George orwell Essay

There are about 400,000 known Jews in Britain, and in addition some thousands or, at most, scores of thousands of Jewish refugees who have entered the country from 1934 onwards. The Jewish population is almost entirely concentrated in half a dozen big towns and is mostly employed in the food, clothing and furniture trades. A few of the big monopolies, such as the ICI, one or two leading newspapers and at least one big chain of department stores are Jewish-owned or partly Jewish-owned, but it would be very far from the truth to say that British business life is dominated by Jews. The Jews seem, on the contrary, to have failed to keep up with the modern tendency towards big amalgamations and to have remained fixed in those trades which are necessarily carried out on a small scale and by old-fashioned methods. I start off with these background facts, which are already known to any well-informed person, in order to emphasise that there is no real Jewish â€Å"problem† in England. The Jews are not numerous or powerful enough, and it is only in what are loosely called â€Å"intellectual circles† that they have any noticeable influence. Yet it is generally admitted that antisemitism is on the increase, that it has been greatly exacerbated by the war, and that humane and enlightened people are not immune to it. It does not take violent forms (English people are almost invariably gentle and law-abiding), but it is ill-natured enough, and in favourable circumstances it could have political results. Here are some samples of antisemitic remarks that have been made to me during the past year or two: MIDDLE-AGED OFFICE EMPLOYEE: â€Å"I GENERALLY COME TO WORK BY BUS. IT TAKES LONGER, BUT I DON’T CARE ABOUT USING THE UNDERGROUND FROM GOLDERS GREEN NOWADAYS. THERE’S TOO MANY OF THE CHOSEN RACE TRAVELLING ON THAT LINE. † TOBACCONIST (WOMAN): â€Å"NO, I’VE GOT NO MATCHES FOR YOU. I SHOULD TRY THE LADY DOWN THE STREET. SHE’S ALWAYS GOT MATCHES. ONE OF THE CHOSEN RACE, YOU SEE. † YOUNG INTELLECTUAL, COMMUNIST OR NEAR-COMMUNIST: â€Å"NO, I DO NOT LIKE JEWS. I’VE NEVER MADE ANY SECRET OF THAT. I CAN’T STICK THEM. MIND YOU, I’M NOT ANTISEMITIC, OF COURSE. † MIDDLE-CLASS WOMAN: â€Å"WELL, NO ONE COULD CALL ME ANTISEMITIC, BUT I DO THINK THE WAY THESE JEWS BEHAVE IS TOO ABSOLUTELY STINKING. THE WAY THEY PUSH THEIR WAY TO THE HEAD OF QUEUES, AND SO ON. THEY’RE SO ABOMINABLY SELFISH. I THINK THEY’RE RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM. † MILK ROUNDSMAN: â€Å"A JEW DON’T DO NO WORK, NOT THE SAME AS WHAT AN ENGLISHMAN DOES. ’E’S TOO CLEVER. WE WORK WITH THIS ‘ERE† (FLEXES HIS BICEPS). â€Å"THEY WORK WITH THAT THERE† (TAPS HIS FOREHEAD).

Principles of developing adults Essay

Malcolm Knowles renowned for his work on adult learning (andragogy) identified the following principles of developing adults: * Adults need to be provided with a rationale as to why the learning is taking place * Adults need to be encouraged to be self-directive and responsible for their learning * Adults can fully contribute and participate in the learning process (collective wealth of experience enables them to do this) * Adults wish to learn if they can see a practical point to it * If adults believe the learning can enhance performance they will embrace the learning * Adults respond better to intrinsic motivators (increased knowledge and self-esteem) Preparing and designing learning and development events/interventions are vital in order to ensuring: * The development intervention has a clear purpose * Aims and objectives are clearly covered * The needs and learning styles of the learners are taken into account * Aims and objectives are integrated to organisational needs * The development intervention is motivating and engaging for individuals * There is active commitment from the participants to learning * That the resources and materials are complimentary to overall aims and objectives and ensure that the intervention is engaging and accessible * Sensitivity to all participants’ cultural, religious and other needs * An assessment of what has been developed is put in place * The interventions/outcomes are fully evaluated Clearly planned and designed events will help towards the advancement of: * Individual, team and organisational aims and objectives * Skills, knowledge and behaviours * Higher participant satisfaction with the intervention, which could encourage further engagement in the learning process * The likelihood that further development will be proposed However, no matter how effective the organisation of the event is and how much the promotional material tries to engage the learners, consideration needs to be taken into account of the organisational and individual barriers to learning when planning the process. Barriers (both organisational and individual) can include: * Lack of necessary resources and materials * Learning and development interventions previously not delivering on promises * Lack of positive communication and involvement to engage and motivate individuals of the benefits * Fear of learning and development * Fear of competence * Previous (negative) experiences of learning and development * Lack of foresight with regards to the benefits of learning and development * ‘We have tried this before and it did not work syndrome’ * ‘The learning does not fit in with my particular learning stylesnydrome’ * ‘Leave me alone, I am doing well syndrome’ The above should be taken seriously by organisations as these can have a negative impact on the organisation enhancing its skills, knowledge and behaviours and hence its overall performance. Continuous communication with staff, where they are actively involved in the design and preparation of the process can go some way to alleviating these difficulties. An effective performance management process that focuses on developing employee capabilities will provide a further mechanism for their input, whilst potentially increasing their confidence and abilities to involve themselves in the process. The active involvement of individuals may overcome many of the barriers, including negative previous experiences (probably in school) where learners may not have been treated like responsible adults (see information on adult learning below). There are a number of models and theories that can help identify how the needs of learners can be put into practice. * Instrumental learning theory – improving efficiency and effectiveness on the job once basic standards have been achieved * Cognitive learning theory – utilising information to acquire knowledge and put into context * Affective learning theory – development of attitudes and/or feelings to a particular area * Reinforcement theory – focus on behaviouralism in that the belief is that individuals can be conditioned and will change their behaviour based on a response to events or stimuli (e.g. a pay rise, threat of a warning * Social learning theory – enhancement of learning through social interaction and the sharing of knowledge, ideas and solutions * Experiential learning theory – more self-directed where individuals learn from their experience and importantly reflect on how they can develop and apply their learning further The type of learning is dependent on the context and the motivation and determination of the individual. Although an appreciation of learning theories is important to determine how people learn, an appreciation of different learning styles can enable organisations to undertake a more focused approach to developing L&D interventions. Kolb’s learning cycle – focuses on how individuals can utilise concrete experiences to help inform new developmental choices. To be truly effective, a learner should develop a mix of observation, reflection, direct involvement and analytical insight. Honey and Mumford Learning styles questionnaire – identified four distinct (although arguably mutually inclusive learning styles) that individuals may relate to in terms of preferences of learning. It is important for HR/L&D professionals to both identify how they adapt development to meet learners’ needs and enable individuals to explore learning methods they may not be totally comfortable with, yet will aid their total development. Bernice McCarthy’s 4MAT – identifies four styles of learning based on four questions/areas: (1) reasons for wanting to learn; (2) what learners like to know; (3) knowing how things work; (4) learners finding solutions for themselves. These will identify learners’ motivation for learning and how to design learning and development interventions to accommodate these. Bloom’s Domains for Learning – divides learning into three domains (categories): (1) Cognitive – knowledge/facts; (2) psychomotor – practical skills; (3) affective – attitudes/beliefs Sylvia Down’s MUD (memory, understanding and doing) – (1) memory – knowledge/facts; (2) understanding – concepts/abstract ideas; (3) doing – practical skills Legislative requirements In terms of preparing and designing, a number of key legislative requirements need to be taken into account, not only to adhere to the law, but more importantly to ensure a safe, comfortable environment is in place where people can flourish. Additionally, detailed record keeping could provide vital information for future decision making and performance enhancement. Key legislative requirements include: * Health and safety – ensuring a safe environment that is accessible for all * Equality legislation – ensuring accessibility and the reduction of discrimination * Data Protection – ensuring data is processed fairly, used only for a specific purpose and stored safely * Telecommunications and communication – particularly pertinent if delivery involves e-learning, blended and distance learning * Regulation – regulatory bodies may require detailed records to be kept for auditing purposes

Internal and External factors at Wal-Mart Essay

In 1962, Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart store and the retailing giant has been rising to success ever since. Various factors have played an integral role in the success of Wal-Mart, but without the strong execution of the four functions of management, Wal-Mart would have failed like many others. This paper will discuss in detail the how internal and external factors affect the four functions of management. GlobalizationIn 1993 Wal-Mart formed their International Division which was crucial to their success because they needed to remain competitive with other industry giants. When Wal-Mart entered a new country, careful planning was conducted to meet the demands of that specific country. A recent special on the history of Wal-Mart showed their expansion into China. Wal-Mart’s president did not realize that most families in China do not own a washer and dryer. Therefore, Wal-Mart removed all their detergents designed for machine washing and replaced them with detergent especially for hand washing. Wal-Mart brings thousands of people into their stores worldwide who are looking to begin a new career, as well as, shop. Without the organization of each department within Wal-Mart’s facilities, harmony within the company would crumble. Employees from every department work together to achieve the goals set for each store. Wal-Mart’s goal is to be the largest retailing organization in the world, and has achieved such status by adhering to strict organizing standards. Wal-Mart believes that in order to be a good leader, you must inspire trust and be rewarding. A statement Sam Walton once said is the motto Wal-Mart employees live by: â€Å"It’s more important than ever that we develop leaders who are servants, who listen to their partners – their associates – in a way that creates wonderful moral† (walmartstores.com, n.d.). This way of thinking has been passed down to all employees and has proven to create a productive work environment. Wal-Mart continuously finds ways to guarantee their over-all success by controlling and monitoring the plans they set out. Ideas that work in one  market, may not work in others. In order to find what works best for each market, new ideas are implemented and tracked for success. Ideas that prove to be successful can then be tried in other markets. In order for Wal-Mart to continue to grow, dynamic ideas are required of management frequently. TechnologyTechnology played a big part in the globalization of Wal-Mart. By 1975, Wal-Mart had over 125 stores and $340.3 million in sales. At this time they leased the IBM 370/135 computer system. This system allowed them to maintain inventory control for all merchandise in the warehouse and distribution centers, including prepare income statements for each store. From 1975 to 2004, Wal-Mart experienced a number of changes relating to technology which included in 1983, the company began using the bar coding system which identifies to the system what item the customer is purchasing and its cost. In 1987, they completed the largest satellite communication system that linked the company as whole with two-way voice, data and one-way video communication. (2006)As the company continued to experience phenomenal growth they had to look at newer forms of technology to keep up with the development of so many stores. In 2004, the company announced that it would deploy the radio frequency identification (RFID) technology on January 1, 2005 (2006). This technology allowed their central management system to track new shipments, product purchases, and alerted them when items need to be re-stocked via a wireless communication (Plunkett, 2008). Wal-Mart uses technology to enhance all areas of its business. A one-hour online photo center, for example, allows customers to download photos and pick up the photos at the store of their choice within an hour. In the past, the customer would download the photos and wait for them to be mailed. On the music side, a pilot program involving in-store kiosk at 100 stores lets shoppers buy one song off a CD without purchasing the whole CD. The kiosks let shoppers create custom CDs that can hold up to 100 songs. The finished CD is then picked up at the one-hour photo center. In pharmacy, new technology allows personnel to retrieve a patient’s prescription information at any location simply by knowing the patient’s name and type of medication. The patient does not have to know his or her prescription number, insurance information or at what store the prescription was originally filled  (Wal-Mart Technologies Enhance Visible and Behind-Scenes Services, July 2005). InnovationWal-Mart’s continued drive towards innovation sustains its global footprint. Wal-Mart continues to be a leader in the business world. It’s evident that Wal-Mart strives continually to introduce new and different ways to market their business and uphold competitive advantage and introduce new ways to build relationships with employees, customers, and the humanitarian world. Wal-Mart’s resourcefulness is widely shown in their in-bound logistics. Wal-Mart’s satellite network is the largest private satellite communication system in the United States, this along with its strategic locations for their distribution centers have given them another competitive edge. Unlike other competitors who house less than half of their inventory in distribution centers, Wal-Mart houses over 80 percent in their distribution center; this purpose being more sales space for the stores and 100 percent in-stock position. To cut costs Wal-Mart places distribution centers in locations that allow for no more than a day’s drive between stores. In addition, Wal-Mart’s satellite communication system enables all stores to share information with the distribution center and between the distribution center and its vendors. This communication method allows for an accurate assessment of inventory needs and cuts down inventory overstock. Wal-Mart is now aiming their innovative techniques towards the up-in-coming green trend. The company has created experimental stores that save energy, conserve natural resources, and reduce pollution. Just one example of Wal-Mart’s focus to conserve natural resources and reduce pollution is their efforts to only sell concentrated detergents. This effort is estimated to have an impact that will save more than 400 million gallons of water, more than 95 million pounds of plastic resin, and more than 125 million pounds of cardboard (Walmart.com, 2008). These are just some examples of Wal-Mart’s innovative spirit. Wal-Mart’s clear innovative drive continues to move the company into new and exciting ventures. Diversity Now the internal and external factors that impact the four functions of management (planning, organizing, leading, and controlling) at Wal-Mart come from all parts of the company such as: the board of directors, associates, suppliers, and customers. For example, the Wal-Mart web site states that their â€Å"†¦commitment to Diversity and Inclusion helps†¦Ã¢â‚¬  them â€Å"†¦build and retain a diverse workforce and supplier base† and that commitment is extended â€Å"†¦into the communities where†¦Ã¢â‚¬  they â€Å"†¦work and live through various community outreach programs† (walmartstores.com, n.d.). In addition Bateman & Snell (2007) express that â€Å"†¦you should devote adequate attention and resources to all four functions† of management (p. 18). The Wal-Mart web site indicates that the company values diversity and have made it part of their business plan which is part of their success. Now with that in mind, Wal-Mart has recently been recognized as one of the â€Å"Best Companies for Asian Pacific Islanders† by the Asian Enterprise magazine, which offers a good indication that Wal-Mart has devoted adequate attention and resources to the use of all four functions of management. Now a note from the successful retail giants:As the world’s largest retailer, we value diversity and foster a working environment that enriches the personal and professional experiences of our associates, promotes excellence, and cultivates the intellectual and personal growth of the entire associate population. We make diversity part of our business plan, ensuring we can continue to be a global leader in all aspects of Diversity and Inclusion. (walmartstores.com, n.d.)EthicThe American federation of labor-congress of Industrial suggest that Wal-mart was intended to be sex discriminative to poverty-level wages with the term Wal-mart on their problem to drive some business away and they was hopeful that it was going to be enough to alter the companies policies. This is supported by the center for community and corporate ethics. Wal-mart was tired of this allegation, so they launched a blitz ad in about 100 newspapers, to let everyone know that â€Å"Wal-mart is working for everyone.† â€Å"Spokesperson Sarah Clark denies that the company’s low prices depend on low wages.† Bernstein (2005). The labor leaders believe  that the AFL-CIO wants Wal-mart to look bad with a new publicity campaign. The Wal-mart labor’s plans have stayed the same because of all the negative publicity and it has hurt the employees’ morale of the Wal-mart Inc. Chris Ohlinger, â€Å"CEO of Service Industry Research Systems Inc,† Chris Ohlinger taking a survey on the customers that use to shopper there and do not stop any more because of the public criticism. Wal-mart low prices remain low to help the working poor. â€Å"Wal-mart CEO H. Lee Scoot, asked the employees â€Å"to take the moral high ground† on the further criticism. Wal-mart had just settled with about $11 million on hiring illegal immigrants to clean the stores. This is one the biggest sex discrimination lawsuit in the history of retailer just because the grass-roots organizations do not want this retailer in the area. â€Å"In a five-minute video message to Wal-mart’s workers, Scott told employees that they were expected to do the right thing every time, and he encouraged them to report unethical behavior to superiors or use the company’s ethics hotline, according to spokeswoman Mona Williams.† â€Å"It is a mark of our strength that when we uncover issues, we deal with them, do the right thing and are a stronger company as a result, â€Å"Scott said in the telecast to 1.2 million workers.† Grant (2005)In conclusion people should not always believe what is told to them in the public room, people have to evaluate for themselves and stick to their ethic believes. Reference: Wal-Mart (n.d.). Servant Leadership. Retrieved June 21, 2008., fromhttp://walmartstroes.com/AboutUs/289.aspx(2006). 45 Years of Wal-Mart History: A Technology Time Line. Academy of Information & Management Sciences. Plunkett, J. W. (Last updated February 21, 2008). Retail Technologies Leap Ahead. [Electronic version]. Retail Industry. Retrieved June 21, 2008 from http://www.plunkettresearchonline.com. Wal-Mart Technologies Enhance Visible and Behind-Scenes Services. (2005, July). Retail Merchandiser, Retrieved June 21, 2008, from Business Source Complete database. Govindarajan, V. & Gupta, A. (1999). Taking Wal-Mart Global: Lessons From Retailing’s Giants, Retrieved June 21, 2008, from http://www.strategy-business.com/press/16635507/13866Walmart Completes Goal To Sell Only Concentrated Liquid Laundry Detergent, Retrieved June 21, 2008, from http://walmartstores.com/AboutUs/7603.aspxBateman, T.S., & Snell, S.A. (2007). Management: The New Competitive Landscape. [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-text]. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Retrieved June 10, 2008, from University of Phoenix, MGT330 Web site. Diversity. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2008, from http://walmartstores.com/Diversity/

What is the relationship between taste and class Essay

What is the relationship between taste and class - Essay Example And if class does determine taste, to what extent does it determine taste? One of the major texts that tries to explore the relationship of class and taste is the article by Jane Steinhauer entitled â€Å"When the Joneses wear Jeans.† According to Steinhauer, unlike in earlier times, social class â€Å"has become harder to see in the things that Americans buy† (2005). This is because of the fact that prices have become more flat, and credit spending has become so popular, that even ordinary Americans can now actually buy high end products, that were before only exclusive to upper class Americans (Steinhauer 2005). In this case, it may be seen that the tastes of a certain individual does not necessarily reflect his or her social class, due to the fact that even ordinary citizens of America can now have the option to buy products that are commonly associated with the upper classes. In this case, then, does it negate the fact that class determines taste? However, Steinhauer does not easily agree. This is because of the fact that she still conced es that â€Å"status symbols have not disappeared† and that â€Å"the marketplace have simply gone one better, rolling out ever pricier goods and pitching them to ever loftier rich† (Steinhauer 2005). In this case, the presence of multimillion dollar luxury cars and thousand dollar-jewelries are still luxuries of the upper classes, and are still exclusive to them. In this case, Steinhauer further argues that even though the market has been able to expertly design and package high end goods to the middle classes in the purpose of expanding one’s market, the vertical desire of middle class people to indulge in upper class indulgences have become more â€Å"unrealistic,† due to the fact that America is know facing a â€Å"widening income gap between themselves and the rich† (Steinhauer 2005). In this case, she concludes that the true measure of upper class is the â€Å"personal services

Assignment 12 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

12 - Assignment Example They are mostly noncompliant with the law enforcement officials and show aggression towards public or police. They also make the police to chase them and show as if they are trying to escape. They point their weapons towards the law officials and also towards themselves. The subjects appear emotionally distressed, angry, panicked, and much more. They may also be under influence of drugs or alcohol (Mohandie, et. al, 2009). The police shootings can be regarded as suicide-by-cop if the subject delivers verbalized claim of self-destruction, if he has prior desire to die, if he has made any attempts of suicide before, if he is already receiving some form of medical or psychiatric care, if he has lost someone dear and near, if he is under depressing financial issues, if he had a conflicting relationship or some breakage in relationship, if he has lost his job, if he has some health issues, or if his some closer person has problems with law enforcement officials (Pinizzotto, et. al, 2005). Therefore, the people interested in suicide can be identified by their

Reflective Practice in Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflective Practice in Nursing - Essay Example It will make use of Schon’s reflection model. Schon’s theory outlines two different types of reflection that occur at different time phases: reflection on action (Schon 1983) and reflection in action (Schon 1983). ‘Reflection in action’ is often referred to the colloquial phrase as ‘thinking on your feet’ a term used to being able to assess ourselves within a situation, making appropriate changes and still keeping a steady flow in the process. Reflection on action is when reflection occurs after the event. This is where the practitioner makes a deliberate and conscious attempt to act and reflect upon a situation and how it should be handled in the future (Loughran 1996). Nursing practitioners deal with various kinds of people every day, hence they should develop effective communication skills. Timmins (2011) contends that nursing competencies should include knowledge of building â€Å"therapeutic partnerships with their patients and colleagues through safe, effective and non-discriminatory communication, taking account of individual differences, capabilities and needs† (p. 31). This means that they should be resourceful enough in conveying their messages through verbal, non-verbal and written forms to be understood and also also understand people’s needs better. Being adept in active listening and empathic skills as well as reading and expressing non-verbal communication promote the safety and well-being of patients and is most likely to achieve the best outcomes.

SSADM Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

SSADM - Research Paper Example (Structured systems analysis and design method.2007) moreover, the SSADM is a system that helps to examine the information system as, well as to design pertaining system. Since 1980, the SSADM (Structure System Analysis & Design Method) technology was produced for the CCTA. In addition, this technology was related to UK government organizations that implement the SSADM technology. However, â€Å"SSADM† and â€Å"Structured System Analysis and Design Method† is a Registered Trade Marks of Office of Government Commerce (OGC) that is located in the United Kingdom’s Treasury (Great Britain Treasury Central Computer and, Telecommunications Agency, 2000). In order to make possible information system design, the SSADM technology relies on waterfall model to reach the destination. The SSADM can be originate as a core element for defined documented approach regarding system designing and help to evaluate an updated Rapid Application Development procedure such as DSDM. Dur ing development and growth, the SSADM is following a waterfall life cycle model that incorporates physical design stage study. In addition, the analysis stage includes intense association needs in SSADM. From every stage, the users are prepared to sign off guaranteeing that the requirements are satisfied. Furthermore, a number of illustrative representations related to the system are provided to the users in order to ensure better data understanding. The development projects related to the SSADM are further divided into series of phases, units, periods and tasks. Moreover, the data modeling is considered as a first model that is developed in SSADM. 2 SSADM Aims and Objectives In order to identify and classify projects that are suitable for SSADM project management, the SSADM will offer a framework. The SSADM in reality separates the projects that are related to the project development into small elements, project steps and procedures. The objectives of SSADM are mentioned below: Pro ject management is enhanced along with connected institutions. Better and improved usage of both skilled and unskilled employees. Enhanced and important systems are guaranteed. Employees’ loss is considered in all projects. Projects are assisted by computerized tools such as, integrated application engineering systems. A framework is formed for improved communication between the members of project. This framework incorporates all the tools related to the software development life-cycles, production stages and physical application design. 3 SSADM Advantages and Disadvantages SSADM leverages many benefits by using different techniques for determining visibility and capability of information systems. These techniques are considered as one of the major benefits of SSADM. Moreover, the identification of entities along with their relationships established within the system is tested by logical data modeling techniques. Moreover, logical data modeling technique shows changing data f rom its original state to the updated one. Furthermore, it also holds space for entities that are transmitted via routes that manages data flows within the system. Moreover, credentials pertaining to event modeling define the entities and their impact on business information systems. Consequently, these techniques encompassing perspectives and processes provides the most complete and to the point model.

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

Potasium - Essay Example Potassium is a chemical element represented by the symbol K and atomic number 19. Elemental potassium is a silvery-white metal, oxidizes quickly in the air, and reacts with water (Shaposhnik, 2007). During reaction with water, hydrogen is emitted and the heat generated is sufficient to ignite the hydrogen and burns with a lilac flame (Woodford, 2002). Potassium and Lithium are the least dense known metals. Interestingly the composition of the element makes up about 1.5% the earth crust’s weight. It is one of the most common mineral elements though it is rarely found naturally. It is found in crystalline form as feldspars or micas (Woodford, 2002). Roza (2007) ascribed that people used plant ash to make soap. Later on scientists discovered that plant ash is composed of potassium (Roza, 2007). The main applications of potash were the production of glass, soap, bleach, and gunpowder as potassium nitrate. The discovery of potassium chloride mineral deposits in Germany led to the mass production of potassium-containing fertilizers. The humans require this element for proper functioning of the system. There are events that leads to abnormal functioning that relates to deficiency of the element for instance consumption of coffee, alcohol, severe stressing of the body, excess strenuous physical and using potassium-wasting diuretics deprives the system of this element leading to hypokalemia (Roza, 2007; Woodford, 2002). Potassium deficiency leads to muscle weakness, severe fatigue, cardiac arrest, nervous disorders and poor reflexes can occur. Other conditions that influence the risk of hypokalemia include severe vomiting or diarrhea, abuse of laxatives, anorexia or bulimia, Magnesium deficiency and congestive heart failure. Excess potassium in the body could lead to dehydration. The kidneys regulate the concentration of potassium in the body (Roza, 2007; Woodford,

Los Vendidos by Luis Valdez Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Los Vendidos by Luis Valdez - Research Paper Example Though the mood of the play is light hearted or comic, it discusses grave issues that crave great social attention. The play brings to our notice the issues like social injustice, racism and the class segregation where the Americans always expected the Mexicans to rise up to their expectation. This attitude of the Americans is quite evident in the words of the secretary in the play where she demands the kind of robot that walks and behaves in the American fashion. A critical estimate of the play makes one join with the Canadian writer, Ryan McFadden when he rightly observed thus, â€Å"Los Vendidos is a play centred on drawing great attention to the misconstrued stereotypes of Chicanos while covertly ridiculing Americans which in turn successfully brings about conversation and critical thinking of these stereotypes and inspires viewers the opportunity to change their preconceived notions of Chicanos† (McFadden para.1). Therefore, the proposed critical study aims to establish a foresaid statement, that is, the play is a criticism, presented in a satirical way, against the existing social injustice touching the Mexican Americans from the Native Americans. The setting of this one-act play is located at Honest Sancho's Used Mexican Lot and Mexican Curio Shop, a shop located in California that sells various kinds of ‘robots’, stereotypes of Mexicans and Mexican Americans.... The very presentation of the salesman-cum owner, Honest Sancho and the customer, Miss Jimenez, who introduces herself as secretary for Governor Reagan, itself provides enough materials for the audience about the Mexican and Mexican American clash. Jimenez’s reprimand to Sancho’s mispronunciation of her name in ‘bad English’, when he actually used Spanish accent, provides ample evidence for this disagreement. The attitude of the Mexican American to the Mexican is crystal clear at her ignorance to the cultural stereotypes exhibited in that showroom, though belongs to the Chicana or the Mexican American and was actually looking for a ‘Mexican’ type. The satirical note in the play is very notable that the dramatist does not spare even a single chance to criticise dominating mentality of the Americans. Elements of the comedy of manners in Los Vendidos can be especially identified when considering Valdez’s satirizing of his Chicano stock chara cters (Stereotyped, flat characters or caricatures) that fail to conform the conventions of the U.S. society (Vogelmann p.7). The reluctance of the Mexican Americans to mingle with the Mexicans has been shaded in the words of the Secretary when she disagrees with the prospect buying the first two robots. She rejects the first robot which is in the form of the farm worker, just because of the reason that he does not know English, which has an elite part of American culture which the Mexicans lacked. In order to proposes these issues, the dramatist resorts to realistic comedy which really enhances the quality of the presentation, especially the conversation between Sancho and the secretary. According to Vogelmann, â€Å"The most important elements of realistic comedy in Luis Valdez’s acto Los Vendidos are,

Credit Card Fraud in the UK Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Credit Card Fraud in the UK - Research Paper Example In 1946, John Biggins’ introduced the first bank card called â€Å"Charge-It† which allowed account holders at Biggins bank located in Brooklyn to purchase. The bill is forwarded to Biggins and Biggins pay the merchant, then charge their account holders in return. In 1951, the same system was also adopted by Franklin National Bank in New York. Both systems worked the same but use was limited locally. Diners Club Card was introduced through the initiative of Frank McNamara and his partner Ralph Schneider. By 1951, there were about 20,000 cardholders of Diners Club (Woolsey and Gerson, 2009). It was estimated that the cost of credit card fraud in the United States amounts to around US$750-830 million in 2006 alone or globally at 7 cents per $100 transaction (Mercator Advisory Group, 2008). In 2007, it has been reported that estimate of losses caused by credit card fraud reached some $52.6 billion. Credit card fraud is the misuse of a credit card through theft or another payment system through the illegal source of funds with the purpose to obtain funds or goods without bearing the payment. Physical cards may be stolen or identity data and other relevant information may have been compromised to allow the commission of credit card fraud. Usually, the legitimate cardholder may not be aware of the fraud, and neither does the institution that issued the card (Levi, Bissell, and Richardson, 1991). The cardholder may only start to become aware of theft or fraud once a billing statement has been received which is not delivered daily or weekly, but usually every month (Levi, Bisse ll, and Richardson, 1991).

The Caribbean Mosaic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Caribbean Mosaic - Essay Example Before the Cuban Revolution took place, thousands and millions of women and Cuban citizens who had an African descent suffered a lot from social and racial discrimination (Prevost, 2009, p. 138). Due to the unequal educational opportunity between men and women, majority of the women were allowed to work only as a domestic helper and prostitutes. Because of the Cuban people’s desire not only to gain national independence from other countries like the United States and the Soviet Union but also to construct a society that is capable of improving its health and educational program without having the people undergo social problems related to racism and sexism, the Cuban Revolution which applies â€Å"the concept of military organization as a basis for communist revolution† took place (Horowitz, 1998, p. 566). Given that the United States is pro-democratic type of government, the United States has maintained a trade embargo status with Cuba making it illegal for any U.S. cor poration to conduct business transactions in Cuba. As stated in the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992, the United States will continue to maintain trade status until such time that the Cuban regime decided to move towards democratization and high respect for human rights (Department of State - United States of America, 2009). For the past 36 years, the United States has no formal diplomatic changes towards Cuba. For this reason, this study aims to discuss the best US foreign policy applicable with Cuba. Should the US foreign policy towards Cuba remain as the current trade embargo status? Have we reached the point whereby the US foreign policy for Cuba should start lifting up the trade embargo status? As part of going through the main discussion, whether or not the foreign relationship between the United States and Vietnam – which is also a communist state should be considered as a precedent for normalising relations between the United States and

Historical accounts Essay Example for Free

Historical accounts Essay Historical accounts that support the role of globalization in poverty reduction are observed especially during peace time and pro-globalization among countries. There is at least eighty percent of the world population that lived at an inflation-adjusted $1 per day at the onset of wartime in the early nineteenth century (Srinivasan and Wallack 2003). Half century by half century, this level is consistently lowered with drastic improvement in post-war period. However, up to this day, debates continued at the gates of international organizations such as WTO, WB, IMF, etc. Most of the protagonists are still in doubt not on how globalization contributed to economic growth but more importantly how it impacted the poor. These debates are inconsistent with historical accounts that proved globalization as solution to poverty. The impact of globalization on poverty is a matter of time to give way for trickle effects, institutional adjustments and change of perception on traditional beliefs. And so, in the long run, there are fewer questions about the benefits that poor may have from globalization. In this view, protagonists are highly concern on the distance between the deliveries of poverty effects of globalization to the grass root people which are normally the poor with economic growth serving as intermediary. They are primarily concern on how unequal the amount that is delivered and how unfair the delay of those amount. Thus, economic growth is criticized to prioritize the welfare of the well-off sector rather than the welfare of the poor. The preceding statement is especially true when the risks of well-off people are compared with the risks of the poor. The former have ease in searching for employment, has enough liquidity for the delay in the welfare delivery and thus in the position to be doubly happy. On the other hand, the latter is in reverse situation aggravated by subsistence living and exposure to physical hazards and capitalist exploitation making them in absolute despair by lengthy wait for delivery of minimal welfare. A good example is the inequitable income distribution. As industries expand business due to increasing inflow of direct and portfolio capital from abroad, well-off people are prioritized to jobs that are created due to formal education. If they are terminated or walk out of the office in their voluntary preference, they are still on-demand from expanding businesses. In contrast, the poor with little knowledge of how the sector works and little options would feel inferior and thus is willing to take whatever salary, conditions of work and other dictates of their employer. Both their mobility and freedom are taken away. There are several empirical studies that suggest globalization is pro-poor. Besley and Burgess (2003) found that there is a negative relationship between the poverty and income per capita. In monitoring GDP growth and poverty on a twenty-year frame from 1980 to 2000, Deaton (2001) concluded that economic growth is responsible to poverty reduction in India. China, which is referred to as an economic giant awaken by foreign direct investments, is quoted by Park and Wang (2001) to have drastically eradicated rural poverty since 1998. To evidence that the role of globalization is not only limited to income aspect, poor nations in Africa showed high levels of lowered poverty during the 1990s elevated by consequently addressing issues of mortality, education and AIDS epidemic. According to Besley and Burgess (2003), economic growth is only possible when three resources are present; namely, physical capital, human capital and technological change. This is illustrated in many ways. As the poor gain equal knowledge as the well-off, the former salary will increase and thus get both of them in equal footing in terms of income. As newer technologies primarily in agriculture increase the yield of the poor, their incomes as well as capitalist tendencies will simultaneously benefit. There is even a surplus harvest to attend their nutritional demands and less risk that a natural calamity will make this positive situation short-lived. As road infrastructure takes over the rural and farm areas, access to larger markets and faster economic activity will further improve the situation of the poor. These three sources of economic growth can be done minimally by the national and local government due to the vicious cycle of being a poor nation. With globalization, deficient funding will not be a hindrance to provide sources of economic growth due to inflow of capital. Accepting the argument that economic growth is indeed a good middleman to improve the welfare of the poor from globalization, the global community must have an average annual economic growth of 3. 8% by 2015 with lowest demand growth from Eastern Europe and Central Asia and highest demand growth from Sub-Saharan Africa (Besley and Burgess 2003). Eminent in the work of Srinivasan and Wallack (2003) is that globalization must be coupled with redistribution such as price support and public services to the poor. On the other hand, Besley and Burgess (2003) specifically defined their preference on the term redistribution through income distribution. They argued that the volatility of income distribution among developing countries is very minimal. Thus, the impact of globalization on the poor sector is loomed by increasing the average income of the population. In the study of Dollar and Kraay (2001), it is found that globalizing large economies of the developing world are characterized by large rise in trade and large fall in tariff barriers starting in 1980s. Economic growth compared to 1970s is higher for the following decade through 1990s. However, even with this figures, non-globalizing developing countries that are small did not gain the same success of their large economy counterparts. On the positive side, the welfare of the poor in respect to level of income is argued to have regression relevance with the level of trade. This study supported the role of globalization to poverty reduction and the effectiveness of economic growth to deliver the necessary benefits to industries, sectors and public at large. Still, the minority of small countries that may not have the sufficient market as well as institutional backbone to exploit large foreign capital inflows are hoping for the miracles of globalization. Conclusion Would I support Globalization in terms of growth? The answer is relative and as much as we would like to place straightforward answer we cannot. It is hard to generalize the behavior of developed countries towards transition economies. The overlapping issue is that the former is offering the latter with the chance to achieve the former economic status without going through historical hardships which can include war. This is an offer that is hard to give away especially that most governments of transition economies are administered by older people. In addition, inability to integrate relations to world affairs at least partially would make the transitional country weak against global shocks, external feud and addressing of internal objectives. To this view, globalization is for growth since it encourages transitional economies to join the globalization wave to improve national economy. On the flip side, it is rational for the leaders of transitional economies to make a well-prepared and if not rigid bilateral and multilateral agreements with trading partners. This is true especially when its internal resources are vulnerable to adverse spill-over effects of globalization. It is a conservative but helpful to view these treaties as anti-growth particularly on quality of life, history and well-being of the nation’s identity. Internal resources do not only include people, places and things but also intangible resources like ideologies and memories. Globalization serves as intervening if not modifying mechanisms to status quo of these components. As a result, to be able to protect the non-economic growth of several national treasures and resources, seeing globalization as anti-growth to internal well-being is valid. References Besley, Timothy J, Burgess, Robin (2003). Halving global poverty. Journal of economic perspectives, 17(3), 3-22. David Dollar, Aart Kraay (2004) Trade, Growth, and Poverty* The Economic Journal 114 (493), F22–F49 Deaton, Angus. (2001a), â€Å"Counting the World’s Poor’s Problems and Possible Solutions,† World Bank Research Observer, 16(2), 125-47. Park, A. and S. Wang (2001), â€Å"China’s Poverty Statistics,† China Economic Review, 23, 384-95. Srinivasan, T. N.? Wallack, J. S. ,â€Å"Globalization,Growthandthe Poor†,in De Economist, 152 (2), 2004, p. 251

Diversity management

Diversity management Evaluate how diversity management could have more impact within organisations? Diversity management is one of the most sensitive issues that an organisation has to go through. However, it can be rewarding if it is managed successfully. Diversity can cover many issues such as educational background, lifestyle, ethnicity, age, disability and gender. The purpose of this essay is to evaluate how diversity management could have more of an impact within organisations. Redman and Wilkinson (2001), implies that â€Å"managing diversity refers to the systematic and planned commitment on the part of organisation to recruit and retain employees from diverse demographic backgrounds.† The definition by Redman and Wilkinson suggests by planning, organisations will be able to create a good working environment for their employees from different backgrounds. In order to structure my essay I will begin by writing about the legislations that are involved in both diversity management and equal opportunity. Following up by writing about both equal opportunities and diversity management and why should different organisation adopts this approach Both diversity management and equal opportunity began as a result of various incidents. Discrimination was a common theme within organisations. The Sex Discrimination Act (1975) has had a huge impact in the reduction of discrimination amongst males and females. This legislation improved equality within the organisation especially for women. According to Torrington, et al. (2005) the participation of females in the workplace has increased from 56.8 per cent to 72 per cent (between 1971 to 2001). The legislation has also benefited males, allowing males to pursue â€Å"female jobs† i.e. midwife. Age discrimination can also be common in the work place especially during the later stage of the individuals career. Employees get forced to retire so other young workers can take their place. Young workers are also being discriminated against. A lot of employers believe younger workers are not as loyal as older workers. The Age Discrimination Act helps to minimise any prejudice. The Disability Act has also had a large impact within organisations. Torrington, et al. (2005) explains that disabled workers are less likely to be hired compared to their able-bodied counterpart. Disability discrimination is often overlooked by organisations. Some organisations believe it is not as important as other discrimination laws. Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations (2003) have also been put in place to help diminish discrimination against ethnic minority. This encourages equality in regards to recruitment. These legislations have allowed organisation to be more aware of discrimination. This was one of the key reasons for the increase in globalisation. Globalisation is the cause of diversity trends, this is clearly monitored by the increase in the â€Å"number of women and members of ethnic minority groups†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.., Additionally, the age profile of the working population is changing,† (Redman and Wilkinson (2001)). This suggests that the age of employees working is on the increase. The quotation also suggests that organisations are opening up to women and members of ethnic minority. This indicates two points. The First point illustrates organisations are hiring male/ female, older/ young workers, disabled workers, and people from ethnic backgrounds due to the positive contribution that they can make into the organisation. The second point is organisations only hire male/ female, older/ young workers, disabled workers, and people from ethnic backgrounds due to the legislations. There are various legislations which influence organisations see appendix 1 for the legislations. Northumbria-police-authority (2009) Point one indicates the organisation believes in managing diversity. Diversity management is very important to businesses, managing it right or wrong could either lead to the success or failure of that business. Hence it has a major impact on the organisation. According to Armstrong (2006) â€Å"managing diversity is about ensuring all people maximize their potential and their contribution to the organization.† This suggests that by valuing diversity there will be a positive effect on the organisation as employees will bring their diverse knowledge into the organisation i.e. experience or fresh ideas. Redman and Wilkinson (2001) stated in their book ‘Contemporary Human Resource Management the general principles of managing diversity, that one of the principles (TO WHAT) was â€Å"given current shortage of labour effective use of diverse skills make good business sense†. This point was perfectly demonstrated during world war two when the men were out at war. Business had to hire female workers to take their place, in order for them to survive. This is a perfect example of diversity management in practice. WW2 is a prime example of how important it is to have a diverse workforce. Having a diverse work force is still important to this very day. It is important from a legal requirement as well as an objective (because it allows the business to move forward). There are various other reasons, why organisation incorporate diversity into the organisation as mentioned later. There are a range of advantages for diversity management. It enables good decision making within an organisation. Seba cultuurmanagement (2004) shares a similar view believing that â€Å"studies of diversity in organizations have shown that an exposure to diverse colleagues helps managers make better decisions†. IKEA can relate to this statement, IKEA is based all around the world, meaning the ideas which revolves in the organisation is the combination of different cultures. MJ, Browaeys and R, Price (2008) backs the statement of Seba, in which they mention a diverse organisation â€Å"as being more flexible and open to new ideas† by being more open to suggestions this will reflect on to the customers not only will they come up with new ideas but they will meet (Browaeys and R, Price (2008)) â€Å"customers needs† this will result in (Seba cultuurmanagement (2004)) â€Å"increase market share† due to â€Å"an increasingly diverse customer base.† The BBC is good at increasing a diverse customer base due to their diversity policy. Their scheme includes taking care of all types of workers i.e. disable workers, male/female, older/ young workers, disable worker, and a person from an ethnic background. All of this is achieved thanks to their diversity management. Out of all of the diversities, Disability is the most undermined diversity by organisations. However, the BBC are the opposite because the encourage and employee disabled workers. They also have TV programmes underlining the importance of disability. They have several experts in sign language, who assist (by helping people hard of hearing), on different programs such as the news. They also clearly layout their diversity message on the BBC website for all to see (BBC 2009). A journal article by C. W. Von Bergen et al, indicates another advantage of having diversity, within the article it declares that â€Å"researchers who have studied top management team diversity have found that they experienced more positive financial returns than more homogeneous teams†. This links to the advantage above. As the increase in the customer base increase so will the financial rewards. Further down the article C. W. Von Bergen et al also mentions â€Å"For tunes 1999 list of Americas 50 Best Companies for Asians, Blacks and Hispanics out per formed the SP 500 over three- and five-year periods† this clearly indicates how important diversity is to any organisation. Another important advantage of diversity management in organisations is attracting new talent as well as retaining current staff. One Workplace Equal Rights (2009) also agrees with diversity management â€Å"recruiting and retaining people from a wide talent base.† The wide talent base indicates the future consists of applicants from different ethnic backgrounds as well as disabled people. This is what diversity management is all about giving everyone a fair chance. The advantages clearly demonstrate why managing diversity is beneficial to any organisation. So applying managing diversity is crucial and there are various ways of managing diversity but the MOSAIC model is one of the most essential models. According to Redman, T and Wilkinson, A (2006), â€Å"Kandola and Fullerton (1994) suggested managing diversity must pervade the entire organisation if it is to be successful.† For this they came up with â€Å"MOSAIC vision†. CIPD (2009) gave a definition of MOSAIC in which they write about the meaning of MOSAIC and what each letter stands for See appendix 2. Firstly they illustrated that mosaic is a strategic tool to â€Å"map your own organisation against this vision and to identify priority areas for your diversity strategy.† They also mention ‘vision, suggesting a picture of a diverse organisation this statement is suggesting MOSAIC helps to look at the current strategy in diversity and helps it improve by construct ing a new policy. The other effective way of applying diversity is through training. Yawen Lai and Brian H. Kleiner (2001) defined â€Å"Diversity training is the process by which a work force is educated about cultural, socio-economic, racial and religious differences among employees and taught how to embrace those differences†. Tthis is similar to Kandola and Fullertons views on diversity management. The most important phrase on the statement is â€Å"process†. This is because employees are required to learn about diversity so diversity becomes one of the top priorities within the organisation. Diversity Training Group (2004) mentions â€Å"Top 10 Reasons Diversity Training Programs Succeed† . It is written by Mauricio Velà ¡squez, and gives 10 principles on effective diversity training. See appendix 3. Diversity management has a good impact on businesses, but it is in no use if the organisations dont conduct diversity in the right way. An example of this is if HR is not involved. In terms of business cases, it is very important that diversity management gets integrated with HR policies and practices. Many, if not all the advantages of diversity management will be successful if they get the backing of HR and the Senior Management. Redman and Wilkinson (2006) indicates â€Å"HR professionals have a wide range of tools available to them for changing the attitudes and the behaviour of their organisations employees.† Form this statement it clearly indicates that HR are influential in the running of the organisation. With the tools HR can attract and retain staff. This example specifically determines how important it is to have HR involved in thriving towards the success of diversity management. A prime example is IKEA. IKEA is a very successful organisation and diversity has played a vital role. IKEA they implemented diversity management during the opening of their first store in Belfast. They demonstrated it by (Business communities 2009) â€Å"the fact that it provides translation for non-UK applicants, both at the recruitment stage and during the induction process†. These polices also helped future employees to reach full potential. Due to HR the policies were successful as HR were involved during the recruitment process. Furthermore IKEA (Business communities 2009) â€Å"continuously promotes cultural diversity through culture and development days.† This process consists of the staff being made aware of the companys diversities ethos during induction. For managers and supervisors there are (Business communities 2009) â€Å" mandatory workshops†. This leads to the staff rating the fairness of their managers, and these ratings are included in the salary review. This process shows IKEAs intentions on diversity management. The Belfast IKEA store was a success it attracted (Business communities 2009) â€Å"3,000 applications were received for 400 jobs†. The diversity work had also dropped the turnover to a low â€Å"9%.† Also, â€Å"external bodies such as Disability Action, Princes Trust and local employability groups† recognised there polices. IKEA also did an advertising campaign on diversity (advertolog 2009) which they called â€Å"long live Diversity†. The number of applicants indicates that if diversity management is done in a right way the organisations reputation will increase resulting in attracting new employees, retaining staff and finally bringing in new customers. Earlier I mentioned two points. The second point relates to Equal Opportunities. Kirton and Greene (2000) said â€Å"equal opportunity exists when all individuals are enabled freely and equally to compete for social category.† Further on Kirton and Greene 2000 mention that people should have the same treatment within the organisation regardless of the individuals social category i.e. gender, disability, age and etc. Equal opportunities can be seen as a free market where everyone is allowed to apply for any jobs and not be discriminated against. A prime example is Torrington, et al. 2005. They say that a selection procedure will not be influenced by stereotypical characteristics. They say â€Å"women will not be prepared to work away from home due to family commitments, that a person with disability will have more time off sick† these are not proven facts but due to these stereotypes many disable workers and women will be discriminated against. This is the reason why equal opportunities legislations are in action. Appendix 1.Northumbria-police-authority (2009) these laws are there to provide a â€Å"level playing field† (Torrington, et al. 2005) for all workers. The legislation ensures that all workers are not at a disadvantage and gives importance to those workers in order for them to compete with other applicants, i.e. â€Å"British Rail has given members of minority groups extra coaching and practice in a selection test for train drivers, as testing taking was not part of their culture† (Torrington, et al. (2005). Equal opportunities will also apply during job advertisement. Organisation will need to be careful of what they write on the job advert, according to an article written by business wings (2009) also agrees with my statement for example â€Å"Avoid stating any requirements that are not directly related to the job such as the candidates marital status or race†. It is very important for the or ganisation not to break the law as there could be hefty penalties as well as the decimation of their reputation. There are various positive to equal opportunities in terms of business case. Redman, T and Wilkinson, A (2006) mentions â€Å"in 1995 the equal opportunities commission launched a campaign to highlight business case for equal opportunities†. This helps link the equal opportunity to organisational goals. One of the positives of equal opportunities is that it brings out the best of HR. It also brings in new business ideas with more diverse work force there would be more ideas generated within the organisation. Kandola and Fullerton (1998) wrote in their book that equal opportunity has changed in recent years. They say â€Å"There is more concern for the business case†. The reason being, organisation look to enhance the profits and reputation, and equal opportunities is one of the important polices that would achieve this. Above is one of the various reasons why businesses integrate equal opportunity and only follow the minimum legal frame work. The foundations of organisations follow the minimum legal frame work that is needed. This is due to the fact that organisations are not simply big enough and do not acquire the resource to carry out diversity management. HR department is one of the vital resources that small organisation lack, HR is a very important asset to an organisation but it is also very costly and the reason why small organisations do not have HR. Another reason why businesses only follow the minimum requirement is the lack the support from Senior Management. For example, a line manger may like to bring in diversity management into the organisation, but due to saving cost or other reasons the Senior Management will reject that proposal. One of the key reasons why organisations follow the minimum obligation is due to the disadvantages of conducting diversity management. One of the disadvantages is means of communicating (CIPD 2009); with different cultures working together they all have different ways opinions, therefore creating conflict within the organisation. It is also difficult when one of the workers has a disability i.e. difficult to speak, this will slow the work down which results in low morale in the workplace. In conclusion, after writing about the diversity management I have realised that it is very important to peruse with diversity management as there are great rewards to be achieved both for the employee and the organisation. Core legal obligation is not the way forward. It is a short term answer to a long term issue. Even with disadvantages of diversity management in mind, the positive outweighs the negative. For example IBM started off by applying minimum obligation in their â€Å"Diversity 1.0† scheme they followed this up by â€Å"diversity 2.0† and now â€Å"Diversity 3.0† (IBM 2009). Then they realised that they could obtain creativity and harmony through diversity management. They believed that a diverse work force can be an advantage â€Å"for innovation†. They also mention â€Å"Our diversity is a competitive advantage and consciously building diverse teams helps us drive the best results for our clients.† (IBM 2009). IBM is one of many examp les of organisations moving towards diversity management hence realising how diversity management impact on the organisation. It is therefore important for all organisations to adopt diversity in order to stay competitive HTTP://WWW.DIVERSITYATWORK.NET/EN/EN_IMPLEMENTING.HTM http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HR022

Films As A Form Of Mass Media Media Essay

Films As A Form Of Mass Media Media Essay When was the last time we spent without media. From the time we get up till we go to bed some form of media is being a part of us. One of the very early and important aspects of communication began with the research in mass media and its influence on public. Such kind of researches began in late nineteenth century and 20th century. The Birmingham center undertook cultural studies analysis on audience. They propagated the idea that the socio-economic life-situation of the audience, their education, class, caste, gender, ethnic and language position had to serve as environment to understand the meaning they make of the media products. In the 1990s Straut Hall redefined the Media Product function in terms of its being a structure of dominance in culture. Todays society is one that is shaped and molded by the mass media. Basically, culture is nothing more than a product of the mass media. However there was significant change in this field of cultural studies in the year 1980s to 1990s, which dealt with the complication of the model of culture as a site of hegemonic contestation between the dominant and the subordinate group. The theories related to culture and communication have depicted how the locations of distinct social groups affects their communication with the hierarchy of location (of the social group) been categorized on the basis of color, class, genders and sexual orientation. This led to the study of these minority groups differently. The revolution and upheaval in the sixties and seventies included a vibrant sexual revolution aided by the feminist movement. It was one of the turning points for the study of queer theory and culture. This change in the cultural studies in general and homosexuality in particular came with the emergence of radical interpretation of queer theory which originated from gay and lesbian studies as a post-modern interpretation of h omosexuality. Prior to the coining of the term queer theory, the study of deviant sexuality was called as gay and lesbian studies. 1.1 MASS MEDIA Mass media is a form of media which is addressed for large audiences (masses). It can be any form of media, broadcast such as television or radio, films, print media such as newspapers, magazines, pamphlets etc. In todays generation internet media can also be considered as mass media because most these existing Medias use internet media to have an advantage of the available medium in many regions of the world. This medium can be termed as the interactive media. To understand mass media first and important step is to understand communication. (Biagi, 1992) Communication is defined as an act of sending or receiving or understanding messages or meaning when delivered from one person to another. When communication is defined in relevance to mass media it can be called as a centralized form of communication. Wallace.C.Fortheringham A process of involving the selection, production, and transmission of signs in such a way as to help a receiver perceive a meaning similar to that in the mind of the communicator. (Andal.N, 1998) Communication through mass media is known as mass communication. Mass communication means using a form of mass media to deliver messages immediately to a large group of people. Mass media today has become one of the popular media as it focuses on the prominent stories which will be of interest to the general public audiences. It is a huge industry as many people all over the world rely on it for some purpose or the other. Mass media today has become one of the most critical parts of human societies. Understanding mass media usually is a process of understanding a population and its culture. These are the tools of large scale manufactures and the distribution of information and related messages. Medium is the message. (Marshall, 1964). This means that mass media are technologies but they are also messages. Todays modern mass media have several functions similar to those fulfilled by the traditional media in some ancient societies. Western modern theorist such as Denis McQuail identified the three major functions of a mass media that is 1) surveivallance of environment 2) interpretation of the information and 3) transmission of heritage. But in todays generation mass medias major functions are information, entertainment, advertising and development. (Dennis, 1998) Though these may be the functions of mass media it does not necessarily mean that audience will perceive mass media for the same reasons. In the book The Play Theory of Mass Communication, William Stephenson argues that fun is both the greatest impact and also the public service of the mass media. So for few mass media might be for time-fillers, for some to fulfill their psychological and social needs, few for information and entertainment. This means that people will perceive media the way they want and according to their likes. Mass media in India has been a major aspect of the society. Its here that media is not consumed for one particular purpose but it is consumed for all, such as information, television, controversies, news, gossips, and chats, psychological or any other. Indian mass media industry has very well understood the societies mind set and they accordingly produce the media products. Its only here where the traditional forms of communication still exist and it also considered being a mass media, example: Folk media. 1.2 EFFECTS OF MASS MEDIA Media effects mean different things to different people, for example for a psychologist effects will mean psychological, for a socialist it will be social so in this way effects differs from person to person. Effects can be classified in various types and gradations as short-term, long-term or deep, profound or superficial. Whoever says the first word to the world is always right said Joseph Goebbels, a mass communication practitioner of odious capability. (Klapper, 1960) . Mass communication is highly effective in creating attitudes on newly arisen or newly evoked issues and that the point of view first expressed will prevail over later persuasive communication in the country. Media effects have been debated and researched for decades together. The mass media has become such an important aspect and an everyday part of the society that many fail to realize the immense impact created by it on the society, aspects such as political, economic and cultural. Mass media today make peoples mind more stereotype and ideological. They do not let people have their own perception about the world rather they make public perceive what they think. For example the transgender. Medias portrayal of transgender has always been comical, tragic or untouchables due to which the society also disagrees to accept them as a part of them. This concept is called as the agenda setting. Media creates an agenda and puts its straight into the publics head and does not allow them to rethink over any of the information provided by it. The work by Harold Lasswell World Outside and the Picture Inside which was the reason for the emerge of the theory agenda setting also says; what public has in mind is totally different from the actual aspects. Walter Lippmann and Boas research on media says that media was biased and subjective and not objective. But at the same time media has positive effects on the societies also. Its only because of mass media the world has come clo ser and international and national information are reaching every region of the world. Media effects are in two ways 1) the individual effects and the societal effects. Today people spend more time in interacting with mass media. Of the approximately 40 hours per week of free time available to average person, 15 hours or 38 percent are spent watching television said Robinson and Goodbey 1997:126. (Ryan Wentworth, 1999). This is more time when compared to the other hobbies or outdoor activities of a human being in their free time. Because people spend much of the time with mass media there evolves an emotional involvement and those are often coined to be negative. As these individual effects are difficult to show empirically. In this same way are the societal effects, where media impact is straight on the society itself and our social world. But these societal effects are easier to see than the individual effects. Media effects can be both positive and negative effects. Media plays a major role in changing the public opinions because they have major access to people and this eventually gives a lot of strength to media. This strength can either be used in a positive way as in educating people or in an unconstructive way by misleading the innocent people. Media has the power to transform the whole society especially in developing countries it can become a weapon of mass destruction. For example : 26/11 Bombay attack media played both positive role in informing the society about second to second happenings of the attack at the same time media also played a role of creating confusion for the government and helping the terrorist with information. Media men have access to people and they have an audience. 1.3 FILMS AS A FORM OF MASS MEDIA The motion picture today is the greatest medium of expression the world has ever known. [It is] capable of giving life and form to all ideas, practical and emotional Its only limitation [is] human ingenuity-said by John.F.Kennedy, A.S.C, 1930. (Sanders Norris, 2001). John.F.Kennedy was an inventor and an American cinematographer. Another footprint in the sand of communication is after the invention of films. Cinema or film a form of Mass Media has become a powerful tool since the day it was introduced to the world. Cinematographic derived from the Greek word meaning movement and writing was invented by the Lumeire Brothers. In 1929, The Lights of Newyork the first talking film was screened. Cinema came to India in 1986, when the film Pundalik directed by R.G.Torney and N.C.Chitra was released in 18th may. The film industry has grown rapidly for the past years and has brought about a lot of changes in the society. Film Communication a process of transferring meanings or informations trough visual receptors. It is a man who creates this form of communication. There exists a cognitive relationship between a filmmaker and a viewer. Cinema is perhaps the mainstreams of all art forms and most accessed and most preferred especially in India. Therefore, it is very important to understand how the country, its people and its aspirations are represented in the cinema. Cinemas can be a form of art, entertainment, social document or critique. Film is a reflection of society for both the present and the past. Film and its innovation sometimes have to catch up to society but sometimes it leads the society and culture too. Lot of studies have been made on the impact of films on the societies culture but however there were a significant changes in the field of cultural studies in the 1980s and the 1990s which dealt with the complications of the model of culture as a site of hegemonic contestation between dominant and the subordinate groups. In todays system of movie making each of the six major studios makes less than 20 movies per year. The rest comes from individual producers, investment, distributors, exhibition each handled by different companies. Most of these independent movies are distributed by the six studios. Film as one such form of mass media has a great impact on the societies in many ways. Film industry is one of the most expensive and discovering industry in mass media. In true sense it is a dream industry. Today movies are created by one group, funded by the second group, sold by the third group and shows by the fourth group. The first group is producers, directors, second group are investors, third are distributors and the final group the exhibitors. Todays generation films have handled a lot of controversial topic has a main plot in this movies. Topics such as religion, terror attacks, transgender, homosexuality, child labor, poverty etc. Movies have actually brought to the world an idea about all the above through their stories and concepts. But at the same time they idealize or generalize few things for the profit sake and public believes it and it finally becomes a stereotype process. This majorly happens in Indian cinemas as most of the stories relate to the audience, if not the story at least segment of it will. Indian movies have a better impact on the audience compared to other movies because it is only in this country people go to the theatre as a practice, habit , sometimes even for information. 1.4 A BRIEF HISTORY OF INDIAN CINEMA (quote) The first and the foremost Indian film show occurred in1896 in July 7th just few months after the Lumiere brothers introduced the art of cinematography in 1895 in Paris. Western Film makers started to take movies such as Fair (1897), Our Indian empire (1897), A Panaroma of Indian Scenes and Procession (1898), and Poona Races 98 (1898), by using Indias exotic culture and its scenery. The first Indian film made by an Indian was Wrestlers by Harischandra S.Bhatyaddekhar in 1899.Harischandra S.Bhatyadekhar is also popularly known as Sava Dada. In 1905 the Elphinstone Bioscope company was established by J.F.Madan, who mainly the first businessman who first envisaged the business opportunity in the Indian film industry. Elphinstone Bioscope Company showed mainly western movies. The first Indian feature film , Pundalik was made in 1912 as a result of growing demand from the audience to see Indian characters on screen. But it was shot by English man and it never really received the acclaim of being an independent feature film. In 1931 the first Indian talkie was made Alam Ara which was a costumed drama of fantasy and songs and was a big success. Soon after this music and fantasy was seen as a vital element of filmic experience. For example: In 1932 Indrasabha has about 70 songs. This was the era when music became a vital part of the industry. Then fascination for social themes aroused and also interplay of tradition with modernization was included in the film making process.by the time of 1940s cinematography played a major role in Indian movies and was a great deal of westernization in the Indian popular cinema along with other features such as dance , fantasy etc. It was during this time that India was going through an economic and cultural changes and religion played a major role in the movies as well as the country. It was this time when directors and actors such like Bimal Roy, Raj Kapooe, Guru Dutt, V Santaram, Mehaboob Khan became popular in both India as well as abroad. The popular cinema art established a form of art , entertainment and industry in 1950s.It was during this period movies such as Awara (The Vagabond, 1951), Pyaasa (Thrist,1957), Kaagaz Ke Phool (Paper Flower, 1959), Shree 420 (Mr., 420, 1955), Mother India (1957), The Apu Trilogy by Sathyajit Ray consisting of Pather Panchali (Song of Road,1955), Aparajito (The Unvanquished, 1956) and Apu Sansar (The World of Apu, 1959) came out. In 1960, the Film Finance Corporation, which was later formed as National Film Development Corporation, for Financing and exporting films was established and by 1961 Film Institute of Pune was started. By 1985 Indian cinema became totally commercialized and few of those movies are Aradhana (1969), Bobby (1973) and Sholay (1975).While movies of 70s seen a lot of politics and social trends movies of 80s saw a violence in the cinema. By the end of 19th century and the beginning of 20th love, affection, passion became a major portion of the cinema and most of the movies were around this plot. Movies such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) , Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge ( 1995 ) , Dil to Pagal hai (1997). Today Indian cinema has become more modernized and advanced in technology and with the script and the plot. 1.5 BOLLYWOOD CINEMA Cinema, one Indian film critic has summarized as temples of India (Gupta, 1981) .They are designed to seduce monumental spaces, gleam with light and color, vestibules are plastered with posters of gods and goddess and red carpet Exide desire and wantonness. Devotees come in huge number to take worship, to take darshan at the shrine of the new image, the oneiric image that will create their new gods and even new images. The growth of Indian cinema is obvious from its statistics: 800 films per year shown in more than thirteen thousand urban cinemas, viewed by about 11 million people every day and exported to about 100 countries. Between 1913 and 1981 more than 15 thousand movies were produced in India. Dadasaheb produced the first Indian film Raja Harishchand.In 1983 it was Indias sixth largest industry , grossing around 600$ annually and employees around 300 thousand workers. The first ever movie to be screened in India was in Watsons Hotel in Bombay on the 7th of July 1986. Cinema remains the cultural dominant of India, its sole model of national unity. (Chakravathy, 1993).The structure of the film is therefore designed in to accommodate deep fantasies belonging to extraordinary varied group of people, from illiterate workers to sophisticated urbanities. India is a large country with almost 180 official languages. Films are made in almost 30 of the official languages but among them few are very famous and commercialized. Those languages are Hindi, Tami, Malayalam, Kanada, Bengali; Telugu. This is a great deal of mobility in the Indian film industry. Having established their talent in the regional industry many have travelled and worked in both national as well as international industries, For example: A.R.Rahaman. This industry has spawned countless fan magazines consumed by an ever-widening community of national and diaspora readers. Even in the flourishing are of television, both local and cable, the impact of cinema is present everywhere. Indian cinema nursed a feeling of not being up to the standards of European or Hollywood cinema, not really world class. But with the international recognition of Sathyajit Rays Pather Panchali in Venice (1956) a sense of liberation aroused leaving aside the feeling of inferiority. Moreover since the movie hailed not only as good film but as great Indian film, Indian cinema became aware of the Indians. Among all the above Bollywood industries performance is on the top and its have more percentage of audience compared to others regional languages. Bollywood has its reach all over the country because majority of the people know Hindi in the country. In the context of Indian commercial cinemas basically Hindi cinemas or Bombay cinemas is the largest player. Bombay cinemas have seen to transcended class and also linguistic difference by emphatically stressing and Myths on Indian social survive in spite of the changes. (Raina, 1986). Bollywood fame at the moment is not limited only in South Asia but is also spread far across the ocean. Besides Asia, Bollywood movies are released in east Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Britain, Canada, Australia, the United States and the other countries. People in the east as well as in the west recognize the Bollywood faces like Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai. The dominance of Bollywood stars in the advertising world indicates the popularity of Bollywood. In previous days, Bollywood was famous for its music and dancing, but these days it is famous for the good and sensitive movies. Many Bollywood movies have explored various social issues such as child marriage, polygamy, dowry system, castes and terrorism. 1.6 HOMOSEXUALS Homosexuals or homosexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction between members of the same gender or sex. It is one of the three main categories of sexual orientation along with the bisexual and heterosexuality. Scientific and medical understanding is that sexual orientation is not only the choice but also due to complex interplay of the biological and environmental factors. Today there are many who still holds the fact that homosexuality is unnatural or dysfunctional, many research has shown that homosexuality is an example of normal variation in human sexuality and not a source of psychological effects. The most common terms for homosexuals are lesbians and gays. Lesbians are mentioned for females and gays for males though gay is also used to refer generally to both homosexuals males and females sometimes. These relationships are equivalent to heterosexuals in the same essential psychological respects. Since the movement of the 19th century, there has been a movement towards increased visibility recognition ad legal rights for homosexual people including the rights to marriage and civil unions and parenting, employment, and the introduction to the anti-bullying legislation to protect LGBT minors. LGBT a community in help for the minorities. LGBT expansion is lesbians, gays, bi-sexual and transgender. In use since 1990 the term LGBT is an adaptation of LGB which was a phrase replacing the gay community in late 1980s.This LGBT has become a main stream and has been adopted by many of the English speaking countries? LGBT is generally used to refer the non-heterosexual people or cisgender instead of exclusively to homosexual, lesbians and transgender. The stereotype images about lesbians, gays, and the LGBT people are conventional, generalizations or the opinion created through images or Medias portrayal. A negative stereotype is often a result of homophobia where as positive stereotype also exists but they might still be harmful or hurtful. Kinseys colleague and biographer, Wardell Pomeroy reports that : By the end of 1940 he had recorded more than 450 homosexual histories, enough to convince him that the psychologists were making matters worse by starting with the assumption that homosexuality was an inherited abnormality which could not be cured simply because it was inherent. Kinsey was convinced that there was absolutely no evidence of inheritance. (Pomeroy, 1972) Two theories are related to homosexuality. As in what causes the basic homosexuality attraction. First is that it is oriented by biological and genetic factors to put it in simple term they are born gays or lesbians. The other theory is that they are oriented due to social or environmental factors. In the public sphere later theory has appeared to be in decline and the former gaining favor in the recent decades. American Psychiatric Association, according to them until 1974 homosexuality was a mental illness. Freud had in fact mentioned about homosexuality several times in his writings and he has also concluded that homosexuality and paranoia are inseparable. And since many psychiatrists wrote copiously on the subject, it was treated on a wide basis. Homosexuals have not received proper treatment from the society before and now also. They have been abused in many ways including physical abuse. Hostility and discrimination against homosexual individuals are well-established facts. (Beril, 1990). In fact, more than 90% of gay men and lesbians report being targets of verbal abuse or threats, and more than one-third report being survivors of violence related to their homosexuality. 1.7 MEDIAS POTRAYAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY There are a variety of ways that the media affects and tracks the attitudes that the public has toward homosexuals. (Anderson, Fakhfakh, Kondylis, 1999). Media portrayal of homosexuality people ranges from both positive to negative aspects. The gay community is battling with the negative image and is trying its level best to overcome the stereotypes the television, films and other media have created. Because LGBT people look alike and just like anyone else the media often adds images to make the gay community visible as a difference in skin color, behavior, attitude, habits etc. In many form of entertainment gay are portrayed as promiscuous, flashy and incredibly bold. In recent day there is a huge wide spread views that gays should be omitted from child entertainment which invariably creates controversies. The people in the media were criticizing homosexuals as if there are no homosexual partnerships that exist with simply two people who love each other as in a heterosexual relationship. Most of the homosexual relationships are open and honest it is just that media does not focus on them as they are catering their interest in increasing homophobia by their representation of homosexuals in the news they air , television or films. When homosexuals are portrayed on network television they are usually presented in a negative stereotypical way. (Wood, 1996).However some form of representation of homosexuality which is immediate and economical is required in order to show the exact gayness to the audience. It is often not very practical to portray characters sexuality through narrative or any other form so media starts to rely on the typification. Gay typification makes people visible to the viewer and keeps the homosexuality if the character present throughout the text or the content. So wh ich are clearly both advantages and disadvantages to this form of typification. 1.8 HOMOSEXUALITY IN BOLLYWOOD MOVIES With all of the current media coverage homosexuals are receiving it should come as no surprise that more and more gay characters and gay-themed movies are emerging from Bollywood. These characters and movies often tend to fully personify the Homosexual stereotypes that exist in our society today. Many gay-themed movies have made their way into the lime-light and gay characters are popping up in dozens of mainstream movies. By looking closely at these movies and characters we can see the different messages Bollywood is now sending out about gays. Though homosexual stereotypes are emerging in the movie industry, the stereotypes being generated are extremely different from one another. The gay-themed movies often create one picture of homosexuals, while mainstream movies tend to paint an entirely different picture. Gays are portrayed in perceivably negative ways in some movies and in others their characteristics are emphasized in a positive light and in few in a comical way. Mainstream movies, nowadays, often include minor characters that are gay. With the addition of so many minor, gay characters, endless stereotypes abound in these mainstream movies. Unfortunately, mainstream movies often focus on the negative stereotypes that have already been generated by society, thereby furthering the impact they have on peoples views towards gays. The movies focus on surface-level aspects of homosexuals like the way they act, look, and talk. Most often the movies dont delve into the deeper sides of these characters, thereby sending the message that gays are one dimensional. One strong example of stereotypes in mainstream movie is Dostana. With all the conflicting stereotypes of gays in movies today, it is extremely important that people step back and look at the big picture. They should view some of the lesser-known gay-themed movies so they are presented with a more real look at homosexuals. Too often people try to peg homosexuals as definitively acting one way or another, and if we only view movies that perpetuate stereotypes than our personal ideas of homosexual behavior will most likely remain. Instead, it is important for people to understand that, outside of who they sleep with; gays are no different from everyone else. The movies selected are Dostana, Fire, Dono Y and Girlfriend. All the above four movies deal with the concept of homosexuality in the main plot. All the four movies are well known and have got its own reach among the public. Dostana : 1.9 PERCEPTION ` Perception is many things to us. It is the present, from which the memories of the past and thoughts of the future are created by the brain. It is our reality. People behavior and judgment is based on their perception. They interpret what they see and call it reality. Our perception is an approximation of reality. Our brain attempts to make sense out of the stimuli to which we are exposed. There are five stage processes in the formation of perception: Perception: Sensing Process Perception happens in one or some of the five ways below: Through something seen Through something heard Through something smelled Through something felt by skin Through something tasted. There is an abundance of stimulation hitting our senses in every moment hence some stimulation is filtered out in this state. Then, the stimulation are preserved for which we so our conscious awareness. Perception : Integration The second stage is the integration process which there is a comparison between the filtered in and filtered out data. This comparison largely depends on the area where an individual provides more attention. Thus the stimulus which we focus becomes the attended stimuli. At first, the attended stimuli are turned into images on the retina and later they are transformed into electrical signals that are transferred through the brain. Perception : Analysis This stage, an individual is aware of the environmental stimuli. Thus, they start analyzing and interpreting the perceived objects in order to provide meaning and context to the perceived stimuli. The analysis of the stimuli which an individual has perceived depends on many factors like that of past experiences, feelings, emotions, values, memories, cultural belief sets. The level and the degree of these influences are different for every individual. One same object can be perceived in different manners by different people. For this reason, perception is not called to be real. Perception : Reaction The process of integration and analysis finally leads to the decision making process and thats the time when action needs to be carried out. At the starting level, the decision is to act or not is solely dependent on motivation. Though, an individual feels at some instance that he/she is left with no option but there is always a set of alternatives from which an individual can choose. The meanings which are provided to be perceived stimulus will shape individuals choices and actions. Perception : Decision Making All decisions of human beings are based on the instinct of self-preservation. Every individual tries to maximize their chances of survival and preservation. This common instinct of motivation ends the similarity among individuals and we are hence different among each other from our thoughts, behavior and perception. When individuals express their individuality through their choices they move forward to achieve the goal of self-perception. The two factors affecting individuals perceptions are the internal and the external factors. Internal Factors The internal factors are related to the state of an individual. The internal factor is how the individual behaves for a situation on the basis of his/her mindset, emotions and understanding of the situation. Internal factors also include previous experience and the psychological factor also. An individual learns from the past experiences and moreover the perception is built many a times due to the past experiences. The psychological factor contains the emotions, feeling, behavior, motivation. Individual mindset is a mixer of emotions and hence at many times people tends to show mixed emotions which also affects the perception. External Factors It concerns with the people and the environment with whom an individual grows and survives. It also includes family, peer group friends, cultural group, etc. These peopl

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