HRIS Vendor Analysis Essay Example for Free

HRIS Vendor Analysis Essay Competition is the hallmark of the modern market place and facilitating availability of information has become the tool with which to develop a competitive edge. As a result, the area of human resource information system has been enjoying enormous demand in the US. The popular drive to adopt human resource information systems comes from the need to develop a position of cost leadership. Because the human resource information systems facilitate the availability the information, it reduces costs of operations at the companies adopting the methods. However as the products and services of the five companies profiled here show, these systems, in addition to making the necessary information available, also automate some of the repetitive HR functions. As the profiles also demonstrate, the human resource information system is not just a question of automation, it is also a question of partnering with HR consultants to outsource tasks to more capable hands. For example, client organizations can outsource their payroll processing tasks to Paychex so that these organizations can free up resources to devote to strategic management. The question as to why human resource functions were among the first among business functions to be automated is easily answered. Relative to other business functions, the human resource functions have a more structured framework. For example, the function of payroll processing does not vary from time period to time period. Thus it is a waste of human talent to have human capital spending time in this area. In fact, due to the repetitive nature of the tasks of this sort, human error is all too likely. That is the reason companies like Trinet are offering total human resource solutions built on a platform of integrated technologies so that the part of human resource that is repetitive can be left to the digital prowess of computers. This frees up employee creativity and develops more human capital, giving the companies a competitive edge. However human resource management is not all repetitive. The task of strategic human resource management is the motivation of employees and that cannot be automated. However CheckPoint has a solution in this area in the form of self-service applications for employees and managers. Using these applications, the employees and the managers can answer their own questions. Thus this is a very good empowering tool. Using these applications, the employees and the managers can also evaluate different company benefits on their own and enroll as they see fit. Administaff offers a different business model according to which the company partners with client organizations to share HR functions. This is of strategic importance to the client organizations because by outsourcing HR functions, these organizations can focus on their core competencies and thus further hone their strategic focus. When it comes to adopting a human resource information system, the management of the organization contemplating this move has a major investment in its hands. Therefore it has to conduct an exhaustive cost benefit analysis which will indicate whether the benefits of adopting the system will outweigh the costs. Automation does not always pay off because the process of adoption is out of alignment with the strategic focus of the company. Therefore the management has to make sure that it is automating the human resource functions not just for the sake of automating, but for greater focus of resources on management of strategies for developing a competitive edge. Maintaining competitive edge means that the client organization will continue to change in terms of its work processes. At some point in its operations, the management might have to automate supply chain management as well. In that case, the human resource information system already existing must be integrated into the supply chain management system. Otherwise the company will end up with two different systems maintaining which will be prohibitive in terms of cost. Therefore if I were the management in the market for HRIS, I would want to know from the vendors whether the systems they are selling are flexible and scalable to accommodate different organizational structures. Profiles Name of Organization: Paychex, Inc. Website: http://www. paychex. com Key products and/or services provided: The company provides payroll processing services which allow client organizations to submit their payroll details via phone or web to local payroll specialists in the employ of Paychex. At the end of each period Paychex sends payroll packages containing all processed checks to the client organizations. The company also helps clients in the area of tax services and administration of employee benefits. Customer profile: the products and services described above are customized towards both small organizations with 49 or less employees and large organizations containing 50 or more employees. Indications of organization size: The company has offices all over the US and also in Germany. Currently it is serving approximately 561,000 businesses all over the US. Brief company history and background: It was founded in 1971. At the time there had been other payroll processors in the market. However none of them had been paying attention to smaller organizations with fewer than 100 employees. Yet these organizations constituted the majority of American businesses. Primary focus of operations: To offer outsourcing solutions for administrative tasks so that client organizations, both large and small, can free themselves of administrative hassles and focus on the bottom line. Recent financial performance: revenues in the year 2007 exceeded $1. 9 billion. Name of Organization: Administaff, Inc. Website: http://www. administaff. com/index. asp Key products and/or services provided: Administaff is a professional employer organization that in the form of strategic alliances with client organizations offers services in the areas of training and development, employer liability management, benefits and performance management, recruitment and selection, government compliance and employment administration. Administaff also has an e-business model which facilitates availability of information. Customer profile: the company provides these services mostly for white-collar and skilled blue-collar workers in industries where unemployment risks are low, such as technology, engineering, real estate, light manufacturing, banking, insurance etc. Indications of organization size: The company has 47 offices in 23 markets and is publicly traded on the NYSE. Brief company history and background: the company was established in the year 1986 in April. The current chairman and CEO is Paul J. Sarvadi. In 2003, Administaff was named in Fortune’s Most Admired American Companies for the fifth consecutive year. Primary focus of operations: Sharing of human resource management with client organization in the form of a co-employment relationship. Recent financial performance: 2006 revenues: $1. 4 billion. Name of Organization: TriNet. http://www.trinet.com/

The Effects of Punishment and Sentencing Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Punishment and Sentencing Essay When a defendant is sentenced, there are philosophical reasons behind this sentencing. The four basic reasons are rehabilitation, deterrence, retribution, and incapacitation. Because this process is sensitive, guidelines have been made to ensure that presumptive sentences are mandatory. Rehabilitation is considered one of the most humane goal of punishment. There are different ways a judge can impose a rehabilitation sentence. For example, a young woman is arrested for public drunkenness. The judge could sentence the young woman to 10 days in jail or reprimand her to a 28-day program for the alcohol charge. The second philosophical reason for sentencing is deterrence. To deter is to encourage something through fear. In this case, if you fear losing your freedom, one is encouraged to obey the law. Deterrence not only looks for retribution but also looks to punish the defendant to a point whereas they would not have a desire to commit another crime. Deterrence can take two forms, general and specific. The general deterrence punishes the criminal, dissuading them from committing the same crime. The specific deterrence expects that a harsh sentencing will prevent the offender from committing any future activity. There are some questions regarding general deterrence. Because it assumes that, a person will commit a crime after rationalizing the pros and cons. This theory proves to be false with adolescences. Incapacitation is another amongst the four philosophies. This form of punishment is not interested in providing resources to eliminate criminal activity. This form wants to incarcerate the defendant and keep them that way for as long as possible. This is one way to ensure that the defendant is not committing any crimes. However, studies have shown that once released, an offender is more likely to commit a crime than before they were incarcerated. Finally yet importantly is retribution. This philosophy states that if a person commits a crime than he or she should be punished based on the degree  of the crime. This relies on the principle of just deserts which says that a criminal deserves to be punished. Retribution is not the same as revenge it is a way of paying society back. Sentencing is not an easy task for a judge, but legislative laws have made it a little easier. Legislatures are responsible for determining the length of the sentence as they are for making the law. They have also created penal codes as a guideline; one of them is to determinate sentencing. If the defendant is sentenced to one year in jail then that defendant must do a year minus the good time. As an example, a defendant is sentenced to a year but may only have to do eight months based on their good behavior. Indeterminate sentencing sets a minimum and a maximum amount of time that a criminal must serve. For instance if a defendant was sentenced to 10 15 years, he or she would have to serve at least 10 years, before being considered for parole. Legislatures have passed the truth in sentence law as well. It requires that serious crime offenders must complete 85% of their sentence, without good time conditions. The final decision is based on the judge. The primary factor is the behavior of the defendant and or the severity of the crime. There are circumstances as expected, this is why there are two rules, and they are aggravating and mitigating. A harsh sentence can be ruled under aggravating circumstances or a lesser one can be ruled if the circumstances are mitigating. A judge considers other factors as well regarding the sentence guideline such as mandatory sentence and habitual offender laws. Mandatory sentence states that a judge must not deviate from setting form standards. The habitual offender law states if a person commits a felony, their 3rd time for sentencing should be harsh. Debates surrounding capital punishment have advocates stating they just want criminals to be punished based in their crimes (just desert). While those who oppose say, their method is just an act of revenge. Nuechterlein (2000) describes vengeance as punishment inflicted in retaliation for an injury or  offense, he says if you consider that, any punishment towards a crime constitutes as vengeance. I do not agree with this authors concept; however, I understand his point of view. The other article that I viewed opposed the death penalty. The authors pointed out the methods used for capital punishment are cruel and unusual and violate the Eight Amendment. Kaverny (2008) cruel and unusual punishment satisfies the desire for private vengeance. We are all inclined to evaluate harms to ourselves and our loved ones are more deserving of a punishment, than injury to others. This debate influences decisions for punishment because many states believe that if they continue to hand out the death penalty, crime will decrease. References Kaveny, C. (Feb 15, 2008). Justice or vengeance: is the death penalty cruel unusual? (Columnist) (Essay). Commonweal. 135.3 9(1). Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved April 27, 2009, from Apollo library http://galegroup.comNuechterlein, J. (2000). Capital Punishment Deserves Caution Support Current Controversies: Capital Punishment. Greenhaven press. Opposing Viewpoints Center. Retrieved April 27, 2009 from Apollo library http://galegroup.com

Harmful Effects Of The Concentration Of Media Ownership Media Essay

Harmful Effects Of The Concentration Of Media Ownership Media Essay There has been a tendency in the media world that companies merger into larger media giants in order to reach a better, more secure financial status and to constitute stronger firms. Hunt and Ruben highlighted another aspect to media company mergers. They say, the world had become one large marketplace and, as the investment jargon suggests, a few players dominate the distribution and the production of services and the goods in the world.(140) This is also true to the media business. As the mass media offers huge and fruitful monetary opportunities, some of the most influential businessmen and investors dove into the media industry, forming huge media branches with concentrated ownership, like the Australian Rupert Murdoch, who became the strongest and richest media mogul of our time. By controlling such large percentages of the mass media, Murdoch has great power in his hands, which might mean certain dangers towards the public. In our modern society, the media enjoys enormous importance, since the overwhelming majority of the people familiarize themselves with current affairs, the happenings of their surroundings and the happenings around the world through the mass media. I strongly believe, that such concentration of media ownership, overall, is harmful to the public. According to Dominick, the media system currently working in the United States of America and many European countries, (by now, most probably in most European countries), is a model with decentralized control and private ownership.(62) This model of course may seem better than a system of media supervised and controlled by a central power, probably by a government, as common, westward looking, sense dictates. This system gives the opportunity of exercising freedom of speech, and the accessibility to all materials and information, excluding of course information concerning homeland security. This seems fair and nice, but in reality, I believe, the system works a bit differently. Since the moguls of media industry are virtually the owners of the mass media, they enjoy complete authority over their property, and authority over what their companies publish or broadcast. This is a power that can very easily be abused. Since for the owners of giant media branches, the mass media is just another field of financial opportunities, they usually customize their material in order to attract the largest audience, giving the opportunity of advertising on a huge scale. The money oriented nature of this kind of media ownership puts the quality of information published to the people under dispute. As Wilson pointed it out, a particular example of this phenomenon is Rupert Murdoch and his actions in the United States, where he purchased a number of newspapers, including the New York Post, and managed to turn them into papers publishing sensationalist articles in order to boost the selling. Wilson goes on saying that this demonstrates that Murdoch was not particularly interes ted in providing quality information and journalism to the public, but was more into making profit.(410) Consequently, the quality of the information declined in these papers, not informing the public properly. Apart from the ethical question of the example above, it also raises issues concerning the response of the public to the sensationalist information. It is also possible that these articles may contain information that cannot be proven, or worse, not true at all. This may result in the misdirection of public opinion, and can lead to serious consequences. Another important issue concerning the concentrated ownership of media chains is the question of objectivity on the side of the journalists. Since the resident Gods of the media chains have expectations of profit and ,in some cases, forming the overall opinion of the medium in crucial topics like politics or economy, there may be a multi-layered system of pressure in the hierarchy of the owners and workers of these firms, all concentrated on the journalist. The simple worker crumbles between the principles of objective journalism and the thoughts of the editor not letting their work to be published, or worse, losing their job. In the giant media chains owned by powerful media moguls, journalistic objectivity may be under pressure, so in this way the quality of information presented to the public may be biased, or faulty. Conflict of interest can also be a major factor in the mass media, and within the media giants with centralised ownership, the phenomenon may exist on a considerable scale. Wilson brought up an example for this issue as well. He writes about a case in 1987 when a congressman from Kansas called for an order by the Congress to require General Electric, the second largest producer of defense weaponry of the United States, to sell its company owned television network, NBC. The congressman disputed how the television network could give an objective report about the Strategic Defense Initiative without having conflict of interest.(405) This example of Wilson highlights a very important issue concerning media chains, journalistic objectivity and the quality and quantity of information presented to the public. It is most probable, that a news agency such as a chain of newspaper or a television network cannot report objectively about the affairs of those businesses, in which they own corpor ate holdings, because such a situation would include heavy biasing, filtering information, and of course withholding information. The very last point is the issue of the possibility of political bias of media giants. Reliable Sources, a programme on CNN gave a short coverage on Rupert Murdoch and his appearance in an interview with Marwin Kalb, at George Washington University, in which Murdoch openly criticised his rival television networks, MSNBC and CNN. Murdoch said his rivals tend to be Democrats while his own network, Fox News are not Republicans. Later on at the question and answer round of the interview, Murdoch said they have people at Fox News who are affiliated with the Democratic party, but when he was asked to name people, he struggled to name even one worker. Consequently the information output of Murdochs network may be politically biased. When it comes to the effects of this sort of bias on the public, I believe it may be the most harmful. Political bias may result in dividing the public, may induce reactions from people who feel exposed or vulnerable, and may as well make people paranoid. I beli eve, that in some cases, this can be the aim of such enterprises motored by corporate power and driven by profit. For example in election time, the media support or attack of a certain political party has enormous force, and helps to bias and persuade the electorate. In concluison, I strongly believe that the concentration of media ownership is harmful to the public, concerning the following points made. Firstly, the profit-oriented nature of media chains with concentrated ownership can affect the quality and quantity of information published to the people. Secondly, conflict of interest may be a major factor in information publishing by such media powers. Lastly, biasing, and namely politically biased information dissemination has large grounds in these chains. (1162 words) Sources: Brendt, D. Ruben. and Hunt, T. Mass Communication: Producers and Consumers. Harper Collins College Publishers, 1993. Print. Dominick, J. R. The Dynamics of Mass Communication. McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 1990. Print. Wilson, S. L. Mass Media / Mass Culture: An Introduction McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1993. Print. Reliable Sources Highlights Murdochs Inability to Name a Democrat Employed by Fox News. Media Matters for America 11. April 2010. Web. 13. April 2010.

Athol Fugards drama, Master Harold :: Athol Fugard Master Harold Essays

Athol Fugard's drama, "Master Harold" . . . And The Boys, was written during a time of great conflict in South Africa, where he was raised. Fugard was torn between his mother, who was "Afrikaaner," (1291) and his father, who was "of English decent" (1291). These differing influences caused Fugard to use the discussions between Sam and Hally to demonstrate the religious, racial, and political tensions of his lifetime in South Africa. The discussion between Sam and Hally about who was "a man of magnitude" (1300) represents the religious tensions of Fugard's lifetime in South Africa between the growing belief in evolution and Jesus Christ's teaching of Creation. Hally says that Charles Darwin was "a man of magnitude," (1300) because he was "somebody who benefited all mankind" (1301). He admires Darwin "for his Theory of Evolution" (1301), which according to Hally, proves "where we come from and what it all means" (1301). Sam totally disagrees with Darwin's "Theory of Evolution" (1301) because evolution is in contrast to the Bible's teaching on Creationism, and he says that just because it is in a book it "does not mean [he's] got to believe it" (1301). Sam believes that "Jesus Christ" (1302) was "a man of magnitude" (1300). Hally is obviously against Sam's suggestion of Jesus Christ, because Hally makes it clear that he is "an atheist" (1303). This disagreement between Sam and Hally is really just an example of the religious tensions in South Africa during Fugard's lifetime between the "Theory of Evolution," (1301) which was becoming more accepted, and Christianity, which was taught by Jesus Christ. A second discussion between Sam and Hally that occurs after Hally learns that his father has gone home demonstrates the racial tensions of Fugard's lifetime in South Africa. When Sam starts lecturing Hally about how he treats his father, Hally becomes angry and tells Sam that he is "treading on dangerous ground" (1321). Hally also tells Sam that his "mother is right"(1322) about "warning [him] about allowing you to get to familiar" (1322). The climax of the argument is when Hally tells Sam that he is "only a servant" (1322). This is the first noticeable statement that Hally makes that demonstrates the racial tensions experienced in South Africa. The next racial statement Hally makes is when he tells Sam that his father is his boss because "he's a white man and that's good enough for [him]" (1322).

The Exploration of the Orgasm Essay -- essays research papers

The role of the orgasm in heterosexual relationships is significant in having a satisfying malefemale relationship according to society’s expectations. By using the malefemale binary, as well as exploring the social construction of sex, we can see just how significant the role the orgasm plays in heterosexual relationships. First off, we must understand that orgasms are achieved differently for both males and females.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Male orgasms are achieved through the male sex organ, being the penis. It has many nerve endings that are very sensitive. The female orgasm contains just as many of these nerve ending, but is a much smaller size. The penis is on average 5.5 inches, where the clitoris is about 1 inch. What is interesting is the actual act of sexual penetration in regards to orgasms. This act is perfectly constructed for the male to achieve orgasms, but poorly constructed for the female. The vagina is inches away from the clitoris, and is the primary body part involved in sex. Since the penis is penetrating the vagina, we see how it is easy for it to be fully stimulated and to reach climax. However, the female sex organ receives little if any stimulation depending on the position, which in fact makes it extremely hard for females to reach climax. It is also interesting to note that the act of intercourse itself ends not with the female orgasm, but with the male. Due to the biologica l make-up of males and females, the actual act of sex (penetration) is constructed around the male orgasm.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When exploring the role of the orgasm, we have to take into consideration complexity of the female orgasm. Society makes up certain stereotypes for males and females in terms of sexual relationships. Here we take into consideration the malefemale binary in terms of sex and emotion. Males are able to separate sex from emotion, where females combine the two. Therefore, the female orgasm is both physical and metal. Some females even go further and say that without both components involved, the female orgasm is extremely hard to achieve unless they are both physically and mentally involved with their male counterpart. This also requires most females to be completely comfortable with their male partner. Society on the other hand finds it acceptable for men to be sexually promiscuous, and this is a key factor for men to be ab... ...ay â€Å"can we try something different, because this is not working for me†. This would then lead to the man feeling very tricked and betrayed, and would be a blow to his ego (because he not masculine according to society unless he can please the woman). Therefore, women should learn to always be honest, and let the man know he makes you feel good whether you orgasm or not, but that there are certain things he can do (oral, sex toys) that can help you achieve orgasm as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, we see that through certain social stigma, such as masturbation and oral sex, as well as through the concepts of the male being the gift giver, and the act of penetration focusing on the penis, society gives little importance to the female orgasm. In terms of heterosexual relationships it is important for the female to be open with her partner in informing him of what is needed to increase her sexual pleasure, which will help bring her to orgasm as well. Society has placed a great importance on orgasms in relationships, especially in terms of the male, and as a result we have found ways to ensure this is satisfied through faking it, sex toys, and different sexual acts.

Financial Analysis Essay -- essays research papers

Financial Accounting MidTerm I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Debit vs. Credit A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Debit Debit = left side of T-account On the Balance Sheet a debit indicates: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An increase in an asset 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A decrease in a liability 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A decrease in shareholders’ equity item B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Credit Credit = Right side of T-account On the Balance Sheet a credit indicates: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A decrease in an asset 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An increase in a liability 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An increase in shareholders’ equity item ** HINT** - Identify two components of each transaction: 1.) what did you get; 2.) where did it come from. The debit is what you got, and the credit is the source of the item you received. For instance, let’s imagine that you purchase a computer with your credit card. Since the computer is what you received it’s going to result in a debit to the asset account for your computer. The credit will be applied to the credit card liability account for the same amount. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What accounts Increase/Decrease with debits and credits   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Account Type  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Debit   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Credit Balance Sheet  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Assets   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increase  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Decrease Balance Sheet  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Liabilities  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Decrease  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increase Balance Sheet  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Owner’s Equity  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Decrease  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increase Income Statement  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Revenue  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Decrease  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increase Income Statement  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cost of goods sold  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increase  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Decrease Income Statement  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Expenses  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increase  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Decrease III.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Typical Accounts A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Assets Cash  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marketable Securities Accounts receivable   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Notes receivable Interest Receivable  Ã‚  &nb... ...ccounts decrease cash and appear with negative signs. 2) Step 2: Classify the change in each balance sheet account as an operating, or investing, or financing activity and enter it in the appropriate column of the work sheet using the same sign as the first column. 3.) Step 3: Sum the entries in the Operations, Investing, and Financing Columns and net the 3 sums to ensure that they equal the net change in cash. ***Things to Remember*** In T-accounts the balance are as follows:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Asset: balance on the left   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Liability: balance on the right   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stockholders’ equity: balance on the right Balance Sheet is written as follows:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Assets   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Liabilities   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stockholders’ equity Income Statement is written as follows:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sales   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Other Revenue   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cost of Goods Sold   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Expenses   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Net Income Statement of Cash Flows (Indirect Method) is written as follows: Operations Investing Financing

Thinking Critically Ch

The challenge you face is to create a coherent view of the world that expresses who you are as well as the person you want to become. It should be a vision that not only guides your actions but also enables you to understand the value of your experiences, the significance of your relationships, and the meaning of your life. The quality of your life philosophy is a direct result of your abilities to think critically and think creatively, abilities that you have been developing while working on activities presented throughout this book.But a life philosophy is incomplete until it is acted upon through the decisions you make, decisions dad possible by your ability to choose freely. These are the three life principles of human transformation upon which this book is based: thinking critically, living creatively, choosing freely. These three principles are interlocking pieces of the puzzle of your life. Working together as a unified force, these principles can illuminate your existence: an swering questions, clarifying confusion, creating meaning, and providing fulfillment.Think critically: When used properly, your thinking process acts like a powerful beacon of light, illuminating the depths of your personality and the reader of your experience. Clear thinking is a tool that helps you disentangle the often confused jumble of thoughts and feelings that compose much of your waking consciousness. By becoming a more powerful critical thinker, you are acquiring the abilities you need to achieve your goals, solve problems, and make intelligent decisions. Critical thinkers are people who have developed thoughtful and well-founded beliefs to guide their choices in every area of their lives.In order to develop the strongest and most accurate beliefs possible, you need to become aware of your own biases, explore situations room many different perspectives, and develop sound reasons to support your points of view. Live creatively: Creativity is a powerful life force that can in fuse your existence with meaning. Working in partnership with critical thinking, creative thinking helps you transform your life into a rich tapestry of productivity and success. When you approach your life with a mindful sense of discovery and invention, you can continually create yourself in ways limited only by your imagination.A creative lens changes everything for the better: Problems become opportunities for growth, mundane routines become halogens for inventive approaches, relationships become intriguing adventures. When you give free rein to your creative impulses, every aspect of your life takes on a special glow. You are able to break out of unthinking habitual responses and live fully in every minute, responding naturally and spontaneously. It sounds magical, and it is. Choose freely: People can transform themselves only if they choose to take different paths in their lives-?and only if their choices are truly free.To exercise genuine freedom, you must have the insight to understand all of your options and the wisdom o make informed choices. When you fully accept your freedom, you redefine your daily life and view your future in a new light. By working to neutralize the constraints on your autonomy and guide your life in positive directions, you see alternatives that were not previously visible, having been concealed by the limitations of your previous vision. Your future becomes open, a field of rich possibilities that you can explore and choose among.A life that is free is one that is vital and exciting, suffused with unexpected opportunities and the personal fulfillment that comes from a life well lived. Your â€Å"self' is, in its essence, a dynamic life force that is capable of thinking critically, creating, and choosing freely. These three essential dimensions of your self exist optimally when they work together in harmonious unity. When working together, these three basic elements create a person who is intelligent, creative, and determined- ?the ingredients for success in any endeavor.Consider the unfortunate consequences of subtracting any of these elements from the dynamic equation. If you lack the ability to think critically, you won't be able to function very well in most challenging careers because you will eave difficulty thinking clearly, solving complex problems, and making intelligent decisions. What's more, whatever creative ideas you come up with will be rootless, lacking an intelligible framework or practical strategies for implementing them. You will be an impractical dreamer, condemned to a life of frustrated underachieving.Without insight into yourself, your freedom will be imprisoned because you won't be able to see your choices clearly or to liberate yourself from the influences that are constraining you. F you lack the ability to think creatively, then your thinking abilities may enable you to perform in a solid, workmanlike fashion, but your work will lack imagination, you will be afraid to try origi nal approaches because of the risk of failure, and your personality will be lacking the spontaneous sparkle that people admire and are drawn to.You will in time become a competent but unimaginative â€Å"worker bee,† performing your duties with predictable adequacy but never rising to the lofty heights that you are capable of attaining. Your choices will be as limited as your imagination, and your habitual choices of safe and secure paths will eventually create a very small canvas for your personal portrait. You lack the ability to choose freely, then your abilities to think critically or creatively cannot save you from a life of disappointment.Though you may be able to clearly analyze and understand, you will lack the will to make the difficult choices and stay the course when you encounter obstacles and adversities. And though you may develop unique and valuable ideas, your inability to focus your energies and make things happen will doom these ideas to anonymity. Because y ou lack the will to create yourself as a strong individual of character and integrity, the people you encounter will come to IEEE you as a shallow-rooted reed that bends with the wind of superficial trends, not as someone deserving of authority and responsibility.Think of what you aspire to have: a life of purpose and meaning the respect and devotion of those around you, success and fulfillment in your chosen endeavors, and a secure sense of who you are, a person with the courage and vision to accomplish great things. These aspirations are within your grasp, but only if you develop all of these fundamental dimensions of your self to their fullest potential: the abilities to think critically, think creatively, and choose freely. Choose Freely You have the power to create yourself through the choices that you make, but only if your choices are truly free.To exercise genuine freedom you must possess the insight to understand all of your options and the wisdom to make informed choices. In many instances passive, illogical, and superficial thinking inhibits people's abilities to make intelligent choices and erodes their motivation to persevere when obstacles are encountered. This section is designed to provide you with a general framework for understanding the nature of free choice and the practical thinking strategies needed to translate his understanding into transformed behaviors and attitudes.You can redefine your daily life in a new light and enhance its value through free choices derived from thinking critically and creatively. Condemned to Be Free Man is condemned to be free. Condemned, because he did not create himself, yet is nevertheless at liberty, and from the moment that he is thrown into this world, he is responsible for everything he does. Jean-Paul Sartre This book is based on the conviction, articulated here by the philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, that we create ourselves through the choices that we make, ND that we are capable of choosing different c ourses of action.But often we get so caught up in routine, so mired in the day-to-day demands of reality and the pressures of conformity that we don't even see alternatives to our condition, much less act on them. Our complaints often far outnumber our shining moments, as we tend to focus on the forces and people that have thwarted our intentions. â€Å"If only got the breaks now and then . â€Å"If only could get rid of my habitual tendency to I would . These complaints, and millions of others like them, bitterly betray W. E. Hanley notion that â€Å"l am the master of my fate, am the captain of my soul.It is much more common for people to believe that fate mastered them and that they never had sufficient opportunity to live life ‘their way. † Instead of feeling free, we often feel beleaguered, trying desperately to prevent our small dinghy from getting swamped in life's giant swells, rather than serenely charting a straight course in our sleek sailboat. The end resu lt is that when people think of â€Å"being free,† they often conjure up a romantic notion of â€Å"getting away/' from their concerns and responsibilities, imagining a world where anything is possible and there is plenty of money to pay for it.However appealing this fantasy may be, it is a misconceived and unrealistic notion of freedom. Genuine freedom consists of making thoughtful choices from among the available options, choices that reflect your genuine desires and deepest values, resisting the pressures to surrender your autonomy to external pressures or internal forces. The most important and disturbing element of personal freedom is that it necessarily involves personal responsibility. And personal responsibility is the main reason why people are reluctant to embrace their freedom and in fact actively seek to â€Å"escape† from it.If you acknowledge author choices are ere, then you must accept that you are responsible for the outcome of your choices. When you a re successful, it is easy to take full responsibility for your success. But when failure occurs, people tend to dive for cover, blaming others or forces outside of their control. This is exactly what's going on in all the preceding â€Å"If only' statements and many others like them: they each express the belief that if only some outside force had not intervened, people would have achieved the goals they set for themselves.However, in many instances, these explanations are bogus, and these efforts to escape from redeem are illegitimate. They represent weak and inauthentic attempts to deny freedom and responsibility. Free Choice: The Mainspring of Human Action Every day we are confronted with the mystery of human action. One person commits an armed robbery, killing a guard in the process. Another person is found to have embezzled large sums of money from the charitable organization he directed. A firefighter risks his life to save the life of an infant trapped in a burning building. A peaceful protest gets out of control and turns into a violent and destructive altercation. A respected member of the immunity is accused of abusing the children on the teams that he coached. Two teenagers are accused of murdering their newborn infant and dumping the body in a garbage container. An 84-year-old woman who spent her life cleaning the homes of others donates her life a local college with which she had no previous relationship. In each of these instances, and countless others, we struggle to understand â€Å"why/' people acted the way they did.Our answers typically depend on our deepest beliefs about the nature of the human self. For example: Human nature: â€Å"I believe in human nature; people are born with certain basic instincts that influence and determine how they behave. † Based on this view, the actions described previously, whether â€Å"good† or â€Å"evil,† are no more than the natural expression of a universal nature that is genetically hardwired into every person. From this perspective, we should no more hold people responsible for their destructive actions than we would an animal in the wild that kills in order to survive.There is no possibility of free choice because our actions necessarily follow from our inborn nature, and we cannot be other than who we are. Whether you act virtuously or destructively in your life is ally beyond your control, and you cannot alter your fundamental character. The environment: â€Å"l believe that people are shaped by their environment, conditioned by their experiences to be the kind Of people they are. † From this vantage point, the actions described previously are the direct products of the life experiences that the individuals had.If the environment in which a person developed was deprived or abusive, then these forces shaped a violent individual with little regard for the rights or lives of others. On the other hand, if you were fortunate enough to grow up in a loving and nurturing environment in which kindness and empathy were considered paramount values, then this upbringing shaped who you are. But once again, you cannot be held responsible for how you turned out because you didn't choose your environment; you were a passive agent molded by forces beyond your control. And, of course, you are incapable of making free choices.We should no more condemn the embezzler than we should reward the firefighter who risks his life, since they are each merely products of environments that are ultimately responsible for their behavior. Psychological forces: â€Å"l believe that people are governed by psychological ores, many of them unconscious, that cause them to think, feel, and act in certain ways. † Based on this point of view, the actions described previously are the direct result of deep psychological impulses that have been formed by people's earliest relationships and experiences.Although these people may think they are choosing to do the thi ngs, in reality, they are puppets manipulated by unseen psychological strings. The same is true for you. So when the coach sexually abused the children on his teams, he was not actually choosing this reprehensible course of action, he was impelled by psychological forces over which he had no control. Similarly, your behavior results from psychological motivations, often repressed, that form the basic structure of your personality. Your feelings of freedom are illusory.Social dynamics: â€Å"l believe that we are social creatures that are greatly influenced by the people around us. † From this perspective, people's behavior results in large measure from the forces exerted by those around them. The need to conform to the prevailing norms, to be accepted by the groups to which you belong, to please those who are close to you, to obey those in sections of authority-?these and other social needs determine your behavior and define who you are as an individual. For example, the viol ent actions of the initially peaceful demonstrators can be understood only by examining the dynamics of social interaction.Since the group as a whole is to blame, responsibility is removed from the individuals. In the same way, individuals who act illegally (or immorally) within an organization often seek to be exonerated on the grounds that they were merely acting as cogs in the machine, not independent agents. An extreme version of this occurred after World War II at the Murderer trials when many people accused of wartime atrocities explained that they were â€Å"only following orders. † Thinking Activity 12. 1: Your Theory of Human Behavior Think about some of the actions described at the beginning of this section.How would you explain why those people acted in the ways that they did? Which of the above theories make the most sense to you? Do you have your own theory to explain why people behave the way they do? Creating Yourself Through Free Choices If we examine all of t hese beliefs regarding the nature of human beings, we can see that they have several significant things in common: These beliefs represent attempts to explain human behavior in terms of factors that precede the action: a universal human nature, past experiences, psychological forces, and social dynamics.In other words, all of these beliefs assume that the â€Å"essence† of a person, as defined by the factors identified previously, comes before the human actions and in fact causes these actions to take place. As a result, all of these beliefs about the human self have the effect of removing responsibility from the individual for his actions. If what you did was the direct result of human nature, past experiences, psychological forces, or social dynamics, then you cannot be held accountable. You didn't have a choice, your behavior was outside of your control.As a final consequence, these beliefs about the self limit future possibilities. If your thoughts, feelings, and actions are caused by forces beyond your control, then you do not have it in your power to change, to alter direction, to improve-?any more than a puppet can decide to act independently and contrary to the wishes of the puppeteer. From a framework rooted in human freedom, these traditional perspectives regarding the nature of people can be dangerous and destructive. One of the most passionate and articulate modern exponents of individual freedom was Jean-Paul Sartre.His position is extreme-?you are completely free. You create yourself entirely through the free choices that you make every day of your life. Though you may try to pretend otherwise, the reality is that you are the originator of your actions, the master of your fate and the captain of your soul, for better or for worse. You may choose to surrender control of your life to other individuals or organizations, but this is ultimately a free choice that you make and for which you are completely responsible. Let's revisit the examples identified previously and analyze them from this perspective.Free choice: â€Å"l believe that people are free to choose their courses of action, and that they should be held responsible for the choices they make. † The person who committed the armed robbery and murdered the guard freely chose to steal money and he is completely responsible. He was not compelled to act in this fashion; he could have chosen not to. The person who embezzled money from the charitable organization which he headed freely chose to betray his trusted position out of greed and should be held fully accountable.The heroic firefighter freely chose to overcome his natural fear of death and risk his life to save someone else's, and he should be awarded full credit for his heroism. The child abuser freely chose to surrender to his destructive sexual impulses, and he deserves to be condemned and fully punished. The infant-murdering teenagers freely chose to deal with their fear of having an unwanted child b y killing it and trying to hide the body (despite having many other alternatives available), and they should be held fully responsible for their choice.The philanthropic senior citizen freely chose to neonate her money to improve educational opportunities for underprivileged young people rather than spending the money on herself, and she deserves to be praised for her altruism. Each of these people had other alternatives available to them, and they could have made different choices-?but they didn't. Therefore, they must be held responsible for the choices that they did make. But surely, you might be thinking, I can't be held completely responsible for my life. After all, there are many factors outside of my control, people and forces that do create obstacles and undermine my efforts.And we are subject o pressures and influences from within ourselves: feelings of greed, fear of death, altruistic impulses, sexual compulsions, need for social acceptance, and so on. Still, it is up to u s to freely choose which impulses, motivations, fears, and desires we want to act in accordance with. In other words, it is up to you, your â€Å"self. † You make the ultimate choice regarding who you want to become and the direction of your life. When you look in the mirror, the person that you see reflected is the person you have created.If you are pleased with who you are and the state of your life, then you have every right to feel proud. On the other hand, if you are dissatisfied with the person you have become and disappointed with the course of your life, then you have to look no further than yourself to determine who is responsible. You must have the courage to accept full responsibility for your situation, but it is within your power to change, to improve yourself and your life through the free choices that you are able to make. Sartre characterizes humans as the one living creature whose â€Å"existence† precedes its â€Å"essence. In other words, you create your â€Å"essence† (your self, soul, personality) through the free choices that you make in your daily â€Å"existence. He explains: Man first of all exists, encounters himself, surges up in the world-?and defines himself afterwards. Man simply is-?he is what he wills to be after that leap towards existence. Man is nothing else but that which he makes of himself. This is exactly what distinguishes human consciousness from the rest of the animal kingdom: when confronted with a decision situation, we are able to think about the options available to us and then make a free choice based on our evaluation.And that makes us responsible for our actions, as Sartre explains: If existence is prior to essence, then man is responsible for what he is, it puts very person in possession of himself as he is, and places the entire responsibility for his existence squarely on his shoulders. In today's culture, personal freedom and responsibility are in danger of extinction, threatened by an array of psychological, sociological, and genetic explanations that have the cumulative effect of robbing people of their autonomy and dignity.It is refreshing and enlightening to view people through the lens of personal freedom, awarding them the power to make free choices for which they are responsible, rather than viewing them as victims Of resistance with little control over their destinies. George Bernard Shaw dismissed this â€Å"victimized† view of life when he stated, â€Å"l don't believe in circumstances. Rather than blaming their circumstances, the people who get on in this world create their own. † Because You Are Free .This discussion of freedom may seem abstract and theoretical to you, and you might be asking yourself: What difference do my beliefs about personal freedom make in my life? The truth is that along with your beliefs about morality and religion, there is perhaps no other belief that has a greater impact on your life. Here are a few examples. Self-improvement: If you are a person who is constantly striving to improve yourself and the quality of your life, then it is essential that you possess the freedom to make different choices from those you have previously made. Personal freedom is the lifeblood of human change.By using your critical- thinking abilities, you can identify appropriate goals and intelligent alternatives; by exercising your freedom, you can choose the goals and alternatives that best meet your needs and fulfill your ideals. On the other hand, an exclusive belief in one of the â€Å"non-freedom† theories (human nature, environmental determinism, etc. Undermines and even eliminates the possibility of changing yourself. The die has been cast, and whatever the future has in store for you, you cannot influence it in any meaningful way. Morality: Morality deals with the way we relate to people around us.Societies have developed moral ideals and prohibitions to help their citizens live together in a harm onious and productive fashion. As a result, most societies consider things like murder, robbery, cheating, stealing, and raping to be â€Å"wrong,† and they have enacted laws and punishments to discourage antisocial behavior. On the other hand, most societies consider things like impassion, altruism, sharing in communal responsibilities, and working for the good of everyone as well as yourself to be â€Å"right,† and this sort of behavior is encouraged through teaching, exhortation, and example.