of application or priority date, whichever is earlier, subject to annual renewal. In case of infringement of a patent right, civil action can be initiated by the patentee. Designs Industrial design protection in India can be traced back to the Patterns and Designs Protection Act, 1872. This was later incorporated in the Patents and Designs Act, 1888 which was later replaced by the Patents and Designs Act, 1911. So far as designs were concerned, this law remained in force till 11th May 2001, when the Designs Act 2000, along with the Designs Rules 2001, was brought into force. As per the Design Act, protection is extended to all registered designs. The definition of design makes it clear that only the features of shape, configuration, pattern, ornament or composition of lines or colours applied to any article by an industrial process or means, which in the finished article appeal to and are solely judged by eye are registrable. It does not include any mode or principle of construction or anything which is in substance a mere mechanical device. Nor does it include trade marks or artistic works which are protected under copyright. Both two dimensional and three dimensional articles are protectable. In order to get registration, the design must be original or novel. Original includes designs which though old in themselves yet are new in their application. A design which has been disclosed to the public anywhere in India or in any other country by publication in tangible form or by use or in any other way prior to the date of filing date or the priority date are not eligible for registration. Similarly designs which is not significantly distinguishable from known designs or combination of known designs or which comprises or contains scandalous or obscene matter are also not eligible registration. A design may be registered in more than one class. Registration of design is to be done in the Design Office at Kolkata, but application can be submitted in any one of the Patent offices at Chennai, Delhi or Mumbai. Appeals against the decisions of the Controller of Designs are to be made in a High Court. When a design is registered, the registered proprietor of the design gets copyright on that design for a period of ten years. The registration can be renewed once only for five years. Registration of a design makes it illegal for any person to apply or use the design on any article for sale or import of an article on which the design has been applied, without the licence of the registered proprietor. The penalty for piracy of design is payment of a sum not exceeding Rs. 25,000 to the registered proprietor and damages. Civil proceedings are to be instituted in a court not below that of a District Court. Design copyrights can be assigned or licensed. Trade marks The history of trade mark protection in India can be traced back to the Indian Merchandise Marks, Act 1889. Like similar legislations in the field of intellectual property rights, this was based on a British statute, in this case, the U. K. Merchandise Marks Act, 1887. A proper trade mark law was introduced with the enactment of the Trade Marks Act, 1940. This was later repealed when the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 was brought into force on 25th November 1959. This Act consolidated the provisions of the 1889 Merchandise Marks Act and the 1940 Trade Marks Act. The present Act is the Trade marks Act 1999 which was enacted keeping in view the obligations under the TRIPS Agreement. This Act, along with the Trade Marks Rules, 2002, was brought into force from 15 September 2003. As per the Trade Marks Act, for registration, a trade mark should be capable of being represented graphically and also of distinguishing the goods and services of one person from those of others and may include shape of goods, their packaging and ombination of colours. The Act provides for registration of certification trade marks and collective trade marks. Registration can be made in any one or more classes prescribed in the Rules. India follows the Nice classification of goods and services. India also recognises the concept of well known trade marks. A Trade Marks Registry with headquarters at Mumbai with branches at Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai and Ahmedabad exists for re gistration of trade marks. Application is to be submitted at the appropriate office depending on which part of the country the registered office of the applicant is situated. Marks which are devoid of any distinctive character or which may serve to designate the kind, quality, quantity, intended purpose, values, geographical origin or the time of production of the goods or rendering of the service or other characteristics of the goods or services, or which have become customary in the current language or in the bona fide and established practices of the trade will be refused registration. Further, marks which are of such nature as to deceive the public or cause confusion, or which contains or comprises of any matter likely to hurt the religious susceptibilities of any class or section of the citizens of India, or which comprises or contains scandalous or obscene matter or which are national emblems or names will also not be registered. In addition a mark consisting exclusively of shape of goods which results from the nature of the goods themselves or the shape of goods which is necessary to obtain technical result or the shape which gives substantial value to the goods will also be refused registration. The registration is done after due examination and comparison with existing registered trade marks and after publication. Aggrieved persons can represent to the Registrar of Trade Marks before registration. The decisions of the Registrar of Trade Marks are appealable to the Intellectual Property appellate Board. Registration of a trade mark is valid for ten years, but it can be renewed from time to time. Registration gives the exclusive right to use that trade mark on the specific classes of goods or services to the registered proprietor. Use of a registered trade mark by an unauthorised person is infringement of the rights in that trade mark. Civil and criminal remedies akin to those of copyrights are available to the owners of the trade mark. In the case of trade mark, prior use claim is recognised by the Indian law. However, in the case of an unregistered trade mark, the court action will be for passing off the goodwill under the common law of torts. Geographical Indications India enacted a sui generis legislation for the protection of geographical indications through a registration process in fulfilment of its obligations under the TRIPS Agreement. The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, along with the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Rules, 2002, was brought into force on 15th September 2003. The Act provides for registration of geographical indication of agricultural, natural or manufactured goods which identifies such goods as originating or manufactured in the territory of a country or a region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of such goods is essentially attributable to its geographical origin. Through an explanation, the Act clarifies that any name which is not the name of country, region or locality of that country shall also be considered as the geographical indication if it relates to a specific geographical area and is used upon or in relation to particular goods originating from that country region or locality , as the case may be. The application for registration of a geographical indication is to be made to the Registrar of Geographical Indication. Any association or persons or producers or any organisation or authority established by or under any law for the time being in force representing the interests of the producers of the goods concerned, can apply for registration. The application will be examined, if necessary in consultation with a consultation group consisting of experts, and the accepted applications are advertised in the Geographical Indications Journal inviting objections if any. Opposition has to be filed within three months. The objections will be examined through a quasi judicial process and depending on the outcome, a geographical indication is registered or not. Decisions of the Registrar of Geographical Indication are appealable to the Intellectual Property Appellate Board. The registration of a geographical indication is for a period of ten years but is renewable from to time without any limit. The Act also provides for registration of the authorised users of the goods in question. These registrations are also for ten year periods. Registration confers on the authorised user the exclusive right to the use of the geographical indication in relation to the goods in respect of which the geographical indication is registered. Any unauthorised use is an infringement. No infringement action can be taken against an unregistered geographical indication. The registered proprietor and authorised user can initiate the action for getting relief against infringement . The Government can notify the goods which are entitled for higher level of protection as per the TRIPS Agreement. Civil and criminal remedies, on the lines of such remedies for trade mark infringement are available for geographical indication infringements. Geographical Indication rights are not assignable. However, legal heirs, who produce or manufacture the goods in question as per the requirements, can inherit the rights. Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout-Designs The Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout-Design Act, 2000 was enacted by India in pursuance of its obligations under the TRIPS Agreement. The Act, along with, the Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout-Design Rules 2001 was brought into force partially on 1st May 2004. The Act provides for registration of layout designs of semiconductor integrated circuits. A layout-design which is not original or which has been commercially exploited anywhere in India or in a convention country, or which is not inherently distinctive or which is not inherently capable of being distinguishable from any other registered layout-design will not be registered. Any person claiming to be the creator of a layout-design can apply to the Registrar of Layout-Designs for registration. Accepted applications will be advertised and any person can file opposition to the registration within three months of the advertisement. Thereafter, after due quasi judicial proceedings only the application is registered. Decisions of the Registrar of Layout—Design are appealable to the Layout-Design Appellate Board. Registration of a layout-design is valid for ten years from the date of filing or from the date of first commercial exploitation anywhere in any country whichever is earlier. The Act also provides for registration of authorised users. However, the authorised users do not have the right of assignment but only of use of the layout=design. Registration grants to the registered proprietor the exclusive right to the use of the layout-design and to obtain relief in respect of infringement. Infringement of layout-design occurs when any person not being the registered proprietor or a registered user thereof, does any act of reproducing, whether by incorporating in a semiconductor integrated circuit or otherwise, a registered design in its entirety or any part thereof. Infringements of the rights of a registered proprietor or authorised user are infringements which are punishable offences. The quantum of penalties and punishments are similar to those of trade marks. Protection of Plant Varieties In order to provide for the establishment of an effective system for protection of plant varieties, the rights of farmers and plant breeders and to encourage the development of new varieties of plants, the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act,2001 was enacted. The Act provides for registration of any new variety of plant which is novel, distinctive, uniform and stable. Extant varieties can also be registered subject to certain conditions. Applications for registration can be made by plant breeders or their assignees. Registration confers an exclusive right on the breeder or his successor, his agent or licensee, to produce, sell, market, distribute, import or export the variety. However, researchers are free to use the variety for conducting experiment or research. Any person is also free to use the variety as an initial source of variety for the purpose of creating other varieties. A farmer who has bred or developed a new variety is also entitled for registration and other protection in like manner as a breeder of a variety under the Act. Registration of a new plant variety is valid for eighteen years from the date of registration in case of trees and vines and for fifteen years in other cases. Registration of an extant variety is valid for fifteen years only. Civil suit can be filed against infringers of the rights conferred by registration in district courts. Courts can grant relief such as injunction and at the option of the plaintiff, either damages or a share of the profits. False application of the denomination of a registered variety is an offence. First time such offences are punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three months but which may extend to two years, or with fine which shall not be less than Rs. 50,000 but which may extend to Rs. 500,000. A person who has already been convicted of an offence under the Act is punishable for second and for every subsequent offence with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year but which may extend to three years or with fine which shall not be less than Rs. 00,000 but which may extend to Rs. 2,000,000. Protection of Biological Diversity and Associated Traditional Knowledge In pursuance to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992, India enacted the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 with the objective of conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources. The Act, along with the Biological Diversity Rule s, 2004, was brought into force fully on 1st July 2004. The Act contains detailed procedures and guidelines for accessing biological diversity and associated traditional knowledge occurring in India, including about Prior Informed Consent for Access and Fair and Equitable Benefit Sharing Agreements. The Act provides for prior approval of the National Biodiversity Authority for making any application for any intellectual property right, in or outside India, for any invention based on any research or information on a biological resource obtained from India. The National Biodiversity Authority may, while granting the approval, impose benefit sharing fee or royalty or both or impose conditions including the sharing of financial benefits arising out of the commercial utilisation of such rights. Further, all foreign nationals, non-resident Indians and firms, associations and organisations with non-Indian participation require approval of the National Biological Diversity Board for accessing biological resources or knowledge associated thereto for research or for commercial utilisation. For transfer of biological resource and associated knowledge also prior permission of the National Biodiversity Authority is required. The benefit sharing arrangements, inter alia, include grant of joint ownership of the intellectual property rights to the National Biodiversity Authority, or where benefit claimers are identified, to such benefit claimers. Intellectual Property Administration In India, the intellectual property laws are administered by different Departments of the Central Government. The table below presents the departments which handle various intellectual property laws. Law| Department| Copyright Act| Higher Education| Patents Act| Industrial Policy & Promotion| Designs Act| Industrial Policy & Promotion| Trade Marks Act| Industrial Policy & Promotion| Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act| Industrial Policy & Promotion| Semiconductor Integrated circuits Layout-Design Act| Information Technology| Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act| Agriculture and Cooperation| Biological Diversity Act| Environment and Forests| Consequently, the administrative set ups for the different Intellectual Property laws are also different. The Copyright Act is administered by the Copyright Registry at New Delhi. It is headed by the Registrar of Copyrights who is assisted by Deputy Registrars of Copyrights. A copyright Board exists for hearing appeals against the decisions of the Registrar of Copyright. The Patents Act, Designs Act, Trade Marks Act and the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act are administered by the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), Mumbai. Under the Controller General are the Patents Office, the Design Wing, the Trade Marks Registry and the Geographical Indications Registry. The headquarters of the Patent Office is at Kolkata and there are branch offices at Chennai, New Delhi and Mumbai. The headquarters of the Trade Marks Registry is at Mumbai. It has branch offices at Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata and New Delhi. The Design Wing of the Patent Office is at Kolkata. The Geographical Indications Registry is at Chennai. The Controller General is assisted by different levels of Controllers of Patents and Designs and Examiners in the patents and designs office and different levels of Registrars and Examiners in the trade mark and geographical indications registries. The Intellectual Property Appellate Board hears the appeals against the decisions of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks. The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act is administered by the Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority headed by a Chairperson and consisting of fifteen Members. A Plant Varieties Registry headed by a Registrar General of Plant Varieties has been set up under the Authority to register the plant varieties. Decisions of the Authority or the Registrar can be appealed to the Plant Varieties Protection Appellate Tribunal. The Registrar of Semiconductor Integrated Circuits layout-Design administers the Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout-Design Act. Appeals against the decisions of the Registrar can be preferred at the Layout-Design Appellate Board. The National Biodiversity Authority in Chennai administers the Biological Diversity Act and Rules. Under the Authority, State Biodiversity Boards and at local body level Biodiversity Management Committees exist. Membership of International Treaties and Conventions on Intellectual Property India is a member of all major international treaties and Conventions on Intellectual Property. These include the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property, Convention on Biological Diversity, Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure, Nairobi Treaty on the Protection of the Olympic Symbol, Patent Cooperation Treaty, Phonograms Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms, WIPO Convention and Universal Copyright Convention. ——————————————- [ 2 ]. Section 3(l) of the Patents Act, 1970.

Online Environment Essay

Normally, customers would have to call an associate from D & D and find out when the next trade show, showcase, or large event D & D will be featured in attendance so customers can make their way to the venue just to see the merchandise. One main focus that would have to be kept is the same local, hometown business feel. Although D & D would be looking to expand out of the greater Indianapolis area, the focus that needs to be kept is the community. An online market would be extremely beneficial to the community and the business because the times are changing and more and more customers each day are transitioning to the online marketplace by shopping in the comfort of their own home. D & D is a community based business who believes in taking care of all our customer’s needs whether it is live an in person, or 2:00 AM on a Sunday night. We can only offer this kind of service with an online presence. D & D wants to be the company a customer can count on anytime. Being part of an online environment will be a large part in making that a reality. As a business, we must ask ourselves is this a venture that will be successful for us? Given the type of market that our company is tapping into, we have the ability to be very successful. The quality of products that we offer along with our competitive prices will give us the competitive advantage over other similar small companies as even over some larger companies as well. Establishing D & D in an online environment against competition in the same type of business will force us to be aware of all that is going on with our competition. This way, we will able to compete with the larger companies like a JCPenny or Sears and the smaller businesses like D & D that have been in the online environment for a long time. We will strive to keep the quality of our products high and be able to keep our prices low. The success of our business will lie on our quality, and providing the best quality products will help us in generating income and building a larger customer base. Current Online Competitor Assessment Being that D & D is a very small local business; large competitors (Nordstrom. com, Macys. com, Sears. com, etc. ) offer more of a broad selection of merchandise while D & D specializes in one specific area of sales at extremely competitive prices and unique craftsmanship quality. Most of these larger companies will hold sales that provide their merchandise at discounted prices in-store and online but customers will not always catch the â€Å"Great Deal† or clearance sale. D & D wants to provide quality products that customers feel are always on sale. One competitive advantage that D &D will have over these companies is the originality of products. A large portion of the merchandise sold is hand-made, developed from original designs and ideas. Larger companies will most likely buy their products in bulk from over-seas distributors that will mimic merchandise of their competitors while D & D will offer quality products made right here in the United States. D & D will be able to back all the hand-made merchandise with a ‘Made in The USA’ tag which is something that most of the larger competitors will not be able to do. There are some name brand designers that are sold through D & D; however, prices for that particular merchandise will still be competitive. We understand that there are customers with a demand for name brand designers no matter what the item may be and we want to be the provider for that segment of customers as well. Larger companies in the retail industry will often sell merchandise seasonally in regards to the specific time of year or holiday. A huge advantage that D & D will have will be the ability to purchase seasonal merchandise year round. For example, if a customer wanted to purchase a Christmas themed hat in July or another customer wanted to purchase a Valentine’s Day gift basket in October, these options would be available to them. A larger company will most likely not offer that option on their site and especially not in their store. D & D’s goal is to be able to take care of each and every customer’s needs (and wants) to create customers for life. We know that we are not the only company in this market and we need to be aware of the disadvantages we face while competing against larger companies. One large disadvantage that we will face is the distribution of our products. D & D does not have a warehouse where stock is kept in comparison to a Sears or Macy’s. Therefore, in order for us to be successful, we must be able to maintain our stock and make sure that we keep enough on hand at all times. Another disadvantage that we face is the production of our hand-made items. Although our items do not take extremely long to make, we can run into the problem of not having a specific item when it is needed. This could be a major issue in the success of that particular product, but one advantage that we do have is that everyone on the sales team is able to help us create products if we happen to be short on certain items. This gives us a slight advantage over competitors large and small because there is no need for a middle man in our product line. All handmade products are able to be created and ready for sale immediately. We will still be in a similar situation with our competitors when it comes to all of the name brand clothing as far as shipping, ordering, receiving, etc. but being able to have our custom products manufactured and ready to sell within a fraction of time it would take for shipping procedures will keep us ahead and generating income. Online Marketing Suggestions & Strategies The strategy for D & D will be one with attainable goals. The first objective of our strategy is to know where we are going and what we want to achieve. Our first goal will be to set the amount of customers that we want to reach through our online presence. As long as we have an idea of how many customers we wish to gain through this method, we will stay focused and stay on the correct path to achieve our goal. The next step in our strategy is to dissect the final goal numbers and turn the results into action plans that we can use to repeat success. For instance, if D & D sets the target number in a time period for customers gained through our online presence, because the goal was dissected prior and broken down; D & D knows exactly what must be done to achieve that goal. The last step that D & D will implement in the strategy is to make sure all success is reviewed and evaluated thoroughly. All information that we received must be evaluated so we are making sure we are getting the results that we expected and wanted. One of the major tasks that we plan to accomplish with D & D’s online marketing efforts is to attain customers of a younger age group. Typically the D & D customer base age ranges from 30 – 60 for women and 29 – 50 for men. With the addition of new products and the expansion to an online environment, the goal could be easily reached. Another marketing strategy that D & D will use is advertising the current events and trade shows we will be featured in. By advertising and marketing D & D online as well as the different venues, customers will be informed of different things to do around the city in addition to taking some time to shop. Marketing ourselves this way will not only help our business, but it will also help our community which is helping us keep our main two focuses; Service our community and sell quality products to our customers. Search Engine Considerations & Optimization Strategies Taking into consideration that there has been a lot of cross-border selling, there is a growth that is happening with search marketers. This growth causes websites to be optimized for visitors from different regions and cultural backgrounds. There are constant attempts to develop techniques that attract visitors through search engines and search ads. One technique that D & D will be able to do is use country specific domain names, and possibly change spelling variations (i. e. color v. colour). D & D will also use keywords in other languages, which will target search engines such as Google AdWords and give us more search result hits. Expanding our name in search engines will be an excellent way to open the door to us being found by more people who are searching for similar items. Encouraging our customers to post regular reviews of our business on a variety of local search sites will not only let potential customers know we do a good job, but it will increase the number of search hits we receive. The more reviews we receive, the reviews will appear high within search results. The approach also will make it more likely for the next potential customer searching for a store like D & D to possibly contact our business based on the information they are receiving in the search results. A strategy such as this will improve the amount of search hits simply by choosing the words we want to be associated with our business and as long as we are doing a great job for our customers, a large portion of those words will be positive. Social Media Integration D & D is a small business that could benefit very well from using social media. The majority of D & D’s name being spread around the community is by word of mouth; however being well known in a small community can only take you so far. Integrating a social media site like Facebook would be a wonderful opportunity to promote the business and inform potential customers about the site as well as allowing current customers to refer a friend to the page and even comment. Integrating Facebook with the site will allow customers in a matter of seconds to â€Å"like† the D & D Facebook page and there will also be a link to click to directly go to the D & D web site. The potential comments left on the page could end up helping D & D by possibly providing suggestions that D & D could use to improve the overall customer experience. Along with Facebook, Twitter can also be utilized in the social media are by â€Å"tweeting† pictures of merchandise as well as updating customers with current information regarding products and shows. For customers who are always on the go, D & D will also reach customers by the use of Instagram. By using Instagram, customers who are following D & D will be able to see recently received merchandise that will be uploaded onto the mobile page by the D & D staff. With use of these sites, D & D will able to keep the current customer base updated with information about the products as well as allowing potential customers to gain a little bit of knowledge about D & D’s products and services by utilizing the online environment that is used in day-to-day life. Using these sites will also provide another medium of communication from customers so we can listen to their suggestions, wants, and needs. By listening to customers, we are able to receive first-hand feedback and a better understanding of how we can improve our service. In addition to using social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, D & D will also incorporate a small blogging section on the company website. This will give customers additional medium to converse and blog about their experiences with our company. Online Customer Relationship Management When a customer makes the decision to do business with any company, the customer expects that they will receive a very high standard of customer service. As a company, D & D will also hold a very high standard in providing customer service. A key component of customer service in any business is building a relationship with the customer. Communication between the customer and seller will have to be maintained in order to build that relationship. The best way to keep this channel of communication open with the customers would be through the exchange of email for any situation, problem, or question that may arise. Email would allow our customers to ask questions regarding our products, address a problem, or even inquire about making an order. Specific email templates, for whether there is a problem or a general question, will be made for any possible topic a customer may have and this will be integrated in the site. If there is any issue, a customer will be able to be as specific as they need to in asking their question. To be as efficient as we can with offering the email option to our customers, we will offer with all emails a ‘Within 24 hr. Guarantee Response Time. ’ Putting a guarantee on a service such as this will ensure to the customer that they will receive the most efficient and effective service available. We understand that all questions and issues may not be answered through email, so all escalated issues will be followed up with a phone call from a sales associate to help solve any issue that cannot be resolved in a timely manner. Within the website there will also be a FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) page provided to possibly help with several general questions. Our FAQs page will be updated accordingly if we seem to receive a large volume of questions for a topic that is not currently on our FAQs page. Updating this page will be very valuable to our customers’ time and it will show that we are very thorough in our process. E-Commerce Solutions E-Commerce for D & D will be an extremely user-friendly process. Our plan is to utilize all E-commerce transactions through the Volusion software program. This program is very efficient and very effective on both sides of the E-commerce transaction from seller to customer. Volusion will provide multiple payment options to potential customers such as credit or debit card, using a checking account, E-check, and even PayPal. By giving our customers multiple ways to pay, we give ourselves more opportunity to make a sale. A â€Å"checkout† and â€Å"my cart† feature will also be integrated within the site so at any time customers can quickly add an item to their cart and check out or add a few items and then edit the cart if they are not satisfied with their selection or have selected too many of one item. A link to the â€Å"my cart† section will be available on every page so a customer will be able to easily navigate there. Volusion also offers customizable tax and shipping options which will be presented for each product depending on size and time frame for customers’ desired delivery time. Customers will also be given automatic email confirmations after all purchases to give reviews of purchases. The automatic email confirmations will also be followed up by a separate email that contains an additional e-receipt and shipping information. Customers also have the option to enroll in the D & D newsletter that will be created to update customers with information regarding current and future events as well as updates for newly created merchandise. This option will be available upon checkout so customers will be able to click yes or no. Security will be a major concern with E-commerce in any company you are associating with. The Volusion software offers state-of-the art E-commerce security which is PCI/CISP (Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council /Cardholder Information Security Program) certified. Other security features include the â€Å"CAPTCHA† type image validation for all forms of submissions to prevent unauthorized use, as well as an integrated IP blocking security feature, and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) Encryption for encrypting customer information for additional security. International Considerations International business for D & D would be an excellent addition to the business. What better way would there be to grow the business than to expand globally? The retail market for fashion and apparel is a market that is not just popular in just one geographic location. Fashion retail is an area where with the right merchandise and approach, a company like D & D could go from servicing local customers to multi-national in a matter of months. Social media will play a large role in the international expansion of D & D just as it will locally. All considerations must be viewed before the international ventures can take flight. One major concern would be how the currency from other countries would be handled. Our payment system will be an incredible asset to how our transactions are completed. Exchange rates are automatically calculated and shipping calculations are also included. Transactions will not be simple for every country. Certain payment options that D & D accepts will not be available in all countries (i. e. Romania does not have PayPal), so all employees must be aware of situations like this if they were to arise. We will also have to make sure that we are complying with all government export regulations within each country. Using the Volusion software will also help with the language barrier of different countries. The Volusion software will make sure the website is friendly and ready for non-domestic and non-English-speaking visitors. All content on our website will be internationalized to cater to different areas of the globe. We believe that if we can customize our offering, service, and payment types to different areas, the business will enjoy huge success. Web Development & Maintenance Cost The actual development for D & D’s website would be fairly inexpensive compared to the amount of return the website would help generate. Base costs to start the development of the website would begin with the purchase of the domain name (i. e. www. DandDdesigns. com) that would range from $10 – $30. Annual fees to keep the website up and running would range from $100 – $150 in renewal fees. Most sites with under 2000 pages generally do not go over that threshold amount. There are a number of extra features that can be added to the site that could possibly increase the costs for running the webpage such as enabling Java for allowing motion images and small videos on the site (about $4. 5/month) and Restore Services that offer information recovery of any information deleted accidentally by any of the company’s associates (about $1. 50/month). Web hosting sites such as Lunarpages & Hostgator offer all of these great services with no additional maintenance costs. These sites also offer 24/7 server monitoring and customer support so if anything were to go wrong, there is always someone to call on at anytime. This will also remove the expense of hiring a web developer because any and all problems with the site can be fixed by employees at anytime.

How Oil Prices Affect Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

How Oil Prices Affect Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Every country needs some oil to run its errands, but the oil producing nations (OPEC nations) are few in number. From an economic point of view, whenever the suppliers are few, they tend to manipulate the prices of their products. Essentially, OPEC nations agree on the amount of oil to produce and the prices of selling the oil. OPEC nations discuss the target markets, and they dictate the distributing channels for their own good.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on How Oil Prices Affect Gross Domestic Product (GDP) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In a span of one month, oil prices can raise considerably, but since oil has no substitute, the demand for oil remains inelastic. Indeed, oil prices affect nations’ GDPs in one way or another. This paper will give a clear outlay of the effect of oil prices on the various variables in the GDP equation using clear illustrations and graphs. The gross domestic produ ct (GDP) presents the market value of the economic activities within a nation. The GPD sums all the amounts of monies spent in a nation. The four factors that measure the GPD include the consumption levels of the consumers, investment levels of businesses (amount businesses spend on purchasing goods and services), the government spending, and the net exports. In this case, the net exports amount is the difference between the exports and imports. Oil prices have an indirect effect on each factor of the GDP equation, which in turn affects the nation’s GDP levels (Maeda 112). GDP = C +I +G+X Where C is the total consumption of the consumers, I is the investment levels of the businesses,Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More G is the federal, state and government spending, and X is the net exports (exports minus imports). Oil prices and their effects on the t otal consumption of consumers Consumption is directly proportional to the income levels of a household because people can only spend the amount of money that they earn. However, not all the money is spent; earners have to pay income taxes to the government, and some households save some of their income. Whenever the oil prices are high, businesses tend to increase the prices of their products to cater for the rise in the production costs (Pinno and Serletis 202). This factor decreases the consumers’ spending powers, and consumers tend to buy few items. Essentially, some consumers would decide to save their money rather than spend it with the hope that the prices of products would decrease in the near future. The price elasticity of demand will play a critical role in such a case, where, consumers will only purchase necessities and shy away from buying luxuries. Consumer spending forms the largest part of the GPD in most nations. Therefore, whenever the oil prices rise, they r educe the consumer spending indirectly, and consequently, the GPD reduces. In the United States, two third of the GDP comprises of consumer spending. Therefore, a decrease in consumer spending would have a significant effect on the GPD of the US (Kilian and Vigfusson 79). Oil prices and their effects on the total investments As stated before, business investment is the amount of money that businesses spend on purchasing products and services. Moreover, businesses make long-term investments through the purchase of land, fixtures, and equipments. A rise in oil prices is a shock on the supply side of the economy and it has adverse consequences on the economies of countries (Kim 140).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on How Oil Prices Affect Gross Domestic Product (GDP) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Obviously, businesses will experience an increase in the variable costs, especially for manufacturing businesses that heavily depend on oil. The businesses will resolve on increasing the prices of their products to remain at the same profit margins. From an economic point of view, an increase in prices causes the demand of products to contract, and the businesses are likely to have reduced sales than before. If the oil prices continue to rise, there is a possibility of an economy to experience an inflationary effect. Essentially, the decreased sales means decreased profits; therefore, businesses will have insufficient money to invest. The amount that businesses invest contributes to about 15% of the nation’s GDP. Although the 15% contribution to the nation’s GDP is considerably small, a decrease in the total investments will decrease the nation’s GDP. Oil prices and their effects on the total government spending The government is an overseer that responds to tough economic conditions of the nation. As described, an increase in oil prices is a supply side shock that would inflate the price levels of products and deflate the real output of the economy. The government can respond by relaxing the monetary policy through decreasing the interest rates and taxes. Therefore, businesses will have their production costs somewhat reduced because of the reduced taxes. Another alternative would be increasing government spending by subsidizing the costs prices. However, the options may have adverse consequences on the general economy. Increasing the oil subsidy bill would mean that the government would have to increase its budget and this would affect the other sectors of the economy. Although upstream companies like the Oil And Natural Gas Corporation and Oil India would share a third of the subsidy burdens, the government may have to make short-term borrowings to cater for the unanticipated shock. On the other hand, decreasing interest rates and taxes would decrease the government revenues. Essentially, rise is oil prices would decrease the government spending on goods and services and increase its spending on transfer payments, which is a threat to the GDP. Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Oil prices and their effects on the total net exports If there is an increase in fuel prices, a country that exports manufactured goods may experience an increase in the production costs of the products that it exports. Therefore, the country may lower its productivity and export less of the products than before. Moreover, the country is forced to spend more money on importing the essential petroleum product than before. The two incidences would bring an imbalance on the total net exports and the country may have negative net exports. Conclusion Clearly, a rise in oil prices is an external shock that affects economies in one way or another. Economies that entirely depend on oil-energy for their production processes would suffer greatly if oil prices increased drastically. Sometimes the oil prices drop, but they have negligible effects on the GDP. Therefore, to reduce the effect of the increase in oil prices, companies should find ways of containing other costs and increasing the la bor productivity (Ravazzolo and Rothman 461). It is clear that oil is an essential product with an inelastic demand. Therefore, governments that do not reserve enough oil when the oil prices drop will continue suffering from the supply shocks. It would be advisable for governments to build oil reserves that would greatly help the nation during shortages and during shocks. Kilian, Lutz and Robert Vigfusson. Do Oil Prices Help Forecast U.S. Real GDP? The Role of Nonlinearities and Asymmetries. Journal of Business Economic Statistics 31.1 (2013): 78-93. Print. Kim, Dong. What Is An Oil Shock? Panel Data Evidence. Empirical Economics 43.1 (2012): 121-143. Print. Maeda, Akira. On the Oil Price-GDP Relationship. Japanese Economy 35.1 (2008): 99-127. Print. Pinno, Karl and Apostolos Serletis. Oil Price Uncertainty and Industrial Production. Energy Journal 34.3 (2013): 191-216. Print. Ravazzolo, Francesco and Philip Rothman. Oil and U.S. GDP: A Real-Time Out-Of-Sample Examination. Journal of Money, Credit Banking 45.3 (2013): 449-463. Print.