HR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

HR - Essay Example As they see perceive via the general operating conditions of the TWTC, some managers confessed that their company occurs to have no clear career â€Å"road map† and this is not suitable especially for starting workers who aspire to yield growth and promotion at a time in the future. With less opportunities toward professional advancement and incomes that barely hit the average, it is plain to imagine how easily TWTC could lose employees by mass resignation if only there exist several other alternatives in which to spot greener pastures for employment and internship alike. Despite the negative observations the managing staff, however, expressed hopes about the impacting contributions of the Human Resources stating â€Å"HR is part of all process developments and is not merely supportive of the processes.† By exploring analysis of this area, the company is able to convey how people are greatly valued in terms of healthy working relations and quality training. Besides recruitment and staffing, the HR is said to demonstrate expert potential in evaluating employees and thereby determining the benefit packages that grant employees the satisfying monetary worth for the equivalent skills and efforts shown. Majority had agreed with the way HR is claimed to exhibit a character of readiness and availability in supporting most aspects of operations as well as responding to requests in a timely manner. A manager admitted that, being an asset to the company in different ways, TWTC HR receives good compensation in exchange of excelling in the field where personnel go beyond their fundamental duties, keeping a balanced aid between the employer advocate or executives and the workforce. Moreover, the interviewees further stressed that â€Å"HR is engaged in every part of the firm’s structure† and on this ground, the processes and

The Act of Utilitarianism Essay Example for Free

The Act of Utilitarianism Essay Act utilitarianism states that, when faced with a choice, we must first consider the likely consequences of potential actions and, from that, choose to do what we believe will generate the most pleasure. The rule utilitarian, on the other hand, begins by looking at potential rules of action. To determine whether a rule should be followed, he or she looks at what would happen if it were constantly followed. If adherence to the rule produces more happiness than otherwise, it is a rule that morally must be followed at all times. The distinction between act and rule utilitarianism is therefore based on a difference about the proper object of consequential calculation — specific to a case or generalized to rules. Also to achieve the greater good for the greater number of people. Rule utilitarianism has been criticized for advocating general rules that, in some specific circumstances, clearly decrease happiness if followed. Never to kill another human being may seem to be a good rule, but it could make self-defense against malevolent aggressors very difficult. Rule utilitarians add, however, that there are general exception rules that allow the breaking of other rules if such rule-breaking increases happiness, one example being self-defense. Critics argue that this reduces rule utilitarianism to act utilitarianism and makes rules meaningless. Rule utilitarians retort that rules in the legal system (i. e. , laws) that regulate such situations are not meaningless. Self-defense is legally justified, while murder is not. However, within rule utilitarianism there is a distinction between the strictness and absolutism of this particular branch of utilitarianism. Strong Rule Utilitarianism is an absolutist theory, which frames strict rules that apply for all people and all time and may never be broken. John Stuart Mill proposed Weak Rule utilitarianism, which posits that, although rules should be framed on previous examples that benefit society, it is possible, under specific circumstances, to do what produces the greatest happiness and break that rule. An example would be the Gestapo asking where your Jewish neighbours were; a strong rule utilitarian might say the Do not lie rule must never be broken, whereas a weak rule utilitarian would argue that to lie would produce the most happiness.

Wheel chair tennis :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tennis Populations 1. Wheel chair tennis 2. Hearing impaired 3. Learning disabilities   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wheelchair tennis won’t come easy to a new comer but with practice you can only get better. I would rate wheelchair tennis not a 1 or 2 (easy) because its hard to do two things at once. Positioning yourself in a wheelchair to hit a tennis ball before it bounces twice can be difficult. I would rate this activity a 3 due to having tennis skill and wheelchair handling capability. Wheelchair tennis is for every level but to have the basics of moving around the court and learn how to hit different types of shots with a tennis racquet can be challenging.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wheelchair tennis started in 1976, when Brad Parks introduced the potential of this new sport. Since 1976, wheelchair tennis has been the fastest growing and one of the most challenging and exciting of all wheelchair sports. It has provided opportunities for many disabled people to enjoy competitive tennis, as well as sharing experiences with both able-bodied and disabled friends of all age groups.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A little over a decade later since it was first introduced, with its fast growth and popularity, the IWTF (international wheelchair tennis federation) formed in 1988. The new sport grew throughout the country and even overseas. As fast as the sport grew one of the major problems was lack of equipment. Over the year, many players have donated their old wheelchairs to new and developing countries to help them start a wheelchair program. Wheelchair tennis has the same rules as a regular tennis game, except the only rule difference is the ball can bounce 2 times instead of once.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Mission statement for Wheelchair Tennis: The ITF is the international governing body for tennis, including wheelchair tennis. It aims to provide, promote and develop opportunities for men, women and children with disabilities to participate in recreational and competitive wheelchair tennis at all levels from novice to the professional player. As the governing body of tennis, the ITF provides a leading role in the administration of wheelchair tennis. The ITF aims to ensure that a fair and equal opportunity is provided for all those entitled to play under its eligibility rules and that the Rules of Wheelchair Tennis are implemented according to the standards expected of an international body. The ITF aims to work together with National Tennis Federations, National Disabled Sports Organizations and National Wheelchair Tennis Organizations to provide opportunities for all involved in wheelchair tennis and to encourage integration with able-bodied tennis whenever possible.

Financial statement analysis Essay

1. What is the purpose of financial statement analysis? The purpose of financial statement analysis is to provide information used by the business, potential creditors and investors. 2. If a company had sales of $2,587,643 in 1998 and sales of $3,213,456 in 2003, by what percentage did sales change during this time period? 24.18% a. If the company had a goal of increasing sales by 25% over a five-year period, did it meet its objectives? No b. If the company had set a goal of increasing sales by 28% during the next five years, what should be the sales goal for 2008? 4,113,223.68 3. List and briefly describe the five categories of business ratios. a. Liquidity ratios: Used to determine the company’s ability to pay off short-term debts. (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/liquidityratios.asp#axzz2LMPGyktQ) b. Activity ratios: The ability to convert different accounts into cash or sales (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/activityratio.asp#axzz2LMPGyktQ) c. Leverage ratios: Used to get an idea of a company’s method of finance or measures it’s ability to meet financial obligations. (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/leverageratio.asp#axzz2LMPGyktQ) d. Market ratios: A ratio of a company’s book value to the market value. (http://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Book-to-Market+Ratio) 4. Why might a company have a high current ratio but a low quick ratio (acid test ratio)? A company may encounter this when the current assets are dependent on inventory. (http://www.investopedia.com/university/ratios/liquidity-measurement/ratio2.a sp#axzz2LMPGyktQ) 5. If a company has beginning inventory of $30,000 and ending inventory of $55,000, compute its average inventory. If the cost of goods sold is $140,000, compute its inventory turnover and determine how many days the average item is in stock. The average inventory would be 42,500, and average days item is in stock 110.8 days. (http://smallbusiness.chron.com/calculate-inventory-conversion-period-11197.html) 6. A company computes its accounts receivable turnover to be 20. Based on this information, find the average collection period. If the company has a credit collection period of 30 days, explain the relationship between the credit collection period and the average collection period. Average collection period is 18.25. The relationship between the credit collection period and the average collection period is very good for this company. This company will receive payments owed to them prior to them having to pay whom they owe. (http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Ratio-Analysis.topicArticleId-21248,articleId-21213.html (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/average_collection_period.asp#axzz2LMPGyktQ) 7. A company finds that its fixed asset turnover (net sales/fixed assets) has fallen below one. What does this indicate? 8. If a company has $181,000 in total liabilities and $225,000 in total assets, what percentage of total assets is being financed with the use of other people’s money? 80.4 (http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Ratio-Analysis.topicArticleId-21248,articleId-21213.html) 9. Distinguish between gross profit margin, operating profit margin, and net profit margin and provide the formula for each ratio. (http://www.investinganswers.com/financial-dictionary/ratio-analysis/gross-profit-margin-2076) 10. Why is the operating return on assets ratio also referred to as the operating return on investment? The interest expenseis added to ignore the costs associated with funding those assets. ( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/returnonassets.asp#ixzz2LZMFaFbY) 11. If a company’s stock is currently selling for $12 per share and its price/earnings ratio is 6, what are its earnings per share? 2 dollars What does this figure mean? This figure shows that on the market the shares are selling for $12 per share for stock in this company that’s net earning $2.00 per share of stock outstanding. (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/price-earningsratio.asp#axzz2LMPGyktQ) PE Ratio = Market Price / Earnings per share 6 = $12/Earnings per share Earnings per share = $12/6 = $2.00 12. Compare efficiency and effectiveness. 13. What is the difference between accounting profit and entrepreneurial profit? 14. What financial ratio is predominantly used to determine profitability? 15. Describe the earning power of a company. 16. How is financial leverage related to bankruptcy? 17. Compare Chapter 11 bankruptcy with Chapter 7 bankruptcy. What is the relationship among fixed costs, contribution margin, and the break-even point?

There are always ups and downs associated with any line of business

There are always ups and downs associated with any line of business. IT is not an exception. During downturn profit margins take a toll and consumer confidence plummets. Business executives around the world eagerly scan the latest report on economic indicators and search for good news. Downturn affects many segments. It is not only the industry that experiences the negatives of the economy, but also the common man is affected. Economic uncertainty elicits different reactions from different firms. Some organizations simply tread water and attempt to ride out the storm; others swim upstream with the intent to move ahead of their competitors. As executives rethink their business strategies, they should consider a variety of approaches – including some that are not immediately obvious given today's uncertain economic climate. 2 Problem Definition Understanding the problem is a key to solving it. Howsoever generic this statement may be, it is apt to say that the strategies and actions formulated to emerge strong in downturn may not succeed without understanding how the downturn was caused. It is imperative to understand the factors that influence the downturn and how a particular downturn may be triggered. The cause could be many; a particular industry segment might not meet expectations and could trigger decrease in growth in other sectors. E.g. the dot com burst. In this section we endeavor to list down indicators that could possible play a role in causing the downturn. Along with it we also list down the reactions that companies worldwide give to tackle downturns. By way of research we would like to present how these reactions can indeed be made operational strategies to emerge victorious in the downturn. 2.1 Economic Downturn – Defined Economic Downturn is defined by a significant decline in total output, income, employment, and trade, usually lasting from six months to a year, and marked by widespread contractions in many sectors of the economy. Downturns can be * Industry specific * Economy based * Long term/ short term or * Geography specific The severity of an Economic Downturn is measured through parameters like: Economy * Employment * GDP Growth * Interest rates * Inflation * Investments * Public Expenditure Corporate * Lack of growth in profitability * Falling earning outlooks * Squeeze in margins * Drop in share price Index * Low dividends * High investor expectation * Dried-up cash flow * Low capacity utilization * Urgent need for cost optimization * Increased market competition * Stagnant Markets – Non expanding – Frozen pie vs. Expanding Pie People * Fall in Personal income * Fall in Personal expenditure * Fall in Private Investments 2.2 Company Reactions during downturn Companies adopt various tactics that can help them emerge stronger and subsequently more competitive when the economic upturn arrives. Forward-thinking initiatives that concentrate on lowering an organization's ongoing cost structure are more effective than blanket budget cuts. The tactics focus equally on efficiency and expansion, since businesses keen on moving ahead have to consider both perspectives. In fact, when corporate coffers are clamped shut, companies must rely on efficiency gains to fund expansion initiatives 2.2.1 Cut Costs Cutting the cost is probably the most obvious option for a company when margins are thin. Cost cutting is done in different forms and many of the following options directly or indirectly deal with them. 2.2.2 Improve Focus In boom times, the proverbial strategy is to let a thousand flowers bloom. However, when the financial picture darkens, the businesses tend to do some pruning. An economic downturn becomes an ideal time to focus the corporation's scarce resources -both marketing and manufacturing dollars – on the most popular, promising or profitable products and brands. In other words, invest in the best and ignore the rest. Savings from consolidation efforts can then be applied to further support selected focus areas. Similarly, businesses try to concentrate on acquiring and retaining the most profitable customer sets: How? 1. Forego expensive mass-marketing efforts; instead, market directly to carefully targeted prospects 2. Focus efforts on serving top accounts better than ever. Understand customer cost and revenue drivers to determine the real â€Å"top accounts†, then consider e-commerce and self-service solutions that can increase satisfaction while lowering costs. 3. Learn to effectively use information that is already available in-house to build revenues from the existing customer base. By combining in-house information with proprietary market data, the company can start to understand the â€Å"why† of customer preferences and build a stronger competitive advantage. 2.2.3 Ease points of pain When revenues are climbing continuously, inefficiencies are easy to ignore; declines in per-unit margins can be made up through volume. But when growth stalls, margins come under tremendous scrutiny, forcing companies to inspect every aspect of their business for possible improvements. Rarely can a business simply stop performing a function; instead, it must find a way to accomplish the task differently. This often requires the help of technology. Surplus inventory, high work-in-process and supply-and-demand discrepancies are more costly than ever. By digitally linking the entire supply chain and collaborating electronically with suppliers and customers, companies can potentially lower costs in the short term and improve market responsiveness over time. 2.2.4 Share costs It's not surprising that when margins are squeezed, firms search out and eliminate redundancy. Internal and external best practices implemented through shared or common business models across the enterprise can dramatically lower costs while increasing competitiveness. However, an â€Å"all or nothing† approach to standardization can sometimes backfire. When implementation teams look beneath the surface of â€Å"common functions†, they often discover legitimate needs for variance. Before too long, the cost of processing exceptions outweighs the anticipated synergy savings. An effective shared services strategy requires a deeper analysis up front – pursuing similar parts, not necessarily the whole function. Rather than forcing each function – regardless of line of business – into a standard mold, look for naturally occurring affinities, pinpoint specific areas of similarity, and combine those particular pieces. 3 Analysis 3.1 Reasons for Downturn Studies have shown that the following are the main reasons for downturn: 60% of the respondents feel that this downturn is caused by normal fluctuations in business cycles. The fluctuations in share markets are attributed as the reason for downturn by 20% of the respondents. Only 15% of the respondents felt that the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center is the cause for the downturn. This shows that people perceive downturn as a natural phenomenon happening due to ups and downs in the economy. Terrorist attacks and other reasons, are not the main factors causing downturn, but they can trigger an already bad situation worse. 3.2 How do people see the downturn Majority (61%) of the people feel that downturn is an opportunity to find newer markets, restructure their organization and fine-tune the process to increase productivity. The findings here support our arguments provided in the previous section. Downturn is definitely an opportunity for businesses to take a look at their processes, the way they provide services to customers, markets and other factors affecting them and improve their way of working. 3.3 Strategies to focus during downturn Studies found that during a downturn the energies of people are concentrated in keeping their customers happy. 32% of the people have made this as their primary focus area. The other areas where people are concentrating are in strengthening the sales and distribution/marketing. When getting new business is tough, it makes sense to keep the existing customers happy, provide them the extra bit for their dollar and come up with innovative ideas to service them. Keeping the existing business stable can sustain the current revenues and increase. Repeat business can increase the revenues. With these factors in mind, people are following customer centric strategies to face the downturn. 3.4 HR strategies during downturn Human Resources are on of the key focus area during a downturn. Cost can be cut cost by retrenching employees. Productivity can be increased by extending the working hours or by employing cross-functional training. â€Å"Punish the non-performers† is the key mantra. 80% of the respondents have stated that this is the primary task that needs to be accomplished or that their companies have started identifying non-performers and taken steps to ensure that employees perform to expectations. Some of them advocate extending the working hours. There seems to be not much support for unpaid leave or freezing salaries among the people interviewed. 3.5 Outsourcing as an option Downturns might pose a good opportunity to study what the companies are doing the best and discard the rest. Outsourcing to low cost destinations is definitely being looked as a possible opportunity. 76% of the respondents feel that they should resort to outsourcing non-core activities. 4 Suggested Strategy to Manage Downturns â€Å"Recessions, sound a lot worse than they are — in part because they're a great opportunity to move forward on key strategies and to take on competitors.† To get through a recession the most important thing for a company to do is to keep a positive attitude and identify its challenges and convert them into opportunities. There are various strategies that a company can adopt to not only survive but also grow in a reversionary economy. Based on the various arguments and data provided in the previous sections, we are in a position to present these action items to manage business in a downturn. We have grouped them under different functional management areas. 4.1 Core Competencies Recession is the time when a company must concentrate on its core competencies. Core Competence implies Resource, strength, skills or a combination that provide tangible advantage to a firm. It is very essential for the company to maintain focus and do what it does best. It is dangerous for a company to venture into unknown territories with an intention to broad-base itself, as one wrong decision could make it fall deep in the red. Every company must take stock of its strengths and leveraging unique strengths that are difficult to emulate. It should strive to enhance its knowledge and skill by keeping in touch with the market requirements. Identify strengths and axe weaknesses. This can translate in restructuring, selling or closing weak or mediocre businesses. Selling is particularly difficult, as the same division might have fetched much more in good days. In a downturn, this aspect should not change the focus. Companies cannot afford to waste money and management attention in areas that destroy value or limit their ability to invest in the future. Young companies may not have enough run way for the next year or two. They must rapidly adopt survival strategies. Tough choices range from giving up equity at low valuations; merging with compatible product or service companies; partnering to, in effect, use other people's resources; or narrowing the strategic focus to a bare minimum. A careful study and analysis will help in taking the right decision. 4.2 Customer is the King Repeat business from customers is important to maintain profitability. It has been proven that, repeat business accounts for around 70% of the total business in most of the established companies. Customer delight should be the focus. Offer something to the customer, which not only exceeds his expectations but also goes even beyond it. E.g. Special features in a software application/product in line with the customer requirements. Infosys receives 85% of its revenues from its existing customers. This is what we can call as a â€Å"Customer focused capabilities† which Infosys has built over a period of time. Customer delight can also be achieved by actually sending out people on the field and spending time with the customers to find out their requirements, the value they put on the product or service offered by the company, their level of satisfaction with the quality and other suggestions they can offer to better our product. This strategy was recently adopted by Hindustan Lever Ltd. with their â€Å"feel the pulse† drive. 4.3 Human Resource 4.3.1 Talent Retention At the outset, we have shown that recession and growth form a continuous circle. Therefore, it is imperative for companies to resist the temptation of cutting costs through retrenchment, as it sows the problem of rehiring professionals when the economy turns around. Instead, companies should encourage their employees to accept pay-cuts, and cross- train them so as to equip them with the necessary skills that will help the company take advantage of the opportunities that arise once the situation improves. Many companies that want to cut costs during recession adopt the policy of downsizing. A vast number of talented professionals are thus available for recruitment. Managers can take advantage of this favorable situation by recruiting these professionals after thoroughly interviewing them, thus testing their competency levels, attitudes, and the organizational culture fit. 4.3.2 Miscellaneous Actions Companies can resort to cross-train people in view of the opportunities that can come up after the recession is over. This is more like doing an investment in hope of better time to come In case of situations that warrant stopping the production, companies can ask the employees to take unpaid leaves or giving extended weekends. Lucent has adopted this strategy. It can have a downside to it by way of loosing talented employees because of employees getting demoralized. Offering additional perks to those who can get in more business can motivate employees. This can be mainly applicable to the marketing and sales force. Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric Co. called pay freezes â€Å"the worst crime of management† and underscored his long-held belief in a meritocracy approach that consistently rewards the top 20% of employees and dismisses the bottom 10%. While he was CEO at GE, Welch said, 75% of his time was spent â€Å"evaluating people† and raising the company's intellectual capital â€Å"through candid evaluations.† 5 Conclusion: Economic Downturn is a phenomenon that occurs at different spheres of the society and attracts a lot of attention from the corporate world, the policy makers and of course the common man. The strategies to set things right are also decided at various levels and encompass a wide range of actions. Above study consists of observing typical industry response to downturn, conducting primary research through surveys and analyzing the data and secondary research through analyzing reports and news available in business journals and internet research groups like Gartner, Meta group etc.

Sir James Clark Ross and Sir John Ross essays

Sir James Clark Ross and Sir John Ross essays Explorers Sir John Ross and Sir James Clark Ross Two notorious explorers from the 1800s are Sir John Ross and Sir James Clark Ross. These two explorers are known for their expeditions in the Arctic. Sir John Ross, a Scottish explorer, was born on June 24, 1777. He is recognized as the first explorer to reach the Earth's magnetic north pole. Age of nine, he joined the Royal Navy and served in the Napoleonic wars. His Arctic career were made up of two naval expeditions in search of the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and one unsuccessful attempt to find the lost explorer Sir John Franklin expedition to discover the North West Passage. His first expedition in search of the Northwest Passage in 1818 was unsuccessful. Between 1829 and 1833 he went along the East Side of the Boothia Peninsula and recorded the coast as far as Kull Island. In the west, they explored the coasts of King William Island between Cape Norton and Victory Point, finding and naming Cape Jane Franklin and Franklin Point. He also traveled along the coasts of Matty Island and recorded the West Coast of the Boothia Peninsula between Cape Porter and Cape Nicholas. In 1833, his ship hit an iceberg and was rescued. On his map of the Boothia Peninsula, Ross had drawn an isthmus "closing" Rae Strait between King William Island and Boothia. This has led some people to believe that this error may have led to the disastrous outcome of explorer John Franklin's voyage in 1846. Ross final voyage to the Arctic to find Sir John Franklin was in 1850-51. Later on Sir John Ross wrote two books describing his search for the Northwest Passage. Sir John Ross served as British consul in Stockholm, London from 1839 to1846. He died in London in 1856. Sir James Clark Ross, nephew of Sir John Ross, was born on April 15, 1800. He was a British explorer and naval officer who went on missions to both the Arctic and the co...

Digital manipulation essays

Digital manipulation essays Digital manipulation has been a wonderful advancement for people who make films. The latest hit Moulin Rouge took 3 years to produce, owing to the digital graphics which saw the recreation of last centurys red light district of Paris. To get the fill for the buildings the filmmakers had to travel to Paris and hunt down old buildings and photograph the actual brickwork. Such detail has enabled we, the consumer, to be able to experience the era in a way that could not have been imagined even 5 years ago. Even wondrous advances like this have a real downside. I believe that the use of digital manipulation has become quite dangerous. We have unprecedented amounts of young women and young men who are literally starving themselves to death in order to maintain or gain a body image that they see as desirable because of the press. We have mature people spending fortunes on plastic surgery in order to try to stave off the ravages of time. It is one thing to simply remove the wrinkles off of Madonnas or Andy McDowells face for cosmetic advertisements we all know that these photos have been retouched since the invention of advertising. It becomes another thing altogether when the person who you are looking at does not exist, except in the computer of some highly paid digital manipulation expert. It is the continual bombardment, day after day, that makes us all start to believe that what we are seeing is reality. Once upon a time the really greats of the film industry reflected what the general population looked like (only better). It is said time and time again that Marilyn Monroe would not get a job in Hollywood today, as she would have been considered far too fat. She was a gorgeous size 16!!! Now we have people who are size 6 told to lose a couple of kilos!!! The much-reported case of Gerri Halliwell o ...

Books By and About Marian Wright Edelman

Books By and About Marian Wright Edelman Some books by and about Marian Wright Edelman: Print Bibliography Marian Wright Edelman. The State of Americas Children, Yearbook 2002. Marian Wright Edelman. Im Your Child, God: Prayers for Our Children. 2002. Marian Wright Edelman. Guide My Feet: Prayers and Meditations for Our Children. 2000. Marian Wright Edelman. The State of Americans Children: Yearbook 2000 - A Report from the Childrens Defense Fund. 2000. Marian Wright Edelman. The State of Americas Children: A Report from the Childrens Defense Fund: Yearbook 1998. Marian Wright Edelman. Lanterns: A Memoir of Mentors. 1999. Marian Wright Edelman. The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children Yours. 1992. Marian Wright Edelman. I Dream a World. 1989. Marian Wright Edelman. Families in Peril: An Agenda For Social Change. 1987. Marian Wright Edelman. Stand for Children. 1998. Ages 4-8. Joann Johansen Burch. Marian Wright Edelman: Childrens Champion. 1999. Ages 4-8. Wendie C. Old. Marian Wright Edelman: Fighter for Childrens Rights. 1995. Young Adult. Beatrice Siegel. Marian Wright Edelman: The Making of a Crusader. 1995. Ages 9-12. Andrew Carroll, editor. Introduction by Marian Wright Edelman. Letters of a Nation: A Collection of Extraordinary American Letters. Reprint 1999. Susan Skog, editor. Embracing Our Essence: Spiritual Conversations With Prominent Women. 1995.

Attacks on Abortion Providers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Attacks on Abortion Providers - Essay Example That is, violence already resides within the very nature of relationship between the oppressor, and the oppressed. The truth needs to be evaluated and understood the necessity of violent uproar against such practices. This paper is an attempt to understand the differences and similarities between abolition and abortion concerning the attacks on slavery by John Brown and the attacks on abortion clinics in recent times. Abortion is a heated topic pitting pro-life and pro-choice advocates against each other. It may be defined as â€Å"the loss of a pregnancy before the fetus or fetuses are potentially capable of life independent of mother† (Potts, Diggory & Peel, 1977). The US constitution guarantees a right of privacy that includes a women’s right to have an abortion during the first thirteen weeks of pregnancy, and later to safeguard the woman’s life or health. The laws regarding a woman’s right for abortion varies in different regions, most specifically in Islamic countries where it is strictly prohibited. If we look at it from a religious perspective, then it becomes clear that it has been compared to commit a murder. The rate of conducting abortions has been constantly increasing in western and Islamic nations alike. For example, in USA, a total of 1.2 million abortions was performed in 2003, and about one-third of the total abortions were performed for women aged 20 to 24 (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2009). This has given birth to an un-ending argument between social and political sectors of society, over the legality of this act, and the un-holy attribute attached to this practice. This debate has yet to be resolved, but has paved a way for a newer form of terrorist activities that is known anti-abortion violence movement. The abortion controversy has been fraught with violence. Anti-abortion violence is violence committed against

Quotations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Quotations - Essay Example The listing of the types of freedom is long, and for the purpose of this essay, let me broadly classify them in four types. 1. Viewed from the political angle, this type of freedom is highly valued in democratic countries, and ruthlessly curbed in totalitarian and countries that are governed by communist ideology. In the latter, the citizen is only expected to listen to what the government agencies choose to tell them, and one must follow the instructions scrupulously without reacting. The ‘powerful chairs’ decide everything for the citizens and thus an individual is robbed of speech and expression. Turn the pages of history, and one can find the disastrous consequences suffered by the countries that suppressed the freedom of speech and expression of its people. 2. No two leaves of a tree, no two flowers of a creeper are alike. Variety is the beauty of nature and an individual must appreciate the unity in diversity and how the cosmos is governed by God by that Eternal Pr inciple. Atheists may deny the existence of God. Let them do so. But the question to such atheists is which God are you denying? Human mind is the root cause of all differences. It is the very nature of the mind to disagree and indulge in arguments and counter-arguments. The majority of the people knows and accepts that some Supreme Power governs this Cosmos systematically. The apparent-looking differences in the world are the creation of the waves of agitation in our minds. To begin with, let us say mental fear creates God. Even then, if such an approach contributes to peace, it is good. By nature no two individuals, even within the same family, are alike. How then the persons practicing different religions like, Hinduism, Christianity, Muslims, be alike? How can we expect the modes of their worship to be alike? But these differences need not and should not generate conflicts of a serious nature and worship of God should be treated as a personal right and an individual should have the final choice as for the mode of worship. 3.‘So far as a single human being is hungry in this world, my whole religion is to feed it’, said a famous philosopher. When tomorrow’s bread is not assured from today’s labor, take it as the beginning of unrest in the society, and when remedial measures are not taken well in time, history has been witness to the bloody revolutions, that engulfed many countries. Economic worries on a recurring basis throws an individual of his balance, he loses the power of discrimination when he sees his family members are hungry, and one resorts to violent and unlawful acts. Should such people be punished or condemned? Perhaps not! The society deserves condemnation, which creates such conditions and encourages criminal tendencies. An individual can bear with the provocation and inequality in the economic front to some extent, but not always. When the pressures of the external world are too much to bear, one rebels and goes ast ray. Similar is the case with countries. When a country attains super economic prosperity, it begins to dominate the poor countries and imposes its decisions on all important issues. 4. Stockpile of arms means storing danger for humankind. Any wrong decision by the top man of the country in the current scenario, is inviting irreversible disaster for the entire humankind. Nature is benevolent, but unfortunately human beings have taken her grace for granted. The need of the hour is not reduction of arms, but abolition of arms that have capacity to

SLP 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SLP 4 - Essay Example The concept of skills gaping is also important in the organization in that it helps the management to identify the tasks that require a variety of skills. Skill variety is known as the degree to which the job involves many different work activities or requires several skills and talents (Jackson & Schuler, 2000). The management may be in a position to fine tune the skills of the employees in order to improve their competencies. This also helps the management to identify the gap in the required skills among the employees that may need to be filled. On the other hand, this process also helps the management to recruit the right people with the right skills for certain tasks in the organization. The performance of the organization as a whole is improved if the workers have the requisite skills to perform a variety of tasks. During my course of work, I have seen this process used. I worked in the marketing department during my previous employment and I have realised that there are a number of skills required by different people in order for them to perform different work tasks. For instance, people with good verbal communication skills were assigned tasks that mainly dealt with customer issues. These people would deal directly with the customers and other stakeholders. On the other hand, people who had good technical skills such as computer knowledge were given tasks such as customer database maintenance and management. These people were also responsible for computing data obtained from online marketing research carried in the company. In order to apply this process in the work environment, it is important to identify the skills possessed by the employees and the skills needed to perform different tasks in the organization. This helps the responsible authorities to assign people with the right skills to perform certain tasks in the organisation. This also helps to minimise

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 51

History - Essay Example This alliance was renewed in subsequent year’s i.e. 1887, 1907 and 1912. On the other hand, the triple Entente comprised of Great Britain, France and Russia, who were opposed to the nations in the triple alliance. France was the first to express its fear of the threats posed by this alliance. Britain also expressed its concern over the developments in the German Navy and in 1904 the two nations entered the entente Cordiale or simply put a friendly understanding. The main objective of this alliance was to promote co-operation against an apparent threat by Germany. Three years following the formation of this alliance Russia fearing the growth of Germany army Joined France and Britain to establish the Triple Entente. As opposed to the triple alliance, triple entente did not provide that each nation goes to war on behalf of the others; however it maintained that all members uphold a ‘moral obligation† to support each other. The First World War which began in the month of August 1914 had both direct and indirect causes. The direct cause was the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the archduke of Austria, together with his wife at Sarajevo on 28th June 1914. This event that was linked to Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian revolutionary, only served as a trigger that set off declarations of the war. However, there are other Arguable causes that include: The existence of alliances that had been signed by concerned nations between 1879 and 1914. These alliances carried a significant implication on the later developments since some countries had no otherwise but to declare war in case any of the members ally declared war first. Such is the case that alliances reflected agreement between two or more nations to support each other whenever a need arises. Imperialism was the other cause and was evidenced by the concerned countries taking over new lands and making them subject to their control. Here, the rival nations

TAE40110 CERTificate IV in Training and Assesment Essay

TAE40110 CERTificate IV in Training and Assesment - Essay Example d – and place at the top of your portfolio CANDIDATE to complete this section Name: Slobodanka Vukcevic Address: Unit 218 /285-305 Centre rd Bentleigh Phone: Daytime: 0432541803 Evening:  Email address: sandramisticna@hotmail.com Company name:  Training date(s):  Training location:  Trainer name:  Assessment deadline:  Date submitted:  Candidate declaration—By signing below, I declare that: ? I have been advised of the assessment requirements, have been made aware of my rights and responsibilities as an assessment candidate, and choose to be assessed at this time ? this workplace project is my own and contains no material written by another person except where due reference is made. I am aware that a false declaration may lead to the withdrawal of a qualification or statement of attainment. Signed: ___Slobodanka Vukcevic_______________________________________ Date: 16 10 2011 ASSESSOR to complete this section Name of assessor:  Date portfolio received:  Date portfolio review completed:  Result summary (details over) First attempt (tick correct result): C  NYC  Second attempt (if needed): C  NYC  Assessment Results Candidate name: Slobodanka Vukcevic Assessor name:  1st SUBMISSION (if needed) 2nd SUBMISSION Result Result TAEASS301A Contribute to assessment  TAEASS401A Plan assessment activities and processes  TAEASS402A Assess competence  TAEASS403A Participate in assessment validation  Comments 1st submission . (if needed) 2nd submission  Assessor sign-off 1st submission Assessor Signature: Date: 14 10 11 2nd submission Assessor Signature: Date:  Feedback to candidate (assessors, tick appropriate box below)  This page copied and given to candidate as an assessment report.  A separate report was prepared and given to the candidate (attached)  Feedback was provided to the candidate in another form (explain): TAEASS301A Contribute to assessment 1. Clarify role and responsibilities in the assessment proce ss 2. Confirm organisational arrangements for evidence gathering 3. Collect evidence in accordance with assessment plan 4. Record and report findings. TAEASS401A Plan assessment activities and processes 1. Determine assessment approach 2. Prepare the assessment plan 3. Develop assessment instruments. TAEASS402A Assess competence 1. Prepare for assessment 2. Gather quality evidence 3. Support the candidate 4. Make the assessment decision 5. Record and report the assessment decision 6. Review the assessment process. TAEASS403A Participate in assessment validation 1. Prepare for validation 2. Contribute to validation process 3. Contribute to validation outcomes.  Introduction to the assessment tasks Overview The assessment tasks you are asked to complete are divided into three broad categories:  The tasks at a glance and competency gap Competency standards addressed Name and summary of task TAEASS-301A TAEASS-401A TAEASS-402A TAEASS-403B Assessment tasks Short answer questions ? ? ? ? Project 1: (formative

Citrus industry in Florida Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Citrus industry in Florida - Research Paper Example In 1834, citrus groves were being cultivated by farmers, which were interrupted by the occurrence of a freeze in February of 1835 (Florida’s Citrus Production 2013). The freeze, which happened on February of 1835, killed all the fruit trees in St. Augustine as temperature dropped to seven degrees above zero, thus, robbing people of their income (Dobson 2009). The farmers’ recovered production for the succeeding fifty-one years as the state only experienced warm winters; during this time, northeast Florida, as well as St. John’s County, became the hub of citrus supply (Dobson 2009). In the 1890’s, citrus production increased to five million boxes per year due to the demand for the said fruit in the northeast and the existence of rail lines, which promoted long distance shipping of the citrus fruits (About Citrus 2012). In fact, in the year 1894, the shipment of crates of citrus to the north amounted up to 5,000,000 (Dobson 2009). On December of 1894, anothe r freeze happened, killing all of Florida’s orange crops in its wake. On the eighth of February the following year, another freeze came about, bringing about the same disastrous effects; such was its impact that on 1896, Florida was only able to ship a little above 100,000 crates of oranges (Dobson 2009). The freeze caused the abandonment of citrus groves in the North of Florida and the production of melons and potatoes in its place (Dobson 2009). This was the most severe in the history of freezes that Florida had undergone (Timeline of Major Florida Freezes 2013). In 1901, there were little above 1,000,000 crates produced (Dobson 2009). In 1917 and 1934, still the state was plagued with the same natural calamity; the freeze of 1934 resulted in the formation of the Federal Frost Warning Service -- a replacement of the train whistles, which warned people of imminent frosts in the previous years (Dobson 2009). The occurrence of continuous freezes in December of 1934, as well as on February of 1935, yielded a negative impact as it reduce production from a million boxes to just below 150,000 boxes of citrus (About Citrus 2013). Again, the farmers planted their citrus crops, yet another freeze took its toll in

TAE40110 CERTificate IV in Training and Assesment Essay

TAE40110 CERTificate IV in Training and Assesment - Essay Example d – and place at the top of your portfolio CANDIDATE to complete this section Name: Slobodanka Vukcevic Address: Unit 218 /285-305 Centre rd Bentleigh Phone: Daytime: 0432541803 Evening:  Email address: sandramisticna@hotmail.com Company name:  Training date(s):  Training location:  Trainer name:  Assessment deadline:  Date submitted:  Candidate declaration—By signing below, I declare that: ? I have been advised of the assessment requirements, have been made aware of my rights and responsibilities as an assessment candidate, and choose to be assessed at this time ? this workplace project is my own and contains no material written by another person except where due reference is made. I am aware that a false declaration may lead to the withdrawal of a qualification or statement of attainment. Signed: ___Slobodanka Vukcevic_______________________________________ Date: 16 10 2011 ASSESSOR to complete this section Name of assessor:  Date portfolio received:  Date portfolio review completed:  Result summary (details over) First attempt (tick correct result): C  NYC  Second attempt (if needed): C  NYC  Assessment Results Candidate name: Slobodanka Vukcevic Assessor name:  1st SUBMISSION (if needed) 2nd SUBMISSION Result Result TAEASS301A Contribute to assessment  TAEASS401A Plan assessment activities and processes  TAEASS402A Assess competence  TAEASS403A Participate in assessment validation  Comments 1st submission . (if needed) 2nd submission  Assessor sign-off 1st submission Assessor Signature: Date: 14 10 11 2nd submission Assessor Signature: Date:  Feedback to candidate (assessors, tick appropriate box below)  This page copied and given to candidate as an assessment report.  A separate report was prepared and given to the candidate (attached)  Feedback was provided to the candidate in another form (explain): TAEASS301A Contribute to assessment 1. Clarify role and responsibilities in the assessment proce ss 2. Confirm organisational arrangements for evidence gathering 3. Collect evidence in accordance with assessment plan 4. Record and report findings. TAEASS401A Plan assessment activities and processes 1. Determine assessment approach 2. Prepare the assessment plan 3. Develop assessment instruments. TAEASS402A Assess competence 1. Prepare for assessment 2. Gather quality evidence 3. Support the candidate 4. Make the assessment decision 5. Record and report the assessment decision 6. Review the assessment process. TAEASS403A Participate in assessment validation 1. Prepare for validation 2. Contribute to validation process 3. Contribute to validation outcomes.  Introduction to the assessment tasks Overview The assessment tasks you are asked to complete are divided into three broad categories:  The tasks at a glance and competency gap Competency standards addressed Name and summary of task TAEASS-301A TAEASS-401A TAEASS-402A TAEASS-403B Assessment tasks Short answer questions ? ? ? ? Project 1: (formative

Assessment and Tests Evaluation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assessment and Tests Evaluation - Research Paper Example I chose this test since it plays a lot of significance in determining the qualities and capabilities of an individual. It reflects on the level of personification one has over the looming issues in life (Anderson & Morgan, 2008). This is a test administered in order to determine the activeness and relation of ones interests with those of a certain career. For instance, if one is interested in what goes on and is done by teachers, then that particular individual can make to be a good teacher. I chose this test since it reflects in individual capabilities and interest as rested in their talents. Anderson, P. & Morgan, G. (2008).Developing Tests and Questionnaires for a National Assessment of Educational Achievement, Issue 277, Vol. 2 of National Assessments of Educational Achievement. Chicago, CA: World Bank Publications Soled, S. W. (1995). Assessment, testing, and evaluation in teacher education, Social and Policy Issues in Education: Contemporary Studies in Social and Policy Issues in education, Kerry Carlyle Series. New York, NY: Greenwood Publishing

The employment relationship Essay Example for Free

The employment relationship Essay This essay explores and discusses the employment relationship while considering the value of a systems approach to industrial relations and the fact that individuals view issues from a particular frame of reference. The employment relationship is developed on an inter-related basis involving economic, social and legal dimensions of wider society (Fells, 1989). Organisations are subject to the economic conditions in which they operate. Employers rely on the availability of suitable labour to perform the work of the organisation and although viewed as a commodity by the employer, significant investment in the development of the employee can be lost or unused should the employee decide to leave or remain unmotivated. The unavailability of suitable labour can lead to segmentation of the labour market and a division of labour at the workplace. The division of labour is the breaking down of work into its smallest components in order to achieve effective specialisation, minimal worker discretion and the most efficient output (Sutcliffe and Callus, 1994). This division of labour can have far reaching implications for the management and the organisation, including the control and motivation of the workforce. The legal dimension is concerned with the law of contract between an employer and employee which enables the parties to enter into and enforce agreements (Fells, 1989). By its very nature the employment contract implies a subordination relationship where the employer commands and the employee obeys. The introduction of the Workplace Relations Act 1996 also implies legal boundaries in which the employment relationship must operate (for example the rules relating to unfair dismissal and enterprise bargaining). The social dimension, unlike the economic and legal dimension, is one that chiefly impacts on employees. There are two aspects to this dimension according to Fells (1989), the first being the impact of society on the workplace and secondly employees experiencing management pressures at the workplace as well as pressures from other individual employees who work within a team environment. It is clear that most of us want more out of a working relationship than just a monetary return for our labour. An employer must also provide a job that can stimulate and challenge the worker. Many jobs however are mundane and boring which is a consequence of the increasing division of labour in our industrial society. Industrial relations in a broad sense, is about the behaviour and interaction of people at work. It is concerned with how individuals, groups, organisations and institutions make decisions that shape the employment relationship between management and labour (Deery and Plowman, 1991). It is also closely entwined with political, economic and social forces (Salamon, 1992). As a consequence, people differ in their approaches and views on industrial relations which as a result can lead to industrial conflict. Fox in 1966 attempted to explain the reasons for the differing views of industrial conflict by management and the public, by proposing a frames of reference concept in his paper to the UK Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employer Associations (Berrell, 1999). Fox believed that some people view industrial relations as a class conflict, others in terms of mutual co-operation and others still in terms of competing interests of various groups. Three approaches were identified: unitary, pluralist and marxist. The unitarian approach believes that industrial relations is based on mutual co-operation, individual treatment, team work and the sharing of common objectives (Stone, 1996). Conflict in the workplace is seen as an anomaly which has occurred because of either union activity, poor management decisions or practice or employees who dont fit the organisations culture. Conflict resulting in strikes for example, is not only considered as unnecessary but destructive. As result, unions are regarded as competitors for employees loyalty and commitment. In essence the unitarian approach is seen as a management ideology which legitimises their authority and control. It blames conflict on employees and threatens unions existence. It is manipulative and exploitative (Horwitz, 1990). In contrast, the pluralist approach accepts the inevitability of conflict (Deery and Plowman, 1991). It sees organisations as coalitions of competing interests where managements role is to mediate amongst the different interests groups. It sees unions as a legitimate representative of employee interests. Management authority under this approach is not automatically accepted. Employees join unions to promote their interests and influence management decision making. As unions are considered to be important in their role of balancing the power between employers and employees, they are considered not only desirable, but necessary. Societies interests at large are protected by state intervention through legislation and industrial tribunals which provide orderly processes for the regulation and resolution of conflict. The marxist approach like pluralists regard conflict between management and employees as inevitable. However, where pluralists see conflict as inherent within all organisations, marxists see it as a product of capitalist society. Adversarial relations in the workplace are seen as simply one aspect of class conflict. Unions under this approach, are seen as instruments for challenging the capitalist system of class domination. By assimilating a persons behaviour to one of the three frames of references, it determines how we would react and shapes the method for altering such behaviour. As a tool for understanding a parties behaviour when conflict occurs we need to undertake a social action perspective, that is to suspend our own judgment when analysing the cause of conflict and accept the persons frame of reference. Individually, our frames of references are molded and influenced by a multiplicity of variables including, values and behaviour, education, political views, work experiences and religious beliefs to name a few. Our position in the class structure and status hierarchy almost certainly has a significant influence as well (Keenoy and Kelly, 1995). It is important to understand these concepts as employers and employees bring to the employment relationship different strategies to gain as much as they can from the relationship. This in turn makes the relationship inherently competitive. Fells (1989) observes that this points to the duality of the employment relationship. Both the employer and employee put their resources, motives, expectations and own interests into the relationshipthese being influenced by the social and economic structure of society (Fells 1989, P 476). In essence therefore, conflict can arise because of the parties differing social and economic interests and strategies. Keenoy and Kelly (1996) take this further by describing the three great struggles which results from the distribution of authority (inherent in an organisational hierarchy) and the division of labour which are sources of potential conflict and competition within the employment relationship. These are identified as the struggle over interests, control and motivation. Abraham Maslow in his hierarchy of needs theory argued that individuals sought to satisfy basic needs required to live; that is food, warmth and shelter (Bartol et al 1995). An employee therefore, seeks is in his/her strategy to satisfy their basic needs for survival. Once satisfied, the employee seeks to improve their social standing by earning more money and purchasing material symbols to demonstrate their success. In contrast however, is the organisations strategy to run an efficient and cost effective business. The nature of the employment relationship is such that the employees interest in maximising income is in direct conflict with the employers interest in minimising costs (Keenoy and Kelly 1996). However, both parties in the relationship are equally dependent upon each other for without labour there is no profit and without capital this is no jobs. This is simply termed structured antagonism as the relationship produces both mutual and conflicting interests. Fells (1989) argues that a frontier of control exists between an employer and employee which is born out of the legal, social and economic pressures effecting the distribution of power within the employment relationship. It represents the point of confrontation and interaction between the structure of management control and the challenge from organised labour (Storey, 1980 p 12). The struggle for control arises out of the vagueness of the employment contract, as it rarely specifies the parameters and preciseness of the work to be performed by the employee in exchange for payment (for example, level of effort and range of duties). Both parties tend therefore to have their own expectations as to what has been initially agreed upon and as such, this vagueness can often lead to conflict. In response, the employers strategy is to set up an array of control mechanisms, one being the hierarchy of authority where people are employed to supervise the work of others. This act in itself can lead to tensions within the employment relationship as industrial conflict often occurs when employees challenge the limits of managerial authority. Variations in the degree of control is also apparent within many jobs. For example production line workers experience tight control mechanisms whereas politicians, doctors and lawyers experience little or no control over their particular functions. This last group especially enjoy an elevated position in the hierarchy of authority and a high level of control and autonomy over their work (Kennoy and Kelly, 1996). As a result, conflict may occur over the inability of an organisation to provide a suitable career path which allows an employee access to a higher level of authority within the hierarchy. Securing employee commitment can be a difficult task for an employer as not all employees are motivated to work by monetary rewards alone. Although theorists have argued that motivation is the key to employee behaviour and productivity, work undertaken by the likes of Frederick Herzberg and his two-factor theory have largely been ignored due to the advantages of increasing the division of labour over the benefits of increasing employee satisfaction (Keenoy and Kelly, 1996). Management are faced therefore with a dilemma over ensuring employees remain sufficiently motivated to ensure job effectiveness whilst maintaining the cost effectiveness and efficiency of the organisation. Increasing market competition and a greater emphasis on quality and service provided to customers, may force employers to redefine their strategies towards motivation of their employees. Up to this point the employment relationship has been discussed in terms of its dual nature. However, it is clear that a more holistic approach is required. A systems approach provides a useful look at the employment relationship because it expands on the dual focus to include a third group of actors and the environment within which the relationship operates. John Dunlop proposed an industrial relations system comprised of actors operating within an environment influenced by technology, economics and power distribution. The system is bound together by both ideology and rules to govern behaviour. Three main groups of actors have been defined as managers, workers and their representatives and other bodies concerned with the relationship between workers and employers. The major output of the system is a set of rules and regulations that apply both in the individual workplace and in the wider work community. (Deery and Plowman, 1991). Dunlops industrial relations system has been criticised from a number of quarters (Margerison, 1969; Bain and Clegg, 1974; Hyman) for paying insufficient attention to conflict focusing more on conflict resolution than the root of the conflict, and for suggesting that the industrial relations system is naturally stable. Despite these negative views the system perspective of industrial relations remains valid if only as an analytical tool (Deery and Plowman, 1991). The employment relationship is a unique but fundamental feature of modern society. It commences when an employer engages an employee to perform work in exchange for money. Although this concept of the relationship appears simplistic in nature, it is subject to many stresses and strains brought about by political, social and economic interference. Bibliography Bain, G.S Clegg, H.A, 1974, A Strategy for Industrial Relations Research in Great Britain, British Journal of Industrial Relations, Vol 12, no. 1, p92. Bartol, K.M., Martin, D.C., Tein, M Matthews, G. 1995, Management a Pacific Rim Focus, McGraw-Hill, Sydney. Berrell, M. 1999, Subject Book: Industrial Relations, Monash Distrance Education Centre, Monash University, Churchill, Vic. Deery, S.J. Plowman, D.H. 1991, Australian Industrial Relations, 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill, Sydney Fells, R.E., 1989, The Employment Relationship Control and Strategic Choice in the Study of Industrial Relations in Labour and Industry, Vol 2(3), October pp470-492 Fox, A. 1980, Industrial Relations: A Social Critique of Pluralist Ideology in Barrett, B., Rhodes, E and Beishon, J. (eds), Industrial Relations in the Wider Society; Aspects of Interaction, Collier MacMillan, London. Horwitz, F.M., 1990, HRM: an ideological perspective, Personnel Review, Vol 19, No.2 pp 10-15. Hyman, R., 1975, Industrial Relations: A Marxist Introduction. MacMillan, London. Keenoy, T. Kelley, D. 1998, The Employment Relationship in Australia, 2nd Ed. Harcourt Brace and Co, Sydney. Margerison, C.J., 1969, What do we mean by Industrial Relations? A Behavioural Science Approach. British Journal of Industrial Relations, vol 7, no.2, , p273 Salamon, M. 1992, Industrial relations Theory and Practice, 2nd Ed, Prentice-Hall, London. Stone, R. 1995. Human Resource Management, 2nd Ed, John Wiley and sons, Brisbane. Storey, J. 1980, The Challenge to Management Control, Kogan Page, London. Suttcliffe, P. Callus, R. 1994, Glossary of Industrial Relations Terms, ACIRRT and ACSM, Sydney, Brisbane. Industrial Relations Assn 1 pg 11

Kathleen Parker’s Article, First Three Years Aren’t That Critical Essay

Kathleen Parker’s Article, â€Å"First Three Years Aren’t That Critical†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Did your mother read to you when you were six weeks old? Did she teach you how to do math problems when you were two? Recently, I read an issue of Parenting Magazine and found an article on child development. Kathleen Parker’s article, â€Å"First Three Years Aren’t That Critical† tells us that parents today are putting to much emphasis on what the media and medical journals are saying, instead of using common sense. The article emphasizes that parents are going overboard on these new studies using good argumentative techniques. Although I found not all of what she said was accurate, I still felt she got her point across. Parker uses evidence from scientists and medical books, to further persuade the reader to side with her opinion. Parker uses good persuasive techniques by showing that not everything you read in the media about child development is true or factual. Parker also shows that she is not one-sided on the issue and gives a personal comment about the opposing viewpoint. I feel the author proved her point that parents are being ridiculous in how they are raising their child these days.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first few paragraphs, author attracts the attention of the reader and explains the main point of the article. The author begins the article saying that she â€Å"Pity[s] today’s parents who want to do the right thing.† The sentence attracts the audience to continue reading the article because the sentence sparks curiosity in why the author pities today’s parents. The article continues, â€Å"They [parents] buy child-rearing books, explore over psychology articles, play Mozart in nurseries festooned with alphabet cards and the periodic table.† Parker shows good persuasive technique by describing an exaggerated scenario of what parents are doing these days to try to develop their child’s mind. Although the scenario is not believable, the exaggeration helps to prove that parents are being excessive in the way they develop their children. Parker states her position clearly when she comments that parenting should not be that challenging nor as ridiculous as parents are making it. She states that by buying books and playing Mozart to children would be going overboard. This argument could offend people who believe that reading and teaching kids early is a better way to develop their minds or peo... ...ly years is ridiculous. Parker effectively gave evidence to her argument by quoting from scientists and medical literature. Using evidence to support Parker’s overall point made the article more persuasive and convincing. Although she gave some information without evidence, such as in the Jefferson story, she still makes a point in the argument. I felt that Kathleen Parker was persuasive in showing that parents are believing too much what the media and what new medical findings are saying and not using common sense during the first few years of a child’s life. As a parent you should be concentrating on loving and nourishing your child rather than trying to teach it algebra. Parents have been raising their children for thousands of years and I do not believe that these news articles should change the way people are raising their children now. How did your mother raise you? I am sure she did not have a periodic table on hand when she was rocking you to sleep. Parents have other things to worry about rather than trying to change their parental habits because what some controversial news article said. Let parents use what their mother and father used when raising them: common sense.

Free Native Son Essays: Actions Define Character :: Native Son Essays

Actions Define Character in Native Son Richard Wright's novel, Native Son, consisted of various main and supporting characters to deliver an effective array of personalities and expression. Each character's actions defines their individual personalities and belief systems. The main character of Native Son, Bigger Thomas has a variety of personality traits motivated by his fear, quick temper, and tremendous intellect. Bigger, whom the novel revolves around, portrays various personality elements through his actions. Many of his actions suggest an overriding response to fear, which stems from his exposure to a harsh social climate in which a clear line between acceptable behavior for white's and black's exists. His swift anger and his destructive impulses stem from that fear and becomes apparent in the opening scene when he fiercely attacks a huge rat. The same murderous impulse appears when his secret dread of the delicatessen robbery impels him to commit a vicious assault on his friend Gus. Bigger commits both of the brutal murders not in rage or anger, but as a reaction to fear. His typical fear stems from being caught in the act of doing something socially unacceptable and being the subject of punishment. Although he later admits to Max that Mary Dalton's behavior toward him made him hate her, it is not that hate which causes him to smother her to death, but a feeble attempt to evade the detection of her mother. The fear of being caught with a white woman overwhelmed his common sense an d dictated his actions. When he attempted to murder Bessie, his motivation came from intense fear of the consequences of "letting" her live. Bigger realized that he could not take Bessie with him or leave her behind and concluded that killing her could provide her only "merciful" end. The emotional forces that drive Bigger are conveyed by means other than his words. Besides reactions to fear, his actions demonstrate an extremely quick temper and destructive impulse as an integral part of his nature. Rage plays a key part in his basic nature, but does not directly motivate the murders he commits. Rage does not affect Bigger's intelligence and quick thinking and it becomes evident during the interview with Briton. The detective makes Bigger so angry that the interrogation becomes a game to Bigger, a game of logic and wills, of playing the stupid negro, and telling the man exactly what he wants to hear.

Models of Organized Crimeexecutive Summary

Models of Organized Crime Executive Summary Jennifer Peel CJA/384 November 26, 2012 Marco Faggione Models of Organized Crime Executive Summary Within the criminal justice field there are two different types of organizations and those organizations are bureaucratic and patron-client organizations. This paper will discuss the several assorted reasons why and how the bureaucratic and patron-client organizations are different. The patron-client organization chooses to break the law. On the other hand, the bureaucratic organizations are those that are there to enforce it.Although there are many differences between these two organizations, they also have commonalities. This paper will address so many more ways that make these two unique types of organizations different. The Patron-client Organization A patron-client organization is an assembly of criminal individuals who swapped data and assembled a successful system between the main bosses and important political figures. The patron-clien t organization is typically organized using a hierarchy system which consists of one boss, an underboss, an advisor, captains, and members.The main boss hands down commands to the underboss. The underboss relates the information to captains, who also has lackeys to do the dirty work. All members of a patron-client organization must go through prior initiation. Moreover, patron-client organizations are similar to a very close family in the top tier. The patron-client appears to recruit solely within their group. They tend to identify members with a common factor for recruitment. All members may be of the same ethnic group, family or other common factor.When it comes to the lower level, with the members, that tightness spreads out some. With this allowance of a somewhat spider web manner, there is a better chance of elusiveness when it come to the head figures. This way, the main bosses are able to evade apprehension as well as initial detection form the justice system. The organizati on is then able to continue daily operations with no issues (Lyman, 2007). When it comes to the patron-client organization control is a special problem ecause of the amount of people in the organization and the length of communication of commands have to travel. So the inability to establish command oversight with the leaders in management with the members in the lower tiers is a large problem (â€Å"Florida International University†, 2007). Something that this group provides is economic aid and protection from outside influences that their clients may be facing. While the group is providing this service, the client will repay the organization with such things like intangible items like loyalty to the organization in the future and esteem.The patrons of the organization will act as power brokers for their clients and the rest of society. The Bureaucratic Organization Bureaucratic organizations are more official consisting of hard guidelines, protocols, practices, and procedur es. This is unlike the patron-client organization because without administrative approval, the low ranked members may not make any decisions. Called the red tape rule, administration must process the formal documentation before processing all major decisions.Unlike the patron-client organization, which the lower level members can make small decisions without any approval as long as it benefits the organization. If there are no benefits to the organization, the member will receive some sort of punishment. A bureaucratic organization, blames financial troubles solely on the administrations whereas in a patron-client organization, holding everyone financially responsible and involving all members in the success or failure of the organization (WeeKoh, 2009). The SimilaritiesAll criminal organization models consist of comparisons and contrasts but the main purpose is to benefit law enforcement, researchers, society, and professionals with a better understanding of how criminal organizati ons develop domestically and internationally. Professional psychologists, sociologists, and criminologist’s base models on corroborating studies, data, facts, and creditable arguments collected. The information that presented focuses on organizational structure, function and reason, participants, and clients.In addition, each model incorporates detail specific unique features. The models presented are tools that provide answers to questions, offer an explanation to why individuals engage in illegal activity, how criminal organizations develop, and why most criminal organizations are successful. These are just a few of the similarities that exist (Lyman, 2007). Although it appears there are more similarities in both the bureaucratic and patron-client organizations such as their involvement in both legitimate and illegitimate means of business.Both parties hide behind legitimate businesses to cover alternative means of business opportunities, and both parties follow a structure d and strictly regulated organization with various levels of power. The Differences The main difference between the two organizations is the shared opportunities and contributions to the organization. The patron-client appears to welcome the input and contributions of each member which gives each member the sense of pride and empowerment as a group that is lacking with the bureaucratic organization.Failure in the bureaucratic organization is blamed on the negligence of those in charge, not in the failure as a group which would be the perception of the patron-client organization. The differences between bureaucratic and patron-client organizations are visible as bureaucratic deals with offices that do things by the law. They do not take extensive training in customer service and do not concentrate on being nice. The offices that are being referred to are government offices such as Welfare, DMV, and Section 8.In contrast, patron-client facilities are offices or places that focus upon pleasing their clients because if they don’t, the patron will go to another facility to get their needs met. This brings us to the similarities and differences of the models of organized crime. These types of models are exceedingly important to understanding organized crime as each provides a wide-range of valuable information. Models just like theories can present what environmental locations are more likely to show signs of developmental progress of criminal organizations than other sites.This in return can be extremely useful in many ways as it allows law enforcement the ability to implement methods that will deter, prevent, detect, and apprehend individuals involved with illegal organizations and operations. Furthermore, law enforcement can educate society on crime prevention methods, and establish numerous anti-crime and awareness programs, such as neighborhood watch (Lyman, 2007). After carefully researching the patron-client and bureaucratic organization, one clearly c an see that legal and illegal organizations have one main purpose to profit.Each organization has numerous similarities and differences, but structuring both in such a fashion that there is always someone who is in charge of maintaining the organizations success. Models just like theories provide useful information to law enforcement, society, and professionals. Consider these models as tools that allow law enforcement and society an opportunity to protect assets while detecting, preventing, apprehending, and deterring the individual wrongdoer or a highly developed criminal organization.References Florida International University. (2007). Retrieved from http://chua2. fiu. edu/faculty/byrnesj/organizedweek1-1. htm Lyman, M. D. , & Potter, G. W. (2007). Organized crime (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. WeeKoh. (2009). Bureaucratic organization. Retrieved from http://weekoh. wordpress. com/2009/02/28/briefly-identify-the-main-features-of-bureaucratic-organizati ons-why-has-bureaucracy-been-accused-of-wiping-out-the-individual-responsibility-of-the-employee/

India’s Energy Scenario

Energy in India for the Coming Decades Anil Kakodkar Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, India [email  protected] gov. in The reforms initiated in India since the beginning of the nineties have led to rapid economic progress and better growth rates. In the first decade of this century the growth rates seem to be still better. Studies by several academics and consultants forecast continued high growth rate for the next several decades.I’ll quote two such studies, one by Dominic Wilson and Roopa Purushothaman of Goldmann Sachs [1] and the other by Dani Rodrik and Arvind Subramanian of the International Monetary Fund [2]. Wilson and Purushothaman write, â€Å"India has the potential to show the fastest growth over the next 30 to 50 years. Growth rate could be higher than 5 percent over the next 30 years and close to 5 percent as late as 2050 if development proceeds successfully. † Rodrik and Subramanian write, â€Å"†¦.. rowth in capital stock together with growth in factor productivity will yield output growth of 5. 4 percent. Over the next 20 years, the working age population is projected to grow at 1. 9 percent per year.If educational attainment and participation rates remain unchanged, labor growth will contribute another 1. 3 percent, yielding an aggregate growth rate of 6. 7 percent per year, or a per capita growth rate of 5. 3 percent. This is a lower bound estimate and, even so, would be significantly greater than the per capita growth rate of 3. percent achieved in the 1980s and 1990s. Over a 40-year period, a 5. 3 percent growth rate would increase the income of the average person nearly 8-fold. † Growth in economy is made possible by several inputs, the two most important being energy and human resource. In this conference, we are concerned about energy and so I’ll confine myself to energy. Energy is the engine for growth. It multiplies human labour and increases productivity in agriculture, industry as well as in serv ices. To sustain the growth rate in economy, energy supply has to grow in tandem.For a large country like India with its over one billion population and rapid economic growth rate, no single energy resource or technology constitutes a panacea to address all issues related to availability of fuel supplies, environmental impact, particularly, climate change, and health externalities. Therefore, it is necessary that all non-carbon emitting resources become an integral part of an energy mix – as diversified as possible – to ensure energy security to a country like India during the present century.Available sources are low carbon fossil fuels, renewables and nuclear energy and all these should be subject of increased level of research, development, demonstration and deployment. In the Department of Atomic Energy, we have conducted a study with the aim to quantify the likely growth in energy demand in India, and the role nuclear energy has to play in the decades to come. The ultimate objective was to formulate a strategic plan to meet the projected role to be played by nuclear energy [3].Energy intensity of GDP, defined as the ratio of the energy consumption to the GDP, has been observed to follow a certain trend worldwide. Below a certain level of development, growth results in increase in energy intensity. With further growth in economy, the energy intensity starts declining. Based on data by International Energy Agency [4], overall energy intensity of GDP in India is the same as in OECD countries, when GDP is calculated in terms of the purchasing power parity (PPP). Energy-GDP elasticity, the ratio of the growth rates of the two, remained around 1. from early fifties to mid-seventies. Since then it has been continuously decreasing. Electricity is the most important component of the primary energy. Electricity-GDP elasticity was 3. 0 till the mid-sixties. It has also decreased since then. Reasons for these energy–economy elasticity changes are : demographic shifts from rural to urban areas, structural economic changes towards lighter industry, impressive growth of services, increased use of energy efficient devices, increased efficiency of conversion equipments and inter-fuel substitution with more efficient alternatives.Based on the CMIE data [5], the average value of the Electricity-GDP elasticity during 1991-2000 has been calculated to be 1. 213 and that of the primary energy- GDP elasticity to be 0. 907. Estimating the future GDP growth rates of India from the projections made by Dominic Wilson and Roopa Prushothaman [1], taking the primary energy intensity fall to be 1. 2 percent per year [6], extrapolating the electricity intensity fall from past data till 2022 and subsequently a constant fall of 1. 2 percent year, the growth rates of the primary energy and electrical energy have been estimated as follows. Period |Primary Energy |Electricity | | |Percent Annual Growth |Percent Annual Growth | |2002-2022 |4. 6 |6. 3 | |2022-2032 |4. 5 |4. | |2032-2042 |4. 5 |4. 5 | |2042-2052 |3. 9 |3. 9 | These rates are the basis of the projections reported [3]. It may be recalled that historical primary energy and electricity growth rates during 1981- 2000 were 6 percent per year and 7. 8 percent per year respectively.Based on the growth rates given in the above table, per capita electricity generation would reach about 5300 kWh per year in the year 2052 and total about 8000 TWh. This would correspond to an installed capacity of around 1300 GWe. Annual primary energy consumption would increase from about 13. 5 EJ in 2002-03 to about 117 EJ in 2052-53. By then the cumulative energy expenditure will be about 2400 EJ. The present status of various fuel-resources in India is given in the table 1. The domestic mineable coal (about 38 BT) and the estimated hydrocarbon reserves (about 12 BT) together may provide about 1200 EJ of energy.To meet the projected demand of about 2400 EJ, one has to tap all options includ ing using the known fossil reserves efficiently, looking for increasing fossil resource base, competitive import of energy (including building gas pipe lines whenever and wherever permitted based on geo-political considerations and found feasible from techno-commercial considerations), harnessing full hydro potential for generation of electricity and increasing use of non-fossil resources including nuclear and non-conventional.Before proceeding further, I would like to explain the status of nuclear power technology in India. Comprehensive expertise in all aspects of nuclear fuel cycle and Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) has been acquired through self reliant means in India. PHWRs which constitute the mainstay of the first stage of our nuclear power programme are the most efficient systems in terms of uranium utilization and would enable about 10 GWe of nuclear installed capacity with our modest indigenous uranium resources.Having tied up the PHWR programme upto around half way mark, we have now embarked on the development of Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) based second stage of our programme with the construction of the 500 MWe Fast Breeder Reactor launched in October last year. Our studies indicate that we should be in a position to support around 500 GWe power generation capacity based on plutonium bred from indigenously available uranium. This is a part of the strategy of three stage programme formulated by India right in the beginning of the programme aimed eventually at exploitation of our vast thorium resources.With decades of R;D in our laboratories and Industry, India has come a long way since the inception of the programme and the current efforts are aimed at further improving the economy, enhancing safety and expanding the programme to meet the increasing electricity demand in the country. The 540 MWe PHWR unit at Tarapur that went critical on 6th March, about 8 month ahead of schedule is an important landmark in terms of efforts in this directio n. In addition to the indigenous technology, the Indian power programme includes two GE-BWRs which were set up as turnkey projects right at the inception of our programme.While these reactors are running well as a result of comprehensive backfits and upgrades carried out indigenously, our experience in terms of securing reliable fuel supply has not been satisfactory. Two 1000 MWe VVERs are presently under construction at Kudankulan and would contribute additional carbon free electricity to Indian grids when completed. Coming back to the energy growth scenario [3], the study points out that it is necessary to develop metallic fuel for the fast reactors during the next one decade.Metallic fuels have short doubling time and can ensure a fast enough growth in nuclear installed capacity. Assuming that the fast reactors to be set up after 2020 are based on metallic fuel, the study calculates the maximum possible contribution that can be made by nuclear till the middle of the century. Hydr o and non-conventional potential being limited, the remaining demand has to be met by the fossil fuels. The results indicate that it is possible to have one quarter of the contribution coming from nuclear by the middle of the century, if the fast reactor growth follows the course outlined.Even after the growth projected by the study, there will be shortages and the country will continue to import energy as at present. Research and development plans have to be formulated to ensure that new technologies can be deployed to reduce energy imports. Three efforts being made by the Department of Atomic Energy are worthy of mention here in this context. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is working on development of a Compact High Temperature Reactor with the aim of producing hydrogen, which could be the most important energy carrier in the future.Several institutions within the Department of Atomic Energy in India are together working for the development of Accelerator Driven Systems, so that on e could sustain growth with thorium systems and move towards incineration of long lived radioactive wastes. The Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), is spearheading the Indian effort in developing a fusion based system for the production of energy. One of the world’s first super conducting steady state tokamak with elongated diverter plasma having 1000 second operation capability is nearing completion at IPR.The Indian population corresponds to one sixth of world population. However, the carbon dioxide emission from India is only around 4% of the global emissions. On the basis of current energy mix and the present day technologies for electricity production, the CO2 emission from India alone could become as much as half of the present level of global emission in a few decades from now. A larger share of nuclear power in India beyond what would be realized through indigenous efforts would, in principle, contribute to further avoidance of CO2 emission which otherwise would be i nevitable.To conclude, the first stage of the indigenous nuclear power programme involving setting up of pressurized heavy water reactors is now in industrial domain. With the start of construction of the 500 MWe fast reactor in October last year, the second stage has been launched. It is time for India to accelerate the implementation of the second stage and development of the third stage of the nuclear power programme. In parallel, India has to continue to work towards development of emerging nuclear energy technologies to address its long term energy requirements which are indeed very large.References [1] Dominic Wilson and Roopa Purushothaman, â€Å"Dreaming with BRICs: the path to 2050† Global Economics Paper No 99, Goldmann Sachs, 1st October 2003. [2] Dani Rodrik and Arvind Subranium, â€Å"Why India can grow at 7 percent or more: projections and reflections†, IMF Working Paper, WP/04/118, July 2004. [3] R. B. Grover and Subash Chandra, â€Å"A strategy for gro wth of electrical energy in India†, Document No 10, Department of Atomic Energy, Mumbai, India, August 2004. 4] International Energy Agency (IEA), Key World Energy Statistics, 2003. [5] Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) 2002, â€Å"Energy†, April 2002 [6] International Energy Agency (IEA), ‘World Energy Outlook 2002 Highlights’ p 32. Table 1: Primary energy ; electricity resources |   |Amount |Thermal energy |Electricity | | | | |potential |   |   |EJ |TWh |GWYr |GWe-Yr | |Fossil |   |   |   |   |   | |Coal |38 -BT |667 |185,279 |21,151 |7,614 | |Hydrocarbon |12 -BT |511 |141,946 |16,204 |5,833 | |Non-Fossil |   |   |   |   |   | | Nuclear |   |   |   |   |   | | Uranium-Metal |61,000 -T |   |   |   |   | |In PHWRs |   |28. |7,992 |913 |328 | |In Fast breeders |   |3,699 |1,027,616 |117,308 |42,231 | | Thorium-Metal |2,25,000 -T |   |   |   |   | |In Breeders |   |13,622 |3,783,886 |431,950 |155,502 | | Renewable |   |   |   |   |   | | Hydro |150 -GWe |6. 0 |1,679 |192 |69 | |Non-conventional renewable |100 -GWe |2. 9 |803 |92 |33 | Assumptions for Potential Calculations Fossil 1. Complete Source is used for calculating electricity potential with a thermal efficiency of 0. 36. 2. Calorific Values: Coal: 4,200 kcal/kg, Hydrocarbon: 10,200 kcal/kg. 3.Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas [7]has set strategic goals for the next two decades (2001-2020) of ‘doubling reserve accretion’ to 12 BT (Oil + Oil equivalent gas) and â€Å"improving recovery factor’ to the order of 40%. Considering the fact that exploration is a dynamic process and India is one of the les explored countries, reference [3] assumes that cumulative availability of hydrocarbons up to 2052 will be 12 BT. Non-Fossil Thermal energy is the equivalent fossil energy required to produce electricity with a thermal efficiency of 0. 36. Nuclear 1. PHWR burn-up = 6,700 MWd/T of U-ox ide, thermal efficiency 0. 29 2. It has been assumed that complete fission of 1kg. of fissile material gives 1000 MWd of thermal energy. Fast reactor thermal efficiency is assumed to be 42%. Fast breeders can use 60% of the Uranium. This is an indicative number.Actual value will be determined as one proceeds with the programme and gets some experience. Even if it is half of this value the scenario presented does not change. 3. Breeders can use 60% Thorium with thermal efficiency 42%. At this stage, type of reactors wherein thorium will be used are yet to be decided. The numbers are only indicative. Hydro 1. Name plate capacity is 150 GWe. 2. Estimated hydro- potential of 600 billion kWh and name plate capacity of 150,000 MWe gives a capacity factor of 0. 46. Non-conventional renewable 1. Includes: Wind 45 GWe, Small Hydro 15 GWe, Biomass Power/ Co-generation 19. 5 GWe and Waste to Energy 1. 7 GWe etc. 2. Capacity factor of 0. 33 has been assumed for potential calculations.

Personal Philosophy of Education Essay

Teaching is mostly a social activity; it begins with social interactions between teachers, students and their peers through conversation and demonstration. The information received in these social interactions is then processed cognitively in their working memory and hopefully stored in their long term memory. This learning process has two main stages the social stage and the cognitive stage which then can be broken down into many other stages. Given that that social interaction and cognition are in my opinion the most fundamental parts of learning I have gained much interest in Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. The true direction of the development of thinking is not from the individual to the social but from the social to the individual’, (Vygotsky, 1986, p. 36). This idea argues that the social relationship between the teacher and learner is crucial in their cognitive development and that the information learned by the student is not simply passed down from the teacher but it is constructed internally through mutual social interactions. The importance of social interaction means that as a teacher I must use every opportunity I can to allow students to be involved socially while building their knowledge. This will involve planning lessons which involve carefully guided class discussions. This allows students to express their views while the teacher can guide their thinking and correct them if needed. I believe learners mostly process new information by comparing it to previously stored information. In many cases the teacher may need to show the student how it is related to the new information by comparing it to what the student previously learnt. It is the teacher’s job to bridge the gap between known and unknown and I believe this is best described using Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development. Vygotsky (1986) argues that it is the teacher’s job to assist the student to build on their previous knowledge rather than just provide them with new information, turning them into passive recipients. Allowing students to process information critically with some guidance leads to better understanding and allows students to regulate their own learning. In order for this to be effective the teacher must be aware of the different ability levels of the students as if the information is placed outside of their proximal development zone they will be only memorising information without truly understanding its meaning. In my classroom I would aim to have knowledge of all my students’ abilities so that I may pose questions within their zone of proximal development which will then deepen their understanding of the topic. There are many simple ways of doing this such as giving analogies that compare pieces of information in a way that they understand or by giving them hints about the correct method to solve the problem. Education is a lot more complex than having knowledge of relevant theories. This is due to the huge diversity among students who may have different ethnicity, socio economic status and moral values. These are all external factors which are mostly out of the teachers control and while it is important to consider these differences I believe motivation is the key to allowing students to get the most out of their education. Current views conceptualise motivation as a dynamic and complex phenomenon comprising many cognitive, affective and social processes that instigate, direct and sustain action (Pintrich & Schunk, 2002). Given that motivation is sustaining the student’s interest in their learning it is up to the teacher to keep them motivated. A cognitive approach to motivation is achievement motivation which allows students to build on their successes by motivating them to be successful in the future. This can only be achieved if the knowledge is within the student’s ability which once again reinforces to me the importance of being aware of my students’ abilities and using their zone of proximal development to its full advantage. Having the ability to motivate and understand students differences are traits which I believe are essential for a successful teacher but in order to possess these abilities the teacher must first be able to build a quality relationship with the students. When there are high levels of closeness and low levels of conflict and dependency, students are more likely to be motivated to succeed, to feel successful in educational pursuits and, consequently, to perform better than students without such supports (Koomen, Zee, Van der Veen 2013). The research shows that positive student teacher relationships not only improve academic achievement but allow students to work more independently. As a teacher I will strive to build these quality relationships in which I can allow students to work independently with some guidance. This will allow more freedom in their learning and will ultimately motivate them towards better academic achievement.