Human Resource Management - Worklife balance Essay

Human Resource Management - Worklife balance - Essay Example This paper contributes to the work/life balance and work/non-work conflict literature by analyzing the literature of various studies, which examine the attitudes and experiences relating to work/life balance among UK, employees in the first 10 years of their careers. Specifically, the analysis explores the extent to which work/life balance matters, the extent to which it is being achieved and the factors that determine perceptions of work/non-work conflict, including the state of the psychological contract between employer and employee, work involvement and organisational support. The potential impact of work/non-work conflict on organisational commitment is examined, and the policy implications for employers considered. Corporate leaders understand that employees' work and family lives rare inextricably linked. They al ways have been but today, with increased pressures in both domains, the overlap and the challenges created are increasingly obvious and complex to resolve. Solving the paradox seated in an organisation's need to be optimally productive and the individual's need to find quality time to meet domestic responsibilities, to establish, maintain and grow relationships and to relax and re-charge, is the great challenge of the new millennium. Most managers have yet to overcome the conundrum for themselves let alone help employees resolve it in their lives. The prospects for easing the work/ life imbalance dilemma lie, at least in part, in establishing what is creating it. 'Know thy enemy' and so forth. Enemy number one must surely be the 'time distribution imbalance' trap - consistently committing too much time to work where this is having a detrimental impact on personal life. However, the concept of 'work-life balance' means different things to different people, and there are always shades of grey. What is an imbalance to one person is perfectly acceptable to another. In addition, commercial realities cannot be ignored. Somehow, the needs of key customers and/or other stakeholders must be met or they will take their patronage elsewhere. These and the myriad of other related issues are why the problem is so vexed and why many leaders effectively suspend their attempts to solve it. It ends up in the 'too hard' basket. However, given the gravity of the problem and the potential upside that comes with finding a remedy, at some point the issue must come back to the fore. So where to start Most managers agree that a so-called 'quality work environment' reduces the employment stresses that can spill over to staff's personal lives and create distress. The quality work environment bundle might include job characteristics such as work time flexibility, individual responsibility and autonomy, the physical office environment, pay, equity and advancement conditions. Lastly, but certainly not least, the nature of interpersonal relations in the office is very important. For some time, it has been argued that achieving a 'balance' between home life and work life is increasingly a priority for many people. As long ago

Impact of Boxer Rebellion on Chinas World Relations

Impact of Boxer Rebellion on Chinas World Relations What impact did the Boxer Rebellion have  on China’s relations with the rest of the world? The Boxer Rebellion instigated an unprecedented coordinated military response from international powers after The Righteous and Harmonious Fists more commonly known as the Boxers had mutilated and slaughtered thousands of Chinese Christian converts, Western missionaries and foreign nationals.[1] The atrocities occurred between 1898 and 1900 when the Boxers began targeting their perceived enemies in the Shandong region of China before spreading north to Beijing. The Boxers could not differentiate between the Christian missionaries’ desire to proselytise China’s peasants and forced westernisation. This paper contends that the Boxer Rebellion both wounded and opened relations between China and the outside world. Clearly, the discriminate violence of the Boxers shocked and angered the international community.[2] Therefore, far from achieving their objective of purging China from globalisation and the westernisation of Chinese peasants, it caused the world to hone in on Chin a. Inadvertently the Boxer Rebellion opened international relationships with China and the outside world. Countries like the United States refrained from argumentative dialogue and began to have meaningful diplomatic discussions with the Chinese government. Nevertheless, the Boxer Protocol, signed in 1901, seriously affected China’s relationship with the world. The protocol virtually bankrupted China’s economy. The Qing Dynasty was forced to pay three hundred and thirty three million United State dollars indemnity to foreign countries affected by the Boxer’s violence.[3] The Boxer Rebellion like the majority of insurrections has no narrative from the insurgents. The historiographies of rebellions are a combination of texts of victims, politicians, historians and other academics as in the case the Boxer Rebellion. The majority of eyewitness accounts are usually anonymous but reveal the harsh reality of death associated with insurrections. Cohen gives a perfect ex ample of this when he cites an eyewitness account of a Chinese individual who witnessed the scene of death during the Boxer Rebellion in Tianjing in 1900, the eyewitness describes the atrocities of the rebellion, they declare, ‘There are many corpses floating in the river. Some were without heads, others were missing limbs. The bodies of women often had their nipples cut off and their genitalia mutilated†¦ There were also bodies in shallow areas by the banks with flocks of crows pecking away at them. The smell was so bad we had to cover our noses the whole day. Still, no one came out to collect the bodies for burial. People said that they were all Christians who had been killed by the Boxers and the populace dare not get involved.’[4] Boyd contends that ‘most Westerners went to China to make money or to make converts.’[5] Neither reason was popular with the Righteous Harmonious Fists (Boxers). They viewed themselves as representatives of the Chinese peasantry and rigorously opposed all foreigners. Although, by the end of the nineteenth century, China’s population had reached three hundred and fifty million the majority of Chinese peasants had never encountered foreigners or Western missionaries.[6] Nevertheless, the Boxers held a strong belief that foreigners and Christian missionaries were responsible for the breakdown in the fabric of simple Chinese peasant society and they dishonoured their traditional spiritual and community. Furthermore, the Boxers attributed China’s natural disasters such as flood, drought and famine to the corruption of Christianity. Drought followed the great flood of the Yellow River in 1898 and left two million peasants starving and desperate. The Boxers a bott om up organisation without official leadership saw themselves as representatives of the peasantry in the Shandong region of northern China.[7] Likewise, the missionaries imposed power in the villages they occupied and they were involved in legal decision-making. The missionaries infuriated the Boxers even more because they were not just content to proselytise Christianity they also rejected Confucianism.[8] Harrison contends that the Boxers believed Catholic missionaries posed the greatest threat to Chinese morality. She argues that the Boxers targeted villages where the well-established Catholic missionaries had taken on the role of officials. The Boxers believed that because central government had failed to tackle the issue of village politics and moral issues they would take the law into their own hands.[9] However, this argument is neutralised by the excessive violence and murder of Catholics committed by the Boxers in the villages of central Shanxi.[10] The Boxers believed they were impervious to pain; they could withstand attack from both sword, and bullet. Their strange beliefs made them merciless fighters and a therefore a dangerous enemy of foreigners, Chinese Christian converts and missionaries. Even if their beliefs were well founded and justifiable, their methods of resolving their perceived problems were inexcusable and crude.[11] The Boxers fervent mystical beliefs are not a new phenomenon because allegedly, in preceding years Chinese peasants had experienced similar supernatural powers following natural disasters. Male peasants believed that they acquired special ‘religious’ spiritual powers to overcome the disasters.[12] However, the Boxers method of dealing with the threat was incomprehensible. Fleming’s contentious claim that at the beginning of the Boxer regime, ninety percent of the Boxers were just peasants in ‘fancy dress’ is debateable. However, he declares that as time went by thei r ‘sartorial costume’ of red and yellow turbans and sashes became less important and the majority of Boxers held strong political ideologies.[13] Following the suppression of the Boxer’s by the international counterinsurgency force,[14] each nation affected by Boxer violence sought retribution. However, some nations were less harsh than others were. For example, the United States highlighted this in their response. Secretary of State John Hay fearing China’s partition by European nations following the Boxer Rebellion issued a memorandum in July 1900 to those countries affected by the rebellion. Hay suggested that they should continue to support China’s ‘administrative and territorial integrity.’[15] In reality the United States were protecting their own trading interests in China. Furthermore, the United States practised a strict anti-imperialistic foreign policy.[16] However, the United States outward support of the Qing Dynasty was a contradiction of their policies towards Chinese immigrants. Ironically, the Chinese Exclusion Act 1882 and the Geary Act 1892 effectively prevented Chinese peop le from entering America.[17] After the suppression on the Boxer Rebellion, China supported American military presence in Beijing to repel any further rebellions following the defeat of the Boxers. The United States politely refused and withdrew from China in October 1900. The commander of the American counterinsurgency force stated, ‘Let us hope that this generous, charitable, and magnanimous treatment of the vanquished may prove an example to the nations of the world, and a step forward in the world’s progress toward a higher and nobler humanity. We are glad to know that this work is appreciated to you. It is needless to tell you, however, that the United States does not maintain an army for the purpose of furnishing the city of Peking with good municipal government, and as a business proposition your appeal for the United States forces to remain longer in Peking has little to stand upon.[18] Britain was slow to respond to the Boxer Rebellion.[19] However, retrospectively the Boxer Rebellion caused Britain to adopt a more vigorous foreign policy. Indeed, because of the inadequacies of the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Lord Salisbury in dealing with the Boxer Rebellion, the Conservative government made significant changes to the Diplomatic Service.[20] Sir Claude MacDonald the British minister in Beijing despite being fully aware of the Boxers violence against foreigners, Christian converts and missionaries in northern China refused to contemplate that the Boxer would spread across China.[21] Indeed, Otte contends that Britain’s blasà © attitude to the Boxer violence only changed after the siege of Beijing legation district that began on June 14th 1900. For fifty-five days, the Boxers laid siege to the square mile legation district in Beijing.[22] When the multilateral counterinsurgency force finally arrived in Beijing in August 1900, they displayed to the world for the first time that a sense of unity was possible. The multilateral force consisted of all the nations who had personnel in the legation. The force consisted of approximately twenty thousand troops. The Japanese were the dominant force with ten thousand troops. Japan demonstrated to China and the world that the importance of China was truly international and not just Eurocentric.[23] Furthermore, the multilateral force with the aim of rescuing the personnel and their families from the Beijing Legation district were given different instructions from their governments. German emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II commanded his troops to show no mercy to the Boxers after they had murdered the German Minister in Beijing Baron von Ketteler. The Kaiser declared to his troops before they left Bremerhaven, ‘Just as the Huns a thousand years ago, under the leadership of Attila, gained a reputation by virtue of which they still live in historical tradition, so may the name of Germany become known in such a manner in China, that no Chinese will ever again to look askance at a German.’ [24] Clearly, the Boxer Rebellion affected relations with Germany and this was borne out by the first point in the Boxer Protocol, it declared, ‘†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Prince of the First Rank, Chun, was appointed Ambassador of His Majesty the Emperor of China, and directed in that capacity to convey to His Majesty the German Emperor the expression of the regrets of His Majesty the Emperor of China and of the Chinese Government at the assassination of his Excellency the late Baron von Ketteler, German Minister†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. The Chinese Government has stated that it will erect on the spot of the assassination of his Excellency the late Baron von Ketteler, commemorative monument worthy of the rank of the deceased, and bearing an inscription in the Latin, German, and Chinese languages which shall express the regrets of His Majesty the Emperor of China for the murder committed†¦[25] The first article of the Boxer Protocol clearly highlights China’s humiliation. Germany like other governments wanted to punish and embarrass China after the Boxer Rebellion. The proceeding articles in the protocol all required apologies, monument erections, the destruction of Chinese arms and fortresses, and the forfeiture of land to foreign powers.[26] However, as previously mentioned, the most damaging article in the protocol was the three hundred and thirty three million dollar indemnity with four percent interest. Undoubtedly, the multilateral troops took revenge on the Boxers and their supporters, Boyd contends that rumours of looting, rape, and torture committed by multilateral troops spread throughout Beijing. [27] Schoppa argues that the Boxer Protocol is the lowest point in Chinese international relations and their ultimate humiliation. The protocol signed on the 7th September 1901 between China and the Powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Spain, United State s, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, and Russia was yet another unequal treaty that humiliated the Chinese government. The terms of the protocol not only restricted China’s domestic privileges, they increased foreign interests in China. Therefore, the fifty years of humiliation that began with China’s defeat in the Opium Wars extended into a new millennium. Therefore, the Boxer Protocol crippled Chinese spirit, economy and international prestige.[28] Although, the Boxer Rebellion and the consequent protocol severely damaged China domestically and their international reputation it instigated the dismantlement of their biggest burden, the corrupt Qing Dynasty. The Empress Dowager Cixi deceived the international community by pretending that her troops were suppressing the Boxers. However, the reality was that she despised foreign intervention as much as the Boxers did. She cleverly encouraged the Boxers to turn the Chinese peasantry and country against the foreigners. The Boxers declared ‘Support the Qing, destroy the Foreigners.’ Foreigners included missionaries and Chinese Christian converts. As Esherick contends, the Boxer Rebellion was not a true rebellion, as they did not oppose the Chinese Qing government.[29] The rebellion failed to resemble the excepted definition as ‘an organized armed resistance to an established ruler or government.’[30] Once the Qing dynasty realised that counterinsurgency would overthrow the Boxers they soon renounced their involvement so they could continue in the eyes of the West as a legitimate government.[31] However, inevitably the Boxer Rebellion demonstrates that China’s international relations were damaged by the more primitive actions the Boxers and the more sophisticated and sinister intervention of the Qing Dynasty.[32] In conclusion, the Boxer Rebellion clearly left an indelible mark on China both domestically and internationally. The ruthless action of the Boxers against foreigners, Chinese Christian converts, and missionaries was viewed by the outside world as unjustified and inexcusable. The Boxers clearly believed that they were acting in the best interests of peasants who made up the majority of the Chinese population. Their violent activities led to the Boxer Protocol in 1901 that almost bankrupted China through the huge financial reparations. The further articles of the protocol heaped further humiliation on China and allowed international powers access to prominent trading areas. However, arguably inadvertently the Boxer Rebellion prevented China from being colonised by major international powers. The Boxer Rebellion undoubtedly stirred the United States to intervene in order to save their trading rights in China. They sent a clear message to Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, and Russ ia to support China’s administrative and territorial integrity. Furthermore, the Boxer Rebellion was the catalyst for disintegration of the dishonest Qing Dynasty. Although, the Qing Dynasty under Empress Dowager Cixi supported the Boxers it was not to protect the interests of China’s peasantry. Even though the Boxer Rebellion eventually instigated improved foreign diplomacy, it is indisputable that their actions not only led to the massacres of foreigners, Chinese Christians and missionaries it led to thousands of deaths of their own people. The international counterinsurgency forces showed no mercy when they exacted retribution on the Boxers and their sympathisers. The ease in which the Boxers and Imperial guard were defeated by the multilateral counterinsurgency forces compelled the Chinese government to modernise their military. The Boxer Rebellion reiterated the Eurocentric ideology that the Chinese are uncivilised. Furthermore, the rebellion alienated the western community from China even though it inadvertently improved international diplomacy and rid China of the corrupt Qing Dynasty that ultimately led to China becoming a republic in 1912. The ease in which the Boxers and Imperial guard were defeated by the multilateral counterinsurgency forces compelled the Chinese government to modernise their military. Bibliography Books Boyd, J., A Dance with Dragon. The Vanished of Peking’s Foreign Policy (London: I. B. Tauris Co. Ltd, 2012). Cashman, D., America in the Age of the Titans: The Progressive Era and World War I (New York: New York University Press, 1998). Cohen, Paul, in ‘Humanising the Boxers’, in Bickers, R. Tiedemann, R. (eds), The Boxers, China, and the World (Plymouth: Rowman Littlefield Publishers Ltd, 2007), pp. 179-197. Cullinane, M., Liberty and American Anti-Imperialism: 1898-1909 (New York: Palgrave MacMillian, 2012). Durschmeid, E,. Beware the Dragon, China: 1,000 Years of Bloodshed (London: Carlton Publishing Group, 2008). Esherick, J., The Origins of the Boxer Uprising (Oakland: University of California Press). Fleming, P., The Siege at Peking (Edinburgh: Birlinn Ltd, 2001). Harrison, Henrietta, in ‘Humanising the Boxers’, in Bickers, R. Tiedemann, R. (eds), The Boxers, China, and the World (Plymouth: Rowman Littlefield Publishers Ltd, 2007), pp. 1-15. Otte, Thomas, ‘Heaven knows where we shall finally drift’: Lord Salisbury, the Cabinet, Isolation, and the Boxer Rebellion’ in Kennedy, G. Neilson, K. (eds), Incidents and International Relations: People, Power, and Personalities (Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2002). Schoppa, K., The Columbia Guide to Modern Chinese History (New York: Columbia University Press, 2000). Seonnichsen, J., The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 (Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2011). Spence, J., The Searching of Modern China (London: Century Hutchinson Ltd, 1990). Steiner, Z., The Foreign Office and Foreign Policy, 1898-1914 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1970). Journals Oulett, ‘Multinational counterinsurgency: the Western intervention in the Boxer Rebellion 1900-1901’ Small Wars Insurgencies. 20: 3.4 (2009): pp. 507-527. Radio broadcast Bragg, M., ‘The Boxer Rebellion’ In our Time. BBC radio 4 archive broadcast (21.30, 9 March 2009) Internet source ‘Rebellion.’ Oxford English Dictionary (03 April 2014). Available online: http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/159201?isAdvanced=falseresult=1rskey=nNKkrE Date accessed: 02 April 2014. ‘Boxer Protocol, 1901, Peace Agreement between the Great Powers and China 09/07/190’ (03 April 2014) Available online: http://china.usc.edu/(S(ivfmlzuvquerbb45edthpbze)A(irVj2QZVywEkAAAAYWQzZmNiZGMtZTBhNC00MDc1LTg5ZTItOGQ4OGU4MGI0NTk3Uo36FF2grKtLe_4GD64z6sKQqsw1))/ShowArticle.aspx?articleID=420 Date accessed: 03 April 2014 1 [1] Oulett, ‘Multinational counterinsurgency: the Western intervention in the Boxer Rebellion 1900-1901’ Small Wars Insurgencies. 20: 3.4 (2009): p. 511. [2] Durschmeid, E,. Beware the Dragon, China: 1,000 Years of Bloodshed (London: Carlton Publishing Group, 2008)p. 172. [3] Spence, J., The Searching of Modern China (London: Century Hutchinson Ltd, 1990), p. 235. [4] cited by Cohen, Paul, in ‘Humanising the Boxers’, in Bickers, R. Tiedemann, R. (eds), The Boxers, China, and the World (Plymouth: Rowman Littlefield Publishers Ltd, 2007), p. 186 [5] Boyd, J., A Dance with Dragon. The Vanished of Peking’s Foreign Policy (London: I. B. Tauris Co. Ltd, 2012), p. xvi. [6] Fleming, P., The Siege at Peking (Edinburgh: Birlinn Ltd, 2001), p. 36. [7] Bragg, M., ‘The Boxer Rebellion’ In our Time. BBC radio 4 archive broadcast (21.30, 9 March 2009) [8] Ibid. [9] Harrison, Henrietta, in ‘Humanising the Boxers’, in Bickers, R. Tiedemann, R. (eds), The Boxers, China, and the World (Plymouth: Rowman Littlefield Publishers Ltd, 2007), p. 12 [10] Harrison, Henrietta, in ‘Humanising the Boxers’, p. 7 [11] Oulett, ‘Multinational counterinsurgency: the Western intervention in the Boxer Rebellion 1900-1901’, p. 508. [12] Bragg, M., ‘The Boxer Rebellion’ In our Time [13] Fleming, The Siege at Peking, p.36. [14] Oulett, ‘Multinational counterinsurgency: the Western intervention in the Boxer Rebellion 1900-1901’, p. 508. [15] Cashman, D., America in the Age of the Titans: The Progressive Era and World War I (New York: New York University Press, 1998), p.436. [16] Cullinane, M., Liberty and American Anti-Imperialism: 1898-1909 (New York: Palgrave MacMillian, 2012), p. 4. [17] Seonnichsen, J., The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 (Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2011), p. xiv. [18] cited in Oulett, ‘Multinational counterinsurgency: the Western intervention in the Boxer Rebellion 1900-1901’. p. 518. [19] Otte, Thomas, ‘Heaven knows where we shall finally drift’: Lord Salisbury, the Cabinet, Isolation, and the Boxer Rebellion’ in Kennedy, G. Neilson, K. (eds), Incidents and International Relations: People, Power, and Personalities (Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2002), p. 30. [20] Steiner, Z., The Foreign Office and Foreign Policy, 1898-1914 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1970), p. 180. [21] Otte, Thomas. ‘Heaven knows where we shall finally drift’: Lord Salisbury, the Cabinet, Isolation, and the Boxer Rebellion’, p. 26 [22] Otte, Thomas. ‘‘Heaven knows where we shall finally drift’: Lord Salisbury, the Cabinet, Isolation, and the Boxer Rebellion’, p. 29 [23] Bragg, M., ‘The Boxer Rebellion’ In our Time [24] Fleming, The Siege at Peking, pp. 135-136 [25] ‘Boxer Protocol, 1901, Peace Agreement between the Great Powers and China’ (09/07/1901). Available online: http://china.usc.edu/(S(ivfmlzuvquerbb45edthpbze)A(irVj2QZVywEkAAAAYWQzZmNiZGMtZTBhNC00MDc1LTg5ZTItOGQ4OGU4MGI0NTk3Uo36FF2grKtLe_4GD64z6sKQqsw1))/ShowArticle.aspx?articleID=420 Date accessed: 03 April 2014 [26] Fleming, The Siege at Peking, pp. 250-251 [27] Boyd, J., A Dance with Dragon. The Vanished of Peking’s Foreign Policy, p. 22. [28] Schoppa, K., The Columbia Guide to Modern Chinese History (New York: Columbia University Press, 2000), p. 171. [29] Esherick, J., The Origins of the Boxer Uprising (Oakland: University of California Press), p. xiv. [30] ‘Rebellion.’ Oxford English Dictionary. 2014, Available online: http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/159201?isAdvanced=falseresult=1rskey=nNKkrE Date accessed: 02 April 2014. [31] Ibid. [32] Esherick, The Origins of the Boxer Uprising, p. 312

Tropicana Drops Package Redesign Essay -- Business Analysis

This article discusses how Tropicana redesigned their packaging and how it plans to bring back the previous version. This change was made in order to attract more customers to buy the product. Introduction The source for this article was found on New York Times online. Stuart Elliott. â€Å"Tropicana Discovers Some Buyers Are Passionate About Pacakaging†. Retrived Feburary 23, 2009. http://www.nvtimes.com/2009/02/23/business/media/23adocl.html? Why Change? Tropicana has decided to return to its orginal packaging and symbol of one of the most favorite bands of organge juice. The PepsiCo Americas Beverage division is changing their flagship product of Tropicana Pure Premium organge juice because some of the customers did not like the new design of the product. One of the worst things about the Tropicana redesign was the lost of the famous orange and straw. They described the new packaging as being† ugly†, and â€Å"resembling a generic brand†. When I first saw the Tropicana juice pacakaging, I thought that it was a store brand. Therefore I did not purchase the product because I assumed that it would not taste the same. The new design made it more difficult to distingush among the varities of Tropicana juices. A lot of the customers missed the old design which consisted of an organge with a straw in the middle. According to our text, â€Å"a firm’s external envionment consists of all the conditions and forces that affect its strategic options and define its competitive situation†. (Pearce & Robinson. 2009, pg. 12). The customers who used Tropicana felt better buying the orginal tropicana because they said that† the organge symbol meant to evoke fresh taste†. When you change the packaging of the product, most feel as though the conte... ...ny more ways to come up with new products for them to try. If customers are dissatified, it gives the company an opportunity to allow customer feedback and be able to change what they do not like about the product and to improve it. Tropicana has been around for a long time and some customers are use to drinking this kind of organge juice. I know the customers did the right thing by voicing their opinion because if they didn’t the company would think that customers were pleased with this new design when apparently they didn’t like it at all. Works Cited Pearce J., & Robinson R. (2009). Strategic management: Formulation implementation and control (11th ed.) New York : McGraw-Hill Irwin. Stuart Elliott. â€Å"Tropicana Discovers Some Buyers Are Passionate About Pacakaging†. Retrived Feburary 23, 2009. http://www.nvtimes.com/2009/02/23/business/media/23adocl.html?

Ya kun

Ya Kun is an established and has renown reputation for its coffee and kaya toast. It has been around us since 1944 when it registered itself as Ya Kun Coffee Stall. It differentiated its food by manufacturing its very own kaya that is used at all of the Ya kun outlets. Yakun now has expanded to a total of 11 countries in Asia and Middle Eastern region. As mentioned above in the Porter five forces, Ya kun faces both direct and indirect competitors in the industry. The direct competitors are Toastbox and Killiney kopitiam. The indirect competitors are Starbucks and Macdonalds.Although the indirect competitors are not in the traditional coffee and toast industry, they still possess threats that affect Ya Kun Identify Product offering Scale of operation Local Regional Global Limited Wide Product offering Scale of operation Local Regional Global Limited Wide Toastbox Toastbox was established in 2005 and it aims to recreate the warm atmosphere of local Nanyang coffee shops from the 1960s. It has successfully expanded both locally and internationally to countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong and China. Killiney KopitiamKilliney Kopitiam has a rich history, from being established in the 1950s as â€Å"Qiong Xin He† and later renamed as â€Å"Killiney Koptiam† in 1993. They have now expanded their operations to countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and Hong Kong. The vision of the company is to share the â€Å"Kopitiam† tradition through generations by educating the young.? Evaluate (str & weakenesses) Brand| Strength| Weakness| Ya Kun| * Uses social media (eg. Facebook, website) * Maintain the traditional menu * Expanded regionally * Outlets can be easily found in more places * ?Nostalgic appeal keeps older generation feel attached * Infused traditions with vibrancy and style * Attempt to attract the younger crowd who fancy dining in a traditional setting | * Limited variety (Product list) * Slightly overprice| Toas t Box| * Uses social media (Facebook, website, twitter) * Wide variety of choice in menu * Locates its cafes in the heartlands as well as the central business district to cater to a wide array of its target market * Expanded regionally| * Menu not on website.Only signature dishes * Toast and menu not as traditional | Killiney Kopitiam| * Uses social media (Facebook, website) * Wide variety of choice in menu * Offers quality products and services at affordable prices * Preserve the coffee shop tradition * Expanded regionally| * Menu is not attractive enough * Lack of updates in Facebook| Is YA KUN always stronger- which areas is it stronger and which weaker (the vulnerable areas)?

Turning Point Essay

Mercedes Sitzler February 14th , 2013 ENG101 TuThu 11:30-12:45 Turning Point Essay Goodbye Fear, Hello New Life My friends never judged me, looked at me differently, or lost respect for me. To them, I was still the same Mercedes; I was simply just attracted to women. Being homosexual was not something I decided, or something I could control. My friends understood this and accepted me for who I was. I was not scared to tell a single one of my friends that I was gay; however, for some odd reason, I was beyond terrified of telling my parents. My parents have always been extremely supportive of me and every decision I have made in my life.Why was I so scared that would all change if I told them the truth? To tell them that their little girl was not going to walk down the aisle to meet a man in a tuxedo at the end. To tell them that my children would not be made the usual way but through insemination. To tell them that I am gay. I was still the same daughter I always was. I knew my parent s would love me no matter what; but, deep down, telling them the truth about my sexuality was the biggest fear I had in life. I was scared that the loving Mommy and Daddy I always knew I had would turn into judgmental and distant Tanya and Dean.Let us rewind back a little over a year ago when I came to realize, in myself, that I was lesbian. I had been dating this girl for maybe a month. I would see her almost every day behind my parents’ back. We would do everything any other couple would; date nights, cuddle, argue, make up, and argue some more. However, sometimes I thought to myself, â€Å"Maybe this is just a phase. † I knew that I liked her, but I questioned myself, â€Å"why? † and â€Å"how? † when I had always liked boys. One night, I decided to link up with an old ex of mine. My girlfriend and I were on a break because we had been fighting for a while.My ex and I went out to a party with a couple of friends and had a blast. The company of my ex w as great; he was an awesome guy. The emotional connection; however, was not all there. This was not because we had a harsh break up or anything, I just saw him in a completely different way. I was still questioning everything and at the end of the night, we kissed. My stomach turned and my head throbbed, I was disgusted. It was not what I wanted at all. It was not the same as kissing my girlfriend. It was not the same as holding onto my petite woman. It was not for me. This was the exact moment I realized that women were for me.I cannot control how I feel or what my heart wants, but I can control with whom I decide to share my life with. There is no doubt in the back of my mind that I will marry a woman and build an amazing life with her. About four months later I made the biggest decision of my life. It was the most nerve wrecking moment ever. I did not know what to expect, but I knew it had to be done sooner or later. It was April 21st, and I decided to come out of the closet to m y mom and dad. I have never kept such a huge secret from my parents and it was so hard for me to keep the biggest secret I had from them.I had been shopping all day with my best friend Marina for an outfit to wear the next day. It was the annual Gay Pride parade. My mom knew that I was attending; however, I had told her that I was going to support my gay friend David. I bravely walked into my house with a newly purchased button pinned right on my favorite denim vest. It said, â€Å"Come out come out wherever you are† with a cute little rainbow right underneath the words. I laughed about it, showing my mom, and she was very quick to ask me, â€Å"Are you trying to tell me something? Even though she said it with a smile on her face and laughing at the same time, my heart began beating faster than ever before. I replied, â€Å"Maybe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and she giggled. â€Å"Well, looks like I’m not getting grandkids from you! † It turned out that she had had a feeling for a while and already knew. My dad was standing in the kitchen and laughed about the whole situation. His response was simply, â€Å"Hey, at least we have something in common. † I was so terrified to come out to them for no reason at all. My parents love me for who I am, not for my sexuality, and they proved that to me that exact night.My parents are the best parents in the entire world. That moment completely changed the way I live my life. I used to live with secrets and sneak off to be with my girlfriend; now I live freely and do not have to hide anything. My parents have met my ex-girlfriend and loved her company. They have also met my current lover and enjoy her company even more. The best feeling in the world is feeling accepted from the two most important people in my life. To be able to have my girl over at my house for dinner, or a movie, or just to hang out is amazing.I love being able to explain to my mom why I just smiled at a text message or tell her the stori es of me and my girl. I love knowing that my dad still wants to protect me from being hurt over a female, and can sit and talk to me about my relationships with girls. I love that I am me and they accept that. One day, I will fall in love with the perfect woman and walk down the aisle to her standing there, as beautiful as ever. My mommy and daddy will be sitting right in the front row supporting me and my future wife because of the conversation we had on April 21st, 2012.

Essay on OB Case

Essay on OB Case Essay on OB Case Executive Summary Leaders in SAAS are facing challenges managing their teams and implementing the participative leadership approach. Lack of communication and clear structure and guidance from team leaders has created organizational problems and inter-personal conflicts. Developing a hands-on training program for leaders and team members would help eliminating structural problems of the organization. Alternatively, returning to a more autocratic approach could address the current problems with lack of authority of team leaders and wasting resources. Statement of the Problem Replacing managers by team leaders has led to loss of control and authority over the employees. Team Leaders don’t have the necessary leadership skills and conflict resolution techniques to manage their teams. OA staff are suffering from lack of structure and guidance in their daily routines and there’s no practical procedure on how to achieve and contribute to overall organizational goals and objectives. Causes of the Problem Moving from autocratic leadership, where the managers make the decisions for the team, to a participative approach by empowering the employees, has led to creating conflict and confusion in the teams. The role of the team leader has not been clearly defined for the employees; hence, the OA staff don’t consider them as their superiors anymore and don’t feel obligated to follow the Team Leaders’ instructions strictly. Issues such as inter-personal conflicts remain unresolved within the teams due to absence of an effective leader and mediator. Although, the strategic plan in Exhibit 2 clearly defines the vision and objectives of the company, it does not define a clear implementation plan and performance measurement system. Exhibit 7 defines clear objectives for team Hodgson, but it’s only limited to that specific team. Since Metro teams don’t meet on a regular basis, the objectives are not communicated to the other teams, in order to see if they align with the overall organizational goals and objectives. Hence, there is lack of transparency and cross-functionality between the teams. Resources are not allocated equally across the teams (eg. the country OA team is over- staffed, the budget is not allocated to each particular team) and there is no monitoring system over expenditures and resources of the organization. Implementing a new leadership style and adapting to a new management system can be challenging at first and can create conflicts within the teams. Alternative solutions should be found to finalize the change in the organization and to keep it going when the change is implemented. Decision Criteria and Alternative Solutions Decision criteria considered to evaluate alternatives are time of implementation, expected efficiency (to avoid waste of time in the implementation), number of unresolved conflicts, allocation of resources, organizational culture and industry/sector, experience of similar organizations (other emergency public services like the fire department), and the proportion of routine vs. non-routine tasks. Successful implementation of change in the organization requires that the process is more inclusive, so a participative leadership style is recommended. The decrease of decision levels would increase responsiveness to the day-to-day challenges. Since change is not a routine procedure, ideas of different levels of the organization should be taken into account. In self-managed teams, members are the decision-makers. This leads to high productivity and motivation. While self-managed teams do indeed undertake many of the responsibilities within the organization, they still require a certain degree of control as they could lose direction and require more structure in their teams. Autocratic Leadership, on the other hand, states that team leaders make decisions without consulting their team members, even if their input would be useful. This can be appropriate when decisions need to be made quickly, such as

300 words essay example Essays

300 words essay example Essays 300 words essay example Paper 300 words essay example Paper What I am most passionate about. I was born in a small town, Cork, in the heart of Ireland. As a kid, I remember watching famous stories that focused on the culture, arts, history and historical places in such as the Seavers, the Cheers gang among others. After watching these movies, I felt that this was a nice place to stay if not to visit since everywhere seemed interesting and I had that passion of gaining more knowledge regarding the culture and arts of London. Since I was a small kid, I had a passion for both culture and arts, and both had an impact on various choices I made in my life. In 1996, we moved to London, and this meant that I was to carry out my studies from London. One year later, I joined the University of London. My first experience in London was in 1996 during an excursion organized by the institution. I visited some of the cultural centers such as Paddington Arts, Asia House London Gladiator Amphitheater among other places. Also, I spend most of the time in the leading museums around the city looking for shows and exhibitions of arts This was the period I learned a lot regarding the London culture, my recent experience in England was in 2016. I decided to carry out a research trip in the outskirts of London to learn archeological sites and associated research material from various archeological centers. Furthermore, London is an old city, and there are ancient places that I never wanted to miss such as Lockwood Reservoirs Archeology, the London Outdoor Statue among others. Conclusively, all these experience has widened my horizon and enabled me to appreciate the diversity and uniqueness of different culture in different places

Persuasive Topics for High Schoolers’ Speeches

Persuasive Topics for High Schoolers’ Speeches Every persuasive speech starts with a good topic. We decided to make a list of nice persuasive topics, but before we get to it, let’s define what persuasive speeches are and what is the goal of these tasks. First of all, persuasive speeches are aimed to convince an audience to accept a certain point of view. Usually, there are people in your audience who already have an opinion on your topic, so you can either reinforce a popular opinion or refute it. You have to deliver a message or motivate your audience to take some actions. Anyway, high school is the best place to develop your persuasive skills so we suggest taking this task seriously. If you can’t figure out what your speech should be about, we can help your with our list of interesting topics. Many our topics also contain key questions that may give you a hint on what arguments to use. There are topics from various fields, including medicine, education, and social issues. We hope that you will easily find a topic that will be interesting to discuss with other students. High School Persuasive Topics About School Why are exams important for students? You can tell about important knowledge that you get in school and how it can be used after graduation. You can also provide some suggestions on how to become more productive. Field trips and their role in the process of education. Obviously, field trips are aimed to make education fun. What knowledge students can get during such trips? What other benefits do you see? Why we go to college after school? Explain how can students benefit from college and describe what can happen if they don’t go to college. You can give a couple examples of successful people who managed to build their careers without college. What is their secret? Advantages of changing school hours. Every student has his or her biorhythms that may differ from the school schedule. Many if such students feel too tired after school or don’t eat their breakfast at morning because of the rush. What other problems do you see? Why should students use their phones? How can they benefit from using cell phones? Most professors claim that it is a distraction. What do you think about it? iPads and other tablets in high school. What are advantages of tablets over textbooks? How may these devices help students learn better? How to motivate students to use their tablets for studying instead of playing games? Why should educational facilities provide free textbooks? Textbooks become more expensive every year. Think of how much money students spend on their textbooks. Convince your audience to raise funds for some threatened species, for example, Angonoka tortoise or Sumatran rhino. What measures can help us save these animals? What is the biggest danger for them? Female students and makeup. Many teachers shame girls who wear makeup in school. Is it right? Every person has a right to look like he or she wants. Some people have problems with their skin so they wear makeup to feel more confident. What kind of makeup do you consider appropriate for school students? Should students be allowed to listen to music when studying? Provide your audience with necessary facts so they can think whether listening to music is a distraction from studying or something that may help students focus. Persuasive Topics on Medicine for High School How often do we need to wash hands? Why we must wash hands and what happens if we don’t do it? Tell about diseases that spread due to dirty hands. How may washing hands help treat some diseases? Cancer. How can we fight it? Persuade your audience to join the American Cancer Society. Why is it important to stand up against this deadly disease? How such societies help people diagnosed with cancer? Why should students donate plasma? Tell about the use of plasma in various kinds of therapy. Describe benefits of donating plasma and give some examples of how donors saved lives. The role of red wine in preventing stomach ulcers. Provide your audience with information about the use of red wine for fighting bugs that poison food. Does white wine have the same effect? Benefits of healthy food. Describe the main reasons why we need to eat healthy food. List key principles of healthy eating and its role in fighting obesity, anxiety, and other health problems. Benefits of eating potatoes. Describe how potatoes help in lowering blood pressure, fighting obesity, etc. Conduct a research and provide as many facts as you can. Why should people donate their organs? Choose several reliable sources and explain why it’s better to donate your organs in case of a car accident or any other kind of unexpected death. Advantages of free healthcare. Do you think that healthcare should be free? Why? Compare the situation with healthcare before the Affordable Healthcare Act was repealed against the Trump’s healthcare policy. Plastic surgery. Focus on arguments for and against plastic surgery and tell about its history. Tell how plastic surgery is used to help soldiers and people who survived tragic accidents. What are negative sides of plastic surgery? How people use it to improve their self-esteem? Persuade your audience to join the American Red Cross. Tell what internship programs this organization offers students. Describe benefits of joining the Red Cross for their education and careers. Topics on Society for High School Students Cyberbullying. Why should we fight against it? Provide your audience with statistical data on children who become victims of cyberbullying. How bullying affects their self-esteem and psychological condition? You can also mention cases of cyberbullying among adults. How can it be stopped? Crime among juveniles. How should they be sentenced? Explain why they are sentenced as adults and how it can affect their future. Do IQ tests really reflect the level of somebody’s intelligence? Find reliable sources and provide your audience with information on alternative tests. Explain what tests are more accurate and why. Do we need to protect freedom of speech on the internet? Consider sexist, racist, and homophobic views in the context of freedom of speech. Should we allow people with such views express their opinion on the internet? Explain how we can make the internet safer for children. What types of discrimination are present in the modern world? Do we realize all possible ways of discrimination? Provide your audience with information on discrimination by age. Why we can’t just deport Hispanic immigrants? Tell about the reasons why immigrants from Mexico and other countries come to the US. Mention examples of Mexicans who work hard in the US, making their contribution to the economy. Compare Barak Obama’s and Donald Trump’s positions on this issue. Why should same-sex marriage be legal? Why should we allow gay couples to adopt children? Support your point with examples from states where gay marriages are legal. Why should we support the system of birth control? What methods of birth control are most effective? Tell why birth control is good for society and provide examples from various countries. Incarceration. Provide examples of the effective and ineffective use of incarceration. What are benefits and drawbacks of incarceration? Should women make a proposal? Explain why everybody must be able to propose marriage and express feelings. Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics for High School Benefits of learning foreign languages. How can foreign languages can help in education? What career opportunities you get when you know a foreign language? Why do people like to travel? Does it help in developing certain qualities and skills? Mention the importance of new experiences for our psychological state. What can students do if they want to travel but don’t have enough money for it? Why is Bora Bora a perfect place to spend your holidays? Tell about its climate and provide other important information about the island. What is the influence of devices on kids? Many experts state that devices make them lazy. Find reliable sources and provide examples of such an impact of electronic gadgets. Mention such problems as decreased social activity, obesity, anxiety, and isolation. Texting while driving. Why is it dangerous? Provide your audience with statistical data on car accidents caused by drivers who were texting. Compare these statistics with data on driving on drugs and alcohol. Human-animal hybrids. Should scientists be allowed to create them? Why? Focus on ethical and practical aspects of this issue. What is the difference between animals and human-like beings? Why it’s important to use alternative energy sources? Describe how solar panels work and why we should use them instead of traditional technologies. Focus on the environmental and economic issues. Do we need to prohibit the use of animals in circus performances? Provide examples of trainers abusing their animals and examples of good treatment. Why do we need to stop plastic pollution? Find information on how plastic decomposes and how much time it takes. What eco-friendly technologies can help us stop pollution? What recycling technologies we can use? Positive aspects of electric cars. Why should we buy them instead of traditional vehicles? How can electric cars help us stop air pollution? What disadvantages they have? For example, describe the process of battery utilization. Funny Topics for a High School Persuasive Speech Find some evidence that UFOs exist. Begin your speech with skeptical arguments and then refute them from the ufologists’ perspective. Why should we stop tipping waiters? Focus on the fact that, by tipping, we motivate employers to pay minimum wages. Mention Japanese traditions ? Japanese waiters consider tipping as an insult. Why do we need to spend less time with our devices? Provide statistical data on how much time we spend surfing the web. What hard do mobile devices cause? How can we spend less time in social media? Why should we eat Chinese food with chopsticks? Find interesting information about the history of Chinese kitchen and etiquette. Imagine yourself a Big Brother and write a speech from this person. Try to make it a hate speech. Focus on some country that is currently at war and describe how people hate each other and why you like it. The moon landing was a lie. Choose any conspiracy theory about the fake mission and tell how the â€Å"fake† video with Neil Armstrong was filmed. Don’t forget to mention the fluttering flag. Why are GMOs actually good? Many people believe that GMOs cause various diseases, including cancer. Find reliable sources that prove the complete safety of GMO products. Why should we realize that ghosts are real? Present evidence that ghosts are real. Find some shocking photos and videos as well as interviews with people who claim that they have seen ghosts. Why pit bulls have a bad reputation? Provide your audience with information on the history of these dogs and refute common misconceptions about them. Abstinence is a perfect way to protect yourself from STDs or pregnancy. Present statistical data on the efficiency of abstinence compared to common contraceptives. Tell how abstinence can improve a marriage. If you can’t find any topic that looks interesting to you, check some creative ideas for a persuasive speech in high school: We need censorship in music. Orange juice is good for your health. We need law regulation for graffiti. Weed must be legal. Public broadcasting. Small stores are better than malls. We must drive slower. We should buy generics instead of brand name products. The best movie in history. Angels exist. Benefits of learning CPR. We must use public transport instead of personal cars. Agenda-setting in media. We need larger counties. Why we must read more. We should stop wearing tight pants. Stomach stapling. Darfur crisis. Benefits of joining the army. Smoking in public. Drinking is dangerous for society. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Columbus Day. Build a strong family. Public bathrooms must be cleaner. Benefits of buying security systems. How to avoid food with artificial hormones. Live your life as good as you can. Alternatives for prisons. Why religious cults are dangerous. Reincarnation is real. We need to completely reduce secondhand smoke by making a smoke-free environment. Benefits of the Greek system. We need a strict system of regulations for the internet. We can fix potholes. France boycott. Why we need to ban fireworks. We need more strict laws for advertising. Good sides of state lotteries. We should ban aggressive driving. Why you should be who you really are. The best TV show ever. We must ban Ticketmaster. Why we don’t need sin taxes. The importance of bachelorette and bachelor parties. We shouldn’t use shock therapy. The government must control freedom of speech. Share the road with bicycles. Find Even More Topics for Your Persuasive Speech on Our Website! We know that sometimes it’s hard to find a good topic for your high school speech. If you think that you’re never going to make it, don’t worry and contact us. Place an order and our experts will find a perfect topic and prepare an impressive persuasive speech for you. Describe your task in details and our writers will deliver you the exact content you are looking for.

Site layout on a confined site Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Site layout on a confined site - Essay Example The problem comes in the implementation. It is less often technical difficulties that delay a project, the project manager must know his business, and hire crews that understand the mechanics of their individual specialties. The problem often arises in the organization. In many cases, it is managerial issues that trigger challenges at the construction site more than some sort of technical failure. If management is the problem, then a novel strategy becomes the most probable solution. There are a wide range of problems and challenges that can afflict the construction site; these issues - in addition to hands-on management strategies to alleviate them will be discussed at length. The problems include variations on managerial and logistical issues concerning cost overruns, scheduling delays, with the potential to compound each other. This article will develop the hypothesis that the major problems at the construction site represent failures of planning. Where planning is insufficient, t here are a series of likely problems afflicting the job site that will be explored in greater detail. In some cases, construction equipment or building material may be misappropriated or moved to incorrect or undocumented locations. In some cases, allocation errors may lead to the correct material or equipment slated for locations with insufficient space. Moreover, temporary locations can be inefficiently positioned based on their intended function. Large-scale operational issues may also arise in industrialized countries, especially Australia as a result of environmental concerns. These challenges will be developed in the following section. These issues represent failures in regards to site layout planning. A well reasoned and detailed plan taking into account the realities of the job site represents both the cause of – and the solution to these issues of material organization represents effective management in the context of implementation and preparation (Neszmelyi & Vatta i, 2013). The planning of the construction site represents the initial critical path with the potential to influence all subsequent stages. Layout planning and design must include size calculations, identification of boundaries, and an estimation of workers requirements and accessibility. Management must anticipate when and under what circumstances workers will need to access another portion of the site, and structure various resources within the closest possible proximity to those most likely to require them. An often indispensable component of the busy construction site are temporary facilities (Elbeltagi & Hegazy, 2005). Temporary facilities for the purposes of construction represent a variety of forms and purposes, but the overall goal is to place within reasonable proximity whatever resources and services are likely to be needed in the practical environment of construction. The problems of resource proximity for construction crews cannot be fully addressed without some temporar y facilities, and well reasoned management decisions concerning the placement of such facilities. Some temporary structures will be used for simple warehousing, but others will include machine shops use for maintenance, or the fabrication of equipment, temporary residences for the Foreman and certain workers, as well as lay down areas. These areas require planning and forethought just as the building itself does; it is not enough to simply plan out how to build the building, an

The end of the chapter questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The end of the chapter questions - Assignment Example The company’s marketing strategy also distinguishes the overall organization from other competitors that also apply digital services, offer marketing services, point solutions and agencies. Basically, the current eBay’s marketing solutions arm has ample attention put on simplifying the complex marketing landscape by coming up with innovative solutions within and across the demand generation value chain, increasing the company’s investment in its commerce marketing technology suite, and connecting its marketing-leading solutions with universal attribution, analytics and business intelligence to drive superior services and transactions. When it comes to the role of the organization’s business model, business philosophy, electronic community, and marketing strategies in the aspect of maintaining, attracting and growing customers; eBay takes this as one of the core matters that must be looked at keenly (EBay Enterprise 2014). In any business background, it is more expensive to bring on new faces or parties as customers than it is to hold on to the already existing ones; eBay uses this as a stepping stone to make sure that as they get more customers they do not loose the others. The company ensures that they know what you expect from them as a customer and makes unique, they consult with other experienced professions on how they can make their relationship with customers stronger, they ensure that all their advisors are competent and trustworthy to enhance confidentiality of significant customer details, and upon acquiring customers they ensure that the organization’s personal touch is not lost. Moreover , through the company’s business model there is smart planning and automation and ensuring that the collective growth is profitable. Marriott, as an international organization, has for many years focused on the aspect of taking care of its customers; which it does through putting a lot of attention on it

Analyse the impact of effective training on a company. Support your Essay

Analyse the impact of effective training on a company. Support your answer with examples - Essay Example In this essay, the highlight is on the impact of effective training that an organization experiences. Impacts Training helps to sharpen the decision-making skills of the employees. Training expounds what the organization of them, the steps to take in achieving tasks, and adhering to legal terms. It is observable that after training, they can make decisions that are more accurate. In a certain research, employees underwent training and surprisingly enough, their supervisors were observing more accuracy in performance (Starkel 2007, 17-18). For instance, it is important for jurors to have the ability to make very accurate and sane decisions owing to the complexity of their roles, so by constantly training them, they deliver more efficient and realistic verdicts. On another note, training reduces the behavioural risks of employees. Training equips them with knowledge on safety, skills, values, problem-solving, and hazard awareness. Regular effective training lowers injury rates as it pr ovides a safer working environment by equipping employees with skills in handling machinery and equipment. In addition to handling equipment, training enforces the strict implementation of procedures and rules (Kinder & Cooper 2008, p. 161-173). These aspects translate to the uninterrupted flow of events and save the employer and employee costs that would cater for treatment or replacement of machinery. For instance, farm workers require training on handling chemicals and farm equipment. Lack of keenness would otherwise result in injuries, fatalities, and damage to equipment. The daily routines of work at times contribute to psychosocial disorders such as depression and stress. The training to combat such includes stress management skills, counselling services, coping strategies and embracing healthy lifestyles (Kinder & Cooper 2008, p. 161-173). Organizations that train their employees to avoid and manage these risks maintain a healthy work force of motivated and competent workers translating to less interruption, maximum worker capacity, and less emergency leave requests. A good example is the organizational-level interventions in America and Europe where most employers include health promotion, relaxation, and education on coping strategies in their organizations’ work strategies. The training ensures that employees have a good understanding of the company’s working for the therefore cultivate job satisfaction in them. It keeps their esteem high thus, morale and loyalty to the job increases. These contribute to high performance and in addition to this; they are less likely to wander off in search of better opportunities if their current jobs please them (Barcus 2007, p.8-9). By having a workforce that is stable (constant) and highly motivated, the result is better yields and development of the organization. For instance, in an Information technology firm and with the knowledge of how fast technology evolves, one expects the employees to have f requent training and exposure to new aspects. If this is not the case, the employees might find it hard to deal with, or remain outdated in the changing trends. Such employees, given a better opportunity will desert the organization immediately. Training brings the general workforce of an organization together. During training, there is promotion of interaction in terms of participation, discussion, and sharing of

20th Century Studio Pottery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

20th Century Studio Pottery - Essay Example Soft boiled foods could be eaten by toothless children and the elderly, which permitted caregivers to spend more time producing food. In Japan, for example, the introduction of pottery was followed by a population explosion.Ceramics had been developed mush earlier in Europe. Mostly of the archaeologists believe that pottery was developed by the Jomon in Japan around 10,500 BC. The invention of the potter's wheel in Mesopotamia was made 6,000 and 2,400 BC. This leads to the revolution of the pottery production. This was the way to the new ideas for the designs of pottery. Specialized potters were then able to meet the burgeoning needs of the world's first cities.Pottery is a type of ceramic material that contains clay when formed and shaped. Not only for making jars, pottery is also a term used in a technique where involving ceramics, where clay mixed with other minerals and form into different objects, like that of vessels generally made for utilitarian purposes (Wikipedia Encycloped ia, 2006).It is a facility of any size and form or shape that also needs to have studio for the making of the pots or the products. It also needs available raw materials and the molders. Like other manufacturing processes, potery is also a delicate proces. Its production is a process where wet clay body.The pottery products are made of wet clay which are mixed with other minerals. It is then shaped and are dried. ... The industry has embraced the new concepts in constructing new styles and designs. The artistry has flourished that there have been different idea and concepts in making new pottery (Grolier Encyclopedia, 1996). Traditionally, there are different types of clay in different world regions. These different types of clay are called bodies. Before, the potters usually dig their native clayin their own backyards. They use their own clay to produce the pots but now the potters collect different bodies or clay types to form unique pots. Pottery that is fired at temperatures in the 800 to 1200 C range, which does not vitrify in the kiln but remains slightly porous is often called earthenware or terra cotta. A Clay body formulated to be fired at higher temperatures, which is partially vitrified, is called stoneware. Fine earthenware with a white tin glaze is known as faience. Porcelain is a very refined, smooth, white body that, when fired to vitrification, can have translucent qualities. Ceramic technology is used for items such as electronic parts and Space Shuttle tiles (Universal Encyclopedia, 1993). There are two known artist for Pottery. Next to Leach is Hans Cooper. Together with Cooper is his good friend Lucy Rie. Lucy is the one who put on prints and designs on the pots produced by Copper. Their team up resulted into a very unique chemistry. In an interview conducted by Matthew Parkington on Emmanuel Cooper who is an avid fan of Hans Cooper (2001), Emmanuel Copper tried to translate the meaning of the works or products made by H. Copper. Much of the works of H. Cooper according to E. Cooper, by just looking at the works of Hans you would say that it is plain and simple but if you look at the details there's a mystery behind the craft. E. Cooper said

Reading + Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading + Summary - Essay Example McAlister wrote that the Western curators and art collectors were arrogant enough to hold the belief that the Tut pieces should belong in a Western museum. McAlister also writes that Nixon convinced Sadat to allow the Tut pieces to come to American in the first place; implying that Nixon made the Tut visit possible, while portraying Sadat as a pushover. McAlister also proposes that the media’s advertising of the Tut exhibit by mentioning all of the gold, that the media was comparing the Tut exhibit to the current oil crisis. This was done by pointing out how rich the Middle East was. The author also shows that the Yom Kippur war with Israel, the cause of the oil crisis, was not as one sided, since Egypt made a show of force. The Yom Kippur war was also shown to have ended through US and the Soviet Union negotiated UN ceasefire. McAlister shows that the US is only interested in Egypt and the Middle East for their own interests. This author is offensive in several aspects of her points. First poor and middle class Americans in the seventies were not all art illiterate. Just because a person does not have money does not mean that the gold shown in the Tut exhibit was what drew the American masses. The media campaign is what drew the masses. Secondly the whole Middle East was and is not run by the US and the Soviet Union. Both Egypt and Israel were armed by the US and the Soviet Union, but by no means was the fight between anyone, but Egypt and Israel. It is arrogant to believe that the US interest is what the world revolves around. Thirdly McAlister obviously has not studied the Yom Kippur war in depth. Israel’s losses at the beginning were due as much to the lack of judgement of an Israeli general, General Bar On, and his creation of the Bar On line. The Bar On line was the line on the Suez Canal that other Israeli generals, General Ariel Sharon and others, warned

Philosophers v. Poets in Plato's The Republic Essay

Philosophers v. Poets in Plato's The Republic - Essay Example In contrast to philosophy, poetry does not imply self-knowledge and self-control. If the disavowal of knowledge is in fact the disavowal of wisdom or expertise, we can see how that disavowal is compatible with the particular claims to knowledge which Socrates makes. Socrates identified wisdom first with self-control and then with justice and the rest of virtue. On questioning poets about their expertise, "'Until philosophers are kings, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils" (Plato 123). Plato found that poets in fact lacked the wisdom which they claimed, and were thus less wise than Socrates, who was at least aware of his own ignorance. Socrates had a divine mission to show others that their own claims to substantive wisdom were unfounded. "Behold, he said, the wisdom of Socrates; he refuses to teach himself, and goes about le arning of others, to whom he never even says Thank you" (Plato 12). Plato underlines that this enterprise of examining others which was the basis of his unpopularity and consequent misrepresentation, he later in the speech describes as the greatest benefit that has ever been conferred on the city, and his obligation to continue it in obedience to the god as so stringent that he would not be prepared to abandon it even if he could save his life by doing so. Socrates' call for banishing poets from the city, also makes it clear that the vast system of regulation applies to adults as well as children. The only ostensible exception in conflict between poets and philosophers is an examination of the claim of a professional reciter of poetry to possess wisdom. "For it is necessary that the good poet, if he is going to make fair poems about the things his poetry concerns, be in possession of knowledge when he makes his poems" (Plato 211). Plato underlines that poets seem to see the fact that we can say or write only one sentence at a time as something positive. Thus approach, for example, allows them to use the element of surprise to advantage (Taylor 23). Philosophers sometimes see this same fact as an inescapable burden (Taylor 24). They would just as soon get everything out all at once, if only they could, and they often work hard to eliminate surprise. Certainly, the style of most philosophical writing is very different from that of plays. It is not unusual for philosophers to give a forecast of what they are going to do, do it, and then remind us of what they have done. "When ev en the best of us hear Homer or any other of the tragic poets imitating one of the heroes in mourning and making quite an extended speech with lamentation, we give ourselves over to following the imitation" (Plato 231). The language in which philosophy is expressed has a life of its own; words are inevitably loaded with subtle meanings that sometimes say more and sometimes less than those who use them self-consciously intend. Thus, good philosophers should be ready for some surprises when others interpret what they have written (Taylor 27). Some philosophers recognize that language sometimes uses us as much as we use it, but then

Reading + Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading + Summary - Essay Example McAlister wrote that the Western curators and art collectors were arrogant enough to hold the belief that the Tut pieces should belong in a Western museum. McAlister also writes that Nixon convinced Sadat to allow the Tut pieces to come to American in the first place; implying that Nixon made the Tut visit possible, while portraying Sadat as a pushover. McAlister also proposes that the media’s advertising of the Tut exhibit by mentioning all of the gold, that the media was comparing the Tut exhibit to the current oil crisis. This was done by pointing out how rich the Middle East was. The author also shows that the Yom Kippur war with Israel, the cause of the oil crisis, was not as one sided, since Egypt made a show of force. The Yom Kippur war was also shown to have ended through US and the Soviet Union negotiated UN ceasefire. McAlister shows that the US is only interested in Egypt and the Middle East for their own interests. This author is offensive in several aspects of her points. First poor and middle class Americans in the seventies were not all art illiterate. Just because a person does not have money does not mean that the gold shown in the Tut exhibit was what drew the American masses. The media campaign is what drew the masses. Secondly the whole Middle East was and is not run by the US and the Soviet Union. Both Egypt and Israel were armed by the US and the Soviet Union, but by no means was the fight between anyone, but Egypt and Israel. It is arrogant to believe that the US interest is what the world revolves around. Thirdly McAlister obviously has not studied the Yom Kippur war in depth. Israel’s losses at the beginning were due as much to the lack of judgement of an Israeli general, General Bar On, and his creation of the Bar On line. The Bar On line was the line on the Suez Canal that other Israeli generals, General Ariel Sharon and others, warned

Persuasive speech evaluation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Persuasive speech evaluation - Assignment Example Provided that he wants to correct his mistakes in the first place. Ms. Pisani was definitely an engaging speaker as she knows how to lighten a serious discussion with humor and anecdotes that allows the people to feel relaxed and understand the seriousness of the topic without being as serious as heart attack. What is amazing about the talk that Ms. Pisani gave is that the was able to combine both the informative and persuasive patterns of speech. She managed to stay on topic while persuading people to believe in her position about sex, drugs, and HIV. She was quite effective in delivering her speech because she actively engaged her audience by using slide presentations, props such as her public health glasses, and other gimmicks that worked in her favor. Most specially, the fact that she used lighthearted words in presenting her topic, made the people more interested in hearing what she had to say. The fact that the audience was laughing while she was talking shows hos successful her speech was. She was definitely able to relate with her audience because she spoke from personal experience and the experience of friends, even giving actual condoms away in order to deliver her message of safe sex. The audience positively responded to her by clapping and laughing along with

What Is Critical Reflection Education Essay

What Is Critical Reflection Education Essay In the report first of all to study what is critical reflection, define what is reflection, through to compulsion or voluntarism, employer or individual responsibility, personal and values research the reflection of the role and value. Research how to realize the critical reflection, define what are CPD and PDP. People in certain work environment how to accurately use critical reflection, make critical reflection and CPD, PDP together, through the leadership skills, communication skills and problem solving skills, critical reflection and other aspects of the in-depth analysis. The last, write down my own personal development plan, through the strengths, weakness, opportunity and threats analyze my future development. From the report draw a conclusion. 2.0 Introduction Critical reflection has great value in the areas of personal and professional development. Continuing professional development is a means by which one can maintain a competitive edge in their professional lives (Bourgeois 2011). This should be accompanied by personal development which will include the improvement of ones skill set in order to add value to ones own life as well as their professional life. Reflection involves analyzing our knowledge and experiences critically. Reflective practice is the practical application of the results of reflection. It entails the individual identifying the patterns of thought that have been applied to our previous actions and how they will affect our growth and development going forward (Guralnik 2009). The difference between the two lies in the aim of reflective practice to improve the manner in which you work rather than just understanding it, which is what reflection aims to do. The purpose of reflection and reflective practice is self-understanding and improvement. An individual reflects upon their thoughts and subsequent actions in the workplace with an aim to improve upon them (Welich 2007). By taking part in this process, an individual is then able to understand their own shortcomings and improve them by applying new strategies. These are valuable to both an individual and the organization in which he/she is based. When an individual is able to improve their own actions through reflective practice, it benefits both themselves and their organization (Mintzberg 2009). Self-improvement of individual workers leads them to be more productive and efficient in the work place. This in turn leads to a more productive work place, especially if all the employees within an organization are encouraged to use reflective practice (Baidu 2010). 3.0 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Continuing professional development can be seen as a direct result of critical reflection. Once one reflects critically on their professional capabilities and goals, then they are able to start the process of CPD. It is important to understand several concepts involved with CPD. There are four stages in the CPD cycle: reflection on practice, planning, action, and evaluation. These four stages take place in a cyclic manner (Slack 2001). Reflection on practice involves an individuals identification of what he or she needs to learn or be able to do in the professional environment. An individual critically reflects on his/her own professional practice (Pyme Administrate Hoy 2010). This will include what is being done right and what requires improvement. Depending on the individuals profession, this may include certain techniques and procedures that have come up within their area of expertise. Planning involves the specific actions that are taken by the individual to learn the things which he or she has identified in the reflection on practice stage. After the specific areas of focus have been identified, then the individual comes up with the best way for him/her to learn. This may be through personal endeavors or by seeking professional assistance e.g. through seminars (.Jummal 1999) At this point, the areas of improvement have been identified and the necessary knowledge acquired. The next stage is action. This involves the implementation of the new knowledge in a professional setting. An individual acquires knowledge that will help improve their professional lives and the application of this knowledge in the work place is important to CPD (Lewis and Green 1998). If what was learned is not applied, then the two aforementioned stages will have been for nothing. The fourth stage is evaluation. This is a reflection on what has been learned as well as its application. The individual can now evaluate what benefits, if any the learned and applied knowledge is benefitting his/her professional practice. They are then able to gauge the success of the effort that they have put towards CPD. The cyclic nature of CPD means that after a while, it will be necessary to begin the process again by reflecting on current practice (Porter 2000). This may overlap with the fourth stage of evaluation. 3.1 CPD paradoxes and dilemmas There are several paradoxes that have been identified in CPD. Have explored these paradoxical concepts through their review of the work as follows: 3.1.1 Compulsion or Voluntarism This applies to whether the pursuit of CPD is voluntary or by compulsion. The reason for CPD is an important factor that contributes towards ones dedication to it (Garner and Boulton 2011). 3.1.2 Employer or Individual Responsibility There is both an individual responsibility as well as one for the employer when it comes to CPD. The employer needs to create an environment that is conducive to CPD (Scales 2011). The individuals responsibility in this case is to pursue CPD within the tenets provided by the employer. Without dedication from both the employer and the individual, CPD cannot successfully occur. 3.1.3 Teaching or Learning When an individual is taught something, they need to be able not only to learn it in theory, but also to apply it in practice. There needs to be a connection between the experiences on the ground and what is taught to the learner, which may not always happen (Megginson and Whitaker 2003) . 3.1.4 Life Purpose or Life Experience Life experience in CPD requires the individual to reflect on the path that has led them to the present position. Life purpose involves reflection on the purpose of ones life, both professionally and personally to intensify the effects of CPD (Pickering 2011). 3.1.5 Personal Development or Organizational Learning An organization is incapable of learning. Only the people working within that organization are able to learn and improve (Headley 2010). CPD must therefore begin with personal development of individuals that will later lend itself to organizational improvement. 3.1.6 Values Driven or Pragmatic Development Within an organization, development can either be driven by pragmatic concerns or those of the values held by the organization. Those developments based on the organizations values are consistent and can hold true over time. On the other hand, those driven by immediate pragmatic concerns such as profit tend to change from time to time and employees might find them hard to adhere to (Mauborgne 2009). They may even at times be contrary to the individuals CPD and the organizations values. 3.1.7 Journey or Exploration CPD can either be based on preset achievements or goals or can seek improvement without necessarily setting out the final goal. The type applied depends on an individuals preference, time constraints, and the flexibility of the organization in which he/she is based. 4.0 Learning Theories There are several theories related to the manner in which individuals learn. It is important for an individual to understand these theories and relate them to his/her own way of learning (Williamson2011) . Understanding ones learning style preferences is important to personal and professional development because it will assist in the planning stage of the CPD, as well as PDP. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs: According to Maslows hierarchy of needs, there is a certain order in which ones needs must be met. These needs are arranged in a pyramid, with the most necessary needs at the bottom of the pyramid and the least necessary needs at the top. CPD and PDP are related to the final two needs described in Maslows hierarchy. More specifically, CPD can be likened to a pursuit of ones responsibilities in the workplace while PDP can be associated with personal growth and fulfillment. In keeping with Maslows hierarchy, it is therefore important to pay attention to the needs that come before esteem and self-actualization in order to be able to pursue PDP and CPD. Dunn and Dunns learning Styles: According to Dunn and Dunn, there are certain stimuli that should be used to stimulate learners (Slack 2011). A further classification provided by Dunn and Dunn divide these stimuli into five segments i.e. environmental, emotional, sociological, psychological, and physiological (Dunn and Dunn 2003). The rate of learning and retention is influenced by more than just an individuals level of intelligence. When the vark styles are taken into consideration, then it is clear that some teaching methods are better suited for specific learners. Visual learners find teaching methods that include visual aids favorable to learning. Auditory learners prefer to listen (Administrate Hoy 2010). Reader or writer learners like to refer to books and take down notes. Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. They rely mostly on their sense of touch. There are instances where a learners preferred mode consists of two or more of those described above. Experiential Learning: Experiential learning can either involve learning through experience or applying what one has learned instantly to a pertinent setting. According to Kolb and Fry (1976), learning involves a cycle that includes experience, observation and experience, forming abstract concepts, and testing new situations. The cycle can begin at any one of these four points. Just because experience is mentioned first does not mean that it is always the first step in the cycle. 5.0 Personal Development Plan (PDP) Through reflection and reflective practice, it is then possible to come up with a personal development plan. A personal development plan is not necessarily completely independent of CPD. One may view some areas of PDP such as pursuing education to be in line with certain goals within PDP. Learning is a continuous life event (Mathews and Seott 2002). There is not a single time in the course of ones lifetime that one can stop learning. This is especially due to the fact that human beings learn through life experiences. The starting point in examining my own learning cycle would begin with experience and knowledge up to the present. This includes educational background and professional experience (Porter 2011). There are certain experiences that have great value in teaching of new skills, or perhaps pointing out flaws in my own preferred process. 5.1 My Own Personal Development Plan (PDP) It is important for an individual to have a PDP that reflects their own knowledge, experiences, and aspirations. There are two major things involved in my PDP. These include personal skill development and professional advancement. These two are interrelated because in pursuing personal skill development through learning and education (Willianmson 2010), I will at the same time increase my chances for professional advancement. My PDP will reflect the interrelated nature of PDP and CPD, and as such involve milestones in the PDP that will contribute towards CPD and professional advancement. The future includes continuous learning. This will be facilitated through seeking educational opportunities such as seminars (Crawford 2008). It will also involve a personal dedication to continuous learning through constant reading of relevant informative websites and blogs. A great advantage of this avenue is that it is up to date with many websites and blogs being updated at least once a week if not more (Anna 2000). Blogs and websites also provide a more relaxed and interactive learning atmosphere than seminars and other formal learning environments. 5.2 My Future Plan In the future, I want to be a hotel manager in China. Using the SWOT analysis method, developing my knowledge and skills, I will be able to apply this newly acquired expertise in my professional life (Secord 2010). In keeping with Maslows hierarchy, pursuing self-actualization needs will by extension also help me meet my esteem needs at the professional level. PDP takes precedence over CPD because personal development. Strengths: As a hotel manager, my biggest advantage is good at communicating with others. Hotel service industry is the biggest characteristic of regular and customer communication, understanding of customer ideas, better service to customers. As a hotel manager, and customer communication is important, but it is more important to know how to communicate with staff. Concerned about the staffs daily life, on the staff of the outstanding performance to give praise, when employees have errors, should not blindly criticize, but education and help employees. In the usual to allow employees to feel they are valued. Through the staff and guests communication, better management of the hotel. Weakness: Doing all the things before, I will first think of all possible scenarios, and to make corresponding arrangement. Hotel service industries, this weakness causes my usual workload is too big, spending too much time, effort and employees in a little thing. Often this is not conducive to the normal operation of the hotel. Opportunity: In China, tourism industry is very developed, in recent years, the tourism industry is on a new level, and the development of tourism industry will promote the development of hotel industry. But I have practical experience, to Chinas hotel industry has some understanding, for newly graduated students, I have to quickly adapt to the hotel service work. A lot of the hotel catering and housekeeping departments just hire some nonprofessional staff training after work, a lack of professional personnel. I as a hotel management graduate students, to the hotel service industry has deep understanding, can quickly into the work. Threats: Although the hotel management in China is a new type of occupation, but as China Tourism and hotel service industry development, more and more technical talents, but the hotel management job is really limited, for me it is a great threat to. So Im supposed to work at the same time many self-promotion, pay attention to the development of personal skills, at the same time the accumulation of experience and knowledge, in the remain invincible in the work. 6.0 Conclusion Reflective practice is the starting point of both PDP and CPD. Through critically analyzing ones knowledge and experiences, it is then possible to come up with a valid plan that will lead to self-improvement (Bourgeois 2010). It is important to note that PDP and CPD are not mutually exclusive. Both involve critical reflection on past experience and coming up with a plan for improvement (Sarasvathy 2012). At times, pursuing ones personal development goals such as seeking education can advance CPD in an individuals career. It is therefore important to pay close attention to both PDP and CPD.

Exploring the Debate Surrounding The Investment of Solar Energy Develop

As part of the Kyoto Protocol international efforts to combat climate change have seen signatory nations commit to limit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a variety of mechanisms (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 2008). The Australian government as part of its commitment to the Kyoto Protocol implemented the Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme that would see a minimum 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity supply being delivered through renewable sources by the year 2020 (Australian Government: Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency 2012). In developing a renewable energy strategy a range of issues arise concerning the feasibility, reliability and policy in implementing solar as a source of renewable energy. Instead of examining the technical specifications of current solar technology efficiency this essay aims instead to provide a general overview to the current levels of investment by government in the Australian solar industry and explore the debate involved with the implementation of solar power as part of Australia’s energy landscape. Due to the world’s abundant supply of solar energy there is an additional recognition by developed countries that solar has tremendous potential in resolving the global dilemma of increasing energy consumption and climate change. Solar energy has obvious advantages compared to other energies in part to it having minimal environmental and ecological hazards associated with its production (Solangi, Islam, Saidur, Rahim, et al. 2011). Solar energy technologies have shown the highest growth in clean energy finance and investment, increasing 44 per cent to $128 billion in 2011 (The Pew Charitable Trusts 2012, p. 3). Recent price drops in solar module pric... ...direct.com/science/article/pii/S1364032111000220 [Accessed May 19, 2012]. The Pew Charitable Trusts 2012. Who’s Winning the Clean Energy Race? Report 2011 Edition. Available at: http://www.pewenvironment.org/uploadedFiles/PEG/Publications/Report/FINAL_forweb_WhoIsWinningTheCleanEnergyRace-REPORT-2012.pdf [Accessed May 19, 2012]. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 2008. Mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol. Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Available at: http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/mechanisms/items/1673.php [Accessed April 30, 2012]. Wright, J. 2009. The contribution of renewables in Australia’s future energy mix. Australian Academy of Science. Public Lecture Series: Australia’s Renewable Energy Future. Available at: http://science.org.au/events/publiclectures/re/wright.html [Accessed May 20, 2012].

Kafka Essay -- essays papers

Kafka Franz Kafka was born in Prague, Bohemia, July 3, 1883 and died June 3, 1924 of tuberculosis at the age of 40. He came from a middle-class Jewish family. His father was a shopkeeper and tried to climb up the social ladder by working hard at his shop and sending Franz to a prestigious German high school. He went on to get a law degree and worked for two insurance companies (not at the same time) When his .tuberculosis got bad in 1917 he was put on temporary retirement with a pension. German was the language the upper class spoke and by sending Franz to German schools his father tried to disassociate from the lower class Jewish who lived in the ghetto. They were always moving from apartment to apartment advancing as the business grew. Franz had a very strained relationship with his father that traumatically affected his whole life. This is apparent in a letter to his father he wrote, â€Å"What was always incomprehensible to me was your total lack of feeling for the suffering and shame you could inflict on me with your words and judgments. It was as though you had no notion of your power† (Letter). Max Brod and Franz met in college and became life long friends. It was Max who persuaded Franz to publish some of his work and it was Max who was responsible for most of the Kafka writings that are available today. Franz had entrusted his manuscripts to Max and in his last will and testament specified that all his work was to be destroyed. Instead Max had them published after Franz’ death. Although he never married, he was engaged several times but always broke the engagement as the wedding day would approach. Most of the biographies about him tell of his problem with women and repulsion from sex and say that it was ... ... http://members.xoom.com/danielhornek/. 1 Mar. 2000. Kafka, Leni. Biography. Hp. 2000 [last update]. Online. Available: http://victorian.fortunecity.com/vermeer/287/biography.htm. 2 Mar. 2000. Letter to His Father. Hp. 2000 [last update]. Online. Available: http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/vermeer/287/lettertohisfather.htm Magil, Frank N. ed. Franz Kafka. Vol. 4 of Critical Survey of Short Fiction . Pasadena: Salem Press, 1993. Novels for Students Vol. 7 Farmington, MI: Gale Research, 1999. p281-297. Pawel, Ernst. The Nightmare of Reason: A Life of Franz Kafka. NY:Noonday Press, 1992. Spann, Meno. Franz Kafka. George Prior Publishers, 1976. Times Literary Supplement, Aug. 22, 1997 n4925 p15(2). World Literature Criticism 1500 to Present. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale Research, 1992.

Relflection Paper on Interpreter as an Gatekeeper in Medical Discourse

Reflection Paper of Critiquing Translating and Interpreting Presentation Name: Rizqi Fauziah Std Number: 0807532 Class: 7B The Interpreter as Institutional Gatekeeper: The Social-Linguistic Role of Interpreters in Spanish-English Medical Discourse This reflection essay will discuss the written report of the group presentation on chapter entitled The Interpreter as Institutional Gatekeeper: The Social-Linguistic Role of Interpreters in Spanish-English Medical Discourse written by Brad Davidson. This will include how to build group discussion, the material presented, class discussion, and the conclusion. The data are taken from the work of Baker (2010). A couple weeks before the presentation was held, the group which consists of four members started to discuss the material that will be presented. The discussion was conducted three times meetings. Each member of the group should read all the material before the first meeting was held. In the first meeting, the group divided the material to each member of the group, thus, every member would have more focus on the material given. The second meeting, we discussed our understanding on the each material given, then, we made power point slide presentation. In the last meetings, still, we shared our understanding about the topic and had a rehearsal presentation. This chapter talks about how the interpreter’s role is in medical discourse based on Brad Davidson’s study and detailed analysis entitled The Social-Linguistic Role of Interpreters in Spanish-English Medical Discourse. In the Davidson’s study, there were found examples of the way in which the interpreters tend to align themselves with the institutions and to strengthen institutional voice, often at the expense of the voice of participants (Baker, 2010). In this case, the institutional setting is hospital and participant is the patient. I’m interested in the quotation ‘interpreters are the most powerful people in medical conversation’ which is made by head of interpreting service at a major private U. S. hospital in May 1999. What I understand from this quotation is that the interpreters who have control in the conversation. They are as a key in conversation because they connect the doctor and the patient in order to gain the conversational goals. As mentioned by Davidson (Baker, 2010 p. 154): â€Å"Interpreter acts as he point of negotiation and exchange between the social context inhabited by the physician and the patient† Historically, most analysis has been based on oral model of translation which most analysis of interpretation has focused on monologues as suggested by Davidson in Baker (2010, p. 155). Furthermore, the interpreters are seen as conduits, not conversational participant. In contrast, rece ntly, the interpreters do not only conveying the message, but they shape and, and in some very real sense, create those messages in the name those for whom they speak (Baker, 2010 p. 56). Moreover, the interpreter is always placed in contested are between being provides of a service and being agent of authority and control (Baker,2010 p. 156). The structured interaction between the patients, the physician, and the interpreter is called medical discourse or medical interview. Davidson’s study of medical discourse was conducted at General Medicine Clinic (GMC) of Riverview General Hospital in spring and summer 1996. According to Davidson in Baker (2010), the data collection concerned on the way in which the hospital-based interpreters were used in clinic, the interpreter’s presence in helping to shape the course and content of interview and the way interpreter mediated the clash of goals between the achievement of institutional goals and goals held by the patient. The data are collected from observation of over 100 patients’ visits, 50 of which were observed and audio taped. The research questions that are asked by Davidson are: 1. What the role of interpreter within the goal-oriented? . What is the interpretative habit? And how does one engage in the practice of interpreting? 3. If the interpreters are not neutral, do they challenge the authority of the physician judge, and act as patients’ ambassadors, or do they reinforce the institutional authority of physician? During the study, Davidson said that the scarcity of time become the factor of the patient in medical intervie w. It is because the patients who used interpreter often were left alone for sometimes an hour while they waited for the interpreter to arrive (Baker, 2010 p. 60). Moreover, Davidson said that the interpreters are possibly conducted the interview with the patient before the physician arrived (Baker, 2010 p. 160). They took a charge of physician’s position by asking questions the patient about the illness before they convey it to the physician. This affects the process of elaborating a Chief Complaint from patient which becomes shorter. Besides, the interpreters also would occasionally go so far as to conduct the initial portions of the interviews itself. According to Davidson in Baker (2010, p. 64) the interferences of interpreter in medical interview create harms for the physician. For instance, in case of English-speaking physician who had a Spanish speaking patient, most the direct questions that directed to physician were answered by the interpreter. This treatment is app arently an attempt to keep the patient ‘on track’, but this makes a threat to the physician’s authority within the interview. This habitual action done by the interpreter might be viewed as a move to insulate the physician. Keeping the patient on track also led a loss of patient complaint in conversational. It affects that patient’s complain will left undiagnosed and untreated. In contrast with the patient without interpreting, their complaints were diagnosed and treated because there was no interference from the interpreter. In this case, the interpreter sometimes edited the wholesale complaint of the patient in order to keep the interview ‘on track’ and sometimes to protect the physician and the institution of hospital. However, this makes un-tracks the achievement of the institutional goals (diagnosis and treatment) of interview itself. After explaining the material, 3 classmates asked some questions. The first question came from Riska K. R who asked ‘ is there any justification for medical interpretation to have a tendency to support a medical institution instead of the patient? ’ we agreed to answer that yes, there is justification in which the interpreter supports the medical institution. It is because the role of the interpreter itself is as an institutional gatekeeper. The interpreters are paid by the hospital (the institution), thus, they support the institutional. The second question came from Rendriawan who asked ‘please explain the sentence â€Å"the interpreter also interpret selectively, and appear to do so in a patterned (non-random) fashioned† ‘. Then, we answered that the interpreter should filter what utterance that is told by the patient before we convey it to the doctor in order to protect the physician and the institution of the hospital from the critique of the patient. The last question is from Lalitya P who asked ‘are there any differences of the role of interpreter in colonial and post colonial codition? How the interpreter reacts in the interview? ’. we agreed to answer that yes, we think that there is difference in colonial and post colonial condition. For example in post colonial the interpreter is always placed in contested are between being providers of a service and being agents of authority and control. To sum up, the answer of research question has been answered in this study. The interpreters have a role as ‘advocates’ or ‘ambassadors’ for interpreted patients as suggested by Davidson (Baker, 2010 p. 172). Besides, they also act as informational gatekeepers who keep the interview ‘on track’ and the physician on schedule. The interpreters who attempt to keep the interview ‘on track’, sometimes, lead the habitual actions such as answering the patient’s questions which are directed to the doctor, editing the wholesale patient complaint in order to protect the institutional of the hospital, and etc. According to Davison in Baker (2010, p. 73) it can be outlined that interpreters are not, and cannot be ‘neutral’ machines of linguistic conversion. Moreover, it is because they are faced with the reality that linguistic systems are not ‘the same’ in how they convey information contextually. Besides, they are themselves also social agents and participant in the discourse. Davidson said in his article that the interpreters and the physicians at Riverview have to have training (Baker, 2010, p. 173) Bibliography Baker, M. (2010). Critical Reading In Traslation Studies . New York: Routledge. ‘