A Worn Path Short Story Research Paper Essay

Many obstacles can be taken when one desired the most is at risk. Phoenix Jackson is an old woman who has the right intentions, but meets many conflicts on the way. In the short story, â€Å"A Worn Path†, Eudora Welty predicts that one never knows where a path will end up leading them through conflict and symbolism. Phoenix Jackson warns that one never knows where a path will end up leading to. In the short story â€Å"a Worn Path†, Phoenix Jackson goes through many obstacles on the path to find medicine for her â€Å"grandson† (Welty). Phoenix is on a mission to retrieve treatment for her grandson. She is willing to face anything that gets in the way of her path leading to her destination. As Phoenix faces her journey she will reach conflicts beyond the way. While on the path to complete her mission phoenix stumbles upon many conflicts. In the short story â€Å"a Worn Path†, Phoenix comes encounter with intimidation of a â€Å"young hunter† in the woods (Heller). The hunter tests the old lady of weakness as he boasts of himself throughout the scavenged woods. Although the hunter has a gun with any possible chance to use it on Phoenix, she resembles courage upon the conflict for going about her business and continuing about her quest. In the short story â€Å"a Worn Path†, old woman Phoenix struggled up a hill â€Å"extricate[ed] herself from a thorn bush†, and crossed a log over a creek (Piwinski). As the woman struggles to get out of the bush she chooses to not give up and continue forward her path. The woods may have brought conflict and obstacles to Phoenix, but that won’t stop her from reaching the end of her journey.

Recommendations for the Best Interests of a Child Essay

Ted and Joanna Kramer have been married for six years before she decided to leave him and their son Billy. She believes that she is unfit to continue being a mother and has decided to force her husband into taking care of their child by simply leaving. Mr. Kramer had been ignorant of the depression that has gripped his wife through more than half of their married life because he was too busy with his job. Both father and son were hoping that Mrs. Kramer would come back but weeks turned to months and she would just write letters. Meanwhile, Mr. Kramer and the child have been able to establish their own relationship and routines. They grew fond of each other and have learned to put more effort in keeping their bond stronger. On the other hand, Mrs. Kramer had transferred to another state and has been undergoing therapy. Upon realizing that she does have self-worth, she decided to come back to work in New York and fight for custody. Mr. Kramer is equally determined to keep the child because he was not sure if his wife was stable enough to really take care of their son. Recommendation The court must ensure that its decision would be for the best interests of Billy Kramer who is now seven years old. Upon examination of the situation and both parties’ relationship to each other, the recommendation is for both parents to share legal custody of the child. Physical custody shall be solely granted to the father, Ted Kramer. Joanna Kramer shall be allowed visitation rights. Recommendations are based on the following reasons: 1. Although both parents show great affection for their son, the absence of a caring father at home may be particularly tough for a boy; those who see little of their fathers during their childhoods and have no substitute male presence in their lives may later have trouble making and keeping friends. (Eisenberg, et. al. , 1996, p. 792) 2. Although records from Mrs. Kramer’s psychologist show, her positive response to therapy, approximately six years of depression cannot be solved in merely fifteen months. It would be wise for Mrs. Kramer to gain more understanding of herself and her own needs before she takes custody of their child. 3. Billy Kramer has already established a daily routine with his father and this has helped this child cope with the distressful absence of his mother. Should the court decide to grant Joanna Kramer full custody, this shall uproot Billy from the lifestyle he has already gotten used to and may affect him negatively. 4. Joint legal custody in this case shall be needed to support the child’s needs. Mrs. Kramer’s salary is higher than Mr. Kramer’s and Billy would benefit most if both parents can provide his needs financially. 5. The impact of change on the child must be taken into consideration. When parents live far away, it can be hard for children to maintain a feeling of continuity between both of their homes. (Davis & Keyser, 1997, p. 391) 6. In general, custody laws and decisions favor continued and frequent contact between the child and both parents, as well as an ongoing role for both parents in the raising of their children. (http://www. healthline. com/galecontent/child-custody-laws) Visitation rights for Mrs. Kramer can help Billy feel secure about his family and self. Evaluation has been done to ensure the child’s interest and therefore, the recommendation is for both parents to share legal custody; Mr. Kramer be granted full physical custody; and Mrs. Kramer be granted visitation rights. References Davis, L. & Keyser, J. (1997). Becoming the Parent You Want to Be. Broadway Books New York, p. 391. Eisenberg, A. , Murkoff, H. E. & Hathaway, S. E. (1996). What To Expect The Toddler Years. Workman Publishing New York p. 792. Retrieved May 11, 2007 from http://www. healthline. com/galecontent/child-custody-laws

Evaluate Critical Thinking

My perception of our team’s metaphors as a whole is that we all are capable of expressing our thoughts about things in our lives as we see them through metaphors. Each of our metaphors allowed others to identify with our thoughts by connecting words with our senses. The metaphors that my team members have written are descriptive and easy to understand. The metaphors that the team members have written were very good and descriptive in my opinion. Personal Barriers None of our metaphors seemed to have any thinking errors in them such as, egocentric thinking, polarized thinking, or over-generalizations. Personalized barriers such as, enculturation was present in some of our metaphors and did affect the way we critically thought them through. Because most of our metaphors were based on things in our lives it was not surprising that these sources produced metaphors with enculturation. I think everyone, especially myself, has to be careful not to allow personal barriers get in the way. By not allowing their personal barriers to get in the way they were able to create easily understood metaphors. I think that the team did a good job in doing this. Language The next tool is language I think that the way the team constructed their metaphors through the use of language was clear and interesting. I do not really understand how someone could accurately communicate using metaphors. We as a society do not communicate this way and I find that it would be tough to communicate in this manner. We are meant to speak a certain way in order to communicate accurately for instance in America we speak English and in Germany they speak German. It would be difficult to go to Germany and speak English and communicate effectively if they only understood a little English. I personally could not communicate using metaphors to communicate accurately. The language in which we write, talk, and think helps for the individuals listen understand the message that we are trying to convey to them. So we must be clear in the message and the wording that we use to get our message across. The team did this well when contrasting their metaphors. I was able to understand what they were saying in most of their metaphors. One example is from Stephens metaphor about family â€Å"Constant and Changing; Joy and happiness; Frustration and confusion,† The language that he used describes the emotions that a family goes through and the language describe it well. Feelings The majority of our metaphors reflected our feelings towards family, events, and places. Our feelings were put into our metaphors to help connect our words to their meaning. In my opinion this is where the metaphor becomes powerful. It seems to me that there is a lot of feeling in many of their metaphors. One can feel it as it is read. The next tool is creativity check I believe that most of the metaphors exhibited a lot of creativity while remaining clear. Like feeling I think that creativity plays a very important role in the metaphors. The next tool used is that of organization. Creative Thinking I feel that all of our metaphors were creatively thought through. We successfully transformed our thoughts into a language that everyone could understand and appreciate. From what I can tell most of the metaphors created exhibited some kind of order. The last tool was logic. I also feel that the team’s metaphors seemed to follow this well. I would say that over all the metaphors that the team created was very creative, and fun to read. I would also say that some seemed to contain a lot of feeling, which also made them more enjoyable to read. By putting their feelings behind the metaphors and made the metaphors originally and showed that creative thinking was utilized when writing the metaphors.

Forensic Psychology and Criminal Investigation Essay - 6

Forensic Psychology and Criminal Investigation - Essay Example Research indicates that people with low IQ when subjected to environmental factors tend to be at greater risk of behavioural problems than people with normal IQ (Jones, 2007). When dealing with people experiencing learning or developmental disorders, it must be kept in mind that their relation of events and causes may be either exaggerated or underreported given their psychological limitations. Similarly, such people may also withhold information from the investigative process feeling that this information may be irrelevant (Gillberg, 2002). On the other hand, there is also the chance that people with learning and developmental disorders may not be good at communication due to their minimal socialisation which would limit their effective communication through the investigative process. Other people with learning and developmental disorders may be easily pressured into producing false testimonies (Murphy, 2003). Such people may provide false accounts since they do not possess adequate coping mechanisms and so the simplest way to deflect the stress of an investigation would be to produce a false testimony. Consequently, the investigative process may be derailed or misled based on the testimony of an individual suffering from learning or developmental disorders (Young, 2005). Asperger’s syndrome (AS) has positively been identified in the case of offenders to cause problems such as egocentrism, low empathy and impulsivity leading to hurdles in the investigative process (Murphy, 2007). In a similar manner other disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) are known to cause problems in the investigative process due to difficult social relations, substance abuse, obsessive behaviours etc. on the part of the person being investigated (Gudjonsson, 2003). Another allied problem is the change in facial expressions in the case of individuals suffering

Rebuilding Community Using positive Psychology Essay

Rebuilding Community Using positive Psychology - Essay Example One is left wondering how such a humanitarian and natural catastrophe could conspire to create a living hell, with flooding that stretched beyond 90,000 square miles and creating a human displacement of 400,000 people. Hundreds of thousands of residents lost jobs. In a nutshell the happening of the disaster teared apart the social fabric as ruthless as the physical infrastructure. In reality this is a spiritual dent that is firmly embedded and forever shall ring on the minds of the masses and transcending beyond various manmade stratums in life. Yet this agonizing aftereffect leaves an awkward experience to the urban planners, Policymakers. According to Maslow's hierarchy of human needs, the analogy here is that the current state of living in Katrina at the bottom of Maslow's law of hierarchy of needs. Thus the superdome city has become an abyss of suffering, desperation and despair. The worst tragedy is the mayhem created by hoodlums who crept out from their dark hiding places to their new freedom of looting and raping the helpless vulnerable Katrina Survivors and ignorantly exposing the dark belly of New Orleans. William C Compton (2001) It is now evident that Environmental catastrophes unfold in different shapes and sizes that cannot be contained by human ingenuity; this can be quantified with the concurrent striking of tsunami in Katrina, Indonesia, Kobe Japan among many places. Therefore rebuilding Katrina to its former, and better stature goes beyond brick and mortar. Posttraumatic syndromes need a specialized approach in combating the menace. Kolk's classic article, "The Body Keeps the Score," Harvard Review of Psychiatry, Jan-Feb 1994, 253-65). Reports that Trauma alters limbic system structures (involved in various emotions such as aggression, fear, pleasure, and also in the formation of memory) in ways that are not easily corrected through talk or self-reflection. This calls for probing of highly sophisticated positive psychiatry modalities that have the ability to rapidly counter maladaptive hyperarousal in the limbic system. This abolishes the preconceived illusion that is rides on the notions that outlive s the materialistic view of food; medical treatment and shelter as the only requirements needed by refugees of Hurricane Katrina. Energy Psychology Therapy With limited psychiatry centers, it is therefore a collective responsibility for clinical psychiatrist's from myriad backgrounds and the community at large to integrate Energy psychology, a discipline that utilizes cognitive interventions, combined with methods derived from acupuncture, acupressure, and related systems. - In treating emotional and behavioral problems. Historical records indicate that the approach has had a remarkable achievement as post trauma psychological intervention in the wake of natural and human disasters in the Congo, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Mexico, Moldavia, Nairobi, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Thailand and probably it will bring optimistic changes upon the Katrina's. Energy psychology is an approach to psychotherapy and emotional self-management that uses the stimulation of "energy points" on the skin for the purpose of changing specific emotional response patterns (Gallo.F.P 2004). Stress Debriefing and Cognitive Behavior This approach was founded and

Comparison and Contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Comparison and Contrast - Essay Example These animals are similar in terms of origin, physical features and uses. Donkeys and horses both came from the same descendants: scientific genus Equus. Although they are not perfectly identical genetically, they both indulge in no different activities. Because of their similarity in terms of genes and physical features, it is plausible for them to mate and interbreed. In fact, the offspring of this unique breeding is called a mule. In addition, donkeys and horses have very similar habits. They are both highly active physically with horses considered to be just a little more vigorous and faster than donkeys. From the outside, both animals look considerably alike. Both stand with four legs and possess an extended hairy tail on its back, tresses along their necks, and elongated ears. Although they vary [Student’s Last Name] 2 in size in general, horses and donkeys both possess bulky body built, which make them perfect for pack chores and absolutely not well suited to live indoo rs. And yet another similarity is their use by humans. Since the time of Jesus Christ or even long before that, donkeys and horses are already used for transportation purposes. They are extensively used for distant travel and in carrying heavy loads that humans could not normally carry. And because of their heavy built, many pheasants use them for farming reasons. Donkeys and horses are wonderful creatures. It does not really matter whether they are similar in terms of origin, physical feature, or uses; both animals should be treated with care and respect just like what most humans relish. Even though both make for excellent pack animals because of their built, it should not be the only reason for them to walk this earth. II Love and hatred are like oil and water, they don’t mingle. But the motivation that lulls behind each of them leads someone to either lofty triumphs or a dead end. In movies like Rush Hour and Fighting Club, something has to be learned: a person can decide how he would discern things and how he would respond. He may choose to merge with love or to usher hatred. In the movie Fighting Club, the Narrator emphasized, though subtly, the importance of unity – not just unity with others but unity with one’s self. If we love ourselves, we learn to love others. Why love? Love begets every wonderful thing in the world. With love, one learns to respect not just his own self but also others. With love, one learns to value health, soundness of mind, rest, and Divine connection. The absence of love could be a focal point of disaster. [Student’s Last Name] 3 On the other hand, in the movie Rush Hour, an array of unwarranted slaughters is detailed. People are stuck in a rut of hatred and passion for revenge. The movie showed the consequences of abhorrence. In the realm of darkness and animosity, one can only hope to change but in there, good things are never to be seen. The beginning of hatred is the beginning of a downfall. The re must be nothing like choosing between love and hatred. If someone can choose to give love, why choose hatred. In a context of marriage and family, the one that binds the family together is respect, understanding, and care but above everything else is love. III Dogs and snakes are wonderful creatures. Their existence did not come as a supplement or a mere embellishment to the world. They aid in sustaining balance in our ecosystem: dogs are naturally borne

Short paragraph writing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Short paragraph writing - Assignment Example The current immigration laws are ineffective and unfair based on the interests of the American citizens. The laws should be amended, and the importation of qualified immigrants be suspended to give room for the absorption of the American graduates. Since there is adequate STEM graduate, it is imperative for the government to improve the compensation and allowances to attract these individuals (Hira & Stephan,  2014). The emphasis on cheaper labour from immigrants hinders the prospect of personal development as Americans face stiff competition in the workforce. For these reasons, there is a need to amend the Immigration Reform and Control Act should complicate the employment of foreigners. Notably, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement should be keen to identify illegal workers. Additionally, the penalty policy should be increased such that it scares the employers from hiring illegal immigrants. Finally, the Immigration Act should make it difficult for foreigners to access the I-551 Alien Registration Receipt and the H-1B visa program. Hira,  R., & Stephan,  P. (2014, July 27). Bill Gates tech worker fantasy: Column. Retrieved from

Buyer Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Buyer Behavior - Essay Example Globalization has contributed to the complete transformation of the fashion industry coaxing the fashion magazines to cater to a wider consumer base, and include articles, editorials and fashion insights which are globally competent and relevant. Vogue and Elle, are two of the oldest and most esteemed brands in the world of fashion which have the power to influence societal ideologies through their articles and depiction of women’s fashion. The magazines’ primary goal of catering to the huge female customer base, and their association with known international brands, by way of advertisements and sponsors, have contributed to the creation of a unique brand image. Clothes represent identity and the fashion magazines such as Vogue and Elle bank on their grasp on the industry, to promote their respective products by indulging in aspirational marketing tactics, and endorsing the concept of self-esteem and image of their female consumers (Tungate, 2008; Easey, 2009). Fashion, in contemporary times has assumed greater significance, and has become an inevitable part of our cultural identities. Clothes today are not mere pieces of garment but symbols of one’s self-image, personality, status and values as well (Craik, 2009). Recently there has been a slight shift in the target market segment for fashion magazines, which initially catered to a young female consumer. Due to changing cultural ideologies, the concept of fashion which was invariably associated with youth and beauty, has now begun to accommodate a wider age group, as is apparent from the marketing strategy of Vogue. Beauty and fashion are no longer restricted to age younger age groups. High end magazines such as Vogue for instance, are breaking this cultural conundrum by catering to women... The study of consumer behaviour that is presented in this essay helps the management in establishing a marketing strategies and in marketing their products to the specific target markets identified in the process. As observed in the case of Vogue and Elle magazines, that are used as examples in this essay, the fashion magazines mostly cater to high end fashion conscious female consumers, hence the target market for both the magazines, more or less, comprise of consumers with similar characteristics. The buying behaviour of the consumers is influenced by their perception of self, which is used as a fundamental frame of reference while buying any brand or a product. The final decision to buy a product is influenced by matching this self image with the qualities endorsed by the brand. The premier fashion magazines, have also included innovative marketing tactics, that were described in the essay, such as including intelligently scripted editorial sections, and simultaneously retaining t heir lavish fashion spreads by way of adverts featuring high end lifestyle brands such as perfumes. Almost all the fashion magazines bank on the revenues from advertising as their primary source of cash inflows, their brand positioning and market segmentation strategies, are of key significance to both the fashion stalwarts. In conclusion, the researcher states that Vogue and Elle, have so far successfully stayed afloat in the industry which is growing at a rapid rate, thus indicating their successful marketing strategies.

The Invention of E Commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Invention of E Commerce - Essay Example In order to understand the success of e-commerce, it would be necessary to refer to the terms and the causes of the specific invention. Reference should be also made to its characteristics, meaning especially its advantages and disadvantages. In this way, it would be easy to understand whether the invention of e-commerce has actually benefited entrepreneurs worldwide. Different views have been developed in the literature in regard to the nature and the role of e-commerce. Still, all these views have a common characteristic: they all emphasize on the value of e-commerce as a tool for promoting online sales. For example, Basu (2007) notes that e-commerce is a term used for describing ‘commercial transactions which take place in or over electronic networks’ (Basu, 2007, p. 15). Pinto (2003) refers to the definition of e-commerce as developed by the Australian Taxation Office. According to the above definition, e-commerce refers to ‘the buying and selling goods on the Internet’ (Pinto, 2003, p. 2). On the other hand, it has been stated that e-commerce is ‘the process of sharing business information, maintaining business relationships and conducting business transactions through telecommunication networks’ (Sun & Finnie, 2004, p. 47). In other words, e-commerce does not focus on sales but it can incorporates a wi de range of business activities, as described above. This means also that e-commerce is not affected solely by the economic conditions of each market but also by the local social and political conditions, as related to commerce and trade. For example, a law introducing restrictions to the exchange of business information can negatively affect e-commerce, as used by the businesses in a particular state. The history of E-commerce is closely related to the history of the Internet. In fact, it was because of Internet that the development of E-commerce has become feasible (Schmid,

Housing in Metropolitan America Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Housing in Metropolitan America - Term Paper Example This will eventually affect the entire nation’s reputation. The government’s failure to solve this problem will surely result to a growing number of homeless people. Socio-Economic Aspects Owning a house requires a large amount of investment, mostly, ranging from two to four times of a person’s annual income. One third of the United States households are renters. There are only a few, who are capable of acquiring a home at this point in time where the US economic condition remains stagnant (Gabyion n.pag.). It has always been the dream of the American people to live in a house of their own. Today this dream seems to become impossible. The reason is that jobs in America are seldom to be found, not because of people’s inaccuracy but because jobs are not enough for everybody. If no jobs are available then owning a house is still an unclear vision. The incapacity of people to afford inflated home prices is undeniable even to those who are employed, hardly figu ring out how to budget expenses that includes the payment of high priced houses (Snyder n.pag.). Figure 1 In Figure 1, the graph shows a difference between the rate of increase in nominal home prices and nominal rents from the year 1983-2009. The number of home owners increased to an amount that is a bit smaller from the increase in house prices. The increase in house prices and home owners should have been the same (â€Å"Housing Bubble Graphs† n.pag.). There are about 30 million households in America that are experiencing housing difficulties, almost half of the households are listed to receive government aid, but then only 4.1 million are able to acquire these benefits. There are only 76 rental units available for occupancy...This paper outlines the importance of the provision of the affordable housing units to American people in the aftermath of financial crisis. It is shown in the paper, that this problem is of high importance, that involves the welfare of everyone in Am erica. Houses, not only provide shelter to an individual, but also measure one’s financial capacity. It is one of the basic needs of man that allows him to survive in this constantly changing world. Many people are struggling to budget their finances to pay for their necessities, including the amount of money paid for home rental, much more when it comes to buying a house. A big number of homeless people in the U.S. might sound unusual, for some this indicates poverty. While helping the less fortunate countries to develop, the government is unable to deal with the concerns of its own nation, like providing enough affordable housing units to the low income earners. If this situation worsens, many citizens will be affected that will become a major problem of the government. Owning a house requires a large amount of investment, mostly, ranging from two to four times of a person’s annual income. One third of the United States households are renters. There are only a few, who are capable of acquiring a home at this point in time where the US economic condition remains stagnant There is an urgent need for policies that will help regulate the availability of affordable housing units, most importantly to those who deserves to avail of it, the poor families and the low income earners.

Parents Who Have a Severely Disabled Child Should Be Allowed to Euthanize Them Essay Example for Free

Parents Who Have a Severely Disabled Child Should Be Allowed to Euthanize Them Essay Some people call it mercy killing, others call it murder. This is a tough question for every parent in the word who has severely disabled child that will never be able to recognize them or even understands who he or she is and why. This problem has occurred over decades and there is a lot of proof that those children are not able to live full lives and some of them are in constant pain. What’s more in some countries euthanasia is allowed (1). Only the improvement of medical treatment is the reason why those children are still alive (2) and this treatment is quite expensive so governmental funds are needed (3). A part of society believes that it is cruel to force severely ill people to live when in normal conditions they would die. Euthanasia is a painless death caused by a medical injection and it is allowed in Brazil, in some occasions in Canada and in some states in the USA. This choice has to be made by the person who wants to be euthanized. If the adult in care or child are not able to make that choice by themselves it automatically means that this procedure cannot be done. In these situations the question of giving rights to choose to another person always occurs. It is a conflict between law and ethics. It would be more ethical to end ones suffering, but the law says that every person has a right to choose and a right to live. Every child has a right to live a life without pain and some of those diseases are incredibly painful even if painkillers are used. So it would be more humane to euthanize the child. As always, if there is seriously ill child a lot of funding is needed. If the parent or guardian does not have money to cover the expenses the governmental funding is needed. Marc Spindelman, a law professor at Ohio State University and an expert in bioethics thinks that politicians starts to look God like, because a single state spends around 2,5 billion a year on severely ill children, yet this amount of money is not enough, so they have to decide who lives and who dies. According to data it costs around 103, 000 $ a year on infant with ventilator and around 100, 000 $ a year on a baby who is connected to feeding tubes (Extreme choices, The right to live or die(n. d.)). If that kind of a choice is given to government there is a question of why it is not given to parents, because they are the ones that will know better whether to continue fighting or to let the child rest in peace. The main reason why nowadays there are more disabled children than in the past is because of medical development. Severely disabled children in past in most cases could not reach adolescence, because of the fact that there was no special medical equipment that could help to keep those children alive, like there is now, for example, feeding tubes. That means that they can survive as long as they are in a hospital or as long as parents or the government have funds to pay medical bills. There is a law in Canada that allows parents to disconnect the feeding tubes, but that means that they will starve to death. That is the main reason why Annette Corriveau wants to euthanize her children Janete and Jeffery. They do not respond and they are not able to move, roll over or even move their hands. They are in vegetative condition for more than ten years and there is only a slight possibility that there will be a medication that might improve their condition. As Annette said in an interview, she thinks that euthanasia would be the best thing that can happen to them, because she would not like to live a life like that and she does not know anyone who would(). Also, some parents are wondering why they can decide to have an abortion during any stage of pregnancy, if a disease is detected, yet cannot give birth to make sure that the child is truly sick and then euthanize him or her. The fact is that despite modern medical equipment there is a slight chance that the doctor might be wrong and parents will kill an innocent and healthy child. If we would follow the law of nature, this kind of question would not even be considered and no one would have to make that kind of a choice. Because of today’s medical equipment we keep alive those who should be resting in peace and putting them through different painful operations and treatments just because of the society’s opinion that euthanasia is considered murder and because we think that living even in vegetative state is better than death. SOURCES: 1. Extreme choices, The right to live or die (n. d.) Retrieved from: http://www.enquirer.com/extremechoices/loc_extremeday2.html ; 2. Taking mercy (8 of March, 2012) Retrieved from: http://www.globalnews.ca/taking+mercy/6442597182/story.html

Should Capital Punishment to Be Abolished or Not Essay Example for Free

Should Capital Punishment to Be Abolished or Not Essay An eye for an eye would make the whole world blind. Mahatma Gandhi. This is a famous quote that many people cite when they pitch for the abolishment of capital punishment (death penalty) from the judicial process. The lengthy list of the terms which are not quite acceptable in a democracy begins with terms like capital punishment and death penalty. That, however, doesnt mean that this form of punishment is not acceptable in a democracy. In fact, two of the largest democracies in the world India and the United States of America, both have the provision for capital punishment as a part of their legal system. Indeed, the decision that capital punishment may be the appropriate sanction in extreme cases is an expression of the communitys belief that certain crimes are themselves so grievous an affront to humanity that the only adequate response may be the penalty of death. Capital punishment is a barbarous survival from a less enlightened and refined age; it is incongruous and incompatible with our present standard of civilization and humanity. It has been abolished by many states and countries, and we must look forward to the day when the other governments will follow suit Capital punishment, also known as Death penalty, is essentially the execution of an individual as punishment for offense by a state. The crimes which can lead to capital punishment are called capital crimes or capital offenses. Earlier, the killing of criminals and political opponents was prevalent in almost every civilization. With the time, nearly all European and several Pacific Area states (counting Australia, New Zealand and Timor Leste), and Canada have abolished death penalty. The majority of states in Latin America have absolutely abolished capital punishment, however, a few countries, like Brazil, use death penalty only in special situations, for example, treachery committed during wartime. There are still quite a few states and countries that retain the use of capital punishment, including the United States (the federal government and 36 of its states), Guatemala, majority of the Caribbean, Japan, India, and Africa (Botswana and Zambia). In almost all retentionist countries, capital punishment is granted as a penalty for planned murder, espionage, treachery, or as part of military justice. Recently, the case of Mohammad Afzal, a terrorist who was found guilty of instigating the attack on the Indian Parliament House, has cropped up the controversy regarding the Indian law of capital punishment. Right to Life Capital Punishment in India In India, capital punishment is granted for different crimes, counting murder, initiating a child’s suicide, instigating war against the government, acts of terrorism, or a second evidence for drug trafficking. Death penalty is officially permitted though it is to be used in the ‘rarest of rare’ cases as per the judgement of Supreme Court of India. Amongst the retentionist countries around the world, India has the lowest execution rate with just 55 people executed since independence in 1947. Since the condition of the ‘rarest of rare’ is not exactly defined, sometimes even less horrific murders have been awarded capital punishment owing to poor justification by lawyers. Since 1992, there are about 40 mercy petitions pending before the president. The proposals for abolition of death sentence for petty offences was brought about but there was a lot of hue and cry from lawyers , judges and parliamentarians and the so called protectors of social order. Six times the House of Commons passed the bill and six times the House of Lords rejected the same. With the passage of time, the voice for abolition of death penalty grew stronger over the world especially in Britain. However, in spite of opposition, the bill was passed and the number of cases in which capital punishment was awarded was reduced year after year and death penalty was reserved for offences like murder and treason. Currently, in the world 133 countries have abolished capital punishment dejure or defacto. 64 countries have retained it. Bangladesh is one of them. (source: Amnesty International Website) In UK , death penalty was abolished in 1965 except for offences of treason and certain forms of piracy and offences committed by members of the Armed Forces during wartime. In India , the recent trend is clearly towards the abolition of death sentence. Before the amendment of Criminal Procedure Code in 1955, it was obligatory for a court to give reasons for not awarding death sentence in case of murder. Under the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, the court has to record reasons for awarding death sentence. A compassionate alternative of life imprisonment is gaining judicial ground in India . In a leading case of Bachan Sing v. State of Punjab(1980) 2 SCC 684,the Supreme Court held by a majority of four to one that the provisions of death sentence as an alternative punishment for murder in section 302 of Penal Code was not unreasonable and was in the public interest. The dissenting view of Justice Bhagwati was that instead of death sentence, the sentence of life imprisonment should be imposed. He put emphasis on barbarity and cruelty involved in death sentence. It is irrevocable and cannot be recalled. It extinguishes the flame of life for ever. It is destructive of the right to life which is the most precious right of all, a right without which enjoyment of no other right is possible. Justice Bhagwati rejects the view that death penalty acts as a deterrent against potential murderers. According to him, this view is a myth which has been carefully nurtured by a society which is actuated not so much by logic or reason as by a sense of retribution. Conclusion It has been pledged in the preamble of the republics constitution that equality and justice will be secured for all citizens. The liberation heroes had dedicated their lives with a view to establishing a welfare state in which fundamental human rights and freedoms and respect for the dignity and worth of the human person shall be guaranteed. Protection against cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment is a fundamental right under art. 35 (4) of the constitution. So time has come to reconsider death sentence as a means of punishment. The worlds trend is precisely towards the correction of the offenders in lieu of inflicting cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. Bangladesh as a democratic country cannot lag behind. The state is undergoing cumulative increase of crimes owing to a great deal of factors such as lack of good governance, absence of rule of law, corruption, patronisation of terrorists, wide gap between the haves and have-nots, confrontational politics and so on. Instead of giving emphasis on removing these factors, we are wrongly attempting to check crimes by inflicting exemplary punishment. What is a rarest of rare case? In the Bachan Singh judgment of 1980, the Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty should be used only in the rarest of rare cases. More than a quarter of a century later, it is clear that through the failure of the courts and the State authorities to apply consistently the procedures laid down by law and by that judgment, the Courts strictures remain unfulfilled. In a judgment delivered in December 2006, a Supreme Court bench admitted the Courts failure to evolve a sentencing policy in capital cases (Aloke Nath Dutta and ors. . State of West Bengal (MANU/SC/8774/2006)). The bench examined judgments over the past two decades in which the Supreme Court adjudicated upon whether a case was one of the rarest of the rare or not and concluded: What would constitute a rarest of rare case must be determined in the fact situation obtaining in each case [sic]. We have also noticed hereinbefore that different criteria have been adopted by different benches of th is Court, although the offences are similar in nature. Because the case involved offences under the same provision, the same by itself may not be a ground to lay down any uniform criteria for awarding a death penalty or a lesser penalty as several factors therefore are required to be taken into consideration. The frustration of the Court was evident when it stated: No sentencing policy in clear cut terms has been evolved by the Supreme Court. What should we do? In that particular ruling, the Court commuted the appellants death sentence. On the same day, however, another bench of the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence imposed on an appellant who had convicted of murdering his wife and four children (Bablu @ Mubarik Hussain v. State of Rajasthan (AIR 2007 SC 697)). After referring to the importance of reformation and rehabilitation of offenders as among the foremost objectives of the administration of criminal justice in the country, the judgment merely referred to the appellants declaration of the murders as evidence of his lack of remorse. There was no discussion of the specific situation of the appellant, the motive for the killings or the possibility of reform in his case. Death Penalty Statistics A look at the death penalty statistics of the world reveals that around 90 percent of the countries have already abolished the death penalty. These countries include Portugal, Venezuela, France, Canada, etc. This, however, hasnt turned out to be as fruitful as expected, because some of the major countries in the world, including China, India and the United States, still ontinue the use of death penalty execution as a part of their legal system. Statistics also reveal that approximately 80 percent of the death penalty executions the world over, come from the Asian countries, with China at the forefront with the highest execution rate in the world. In fact, the number of executions in China alone in 2008 was double the number of executions in the rest of the world combined for that year. CONSTITUTIONALITY OF DEATH PENALTY IN INDIA Imposing of death sentence is one thing that always gets more attention to be discussed, including from the view of constitutional validity in each countries. A serious discussion regarding to death sentence in Indonesia, whether it should be continued or abolished, has come up before the Court after some applicant applied a petition to Indonesian Constitutional Court in order to challenge the constitutionality of death penalty in Drugs and Narcotic Act against the provision of Rights to Life on Indonesian Constitution, 1945. This article is the first chapter of several other chapters with the topic of â€Å"death penalty† which will be flattened on the following days. *** The provision of death penalty as an alternative punishment for murder under s. 302, IPC[1] was challenged as constitutionally invalid being violate of Arts. 14,[2] 19[3] and 21[4] of the Constitution in a series of cases. It was contended in Jagmohan Singh v. State of U. P. [5] that the constitutional validity of death sentence has to be tested with reference to Arts. 14 and 19 besides Art. 1 of the Constitution as the right to life is fundamental to the enjoyment of all these freedoms as contained in Art. 19 of the Constitution. It was further contended that the Code of Criminal Procedure prescribed the procedure of finding guilt of an accused but regarding the sentence to be awarded under s. 302, IPC the unguided and uncontrolled discretion has been left to the Judge to decide the sentence to be awarded. The Supreme Court held that the death sentence as an alternative punishment under s. 302, IPC s not unreasonable and it is in the public interest and the procedural safeguard provided to the accused under the Code of Criminal Procedure is not unreasonable leaving the discretion with the judge to sentence an accused, convicted for murder either to death or life imprisonment Death sentence as an alternative punishment for life was held valid. Though the court did not accept the contention that the validity of the sentence to death has to be tested in the light of Arts. 14 and 10 of the Constitution. But in Rajendra Prasad v. State of U. P. 6] the court accepted the proposition that the validity of the death sentence can be tested with reference to Arts. 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court suggested that in exceptional circumstances death sentence should be imposed only when public interest, social defence and public order would warrant. Such extreme penalty should be imposed in extreme cir cumstances. The court in Barchan Singh v. State of Punjab[7] upheld that constitutional validity of death sentence. The court reasoned that penal law does not attract Art. 19(1) of the Constitution. If the impact of the law on nay of the rights under Art. 19(1) is merely incidental, indirect, remote or collateral, Art. 19 would not be available for testing its validity. Accordingly, the court held that s. 302, IPC for its validity would not require to qualify the test of Art. 19. The procedure provided in the Code of Criminal Procedure for imposing capital punishment for murder cannot be said to be unfair, unreasonable and unjust. But Justice Bhagwati in his dissenting judgment held that s. 302, IPC and s. 354(3), Cr PC violation of Arts. 4 and 21 as these provisions confers unguided power on the court which irrational and arbitrary. Thus, death sentence should be imposed in the rarest of the rare case. The Supreme Court in Machhi Sing v State of Punjab[8] laid down the broad outlines of the circumstances when death sentence should be imposed. It should be considered whether there is something uncommon about the crime and the compelling circumstances for imposing death sentence after giving maximum weight age of the mitigating circumstances which is favour of the accused. Jumman Kahn was facing the gallows on being sentenced to death for having brutally raped and strangulated to death a six year old girl named Sakina. The convict challenged the death sentence and its constitutionality. [9] It was argued that death penalty is not only outmoded, unreasonable, cruel and unusual punishment but also defies the dignity of the individual and the issue needs reconsideration which stands like sentinel over human misery, degradation and oppression. The Supreme Court while endorsing its earlier view as to the constitutionality of death sentence held that the failure to impose death sentence is such grave cases here it is a crime against the society, particularly in case of murders with extreme brutality will bring to naught the sentence of death penalty provided by s. 302 of IPC. The only punishment which the convict deserves for having committed the reprehensible and gruesome murder of the innocent child to satisfy his lust is nothing but death as a measure of social necessity and also a means of deterring other potential offenders. The Supreme Court in earlier case Banchan Singh v. State Punjab[10] upheld the constitutional validity of imposition of death sentence as an alternative to life imprisonment and it was further that it is not violate of Arts. 14 and 21 of the Constitution. Chief Justice Chandrachud expressing the view of the three Judges of the Supreme Court in Sher Singh v State of Punjab[11] held that death sentence is constitutionally valid and permissible within the constrains of the rule in Bachan Singh (supra). This has to be accepted as the law of the land. The decisions rendered by this court after full debate has to be accepted without mental reservation until they are set aside. The challenge touching the constitutionality of the death sentence also surfaced in Triveniben v State of Gujarat[12] and in Allauddin’s case[13] and the Supreme Court asserted affirmatively that the Constitution does not prohibit the death penalty. It is in the rare cases, the legislature in its wisdom, considered it necessary impose the extreme punishment of death to deter others and to protect the society. The choice of sentence is left with the rider that the judge may visit the convict with extreme punishment provided there exist special reasons for doing so.

Transforming Hr Into Strategic Functions Management Essay

Transforming Hr Into Strategic Functions Management Essay High competition, pressure imposed by environmental changes, accelerated trends for change, and new management techniques have caused enterprises to evolve dramatically with respect to their structure as well as cultural and human resources (Garcia, 1997 cited in ).Nowadays, it is important to consider HRM as a strategic dimension within the wider improvement of quality and good marketing position. HRM can be said to be a strategic coherent approach to the management of an organizations most valued assets- the people working there, who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of its objectives (Armstrong, 2000). The field of strategic human resources management has enjoyed a remarkable ascendancy during the past two decades, as both an academic literature and focus on management practice (Becker Huselid, 2006). The transition from the older HR practice with focus on staff matter to a subject of re-birth which focuses on linking people as organizational asset with the business strategy of the firm (Niehaus, 1995) means that the HR professional is performing a new and more challenging responsibility that requires new competencies and skills. The Human Resource function should be strategically integrated with a companys business plan to help the company achieve its business objectives. The objective of HR professionals is to ensure that HR adds value to strategic planning and business results of the organization (Ulrich, 2001). HR lacks alignment with other departmental goals To be involved with the over-all strategy, HR needs to be aligned with the organization. One Harvard survey found that 80% of HR departments lack a strategic planning process that aligns it spending with the organizations strategy (Norton, 2001). HR needs to become interdependent with the rest of the organization. HR needs to take a comprehensive approach that aligns its actions with the entire organizational strategy. The motivation to correct these HR problems is high because the strategic integration of HR into an organization achieves a competitive advantage. HR has much to contribute in a strategic supporting role. The ultimate goal is for HR to support an organization through the management of human capital, which is the major subset of the broader organizations strategy. HR needs to be part of the organizations strategy development. In order for HR to effectively align itself with the strategy of an organization, it must present top management with solutions that address the s trategic need and support of the organization (Freedman, 2004). Definition of Human Resource Transformation Beer (1997) argued that the HR function needs to shed its traditional administrative role and adopt a new strategic role, aimed at developing the organisation and the capabilities of its managers. The drive towards a more strategic HR function has pre-occupied the profession for some time and HR functions are increasingly under pressure to become a strategic business partner or an internal consultant, to become aligned to the business strategy, demonstrate its added value (Alvares, 1997, p.9), and latterly, to become involved in Human Capital Management. HR professionals aspire to a strategic role because it raises their status, makes their work more interesting, lifts their personal career horizons and (hopefully) is better for the business as a whole. One of the biggest perceived barriers to achieving this strategic role is the amount of time spent on administrative work; although the amount of time spent on administration has been steadily falling over recent years, to 36% from 50 % between 2003 and 2007 (CIPD, 2007a), a Mercer report on the HR function (Mercer, 2007) confirmed that HR teams would like to reduce the time spent on delivering services, transactions and compliance even more. The response by many HR functions has been to undertake a programme of significant organisational change, frequently labelled as transformation. Human Resources Transformation has been defined as follows: The process of recreating or reinventing the HR function such as re-engineering, restructuring, implementing new systems or a new HR service delivery model, outsourcing or co-sourcing with the specific intent of enhancing HRs contribution to the business (Mercer, 2007, p.1). HR transformation is something done internally to improve the ability of the human resources group to work more effectively with management teams, creating greater value, bringing more timely information, becoming a better business partner. Steve Klingbeil, Partner Chazey Partners A true definition of HR Transformation is an integrated, aligned, innovative, and business-focused approach to redefining how HR work is done within an organization so that it helps the organization deliver on the promises made to customers, investors, stakeholders, and other stakeholders. (HRT- building Human Resources from the outside in, Ulrich, 2009) Drivers and Barriers for HR Transformation According to a 2005 survey (Rampat 2005, p. 7) key drivers for HR transformation include the following: Making HR strategic Improving HR service Responding to changes in business Benefiting from new technology Better managing the cost of internal processes The same survey also revealed the following key barriers to the success of HR transformation Lack of appropriate skills among HR staff Lack of appropriate support technology An unwillingness to take risk or deal with complexity Difficulties in dealing with bureaucracy Difficulties in dealing with corporate or international cultural differences Lack of employee buy-in to HR Transformation Failure in building a business case to support change Lack of genuine top management support Regulatory constraints Unions According to the 2008 Global HR Transformation Report done by Human Resource Outsourcing Association (HROA) in association with Automatic Data Processing (ADP), among the keys to success in achieving HR transformation goals are: Access to better tools/resources: improved/new technology, use of online tools and services, and automation of processes; Change management and education: change management planning prior to implementing a transformation programme, cultural acceptance of change, training and motivation to encourage and engage staff in the transformation, and pre-transformation agreement on the programme goals; Management support at both the top and line levels: gaining top-level management support, and as much line-manager level buy-in as possible, prior to programme introduction; and, continually demonstrating the benefits of the programme to attempt to increase line-level buy-in over time; Alignment, focus and standardisation: alignment between HR and business units, harmonisation of processes, centralisation of services, standardised reporting The New Roles and Competencies of the HR Professional David Ulrich and Wayne Brockbank (2005) have created a model that describes the new roles of human resource professionals. They stress on the importance of building professional, credible relationships across the organization, and performing in a manner that both supports the business and preserves the integrity of the profession. As they outline the new capabilities of the human resource function the role of strategic talent management begins to emerge. Human resources professionals become less responsible for providing service and more accountable for facilitating better decisions. David Ulrich defined 5 major HR Roles in his HR Model to build efficient and modern Human Resources professionals. Figure 2.1: HR roles defined by Ulrich HR Professionals are Employee Advocate, with the responsibility to make sure that the employer -employee relationship is one of reciprocal value Furthermore, the build workforce of the future through the Human Capital Developer. They are also Functional Expert who design and delivers hr practices that ensures individual competence and organizational capability. As Strategic Partner, they help line managers at all levels meet their goals. And to sum the first four roles, HR Leaders need to lead and value their own function. Ulrich et Al., (2005) There are six major factors of HR competencies according to Ulrich et al., (2009), they believe that it is vital for the HR function to be a strategic professional player in a changing world. The two arrows (see figure 2.2 below) illustrate that HR must consider both aspects of the business, i.e. people and business oriented. The characteristics/roles HR people must have or play (six circles within the V shape below) to achieve will be described further. Figure 2.2: Competency model by Ulrich and Brockbank Credible activists build relationships of trust based on facts and have a point of view not just about HR issues, but about business issues. Operational executors do the operational work that have to be addressed by HR, using information systems to ensure better, faster and cheaper HR delivery. Business allies demonstrate a firm grasp on how the organization operates, how they work to enable to make a profit and compete. Culture and change stewards support the organization in identifying and facilitating important changes that improve the capabilities of the organization to compete. It is important that HR professionals help to formulate, communicate and create the organizational culture. Talent managers and organizational designers provide important support and counsel in both employees development (for example, competence and career development) and how the organization capability. Strategy architects contribute to the development, execution and communication of winning strategies. They prepare themselves for the future by drawing strategies to meet upcoming challenges. Possessing the competencies and performing the roles mentioned above, HR departments will derive their goals from the business objectives of the organization and become more strategically involved. HR Transformation and Technology Rapid improvements in technologies are changing the way work is performed by HR professionals from being administrative to todays a more strategic role. With new approaches such as Human Resource Information System (HRIS), web-enabled HR applications, HR self-service and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), HR practitioners are now more involved in strategic decision making. A key development in the field of IT is the emergence of enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications, such as Oracle, SAP and PeopleSoft. Enterprise resource planning systems are commercial software packages that enable the integration of transaction-oriented data and business processes throughout an organization (Markus and Tanis, 2000). ERP packages may be configured to more closely fit an enterprises structure, business practices and workflow (Chalmers, 1999). Recently, the HR function has had to adopt a more value adding role to the organization. With the growth of information technology, HR can be relieved from the burden of transactional human resource activities and this can be accomplished either by outsourcing some of the HR function, but what would be more relevant to this study, is to use technology solutions. There is a greater opportunity for HR professionals to become a strategic partner Self-Service HR self-service technology assists in meeting the needs of employees and managers, while supporting business objectives (Keebler Rhodes, 2002). Employee Self Service allow employees to manage their own HR activities such as updating their own personal details, leave application, nominate themselves for training, facilitating feedback and giving them visibility of the information held about them on HR systems. Eventually, HR professionals can concentrate on value added HR activities and spend fewer resources in managing administrative HR activities. Manager Self-Service (MSS) puts the information managers need at their fingertips giving them the ability to more closely monitor and direct their team towards the strategic goals of the organization. Business Partner Model Within this transformational HRM area, Walker (2001) breaks this down further into three types of work done in transformational e-HRM. These types of work include: strategic partnering with the business, creating centres of expertise and administration of service centres. In order to move to the third level of HRM, Beatty (2001) identifies five success factors. These include changing: the culture of HR, the people employed in the HR function, and also their competencies, developmental needs and their performance; the roles and responsibilities of individuals performing HR activities, that is, the structure of the HR function; HR processes or HR products; service delivery and development; and finally; the technology used for HR functions, which may include enterprise-wide systems and custom systems. HR Shared Services Centres HR shared service centre is defined as follows by (Brescia and Hartness, 2001): A centralized location where customer transactions and customer enquiries are handled Increasingly, HR are now using the shared services concept to drive down costs, provide increased levels of service and improve data accuracy and integrity. HR shared service centers help transform HR into a business-driven function focused on facilitating and supporting organizational change. HR shared service centre is usually a part of a wider transformation of HR structure within the organization. Shared service centers are usually proposed for the organizations strategic reasons in order to improve the capability and effectiveness of HR function. The HR shared service centre can include the full service from routine administration in recruitment, payroll and training, or provide specialist HR information and advice on HR policy and practice. While HR shared services provide quantifiable benefits in terms of cost reduction (through achieving economies of scale, the standardization of process, better management structures, etc.), the strategic benefits achievable from HR transformation are significantly more important. Strategic benefits of HR shared services include sharing more relevant and accurate information across the organization (sharing HR best practice, leveraging HR expertise, pooling knowledge across different parts of the organization and different geographical regions), achieving greater structural flexibility, improving organizational learning, and freeing up HR from day-to-day routine enquiries. Centres of Expertise (CoE) CoE provide specialist technical and professional support to the business and other areas of HR on specialist HR topics. CoE HR professionals play a number of important roles that should be clarified in an HR transformation: They create service menus aligned with the capabilities driving business strategy. They diagnose needs and recommend services most appropriate to the situation. They collaborate with embedded HR professionals in selecting and implementing the right services. They create new menu offerings if the current offerings are insufficient. They manage the menu. They shepherd the learning community within the organization. Strategic Business Partner Senior HR professionals working closely with business leaders influencing and steering strategy and strategy implementation. The role can vary enormously depending on organisational size and business priorities. Some activities that strategic partners are likely to be involved in include: organisational and people capability building longer term resource and talent management planning using business insights to drive change in people management practices Intelligence gathering of good people management practices internally and externally, so they can raise issues that executives may not be aware of. Model for HR Transformation The following HR Transformation is a four phased model proposed by Ulrich et al., (2009) Business Context (Why) Phase one addresses the question: why carry out transformation? To start Human Resource Transformation journey it is important to ensure that the context of the business is clearly understood by all those involved in the transformation process. Ulrich et al., (2009) believe that when the presenting problem for HR transformation comes from the context of the business and from the expectations of key stakeholders, then the case for transformation is stronger than if the presenting problem originates primarily inside the business. Outcomes (What) Phase two explains the expected outcomes from the transformation. Hr transformation should also change the fundamental identity, culture, or image of the business. This outcome is referred to as defining and building capabilities. These capabilities become the identity of the firm, the deliverables of HR practices, and the keys to implementing business strategy. Redesign HR (How) This phase has three components, each of which is a way of defining what we mean by HR: The HR function or department may need to be redesigned. HR professionals may be upgraded to possess the competencies required to do their work. HR practices may be transformed to be more effectively or more fully aligned, integrated, and innovative. The transformation model focuses on redesigning the HR function to make sure that it is aligned with business strategy. The redesigned of HR needs to differentiate between transactional and transformational work. Furthermore competencies of HR professional may need upgrade in order to perform their roles in the new organization. Hr practices may need to be revamped. Four domains representing the flows or process central to organizational success are as follows: Flow of people- ensuring talent availability to accomplish organisational strategy. Flow of performance management- promoting accountability for performance and rewarding it Flow of information- ensuring employees is given information needed to do their work properly. Flow of work- who does the work, how and where work is done and ensure quality outputs. The flows should also be integrated with each other to bring results. Accountability (Who) Line managers are ultimately accountable for ensuring that the organization has the right talent and right structures in place to deliver on the expectations of customers, shareholders and communities. Clear role definition and rigorous accountability will help an HR transformation succeed. HR Transformation achieved at AT T Anne Fritz, vice-president HR, who has been with ATT for almost 30 years, said: As competition, rapid technological breakthroughs and globalization turned our business upside down; the old HR model could not support the need for strategic change. Now, our role is to help internal partners to succeed in sometimes-fragile states of competitiveness and to ensure that we have the talent in place to build future business capability. Doing so delivers a value-adding service. HR transformation was achieved through key steps that represent a good-practice model for integrating the HR function with business strategies and aligning organizational performance to corporate goals. The key steps were: Determining strategic business needs customers, growth, reducing cost and technology; reviewing organizational structure, dynamics and systems Defining the strategic implications for HR continuous learning, team working and empowerment Identifying HR systems those that were required to support organizational, structural and cultural change Leveraging HR capability through leading-edge practices leadership, staffing, performance management and education Devising high-level HR initiatives for special needs, such as workforce planning and downsizing. Implications of the Human Resource Transformation in the Telecommunication Industry The HR Transformation model proposed by Ulrich and HRT process at AT T will be used as background for this study. The different components in the above transformation process at AT T key steps are interrelated, only those that seemingly represent the important practices and or potential constraints in HRT will be further explained below. Empowerment Empowerment is an essential element of organizational change and transformation as the global business environment becomes ever more competitive. By enabling managers and employees to have more control over their work and their working lives, they are being empowered. Employee Self-Service (ESS) has a great influence on the empowerment aspect. ESS allows employees to help themselves (changing their personal details, checking or applying for leaves, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦), thus HR professionals are now free to spend less time on day-to-day recordkeeping and focus on value-added functions that aid in meeting the goals and objectives of the organization (i.e., talent management, staff development and retention, performance management, rewards, etc.). Furthermore MSS enable managers processing basic HR transaction (appraisals) and retrieve data without involving the HR professionals. Leadership Effective leadership of the change process is fundamental to its success (Buckingham, 2005;Hunt Buzan, 1999; Johnson Uline, 2005; Kamener, 2004). The concept of managerial leadership permeates and structures the theory and practice of work organizations and hence the way we understand SHRM. In the management texts, leadership has been defined in terms of traits, behaviour, contingency, power, and occupation of an administrative position. Most definitions reflect the assumption that leadership involves a process whereby an individual exerts influence upon others in anorganizational context. Employee satisfaction, motivation, and loyalty are of major importance when it comes to retain the most valuable employees and this is where a strong leadership becomes very important. There is a difference between management and leadership. Leadership means understanding the corporate mission, developing goals which support the mission, then using personal and management skills to help build a stable, skillful, productive and satisfied workforce. Leadership is seen as the power to inspire and motivate the ability to permeate employees with the desire to change the organization to the best. Training and development Swanson (1995) defined employee training and development as the process of systematically developing expertise in individuals for the purpose of improving performance. Trainings strategic contributions to the organizations goal include new employee orientations, diagnosis and correction of skills problems, remedial training and sometimes long-term career development (Ceriello and Freeman, 1991). Indeed training and development is an important aspect in HRT, with new technologies, enhancement of HR practices and processes put in place, training will be required to adapt to new HR requirements. Link: Survey of Global HR Challenges: Yesterday, today and tomorrow PWC Leadership development also proves to be a big challenge. HR professionals continue to wrestle with understanding the best ways to keep people in the pipeline and develop leaders for future succession planning. Increasingly recognized as becoming strategic business partners within their organizations, HR professionals are expected to provide the essential frameworks, processes, tools, and points of view needed for the selection and development of future leaders. Across the globe leadership development has been identified as a critical strategic initiative in ensuring that the right employees are retained, that the culture of the organization supports performance from within to gain market position, and that managers are equipped to take on leadership roles of the future so that the organization is viable in the long term. Performance Management Performance management is a holistic process, bringing together many of the elements which go to make up the successful practice of people management, including in particular learning and development. Performance management is about establishing a culture in which individuals and groups take responsibility for the continuous improvement of business processes and of their own skills, behavior and contributions. At AT T performance HR initiatives is monitored by using the corporations top-level business performance measures: Customer value-added. The degree to which the competencies, people-planning and culture/design requirements have an impact on customer satisfaction. Financials. Revenues, cost reductions and earnings realized from the deployment of competencies, people planning and performance management. People value-added. A measure of the degree to which employee perceptions of leadership, job satisfaction and diversity issues, among others, meet or exceed corporate goals and objectives for all four requirements of the performance-system model. Performance management will aid the HR Transformation process, measuring the performance of employees will help in monitoring the productivity in the organization and establishing a culture of continuous learning, motivation that will result in better ROI. HR managers and professionals must take the lead in building and maintaining this performance culture and in ensuring it permeates the organization. Rewards are often credited as a source of motivation. Communication Good communication between HR function, line managers and employees is essential. Employees need to feel they form part of the organisation and have to be made aware of what is happening within their workplace. Lack of communication to employees can lead to confusion, rumours, misinterpretations and negative morale. Managers often think that employees are more aware than they really are. By building strong communication messages to employees this could help obtain commitment of employees which is important to the good functioning of the business where HRM is being transformed strategically. User involvement All parties should be involved Change management (structural and cultural change) The Inside Track on HR Outsourcing: Retained HR and Other Success Strategies Bruce Barge, Namrata Mundhra and Hameedah Merchant, 2007 The changes associated with HR transformation put enormous pressure on HR. HR transformation has a wide reach, often affecting the entire organization. With the emphasis of HRO on self-service, managers and employees often have concerns about the decrease in face-to-face contact with HR. HR staff often have fears about performance expectations that are connected more strategically to the business. Business leaders might have doubts about HRs ability to attain a more strategic role. Further, while HR is often the champion of change in an organization, there are unique challenges in managing change around HR transformation. HR is supposed to be a role model of effective change management, yet in this case it is the function that will need to navigate through the most wrenching change as HR transforms itself to accept a new and difficult role. A strong understanding of stakeholder concerns and interests is necessary to take a proactive approach to change management. An impact analysis provides a basis from which enablers and barriers to change can be identified. In an impact analysis, a sample population from the stakeholder groups, including executives, managers, employees and HR staff, is surveyed through focus groups and interviews. The findings of the impact analysis drive the development and execution of practical approaches to effect change, which are documented in a change management plan. HRO should help the HR generalist, or business partner, staff focus more resources on the crucial change and talent issues that drive competitive success of the business. HR needs to change and lead change initiatives to transform other functions. If HR transformation is implemented skillfully, HR professionals will become a much more vital contributor to organizational success through business partnership and strong leadership. Hr professionals Engage in projects with other departments Role and competencies Training, coaching guiding Attract, hire, retain talent Employees Be more empowered Participate Engage on self-learning Committed Line Managers Encourage movement of staff to work collaboratively with other departments Empower and motivate staffs Building Employee Commitment encouraging employees professional development, compensating them fairly use MSS fine tune hr strategy to fit with org strategy structure and resource allocation communicating strategy, organization changes at all levels

Analysing Nora’s Comment to Mrs. Linde :: A Dolls House Marriage Henrik Ibsen Essays

Analysing Nora’s Comment to Mrs. Linde Nora’s comment to Mrs. Linde that Torvald doesn’t like to see sewing in his home indicates that Torvald likes the idea and the appearance of a beautiful, carefree wife who does not have to work but rather serves as a showpiece. As Nora explains to Mrs. Linde, Torvald likes his home to seem â€Å"happy and welcoming.† Mrs. Linde’s response that Nora too is skilled at making a home look happy because she is â€Å"her father’s daughter† suggests that Nora’s father regarded her in a way similar to Torvald—as a means to giving a home its proper appearance. Torvald’s opinion on his wife’s role in their home is his defining character characteristics. His unrelenting treatment of Nora as a doll indicates that he is unable to develop or grow. As Nora’s understanding of the people and events around her develops, Torvald’s remains stationary. He is the only character who continues to believe in the charade, probably because he is the only main character in the play that does not keep secrets or harbour any hidden complexity. Each of the other characters—Nora, Mrs. Linde, Krogstad, Dr. Rank—has at some point kept secrets, hidden a true love, or plotted for one reason or another. Nora’s use of Torvald’s pet names for her to win his cooperation is an act of manipulation on her part. She knows that calling herself his â€Å"little bird,† his â€Å"squirrel,† and his â€Å"skylark,† and thus conforming to his desired standards will make him more willingly to give in to her wishes. At first, Nora’s interaction with Dr. Rank is correspondingly manipulative. When she flirts with him by showing her stockings, it seems that she hopes to lure Dr. Rank and then persuade him to speak to Torvald about keeping Krogstad on at the bank. Yet after Dr. Rank confesses that he loves her, Nora suddenly shuts down and refuses to ask her favour. She has developed some moral honesty. Despite her desperate need, she realizes that she would be taking advantage of Dr. Rank by capitalizing on his love for her. When Nora explains that Dr. Rank’s poor health owes to his father’s promiscuity, for the second time we come across the idea that moral corruption transfers from parent to child. (In Act One, Torvald argues that young criminals result from a household full of lies.) These statements clarify Nora’s torment and her refusal to interact with her children when she feels like a criminal. They also reveal that both

Chief Justice Earl Warren Essay -- essays research papers fc

Chief Justice Earl Warren Earl Warren was born March 19, 1891 in Los Angeles, California. Earl’s father was a Norwegian immigrant, which left him dealing with prejudice and equal rights at a very young age (Grace, 1). This lead to early indications that law would be Earl’s profession. Even before entering High School, he listened to criminal cases at the Kern County courthouse. Attending the University of California at Berkeley, Warren worked his way through college. He majored in political science for three years before entering the law school at UC. â€Å"He received his B.L. degree in 1912 and his J.D. degree in 1914. On May 14, 1915, he was admitted to the California bar. After graduation Warren worked in law offices in San Francisco and Oakland, the only time in his career when he was engaged in private practice† (White, 61). The young lawyer became a deputy district attorney in Alameda County, and eventually became district attorney in 1925 when is opponent decided to resign from th e race (Weaver, 40). He would go on to win the next four elections. â€Å"During his fourteen years as district attorney, Warren developed a reputation as a crime fighter. As a prosecutor Warren was sometimes accused of high-handedness in his methods, but in thirteen years and in thousands of cases ranging from murder to window-breaking, he never had a conviction reversed by a higher court† (Ely, 964). Warren served as attorney general from 1939-1943, enjoying the image of an effective foe of racketeers. In 1948, Warren was the Republican Party's nominee for vice-president of the United States. He and fellow republican Thomas Dewey would end up losing the race, the only election Warren ever lost, to Democratic candidate Harry S. Truman. In 1953 President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Earl Warren the fourteenth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court (Compston, 101). This new job would prove to be the most important and difficult job Warren had ever taken. â€Å"He inherited a court that was deeply divided between those justices who advocated a more active role for the court and those who supported judicial restraint† (Compston, 133). Among the Warren Court's most important decisions was the ruling that made racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. The Brown vs. The Board of Education case dealt with the segregation of public schools. Although all the schools in a ... ... Brown vs. the Board of Ed. Case from this source. In addition, this book contain a lot of criticism that Warren faced because of his ruling. Weaver, John D. Warren: The Man, the Court, the Era. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1967. -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This book provided information about Warrens career early on, most importantly his becoming District Attorney of California. White, Edward G. Earl Warren: A Public Life. New York: Oxford University Press, 1982. - This source had information about Warren’s accomplishments in school and his job right out of school. Internet Sources: Cray, Ed. â€Å"Landmark case Biography: Earl Warren†. Earl Warren/Brown vs. Board of Ed. Information page. 1997. 5 March 2005 < http://www. landmarkcases.org/brown/warren.html>   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  - This website contained a great deal of information about the Brown vs. Board of Ed. case. Grace, Roger M. â€Å"Earl Warren, Norwegian American†. Earl Warren Information Page. June 1998. 4 March, 2005 < http://www.mnc.net/norway/warren.htm> -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This website provided me with information about the end of Warren’s career and his retirement.

The Work of Leonardo da Vinci Essays -- essays research papers

Grasping the full understanding of science and perfection in creative art are the two ultimate goals that mankind had been striving for ever since these two aspects became an important part of society. Many had aimed for it but none succeeded. Most of those who attempted to obtain this Holy Grail failed but some were able to conquer many fields. Leonardo da Vinci is a perfect example of those â€Å"Universal Geniuses.† Leonardo was one of the few who achieved major success in both art and sciences including portrait painting, conceptual engineering, anatomy, and many more. Leonardo was born in 1452 in the village of Vinci near Florence, Italy. With him being born into a family of highly respected lawyers, it is said that Leonardo inherited his intelligence from his father, Ser Pierro da Vinci. Despite the family traditions, Leonardo grew up to be an apprentice of an artist named Andrea del Verrocchio. It was here that the young man developed his talent and soon surpassed his own mentor. He created new styles of painting that were so revolutionary that there was a rumor whic...

Chemistry revision notes Essay

The oxidation state or oxidation number, is a value assigned to a chemical species which represents its actual or nominal electrical charge. The oxidation number in a free or uncombined element is zero. This means that, metallic magnesium has an oxidation number of zero, and chlorine in Cl2 form has an oxidation state of zero. For simple ionic compounds, the oxidation state of the single atom ions is simply the charge on the ions. In most compounds the oxidation number for hydrogen is +1 and for oxygen is -2. The exceptions include the hydrides (the oxidation state is -1) and the peroxides (the oxidation state for oxygen is -1). In the compounds, halides usually have the oxidation number -1. The sum of all the oxidation numbers in a compound have to be equal to zero. The sum of all the oxidation states in a complex ion is the same as the charge on the ion. Semiconductors A covalent element such as silicon or germanium which has a higher conductivity than that of a typical non-metal but a much lower conductivity than that of a metal is described as a semiconductor. Semiconductors are also referred to as metalloids and they occur at the division between metals and non-metals in the Periodic Table. Key facts : 1. The electrical conductivity of semiconductors increases with increasing temperature. 2: Doping pure crystals of silicon or germanium with certain other elements produces 2 types of semiconductors: n- type and p-type semiconductors. The addition of small quantities of certain substances to pure silicon greatly enhance its conductivity and makes possible the construction of electronic devices. This controlled addition of impurities is called ‘doping’. 1. doping pure silicon with phosphorus or arsenic (group 5 elements) these elements have 5 valence electrons, a few of the silicon atoms are replaced by P, As atoms — 1 electron is left over after the 4 bonds have been formed. The extra electron is free to conduct an electric current and the phosphorus-doped silicon becomes a conductor called n-type. B. doping with boron or aluminium (group 3 elements). By doping with an element having 3 valence electrons some of the silicon atoms are replaced by boron atoms, but because each boron has only 3 electrons, one of the four bonds to each boron atom has only 1 electron in it. We can think of this as a vacancy or hole in the bonding orbital. An electron from a neighbouring atom can move in to occupy this vacancy. As a result of this movement this type of conductor is called p-type. Superconductors 1. Superconductors are a special class of materials that have zero electrical resistance at temperatures near absolute zero. 2. Achieving temperatures near absolute zero is difficult and costly so application of superconduction at these temperatures is impractical. 3. Recently superconductors have been discovered which have zero resistance up to temperatures above the boiling point of liquid nitrogen- temperatures which are less costly to attain. 4. Superconductors may have a future applications in power transmission and electrically powered forms of transport.

HRM Exam Question Essay

1. Explain the ways that recruitment can contribute to the implementation of Human Resource Strategy 2. Outline and explain the options to consider when designing a reward strategy. 3. Briefly compare and contrast the differences between the ‘best fit’ and the ‘resource based’ approaches to strategic human resource management. 4. Outline the main uses of competency models in Strategic Human Resource Management? 5. Explain what you understand by the terms ‘unitarist’ and ‘pluralist’ and their implications for employee relations strategies. 6. Outline and discuss the factors to consider when designing a retention strategy October —2013 1. Critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of ‘best practice’ models of HRM strategy? 2. Outline and discuss the main obstacles hindering or preventing HR departments from delivering strategic HRM 3. What should organisations consider when developing a reward strategy? 4. How can recruitment and selection processes contribute to strategic HRM? 5. Discuss the main features of a Learning Organisation. Why is it important in a strategic HRD approach to organising development? 6. Which mechanisms of employee involvement would you recommend using as part of your employee relations strategy and why? New 1. Explain three best fit’ models of HRM and outline the strengths and weaknesses of such approaches to ‘strategy? 2. What are the main elements of a reward strategy? 3. Specify the data that you would need to analyse the potential absence problems of an organization 4. How can recruitment and selection processes contribute to strategic HRM? 6. Which mechanisms of employee involvement or ‘employee voice’ would you recommend using and why? Section – b Question 1 Critically evaluate the role that performance management systems play in the delivery of SHRM. Discuss the main mechanisms used in PMS and explain the different options that can be used within them. Use organisational examples as appropriate to support your answer Question 2 Critically evaluate the factors to consider when designing a retention strategy. Question 3 How can you best define and explain the concept of Strategic Human Resource Development? How does it differ from the concept of training and what are the strategic choices that make up Strategic Human Resource Development? Question 4 Critically evaluate the options and strategic approaches required to design a ‘total reward’ system Section B Answer two questions – Section B is worth 60 marks (30 marks for each question) Question 1 Critically evaluate the role that performance management systems play in the delivery of SHRM. Discuss the main mechanisms used in PMS and explain the different options that can be used within them. Use organisational examples as appropriate to support your answer Question 2 For developmental activity to be deemed ‘strategic’ organisations need to shift the focus from a training’ to a ‘learning’ approach. Discuss this proposition in the context of development activity supporting individual and organisational change Question 3 Critically evaluate the use of competency based approaches in modern HR strategies. Explain in detail how they may be used in one specific area of HR such as performance management. Use organisational examples as appropriate to support your answer Question 4 Critically evaluate ONE of the following a)In what ways can HR strategies provide the level of organisational flexibility required by modern organisations? OR b)Should reward strategies always include an element of performance related pay. Justify your answer in relation to both theory and practise? Section B Answer two questions – Section B is worth 60 marks (30 marks for each question) Question 1 Critically evaluate the role that performance management systems play in the delivery of SHRM. Discuss the main mechanisms used in PMS and explain the different options that can be used within them. Use organisational examples as appropriate to support your answer (30 marks) Question 2 (30 marks) Question 3 Critically evaluate the use of competency based approaches in modern HR strategies. Explain in detail how they may be used in relation to EITHER Recruitment and selection OR Performance management Use organisational examples as appropriate to support your answer (30 marks) Question 4 Critically evaluate THREE of the following payment systems Individual performance related pay (merit pay) Time based pay Skills based pay Team based pay (30 marks)

Economic History and Evolution of Health Care Economics

Health care has been changed dramatically during the years from back in 1960 to today. The economics crises have taken over majority of its courses for these changes. What is economic history and health care funding? Economic history is the way people dealt with supply and demand, cost of production of a product, the levels of income and distribution of wealth, the structure of overseas trade, and the volume and direction of investment, (Adelman, 1985). In today’s society health care and medicine has become one of the life savers for patients with health care issues.More and more new technologies, research, development of new procedures and medications have taken over a major change in health care industry while comparing to back in 1940’s when there was less facilities, doctors, technologies, and medicines available for treatment of major and chronic diseases. Health Care funding is defined as a method for patients to pay for their medical costs. During the early years of 1940’s, there were no Medical or Medicaid , HMO or PPO plans available and neither was there any governmentfunding available for low and no income families as it is today. In today’s society the Obama health care reform is helping millions paying for their health care expenses by providing Medical, Medicaid and or discounted health insurance plans from various companies with no or low income families. Millions are benefitting from this program today in comparison from the early 1940’s century. Today the debate continues between the poor and rich as to how and if the new health care reform program is beneficial for the economy and how it will affect the nation.The timeline below describes and shows how the government was involved in the health care funding and economy back from the early 1940’s till it is today. Health Care Funding Timeline 1935-At this time during the great depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had signed another act into law, a nd that was the Social Security Act. 1940’s For the second time, war put an end to any possibility for achievement of national health insurance. In 1943, there was a ruling from the The War Labor Board that certain work benefits, including health insurance coverage, should be excluded from wage and price controls.1946-In 1946 President Truman signs the Hospital Survey and Construction Act. This act would give states the access needed to federal grants for the maintenance and construction of public health centers. This act also provides care to all patients regardless of the race, nationality and religion. 1960’s The Kerr-Mills Act provided states with federal grants pay for health care for the elderly poor. He only had the support from 28 states who signed on for this act. John Kennedy proposed legislation in 1962 for hospital care for seniors under Social Security. However the opposing democrats blocked his proposal.During the election in 1964, Medicare was made a pri ority in the health care reform in USA. 1970’s By 1970, the health care costs had grown rapidly and therefore the number of uninsured patients among the elderly had grown which grew a major concern for the government and the health care reform. The country had started to face major health care crises. Sen. Ted Kennedy held hearings around the country and issued a report, â€Å"The Health Care Crisis in America,† generating support for his bill, the ‘Health Security Act,’ a universal single payer plan with a national health budget, no consumer cost-sharing, financed through payroll taxes.President Nixon proposed for an employer mandate which required employers to provide health care coverage to employees or to pay tax for the unemployment. 1980’s During the 1970’s the economic inequalities increased and decline in income. President Carter submitted cost control legislation which again didn’t pass. With the election of Ronald Reagan, a b ill for the expansion of Medicare Catastrophic coverage was signed and Congress passed an expansion of Medicaid. 1990’s By 1990, a major healthcare crises hits United States.Almost about 38 million people were without health insurance due to the recession that hit United States in 1990. It left people with no option to decline health care coverage. Private Insurance programs were at high pace , rates were increased by 90% and wages were at 28% between 1987 and year 1993. Wide range of proposals was put in for consideration for the better. The Clinton campaign was put into consideration. As president, Clinton appointed a task force to develop the concept into legislation, the Health Security Act (HSA).This act would have created universal coverage for the employer and the individual mandates. Due to the budget, the democrats did not approve of it. This bill never made it out of the committee. 2000’s President Bush signs Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement Act into la w in 2003. President Obama and the congress discussed the health care plans and spend over a year in doing research and planning for new plans to find solutions that would require businesses to cover for health care coverage for their employees.2010 -Today An adequate summary of the background and components of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act signed into law March 3, 2010 by President Obama is beyond the scope of this space. It will be discussed in detail at a presentation Dec. 4th. This act was signed on March 23, 2010. January 1, 2014 Obama Health Care Reform takes into effect. In conclusion, as you can see health care issue has been ongoing for decades and has not been solved in United States as of today. We are still debating the costs, benefits and economical effects on health care for our people.While comparison from the 1940’s life was much simpler and less stressful for people and less issues while in today’s society there is more paperwork, more law s and requirements involved before a patient can be seen at a local clinic or hospital. Back in the days it was easier for patients to get treatment in a clinic or hospital while today a patient can easily be seen if he or she has some kind of medical or health insurance coverage. There is still hope that someday our nation will become better for our people in providing a better health care coverage and service to all.