Chicano Studies Mexican American Families - 2154 Words

Dennise Nungaray Nungaray 1 December. 14,2016 Chicano studies Mexican American families The Hispanic population has grown significantly over years. This ethnicity has been a culture that has dominated the U.S. Nearly, 16 percent of Mexican Americans make up the U.S. population. The Hispanic culture has had an influence in life itself. This varies from expanding its religion, foods and customs. However, Mexican American has influenced other cultures but still remains at the bottom of the social pyramid. They continue to stay at the bottom of the social pyramid due to their lack of education, resources and beliefs of stereotypes. The Hispanic community continues to receive the lowest income by farther than any other culture. The Hispanic community shows a clear example of the gap between the richest and the poor. The Mexican culture cannot advance due to some problems. Hispanics hold about 2.2 percent of its wealth. According to The Washington Post,† part of that due is to the fact that Mexicans and Puerto Ricans make up nearly 75 percent of the Country Hispanic po pulation, but earn significantly less, on average than the typical American household†. In other words, Mexican Americans continue to stay low income than other cultures. The median household income for Mexicans is at 38,000. However, Mexicans who are born in the U.S. have a higher percentage of receiving a higher income and continuing their education Nungaray 2 compared to someoneShow MoreRelatedChicano Men : A Cartography Of Homosexual Identity And Behavior914 Words   |  4 Pages Professor Gutierrez Course 15752 22 October 2015 Chicano Men: A Cartography of Homosexual Identity and Behavior Chicano men identify their sexual identity and sexual orientation based on what is more important to them: To identify as Chicano gay or as a gay Chicano? Chicano gay men emphasize on ethnicity while Chicano Gay men identify with their orientation. The primary difference between a Chicano gay man and a European-American gay man is how they define homosexuality. In the United States, homosexualityRead MoreThe Chicano Movement Of The United States987 Words   |  4 PagesDuring the late sixties and early seventies, a Mexican - American movement was taking place in the United States, The Chicano movement. This movement takes place because of the Mexican American society s suppression in the country. Indeed, during the years, 1966 to 1981 was a period where the Mexican American society was looking for equality and justice from the Government of the United States. In fact, they will start to organize their own communities, where the Government will accept their newRead MoreThe Portrayal And The Representation Of The Chicano Art943 Words   |  4 PagesThe portrayal and the representation of the Chicano Art Movements are entrenched by the Mexican-American artist who institute artistic personalities and identities in the United States. The plenteous amount of the artist is massively influenced by the immense Chicano Movement (El Movimiento) which, was established in the 1960’s. The influence of Chicano Art was due to the Mexican- Revolution philosophy, art of Pre-Columbia and indubitably European techniques of painting, cultural, social, politicalRead MoreEssay about Chicano Nationalism1631 Words   |  7 PagesChicano Nationalism Chicano as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary , is â€Å"a Mexican-American†. Nationalism, as defined by the same publication, is â€Å"devotion to the interests or particular culture of a particular nation†. So by definition, we can infer that Chicano Nationalism is an interest in either the Mexican or American culture by a Mexican American, which is not a very concise definition. Before we can begin to define Chicano Nationalism, we must first define what is it to be aRead MoreThe Roots Of Identity And Denial1279 Words   |  6 Pagesthe significant factors on how Chicano fought for what they deserve and believe. Mexican youth adopted the word â€Å"Chicano† as their identity during the movement of the 1960s and early 1970s. The Chicano Studies created in 1969 to the needs of Chicana/o students to be able to understand their history, politics, culture, language, and education. An important person in this movement was Dr. Acuna, who created forty-five courses by April 1969. Another mobilization by Chicanos was the pressure of creatingRead MoreRichard Aoki and The Black Power Movements1507 Words   |  7 Pages An individual who was developed from the black power movements, was Richard Aoki, a third generation Japanese American. He had spent time living in the internment camps as a child during the second world war. When he grew up, he became one of the founding members of the Black Panther Party, and the only Asian American to have held a formal leadership position as Field Marshall. He worked in the Black Panther party by arming them with weapons and training them in firearm usage. He continued hisRead MoreBracero Movement1324 Words   |  6 PagesSteinaker 1 Sydney Steinaker Professor Chicano Studies 24 January 2012 Bracero Movement The United States always has a way of blaming Chicano people for the rising unemployment rates, when in reality the United States is the one who wanted Chicano people to work. After World War II the United States needed more manual labor which then provoked the emergence of countless Mexicans into the U.S.. They were known as Braceros, which were Mexican laborers that were allowed into the United StatesRead MoreMexicans, Chicanos, Mexican Americans2395 Words   |  10 PagesMexicans, Chicanos, Mexican-Americans, Indigenous, and more are just a few of the terms used to refer to people of Mexican descent. Many Hispanics attempt to enter the United States in search of a better life and to have an enjoyable way of life. However, living in constant fear of being deported and consistently being judged simply because of one’s color, or the inability to communicate in English; that does not sound like the American dream. Typically, people have real reasons to emigrate to theRead Mor eMexican American Forgotten in History1392 Words   |  6 PagesWorld War II brought forward the opportunity for many Mexican Americans to show their commitment to this country . United states was lacking men labor because of the recruitment of men for the army. This gave hope for many that wanted to escape their harsh lives back at home. This war was a fight for power and United States needed more support, which led them seeking help. Latinos made great contributions in World War II efforts but still are those like Ken Burns who believes otherwise . WorldRead MoreChicanismo in Burciaga ´s Drink Cultura1162 Words   |  5 Pagesimmigrant, and how it is to grow up in the United States as in immigrant and how had it is, and the obstacles that as in immigrant we have to overcome. Antonio Burciaga specifically talks in his book the Chicano history, the language that we speak as a person, the family values and how we as a Chicano stick together. One quote of Burciaga is â₠¬Å"Naces pendejo, mueres pendejo --- You were born a pendejo and you will die a pendejo (Burciaga10)†. This particular quote caught my attention because the author

Prevention of Spread of Hiv/Aids - 1798 Words

Introduction There a three main ways the HIV can be spread: 1. Sexual intercourse 2. Intravenous drugs 3. Blood transfusions (which are very rare now because all blood is tested) HIV is spreading like wild fire among adolescents because they dont believe it can happen to them. Prevention for positives is only possible if a person knows his or her HIV status. Voluntary counseling and testing strategies (VCT), a cornerstone of HIV prevention, has generally been seen as a first defense against the spread of HIV disease, with the idea that a negative serological test, combined with prevention information, would inspire harm reduction. Recognizing the critical role of knowledge of status, many governments and organizations have recently†¦show more content†¦As a result of prevention education efforts, a recent survey shows that young woman in sub-Saharan Africa report increased condom by their male partners. Likewise, female condoms have been shown to be an effective barrier against transmission of STIs–including HIV–but they have gained little popularity since their introduction. More recently, male circumcision has been studied as a possible means for preventing HIV transmission. Circumcision essentially erects a permanent barrier against HIV through removal of the foreskin. The mucosal foreskin glans of the penis is rich in cells receptive to HIV infection. Powerful observational data suggested that circumcised men were much less likely to acquire HIV, implying the glans is the main site of HIV acquisition in men. Consequently, circumcision has been sought for high-risk subjects, but the logistical challenges of providing enough procedures to make an immediate impact are daunting. Many infants born in resource-constrained countries lack access to safe circumcisions, and there has been a distinct lack of political will or patience to institute safe neonatal circumcision worldwide. NEEDLE EXCHANGE AND HARM REDUCTION Needle exchange programs are one of the main harm reduction measures that aim to curb the spread of blood-borne viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis C among injecting drug users (IDUs). With an estimated 1 in 5 injecting drug users worldwide infected with HIVShow MoreRelatedPrevention Of The Spread Of Hiv / Aids Essay3367 Words   |  14 PagesThe objective of this paper is aimed at investigating interventions for the control of the spread of HIV/AIDS in the United States, comparing both the rural and urban areas. According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services â€Å"an intervention is a combination of program elements or strategies designed to produce behavior changes or improve health status among individuals or an entire population† Interventions may include educational programs, new or stronger policies, improvementsRead MoreHIV and African Americans Essay1578 Words   |  7 PagesThe term Human Immunodeficiency Virus is commonly known as (HIV), which is a virus that attacks the immune system of humans by destroying the amount of CD4 cells in their bodies. Without CD4 the human body is unable to fight against diseases, which can lead to Acquired Immune deficiency syndrome known as AIDS for short. The first case of the HIV/AIDS virus in the U.S. occurred in the early 1980’s. The first spark of the virus was found in San Francisco with couple of homosexual Caucasian AmericanRead MoreHiv / Aids : A Huge Complication Around The World1562 Words   |  7 PagesHIV/AIDS in Russia versus South Africa HIV/AIDS is becoming a huge complication around the world. More and more countries that are not commonly known to have an issue with AIDS/HIV are developing epidemics. It is common knowledge that South Africa struggles with an HIV/AIDS epidemic, but a lesser known country affected would be Russia. The epidemic spread in Russia because of drug users, prostitutes, and cultural shame. It spread in South Africa because of African men’s refusal to use condoms andRead MoreHiv / Aids : The Most Critical Epidemic914 Words   |  4 PagesWhen it comes to HIV/AIDS, it is still today regarded as the most critical epidemic that affects a significant number of people in the world’s population. HIV statistics for the end of 2013 indicate that around 35 million people are currently living with HIV worldwide, 38 percent less than in 2001. In the same year, around 2.1 million people became infected with HIV and 1.5 million died of AIDS-related illnesses. HIV and AIDS are found in all parts of the world, however some areas are more affectedRead MoreAids Prevention And Testing Of Hiv / Aids1205 Words   |  5 PagesLaMaack Mrs. Reaves Advanced Writing 8 October, 2015 AIDS Prevention and Testing â€Å"More than 1.2 million americans are living with HIV, including 156,300 who don’t realize it† (Kaplan). The HIV/AIDS epidemic hit a peak in the 2000’s. These diseases attack the immune system making them incapable of fighting off diseases. Specifically, HIV,human immunodeficiency virus, attacks the immune system, weakening it, and slowly making it produce more HIV-cells. AIDS,acquired immune deficiency syndrome, then takesRead MoreAids Research Paper1428 Words   |  6 Pagestoday is the epidemic of AIDS. As a consistent killer throughout the world, AIDS has become an immediate concern to agencies and governments worldwide. In response, there are numerous international organizations that have been established to learn more about preventing, tracking, and treating the disease. Through extensive research and analysis, AIDS researchers are making gradual breakthroughs to benefit the struggle. However, since there is currently no cure for AIDS, researchers are rapidlyRead MorePreventing AIDS1541 Words   |  7 PagesAIDS Essay Today many people around the world are infected with a serious disease called AIDS. Unfortunately, the disease has led to many deaths worldwide and yet it still remains untreatable. Many Public Health Departments are now taking the lead in publicizing education about AIDS. Public awareness and prevention programs are possible solutions to the spread of AIDS. The issue of this paper is on AIDS Prevention Programs that target women. One outlook is that prevention programs that target womenRead MoreHiv / Aids : A Growing Problem Among American Indians And Alaska1731 Words   |  7 Pages Introduction In the United States, HIV is spread mostly through anal vaginal sex or by sharing drug-use needles/equipments with an affected person. The risk factors are indistinguishable for everyone; some racial/ethnic groups are more affected than others, given their percentage of the populace. HIV/AIDs are a growing problem among American Indians and Alaska Natives (CDC). Some groups have higher rates of HIV in their communities, hence the rising of the new infections with each sexual or drugRead MoreThe Impacts of HIV and AIDS1161 Words   |  5 PagesHIV/AIDS and its Impacts HIV/AIDS is an illness that has been known across the globe for more than two decades because of its effects on people, families, and relationships. This disease has contributed to the deaths of millions of people throughout the world while there are other millions of people living with the illness. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is also evident in the fact that it continues to affect people, families, and communities every day. The impact of this disease on families and communitiesRead MoreGovernment Policies on Hiv/Aids, Prevention and Control969 Words   |  4 Pagespolicies on HIV/AIDS, prevention and control (20mks) Definition of terms Government policies- These are the course of actions or inactions taken by the state with regard to a particular issue. HIV- This is the virus that destroys the human immune system leaving the body defenseless hence vulnerable to other infections. AIDS- The disease presents itself as a collection of signs and symptoms resulting from lowered immunity mostly due to HIV hence referred to as a syndrome. Prevention- It refers

James Joyce Counterparts Essay Example For Students

James Joyce Counterparts Essay This section details the first arm wrestle between Barrington and Weathers. During the match, Weathers finds it particularly easy compared to Barrington, bringing his hand down slowly only after 30 seconds. Barrington gets extremely embarrassed about this and he flushes a dark red with anger and humiliation. We momentarily go into Apparitions mind as he calls Weathers a stripling, belittling him, however he then goes on to accusing him of cheating and putting his weight behind it. This is a sharp contrast of the stripling that he used to scribe him just before. Then Barrington suggests of having another round, two best out of three which shows his humiliation and desire to win and please. The second arm wrestle begins and Barrington uses a lot of his strength and strains to win the second time round. His veins stood out and his arms trembled under the stress showing the strain he is going through to try to beat Weathers. However Weathers again beats Barrington, bringing his hand down slowly to the table, showing how much he is in control compared to Barrington. These arm wrestles were being watched by people at the pub and after the second win for Weathers, a murmur of applause came about from them. Then a barman who was by them congratulated Weathers, the victor, which aggravated the anger and violence in Barrington more, Analysis: In this section, the aspect and theme that find particularly dominant is that of the physicality of Barrington and the way Joyce describes this. It is described in a masculine way; showing off what Barrington believes is manly, yet with Weathers masculinity described as below his, it showed that what Barrington thinks he is, a strong masculine man, he in fact isnt. This section also shows the mount Of anger that is present in Barrington, and the lengths to that he Will go to prove to his audience that he is a man. The arm wrestle is described as a trial and not a match. This indicates that its a life or death situation and that its not a game, but a serious matter that he has to succeed in. It also implies that to Barrington everything depends on it if he loses this trial; the respect of his friends, the solitude of the pub and his pride. It was then followed by the veins stood out on Affirmations forehead which shows that he is fully exerting himself ND putting a lot of physical stain on his body to the point of it being dangerous. This shows that he finds this situation extremely important to him and that his rage is fuelled into this match to win. This also links into the idea of physicality as Barrington is displaying his full strength which made Weathers also have to try harder too as his complexion changed to peony from the effort he too had to put in to counter Barrington. Their arms in this position trembled under the stress which expresses both of their desires to win and prove their masculinity, especially Barrington who had failed the first time. The word trembled indicates that the force the opponent was exerting was so strong and that they too had to put a great amount of pressure to keep the other from winning. The term that followed, stress, also indicates that this match is challenging and demanding for them both and a huge amount of strength is having to be wielded to keep up the battle. Weathers, again, brought down Apparitions arm slowly after a long struggle which implies that both the opponents were under the pressure to Win the match for a very long time, especially compared to the first time when it was quick to determine the winner. This suggests that Affirmations physical ability, although seemed much weaker in the first trial by being beaten only after 30 seconds, is present, however not to a standard that he expected to be. .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2 , .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2 .postImageUrl , .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2 , .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2:hover , .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2:visited , .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2:active { border:0!important; } .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2:active , .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2 .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9769d59ba045c318e8b75233285416e2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Summary Of The Letter From Birmingham Jail EssayWeathers is described as a stripling and Barrington believes he is much stronger and powerful than he is, however he gets beaten by him twice over. The term struggle shows this and that Barrington was in fact straining to keep up the arm wrestle against Weathers, and he manages to hold out for a long time, but in the end he ends up failing. An aspect that added to Barrington wanting to eat Weathers is that there was a crowd which had gathered to watch them both. The pressure of winning in front to a crowd of people in the pub, which is almost like his own haven, was also great in Barrington and fuelled his anger when he had lost for the 2nd time. Barrington had a violent expression on his face which displays how angered he was at being biblically embarrassed by losing the match. He pounces on what the curate said with an aggressive attitude which shows his fury that others in the pub have witnessed that he had lost to Weathers. In this particular passage, Affirmations masculine image which e believes himself to be is being stripped away from him. He loses the arm wrestling matches twice to Weathers who is described as a ;stripling indicating he is perceived as young boy Who hasnt yet grown to his full size; a boy who is not nearly as strong as a fully grown man, which Barrington believes he is. These losses undermine his own arguments and beliefs Of himself and extremely anger him especially as there were spectators watching the whole performance. He is very embarrassed Of his loses Which then contributes to the coming Of vicious actions and thoughts soon afterwards.

The Hobbit Persuasive Essay Example For Students

The Hobbit Persuasive Essay THE HOBBIT The book begins with Biblo Baggins enjoying a pipe after breakfast. This is one of his favorite pleasures and he feels quite content in doing so. He is middle-aged, and resides in a burrow in the ground. One morning Gandalf, a wizard stops by to talk with Biblo. He tells Biblo that he is looking for someone to go on an adventure with him. Although Biblo is tempted he declines, but not before inviting Gandalf for tea the next morning. The next day Biblo hears his doorbell and he remembers inviting Gandalf for tea, but instead of the wizard at the door, there is a group of dwarves, thirteen in all. Thorin son of the dwarf king starts to outline a plan on how to regain the treasure stolen by the dragon Smaug. Biblo is shocked to realize these plans involve him. He then realizes that Gandalf has tricked him by inscribing on his door that he was a burglar seeking a job with lots of excitement. With all this talk of quests and glory Biblo decides to join the party after all. Gan dalf reveals a key and a map of their journey, which ends at the Lonely Mountain. It is there that the treasure of Thorins ancestors is guarded by Smaug. The quest begins and the party meets at the Green Dragon Inn. From there they venture into the Lone-lands. As heavy rains begin to fall, Biblo notices that Gandalf is missing. When it starts to pour they stop to investigate a light. Their Biblo finds three trolls grumbling about food. Biblo decides to live up to title of burglar and attempts to pick one of the trolls pockets. However they quickly capture him. The dwarfs see whats going on and try to save Biblo but all of them except Thorin are caught. Thorin formulates a plan to free them but fails. Gandalf returns and occupies the trolls till dawn, and then they turn into stone. The group takes the two swords and a knife the trolls were carrying. The travelers come across the Secret Valley. There they stop at Elronds Last Homely House. Elrond tells them the only way to use the key that Thorin possesses is to wait where the thrush knocks and the setting sun will shine up on the keyhole. The next morning the group heads toward the Misty Mountains. A storm has caused them to seek shelter in a cave. The cave however turns out to be an entrance to the goblin kingdom. Again the group is captured. Only Gandalf is free, and he slays the Goblin King, and once again frees the party from doom. During the escape Biblo is knocked unconscious and is left behind. He awakes to find a ring of power that belongs to Gollum, which makes its wearer invisible. Biblo slips the ring on his finger and disappears. He follows Gollum invisibly toward the entrance to the outside world. He then jumps over Gollums head to freedom. Outside he is finds his dwarf friends. Later they encounter Wargs, which are large savage wolves. The Wargs chase the party into the trees. High in the trees Gandalf uses a spell to start the pine cones on fire, in order to drive the wolves away. However the pla n backfires and the very trees they took refuge in is now burning. Luckily for them the king of the eagles spots them. He and his eagles drop out of the sky and saves the party. The eagles drop them off near Mirkwood Forest. This is where they come across Beorn; a bear like man who can change into a bear. He puts them up for the night and outfits them with supplies for their trip into Mirkwood. He also warns them not to stray from the path in the forest. When they are ready to enter the forest, Gandalf announces he will not be accompanying them in this part of the journey. The group feels lost without him but they go on. They come across a black river. It is here that Bombur, one of the Dwarves falls in and is forced into a sleep from which he cannot awake. Food is scarce now and the hungry travelers are lured off the path by visions of elves feasting in the forest. To their surprise every time they announce their presence to the elvesthey elves vanish! Once again Biblo finds himsel f separated from the group. He stops for a short nap and awakes to find himself tied down by a giant spider. He uses his sword to cut himself free. He then attacks the spider and kills it. Feeling proud of his deed, he decides to name his sword Sting. Biblo finds his friends deep within the forest. They too have been captured by spiders, but have not escaped. Biblo puts on his m magic ring and forms a plan to rescue his friends. It works and the party gets out of danger. The celebration of escaping the spiders is short lived since the dwarfs are again captured by Wood Elves. Biblo again uses his ring and escapes capture. He followed the elves to there home in the forest. There he forms a plan to free his friends. He opens their cells and seals them in barrels. He then floats the barrels up the river to Lake-town and freedom. In Lake-town they get more supplies and venture to the Lonely Mountain. On the mountain they heard a thrush drop a snail to the rocks. Recalling what Beorn told them about the thrush and sunlight, they quickly found the hidden back entrance to Smaugs lair. Biblo puts on his ring and goes to confront the dragon. It is there he notices that in Smaugs underbelly there is a place that is not covered by his iron like scales. After conversing with the dragon Biblo returns to the party. Smaug however is angry about his little invisible visitor and heads to destroy Lake-town. When the dragon attacks, a thrush told Bard (the captain of the archers) that Smaug has a weak spot in his breast. Bard used his black arrow to slay the beast. Then the towns people made him king of Lake- town. With smaug dead the men and elves go to claim his hoarded treasure. Dwarf troops under Thorins kinsman Dain also appear. There fighting is soon changed to alliance when the Wargs and Goblins approach and so The Battle of the Five Armies begins. During the battle Thorin is hurt and Biblo gets knocked unconscious by falling rocks. The eagles as well as Beorn, in bear for m join the fray. The Wargs and goblins are defeated. Biblo later returns to his burrow under the hill with a chest of treasure, a ring of power, and a great story to tell. I liked this book a lot because the author uses characters that appear only in fairy tales, but gives them human traits. I especially liked the way Biblo changed from a tea drinking *censored* to an iron-fighting adventurer. I would highly recommend this book for children of all ages as well as adults. It has something about it that wont let you put it down, it is a very good novel. .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b , .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b .postImageUrl , .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b , .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b:hover , .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b:visited , .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b:active { border:0!important; } .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b:active , .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8e1f68d37a8c9629c205ffa062c8d93b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Simpsons Essay We will write a custom essay on The Hobbit Persuasive specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now

Good Writers, Bad Books A NaNoWriMo Debrief

Good Writers, Bad Books A NaNoWriMo Debrief Good Writers, Bad Books: A NaNoWriMo Debrief NaNoWriMo is over! Whether you're out celebrating your achievement, or still mulling over your newborn novel, we thought we'd share  a personal, warm and fuzzy  NaNo experience with you, straight from our editor Rebecca Heyman, who did herself complete NaNoWriMo a few years ago. The first and only time I completed NaNoWriMo was back in 2004. I was a sophomore at NYU, and spent most of that November holed up in a coveted single dorm, smoking cigarettes out the room's lone window overlooking Third Avenue. As I recall, the manuscript was built around motifs of twinning, incest, stalking, obsession and - every college English major's favorite - death. We should all take a moment to give thanks to our respective gods that the entire thing was lost along with the hard drive on my first MacBook. It was the baddest of bad books, to put it very mildly.

Eusmilus - Facts and Figures

Eusmilus - Facts and Figures Name: Eusmilus (Greek for early saber); pronounced you-SMILE-us Habitat: Plains of North America and western Europe Historical Epoch: Early Oligocene (30 million years ago) Size and Weight: About six feet long and 200-300 pounds Diet: Meat Distinguishing Characteristics: Six-inch-long canines; weak jaw muscles About Eusmilus Even though its technically classified as a false saber-toothed cat, Eusmilus had truly gigantic canines for its size, which at six inches or so were almost as long as its entire skull (when they werent in use, this cat kept its big teeth cozy and warm in specially adapted pouches on its lower jaw, a trait it shared with the distantly related Thylacosmilus). However, Eusmilus also had comparatively weak jaw muscleswith its huge canines, it didnt need to inflict a powerful biteand it was strangely lacking in supplementary teeth, sporting a relatively paltry two dozen or so. What this indicates is that Eusmilus hunted in traditional saber-tooth style, lying in wait in the low branches of trees, jumping and digging its lethal canines into unsuspecting prey, and then idling its time as its dinner bled to death. Technically, Eusmilus is classified as a nimravid cat, meaning it was closely related to the contemporary Nimravuswith which it competed for prey in early Oligocene Europe and North America, along with yet a third nimravid, Hoplophoneus. In case youre wondering how all of these big-toothed cats could have hunted for megafauna mammals without getting in each others way, the fact is that they didnt: one Nimravus skull bears tooth marks that exactly match the size and shape of Eusmilus canines (however, this particular individual healed from its wounds and lived to hunt another day). We even have evidence for cannibalism, or at least intra-species combat, among saber-toothed cats: another identified Nimravus skull is embedded with the canines of a fellow pack member!

Legal Case of the Caspian Sea Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Legal Case of the Caspian Sea - Research Paper Example Iran and Russia, especially Iran, favor splitting the sea equally among the countries, with each country owning the sea with joint sovereignty. The other countries, however, favor partitioning – they get certain parts of the sea to control for their countries, and the other countries get their own slice of the pie. This describes the conflict in a nutshell. However, the conflict is more complex because other, more powerful countries, like China and the United States, have taken sides. This paper will describe the conflict, along with describing other water based conflicts, in recommending the best course of action for the five countries in dispute over the Caspian Sea. Discussion The dispute over the Caspian Sea has as its genesis the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991-1992. According to Mirfendereski (2001), prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Caspian Sea was the province of only two countries – the Soviet Union and Iran. After the breakup of the Soviet Un ion, however, the Caspian Sea was abutted by Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. Further, Mirfedereski (2001) stated that, soon after the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Caspian Sea became a matter of international business, as, in addition to the countries abutting the Sea, other countries, such as the United States and China, developed a strategic interest in the region, because of the Sea’s rich and oil and gas reserves. As Zeinolabedin et al. (2011) states, the Caspian Sea and how it is divided up between the countries is important to the countries, and to the world, because of the Caspian Sea’s resources, particularly in the area of oil and gas. Roberts (2001) states that the issue of the Caspian Sea energy development is dominated by four factors – uncertain oil prices; the geology and geography of the area; the pipeline issue; and the ability of the Turkish government to develop a coherent energy import policy. Before the breakup of th e Soviet Union, the Caspian Sea was divided according to agreements made between Iran and the Soviet Union in 1921 and 1940 (Laruelle & Peyrouse, 2009). However, after the breakup of the Soviet Union, this agreement became problematic, although Russia initially proposed, after the breakup of the Soviet Union, that the countries share the Caspian Sea, with the exception of ten miles (Laruelle & Peyrouse, 2009). The other countries, however, did not agree with this plan. This means that, for the new countries which abutted the Caspian Sea, there was not specific guidance on how the Sea should be partitioned. However, Mirfendereski (2001) states that at this time there was, when the Soviet Union was intact, delineations that the Soviet Union had made for the Caspian republics. There was also a division between the Soviet Union and Iran, called the Astara-Hassanqoli line. However, as these delineations meant that Russia had to concede a large portion of the Sea, Russian disputed the Sov iet Union delineations, according to Mirfendereski (2001). What Russia was seeking, according to Mirfedereski (2001), was an equal but undivided share of the Sea as a whole, as opposed to partitioning. Iran, whose ostensible partition of the Caspian Sea, per the Astara-Hassanqoli line, deprived it of offshore petroleum deposits, went along with the Russian plan to ignore the Astara-Hassanqoli line and divide the Sea up so that each country had an equal but undi

Should international marriage be banned Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Should international marriage be banned - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that in the recent past, international marriage has received increased attention both from the perspective of theory and due to the practical concern. Several urgent policy issues have come up due to the emerging trends of international marriages. International marriage is for people who have an adventurer’s heart. International marriages require its participants to have a different view of the world. These people need to go contrary to established behavior patterns. In addition, International marriages present an opportunity for diversity and exploration of two or more different cultures and traditions. Despite these benefits, international marriages have problems that are absent if couples are from the same nation. Due to this, international marriages need to be discouraged and even banned to avoid the occurrence of such problems. The present research has identified that cultural differences present several challenges for internati onal marriages. Every society  around  the world has its distinct and unique culture and value system. These differences in culture and value systems present simple routine differences. If people marry from the same country, there are high chances that they will have the same cultures and share in these unique value systems. Thus, there would be reduced uneasiness in the marriage resulting due to culture shock and the need to adopt the value system of either party.

Better Off Alone Essay Example for Free

Better Off Alone Essay In the bible God’s greatest servant is Job; â€Å"This man was innocent, upright, and God-fearing, and kept himself apart from evil† (66). Job did everything God requested, and yet Job was maliciously tested by his creator. Throughout the story of Job there were several accounts of Job expressing his misery that resulted from God’s cruel tests of faith. Reading the story of Job I came up with the question of, would Job be happier without the weight of God’s continuous misperception and unannounced tests? Yaweh strikes Job with a â€Å"test† and murders his sons, daughters, and animals to see if Job will still love him. Perhaps God didn’t have faith in Job instead of visa versa. Yaweh causes Job to be miserable and want to kill himself; in no way is this enjoyable, or worth proceeding to worship a deity. If God were to tell Job he is the one who permitted all of these deeds, Job would no longer follow this deity. God is lying to get what he wants from Job, I don’t believe Job would still appreciate a God that goes against what he orates. It’s as if a wife had gone behind her devoted partners back and had a secret accomplice to pursue her other in a â€Å"test† of fidelity; If she were to tell him â€Å"I tested you, and had another female pursue you to see if you would stay loyal to me†, He would be mad and most likely leave her for lack of trust. Just as Job should leave his â€Å"creator† in the dark as nothing and move on to be happy, instead of constantly trying to please a God that is never satisfied. Job is â€Å"innocent† and â€Å"kept himself apart from evil† (66) and he was also tested with God’s sinful acts of murder and pain. Job was more than true to God, he showed this by even filling his own son’s faithful void; â€Å"Job would send to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer whole burnt offerings, one for each† (66). First off Job was this great of a servant so therefor Job should have been treated better and shouldn’t have been tested. This didn’t happen; but if Job was questioned because he is known as God’s ultimate servant and he had to live up to high standards then feasibly, Job wouldn’t have to deal with an untrusting God if he never submitted. Yaweh speaks with the Accuser and even points out himself that Job is â€Å"like no one on earth†; â€Å"Have you taken note of my servant Job, for there is no one like him on earth: Innocent, upright, and God-fearing and kept himself apart from evil† (66). This is a repetitive sentence through the first section of the story; making a statement that Job has all of these reliable qualities for his God. Job is pious; even Yaweh speaks of this, right before he causes Job an enormous amount of pain. When Yaweh and the Accuser speak of challenging Job’s allegiance, Yaweh tells the Accuser â€Å"Everything he has is in your power, but do not harm his person† (67). Emotions are a part in one’s brain, and one’s brain is a part of the â€Å"person†. By killing his family and animals, this is creating the feeling of agony (harm) to his person. One can then notice God either doesn’t know what harm is or he is just so unpleasant he doesn’t care if he causes Job discomfort, he just wants to see the outcomes of such mischievous acts with Job’s irrevocable loyalty. This isn’t fair to Job, to be harmed for entertainment, what an unhappy life to live. In result of God’s first test of faith, Job unchanged, remains faithful. God figures, well that’s not enough, he then changes his statement to the Accuser and says â€Å"He is in your power, but see that you preserve his life† (67). Yaweh goes back on his words and then physically harms Job’s â€Å"person† and â€Å"smote(s) Job with sickening eruptions from the souls of his feet to the crown of his head† (67-68). Job wouldn’t need to prove devotion to God through anguish if he just had escaped from this unfortunate cruel God. The only reason Job is being chosen to be tested is because he is God’s ultimate servant. If he didn’t believe in God then he wouldn’t have been chosen because God would have already known he was not faithful. Nothing would happen to him if he said good bye to God because all of Job’s friends told him not to keep following God, and nothing cruel happened to them. Job would be happy not constantly being subjected by God’s insecurities. Just how miserable was Job? Job was enormously depressed which shows in this quote; â€Å"blot out the day when I was born† He wishes to not remember the day he was born, or wish it never happened. With his words of self-loathing it creates to the reader feelings of suicide and hate. It makes the reader feel almost apathetic towards Job, for not listening to his friends and also continuing to follow a horrendous god.

Vegetarianism :: Healthy Lifestyle Essay

by Jello Biafra From I Blow Minds for a Living, recorded at Slim's, San Francisco, Nov 21, 1990 Does anybody out there know that for the first time in American history the U.S. Army was used in a war operation against the American people? Right near here, up in Humboldt County about 200 miles north of San Francisco right near a town called Shelter Cove, get this: three- to four-hundred American G.I.s dressed with automatic rifles and fully armed for battle, fanned out on maneuvers through the woods, backed up by a dozen Blackhawk attack helicopters. The mountain people up there were frightened out of their wits! They thought there was a war going on, especially the ones that had soldiers kicking in the doors to their cabins and putting guns to their heads in front of their children. Why!? Who was the enemy in this war? Not the communists! Not Saddam Hussein! Not Earth First! or even the spotted owl. No! The enemy they called out the army to put down, secretly, so few people outside of Humboldt would get alarmed as possible, it wasn't even a person or an army or a terrorist group! It was a plant, the marijuana plant. And they actually did manage to find a few for the G.I.s to pull up, and then they had to fly in more from the government stash so the pile would look big enough when they lit the bonfire for the network TV news cameras, so that they could say "Yes! Another triumph in the Drug War!" Drug War. War. The American army sent to war against the American people. And we're supposed to feel relieved and secure and protected. Protected from what?! A lot of people with more guts than I'll ever have risked their life and limb all last summer at the Earth First! Redwood Summer Action up in Humboldt County. They were chaining themselves to redwoods that were three times wider than they were, 800 years old, they were spread-eagled, as the saws buzzed right over their heads. They stood in the dirt as the bulldozers charged them and stopped right at their toes. Or people waved clubs at them, charged them with logging trucks, shotguns, you name it. All to try to save some of the last unspoiled virgin forest we have left anywhere in this country from being chopped down and turned into toilet paper, TV Guides and the Weekly World News. Vegetarianism :: Healthy Lifestyle Essay by Jello Biafra From I Blow Minds for a Living, recorded at Slim's, San Francisco, Nov 21, 1990 Does anybody out there know that for the first time in American history the U.S. Army was used in a war operation against the American people? Right near here, up in Humboldt County about 200 miles north of San Francisco right near a town called Shelter Cove, get this: three- to four-hundred American G.I.s dressed with automatic rifles and fully armed for battle, fanned out on maneuvers through the woods, backed up by a dozen Blackhawk attack helicopters. The mountain people up there were frightened out of their wits! They thought there was a war going on, especially the ones that had soldiers kicking in the doors to their cabins and putting guns to their heads in front of their children. Why!? Who was the enemy in this war? Not the communists! Not Saddam Hussein! Not Earth First! or even the spotted owl. No! The enemy they called out the army to put down, secretly, so few people outside of Humboldt would get alarmed as possible, it wasn't even a person or an army or a terrorist group! It was a plant, the marijuana plant. And they actually did manage to find a few for the G.I.s to pull up, and then they had to fly in more from the government stash so the pile would look big enough when they lit the bonfire for the network TV news cameras, so that they could say "Yes! Another triumph in the Drug War!" Drug War. War. The American army sent to war against the American people. And we're supposed to feel relieved and secure and protected. Protected from what?! A lot of people with more guts than I'll ever have risked their life and limb all last summer at the Earth First! Redwood Summer Action up in Humboldt County. They were chaining themselves to redwoods that were three times wider than they were, 800 years old, they were spread-eagled, as the saws buzzed right over their heads. They stood in the dirt as the bulldozers charged them and stopped right at their toes. Or people waved clubs at them, charged them with logging trucks, shotguns, you name it. All to try to save some of the last unspoiled virgin forest we have left anywhere in this country from being chopped down and turned into toilet paper, TV Guides and the Weekly World News.

Assess critically the contribution Essay

Taylorism is a form of job design, which stresses short, repetitive work cycles; detailed, set task sequences; a separation of task conception from task execution; and motivation linked to pay. Taylor argued that the principal objective of management should be to secure the maximum prosperity for the employer, coupled with the maximum prosperity for each employee (1911). Fredrick Taylor’s five principles of scientific management: 1. A clear division of tasks and responsibilities between management and workers. 2. Use of scientific methods to determine the best way of doing a job. 3. Scientific selection of the person to do the newly designed job. 4. The training of the selected worker to perform the job in the way specified. 5. Surveillance of workers through the use of hierarchies of authority and close supervision. Taylor proposed this by measuring what workers did against the time taken, to develop ‘one best way of working’ (1911). By using quantitative methods a workers output could be accurately measured. At the time of its inception Taylor found that firms who introduced scientific management as he prescribed became the worlds most meticulously organised factories (Nelson, 1980). Managers are responsible for identifying the best cost efficient work practices and training workers to become highly productive and affective in their specific work task. Taylor argued that it stands to reason that an employee becomes more productive when working at their speciality and concluded with stating that there are more benefits gained for both employees and employers from dividing workers. With linking pay to each task performed, Managers can thus control the workforce and output and consistently achieve desired goals. The piece rate pay system  pays workers in parallel to number of items each worker has produced, hence also providing employees with an incentive to work. Henry Ford’s theory (Fordism) referring to mass production in industry (Marcouse, 1996) united the idea of assembly line and Taylor’s theory of division of labour and payment. Fordism focused on dividing jobs into unskilled and semi-skilled tasks. Whilst managers at Ford vehemently opposed any relation to Taylorism, it can be said that Fordism retained the faults of Taylorism of an autocratic work environment with little room for creativity as well as the benefits of the piece rate system relying on financial motivation. Criticisms of Taylorism: 1.Assumed that the motivation of the employee was to secure the maximum earnings for the effort expended; and neglected the importance of other rewards from work (achievement, job satisfaction, recognition), which later research has found to be important. 2. Neglected the subjective side of work-the personal and interactional aspects of performance, the meaning that employees give to work and the significance to them of their social relationship at work. 3. Failed to appreciate the meaning that workers would put on new procedures ad their reaction to being timed and closely supervised. 4. Had inadequate understanding of the relation of the individual incentive to interaction with, and dependence on, the immediate work group. Taylor did attribute ‘underworking’ to group pressures, but misunderstood the way in which these worked. He failed to see that these might just as easily keep production and morale up. 5. Ignored the psychological needs and capabilities of workers. T he one best way of doing a job was chosen with the mechanistic criteria of speed and output. The imposition of a uniform manner of work can both destroy individuality and cause other psychological disturbances. 6. Had too simple approach to the question of productivity and morale. It sought to keep both of these up exclusively by economic rewards and punishments. Incentive approaches under the scientific approach tended to focus on the worker as an individual and ignored their social context. Pay system may result in a worker valuing quantity over quality. 7. Functional foremanship was deemed to be too  complex and an unwieldy mode of supervision. (Huczynski, 2013) Ways to alleviate the negative effects of Taylorism especially to worker motivation and performance and find new ways to job designs came about following the introduction of the American psychologists Fredrick Hertzberg two factor theory of motivation. Hertzberg had the idea that there were two sets of factors that affected motivation and job characteristics: Motivators: These factors refer to the extent to which a job offers opportunities for achievement, creativity, responsibility, opportunities for personal growth. These are intrinsic to the job itself. Hygiene factors: These comprise issue as the nature of supervision and supervisory style, the level of pay, working conditions, and interpersonal relations. These are extrinsic to the job. For Hertzberg it was only the motivator factors that have the potential to generate satisfaction and motivation. If hygiene factors are improved, they do not result in improved motivation, but if removed, will result in demotivation. To raise levels of motivation and therefore performance, following Hertzberg theory of motivation, companies needed to ensure that the hygiene factors were in place, and to also ensure that the ‘motivator factors’ (i.e intrinsic motivators) were incorporated into the jobs. In particular, jobs needed to be designed in such a way that workers could be given opportunities for achievement, responsibility and personal growth. Criticisms of Hertzberg two-factor theory: Can job characteristics fall neatly into two categories of motivators and hygiene factors? Can a job characteristic be both? (Example can pay be a motivator as well as a hygiene factor-?) Blunt and Jones (1992) They point out that some studies from Nigeria have indicated that hygiene factors, in particular pay, supervision and working conditions, acted as motivators. Machungwa and Schmidt (1983) reported on a study conducted in Zambia and found that material rewards and the physical conditions of work appeared to have both motivating and demotivating effects. This was interpreted by Blunt and Jones in the following way: if material rewards were inadequate they were demotivating, but they acted as motivators if they were perceived as reasonable. This appears to directly contradict Hertzberg’s theory, but Blunt and Jones consider that this is only likely to be the case in less developed countries, as Hertzberg (1987) himself appears also to argue. However, one study does not refute a theory. Hertzberg did his original work on qualified professionals, such as engineers, whereas the people surveyed in the study above were manual workers. This in itself might be enough to account for the difference. In general, we can expect professional or managerial workers everywhere to be more intrinsically motivated than ma nual workers given the different nature of the work that the two groups undertake, but as we shall see the way work is organized may compensate for such differences in the relative interest value of different types of work The theory is regarded as a Universalistic theory; that it will impact all individuals in the same way in all work situations. It does not take into consideration that some people may not have a desire for personal growth, and are therefore unlikely to be motivated by job enrichment initiatives that give them higher levels of autonomy and responsibility. Hertzberg theory was superseded by Richard Hackman and Greg Oldham ‘the Job Characteristics Model’; which argued in a similar respect to Hertzberg theory, that if jobs are enriched this will lead to improvements in attitudinal outcomes (increased satisfaction and motivation) and improvements in behavioural outcomes (higher productivity and lower rates of absenteeism). Three critical psychological states: Hackman and Oldham argued that jobs should be designed in such a way that they are focused on the achievement of three critical psychological states: Workers must experience work as being personally meaningful-something that  they care about. Workers must experience personal responsibility for their work- accountability for their work. Workers must know if their work performance is effective-they must have knowledge of the results of their work activities. If these 3 critical psychological states are achieved, higher levels of satisfaction, motivation and performance will result from the worker. However this theory too has had its criticisms. Current literature now argues the importance and focus on team working, however one should acknowledge that the interest in team working is not something that is new to current times. Autonomous and semi-autonomous work groups were central to earlier theories of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Team working has now re-emerged as part of the lean production & flexible working debates. An American Theorist, Harry Bravemen thesis known as the ‘Bravemen thesis argues to counter the popular view in social science and management literature that Taylorism has been superseded by human relations and other more sophisticated approaches; that there is in fact a tendency for workers and their jobs to become de-skilled through fragmentation, rationalisation and mechanisation. This argument of deskilling workers and jobs was continued in the context where it became known as McDonalization a term that came about after the publication of a book by Georg Ritz. McDonalisation is a form of work design aimed at achieving efficiency, calculability, predictability and control through non-human technology, to enhance organisational objectives by limiting employee discretion and creativity. He used the term to refer to the processes used at the growing number of fast food restaurants dominating the American market. McDonalds is a modern example of the Taylorised way of work. The tasks are de-skilled and simplified for an employee at McDonalds and limited by the  sophisticated technology of fast food preparation. Hamburger grilling instructions are detailed and precise, cooking times and the sequence of events dictated to make a burger. Drinks dispensers, French fry machines, programmed cash registers all limit the amount of time required to carry out a specific task and leave little room for the employee to do as they wish, little room for creativity or innovation to processes. This way of working ensures the aims of the organisation to achieve greatest efficiency, calculability, predictability and control all of the key elements described by the Ritzer’s ‘Mcdonalization’. Regardless of the fact that the de-skilling may lead to de-motivated employees, which may result in high absenteeism and high staff turn over; its ability to integrate new workers into the production processes and dismiss employees without losing knowledge form the organization allows the model to still be successful. Taylorism can also be illustrated in modern day call centres. A case study on a customer service call centre run by two British Companies, Martin Beirne, Kathleen Riach and Fiona Wilson found strong continuities with Taylorism, in relation to work design and operation. They found the work to be pressurized and highly paced with managements focus on productivity and cost minimisation. Most of the jobs were narrowly defined and closely monitored. The time duration of each call taken; the content of the conversation with each customer; and the advise also given to the customer was prescribed (from Beirne et al 2004). But modern day illustrations of Taylorism don’t end there. It is also seen in relation to ‘scientific selection & training’. We’ve now moved away from an industrial economy towards a knowledge –based economy where an organisations competitive success depends on its talent. Much effort is devoted by contemporary organisations to select and recruit the right person for a role. Taylorism also placed importance and the introduction of scientific selection criteria by management to do a particular task. In line with his emphasis on scientific approach to selection, Taylor advocates scientific training as he argues that â€Å"it is only when business systematically cooperate to train the competent man†¦that it shall be on the road to national efficiency†. (Taylor, 1911: p 98). In the context of the knowledge  economy, organisations are generally encouraged to develop employees’ skills and knowledge. ‘Now one of the very first requirements of man who is to handle pig iron as a regular occupation is that he shall be so stupid and so phlegmatic that he more nearly resembles in his mental make-up the ox than any other type. The man who is mentally alert and intelligent is for this very reason entirely unsuited to what would, for him, be the grinding monotony of work to this character. Therefore the work man who is best suited to handling pig iron is unable to understand the real science of doing this class of work’. (Taylor 1911/1997 pg 59) â€Å"The task is always so regulated that the man who is well suited to his job will thrive while working at this rate during a long term of years and grow happier and more prosperous, instead of being overworked†. (Taylor 1911) Thus scientific management matched the worker to the job and in the process separated the conceptualization of work from its execution. It also provided safeguards against personal bias and individual favoritism, which is something that can still be applied to the current context of contemporary organisations. Taylorism is also found in the Saudi Educational system, for example metaphorically describing students as the ‘raw material’ of schools; controlling the movement of teachers & students through class bells; conceiving of the curriculum as a product; dividing students into grades or dividing curriculum into units and individual lessons; describing the school facilities as a ‘plant’ are a result of a ‘factory model’ schooling that has its roots in the adoption of scientific management principles by educational administrators. Contemporary schools in Saudi are still largely influenced with its teaching and learning deeply rooted in ‘scientific management’ as seen with the following: 1. Schools are large and bureaucratized. 2. Students change teachers every year. 3. Teachers plan and teach alone. 4. Curriculum is fragmented. 5. Tracking students by ability levels. 6. Deskilling of teachers through alignment of teaching mandated curriculum and standardized tests. 7. Emphasis on monitoring /surveillance & bureaucratic activity-scripted curriculum and scripted tests. Taylorism does not permit autonomy in work. Input by production workers in the organisation, planning, and direction of the manufacturing process was not allowed, requiring workers to do exactly what they were told to do and no more. This authoritarian approach to work can been illustrated in the schooling: That student’s are excluded from the planning, organisation and direction of the educational process. De-skilling of the teachers as their work is conceptualised by others (Ministry of Education who agrees the standard curriculum to be used in schools) and enforced by the bureaucratic outcome of accountability systems implemented in schools. The other way that Taylorism continues to influence the education system is through the use of individual rewards for individual effort (example the focus on a students individual test results). Taylor developed wage-incentive schemes emphasizing piecework and historically assembly line foremen attempted to stop any sort of worker inter action. Elton Mayo who introduced Human Relations theory based on his research at the Hawthorne electrical factory was to see how productivity will improve if the lighting condition changes and he followed Taylor’s scientific principles by testing the changes against a control, with part of the factory lighting being unchanged, (Kelly 1982). This lead him to conduct further experiments which vast doubts on Taylors assumptions about the importance of money in motivation (Marcouse, 1996). According to Huczynski and Buchan, the conclusions which can be drawn from Hawthorne studies are: 1. People at work are motivated by more than just pay and conditions. 2. Their need for recognition and sense of belonging are very important. 3. A person’s attitude to work is shaped strongly by the group in which that individual  belongs within the company. 4. The ability of the informal group or clique to motivate an individual at work should not be underestimated. (Huczynski and Buchanan 1991) . Another contributor to the Human Relations approach is Abraham Harold Maslow, an American psychologist who was best known for creating Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. They range from physical & social to psychological needs. Maslow (1943, 1954) stated that human motivation is based on people seeking fulfilment and change through personal growth. Self-actualized people as those who were fulfilled and doing all they were capable of. The Human Relations models have changed management and how workers are in fact valuable employees and stakeholders of an organisation. The key difference between scientific management and the human relations model is highlighted when analysing the motivational techniques to increase productivity. Scientific management emphasises the use of financial measures in order to secure employers objectives whereas the human relations model argues that management should acquire the insight into the skills that will manipulate social factors in order to harness their employees social needs to managerial ends (Fincham & Rhodes, 1999). Thus, behavioural science; motivation theories in combination with the humanistic theories of management, have added to Taylors principles and allowed for contemporary organizations to succeed where scientific management alone failed. Taylorism was an influential management theory of the late nineteenth century. Despite its relevance to its time the influence can still be seen in todays twenty first century: educational institutes, service sector and the manufacturing industries. Though there are limitations to his method, this principle has a considerable profound and lasting influence to all contemporary organizations because of  Taylor’s â€Å"preoccupation with the efficient use of resources†. This philosophy can almost apply to every organization, despite its work structure, such as structures of team working or job enrichment; one of the ultimate goals should be improve efficiency. As Braverman says, â€Å"the principle of scientific management is not a failed system, but a set of guiding principles which continue to inform and influence the role and function of modern management†. Some of the methods he advocates, such as division of labour, scientific selection and training, have become the features of modern society. More primarily, as efficiency is one of the enduring needs of all organizations, his preoccupation with the efficient use of resources thus becomes the driving force behind the evolution of subsequent management theories and the root of management practice. References: Huczynski, A. and Buchanan, D: Organisational Behaviour. Eighth Edition. Pearson 2013. Huczynski, A. and Buchanan, D.,1991. Organizational behaviour An Introductory Text. Second edition. London: Prentice Hall International (UK) Ltd. Hertzberg,F., B.Mausner and B.Snyderman: The motivation to work (New york: Wiley 1959). Taylor F.W (1997): The principles of scientific management. Mincola, NY (original work published 1911). Braverman, H (1974): Labour and Monoploy capital: The degradation of work in the twentieth century. New York Monthly review press. Kelly, John. (1982), Scientific Management, Job Redesign, & Work Performance. Academic †¨Press. Marcouse, I. et al. (1996), The Complete A-Z Business Studies Handbook, Hodder & †¨Stoughton. Ritzer, George. (2000) The McDonaldization Of Society. Sage Publications Inc. Taylor, Frederick W (1911) The Principles of Scientific Management, Harper Bros. Fincham, R & Rhodes, P (1999) Priniciples of Organisational Behaviours, Oxford Univeristy Press. Nelson, David (1980) Frederick W Taylor and the Rise of Scientific Management, The University of Wisconsin Press. Maslow, A. H. (1943). A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370-96. Maslow, A. H. (1954). Motivation and Personality. New York: Harper and Row.

Dreams in Of Mice and Men Essay

Of Mice and Men by John Steinback is a story about George and Lennie, two companions who share the same dream of owning their own land and being their own boss. They move from place to place looking for work but the â€Å"fetishes† of Lennie gets them into trouble which hinders their dream for being fulfilled. In the end, reality sinks in and George accepts their fate. Almost all of the characters in the story have dreams of their own but somehow fate conspires against them that prevent their dreams for becoming a reality. Of Mice and Men centers on dreams of the common man as much as it focuses on loneliness and human companionship. The focus on dreams however, is leaned towards a more realistic approach than idealistic. Steinback portrays dreams realistically by showing the obstacles that hinder dreams. Dreams is what drive people, or at least most of us, it gives us a sense of purpose, without them, existence seems unnecessary. The most notable dream in the story is the dream of George and Lennie having a farm of their own. Lennie always asks George to retell him their dreams because part of it involves Lennie petting rabbits, which is Lennie’s fetish (touching soft things), and also because Lennie has a short memory. Ironically, it is their dream that enslaves them to work. The dream of owning a farm is the lifelong dream of George and Lennie because they are tired of moving from place to place constantly trying to find work, which barely support them– owning a farm means, at least for George, being self-reliant, a sense of security and just simply being somebody and not just mere drifters. Lennie on the other hand is just in it for the rabbits but he clearly values the companionship that their dreams forge. This is shown throughout the story when Lennie gets upset by the thoughts of George getting angry at him Candy, the old man with the old sheep dog, partly became part of George and Lennie’s dream; as he offers money that he supposedly have, to contribute to the purchase of the farm. The dream of the farm also gives him a sense of security because he has nowhere else to go to if he is fired from the current farm he is in. Crooks also partly shared the dream of George and Lennie when Lennie tells him about the dream farm, Crooks offers his service to the farm for free because for him, equality in the farm might bring is enough. Equality is something he longs for outside of the dream farm because he is discriminated for being black. He lives separately from the other workers and is insulted by the wife of Curley. A place they can call their own where they can have some sense of security and pride is what drives these characters’ dreams. Dreams, by its mere definition, do not mean that everything would be achieved. The characters dream of a different, or rather, a better life but their conditions prevent them from achieving these dreams. George does not have the money to buy the farm and Lennie slows his progress, Lennie is mentally retarded and relies solely on George so he can somehow function in society. Crooks is a black man, and during the setting of the story, that fact alone is enough to stop all hopes for a better life. Even Curley’s wife had dreams of becoming an actress but he married Curley who does not make her happy. Slim provides contrast with these dreams as he appears to not have any dreams and accepts the reality that he is stuck on working in the farm. Having dreams is fine but the truth is the world is an unforgiving place. The story shows the idealistic dreams of the characters and their struggle to break out of their situation. The characters strive for a better life but remain in the cycle of work, more work, and hopelessness—Dreams does not always lead to a happy ending.

Individual Behavior and Processes Essay Example

Individual Behavior and Processes Essay Example Individual Behavior and Processes Essay Individual Behavior and Processes Essay Introduction Mgt provided us with a good basis for understanding organizational behavior by exploring the most essential elements of organizations and how they function. In Week Two our exploration of organizations will become more specific by examining the most basic working elements of the workplace: people. This course will eventually ask us to contemplate the complexities of people working together in groups and teams but, in order to get our studies off to the best start we will begin by considering how individuals function within the workplace. Most students can easily describe themselves however their descriptions are often based upon their internal view of how they see themselves or how they hope others view them. In order for a person to improve their relationships they must gain an accurate understanding of how others see them. Week Two will examine the diversity among individuals and how our differences affect the way we interact with others in the workplace. Most of todays employees want to be involved and expect to have some level of responsibility in helping to meet organizational goals. They want more autonomy to make their own decisions and to accomplish their own goals. Still, employees want to have a personal life and place a very high value on their personal freedoms. More and more employers report that today’s workers often turn down overtime wages in order to spend more time doing what they enjoy! This fact demonstrates how important individual freedoms are. Each worker is different in the way they view the workplace and each has a unique set of expectations for what makes them feel happy and successful in their work. Success in the new workplace requires a set of skills for working successfully with a broad mix of people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, different ages and genders, and different domestic and national cultures. When people think of diversity they primarily think of differences in age, race, ethnicity, gender, physical ability, and sexual orientation – but diversity is much broader than that. Diversity also includes things like religious beliefs, education, experience, socio-economic class, family values, and more. Consider your own workplace: think about where people grew up, where they went to school, and how many other ways they are different. How many differences can you count among the five people with whom you work most closely? How well do you know these people and how many unknown differences might there be? These differences make people act and think in very different ways. Diversity is everywhere and organizations have two clear choices: to manage and utilize diversity or to suffer from it. Valuing diversity is extremely important for today’s organizations. Truly valuing diversity is characterized by managing and working with others while fully respecting their individual differences. Many organizations are providing training designed to help people understand and respect differences. Heres the key: instead of fearing or dreading the differences in our workforces, lets try to take advantage of them. A diverse workforce offers a rich pool of talents, ideas, and viewpoints for solving complex problems. Diversity, if managed properly, can provide a competitive advantage for an organization. Good managers understand that diversity, like conflict, can be looked upon as a barrier to success or as an opportunity for success. If an employer lets differences interfere with hiring and developing someones ability, it becomes some other companys gain. Leading employers and managers are aware that this can be used to their gain. They make an effort to understand and tap into those differences and prevent erroneous perceptions or stereotyping. In the end, their ability to understand and motivate a diverse workforce results in increased organization success. Respecting diversity is really quite simple. If an individual feels respected and understood then they are most likely to be happy in their work. Similarly, if they feel that they can effectively communicate with others then they feel important. By respecting the differences among people and enabling a positive environment for communication, effectiveness in the workplace may be significantly increased. Effective communication begins with a willingness to listen and think critically about what another person has said. People often misinterpret the messages sent by others and respond in ways that are inappropriate – we’ve all seen examples of misunderstandings in our lives. Effective communication depends on the ability of two people to send and receive messages in a way that allows their intentions to be accurately interpreted. Communication is a very dynamic process that is continually challenged by factors called â€Å"noise. † Noise is defined as anything that can interfere with effective communication (Schermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn, 2005, p. 295). Communicative noise is not necessarily audible; for example, noise can include a person’s mood or attitude. A lack of contextual basis can also act as a barrier to effective communication. This type of noise commonly occurs in the workplace when workers communicate via email. The mode we choose to send a message is called a channel. Email is a relatively new channel to people, so miscommunication frequently occurs because the people receiving our messages are not able to judge our intended meaning as clearly as they can in person. Practical Application and Questions for Thought How many times have you hit the â€Å"send† button on your email only to have someone call you to ask why your response was so negative? Consider what your boss would think if you sent the following email message on a payday: â€Å"Gee boss, I’m so happy with my paycheck that I feel like I’m cheating the company! † If you gave me a raise, I don’t know what I would do! † Would the response from your boss be positive or negative? What future implications might this message have for you? The answers to those questions depend on several factors like how well the boss knows you, what type of mood the boss is in, and how much money you earn compared to others in the company. That is exactly the point – you cannot know how the message will be perceived because you are not able to convey it in a way that lets the boss know you are joking. If you were to see your boss in the hallway and if you knew that he/she was in a good mood, you might smile and whisper the statement. Under those conditions, the boss is much more likely to understand that you are kidding. Youll recall that in Week One we discussed a workplace scenario in which a new director was faced with the task of fixing a supply department that was riddled with problems. Of course the director’s tasks include researching, identifying, and planning solutions for a number of procedural problems. Because the central problem was defined as a cultural deficiency, it is certain that one of the director’s first actions was to gather the middle managers and institute a culture change. This has a profound effect on the workplace, beginning with the way the employees viewed their place in the organization. Instead of being afraid of taking action for fear of making things worse or being reprimanded, they will soon take an active part in process improvement. They will also realize that they are the keys to success and that they are expected to be proactive in all areas of their jobs. Because management is openly communicating with them they understand what the standards are and how departmental success will be defined. The employees are active participants in discussions about where we need to go and how were going to get there. Most importantly they are told that above all else they are all in this situation together and that they will all succeed or fail together. The increase in motivation caused by this new culture will be instantly noticeable. When dramatic cultural change like this occurs you see the positive changes in the employees’ expressions and you can actually feel it as you walk through the department.

Online Public and Charter Schools, K-12 in Indiana

Online Public and Charter Schools, K-12 in Indiana Indiana offers resident students the opportunity to take online public school courses for free. Below is a list of no-cost online schools currently serving elementary and high school students in Indiana. In order to qualify for the list, schools must meet the following qualifications: classes must be available completely online, they must offer services to state residents, and they must be funded by the government. Virtual schools listed may be charter schools, state-wide public programs, or private programs that receive government funding. List of Indiana Online Charter Schools and Online Public Schools Indiana Virtual Charter School (off-site link) About Online Charter Schools and Online Public Schools Many states now offer tuition-free online schools for resident students under a certain age (often 21). Most virtual schools are charter schools; they receive government funding and are run by a private organization. Online charter schools are subject to fewer restrictions than traditional schools. However, they are reviewed regularly and must continue to meet state standards. Some states also offer their own online public schools. These virtual programs generally operate from a state office or a school district. State-wide public school programs vary. Some online public schools offer a limited number of remedial or advanced courses not available in brick-and-mortar public school campuses. Others offer full online diploma programs. A few states choose to fund â€Å"seats† for students in private online schools. The number of available seats may be limited and students are usually asked to apply through their public school guidance counselor. (See also: 4 Types of Online High Schools). Choosing an Indiana Online Public School When choosing an online public school, look for an established program that is regionally accredited and has a track record of success. Be wary of new schools that are disorganized, are unaccredited, or have been the subject of public scrutiny. For more suggestions on evaluating virtual schools see: How to Choose an Online High School.

The Documentary 'Jamie Oliver's Great Escape' as a useful tool in Research Paper

The Documentary 'Jamie Oliver's Great Escape' as a useful tool in teaching Italian to ab initio third level students of Culinar - Research Paper Example Engaging Language Learners by Making the Learning Real It is well documented in cognitive science that learning does not take place until it is either shared or applied. Therefore, a major problem in language learning is its lack of reality. By engaging foreign language learners in real activities that use the target language the learning can be enhanced and accelerated. This study covers the use of Videos in the major interest field of third year culinary arts students to help them learn Italian. By using Educational Videos created for other educational aims, such as learning cooking techniques, the language learning becomes part of the engaging activity in their major interest and seems incidental. A study using Jamie Oliver’s Great Escapes to teach Ab Intio Italian to third year culinary students shows great potential for combining students’ major interest with Ab Intio language learning. It can both accelerate the language acquisition and enhance the major subject, especially with vocabulary, since the words presented are those the students already use quite frequently. The documentary is not entirely in Italian, but incorporates many useful words for cooking into the dialogue as techniques are demonstrated visually. Since any text that is focused upon one subject will be limited in vocabulary to that subject, the target set of terms becomes naturally smaller and easier to learn. Rather like scaffolding, this makes a connection with something in which the student has an intense interest creating a reality and allowing the students to actually to share and apply the language to their every day activities. It also has the effect of increasing interest in the language, thus motivating the students. Using Jamie Oliver’s Great Escapes Videos to Teach Ab Intio Italian There are 250 articles in the EBSCO database about Jamie Oliver, so he is definitely a popular television star chef. In looking at the series Jamie’s Great Escapes it is easy to understand why. His shows are not just about cooking, but include history and culture and authentic Italian language. By integrating visual images with written text, digital stories can be used to enhance and accelerate student comprehension (Burmark, 2004; Robin, 2008). Making content and connections relevant to students’ lives helps bring meaning and purpose to instruction in all content areas. Dewey (1912) challenged educators to meet students where they are, and these students are in the kitchen. By using a documentary series that focuses upon what most interest these students, the learners are engaged and motivated to learn what is important to the understanding of their craft. If we look carefully at these documentary episodes we see that they make the language very real. It is part of the cooking and the culture. Food is an intimate part of any culture, as is languages. Therefore it is no surprise that they go well together. They are central to who we are and u nderstanding this idea helps us understand why these videos work so well. The lives of these students center around food. That is the center of their culture as culinary arts students. However, in order to become really great chefs, they must understand the food they cook and the culture in which it developed. In the first episode, Jamie Oliver says, himself, that he went to Italy to learn about the food and culture, to get away from his hectic life and absorb the Italian

Management Report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Management Report - Case Study Example The report will identify and describe about the possible problems that the organisation could face by implementing the new ERP system based on traditional system development life cycle methodology and also provide recommendations to Solaricot for performing its business operations effectively. What an ERP System is ERP system is fundamentally described as a set of applications that is incorporated to administer broad assortment of commercial activities like finance, human resource and inventory among others. ERP software incorporates all features of business operational functions comprising business development, production functions and marketing activities. ERP system usually utilise databases as a source of information. The basic objective of ERP is to share information for simplifying the flow of data across business within an organisation (O’Leary, 2004). Values of ERP That Can Bring To Manufacturing Firm The adoption and the execution of ERP system has been noted to be qu ite common in manufacturing organisations. Successful ERP installations help the manufacturing firms to enhance their strategic as well as economical capabilities. In manufacturing organisations like Solaricot, ERP system can successfully address several management challenges. In this modern day context, organisations must manage all resources including supply chain activities in an effective manner. The integrated characteristics of ERP system makes the sharing of information easier and also deliver timely information. Furthermore, ERP system also assists the manufacturing firms in managing its inventory level effectually. Various ERP tools that comprise demand forecasting, inventory visibility and cohesive scheduling are typically used for ensuring dynamic manufacturing operations. In manufacturing firms, ERP system makes the production functions to remain on track and generate quality products (Muscatello & et. al., 2003). Possible Problems of ERP System in Solaricot Though ERP s ystem can frequently assist different organisations towards enhancing their respective production abilities, it can also bring failure to certain organisations. In this similar context, several aspects could have gone wrong with the new system at Solaricot. The possible problems of ERP system in Solaricot have been described hereunder. Improper Customisation of the ERP system Based on the traditional systems development life cycle methodology, the first possible reason for the failure of ERP system

Who were the anasazi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Who were the anasazi - Essay Example The Anasazi lived in masonry villages that hosted sacred places where they offered sacrifices to their gods. Indeed, this cultural group had many gods. The masonry villages occupied the edges of Chaco Canyons. Apparently, access to the masonry villages was via rock climbing or by a rope. The Anasazi were farmers where they planted beans and other cereals in the dry land where corn was the stable food. They stored water in ditches that enabled them to survive during the dry seasons. Additionally, they were hunters and gatherers who sought to safeguard their families from drought-related effects. However, very little information about the Anasazi culture is available since archeologists can only find indirect evidence regarding Anasazi’s life. Indeed, archaeologists argue about various aspects of the Anasazi culture. For example, nobody can explain why the Anasazi deserted the Four Corners. Nevertheless, archaeologists agree that the Anasazi left many dwelling sites especially c liff

Environmental factors affecting McDonalds management functions

Environmental factors affecting McDonalds management functions Executive Summary This analytical study aims to investigate and analyse the various environmental factors that can affect the working of McDonald’s Corporation and provide strategic recommendations for the enhancement of its organisational effectiveness, profitability and competitive advantage. The operations of the firm, especially the globalised nature of its working and its extensive geographical reach, make it subject to various environmental influences. The writer has accordingly shortlisted 12 important environmental factors, namely Customers, Products and Services, Competitors, Employees, Technology, Political Factors, Economy, Environmental Factors, Culture and Religion, Globalisation, Legal Issues and Shareholders and analysed them in detail. The writer has thereafter made use of the TOWS framework to provide several strategic recommendations for the enhancement of the firm’s productivity, profitability and competitive advantage. The main recommendations pertain to the utilisation of organisational resources for expansion of the nutritional value of the firm’s products, the creation products for elder age groups and the expansion of the customer base of the organisation. It is recommended that the organisational management of the firm should specifically focus upon removing prevailing perceptions about the nutritious value of the firm’s products and thus remove important customer associated apprehensions to future growth. Table of Contents S. No Contents Page Executive Summary 2 1. Introduction 4 2. Product Line 4 3. Environmental Analysis 6 3.1. Customers 7 3.2. Products and Services 7 3.3. Competitors 7 3.4. Employees 8 3.5. Technology 8 3.6. Political Factors 9 3.7. Economy 9 3.8. Environmental Factors 10 3.9. Culture and Religion 10 3.10. Globalisation 10 3.11. Legal Issues 11 3.12. Shareholders 11 4. Strategic Analysis and Recommendations 11 4.1. SO Strategies 12 4.2. WO Strategies 12 4.3. ST Strategies 12 4.4. WT Strategies 13 5. Conclusions 13 References 14 1. Introduction This analytical study aims to investigate and analyse the diverse environmental factors that impact the management and marketing functions of McDonald’s Corporation and thereafter provide strategic recommendations for the future. McDonald’s Corporation, founded in 1940 as a barbeque restaurant, has grown over the years to become the largest global chain of fast food restaurants (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, n.p. The organisation has operations in 119 countries, approximately 440,000 employees and more than 36,000 retail outlets (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, n.p.). McDonald’s is one of the world’s most successful business corporations and its operations have been studied in detail by various researchers (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, .p.: Kennedy, 2014). The organisation has become a symbol for American business enterprise and corporate globalisation (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, n.p.: Kennedy, 2014, n.p.). The comparative price of a McDonald’s burger has been used to compare the purchasing power of different countries (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, n.p.). The firm owns approximately 15% of its outlets and operates them directly, the balance being operated by others through diverse franchising and joint venture organisations (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, n.p.). The corporation operates in extremely challenging environmental conditions, characterised by intense competition from several large global food retailing firms and differing environmental conditions in its various markets (McGrath, 2013, n.p.). The firm has faced criticism from various groups of activists for its products and HR strategies (McGrath, 2013, n.p.). The next section of this structured analytical study provides details about the organisation’s products; this is followed by sections on environmental analysis and strategic analysis and recommendations. The study ends with a summative conclusion. 2. Product Line McDonald’s is known to be a hamburger fast food restaurant, which also sells soft drinks and a variety of sides (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, n.p.). The organisation has however over the years developed a wide range of food products that can be categorised into six segments: Burgers and Sandwiches Drinks Snacks and Sides Desserts and Shakes Salads Breakfast (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, n.p.) The following table provides the details of its products and product mix for the US market. Table 1: Details of McDonald’s Products and Product Mix Product Segments Details Product Segments Details Burgers and Sandwiches Angus Snacks and Sides Wraps Big Mac Apple Slices Quarter Pounder Fruit Hamburger Fries Cheeseburger Desserts and Shakes Ice Cream Crispy Chicken Sundaes Grilled Chicken Mcflurry Fish Shakes Mcribs Cookies Drinks and Beverages Milk Pies Water Salads Side Salad Juice Premium Salad Coffee Breakfast McMuffins Ice Tea McGriddles Coke Products Biscuits Cinnamon Melts Bagels Burritos (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, n.p.) McDonald’s has also recently introduced Its McCafe range of coffees, chocolate drinks and smoothies (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, n.p.). The firm also provides meal bundles like favourites under 400 (calories) Dollar menus, Extra Value Meals, Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, n.p.). The corporation is attempting to broad-base its food products to cater to diverse types of customer food needs (McGrath, 2013, n.p.). 3. Environmental Analysis McDonald’s has to operate in an extremely complex environment on account of the internationalisation of its operations and the intense competition it faces from diverse firms in the fast food business. The business environment of an organisation has several internal and external environmental factors that can influence and impact its working and shape its organisational strategies and policies. McDonald’s environment contains various elements, the more important of which are depicted in the following chart. Each of these factors is taken up for detailed analysis below. 3.1. Customers McDonald’s has retail operations in 119 countries and serves the needs of millions of customers (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014). Whilst researchers have tried to segment McDonald’s customer base in various ways, the organisation primarily caters to the needs of children, young people, parents, and business customers (McDonald’s Corporation, 2008). Each of these customer segments has specific needs and the organisation has to fulfil them as much as possible (McDonald’s Corporation, 2008, p 2). Children, for example love to visit McDonald’s because it is a fun place and McDonald’s responds to their needs with various toys, special facilities for birthday parties and other fun things for children (McDonald’s Corporation, 2008, p 3). It aims to provide nutritious meals for parents with children and has affordable menus for teenagers (McDonald’s Corporation, 2008, p 4). Business customers are provided with quick and affordable meals that fit in with their working schedules (McDonald’s Corporation, 2008, p 3). The organisation is constantly focusing upon the enhancement of customer satisfaction (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014 n.p.). 3.2. Products and Services McDonald’s provides a range of food products to its customers in clean, well designed and attractively laid out retailing environments (Frenchman, 2014 n.p.). The organisation aims to provide customers with a range of tasty and nutritious food, delivered swiftly and at affordable prices (McDonald’s, 2008, p 4). The organisation’s products and services constitute its strongest attraction for customers and the organisation very obviously has to ensure that they meet customer needs and continue to delight them (Frenchman, 2014 n.p.). 3.3. Competitors McDonald’s has several competitors, each of which is constantly seeking a greater share of the market (Raphel, 2014 n.p.). It is important to recognise that the organisation faces competition from various large organisations, like for example Burger King, Wendy’s, KFC and Subway and also numerous small fish and chip and fried chicken establishments (Raphel, 2014 n.p.). It also faces competition from strong firms like Starbucks, Taco Bell, Dunkin Donuts, Pizza Hut and Domino’s Pizza (Raphel, 2014 n.p.). Each of these competitors is constantly working on its quality of food and service, as well as on diverse other options and strategies to attract customers (Jargon, 2014b, n.p.). It is important to appreciate that competition for McDonald’s has increased significantly in the past two decades, which in turn has resulted in the slowing of the organisation’s growth and some reduction in its market share (Jargon, 2014b, n.p.). The nature and intensity of the competition faced by the organisation very clearly shapes its organisational strategies. 3.4. Employees McDonald’s is overly reliant upon its employees for both the preparation of its food and for the quality of its customer service (Lovewell-Tuck, 2013 n.p.). Restaurant workers form the largest group in the company’s employment structure (Lovewell-Tuck, 2013 n.p.). Each McDonald’s restaurant has average workforce strength of 50 employees; many of these employees join at the entry level and as part-time workers (McDonald’s, 2008, p 3). McDonald’s has been subjected to substantial criticism in the past for its low wages, as well as for the high turnover of its restaurant employees, who comprise teenagers, transitional workers, students and working mothers (Lovewell-Tuck, 2013 n.p.). The effective deployment and marshalling of its employees constitutes one of its most important organisational objectives (Lovewell-Tuck, 2013 n.p.). The organisation provides vocational training to all of its employees as well as the opportunity for securing promotions to higher positions, including executive positions in the organisational hierarchy (Lovewell-Tuck, 2013 n.p.). McDonald’s has constantly worked upon its HR management strategies and attempts to motivate its staff with diverse rewards and incentives (McDonald’s, 2008, p 3). All employees in the top 10% of McDonald’s restaurants receive bonuses on the basis of mystery shopper scores. The organisation also rewards its outstanding employees with awards and trophies at Gala functions. Neal Blackshire, a senior official at McDonald’s, states that the organisation recognises employee behaviours, ensures that recognition and reward are right for the workforce and understands what employees wish and value (Lovewell-Tuck, 2013 n.p.). 3.5. Technology Technological advancements are affecting every aspect of the social and business environment and McDonald’s takes care to ensure appropriate use of technology for achievement of organisational objectives and competitive advantage (Baldwin, 2013 n.p.). It works on technology constantly to enhance the optimisation of its operations (Baldwin, 2013 n.p.). The preparation of a big Mac,for example,now takes 60 seconds and is processed in three stages, including packaging (Baldwin, 2013 n.p.). The organisation is making use of several types of technology for storage of food, regulation of temperature, preparation of food, control of supply chain and financial management and reporting (IncisiveMedia, 2004, n.p). McDonald’s is linking different responsibility centres through appropriate communication systems in order to enhance optimisation of efficiency and productivity (IncisiveMedia, 2004, n.p ). 3.6. Political Factors McDonald’s operates in several countries, many of which have different political systems (Han, 2008, p 73). It thus has to cater to various types of political pressures in order to ensure the meeting of its objectives (Han, 2008, p 73). Various governments are currently attempting to increase their control over the fast food sector on account of health associated issues; some of them are restricting the issuances of licences to franchisees (Han, 2008, p 74). Local political pressure has also been applied on the firm from time to time for its perceived role in the dilution of local culture (Han, 2008, p 75). The corporation thus has to constantly anticipate the political environments of the different locations in which it works and take appropriate proactive or reactive action. 3.7. Economy The general economic environment plays an important role in shaping the organisation’s business strategies and policies (Thompson, 2002, p 36). The economic climate can affect discretionary incomes, customer footsteps, market brand, availability of labour and the prices and availability of materials (Gasparo, 2012, n.p; Gould, 2012, p 608). The organisational management of McDonald’s, both local and central has to thus constantly work towards anticipating and overcoming diverse types of economic challenges (Gasparo, 2012, n.p; Gould, 2012, p 608). It is important to however appreciate that the demand for affordable food products is by and large inelastic and stays high, regardless of the health of the economy (Gasparo, 2012, n.p; Gould, 2012, p 608). McDonald’s makes use of this benefit by ensuring that people can come to its outlets when they wish and purchase affordable meals for themselves and their families (Gasparo, 2012, n.p). The organisation has shown remarkable resilience during the recent recession and has protected its profit margin by balancing its low priced menus with premium products (Gasparo, 2012, n.p; Gould, 2012, p 608). 3.8. Environmental Factors McDonald’s, as the largest food retailing chain in the world, has to deal with several types of environmental factors (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, n.p; McDonald’s Corporation, 2010, n.p.). The firm makes significant use of beef, packaging materials, napkins, carry bags, oil, water and power. Its operations also result in generation of substantial amounts of solid waste (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, n.p; McDonald’s Corporation, 2010, n.p.). The firm has over the years worked towards the enhancement of operational sustainability and improving the ecological soundness of its operations (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014, n.p). It has tied up with the Environmental Defence Fund (EDF) to ease the company’s environmental burden (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014,n.p; McDonald’s Corporation, 2010, n.p.). It has introduced policies for enhancing the recycled content of its packaging material and for reducing the use of polystyrene (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014,n.p). It has developed a rain forest policy and adopted beef purchasing practices that do not lead to deforestation (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014,n.p;). 3.9. Culture and Religion McDonald’s has to necessarily work in diverse countries with different cultural and religious environments. It has taken the lead in offering customers taste and appearance variations in accordance with the demands of local cultures and religious customs (Cheek, 2014,n.p). It followed up its entry into India, where Hindus do not eat beef and Muslims do not eat pork, by introducing vegetable McNuggets and a Maharaja Mac with lamb meat (Cheek, 2014,n.p.). It has furthermore obtained certification for Halaal food for Islamic countries like Pakistan, Malaysia and Morocco and has advertised it on its menus (Cheek, 2014,n.p.). The firm’s menu in Morocco offers dates, milk and cookies during the holy month of Ramadan (Cheek, 2014,n.p.). The organisation has taken care to ensure the standardised structure of its menu, even though it has provided for several local variations (McDonald’s Corporation, 2014,n.p.). 3.10. Globalisation Economic and cultural globalisation essentially involves the economic and cultural intermingling of different cultures (Salisbury, 2014,n.p.). McDonald’s, as an eminent food retailing organisation, is a leader of globalisation and has spread the American food culture across the world (Salisbury, 2014,n.p.). It has, whilst doing so, had to take account of various social, cultural and global issues and respond to them with sensitivity, cultural sensibility, economic foresight and wisdom (Salisbury, 2014, n.p). The adoption of such carefully thought out approaches have helped it to overcome strong resistance in various areas of the world and establish successful operations (Salisbury, 2014, n.p). 3.11. Legal Issues McDonald’s has over the years been challenged by various legal issues in different countries. Its success has led many businesses to copy its name and logo and the firm has responded by taking legal action in several trademark associated cases (Petersen, 2014, n.p). The organisation has also been involved in several litigations involving its employees and worker rights (ABC News, 2007, n.p). Some of these cases have gone against the organisation, leading to penalties and fines (ABC News, 2007, n.p). One customer was awarded several million dollars after suffering from third degree burns because of spilling a hot cup of McDonald’s coffee on herself (Petersen, 2014, n.p). The corporation very clearly has to pay great attention to the legal aspects of its operations (Petersen, 2014, n.p). 3.12. Shareholders Shareholders comprise one of the most important stakeholders of the firm. McDonald’s has rewarded its shareholders well over the years in terms of market appreciation and dividends (Jargon, 2014a, n.p). The firm plans to increase its payout to shareholders by 10 to 20% over the next three years, even when it is under pressure to enhance sales performance (Jargon, 2014a, n.p). 4. Strategic Analysis and Recommendations This section entails the conduct of a strategic analysis and the provisioning of appropriate recommendations. A TOWS analysis involves the analysis of organisational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and the subsequent utilisation of strengths and minimisation of weaknesses for the exploitation of opportunities and countering of threats. 4.1. SO Strategies SO strategies entail the utilisation of strengths for exploitation of opportunities (Henry, 2008, p 42). McDonald’s is a global brand with a strong global presence (Lesser et al., 442). It has economies of scale, a strong real estate portfolio, branded menu items and one of the world’s most recognised logos (Research and Markets, 2013, n.p.). It also paradoxically has high employee turnover, a customer base that mainly comprises children and young people and is yet to develop a reputation for healthy and nutritious food (Research and Markets, 2013, n.p.). The firm should thus very clearly use its resources for expanding its customer base and for enhancing the nutritious value of its products (Lesser et al., 442). It should focus on developing a range of food products that are targeted at elderly people who are likely to have health conditions associated with blood pressure, blood sugar and the heart (Lesser et al., 443). The development of products for this customer segment will help McDonald’s in opening up a completely new customer segment and in the development of truly healthy products (Lesser et al., 443). 4.2. WO Strategies McDonald’s has numerous opportunities for enhancing its organisational effectiveness, success and competitive advantage (Research and Markets, 2013, n.p.). The growing population of the world, along with changing lifestyles and improving economies provides the organisation with significant opportunities for greater growth (Jurevicius, 2013, n.p.). It can reduce the weaknesses in areas of nutrition to target customers across its different segments (Jurevicius, 2013, n.p.). McDonald’s does have some salads on its menu, which offer health eating options to customers. The organisation however continues to be perceived as a purveyor of high calorie products that can lead to obesity and other health problems (Lesser et al., 445). It can take several more steps, like the introduction of hummus and tahini paste, feta cheese, and olive oil in its product range (Research and Markets, 2013, n.p.). Such efforts will certainly help the organisation in attracting more customers and enhancing sales. 4.3. ST Strategies ST strategies involve the utilisation of strengths for the reduction of threats (Williamson et al., 2003, p 109). McDonald’s currently faces threats on account of the continuance of economic difficulties, foreign currency fluctuations, intensifying competition, nutrition associated issues of its products and perceptions about the unhealthy attributes of its food(Lesser et al., 445). The firm can use its organisational strengths to enhance its supply chain management and improve its operating margins (Jurevicius, 2013, n.p.). It can engage in significant and focused advertising and outreach campaigns to focus upon its commitment to various customer segments (Jurevicius, 2013, n.p.). 4.4. WT Strategies WT strategies involve the reduction of weaknesses for the avoidance of threats (Thompson, 2002, p 32). The firm can engage in specific advertising to reiterate its commitment to health, fitness and sports (Lesser et al., 445). The sponsorship of sports programmes across schools, college and universities can assist the firm in enhancing th