The use of DDT in malaria vector control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The use of DDT in malaria vector control - Essay Example DDT is slowly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract; however, if the DDT has been dissolved in fats from vegetables or animals, then the absorption rate is enhanced up to 1.5 times. The oral ingestion of DDT usually results in convulsions after 2 hours, if the rate of administration is twice that of the oral LD50 value. It has also been established that absorption of DDT by the skin is minimal (DDT). Subsequent to absorption, DDT accumulates in the tissues, especially in the adipose tissue. Many studies have reported the storage of DDT in the central nervous system, blood, liver, heart and kidneys. The body excretes DTT in milk and urine (DDT). A small amount of the ingested DDT changes into DDE, whose toxicity is much less. The latter is impervious to biotransformation, and consequently persists in the adipose tissue, indefinitely. The chief detoxification route for DDT is transformation to DDD, which quickly changes into the water soluble DDA, and then excreted (DDT). The rate of elimination of DDT from the body has been assessed at 1% of the amount stored in the body. DDA excretion in the urine is around 47% of the ingested precursor material; however, this loses significance, when the amount of DDT being ingested increases. Moreover, there has been a reasonable correlation between the DDA concentrations in urine and DDT levels in body fat (DDT). The different routes of exposure, associated with DDT are first; oral which transpires when there is ingestion of DDT or food contaminated with DDT. Second; by inhalation; however, this is not of much importance, because absorption is insignificant, due to the non – volatile nature of DDT. Third; absorption through the skin, which is not an important route. DDT absorption by the skin is negligible, and an increase is effected, if it is dissolved in oil. Fourth; absorption through the eye,

A Second Chance Essay Example for Free

A Second Chance Essay It was my chance to prove myself; I was about to go out there and audition for a talent show through singing and playing the piano. I was so sure that I would do it, since I knew the judges personally and they were already aware that I had the talent. I haven’t actually practiced the song as much as I was supposed to, but I was certain that I would know it properly since I have practiced before several times. I was waiting for my turn, and while I was waiting, I was starting to get nervous and tense about the whole thing. When I was up, I took a deep breath and started playing the song. The first thing I did wrong was mix up the notes. The first time was excused as it was thought to be normal and that everyone makes mistakes. The second time was also excused, the third, the fourth.. It was starting to get irritating. Other than the note mix up, when I started to sing, my voice went too high and I started to get out of breath. In addition to this, I forgot and mixed all the lyrics of the song. This made me stop in the middle of the song excusing myself for all the mistakes that I’ve done. Since the judges were my friends, they were totally understandable; they realized that I was nervous and that I am good at this, despite my failed efforts. This made me feel miserable. I have failed to preform something I have known and been playing for almost a year. I couldn’t sing the song without making a word mixup every now and then. I informed the judges the next day that I would like to audition again, and this time I was going to do it right. The minute I told them I was going to audition again, I went home searching for a completely different song to preform, and this time I was going to focus on singing it only. I found the perfect song, and once I did I started practicing on it. I have noticed that the last time I auditioned, I was nervous when my turn was up, so I decided to ask different people I knew to hear me out, and anytime I would get nervous I would randomly start singing, to try and overcome my fear of preforming in front of a crowd. When the day of my second audition finally arrived, I was assured that I would do it this time, given the fact that I have practiced beforehand and tried to overcome my fear. The minute I preformed, I felt a tinge of nervousness, but then It was like I was preforming to myself, not scared at all. I was confident enough and because of this I did a good job and the judges loved it. This made me realize that once you set your mind on something, even if you fail it once, you can always achieve it. If you have the will to do it, you will succeed. The second thing I realized was that you should always, ALWAYS make sure you are prepared for any situation that may arise, even if you think you know how to handle it. After all, practice makes perfect. This has made me believe that I should never give up on where I want to study, and even if I don’t get accepted the first time, I can work harder and apply again, I have nothing to loose. I should believe in myself and prepare myself for what’s ahead and will hopefully succeed.

Internal Point Of View Role Harts Theory Philosophy Essay

Internal Point Of View Role Harts Theory Philosophy Essay Jurisprudential debate concerning the nature of law is often thought of as a long-running battle between two schools of thought the rival camps of natural law and legal positivism. The natural law tradition has always emphasised laws grounded ness in justice and the common good, while legal positivism had tended to emphasise laws basis in authority. Legal positivism emerged from the work of Jeremy Bentham and his disciple John Austin. John Austin famously claimed that the idea of sanctions is the key to the science of jurisprudence.  [1]  Thus, he held legal rules to be threats backed by sanctions and statements of legal obligations as predictions that the threatened sanctions will be carried out. Furthermore Hans Kelsen sought to explain legal rules and obligations in terms of norms, he understood these norms to be directives to courts requiring that sanctions be applied. Splitting the difference between Austin and Kelsen, Alf Ross conceived of legal rules as norms addressed to courts directing the use of sanctions and statements of legal validity as predictions that these norms will be followed. However, one of the two greatest twentieth-century (the other one is Hans Kelsen) exponents of the legal positivism was, without question, Hart. In his principal book The Concept of Law  [2]  , Hart describes the central thesis of legal positivism as the simple contention that it is in no sense a necessary truth that laws reproduce or satisfy certain demands of morality, though in fact they have often done so.  [3]  Therefore the central claim of legal positivism is that law is separate and distinct from morality. However, Hart showed that sanction-centred accounts of every stripe ignored an essential feature of law. This feature he termed the internal point of view. Though the internal point of view is perhaps Harts greatest contribution to jurisprudential theory, this concept is also often and easily misunderstood. Seen from the internal point of view, the law is not simply sanction-threatening, directing, or -predicting, but rather obligation-imposing. Therefore, what, exactly, is the internal point of view? What role (or roles) does it play in Harts theory? Briefly the internal point of view is the practical attitude of rule-acceptance it does not imply that people who accept the rules accept their moral legitimacy, only that they are disposed to guide and evaluate conduct in accordance with the rules. The internal point of view plays four roles in Harts theory: (1) it specifies a particular type of motivation that someone may take towards to the law; (2) it constitutes one of the main existence conditions for social and legal rules; (3) it accounts for the intelligibility of legal practice and discourse; (4) it provides a naturalistically acceptable semantics for legal statements. At one point, Hart observes that the element of authority involved in law has always been one of the obstacles in the path of an easy explanation of what law is  [4]   Hart argues that the command theorists emphasised force as the main component of all law and have looked only on one side of the coin the external element of law which compels people to act out of fear. This may be the bad mans view of the law and Hart argues that it does not present a balanced picture. A positivist theory of law must offer an account of the nature of law-making authority. At the same time, positivists claim that the validity of a law does not entail an obligation to obey it. This means that the theory is quite independent of any theory about the basis of a moral obligation to obey the law. Bentham and Austin approached these problems by treating statements about sovereignty, rights and obligations as straight forward statements of observable social facts. Therefore in focusing only on the commands of a sovereign and the actions of officials in imposing sanctions, the command theorists have ignored the internal element which characterises all law. This is known as t he internal point of view which make people feel a sense of obligation to obey the law. There is a distinction between the two aspects of law, to be obliged that is to be forced to act in a certain way because of some threat, such as when an armed man orders a person to hand over money, and to be under an obligation that is to feel within oneself a sense of duty to act in a certain way without some external stimulus compelling such action. Hart also argues that the command theories explain law only in terms of the first notion, and that to this extent they are inadequate, because the law operates both in an external and an internal fashion to induce compliance. According to Stephen Perry, for example, [t]he general idea of the internal point of view is that an adequate jurisprudential account must at some point take into consideration how the practice looks to at least some of the practices participants, from the inside.  [5]  Likewise, Gerry Postema writes: The law, like other similar social practices, is constituted not only by intricate patterns of behavioural interactions, but also by the beliefs, activities, judgments and understandings of participants. The practice has an inside, the internal point of view of participants.  [6]   On this reading, Harts doctrine of the internal point of view is a methodological prescription which demands that legal theories resonate with the shared experiences of legal natives. Jurisprudence must take the point of view of the insider, and come in contrast with those theories that ignore the beliefs and attitudes of those who live under the law. Hart used the internal point of view to discredit sanction-centred theories of law, such as those proposed by Oliver Wendell Holmes and Hans Kelsen. Hart argued that these theories are myopic for they ignore or mask the range of attitudes that people typically have towards the law. The problem with bad man theories such as Holmes is that they assume that people are motivated to follow the law solely in order to avoid sanctions, rather than for the reason that rules require such behaviour. These theories, Hart says, define [the internal point] of view out of existence. The problem with Kelsens theory, he claims, is that it focuses exclusively on one technique that the law uses to motivate conduct to the exclusion of all others. The law not only directs officials to punish those who dont comply with the rules, but provides guidance for those who want to live up to their obligations. Holmes bad man is an insider himself, namely, one whose curiosity about the law is aroused solely by his aversion to sanctions. The problem with Holmes theory, rather, is that he privileges one type of insiders point of view over another. By focusing solely on the perspective of the bad man, sanction-centred theories define the other point of view, namely, the internal point of view, out of existence. What, then, is the internal point of view? As Hart used the term, the internal point of view refers to the practical attitude of rule-acceptance. Someone takes this attitude towards a social rule when they accept or endorse a convergent pattern of behaviour as a standard of conduct. Whereas the phrase the internal point of view is univocal it refers to a specific practical attitude. With respect to the practical point of view, there are two attitudes the insider can take towards the rules: acceptance and non-acceptance. Anyone who accepts the rules has, according to Hart, taken the internal point of view. Anyone who does not accept the rules, either because they are like the bad man and take the practical, but non-accepting, point of view, or because they are merely observing and hence dont take a practical stance at all, has taken the external point of view. Harts internal point of view, therefore, is the practical attitude of rule-acceptance. But what exactly does it mean to accept a social rule? Hart says that to accept a social rule is to regard a pattern of behaviour as a general standard to be followed by the group as a whole. It is to treat existence of the rule as a reason and justification for action, as the basis for claims, demands, admissions, criticisms or punishment, as establishing the legitimacy of these demands and criticisms. Hart is quite clear that one does not have to believe in the moral legitimacy of the law in order to accept its authority. Given that the internal point of view is not the moral point of view, what does Hart mean when he characterizes it as acceptance of a rule as a standard of conduct? When one takes the internal point of view towards a rule, one acts according to the dictates of the rule. Of course, there must be something more to the internal point of view, given that the bad man also conforms to the rules. The second way in which the internal point of view is expressed is through critical evaluation. Thus, participants who accept the rules criticize others, and perhaps even themselves, for failing to conform to the rules. Finally, the internal point of view is usually expressed by statements that use normative terminology such as ought, must, right, and wrong.22 Thus, if someone accepts the rule that men must bear their heads upon entering a church, this practical attitude might be expressed by statements of the form: You ought to take off your hat in Church or It was wrong of me not to take off my hat last Sunday. Hart calls these statements internal statements, because they normally express the internal. point of view.23 Hart contrasts these practical statements with theoretical statements that others accept a particular rule. For example, someone might say, Episcopalians accept a rule requiring men to take off their hats in Church. Hart calls these external statements because they usually express the external point of view.24 They are statements that a particular group accepts certain rules normally made by t hose who do not accept those rules themselves. Harts internal point of view must be understood as a commitment to act in all of the above ways. That is, one takes the internal point of view towards a rule when one intends to conform to the rule, criticizes others for failing to conform, does not to criticize others for criticizing and expresses ones criticism using evaluative language. At first impression Hart conception of law, as a symbiotic relationship between primary and secondary rules, and more importantly the internal aspect seems valid. Hart concept of the internal aspect distinguishes between social rules and social habits. A crucial distinguishing feature from a social habit and a social rule is that habit lack criticism from others in a group when the convergent behaviour is deviated from. Deviation from the convergent behaviour makes criticism and the rule legitimate, and often is manifested through normative language such as you ought to or you should do, a certain type of behaviour. The internal aspect and therefore rules is an important constituent for Hart conception of law, because essentially law is the union of primary and secondary rules. A primary rule imposes duties and prescribes how one must act by way of recognizing a general standard mode of behaviour. The secondary rules consist of the three important characteristics, which can be charac terized as sub rules, which give the concept of rules as law and obligations, but more importantly, law as a system of rules. First is the rule of recognition, which helps to determine whether a rule is indeed a rule, this is determined by the influx of criticism for deviation of the rule and the existence of social pressures to conform. The second, denoted as the rule of change, which allows for the creation of new primary rules or the change and modifications of old rules for the group to live by, these rules are also subject to procedural standards. The final characteristic is the rule of adjudication that determines whether or not a primary rule has been violated and prescribes the procedure the courts must follow to apply sanctions. Indeed the mosaic of the internal aspect, a primary and secondary rule as law is very attractive, for Hart is able to explain where Austin has failed. Primary rules are laws, because they are general and span over the territory in which the sovereign has authority, and secondary rules are a means to enforce and amend the laws. However Hart analysis

Protest Against the WTO in Seattle Essay -- World Trade Organization P

Protest Against the WTO in Seattle The people assembled in the streets of Seattle were labor unionists and environmentalists, lumber workers and forest activists, students and teachers, farmers and cheese makers, Germans and Ukrainians, Africans and Asians, North Americans and Latin Americans, gays and straights, human rights activists and animal right activists, indigenous people and white urban professionals, children and elders. Some wore business suits, some overalls, some wore sea turtle costumes, some leather and piercings, some wore almost nothing at all (Reed 2005). A very diverse group joined together in Seattle, Washington in November of 1999 to fight against the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its unfair policies. Despite the differences in nationality, race, religion, and ideals of the crowd in Seattle, tens of thousands of people formed one united front in the fight for global equality. Through a strong network of organizations, revolutionary technology, and alternate media coverage, activist s of the global justice movement banded together through diversity to form one collective identity. Although music was not an integral part of this movement, the creativity that shined in Seattle, added to this already strong feeling of unity. Without the ability of this diverse group of nations and peoples to gather on the streets of Seattle, these revolutionary protests against the World Trade Organization would not have made such an impact on the world today. Seattle was not the first place that anti-globalization ideas were voiced, but it was the first taste of how strong the forces against global imbalances really were. This protest was the first place where the ideas... ...nt Effective?. Global Governance, 10(2), 207-225. Retrieved Tuesday, October 10, 2006 from the Academic Search Premier database. Parrish, Geov. 2004. â€Å"Is this what failure looks like?† Seattle Washington: Seattle Weekly Media, Retrieved October 16, 2006. Reed, T.V. 2005. The Art of Protest. Minneapolis, MN: The University of Minnesota Press. Schott, Jeffery. 2000. The WTO After Seattle. Washington, D.C: Institute for International Economics. Starr, Amory. 2000. Naming the Enemy- Anti-Corporate Movements Confront Globalization. New York: Zed Books Ltd. Taylor, Rupert. 2004. Creating a Better World: Interpreting Global Civil Society. Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian Press, Inc. World Socialists. 1999. â€Å"The social meaning of the anti-WTO protests in Seattle.† Seattle,Washington: World Socialists Web Site, Retrieved October 15, 2006. (www.wsws.org/articles).

Coca Cola External Environmental Factors

During the strategic marketing management process, there are many external forces that any company must be aware of in order to be profitable. These very important factors to be considered come in the form of technology trends, economic and government trends, consumer trends and innovations. It is very important to become aware of all of the potential opportunities and threats that may arise from these trends. I believe that for Coca-Cola, there are external forces in all of these areas that they must be aware of and incorporate into their planning if they are to continue to be successful.When it comes to technology, in recent years there are many emerging trends that I feel that Coca-Cola could use to their advantage. The popularity of services such as Twitter and Facebook may give Coca-Cola the opportunity to spread the word about their products to territories that haven’t yet been reached by their competitors. Since the majority of people use these services all over the wor ld, we feel that it is a great place for them to advertise.While it is still very important to have advertisements on television, more and more people are using the internet, and we feel that by collaborating with internet companies, they would be able to increase their profits. In addition to the increased use of the internet, another technology trend that Coca-Cola should be aware of is the production of bio-degradable bottles. Today’s plastic bottles are very bad for the environment and people are aware of this. Until recently, there was only technology to produce plastic that was made from petroleum.Now though, in the year 2010, there is technology to produce plastic that is made from plants. This plastic, also known as PLA or polylactide, emits fewer greenhouse gases, uses less energy than other plastic bottles and is also recyclable and compostable. We believe that since the environment is such a high priority in everyone’s minds, they should take advantage of th is technological development. Economic and Government trends are an extremely important part of the external environment. Since consumers are directly affected by the status of n economy, a company should always be aware of the economic conditions in the countries in which they operate. Currently, all over the world, we are dealing with a recession. The unemployment rate is very high, and as a result, consumers have decreased buying power. When consumers have less income, the first thing that they stop buying are luxury goods. In my opinion, Coke is a luxury item and not a necessity. I feel that if Coca-Cola wants to continue to be successful in the current economic conditions, they must begin to produce goods that people must buy. An example of such a product would be dairy products, like milk.While a consumer who has a strict budget may skip purchasing Coke, they will not skip on purchasing milk. While technological and economic factors are extremely important to Coca-Cola, we fee l that currently, the most important factor that needs to be addressed are changing consumer trends. Today, consumers are becoming more and more health conscious. When people purchase a food or drink, we think that they would ideally prefer something that has some health benefits to it. Coke has always been criticized for being bad for your health due to the food coloring, carbonation and high-fructose corn syrup.While we don’t believe that it is likely that Coca-Cola will lose much business to other cola competitors such as Pepsi, I do feel that they will lose business to companies that are producing healthy alternatives to cola, such as fruit drinks. I feel that Coca-Cola should be innovative and possibly consider changing some of the ingredients in Coke, such as using natural sugar instead of corn syrup and natural sources of food coloring rather than chemicals. Another very important consumer trend that should be noticed by Coca-Cola is the increasing population of Hispan ics in the United States.Hispanics make up a very large part of the population, and Coke isn’t marketed specifically to this ethnic group. We feel that if Coca-Cola marketed more directly to Hispanics, they would increase their profit. Lastly, a very important consumer trend is being â€Å"green†. As previously mentioned, consumers in the United States, as well as the majority of other countries in the world, are very concerned with the effects of pollution and the general well being of the planet. Coca-Cola’s biggest competition is Pepsi. In the past year, Pepsi has introduced the â€Å"Pepsi Refresh Project. †This program awards funding to people in America who have come up with great ideas on how they can improve their community. Some of the ideas that have been funded by Pepsi so far are making school buses more eco-friendly, growing fresh produce at schools to fight childhood obesity and making buildings in cities more energy efficient. In 2010, the Pepsi Refresh Project will give away more than $20 million to people with similar ideas. Each month, Pepsi will accept up to 1,000 new ideas every month and will award up to $1. 3 million in grants to the ideas who have received the most votes by other consumers.We feel that this is a very effective way of bettering the world that we live in and that Coca-Cola should do something very similar. Pepsi has so far only implemented this program in the United States, so this gives Coca-Cola the opportunity to use this idea on a global scale, and extend the benefits to other countries. We feel that being â€Å"green† is a very important consumer trend, and if Coca-Cola used a similar program across the world, they would begin to develop an image where they have the environment’s best interest at heart, and will gain the support of people all over the world as well as increasing their profits.

Charles Lindberg essays

Charles Lindberg essays Have you ever heard of a man named Charles Lindberg? He was not just any man; he was great man, a flying man, a man with a goal. When you hear the name Charles and the name Lindberg used in the same sentence in chronological order you think of a pilot from back in the day. What most people dont know is that his story begins on a farm near the banks of the Mississippi river in Little Falls, Minnesota. Aviation came to his liking the first time a plane fly over his house; it was love at first sight. He attended high school in Little Falls, Minnesota; his high school career came to an end in 1918 when he was excused from his senior year to work the farm for the war effort. After that he stayed at home and ran the farm for an additional year before venturing off to the University of Wisconsin which was located in Madison, Wisconsin. He began to study engineering there, in his second year he decided to transfer to Lincoln, Nebraska flying school. He was made and served as a mechanic and parachute jumper. He bought his first plane in 1923 and then made his first solo flight. He loved flying so much that a year later he joined a U.S. Army flying school in San Antonio, Texas. He began to haul mail for the Army between Chicago and St. Louis. In St. Luis he got some business people to invest in him so he could attempt to win 25,000 dollars by winning the Orteig Prize. To win this prize you would have to fly non-stop from New York to Paris. To me that seems like a pretty daunting task, especially if it had never been done before; but I definitely would have gone for it. He did go for it; he started by helping design the plane he was to fly from New York to Paris. It was a monoplane which means it was a one wing plane. The plane was named The Spirit of St. Louis. Lindberg flew the plane from San Diego to St. Louis and then from St. Louis to New York. He set records for each l...

The Barbican Complex essays

The Barbican Complex essays In 1951 the City of London Corporation held a design competition for the building of a new community in the boundary area of central London. Geoffry Powell won this competition along with two other teachers from Kingston Peter Chamberlin and Christof Bon, who formed a partnership to execute the design. The competition received a lot of notoriety partly because of the emphasis on designing a big new residential project, mainly because this event marked the arrival of the planning ideas of Le Corbusier in England. This new project was called Barbican and sited on 42 acres of land. By that time the brutalist architecture HAD flourished in England, which originated from the modernist architectural movement. A typical example of this movement could be the Barbican complex, because it was a part of those buildings which were linear, fortress-like and blockish, often with a predominance of concrete construction. The Estate was a concrete mega structure, which did not appel to many people, as well as the style in which it had been built. That is why the complex gained its notoriety from. Barbican was built on a post-Second War blitzed wasteland by the architects Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, as I already mentioned. It is a masterpiece of asymmetrical, formal planning, built in reinforced concrete and hammered granite. Many may not see the beauty of its construction and open spaces, but it should receive acknowledgement, as it was constructed in difficult times with the purpose to re-populate the central part of London. The history of the complex is very interesting still. Planning began in 1956, but the actual work on it did not start until 1963 and it was finally finished in 1981. The building of the complex may have not been fast but the results are quite fascinating, from my point of view. As overall it is not the most interesting and good looking place, but it has got quite interesting interiors which I will mention in short. The Barb...

Free Essays on Walt Whitman

. Walt Whitman was born May 31, 1819 in Long Island, New York. Whitman grew up in poverty. He worked for many different newspapers such as, â€Å"The New York Daily Tribune† and â€Å"The New York Criterion†. This worked and satisfied him for a while, then he became bored. He started writing more and more and finally wrote a book called â€Å"Leaves of Grass†. This book caught everyone’s attention and surprised a lot of people. Man tried to discourage him by saying the book was a disgrace to humanity and telling people to throw it in the fire, beside the fact that Abraham Lincoln loved it. In fact, so much he thought it was one of the best books he had read in a long time. Though Whitman did not show his pain and disappointment in himself, he felt it inside. He showed this in his writings only a little. Walt’s poverty inspired some of his writings. Most of them In fact. His homosexuality even inspired some of Walt’s writings. One big event that inspired some of his writings was in the late 1862. Whitman went to the battle-front to find his brother George, who had been injured in Virginia. He saw a lot of cruel unkind things. He then went on to Washington to work in the government. Lincoln’s death also helped him write some of his poems like â€Å"When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d† and â€Å"O’Captain My Captain†. Though his father died, he was too heart broken to write about this due to him and his father’s bond. This made Walt the provider for his family and he then had to borrow $200 from a friend. James Parton, he was a husband o... Free Essays on Walt Whitman Free Essays on Walt Whitman Walt Whitman Walt Whitman, a great poet, is said to be one of the best poets of his time. â€Å"A very lazy person with a lot of time on his hands† was what Whitman thought of himself. Though he was nothing of that sort. Whitman took his poetry seriously and everything he wrote came from his heart. In this writing I will try and explain Whitman’s passion in my own words. Walt Whitman was born May 31, 1819 in Long Island, New York. Whitman grew up in poverty. He worked for many different newspapers such as, â€Å"The New York Daily Tribune† and â€Å"The New York Criterion†. This worked and satisfied him for a while, then he became bored. He started writing more and more and finally wrote a book called â€Å"Leaves of Grass†. This book caught everyone’s attention and surprised a lot of people. Man tried to discourage him by saying the book was a disgrace to humanity and telling people to throw it in the fire, beside the fact that Abraham Lincoln loved it. In fact, so much he thought it was one of the best books he had read in a long time. Though Whitman did not show his pain and disappointment in himself, he felt it inside. He showed this in his writings only a little. Walt’s poverty inspired some of his writings. Most of them In fact. His homosexuality even inspired some of Walt’s writings. One big event that inspired some of his writings was in the late 1862. Whitman went to the battle-front to find his brother George, who had been injured in Virginia. He saw a lot of cruel unkind things. He then went on to Washington to work in the government. Lincoln’s death also helped him write some of his poems like â€Å"When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d† and â€Å"O’Captain My Captain†. Though his father died, he was too heart broken to write about this due to him and his father’s bond. This made Walt the provider for his family and he then had to borrow $200 from a friend. James Parton, he was a husband o... Free Essays on Walt Whitman Walt Whitman (1819-1892) was one of the great innovators in American literature. He has achieved two main contributions to American literature: the introduction of the genuine epic poem for the first time in America and the introduction of a new poetic style which is now called free verse. The free verse is poetry with neither a fixed beat nor a regular rhyme scheme. He innovates such a style because he was convinced that the voice of democracy should not be haltered by traditional forms of verse; as he was a supporter of Jackson’s democratic party in the 1840s . He also favored the exclusion of slavery from the states and because of this he was dismissed from his job in 1848. disappointed by dismissal, he traveled to new Orleans, Chicago and the western frontier and there is no doubt that his experiences in these trips marked a turning point in his career. The influence of Whitman on the poetic technique of other writers was small during his lifetime. But today the elements of his style are apparent in the works of many poets. For example, many of the twentieth century poets such as Carl Sandburg, and Allen Ginsberg have owed a lot for him. The first collection of his poems was published in 1855 under the title of Leaves of Grass. Most of the poems of this collection are around one main theme which is the relationship between man and nature. However, a small number of the deal with other themes such as the city of New York that fascinated him or The Civil War, in which he served as a volunteer male nurse. In his poetry, Whitman has combined the ideal of the democratic common man and that of the rugged individual. He sees the poet as a hero, a savior and a prophet, one who leads the community by his expressions of the truth. With the production of Leaves of Grass, Whitman was praised by Emerson and a few other men of letters, but was attacked by the majority of the critics because of his unconventional style. He wanted his poetr...

Ethical Dilemma Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethical Dilemma - Case Study Example In the first scenario, Wal-Mart should not have closed the shop as a result of a unionised workforce. The company should not only be concerned about its self serving interests but it should also cater for the interests of the employers who have a right to be represented. The shop also caters for the needs of the customers who have also been affected by the closure of the shop. Therefore, it is important for the shop to take into consideration the needs and interests of the stakeholders at large rather than focusing on its interests alone. In the second scenario, the CEO of Levi Straus should not accept the Wal-Mart deal. Basically, business values should never be compromised for financial gain (Rossouw, 2004). Offering low cost jeans would be a compromise in terms of quality and this would short change the customers. Therefore, this deal should never be implemented. In the third scenario, I think Wal-Mart should not be allowed in California as a result of the fact that its presence will impact negatively on the welfare of the other residents in the area. The right course of action that should be taken is that which benefits the majority of people. In this case, this deal does not benefit the majority of the other people hence it should not be

Reflection - Reduced harm tobacco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection - Reduced harm tobacco - Essay Example Furthermore, the article contextualizes this lieu of the progress of corporate social responsibility and product harm reduction of tobacco companies, or lack thereof. Corporate social responsibility among tobacco companies is very much like a paradox; basically tobacco companies are like giving a poison to their consumers so that they can kill themselves. If we were to apply the logic of corporate social responsibility to the tobacco companies, we are presented with a situation that simply contradicts itself: if a tobacco company becomes a socially responsible corporation, it would be as if they will offer a slower poison to their consumers so that they will not dies as fast as before. The addition of the snus in the tobacco industry may be seen as the slower poison. It is not smoked so that there is a significant reduction in the risks of having diseases that are more likely to be acquired when smoking cigarettes. However as the article has pointed out, even with the existence of this less harmful tobacco product, it is not supported by legislation bodies and no tobacco companies are making an effort to pursue its development or more importantly, reducing the harm in their products. This is the point where corporate social responsibility among tobacco companies hits a dead end. Tobacco companies may be aware of this contradiction and that is why most of them are not making any efforts to reduce the harm in their products. Another contradiction in this situation that the article points out is how governments demonize tobacco companies while providing them a legal status. This is counter-intuitive to corporate social responsibility since it simply does nothing to affect the market demand that is fueling tobacco companies. As a result, there is no motivation for them to develop a less harmful tobacco product since their killer product rakes in the profit, and in the end that is all that matters for them. This article also

Application As Physician Assistant Personal Statement

Application As Physician Assistant - Personal Statement Example For five years, I worked as an Emergency Medical Technician for 72 hours a week, or more, whenever possible; and did my best at school. These challenges, and the psychiatric disorders of both, my mother and sister, provided the impetus for my decision to pursue a Physician Assistant Program. Thus, I have affirmed that my previous health care experiences and the commitment to undertake message-based volunteering with autism patients, veterans and chronically depressed patients in my Santa Ana Community through the California Fellowship of Neuromuscular Therapists organization, make me qualified to pursue the PA Program. I want to be a PA for professional growth in the medical field and to enable me to support my family and my community who needs health care workers who understand the "options" and "limitations" in their lives and can work with them to face an under-education in healthy resistance to care. I excelled in massage therapy school, with a 97% rating. I acknowledge that PA s chool is more difficult; yet, I strongly believe I would excel due to the time management skills that have been developed; and a perspective that recognizes placing education, as the priority. I affirm my conviction that I could be an instrumental contributor to the well-being of people through undertaking the responsibilities of a physician assistant. The challenges and difficulties that I have encountered in life were seen as little blessings in disguise to pursue a productive and rewarding profession.

To what extent does the internet represent a more democratic medium of Essay

To what extent does the internet represent a more democratic medium of information - Essay Example The concept of democratic media is also in contrast to state-run operations in which the media embodies the value system of the state itself. As such, democratic media can be highlighted by its structure and roles. With regard to structure, democratic media is essentially organized and overseen by ordinary citizens or their grassroots organizations; in terms of functions, democratic media, as a matter of priority, pursue serving the informational, cultural, and other communication needs of members of the public from which the media constitute or represent (Gaur 2006, p.6). Majority of the world media, today, can be regarded as embroiled in a hyper-commercialized agitation. In most countries, fewer than ten transnational media conglomerates control much of the media with almost every aspect of media culture under commercial exploitation right from sports, education, and arts. For some, this trend of concentration of media power and the resultant commercialization of public discourse s pells a disaster. An informed and active citizenry relies on the media in exercising its public service role and popular government need popular information, or ways of attaining it to be considered democratic (Bennett 2007, p.22). The case for media rests on two broad propositions: first, media play critical roles in social, political, economic, and cultural functions within contemporary democracies. In such societies, media can be regarded as the principal source of political information and admittance to public debate, and the platform to an informed, participating, self-governing citizenry (Gaur 2006, p.7). Democracy necessitates a media system that avails the masses with a wide range of opinion and analysis and debate on critical issues, mirrors the diversity of citizens, and fosters public accountability on the premise of powers-that-be and the powers-that-want-be (Bennett 2007, p.24). Second, media structuring, as exemplified by patters of ownership, subsidy, management, and regulations, are a critical determinant of media content. Given the non-competitive nature of media markets, the assertion that the media in contemporary society â€Å"gives people what they want† is unconvincing, to the exception of one media-the internet. Most media firms possess enough market power to dictate the content that can be perceived as most profitable to them (Cohen 2005, p.3). An easy route to this end (profitability) features increasing commercialism facilitated by a large number on ads, enhanced influence by advertisers over the non-advertising content, programming that yields to merchandising, and all forms of cross promotions with non-media forms. For any media to be considered democratic, it must wean itself the negativities associated with media ownership, regulation, management, and subsidy (Hoggart 2004, p.2). As such, the media system must eliminate the enormous power held by selected corporations and advertisers that dictate the media culture. The rece nt success witnessed by the commercial media can be attributed to a number of factors: commercial media operate at all geographical levels as highlighted by the Intra and inter-corporate connections exchange content. Commercial media all collectively and individually lobby to bring strategic influence to bear on

Contrasting Frankenstein and Prometheus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Contrasting Frankenstein and Prometheus - Essay Example As a matter of fact, the nature of both these characters differed extensively, yet their destiny was same. Nonetheless, the legend of Prometheus was a major influence for Mary Shelley, in the sense that the author tried to convey Prometheus’s pain through her character Victor Frankenstein. Of course while the spotlight was on the monster throughout the majority of the novel, the Promethean theme was essentially introduced to focus on the ambition and ‘aim’ of Victor Frankenstein and highlight the consequences of going against the natural laws. Undoubtedly the book gained popularity because of Mary Shelly’s bold and enterprising concept, but a part of credit also goes to her unorthodox style of writing; as the book starts with a series of letters from Robert Walton, who is the narrator in the first few chapters after handing on the torch to Victor. For years now, Mary Shelly’s reference to the monster as the modern Prometheus has been under scrutiny b y numerous experts; this however is not an account or review of such studies conducted, this essay presents the personal opinion of the author based on own perception of the plot. Furthermore, the similarities as well as differences amongst both these characters will be discussed herein. ... They both kept on following their instincts and were utterly focused on the goal of creating life which they eventually did. Moreover, once they created life, both of them were unsatisfied with the results. As in the case of Victor, it was the repulsiveness of the monster because of which Victor got frightened and quit his life’s work and went into exile; and in case of Prometheus, it was the lack of power and knowledge in humans, and he felt that by giving them some power over one of the nature’s most powerful elements might make them slightly more superior and that they then might share some luxuries and powers that gods have the benefit of. Then there were repercussions to be faced by the characters for their ‘sins’ (taking credit for bestowing humans with life) and monstrosities that had brought wrath upon the gods. Prometheus received the most horrible punishment of being banished and tied to the great rock for eternity [†¦] left there all alone, except for his slayer, an eagle with a bloodlust for Prometheus’ liver, who ruthlessly and frostily devours his meal every morning. And then, because of his remaining godly powers, Prometheus would come back to life again along with a new liver, only to be tortured again in the following morning by the vile bird. Even in the case of Victor Frankenstein the punishment was very similar to Prometheus’ ‘prolonged suffering’, the only difference being that while Prometheus’ pain was mostly physical, Victor’s pain was emotional. Victor had to suffer for his consequences by watching every one he loved becoming the monster’s prey one by one and of course knowing that it was he himself that gave birth to such monstrosity. To assume that Victor somehow felt responsible for the death of his loved ones

Amartya Sen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Amartya Sen - Essay Example Being one of the first economists to break-away from capitalist theories and assumptions, Sen brought a whole new perspective to studying economic activity. In his influential work Collective Choice and Social Welfare, published in 1970, Sen argued that self-interest is not the only motivation behind economic transactions and that proper social welfare is incompatible with the conventional model. He also discovered explanations for skewered sex ratio in developing economies like India and China, whereby he attributed the economic unviability of poorer families as the reason for this disparity. Today, Sen's ideas and proposals find application in real-time operations. For example, Sen's guidelines for calculating poverty and economic standards are widely used in the developing world. His proposals to alleviate starvation and famine are also followed in many Third-World countries, especially India, where no major famines were witnessed in the last few decades. By concerning himself wit h the poor sections of under-developed and developing countries, and by coming up with feasible solutions to their most pressing problems, Amartya Sen can truly be considered a doyen of 'welfare economics'.

To what extent does the internet represent a more democratic medium of Essay

To what extent does the internet represent a more democratic medium of information - Essay Example The concept of democratic media is also in contrast to state-run operations in which the media embodies the value system of the state itself. As such, democratic media can be highlighted by its structure and roles. With regard to structure, democratic media is essentially organized and overseen by ordinary citizens or their grassroots organizations; in terms of functions, democratic media, as a matter of priority, pursue serving the informational, cultural, and other communication needs of members of the public from which the media constitute or represent (Gaur 2006, p.6). Majority of the world media, today, can be regarded as embroiled in a hyper-commercialized agitation. In most countries, fewer than ten transnational media conglomerates control much of the media with almost every aspect of media culture under commercial exploitation right from sports, education, and arts. For some, this trend of concentration of media power and the resultant commercialization of public discourse s pells a disaster. An informed and active citizenry relies on the media in exercising its public service role and popular government need popular information, or ways of attaining it to be considered democratic (Bennett 2007, p.22). The case for media rests on two broad propositions: first, media play critical roles in social, political, economic, and cultural functions within contemporary democracies. In such societies, media can be regarded as the principal source of political information and admittance to public debate, and the platform to an informed, participating, self-governing citizenry (Gaur 2006, p.7). Democracy necessitates a media system that avails the masses with a wide range of opinion and analysis and debate on critical issues, mirrors the diversity of citizens, and fosters public accountability on the premise of powers-that-be and the powers-that-want-be (Bennett 2007, p.24). Second, media structuring, as exemplified by patters of ownership, subsidy, management, and regulations, are a critical determinant of media content. Given the non-competitive nature of media markets, the assertion that the media in contemporary society â€Å"gives people what they want† is unconvincing, to the exception of one media-the internet. Most media firms possess enough market power to dictate the content that can be perceived as most profitable to them (Cohen 2005, p.3). An easy route to this end (profitability) features increasing commercialism facilitated by a large number on ads, enhanced influence by advertisers over the non-advertising content, programming that yields to merchandising, and all forms of cross promotions with non-media forms. For any media to be considered democratic, it must wean itself the negativities associated with media ownership, regulation, management, and subsidy (Hoggart 2004, p.2). As such, the media system must eliminate the enormous power held by selected corporations and advertisers that dictate the media culture. The rece nt success witnessed by the commercial media can be attributed to a number of factors: commercial media operate at all geographical levels as highlighted by the Intra and inter-corporate connections exchange content. Commercial media all collectively and individually lobby to bring strategic influence to bear on

Amartya Sen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Amartya Sen - Essay Example Being one of the first economists to break-away from capitalist theories and assumptions, Sen brought a whole new perspective to studying economic activity. In his influential work Collective Choice and Social Welfare, published in 1970, Sen argued that self-interest is not the only motivation behind economic transactions and that proper social welfare is incompatible with the conventional model. He also discovered explanations for skewered sex ratio in developing economies like India and China, whereby he attributed the economic unviability of poorer families as the reason for this disparity. Today, Sen's ideas and proposals find application in real-time operations. For example, Sen's guidelines for calculating poverty and economic standards are widely used in the developing world. His proposals to alleviate starvation and famine are also followed in many Third-World countries, especially India, where no major famines were witnessed in the last few decades. By concerning himself wit h the poor sections of under-developed and developing countries, and by coming up with feasible solutions to their most pressing problems, Amartya Sen can truly be considered a doyen of 'welfare economics'.

Enid Lee, Incorporating Antiracism Essay Example for Free

Enid Lee, Incorporating Antiracism Essay In â€Å"Taking Multicultural, Antiracist Education Seriously,† Barbara Miner interviews Enid Lee, a â€Å"leader in antiracist education† as noted on her website, Enidlee. com. She pushes for the use of the term ‘antiracist’ because the tem currently in use, ‘multicultural’, is too nice, focusing more on food and fun rather than hard issues of racism. Although her interview is inspiring and very necessary, some facets of her presentation seem to swing to far to the militant side to garner widespread acceptance. First, Lee explains that in many schools, European posters, readings, games and activities dominate the landscape. While I believe this is true in some cases, I do not believe it to be true in all cases. Many, many classrooms in which I have learned, observed and taught have been filled with pictures of prominent white, black, Hispanic and Asian authors, researchers, and political leaders. Lee’s multistage approach to antiracist education is clear and organized and sequentially stepped so as not to seem overly forceful. However, her insistent on the use of ‘antiracist’ is a bit harsh in that it assumes that anything not adopted or previous to this new ideology is racist. That is a huge overgeneralization. It also separates people into groups – the antiracists and everyone else, who, by association, must be racist. I do not think that many public school systems, and certainly no private systems, will purchase curricular materials and send teachers and administrators to antiracist workshops because it implies the worst of these people and materials. Lee can simply not make that kind of generalization. She urges the changes to extend beyond the school. Racism is alive and well in the community, but her approach sends the wrong message: â€Å"We have an antiracist plan to change this racist community. That is the message that people will hear. A less forceful message is much preferable to Lee’s approach. Lee is convincing in her devotion to creating antiracist schools. She urges to push for administrative changes and curricular changes, which she admits are financially blockaded by under-funded school districts. She gives an unsubstantiated claim that multicultural, antiracist programs are the most under-funded, when the removal of arts programs in elementary schools has made the national media several times in the last few years. Finally, after admitting the sad lack of money for programs, she launches on her website, a national push for her own conference called â€Å"Putting Equity on the Table† that costs $1450 for two school officials to attend. This is a three day conference and the rate (which is the early bird rate) does not include the hotel fee at the Hampton Inn in downtown Boston. In addition, the recommended reading resource is entitled Education Children of African Ancestry in the United States of America, Canada, and the United Kingdom. If we are truly talking about an antiracist education, why does our primary conference resource only focus on one race? Nobody will fault Enid Lee and others like her for taking on the cause of equity in education. Clearly the past has shown that steps are necessary. However, Lee’s focus on only African-descended children, on an inflammatory name for her type of education (which, oddly, does not appear on her conference registration information), and on her need to charge exorbitant fees for her conference detract from her credibility and are likely to be off-putting for widespread educators.

Training and development

Training and development Training and development Human Resource Development (HRD) can be universally recognised as a very effective approach to improve performance within training. Training consists of a variety of experiences that intend to enhance and develop skills and knowledge in order to accomplish organisational objectives, to improve and change organisational aspects within the work place (Bramley 1996; Broad Newstorm 1992). According to Manpower Services Commission (1981) training is a planned process to modify attitude, knowledge, skills, or behaviour through learning experience to achieve effective performance in an activity or range of activities. Its purpose in work situation is to develop the abilities of the individuals and to satisfy the current and future needs of the organisation. In the same way development is a type of progression in which persons may find it more effective when learning through experiences. It is a procedure that helps people make use of the skills and knowledge that their past teachings and training has given them, this helps not only in present jobs but also anything that may come up in the future. It personifies theories and ideas connected with psychological growth, greater immaturity and increased confidence. According to Ivancevich (2004), training and development are processes that provide (or at least try to) a personnel with information and skills they need in order to understand the organisation and its goals. They are designed to help a person continue to make positive contributions in the form of good performance. Training helps personnel do their current work better while development prepares them for the future. Training is an important process to every personnel. It is a systematic process in which an individual is aided to alter his behaviour in a direction that will achieve the organisations goals. Ivancevich (2004) describes the goals of training as training validity, transfer validity, intra-organisational validity, and inter-organisational validity. Training validity determines if the trainees learn skills or acquire knowledge or abilities during training while transfer validity determines if these learned skills or acquired knowledge or abilities result to improvement on job performance. Intra-organisational validity determines if the job performance of a new group of trainees in the same organisation that developed the program comparable to that of the original training groups job performance. Finally, intra-organisational validity determines if the validated training program in one organisation can be applied with successful results in another organisation. Noe (2003) defines training as â€Å"planned effort by a company to facilitate personnel learning of job-related competencies† including knowledge, skills, or behaviours that are critical for successful job performance. Training helps personnel master knowledge, skills, abilities and behaviours emphasised in training programs and to apply them in their day-to-day activities (Noe 2003). As argued by Noe (2003), training is a process which not only needs basic skills, which would be skills that are sufficient enough to perform ones job, but also needs skills at an advanced levels which enables a person to use high technological information and share it with other personnel. This would be perfect in order to gain competitive advantage. A good understanding of the customer and the system is also a key aspect within training. Al of these put together collectively defines intellectual capital. A training initiative which requires generating intellectual capital is a training which goes by the name of high -leverage training. According to Carnevale (1990), high-leverage training, which is linked to strategic business goals and objectives, uses an instructional design process to ensure the effectiveness of training programs, and compares or benchmarks the companys training programs against other companys training programs. According to Richard M. Hodgetts and Fred Luthans (1976), training is a procedure of changing behaviour and attitudes in a way that increases the success of reaching ones targets. According to both theorists culture, customs and work habits of the local people should also be taught in training process. And if all the above mentioned factors along with other factors are considered properly it would boost towards the success of any establishment. Formal training programs are not seen to be enough in accordance to todays fast moving world, this is the thought contributed by the author Hall (2004). A few other things the author believes is that in order to uphold certain standards that are commercial and cost effective, the people should be execution experts. A lot of senior executives believe that budget will stay tight, even after a full economic recovery, and that headcount, time. IT support, and other resources will continue to be in short supply. The opportunity and demand for enterprise-wide initiatives to bring about wholesale change will only increase. If you are a leader of learning, your future and the future of your organisation depends on your ability to make significant initiatives happen despite the challenges of day-to-day work. To acquire this you need to become an execution expert. Todays best-in-class learning professionals operate differently than those who came before them. Their thoughts are focused on 3 areas: business strategy, resources, and execution. (Hall 2004, p65-6). Two different training methods are identified by the authors (Ferris et al, 2006), the first set of training is described as the routine training which is given to all level of working staff. The other set of training however, is a type of training in which political skills is the main and important component of training and development process and is aimed mainly for senior executives. As the work force moves up the chain of command to higher jobs at wider scales, technical capability is less important and political skill takes its place. When the centre for Creative Leadership studied why once-promising executives failed on the job, lack of social effectiveness emerged as a leading cause. The political skill which is mentioned quite a bit, is a type of skill that distinguishes successful and efficient managers from those managers who are inefficient. It is also an ability which merges together social intelligence which facilitates and adjusts to situations where differentiation and changes are of demand. In return this helps in developing and advancing the working conditions. Training and development at individual level:- To identify each persons own knowledge, skills and abilities in order to assess each individual and progress them at the pace According themselves. Psychology theorists e.g. Likert (1961), Mayo (1933) cited by Younglin (2001) entails that employee satisfaction and well being are related to performance, but in those theories they did not explicitly hypothesize about the appropriate level of analysis, for example individuals, groups or organizations. Assessments and one to one meetings allow employees to reflect on their own learning needs in relation to their work aims. It also provides well controlled learning experiences linked to professional and administrative needs, goals and job requirements. Individual levelled training and development is the base and the stepping stone of any needs assessment. All managers have different emphasis on specific needs collaborating with their job description, level of education and intelligence experience and personal choice. Focusing on employees individual needs appraisals makes it easier to compile personal development plans that suit each employee according to their own level of competency. Training and development at organisational level:- It is vital for organisations to focus on peoples capability to foresee, adapt and respond to sudden changes in the environment. Training and development will have to join together it with corporate goals. It must be accurate with what the business leaders are trying to achieve. In order for training to seem more appropriate, its programme will revolve around business related matters for the future. In practice, its achievements will shoulder on developing apparent training objectives from the tactical issues of the business. Effective managers are created in an environment where there is continuity in the learning manner. A high level of experience, expertise and mind power of the internal as well as external trainers is essential, along with their commitment and capability to maintain a healthy relationship committed to management maturity. The method of learning can often engage unlearning certain behaviours and attitudes. certainly, in relation to organisations (Hamel Prahalad 1994, cited in Cole, 2000, p268) found that ‘creating a â€Å" learning organisation† is only half the solution. Just as important is creating an â€Å" unlearning organisation†to create the future, a company must unlearn at least some of its past. According to Cole (2000) training and development of workforce is a concern that is faced by more or less all the establishment. The quantity and excellence of training carried out varies a lot from organisation to organisation. Therefore most of the establishments are adapting systematic approach to the training and development of their employees. Organisations use systematic training cycle to perform a logical sequence of activities commencing within the organisations starting with the training policy, assessment of training needs, carrying out training and evaluations. Cole (2000, p.278) summarises that this training cycle is quite beneficial within an organisation. The systematic approach to training and development arises from the amount of internal and external stress for alteration in the organisation. Firstly in a systematic approach is to develop a policy statement to act as a channel to the organisations intentions regarding the weight and track to be given by to training and development. Secondly initialise a set of roles for those in charge for implementing the policy and thirdly to set up a appropriate structure of training posts and procedures, and to allocate adequate funds to the training establishment. As all the steps are followed with completeness then one can focus on the analysis of training needs, evaluation and review of training carried out. Training policy Establishments mostly deal with a wide range of policies dealing with human resources. Policies are set by the establishments to develop their employees and to monitor their performance by certain training and development programs and courses, conducted internally or externally. According to Cole (2000),training focuses on learning needs and are mainly associated to existing responsibilities and duties which are narrowly linked to short, medium and long term business plans and are seen as an key element of an establishment to prove to its consumers, training and development are the key to success of any organisational goals which indicates the overall plan of an organisation, execution of training and development programs provides a direct link to the organisational goals for those who are accountable for the best possible results. Most of the organisations have a extended tradition of raising their own managers and professionals and providing them with in-house courses according to organisational needs. Some of the organisations rely on external management trainings and courses. Training needs Needs assessment is the process of determining if training is necessary (Noe 2003) and identifying the organisations training needs (Ivancevich 2004) and answering the question of whether training addresses the organisations needs, objectives and problems (Arthur et al. 2003). According to Noe (2003), if the needs assessment phase, the first phase in the instructional design process, is poorly conducted, training will not meet the desired outcome or financial benefit for the company, regardless of the training method and the learning environment. According to Boydell (1985) there are three levels of training needs which are to be studied before putting the programs in to practice. This three-step process consists of organisational analysis, person analysis and task analysis. There are a few factors linked with organisational analysis, such as when given the company resources is the relevant training appropriate, where is training needed in the organisation, which goals can be accomplished through personnel training, and if to determine as to wether or not training can be used to improve a companys success ( Noe 2003, Arthur et al. 2003, Ivancevich 2004). When assessed at an organisational level we must see the general weaknesses the organisation has perceived in its priorities and what would be the prescribed remedy that would be required in alteration of the organisational culture. According to Noe (2003), there are three factors to be considered before choosing training as a solution, these three factors being, the companys strategic direction, managers and peers support for training activities and the training resources available.(Noe 2003) Training to some level should help a company achieve its business strategy. If one was to define a business strategy, it is said that this is an approach which refers to a plan that joins together the companys goal, policies and actions (Meister 2000). Noe (2003) also mentions that â€Å"the strategic role of training influences the frequency and type of training, and how the training function is organised in the company.† (p 42) it is more likely the regularity of training will be higher in companies where training is expected to be a factor in the achievement of the companys business strategies and goals as a post to those companies where in training is done randomly or unplanned. Also it is said that the higher the strategic role of planning, it is more likely that the company will organise the training purpose using a virtual training organisation or corporate university models. (Noe 2003) The managers and peers support for training activities is a critical factor in considering a training programme. To be successful, managers and peers should have a positive attitude in participating a training activity. Furthermore, managers and peers should be willing to provide trainees with information on how they can effectively use knowledge, skill or behaviours learned in the training activity (Bramley 1996). To determine the initiation of a training activity it is essential for the company to have all necessary resources. For example if a company decides to hire a consultant for training purposes it is vital for that consultant to provide a high quality level of training. According to Noe (2003), it is advisable that a company use request for proposal (RFP) because it helps to identify the consultants or vendors who qualify for the criteria. RFP includes the type of service the company is seeking, the type and number of references needed, the number of personnel to be trained, the funding for the project, the follow-up process used to determine the level of satisfaction and service, expected date of completion, and the date when proposals must be received by the company (Noe 2003). Person analysis is a procedure which helps the establishment to identify the personnel and how they need to be trained. The analysis verifies all the necessary personnel readiness for training and development, such as personnel abilities, attitudes, beliefs, and enthusiasm. All these factors are vital for the person to learn from the training activity and apply it to the job. Being ready and fully aware for training also means that the work atmosphere will aid with learning and will not hinder with any kind of performance (Noe 2003). The present abilities (skills, knowledge and attitudes) of each staff member concerned had to be assessed against the higher standards needed to carry out their work satisfactorily and any short falls remedied through training. An indicator of the need for training is poor performance measured by customer complaints, low performance ratings, or on-the-job incidents such as accidents and unsafe behaviour. Job changes are also an indicator of the need for training. Job changes can be improvement of the current level of performances or the need for personnel to complete new tasks. (Noe 2003) According to Rummler and Brache (1996), factors such as, person characteristics, input, output, knowledge, consequences and feedback control personnel performance. Persons qualities are what construct the knowledge, skills and abilities of the personnel. The above mentioned factor of input refers to the directives that enable the personnel to know when, what and how to perform but at the same time also, the resources such as equipment, time or budget contributes also to the performance. Output is the standard according to the personnel of how the job is performed. A consequence is an aspect that gives encouragement to the personnel when they perform well. Feedback is the information the personnel receive while they are performing (Noe 2003). Ivancevich (2004) describes task analysis as the identification of the tasks, knowledge, skills and behaviours that should be covered in a training program. According to Schneier, Guthrie and Olian (1988), there are four steps involved in task analysis. First, select the job or jobs to be analysed. Then, build up a preliminary list of tasks performed on the job. This can be done by interviewing and observing expert personnel and their managers and talking with others who have performed a task analysis. Third, confirm the preliminary list of tasks by asking several questions regarding the tasks a group of subject matter experts in a meeting or through a written survey. Through this, the management can determine which tasks must be included in the training program. Important tasks that are frequently performed and of moderate to high level of difficulty should be included in the training while tasks that are not important and infrequently performed should not be included. However, since there are tasks that are important but are less frequently performed, managers and trainers should determine whether these tasks should be trained for. (Noe 2003) The last step is to identify the knowledge, skills or abilities needed to successfully perform the tasks identified. Similar in identifying the tasks to be trained for, knowledge, skills or abilities necessary can be learned through interviews and questionnaires. It is important to know the level of difficulty in learning knowledge, skills and abilities (Bramley 1996). Ivancevich (2004) points out that these assessment categories are important. However, training assessment should focus on the personnel needs because it is at the individual or group level that training is conducted (Ivancevich 2003, p114). According to Kirkpatrick, there are four ways to determine the personnel needs for training. These are through observation of the personnel, listening to the personnel, asking the supervisors about their personnel needs, and examining the problems the personnel have with regards to their job (Kirkpatrick 1996). Michalak and Yager (1979) further stresses that by doing this, the manager is actually conducting a performance analysis. There are steps in performance analysis. First step is the evaluation of the personnel performance and determining if there is a behaviour discrepancy in the personnel performance. Next, the cost and value of correcting the identified behaviour discrepancy should be determined. Then, determine if the personnel can do the expected job if he wanted to (Ivancevich 2004). Then, establish a standard and communicate this clearly to improve job performance. Then, remove obstacles that might cause behaviour discrepancy. Next, the manager should give the personnel time to practice the skills, knowledge and abilities needed in performing their job. Next, decide if the job should be redesigned. If all else fails, the managers should take matters to the next level and decide whether to transfer the personnel to another department or to terminate his contract. However, performance analysis may result to a problem in the driving force. Corroborations such as reward, punishment, or discipline may be essential to create stimulus for the whole work force. Performance analysis may also lead to recognising a need for training and development. However, some organisations avoid doing training needs assessment. According to Schneier, Guthrie and Olian (1988), the possible reasons for this are lack of information on conducting training needs assessment, management scepticism on the effectiveness of training needs assessment, poor planning and lack of time in doing training needs assessment. But Schneier, Guthrie and Olian (1988) stress that training needs assessment should be done because there are many benefits that result from doing this such as improving the training function, tying in with other personnel/human resource management (P/HRM) programs and improving their efficacy, and increasing legal defensibility. Training Process Though typically the shortest phase in the training process, the training program itself encompasses a myriad of details which must be thought about carefully in order that a program will run smoothly, remain true to its defined objectives, and facilitate the transfer of knowledge. Coordinating the logistics of a training program is a detailed and essential step in planning a successful training program. As Van Wart, Cayer, and Cook (1993, p.235) point out, careful planning results in substantially fewer problems, headaches, and even disasters. Countless items such as facilities, room set-up, scheduling, registration, snacks, name tags, audio-visual needs, correspondence with trainees, social events, and the compilation of training materials must be taken into account to insure a successful program. In addition, it is important to plan in advance how to open and close a training session, to avoid awkward transitions and a poor climate during the session (Nadler Nadler 1994). Another important consideration is the materials and kit which will be used to communicate information to the participants. Handouts, textbooks, manuals, and other visual aids (VanWart, Cayer, Cook 1994) enhance the training environment and give participants tangible records of their training to take away and refer to when a refresher is necessary. There should be plenty of materials for all of the participants and extras for those who may register at the last minute. Equipment should be checked to make sure it is in good working condition prior to the program (Nadler Nadler 1994). And finally, as with most things in life, it never hurts to have a contingency plan. A training program may incorporate many different types of strategies for communicating information and fostering a learning environment. Lectures, group activities, discussions, videos, games, guest speakers, case studies, presentations, panel discussions, outdoor interventions, and hands-on skill training are but a few examples of the variety of methods which exist for use in training situations. Beary (1994) suggests that trainers should use questions in training to serve as icebreakers, determine knowledge levels and attitudes, stimulate discussion, share knowledge, make transitions, and build teams. Harris (1994) puts forth his P.R.A.C.T.I.C.A.L. model for better-than-average presentations which calls for attention to be paid to: Partnerships, Rhetorical questions, the Ability to be spontaneous, Conversational style, Tone of voice, Involvement, Creativity, Acute relevance, and Lucidity. Harris also provides four verbal tools which can be used to vary presentations through language. Analogies, alliteration, plays on words, and rhymes can be useful ways to draw attention to material which may require spicing up. A trainer would certainly want to consider his or her audience before using some of these tools. A group of firemen may not be impressed by rhyming skills, while a group of writers might find it very refreshing. Kaeter (1994) suggests several ways to create a training culture, which, she explains, will enhance the environment and may even help a trainer to deal with the ever-present resistant trainee. Her ideas include: researching the situation in advance, making knowledge relevant to those situations, facilitating rather than lecturing, making a clear link between the person, the job, and the goals of the organisation, not ignoring resistant participants, deflecting attacks by drawing in the group, and being available after training for questions and one-on-one discussions. Given that in almost every training situation, there will be one or two individuals who are resistant to the ideas being presented, (or to the very idea of being at a training program) it is important to create a culture which deals proactively with resisters and allows learning to occur for everyone. In addition to those presented here, there are hundreds of other useful approaches to conducting effective training programs. The important thing to recognise is that each method and strategy has inherent strengths and weaknesses, and that there is not one method or strategy whose use will result consistently in a flawless training program. A combination of methods, strategies, and techniques makes for a rich, diverse, cooperative, and instructive training situation. In any training situation, it is important to appreciate the variety of ways that people learn, and to use techniques, which will meet the needs of a diverse group of learners (Armstrong 1988). While some individuals may learn kinaesthetically, others may be more receptive to visual or auditory techniques. A trainer must design his or her program to incorporate elements which will be useful to all types of learners, also taking into consideration the knowledge, skills, abilities, and motivation that trainees bring to the training situation. (VanWart, Cayer, Cook 1994, p 139) According to Bramley (1996), learning situations should be sequenced so that various styles of learning are integrated into the whole. A useful model, based on adult experiential learning, is the Kolb (1984) cycle of learning (see Figure 2). This model requires that activity in all four stages take place for effective learning to occur. Training which is designed with a variety of learning styles in mind will greatly encourage trainees to incorporate the knowledge into their own way of thinking, and transfer the training into the workplace. After logistics and strategies are determined, the designer must decide the most appropriate method for gathering evaluations and feedback from the participants. This step can be used to identify opportunities for further training, to enhance learning, to identify problems and possible solutions, to assess the impact of the training, and to monitor changes in thinking related to the training (Brinkerhoff Gill 1994). Such information can be obtained through observation of reactions to training programs, through learning reviews provided by participants (Bramley, 1996), or through pre and post-testing of skills, attitudes, and behaviours. In addition, there are a variety of questionnaire types which can be utilised for evaluations. Regardless of the type of questionnaire, which is used, however, it is crucial to gather feedback from as many of the participants as possible, to give them a forum for providing the most honest and detailed feedback possible, and to take future action based on the responses (Kirkpatrick 1996). Another valuable method of gaining feedback from participants is to speak with them individually, perhaps at some point during the program, or in a scheduled meeting or discussion group held shortly after the program takes place. It is vital to remember that changes in attitude do not necessarily equals change in behaviour. While information about attitudes may drop light on trainees immediate reactions and learning, such information alone is not necessarily a good indicator of long term changes in behaviour or overall results of training. As demonstrated by this study, it is important to collect a variety of data at several differing intervals, in order to gain the best understanding of the training and the outcomes of it. Evaluation of Training The final stage of the systematic training process is the evaluation of training. This can be done by comparing the results, especially the benefits, with the objectives of the training program set in the assessment phase (Ivancevich 2004). As mentioned in the introduction chapter, many companies are increasingly concerned if training adds value to organisations and training departments are continuously justifying the effectiveness of training (Phillips 1996; Holton 1995). Preskill (1997) asserts that the most appropriate method to determine the effectiveness of training is through training evaluation. As Jones (2006, p.42) said, â€Å"It is essential for HRD practitioners to use the training evaluation method in order to determine whether an organisation receives a significant return on investment in terms of human resources, time and money.† There are many reasons as to why training evaluation should be done. Evaluation can be a tool for informing the trainees of their progress, modifying and improving programs and instructor performance, and providing evidence to managers that problems and issues have been addressed and solved (Laird 1985). Training effectiveness is also a measure of the training departments credibility (Kirkpatrick 1996). Other benefits brought about by doing training evaluation are increased confidence in the trainers claim, increased legitimacy of the training function in organisations, justification for continued support, valuable feedback for improving training methods (Phillips 1996, Jones 2006). Noe (2003 p98-9) summarises these reasons in the following: to identify the programs strengths and weaknesses; to evaluate whether the content, organisation and administration of the program contribute to learning and the use of training content on the job; to identify which trainees benefited most or least from the program; to gather data to assist in marketing the program to determine the financial benefits and costs of the program; to compare the costs and benefits of training and non-training investments; to compare the costs and benefits of different training programs to know which training program is best to use. As with any other evaluation process, criteria should be established for easier evaluation. Ivancevich (2004, p77) points out the three types of criteria — internal, external, and participants reaction. However, participants reaction can be included in the internal criterion. The internal criteria are concerned with the content of the training program. The external criteria are concerned with the ultimate goal of the program. Many training evaluation models were developed. The most popular of which is Donald Kirkpatricks (1994) four-level evaluation criterion. According to thi

The Consequence of Marriage Essay -- Theatre, Shakespeare

The Consequence of Marriage William Shakespeare has always been an avid supporter of love as the basis of marriage. Nearly all of his plays support that: Romeo & Juliet, Much Ado about Nothing, and even more notably, A Mid Summer’s Nights Dream. Bernard Murstein noted in his book, Love, Sex and Marriage Through the ages, that â€Å"the young should marry whom they choose and that they not bow to parental wishes† (181). Shakespeare’s tragic Othello reminds that parents are there to guide their children onto the right path towards a brighter future, and is a cautionary tale about the potential implications of a quick or thoughtless marriage that generally end his plays. The ramifications of a marriage outside of social rank and race along with the general social consequences are highlighted to show that marriage is more than just an â€Å"I do† at the altar, and is to be avoided. When viewing Shakespeare’s plays in the context of the time period it is obvious that Shakespeare was more than a storyteller. His commentary was directed at the upper tier of society and addressed the need for convention to be followed. At the same time, he had to be sure that his commentary was acceptable or subtle enough so as not to offend his sponsors. In some of Shakespeare’s better known plays, he teaches that the course of true love never runs smooth, and marriages should not be expected to run smoothly either. Societal expectations of the time were that a woman would marry whomever the male head of the household chose for her. Men, on the other hand, were free to pursue anyone they wanted and arrange their own marriages, with an eye to strategic coupling of social status and finances (Gies 256). Romeo and Juliet showed the importance of parental approval ... ...ve for Desdemona is easily corrupt due to his own insecurities, and in the end, Othello’s demise is no fault but his own. He is the man and could have said no to Desdemona’s proposal of marriage, and prevented the entire debacle. The self sacrifice that he made would have mirrored the sacrifice that Elizabeth made to keep the peace in her country and build it to one of the greatest nations the world has seen. Works Cited Crowther, John, ed. â€Å"No Fear A Midsummer Night’s Dream.† SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2005. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. Crowther, John, ed. â€Å"No Fear Much Ado About Nothing.† SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2005. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. Gies, Frances, and Joseph Gies. Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages. New York: Harper & Row, 1987. Print. Murstein, Bernard I. Love, Sex, and Marriage through the Ages. New York: Springer Pub., 1974. Print. The Consequence of Marriage Essay -- Theatre, Shakespeare The Consequence of Marriage William Shakespeare has always been an avid supporter of love as the basis of marriage. Nearly all of his plays support that: Romeo & Juliet, Much Ado about Nothing, and even more notably, A Mid Summer’s Nights Dream. Bernard Murstein noted in his book, Love, Sex and Marriage Through the ages, that â€Å"the young should marry whom they choose and that they not bow to parental wishes† (181). Shakespeare’s tragic Othello reminds that parents are there to guide their children onto the right path towards a brighter future, and is a cautionary tale about the potential implications of a quick or thoughtless marriage that generally end his plays. The ramifications of a marriage outside of social rank and race along with the general social consequences are highlighted to show that marriage is more than just an â€Å"I do† at the altar, and is to be avoided. When viewing Shakespeare’s plays in the context of the time period it is obvious that Shakespeare was more than a storyteller. His commentary was directed at the upper tier of society and addressed the need for convention to be followed. At the same time, he had to be sure that his commentary was acceptable or subtle enough so as not to offend his sponsors. In some of Shakespeare’s better known plays, he teaches that the course of true love never runs smooth, and marriages should not be expected to run smoothly either. Societal expectations of the time were that a woman would marry whomever the male head of the household chose for her. Men, on the other hand, were free to pursue anyone they wanted and arrange their own marriages, with an eye to strategic coupling of social status and finances (Gies 256). Romeo and Juliet showed the importance of parental approval ... ...ve for Desdemona is easily corrupt due to his own insecurities, and in the end, Othello’s demise is no fault but his own. He is the man and could have said no to Desdemona’s proposal of marriage, and prevented the entire debacle. The self sacrifice that he made would have mirrored the sacrifice that Elizabeth made to keep the peace in her country and build it to one of the greatest nations the world has seen. Works Cited Crowther, John, ed. â€Å"No Fear A Midsummer Night’s Dream.† SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2005. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. Crowther, John, ed. â€Å"No Fear Much Ado About Nothing.† SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2005. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. Gies, Frances, and Joseph Gies. Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages. New York: Harper & Row, 1987. Print. Murstein, Bernard I. Love, Sex, and Marriage through the Ages. New York: Springer Pub., 1974. Print.

The Changing Role of Human Resources :: Human Resources Essays

Introduction In most companies today, the HR function provides vital services to such stakeholders as job applicants, workers, supervisors, middle managers, and executives. Yet, the HR function tends to be located at the end of the business chain, on the reactive side, and too frequently centers on carrying out actions rather than achieving outcomes. The role of the HR function is frequently one of providing people, training, and secluded HR efforts after others have formulated organizational strategy and have initiated operational accomplishment. Cost centered management of worker benefits programs such as health insurance, workers' compensation, and pension plans have also figure outstandingly in an effort to control out of control operating costs (Dunn, 2006). Discussion The HRM department at our company does not really play a strategic role in the organization. Presently they spend the majority of their time doing the day to day things like hiring people, training, and other HR efforts that allow the business to function everyday. In order for business to achieve success in the every changing business world it is important for HR departments to become more strategically aligned with the overall goals and efforts of companies. There are three key reasons why businesses are changing their methods. The first is reducing costs. HR departments should no longer want to be seen as just a support function and cost center, they need to show their value. Secondly, it is the competitiveness of business today and the fight to employ and retain people that will help drive the business. Finally, HR departments are now expected to have an understanding of how other departments function in order to make a valuable contribution to the whole of the business (Brockway, 2007). The HR professional who will succeed in guiding their organizations into the future will be those who understand and use business strategy; understand corporate culture, plans and policies; recognize future problems and work solutions; can deal with all types of people; can communicate well verbally and in writing; and can recognize, recruit and train future executives. As organizations continue to move towards collective systems and combined financial resources for managing their human capital, we are likely to see more organizational structures combining both HR and Organizational Development (OD). The time has come to quit debating OD's involvement in HR systems and seek the present opportunities of showcasing the skills of OD in building organizational capacity and having a measurable impact on workforce productivity.

Depression : the Challenge on 21st Century Women Essay

DEPRESSION : A CHALLENGE ON 21ST CENTURY WOMEN The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank discovered that depression is the fourth most disabling disease in the world, and is predicted to be the second largest contributor to the overall disease burden by 2020. Women experience depression twice as often as men. The ratio of 2:1 in depression between women and men has been consistent between different epidemiological studies over time (Bebbington, Dunn, Jenkin, Lewis, Brugha, Farell,& Meltzer, 1998). Surveys on clinical and general population show consistent results. Over the course of a lifetime, depression occurs in approximately 20% of women compared with 10% of men. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) study in 1980 shows a lifetime depression of 10.2% in the general population, of which 70% are women and 30% men (Nolen-Hoeksema, 1990). According to the survey on psychiatric morbidity in Malaysian adults in 1996 (Maniam, Ding, Lim, Toh, Aziz et al., 1997), using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) administered to 35,733 respondents aged 16 years and above, depression and anxiety were the main psychological symptoms reported. The estimated prevalence of emotional disorders was higher in women (10.5%) as compared to men (8.5%), with higher rates reported in Negeri Sembilan and other states in East Peninsular including Pahang, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Sabah. The highest rate was reported among widows (29.1%) and divorcees (20.5%). On these centuries, women are facing too much problem that might cause a depression among them. A family is members are the people who we almost closed and see every day. However, on this decade, there are large populations with women’s become independent. Some always left at home by husband and children’s who going to work, schools, and study overseas or getting married again. From an interview with Pn.Nor, she was a independent and hardworking woman. She get the disorder when her brother betrayed her and find out that her husband has remarried somebody else. That is show how family is a main caused to women to get these disorders. Other than that, financial is a real matters. There are a cases from Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Klang, where there is a patient died from suicide. It was a Indian women, she feel sad and has no courage to life because her husband has pass away. With no source of money, she could not send her children to schools, paying tuition, buy household items and such as. At the end, she attempt to suicide. Changing a jobs or workplace also can be a factor. Some management need their workers increased their sale, assets and such as in limited time. Co-workers like to spread gossips and had negative perceptions towards newbie. In a workplace, women’s get to many problems such as sexual harassment, defamation and others. For some people, a tragic event that happened in recent, or even the distant past still brings great sorrow to them. They allow their minds to dwell on it when they should have let it go long ago so that they can move on with their lives. In life, sad experiences are aplenty: Tragic events are inevitable such as the death of a dearly loved one or unanticipated such as the breakup of an intimate relationship. Social network such as twitter, facebook and myspace had a terrible effect especially on women’s such as teenagers, who often chatting with strangers and a women who been tricked with black money agenda. For a women who facing serious illness on family or herself, it could give impact to them emotionally. There are occupational therapy patient which she could not use her hand properly. It is hard to work when always depend to people. She even could not tie her hair, brush her teeth, cooking or do anything because she could not move or even feel the hand was there.