ZINN chapter Essay Example

ZINN chapter Essay Today the United States must still be the alpha dog, greater than all other countries but it isnt about who has the larger club its about who has he bigger weapon. If you asked people on the streets if they thought violence was appropriate for achieving things most would say no unless it was absolutely necessary. This is idea has been instilled in us for many years. We are taught not to use violence unless its needed but what if we were taught that violence is never needed? Maybe our politicians wouldnt send millions to people to die in wars that are necessary, maybe there would be billions of dollars left over to educate our children, create jobs, and clean our planet. Politicians have been using this concept for years by telling us that it is accessory to kill millions of people in war and it is necessary for billions of dollars to be spent on weapons. Not many people have questioned authority and plead for justice and if they had not very many of us have heard of it, Chapter I I is ultimately about achieving justice without massive violence using dissent. We will write a custom essay sample on ZINN chapter specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on ZINN chapter specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on ZINN chapter specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer P-1) Dissent is the ultimate power. P. 2) Nonviolent direct action is an example of dissent. Therefore, nonviolent direct action is the ultimate power The argument is valid; premise 2 is acceptable because many protesters use nonviolent direct action to express their dissent. Premises is also valid because the whole book is about dissent being the ultimate power. Overall, the argument is sound. Nonviolent direct action is more powerful than nonviolence, on page 289 Zion uses an example of Dry. Martin Luther King Jar. Being praised by many political leaders for his nonviolence. These same leaders are the ones who have done violent acts to other people and countries. The difference between nonviolence alone and nonviolent direct action is that nonviolent direct action is about striking at injustice immediate rather than waiting and being passive. Direct action does not deride using he political rights, the civil liberties, even the voting mechanisms in those societies where they are available( as in the United States), but it recognize the limitations of those controlled rights and goes beyond. (Passionate Declarations, 289). Zion tells that freedom and justice have been excuses if violence but are still our goals; however, we must achieve them in different ways than we did in the past. Zion starts Chapter 2: Machiavellian Realism and U. S. Foreign Policy: Me and Ends, with an example of direct action being used over 500 years ago. Is the story of a monk in Florence named Savonarola who was hanged for reaching the belief that people could be guided by their natural reason. Since his beliefs threatened the importance of the Church fathers, Savonarola was arrested and tortured for ten days before he gave them a confession. The monk was sentenced to death and was hanged, stoned, and burned in front of the public. Machiavelli refers to Savonarola and says, Thus it corn about that all armed prophets have conquered and unarmed ones failed. Political ideas are centered on the issue of ends (what kind of society do M want? ) and means (How will we get it? ). Today people can express views the hearten the importance of our leaders without such drastic consequences but many do not. There is widespread fear that if people speak against government and war that they are unpatriotic or worse, terrorists. Freedom and justice are the most patriotic ideas there are and they are not attained bombing innocent civilians or having bigger, better weapons; they are attained by recognizing and speaking against the injustices of the world. Another example of dissent being used is in Chapter 8: Free Speech, on page 189 Zion shows the reader a false analogy made by Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. In 191 7 The Espionage Act was written and months later a man named Charles Science was arrested, tried, and found guilty for violating the Espionage Act. Science had been handing out leaflet in Philadelphia denouncing the draft and the war. Science appealed his ca on the grounds that Congress shall make no law.. Holmes responded WI this statement: The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such resistances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent. This statement was accurate; however, is shouting Fire! same as handing out leaflets to people on the street. Falsely shouting fire would cause panic in a theatre and is wrong. He was only trying to inform t naive public of the perils of war. Science was not intending to cause panic, was only trying to save lives. Science used nonviolent direct action, he did care about laws stopping him from making his message and when he did n troubl e he fought congress. In Chapter 6: Law and Justice, we hear more about the most active person in nonviolent direct action Dry. Martin Luther King Jar. Ho spoke not only about racial injustice but about the evils of war. During the time he was urge not to speak against the war because it may affect Johnnys program of domestic reform but he refused to be silenced. Somehow this madness muff cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor in Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor of America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes E home and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world that stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop must be ours. (Passionate Declarations, 131). Kings profound statement is the ultimate example of direct action. He is not threatening anyone in his words and he is still making an effective plea to the American people. This message gave many people initiative to dissent to the war. Over half a million men resisted the draft; there were more protests than any the war, and many individual acts of disobedience. Passionate Declarations is filled with stories about amazing people doing amazing things to stand up for what they believe. After reading this book, I was inspired to use direct action towards what I believe. Im not going to go burn my draft papers or chain myself to a tree but will be more vocal in expressing my beliefs without the fear of other people judging me. Freedom and justice are never going to be attainable if we do not take action. Overall, he message Zion is trying to make with chapter 1 1 is that weapons and fear are not as powerful as our beliefs as a people.

Finke and Starks Vision of Winners and Losers

Finke and Starks Vision of Winners and Losers The history of the American church is closely connected with the history of the country. The first colonialists at the American lands intended to liberate themselves in the religious visions as well as in relation to their political situation and economic state. Thus, the situation changed, and the mainline denominations could not satisfy the people’s needs anymore.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Finke and Stark’s Vision of ‘Winners’ and ‘Losers’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In their book The Churching of America, 1776-2005: Winners and Losers in Our Religious Economy, Roger Finke and Rodney Stark examine the system of the US churches and their attractiveness for the public with references to the definite economic model, stating that the US churches develop according the principles of the free market economy. Thus, to compete within the market, it is necessary to attract m ore people to join this or that church. From this point, the mainline denominations lose their first positions because they cannot compete effectively within the religious market when the upstart sects succeed because their propositions are more attractive for the public, and as a result, the mainline denominations are the losers and the upstart sects are the winners in this situation. Church was extremely significant during the colonial period, but the impact of the European churches decreased along with developing the American sects as the popular churches satisfying the needs of the public with being closer to the people and with interpreting the doctrines according to the public’s expectations. Finke and Stark’s vision of the system of churches in the USA as the specific market is rather controversial. However, the authors provide a lot of arguments to support their ideas. The main statement presented by Finke and Stark in the book is that â€Å"since at least 177 6 the upstart sects have grown as the mainline American denominations have declined. And this trend continues unabated, as new upstarts continue to push to the fore† (Finke Stark, 2005, p. 237). Thus, it is possible to state that the upstart sects are the real winners in the process when the mainline American denominations lose their influence. The conclusions about these processes are based on the data in relation to the numbers of people who belong to different churches. From this perspective, the decline of the mainline denominations should not be associated with the decline of the role of religion in the country because the number of persons who identify themselves as belonging to the church also grows. The problem is in the fact that the majority of these persons belong to the sects, but not to the mainline churches.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Speak ing about the upstart sects, Finke and Stark concentrate on the role of the Baptists and the Methodists in the process. These upstarts can be discussed as winners according to Finke and Stark’s terms and the proposed model of the religious market. It is important to note that the Baptists continue their development, and the church’s status increases along with attracting more members when the Methodists lost their influence during the history of the US religious environment’s development. Today, the winners are the churches which are even newer than the mentioned Baptists. The modern influential upstarts are the Pentecostals and Evangelicals (Finke Stark, 2005). The authors compare the development of the tendencies in relation to the mainline denominations and upstarts, â€Å"the mainline denominations do not qualify as rockets that suddenly ran out of fuel in the sixties – their market shares were falling in the forties and fifties too, and throughout the century†, however, â€Å"the evangelical groups – some of them rapidly becoming the new upstart sects of our era – do look like rockets† (Finke Stark, 2005, p. 247). According to Finke and Stark, the process of developing the new sects into the influential churches was not gradual. Nevertheless, there should be significant reasons to make people rely on the new sects instead of joining the mainline churches. Finke and Stark promote the vision of the problem which is based on the economic implications. Thus, â€Å"people tend to value religion on the basis of how costly it is to belong – the more one must sacrifice in order to be in good standing the more valuable the religion†, and moreover, â€Å"the more ‘mainline’ the church (in the sense of being regarded as ‘respectable’ and ‘reasonable’), the lower the value of belonging to it, and this eventually results in widespread defection† (Finke Stark, 2005, p. 238). That is why, it is possible to conclude that people act in relation to their religion and belong to the definite church according to those patterns which they use to analyze different economic operations. It is also possible to determine the more obvious reasons of the public’s choosing the upstart sects instead of the mainline churches. However, these reasons can be considered as the methods and techniques used by the religious organizations to attract more people in relation to the economic model and principles of the commercial world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Finke and Stark’s Vision of ‘Winners’ and ‘Losers’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, the pastors of the upstart churches are close in their speeches to the public. They can be characterized as passionate and emotional that is why the public receives the significant emotional response to their questions (Ahlstrom, 2004). The doctrines are not as accentuated as the significance of the spiritual growth is emphasized. According to Sundberg, the ecumenical movement influenced the development of the mainline churches, â€Å"ecclesiastical officials and theologians have put an enormous amount of time, money, and energy in an effort to unify denominations through bilateral and multilateral dialogues and agreements† (Sundberg, 2000, p. 26). The author states that this has been done â€Å"in the belief that a united church can witness more effectively to a secular world† (Sundberg, 2000, p. 26). In their turn, Finke and Stark stress that spirituality is more attractive for the people than secularization. In addition, the sects were the results of the first public meetings during the colonial period that is why the principles of their organization were familiar for the Americans. Roger Finke and Rodney Stark’s book The Churching of America, 1776-2005: Winners and Losers in Our Religious Economy is rather provocative in relation to the approach proposed by the authors to discuss the tendencies in the American religious environment. The focus on the religious economy as the basic aspect for the development of the correlation between mainline churches and upstart sects helps determine the factors influential for changing the priorities. Thus, the mainline churches became losers because they could not compete within the religious market according to the definite commercial principles when significance of the upstart sects grew because of their successes in attracting more people. As a result, the Americans can be discussed as people who pay much attention to their spiritual development and belonging to churches, but they choose contemporary sects instead of mainline churches. References Ahlstrom, S. (2004). A religious history of the American people. USA: Yale University Press. Finke, R., Stark, R. (2005). The churching of America, 1776-2005: Winners and losers in our religious economy. USA: Rutgers University Press.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sundberg, W. (2000). Religious trends in twentieth-century America. World and World, 10(1), 22-31.

BALANCED SCORECARD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

BALANCED SCORECARD - Essay Example It is headquartered at Ohio, United States. The company is engaged in the business of offering consumer goods to its customers in packaged form. The sales and marketing division of P&G group is committed towards providing best services to its customers. This study entails the preparation of a balanced scorecard for the strategies to be implemented in the sales and marketing division of the company keeping it aligned with the overall strategy of P&G. The Balanced Scorecard includes all the four perspectives of a balanced scorecard namely, the financial, customers, learning and internal business process perspectives. The purpose of this Balanced Scorecard is to look at three objectives in this organizational unit. These objectives will be measured using metrics appropriate for this discipline. Financial The primary goal or objective of this business unit is to increase the sales and add to the profits of the company. A lot of sales personnel are involved in the marketing of products of P&G and it needs to look at the objective of reducing the costs incurred in the various processes involved in this department as well. Customer Customers are the key towards the success and profitability of the company. Hence the company needs to have a well devised strategy leading to complete satisfaction of its customers. Internal Business The strategy related to this perspective would be to increase the efficiency of the marketing division so that it can serve for the better performance of the company. Learning and Development A well devised strategy related to this perspective is also required to be devised by the company. It would include various objectives like imparting training to the personnel in the department so that they can carry on their activities efficiently and help the company to have a sustainable growth and development. Table of Contents Table of Contents 4 Formulation and Implementation of Balanced Scorecard of Procter & Gamble 6 Financial Perspective 8 Sales Growth 9 Growth in Operating Activities 9 Free Cash Flow Productivity 9 Customer Perspective 10 Increase in Customer Retention 10 Improved Customer Service 10 Increase in number of Customers 11 Internal Perspective 11 Reductions in Inventory 11 New Product Developments 12 Improvement in Distribution Efficiency 12 Learning and Growth Perspective 12 Employee Turnover 13 High Skill Levels 13 Employee Satisfaction 13 References 16 Formulation and Implementation of Balanced Scorecard of Procter & Gamble Balance Scorecard was developed by Robert Kaplan and Dr. David Norton in the year 1992. It is a tool developed to measure the level of performance mainly of the employees in an organization. In a Balanced Scorecard system performance is measured on the basis of four perspectives, namely, financial, customers, learning and development, and internal business process perspectives. It contains both the target scores and the scores achieved based on the given category. So it becomes easy to me asure high as well as low performances using Balanced Scorecard (Balance Scorecard Institute, 2012). This study entails about the preparation of a Balanced Scorecard for the sales and marketing division of Procter and Gamble (P&G). P&G is a reputed company which operates its business activities worldwide. It is headquartered at Ohio, United States. P&G is engaged in the business of offering wide range of FMCG products to its customers and they are delivered to them in packaged forms (Yahoo Finance, 2012). The sales and market division of the company constitutes a critical unit of the organization and Balanced Scorecard prepared in this study can help analyze and measure its effectiveness, thereby helping the company to have well devised strategy to attain the objectives of the company. The first step towards

Caribbean Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Caribbean Literature - Essay Example These woman writers were born in the late 1940s and 1950s and they produced their first major works in the 1980s. "The term 'Caribbean women writers' describes an extremely diverse collection of women: women of numerous racial and ethnic groups who reside in many nations and write in at least four European languages and many Caribbean Creoles." (Rody, 117) Significantly, the most acclaimed woman writer of the region, Jean Rhys, is a white woman identified with English modernism who lived in the wake of Caribbean women's renaissance in the 1980s. Jamaica Kincaid, Michelle Cliff, and Maryse Conde are some of the prominent figures during the Caribbean women's renaissance in the 1980s. Therefore, a profound analysis of the Caribbean literature of 1980s, one recognizes a key stage of development in women's writing. In the critical work 'The Invisible Woman in West Indian Literature', Ramabai Espinet investigates the 'invisibility' of East Indian woman in Caribbean literature and one gets the notion that women arbiters are marginalized by virtue of their ethnicity a

Darwinism versus Creationism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Darwinism versus Creationism - Research Paper Example Darwinism versus Creationism Introduction The significant difference between Darwinism and Creationism is that Darwinism is based on data while Creationism is based on human belief (Scott, 2005). Darwinism is a theory of the original perpetuation of new species of plants and animals which offspring from a certain organism. According to Darwinism, natural selection favors the survival of some species which makes new species arise with time forming divergent variety and groups of plants and animals (Scott, 2005). Darwinism is based on the concept of biological evolution whereby DNA strands cause differences in plants such as color and height of plants and animals (Young & Largent, 2007). On the other hand, Creationism is a doctrine which holds that the world and various forms of life were created by God out of nothing (Scott, 2005). Unlike Darwinism, creationism is not a scientific theory but is based on religious beliefs and doctrines. Charles Darwin theory of origin of species that w as published in 1859 demonstrated that organisms produce offspring that is capable of living and that variations occur in every species population (Young & Largent, 2007). ... Darwinism theory is based on the idea that species change over time and space. Populations in different geographical areas will differ in behavior and physical make up like the fossil deposits (Young & Largent, 2007). According to Darwinism, all species share a common ancestor like human beings share a common ancestor with Chimpanzees some eight million years ago and with Kangaroos some one hundred million years ago (Witham, 2005). According to natural selection process which forms the basis of Darwinism, organisms will exhibit variations in their behavior and physical appearance like voice variations and facial marks. Such traits are passed from the ancestor to offspring but some traits may be influenced by the environmental conditions (Witham, 2005). A trait must pass an advantage to the offspring in order to survive during the struggle for limited resources. The gradual change of the population takes many years like 100,000 rather than creation of new species which is the creation ism belief. Darwinism theory is evident since industrial melanism phenomenon which was experienced during industrial revolution caused tree trunks to darken while light colored moths diminished while black colored moths became abundant. The organisms also transfer genetics to the offspring. Due to competition for the limited resources, the organisms with advantageous traits will survive the competition and continue reproduction. Darwinism theory has been proved by the DNA evidence since parents pass some genes to the offspring (Scott, 2005). On the other hand, Creationism asserts that natural selection doctrine by Darwinism has not been proved scientifically. According

Did Hitler And The Nazis Improve Germany?

Did Hitler And The Nazis Improve Germany? Toxoplasmosis: Causes Symptoms and Treatment Toxoplasmosis: Causes Symptoms and Treatment Toxoplasmosis is an infection that pregnant females can get from a microscopic parasite. This parasite is called Toxoplasma gondii. The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular eukaryotic pathogen of the phylum Apicomplexa may cause toxoplasmosis in many warm-blooded animals, including humans. Trans-placental passage of the parasite causes congenital toxoplasmosis. Transmission frequency and severity of disease vary with gestation time: during the first weeks, vertical transmission is of low rate, although if it occurs, it causes major damage to the embryo. The transmission frequency increases to near 80% by the end of pregnancy, but the proportion of ill new borns is low. The changes in endocrine phenomena occurring during pregnancy, as well as the size and maturity of the placenta and of the embryonic/fetal immune response certainly affect the ability to be protected from invasion or to fight infection. The size of the inoculum is also relevant for congenital infection risk and disease severity. Besides, the genetic background of the mother and the product is likely to influence outcome. Recent investigations have shown surprising phenomena; that is, molecules and cells that protect the mother might favor vertical transmission. Few direct data are available, but indirect evidence points to several candidate polymorphic host immune response genes that may influence fetal infection or clinical outcome of the product. Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is considered as one of the most successful parasites in the world. This success is first illustrated by its worldwide distribution, from arctic to hot desert areas, including isolated islands and in cities. T. gondii is also among the most prevalent parasites in the global human population, with around one third of the population being infected. Finally, it is able to infect, or be present in, the highest number of host species: any warm-blooded animal may act as an intermediate host, and oocysts may be transported by invertebrates such as filtrating mussels and oysters. Beyond this ubiquitous distribution lies a fascinating transmission pattern: simply saying that T. gondii has a complex life cycle does not encompass all transmission routes and modes that can be used by the parasite to pass from definitive hosts (DHs), where sexual reproduction occurs, to intermediate hosts (IHs). The à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“classicalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  complex life cycle use s felids (domestic and wild-living cats) as DHs and their prey as IHs. Felids are infected by eating infected prey and host the sexual multiplication of the parasite. They excrete millions of oocysts that sporulate in the environment. Sporulated oocysts may survive during several years and may disperse through water movements, soil movements and micro fauna. Ingesting a single sporulated oocyst may be sufficient to infect an IH and begin the asexual reproduction phase. This classical life cycle thus relies on a prey-predator relationship and on environmental contamination, like other parasites, e.g., Echinococcus multilocularis. However, beside this classical cycle, T. gondii shows specific abilities that allow it to use à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“complementaryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  transmission routes. During the phase of asexual multiplication, tachyzoites may disseminate to virtually any organ within the IH, in particular to muscles, brain, placenta, udder and gonads. Asexual forms are then i nfectious to new hosts, thus direct infection among IH is possible by several routes which epidemiological importance has to be discussed: vertical transmission through the placenta, pseudo-vertical transmission through the milk, and sexual transmission through the sperm. In humans, T. gondii may also be transmitted during blood or organ transplant. Finally, the infectivity of asexual forms towards new IHs entails the ability for the parasite to be transmitted among IHs by carnivory. This transmission route is estimated to cause the majority of cases in humans, although people may also get contaminated by ingesting oocysts after a contact with contaminated soil, water, vegetables or cat litter. All the possible transmission routes among IH make the parasite able to maintain its life cycle, at least during a few generations, in the absence of DH and without environmental stage. Moreover, at a high dose, oocysts from the environment may also be infectious for DHs, thus the parasite ma y bypass the IH and use a DHs-environment cycle. The infectivity of oocysts towards cats is relatively low thus the importance of this cycle may be questioned. However, taken together, these observations suggest that T. gondii may theoretically have two distinct life cycles, one among IHs and the other one between DHs and environment. Moreover, in IHs, the infection of the brain results in several specific clinical manifestations, modifications of host behaviour and life history that influence transmission. As a result of its presence in the brain of IHs, T. gondii manipulates host behaviour in two ways, by specifically increasing attractiveness of cat odours to rodent IHs, thus favouring transmission from IH to DH, and by increasing the sexual attractiveness of infected males, which favours sexual transmission. These numerous capacities of transmission clearly allow T. gondii to be distributed worldwide. However, this does not mean that the risk of toxoplasmosis is identical everyw here. On the contrary, a highly structured pattern of infection can be demonstrated, for example by comparing the level of infection of different human populations. Signs and Symptoms Many patients have developed this disease but have had similar symptoms to those of flu or mononucleosis. These symptoms include body aches, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, fever, fatigue and occasionally sore throats. When a female develops this disease prior to or during pregnancy there is about 30% chances that the infection can be passed unto the baby. The baby is at risk of contracting the disease mostly if a female becomes infected in the third trimester and least on the first trimester. Yet if the infection occurs in the early stages of pregnancy, the outcomes are more serious. Many pregnancies can result in stillbirth or miscarriage, and children who survive are born with seizures, enlarged liver or spleen, jaundice, anaemia, bruises and eye infections. A small number of babies that are born with the disease show signs of the disease at birth. Most of those infected develop signs and symptoms until they are on their teens or later. Also babies can develop serious problems suc h as hydrocephalus, intracranial calcifications, intellectual disabilities, motor and developmental delays, and hearing loss. Diagnostic Tests: When acute T. Gondii infection is suspected in pregnant women, toxoplasmosis is diagnosed on the basis of antibody detection. IgG and IgM antibody levels rise generally one to two weeks of infection. However when using the antibody detection it does not distinguish between whether the infection is recent or it was acquired in the distant past. When a woman is found to be infected, the second step is to determine if the baby or fetus is infected. PCR testing of amniotic fluid is used to diagnose congenital toxoplasmosis. Babies can be tested using amniocentesis or ultrasound scan. Treatment: Once diagnosed with Toxoplamosis a treatment with spiramycin (rovamycine) is initiated. If the fetus is confirmed through amniocentesis, the woman can switch to pyrimethamine (daraprim) and sulfadiazine after the first trimester. When women take pyrimethamine, accompanied with it is folinic acid (leucovorin). It protects the bone marrow from the suppressive effects of pyrimethamine. The drug is used to lessen the severity of the disease, but it does not undo previous damage done. Prevention: In order to prevent contracting this disease, pregnant woman should eat fully cooked meat. They should keep kitchen utensils sanitized by washing it with hot soapy water after having contact with raw meat; also they should wear gloves when gardening or touching soil, avoid changing cat litter pans, and be informed about prevention of toxoplasmosis.

Analysis of Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriguez Essays -- Papers Hun

Analysis of Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriguez Richard Rodriguez?s essay, Hunger of Memory, narrates the course of his educational career. Rodriguez tells of the unenthusiastic and disheartening factors that he had to endure along with his education such as isolation and lack of innovation. It becomes apparent that Rodriguez believes that only a select few go through the awful experiences that he underwent. But actually the contrary is true. The majority of students do go through the ?long, unglamorous, and demeaning process? of education, but for different reasons (Rodriguez, 68). Instead of pursuing education for the sake of learning, they pursue education for the sake of job placement. Even from an early age, Rodriguez is a successful student. Everyone is extremely proud of Rodriguez for earning awards and graduating to each subsequent level of his education. But all his success was not necessarily positive. In fact, we see that his education experience is a fairly negative one. One negative that Rodriguez endures is his solitude. Education compels him to distance himself from his family and heritage. According to Richard Hoggart, a British education theorist, this is a very natural process for a scholarship boy. Hoggart explains that the ?home and classroom are at cultural extremes,? (46). There is especially an opposition in Rodriguez?s home because his parents are poorly educated Mexicans. His home is filled with Spanish vernacular and English filled with many grammatical errors. Also, the home is filled with emotions and impetuosity, whereas the classroom lacks emotion and the teachers accentuate rational thinking and reflectiveness. The conflict between the classroom and the home environm... ... are looking at the end product. Then don?t mind changing in order to get somewhere in life. Most know that they need to change. We can?t be educated without changing. The mere word education means change or development. Obviously, students are still learning for the sake of economic utility. Rodriguez may have done his learning for the sake of being an educated man, but it was the end result he craved. Whether someone?s aim is to get a good job or to elevate themselves to a higher level of education, the product of their efforts is what counts. Bibliography: Rodriguez, Richard. Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez. New York: Bantam Books, 1985. The U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. 28 Sept. 2000. The U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. 25 Nov. 2000

How Employee Motivation Effects an Organization Essay

In the following paper I will identify what employee motivation is, why it is important, who it is important to, and how it affects the workforce as a whole. I will also touch on the subjects of whose job it is to motivate, the benefits of motivation and what actually motivates employees. Through out my research I have discovered many different theories and opinions as of to what â€Å"effective motivation† is, and how it is to be applied in the work setting. This is the result of my findings. The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees. To do this the manager should be able to motivate employees. But that’s easier said than done! In spite of enormous research, basic as well as applied, the subject of motivation is not clearly understood and more often than not poorly practiced. To understand motivation one must understand human nature itself. And there lies the problem! Human nature can be very simple, yet very complex too. An understanding and appreciation of this is a prerequisite to effective employee motivation in the workplace and therefore effective management and leadership. There is an old saying you can take a horse to the water but you cannot force it to drink; it will drink only if it’s thirsty – so is with people. They will do what they want to do or otherwise motivated to do. Whether it is to excel on the workshop floor or in the ‘ivory tower’ they must be motivated or driven to it, either by themselves or through external stimulus. Are they born with the self-motivation or drive? Yes and no. If no, they can be motivated, for motivation is a skill which can and must be learnt. This is essential for any business to survive and succeed. Allow me to ask a very simple question: Are you really happy with your job? Or is it just a way to pay the bills? If so, you are not alone. In fact, half of all employees only put enough effort into their jobs, to keep their jobs. 70% of employees are less motivated today than they used to be, and another 80% could perform significantly better if they wanted to. What does all this mean you ask? It means people are unhappy at work, and many overlook the importance of a fulfilling work life. Not only is it important for employees to be content, their happiness is important to their employers as well. Disgruntled employees perform considerably poorly compared to content ones. Motivated employees work more efficiently, producing better products or services in less time. Whereas unmotivated employees waste time and generally take longer to accomplish the tasks assigned. When employees are motivated, they invest time, effort and brain power into producing the best products or services possible. They take pride in their work, meaning they will give a company a better name out in the market simply by producing a superior product. Unmotivated employees, on the other hand, will put in the bare minimum effort resulting in poor customer service and low quality products. Improved productivity and higher quality services and products equal monetary gains for an organization, possibly freeing funds to be used as benefits for employees or company improvements. If employees are motivated, a company will be able to retain more of them. Every time they hire a new employee, they have to invest time getting that person up to speed on the job requirements, integrating that person into the workforce and figuring out exactly how that new person can contribute. Existing employees have a wealth of knowledge about the company and how projects work. They are also already accustomed to working with the other employees at the facility. By retaining employees, an organization can save money and time. Employees that are motivated are happy; smiling is contagious, which leads to a better work environment. Companies these days are offering interesting, sometimes even outrageous benefits to keep their staff motivated. Some offer great health plans, a 401k-retirement plan, or extra vacation time. Others have company parties, picnics and other rally-boosting events. Some companies take their staff out to movie premieres; some engage in go-carting to create a fun atmosphere. Sure, it’s nice to have a company parking spot, your cellular phone bills paid, and free lunch Fridays, but these types of benefits are better at attracting and retaining employees. A free lunch will not magically create a healthy work environment. However, these morale boosters can be steps on the road to motivated employees. The question employers are trying to figure out is, if benefits keep employees happy, then what makes them productive? The problem is that employers lose focus of the difference between high morale and motivation. I am not saying to get rid of the benefits, but get rid of other behaviors that hold employees back. These behaviors vary from company to company, but we all know what they are. Office politics, unclear expectations and being criticized instead of receiving constructive feedback are all things we hate and that hinder our progress. Things like appreciation and taking pride in your work, as well as social interaction and fun in your work, are all contributors to motivation. Personally, I would rather work in an environment where there are no politics, employers are honest with their employees and have nothing to hide, and are committed to the overall productivity of the firm. Here is a list of items that are considered to be detrimental to employee motivation: * Create an atmosphere full of company politics. * Develop unclear expectations regarding your employees’ performance. Create a lot of unnecessary rules for employees to follow. * Plan unproductive meetings for employees to attend. * Withhold information critical for employees to perform their work. * Provide criticism instead of constructive feedback. * Tolerate poor performance so your high performing employees feel taken advantage of. * Treat employees unfairly. * Underutilize the capability of your employees. While some of those are worse than others, they will vary across companies and individuals. Any company that actually makes an effort to rid themselves of these annoyances is on the right track. It just goes to show that it does not take a lot of money to tap into an employee’s natural ability. Here are some active measures companies can take to motivate: * If your employees do routine work, add some fun and variety to their routine. * Provide employees with input and choice in how they do their work. * Encourage responsibility and leadership opportunities within your company. * Promote social interaction and teamwork between employees. * Tolerate learning errors by avoiding harsh criticism. * Promote job ownership. * Develop goals and challenges for all employees. Provide lots of encouragement. * Make appreciation part of your repertoire. * Develop measurement that shows performance increase. With the rapidly changing competitive environment, key employees are becoming younger and with a variety of skills and accomplishments. This means that if they are unhappy with their work environment, they are more than willing to move on. For employers, the speed of business is such that employees that join their company learn so much and become so valuable that employers need to do whatever it takes to keep them content.

Shindlers list - use of production features essays

Shindlers list - use of production features essays The film Schindlers List was directed by Steven Spielberg, who unquestionably was an amazing film director. In the film he used many production features that helped show us contrast, emotion, and the list goes on. Some of the production features he used in the film were that of black and white, colour in a couple scenes, subtitles, camera angles and music. Throughout the majority of the film Spielberg has produced film in black and white. I feel the reason he has done this is so that us as the viewers can get a feel for just how horrible the whole ordeal actually was and the significance of the holocaust. The film is also set way back in the time of World War II where the films would have been produced in black and white. Black and white really was an effect that Spielberg used well in the film. Even though the film was predominantly black and white there were a couple of occasions where Spielberg used colour. We see an example of this in the movie when Oscar Schindler (the main character) rides his horse to the top of the hill with his mistress while the liquidation of the Krakow ghetto is taking place. There is a little girl brought to our attention by the fact that she has a red coat on, which obviously stands out from the black and white. Schindler stays and makes sure that the little girl is in a safe place and is away from danger, little did he know it wasnt exactly the safest hiding place as we see the girl dead later on in the film. From the example above Spielberg has connected another film technique to it later on in the film. Spielberg used a close up, up tilt on Schindler as he watches the little girl be taken away under a pile of dead bodies to be burnt, Schindlers face is gives us a true picture of the shock and horror. Also a when Goeth( the owner of a concentration camp) is looking around his camp there is an up tilt looking to Goeth, and when his workers are looki ...

Free Essays on Self-Directed Work Teams

Implementing Self-Directed Work Teams Self directed work teams are defined as a small number of people with complementary skills, who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals and approach, for which they hold themselves mutually accountable (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993). Collaborative self directed work teams can get complex projects done at faster rates than the traditional boss-worker arrangement, because the decision making process is made faster and more effective in a team. Empowering teams to make decisions about their work also enhances satisfaction and reduces turnover (Berger, 1998). Self directed work teams involve employees in a specific area, or those who are working on a specific product or process. Self directed work teams can be any size, but are generally not more than 12 to 15 employees. The work team makes the decisions that would normally be made by a supervisor or manager, and might interact with the company’s suppliers and customers, whether they are inside or outside the company. In some companies, self-directed work teams will also take over many of the human resource functions as well (Cotton, 1993). Self directed work teams have also become one of the more changing approaches to employee involvement, and has been increasing in popularity within the last several years. Companies such as Proctor & Gamble, Digital Equipment, General Mills, Federal Express and other well known companies, are reorganizing their employees into self directed work teams. In a recent survey, 476 Fortune 500 companies found that although only 7% of the work force is organized into self directed work teams, management at half of these companies said that they will be relying on them more in years ahead. (Cotton, 1993). There are nine basic steps in establishing self-directed work teams: 1) Developing a shared vision, 2) Empowerment, 3) Training, 4) Presence of a supportive culture, 5) Developing performance expectations and feed... Free Essays on Self-Directed Work Teams Free Essays on Self-Directed Work Teams Implementing Self-Directed Work Teams Self directed work teams are defined as a small number of people with complementary skills, who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals and approach, for which they hold themselves mutually accountable (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993). Collaborative self directed work teams can get complex projects done at faster rates than the traditional boss-worker arrangement, because the decision making process is made faster and more effective in a team. Empowering teams to make decisions about their work also enhances satisfaction and reduces turnover (Berger, 1998). Self directed work teams involve employees in a specific area, or those who are working on a specific product or process. Self directed work teams can be any size, but are generally not more than 12 to 15 employees. The work team makes the decisions that would normally be made by a supervisor or manager, and might interact with the company’s suppliers and customers, whether they are inside or outside the company. In some companies, self-directed work teams will also take over many of the human resource functions as well (Cotton, 1993). Self directed work teams have also become one of the more changing approaches to employee involvement, and has been increasing in popularity within the last several years. Companies such as Proctor & Gamble, Digital Equipment, General Mills, Federal Express and other well known companies, are reorganizing their employees into self directed work teams. In a recent survey, 476 Fortune 500 companies found that although only 7% of the work force is organized into self directed work teams, management at half of these companies said that they will be relying on them more in years ahead. (Cotton, 1993). There are nine basic steps in establishing self-directed work teams: 1) Developing a shared vision, 2) Empowerment, 3) Training, 4) Presence of a supportive culture, 5) Developing performance expectations and feed...

The Points Based System makes migration work for Britain Essay

The Points Based System makes migration work for Britain - Essay Example Second, regulation of migration has become necessary in the face of the threat of terrorism and abuse (Sutherland, 2009). Third, to protect the interests of the citizens of Britain and the society. Combining all these factors together, it becomes clear why there is a ongoing effort from various sectors of the government in coming up with plans and programmes that will limit the influx of migrant applicants without discouraging those talented people who are needed in UK and contribute to UK’s economy. In order to achieve this end, one of several measures that have been undertaken is the implementation of the Point Based System. The Point Based System is primarily intended to replace the ‘80 work permits and entry scheme’. The ‘80 work permits and entry scheme’ are the 80 different ways and routes that can be used if one seeks to work, study to train in UK. This migration policy has been developed piecemeal depending on whatever need arises (Casciani, 2 008). In this regard, the migration network of UK is considered complex. However, with the implementation of the Point Based System, the 80 scheme is superseded, and it has made UK migration system a lot simpler and more effective in identifying people and talents that are needed in UK. As such, the Point based System will make it easier and faster for employers and education to identify the people that they will need. In the Point Based System, the more skills the person has, and the more the skills, that the person has is in demand, the higher the points that one gets, thus increasing the likelihood that the person may enter UK. In this regard, the Point Based System intends to identify and attract workers that can contribute most to UK, to achieve a more efficient and transparent system of application, increased support from employers and educational organization, thereby increasing g compliance and reducing abuse and finally, it seeks to curb low skilled workers from outside EU (www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk). This set up is patterned after Australian Point System, which is considered as one of the simplest and most effective migration in the world. The system will not affect the mobility of European Union workers (Casciani, 2008). The Point Based System is made up of five tiers. Tier One: Highly Skilled. In this tier, the most skilled can have the opportunity to enter UK even without any job offers or employee certification. This means that if the application is successful, then the applicant can have the right to immigrate to UK and have full and free access to the employment market. This includes scientists, doctors, entrepreneurs and business people. As such, a successful applicant under Tier 1 will be permitted to live and work in the UK, seek and undertake employment, establish business, make a substantial investment, or be self-employed (www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk). There are four classifications under Tier 1; general visa, post study work visa, entrep reneur visa and the investor visa. A minimum of 80 points is required to qualify in Tier 1 general visa. The categories in which points are awarded include age, qualifications and earnings. This tier offers the opportunity for the successful applicant in becoming naturalise British citizen. Tier Two: Skilled Work Permits. This is similar with the previous work permit scheme. This tier intends to cater to people who have

The Pillars of Policing Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

The Pillars of Policing - Dissertation Example Through the use of the first pillar of helping to create a safe and secured environment the police department focuses on activities like tracking criminals, curbing criminal and vandalistic activities in the region and efficiently dealing with incidents of significant criticality. The second pillar of policing helps Sussex Police in making them better visible and approachable by the general public. Through this pillar the police department of Sussex endeavors to closely knit their activities with different communities to perform in a proactive manner. This practice also helps the police department to retrieve quality information and responses from the people which thereby helps them in curbing crimes. The third pillar is used by the police force to make efficient and optimal use of the human and financial resources of the police organization to effectively track down the criminal operations of the region. (Three Pillars, n.d.). The police force of Scotland operates on the basis of fi ve basic principles to promote a safer region for the citizens to dwell in. These operational principles or the pillars of Scotland police consist of acts like safeguarding the society from criminal activities, breaking the network of drug trafficking, reassuring the general people that they are safe through the conducting of patrolling operations, prioritizing the safety of the road environment for the driving and daily commuters, and finally helping the police force to become increasingly advanced and trained to handle complexities. (Central Scotland Police, n.d.). Similarly the community policing activities of United Kingdom are also based on eight operational pillars which can be enumerated as follows. The first operational pillar of community policing is to reduce the rate of criminal activities and the rate of disorderliness in the region. Secondly the actions of the police must be conducted of, by and for the general public and not for the sake of meeting operational guidelin es. Public approval for police operations is highly essential for reducing the former’s conflicts with the administration. Thirdly following the above context the police administration of a region must reflect a high amount of honor for the citizens of a country in desiring them to abide by the rule of the land. Fourthly the police administration of a country must endeavor to minimize the use force on making the people abide by the rules of the land physical torture affects the cooperative mechanism of the society with the administration. The fifth operational pillar of community policing states however justifies the use of force when all other arbitration mechanisms fail to reduce public tension. Sixthly more specifically the police system in the society must visualize itself as a key force in restoring safety and harmony in the community and thus be socially accountable. Seventhly the operational pillar also holds that the police system must not augment its potential throug h judicial involvement but must depend on its own actions. Finally in the eighth position the operational pillar holds that measurement of true efficiency of the police force is done on by observing the rate of absence of crime and social disorder and not merely the police’s actions related to such. (Special Feature: Historical Perspective, n.d.). The paper in this context draws a comparison of the police actions of United Kingdom with that of United States. The Police system in United