Essay on Was Troy The Movie Accurate According To Homer

Was Troy the Movie Accurate According to Homer? Did the movie Troy, released in 2004, accurately depict the story of Homers epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey, and was it a good movie from a critical point of view? I think it was a good movie from an entertainment standpoint, but it fell short in its comparison to Homers epics. As a fan of epic movies, I have watched the movie Troy a couple of times. In comparing the movie to the epic, there are various discrepancies between the two. First Ill address the overall flow of the movie, in other words the organization and coherence of the movie. The movie Troy was a lavishly produced movie, often quoted as a Blockbuster, it was a movie with a large budget and†¦show more content†¦Brad Pitt and Eric Bana as Achilles and Hector both wear bronze and leather based armor and use weapons which are similar in look and appearance to the bronze weapons of 1184 BC. This was also the start of the Iron Age, so slightly darker weapons (mainly spears) make their appearance also. The ships used by the Greek army in their trip from Menelaus kingdom were triremes which were the multi-decked and rowed military ship of the day as shown in the movie. Overall the movie seemed to follow the historical path of weapon evolution and nothing from later dates was thrown in to make it more exciting except maybe the shields. It was difficult to tell from the movie, but most shields of the time period were several layers of stretched animal hides. The shields in the movie appeared to be metal. Also apparent (and admitted to by the producers) was the scale of the city. The buildings and statuary are generally regarded as a feasible look for the period; however the movie enlarged the building and statues for the sake of making things more dramatic in appearance. (Troy) The personalities and depictions of the characters in the movie had to be interpreted by the actors. The main charactersShow MoreRelatedThe Trojan War1487 Words   |  6 Pageswalls. Before taking this class, I thought the movie Troy was an accurate account of the war. I also had no idea that the Gods had a large role in the Iliad. I was shocked to learn that the majority of the history of the Trojan War involves the Gods. In my opinion, it seems very unbelievable. According to homer, people believed in Zeus, Hades, Apollo, Poseidon, and the other Gods. Something I don’t understand is how people actually believe homers account of the Trojan War. The Iliad had so manyRead MorePostmodernism and the Simpsons10775 Words   |  44 PagesBaudrillard’s theory of hyperreality can be applied to The Simpsons. Particular attention is given to the role of the mass media in the construction of postmodern hyperreality, in order to illustrate the media’s influence on Springfield’s most famous citizen, Homer Simpson. Table of Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 4 Postmodernism: Profile of a Cultural Movement .................................

Americas Contribution to Terrorist Attacks - 1006 Words

Can acts of terrorist violence be morally justified? To any of us who witnessed the attacks of 9/11, or indeed any terrorist attack in recent history, this may seem an absurd question. How, we ask, could anyone justify the deaths of over 3,000 innocent civilians? While these acts are morally reprehensible, so too are the acts of the west that give rise to Islamic terrorism and the west’s military responses to terrorist acts. According to Honderich, every human being is entitled to a decent lifespan, good health, freedom of expression and respect. We are all morally responsible, he argues, to see that these conditions are upheld wherever we have that power to uphold them. In the Middle East we have failed miserably. The history of†¦show more content†¦If this gross negligence on behalf of the US government was a moral crime, then the military response to 9/11 is nothing short of pure evil. On October 7th 2001, the American military, backed by Great Britain invaded Afgh anistan in an effort to capture Osama Bin Laden, the leader of Al Quaeda. Although no reliable figure exists, civilian casualties are estimated to be as high as 30,557. The conflict continues and Osama Bin Laden has not been found. In March 2003, the predominantly American coalition forces invaded the sovereign state of Iraq. The reasons given for the invasion were to â€Å"Disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, end Saddam Hussein’s support for terrorism and free the Iraqi people† . Six years on, Iraq is in a state of civil war, no weapons of mass destruction have been found and no credible link between Saddam Hussein and Al Quaeda exists. However, coalition forces have managed to murder an estimated 99,431 innocent civilians. By using a single act of terrorism to justify the invasion of two sovereign nations and the extermination of almost 130,000 civilians, with countless allegations of torture and other human rights violations along the way, the United States o f America has become the world’s foremost terroristShow MoreRelatedCyber Jihad And Concerns For Cyber Security868 Words   |  4 PagesMoreover, in his speech in June 2006, FBI director Robert Mueller describe homegrown terrorists as: â€Å"[They] are self-recruited, self-trained, and self-executing. They may not have any connection to Al Qaeda or to other terrorist groups. They share ideas and information in the shadows of the internet. They gain inspiration from radical websites that call for violence.† The process of radicalization has spread extensively through the usage of internet since it has a wide appeal and provides creativeRead MoreThe Department Of Homeland Security Essay1483 Words   |  6 Pageshas a long history in the U.S. Terrorism has been a threat to U.S. security since the 1800. Terrorists continue to use powerful secret communication strategies and unexpected tools to achieve their intention in the U.S. soil. For example, the 9/11 terrorism attac k that killed the highest number of American citizens in history succeeded because terrorist used hijacked passenger planes to perform the attack (Lutz and Lutz, 2013). Although the most notorious terrorism activity in the U.S. soil was performedRead MoreU.s. Department Of Homeland Security1261 Words   |  6 Pagesalso prepare to minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur. As September 11 showed and proved to us that we are not where we are supposed to be, the aftermath showed us how vulnerable we were. The Department of Homeland Security has made tremendous improvement since then to ensure the preparedness of our nation’s emergency response professionals, provide the federal government’s response, aid America’s recovery from terrorist attacks and natural disasters and foresight. War on TerrorismRead MoreThe Islamic State Of Iraq And Terrorism1615 Words   |  7 Pagesmurder, suicide bombings, and assassinations of political figures (Ghufran, 2009, pg 44). The appointment of the new Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar could result in a dangerous liaison with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The recent terrorist attacks by ISIS in Paris are â€Å"deeply concerning because they carry the potential to be much more sophisticated and complex—and therefore more dangerous . . . . ISIS has shown an interest in weapons of mass destruction† (Morell, 2015, pg 60). PakistanRead MorePrivate Security And Public Security1623 Words   |  7 Pagescrime. Private security agencies are also held responsible for protecting many of America’s institutions, critical infrastructure, utilities, transportation and health facilities (Strom et al., 2010). Additionally, not only does private security play an important role in domestic territory, but internation ally. The fact of the matter is that private security in modern times plays a major role in society. The attacks which took place on September 11, 2001 changed the industry in the years that followedRead MoreAmerica since the Attack on the World Trade Center Essay1063 Words   |  5 Pagesway of thinking has become extremely black and white. For instance, when ex-President Bush said â€Å"on September 20, 2006... ‘either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists,’† most of the countries were disgusted and turned off by the arrogant statement (Hertsgaard 730). However, ex-President Bush kept persisting â€Å"America’s habit of thinking [of having] all the answers, and the right to impose them on everyone else† (Hertsgaard 730). Joel Andreas, the author of â€Å"The War on Terrorism,† agreesRead MoreAmerica s Relationship With Guns Essay1421 Words   |  6 PagesOne characteristic of American culture trough out the years, has been i ts affinity for diverse weaponry, particularly guns. However, many do not realize that America’s relationship with guns is engraved into the very frames upon which the country was established. In the eightieth century, as a means for hunting and self-conservation during the American Revolutionary War and the American Indian War, it was established with the enactment of the American Constitution that â€Å"A well-regulated militiaRead MoreWorld War II : The Great War1105 Words   |  5 Pagesseries of diplomatic maneuvers, secret negotiations and political escalations that underlay the explosive opening of World War 1.† Ferdinand and his wife’s death contributed to many events and Austria-Hungary blamed the Serbian government for the attack. Many thought that the death of Franz Ferdinand and his wife were the immediate cause of the Great War but there were several other factors that contributed to the war, such as the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, nationalism, imper ialism, and militarismRead MoreThe Factors Affecting The Food And Agriculture Sector Essay2268 Words   |  10 PagesAmerican society but the Food and Agriculture sector can arguably be ranked among the most important. The Food and Agricultural (FA) sector is responsible for many necessities and if it is disrupted in any way, it could have a substantial impact on America’s food source as well as the economy. Furthermore, all governments and private sectors rely on each other for the FA sector to function without hesitation. There are many risks and hazards that are being currently addressed in the FA sector and theyRead MoreEnglish And Speak English At Home Than The Overall U.s. Foreign Born Population1303 Words   |  6 Pagesethnic group. Studies show that immigrants that learn and adopt English as their first language are more likely to self identify as being American (Renshon, 2009). Acquiring language skills is a means that helps immigrants become more attached to America’s institutions, to its way of life and its communities. Assimilation not only means learning English, but also developing an appreciation for civil rights, and abiding by laws. Consequently without assimilation, an immigrant will always be â€Å"diverse†

Job Discrimination Free Essays

Job Discrimination in organization Definition Discrimination can be define as the wrongful act of distinguishing illicitly or illegally among people not on the basis of individual merit, but on the basis of prejudice or some invidious, unpleasant or morally reprehensible or wrong attitude. The main economic definition of â€Å"employment discrimination† implies that it is efficient and leads to unusual and narrow empirical methods. From a legal perspective one can note that this definition does not advance equality. We will write a custom essay sample on Job Discrimination or any similar topic only for you Order Now Other such definitions relate discrimination to specific market failures. This paper argues that economic theory could base its definition on the fundamental theorem of welfare economics and market functionality. Since society constitutes markets by use of law, this definition indicates some additional legal means to address problems of discrimination. Gary Becker defined employment discrimination as different pay for equally productive individuals (based upon membership in a certain group). Becker’s definition cited the cause for unequal pay as discriminatory tastes. Others argued that there may be another cause at times: some information problems that are correlated with the said social groups. Description The discrimination in employment must involve 3 elements. First, it is a decision against one or more employees/prospective employees that is not based on individual merits (ability to perform job,) or other morally legitimate qualifications. Second, the decision derives solely or in part from racial or sexual prejudice, false stereotypes, or some other kind of morally unjustified attitude against members of the class to which the employee belongs. Third, the decision has a harmful or negative impact on the interests of the employees, (no job, no promotion or pay rise) Reference (Business Ethics 7th edition by Manuel G. Velasquez 2012) EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION: SOME ECONOMIC DEFINITIONS, CRITIQUE AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS by GARY S. BECKER. Milton Friedman ed. , 2nd ed. 1971 Becker, Gary S. 1971, the Economics of Discrimination, 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. How to cite Job Discrimination, Essay examples

Rap Music on Teens free essay sample

These will be copied by many teens who think that everyone talks like that in real life. Most rap artists always use the wrong term and too many rude words which display impropriety and demean the language. Therefore, children might be confused by those words and if they still continue talking like the way in rap song, they might be considered as an uneducated or unintelligible person. There is also an example of Dadaism, Thai rapper, was arrested for producing the pornographic media because of his song called squeak turn maim which is extremely famous among party lovers but contained lot of rude words and referred to many Thai officers . In addition, this type of music often use wrong grammatically words. It dont matted one of the famous Sons song is an examples. It is possible for children listening continuously get used to them and finally become a habit. This type of music show many activities that support excessive spending money on brand name goods, expensive cars, etc.These things may be easily imitated by teens and can urge them to become materialism and extravagant person. Rap money, Drug money and Money In the bank are some bad examples of Cool G raps song. Many rappers proudly admit that discussing sex and money In their song Is the only thing they care. Also, watching rap music video can push teenagers to become obsessed with sexuality. There are a lot of inappropriate and adult scenes like sexy women wearing few clothes, dancing, tempting, kissing or even making out in Axons music video called l want love you.Theres also a study conducted by RAND Corp.. , a health care research organization, reported that 1,461 polled teens who listened to sic presented sexual lyrics have increased their sexual behaviors progression. Moreover, children who listen to this kind of music may mimic bad examples from rap stars and songs. Although rap artists cite that their song is about reality, the songs frequently contain violence and drugs which Is used as a main point to tell the story.Most rappers life Is usually about a tough school, selling drugs, getting In legislative trouble such as having arrested for possession of cocaine, drunken driving. Some curtly say rap singers try to attract teenage listeners their lifestyle In song and this cause a negative image for those teen. According to a study conducted by the American Journal of Public Health from 1996-99 on African-American teenage girls who watched rap music video. The result was 3 times more likely to commit violence to teacher; more than 2. Times as likely to have been arrested; 2 times as likely to have terrible sexual behavior; and more than 1. 5 times as likely to have a sexual contagious disease, used drugs and alcohol. From these evidences, rap music could be considered as a bad influence on teenagers. Another reason is that rap songs can cause children to misunderstand of using words. There are a lot of slang and foul languages in rap music. These will be copied by many teens who think that everyone talks like that In real life.Most rap artists always use the wrong term and too many rude words which display Impropriety and demean the language. Therefore, children might be confused by those words and If they still continue talking like the way in rap song, they might be considered as an uneducated or for producing the pornographic media because of his song called squeak Tums mat which is extremely famous among party lovers but contained a lot of rude words and preferred to many Thai officers . In addition, this type of music often use wrong grammatically words. It dont matter one of the famous Axons song is an examples.It is possible for children listening continuously get used to them and finally become a habit. Last but not least, adolescences may not realize that rap music can lead them to become antisocial person. Most rap song reveal the truth of life, people, etc. Depend on individual experience but sometimes it presents too many dark sides of people. There are many songs that discussed about pregnancy, divorce, revenge, battery, etc. Although rap is a cultural identity and political expression form of music, it is often used clear and depreciable lyrics which can harm adolescences.This attitude of rap music can also expand the gap between teens and adult and also push violence and anger. Adults who listened to this type of music might believe that the songs present teenagers though. Teens may choose to avoid socializing with adult and become troubled person. Furthermore, rap music gives a lot of negative attitudes toward social like in Brassily song called anti-social which is contained his negative view toward people and social. Children may assume that real life is Just like in the song and become pessimistic person.To summarize, general people may think that listening to rap music might not be harmful to teenagers but actually it is. Increasing bad behavior, misunderstanding of word and becoming an antagonistic person are some drawbacks that this popular music style can cause to teenagers. In my opinion, children who listen to rap music should realize that it can cause a lot of disadvantages. However, I believe that rap music can give some benefits if children can distinguish and apply properly.

Personality Development Essays - Human Development, Human Behavior

Personality Development What theory of Human Development makes a person what they are? Why does a person do what they do? Where does personality come from and how does it grow? These are some frequently asked questions when discussing the topic of personality. Personality does originate from a specific point, and from then on it continues to grow and become exponentially more complex. There are some commonly made assumptions when developing a personality theory. The first of these assumptions concerns whether one believes that the behaviors, any type of action, a person exhibits are produced by conscious choices and decisions, also known as free will, or "determined" by forces beyond ones control. I believe in the free will explanation, but not the type of free will commonly imagined. Humans do ultimately have the power to choose their actions, however the extreme influence of other factors, such as heredity, environment, and learned behaviors, may make it seem like a persons actions were predetermined. For example, If I take care of myself and eat healthy, have a healthy physical and mental state of being, I am still very likely to develop Hundtingtons disease because it is proven that it is transmitted genetically and my grandfather had the my father had the genes that carried it. For that reason, it can be assumed that human beings do have free will, however the choices made are greatly impacted and seemingly determined by inherited basic needs, environment, and learned behaviors Another assumption to be examined that is normally a difficult one to address is the question of environment versus heredity. B.F. Skinner would argue faithfully that behavior is based solely on environmental contingencies, while Sigmund Freud would just as strongly maintain that the role of heredity determines the personality of an individual. Erikson would argue that personality is determined in the stage "trust vs. mistrust" I, on the other hand, believe that all sides of the debate are equally valid; personality is both the product of nature, in the form of the gratification of instinctual basic needs, and the product of learning and life experiences. For example, if a person was being attacked by something or someone, the basic need of safety would cause that person to seek refuge. However, where that person goes to find safety would likely be determined by learned behaviors and past experiences of the need for security. Therefore, personality is not a question of nature versus nurture, but is instead a combination of the two. Some of the factors that effect personality include social groups, and learned behaviors. The Core Personality From the moments of conception, your parents` genes determine what many of your physical traits will be. Among these are gender, height, and skin color. These sort of traits will have an effect on how the child perceives itself and how others perceive the child, consequently having an effect on the child`s personality. For example, this person could have some physical characteristic that is looked down on or made fun of by various people. This, in turn, would affect the individual`s self esteem and overall personality. I do not believe that there is anyone that would honestly be able to say that they think that all babies are just as smart as each other when they are born. The idea is ridiculous. Just as everyone is born physically different, they are also born mentally different. Therefore, the only factor that could initially affect the intelligence level of an individual before birth is the inherited genes of that individual`s parents. What is also included in this inheritance is the passing on of basic needs. These basic needs include physiological needs, which are all of the body`s requirements (food, water, safety needs, curiosity, the need for relationships), which is first encountered in the relationship between the mother and her child. There are, of course, certain circumstances which may have a later effect on personality and its development. Any sort of trauma to the development of the infant at this point could have mild to drastic effects that could cause damage to the body and/or brain. This would include the use of various drugs by the mother, such as alcohol, tobacco, and crack, or some sort of physical abuse to the mother during the pregnancy. Each one is capable of causing some sort of mental or physical handicap to the infant. Common sense tells you that this would affect the learning capability or the physical capability of the child, and having a definite change on the outcome of that child`s personality. Physical attributes, mental

Essay on Alex ColvilleEssay Writing Service

Essay on Alex ColvilleEssay Writing Service Essay on Alex Colville Essay on Alex ColvilleAlex Colville is one of the prominent Canadian artists, whose work has a considerable impacton the development of the modern Canadian art. At the same time, Alex Coville developed his style and art works being independent of other artists focusing on the creation of his original, unique style. In such a context, it is quite paradoxical that the artist, who developed his works independently in virtually in isolation from other artists, has managed to become such an influential artist as Alex Colville. In the paper, I’d like to talk about Alex Colville’s work. Colville is not only be liked by Canadians, but also win worldwide acclaim. He always depicted brook, boat and cliffs, and he also depicted the indoor scene, animals and people. In his paintings, they look calm and quiet, however, at the same time, they give people a sense of anxiety.Alex Colville is the authentic artist, who has developed his own style independently of external influences (Mey ers, 2004). The distinct feature of the development of Alex Colville as an artist was his isolation from external influences and the impact of other artists on his style and artistic work is weak (Meyers, 2004). The development of his work occurred steadily but   Alex Colville was always interested in the development of his artistic style and attempted to   convey his vision of the surrounding reality by his works. The artist creates realistic works, which mirror the surrounding reality and show the audience the development of his vision of the world. However, his works are not mere depiction of the reality but also and mainly his works manifests his original style. In such a way, he develops the aesthetic feelings in the audience and helps viewers to see the hidden beauty in conventional things.At the moment, he is one of the most popular Canadian artists, whose works are exhibited regularly and attracted the public attention along with the attention of critics (DeMont, 1994). Smart and Cheetham (2004) emphasize the focus of the artist on senses, which prevail over rational depiction of the reality but his artistic works are still realistic due to the perfect feeling and understanding of the reality. The artist has managed to convey the reality and his perception of the reality to the audience through his senses without even saying a word (Smart Cheetham, 2004). The depiction of the reality by the artist is different from the conventional accurate description of real world items. Instead, the artist creates authentic works, where he uncovers his feelings and emotions that help to perceive the surrounding world through the eyes of the artist and see beauty and miracles in routine objects and things.Researchers insist that the main themes of his work are emotional tension and inner loneliness, the repression and angst of modern man (Meyer, 2000). The artist attempts to uncover those themes and communicate them to the audience with the help of his works of art. The emotional tension makes his works particularly attractive for the audience. Using simple artistic style, the artist focuses the attention of the audience on routine issues, which people often remain unnoticed and ignore them. The artist helps the audience to see the beauty in simple objects and uncovers their inner beauty through his artistic work.At this point, it is possible to refer to his creative work and main paintings created by the artist. In Colville’s paintings, we can see the precise compositions of picture, for example, In Dog and Priest (1987), the black dog and the priest in black are overlap which looks like a man with dog head. In addition, we can refer to the combination of movement and peace. However, the author achieves the effect of overlapping through the light and shadow interplay which help the artist to develop the effect of the overlapping. On the other hand, such overlapping is quite symbolic because the development of the effect of overlapp ing between the dog and the priest, since the image of the dog and the priest are symbols of the simplicity, purity, and friendliness. In such a way, the artist attempts to combine distinct personal features of the dog and priest in one painting and helps the audience to understand that features and traits of character of humans may be similar to that of animals and vice versa.Another remarkable work of the artist is Berlin Bus (1978), which help to convey the artist’s vision of the world. In Berlin bus (1978), a girl is running between a static advertisement and a moving bus, as if to escape from the advertisement and the social environment. Moreover, his paintings give people a sense of mystery that leaves unlimited thinking. In such a way, the artist creates this work of art to convey his response to the emerging consumerism, which has started to overwhelm the world since the late 1970s – the early 1980s. The artist does not accept consumerism as the plausible way o f the development of society and human relations. This is why the girl is trying to escape from its impact. On the other hand, the girl seems to be so tiny and defenseless in face of the ad and the bus, symbols of the growing social impact on the individual and inability of the individual to confront consumerism face to face. Instead, the escape seems to be the only way to minimize its impact on the individual. At the same time, the girl symbolizes the purity, innocence and defenselessness in face of the enormous social impact.In addition, it is possible to refer to such painting as Horses and Train (1954). In Horses and Train (1954), a train is running from far, however, at another side of rail, a strong horse is also running to meet the train. A tragedy is inevitable. The artist only painted this moment and let people to contemplate what will happen next, to join a moment of quite and shock. At the same time, the painting is quite symbolic since it shows the clash of the nature an d technology. The artist implies that the nature seems to be defenseless and weak in face of the technology but still the horse is running boldly to meet the train that means that nature still has some inner, hidden power, which makes it able to confront human technology. Moreover, the artist shows the beauty of nature in face of the human technology.At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that themes and issues that emerge in works of Alex Colville originate from his personal values and views that formed under the impact of his personal life and experience. When Colville was young, he enlisted in the army to be a war artist, so, he wanted to pass his idea through the paintings: oppose to the war, love peace and happiness. This thought is not a patent of a state or a nation, but is the pursuit of all human beings. In such a context, the clash of the nature and technology symbolizes the clash of the natural good and evil that can be brought by human technologies. He also attem pts to show the intrinsic goodness of the natural world through the depiction of the natural world and the hidden threat in the technological world created by humans.Thus, the development of the artistic work of Alex Colville occurred under the impact of his personal experience, which shaped his views and beliefs. Alex Colville has never tried to imitate other artists. Instead, he conveyed his own vision of the world through his original style and technique. He uses symbols to make his works of art more eloquent and interesting for the audience. Alex Colville has managed to create his own style and draw the attention of the audience to such important issues as war and peace, consumerism and humanistic values, confrontation between wild nature and technology.

The Italian-American Interment During World War II Research Paper

The Italian-American Interment During World War II - Research Paper Example The Italian-American Interment During World War II Roosevelt who at first admired the ways of the Italians via his affinity with the soon to be dictator Benito Mussolini, and then decided that the very person he admired was now a threat because of Mussolini's solid partnership with Adolf Hitler under the â€Å"Pact of Steel.† It was this paranoia on the part of Roosevelt that led to acts of Congress in the years of 1935-1939 that allowed for the illegal internment of Italians and eventually, the Germans and Japanese. Examples of this legislative work include the Alien Registration Act of 1940 and the Dangerous Cargo Act. All of the actions which the American government took against the enemy aliens on their land led to the creation of Nazi-like internment camps where Italians were held indefinitely without any charges being filed and their movement limited within the area of their incarceration. Thus, they were not allowed to hold jobs or own any businesses in their community. These inhumanities were but the tip of the iceberg when it came to the atrocities of war against the Italians residing in America without any legal status, though. If one were of Italian descent and living in the United States at that time without the benefit of citizenship, he and his family would most likely end up in an internment camp, regardless of the fact that the Italian Americans were one of the largest immigrant groups in the country at the time. The Italian immigrants were just like any other immigrant family in the United States. They struggled to retain their heritage while doing their best to become a part of the new culture that they chose to involve themselves with. It was these types of people who became the targets as alien threats in America. Mainly because of their adjustment issues, the old time Italians who could not adjust to the American way of life found themselves agreeing with Mussolini in terms of Fascist ideology, which they came to view in terms of a renewed spirit of their homeland that they needed to honor. 2 These sentiments also caused a great divide between the immigrant Italians and their first generation bor n Italian-American offspring who now identified more with the land of their birth in terms of heritage rather than the homeland of their parents. The arrests of the Italians living in America began on December 7, 1941. People arrested were part of the so-called Custodial List of the FBI that Pres. Roosevelt had the agency compile in the event that the United States needed to get involved in the ongoing World War. The list was meant to protect the country from being infiltrated by enemy forces and was set into action through the power of Title 50 of the U.S. Code, based on the 1798 Alien and Sedition Act which allowed for the arrest of â€Å"alien threats† during times of emergency. 3 Such was the perceived threat from the Italian immigrants during this time that the government began a rigorous campaign to quash the Italian heritage of first generation Italian Americans by declaring Italian an enemy language. The slogan for their campaign was â€Å"Don't Speak the Enemy's Lan guage! Speak American!† These posters lined the Italian-American communities during the war time era and saw a rapid decline in the use of Italian in the country since business owners decided not to speak the language in their place of

La Primavera (or Spring) and The Tree of Death and Life Essay

La Primavera (or Spring) and The Tree of Death and Life - Essay Example Botticelli's masterwork implies poetic allegory embracing the theme of love and a certain philosophical meaning as it depicts the Garden of Hesperides, which I will dwell on in more detail below. The plot of the painting is being developed from right to left. There is an ominous figure with wings and swollen cheeks dressed in a greenish flowing cloak in the upper right corner of the painting. His name is Zephyrus and he is a symbol of the wind. One can see how the trunks of trees bent influenced by the flight of this mysterious figure. A scared nymph named Chloris, to the left from Zephyrus, tries to run away touching another woman on the left as if asking her for protection. But the woman neglects the nymph, who tries hard to flee from the wind on the right from her, and is walking to the bottom of the painting. It must be noted that this woman in a long dress embroidered with flowers, with a thin face that registers no emotion and a wreath on the golden hair is depicted in the afor ementioned Ovid's poem Fasti that Botticelli was inspired with when creating his masterpiece. In Ovid's poem she is referred to as Spring but, as a matter of fact, this woman might as well be the goddess of flowers and plants, Flora. In the Botticelli's painting she had a dress embroidered with red and blue cornflowers, symbols of amiability and good nature, and scattered roses, which was the usual thing for rich Florentine weddings. The wreath around her neck is made of strawberries that symbolize tenderness, chamomile.

The Revival of Roman and Greek Architecture in The Palace of Fine Art, Essay

The Revival of Roman and Greek Architecture in The Palace of Fine Art, San Francisco - Essay Example The particular event lasted from February to December of 1915. The event that became a tradition marks the commemoration of both the recovery of the state from an earthquake in 1906 and the conclusion of the construction of the Panama Canal1. The Palace of Fine Arts has different important structural components and architectural elements that can be considered as an integration of both the Roman and the Greek architectural designs. This is due to the fact that the main objective of the architect Bernard Maybeck is a representation of the ruins of Roman and Greek culture combined through the amalgamation of their unique styles. Due to the said objective a unique architectural style was given birth2. The Palace of Fine Arts is a unique structure that was built for a temporary purpose, an exhibition to last less than a year, but the effort that was put in the building of the edifice stretched it life for half a century. The Roman structure and architectural style can be recognized in the columns that line the building specially the central rotunda and the arch3. These columns are specifically described to be Corinthian, the fourth to fifth century Roman architectural design4. Central part was located near the lagoon which added to the attraction of the Palace, giving its visitors an extraordinary experience. The display rooms that can be counted to 113 room... The particular part where artworks are kept was constructed at the rear of the arched area to be able to provide a larger space for what is considered to be the focal point of the Palace, the central rotunda. Circular dome and the eight Roman columns make up the central rotunda linked by a bridge to the pergola. This form of structure can be observed in Roman temples in the early times. A total representation of the grandeur of the Roman architecture but humbled by the evident reconstruction of the ruins5. This interaction of element to bring about a message to the observers is the real objective of the constructed structure. The elements of Greek art can be observed in the decorations and added designs to the Palace of Fine Arts. The sculptures, the murals and the ornate decorations mark the architectural design of the Greeks that can be observed in the Palace6. Some of the priced artworks are murals of Robert Reid which is composed of four sections that describe mainly the development of art in the different regions of the world, in relation to the concept presented by the exhibition. Other art pieces that adorn the Palace depict the extravagant architectural design of the Greek. Some of there are the sculptures such as the Aspiration by Leo Lentielli, a statue that offers himself for art, and the columns lined with statues by Ulric Ellerhusen depicting the strong feeling in the absence of art. The ornaments mainly depict the Greek culture. In addition to the decorations, the eight panel located underneath the dome was described to represent the Greek culture, specifically the importance of arts in the culture of the Greek7. On the basis of the described Palace of Fine Arts according to published works, it

Stakeholder benefits from sustainable tourism

Stakeholder benefits from sustainable tourism Sustainable Tourism Development Objective The aim of this assignment is to; To discuss how stakeholders can benefit from planning of tourism developments as well as to converse the benefits and weaknesses of public/private sector tourismplanning partnerships by referencing to a current example. To evaluate the different approaches to tourism planning and development by considering its features, the significanceofinteractive planning systemsand processes in tourism developments and the types of approaches available to measure tourist impacts To assess the need for planningfor sustainable tourism by considering the factors that may hinder it and to inspect the different stages in planning for sustainability. To analyse the different issues related to tourism development planning by looking at the implications of balancing supply and demand, the moral and ethical issues of enclave tourism as well as the methods of resolving a conflict of interest. To investigate the socio- cultural, environmentaland economic impacts of tourismin developing countries and emerging destinations Methodology The information in this project was obtained by the lectures, textbooks and the World Wide Web. For the completion of this project the consultant has decided to use both methods of primary and secondary information. Primary information is one of the best ways to collect first hand information this information will be collected by asking question via questionnaires, interviews and surveys. To arrive at a completion the consultant had to make a decision that secondary information will be necessary in the Researching of the information. So in order to collect the secondary information the consultant has decided to use magazines, book, blog and the internet. This will help in planning and the development of tourism. Rationale This project was formed from a case about two companies A Consultation company and a small business. The tourism development in Jamaica and the Ministry of tourism that is using a consultant company in the development and planning of tourism. The project will focus on the influx in the Spanish hotels that have been invested in Jamaica that are serious concern that Jamaica is heading in an unsustainable direction as it relates to the tourism industry and its development. In this project you will notice how the stakeholders can benefit from planning of tourism, the discussion of the advantages of public and private sectors tourism planning partnerships drawing on a current example. The analyzing the tourism development and planning at different levels of the evaluation of the significance of the interactive planning system and processes in the tourism developments. The factors that may prevent and obstruct sustainable tourism will also be analyzed, also the different stages in planning for sustainability. The moral and ethical issues of enclave tourism will be evaluated. Literature Review What is Sustainable tourism? â€Å"Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.† According to The Institute of International Auditors/Global (2011) â€Å"Public sectors consist of government and all publicly controlled or publicly funded agencies, enterprises and other entities that deliver public programs, goods or services. It is not, however always clear whether any particular organization should be included under the umbrella.â€Å"Stakeholder is a process is actors (persons or organization) with a vested interest in the policy begin promoted. These stakeholders, or â€Å"interested parties,† can usually be grouped into the following categories: international/donors, national political (legislators, governors), public (ministry of health, social security agency, ministry of finance), labour (unions medical associations), commercial/private for profit, non profit (nongovernmental organizations foundations), civil society and users/ consumers.† Was define by Kammi Schmeer (1999). World tourism organization stated that the tourism is a social cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of the people to countries or places that are outside their usual environment for personal or business purposes. These people are called visitors and tourism has to do with their activities, some of which imply tourism expenditure. This maybe tourist or excursionists, residents or non residents. Task 1.1 Discuss how stakeholders can benefit from planning of tourism developments with reference to a current case study. Tourism can deliver short andlong term economic, environmental and socio-cultural effects on a destination. Careful consideration needs to be given to the decisions made throughout the planning process, and thereare many advantages, and disadvantages, of involving a broad range ofstakeholders during the decision-making process, if medium and long-term oriented, understand that their capital is not only their investment andinfrastructures, but also the natural and cultural environment. Therefore, theystart considering tourism development in a more sustainable way. 1.2 Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of public/private sector tourism planning partnerships drawing on a current example In the tourism industry, there are examples where partnership arrangements are highly effective for the success of tourism planning and development. Since the public sector is concerned with the provision of services, the resolving of land-use conflicts and the formulation and implementation of development policies, and the private sector is mainly concerned with profit, partnerships between the private and public sector on various issues can benefit destinations. Task 2.1 Analyze features of tourism development planning at different levels. There are three types of different levels in tourism development: International level Tourism planning at the international level involves more than one country and includes areas such as international transportation services, joint tourism marketing, regional tourism polices and standards, cooperation between sectors of member countries, and other cooperative concerns. ƒ National level Tourism planning at the national level is concerned with national tourism policy, structure planning, transportation networks within the country, major tourism attractions, national level facility and service standards, investment policy, tourism education and training, and marketing of tourism. ƒ Regional level – Tourism planning at the regional level generally is done by provinces, states, or prefectures involving regional policy and infrastructure planning, regional access and transportation network, and other related functions at the regional level. 2.2 Evaluate the significance of interactive planning systems and processes in tourism developments. This is because interactive planning is focused in systems thinking and is based on the belief that an organization’s future depends at least as much on what it does between now and then, as on what is done to it. The organization will then create its future by continuously closing the gap between its current state and its desirable current state. Interactive planning has three unique characteristics: Interactive planning works backwards from where an organizationwantsto be now to where itisnow. Interactive planning is continuous; it does not start and stop. Interactive planning lets the organization’s stakeholders to be involved in the planning process. 2.3 Evaluate the different methods available to measure tourist impacts. The analysis of socio-ecological tourism-based systems requires new, qualitatively different evaluation schemes that enable an integrated assessment of ecological, social, and economic factors through the use of appropriate indicators related to the ecosystem service concept. People, indeed, begin to understand more clearly that human societies are dependent on the ‘services’’ and ‘‘functions’’ provided by the earth’s physical, chemical and biological systems. Ecosystem services include the production of goods (seafood, timber, and precursor to many industrial and pharmaceutical products), basic life-support processes (pollination, water purification, and climate regulation), life-fulfilling conditions (serenity, beauty, and cultural inspiration), preservation of options (conserving genetic and species diversity for future use), and the assimilation of waste products (Daily, 1997). Nature-based tourism is strongly dependent on the quality of the environment more than any other form of tourism. Even eco-tourism, however benign it may be, will have some impacts on the environment (see e.g. Modelling socio-ecological tourism-based systems for sustainability), and therefore it requires management and control like any other resource exploitation activity. The amount by which resources are exploited is a critical tourism parameter because tourism must satisfy two constraints at the same time. First, ecological quality and integrity ofresources must be maintained, to make sure they remain attractive to tourists as well as to residents (see e.g. Indicating fragility of socio-ecological tourism-based systems). Second, the quality of recreational experience by tourists also must be maintained, and this is based not only on the quality of natural environment, but also on the levels and the nature of interactions between groups of users and residents and their perception of environmental quality Task 3.1 Justify the introduction of the concept of sustainability in tourism development. The tourism planners have started to rethink the objectives for the development of the industry as a result of three factors: The tourist is changing, wishing for greater involvement with local people and many are conscious of the economic, social and environmental impact of their visit. They seek an integrated experience involving multiple activities so that the interaction with community increases Local communities are becoming sensitive to the effect tourism is having on their lifestyles, culture, and the environment and can resent its intrusion. A tourism enterprise that meets these three principles will â€Å"do well by doing well†. This means running a tourism business in such a way that it doesn’t destroy natural, cultural, or economic resources, but rather encourages an appreciation of the very resources that tourism is dependent on. A business that is run on these three principles can enhance conservation of natural resources, bring appreciation to cultural values, and bring revenue into the community and be profitable. 3.2 Analyze factors that may prevent/hinder sustainable tourism. The factor that prevents/ hinders sustainable tourism in a country is politics that have to with the acquisition of power, allocation or resources and administration of public affairs. Political Ideologies, Distribution of Wealth, Changing Class Boundaries, Natural and Manmade disaster. Tourism challenges such as religions, Social structures, Employment and Seasonal Fickle and Fragmentation also Regional Economic Problems. 3.3 Analyze different stages in planning for sustainability Task 4 Evaluate methods of resolving a conflict of interest to ensure the future well-being of a developing tourism destination 4.2 Analyze the implications of balancing supply and demand 4.3 Evaluate the moral and ethical issues of enclave tourism Task 5 Compare current issues associated with tourism development in a developing country and an emerging destination where the impacts of tourism are different. Recommendation Conclusion Tourism development has both positive and negative effects on a tourism destination. Communities are very often threatened with unwanted developments and face problems from unplanned or carelessly planned tourism expansion. In order to overcome these multi-faceted problems, comprehensive tourism planning is needed to maximise the benefits and minimise the costs or disadvantages of tourism development through the involvement of the local community who have to live with the tourists and the costs and benefits they bring. The above literature review indicates that although there is a strong argument for the need for planning in tourism development. However, it is not important only to design a development plan but also to implement it. Therefore, it is necessary to develop policies that will be widely accepted by the local community. Planners and governments should consider the fact that there are limits to how much tourism a particular destination could absorb. Destinations need to consider these limits and plan their tourist industry accordingly. Planners and governments must continuously measure environmental and socio-economic impacts of tourism, in Order to ensure long-term benefits for residents and tourists alike without damaging the man-made and natural environment. Tourism has been seen by many governments as an economic development Strategy and if a destination area wishes to maintain tourism as a long-term Activity, it should be concerned through planning to differentiate its product from Competing destinations through better preservation of its environment and culture, understanding the needs and desires of the local community and increased Awareness in the community as to what the industry means in terms of costs and benefits. Jadi Ellis

Parking on Campus :: essays research papers

Parking on campus needs improving. Students entering the university are allowed to have a car on campus. With every new freshmen class entering parking posses a problem on campus. The campus is already limited in its parking on campus and since freshmen are allowed to have cars, the students before them are faced with the dilemma of how many new freshmen will be bringing a car to school.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Parking by the dormitories is almost impossible. Students who live at particular dorms find themselves faced with the problem of having to park on the other side of campus. Those who live in Brown Hall, which is behind the Thompson center, have the most parking problems on campus. This is because the Thompson center is a very large building housing various departments on campus. Therefore it receives a lot of traffic all day. Visitors to the campus are taking over the parking lots around the Thompson center, which is forcing students to park other places on campus and some students chose to disregard the signs posted for reserved parking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There needs to be additional parking on campus made for those visiting the campus and also for students, faculty already has reserved parking; however the limited amount of parking on campus is forcing students and visitors to reserved faculty lots. Our school is limited in funding for certain projects such adding additional parking to solve the parking problem on campus. The student body should take responsibility for the raising of these funds to build additional parking on campus. The rising sophomore class should organize fund raising events to build additional parking on campus.

How Harper Lee Develops the Symbol of the Mockingbird

Mockingbirds are a symbol of sheer innocence; their existence causes no harm to others and the sole purpose of its life is to make mellifluous music for all to enjoy. The mockingbird’s sweet chorus is destroyed and disregarded in to kill a mockingbird, as the harmless characters of Boo Radley and Tom Robinson are exiled and imprisoned despite their altruism. The use of the mockingbird in the title provides distinction and coincides through characters and events during the novel.Harper Lee develops the symbol of the mockingbird in the novel through the town pariahs Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is accused of a crime he did not commit and in reality was helping another person without a reward. In chapter 10 Jem and Scout are shown an opening to the malevolence in society and are taught a moral lesson and the only sin considered by Atticus, â€Å" Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit em’, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mocking. This quote foreshadows the up-coming events involving Tom Robinson and the injustices he will have to endure, even though the Mockingbird is not deserving of anguish, he is still put to death through the hands of others who would shoot any bird, regardless of what kind it may be. Scout and Jem at the beginning of the novel are oblivious to the harsh racial segregation and the moral teachings of Atticus only have literal meanings until they become immersed in the enmity of racism, where their innocence is later destroyed and the blurred barriers between their father and Maycomb become clear.Atticus is responsible for maintaining the stability of Maycomb and the co-existence of good and evil; he influences his children to have morally good actions and values unlike many other children of Maycomb. Atticus strives for the rights of the mockingbird and the defenceless Tom Robinson, despite the fact that he knows as soon as Mayella Ewell screamed he was a dead man. Atticus allowing Tom Robinson to a trial allowed the ignorance and hatred in Maycomb to some extent deteriorate, even Mr.Underwood a man who never spoke about the â€Å"miscarriages of justice†¦ likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of song birds by hunters and children. † Just as Atticus defends the innocent and vulnerable Tom Robinson, he also provides refuge and respect to Boo Radley, a prejudiced against outcast of Maycomb. From the beginning of the novel Atticus respects Boo Radley telling Scout and Jem not to play in his yard, as he deserves the sanctity of privacy. Town gossip and the children’s fantasy surrounding Boo Radley constrain him to his home, which is veiled in mystery, â€Å"Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom.People said he existed, but Jem and I had never seen him. People said he went out at night when the moon was down, and peeped in windows†. Later in the novel the children realise that there was an error in their judgement of Boo Radley and th eir fear of him was unjust and cruel as behind the concocted hysteria is a kind-hearted and an innocent mockingbird as Boo Radley inflicts no harm on others and is just an innocuous victim of a cruel narrow-minded society.

Heating Properties of Firewood by Tree Species

Heating Properties of Firewood by Tree Species Firewood performance can differ from species to species. The type of tree you use for burning can vary widely in heat content, burning characteristics, and overall quality. I have created a table that presents several important burning characteristics for many species used in North America. The chart ranks each tree species by its density which is a good indicator of overall heating effectiveness. Wood Characteristics Influencing Quality Heating and Ignition Density of Wood - density is the amount of space a volume or mass of firewood occupies. The denser the wood, the less space its given mass takes up and the greater a particular volume of firewood weighs.  For an example,  hickory is about twice as dense as aspen, so a cubic foot of hickory weighs approximately 50 pounds while a cubic foot of aspen weighs only about 25 pounds.   Green Vs. Dry Wood - Firewood should be dried (seasoned) to 10% to 20% moisture content for best burning performance. Much of the energy generated from burning green firewood actually goes toward evaporating the water held in the wood. Green firewood only gives off about 40% of the energy of dry firewood. To get the most heat production out of your firewood, you should season it by first cutting into short log bolts. Split these bolts and stack in a dry,  well-ventilated  area for at least six months before burning. Available Heat by Wood Species  - Available heat is a measure of the heat given off when wood is burnt and measured in million British Thermal Units. Hardwood trees give  off more energy in BTUs than a comparable volume of softwood because it is denser. It should be noted that  the volatile oils in some softwoods can increase the heat output of some species but only for a short time. Ease of Splitting - Wood with a straight grain is easier to split than wood with a tighter more complex grain. Knots, branches, and other defects can also increase the difficulty of splitting firewood. Remember that dry wood is generally easier to split than green wood. Ease of Igniting Firewood - Ignition ability is an important factor wood factor. Low-density wood is easier to light than denser wood. Woods with higher levels of volatile chemicals in their structure, such as conifers, will ignite  and burn more readily than those with less volatile chemicals. These woods should be used to start fires where dry  high-density woods will provide the heat. Definitions of Chart Terms Density - woods dry weight per unit volume. Denser or heavier wood contains more heat per volume. Note that hickory ranks at the top of the list.Green Weight - the weight in pounds of a cord of freshly cut wood before drying.mmBTUs - million British Thermal Units. The woods actual available heat measured in BTUs.Coaling - wood that forms long-lasting coals are good to use in wood stoves because they allow a fire to be carried over a longer period effectively. Wood Heating Values Chart Common Name Density-lbs/cu.ft. Pounds/cd. (green) Million BTUs/cd. Coaling Hickory 50 4,327 27.7 good Osage-orange 50 5,120 32.9 excellent Black locust 44 4,616 27.9 excellent White oak 44 5,573 29.1 excellent Red oak 41 4,888 24.6 excellent White ash 40 3,952 24.2 good Sugar maple 42 4,685 25.5 excellent Elm 35 4,456 20.0 excellent Beech 41 NA 27.5 excellent Yellow birch 42 4,312 20.8 good Black walnut 35 4,584 22.2 good Sycamore 34 5,096 19.5 good Silver maple 32 3,904 19.0 excellent Hemlock 27 NA 19.3 poor Cherry 33 3,696 20.4 excellent Cottonwood 27 4,640 15.8 good Willow 35 4,320 17.6 poor Aspen 25 NA 18.2 good Basswood 25 4,404 13.8 poor White pine 23 NA 15.9 poor Ponderosa Pine 3,600 16.2 fair Eastern Red Cedar 31 2,950 18.2 poor

Miss essays

Miss essays One of the most effective crime prevention tools being utilized today is the Neighborhood Watch. The Neighborhood Watch was designed to help strengthen the relationships between neighbors and in the process build community wide crime prevention. Law enforcement officials have for years relied on the community to assist in apprehending criminals after the crime has been committed. With a Neighborhood Watch, this assistance is proactive instead of reactive, meaning that the watch can stop the crime before it occurs. A Neighborhood Watch can be formed around any geographical unit: a block, apartment, public housing complex or neighborhood. A watch group serves as an extra set of eyes and ears for reporting crime and helping neighbors. The effectiveness of a Neighborhood Watch is depends on its members. The Neighborhood Watch serves as a springboard for efforts that address community concerns such as recreation for youth, child care, and affordable housing. A Neighborhood Watch can easily be set up, first contact your neighbors, then then contact your local law enforcement agency and check about setting up a Neighborhood Watch meeting. In order for a group to be certified as a neighborhood watch, most agencies require a minimum of two initial meetings. After the two initial meetings, it is up to each neighborhood to elect a captain for the Neighborhood Watch. Once this is done, the captain will receive signs that will announce to would be criminals that the neighborhood is "on the watch." (National Crime Prevention) There are some tips that are important to keep in mind, which help the Neighborhood watch succeed. First, organize regular meetings that focus on current issues such as drug abuse, crime in schools, recreational activities for young people, and neighborhood problems. Second organize community patrols to walk around streets or apartment complexes and report suspicious activity to police. People in cars with cel...

Business Strategy Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Business Strategy Report - Essay Example Here the PESTEL and SWOT analysis as special tools enable the company to represent its strong sides and the fields for improvement and also assist in analyzing the opportunities that different factors give to it. Besides, when using the framework of Porter’s five forces, it assists the company to examine its current and potential rivals that may influence the business. While developing its new strategic vision, TESCO can use the Ansoff and Boston matrixes to identify its products and market share and also products and market growth strategy. The analysis of TESCO organizational design requires rethinking of its structure, systems, shared values and style of activities and also its employees and their abilities that would create the best opportunities for TESCO business growth and development. The McKinsey model will enable the company to identify the connections between such areas of the company. According to London Stock Exchange, the TESCO PLC Company, ISIN GB0008847096, represents FTSE sub-sector of Food Retailers and Wholesalers. Located in United Kingdom, it is one of the world’s largest retailers with the market capital in $15,214 million, revenue of 63557.00 million pounds and current total assets in 50164.00 million pounds (Company profile, 2014). Tesco currently operates in 13 countries, such as India, Malaysia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Sovakia, China and others. No other supermarket chain with the basis in UK has operations abroad. While Tesco operates mainly in the UK, there are large format of hypermarkets located another countries. Founded in 1919, now it has grown to the sizes that give job to more than five hundred employees and serving millions of customers every day. The main competitors or TESCO are the J Sainsbury PLC, the UK chain of  supermarkets, a British-based but the

Typical Day in the Life of Middle Class Family Essay

Typical Day in the Life of Middle Class Family - Essay Example As she got out of bed, her maid Anne, walked in bearing a tray of coffee and wished her good morning. She replied rather distantly, her mind already on the various things she had to prepare for this week. Amelia, her youngest daughter, really needed a governess. She needed to learn a little discipline and decorum. After all what was overlooked in India wouldn't do here. She was only eight it was true, but London society was very different. The child had been allowed to run a little wild in India what with her ayah and the various servants around. I'll talk to Susan today and see what she recommends, she thought , as she was helped into her corset by Anne. The maid laid out her morning dress on the bed as Mrs. Bentham got into her stockings and donned the various layers of petticoats that would hold up her skirts. Walking downstairs she ran a slightly critical fingertip over the statuary in the niche on the landing and frowned at the light layer of dust that covered it. Downstairs she found her housekeeper, Mrs. Lovell waiting for her to discuss the weeks menus. "I've spoken to Charles ma'am and I think it would be better to order the fish from another man. I don't think the man's to be trusted at all these days. I had to return the plaice today; it wasn't fresh at all." The housekeeper said. She continued into the dining room, where... "Yes'm". She continued into the dining room, where she found her husband already at breakfast. She sighed as he folded his newspaper and smiled at her. He was a man who was used to activity and enjoyed solving problems. The years in India as a district judge had suited him. Now, upon his return to London, he was more than a little lost in the life expected of a man of his class. He was a regular in his club where he enjoyed long discussions on politics and science, but she knew that he secretly longed for a far more challenging practice of law than his genteel clientele of upper - middle class personages allowed. Lately, he had been hinting of his wish to handle some rather disreputable cases from the lower classes of London. "Well, I've finally got my hands on it," he said waving a book at her. "What dear" "Darwin's treatise on the origin of species. Heard so much about it, that I thought I should order it from Jones. Now perhaps I can argue with that old fool Samuels." "I really wish you wouldn't dear", she replied, perturbed. "After all, he's as much right to believe in God as anyone does. And I heard that this is really preposterous, claiming we arose from animals and so on." "Good morning, Papa, Mamma.", chimed a voice from the door. The couple looked up to their eldest daughter Lydia, tripping in , in a pretty pink-sprigged dress. She was nineteen and pretty and had been a great success in London's society since they had returned six months ago. As Mrs. Bentham looked at her, her thoughts went to the problem of getting her married well. It was high time, now that there was so much interest in her. The girl needed a new opera gown and then there was the

Representing the Profession in the Community Assignment

Representing the Profession in the Community - Assignment Example One may visit a doctor but never have sufficient time off the busy doctor’s schedule to get some crucial information. It is here that these nurses come in to save the day by offering information at no charge. These patients tend to want more time in explanation as some of their understanding may reduce and requires a lot of explaining. In this role, they act as teachers who nurse stress-preventive care to encourage patients to pursue healthier lifestyles. The real impact in this comes where the life expectancy goes higher (Salkind, 2006). Families will have each other longer in their lives with their loved ones. Nurses have the role of ensuring what the government promised is actualized, health care for all. It is their ethical accountability to make sure that everyone is taken care of where remunerations may available (Delehanty & Ginzler, 2006). Therefore, support of the introduction of a legislative agenda that would ease this situation would create more jobs. The agenda could probably see a certain nurse assigned to several patients above the age of 50. They would probably be located in a certain health facility and could visit their patients in their homes and only bring them to the health facility only when utterly important. This would assist in quick patient record retrieval given that the nursing individual would be privy to all the ailments encountered under their service. The legislative agenda would be required to see through more funding to reduce the involved constraints. This could also eventually be replicated to the entire family. Continuity in care would be easy to impleme nt. Under the role of improving healthcare in America, the nursing culture not only address the psychological needs but also the physical needs, spiritual needs where necessary are also bestowed on these nurses to offer hope, it’s a role in its making. They are included in the larger context which is important

Technology and its advantages Essay Example for Free

Technology and its advantages Essay Since the Industrial Revolution, technology has served as a tool to improve the standard of living in most countries. We receive a lot of benefits from modern technology in everyday life. The benefit can be so great that you notice it, or something small you can take for granted. Modern technology has solved many problems that people face and play an important role in the development of many countries. Modern technologies create many kinds of products and also a heated controversy. Computers, cloning technology, and video games are some of these technologies. Joshua Quittner writes about the benefits and problems of computer technology in his essay Invasion of Privacy (353). He demonstrates how useful computers are and also how to eliminate problems related to computer use. He insists that the benefits of electronic technologies are worth to the risk of being deprived of his privacy (Quittner 356). In fact, electronic technologies seem almost inevitable in todays society. Other technologies have also contributed to solve other problems as well. For instance, Lee M. Silver states that cloning is a proper operation under the right procedure (364). Although he points out that it will be disastrous if cloning operations are used abusively, he stresses in his essay Jennifer and Rachel that cloning is beneficial for a person who wants to have a child but has problems conceiving one (Silver 363). In When life imitates video, John Leo maintains that violent games reflect recent cruel crimes (360). Because of this, some people are very cautious about the use of those advanced technologies and stressing the drawbacks of them. Most of the drawbacks are preventable with the right education and legal restrictions. Moreover, modern technology becomes not just beneficial but almost essential in recent society because of its great advantages. Providing our society with convenience, safety, and making many things possible are three examples of advantages that modern technology brings us. One of the advantages of modern technology is its convenience. Quittner  writes how people receive benefits from the electric technology in their daily life (354). He gives examples such as ATM, E-Z pass, and online service and shopping (Quittner 354). The benefits are common and we take this convenience for granted as a part of everyday life. However, this was not natural fifty years ago. Before, people needed to wait in a long line at the counter of a teller before withdrawing money. Today, in busy days during Christmas season, people can order a present on line from a computer. They can see a big smile of their family member by giving the present on time. Besides, one can compare cheaper and better goods on line instead of going several shopping malls. This is impossible without modern technology. Of course, there are drawbacks of electric technology such as a matter of privacy. However, they are preventable. Quittner suggests paying cash instead of using credit cards, or refusing to divulge Social Security number as some examples on how to prevent leaks of private information (356). He also mentions that protecting the privacy of E-mail by encrypting it with secret codes so powerful that even the National Security Agencys supercomputers would have a hard time cracking it. (Quittner 357). According to Quittner, this kind of code is legal within the U.S.(357). So if the law for protecting from leaking privacy by electric technology is made universally, the problem of leaking privacy will lessen considerably. I agree with Quittner that the issue of privacy relating to electric technology is mostly preventable by self-protection and legal restriction. Another advantage of technology is to provide society with safety. John Leo warns the potential problem of modern technology such as video game (359). On the contrary, he also partly admits advantages of modern technology if used as a safe tool (Leo 360). For example, he mentions that the army uses shooting games of high quality in their practice (Leo 360). This kind of simulation game is used in aviation practice as well. Repetitious practice of flight games before practical flight will provide the trainees more safety than to beginners with no practice. This will give less injury or accident in flight training. The drawback of this technology warned Leo, is moral deprivation of young children who cannot make a clear distinction between the virtual and real world (Leo 360). As a result, there is the possibility that they might commit a cruel crime like the massacre in the  Littleton without hesitation (Leo 360). However, the connection between the violent game and crime is just a hypothetical possibility. It is natural to think that the cause is relationship between children and grown-ups around them including their parents and their communities. To the certain age when children have a sense of true and false, it is the responsibility of grown-ups to keep them away from violent games. We need to think about relationships with children and their moral education instead of blaming modern technology like video games. The greatest advantage of modern technology is to make impossible things possible. Lee M. Silver writes a story about a single woman called Jennifer who gives birth to her clone called Rachel in his writing Jennifer and Rachel(362). Silver insists the benefit of the technology is to grant a child for infertile people or for someone who wants a child but has no chance to have one. Modern technology contributes to the well being of minorities such as homosexual couples and infertile couples (Silver 364). Silver also mentions the cloned sheep named Dolly. Modern technology including clone technology could give a way to save the world from starvation (365). Cloned cows with traits of cows producing abundant milk will provide stable milk supply to developing countries. Or, other modern technology including genetically modified food also will provide a more stable food supply of plants and vegetables tolerant to cold climate and bugs. People in the developing countries can secure stable food supply and commodity. People insist there might be an ethical issue, however, the fact that technology has brought new options is undoubted. Again, although Silver refers to technology abuse problem relating to modern technology (367), this also can be controlled by emphasizing education and making a new law. Only shifting the society along with the technology changes can solve the problems related to modern technology. It is not the problem of modern technology itself. Modern technologies have settled or lessened many problems and difficulties of the society by its advantages. Making society more convenient and safe and making impossible things possible are similar features of the change which previous people have experienced by social change, like shifting from  a hunting society to an agricultural society and establishing a commercial society due to the invention of new tools. To consider these advantages and change of society, modern technology, which we use today, might be not only a new tool but also the tool, which makes a dramatic change in history. There might be social problems generated by inability to correspond with modern technology use. However, the contribution of modern technology to society should not be eliminated and should be distributed evenly.

Personnel Department Effectiveness and Functions

Personnel Department Effectiveness and Functions 2.1 INTRODUCTION The effectiveness of any organization in general, is a direct function of the quality of the individuals who make up that organization. The knowledge, skills, abilities, and commitment of the members of the organization together constitute the most critical factor in the development and implementation of work plans and the delivery of products and services. Without the full commitment of its employees, an organization cannot accomplish its objectives. Consequently, the attraction, organization, development and motivation of employees which is the personnel function of management are a central responsibility at all levels of management that is from the chief executive to the first line supervisor. 2.2 WHAT IS PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT? There are many definitions of personnel management, but all basically say that it is: attracting and developing competent employees and creating the organizational conditions which result in their full utilization and encourages them to put forth their best efforts.1 In any organization, there has to be someone concerned with the welfare and performance of persons who are a part of the operation. When an individual or a team of individuals takes on this task of seeing to programs and setting policies that impact everyone associated with the company, they are engaged in the process of personnel management, sometimes referred to as human resources management, According to Franklin A., personnel management is based on careful handling of relationships among individuals at work and is the art of forecasting, acquiring, developing and maintaining competent workforce so that the organization derives maximum benefit in terms of performance and efficiency.2 Personnel Management is that part of management which is concerned with, people at work and their relationship within the organization. It can also be defined as that aspect of an organization, which is concerned with obtaining the best possible staff for the origination, looking after them so well that they will like to remain in the organization and give off their best in their jobs. It has to do with how best to use the skills and intelligence of people towards the achievement of organizational objectives.3 From the definitions quoted by various management experts in the past or present, the inference that we derive is that personnel management aims at attaining maximum efficiency and to yield maximum benefits to the organization. Two major points about personnel management are implied in this definition. First, effective personnel management must be future oriented. Support for organizational objectives now and for the foreseeable future must be provided through a steady supply of competent and capable employees. Second, effective personnel management is action oriented. The emphasis must be placed on solution of employment issues and problems to support organizational objectives and facilitate employee development and satisfaction To sum up, Personnel management aims at achieving these major steps: Analyzing the plan for future action and expansion. Estimating the quantitative and qualitative aspects of labour. Assessing the requirement of existing manpower or human resource. Formulating the plan for effective utilization of manpower, reducing under utilization or mis-utilization of manpower which is one of the most important resources. Finalizes the planning for recruitment, selection, promotion, transfer, training and development. Organizational effectivenes Basically Personnel management has certain goals and objectives to fulfill which includes; Creating a congenial and healthy environment for employees or workers to function effectively. To bring about organizational and human resource development through training, development programmes or even managerial succession planning. Selection and placement of right number of people and ensuring proper allocation of duties and responsibilities upon them. Creating better inter-personal relations, developing a sense of responsibility and responsiveness amongst workers and employees. Boosting the morale and sense of initiative amongst employees. Adopting best techniques or conceivable methods to bring best possible development of workers on work. 2.2.1 Functions of the Personnel Department A well-organized personnel department of an organization performs the following functions. Typically personnel work is concerned with: i. Manpower Planning: This is the first function of the personnel department. It has to do with the process by which a firm ensures that the required staff in terms of qualification and number is available at the right time. It involves determining personnel needs in relations to the objectives of the organization. It therefore deals with the qualification or education, skills and the appropriate number of personnel a firm should engage. It is therefore the process of assessing, predicting, or forecasting an organizations manpower needs in a relation to its plans. ii. Employment/Recruitment: After the manpower needs of the organization have been determined, the next stage is the make an attempt to employ the right caliber of personnel into the organization. This involves identifying sources of labour supply, carrying out recruitment, selection and placement into the organization. iii. Education/Training and Development: The personnel department is responsible for the training, education and the development of employees. It is the training needs have been determined, it is the responsibility of the department to design an appropriate programme by determining the method to be used, the course content, the duration and the institution or person to conduct the training. Training enables employees to adjust to new trends, improve their performance on the job and prepare them for promotion. iv. Wage and salary administration: Wage and salary Administration is one of the important functions of the personnel department. It is responsible for designing equitable and attractive wage and salary schemes for employees in an organization. It also determines how overtime payments. Bonuses and other fringe benefits are to be paid. It is also responsible for surveying the labour market and making the necessary changes and adjustments to the wage and salary structures to reflect the wages and salaries policies of the government of the day. v. Health, Safety and Welfare of Employment:- Another important function of the Personnel department is to ensure that there are measures to take care of the health, safety and welfare of its employees. It ensures these by providing first-aid facilities, good ventilation, lighting, drainage and proper working conditions. It also provides protective gadgets for employees to reduce the occurrence of accidents and injuries. Canteen, sports, transport, pension schemes, group insurance schemes and other recreational programmmes are provided for the welfare of its employees. vi. Industrial Relations: The personnel department plays an important role in maintaining a cordial and harmonium working relationship between workers and management. The term industrial relations are used to describe the relationship that exists between employers, employees (trade unions) and the government. Performance appraisal: organizing the appraisal process to identify development needs of employees. Personnel administration: record-keeping and monitoring of legislative requirements related to equal opportunities and possibly pensions and tax. Communication: providing an internal information service, perhaps in the form of staff newspapers or magazines, handouts, booklets, videos. 2.3 EMPLOYMENT PROCESS The employment process which is also referred to as the recruitment process involves a number of activities which are undertaken to engage the right caliber of personnel for an organization. It is therefore concerned with the employment and maintenance of qualified and efficient labour force. Employment therefore involves recruitment, selection and placement. The recruitment and selection process involves recruitment, interrelated activities which include the following. 2.3.1 RECRUITMENT It is the process of acquiring applicants who are available and qualified to fill positions in the organization.1 Recruitment refers to the first step in staffing, which is finding people.2 Sources of recruitment refer to the various avenues from which the personnel manager may recruit or employ labour. Recruits are obtained from a variety of sources. There source are divided into two main categories, namely internal and external sources. Pieter Grobler (page 167) Sources of Recruitment Internal Source Sources of potential candidates are many and varied, but a good starting point is to consider any internal candidates who might be suitable for the post. The exercise whereby the required manpower is obtained within the organization is the internal source. This may take the form of promoting a qualified worker to a higher position as they occur. Advantages of Internal Source There is less risk of error in selection and placement It boosts the morale of employees and encourages them it work hard It is quicker, cheaper and less risky than an outside appointment The recruit fits in with the culture of the organization; he knows â€Å"how we do things here† The individual also knows the people, systems and the business and thus the induction period will be quicker Disadvantages of Internal Source No new ideas, creativity or challenge to the culture and systems It tends to ignore qualified candidates who are not within the system A post will still need filling-the persons old post. That is he will create another vacancy The person may not be the best, qualified or most able candidate External Source Depending on management policy and the type of job involved. Management has a number of options available for obtaining people from outside the organization. These include: Educational Institutions: Organization and companies sometimes recruit fresh graduates from schools, colleges, polytechnics and the universities. Private Employment Agencies: Employers who cannot go through the process of recruitment engage consulting firms to do the recruitment for them. Labour Department: this is a public agency found in almost all regional scapitals where employees in search of employment and employers searching for employees go to register. An arrangement is then made to link the employer with the prospective employee. Advertisements: This is the most common and popular source of external recruitment where companies announce their employment opportunities through the newspapers, magazines, journals, radio and television. Unsolicited Applicant: People who are seeking for jobs sometimes apply to organizations without being aware of vacancies in those organizations. If there are vacancies, the applicant may be asked to go through the screening process. Where vacancies are not immediately available, his name will be placed on the waiting list. Employment Referrals:- Companies sometime announce job vacancies to their staff and ask them to recommend friends, relatives and neighbours who might be in need of employment and possess the required qualification and skill. Advantages of External Source It leads to the employment of people with new knowledge and ideas It leads to the employment of qualified and suitable people to fill vacant posts It promotes good will Its scope of selection is widened Disadvantages of External Sources It is costly and time consuming It may lead to low morale especially where there are qualified people within the organization The risk of making wrong selection is very high 2.3.2 JOB ANALYSIS It is the determination of the essential characteristics of a job. It is therefore a process of determining the nature of the job and the skills, knowledge, experiences and abilities of the person who is supposed to perform the job. It therefore contains information such as task performed, machines and equipment to be used, materials, products or services involved, training skills, knowledge and personal traits required of the worker. Job analysis therefore describes both the worker and the job so that there are no questions about who is doing what within the firm. Franklin A. (page 156) When undertaken carefully, job analysis could be used to; It provides the information necessary for recruitment, selection and placement of employees. It can be used to get an idea of the acceptable level of performance for each job (performance appraisal) It is used to device and implement training and development programmes It provides an opportunity to uncover and identify hazardous conditions Jobs may be analyzed in order to ensure that employees are fairly compensated The components of job analysis include. A. Job Description It specifies the duties and requirements of the job. This is a broad statement describing the purpose, scope, duties and responsibilities of a particular job. It states the title and location of the hob, grade/salary level of the job, limits of authority, number of subordinates, physical working conditions, machines, tools and equipment used, product or service produced etc. it typically portrays job content. In short, it summarizes all the basic tasks that are required to be performed on a job. A job description is what the worker does. Franklin A. (page 167) Importance of Job Description Each employee gets to know what is expected of him. It helps to avoid overlapping. It helps determine the rate of pay which is fair for the job. It helps in appraising and training employees It makes it possible for new employees to be given orientation with regards to their duties and responsibilities. It provides information from which particular hob vacancies can be advertised It guides the personnel manager in the development of job specification SELECTION This is the process by which an organization chooses from a list/pool of applicants the person who best meets the job and organizational requirements. The main objective of the selection process is to sort out those judged qualified for the job. (a) Selection Procedure i. Application Forms Applicants who reply to job advertisements are usually asked to fill in a job application form, or to send a letter giving details about themselves and their previous job experience (Curriculum Vitae or (C.V). An application form is used to find out relevant information about the applicant. It tells the organization whether or not an applicant is worthy of an interview or a test of some kind. Information usually required of candidates include; Personal data, educational background, work experience, date of birth, interests and hobbies. An applicant who is deemed suitable on this evidence becomes a candidate for interview. ii. Application Screening (Short-listing) The screening stage involves the sorting out or elimination of those applicants judged unqualified for the job. The personnel manager receives the filled application forms, and then screens them to determine those who are qualified to be invited for interview. This becomes necessary since all types of applications are received when jobs are advertised. This stage is also referred to as short-listing. It is done by marching all the applications against the employers requirements. iii. Selection Tests Selection tests are used to supplement other techniques. The tests are usually handled by fully qualified industrial psychologists. It is a practical examination to determine whether an applicant is suitable for the job. The assumption behind the administration of the tests is that a candidate who scores well in the test will more likely succeed in the job. Types of test The types of tests commonly used include:- i. Intelligence Tests: Their aim is to measure the applicants general intellectual ability. That is they are designed to measure his thinking abilities. They may test the applicants memory, ability to think quickly and logically, and skill at solving problems. ii. Aptitude Tests: These are designed to predict an individuals potential for performing a job or learning new skills. They are widely used to obtain information about such skills as mechanical ability, clerical and numerical ability. It measures a persons ability to do something given a good training. iii. Psychological tests: Psychological tests may measure a variety of characteristics such as an applicants skill in dealing with other people, ambition and motivation or emotional stability. They usually consist of questionnaires asking respondents to state their interest in or preference for jobs, leisure activities etc. Proficiency Tests: Proficiency tests are the most closely related test to an assessors objectives, because they measure ability to do the work involved iv. Medical Tests: Medical tests are carried out to determine the physical fitness of the applicant and whether he has any hidden diseases. Candidates who might have contagious diseases will be rejected. INTERVIEW Interview is a conversation or verbal interaction between two or more people for a particular purpose. Interviewing is a crucial part of the selection process because it gives the organization an opportunity to assess the applicant directly, and it gives the applicant an opportunity to learn more about the organization and whether he or she wants the job Objectives of Interview It gives the employer an opportunity to obtain information about each applicant and to assess his suitability for the job. It enables the employer to cross-check the applicants original documents or educational certificates. It enables the employer to have a critical view of the physical appearance of the applicant It also gives him an opportunity to determine the applicants level of intelligence. It provides the applicant an opportunity to know more about the organization, the job and the employees of the organization. References (Background Investigations) References provide further confidential information about the prospective employee. Prospective candidates are normally asked to submit references who can be contacted when the need arises. Such references include: schools, colleges, universities, former employers (if any) and relatives. The use of reference compels employees to be honest in supplying information about themselves to an organization. References are brief statements about a candidate made by a third party usually the candidates superior. These statements are used to confirm information supplied by applicants on application forms. Placement This is the stage where the new employee is placed on the job. He is assigned to an officer and a superior if he is a clerical worker. It is the responsibility of the superior to give the new employee in-service training where necessary and to provide a schedule of duties. Induction This may be conducted by the personnel manager and it is the process of orientating the selected applicant into his or her new working environment. It takes the form of introducing new employees to existing staff, visits to the plants and other departments, informing him/her about his duties and responsibilities, as well as the policies and objective of the organization. Induction simply means the introduction of a new employee into his or her job or organization Job Changes The post recruitment functions of the personnel manager includes transfers, promotions, demotions and termination. i. Transfers:- This occurs when employees have been assigned to another branch, department or to another job involving similar responsibilities, skills and remuneration. The transfer could be from one department to another or one station to another. It may be used to correct an error made during the recruitment process. Reasons for transfers The close down of a branch or department may call for a transfer Self request by an employee because of his inability to relate well with co-workers of lack of interest in his job or for purposes of frequent medical check-ups due to sickness. Transfer may be used as a punishment device A person may also be transferred to take up a new appointment A fall in the level of production may also necessitate the re-allocation of employees. ii. Promotion Promotion may be defined as the transfer of an employee from one job to another which involves a greater responsibility and usually a higher reward (pay). In other words, it involves a change in status and usually means appointment to a higher grade with greater and more challenging responsibilities. It is an important aspect of management because it is through promotion that a worker obtains satisfaction and shows his desire to advance and develop. Promotion Policy Many large organizations have a policy of filling senior job positions from within the organization. Others also believe in recruitment from outside the organization. Every organization should however come out with a clear policy on promotion so that employees know in advance the criteria to be used in promotion. Normally promotion is based on the following: Seniority (length of service) Practical ability (skill) General attitude and loyalty Education and qualification Personality or character Advantages of Promotion Promotion improves morale and motivation of employees in the organization. Promotion helps reduce labour-turn over in an organization It is seen as a reward for dedicated service, hard work, loyalty and obedience to rules and regulations of the organization. Fair promotions create a feeling of content among employees and retain their interest in the company. It helps employees to put in extra effort to help attain organizational objectives It improves the earning power and status of the employees Problems of promotion more qualified employees may be ignored or overlooked an employee adjudged competent when promoted may perform below expectation qualified personnel when overlooked in time of promotion may feel dejected and unrecognized. This may affect his morale and for that matter his overall performance. A worker who has a special interest in his/her job e.g. cashier in a financial institution may refuse to accept promotion. iii. Demotion It is the reduction in rank of an employee or the transfer of an employee to jobs with lower ranks backed by a reduction in salary. It therefore refers to a decrease in status as well as remuneration. Reasons For Demotion: Failure on the part of employees to live up to expectation (poor performance) Serious crime against the organization example; pilfering, fraud, leaking, organizational secrets to the advantage of competitors etc. It can also be based on indiscipline or disloyal to rules of the organization Serious or unfavourable business conditions may necessitate lay-offs and termination; some employees may accept demotion as an alternative. Problems of Demotion it leads to reduction employee status and remuneration it also creates morale problems for affected employees. Some affected employees may resign, leading to labour turn over and its associated problems, iv. LABOUR TURN OVER Labour turn over refers to the rate at which employees are leaving the business organization at a particular time and their replacement. It therefore describes the movement of workers into and out of employment of an organization in a in a given period of time It is calculated by: L x 100 A Where: L = Those leaving during the year A = Average number employed during the year or Average number on the companys payroll within that period. A high (index) labour turnover means more people leave the employment because of low morale. It could also mean a high proportion of the employment of women or scholars who have returned to college to pursue academic careers, death, pension etc. Causes of Labour Turn Over There are various causes of labour turn-over. Among them include the following: Discontentment (dissatisfaction) among employees as a result of poor working conditions, Lack of promotional avenues Poor leadership style Very long hours of work with little time for rest Unfairness and improper administration of disciplinary measures Poor wages and salaries Lack of opportunities for self advancement Boredom, wrong job assignment or lack of job satisfaction Lack of opportunity to express opinions to management and to participate in decision making. Problems of Labour Turn Over It brings about extra-expenditure, that is hiring and training of new employees Production rate is decreased and this tend to affect the volume of ales and profit margins It leads to overtime payment for extra man-hours spent on the job The money spent on training developing employees who have left goes down the drain There could be low morale for the remaining employees due to loss of old work mates and friends It takes a lot of time for workers to properly settle or fit into the system Solution To the causes of labour turnover A study or research should be conducted to identify which factors have been the cause of dissatisfaction and that have been responsible for the labour turnover. The following suggested solutions could be applied by individual companies. i. Companies should provide attractive wages and salaries to ensure that employees are above to meet their basic necessities. ii. There should also be improvement in the working conditions of workers. Protective clothes, canteen, transport, housing and medical facilities should be provided to cater for the welfare of workers. iii. There should also be opportunities for growth and development for employees, e.g study leave, provision of library facilities, promotion etc. iv. Joint consultation must be instituted to enable representatives of workers and employers meet to identify common problems and find solutions to them. 2.4 Termination of Employment Every employer has the option to terminate the employment of his employees but only on the grounds that certain conditions are meet e.g. giving of appropriate notice and payment of entitlements. Employees also have an option to resign from their present job and look for another provided they also satisfy certain conditions e.g. appropriate notice and proper handing over. There are ways by which a contract of employment may be terminated and they include: redundancy, dismissals, retirement and resignation. 2.4.1 Redundancy This is a situation where employees are asked to leave their employment because of lack of work. that is, the organization does not need their service any longer. Therefore when there is reduction in production and the workers are greater than what the organization needs, some are asked to leave employment. 2.4.2 Dismissal Dismissal is an act of sending an employee away form his employment because be is not qualified, undisciplined or is dishonest in his work. It is the permanent withdrawal of an employee from the services of a company. 2.4.3 Retirement It is the act of retiring or having stopped working after attaining a certain age. The age may either be contained in the companys policy or decision taken by the individual himself. 2.4.4 Resignation Resignation usually comes from employees. Resignation is the indication by the employee that he has ceased to be in the employment of the employer. 2.4.5 Lay Off This is a temporary withdrawal of employees from work due to shortage of raw materials, low demand for the companies products or services, or financial problems. These employees may be called back when the need arises. When conditions improve and some of the aid-off workers are invited to come back to work, it is known as recall. 2.5 EDUCATION, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT 2.5.1 Education This is usually intended to mean basic instructions in knowledge and skills designed to enable people make the most life in general. It is thus a process of training and instructing people in schools, colleges, Polytechnics, universities etc. which is designed to give knowledge and development of skills. At the end of the course, a certificate is given to those who pass their final examination. Education is therefore more personal and broadly based. 2.5.2 Development This suggests a broader view of knowledge and skills acquisition rather than training. It is less job-oriented and career-oriented. It sees employees as adaptable resources and thus concerned with preparing individuals with skills and experience to fill challenging higher level positions in the organization. 2.5.3 Training Training is job oriented rather than personal. Training involves a series of actions aimed at preparing an individual with skills to do a particular job. It may be defined as â€Å"the systematic development of the attitudes, knowledge and skill patterns required by an individual in order to perform adequately a given task or job† Methods of Training The main methods of training include: i. Apprenticeship Training This is a method of training where the apprentice under studies his master for a number of years, learning all the basic skills involved in the profession. This type of training is given to young people who have either completed school or who have not been to school. This type of training is common and popular in professions like tailoring, dressmaking, carpentry, driving and masonry. The apprentice pays a certain amount to his master and he is not paid during the period of his/her training but given allowance as and when necessary by his/her master. ii. Supervisory Training This type of training is give to employees who have been appointed supervisors or foremen. Supervisory training involves the teaching of supervisors or foremen the skill of getting work done through others. It is therefore meant to improve on their leadership skills and qualities. It takes place in an institute in the form of seminars or workshops with discussions on leadership, morale, development, directing, and health and safety measures. iii. Executive Training Personnel in middle management and top management positions are covered under this type Personnel Department Effectiveness and Functions Personnel Department Effectiveness and Functions 2.1 INTRODUCTION The effectiveness of any organization in general, is a direct function of the quality of the individuals who make up that organization. The knowledge, skills, abilities, and commitment of the members of the organization together constitute the most critical factor in the development and implementation of work plans and the delivery of products and services. Without the full commitment of its employees, an organization cannot accomplish its objectives. Consequently, the attraction, organization, development and motivation of employees which is the personnel function of management are a central responsibility at all levels of management that is from the chief executive to the first line supervisor. 2.2 WHAT IS PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT? There are many definitions of personnel management, but all basically say that it is: attracting and developing competent employees and creating the organizational conditions which result in their full utilization and encourages them to put forth their best efforts.1 In any organization, there has to be someone concerned with the welfare and performance of persons who are a part of the operation. When an individual or a team of individuals takes on this task of seeing to programs and setting policies that impact everyone associated with the company, they are engaged in the process of personnel management, sometimes referred to as human resources management, According to Franklin A., personnel management is based on careful handling of relationships among individuals at work and is the art of forecasting, acquiring, developing and maintaining competent workforce so that the organization derives maximum benefit in terms of performance and efficiency.2 Personnel Management is that part of management which is concerned with, people at work and their relationship within the organization. It can also be defined as that aspect of an organization, which is concerned with obtaining the best possible staff for the origination, looking after them so well that they will like to remain in the organization and give off their best in their jobs. It has to do with how best to use the skills and intelligence of people towards the achievement of organizational objectives.3 From the definitions quoted by various management experts in the past or present, the inference that we derive is that personnel management aims at attaining maximum efficiency and to yield maximum benefits to the organization. Two major points about personnel management are implied in this definition. First, effective personnel management must be future oriented. Support for organizational objectives now and for the foreseeable future must be provided through a steady supply of competent and capable employees. Second, effective personnel management is action oriented. The emphasis must be placed on solution of employment issues and problems to support organizational objectives and facilitate employee development and satisfaction To sum up, Personnel management aims at achieving these major steps: Analyzing the plan for future action and expansion. Estimating the quantitative and qualitative aspects of labour. Assessing the requirement of existing manpower or human resource. Formulating the plan for effective utilization of manpower, reducing under utilization or mis-utilization of manpower which is one of the most important resources. Finalizes the planning for recruitment, selection, promotion, transfer, training and development. Organizational effectivenes Basically Personnel management has certain goals and objectives to fulfill which includes; Creating a congenial and healthy environment for employees or workers to function effectively. To bring about organizational and human resource development through training, development programmes or even managerial succession planning. Selection and placement of right number of people and ensuring proper allocation of duties and responsibilities upon them. Creating better inter-personal relations, developing a sense of responsibility and responsiveness amongst workers and employees. Boosting the morale and sense of initiative amongst employees. Adopting best techniques or conceivable methods to bring best possible development of workers on work. 2.2.1 Functions of the Personnel Department A well-organized personnel department of an organization performs the following functions. Typically personnel work is concerned with: i. Manpower Planning: This is the first function of the personnel department. It has to do with the process by which a firm ensures that the required staff in terms of qualification and number is available at the right time. It involves determining personnel needs in relations to the objectives of the organization. It therefore deals with the qualification or education, skills and the appropriate number of personnel a firm should engage. It is therefore the process of assessing, predicting, or forecasting an organizations manpower needs in a relation to its plans. ii. Employment/Recruitment: After the manpower needs of the organization have been determined, the next stage is the make an attempt to employ the right caliber of personnel into the organization. This involves identifying sources of labour supply, carrying out recruitment, selection and placement into the organization. iii. Education/Training and Development: The personnel department is responsible for the training, education and the development of employees. It is the training needs have been determined, it is the responsibility of the department to design an appropriate programme by determining the method to be used, the course content, the duration and the institution or person to conduct the training. Training enables employees to adjust to new trends, improve their performance on the job and prepare them for promotion. iv. Wage and salary administration: Wage and salary Administration is one of the important functions of the personnel department. It is responsible for designing equitable and attractive wage and salary schemes for employees in an organization. It also determines how overtime payments. Bonuses and other fringe benefits are to be paid. It is also responsible for surveying the labour market and making the necessary changes and adjustments to the wage and salary structures to reflect the wages and salaries policies of the government of the day. v. Health, Safety and Welfare of Employment:- Another important function of the Personnel department is to ensure that there are measures to take care of the health, safety and welfare of its employees. It ensures these by providing first-aid facilities, good ventilation, lighting, drainage and proper working conditions. It also provides protective gadgets for employees to reduce the occurrence of accidents and injuries. Canteen, sports, transport, pension schemes, group insurance schemes and other recreational programmmes are provided for the welfare of its employees. vi. Industrial Relations: The personnel department plays an important role in maintaining a cordial and harmonium working relationship between workers and management. The term industrial relations are used to describe the relationship that exists between employers, employees (trade unions) and the government. Performance appraisal: organizing the appraisal process to identify development needs of employees. Personnel administration: record-keeping and monitoring of legislative requirements related to equal opportunities and possibly pensions and tax. Communication: providing an internal information service, perhaps in the form of staff newspapers or magazines, handouts, booklets, videos. 2.3 EMPLOYMENT PROCESS The employment process which is also referred to as the recruitment process involves a number of activities which are undertaken to engage the right caliber of personnel for an organization. It is therefore concerned with the employment and maintenance of qualified and efficient labour force. Employment therefore involves recruitment, selection and placement. The recruitment and selection process involves recruitment, interrelated activities which include the following. 2.3.1 RECRUITMENT It is the process of acquiring applicants who are available and qualified to fill positions in the organization.1 Recruitment refers to the first step in staffing, which is finding people.2 Sources of recruitment refer to the various avenues from which the personnel manager may recruit or employ labour. Recruits are obtained from a variety of sources. There source are divided into two main categories, namely internal and external sources. Pieter Grobler (page 167) Sources of Recruitment Internal Source Sources of potential candidates are many and varied, but a good starting point is to consider any internal candidates who might be suitable for the post. The exercise whereby the required manpower is obtained within the organization is the internal source. This may take the form of promoting a qualified worker to a higher position as they occur. Advantages of Internal Source There is less risk of error in selection and placement It boosts the morale of employees and encourages them it work hard It is quicker, cheaper and less risky than an outside appointment The recruit fits in with the culture of the organization; he knows â€Å"how we do things here† The individual also knows the people, systems and the business and thus the induction period will be quicker Disadvantages of Internal Source No new ideas, creativity or challenge to the culture and systems It tends to ignore qualified candidates who are not within the system A post will still need filling-the persons old post. That is he will create another vacancy The person may not be the best, qualified or most able candidate External Source Depending on management policy and the type of job involved. Management has a number of options available for obtaining people from outside the organization. These include: Educational Institutions: Organization and companies sometimes recruit fresh graduates from schools, colleges, polytechnics and the universities. Private Employment Agencies: Employers who cannot go through the process of recruitment engage consulting firms to do the recruitment for them. Labour Department: this is a public agency found in almost all regional scapitals where employees in search of employment and employers searching for employees go to register. An arrangement is then made to link the employer with the prospective employee. Advertisements: This is the most common and popular source of external recruitment where companies announce their employment opportunities through the newspapers, magazines, journals, radio and television. Unsolicited Applicant: People who are seeking for jobs sometimes apply to organizations without being aware of vacancies in those organizations. If there are vacancies, the applicant may be asked to go through the screening process. Where vacancies are not immediately available, his name will be placed on the waiting list. Employment Referrals:- Companies sometime announce job vacancies to their staff and ask them to recommend friends, relatives and neighbours who might be in need of employment and possess the required qualification and skill. Advantages of External Source It leads to the employment of people with new knowledge and ideas It leads to the employment of qualified and suitable people to fill vacant posts It promotes good will Its scope of selection is widened Disadvantages of External Sources It is costly and time consuming It may lead to low morale especially where there are qualified people within the organization The risk of making wrong selection is very high 2.3.2 JOB ANALYSIS It is the determination of the essential characteristics of a job. It is therefore a process of determining the nature of the job and the skills, knowledge, experiences and abilities of the person who is supposed to perform the job. It therefore contains information such as task performed, machines and equipment to be used, materials, products or services involved, training skills, knowledge and personal traits required of the worker. Job analysis therefore describes both the worker and the job so that there are no questions about who is doing what within the firm. Franklin A. (page 156) When undertaken carefully, job analysis could be used to; It provides the information necessary for recruitment, selection and placement of employees. It can be used to get an idea of the acceptable level of performance for each job (performance appraisal) It is used to device and implement training and development programmes It provides an opportunity to uncover and identify hazardous conditions Jobs may be analyzed in order to ensure that employees are fairly compensated The components of job analysis include. A. Job Description It specifies the duties and requirements of the job. This is a broad statement describing the purpose, scope, duties and responsibilities of a particular job. It states the title and location of the hob, grade/salary level of the job, limits of authority, number of subordinates, physical working conditions, machines, tools and equipment used, product or service produced etc. it typically portrays job content. In short, it summarizes all the basic tasks that are required to be performed on a job. A job description is what the worker does. Franklin A. (page 167) Importance of Job Description Each employee gets to know what is expected of him. It helps to avoid overlapping. It helps determine the rate of pay which is fair for the job. It helps in appraising and training employees It makes it possible for new employees to be given orientation with regards to their duties and responsibilities. It provides information from which particular hob vacancies can be advertised It guides the personnel manager in the development of job specification SELECTION This is the process by which an organization chooses from a list/pool of applicants the person who best meets the job and organizational requirements. The main objective of the selection process is to sort out those judged qualified for the job. (a) Selection Procedure i. Application Forms Applicants who reply to job advertisements are usually asked to fill in a job application form, or to send a letter giving details about themselves and their previous job experience (Curriculum Vitae or (C.V). An application form is used to find out relevant information about the applicant. It tells the organization whether or not an applicant is worthy of an interview or a test of some kind. Information usually required of candidates include; Personal data, educational background, work experience, date of birth, interests and hobbies. An applicant who is deemed suitable on this evidence becomes a candidate for interview. ii. Application Screening (Short-listing) The screening stage involves the sorting out or elimination of those applicants judged unqualified for the job. The personnel manager receives the filled application forms, and then screens them to determine those who are qualified to be invited for interview. This becomes necessary since all types of applications are received when jobs are advertised. This stage is also referred to as short-listing. It is done by marching all the applications against the employers requirements. iii. Selection Tests Selection tests are used to supplement other techniques. The tests are usually handled by fully qualified industrial psychologists. It is a practical examination to determine whether an applicant is suitable for the job. The assumption behind the administration of the tests is that a candidate who scores well in the test will more likely succeed in the job. Types of test The types of tests commonly used include:- i. Intelligence Tests: Their aim is to measure the applicants general intellectual ability. That is they are designed to measure his thinking abilities. They may test the applicants memory, ability to think quickly and logically, and skill at solving problems. ii. Aptitude Tests: These are designed to predict an individuals potential for performing a job or learning new skills. They are widely used to obtain information about such skills as mechanical ability, clerical and numerical ability. It measures a persons ability to do something given a good training. iii. Psychological tests: Psychological tests may measure a variety of characteristics such as an applicants skill in dealing with other people, ambition and motivation or emotional stability. They usually consist of questionnaires asking respondents to state their interest in or preference for jobs, leisure activities etc. Proficiency Tests: Proficiency tests are the most closely related test to an assessors objectives, because they measure ability to do the work involved iv. Medical Tests: Medical tests are carried out to determine the physical fitness of the applicant and whether he has any hidden diseases. Candidates who might have contagious diseases will be rejected. INTERVIEW Interview is a conversation or verbal interaction between two or more people for a particular purpose. Interviewing is a crucial part of the selection process because it gives the organization an opportunity to assess the applicant directly, and it gives the applicant an opportunity to learn more about the organization and whether he or she wants the job Objectives of Interview It gives the employer an opportunity to obtain information about each applicant and to assess his suitability for the job. It enables the employer to cross-check the applicants original documents or educational certificates. It enables the employer to have a critical view of the physical appearance of the applicant It also gives him an opportunity to determine the applicants level of intelligence. It provides the applicant an opportunity to know more about the organization, the job and the employees of the organization. References (Background Investigations) References provide further confidential information about the prospective employee. Prospective candidates are normally asked to submit references who can be contacted when the need arises. Such references include: schools, colleges, universities, former employers (if any) and relatives. The use of reference compels employees to be honest in supplying information about themselves to an organization. References are brief statements about a candidate made by a third party usually the candidates superior. These statements are used to confirm information supplied by applicants on application forms. Placement This is the stage where the new employee is placed on the job. He is assigned to an officer and a superior if he is a clerical worker. It is the responsibility of the superior to give the new employee in-service training where necessary and to provide a schedule of duties. Induction This may be conducted by the personnel manager and it is the process of orientating the selected applicant into his or her new working environment. It takes the form of introducing new employees to existing staff, visits to the plants and other departments, informing him/her about his duties and responsibilities, as well as the policies and objective of the organization. Induction simply means the introduction of a new employee into his or her job or organization Job Changes The post recruitment functions of the personnel manager includes transfers, promotions, demotions and termination. i. Transfers:- This occurs when employees have been assigned to another branch, department or to another job involving similar responsibilities, skills and remuneration. The transfer could be from one department to another or one station to another. It may be used to correct an error made during the recruitment process. Reasons for transfers The close down of a branch or department may call for a transfer Self request by an employee because of his inability to relate well with co-workers of lack of interest in his job or for purposes of frequent medical check-ups due to sickness. Transfer may be used as a punishment device A person may also be transferred to take up a new appointment A fall in the level of production may also necessitate the re-allocation of employees. ii. Promotion Promotion may be defined as the transfer of an employee from one job to another which involves a greater responsibility and usually a higher reward (pay). In other words, it involves a change in status and usually means appointment to a higher grade with greater and more challenging responsibilities. It is an important aspect of management because it is through promotion that a worker obtains satisfaction and shows his desire to advance and develop. Promotion Policy Many large organizations have a policy of filling senior job positions from within the organization. Others also believe in recruitment from outside the organization. Every organization should however come out with a clear policy on promotion so that employees know in advance the criteria to be used in promotion. Normally promotion is based on the following: Seniority (length of service) Practical ability (skill) General attitude and loyalty Education and qualification Personality or character Advantages of Promotion Promotion improves morale and motivation of employees in the organization. Promotion helps reduce labour-turn over in an organization It is seen as a reward for dedicated service, hard work, loyalty and obedience to rules and regulations of the organization. Fair promotions create a feeling of content among employees and retain their interest in the company. It helps employees to put in extra effort to help attain organizational objectives It improves the earning power and status of the employees Problems of promotion more qualified employees may be ignored or overlooked an employee adjudged competent when promoted may perform below expectation qualified personnel when overlooked in time of promotion may feel dejected and unrecognized. This may affect his morale and for that matter his overall performance. A worker who has a special interest in his/her job e.g. cashier in a financial institution may refuse to accept promotion. iii. Demotion It is the reduction in rank of an employee or the transfer of an employee to jobs with lower ranks backed by a reduction in salary. It therefore refers to a decrease in status as well as remuneration. Reasons For Demotion: Failure on the part of employees to live up to expectation (poor performance) Serious crime against the organization example; pilfering, fraud, leaking, organizational secrets to the advantage of competitors etc. It can also be based on indiscipline or disloyal to rules of the organization Serious or unfavourable business conditions may necessitate lay-offs and termination; some employees may accept demotion as an alternative. Problems of Demotion it leads to reduction employee status and remuneration it also creates morale problems for affected employees. Some affected employees may resign, leading to labour turn over and its associated problems, iv. LABOUR TURN OVER Labour turn over refers to the rate at which employees are leaving the business organization at a particular time and their replacement. It therefore describes the movement of workers into and out of employment of an organization in a in a given period of time It is calculated by: L x 100 A Where: L = Those leaving during the year A = Average number employed during the year or Average number on the companys payroll within that period. A high (index) labour turnover means more people leave the employment because of low morale. It could also mean a high proportion of the employment of women or scholars who have returned to college to pursue academic careers, death, pension etc. Causes of Labour Turn Over There are various causes of labour turn-over. Among them include the following: Discontentment (dissatisfaction) among employees as a result of poor working conditions, Lack of promotional avenues Poor leadership style Very long hours of work with little time for rest Unfairness and improper administration of disciplinary measures Poor wages and salaries Lack of opportunities for self advancement Boredom, wrong job assignment or lack of job satisfaction Lack of opportunity to express opinions to management and to participate in decision making. Problems of Labour Turn Over It brings about extra-expenditure, that is hiring and training of new employees Production rate is decreased and this tend to affect the volume of ales and profit margins It leads to overtime payment for extra man-hours spent on the job The money spent on training developing employees who have left goes down the drain There could be low morale for the remaining employees due to loss of old work mates and friends It takes a lot of time for workers to properly settle or fit into the system Solution To the causes of labour turnover A study or research should be conducted to identify which factors have been the cause of dissatisfaction and that have been responsible for the labour turnover. The following suggested solutions could be applied by individual companies. i. Companies should provide attractive wages and salaries to ensure that employees are above to meet their basic necessities. ii. There should also be improvement in the working conditions of workers. Protective clothes, canteen, transport, housing and medical facilities should be provided to cater for the welfare of workers. iii. There should also be opportunities for growth and development for employees, e.g study leave, provision of library facilities, promotion etc. iv. Joint consultation must be instituted to enable representatives of workers and employers meet to identify common problems and find solutions to them. 2.4 Termination of Employment Every employer has the option to terminate the employment of his employees but only on the grounds that certain conditions are meet e.g. giving of appropriate notice and payment of entitlements. Employees also have an option to resign from their present job and look for another provided they also satisfy certain conditions e.g. appropriate notice and proper handing over. There are ways by which a contract of employment may be terminated and they include: redundancy, dismissals, retirement and resignation. 2.4.1 Redundancy This is a situation where employees are asked to leave their employment because of lack of work. that is, the organization does not need their service any longer. Therefore when there is reduction in production and the workers are greater than what the organization needs, some are asked to leave employment. 2.4.2 Dismissal Dismissal is an act of sending an employee away form his employment because be is not qualified, undisciplined or is dishonest in his work. It is the permanent withdrawal of an employee from the services of a company. 2.4.3 Retirement It is the act of retiring or having stopped working after attaining a certain age. The age may either be contained in the companys policy or decision taken by the individual himself. 2.4.4 Resignation Resignation usually comes from employees. Resignation is the indication by the employee that he has ceased to be in the employment of the employer. 2.4.5 Lay Off This is a temporary withdrawal of employees from work due to shortage of raw materials, low demand for the companies products or services, or financial problems. These employees may be called back when the need arises. When conditions improve and some of the aid-off workers are invited to come back to work, it is known as recall. 2.5 EDUCATION, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT 2.5.1 Education This is usually intended to mean basic instructions in knowledge and skills designed to enable people make the most life in general. It is thus a process of training and instructing people in schools, colleges, Polytechnics, universities etc. which is designed to give knowledge and development of skills. At the end of the course, a certificate is given to those who pass their final examination. Education is therefore more personal and broadly based. 2.5.2 Development This suggests a broader view of knowledge and skills acquisition rather than training. It is less job-oriented and career-oriented. It sees employees as adaptable resources and thus concerned with preparing individuals with skills and experience to fill challenging higher level positions in the organization. 2.5.3 Training Training is job oriented rather than personal. Training involves a series of actions aimed at preparing an individual with skills to do a particular job. It may be defined as â€Å"the systematic development of the attitudes, knowledge and skill patterns required by an individual in order to perform adequately a given task or job† Methods of Training The main methods of training include: i. Apprenticeship Training This is a method of training where the apprentice under studies his master for a number of years, learning all the basic skills involved in the profession. This type of training is given to young people who have either completed school or who have not been to school. This type of training is common and popular in professions like tailoring, dressmaking, carpentry, driving and masonry. The apprentice pays a certain amount to his master and he is not paid during the period of his/her training but given allowance as and when necessary by his/her master. ii. Supervisory Training This type of training is give to employees who have been appointed supervisors or foremen. Supervisory training involves the teaching of supervisors or foremen the skill of getting work done through others. It is therefore meant to improve on their leadership skills and qualities. It takes place in an institute in the form of seminars or workshops with discussions on leadership, morale, development, directing, and health and safety measures. iii. Executive Training Personnel in middle management and top management positions are covered under this type