The Impact Of Conflict On The Government Responded By...

Conflict began in Syria, in 2011, when peaceful protesters organized, hoping to ensue change in the government. The government responded with devastating bombings at the sites of the protests. Linda J. was born and raised in Syria where she married and had 5 children. After her 7-day old son was murdered at a hospital, bombed by the government, Linda J. and her family decided to leave Syria. After a year of living in Lebanon, sustaining 7 people off an income of $15 a day, Linda J. and her husband received news that they would be considered for â€Å"resettlement† in America (Linda J.). After more than a year of intense questioning, and countless background searches, Linda J. and her family were cleared to move to the U.S. She recalls, â€Å"My story is my story, so I knew that the details would match their information. But I was not prepared for the level of scrutiny or length of the process† (Linda J.). They traveled to the U.S. with only $30 for their journey. After living in the U.S. for a year, Linda’s husband has a job, and her children are attending school. Linda J. stated, â€Å"My biggest dream is for my daughters to have a good education and good careers, and for us to be part of this society: to learn the language, to do something productive, to integrate† (Linda J.). Linda J. concluded her recollection with this statement, â€Å"I understand that there is a necessary process for Syrian families to come here, but please don’t close the door† (Linda J.). Because the majority ofShow MoreRelatedEssay on The African-American Civil Rights Movement 1955-19582790 Words   |  12 PagesThe civil rights movement in the United States was the start of a political and social conflict for African-Americans in the United States to gain their full rights in the country, and to have the same equality as white Americans. The civil rights movement was a challenge to segregation, the laws and ordinances that separated blacks and whites. 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New Venture Financing Case Free Essays

`New venture financing at its core is securing the necessary funding to launch a new business. There are a variety of options for the entrepreneur to secure these funds, and finding the right financing in critical to starting any new business. Investors into a new venture will want to know that there is an acceptable risk/reward threshold for their capital. We will write a custom essay sample on New Venture Financing Case or any similar topic only for you Order Now Therefore, it is important that the entrepreneur alleviate investor anxiety about the riskiness of the venture. There are several ways of an entrepreneur can portray the investment so that it is perceived to have less risk to the investor’s capital: an entrepreneur can stake his/her own capital in the venture to show the investor that he has a â€Å"horse in the race† as well, he/she may promise to pay back the money invested at an earlier stage in business growth rather than a later stage where the business’ financial status is less certain, or he/she may give investors some form of control in the company through specified terms, loan covenants, or participation in management. There are many entrepreneurs, however, who receive no outside funding for their start-up businesses. â€Å"Bootstrapping,† as it’s called, is when an entrepreneur uses his/her own savings, credit, personal loans, or equity available from a home or car mortgage. This is ideal if the entrepreneur has enough capital to start the business, as they retain 100% of ownership and control. Unfortunately, not all entrepreneurs can fund their new venture without outside help. When starting a new venture, it can be problematic to be burdened with too many liabilities that must be repaid, instead of reinvesting the funds back into the business to stimulate growth. For this reason, equity financing may be a more prudent path. There is a sector of specialized firms that will provide â€Å"seed capital† for a new venture, when the entrepreneur does not have enough capital to begin the new venture on their own. This capital is meant to get an idea off the ground and move it from past the â€Å"idea stage,† until the business has advanced to the stage where it can generate sufficient revenues itself. In this regard, they are considered to be â€Å"angels,† although this term can apply to individual investors as well as firms. â€Å"Angels† are typically those who have an excess of capital and contribute capital to new ventures. Angels may want forms of convertible debt, ownership equity, or management positions or control. To approach anyone for financing it is important to have a business plan. All legal issues regarding stakes and/or ownership should be clearly stated in any business plan, and it may be advantageous to supply a formal offering memorandum to investors. This will legally protect both principals in additional to providing the investors with a well-formulated blueprint for the formation and growth of the new venture. Venture Capital is another source of financing. Venture capital is a pool of equity capital that is professionally managed. Wealth individuals can invest in these funds as limited partners, but usually they are comprised of pension funds and endowments. The general partners of the venture capital firm manage the funds, and are compensated with a fee as well as a percentage of the gains on the investments of the funds. Target returns on the investment in a venture capital fund are between 50% – 60%, although they can be very volatile. Venture capital usually does not take place during the start-up stage of the business cycle; usually is in the 2nd round financing stage. When exploring financing options and potential investors, it is paramount to guard any proprietary material associated with the new venture. Proprietary material is also known as a trade secret, which can be almost anything: a pattern, formula, design, process, or information. Whatever the proprietary information, it gives the entrepreneur a potential competitive advantage over competitors, and is usually not generally know by the public. Protecting proprietary material with confidentiality agreements or non-disclosure agreements is advisable to any entrepreneur. As stated previously, there are different options when selecting financing. Equity ecurities are instruments like common stock and preferred stock, ownership shares in a firm, which derive value from the value of the firm, and are also a claim on a firm’s assets after all senior claims have been satisfied in the event of liquidation. Debt securities can take many forms: bonds, debentures, notes, etc. These debt securities receive higher priority than equity securities, and have the added benefit to the hold of receiving interest payments as well as the pri ncipal payment at the maturity of the security. Some debt instruments can be converted into equity securities depending on their construction. Venture capital firms will often â€Å"syndicate† a large investment: they attempt to entice other firms to take a stake in the investment. This allows venture capital firms to invest in numerous firms, diversifying their portfolios, and decreasing risk. Another form of financing is â€Å"cash flow financing. † Cash flow financing is typically funded by commercial banks, although it can also be obtained from institutional lenders (insurance firms or pension funds), loan institutions, or finance companies, and is a form of debt financing. These can either be short-term, long-term, or line-of-credit obligations. Asset-based financing may be more appealing to a start-up business than cash flow financing because start-ups lack an earnings history. In this form of financing, the firm gives the financier a first lien on assets: assets that can be used for these liens include accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, real estate, personally secured loans, letter-of-credit financing, and government secured loans. Venture leasing, a hybrid financing option, occurs when a piece of equipment must be rented by a new venture for a fixed term. However, since the machine will have depreciated in value by the end of this fixed term, and if the new venture fails, the renter will have a harder time renting a depreciated piece of equipment, venture leasors will want to be able to purchase equity shares of the venture at the current price of financing at some date in the future, in exchange for the additional risk they take in leasing to the new venture. Of course, once your new venture has begun receiving revenues, financing may be internally generated. Profits can be reinvested into the venture to continue growth. Sources of internally generated financing include retained earnings, credit from suppliers, accounts receivable, a reduction in working capital, and the sale of assets. And while these sources can be a beneficial way of raising capital without the help of outside investors, the venture must be wary of becoming too â€Å"lean,† or not having any wiggle room financially. There are a variety of investment possibilities to entrepreneurs in a new venture. Choosing the right one, or combination of financing methods, is critical to the growth and maturity of any venture. Throughout the business life-cycle, there are different stages at which these different financing methods will be helpful, or even necessary, and knowing which one best suits the venture is a vital part of prosperity. How to cite New Venture Financing Case, Papers

How do Durrenmatt (The Visit) and Ibsen(A Dolls House)use the institution of marriage to comment on their respective societies Essay Example For Students

How do Durrenmatt (The Visit) and Ibsen(A Dolls House)use the institution of marriage to comment on their respective societies Essay Throughout history, the role of a woman has been that of a submissive and attentive wife, Her role mainly comprised of living for her husband and her children. (Rasha.Adderpit 2002). Both Durrenmatt (The Visit) and Ibsen(A Dolls House) reflect this issue in their writings: In Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House, Ibsen examines the consequences of stereotypical role of couples in marriage and presents how the woman regains her strength and self-respect. (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu). While Friedrich Durrennmats The Visit, exhibits how a woman utilizes the power of marriage to seek revenge on her ex-lover and town people as a whole. I decided to investigate the different institutions of marriage as they are depicted in both plays, through the question: How do Durrenmatt (The Visit) and Ibsen(A Dolls House)use the institution of marriage to comment on their respective societies. It is vital for us to discuss the temporal settings. As we know, the two female characters live in two completely different times. Nora lives in Victorian times (19th century) where nothing was considered more holy than the covenant of marriage (Wikipedia A_Dolls_House) while Clara lives in a modern age (1950-1960) , a time that contains much corruption of justice and everything is based on wealth and authority. Commonly, both of the characters live in male-dominant and money-oriented societies where a woman is relatively powerless and cannot cannot make important decisions However, Clara and Nora have different values and attitudes concerning marriage. Nora appears to be a weaker figure as she, to some extent, has lost her identity in her marriage. It is true to say that her purpose is to be a caring and traditional wife and she always displays kindness and concern for her husband and children. A good example can be the time when she forged her fathers name and borrowed 800 Cronen in order take her husband to Italy. She is eager to serve her family without any thought. Last winter I was so luckyI got a heap of copying to do. I shut myself up every evening and wrote far into the night. Oh, sometimes I was so tired, so tired. And yet it was splendid to work in that way and earn money. I almost felt as if I was a man. (Ibsen, 2002, page 22). Even through Nora is trying to do something society expects, we still can say that Nora plays a weak role in her relationship with Helmer and their marriage can be dramatically seen as a barrier imprisoning her life. The root cause of this problem is her instinctive feeling on the one hand and her belief in authority on the other hand thus bringing her into complete confusion (Ferguson ,1996). She feels that she lived with a stranger, -( her husband Helmer,) You dont understand me, And Ive never understood you-until just now (Ibsen, 2002 page 80). For eight years Ive lived with a stranger. Born him three children, I cant bear it. Id like to tear myself to pieces. (Ibsen, 2002 page 85). Moreover, In the end, we can also explore the fact that Nora is unable to deal with marriage as her purpose of marriage is alerted to real happiness that contradicts the expectations of women from 19th Century Europe.. but I am going find out, which of us is right, society or me. (Ibsen, 2002 page 84 ). Clara , however, is different from Nora. In the play The Visit, we can perceive her as an old, unkillable woman, eager to have money and authority. In the entire story, it is easy for us to find that unlike Nora in A Dolls House, Clara has never been trapped into marriage. In contrast, there is evidence to the effect that Claras truthful relationship in marriages seems to be less important in comparison to Nora. She controls her marriages as a man and most of her husbands are treated as consumer goods. Furthermore, she does not have a stable marriage as Nora does. All her marriages and divorces are so sudden, its my second shortest marriage. Only the one with Lord Ishmael was trifle quicker. (Durrenmatt, 1973, page 64) This suggests that she does not really care about marriage itself but about the authority she can obtain. My fourth, impoverished. His share belongs to me (Durrenmatt, 1973, page 52) .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3 , .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3 .postImageUrl , .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3 , .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3:hover , .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3:visited , .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3:active { border:0!important; } .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3:active , .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3 .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8ef14200d4fde8ce566fcfe8748c86e3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: My Fair Lady Review Essay ThesisIn addition, reading through the play we can also explore that unlike Nora, there is no positive and clear purpose in Claras marriages. But she has stronger feeling to rebel against the societies view The world made me a prostitute and I will turn the world into brothel. (Friedrich, 1973, page 67) we also find that Clara has not lost her identity as Nora beacuse she never had one, and she can also be seen as vicitm of justice itself (Crokett ,1998,page 93). She was driven out of town with shame and she has been a prostitute, so she understands that her status is only higher than an animal and the only way to raise her status is to satisfy a wealthy mans lust. She believes that there is no romantic love in this dehumanized world and her sexual relationship with men can raise her status in society and give her a better life. This is the reason why she gets married to Mr. Zachanassan, who dramatically changes her personal status and makes her become more powerful. As Clara describes And millions more in cash. It was worth marriage. A greater teacher, and a dancer; a real evil. Ive copied him completely. (Friedrich, 1973 page 42) Whats more, we can see that the she does not care about a normal persons life and feelings, as long as she can take revenge on the whole town people. It is also important for us to observe other female characters such as Mrs. Linde in A Dolls House and Mrs. Ill in The Visit. To start with, through these two characters conversations and attitude toward life, we can find that they actually serve completely opposite roles in comparison with Nora and Clara. Mrs. Linde, for instance, is Noras friend who has working experience and takes responsibility for her family. I had to turn my hand to anything I could find-first a small shop, then a small school, and so on. The last three years have seemed like one long working-day, with no rest. (Ibsen 2002, page 20) Meanwhile, even though, she has suffered poverty and was widowed when she was young, Mrs Linde can still manage to survive crises based on her truthful relationship with other people The ability for her to rebuild her relationship with Krogstad is a good case I need someone to mother, your children need mother; you and I need each other. I trust you, Nils, the man you really are . ( Ibsen ,2002 ,page 67) She wants Nora and Helmer to understand each other. Helmer must know all about it. This unhappy secret must be disclosed; they must have a complete understanding between them, which is impossible with all this concealment and falsehood going on. ( Ibsen ,2002 ,page 35) In The Visit, through Mrs. Ill conversation with others, we understand that she is a person with a realistic personality. Unlike Clara, Mrs. Ill does not want to corrupt society; she loves her family there are no secrets in our family. What we always say is, anything God knows, our children ought to know, (Durrenmatt, 1973 page 72). She is also aware of the fact that sometimes giving up somebody or something may lead to a later worthy life. We would hang it in the bedroom. Over the bed. Alfred ll be old one day. And you never know what might happen, its a comfort to have a souvenir. (Durrenmatt, 1973 page 70) This might be the reason why she does not find a way to save her husband and buys things for other members of the family. In conclusion, I think that both plays describe female attitudes to marriage consistent with the 19th and 20th century Europe. Despite some similarities, there are many differences as they illustrate the institution of marriage in their respective societies. By examing the marriges of Nora in A Dolls House, I believe that the information Ibsen wants to convey is to critisise the institution of marriage in conventional societies. As we can see in the text, Nora can be a happy and cheerful woman who can greatly gain respect as she devotes herself to marriage. However, the social conception of marriage insists that for the sake of conformity she needs be nothing else apart from plaything, a doll, a nonentity. (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu). However, if we analyze the character of Clara In the Visit, we will see that Durrenmatt uses her to judge the utilization of the marriage institution. He wants to make Claras marriage an example to demonstrate how marriage can be abused by woman to ga in social acceptance and power through wealth.

Matchbox 20 free essay sample

In March, Matchbox 20 returned to the Orpheum Theater in Boston, Massachusetts to play a sold-out show. Many excited fans (and I) couldnt wait to see them. Even though I had really bad seats in the balcony, I didnt mind. Around 7: 30 p.m. the first band, David Ganza, came on. They were unknown, and not many saw them. Most were hanging out in the lobby or came late. But those who saw this band were supportive and I though they were okay. Then around 8 p.m., the seats started to fill as many fans waited for Matchbox 20. I sat there watching the crew set up the equipment. At 8: 30, the lights lowered and a small film started to play. After the film the curtain went up and the lead singer, Rob Thomas, started singing Busted. Everyone, (including me), started screaming. During the first set, everyone got up and starting singing along to Real World, 3 a. We will write a custom essay sample on Matchbox 20 or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page m., and others. During Shame, Rob Thomass microphone went out. Many fans started to tell the singer they couldnt hear and cheered till the problem got fixed. The band ended with Push and then left for intermission. The fans screamed and ranted, wanting an encore. Rob Thomas came out after the intermission and played a short acoustic set. During the second set, they played a lot of new songs which probably ended up on the second album. During one of the songs people took out their lighters and had a candle ceremony. Near the end, Rob Thomas informed the audience that this was their last American show for a while and introduced everyone in the band. They ended with the song, Long Day and left with the Matchbox 20 logo flashing on the screen. I recommend checking out this band because if you love their album, youll like seeing them live. . Matchbox 20 free essay sample Matchbox 20s enthusiasm over performing in front of a packed house in Boston was clear on that November night. Despite the first snowfall of the season and the harshly cold weather, fans from all parts of New England crowded into the Orpheum for this zestful performance. Matchbox 20 is comprised of some very talented musicians. Guitarists Kyle Cook and Adam Gaynor made an exceptional and flawless performance. Lead singer Rob Thomas forceful voice and exceptional song-writing skills were equally impressive. In general, the stage show was vibrant and well-paced. However, at points the lighting was so bright I wished I had brought sunglasses. Nevertheless, their performance was well received, and they kept the crowd eager for more. Leaving few displeased, Matchbox 20 played some well-known songs from their latest album, Yourself or Someone Like Yourself. They kept the crowd singing with their most popular Push, which is currently played on many radio stations, as well as music countdowns. We will write a custom essay sample on Matchbox 20 or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Other well-known songs that went over big were 3 A.M. and their first hit single Long Day. The opening band featured the talented lead singer Lili Hayden, who played the violin in a very original way. Their music creates a strange and intriguing new sound by combining classical violin with regular rock instruments. This band was well received by the audience and may soon become a success in the music world. The exciting performances of these two bands left nothing to be desired. This will not be the last time we hear of Matchbox 20. Theyre well on their way to becoming even more popular as they continue to produce more and more hit songs. With Boston as the last stop of their long tour, we were delighted to see them perform and hope they continue making hit music in the future. .

Logic Gates Essays (789 words) - Logic Gates, Digital Electronics

Logic Gates Essays (789 words) - Logic Gates, Digital Electronics Logic Gates Experiment #1 Title:Logic Gates Objective:To analyze and become familiar with the operation of TTL Logic Gates. Equipment:Digital Trainer AND Gate (7408) NAND Gate (7400) OR Gate (7432) NOR Gate (7402) Procedure: 1) For each gate predict the output for all combinations of inputs. Write the truth table and describe the operation for the circuit. 2) Build each of the logic circuits to determine if it does operate as expected. Record the results. 3) Have it checked by the Instructor of Lab Tech. Diagrams AND Gate (7402) NAND Gate (7400) OR Gate (7432) NOR Gate (7402) Truth Tables AND Gate (7408) ABOUTPUT 00 0 01 0 10 0 10 1 NAND Gate (7400) ABOUTPUT 00 1 01 1 10 1 11 0 OR Gate (7432) ABOUTPUT 00 0 01 1 10 1 11 1 NOR Gate (7402) ABOUTPUT 00 1 01 0 10 0 11 0 Discussion In the experiment for the AND Gate, the red lead from the power pack in connected to pin #14 (Vcc). The black lead from the power pack in connected to pin #7, which is the ground. Both HIGH inputs from the Vcc are connected to pin #1 and pin #2. Output pin #3 is connected to the positive side of the LED, while the other side of the LED is connected to the ground. The LED lights up, because HIGH is present at pin #3 of the AND Gate. The power connections are the same while one of the inputs was connected to LOW. The LED did not light up, signifying a LOW at pin #3, which is the output. In the experiment for the NAND Gate, the red wire from the power pack is connected to pin #14, which is the Vcc. The black wire from the power pack is connected to pin #7, which is the ground. Two HIGH inputs from the Vcc are connected to pin #1 and pin #2. Output pin #3 is connected to the positive side of the LED, while the other pin from the LED is connected to ground. The LED did not light up, because a LOW is present at pin #3 of the NAND Gate. The power wires remain unchanged while one of the inputs was connected to LOW from the ground. The LED did not light up, signifying a HIGH at pin #3. In the experiment for the OR Gate, the red lead from the power pack is connected to pin #14, which is the Vcc. The black lead from the power pack is connected to pin #7, which is the ground. Two LOW inputs are connected to pin #1 and pin #2. Output pin #3 is connected to the positive side of the LED, while the other side of the LED is connected to the ground. The LED did not light up, because a LOW is present at pin #3 of the OR Gate. The power connections have been the same while one of the inputs was connected to HIGH from the Vcc. The LED lights up, because a HIGH is present at pin #3. In the experiment for the NOR Gate, the red lead from the power pack is connected to pin #14, which is the Vcc. The black lead from the power pack is connected to pin #7, which is the ground. Both LOW inputs from the ground are connected to pin #1 and pin #2. Output pin #3 is connected to the positive side of the LED, while the other side of the LED is connected to ground. The LED lights up, because a HIGH is present at pin #3 of the NOR Gate. The power connections are kept unchanged while one of the inputs was connected to HIGH from the ground. The LED did not light up, signifying a LOW at pin #3. Summary In the experiment for the OR Gate, if both inputs are LOW, the output is LOW. Otherwise the output is always HIGH. In the experiment for the AND Gate, when both inputs are HIGH the output is HIGH. Otherwise the output is always LOW. In the experiment for the NOR Gate, when both inputs are LOW, the output is HIGH. Otherwise the output is always LOW. In the experiment for the NAND Gate, when both inputs are HIGH, the output is LOW. Otherwise the output is always HIGH. Conclusion By doing this experiment, I have realized that the outputs of the NOR and OR Gates are opposites of each other as far as output matters. The

Why Americans Once Gave the ‘Bellamy Salute’

Why Americans Once Gave the ‘Bellamy Salute’ The American school children in the picture are showing their loyalty to our flag and country by giving the â€Å"Bellamy Salute† while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Despite how it might look, the Bellamy Salute had nothing to do with Nazi dictator Adolph Hitler, but it did cause quite stir many years ago. In fact, the Bellamy Salute is an interesting aside on the history of the Pledge of Allegiance itself. Who Was â€Å"Bellamy?† Francis J. Bellamy actually wrote the original Pledge of Allegiance at the request of Daniel Sharp Ford, owner of a popular Boston-based magazine of the day named the Youth’s Companion. In 1892, Ford began a campaign to place American flags in every classroom in the nation. Ford believed that with the Civil War (1861-1865) still so fresh in the memories of so many Americans, a great public show of patriotism would help stabilize a still fragile nation. Along with the flags, Sharp assigned Bellamy, one of his staff writers at the time, to create a short phrase to be recited to honor the flag and all it stood for. Bellamy’s work, the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, was published in the Youth’s Companion, and immediately struck a chord with Americans. The first organized use of the Pledge of Allegiance came on Oct. 12, 1892, when some 12 million American school children recited it to commemorate the 400-year anniversary of the voyage of Christopher Columbus. In 1943, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that school administrators or teachers could not force students to recite the Pledge. How it Became Bellamy’s Salute Bellamy and Sharp also felt a physical, non-military style salute should be given to the flag as the Pledge was recited. When the instructions for the salute were printed in the Youth’s Companion under his name, the gesture became known as the Bellamy Salute. The instructions for the Bellamy Salute were simple: When reciting the Pledge, each person was to extend their right arm straight ahead and pointing slightly upward, with their fingers pointing straight ahead or in the direction of the flag, if present. And That Was Fine†¦ Until Americans had no problem with the Bellamy Salute and rendered it proudly until the days before World War II, when Italians and Germans began showing loyalty to dictators Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler with the disturbingly similar â€Å"Heil Hitler!† salute. Americans giving the Bellamy Salute began to fear that they might be mistaken as showing allegiance to the growingly powerful European fascist and Nazi regimes. In his book â€Å"To the Flag: The Unlikely History of the Pledge of Allegiance,† author Richard J. Ellis wrote, â€Å"the similarities in the salute had begun to attract comment as early as the mid-1930s.† Fears also began to grow that the editors of European newspapers and films could easily crop the American flag from pictures of Americans giving the Bellamy Salute, thus giving Europeans the false impression that Americans were beginning to support Hitler and Mussolini. As Ellis wrote in his book, â€Å"the embarrassing resemblance between the ‘Heil Hitler’ salute and the salute that accompanied the Pledge of Allegiance,† stirred fears among many Americans that the Bellamy Salute could be used overseas for pro-fascist propaganda purposes. So Congress Ditched It On December 22, 1942, back in the days when Congress really took care of business, lawmakers passed a bill amending the U.S. Flag Code to mandate that the Pledge of Allegiance should â€Å"be rendered by standing with the right hand over the heart,† exactly like we do it today. Other Changes to the Pledge Besides the demise of the Bellamy Salute in 1942, the exact wording of the Pledge of Allegiance has been changed over the years. For example, the phrase â€Å"I pledge allegiance to the flag,† was original written by Bellamy as â€Å"I pledge allegiance to my flag.† The â€Å"my† was dropped out of concerns that immigrants to the United States, even those who had completed the naturalization process, might be seen as pledging allegiance to the flag of their home nation. The biggest and by far most controversial change came in 1954, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower drove a move to add the words â€Å"under God† after â€Å"one nation.† â€Å"In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our countrys most powerful resource in peace and war,† declared Eisenhower at the time. In June 2002, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco declared the entire Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional because of its inclusion of the phrase â€Å"under God.† The court held that the phrase violated the First Amendment’s guarantee of separation of church and state. However, the next day, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Alfred Goodwin, issued a stay that prevented enforcement of the ruling. So while its wording may change again, you can bet the Bellamy Salute will have no place in the future of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Nondiscrimination Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nondiscrimination Paper - Essay Example This would probably exclude, however, private institutions, which can indeed stipulate their own rules. In this case, the free exercise issue would not be a strong argument for the university. [79 words] 1. When may colleges and universities legally regulate the distribution by students of material that some students, faculty, or community members would find offensive See generally the Student Edition Sections 9.3.3, 9.3.5, and 9.3.6. Do private institutions have more latitude in such regulation than public institutions See generally the Student Edition Section 9.3.6. Generally, free speech is not prohibited. The only time a college or university may regulate offensive material is if the material is illegal speech, i.e., it has the ability to incite a riot. Private institutions have no more latitude over such regulation in this matter than public institutions do; this is the legal judgment on such an issue. Otherwise, anything else is permissible-even, perhaps shockingly, hate speech. [68 words] 2.

Should there be limits on international trade Essay

Should there be limits on international trade - Essay Example The strategic initiatives undertaken by the international trade regimes are deemed as pivotal towards understanding how organizations work to good effect within the industrial basis which are spanning all over the world. Therefore what one must comprehend is the fact that international trade will remain supreme no matter how tough or trying the times are in the future and what kind of conditions the world is going to engulf. Advantages International trade and world output are interlinked. Their relation is made stronger by the fact that there is a supply and demand relationship which exists between the two. The trade output in essence depends upon the world output and hence the relation seems to affect one another in a number of different ways. If the world output is less in a specified period of time, say for instance in any single year, then it would imply that the trade output has remained low as well (Warburton, 2010). If the world output has been higher during this while, the tr ade output would essentially go up and be stable as well. However when there are times of financial hardship and misery, recession will have drastic effects on the people as well. They would not mingle within the purchase domains as such and hence try to make do with whatever has been made available to them. The purchase of the products would go down and thus these people will derive comfort from the fact that they have made their financial future secure already. It is also a fact that during such recessionary times, the country’s currency will become weak and hence having imports from different countries with which it regularly has such a trade link will also become quite costly. It would be in the interest of this country if it disengages from the trade regime and tries to focus on making the trade output higher (Amin, 2008). This will eventually up the world output by quite a fair value and hence no problems would be encountered when there is another economic recession wit hin the country. The advantages of international trade are immensely driven by the desire to set things right for the sake of the people spread in all parts of the world. These advantages are significant towards gaining the vital understanding of the international trade realms. Disadvantages The problem with international trade is such that it depends on the stakeholders with which this trade is coming into actual basis. The trade links work wonders for the different trade organizations and lobby associations. If the market is not functioning in a proper and cohesive fashion, there could be problems for the international trade to happen. Also on the global front, international trade can take a nosedive if there are significant issues related with political tensions across the borders. This could mean that a particular country has trouble in importing goods from its links that have already been established over a period of time. Similarly this could mean that the international trade suffers when exportation of these goods is about to take place, but since the political climate is not appropriate at a certain time, these international trade links would come to a halt (Nkowani, 2009). There could be a multitude of reasons behind having

Test System Essay Example for Free

Test System Essay Answer the following questions (you may use MS Project Help): 1) What are the three base calendars included in MS Project and what are the default values of each? a) Standard Default base calendar, Monday to Friday, 8 to 5, lunch noon to 1. This is the default base calendar used for the project, for tasks and for resources. b) Night Shift Usually for graveyard shift, 11 PM to 8 AM, five days a week, lunch 3 AM to 4 AM. c) 24 Hours – Work never stops here. Typically used for projects in a manufacturing situation, midnight until midnight 7 days a week. 2) What is the difference between a base calendar and a resource calendar? d) A base calendar defines the usual working and nonworking times and days, and exceptions, such as holidays, for the project or for a group of resources. Resource calendars ensure that resources are scheduled only when theyre available for work. This includes the resource’s vacations and off times. 3) Why schedule one project meeting after completion of the last task, Test System? e) This would be a final meeting to discuss the success or failure of the system test. If the test was successful, the project team will be released to their other duties or projects. If the test was a failure, the team meeting will allow discussion on how to proceed to address the issues that caused the failure. 4) Give an example of when you would assign a 24-hour calendar to a resource. f) You would assign a 24-hour calendar to a contractor or an outside source, they work on their own time within the required days. If you were doing a senior project, what would be the base calendar you would use for students working on the project and what adjustments would you make to it? * I would make it working hours of 6-10p Mon-Wed (3x/week) and possibly another day if needed and they would also have school holidays off as well.

Dual-Career Marriages :: Working Feminism Essays

The decision of married women to diligently pursue a career comparable to their husbands has redefined traditional spousal roles forever. Dual-career couples are increasing in number constantly, as more and more women decide that they want to accomplish ambitions they have created for themselves before, if not instead of, living out the traditional woman's role of wife and mother. These marriages pose an amazing challenge to gender role customs, with dramatically different priorities and means of cooperation than ever considered (or rather, recognized) before now. These husbands and wives undermine the traditional structure of marital roles. They are concentrating more on career development than family development, seeking self-sufficiency, high achievement, better social status, and financial success. And of course, they acknowledge both positive and negative consequences of these practices. Wives' high career commitment The modern career woman's high degree of commitment to her career in the 1990s may be one of the most problematic factors concerning marital satisfaction of both husbands and wives. While the workforce has finally accepted the position of women as interchangeable with that of a man, the same transition still has yet to occur completely and successfully in the household. The dissatisfaction of working wives tends to be a consequence of their expanding, instead of redefined, responsibilities and role as a result of their demanding career. In contrast, husbands' marital dissatisfaction often results from the fact that she is less available for him, to accommodate him, because she does not have the time. Nonetheless, some career women are readily admitting to their husbands that their work comes first. Another apparent consequence of wives' high career commitment is the increasingly limited amount of children in the dual-career marriages of young couples. L.J. Beckman's (1978) work showed that working women considered parenting and a career as conflicting, if not competing roles.1 Rosanna Hertz's study (1987) of corporate career couples explains that employers' expectations of career-devoted employees are still based on the assumption that the employee is a man, and constructed around male social roles and experience. His (or her) devotion to the needs of the company are regarded as his/her investment in the corporation, in turn, meriting investment in them by the company (e.g. promotion, salary increase, more flexible management, etc.). When career-oriented women desire to have and care for children in a traditional manner (such as taking time off while the children are young) rather than following the stereotype male career pattern, it is often interpreted as disinvesting in the corporation.

Dupont Case Study Essay

Tom Harris is the General Manager of Dupont, which is the major employer in their community. Big changes had taken place when the Orlon plant had closed down, but few changes had taken place. Projects such as getting rid of one operation and installing another was being seen as regular business so there was no change management rubric. GM Harris went to the University of Virginia seeking advice from the academic community to bring some of the latest thinking in business to the Dupont plant. He specifically wanted to introduce his managers to new ideas and how to apply those ideas to improving to the plant. He stated he was not looking to improve overall organization effectiveness. He stated he was under increasing pressure to do more with less. A general bulletin was sent out to all employees stating the work culture that would be built. It stated that a representative from University of Virginia would be spending time at the plant and had been asked to give new perspectives on the work being done and the organization as whole. The hope was that it would help develop people and continually improve production. The most important goal was to help the staff appreciate and develop what goes right, assist in building on the strengths and to make the plant work better for everyone. It was also made clear that the representatives presense was not to suggest there was a particular problem, and the result is due to the plants desire to continuously improve. Over a six month time period interviews were conducted with workers and managers. Time was spent in the workplace and the representative learned about the day to day activities at the plant. This produced a description of the shared stock of knowledge that organizational members used to interpret events and generate behavior. What was made explicit with that process was the local widely used everyday common sense model performance unique to the plant and it’s atmosphere. A part of the culture that came out of this fact finding was that the local model of teamwork was organized around a southern stock-car racing metaphor. It was used to explain teamwork and the pattern for accomplishing it. Everyone knew the metaphor, so it was understood. The General Manager and the other managers were surprised to learn of the NASCAR metaphor, but it explained why they had not recognized existing teamwork in the workplace for they had different language used for teamwork. This metaphor gave them a language to introduce change for improvement. It also illuminated of the local meaning of effective supervision, high performance, and what constituted a good day at the plant with making improvements. Managers were instructed to use the findings of the study. It was felt the new understanding could be used to interpret the local meaning of effective work to capitalize on strengths, to expand and develop existing good practices. This would also help to problem solve. It was found too that the findings of the study could also be used as a basis for experiements. There existed a Leadership Core Team who were instructed to introduce change as an experiment. It was to be explained that it was to be tried and watched closely, and if after a designated time it was not working as planned, it can be stopped.

Plants and Life on Earth Essay

Plants are the only organisms that can convert light energy from the sun into food. And plants produce all  of the food that animals, including people, eat. Even meat. The animals that give us meat, such as chickens and cows, eat grass, oats, corn, or some other plants. Plants make oxygen One of the materials that plants produce as they make food is oxygen gas. This oxygen gas, which is an important part of the air, is the gas that plants and animals must have in order to stay alive. When people breathe, it is the oxygen that we take out of the air to keep our cells and bodies alive. All of the oxygen available for living organisms comes from plants. Plants provide habitats for animals Plants are the primary habitat for thousands of other organisms. Animals live in, on, or under plants. Plants provide shelter and safety for animals. Plants also provide a place for animals to find other food. As a habitat, plants alter the climate. On a small scale, plants provide shade, help moderate the temperature, and protect animals from the wind. On a larger scale, such as in tropical rainforests, plants actually change the rainfall patterns over large areas of the earth’s surface. Plants help make and preserve soil In the forest and the prairie, the roots of plants help hold the soil together. This reduces erosion and helps conserve the soil. Plants also help make soil. Soil is made up of lots of particles of rocks which are broken down into very small pieces. When plants die, their decomposed remains are added to the soil. This helps to make the soil rich with nutrients. Plants provide useful products for people Many plants are important sources of products that people use, including food, fibers (for cloth), and medicines. Plants also help provide some of our energy needs. In some parts of the world, wood is the primary fuel used by people to cook their meals and heat their homes. Many of the other types of fuel we use today, such as coal, natural gas, and gasoline, were made from plants that lived millions of years ago. Plants beautify Plants, because of their beauty, are important elements of out human world. When we build houses and other buildings, we never think the job is done until we have planted trees, shrubs, and flowers to make what we have built much nicer.

Hollywood produced more Westerns

For over forty years, from 1926 to 1967, Hollywood produced more Westerns than it did any other kind of film (American Cinema American Culture). During these years, roughly one-quarter of all Hollywood films were Westerns. Throughout its history, the Western has played a crucial role in dramatizing and recreating for successive generations of Americans the original experience of the Frontier, which shaped American character. High Noon (1952), a Western directed by Fred Zinnemann, is just one example of the characteristics, conventions, and innovations of the Western genre. Westerns portray one man up against another, usually ending in violence without any help from others. This characteristic is evident in High Noon. Will Kane, played by Gary Cooper, is at a personal war with Frank Miller, whom he sent to prison years earlier. he has no help from others since every citizen in the town of Hadleyburg finds reason to turn their backs on him. The Western hero is forged amidst the conflicting forces that characterize the formation of the Frontier (American Cinema American Culture). Will Kane struggles for survival, even losing his wife as she sides with the town. The cowboy hero, villain, and innocent wife are all evident in High Noon and in the Western genre. Westerns are both typical and innovative. High Noon follows the typical western genre with its cowboy hero, mentioned above. Other examples of typical westerns include saloon brawls, war paint, and beautiful landscapes. At times, studios used actual American landmarks for the background of pictures, instead of man-made. High Noon is also a pure of example of innovation. Director Fred Zinnemann shot the film in real time, so that its eighty-five minutes length corresponds to the storys actual time frame. Meanwhile, the clocks ticks off the minutes to ...

Ancestry of Barack Obama Family Tree and Genealogy

Ancestry of Barack Obama Family Tree and Genealogy Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to a Kenyan father and an American mother. According to the U.S. Senate Historical Office, he was the fifth African American Senator in U.S. history and the first African American President. First Generation: 1. Barack Hussein OBAMA was born on 4 August 1961 at the Kapiolani Maternity Gynecological Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein OBAMA, Sr. of Nyangoma-Kogelo, Siaya District, Kenya, and Stanley Ann DUNHAM of Wichita, Kansas. His parents met while both were attending the East-West Center of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where his father was enrolled as a foreign student. When Barack Obama was two years old, his parents divorced and his father moved to Massachusetts to continue his education before returning to Kenya. In 1964, Barack Obamas mother married Lolo Soetoro, a tennis-playing graduate student, and later an oil manager, from the Indonesian island of Java. Soetoros student visa was revoked in 1966 because of political unrest in Indonesia, breaking up the new family. After graduating with a degree in anthropology the following year, Ann and her young son, Barack, joined her husband in Jakarta, Indonesia. Obamas half-sister, Maya Soetoro was born after the family moved to Indonesia. Four years later, Ann sent Barack back to the United States to live with his maternal grandmother. Barack Obama graduated from Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he met his future wife, Michelle Robinson. They have two daughters, Malia and Sasha. Second Generation (Parents): 2. Barack Hussein OBAMA Sr. was born in 1936 in Nyangoma-Kogelo, Siaya District, Kenya and died in a car crash in Nairobi, Kenya in 1982, leaving three wives, six sons​,  and a daughter. All but one of his children live in Britain or the United States. One of the brothers died in 1984. He is buried in the village of Nyangoma-Kogelo, Siaya District, Kenya. 3. Stanley Ann DUNHAM was born on 27 November 1942 in Wichita, Kansas and died 7 November 1995 of ovarian cancer. Barack Hussein OBAMA Sr. and Stanley Ann DUNHAM were married in 1960 in Hawaii and had the following children: 1 i. Barack Hussein OBAMA, Jr. Third Generation (Grandparents): 4. Hussein Onyango OBAMA was born about 1895 and died in 1979. Before settling down to work as a cook for missionaries in Nairobi he was a traveler. Recruited to fight for colonial power England in World War I, he visited Europe and India, and afterward lived for a time in Zanzibar, where he converted from Christianity to Islam, family members said. 5. Akumu Hussein Onyango OBAMA had several wives. His first wife was Helima, with whom he had no children. Second, he married Akuma and they had the following children: i. Sarah OBAMA1. ii. Barack Hussein OBAMA, Sr.iii. Auma OBAMA Onyangos third wife was Sarah, the one often referred to by Barack as his grandmother. She was the primary caregiver for Barack OBAMA Sr. after his mother, Akuma, left the family when her children were still young. 6. Stanley Armour DUNHAM was born on 23 March 1918 in Kansas and died 8 February 1992 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is buried in Punchbowl National Cemetery, Honolulu, Hawaii. 7. Madelyn Lee PAYNE was born in 1922 in Wichita, Kansas and died 3 November 2008 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Stanley Armour DUNHAM and Madelyn Lee PAYNE were married on 5 May 1940, and had the following children: 3. i. Stanley Ann DUNHAM

Contemporary Issue Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Contemporary Issue - Term Paper Example It appeared that neither Henrietta Lacks, nor her family gave any consent for the using her cells for any kind of the research. Only when a line called HeLa cells was created, the family got to know that the cells of their relative were unlawfully used for this line. â€Å"The downside of this story is that no one said anything to Lacks herself about taking her cells -- nor did anyone get permission from her family. And as the years went by, and some people began to make money from the cells no one ever revealed this to Henrietta’s descendants, as is told in Skloot’s wonderful book. But that failure has now been fixed† (Caplan, 2013). When the information about the results of the research of the cells, which belong to Henrietta Lack, were published by European Molecular Biology Laboratory, her relatives were surprised to find out about how the cells of Henrietta were applied â€Å"they eventually learned they had fueled a line called HeLa cells, which have gener ated billions of dollars, but they didnt realize until this spring that her genome had been sequenced and made public for anyone to see† (Caplan, 2013). The grandchildren of Henrietta considered such actions to be the violation of their rights and immediately contacted the laboratory with the request to withdraw the material about their family due to the lack of their consent for its publication. The researchers had to apologize and change the rules. New rules prescribe that two representatives of Lacks’ family will supervise the access to the information about their relative. Now every investigator, who plans to use HeLa cells for the research, must inform the relatives about the intention. However, they still did not receive any access to the profit that could be received from the line. The book about Henrietta Lacks and her case was published in 2010 with the title â€Å"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks†. This book, written by Rebecca

Equality in Access to Health Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Equality in Access to Health Services - Essay Example Therefore having much available health services is not a factor in itself to improve the quality of healthcare but the utilization of such services by all of the people. It will depend on affordability and general accessibility of the service. According to Healthy People 2020 (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2012), it is important to have access to quality health care service in order to achieve equity in health and eventually improve the general health status of all Americans. This I think is one of the most important move that the state should make in order to achieve the vision of having healthy Americans, including all migrants, ethnic and minority groups, by the year 2020. Though free service is not always the key to have access to quality healthcare the state can definitely find ways such as moving funds to have an affordable medical insurance to cover all Americans so that everyone in America can avail of healthcare services as the need arises to have better chance s of improving health by making it available and accessible to ever individual at once. Poor access to healthcare also means poor health chance for the population, taking for example Texas, which according to a survey has the most number of uninsured in the United States and has a significant shortage of health care professionals making access to healthcare services difficult for them thus having poor overall health conditions (Code Red Texas, 2012). Total equality of access to healthcare may incur a long way of processes but the government should start eventually to come up big in realizing the vision of healthy people 2020. Government funding should focus first on having affordable health insurances that even the poorest of Americans will be able to avail. This may seem impossible for it may have an impression of wasting money and giving away insurance even a person cannot avail but with proper planning this step will actually decrease total national health expenditures for no one will actually be left behind in terms of being healthy and accessing healthcare. #1 References: Code Red Texas (2012) Code Red; the critical condition of health in Texas 2012. Retrieved from http://www.coderedtexas.org/files/Code-Red-2012.pdf Gulliford M., Figueroa-Munoz J., Morgan M., Hughes D., Gibson B., Beech R. & Hudson M. (2002) What does ‘access to healthcare’ mean? Journal of Health Services & Research Policy, 1 July 2002 vol. 7 no. 3 186-188, Doi: 10.1258/135581902760082517 US Department of Health and Human Services (2012) Healthy People 2020 retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/default.aspx #2 The Determinants of Health: factors that affect population health The differences of health status in population is greatly affected by many factors such as personal, social and environmental factors that are deemed to be determinants of health for these factors that influences the health conditions of individuals or group of people in a given population (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). Of all the determinants of health, social factors play the most important role in influencing the health status of a population. In a personal point of view, comparing social against environmental factors, even though people in a population lives in a community that pose potential health dangers, the

Supply & demand & elasticity issues. Theories of the firm Essay

Supply & demand & elasticity issues. Theories of the firm. Macroeconomic issues - Essay Example The governmental actions include labor reforms which are discussed under a separate head. Supply & Demand and Elasticity Issues, Theories of the firm, Macroeconomic issues Table of contents PART ONE: Supply & Demand and Elasticity Issues 4 1. Supply and demand 4 2. Elasticity of demand 5 PART TWO: Theories of the Firm 7 1. Premises which underline the classical firm 7 Competitive markets 7 Perfect information 8 Full employment 8 Pricing of the products 9 2. Environmental changes 9 Role of the governments 9 Legal system 10 Globalization and liberalization 10 Corporate social responsibility 10 3. Theories of the firm 11 The Neoclassical Theory 11 The Transactions Cost Theory 12 The Principal–Agent Theory 12 Evolutionary theory 12 Behavioural theory 13 PART THREE: Macroeconomic Issues 15 i) GDP and Budget deficit 15 ii) Governmental actions and economy 16 Cuts in spending    16 Tax hikes 17 Borrowing money 18    Multiplier effect 18 Aggregate Demand 19 Aggregate Supply 20 Spe cific actions 20 iii) Supply side reform of the labour market 21 Conclusion 22 References 23 PART ONE: Supply & Demand and Elasticity Issues 1. Supply and Demand - Analysis of Statements â€Å"Both factors of demand depend on the market price. When the market price for a product is high, the demand will be low. When price is low, demand is high.† (Whelan & Msefer, 1996, p. 6) a) The price of a good falls, causing the demand for another good to rise. Hence, the two goods are substitutes. In fact in the case of substitutes, the demand for the substitute will fall leading to the price of the substitute to fall. Example: If the price of mutton falls, demand for mutton will increase, and not the demand for chicken which is a substitute for mutton. Conclusion: The statement is not correct. b)... This essay presents a modern comprehensive analysis of the relevance of the fundamental principles of supply and demand and elasticity concept in the today`s world. Also various microeconomic theories of the firm are discussed in the paper, such as neoclassical theory, transactions cost theory, principal agent theory, evolutionary theory and behavioral theories. The impacts of macro-economic factors on the firms are analyzed. The relevance of GDP and budget deficit to the operations of the firm in terms of its impact on their business is discussed with particular reference to Spain’s economy. The micro and macro economic theories have been evolving over the period time in tune with the changes that have taken place. What is relevant during a particular period of time loses its validity under the changed circumstances. However, the understanding of these concepts is very important for charting out the new course of actions and formulate future strategy Since 1945, many of the premises which underpin profit maximisation have been questioned, in particular whether firms operating in the real world actually behave like the â€Å"classical† firm. There are changes which have taken place in the structure and/or conduct of industry that provide evidence to reject the â€Å"classical firm hypothesis†. Maintaining flexibility in production and supplies is essential for responding quickly to the changes in the external environment which may be caused due to competition, governmental actions or state of the economy.

The Strengths Based Approach In Human Resources Commerce Essay

The Strengths Based Approach In Human Resources Commerce Essay Human resource has become a source of core competence a unique capability in the organization that creates high value and that differentiates the organization from its competition. Therefore it is paramount to add a strategic touch in sourcing, selecting and managing this unique capability to gain competitive advantage. Linking of human resources with strategic goals and objectives in order to improve business performance and develop organizational culture that foster innovation and flexibility bring about the strategic touch, otherwise known as Strategic Human Resource Management. Strengths Based approach in SHRM terms and Models Critically analysing BAE Systems scenario, it is possible analyse its operations which reveals SHRM terms and models that helps in understanding the context in which the strength based approach has been used. SHRM Terms BAE has been recruiting and hiring personnel to match their competence with the organizations goal. Its tradition model, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.clients going to the businessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ has since changed to a more customer-oriented approach. In the process it has meant designing and implementing a set of internally consistent policies and practices that ensure the human capital of the firm contributes to the achievement of its business objectives (Schuler MacMillan 1984, Baird Meshoulam 1988, Jackson Schuler 1995) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦customer-orientated organization that does maintenance and support. This change is in response to BAE external business environment that demands a customer-orientated approach and as such the need for better deployment of human resource an emphasis of SHRM à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦We are putting significant numbers of people into RAF bases, working alongside the RAF our people managing RAF people in the process (pg 2, paragraph 3) Since a firms strategy (BAE strategy rather than clients going to the business, it was to the clients) is a reflection of its response to the external changes, human-capital, with a broad array of skills compatible with the corporate strategy, is a catalyst for fulfilling the strategic goals. This calls for melding of HR function (selection and hiring) with a firms strategy congruence between HR practice and business strategy (Miles Snow 1984, Baird Meshoulam 1988, Wright McMahan 1992), a practice known as best-fit an approach on the idea that human resource strategy flow from business strategy; matching the human strength (talent, Skills, knowledgeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc) toward the achievement of the organisation goal. In modern competitive times success is achieved by adapting enlightened, progressive, people first, high performance or high commitment employment practices. This seems to the same idea BAE is banking on, otherwise known as best practice a bundle of HR policies that lead to highly motivated and committed employees who are the key to an organizations competitive advantage. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Instead of focusing on an individuals weaknessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦focus on their strong points and allow them to use those to their full potential (pg 2, paragraph 3) Further, the above statement highlights one aspect BAE is focusing on, the people to achieve it strategic goals. So as to achieve high performance and / or high commitment, it is worldly accepted that people work better while doing what they are best at doing (Huselid, 1995; Becker and Gerhart, 1996; Guest, 1997.). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦they had been givenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦things they would have naturally been drawn to, that they enjoyed and found energising (pg 4, paragraph 2) Change indeed is inevitable at BAE. The business model it has been relying on is changing, calling for a more customer-orientated approach. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦rather than clients going to the business, it was going to the clients The mere fact of implement a strength base approach, in itself is change. It can be concluded that the change is fostered towards remaining competitive in the changing environment, thus BAE is seeking to match its human resource with business strategy, a concept in SHRM known as contingency approach which brings about two orientations, the internal labour orientation that seeks a long-term relationship with its employees and external labour orientation that seeks flexibility and does not make long-term commitments employees. SHRM Model From BAEs case, certain key features emerge that helps in identifying the SHRM model it is using to recruit and select its personnel. BAE business goal is to change its earlier approach of customer going to the business, to BAE going in such of the client. Adams à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦what were trying to move to is much more customer-oriented organisationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The strength based approach as used in BAE scenario can be referred to as the Human Resource Strategy (HRS) and is being mended with BAE Business Strategy (BS) rather than clients going to the business, it was to the clients to achieve a fit to achieve its goal, in response to its changing business environment. This leads to a conclusion that the relationship between BS and HRS is that of Fit. Environment Analysis, another SHRM model feature, emerges; business transformation led to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦working with an industrial artist to produce a poster that illustrated for staff and leaders alike the challenges ahead. (pg 3, paragraph 3) This analysis helps BAE understand the environment which it operates in and be able to adopt as it evolves. Also the analysis prompt BAE to carry out a situation analysis to determine it current status, especially in terms of human resource to ascertain its capability to achieve its in response to the change in the business environment. This goal, I can say by analysis of BAE case, has been occasioned by BAE customers seeking value-add service on top of just the designing and build of aircraft services, an issue of stakeholder interest the customer. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦move toà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a much more customer-orientated organisation that does maintenance and support (pg 3, paragraph 2) From the case, strength-base approach has resulted in high performance by employees doing more than they used to do even though nothing had change in terms of the job roles an issue to do with work systems and HR flow, key attributes of a HR policy. Also, for BAE employees to do things they would have been drawn to and found energising is a catalyst for achieving competence and commitment among the employees, the desired result (outcomes) of the HR policy being used by an organisation, in this case BAE. The above paints a picture of the kind of SHRM model BAE that is skewed toward the Harvard Model; an approach seen to enhance high level of trust and mutuality. A representation of the model in light of the BAE case is as follows. HR Outcomes: High performance Commitment Competence Stakeholder Interests: Employee job satisfaction Organisation/Mgt Performance and competitiveness Customer quality, value for money HR Policies Long-term Consequences: Organisational Effectiveness Situation Analysis: Skill Availability 1.2) From a Human Resource Development (HRD) perspective the value of this Strength based approach from the perspective of learning, development and change Introduction The Link between HRD, Learning, Development and change HRD refers to activities geared to cause employees to improve, make better, to increase from an individual perspective (in terms of skills and knowledge) and from an organisation perspective (in terms of business performance through the people) resulting in an organisation gaining competitive edge and ability to succeed in the future. HRD has therefore become critical (reason for a strategic approach to human resource) in nurturing human-capital talent, bringing to the fore the need for organisations to provide opportunities to attract, retain and offer growth opportunity to individual, especially in todays knowledge economy, thus the recognition of the criticality of learning and development in the context of human-capital the development and organisation capability. An organisations business environment keeps changing hence the needs to have the capacity to embrace and manage changes as they evolve. Through people organisation achieve their goals. Likewise through people an organisation is able to adapt / change to the new way of doing business. The value of this Strength based approach from the perspective of learning, development and change Learning and Strength-based approach Learningà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦has acquired visibility and saliency because it sits at the juncture of new thinking concerning the nature of learning about new forms of knowledge, the transformation of the nature of work and the modern enterprise in a globalized economy (Stern and Sommerlad, 1999). From BAE perspective, the implementation of the strength-based approach can be construed to be a learning experience for the organization. Also the strength-based approach can be viewed from Kolb et als (1974) learning cycle that focuses on an integrated and planned approach based on experience Fig 2: Kolb et als (1974) learning cycle Reflection on experience involve looking back on experience and assessing the results. In relation to BAE, this is highlighted by the change in the way it used to do business. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the traditional centralised business model.was changing rather than clients going to the business, it was going to the clients. (Paragraph 2, page 3) Conceptualise involves seek to understand why things turned out as they did, draw conclusions and make some hypotheses. The strength based approach from the case is defined as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Instead of focusing on an individuals weaknessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ you should focus on their strong points and allow them to use those to their full potential (Paragraph 3, page 2) Implementing the approach at the board level was hypothetical in the sense that the approach had been around for a while without much success any surety it would work. Apply -testing the hypotheses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The board was allocated several key business tasksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ allocated according to strengths. (Paragraph 1, page 4) Act Do something. In BAEs case à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The extent to which a strength-based approach will be integrated into BAE is under review. (Paragraph 6, page 4) The fact that BAE board à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦want to take this forward underscore the nature of learning, that of a continuous process. The value of Strength-based approach is that, employees are able to identify their strengths helping individuals understand their talents and how they can consciously apply these at work through developing knowledge and skills (which can be learned) to turn natural talents into world-class strengths. This approach has contributed to a high-performance work environment. (Organisational) Development and Strength-based approach As defined by Richard Beckhard (1969), Organization development (OD) is a planned, top-down, organization-wide effort to increase the organizations effectiveness and health. OD is undertaken to achieve a flexible (not only enabling organizations to embrace change, but exploit change in the external environment to organizational advantage) and creative organization that constantly seeks to improve and reinvent the way it carries out its business, and serves its customers. How rapidly an organization adapts to changing business circumstance is what delivers competitive advantage in todays global marketplace. Example, today, customers can be located anywhere in the world, customers demand near-instantaneous responsiveness and solutions. Such factors have impinged on organizational development. As a resulted there is a growing trend around the world to introduce skill-specific forms of training, as well as the growing recognition of individual learning contribution to organisation learning, both of which emphasise the link between competitive advantage and, training and development specifically around role and tasks. This seems to be the perspective BAE is borrowing by implementing a strength-based approach. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Rather than being shared out according to job functionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦tasks were now allocated according to strengths (skills) (paragraph 1, pg 4) A broader approach could be placed on identifying the skills and experience (BAE: through strength-based approach), which broad business direction (BAE: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦customer-orientated organisation that does maintenance and support) suggests will be required in the future together with planning around developing talent at different levels in the organisation (BAE: The extent to which a strength based approach will be integrated into BAE is under review). Change and Strength-based Approach An organisation can only perform effectively through interaction with the broader external environment of which it is part. Therefore the structure and functioning of the organisation must reflect the nature of the environment in which it is operation. For its survival and future success the organisation must be readily adaptable to the external demands upon it it must be responsive to change. From BAE perspective The traditionally centralised business modelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦was changingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Paragraph 2, page 3) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to move toà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦much more customer-orientated organisationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Paragraph 3, page 4) The above reflects a change and BAE needs to adapt to the new way of doing business. Implementing the Strength-based approach comes in handy in identify the set of skills required to undertake such a move. 1.3 From an organisational and employee perspective the weakness ofstrength based approach The direction an organisation takes is always governed by goals that it wants to achieve and the strategies thereof applied to achieve them. Since the only way to achieve such goals is through people, there has to be a link between the strategies and the people. From BAEs perspective, the strength-based approach may be viewed as a best-practise approach a bundle of HR policies. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Instead of focusing on an individuals à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦focus on their strong points and allow them to use those to their full potential (pg 2, paragraph 3) According to Purcell (1999, p. 27) the best practice model does not discuss on company strategy. The underlying premise of this view is that organizations adopting a set of best practices attract super human resources, talent and competencies. These superior human resources will, in turn, influence the strategy the organization adopts and is the source of its competitive advantage. (Milkovich Newman, 2002, p. 30) .Therefore, for this approach, policy precedes strategy. This brings out the first weakness of the strength-based approach there is no direct link with the overall organization strategy. The strength-based approach primary focus is the skills of a person thereby limiting people to their area of interest. This leads to specialization and in as much as it make an organization / individual competent in the area of interest, to an extent this may prove very expensive to the organization since specialized skills are scarce and may come at a cost and should an organization be pursuing a cost leadership strategy this may undermine its intended goal cost reduction, which indeed is a competitive advantage virtue. This by analysis can be presumed true of the BAE scenario. Furthermore, it is prudent to focus also on the weakest points. For example a manager, using the WH Smith competence model used to underpin graduate recruitment and development, needs the following competencies: written communication ( communicate on paper) Oral communication (clearly speak and with ease) leadership (directing, command authority) team membership (team player) Planning and organizing Decision Making Motivation Personal Strength Analytical It may not be possible to be good at all the above competencies, albeit those being key requirements from a managerial focus, hence their weakness. But due to performance demands this may be sacrificed for performance. Watts agrees: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦its all about business performanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦if someone was the greatest strategist in the world but terrible at people management, we wouldnt be able to tolerate that, no matter how strong they were in the other areas. So its playing to people strength where possibleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Human Resource development (HRD) emphasizes the need to cause employees to improve, make better, to increase from an individual skills and knowledge perspective, and from an organisation performance through the people perspective. As a result an organisation gains competitive edge and ability to succeed in the future From the above nature of HRD, the strength-based approach lucks a clear way of improving skills in the sense that it is impossible to pinpoint areas of improvement from a skilled resource perspective performing tasks he/she is attracted to and good at doing. ..How do you help someone who has risen to the top by being strong in most areas? (Paragraph 6, page 3) Complacency, egoism could result if a strength-based approach was implemented. An employee would feel superior since his skills is unmatched and as such would take things for granted while not putting enough effort and thereby affecting performance. Linleyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦people often take things they are good at for granted, because it feels natural and doesnt require a lot of effortà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Paragraph 7, page 3) SECTION B Question 2: 2.1: The main features of a performance management system Driven by market imperatives to develop more efficient organizational structures and practices, within an organization, there is an increasing emphasis on behavioural competitive strategies that rely on core competencies and capabilities among employees, not only because they provide the most effective response to market demands, but also because they are not easily copied by competitors. Performance management is the process of creating a work environment or setting in which people are enabled to perform to the best of their abilities. Its the identification, evaluation and developing the work performance of employees so that an organizations goals and objectives are more effectively achieved. Ensuring a productive and successful performance management system (PMS) is hard work and requires rigor and discipline to which an organization must be willing to commit. Key features of PMS include: Making the business case the objective The path (strategy) an organization will take goals to be achieved and role of each employee need to be communicated to achieve oneness, coherence and understanding throughout the organization. A PMS, likewise, need to be communicated pre-launch, (re)launch and post launch. There is need to cultivate enthusiasm, understanding and commitment through continual explanation of using the system to the entire organization In itself, PMS is an accountability system, showing the business results everyone (from senior managers to front-line employees) is accountable for and setting expectations for achieving the desire results. There should be a continual review of the objective in with the organization strategy. This is especially so taking into account the market dynamics keep changing and the organization need to align itself to be able to coup with change. Skill development It is critical to develop confidence and the competence of all employees around fulfilling their roles when implementing a process intended to change behavior. Actively involving the employees throughout the performance cycle will result in the effectiveness of the PMS. Both the leaders and employees need to know their responsibilities in the process; how to create measurable objectives and observable competencies; how to track; how to seek, give, and receive feedback; how to evaluate performance; and how to conduct effective performance discussions. All this require skills development in the form of training to be provided for both the leaders and employees. Aligned systems and Processes The alignment process begins with the PMS supporting the business strategic priorities and goals. It is critical to determine the relationship between other systems (for example team working) and the performance management system and how data from it will be used to support other HR systems, such as training and development, succession planning, selection and promotion, rewards and recognition, and compensation. For success in a specific position, competencies need to be identified and incorporate into the selection process for hiring people into the position which late be included into performance plans to track and evaluate. This provides an immediate link between the competencies used for selection and the competencies used to evaluate performance in the new job. The two systems are aligned and reinforce each other. Providing clear measures What are the outcomes envisaged from the system (PMS) and how do we measure? Before implementation, it is paramount to decide upon the criteria for evaluating the systems effectiveness. Landmarks for evaluation would include compliance ( for example, are performance plans, interim reviews, and final reviews, being completed on time?) and quality and effectiveness of the system (quality audits of performance plans and reviews, questions on employee satisfaction surveys and exit interviews, and so on) 2.2: Critical evaluation of the relationship and contribution of performance management systems with strategic human resource management principles Concept of Human Resource Today, all organizations (private business, academics and governments) throughout the world appreciate that the human resources can be a source of competitive advantage, provided that the policies for managing people are integrated with strategic business planning and organizational culture (Beer, Spector, Lawrence, Quinn, Mills, Walton, 1985) an important emphasis of congruence between human resource policies and organization objectives. This brings about the aspect of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) the linking of human resources with strategic goals and objectives in order to improve business performance and develop organizational culture that foster innovation and flexibility. SHRM can be seen as a three-dimensional model (Gratton and Truss, 2003): it is based on vertical alignment between people strategy and operational strategy; on horizontal alignment between individual HRM functions; and on an action and implementation dimension. Further in HRM, there are two strands of thinking: hard approach to HRM that focuses on cost reduction and containment, links with strategy and the role of HRM in furthering the competitive advantage of the organization and; the soft HRM that builds on human relations traditions and stresses the importance of the subjects as a means of furthering employee satisfaction and a range of related humane objectives that are achievable from the insights of systematic studies within HRM. Strategic human resource management and performance In the 21st century, organizations are so keen and are striving to achieve competitive advantage and profits through effective knowledge management (generating knowledge through collective learning). When human resource strategies are based on competence (ability requiring skills and knowledge which are acquired), the competency point of view is relevant to all functions. The key functions of HRM include personnel recruitment, development, and career planning and performance evaluation. In an organization there is a combination of material and immaterial resources that are expected to provide competitive edge to the organization (Kamoche, 1999). Resources and capabilities can be defined as skills, collective learning (core capabilities embedded in the organizations structures and processes) or as core competence. The capabilities include human capital (Individual competence is a good example), Structural capital (consists of intellectual property and infrastructure; systems of performance evaluation and management). The relationship capital refers to those distinct features that mark the organizations relationship with customers, personnel and interest groups. From this viewpoint, HRM is seen as a promoter of strategic capability, as a driver or as the organizations core competence. The latter consider that HRM functions of an organization can create unique competence that makes the organization stand out from the rest. This in turn increases its competitive advanta ge. Competence can be viewed from two levels: organizations core competence that incorporates collective learning and individual competence is usually based on the relationship between individual skills and work demands. The latter is often linked to good work performance. The prerequisites for competency depend on circumstances and are related to the facilitators of and barriers to reaching organizational goals, created by the organization and by social relations. Individual competency potential and the characteristics of the organization influence work competency i.e. effective response to work demands. Here, it is a question of reconciling desired behaviors and outcomes with actual behaviors and outcomes. Performance evaluation at the level of an organization and performance evaluation at the level of an individual constitute the basic functions of SHRM and can be used to co-ordinate strategies and personnel strategies and HRM functions. This mechanism is expected to establish a link between HRM and performance by increasing the motivation and building performance capability of personnel However, Panayotopoulou, Bourantas and Papalexandris (2003, p. 682) state research has failed to consistently support the efficacy of fit and its link to performance. Key citation is that most research on HRM and performance are based on the assumption that an organization pursues an integrated set of objectives and human resource that is in contrast with three recent developments: move towards more flexible internal structures associated with different forms of cooperation and collaboration among organizations and some of these include strategic alliances, business networks, joint ventures and linkages Outsourcing and inter-organizational contracting trend. These approaches do not consider the influence of multi employers and customers in the shaping of the employment relationship (Rubery, Earnshaw, Marchington, Cooke and Vincent 2002.) Much of organizational performance discussion is as though organizations are homogenous entities with clearly defined boundaries and similar contexts and characteristics. Recent developments suggest the need to understand the boundaries and how these might impact on organizations and the employment relationship. Hutchinson, Kinnie and Purcell (2001) report, in relation to the notions of people management and performance a number of aspects demonstrating the difficulty of evaluating performance impact are identified. The relationship between HR practices and business performance can be identified at different levels ranging from the plant/establishment level through to the corporation level. Lack of consensus on what constitutes a HR package and no agreement on the level of specificity or HR practices. There is a different way of measuring HR practices and a limited use of performance measures. in some cases sophisticated measurement techniques are used and these are hard to understand Few studies take account of the reaction of employees so that it is difficult to understand how the HR practices feed through to improved levels of performance and thus causality is an issue. Guest (1997) concur that there is a need for a basis of comparison and also a need to understand the relationship between types of performance data. 5 The main features of Human Resource Development (HRD) strategies and how they influence organisation change Definition of HRD By definition, HRD strategies are plans defining how human resources would be utilized through the use of an integrated array of training, organisational development and career development efforts to achieve individual, organisational objectives. The increasingly competitive business environment organization have become increasingly interested in and appreciate their employees who are seen as key players contributing to the core competencies of the organization (Hamel and Prahalad, 1994). As a result, it has become paramount for the organization (the management) to harness and nurture the talents and capabilities of the employees for good performance and competitive edge. This has given rise to the need of human resource development. Features and their influences: Skill Gap People are our greatest asset, is on the lips of many senior managers. During selection and hiring of an employee, at that time the employees competencies (ability- requiring skills and knowledge) were deemed as fitting with the organisation objectives. As a result of changes taking place in the business environment (Political, Economic, Social and Technological) most like the organisation will have changed in the way it used to work so as to encompass/embraces these changes resulting in skills deficit. In response to the need to meet the skill gaps and increase productivity, organisations are keen to encourage a series of initiatives, and which recognise the importance of developing the skills, for example multi-skilling and learning to achieve flexibility. However, in as much as people are our greatest asset philosophy goes, there is poor investment in training and development in most of the organisation (Redman and Wilkinson, 2001; Harrison, 2002). Furthermore the development budget is often the first target when economies are needed. Creating learning Environments Changes in the business environment are leading to flexible and creative organisations that are constantly seeking to improve and reinvent the way business is carried out and how customers are severed an organisation development (OD) perspective. French and Bell (1999) describes OD as a long-term effort to improve the organisations visioning, empowerment, learning and problem-solving processes through collaborative management of organisation culture this description high-lights a key aspect, learning. The organisation is not the only arena for people to learn. There is need for organisations and its employees, and to a greater extent the community within which the organisation is operating to understand the importance of life-long-learning the need to have high quality. This calls for a cross-sector partnership to provide opportunities for organisation (public, private and non-profit) to work together to enhance the skill base in the labour market which will in turn increase in human and social capital. Developing a learning organisation is not easy since it necessitates culture change. To successfully implement a learning culture, there is need to align performance evaluation and reward processes with organisational learning goals, a means of fostering a common corporate learning culture. Encouraging a greater uptake of learning an