Monday, September 30, 2019

Health Foods on Campus

Introduction According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), â€Å"more than one-third of U. S. adults (35. 7%) are obese. Approximately 17% of children and adolescents ages 2-19 years are obese. † The state of Iowa ranks above the national average at 28. 4%, leaving the responsibility of changing this epidemic to local communities. According to the Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource August 2010 issue, â€Å"the soda demand is so great there is enough to supply [everyone] with more than 52 gallons of soda a year. The rate of soda and junk food consumption has greatly increased throughout the United States; the Iowa State Campus is not an exception. Purpose and Scope As students as Iowa State, we are best fit to research how to change the lifestyles of our peers. In order to decrease the obesity epidemic, we are proposing to assist in changing someone’s routine diet by replacing the vending machine snack options. The existing vending machines have little variety or choice of healthy foods. Furthermore, most beverage-centered vending machines only have water as a choice as a healthy alternative.Giving students the selection of healthy foods will not only lower their risk of obesity during their stay at Iowa State, but it will provide students with the tools to make healthy choices about food once they are away from ISU. Methods Our analysis will be derived from three levels; macro-level, meso-level, and micro-level. These different depths of scope will provide us with the most well rounded view of the obesity epidemic, as well as which methods of fixing the problem proves to be most effective.Macro-level analysis will stem from a complete description of the United State’s relationship with obesity, food consumption, and activity levels. From there, research specifically relating to the ISU community will be acquired through sample surveys and an interview with ISU’s Peggy Martin, Director of Expanded Food and Nu trition Education Program. The first step would be to poll 150 students or more regarding how they want the university to overcome obesity. If our hypothesis reigns true, we will determine that replacing vending machine snacks with healthier ones will be the most efficient method.The focus audience will be Mayor Ann Campbell, since she has the power to pass this proposal on to the city council or discard it. If she passes it on, the primary audience will be the city council members, since they are the ones who voice their opinions and affect the final vote of the citizens of Ames, who are the secondary audience. Other concerned audiences include the citizens of nearby cities or people who visit Ames, as well as any other communities considering a similar proposal. Risks of Junk Food and Soda ConsumptionJunk food is described as any food that contains little or no nutritional value. Outside of the lack of nutritional value junk food has many negative effects as well. Studies show lin ks to obesity, type II diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke. The United States is one of the unhealthiest nations in the world, consuming more fast food than any other nation per capita. The rise of childhood obesity is on the brink of being an epidemic, showing that the United States’ own culture has come to include junk food.Many people get their eating habits from their families growing up, even those who eat healthy as a children now are at risk for developing unhealthy habits when they move away to college, given that for the first time they are forced to make food-related decisions on their own, with little to no education on health. Students may also feel that they are too busy to plan out healthy meals; looking for quick and easy meals found at many convenient locations on campus. Students turn to soda for the caffeine for energy and fast food for sustenance.The lack of available healthy options and the accessibility of junk food on and around campus is a major ca use for concern. Obesity and Diabetes Obesity is defined as a body mass index greater or equal to 30 (CDC). In 2009-2010 35. 7% of U. S. adults were classified as obese that is 78 million people. These numbers are a dramatic increase from over a few decades ago. Obesity is a life threatening condition that has many negative side effects. Hypertension, adverse lipid concentrations and type two diabetes are some of the major problematic conditions that come with being obese.The state of Iowa has one of the largest populations of obese people in the nation (Table 1. 1). Table 1. 1 As one can see, obesity is a major concern in the United States. This is due to the U. S. ’s unhealthy obsession with junk food and soda. Poor diet often leads to obesity in children and adults. Along with obesity, poor diet also can lead to type II diabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that leads to high levels of glucose in the blood stream. Diabetes can lead to all sorts of problems to name a f ew kidney disease, blindness, amputations and death (CDC).Over 25 million people are suffering from diabetes in the U. S. There is much to be concerned about with obesity and diabetes being so widespread. The main cause of this is unhealthy diet. A large portion of the average American’s unhealthy diet is soda pop. Even diet soda has negative health effects. Dangers of Soda Pop Soda pop is an American staple. It goes great with other American classics such as hotdogs and hamburgers. Unfortunately children are drinking it in excess and developing bad habits that will follow them for the rest of their lives.In fact studies show that 16% of the average American’s caloric intake in a day comes from sugary beverages (WebMD). Heavy soda consumption can lead to rapid weight gain and studies also show connections to osteoporosis and certain types of cancers. But regardless of the negative effects and the doctors warnings people continue to buy and drink soda more than ever. Co ca-Cola reported record numbers in the past few years. Soda is a part of people’s daily routines. Many people do not think twice about grabbing a soft-drink when thirsty or in need of some energy.College students drink enormous quantities of soda, they use it as study aids because of the caffeine content or grab one because they are thirsty. In many cases it is the easiest option. Vending machines located throughout campus in every corner of every building. But other than the obvious health effects mentioned above, in which soda is a leading cause of, what other negatives are happening to college students due to soda and other unhealthy dietary habits? Student Performance and Unhealthy Diet Students are busy creatures.They have a lot on their plate with school work and those who hold jobs as well can feel downright overwhelmed. What do these students do to survive the hectic lifestyle they lead? The answer is fast food, junk food and soda pop, and anything quick and easy to g rab on the go. There is no shortage of these options on and around college campuses across the U. S. and at Iowa State. The quicker and easier the food the worse it usually is for you. Most students do not take that into consideration, they are young and in good health.The fact is even if these bad habits do not catch up with you right away, there are plenty of dangers waiting around the corner in the future. Most students are probably not aware of the effects that their diet is having on them now. Poor diet not only leads to life threatening diseases but can have a number of psychological effects on a person. Depression can form from unhealthy diets, as students feel bad about their bodies and even chemical reactions from sugars and other ingredients in junk food can lead to depression like states.Studies have also been conducted in the past regarding the effects of junk food and soda on memory and links have been made that show a person who regularly eats fast food and drinks soda has lower memory and comprehension. A health student is a happy student is a successful student. Benefits of Healthy Snacks The term â€Å"snack† has gained a definition similar to â€Å"junk food† over recent years. According to Nutrition. com’s Snack Attacks article, the idea that snacks are fattening is a myth, as well as the idea that snacking is the same as eating junk food. The article states that by eating snacks during a ong stretch of time between meals will eliminate any overeating during a meal, as long as these snacks are healthy alternatives. Since blood sugar drops three to five hours after a meal, occasional snacks boosts metabolism, according to Everyday Health’s article Healthy Snacking Benefits. Being hungry puts one’s body into starvation mode and will slow down metabolic processes, which causes the body to store fat. The article Healthy Snacking Benefits also discusses this when explaining that snacks high in nutrients, fiber, and protein, and not so high in fat will kickstart the body’s metabolism and can curb cravings.Snacking should also be thought of as fuel, and constant replenishment of this fuel prevents one from becoming overly tired and â€Å"unable to concentrate. † (Healthy Snacking Benefits) Healthy snacks give the body an extra energy boost and keeps a person more mentally alert and focused. Nurition. com discusses a similar topic and explains that the idea that â€Å"snacks spoil your appetite for meals† (Snack Attacks) is a myth. In fact, snacking two or three hours before a full meal may simply restrict the body from becoming extremely hungry and causing one to overeat.However, fattening snacks such as potato chips, chocolates, sweets, etc. will increase overall caloric intake if not considered into daily intake as a whole. Healthy snacks do not typically cause these problems. Growing children, athletes, teenagers, and adults all have varying needs when it comes to die tary needs. All athletes needs more energy than the average person, therefore allowing them to need energy â€Å"in the form of carbohydrates, whereas teenagers need higher energy snacks and nutrients for their continually growing bodies, and while adults need to only maintain their health should eat more frequent, smaller snacks. Snack Attacks) Fruits, low-fat dairy products, grains, and vegetables are snacks that may boost energy and â€Å"battle fatigue,† as well as â€Å"protein-laden food like fish, meat, eggs, cheese, and tofu† because these contain amino acids which increase concentration. (Healthy Snacking Benefits) According to abc. com, raisins, soy products, walnuts, avocado, and high-fiber foods are the top 5 heart-healthy snacks. â€Å"[At the American College of Cardiology’s annual meeting], researchers presented results of separate studies that evaluated the effects of raisins and soy on blood pressure. The studies found that oth foods lowered b lood pressure when consumed regularly. † (Top 5 Heart-Healthy Snacks) The researchers believe that the potassium intake from the raisins cause the decrease, while genistein, found in soy products increased dilation of the blood vessels, which led to a decrease in blood pressure. Walnuts contain â€Å"healthier monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats† and these reduced low density lipids and increase high density lipids. They also have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and walnuts have twice as many antioxidants as any other nut. Avocados are packed full with vitamins, fiber, and potassium – 60% more than bananas.Any high fiber foods help to â€Å"cleanse the digestive tract of potentially dangerous fats. † These foods may include oats, beans, fruits, vegetables, and grains. (Top 5 Heart-Healthy Snacks) Healthy snacks such as these have been studied and found to reduce many types of diseases and disorders. Joint diseases, ADHD, schizophrenia, and many oth er diseases may be prevented through snacking on these healthy foods. (Healthy Snacking Benefits) Health and the Iowa State Community Our entire report and analysis has been conducted under the assumption that Iowa State University is a community afflicted by the pains of obesity and unhealthy eating.To insure that combatting obesity would be both well received and relevant to Iowa State students and community, our team distributed a 7-question survey, prompting students to give us their true feelings on obesity’s affect on the community, what solutions they would find most effective, and if our goal of changing the vending machine products would cause any negative response. The short survey provides our group with much needed approval and validation from the community. If we had come to find that students would reject the proposed plan of action, steps could be made to resolve the issue and stay on course.More so, if students had found obesity to be an irrelevant issue, our group would be hard-pressed to find funds for a problem that wasn’t seen to exist. Luckily, obesity is not out of the field of vision for the Iowa State community. When asked, â€Å"How much do you agree with the following statement, â€Å"Obesity is the biggest problem in the Iowa State University community†? 68% of respondents answered that they at least somewhat agreed (Table 2. 1). Table 2. 1 Without this approval from the community, efforts to change obesity trends would be wasted.However, provided this overwhelming concern, it is now inherent that we offer the community a solid plan of action, that will produce real results, with little concern over life changes. One vital factor in our quest to make the ISU community healthier is the maintenance of one’s usual daily life. Abrupt changes can often bring depression and fear, and with a task as grand and as fragile as weight loss and health, we must tread lightly. Choosing a medium from which we would provi de healthier food options is a difficult task, and so we must account for accessibility, frequency of use, and potential for change.Iowa State University has made grand changes to it’s on-campus dining centers, but what about members of the community who do not have dining plans? Where do they buy the quickest, and often the most unhealthy, snacks? Vending machines. When over 150 students were asked, â€Å"How often do you purchase food items from vending machines located on campus? † The overwhelming majority responded that they only purchased snacks from the vending machines on campus a few times a month or year (Table 2. 2). Table 2. 2Although targeting vending machines may not initially reach the greatest population of students or community members, changing the contents of the vending machines will prove to be worthwhile. When survey participants were told of the proposed method of changing obesity trends at ISU by replacing current vending machine items with heal thier options, potential vending machine use increased (Table 2. 3). Table 2. 3 Clearly, Iowa State community members approve of the proposed method, not only as beneficial for the community as a whole, but our solution remains as one that everyone would take part in; overweight or not.Approval from the community is especially important, however it does not prove to be an authoritative reason for replacing the current vending machine items. To acquire the approval of funds from the GSB and Ames community, it is imperative that an expert weighs in on how to best alleviate the impact of obesity at Iowa State University. In an interview with ISU’s Director of Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, and author of â€Å"Eat Simpler, Healthier with New Healthy & Homemade† cookbook, Peggy Martin states that, â€Å"making healthy choices takes planning. Within a world of homework, projects, exams, and extracurricular activities, what ISU student has time to plan? Repla cing unhealthy snack option in the vending machines on ISU campus will cut the hassle of planning out each meal. ISU community members will no longer leave their apartments worrying about finding healthy food because it will be more accessible, available in each building, wherever a vending machine is located. Registered dietician Martin also provided our team with concrete example of healthy foods that can be sold in vending machines.Implementing our solution as soon as possible is key, as Martin says, â€Å"eliminating temptation in today’s sugar-ridden environment will prove difficult, but worthwhile. † Meso-level analysis of ISU community members through survey, and micro-level analysis of individual nutrition through interviewing Peggy Martin provides our team with necessary information needed to be successful on Iowa State campus. With the revamping of vending machine products ISU community members will be more likely to purchase vending machine snacks; increasin g profit, health, and awareness.Conclusions and Recommendations 1. Implementation of vending machines One solution to the obesity problem that ISU students face on campus is to change and regulate the university’s vending machines. The existing vending machines in use have little to no variety or choice of healthy foods. Most beverage type vending machines only have water as a choice as a healthy alternative. With giving students the selection of health foods, it will lower their risk of obesity during their stay at Iowa State.According to an article by the journal of adolescent health â€Å"contents of school vending machines relate to diets either positively or negatively, depending on what is sold in them. Therefore, it is important that schools address the quality of food sold in vending machines in their wellness policies† (Rovner 18). This means that the healthier foods in vending machines relate positively to diets and junk food relates negatively. By putting in only the vending machines with healthy food on our campus we will see a positive correlation with the students’ diets. . Variety of foods to see what sells best Before replacing over 100 vending machines on campus we want to make sure the products are going to make revenues for the college. We can test out different types of products that will be available by replacing current vending machines in popular locations like the C-Stores and providing samples of the alternative products. By doing this we can get an idea of what is popular among the students. After we find out what products sell best, we can put them into our vending machines. 3. Wellness programsBecause of the tax on the junk foods, we will be able to create other wellness programs to help students having obesity or health related issues. Some programs may consist of having a free health screenings to show the negatives of unhealthy eating and giving recommendations on new healthy lifestyles. We can give health ti ps and guides for people who want to change their eating habits. These programs will mainly be funded by taxing the junk foods that are sold on campus. 4. Cost of healthy foods subsidized by taxing junk food Healthy food is not relatively expensive, but some foods have a short shelf life.The costs of replenishing these items in the vending machines are going to be slightly high because of human capital cost, having someone go and replace the vending machines routinely, and waste cost because of the foods’ expiration date. There are those processed healthy foods that cost more than normal ones because of the process to keep the nutrients in them cost more. To subsidize these costs, we can put an extra charge or tax on to the existing junk foods. It is not economical for Iowa State to get rid of all junk food that people do want; by giving it a tax we can level the cost of buy and replacing the healthy ones.This will give students an incentive to choose the healthy foods becaus e of the cheaper cost and may change the students eating habits. References â€Å"Healthy Snacking Benefits. † EverydayHealth. com. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. . â€Å"Nutrition. com. sg – Healthy Eating – Snack Attacks. † Object Moved. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. . CAROLLO, KIM. â€Å"Top 5 Heart-Healthy Snacks. † ABC News. ABC News Network, 26 Mar. 2012. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. lt;http://abcnews. go. com/Health/top-heart-healthy-snacks/story? id=15996098>. â€Å"2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet. † Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 May 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. . Boyles, Salynn. â€Å"Sodas and Your Health: Risks Debated. † WebMD. WebMD, 09 Mar. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. . Ogden, Cynthia L. , Margaret D. Carroll, Brian K. Kit, and Katherine M. Flegal. â€Å"Prevalence of Obesity in the United States. † Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jan. 2 012. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. . Pelch, Anna. â€Å"The Health Effects of Soda Consumption. † Home. St. Joseph's Academy. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. ;http://scijourner. org/;. Rovner, Alisha J. , Tonja R. Nansel, Jing Wang, and Ronald J. Iannotti. â€Å"Food Sold in School Vending Machines Is Associated With Overall Student Dietary Intake. † Journal of Adolescent Health 48. 1 (2011): 13-19. Science Direct. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. Interview with Peggy Martin Survey (Appendix) Appendix I Survey: The Iowa State Community and HealthParticipant, Thank you for choosing to participate in this short survey. With your help, you can aid our efforts to convert Iowa State University campus to one that promotes healthy food choices. All information obtained is anonymous and will only be used for an English 302 class project. All survey questions are optional and you may stop your completion of the survey at any time. Thank you for your contribution! How much do you agree with the following statement, â€Å"Obesity greatly affects the population of the United States†? A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E.Strongly Disagree How much do you agree with the following statement, â€Å"Obesity is a problem in the Iowa State University community†? A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree How often do you purchase food items from vending machines located on campus? A. More than 3 times a week B. Once or twice a week C. A few times a month D. A few times a year E. Never How much do you agree with the following statement, â€Å"The items currently available for purchase on the ISU campus do not reflect the purchases I would prefer to make†? A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C.Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree If the vending machines on ISU campus had healthier options you would be: A. More likely to purchase items from the vending machines B. Equally as likely to purchase items from the vending machines C. Less likely to purc hase items from the vending machines D. I do not use the vending machines on ISU campus How much do you agree with following statement, â€Å"Iowa State University is responsible for providing the community with healthier food options on campus†? A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neutral D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree

Sunday, September 29, 2019

A Strange Encounter

It was a conventional evening at the Gladwyne Pharmacy. Preparing for our closure, I was organizing the register receipts from the day to save myself from ancillary labor the following morning. 6:57PM: only three more minutes before I can finally return home after an extensive, demanding afternoon. Contrary to the ordinary occurrence, our regular last-minute customers were not swarming in the door. Initially, I took this as a good sign: today may mark the first time I get off work punctually. But, lo and behold, my expectations did not match the true exposition.A man walks in: at least my height, possibly taller, and significantly stronger. He was completely unfamiliar to me; I assumed he must not be from the area. He flounced his way in my direction as if under heavy influence of drugs or alcohol. A strong scent of whiskey filled the air as he neared. Instantaneously, I knew this man would be a problem. â€Å"Give me these drugs now! † he clamors as he slams his gargantuan fi st on the counter. It unfurls to reveal a crumpled sticky note with a short list of narcotics written upon it in pencil.I briskly replied with the standard protocol response for a situation such as this: â€Å"These drugs require a proper doctor-written prescription for us to give them to you. † I could ascertain that he was not satisfied with my rejoinder. This is where my once-regular day at work began to look more on the abysmal side. With an even more irate expression on his face than before, the man reached with his other hand towards his waist. At this point he was obviously insinuating towards his possession of a weapon. Unreasonably, he demanded to speak to one of our administrators.I informed him that none of them were present, but if he so wished I could contact them via telephone and have him speak directly to them. This was outrageous to the man, and for some reason engendered even further aggravation from him. Our only pharmacist on duty that night had been eaves dropping from the beginning, and thought it necessary to call our owner. She came out and politely handed the man the phone with our owner on the line. A second later, the phone was in pieces on the ground. The man approached me again, this time with a newfound ambition in his eyes.Noticing that both of our register drawers were ajar, he enjoined that I give him all of their contents. â€Å"I’ll take all of the money or all of these drugs, or you will have a problem! † I rapidly fabricated this retort: â€Å"You, sir, are the one with a problem: the local police are en route as we speak. † Without hesitation, the man bolted out of the pharmacy, and was arrested later that night for DUI. I was commended and received a pay-raise for my bravery. That improbable night I learned never to succumb to another person’s demands, even if your life depends on it.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Anorexia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Anorexia - Research Paper Example (2006). Body Image, Media, and Eating Disorders. Acad Psychiatry, 30, 257-261. On one side while the prevalence and incidence of obesity is rising, on the other side, the rates of eating disorders too have soared, both in men and women. Some of the common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Infact, adolescents are challenged with these conditions and the etiological factors for development of problems at such an young age appear to be a interplay of several factors like media projection of thin personality, eating and exercise patterns in the family and surplus availability of tasty, but non-nutritious food. The media provides ideas for various means of losing weight in order to achieve the thin ideal. Information delivered by media thus are often based on fad trends, with financial incentive and without any scientific backing. The net result is that several adolescents feel the cultural pressure for becoming thinner, more than that required for optimum health and they attempt to fit into this through nutritional choices that are either poor or dangerous or both. Throughout history, female beauty has been standardized and is often unrealistic and actually difficult to attain. Those belonging to higher socioeconomic strata are likely to conform to these beauty standards. Infact, women are willing to both endure pain and sacrifice comfort. Adolescents are often concerned about their weight and shape. In addition to the real health risks of obesity and poor eating habits, these youngsters are also exposed to thin beauty ideals that are unrealistic. It is very unfortunate that there is overemphasis of thinness among youngsters, because of which they equate thinness and beauty with success and health. The media provides ideas for various means of losing weight in order to achieve the thin ideal. Information delivered by media thus are often based on fad trends, with financial incentive and without any scientific backing. The net result is that several adolescents feel the cultural pressure for becoming thinner, more than that required for optimum health and they attempt to fit into this through nutritional choices that are either poor or dangerous or both While the reasons for anorexia among adolescents are varied, in majority of teenagers, the motivating factors are dissatisfaction with body image and desire to appear thinner. Losing weight attempts are often associated with different behavioral changes like alterations in the regular eating habits and change in the frequency of exercising. Adolescent girls who are dissatisfied with their image and are overweight are likely to resort to dieting. The more the degree of overweight, more is the risk of dieting and disordered eating. Infact, there are reports that parental criticism of the adolescent's weight, pressure to lose weight and parental role modeling of dieting are associated with increased rate of dieting and increased risk of development of dieting behaviors tha t are extreme. Perceived over weight, low body pride and dissatisfaction of body image among adolescent females are consistent correlates of binge eating and anorexia. Those with anorexia and other eating disorders, especially purgers perform poorly at school and they are more likely to be active sexually and frequently get involved in sexual or physical abuse. They are also more likely to attempt suicide. Purging and dieting are both

Friday, September 27, 2019

Art Fund Proposal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Art Fund Proposal - Research Paper Example Painting is one among them. The paint market sector can be divided into two major categories, industrial coatings and decorative paints based on the end-use of the particular products. Besides segmentation based on the end use of the particular painting product, markets can also be divided based on the quality and price of the product. Paints are generally divided into three price and quality categories: medium, premium and economy. The size of each group differs by market area and country, depending on the local painting traditions, standard of living, styles of construction and available materials, the general construction and decorating trends as well as industrial activity and renovation. Art market is a network of worldwide fiscal activity in major world cities: London, Berlin, New York, Geneva, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Milan. Art market subsists only in cities with cultural and financial capital that attracts continuing concentration of marketplace activity. The US guides the world marketplace for modern art with 50% of sales level. Aggregate sales volume and pricing across the art market from every source (sales, dealers, galleries, private and auctions) are presently impossible to quantify, but at the same time there are obvious indicators and trends. Using international prices and auction sales as an indicator of rising market activity, it can be seen that modern art prices were up 22% in 2003. Contemporary art market is being driven by the arrival of a new demographic of younger collectors and buyers. â€Å"Modern art is currently the heart of the global art market. It is the densest and most profitable segment. 2011 was the best of the decade for the sale of modern works with particularly strong demand and an outstanding revenue total of $6.067B, representing 52.4% of total global art auction. In 2011, the revenue from Modern art was up $1.218 billion versus 2010 which was itself a record year† (Art Market Trends 2011

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Clarifies the problems, and relates these problems to appropriate Term Paper

Clarifies the problems, and relates these problems to appropriate management theory, suggests 3 practical initial strategies the company could consider to address the issues - Term Paper Example Specific issues that will be discussed in this paper include: the problems that affect leadership, suggestions on how to solve them, the benefits that result from the suggestions, and the theory of leadership. The culture in Ecobot was one that undermined its employees. The mindset was that ‘labor is cheap’ which resulted to the organization investing most of its resources on the machinery and the processes. The culture got justification from the fantastic results and strong performance of the company. The human resource was forgotten as a result. The statement that labor is cheap meant that employees were dispensable and that resources should not be set aside to invest in them. Such a culture resulted to poor working conditions and low morale from employees. The customers were affected as a result due to the lack of customer service, which is viewed by the increased customer complaints. Ecobot should change its organizational culture. It should embrace policies and values that aim at empowering their employees. It can do so by rewriting its corporate goals and visions to statements that aim at making the organization the best in its field while treating its employees well (Thompson, 2014). It should adopt practices that empower its employees such as training programs, involving them in decision making procedures, and changing the mindset of everyone in the organization that employees are a valuable resource that should be invested in (Dwayne, 2010). Ecobot has raised the leadership roles of its leaders such that they do almost everything as the employees watch. Such an environment is not good for the leaders as they may overwhelm themselves with the operations, which may result into frustration, fatigue, and stress. Their productivity levels will decrease reducing the profitability of the company. Empowering leaders to such extremes result to mistreatment and demeaning of employees. It may also lead to embezzlement and

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Reconstruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reconstruction - Essay Example This is regardless of passing of 13Th, 14Th and 15th amendments intended to grant Blacks more rights besides voting. For instance, Northerners during Lincoln’s regime felt the then incumbent president was extremely slow in effecting significant laws meant to make Blacks enjoy similar privileges like any other citizen. Therefore, they ended up pressuring the president though at his pace he was capable of seeing some plans towards Blacks’ freedom realized. However, Johnson who was his successor proved to be totally against Blacks’ freedom and the entire reconstruction process thus causing confusion besides making it less efficient. Therefore, Dubois was right when he termed efforts exhibited during reconstruction era intended to make Black men Americans citizens were â€Å"splendid failure† because racism, utter segregation and ill-treatment of Blacks continued to be the norm of the day. During then, Blacks unlike other people continued to experience utter i ll treatment from their white counterparts especially in the Southern regions. This was to the extent of not having legal protection against open vandalism subjected on them and eventually no actions put in place to bring those responsible to the book. According to New York Times, Blacks were â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.quietly endeavoring to make arrangements to dispose of their property and emigrate to States where their persons will be secure against unprovoked assault, and where their property will be protected against vandalism† (â€Å"New York Times†). This is because somehow the government of the day contributed to Blacks’ woes especially during Johnson’s era who contrary to Lincoln exhibited little interest in ensuring they were safe. Therefore, Blacks opted to relocate to the regions where they would receive fair treatment as advocated by Northerners. Relocating in this case seemed as an effective solution to their woes because Blacks during then felt u nease to report to the legal authorities any incidences of injustice fearing intimidation and victimization. Hence, theirs was a completely losing battle especially in equaling whites because the government of the day favored only the latter. Reconstruction era despite the then authorities seeming to recognize Blacks’ presence and dignity, it was hard for them to enjoy same privileges as their white counterparts. This is especially during Johnson’s regime, which was extremely opposite of what Lincoln anticipated to implement though being slow to ensure Blacks’ safety. According to Special Field Orders there were â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦400,000 acres along the Georgia and South Carolina coasts abandoned by white planters be confiscated and divided into 40 acre parcels (Mooney, 15).† Conversely, all these plans Johnson revoked them leading to immense loss of homes, crops and land besides making numerous dreams of freed slaves undergo â€Å"unexpected miscarria ge†. This incidence besides others and even hatred towards Blacks acted as sure prove African Americans during reconstruction epoch were not even near to be â€Å"true citizens†. Therefore, they were only in foreign state where the central regime pretended to care about them but in real sense openly exhibited the contrary though using laws to do so. This is evident in Litwack’s sentiments citing, â€Å"

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Statistical Process Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Statistical Process Control - Essay Example ld, therefore, ensure that there is use of the most proper management approach, for an effective problem-solving and improvement of the process of production or allowance of service by the company. This ensures that the company runs smoothly without chaos. In this paper, discussion will be made on a U.S based giant company by the name Walmart. This corporation was started in the year 1962, with its first store in Rogers, Arkansas. The corporation started as a small discount retailer but has since expanded internationally. By embracing innovations, the corporation has allowed its customers to shop online. Presently, Walmart operates more than 11,000 retail units in 27 countries and employs 2.2 million associates globally, out of which 1.3 million of the associates come from the U.S alone (Fishman, 2006). Walmart being a large shopping corporation deals in consumer end products ranging from clothing to groceries. Specifically, focus will be given on the entire shopping service that it provides. To increase sales especially in foreign countries, it uses the campaign â€Å"everyday low prices.† This has however not worked in all states. A reference point is what happened in Japan when Walmart bought a share in the Seiyu Company, but the successful strategy of the campaign failed. This is because the shoppers in Japan did not respond like the shoppers in the U.S. The Japanese shoppers associated the low prices with low quality and thus avoiding shopping there. Despite the continued success of Walmart especially in the U.S, there are areas that need to be improved especially in the foreign markets to ensure success globally. The fact that Walmart has failed to replicate its success in some of the foreign markets could be attributed to the lack of the corporation to fine-tune its shopping experience to the local culture. For instance in South Korea, the corporation should have agreed to the needs of the shoppers, who prefer goods in small packages, thereby forcing the

Monday, September 23, 2019

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS TO COURSE WORK ENVIRNOMENTAL SCIENCE Coursework

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS TO COURSE WORK ENVIRNOMENTAL SCIENCE - Coursework Example An example is the melting if the sea ice in the Arctic and glaciers as a result of global warming. Atom is delineated as a building block of any matter. It joins together the molecules which forms most of the objects around us. They are composed of protons, electrons and neutrons. The protons and neutrons are at the centre of the atoms called nucleus while the electrons orbit the nucleus. Protons have a positive charge; electrons have a negative charge while the neutrons don’t have any charge. Isotopes refer to the atoms with different numbers of neutrons. They are mainly denoted by different elementary symbols that are preceded by the mass number or the numbers of neutrons and protons in the atoms. For instance 2H (deuterium) is an isotope of the element hydrogen with a single neutron within the nucleus as opposed to the common 1H. Ions are atoms with extra electrons or missing electrons. When there is one or two electrons missing, there will be a positive charge while when there is an extra electron there will be a negative charge. (Wright, & Broose, 2011) The movement of electrons happens in the single covalent bonds. Two atoms of hydrogen for instance share their electrons when they bind together in order to form the hydrogen gas. An example is the formation of human blood, the ocean water and various metal alloys. (Wright, & Broose, 2011) Proteins- Made up of long chains of different organic molecules referred to as amino acids. The organisms combine up to 20 different amino acids into long chains. Proteins forms the largest part of organisms matter and perform different functions of the living changes. Animals for instance use proteins in the generation of hair, skin, tendons and muscles. Some proteins helps in storage energy, others facilitate transportation of substance, defends the organism against foreign attackers while others act as hormone, serve as enzymes. Nucleic acids – It facilitates directing of production of proteins. The

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Behavior Management in Classroom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Behavior Management in Classroom - Essay Example Thus, new and customized model of teaching models work as a source of intellectual combination of prior theorists and current trends in human learning. Question 3 Excluding external contributing factors to misbehavior in the classroom (e.g. home environment, lack of parental support for the school, peer influence etc.) what other classroom related factors might be influencing students to misbehave in the classroom. Identify and briefly explain three major factors. Answer There are some of the classroom related factors that can provoke a student to misbehave in the classroom. These can be damaging to the learning process and affecting other subjects in the learning process. It should be noted that the teacher’s tone, voice and language can play a very major role in the behavior management of a student. For instance, if a child is not able to understand the instruction of the teacher then he is more likely to loose his concentration on the subject of matter. This will result in distraction of other’s attention from the lecture. Another factor which is likely to persuade the student to misbehave in the class would be lack of attention by the teacher. It should be noted that not all children are same. Thus, teachers need to give proper attention to all students otherwise it will result in misbehave in the class. Also, a teacher needs to be consistent with the instructions that are being given to the student. If increasing instructions on one day and lesser on the other day is noted then it will make children become agitated. These three factors can lead a child to misbehave in the class regardless of the family settings they belong. Question 4 How can teachers maintain positive relations with students whose behavior is challenging and difficult to manage? Identify... There are some of the classroom related factors that can provoke a student to misbehave in the classroom. These can be damaging to the learning process and affecting other subjects in the learning process. It should be noted that the teacher’s tone, voice and language can play a very major role in the behavior management of a student. For instance, if a child is not able to understand the instruction of the teacher then he is more likely to loose his concentration on the subject of matter. This will result in distraction of other’s attention from the lecture. Another factor which is likely to persuade the student to misbehave in the class would be lack of attention by the teacher. It should be noted that not all children are same. Thus, teachers need to give proper attention to all students otherwise it will result in misbehave in the class. Also, a teacher needs to be consistent with the instructions that are being given to the student. If increasing instructions on on e day and lesser on the other day is noted then it will make children become agitated. These three factors can lead a child to misbehave in the class regardless of the family settings they belong. Question 4-Â  How can teachers maintain positive relations with students whose behavior is challenging and difficult to manage? Identify and explain three ways. Make sure you choose significant (not trivial or highly unique and specific) strategies. Identify strategies that would apply across a wide variety of classroom events and behaviors.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Why Abortion Is Wrong Essay Example for Free

Why Abortion Is Wrong Essay The concept of abortion up to this day is constantly being argued in politics. Is abortion wrong? Does the mother really have a say in whether or not she keeps the baby? Some politicians would argue yes; the mother has absolute control on what she wants to do with her body. Others would argue no; this violates many things in our American government, but which statement is correct? Abortion is wrong politically in many ways because it goes against our right to life, the Hippocratic Oath, and our right from cruel and unusual punishment. It should be outlawed in all of the United States Of America. The right to life is enshrined in article three of the universal declaration of human rights. It states, â€Å"every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his/ her life.† But when exactly does life start? When is a fetus actually considered to be alive? According to the Mayo clinics in Florida, Minnesota, and Arizona a fetus’s heart, brain, and other of its very vital organs start to form at week five of pregnancy. At week six its heart is already developed enough to pump blood throughout the body, and at week 7 the brain develops even faster than before. The baby at this point is also capable of â€Å"breathing,† Its lungs are developed and are working within its body, very similar to a baby already being held by its mother. Abortion is a huge rule breaker for doctors as well who take the Hippocratic Oath upon being licensed to become a physician. It states, â€Å"I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asks for it, nor will I make suggestions of this effect, similarly I will not give a woman an abortive remedy.† The first and most obvious way in which this oath was broken is by giving a woman an abortive remedy. The doctors swear upon this oath that they will follow these guidelines of conserving life, and try their best to protect it, but by giving an abortion to a woman it is causing the murder of a living being. The second way, â€Å"I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asks for it.† This statement is being broken because by giving a woman a deadly injection for the fetus, they are doing just that; giving her a deadly drug. The bill of rights, gives us the right from cruel and unusual punishment. Punishments to include torture, barbarous punishments, degrading punishments not known to the common law, and punishments so disproportionate to the offense as to shock the general moral sense. There are many ways to give an abortion, and every single one of these forms are considered cruel and unusual. Dilation and evacuation is one example of cruel and unusual punishment. This method of abortion is generally preformed in the second trimester of pregnancy. Forceps are used to rip away pieces of the developing baby body and remove them from the womb. Because the skull has often hardened by thing time, it may have to be crushed for removal. Another form of cruel and unusual punishment is Saline Amniocentesis, also known as â€Å"salt poisoning.† This method, first used in Nazi concentration camps and now common in America, is preformed during the second or early third trimester. A needle is injected into the abdomen and the amniotic liquid is removed. This is then replaced by a concentrated salt that burns away and deteriorates the baby’s skin. Within three days the mother goes into labor and delivers a dead, burned baby, and in some cases the baby may still even be alive. One last method is partial birth abortion. Using ultrasound the abortionist grasps the baby’s leg with forceps, and partially delivers all but the head. Scissors are then jammed into the back of the babies skull and the wound is pried opened. A powerful vacuum is then inserted and sucks out the baby’s brain. Partial birth abortion is normally done during the late second or early third trimester of pregnancy. Abortion is in no way acceptable, and should be banned from the U.S. There are so many evident rules being broken, that is hard to understand why some places in America still allow it to happen. Abortion is politically wrong because it takes away the right of life, it gives no importance to the sworn oath, and allows all these forms of cruel and unusual punishment.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Strengths and Weaknesses of Marxism

The Strengths and Weaknesses of Marxism I have chosen to write about Marxism as it is the starting foundation for the class system we use today. He saw how Capitalism fed down to the working class and produced a top down approach to how our present system within our everyday life works. He was a revolutionary on the back of the industrial revolution; his ideas were in my opinion a catalyst to the future. His vision of what would be although unbeknown by him at the time has shown rapid growth within industry and community. The system that Marx sees is and has been the same for the last 2 centuries (Giddens A 2006 pg.15-16). Karl Heinrich Marx was born into a comfortable middle-class home in Trier on the river Moselle in Germany on May 5, 1818. He was born of Rabbis but had a protestant baptism to save his fathers job as a lawyer. Marx gained a passion for romantic literature and Saint-Simonian politics. Saint Simon himself advocated a society which was lead scientifically by men who had the intellect and training to guide society using policies arrived at scientifically. Calling for the creation of a new science which would focus on man as a social creature (which eventually would be created and called sociology). (www.pinn.net 2003). Marx went on to study at the University of Berlin for a further four years due to his fathers influence. Marx became a member of the Young Hegelian movement. This group, which included the theologians Bruno Bauer and David Friedrich Strauss, produced a radical critique of Christianity and, by implication, the liberal opposition to the Prussian autocracy. Finding a universi ty career closed by the Prussian government, Marx moved into journalism and, in October 1842, became editor, in Cologne, of the influential Rheinische Zeitung, a liberal newspaper backed by industrialists. Marxs articles, particularly those on economic questions, forced the Prussian government to close the paper. Marx worked on what was known as the material conception of history. Of which the basic thesis was that the nature of individuals depends on the material conditions determining their production. Marx traced the history of the various modes of production and predicted the collapse of the present one industrial capitalism and its replacement by communism. Marxs health was beginning to deteriorate and although he was still making commentaries on his previous works and philosophies. Marxs health did not improve. He travelled to European spas and even to Algeria in search of recuperation. The deaths of his eldest daughter and his wife clouded the last years of his life. Marx d ied March 14, 1883 and was buried at Highgate Cemetery in North London.(Kries S 2000). Communism was the predecessor of Marxism. The Communist Manifesto. The Communist Manifesto was a summary of his entire social and political philosophy. The publication of this book occurred at a most propitious time. The book appeared on the eve of the 1848 revolution in France and less than one year before an attempted revolution in Germany. After the failure of the 1848 revolution in Germany he was expelled from his country of origin and moved to London. (Newcombe J 2000) The capitalist society is a system that relies on lower waged workers to produce, and build profits for those who build the higher class system, because their own economic circumstances allow them to do so. Communism however is something that principally is a great idea but as many things politically becomes corrupted and the equal power is then seen as a dictatorship and not as a principle of equality to all. Marx was radical when looking at his ideas of industrialism. We see clearly that he recognises a class sy stem that starts ultimately from Capitalism. He starts to make waves about his findings which begin to disturb a country such as Germany who would seem relatively strong in the industrial fields and a world leader in the coming of the industrial revolution. He talks about the class system and how he saw the emergence of the working class. Before in the history of Britain there were rich or poor. In modern day there is the wealthy, the middle class, working class and beneath the breadline. Marx clearly sees that Capitalists form a ruling class. The group that make up the waged workers are the working class. Another branch of the working class are the Proletariat, these were the workers from the land who went on to expand cities and towns. Giddens goes on to say Marx stated that capitalism is inherently a class system, class relations are characterized by conflict. (A Giddens 2006 pg. 16). All about philosophy states that Under capitalism, the proletariat, the working class or the peo ple, own only their capacity to work; they have the ability only to sell their own labour. According to Marx a class is defined by the relations of its members to the means of production (www.allaboutphilosphy.org 2002). It is clear to see how the ideals of Marxism can link with the basis of socialism. It is however my belief that Marx did not intend his ideas and works to turn to the communist regime that came about under Stalin. Principally communism has its strengths. The idea that the working class reap more benefits for their labour is an ideal scenario, and thus is one of the strengths that a Marxist value represents. This is where Marx was at with his theories of Capitalisms demise. Unfortunately due to corrupted leadership communism in some parts of the world has become extreme Socialist power under dictatorship. This has caused in certain countries peoples freedoms in speech, and their own political beliefs to be stifled and open to persecution. Marx wanted to see fairness for hard labour. Marx himself stated The worker becomes all the poorer the more wealth he produces, the more his production increases in power and range. The worker becomes an ever cheaper commodity the more commodities he creates. With the increasing value of the world of things proceeds in direct proportion to the devaluation of the world of men. Labour produces not only commodities; it produces itself and the worker as a commodity and does so in the proportion in which it produces commodities generally.(Kries S- 2000). Marx at the time of his works was hated by Governments; he was deported and slandered for his views and beliefs. Some of the Socialist values that Marx touches upon are a foundation for our present labour party in the UK and are a good foundation which realistically the working class and Unions can stand by. This was the rationale of their manifesto; unfortunately the socialist side of Socialism has waned due to power and Capitalisms dominance into present day. Some of these views are shared with the writer of Perspective for the 21st Century: communist revolution or the destruction of humanity. (World Revolution 2004). The conclusion drawn about t Marxism is that it brings about some conflicting views. In principle we see how Marxism can work and how it links with socialist ideas and theories. Personally having been being raised up in a socialist household, I have never really had an interest in politics or the views that the family held politically. The problem that Socialism has is how the world has developed in what is relatively a very short time. It would be hard to believe Marx did not see how technology would have the rise that it has, this has brought about mass profiteering e.g. Bill Gates, Lord Alan Sugar and others in a similar field. Banking has grown as has lending and borrowing on a mass financial scale. More and more people are investing money whether it is in property or shares. Socialisms values and idealisms relied solely on hard work and a less complicated system economically than we have in the 21st century. Capitalism has always been apparent, but its rise started to come in th e industrial revolution and has become major worldwide. Trading is now at a premium and communist countries are changing due to revolutionaries bringing about change. World Trading is a major key to a wealthier state and there is mistrust with Western Governments towards Communist states. Marxs ultimate dream would never really have become world dominant, after Stalin took Communism to another level and turned it into a dictatorship. From Stalins ideas of Communism mistrust of these idealisms was then destroyed and the Western world would have very little to do with its ideals and theories. Could there be a turnaround in the future and that capitalism actually takes a backseat. This is ultimately what Karl Marx wanted to see in his lifetime. The idea of a minimum wage structure is a little towards a Marxist view but its still not the picture that Marx draws up for us on how socialism would work and how a successful uncorrupted communist regime in a country would head up what Marx ha d worked on throughout his theories and writings.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Limits of Cyberspace :: Technology Internet Technological Essays

The Limits of Cyberspace Lev Manovich’s wider history of vision and Simon Cook’s amendments to it reveal much about the recent developments in visual communication. This essay will use these two papers to show that today’s digital culture stems from late-Victorian methods of organization and Modernist visual forms. Also, it will discuss the current rate of progress, and the ultimate limit of technology in our world. Technology changes rapidly. Just a few years ago, the world was unable to stop discussing the rate of technological advancement. People laughed at Bill Gates’ famous quote, â€Å"with 1 MB RAM, we have a memory capacity, which will never be fully utilized,† and marvelled that â€Å"processor speed doubles every 18 months.† Some thinkers, coming to grips with this amazing rate of development, have stopped looking solely at the slope of technological progress and have begun looking also at the history of human interaction with technology, as well as making predictions about its future. A new work at the forefront of the discussion of the history of the digital revolution is UCSD professor Lev Manovich’s â€Å"The Language of New Media.† The ideas contained in this book are essentially elaborations of the ideas in his doctoral dissertation, â€Å"The Engineering of Vision from Constructivism to Computers,† and a few articles published on his website. In â€Å"The Engineering of Vision from Constructivism to Computers,† Manovich discusses at length the recent developments in modern vision as well as analyzing its present state. Over the last hundred and thirty years, says Manovich, there has been a dramatic decrease in the physical difficulty of labor and a correspondingly large increase in the need for the use of the eye and mind to perform productively. Manovich divides this time period into three separate stages. Firstly, from 1870 to 1920, he states that Venn, Freud, and others created new systems for visual reasoning. â€Å"For the first time, we can find in their work the explicit justifications for the very notion of reasoning through vision.† According to Manovich, these â€Å"diferent models of how vision can be used in reasoning represent the first stage in the reversal of attitude towards the inadequacy of vision.† The second stage begins in 1870 and continues until 1920. It encompasses the transition from physical labor to â€Å"visual labor†, when the muscular effort of physical labor is slowly replaced by the labor of the eye looking for changing details in a managerial workplace.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Androgynous Characters in Thomas Hardys Novels Essay -- Biography Bio

Androgynous Characters in Thomas Hardy's Novels Androgyny may be defined as "a condition under which the characteristics of the sexes, and the human impulses expressed by men and women, are not rigidly assigned" (Heilbrun 10). In the midst of the Victorian Era, Thomas Hardy opposed conventional norms by creating androgynous characters such as Eustacia Vye, in The Return of the Native ; the title character in Tess of the d Urbervilles ; Sue Bridehead in Jude the Obscure ; and Marty South in The Woodlande rs. Hardy's women, possessing "prodigious energy, stunted opportunity, and a passion which challenges the entire, limiting world" (Heilbrun 70), often resemble men in actions and behavior. Eustacia Vye may be considered androgynous for her passion, rebelliousness, and refusal to accept the confines of Egdon. She exists in a state of untamed romantic emotion and fantasy, and has little concern for the effects of her actions. These characteristics of Eustacia make her less typical of women during the Victorian Era, but the scene in which her androgynous behavior is most evident...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

A Happier Tomorrow in Today Will Be a Quiet Day Essays -- Today Will B

A Happier Tomorrow in Today Will Be a Quiet Day  Ã‚     Ã‚   In the story "Today Will Be a Quiet Day" written by Amy Hempel, one may be inclined to believe that there is a tone of depression or sadness among the father and the two children. This is shown in the opening sentence, while the three are stalled in traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge. The boy states, "I think if the quake hit now the bridge would collapse and the ramps would be left" (Hempel 1202). We also learn that the boy had a best friend who committed suicide about a year before. Finally, the fact that a mother is not mentioned leaves the reader with a suspicion that the parents may be divorced, separated, or even worse, the mother may be deceased. Even though these incidents probably make the reader feel as if a disaster is likely to occur, there is also ample evidence to show that the family is moving on in their lives, and happier times are yet to come. First, the father decides to take the day off and spend some time with his children. He lets his son and daughter skip their music lessons and they all take a trip...

Monday, September 16, 2019

Jazz Concert Report Essay

The UF Jazz Band Concert was an energetic, exciting and very entertaining. The University Auditorium provided a great atmosphere and vibe for the concert. From the start of the concert, it was very obvious how passionate all of the musicians and the director were about their performances. The band consists of five saxophone players, four trumpet players, five trombone players, and a rhythm section with guitar, piano, drums, and bass players. On saxophone were John Milado, Dustin Ferguson, Ben Greer, Monica Bello and Gregory Snider. On the trumpets were Sean Bokinsky, Mark Kindy, Anthony Bobo and Bobby Polidan. Playing the trombones were Kevin Hicks, Nick Arnheim, Brandon Allen, Adren Hance, Corbin Robeck and Mark Doerffel. In the rhythm section, Harrison Barron played guitar. Lincoln Antonio, Mitchell Morlock and Jason Bontrager played piano. Benny Cannon, Ethan Harman and Jonathon Foster played drums. Keegan Musser and Nate Garland played bass. The show wasn’t just the jazz band performing, the University of Florida Jazz Choir also performed two songs during the jazz band break. Jean Hickman directed the choir, which consisted of eight singers. The jazz concert started off with Lincoln Antonio playing a piano solo. It was a great way to get the audience in the mood for a jazz music. The piano solo was beautifully soothing and played so well. Lincoln Antonio did not play the piano for the entire duration of the concert, as he switched in and out with two other piano players, Mitchell Morlock and Jason Bontrager. The first song that the jazz band performed together was â€Å"Needing You†. Scott Wilson, the director, composed this song himself. The song tells about his journey to his wife and what they have been through together. He explained that he worked back and forth in another country, so their relationship wasn’t the easiest path to follow. The song itself was a beautiful piece that had soft parts, as well as fast paced parts. This song featured Kevin Hicks on the trombone. The second song performed by the jazz band was â€Å"Slow Heat† by Neil Slater. In this song, Ben Greer had an amazing saxophone solo. The song really lives up to its name, as it starts out very somber and slow. This song was very intimate and was probably one of my favorites performed throughout the concert. I liked how the song begins, and then the saxophone takes over and leads throughout the song. â€Å"Just Friends† by Rob McConnell was performed next. This song was an upbeat song with lots of trumpet playing in the middle of the song. The piano and drums carried the song throughout. â€Å"Softly as in a Morning Sunrise† by Sigmund Romberg was a very enjoyable song was a nice song to follow up â€Å"Just Friends†. It was a smooth jazz song. â€Å"Without a Song† by Youmans was an upbeat, somber song. It incorporated a nice even tone among all of the instruments. The soft humming of the saxophone sounded very nice with this piece. The beat of the piano carried the song and made it a very cheerful song. The UF Jazz Choir performed â€Å"The Look of Love† by Zegree and â€Å"It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing† by Edenroth. â€Å"It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing† had a lot of scatting in it and was really fast paced. The jazz choir did a great job of using each other to compile a nice tone throughout both songs. The first song was performed completely a cappella and the second song was accompanied by a little piano in the background. After the choir performed, the jazz band played â€Å"Magic Flea† by Sammy Nestico and â€Å"Sing Sing Sing† by Louis Prima. Magic Flea† started out at a really fast pace with all of the instruments being played at once. The show ended with â€Å"Sing Sing Sing†, which is a great jazz classic. This grabbed the audience and really pulled them in for the end of the show. The jazz band members were all so incredibly into their music and instruments as th ey played. The passion they exuberated was phenomenal. As a college jazz band, they seemed at a much higher level than what most would think. Overall, it was an excellent experience and I was so happy to be apart of it.

Chapter 13 Guided Reading

Guided Reading Chapter 13 Terms: 1. Tropics- Areas with high humidity and temperatures 2. Monsoons- an overflow of water from rivers 3. Ecosystems- communities of living things within a certain climare 4. Bilad al-sudan- West African Jewish communities who were connected to known Jewish communities from the Middle East, North Africa, or Spain and Portugal. 5. Dhow – any of various types of sailing vessels used by Arabs on the east African, Arabian, and Indian coasts, generally lateen-rigged on two or three masts. 6. Swahili – a member of a Bantu people of Zanzibar and the neighboring coast of Africa.Also, Kiswahili, ki-Swahili. the Bantu language of the Swahili people, used also as a lingua franca in Tanzania, Kenya, and parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 7. Urdu- an official language of Pakistan, also spoken in India. The script derives primarily from Persia. It belongs to the Indic branch of the Indo-European family of languages, being closely related to H indi but containing many Arabic and Persian loan words 8. Junks- Chinese Ships that can contain up to 40 tons Places: 9. Niger River – the principal river of western Africa, extending about 4,180 km 10.Indus River – is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through western Tibet (in China) and Northern India. 11. The Ganges – a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The 1,569 mi river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. 12. Mekong River- a river in Southeast Asia. is 4,350 km From the Tibetan Plateau this river runs through China's Yunnan province, Burma (Myanmar), Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. 13.Swahili Coast-The Swahili Coast refers to the coast or coastal area of East Africa inhabited by the Swahili people, mainly Kenya, Tanzania, and north Mozambique. The term may also include the islands such as Zanzibar, Pate or Comoros which lie off the Swahili Coast. 14. Strait of Malacca – is a narrow, 805 km (500 mi) stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is named after the Malacca Sultanate that ruled over the archipelago between 1414 and 1511. 15. Mogadishu – the Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta's appearance on the Somali coast in 1331, the city was at the zenith of its prosperity.He described Mogadishu as â€Å"an exceedingly large city† with many rich merchants, which was famous for its high quality fabric that it exported to Egypt, among other places. He added that the city was ruled by a Somali Sultan originally from Berbera in northern Somalia who spoke both Somali and Arabic with equal fluency. The Sultan also had a retinue of wazirs (ministers), legal experts, commanders, royal eunuchs, and other officials at his beck and call. 16. Kilwa -Kilwa Kisiwani is a community on an islan d off the coast of East Africa, in present day Tanzania. 7. Aden – In 1421, China's Ming dynasty Yongle Emperor ordered principal envoy grand eunuch Li Xing and grand eunuch Zhou Man of Zheng He's fleet to convey an imperial edict with hats and robes to bestow on the king of Aden. The envoys boarded three treasure ships and set sail from Sumatra to the port of Aden. This event was recorded in the book Ying-yai Sheng-lan by Ma Huan who accompanied the imperial envoy 18. Malabar Coast – The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent.Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain slopes. The term â€Å"Malabar Coast† is also sometimes used in reference to the entire Indian coast from the western coast of Konkan to the tip of the subcontinent at Cape Comorin. 19. Malac ca – the third smallest Malaysian state after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and Johor to the south.Malacca was founded by Parameswara, also known as Iskandar Shah or Sri Majara, the last Raja of Singapura (present day Singapore) following a Majapahit attack in 1377. He found his way to Malacca around 1400 where he found a good port—it was accessible in all seasons and on the strategically located narrowest point of the Malacca Straits. 20. Timbuktu – The first mention is by the Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta who visited both Timbuktu and Kabara in 1353 when returning from a stay in the capital of the Mali Empire. [25] Timbuktu was still relatively unimportant and Battuta quickly moved on to Gao.At the time both Timbuktu and Gao formed part of the Mali Empire. A century and a half later, in around 1510, Leo Africanus visited Timbuktu. He gave a description of the town in his Descrittione dell'Africa which was published in 1550. [26] The original Italian was translated into a number of other languages and the book became widely known in Europe. [27] Empires/ Kingdoms: 21. Delhi Sultanate – five short-lived dynasties, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, mostly of Turkic and Pashtun (Afghan) origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty.The five dynasties were the Mamluk dynasty (1206–90); the Khilji dynasty (1290–1320); the Tughlaq dynasty (1320–1414); the Sayyid dynasty (1414–51); and the Afghan Lodi dynasty (1451–1526). 22. Mali Empire – a West African empire of the Mandinka from c. 1230 C. E. to c. 1600. C. E. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa I. The Mali Empire had many profound cultural influences on West Afric a, allowing the spread of its language, laws and customs along the Niger River.It extended over a large area and consisted of numerous vassal kingdoms and provinces. 23. Kanem- Bornu – existed in modern Chad and Nigeria. It was known to the Arabian geographers as the Kanem Empire from the 9th century AD onward and lasted as the independent kingdom of Bornu until 1900. At its height it encompassed an area covering not only much of Chad, but also parts of modern southern Libya, eastern Niger, northeastern Nigeria and northern Cameroon. The history of the Empire in the longue duree is mainly known from the Royal Chronicle or Girgam discovered in 1851 by the German traveller Heinrich Barth. 4. Gujarat – From 1297 to 1300, Allauddin Khilji, Sultan of Delhi, destroyed Anhilwara and incorporated Gujarat into the Delhi Sultanate. After Timur's sacking of Delhi at the end of the fourteenth century weakened the Sultanate, Gujarat's Muslim Rajput governor Zafar Khan Muzaffar asse rted his independence, and his son, Sultan Ishaan Shah (ruled 1411 to 1442), restructured Ahmedabad as the capital. 25. Bahmani Kingdom – was a Muslim state of the Deccan in South India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms. Bahmanid Sultanate was the first independent Islamic Kingdom in South India. 6. Vijayanagar Empire – an empire based in South India, in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of Sangama Dynasty and Dhangar / Kuruba Gowda lineage. 27. Great Zimbabwe – Great Zimbabwe acted as a royal palace for the Zimbabwean monarch and would have been used as the seat of their political power. One of its most prominent features were its walls, some of which were over five metres high and which were constructed without mortar. Eventually the city was abandoned and fell into ruin. Individuals / Peoples: 28.Muhammed ibn Ab-dullah ibn Buttata – a Muslim Moroccan explorer, known for his exte nsive travels, accounts of which were published in the Rihla (lit. â€Å"Journey†). Over a period of thirty years, he visited most of the known Islamic world as well as many non-Muslim lands; his journeys including trips to North Africa, the Horn of Africa, West Africa, Southern Europe and Eastern Europe in the West, and to the Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and China in the East, a distance surpassing threefold his near-contemporary Marco Polo. Ibn Battuta is considered one of the greatest travellers of all time.He journeyed more than 75,000 miles (121,000 km), a figure unsurpassed by any individual explorer until the coming of the Steam Age some 450 years later. 29. Sundiata – founder of the Mali Empire 30. Mansa Kankan Musa – the tenth Mansa, which translates as â€Å"King of Kings† or â€Å"Emperor†, of the Malian Empire. At the time of Mansa Musa's rise to the throne, the Malian Empire consisted of territory formerly bel onging to the Ghana Empire and Melle (Mali) and immediate surrounding areas, and Musa held many titles, including: Emir of Melle, Lord of the Mines of Wangara, and Conqueror of Ghanata, Futa-Jallon, and at least another dozen states. 1. Mansa Suleiman – mansa of the Mali Empire from 1341 to 1360. The brother of the powerful Kankan Musa I, he succeeded Musa's son Maghan to the throne in 1341. His son Kassa briefly assumed the throne following his death in 1360, but was succeeded the same year by Maghan's son Mari Diata II. 32. Sultan Iltutmish – He was a slave of Qutb-ud-din Aibak and later became his son-in-law and close lieutenant. He was the Governor of Badaun when he deposed Qutub-ud-din's successor Aram Shah and acceeded to the throne of the Delhi Sultanate in 1211.He shifted Capital from Lahore to Delhi, remained the ruler until his death on May 1, 1236. Iltutmish introduced the silver tanka and the copper jital-the two basic coins of the Sultanate period, with a standard weight of 175 grains. He introudced Iqtadari system: division of empire into Iqtas, which were assigned to the nobles and officers in lieu of salary. 33. Sultan Raziya – First female Sultan referred to as Razia Sultana was the Sultana of Delhi in India from 1236 to May 1240. She was of Seljuq slave ancestry and like some other Muslim princesses of the time, she was trained to lead armies and administer kingdoms if necessary.Razia Sultana, the fifth Mamluk Sultanate was the only woman ruler of both the Sultanate and the Mughal period. Important Events: 34. Mansa Musa’s Pilgrimage – Musa's journey was documented by several eyewitnesses along his route, who were in awe of his wealth and extensive procession, and records exist in a variety of sources, including journals, oral accounts and histories. Musa is known to have visited with the Mamluk sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad of Egypt in July 1324. Questions to Outline: 1.The ecosystems in Africa are controlled by their location in comparison with the equator and there are many different ecosystems with in a tropical environment which is an area with a high temperature and humidity. 2. It mobilized the labor of ordinary people in order to produce surpluses, helped support powerful states and profitable commercial systems. 3. Muslim conquests in the Indian subcontinent mainly took place from the 13th to the 16th centuries, though earlier Muslim conquests made limited inroads into North India as early as the time of the Rajput kingdoms in the 7th century.Some historians consider parts of the conquest the bloodiest chapter in human history. 4. The Indian Ocean trade has been a key factor in East–West exchanges. Long distance trade in dhows and sailboats made it a dynamic zone of interaction between peoples, cultures, and civilizations stretching from Java in the East to Zanzibar and Mombasa in the West. Cities and states on the Indian Ocean rim were Janus-faced. They looked outward to th e sea as much as they looked inward to the hinterland. In the contemporary period, the re-assertion of Asia’s cultural, political, and economic trength has manifested itself in varied events such as the meteoric rise of the Chinese economy and the growing influence of India’s culture industry, and the rise of Dubai as a global financial hub. These processes indicate a gradual movement of the fulcrum of global economic and military exchanges away from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, a shift which is being keenly watched by national elites and global institutions. 5. Their status was determined by males, Tasks were cooking, brewing and farm work, family organization was important in society and some women didn’t adopt veiling. . The spread of Islam, Commercial contacts and the rise of Mali and Ghana. These changed many things with in the people such as what rights they had, the amount of slavery, taxes and trade, economy was based off gold and their religion. 7. They made certain adjustments such as irrigation systems, and adopted different means of surviving such as wild food and fish hunting, herding and grain trade, farming of rice, wheat , sorghum and millet. They also built dams and reservoirs.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Catholic Church and Ultima’s mystical folklore Essay

The novel â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima† by Rudolfo Anaya is pastoral, apocalyptic and, at the same time, tragic story revealing the complex nature of human relations and ambiguity of the world. The novel teaches readers not to interfere with the destiny of any person not to change the cosmic order. However, Ultima dares to influence the destiny and her death at the end of the novel is symbolical representation that every person should be responsible for his own actions. The author describes relations between an old healer Ultima and a young boy Antonio who is seeking for truth. The novel can be defined as apocalyptic as the author illustrates that biculturalism leads to inevitable conflict between cultures and religions. I think that the novel belongs to Chicano literature being rather popular in 1965-1975s. However, it can be seen as cultural novel which tends to explore self-development, personality and ethnic identity in the world filled with race and ethnic discrimination. The novel is rich narrative weaving many themes and sub-themes together allowing readers for different interpretations. Therefore, the objectives of the paper are to analyze author’s writing style, relations between Antonio and Ultima, to identify main themes and symbols, and to discuss the question of autobiography. â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima†: Analysis I think that the novel â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima† can be analyzed from different perspectives and from many angles. The novel is a rich literary work dealing with social changes, cognitive and psychological development of main heroes, religious issues, etc. Moreover, the novel weaves cultural conflicts and formation of ethnic identity into believable and coherent story illustrating the smoothes and roughs of Antonio’s life – the main hero. On the one hand, the novel can be seen as romance novel as it discusses societal period through myth creation. On the other hand, the novel can be seen as cultural novel as it describes historical conflict between villages and opposes race discrimination in the United States. Furthermore, the novel can be defined as Chicano literature as it promotes apocalyptic ideas and moods. The novel presents fertile background for analysis as the author uses rich themes and symbols to show the life pass of a young extraordinary boy. Writing Style The author incorporates powerful and vivid images to present the multiplicity and ambiguity of responses. In other words, Anaya uses prophetic dreams, episodes of horseplay among children, idyllic scenes presenting harmony and natural balance, mystical dynamism, scenes of violence and death as imagery to create strong impression and to make people think whether the world we see is real one and what the destiny of the person is. However, the novel tends to reveal whether it is permissible to change human destiny. Anaya uses strong imagery to show that characters and nature are strongly tied together creating so-called natural continuum. Anaya refers to technique of oppression when writing the novel in order to create multi-level conflict. For example, Antonio’s parents have opposing backgrounds, views and aspirations. Further, religious are opposed in their beliefs, values and demands on the individual. Cosmic forced are apposed as they symbolize eternal struggle between the good and the evil. Finally, the author juxtaposes forms of nature saying they can choose whether to make soil dry or fertile. The novel is based on conflicts – social, psychological, physical and cultural. Antonio’s life is also a conflict. The novel is also based on tripartites. It means that all evens and things are occurring in so-called ‘threes’. For example, there are three cultures in the novel, three Trementina sisters, three brothers, three Comanche spirits, three prophetic dreams, three Ultima’s efforts to identify her ethnicity, and three Ultima’s interference in the life of other people. Numerology is central in structure of the plot. Issue of Autobiography I think that â€Å"bless Me, Ultima† can be defined as quasi-autobiographical novel as the narrator refers to ‘I’ style showing that the novel is generated from personal experience or experience of the younger ‘I’. The novel is told by mature Antonio who shares experiences of being a young boy. Moreover, the experiences are transmitted in childish manner and it may seem that the story is told by a six-year-old boy. One more interesting fact is that the author says that he had to refer to his personal experiences and experiences of other children to construct the story. Despite the fact that the novel is quasi-biographical, the readers aren’t allowed to distinguish the real and imagined events as the author represents everything as fiction. I think that the author does base the story on rich expository of personal experiences, but he skillfully hides this fact. Relations between Antonio and Ultima Antonio is the main hero in the novel who decided to reconcile his conflicting religious and cultural identity. Antonio is only six years old, but he is extraordinary child with questioning mind, appreciation of life, and moral curiosity. Antonio is more serious than other children of his age, he is more sensitive to ambiguity of the world and conflicting cultural traditions. Anaya shows that Antonio is troubled about his uncertain destiny and he is willing to understand the world. After the death of one of the town’s residents Antonio seems to plunge into crisis of the faith and for the first time he doubts validity of the Catholic faith. Therefore, desire to reveal the truth can be defined as one of the strongest components of his character as his desire leads to interest in sin, death, innocence, and the nature of God. Antonio is developing to maturity throughout the novel progression and it is Ultima who teaches how to remain morally independent, to receive knowledge from all available traditions and to refrain from prejudices and limitations. Ultima leads Antonio to his physical and psychological maturity. Ultima helps him to resolve many conflicts and to determine his future. Old healer Ultima represents the moral system which Anaya supports. Relationships between Antonio and Ultima are the most important bond in the novel. Ultima is Antonio’s mentor helping him to overcome difficulties and to cope with anxieties and uncertainties. Relations between main characters can be defined even as spiritual. Ultima presents herself as the keeper of Antonio’s destiny and starts playing central role in his life and psyche. She uses her power of influencing to make Antonio think of himself and create his own sense of morality. Ultima incorporates knowledge of both Catholic and indigenous traditions. She thinks that spirituality and life are tied. Nevertheless, we see that Catholic Church rejects her mystical power, and Ultima respects its wisdom attending mass regularly. Ultima teaches to appreciate equally multiple faith and perspectives as each person is entailed with rights to make independent moral decisions. Ultima instills tolerance, open-mindedness and independence in Antonio’s faith. Ultima treats Antonio with respect and understanding, despite he is a small child. At the end of the novel Antonio is treated as spiritual partner and Ultima asks to bury the owl which symbolizes her own death. Ultima dies, but her spirit continues to guide Antonio throughout his life. Main Themes Firstly, the author stresses the importance of moral independence as no one has the rights to interfere with the destiny of others. Anaya emphasizes rights to think independently and to make up moral decisions. In the novel Antonio’s progress is the sign of maturity and self-development. Antonio constantly struggles to make his own decisions and he realizes that complex experience of religion has forced to change his minds. Antonio is really frustrated when he realizes that the church has failed and pressing questions about human morality emerge in his head. We see that Ultima becomes his guide and teaches about morality and independence. Moreover, Ultima explains ambiguity of life stressing that life can be viewed simply in terms of culture and religion. Cultural and religious traditions are important, but they constrain human abilities to be morally independent. Antonio realizes that he should find answers about evil, good, soul, forgiveness and truth himself. Once Antonio has committed fatal mistake, when he believed that the Communion ritual was able to answer all questions. Instead, Ultima teaches Antonio to make decisions and choices himself. Secondly, the author identifies the influence of culture on identity. In the novel Anaya explores the conflict between cultural traditions which fail to co-exist as one culture tends to dominate others and vice verse. However, in the end we see that the author offers new solution – he argues that several cultural traditions are able to create more adaptable identity. For example, Antonio manages to find answers as his life has been influenced by several constantly conflicting cultures. The first conflict was with his parents as Antonio’s mother wanted him to become a priest, whereas his fathers wanted Antonio to ride the llano. The problem was that parents had different cultural convictions. The next conflict is observed within Antonio’s native town where Spanish culture is struggling with other culture. The conflict is presented in tensions between the Catholic Church and Ultima’s mystical folklore. I think that through such conflicts the author explores the influence of culture on identity formation. Anaya shows that many characters in the story are limited by cultural prejudices and they have failed to look beyond their horizon. For example, when people define Narciso as drunkard they didn’t consider his traumatic experiences in the war, although it is known that war may serious distort human psyche. Ultima teaches Antonio to become free from cultural and religious limitations. Instead, she tends to encourage Antonio to think of all cultural influences as it is the only way to become a descent person. Symbolism â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima† is highly symbolical novel. The author uses different colors, figures, numbers and objects to represent abstract ideas and concepts. In the novel the golden carp, Ultima’s owl and the virgin of Guadalupe are provided with symbolic meanings. As for mea, the golden carp is symbolical representation of magical religious order which is hardly associated with Catholicism. The legend about golden carp offers main characters and readers moral guidance, brand of wisdom and comfort. Golden carp supports author’s idea that cultural traditions are different, but they are equally valid. Antonio firstly rejects the golden carp as he thinks that in such a way he abandons God. However, later he realizes that golden carp can help to weave cultural and religious sources together in creating his won identity. Then, Ultima’s Owl represents religious mysticism and life force. One night the owl sings outside Antonio’s windows symbolizing Ultima’s presence in boy’s life. Moreover, owl is the symbol of protective power of magic. In the end of the novel killing of the bird symbolically represents that Ultima’s life force is destroyed and she will die soon. When Antonio buries the bird, he buries Ultima. Finally, the Virgin of Guadalupe represents symbolically understanding, forgiveness and solution of cultural conflict. The story of the Virgin is definitely reconciliation of Antonio’s indigenous culture and European Catholic Church. When Antonio is frustrated, he often turns to Virgin to find a forgiving god. Conclusion â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima† reveals the ambiguous nature of the world and human relations. The author shows that every person has to make independent choices and to appreciate different religious and cultural traditions as it is the only way to become a better person. Ultima teaches Antonio to create his own sense of morality and to remain independent person. Moreover, she teaches him to avoid prejudices and limitation. But the author shows that no one is allowed to interfere with the destiny of other people. Works Cited Anaya, Rudolfo. Bless Me, Ultima. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 1994.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

The Bicentennial Man

I would consider Andrew Martin that he became truly a human being. I think that Andrew has fulfilled the characteristics and personalities of a human being. These abilities are things that can only be observed in human, and these abilities are what makes human unique from other creatures. These abilities include consciousness, free will, emotions, feelings, mortality, and other things were all developed and possessed by Andrew. Although Andrew was made up of steels, it is not only the physical features that make us a human being. What more important is our inner features that make us human being; what a person thinks and expressing his actions determine his being. It is by expressing human freedom through his/her will that affirms his/her humanity. Andrew was able to learn and grows that made him fully understand what it is like being a human. It also portray that the used of â€Å"I† by Andrew that I think makes him truly a human being, it is because like what I’ve said he was able to assert his self and we all know that it is only human being who is capable of asserting oneself. In addition with that, it is Andrew’s will that defines his meaningfulness in becoming a human being. But we should also remember not to take for granted on our will; we must be responsible with everything we do, just like what Mr. Martin told Andrew after giving his freedom â€Å"you wish for freedom, you must accept the consequences†. It was Andrew’s will to obtain freedom and he must be responsible with it and accept the consequences.

Friday, September 13, 2019

The Strategic Human Resources Management Model and Its Effects Research Paper

The Strategic Human Resources Management Model and Its Effects - Research Paper Example The Personnel Department acts as a meditation centre where arguments, complaints or concerns are settled. They have the rewards and punishment control over the actions of the employees based on their policy regulation function. The evaluation or appraisal function is also a part of the Department’s responsibility. The appraisal process is very important to this department because this is where they get inputs from both the manager and the employee or subordinate regarding the work attitudes and procedures, which they then use to formulate ate development plans. The Department also takes care of the processes for retirement and termination of employment with the company. Looking at all the functions of the Personnel Department, it is clearly shown that the main or primary job of this Department is to maintain order. Generally, the order may mean upholding the policies of the company by closely monitoring and checking the employees’ actions, but there are other meanings a ttached to the maintenance of order. This order may be in terms of relationships or the lack of it among colleagues or between a superior and a subordinate. This order may also be in the form of addressing the manpower needs of each department so they can function well to achieve company goals. This also may take the form of appeasing the concerns or complaints of the employees to maintain peace. The order may also refer to the continuous development of the staff through training to increase productivity. It may also mean the timely and appropriate response to questions relating to job functions and personal privileges or rights.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

An eassy on HRM in John Lewis (UK Department Store) - employee owned Essay

An eassy on HRM in John Lewis (UK Department Store) - employee owned company - Essay Example Ultimately, whereas the EOB model promotes sustainable operational and financial profitability, its application to other contexts is limited to small-scale businesses since its governance model may come under pressure as the firm expands. Introduction This paper is a study of the general business and HRM of John Lewis Partnership, an employee-owned company and evaluates the various mechanisms of HRM policy and application of JLP in the context of the 4 key functions of HR which include; resourcing the organization, human resource development (HRD), employment relations, in addition to, performance and subsequent remuneration. Additionally, it also considers both the vertical and horizontal integration of JLP’s human resource component with its operations, the benefits and challenges of employee-owned business model, as well as the extent to which it can be applied in other contexts. Overall JLP’s business and HR strategy The John Lewis Partnership’s overall busin ess strategy is partners’ approach; the JLP’s approach to business entails prioritizing its clients and partner’s happiness and welfare which is achieved by placing their interests at the core of its operations (Aston, 2013). In this respect, the wellness of partners is of key importance to the business strategy of the John Lewis Partnership since the partnership believes that it yields many positive gains for the business (The John Lewis Partnership, 2013), which dedicates itself to serving customers with flair and fairness. The John Lewis Partnership’s overall Human Resource strategy, on the other hand, is employee ownership, which top management at JLP believes has a massive positive influence on the wellbeing of partners; in this regard, the John Lewis Partnership takes investing in people and seeing them as the core of the business as a fundamental Human Resource strategy. Employee ownership is built on values such as strong communication, from the b ottom upwards, and thorough consultation, both of which lead to inclusiveness and engagement of the employees in the day-to-day decision-making process at John Lewis Partnership effectively; employee ownership has a multi-plier effect on business gains since employee participation motivates high performance. JLP’s HR policy and practice The human resource is the primary source of competitive advantage to any organization today; all firms can potentially boost both their operational and financial performance through well-structured high performance human resource practices, thus the need to attract, recruit, and retain the best talents. Strategic HR management practices such as recruitment and selection, training and development, as well as performance management are fundamental aspects of John Lewis Partnership’s Human Resource policy and practice. The JLP recruits its human resources through selection and engages in effective talent management through training and dev elopment programs, as per the needs of the partnership. The task of resource recruitment goes beyond merely selecting the best people for the job; organizations must invest in human resources, which are not only valuable and