Research proposal and literature review

Abstract This research proposal consists of several parts that provide a relevant direction for the development of a research project on the topic of talent management and knowledge management in contemporary organisations. The first part introduces the mentioned topic by providing adequate background details that aim at exploring the direct link between talent management and knowledge management initiatives used by companies. The second part is the literature review consisting of solid evidence obtained from management literature. The third part of the proposal includes the proposed research methodology, which is quantitative in nature, as the selected data collection method is survey. Advantages and disadvantages of this type of research methodology are clearly outlined along with the suggested model of data analysis. Part 1: Introduction and Background The present study intends to explore the close relationship between talent management and knowledge management as related to the constantly developing HR field. It is important to understand how the implementation of knowledge management activities can contribute to better functioning of modern organisations especially in terms of talent management procedures and reinforcing the potential of employees (Arthur, 2012). It can be indicated that the combination of talent management and knowledge management is beneficial for the operations present at companies (Aiman-Smith et al., 2006; Analoui, 2007). Talent management has been found useful to motivate employees to demonstrate their skills, as this would be possible through raising awareness about the importance of knowledge management. Different knowledge management concepts can be identified as directly related to talent management initiatives in organisations (Analoui, 2007). Such concepts are related to recognising the potential of k nowledge employees, presenting adequate orientation to create and share knowledge as well as demonstrate activities pertaining to the retention of solid knowledge. For that reason, the purpose of the study is to demonstrate the relationship between talent management and knowledge management. This issue has been adequately explored in the literature in an attempt to find out essential aspects pertaining to each of the two concepts (Armstrong, 2007). Yet it is expected that the present study can provide significant insights into different methods and strategies that relate to using the advantages of talent management and knowledge management in practice (Ingham, 2006). Three main research questions are identified for the present study: Research Question 1: What is the relationship between talent management and knowledge management in the context of contemporary organisations? Research Question 2: How can knowledge management contribute to extending the impact of talent management initiatives across organisations? Research Question 3: How can organisations improve the aspect of learning among employees as well as empower them? Such research questions are considered helpful and thus will be covered in the study by providing adequate answers. Specific objectives are identified for the study: To assess and enhance the impact of both talent management and knowledge management initiatives across organisations; To determine employee contribution and attitude towards the functioning of the organisation and outline of specific strategic goals; To include a series of recommendations on how the relationship between talent management and knowledge management can be enhanced to achieve optimal results Part 2: Literature ReviewIntroductionThis section of the study outlines major points related to the connection between talent management and knowledge management as outlined in the literature. The introduction of knowledge management programs is found beneficial to develop and enhance mechanisms of talent management initiatives. This in turn will result in more empowered employees who tend to be more satisfied with their job and thus more productive in the long term. A substantial part of the literature review section refers to exploring the link between talent management and knowled ge management. The emphasis is on the attitude demonstrated by employees regarding the combination of these two essential concepts of the HR field.The Link between Talent Management and Knowledge ManagementIt has been argued that talent management is mostly associated with enhancing the potential of new employees as well as recruiting and retaining existing ones. In the process of retaining employees, the focus is on the most competent and qualified workers in the organisation. Other elements emphasised by talent management include educational and training opportunities, progression planning, and organisational expansion (De Wit and Meyer, 2005). The benefits of talent management have been recognised in the literature (Aiman-Smith et al., 2006). Such an activity is subject to control by the HR department. Researchers have focused on the optimal ways that can be used to expand the skills of their employees, which would be possible through the development of relevant strategic objecti ves (Analoui, 2007). Organisations should be adequately prepared to correspond to any changes or aspects of financial performance. The contribution of talented employees should be considered in the process of organising adequate talent management and knowledge management initiatives. In addition, researchers have argued that the interrelation of knowledge management and talent management is mostly maintained for the accomplishment of particular strategic goals (Aiman-Smith et al., 2006). As a specific area in the HR field, talent management requires significant attention in order to utilise the optimal potential of employees in the workplace. On the other hand, knowledge management has been perceived as introducing regulatory mechanisms that can facilitate or motivate employees to achieve their full potential. This can be done through the creation, accumulation and application of solid knowledge mechanisms in the organisational context (Aiman-Smith et al., 2006; De Wit and Meyer, 2005). It has been identified that knowledge connection management is a specific field within the broad domain of knowledge management, as it has been considered such differentiation is important to expand the knowledge in modern organisations. The focus of employee performance has been emphasised in the literature especially in a direction of recruiting talented employees and advancing the possibilities of information technology (Evans et al., 2007). As a result, companies would be able to use and share knowledge in an efficient manner. The idea is to enhance organisational performance at all possible levels (Haesli and Boxall, 2005). The effective execution of talent management and knowledge management in organisations requires an adequately constructed process, which is related with the identification of talented employees, creating solid knowledge base, and sharing such knowledge efficiently. In addition, it is important to motivate employees to practice such knowledge in the best possible manner by demonstrating creativity and innovation. According to research, knowledge management mechanisms can be rather effective if they are combined with models of talent management and thus focused on the capabilities and structure of organisations (Green, 2000). It can be argued that knowledge management mostly relates to essential aspects of technology development and organisation, with the utmost goal to create adequate knowledge procedures across organisations. It is significant to note that successful knowledge management can be achieved if companies ensure efforts to combine these two areas of the HR field (Frank and Taylor, 2004). Knowledge management application can help organisations manage their knowledge base properly, while talent management application can reinforce the talent of employees and supervise them accordingly (Evans et al., 2007). In this context, it is important to differentiate some of the most viable knowledge management competencies to include dimensions of organisational behaviour, structure and empowerment of knowledgeable employees.Knowledge Management and Organisational CapabilitiesKnowledge management is a dynamic area of the HR field pertaining to the identification of essential capabilities and dimensions of organisational performance (Frank and Taylor, 2004; Green, 2000). The most relevant idea is to generate knowledge principles continuously, which would contribute to better functioning of organisations. The HR department is usually responsible for raising awareness regarding the importance of knowledge management and knowledge creation at all levels of the organisation (Evans et al., 2007). Therefore, it would be possible to identify knowledge management mechanisms as rather structured in nature as well as controlled by managers with the purpose to manage and control knowledge effectively. The process of accepting certain knowledge forms may be challenging, but the combination of knowledge management and talent management can significantly facilitate the performance of organisations (Evans et al., 2007). Knowledge management indicates the necessity to ensure constant reinforcement of certain HRM activities. Researchers have argued about the importance of measuring the performance of each employee especially through feedback, which has been found effective not only for the organisation but also for the professional development of employees (Frank and Taylor, 2004). In terms of performance, it has become important to implement a relevant strategy and present a strong vision; hence, companies are expected to introduce clear strategic goals for future initiatives that can combine successfully talent management and knowledge management. As a result, this would improve both the external and internal capabilities of the organisation, as shown in the literature (Green, 2000). However, short-term and past-oriented financial pointers cannot become distinctive indicators that can appraise the overall company’s performance anymore. In this context, intangible assets such as knowledge management and talent management rather than tangible financial assets are a measure of a company’s strategic value (Smart, 1999). As a result, knowledge management has emerged as a quite important branch of management in the sense of developing intangible asset monitor systems to evaluate performance indicators of the workforce as well as provide certain details about financial performance (Sewell, 2005). The intangible asset monitor is a system consisting of performance pointers that can link such intangible assets in a relevant manner. Moreover, the classification of intellectual capital has become a priority to many organisations in an attempt to enhance their internal structure and acceptance of certain criteria for employee performance, which may contribute to extensive growth (Frank and Taylor, 2004). For that reason, researchers have proposed the implementation of Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) emerging as a strategic management parameter that includes both financial pointers and nonfinancial indicators (Green, 2000; Sewell, 2005). Such a strategic learning system is able to modify a particular business theory through the implementation of strict monitoring mechanisms. The goal is to assess an organisation’s knowledge management and talent management initiatives. At the same time, knowledge management emerges with significant objectives related to the improvement of all parameters of organisational knowledge, introduction of innovative mechanisms that support knowledge and motivation of employees (Evans et al., 2007). The combination of knowledge management and talent management activities is useful for enhancing organisations to achieve essential strategic objectives through a clearly defined path of possibilities (Redman and Wilkinson, 2006). Yet, it can be indicated that knowledge management has not significantly contributed to the actual organisational performance. Its combination with talent management activities has been found a preferable option to enhance organisational performance (Green, 2000). The cost-effective parameters of such a combination of activities should be considered as well. Researchers have indicated that the BCA can realistically measure knowledge management and talent management performance through the method of cost analysis (Nonaka, 1994). In this sense, knowledge management refers to an entire philosophy of training employees in order to enhance their collaboration and integration within the organisation. Therefore, researchers have suggested the method of knowledge management scorecard (KMSC) as a relevant way to evaluate performance through the lens of knowledge management (Evans et al., 2007).Effective Combination of Talent Management and Knowledge ManagementThe conceptualisation of the link between talent management and knowledge management is required in order to expand the potential of employees to bring greater value to the organisation. Talent management has been found important in eliciting a sufficient amount of intellectual knowledge (Nonaka, 1994). In addition, the notion of talent management clearly adheres to the principles outlined b y strategic management. It aims to strengthen the dimensions of knowledge in organisations through the identification and reinforcement of talented employees, as the leading point made in the literature is that once these employees have been recognised, they should be retained in the long term (Sewell, 2005). The concept of talent management also refers to the affective domain of the HR department especially in terms of facilitating a proper vision for emotional intelligence. Various examples can be also found in relation to how talent management and knowledge management can be adequately combined to create the south positive impact and retain qualified and experienced employees in the long run (Sewell, 2005). It appears that there are plenty of successful companies that have demonstrated their aim to combine these two branches of management in an effective way. For instance, Igus, which is a leading manufacturer of energy systems in Germany, is a clear example of such successful organisations (Igus Official Website, 2014). The company is noted for its commitment to arranging all aspects of management in a clear and efficient way by reinforcing the potential of employees so that they can contribute to optimal organisational performance.ConclusionIt has been argued that the necessity of including both talent management and knowledge management in contemporary organisations can contribute to improved performance, productivity and adequate employer-employee relationships. The focus is on the formation and implementation of a clear HR strategy for organisations to operate in particular markets or industry sectors (Green, 2000). As illustrated in the literature review, the concept of combining talent management and knowledge management has been subject to extensive discussions among management scholars. It has been identified that both systems should be carefully considered upon the implementation of a particular organisational strategy. Scholars have focused on the necessity to direct the HR department in a proper direction by taking advantage of the strong aspects of both talent management and knowledge management (Evans et al., 2007). Yet, greater emphasis is put on exploring the effects of different knowledge management frameworks that could further lead to the accomplishment of various strategic management goals. This literature review also emphasised that the combination of talent management and knowledge management initiatives is associated with rather positive effects on employee performance and productivity as well as job motivation. The adoption of a positive attitude among employees is a clear sign of the effectiveness of the mentioned combination of management approaches. An extensive focus on the talent management and knowledge management initiative has been outlined in the research literature. Despite the usefulness of training and development programs, the mentioned initiative has been considered more important in relation to specifying long-term implications. In addition, different recommendations have been introduced of how to expand the positive effect of talent management and knowledge management activities in today’s organisations (Evans et al., 2007). The improvement of organisational control mechanisms has been extensively discussed in the literature. As a result, researchers have indicated the importance of extending employee learning and empowering them to succeed as professionals in a particular area of expertise (Green, 2000). Therefore, the presented literature review fulfilled the objective of enabling individuals to understand the complexity of the talent management and knowledge management initiative. Part 3: Research Methodology Prior to proposing the most viable research method to be used in this study, it is important to clarify that focusing on research philosophy is inseparable part of the entire research process. Quantitative research methodology is considered most appropriate to answer the presented research questions and achieve the stated objectives. In this way, the researcher needs to focus on collecting a substantial amount of numerical information that would be sufficient to explain particular research phenomena (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). In terms of presenting a clear paradigm of research philosophy, the emphasis is on the use of positivist research philosophy, in the sense of providing an adequate explanation for human behavioural patterns from the perspective of cause and effect. The social environment has been identified as an optimal place to collect the information necessary for presenting research findings (Nonaka, 1994). Moreover, the possibility to achieve a high level of generalisabil ity of findings is a relevant way to ensure greater objectivity of the obtained information. to generalise the findings to the wider population.Advantages and Limitations of Quantitative Research MethodologyThe basic aspect underlying the specificity of quantitative method is its focus on retrieving sufficient numerical information, which would allow the researcher to conduct an in-depth statistical analysis (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). The retrieval of quantitative data is statistically dominated and thus emerges with substantial accuracy considering that it is not open to various interpretations as in qualitative research design. One of the benefits of adopting quantitative research methodology is that it contributes to the easy collection of data, as it can be visually presented with charts and figures. Another benefit of this type of methodology is associated with the possibility to carry out a research at a large scale due to inclusion of extensive statistical details (Green, 2 000). A disadvantage of the research method selected for this study is that it may represent a rather costly option compared to qualitative research design (Vogt, 2006). A second disadvantage of quantitative research methodology relates to changing numbers as a result of specific operations and calculations, as this may have a negative impact on the overall results obtained in the study (Nonaka, 1994).Sampling ProcedureThe sampling procedure used to construct a relevant sample of participants is random sampling, which refers to selecting individuals on a random principle (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). There is a sense of unpredictability associated with this sampling procedure, as the intention of the researcher is to ensure optimal objectivity of results. It can be stated that all people from a particular segment have the equal chance to participate in the study. The simple technique pertaining to random sampling is the availability of random number tables, which serve a notification purpose in the sense of informing the researcher to select study subjects at a particular defined period and thus participants are generated on a random principle (Vogt, 2006). However, it should be noted that the use of randomisation devices may be also considered in this study, as it has been found to produce effective results in terms of avoiding bias in research (Maxim, 1999). The application of random sampling is a proper way to produce legitimate results as well as adequate findings and implications for long-term practice. It is important to indicate that the results obtained from randomly selected participants are perceived as credible and accurate and thus such a sampling technique should be preferred in the research process (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). However, there is a significant challenge associated with the selected sampling technique. It obviously cannot include all representatives of the general population, which may result in the formation of sampling errors. There is an aspect of uncertainty, but this usually emerges with any method and thus the researcher should be prepared to address similar concerns (Maxim, 1999). In order to accomplish the research objectives outlined in this study, the researcher considers the formation of a sample that consists of 250 senior managers employed in a UK based financial institution.ValidityThe aspect of internal validity is important in research, as it relates to evaluating whether the study can assess what it was initially outlined. In addition, validit y refers to determining whether the obtained results can be considered truthful. There is also an aspect of external validity, which is associated with achieving a high level of comprehensive research results in the sense that they find a broad application in various research settings (Vogt, 2006). Thus, it is assumed that the present study has an adequately high level of internal validity because of the lack of insufficient knowledge on the topic or improperly introduced arguments. However, it should be considered that data insufficiency may pose a significant risk to ensuring validity of data. It is important to avoid situations leading to the generation of low internal validity from research findings (Carmines and Zeller, 1980). In addition, certain instrumentation issues in relation to the data collection tool may create additional challenges in the process of ensuring internal validity. The possibility to generate invalid scores is also clear and similar situations should be apparently decreased in the organisational context. The issue of order unfairness is a concern which is also considered in the present study, as the focus is on the order of particular involvement conditions that should not be removed from the precise effect of those conditions (Carmines and Zeller, 1980). Other threats considered in the present research include particular errors in statistical analysis testing, improperly constructed correlations and the emergence of causal errors, which are most likely to appear in the data analysis process. In terms of exploring the dimensions of external validity, it is important to consider its important role in determining outcomes in quantitative research. External validity refers to drawing more general inferences in relation to the collection of data among participants. Specific time periods and settings are important in determining the study results, b ut there are problems in relation to external validity that should be adequately considered. The major problematic issue is related to survey population, which is followed by time and attempts to ensure a sufficient level of environmental validity (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). In terms of testing survey population validity, the researcher is concerned with the idea of whether specific inferences can be obtained from a particular population segment. In case bias is demonstrated throughout the research process, it is clear that external validity is subjected to substantial threat. Furthermore, in case the sample size is considered insufficient or lacking characteristics of randomness, it may appear that the respective calculations are irrelevant. The process of achieving greater generalisation of results to the wider population may be problematic. The concept of time validity may emerge in order to demonstrate the degree to which obtained research findings can be comprehensive as related to other time periods (Carmines and Zeller, 1980). There may be certain changes occurring in the connection between variables, implying that the perceived level of time validity in this case would be rather low. The notion of environmental validity shows that the retrieved results can be comprehensive across a variety of settings. Despite the assumed high reliability and accuracy of the selected research methodology, it should be noted that achieving proper international generalisability may be a problem especially when it refers to small surveys and case studies (Carmines and Zeller, 1980). In conclusion, it can be argued that the notions of validity and reliability are more applicable to quantitative research than qualitative research. Part 4: Data Analysis The process of conducting an in-depth data analysis is fundamental to achieve the research objectives of the study. Considering that the proposed data collection tool is survey is important to implement statistical analysis, which is properly constructed. Yet, it should be considered that the researcher may provide various alternative ideas in terms of analysing the information obtained from research participants (Vogt, 2006). It is important to adhere to a properly constructed strategy of data analysis considering that extensive knowledge of working with survey data is essential throughout all stages of the data analysis process. There are different paths of analysis that can be followed by the researcher in this study, as the most important aspect is to recognise the specific audience and research objectives, and thus the implementation of an appropriate analysis tool to interpret the data would be possible (Maxim, 1999). The initial stage of data analysis is represented by Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA), which indicates that the researcher initially looks into the data set in order to determine specific categories that will be later grouped for analysis. It is a preliminary form of data analysis (Vogt, 2006), but the essential part of the process is to derive the main findings from the collected survey data. It is important to make sure at this stage that analysis files are adequately consistent with one another because the issue of data analysis inconsistencies may be quite problematic in the long term (Maxim, 1999). It is also important to mention that the survey results can be analysed with specific software applications, which are intended for similar purposes. Other basic aspects to be considered during the data analysis process include filtering, comparing and showing rules as well as using saved views of the data set. Once the researcher prepares a summary of the retrieved data, the next step would be to focus on individual responses and exporting charts. As mentioned in the research literature, the use of charts and figures significantly facilitates the visual presentation of the research findings (Vogt, 2006). References Aiman-Smith, L., Bergey, P., Cantwell, A. R., and Doran, M. (2006). ‘The Coming Knowledge and Capability Shortage’. Research-Technology Management, pp. 15-23. Analoui, F. (2007). Strategic Human Resource Management. London: Thomson Learning. Armstrong, M. (2007). A Handbook of Employee Reward Management and Practice. New York: Kogan Page. Arthur, D. (2012). Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting & Orienting New Employees. New York: AMACOM. Balnaves, M. and Caputi, P. (2001). Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods: An Investigative Approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing. Carmines, E. G. and Zeller, R. A. (1980). Reliability and Validity Assessment. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing. De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2005). Strategy Synthesis. London: Thomson Learning. Evans, W. R., Novicevic, M. M., and Davis, W. D. (2007). ‘Resource-Based Foundations of Strategic Human Resource Management: A Review and Extension’. International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, vol. 4(1-2), pp. 75-91. Frank, F. D. and Taylor, C. R. (2004). ‘Talent Management: Trends That Will Shape the Future’. Human Resource Planning, vol. 27(1), pp. 33-41. Green, M. (2000). ‘Beware and Prepare: The Government Workforce of the Future’. Public Personnel Management, vol. 29(4), pp. 435-443. Haesli, A. and Boxall, P. (2005). ‘When Knowledge Management Meets HR Strategy: An Exploration of Personalization-Retention and Codification-Recruitment Configurations’. International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 16(11), pp. 1955-1975. Igus Official Website (2014). About Igus [online]. Available at: http://www.igus.com/AboutIgus [Accessed on: 20 Oct. 2014]. Ingham, J. (2006). ‘Closing the Talent Management Gap’. Strategic HR Review, vol. 5(3), pp. 20-23. Maxim, P. S. (1999). Quantitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Nonaka, I. (1994). ‘A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation’. Organization Science, vol. 5(1), pp. 14-37. Redman, T. and Wilkinson, A. (2006). Contemporary Human Resource Management-Text and Cases. Harlow: Pearson Education. Sewell, G. (2005). ‘Nice WorkRethinking Managerial Control in an Era of Knowledge Work’. Organization, vol. 12(5), pp. 685-704. Smart, B. D. (1999). Top Grading: How Leading Companies Win by Hiring, Coaching, and Keeping the Best People. Paramus: Prentice Hall Press. Vogt, W. P. (2006). Quantitative Research Methods for Professionals in Education and Other Fields. New York: Allyn & Bacon.

Putting Global Warming on Ice Essay

What makes the earth’s temperature rise and fall? Do greenhouse gases block solar heat from leaving the earth, or is it only a product of solar activity? Many people have theorized on what causes temperatures to change. A catch phrase named Global Warming came to popularity. Environmentalists from all walks of life joined the ‘global warming’ fight. According to Thomas O’Connell the global warming debate wasn’t accepted in the 60’s and 70’s when he studied it. It only became popular recently in the 90’s. Everyone believed that humans were causing a catastrophe by punching a whole into an ‘ozone layer’ in the sky, letting harmful rays of sun in. People fought to shutdown plants in order to stop the emissions of carbon dioxide and other ‘greenhouse gases’. Everyone believed the global warming claims coming from senators and environmentalists. Today in the 21st century, science has stepped up to disprove the common myths of global warming. Many of the theories and claims of global warming are easily disproved with science. Science is the only tool that can be used to tell whether theories are fact or fiction. The first issue of global warming is the recent Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty designed to cut greenhouse emissions from successful countries. The international Kyoto protocol has been in debate for many years. The Kyoto protocol is an international treaty to reduce developed country’s greenhouse emissions, specifically carbon dioxide, to 7% below their 1990 levels. As President Bush came to office he refused the U.S.’s involvement in the treaty. President Bush wasn’t even the man that killed the idea for the U.S. (National Center 2). A bill, stating that the U.S. wouldn’t ratify any climate treaty that would harm the United States economically and would have no consequences for developing or â€Å"3rd World† countries, was passed with a unanimous 95-0 vote by the senate before President Bush was elected (National Center 2). The treaty isn’t about global warming. It was designed in order to transfer success from developed nations like the U.S. to developing or struggling countries (Tuccille 2). Research declares that China, India, and Brazil who are not affected by the Kyoto Protocol will increase their CO2 emissions by 16% more than the United States even without  the Protocol in effect (National Center 3). Proponents of the protocol confessed that the treaty â€Å"would not have the beneficial environmental impacts advertised† and that â€Å"the costs of implementation would be much higher than the public had been told† (National Center 1). U.S. economy would suffer if we agreed to partake in the Kyoto scheme. Gasoline prices would increase by as much as 66 cents per gallon, electrical costs would also increase up to 80%, energy intensive products such as chemicals, steel, paper, and cars would rise in price by as much as 15%. (National Center 2). â€Å"The economy of the USA would be devastated,† states Thomas O’Connell. The minority income would be lowered by about 10%, 864,000 African Americans as well as 511,000 Hispanics would be unemplo yed (National Center 2). Oil and fuel used for farming would be taxed or restricted causing in a higher cost of producing and lower profits of products including corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, hogs, and milk (Heartland Institute 2 and 3). Businesses taxed by the government for their emissions would result in raising costs for their consumers (Heartland Institute 3). New regulations would be implemented for automobiles making carpooling mandatory and would penalize owners of trucks and sports cars. The average household income would even drop by about $2,700 (Heartland Institute 2). Even the unbiased and credible Time magazine quoted, â€Å"the campaign against global warming seemed to be over before it even started† referring to the Kyoto Protocol (Tuccille 1). Are we prepared to â€Å"disappear from the map† in order to prevent 1 degree Celsius of warming for the next Century? One of the hot issues on global warming is that humankind has had something to do with the temperature. Man-made emissions such as carbon dioxide have been claimed to cause global temperatures to increase over the years. Ever since the industrial revolution in the 1940’s man has continued to emit gases such as CO2 into the air. Many people claim that CO2 is what blocks heat from escaping the atmosphere. They also claim that mankind has poked a hole in something called the â€Å"ozone layer†, a protective layer above the atmosphere that keeps harmful UV radiation out, which lets more solar rays in. How convenient. The fact is that 98% of these â€Å"greenhouse gases† are natural to the earth. Man has not emitted them and they are not pollutants. They are mostly water vapors and clouds (Zipperer 2). Does that sound dangerous to you? The earth  has even cut down on the rate of carbon dioxide emissions from the years 1973-1990 (Lindzen 1 and 2). Even if we did have a lot of CO2 in the air evidently the effects wouldn’t be catastrophic. In the past the atmosphere has had much more amounts of CO2 in it before without significant increases in temperature (Lindzen 4). Richard Lindzen, a professor of meteorology at MIT, claims that a doubling of CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere would only result in a 1 degree Celsius increase in global temperature (National Center 3). Another greenhouse gas is methane. Methane is more harmful than CO2 but will not increase significantly for another 100 years if it continues at its current rate (Michaels 1). Many credible experts in the field of science have agreed that man is not responsible. Over 17,000 scientists from all over the world have signed a petition declaring that â€Å"there is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gases is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the earth’s atmosphere and disruption of the earth’s climate† (Heartland Institute 5). Even if there were significant cases of warming global temperatures the effects wouldn’t be as tragic as everyone thinks. There are many benefits to the warming of the earth, as there are consequences. Warming on a global scale would have dramatic effects on life and climates. Some effects may be harmful but many of them are beneficial. Some ideas about global warming consequences are myths that are unlikely. Many people say that global warming is linked with the uprising in tropical storms. Storms such as hurricanes coming from the southeast into Florida coasts have been getting stronger for many years, but in 1991 there was a drought of storms that ranged to 1995. The amount and intensity fell way below the average, which suggests that these storms were not affected by the warming of the earth (Bible Believers 3 and 4). Others claim that sea levels have risen all over the world because the polar ice caps are slowly melting due to the warming. Tests have proven that temperatures at the poles are actually getting colder and that sea levels have been rising for centuries before we had any affect on the c limate (Bible Believers 3). Former Vice President Al Gore spoke of diseases migrating due to climate warming. He spoke of diseases like the Black Plague and Cholera, which he believed were  spread because of weather patterns. Rats, who spread the Black Plague, lived in both warm and cold climates so they had no reason to migrate. His second example Cholera has been a problem in both warm and cold climates and can be easily treated by purifying the water we drink (Heartland Institute 9). Many people have never heard possible benefits of global warming before. Having a warmer climate is very beneficial. Historically, very warm periods in time resulted in flourishing life such as plants, animals, and fish (Bible Believers 4). Even large amounts of CO2 can be beneficial. More CO2 in the atmosphere fuels plants, which makes more food for all walks of life. Vikings were once able to farm what is now a cold and icy Greenland (Zipperer 3). A warming of the earth would result in longer growing seasons and would deplete world hunger and crop failure (Robinson 3). Global warming wouldn’t be all that bad, but we do not have a way to tell if there is or will be any warming because of the difficulty to predict the weather. In order to make predictions about weather, people have designed computer models that estimate changes in weather patterns. The models are designed from past weather data and possible factors effecting the weather. What modelers do not know is that global weather is very hard to predict, maybe even impossible without the right understanding and tools for the job (Robinson 2). Factors such as clouds, precipitation, oceans, and the sun are misunderstood and often underestimated (Zipperer 2). Modelers also leave out possible advances in the future such as nuclear energy and the positive effect it would have on the environment (Lindzen 2). Our current technology isn’t even close to being advanced enough. Errors in the data are equivalent to 50% (Lindzen 3). These computer models could not even predict weather from the past. While global temperatures have raised by .3 to .6 C over the past 100 years models have over predicted the increase to be from .7 to 1.4 C by the year 1990 (Heartland Institute 7). Climate modelers have even inputted their own bias into the data, shifting variables to what they want them to be. â€Å"Climate modelers have been cheating for so long it’s almost become respectable,† says Richard A. Kerr, a writer for Science magazine. Further research on the topic is necessary in order to accurately determine whether we have a problem or not. Many people of profession have studied global warming and what may affect the outcome of their results. When measuring from the surface global temperatures have increased by about .6 degrees Celsius with a .2-degree error, but parts of the United States including the southeast have cooled slightly since the late 19th century (NOAA 2). For those 100 years of slight warming, 70% of it occurred before the industrial revolution in 1940 in which man began to emit gases into the air (Zipperer 2). The surface on and around the equator has remained plus or minus 1 degree Celsius of its current temperature for billions of years (Lindzen 4). Research has also been done to determine the affect on rising and falling temperatures. Scientists have found very close relations with solar activity from the sun and the current temperature patterns, which suggests that fluctuations in temperatures are out of our hands (NOAA 5). Satellites are the best way to determine global temperatures. They are unbiased and have only a 0.001-degree Celsius of error (Heartland Institute 6). These satellites have confirmed that there is no evidence of global warming. If anything there is a slight cooling in the atmosphere (National Center 3). Very reliable agencies have done their own research on global warming. Many scientists have tested the greenhouse theory carefully and have found that greenhouse warming isn’t even occurring and that rising temperatures are do to different stages of solar activity (Robinson 1). In 1995 the IPCC, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, did not prove that humans were affecting global temperatures (Heartland Institute 8). Their report, Climate Change, includes a statement, â€Å"The balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on the global climate† (Heartland Institute 8). Dr. Roy Spencer, a meteorologist and team leader of the NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center, quotes, â€Å"The temperatures we measure from space a re actually on a very slight downward trend since 1979†¦ the trend is about 0.05C per decade cooling† (Heartland Institute 7). In a recent poll only 17% of the meteorological society and the American Geophysical Society believe that global warming is a product of man (Bible Believers 2). Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency are threatening to withdraw their support from a global warming study done by the government. They have said that the report has an â€Å"extreme/alarmist tone† and that it does not â€Å"appear to fairly reflect the scientific literature and the historical record†Ã‚  (Torres 1). The representatives claimed that the report also had â€Å"scientifically inaccurate statements about the potential implications of climate change for air pollution and human† (Torres 1 and 2). Usually, in scientific law, if a hypothesis fails through experimentation it should be discarded, but the theory of global warming and greenhouse gases as a result of man is still considered substantial hypothesis even though it has been proven to be unlikely (Robinson 2). The debate of global warming may continue on for many years to come. Mankind may never see any rising in global temperatures, but nevertheless it will be speculated. Thomas O’Connell At this moment in time there has not been any reliable and convincing evidence that the globe is dangerously warming. Global temperature is a product of natural variables that affect the earth. Man has little if any influence on this temperature. Many of the greenhouse claims have been poorly researched and have yet to be proven credible. Hopefully in the future science will prevail and provide the real answer. Until then, people interested in global warming should do research of their own in order to formulate their own opinion. Life on earth has adapted or evolved to the environment. The earth will never adapt or change due to a single species; the earth is far too powerful. As this paper comes to a close a quote sums up the main idea. Thomas O’Connell once said, â€Å"As the rhetoric of the proponents gives way to real problem or is this phenomena more closely related to political agendas. I’ll wait for the science.†

Part Time Jobs for Students Essay

There is much debate nowadays concerning students and part-time jobs, whether they are a good thing or bad. Part time jobs can take time away from schoolwork, true, but students who work 10 to 15 hours a week during the school year earn higher grades than students who don’t work at all. I strongly encourage students to seek out part-time employment. Part-time jobs for students are good because they teach time management, responsibility and set students up for the world of work. Part- time jobs for students helps teach young people good time management. Learning how to manage time in respect to keeping plans, school schedules and work schedules organized, and forcing them to follow a steady schedule and be places on time, with consequences in a way that no other experiences may teach them, is best taught by a part-time job. I personally have a part-time job; I work at a farm at 6am every weekend morning. Having a part-time job has taught me time management like nothing else has before. Forcing me to prioritize plans and extracurricular activities has turned out to be quite an asset, and helps me in my everyday life, as it will in my future. Along with time management, part-time jobs teach students responsibility. Responsibility is a very important trait which is taught by part-time jobs. Students with part-time jobs learn how to be responsible. Steve Jobs accredits his success in the world of work to his part-time job at McDonalds in his youth. Part-time jobs give students a duty and obligation to satisfactorily perform and complete tasks and take responsibility for their actions. Students will learn to better handle their time and money at a younger age when faced with the responsibility that part-time jobs provide and ask for. Unlike school, part-time jobs demand a sort of trial based idea; with school, students may get away with tardiness, or absences, while with jobs, students will be faced with docked pay, or perhaps even being fired- a much more grave, eye opening consequence than school provides- and teenagers learn to be responsible as a whole, thanks to this. This type of responsibility sets teenagers up for the world of work. As well as teaching time management and responsibility, part-time jobs set young adults up for the world of work. Most part-time jobs ask for little to no experience, are easy to obtain and add to your future rà ©sumà ©, for when you do apply for jobs that require previous experience, later on in your career. Part-time employment teaches  you skills and experience which you could learn nowhere else, such as: how to fill out an application, how to interview well, how to work responsibly, and how to get along with co-workers and superiors, as well as many other qualities that will set you apart from other applicants while applying to more important jobs, farther along in life. Part-time jobs are as essential to further you in your future career path, as watering a plant is for its growth. In conclusion, part-time jobs are highly suggested for students in high school, or University. Part-time jobs teach students many assets such as time management, responsibility, and sets young adults up for the world of work.

The Philosophy Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Philosophy Final - Essay Example The problem required immediate resolution but, unfortunately, the Philosophy students’ professor was not around to help in resolving the problem, and the receptionist at the events scheduling office did not have an idea about how the problem could have occurred. The receptionist at the events scheduling centre had to look for someone in the office to help in resolving the problem. This problem occurred because the events scheduling centre had mistakenly scheduled the two events to take place at the same time. It is not possible, however, that the events scheduling office had deliberately scheduled the two groups to use the centre at the same time, given the fact that doing exams requires a calm and tranquil environment; the philosophy students could not be able to do their exams with the basketball women team playing in the events centre. This fact, therefore, shows that the events scheduling office had mistakenly scheduled the two events to take place at the same time. What should have been done differently at the time was that the events scheduling office should have been more careful in scheduling events, so as to avoid the mistake of scheduling two events to take place at the same time. To avoid any such a problem in the future, I recommend the following two changes. First, the events scheduling office should make their events schedule available to the public. With the events schedule being accessible to all the interested parties, any mistake in the schedule would be easily noticeable and corrected beforehand. But, since the events schedule was not available to the public, even the receptionist of the events scheduling office did not know anything about the schedule and how the problem could have occurred. Secondly, the events scheduling office should always have one of their officials in standby to resolve any complaints concerning the schedule. Since there was no official of the events scheduling office was available to handle the conflict

Why was it so hard for the ancient jews to be pure monotheists Essay

Why was it so hard for the ancient jews to be pure monotheists - Essay Example Abraham is the ancestor of Jews, Christians and Muslims; it is therefore these three religions are called as Abrahamic religions. All the three Abrahamic religions strongly believe(d) in the oneness of God. Actually, it is the basic teachings of the above mentioned religions to adopt monotheism i.e. worship one and the only God. Monotheism simply means belief in the unity of Almighty God, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Fashioner, the Omnipotent, the Lord of the Empyrean. The source of spiritual guidance and inspiration i.e. the divine scriptures reached to man through the prophets of God. And these Holy Scriptures including Torah, Bible and Quran clearly reveal that the Jews were instructed to worship only one God according to the sacred Covenant. â€Å"The essence of the Hebrew religion (i.e. Judaism)†, Alan (1993) states, â€Å"was that the Lord had made a covenant with the chosen people, the children of Israel.† And the first term of the covenant was worshipping of the one God (Yahweh). The Torah declares one God as the Creator of the world. In its words: â€Å"In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth†. (Genesis: 1:1). The Quran affirms the covenant between the Lord and the Israelites stating the significance of monotheism in these words: â€Å"O Children of Israel! Remember My favor wherewith I favored you, and fulfill your (part of the) covenant, I shall fulfill My (part of the) covenant, and fear Me (only ).† (Al-Quran, 2: 40). Here, fear strongly signifies submission and worshipping. Further, Quran states regarding monotheism among early Judaism in these words: â€Å"And (remember) when We made a covenant with the Children of Israel, (saying): Worship none save Allah (only), and be good to parents and to kindred and to orphans and the needy, and speak kindly to mankind; and establish worship and pay the poor-due. Then, after that, ye slid back, save a few of you, being averse.† (2: 83). It

Customer Relationship Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Customer Relationship Management - Essay Example One of the key change agents that has in recent times been seen to have grown in critical importance for companies involves technology. Technology has played a major role in redefining nearly all aspects of business in the modern world (Bidgoli, 2010). It has been key in the facilitation of the gradual shift of power into the hands of the general consumer after moving it from the organization. The greatly empowered customers of the modern world are acutely aware of the immense power that they now wield. By utilizing the internet, customers are now able share information that helps bring them close to not only other customers but also to the organization. The shared feedback, information and various opinions are now generally available to one and all at a rate that can be viewed to be almost instantaneous. It is mainly due to this reason that it organizations cannot be able to ignore social media as a medium of communication (Flynn, 2012). Marketing managers have resulted to learn how to properly utilize this medium so as to be able to effectively manage the relationship that their companies and organizations happen to enjoy with their various customers, this is especially so in light of the fact that social media has proven to be both the bane as well as the boom to most organizations. Marketers are now using social networking to provide prompt customer redress. There is a lot of pressure being exerted on companies forcing them to constantly ensure that they are always on their guard due to the fact that customer reactions on the internet tend to generally happen on an instantaneous live basis. In the event that there happens to be any adverse feedback or shared opinion by a single individual dissatisfied customer, the opinion can quickly spread all over the internet and spearhead a campaign that can have the results of critically harming an organization or company. When used effectively, the internet can serve to help an organization to effectively build up it s customer relationship as well as sufficiently strengthen the existing relationship (Kurtz and Boone, 2010). It can greatly serve to help companies in their attempts to reach out to single individual customer a situation which would otherwise have been deemed as being impossible. The Marketing Organizations have not only taken to communicating with their customers on an individual basis, but with the aid of various data mining techniques as well as the effective use of various technologies, they now better understand all their customer’s needs. This has been seen to greatly help customers in the development of customized solutions that have been specifically tailored to try and effectively address the various needs of a specific given individual customer. Companies and organizations such as Airlines, Insurance companies, Banks and various service industry players such as MacDonald’s and Pizza hut have been able to achieve these developments and have built emotional co nnections with their customers by implementing the use of technology and various CRM packages. The various dynamics that are involved in marketing have in

Analyse Hitlers speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analyse Hitlers speech - Essay Example Correctly estimating the Western Power’s reluctance to face another war, Hitler combined a series of brilliant and opportunistic strategic alliances with bold territorial acquisitions to further his aims. In 1935, Hitler began the remilitarization of Germany. This was endorsed by Great Britain, which entered into the Anglo-German Naval agreement of 1936. In the same year, Hitler formed the Axis with Italy and Japan. He exploited the resentment of the German public towards what they considered to be the unfair terms of the Treaty of Versailles to carry them along with him. A long series of provocative measures, such as Germany’s annexation of the Rhineland in March 1936, the takeover of Austria in the Anschluss of March 1938 and the annexation of the Sudetenland in September 1938, culminated in the invasion of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 (History World web site, n.d.). In the course of all these rapidly unfolding developments, Poland remained a crucial factor in Hitlerà ¢â‚¬â„¢s calculations. The document under study is an extract from the text of the speech given by Adolf Hitler to the Reichstag, or German Parliament, on 28 April 1939. Hitler’s tone regarding German-Polish relations is belligerent in the extreme. He begins by invoking the German perception of the unfairness of the Treaty of Versailles which ended World War I. According to the terms of this treaty, the German Army and Navy were limited to a token force and her Air Force was completely disbanded. Germany’s colonies were appropriated by the victorious Allies as the spoils of war. War reparations of 33 billion dollars were imposed on Germany. These terms rankled in the German psyche and were exploited by Hitler to drum up public support for his aggressive policies. A very contentious issue was the establishment of a Polish Corridor which provided Poland with access to the Baltic Sea, by linking Poland to

Str Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Str - Essay Example Trends in the alcohol market Because Pernod Ricard produces many branded products, it is necessary to focus only on the alcohol industry which makes up the majority of their business success and market share against competition. As the business extended into more foreign markets, as identified by the case study, Pernod Ricard required a new structure philosophy to ensure that the business could operate effectively and competitively against large-scale alcohol producers. This required a decentralisation strategy in order to create an environment where sub-units of the company were empowered to act as their own consultant businesses. Taking ownership of individual development with a cross-functional ability to inter-link independent, self-managed divisions was in response to labour-based trends for productivity and support as well as producing a world-class business capable of revenue growth. Heavier emphasis on branding as identified in the case leads to the logical conclusion that th is business relies on marketing and operations in response to consumer trends. A detailed PESTEL analysis identified key competitive or non-competitive activities at the social level that impact consumer buying perception about consumer products. Heineken, a brand operating in the adult liquor markets internationally, refocused its previous position on quality as a competitive tool and adopted new packaging concepts to gain consumer interest, such as the mini-keg bottling format (Beverage World 2009). Even though this is not a direct competitor, the beer brand experienced a 100 percent increase in sales whilst other companies that did not restructure packaging experienced only a dismal 1.7 percent increase in sales volume (Beverage World). This is driven by consumer sentiment and their current buying trends that makes advertising through innovation a success factor for alcoholic beverage producers. However, this is problematic for Pernod Ricard due to the high regulatory influence t hat exists in foreign and/or domestic markets regarding the responsible use of advertising that depicts alcoholic products. â€Å"The Group (PR) has signed several voluntary self-regulation codes, which impose restrictions on the advertising of and promotions for alcoholic beverages† (pernod-ricard.com, 2010, p.3). The business recognises not only the restrictions placed on advertising, a key success factor for many of today’s businesses in multi-national markets, and places an emphasis on voluntary corporate social responsibility. Similar CSR efforts as an adaptation to existing business strategy has been identified in Anheuser-Busch, a leading alcoholic beverage producer, that â€Å"takes its role seriously†¦(and) has long invested in the communities where (they) live and work† (anheuser-busch.com, 2007, p.3). The efforts undertaken by this non-competitive entity only reinforces that business must restructure and change their strategic focus in order to r emain in control and flexible to meet key trends that impact buying behaviour. Like any other business, it is often in a servant position due to economic trends that affect customer disposable income and their product preferences. The technological

M4A2-Theory and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

M4A2-Theory and Development - Essay Example A particular cultural practice determines the kind of commodities consumed (Diller, 2011, p. 167). A firm must, therefore, undertake investigation to ensure segmentation is done to fit a particular niche based on a people’s culture. In so doing, a firm benefits as products will sell making it possible to expand production capacity with less inventory accumulation. A firm motivates by incorporating every group in its work force ranging from migrants, underrepresented to disables who are further rewarded based on performance at different levels and not fixed at a 100% performance evaluation (Bullen, LeFave, Selig, & Chittenden, 2010, p. 134). Employee’s promotions should also be fair based on inclusiveness as talents are not attached to disability as well as minority and hence top management should comprise all groups. A firm further ensures teamwork by including every lot in decision making process based on the principle of triangulation as ideas generated from different employees debated and harmonized to yield increased productivity and its associated sales (Hoffmann, 2007, p. 125). A motivated employee via being incorporated in decision making feels part of success and will further put all his effort to achieve given set goals. Cultural diversity has become an inevitable area for keenness for any success oriented firm. Many consumers show variations in terms of products needs deeply rooted in traditional cultures and traditions (Yajima, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry & Socio-economic Research Center, 2006, p. 124). Cross-cultural motivations of both employees and the consumers through promotions, inclusion in decision making process, top management as well as issuance of gifts to loyal customers has become a feature employed by multivendor Inc. to attract brightest talents in its labor force as well retention of customers who further

Adrenaline rush Essay Example for Free

Adrenaline rush Essay This week was so stressful. For the entire whole week, I was assigned to track the advertising history of the company’s sports drink client. I ran through hundreds of video tapes of the sport drink’s advertisement in the span of 5 years, noting each and every aspect in the ideals in their communication style. I was assessing the visual, the content and the semiotics of the whole thing. What’s worse about it is that I have to review the entire set of tapes in the office. I would have liked it watching at home but I have to be confined in the workplace. But knowing it was a job; I accepted the challenge and readied myself for hours and hours of video tapes. But I learned another valuable idea in the media industry concerning contents of the advertising. In a way, it does imply that advertisements do manipulate the consumer behavior. Watching the advertisements of the sport drink, I observed how it evolved into describing the product itself into touching the health issues of the health-conscious and athletes. Like what the sport drink company wants to advertise their latest sports drink product that addresses the more health-conscious consumer, I realized that they now are conscious of the fact that people today likes to know more of the content of their product, and that is their aim in their new advertising venture. Other things I was exposed this week: learning semiotics of the print ads of the sports drink company details on how STG Media Corp. analyzes these given semiotics establishing more communication with the sports drink company developing more personal and professional relationship with the Creative Team (they invited me to one of their deliberations and I get to witness how they brain-storm ideas for the project) Week 4 (provide date) It was a week of adrenaline rush. The Creative Team finalized their output and was presented to the sport drink company. They liked it! With this the whole team was pressed for time. Everybody seemed to be really anticipating the results. I was assigned to track the statistics of how the product is doing in the market after the release of the advertisement. The company has a great way to promote the product and was successfully able to deliver the results for the company. Other thing I learned is that the media industry has many issues to deal with. Like for example, the Creative Team was perfectionists in the sense that after releasing the output in form of the print ad, they wanted to be sure that the effects of the print ad will be evident and reflected through sales. They were still anxious and worried of the end result when in fact; they already did their job by producing a print ad. I realized that many of them really are dedicated in providing the client with their money’s worth. Another thing I realized is that companies take advertisements seriously. I thought that business management theories and ideals only entails that they give importance to advertisements, but through this experience I learned that they are really committed in selling the idea to the consumer. And this generates the influence of media to the consumers. Week 5 (provide date) This week was a mix of tasks. One of the most interesting things exposed to me was the process of reviewing the Creative Team and the advertising project in general. I thought that the evaluation of the employees was done by the executives of the company alone, but at STG Media Corp. , they provide real life processes in dealing with performance issues. The company has an interesting way to evaluate its employees. There is the concept of a performance improvement plan that is drawn between the Human Resource department of the company and from the employee’s manager, in this case the Creative Team head. These reports are then presented to the employees. This draw my attention as I realize that the method of evaluating employees in this company is a non-punitive method that demonstrates how the company recognizes the issues in the Team but are willing to work with the employee and give them opportunity to improve. It was interesting to me because of notice that one particular person was not able to contribute that much in the Creative Team and was not able to contribute much ideas in the process (I was present in almost all their meetings so this is an observation that is true). The evaluation was not very good to him and as a result, the whole Creative Team talked it through the management. The executives of the company then addressed a letter to the employee and showed his performance evaluation. After which, the whole Creative Team approached and talked to him and encouraged him to be open and present his ideas. Turns out, the team member was intimidated with the other professionals he is working with and needs to feel he is welcomed in the team along with his ideas.

Sociology Essays Risk Society Theory

Sociology Essays Risk Society Theory Risk Society Theory What are the main features of Ulrich Beck’s ‘Risk Society’ theory? To what extent does it challenge the explanations of inequality based upon class, gender and race? This essay will give brief context to the term coined by Ulrich Beck (1992), ‘risk society’, before it discusses the main characteristics of Beck’s theory; risk, individualisation and reflexive modernity, characteristics that all intertwine with one another. Demonstrates a realist approach to risk, throughout some of his writings however he demonstrates a weak version f social constructionalizm. (lupton) â€Å"Society is increasingly preoccupied with the future (and also with safety), which generates the notion of risk† (Giddens 1999: 3). Ulrich Beck (1992) coined the term ‘risk society’, which is used to describe the type of risks that have primarily been created as a result of the industrialisation and modernisation processes. Beck (1992) examined the hazards of pre-industrial society to see whether they are just as damaging as the risks that we are facing in modernity. He concludes that we are not progressing towards a post-modern society as Baudrillard and Lyotard argue, but instead we are moving into an era that he calls ‘the second modernity’. He continues to say that ‘manufactured risks’ (Giddens, 1999), which are products of human activity, have possibly become more ‘deadlier,’ than the epidemics which plagued our society in the pre-modern epoch. However it is Elliot (2002) who states that Beck is not implying that we now live in a more hazardous society, but that he acknowledges the types of risks in society have altered. Beck et al (2003) states that modernity has not been replaced but that it has become more problematic. Beck (1992) however is not as pessimistic as other theorists such as Weber, Foucault or Adorno; he states that for society to evolve then modernisation must become ‘reflexive’. Therefore introducing ‘Reflexive modernity’ as a central feature of Beck’s ‘risk theory’, which is a process whereby development is attained through reform. At this point questions begin to arise because the concepts of post-modernity and reflexive modernity tend to overlap and thus it is necessary to explain the differences between postmodernism and second-modernity. Although post-modernity and second-modernity share some similarities, they have one clear distinction; second-modernity is focused more on evolutionary advances, thus reforming the society; rather than the radical idea that postmodernist put forward, the idea of revolution. ‘Risk’ itself, Beck argues has become increasingly central to our global society: â€Å"Indeed, in a world that could literally destroy itself, risk managing and risk monitoring increasingly influence both constitutions and calculations of social action† (Elliot, 2002: 8) He, like most of society uses the term ‘risk’ as a synonym for danger, a danger that is caused through the need of ‘controlling’ certain aspects of society, in aid of heightening social security (Elliot, 2002). However Beck (1999) had previously stated that ‘ultimate security’ is unattainable to human beings. This ‘new risk’ according to Beck differs from the ‘risk’ experience by pre-modern society; instead of ‘risk’ being generated by natural disasters, which were seen as a ‘stoke of fate’, it has derived through the evolution of technology, and individual choice. The latter is seen as crucial to Beck’s debate, as it â€Å"is societal intervention, in the form of decision-making that transforms incalculable hazards into calculable risks† (Elliot, 2002: 3) thus Beck’s theory of risk society has become a political debate. For Beck the â€Å"production of risk has become more important than the production of wealth† (Albrow, 1996: 9). Here Beck introduces another key element to his debate, the idea of ‘globalisation’. He argues that the risk of nuclear radiation, many modern technologies, the greater mobility of diseases, global warming, and invasive species affects everyone, globally. Supported by Elliot (2002) who points out; that Beck mention even; the rich and powerful are unable to avoid hazards such as global warming. Thus creating what Beck (1992) describes as the ‘boomerang effect’, which simple means that even those who produced or once profited from certain risks, will sooner or later be effected by them, thus, in effect, eliminating the element of class inequalities. Bringing the essay back to a more political content; class, race and gender have conventionally been seen as the main political conflicts within society; however Beck argues that this has been replaced with ‘new globalising conflicts’ (Elliot, 2002: 11). This universal theory that Beck has created states that no one is safe from the harmful risk that new-modernity predicted, it has emerged on a global scale, making boundaries seem irrelevant, and for Beck this global scale was a by-product of ‘reflexive modernisation’. Thus seen as a positive step forward on dissolving social inequalities, however with globalisation occurring, and the blurring of boundaries it led to social agents becoming more individualised. In pre-modern society it was stated that our lives were pre-destined, based on the chances given at birth. However under the notion of Beck’s ‘risk society’, he argues that society is reshaping its social structure and thus creating more individualised social agents, as he concludes: â€Å"individuals must then, free of these structures, reflexivity construct their own biographies†(Beck, 1992: 3), making individualisation another main feature of Beck’s theory. Individualisation, as Lupton mentions is the ‘private side of globalisation’ (2002: 83). Individualisation was seen as a positive step forward into post-modernity. However it is Elliot (2002) who states that individualisation itself has become problematic because what may be seen as beneficial to individuals today, can become problematic tomorrow. This is supported by advance technology being able to test the genetic health of the unborn, seen as a positive advancement, however it was argued by Beck and Beck-Gernsheim that it became problematic for the parents, as they saw it as a compulsory to use ‘such technologies’ in order to give their offspring the best possible start in life (1995). Individualisation leads to an increasing demand upon individuals, as well as increasing choice, especially as there has been a breakdown of traditional certainties that were originally structured through age, gender and social class, enabling society to be set free from the social forms of industrial society. Generating more risk including â€Å"unemployment or underemployment, marital instability and family breakdown, accompanied by high levels of anxiety and insecurity.† (pg 85). Therefore beginning to answer the second part of this question ‘†¦to what extent does it challenge the explanations of inequalities†¦?’ Inequality within society has always been a widely controversial issue; for Beck it is part of every day society, and thus is a feature for his theory of risk. As questions have been raised such as; are certain types/groups of people more affected by these ‘new risks’? Does that differ from the inequality found in pre-modernity? Beck does state that certain groups of people are affected more than others by the distribution and growth of risk. However ‘risk’ has not surpassed problems of inequality and distribution of goods, it has intensified them. For Marxist theoreticians the situation has became ambivalent; on the one hand income inequalities have remained unaltered, however the importance of the social class system seems to have been significantly reduced. He spoke of a new kind of capitalism; ‘capitalism without class,’ focusing more on the capitalism of the individual, the result is the problems of the system have lessened politically and transformed into a ‘novel of personal experimentation’ (Elliot, 2002: 7) allowing the ‘risk’ personal failure. Gender, Beck (1992) argued has also altered within society, there has been a breakdown of the strict stereotypical ideologies. This is primarily reflected through the increasing acceptance of divorce within society, which Beck argues is the ‘trap door’ through which women fall into ‘new poverty’ as their support and in essence stability is being reduced, and as a result; ‘risk’ has become part of ‘family life’. Equality therefore, is challenged by ‘risk’ because as a result of more decision making within the family, there has become more of a need for the correct balance of their desires of autonomy and self-expression, with their need for dependence and emotional stability that is established through the dependence of a secure relationship. For Beck refers to the ‘omni-dimensional’ (1992: 103) inequality of genders; arguing that the ‘epochal changes’ that we have encountered regarding law and education, are more apparent ‘on paper’ than the behaviour and beliefs of society, and rather than increasing equality, the paradoxical effect has intensified inequalities, with that new ‘personal risks’, like that of the insecurities related to employment and economy within new modernity. Individualization is therefore burdened with risk (ibid.).With the breakdown of many of the traditional certainties structured through age, gender and social class, a plurality of new risks are generated, including unemployment or underemployment, marital instability and family breakdown, accompanied by high levels of anxiety and insecurity. Life becomes less certain even while it is placed more under one’s control. This move towards individualization does not mean that social inequalities or structuring of opportunities through such attributes asclass, gender or ethnicity have disappeared. Rather, in the face of individualization the influence of these structures have become less obvious and acknowledged as affecting life chances. Inequalities have become primarily viewed as individualized, perceived as ‘psychological dispositions: as personal inadequacies, guilt feelings, anxieties, conflicts, and neuroses’ (Beck 1992b:100).

human trafficking Essay -- essays research papers

human trafficking issues: the article starts out with a clear emphasis on the cooperation between the different segments of society; cooperation between the state, civil society , and religious groups and institutions on the issues of human trafficking and prostitution, stating how they are immoral, illegal, unethical and how they should be considered as a taboo by societies in Europe, especially Cyprus since the exploitation of women has been rapidly increasing recently. Where all the 800bars and 70 cabarets take advantage of uneducated, poor, unlucky and socially corrupted women at the cost of reasons such as profit and pleasure, which may seem as lame reasons when compared to the life and future of a young woman. The article also states that some of these women, coming from countries such as Romania, Russia. Bulgaria, the Ukraine, Moldavia, and Belarus enter Cyprus unaware of what is included in their job descriptions, and are forced into prostitution by traffickers, which is humanly unacceptable and shoul d without a doubt be banned from societies regardless of what kind of profit they may bring to the traffickers and to the public even as a whole. The article does mention trafficking in different manners and types, but I chose to pay bigger attention to the issues regarding prostitution here in Cyprus. As I would like to make a clear emphasis on how this issue relates directly to the issue of poverty. The article mentions a few solutions agreed upon by the state, th...

An Argument For Gay Marriage Essay -- Persuasive Essays, Argumentativ

   The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage. Yet, same-sex marriage continues to be a highly debated issue that leaves our society searching for answers. As a child, I was brought up in a Christian home, where Christian ethics and values were instilled in me. I was always taught that you should obey your parents and God, that you should not lie, cheat, or steal, and that God was always watching you; I was also taught that homosexuality was wrong. As the years have passed, I have been confronted with the issue of homosexuality many times firsthand, and I believe that though homosexuals are not terrible people because of their sexual orientation, their lifestyle is still wrong. In recent years, the topic of homosexuality and gay and lesbian marriages has also become prominent in American politics. The question of whether these marriages, also sometimes referred to as "civil unions," should be legalized has become a pressing issue, and one that has only begun to test the limits and limitations of the US Constitution. The notion that such a thing as sodomy could ever be legalized is causing civil distress and has become quite a point of contention for countless Americans. For, on the one hand, many argue that allowing such marriages would corrupt the morals and society of the United States, yet others respond that Americans should all have the equal opportunity to lead happy and fulfilled lives. In the end, I have concluded that while it counteracts my religious beliefs, there must be some allowance made by the US government for same sex couples to gain recognition for their commitment to one another. I have found that the majority... ...he American government, it should logically follow that these couples would then be enabled to receive the same rights and responsibilities as their heterosexual counterparts in the eyes of the State. In summary, while I personally do not believe in the idea of gay marriages, I do not believe such "civil unions" can constitutionally be denied by the State. Heterosexuals are given every right to pursue happiness with their life partners, and so it does not appear that, from a legal standpoint, such a right can be denied to homosexual couples. Under the hospices of a "civil union," homosexuals would thus be able to publicly commit themselves to their life partners and accordingly be afforded the same privileges as those which their heterosexual counterparts enjoy. Homosexual unions should be legalized in the American system of government.

The Birmingham Bombings: Views of Martin Luther King and Jessie Jackso

The Birmingham Bombings: Views of Martin Luther King and Jessie Jackson The bombings and marches in Birmingham Alabama were major concerns for all civil rights leaders. During the 50’s and 60’s, civil rights leaders fought against injustice in different ways. Some civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King and Jessie Jackson fought against injustice with a pen. In 1963 Martin Luther King wrote a letter titled, â€Å"Letter From a Birmingham Jail†, and Jessie Jackson wrote, â€Å"Jets of Water Blast Civil Rights Demonstrators, Birmingham, 1963.† Martin Luther King and Jessie Jackson are two civil rights leaders of different generations, but with similar views concerning the Birmingham bombings. There is a noticeable age difference between Jackson and King, which results in two different perspectives. In Jessie Jackson’s article he wrote about past experiences, because his article was written years after the Birmingham events. Jackson was just a college student at the time of the Birmingham bombings. He only had himself to worry about, but he chose to make the nation...

AP Government and Politics

Several parts of the Constitution have important implications for federalisms. Some examples are: the Tenth Amendment, Necessary and proper/ ‘elastic' clauses, and Supremacy clause. The Tenth Amendment -The Tenth Amendment is important because it allows states to hold elections. It also ensures that each state retains its power, sovereignty, independence and freedom. It is similar to the Articles of the Confederation. The Tenth Amendment was written to reassure the states that they would remain largely in charge within their own borders.Until the mid-19th century, the Tenth Amendment was often cited by state governments to prevent Federal regulation of everything from taxation to interstate commerce. Since 1837, however, various rulings have mitigated the straightforward meaning of the Tenth Amendment, and such matters as a Federal income tax were subsequently upheld in the courts. Necessary and Proper/'Elastic' clauses – It authorizes Congress to pass all laws â€Å"ne cessary and proper† to carry out the enumerated (listed) powers of congress.The lause allows Congress some degree of flexibility in enacting legislation. It gives the Congress more power than what is stated in the Constitution. For example, the government has the power to collect taxes. But, the Constitution does not say where that money should be held. It was argued that the Elastic Clause gave congress the power to establish a National Bank to hold the money. It allows congress to pass laws that are needed as time changes.Supremacy Clause – A Supremacy clause allows the National Government to outdo maller levels of Government, doing so can prevent unfair policies and a lack of justice in the form of Government that's all wrong. In other words, the supremacy clause makes any law passed by a state or local government that is in conflict with a federal law invalid. This makes the federal law ‘supreme'. The importance of the Supremacy Clause is that it establishes t hat the Constitution and Federal Law are the absolute law in the last resort of the United States.By that, it means that the Constitution and the Federal Law will win in any conflict between it and any state or local law. Thus, all states are bound to the limits placed on them by the Constitution and Federal Law. For example, in the McCulloch v. Maryland Case, McCulloch won because of the Supremacy Clause. The bank was established by the Federal Government therefore, the state of Maryland was not allowed to tax it because it would be like overpowering the ‘supreme' law. AP Government and Politics Essay By aprilmayJuly210918

Middle Class Black Burden Essay

The Middle Class Black’s Burden Leanita McClain, an African American journalist, was greatly acknowledge as a black African American middle class success. McClain was condemned by her own peers and was pated on the head by whites who believed her success was only based on talent than affirmative action . Due to prejudice whites and berate blacks, Leanita was forced to choose between the envy of her own race or for her own amentities. In McClain’s essay, â€Å"The Middle Class Black’s Burden, She uses percise Rhetorical Strategies to express her burden. Those strategies are Compare/Contrast, Author’s Tone, and Logical Appeal. McClain uses the rhetorical strategy of compare/contrast to depict her burden. McClain compared her lifstyle of her childhood to her success as a middle class black woman. Leanita was castigated by her peers simply because they felt she sold out her nation to work as a middle class african american. Others felt that she forgot where she came and that she characterized herself as white instead of black. In her essay she stated ,† It is impossible for me to forget where I came from as long as I am prey to the jiv hustler who does not hesitate to exploit my childhood friendship†. With blacks passing judgements, a heavy burden was placed on the back of Leanita. This Rhetorical Strategy was very effective because it helps the reader understand how her life as a lower class affected how her life was as a middle class. The second Rherorical Strategy McClain uses to express her burden was tone. McClain’s tone throughtout essay is depressed and confused. Part of the tone is confused becuase McClain doesnt know if she should stand aside her nation or pursue her career in the middle class. It also shows depression because both sides are nagging at her and making her feel as if she’s unwanted from both. In her essay it she states, † I have a foot in each world, but I cannot fool myself about either. I can see the transparent deceptions of  some whites and the bitter hoplessness of some blacks. This rhetorical strategy was effective because it displays how the author’s depression she felt througout her life. The last Rhetorical strategy McClain uses to depict her burden was Logical Appeal. All three were used for the reader to understand why she feel she’s torn between two worlds. In her essay McClain mostly uses ethos and pathos to explain her burden. Being an african american journalist in chicago, made her appeal as a figure that people would consider. However, judgements from blacks made her feel indifferent. In Mclain’s essay, My Turn, she states, † Some of my liberal white acquaintances pat me on the head, hinting that I am a freak,[†¦] , I may live among them, but it is difficult to live with them. This personify her chose of rhetorical strategies. This strategy is effective because it helps the reader percieve the choice of words the authors uses. Conclusively, McClains rhetorical strategies not only help the reader, but displayed her appeal as a middle class black woman. The Rhetorical strategies that Leanita used were proven to be effective and impacted the theme of the passage.

The Failed Dream

The Failed Dream â€Å"The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch It yourself. † These are the words of the American forefather, Benjamin Franklin. His thoughts reflect the theme that runs through each word, idea and aspect of The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby highlights the flaws of the coveted American dream and how it can never be achieved. Fitzgerald illustrated the different areas of this principle in various characters, such as the Buchanan, George Wilson and, of course, the Infamous Jay Gatsby.These characters exemplify the empty promises of the â€Å"white picket fence† fantasy and the lies that we have been told all through our lives that If we work hard and honest enough, we will receive our reward. The Buchanan, Tom and Daisy, were created by Fitzgerald to show how the rich have their wealth not due to any merit of theirs, as so the American dream claims. Instead, thro ughout the plot, it is revealed how immoral, selfish, and irresponsible the rich are, all the things that one is told not to do to achieve true happiness, yet they have reaped the benefits of the dream. TheImmorality of the wealthy Is best personified through Tom Buchanan, who not only Is a chronic cheater, but also treats everyone else as Inferior to him. Early In the book, one of the first interactions a reader has with Tom is him talking to his mistress while hosting a dinner party with his wife. What is worse is the next chapter consists of him taking Nick, his wife's cousin, to meet this mistress. This shows not only his selfishness, but his lack of any conscience. Even when he discovered the infidelity of his own wife, he failed to see his own fault for the exact crime. Daisy Is no better.She was eager to have an affair from the first mention of It, when Nick called her to come alone. She didn't even consider the repercussions until push came to shove and she was forced to cho ose. â€Å"They were careless people, Tom and Daisy?they smashed up things†¦ Then retreated back to their money or their vast carelessness†(pig 70). This could not better explain this couple. Their only concern was themselves. They gave no regard to anyone but themselves. Daisy, who claimed to love Gatsby, through him under the bus to take the fall for Myrtle's murder and ran into the arms of Tom.Both f them conspired to contently their superfluous life at the expense of theirs. They lived a life which breaks every code of morality and do not deserve their wealth, yet they are the ones who are enjoying the wonders of the fulfillment of the American dream. If the Buchanan are Fitzgerald example of people who have unjustifiably benefited from the American economic system, the opposite is George Wilson who has been cheated out of his inheritance. Wilson is the person the dream claims you should be to achieve It, hardworking, kind and moral.In every scene, except after the d eath of Myrtle, that George appears In, he Is working. He works his heart out yet all he has to show of it is a failed marriage and an empty bank account. As one edges toward the end of the book and the American dream unravels, George becomes the biggest indicator of this, â€Å"He had discovered that Myrtle had some sort of life apart from him in another world, and the shock had made him physically sick†¦. So sick that he looked guilty, unforgivably guilty. Yet even when he discovers the Infidelity of his George's morality is the end when he finally seeks revenge. Granted, he murdered Gatsby, but he did this out of great mental torment and depression and even when e did it, he was filled with such regret that he could not live with himself afterwards. All the other characters, save for Nick, live in their sin without any sense of a conscience. If the American Dream is accurate, then George should be the most successful character in this tale, however, he is instead the pennil ess corpse.Gatsby is an example of someone who earned his American dream; however, he did not do it in the method that is advertised. Instead, Gatsby not only got his money through illegal means but he was also immoral and selfish. His actions, by definition, go against all that is upheld by the American dream so it should not be possible for Gatsby gain all he has. It is believed that if one works hard and is honest they will get their reward, yet we saw this is not true in George.On the flip side, Gatsby was able to obtain a fortune, but through illegal means. Not only is this but he not a hugely moral person though a reader might want to believe that. Instead, he is trying to take a married woman as his own, disregarding her husband, no matter how bad, and her daughter. These are not the actions of a ‘good man'. He was never content with what he had, always looking for more, even as a young man. He did not even care for his family as they were not wealthy and therefore not up to his standards.Gatsby instead did anything achieve success in the exact opposite way in the way one is told they can achieve it. The Great Gatsby seems like the tragic of failed love on the surface, however, it is really the poetic analysis of the tragedy of the American economic structure. One is told to work hard and be good and they will achieve success. Yet Fitzgerald magnified how this is a gross miscarriage of the truth. Instead, the people who have achieved success were handed it on a silver platter, like the Buchanan, or got it through immoral means, like Gatsby.He also shows how people who truly do believe in the dream try and try again but are cheated and never receive their reward, like George. The American dream is the universal aspiration of everyone on the planet. It is the almost religious belief instilled into the hearts of each person, influenced western society, from a young age. Yet only the select few who are already at the top stay there, looking down at th e rest of us as the gap widens; and leaving us to run the pursuit of happiness only to receive the only thing that is guaranteed, death and taxes.

Brida by Paulo Coelho Evaluation

1. ABSENTATION: As an introduction of the lead character, Brida came to the mountain in search for the Magus. There, she asked him to be his teacher. He then approved of it and made her sit down at the top of the mountain and leave her there to test whether she can overcome her fears. 2. INTERDICTION: Upon her search for the Magus, she traveled for over 90 miles, when she came to the village and asked the people, they warned her that the Magus had already tried to seduce one of the village girls. 3. VIOLATION of INTERDICTION: Though having been warned by the village people, Brida still continued on her journey to find Magus.She is eager to learn magic. 4. RECONNAISSANCE: She went in search for the Magus. 5. DELIVERY: Brida found out that he is a Teacher of the Tradition of the Sun, and that there are two traditions, the Tradition of the Sun and the Tradition of the Moon. When one masters a tradition, he/she shall teach the other tradition. And in order to learn, one must be completel y honest. 6. TRICKERY: It is Brida’s mind playing tricks on her, it is her mind that makes her imagine things, hindering her from going into the bridge and seeing the invisible world. Her mind is preventing her from completing the Magus’ first lesson. 7.COMPLICITY: Since Brida had courses in schools, she is having a hard time trying to let go. She limits herself to what she knew from school, that’s why she had a hard time doing her tasks. 8. VILLAINY or LACK: Brida is the protagonist and at the same time, antagonist of this story. When she went to Wicca, a Teacher of the Tradition of the Moon, what she learned in school about tarot cards was given confusion. Wicca’s ways was far different from what she was taught. When Wicca told her to spend an hour of her choosing to lay down the tarot cards and just let them show her what she needs to know at the moment, she was at irst, excited. But when she noticed that it was only her imagination working and not mag ic. She doesn’t know now which to trust, Wicca’s words or the lessons in school. She was torn. 9. MEDIATION: Brida, now going against all her normal habits, decides to smoke cigarette before breakfast. She has given up with her tarot card reading. She felt crying after each time she does the reading. She felt vulnerable and alone and had a sense that a great opportunity is slipping through her fingers. She thinks she had failed. 10. BEGINNING COUNTER-ACTION: Brida phoned Wicca, telling her that she can’t come to her next appointment.She doesn’t know that Wicca already know that. Wicca used the phone call to make Brida spread the Tarot cards. The Tarot cards revealed themselves to Brida. 11. DEPARTURE: Brida came to Wicca, to go into the bridge and see the invisible world. 12. FIRST FUNCTION OF THE DONOR: Wicca made her close her eyes, imagine things, made her enter a library in which she found a book. She then found out that in her past life, she was a so ldier’s wife, Loni. And those voices have been with her since she was born. 13. HERO'S REACTION: Brida then forced herself to work, to avoid thinking, to avoid her thoughts about the Magus and Wicca, of her past life.She wanted to escape. 14. RECEIPT OF A MAGICAL AGENT: After her time travel into her past life, she now accepts that she may be or can be a witch, like what Wicca told her. She had accepted that the power is within her all along; she only had to let it out, to embrace it. Like what her past lives had done. 15. GUIDANCE: Brida’s boyfriend, Lerons, even if he really can’t believe what Brida was saying is possible; he still thinks it is true. He even compared Brida’s story with the composition of an atom, telling her that even scientists have encountered situations like such. 16.STRUGGLE: Brida was fighting her true calling, to be a witch. She has a fear of committing herself. Though her travel to her past life showed her who she really was and knew that it comes to her naturally, it also brought upon her the fear of committing herself to such beliefs. 17. BRANDING: Brida, is now wearing, though it was invisible, one of the Four Rings of Revelation, the Witch. 18. VICTORY: Brida now is able to walk into the bridge. She has resolved the tricks her mind played on her. She have been writing down all that Wicca taught her in the book of shadows. She also had found her Soulmate, the Magus. 19.LIQUIDATION: Magus showed her the way into the Two Traditions, the Tradition of the Sun and the Tradition of the Moon. He showed Brida how grateful he is that he found Brida and that Brida had recognized him as her Soulmate. They traveled through space and time. Brida saw meadows full of flowers, animals she had inly read in books, mysterious castles and cities that seemed to float on clouds of light. 20. RETURN: Brida didn’t know whether to feel disappointed or relieved, but they have to part. They just confessed their love for eac h other. It was hard to leave your soulmate once you’d found them. Brida went back to Dublin.