Scientific advancement: Morality Changed by Research

Scientific advancement benefits society: stem cells researches, creation of the Internet and various technologies have substantially facilitated human life and daily performance. However, as we are approaching the limits of human scientific knowledge, new scientific discoveries put us into the whirl of moral and ethical debates.In many instances, scientific advancement has given place to ethical dilemmas and has urged society to com/morality-and-moral-values/">re-think moral values. Scientific advancement makes us re-evaluate our ethical standards and beliefs, and adjust our moral norms to the needs of scientific progress.Scientific advancement: Morality Changed by ResearchScience has for long been considered a virtuous â€Å"value-neutral† activity (O’Hear 29). Science represented the constant desire of people to find the truth, and to ground this truth on scientific proofs and facts. However, science cannot remain distanced from morality and ethical values.The discove ry of stem cells is the example of how science impacts our ethical and moral beliefs. Stem cells research has generated the arduous debate on whether it is moral to kill an embryo. For many religious sects, embryo represents a human life and its destruction is equaled to murder. For the majority of scientists, stem cells research opens new horizons in treating life altering diseases.Fong writes that many scientists consider immoral to allow â€Å"select groups to decide which scientific advancements are to be explored, and which are to be discarded†. To decide, whether we support or reject stem cells research, we should thoughtfully re-consider our personal values.Stem cells research is just the most recent and the brightest example of the way scientific advancement changes our values. The Internet vs. privacy, video games vs. violence are included into the list of the most relevant ethical issues. Aristotle said that â€Å"all men, by nature, desire to know† (Johnson 2).Current scientific advancement has turned the desire for knowledge into the desire for â€Å"moral knowledge†. Science is becoming closer to ethics and morality. Scientists are compelled to weigh all possible moral and ethical consequences of their researches beforehand.For example, stem cells researchers look for the methods of generating stem cells without destroying an embryo (Fong). We participate in these processes through personal re-evaluation of scientific discoveries.Scientific advancement benefits society, but these benefits make moral dilemmas even more difficult and insolvable.The most significant scientific discoveries turn into the most debatable ones, and divide society into the two large camps of those who judge immoral scientific approaches, and those who benefit from the recent scientific researches.For example, the development of weapons of mass destruction has benefited those who live in aggressive military areas, but has also put humanity under the ris ks of self-destruction. Philosophers and religious leaders claim that â€Å"the sirens of science are dulling our moral sensibilities with the bewitching illusion of immortality† (Johnson 2).For many, scientific advancement remains the sign of the social spiritual and moral degradation. For those who have already lost the hope to be cured, defended, or informed, scientific advancement gives a chance for long and full living.Those who oppose to scientific advancement and view it as threatening to moral stability of society, may change their views as soon as they appear in different circumstances (e.g. face a life threatening state, participate in a military conflict, or need to use the informational benefits of the Internet).This is why the balance of forces in such dilemmas is very vulnerable and is subject to changes. As a result, we watch how our values shift under the impact of scientific progress, and how our most precious views and beliefs are being shrunk by the speedy and sometimes threatening scientific advancement.On the one hand, scientific advancement shifts our beliefs and values. On the other hand, the major portion of scientific ethical dilemmas is caused by the lack of scientific knowledge. There is no agreement on whether an embryo should be considered a live person, because we do not have scientific facts to prove or refute this assumption.We argue whether the development of arms threatens society, because we do not have scientific means of neutralizing the effects of such arms on people. We cannot decide whether Internet is good for people, or whether it undermines the principles of personal privacy, because we lack scientific methods of protecting this privacy (Givens).Scientific advancement is a positive and useful process; it makes our lives more convenient, and provides the grounds for re-evaluating our attitudes and beliefs. O’Hear writes, that â€Å"we are forced to contemplate issues that previous generations neither con ceived of nor could imagine† (37).It is an unavoidable scientific and social progress. Evidently, current scientific advancement has become more moral than ever before, as scientists constantly re-consider the morality of their discoveries. Society finds itself in the continuous process of re-evaluating values and standards, and adjusting them to the changing scientific needs.ConclusionScientific advancement makes our existence â€Å"more convenient† but generates social disagreement on whether certain scientific discoveries are moral or ethical. Scientific advancement creates new subjects for moral and ethical dilemmas.Our ethical values follow the scientific progress, and not vice versa. We shift our values to adjust them to the new scientific opportunities, but these opportunities are also driven by our growing social needs. Re-thinking values is continuous process, and is the inevitable product of the current scientific advancement.Works CitedFong, K. â€Å"Stem Ce ll Advancement Touted, But Doubts About Effectiveness and QuestionsAbout Ethics Raised.† 2006. The Stanford Daily. 24 April 2008. http://daily.stanford.edu/article/2006/8/31/stemCellAdvancementToutedButDoubtsAboutEffectivenessAndQuestionsAboutEthicsRaisedGivens, B. â€Å"Public Records on the Internet: The Privacy Dilemma.† 2006. Privacy RightsClearinghouse. 24 April 2008. http://www.cfp2002.org/proceedings/proceedings/givens.pdfJohnson, D. â€Å"Whispers of Immortality.† London Daily Telegraph, 8 April 2000, p. 2.O'Hear, A. After Progress: Finding the Old Way Forward. Bloomsbury USA, 2000.

Chapter 9 Psychology Notes

Chapter 9 Psychology Thinking? Cognition: All mental activities associated with processing understanding and communicating Concept: A mental grouping of similar object events and people Prototype: mental imagine that incorporate all the features that we associate with the concept How do we solve problems? Algorithms: Step by step procedure that guarantees a solution. How does it work? Heuristics: Quicker, more efficient but more prone to error. â€Å"Rule of Thumb† Strategy Insight: When you have a sudden flash of inspiration. Johnny Appleton and construction workers.Obstacles to Problem Solving Confirmation Bias: When we search for information that confirms our beliefs Fixation: Inability to see a problem from a fresh perspective Functional Fixedness: When we perceive the function of object as fixed and unchanging. Thinking is also affected by Overconfidence: Our tendency to overestimate the accuracy of our knowledge and judgment Framing: The way an issue is presented Belief Perseverance: Our Inclination to hold on to over belifeinspite of evidence that contradicts them. Language Our spoken written, or gestured words and the way we combine them.How do we acquire it? Babble at 4 months Distinct babbling at 10 months 1 year 1 word sentence Two year say two word sentences. Girls babble before boys, and say sentence before boys too and follows into Elementary school. Three Theories of Language Development Skinner: believes we talk because of Association. Imitation, Reinforcement Chomsky: believes we are pre-wired for language with a LAD (Language Acquisition Device) Whorf: Linguistic Determinism different languages impose difference realities Animal Intelligence Do animals think? They can solve problems and make tools. Read Renal System Physiology PhysioexDo animals have language? They can learn human sign language and communicate with each other. Hunger Hunger pangs Blood sugar drops Release of hormone orexin Hunger may affect -Thinking -Mood -Behavior Set Point – the point at which out weight is set Basal Metabolic Rate – the rate at which your body expends energy to maintain basic body functions Sexual Orientations Long term enduring sexual attraction to the same sex 3-4% of men are homosexual 1-2% of women are homosexual LeVays’s Research – Measured a cluster of cells in brains to determine their sexual orientation.

Reflective case study on the movie a beautiful mind Essay

Reflective case study on the movie a beautiful mind - Essay Example He does not publish and claims that until he finds for himself an original idea, he would not do so. He and fellow graduate students visit a bar to approach a group of women. His inspiration comes from here. Though Hansen proposes that every individual should make their individual approach, Nash opposes this idea and argues that each one would have better chances of success when they adopt a collective approach. Through this, he conceives the idea of ‘governing dynamics’ which he then publishes. Following this success, an opportunity for an appointment to MIT arises where Sol and Bender accompany him. Years later, Nash gets an invitation to the pentagon to unveil an encrypted enemy telecommunication. Unlike other code breakers, Nash breaks the code mentally. This astonishes everyone, including the other code breakers. His regular duties at the University are uninteresting to him and he considers the chores below his intellectual capability. He then obtains a new assignme nt with William Parker, a mysterious supervisor at the U. S. Department of defense to decipher patterns in newspapers and magazines to help thwart a plot by the Soviet Union. During this assignment, he becomes obsessed with this work and begins to think himself as being pursued when he delivers the results. At this time, he is asked out for dinner by a student-Alicia Larde and this culminates in love. Returning from Princeton, he comes across Charles, his former roommate who encourages him to get married to Alicia. After witnessing a shootout between the Soviet forces and Parcher, Nash begins to fear for his life. He feels at this point like quiting, but Parcher manages to let him stay. During a period of delivering a lecture at Harvard University, Nash makes an attempt to flee from whom he perceives as foreign agents, Dr. Rosen leading them. Upon an attempt to punch the figure that he perceives as Rosen, he forcibly gets sedated and sent to a psychiatric unit. However, he holds the belief that the facility is a property of the Soviets who are interested in obtaining information from him. Dr. Rosen, however, informs Alicia that Dr. Nash is schizophrenic and also that Marcee, Charles and Parcher are only existent in his imagination. Upon investigation, Alicia confronts Nash with the documents he delivered in the secret mailbox, unopened. He is then given an insulin shock therapy and then gets obtains parole. Following the side effects of the antipsychotic drugs, he stops taking them altogether. He relapses and again meets Dr. Parcher. In 1994, Professor Nash gets an honor for his profound achievements in mathematics. He won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics for having done a revolutionary work on the game theory. The end of the movie happens when Nash and Alicia walk down the auditorium in Stockholm. Nash sees Parcher, Marcee and Charles watching him( Howard, 2001) The axis for John Nash- John Nash suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. According to Frangou ( 2008), schizophrenia is a term replacing and synonymous to dementia praecox, which denotes psychosis, and characterized by changes in thought content, perception, thought processes (like hallucinations and perceptions) and general anhedonia to other people and the outside world, and with excessive focus on one’s own mental life. It is now considered a wide spectrum of disorders, rather than one disease and with reasonable distinction between process and

Strategic Management Unit 5 DB week two Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Strategic Management Unit 5 DB week two - Essay Example This made InBev, which is originally Brazilian, the largest beer maker. In 2007 the new company boasted $36.4 billion in net sales. The company became in charge of 300 independent brands once the two had sealed the deal. Although the company was bought out, Anheuser Busch was well involved in the new management as its director and CEO were given positions in management, which business wise was sure to give it longevity. The acquisition was majorly successful owing solely to the fact that InBev did their research into the weaknesses their target company had, painted a clear picture of how they could be faced with so many hurdles in the case that they turned out to be long term and this could result in bankruptcy (Ross, Westerfield, & Jordan 2006). $580 million is the stunning price that News Corp put on the table in its desire to purchase MySpace. The purchase proved to be fruitful up until 2008 when Facebook completely took over the networking world as the leading social site completely displacing MySpace (Ulijn 2010). The downward trend continued until the company sold MySpace off to Specific Media at $35 million, which was as good a deal as they would get. This acquisition failed solely because NewsCorp was a little rush in its purchase and did not fully consider the possibility of harsh competition and as such had little to no preparation for the

Hot pursuit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hot pursuit - Essay Example The main principle or premise that underlies this rule is that â€Å"an act is deemed to be committed not only where the physical movements occur but also where the consequences take effect.† (Williams, 1939). The main justification of the hot pursuit exception is reposed in the landmark case of Warden v. Hayden (387 U.S. 294 [1967]) where the warrantless entry of the police into the house of the suspect was deemed justified by the majority because the "exigencies of the situation made that course imperative" (p. 298). But a rule to follow, according to Worrall (2011), is that â€Å"the nature of the exigency defines the scope of the search.† This means that the exigency must be of so grave a nature and so compelling a reason before a search may be commenced without a warrant. This case of Warden also propounded other justifications. According to Justice Brennan, the imperatives of the Fourth Amendment â€Å"does not require police officers to delay in the course of an investigation if to do so would gravely danger their lives or the lives of others" (pp. 298-299). It was also reasonable for the police officers, according to the decision, to ensure that had control of all weapons which could be used against them or to effect an escape" (p. 299). Another important rule to consider is that there must be no time at all to get a warrant. If there is a reasonable period of time that the police officers can use to procure a warrant, then the most prudent course of action would simply to get the warrant and then apprehend the suspect or search his premises on the strength of the warrant of arrest or search warrant. In the case of Welsh v. Wisconsin (466 U.S. 740 [1984]) the Court held that the hot pursuit exception cannot be made to apply â€Å"because there was no immediate or continuous pursuit of the petitioner from the scene of [the] crime". The doctrine of hot pursuit is relevant in issues of maritime

AT&T Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

AT&T - Research Paper Example As such this product will serve the needs of the young and middle aged individuals and families looking for entertainment on the go. Apart from this, the durability and reliability of the product is another important quality variable which can play important role in satisfying the needs of the customers. After sales services, good warranties as well as good coverage for the mobile phone services are some of the key needs of the target market to be satisfied. It is critical to note that firm needs to perfect its strategy in order to continue to serve the market. As such constant focus on improving the focus on the customer coupled with better delivery and service. (Kotler and Keller). AT&T needs to develop an extensive off-line and online distribution mechanism in order to facilitate the customers to obtain the product with relative ease. It is also important that AT&T must develop an alternative channel for distribution. As such, this product will fulfill the needs of those customers who are willing to enjoy entertainment on the go and belong to middle income level group.

Depression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Depression - Essay Example They would also tend to use repression wherein the person who lost somebody would tend to get angry with the deserting person, but because they might alienate the persons whom they had depended on for support, they repress the anger that they have. Another is projection, wherein a person protects himself from the awareness of their own undesirable traits by attributing those traits to others. For example, a woman who had been cheated by her husband tends to get angry but she projects as not angry rather believes that her husband is angry at her that’s why he did it. Psychoanalysts, uses the theory of Freud, wherein they assume that each individual has opposing forces within called the id, ego and superego that make internal conflicts inevitable. The person may or may not be aware of this thus influence their personality development and the ability to handle life’s stresses. One technique a therapist would use is the free association wherein the person is allowed to spea k whatever comes into his mind without editing or censoring. This can also be done together with dream analysis wherein the person is encouraged to talk about the content of his dreams and free associating to that content, the analyst and the client attempt to discuss the unconscious meaning. Another is transference wherein the tendency for the client to make the therapist the object of emotional responses. Another is interpretation, wherein the analyst helps the client gain insight into the nature f the unconscious conflicts that are sources of his difficulties. Another view that we could understand depression is the Cognitive perspective wherein depression focuses not on what people do but on how they view themselves and the world (Atkinson, 1990). In this perspective, patients are pessimistic, expecting the worse from a situation rather than the best. The depressive symptoms on this

The Various Pros And Con of the Issue About Environment Changes Essay

The Various Pros And Con of the Issue About Environment Changes - Essay Example This essay stresses that global environment change is the most important issue of the contemporary times because it affects everyone, whether they come from rich country or belong to the under developed economies. It cuts across race, culture and nationality. The various international conventions and global bodies have acknowledged it as priority area that must be addressed urgently and collectively. The growing dependency on cross national resources has intrinsically linked the nations which have come together to tackle the global problems of climate change. Indeed, it is true that local economies and domestic interests highlight sovereign rights but Kyoto protocol, Rio Summit and the current Doha climate talk are testament to the fact that nations are willing to negotiate for mutually beneficial outcome which are also able to address the current issues of climate change. National interests would be overcome or atleast negotiated for the broader objectives which address global conce rn. This paper makes a conclusion that it is important that local, national and international policies and framework must address demographic needs of the region. They must evolve ways to facilitate resources to match the increasing population through mutual negotiation that caters to the universal goal of safeguarding environment for future generation. The survival of human race is at danger from myriad fronts that also threatens the ecosystem. These are vital issues in climate change that would unite the global community.

Theory to Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Theory to Practice - Essay Example In the case of UCC, a contract between merchants is valid as long as it contains the quantity of the goods, the signature of the party who provides the enforcement as well as a language that would indicate that the words and meaning binds two or more parties in a reasonable contract. The UCC aims at helping the non-breaching parties in case of a breach of contract. It therefore offers the sellers a number of remedies. Basing on UCC, a contract between merchants relies on communication between the two parties, the culture of the industry in addition to the past commercial conduct between the merchants. This indicates that the past dealing between Armstrong’s manager and Bentley of GCI surely affects the analysis on their case. In their past commercial conduct, the merchants made use of the pre printed forms for the acceptance of addition terms. In their first interaction, Armstrong’s manager signed the pre printed form stating that they will take responsibility of damage before delivery and the transaction was successful at the end. Additional information in the pre printed form become part of the enforceable contract. In the case of the second encounter between Bentley and Armstrong’s manager, Armstrong’s manager signed a destination contract since it had worked effectively previously. According to UCC, under a destination contract, the buyer is liable for any damage or loss of goods until after delivery. Therefore, the analysis of the case between Armstrong and GCI will indicate that Armstrong’s company is liable since the destination contract was signed but the delivery of goods was not as expected. According to UCC, Armstrong had to complete the delivery procedure as outlin ed in the contract without any additional charges. In such a case, Armstrong Company would have breached the contract and will have to pay for the damages. This is because the manager had made a promise to GCI’s manager acknowledging the destination contract. He had promised

Hilift Pty Ltd Essay Example for Free

Hilift Pty Ltd Essay Hilift Pty Ltd (Hilift) owns an industrial crane. Hilift employs two crane operators, Elwyn and Osman, who each work 4 hour shifts. In May 2008 the owner/builder of a new apartment block hires Hilift’s crane and operators for two weeks to lift building materials to the upper floors of their building. At the end of the first shift on the 10 May, Elwyn notifies the manager of Hilift that the crane is not performing properly and that it needs looking at. The manager contacts the company who does repairs and maintenance work on the crane, EFL Engineering, and asks for an engineer to be sent out immediately. EFL says that no-one is available for two hours. The manager of Hilift decides to allow Osman to begin his shift before the engineer arrives, since to stop work will delay construction. Osman is halfway through hoisting his first load when a cable in the crane snaps and the crane swings out of control, smashing into a lower floor of the building. Two construction workers in the building are injured. One has both legs crushed and they have to be amputated. The other worker will be hospitalised for a long time with serious injuries but will make a full recovery. The building is damaged by the accident and will cost $75,000 to repair. The construction of the building is delayed by three months because of the accident, and for this period the expected income from tenants is lost. Osman is deeply traumatized by these events and cannot bring himself to drive a crane again. After a period of six months without employment, during which he receives psychiatric treatment, Osman takes lower paid work as a general construction worker. A subsequent inspection of the crane finds that the fault in the cable would have been discovered if an engineer had inspected the crane after El wyn’s shift had ended. To replace this cable would have taken six hours. Advise Hilift as to whether, and to what extent, the company will be liable in tort for the harm that has occurred. Facts: Hilift Pty Ltd owns industrial crane May 2008: hired to lift building materials to upper floor of new apartment block Hilift is aware crane is not performing properly Hilift contacts repairs company Hilift allows Osman to work before crane is looked at  Cable in crane snaps Causes $75 000 of property damage and delays construction by 3 months Osman is traumatized, cannot drive crane again Fault in cable would have been discovered by engineer Advise Hilift as to whether, and to what extent, the company will be liable in tort for the harm that has occurred. Consider: Osman, Construction Worker 1, Construction Worker 2 and the building owner using IRAC. Issue: Is the company liable in tort for the harm that has occurred to Osman, Construction Worker 1, Construction Worker 2 and the building manager and to what extent? Rule Tort of Negligence: The respondent in a civil claim of negligence will only be liable to the applicant/plaintiff by way of damages if the following elements are established on the balance of probabilities: 1. That a duty of care was owed by the respondent to the plaintiff in the relevant situation; Here you would cite cases if relevant – specific tests/standards etc. 2. That the respondent breached that duty of care owed to the plaintiff; and Again, cite case authority and any applicable standards – e.g. â€Å"reasonable person† 3. That the plaintiff has suffered some injury or damage as a result of that breach. Case authority – e.g. the injury must be reasonably foreseeable. Apply – Osman 1. Duty of care? Hilift reasonably ought to have been able to foresee, and clearly did know, that there would be risk that the crane would malfunction or break which would likely cause physical or psychological harm to the crane operator, if he did not wait for the maintenance / repairs company. This is supported by the fact that the other operator, Elwyn, notifies the manager of Hilift after his shift recommending that the crane needs to be looked at. This is also supported by the fact that the manager contacts the maintenance company: if he did not perceive there to be a risk, why did he contact the maintenance company and request a consultation immediately? While a person is not generally liable in tort for psychological harm, this is a special case under the pure mental illness exception, whereby the plaintiff, Osman, witnessed the two construction workers being severely injured Neighbour principle: Established a duty of care between employer and employee in Wilson Clide Coal Co LTG v English (1 938): employers owe employees a duty of care to provide a safe working environment, and Paris v Stepney Borough Council (1951). 2. Breach? Standard of care: the â€Å"reasonable man† definitely would have believed there to be a real and foreseeable risk that the plaintiff might be injured if the crane malfunctioned or broke The â€Å"reasonable man† would have waited the two hours for an engineer from EFL Engineering to check the crane. The â€Å"reasonable man† would have exercised a much greater standard of care, particularly as the crane was lifting building materials to upper floors and the consequences if the crane malfunctioned were very serious. 3. Damage? Osman was â€Å"deeply traumatized† and cannot drive a crane again He received psychiatric treatment and would eventually take lower paid work. Causation: if Hilift had waited for EFL Engineering, the cable would not have snapped and would not have caused Osman’s psychological injury. (â€Å"But for† test) Foreseeability: Hilift ought to have foreseen that if he did not wait for the EFL Engineering consult, that the crane could malfunction and this malfunction would be likely to cause injury or death to others and consequently cause a severe risk of physical or psychological harm to the  crane operator. Conclusion Osman Hilift would be liable in tort for the psychiatric injury to Osman, but is unlikely to be liable in tort for the compensation for Osman’s reduced salary after the accident because established in Kyogie shire Council v Francis (1989) that it is not permissible for the court to award damages to compensate the injured for profits they may have earned if not for the negligent conduct. Apply – Construction worker 1 (Amputee) 1. Duty of care? Hilift reasonably ought to have known that there would be a (not insignificant) risk that the crane would malfunction or break, which would, in turn, be likely to cause severe damage or injury to workmen below. Supported by Hilift’s contact with the maintenance company: if he did not perceive there to be a risk, why did he contact the maintenance company and request a consultation â€Å"immediately†? Neighbour principle: Established a duty of care between employer and employee in Wilson Clide Coal Co Ltd v English (1938): employers owe employees a duty of care to provide a safe working environment, and Paris v Stepney Borough Council (1951). 2. Breach? See â€Å"Breach† in Apply – Osman The likely seriousness of the consequences of Hilift continuing construction without waiting for the engineer were extremely serious as the crane was handing heavy materials at a high altitude, which suggests Hilift ought to have exercised a higher standard of care. 3. Damage? The snapping of the cable caused direct, severe injury to the construction worker, requiring amputation of both legs. Causation: If Hilift had waited for EFL Engineering, the fault in the cable would have been detected and fixed, and the construction worker would not need to be amputated. Foreseeability: Hilift ought to have foreseen that if he did not wait for the EFL Engineering consultant, the crane could malfunction and this would be likely to cause severe injury or death to construction workers working on lower floors. Conclusion – Construction Worker 1 Hilift would be liable in tort to pay compensation for the costs incurred by Construction Worker 1 due to that hospitalisation and forced amputation of both legs, and possibly even â€Å"consequential mental harm† depending on the mental health of Construction Worker 1. Apply – Construction Worker 2 1. Duty of care? see â€Å"Duty of care† in Apply – Construction Worker 1* 2. Breach? Standard of care: the â€Å"reasonable man† definitely would have believed there to be a real and foreseeable risk that the plaintiff might be injured if the crane malfunctioned or broke. The â€Å"reasonable man† would have waited the two hours for an engineer from EFL Engineering to check the crane. The â€Å"reasonable man† would have exercised a much greater standard of care, particularly as the crane was lifting building materials to upper floors and the likely seriousness of the consequences if the crane malfunctioned. 3. Damage? The snapping of the cable hospitalised Construction Worker 2 for an extended period of time and serious injuries. Causation: If Hilift had waited for EFL Engineering, the fault in the cable would have been detected and fixed, and the construction worker would not need to be hospitalised. Foreseeability: Hilift ought to have foreseen that if they did not wait for the EFL Engineering consultation, the crane could malfunction and this would be likely to cause severe injury or death to construction workers working on lower floors. Conclusion – Construction Worker 2 Hilift would be liable in tort for compensation for the costs incurred by Construction Worker 2 for the hospitalisation due to Hilift’s negligent inaction by allowing Osman to continue work on a faulty crane. Apply – Building Manager 1. Duty of care? Hilift ought to have foreseen that if the crane was faulty, it would likely cause damage to the building Duty of care: professional persons (Hilift) owing a duty to client (building owner) established in Hill v Van Erp (1997). Analogous situation: manufacturers (Hilift) owing a duty to eventual consumer (building owner) established in Donohue v Stevenson (1932). 2. Breach? Standard of care: the â€Å"reasonable man† definitely would have believed there to be a real and foreseeable risk that the building would be damaged if the crane malfunctioned while handing heavy building materials. The â€Å"reasonable man† would have waited the two hours for an engineer from the EFL Engineering to check the crane. 3. Damage? The building will cost $75 000 to repair Construction is delayed by three months; expected income from tenants during this period is lost. Causation: If Hilift had waited for EFL Engineering, the fault in the cable would have been detected and fixed, and the building would not need to be repaired, nor will construction be delayed 3 months. Foreseeability: Hilift ought to have foreseen that if he did not wait for the EFL Engineering consultation, the crane could malfunction and this would be likely to cause damage to the building. Conclusion – Building Manager Hilift would be liable in tort for the compensation of $75, 000 for the  building repair, but precedent suggests the company will not be liable for compensation for the expected profits the building owner lost due to the three month delay. This was established in Kyogle Shire Council v Francis (1989).

Human Nature Theories And Leadership Styles Management Essay

Human Nature Theories And Leadership Styles Management Essay When a manager is sent from his/her home country to manage either a culturally different or a highly diverse workforce, such a manager will most likely face some problems. Some of the problems are culturally contingent. This work looks at problems faced by an American manager when he relocates to Japan as a result of difference in their leadership styles. America managers relocating to Japan are being considered in this piece of work as a result of different reasons. Japan is regarded as one of the leading economies in the industrialized world. It is the second largest economy. Japan is regarded as Americas fourth largest export market and is the second largest foreign investor in America (U.S. Department of Commerce). Trade between America and Japan has had its ups and downs due to conflicts and tighter trade restrictions by Japan. However as a result of research done, The New York Times (1991) proposed that American companies operating in Japan now face fewer trade restrictions. Also, many companies were said to enjoy lucrative returns. American companies such as IBM, Bank of America and others were regarded as successful in Japan. Japanese companies such as Toyota operating in America also send American managers that are their employees to the head office in Japan to get more understanding of the corporate culture, processes, e.t.c. All these and more have necessitated the need to look at leadership styles of both countries and try to find a model that would work for the American manager and Japanese employees he would be leading in order to avoid conflicts, lack of cooperation, tension, lack of productivity that may result from incompatibility of the manager and the employees. The topic will As earlier stated, the problems faced by an American manager who has to relocate to a branch of the company in Japan will be examined and analyzed by looking at the different leadership styles, theories on leadership and role of culture in determining leadership styles. Leadership styles of America and Japan will be identified, analysis of the link between theories with practice will be done, the possible similarities/differences he will face, problems encountered and possible solutions to those problems will be identified before arriving at a conclusion. GENERAL OVERVIEW: Different definitions of leadership have been proposed overtime. According to Hogetts and Luthans (2003), leadership is the process of influencing people to direct their efforts towards achievement of some particular goals or goals. House et al (2004) defined leadership as the ability of a person to influence, motivate and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the organizations of which they are members. Leadership style Overview The style of the leader is considered to be very important in achieving organizational goals as it can induce performance among subordinates (Barling;  Berson  and  Zacharatos). Different leadership styles have been proposed by various scholars. Two models will be considered in this work: Transformational and Transactional leadership styles proposed by James Macgregor Burns (1978) and, Directive, Supportive, Participative and Achievement-Oriented leadership styles developed by House (1971, 1974) but with focus on Houses model as this makes comparison between American and Japanese leadership styles easier. Transformational This leadership style has overtime demonstrated benefits over the transactional style in achieving organizational goals. (McColl-Kennedy and Andreson, 2002). Transformational leaders are those that lead by stimulating and inspiring their followers to achieve extraordinary outcomes and in the process, develop their own leadership capacity. (Bass and Riggio 2006). Transformational leaders inspire their followers to do more than they originally intended or thought possible. This transformation occurs through individual interactions between leaders and subordinates, especially through the manner in which transformational leaders communicate with subordinates. Transactional Transactional leaders, on the other hand, lead through social exchange. Transactional leaders offer or deny rewards for productivity or lack of it (Burns, 1978). They engage in a process of negotiation, offering subordinates rewards in exchange for the attainment of specific goals and completion of agreed-upon tasks (Bass, 1985). As earlier stated, focus will be on the different leadership styles developed by House (1971, 1974) in his path-goal theory. This was developed to explain how the behaviour of a leader affects the performance and satisfaction of subordinates. The following leadership behaviours/styles were identified: Directive Leadership: telling subordinates what to do, giving specific guidance along the way, scheduling and coordinating things to be done and, asking them to follow rules and procedures. (Yukl, 2002). This should be applied in environments where there is strong acceptance of hierarchies. (Mohr, 2010). This style increases the followers sense of security. Supportive Leadership: this involves giving consideration to the needs of subordinates, being concerned for their welfare and creating a friendly work environment (Yukl, 2002). Should be applied in environments with strong group orientation (Mohr, 2010). Participative: involves consulting with subordinates and taking their opinions and suggestions into account when making decisions (Yukl, 2002, Kreitner et al, 2002). Should be applied in environments with strong equality and individualism (Mohr, 2010). This approach works best when subordinates are experts in their fields and can give advice when needed. Achievement Oriented: involves setting challenging goals in work and self-improvement, seeking high standards and performance improvement. Also showing confidence in abilities of subordinates (Yukl, 2002). Should be used in environments with strong individualism and pragmatism where result-orientation and achievement are the main motivational factors (Mohr, 2010). LEADERSHIP THEORIES: Theories on leadership are philosophical assumptions that help leaders know how to direct their subordinates most effectively. There are various theories supporting the concept of leadership style. They aid explanation and proper understanding of leadership styles. Theories to be considered in this assignment are: McGregors Human nature theory ( Theory X and Y) Ouchis theory (Theory Z) Douglas McGregors Human Nature Theory (Theory X and Y): According to Hodgetts and Luthans (2003), Theory X and Y are two philosophical assumptions which Douglas McGregor labelled to understand the human nature. Theory X assumes that people are basically lazy and, coercion and threats of punishment are often necessary to get them to work. In this case, leadership style has to be controlling and monitoring. Specifically, the theory assumes that: By nature, people do not like to work and so avoid it whenever possible. The individual is evil and will always want to cheat. Workers have little ambition, try to avoid responsibility and want to be directed. The main need of employees is job security. To get people to attain organizational objectives, it is essential to use coercion, control and threats of punishment. The Theory Y is based on the assumption that under the right conditions, people will work hard and also seek increased responsibility and challenge. Specifically, the theory assumes that, Individuals want to respected, allowed to show initiative, and given autonomy and responsibility. Using physical and mental effort at work is as natural to people as resting or playing. External control and threats of punishment are not the only ways of getting people to work towards achieving organizational objectives: if people are committed to a goal, they will exercise self-direction and self control. Commitment to objectives is determined by rewards associated with their achievement. Under proper conditions, the average human being learns not only to accept but also to seek responsibility. The ability to employ a reasonably high degree of imagination, ingenuity and creativity in the solution of organizational problem is widely distributed throughout the population. Under condition of modern industry life, the intellectual potential of the average human begin is only partly tapped. Ouchis Theory Z: The Theory Z approach to management simply suggests that involved workers are the key to increased productivity (Workman, 2008). Ouchis Theory Z recommends how employees should be motivated for increased productivity. (Woodman/Workman, 2008). This approach promotes participation in leadership. Involvement leads to the development of trust relationships and highly cohesive work groups (this tends to compel even greater involvement). Employees will be satisfied in the healthy social environment thus created. Detailed policies and rules to govern and slow employees behaviour at work will not be needed. Employees will be trusted to do the right thing and managers, to look out for employees welfare. The result will be a level of productivity superior to that achieved at similar non-Theory Z firms. ROLE OF CULTURE In looking at leadership styles, it is important to note that culture plays an important role in forming and understanding leadership styles/pattern. Therefore, a deeper understanding of American and Japanese culture is essential in the context of this work. There are cultural differences in America and Japan and, Hofstedes dimensions; Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism/Collectivism, Masculinity/Feminism (England, 1983) will be considered in understanding these differences and similarities. From his dimensions, the following index was developed: Values Country Individualism Long term orientation Power distance Uncertainty avoidance Masculinity America 91 29 40 46 62 Japan 46 80 54 92 95 Table 1: Showing the index of America and Japan using the Hofstedes dimension. Source: Adapted from Mohr, 2010. Comparator (dimension) America Japan Power distance Low High Individualism High Low Masculinity High High Uncertainty avoidance Low High Long term orientation Low High Table 2: Showing the variation between America and Japan using Hofstedes dimension. After looking at Hofstedes dimensions, main points of American and Japanese work culture will be highlighted. The table below points out the highlights of American organizational/work culture. American Work/Organizational Culture American Individualistic, self-reliant and allowed to take decisions on their own Materialistic goals take priority over spiritual values Fast work pace/tempo Opportunistic, take risks and want immediate profit Start meeting with humour, chatting and use first names Blunt, like to negotiate and get oral agreement at the first meeting Quick to hire and fire Status accorded on basis of merit/achievement and wealth. Age, seniority and gender is largely unimportant Ethnocentric and assume they are the best Specialists in their fields Japanese Work/Organizational Culture Japanese Culturally different from everyone else Have great power in conformity with Confucian hierarchy but little involvement in daily affairs of the organization On appropriate occasions, policies/ideas are initiated from the factory floor and passed up the company hierarchy for approval and ratification in what is known as ringi-sho consensus Collectivist and cant take decisions on their own. They have to refer back to their Head Office. As a result, dont make decisions in the first meeting Vague; not direct/blunt. Dont want to lose face or have their feelings hurt Life-long employment with organization Generalists, not specialists Life-long job rotation Table 3: Lewis (2006) After the review of leadership styles and theories, and culture of America and Japan (both generally and within the organization), leadership styles in America and Japan will now be analyzed: LEADERSHIP STYLE IN AMERICA American leaders have a unique leadership motivation style that integrates the features which most closely fit with their cultural characteristics. Their leadership style is participative (Bass, 1990. Mohr, 2010). This leadership style matches/is in line with the high individuality and low power distance found in Hofstedes dimensions. Also, elements of Theory Y (paternalistic) and theory Z (participative) can be found in their leadership style. LEADERSHIP STYLE IN JAPAN The management style in Japan is a mix of participative and directive approach as was found in the research carried out by Spicer and Fukushige (2007). This leadership style matches/is in line with the low individuality, high power distance, and high uncertainty avoidance found in Hofstedes dimensions. Elements of theory Z (participative) can be found in their leadership style. Japanese leaders use a blend of both task-centred and people-centred approaches to lead subordinates (Workman, 2008). However, in the research done by Fukushige and Spicer (2007), it was found that Japanese employees prefer the following leadership styles: Network leadership style Protective Gender Equality RELATIONSHIP (ANALYSIS OF LINK BETWEEN THEORIES PRACTICE) Theories America Japan Theory X _ _ Theory Y Since Americans are committed to goals, they exercise high self-control. No threats of punishment are required to ensure task completion Paternalistic Theory Y where there is a mutual, two-way flow of information and influence between boss and subordinates. Seek and accept responsibilities. _ Theory Z Americans are motivated by a powerful commitment to be part of a greater whole in general, and more specifically to their organization Though individualistic, Americans derive satisfaction while contributing to their companys success. Employees seek out responsibility and strive for opportunities to advance in an organization. Both leaders and subordinates are motivated by a strong sense of commitment to be part of a greater whole (the Japanese organization in which they work). People are -satisfied when they contribute to organizational success through teamwork. In return for the organizations long-term commitment to providing job security (often for life), workers develop strong bonds of loyalty towards their employer. Communication flows between leaders and subordinates Because Theory Z is participative, Japanese organizations show continuous interaction and exchange of information and influence between leader and subordinates, as well as among subordinates. The multidirectional flow of communication n the more project-oriented Japanese organizational culture is different from leader and subordinate behaviour Table 2: Showing factors that make up theories Y and Z in America and Japan. PROBLEMS FACED: The problems that an American manager will face in Japan will basically be on the issues raised based on the theory Y which are absent in Japan. The table above gives a general overview on some issues that could be conflicting between the two cultures. Some other problems likely to be faced include: Culture Shock Conflicts in interest of the manager and the subordinate (Americans seek job satisfaction and individuality while Japanese seek personal goals achievement and collectivism). Frustration on inability to make decisions and having less autonomy. Adaptation to Japanese work/organizational culture. Inability to hire efficient staff and fire non-performing ones. CAUSE and EFFECTS OF THE PROBLEM: The major cause of such problem however is cultural differences amongst this two country as the national cultural has direct impact on citizens and affects their leadership style and every part of their lives. As a result, difference in leadership style will also cause problems. Most important effect will be the impact on performance/productivity. Positive effects will lead to improved performance/productivity and negative effects, vice versa. (McColl-Kennedy and Anderson, 2002). POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS To solve problems associated with difference in leadership style, the American manager has to be trained to understand the Japanese culture, work culture and be aware of differences that exist between the two cultures before being deployed. The following should also be done: The manager should look at researches (particularly current ones) done about leadership/leading in Japan Learn leadership styles Japanese employees are used to; their preferred leadership style and incorporate both to his/her leadership style as House and Dessler (1974) found that only leadership behaviour seen to bring satisfaction or with future potential will be seen as acceptable to employees Ask for feedback on his performance/style from employees to where and when to make changes Incorporate Ouchis theory Z (Integration) designed to make doing business in Japan easier for Americans (England, 1983). Type Z (integration) Long-run employment Job rotation in particular areas Majority decisions Responsibility for group members Develop specialists and generalists Source: Adapted from Mohr, 2010 CONCLUSION: In conclusion, leadership styles and theories have been considered both generally and specifically as it pertains to this piece of work, the role of culture in determining leadership style has been considered, problems faced have been noted and possible solutions have been highlighted. In order to cope with the conflicts/problems, solutions highlighted above should be considered. The manager should also develop trust with his subordinates as he/she might still be ineffective if the subordinates do not accept him/her.