Geology of Qatar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Geology of Qatar - Essay Example These natural resources contribute actively towards the realization of the skyrocketing economies experienced in the nation. For instance, there are several places in the country of Qatar supplied with natural gas and oil deposits2. These are some of the powerful natural resources that make the country gain international recognition, respect as well as realize robust economies. In addition to natural gas, Qatar also has several deposits of oil fields. This makes the nation on e of the largest oil producers in the world. This works well with boosting as well as expanding the economies of the state of Qatar. Other than the natural reserves, it is of crucial significance to note that the country of Qatar also boasts of a collection of beautiful sceneries, geological features as well as landscapes. Some of these geological features as well as scenic beauties have contributed massively towards strengthening the economy of Qatar in several diverse ways. For instance, the myriad of features have ensured heavy flow of tourists into the nation of Qatar to have an experience as well as identify with some of the natural features. This has ensured generation as well as creation of foreign exchange, improved employment conditions as well as upholding nation’s pride. The foreign exchange as well as income earned from such tourism activities has led to massive eco nomic growth in the region. This paper is going to explore some of the geologic features found in the sovereign state of Qatar. In addition, the paper is going to focus on some of the surface features, the terrain as well as landscape of the nation of Qatar. It is of critical significance to note that Qatar is one of the states with sabkhas forming some of the geologic landform features. The sabkhas are always characterized with dry burrows. This presents greater risks to geologists due to the fact that such dry burrows may always host deadly animals like snakes that can bite geologists. This presents one

Supply Chain Management and Lean Production Essay Example for Free

Supply Chain Management and Lean Production Essay Abstract The system of interconnected businesses used to push a product from supplier to consumer is defined as a supply chain. Supply chain management focuses on managing the supply chain in an effort to improve the quality and time it requires to manufacture a product. In addition to implementing supply chain management, a helpful lean production practice called Just-in-time can be used to remove any waste present along the supply chain. The marriage of lean production and supply chain management creates lean supply chain management, which provides a much leaner and more economical supply chain for the product to flow through. Supply Chain Management and Lean Production Much uncertainty about what supply chain management entails is present in today’s society. Many people treat supply chain management as being synonymous with logistics, which is the management of the flow of goods from the origin to the consumers However, supply chain management encompasses much more than the purchasing or management of goods to the consumer. Supply chain management (SCM), as defined by Lambert (2008), is the management of relationships across the supply chain, which includes a network of interconnected businesses involved in providing a product or service to the consumer. The management of the relationships between businesses on the supply chain is significant to ensure successful and efficient processes are used in providing products and goods to the customer. Definition of Supply Chain Management (SCM) What is a supply chain? A supply chain is defined as a system of organizations, as well as people and information, which are directly involved with the manufacture and delivery of a product (Phelps, Smith, Hoenes, 2004; â€Å"Supply Chain,† 2008). The supply chain includes the transformation of raw materials at the site of the supplier to finished goods that can be used by the consumer, as shown in Figure 1. The path the product travels is similar to that of a river. A river, when properly banked, is flowing in one direction towards a goal (Tompkins, 2000). Mark Twain stated that â€Å"Without banks the river is just a puddle. † A supply chain, like a river, needs communication and integration as its banks to create a force towards the destination, which is the consumer. Without the presence of the banks, the river would go nowhere and therefore be merely a puddle. Effective communication in business relationships that cross over different departments, as displayed by the arrows in Figure 1, is necessary to provide quality products to the consumer. What is supply chain management? Lambert (2004) defines supply chain management as â€Å"the integration of key business processes from the end user through original suppliers than provides products, services, and information that add value for customers and other stakeholders. † An illustration of supply chain management is displayed in Figure 2. This figure represents a basic supply chain network structure, as well as the flow of information and the product. The eight supply chain management processes, which integrate various tasks within the organization across the supply chain, can also be found in Figure 2 (Lambert, 2008). The implementation of the eight supply chain management processes is necessary to manage the relationships between various departments and tasks across the supply chain. Supply chain management is ultimately about the management of relationships within the network of businesses in the supply chain. Lambert (2008) expresses that the management of a supply chain is managed â€Å"link-by-link, relationship-by-relationship, and the organizations that manage these relationships best will win. † Role of Supply Chain Management (SCM) Overview of the role Supply chain management places attention along the entire supply chain, from raw materials at the supplier to finished goods in the hands of the customer. One role that supply chain management plays within a company is producing more efficient, quality products, which creates a competitive advantage among other companies. Today, management of the supply chain can be completed through the use of supply chain management software, such as E2Open. Supply chain management allows a company to document and track data pertaining to the supply chain. Benefits of the supply chain management Supply chain management places importance on managing the customer relationship, as well as the supplier relationship. By effectively managing these relationships, the company can become more competitive, while increasing the quality of the product to the customer. Placing emphasis on the supplier relationship and the businesses along the supply chain increases product efficiency and quality. The importance placed on the customer relationship focuses on the demands and needs of the customer. Through effective communication within the relationships along the supply chain, a basic balance of supply and demand is established.

Patriarchal Pathology: The Case of Sam Shepard’s Buried Child and Mahes

Sam Shepard and Mahesh Dattani belong to different countries and time span. They come from different social, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Sam Shepard belongs to the cream of the crop of 20th century American dramatists. He was involved with New York's Off-Off Broadway Theater - the new experimental theaters that sprung up in church halls, lofts, basements and cafes after the Off-Broadway theater had become expensive. He was closely allied with Theater Genesis-an Off-Off Broadway venue based at St.Mark’s in the Bowery, an Episcopalian church in the East Village at 2nd Avenue and 10th Street. Mahesh Dattani is a well known cotemporary Indian-English playwright, the first Indian playwright writing in English to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award. Sam Shepard explores the complicated relationships within American families. In order to ensure the myth of the American Dream, however unattainable, family life is seen by playwrights like Sam Shepard to pay the price. The family is breaking up from within by their adherence to public values. Although his plays explore deeply the American psyche and investigate the cultural heritage of their nation, yet they have a mainstream plea to people all over the world. Mahesh Dattani writes on the burning issues that beset the post-independence Indian society, whether it is communal discord, politics and crime, growing homosexuality or the gender bias. He uses stage to condemn many of the drawbacks prevailing in society. His plays depict marginalized groups of society, people who are considered misfits in a society where stereotyped attitudes and notions reign supreme. His plays have varied content and varied appeal. The works of Sam Shepard and Mahesh Dattani thus r... ...Print. Shepard, Sam.Buried Child.Vintage Publications,1979.Print. Secondary Source Deeba,Farha.Prioritizing the invisible:A Study of the Select plays of Mahesh Dattani.Diss.University of Kashmir,2013. Mathisen,Kari.What’s Happened to this Family Anyway? The Disintegration of the American Family in Selected Plays by O’Neill,Miller,and Shepard.MA thesis. University of Troms,2009. Ranjan,Mukesh. â€Å"Mahesh Dattani’s Where There’s a Will: Exorcising the Patriarchal Code†.The Dramatic World of Mahesh Dattani-A Critical Exploration.Ed.Amar Nath Suri.Sarup Book Publishers,2009.136-144.Print. Shepard, Sam. Buried Child.In Sam Shepard:Plays,Vol.2.London:Faber and Faber,1997.Print. The Cambridge Companion to Sam Shepard. Ed.Mathew Roundane.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,2002.Print.

Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem :: Essays Papers

Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem Hospitallers of St. John, or in full The Sovereign Military Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, is one of the most important military orders that existed since before the crusades. It was founded in early 12th century by a person known as Gerard or Gerald. Even if the family name or birth place of this Gerard is not known for sure, his title as a founder of the order was confirmed by an official document, the Bull of Paschal II dated 1113 and addressed to â€Å"Geraudo institutori ac praeposito Hirosolimitani Xenodochii.† Hospitallers of St. John is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and it follows the rules of St. Augustine. The beginning of the order is different from those of other hostelries of its period, because others were dependent on their churches or monasteries while St. John's supported itself. It profited from the presence of the crusaders and from the gratitude people felt for the hospitality they received. Thus, the order had revenues and territories in the new kingdom of Jerusalem and in Europe as well. At the very beginning, the order was completely devoted to the hospitalization of pilgrims visiting the Holy Places in Jerusalem. It started to develop some military characters when Raymond of Provence (1120-1160) succeeded Gerard as the first Grand Master of the order. He sponsored an armed escort for the pilgrims. Eventually, this armed escort evolved into a heavy cavalry whose members were crusaders from Europe and Turcopoles - natives of mixed blood. The very first military dignitaries in the order were â€Å"the marshal† for the command of the knights and â€Å"the turcopoliers† for the command of the turcopoles. Later the grand masters, heads of the church, started to go into battle. For example, Gosbert, the fifth successor of Raymond, died on the battle field in 1177. Rules directly concerning knights were added to the rules of the order by the ninth Grand Master, Alfonso of Portugal, around 1200. The rules made notable distinction between secular knights and the professed knights. The secular knights were externs to the order and did not stay with it for life. They just serve it for some time, and then go on with their lives like usual.

Why Study History

People live in the present; no one lives in the past. The past causes the future and that’s where history comes from, history is important to know. We need to know history to understand societies and the way of the people who live in the societies behave History is interesting; it deals with real events and people. History offers a variety of topics and personal interests. Everything has a history; wars, nations and peoples. History is visible in every place of the world. History knowledge is very important, to not know history is ignorance in my opinion. Everyone should know where they come from. History focuses on the cause and affect around us today. I am majoring in history because to me history is a beautiful story that is untold. There is history everywhere you go and it intrigues me of why something was built, invented or done. There is a reason why everything happens and I love the thought of knowing the history of what made people do the things they have done in the past. To me history is seeing through the eyes of others, I am majoring in history because it has been by far my favorite subject my entire life. I always made excellent grades when I was in elementary school and high school. I choose to pursue history as a career, since I enjoyed it so much. History is an exploration to me and when you discover what you are looking for it can be rewarding and makes everything make sense. By seeing through others eyes we see where the failure and achievement came from. While studying history I have learned to question the things that I assume and the beliefs of societies. By learning the history of things I have learned to understand the assumptions I have made of people and why they choose to do the things they have done. I am glad that I have choose to pursue a career in history because of the things you learn and what you can gain from studying other cultures as well as your own. I study history because it can be used in everyday life and history is something that we learn from so the mistakes that were made in the past will not be repeated. Studying history is important in many ways, by studying history you gain more knowledge and are able to understand the world we live in.

Gun Control Essays (343 words) - Gun Politics, Firearms, Gun Control

Gun Control Essays (343 words) - Gun Politics, Firearms, Gun Control Gun Control Gun Control Guns have many functions. Some people use them for many different sports, some use them for protection, and some use them for murder. The Constitution of the United States of America gives us the right to keep and bear arms. This brings up a very good argument that guns should be outlawed because of the rise in violent crimes with firearms. Should this statistic ruin it for the rest of the nation who dont use guns in violent crimes. These people use guns for legal reasons. Guns are a very big risk to the safety to the American population. With guns in the hands of criminals, they are able to perpetrate serious crimes. If you put a ban on guns there would be a decrease of violent crimes. With fewer guns on the street, there would be less of a chance of you being attacked with a gun. Violent crimes wouldnt disappear, they would decrease. In his essay Desuka states, True, even if handguns are outlawed, some criminals would manage to get them, but surely fewer petty criminals will have guns. (423). A ban on guns will hurt the economy greatly. When the ban is imposed, the government will have to reimburse gun owners for surrendering their guns. the number of handguns is estimated to be between 50 million and 90 million, the cost will be considerable, but it will be far less than the costs-both in money and sorrow- that result from deaths due to handguns. (Desuka 423). This statement totally justifies the ban on guns. The economy will surely suffer but that is nothing compared to the pain associated with burying a family member. By putting a ban on guns, it is a violation of the second amendment. I believe it is more than justified. What would you rather have? One less constitutional right or one less loved one? In this case, the violation of the second amendment is the least of our worries. Our most important worry is getting the guns off the streets.

GRE sample essay -argument issue Essays

GRE sample essay -argument issue Essays GRE sample essay -argument issue Essay GRE sample essay -argument issue Essay The given argument initially brings up an issue that many parents picked up their children when day-care center has already closed. Although the road construction on 1-72 was mentioned in the memo, the owner of Happy Sun Happy Moon day-care center ignores some consequences from the construction and recommends charging regulation for those parents who arrive late. This argument lacks of adequate evidences and reasons behind such determination and thus it may dissatisfy some parents. Therefore, I think the argument needs to be explored more thoroughly which I will explain in the following paragraphs. The major overlooked assumption is that there are several reasons why parents cannot pick up their kids on time. It is possible that they havent received any information regarding times and places of the road construction. As a result, they arrive the center late in spite of their early leaving from workplaces. Moreover, the owner shouldnt anticipate parents to leave early in order to pick up their children. This expectation is impossible in most occupations because leaving before closing times could be considered serious misconduct in some workplaces. How can author expect parents to do that? For these reasons, the regulation should be revised according to the above suggestions. It is difficult to believe that charging fee from those parents would be the best choice to cope with such problem. Some parents are willing to pay for the fees If they really have important appointments. : For Instance, the parents who are doctors might experience emergency cases which will have to spend longer time In their workplace. In that cases, the fees Is not a major concern for them to keep their children safe In the centre. To gain this supports, If the owner would Like all parents to appear on time, he will have to convince or ask for parents cooperation rather than using charging policy to force them. It could be a security purpose that persuades the parents to come early because there are no security officers around center after opening hours. In Its present form, the argument falls to provide strong evidences on supporting the claim that charging fee for the parents will definitely solve the centers problem. To gain more beneficial outcomes, the author should provide additional details of the road construction together with Informing their clients of logical reasons for arriving on time In order to obtain maximum cooperation. GREG sample essay -argument issue By Alliteration to cope with such problem. Some parents are willing to pay for the fees if they really eave important appointments. For instance, the parents who are doctors might experience emergency cases which will have to spend longer time in their workplace. In that cases, the fees is not a major concern for them to keep their children safe in the centre. To gain this supports, if the owner would like all parents to appear on In its present form, the argument fails to provide strong evidences on supporting the road construction together with informing their clients of logical reasons for arriving on time in order to obtain maximum cooperation.

Free Essays on Accommodating Instructional Needs

The integration of special education students and regular education students is referred to as inclusion. Inclusion involves keeping special education students in regular classrooms. In inclusive settings, special education teachers work with general education teachers in regular classrooms to collaborate and provide an equal educational opportunity for students with disabilities. Regular education teachers are not ready for the inclusion challenge. Regular education teachers are not prepared for inclusion and are not meeting the needs of students with disabilities in their classrooms. I also feel that special-needs students will make little or marginal gains unless regular education teachers are adequately prepared to meet the needs of inclusion students. Also, placing special-needs students in classrooms with ill-prepared teachers can be a disaster too, and may be as detrimental as, these students not receiving any educational or support services. The passing of the Individual with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 (PL 101-476) paved the way for. I am a full inclusion teacher in the Suffolk Public Schools in Richmond, VA. Full inclusion means that all students, regardless of handicapping condition or severity, will be in a regular classroom/program full time. All services must be taken to the child in that setting. In my own experiences I have found inclusion to be great. I deal with only the Learning Disabled (LD) population in my school. For my students I have found it very easy to meet all of their accommodations. All of their instructional needs are being met as well. For example, I have a male student who requires me to work with him one on one on all of his in class assignments. He can not complete them on his own. So I sit next to him in the back of the classroom and we work as a team to complete his assignments. It would be difficult to serve a child who is Emotionally Disturb in an inclusion setting. These chi... Free Essays on Accommodating Instructional Needs Free Essays on Accommodating Instructional Needs The integration of special education students and regular education students is referred to as inclusion. Inclusion involves keeping special education students in regular classrooms. In inclusive settings, special education teachers work with general education teachers in regular classrooms to collaborate and provide an equal educational opportunity for students with disabilities. Regular education teachers are not ready for the inclusion challenge. Regular education teachers are not prepared for inclusion and are not meeting the needs of students with disabilities in their classrooms. I also feel that special-needs students will make little or marginal gains unless regular education teachers are adequately prepared to meet the needs of inclusion students. Also, placing special-needs students in classrooms with ill-prepared teachers can be a disaster too, and may be as detrimental as, these students not receiving any educational or support services. The passing of the Individual with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 (PL 101-476) paved the way for. I am a full inclusion teacher in the Suffolk Public Schools in Richmond, VA. Full inclusion means that all students, regardless of handicapping condition or severity, will be in a regular classroom/program full time. All services must be taken to the child in that setting. In my own experiences I have found inclusion to be great. I deal with only the Learning Disabled (LD) population in my school. For my students I have found it very easy to meet all of their accommodations. All of their instructional needs are being met as well. For example, I have a male student who requires me to work with him one on one on all of his in class assignments. He can not complete them on his own. So I sit next to him in the back of the classroom and we work as a team to complete his assignments. It would be difficult to serve a child who is Emotionally Disturb in an inclusion setting. These chi...

Banking law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Banking law - Essay Example For example in Barclays Bank Plc v O’Brien the House of Lords ruled that when the burden shifts to the stronger party to prove that there was no undue influence, the burden can be discharged by proof that the weaker party voluntarily entered into the agreement or the transaction and this can be proven by showing that the weaker party had the benefit of independent legal advice.7 It has been subsequently ruled that where undue influence is presumed, the bank’s security will stand on whether or not the surety had the benefit of independent legal advice.8 It was not altogether clear whether banks had a duty to ensure that vulnerable sureties sought independent legal advice. The courts had merely stated that the burden of proof could be discharged by showing that the vulnerable surety had voluntarily entered into the transaction and this could be shown by proof that the vulnerable surety had the benefit of independent legal advice. The matter was more clearly stated by the House of Lords in Royal Bank of Scotland v Etridge (no.2). In Royal Bank of Scotland v Etridge, the House of Lords ruled that the bank is required to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the vulnerable surety was appropriately apprised of the transaction and what this means is that the bank would require that the vulnerable surety had the benefit of independent legal advice.9 Further guidance was provided by the House of Lords in National Westminster Bank v Amin. In the case, the bank applied to the court for the defendant’s defence of undue influence on the part of her son who was a business man. In this case, the bank had previously required that their solicitors clarify and explain the details and consequences of the transaction to which the defendant would provide...Banks should also want to be sure that vulnerable sureties are exercising free and unimpeded judgement from the onset. Therefore the requirement of independent legal advice should not be an obstacle to ban ks taking on vulnerable securities. It should merely be perceived as a necessary step toward ensuring that vulnerable securities may not be rescinded at a later date. The requirement of independent legal advice is commercial sound and reasonable in that it seeks to safeguard the interests of all parties involved, including the bank. The principle debtor is ensured that he or she will obtain the benefit of a loan on the strength of a promise that the surety will provide security for the loan or discharge the debt in the event he or she is unable to. The bank obtains the necessary security for the loan and the surety is committed to loan. Each of these interests are equally important and it is in each of the party’s best interest to ensure that the vulnerable surety is fully aware of his or her obligations and the consequences of the transaction. Neither the bank nor the principle debtor will benefit from a transaction in which the surety is unaware of the consequences of the transaction is unable to fully understand or appreciate the consequences of the transaction. It makes sense that since the bank wants to ensure the integrity of its secu rities, that it would take the minimal step of requiring that vulnerable sureties seek independent legal advice.

Levis_ad_2010 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Levis_ad_2010 - Essay Example arity in boot sizes (size 29) indicate that even if there are similarities in sizes of footwear, women still have differences in shapes and curves where jeans should be custom made and tailored to fit these body shapes. As such, Levi’s emphasizes that they could be relied to meet this particular need of these women. The argument that was presented actually emphasized that jeans should fit women, despite their differences; and not be satisfied with trying to fit in whatever jeans that are available (even if ill-fitted to one’s shape and size). The message was clearly and explicitly embodied in the textual representation of the advertisement, to wit: â€Å"that we should be able to go into stores and find jeans that fit us instead of having to fit into the jeans† (Levis Ad 1). To support this particular evidence, the promoters used rhetorical appeals through the narrative discourse. Initially, the advertisement asserted that â€Å"all asses were not created equal† (Levis Ad 1), which is a rational and logical contention. To support this, the advertisement disclosed that there are girls of different shapes and sizes. It added emotional appeal through using adjectives such as asserting that â€Å"hotness comes in all shapes and sizes†¦(and) deserves jeans that make her curves look like a national treasure† (Levis Ad 1). The credibility of the advertisement is deemed supported by the fact that the manufacturer of the jeans is Levi’s, which has been known to manufacture high quality jeans through the years. The brand alone, speaks of high quality and that the target clientele had been made aware of its ability to manufacture reliable, dependable, and high quality jeans through time. I found the argument and evidence equally persuasive; due to the presentation of rhetorical appeals in the textual discourse; as well as in providing visual illustrations of women where jeans of different styles were shown to fit different shapes and sizes. As such, through the use of

Tourism and Indigenous Peoples Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Tourism and Indigenous Peoples - Assignment Example Looking out over a vast, desolate landscape, the older man responds, â€Å"They can bloody well have it† (Weir, 1981). Aboriginal peoples aren’t just part of this remoteness – for many, they have come to symbolize it. I believe that this impression of the Aborigines is intrinsic to Australia’s cultural self-image, part of a pervasive and dominant national mindset. It has a debilitating effect on efforts to decrease traditional economic disparities and make Aboriginal peoples a productive part of the country’s economic mix. Dislocation is the inevitable product of treating Aboriginal people as novel curiosities, or historic anomalies. Until this perspective changes, I believe an almost carnival image will plague the Aborigines and will likely prove too imposing an impediment to indigenous economic integration. â€Å"The implications of†¦potentially expanding employment disparity is amplified for discrete Indigenous communities because they are remote, and opportunities in what is termed the ‘real’ (or mainstream) economy are extremely circumscribed† As I contemplated this reading, I couldn’t help thinking about a series of television commercials advertising American Indian gambling casinos, which are typically only aired in the early morning hours. To me, this reflects the ingrained cultural disenfranchisement of America’s indigenous peoples, who are surely one of the most notable examples of a culturally and economically disadvantaged native population. Their cultural remoteness has kept them out of America’s economic mainstream as surely as has the Aborigines.’ In America, â€Å"fringe† business opportunities, or tourist businesses that exploit stereotypical notions, are often the only means for economic advancement available to native Americans. I believe this is, or will become, the case with Australia’s indigenous peoples, who

Debating Same-Sex Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Debating Same-Sex Marriage - Essay Example In this essay, the researcher shall portray the reasons as to why individuals would be for or against same-sex marriages before he gives a brief statement on what the society should opt for. Many arguments have been shot to support same-sex marriages that include homosexuals and lesbianism. Arguments have hit debates that since there is no evidence that same-sex parents are not poorer than heterosexual parents and that different individuals make more stable couples and that they do not have any impact on parenting abilities, they, therefore, are relatively better than heterosexual couples. Others have argued that same-sex marriages are unrelated to polygamous relationships which make it considerably a better way to escape cheating and unfaithful couples in marriage. Opponents to same-sex marriages have stated that marriage is traditionally meant to be a union of one man and one woman, homosexual and lesbianism unions can be classed with polygamy as it goes against the definition. Rel igious opponents have stipulated that God created the marriage institution for the purpose of procreation. Same-sex married couples cannot reproduce. This argument is based on the concept that God exists. However, giving this a second thought the ability of same-sex couples to reproduce is not entirely a problem because we have encountered heterosexual couples that are not able to reproduce and are comfortable with it. The society should, therefore, provide gay couples with similar legal and social identities allow them to access the advice of law and equal judgments upon it so as to avoid infringing upon rights of others. Gay marriages should be allowed to enjoy the same privileges’ enjoyed by the majority because only minorities differ from the rest due to the fact that these individuals are computed in terms of feelings and relationship.

An Introduction by Timothy Borchers Has Already Given Her Essay

An Introduction by Timothy Borchers Has Already Given Her - Essay Example (Ritchie, J. and Kathleen Boardman 1999). Mary Daly also published many written works, and her second book, Beyond God the Father is of real interest, as this scholar really considers God as a substantive subject. Theoretical perspective In the book Beyond God the Father, Mary Daly lays out a systematic theology that is in line with the example set by theologian Paul Tillich. Daly’s work in the book Beyond God the Father is usually regarded as a foundational work in feminist theology. (Hoagland, S. L. and Marilyn Frye, 2000). She tries to explain and overcome andro-centrism regarding Western religion in this book, and utilizes a more playful writing style. She also attempts to rehabilitate discussions about God by emphasizing and critically building on the writings of existentialist theologians like Martin Buber and Paul Tillich in an effort to rehabilitate the liberation movement for women. Mary Daly’s response to the argument that Jesus was a feminist that this was fi ne and wonderful merits more attention, as any religion or gospel that fails to promote the full humanity of women is questionable, unworthy of public assent. This one legitimate point that must be made in the issue of how the gospel connects with feminist theology. It is notable that the claim that it can help in unmasking a form of oppression that seems, knowingly or unknowingly to have been built into the very fabric of every society that we know much about is the reason why feminism and feminist theology is so significant. Although the publication of some of Daly’s ideas were greeted with considerable furor and she was threatened with losing her job at Boston College, she was finally granted tenure after several months during which students protested vigorously and with widespread media publicity. This experience somewhat radicalized her views about the oppressiveness of prevalent patriarchal structures, led to her being transformed from a reformist Catholic into what can be considered post-Christian radical femininism. Daly also challenged the whole edifice of patriarchal religion. As she notes, the theological constructs and myths of patriarchal religion tend oppress one half of the human race and foster social structures that lead to racism, as well as , as ways of thinking that bring about war and genocide through the legitimization of male superiority and displacement of evil towards females as the proto-typical other. (Daly, M. 1973) Daly rejects the concept of God as a Supreme Being (static noun) rather than a Be-ing (active verb) and also argues against the general gender identification of God as a male. As she notes, â€Å"to objectify God as a being, to hypostatize transcendence, is to envisage transcendent reality as finite. God then functions to legitimate the existing status quo.† (Daly, M. 1973) Mary Daly put a lot of effort into breaking down some well known boundaries of critical theological thought. She was instrumental setti ng the stage for subsequent feminist theologians like Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenze and Rosemary Radford Ruether, who later began to come up with critiques of theology that helped in reshaping current Christian thought. Although many feminists are reluctant to speak of women or the experiences of women as a universal or

Debating Same-Sex Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Debating Same-Sex Marriage - Essay Example In this essay, the researcher shall portray the reasons as to why individuals would be for or against same-sex marriages before he gives a brief statement on what the society should opt for. Many arguments have been shot to support same-sex marriages that include homosexuals and lesbianism. Arguments have hit debates that since there is no evidence that same-sex parents are not poorer than heterosexual parents and that different individuals make more stable couples and that they do not have any impact on parenting abilities, they, therefore, are relatively better than heterosexual couples. Others have argued that same-sex marriages are unrelated to polygamous relationships which make it considerably a better way to escape cheating and unfaithful couples in marriage. Opponents to same-sex marriages have stated that marriage is traditionally meant to be a union of one man and one woman, homosexual and lesbianism unions can be classed with polygamy as it goes against the definition. Rel igious opponents have stipulated that God created the marriage institution for the purpose of procreation. Same-sex married couples cannot reproduce. This argument is based on the concept that God exists. However, giving this a second thought the ability of same-sex couples to reproduce is not entirely a problem because we have encountered heterosexual couples that are not able to reproduce and are comfortable with it. The society should, therefore, provide gay couples with similar legal and social identities allow them to access the advice of law and equal judgments upon it so as to avoid infringing upon rights of others. Gay marriages should be allowed to enjoy the same privileges’ enjoyed by the majority because only minorities differ from the rest due to the fact that these individuals are computed in terms of feelings and relationship.

Communication In Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Communication In Business - Essay Example The citizenship mission meets the community needs and makes the company more responsible towards the society. The company advocates the important role of good corporate citizenship, which helps people and businesses to realize their full potential. The Microsoft company reports highlight that, and the reports take into account the interests of all the stakeholders such as governments, employees, customers, shareholders, partners and communities. In fact, the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Indices and the FTSE4 Good Index also admitted that Microsoft is the leader of corporate citizenship. Steven A. Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft Corp, explained that the company has many social activities. For instance, Microsoft YouthSpark empowers young generation through education and technology. Its ‘Technology for Good’ initiative donates software to non-profit organizations and it extends its impact through knowledge sharing. The sensitive approach gets reflected in its ‘Humanitarian Response’ chapter. The company’s ‘Accessibility’ chapter deals with creating opportunities for disabled people and wellness for senior people. According to the UN report, nearly 15 per cent of the global populations are disabled. The term disability is basically an umbrella concept that includes physical, mental, cognitive or emotional impairment, or it can be combination all these challenges. A disability can be inborn or can be developed afterwards. The UN fact sheet also estimated that there are 1 billion people who live with some sort of disability. They are the largest minority globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that this figure increases with growth of population, aging process and medical advancement and Microsoft tries to combat the huge challenge with the help of technology. It believes that technology can empower people. Microsoft introduced accessibility features into its, software, and hardware

Personal Space Essay Example for Free

Personal Space Essay I. Introduction An individuals self- concept is the core of his personality. One’s perception affects every aspect of human behavior: the person’s ability to learn, the capacity to grow and change. For every act an individual makes, he or she manifests what character he or she has. One certain person displays his own image through the conveyance of his behavior towards another. It is a mutual process wherein the receiver responds and takes action to the approach of the sender. Our thinking and behavior during interaction are always in anticipation of a response. This certain behavior that we use in order to attain interaction can be a positive or a negative one. At times, it can act as a defense and a way of concealing motives and thoughts. Human behavior is observed in the branch of Psychology to gain more knowledge that would contribute to an understanding of a certain culture based on the manipulation of the stimulus-response that would change human behavior despite of the underlying debate that behavior is hereditary or nurtured by the environment. It is also a range of behaviors displayed by humans influenced by several factors such as culture, attitude, emotions, values and ethics. The behavior of a human being depends on the potential and capacity of his or her physical, mental, emotional, and social activity during the phases of human life (Hickson III, M. Stacks, D., `1985). Living with the different factors that would generate the expression of manners of an individual, it basically acts as the foundation of molding the actual character of a certain person. In accordance to how people express their mental outlook, they respond and reciprocate towards the exposure of signals of the opposite sex, the perception to invasion of own psychological personal space, and the characteristics and levels of intimacy shared by both parties. Personal space is known to be the area surrounding a person which they consider as theirs (McConnell, J., 1985). It is their concealed spot wherein other people cannot penetrate and violate easily. Being able to value their personal space, they are able to set limits and certain zones on the ones they are interacting to (Eyserick, H. Eyserick, M., 1983). Human beings naturally bounce back to the encroachment of their personal space as Freudian would say. But once a person’s personal space has been penetrated by an outsider that understands the levels of comfort as of that of the receiver of message, there would be a certain allure of intimate bond between the two. Though intimacy has yet to be delved into to have the preciseness of its boundaries and levels as to observe the certain characteristics wherein spectators are able to classify their position when interacting with the person to whom they have invaded the private space. At par with the receiver of this invasion of space, he or she would be able to discuss and critically analyze the response to the means of how their own space has been occupied without having to suddenly jump into conclusion the actions being presented to them by the opposing party. Furthermore, through an interview, this paper will be the guided accordingly by the words of experts of the daily examples of private and intimate situations that would help foreshadow into reading the verbal and non-verbal signals each respondent would reciprocate in case to case basis. And to gauge whether or not this would be a case of violation or permitting one’s self to break down walls for others to penetrate into their personal space. The aim of this paper is to define, relate and categorize the development of a person’s perspective on privacy and intimacy when interacting to the same and/or the opposite sex. It would like to explore into the dynamics by which personal space would be determined by an internal or external influence upon it, and its connection to intimate situations. This is to widen the perspective of teenagers within the researcher’s age group when dealing with their social groups and be aware of the tell tale signs of positive and negative intrusion of privacy and display of intimacy towards others. II. Body Personal space â€Å"for me is the amount of space that you define for yourself by which you form of a barrier† (R. Tejeros, personal communication, February 13, 2012). This barrier of a person’s personal space is where an individual secludes himself or herself from external factors that may contribute to his or her reluctance to share the privacy that encloses a formed character (Gunsch, 2003). A character that has been influenced throughout its formation by numerous social groups that made this very individual self cautious to letting in strangers and known personalities alike to a realm that can make or break his or her disposition. Group dynamics is a study on personal and social space. These are standardized space perimeters wherein social clusters are able to reconcile the differentiation of personal space and its violation; also where social agents around us become an intimate, social, factor to everyday interaction. Though space may be standardized by norms, the interviewee has presented a notion that personal space is still very relative on most aspects. An individual defines it for him/herself and regardless of the standardization, and this is all based on the person’s ability to consent to the external factors or decline its persistence to enter the boundary line of this person’s space (R. Tejeros, personal communication, February 13, 2012). Furthermore, each person carries an invisible bubble around their bodies wherein the size depends on different factors such as personality, status and culture. This bubble is known to be considered as a person’s own personal, psychological space (McConnell, J., 1985). It is an approximate area surrounding an individual which should not be trespassed by an unsuspecting spectator for it creates an unsteady social relationship that when pierced by others becomes a violation of personal space. This private space, which role is to keep violation down, comes with the diversity of cultures who establish and upright barriers when interacting with other people. Raising these indomitable barriers are sort of their safety zones wherein people are unlikely to attack one another (Eyserick, H. Eyserick, M., 1983). With regards to the sex differences of personal space, the opposite sex would define personal space as a challenge. This would highly depend on the availability of the person’s willingness to interact to the opposite sex. Most especially in cases where in the male would pursue a female to interact with, if personal space would be regarded as barrier as said above, this would complicate the premises by which the sender of the message would like to address their message. For most cases, an aggression to entering the opposite sex’s personal space would be seen as a threat. A scenario that deals with a same sex penetration of personal space however would be put lightly as how Sir Tejeros (personal communication, February 13, 2012) said in his interview as â€Å"there should be a level of friendship or relationship first before you can get comfortable with a person within the same sex. And if you are in that level, the personal space is not a problem.† Based on this statement, the sexual orientation may be a high contributor to how other individuals would interact but regardless, a certain individual would still deal with others though with the factor that there should be a consequent relationship that should be established and the ability for both parties to gauge the comfort that they share to each other. Apart from the relationship that have been formed prior to create a state of sharing one’s personal space and privacy with each other, there are other factors that has been provided such as definition of the person’s character, personality, cultural background, race/color, age, gender and current status/authority (Berba R. Tejeros, personal communication, February 13, 2012). These factors contribute to both an easy relationship and appearance within the perimeters of the individual’s personal space though these may also be grounds for stereotyping and biases that may cause for an individual to also reluctantly open up to others. It was also stated through the course of interview that with the cultural setup here in the Philippines, these factors would be somewhat different from the ones where racial discrimination is rampant in western countries as well as first world countries. There may be discrimination but in the cultural setup in the Philippines, the social conflicts are quite subtle and are more distinctly seen if verbally exposed. Either way, these factors are not to be of constant basis for personal space is a subjective matter. Entering somebody’s personal space is an indication of familiarity and sometimes, intimacy. The receiver of the message creates a line that would not or should not be crossed by the sender in an actual confrontation to be able to have a decent and comfortable conversation. When this boundary is transpired, it causes uneasiness between the two people interacting. It is by human reflex that people react to certain responses. Reacting defensively when personal space is invaded is one way of assessing its significance to that certain individual. This reaction of the person aggressed varies according to how his or her space is invaded and whoever violated it. Whenever a person feels threatened by an outside force to enter his or her personal space, he or she will have a tendency to dislike the invader as a reaction and dismiss all opportunities (Lindgren, H.C. Byrne, D., 1971). Erikson’s theory of development states that intimacy would be attained through forming closely knit relationships which is basic to the growth of social interaction of early adulthood. (Davis, D. Clifton, A., 1995) Intimacy is known to be a token of familiarity and affection, a close relation or association with deep knowledge of a certain person, place or period of history. Most of the times, Intimacy is considered to be the act of being affectionate of the people involved in a certain relationship and convey their thoughts and emotions by means of physical contact. This way of expressing intimacy to the other party is most likely to be applicable for those people who are considered touchers and are more comfortable in using the non-verbal communication while interacting. Aside from expressing feelings and motives through physical contact, there are other factors that contribute to the building up of close relationship of the people involved. Being intimate can also be observed when people involved in a relationship are attached in a way that they spend most of their times with each other, shares common similarities and interests, can communicate easily and has a personal connection that other people wouldn’t easily comprehend unless informed. Being intimate with another party depends on the built relationship of the people involved. It varies according to what and how intimacy is being expressed whether emotional, spiritual, intellectual or sexual (Berba, personal communication, February 16, 2012). There is a favored level of interpersonal intimacy, discrepancies from this stage and where it can possibly remunerate between the two people interacting. (Eyserick H., Eyserick M., 1983) As we all move through in getting to know someone deeper, we develop intimacy with them which is one of the factors that makes the relationship more profound. Building up a closer connection with that someone, certain levels of intimacy are exposed. For starters, people begin to see and judge if it is safe to connect with that individual in the stage of safe communication. In this phase, there are no feelings, personal vulnerability and opinions involved. This is the kind of interaction we have with people we don’t know that well and shares minimal intimacy. In level two, which is where we start sharing other people’s thoughts, beliefs and opinions, we are beginning to reveal more of ourselves and already build have a small foundation. In this stage, disagreements of opinions shared reveal inflexibility and intolerance already and becomes the basis whether they are to continue to the next stage or not. Continuing to the next phase, we start taking small risks and begin to share our own thoughts, opinions, and beliefs. If we begin to feel vulnerable, we can change our minds and switch opinions to avoid conflicts. In the next level, we now start revealing our feelings and personal experiences; our own joys and pains, our achievements and failures and some of our likes and dislikes. This stage is more vulnerable than the earlier ones because in here, us being unable to change how we feel about something, we can now accept and receive judgments. The next phase of intimacy will be the highest level; our needs, emotions and desires are being emphasized. This is the stage where we are known at the deepest core of our character and requires a great amount of trust in order to maintain the relationship built by the people i nvolved. (Wilson, 2011) Entering a social relationship, verbal and non-verbal communications are expected. Verbal communication is the communication that uses words, either written or spoken. It also refers to the use of sounds and language to relay a message. It serves as a vehicle for expressing desires, ideas, and concepts and is vital to the process of learning and teaching. This verbal communication varies according to the personality and mental outlook of a certain person. Non-verbal communication, on the other hand, is usually understood as the process of communication by means of sending and receiving messages which are not in the form of words. It is a natural, unconscious language that broadcasts the emotions and intentions of a certain individual by means of gestures, facial expressions and body language (Hickson III, M. Stacks, D., 1985). These non-verbal signals are separated into two kinds: the touchers and non-touchers. People who are considered touchers are usually the individuals who are not good in expressing themselves in words and prefer to convey their messages through the use of physical contact. Non-touchers on the other hand are the ones who articulate their messages through non-verbal signals but do not require the use of physical contact; they express their messages using body language such as facial expressions (Eyserick, H. Eyserick, M., 1983). Through the interview conducted, Psychology professors, Ms. Berba and Sir Tejeros (personal communication, 2012), have exclaimed that in their field of study, they are more aware to theses identifiers that both trigger violation of personal space and cues on intimacy. They have provided examples that both can be observable from day to day cases and widely applicable to the target market of this paper. Examples of signals that trigger violation of personal space would be sitting very close to another person or the positioning of body parts that obstruct the balance of the space that the individual and the other people share in a pubic place. A particular example that is observable within the male domination would be the violation of space inside the comfort rooms. Based on the narration of Sir Tejeros, he stated that â€Å"There’s this unspoken rule, which you might find interesting. In male comfort rooms, when there is someone occupying a certain urinal, you do not go directly to the ones beside it. So kunwari there are 3 urinals. There is someone doing his business here. And then there’s 2 and 3, you do not go here beside him. You jump one urinal because that’s the person’s personal space. Seriously, that happens all the time. If you were a guy you would have noticed that. If someone would go near that, the other guy doing his business would look angry or hostile towards the other person. Kasi personal space niya yun, eh. Kasi like when you do your business in a comfort room, it’s something intimate and personal to you. So when someone goes way to near your area, â€Å"K† parang ganun.† Another violation of personal space that Ms. Berba stated is the sudden outburst of emotion through verbal and non-verbal communication. That when a particular individual is very angry and frustrated, they are not aware and conscious of their actions because of the aggression and adrenaline that courses through their being thus having an impulsive instinct to enter the personal space of their offender and violating their personal space. Though there may be positive violations of personal space as well, and the emotion that stirs up this violation would be of surprise. And example would be when a bearer of good news delivers the message and the receiver becomes intimately grateful to the bearer and crosses the line of the sender’s personal space. This would still be a violation of personal space because the receiver was not able to respect the personal space of the bearer however this is another response that was done instinctively because of positive feedback to the message re layed. III. Conclusion The interrelation between privacy and intimacy is the link of relationship that people have between each other. It is through a bond that they have, that they allow walls of privacy to be brought down and there is permission to be intimate with the other being. There are several factors that would contribute to this such as personality, cultural background, age, gender and status. Though these may contribute to a healthy interaction, these factors may also be causes for violation of personal space. The differentiation between people whose social groups mingle with each other may produce friction if not properly addressed by the social norms that surround them. It is best that personal space of an individual is respected before advancing to a more relaxed state. However, personal space does not necessarily go hand in hand with intimacy and vice versa. It does contribute to one another as we have theorized beforehand, though we have been disproven that if personal space is not violated, this may be called intimate. Through research work and interviews conducted, we have distinguished personal space as a person’s personal, psychological space. (McConnell, J., 1985) meanwhile intimacy is a token of familiarity and affection. Both are subject to change and have signals that would identify if an individual’s personal space is violated or a person is being intimate with another. To further elaborate on the levels of intimacy that would distinguish the state of relationship wherein two individuals are involved, these levels contribute to how someone who is in the process of determining his or her position in the relationship and be able to pacify his or her intentions as to not cross the boundaries of the social norms. Apart from the levels, there are kinds of intimacy which are spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and sexual that would be the basis for a good foundation of a relationship. Signals that trigger intimacy and violation of personal space would be verbal and non-verbal communication. Verbal signals are on prose and non-prose means. On the other hand, non-verbal communication has touchers and non-touchers. They indicate stimuli-response contact and verify whether the process of communication is socially acceptable. These may not be necessary for all intimate partners though are highly observable throughout the society. Equipped with credible sources, this paper has given an array of responses that is useful for daily relations most especially for the target audience who are teenage adolescents who are undergoing inter and intra personal development. Expression of the mental and emotional outlook would be beneficial to build up the decision-making skills of a person. It also promotes awareness to the different kinds of scenarios that they would be dealing with in the future.

Recent human resource development analysis

Recent human resource development analysis Accompanied with the increasingly recognized facts that people, together with their knowledge and skill sets, are becoming the underpinning and sustainable drivers of the Companies competitive advantages, the strategic importance of the human resource development (Hereafter as HDR) has merited growing attention from a wide variety of the practitioners and scholars from different organizations and institutions. In many successful learning organizations, which advocated learning and development at workplace, have refashioned their training schemes and put HDR on their top priorities as the primary management tool. According to Bratton and Gold (2003), the HDR has been closely intertwined and interacted to such issues as performance management, organizational improvement, and become the core of the companies strategies. The rest of the paper is divided into two sections. In the first part, the theoretical perspectives of the contemporary HRD will be briefed and compared. Those factors that significantly reshaped the emergence of strategic approaches are discussed as well. The second part mainly endeavors to go further deep by analyzing the practicality of those theoretical perspectives, examining how they reflect themselves in real business environment. The Russells Ltd is selected for the case-study, the companys main problems may get sorted and feasible HDR solutions are offered. Definition of human resource development As the discipline of the HRD is still development and changing, it is impossible to deliver a precise and static definition of the HDR. Among all the researchers, McLean and McLean (2001), give relatively objective description of the HDR. It is any process or activity that, either initially or over the long term, has the potential to develop adults work-based knowledge, expertise, productivity and satisfaction, whether for personal or group gain or for the benefit of an organization, community, nation of ultimately the whole humanity. According to Tseng and McLean (2008), the substance of HDR consists of three core professional and practical issues, learning, performance, and change. In the recent decades, there have been wide scales of changes that occurred and affected the HDR conception and practices. Some of them have larger significance relative to others and are covered in this paper. The recent human resource development The rapid evolution in the technical advancement, together with the globalization of the markets, and the fast growth of the worldwide economies is provoking the dynamism of the global markets, making customers expectations fast changing and highly unpredictable. Against this backdrop, it requires more inputs and efforts from organizations to maintain their competitive edges over their rivalries. (Johnson et al, 2008). The change management starts to catch the spotlight of many organizations and institutions, and the norm, that learning is the only option for companies to remain flexible and responsive to changes emerged. (Bratton and Gold, 2003) At his moment, the HDR is recognized as the creative tool that builds the learning environment, supportive and advocating, helping the individuals in the organizations foster learning oriented mind-set and making sure they have the right skills in working in the changing environment. (Noel and Dennehy, 1991) Garavan et al (2000) specified that there are three major theoretical perspectives on the contemporary human resource development. The first one is capabilities-driven HRD, under which, the people within the organizations are perceived as the source of the firms competitive advantages. HRD in this context is seen as the tool that endeavors to make sure these organizational capabilities are delivered smoothly and freely, and therefore, the organizational performance could be improved as a result. (Garavan et al, 2000). However, this perspective is subject to several limitations. First of all, it fails to capture the reality that the capabilities possessed by the people may be unstructured and could not be used directly to facilitate the organizational growth. Another limitation of this perspective is the assumption that the organizations have clearly measured goals, which are consistent and less changing. However, in the real business, the goals are both changing and ambiguous. Theref ore, the task of HRD is to develop a wide range of skills and capabilities. In spite of these limitations, Luoma (2000) still insisted that the strategic HRD is the most effective approach to synchronize the workforce development with the organizational capabilities, ensuring that the learning and training could help the organizations meet their development goals. The second perspective on contemporary HRD, according to Garavan et al (2000), is connected to the employee-employer relationship and expectations. The role of HRD in the second perspective is all about managing and re-shaping the psychological contract binding between the employees and their organizations. Harrison (2002) specified that the psychological contract contains the feelings and attitudes of the employees toward their employers based on the level of satisfaction of their needs and rights desired. Such HDR is in particular, important and present during the corporate reconstructuring, in which the employee commitment, loyalty and flexibility become essential. (Bratton and Gold, 2003) As an impaired psychological contract could demolish the employees loyalty, commitment, motives and thus, performance level at the workplace, it is important to successfully and smoothly manage such relationship and expectations. (DelCampo, 2007) However, the task is not easy as it is difficult to capture and measure the implicit relationship, as the expectations are both vague and fast changing. Pate et al (2003) indicated that the impacts of the psychological contract violation are contextual, reinforcing the difficulty in managing the employees expectations. Hiltrop (1996) proposes that the reward schemes should be re-designed carefully if the organizations attempt to re-shape and reinforce the psychological contracts, and enhance the employees loyalty and commitment. The performance of the employees should be monitored continuously and contributions recognized fairly. On the other hand, the systematic and effective training should be provided equally to employees within the organizations, allowing them to develop their skills, knowledge, and to take on more challenging but rewarding tasks. However, even with the full implementation of the schemes suggested by Hiltrop (1996) and other researchers, it is still inevitable to avoid employee losses, the reducing level of commitment and loyalty due to the intensifying talent war and growing competition unless the organization is large and competitive enough. Garavan (2000) terms such phenomenon as economical disadvantages with respect to psychological contracts. The third perspective on contemporary HRD is centered on two parts, organizational learning and learning organization. (Garavan, 2000) This approach is developed from the recognition of the first approach. According to Swart et al (2005) the acknowledgement that the people, together with their skills and knowledge, constitute the sources of the firms competitive advantages urges the organizations to invest in the organizational learning. Compared to the first perspective, the third perspective simply shifts the focus from the simple, unstructured training interventions to learning and development throughout the organization, which is more systematic and organized. (CIPD, 2008) According to Bratton and Gold (2003), the major difference between organizational learning and learning organization is the different objectives set and perceived by the organizations. The former is more biased to the achieve the growth through the learning schemes while the later focus on the development of th e training schemes rather than the growth in the terms of other indicators, usually monetary. Thus, the organizational learning is more about the establishment of the accurate objectives of the organizations, which could facilitate the firms to design the training schemes more specially, while on the other hand, the organizational learning uses more accommodative and wide variety of training schemes. It creates a no-blame approach, using every mistake made as opportunities to learn. (Megginson et al, 1999) Compared to the organizational learning, the learning organization focus more on learning and regard the knowledge creation as a source of the organizations competitive advantages. In a nutshell, all the three perspectives on HRD are not isolated but connected to each other. It is worth mentioning that the study of the HRD should as a result, conducted from the multiple perspectives. It is also recognized that the HRD is becoming more and more strategically important. The major aspects and elements of the strategic HRD will be presented in the following section. Strategic human resource development The strategic human resource development (SHRD) mainly concerns the creation of the learning organization that facilitates learning and development at all levels of the organization, enabling the organizations to improve their performance and attain their competitive advantages. The development of the SHRD should be put in line with the design of the overall corporate strategies. (Bratton and Gold, 2003) According to Wognum (2001), there are three steps to align the SHRD with the development of the overall corporate strategy. Firstly, we have to identify and spot the weakness of the organizations, together with the problems and bottlenecks encountered at the organizational level. Secondly, investigating all the issues separately and assess the potential implications of potential HRD solutions. Finally, implement the HRD solutions properly, making sure the problems could be solved and development achieved with the support of the learning and development. In 1991, Garavan recognizes 9 primary characteristics of SHRD. They are listed as follow: 1. Integration with organizational missions and goals HRD should be put at priority of the strategy setting process of the organizations to ensure it can fit into the business planning smoothly. 2. Top management support the effectiveness could only be achieved if the top management give sufficient attention. 3. Environmental scanning in designing the HRD solutions, the environmental factors, both inside the organizations and outside should be considered. It is necessary for the organizations to carry out detail environmental scanning at the early stage of HRD design. (McCracken and Wallace, 2000) 4. HRD plans and policies in order to fully unleash its strategic implications, the plans and policies should be formulated for HRD, and get incorporated into the overall business strategies and planning. (Garavan, 1991) 5. Line manager commitment and involvement line managers participation and commitment are as important as the involvement of the top management regarding the implementation of SHRD. HRD specialist should design particular schemes that facilitate the involvement of the line managers. However, such proposal faces criticisms. The major limitation is that HRD specialist concerned more about the strategic level planning while line managers focus on the operational level. As a result, the partnership, which is more interactive and bilateral, between HRD specialist and line managers should be established. (Wognum and Lam, 2000) 6. Existence of complementary HRM activities the association between HRM and HRD activities should be aligned as well. ODonnel and Garavan (1997) recognized the importance of the integration between the HRD policies and plans with all other HRM process, including recruitment, appraisal, and rewards. 7. Expanded trainer role the trainer should be given more responsibilities in designing the training schemes as they are closely connected to the employees of different levels. Their roles are more strategic than used to be. 8. Recognition of culture the HRD should be planted as part of the culture of the organizations, becoming the values of the organizations that drive the firms growth and sustainability. 9. Emphasis on evaluation the evaluation of the implications of HRD is an indispensable part of the SHRD. Although the 9 characteristics introduced above seem straightforward and clear-cut, it is difficult task to achieve them all in the real business context. Bratton and Gold (2003) also implied that the SHRD did not merit enough attention in most of the organizations in U.K. The top management only cares about the aspects that have the most direct impacts on the corporations profitability, such as raw material costs and GA expenses. In 2000, McCracken and Wallace tried to reshape the definition of the SHRD and modify the 9 characteristics, making them more proactive. They defined the SHRD as the creation of learning culture, both responding to the corporate strategy and being able to influence it. To put it simply, it is still a long bumpy road for the HRD to become strategic in the management and development of the organizations. One of the key barriers is that the SHRD planning is highly contextual. However, it is insisted that the most effective HRD could be strategic, relevant and unique in any case. It can bring the corporations unique advantages, which are not matched by their counterparts and most importantly, more sustainable than those generated from other corporate strategies. Human resource development in practice As it is difficult to compare the theoretical perspectives without applying them to different real business scenarios, this paper will use the case study of Russells Ltd to illustrate the key aspects of the various perspectives regarding HRD. The major problems and setbacks faced by the organization will be introduced at beginning and the HRD solutions will be given accordingly. Moreover, the people in the organizations responsible for different process of the HRD will be identified and their roles explained as well. Crucial HRD problems in Russells Ltd Russells Ltd is a multinational manufacturing company, of which the business covers a wide range of sectors. The company is going through its tough period as it finds itself hard to maintain its leadership position within the industry. Due to the highly intensified industry environment and the vast changes the organizations have been experienced, the company has decided to sack a huge number of employees, from 2000 works nowadays to less than 800 people in ten years. The negative impacts on the psychological contracts between the employees and the organization will be, definitely impaired as the sense of insecurity among employees and their decreasing trusts with the company starts to dominate within the company. Secondly, to improve the departments effectiveness, Russells Ltd has agreed to use the matrix structure, promoting the project-based working structure. As a result, the company is galloping through a turbulent environment and has to undertake some changes at all level of the organizations. To minimize the negative impacts regarding its HR management, the company has hired some experts at this area and the emphasis is about the training and development that can help improve the employee performance. Thirdly, as the psychological contract becomes weakened, any inappropriate action may further stoke the tensions. Therefore, it is necessary to rebuild the employee commitment as well as enhance their loyalty and flexibility. Moreover, as the company shifts its structure of matrix, project-based nature, it is necessary to develop the multi-skills and fast adaptive employees to make sure the overall performance of the organization will benefit from the structural change. However, it seems that the company failed to align the HRD strategy with the overall corporate strategy. To conclude, the key areas for improvement and solutions needed for HRD include: help the organization manage change through learning and development, improve the performance at all levels of the organization, re-gain the commitment, loyalty and trust from the employees, better align the HRD with the corporate strategy. Solutions for HRD strategy in Russells According to Noel and Dennehy (1991), the organizational reconstructuring provides the opportunity for the companies to improve their HRD strategies and therefore facilitate the companies strategic re-formulation. Russells Ltd is striving to become the company, with its competitive advantages coming from its learning organization, which advocates continuous improvement and constant innovation. As a result, when designing the HRD strategies for Russells Ltd, several issues should be accounted for. Change management As mentioned earlier, the Russells Ltd decided to shift its structure to matrix. This type of structure has both its advantages and pitfalls and HRD specialists should have good understanding of both. First of all, the matrix structure allows a good exchange of ideas from different corners of the organizations and therefore allows better knowledge interaction and integration alongside different organizational departments. (Johnson et al, 2006) However, the overwhelmingly huge information flows may also bring in some confusion. Decisions-making will take more time and the employees may feel ambiguous about their tasks and responsibilities. Therefore, to help smooth the structural change, the communication between the employees and the organizations should be reinforced. At this time, the employees may want to know the process of the restructuring and the downsizing, and also how these changes may impact their work. (Hiltrop, 1996) Organizational visions and objectives should be direct ly channeled to the employees at different levels of the organization. However, it is inevitable to have some resistance from the employees. In this context, the employee empowerment could be used to minimize the friction between the employees and the organization. Performance management The needs of the development at both individual and organizational levels should be specified accurately in order to promote the organizational performance. The performance improvement could only be achieved if the performance appraisal (PA) accurately reflects the development targets and needs required by the performance improvement. The well-designed PA could motivate the employees to learn and develop continuously and to take more challenging but rewarding tasks. (Swart et al, 2005) Moreover, PA represents an opportunity for the management to communicate with the employees from different levels and sectors of the organization. They can together discuss their performance, capabilities, and potential areas for improvement and development. (Bratton and Gold, 2003) Such interaction also facilitates the company in revamping its psychological contracts with the employees, rebuilding their commitment and regaining their trust and loyalty. Through this discussion, the employee involvement is a very important topic that requires the consideration from the HRD specialists. As employees are more aware of the areas that need improvement that the company is, to encourage the employees to participate in the discussion about the PA is very essential. They are not only to listen from the management but should have their own suggestions and opinions. They should have a say in the decision making process. (Marchington and Wilkinson, 2006) This can make employees feel they are the owners of the company. Therefore, the performance management and performance appraisal provides the organization an opportunity to align the organizational goals with employee performance and development. The line managers should work closely with the HRD specialists to identify the key areas for improvement and design the training schemes. (Harrison, 2002) In the longer term, the organization should be able to have its own talent management team, which is able to spot the potential weakness and select the most effective training solutions to improve the employees performances. In the end, it will be expected that the organization itself will have the ability to evolve and improve, a type of learning organization described earlier in this paper. Moreover, it is important to have the schemes that develop the multi-skills employees to make sure the effectiveness of the individuals will not be impaired due to the change of the organizational structure. The project-based nature will also raise the concern for better team communication, which requires a wide range of social and communication skills. (Stwart et al, 2005) Psychological contract As we have discussed before, the employees commitment, trust, as well as their trust with the company may recover during the process of the performance management. However, it still needs extra efforts in rebuilding the relationship between the company and employees. Those who survive during the redundancy should be mentored carefully to make sure they will remain productive. Hiltrop (1996) proposed that the reward system should be refashioned in order to revamp the companys images among employees. In this case, only continuous improvement and learning will be rewarded. Strategic HRD alignment In order to fully carry out the strategic function of HRD, the Russells Ltd should account for the 9 characteristics of SHRD proposed by Garavan (1991). As the organization is attempting to rebuild its leadership position and maintain its competitive advantage through consistent innovation, the learning organization should be built and reward system should be modified carefully to provide incentives for being creative and innovative. It is very essential to form an organizational learning system as Russells Ltd is operating in a very competitive industry. Suggested by McCracken and Wallace (2000), the PESTEL and SWOT analysis have to be applied by both senior and HRD managers. Moreover, as one of the 9 characteristics of SHRD it is necessary to gain the support from both top management and line managers at Russells Ltd. As the HRM department has achieved good results during the past, therefore, it could be assumed there would be little friction from the management and the line manage rs could commit to the changes proposed. However, in order to be more strategic, the HRD should consider more issues surrounding the changing environment. First of all, the role played by trainers should be re-defined. At Russells, the trainers are not just delivering lectures to the employees or design relevant training program, but instead, the facilitators and consultants of the organizational changes. (ODonnell and Garavan, 1997) Secondly and most importantly, it should be recognized that the organizational transformation may have an impact with greater significance on the organizational culture. The shift to the matrix structure, together with the downsizing may possibly create an atmosphere full of uncertainty and anxiety. As a result, the employees are not able to concentrate in routine work and be resistant to the changes. HRD should attempt to minimize the impacts on the employees and take its best try to form the learning culture. Finally, the HRD should be monitored consistently and any variance should be investi gated and any change necessary should be taken. As a result, there is great possibility that Russells Ltd could manage to carry out its change smoothly in making HRD strategic. However, it should be emphasized that although HRD could be given strategic importance, their functions may vary across different industries and companies. There is no single best HRD strategy. (Biswajeet, 2003) The key players in implementing HRD strategy The design of the efficient HRD strategy is just the beginning of the HRD management. The success of the HRD strategy requires the managers to clearly understand the goals of the HRS strategy and effectively incorporate it into daily management practices. (Hiltrop, 1996) At this case, the key players in implementing HRD strategy would be line managers at Russells Ltd. However, a survey conducted by CIPD (2004) disclosed that a large proportion of line managers are reluctant to take on more responsibilities about learning and development, which are the key to achieve the pre-determined organizational goals. The solution proposed by Wognum and Lam (2000) is to give more authority to line managers over the HRD planning. It is not enough to let line managers participate in the implementation stage. Such employee empowerment may offer more incentives and motives to line managers in pro-actively playing its roles during the HRD strategy implementation process. Moreover, it is recognized by CIPD (2004) that the role of line managers is very important as they are the person who holds the performance appraisal meetings. Therefore, it is necessary to organize training for line managers in carrying out performance appraisals more effectively and smoothly. The skills to monitor, motivate and mentor are equivalently important for line managers if they are going to use more accommodative performance appraisals schemes. (Swart et al, 2005). Conclusion To sum up, although there have been researches describing the importance of HRD, its essence is still under-recognized and there are limited association between the HRD and corporations strategic planning. As the on-going evolution of the HRD and the companies commitment to continuous learning, it will not be far that HRD gains the attention as much as subjects like cost management, marketing do. In this paper, three theoretical perspectives of the HRD are introduced. They are capabilities-driven HRD, the psychological contract, and the organizational learning and learning organization. It is worth mentioning that there is a tendency that all three perspectives are equally important and could not be exercised separately. In the second part of the paper, the Russells Ltd is examined to fully understand how different HRD perspectives could work to offer the company better solutions regarding HRM.

A Worn Path :: essays research papers

A Worn Path   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Detail of an elderly Negro woman’s journey from deep in the country to town, the while on mission of love. Phoenix Jackson, an elderly Negro women who is frail, old and has many handicaps, she lived during trying times and because of her race, faced many challenges while growing up, Eudora Welty brings the story, â€Å"A Worn Path†, to life through the use of the character Phoenix Jackson and symbols.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While overcoming challenges her character is born. The story is based on an elderly Negro women’s journey into town for medicine for her grandson. Along the way she encounters physical challenges, obstacles and danger. She climbs hills, crosses streams, crawls under barbed-wire fences; she faces dangers while out in the wilderness and a hunter who threatens her life with a gun. This happens on a single trip to town. Phoenix is quite remarkable woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2 Phoenix’s ability to make the journey and overcome these challenges shows her strong determination, dedication, devotion and the will power to endure hardship to finish her task. These weekly journeys had become a virtual ritual. Vande Kieft states â€Å"Miss Eudora Welty often takes ritual action very seriously-especially the most simple and primitive rituals of home, or private rituals which comes from repeated performances of an action of love†, Old Phoenix’s down the worn Path. (70).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The conflicts were put in the story to show us the inner feelings of Phoenix. She was able to endure hardships and yet stays focused on the task at hand. This tells us while she was growing up she over came many obstacles. Kreyling says, â€Å"usually Welty reserved for her black characters the functions of this vital, sure and faithful, ways of living of which modern man has either lost or denied. Phoenix Jackson represents the condition of the human race before â€Å"enfeebling† layers of civilization anesthetized it. Although primitive, Phoenix is centered in and directed toward the value of life, the path worn by habit of hope. She possesses that vitality without which, faith would not be possible†. (24). 3 Using nothing more than details of an old Negro woman’s journey to city to get medicine for her grandson, but gives us a sense of human fortitude that is almost unbearable in its’ sad intensity. (Turner, Harding 262). Using symbols brings color and fullness to the character in the story. This sets the time, place and shows hardships that developed her character.

Tom and lily contrasted :: essays research papers

The Final   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Everyone in a story is bound to be a dynamic character for it to become more interesting. Samuel, Lily, and Tom were all filling this role as dynamic characters in these two stories. This essay of the stories Searching for Summer and A Son from America will be analyzed. They will first be explained in how Tom and Lily went to a Ms. Hatchings house, and also will speak of why Samuel went to America. The essay will explain the reasons for coming back and what some of their worries were about. Then last in this essay there will be a part on the similarities of the endings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the story Searching for Summer there was a man named Tom and a lady named Lily. They got married and then after that they went to look for a bit of sunshine. They got married and went a little trip to find that sunshine. They drove their scooter to look for this sunshine but on the way it broke down. It so happens that this scooter broke down in a little town of Molesworth. A man named Mr. Nokes greeted them who you could say came off them as a little different. He was nice enough though to offer a room to them until their scooter got fixed in his little pub that he owned. Tom and Lily instead found this purse that this lady had left there by an accident and went on to ask Mr. Nokes where bouts they would be able to find the owner. After Mr. Nokes told them where they could find Ms. Hatching’s house they were off to return the purse to this lady. When Tom and Lily finally came to Ms. Hatchings house where they gave the purse back to her and then Ms. Hatc hings Son who was blind offered Tom and Lily to stay with them. Tom and Lily agreed to stay with the Hatchings and when Tom and Lily woke up the next morning they were amazed to see the sun shining high and bright.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In A Son from America Samuel went to America at suck a young age because he wanted to make himself a better life then his parents and he also wanted a better life for his parents. He didn’t want to have to go out in the sun every day and work for long days and only have enough to make it by he wanted more.

Review of diamond’s arguement Essay

Diamond Jared is a renowned author who has written many books that touch on many aspects of life. Guns, Germs and Steel is one book that has a great impact to the society because of its content and depth. Diamond puts forward in this book that it is not the will or intelligence of the western people that has enabled them to be on the forefront in technology but it is rather a set of conditions that mainly touch on the environment. According to this statement, all countries and regions therefore had the potential to excel and expand as the rest. Some of the reasons that led to the growth of the European region are therefore given in this boo and this forms the main basis of the material. The ancient society began alike in all places. History records that the early people all over the earth were hunters. Others later went on to establish agriculture and this was the beginning of their civilization. The Eurasian civilization grew faster than the Asian region because of environmental difference. The Asian people had very conducive geographical features and this made them develop very stable structures and so they lived in isolated empires. This early contentment made the Asian territories to stagnate when major shake ups in advancement were taking place. Europe on the other hand, had a lot of barriers and opposition. This demanded their creativity and innovation for them to survive. The natural barriers that existed in Europe also created competing nation states that were ever in pursuit for one another and before long, the European region found themselves advancing to greater levels of technology and science. Eurasians also developed better than the Americans because of food security. The Europeans had a lot of meat, cheese, corn among other assortment of food which provided a lot of food to the energetic minds. America on the other hand only had corn. This meant that they had little energy giving food and this later compromised on their growth. The climate of Europe was good and ideally favored the growth of many crops. This led to the growth of many food crops that were used by the Europeans who were in the outer regions during the conquest of territories. They easily defeated their enemies and rivals because they were strong and healthy. This advantage actually comes all the way from the good climate in Europe. This gave the Eurasians advantage over the Africans and so easily defeated them in colonization. EVALUATION OF DIAMOND’S Jared Diamond has explicitly put down the reasons that made Eurasian region to excel better than other places. He expresses that it is not because of any technological advantage or will that has made the Europeans to excel but rater it is because of the environmental reasons. Food security is one prerequisite to success and in this line, Diamond is very correct. This is because people truly need energy to work and more so to think. It is true that contentment is an enemy to growth and development and for this reason, Diamond is very correct when addressing the question of Asia. This territory developed very good communism structures and even lived in very secluded places. This might have made them feel no desire to expand and for that reason, they are still low to date. Europe on the other hand faced a lot of competition within themselves and so had to develop various innovations in order to survive the tough competition. It is this competition that made Europe to excel greatly. The topic given by Diamond is very appropriate. Guns, Germs and Steel is one book in which the topic sounds like a summary of the real issues that are illustrated in the book. The use guns resulted to colonization of many regions by the Europeans. After concurring, they had a second step which is creating submission out of the subjects. This clearly brings out the aspect of germ which means to bring together and rule. The steel aspect of the topic introduces exploitation because the Europeans finally used a lot of the Africans resources made them stagnate. The regional and geographical differences dually resulted to the difference in civilization and development as illustrated by Diamond. RECOMMENDATIONS Jared Diamond has written a very good book. The content of the book are convincing enough. It is true tat geographical setting made Eurasian people to excel more than all other territories. The facts are very easy to understand and quite relevant. Te author has also organized the work well and its flow makes the book easy to understand. Source Jared Diamond. Guns, Germs, and Steel. 1997.

Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton Essay

Alan Paton is the clever author of Cry, The Beloved Country, a historical fiction book that displays the violences of injustice, discrimation, and imperialism that begins its story in the lonesome island of Ndotsheni where Kumalo lives. Stephen Kumalo, the main protagonist of Alan Paton’s Cry, The Beloved Country, is a meek Zulu pastor who has lived as a native in Ndotsheni. Kumalo discovers his sister Gertrude has fallen ill as addressed in a letter from a fellow priest in Johannesburg. Despite the cost of the strenuous excursion to Johannesburg, Kumalo flees Ndotsheni in hopes of Gertrude’s quick recovery and finding his son Absalom along his journey. Everyday seems to be a challenging obstacle for Kumalo (I used the black poster board to symbolize these hardships), either searching the metropolis for Absalom or coming to the realization his sister is a prostitute, he never loses his confidence. Therefore, it seems appropriate to ask this basic question: â€Å"Why is it so important to keep moving forward and have hope if your loved ones are not around to support?† because questions about life pop into each individual’s mind and life is a heavy package that comes with prices to pay (I used the package to symbolize this). The title is written symbolically because Stephen and Absalom Kumalo have been seperated, but suddenly Absalom reenters Kumalo’s life. The visual portion’s background contains the repetition of the book’s title because certain remarks are repeated throughout the course of the story, but the title must be read in a way so people turn the paper to fully understand life. The title has underlined letters because they are important messages and ideas I received from the novel. A major symbol, the dove in the center symbolizes that Christian faith is the center of Kumalo’s life where he acknowledges blacks are inferior to whites. Arthur Jarvis’s written words read, â€Å"The truth is that our civilization is not Christian; it is a tragic compound of great ideal and fearful practice, of high assurance and desperate anxiety, of loving charity and fearful clutching of possessions. Allow me a minute. . . .† (Paton 188). This pop-up quote represents that faith is as high as the heavens and an important element in Jarvis’s and Kumalo’s lives. Jarvis suggests blacks do not develop their God- given gifts like the whites do. The dove appears to  be carrying a heavy load because the Church is the place people go to be heard or to speak (I used the deaf person and the speechless person to symbolize this). However, the burdens on the dove make it difficult to fly. Therefore, the dove fails to conceal the injustices, crimes, punishments, and corruption like the leaky roof of the church in Ndotsheni. Next, injustice and ironically brightness are symbols in the novel. The sun is a clear image of both; the rings in the sun symbolize the corrupt cycle of racism and the sun itself is the depiction of generosity and warmness. Additionally, the image of the cross is split in half; the colorful half belongs to the whites representing their fruitful lands as opposed to the blacks’ land. The symbols are organized by rank so injustice and change gradually work toward enforcing freedom. Also, the signs generically symbolize the change that needs to be instilled between the whites and blacks, specifically, the â€Å"One Way† signs signify the progressive change that overcome the bloodshed and violence portrayed by blood. It is simply glaring that faith is valuable in the eyes of Kumalo, therefore, the praying hands signify the strength it provides and when lifted the representation is uplifting the souls of those who suffer from injustices. Although the issues discussed in the book are disheartening, the book changes my viewpoint on different ethnicities. I do not look at different people as just another person in the world but more as I person I should learn to appreciate more. The book is a significant work of several universal themes: endurance and bravery and love and confidence. Unfortunately, I wish the assignment allowed me more time to process my ideas, but it improved my thinking so I could realize digging deeper is always beneficial. I am quite impressed with the final outcome of my project because it took me a long while to think of images to use or images to remove.