Intervening Variable Definition and Examples in Sociology

Intervening Variable Definition and Examples in Sociology An intervening variable is something that impacts the relationship between an independent and a dependent variable. Usually, the intervening variable is caused by the independent variable, and is itself a cause of the dependent variable. For example, there is an observed positive correlation between level of education and level of income, such that people with higher levels of education tend to earn higher levels of income. This observable trend, however, is not directly causal in nature. Occupation serves as the intervening variable between the two, since education level (the independent variable) influences what kind of occupation one will have (the dependent variable), and therefore how much money one will earn.  In other words, more schooling tends to mean a higher status job, which in turn tends to bring a higher income. How an Intervening Variable Works When researchers conduct experiments or studies they are usually interested in understanding the relationship between two variables: an independent and a dependent variable. The independent variable is usually hypothesized to be the cause of the dependent variable, and the research is designed to prove whether or not this is true. In many cases, like the link between education and income described above, a statistically significant relationship is observable, but it is not proven that the indirect variable is directly causing the dependent variable to behave as it does. When this occurs researchers then hypothesize what other variables could be influencing the relationship, or how a variable might intervene between the two. With the example given above, occupation intervenes to mediate the connection between level of education and level of income. (Statisticians consider an intervening variable to be a kind of mediating variable.) Thinking causally, the intervening variable  follows the independent variable but precedes the dependent variable. From a research standpoint, it clarifies the nature of the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Other Examples of Intervening Variables in Sociology Research Another example of an intervening variable that sociologists monitor is the effect of systemic racism on college completion rates. There is a documented relationship between race and college completion rates. Research shows that among 25 to 29-year-old adults in the U.S., Asian Americans are most likely to have completed college, followed by whites, while Blacks and Hispanics have much lower rates of college completion. This represents a statistically significant relationship between race (independent variable) and level of education (dependent variable). However, it is not accurate to say that race itself influences level of education. Rather, the experience of racism is an intervening variable between the two.​ Many studies have shown that racism has a strong effect on the quality of K-12 education that one receives in the U.S. The nations long history of segregation and housing patterns today mean that the nations least-funded schools primarily serve students of color while the nations best-funded schools primarily serve white students. In this way, racism intervenes to affect the quality of education. Additionally, studies have shown that implicit racial biases among educators lead to Black and Latino students receiving less encouragement and more discouragement in the classroom than white and Asian students, and also, that they are more regularly and harshly punished for acting out. This means that racism, as it manifests in the thoughts and actions of educators, once again intervenes to impact college completion rates on the basis of race. There are numerous other ways in which racism acts as an intervening variable between race and level of education.

Latin Names and Terms for Family Members

Latin Names and Terms for Family Members English kinship terms, although not completely transparent even to those who grew up using them, lack the complexity found in many other language systems. English speakers might struggle to determine whether someone is a cousin once removed or a second cousin, but we dont have to think twice about what the title is for a parents sister. It doesnt matter if the parent is the father or the mother: the name is the same: aunt.  In Latin, we would have to know whether the aunt is on the fathers side, an amita, or on the mothers, a matertera. This is not restricted to kinship terms. In terms of the sounds a language makes, there is a compromise made between ease of articulation and ease of understanding. In the realm of vocabulary, the ease might be the ease of memorizing a small number of specialized terms vs the need of others to know to whom youre referring. Sibling is more general than sister or brother. In English, we have both, but only those. In other languages, there might be a term for an older sister or younger brother and maybe none for a sibling, which could be considered too general to be useful.   For those who grew up speaking, for instance, Farsi or Hindi, this list may seem as it should be, but for us English speakers, it may take some time. soror, sororis, f. sisterfrater, fratris, m. brothermater, matris, f. motherpater, patris, m. fatheravia, -ae, f. grandmotheravus, -i, m. grandfatherproavia, -ae, f. great-grandmotherproavus, -i, m. great-grandfatherabavia, f. great-great-grandmotherabavus, m. great-great-grandfatheratavia, f. great-great-great-grandmotheratavus, m. great-great-great-grandfathernoverca, -ae. f. stepmothervitricus, -, m. stepfatherpatruus, -i, m. paternal unclepatruus magnus, m. paternal great-unclepropatruus, m. paternal great-great uncleavunculus, -i, m. maternal uncleavunculus magnus, m. maternal great-uncleproavunculus, m. maternal great-great uncleamita, -ae, f. paternal auntamita magna, f. paternal great auntproamita, f. paternal great-great auntmatertera, -ae, f. maternal auntmatertera magna, f. maternal great-auntpromatertera, f. maternal great-great-auntpatruelis, -is, m./f. paternal cousinsobrinus, -i, m. maternal boy cousinsobrina, -ae, f. maternal girl cousinvitrici filius/filia, m./f. pat ernal step-sibling ï » ¿novercae filius/filia, m./f. maternal step-siblingfilius, -i, m. sonfilia, -ae. f. daughterprivignus, -i, m. stepsonprivigna, -ae, f. stepdaughternepos, nepotis, m. grandsonneptis, neptis, f. grand-daughterabnepos/abneptis, m./f. great-grandson/great-granddaughteradnepos/adneptis, m./f. great-great-grandso/great-great-granddaughter Source Sandys, John Edwin, 1910. A Companion to Latin Studies. Cambridge University Press: London.

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 24

Economics - Essay Example onsuming them till they are in a position of not being able to afford them or need some other external causes to prevent their usage; sometimes people might even go beyond their capacity to get hold of the commodities. In such cases, the government has to impose a very high tax on the particular item for the welfare of the society (George & Wilding, 1984). Thus, the main reason operating behind the imposition of high taxes on addiction items is the price inelasticity of demand (Baumol & Blinder, 2008). One such item of addiction is tobacco that is often considered as being one of the most harmful and hazardous elements of consumption as well and this is the reason why the government of all concerned nations have decided to impose a high tax on the same. When tax is imposed on a commodity, it results to an upward shift in the supply curve of the commodity but the demand curve remains unchanged. This is because, the tax in such cases are imposed in the form of higher prices and thus are sales tax (Aronson, Hilley & Maxwell, 1986). So these taxes are indirect in the sense that they are transferred from the seller to the buyer. In case of a sales tax, the retailers will buy lower quantity of a product from the wholesalers which subsequently lead to a fall in the supply of the commodity – this factor is reflected through an upward shift in the supply curve. For a commodity like tobacco having a very low price elasticity of demand, an upward shift in the supply curve with demand remaining constant, leads to a rise in the position of the equilibrium point and consequently, a fall in the equilibrium quantity and a rise in the equilibrium price. However, the fall in quantity is not in proportion to the rise in the final price (Lipsey & Harbury, 1992). Thus, it is found that the imposition of taxes on items like tobacco, which have a very low price elasticity of demand, is that, they serve a two-fold purpose. Firstly, it leads to a fall in aggregate consumption so as to

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Marketing - Essay Example Market segmentation was introduced in 1956 by Wendell Smith, and since then it has, more than any other marketing concept, been the subject of scholarly discussion and inquiry (Quinn, 2009). His main argument lay in the sense that goods will be able to realize their maximum potential utility if the differences among market segments were recognized and catered to, rather than if goods were produced indiscriminately for the mass market (Foedermayr & Diamantopoulos, 2008). The wisdom in segmentation is that it aids in creating a homogeneous group out of a heterogeneous market, for which a more effective marketing mix may be designed. This enhances the attractiveness of the firm and its products to the target segment, by allowing the company to more ably meet the customers’ perceived needs. Furthermore, the segmentation exercise undertaken by the company in the process of strategizing better enables the company to more specifically determine and understand customer needs, and the criteria by which such needs may be segmented. A closer match could therefore be created between the product design, the marketing approach, and the requirements of the customers (McDonald & Dunbar, 2007). Market segmentation is conceived of as a highly useful â€Å"sense-making† tool, often for the purpose of communicating to the targeted market in the most effective way (Quinn, 2009, p. 253). However, the degree to which it is useful as a tool for creating specific strategic plans is the subject of current debate. A salient criticism against reliance on segmentation as a concept emerged in the 1990s. At that time it became apparent to some scholars that consumer lifestyles continue to grow increasingly fragmented. As a result, market segmentation appears to become more and more ineffective as a valid method for defining the market of a firm (Quinn, 2009; Charles, 2002; Holt, 1997). The idea of â€Å"lifestyle† has been used to define market segments, but more and mor e the concept has become vague and ambiguous. In practice, it has become difficult to define in detail all customers served by a firm or industry, and increasingly the approach to segmentation is to identify the criteria most important to that business and divide the customers into groups according to those categories that are most manageable (Quinn, 2009, p. 255). The variations in lifestyles and the wide variety of differentiated products have created not a few general homogeneous markets; on the contrary, and for some industries in particular, customization of product and service designs have become the standard. For instance, in addressable and interactive communications are profiled against individualized customer analytics and propensity modelling; these assist in determining the likelihood that specific propositions shall be accepted (Bailey, Baines, Wilson & Clark, 2009). 2. What are the different segmentation processes for both B2C and B2B? To understand the different appro aches concerning B2C and B2B markets, it is necessary to define the terms. B2C is short for business-to-customer; that is, the business that supplies the product, whether good or service, is targeting the end user or individual consumer. On the other hand, B2B refers

Rule Utilitarianism Essay Example for Free

Rule Utilitarianism Essay Mills Utilitarianism brings an extended concept of Benthams philosophy and a response to Kants deontological philosophy. The basic concept of utilitarianism is to act in such a way as to create the most pleasure or the least pain. This is the guideline because, as Mill states, we desire happiness; happiness is maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain. However, is utilitarianism viable? There are many arguments for it, but just as many against. First, utilitarianism allows for the good of all. Mills wrote, Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. Because morality is based on the greatest pleasure the more people who benefit from an act, the more moral it is. This prevents a single person from only acting for his own benefit by requiring the consideration of his acts on others. It also allows difficult moral decisions to be made on a governmental level by considering the needs of the many. For example, it is policy in a hostage situation to refuse to give in to the captors. This is morally justified even if it endangers the lives of the hostages because the greater pain lies in encouraging future hostage situations by yielding to the captors. Another positive aspect of utilitarianism is that there is a purpose to the morality. One acts morally because it causes pleasure and happiness, or prevents as much pain as possible. In fact pleasure and freedom from pain are the only ends desirable in and of themselves. This differs from the deontological concept of philosophy, where an act is not good because it causes pleasure, but only when it is done out of duty from universal maxims. This also creates problems of motivation that are avoided by Mills Utilitarianism. According to Kant, saving a mans life for a reward or other personal gain is immoral because of the motivation, however Mill would find that this act is indeed moral because saving a life, no matter the intention, prevents the most pain and causes the most pleasure. Not only is there a purpose behind utilitarian morality, but there is also an inherent flexibility within utilitarianism. Because each act is examined for its moral worth, there is not the rigidity that is found within Kants universal maxims. With Kants deontological philosophy creates moral dilemmas when an act that would seem to be moral goes against a universal maxim. For example, a universal maxim of Do not kill would need to be broken in a situation of self-defense. While Kant provides for this with a universalization rule, utilitarianisms individual examination of each act allows morality to be more specific and adaptable. While a murder would almost always be immoral, killing in defense of self would almost always be moral. A negative to utilitarianism is that, though adding to flexibility, the individual evaluation of an act takes time. To do this mental weighing of pleasure and pain before every act, or even every major act, is not only time consuming but many times self-defeating. Situations that require an immediate action cannot wait while everyone ponders the morality of their potential actions. In fact, it could be posited that a person must ponder the morality of stopping to ponder the morality of the original action. That path leads to turtles all the way down. Mill does have a response to this however: the state of passive sensibility, and though originally an offshoot from it, may in time take root and detach itself from the parent stock; so much so, that in the case of an habitual purpose, instead of willing the thing because we desire it, we often desire it only because we will it. Or simply, habit will allow us to make decisions without always having to ponder the consequences. However as many people are not typically faced with emergency situations, they wont be able to develop a habit for the very situations that require the most immediate attention. Perhaps a more serious problem with utilitarianism is that it can be used to justify acts that society would consider unjust. A common example is slavery: if 95% of the population can be made happy when the other 5% is enslaved is slavery not the greatest good? Utilitarianism allows society to sacrifice the individual, or even the minority for the majority. If by speaking one lie, a person could save 4 lives than that lie would be a moral act; but if by killing one man, that same person could save 4 lives wouldnt utilitarianism find this too to be a moral act? Fortunately Mill has a response to the idea of removing an individuals rights for the good of the whole. . In chapter V of his essay he writes, To have a right, then, is, I conceive, to have something which society ought to defend me in the possession of. The reason for this, Mill states, is general utility. It is generally better to protect the rights of every man, because this will lead to the most happiness. However, it seems there is still a way to put society before the individual. Because the reason for protecting individual rights is general utility, if violating those rights will cause the least pain, as compared to pain for the whole society, it would be general utility to violate these rights. But perhaps it is sometimes necessary to sacrifice one for the good of all. Utilitarianism has some strong arguments both for and against. And it also has another out because there is a distinction between two different types of utilitarianism. Act utilitarianism examines each action for its moral worth, but rule utilitarianism creates general values of moral worth. Does rule utilitarianism help answer some of the negatives of utilitarianism? It definitely solves the issue of time. With rule utilitarianism a person no longer must consider his every single move. There are general guidelines that cover the everyday situations. That downside is that there cant be good guidelines for extraordinary situations, so the issue of time being required when there is the least time to spare is still present. Rule utilitarianism also protects the rights of the individual. Taking into account general utility allows a general rule to be made guarding every persons rights. This isnt to say the rule couldnt be broken, but it would require extraordinary circumstances that made the general utility violate the rule. Overall, utilitarianism is a viable option as a system of morality. http://www. utilitarianism. com/mill1. htm- online text of Mills Utilitarianism.

Essay --

Can stem cells heal a broken heart? Aaron Cathcart of Franklinton, Louisiana suffered from congestive heart failure. His doctors had only given him a week to live because of the severity of his disease. Cathcart was accepted into an experimental stem cell trial program, where a sample of his bone marrow was taken and grown in a lab a few weeks before his open heart surgery. The cells were then multiplied in an incubator and then during his surgery, were injected into his heart. In the months to follow, Cathcart’s recovery was very remarkable and his repaired heart was almost as strong as a normal heart. His wife, Betty, was overjoyed that the trial gave her husband a longer life to live with her â€Å"Is stem cell research necessary?†. Stem cells are a treatment option that needs to be taken advantage of because it can be used to help cure anything from diabetes to heart disease and due to unethical reasons, is under researched and labeled as unnecessary. Stem cells are unspecialized cells that can â€Å"develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth† (nih.go...

Prerequisites for Marketing Essay

In order for any organization or company to successfully market their product there are certain prerequisites that must be met. The first thing needed, is for there to be at least two parties that have a certain need which is not being met. It could be Senior that needs some daily social outlet; and an Adult Day Care that is looking to offer seniors a social outlet, included in this prerequisite there must clearly be an exchange transpiring between the two parties; The Adult Day Care will offer the senior a social outlet in exchange for a reimbursement from the seniors Insurance. The second prerequisite obviously is for one party to have the desire, or the means to fulfill the other parties needs. Last but not least there needs to be some sort of communication between the two parties, where each one learns of the others existence, and wants. A politician running for Governor must find out what the people that live in the state he is running for want. If the politician feels that the people in the state want marijuana to be legalized then he should run campaign ads saying that he will legalize marijuana. He should speak at college campuses, and hold events at places where there is known to be a high usage of marijuana use. The politicians need is to become Governor; the people’s need is for marijuana to be legalized. The politician will be able to facilitate the peoples need if they facilitate his – voting for him. A consumer that seeks physical therapy, must first make sure he has sufficient funds to pay for his physical therapy. Either from his own private funds, or he has an Insurance that will cover the costs for his physical therapy. Then he must find a rehab center that will offer him the specific physical therapy that he needs. There are several factors that a company needs to look into before choosing health coverage for its employees. The first thing is to see if the employees are willing to work without getting health benefits. If you can get good employees that don’t demand health benefits, then there is no need for the company to spend the money, providing them with health care. If the only way you can get good qualified employees, is by providing them with health care.

Forward the Foundation Chapter 13

16 Gambol Deen Namarti was not, at even the best of times, noted for his politeness and suavity-and the approaching climax of a decade of planning had left his disposition sour. He rose from his chair with some agitation and said, â€Å"You've taken your time getting here, Andorin.† Andorin shrugged. â€Å"But I'm here.† â€Å"And this young man of yours-this remarkable tool that you're touting. Where is he?† â€Å"He'll be here eventually.† â€Å"Why not now?† Andorin's rather handsome head seemed to sink a bit, as though he were lost in thought or coming to a decision, and then he said abruptly, â€Å"I don't want to bring him until I know where I stand.† â€Å"What does that mean?† â€Å"Simple words in Galactic Standard. How long has it been your aim to get rid of Hari Seldon?† â€Å"Always! Always! Is that so hard to understand? We deserve revenge for what he did to Jo-Jo. Even if he hadn't done that, since he's the First Minister, we'd have to put him out of the way.† â€Å"But it's Cleon-Cleon-who must be brought down. If not only he, then at least he, in addition to Seldon.† â€Å"Why does a figurehead concern you?† â€Å"You weren't born yesterday. I've never had to explain my part in this because you're not so ignorant a fool as not to know. What can I possibly care about your plans if they don't include a replacement on the throne?† Namarti laughed. â€Å"Of course. I've known for a long time that you look upon me as your footstool, your way of climbing up to the Imperial throne.† â€Å"Would you expect anything else?† â€Å"Not at all. I will do the planning, take the chances, and then, when all is quite done, you gather in the reward. It makes sense, doesn't it?† â€Å"Yes, it does make sense, for the reward will be yours, too. Won't you become the First Minister? Won't you be able to count on the full support of a new Emperor, one who is filled with gratitude? Won't I be†-and his face twisted with irony as he spat out the words-â€Å"the new figurehead?† â€Å"Is that what you plan to be? A figurehead?† â€Å"I plan to be the Emperor. I supplied advances of credit when you had none. I supplied the cadre when you had none. I supplied the respectability you needed to build a large organization here in Wye. I can still withdraw everything I've brought in.† â€Å"I don't think so.† â€Å"Do you want to risk it? Don't think you can treat me the way you treated Kaspalov, either. If anything happens to me, Wye will become uninhabitable for you and yours-and you will find that no other sector will supply you with what you need.† Namarti sighed. â€Å"Then you insist on having the Emperor killed.† â€Å"I didn't say ‘killed.' I said `brought down.' The details I leave to you.† This last statement was accompanied with an almost dismissive wave of the hand, a flick of the wrist, as if Andorin were already sitting on the Imperial throne. â€Å"And then you'll be Emperor?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"No, you won't. You'll be dead-and not at my hands, either. Andorin, let me teach you some of the facts of life. If Cleon is killed, then the matter of the succession comes up and, to avoid civil war, the Imperial Guard will at once kill every member of the Wyan Mayoral family they can find-you first of all. On the other hand, if only the First Minister is killed, you will be safe.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"A First Minister is only a First Minister. They come and go. It is possible that Cleon himself may have grown tired of him and arranged the murder. Certainly we would see to it that rumors of this sort are spread. The Imperial Guard would hesitate and would give us a chance to put the new government into place. Indeed, it is quite possible that they themselves would be grateful for the end of Seldon.† â€Å"And with the new government in place, what am I to do? Keep on waiting? Forever?† â€Å"No. Once I'm First Minister, there will be ways of dealing with Cleon. I may even be able to do something with the Imperial Guard-and even with the security establishment-and use them all as my instruments. I will then manage to find some safe way of getting rid of Cleon and replacing him with you.† Andorin burst out, â€Å"Why should you?† Namarti said, â€Å"What do you mean, why should I?† â€Å"You have a personal grudge against Seldon. Once he is gone, why should you run unnecessary risks at the highest level? You will make your peace with Cleon and I will have to retire to my crumbling estate and my impossible dreams. And perhaps, to play it safe, you will have me killed.† Namarti said, â€Å"No! Cleon was born to the throne. He comes from several generations of Emperors-the proud Entun Dynasty. He would he very difficult to handle, a plague. You, on the other hand, would come to the throne as a member of a new dynasty, without any strong ties to tradition, for the previous Wyan Emperors were, you will admit, totally undistinguished. You will be seated on a shaky throne and will need someone to support you-me. And I will need someone who is dependent upon me and whom I can therefore handle you. Come, Andorin, ours is not a marriage of love, which fades in a year; it is a marriage of convenience, which can last as long as we both live. Let us trust each other.† â€Å"You swear I will be Emperor.† â€Å"What good would swearing do if you couldn't trust my word? Let us say I would find you an extraordinarily useful Emperor and I would want you to replace Cleon as soon as that can safely be managed. Now introduce me to this man you think will be the perfect tool for your purposes.† â€Å"Very well. And remember what makes him different. I have studied him. He's a not-very-bright idealist. He will do what he's told, unconcerned by danger, unconcerned by second thoughts. And he exudes a kind of trustworthiness so that his victim will trust him, even if he has a blaster in his hand.† â€Å"I find that impossible to believe.† â€Å"Wait till you meet him,† said Andorin. 17 Raych kept his eyes down. He had taken a quick look at Namarti and it was all he needed. He had met the man ten years before, when Raych had been sent to lure Jo-Jo Joranum to his destruction, and one look was more than enough. Namarti had changed little in ten years. Anger and hatred were still the dominant characteristics one could see in him-or that Raych could see in him, at any rate, for he realized he was not an impartial witness-and those seemed to have marinated him into leathery permanence. His face was a trifle more gaunt, his hair was flecked with gray, but his thin-lipped mouth was set in the same harsh line and his dark eyes were as brilliantly dangerous as ever. That was enough and Raych kept his eyes averted. Namarti, he felt, was not the type of person who would take to someone who could stare lm straight in the face. Namarti seemed to devour Raych with his own eyes, but the slight sneer his face always seemed to wear remained. He turned to Andorin, who stood uneasily to one side, and said, quite;is though the subject of conversation were not present, â€Å"This is the man, then.† Andorin nodded and his lips moved in a soundless â€Å"Yes, Chief.† Namarti said to Raych abruptly, â€Å"Your name.† â€Å"Planchet, sir.† â€Å"You believe in our cause?† â€Å"Yes, sir.† He spoke carefully, in accordance with Andorin's instructions. â€Å"I am a democrat and want greater participation of the people in the governmental process.† Namarti's eyes flicked in Andorin's direction. â€Å"A speechmaker.† He looked back at Raych. â€Å"Are you willing to undertake risks for the cause?† â€Å"Any risk, sir.† â€Å"You will do as you are told? No questions? No hanging back?† â€Å"I will follow orders.† â€Å"Do you know anything about gardening?† Raych hesitated. â€Å"No, sir.† â€Å"You're a Trantorian, then? Born under the dome?† â€Å"I was born in Millimaru, sir, and I was brought up in Dahl.† â€Å"Very well,† said Namarti. Then to Andorin, â€Å"Take him out and deliver him temporarily to the men waiting there. They will take good care of him. Then come back, Andorin. I want to speak to you.† When Andorin returned, a profound change had come over Namarti. His eyes were glittering and his mouth was twisted into a feral grin. â€Å"Andorin,† he said, â€Å"the gods we spoke of the other day are with us to an extent I couldn't have imagined.† â€Å"I told you the man was suitable for our purposes.† â€Å"Far more suitable than you think. You know, of course, the tale of how Hari Seldon our revered First Minister, sent his son-or foster son, rather-to see Joranum and to set the trap into which Joranum, against my advice, fell.† â€Å"Yes,† said Andorin, nodding wearily, â€Å"I know the story.† He said it with the air of one who knew the story entirely too well. â€Å"I saw that boy only that once, but his image burned into my brain. Do you suppose that ten years' passage and false heels and a shaved mustache could fool me? That Planchet of yours is Raych, the foster son of Hari Seldon.† Andorin paled and held his breath for a moment. He said, â€Å"Are you sure of that, Chief?† â€Å"As sure as I am that you're standing here in front of me and that you have introduced an enemy into our midst.† â€Å"I had no idea-â€Å" â€Å"Don't get nervous,† said Namarti. â€Å"I consider it the best thing you have ever done in your idle aristocratic life. You have played the role that the gods have marked out for you. If I had not known who he was, he might have fulfilled the function for which he was undoubtedly intended: to be a spy in our midst and an informant of our most secret plans. But since I know who he is, it won't work that way. Instead, we now have everything.† Namarti rubbed his hands together in delight and, haltingly, as if he realized how far out of character it was for him, he smiled-and laughed. 18 Manella said thoughtfully, â€Å"I guess I won't be seeing you anymore, Planchet.† Raych was drying himself after his shower. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Gleb Andorin doesn't want me to.† â€Å"Why not?† Manella shrugged her smooth shoulders. â€Å"He says you have important work to do and no more time to fool around. Maybe he means you'll get a better job.† Raych stiffened. â€Å"What kind of work? Did he mention anything in particular?† â€Å"No, but he said he would be going to the Imperial Sector.† â€Å"Did he? Does he often tell you things like that?† â€Å"You know how it is, Planchet. When a fellow's in bed with you, he talks a lot.† â€Å"I know,† said Raych, who was always careful not to. â€Å"What else does he say?† â€Å"Why do you ask?† She frowned a bit. â€Å"He always asks about you, too. I noticed that about men. They're curious about each other. Why is that, do you suppose?† â€Å"What do you tell him about me?† â€Å"Not much. Just that you're a very decent sort of guy. Naturally I don't tell him that I like you better than I like him. That would hurt his feelings-and it might hurt me, too.† Raych was getting dressed. â€Å"So it's good-bye, then.† â€Å"For a while, I suppose. Gleb may change his mind. Of course, I'd like to go to the Imperial Sector-if he'd take me. I've never been there.† Raych almost slipped, but he managed to cough, then said, â€Å"I've never been there, either.† â€Å"It's got the biggest buildings and the nicest places and the fanciest restaurants-and that's where the rich people live. I'd like to meet some rich people-besides Gleb, I mean.† Raych said, â€Å"I suppose there's not much you can get out of a person like me.† â€Å"You're all right. You can't think of credits all the time, but you've got to think of them some of the time. Especially since I think Gleb is getting tired of me.† Raych felt compelled to say, â€Å"No one could get tired of you,† and then found, a little to his own confusion, that he meant it. Manella said, â€Å"That's what men always say, but you'd be surprised. Anyway, it's been good, you and I, Planchet. Take care of yourself and, who knows, we may see each other again.† Raych nodded and found himself at a loss for words. There was no way in which he could say or do anything to express his feelings. He turned his mind in other directions. He had to find out what the Namarti people were planning. If they were separating him from Manella, the crisis must be rapidly approaching. All he had to go on was that odd question about gardening. Nor could he get any further information back to Seldon. He had been kept under close scrutiny since his meeting with Namarti and all avenues of communication were cut off-surely another indication of an approaching crisis. But if he were to find out what was going on only after it was done-and if he could communicate the news only after it was no longer news-he would have failed. 19 Hari Seldon was not having a good day. He had not heard from Raych since his first communique; he had no idea what was happening. Aside from his natural concern for Raych's safety (surely he would hear if something really bad had happened), there was his uneasiness over what might be planned. It would have to be subtle. A direct attack on the Palace itself was totally out of the question. Security there was far too tight. But if so, what else could be planned that would be sufficiently effective? The whole thing was keeping him awake at night and distracted by day. The signal light flashed. â€Å"First Minister. Your two o'clock appointment, sir-â€Å" â€Å"What two o'clock appointment is this?† â€Å"Mandell Gruber, the gardener. He has the necessary certification.† Seldon remembered. â€Å"Yes. Send him in.† This was no time to see Gruber, but he had agreed to it in a moment of weakness-the man had seemed distraught. A First Minister should not have such moments of weakness, but Seldon had been Seldon long before he had become First:Minister. â€Å"Come in, Gruber,† he said kindly. Gruber stood before him, head ducking mechanically, eyes darting this way and that. Seldon was quite certain the gardener had never been in any room as magnificent as this one and he had the bitter urge to say: â€Å"Do you like it? Please take it. I don't want it.† But he only said, â€Å"What is it, Gruber? Why are you so unhappy† There was no immediate answer; Gruber merely smiled vacantly. Seldon said, â€Å"Sit down, man. Right there in that chair.† â€Å"Oh no, First Minister. It would not be fitting. I'll get it dirty.† â€Å"If you do, it will be easy to clean. Do as I say. Good! Now just sit there a minute or two and gather your thoughts. Then, when you are ready, tell me what's the matter.† Gruber sat silent for a moment, then the words came out in a panting rush. â€Å"First Minister. It is Chief Gardener I am to be. The blessed Emperor himself told me so.† â€Å"Yes, I have heard of that, but that surely isn't what is troubling you. Your new post is a matter of congratulations and I do congratulate you. I may even have contributed to it, Gruber. I have never forgotten your bravery at the time I was nearly killed and you can be sure I mentioned it to His Imperial Majesty. It is a suitable reward, Gruber, and you would deserve the promotion in any case, for it is quite clear from your record that you are fully qualified for the post. So, now that that's out of the way, tell me what is troubling you.† â€Å"First Minister, it is the very post and promotion that's troubling me. It is something I cannot manage, for I am not qualified.† â€Å"We are convinced you are.† Gruber grew agitated. â€Å"And is it in an office I will have to sit? I can't sit in an office. I could not go out in the open air and work with the plants and animals. I would be in prison, First Minister.† Seldon's eyes opened wide. â€Å"No such thing, Gruber. You needn't stay in the office longer than you have to. You could wander around the grounds freely, supervising everything. You will have all the outdoors you want and you will merely spare yourself the hard work.† â€Å"I want the hard work, First Minister, and it's no chance at all they will let me come out of the office. I have watched the present Chief Gardener. He couldn't leave his office, though he wanted to, ever so. There is too much administration, too much bookkeeping. Sure, if he wants to know what is going on, we must go to his office to tell him. He watches things on holovision â€Å"-he said with infinite contempt â€Å"as though you can tell anything about growing, living things from pictures. It is not for me, First Minister.† â€Å"Come, Gruber, be a man. It's not all that bad. You'll get used to it. You'll work your way in slowly.† Gruber shook his head. â€Å"First off-at the very first-I will have to deal with all the new gardeners. I'll be buried.† Then, with sudden energy, â€Å"It is a job I do not want and must not have, First Minister.† â€Å"Right now, Gruber, perhaps you don't want the job, but you are not alone. I'll tell you that right now I wish I were not First Minister. This job is too much for me. I even have a notion that there are times when the Emperor himself is tired of his Imperial robes. We're all in this Galaxy to do our work and the work isn't always pleasant.† â€Å"I understand that, First Minister, but the Emperor must be Emperor, for he was born to that. And you must be First Minister, for there is no one else who can do the job. But in my case, it is just Chief Gardener we are ruminating upon. There are fifty gardeners in the place who could do it as well as I could and who wouldn't mind the office. You say that you spoke to the Emperor about how I tried to help you. Can't you speak to him again and explain that if he wants to reward me for what I did, he can leave me as I am?† Seldon leaned back in his chair and said solemnly, â€Å"Gruber, I would do that for you if I could, but I must explain something to you and I can only hope that you will understand it. The Emperor, in theory, is absolute ruler of the Empire. In actual fact, there is very little he can do. I run the Empire right now much more than he does and there is very little I can do, too. There are millions and billions of people at all levels of government, all making decisions, all making mistakes, some acting wisely and heroically, some acting foolishly and thievishly. There's no controlling them. Do you understand me, Gruber?† â€Å"I do, but what has this to do with my case?† â€Å"Because there is only one place where the Emperor is really absolute ruler-and that is over the Imperial grounds. Here, his word is law and the layers of officials beneath him are few enough for him to handle. For him to be asked to rescind a decision he has made in connection with the Imperial Palace grounds would be to invade the only area that he would consider inviolate. If I were to say, ‘Take back your decision on Gruber, Your Imperial Majesty,' he would be much more likely to relieve me of my duties than to take back his decision. That might be a good thing for me, but it wouldn't help you any.† Gruber said, â€Å"Does that mean there's no way things can be changed?† â€Å"That's exactly what it means. But don't worry, Gruber, I'll help you all I can. I'm sorry. But now I have really spent all the time with you that I am able to spare.† Gruber rose to his feet. In his hands he twisted his green gardening cap. There was more than a suspicion of tears in his eyes. â€Å"Thank you, First Minister. I know you would like to help. You're-you're a good man, First Minister.† He turned and left, sorrowing. Seldon looked after him thoughtfully and shook his head. Multiply Gruber's woes by a quadrillion and you would have the woes of all the people of the twenty-five million worlds of the Empire and how was he, Seldon, to work out salvation for all of them, when he was helpless to solve the problem of one single man who had come to him for help? Psychohistory could not save one man. Could it save a quadrillion? He shook his head again, checked the nature and time of his next appointment, and then suddenly stiffened. He shouted into his communications wire in sudden wild abandon, quite unlike his usually strict control. â€Å"Get that gardener back! Get him back here right now!† 20 â€Å"What's this about new gardeners?† exclaimed Seldon. This time he did not ask Gruber to sit down. Gruber's eyes blinked rapidly. He was in a panic at having been recalled so unexpectedly. â€Å"N-new g-gardeners?† he stammered. â€Å"You said ‘all the new gardeners.' Those were your words. What new gardeners?† Gruber was astonished. â€Å"Sure, if there is a new Chief Gardener, there will be new gardeners. It is the custom.† â€Å"I have never heard of this.† â€Å"The last time we had a change of Chief Gardeners, you were not First Minister. It is likely you were not even on Trantor.† â€Å"But what's it all about?† â€Å"Well, gardeners are never discharged. Some die. Some grow too old and are pensioned off and replaced. Still, by the time a new Chief Gardener is ready for his duties, at least half the staff is aged and beyond their best years. They are all pensioned off generously and new gardeners are brought in.† â€Å"For youth.† â€Å"Partly and partly because by that time there are usually new plans for the gardens and it is new ideas and new schemes we must have. There are almost five hundred square kilometers in the gardens and parklands and it usually takes some years to reorganize it and it is myself who will have to supervise it all. Please, First Minister.† Gruber was gasping. â€Å"Surely a clever man like your own self can find a way to change the blessed Emperor's mind.† Seldon paid no attention. His forehead was creased in concentration. â€Å"Where do the new gardeners come from?† â€Å"There are examinations on all the worlds-there are always people waiting to serve as replacements. They'll be coming in by the hundreds in a dozen batches. It will take me a year, at the least-â€Å" â€Å"From where do they come? From where?† â€Å"From any of a million worlds. We want a variety of horticultural knowledge. Any citizen of the Empire can qualify.† â€Å"From Trantor, too?† â€Å"No, not from Trantor. There is no one from Trantor in the gardens.† His voice grew contemptuous. â€Å"You can't get a gardener out of Trantor. The parks they have here under the dome aren't gardens. They are potted plants and the animals are in cages. Trantorians, poor specimens that they are, know nothing about open air, free water, and the true balance of nature.† â€Å"All right, Gruber. I will now give you a job. It will be up to you to get me the names of every new gardener scheduled to arrive over the coming weeks. Everything about them. Name. World. Reference number. Education. Experience. Everything. I want it all here on my desk just as quickly as possible. I'm going to send people to help you. People with machines. What kind of a computer do you use?† â€Å"Only a simple one for keeping track of plantings and species and things like that.† â€Å"All right. The people I send will be able to do anything you can't do. I can't tell you how important this is.† â€Å"If I should do this-â€Å" â€Å"Gruber, this is not the time to make bargains. Fail me and you will not be Chief Gardener. Instead, you will be discharged without a pension.† Alone again, Seldon barked into his communication wire, â€Å"Cancel all appointments for the rest of the afternoon.† He then let his body flop in his chair, feeling every bit of his fifty years and feeling his headache worsen. For years, for decades, security had been built up around the Imperial Palace grounds, thicker, more solid, more impenetrable, as each new layer and each new device was added. And every once in a while, hordes of strangers were let into the grounds. No questions asked, probably, but one: â€Å"Can you garden?† The stupidity involved was too colossal to grasp. And he had barely caught it in time. Or had he? Was he, even now, too late?

management Information Systems essays

management Information Systems essays Running a business on your own requires a whole lot of work. One has to set their own hours and be their own boss. Yeah that may sound like fun, but speaking from experience its hand full. The high percentage of business failures clearly shows that while the intentions of wanting to run a successful business are good, the carrying out process is poor. Its almost like building a house without a blueprint and you'll have a lopsided construction that could crumple at any given time. Run a business with the same approach, and you'll get a similar result. If you're going to do it, do it right. One of the most important factors in running a business is knowing how to interpret data. One must know how to turn insignificant numbers into valuable information. As the owner of an aircraft component manufacturer I come across sheets and sheets of data that I must convert to significant information. To help you better understand the process Ive attached our most recent orders and suppliers data form, and I will explain the steps to follow so that you can turn those numbers into information. Here are the steps you need to consider: First you need to study the data, and understand what each number represents. Then you have to choose what factors are necessary for comparison to help improve your business. The first thing I chose to compare was the number of times I opted to use each company. To do this all we need to use is the name of each vendor. An easy way to count how many times they are on the list is to sort the data by vendor number. That gives you every vendor in order. This process will tell you which Vendor is more popular with my firm. I discovered that Fast-Tie Aerospace is the vendor me buy most often from. This will help my company discover where all our shopping is done. Second, I wanted to discover if I was doing the right thing by buying most of my supplies from Fast-Tie Aerospace. The...

Congress Approval Ratings - Historic Job Approval Data

Congress Approval Ratings - Historic Job Approval Data The approval rating for Congress is abysmally low, and most Americans say they have almost zero faith it can solve our most important problems and view its leaders with severe contempt. But they  also keep re-electing the  same people to represent them in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives  year after year. How can that be? How can an institution be more unpopular than Satan, feel pressure from Americans to set term limits for themselves  yet see 90 percent of its incumbents be re-elected?   Are voters confused? Fickle? Or just unpredictable? And why are approval ratings for Congress so low? Congress Approval Ratings Its no secret that Americans loathe Congress the institution. A majority of voters routinely tell pollsters they dont believe most members of the House and Senate deserve to  be re-elected.  Americans have held the nations legislative branch in low regard for years now, the public-opinion firm Gallup wrote in 2013.   In early 2014, the  portion of people who said the nations lawmakers should win re-election sunk to a low of 17 percent in Gallups survey.  The low approval rating  followed congressional inaction over spending limits and an inability to reach compromise on a number of issues or avoid the government shutdown of 2013. Gallups historical average of Americans supporting re-election for members of Congress is  39 percent.   And yet: Members of Congress have no trouble getting re-elected. Incumbents Are Safe Despite Congress historically abysmal approval ratings, well over 90 percent of House and Senate members who seek re-election win their races on average, according to data published from the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, D.C. Few things in life are more predictable than the chances of an incumbent member of the U.S. House of Representatives winning reelection, writes the Center for Responsive Politics.  With wide name recognition, and usually an insurmountable advantage in campaign cash, House incumbents typically have little trouble holding onto their seats. The same goes for members of the Senate. Why Our Lawmakers Keep Getting Re-Elected There are several reasons lawmakers keep getting re-elected aside from their name recognition and typically well funded campaign coffers. One of the reasons is that its easier to dislike an institution than it is a person, especially when that person is one of your neighbors. Americans can loathe the inability of the House and Senate to reach agreement on things like the national debt. But they find it more difficult to hold their lawmaker solely responsible. The popular sentiment seems to be, as The Washington Posts Chris Cillizza  once put it,  Throw the bums out. But not my bum. Times Are Changing That sentiment - Congress stinks but my representative is OK - seems to be fading, however. Pollsters at Gallup found in early 2014, for example, that a record-low portion of voters, 46 percent, said their own representative deserved re-election. The enduring unpopularity of Congress appears to have seeped into the nations 435 congressional districts, Gallup wrote. While Congress as an institution is no stranger to voter disenchantment, American voters are usually more charitable in their assessments of their own representatives in the national legislature. But even this has fallen to a new trough. Congress Approval Ratings Through History Heres a look at the Gallups organizations numbers by year. The approval ratings shown here are from the public opinion surveys conducted the latest in each year listed. 2016: 18%2015: 13%2014: 16%2013: 12%2012: 18%2011: 11%2010: 13%2009: 25%2008: 20%2007: 22%2006: 21%2005: 29%2004: 41%2003: 43%2002: 50%2001: 72%2000: 56%1999: 37%1998: 42%1997: 39%1996: 34%1995: 30%1994: 23%1993: 24%1992: 18%1991: 40%1990: 26%1989: Not Available1988: 42%1987: 42%1986:  42%1985:  Not Available1984:  Not Available1983: 33%1982: 29%1981: 38%1980: 25%1979: 19%1978: 29%1977: 35%1976: 24%1975: 28%1974: 35%

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Global Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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