The Great Athena Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Great Athena - Essay Example LeQuire found out that the original sculptor, Pheidias, built the Athena on with curved ivory on a wooden framework. The ivory acted as the gold wardrobe and skin for the original Athena. After sufficient research, LeQuire began to reconstruct the Athena. LeQuire began by first creating small clay models of the statue. From these models as starting points, the sculptor spent more than three years in enlarging the statue. This also involved the casting process which led to the building of the full Athena of Parthenon. The artist assembled the Great Athena by casting gymnasium cement in the Parthenon. The assembly involved casting of many moulds that enlarged the statue while giving it its beautiful look. In order to ensure that the statue had sufficient support, LeQuire attached each of the sections of the Athena into an armature made of steel. There are several different materials which were used in the surface materials of the statues. The most obvious of these is gold, which can be seen on Athena’s tunic, helmet, shield, and spear. However, the other elements used in the statue were ivory and silver. The sculptor put a Sphinx likeness in the center of the statue’s helmet to make it more appealing. The statue was const ructed and made upright with griffins on both sides of its helmet. The head of the status is one of the pieces of the work which is made of ivory, with a long, golden tunic that goes down to the Athena’s feet. Most of the elements of the statue, in addition to supplying it with physical beauty and attractiveness, were designed in order to have symbolic references to Athena’s role as a goddess. For example, the spear is held on the hand of the Athena which is symbolic of war. In the other hand, the Athena holds the statue of victory to signify successful engagement in a war. The shield in the feet of the Athena is symbolic of protection from the serpent which is near the shield. It is argued that the serpent was meant to

Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Operations Management - Essay Example In opposite accord, British Airways is a full service airline model able to provide higher cost ticketing to consumers due to the strength of its brand under a premiumisation model in marketing. British Airways is able to maintain its competitive edge through operational structuring with emphasis on technology support, dependability, and high quality especially as it pertains to employee engagement with revenue-building consumers. Both airlines have significantly different operational strategies, giving each a unique competitive advantage stemming from operational strategy development and implementation. This report illustrates the unique strategic operational return on investments for both companies that continue to sustain these airline models. The operational strategies of Ryanair and BA For companies that maintain a broad and diverse supply chain network in order to provide products and services, such as British Airways, holding costs for warehousing and inventory management are significant. These costs include space, labour support, utilities, and even taxation (Heizer and Render 2004). For diverse procurement models, these costs are unavoidable as facility management requires expenditures for support labour and technology support on receivables and deliverables (Heizer and Render 2004). ... -fluctuating consumer demand in this industry that affect strategic planning and operational procurement (British Airways 2010; Anderson and Day 2009). Coupled with vendor-supplied materials needed to carry out its full-service model, it was no longer efficient for British Airways to maintain decentralised procurement strategies with products deliverable from over 80 different countries. The costs of procurement and warehousing were adding unavoidable, variable costs into the business model that continued to seize competitive cost advantages from British Airways. Low-cost, no-frills carriers were emerging in multiple consumer sectors that were able to negate high inventory holding costs and distribution costs associated with a diverse supply chain network. As it pertains to the costs of procurement, British Airways faced a trade-off situation: Continue to absorb costs by operating under a decentralised supply chain strategy to avoid change or to sustain and allocate capital resources to centralise supply chain strategies and eliminate redundancies. There were multitudes of opportunity costs associated with the existing supply network, therefore the business determined that implementation of appropriate procurement planning software (in this case SAP) were necessary to radically alter the supply network. The business changed its procurement strategy to include development of more strategic alliances with vendors, including involving suppliers during the early stages of product and service development, taking advantage of supplier expertise to assist in creating a mutually-rewarding procurement network. These are significantly important operational strategies for cost controls in supply chain strategies (Copacino 1996; Ragatz 1997). British Airways began to benchmark

The Calling of Saul of Tarsus

The Calling of Saul of Tarsus A leading persecutor of Christians, Saul of Tarsus sought to destroy the Church (1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13, 23). Except for Jesus, no one influenced the early church more than Saul, also known as the apostle Paul. This paper will examine the circumstances and events prompting a zealous persecutor of the church to become the most influential leader for the spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles. It will be shown that the calling of Saul was a true conversion even though he was not moving from one religion to another. His calling emphasized change but emphasized the conviction that the final expression and intent of Judaism had been born. Paul was born a Jew, and was a citizen of Tarsus where he was a tentmaker by trade. He received his rabbinic training in Jerusalem, under the teaching of Gamaliel. According to Pauls own account, he was a strict adherent among Pharisees (Gal. 1:14, Phil. 3:5-6). Paul inherited Roman citizenship (Acts 22:2528), which was widely granted during the latter part of the Roman republic. Paul claims in Acts 22:28, that he had been born a Roman citizen. This would mean that he had inherited Roman citizenship from his father. Little is known of Pauls life prior to the events discussed in Acts. He is first mentioned in chapter 7 in connection with the execution of Stephen. According to Acts 7:58, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. Paul was a Pharisee, a prominent young member of that sect. Steeped in the monotheism of the Old Testament Scriptures, he could only count as blasphemy the claims of Jesus disciples that their Master was the Son of God. He could only ridicule the issue of a life that terminated, as he thought, on a despised cross and in a gloomy sepulcher, rather than on a throne of glory. With regard to Pauls pre-Christian attitude to the gospel, one thing is certain; he was opposed to it with his whole heart. In his apostolic letters he speaks of his previous hatred for the church (Gal 1:13; Phil 3:6). His persecution of Christians was to him a holy war. The only explanation that can be given of his sudden reversal is that the risen Christ actually appeared to him and by the sheer persuasion of His deity, claimed the faith and allegiance of the persecutor. Pauls conversion/calling to the Way took place near the city of Damascus. Four characteristics stand out in the accounts of this event. First, Paul was actively engaged in persecuting Christians and did not anticipate his conversion (Acts 9:19; 22:416; 26:917). Second, the event that initiated the unexpected change of course was a revelation of Jesus Christ made to Paul alone. Third, Soon after this revelation Paul had contact with a certain Christian (Ananias) in Damascus who recognized Paul as a believer in Christ by baptizing him. Fourth, Paul was immediately called by Jesus to take the Gospel to the Gentiles (1 Cor. 9:1; 15:89; Gal. 1:1516; cf. Eph. 3:16). Pauls Damascus experience becomes the most famous conversion/calling in history. Suddenly he is blinded by a light from heaven the light of the glory of Christ. His surrender to Jesus was instantaneous and complete: What shall I do, Lord? (Acts 22:10). He could not see because of the glory of that light (Acts 22:11), but he had already seen the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). The god of this world could blind him no longer. At his conversion/calling, Paul was commanded to open the eyes and turn them from darkness to light (Acts 26:18). Although Paul was blinded after his encounter with the Lord, Ananias laid hands on Paul, something like scales fell from his eyes (Acts 9:18), and he was able to see. He had first-hand knowledge and experience of turning from darkness to light, and his command from the Lord was as clear as his newly regained sight. Content to allude to Pauls blindness and recovery as historical events, Luke wishes by a sober narration of carefully selected facts to make it clear that Pauls meeting with Christ is not to be classed with other visions, however supernatural, but is to be accepted on a par with the other appearances of the Risen Lord. So Paul goes from opposing God and persecuting Jesus to joining the persecuted side. After spending several days with the disciples at Damascus, Saul went into the synagogues and boldly proclaimed Jesus, that he is the Son of God (Acts 9:20). Krister Stendahl argues that a proper interpretation of Romans 7 shows that Paul, as a loyal Jew, had experienced no struggle or guilt feelings that would have led him, through dissatisfaction with the law, to turn to Christ.Neither did he suffer from an introspective conscience..Stendahl prefers to regard him as someone who did not abandon his Jewishness for a new religion but, rather, as a Jew who was given a new vocation in service of the Gentiles. The description, in Acts, of Pauls sudden conversion on the road to Damascus is primarily the creation of Luke; Pauls biographer. Lukes description of Paul is not impartial biography either, for it was intended to dramatize the early churchs journey from Judea into the gentile world. In some ways Luke downplays Pauls claims, but he uses Pauls life and mission to illustrate the destiny of Christianity. Many of the details of Pauls life come from Luke since most biographical details are missing from Pauls own letters. Lukes description of Pauls conversion draws on the Hebrew Bible for themes of prophetic calling, paralleling the commissioning of Jeremiah (Jer. 1:5-11) and Isaiah (Isa. 6:1-9). Pauls calling, and ultimate conversion to Christianity, depicts the decisive change Paul experienced. Not only was Pauls conversion/calling remarkable with respect to his view of Jesus, but in his attitude toward Gentiles. Judaism is well known for its exclusivist attitude. It was unlawful for a Jew to have fellowship with one who is uncircumcised. Along with his conversion he received a prophetic commission to convert the gentiles. It is inadequate to speak only in terms of Pauls conversionas if he were moving from one religion to another; and likewise only in terms of his callas if he were continuing in an unaltered faith. The conversion-call combination emphasizes both continuity and change. Stendahl challenges the appropriateness of conversion language because Paul has not changed religions, that is, he never turns from loyalties to the God with which he began. While the answer might seem clear enough, working with Stendahls assumptions complicates the task; and furthermore, Luke nowhere explicitly defines conversion, nor provides a consistent pattern of entry into the church. When he does specify the means by which one joins the group, he is generally rounding out narrative portions which demonstrate the overarching effects of preaching. He does, however, offer sufficient material for us at least to consider the nature of a changed relationship with God, and ask whether the change constitutes conversion. Although we customarily label this experience Pauls conversion, this can be done only in retrospect, for at that time Judaism and Christianity were not yet separate religions. In reality, Paul changed brands of Judaism, switching from Pharisaic to Christian Judaism. On e of the main ways that Luke demonstrates Sauls changed relationship with God is to show this change in group affiliations. That is, while not an end in itself, his new corporate identity points to the ultimate reality underpinning his change. What is evident is the fact that the gospel message is beginning to extend beyond Jerusalem and Judea. Paul inhabits that world of Christianity which he formerly tried to exterminate through the killing of Stephen. However, it was Stephen and his circle, not Paul, who launched a mission to Gentiles. Pauls missionary enterprise is not framed in generalities, as it is in Acts 1:8 (to be my witnesses) and Acts 9:15 (to carry my name). In Acts 22 and 26, Paul is directed to testify specifically about what he has seen and heard on the road to Damascus. The missionary charge to preach before kings in Acts 9:15 is Lukes anticipation of the way he closed Pauls public ministry by having Paul preach before King Agrippa (Acts 26:1-32), and it is suggestive of a Pauline appearance before Caesar (cf. Acts 23:11, 25:10-12 and 27:23-24.) Since Paul is the great missionary to the Gentiles, it is appropriate that his conversion/call immediately precede the worldwide spread of the gospel. Hence, Luke introduces it immediately before the movement of the gospel into the Gentile world, as the conclusion to the Palestinian mission. What were the consequences of this event for Pauls theology? The most difficult question to solve was, What impact does the Christian Gospel have on the concept and observance of the Law (Torah)? This question is still disputed today. The basic problem is that Paul seems to be vacillating between two concepts of law, a Jewish concept and his own Christian concept. Paul called his new concept the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2). The law summarized the Scriptures in another way, by regarding the love command as the common denominator. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: you shall love your neighbor as yourself (Gal. 5:14). As Paul attempted to make sense of Christian theology, the Damascus event provided an unexpected answer to an old Jewish question: Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of gentiles also? Because Christ ordered Paul to preach the gospel to the gentiles, Paul could now answer boldly: Yes, of Gentiles also Conclusion When reading Acts, one is struck by the immediacy of Pauls activity as an apologist and theologian for the Christian community after his conversion (Acts 9:20-22, 28-29). His theological views were already so profound as to be irrefutable by his first-century Jewish opponents (9:22). Neither the brevity of the Damascus event nor the three short days of blindness following it allowed for a new theological education. Therefore the encounter with Jesus must not have required the abandonment of his former learning, but informed and reoriented it toward a new understanding of salvation-history around some key theological point revealed to him in the event. It was Pauls conviction that if one read the Torah story, emphasizing it as a story of Gods works of salvation and righteousness for ancient Israel, then one could not escape seeing that God had wrought another salvation, and committed another righteousness, in Christ just like the ones of old but an even greater one ! Paul was so excited by his belief that God had committed a new, mighty act in Christ, that he just could not understand why everybody did not see it the way he did. For Paul, as for Jeremiah, it was a question of how you think. The New Testament contains six summaries of Pauls conversion experience (Acts 9:1-30; 22:1-21; 26:1-23; Gal. 1:13-17; 1 Cor. 15:8-10; Phil. 3:4-11). Paul also alludes to the event on the road to Damascus several times (Rom. 10:2-4; 1 Cor. 9:1, 16-17; 2 Cor. 3:4-4:6; 5:16; Eph. 3:1-13; Col. l:23-29). Those references emphasis the significance Paul placed on his conversion experience and for determining his ministry.

Julius Caesar Essay: The Character of Brutus -- Julius Caesar Essays

The Character of Brutus in Julius Caesar      Ã‚   â€Å"Et tu Brute?† Caesar’s simple statement sums up Brutus’ round character in the development of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Brutus was thought to represent no threat due to his nobility and his loyalty; however, these qualities are precisely why the story is such a catastrophe.   What stemmed from these traits is the last expected outcome.   Caesar’s surprise was so immense, he could only mutter these last few words.   Brutus’ honorable nobility, his loyal patriotism, and his naà ¯ve and idealistic manner define Shakespeare’s tragic hero.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Honor is an underlying foundation of Brutus and can be clearly seen during the play’s dramatic speeches.   Brutus himself makes his honor apparent in his orations.   After the assassination of Caesar and during the funeral speech, Brutus asks the people of Rome, â€Å"Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman?   If any, speak; for him I have offended†(act III, sc ii, ln 29-32).   This in Brutus proves he is noble as he cares and protects the welfare of the people and Rome as a whole.   He is torn between his sense of duty with Rome and his friendship with Caesar.   In the end; however, he must rationalize his actions to save face and conform to both sides of his conflict.   Furthermore, Brutus tries to prove his nobility to virtually everyone. When Brutus utters his last words, he tells Caesar his intentions, â€Å"I killed thee with half so good a will†(act V, sc v, ln 50-51).   His honor is always persistent and never fails to prevail at even the most taxing and awkward situation.   Brutus considers his honor in every aspect and choice in his life and often rules over his own accord.   Accordingly, many people, including his enemies, were very m... ...t categorized with his honor, his loyalty to Rome, and his naive and idealistic disposition.      Works Cited Bloom, Harold. William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Chelsea House Publisher; Connecticut, New York, & Pennsylvania. 1988, Pg. #33 - 36 Boyce, Charles. Shakespeare A to Z. Roundtable Press, Inc.; New York. 1990, Pg. #78 - 80 Durband, Alan. Shakespeare Made Easy: Julius Caesar. Barron's Educational Series, Inc.; New York. 1985. Ludowyk, E.F.C. Understanding Shakespeare. Cambridge University Press; New York. 1962, Pg. #184 - 187 Morner, Kathleen & Rausch, Ralph. NTC's Dictionary of Literary Terms. National Textbook Company; Illinois. 1991, Pg. #225 - 227 Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. Dover Publications, Inc.; New York. 1991. http://student.cscc.edu/ENGL/Engl264/traglex.htm. Shakespearean Tragedy. 11-29-01. Yahoo.   

Marks and Spencer’s accounting choices Essay

Question 1 Exhibits 1 and 2 report the income statements and excerpts from the notes to Marks and Spencer’s financial statement for the fiscal years ending between March 31, 2005 and March 31, 2009. Critically analyze M&S’s accounting choices. What choices may have helped the company to overstate its net profits between 2005 and 2009? * M&S recognize many software development costs as intangible assets. In fact they recognize all costs related to software costs. This includes direct cost of material and services, payroll related costs for employees who are directly associated with the project. This may help M&S overstate its profits because normally only the direct costs associated with the software are recognized as an asset. The payroll costs for employees should not be considered to be an asset but as direct costs and should immediately reduce profits of M&S. Because this isn’t done, profits can be overstated. This is reflected by the large increase in computer software under development which was 5.6 million in 2005/2004 and was 178.8 million in 2009/2008. This is a stunning increase of 3192%. Besides there isn’t any amortization of the computer under software development and is only subjected to impairment. * Another thing which should be considered when reading the report is that there is a large amount of goodwill which may lead to overstatement of assets. In those five years there isn’t any impairment loss recognized or depreciation on that goodwill. Goodwill should be every year be subjected to impairment and it’s unlikely to remain constant over five years. This may lead to overstatement of assets. Warning signs of delayed write-downs on non-current assets can be a declining non-asset turnover or a declining return on assets below weighted average cost of capital. * Another point of discussion about the accounting methods M&S use, is the large depreciation rates they use on fixtures, fittings and equipment which can vary from three years to 25 years depending on the estimates life of the asset. This should be done on basis of useful economic life instead of the estimated life of the asset. This way they can spread the costs over a larger amount of time which overstates profits. * In 2005-2009, every year there are a large amount of additions, other than acquisitions. This is the case with land and buildings, fixtures, fittings & equipment, goodwill, computer software and computer software and development. Our opinion is that this comes from an increase in value of the asset. This is strange because there is an addition in goodwill which suggests that the value increased with no particular acquisition in 2007/2006 and 2008/2007. Also land and buildings and fixtures fittings & equipment increase because of additions while there is economic downturn in 2008/2007 and 2009/2008. * They also requalify their pension liability as equity because they sold it to a joint venture with its pension fund. This liability was then leased back from the joint venture so because they fully control this operational liability, they can qualify this as equity. This seems to be an accounting trick to state liabilities as equity. M&S also receives exceptional pension credit from this transaction in 2009/2008 and 2008/2007. Question 2 Exhibit 3 provides information about the liability that Marks and Spencer reclassified as equity. Do you agree with the decision to reclassify? What will be the effect of this decision on future financial statements? The reclassification of the liability of Marks and Spencer’s as equity seems to be an accounting trick. Marks & Spencer’s group had a liability of 496.9 million to M&S UK pension scheme. Because they did not want that the liability influenced their financial reports in 2007, they sold it to a joint venture of M&S group with M&S UK Pension scheme. The partnership then leased the properties of the partnership to the M&S plc. This reclassifies the liability because of the operational lease as equity while M&S group still has to pay the money to the pension scheme. When the pension fund has not got the money to pay their employees, the group still has to bring up the money. The effect of this decision on future financial statements is that a large amount of liabilities is classified as equity which distorts the equity/liability ratio and is not an actual reflection of the financial health of the organization. The future financial statements will give off a wrong impression of the liabilities owed to the pension scheme.

Organizing Function of Management: Sephora Essay

The organizing function of management is one of the key pieces of running a successful business. Sephora, a leading makeup company founded in France in 1970, has become an international presence; its success has, without question, been affected by its organizational abilities. Two of Sephora’s core competencies are extensive knowledge of beauty products and customer needs and their ability to adapt to ever-changing technology. These two areas have greatly affected the organizing function of management within the company and have helped them excel in the international market. Knowledge  To say that Sephora has excelled in the cosmetics industry due to knowledge is very vague; one would ask â€Å"Knowledge of what? † Their success can be attributed to their knowledge in many areas, two of which include their employees’ knowledge of products and services offered and knowledge of their customers’ needs and how to satisfy those needs. Knowledge of Products and Services Every employee of Sephora is expected to have an extensive knowledge of beauty products and practices: To build the most knowledgeable and professional team of product consultants in the beauty industry, Sephora developed â€Å"Science of Sephora. This program ensures that our team is skilled to identify skin types, have knowledge of skin physiology, the history of makeup, application techniques, the science of creating fragrances, and most importantly, how to interact with Sephora’s diverse clientele. (Sephora, 2012) Knowing such a great deal of information about cosmetics may seem unnecessary to some, but it ensures that customers can enter the store with a sense of security – knowing that the employees there are best suited to help them fulfill their beauty needs. Customers don’t have to worry about wasting their time trying to find a product that works or their skin tone and type; the employees are trained to know what works for different people and can steer them in the right direction. This knowledge of products and services provided by Sephora directly impacts customer service. Knowledge of Customer Needs Another factor that has contributed to the success of Sephora is their knowledge of their customers’ needs. They use the Customer Relationship Management process to determine the wants and needs of customers and develop programs that will satisfy those wants and needs (Bateman & Snell, 2009). Sephora recognizes that their customers expect certain things from the company, and they meet not only those needs but go above and beyond to provide the best experience possible for each customer. They do this in many ways, such as using promotional offers and customer loyalty programs. One of the promotions the company always offers free shipping for any online order over $50. They know customers like free shipping, but they are also encouraging customers to spend more money. Recently, they have improved this offer to free 3-day shipping on every order, whereas before they only offered 5-7 day shipping for free. Another promotion offered at Sephora is three free samples of beauty products with every order. Customers are given the option to select three of a number of samples at checkout at no added cost. This allows customers to try out new products that they might want to use in the future. There are two parts to the customer loyalty program at Sephora. Everyone is eligible to become a Beauty Insider, and select customers are eligible to become V.  I. B. s (Very Important Beauty Insiders). Beauty Insiders gain points for every purchase they make that can be used to get deluxe beauty samples either in store or online. Customers that spend a minimum of $350 at Sephora in a calendar year are elevated to the status of V. I. B. This status gives them access to private events, exclusive rewards, special privileges, and a dedicated beauty consultant at a hotline exclusively for V. I. B. members (Sephora, 2012). Of course, none of these needs would be met so efficiently if it were not for the integration of technology. Technology Sephora has been very successful in adapting to ever-changing technological advances and using them to the advantage of the company. The Sephora website was launched in 1999 in the United States, and it is the largest North American store in terms of sales and the available selection of products (Sephora, 2012). In addition to that, â€Å"Sephora has also been recognized as a leading digital brand and continues to advance this arena through mobile and social media initiatives including an active Facebook page, BeautyTalk (its online beauty community), its mobile site, and iPhone App† (Sephora, 2012). These kinds of technological advances allow Sephora to be a very strong Time Based Competitor – as all of these factors allow them to reduce the time it takes to provide products and services to their customers (Bateman & Snell, 2009). In addition to all the formerly mentioned technological capabilities Sephora avails itself of, the company has recently begun to go above and beyond even that by further integrating social media sites such as Instagram and Pinterest into their marketing in April of 2012. Every product on the Sephora website now has a â€Å"Pin It† button that consumers can use to share favorite products with their followers on Pinterest. Their Instagram feed gives customers behind-the-scenes looks at Sephora and the latest beauty trends (Novellino, 2012). As far as in-store technological advances go, a new program has been launched that provides iPads and iPod Touches to sales associates. Customers will also be able to use their own iPhones to scan products on the floor to get more information and read product reviews right in the store. All of this will improve the overall customer experience, proving that Sephora really does pay attention to the needs of their customers and does whatever they can to make the shopping experience more convenient and enjoyable. Conclusion Through their use of knowledge and technology, Sephora has developed a responsive organization that strives to meet the needs of their customers at a fast pace. These factors are crucial to running a successful business that can not only survive, but strive in a global economy. Sephora knows what their customers want, and they deliver through their constant advances in technology and customer service.

Gay marriage as a civil rights issue

Gay marriage as a civil rights issue Gay marriage is indubitably the greatest civil rights issue facing the United States today. Despite the fact that gay activists have been able to get many influential people to back gay marriage, gay couples are still being discriminated in many states in the U.S. The President and vice president have come out openly supporting gay marriage but the U.S. lacks legal framework for ensuring that gay couples enjoy the same rights as people in heterosexual unions. This paper is an investigation of the civil-rights aspects of gay marriage.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Gay marriage as a civil rights issue specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The gay rights movement has been characterized by incidences that can be used to draw parallels with the civil rights movement for the rights of black people in America, which occurred in mid-twentieth century. An example of such incidences include the Stonewall riots in which members of the gay community protested against police raids that had been carried out at The Stonewall Inn – a gay bar. This was the birth of gay activism in the U.S., and it occurred in the summer of the year 1969. Another incidence is the murder of Matthew Shepard in the year 1998. Shepard was gay and his prosecutors linked his murder to the fact that he was gay. There have also been incidences of suicides and other issues that can be attributed to the reaction of gay people to the attitude of the public about homosexuality. It is however important to note that gay discrimination cannot equal the level of black discrimination that existed before the civil rights movement of the mid-twentieth century. The gay civil rights movement has been particularly fuelled by the fact that there has been inequality between the property rights of heterosexually married couples and people in gay unions. Inequality perse is itself an issue because the Constitution advocates for equality for all citiz ens. Gay activists have repeatedly argued that the laws that have been written against gay marriage are a violation of the Constitution because they deprive homosexuals of their freedom to get married to a person of their choice while allowing heterosexuals to do so. They argue that by doing so, the people who wrote and passed those laws blatantly violated the promise of protecting the Constitution, and thus they violated civil rights. In addition to this, gay couples are not able to get spouse medical insurance like heterosexual couples in states where gay marriage is prohibited.Advertising Looking for essay on family law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This implies that the right to equality, as enshrined in the Constitution, is violated. Gay couples are not recognized legally in the law of succession in states that have disallowed gay unions. It is also discriminatory for gay couples to be barred from hospital vi sitations and other rights like adoption of children and financial, legal and tax benefits of marriage. This is a violation of property rights, which should be enjoyed by all U.S citizens. From the discussion above, it is apparent that the arguments presented by gay rights activists regarding the violation of their rights are valid. The Constitution advocates for equality of all but some laws have been developed favouring some religions by declaring the ban against gay marriage an act of protecting the sanctity of marriage. Denying homosexual people their social rights, property rights and other rights is a violation of the constitution.

The Article The in Geographical Names

The Article The in Geographical Names The Article The in Geographical Names The Article The in Geographical Names By Mark Nichol When is it appropriate to use the article the in geographical names? Some types of terms are consistent, but for other categories, usage differs depending on the type of name. The following discussion lists categorical examples and explains why the is used with some designations and not others. Geopolitical names usually do not require an article: Names of thoroughfares rarely, if ever, have one: â€Å"First Avenue† and â€Å"Main Street,† for example, are not preceded by the, and though Broadway as a name for a thoroughfare used to be styled â€Å"the Broadway,† this usage is long extinct. However, highways and other major concourses often have a descriptive name such as â€Å"the Pacific Coast Highway,† and though numbered routes do not require an article, many people in (or from) Southern California will refer, for example, to â€Å"the I-5† rather than simply I-5 as an abbreviation for â€Å"Interstate 5.† (This usage is apparently customary in Ontario, Canada, as well, and the British refer to their highways as â€Å"the A-1† and so on.) Names of municipalities, with one significant exception- The Hague, in the Netherlands- do not require an article, though names of countries sometimes include the, as in the example earlier in this sentence and in â€Å"the Philippines,† when the nation’s appellation describes a number of areas or islands. (However, note that with the peculiar exception of â€Å"The Hague,† the article is never capitalized in such usage.) Individual islands do not include the in their names (except in descriptive designations such as â€Å"the Big Island† for the island of Hawaii as distinct from the collection of islands of which it is the largest), but names of islands generally include the article as in â€Å"the Philippines† (or, sometimes, â€Å"the Philippine Islands†); some names always include or exclude the geographical term (â€Å"the Channel Islands,† but â€Å"the Hebrides†). The is not used before names of continents, however, though it is employed in reference to parts of landmasses such as in â€Å"the Arabian Peninsula†). In naming larger, areas, too, the is employed, as in â€Å"the West† and â€Å"the Middle East†; the same is true of designations of points on the globe, such â€Å"the South Pole† and â€Å"the Equator.† Names of rivers, gulfs, seas, and oceans always include the, but, oddly, those of creeks and lakes do not, except for the latter in descriptive names like â€Å"the Great Salt Lake† or collective designations such as â€Å"the Great Lakes.† (Descriptive names of watercourses such as â€Å"Sandy Creek† do not follow this rule.) Names of bays vary in usage: Both â€Å"San Francisco Bay† and â€Å"the San Francisco Bay† are heard, for example, and though including the is the exception rather than the rule, it is integral in such names as â€Å"the Bay of Biscay† where the geographical term comes first. Mountains generally do not have the in their names, except in such descriptive cases as â€Å"the Matterhorn† or in reference to mountain ranges (â€Å"the Rocky Mountains† or â€Å"the Rockies,† â€Å"the Andes†). Names of features such as deserts and forests, however, almost always follow the in American usage (such as â€Å"the Allegheny National Forest†), though in the United Kingdom, in references to forests and woods, the article is omitted (as in â€Å"Sherwood Forest†). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)Capitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and MovementsGrammar Review #1: Particles and Phrasal Verbs

8 Ways to Tell If a Website Is Reliable

8 Ways to Tell If a Website Is Reliable For every reputable website, there are dozens chock full of information thats inaccurate, unreliable or just plain nutty. For the unwary, inexperienced journalist  or researcher, such sites can present a minefield of possible problems. With that in mind, here are eight ways to tell if a website is reliable. 1. Look for Sites from Established Institutions The internet is full of websites that were started five minutes ago. What you want are sites associated with trusted institutions that have been around for awhile and have a proven track record of reliability and integrity. Such sites may include those run by government agencies, non-profit organizations,  foundations, or colleges and universities. 2. Look for Sites with Expertise You wouldnt go to an auto mechanic if you broke your leg, and you wouldnt go to the hospital to have your car repaired. Im making an obvious point: Look for websites that specialize in the kind of information youre seeking. So if youre writing a story on a flu outbreak, check out medical websites, such as the Centers for Disease Control, and so on. 3. Steer Clear of Commercial Sites Sites run by companies and business - their websites usually end in .com - are more often than not trying to sell you something. And if theyre trying to sell you something, chances are whatever information theyre presenting will be tilted in favor of their product. Thats not to say corporate sites should be excluded entirely. But be wary. 4. Beware of Bias Reporters write a lot about politics, and there are plenty of political websites out there. But many of them are run by groups that have a bias in favor of one political party or philosophy. A conservative website isnt likely to report objectively on a liberal politician, and vice versa. Steer clear of sites with a political ax to grind and instead look for ones that are non-partisan. 5. Check the Date As a reporter you need  the most up-to-date information available, so if a website seems old, its probably best to steer clear. One way to check - look for a last updated date on the page or site. 6. Consider  the Sites Look If a site looks poorly designed and amateurish, chances are it was created by amateurs. Steer clear. But be careful - just because a website is professionally designed doesnt mean its reliable. 7. Avoid Anonymous Authors Articles or studies whose authors are named are often - though not always - more reliable than works produced anonymously. It makes sense: If someone is willing to put their name on something theyve written, chances are they stand by the information it contains. And if you have the name of the author, you can always Google them to check their credentials. 8. Check the Links Reputable websites often link to each other. You can find out which other websites link to the site youre researching by conducting a link-specific Google search. Enter the following text into the Google search field, replacing [WEBSITE] with the domain of the site youre researching: link:[WEBSITE].com The search results will show you which websites link to the one youre researching. If lots of sites are linking to your site, and those sites seem reputable, then thats a good sign.

Response may 27 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Response may 27 - Essay Example These two articles show that any choice of attire sends a message to the community. Even if people try to dress casually or ordinarily, they inform other community members about their attitude, personal traits and references. People can dress up to attract attention; the majority of people still choose some casual clothing to feel included or to be like all other people around. By their clothing, they support community norms and expectations which are common in their society. Cross-cultural Cross-dressing: Japanese Graphic Novels Perform Gender in U.S. by Kornfield researches the connection of fashion and gender. Almost all world societies require clothing items to reflect certain gendered qualities. For instance, clothes in Manga established strict gender standards concerning femininity and masculinity which are restrictive to sexual minorities. This article contains even more examples which show that the same connection of fashion and gender is common in all Asian cultures. This article can serve as a relevant source of information for further

LEGAL ASPECTS OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LEGAL ASPECTS OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT - Essay Example Modern players in the hospitality industry need to be aware that administering hotel includes the likelihood for the managers, supervisors and owners to be subject to several legal liabilities when it comes to handling the employees. Hence, the aim of this paper is to offer an open treatise that covers the relationship between the hotels and their employees, and based on common law contracts, tort claims, non-discrimination laws, casualness and antitrust laws. Discussion Most employee-relation laws in the hospitality industry are designed to restrict, control and even prohibit certain actions in which the firms could be willingly or unwillingly be non-complying with labor-related ethical plus social standards (Hayes & Ninemeier, 2009). In particular, the hospitality industry has become highly sensitive to both economic factors and competitive marketplace condition, such that the workplace conditions placed on the industry are significant due to the myriad labor risks and employment-r elated disputes (Barth, 2006). The laws range from recruitment standards, to workplace training requirements, remunerations, to environmental and health concerns. This entails a range of issues such as labor disputes, wage and hour compliance, obligation to immigration laws, labor-force authorization regulations as well as observance of nondiscrimination practices. In addition, there is the requirement for the employee’s welfare to be based on OSHA and environmental laws. Firstly, companies in the hospitality industry are now increasingly being held responsible for their employees out of worksite deeds. In particular, firms are now experiencing liability for accidents or injuries caused by their employees to third parties, with damages comprising loss of property, pain, physical and emotional suffering, legal fees, lost wages and medical expenses.. The hospitality firms are now required by law to avoid any unreasonable acts or roles by their employees that can present possibl e risks to third parties. This became apparent in the case of Faverty vs. McDonald, whereby a hospitality industry employee was involved in a serious road accident that injured another motorist. Hence, the court ruled that McDonald was liable to the damages since it forced the worker to operate so many hours nonstop even as they were aware that the employee drove himself home thus a serious risk not just to himself but also to other people and motorists (Barth, 2006). This case set a precedent for other lawsuits in the industry, and which reveals that hospitality companies are not just required to have reasonable policies regarding their employees working hours and wages, but also have a legal duty to enforce the offsite personnel wellbeing in order not to harm other persons wellbeing. As such, The Fair Credit Reporting Act calls for the management to have well-documented structures in which their employees will use to identify, report, and react to both real and probable hazards (B arth, 2006). They are also required to have handbooks and guidelines on safe practices, processes and controls which are particular to a given hazards, and that such guidelines attains or exceed the requirements stipulated under the Act. Moreover, the hospitality compa

Advance practice role Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Advance practice role - Essay Example 49); while according to Roussel, (2013), a nurse administrator is a qualified nurse who is registered and participates in management of health care delivery services and is a representative of nursing service. A nurse administrator works in different settings with entrepreneurial chances accessible in health care all over the health care area. Nurse administrator serves in the following settings: hospitals, home health care, skilled care, community health services, residential care and adult day care (p.29). On the other hand, a nurse executive is a registered nurse whose aim is to give leadership within the workplace (American Organization of Nurse Executive, 2005). Their role is in the ability and capacity to lead organizations based on leadership ability (American Nurses Credentialing Center, 2014). The nurse executive has the chance of molding the future of professional practice in a working place by providing opportunities where staff nurses and managers to have best input into organizational decision making in regards to the future. According to Yoder-wise (2014), the nurse executive facilitates making of an objective and goals of the future

Financial Analysis Of J Sainsbury PLC And Morrison PLC Essay

Financial Analysis Of J Sainsbury PLC And Morrison PLC - Essay Example Although short term liquidity of Sainsbury is lesser than Morrisons, it could be justified by the fact that the company has more working capital available as compared to Morrisons. This proves the liquidity health of the Sainsbury as against Morrisons. The receivable’s turnover rate of the Sainsbury is more than the competitor which is because of the fact that the company is focusing on expanding the customer base. Once the customer relationship is developed, it would be easier for Sainsbury to lock the customers and attract them to purchase more. It is evident from the inventory turnover rate that both the companies fetch the sales from inventory in a reasonable period of time. This shows that Sainsbury is working as per planning; its sales are increasing but they are not over-stocking as it will disturb their short term liquidity ratio.The debt ratio of both the companies is similar which indicates that this ratio is maintained across the industry. The ratio reveals positive results as 50% of the assets are financed by equity financing. This reduces the role of external creditors affecting the decisions of Sainsbury. Despite the fact that interest coverage of Morrison’s is much better than Sainsbury, it does not affect the decision to invest in Sainsbury. Despite the lower interest coverage of Sainsbury, its interest expenses are still 6 times lesser than its operating profit which shows that there is no potential threat of credit risk or bankruptcy for the company.

American Government and Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American Government and Politics - Essay Example 2. The Pork-Barrel legislation was a catalyst to add more jobs to the economy. This allowed congress to approve more than 13,000 earmarks worth about $67 billion. However if this was banned, earmarks could not converted into cash. Since Congress has limited time debating, it is critical, eliminating pork might reduce federal budgeting. Banning pork would indicate that budgets would have to go the traditional budget process. The unique thing about pork was the fact that it ranked the requests based upon the urgency of the bill. That eliminated the desire of Congress to pursue its own sel-interests that were never reviewed by bureaucrats. If â€Å"pork† was truly eliminated, congress would lose the legal understanding for the domestic spending that is needed in local projects such as public infrastructure, education, medicare, and etc. However, â€Å"pork† would also eliminate the unnecessary funding that goes to support federal prison. Currently, many lobbyists continue to propagate and being rewarded for their campaign contributions towards this agenda. Pork barreling allows an individual to extend the power. For example, a defense contributor might engage in pork barreling by re-electing his local elective. Assignment 2 Select ONE of the following scenarios  for the assigned chapters and complete the Critical Analysis questions.   Your written response must be at least 100 words in support of your position on the questions.   Be sure to note the chapter number and feature in your response. The advent of social network without a doubt has made a critical impact towards enhancing or degrading the popularity of an individual. During the 2008 run, Obama became an expert at penetrating the social media networking resources and using it for his own benefits. Obama was successfully able to use twitter and post videos on youtube to gain momentum throughout the election. Twitter was essential to his campaign as it enabled him to spread his

Thomas Jefferson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Thomas Jefferson - Essay Example s notes that Jefferson was not a reflective political philosopher,  and the efforts Jefferson made at  political  philosophy were, in most cases, embarrassingly  shallow  and sometimes quite naive (1997). Secondly, although Ellis (1997) accepts the fact that Jefferson was a brilliant political theologian and  visionary, he does not leave out the point that the qualities of Jefferson displayed in his book were those of an  irrational  and outrageous political  personality. Ellis, in his article, argues that Jefferson was first to come up with the idea that peoples deepest  personal  longings were, as a matter of fact, achievable in his book, but then went ahead and suggested opposing principles in a way that hides their incompatibility. According to Ellis (1997), Americans saw Jefferson as a reassurance to them because of his many achievements, and any criticism was not welcome. In his book, Jefferson included some of his most memorable statements about the things he believed in  especially  in the political and social front (1995). However, Ellis (1997) points out that there are many ways that Jefferson failed to  bear  the full implications of his beliefs and  vision  about racism, slavery, and sexism, and wants to expose the underlying contradictions of Thomas Jefferson’s failure. From Ellis’ point of view we can conclude that no matter how influential and powerful a person is, there is always something to criticize him

American Government and Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American Government and Politics - Essay Example 2. The Pork-Barrel legislation was a catalyst to add more jobs to the economy. This allowed congress to approve more than 13,000 earmarks worth about $67 billion. However if this was banned, earmarks could not converted into cash. Since Congress has limited time debating, it is critical, eliminating pork might reduce federal budgeting. Banning pork would indicate that budgets would have to go the traditional budget process. The unique thing about pork was the fact that it ranked the requests based upon the urgency of the bill. That eliminated the desire of Congress to pursue its own sel-interests that were never reviewed by bureaucrats. If â€Å"pork† was truly eliminated, congress would lose the legal understanding for the domestic spending that is needed in local projects such as public infrastructure, education, medicare, and etc. However, â€Å"pork† would also eliminate the unnecessary funding that goes to support federal prison. Currently, many lobbyists continue to propagate and being rewarded for their campaign contributions towards this agenda. Pork barreling allows an individual to extend the power. For example, a defense contributor might engage in pork barreling by re-electing his local elective. Assignment 2 Select ONE of the following scenarios  for the assigned chapters and complete the Critical Analysis questions.   Your written response must be at least 100 words in support of your position on the questions.   Be sure to note the chapter number and feature in your response. The advent of social network without a doubt has made a critical impact towards enhancing or degrading the popularity of an individual. During the 2008 run, Obama became an expert at penetrating the social media networking resources and using it for his own benefits. Obama was successfully able to use twitter and post videos on youtube to gain momentum throughout the election. Twitter was essential to his campaign as it enabled him to spread his

Political Science Essay Example for Free

Political Science Essay P olitical science refers to the social science in relation with political institutions and with the principles and conduct of government. This means that political science is about studying the norms of the society and the government. In political science, you need to know what the society needs, how the government id functioning, how the government execute laws, how they render authority to the people, how the government is built, and many more. It is also the study of the state wherein you ought to know the condition and the capacity of the people and the nation that you authorize. It also includes the study of politics wherein you are required to observe how the people vote for their leaders, how the election is done, or has to be done, how the politicians campaign, and how they do politics in such way that they will be elected. Political science is a study of human and political behavior, all aspects of politics that contributed to the society. It analyzes the political systems that the government is carrying out. Political science converges with other fields like: * Economics, the science of production, distribution and the consumption of mankind and/or services, * Sociology, the study of development, origin, organizations and the functioning of human society, * Law, the regulations that needs to established in a society by the authority or the elected government officials, * Anthropology, the science of human and how they work, it deals with the physical and cultural development, characteristics and beliefs of the society, * Public administration, the fulfillment of public policies, * National politics, * International relations, dealing with the other nations, * Comparative politics. * Political organizations, * Political theories that have been observed throughout the exercises that the government have made and many more. There are three sub disciplines which together establish the field of political science: political philosophy, international relations, and comparative politics. Political philosophy is the study of such topics as politics, liberty, justice rights, laws, and enforcement of rules by the authority. It also observes the facts on how the government is made to be legitimate, the makings of the constitution, the rights and freedom of the humankind, how they should be all protected, the duties of the citizens and the rulers. International relations deal with the connection between nations. It studies the roles of the state, the inter-governmental organizations, international nongovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations and multinational corporations. It also analyzes and formulates foreign policies on particular states or countries. Comparative politics is the study of comparison and teaching different types of the constitution. It is actually the method that applies to study politics. Political science is all about the government. All the things that has to happen and will be happening in the future is the study of political science. It uses methods and techniques to compare and study the different inquiries like the primary sources of an historical documents and records. But what is government? Government is a ruler body of a nation, state, or community. It is consist of rulers like the law-makers or legislators, and administrations. It refers to the larger system by which any state is organized. There are also different types of government, depending on each state or attributes, like the following: a. Government with Aristarchic attributes are ruled by the best people in the society might be elite, or some educated citizen. The following are different terms of government with aristarchic attributes: * Aristocracy – a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the principal persons of the state. Comes from the word aristocrat, means the ruler of this government is an elite person. The ruler may be from different lines of descendant, not just only one. * Geniocracy is a form of government which was first proposed by Rael (leader of International Raelian Movement) which advises to use intelligence as criteria for regional governance. * Kratocracy – is a form of government ruled by a strong person who seized power among its society. * Meritocracy – is a form of government wherein the effectuation of the progress is based upon the intellectual talent of a group. * Technocracy – is a form of government where in professionals or experts in technology are appointed to rule and would be in control of decision making for the society. b. Governments with Autocratic attributes are ruled by dictators. The following are the forms of government with Autocratic attributes: * Authoritarian is a form of government wherein it is characterized by submission to authority as well as its admission. * Autocracy – is a system of government in which the ruling of the society is in the hands of one person. His decisions may be subjected to neither external legal restraint nor regularized mechanisms of popular control. This is a government where in one ruler has unlimited power. * Despotism – is a form of government wherein the supremacy is through threats of punishments and violence. It doesn’t require for a single leader, it may be ruled by a group, not like autocracy. * Fascism – is a form of government focuses on nationalism. The rulers may do things illegal which doesn’t relate to patriotism. It recognizes the presence of class conflict and proposes a resolution to end the divisions of classes within the nation. * Totalitarian – is a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control. The state under totalitarianism regulates every realm of life. c. Governments with democratic attributes are ruled by the person who has been voted by the society thinking he is fit for governing the state. The following are the form of government with democratic attributes: * Democracy – is a form of government which uses the power of the people to vote for their leaders. It is a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens, might be elite or servants, who can elect people to represent them. * Direct democracy – is a form of government in which people represent themselves and selecting new laws directly. * Representative democracy – is a form of government in which people elects representatives to propose new rules and regulations, or new laws that is needed to be implemented in the society. It is also known as a republic. It is an element of parliamentary and presidential system in the government. Usually, the head of the state is a president. * Social democracy – is a form of government wherein it focuses on the citizens social rights. It speaks of the public services like education, medical care, workers rights, employees compensations, child and elderly care, and many more. It considers itself to be form of reformist democratic socialism. d. Governments with monarchic attributes are ruled by a king or a queen who have inherited their position from their ancestors. The following are the forms of government with monarchic attributes: * Absolute monarchy – is a form of government wherein the monarch utilizes supreme governing authority as the head of the government. It uses total power over the land and its citizens. * Constitutional monarchy – is a form of government wherein the ruler is the monarch (a nations ruler by hereditary right), but his powers are limited because the government has constitution to follow. * Elective monarchy – is a form of government in which the monarchy is elected, not the traditional way in which the ruler is from a hereditary monarchy. * Emirate – is the domain controlled by an emir. Emir is an independent ruler of the Muslim state * Monarchy – is a form of government in which a monarch, who inherited the authority from their family, embodies the sovereignty. e.Governments with oligarchic attributes are ruled by a very influential person. * Bureaucracy – is a form of government with non-elective government officials. It is consists of many bureaus and administrators. The government administrators are the ones who decide on the legislature or the democratically-elected representation of the state. * Ergatocracy – is a form of government in which the ruler is a proletariat. Proletariat is a social class comprising those who do manual labor and wages. Most of them are rebel and activists that controls the society and create an alternative economy for the people. * Kritarchy – is a form of government wherein the ruler is the judge. * Netocracy – is a form of government ruled by social connections. * Oligarchy – is a form of government ruled by a few people. These groups of people have the same interest. They can be identified by their royalty, financial conditions, professions, family ties, corporate or military control. * Plutocracy – is a form of government ruled by the wealthy people. Any form of governments that are listed here can be in a form of plutocracy if the rulers are all rich. * Stratocracy – is a form of government in which people with military service can govern the state or the society. * Timocracy – is a form of government ruled by honorable citizens of the society. * Theocracy – is a form of government or a political unit governed by a deity or by officials thought to be divinely guided. f. Governments with pejorative attributes are ruled by groups or forms of other governments. The following are the forms of government with pejorative attribute: * Bankocracy – is a form of government wherein the system of the governance is influenced by banks on public policy-making. * Corporatocracy – is a form of government wherein it is ruled by the corporation and the economics and political system is controlled by businessmen or business firms. * Nepotocracy – is a system of governance in which the power is given to a family member, mostly to the nephew. * Kakistocracy – is a form of government wherein the least qualified citizens are the rulers of the society. This type of government resulted in a uniformly stupid society barren of intellectual governance. * Kleptocracy (mafia state) – is a form of government wherein the system of governance are ruled by thieves and corrupts. * Ochlocracy – is a form of government ruled by the public. g. Governments with speculative attributes are as follows: * Magocracy – is a form of government wherein the highest and main authority might be a magician or wizard, sorcerer, or witch. * Uniocracy – is a form of government wherein the government is ruled by the singularity or the uniqueness of all human minds. h. Governments with socio-economic attributes are political systems experiencing movements in power. The following are the forms of the government with socio-economic attributes: * Capitalism – capitalists economy are the people who owns their own business privately * Communism – communist societies wherein people own corporate businesses like farms. * Feudalism – is a system of land ownerships, reforms, and duties. * Socialism – these are government who provides education, welfare, and medical support * Welfare state – is a system of governance wherein they focus on giving the citizens of the society the education, medical services, and the protection of their social well-being that they need. As these different forms of government shows, political science is the study of government states and other political systems. It includes the studies of political ideology, economy, philosophy, the norms of politics, and analysis. Political science is very broad; it has so many subfields and subsidiaries. The government in the study of political science depends on the culture and the constitution of every society. http://en. m. wikipedia. org/wiki/Political_science http://en. m. wikipedia. org/wiki/Government https://www. apsanet. orgLcontent_9181. cfm http://www. bartleby. com/60/192. html.

Impact of Feedback Environment on Employee Commitment

Impact of Feedback Environment on Employee Commitment This research paper examines the effect of feedback environment on employee commitment, with role clarity being the mediating variable in the public and private sectors organizations of Islamabad Rawalpindi city. From the previous researches a link was found between feedback environment and employee commitment at workplace, this study attempts to explore this link in the context of Islamabad. To create employee commitment amongst organizational members has become increasingly important in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s dynamic business environment, because this factor leads to employee retention and a low degree of turnover. For this study a sample size of 200 was taken and different private and public sector organizations were covered in the research work. The research was of hypothesis-testing in nature and responses were collected using standardized questionnaires for each variable. All three variables supervisory and coworker feedback and role clarity proved to be positively associate d with employee commitment; with the feedback from coworker source being the strongest in creating employee commitment followed by role clarity and feedback from supervisor source. The mediating effect of role clarity was not found to be significant and there is still an opportunity for further research in this area to explore this link. However the positive association of role clarity with employee commitment represents its importance in creating employee commitment, though its contribution is small, but this very dimension must not be ignored by the managers of the 21st century. Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION It has become necessary for business firms to satisfy all of their major stakeholders (consumers, employees, clients etc) to remain competitive in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s dynamic business environment. The satisfaction and commitment level of a firmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s employees is of key importance in determining its human resource strength, which in turn leads to their retention and make an organization able to satisfy the needs of its customers, consumers and clients in both the production and service sectors. Many variables have an impact on the level of commitment of a firmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s employees, some of which are job satisfaction level (with intrinsic and extrinsic factors), the quality of leader-member exchange and the overall feedback environment that an employee works in. Many researchers put emphasis on providing feedback to employees in order to satisfy them and consider providing feedback to employees to be essential for maintaining and increasing employee motivation and satisfaction. Traditionally the yearly formal performance appraisal/review in private sector organizations and Annual Confidential Report (ACR) in public sector organizations have been considered as the ideal platform for higher authorities (departmental/organizational heads, supervisors, immediate bosses) to provide feedback to employees about how they view their performance. But employees generally report problems and shortfalls regarding the current methodologies used to asses their performance and characterize the overall process as being too much restricted to a performance appraisal period and involving only one feedback source (departmental/organizational heads, supervisors, and immediate bosses). A qualitative case study by Longenecker and Nykodym (1996) in the public sector illustrated some of the problems associated with traditional performance appraisal method. Employees noted that feedback in performance appraisal was problematic for improving employee motivation and performance, and as a communications tool to improve the manager/subordinate relationship and suggested that managers should: make more time available for providing performance feedback, increase their knowledge of actual performance, better clarify performance expectations, put greater emphasis on employee development, not dwell on negatives, provide more ongoing feedback, and increase two-way communication These suggestions indicate that supervisors/immediate bosses might adopt a number of specific behaviors to support feedback processes in the organization, which in turn might lead to an enhanced manager/subordinate relationship and increased employee satisfaction and hence employee commitment. Here we can see that feedback only after some specified interval and through formal sessions is not sufficient to improve work outcomes (job satisfaction, productivity, employee commitment, organizational citizenship behavior etc). Considering this very fact; Steelman, Levy and Snell (2004) proposed a scale, known as Feedback Environment Scale (FES) with a validation study to demonstrate how different facets of feedback sources (supervisor and coworkers) constitute the overall feedback environment within an organization. This new instrument measures a much more comprehensive view of the feedback environment and is more relevant to the organizations of today and the responsibilities of 21st-cent ury managers. FES may also be defined as a multifaceted construct with two major factors (Supervisor and Coworker) manifested in seven facets. Together, these seven facets reflect the contextual aspects surrounding the transmission of job performance feedback on a recurrent or daily basis (Steelman et al, 2004). In general; Employee commitment is oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s psychological attachment to his or her organizations. The higher the level of Employee Commitment of an individual, the lower are the chances of his/her psychological and physical job withdrawal. Moreover; committed employees are generally productive and go beyond their job descriptions in improving their organizationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s products and services. Researchers have found a positive link between Feedback Environment Scale and Employee commitment. This link is mediated by a third variable called Role Clarity, which is defined as the subjective feeling of having as much or not as much role relevant information as the person would like to have Lyons (1971). This study is aimed to explore this link in a Pakistani context and more specifically in the context of Islamabad, After the confirmation of such a link, mangers can adopt a number of measures to improve employeesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ satisfaction, their level of productivity and employee commitment. Research Objectives To measure the level of performance feedback (from supervisors and coworkers) received by the employees of different organizations, both of public and private sector operating in Islamabad city. To Measure the level of employee commitment of employees working in different organizations To explore the link between feedback environment and employee commitment To suggest specific measures to be adopted in order to increase the overall feedback environment and employee commitment in organizations Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Feedback Environment In the past, the feedback environment has been defined as the type of job performance information that employees perceive as being available to them (Herold Parsons, 1985).but according to the refined and most up-to-date definition; the feedback environment refers to the contextual aspects of day-to-day supervisor-subordinate and coworker-coworker feedback processes rather than to the formal performance appraisal feedback session (Steelman et al, 2004). Consequently, up to now, an organizationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s feedback environment has been defined as the amount and availability of positive and negative feedback from different sources (Steelman et al, 2004). 2.2 Measurement of Feedback Environment Feedback environment in an organization is measured through a new multifaceted instrument, the Feedback Environment Scale (FES), which helps inform the feedback process in organizations. This new instrument measures a much more comprehensive view of the feedback environment and is more relevant to the organizations of today and the responsibilities of 21st-century managers. FES may also be defined as a multifaceted construct with two major factors (Supervisor and Coworker) manifested in seven facets. Together, these seven facets reflect the contextual aspects surrounding the transmission of job performance feedback on a recurrent or daily basis (Steelman et al, 2004). It is clear that employees receive feedback information from various sources (Greller, 1980; Morrison, 1993) but some authors suggest that supervisor and coworker feedback sources are the most practical and relevant from the feedback recipientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s point of view (Ashford, 1989). Thus, the FES postulates two factors called Supervisor Source and Coworker Source and the following seven specific facets within each of those source factors: source credibility, feedback quality, feedback delivery, frequency of favorable feedback, frequency of unfavorable feedback, source availability, and promoting feedback seeking (Steelman et al, 2004). Source Credibility is conceptualized as the feedback sourceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s expertise and trustworthiness (Giffin, 1967). Consistency and usefulness have been demonstrated to be important aspects of feedback quality (Greller, 1980; Hanser Muchinsky, 1978; Herold, Liden, Leatherwood, 1987). A feedback recipientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s perceptions of the sourceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s intentions in giving feedback will affect reactions and responses to the feedback (Fedor, Eder, Buckley, 1989). Favorable feedback is conceptualized as the perceived frequency of positive feedback such as compliments from supervisors and/or coworkers when from the feedback recipientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s view, his or her performance does in fact warrant positive feedback. Correspondingly, unfavorable feedback is conceptualized as the perceived frequency of negative feedback such as expressions of dissatisfaction and criticism from supervisors and/or coworkers when from the feedback recipientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s vi ew, his or her performance warrants such feedback (Steelman et al, 2004). Supervisor and/or coworker source availability is operationalized as the perceived amount of contact an employee has with his or her supervisor and/or coworkers and the ease with which feedback can be obtained (Steelman et al, 2004). Feedback seeking is defined as the extent to which the environment is supportive or unsupportive of feedback seeking. It is the extent to which employees are encouraged or rewarded for seeking feedback and the degree to which employees feel comfortable asking for performance feedback (Williams et al, 1999). 2.3 Role Clarity Lyons (1971) defines role clarity as the subjective feeling of having as much or not as much role relevant information as the person would like to have. The importance of having role clarity (knowing the tasks and expectations of a job) has been shown in previous research that used both emotional and performance-related measures (Abramis, 1994; Jackson Schuler, 1985; Tubre Collins, 2000). Role clarity is a prerequisite for harmonious interactions with others in the role set (Mcgrath, 1976). The absence of role clarity leads to stress, intrapersonal tension and lowered job satisfaction (Cooper, Sloan Williams, 1988; Hall, 2004). Breaugh Colihan (1994) defined role ambiguity to be job ambiguity and indicated that job ambiguity possesses three distinct aspects: work methods, scheduling, and performance criteria. 2.4 Employee Commitment It is recognized that an employees commitment to an organization can be expressed in three particular ways: affective, continuance, and normative. Affective commitment is focused on an emotional attachment to the organization (Herscovitch, 2002). On the other hand, continuance commitment is when an employee stays with an organization based on a perceived cost of leaving (Herscovitch, 2002). In this case, the employee is staying because he/she thinks it will cost more to go find work elsewhere. Lastly, normative commitment refers to an employees moral obligation to stay with the organization (Herscovitch, 2002). This can arise due to the employee feeling that the organization has treated him/her well and therefore, he/she owes the organization a continued period of employment. In one sense, each type of commitment somewhat ties the individual to the organization; however, each impacts differently on the manner in which the employee conducts him/herself in the workplace. For example, a n employee with an affective commitment will often go above and beyond what is required of his/her position in order to assist the organization in meeting its goals. Employees with high affective commitment tend to be absent from work less frequently and display a higher work motivation and organizational citizenship (McShane, 2001). Continuance commitment, however, is negatively related to performance whereby employees tend to do simply what is required, have higher rates of absenteeism, and low motivation (Johns and Saks, 1996). 2.5 Feedback Environment, Role Clarity/Ambiguity and Employee Commitment Over recent years, there has been a surge of interest in the effects of the feedback environment on work-related outcomes (e.g. Norris-Watts Levy, 2004; Rosen et al., 2006). A favorable feedback environment is positively related to supervisory reported organizational citizenship behavior and that this relationship is partially mediated by affective commitment (Norris-Watts Levy, 2004). Another study tested a mediated model suggesting that the effects of the feedback environment on job satisfaction, and supervisory rated in-role and extra-role performance are mediated by perceptions of organizational politics. In general, this model was supported, again demonstrating the relationship between the feedback environment and several work-related outcomes (Rosen et al., 2006). A field experiment conducted by Tziner and Latham (1989) revealed increased work satisfaction and employee commitment when a goal-setting and feedback program was introduced, but it is not possible to draw the concl usion that this effect emanates from feedback only. Researchers have found a relationship between feedback and role ambiguity (Herold et al, 1987, Peiro et al, 1994, Sawyer, 1992, Teas, 1983, Vredenburgh, 1983). So, even though previous studies lend support to the hypothesis that feedback affects attitudes towards work, there is also a possibility that the uncertainty reducing effect of feedback is the link between feedback and work attitudes, through the intervening influence of role ambiguity. Resultantly, there is also support to hypothesize that feedback only indirectly affects attitude towards work with role ambiguity as a mediating variable (Anders et al, 1999). Mathieu Zajac (1990) conducted a meta-analysis of 48 studies and found that overall employee commitment was low when employees were unsure about what was expected of them (Role Ambiguity). In nine studies, Dunham, Grube, Castaneda (1994) found that employees understanding about the significance of their tasks were somewhat positively related to affective commitment, but not related to normative or continuance commitment. Workers need role clarity to be able to navigate on their own. To improve the opportunity for self feedback there appears a need to strengthen the connection between the individualà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s work and the organizational goals (Anders et al, 1999). Chapter 3 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK On the basis of literature review, a relationship between feedback environment and employee commitment was found, being mediated by a third variable, Role Clarity. The following hypothetical link between the variables was drawn and tested. 3.1 Operational Definitions 3.1.1 Feedback Environment (Independent Variable) Feedback Environment has been taken as the independent variable for this study which is defined by Steelman et al (2004) as the amount and availability of positive and negative feedback from different sources. As the feedback environment in organizations is generally measured using the Feedback environment Scale (FES) proposed by Steelman et al (2004), the same will be employed to measure the quality of feedback environment that takes into account two major feedback sources which are: Supervisor source Coworker source Feedback from each source has seven dimensions which are: 3.1.1.1- Source credibility Giffin (1967) defined source credibility as the feedback sourceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s expertise and trustworthiness. Perception of trustworthiness an individual imparts to other people. Factors that influence source credibility are expertise and reputation for honesty. 3.1.1.2- Feedback quality Feedback quality refers to its consistency and usefulness which are important aspects of feedback (Greller, 1980; Hanser Muchinsky, 1978; Herold, Liden, Leatherwood, 1987). 3.1.1.3- Feedback delivery It refers to the feedback environment in terms of sourceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s consideration and intentions in his or her delivery of the feedback (Steelman et al 2004). In simple words this dimension is related to the extent of empathy of the feedback source. 3.1.1.4- Favorable feedback Steelman et al (2004) defined favorable feedback as the perceived frequency of positive feedback such as compliments from supervisors and/or coworkers when from the feedback recipientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s view, his or her performance does in fact warrant positive feedback 3.1.1.5- Unfavorable feedback Unfavorable feedback is conceptualized as the perceived frequency of negative feedback such as expressions of dissatisfaction and criticism from supervisors and/or coworkers when from the feedback recipientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s view, his or her performance warrants such feedback (Steelman et al, 2004). 3.1.1.6- Source availability Supervisor and/or coworker source availability is defined as the perceived amount of contact an employee has with his or her supervisor and/or coworkers and the ease with which feedback can be obtained (Steelman et al, 2004). 3.1.1.7- Promoting feedback seeking Williams et al (1999) defined Feedback seeking is defined as the extent to which the environment is supportive or unsupportive of feedback seeking. It is the extent to which employees are encouraged or rewarded for seeking feedback and the degree to which employees feel comfortable asking for performance feedback Responses about each dimension relating to both the sources will be gathered using the FES Questionnaire, proposed by Steelman et al (2004) in their validation study of the FES. 3.2 Employee Commitment (Dependent Variable) For the purpose of this study employee commitment has been defined as an employeeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s psychological attachment to his/her organization. Mainly the three component model of employee commitment by Herscovitch (2002) is used, which says that the commitment level itself consists of three parts; affective, continuance and normative commitment. Somers (1995) defined Affective commitment as an employeeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s emotional attachment to an organizational goals and values. Normative commitment is a perceived duty to support the organization and its activities, whereas; continuance commitment is however interacted with affective commitment in predicting job withdrawal intentions and absenteeism. The level of employee commitment was measured using the employee commitment questionnaire by John Meyer Natalie Allen (1991). Figure 3.1: The Theoretical Relationship between Feedback Environment and Employee Commitment with the Mediating Effect of Role Clarity/Ambiguity 3.3 Role Clarity/Ambiguity (Mediating Variable) Role clarity is defined as the subjective feeling of having as much or not as much role relevant information as the person would like to have Lyons (1971). Or simply knowing the tasks and expectations of oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s job is known as Role Clarity. From the previous studies there appeared a relationship between feedback and employee commitment with the mediating effect of role clarity/ambiguity, and it was conceived in this study that the quality of feedback environment leads to role clarity or ambiguity as feedback serves the purpose of clarifying an employeeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s role which leads to employee commitment (Mathieu Zajac 1990, Dunham, Grube, Castaneda 1994). Role Clarity was measured using the standardized questionnaire proposed by Rizzo et al (1970). 3.4 Hypotheses: The following seven hypotheses were tested to explore the link between the following: Supervisory Feedback and Subordinateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Role Clarity Coworker Feedback and Incumbentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Role Clarity Feedback Environment and Employee commitment Role Clarity and Employee commitment 3.5 Hypotheses Statements Hypothesis 1: Ho: There is no relationship between supervisory feedback and subordinateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s role clarity Hypothesis 1: H1: There is a relationship between supervisory feedback and subordinateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s role clarity Hypothesis 2: Ho: There is no relationship between coworker feedback and employee role clarity Hypothesis 2: H1: There is a relationship between coworker feedback and employee role clarity Hypothesis 3: Ho: There is no relationship between feedback environment and employee role clarity Hypothesis 3: H1: There is a relationship between feedback environment and employee role clarity Hypothesis 4: Ho: There is no relationship between supervisory feedback and employee commitment Hypothesis 4: H1: There is a relationship between supervisory feedback and employee commitment Hypothesis 5: Ho: There is no relationship between coworker feedback and employee commitment Hypothesis 5: H1: There is a relationship between coworker feedback and employee commitment Hypothesis 6: Ho: There is no relationship between feedback environment and employee commitment Hypothesis 6: H1: There is a relationship between feedback environment and employee commitment Hypothesis 7: Ho: There is no relationship between employee role clarity and employee commitment Hypothesis 7: H1: There is a relationship between employee role clarity and employee commitment Chapter 4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research Design is a master plan specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing needed information. Having identified the variables of the study and developing the theoretical framework, the next step was to design the research in a way that the required data could be gathered and analyzed to arrive at a solution. A Survey was conducted, based on a questionnaire. The term questionnaire refers to a list of questions, usually printed, and submitted for replies that can be analyzed for usable information. 4.1 Purpose of the Study The research was of hypothesis-testing in nature. The characteristics of variables and their relationship were defined in the previous section. Hypotheses were formulated on the basis of relationships between the two main variables (feedback environment and employee commitment). Researches have shown that there is positive relationship between feedback environment and employee commitment. Those studies were conducted in different parts of the world and the current research is based on the hypotheses which are to be tested to find if there is a positive relationship between the said variables. 4.2 Type of Investigation The purpose of our research was to find out if there is relation between variables, the type of investigation chosen was correlation. 4.3 Extent of Researcher Interference with the Study The primary data was collected through the questionnaire. The data was collected in natural environment and the researcherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s interference was minimal. 4.4 Study Settings The research was conducted in natural environment where work proceeds normally, i.e. in non-contrived settings. The study was based on Field Experiment where all activities were occurring in natural work environment. 4.5 Unit of Analysis In this study, individuals were studied separately. Research team studied the feedback received from the two sources (supervisor and coworker) and through the questionnaire investigated the relevant variables and their relationship. 4.6 Sampling A sample is a subset of a larger population that contains its major characteristics. In this step the following decisions were taken: Who is to be sampled (sampling unit) How large a sample should be (sample size) How will sample units be selected (sampling technique) 4.7 Sampling Unit To get the representation from all levels of management and all types of organizations, employees form each layer of management were selected as sample from different organizations ranging from manufacturing to service, both from public and private sectors. Responses were gathered from the employees of the following organizations: Askari Bank, Balochistan Teachersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Training Academy, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Cantonment Hospital, Chiltan Ghee Mills, Civil Secretariat, Concern Worldwide, Habib Bank Ltd, Mercy Crops, National Bank, PTCL, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (QESCO), SME Bank, Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd (SSGC), Telecard, Telenor, UNDP and Warid Telecom 4.8 Sample Size The sample size for the study was 200. Employees from each of the above-mentioned organization were asked to respond the questionnaires. 4.9 Sampling Technique Probability sampling was used for the research; in such type of sampling each member of population has an equal chance of becoming a sample. 4.10 The Questionnaire The Questionnaire had the following sections: 4.10.1 Section-1 (Demographics) The first section investigated about the respondentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s demographical characteristics including: Age Gender Marital Status Qualification Managerial level Nature of work Experience in years The respondents were not asked to mention their names or disclose their identity and it was ensured to keep the information confidential. 4.10.2 Section-2 3 (Supervisory and Coworker Feedback Measurement) These sections contained questions about the supervisory and coworker feedback received by the respondents focusing on the following dimensions: Source credibility Feedback quality Feedback delivery Favorable feedback Unfavorable feedback Source availability Promoting feedback seeking The items of this section were obtained from the validation study of feedback environment (Steelman et al, 2004). 4.10.3 Section-4 (Employee commitment Measurement) This section contained questions about the level of employee commitment of the respondents. 4.10.4 Section-5 (Role Clarity Measurement) This section contained questions measuring the Role Clarity of the respondents. 4.11 Data Collection In this phase the research moved from papers to the field. Data was gathered in the form of responses from the respondents. Questionnaire was used as a tool to collect data and 100% of the respondents were surveyed through it. As mentioned above different organizations from public and private sector were visited to collect the responses. Questionnaires were distributed and taken back from the respondents after two to three days. Total time taken to complete the data collection process was two weeks. The respondents were guided about filling the questionnaires and the queries were responded properly. Chapter 5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 5. Hypothesis Testing All seven hypotheses of the study were tested on the following parameters: Confidence level: (1-ÃŽÂ ±) = 0.95 (95%) Level of Significance: ÃŽÂ ± = 0.05 Statistic used: t-statistic Sample size: n = 200 Table 5.1: Results of Hypothesis Testing Hypotheses t-calculated t-tabulated Computation Result 1 2.20 +1.96 tcal>ttab Rejected Ho 2 1.97 +1.96 tcal>ttab Rejected Ho 3 2.13 +1.96 tcal>ttab Rejected Ho 4 3.74 +1.96 tcal>ttab Rejected Ho 5 6.88 +1.96 tcal>ttab Rejected Ho 6 6.18 +1.96 tcal>ttab Rejected Ho 7 1.99 +1.96 tcal>ttab Rejected Ho Where: tcal = the calculated value of t-statistic ttab = the tabulated value of t-statistic It is clear from the results of table 5.1, that all seven alternative hypotheses were accepted as the value of t-calculated found be higher than the value of t-tabulated regarding each hypothesis. This shows that there is a link between each of the independent variable (feedback from supervisor and coworker source, feedback environment and role clarity) with the dependent variable (employee commitment). 5.1 Correlation Analysis The second analysis involved regressing each of the predictors on the outcome variable i.e. employee commitment. The results are presented in table 5.2 A correlation matrix was developed for Supervisory Feedback, Coworker feedback and Role clarity with Employee Commitment. According to the results, all the three variables were positively associated with Employee Commitment. The association represents a positive linear relationship between the dependent variable; Employee Commitment and each of the independent variables. Table 5.2: Correlation Matrix for Employee Commitment Variable Supervisory Feedback Coworker feedback Role Clarity Commitment Supervisory Feedback 1.000 0.534** 0.123** 0.257** Coworker feedback 0.534** 1.000 0.139** 0.439** Role Clarity 0.123** 0.139** 1.000 0.097** Commitment 0.257** 0.439** 0.097** 1.000 ** p Coworker feedback was most strongly associated with Employee Commitment (0.439), followed by supervisory feedback (0.257) and role clarity (0.097). All relationships were statistically significant at p The correlation analysis of employee commitment as shown in table 5.1 indicates that all the associations (between x and y variables) were positive. This signifies that a positive linear relationship exists between x and y variable. Coworker feedback was most strongly related with employee commitment, followed by role clarity and supervisory feedback. All relations were statistically significant at 0.01 levels. 5.3 Regression Analysis The value of R2 was 0.195. The first independent variable, coworker feedback [0.419, P Table 5.3: Regression Analysis of Feedback Environment at workplace (Dependent Variable= Employee Commitment Variable Coefficient Standard Error Standardized Beta Intercept 1.783** 0.262 - Supervisory Feedback 0.029** 0.077 0.029 Coworker feedback 0.388** 0.071 0.419 Role Clarity

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