Lows Gully free essay sample

This case is about British Army adventurous training exercise to Low’s Gully in Borneo, Malaysia. The exercise was intended to build leadership skills and character in 10 volunteer soldiers. The task was to scale down a dangerous and untraversed gully, a 10 mile long chasm that served as drain for rainwater, using abseiling technique and then follow the river out of the jungle. This team was led by two British officers who recruited five soldiers from units in Great Britain and three Chinese soldiers stationed in the British Army’s Hong Kong Military Service Corps. The eight soldiers knew little or nothing about each other. In the face of adversity during the exercise, the participants separated into sub teams despite being individually trained by the army to work well with other soldiers and to follow the ‘golden rule for such expeditions never split up. † (Connaughton 1996). Participants easily could have lost their lives when the planned ten day exercise ended up lasting up to five weeks. We will write a custom essay sample on Lows Gully or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Half of the group members actually accomplished the initial objective and the other half had to be rescued by a helicopter. All of them were in ill health and famished and some badly injured. The catastrophic failure also left them mentally scarred and two of them actually quit the army disillusioned or disgraced. Even though attempting to traverse an uncharted and hostile territory is bound to test any team dynamics, it was the leadership failures of Lt. Col Neil and Major Foster that amplified the adversity that faced the team. There were several misjudgments on the part of these two individuals that eroded the trust between the team members. Neil miscalculated the amount of rope required for abseils and was the major reason why the team split, leaving no avenue to regroup in case of adversity. Secondly, he purchased no walkie talkies in an effort to minimize the budget that resulted in lack of communication between the two split parties. Primary tools of communication such as maps, star charts and radio beacons to broadcast locations were also ignored. Another misjudgment on Neil’s part was to go ahead with the mission in the rainy season despite being warned by locals of the unpredictable weather and increased difficulty of scaling down the gully. Each misjudgment reflected the leader’s overconfidence in his judgment – ‘a cognitive bias’ called in literary circles that distorts managerial decision. Neil admits of being overambitious in his diary while he lay in the cave helpless awaiting rescue. As Mann, one of the soldiers put it, â€Å"these are two officers on their last great hurrah†. As these mistakes became evident on the course of the mission, the soldiers trust grew into mistrust of the leader’s abilities and judgments and finally led to a permanent group fracture. This erosion of trust was however gradual. There was a definite initial trust in the team due to communal common grounds. All the members were from the same organization i. e army and had gone through similar training and ethos. They also placed trust in the leader and his superior rock climbing certification and willing followed his instruction in the beginning. It was at a personal level that common ground failed to establish. The team realized early in the start the lack of benevolence on the leader’s part. When the officers ignored warnings from the locals about the harsh weather conditions, the soldiers felt it as inadequate concern for the well being of the rest of the team. Then integrity based doubts began to emerge when the team found out that the leaders were carrying rucksacks lighter than them. They also felt they had been misinformed about the actual difficulty of the task at the time of recruiting. When the Chinese soldiers were expressed their safety concerns, they were threatened rather than being motivated. Hence the initial communal trust failed to hold due to lack of lack of benevolence and integrity from the leaders. The trust turned transitioned into trust with apprehension but even the soldiers continued to follow the leader’s orders refraining from all out disobedience. The final breakdown in communication and permanent and physical split took place when the adversity of the course was at its peak. The group of 10 was split between the most physically fit and the others. Others included both the leaders. Physically fit were told to scale down the gully first and act as reconnaissance party for the others. After abseiling for several days till they reached a point of no return, Corporal Mayfield reported back to the Neil to make him aware of the situation. Neil did not heed to this warning once again and told the ‘recce’ party to go ahead and wait at the bottom. The ‘recce’ party proceeded hesitantly and waited for them at the bottom severely exhausted. When they ran out of rations they finally proceeded out of the woods leaving the group permanently split. The lack of proper communication was at fault when Neil failed to realize the gravity of the situation. As a leader in place of Col Neil, I would have avoided being overambitious and would have carefully assessed the difficulty of the exercise in great detail. Primarily because I was in charge of the safety of my team members and it was my responsibility to prepare them of the task which lay ahead. I would have paid special consideration to the advice of the locals who knew more about the terrain we are about to tread. The amount of rope needed for abseiling and the suitable weather for the task would have had my extreme focus. There will be no compromise on integrity on my part and would never fake my climbing certification to gain acceptance from the rest of the team. In terms of communication, I would have gathered equipment which let all members keep in touch in times of adversity. Radio beacon, walkie talkies and maps are important tools to avoid communication failure and a potential group split and I would make sure to accompany them. Also in order keep communication two ways with my junior team members I would have made sure Major Foster acted as my conduit to team members of my orders and let me know of any apprehensions my soldiers had. This is crucial to repair trust trepidation at its beginning and avoid it to lead to distrust. The information is easier to trickle down but there should be a mechanism where the information has to trickle up as well. This is the reason, as a leader, it is important to heed to junior team member’s assessment of ground and treat them as eyes and ears. Even though ‘recce’ party was established to do that, Neil never realized the gravity of the situation when abseiling the 1 mile gully. The possibility of a permanent split between the team at the gully would be inacceptable to me. Even though I think it is a wise idea to create subgroups with a team to achieve more efficiency, I have would make sure the subgroups consisted of members with complementary skills instead of similar ones. Separating the most physically fit members with the rest was fatal in the end and that is the reason why they accomplished and the weaker members failed.

The school searches essays

The school searches essays Safety issues within schools were once thought to only be a problem in urban areas. Schools all over the United States and the world have issues with safety. The main concerns of every school administration should be the safety of its students, faculty and staff. You would think that searching suspicious students or any student would not be an issue, because it would be for the better meant of the whole school population. Even with some of the recent acts of violence and the safety of the students being jeopardized schools are still among the safest places for children to be. Schools provide, structure, supervision, and discipline for all, some students dont have any of that at home. Student Searches are one of the best ways to keep a school safe. The fourth amendment right: The right of people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures... This is the right that causes all the issues over the right to search students. The fourth amendment applies to all youth when they are out side of the school setting but while they are in the school environment this right is diminished. Prior to 1985, it was questioned as to whether or not this right applied to students. Many teachers and administrators argued that while these children were in the school system they, the teachers, were acting in the place of the parent and therefore have the right to search students at any time without probable cause. In 1985 (New Jersey vs. TLO) a teacher reported a student smoking in the bathroom, this justified a search of the students purse, they found cigarettes and a lighter but still continued to search where they found illegal substances, the student took the issue to court, with the charg e that her fourth amendment right had been violated. The search was legal up and to the point were they found the cigarettes they should have stopped them, the search became illegal when they c...

Hedgehog Facts

Hedgehog Facts Hedgehogs (Erinaceidae) are a group of insectivores that are native to parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Hedgehogs are small mammals with rotund bodies and distinct spines made of keratin. They come by their unusual name as a result of their foraging behavior: They root through hedges to find worms, insects, and other food while making pig-like grunting sounds. Fast Facts: Hedgehog Scientific Name: ErinaceusCommon Name(s): Hedgehog, urchin,  hedgepig,  furze-pigBasic Animal Group:  MammalSize: Head and body: 5 to 12 inches; tail: 1 to 2 inchesWeight: 14–39 ouncesLifespan: 2–7 years depending on speciesDiet:  OmnivoreHabitat:  Parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, New Zealand (as an exotic species)Conservation  Status:  Least Concern Description Hedgehogs have a round body and dense spines on their back. Their belly, legs, face, and ears are free of spines. The spines are cream-colored and have brown and black bands on them. Hedgehog spines resemble those of a porcupine but they are not easily lost and are only shed and replaced when young hedgehogs reach adulthood or when a hedgehog is unwell or stressed. Hedgehogs have a white or tan face and short limbs with long curved claws. They have poor vision despite their large eyes but they have a keen sense of hearing and smell, and they use their sharper senses of smell and hearing to help them locate prey. Oksana Schmidt/Getty Images Habitat and Distribution Hedgehogs are found in many locations across Europe, Asia, and Africa. They are not present in Australia, North America, Central America or South America, though have been introduced to New Zealand as an exotic species. Hedgehogs occupy a variety of habitats including forests, grasslands, scrublands, hedges, suburban gardens, and agricultural areas. Diet Although they belong to the group of mammals formerly known as the insectivores, hedgehogs eat a varied diet that includes more than just insects. Hedgehogs feed on a variety of invertebrates such as insects, snails, and slugs as well as some small vertebrates including reptiles, frogs and birds eggs. They also feed on plant materials such as grass, roots, and berries. Behavior When threatened, hedgehogs crouch and hiss but they are better known for their defensive tactics than their might. If provoked, hedgehogs usually roll up by contracting the muscles that run along their back and in doing so raise their spines and curl their body and enclosing themselves in a protective ball of spines. Hedgehogs can also run quickly for short periods of time. Hedgehogs are for the most part nocturnal mammals. They are occasionally active during the day but more often shelter themselves in shrubs, tall vegetation or rock crevices during daylight hours. Hedgehogs construct burrows or use those dug by other mammals such as rabbits and foxes. They make nests underground in burrow chambers that they line with plant material. Some species of hedgehogs hibernate for several months during the winter. During hibernation, the body temperature and heart rate of the hedgehogs decline. Reproduction and Offspring Hedgehogs are generally solitary animals that spend time with one another only during mating season and when rearing young. Young hedgehogs mature in four to seven weeks after birth. Each year, hedgehogs can raise as many as three litters of young with as many as 11 babies. Hedgehogs are born blind and gestation lasts up to 42 days. Young hedgehogs are born with spines that are shed and replaced with larger stronger spines when they mature. Subspecies Hedgehogs are divided into five subgroups that include Eurasian hedgehogs (Erinaceus), African hedgehogs (Atelerix and Paraechinus), desert hedgehogs (Hemiechinus), and steppe hedgehogs (Mesechinus). There are a total of 17 species of hedgehogs. Hedgehog species include: Four-toed hedgehog, Atelerix albiventrisNorth African hedgehog, Atelerix algirusSouthern African hedgehog, Atelerix frontalisSomali hedgehog, Atelerix sclateriAmur hedgehog, Erinaceus amurensisSouthern white-breasted hedgehog, Erinaceus concolorEuropean hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeusNorthern white-breasted hedgehog, Erinaceus roumanicusLong-eared hedgehog, Hemiechinus auritusIndian long-eared hedgehog, Hemiechinus collarisDaurian hedgehog, Mesechinus dauuricusHughs hedgehog, Mesechinus hughiDesert hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicusBrandts hedgehog, Paraechinus hypomelasIndian hedgehog, Paraechinus micropusBare-bellied hedgehog, Paraechinus nudiventris Conservation Status Hedgehogs are listed as of Least Concern, as there are large populations of hedgehogs around the world. Many species of hedgehogs, however, are on the decline as a result of habitat loss, pesticide use, and poaching for use in traditional medicines. Conservation attempts are underway around the world; as a BBC article says: â€Å"A world without hedgehogs would be an uglier place. Hedgehogs and People Hedgehogs are well-loved animals and are featured in traditional childrens stories and fairy tales. Featured in tales by Beatrix Potter, the hedgehog retains its popularity in the Sonic the Hedgehog video game. Sources Coles, Jeremy. â€Å"Earth - Living in Harmony with Hedgehogs.†Ã‚  BBC, 19 Aug. 2015, www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150818-living-with-hedgehogs.â€Å"Hedgehog.†Ã‚  National Geographic, 21 Sept. 2018, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/h/hedgehog/.â€Å"Hedgehog.†Ã‚  San Diego Zoo Global Animals and Plants, animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/hedgehog.

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

Synthesis - Essay Example It states that a capacitor is described as a device that is passive in nature and is used for the purpose of storing up energy for use in its own electric field. Any item which can be charged electrically and store energy, can be assumed to be a capacitor. The authors reiterate that the capacitor comprises of two plates, which are usually separate from each other by the use of a dielectric. The two plates are good conductors of electricity and that is why they are separated by an insulator. A capacitor is used in the situation where huge amounts of charge are to be distributed within a short time. The book notes that a capacitor’s charge level depends on the amount of voltage that is applied to the capacitor. If the capacitor is connected to a battery that has high voltage, then more amounts of charge will be supplied to the capacitor’s conductors, as compared to when the capacitor is connected to a battery of a low voltage level. Capacitance is usually a function that does not depend on the difference in potential value between the conductors of the capacitor as well as the charge that is present on the plates. Capacitance can be compared directly to the overlap area created by the two conductor plates of the capacitor. On the other hand, it is inversely comparative to the distance of separation between the plates. Connection of capacitors can be done either in series or parallel in a circuit. The authors say that in some cases, an integration of the two arrangements can be incorporated. The amount of time taken to charge a capacitor relies on the size of the capacitor as well as that of the resistor in the electric circuit. Capacitance is usually measured in units known as the Farad abbreviated as F. one Farad is equivalent to one Coulomb/Volt which is abbreviated as F=C/V. the book states that the stored up energy in the capacitor is usually measured in units known as joules, and it is equivalent to the work that has been

Technology in work place Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Technology in work place - Research Paper Example The term technology is specified to the subjects of concern as for example, medical technology, construction technology, information technology and networking technology to name a few. Technology therefore has profound effects on the human being as well as the other species of this world. With the unmatched development of technology, business houses have also started taking interest in the implementation of technology for the purpose of enhancing the efficiency of business. The most common technologies used by the companies nowadays for the purpose of enhancing the efficiency are video conferencing, virtual office technology and social networks. With these technologies, workplace boundaries have actually expunged. Furthermore, with the implementation of technology, companies now get the opportunity to target wider customer base and can reach out to many geographical places of the world (Hanks 14-18). What are its promises? The advancement of technology promises people to show more ef ficient ways of doing the work. For instance, the education system has advanced to a great extent with the development of computers and laptops. In the similar way, the business houses have also experienced tremendous benefits for the development of technology. Companies have been able to take their business on a global scale in the most efficient form and in the most cost effective way. Technology also promises to improve the following fields. Improved Communication: Improving the communication at work place is one of the basic necessities of organizations. In this context, technology can be useful in improving the communication infrastructure of the company. Earlier, communication among the workers used to take place with the help of wired telephone lines and off late mobile phones and fax. However, robust development of technology has facilitated companies to shift to more modern communication systems (Clarke 16-24). Human Capital: - With the development and implementation of imp roved technologies, companies nowadays are able to embrace better human resource. This is generally achieved through the improved efficiency of screening, recruitment and hiring. The performance and performance appraisal is also carried out with improved technology. The concept of balanced scorecard and 360 degree appraisal method are some of the examples of technology in improving the capacity of human resources. Greater Efficiency: technology is indispensible in increasing the efficiency of the company. Technology has not only provided companies with the opportunity to improve efficiency but has also helped in maintaining high productivity. What are some potential down side of these new technologies and trends? In today’s world, where everything is just about accessible and more convenient due to the advancements in technology, it seems that continued development will be inevitable. Stepping into the 21st century has allowed mankind to experience some of the most unbelievab le things. However, authors have mentioned that when the other side of this development is considered, technology can be a cause of destruction, if not used properly (Baldauf and Stair 22-24). Despite a number of applications and advantages, there are potential down side of the new technologies and trends. Some of the obvious downsides are detailed below: - Dependency: - The dependency on technology in increasing at a robust rate. The more technological advancement being experienced by the society, the dependence of people on

Predict human behaviour Essay Example for Free

Predict human behaviour Essay Dissonance theory accepts that we have these inconsistencies and basically says as humans we strive to smooth out any inconsistencies. This theory is best explained with an example; Jenny works everyday but today her sister is going shopping and has asked Jenny if she would like to come. Jenny should go to work and does. Jennys knowledge that she is missing out on the shopping trip is known as a dissonant cognition, whereas the knowledge that she has come to work and is earning some money is a consonant cognition. Her dissonance will increase even more if the trip is to an out-of-town shopping complex as opposed to the small local centre. Individuals do not want to have dissonant cognition therefore try to reduce it. Jenny can do this in a number of ways; firstly, she can keep telling herself about the extra money she is earning and perhaps convince herself that she had a pleasurable day at work. She could also reduce the dissonant cognition by telling herself she would have only spent money on things she cannot afford and doesnt really need. Consonant cognitions justify a persons chosen action and the greater the benefit of something, the greater the justification and the lower the state of dissonance. If however the benefit of the consonant cognition is only small then the dissonance will increase. Festinger and Carlsmith (1959) tested this theory by getting subjects to perform really dull tasks for an hour then asked them to tell the next subjects that the tasks were rather interesting. Subjects were offered either $20 or $1 for lying. Festinger and Carlsmith were interested in how the subjects felt after telling the lie. According to dissonance theory their feelings should depend on the amount of money they were paid. Subjects receiving $20 should feel little dissonance because the larger amount of money justifies lying. The subjects who received $1 should feel greater dissonance because the money didnt justify lying and these subjects would try and convince themselves the task was in fact quite enjoyable, in order to reduce dissonance. Festinger and Carlsmith found subjects in the $1 condition reported a more favourable attitude towards the task, which is consistent with the original predictions. Bem (1967) suggested that a persons behaviour is what shapes their attitude, for example (to quote Bem) since I eat brown bread then I must like brown bread. This logic could be linked with Festinger and Carlsmiths study because if the second lot of subjects were told the tasks were interesting then they would take this opinion on board and actually find the tasks interesting. Assimilation-Contrast Theory (Sherif and Hovland, 1961), this suggests we people favour their own attitudes and if a person comes across another person with an attitude relatively close to their own then they perceive it to resemble their own attitude more than it actually does (this is the assimilation part of the theory) and they will evaluate it in a more positive way by seeing it as fair. Basically this suggests people are biased when it comes to their attitudes because people will accept anything that resembles a similar attitude to their own. Attitudes which had less in common with their attitudes would be rejected and seen as unfair (this is the contrast part of the theory). This is mainly because assimilating attitudes is much easier than trying to accommodate new attitudes. The theory of reasoned behaviour (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975) suggests that subjective norms (which are beliefs about what is appropriate behaviour in a situation) and attitude towards the behaviour (based on expectancies and values) suggest a behavioural intention which then predicts behaviour. The definition of attitude and intention in this context is very similar and doesnt define in strong enough terms exactly what the intentions derived are. All this evidence shows varying approaches towards the attitude-behaviour link, some in support of attitude predicting behaviour and some against it. To say that attitude has three main parts which are highly correlated draws up too many contradictions to conclude it as the best theory, the single model provides more scope to address these contradictions but dissonance theory which suggest we will have inconsistencies and will just strive to balance them is a much more realistic proposal of how attitude links with and predicts behaviour. The evidence shows that there is a link between attitude and how it can predict behaviour but it is not to the extent that you can say it predicts a persons behaviour every time in all situations. References * McDougall, W. (1960) an introduction to social psychology 23rd ed. London New York. Methuen, Barnes Noble. * Mills, J. (1969) experimental social psychology. New York London. MacMillan, Collier-Macmillan * Ajzen, I. (1980) http://socialpsychology.org/ Does understanding a persons attitude help us to predict their behaviour?

Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay -- essays research papers

Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4,1804, in Salem, Massachusetts. He was the only son and second child to be born to Nathaniel and Elizabeth Hawthorne. When Nathaniel was four years old his father died of yellow fever in Dutch Guiana. After Nathaniel’s father died, his mother’s family took in his family. As a child Hawthorne developed a love for story telling. When Nathaniel was nine years old, he got an injury to his foot that caused him to stay home for fourteen months. While nursing his injury at home, he got into the habit of constant reading. In his late teen years, he was a handsome, vigorous, and bright young man. Nathaniel was the first in his family to be sent to college.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While attending college, Hawthorne studied to be a writer were he met two other soon to be famous writers, Longfellow and Pierce. Hawthorne then graduated from Bowdoin College in 1825 in Brunswick, Maine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After Nathaniel graduated, he went back to Salem and set his goals at becoming a professional writer. â€Å"Hawthorne was for many years the undistinguished man of America.†1 Nathaniel’s first project collection was â€Å"Seven Tales Of My Native Land†. From 1825 to 1830, Nathaniel studied intensively, wanting to know more about New England history. In 1829, Nathaniel published, â€Å"The Token†, an annual Christmas gift book, which contained fiction, short essays, and poetry. Hawthorne also published sketches and over seventy tales in various maga...