Lean On Me Film Review Essay

In the film Lean on Me, Joe Clark, played by Morgan Freeman, took on the responsibility of being the principle for a troubled inner-city high school. The students at this high school were mainly minority children, faced by issues of poverty, drugs, and racism everyday. The state of New Jersey claimed that this school was heading nowhere but down and that the teachers were unable to teach the children the basic skills they needed to survive in the world. I feel the causes of the schools poor quality was to the lack of money & funds they receive from the state which lead to poor programming. The children whom attended the school had a lack of motivation and direction. They were unsure as to what they wanted to achieve with their lives. They needed to be inspired by their teachers, and their families. However, as seen in this film, children in the inner-city setting often never find the inspiration and direction they need to succeed. Many of them have parents that do not want to play an active role in the lives of their children. I feel that in the case of this film, Joe Clark?s authoritarian methodology of administering was very effective. This school and the children who attended it needed someone to ?take charge?, and build it back up to shape. He first kicked out the ?trouble students?, then he cleaned the halls of the graffiti, then he chained the doors to keep the drug dealers out. He gave students confidence and inspiration to succeed. He gave them a common goal, to ?prove the state wrong?. He enforced in their minds that they were not ignorant and they were capable of anything. By insisting they learn the school song he gave them a sense of pride. I feel that Joe Clark did just what the school and most importantly the students needed to ?turn the school around?. In the end, his methods of leadership worked, for the students achieved just what they had set out to do, pass the basic skills test given by the state. The women who fought Joe Clark?s methodology, was played by Lynne Thigpen. She was portrayed as ?wench?, who was demanding on the city to get rid of Joe Clark because he chained the school doors and was in violation of the cities fire code. However, I feel she was really just upset because he  expelled the ?problem children? out of the school, one of whom was her son. Instead of blaming herself as a parent for the failure of her son, she turned the blame on the school system and those who run it. While some critics would say that she was being portrayed in a positive light, as being a strong and determined black women. I feel that is false, I feel she is being portrayed as ignorant and arrogant and just wants revenge for something that was her own fault because she is not being an attentive and responsible parent. I also feel that the music plays an important role in this film. The music in the film is what gives the children hope and pride. The title of the movie is from the song ?Lean on Me?, written by Bill Withers. This song has lyrics that bring hope to the children. ?Some times in our lives we all have pain, we all have sorrow, but if you are wise we know there is always tomorrow. Lean on me, when your not strong, and I?ll give you hope, I?ll help you carry on.? It is relating to the students by saying we all face struggles, but we need to have hope that we can survive, and sometimes we need to get support and inspiration from others in order to stay strong and succeed. This song reminds these children that they are not alone and they can achieve anything if they put their minds to it. I feel that this song explains the theme of the movie, in the face of trouble anyone can succeed as long as they are motivated and try their hardest, and they have the love and support of others. In conclusion, I enjoyed this movie and I feel this film was very palatable because its characters were well developed and very believable. Its screenplay was written very well and is very realistic. We, as young adults can relate to this film because the issues these children face are the same issues that children in face everyday, and even more so for those who come from the inner city themselves.

Training & Development: a Tool of Retaining Employees

Training & Development: A tool of Retaining Employees â€Å"Abstract† NITIN GUPTA (ASST. PROF. IIMT HOTEL MANAGEMENT COLLEGE) The objective of this study is to show that training & development is required for an organization to retain its employees, as Training is activity leading to skilled behavior and it realize the employees that what they want in life& knowing how to reach it, where they want to go and how to get there, how high they want to rise and how to take off in the organization. The people in your organization are your most important resource. It is not only essential to hire the very best employees but the important is that a company retains those employees. Training and re-skilling inspire loyalty. Training is seen as expensive and a way of making their employees attractive to others. The risks involved, when weighed against the benefits, often mean that retraining is overlooked in favor of recruiting externally. However, the recruitment costs of staff time before and after the hire and direct expenses compare favorably against staff development costs. Training employees reinforces their sense of value. Through training, employers help employees achieve goals and ensure they have a solid understanding of their job requirements. A mixed approach of valuing staff by developing skills, providing interesting/motivating work while recognizing their individual contribution, along side benefits and perks, will mean that you are an employer that employees don't want to leave. TOPIC Training & Development: A tool of Retaining Employees INTRODUCTION The people in any organization are most important resource. It is not only essential to hire the very best employees but the important is that a company retains those employees. Training and re-skilling inspire loyalty. Training is seen as expensive and a way of making their employees attractive to others. The risks involved, when weighed against the benefits, often mean that retraining is overlooked in favor of recruiting externally. However, the recruitment costs of staff time before and after the hire and direct expenses compare favorably against staff development costs. Employees leave organizations for many reasons; oftentimes these reasons are unknown to their employers. Employers need to listen to employees’ needs and implement retention strategies to make employees feel valued and engaged in order to keep them. These retention methods can have a significant and positive impact on an organization’s turnover rate. According to strategic planning consultant Leigh Branham, SPHR, 88% of employees leave their jobs for reasons other than pay: However, 70% of managers think employees leave mainly for pay-related reasons. Branham says there are seven main reasons why employees leave a company: 1. Employees feel the job or workplace is not what they expected. 2. There is a mismatch between the job and person. 3. There is too little coaching and feedback. 4. There are too few growth and advancement opportunities. 5. Employees feel devalued and unrecognized. 6. Employees feel stress from overwork and have a work/life imbalance. 7. There is a loss of trust and confidence in senior leaders. WHY RETAINING EMPLOYEES IS IMPORTANT? Turnover is costly. According to Right Management, a talent and career management consulting firm, it costs nearly three times an employee’s salary to replace someone, which includes recruitment, severance, lost productivity, and lost opportunities. Life Work Solutions, a provider of staff retention and consulting services, provides the following turnover facts and rates: †¢ Over 50 % of people recruited in to an organization will leave within 2 years. †¢ One in four of new hires will leave within 6 months. †¢ Nearly 70% of organizations report that staff turnover has a negative financial impact due to the cost of recruiting, hiring, and training a replacement employee and the overtime work of current employees that’s required until the organization can fill the vacant position. Nearly 70 % of organizations report having difficulties in replacing staff. †¢ Approximately 50% of organizations experience regular problems with employee retention. From these statistics it’s clear that it’s important to develop a retention plan to retain employees and keep turnover low. If an employee resigns, then good amount of time is lost in hiring a new employee and then training him/her and this goes to t he loss of the company directly which many a times goes unnoticed. And even after this no one can assure the same efficiency from the new employee (He might be better and might not be). It requires time to judge his capabilities and work nature. And above all these things, one resignation many a times triggers a chain reaction among other employees, leading to a negative effect. RETENTION METHODS Here are some effective methods employers utilize in order to keep employees happy and part of their organization instead of looking for employment opportunities elsewhere. Training: Training employees reinforces their sense of value. Through training, employers help employees achieve goals and ensure they have a solid understanding of their job requirements. It’s important for companies to give coaching to employees so that their efforts stay aligned with the goals of the company and meet expectations. During an employee’s first few weeks on the job, an employer should provide intensive feedback. Employers should also provide formal and informal feedback to employees throughout the year. Mentoring. A mentoring program integrated with a goal-oriented feedback system provides a structured mechanism for developing strong relationships within an organization and is a solid foundation for employee retention and growth. With a mentoring program, an organization pairs someone more experienced in a discipline with someone less experienced in a similar area, with the goal to develop specific competencies, provide performance feedback, and design an individualized career development plan. Instill a positive culture. A company should establish a series of values as the basis for culture such as honesty, excellence, attitude, respect, and teamwork (IOMA, 2008). A company that creates the right culture will have an advantage when it comes to attracting and keeping good employees (Main). Use communication to build credibility. No matter what the size of the organization, communication is central to building and maintaining credibility. Many employers get communication to â€Å"flow up† through a staff advisory council (or similar group) which solicits and/or receives employees’ opinions and suggestions and passes them on to upper management (IOMA). It’s also important for employees to know that the employer is really listening and responds to (or otherwise acknowledges) employee input. Show appreciation via compensation and benefits. Offering things like competitive salaries, profit sharing, bonus programs, pension and health plans, paid time off, and tuition reimbursement sends a powerful message to employees about their importance at the organization. The rewards given to employees must be meaningful in order to impact their perception of the organization and therefore have a marked influence on its retention efforts. Moreover, if an organization promises a reward, it should keep that promise. Encourage referrals and recruit from within. Having current employees offer referrals could help minimize confusion of job expectations. Current employees can realistically describe a position and the environment to the individual he/she is referring. Another way an employer can lessen the impact of turnover is to hire from within, since current employees have already discovered that they are a good fit in the organization. Provide growth opportunities. An organization should provide workshops, software, or other tools to help employees increase their understanding of themselves and what they want from their careers and enhance their goal-setting efforts. It’s important to provide employees with adequate job challenges that will expand their knowledge in their field. According to Right Management, employees are more likely to stay engaged in their jobs and committed to an organization that makes investments in them and their career development. Make employees feel valued. Employees will go the extra mile if they feel responsible for the results of their work, have a sense of worth in their jobs, believe their jobs make good use of their skills, and receive recognition for their contributions. Employees should be rewarded at a high level to motivate even higher performance. The use of cash payouts could be used for on-the-spot recognition. These rewards have terrific motivational power, especially when given as soon as possible after the achievement. It’s important for employers to say â€Å"thank you† to employees for their efforts and find different ways to recognize them. Even something as simple as a free lunch can go a long way towards making employees feel valued. Listen to employees and ask for their input as to what rewards might work best at your organization. Conduct meetings and surveys to enable employees to share their input (Branham). Most team members will work harder to carry out a decision that they’ve helped to influence. Lower stress from overworking and create work/life balance. It’s important to match work/life benefits to the needs of employees. This could be in the form of offering nontraditional work schedules (such as a compressed work week, telecommuting, and flextime) or extra holidays. When work-life balance is structured properly, both the employee and employer come out ahead. For example, the employer will experience more productivity in the workplace because employees will be less stressed, healthier, and thus, more productive (Wingfield). Encouraging employees to set work/life goals, such as spending more time with their children, communicates that you really do want them to have a life outside of work and achieve a healthy work/life balance. Foster trust and confidence in senior leaders. Develop strong relationships with employees from the start to build trust. Employees have to believe that upper management is competent and that the organization will be successful. An employer has to be able to inspire this confidence and make decisions that reinforce it. An employer cannot say one thing and do another. For example, an employer shouldn’t talk about quality and then push employees to do more work in less time. In addition, employers need to engage and inspire employees by enacting policies that show they trust them, such as getting rid of authoritarian style of management. HOW TRAINING WORKS IN RETAINING EMPLOYEES? Once skilled workers are nestled within any organizations there is a second challenge in keeping them there – and here training and education can play a crucial role. Retaining good employees is critically important to a company's bottom line. Many companies that fail to place adequate emphasis on training make the mistake of assuming that pay is the only important motivating factor for their staff. In 1999 the Hay Group studied over 500,000 people in 300 companies to find out what promoted employee loyalty. The top three factors, mentioned by ninety percent of respondents, were; â€Å"career growth, learning and development†; â€Å"exciting work and challenge† and â€Å"meaningful work, making a difference and a contribution†. Fair pay and benefits was tenth on the list. After studying the above, following results are concluded as the output of training & development of employees: †¢ Optimum Utilization of Human Resources – Training and Development helps in optimizing the utilization of human resource that further helps the employee to achieve the organizational goals as well as their individual goals. †¢ Development of Human Resources – Training and Development helps to provide an opportunity and broad structure for the development of human resources’ technical and behavioral skills in an organization. It also helps the employees in attaining personal growth. Development of skills of employees – Training and Development helps in increasing the job knowledge and skills of employees at each level. It helps to expand the horizons of human intellect and an overall personality of the employees. †¢ Productivity – Training and Development helps in increasing the productivity of the employees that helps the organization further to achieve its long-term goal. †¢ Team spirit – Training and Development helps in inculcating the sense of team work, team spirit, and inter-team collaborations. It helps in inculcating the zeal to learn within the employees. Organization Culture – Training and Development helps to develop and improve the organizational health culture and effectiveness. It helps in creating the learning culture within the organization. †¢ Organization Climate – Training and Development helps building the positive perception and feeling about the organization. The employees get these feelings from leaders, subordinates, and peers. †¢ Quality – Training and Development helps in improving upon the quality of work and work-life. †¢ Healthy work environment – Training and Development helps in creating the healthy working environment. It helps to build good employee, relationship so that individual goals aligns with organizational goal. †¢ Health and Safety – Training and Development helps in improving the health and safety of the organization thus preventing obsolescence. †¢ Morale – Training and Development helps in improving the morale of the work force. †¢ Image – Training and Development helps in creating a better corporate image. †¢ Profitability – Training and Development leads to improved profitability and more positive attitudes towards profit orientation. †¢ Training and Development aids in organizational development i. . Organization gets more effective decision making and problem solving. It helps in understanding and carrying out organizational policies †¢ Training and Development helps in developing leadership skills, motivation, loyalty, better attitudes, and other aspects that successful workers and managers usually display. CONCLUSION Itâ⠂¬â„¢s clear that having proper retention strategies is key in order to retain employees. Productivity is maximized when employees enjoy their work. Offering opportunities to explore different options within the organization is one way of motivating the workforce. A company that is tuned into meeting employee needs should encourage movement across processes and functions. An environment that motivates and stimulates employees, managers need to incorporate motivation-building practices into their corporate culture. These practices include listening to employees and respecting their opinions, basing rewards on performance, and trained them to develop their skills & being available to them for everything from listening to their ideas and concerns to assisting them with their career advancement. Rotation of functions provides a forum for constant learning and self-improvement. When employees are given a chance to grow in various functions, a positive work environment is created. Thus, employee morale and productivity are maintained at a very high level. References/ Bibliography †¢ Crosscut magazine, spring 2002 (article by Iain Macdonald, Associate Director, Centre for Advanced Wood Processing) †¢ Harvard Business Essentials: Guide to Hiring and Keeping the Best People, Harvard Business Press by Sarah K. Yazinski, University of Scranton †¢ Training as important as salaries in staff loyalty By Gareth Morgan, IT Week Tuesday, July 31, 2001 02:59 PM Handle with care: motivating and retaining your employees   By Barbara A. Glanz Recruiting, training, and retaining new employees: managing the transition †¦ By Jack J. Phillips, Sharon L. Oswald Retaining your best employees: nine case studies from the real world of training  By Patricia Pulliam Phillips Web Page: http://writer4u. com Submitted By Leslie Wood

Analysis of the Public and Private Sports Industry

Analysis of the Public and Private Sports Industry Public, private and voluntary sectors in the sports industry, advantages and disadvantages of the leisure centre being in the public sector, how the local leisure centre can meet the aim of getting more local clubs to use its facilities. Introduction â€Å"Since the opportunity to participate in sport or recreation requires facilities, the central task of organisations, and associated individuals, is to provide a service which focuses on people and which satisfies that need.† [1] The sports industry has changed beyond all recognition since the beginning of the 1990’s in each of the public, private and voluntary sectors. The impetus has come from top level government policy with the creation of the UK Sports Council and the formation of the chief sporting bodies such as Sport England offering both funding and structure to the previously ad hoc nature of leisure and recreation in modern Britain. Moreover, the lure of professional sport has also irrevocably changed in tan dem with the structural changes in amateur sport with the result that there is, at the dawn of the twenty first century, more people are taking an active part in sport, which has further increased the pressure on local services such as leisure centres. There are though vast differences between the way that the public and private sector sports providers are run and funded as shall now become apparent. The Private Sector With regards to the sports industry, the private sector refers to those leisure services that are funded by private capital and open only to private membership. This can mean anything from specialist professional sports clubs to health and fitness clubs to local sports teams that have been established and sponsored by local and national businesses alike. The advantages of this kind of sporting industry are predominantly economic with the funding of private sports clubs historically far outstripping the economic resources available to equivalent public sector sports se rvices. Certainly in the 1970’s and 1980’s, private sector sports industries were far more popular and productive than their public sector counterparts mirrored in the elevated sporting achievements of private school sporting institutions as opposed to the relative failings of the same public (comprehensive) school sports bodies. There are, however, inherent disadvantages to sports and leisure services that rely exclusively on the private sector for funding. First and foremost, there are no guarantees that the source of that funding will remain constant for any fixed length of time. Benefactors are subject to the ups and downs of the free market economy, which can result in sharp reductions – as well as rises – in the level of funding provided. In addition, any leisure service that is inexorably tied to the private sector also inevitably suffers from the lack of community spirit that can only be adequately garnered through association with the local publi c authorities. Thus, while the advantages to sports services in the private sector appear on the surface to be all encompassing, the reality is that the lack of stability that characterises all facets of the private sector economy hampers the sustained growth and popularity.

Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Management Accounting - Essay Example The system of product costing is particularly used to assist in determining the amounts in the inventory balance sheet, and the income statement cost of sales. The information gathered in management accounting is mainly financial in nature, as well as, dollar dominated, although in most cases, systems of management accounting collect and report information that is non-financial as well (C?adez? & Guilding, 2007). This essay is a review of the operations of management via accounting in modern enterprises, as well as, an analysis of the way in which management via accounting can be utilized to maintain low fuel costs while ensuring safety. Management accounting emerged as an activity that was significant for the first time during the initial revolution of industries, in the enterprises and industries that were leading in those days. As such, financial accounting led to the rise of management accounting, which has its origin in its European merchant stewardship role of trading venture t hat began in Italian Renaissance, as well as, tax records that have apparently been required by governments for the duration that they have existed (Abdel-Kader, 2011). In the book The Visible Hand by Alfred Chandler (1977), he argues that the history of American business can be categorized into two phases that are separate, one representing the market economy which is what economists characterize as perfect completion, and the other phase represents managerial capitalism. The new structure of line-and –staff, after it has been merged with the new process that is continuous of producing, as well as, analyzing accounting and information that is statistical, allows information and plans in the enterprise to flow up and down (Chandler, 1977). Some of the ways that management via accounting enables managers to deliver economic, efficient, as well as, effective outcomes in a line-and-staff structure, is by Lowering Internal Transaction Costs This involves the lowering of the trans action costs internally through the routinizing of the units transactions. With the use of the modern technology the great volumes can make it possible for the costs of transactions to be lowered. Regardless of whether the program priorities are long-term or short-term, the management planning aspect is a vital success and productivity contributor. Every management needs to identify a course of action the organization should take from the alternatives that are available. In order for the transaction management to be operational, as well as, of value more application case studies are required. Through specialization as a result of economies of scale, production shifts to where it is relatively cheapest (Hurt, 2013). Reducing the costs for information on markets and supply This happens through linking the administration that produces units with that of buying, as well as, distributing the units.The price marketing system is the device of coordination that caters for allocations. The p rice that makes a balance between the demands of consumers and the supply by the producers is achieved through market interaction. This market interaction is what is basically referred to as the invisible hand. A consumer’s demand, on one hand, for a commodity highly depends on the price of that commodity to a large extends (Needles, Powers & Crosson, 2011). More rapid cash flow and payment Through the management systems companies promote specialization that is suitable for sustainable development. The more rapid

Critical Reply Paper on Election Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critical Reply Paper on Election - Essay Example The study is based on the idea that inferences made by people on the basis of facial expression and appearance have great value in deciding their voting behaviors. This is the main theory that is argued in the study. The article is trying to statistically prove this theory in the study. The theory is supported by psychological perspectives in the article. The results of the study confirmed the hypothesis that was given in the beginning of the research. The study proved that voting behaviors of people are directly influenced by the inference of competence by the facial expression of the candidates. The result was very substantial so there is no doubt that the results confirmed the hypothesis. This paper makes a conclusion that the political implications of the findings of the study are significant. It shows that how important it is to focus on the pictures of the candidates and how important it is to place them in a right manner. The findings also tell us the importance of marketing the candidate to the people. It is very important that majority of the voters should know the candidate and they should know about his agenda as one cannot leave his or her fate on inference of his or her competence by the voters. Proper knowledge should be provided to people and the good old fashioned way of elections should be followed. The findings related to facial expression and inference of competent may not change the whole structure of future political campaign but they will certainly add a few things to it.

Pimps up, ho's down Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pimps up, ho's down - Essay Example In particular, the goal of the author was not to describe hip hop music or sexism, but to relate hip hop culture with the behavior of black women, especially in their response to the superiority of the black men. The book is a revelation of the worsening case of gender politics. Equally important, the Motivational Education Entertainment (MEE) Productions, Inc., a firm that specializes in research about urban and ethnic groups, also performed a study regarding the views of the Black urban youth on intimacy or sexual activity. The study was titled â€Å"This is My Reality: The Price of Sex: An Inside Look at Black Urban Youth Sexuality and the Role of the Media.† MEE was able to provide a picture of the present day value of sex to the black urban youth, who seems to have become unmindful of the consequences of sex. Apparently, the impact of hip hop culture to the lives of the younger generation has reached the point of affecting their relationship with the self, family, friends , and society. Hip hop is not only a trend, but a culture that is influencing the lifestyle of today’s younger generation. Thus, to a certain extent, because of its profound impact on the lifestyle of the young blacks hip hop culture created sexual abusers. The impact of hip hop culture on the lives of the African American youths is indeed profound to the extent that it is affecting their views about sex and relationships. In particular, the messages that are inflicted in hip hop music are often condemned because of expressing misogyny, or hatred towards women. Hence, the lyrics of hip hop music in it have encouraged the abuse of African American women through words that destroy their image in the society. The abuse of women has continued through the years, and this time not only through words but sexually and emotionally. The world sees movies that show Black women in strip clubs, and the adult entertainment industry obtains profit from this type of dirty business (Sharpley- Whiting 12). More and more men feed their illusion by making women object of sexual abuse. The worsening case of sexual abuse is already being manifested in the things people see in television or hear on the radio. With hip hop music going mainstream, it is no wonder why many adolescent black females are involved in sexual relationships (MEE 23), sexual relationships that bring them to the abuses of men at an early age. Males call their female sexual partners as the shorty while they call their other partner the wifey whom they consider for a long-term relationship (MEE 26). Thus, if one is the shorty better yet expect nothing more than sex. Apparently, hip hop is nowadays more than just a musical genre, for it has become a catalyst of change that influenced the black males to feeling that they are more superior compared to women and that women, at present, are vulnerable and easily deceive by their false promises. In relation to the abuses encountered by young black women in the so ciety, sexual violence, sexism, beat downs, sexual dishonesty and anti-lesbianism are some of the challenges that these women have to deal with in everyday life (Sharpley-Whiting 12). These female difficulties reflect how young black women are being maltreated by some men. However, because of the emergence of hip hop culture, these difficulties were made to appear as if it were a normal part of life (Sharpley-Whiting 12). The â€Å"patriarchal and misogynistic notions of manhood and masculinity combined with racism†

Latin American religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Latin American religion - Essay Example African based religions in Central America include Santeria, Vondoo, Condomble, and others. The development of these religion dates back to the time when the Africans started arriving in Central American states.This was during the era of slave trade when they were brought to work in sugar plantation of the colonialist. There religion developed from a mixture of African culture of the slave who had settled in the sates. The early development of these religions was based on the need to have the Africans united in the foreign land. These realigns were based on the principle of truth, justice, righteousness, harmony, order and reciprocity. They were based on the need to have self sustainable and the notion of being self empowered in the foreign land. They had a sense of individual and communal appeal. The growth of these religions in Latin America could have followed amore direct root since most of them were prohibited. The prohibition of these religions made them stronger. They grew to be some of the most important sycretic religion in Latin America.Due to the prohibition of the practice of these religions, they did not make a nationals appeal but remained practice mainly by the individual African community that has started them. With time they came to be indentified with the Africans an identity that remains up to date. In light of this the national suppressing of these religions was different rand therefore they remained active in the country where they were more practiced. For example, Voodoo survived the religious assault in Cuba, Brazil, Dominic Republic and other part of Central America where it is practiced to date. Condobmle survived only in Brazil where it is practices up do date. Even up to date, there religions have remained racialized according to the community that started practicing them early. It was due to repression of these religion which made them stay limited to the African groups although there have been some degree of acceptance of the religion in the region. The process of nationalisation and acceptance of these religions have taken along time due to the confinement of the religion to the practicing communities alone. Judaism Judaism is the religion that has been spread to all parents of the world by the Jew. It is the main religion that has been carried out from Middle East to the whole world by the Jews. The coming of the religion in Latin America is associated with the coming of Jews in the region. They date back to the time when Christopher Columbus and his voyage reached America in 1492. There were around seven Jews who sailed with Columbus on the voyage. When the came to American they stated practising their religion which they have been carrying on with them to all parts of the world. They spread to Latin America where they established their religion in areas where they occupying. Like in other parts of the world where the Jews settled they have been able to keep their religion Jews has emerged to be one of the accepted religion in Central America although it has remained to be loyal to the Jews alone. It has remained exclusive practiced by Jews whoa re still living in Latin America. Judaism has been shown to be one of the religion that developed along tradition African religions in America having developed since 15th century to the 21st century and was likewise repressed and lacked a nationwide appeal for a long time. The process of nationalization of the Jewish religion has been slows like the other region. This has been based on the fact that Jews has reamed conservatively as a Jews religion alone and has been identified with the Jewish community alone. However it has remained to be one of the major religions in the region. Judaism was able to survive the spread of the catholic religion which was brought by the Spanish who discovered the land. Islam Islam has been one of the growing religions in the world in the recent past. It has been growing in number since it arrived in the region. Islam came

Discuss the extent to which rape is central to heroic mythical Research Paper

Discuss the extent to which rape is central to heroic mythical narratives of the Greeks and Romans. What is the effect of associ - Research Paper Example Narratives based on the theme of love often depicted rapes of mortal women by male gods. Such interactions led to the conception and subsequent birth of heroic offspring. When analyzing rape in heroic narratives from its references in art, it is seen that rape was used to develop and project social normality or otherwise. Moorti observes that rape is a central theme in Greek mythology (203). The degree of importance given to rape shows the elements of patriarchy and male supremacy as well as the normality of violent acts with women. The narratives that have been written after 5 BC show that rape was increasingly used as a means of blurring and comfortably transgressing the boundaries between the divine and the mortals. It was also used as a way of expressing identity and personal limits. It served a heuristic purpose, trying to provide solutions for questions relating to existence, religion and politics. Moorti contends that the metaphorical use of rape for taking into consideration major issues should not be regarded as an atavistic practice or linked to a recurrence due to genetics (203). On the contrary, its use shows how legal and illegal issues related to sexuality are addressed. The liberal use of rape in Greek and Roman mythology raises questions regarding the intention behind it. It is observed that one of the reasons why rape was used commonly was that it depicted power and rank. The tales of narratives were in fact representations of the lifestyle and ways of living of the Greeks and the Romans. The social and cultural norms of the civilizations were such that men had the authority to rape women to punish them or simply to assert their control and authority over them. Rape was also carried out by gods for the same reasons. Gods used rape as a tool for asserting the connections and importance of familial relations between them. Despite the fact that the Romans and the Greeks were cultured people, rape was inflicted by men on women on a common scale and the same element was portrayed in heroic narratives. When studying Greek mythology, one can conclude that most of them are largely patriarchal and served to facilitate the image and position of the males in the society (Harris and Platzner 850). By showing that gods also raped, the males were able to justify their actions and prove that they cannot be wrong if they were carried out by gods too (Xanders). Rape in heroic narratives did not have any stigma or negative consequences associated with it. A similar claim is asserted by Smith (12). Smith is of the point of view that drinking and sexual abuse were rampant in the ancient times. Men used to carry out such acts without any remorse or fear because they were characteristic of religious elements and did not embody the disgrace of any misconduct. One such behavioral analogy representing alcohol-induced rape in Greek mythology can be found in the conduct and character of Satyr. Satyr was a forest being which was related to the god o f wine, Dionysus. Satyr indulged itself in excessive wine consumption and rapes of women (Smith 12). Other instances of rape in Greek mythology are seen in Helen’s kidnapping from Sparta, the rape of Alcippe and the rape of Protogeneia by Zeus to name a few (Simon 4). Woodard is of the perspective that when looking at the study of causes, there is an apparent pattern of seeing the human status as that of a victim (366). This is manifested in the supremacy of the gods over the mortals. The early narratives of

Hispanic American Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Hispanic American Diversity - Essay Example People of Mexican origin are Mexicans either for the reason they are born in Mexico or of Mexican heritage. "The majority of Mexican Americans live in urban areas which comprise the three agricultural migrant streams that flow from the south to the north across the country, often twice annually. Historically, Mexican Americans have been both an urban and rural population. Since the 1600s, Mexicans were the first Americans to establish homesteads in the territories that became Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. Since before the turn of the century, Mexican Americans literally built the great southwestern cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, Tucson, Albuquerque, Dallas, and San Antonio" (2006b) Mexican culture is influenced by folk art, which exhibits in major American museums, and "the great Mexican muralists like Rivera, Siquieros, and Orozco were invited to paint frescoes on the walls of American institutional sites such as universities and even within such edifices of capitalism as Rockefeller Center in New York" (Limon, 1998, p. 26) Local Mexican cultural life involves the participation of ranches, they used to gather for parties and seasonal balls and dutifully attend Sunday gatherings. With respect to linguistics, "Mexican America... Others, speaking perfect English, have completely forsaken the tongue of their ancestors". (Gonzalez, 1969, p. 16) A few, usually among the more educated intellectual class, have made a point of learning to speak both English and Spanish well, but they are, very rare. It has been found that the majority of the members of this population still learn English as a second language, however Spanish-American leaders recognize that in order for individuals to raise their socioeconomic level they must speak English well. Puerto Ricans The cultural heritage of Puerto Rico is among the richest in the world. Traditionally, the Puerto Rican people speak Spanish; it is their language of loyalty, romance, passion, patriotism, business, negotiation, and defiance-it is their cultural language. Their ancestors inherited this language from the Spaniards through conquest, and yet it is not the language that the Spaniards spoke when Puerto Rico was under Spanish colonial rule, and it is not the Spanish that Spaniards speak today. In addition, for those who are fully bilingual in Spanish and English, a linguistic phenomenon called "Spanglish" has arisen. The Spanish conquest of Puerto Rico, and the rest of Latin America, for the most part guaranteed that the people would become Roman Catholic. Under colonial rule, it was forbidden to practice any religion but Catholicism. "In Puerto Rico there seems to be a combination of the practices of Santeria and Spiritism, and there are times when the people themselves are not certain o f the origin of a particular custom; they practice it because their ancestors did, not because they are active followers of Santeria or Spiritism". (Perez, 2000, p. 17) Politically, "Puerto Ricans have always received lower levels of Federal

Nurture Your Childs Self-Esteem Essay Example for Free

Nurture Your Childs Self-Esteem Essay Kids start developing their sense of self as babies when they see themselves through their parents eyes. Your tone of voice, your body language, and your every expression are absorbed by your kids. Your words and actions as a parent affect their developing self-esteem more than anything else. Praising accomplishments, however small, will make them feel proud; letting kids do things independently will make them feel capable and strong. By contrast, belittling comments or comparing a child unfavorably with another will make kids feel worthless. Avoid making loaded statements or using words as weapons. Comments like What a stupid thing to do! or You act more like a baby than your little brother! cause damage just as physical blows do. Choose your words carefully and be compassionate. Let your kids know that everyone makes mistakes and that you still love them, even when you dont love their behavior. Catch Kids Being Good Have you ever stopped to think about how many times you react negatively to your kids in a given day? You may find yourself criticizing far more often than complimenting. How would you feel about a boss who treated you with that much negative guidance, even if it was well intentioned? The more effective approach is to catch kids doing something right: You made your bed without being asked — thats terrific! or I was watching you play with your sister and you were very patient. These statements will do more to encourage good behavior over the long run than repeated scoldings. Make a point of finding something to praise every day. Be generous with rewards — your love, hugs, and compliments can work wonders and are often reward enough. Soon you will find you are growing more of the behavior you would like to see. Set Limits and Be Consistent With Your Discipline Discipline is necessary in every household. The goal of discipline is to help kids choose acceptable behaviors and learn self-control. They may test the limits you establish for them, but they need those limits to grow into responsible adults. Establishing house rules helps kids understand your expectations and develop self-control. Some rules might include: no TV untilhomework is done, and no hitting, name-calling, or hurtful teasing allowed. You might want to have a system in place: one warning, followed by consequences such as a time out or loss of privileges. A common mistake parents make is failure to follow through with the consequences. You cant discipline kids for talking back one day and ignore it the next. Being consistent teaches what you expect. Make Time for Your Kids Its often difficult for parents and kids to get together for a family meal, let alone spend quality time together. But there is probably nothing kids would like more. Get up 10 minutes earlier in the morning so you can eat breakfast with your child or leave the dishes in the sink and take a walk after dinner. Kids who arent getting the attention they want from their parents often act out or misbehave because theyre sure to be noticed that way. Many parents find it rewarding to schedule together time with their kids. Create a special night each week to be together and let your kids help decide how to spend the time. Look for other ways to connect — put a note or something special in your kids lunchbox. Adolescents seem to need less undivided attention from their parents than younger kids. Because there are fewer windows of opportunity for parents and teens to get together, parents should do their best to be available when their teen does express a desire to talk or participate in family activities. Attending concerts, games, and other events with your teen communicates caring and lets you get to know more about your child and his or her friends in important ways. Dont feel guilty if youre a working parent. It is the many little things you do — making popcorn, playing cards, window shopping — that kids will remember. Be a Good Role Model Young kids learn a lot about how to act by watching their parents. The younger they are, the more cues they take from you. Before you lash out or blow your top in front of your child, think about this: is that how you want your child to behave when angry? Be aware that youre constantly being observed by your kids. Studies have shown that children who hit usually have a role model for aggression at home. Model the traits you wish to cultivate in your kids: respect, friendliness, honesty, kindness, tolerance. Exhibit unselfish behavior. Do things for other people without expecting a reward. Express thanks and offer compliments. Above all, treat your kids the way you expect other people to treat you. Make Communication a Priority You cant expect kids to do everything simply because you, as a parent, say so. They want and deserve explanations as much as adults do. If we dont take time to explain, kids will begin to wonder about our values and motives and whether they have any basis. Parents who reason with their kids allow them to understand and learn in a nonjudgmental way. Make your expectations clear. If there is a problem, describe it, express your feelings, and invite your child to work on a solution with you. Be sure to include consequences. Make suggestions and offer choices. Be open to your childs suggestions as well. Negotiate. Kids who participate in decisions are more motivated to carry them out. Be Flexible and Willing to Adjust Your Parenting Style If you frequently feel let down by your childs behavior, perhaps you have unrealistic expectations. Parents who think in shoulds (for example, My kid should be potty-trained by now) might find it helpful to read up on the matter or to talk to other parents or child development specialists. Kids environments have an impact on their behavior, so you may be able to modify that behavior by changing the environment. If you find yourself constantly saying no to your 2-year-old, look for ways to restructure your surroundings so that fewer things are off-limits. This will cause less frustration for both of you. As your child changes, youll gradually have to change your parenting style. Chances are, what works with your child now wont work as well in a year or two. Teens tend to look less to their parents and more to their peers for role models. But continue to provide guidance, encouragement, and appropriate discipline while allowing your teen to earn more independence. And seize every available moment to make a connection! Show That Your Love Is Unconditional As a parent, youre responsible for correcting and guiding your kids. But how you express your corrective guidance makes all the difference in how a child receives it. When you have to confront your child, avoid blaming, criticizing, or fault-finding, which undermine self-esteem and can lead to resentment. Instead, strive to nurture and encourage, even when disciplining your kids. Make sure they know that although you want and expect better next time, your love is there no matter what. Know Your Own Needs and Limitations as a Parent Face it — you are an imperfect parent. You have strengths and weaknesses as a family leader. Recognize your abilities — I am loving and dedicated. Vow to work on your weaknesses — I need to be more consistent with discipline. Try to have realistic expectations for yourself, your spouse, and your kids. You dont have to have all the answers — be forgiving of yourself. And try to make parenting a manageable job. Focus on the areas that need the most attention rather than trying to address everything all at once. Admit it when youre burned out. Take time out from parenting to do things that will make you happy as a person (or as a couple). Focusing on your needs does not make you selfish. It simply means you care about your own well-being, which is another important value to model for your children.

Process Management Methods for Construction Performance

Process Management Methods for Construction Performance ABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to study how the construction performance can be improved by adopting the process management approaches, in order to provide better client value and more cost-efficient production. The research focused on the manufacturing process , and referring point, and transfer this process thinking into the construction. The methods were tested in pilot tests in which the developed cost and value engineering prototype application was used. This thesis demonstrates an integration of design and production planning based on the product model approach. The final outcome is that the main contractor can utilise information coming from designers as input in its own tendering and cost estimation applications. The key methodology used for describing the information management process throughout the building process life-cycle was IDEF0. The analysis of the current process (as-is), in the form of an IDEF0 model, helped in identifying the main problems of current practice. The target process (to-be) definition was based on product model utilisation and takes into account the possibilities for process reengineering supported by product data technology. One specific requirement was deemed important in view of the anticipated developments in thearea of data exchange; the target system should be structured in such a way that it could easily be adapted to receive data according to the emerging IFC core model schemas. The overall result of the research reported in this thesis is that the product model approach can be used for a substantially reengineered information management process of a main contractor, especially in design and construct type contracts CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION RESEARCH BACKGROUND The construction industry is suffering from its fragmented nature ¼Ã‹â€ European Commission, 1994 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °. The lack of co-ordination and communication between parties, the informal and unstructured learning process, adversarial contractual relationships and the lack of customer focus are what inhibit the performance of the industry (Latham, 1994; Egan, 1998). Because the construction project is regarded as unpredictable in terms of delivery time, cost, profitability and quality, the industry has not been able to combine high quality with productivity, customer satisfaction and flexibility (Fairclough, 2002). Howell (1999) pointed out that the ‘inefficiency’ of the industry has tended to be the way of life. However, Latham (1994) suggests using the manufacturing as a referencing point and transferring the practices and theories from manufacturing industry. And Howell suggests that the learning from manufacturing could be a two way process: manufacturing could learn from construction in areas such as project-based management; and construction could learn from manufacturing’s developed and developing solutions to improve competitiveness. In manufacturers are accustomed to taking a process view of their operations, and they usually model both discrete product activities and holistic high-level process both internal and external activities. Base upon this, Egan (1998) recommends that process modelling could be used as a method to improve the construction performance. Furthermore, many other models derived from manufacturing and process management theories have been recognized and adopted by construction companies Nevertheless, as Ball (1988) summarised, construction industry has distinctive characteristics differentiating from other sectors as well as manufacturing. Although solutions have been recommended, their implementation in manufacturing is far advanced in comparison to construction industry. Thus to what extent these process management approaches and models can improve the design and construction process will need to be examined. RESEARCH AIM The aim of the research is to understand construction process management and to prove it as an approach that could help to improve the construction performance. In order to achieve the aim, specific objectives were set PROJECT OBJECTIVES The research project objectives are outlined below l To explore the readiness of construction to embrace the process approach to deliver project l to identify the present state of process management in construction l To Study the current trends and developments of construction process management METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH The starting point of this research is exploring the construction process management approach and find out its influence on construction productivity and competitiveness. A cross-section research method is adopted in the collection and analysing of the data and presentation of the findings. To obtain comprehensive understanding of the relationship between manufacturing process and construction process, as well as theories on construction process management, a great quantity of books and documents need to be looked through. Then the implementation of process management in construction is inspected by adoption of the case study qualitative research approach. REPORT STRUCTURE The general instruction and structure of the report will be provided in this section. The report is organized to consist of six main chapters. A brief description of the content of each chapter is outlined below Chapter one In this chapter, the research report is introduced. The research background is addressed. The aim and objectives are also presented. Chapter two Chapter two reviews the existing literature. A wide-ranging literature review was carried out to identify the current knowledge and keep up on any development on the field. The literature review covers the understanding of manufacturing process, construction industry situation and problems within it, process management theory, and the implementation of construction process management approach. Chapter Three In this chapter, an overall outline of various research methods that might applied in this research is presented. The selection and justification of the research methods are described. The chosen methods and research plan are highlighted in this chapter. Chapter Four This chapter examines the collected data and analyzes the data within cases, as well as a detailed cross-case analysis of cases. Chapter Five This chapter is directly linked to the chapter four. An in-depth discussion is held based upon the previous analysis and research. Chapter Six This chapter provides the conclusion of the report as well as the recommendation. The direction of further research is also proposed SUMMARY CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction Over the past few years, researchers and sponsors have increasingly turned their attentions to finding ways managing the construction process. After decades of neglect, construction process is high on the agenda. As the construction product has in most instances been a ‘one-off’, much emphasis has been placed on project management. However actually the industry is focused on design and development of a building product and should look to manufacturing reference on how to manage the design and development process. Examining the manufacturing perspective and understanding how it can be applied to design and construction and considering the use of techniques and technologies available to support the process and the issues relating to the implementation on projects is essential for construction industry . However, whether this process approach is needed in the construction field, and to what extent it contributes to the construction industry, this required to be researched a nd evaluated. Therefore in this project, why there should be process management in construction industry, the state-of-the-art, how it is applied and the future of it will be identified. Being continuously criticized for its less than optimal performance by several government and institutional reports such as Philips(1950) and Latham(1994), The UK construction industry has been under increasing pressure to improve its practices(Howell, 1999). From the analysis of these reports, conclusion coming up that the fragmented nature of the industry, the lack of co-ordination and communication between parties the informal and unstructured learning process, adversarial contractual relationships and the lack of customer focus are widely and typically existing in the construction industry and are supposed to embarrass the industry’s performance. Furthermore, Fairclough(2002) indicates that construction are often seen as unpredictable in terms of delivery time, cost, profitability and quality, and the investment into research and development is usually seen as expensive when compared to other industry. According to Howell, the â€Å"inefficiency† of the industry has tended to be the way of life. This may be due to the fact that none of the reports, apart from Latham (1994) and Egan (1998), has been sufficiently acted upon. So Lutham suggests using manufacturing as a reference point and Egan, in his Rethinking Construction report, recommends process modelling as a method of improvement. There has been a constant subject of discussion on the transfer of the transfer of practices and theories from other sectors as Lutham (1994) suggested in his report. Some construction practitioners are obstinate that their industry is unique and that the transference of principles cannot be adopted wholeheartedly. Due to it, Ball (1998) emphasized some of the arguments most commonly used to differentiate construction from other industries: The one-of-a-kind product. The spatial fixity of buildings. One-site production. The effect of land price on design and construction possibilities. The requirement for long life expectancy. The inexperience of clients The merchant role of company. The overwhelmingly domestic industry. The masculine stereotype of the workforce. The long cycle from design to production. The high cost of the projects. The amplified reaction to economic crisis. The labour intensive production The fragmented nature of the industry. Nevertheless, there are also many practitioners and academics who believe that the construction industry has much to learn from other industries typically manufacturing. Howell (1999) goes so far as to suggest that this learning could be a two way process: manufacturing could learn from construction in area such as project-based management; and construction could learn from manufacturing’s developed and developing solutions, to improve its performance of competitiveness and productivity. As stated by Love ¼Ã¢â‚¬  Gunasekaran (1996) and Korenlius ¼Ã¢â‚¬  Wamelink (1998), manufacturing has been a constant reference point and a source of innovation in construction for many decades. Solutions that have been recommended to help overcome the problems of construction include industrialization, computer-integrated construction, robotics and automated construction. However their implementation in manufacturing is far advanced in comparison to the construction industry. Koskela (1992) believes that the fundamental theories and principles of manufacturing should be harnessed to deliver the full benefits to construction rather than the ‘technological solutions’. In recent years the realization that the construction industry might not be as unique as was traditionally thought has initiated new research, which In particularly, has resulted in a development of the concept that construction is a manufacturing process. Moreover a research fund under the Innovative Manufacturing Initiative (IMI) sector of the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC, 1998) to continue and expound upon current thinking. a new phenomenon currently appears to being steadily exploited within construction companies at the side of the new technologies taken from manufacturing. It is based upon the development and use of fundamental core processes to improve efficiency of the industry, with great emphasis upon the basic theories and principles underlying the design and construction process. Egan(1998) draw attention to this factor by reporting that due to the fragmented nature of the construction industry very little work had gone into process modelling. Manufacturers are in the habit of taking a process view of their operations; they usually model both discrete product activities and holistic high-level for both internal and external activities. In particular, there has be a growing volume of research focusing upon the consolidation of the just-in-time(JIT) and the total quality management(TQM) theories, with an array of other practices such as productive maintenance, visual management and re-engineering . Investigations by construction practitioners and academics alike have now sought to develop the content and manufacturing, agile production and lean production. Current Researches on Construction Industry The Civil Engineering Research Foundation (CERT) Report observes that the construction industry is becoming frustrated over the lack of progress in removing or mitigating barriers to improving construction practices and is necessary to support sustainable development goals. the industry has to face Many difficulties as it approach this goal: facilities are designed by using least-cost technologies that ignore opportunities to improve productivity and enhance environmental quality; it seems to be complicated, to achieve agreement on government design and construction policies that advance sustainable development; what’s more, there are the frustration of knowing better technologies are available but not having the capacity o find and retrieve them; and international concentration on construction research and practice is far more inadequate. Also the report identifies specific constraints to innovation that characterize the challenges facing the construction industry which repre sent the areas where work needs to be done. The observers indicate that the design and construction process often discourage the introduction of innovative technologies and systems that have superior characteristics but are not necessarily the least-cost option, which can work to the detriment of owners and the environment; unsuitable building codes and disjointed regulatory systems that does not allow for adopting new and better materials and practices are often be applied when buildings and facilities are designed and constructed. There is a lack of understanding by the public and by industry of practices and opportunities to promote sustainable development; there is lack of timely and accurate information and a knowledge base on proven design and construction solutions and techniques for assuring quality construction, which results in lost opportunities to improve system efficiencies and productivity through adoption of innovative technologies; there are no consistent, accurate, and comprehensive predictive models available for designing for sustainability making the process difficult to validate, monitor, and evaluate. Therefore, the observers suggest, new tools and methods are required for advancing state-of-the-art technologies, including taking advantage of advances in information systems to increase the construction industry’s efficiency and productivity. According to Kraiem Diekman’s (1987) theory delays of project are classified into three groups: compensable, excusable and non-excusable. Generally, a delay is considered compensable to the contractor when its cause is within the control, is the fault of or is caused by the negligence of the owner. Excusable delays occur when the contractor is delayed by occurrences that are not attributable to either the contractor or owner. Non-excusable delays are caused by the contractors own action and/or inaction. These can be caused by the fault of the contractor, or his subcontractors, material, workforce or suppliers. The delay damages from the contractor is regarded could be retrieved by the owner conceivably. Lieshmann (1991) presented the consequences of delays in construction, especially from the legal point of view. Herbsman et al. (1995) catalogued the influence of delays on time, cost and quality. Baldwin Manthei (1971) studied the causes of delay in building projects in the USA. The major causes of delay were the result of weather, labour supply and subcontractors. These authors found that adequate planning at the very early stages of the project is important for minimizing delay and cost overruns in most projects in developing countries. This study dealt with developing countries where workers are relatively skilled. The authors realised that some of these problems relate to the special characteristics of this part of the world, such as productivity, whereas others are inherent in the nature of construction projects, such as planning and control problems. Yates (1993) developed a decision support system for construction delay analysis called the delay analysis system (DAS). The main categories of delays in the DAS system include engineering, equipment, external delays, labour, management, materials, owner, subcontractor and weather. Assaf et al. (1995) studied the causes of delay in large building construction projects in Saudi Arabia. Some of the mos t important causes of delay included approval of shop drawings, delays in contractors payment by owners, design changes by owners, cash problems during construction, the relationships between different subcontractors schedules in the execution of the project, the slowness of the owners decision-making process, design errors, excessive bureaucracy in project-owner organization, labour shortages and inadequate labour skills. From analysing the factors causing the delay of project, there should be elicitation on whether it can be diminished by application of process management. Atkin, BorgbrantJosephson (2003) argues that ideas of what should be considered in the design stage of a new building often seems to be a headache for architects, engineers and clients. These ideas invariably lead to some compromise between the demands of hard engineering and softer issues, with the potential likewise to compromise on the physical characteristics and performance of the building leading to some measure of failure. Examples of failure include high energy costs, health problems and structural destruction because of moisture, for which the occupant must pay directly or indirectly. Long-term socio-economic consequences can occur from this as well. Current problems are failures resulting from neglect of building physics principles are examined and their causes are highlighted. Research is continuing into the development of tools to help reduce the risk of failure and to highlight the costs and risks attached to the insufficient attention to building physics principles. Theories on Manufacturing Process and Process Management According to Melan’s(1992) research, a well- managed manufacturing process has the following characteristics: 1. Clearly defined ownership. Traditionally, ownership of a manufacturing operation is generally clear and explicit; it resides with a manager. The manager responsible for the operation is readily identifiable. The organization objectives, its output, and what the manager is accountable for must be fully understood. Standards such as cost, schedule, and quality are established for judging the manager’s performance. However, in recent years, authorized work teams and self-directed work groups where employees are assuming some of the tradition roles of management have gradually take the place of the traditional management ownership. A process owner, whether an individual or a team, is fully responsible for yield, cost, quality, and schedule, and must management the process to the targets set on these standards. Further, an owner has the authority to change or oversee a change in the process within his or her area of jurisdiction. 2. Defined boundaries. Manufacturing processes have a clearly defined beginning and end. He final output, or deliverable, as well as the input required to create it are clear and unambiguous. What is sometimes not clear, however, is whether output specifications truly reflect customer requirements and whether input specifications represent what is needed in the ensuring transformations. The lack of understanding of requirements on either the input side or output side underlies many business processes. In a well-managed manufacturing process, requirements problems are minimized through conscious effort aimed at specifying the work product as it proceeds from one operation to another. 3. Documented flow of work. Work flow in a manufacturing process is generally documented in great detail. There are several reasons for this. Documentation provides a permanent record of the manner in which a physical transformation takes place for production purposes. This record also provides a reference point or baseline from which any changes are to be made and serves as a means for replicating the process. Finally, documentation also serves as both a training and reference aid for the personnel involved in the process. 4. Established control points. Control points serve as a means for regulating the quality of work. Because of the natural variation that occurs in physical process, control points are established to manage variation. These points involve such activities as inspection, verification of required characteristics, and the disposition of discrepant material. 5. Established measurements. Measurements provide a statistical basis for controlling the flow of work and managing variation. Statistical techniques such as the control chart serve as useful tools for managing variation in many operations of a repetitive nature. 6. Control of process deviations. In managed processed, corrective action is performed in a timely manner and from a statistical basis when an undesirable variation occurs. Feedback and regulation are the heart of process control and, without control, the process loses its capacity of providing consistent output quality. Anderson’s (1994) theory clearly introduces the manufacturing process. He states that the most obvious characteristics of a production facility are the volume of items produced and the variety of different products made using the same resources. The volume and variety characteristics provide one way to look at the process of manufacture. Usually an increasing volume of production, in term of the number of individual units of each product, will go hand in hand with decreasing variety, in terms of the number of different products. And the author classifies the manufacturing process into three types: Mass Production involves producing a small number of different products in a great quantity, which provides the stereotype of manufacturing industry: long assembly lines where men or machines endlessly turn on the same product month after month. One characteristic of a mass production process is that operations are linked together in a line: when one operation is finished on a produc t it moves directly to the next operation; Batch Production is used when there are a greater variety of products being produced, with correspondingly smaller volumes. In this situation it is usual to have machinery and equipment which can be used to carry out operations on a number of different products. A single machine will carry out an operation on a whole batch of items of one kind and then be set up to carry out a similar operation on a whole batch of items of another kind; One-off production is used when individual customers each require an individual product, which is different from any product the company has made in the recent past. This implies low volumes but the greatest possible variety. With very large and complicated items the manufacturing process may be project based. This indicates that the manufacturing processes sufficiently complex, and over a long enough time-scale, that the major difficulties are associated with planning how various different operations and ac tivities will fit together. Born (1994) has provided a systematic method for integrating process management with quality management. It is based on a notion called the Quality Process Language (QPL), which is capable of representing and analysing all process within an organization. It also provides a basis for quality management approaches, such as ownership of processes, improved communication and compliance with requirements and regulations. QPL has been used in many types of organisation, large and small, highly structured and loosely structured. It provides a foundation for practical approaches such as facilitated workshops, process mapping and improvement, and documentation of procedures. The author also point out that activities and roles inputs and results of any organization can be well represented if the nation of QPL is mastered and then this notion can be converted into ordinary text and flow charts, for use in procedure and other documentation about the organization. The use of QPL as author states provides a common language for process and quality specialists to communicate directly. This offers an opportunity to discuss and design organizational and process changes without ignoring the effect on quality. QPL is a diagrammatic language, and it makes it easier for non-quality specialists to understand how processes affect quality and vice versa. Process Management in Construction Report (Kagioglou, Cooper, AouadSexton, 2000) introduces the findings and recommendation on the process management relate to the state of the construction industry at the present time and recommend some solutions as t in respect of how some of the problems might be overcome by transferring established practices from the manufacturing industry. However, the authors deem that it must be very careful when transferring knowledge and practices from manufacturing into the construction industry due to a number of reasons. First, the differences between the level of maturity of both processes and practices are distinct, with manufacturing having the lead. Second, because construction depends heavily on Temporary Multi-organizations (TMOs) while long-term partnership arrangements normally play the operation role in the manufacturing industry, the structure of the industries and of the organization of project personnel is dissimilar. Finally, comparison between the processes and the practices of both industries must be made by considering the levels in which they exist, such as strategic, managerial and operational. Therefore, clarification of process levels can have an important influence on the management of those processes. Kagioglou (1998) argues that there are two chief perspectives of manufacturing that construction can benefit from: the project process or New Product Development (NPD) and the operational and production processes. The first relates very closely, both in terms of nature and content, to the design and construction process. For itself, the development that of a solution from a demand identified in the market place or internally within an organization to the implementation is considered. This is achieved by organizing the activities that need to take place in a number of phases, which are made distinct by the determination of review points between the phases. This is very similar to the enactment of a construction project, the difference being that the distinction between the phases is usually determined by the entry of the different parties or functions, for example, architects, contractors, to the process. The second area is related to the way in which the production of a product, incl uding material flow, process design and resources planning, is undertaken. Indeed, a number of very effective philosophies and practices such as Just in Time (JIT), lean production and others have a legacy of optimized production in the manufacturing sector. JIT aims to improve production by utilizing the internal and external supply chains in terms of people and material flow. The first two benefits can be realized in the construction industry perhaps more readily than the third one, which requires a significant reorganization and mind-shift of the litigation-driven industry. This investigation concentrates on what can be absorbed from the NPD project process of manufacturing, and reference to it is made throughout the description of the Generic Design and Construction Process Protocol (GDCPP). Koskela (1992) expresses in his report that currently some construction subproducts are produced in processes that possess a manufacturing character. The assembly of such components with the building frame usually represents a minor share of the total costs. Windows, doors, elevators, prefabricated concrete components, and prefabricated houses, are examples of this kind of manufactured product. In regard to quality management, clear progress has been made in many countries. Many supplying firms have acquired quality certification according to the ISO standard. The application of the new production philosophy is least problematic in this part of the construction industry: the methods and techniques developed in manufacturing can be applied directly. However, except for quality management techniques, only a minor fraction of the factories and plants delivering to construction sites have begun to implement the new philosophy. It may be anticipated that this transformation will proceed r apidly after having gained initial momentum. Thus, industrialized construction might gain competitive benefits sooner than site construction. Additionally, Koskela (1992) summarized the condition of Implementation of process improvement by engineering and construction organizations. The inherent recommendation of the new philosophy to construction practitioners is clear that the share of non value-adding activities in all processes has to be systematically and persistently decreased. Increasing the efficiency of value-adding activities has to be continued in parallel. Construction should adopt the new production philosophy. In manufacturing, the new production philosophy improves competitiveness by identifying and eliminating waste (non value-adding) activities. Traditionally, construction is viewed and modelled only as a series of conversion (value-adding) activities. For example, waste activities such as waiting, storing inventory, moving material, and inspection are not generally modelled by Critical Path Models (CPM) or other control tools. Construction has traditionally tried to improve competitiveness by making conve rsions incrementally more efficient. But judging from the manufacturing experience, construction could realize dramatic improvements simply by identifying and eliminating non conversion (non value-adding) activities. In other words, actual construction should be viewed as flow processes (consisting of both waste and conversion activities), not just conversion processes. As demonstrated previously by the manufacturing industrys experience, adoption of the new production philosophy will be a fundamental paradigm shift for the construction industry. The implications of this for design are that the process of construction must be developed in conjunction with the design itself. An initial set of design and improvement principles for flow processes are presented that can serve as an implementation guideline. Major development efforts in construction, like industrialization, computer integrated construction and construction automation has to be redefined to acknowledge the need to balance flow improvement and conversion improvement. The conceptual foundation of construction management and engineering, being based on the concept of conversion only, is obsolete. Formalization of the scientific foundations of construction management and engineering should be a primary long term task fo

The Rights to Bear Arms Essay -- Bill Rights second amendment Constitu

The Rights to Bear Arms   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gun control is a very controversial issue among society at present. Many feel guns are the cause of a great amount of crime. This has been an especially popular topic recently in lieu of the shooting at Columbine and other high schools across the country. Are these crimes reason to take away our freedom to bear arms? I do not believe so. The average person uses guns mainly as a means of protection. If limitations are placed on guns, they will only stop the average American from obtaining a gun. The real criminals out there will still be able to obtain guns through the black market. Every American should have the right to protect them self. The second amendment to the constitution of the United States says, â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.†1 This amendment enforced a practice that had been occurring in America for years. When the constitution was forming, there was not a large standing army. Many inhabitants were minutemen, who needed a gun to help protect society; this is why the militia was mentioned in the amendment. The militia clause is merely a rationale for preserving the right.1 Even if today's well-regulated militia were the National Guard, the Second Amendment still protects an individual right to keep and bear arms.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many people feel this amendment should be changed, or more restrictions should be placed on people who want to purchase guns. Some believe that guns hurt more than they help, even though statistics prove otherwise. I feel that guns are not as big of a threat to society as people are lead to believe, mainly by the media. Fatal gun accidents declined by almost sixty percent from 1975 to 1995, even though the number of guns per capita increased by almost forty percent.2 The cart below shows that a number of crimes have started decreasing, even though sales in guns has increased. Recently, the media has shown many incidents of shootings in schools. This is nothing new, as the media makes it out to be. Schools have had trouble with crime for many years. Years ago metal detectors were installed in schools across the nation to stop violence in schools. These detectors were placed because there was a problem in the past. Crime related to guns has, in fact, gone down. The reality does not... ...were to happen here. Although we are a democracy, as more freedoms are taken away, we move farther and farther away from the very idea of America. The history of mankind has many examples of what happens when the state becomes too powerful and there is no check on it by an armed population.5 It is impossible for the government to control the sales of gun through the black market, which provides these dangerous weapons to murders and drug dealers. Shouldn’t it be the government’s duty to allow the average law abiding citizen to protect them self. Bibliography Bieber, James D. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms. http://www.yaf.com/philosophy.html Gun Accidents. http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcgvacci.html. 2/13/2000. Illinois State Firearm Laws. http://nraila.org/research/19990716-BillofRightsCivilRights-015.html. September 1997. Larson, Erik. "The Story of a Gun", The Atlantic Monthly. January 1993. Origional Intent and Purpose of the Second Amendment. http://www.guncite.com/gc2ndpur.html, 1/12/2000. Schools and Gun Violence. http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcgvscho.html. 6/13/199 Second Amendment Stuff. http://secondamendmentstuff.com/. 1/16/2000

America Needs to Invest the Social Security Trust Fund Essay -- Argume

America Needs to Invest the Social Security Trust Fund Our nation ensures social welfare through Social Security. However, the United States cannot ensure the welfare of its own welfare system. To save Social Security, Americans in general do not favor an increase in the payroll tax, a cut in benefits or an increase in the retirement age. Furthermore, Americans are relying upon Social Security as their sole source of income at increasingly alarming rates. Social Security is intended to supplement retiree income, not account for 100% of it. Through elimination of the potential options, that leaves one necessary action: invest the Social Security trust fund in the stock market. According to the San Francisco Chronicle (Social Security, Sec. C, p 16), many people are concerned that investing Social Security's trust fund in the stock market will not only jeopardize their future income, but would result in the federal government influencing economic decisions. These concerns are uneducated assumptions. Under the proposed plan to invest a portion of the Social Security trust fund in the stock market, only new and previously unanticipated Social Security money would be invested. Part of The President’s plan entails allocating "more than $2.7 trillion in expected budget surpluses over the next 15 years or 62% of the total to directly bolster Social Security's cash reserves. Of that, nearly $700 billion or 25% would be invested in the stock market." This plan would eliminate the risk of losing payroll tax money because only budget surplus revenue would be invested. Many who oppose The President's plan have lived through the Great Depression, one of the bleakest times in American history. While the Great Depression was triggered ... ... belongs to us, the people. Therefore the government, which holds the key to Social Security and in essence, our future, needs to adjust the system to the needs of it's beneficiaries. Don't cut benefits, as many Americans rely on Social Security for a large portion of their income. Don't increase the retirement age because more and more Americans are retiring in their 50's to play golf in Florida or do whatever, wherever. And don't increase the tax we pay, because it's already being grumbled about by many Americans. But do increase our retirement income. It's time to accept some greater risk, just as the founding fathers did when declaring the colonies the United States of America and to take the leap of faith by investing in the stock market. BIBLIOGRAPHY "A look at the plan to save Social Security." San Francisco Examiner, January 31, 1999,Sec. C, p. 16.

Cloning is Ethically and Morally Wrong :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Cloning is Ethically and Morally Wrong The question shakes us all to our very souls. For humans to consider the cloning of one another forces them all to question the very concepts of right and wrong. The cloning of any species, whether they be human or non-human, is ethically and morally wrong. Scientists and ethicists alike have debated the implications of human and non-human cloning extensively since 1997 when scientists at the Roslin Institute in Scotland produced Dolly. No direct conclusions have been drawn, but compelling arguments state that cloning of both human and non-human species results in harmful physical and psychological effects on both groups. The following issues dealing with cloning and its ethical and moral implications will be addressed: cloning of human beings would result in severe psychological effects in the cloned child, and that the cloning of non-human species subjects them to unethical or moral treatment for human needs. The possible physical damage that could be done if human cloning became a reality is obvious when one looks at the sheer loss of life that occurred before the birth of Dolly. Less than ten percent of the initial transfers survive to be healthy creatures. There were 277 trial implants of nuclei. Nineteen of those 277 were deemed healthy while the others were discarded. Five of those nineteen survived, but four of them died within ten days of birth of sever abnormalities. Dolly was the only one to survive (Fact: Adler 1996). If those nuclei were human, "the cellular body count would look like sheer carnage" (Logic: Kluger 1997). Even Ian Wilmut, one of the scientists accredited with the cloning phenomenon at the Roslin Institute agrees, "the more you interfere with reproduction, the more danger there is of things going wrong" (Expert Opinion). The psychological effects of cloning are less obvious, but none the less, very plausible. In addition to physical harms, there! are worries abou t the psychological harms on cloned human children. One of those harms is the loss of identity, or sense of uniqueness and individuality. Many argue that cloning crates serious issues of identity and individuality and forces humans to consider the definition of self. Gilbert Meilaender commented on the importance of genetic uniqueness not only to the child but to the parent as well when he appeared before the National Bioethics Advisory Commission on March 13, 1997. He states that "children begin with a kind of genetic independence of [the parent].

Defining Humanity Through the Depiction of Loss and Suffering in Epic Poems

Defining Humanity through the Depiction of Loss and Suffering in Epic Poems Casey Dalton 10/8/2010 Forms and Expressions in World Literature Though epic poems, such as Homer’s The Iliad, or Beowulf, were meant to entertain, spread religion and culture, and perhaps even to preserve historical truths, they also have a rarely noticed, possibly accidental agenda; defining humanity. Even tales such as The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam have a mutual theme, though they come from completely different cultures and time frames.That theme is that what makes us mortal; what makes us human is the aspect of loss and suffering in our lives. This is true throughout all epic poems, whether subtle or not. The Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian story of a king and his brotherly bond, is a fairly obvious representation of the theme connecting humanity to loss and sorrow. This story dates back to one thousand B. C. E. and â€Å"can rightly be called the first true work of world literature. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) According to the epic, Gilgamesh was a great warrior and king of the city-state Uruk.He was described as almost god-like. This idea is embodied by now popular stories such as the story of Hercules, who is half-man, half-god. He is both praised and feared for his power. The epic reads, â€Å"Supreme over other kings, lordly in appearance, he is the hero, born of Uruk, the goring wild bull. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) Gilgamesh wields all of this power, yet he cannot control himself as a god would. He kills the locals’ sons, and rapes their women; possibly out of sheer boredom. He has been given more power than he can handle.In order to correct the problem, the god Anu convinces the goddess Aruru that Gilgamesh requires a counterpart to keep him occupied. Aruru creates Enkidu, an equivalent to Gilgamesh in size and strength, and t hey become loyal companions. Enkidu has a dream that he is attacked and killed by â€Å"a man of dark visage† (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) and soon after, dies. Gilgamesh cannot handle the loss of his dear friend and companion. He stays with the body until it is a host to maggots, and then wanders in the wilderness by himself, mourning.Then, realizing that he is mortal as well as his beloved Enkidu, Gilgamesh sets off on a quest to find his â€Å"ancestor Utanapishtim, who joined the Assembly of the Gods, and was given eternal life. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) The story of Utanapishtim’s gift was Noah’s Ark-esque. In which, he was given immortality for building a boat to save humanity and all other living things from a flood. Utanapishtim give Gilgamesh a plant that is said to reverse age. Gilgamesh tells a ferryman, â€Å"†¦this plant is a plant against decay by which a man can attain his survival.I will bring it to Uruk-Haven, and have an old man eat the plant to test. The plant’s name is ‘The Old Man Becomes a Young Man. ’ Then I will eat it and return to my youth. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) The plant is stolen by a snake, being a literal representation of a loss of immortality; making him human. Though, it is also a representation of a rebirth; of the realization that comes to Gilgamesh. After all these events, Gilgamesh realizes that though physically he will die, he can live on through the legacy he leaves behind.And so, he returns to Uruk and becomes a leader, a hero, and a proper king. The theme of loss causing expression of humanity is proven through this passage, â€Å"Over his friend Enkidu, Gilgamesh cried bitterly, roaming the wilderness. ‘I am going to die! – am I not like Enkidu?! Deep sadness penetrates my core, I fear death, and now roam the wilderness - I will set out to the region of Utanapishtim, son of Ubartutu, and will go with utmost dispatch! ’† (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) Before Gilgamesh’s loss of his companion, mentally, nothing separated him from being a god.He had the strength and ability to conquer anything or anyone. After Enkidu’s death, he realizes that no matter how powerful he may be, he is still a mortal and a human. Gilgamesh succumbs to a symptom of being human, mourning his loss. Previously, he had taken many lives carelessly, but when his companion’s life was taken, he becomes deeply emotional. He becomes irrational and wanders through the wilderness, becoming nomadic, like an animal. It’s as if he is attempting to avoid being human; to avoid being mortal.On Gilgamesh’s return to Uruk, the epic reads, â€Å"A snake smelled the fragrance of the plant, silently came up and carried off the plant. While going back it sloughed off its casing. At that point Gilgamesh sat down, weeping, his tears streaming over the side of his nose. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume A 57-97) The death of his friend caused him to realize that he, too, was mortal, but the loss of his only possible source of immortality caused him to realize that he will never be more than human.Though, the human life he lives is his opportunity to become ‘immortal’ to his people. The tale of The Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam is a part of the Shah-nama or, The Book of Kings. Though it is a Persian epic, and was originally written around the year nine-hundred eighty-one, it has many strong similarities to The Epic of Gilgamesh. This epic starts off with a hero by the name of Rostam whose cherished horse wanders off and is captured. In search of the horse he comes across the fairest of maidens, Tahmine, who was well aware of his heroic reputation and wished to bear his son.They conceived a son. Rostam leaves his seal with Tahmine, to give to their child and they proceeded to live separate lives. The son is named Sohrab and is born Turkish, opposing the Iranian Rostam, due to political issues. The father and son are unaware of their relation, and meet each other in the battle field. Rostam mortally wounded Sohrab, and with his dying breaths, still unaware of their relation, Sohrab vows that his heroic father will avenge his death, and reveals the seal given to him upon leaving home for battle.Rostam had â€Å"slain the one he held most dear. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume B 509-18) He is then overcome with grief for the rest of his existence. This is the tragedy; the loss of a son, one’s attempt at becoming ‘immortal’, a legacy. Had Rostam not mistakenly slain his own son, and they had joined forces, they would have been an unstoppable force. Secrecy and bad politics kept the son from his father, thus keeping the son from be ing identified with his father, which is where the deeper meaning lies in the epic poem.Though god-like, Rostam was a mortal, and incidentally had destroyed his only son, who had not yet become identified with his father. As in Gilgamesh, the only hope for one to become near immortal is through one’s legacy, being another common theme spanning across the spectrum of epic poems. Rostam had destroyed his only physical possibility of creating a legacy with his own hands, there lies the tragedy. Though, Rostam lost his link to everlasting life, it created one for Sohrab. Never knowing the sorrow of a substantial loss, Sohrab was killed in perfection; he died in a god-like image.Addressing Rostam, a man says, â€Å"Once from afar I saw his arms and neck, His lofty stature and his massive chest. The times impelled him and his martial host to come here now and perish by your hand. † (â€Å"Longman Anthology: World Literature† Volume B 509-18) Sohrab’s image will be preserved as a god’s, as unflawed, never knowing the feeling of suffering; the feeling of loss. Epic poems are not unlike other genres of literature in that they all share common themes and ideas, no matter how conflicting the cultures of which they are tied to.All epics, especially tragedies, remind us of what it means to be human. Whether intentional or not, these poems directly connect humanity to, through our mortality, the loss of what one holds dear. Though, it is taken one step further and is connected to pity, sorrow, and grief. Without these emotions, one is not human.Works Cited The Longman Anthology: World Literature. 2nd ed. Volume B. Pearson Longman, 2008. 509-18. Print. The Longman Anthology: World Literature. 2nd ed. Volume A. Pearson Longman, 2008. 57-97. Print.