Outline the key features of utilitarianism Essay Example for Free

Outline the key features of utilitarianism Essay The theory of utilitarianism was developed by and associated by Jeremy Bentham and utilitarianism is a teleological ethical theory where the moral value of an action can be judged by its consequences. Three main philosophers have come up with different types of utilitarianism. Jeremy Bentham introducing Act Utilitarianism and John Stuart Mill trying to improve the flaws that he encountered with Bentham’s theory with his Rule Utilitarianism and lastly, Peter Singer with his preference utilitarianism. Act Utilitarianism is the original and official form of utilitarianism which states that we must on any occasion act in the way which will produce overall consequences better than those that any other act open to us would produce. Therefore, the greatest happiness principle should inform on any act that we undertake. It only focuses on the outcome of the action and not concerned with the motive or intention of the action. Jeremy Bentham, being an hedonist, which he believes that all humans naturally seeks pleasure and tries to avoid pain. He stated â€Å"nature has placed mankind under the government of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure†¦ they govern us in all we do, in all we say, in all we think. † Therefore, according the Bentham, an action is right if it brought more pleasure and wrong if it produces pain. Once Bentham had established that pleasure and pain were the important qualities to determine the moral values, he then developed the utility principle. The rightness or wrongness of an action is determined by its usefulness. Usefulness refers to the amount happiness caused by the action. The theory is known as the greatest happiness principle which is ‘an action is right if it produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people,† believing that this would create happiness, and an intrinsic key to life. The possible consequences of different actions must be measured clearly to establish which option generates the most pleasure and the least pain. He introduced the hedonic calculus to measure the consequences. The Hedonic Calculus has seven different elements which include that intensity, duration, certainty or uncertainty, propinquity, fecundity, purity and extent of an action. Act Utilitarianism states that the principle of utility should be applied to every individual situation. John Stuart Mill saw Bentham’s theory and tried to improve it in his own way which he introduced Rule Utilitarianism. Rule Utilitarianism teaches that we should establish rules based on the greatest happiness principle and then follow these rules. Therefore there is no need to decide the greatest happiness in every situation because following the rules should in general produce the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Individual acts can therefore be judged as right or wrong by reference to the rules. Mill’s basic idea was that pleasure of the mind that spirit were more value than pleasure of the body. He believes that higher pleasures are generally more intellectual pleasures such as learning, reading and so on. Whereas, lower pleasures are more sensual pleasures such as eating, drinking, sex, etc. Therefore, reading a book, learning something new would be far superior and preferable as humans can only experience these. He said, â€Å"it is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied,† this means that humans are much more capable of experiencing higher pleasures than animals. Therefore, even if humans are dissatisfied their knowledge of such higher pleasure makes their lives better than animals. Rule Utilitarianism can be divided into two sections which is Strong and Weak rule utilitarianism. Strong rule utilitarians always follow these rules no matter what the outcome will be and believe that these rules should never be broken. Weak rule utilitarians however believe that these rules can be broken if more pleasure is produced. Lastly, Peter Singer’s modern version of utilitarianism which is Preference Utilitarianism. Preference utilitarians believe that something is right if it leads the greatest fulfilment of preference for as many as possible. They consider whether a decision is right or wrong by looking whether it fits in with what people would prefer. Peter Singer was concerned about the minorities and felt that they should also be included when considering what is best for everyone. He also believes that animals have preference, not just humans. And this is because they also feel pain and they have a preference to not feel pain.

Henry David Thoreau Essay Example for Free

Henry David Thoreau Essay Transcendentalism is a very important movement that occurred not only in literature but in life as well. The transcendentalist movement was a movement that was basically the thought of everyone having an over-soul. The over-soul is the thought of a relationship between God, nature, and man. The movement had many different characteristics like individuality, feelings being priority over reason, the fact that nature was divine, and that nature held truths. Transcendentalists used the truths that they observed in the world and in nature to change the way society was and how people see themselves in the world. Although the idea of a utopia was not successful, the movement sparked a change in literature. Emerson and Thoreau are the two people most associated with transcendentalism. They both wrote essays about their experiences in nature and influenced many other writers to do the same (hence the transcendentalist movement). The transcendentalist thought is especially apparent in Walt Whitman and Emily Dickenson’s work. Whitman and Dickenson both show many traits of the movement, but the most apparent trait is individualism. Individualism is often portrayed in Emerson and Thoreau’s work as being equal. Everyone has a soul, inner truth is the only thing that matters, and fulfillment comes from knowing one’s self. In Emerson’s essay Nature, he describes man as being universal and related. In the quote â€Å" . . . that great nature in which we rest . . . that Unity, that Over-Soul, within which every mans particular being is contained and made one with all other. . . . We live in succession, in division, in parts, in particles. Meantime within man is the soul of the whole; the wise silence; the universal beauty, to which every part and particle is equally related; the eternal ONE. † Emerson is saying that all men have souls and that each soul is a part of an even bigger soul, the universal soul. This is basically saying that we are all equal, but at the same time we are separated because we each have a soul of our own. In another essay, self-reliance, he stated â€Å"Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In this, he is saying that being misunderstood is being great. This also says that being misunderstood is forgetting what society says you should be or act like and doing what you want to do in order to find yourself and be your own person. By not caring about what others may think about your choices and decisions, you can be your own person and set an example for others to do the same. Not only was Emerson talking about being an individual, he was also adding a bit about your feelings being more important that reason. Thoreau also writes about individualism in his essays. In Walden, Thoreau writes about the experiences and life of his life. He writes â€Å"†¦ if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet success unexpected in common hours. † This is saying that you should live the way that you want to live and that your inner truth or inner desires are all that matter. Everyone has inner truth and desires and to live the life that you want to live then you should go for the dreams that you have always wanted to come true. This is a prime example of individualism because everyone has dreams and inner truths about the way that they want to live and it is completely up to them to live the way that they want to live. He also addresses individualism in another essay titled Civil Disobedience. He writes â€Å"But, to speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no government men, I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government. Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step towards obtaining it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In this, he is encouraging people to take a stand for the rights and respect they deserve. In a way, he is telling people to stop ignoring the unfair government and do something about the way you feel. This is showing again how everyone has inner truth and they should do something to change the way the world is to be better. Thoreau wanted the government to change and so he spoke about what he believed to be true. This is him showing his individualism and encouraging others to speak up as well about the truth that they believed. Like Emerson and Thoreau, Whitman and Dickenson have both used individualism in their works, but Whitman does a better job at portraying it. In Whitman’s poem ‘Song of Myself’, Whitman writes about everyone being equal and having equal opportunities. He states â€Å"I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise, regardless of others, ever regardful of others, maternal as well as paternal, a child as well as a man, stuffed with the stuff that is course, and stuffed with the stuff that is fine † In this quote he is comparing total opposites to each other. This is a way of showing how even the opposites are the same. Regardless of others, ever regardful of others means that others mean nothing to you, yet others mean everything to you. It’s contradicting, but in a way that says although others mean nothing to you, they affect you in certain ways. Everyone affects you, but you are not everyone. You are simply yourself and that is what I get from what Whitman was describing. In another part of the poem, Whitman says ‘I am as bad as the worst, but thank God, I am as good as the best. ’ This quote stands out because it means no one is better than anyone. Just because you don’t get in trouble doesn’t mean you are any less wrong or less bad. Just because you do good things doesn’t mean you are any better! Being good is simply being good and the same goes for being bad. No one is any better or worst. This means that everyone is equal and has equal opportunities. Dickenson also uses individualism as a theme in some of her works as well. In the poem ‘Heaven Has Different Signs—To Me’, Dickenson writes â€Å"The Rapture of a finished Day—Returning to the West—All these—remind us of the place, That Men call paradise† In this poem Dickinson is describing what heaven would be like. This quote refers to the end of the day for men. Individualism is living the way you want and reaching fulfillment. This quote shows how men are fulfilled in their lives and of what they call paradise. To me, I don’t think she is writing about heaven, I think she is writing about a utopia. She is writing about a place that everyone is equal and enlightened. Dickinson and Whitman both write about being equal and living the life that you want to lead. Even though they both write about individualism, Whitman portrays it much more and it is more apparent. They were both influenced by the transcendentalist movement, but Dickinson focuses on other traits like how nature is beautiful and simple and the relationship that nature, life, and death have. The transcendentalist movement may be over, but it left an imprint in literature. Many people speak of individualism and the name most associated with it in the movement is Walt Whitman. Works Cited Poemhunters. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Quotations by Author. Walt Whitman Quotes. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Thoreau, Henry D. Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau. Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau. Jone Johnson Lewis, n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Thoreau, Henry D. Walden. N. p. : Jalic, 2003. Print. Whitman, Walt. (1836)Nature. Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Oregon State College, n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Whitman, Walt. Self Reliance. Mrgunnar. net. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.

Ability Job Fit

Ability Job Fit What is more likely to lead to high work performance a fit between ability-job or between personality-organisation? Introduction The aim of this assignment is to construct an argument to support the proposition, that Performance-Organization fit is more important over Ability-Job fit, for higher job performance. Scope and Definitions The scope of the assessment covers only the area of high work performance related to ability-job and personality-organization, using proven research and theoretical information from a wide range of articles and journals that are relatively current and authentic. Accordingly, both theory and empirical research, drawn from thorough literature review are used to analyse, substantiate and conclude Personality-Organization shall to lead to higher work performance In this paper, Work performance is broadly viewed as Contextual performance behaviour, counter productive work behaviour, inter personal facilitation and task performance. Background Information Globalization and its effects have led organizations into unchartered territories. As institutions valiantly try to thrive in an ever demanding atmosphere, the identification of critical resources is paramount to any organization. The single most important factor that is significant to any organization is its human capital. The success or failure of an organization can be largely attributed to its human resources. Thus making it directly related to their work performance. The senior executives of most organizations view people and workforce related issues as a critical competitive differentiator and one of their top agenda items. This sentiment is evident in the survey conducted by Accenture in their 2006 Edition of the Accenture High-Performance Workforce Study, in which attracting and retaining skilled staff and developing talented leaders were cited by the executives as critical factors in achieving high performance (Accenture Consulting, 2006). High Work Performance In an organizational context high work performance is defined as an employee (or group of employees) at any level or functions that is focused on the right priorities and understand that they are accountable for delivering strong results. They are energized, engaged and perfectly positioned to give their best by exceeding or far exceeding their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Ability Job Fit Ability-job fit can be defined as the fit between the abilities of a person and the demands of a job, or the desires of a person and the attributes of a job (Sekiguchi, 2004). Personality Organization Fit Personality-Organization is defined as the compatibility between a person and the organization, emphasizing the extent to which a person and the organization share similar fundamental characteristics and/or meet each others needs (Kristof, 1996). Ability Job Fit for High Performance According to the literature on practical job previews, correct and practical job information enables applicants to review the degree of similarity between their knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) and the job necessities. Applicants who identify a match between the job requirements and their KSAs are likely to stay in selection and accept the job offer. The basic assumption of the theory is that applicants personal assessments play an important part in initial attraction, to remain in the selection procedure and finally in job acceptance decision. Research also supports that subjective fit is the better predictor of hiring outcomes and applicant attitudes than the objective fit (Carless, 2005). Ability-Job fit assessment If you are a job seeker, you might not be considering the importance of ability job-fit, but this fit is critical. As research suggests, without it, you become among the estimated 75 percent of the workforce who are dissatisfied with their jobs (Coppola, Carini, 2006). The ability job-fit model demonstrates that work performance, personal satisfaction and outcomes are enhanced when the employee and work environment are in perfect synch. Synchronization is a process that includes not just education and experience, but many dimensions of individuals abilities: ability to learn, mental hard-wiring, personality archetypes, leadership dynamics and physical abilities (Coppola, Carini, 2006). Job Characteristic Belief Dimensions A primary classification in the job characteristics is Hackman and Oldhams (1980) Job Characteristics Model, which includes five job characteristics: Autonomy Skill variety Task feedback Task identity Task significance Empirical findings on Job Characteristic Belief Research on the model has also found that a multiplicative or additive index of the five job characteristics reflecting job complication is a better analyst of the models psychological findings than an individual job characteristic (Fried Ferris, 1987). Thus, for the purpose of conciseness, a single complexity job characteristic feature was developed for the current research, involving the degree to which a job is complicated, challenging, and involves diverse tasks (Ehrhart, 2006). Further, research finds that the five dimensions, in the Job Characteristics Model (JCM) predominantly relates to an individuals experience of the job, regardless of other factions such as subordinates, co-workers, supervisors, or customers. Accordingly, the level and nature of interpersonal interaction required by customer service jobs is not represented in the JCM (Ehrhart, 2006). Antecedents and outcomes of Ability-Job fit The review of the ability-job fit literature by Edwards (1991) recognized job satisfaction, low job stress, motivation, performance, attendance and retention as outcomes that are positively affected by ability-job fit. When ability-job fit is assessed as the match between what an employee wants and receives from performing job, it is linked to enhance job-satisfaction, integration, and organizational commitment, as well as reduced intentions to resign. Additional benefits for task performance have been established when the meaning of ability-job fit is expanded to include the match between abilities and their job demands. Research by Sekiguchi in 2004, also demonstrates that structured and validated measures for determining ability-job fit have led to efficient selection of employees leading to high performance compared to unstructured techniques (Sekiguchi, 2004). Personality Organization Fit for High Performance Person-environment (P-E) fit propose that positive responses occur when there is a high level of compatibility between individuals and their environment. Research also emphasizes this proposition that individuals adapt easily to jobs that match appropriately with their career personality traits (Spokane, 1985; Tinsley, 2000). P-E fit is seen as a general and wider term, and covers detailed concepts of fit. In the high work performance domain, one common form of fit has been identified as person-organization fit (P-O fit). Further, empirical data suggests that Personality-Organisation fit is the key attribute in maintaining flexibility and dedicated workforce that is essential to a highly competitive organizational environment (Bowen, Ledford and Nathan, 1991; Kristoff, 1996). The Person-Organization fit is distinguished into two types: Supplementary fit Complementary fit Supplementary fit is defined as when a person has similar characteristics to other individuals (Ivancevich, Konopaske Matteson, 2008). Complementary fit is defined as when the individual and the situation suit each others needs (Ivancevich, Konopaske Matteson, 2008). In analysing the P-O fit and related affects on high work performance, the personality domain should be taken into account and evaluated. The main personality domains of interests in the P-O fit are the following: Big Five personality dimensions Locus of Control Self-efficacy Big Five Personality Dimensions In accordance with psychologists, the five big personality dimensions identified in humans are: Extroversion Emotional stability Agreeableness Conscientiousness Openness to experience Extroversion is a trait that indicates a persons outgoing, sociable behaviour. Research suggests that people with high extroversion thrive in sales and managerial positions as they enjoy interacting and conversing with fellow colleagues and peers Their performance excels in training programs and tends to contain superior levels of overall job contentment (Judge, Heller Mount, 2002). Emotional Stability is the ability to be calm, serene, relaxed and secure. Low emotional stability can result in job dissatisfaction and underperformance due to job-related stress (Judge Ilies, August 2002). Agreeableness is the tendency to be considerate, forgiving, tolerant, trusting and soft-hearted. In the organizational domain this is classified as someone who gets along with others and who possess a cooperative attitude. Agreeableness is a trait for a team player who can develop and maintain good interpersonal relationships and team cohesion (Neuman Wright, June 1999, pp. 379-389). This trait is paramount for high performing teams, specifically in the occupations within areas of customer service, sales, auditing, nursing, teaching and social work. Conscientiousness is to be dependable, organized, thorough, responsible and disciplined. Individuals displaying such traits have a tendency to work hard and enjoy achievements, which research has deemed to be important for job performance (Ivancevich, Konopaske Matteson, 2008, page 75). Further, individuals in this group exhibit higher levels of motivation, job satisfaction and other important forms such as retention, attendance and less counterproductive behaviour which are imperative for job performance (Judge Ilies, August 2002).. Openness to experience tends to reflect the extent to which a person is broad-minded, creative, intelligent, inquisitive and willing to take risks. These characteristics are advantageous in occupations where innovation and change is continuous (Ivancevich, Konopaske Matteson, 2008, page 75). Empirical Findings on Big Five Personality Barrick Mount in 1991 conducted research to indentify the relationship between selected job performance criterias and Big Five personality dimensions within five occupational groups. The job performance criterias were: Personnel data Training proficiency Job proficiency Meta-analysis findings of different occupational groups (professionals, skilled/semi-skilled labour, managers, police and sales) across Big five personality dimensions are presented in Table 1 appendix1 (Barrick Mount, 1991, p.12). The results confirmed that for all the occupational groupings Conscientiousness was the valid predictor. The 5 occupational groups shows consistency across other personality dimensions (Barrick M.R Mount M.K, 1991, pp.12-13) In terms of Emotional Stability (ES) very little evidence was found. The correlations for ES were lower compared to conscientiousness, but ES for professionals was in fact in the opposite direction. Agreeableness and Extraversion were theorized as valid predictors for sales representatives and managers. This theory was found support for Extraversion in both occupations. However, very less support was found for Agreeableness, for sales and for managers. Rest of the true score correlations with respect to other dimensions were quite low (Barrick M.R Mount M.K, 1991, pp.14) Table 2 in Appendix1 shows that Conscientiousness as a credible tool for all three criterion types and the results for Conscientiousness are consistent. Extraversion and Openness to Experience (OE) were significant predictors of training proficiency criterion. Most of the other remaining correlations were comparatively small for all three criterion types (Barrick M.R Mount M.K, 1991, p.14) Van Scotter and Motowidlo (cited in Murphy, Cleaveland Beaty, 2001, p. 127) examined correlations between task performance and personality measures scores, and also the two dimensions of contextual performance: Job dedication such as self-disciplined behaviours like working hard, following rules and taking initiative to solve a problem Interpersonal facilitation (cooperative behaviours which helped co-workers in finishing their tasks) These researchers found that Agreeableness, Extroversion, Conscientiousness, and Positive Affectivity were significantly related to inter personal facilitation and only Conscientiousness was related significantly to task performance (Murphy, Cleaveland and Beaty, 2001, pp.127) The relationship between job context, job content sources of stress and selected behavioural and attitudinal outcomes, absenteeism and perceived performance, were empirically examined, while controlling for differences in personality, occupation and organizational culture. The research was conducted with twelve hundred hospital workers using an occupational stress questionnaire and attendance records. It was found that job content stress was found to reduce absenteeism but not to influence perceived performance, while job context stress increased absenteeism and reduced perceived performance (Arsenault, 1983, p.227) The outcome of the research attributed personality to have significant effect on performance but not on absenteeism, but occupation influenced absenteeism but not performance; while organizational culture contributed to the explanation of both absenteeism and performance (Arsenault, 1983, p.227). Smithikrai in 2008 conducted a study on Counter Productive Work Behaviour (CWB) and the extent to which the strength of situations moderates the relations between personality traits (Smithikrai, 2008, p.253). The study set the following as the CWBs: Absenteeism Production deviance Workplace aggression Theft Sabotage or fraud The Research found that conscientiousness is the strongest predictor of CWB (Hough, 1992; Salgado, 2002; Dalal, 2005; Sackett et al., 2006(cited in Smithikrai, 2008, p.253)). The results also indicated that, in a weak situation only, conscientiousness has a stronger, negative relation to CWB when agreeableness is low than when agreeableness is high (Smithikrai, 2008, p.261). Locus of control Locus of control refers to the extent a person believes that specific outcomes are caused by their actions. If someone feels that they are in control of the outcomes, then they have an internal locus of control and the opposite be interpreted as external locus of control (Salazar, Hubbard Salazar, 2002). Empirical Findings on Locus of Control Daileys (1980) study, conducted with 281 scientists, tackled the association between locus of control and task difficulty, task variability and job performance. The research indicated that individuals with an internal locus of control exhibited greater satisfaction, motivation and had an elevated level of involvement in their jobs leading to high performance. Research with a group of accountants performed in Taiwan, also suggests that accountants personality, as measured by locus of control, plays an essential function in predicting the intensity of job performance (Jui-Chen Chen, Colin Silverthorne, 2008). Self-efficacy (SE) SE is essential for successful job performance and must not be underestimated as simply the belief that ones capability and competence may even determine an individuals attempt at completing a particular task. SE affects a persons choice, behaviour, motivation, perseverance, and facilitative thought patterns. Low SE can result in incapacitating effects such as stress and depression, and thus should be handled with care for high job performance (Christopher, 1999). Empirical Findings on Self-efficacy Research was conducted amongst 118 employees in an Australian financial services firm Christopher, 1999). In the study, self-efficacy was found to mediate the association between the amount of prescribed training and superior ratings of improved performance among individuals in jobs where self-confidence was perceived to be crucial for positive outcome, but not among individuals in any positions where it was considered irrelevant (Christopher, 1999). Research confirms the significance of self-regulatory mechanisms in performance achievements and motivational processes (Locke Latham, 1990; Kanfer, 1990; Bandura, 1997; Carver Scheier, 1985). Meta-analytic investigations and performance outcomes in a variety of contexts have been clearly established when self-efficacy is associated (Bandura, 1997) and meta-analytic investigations (Stajkovic Luthans, 1998a). A positive connection between self-efficacy and work-related performance is found by researchers in areas such as computer-related tasks (Harrison, Rainer, Hochwarter, Thompson, 1997), academic research productivity (Taylor, Locke, Lee, Gist, 1984), managerial decision-making (Wood Bandura, 1989a), career choice (Lent, Brown, Larkin, 1987) organizational change (Judge, Thorensen, Pucik, Welbourne, 1999) and coping with career-related stressful events (Stumpf, Brief, Hartman, 1987). The Importance of P-O Fit over Ability-Job Fit Although studies of Ability Job Fit and Personality-Organization (P-O) Fit have been extensive and increasing, researchers have increasingly put more emphasis on P-O Fit. Kristof (1996) contends that there has been a growing interest in P-O Fit during the recent years by both scholars and managers. Bowen et al (1991) (cited in Sekiguchi, 2004) explains that P-O fit is the key to maintaining the flexible and committed work force that is necessary in a competitive business environment and a tight labour market. Kristof, (1996) contends that P-O fit occurs when an organization satisfies an employees needs desires and preferences. The P-O fit argues that employee/persons leave jobs that are not compatible with their personalities. However, it has been argued that the ability job fit model emphasizes the performances of employees, but their satisfaction and thus the outcomes are enhanced when the employees and their work environment are in perfect synchronization (Coppola Carini, 2006). Also, according to Coppola and Carini (2006), individuals past experience and educational skills would not produce any tangible performance outcomes as they try to match their skills with a new job. Sekiguchi, (2004) contends that employees and organization attract each other based on their similarities. This was confirmed by empirical evidence that an elevated level Personality-Organization fit is linked to a number of positive results. Vancouver Schmitt, 1991, Brets Judge, 1994, Chatman, 1991, Boxx et al; 1991, Downey et al; 1975, OReilly et al, 1991, Postner; et al; 1985, Tziner, 1987(cited in Sekiguchi, 2004) explains that empirical evidence discovered that Person Organization Fit was correlated to a number of positive performance outcomes. Cable and Judge, (1996) explains that people select organizations that fulfil needs that has been seen a process that resulted in P-O fit. Chatman, 1989, 1991, Judge, 1993, OReilly et al., 1991, Meglino, et al., 1989 (cited in Cable Judge, 1996, p. 297) further explains that employees are fully committed towards their organization when they share the values of their organizations and in turn they achieve maximum job satisfaction resulting in high performance. Conclusions Theory and research on Ability-Job Fit and Personality-Organisation fit involved a variety of levels of study with respect to high job performance. The analyses were conducted using various job abilities and personality traits in multiple conceptualizations leading to job performance. The P-O is the important attribute to an employees adaptability in an organization providing the essential impetus to higher work performance. This basically means that recruitment of persons possessing the right personality would result in far better job performance when the person and the organization are aligned together. Based on the theoretical and empirical research on personality-organisation fit and ability-job fit, its extensively proven that personality-job fit carries more importance than the ability-job fit. References Accenture Consulting 2006, High Performance Work Study 2006, Research Report, p. 5, retrieved 2 April 2010, . Arsenault, A 1983, The role of personality, occupation and organization in understanding the relationship between job stress, performance and absenteeism, vol. 1983, issue 3, p. 227 Barrick, MR Mount, MK 1991, The Big Five Personality Dimensions and Job Performance: A Meta-Analysis, vol. 44, issue 1, pp. 1-26. Bandura, A 1997, Self-efficacy: The exercise of control, New York: Freeman. Beaty, JC Jr, Cleveland, JN Murphy, KR 2001, The Relation Between Personality and Contextual Performance in Strong Versus Weak Situations, vol. 14, issueÂÂ  2, pp. 125-148. Cable, D Judge, T 1996, Person-Organization Fit, Job Choice Decisions, and Organizational Entry, Organizational Behaviour and human resource processes, vol. 67, no. 3, pp. 294-295. Carless, S 2005, Person-Job Fit versus Person-Organization Fit as predicators of organizational attraction and job acceptance intensions: A longitudinal study, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Vol. 78, pp. 411-429. Carver, CS Scheier, MF 1985, A control-systems approach to the self-regulation of action, In Kuhl, J Beckmann, J (Eds.), Action control: From cognition to behaviour, New York: Springer, pp. 237-266. Christopher, O 1999, The impact of self-efficacy on the effectiveness of employee training, Journal of Workplace Learning, Year: 1999, vol. 11, issue 4, pp. 119 122. Coppola, N Carini, G 2006, Ability Job-Fit Self Assessment: Employment Considerations for Job Seekers, Healthcare Executives, vol. 21 issue 2, pp. 60-63. Dailey, R 1980, Relationship between locus of control, task characteristics, and work attitudes, Psychological reports, 47, pp. 855-861. Edwards, JR 1991, Person-job fit: A conceptual integration, literature review, and methodological critique, International review of industrial and organisational psychology, vol. 6, pp. 283-357. Ehrhart, K 2006, Job characteristics belief and personality as antecedents of subjective person-job fit, Journal of Business and Psychology, Vol. 21, no. 2. Fried, Y Ferris, GR 1987, The validity of the job characteristics model: A review and Meta-analysis, Performance Psychology, Vol. 40, pp. 287-322. Gist, ME Mitchell, TR 1992, Self-efficacy: A theoretical analysis of its determinants and malleability, Academy of Management Review, 17, pp. 183-211. Harrison, AW, Rainer, RK, Hochwarter, WA Thompson, K R 1997, Testing the self-efficacy-performance linkage of social-cognitive theory The Journal of Social Psychology, Vol. 137, pp. 79-87. Salazar, J, Hubbard, S Salazar, L 2002; Locus of control and Its Influence on Hotel Managers Job Satisfaction, Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality Tourism, Vol. l (2) 2002, retrieved 2 April 2010, http://www/haworthpressinc.com/store/product. asp?sku=J 17 1, 2002. Judge, TA, Locke, EA Durham, CC 1997, The dispositional causes of job satisfaction: A core evaluations approach, In Staw BM, Cummings LL, (Eds.), Research in organizational behaviour, vol. 19, pp. 151-188. Judge, TA Llies, R 2002, Relationship of Personality to Performance Motivation: A Meta-Analytic Review, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 87, no.4, pp. 797-807. Judge, TA, Daniel, H Mount, MK 2002, Five-Factors of Model Personality and Job Satisfaction: A Meta Analysis, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 87, no.3, pp. 530-541. Chen, J Silverthorne, C 2008, The impact of locus of control on job stress, job performance and job satisfaction in Taiwan, Leadership Organization Development Journal, Vol. 29, issue 7, pp. 572-582. Kanfer, R 1990, Motivation theory and industrial and organizational psychology, In Dunnette, MD Hough LM, (Eds.), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology, vol. 1, Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press, pp. 75-170. Kristof, A 1996, Person-Organization Fit: An integrative review of its conceptualizations, measurements, and implications, Personnel Psychology, pp.1-2. Lent, RW, Brown, SD Larkin, KC 1987, Comparison of three theoretically derived variables in predicting career and academic behaviour, Self-efficacy, interest congruence, and consequence thinking, Journal of Counselling Psychology, Vol. 34, pp. 293-298. Locke, EA Latham, GP 1990, A theory of goal setting and task performance, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Neuman, GA Wright, J 1999, Team Effectiveness; Beyond Skills and Cognitive Ability, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 84, no.3, pp. 379-389. Sekiguchi, T 2004, Person-Organization Fit and Person Job Fit in employee Selection: A review of the Literature, Osaka Keidai Ronshu, vol.54, no. 6, p, 182. Smithikra, C 2008, Moderating effect of situational strength on the relationship between personality traits and counterproductive work behaviour, Vol 11, issue 4, pp. 253-263 Stajkovic, AD Luthans, F 1998a, Self-efficacy and work-related performance: A meta-analysis, Psychological Bulletin, 124, pp. 240-261. Stumpf, SA, Brief, AP Hartman, K. 1987, Self-efficacy expectations and coping with career-related events, Journal of Vocational Behaviour, Vol. 31, pp. 91-108. Taylor, MS, Locke, EA, Lee, C Gist, ME 1984, Type A: behaviour and faculty research productivity, What are the mechanisms? Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, 34, pp. 402-418. Van Scotter, JR Motowidlo, SJ 1996, Interpersonal facilitation and job dedication as separate facets of contextual performance, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 81, pp. 525-531. Wood, R Bandura, A 1989a, Impact of conceptions of ability on self-regulatory mechanisms and complex decision-making, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 56, pp. 407-415.

Slovenias transition from labor managed economy to privately owned capitalism :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1991 following a ten day military resistance to the Yugoslav National Army, Slovenia achieved its independence. Since then the country has established itself through economic prosperity and stability that is not always the case for countries transforming from a communist dominated system. During the period that Slovenia was a part of Yugoslavia the government consisted of a socialist system dominated by the communist party with most aspects of political power centered at regional levels. As a part of Yugoslavia Slovenia made up one fifth of its GDP and since its independence it has maintained a consistent GDP growth rate of 4% and has been successful in its transformation to a market dominated system by taking a policy of diversification of trade and an advocate of bilateral and regional free trade agreements.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Slovenia is a small country in central Europe. It borders the Adriatic Sea and lies between Austria and Croatia. Slovenia is slightly smaller than New Jersey and has a population of just over two million people. Its strong historical ties to Western Europe along with many other factors such as a literacy rate of 99.7% have resulted in Slovenia enjoying a much higher per capita GDP than other transitioning economies in Central Europe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The policy change that Slovenia experienced upon its independence involved a change from labor managed enterprises to a privately owned capitalist system. This task involves the privatization of the entire market from a socially owned and planned system. The changes to the labor market that took place were the transformation from wage controls to a competitive labor market. This was not as big of an issue in Slovenia due to the negative influence that labor-managed enterprises had on wage and price controls. The attempts to distance itself from central planning and the ideal of a functioning labor market is one of the primary reasons that Slovenia has made the transition to a capitalist economy with relative ease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Towards the late 1980s the Yugoslav government recognized the need for economic change in order to prevent stagflation from occurring and to spur production. Actions taken included â€Å"liberalizing prices, wages, imports, and personal foreign currency accounts, which together would bring about equilibrium of relative prices.† These stabilization policies allowed corporations to act more autonomously and set the stage for the eventual transition to a capitalist economy by Slovenia after its independence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prior to the Slovene independence in 1991, the Yugoslav economy was based on labor-managed enterprises and basic price and wage controls.

Essay on Gregor as Catalyst for Metamorphosis -- Metamorphosis essays

Gregor as Catalyst for Metamorphosis of the Family    In Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Gregor is not the only presence that undergoes a complete transformation. Sometimes a change in one area of life will give way to changes in other areas, but the ensuing changes would not have come about without the first change that set things in motion. This is the case with Gregor and his family. Gregor’s family was in dire need of change, and Gregor’s condition became a powerful catalyst for that change. Gregor’s metamorphosis facilitates the change of his entire family, proving that oftentimes an outside source is needed to pull people out of a rut and get them on their feet again. Before Gregor turned into a giant bug, his entire family relied heavily on him in more ways than one. After his father’s business failed, Gregor became the main breadwinner of the household. He got a steady job and the entire family was happy, because a steady job accompanies steady income and a steady supply of food, as well. Over time, "they had simply got used to it, both the family and Gregor; the money was gratefully accepted and gladly given, but there was no special uprush of warm feeling" (95). Each member of the family becomes accustomed to an easy life in which needs and wants are provided for. This routine causes the individuals in the family to stagnate and live unproductively. The family begins to follow a path of exis... ...ometimes it is only through the changes of another, in this case Gregor, that people themselves begin to transform. The sacrifice of Gregor allows his family to leave its protective cove and journey out into the world, discovering what life has to offer. Works Cited Eggenschwiler, David. "'The Metamorphosis', Freud, and the Chains of Odysseus". Franz Kafka: Modern Critical Views. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. 199-219. Emrich, Wilhelm. Franz Kafka: A Critical Study of His Writings. New York: Ungar, 1968. Kafka, Franz. Metamorphosis. Trans. A.L. Lloyd. New York: Vanguard Press, Inc., 1946. Pawel, Ernst. The Nightmare of Reason. New York: Vintage Books, 1984. Essay on Gregor as Catalyst for Metamorphosis -- Metamorphosis essays Gregor as Catalyst for Metamorphosis of the Family    In Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Gregor is not the only presence that undergoes a complete transformation. Sometimes a change in one area of life will give way to changes in other areas, but the ensuing changes would not have come about without the first change that set things in motion. This is the case with Gregor and his family. Gregor’s family was in dire need of change, and Gregor’s condition became a powerful catalyst for that change. Gregor’s metamorphosis facilitates the change of his entire family, proving that oftentimes an outside source is needed to pull people out of a rut and get them on their feet again. Before Gregor turned into a giant bug, his entire family relied heavily on him in more ways than one. After his father’s business failed, Gregor became the main breadwinner of the household. He got a steady job and the entire family was happy, because a steady job accompanies steady income and a steady supply of food, as well. Over time, "they had simply got used to it, both the family and Gregor; the money was gratefully accepted and gladly given, but there was no special uprush of warm feeling" (95). Each member of the family becomes accustomed to an easy life in which needs and wants are provided for. This routine causes the individuals in the family to stagnate and live unproductively. The family begins to follow a path of exis... ...ometimes it is only through the changes of another, in this case Gregor, that people themselves begin to transform. The sacrifice of Gregor allows his family to leave its protective cove and journey out into the world, discovering what life has to offer. Works Cited Eggenschwiler, David. "'The Metamorphosis', Freud, and the Chains of Odysseus". Franz Kafka: Modern Critical Views. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. 199-219. Emrich, Wilhelm. Franz Kafka: A Critical Study of His Writings. New York: Ungar, 1968. Kafka, Franz. Metamorphosis. Trans. A.L. Lloyd. New York: Vanguard Press, Inc., 1946. Pawel, Ernst. The Nightmare of Reason. New York: Vintage Books, 1984.

2001 USA Patriot Act is Unconstitutional and Ineffective Essays

I. Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks US Congress passed legislation known as the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 commonly known as the USA Patriot Act. This paper will attempt to prove that not only is the USA Patriot Act unconstitutional but many of its provisions do nothing at all to protect Americans from the dangers of terrorism. While this act made legislative changes that increased surveillance and the investigative powers of law enforcement agencies to protect America from further terrorist acts, the passing of the USA Patriot Act has reduced the privacy rights of Americans and also does not provide for a system of checks and balances that safeguard civil liberties. Terrorism is a serious matter that should not be handled lightly, but the act has gone over the top in trying to stop terrorism. The USA Patriot Act, enacted for protecting America from further attacks, not only does little if anything to protect Americans, but rather undermines their civil rights. The Patriot Act targets not only terrorists, but also the American people which it intended to protect. This paper will primarily speak of the violations of the First and Fourth Amendments and the lack of checks and balances in relation to the USA Patriot Act. II. Background   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the September 11th terrorist attacks, America was understandably frightened that this could happen again. Less than a week after the attacks the Bush administration introduced legislation that included items which had previously been voted down, sometimes repeatedly, by Congress. (Surveillance Under the USA Patriot Act) The Senate version of the Patriot Act, which closely resembled the legislation requested by Attorney General John Ashcroft, was sent straight to the floor with no discussion, debate, or hearings. Many Senators complained that they had little chance to read it much less analyze it before having to vote. In the House, hearings were held, and a carefully constructed compromise bill emerged from the Judiciary Committee. But then, with no debate or consultation with rank-and-file members, the House leadership threw out the compromise bill and replaced it with legislation that mirrored the Senate version. Neither discussion nor amendments were permitted, and once... ... feel rushed as they did with the signing of this Act. Congress should review some of the terminology in the Act such as the definition of ‘Domestic terrorism’ to ensure we are not inadvertently including innocent individuals under the name of national security.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There should be a system of checks and balances where congress must review the methods the FBI, CIA and other law enforcement agencies are using in relation to wire taps, search warrants etc. Congress must ensure that the intelligence gathered is used in connection with terrorists and not just criminals in general.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  States and the private sector should get more involved in security at the airports, banking procedures and surveillance so that the federal government does not have complete control and overstep their boundaries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, the idea behind the 2001 USA Patriot Act was a solid one made in a time of extreme duress and fearfulness. Now that we have had time to readjust and really look at the consequences of this act, it is time to reevaluate and pass into law a modified version to keep in line with what our forefathers believed for our country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Family & Friends

Families look forward to vacation time it is always exciting. The family has to choose where they will vacation. There are things to consider when picking the right vacation location that everyone in the family will enjoy. Two common-places families choose for vacation is Disney, and a cruise. Both places have a variety of activities, which are fun. The cruise offers activities that Disney cannot offer and Disney offers activities the cruise cannot offer. Disney, and the cruise are totally different.This essay will compare and contrast the types of activities, climate, and the locations of Disney and the cruise. Both vacation locations have a variety to offer, and the choice will depend on what the family is seeking to accomplish on vacation. First, the tree aspects of Disney are types of activities, climate, and location. It is important for a vacation to be enjoyable that the climate is pleasant. The hot weather in Florida is the first barrier to enjoying Disney, but the temperatur e and climate in Florida determines the types of activities Disney offers.Florida is a place that is always hot, and during the summer it rains every day. Disney is on land and the only water involvement is the water theme parks. A person can choose not to participate in the water activities if he or she cannot swim. The rain, however; does not mess up the vacation plans because the sun shines most of the time. The theme parks, water parks, shopping, and eating with characters are some of the activities the family can enjoy in Disney. Disney brings out the child in every adult, and children literally lose him or herself in the activities.Fun and sun are two words that describe Disney. The night life in Disney is fun however; the excitement is during the day. Second, the three aspects of a cruise are types of activities, climate, and location. The climate for a cruise is both warm, and cold, and it is important depending on where a person wants to travel. If a person dislikes the oce an, he or she may have a hard time on a cruise. Another issue for a cruise is becoming sea sick and not participating in the activities. The sea and the warm climate determine the available activities on a cruise.Gambling, nightclubs, formal dinners, and excursions are some activities individuals enjoy when going on a cruise. The night life on the cruise is the exciting part for adults and the day life is more exciting for the children. In some of the cities the cruise docks restaurants, dancing, and parties are everywhere. There are many cruise lines and locations people can go and have a vacation to remember. Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Carnival are cruise lines that families can travel with, and have fun. There are cruises for the entire family and for adults only. Releted essay –Â  An Empty Purse Frightens Away FriendsDepending on what a person is trying to experience a cruise has a variety of locations to offer. With a cruise the family can travel outside the country and experience other cultures. No matter which place a family decides to choose fun is a guarantee. Families often choose one of two locations to spend their vacation. Much preparation goes into the vacation planning, and depending on which activities, location, and climate the choice is made. Sometimes taking a risk on a different vacation spot can be fun and exciting.Disney is one location, and a cruise can offer a variety of different locations. When an individual thinks of Disney, he or she thinks family, Mickey Mouse, theme parks, and hot. When an individual thinks of a cruise, he or she thinks of partying, drinking, and a getaway from the children. Expanding and changing the mind to enjoy where ever, a person vacations is rewarding. Fun and excitement is the ultimat e goal of any vacation. Family vacations bring the family closer together, and this is a time for bonding.