Safety Cultures A Case Study from the Oil and Gas Industry free essay sample

These definitions share a common thread, the idea that culture is socially constructed. In other words, members of the culture in question create, define, protect and teach it to new members. Humans cannot operate without cultures. These systems provide roadIN BRIEF maps for their members to know how †¢This case study discusses to make sense of what is happening in how new training videos were their lives and how to deal with it. Patdeveloped for high-risk, blueton (2002) defines culture as: collar workers in the oil and [T]hat collection of behavior patgas extraction industry. terns and beliefs that constitutes: †¢NIOSH’s Oil and Gas Injury †¢standards for deciding what is; Reduction project is focused †¢standards for deciding how on developing culturally one feels about it; relevant and acceptable mate†¢standards for deciding what to rials for workers. do about it; †¢Steps for undertaking an †¢standards for deciding how to occupational ethnography or go about doing it. We will write a custom essay sample on Safety Cultures: A Case Study from the Oil and Gas Industry or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page p. 81) work culture study are examCulture has been described as â€Å"the ined, as are ideas on why work collective programming of the mind stories matter, and who might be the most effective people to which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from star in training videos. another† (Hofstede, 1997, p. 5). Sim†¢Tips on creating training ply, culture is â€Å"the way we do things videos in the field are offered around here. † as well. An individual can be a member of Elaine T. Cullen, Ph. D. , M. B. A. , CMSP, has spent nearly 40 years in the field of occupational safety and health research, specializing in underground coal and hard rock mining. Based in Spokane, WA, she worked for the U. S. Bureau of Mines’ Spokane Research Lab for 26 years, then for NIOSH, for which she was the lab’s communications chief. After retiring from the federal government, she started Prima Consulting Services and is currently working as an occupational health consultant with NIOSH’s Oil and Gas Injury Prevention program. Cullen’s primary research interests are in developing effective training for high-risk workers, and in the power stories have to teach workplace safety. She is a member of ASSE’s Inland Northwest Chapter and of the Mining and Oil Gas practice specialties. Effective Training By Elaine T. Cullen C many different cultures. A person may be a member of a family that has its own rules and traditions; s/he may be a member of a church that provides definite guidance on what constitutes moral behavior; s/he may be an alumnus of a school with well-defined customs; and s/he may work for an organization with established policies and procedures. Each culture differs from the others, with different members, and with rules and standards that govern different elements of a person’s life. All of these cultures share common traits, however. Cultures: †¢are socially constructed systems; †¢have developed over time; †¢are shared by all of the members; †¢define who is a member and who is not; †¢provide a social road map on what is acceptable and what is not; †¢can be difficult to describe but are quite obvious to both members and outsiders. Cultures are important because they control, to a large degree, the actions of everyone inside of them. Arnould and Wallendorf (1994) describe culture as â€Å"the cumulative total of learned beliefs, values, and customs that serve to order, guide, and direct the behavior of members . . . [it is] that which one needs to know to behave in a manner acceptable to its members† (p. 485). A member of a culture cannot go against that culture and expect to 40 ProfessionalSafety MARCH 2011 www. asse. org remain a trusted insider. The culture will always have penalties for rule breakers; in extreme cases, those penalties will include banishment. Occupational Ethnography Occupational cultures have particular significance for SHE professionals because they control how workers behave on the job. Workers in high-risk industries such as mining, commercial fishing, or oil and gas extraction do not generally define themselves by who they work for, but rather by what they do. In many of these industries, workers are fairly transient, moving from mine to mine, boat to boat, or rig to rig, looking not only for better pay, but also for better working conditions or, sometimes, to do something different. Hard rock mining has a term for these miners, calling them tramp miners, because they tramp from site to site, or gypos, a term generally believed to derive from their gypsy nature. Workers who refer to themselves as gypos, roughnecks or seiners are more strongly connected to their occupational norms than to any company policies. If they do not like the company rules, they simply move on. Policies and procedures that are not acceptable to a work culture will not be adopted by the workforce, regardless of organizational consequences. Therefore, it makes sense for a person trying to convince workers to change the way they do things to understand their work cultures and to use those cultures rather than struggle against them. Ethnography is the study of human cultures. While sociologists often use ethnography to learn why young people start smoking, for example, or how fraternal orders attract new members, it is an excellent tool to learn how occupational cultures work. It is the primary tool used in a NIOSH project focused on developing effective safety and health training for the landbased oil and gas (OG) extraction and production industry, commonly known as the upstream portion of that industry (which includes exploration, drilling and all servicing operations for the wells themselves). Research included in this project is qualitative rather than quantitative in nature in that researchers are more interested in discovering what is going on and why than in measuring or evaluating. Gathering Information on Work Cultures If occupational culture is a key to worker behavior, then it makes sense that a safety trainer, training developer or operator should understand the norms and values, the expectations and prohibitions, the heroes and the villains, and, particularly, the stories shared among members of the culture. All of these factors provide clues about what controls the culture has on the workers, and all can be used to craft training that not only will be accepted, but also valued. How does one begin to study a work culture? A work culture cannot be studied effectively from a distance. To learn the culture and what really matters to workers, one must visit worksites and spend time with workers, whether on fishing boats or at construction sites, mines or oil rigs. When NIOSH funded the project to study the culture of OG extraction and production workers, the first step was to create an organized plan to gather information on key topics. This plan was based on experiences and knowledge gained while studying mining cultures. This included: †¢demographic patterns; †¢environmental issues; †¢work practices; †¢occupational norms and values; †¢workplace taboos and prohibitions; †¢language unique to this culture; †¢beliefs common to workers, particularly beliefs about safety; †¢geographical differences from one oil field to another; †¢recognized heroes and mentors; †¢stories told by members; †¢differences in company cultures. Ethnographers gather this type of information in three primary ways (LeCompte Schensul, 1999). They study: 1) what people say (this includes the â€Å"tribal language† or jargon commonly used); 2) what people do; 3) what artifacts (or documents) they choose to create. Studying any culture in situ requires immersion of the researcher, to some degree, in the work culture itself. While SHE personnel may be tempted to make suggestions or try to influence workers’ actions when observing, it is critical to stay out of the way and make no attempt to change or bias the culture at this stage of the process. This does not include situations where workers’ lives are in danger. SHE professionals must address those immediately. ) To develop a valid picture of work culture that is useful for creating culturally acceptable training materials, the researcher must stay neutral, and confine his/her actions to asking questions, seeking clarification and watching. Those accustomed to fast responses to any situation may initially perceive an ethnographic study as a long, drawn -out process, particularly if they have no prior knowledge of the work or the culture of the workers. However, learning about workers in order to create safety training that is unique to their needs is not a waste of time. The most obvious benefit is the ability to create more effective training. Learning About the OG Industry The data gathering plan for this project began with going into the field and talking to workers. The OG extraction industry in the U. S. is divided www. asse. org MARCH 2011 ProfessionalSafety 41 Photo 1: Walking rigs are large land-based rigs used on locations where numerous wells are drilled in a small area. nto distinct fields that are tracked and reported by the Energy Administration Information office of the Department of Energy (www. eia. doe. gov/ oil_gas/rpd/topfields. pdf). Certain fields were selected as starting points, including the Permian Basin in west Texas, the Piceance Basin in western Colorado, the San Juan Basin in northwest New Mexico, the Barnett Shales in central Texas, the Jonah Fields of northern Colorado, and the TXLA-MS Salt Province o f east Texas and Louisiana. These fields included both natural gas and oil formations, and shallow as well as deep reserves. OG companies do not generally drill their own wells. Specialized companies are contracted to do this, along with numerous well servicing contractors that help bring a well into production. For the early phases of this project, the primary focus was on the drilling operations rather than the service tasks. Later phases of the project will include other types of rigs as well as other operations such as the trucking companies that move rigs from site to site. In July 2008, site visits were set up to learn about drilling operations and to begin gathering information on the workforce. Drill rigs come in many sizes, and companies hire rigs depending on the depth of the hole to be drilled and the geologic complexity that will be encountered. For wells that are shallow (e. g. , less than 1 mile deep), rigs are smaller and may even be truck-mounted, similar to water well drilling units. Larger rigs are more complex, but the processes used to drill a hole and to move the rig to new locations are largely the same, regardless of size. Most drill rigs use five- or six-person crews, with either two or three crews per rig, depending on shift 42 ProfessionalSafety MARCH 2011 www. sse. org (or tower as it is known in the industry) length. The rig boss, known as the tool pusher, lives on site in a house trailer provided by the company so that he is always available. Each rig usually has two tool pushers, and these men rotate their hitches (number of days worked before going on leave) so that a supervisor is always on site. For the rigs visited, the hitches for tool pushers ran ged from 3 days to 2 weeks, while the hitches for the men ranged from 1 to 3 weeks. Use of the word â€Å"men† is purposeful. In more than 2 years and visits to more than 40 rigs, the author has not encountered a woman working on a rig. This is a male-dominated work culture. Learning about a new industry takes more than a few visits to worksites. One must systematically gather information. Consequently, a list of questions was developed to help identify cultural norms. The initial list was based on the author’s experiences in the mining industry; it was meant to be general enough to provide a broad introduction to the industry that could subsequently be refined to capture more subtle cultural data. Information was gathered on the following: †¢drill rig site, name, company and method; †¢location and size of workforce; †¢union affiliation (if any); †¢contractors (if any); †¢rough percentage of new hires (workers with less than 1 year of experience); †¢general workforce demographics; †¢training required and who provided it (both for career and for this rig); †¢preferred materials/media for training, including available facilities; †¢common beliefs and perceptions about safety and work hazards; †¢work practices and how work is assigned to different workers; †¢best practices and/or company policies concerning operations; †¢recognized â€Å"masters† (who do people look up to and why); †¢incidents, injuries and near misses workers have experienced or witnessed. Some items fell out fairly quickly. For example, labor unions are not common, and every rig visited was contracted rather than owned and operated by the en ergy company. In addition, this industry reacts rapidly to commodity prices. When prices are high, a site will have a significant number of new hires with little experience; when prices drop, new hires are the first to lose their jobs, as the rigs they work on are stacked and no longer available for hire. Therefore, the percentage of inexperienced workers was a moving target. The original questions served as a starting point. Workers provided much information that was used to refine the data gathering necessary to begin developing a picture of this unique work culture. Over the next 2 years, the research team visited more than 40 rigs in seven different areas of the country. These included small, mobile rigs, rigs in service for more than 60 years (most still using manual methods), others that were only months old as well as much more automated, and large â€Å"walking† rigs. Walking rigs are large land-based rigs used on locations where numerous wells are drilled in a small area. Rather than dismantling the rig to move it to a new site, workers â€Å"walk† it forward to its intended location. This relatively new technology is more commonly found in western oil fields, where many wells are clustered on a single site (Photo 1). More than 1,000 photographs were taken of rigs, sites, workers, and any other signs or artifacts that would provide clues about the culture. Standard ethnographic tools were employed, including interviews, observations, field notes, informal conversations, and review of documents such as company policies, safety posters and training materials. In all cases, the primary gatekeeper for access to the sites was the safety director for the energy company or the drilling company. These individuals provided a wealth of information on tasks and procedures as well as access to the rigs. In all cases, they were invaluable to the project’s success. Why Stories Matter High-risk work cultures share a love of stories. Stories provide more than entertainment on worksites; they are used to share information about cultural norms and expectations, and provide graphic illustrations about what happens if those norms are violated (Cullen, 2008). The roughnecks working in the OG drilling industry are no exception. They shared stories about people they had met, about near misses (called â€Å"near hits† by most of them), about weather extremes, and about many incidents that provided harsh but valuable lessons on how to do this work. They also talked about what they do when not working, including stories about family, friends and leisure-time activities. All of these provide keys to what these workers value. Stories share important features that make them valuable to an ethnographer. First, they are always culturally-based. This means that they are situated; they are about someone, who is doing something located somewhere, during a specific time. Stories reveal much about the culture, through the language used, the actions of heroes and villains, and the reactions of listeners. Stories also help people organize information in a way that is understandable. New hires in the OG industry often have a difficult time breaking out (a term used for entering the workforce for the first time) because of the unfamiliar tools, terms, work practices or expectations they must master in order to perform the job (Livo Rietz, 1986). It can be bewildering to be new on a jobsite where even the tools have unfamiliar names. To remain safe while they learn the job, new workers need a way to deal with an abundance of information; stories help them do so (Cullen Fein, 2005). If the goal of safety training is to educate new employees on work hazards and convince all employees to act safely on the job, stories are an excellent tool. Haven (2007) presents the results of several research studies on the power of stories to provide information and help create meaning. He says research shows that stories are effective teaching tools because they evoke prior knowledge; provide details that may be otherwise ignored; and improve comprehension (p. 92). Stories are remembered by listeners because they are more interesting than facts or statistics. Listeners can learn vicariously, putting themselves into the story to not only think about what is happening, but also to feel the emotions and decide what they would have done had they been the protagonist. Trainees listen with different levels of consciousness, according to Neuhauser (1993), who believes that using the whole brain allows learners to understand what they are hearing, as well as to feel it. For safety trainers, stories are one of the most powerful tools available. The good news is that stories are everywhere. Every incident/injury statistic has a story behind it, and every SHE regulation is â€Å"written in blood. † Workers are eager to share Studying any cultheir stories if they believe they will not be penal- ture in situ requires immersion of the ized for doing so. researcher, to some degree, in the work Insiders Gatekeepers One primary role of cultures is to define who is/is culture itself. not a member (Van Maanen Barley, 1984). Highrisk work cultures are particularly adept at this because members believe they are the only ones who â€Å"have what it takes† to perform the work. They be- Occupational Culture Occupational culture and organizational culture are not the same. While an organization’s rules—its policies and procedures—are usually written and distributed, occupational rules are not. Work culture rules are pragmatic in that they are developed over time by workers themselves, and provide a road map for survival for members of the culture to follow. Insiders instruct new members in â€Å"the way we do things around here† and provide both rewards for following cultural rules, and sanctions for violating them. Members tie their identity closely to their work (not their company), and share values, norms and perspectives with those who perform the same type of work, often choosing to socialize exclusively with fellow workers. Occupational cultures that involve shared danger, such as firefighters, the military or high-risk industries, are strong and will resist changes suggested by outsiders. The sense of fraternity that shared danger creates is part of the identity of insiders, who do not believe others could do the work, or that they understand those who do. Occupational cultures are powerful tools that can be used to create effective training. www. asse. org MARCH 2011 ProfessionalSafety 43 Photos 2 and 3 show the patch dog and worm stickers developed for the OG project. ieve that outsiders do not understand the dangers and the difficulty and, therefore, have little credibility inside the culture. For workers in these industries to learn from safety messages or trainers, the messages/train ers need to be perceived as being knowledgeable about and sympathetic to the culture. Gatekeepers can be both formal and informal leaders. For this project, the formal leaders provided access to worksites and to other insiders. Initially, contacts were safety directors or supervisors, who were generous with their time and were willing to spend days in the field, visiting different rigs in the area. On a rig site, visitors must check in with the site manager (the tool pusher). Some sites also had a company man who represented the energy company’s interests. He was also concerned with safety, but the drilling operations were the tool pusher’s responsibility. On the rig floor, the driller was generally the first-line supervisor and in charge of the safety of the work team, which was made up of a motor man, a derrick man (who also was responsible for checking on drilling fluid, or mud), and one or more floor hands. This is a hierarchical team, with workers breaking out as floor hands and moving into other positions when ready and as positions become available. More experienced workers often have performed all of these jobs and can fill in for others as necessary. When a new hire first breaks out, he is known as a worm, a position he will hold for several months until he reaches a level of knowledge and expertise at which point he can be a floor hand. Worms usually wear hardhats of a different color (e. g. , green or orange) so that other workers can immediately identify them and can watch out for and teach them. Informal leaders are almost always present on high-risk worksites. These individuals have earned the respect and admiration of peers, usually by mastering aspects of the job with which others struggle. They may have many years’ experience or may have a special talent for performing a certain task. They may also have survived an incident that gives them authority to speak about specific hazards and what can happen if safety precautions are ignored. It is easy to identify these people. Others on the team may tell stories about them (the â€Å"hero stories† that include information about valued attributes in the culture) and they are usually the go-to people when someone needs advice or information. Workers may hang back when asked to do something, waiting to see what the masters do. These people can be powerful gatekeepers into MARCH 2011 www. asse. org occupational cultures. If they refuse to cooperate for whatever reason, it is unlikely that other members will cooperate. They are also excellent choices to be spokespersons or informal trainers if one is producing safety training products. They are trusted insiders and will command others’ attention, while outsiders have yet to establish any credibility and could be viewed with skepticism if not disdain. As information was gathered, the author talked to workers with only a few days experience to those who had been there nearly 40 years. Believing that roughnecks were similar to miners and would appreciate hardhat stickers, several stickers were designed. Workers were asked to provide input on which stickers they thought would work in their industry. These designs used some â€Å"tribal language† encountered in the oil fields, including the term worm for an inexperienced hand, and patch dog for those who had been in the oil patch and were tough enough to do the job (Photos 2 and 3). These were handed out at every rig visited, and were always enthusiastically accepted. Creating Effective Training Videos in the Field The underlying goal of the NIOSH ethnographic study was to learn enough about the culture of OG drillers to develop safety and health training that would resonate with and be accepted by workers, and memorable enough to change how they think and act about safety hazards. NIOSH successfully used video to develop training for the mining industry, so this medium was selected for the oil fields. Compelling Content Is Key For new training to be effective, it must be interesting, credible and compelling. Lessons learned in the mining industry proved to be significant in the OG industry. These include the following: †¢Workers are all adults and must be trained as adults (using adult learning theories). †¢They perform the job every day and are familiar with the dangers and challenges. †¢They are good at what they do and proud of it. †¢Not everyone has what it takes to be a roughneck. Those who do are admired and accepted as members of the work culture. †¢Roughnecks can be transient, moving from rig to rig, or oil field to oil field. †¢Work culture controls, to a large degree, how they do their jobs. †¢Workers value safety and understand that one wrong move by anyone can put everyone in danger. †¢This is a macho culture, with few (if any) women. Roughnecks are proud of their ability to solve unexpected problems. Any training product developed must respond to these norms to be accepted. Like mining, construction, commercial fishing or other high-risk industry, OG drilling includes many hazardous operations that would be good candi dates for safety training. 44 ProfessionalSafety Unlike mining, however, no federally mandated standard regulates which topics must be presented nor establishes a minimum number of hours of safety training required before people can start work. The U. S. mining industry has access to a comprehensive incident/injury database because MSHA mandates that every injury or incident be reported. Penalties for failure to do so are severe, so the database includes a wealth of information a trainer or training developer can use to identify specific areas where additional safety training would be valuable. No such database exists for the land-based OG industry. Data are gathered by agencies at state and federal levels, or by associations and individual companies, but no comprehensive database captures injuries occurring in the upstream OG industry. Fatality data are available, but comprehensive injury data are not. Therefore, a systematic review of incident/injury information was not possible. As a result, the best way to learn what topics to include in training was to ask the workers themselves. Tool pushers and drillers are responsible for training rig workers in most cases. During site visits, they were asked to identify topics about which they would like to have more training materials. Based on their responses, the NIOSH team developed a potential list of topics. After further questioning about dangerous operations, the team decided to make a training/hazard recognition video on rig moves. It is important to note that while new hires can benefit from safety training, people who have performed this work for long periods are often disdainful of training. Research conducted in the mining industry shows that experienced workers are insulted by traditional training, particularly if it is provided by people who do not perform the work they do each day. However, the need to remind them about hazards remains. Stories can bridge the knowledge gap between new employees and experienced ones. Drill rigs can be massive pieces of equipment. When all necessary peripheral equipment is added (which could include mud tanks, the dog house, mixing sheds, diesel engines, fuel tanks, tool sheds, offices and house trailers), these operations are similar to small towns. Photo 4 shows an overview of a drill site. Equipment on these sites must be dismantled and moved quickly to the next site when the hole is finished. Workers agree that taking rigs down and reassembling them in a new location is dangerous work, with a high potential for injury. Identify the Players Before moving to the development phase of the project, the NIOSH team had to take several steps: †¢Find an industry partner who would allow filming of the rig move operation. †¢Identify a master who would act as narrator for the video, describing what was going on and what the hazards might be. †¢Interview the identified expert at length to identify topics to cover. †¢Schedule a shoot on location, using a professional videographer. Another step in the development phase was to capture as many stories as possible during shooting (Photo 5) while being mindful that those who did not wish to participate would not be required to do so. The most valuable training stories often fall in the â€Å"fool stories† category (Cullen, 2008). These usually result in near misses, but can also include injuries to the storyteller or others. These stories must be respected and used in the spirit in which they are shared—to prevent someone else from suffering similar consequences. If people are punished for disclosing these stories, they will never share them and valuable occupational wisdom will be lost. The video on rig moves was filmed in west Texas in November 2009, and in western Colorado in March 2010. Devon Energy provided excellent support and access to several sites in the Midland-Odessa, TX, area, and EnCana did the same for the Colorado shoot. McVay Drilling and Bandura Drilling were the drilling contractors on the Texas segment, while Patterson-UTI was the drilling contractor in Colorado. Sterling Crane was also present on the Colorado site; this contractor placed the different pieces of the rig, tanks and man camp as they were brought up the mountain. These contracwww. asse. org MARCH 2011 Photo 4: Drill rigs can be massive pieces of equipment. When all necessary peripheral equipment is added these operations are similar to small towns. The research team gathered as many stories as possible while filming (Photo 5, above). Willie Stephenson (Photo 6, left), a tool pusher on a McVay rig, was the primary narrator. ProfessionalSafety 45 A rig move is a complex task (Photo 7, right) involving many people, primarily roughnecks who do the assembly/ disassembly, and a trucking crew (Photo 8, below) to move parts from site to site. †¢Edit it all together into two separate videos. †¢Send drafts out for review by safety and operations experts in the OG sector. †¢Revise the drafts to reflect the experts’ comments and suggestions. †¢Gain final approval for the videos from NIOSH. †¢Release the videos. †¢Market and distribute free of charge to industry stakeholders. Avoid Common Mistakes To develop training that high-risk workers will accept and find memorable, it is best to keep a few basic guidelines in mind. First, workers know much more about the work than an outsider ever will, so be sure to include them in the process. Based on the author’s experiences in the mining and commercial fishing industries, workers eagerly share what they have learned if given a chance. Their own safety is at stake if someone is working unsafely, and they understand that they have a vested interest in making sure everyone knows how to do things correctly. Ignoring them or underestimating their interest in safety is a mistake. Many training developers select the wrong spokesperson. The person providing the lessons must look, walk and talk like those who will be watching the safety video. Using a â€Å"talking head† who is disconnected from the industry or who does not perform this type of work is not a good idea. Professional actors, while arguably more comfortable in front of a camera than workers might be, are not credible as occupational teachers. They do not understand industry jargon or the nuances of the work, which will be obvious to the trainees. Using a company executive as a spokesperson is also ineffective. A CEO talking about how to perform specific tasks while wearing a clean, pressed shirt and shiny hardhat will not be convincing to workers. The best choice for the master trainer is someone who looks the part and speaks with occupational (not organizational) authority. The master trainer should use language understandable to trainees, who will understand quickly that he is a cultural insider who knows what he is talking about. Even new hires are generally adept at identifying people who can keep them safe and teach them, and they will gravitate toward those people, regardless of who the company assigns as a mentor or trainer (Machles, Bonkemeyer McMichael, 2009). Putting recognized, knowledgeable insiders in a training video, if they are willing, makes a lot of sense. Once the decision is made to create a training video, consider the topic. It is much easier to proceed if the topic is narrowly focused. For example, â€Å"entering confined spaces† is probably a better choice than â€Å"oil and gas safety. † Duration is another consideration. Some trainers believe that no video should be more than 5 to ors were instrumental in helping the team to film various operations and capture 32 interviews. Willie Stephenson (Photo 6, p. 45), a tool pusher on a McVay rig, agreed to be the primary narrator and he was interviewed on camera for several hours. Other narrators were used to add depth and bread th to the story. Devon, McVay, Bandura, Patterson-UTI, Sterling and EnCana were true partners in this project, and it could not have been completed without their guidance, suggestions, assistance and support. The original plan was to develop a single video, but because a rig move is a complex task involving many people (Photos 7 and 8), the team realized it would be difficult to make a single all-encompassing safety awareness video. After watching several rig moves, it was noted that two primary groups are involved: 1) the roughnecks, who assemble and disassemble the rigs; and 2) the truckers, who load and transport all the pieces to the new site. Because these tasks were fundamentally different and equally dangerous, it seemed logical to make two videos, one for roughnecks and one for truckers. At the time of this writing, the first video, Move It! Rig Move Safety for Roughnecks, had been completed and released at a large safety conference in late 2010 (Photo 9). The second video, Move It! Rig Move Safety for Truckers, is scheduled for production in the first half of 2011. Both videos will follow the process and schedule developed by the author while working in the mining sector. This process/ schedule includes the following steps: †¢Gather as much footage as possible on location. Interview insiders on what is going on and what is important to the process. †¢Log all B-roll footage gathered. †¢Tra nscribe all interviews. †¢Create a story line from the master interviews. †¢Select shots from the B-roll to illustrate the points included in the narratives. 46 ProfessionalSafety MARCH 2011 www. asse. org 6 minutes long. NIOSH research has shown that this perceived limitation may be due to the fact that some videos simply do not hold people’s attention. If the story is well-told and the storytellers are credible, training videos can be longer. In fact, one NIOSH video about a disastrous fire in an underground silver mine that killed 91 people runs more than 60 minutes (Cullen, 2002). It is used in training sessions, and has also been used by other industries, such as firefighters, the military, occupational nursing and tunneling. The story is compelling because the 27 â€Å"stars† tell the story based on their own experiences during the fire; its length is not considered a negative. Using industry experts, such as SHE professionals and some workers, as technical reviewers is also recommended. They will identify elements that are not quite accurate or information that be left out or added. The video must be technically accurate. Different companies have different policies that should be considered. For example, if one company requires worms to wear green hardhats, the video should not feature new hires wearing red hardhats. Such differences are opportunities to discuss with trainees geographic or organizational differences in how certain tasks are performed (e. g. , state or provincial regulations, environmental issues, workforce issues, multiple factors). While impossible to show how everyone does things, strive to show best practices as defined by industry experts. When NIOSH was developing safety videos for the mining industry, a premier was held so people in the video could attend. This was a way to thank them for participating and an opportunity to introduce the new video to the industry. Because workers move around so often in many of these industries, the informal grapevine is active. Marketing and distribution efforts are often boosted when the â€Å"stars† tell colleagues and coworkers about the video and that it will be shown during a safety meeting. Miners looked forward to seeing the videos and actually started asking when the safety meetings might be held rather than trying to avoid them. It is hoped similar informal marketing will occur in the OG industry. If workers are eager to see new safety videos, they will pay attention to the messages included and remember them longer, which is a major goal of any training program. Conclusion Workers in high-risk industries face hazards that most people never experience. While these industries have higher injury rates than other industries, perhaps it is noteworthy that they perform their work with as few injuries as they do. This must be attributed to the efforts of safety directors and trainers, regulatory agencies, managers and operators, supervisors and the workers themselves. Training for workers is both mandated and nec- essary, but training will not work if it is not acceptable to the workers. Trainers who utilize the power that occupational cultures have to control and change the actions and beliefs of their members will be more effective in reducing injury rates. No one wants to get hurt on the job. Therefore, SHE professionals need to provide the most effective training possible to help keep people safe. Occupational cultures, and the norms, beliefs and stories they include, are always present on worksites. They can be valuable keys to creating training that works, sending everyone home safely at the end of the shift. PS References Arnould, E. J. M. Wallendorf. (1994). Marketoriented ethnography: Interpretation building and marketing strategy formulation. Journal of Marketing Research, 31(4), 484-504. Cullen, E. T. (2002). You are my sunshine (NIOSH Publication No. 2002-132d-video). Spokane, WA: Spokane Research Laboratory. Cullen, E. T. (2008, July). Tell me a story: Using stories to improve occupational safety training. Professional Safety, 53(7), 20-27. Cullen, E. T. Fein, A. H. (2005). Tell me a story: Why stories are essential to effective safety training (NIOSH Publication No. 2005-152). Cincinnati, OH: Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, NIOSH. Haven, K. (2007). Story proof: The science behind the startling power of story. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited. Hofstede, G. (1997). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind. New York: McGraw-Hill. LeCompte, M. D. Schensul, J. (1999). Designing and conducting ethnographic research. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. Livo, N. J. Rietz, S. A. (1986). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, U. K. : Cambridge University Press. Machles, D. , Bonkemeyer, E. McMichael, J. (2010, Jan. ). Community of practice: A workplace safety case study. Professional Safety, 56(1), 46-51. Neuhauser, P. C. 1993). Corporate legends and lore. Austin, TX: PCN Associates. Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed. ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Van Maanen, J. Barley, S. R. (1984). Occupational communities: Culture and control in organizations. In B. M. Shaw L. L. Cummings (Eds. ), Research in organizational behavior (Vol. 6, pp. 287-366). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. Because the workers involved in rig moves perform fundamentally different and equally dangerous tasks, the research team decided to make two videos, one for roughnecks (Photo 9) and one for truckers. www. asse. org MARCH 2011 ProfessionalSafety 47

Stalin and Idustrialization essays

Stalin and Idustrialization essays Stalin and Industrialization in the 1930s For many countries in Europe during the early nineteen hundreds, industrialization had already left its mark and was considered widespread. Other countries were several steps behind such industrial powers as Great Britain. Their economies still depended on rural markets and there had been no influx of people to urban areas. One country, Russia, had such an economy. Joseph Stalin would soon change this, however. So, in hindsight, the Industrial Revolution was necessary and eminent for the Soviet Union but Stalin forced it on his state in a horrific manner, which only worsened living conditions and created negative tensions among his people. In order to better comprehend the negative aspects of Stalins industrialization, first it is necessary to put the circumstances into perspective with a brief summary of Stalins rise to power, then an overview of the two Five Year Plans will be provided, and finally the effects of Stalins industrialization will be outlined. Stalin first came out of the woodwork during the October Revolution in the early 1900s, with the rise of Lenin and the Bolsheviks. Stalin became general secretary of the Bolshevik party's Central Committee. He was also the commissar of the Workers' and Peasants' Inspectorate and the commissar of nationalities (McCauley 3). The two apparent heirs to Lenin's regime were Josef Stalin and Leon Trotsky. After Lenin's death, Stalin gained power by allying himself with the moderates to fight off his rival, Leon Trotsky, who was a radical and another member of the Central Committee. Although Trotsky was better suited for the position (with his strong political inclinations towards reasonable social adaptability), Josef Stalin assumed control and subsequently ordered the exile of all opposing cabinet ministers, including Trotsky. Anyone in the Union who objected to his decisions was sent to Siberian prison camps ...

Law - Criminal Profiling Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Law - Criminal Profiling - Research Paper Example Indeed, it has been increasingly common in light of the perceived threats to the population by Islamic terrorists. Thus, in airplanes, Islamic-looking individuals are subjected to inspections and interviews of an intensity that white people are not normally subjected to. The increasing numbers of crime, and the associations by people that these crimes emanate from race-based communities such as Hispanic communities, are also responsible for the growing trend towards racial profiling. While racial profiling is never really legislated as a policy in its explicit sense, the ever-widening range of methods that a law enforcement officer are allowed to employ allow the use of racial profiling as a legitimate strategy. We now proceed to discussing the costs against the benefits of racial profiling. Those who support racial profiling believe that a utilitarian approach must be taken. The argument is that because it is true that there are crimes which certain racial groups are more predispose d to committing than other racial groups, â€Å"special efforts at crime reduction directed at members of such groups are justified, if not required.† (Risse and Zeckhauser, 2004). ... In contrast, those who are opposed to racial profiling dispute the position that some races have a greater tendency to commit some crimes than others. Indeed, in a study conducted, the officers’ behaviour of racial profiling is not supported by any showing that the criminal acts in the predominantly white community were committed by African Americans (Meehan and Ponder, 2002). Of course, the deeper objection to racial profiling is that it does â€Å"curtail the enjoyment of fundamental human rights by millions of people who belong to racial and ethnic minorities.† (American Civil Liberties Union and Rights Working Group, 2009). The jurisprudence has also tended to support racial profiling. It has been held, for example, that when testing the constitutionality of a vehicle stop, the motivations of a police officer making the stop (e.g., if the motivations were driven by racial bias) are immaterial, the only question is whether or not the officer had cause to effect the s top. Whren v. United States, 517 U.S. 806 (1996). The impact on this on racial profiling is very much evident – it basically gives police officers unfettered rights to make stops, even if it targets specific racial or ethnic minorities. In the end, instead of educating the police forces to be race-blind, it condones discrimination on the basis of racial and ethnic differences. The role of geography in profiling predatory criminals Geography plays a major role in the profiling of criminals. Some parts of the world have been stereotyped as providing concentrated numbers of individuals engaged in similar crimes. For example, Latin America is known as a drug cartel haven. Many Americans assume that illicit drugs in the United

Jazz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Jazz - Essay Example The slaves bought with themselves their music traditions (Cooke, 7-9).  There were grand dinners and festivals arranged which featured the African dances in the city of New Orleans. Similar gatherings occurred in  New England  and  New York. The African music lacked the harmony present in the European music but the rhythms reflected the similarity of the two music genres (Cooke, 11-14). An increasing number of black musicians eventually learnt how to play various European instruments in the early 19th century, especially the  violin. The black slaves who had come as a result of the slave trade had by now learned the harmonic style of  European music  and incorporated it into their own music styles (Cooke, 14-28). Many historians agree to it that jazz began just prior to the 20th century and its birthplace is the city of New Orleans. Prior to the World War I, the Creole band which was a band of New Orlean black musicians toured many parts of the country and therefore, jazz music was introduced to many cities like this. The Dixieland band group created the very first example of Ned Orleans style jazz by recording the music. The very first Blues number was the â€Å"Dallas Blues† recorded in the year 1912. There were many hit songs from different musicians in the 1900’s including Saint Louis Blues by W.C Handy and Indiana by Ballard MacDonald. The latter was the first recording by the Dixieland jazz band. Until the 1950’s, jazz was considered as music intended mostly for dancing (Tyle). Jazz is more than hundred years old but the actual circumstances of the birth of this music are rarely known because the recordings of the first jazz band were lost and therefore it is difficult to assume as to how it sounded, but it is possible to create an account of its emergence by gathering scraps of tit bits and information pieces. Jazz music was different. In the beginning, many musicians had worried about the impact of Jazz on the young generation, as such

Personal and Professional Development Assignment - 1

Personal and Professional Development - Assignment Example The hotel is close to the Crystal Palace Theme Park Maze and is ideal for guests, who wish to â€Å"explore London† and it has â€Å"easy and fast transport† facilities to the city (Queens Hotel Crystal Palace London, 2013). Usually, visitors to London include businesspersons as well as tourists and the guests in the hotel are from the upper middle class group. Being from the educated, upwardly mobile segment, they expect very high quality of service. They also include people from a wide range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds and speak different languages. Though most of them speak good English, we often have guests from France, Germany, and South Korea etc who do not like to speak the language. I am somewhat comfortable with French and German but I do not know Korean. However, we have some staff from Asian countries and thus they are able to handle guests who do not speak English. The hotel has a good restaurant that serves multi cuisine and it is popular among many Londoners. It also has a bar and banquet hall. The hotel always has over 60 percent occupancy and it is rated over 4.8 in commercial sites. Thus, overall the quality expectation of the customers is quite high. Task-1 A. Benefits of Self-Managed Learning to Individuals/Organizations and Various Approaches to It: Employees can benefit from self-managed learning by acquiring higher qualifications that will enable them to handle their jobs better. Thus, they can earn promotions or be selected for higher positions in the same company that require higher qualifications. Besides, people who engage in self-managed learning become more confident and will be able to â€Å"solve problems on their own† (Beitler, 2005, Ch.4 p.8). Therefore, employees who pursue learning even after they are settled in a job will be able to update their knowledge and skills and will perform well in the respective job positions. This will increase their productivity and they will be able to receive all the b enefits that management offers to high performing individuals. In the modern day, with the advent of technology, various changes occur in the workplace and employees need to remain abreast of the developments. Continued self-managed learning or lifelong learning will enable them to acquire knowledge in technology and communication. From an organizational perspective, self managed learning will be highly beneficial as such individuals will be developing their learning without much liability or risk on the part of the company. Acquiring of knowledge by employees will enable them to be better motivated and it becomes advantageous to the organization as such individuals will be able to perform better in the assigned position. This will automatically increase the productivity and profitability of the company. However, evidence suggests that it is better to have a written learning agreement as it will help the employee remain focused and, besides, by incorporating it into the performance appraisal system, the organisation will attain better capability to â€Å"promote, reward, capture, and benefit from individual learning† (Beitler, 2005, Ch.4 p.11). In the modern world, technology offers a wide range of approaches for self managed learning in an organisational environment. In order to determine the right approach one should be able to identify and prioritise the â€Å"

Designing and Integrating Information System

Designing and Integrating Information System 1. INTRODUCTION As computer technology changes at fast pace, many businesses sectors also upgrade their computer system constantly in order to stay competitive. For such, the function has become indispensable asset of the companies that process enormous amount of data and complex transactions. Payroll is an example of a complex transaction a company has. Its preparation is crucial since it involves accounts and requires confidentiality. The use of an integrated information system will facilitate the accomplishment of jobs easier, faster and more efficiently. According to Kanchov (2006), application program is the bridge between the users and the database, where data are stored. Thus, a well-developed application program and database ensure the reliability, flexibility, and functionality of an information system. Information technology use aims at increasing the efficiency and reliability of management and monitoring of records. Steven M. Bragg (2006) says that in payroll system the timekeeping function is coming under increasing attack, as cost accountants realize that the cost of administering a detailed timekeeping system is exceeding the value of the result information. This issue can be resolved either by reducing the level of timekeeping effort until the effort expanded equals the utility of the resulting information (which may result in the complete elimination of the timekeeping function) or by more fully automating the timekeeping and payroll functions, so that the cost of the system administration is reduced to the point where it is once again a cost-effective means of tracking labor activities. According to Chowdury (2008), Inventory System is known to be used by many financial institutions. PIM (Perpetual Inventory Method) system maintains an up-to-date record of accurate level of goods at hands by ensuring that stocks are accounted for at all times. The process includes details of all recording purchase and sales receipts and issues and running balances of all stocks. In line with this, the researchers proposed for Balaod Mindanaw Incorporated a LAN Base system for a fully secured and reliable data, easy maintenance, and quicker data retrieval. Balaod Mindanaw Incorporated has decided to automate its transactions. BALAOD-Mindanaw traces its beginnings to Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI) legal program as implemented by the LARGE (Legal Assistance for Agrarian Reform, Governance and Empowerment) Unit. BALAOD Mindanaw is a non-stock, non-profit organization that aims to help in the advancement of the legal and justice issues of different marginalized sectors and communities in Mindanao in the context of active peoples participation in governance. BALAOD sets forth in following organizational goals to promote paralegal formation and provide other legal services to marginalized sectors and communities in Mindanao; to conduct capability-building interventions on local legislation and dispute resolution; to provide a venue for networking and alter native legal assistance for law practitioners, law schools and law students in Mindanao; and to facilitate the creation of a favorable policy environment responsive to the needs of marginalized sectors and communities in Mindanao. 2. FRAMEWORK This study designed and developed an integrated information system to facilitate better operations of the organization. The researchers used the Practical Approach to Payroll Administration and Shared Services Approach. Practical Approach will create an awareness of statutory laws (eg. Employment Act, CPF Act, SDF Act, Income Taxt Act, and others) and give the overview of the components of a computerized payroll system. Also the approach will help develop an understanding of compensation components and the latest trends affecting payroll administration ( Subbu and Daofen, 2006). Shared Services Approach is an operational philosophy that involves centralizing administrative functions that were once performed in divisions or locations. Services that can be shared among the various business units of a company include finance, purchasing, inventory, and payroll (Sherman, 2008). Figure 1 illustrates the context diagram of developed Integrated Information System for Balaod Mindanaw, Inc. It shows the system relationship for the four entities: the Finance Officer, Employee, Librarian, and the Supply Officer. The system will automatically calculate the number of work hours of every employee and the deduction for every employees absence and under time. The system will send the information to other entities, applying the shared service approach by which information like employee information, books available in the library, and budget and inventory of every department are circulated. 3. Objective of the Study 3.1 General Objective of the study This study aimed at designing and developing an Integrated Information System for Balaod Mindanaw, Inc. The system is intended to minimize the effort of the user in the processing of payroll slip, payroll form, library slip, library form and in the monitoring of supplies. Also, the system is intended to create a well-arranged database to implement strong data security system. 3.2 Specific Objectives of the study The study sought to accomplish the following specific objectives: 3.2.1. To access the present payroll system of Balaod Mindanaw, Inc. 3.2.2. To profile the respondents in terms of age, gender, civil status, birth date, birth place, province, home address, current home address, family information, and education. 3.2.3. To identify the underlying problems of the present system involving the processes on payroll, library, inventory and the monitoring of supplies. 3.2.4. To determine the accuracy and effectiveness of the present system and the possible benefits of the proposed information system. 4. Statement of the Problem The study specifically sought to address the following problems of Balaod Mindanaw Inc: 4.1. The HR uses only papers to record employee information. Such system slows down the retrieval of data. 4.2. The file can easily be damaged and lost. 4.3. Double checking the consistency of supply records is time-consuming. 4.4. Financial computations are time-consuming and prone to mathematical errors that may cause financial or legal trouble. 5. Scope and Limitation The proposed system covers the process of budget monitoring for every department, requisition of equipment and books in the library, inventory of supplies, and monitoring of expenses of every department. The proposed payroll system covers the keeping of Daily Time Record for computing the exact wages of each employee. The system can do the following: 5.1. Compute monthly net income, deductions, and loans such as SSS, Philhealth, COLA, Emergency loans, PAG IBIG, and withholding tax. 5.2. Calculate budget allocation plus expenses of every department 5.3. Add book borrows records 5.4. Add employee information 5.5. Add employees login and logout records 6. Significance of the Study The proposed system will benefit the following entities: The Manager. The system will provide the manager with reliable and accurate reports concerning the companys budget and equipment use. The Supply Officer. The system will help the supply officer conduct an inventory of the supplies to generate reliable reports for referencing. The Finance Department. The system will help the finance department monitor all the expenses of every department and conduct liquidation anytime. Also, the department can process the payroll faster and accurately. The Company. The system will give the company the advantage over other companies that still use the traditional way of running the operations. Also, it will help the company increase its performance to satisfy its clients. The Future Researchers. The findings of the study will serve as basis for developing related system for other companies or establishments. 7. Output The output of the study is the Integrated Information System for Balaod Mindanaw, Incorporated. A complete Program Structure, Database Specifications and Design, and System User Manual go with the software. All program source codes are also fully documented and compiled. 8. Research Methodology The researchers used the simplified water fall model, which illustrates the sequential software development process in which progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards through the phases. Water fall development has distinct goals for each phase development from conceptualization through designing, implementation, testing, installation, troubleshooting, deployment of the system, and maintenance. 8.1. The Requirement Gathering and Analysis. The researchers surveyed literature and interviewed the user about the companys present system so that the system limitations could be identified and addressed 8.2. System Design.A system with applications addressing the present systems limitations was designed and developed. 8.3. Implementation. The developed system was applied given the permission of the company. 8.4. Testing.The developed system was subjected to interface testing, functionality testing, and front-end and back-end integration testing. 8.5. Deployment of the System.After a series of testing, the system was deployed to the working environment. 8.6. Maintenance. Lastly, it is very likely for the developed system to encounter system errors and unexpected bugs. Thus, the researchers will diagnose and resolve unknown issues. Further, the researchers will consider further enhancement of the database system. 8.1 CURRENT SYSTEM Narrative Description of the Current System First, every department submits a projected expense to the finance department or a proposed budget for the entire year, and then the finance department presents the projected expense of every department to the manager for approval. If the budget is approved, the finance department grants the approved budget to the department to be utilized within one year. If the budget is not approved, the finance department returns the projected expense to the department for adjustment or modification. Second, every department requests for supply to the supply officer. The supply officer asks the finance department for the budget. Then the budget for supply is submitted to the manager for approval. If the budget is approved, then the finance department gives the budget to the supply officer for the purchase of the requested supply. Then the purchased supply is given to the requesting department. 8.2 PROPOSED SYSTEM Narrative Description of the Proposed System The employee registers to indicate login and logout. The registration serves as reference for payroll. Every department sends its budget request through the system. The finance can view the budget request. The finance then presents the budget to the manager for approval. Once the requested budget is approved, the finance notifies the department as to the approval of the budget. The manager can view all transactions. For the supply requisition, the department sends the request to the supply officer. Then the supply officer forwards the request to the finance officer for the budget. Once the budget for the supply is approved by the finance officer, the supply officer canvasses and purchases the requested supply. The supply will then be delivered to the requesting department. The supply officer monitors the deliveries and declares the status of materials, and decides replacement of them. The finance department can add employees records and accounts and view the expenses of the entire de partment. The librarian handles all the book and journals. All book records are kept by a library staff. If the employee borrows a book, the librarian records the details of the book and the borrowers name. If the book is lost by the borrower, the librarian submits a note about the lost to the HR Department. 9.2 DATABASE STRUCTURE The system uses one database, which is the IISBalaodMindanao. It contains many tables and stores information such as employees record, daily time record, basic salary. And also, the system monitors the status of books in the library and other essential data. 9.3 Data Dictionary EmployeesProfile FamilyInfo WorkExperience WorkDescription Organization ImportantSeminar EducationalProfile Skills Talents Interest Logout Login Books BookDetails BookBarrowed DATA FIELD TYPE DATA TYPE

Opium Wars in China Essay -- Chinese Opium Research History Essays

Opium Wars in China The Opium Wars were a series of three wars between the Chinese and the British; primarily fought in regard to the illegal trade of opium in China during the 19th century. They manifested the conflicting natures of both nations and demonstrated China’s misconceptions of its own superiority. The Opium Wars resulted in the humiliating defeat of the Chinese to a country they considered to be â€Å"barbarians†. There were many problems with the system of trade in China; even before opium trading began. China, believing herself to be the most civilized and advanced country, did not feel the need to satisfy Britain, a â€Å"barbarian† country’s request for freer trade and were concerned the British wanted land. Britain however, had no desire for land and only wished to trade, believing it was their right to do so. These misunderstandings and differing opinions were only the start of more to come. They set the foundations to the British and Chinese hostilities. China’s monopolistic system of trade caused great frustration for the British. The incompatible British and Chinese views on trade resulted in the First Opium War. All trade in China was channeled through the city of Canton and was regulated by a group of Chinese merchants known as the â€Å"cohong† who imposed irregular taxes. No direct contact between the foreigners and Chinese were allowed. Such limitations and conditions caused dissatisfaction among the foreign merchants, in particular the British, who ...

Mesopotamia Cultures Contribution to the Western Civilization

Western civilization traces its origin from the cultures of the ancient Near East. This is where the people of Egypt and Mesopotamia developed some organized communities and institutions which can be associated with civilization. The Romans and Greeks played a big role in the development of the Western civilization, the two societies borrowed heavily from the people who lived in the Near East. They were influenced and nurtured by the Mesopotamia societies who lived in this area of the Near East. The Romans and the Greeks served as the transmitters of the culture from the Near East to the other parts of Europe. Dowling,M 2007) The Mesopotamia and Egypt started to build cities at around 3000 BC. They developing writing as a method through which they were to keep records. The same cultures build monumental structures for their gods and as a way to preserve their cultures. (Kramwel, S 1969 45)The cultures had a political ,social ,military and a religious system which dealt with the basic problems that human being experienced . Human civilization is thought to have began in this area where two society are credited with the ancient civilization. Western civilization is based on the first sophisticated cultures which were found in Mesopotamia. It had so many elements of the culture from the Mesopotamia region, this proves the fact that Mesopotamia cultures contributed greatly towards the Western civilization. Mesopotamia was the first society to have a full system of social order. It had a government, cities and a culture that characterized what is found in western societies save for the little modifications and influences from the other cultures from different parts of the world. Many architectural structures in the Western societies have their origin from the cultures that existed in this region between rivers Tigris and Euphrates. The first people to occupy this area were the Sumerians. These people displayed all the characteristics of an advancing civilization. They had cities such as Ur; Eridu and Uruk. The cities were governed by a system which was theocratic in nature. The government controlled the economic activities that took place here. Therefore the semblance of the government appeared in this culture for the first time, it developed over time to be what it is today. The Western societies government systems were a modification of the structures that existed during the Mesopotamia civilization. It was the function of the government to ensure that there was order in the society. In this culture the government was charged with the role of ensuring that people followed the laid down laws. In the western civilization we had the forces which were structured in the same manner as the law and order maintenance forces. (Feverstein, G 2001 134) In the Mesopotamia society there was a set of hierarchy which consisted of the nobles, common people and slaves, each class of the people had a role to play with the nobles as the rulers of the society and occupiers of the highest class in the whole societies. The kingdoms in the western civilization were designed in the same manners where we had the kings and queens together with their families and close relatives making the royal family, there were the commoners and at the bottom of the ladder there were the slaves who were mainly the servants for the royal families and other rich families. As the war broke out in the Mesopotamia region, the Akkadians took over where they introduced and developed the city states and a complete law system. The city states had a government of their own and laws that were made by the council of selected people who represented the rest of the society. The Western societies later emerged with a complete system where we had states or empires which were mostly ruled by the kings and queens, these empires were structured in the same way as the city states that were common in the Mesopotamia region. The rules and laws that were made by the king and his council borrowed heavily from the cultures in the Mesopotamia. The Roman Empire is one of the best examples that had structures resembling the government systems that existed in Mesopotamia. This later spread out the other regions in Europe where several city states were formed in the same systems that were found in the Roman empire which had great influence from the cultures from the near East. (Feverstein, G 2001 154) Mesopotamia cultures did not just leave a government system ,they left other characteristics which were picked by other societies and later spread far and wide where their influence is still felt up to this time. The Sumerians people are believed to be the first people to have conceived the art of writing. This art is believed to have been discovered as a result of a need that emerged in this society. When people started to produce crops, there was surplus which they sold to those who did not have. There was a need of keeping proper records for the produce from the farms. This led to the discovery of a form of writing which helped in the further improvement of agriculture. The scribes formed a very important part of the society in this ancient civilization. The kept records and helped in drafting documents for the government, they were respected people in the society as they helped preserve the culture of the Mesopotamia people. The writing systems spread to other parts of the world going through modifications in the Western Europe region to produce what we have today. Mesopotamia cultures are credited with contributing such an important elements to different cultures around the world. Though there were other forms of writings in the different parts of the world especially in China, this near east ancient civilization is believed to have played a part in the introduction of form writing and keeping of records which was common in western civilization. Calendar represents time; it has been used in different parts of the world to plan for the various activities. People use calendars to plan the activities undertaken in a given time. They plan to plant in a given period of the year, harvest their crops when the time comes, hold festivals in a given time and offer sacrifices to their gods in an appointed time. The calendar gives the specific dates when these activities should be taken. This important record was discovered in the Near East region by the Mesopotamia people. It spread to the other parts of the world through the Romans and Greek civilization. In the Western civilization, the calendar formed an integral part of the lives as it was used to date various periods of the history. Using the records which were developed in the Mesopotamia regions, the western societies were able to document events that took place in different parts of the world at a given part. Stein, R ,1976 25) Another discovery by the Mesopotamia people that transformed the western societies is the wheel. The agriculture societies of the Near East mostly used water from the river to grow their crops. The irrigation system which had solved the food shortage problem in the western societies had its origin in Mesopotamia. Use of irrigation was made possible through the invention of a wheel where it was used to propel a structure which drew water from the rivers. Through this method the farmers in Mesopotamia were able to get water for consumption as well as for the cultivation purposes. The invention of the wheel played an important role in advancement of agriculture in this area. They were able to cultivate different crops which required water throughout the year using the new discovery; this partly solved the food shortages in this area. Through making the simple machines the people in the Mesopotamia civilization were able to utilize the water in the two rivers to their benefit. They did not rely heavily on the rains. They were able to produce crops all year around using simple machines which were propelled by the wheel. This discovery was embraced by the other cultures especially the Romans and the Greeks who later modified it to form carts which were had wheels as the propelling gadget. The cart and wheel were used as a means of transport in the ancient Roman civilization. The Western civilization played a role in the further modification of this invention later giving rise to the cars and bicycles which were developed during the industrial revolution in Western Europe. Mesopotamia cultures are credited for the invention and development of the wheel, a gadget that transformed the lives of people as the modification of this discovery in the western civilization gave rise to the means of movement that are found in the present world. Through their simple discovery, Mesopotamia people helped in changing the transport industry through bringing efficient means which people can use to make their work easier. The Mesopotamia cultures began to use metal tools making a big step towards technology. The use of these tools was embraced by the other cultures that developed them gradually to produce the tools we have presently. The Western societies are credited with the modification of these discoveries which had their initial origin from the Near East region. (Stein, R ,1976 103) The Mesopotamia people are closely related with introduction of mathematics, geometry and astronomy some of the most important aspects of the Western civilization. The field of science was embraced by the western societies moving it to the next level where several discoveries were made by the Western scientist in the course of time. These discoveries came to change the course of the world history. The core of the western civilization truly rests with the Mesopotamia cultures which shaped the course of the world history. The western societies have benefited from the countless aspects from this ancient civilization from the Near East. Right from the government system, society order, architectural structures, and technology this society would not be what it is today were it not from the contribution from the Mesopotamia cultures through the assimilation process of the Greek and Romans civilizations. Mesopotamia Cultures Contribution to the Western Civilization

The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, born in 1821, was a great Russian prose writer. He was born in Moscow and studied at the St Petersburg Engineering Academy. His first published work was a translation of Balzac’s Eugenie Grandet, which appeared in 1844. Two years later his first original works, the short stories Poor Folk, The Double were published, later followed by other short prose pieces.(Leatherbarrow, 47-48) In April 1849 Dostoevsky was arrested for suspected revolutionary activity and condemned to death, or at least was taken to the scaffold and to the last moments before execution before the true sentence of four years in prison and four years as a private in the Siberian army was read out. He was released from the army in 1858. The result of his imprisonment was the change of his personal convictions: he rejected the socialism and progressive ideas of his early years, and instead adhered to the principles of the Russian Orthodox Church and belief in the Russian people.A nother immediate fruit of his imprisonment experience was his remarkable House of the Dead that appeared in 1861. Other novels followed which display a profound understanding of the depths of the human soul. Notes from the Underground of 1864 sets rational egoism, which proffers reasons for treating others as instruments, against irrational selfishness which treats others as enemies. Crime and Punishment of 1866, The Idiot of 1868, and The Devils (also translated as The Possessed, written in 1871) led up to his great achievement, The Brothers Karamazov, completed in 1880.With the Slavophils, Dostoevsky venerated the Orthodox Church, and was deeply impressed by Staretz Amvrosy whom he visited at Optina. (Leatherbarrow, 169) But his sense of goodness was neither facile nor naive. He saw human freedom as something so awesome that most people are ready to relinquish it. This is epitomized in the Legend of the Grand Inquisitor. In his speech accepting the Nobel Prize for Literature, Solz henitsyn quoted Dostoevsky, ‘Beauty will save the world. ’ The Brothers Karamazov is Dostoevsky’s final novel, completed only two months before his death.It was intended as Dostoevsky’s apocalypse. Its genre might best be called Scripture, rather than novel or tragedy. (Bloom, 5) This novel is the synthesis of Dostoevsky’s religious and philosophic search. The scene of the novel is laid in a sleepy province in the family of the noble, the Karamazovs. A sleepy province had always been for Russian writers the source of characters of integrity, pure passion and spiritual relations among people. However, Dostoevsky presents the life in such province in different light. Spiritual decay had penetrated into patriarchal up-country.From the very early stages of the novel’s writing Dostoevsky underwent several influences. The first was the profound impact the Russian philosopher and thinker Nikolai Fyodorov had on Dostoevsky at this time of his life. A ccording to Fyodorov’s doctrine Christianity is a system in which â€Å"man’s redemption and resurrection could be realized on earth through sons redeeming the sins of their fathers to create human unity through a universal family. † (Sandoz, 221) The tragedy of patricide in The Brothers Karamazov acquires more poignant coloring as Dostoevsky applies a complete inversion of this Christian system.Thus the sons in the novel do not attain resurrection for their father. Quite to the contrary they are complicit in his murder, and such turn of events is for Dostoevsky a metaphor for complete human disunity, breakage of the mentioned spiritual relations among people. As already noted religion and philosophy played a vital role in Dostoevsky’s life and in his novel in particular. Nevertheless, much more personal tragedy changed the way the novel took later. In 1878 Dostoevsky stopped writing the novel because of the death of his son Alyosha who was only three-yea rs old.This tragedy was even more difficult to endure for the writer as Alyosha’s death was caused by epilepsy, a disease he inherited from his father. Dostoevsky’s desolation could not escape being reflected in the novel; one of the characters has a name Alyosha. The writer endued his character with the features he himself aspired to and would like to follow. Though very personal experience had a profound influence on Dostoevsky’s choice for theme and actions that dominated the external of the novel, the key problem treated by this work is human disunity, or breakage of the spiritual relations among people.In comparison to previous novels social split-up is accruing, getting more distinct the relations between people are becoming more fragile in The Brothers Karamazov. â€Å"For everyone nowadays strives to dissociate himself as much as possible from others, everyone wants to savour the fullness of life for himself, but all his best efforts lead not to fullnes s of life but to total selfdestruction, and instead of ending with a comprehensive evaluation of his being, he rushes headlong into complete isolation.For everyone has dissociated himself from everyone else in our age, everyone has disappeared into his own burrow, distanced himself from the next man, hidden himself and his possessions, the result being that he has abandoned people and has, in his turn, been abandoned. † (Dostoevsky, 380) This is how the situation with the Russian society of the 1870s is defined by the novel character, Starets Zosima, who is especially close to the writer. The Karamazovs family in Dostoevsky’s novel is Russia in miniature – it is absolutely deprived of warmth of family ties.Unvoiced hostility relates the father of the family, Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov, and his sons: the eldest – Dmitry – the man of spoiled nature, Ivan, the captive of loose manners, Pavel Fyodorovich Smerdyakov, a child of shame, lackey by his posit ion and in his soul, and a novice Alyosha, who is making his best to reconcile hostile clashes that finally resulted in a dreadful crime of patricide. Dostoevsky shows that all participants of this drama share responsibility for the tragedy that had happened, and first of all, the father himself, who is, for the author, the symbol of decay and degeneration of human person.The contemporary society thus was infected with a serious spiritual disease – â€Å"karamazovshchina†. The essence of â€Å"karamazovshchina† lies in the denial of all sacred things and notions that sometimes ranges up to frenzy. â€Å"I hate the whole of Russia, Marya Kondratyevna. † – confesses Smerdyakov. – â€Å"In 1812 Russia was invaded by Emperor Napoleon 1 [†¦] and it would have been an excellent thing if we’d have been conquered by the French; [†¦] Everything would have been different. † (Dostoevsky, 281-282) The same Smerdyakov â€Å"As a child [†¦] had loved to string up cats and then bury them with full ceremony.He would dress up in a sheet, to represent a chasuble, and chant while swinging some imagined censer over the dead cat. † (Dostoevsky, 156) â€Å"Smerdyakovshchina† is the lackey variant of â€Å"karamazovshchina† and it demonstrably uncovers the essence of this disease – perverted passion for expressing humiliation and desecration of the most sacred values of life. As it is said in the novel â€Å"'people do love the downfall of a righteous man and his degradation'†. (Dostoevsky, 415) The main bearer of â€Å"karamazovshchina† is Fyodor Pavlovich who enjoys constant humiliation of the truth, beauty and good.His carnal relation with a foolish Lizaveta Smerdyashchaya, the result of which is the lackey Smerdyakov, is a cynical desecration of love. Fyodor Pavlovich’s voluptuousness is far from being a mere animal instinct and unconscious behavior. His volupt uousness has an idea to engage in controversy with the good. Karamazov is quite conscious of meanness of his intentions and deeds, and so he derives cynical satisfaction in humiliation of the good. He is always longing for spiting upon a sacred place.He consciously makes a row in Starets Zosima’s cell and then goes with the same intention to the abbot to dinner: â€Å"He wanted to take revenge on everyone for his own tricks. [†¦ ] I can’t hope to rehabilitate myself now, so I’ll spit in their faces and be damned! I’ll not be ashamed of myself in front of them and that’s that! ’† (Dostoevsky, 109) A distinctive feature of â€Å"karamazovshchina† is a cynical attitude towards the nation’s bread-earner – Russian farmer: â€Å"The Russian people need thrashing† (Dostoevsky, 282).According to Karamazov’s psychology all higher values of life has to be overridden, dragged through the mud for the sake o f frantic self-affirmation. There is a father Therapon living together with the saint Starets Zosima in a monastery. Outwardly this man is striving for the absolute â€Å"righteousness†, he leads an ascetic existence, exhausts himself with fasts and prayers. But what is the source of Therapon’s righteousness? What is its inducement? As it turns out then, his inducement is the hatred to Starets Zosima and desire to surpass him.Katerina Ivanovna is very kind to her offender, Mitya, all because of smoldering hatred to him and of a sense of wounded pride. The virtues turn into delirious form of self-affirmation, into magnanimity of selfishness. With the same selfishness and same magnanimity Grand Inquisitor â€Å"loves† humanity in a tale contrive by Ivan. In the world of Karamazovs all relations among people are perverted, they acquire criminal character since everyone here is trying to turn those around into â€Å"marble pedestal†, the pedestal for one†™s selfish ego.The world of Karamazovs is the world intersected by the crime chain reaction. Which one of the sons is father’s killer? Ivan did not kill, however, this is he who first formulated the idea of permissibility of patricide. Dmitry didn’t kill Fyodor Pavlovich either; he teetered on the brink of crime in a fit of hatred to his father. Fyodor Pavlovich was killed by Smerdyakov, but he only brought to an end Ivan’s ideas and passion that overfilled Dmitry’s embittered mind. In the world of Karamazovs the definite moral boundaries of crime cannot be restored – everybody is, to certain extent, guilty of murder.Potential delinquency reigns the atmosphere of mutual hatred and exasperation. Every person individually and all people together are guilty, or as Starets Zosima says â€Å"As to every man being guilty for everyone and everything, quite apart from his own sins. † (Dostoevsky, 379) â€Å"Remember especially that you may not si t in judgement over anyone. * No man on this earth can sit in judgement over other men until he realizes that he too is just such a criminal as the man standing before him, and that it is precisely he, more than anyone, who is guilty of that man’s crime. † (Dostoevsky, 402)â€Å"Karamazovshchina†, according to Dostoevsky, is a Russian variant of the disease, suffered by the all European societies; this is a disease of civilization. Its reasons are the loss of moral values by a civilized man and the sin of â€Å"self-worshipping†. The upper classes of Russian society, following the progressive classes of Western European society, worship their ego and consequently decay. The crisis of humanism comes, which in Russian conditions acquires forms which are particularly undisguised and defiant: â€Å"If you want to know, – argues Smerdyakov, when it comes to depravity there’s nothing to choose between them and us.They’re all blackguards, bu t there they walk about in patent leather boots while our scoundrels go around like stinking beggars and don’t see anything wrong in it†. (Dostoevsky, 282) By Ivan Karamazov’s formula: â€Å"for if there is no God, how can there be any crime? † (Dostoevsky, 395). The sources of Western European and Russian bourgeoisie were considered by Dostoevsky to be not in economic development of society but rather in the crisis of modern humanity, caused by â€Å"strenuously self-conscious† individual. (Lambasa et al., 118) Thus it can be concluded that Karamazov’s decay, according to Dostoevsky, is the direct implications of isolation, solitude of a modern civilized man, it is the consequence of people’s loss of feeling of great universal relation to the secular and divine world that is superior to the animal needs of human earthy nature. Repudiation of the higher spiritual values may bring a man to indifference, loneliness, and hatred to life. T his is the path kept by Ivan and Grand Inquisitor in the novel. Works Consulted Bloom, Harold.Fyodor Dostoevsky’s the Brothers Karamazov. New York: Chelsea House, 1988. Dostoevsky, Fyodor. The Karamazov Brothers. Trans. Ignat Avsey. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994 Lambasa, Frank S. , Ozolins, Valija K. , Ugrinsky, Alexej. Dostoevski and the Human Condition after a Century. New York: Greenwood Press, 1986. Leatherbarrow, W. J. The Cambridge Companion to Dostoevskii. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2002 Sandoz, Ellis. Political Apocalypse: A Study of Dostoevsky’s Grand Inquisitor. Wilmington, DE: ISI Books, 2000.

In Classroom Learning is better than Learning Alone

In Classroom Learning is better than Learning Alone Introduction Learning is arguably the most important activities that human beings engage in. It is through learning that we are able to acquire new knowledge and skills. It can therefore be said that learning is integral for the development of the society. Due to the importance of learning, many societies have come up with formal institutes where learning takes place.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on In Classroom Learning is better than Learning Alone specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These institutes include schools where students attend and gain information on a wide variety of subjects. However, learning can also take place when an individual looks for new material and engages in learning alone. There is disagreement over whether learning alone or learning in a classroom is most beneficial. This paper will argue that learning in a classroom is superior to learning alone and it should therefore be the primary mode of learning employed by our society. A Case for Classroom Learning Students are able to benefit from each other when they learn in a classroom setting. Paduraru notes that in the traditional classroom environment, students are able to interact with the teacher and their classmates (par. 2). This interaction makes it possible for the student to benefit from cooperative activities such as group work and class discussions. Students can learn from each other and benefit from discussing difficult concepts with each other. In addition to this, students are more motivated to learn when other individuals who are also engage in the same learning surround them. Paduraru declares that the learning atmosphere created in the classroom setting leads to higher levels of focus and motivation for the student (par. 3). All students are able to demonstrate better learning outcomes because of the inter-student interaction promoted by classroom learning. Contact with the teacher in classroom learning lead s to better learning outcomes for the student. Teachers are a very important part of the learning process since they act as informative guides. With their skills, they are able to direct the student in their learning efforts. The face-to-face interaction between student and teacher increases the grasp of the student. Paduraru declares, Some students need constant reassurance that what the do is correct and that they are going in the right direction (par. 2). The teacher is able to offer this reassurance and provide the feedback that the student needs to have confidence in his learning. Interaction with the teacher also increases the concentration level of the individual. Students are likely to pay more attention to learning when they are instructed through face to face interaction. When this happens, their learning experienced is not only better but also faster than in alone learning. Classroom learning leads to greater commitment to the learning efforts. A person is therefore able to gain in-depth knowledge on the subjects being studied.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Learning requires a significant amount of time to be dedicated to the activity. Classroom learning is well structured and the teacher has a program of what the students should learn. Paduraru elaborates that traditional classrooms provide students with a â€Å"fixed schedule and specific periods dedicated exclusively to learning† (par. 5). In alone learning, a person engages in learning in an erratic manner. In most cases, only a small amount of time is dedicated to learning leading to poor results. The structured nature of classroom learning also ensures that no relevant subject matter is neglected. The student is required to read on different topics at specific times. The student is therefore forced to read on all the scheduled topics even if he/she is not fond of them. This ha s the merit of enabling the student to gain knowledge even in subjects that do not interest him/her. The classroom environment increases the interest of students in the learning activity. Interest is very important in the continued participation of a person in any task. When learning, a person is likely to become disinterested in this activity. When this happens, he/she will not gain the benefits attributed to learning. When learning alone, it is hard for most students to remain interested in the activity. In classroom learning, the teacher can use various strategies to increase interest. Weimer suggests, a good question can pique their interest, make them wonder why, get them to think, and motivate them to make connections with the content (par. 3). The individual is also prompted to commit to memory what has been learned. This is achieved when the teacher takes steps to promote recalling. Weimer suggests that the classroom setting promotes preparation in the student especially if the teacher quizzes the students on previous lessons (par. 6). When this occurs, students are prompted to come to class well versed with the information of the previous classroom session. Arguments in Support of Learning Alone A great advantage of learning alone is that it allows a person who does not have access to formal education institutes such as a school to learn. A person must be able to attend a school in order to learn in a classroom. While most people are able to access these facilities, some might lack the means to do so. This leads to many people being prevented from learning and benefiting from attaining an education. Malcolm X shows that with personal learning, a person is able to open up a new world and attain the benefits of learning (2). This is true since access to learning facilities is not assured for everyone. However, a person engaging in alone learning is unable to achieve high levels of education. The lack of structure in alone learning makes it impossible f or the individual to gain great expertise in a particular topic.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on In Classroom Learning is better than Learning Alone specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Alone learning makes it possible for a person to overcome any social restrictions to his learning. In some cases, society might prevent certain people from learning. This was the case for Sherman who states that we were Indian children who were expected to be stupid† (13). In such an environment, the classroom learning is downgraded and a person cannot attain any meaningful education. Through alone learning, the individual is able to attain a higher level of learning by reading books with relevant information. It is true that in a discriminatory society, a section of the population might be denied of their right to learn. When such a thing occurs, alone learning might provide greater knowledge that classroom learning. However, eve n in such a situation, classroom learning is necessary for the individual to gain perspective of his learning progress. The individual is able to tell of his progress by comparing his abilities with that of the other students. Sherman reveals that he was able to read Grapes of Wrath in kindergarten when other children are struggling through Dick and Jane' (13). Without the classroom learning, he would not have been motivated to keep reading and achieve success in his life. A person is able to acquire more expansive and unbiased information through personal learning. As it is, there is a vast amount of information that a person can learn independently. In the classroom setting, the students learning is confined to the topics that the teacher chooses. In most cases, information is interpreted in the way that the school administration wants. There is therefore a lot of bias when presenting some information. This is not the case when learning alone since a person can read from various s ources. Malcolm X reveals his horror when he learnt about the brutality of slavery through his own reading (4). He had not been able to receive information about the horrors of slavery in his classroom learning years. It is true that classroom learning is prone to bias by the teacher or the school administration. However, learning alone is also prone to individual bias. An individual is likely to read more on the topics that interest him and favor authors who express beliefs similar to his own. Malcolm X admits that while reading philosophy, the Oriental philosophers were the ones I came to prefer (6). This demonstrates that bias is present in both along learning and classroom learning. Conclusion This paper set out to argue that classroom learning is better than alone learning. To reinforce this claim, the paper has highlighted the many advantages accrued from classroom learning. They include greater motivation and interest in learning, and acquisition of in-depth information.Adver tising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The paper has also highlighted some of the advantages of alone learning and proceeded to show their weaknesses. The best learning method is one that gives the best results by enhancing the learning outcomes of the individual students. From the arguments provided in this paper, it is clear that classroom learning is the superior form of learning. It should therefore be promoted and made use of by learners all over the world. Malcolm X. Learning to read, The Autobiography of Malcolm X MALCOLM X. NY: Grove Press, 1965. Print. Paduraru, Carmen. The Advantages of Traditional Classroom Learning. Jan. 2006. Web. https://classroom.synonym.com/advantages-traditional-classroom-learning-7964781.html. Sherman, Alexie. â€Å"The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me.† Los Angeles Times 19 April 1998. Print. Weimer, Maryellen. 10 Benefits of Getting Students to Participate in Classroom Discussions. 15. Feb. 2011. Web. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/10-be nefits-of-getting-students-to-participate-in-classroom-discussions/.

Law, Ethics, and Corporate Governance Assignment

Law, Ethics, and Corporate Governance - Assignment Example aler to make good on any offer made through an advertisement exclusively based on the fact that the customer had to travel a distance in the heat to get to the destination of sale. However, on an ethical standpoint, it would seem inappropriate to disengage a customer, especially one who has made such extensive efforts to avail the offer. When Tony quoted the price of â€Å"$3,000 firm†, he indeed made an offer to the customer that he was willing to purchase the truck for the said amount. By adding the word â€Å"firm† to the sentence, he further validated this price. In financial markets, the word â€Å"firm† is used to indicate that a price is readily available and can be taken up on. Thus it is safe to assume that Tony made a valid offer to the customer. However, the issue arises as to whether a contract is in effect. In legal terms, a contractual obligation can arise on a verbal commitment, but there is no way to substantiate the claim in case either party backs down. Thus it is safe to say that a contractual agreement has not taken place between the dealer and the customer. Therefore it is not a binding offer on the part of the dealer. However, sales’ ethics implies that if a verbal offer is communicated to a customer, it should be honored. The whole premise of marketing and sales revolves around ethical communication, and on those grounds, the dealer should stick to his word. Again, its not compulsory in the eyes of law, but business ethics dictate that the deal should be honored. Employees of the advertiser cannot take advantage of any special promotion offers that are taking place. This clause also extends to the immediate family of the employee. Mr Daniel Myers states that â€Å"Companies often disqualify their employees from special offers and specials in order to avoid the appearance of inside dealing or impropriety.† The reason behind this is that employees may have access to information which may pertain to that particular promotion. Using this