Tropical Rain Forest Soils of La Selva Essay -- Ecology Wildlife Natur

Tropical Rain Forest Soils of La Selva Tropical rain forests across the globe are currently threatened by massive deforestation for logging, grazing, and cultivation (Otzen 1993). Such land-use practices alter temperature regimes (Fernandes and Sanford 1995) as well as ground, soil, and surface water, flora, fauna, and microorganisms (Otzen 1993). These changes may result in a loss of soil organic matter, a decrease in soil fertility (Garcia-Oliva et al. 1994, Tissen et al. 1994), severe soil erosion (Otzen 1993), and changes in soil structure and chemistry (Fernandes and Sanford 1995, Sollins et al. 1995, Montgagnini and Sancho 1994.) The response of tropical rain forest soils to deforestation depends upon the specific properties of the soils as well as the type of use they are subject to. La Selva Biological Station, located in north-central Costa Rica and containing a mixture of pasture, second growth, and intact forest, provides an excellent opportunity to study the effects of deforestation on examples of three soil orders--Entisols, Inceptisols, and Ultisols. Although limited studies have been conducted on the impact of deforestation on soils in this area, a knowledge of their properties may help predict the nature of the changes that would occur due to deforestation. Such changes will determine whether or not rejuvenation of the rain forest is possible. All soils at La Selva are derived from volcanic parent material. This material came primarily from eroded lava flows, although some material was carried in lahars. At higher elevations, soil parent material consists of lava weathered in place. Both alluvial and colluvial deposits cover the lower elevations, however, which include river terraces of various ages. Mos... ...s: Biogeochemistry (Dordrecht) 6: 181-89. Sollins P., Sancho, Freddy, Mata, Rafael, Sanford, Robert L. Jr., 1994, Soils and soil process research, pages 34-53 in McDade, L. A.; K.S. Bawa; H.A. Hespenheide; and G.S. Hartshorn (eds.), La Selva Ecology and Natural History of a Neotropical Rain Forest: Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 486 p. Tidall, J.M. and J.M. Oades, 1982, Organic matter and water-stable aggregates in soil: Journal of Soil Science 33: 141-63. Tissen, H., E. Cuevas, P. Chacon. 1994. The role of soil organic matter in sustaining soil fertility. Nature 371: 783-785. Uehara, G. and G. Gillman, 1981, The Mineralogy, Chemistry, and Physics of Tropical Soils with Variable Charge Clays: Boulder, Colorado, Westview press. Vitousek, P.M. 1984. Litterfall nutrients cycling and nutrient limitation in tropical forests. Ecology 65: 285-298.

Duffy: The Real ‘Painful Case’ Essay

In â€Å"A Painful Case,† by James Joyce, the central character is cold, intellectual, and emotionless. The narrator of this story adopts a pessimistic and scathingly negative view of the central character, Mr. Duffy. Duffy is, figuratively speaking, dead. He is dead to the world of passionate emotions that make others ‘alive,’ and he shuns most contact with other humans, especially emotional and intimate contact. He argues that ‘every bond is a bond of sorrow,’ and uses this as justification for not engaging in any relationships of an intimate nature. He has ‘neither companions nor friends, church nor creed.’ Duffy’s room is very telling of his personality as well. â€Å"The lofty walls of his uncarpeted room were free from pictures† (Joyce, 118). It is customary to put up pictures in one’s home of one’s family or friends, but Duffy does not associate with either. He has no joyous memories to immortalize in film and frame on his bedroom wall. His room mirrors the state of his mind: orderly and austere, uncluttered by anything resembling passion. In many respects Duffy is dead. The only intimacy Duffy may have ever felt in his life was with Mrs. Sinico, but even when she dies he initially feels nothing but disgust that he had shared intimate parts of himself with someone who degraded herself with an alcoholic suicide. â€Å"The whole narrative of her death revolted him and it revolted him to think that he had ever spoken to her of what he held sacred. [She had] a commonplace vulgar death. Not only had she degraded herself; she had degraded him. He saw the squalid tract of her voice, miserable and malodorous. His soul’s companion!† (Joyce, 126-127) The extent of Duffy’s aloof fear of intimacy is such that even when Mrs. Sinico dies the only thing he can think about is how her death cheapened him. Eventually, Duffy realizes that ‘he had withheld life from her,’ and ‘he had sentenced her to death.’ He realizes that he, at least in large part, had been responsible for her descent, alcoholism, and eventual suicide. He left her to loneliness when he stopped seeing her, and that loneliness was what prompted her death. â€Å"Now that she was gone he realized how lonely her life must have been, sitting night after night alone in that room† (Joyce, 128). With the realization that he was responsible for Sinico’s death, Duffy realizes that he too will die someday, and, like Mrs. Sinico, become nothing more than a memory. The reason why Mrs. Sinico left memories with Duffy is because she reached out and attempted to become emotionally intimate with him. Unlike Sinico, Duffy never made any such attempts, and recoiled when he realized that their relationship was becoming too close. Because of his lack of warmth and passion, when Duffy dies it is likely that no one will even remember him, and he realizes this. â€Å"His life would be lonely too until he, too, died, ceased to exist, became a memory- if anyone remembered him†¦ He gnawed the rectitude of his life; he felt that he had been outcast from life’s feast†¦ no one wanted him† (Joyce, 128-127) However, even after Duffy comes to this painful realization he still has little hope of altering his lifestyle to be more passionate and ‘alive.’ This is shown by Duffy’s thoughts of Sinico near the end of the story. Initially, he can feel her presence. â€Å"She seemed to be near him in the darkness. At moments he seemed to feel her voice touch his ear, her hand touch his† (Joyce, 128). Later, he sees a goods train emerging from the Knightsbridge station, and imagines the ‘laborious drone of the engine reiterating the syllables of her name.’ In this manner he personifies her spirit with the train. After the train leaves, so does his feeling that she is still there next to him; after the train leaves he feels utterly alone again. â€Å"He listened again: perfectly silent. He felt that he was alone.† Duffy dismisses Sinico’s spirit, and by dismissing her, he also dismisses any hope he had of learning to live. In this manner the narrator provides a pessimistic view of Duffy, while showing the reader how Duffy has little hope of learning to feel passion even after Sinico’s death. The newspaper refers to Mrs. Sinico’s death as ‘a most painful case.’ However, the title of the story really refers to Mr. Duffy. He is, in fact, the real painful case.

8 Stages of Psychosocial Dilemmas - 1757 Words

In Dr. Eric Erikson’s 8 Stages of Psychosocial Dilemmas he stated that conflict between personal impulse and the social world. Erikson also believed that a sense of competence also motivates behaviors and actions. Each stage in Erikson’s theory is concerned with becoming competent in an area of life. If the stage is handled well, the person will feel a sense of mastery. Being able to master the dilemma during each stages of Erikson’s psychosocial development creates a sense of success and well development accomplishment. Being able to strive for a healthy growth and future endeavors in later stages. On the contrary if you are unable to fully develop in the early stages will make it harder to deal with later stages. Erikson’s 8 Stages of†¦show more content†¦Through social interactions, children begin to develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments and abilities. During the industry versus inferiority the children begin to perform complex task and upon completion the child feels empowered and a sense of accomplishment which gives him confidence to try even more grueling intricate tasks. While on the contrary if a child is unable to receive encouragement from their parents, teachers, and peers they feel a sense doubt about there success. An example of stage four close to my life is my little cousin Marcos. The little dude is amazingly smart due to the fact he is encouraged by his parents and his peers. He is sincerely able to take on new tasks and be a leader in his own mind. Every task that Marcos is able to accomplish begins by his parents’ push him to strive for success and he tackles all his task head on. During the fifth stage of Erikson’s psychosocial development it is considered the adolescence identity versus role confusion occurs. Teens need to develop a sense of self- discovery and personal identity. The teen usual does this by aligning yourself with other peers with similar interested either in music, hobbies, or other activities. As they make the transition from childhood to adulthood, teens may begin to feel confused or insecure about themselves and how they fit in to society. I found this to be true while growing up and going through my adolescent years I found it difficultShow MoreRelatedAdolescence Is A Critical Time For A Human1405 Words   |  6 Pagesunfulfilled (p. 317). Many theories have been established in regard to development focusing on the psychosocial, moral, and faith development of the human. These theories can simply be viewed as offering a lens to study human development and why the development is important for the outcome of a one’s mental health. The following is a comparison and contrast of Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory, Lawrence Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development, and James Fowler’s Theory of Faith Development.Read MoreErick Erickson : Identity And Identity1885 Words   |  8 Pageswith developmental psychology theory. Compared to Sigmund Feud he claims the humans can develop in stages. He develops the eight psychosocial stages in which humans develop throughout their life span. There are different challenges and psychological milestones that every one of us must encounter as humans, people on earth. There are several similarities between us as people be found in the life stages of infancy, childhood, adolescence, young adult, middle adult, and of course old age (IntroductionRead MoreThe Developmental Theory Created By Erik Erikson1990 Words   |  8 PagesAbstract This paper explores the developmental theory created by Erik Erikson, which focuses on the major psychosocial dilemmas that a person struggles with over the course of their entire life. Following a brief biography of Erikson’s life, the paper will touch upon the 8 stages between birth and death wherein the most psychologically significant of these dilemmas take place. It will discuss the psychological impact of trust versus mistrust, autonomy versus shame and doubt, initiative versus guiltRead MorePsy 200 Article Critique : Obesity And Obesity Essay938 Words   |  4 Pagessuch as; poor lifestyle choices and the lack of exercise. In the article Harrison et al. (2011) indicates in order to understand why childhood obesity and overweight are on the rise, we first need to establish the factors that contribute to this dilemma. There is no doubt that nature and nurture contribute to childhood overweight and obesity; that is why researchers developed the Six-Cs Model to examine thi s problem of childhood obesity. The Six-Cs Model focuses on six categories: cell, child, clanRead MoreChildhood Obesity And Overweight And Obesity Essay1138 Words   |  5 Pagessuch as, poor lifestyle choices and the lack of exercise. In the article Harrison et al. (2011) indicates in order to understand why childhood obesity and overweight are on the rise, we first need to establish the factors that contribute to this dilemma. There is no doubt that nature and nurture contribute to childhood overweight and obesity; that is why researchers developed the Six-Cs Model to examine this problem of childhood obesity. The Six-Cs Model focuses on six categories: cell, child, clanRead MoreRunning Out Of Time, My Life Essay2295 Words   |  10 Pagesexamine Freud, Erickson Piaget and XXX theories and how they apply to the development of the individual as he transitions through stages of his life and how they can be beneficial during counseling and interventions. Movie Overview The movie (My Life, 1993) starts with Bob Jones (Michael Keaton) figuring out how to operate a video camera to record himself. He then set the stage for what is happening, stating he was formally known as Bob Ivanovich and that he is dying from cancer. He understands deathRead MoreNursing Assessment and Patient Care Essay1181 Words   |  5 Pages Lily was a 65 year old lady with stage 5 CKD, she had recently begun hemodialysis treatment three times a week as an inpatient and had been responding well to treatment. During dialysis treatment on the morning of the first day, Lily’s observations showed that she was: tachycardic, hypotensive, tachypnoeaic, had an oxygen saturation level of 88% and was becoming confused and drowsy. It became apparent that Lily had become hypovolaemic. The hypovolaemic shock seen in this patient was of a particularRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd ) Essay2229 Words   |  9 Pagesto cope and adjust with associated stereotyped and difficult behaviors. Given the often â€Å"invisible† nature of the disability, children may also encounter negative reactions to their sibling from the public and peers (Roeyers Mycke, 1995). Most psychosocial research in the domain of developmental disability remains focused on patients and parents, with a particular lack of attention paid to sibling s. This lack of focus has been conceptualised as reflecting the siblings ‘potentially side lined positionRead MoreThe Theories Of Socialization And The Stages Of Development Theory2303 Words   |  10 Pagesdifferent theories stated over the years. The six differ theories of socialization are the Psychoanalytic Theory, the Cognitive Development Theory, the Moral Development Theory, the Gender and Moral development theory, Social self-theory, and the Eight stages of Development theory. To start things off Sigmund Freud. Sigmund Freud’s theory was Elements of Personality. Freud has coined and made many of the vocabulary of western society. Words he has introduced through his theories are now used by everydayRead MoreEriksons Psychosocial Development Theory10839 Words   |  44 Pageserik eriksons psychosocial crisis life cycle model - the eight stages of human development Eriksons model of psychosocial development is a very significant, highly regarded and meaningful concept. Life is a serious of lessons and challenges which help us to grow. Eriksons wonderful theory helps to tell us why. The theory is helpful for child development, and adults too. For the lite version, heres a quick diagram and summary. Extra details follow the initial overview. For more information

A New Concept Of Foreign Affairs - 1477 Words

The Industrial Revolution in Europe marked a turning point in history for the worse. Starting in the 19th century a new concept of foreign affairs was introduced to Asia and Africa: New Imperialism. New Imperialism began in the 19th century when Europeans, mainly Great Britain, began colonizing Asia and Africa. Europeans used military, political, and economic power to take over weaker countries. Imperialism had an overall negative effect on the indigenous people of Asia and Africa. Economic motives were a major cause of New Imperialism. By the late 1870’s countries were industrializing rapidly. Great Britain began losing its economic lead and was faced with competition in foreign markets. The seizing of Asian and African territories†¦show more content†¦The opium increase had a negative effect on China and their government. Individuals became highly addicted and began trading silver to obtain opium which resulted in the Qing government losing most their silver. Due t o loss of silver, tax payments began rising. Tax payments became hard for citizen to pay. With the intention of solving these issues, China banned all use of opium. Britain demanded the creation of an independent British colony in China with unrestricted trade. The British demands and Chinese resistance led to the Opium Wars. During the Opium Wars, China was forced to give in to British demands. They were required to relinquish Hong Kong forever, pay an indemnity of $100 million, and open four large cities to unlimited foreign trade. China and Western powers continued to dispute over trade, leading to the second Opium War. The second Opium War consisted of further loss of Chinese territory and forced the Chinese to accept trade and investments with unfavorable term in several more cities. The British invasion of China is a clear depiction of British imperialism negatively affecting the native inhabitants. The British government used opium addiction and military force to disrupt Chi nese seclusion for their own benefits. Britain’s goal was to gain access to China for foreign trade. In the process of doing that, the stripped the Qing government of silver which raised taxes for citizens of China. Britain disregarded Chinese laws and policies. BritainShow MoreRelatedEssay on Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson1029 Words   |  5 Pagesideas between the Founding Fathers. Both parties agreed that The Articles of Confederation would not create a sufficient government but were divided on the right direction the new government should follow. These two parties, the Federalist and the Democratic-Republicans, disagreed on most internal and foreign decisions and affairs. Although there was no mention of political parties in the Constitution, America’s social, political, and economical decisions are a result of the development of these partiesRead MoreUnited States Foreign Policy. The World Today Is Ravaged1292 Words   |  6 PagesUnited States Foreign Policy The world today is ravaged by weather disasters, economic disaster, diplomatic disputes, and even military conflict. The United States puts these issues into a category called foreign policy. Foreign policy is defined as a government s strategy in dealing with foreign affairs. (â€Å"Foreign Policy,† 2017) The United States has the challenge of facing all of these problems on a daily basis. Whether it is resolving issues in the South China Sea, or aiding countries damagedRead MoreAmerica s Influence On North America1130 Words   |  5 Pagesbrought on a rise of big businesses and new opportunities through railroad transportation, and has since then given us a country of strong corporation and an ever expanding possibility of transportation of people and goods, alike. The country fought to expand its property lines, communications, and government influence throughout the 1900s. Presently, the United States focuses more on, abandoning the previous idea of isolation to keep the country out of foreign affairs, and instead aiming for more worldwideRead MoreU.s. Bush s Administration On Foreign Policy Over The Last Forty Years1717 Words   |  7 Pages‘unilateralism’, and it will thereafter argue that this concept was seemingly useful only in the short term, while proving to be unfavourable and hindering in advancing US national interests in the long term. C. Structure (200) Firstly, the essay will look at the general definition of unilateralism and its application to US foreign policy over the last forty years. In defining the term, this essay will leave aside the debate between the competing concepts of unilateralism and multilateralism, which hasRead MoreDevelopment of Foreign Policy Essay697 Words   |  3 PagesRevolution, there was no foreign policy for the American new found state. However, this changed with the formation of the same. The policy then consisted mainly on its regional interests and had no regards of the international scene. This however came to pass with the advent of the Spanish-American war. What however ought to be noted is that the regional policy had in its ideals an aim of creating an ‘Empire of Liberty’. The US had its first taste of having a foreign affairs office through the FirstRead MoreWhat Was The Reagan Revolution?1337 Words   |  6 Pagescommunicator, who offered himself as the leader at a time when economy was a shambles and restored the nation s confidence in the White House. His new approach was focused on the reorientation of the U.S. budgetary system, fiscal and tax policies as a break with the economic priorities of previous administrations. Even though he was not very experienced in foreign affairs and many of the ideas originated from movies the president had seen, Reagan with his confrontational rhetoric significantly contributedRead MoreLiberalism and Realism Essay1249 Words   |  5 Pagesprominent theories of international relations. These doctrines exhibit sagacious perceptions about war, foreign affairs and domestic relations. The fundamental principles of protocol in which we rely upon aren’t always apprehensive (Karle, Warren, 2003). By interpreting the data one could fathom these ideas. The assessment of these faculties wield noteworthy dominance about the concepts of international affairs. In analyzing this data, you will comprehend the variant relationship between Realism and LiberalismRead MoreEssay on Consequences of the World War II1306 Words   |  6 Pages000 deaths to the United States It badly affected the economies of the countries involved in the war It enhanced the racism, which is already present in the American Society. During the war, African Americans, women, and Mexican American founded new opportunities in industry but Japanese American were relocated from their homes and were placed in the camps The World War II has many other complex consequences in the world politics and on the lives of the people. Economic Effects: It has beenRead MoreThe Brazilian Immigration Policy And The Constitution Of The Federative Republic Of Brazil925 Words   |  4 PagesWhat make us think that the intention of the country is only to take advantage of foreign labor. Because of this, a change is necessary so that the regulation is more suited to new world reality, where we live in a globalized world. A world quite different from 80’s that time for example there was no internet. Not only for this reason but for the reasons which I will show below is necessary that the law be rewritten. The Brazilian immigration policy presents problems like the exaggerated nationalRead MoreThe Foundations Of The Federal Government1103 Words   |  5 PagesDemocratic-Republicans and The Federalists. The Federalists, however, were more influential in several aspects of governmental policy, including but not limited to the ideals that led to the ratification of the constitution, changes in foreign affairs, and the implementation of new financial policies. In fact, Federalists ideas still stand today, and they are more commonly known as modern federalism, which has evolved to a more powerful overseeing governmental system. During the pre-constitutional period

Essay on Appearance vs. Reality in Jane Austen’s Pride...

Appearance vs. Reality in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, the theme of appearance versus reality is recurrent. Austen seeks to prove that often one’s appearance hides one’s true character. This thematic concept is clearly evident in the case of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham and how they appear to Elizabeth Bennett. From her first impressions of both Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth comes to misguided conclusions about their true character. Elizabeth spends most of the novel reevaluating her stance regarding both of these characters. She later comes to realize that her respective judgements of Mr.Darcy and Mr. Wickham are profoundly inaccurate and incorrect. In Jane Austen’s Pride and†¦show more content†¦Bingley and Elizabeth goes to stay with her at Netherfield. Elizabeth’s dislike of Darcy’s stoic and unfriendly manner increases; while spending time with the Bingley party. Elizabeth believes every single move of Darcy to have ill intentions. She notices Darcy frequently gazing at her and concludes â€Å"she drew his notice because there was something about her more wrong and reprehensible, according to his ideas of right† (86). Elizabeth is blinded of Darcy’s true character, which is hidden by his appearance. She is unable to sense Darcy’s real feelings because his introverted demeanor does not allow him to express them. Elizabeth’s blindness is blatantly obvi ous when Darcy asks Elizabeth to dance and she denies by saying: â€Å"You wanted me, I know, to say ‘yes,’ that you might have the pleasure of despising my taste; but I always delight in overthrowing the kind of scheme, and cheating a person of their premeditated contempt. I have, therefore, made up my mind to tell you, that I do not want to dance a reel at all- now despise me if you dare (86). At this point in the novel, any contact Darcy attempts to make with Elizabeth is brutally rebuffed because of her strong prejudice towards him. Contrary of Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth’s first impressions of Mr.Wickham are favorable. Mr.Wickham differs from Mr.Darcy in many ways. When Elizabeth first takes notice of Wickham at her Aunt Phillips’ house, she believes him to be â€Å"far beyond† the other officers inShow MoreRelatedAustens Use of Environment in Pride and Prejudice2510 Words   |  11 PagesJane Austens use of Environment in Pride and Prejudice In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen places characters in environments that reveal important details about the characters. It would have been easy to communicate Elizabeths prejudice or Darcys pride using the voice of a narrator, but Austen chooses a more subtle and interesting method of enlightening her readers. Whether using physical surroundings or social contexts, Austen repeatedly coordinates both time and place together to create situationsRead More Characterization and Irony in Pride and Prejudice Essay2991 Words   |  12 PagesCharacterization and Irony in Pride and Prejudice      Ã‚  Ã‚   Like all true literary classics, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is still capable of engaging us, both emotionally and intellectually (Twayne back flap) through its characters and themes. This essay illustrates how Jane Austen uses the characterization of the major characters and irony to portray the theme of societal frailties and vices because of a flawed humanity. Austen writes about the appearance vs. the reality of the characters, the

Multicultural Issues in the Workplace Free Essays

Needs, values, priorities of employees and employers have changed dramatically over the last decade. On all levels of the corporate ladder, men and women are seeking new ways to manage the time they spend working so they can spend more time living. In the boardrooms, executives are seeking ways to attract – and retain – the best employees so they can continue to survive and thrive in a highly competitive global economy. We will write a custom essay sample on Multicultural Issues in the Workplace or any similar topic only for you Order Now As companies are becoming more and more diverse it is becoming more and more important for companies to understand and manage diversity. The people of different background, races, religion creates diverse workforce. There is an importance of having diverse workforce to provide better performance. There are perspectives of managing the diverse workforce, which require organization leaders and managers of being responsible of attaining better diverse workforce. Diversity means differences, difference of age, sex, race, religion and culture etc. People with different demographic differences working in the organization makes diverse workforce. And it is becoming more important for the organizations to know about these differences and how to manage it. Diversity is also the common issue in the workforce environment, in some companies employees often get discriminated or misunderstood because of the diverse features. So it is important for the companies to manage the diversity workforce to value best performance. As differences have often been associated with discrimination, bias, unfair treatment and conflicts, managing diversity in workforce is an important task for managers today. Managing diversity in the workplace refers to the ways of managers used in ensuring employees in the organizations who come from different group do not suffer discrimination. Management can mobilize the differences and similarities in each and every one of the employees for the benefits of both the individuals and organizations. Ensuring fairness and equality in a diverse workplace is more than just doing a good deed, it is imperative in today’s fast moving and sophisticated business world. Diversity is increasing everyday in every organization: in America 1 in 4 Americans belongs to a minority or is foreign-born. Women, who currently make up less than half the work force, are expected to fill 65 percent of the jobs created during this decade. Whether you are a business owner, executive, salesperson or customer- service professional, your success will increasingly depend on your ability to function in a culturally diverse marketplace,† (Profiting in America’s Multicultural Marketplace’ Lexington Books). Why should companies concern themselves with diversity? Many managers answered this question with the statement that discrimina tion is wrong, both legally and morally. But today managers are voicing a second notion as well. A more diverse workforce, they say, will increase organizational effectiveness. It will lift morale, bring greater access to new segments of the marketplace, and enhance productivity. In short, they claim, diversity will be good for business. Research stated that the Canadian companies leading the way in the area of diversity management have discovered that by embracing the elements of ethnic and cultural diversity in their workforce they have enhanced their ability to understand and tap new markets, both within Canada and abroad. Managing diversity There is no doubt that the American workforce has changed in dramatic ways. Twenty years ago the American workforce was predominantly white and male: in the 70’s, non-Hispanic white males represented about 68% of the workforce while in 2006 represented less than 40% of the workforce. (Ivancevich,p54). One of the reasons white males no longer dominate the workforce is that women have entered the workforce in record numbers. It is estimated that at the end of the decade, more than 60% percent of adult American workforce, or almost half of the American work force will be female(Ivancevich. 2007). Organizations have to follow the many guidelines to get diversity stick: they have to focus on getting the best talent out of the person regardless of different age, sex and other demographic differences; they have to develop career plans for all employees of the organization including the minorities; they have to promote minorities to responsible positions in the workplace; they have to make managers responsible to obtain diversity goals by managing their employees well. Managers also have to communicate well with all the employees and listen to their problems that are of different background or cultures. Also organizations should build diversity into senior management. Improved understanding of diversity seems to be an obvious need, yet most firms fail to invest time and resources to become â€Å"diversity-friendly. † Even though there is a long way until diversity in the work force will be fully integrated, there are a few success stories about diversity management that could serve as an example. For example United Airlines experienced an increase in Spanish-speaking travelers when it installed a Spanish-speaking telephone reservation line. Avon Products had significant revenue growth after it hired African American, Hispanic American, and Asian American sales and marketing personnel. Another example that we can use is Pillsbury Company and Kraft General Foods who both recorded access to more of the African American and Hispanic American markets after increasing the number of sales and advertising professionals from these ethnic-racial groups. Lookism Lookism is the ugly prejudice that judges people on their physical beauty instead of their ability. This happens everywhere: in the office, on the street, in the media and in virtually every aspect of our lives. The media fully perpetuates this myth that beauty is more important than anything else, that skinny women are more beautiful than overweight women, and that beautiful skin, hair and teeth make a person better than the one that is considered plain. If you’re unattractive in face or body, you probably learned early on that you pay a price. In school, you were excluded from the â€Å"in† group. When you wanted to date, few people were interested. On the street, people look not at you but past you. We all know that, after all, looks does matter. And it matters in the workplace too. As we can read in the article â€Å"Your appearance, good or bad, can affect size of your paycheck†, a â€Å"growing body of research supports what many suspect: in the workplace, an employee’s physical appearance is a powerful symbol that affects job success. Reading more we discover that , â€Å"Looking good on the job is an intangible asset that can be important, just as sharp technology skills or the ability to be a team player can give certain workers an edge†. We have to admit that there are industries that solely judge people by their looks such as the entertainment industry and modeling. In those industries, a person’s looks is his/her commodity because the public want to see attractive gods and goddesses, not average-looking people. As a conclusion I can say that even though people are protesting the fact that lookism is deemed as discrimination, there is a slim chance that the concept of judging people based upon looks will change overnight. In order for this to change, we all have to change. We, as people, we need to stop judging by the look. We should judge by the qualities that a person has. Organizational Culture An organization’s culture varies as widely as the nature of work itself. Oftentimes a unique different mix of values and norms govern the cultural environment of an organization. In today’s fast changing business environment, the cultural make-up of an organizations plays a critical role in the success of the firm to achieve its strategic objectives. Culture is not an easily defined concept, but generally it is the values, beliefs, and norms expressed in work practices and behavior. An organization’s culture is not necessarily an articulated list of values found in an appendix in an annual report. Rather, culture is created by the organization itself. Many corporations have recognized that diversity contributes to the bottom line by making it easier to retain good employees, lowering costs by developing skill in-house and developing a reputation that helps attract new employees. As Swanson states in the article â€Å"Diversity: Creating an Environment of inclusiveness†, â€Å"It has been suggested that one of the keys to integrating diversity is developing the ability to hold multiple perspectives without judgment. A statement easier written than accomplished! Although this is a challenge, there are several strategies that we can use to develop this skill: staying in the present, working to increase our comfort level with ambiguity, striving to decrease distortion, and choosing actions that support our desired outcomes. † We can see that organizations have created specific recruiting programs that target traditional minority universities and trade schools. They have also tied the recruiting programs into a reporting relationship with the diversity council and other leadership initiatives. In tandem with recruiting programs, retention programs have been formed to address existing employees. Almost all organizations have started diversity programs. As a result high quality minority candidates are being recruited by other companies. This has created a highly competitive market for the very best minority employees. Gender In early societies, women bore children, cared for the home, and helped maintain the family’s economic production. Men hunted, made war, and, in settled societies, assumed primary responsibility for field crop production. Women’s status is a complex issue and a hard-to-define subject. Around the world, women’s status in each society and culture varies in different ways. In some societies, women’s status improved gradually, while in other, it declined or remained unchanged. As it is mentioned in the article â€Å"Why Aren’t We There Yet? An Equal Pay Day 2009 Primer on the Wage Gap. , â€Å"Unfair pay is not simply the result of women choosing the wrong college major or career. Women attend similar kinds of colleges as men, outperform men academically, and are more likely to earn a professional license or certificate. Yet women earn less than men even within majors. These wage gaps start upon entering the workforce; just one year after colle ge, female graduates working full time earn only about 80 percent as much as male graduates earn. Ten years after graduation, women fall farther behind, earning only 69 percent as much as men earn. And college educated women still earn less than their male peers when controlling for hours, occupation, parenthood, and other factors normally associated with pay. † However, women have made positively progress towards equality and their role in the society has been changed dramatically since the last century. The number of working women with children has more than doubled in the past 50 years. As my own opinion, I can say that even with all the changes that happen around the world regarding women’s place in the workforce, the stereotypical role of housewife is still present. Even when women break out from this role, they still not had given an equal opportunity. Men tend to hold administrative positions, while women usually have the positions that support the administrator. Religion The business world has gone global, and our diverse workplace could be the key to connecting with potential customers here and abroad. In my opinion, encouraging dialog and sharing of religious and cultural norms in the working place, not only will help decrease misunderstanding and misinformation among the employees, but interaction with clients and vendors from other cultures and religions will become second nature. Knowing when (or when not to) shake hands, share a meal, or offer a glass of wine can give your company a good advantage in today’s global market. Based on this problem, a paragraph from the article â€Å"Religious groups and employers try a new approach to faith at work. † got my attention: â€Å"The idea of addressing religion in the secular business world often causes even seasoned human resources executives to pause and see how it complements their people-management strategies. At Texas Instruments, worldwide diversity director Terry Howard remembers his reaction when approached by 10 Christian employees about forming a company-sanctioned religious group. â€Å"The questions that I raised were: What does this mean to TI? How would recognizing you as a group help TI meet its business objectives and targets? How is it going to make TI serve customers better? How is it going to make TI a good place to work for everyone and be inclusive? † he says. They made it quite clear that they saw themselves as being in the position to help us recruit and retain people of faith-based backgrounds. † In my opinion, having companies that respect employees religious background (allowing employees to take days off based on their religious beliefs), can attract top candidates for the company. In my opinion, each feels honored and respected and it is a win-win for the company and for the employee as well. By showing employees that you respect their beliefs and customs, you will be building a strong relation and in the same time creates employee loyalty. How to cite Multicultural Issues in the Workplace, Papers

Geology of the Caribbean Islands free essay sample

Geology of the Caribbean Islands Have you ever wondered how the famous tropical land masses located in Central America, known as the Caribbean Islands, came to existence? Well geologists have dated some of the rocks in the islands such as, Cuba and Trinidad, as far back as the Jurassic time period. This means the rocks formed about 145-200 million years ago, therefore the eldest islands from the Caribbean date way back to the time of dinosaurs. European countries such as Spain, France and England founded the islands approximately 500 years ago, and basically stole the lands from the original inhabitants. The islands were exploited for valuable resources such as lumber, precious minerals, and commodities like crude oil and copper. By definition geology is the study of the earth’s physical structure, substance, and it history, but we will be focusing on the geological features of solely the Caribbean. There exist about 100 permanently inhabited islands in the Caribbean with the most famous and main ones being St. Martin, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the U. S Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Barbados, and the Bahamas. The population of these islands is estimated to be around 45 million people. There are also 50 or so islets, which are purely composed of rock and cooled down volcanic eruption fragments. These islands however are not inhabited due to poor soil quality and most of them being too small to capacitate houses and buildings. According to Javier Viruete, â€Å"island arcs develop because of subduction of oceanic lithosphere beneath another oceanic plate†¦aqueous fluids and/or hydrous melts released from the subducting slab and their reaction with the overlying mantel wedge provide the prime control on arc magma genesis. † Basically this explains the formation of the islands as being caused by tectonic plates colliding against each other and releasing molten rock masses from the earth’s mantle up to the crust or lithosphere. This is known, as magma genesis in geology, and it’s the main reason of most island formations. Viruete also talks about how the islands are split up into three different regions geologically which date back to not only the Jurassic, but Early Cretaceous and Paleogene eras as well. The volcanically active Lesser Antilles islands are from the Cretaceous era, while the other islands do not possess active volcanic activity. Shockingly, many of the islands such as Cuba, Jamaica and Hispaniola (Dominican Republic, Honduras, Puerto Rico) were actually completely submerged under water during the Tertiary and Pleistocene periods. These islands went through phases of submergence and emergence throughout time, but have managed to stay above sea level till current day fortunately. Hispaniola contains various rocks such as sediments of gabbro, mudstone and massive layers of basaltic pillow lavas. Pillow lava is lava that has solidified after erupting under water and has round shaped characteristics. However, the most abundant rock on the islands is limestone, which is a sedimentary rock composed of the minerals calcite and aragonite. Limestone isn’t the best rock to grow produce and vegetation on, so inhabitants of the islands have very limited space to farm. The most common form of produce is the coral reef, which is found almost everywhere around the Caribbean Islands. Being located in extremely close proximity to the equator, if not on the equator, the Caribbean Islands are in a tropical climate zone. Warm maritime waters, with moist winds bring around 30 to 200 inches of rainfall annually with mountainous areas having the most precipitation. Dry periods with little to no rainfall at all are typically from the months of January to April. However, we lack accurate climatic rainfall data for the islands due to the inability to track rainfall at very high altitudes, such as the mountains of the Dominican Republic. The temperatures rarely reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit, being the lowest, and usually stay around 75-90 degrees Fahrenheit. Volcanic activity as mentioned earlier, exists in the Lesser Antilles islands, which are much smaller islands than the main ones also mentioned before. The Virgin Islands, Windward, and Leeward pretty much compose the Lesser Antilles, and these islands show most volcanic activity. There are about 30 active volcanoes in the Caribbean, most of them being shield volcanoes or lava domes. Guadeloupe, Martinique, and St. Vincent had the most recent eruptions, during the 20th century. Mont Pelee in Maritinique’s St. Pierre Harbor erupted in 1902 and brought devastating damage to the islands inhabitants and infrastructure. Another very important topic associated with the Caribbean, is the infamous â€Å"Caribbean Ring of Fire. † Geologists have mentioned the Caribbean being one of the most geologically active spots on the earth, which delightfully interest many world-renowned scientists and provides plenty of opportunity to conduct ongoing research. Many earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and natural disasters such as hurricanes, occur around this â€Å"ring. † It is called a â€Å"ring of fire,† because the islands composing the Caribbean, form a ring like shape when looked at on a map. The recent Haitian earthquake, which completely devastated the country, serves as a prime example why geologists chose to give such a name to the region. The reason behind such disastrous activity in the islands is that they are located right at the border of the Cocos, Nazca, South American, and North American tectonic plates. With three major tectonic plates meeting in one region, there is bound to be seismic activity as the plates undergo transformation from crashing into each other. The ring of fire, however does not only exist in the Caribbean, but expands across the border of the entire Pacific plate and touches counties such as the United States, Canada, Japan and the Philippines. Although the ring of fire seems very dangerous and intimidating, the Caribbean Islands are still one of the top tourist vacation spots, attracting over 20 million tourists every year from all across the globe. Geologists are still conducting research on many aspects of the Islands, especially the volcanic activity, as it is one of the few places in the world with active volcanoes. The population of the islands is expected to rise to about 60 million people by the year 2025. Conservation efforts have also arisen to protect the very few rain forests in countries like Barbados and Cuba, but seem to be weak due to very minimal support and funding by local governments. References 1. Adams, D. Caribbean Islands Regional Overview. Smithsonian Institution’s Department of Botany. Retrieved December 9, 2012, from http://botany. si. edu/projects/cpd/ma/ma-carib. htm 2. Ali, A. (2011, February 2). Record-breaking tourist arrivals.