Aristotles Poetics Essays (439 words) - Narratology,

Aristotle's Poetics Aristotle's Poetics is considered the first work of literary criticism in our tradition. The couple of pages in the book mainly describe tragedy from Aristotle's point of view. He defines tragedy as being an imitation of an action that is a whole and complete in itself and of a certain magnitude. Aristotle also points out terms such as catharsis, which can be said that is the purification of one's soul. He argues in his Poetics that catharsis is achieved through emotions of pity or fear, which is created in the audience as they witness the tragedy of a character who suffers unjustly, but is not entirely innocent. Then he moves on to describing the main elements of tragedy. Such elements are: plot, character, language, thought, spectacle, and melody. Then he classifies these in three parts, the media, the manner and the objects. The language and melody constitute the "media", in which they effect the imitation. Then there is the spectacle, which is the "manner", and the remaining three, the plot, character and thought are the "objects" that are imitated. Aristotle considers the plot to be the most important of these elements. He describes the plot as not being a unity revolving around one man. Instead, he states that many things happen to one man, which may not always go together, to form a unity. At the same time, he says that among the actions that a character performs there are many that may be irrelevant to one another, but yet they form a unified action. Aristotle continues depicting the plot categorizing it in two manners: simple and complex. In a simple plot, a change of fortune takes place without a reversal or recognition. In contrast, in a complex plot, the change of fortune involves recognition or a reversal or both. To understand these ideas better he defines reversal and recognition for us. Reversal or peripety is a change from one circumstance to its exact opposite. Recognition, is a change from ignorance to knowledge leading either to friendship or hostility depending on whether the character is marked with good fortune or bad. There is a phrase used by Aristotle in Poetics, "from the machine," which is basically any implausible way of solving complications of the plot. An example would be when Medea escapes from Corinth. She's solving her situation by escaping in her magic chariot. This "from the machine" phrase should be employed only for events external to the drama, which lie beyond the range of human knowledge, and which require to be reported or foretold. Lastly, Aristotle explains the importance of the chorus in a tragedy. According to him, it should be regarded as one of the actors. Therefore, the chorus should be integrated into performance and be considered as part of the whole.

Donald Woods and the Death of Activist Steve Biko

Donald Woods and the Death of Activist Steve Biko Donald Woods (born December 15, 1933, died August 19, 2001) was a South African anti-apartheid activist and journalist. His coverage of Steve Bikos death in custody led to his exile from South Africa. His books exposed case and were the basis of the movie, Cry Freedom. Early Life Woods was born in Hobeni, Transkei, South Africa. He was descended from five generations of white settlers. While studying law at the University of Cape Town, he became active in the anti-apartheid Federal Party. He worked as a journalist for newspapers in the United Kingdom before returning to South Africa to report for the Daily Dispatch. He became the editor-in-chief in 1965 for the paper that had an anti-apartheid editorial stance and a racially integrated editorial staff. Uncovering the Truth About the Death of Steve Biko When the South African black consciousness leader Steve Biko died in police custody in September 1977, journalist Donald Woods was at the forefront of the campaign to get the truth revealed about his death. At first, the police claimed that Biko had died as the result of a hunger strike. The inquest showed that hed died of brain injuries received while in custody and that hed been kept naked and in chains for a prolonged period before his death. They ruled it held that Biko had died as a result of injuries received after a scuffle with members of the security police in Port Elizabeth. But why Biko was in jail in Pretoria when he died, and the events attending his death werent explained satisfactorily. Woods Accuses the Government over Bikos Death Woods used his position as editor of the Daily Dispatch newspaper to attack the Nationalist government over Bikos death. This description by Woods of Biko reveals why he felt so strongly about this particular death, one of many under the apartheid regimes security forces: This was a new breed of South African- the Black Consciousness breed- and I knew immediately that a movement that produced the sort of personality now confronting me had qualities that blacks had been needing in South Africa for three hundred years. In his biography Biko Woods describes the security policemen testifying at the inquest: These men displayed symptoms of extreme insularity. They are people whose upbringing has impressed upon them the divine right to retain power, and in that sense, they are innocent men- incapable of thinking or acting differently. On top of that, they have gravitated to an occupation that has given them all the scope they need to express their rigid personalities. They have been protected for years by laws of the country. They have been able to carry out all their imaginative torture practices quite undisturbed in cells and rooms all over the country, with tacit official sanction, and they have been given tremendous status by the government as the men who protect the State from subversion. Woods Is Banned and Escapes to Exile Woods was hounded by the police and then banned, which meant he was not to leave his East London home, nor could he continue to work. After a childs t-shirt with a photo of Steve Biko on it posted to him was found to have been impregnated with acid, Woods began to fear for the safety of his family. He stuck on a stage moustache and dyed my grey hair black and then climbed over the back fence, to escape to Lesotho. He hitchhiked some 300 miles and swam across the flooded Tele River to get there. His family joined him, and from there they went to Britain, where they were granted political asylum. In exile, he wrote several books and continued campaigning against apartheid. The movie Cry Freedom was based his book Biko. After 13 years in exile, Woods visited South Africa in August 1990, but never returned to live there. Death Woods died, aged 67, of cancer in a hospital near London, UK, on August 19, 2001.

Criteria used in order to evaluate the suitability of web-based Essay

Criteria used in order to evaluate the suitability of web-based language learning - Essay Example Criteria used in order to evaluate the suitability of web-based language learning It is hard to imagine, nowadays, to think of education without a computer or the World Wide Web. As technology developed along with internet use, both computers and the internet have become considered a crucial part of everyday life. This phenomenon has also influenced second language teaching and learning. Therefore, in many aspects, technology, especially in language teaching, is developing continuously with many researchers claiming its value (Burston, 1993; Ausserhofer, 1999). Due to its rapid growth, a wide usage of computer and CALL (computer assisted language learning) technology cannot be considered new technology or learning systems anymore. It is undoubtable that computers have become an essential part of human life –whether we like it or not- and for that, what we need to focus on is how to use the CALL effectively and wisely. There are many studies concerning computer assisted language learning in CALL research areas to evaluate CALL itself. Also, a number of resea rchers have attempted to compare human teaching to computer assisted teaching (Lam & Pennington, 1995; McEnery et al., 1995; Windschitl, 1998; Allum, 2002). On the other hand, there has been relatively limited research on evaluation of web-based language learning (Yang & Akahori, 1999). As both technology and the internet are evolving every day, the number of its users are growing every second. It would be valuable for us to pay attention to the standard CALL evaluation criteria, especially when evaluating the World Wide Web criteria. This paper will present usable appropriate criteria when evaluating CALL, especially with web-based language learning, followed by evaluation of internet sites that are specifically designed for language teaching and learning. This paper mainly concerns evaluation criteria of web-based language learning of CALL. Firstly, the paper will look through web-based language teaching and learning in depth. Then, the paper will focus on presenting trustworthy e valuation criteria followed by an actual evaluation. 2. What is CALL? CALL is an abbreviation of ‘computer assisted language learning,’ which emerged with computer technology growth. To be more specific, CALL is â€Å"the search for and the study of application of the computer in language teaching and learning (Levy, 1997)†. With a rapid development in technology, teaching second language by using computers had also remarkable growth. The next section will cover more specifically web-based language learning in depth. 1.1 What is web-based language learning? By the mid-1990s, the internet began to rule the computer lab and affected â€Å"professional life† while giving great influence on second language teaching (Chapelle, 2001). Before, computers worked as a tool for second language teaching and learning, but by the mid-1990s, with the astonishing development of technology and a growing number of users, computer using with the internet commenced accessibil ity to a large amount of information than ever for both learners and instructors. In this sense, web-based language learning has its strong points in the sense that there is no limitation to the access of massive information (Pahl, 2003). This helps learners to be more active and allows them to look for needed solutions by themselves. The new era has begun with web-based language learning since students began to have free access to web sites and to also evaluate themselves by interaction with other students around the world (Chapelle, 2001; Levy, 1997; Warschauer & Healey, 1998). As researchers described the internet and computer as two of the most astonishing developments of mankind history, it is often used in many language classrooms to help them become communicative. Despite many

Principal Structural and Demographic Changes That Characterized the Essay

Principal Structural and Demographic Changes That Characterized the Period From 1865 to 1892 - Essay Example Changes occur where the democrats broke down the policies that the Republicans have imposed. The Democrats rewrites the constitution and the social programs. They also lower taxes and cut the state budgets. They impose various laws meant to curb the tenants and sharecroppers rights with the aim of ensuring a black labor force. One of these laws forces the debtors to work in the land until they settle their debts. The following is a discussion of the movements that manifest these changes that occur during this period. During this period, the United States experiences reconstruction, industrialization, and immigration. The state experiences rapid economic growth and emerges as the world’s dominant, agricultural, economic, and industrial power center. The annual income of workers after inflation grows by 75% between 1865 and 1900. It later recorded a growth of 33% by the year 1918. After the victory in the Civil War, the state emerges as a powerful and united nation characterized by a strong government. Reconstruction ends slavery and the slaves acquire citizenship in the United States. The European immigration brings 2.5 million new arrivals between 1865 and 1918. The arrivals provide the required labor force to expand agriculture and industry. They also provide the population base for the urban America that is fast growing. The country took part in two fundamental wars. The US entered a war with the German military. The industrial growth fuels efforts to bring the country back into alignment with an American definition of freedom. Availability of abundant resources, cheap energy, new technology, fast transport, and availability of labor and capital made an outstanding contribution towards the success. Livestock mines and forests provide raw materials for most of the industries in the country. Local-level political machines A political machine is an organization that has control over sufficient votes to maintain administrative and political control of the society. In the United States, the rapid growth of towns and cities creates problems for the government responsible for the cities. These city governments are unable to provide services due to poor organization. Politicians offer favors by offering patronage housing and jobs and thus win support. Despite that, the machines help to restructure the city governments; they result in poor service, aggravation of ethnic and racial hostilities, and corruption. The Irish and Democratic party dominates in politics until elections and civil service brings about its demise. The Irish is among the first immigrant group in the American cities that are large and capable of challenging leadership. The Democratic Party makes a substantial contribution court, the urban immigrants, hence acquiring the power for local bosses. As the number of immigrants grows, the cities become ethnically diverse, and the newcomers dominate the largest population. Efforts at middle-class reforms People like Lincoln ca me up with Freedman’s Bureau to aid the slaves with education, employment, and healthcare. The Radical plan of reconstruction allows the coalition of Freedmen to take control of the southern state government. This gives the federal courts power to deal with justice at a state level. The state passed the Civil Rights in 1875 to give people rights to access public facilities without considering their race or servitude. The state passed

Budget Monitoring and Format ( Individual Project ) Research Paper

Budget Monitoring and Format ( Individual Project ) - Research Paper Example The over-expense incurred by the investment specialists would tighten the amount of idle funds left for the company to meet the short term liabilities (Handlechner, 2008). Operational Risk The Money Cares Investment Corporation would face operational risks as the funds required for its daily operations would be curtailed due to the wastage of finances by means of credit cards for obtaining marketing supplies, transportation, and hospitalities. Financial Risk The budget planned for Money Cares Investment Corporation includes the estimated expenditures and the anticipated sources of the revenue in order to generate the future cash flow and meet the future liabilities. As a result of the over-expenses incurred by the investment specialists by the use of credit cards, it would lead to the deficit in the cash flows of future, thereby, posing financial risks in terms of the shortage of liquidity. Actions for the Company to Succeed In order to create a situation for the company to succeed, there should be a sufficient control established along with the continuous monitoring for the budgetary expenses planned for the company. The budgetary allocations are series of actions involving planning, implementation, and monitoring. In order to succeed, the company should construct a system of approval for the use of credit cards by the investment specialist. The CEO and Finance department should ask the clericals of the company to undertake the official work of recording the expenses on a daily basis. The expenses to be incurred by the usage of credit cards need to have a prior approval form a responsible authority. The investment specialists are also to be held accountable for the income generated and the expenses proposed by them. Thus, a proper budgetary control and monitoring system would help the company to succeed (Husson, 2002). A tally of the records will help the company to understand what amount of limit is left to be against the budget plan. This implementation of t he budgetary control will help to prevent over-expenses of the company. Company’s Most Vulnerable Areas The most vulnerable areas of the company are the financial procedures and instruments used for the funding of the daily operations. This involves the role of the manager and the three investment specialists. The company has chosen to use credit cards in order to access funds required for transportation and hospitality of customers while having expenditures for food and drinks and marketing supplies of its solutions. The absence of a cost control mechanism supported by a lack of monitoring by the company has given a free hand to the investment specialists. The ownership of the investments by the specialists under such a process is under question. Thus, the control mechanism for monitoring the expenses of the company is the most vulnerable area of the business of Money Cares Investment Corporation. The Company’s Assets The company’s assets are the short term cas h positions held by the company which help them to service the short term liabilities. The liquidity level of the company helps them to service the expenses on credit cards and other short-term credits acquired by the company. The net current assets of the company help them to meet the cost of daily operations that include transportation costs, marketing of its solutions

Human Resources Management in Marks and Spencer | Research

Human Resources Management in Marks and Spencer | Research Background Marks Spencer is one of the leading retailers of the UK. About 21 million people visit their stores every week. They operate around 895 stores around the globe. 600 of these stores are in UK while 295 of these stores are operated in countries outside UK. The first Marks Spencer store was opened in the year 1894 at 21 Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester. The company was formed by a partnership between Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer. Marks were a Litvak Jew from Poland and Spencer was a cashier from Yorkshire. Marks Spencer is the largest clothing retailer in United Kingdom. It is also an upmarket food retailer. It is the 43rd largest retailer in the world. Now Marks Spencer has diversified into homewares, furniture and technology. In the year 1998, Marks Spencer posted a pre-tax profit of GBP 1 billion. This was the first time that a British retailer was able to do so. Marks Spencer is listed on the London Stock exchange. Since the beginning of the 21st century, Marks Spencer has managed to have a turnaround. It posted substantial profits over the last five years. In the year 2008 the Time magazine ranked Marks Spencer as seventeenth in the list of top 100 graduate employers. Marks Spencer believes in the philosophy that the customer is always and completely right. Most stores of Marks Spencer also feature some sort of hospitality offering like M S cafà © and Espresso bars. Post the economic crisis, Marks Spencer has renewed its focus on cutting costs and improving efficiency. The company closed down many of its unprofitable stores , like the ones at Ripon and Balham, in early 2009 as part of cost-cutting measures. The human resources management plays a great role in achieving such cost efficiencies. After the financial crisis, the consumers in many developed markets of Marks Spencer have become prudent. Savings have increased and the extravagant, reckless consumption seems to be a thing of the past. In such a scenario, retailers aim at capturing a greater share of the customers consumption. The United Kingdom, which is the domestic and the most important market of Marks Spencer, was severely hit by the economic recession. The U.K. economy has still not come out of the throes of recession. The dissertation will look into the effectiveness of human resources management in Marks Spencer. How has the human resources management at Marks Spencer helped in the achievement of the objectives of the organization? How has human resources management contributed to the creation of value for the stakeholders of the organization? Has the human resources management at Marks Spencer achieved the objectives of the human resources function? Does the human resources management at Marks Spencer follow a strategic approach to human resources management? This dissertation will explore in depth the role of human resources management in Marks Spencer. In the intensely competitive and dynamic retail industry the importance of employees as human resources is increased significantly. The employees act as the interface of the company with the customers. If they fail to satisfy the customers then the organization will fail to exploit the lifetime value of the customers. The human resources management strategy at an organization like Marks Spencer is an interesting subject for academic research. This topic is very important from an empirical point of view. The human resources management function in organizations is changing. From a transactional function it is evolving into a strategic one. My personal reason for choosing this topic was that I wanted to understand the role that human resources management plays in a retail organization. The human resources management of such an organization will be effective only if it is able to achieve its objectives. The main objective of this research will be to determine the degree of effectiveness of the human resources management at Marks Spencer. The research will achieve this objective by investigating into the following questions: Q1) To what extent has the human resources management at Marks Spencer helped in enabling the company to perform well on all the parameters of its balanced scorecard? Q2) Does the human resources management at Marks Spencer strategic in its approach? Q3) Has Marks Spencer succeeded in transforming its human resources management into a source of competitive advantage? Q4) What are the strategies that the organization predominantly uses in its human resources management? Q5) How effective has been the human resources management at Marks Spencer in creating value for all the stakeholders of the organization? Through the above questions the dissertation will strive for achieving the objectives of the research. The human resources management at Marks Spencer will be deemed to be effective if it makes a significant positive contribution to the achievement of the objectives of the organization. This can only be done if the human resources management is able to contribute to stakeholder value creation process of Marks Spencer. The main stakeholders of Marks Spencer are: customers, employees, shareholders, suppliers, community and the state. Human resources management in the retail industry can become a source of much needed competitive advantage. The human resources management strategies also need to be tailored according to the marketing strategy of the organization. The choice of the human resources strategy is also influenced by the choice of the competitive strategy. Employees are the most important link in the chain of implementation of the competitive strategy of the organization. The human resources and the human resources management are therefore in every aspect of the organizational performance. Literature Review Human Resources Management is the management of the human resources of the organization. The earlier avatar of human resources management was personnel management. But the nomenclature was changed to human resources management when it was realized that the employees are one of the most important resources of any organization. Another definition of human resources management defines it as a set of processes that employ people, develop their capacities and manages them so that they are able to fulfill the requirements of the job and the organization. There is a link between human resources management and the organizational performance. This gives a strategic twist to the role that human resources management plays in organizations. It is not limited to transactional role. The objective of any transactional function is to be as efficient as possible i.e. they aim for lowest costs. On the other hand a strategic function also aims to be effective. Effectiveness means doing the right things. An effective human resources management is one that is able to contribute positively to the organizational performance. An effective human resources management influences the performance of the organization on all the parameters of its balanced scorecard [Becker, B. and Gerhart, B. (1996)]. The strategic human resources management plays an important role in boosting the productivity of the employees. This enhanced productivity of employees is translated into enhanced organizational productivity which results in greater shareholder wealth and more stakeholder value (Paauwe, 2009). Pfeffer (1994) says that there are seven best practices for achieving competitive advantage through people and building profits by putting people first. According to Pfeffer these seven practices are: Providing employee security. Selective Hiring. Training. Sharing of information. Self-managed teams. High pay based on the organizational performance. Reduction of status differentials. If the human resources management of the organization follows the above seven best practices, it will become a source of competitive advantage for the organization [ Pfeffer, 1994]. Pfeffer approach is the best practice approach to strategic management. Organizational performance will be improved if there is a close vertical fit between the human resources management practices and the strategy of the company. This is the best fit approach to human resources management. The lifecycle approaches to human resources management propound that HR practices, policies and processes can be mapped onto the stage of an organizations development or lifecycle (Kochan Barocci, 1985). Different human resources management strategies suit different stages of the organizational lifecycle. A growing organization needs a different human resources strategy from an organization that has matured (Storey, 2007). Different competitive strategies also require different human resources strategy. There should be a best fit between the competitive strategy and human resources strategy of the organization (Paauwe, 2009). The configurational theory argues for an approach that involves a close examination of the organizations strategy so as to determine the appropriate human resources strategy for the organization. (Delery Doty, 1996) The human resources strategy is drawn from the strategy of the organization. This forms the crux of strategic human resources management. The Resource Based View (RBV) considers human resources as the internal resources of the organization. The human resources can be used to create a sustainable competitive advantage for the organization that is difficult to imitate by the competitors. The human resources management plays the pivotal role in the management of the human resources of the organization. The objective of human resources management in every organization is to attract and retain the best employees so that the organization can be effective in achieving its objectives. Dave Ulrich (1996) defines human resources management in terms of its four dimensions. The four dimensions of human resources management, according to Ulrich are: change management, employee champion, administration and strategic business partner. It is in the role of strategic business partner that human resources makes the greatest contribution to the organizational effectiveness. The human resources management of an organization will be considered to be effective if it enables an organization to perform well on all the four parameters of the balanced scorecard. These parameters of the balanced scorecard are: The customer perspective. The employee perspective. The financial perspective. Internal processes perspective. The human resources management directly and indirectly influences all the above four parameters of an organizations performance. An organization cannot sustain in the long run if it fails to perform on all of the above parameters. An effective human resources management plays a proactive role rather than a reactive one. The human resources management strategy also varies with the sector of the organization. The human resources management strategy of an organization like Marks Spencer that operates in the retail sector may vary from the human resources management strategy of an organization like Boeing that operates in the aviation sector. The human resources strategy of the organization plays a critical role in the success or failure of any organization. Most successful corporations, like Google, have effectively used human resources management to create value. Before deciding on the human resources strategy of an organization, a detailed industry analysis should be done. This industry analysis can be done using models like Porters five forces model. Effective human resources management collaborates with the other functions like finance and marketing to enhance the overall performance of the organization. Human resources management should not operate in isolation. The successful implementation of the human resources strategy of the organization is dependent on many other factors like the size of the organization, the nature of the industry, nature of the industry and the organizational culture. The efficiency and effectiveness of human resources management is critical for the success of an organization like Marks Spencer that operates in a highly competitive environment. The retail sector is one where the differentiation between the different competitors is little or null. Employees play a very important role because they act as the point of interface of the company with the customers. They also implement the strategies of the organization. Research Methodology The main objective if this dissertation is to determine the effectiveness of human resources management at Marks Spencer. The research will investigate into the following questions: The degree of effectiveness of the human resources management at Marks Spencer. To what extent does human resources management at Marks Spencer influence the performance of the company on all the parameters (customer, employees, financial, internal processes) of its balanced scorecard. To what extent is the human resources management strategic in approach? What are the predominant human resources strategies at Marks Spencer? Is Human resources management contributing to the competitive advantage of Marks Spencer? The research methodology will use both primary research and secondary research. Primary research uses first hand primary sources of information. The primary research is original in nature. The main advantages of primary research are: Primary research is often more valid than secondary research since it is tailored for the purposes of the research. Primary research can throw up really new and potent insights. The main disadvantages of primary research are: It requires a lot of resources. It is very time-consuming. Primary research is often difficult to conduct as primary sources are difficult to find. Secondary research uses secondary sources of data and information. Secondary sources are those that already exist. Examples of secondary sources are internet, journals, government agencies publications etc. The main advantages of secondary research are: There are large numbers of sources of secondary research available on the internet and relevant publications. It is easier to conduct and does not require too many resources. The main disadvantages of secondary research are: Information collected from secondary sources may often be not relevant or valid for the objectives of the research. It lacks originality. This research will be predominantly qualitative in nature. The qualitative research will be supplemented by simple quantitative research using simple statistical models. Research Methods Primary research will involve interviewing the employees of the stores of Marks Spencer. These interviews will prove to be a source of great insight in understanding the employees perspective of Marks Spencer. The customers of the Marks Spencer stores will be interviewed to determine their level of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with the service of Marks Spencer. This will help in determining the impact of human resources management on customer satisfaction, customer loyalty etc. The secondary research will be intensive and extensive. It will analyze the financial statements of Marks Spencer and compare it with its rivals. The role that human resources management has played in the financial performance of Marks Spencer will be determined through this. The secondary research will also focus on all the aspects of the human resources management at Marks Spencer to determine its effectiveness. After the research is complete the data and information collected will be analyzed. Wherever quantitative analysis is required it will be done? Qualitative analysis will be as objective as possible. The findings of the research will be based on the above analysis. The findings will be followed by conclusions and reflections. The conclusions will determine the degree of effectiveness of the human resources management at Marks Spencer. The reflections will be the subjective opinion of the research scholar. It will recommend the ways in which the effectiveness of the human resources management can be enhanced so as to create more value for all the stakeholders of Marks Spencer. The research methodology will suffice in achieving the objectives of the research. The sample size for the purposes of the primary research will be 50. Secondary research will also include industry analysis of the retail industry. This will help in determining the position of Marks Spencer vis-à  -vis its competitors. The competitive strategy of Marks Spencer will be linked to the human resources strategy to determine whether the choice of the human resources strategy is influenced by the choice of the competitive strategy of the organization. The research will be a valid one. A valid research is that which measures what it intended to words. In other words, a research is valid if it is able to achieve all its objectives. The research methodology will ensure the validity of this research. A reliable research is one which gives consistent results when repeated. Reliability is a measure of the credibility of the findings of the research. Intensive research and objective analysis will ensure the validity of this research. Timescale There is sufficient slack in the time estimated for the completion of each activity. This will ensure that the dissertation is submitted in time and achieves its objectives even if some unforeseen contingencies crop up during its course. The time estimated for the various activities are as follows: Submission and approval of the research proposal: 1 week. Primary research: 2 weeks. Secondary research: 2 weeks. Analysis of the data and information collected: 2 weeks. Conclusions and Reflection: 1 week. Finishing and editing of the dissertations: 2 weeks. Suitability My academic requirements, qualifications and my aptitude make me suitable for this research. The topic of the proposal will be of great practical use for my future roles. I have all the capabilities and resources that are needed for the successful completion of this research. I have good knowledge of the subject of human resources management. This knowledge can be put to application during the course of this research. It will increase my understanding of the subject and bridge the gap between the theoretical and empirical. The primary research will present the challenge and the opportunity to do some fulfilling field work. The secondary research will throw up fresh perspectives, new ideas and new insights on the subject of human resources management. I have always felt that organizations and there human resources management strategies still do not give due importance to the employees as an invaluable source of competitive advantage for the organization. This research will enable me to see if an organization like Marks Spencer actually has human resources management strategies that are effective in harnessing this very valuable resource. Ethics Plagiarism is against the values of the research scholar. It will be totally shunned in this dissertation. The extracts from the works of other researchers and writers on the subject have been used only in the literature review section. Wherever they will be used they will be extensively referenced. The subjects used in the primary research will be informed about the objectives of their research. Their participation in the primary research will have no harmful affect on them. The whole research process will be ethical and transparent. References Becker, B. and Gerhart, B. (1996) ,The impact of human resource management on organisational performance, Academy of Management Journal 39 (4) 779-801 Delery, J. and Doty, H. (1996) ,Modes of theorizing in SHRM ,Academy of Management Journal, 39(4), 802-835 Kochan, T. and Barocci, T. (1985) ,Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations, LittleBrown Paauwe, J. (2009) ,HRM and Performance: Achievement, Methodological Issues and Prospects,Journal of Management Studies, 46 (1) Pfeffer, J. (1994), Competitive advantage through people, Harvard Business School Press Prahalad, C. and Hamel, G. (1990) The core competences of the organisation Harvard Business Review Storey, J. (2007) What is strategic HRM? Human Resource Management: A Critical Text, Thompson Ulrich, Dave (1996). Human Resource Champions. The next agenda for adding value and delivering results. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press.

Should We Really Give Children the Vote? :: Exploratory Essays

Should We Really Give Children the Vote? Sixteen year old Vita Wallace is an activist for children’s rights. In her argument, â€Å"Give children the vote,† she attempts to show that an injustice has been made to citizens of the United States. Wallace’s major claim, or thesis (McFadden, 2003), is that citizens under the age of 18 shouldn’t be denied the right to vote on account of age. Rather, she argues, children should be allowed to vote at whatever age suits them individually. By saying individually, she is using a qualifier, words and phrases used to limit and modify the overgeneralization of claims (McFadden). It is important that Wallace uses the term individually, because she recognizes that an age limit would be inappropriate for some children. After this point, most of the essay is dedicated to her opinion on why it is important for children to vote. Wallace’s uses appeal to the reader’s values, also known as warrants (McFadden). The emotional pleas may cause the audi ence to stop and consider her logic, but lack of facts and evidence leaves the argument unconvincing. With her jumpy writing and scattered thoughts the argument is hard to read, and even harder to believe. Therefore, I found the essay to be unsuccessful in persuading my opinion. The logic and evidence used to support her major claim, known as grounds (McFadden) is hard to find. The strongest evidence in the whole essay is statistics of eligible adult voters. With this information, she points out that only 36-40 percent of eligible adults actually vote. However, 25 percent of the population is under the age of 18, leading to Wallace’s statement that â€Å"Although elected representatives are responsible for all of us, they are responsible to only a few of us† (Wallace, 1998, p. 146). This statement would be effective but Wallace loses her credibility at the end of the paragraph when she calls politicians and voters selfish. By doing this she is using a fallacy, statements based on poor logic and mistaken belief (Clark, p. 81). By saying they are selfish she is using an Ad Hominem argument, which is an attack on the person rather than the issue (Clark, 1998, p. 83). Throughout the essay Wallace develops many minor claims, which are secondary statements supporting the major claim (McFadden). Right away she discusses â€Å"Discriminatory laws† which prevent high school drop-outs from getting their driver’s licenses.

Cultural practices Essay

Culture, ethnocentrism and cultural relativity are the three terms which form the basis of this essay. There is an effort to define each of these terms in as precise manner as possible. Moreover some discussion on human attitudes and characteristics precedes the final answer to the question : can we judge a cultural practice as ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ ? The answer is affirmative : Yes, all cultural practices cannot be considered equal and beyond reproach, judging them as ‘ right’ or ‘wrong’ is surely acceptable. Definitions Culture is defined as, â€Å" the totality of mental and physical reactions and activities that characterize the behavior of individuals composing of a social group collectively and individually in relation to their natural environment, to other groups, to members of the group itself, and of each individual to himself. ( Heuristic device) Ethnocentrism is defined as tendency to look at the world, primarily from the perspective of one’s own culture. It often entails the belief that one’s own race or ethnic group is the most important and/or that some or all aspects of its culture are superior to those of other groups. ( Ethnocentrism). Cultural relativity is the principle that an individual’s beliefs and activities should be interpreted in terms of his own culture. ( Cultural relativism). It is important to note over here that the five civilizations of human history is the mother of all cultural practices. Each civilization devised a behavioral pattern which suited the local geographic, economic and political conditions. The roots of all ethnic groups claiming to have their ‘own’ and ‘independent’ culture can be traced back to these five civilizations. They are essentially offshoots of the basic civilization. Discussion It has been proved beyond doubt that the major negative characteristics of human race are his greed and his ego. He always wants to dominate over his fellow humans and other living species. On the other hand, one of the best qualities of human beings is to make our globe a ‘worth living’ place. Those who devised the cultural practices were also human beings and hence all cultures have something that can be called ‘good’ and something that can be called ‘bad’ or ‘not acceptable’. A few examples will prove this point. The Indus valley civilization, firmly advocates the theory of ‘ live and let live’. Hinduism, a faith originating in the Indian sub-continent advocates only vegetarian food. The argument is, ‘ why kill a fish, chicken or an animal when your stomach can be filled with vegetables and cereals, without making any compromise on the nutritive values? ’ So far so good. The same culture has a ‘caste’ system. The status of a human being is decided by the virtue of his birth. If he is born in a ‘higher’ caste, he has the world at his feet, and if he is born in a ‘lower’ caste family, then he is treated as an untouchable, who will never get any opportunity in life to improve his position. The European culture. While European intelligence has been instrumental in framing the highly developed technical world of today, full of comforts, the same Europeans have sucked the blood of the third world population by establishing colonies, for centuries together. A very truthful fact, right from the civilization days to today, is that all human efforts in devising cultural practices have been concentrated at ‘local’ level only. No culture has a global approach. The Indus valley civilization is perhaps an exception to this. The practices are laid down for a particular group of people residing in that particular geographic area. In the entire history of human evolution, man has never lived like a single species. Needless to say, ‘betterment of life’ and ‘peaceful co-existence’ were the aims of any cultural practices. Hence, evaluation of any culture should be done on a very basic question, ‘ does it allow others to exist peacefully? ’ The two systems of cultural perceptions, namely ethnocentrism and cultural relativism have very less significance. While ethnocentrism places one’s own culture as the ‘only best ‘ cultural relativism closes the doors for judgments about other cultures. Ethnocentrism does not put Americans or Europeans as the best cultural groups and cultural relativism cannot ignore the fact that slavery system in America is a ‘wrong practice’. These perceptions are irrelevant because no culture is supreme or the best, and no culture is so complete in itself . Summary No theory can prevent judgment of the ‘wrong’ and the ‘ right’ of any cultural practice. Simply because no culture is flawless, when assessed on humanitarian and global grounds. Any practice which preserves the peaceful co-existence and helps in betterment of life will always be applauded and any practice which promotes injustice, cruelty and domination over others, will always be turned down. If Americans think in an ethnocentric way that they are the indirect dominators of the world affairs, they are mistaken. It was Europe yesterday, America today and tomorrow may belong to some other culture. Similarly if Asians think that there is no need to pass judgment on any other culture because every culture is complete on its own, they are also wrong. They ought to pass a judgment and raise a voice against the ‘wrong’ colonization and slavery of Europeans and Americans respectively. No theory can stop passing judgments over any cultural practice. Judgments are necessary. They always help in improving upon the negative aspects of any culture. Works – cited page 1) ‘Heuristic device’ and ‘cultural relativism’, wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 12 – 02-07, Retrieved on 14-02-07. < http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/cultural_relativism > 2. ‘Ethnocentrism’, wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 10-02-07, Retrieved on 14-02-07, < http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/etnocentrism >

Julius Caesars Civil War Battle of Pharsalus

Julius Caesars Civil War Battle of Pharsalus The Battle of Pharsalus took place on August 9, 48 BC and was the decisive engagement of Caesars Civil War (49-45 BC). Some sources indicate that battle may have taken place on June 6/7 or June 29. Overview With the war with Julius Caesar raging, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey) ordered the Roman Senate to flee to Greece while he raised an army in the region. With the immediate threat of Pompey removed, Caesar quickly consolidated his position in the western parts of the Republic. Defeating Pompeys forces in Spain, he shifted east and began preparing for a campaign in Greece. These efforts were hampered as Pompeys forces controlled the Republics navy. Finally forcing a crossing that winter, Caesar was soon joined by additional troops under Mark Antony. Despite being reinforced, Caesar was still outnumbered by Pompeys army, though his men were veterans and the enemy largely new recruits. Through the summer, the two armies maneuvered against each other, with Caesar attempting to besiege Pompey at Dyrrhachium. The resulting battle saw Pompey win a victory and Caesar was forced to back away. Wary of fighting Caesar, Pompey failed to follow up this triumph, preferring instead to starve his opponents army into submission. He was soon swayed from this course by his generals, various senators, and other influential Romans who wished him to give battle. Advancing through Thessaly, Pompey encamped his army on the slopes of Mount Dogantzes in the Enipeus Valley, approximately three and a half miles from Caesars army. For several days the armies formed for battle each morning, however, Caesar was unwilling to attack up the slopes of the mountain. By August 8, with his food supplies low, Caesar began debating withdrawing east. Under pressure to fight, Pompey planned to give battle the next morning. Moving down into the valley, Pompey anchored his right flank on the Enipeus River and deployed his men in the traditional formation of three lines, each ten men deep. Knowing that he had a larger and better-trained cavalry force, he concentrated his horse on the left. His plan called for the infantry to remain in place, forcing Caesars men to charge a long distance and tiring them before contact. As the infantry engaged, his cavalry would sweep Caesars from the field before pivoting and attacking into the enemys flank and rear. Seeing Pompey move off the mountain on August 9, Caesar deployed his smaller army to meet the threat. Anchoring his left, led by Mark Antony  along the river, he too formed three lines though they were not as deep as Pompeys. Also, he held his third line in reserve. Understanding Pompeys advantage in cavalry, Caesar pulled 3,000 men from his third line and arrayed them in a diagonal line behind his cavalry to protect the armys flank. Ordering the charge, Caesars men began advancing. Surging forward, it soon became clear that Pompeys army was standing their ground. Realizing Pompeys goal, Caesar halted his army approximately 150 yards from the enemy to rest and reform the lines. Resuming their advance, they slammed into Pompeys lines. On the flank, Titus Labienus led Pompeys cavalry forward and made progress against their counterparts. Falling back, Caesars cavalry led Labienus horsemen into the line of supporting infantry. Using their javelins to thrust at the enemy cavalry, Caesars men halted the attack. Uniting with their own cavalry, they charged and drove Labienus troops from the field. Wheeling left, this combined force of infantry and cavalry struck into Pompeys left flank. Though Caesars first two lines were under heavy pressure from Pompeys larger army, this attack, coupled with the entry of his reserve line, swung the battle. With their flank crumbling and fresh troops assaulting their front, Pompeys men began to give way. As his army collapsed, Pompey fled the field. Seeking to deliver the deciding blow of the war, Caesar pursued Pompeys retreating army and compelled four legions to surrender the following day. Aftermath The Battle of Pharsalus cost Caesar between 200 and 1,200 casualties while Pompey suffered between 6,000 and 15,000. Additionally, Caesar reported capturing 24,000, including Marcus Junius Brutus, and showed great clemency in pardoning many the Optimate leaders. His army destroyed, Pompey fled to Egypt seeking aid from King Ptolemy XIII. Shortly after arriving at Alexandria, he was murdered by the Egyptians. Pursuing his enemy to Egypt, Caesar was horrified when Ptolemy presented him with Pompeys severed head. Though Pompey had been defeated and killed, the war continued on as Optimate supporters, including the generals two sons, raised new forces in Africa and Spain. For the next few years, Caesar conducted various campaigns to eliminate this resistance. The war effectively ended in 45 BC after his victory at the Battle of Munda. Selected Sources HistoryNet: Battle of PharsalusRoman Empire: Battle of PharsalusLivius: Battle of Pharsalus

Philosophical Women Quotes

Philosophical Women Quotes If you like reading philosophical quotes, here are some great philosophical women quotes. Famous women leaders like Mother Teresa, Emily Dickinson, Golda Meir, Aung San Suu Kyi, and others have expressed their philosophical views. Their breadth of awareness and depth of wisdom is sure to leave you impressed. Mother Theresa, Social WorkerWe are all pencils in the hand of God writing love letters to the world. Virginia Woolf, British FeministIts not catastrophes, murders, deaths, diseases, that age and kill us; its the way people look and laugh, and run up the steps of omnibuses. Nancy Willard, American PoetSometimes questions are more important than answers. Emily Dickinson, PoetThe soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience. Betty Friedan, Social Activist, The Feminine MystiqueThe problem that has no name- which is simply the fact that American women are kept from growing to their full human capacities- is taking a far greater toll on the physical and mental health of our country than any known disease. Jane Austen, NovelistShe had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older- the natural sequence of an unnatural beginning.Martha Graham, ChoreographerYou are unique, and if that is not fulfilled then something has been lost.Jennifer Aniston, American ActorThe greater your capacity to love, the greater is your capacity to feel the pain.Eleanor Roosevelt, ActivistWhen will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it? Golda Meir, First Female Prime Minister of IsraelThose who dont know how to weep with their whole heart dont know how to laugh either. Abigail Adams, Second First Lady of the United States[in a letter to John Adams] Deliver me from your cold phlegmatic preachers, politicians, friends, lovers and husbands. Bette Davis, American actorOld age is no place for sissies. Mother Theresa, Social WorkerIf you judge people, you have no time to love them. Sara Teasdale, PoetI make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes. Candace Pert, NeuroscientistLove often leads to healing, while fear and isolation breed illness. And our biggest fear is abandonment.Muriel Spark, Novelist, The Prime of Miss Jean BrodieOnes prime is elusive. You little girls, when you grow up, must be on the alert to recognize your prime at whatever time of your life it may occur. Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize LaureateThe education and empowerment of women throughout the world cannot fail to result in a more caring, tolerant, just and peaceful life for all. Maya Angelou, WriterA bird doesnt sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. Eleanor Roosevelt, ActivistThe future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Jane Goodall, English PrimatologistLasting change is a series of compromises. And compromise is all right, as long your values dont change. Rosa Luxemburg, RevolutionaryFreedom is always and exclusively freedom for the one who thinks differently. Mother Teresa, Social WorkerWe think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty. Peace Pilgrim, PacifistPure love is a willingness to give without a thought of receiving anything in return. Gloria Swanson, American Actress[quoted in the New York Times] Ive given my memoirs far more thought than any of my marriages. You cant divorce a book.

Argument Paper - President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Essay

Argument Paper - President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize - Essay Example The news media has variously spoken in favor of the prize and against it, and ordinary citizens are equally divided. There is little question, however: Barack Obama does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Peace Prize, as Alfred Nobel envisioned it, is awarded to â€Å"champions of peace† who genuinely contribute to bringing peace to the world (â€Å"A fitting prize† para. 6). During his acceptance speech, Obama commented, â€Å"Throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it’s also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes† (Schneider para. 7). In other words, Obama himself is apologizing to those who do not think he deserves the prize, saying that he has momentum even if it appears he’s not going anywhere. This is a gracious way to accept this prestigious prize, but might indicate that Obama himself is questioning the motivations of the Nobel Committee, just as detractors have in the press and on the news. One of these detractors has even gone so far as to state, â€Å"Anyone saying the Peace Prize Committee does not have a political agenda needs to consider the timing and nature of these choices more carefully† (Reid-Henry para. 2). The Prize committee’s timing was cut a little close: the nomination was made two weeks after Obama’s inauguration. Not only had Obama had no time to accomplish any of his lofty goals at the time of the award, he had barely put his toothbrush in the White House medicine cabinet at the time of his nomination. As a political slap in the face to the previous administration, the Nobel Committee’s message could not be more clear. The committee is indeed investing its â€Å"extraordinary faith, a belief even, in the powers of politicians to lead and to thereby solve the ills of the world† (Reid-Henry para. 7). The Peace Prize Committee may believe that

A Supermarket Marketing Strategy for Expanding its Store Essay

A Supermarket Marketing Strategy for Expanding its Store - Essay Example This essay covers fully developed marketing plan for a small wine company Castlegate Wines Ltd. In every organisation, there are some key marketing management decisions which play a pivotal role in determining the performance of an organisation. These include the product, price, distribution and management. In every day operations of an organisation, the total number of sales it makes plays a very important role in determining the overall performance. The main target in every organisation is to sell all what it produces in the shortest period possible. However, it requires an organisation to invest in and be able to come up with best marketing strategies which would help in maximizing sales. In the current business world, the market has become extremely competitive due to entrant of many players in the market. In the wine industry, the level of competition has increased significantly over the past. In order for any organisation to be successful in the market, they need to have a good marketing strategy on top of their retail wine stores. This will help an organisation to reach as many customers as possible hence maximizing its sales. Marketing plan in this essay is divided by such parts as: background and arguments, public relations, advantages of selling through supermarkets, impact and effectiveness of a supermarket strategy for expanding, effects of the strategy to Castlegate Wines Ltd, other necessary marketing measures, difficulties, opposition & barriers and recommendations.