Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Dimensional Analysis Lab Essay Example for Free

Dimensional Analysis Lab Essay In this Lab the students were required to do several tests and measurements and then convert these units into other units. There were five tests in all. The first test was measuring the average of three broad jumps in centimeters then find out how many jumps it would take to travel one mile. The second test involved measuring a candy bar (for my group we used a snickers bar) then finding out how many snickers bars end to end it would take to wrap around the equator of the earth. For the third measurement we had to find out how many tootsie rolls were equivalent to a five pound tootsie roll. For the next test we had to find how long it took in hours to get to the center of a tootsie pop. For the final test we had to calculate our speed in mph then find out how many days it would take to get from Indianapolis to Chicago if you only walked five hours a day. The materials we used were a gram scale, tootsie roll, tootsie pop, snickers bar, and a meter stick. Materials 1. gram scale 2. tootsie roll 3. tootsie pop 4. snickers bar 5.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Public Hangings :: essays research papers

Capital punishment seemed to have been regenerated from the beginning of mankind, where beheading was considered an honorable method of meeting death, whereas hanging carried with it a definite stigma. The era of public hanging was emotionally satisfying even though the surroundings was emotionally tense. In contrast to private hangings where they were fewer observers, less theatrical from the accuse and hanging was becoming more of an inhuman punishment to inflict on those found guilty of their crime. Both forms of hangings were though to be an effective way of preventing individuals from committing a crime. Capital punishment seemed morally acceptable, to the public and there were individuals who were willing to carry out the execution. From the books; "†¦Hang By the Neck†¦", Hanging in the Balance and The trail of the Dinosaur, gives descriptions of public and private hangings, the responsibilities of the hangman and the general reaction of the public, who were for and againts hangings. In the days of public hangings, gallows or scaffolds were rather crude contraptions. Early contraptions consisted of two post in the ground, with a cross-piece between them from which the victim swung. As the years passed by a second contraption was invented, a single stout post with a timber nailed at a right angle at the top, with supporting boards attached. A third contraption was made which was a platform erected nine or more feet from the ground, in the middle of which was a trap door which swung upon hinges. This latest invention was commonly used towards the end of public hangings. In private hangings the same contraption was used, but the individual were taken down a lot quicker, for their was no need to display the executed to curious observer. Public executions were grim and was a disgusting spectacle to the accuses’ family and close friends, but for most individuals it was a time to rejoice and to celebrate. When a crowd assembled to witn ess a public event, they were out in a holiday mood. Hundreds of people came from long distances to view a hanging, concessionaires had money invested in trinkets and food to be sold at what they called jamborees. Public hanging were often imitated in plays, which were seen as despicable form of entertainment towards the victim and the accuses family. The scenes attending the hangings were for large gatherings from far and near, mostly bent on idle curiosity or for a grand jollification.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Hawthorne Studies

This essay will review the writings of â€Å"Hawthorne, the myth of the docile worker, and class bias in psychology† an article by D. Bramel and R. Friend. It will then go on to further critique academic articles that both support and disagree with the primary source and demonstrate how the Hawthorne studies have influenced contemporary organizations. The Hawthorne experimental studies conducted at the Western Electric Company Works has attracted considerable amounts of sharp critical scrutiny; it has practically â€Å"become an intellectual battle† (Miner, J. 006. p. 68) as it has been interpreted in various ways. The studies basically concluded that social and psychological factors are responsible for workers productivity and job satisfaction. Many psychologists, sociologist and critics attack the research procedures and criticize the analyses of the data and their conclusions. Bramel and Friend (1981) are a classic example of those exact critics who consider the Hawt horne studies to be contradictive, distorted and overall undeserving of receiving recognition and respect for their research.Bramel and Friend’s main aim in the article however is to â€Å"show not simply that Mayo’s conclusions were unrealistic and politically reactionary† but to alternatively demonstrate that there is â€Å"bias at the level of interpretation of the available data† (p. 868) and how this had a negative influence in effecting the results, due to the assumption that their workers can be manipulated and fooled with ease (p. 869). There are many other critics that strongly support the views and opinions presented by Bramel and Friend in regards to the Hawthorne studies and how they consider the research to be insufficient and misleading.The article â€Å"Shining New Light on the Hawthorne Illumination Experiments† by M. Kawa, M. French, and A. Hedge (2011) reinforces the arguments that feature in Bramel and Friend’s work. Like them they agree that the studies performed at the Western Company Works provided inconsistent evidence and that all experiments conducted including the results were seriously flawed. Basically they conclude that the inadequacies in the experimental designs tell an incomplete and sometimes inaccurate story and show the inconsistent associations between working conditions and productivity. p. 546) The article â€Å"Questioning the Hawthorne effect† shares the exact same views that were established in â€Å"Hawthorne the myth of the docile worker†. It argues that the data collected from the experiments had never been analyzed rigorously, no systematic evidence was implemented and the inconsistent ways in which the experiments were executed has lead to a misleading interpretation of what happened. (â€Å"Questioning the Hawthorne Effect†, 2009, p. 74)Another article that strongly disapproves of the Hawthorne studies is A. Carey’s article â€Å"The Hawthorne Studies: a Radical Criticism†. In Carey’s (1967) opinion the research conducted is nearly absent of scientific merit and the conclusions drawn are supported by so little evidence that it’s basically inappropriate that the studies have gained a respected place within scientific discipline and have held this place for so long. (p. 403) However Carey does believe the importance of the studies is actually declining.In his opinion later studies are struggling to display any â€Å"reliable relationship between the social satisfaction of industrial workers and their work performance†(p. 403). Carey criticizes Mayo’s approach, research and assumptions and claims that his reports are completely bias and invalid. He states that the â€Å"Statistical analysis of the relevant data did not show any conclusive evidence in favor of the first hypothesis† (p. 405) which makes it extremely difficult to develop a correct conclusion.Although there are critics th at attack the Hawthorne studies and downplay the work of Mayo and Roethlisberger there is also many others that completely support the research conducted and believe it has been of crucial importance and consider it to be a â€Å"major intellectual building block of organizational behavior† (Miner, J. 2006. p. 68. ) A. Brannigan and W. Zwerman’s (2001) article â€Å"the Real Hawthorne Effect† completely disagrees with the arguments that were presented by Bramel and Friend. Their article in contrast strongly supports the Hawthorne studies and emphasizes just how valuable they.Brannigan and Zwerman actually view the studies as being â€Å"the single most important investigation of the human dimensions of industrial relations in the early 20th century† (Brannigan, A. Zwerman, W. 2001. p. 55). They recognize the fact that the Hawthorne studies have received harsh critical disapproval over the decades due to potential flaws in the research and experiments cond ucted. However Brannigan and Zwerman are able to look past that and purely see the innovative ideas that grew around these studies.They express that â€Å"the main idea should not be undermined by these shortcomings† and that sometimes the actual idea itself is more meaningful then the evidence on which it is based. (p. 59). B. Reiger’s article â€Å"Lessons in Productivity and People† also disagrees with the negative statements that are directed towards the Hawthorne studies. Reiger’s article aims to show how the studies executed had an enormous influence in the way managers and supervisors now interact with their employees.Which in result has positively affected worker productivity, Due to implementing a less mechanical view and paying more attention to the human influences within the workplace. Not only does Reiger (1995) view the studies as being critical to the positive change in the company and employee relationships but they also â€Å"provided so me clear insights into industrial operations and psychology, personal management, organizational development and human resources† (p. 58).Overall his intention is to show how the studies contributed to the improvement in manager and employee relationships by providing the employees with respect, attention and recognition will then in turn increase their productivity and efficiency. C. Hall (1984) further backs up the views of Reiger in his article â€Å"Hawthorne Effects- Still a Potent Supervisory Tool†. Although the experiments were conducted decades ago Hall still believes that they still have practical value today. (p. 6).Hall concludes that employees respond with greater job efficiency when they sense that they are being observed or â€Å"regarded as important valued members of an organization† ( p. 6) and that The behavioral approach can positively affect performance, group dynamics, encourage cooperation and overall increase work satisfaction. The Hawthorn e Studies and the behavioral approach has played a major role in shaping todays organizations, from the way manager interact with their employees, the way they use open communication and the way they design motivating jobs we are able to detect elements of the behavioral approach (Robbins, S. Bergman, R.Stagg, I. Coulter, M. 2012. p. 54) Telstra’s call centers are a classic example of a contemporary organization that has been influenced by the Hawthorne effect and the behavioral approach. Within the center they have managers, supervisors and team leaders that create a working environment that aims to provide a premium employee experience. More specifically their job entails implementing and executing programs, supervising and motivating their workers to ensure that they are effectively completing their tasks and meeting objectives and to basically respect and pay attention to their staff in order to establish good relations and co operation.The efficient supervision that take s place within the factories has definitely been influenced by the Hawthorne studies. They have recognized through the Hawthorne studies that subtly observing the workers and making them feel like a valuable member of the company keeps them motivated which in result maximizes employee productivity. The Hawthorne studies has played a fundamental role in the progression of organizational behavior and influenced the positive change in the relationship between managers and their employees.Although there have been flaws and inconsistencies in the ideas, research and conclusions that were developed they are still extremely influential. The results emphasized the value of group dynamics, interaction and applying a humanistic management approach. These factors overall are a crucial force of producing greater effectiveness and productivity in employees. Although there are critics that have attempted to crush the importance of the Hawthorne studies through their harsh criticisms it still has done little to shake the essential validity and influence of the research. (Miner, J. 2006. p. 67) References Bramel, D. & Friend, R. 1981). Hawthorne, the Myth of the Docile Worker, and Class Bias in Psychology. American Psychologist. 36,8,867-878. Brannigan, A. & Zwerman, W. (2001). The real â€Å"Hawthorne Effect†. Society, 38(2), 55-60. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM GLOBAL. (Document ID: 65713065). Carey,A. (1967). The Hawthorne Studies: A Radical Criticism. AmericaSociologyReview, 32,3,401-416. Finance and Economics: Light Work; Questioning the Hawthorne Effect. (2009, June). The economist. 391(8634),74. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM GLOBAL (Document ID: 1740340161) Hall, C. (1984). Hawthorne Effects- Still a potent supervisory tool. Supervision, 46 (10), 6.Retrieved from ABI/INFORM GLOBAL. (Document ID: 1322247). Izawa, M. French, M. Hedge, A. (2011). Shining new light on the Hawthorne Illumination experiment. Human Factors, 53,528. Retrieved from Academic Research Library. (Do cument ID: 2532057371). Miner, J. (2006) Organization Behavior 3: Historical Origins, Theoretical Foundations and the Future. America: ME Sharpe. Reiger, B. (1995). Lessons in productivity and people. Training and development, 49 (10), 56. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM GLOBAL. (Document ID: 7011573). Robbins, S. Bergman, R. Stagg, I. Coulter, M. (2012) Management: 6th Edition. Sydney: Pearson Australia Group.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Eleemosynary, A Full-Length Play by Lee Blessing

It might be best to begin your approach to this play by learning how to pronounce the title and understanding the meaning of this vocabulary word. In this dramatic work by Lee Blessing, three generations of highly intelligent and freethinking women attempt to reconcile years of family dysfunction. Dorothea was a repressed housewife and mother of three sons and a daughter, Artemis (Artie), whom she favored. She discovered that being an eccentric suited her perfectly and spent a lifetime thrusting her wild ideas and beliefs onto an unappreciative and doubting Artemis. Artemis ran away from Dorothea as soon as she could and kept on the move until she married and had a daughter of her own. She named her Barbara, but Dorothea renamed the child Echo and began to teach her everything from Ancient Greek to calculus. What Echo loves most is words and spelling. The title of the show comes from the winning word that Echo spelled correctly at the National Spelling Bee. The play jumps backward and forward in time. As one character relives a memory, the other two play themselves as they were during that time. In one memory, Echo portrays herself as a three-month-old. At the beginning of the play, Dorothea has suffered a stroke and is bedridden and catatonic for several scenes. Throughout the play, however, she takes part in her memories and then transitions back to the present, trapped in her minimally responsive body. The director and actors in Eleemosynary have the challenge of making these memory scenes feel authentic with smooth transitions and blocking. Production Details The production notes for Eleemosynary are specific regarding set and props. The stage needs to be filled with an abundance of books (signifying the sheer brilliance of these women), a pair of homemade wings, and perhaps a real pair of scissors. The rest of the props may be mimed or suggested. Furniture and sets should be as minimal as possible. The notes suggest only a few chairs, platforms, and stools. Lighting should consist of   â€Å"ever shifting areas of light and darkness.† The minimal set and the stress on lighting serve to assist the characters in moving between memories and the present time, allowing focus to be on their stories. Setting: Various rooms and locales Time: Now and then Cast size: This play can accommodate 3 female actors. Roles Dorothea is a self-acknowledged eccentric. She uses her eccentricity as a means to escape the judgment and pressures of a life she didn’t choose. Her desire was to influence her daughter to embrace her way of life, but when her daughter runs from her, she refocuses her attention on her granddaughter. Artemis has a perfect memory. She can remember anything and everything with total accuracy. She has two desires in life. The first is to research and find out everything she possibly can about this world. The second is to be as far away from her mother (in both body and spirit) as possible. She believes in her heart that she failed Echo and that failure can never be undone, just as she can never forget a single detail of her life. Echo has a mind to equal both her mother’s and grandmother’s. She is fiercely competitive. She loves her grandmother and wants to love her mother. By the end of the play, she is determined to use her competitive nature to mend her relationship with her elusive mother. She will no longer accept Artemis’s excuses for failing to be a mother to her. Content issues: Abortion, abandonment Resources You can watch a director and some actors discuss and rehearse the play.The  Dramatist Play Service holds the production rights for Eleemosynary.