Omnivore

After having read part I of Michael Pollen's book these chapters give us a view of the beginning of the step by step process of food from the farmlands to the dinner table. Instead of the question â€Å"What's for dinner? â€Å", it would seem more like â€Å"What's in the dinner? â€Å". Pollen takes us on a Journey through the fields in Iowa and concludes with a trip to analyze meal he shared with his family at a local McDonald's.He allows us to take a look inside of the process by which corn is used in a numbers of ways corn is used other that as a food source. By the end of part l, there is a better understanding of how corn can be used as not only a food source, but as fuel, sweetener, alcohol, as well as a chemical for explosive devices. Pollen visits a farm in Iowa and gives a very detailed view on the process by which corn is farm through the fields, processed through the grain elevator plant not far from the corn fields.He also explains the introduction to the topic of i ndustrial corn and its origins some hundreds of thousands of years ago. Pollen goes on to explain how farmers must increase the amount of corn that is planted in order survive money loss in the process, guaranteeing a harvest for the following year. In addition to his view of the process by which corn is harvested and processed for use other that food, Pollen pays a visit to Pokey Feeders cattle farm in Kansas where the cows are feed processed corn to help them become larger.The fiestas of these animals is cut short because they are now being feed a food that naturally is not a part of their nature (grass). To prevent them from getting sick, the cows are being given antibiotics that are eventually passed onto the meat that is consumed by the buyer. The increased demand for the meats of these animals has led farmers to mass breed cows at an alarming rate, placing consumers at risk for the threat of disease ( E. Coli 01 57:HE). Pollen's description of fast food was definitely a shocke r.He talks about all the synthetic food additives that put into fast food the give hem their color, texture and taste. It is scary to imagine that so many chemicals (Ex. TPTB) can be used to make something that so many people find tasty. When a McDonald meal is broken down, it seems almost unheard of that anyone would eat this separate on its own. Pollen voices his concern on how so much energy is wasted on creating these meals, the tens of thousands of corn calories being consumed that could have been used for other food purposes to feed so many hungry people. The first part of this book was definitely an eye-opener.Pollen's book allows us to take a second look at the way a lot of people get their food. We are given a better idea on how food is grown in its natural state, the industrial process by which food is treated with chemicals, how these chemicals may become a part of the product itself to stimulate growth, and how this chemicals may eventually find their way to our dinner p lates. After reading this first part, this book can make anyone want to diversify their diet by eating more game meat, growing their own food and living off of the land. Wouldn't that be great?

How to Make Eggrolls

Throughout my childhood and growing up, my mother always made something simple for us to eat. I always thought it was simple, but it’s more complicated than it looks. My mother always made eggrolls, noodles, and this Vietnamese special sauce called â€Å"nuoc mam†. It’s the simplest and quickest thing to make when you have about five children to feed in the house. The only problem is, is that you would have to pre-make the eggrolls already. So how do you do such?Well first you would have to gather all of your ingredients. There’s over ten items that you would need. First you would have to purchase grounded pork, shrimps, eggs, white onions, green onions, black pepper, salt, carrots, Vietnamese potato, different Vietnamese spices, and many more. You would have to chop up the carrots and Vietnamese potato in tiny little strands and pieces. Then you would throw everything in one big bucket and mix it with your hands, but make sure your hands are washed cleanl y!Once you’re done mixing everything in the bucket, you take the eggroll wrapping sheet, place it on a cutting board, take a spoon and scoop the mixed pork onto one corner of the eggroll wrapping sheet, roll it, and dab a little bit of egg yolk to seal it. You would have to continuously do this until you run out of the eggroll wrapping sheets or out of the pork itself. You would have to have your fryer at three hundred and fifty degrees and wait until the oil boils.The best way to figure out if the oil is hot and ready is by sticking a wooden chopstick into the oil and seeing if there are sizzling bubbles bubbling around the wooden chopstick. Once the oil is hot, you drop however many eggrolls you want or that would fit in your fryer or pot, and let it fry in the fryer. You leave it in there for about five to eight minutes and then check on it again. If it looks golden brown, you can either flip it and leave it in the fryer for another two minutes or simply take it out and se t it on a plate or basket with napkins beneath it so the oil could drip on it.In the end, all you have to do is boil some Vietnamese rice noodles, chop the vegetables you would like to eat with the eggrolls, and make the Vietnamese special sauce if you please. You would put the noodles first into a bowl or a plate, put the vegetables that you would like onto the top of the noodles, then take a pair of scissors and cut the eggrolls to fall on top of the vegetables. Then you would have to drizzle the sauce on top of the eggrolls, noodles, and vegetables. All you basically have to do is stir, and dig in!

Impact of Aids on Children and Families in Africa Essay

Impact of Aids on Children and Families in Africa - Essay Example The World Health Organisation has estimated that every year about 5 million new people become infected with the HIV / AIDS virus. The prevention of HIV / AIDS mostly involves educating individuals including those of the gay community about dangers of sex without precautions. Testing and identification of HIV / AIDS victims, along with their appropriate care should be a part of the public health programs to arrest the spread of HIV / AIDS in African children and families within a community. There are costs associated with prevention programs for arresting the spread of HIV / AIDS in African children and families. Resources for the prevention of the spread of HIV / AIDS in African children and families virus are limited and those funds that are available are insufficient for meeting all the prevention needs in most communities. The cost of the HAART treatment includes the cost of AZT, Lamivudine and Nevirapine required for the first line treatment or the cost of Didanosine, Stavudine, Lopinavir, and Ritonavir for the second line of treatment. Pediatric costs associated with the treatment of HAART are presently h ighly variable (Geffen, 2003, Pp. 12 - 20). This paper shall study the impact of Aids on children and families in Africa. ... Pediatric costs associated with the treatment of HAART are presently highly variable (Geffen, 2003, Pp. 12 - 20). Aims and Objectives of Research This paper shall study the impact of Aids on children and families in Africa. This paper shall study the depth of the problem and the various ways and means, which can be adopted in order to mitigate the devastating impact of this un-curable disease. It shall also aim at analysing information from these areas in order to make the paper more relevant to the ground realities and shall discuss the various tools and techniques, which can be adopted in order to psychologically strengthen the disheartened and deplorable conditions of the patients and their families. Research Problems This paper shall try to answer the following research problems: 1) Analyse the impact of Aid on Children 2) Analyse the impact of Aid on Families 3) Analyse the reasons behind the rampant spread of this disease 4) Suggest changes in environment and culture needed to bring about an improvement in the current situation 5) Provide recommendations on the studied literature and research Chapter 2: Literature Review Studies by international organisations including the World Bank have determined that successful HIV / AIDS prevention and treatment programs on the national level, which are being funded by international efforts, require government commitment at the highest level with a partnership between the public and the private sector. Attempts towards prevention should be started early and there should be cooperation and collaboration between the community and religious leadership. There is a requirement for a forward looking, comprehensive and multi-sectoral response and community participation in the formulation of government policy is

Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Study - Essay Example These prior meetings have been based upon the need to update the stakeholders on the progress of the project on far simpler issues. As a result, these past meetings have been much smoother, but this time, serious challenges that touch on the project scope will arise. These include; an extension of the project deadline by up to four weeks; the proposal for implementation of a formal change-order process and managing the client’s resistance to change. Timeline delay Although, as a software project manager my mantra is keeping an eye on time, and budget, sometimes the two issues may require adjustment due to unexpected issues that stem from the implementation process (Wysocki, 2010). Owing to the fact that most of such projects are not completed within the timeline as agreed upon at the beginning of the project implementation process, this one is not an exception. This project is expected to delay by between one to four weeks due to changes in the requirements of the system. More specifically, we have spent more time that we expected, waiting for new resources. The need to expand the functionality of technology in order to allow for a seamless way to monitor the various human resources functions have extended past the original scope. The client’s systems need â€Å"gold plating,† which is expected to consume more time that was expected. An extension of time to allow for successful completion of the project and ensure that the deliverables are realized is therefore imperative. It is important to note that, even though the stakeholders came together to develop all their requirements before starting the project, system requirements have changed, making the project to wait for the shipments of new product supplies. Change-order Process Owing to the variation of costs and the timeline for completing the project, change-order processes will help the stakeholders to make the necessary modifications to the original project plan and scope as a trade-of f for the realization of quality project deliverables (Wysocki, 2010). The original agreement spelt out the structure of the network systems and the expected final result. However, due to the changes in the system requirements, it is important for the client to give in to extra funding in order to keep an eye on quality, as effective measures have been put in place to guard against project creep. More specifically, the stakeholders need to adjust to the new timeline for the completion of the project by at most four weeks so as to satisfy all the stakeholders’ new expectations. The client will be required to sign the change order form detailing the modified plan, including the system services, hardware and software, and designs as a way of formalizing a mutually binding agreement. Resistance to change This project had a clear scope within which to work, hence should be respected. However, due to the fact that changes that arise during the implementation process are inevitable, all the stakeholders should work in tandem to respond to the changes reasonably and more appropriately to ensure that the final deliverables are achieved (Wysocki, 2010). The existence of new stakeholders is the major risk facing the project, even as some flexible stakeholders are striving not to compromise quality for limiting costs and the amount of time that is required to successfully complete the

Analytical Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analytical Report - Essay Example Alexander Malcomson encouraged his own business partners to invest in Henry Ford’s recently established business which was mainly viewed with skeptcism by the public. It was only the efforts of Malcomson that allowed Ford to be registered as a legitimate business. At its first stockholders’ meeting, John Gray was elected as the company’s chairman while Henry Ford took over the vice-presidency. Moreover, the three initial starters of Ford would not long remain friends and partners. Subsequent disagreements led to John Gray resigning his post and Henry Ford taking over as president of the company. While Henry Ford was quite successful in managing the company, the real profits came with the outbreak of World War One. As a pacifist, Henry Ford joined other leaders in Europe in trying to avert the outbreak of war. Even though his efforts were unsuccessful, his reputation as a pacifist served him well when the Allied Powers turned to American car manufacturers for mili tary vehicles for the war. Ford’s phenomenal success would continue right through the First World War, but would start to wane before the Second World War because the company was being run as a personal fiefdom and not a multinational corporation. In addition, Henry Ford did not pay much attention to the needs of customers, but was more interested in building vehicles that were to his tastes. In addition, the great Depression suffered by America in the late 1920s affected Ford. To keep afloat, the Ford Corporation had to implement cutbacks and fire many employees. During the Second World War, Henry Ford would be criticized for allowing the Ford Corporation’s branches in Germany to produce war machinery for the Nazis; even though he also supplied engines for the Allied forces. Moreover, from a business point of view, Ford was merely trying to stop his German plants from being nationalized by Adolph Hitler. Ford suffered from low sales after the Second World War due to n ational economic issues as well as problems caused by internal strife, but still managed to remain afloat. To a great extent, Ford’s survival through the years has also been the result of financial assistance received from the American government during its worst crises. Today, more than a hundred years after the Ford Corporation was launched, it is the second largest manufacturer of automobiles in the world. Ford has been able to maintain its position in spite of issues such as globalization, and aggressive competition. In the early years, American car manufacture was basically the forte of Henry Ford (Geyer, 2011). Ford’s method of mass production was copied by many recognized industries of that era, and was soon also adopted by other industries around the world. Global Overview of Issue The Ford Corporation today has branches in Asia, Europe, Africa, South and Central America, the Middle East, and the Caribbean (Geyer, 2011). When Ford first launched operations outs ide the United States, the newly established foreign branches were only authorized to deal in sales and distributions. The economic integration that was brought by the initial episodes of globalization allowed Ford to be able to produce and distribute vehicles from 108 branches stationed across six continents (Geyer, 2011). Ford's operations in foreign nations

Excessive lose weight Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Excessive lose weight - Research Paper Example However, the efforts to promote weight loss can have adverse results if not managed properly. The obsession to lose weight can lead to excessive weight loss, which predisposes individual to other health problems and eating disorders. Weight loss, also referred to as slimming in medical terms refers to the process of reducing one’s total body mass. Body mass can be lost through various ways mean loss of body fluids, body fats, muscles, mineral deposits or tendons and other connective tissues in the body. Weight loss can occur either voluntarily or unintentionally. Involuntary weight loss can occur as a result of underlying health problems. Unintentional weight loss may result from depression, chronic infections like HIV/AIDS, anxiety, stress, or diarrhea. Voluntary or intentional weight loss, on the other hand, is a conscious effort of an individual to reduce weight due to perceived or actual obese of overweight state. Excessive weight loss, on the other hand, refers to an extreme reduction in one’s body mass leading to development of other health complications. There are various reasons why individuals lose weight. Intentional weight loss has many social, psychological, and health advantages to people. Different people, however, approach the question of weight loss with varying needs and intentions. The most common reason, however, is for health purposes. Excess weight leads top various overweight and obesity conditions where one’s body mass is beyond generally accepted range for average people. Individuals who are overweight or obese are vulnerable many health complications like heart diseases, cancer, strokes, diabetes, emotional problems like depression, and reducing one’s lifespan (Lipowski 13). It is, therefore, advisable for individuals to avoid gaining extra pound in order live healthy lifestyles and avoid these diseases. Weight loss, if properly managed, is healthy processes that can

The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business Research Paper

The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business - Research Paper Example 2. Compare the American legal system to the international legal environment of business.   We live in a global economy where goods are manufactured in one country and are packed in other country. In search of cheap labor, raw material and talent, businesses have expanded themselves and have crossed the physical boundaries. The legal of system of every country is different from other. Different countries possess different legal systems however some countries share same legal system for instance countries like Australia, United States and India uses common law systems. In a civil law system, legal system and laws are based upon different and unique circumstances. Some countries legal systems and ideologies are based upon religion for instance Saudi Arabia, Middle East, Pakistan and Iran etc. These nations follow the systems of Koran and Sunnah. Some countries have civil legal system where judges do not have much flexibility and authority to apply law such as Germany, Russia and Franc e. It is highly essential to interpret the legal system and law while doing business international and its affect on commercial activities (Hiray, 2007). 3. Recognize the principal legal and ethical issues facing managers Managers have to face number of issues in their day-to-day dealings. Most of them are related to ethical and legalities. Some principle ethical and legal issues faced by managers are: Ethical Issues Identifying and resolving the dilemmas of ethical situations Maintaining high standards of ethics while conducting business transactions Providing uniform treatment to all the workers in the work environment Keeping the rights, obligations and concern for environment, stakeholders, employees and company Taking decisions after considering the ethical consequences Legal Issues Safeguarding the private and confidential information of the company in accordance with the law Complying with the domestic and international laws while doing business dealings Accepting accountabil ity for the actions and judgments of individual Apart from above mentioned principles, some other ethical and legal issues are related to fraud, marketing tactics and discrimination. 4. Argue the importance of ethics and social responsibility in the business world.   The importance of ethical and social responsibility in any business is that ignoring these important aspects can cause loss of huge time and money to any business. The unquestionable and unethical social practices can be devastating for any size of business. Nowadays, the impact of business decisions on environment has become more important than ever before. Consumers and watchdogs do not leave a single chance to suspect and call out a business, which is mistreating the natural resources and causing devastating effects on environment. Good social and ethical practices are keys to any company’s success. Therefore, nowadays, along with the objective of making profits, the companies are also trying to make an obje ctive of being environmental friendly. The idea that philanthropic efforts are unfavorable to the success and profitability of any business has become obsolete option. 5. Apply ethical frameworks to business situations.   In case of any ethical dilemma, the best way to resolve the issues is to apply ethical framework to that situations. The most widely known ethical framework is mentioned below. Recognizing the Ethical Dilemma Gathering Facts and

Operational Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Operational Plan - Essay Example All these come under resource allocation and human resource management respectively. It is the requirement for an organization to have an accurate forecast of revenue that is supposed to be earned based on sales that is being achieved currently. The company has to implement appropriate strategies and plans in order to secure the fact that sales rate increases in the future. To be able to attain all these objectives, it is crucial for an organization to formulate an effective operational and strategic plan. Operational plans bear a significant relevance in almost every organization as those enable managers to have a broad perspective of present scenario of the company, in terms of operations (Navarro, 2005). Following that, the managers are able to formulate and implement effective strategies that are focused towards achieving operational growth and henceforth, success (Thome, et al., 2012). The route to success for a product based organization is paved by appropriately aligned strategic and operational plans and better equilibrium between supply and demand. In that way, the organization is able to gain competitive advantage in this intensely competitive business environment (Singh, 2010). This paper will cater to draft an operational plan for a product based organization (an automobile company), thereby seeking to explain various aspects of an operational plan and understand their importance towards achieving organization objective. Ergon Motors is passionate about crafting, building and delivering superior quality automobiles to its customers based all over the world. The company is mainly engaged in production and distribution of sedans, compacts, SUVs and coupes as well as their parts worldwide. The brand names under which the company markets its vehicles include Turbo, Desire, Blitz, Hammer, Manza, Thunder and Slick. Ergon mainly targets the middle income group of

Legal Environment of Business and Employment Coursework

Legal Environment of Business and Employment - Coursework Example In order to determine whether there was a valid legal contract between A2Z Co. Ltd and Bling Stores and to best advice the parties it is necessary to discuss the above mentioned essential elements for formation of a contract and how the presence of each element is achieved. An offer has been defined as an expression of willingness by one party known as the offeror, to contract or be bound on stated terms, provided that such terms are accepted by the party to whom the offer is made that is the offeree. The courts have drawn a distinction between an offer and an invitation to treat, as the latter is merely an expression of willingness by one party to enter into negotiations and is not unconditional and there is a lack of intention to create legal relations. The most important and land mark cases which distinguished between an offer and invitation to treat are of Gibson v Manchester City Council1 and Storer v Manchester City Council2. In Gibson, where treasurer had sent a letter to Mr. Gibson, stating that council may be prepared to sell the house, was held to be an invitation to treat, which was further confirmed by the fact that Mr. Gibson was asked to make a formal application to purchase the house. The courts therefore took into account the correspondence between the parties. However, in Storer the courts found that a contract had come into existence as negotiations had moved beyond what had happened in Gibson but an exchange of contracts had not taken place. These cases clearly point out that fact that judges can interpret and differ in the results and so the decision would be said to be based on its own facts. The next step is that of acceptance. The general rule for the acceptance of an offer is that the offer should be accepted unconditionally and must be communicated to the offeror. (Holwell Securities v. Hughes3). However there are certain exception to this general rule and one of them is the infamous postal rule. The postal rule states that when an acce ptance is sent by means of a post, it takes place as soon as the letter is validly posted. (Adams v. Lindsell)4, furthermore Instanta Instantaneous modes of communication has lately been scrutinized by the courts (Lord Wilberforce in Brinkibon Ltd. v Stahag Stahl GmbH)5, however the problem of when acceptance is effective has clearly not been addressed and still lies in an area of uncertainty. instantaneous modes of communication has lately been scrutinized by the, however it is a settled law that a communication made through instant mode of communication is deemed effective if it is despatched and received during working hours i.e if a fax is sent on Sunday evening it will only deemed to be effectively communicated on Monday morning, when office working hours start. Acceptance must be looked into carefully, as the fact that it must be unconditional is strict and so if new terms and conditions are introduced that would not be acceptance and would merely be a counter offer, which can then be accepted by the original offeror, who now becomes the offeree as in (Hyde v Wrench)6.If the offeree does not accept all the terms and conditions proposed by the offeror and introduces new terms to the original offer is not an acceptance but a counter offer which kills the original offer The general rule for acceptance is that communication must actually be made to

Project Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Project Proposal - Essay Example This project proposal tries to prove the critics wrong and assert that a coffee shop developed in Kuwait can become internationally significant with its line of products. In Kuwait, a US born coffee shop called Starbucks International is among the leading coffee vender shops (Fullerton, 2005). The main advantage held by Starbucks International is the specialty it offers to its customers, making it a unique coffee shop. In essence, for a coffee shop developed in Kuwait to flourish, it has to offer unique services, and this differentiation of products will result in its popularity nationally, and Kuwait being among the top tourist destinations it will eventually gain global recognition. Currently, there are hundreds of coffee shops in Kuwait, which is a challenge to any ambitious individual or group that intends to go into the coffee shop business. Mission The coffee shop company has to set a clear mission that will see it create a humble place, unique enough to ensure comfortable soci alizing of customers, a relaxed environment that is destruction free as they enjoy their coffee (Giovannucci and Ponte, 2005). The company intends to reach out to the world through opening of numerous branches that offer the same services at affordable prices. In addition, it will work towards investment of the profits realized so as to keep faith with its employees and shareholders (Giovannucci and Ponte, 2005) Problem Definition According to Golding and Peattie (2005), going into the coffee shop business will mean that the company comes with suitable strategies to ensure production of quality coffee that is unique from the other coffee shops. Different people have different preferences and tastes; thus, since the company intends to have branches worldwide a study will have to be conducted on coffee preferences and tastes of different people in influential markets. As Fullerton (2005) argues, the task faced is to investigate and come up with ways in which a coffee shop can be devel oped in Kuwait and extend its services across the world. Topic Relevance According to Golding and Peattie (2005:158), Arabs are fond of coffee, which forms a basis for the development of a coffee shop in an Arabic country. In addition, with the current Freedom of Movement, Arabs are all over the world. This does not mean that Arabs are the only target market since many other non-Arabic people love coffee (Holmes, 2004). The coffee shop, once in place, expects to fetch revenue approximating from ?500,000 in the first year of its operation to ?800,000 by the fifth year. According to Holmes (2004), the company will have to maintain its gross profit margin above 50% and maintain reasonable expenditure in its operations for it to achieve these targets. Research Objectives The new coffee shop has its business objectives just like any other business would have (Giovannucci and Ponte, 2005). In its birth year, the company’s expectations are; i. To be named by the customers and/or loc al restaurant guide as the best coffee shop locally. ii. Maintain a gross profit margin that is above 50% so as to realize its profit targets. iii. Realize immediate profits right from the first month of its operation. iv. Capture a local market of over 50,000 people in the first month of

Perceive Social Effects of Handheld Gadgets Essay Example for Free

Perceive Social Effects of Handheld Gadgets Essay The Problem and Its Setting INTRODUCTION Gadgets are small mechanicals or electronic devices with a practical use. Electronic gadgets are very essential and useful to the world today. Gadgets are needed to do business, to have some regeneration and help people get through their daily lives. They have made life a lot simpler for businessmen, corporate executives and entrepreneurs as they can monitor their business and work while they are away, but according to a research conducted previously in America, infants and youngsters should not have any exposure to technology yet. According to Oxford English Dictionary the 11th Edition (2014) perceive is from a variant of Old French â€Å"Percoiver† and from Latin â€Å"Percipere† which is to understand. Effects of an event or something used are often tested through tests. As to this, the group will conduct a survey to test the social effects caused by gadgets to children, especially  to the students of Philippine School Doha. Background of the Study Today, there are many people who seek to find new uses for different things. Luckily, students are tasked by their respective Science teacher to conduct a research to seek new inventions and discoveries that might help the community. One of the main topics of the researchers is the essential use of gadgets and its perceive social effects to children. The students found a research regarding handheld gadgets and its uses and effects to human beings, especially to the young ones. The group decided to conduct a survey regarding the harmful effects of abusive use of handheld gadgets to selected students of their school. This research seeks for a change and answer to why gadgets have harmful effects and what are the effects especially to the young ones and their social life. Statement of the Problem This study aimed to prove the social effects of overuse of handheld gadgets. Specifically, this aimed to answer the following questions: 1) What are the harmful effects of handheld devices to human beings? 2) What are its advantages and disadvantages? 3) What will be the after effect of the research or survey to the students of Philippine School Doha?

Literature Review on Stress and Stressors in Bangladesh

Literature Review on Stress and Stressors in Bangladesh A Critical Review on Stress Scenario in Bangladesh Jannatul Ferdous Introduction Stress is a disruptive physiological and psychological reaction to events that make us feel vulnerable. A certain amount of stress is a foreseeable part of life; but acute stress can hinder our daily activities. It may causes disintegration of general health, frustrations, depression, anxiety, hysteria, cardiovascular accidents, muscular aches and pains, insomnia, hypertension, high blood pressure, cancers, sexual dysfunctions, allergies and other mental disorders (Rahman et al., 2012). Childhood cancers are increasingly becoming a matter of growing apprehension. In Bangladesh, yearly 5000-6000 children have been developing different type of cancers. Diagnosis of a chronic disease like cancer or coronary heart disease (CHD), and its treatment has a massive impact on all aspects of a patient’s life, their acquaintances and families. Sometimes these may cause post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS) to the parents of the sufferer (Basher et al., 2012). Stress due to mental retardation is another significant area to focus. Parents experience epidemic physical and mental stress in the process of nurturing the mentally retarded children (Islam, Shanaz, Farjana; 2013). Socio-demographic factors play a crucial role in stress and coping mechanisms (Siddiqui, 2014). Psycho-education can be effectual in alleviating somatic symptoms, anxiety, insomnia, and social dysfunction of exaggerated family members or caregivers at a greater percentage (Ara Chowdhury, 2014). There are some contradictory in research findings about the impact of age, sex, occupation, education, type of family, socio-economical status on stress. Differences in the design, sample and measures used in those studies also exist. The aim of this critical review is to understand the stress scenario in Bangladesh, their strengths and weakness in general. Method of Review A critical review was applied to explore the stress scenario in Bangladesh. In order to find out the appropriate published literature for the current review, available journals for psychological research: Bangladesh Psychological Journal, Dhaka University Psychological Journal, Dhaka University Journal of Biological Science, and Google Scholar, were consulted. The key words used in this literature search were â€Å"stress†, â€Å"education†, â€Å"psychology† and â€Å"Bangladesh†. A number of studies were initially found, but not all were appropriate for this review. Finally, a total of 5 original and most applicable published articles were incorporated for the review. These articles reflected studies conducted only in Bangladesh. Table 1 shows the studies with necessary information such as sample size, design, variables, and data analysis techniques. Table 1. Descriptions of the study Results Stress and Cancer Cardiac Patients Rahman et al. (2012) investigated the attitude toward stress of cancer and cardiac patients. They found that both cancer and cardiac patients expressed higher stress attitudes as compared to normal individuals. Regardless of gender and SES, cancer patients expressed higher stress attitude. In spite of type of individual and SES, female patients expressed higher stress attitude than their male counterparts that is partially supported by Islam et al. (2013). They also found that lower middle SES subjects expressed higher stress attitudes than upper middle SES subjects despite of type of individual and gender which are consistent with the findings of Havik et al. (1986). Childhood Cancer Parents Stress Basher et al. (2012) assessed the intensity of stress of the parents with a child anguishing from cancer. Their study may attempt to assess psychological misery and post traumatic stress reactions among the parents. They found leukemia in the highest frequency among all age groups of the sufferers. About 63.8% of the parents had certainly affected, 6.7% had severely affected due to the cancers of their children. 21.8% of the middle class parents (6-10 class educated, 31-40 years of age) with one child suffering from cancer in between 7-12 months, at the time of assessment, were found certainly and severely suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS). These findings are partially supported by Siddiqui (2014). Mental Retardation Parents Stress In a study, Islam et al. (2013) found that parents of children with mental retardation (PCMR) shared greater stress score than the parents of children with no mental retardation (PCNR). Mental stress score was significantly higher among PCMR. Moreover, mothers had significantly higher mental stress score than the fathers of mentally retarded children that is partially in consonance with the findings of Rahman et al. (2012) which indicated that female patients were more exaggerated in coping with stress than their male counterpart. Parents shared more mental stress than physical stress which was supported by Gupta, 2010. But the overall study suffers from adequate generalizations due to convenient selections of schools. Socio-demographic Profile of Families Stress Siddiqui (2014) assessed the relation between various socio-demographic variables of families with mentally retarded children and stress. He found that mild to severe stress was perceived by the families of mental retardation. None of the families showed very severe stress. No statistical significance was found between family stress and affected children’s age, sex. Rahman et al. (2012) also reported no relation between stress and the sufferer’s gender. This may be due to rising information resources and amend in social attitude. But in a study Peshwaria (1995) have indicated significantly greater impact on parents due to having a girl retarded child. As regards the age of the child, some studies have shown lower age of the retarded child to have significant relation with stress (Upadhyaya et al., 2008), while Peshwaria (1995) have shown more psychosomatic problems as the age of their child increases. In this study, no significant relation was found between child’s severity of retardation and stress in the families that is supported by Upadhyaya et al. (2008). But Pisula Gorska (2002) indicated that parents of severe and profoundly retarded children have higher stress. Except maternal education, there were no significant relations between stress and mothers’ and fathers’ demographic variables. The reason behind the significant association of stress with maternal education may be because educated mothers can better understand the clinical aspect of their child’s condition. This is consistent with findings of Behari (1995). Another finding of this study is that stress is not significantly related with the family variables (nuclear/joint family, SES, presence of sibling). In contrast, Rahman et al. (2012) found that lower middle SES subjects expressed significantly higher stress attitude. Hornby (1994) shows that grandparental support decreases stress. Moreover, no significant difference was found in families with or without presence of siblings. But lower stress is reported by Leyser (1990) for higher number of siblings. Psycho-education Stress Ara Chowdhury (2014) investigated the impact of psychoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ educational intrusion for care givers of children with autism. They found that care givers, who acknowledged psychoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ educational interventions, showed significant decline in the score of mental health commotion on the GHQà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ 28 except Ê ¹severe depressionÊ ¹ than those who did not. That means psychoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ educational intervention is effective in training the care givers to handle their children and in enhancing their quality of life. It may also be beneficial to deal with cancer cardiac patients, mentally retarded children. Conclusions Accessible literature on stress reports mixed evidence. In the first two studies, purposive sampling technique was used, and data of cancer and cardiac patients were collected from different reliable sources. So, research findings can be generalized for entire population of our country. Purposive sampling technique was also used for collecting data from two special schools of autism of Dhaka city in the last study. But the other two studies suffer from adequate generalization due to convenient sampling. Further ample studies are needed to conduct with a representative sample to determine more reliable information. Both prospective and retrospective studies are required to enumerate the incidence and prevalence of unfavorable consequences in delegate allies of survivors. Information about possible late-effects and psychological supports need to be provided by the treatment care providers to the parents and survivors (Sloper, 2000). Familial support, social support, positive emotional regulation, self help networks etc. act as defensive shield during times of crisis. Apposite program may be facilitated to help people managing crisis and their stresses. References Ara, J., Chowdrury, K. U. A. (2014, January). Impact of psycho-education on care givers  mental health and perceived stress of children with autism. Dhaka University Journal of  Biological Science, 23(1), 39-45. Basher, M. A. R., Karim, M. R., Sultana, N., Hossain, K. J., Kamal, M. M. (2012). Parents  stress in childhood cancer. Bangladesh Medical Journal, 41(1). Behari, R. (1995). The maternal attitude- Child rearing link for mentally retarded children: A case study. Disabilities and Impairments, 9, 44-51. Gupta, R. K., Kaur, H. (2010). Stress among Parents of Children with Intellectual Disability.  Asia Pacific Disab. Rehab, 21(2), 119- 126. Havik, O. E., Maeland, J. G. (1986). Dimensions of verbal denial in myocardial infarction.  Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 27, 326-339. Hornby, G., Ashworth, T. (1994). Grandparents support for families who have children with  disabilities. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 3, 403-412.   Islam, M. Z., Shanaz, R., Farjana, S. (2013, January). Stress among parents of children with  mental retardation. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science, 12(1). Leyser, Y., Deckel, G. (1990). Stress in Parents of Mentally Challenged Children. The Journal  of Psychology,125(4), 251-254. Peshwaria, R. (1995). Understanding Indian Families having Persons with Mental Retardation.  National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped (NIMH), Secundrabad. Pisula, E., Gorska, S. (2000). The childs intellectual disability and the parents marital quality.  Studia Psychologiczne, 40, 87-106. Rahman, A., Ara, S., Haque, E., Shahrier, A. (2012). Attitude towards stress of cancer and  cardiac patients. Journal of Life Earth Science, 7, 33-41. Siddiqui, A. F. (2014, October). Socio-demographic profile of families with mentally retarded  children and its relation to stress. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science, 13(4). Sloper, P. (2000). Predictors of distress in parents of children with cancer: a prospective study.  Journal of pediatric Psychology, 25(2), 79-91. Upadhyaya, G. R., Havalappanavar, N.B. (2008). Stress in Parents of the Mentally Challenged  Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, 34, 53-59.

Nozicks Theories of Justice Analysis

Nozicks Theories of Justice Analysis Introduction Robert Nozick gained fame as a leading American philosopher thanks to the success of his 1974 book, Anarchy, State, and Utopia. The books endeavours to further explore the anti-consequentialist elements that have been discussed by John Rawls in his book, A Theory of Justice. Nozick has identified the best tool with which to gauge state action is its respect for individual rights. For this reason, a minimal state, according to Nozick, is the only legitimate state considering its key role in protecting various individual rights, including the right to life, the right to own property, and liberty. Nozick endeavours to refute the anarchists claim by way of demonstrating how a minimal state might come about without infringing on individual rights. Nozick has also endeavoured to restore interest in the idea that individual rights are a key element of the political theory by considering the political philosophy of libertarianism. The premise of this essay is to argue that Nozicks minimal st ate is unjust by exploring counter-arguments to it, such as by Rawls. Nozicks libertarianism Libertarianism advocates for the need to limit role of state in societal issues, basically to national defence, police protection, as well as how courts of law are governed. In his libertarianism philosophy, Nozick argues that all other tasks that the modern government is charged with, such as social insurance, welfare, and education, ought to be taken over by charities, religious organisations, and by private institutions. In this case, Nozick contends that the private institutions should essentially operate in a free market. Many libertarians depend on sociological and economic considerations in defending their position namely, the innate processes that could trigger inefficiency and incompetence in state bureaucracies, as well as the advantages of market competition. They also cite the poor record of government in addressing such specific issues as pollution and poverty. While Nozick seeks to endorse such arguments, he, nonetheless, assumes a moral position in defending libertarianism. Nozick is of the view that while there are practical benefits associated with liberalism, its profound respect for individual rights is by far the strongest. Nozicks libertarianism is largely based on his entitlement theory which states that if a person has acquired a property justly, he/she has the right to own it. In the event that a person possesses a property that has been obtained through unjust means such a property should be subjected to the compensation and rectification processes. Nozick further opines that where an individual is entitled to own a property, denying them the right to own it against their will amounts to an injustice. A minimal state emerges from Nozicks state of nature. Such a state, according to Nozick, cannot pry into peoples lives, and neither can it force them into surrendering what they justly own. The minimal state, therefore, only protec ts the individual against being forced to enter into a contract, fraud, as well as theft. On account of the entitlement theory, the state has no right to coerce its citizens into forfeiting property that rightfully belongs to them so that the proceeds can be used to funding government programmes which the state views as constituting the common good. As such, while people are likely to contribute towards the support of various schemes out of their own volition, the state cannot forcibly tax them with the goal of funding public education, providing for the  poor or public goods, among others. Nozick strong claims about rights Nozick is convinced that a key function of political philosophy is to refute the claim made by the anarchist to the effect that no state is legitimate. Given his focus on moral rights, Nozick argued in favour of a minimal state that preserved moral rights. Mulgan is opposed to the moral right of a minimal state that Nozick speaks in favour of, arguing that they are the only legal means of enabling a state to exercise its legal and political rights. Nozick is of the view that the society that emerges from a minimal state boasts of a capitalist economy, as well as a free market. Accordingly, such a society fulfils the requirements of a free society. A state that exceeds these requirements would be morally unacceptable seeing as it would contravene rights. In defending the minimal state, Nozick stretched a history that traced the origin of a minimal state from a state of nature with no rights having been violated. His was hypothetical, as opposed to actual history, which indicated the e mergence of a minimal state through just means. The libertarian perspective recognises individuals as possessing rights. As such, when other people do certain things to them, this amount to a violation of their individual rights. The reason why these rights are natural is because we have them based on what they are as opposed to having received them from someone. Nozick states that stating we have rights is different from explaining why we have rights. In a bid to draw this important distinction, Nozick makes use of the second formulation of Categorical Imperative that Immanuel Kant popularised namely, that one should act in such a manner as to treat humanity as an end, as opposed to treating humanity as a means. Kant was of the view that humans are rational by nature and that they possess dignity. Accordingly, humans should be treated with dignity. It is this dignity that hinders other people from using us, implying that humans have rights against use of this nature. Nozick opines that human rights act as side-constraints, and this has a limiting effect on what other people (the state included) may do to us. Nozick further opines that humans cannot trade their rights in exchange for something of benefit. For instance, pursuing a little more wealth or happiness is not sufficient grounds for contravening an individuals rights. According to Nozick, people are inviolable, implying that they ought not to be used to meet certain ends if doing so is against their will. Nozick has relied on this argument while developing his self-ownership principle. Nozick opines that because an individual owns his/herself, they thus have a right to do with themselves what they deem pleasing. Since nobody else owns us and we do not own them, each one of us has his/her individual rights to themselves and what is in their possession. In other words, we have rights against violations by other people, including theft, enslavement, and the rights to have access to such services as education and healthcare, and the right to own property through just means. Wilt Chamberlain unjust and just distributions In his Wilt Chamberlain argument, Nozick endeavoured to highlight his claim against the idea of distributive justice. In this case, Nozick tries to show that patterned ideologies of distributive justice are not attuned with freedom. His argument is thus an attempt at depicting justice in transfer. Chamberlain is a famous basketball player and some of his fans willingly pay money to watch him play basketball. Consequently, Chamberlain benefits from a huge amount of cash. Nozick contends that he sees nothing wrong with an individual disposing of his or her resources, on condition that this is done willingly. Nozick further intimates that he sees nothing wrong with distribution borne out of voluntary transactions. The Wilt Chamberlain argument is therefore an attempt by Nozick to demonstrate that voluntary exchange as evidenced by basketball fans willingly paying to see Chamberlain play is okay. Nozick does not see anything wrong with transactions of this nature. The outcome of this transfer is that Chamberlain ends up with more than he did previously. Again, Nozick sees nothing wrong with such an outcome. Nozick contends that when individuals willingly dispose of resources, this ends up upsetting patterns. Assuming, for instance, that a utility maximising pattern had been established in society prior to the basketball fans opting to watch Chamberlain play and this pattern is not maximised nay more after the transfers of the transactions have been made to Chamberlain, Nozick argue that it would be unreasonable to try and forcefully go back to such a pattern through state action. Nozick argues that Liberty upsets patterns , and goes on to indicate that it would be unfair to attempt to reinstate a pattern that has been destabilised by intentional transfer. The most important thing for Nozick is entitlement. For the reason that individuals obtain holdings due to other individuals having relinquished holdings either in exchange for certain services or goods (for example, watching Chamberlain play) or due to charitable donations, then the individual who receives such holdings has a claim to them since they have been transferred voluntarily. Similarly, Nozick contends that free transfer will agitate any end-state theory, such as ensuring that everyone has an equal share to the holdings. This is based on the understanding that provided that individuals are able to transfer property without restraint and based on their needs, such as end-state shall shortly be upset. Any attempt to restore such an end state through forceful means would amount to a contravention of i ndividual entitlement rights. Critics to Nozicks argument on Chamberlain contend that Chamberlain holds no absolute rights to this new holding and that a portion of this new income could be subjected to taxation under legitimate means in order that the amount taxed may help fund crucial societal projects. Regarding this, Cohen further contends that redistributive claims of third parties, and more so the very poor, may lawfully change following a change in the comprehensive distribution in society since what is in possession of third parties is reliant on what others possess, in addition to the comprehensive distribution in society. It is also likely hat the intuitive petition that Nozick links to his Wilt Chamberlain argument might actually fail to attract universal recognition. Many critics are of the opinion that there could be considerable instinctive entreat towards arguments that endeavour to demonstrate a basis for the provision of support for persons unable to fend for themselves, in preference to towards the instinctive petition to permit Chamberlain to hold onto all the money emanating from voluntary transactions. A review of Nozicks Wilt Chamberlain argument indicates that it may not be appealing without firth accepting his moral intuitions and entitlement theory. Three Principles of Justice Nozick recognises three principles of justice, which are essential to his entitlement theory. They are: just acquisition; just transfer; and just rectification. Nozick is of the view that the just acquisition principle gives an individual the freedoms to acquire any holdings that they wish to obtain, provided that such property has not been acquired by fraudulent means, through forceful means, or via theft. Nozick further maintains that the principle of just transfer allows an individual to exchange property in their possession provided that there is no further transfer of the same property by force, theft or fraud. These two principles underscore the transfer and acquisition of goods through legitimate means. Conversely, Nozick opines that the principle of just rectification seeks to correct violations of the principles of just acquisition and just transfer. Distributive justice, according to Nozick, involves ensuring that goods end up with those who found them or made them, or those who acquire them from others via an agreement that is, selling or buying of goods. All other means of owning goods are not legitimate, on the basis of a moral position. This hinges on the premise that all other means of owning goods entails forcing people to give goods to others, and this contravenes the general libertarian principle that Nozick contends is the most basic moral principle. However, where an individual has acquired goods by assassination, theft, or fraud, Nozick urges that it is important that the just rectification principle is pursued. This principle is especially useful in a case whereby a person has been involved in unjust transfers, or where there is original acquisition of a good. The principle endeavours to establish what might have transpired in the event that the unjust transfer/acquisition had not taken place. The principle further demands the implementation of measures like compensation or restitution with the goal of enabling the victim go back to the condition she or he would have been had the injustice not happened. Finally, the principle does not approve compensatory processes that could be infringe on individual rights of third-parties who are not connected with the property being transferred or acquired. Nozick is of the view that execution of the principle of rectification is crucial in setting up the legitimacy of all property by examining justice in the acquisition and transfer of such property, and the likely compensation that the victims ought to receive should it be established that they have been the victims of injustices. Most critics of liberalism complain that it permits too little government. Specifically, they argue on the need for a more-than-minimal state to aid in the realisation of distributive justice. Rawls maintains that the state should partake in redistributive taxation as a means of ensuring that income and wealth is distributed fairly in the society. This is a position that Nozick is opposed to, going by his entitlement theory of justice Rawls offers opposing views of legitimate state power to those offered by Nozick. Rawls maintains that the state ought to possess the powers it needs to see to it that the least well-off citizens become well-off. Such a viewpoint is rooted in his theory of justice. A key principle to this theory holds that the only time when unequal distribution of income and wealth becomes unacceptable is in case individuals at the bottom becomes well off that is likely to be the case under any other form of distribution. Nozick is opposed to such arguments, indicating that they rely on a false ideation of distributive justice. Rawls is opposed to utilitarianism as it could allow an unjust distribution of burdens and benefits. Unlike Nozick, Rawls is of the view that social justice encompasses the fundamental structure of society, as opposed to transactions between individuals. Rawls also intimates that justice demands that there be a minimisation of economic and social outcomes of arbitrarily distributed goods. Conclusion Nozicks is not just. Nozick views the voluntary transactions among individuals that act forms the foundation for justice, rather than the distribution itself. If at all Nozicks Wilt Chamberlain argument is to be regarded as being valid, we must first accept his entitlement theory. The allegations of third parties not partaking in any transactions could legitimately change following changes in distribution in society. Although the Wilt Chamberlain argument holds instinctive appeal, arguments that endeavour to support the very needy are likely to possess even stronger intuitive appeal. The principle of rectification as popularised by Nozick, along with the principle of compensation that is linked to it, are difficult to apply, and this could justify universal supply of opportunity and sustenance. Even the pettiest claims ought to be considered in the minimal state as they are vital for poor people. The principle of compensation could fall short of upholding rights as virtually anything may be done. Nozick fails to acknowledge the crucial role of political power in a minimal state, just like in any other state. While Nozick urges that charity could aid in the acquisition of social goods, such an argument is inadequate charities lacks the means or resources to undertake important schemes, such as in healthcare or education.

East-West Values and the Mother-daughter Relationship in Amy Tans The

East-West Values and the Mother-daughter Relationship in The Joy Luck Club      Ã‚  Ã‚   The dominant theme of The Joy Luck Club is the clash between Chinese, American cultures, and how it affects the relationship between mothers and daughters. All of the mothers in the book were born and raised in China. All of their daughters were born and raised in the United States. Because of the differences in family traditions and values between the way the mothers had been raised in China and the way their daughters were growing up in America, there was bound to be a clash between the two generations. Perhaps the most dramatic example of how East-West conflicting traditions and values affected a mother-daughter relationship was that of Suyuan Woo and her daughter, Jing-mei.       When the book opens, Suyuan has been dead for two months. Her daughter, who prefers to call herself by the American name of "June" rather than her Chinese name, has been asked by her father to take her dead mother's place. She was to take Suyuan's place in a club Suyuan started when she moved to America. June was to be the fourth member of this club, which was hosted at one of the member's homes each session and the group played mahjong and provided strength for each other in their transition to becoming Americanized. Over the course of the next few months, through the conversations and stories told by her mother's old friends at the mahjong table, June learns a great deal about her mother, and, ultimately, about herself as well.    One of the conflicts between East and West is clash between the hard work ethic of Asian parents and the easier-going standards that Western parents have for their children. Watching a little Chinese girl playing the p... ...5.    Heung, Marina. "Daughter-Text/Mother-Text: Matrilineage in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club." Feminist Studies (Fall 1993): 597-616.    Hagedorn, Jessica. "Asian Women in Film: No Joy, No Luck." Signs of Life in the USA. 2nd. ed. Ed. Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. New York: Bedford, 1997. 306-14.    Huntley, E. D. Amy Tan: A Critical Companion. Westport: Greenwood P, 1998.    Ling, Amy. Between Worlds: Women Writers of Chinese Ancestry. New York: Pergamon, 1990.    Shear, Walter. "Generational differences and the diaspora in The Joy Luck Club." Women Writers. 34.3 (Spring 1993): 193    Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. Vintage Contemporaries. New York: A Division of Random House, Inc., 1991..    Wong, Sau-ling Cynthia. Reading Asian American Literature: From Necessity to Extravagance. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1993

Charlie Chan :: essays papers

Charlie Chan Charlie Chan/ â€Å"Rush Hour† movies similar in actors playing similar characters, different in production values and tones. In both of the movies the black actors use coon characteristics. Whereas in Charlie Chan movies Mantan Moreland has the descriptive pop eyes that are mentioned in coon characteristics (Bogle72-74). He uses this high-pitched voice when he speaks (Bogle72-74). He also is shown in the movies when he dances in certain situations. He is known for one of the movies greatest clowns, And in many cases his comic relief is very sudtle. Chris Tucker one of the best comedians in this day and age. Tucker has been known also for his pop eyes (Bogle 72-74). In both of his movies, â€Å"Rush Hour† and â€Å"Rush Hour 2† he dances to varies types of music. He also has this high voice, that seems to be somewhat annoying (Bogle 72-74). He uses his dancing skills to bring laughter to the audience. Tucker is a natural clown in all of his movies; he clowns during serious situation, and constantly brings a joke to the problems that have arisen. Chris Tucker has his way of bringing comedy to the picture. In the movies that he has been pictured in has constant comedy. His comedy is everlasting and doesn’t stop for anything. Both Charlie Chan and Jackie Chan (Lee) play a detective in their films. Charlie Chan doesn’t speak very much English in his movies. He is very patient with his partner and the way that he handles things. His demeanor is set to be very intelligent, undercover, Low profile, and patient (Charlie Chan’s Secret 2). Jackie Chan also has some of the same characteristics as Charlie Chan does. In the movies, Jackie Chan has to always try to fix some of the problems that his partner creates. Most of the time when trying to solve certain cases, he likes to be the undercover, low profile officer, same as Charlie Chan. His demeanor is to never let his guard down, but at the same time keep focused on case. In Charlie Chan movies, which were made in the thirties and forties. The picture is made in black and white. At that time the color for these types of movies was not as popular. The running time of the movie was 60 minutes.

The Good Enough Family :: essays research papers

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/">Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites The families of the not too distant past were oriented along four axes. These axes were not mutually exclusive. Some overlapped, all of them enhanced each other. People got married because of social pressure and social norms (the Social Dyad), to form a more efficient or synergetic economic unit (the Economic Dyad), in pursuit of psychosexual fulfilment (the Psychosexual Dyad), to secure a long term companionship (the Companionship Dyad). Thus, we can talk about the following four axes: Social-Economic, Emotional, Utilitarian (Rational), Private-Familial. To illustrate how these axes were intertwined, let us consider the Emotional one. People got married because they felt very strongly about living alone. But they felt so also because of social pressures. Some of them subscribed to ideologies which promoted the family as a pillar of society, the basic cell of the national organism, a hothouse in which to breed children to empower the nation and so on. These ideologies of personal contributions to collectives had a strong emotional dimension and provided impetus to a host of behaviour patterns. The emotional investment in today's individualistic-capitalist ideologies is no smaller. Technological developments rendered past thinking obsolete and dysfunctional but did not quench Man's thirst for guidance and a worldview. Still, as technology evolved, it became more and more disruptive in so far as families were concerned. Increased mobility, a decentralization of information sources, the transfers of the traditional functions of the family to societal and private sector establishments, the increased incidence of interactions, safer sex with lesser consequences to those who engage in it – all assisted the disintegration of the traditional family. Consider the trends that affected women, for instance: 1. The emergence of common marital property and of laws for its equal distribution in case of divorce constituted a shift in legal philosophy in most societies. The result was a major (and on going) distribution of wealth and its transfer from men to women. Add to this the disparities in life expectancy between the two genders and the magnitude of the redistribution of economic resources becomes evident. Women are becoming richer at the expense of men because they live long enough to inherit them and because they get a share of the marital property when they divorce them. These "endowments" are larger than their quantifiable contribution to the formation of the wealth thus redistributed.

Strategic Analysis for Philip Morris

Mehmet Burkay 251311001 STRATEGIC ANALYSIS FOR PHILIP MORRIS *PEST ANALYSIS – Political and Legal Forces †¢ The laws regulated by the governments against the cigarette companies and cigarette advertisements, since early 90s. †¢ Increasing tax rates on cigarettes especially in U. S. and Western Europe †¢ The barriers against outside producers in china, korea, taiwan, japan – Economic Forces †¢ Increasing buying power of the consumers in developing countries †¢ Incremental costs of alternative marketing strategies †¢ Compensation expenditures †¢ Shrinking old markets in developed countries Growing new markets in developing countries – Social Forces †¢ Developing social awereness against harm of cigarette †¢ Campaigns against cigarette – Technological Forces †¢ Researches on cure for cancer †¢ Decreasing costs due to the developments of new Technologies †¢ Comprising new advertisement methods through internet * SWOT ANALYIS – Strengths †¢ Company’s strong financial budget †¢ Well known brands in cigarette market †¢ Prestigious image of Marlboro †¢ Successful partners in foreign markets †¢ Strong distribution channels †¢ Essential corporate culture – Weaknesses †¢ Inadequate comunication with public Opportunities †¢ Growing new markets in developing countries †¢ Chance to use brands in different sectors †¢ Merging or forming strategic alliances with local corporations in foreign markets – Threats †¢ Aggressive marketing campaigns of competitors †¢ Social campaigns against cigarette †¢ Legal barriers against cigarette consumption and advertisements †¢ Increasing prices in agricultural products †¢ Deaths due to cigarette †¢ Probable compensations * Industry and Competitor Analysis †¢ Potential Entrants: low First investment costs are quite high and markets are quite dom inated by existing firms Bargaining Power of Suppliers: medium In many countries state is the supplier of tobacco and prices are defined by states †¢ Bargaining Power of Buyers: low Cigarette consumers have no chance to bargain on prices †¢ Other Stakeholders’ Power: high Governments have very strong power to apply sanction on cigarette firms and cigarette market. †¢ Threats of Substitute Products: low Cigarette is easy to reach and use. There is also no serious product that can substitute cigarette †¢ Competition in Industry: high There are many firms activating in industry

K to 12 Program Essay

The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School [SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship. Students are able to learn best through their first language, their Mother Tongue (MT). Twelve (12) MT languages have been introduced for SY 2012-2013: Bahasa Sug, Bikol, Cebuano, Chabacano, Hiligaynon, Iloko, Kapampangan, Maguindanaoan, Meranao, Pangasinense, Tagalog, and Waray. Other local languages will be added in succeeding school years. Aside from the Mother Tongue, English and Filipino are taught as subjects starting Grade 1, with a focus on oral fluency. From Grades 4 to 6, English and Filipino are gradually introduced as languages of instruction. Both will become primary languages of instruction in Junior High School (JHS) and Senior High School (SHS). After Grade 1, every student can read in his or her Mother Tongue. Learning in Mother Tongue also serves as the foundation for students to learn Filipino and English easily. Program implementation in public schools is being done in phases starting SY 2012–2013. Grade 1 entrants in SY 2012–2013 are the first batch to fully undergo the program, and current 1st year Junior High School students (or Grade 7) are the first to undergo the enhanced secondary education program. To facilitate the transition from the existing 10-year basic education to 12 years, DepEd is also implementing the SHS and SHS Modeling. Here are some of the reasons why not disagree with K- 12 education plan in the Philippines: If K- 12 will be implemented, students will be able to get sufficient instructional time to do subject- related tasks which makes them more prepared and well- trained on that subject area. On the other hand, if we remain on the old system, Filipino students would continually get low achievement scores. For instance, international test results revealed that we often come at the tail end in the exams compared to other countries. Another good reason why we should support K- 12 is that the graduates of this program will be more prepared to enter the labor force. As we all noticed, high school graduates of the current curriculum are not yet employable for the reason that they are not yet competent and well – equipped with the skills needed in the workplaces. In addition, most high school graduates are not yet reaching the legal age of 18. With the new curriculum, senior high school students can choose a field that they are good at and that they are interested in. As a result, they will be equipped with the skills needed for a specific job even without a college degree. At the age of 18, the age when they graduate from high school, they will be employable and competitive already. Thus, adding up to the nation’s manpower. Finally, with K- 12, Filipino graduates will be automatically recognized as professionals abroad because we are following the international education standard as practiced by all nations. There will be no need to study again and spend more money in order to qualify to their standards. With this, Filipino professionals who aspire to work abroad will not find a hard time in getting jobs in line with their chosen field and will be able to help their families more in the Philippines as well as the country’s economy with their remittances, property buying, and creation of businesses. Filipinos are known to be competitive in the international community. While this may be true, our current education system hinders us in becoming more competitive among other countries. The K- 12 education plan offers a great solution to that problem. However, it is undeniable that there seems to be problems arising as we implement the program such as lack of government budget, classrooms and school supplies as well as the teachers. But, if we focus on the long- term effect of K- 12, we can conclude that it is very beneficial to us Filipinos. Therefore, we must have the strong will in supporting K- 12 Educational Plan for the betterment of our education system and economy. Remember, if we want change in our society, we must start it with our education system.

Recruitment Resources

In this report I will compare the purposes of all different recruitment resources documents used in the selection and recruitment process for a given organisation Job Specification What the job involves This allows the candidate to fully understand what the job role involves before apply for the job. It allows candidates to figure out if they’re suitable for the requirements which the organisation is looking for, this can normally save time if the candidate believes the job role is not suitable for them.Job title This shows the candidate what title they will be under if they are successful with the recruitment selection process. Titles are normally the same title, privileges and area of business throughout all organisations; this can give the candidate an idea of where the role is based within the organisation. Department This is an important bit of information that is on the job description, this shows the candidate what type of area the role is based within in the business.C andidates normally have a preferred area of business which they want to enter within, candidates usually apply for specific departments when searching for vacancies, it allows candidates not to waste time for applying for roles in which departments they wish not to enter. Responsible To This explains to the candidates whom they will be responsible for, who will be their first point of contact if a problem occurs. It allows the candidate to understand where in the hierarchy they will be based within the organisation. Scope of the postThis is what is expected from the candidate if they receive the job offer and accept the offer. It explains the most important aspects of the role for the candidate to understand if they feel up to the requirements. Education and qualifications Employers use this heading to explain to the candidates which qualifications they would prefer the candidate to have. The qualifications normally relate to the nature of the role which can impact the motivation of the candidate if they had received the role. Name of complier and approverThis states who created the application for the candidate and who will be checking the application after it has been submitted to the organisation. Date of issue This can be useful for candidates to view when the vacancy role to see when the organisation had published the vacancy. It can show if the vacancy has been online for period of time, or is a brand new role being published. Person Specification Job Title and Reference Number and Management Responsibilities This information in the person specification is an important need to know information for the candidate to understand what they are applying for.Reference numbers are important to keep track of what job role you’re applying for since every role will have a different reference number, so you can always find your way back to the role. When talking to the organisation, they normally ask for the reference number to find the vacancy information fo r interviews etc. It’s also important to let the candidate understand what responsibilities they will adhere too, such as running a team, budget etc. Attainments and Qualifications This is the information which allows the candidate to understand if they are suitable for the role with the requirements that are set by the organisation.This is normally required for a known knowledgeable job which requires the candidate to fully understand the area of work. Organisations normally set a minimum level of qualifications, such as minimum C in Maths GCSE. General Intelligence This is placed within the person specification to notify what skills and knowledge the organisation would rather the candidate have, such as communication and people skills. The skills noted in the person specification usually relate to the nature of the job role. TemperamentThis is explained to the candidate in which type of temperament they would prefer from a candidate in the job role. These can normally inclu de friendly, cool under pressure and patient. Customer Assistants need to ensure that their temperament is suitable for dealing with angry and needy customers. Location of Role This tells the candidate where the role is located within the organisations hierarchy. This is important for the candidate as they would want to understand if they are higher than another department, and if they are responsible for any other staff members.Hobbies and Interests Organisations normally state what type of person they would prefer to fill their job role, this normally allows candidates to understand if they are suitable or not before progressing through the recruitment process. Previous Experience Organisations ask this to ensure the candidate has previous experience in a possible related role. Some organisations normally require previous experience so full training is not required, however most organisations offer training to ensure that the candidate is fully aware of the companies procedures et c. Letter of ApplicationThe letter of application is paragraphs putting together the job description and the person specification to make out the best of the candidate in a simple sentence which really sells the candidate. The letter of application needs to ensure that it includes all the relevant information, skills and knowledge required for the specific job role. It should also include positive skills which can then sell the candidate and then the organisation can try match their vacancy requirements to the letter of application. If they fit well together, the recruitment selection process will begin the candidate.

Human Resource Management Project Essay

Introduction Human Resource Management is defined as the policies, practices and systems that influence an employee’s behaviour, attitude, and performance in the attainment of organizational goals, and it is also a way of management that links people-related activities to the strategy of a business or organization. Now days, the human resource has an important function in the companies or organizations. The human resource provides significant support and advice to line management because many companies consider their human capital as their most important asset. The purpose of this report is to compare and contrast the human resource management between India and Canada. This report will describe the human rights, recruitment, selection, training and development, and health and safety of Indian companies, and research the role of human resource in the recruitment and selection processes of Indian companies, and finally compare and contrast them to Canadian human resources practices. Moreover, this report will also analyze the cultural differences between Canada and India. The report aims to find difference human resource management between Canada and India, and improve the human resource management system of Canada. Role of Human Resources in the Recruiting and Selection Human resource plays an instrumental role in helping their organization achieve its goals of becoming a socially and environmentally responsible firm. In India, there is large-scale unemployment with shortage of skilled labour, hence, the role of HR in recruiting will provide the necessary tools to maintain a positive competitive labour market. Clearly defined role of Human Resources in Recruitment process is very important for measuring the success of the whole Recruitment Process. The overall setting of the HR Role in Recruitment is directly linked to Recruitment Strategy and HR Strategy. [1] Human resource and hiring managers play a highly significant role for setting the correct measures and defining the potential gaps in the whole recruitment process. The role of Human Resources in India is increasing, from making the process working to the real management of HR Processes and the Recruitment Process was the first to manage. The Recruitment Strategy changed – the efficiency and costs to the company were more important.[2] The role of HR in recruiting and selection process in India has following factors: 1) Decides about the design of the recruitment processes and to decide about the split of roles and responsibilities between Human Resources and Hiring Manager 2) Decides about the right profile of the candidate 3) Decides about the sources of candidates 4) Decides about the measures to be monitored to measure the success of the process The role of HR in Recruitment is very important to work on the development of the recruitment and selection process and to make the process very competitive on the market. Good recruitment and selection can make sure the organization has enough advantaged and appropriate employee and managers; in addition to that, it can lead to company work more efficiency. * Recruiting process has following steps: 1. Identify vacancy 2. Prepare job description and person specification 3. Advertising the vacancy 4. Managing the response 5. Short-listing 6. Arrange interviews 7. Conducting interview and decision making * Selection involves the following components: Reception, screening interview, application blank, selection test, selection interview, medical test, reference checks, and hiring decision. Chap: 3 Human Resource practice in India India is being widely recognised as one of the most exciting emerging economics in the world. Besides becoming a global hub of outsourcing, Indian firms are spreading their wings globally through mergers and acquisitions. During the first four months of 1997, Indian companies have bought 34 foreign companies for about U.S. $11 billion dollars. This impressive development has been due to a growth in inputs (capital and labour) as well as factor productivity. By the year 2020, India is expected to add about 250 million to its labour pool at the rate of about 18 million a year, which is more than the entire labour force of Germany. This so called ‘demographic dividend’ has drawn a new interest in the Human Resource concepts and practices in India.[6] In a general, if we look at the history of Human resource practice in recent years, we can see effect on the managerial history of India was to be provided by the British system of corporate organisation for 200 years. Clearly, the socio cultural roots of Indian heritage are diverse and have been drawn from multiple sources including ideas brought from other parts of the old world. In India, the Human resource management practice is in transition face it is learning new ideas from other parts of the world and also with growing population and growing multinational companies coming to India the work culture is continuously improving. One of the noteworthy features of the Indian workplace is demographic uniqueness. It is estimated that both China and India will have a population of 1.45 billion people by 2030; however, India will have a larger workforce than China. Indeed, it is likely India will have 986 million people of working age in 2030, which will probably be about 300 million more than in 2007. And by 2050, it is expected India will have 230 million more workers than China and about 500 million more than the United States of America (U.S.). It may be noted that half of India’s current population of 1.1 billion people are under of 25 years of age.[7] While this fact is a demographic dividend for the economy, it is also a danger sign for the country’s ability to create new jobs at an unprecedented rate. As he has been pointed out by Meredith. [8] Here are some key factors responsible for shift in HRM practice in India [9] Above figure presents the key drivers for contemporary Indian HRM trends. In Figure, there are four external spheres of intervention for HRM professionals and these spheres are integrated in a complex array within organisational settings. The intellectual sphere, which emphasises the mindset transaction in work organisations, has been significantly impacted by the forces of globalisation. The other three spheres, of figure, namely the emotional, the socio cultural and the managerial domains are undergoing, similar profound changes. Key HRM Practices in Indian Organisations: The above figure describes the general HRM practise in Public sector Organization. In private sector the HRM sector is not organized. In Private sector THE HRM practice depends on individual company basis. Company Profile: Infosys technology is a leading software company based in India which was established in 1981 and is listed in NASDAQ as a global consulting and IT services company with more than 122,000 employees. From a capital of US$ 250 they have grown to become a US$ 5.38 billion company with a market capitalization of approximately US$ 38 billion. In their journey of over 29 years they have catalyzed some of the major changes that have led to India’s emergence as the global destination for software services talent. [10] Recruitment Process: The Company uses different sources like Campus Interviews, advertisements in newspapers and applications received through the company website. Firstly, they do not have any distinction between any branch of Engineering, applicant from any branch can apply for the selection process but the only criteria is to meet the requirement of grades, the applicant should be very well qualified and should have high grades and the time gap which means if any of the applicant was rejected in the selection process then they can only apply after 9 months. The qualified candidates are shortlisted and are called for a written test. [11] Selection Process of choosing individuals with qualifications needed to fill jobs in an organization. The duration of the selection process in Infosys is 2.5 hours which includes filling in an application form, an Aptitude Test ( Analytical Thinking and Arithmetic Reasoning) and a test of Communicative English Language. The duration of the tests is 90 minutes and the Aptitude Test consists of puzzles type and the number of questions varies between 9 to 15. [12] Training and Development Infosys training, continuing education and career development programs are designed to ensure that the technology professional enhances their skill-sets in alignment to their respective goals. The following are the types of training provided by Infosys to their new recruits and employees. Technical Training by Education and Research Department Most of the new candidates that are hired complete 14 weeks of integrated on-the-job-training prior to being assigned to their business units. All these training are done in a total area of 1.44 million square feet in The Infosys Global Education Center in Mysore- India, which can train approximately 14,000 employees at a time. As of March 31, 2010 they employed 610 full-time employees as faculty which included 208 employees with doctorate or masters degrees. The faculty also conducts integrated training for the new employees. They also make employees to undergo certification programs each year to develop the skills relevant that are for their roles. [13] Personal Effectiveness and Managerial Programs The above program is to enhance the managerial capabilities and leadership abilities in order to have better customer satisfaction, achieve their organizational vision and to create high performing multicultural teams. [14] Performance Management Creating an equitable and inclusive work environment In 2008-09 Infosys were recognized for their efforts to promote a more inclusive work environment. They won the Corporate Award for Excellence in Gender Inclusivity instituted by the National Association for Software Companies (NASSCOM), India, for the second consecutive year. They also received the Helen Keller award which was instituted by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People, for the third consecutive year and they also won the ASTD Excellence in Practice Award for diversity training. [15] The Head -HRD, is the custodian of equal employment opportunity. The Diversity Office and the HR department are responsible for coordinating efforts in implementing and disseminating information regarding the company’s diversity agenda. Being an IT services company they do not have any business identified as having risk for incidents of forced or compulsory or child labour, therefore they foresee risk of child labour in their supply chain in India, and therefore controls it through the vendor selection process. Compensation and Benefits Infosys compensates its human assets in three ways by adding learning value through training and development and appraisal practices. Infosys also adds emotional value through initiatives directed towards supporting employees with their work and personal needs and they also adds financial value through monetary compensation which is neither above nor below the market level. Infosys was one of the first Indian companies to offer stock option plans to their employees. Benefits Infosys work-life policies reflect local requirements and regulations. The employees in India are eligible for paid maternity leave and paternity leave under the law which is referred as the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 under which pregnant women can take paid leave up to 14 weeks, first seven weeks before delivery and other seven weeks after delivery and the maximum payment is $441.6 per week before tax. They also have satellite offices for new mothers, telecommuting for employees on need basis, adoption leave, flexible work hours, part-time work policy, one-year childcare sabbatical policy and near-site day care facilities. Employees can apply for scholarships for their children who have excelled in academics, arts and culture. Infoscions can also apply for extended family healthcare coverage. [16] In addition to that they are also provide benefits such as statutory benefits as pension, medical insurance under Employee State Insurance Scheme which is an integrated measure of Social Insurance embodied in the Employees’ State Insurance Act and is designed to accomplish the task of protecting ‘employees’ against the hazards of sickness, maternity, disablement and death due to employment injury and to provide medical care to insured persons and their families. An employee covered under the scheme has to contribute 1.75% of the wages whereas, an employer contributes 4.75% of the wages payable to an employee. The total contribution in respect of an employee comes out to 6.50% of the wages payable. They are also offered loan program which was found attractive to the employees. Loans were taken for pursuing a degree program such as MBA, or to meet personal needs such as purchasing a car or a house. [17] Health and Safety The Health Assessment and Lifestyle Enrichment (HALE) program supports their healthcare policies at a global level. In Australia they have a unique practice of having a specialist available on call for ergonomics assessment in the work area. They also provide annual health checkups for all employees at their India-based locations. [18] Chap-4 Comparison and Contrast between HR practice of India and china In comparison between India and Canada India’s ranks higher in Uncertainty Avoidance Index than Canada which means Indian wants clear cut responsibilities and job description. India’s Power Distance rank is also higher than Canada which means that in India there is unequal distribution of wealth and power in the society. India and Canada are at the opposite ends in terms of Individualism, with Canada displaying much greater Individualism than the collectivist society of India. Canadians are more autonomous and self-control in the ability to make decisions and wants to work without direct supervisions, than Indian employees. Indian employees like to work more in tandem with their managers when setting personal goals than did Canadian employees. Indians are more forward thinking when planning actions and goals which found significant correlations between these differences in perceptions and differences in cultural characteristics which include power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and paternalism. Canadians scored lower on these traits than Indians. [19] Chap – 5 About Cultural differences and Implications to Professional Practice India is a country in conversion. History, society, economic and cultural factors strongly influence Indian Human Resource Management (HRM) and mindset. The dynamic changes taking place in India, and their consequent influence and reflection in Indian HRM, the following factors provide essential background and context about key aspects of the Indian: language, geography and generational differences. Following the strong influence of the society cultural context in India does not always allow the applicability of Western management and organization theories. [3] Pawan S. Budhawar, the Indian management scholar, he emphasizes that â€Å"to a great extent, this is a core issue for Western firms operating in the Indian context and sends a clear message to researchers in the field. The intention of both HR practitioners and researchers should be to continuously develop, test and re-test constructs suitable for conducting research and develop relevant practice in the Indian context.† [4] With the challenge of mixing Western management practices with Eastern management traditions, we have to understand the Indian HRM context and its related influence on mindset is a necessity for both Indian and Western organizations. In a typical leadership development project, here is an assumption about: First, there are more qualified candidates than available leadership positions (could be internally or externally. Second, turnover of employees identified as ‘key talent† will not increase. Third, employees who are not identified as â€Å"k ey talent† will accept that the assessment process is fair. Indian human resource management will continue to evolve, and it will continue to be important characteristic of growth and sustainability. Chap – 6 Other relevant topics Generally speaking, In the process of recruiting, training management, the performance of India and Canada is similar. They use similar strategies for select right employees, like internal and external recruitment. Using skills tests and talent questions helping employers find a best person for the job. On the other hand, there are some obvious differences. Firstly, in Canada, there are a lots of policies (Provincial and territorial human rights legislation, Canada Human Rights Act) implemented by federal or national governments to protect the rights of employees, like policies about minimum wage employer must pay to workers, sexual orientation, marital status, and maximum work time. Besides that, when the rights of employees was ruined, employees can complain with some constitution including The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Citizenship Commission. On the other hand, the policies protecting employees are scary. Employees look for job by individual, and the salary and benefits paid to employees is determined by employers. Because India in a labour intensive country. The price is cheaper than Canada obviously. In addition, India do not have policies about minimum wage. The codes protecting the rights of women and young are in little quantities. Which is more, compared with Canada. It is harder for employees in India sue the company which exploits them. For instance Even though India is a labour intensive country, because of high growth of developing, it is not a big problem to find a job in their own country. A lot of jobs are created because of the increasing of market demands. Since Canada is multicultural country. You can find people from Australia, Asia and Europe. They are seeking jobs in Canada. Apart from this Canada is a secular Country. So Canada has a lot of policies about avoiding discrimination like religion, race and color. Conclusion: By analyzing and studying various reports and research paper we can say that there is vast difference between the HR practice between India and Canada. The rules and regulation regarding Human resource management are quite similar in both countries. The government of both Countries has made clear rules and regulations, but in India there is lack of implementation of the rules. Various research paper also indicates that the HRM is in transition phase, due to globalization the global practice becoming more and more familiar to Indian corporate groups. The study also suggests that there is socio-cultural influence on HRM practice in India. India has to go far to reach global HRM practice, but it is also showing good positive changes in terms of positive HRM policy guideline and support from government. Bibliography: 1. http://hrguide.applezoom.com/2007/09/hr-role-in-recruitment 2. (http://hrguide.applezoom.com/2007/09/hr-role-in-recruitment 3. http://www.shrm.org/Research/Articles/Articles/Documents/ 4. Budhwar, P. S. (2009). Challenges Facing Indian HRM And the Way Forward. In P. S. Budhwar & J. Bhatnagar (Eds.), the Changing Faces of People Management in India (pp. 289-300). New York: Routledge. 5. Adapted from Towers Perrin. (2008). 2007-2008 Towers Perrin global workforce study. Retrieved August 26, 2009, www.towersperrin.com 6. http://rphrm.curtin.edu.au/2007/issue2/india.html 7. Chatterjee, S.R. (2006). Human resource management in India. In A. Nankervis, Chatterjee, S.R. & J. Coffey (Eds.), Perspectives of human resource management in the Asia Pacific (41-62). Pearson Prentice Hall: Malaysia. 8. Meredith, R. (2007). The elephant and the dragon: The rise of India and China and what it means for all of us. New York: W.W.Norton & Co. 9. http://rphrm.curtin.edu.au/2007/issue2/india.html 10. http://www.infosys.com/about/who-we-are/Pages/history.aspx 11. http://www.ittestpapers.com/articles/-infosys-selection-procedure.html 12. http://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/annual-report/annual/Documents/Infosys-AR-08.pdf 13.