Friday, December 27, 2019
Op 10 Principles For Positive Business Ethics Essay
op 10 Principles for Positive Business Ethics By Philip E. Humbert | Submitted On January 04, 2005 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook 10 Share this article on Twitter 2 Share this article on Google+ 2 Share this article on Linkedin 2 Share this article on StumbleUpon 1 Share this article on Delicious 2 Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit 1 Share this article on Pinterest 2 This morning, I read about a company using on-line auctions to defraud customers. Last week, I consulted on an ethics complaint where a business coach betrayed a client s confidentiality. And, recently a Physician was convicted of insider trading based on information from a patient, a violation of both business ethics and her professional ethics. Business ethics are the key to profits. If clients and customers don t trust you, and your business ethics, they will not do business with you. Would you buy from a company you didn t trust? Of course not! Business ethics have become a hot-button topic. There are often ethical conflicts between making money, and doing what is right. There can be dilemmas about doing what is best for your employer, what s best for your own career, and what s best for the customer. Business ethics is about negotiating these mine-fields. Here are my Top 10 Principles for Positive Business Ethics: 1. Business Ethics are built on Personal Ethics. There is no real separation between doing what is right inShow MoreRelatedBUSI 601 Individual Learning Project 1 Essay3573 Words à |à 15 PagesFitzer, personal communication April 7, 2014). For instance, although the organization is small in size through a partnership with a credit union network, it is able to provide general financial services at diverse locations throughout the country (CO-OP Financial Services, 2013). In addition, the active CEO Fantz (2013) asserted that the organizationââ¬â¢s mission is to ââ¬Å"provide a variety of quality services to a diversified membership while maintaining financial soundnessâ⬠; additionally, they currentlyRead MoreThe Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Consumer Behaviour: Does Csr Affect Consumer Decision Making and Buying Behaviour Within the Uk Supermarket Industry12140 Words à |à 49 Pages............................................................................ ............. | 9 | CHAPTER 2........................................................................................... | 10 | LITERATURE REVIEW....................................................................... | 10 | 2.1 Definitions of Corporate Social Responsibility.................................................. | 11 | 2.2 Supermarkets and CSR................................................................Read MoreFashion Industry China: Csr Case5929 Words à |à 24 Pageseco-friendly ingredient sourcing, fair pricing, eco-manufacturing, and efficient non-wasteful distribution, as well as corporate sponsorship, they will result competitive advantage. Indeed, with the implementation of CSR initiatives brands build a positive image and then are more able to counter criticism for other issues that may affect the company. Introduction Over the last decade, corporate social responsibility has moved to the forefront of consumersââ¬â¢ minds and has elicited numerous responsesRead MoreEmilio Jacintos Trading Cooperative19425 Words à |à 78 PagesA1457 Cooperatives: Principles and practices in the 21st century Kimberly A. Zeuli and Robert Cropp ABOUT THE COVER IMAGE: The ââ¬Å"twin pinesâ⬠is a familiar symbol for cooperatives in the United States. The Cooperative League of the USA, which eventually became the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA), adopted it as their logo in 1922. The pine tree is an ancient symbol of endurance and immortality. The two pines represent mutual cooperationââ¬âpeople helping people. COOPERATIVES: iiRead MoreLevis: Corporate Social Responsibility3679 Words à |à 15 Pages0IntroductionAs recently as a decade ago, many companies viewed business ethics only in terms of compliance with legal standards and adherence to internal rules and regulations. Driven by a range of new challenges and opportunities, the field of business ethics is fast breaking out of that compliance-based silo. Beyond legal compliance and government regulations, consumer, shareholder and stakeholder expectations also compel companies to address ethics effectively. This paper sets out to investigate LevisRead MoreKV Pharmaceuticals Case Study Essay3983 Words à |à 16 PagesIntroduction Business ethics is an extremely important topic in our world today. This is especially true because of the fact that we live in a changing society where it has become increasingly common to see more and more cases of companies that participate in illegal, immoral and unethical activities. So that we can prevent these behaviors, it is necessary to study and understand how these situations can occur and what we can do to prevent them from happening. In this research paper, we willRead MoreTriple Bottom Line10664 Words à |à 43 PagesThis is an exciting promise. One of the more enduring cliches of modern management is that if you can t measure it, you can t manage it. If we believe that ethical business practices and social responsibility are à © 2004. Business Ethics Quarterly, Volume 14, tssue 2. ISSN 1052-150X. pp. 243-262 244 BUSINESS ETHICS QUARTERLY important functions of corporate governance and management, then we should welcome attempts to develop tools that make more transparent to managers, shareholdersRead MoreEthics in Retail Industry5435 Words à |à 22 PagesEthics in Retail Industry Name: Ratul Kumar Sarkar Registration Number: 4033/19 Indian Institute of Management Calcutta Mail - Proposal on assignment in ... https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2ik=4f81452ae6view=ptq=san... Ratul Kumar Sarkar Proposal on assignment in Business Ethics 2 messages Ratul Kumar Sarkar To: sanjana_tta@iimcal.ac.in Cc: ranjanm@iimcal.ac.in Name: Ratul Kumar Sarkar Reg No: 4033/19 Section: B Project type: Individual Project Title: Ethics in Retail Industry Scope:Read MorePlanning, Organising, Leading, Controlling in an Organisation5773 Words à |à 24 Pagesfactors affecting their core business. The organisationââ¬â¢s Vision, Mission, Critical Successful Factors are deliberated in order to come up with specific suggestions to overcome their current business challenges. Moreover, the key improvements for both organisations are recommended with their specific outputs and outcomes. The supporting facts will be analysed using orientations from the famous writer, Richard L Daft sourcing from his books Leadership and Principles of Management to obtain more clarityRead MoreA Report of the Studentsââ¬â¢ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (Siwes)15181 Words à |à 61 PagesINTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Civil Engineering 1 1.2 SIWES 3 1.2.1 Objectives of SIWES 4 1.3 The Firm 5 1.3.1 scope of services, vision and mission 6 1.4 Site Description 8 1.5 Objective and Scope of the Report 10 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 11 2.1 Construction 11 2.1.1 Introduction 11 2.1.2 Types of construction projects 11 2.2 Reinforced Concrete Design 13 2.2.1 Introduction 13 2.2.2 Design Objectives 14 2.2.3
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Explore the Different Types of Love Shown in Wuthering...
Explore the different types of love shown in Wuthering Heights Pages 70 -75 The love shown in Wuthering Heights on pages 70-75 is not only those of morality love, but also love that aches, and both types are each, for a different man. The simpler of the two is that of which Catherine feels for Edgar. Having chosen to marry Edgar, through no other reason than it is moral option; Catherine feels no true love towards him. When conversing with Nelly, and questioned on just what it is that Catherine loves about him, it is apparent, that she struggles to find an emotionally invested response. The responses that she does return to Nellys question, consisting of the adjectives, ââ¬Ëhandsomeââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëpleasantââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ërichââ¬â¢ all show that Catherine feelsâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦His love through his actions for her as she lays dying, is also further insight as to how heââ¬â¢s felt about anyone else, as the amount of kisses he places upon her, are more than those for anyone else, and most likely, those that mean more. The use of ââ¬Ëearnestlyââ¬â¢ shows yet again, the possessiveness they share for each other and how one can surely not bare to see the other in weakness, not knowing that it is their love, that has made them weak towards each other. Even as Catherine continues to lie dying, she tortures Heathcliff by not revealing her feelings truly to him, the feelings she holds so tightly for him, jokingly mentioning that him and Edgar ââ¬Ëhave broken her heart.ââ¬â¢ The quotation, possibly meaning that having chosen Edgar over Heathcliff, and Heathcliffââ¬â¢s departure, that he broke her heart, and by still choosing Edgar, he broke hers by not being able to love Heathcliff truthfully, yet it could also mean that by living with Heathcliff and by leaving him in her death, she will have lost him both to Edgar, and therefore her heart has been broken twice. Further reference to how the two loves cannot live by themselves, is that of when Heathcliff exclaims how he ââ¬Ëcould as soon forget her as his existence.ââ¬â¢ The continued reference of two hearts that can only live as one, constantly runs through their story, making their love the mostShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Nature In Wuthering Heights1458 Words à |à 6 PagesNatureââ¬â¢s Unknown Existence The multiple meanings of nature describe the phenomenons of the physical world and inherent features of a specific being or object. Present in the novel Wuthering Heights, written by Emily Bronte, the nature aspect life depicts is uncovered in various types of ways. Brought to attention throughout the novel is the use of weather and seasonal change, as well as characterization and how one can discover a form of nature from the perspective of a certain character. BronteRead MoreThe Thin Barrier Between Sanity And Insanity2935 Words à |à 12 Pagesthe three texts. The thin barrier between sanity and insanity and what lies on each side is thoroughly explored in Keats, Bronte and Carter, as the theme of madness is archetypal of Gothic literature. One aspect of madness mentioned is the idea of love leading to lunacy. In ââ¬ËIsabellaââ¬â¢, written by Keats, the protagonist is described to have gone mad with depression once she finds out that her lover is dead, and itââ¬â¢s stat ed that ââ¬Ëshe forgot the stars, the moon, and sun, and she forgot the blue aboveRead MoreCause and Impact Analysis on the Main Characterââ¬â¢s Suffering in Elizabeth Gilbertââ¬â¢s Novel Eat, Pray, Love7348 Words à |à 30 Pageschapter one as fulfilled of the study. 1. Background of The Study Literature did not take itself to a single definition because the achieving of it over century has been as complex and natural as the life itself. Many literary experts had different opinion about literature. In this case, it was related with the time and social condition. Literature itself was correlated with humanââ¬â¢s expression. Identical with life, it could be seen that literature was a true picture or replication of humanââ¬â¢sRead MoreInterpretation of the Text13649 Words à |à 55 Pagescorrelation is shown in Fig. 1.1. Additionally, a genre such as satire, allegory or pastoral might appear in any of the above, not only as a sub-genre, but as a mixture of genres. Epic Tragedy Genres^ Comedy Novel ... ....... : Prose 2 O Poetry Short story Creative nonfiction Fig. 1.1. Correlation of literary genres For practical purposes it might be worthwhile to adopt the point of view, according to which there are two main genres of literature - poetry and prose. Their types are shown in FigRead MoreThe Studio System Essay14396 Words à |à 58 Pagesindividuals. With this in mind, it is fair to say that the art director has more influence on a given film than nearly anyone else who works on the project. This was especially true in the 1930s when the Hollywood Studio system was at the height of its power. The way that credit was given for art direction makes it difficult to judge the work of the individuals who did the actual set design and visual design of the films of the thirties. In looking at art direction inRead MoreStatement of Purpose23848 Words à |à 96 PagesLanguage (TESOL)ââ¬â non-native English Speaker Like many non-English speakers, I have begun studying English quite late in seventh grade. To most non-English speakers, learning a new language, English, is both novel and challenging. Many students may explore English with the curiosity toward a new language and culture; however, they may lose their interest because of inappropriate and rigid teaching approaches, or an unfamiliar/ insecure sense towards a new language or culture. Learning a new language
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Progression Towards Light Essay Example For Students
Progression Towards Light Essay Progression Towards LightAeschylus use of darkness and light as a consistent image in theOresteia depicts a progression from evil to goodness, disorder to order. In theOresteia, there exists a situation among mortals which has gotten out ofcontrol; a cycle of death has arisen in the house of Atreus. There also existsa divine disorder within the story which, as the situation of the mortals, mustbe brought to resolution: the Furies, an older generation of gods, are inconflict with the younger Olympian gods because they have been refused theirancient right to avenge murders between members of the same family. TheOresteia presents two parallel conflicts, both of which must be resolved ifharmony is ever to be desired again. As one can expect, these conflictseventually do find their resolutions, and the images of darkness and lightaccompany this progression, thereby emphasizing the movement from evil to good. The use of darkness imagery first emerges in the Agamemnon. In thisfirst play of the trilogy, the cycle of death which began with the murder andconsumption of Thyestes children continues with Clytaemestras murder ofAgamemnon and Cassandra. The darkness which is present in the beginning of thestory is further magnified by the death of Agamemnon. This is illustrated whenClytaemestra says, Thus he Agamemnon went down, and the life struggled outof him; and as he died he spattered me with the dark red and violent drivenrain of bitter savored blood (lines 1388-1390). Clytaemestra has evilly andmaliciously murdered her own husband; thus the image of the dark blood. Thedarkness is representative of the evil which has permeated the house of Atreus,and which has persisted with this latest gruesome act of murder. Becausedarkness results from the death of Agamemnon, Aeschylus clearly illustrates thatthis murder was nothing but pure evil. As long as this type of evil continuesto be practiced in t he house of Atreus, darkness will continue to emerge. TheOresteia has not yet seen the light. The beginning of the progression from darkness to light can initially beseen in the second play of the trilogy, The Libation Bearers. Orestes is theembodiment of this light, a beacon signalling a possible end in the evil thathas infected the house of Atreus. It is true that Orestes, in revenge forAgamemnon, kills his mother Clytaemestra. Yet the darkness that is expectedfrom such a murder, a matricide, is negated by one of the main reasons thatOrestes commits the murder: his fear of the wrath of Apollo, who has orderedhim to commit the deadly act. Aeschylus provides Orestes with a justificationfor his action in the form of the oracle from Apollo. For not only doesOrestes murder of his mother fail to differ greatly from Clytaemestras murderof Agamemnon, but it can in fact be seen as a worse crime because of the bloodties. Therefore, in order to convincingly prove his assertion that Orestes isjustified in killing his mother, Aeschylus must include the order from Apollo,who by no mere c oincidence is the god of light. With the divine support of thelight god on his side, Orestes is the beginning of the progressive illuminationtowards goodness and order in the Oresteia. Another example of Orestes introduction of light into a story ofdarkness occurs later in The Libation Bearers. The chorus is describing thedream that Clytaemestra has had of giving birth to a snake, which representsOrestes. The chorus sings of Clytaemestras fear as she awakens from thenightmare: She woke screaming out of her sleep, shaky with fear, as torcheskindled all about the house, out of the blind dark that had been on them (lines535-537). Aeschylus describes the house of Clytaemestra, the rightful house ofAtreus and the Atridae, as dark; this darkness has been caused by none otherthan her own murderous deeds. She has dreamt of the coming of her son Orestesto avenge his father, and the torches that light up the house signal this coming. .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439 , .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439 .postImageUrl , .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439 , .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439:hover , .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439:visited , .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439:active { border:0!important; } .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439:active , .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439 .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u642490f51172011e777de1bc31d84439:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Religion7 EssayClearly, Orestes is the man who will restore light to the house of Atreus. Orestes is looked upon by those characters sympathetic to his plight(namely Electra and the chorus of The Libation Bearers) as the light which willbring an end to the evil in the house of Atreus. Soon after Orestes reveals hisidentity to his sister, he proclaims that he will avenge his fathers murder. The chorus, who represent the subjects of the late Agamemnon, express theirgratitude for Orestes decision when they say, But when strength came back hopelifted me again, and the sorrow was gone and the light was on me (lines 415-417). Orestes arrival and his resolution to make his mother pay for her crimesilluminates the darkness which Clytaemestra has brought upon the royal house;the chorus, in proclaiming that the light is on them, recognize that Orestes isthe man who will achieve this illumination. Electra also recognizes thatOrestes will bring good to an evil situation: O bright beloved presence, youbring back four lives to me (lines 238-239). Orestes presence brightens thedark, gloomy state of mind of Electra just as it brightens the dark, gloomysituation in the house of Atreus. Following the murder of Clytaemestra and Aegisthus at the hands ofOrestes, light is finally restored to the conflict within the mortal house ofAtreus. Orestes has fulfilled the oracle imposed upon him by Apollo, and thedarkness, the evil of Clytaemestra, has been defeated. In reference to thisdefeat, the chorus proclaims, Light is here to behold. The big hit that heldour house is taken away (lines 961-962). The disorder and darkness that hadreigned in the house of Atreus exists no longer; Orestes has given his familyillumination. The evil darkness has been overcome by the good light. Another way in which Aeschylus manifests the imagery of light anddarkness is through the conflict between the Olympic and Chthonic gods. TheOlympic gods are represented in the Oresteia by Apollo and Athene. Aeschylusties together the ideas of justice and reason, Athenes domain, with the idea oflight, of which Apollo is god. By contrast, the black clad Chthonic gods, theFuries, tie together the idea of darkness with the idea of bloody revenge, whichis their area of specialization. In the Eumenides, Pythia says of the Furies, They are black and utterly repulsive, and they snore with breath that drives oneback (lines 52-53). The contrast between the two different races of gods setsup Aeschylus second progression from darkness to light in the Oresteia. The Furies are at first incapable of treating Orestes with the justicethat he deserves. They do not take into account the circumstances under whichOrestes killed his mother, specifically the pressure which he had received fromApollo. Therefore, the Furies are at first enraged that Athene allows Orestesto escape their dark and bloody vengeance. Eventually, however, the Furieshate begins to subside and they accept the arbitration of Athene, who offersthem land and honor in Athens. This acceptance marks the beginning of theirmovement from darkness to light. They embrace the just attitude of the Olympicgods Apollo and Athene, progressing from a doctrine of bloody revenge to one ofreason and justice. The light images emerge along with this progression, andthe Furies proclaim near the end of the Eumenides: So with forecast of good Ispeak this prayer for them the citizens of Athens that the suns brightmagnificence shall break out wave on wave of all the happiness life can give ,across their land (lines 921-925). The Chthonic gods have given up their darkways and have called for light. This light image is also manifested in thegarments that the Furies change into at the end of the Eumenides: where theyhad previously worn black robes, they now wear bright crimson robes. Nowcalling themselves the Eumenides, or Benevolent Ones, these gods have progressedfrom symbols of evil darkness into symbols of bright goodness. .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278 , .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278 .postImageUrl , .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278 , .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278:hover , .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278:visited , .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278:active { border:0!important; } .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278:active , .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278 .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub196ec44f81f61d8a06dab105298a278:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Madness and Insanity in Shakespeare's Hamlet - Hamlet's Madness EssayIn his trilogy the Oresteia, Aeschylus use of darkness and lightimagery coincides with his progression of themes. Orestes, who represents light,brings and end to the vicious cycle of dark death continued by Clytaemestra. Heilluminates the dark evil in the house of Atreus. Likewise, Athene and Apollobring the Furies out of their dark, blood-lusting ways and into an order ofjustice and reason, transforming them into the brightly clad Benevolent Ones. In the end, goodness prevails over evil just as light conquers darkness. Aeschylus effectively makes use of his images to emphasize this movement.
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
IQ Tests Essays - Intelligence, Psychometrics, G Factor,
IQ Tests The task of trying to quantify a person's intelligence has been a goal of psychologists since before the beginning of this century. The Binet-Simon scales were first proposed in 1905 in Paris, France and various sorts of tests have been evolving ever since. One of the important questions that always comes up regarding these tools is what are the tests really measuring? Are they measuring a person's intelligence? Their ability to perform well on standardized tests? Or just some arbitrary quantity of the person's IQ? When examining the situations around which these tests are given and the content of the tests themselves, it becomes apparent that however useful the tests may be for standardizing a group's intellectual ability, they are not a good indicator of intelligence. To issue a truly standardized test, the testing environment should be the same for everyone involved. If anything has been learned from the psychology of perception, it is clear that a person's environment has a great deal to do with their cognitive abilities. Is the light flickering? Is the paint on the walls an unsettling shade? Is the temperature too hot or too cold? Is the chair uncomfortable? Or in the worst case, do they have an illness that day? To test a person's mind, it is necessary to utilize their body in the process. If everyone's body is placed in different conditions during the testing, how is it expected to get standardized results across all the subjects? Because of this assumption that everyone will perform equally independent of their environment, intelligence test scores are skewed and cannot be viewed as standardized, and definitely not as an example of a person's intelligence. It is obvious that a person's intelligence stems from a variety of traits. A few of these that are often tested are reading comprehension, vocabulary, and spatial relations. But this is not all that goes into it. What about physical intelligence, conversational intelligence, social intelligence, survival intelligence, and the slew of others that go into everyday life? Why are these important traits not figured into intelligence tests? Granted, normal standardized tests certainly get predictable results where academics are concerned, but they should not be considered good indicators of general intelligence because of the glaring omissions they make in the testing process. To really gauge a person's intelligence, it would be necessary to put them through a rigorous set of real-life trials and document their performance. Otherwise the standardized IQ tests of today are testing an extremely limited quality of a person's character that can hardly be referred to as intelligence. For the sake of brevity, I will quickly mention a few other common criticisms of modern IQ tests. They have no way to compensate for cultural differences. People use different methods to solve problems. People's reading strategies differ. Speed is not always the best way to tackle a problem. There is often too much emphasis placed on vocabulary. Each of these points warrants individual treatment, and for more information refer to The Triarchic Mind by RJ Sternberg (Penguin Books, 1988, p18-36). It is possible to classify all the reasons that IQ tests fail at their task into two main groups. The first grouping is where the tests assume too much. Examples of this flaw are the assumption that speed is always good, vocabulary is a good indicator of intelligence, and that different test taking environments won't affect the outcome. The second grouping comes because the tests gauge the wrong items. Examples of this are different culture groups being asked to take the same tests as everyone else, and the fact that the tests ignore so many types of intelligence (like physical, social, etc). These two groupings illustrate where the major failings of popular IQ tests occur and can be used as tools for judging others. IQ tests are not good indicators for a person's overall intelligence, but as their use has shown, they are extremely helpful in making predictions about how a person will perform in an academic setting. Perhaps the problem comes in the name intelligence tests when it is obvious this is not what they really are. The modern IQ test definitely has its applications in today's society but should be be used to quantify a person's overall intelligence by any means.
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