The Socio Economic Attainment Of Adoptees - 1214 Words

During the second half of the 20th century, there has been unprecedented growth in adoptions (Selman, 2009; Stolley, 1993). Not only has the number of adoptees more than doubled from approximately 50,000 in the 1940’s to more than 110,000 in 1990 (Stolley, 1993), but this increase has been the inspiration of significant studies related to the psychological, social and physical health of the adopted population. Furthermore, in the past four decades, the U.S. has become the number one destination of adopted children from foreign countries. While there have been significant studies to provide a portrait relating to how adoptees adapt to their families, (L. Hamilton, Cheng, Powell, 2007; Hellerstedt 2008), there remains major unanswered†¦show more content†¦Thomas examines the relationship between adoption status and schooling progress differs between foreign-born and U.S. born children. He also examines if foreign-born adopted children are more likely to lag behind in school compared to U.S. born adoptees. Lastly, he examines if adoption status results in differentiated patterns of educational inclusion among immigrant children. In addition, he also examines how these variations are associated to racial and ethnic differences. Thomas tests four hypothesis. Hypothesis 1 proposes adopted children have a schooling disadvantage compared to biological peers but the disadvantage is smaller among immigrants compared to U.S. natives. Hypothesis 2 tests whether adopted children of immigrant parents are more lik ely to fall behind in school compared to their peers with U.S. born parents. Hypothesis 3 suggests foreign born adoptees have less favorable schooling outcomes compared to adoptees born in the United States. Hypothesis 4 proposes minorities, especially Black face additional barriers of prejudice and discrimination and because of this realize the least educational gains when compared to white peers. Thomas avoids two common shortcomings of studies oabout adopted children. Many are based on â€Å"convenience samples† and â€Å"small numbers of observations† (Brodzinsky, 1993; Shiano Tuan, 2008). By using pooled data from the American Community Survey (ACS) over a

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Free Essays

Is a science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick first published in 1968. The main plot follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter of androids, while the secondary plot follows John Isidore, a man of sub-normal intelligence who befriends some of the androids. We will write a custom essay sample on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep or any similar topic only for you Order Now The novel is set in a post-apocalyptic near future, where the Earth and its populations have been damaged greatly by Nuclear War during World War Terminus. Most types of animals are endangered or extinct due to extreme radiation poisoning from the war. To own an animal is a sign of status, but what is emphasized more is the empathic emotions humans experience towards an animal. Deckard is faced with â€Å"retiring† six escaped Nexus-6 model androids, the latest and most advanced model. Because of this task, the novel explores the issue of what it is to be human. Unlike humans, the androids possess no empathic sense. In essence, Deckard probes the existence of defining qualities that separate humans from androids. The book’s plot served as the primary basis for the 1982 film Blade Runner. Setting Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? takes place in 1992 (2021 in later editions), years after the radioactive fallout of World War Terminus destroyed most of Earth. The U. N. ncourages emigration to off-world colonies, in hope of preserving the human race from the terminal effects of the fallout. One emigration incentive is giving each emigrant an â€Å"andy† — a servant android. The remaining populace live in cluttered, decaying cities wherein radiation poisoning sickens them and damages their genes. Animals are rare and people are expected to keep them and help preserve them. But many people turn towards the much cheaper synthetic, or electric, animals to keep up the pretense. Rick Deckard owned a sheep, but it died of tetanus, and he replaced it with a synthetic sheep. The main Earth religion is Mercerism, in which Empathy Boxes link simultaneous users into a collective consciousness based on the suffering of Wilbur Mercer, largely an endless walk up a mountain in which stones are thrown at Mercer, the pain of which the users share. The television appearances of Buster Friendly and his Friendly Friends, broadcast twenty-three hours a day, represent a second religion, designed to undermine Mercerism and allow androids to partake in a kind of consumerist spirituality. It is revealed that neither Mercer nor Friendly are actual humans despite popular belief. edit]Androids Androids are used only in the Martian colonies, yet many escape to Earth, fleeing the psychological isolation and chattel slavery. Although made of biological materials and physically all but indistinguishable from humans, they are considered to be pieces of machinery. Police bounty hunters, such as Rick Deckard, hunt and retire (kill) fugitive androids passing for human. Often, Deckard’s police department will collect and analyze the corpses of suspected â€Å"andys† to confirm that they are, in fact, artificial. Earlier androids were easier to detect because of their limited intelligence. As android technology improved, bounty hunters had to apply an empathy test — the Voigt-Kampff — to distinguish humans from androids, by measuring empathetic responses, or lack thereof, from questions designed to evoke an emotional response, often including animal subjects and themes. Because androids are not sympathetic, their responses are either absent or feigned, and measurably slower than a human’s. The simpler Bonelli Test, used by another police department in San Francisco, measures the reflex-arc velocity in the spinal column’s upper ganglia, but is very painful to the subject, as well as the results taking longer to produce. Plot summary The novel follows bounty hunter Rick Deckard through one day of his life, as he tracks down renegade androids who have assumed human identities. The novel begins with Deckard feeling alienated from his wife who, he feels, is misusing her mood organ by choosing inappropriate moods, like depression. Deckard meets Rachel Rosen when travelling to Rosen Industries to test the validity of an empathy test on the new android type: the Nexus 6. Rachael is an attractive female android Deckard initially believes to be human. Rachael believes herself to be human as she has memories implanted from the niece of her manufacturer. She attempts to turn Deckard away from bounty hunting. Deckard becomes confused about humanity, morality and empathy. He is arrested after attempting to retire the second android and taken to what appears to be a fully functional and publicly accessible police station—but it is not a police station Deckard knows about. Deckard escapes with fellow bounty hunter Phil Resch after deducing that the station is staffed by androids. His moral quandary deepens after working briefly with Phil Resch, who Deckard learns is a particularly callous fellow bounty hunter. Deckard’s story is interwoven with that of J. R. Isidore, a driver for an animal repair shop who cannot qualify to leave Earth due to his low IQ. Isidore lives alone in a nearly entirely empty apartment building with little outside contact other than his Empathy Box. Pris Stratton, an android identical in appearance to Rachel, moves into the building and the lonely Isidore attempts to befriend her. Pris and her friends get Isidore to help them trap Deckard as he comes to retire them. Once Deckard realizes the size of the challenge ahead, he enlists Rachel to help him, and they proceed to have sex. By Deckard’s having sex with her, Rachel hoped to stop him from bounty hunting, but he will not and drops her off. Deckard nevertheless succeeds in killing the androids, causing Isidore to break down from the loss of his only friends, and earning him a citation for the record number of kills in one day. He returns home and his wife reports having seen Rachael Rosen kill his real pet goat. He understands that Rachael was taking revenge and is thankful that the loss is only financial; the android could instead have killed his wife. He travels to an isolated desert to meditate and has an epiphany. He also finds a toad, thought to be extinct and considered to be Mercer’s favorite animal. Deckard brings it home, where his wife discovers that the toad is in fact synthetic. Deckard is not glad but â€Å"prefers† to know the toad is artificial. How to cite Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Essay examples

Disadvantages Of Cosmetic Surgery Essay Example For Students

Disadvantages Of Cosmetic Surgery Essay Nobody knows about cosmetic surgery better than Edward Mondeck and his twochildren, ages 9 and 11. Rosemarie Mondeck, 39, decided to have a bit of tummyfat removed after having two kids. She let the doctors use a new procedurecalled tumescent liposuction. The patients are primed prior to surgery byinjecting large amounts of diluted local anesthetic and epinephrine, drugs thatshrink capillaries. They reduce bleeding and make it easier to suck fat outaccording to doctors. After the drugs were injected, Rosemarie went into cardiacarrest and died. All she had was a fatty area above her bellybutton,states Edward. Look at what can happen. This goes to show you that cosmeticsurgery is not only dangerous, but can also result in death. Cosmetic surgery isdefined as a surgery that improves ones self-image by correcting a certainarea of the body that the patient finds unsightly. Its biggest benefit ispsychological. It is used to minimize age-related features in baby boomers suchas wrinkles and sagging skin. A big part of self-esteem is feeling that youlook good. We can cure an insecurity in 30 minutes that a psychiatrist cantcure in 30 years, H. George Brennen, M.D., Plastic and ReconstructiveSurgery, states in the magazine article from Young and Modern. Many people wantto get cosmetic surgery because they feel that they dont look good. Acertain level of attractiveness can open doors. It can make a difference in ateens social life and later on, in a career, (Bloch 60). It can help youto look better and pursue a career in modeling or a field related to looks. Shouldnt people accept themselves for who they are? As Andrea Cooper statesin the article Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Make Me the Prettiest of ThemAll, All the cosmetic surgery in the world wont help if you dontfeel good on the inside. It wont change you if you already dont feelgood about yourself. You will just make it worse by trying to change yourself soyoull feel more attractive. People age. Especially today when they are activeand in the work force. They feel good on the inside, but when they look at theirimage, they look at a face or body that they dislike. I dont see a problemat all with matching what you see with how you feel, (Davis 77). If you werehoping cosmetic surgery would add excitement and spice to your life, or rekindlean old flame, you might be disappointed. It will only change physical aspects. Your mental aspects may still be disappointing. Youre still yourself, you arejust learning to cope better with your body now that you like it. You can learnto be more confident and self-assured. During the periods in between thewars, Americans participated in a new, visual culture, where appearance seemedto rank even higher in importance. The postwar era also saw an increase insurgery to minimize or eradicate physical signs of race or ethnicity,(Shepard 2006). Americans began to see people of different origins, and theyliked their look better. Other people didnt like their appearances an examplebeing blacks. Whites thought they were better than blacks and used them asslaves just because of their skin color. Things like that make you want tochange your looks so that other people wouldnt make fun of you or ridiculeyou about your looks. Research shows that today looks play a major role in oursociety. Women and men look at magazines and see the pictures of the skinnymodels. Then they thi nk that theyre ugly and fat because they might not bethat skinny or have those perfectly proportioned face. Remember the sayingits whats on the inside that counts. You should go by that because thepictures of the people you think are perfect probably have many moreproblems than you. Live to like yourself and dont go by what others think ofyou. Some types of cosmetic surgery are rhinoplasty, the reduction of a nose,otoplasty, to correct protruding ears, blepharoplasty, which is to removedrooping skin around eyes, and rhytidectomy, face-lift. People tend to wantblepharoplasty as they get older. It has many complications that could arouseincluding bleeding, swelling, delayed wound healing, infection, drooping ofupper or lower lid, asymmetry, double vision, and dry eye syndrome. Duringrecovery, the first 24- 48 hours you have substantial swelling and blurryvision. The stitches arent removed until four to five days later. Breastenlargements are a common sought surgery. Women want bigger breasts so that menwill like them better or just to look bigger. Complications that could occur aredelaying wound with diabetes, history of radiation, autoimmune disease, smokers,capsular contracture, bleeding, infiction, and irregularity of skin. Afterhaving surgery there is swelling, and there may be some asymmetry. The firstweek you cant lift anything or exercise. The outer shell of the silicon isfilled with saline. If the saline get a hole, the leak can result in a flatimplant and necessitating surgical replacement. Risk of serious complicationsfor most cosmetic procedures is as high as 2%, with some procedures being moreproblematic, (Podolsky 74). Listen to all of these complications that couldoccur and recovery methods. Are you willing to go through this? What if thishappens to you while you are getting surgery? Are you willing to risk yourperfectly normal body for one that could be even worse after surgery? Thinkabout all of these. This was only two of the types of surgery. T hink about howlong it would be to list the rest of them. When you go in to talk to the doctorabout your surgery, they will most likely either take a picture or they have acomputer-imaging machine to show you what the change will look like. For apicture, if only the lighting, angle, and film are changed, you can look like atotally different person with great results when no surgery has been done. Inthe computer imaging, its technically impossible for your surgeon toreplicate those results. You will go into surgery thinking you know whatyoull look like when youre done, but when you get done, you will looktotally different. Sometimes people are going through life changes and theythink that it will solve their problem, so they go ahead with it. In the end,people are more depressed after the surgery because they dont like the waythey look. Doctors should advise patients to look at the whole picture andsuggest procedures that are in keeping with your overall appearance. Today amore natura l appearance is popular. Liposuction has become the nations favoritecosmetic procedure. It is not appropriate to get liposuction done for generalobesity. You have to have always consistently eaten well and worked out. Youhave to try to rid yourself of the problem area first. If it doesnt go awayafter trying, then you might consider it. Slick marketing campaigns make iteasy to think of cosmetic surgery as just another off-the-shelf consumerproduct, its purchase about on par with buying a new computer system. Butsurgery is surgery. There is pain. Recovery can be lengthy and uncomfortable. Hamlets procrastination and co Essay24 June l998: 2006. Shiffman, Dr. Felix. Cosmetic Surgery. Internet. http://www.drshiffman.com/BIO.html. 4 April, l999: 5:07 p.m. Shiffman, Dr. Felix. Cosmetic Surgery. Internet. http://www.drshiffman.com/FACIAL.html. 4 April l999: 5:11 p.m. Siebert, C. The Cuts That Go Deeper. The New York Times Magazine. 7 July l996: 20-25,34. Health Care

The Commercialism Of Television Essays - Television Advertisement

The Commercialism Of Television The Commercialism of Television To look into the mind of a television addict, we must look at the big picture? First we recognize the voluntary slavery that makes up the majority of modern life. A I see it, people get up early, put on work clothes, and ?work like machines for the rest of the day? getting no satisfaction from their repetitive day-jobs. Then come home around seven o'clock to their families who have already had dinner, and the kids already getting in bed. By that time there is almost no room left for quality family time or anything else to pursue that's worthwhile. Thus the person turns to the television for that instant dose of friendship and gratification that could not be found anywhere else during his or her day. Once the person gets comfy on the lazy-boy, he becomes quickly stimulated and amazed by the intense sound and picture of thirty frames per second, and suddenly forgets thinking about the real world. Notice how some people become extremely annoyed when you talk to them or distract them when they are watching a program, or even a commercial. And might even yell at you for walking in front of the TV. As the hours of straight zombie-like watching go by, the person slips further into the fantasy world of television, and with you breaking that link between them and the tube comes as a shock to them. Someone can be so engulfed that it becomes a regular part of his/her daily routine. As a result of a lot of watching TV, studies have shown that the heart rate, and blink rate have slowed down dramatically and muscular function decreased down to the snap of a finger on the remote or the lift of a drink. The stimulation of the picture and sound shift so rapidly that they must become completely relaxed to soak it all up. Television is like an addiction, and like any addictive substance a moral message lies behind it? The advertising and the programs are only they're to keep the viewer coming back for more. But there are even deeper morals to the story. The televisions main purpose is to distract from what you really want to be doing. Than around the second line of commercials you realize that you could be doing far better things than this, but before that thought gets to you, another flashy commercial pops up that literally says ?damnit stay in your seat, we've got more products to sell you?. And giving the viewer the sense that he/she cannot live without it. And this is where depression can kick in. In these messages there is the potential power to brainwash the viewer into thinking that television is the one and only answer to all the worlds problems, and soon the person will not want to accept the harsh reality of the real world. This becomes a mindset for many people who watch TV. Some will do their best to fight it, like turn the volume down or mute, but hell, never would they turn it off. Even the manufacturers cleverly hide the mute button on your remote. To the broadcasters and corporations, its all a damn game to them, to see whom can get more zombies to stick with their channel. After becoming over-fatigued from stimulation, they'll switch it off. And when they are face to face with real life, they don't understand it, and shrivel back into their corner to the TV, to the world that is so easily accepted. There is a huge difference between the world that we live in, and the fake propped world of television. On a person note; my father roommates with Andre, a forty-five year old minority who is extremely depressed, and has attempted suicide. Visiting my dad every week or so I notice that Andre always had the TV on, and continued sitting in his chair staring at every comedy channel for six hours, but I noticed he never laughed. I believe Andre has fallen deep into the TV world, and uses it as a tool to ignore and/or forget his problems in the real world. ?Odds have it that television only creates a mirage

Fun-Packed Thanksgiving on a Budget

Fun-Packed Thanksgiving on a Budget Are you staying on campus over Thanksgiving break? Whatever the reason, you dont have to feel like a misfit – just throw your own fun-packed â€Å"friendsgiving† party and invite everyone else whos not going home for the weekend. If money is an issue, you should know that having a bigger budget does not mean having more fun! In fact, the low-budget DIY atmosphere of it all might bring you closer together. If youre sneering, remember that this holiday is about being grateful for what you have. Invite Everyone You Know – and Dont Know If all the people you regularly hang out with are away, turn to social media! Use the Facebook group for your campus to find others who are staying at school for the holiday, and message them to see if theyre down to spend the evening with other â€Å"orphans†. Use that number to approximate how many people are coming, and, hey, maybe you can get away with hosting this thing at your dorm room. Whats Your Budget? If it turns out that more people are interested than you think you can accommodate, consider asking them for some money – not literally charging at the door, but a small donation, whatever they can, to help out with the cost of food and refreshments. Add that to the money youre putting up yourself, and you have your budget! Heres how you should distribute the money: 70% on food, drinks and all the paraphernalia like cups, paper plates and utensils. The rest is for entertainment purposes. Decide on the Menu Whats Thanksgiving without stuffing your face? If you have access to a proper kitchen, youre in luck and can plan to cook all the Thanksgiving staples youre used to having at home – mashed potatoes, turkey with cranberry sauce, and all the rest. Contact the other â€Å"orphans†, and see if theyd be able to volunteer to help you cook the food. If you dont have the resources to cook your own food, make use of your local supermarkets catering. Its going to be more expensive than cooking your own food, but you need to eat something, right? You also have the option of only buying the essentials on your own, and making the dinner a potluck affair. If youre going to throw a potluck, though, you might have to reconsider asking them for money in the first place – both is going to be a bit much. If potluck is the way youre going to go, it might also make sense to make the party BYOB. Buy some small amount of refreshments on your own and dont forget the ice. The rest is up to your guests. If youre planning to have turkey, youre going to have to buy one on your own. Its very large and will probably end up being the most expensive thing on the table, so dont count on anyone else to bring it, unless, of course, they say they will. Games and Activities If you have access to a television, youd better set it up wherever youre having the party ahead of time. Thanksgivings nothing to the football fans if not a chance to watch some TV while eating traditional foods. For those who dont want to just sit and stare into a screen, get some games set up. The football fans might like to play a quick friendly match after theyve watched the game. For the rest, think of something you can do sitting down, since, if everythings gone according to plan, everyone will be too stuffed to move anyway. If your first thought is board games, reconsider. Board games are wholesome fun for the whole family, sure, but youre college students, for goodness sakes! Choose your favorite drinking game, and leave Scrabble for the kids. Dont Forget to Have Fun After all this planning and budgeting and preparing, you should let yourself relax. Dont designate yourself the role of being the one to tell everyone to use coasters. Let go and have some fun yourself. Make some friends, make some jokes, do something embarrassing youre going to remember with horror for the next five years, and then remember fondly as a part of your college life.

How To Do Remarkable Customer Research With Rand Fishkin

How To Do Remarkable Customer Research With Rand Fishkin Where do your customers hang out? What kinds of things do they like? What publications do they read? Customer research involves a lot of leg work, so does this information even matter? How can you leverage such insight for SEO? Today, we’re talking to Rand Fishkin, founder of SparkToro and author of Lost and Founder. He is a powerhouse in the content marketing and SEO world. Some of the highlights of the show include: Background, origination, and purpose of SparkToro Reaching/Researching Audiences: Slow, frustrating, and inaccurate process Companies spend money contracting agencies for a list of top customers, blogs, podcasts, and events Bones of Audience Intelligence: 1) Identify audiences across channels; 2) Know audience density; 3) Use trustworthy and valuable metrics How to obtain, benchmark, filter, and analyze data Data Points: Which to focus on and where to get them Social Network Profiles: Report follower count and engagement Biases generate unrepresentative data influenced by SEO Significant sample sizes and diverse groups are needed for true coverage Examples of missing specific audiences SparkToro lets you find people who practice specific fields Does current audience intelligence data represent the market as a whole? Improve SEO by helping audience accomplish tasks, and identifying and broadening link sources Powered by PodcastMotor Actionable Content Marketing powered by By AMP081: How To Do Remarkable Customer Research With Rand Fishkin From SparkToro 00:00/00:00 1x 100 > Download file Subscribe on iTunes Leave Review Share Links: Rand Fishkin on Twitter SparkToro Lost and Founder Project Event Safe Moz SurveyMonkey Audience Nate Silver SimilarWeb Pro AMP on iTunes leave a review and send screenshot to podcast@.com If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Rand: â€Å"If you’re looking at a social network profile, don’t just report on follower count, go look at the last 20 or 50 postsreport on how much engagement did each of those get.† â€Å"Go out there, build a company, make mistakes, just don’t make exactly the same ones I did.† â€Å"You get biased by your existing understanding of the field.†

Wal-Mart to Spend $50 Billion on Products Made in America Essay

Wal-Mart to Spend $50 Billion on Products Made in America - Essay Example Local manufacturers are one of the groups that stand to benefit from Wal-Mart’s decision to source goods in the United States. 1881 Mills is one such manufacturer that will benefit from the extended contract that it has struck with Wal-Mart. Suppliers dealing in highly-automated production are the other group that will benefit from Wal-Mart’s move. The public stands to benefit from the additional jobs that will be created by these local manufacturers and suppliers in order to meet Wal-Mart’s increased demand. The economy of the United States will benefit from the improved production that this move will bring (ABC News p3). Wal-Mart has an obligation to provide workers in China and other foreign markets who will be displayed by Wal-Mart’s new strategy with time to adjust and find other jobs. Corporate social responsibility would require that as an employer, Wal-Mart should factor in the welfare of the people who will be affected by any of its policy decisions and one such group of people are these workers. Wal-Mart should care not to terminate its foreign sourcing quickly because this would leave many of these foreign workers jobless. This can have devastating effects on the lives of these workers and, by extension, the economies of their countries (ABC News p3). Wal-Mart’s decision to source more goods locally means it might have to charge more for such products and this will have direct impacts on local consumers. This will dig deeper into my consumer surplus and I might have to consider buying certain goods from other stores. I however have an ethical responsibility to buy U.S.-made products even if they cost more because this will contribute to the growth of the economy of my home country. Ethical responsibility requires that as a consumer, I should go beyond caring for my personal financial wellbeing to considering how my buying patterns influences other people

Human Management Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Human Management - Thesis Example It is a UK based organisation, but has focused on engaging a considerable proportion of its entire human resources from the international environment which has perpetually increased the diversity of the workforce engaged and thus increased the risk of conflicts owing to the varied range of individualities (BG Group Plc, 2012). With due consideration to this fact, BG Group can be identified to possess the ability towards implementing effective governance in order to operate its business functions successfully worldwide mitigating the consequences of conflicts (BG Group Plc, 2012). The concept of conflict management is often described as the process of dealing with conflict situations that may occur within the workplace with efficiency mitigating its negative consequences that may have a significant impact on the sustainability of an organisation. The role of conflict management, in this regards, considers the proper identification of the various causes giving rise to conflicts which i nclude scarce resources, adversity as well as faulty communication among others delivering importance not only towards the organisational interests, but also towards the benefits of the employees (Eunson, 2012). It is in this context that various models had been developed in order to frame the notion of conflict management and thus suggest a comprehensive pattern to the organisations for resolving such issues. Blake and Mouton Model can be regarded as such a framework which renders an unambiguous understanding of the conflicts arising within the organisational sphere and also suggests the required measures to resolve the issues (Verma, 1998). The aim of the paper is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical perspective presented by Blake and Mouton Model of conflicts management. The understanding will further be related with the different conflicts that were faced by BG Group in its current operations. Moreover, the overall discussion will be based on the conflicts that were faced by the BG Group which will further be continued with effective recommendations and strategic action plan referring to the theoretical understanding of the concept. Theoretical Perspective: Blake and Mouton Model of Conflict Management The term ‘conflict’ is characteristically described as a strong competition or struggle between various people or individuals with differing values, objectives, ideas and beliefs. Conflict is often observed to result in terms of non-productive consequences which might have had a long-term impact or can last for only a short period of time. It can also be defined as a condition in which more than one party possesses mismatched objectives and also differs in terms of their behaviour as well as their perceptions. The various sources of conflict generally include structural, role and resources conflict. Structural conflict is observed to fundamentally arise from perplexities in managing the need of the diverse organisational s ub-units. In the similar context, role conflict is generally caused by misinterpretation regarding

Bio-fuels and how effective they truly Essay Example for Free

Bio-fuels and how effective they truly Essay If compared with utilizing fossil fuels, research studies on biofuels show that first generation biofuels can be projected to have 60% carbon emission reduction while utilization second generation biofuels can reduce up to 80%. Figure 4 shows the CO2 reduction particularly in the transport sector with the use of biofuels and other GHG reduction strategies. In the future, the type of processing energy used will be more relevant: a biofuel plant that uses biomass energy will contribute far more to reducing GHG emissions than one that uses fossil energy. The European Union started the market for biofuels. Other countries such as the United States of America are fast catching up. The Asian countries are slow in taking up the mandate because people are assuming the wise consumer attitude, adopting a wait-and-see approach, waiting for the infrastructure to be established in order to have a better rationalization of cost and benefit. Historical and projected biofuels production levels are shown in figures 5 and 6. The major country players are clearly indicated. Figure 7 shows the global demand for biofuels. The figure illustrated a 100% increase in the ethanol production between 2000 and 2005. ON the other hand, biodiesel production showed an increase of almost 400%.. Comparing these figures with production of oil from fossil fuels, it showed an increase only by only 7% over this period. Brazil produced 16. 5 billion liters of fuel ethanol (45. 2 percent of the worlds total) with the United States a close second at 16. 2 billion liters, or 44. 5 percent of the total. With these projections, benefits brought about by the utilization of biofuels is expected to be significant specifically on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. CONCLUSION Clean environment is essential to a good quality of life, yet many thousands of deaths yearly are linked to the effects of pollution. Improving local air quality is a major thrust that most countries are currently pursuing. Thus, it is relatively important to bear in mind that for the petroleum and energy industry, one of the major considerations should be the use of environmentally sound, economical and safe fuel. The use of biofuels, as presented in this paper suggests and projects a positive impact in the environment on the long term. While there are issues to be addressed, extensive research should be conducted in order to provide an answer to all these concerns. The figures show that there is an increasing demand for biofuels worldwide, still, policies gearing towards the utilization of such should be developed and adopted to the highest standards in the international scene. Like in some countries wherein the use of biofuels is mandated by law, there should be a worldwide promotion and advocacy campaign for its utilization with emphasis that it brings about to the environment. REFERENCES Biofuels for Transport (2006). What exactly is biofuels and the potential of it for its future use as alternative fuel for future road vehicles? [Internet], Biofuels for Transport. Available from: http://people. bath. ac. uk/ksyl20/my_report/interest. htm [Accessed 22 November 2007]. Brevitt, B. (February 12, 2002) Alternative Vehicle Fuels. Science and Environment Section, Research Paper 02/11. Center for Fuel Cells (2007) Fuel cell today. University of South Carolina. DOE Portal (2007) Biofuel. [Internet], Philippines Department of Energy. Available from: www. doe. gov. ph [Accessed 24 November 2007]. EurActive (2005) Alternative fuels for transport. [Internet], EurActive. Available from: www. eurActiv. com [Accessed 23 November 2007]. EurActive (2006a) Carmakers reject EU plan for CO2 emissions law. [Internet], EurActive. Available from: www. eurActiv. com [Accessed 23 November 2007]. Energy Research (2007) Introduction to Fuel cells. [Internet], European Commission. Available from: http://ec. europa. eu/research/energy/index_en. htm [Accessed 25 November 2007]. Environmental Technologies (2007) Innovations and Industry, Biofuel. [Internet], The Israel Export and Industrial Cooperation Institute. Available from: www. export. gov. il [Accessed 25 November 2007]. Gow, I. T. A. D. (February 21, 2007) EU promises 20% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020. The Guardian. Webster, B. (February 5, 2007) EU is steered from gas-guzzler ban. The Times.

Importance of Change in Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 Essay -- Ray Bra

Importance of Change in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is change? Webster's Dictionary, defines change as to cause to become different; alter; transform; convert. Many things, people, and world events are able to change. Years of peace may be shattered by one act of terrorism. Technology changes how people interact and work in the world. People also change. Many do not see any wrongdoing internally, and remain the way they are. However, there might be outside factors that help them realize what is wrong with them or the lifestyle they choose to take part in. According to Preston Bradley, "I don't care how much a man may consider himself a failure, I believe in him, for he can change the thing that is wrong in his life any time he is ready and prepared to do it. Whenever he develops the desire, he can take away from his life the thing that is defeating it. The capacity for reformation and change lies within." Throughout Fahrenheit 451, Montag, a dedicated fireman and book burner, sees pleasure and titillation from burning books and destroying lifetimes of important ideas. When outside influences put confusion in him, he begins a series of changes, eventually becoming a revolutionary in a society where books are valued.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many factors contribute to the changes found in Montag. One of the first influences during the story is the exquisitely observant Clarisse McClellan. She is different from all of the others in society who like to head for a Fun Park to bully people around," or "break windowpanes in the Car Wrecker." She likes to observe people, and she observes Montag, diagnosing him as a "strange...fireman." He is "not like the others" because when she talks, he looks at her, and when she said something about the moon, he looks at it. Clarisse tells Montag that he is different from the other people. He has something inside of him that makes him "put up with" her. Clarisse makes Montag look at himself for the first time when she asks him, "Are you happy?" Montag thinks that she is talking nonsense, but he realizes that he truly is not happy. Something is missing from his life. Looking at his lifestyle, he found that the "only thing that I [Montag] positively knew was gone was the books I'd [he'd] burned in ten or twelve years." Clarisse helped Montag to start to think for himself, instead of letting the society... ...he society outside values books, and by joining it, Montag shows that he is changed from rebel to the ultimate rebel, a soldier of an army that has a strong influential power because of it's attraction to books and their meanings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Fahrenheit 451, Montag, a dedicated fireman and book burner changes character and opinion through the help of influential characters and events, gradually transforming into an individualistic person of the society, a rebellious soldier in an army of readers. Montag first changes when he meets Clarisse, opening his eyes and being able to see his own faults and those of the society. He changes further when he questions himself and thinks about his lifestyle after learning how powerful the meaning in the books are when the woman insists on dying. Montag learns the importance of books in the society when he meets Faber, learning how the meaning in books can be applied to what is happening in society. Killing Beatty shows his change from being a passive reader and spy to an active revolutionary. Finally, Montag's changes are completed when he joins the organization that values books, therefore becoming a soldier of an influential army.

EFAS Marketing

Now Tetley has also been introduced in the market. So Tapal is competing with all of these and also â€Å"Khulli Chai† as well. Talking about Lipton and Brooke Bond they are brands of Unilever which is known to be a giant in the FMCG industry. It seemed impossible that any local brand would even survive when competing with them but Tapal proved them wrong through smart advertising and high quality product it has already given Brooke Bond a run for its money and now facing Lipton. The rivalry can be observed when we look at the ad spend of these companies.All of them advertise heavily to gain a competitive advantage over the other. Threat of new entrants is high. This is evident by the immense growth in the industry nd government policies are also encouraging new Tea houses to emerge on the scene. The taxes on import of tea are reduced thereby decreasing the cost of production. It can be taken as positive sign by a prospect player. Initially it was thought that no company would survive against the giants of Unilever but since Tapal people have started thinking that local brands can do well and new players might decide to come into this market.In this case tea will always remain an integral part of our culture. Having said that there is a low switching cost associated with the trade off of substitutes. In case of tea substitute is coffee and even cold drinks in some case. It can easily be assumed that the demand for tea is nothing but increasing. Currently majority of the consumers have not developed the taste for coffee so it cannot be seen as a potential threat. Change in patterns can be observed because consumers are shifting from normal tea to green tea but again the same.broad category ot uct remains The bargaining power of buyers is low because of the high demand. Although due to increased competition prices remain competitive but buyers have little or no argaining power. In case of tea an element of brand loyalty is also associated so a consumer wou ld want to use a same brand which gives in his bargaining power. Also with tea people prefer quality over its price. Bargaining Power of supplier is high because there are few suppliers of tea.The reason why there are few is because there is a specific taste of tea that consumers like so the manufacturers are forced to choose from few options. In Pakistan tea is imported majorly from Kenya and Srilanka so the supplier is at power to influence he price due to the limited availability of the raw tea. In Pakistan recent plantation of tea farms may favor the local manufacturers and foreign suppliers may find a reduction in their bargaining power. Answer no 3 POLITICAL FACTORS: These factors and government interventions can make or break the industry.The political factors have played a very benign role for the tea industy. The political arena has a huge influence upon the regulations of the businesses, and spending power of consumers and other businesses. The political environment of Pak istan is relatively unstable in the current situation. The investors are not willing to invest in Pakistan. However, WTO and trade policies encourage the import of raw materials for Tea industry. Tea Import Quota It is an important consideration.Each year there is a certain quota on tea import in total imports of Pakistan. Each player is given quota to import and manufacture so one can say that it is a very regulated industry. Diplomatic Relations The relations with the tea producing nations and Pakistan play a vital role as large part of imports comes from Kenya, but now Pakistan is also importing tea from India. Unstable Geographic Conditions Pakistan is situated at a very critical and geographically strategic location. Due to the uncertainty new investors are not ready to invest in Pakistan.Social Factors The social and cultural influences on business vary from country to country. It is very important that such factors are considered. People are socializing more may it be events or casual visits to friends and family. Tea has always been an integral part of Pakistani culture and rituals. It is understood that tea would be present at all events. Changing Trends As work environment is becoming more stressful, people require different forms of efreshment and intakes to increase their energy levels.This further increase the intake of tea at workplaces, tea is not only Just available to the employees when needed but is also served twice a day in order to keep them going. On the other hand, media expansion, growth of advertising as a separate industry has resulted in greater exposure of all the brands and masses. Hence social factors and changing mindsets have positively affected this industry Tea has always been acceptable in all social classes because of its usage. Green tea has recently gained a lot of popularity due to health reasons and is largely onsumed. EFAS Marketing QUESTIONS: 1. Evaluate the Dominant Economic Traits of the Tea Industry in Pakistan. 2. Apply the Five Forces Model of Competition to analyze the overall attractiveness of the Tea Industry in Pakistan. 3. What are the Drivers of Change in the Tea Industry of Pakistan? How are these Drivers likely to affect the Industry in the future? 4. Create an EFAS for Tapal.ANSWER NO 1Introduction:In Pakistan, tea is popular all over the country and holds an integral significance in local culture. It is one of the most consumed beverages in Pakistani cuisine The demand for tea in Pakistan is very high. While Pakistan does not produce tea, it is a major tea-consuming country, being ranked as the third largest importer of tea in the world.[1] In 2003, as much as 109,000 tonnes of tea were consumed in Pakistan, placing it as the seventh largest tea-consuming country in the world.MARKET SUMMARYTea is the cheapest and most popular beverage that is served at both professional and social gatherings all over the world. In Pakistan it is counted as a staple food item of common man and is an integral part of our culture and heritage. Due to these causes Pakistan consumes an substantial quantity of tea. Tea is Pakistan's favorite hot beverage.Although efforts have been made to cultivate tea in the mountainous areas, the projects could not achieve the desired results. At present there are two kinds of tea available in the market: branded and unbranded (loose) tea, the ratio is (55:45) respectively. Therefore, the importers are also of two types, though both import tea from the same countries. Bulk importers sell tea to retailers in loose form, while the second category of bulk importers sell packaged tea under brand names. MARKET SHARE PICTUREUnilever enjoys leadership with approximately 54% of Pakistan's tea market.  Tapal stands out as the major competitor for Unilever with 28% share. Tetley tea, a joint venture b/w Lakson Group and Tata tea of India, was introduced early this year and it has approximately 4% share, which is continuously decreasing. Other players in industry are Kohinoor Tea Company, Vital Tea Company and Alpha Tea Company. Unorganized market also captures a good market share in the total tea market of Pakistan. 70000 tons out of 150000 consumption is of unorganized tea.71% of total population of Pakistan are living in rural areas.Due to illiteracy and lack of awareness they are consuming unorganized tea which is mainly affecting the organized tea market. Due to this they are enjoying a very big market share of the total tea market. Organized segment mainly depend on the imported tea. Mainly big players are importing tea from different countries like Kenya, uk, Bangladesh. Last some year’s imported figures for Pakistan is described in the chart below. Unorganized tea is mainly smuggled from different neighbor countries of Pakistan. That’s why it has a large proportion in total consumption of tea in Pakistan which is 70000 tons o f total 150000 tonsMARKET GROWTHIndustry is now on the maturity stage. Large players has established their brands in the market and enjoyed huge profit margins. Now every company looking towards product differentiation and multi segmentation because consumers are now more taste conscious and looking for variety available to them in a tea market.Answer no 2RIVALRY The intensity of competition in the tea industry is fairly high. There are few established names like Lipton and Brooke Bond in the market. Now Tetley has also been introduced in the market. So Tapal is competing with all of these and also â€Å"Khulli Chai† as well. Talking about Lipton and Brooke Bond they are brands of Unilever which is known to be a giant in the FMCG industry. It seemed impossible that any local brand would even survive when competing with them but Tapal proved them wrong through smart advertising and high quality product it has already given Brooke Bond a run for its money and now facing Lipton. The rivalry can be observed when we look at the ad spend of these companies. All of them advertise heavily to gain a competitive advantage over the other.THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTSThreat of new entrants is high. This is evident by the immense growth in the industry and government policies are also encouraging new Tea houses to emerge on the scene. The taxes on import of tea are reduced thereby decreasing the cost of production. It can be taken as positive sign by a prospect player. Initially it was thought that no company would survive against the giants of Unilever but since Tapal people have started thinking that local brands can do well and new players might decide to come into this market.THREAT OF SUBSTITUTESIn this case tea will always remain an integral part of our culture. Having said that there is a low switching cost associated with the trade off of substitutes. In case of tea substitute is coffee and even cold drinks in some case. It can easily be assumed that the demand for tea is nothing but increasing. Currently majority of the consumers have not developed the taste for coffee so it cannot be seen as a potential threat. Change in patterns can be observed because consumers are shifting from normal tea to green tea but again the broad category of the product remains the same.BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERSThe bargaining power of buyers is low because of the high demand. Although due to increased competition prices remain competitive but buyers have little or no bargaining power. In case of tea an element of brand loyalty is also associated so a consumer would want to use a same brand which gives in his bargaining power. Also with tea people prefer quality over its price.BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERSBargaining Power of supplier is high because there are few suppliers of tea. The reason why there are few is because there is a specific taste of tea that consumers like so the manufacturers are forced to choose from few options. In Pakistan tea is imported majo rly from Kenya and Srilanka so the supplier is at power to influence the price due to the limited availability of the raw tea. In Pakistan recent plantation of tea farms may favor the local manufacturers and foreign suppliers may find a reduction in their bargaining power.Answer no 3 POLITICAL FACTORS:These factors and government interventions can make or break the industry. The political factors have played a very benign role for the tea industy. The political arena has a huge influence upon the regulations of the businesses, and spending power of consumers and other businesses. The political environment of Pakistan is relatively unstable in the current situation. The investors are not willing to invest in Pakistan. However, WTO and trade policies encourage the import of raw materials for Tea industry.Tea Import QuotaIt is an important consideration. Each year there is a certain quota on tea import in total imports of Pakistan. Each player is given quota to import and manufacture s o one can say that it is a very regulated industry.Diplomatic RelationsThe relations with the tea producing nations and Pakistan play a vital role as large part of imports comes from Kenya, but now Pakistan is also importing tea from India.Unstable Geographic ConditionsPakistan is situated at a very critical and geographically strategic location. Due to the uncertainty new investors are not ready to invest in Pakistan.Social FactorsThe social and cultural influences on business vary from country to country. It is very important that such factors are considered. People are socializing more may it be events or casual visits to friends and family. Tea has always been an integral part of Pakistani culture and rituals. It is understood that tea would be present at all events.Changing TrendsAs work environment is becoming more stressful, people require different forms of refreshment and intakes to increase their energy levels. This further increase the intake of tea at workplaces, tea is not only just available to the employees when needed but is also served twice a day in order to keep them going. On the other hand, media expansion, growth of advertising as a separate industry has resulted in greater exposure of all the brands and masses. Hence social factors and changing mindsets have positively affected this industry.Tea has always been acceptable in all social classes because of its usage. Green tea has recently gained a lot of popularity due to health reasons and is largely consumed. Another factor is the emergence of ice tea which is indirectly competing with soft drinks.TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS:Technology is important to gain an edge over competitors and it drives globalization. Technology helps companies to reduce cost and achieve economies of scale. Technology also leads to the development of new products and sometimes even segments. Tea manufacturers like Unilever and Tapal already manufacture tea of the highest quality and they achieve it by the state of the art production facility that they have. Lipton has also installed its own plant of Danedar tea production.Answer No 4OpprtunitiesOnline market: The online market offers Tapal tea the ability to greatly expand their business. Tapal tea can market to a much wider audience for relatively little expense†¦ New services: New services help Tapal tea to better meet their customer’s needs. These services can expand Tapal tea’s business and diversify their customer base†¦ New product: New products can  help Tapal tea to expand their business and diversity their customer base†¦New market: New markets allow Tapal tea to expand their business and diversify their portfolio of products and services†¦Threats:Bad economy: A bad economy can hurt Tapal tea’s business by decreasing the number of potential customers†¦ Govt regulations: Changes to government rules and regulations can negatively affect Tapal tea†¦ Political risks: Politics can increase Tapal tea’s risk factors, because governments can quickly change business rules that negatively affect Tapal tea’s business Volatile cost: Volatile costs mean Tapal tea has to plan for scenarios where costs skyrocket. Cautious planning leads to development delays that can negatively affect Tapal tea.

Abstract Apple Inc

Abstract Apple Inc. is one of the world’s largest technology companies dealing in computers and consumer electronic products. Founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniack Apple is now a multinational corporate empire who recently boasted a $15. 7 billion in revenue in the third quarter of 2010.This study’s objective is to carry out a strategic analysis of Apple Company using different analysis tools. The study aims to cover factors that exist in its internal and external environment and also evaluate how the company utilizes its resources to maintain competitive advantage in the market.Three different descriptive strategic tools will be used in this study includes SWOT Analysis, PESTLE Analysis and Resource Based View (RBV). The findings from these analyses are used in making conclusions on the study question.From this study it’s clear that Apples extensive brand equity, strong leadership of CEO Steve Jobs, Innovative research & development, fashionable & tre ndy image of its products and the strong branding & customer loyalty forms a great part of its strengths.However this study highlights the rushing of products into the market followed by quick product recalls and the many legal cases the company has been involved in as the major threats. Apple’s ‘iphone’ is the company’s attempt to utilize the available opportunity resulting from the increasing demand for ‘smart phones’.Apple Inc is threatened by poor quality output from its suppliers and the tight market for personal computers. The study recommends product testing be speeded up and the company to find alternatives ways to settle these legal cases to ensure Apple Inc maintains its competitive advantage in the technology market.

Free Essays on Piccasso

, that the painting could do all the talking needed. In October of 1901, Picasso painted beggars, very poor women who had children, blind men, harlequins, crazy people, and social outcasts. Picasso did this as a social protest. In the winter, he paints a portrait called Autoportrait. This portrait is a painting of him during the blue period. He depicts himself as unhappy, there isn’t a smile on his face, an... Free Essays on Piccasso Free Essays on Piccasso SUBJECT: Pablo Picasso Pablo Picasso’s Blue Period 1901, before moving to Madrid Pablo Picasso was staying in Mlaga with his friend Casagemas at his family’s house. He outraged his family while staying there by staying out late, not dressing properly, visiting brothels, and ignoring his family members that the two were not allowed to stay with the family. Pablo Picasso’s friend Carlos Casagemas passed away after committing suicide in front of friends at the Cafà © de l'Hippodrome because of the failure with his girlfriend Germaine. Picasso finds out about the death of his friend while in Madrid. During his time in Madrid, Picasso paints the people that surround him while sitting on the street corners. Picasso starts using pastels and paints to depict the different classes of the people. When he would use the harlequins and the poorest class of society, as models he mostly used blacks and whites to portray the harshness of their lives. When he would paint the high-class people, he would use softer tones and seductiv e colors. At this point of his life, he was just starting to reach his blue period (pre-blue period). Picasso moved back to Paris and that’s where he went into his blue period. It was after the visit to the women’s prison in Paris that turned him to use primarily blue. Picasso said, â€Å"It was thinking about Casagemas ... that got me started painting in blue.† Picasso’s wanted his paintings to be primarily political. He believed that the art explained pain and sadness without using words, that the painting could do all the talking needed. In October of 1901, Picasso painted beggars, very poor women who had children, blind men, harlequins, crazy people, and social outcasts. Picasso did this as a social protest. In the winter, he paints a portrait called Autoportrait. This portrait is a painting of him during the blue period. He depicts himself as unhappy, there isn’t a smile on his face, an...

Malayalam Essays

Malayalam Essays Malayalam Essays Malayalam Essays A Malayalam essay can be written in Malayalam or in English-about Kerala. The length should normally cover one thousand five hundred words. Malayalam essays can be written around topics such as Keralas history or political and economy issues. The rich cultural heritage as well as topography of Kerala which is a state in southern India-gives plenty of scope for writing a first class essay. Malayalam essays can focus on topics such as:Marginalized communities The growth of communism Malayalam films Classical dance forms like the KathakalliMalayalam literatureThe history A good introduction to Malayalam essays can examine how Kerala was formed on the first of November 1956 to unite all the areas that predominantly spoke in the Malayalam language. Kerala covers thirty eight thousand square kilometers and is flanked by the Arabian Sea, Tamilnadu and Karanataka. Its major cities include Cochin and Calicut. The Europeans landed on this historical point and opened up t he trade route to India. The spice trade as well as the enormous and lush coconut groves as well as water ways have greatly contributed to the checkered culture of the region. A tourists paradise Malayalam essays can highlight the fact that there is so much for tourists to do and see in Kerala. They can enjoy Ayurvedic treatments that include special massaging techniques that have been passed down for generations, boat-rides on its famous backwaters or bask on her wide beaches. The people of Kerala are highly educated and it is said that many of its bus drivers hold doctorate degrees. Malayalam essays can touch on the fact that the growth of communism as well as the concept of the dignity of labor has meant that few people are ready or willing to pick coconuts or work as domestic helpers in homes for less than exorbitant rates. Points to highlight Highest literacy rate in India-91% The least corrupt state in India Increasing affluence due to NRIs from Kerala that are working in the Persian gulf. The culture of Kerala includes the literature of Bhakti saints in the medieval times Rare forms of martial arts like Klaripayat To conclude Malayalam essays can stress on the natural abundance of Malayalam flora, fauna, literature, dance and films or one can write an essay on the language of Malayalam itself that is probably one of the oldest written languages of the world.

Advocacy and issues in physical education Essay

Advocacy and issues in physical education - Essay Example A lot of them are so fat! In the last two decades the number of obese children in our country has tripled. In fact, they comprise 17.1% of children including teenagers (Advocacy Issues). The figure is daunting!There is need for setting up after-school physical activity program in the school's main gym for non-athletes, increase in the amount of physical education currently offered in the school, adding physical education to No Child Left Behind law, and maintain 30 minutes recess in the regular school day.In the absence of adequate physical activity, the actual performances of the students suffer. They are unable to attain peak performance. They do not maintain the level of concentration required. They tire easily. They lack resilience.You can see that there are serious consequences awaiting these kids. From the viewpoint of health, obesity is the single cause for most diseases like cardiovascular problems, blood pressure, hypertension, type-2 diabetes, stroke, etc. (Advocacy Issues) . Apart from this, obesity comes in the way of physical activities and fast thinking that make careers. Parents too urge physical education in view of this situation.In a few years from now, these kids could be looking back with regret why they could not partake of a healthier system. They may feel they ought to have done more in the physical realm. They may even consider starting at that point. However, a great number of these students may drop out in the absence of sustained efforts of others over them, something that they can get in the school. It is here that we could do something positive and have the students put on the right track so that they can continue with it even after they complete school. I think there is the need to nurture physical exercise. Much of the time is spent on the mental aspects. Indeed the best times are spent studying. The physical attributes are hardly touched upon. It is high time the physical aspects are given their due. If we fail to act now the day is not far off when we will pay for the lapse with serious consequences to the individual and to the nation. Build better society The inclusion of physical education in school will have tremendous impact in the hearts and lives of the students. Given the right approach, they will grow to appreciate life better. The level of their thinking will improve. They will have better self-respect and they will learn to make more correct evaluations. Apart from better learning, their contributions to society will improve. It is important to bear in mind that we are handling children entrusted to us by parents who are keen to see that their wards receive the best attention and nurture not only mentally but also in the physical domain. Besides, society needs strong, self-oriented students. The capacity to perform and excel is inculcated in students who are well disposed to physical education. These students possess the attitude to awaken in society the right beliefs and traits so that the composite whole is reflected in the students. Building self-respect Students with physical education not only receive training and workout whereby they have better build physically but also score on self-evaluation. They are also well-informed and

International marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International marketing - Essay Example It provides the facility of discounts at Mulberry shops to its shareholders who own the 500 shares with the company (Morley 2011). The company operates on a large scale, having stores throughout the UK and across the world including Europe, Australia, and Asia. It aims at expanding its base by increasing the production of leather bags in the UK. Mulberry Handbags represent the symbol of England’s distinctiveness and style along with the lifestyle of the people of Britain. This brand is mostly preferred by ladies and is one of their best choices. The uniqueness lies in the provision of exclusively designed handbags that are available at reasonable prices. This brand provides products that represent ideal price, design, style and quality all provided at a single point. Mulberry has produced some top class products like Bayswater handbags and Roxanna handbags with the new unique designs styles. Therefore, Mulberry provides stylish and durable handbags at reasonable prices. The co mpany also operates through various online stores that provide handbags of all models and styles to the various consumers in the market (Morley 2011). The company aims to go for internationalisation in India in order to reach new market and expand its customer base. The reason lies in increasing the sales and earns increasing profits by providing uniquely designed and luxury leather goods to the potential customers. India has the second largest population in the world and this will provide the brand a large market space to grow and expand. Situational Analysis The situational analysis has been done in order to analyse the environmental conditions of the Indian market which will help to develop the marketing plan and enforce the expansion strategy in the Indian market. Socio-Cultural Environment Social cultural environment has an important role to play in when a company takes decision to enter international market. This environment includes all the factors that are not included in ec onomical or political aspects. The social cultural environment on broader parameter consists of complete range of behaviours patterns and relationships of the individuals in their personal lives. The basic factors that are included in the social cultural analysis of the market include characteristics of population of the market, values and attitudes and lifestyles and relationships (Hollensen 2008). Mulberry is a company of British origin which is well known for its luxury leather goods. The company is willing to engage itself in international trade by expanding and entering the Indian market (Morley 2011). The company needs to give emphasis on understanding the Social cultural environment of India before taking the final decision to enter the market. Along with this the company needs to understand this to design its products in such a manner that it is able to align its working with the requirements of the country like India it is initiating to enter (Wilson and Gilligan 1997). Com petitive Analysis For the purpose of competitive analysis of the PEST and porter’s analysis of the market is conducted in order to identify the environment which is to be faced by the company willing to perform its functions in India (Fill 2006). The major factors are discussed in detail as under. PEST Analysis Political Factors: This factor indicates the degree of intervention of the government in the functioning of the economy. India is the biggest democracy of the world and type of government

Why do terrorist organisations have different structures Use examples Essay

Why do terrorist organisations have different structures Use examples of at least one decentralised and one centralised structure to illustrate your arguments - Essay Example anizational structure whereby daily operations, responsibilities of decision making and other military logistics are delegated by the top management to other middle level and lower level managers either within the same or different geographical areas. On the other hand, centralization refers to the organizational structure whereby most of the major logistics such as decision-making, resource allocation are conducted at the same office, which is the central head office. Decentralization by terrorist groups offers relatively more advantages than centralization (Rapoport 2004, p. 47). There has been efforts by the United States together with its allies aimed at destabilizing the Al-Qaeda organization but this organization continues to operate as normally and even more stronger and has been big security threat to the US and other western nations. Research has shown that part of Al-Qaeda’s prolific success lies mostly on its ability to function as a decentralized organization. Although the U.S invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, Al-Qaeda still poses serious threats to the national security of the U.S and this has been contributed by the decentralized manner in which they operate. The U.S has targeted this organization both militarily and politically but despite this, Al-Qaeda continues to thrive. Al-Qaeda has conducted several terrors acts even despite the efforts of Global War on Terror (GWOT) by the U.S. (Cronin 2008, p.102). Most modern terrorist organizations are thriving on very well because they function as distributed networks in what is called as decentralized system. The manner in which they operate makes such organizations able to survive better than if they were organized in hierarchical systems. Initially, GWOT actions had significant significances on Al-Qaeda but with the manner in which it operates, it has remained a resilient organization. For example, autonomous individuals and cells and advanced technologies combined with globalization tools and the

Waitroses Brand Expansion

Waitroses Brand Expansion In 2000, Waitrose purchased 11 stores from rival Somerfield. During 2004, in order for Morrisons to meet competition regulations following its acquisition of Safeway, Morrisons had to sell 52 of the Safeway stores. The first batch of 19 stores were sold to Waitrose. In August 2005 Waitrose purchased a further five former Safeway stores from Morrisons. This took the firm as far north as Durham (now closed), fitting with its long term strategy to evolve into a national retailer. In December 2005, Waitrose also bought another store at Biggin Hill, south east London, from Morrisons. In March 2006, Waitrose announced the purchase of five additional branches, including two branches in Edinburgh, situated in Comely Bank and Morningside. The other three locations included Balham in South West London, Barbican in the City of London and Buxton in Derbyshire. In July 2006, Waitrose announced it had purchased another six stores from Morrisons and also a former Safeway regional distribution centre in Aylesford, Kent expanding Waitrose to 182 stores. The six stores which were rebranded into Waitrose are located at Hexham in Northumberland, Eastbourne in East Sussex, Formby in Merseyside, Parkstone in Poole, Dorset, Lymington in Hampshire and Portswood in Southampton, Hampshire. Since Morrisons began selling Safeway stores in order to meet competition regulations, Waitrose had purchased 31 stores from Morrisons since 2000 and 16 from Somerfield. In 2007 four new Waitrose branches opened, the first of which opened in Harborne in Birmingham. This was followed by Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester in July. The company also revealed plans to extend and refurbish a number of branches. During 2007, Waitrose opened branches across the United Kingdom including Ampthill, Bedfordshire, replacing a Budgens store in September, a second Waitrose branch in the South at College Town, Sandhurst, Berkshire in November and also a newly built branch in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire. In March 2008, three branches were purchased from Budgens, in Buckingham, Bayswater, in West London. The same year, branches opened in Cardiff (Pontprennau), Crewkerne, Kenilworth, Newcastle upon Tyne, White City (Westfield London), Chiswick, Clapham, Edgware Road (the latter three purchased from Woolworths) and Nottingham. A Waitrose store in Banstead was destroyed by fire in December 2008. In June 2008, Waitrose announced the acquisition of four Woolworths store sites for conversion to Waitrose branches in Chiswick, Battersea (Clapham Junction), Edgware Road (Marylebone) and Chapel Market, Islington. All these stores are now trading. In January 2009, Waitrose announced that they had acquired 13 sites from The Co-operative Group to be converted into Waitrose branches in Bridport, Dorset; Headington, Oxfordshire; Haslemere, Surrey; Saxmundham, Suffolk; Ponteland, Northumberland, Croydon, Surrey; Upminster, Essex; Stamford, Lincolnshire; Holsworthy, Devon; Alcester, Warwickshire; Torquay, Devon; Caldicot, Monmouthshire/Sir Fynwy; Leigh-on-Sea, Essex; as well as building another nine branches to make a total of 22 new branches. On 12 November 2009, Waitrose opened a new branch on Byres Road in Glasgow. This is after having purchased the preceding Somerfield store in this location. This is the first Waitrose branch situated in Glasgow. Also, a former Somerfield store in Stamford opened in June 2009. Waitrose cited it was the largest expansion in the history of the company, by adding 4,000 partners and increasing to around 220 supermarkets. Waitrose has entered into a licensing agreement with Spinneys of Dubai, United Arab Emirates to open three purpose-built branches, of which the first opened in the Dubai Mall in October 2008. Spinneys will convert 20 of their own stores to the Waitrose format by 2010. The company has a long term goal of opening 400 branches across the UK by 2017 and doubling its revenue to  £8bn by 2016. Recent developments: Waitrose is involved in a new scheme to operate food halls in key stores of sister chain John Lewis. The stores are officially branded as John Lewis Food Hall and use of the Waitrose brand is limited, but the stores do carry some Waitrose own-brand product lines. The staff uniform is also different to that of Waitrose. The first John Lewis Food Hall opened at the flagship London Oxford Street department store in October 2007; a second opened at the Bluewater branch in August 2009. Also in early 2009, following a fire which destroyed a Waitrose main store in Banstead, Surrey, Waitrose took up temporary residence in the towns former Woolworths store, vacated as a result of Woolworths collapse. The store was smaller than the damaged site but allowed Waitrose to maintain its presence in the area until the rebuilt main store re-opened on 26 November 2009. In April 2009, Waitrose announced a franchise deal with Welcome Break (a motorway service area operator). The two Waitrose stores which are the smallest stores in the partnership opened at Welcome Break services in Oxford and South Mimms on 1 and 15 May 2009 respectively. In Autumn 2009, Waitrose announced plans to expand its presence in the convenience store sector after successful trials of the format. These stores are smaller than the main Waitrose stores but allow the chain to retail a selection of keynote ranges in areas where there is not a suitable site for a large Waitrose supermarket. The firm also plans to expand on its presence at Welcome Break service stations. The firm has also signed a deal with Alliance Boots which will see Boots operating branded pharmacies and retailing health and beauty products through Waitrose stores; in return Boots stores will sell Waitrose food products.

Honda Cars :: essays research papers fc

Racial Riots in America   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over the past century, beginning before World War I, many incidents have occurred involving white mob assaults against entire black communities. In most of the cases these white mobs attacked the black neighborhoods, beating and killing the residents in many numbers. They also set fire and destroyed the blacks property. This was the result of the white society trying to maintain their superiority over the black communities, keeping them as the minority. These brutal confrontations are mostly referred to as race riots. Out of the many and many of these race riots that have been committed over the years, I have chosen a few to talk about in my paper.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In September of 1906, in Atlanta, Georgia, months of fury had broken out of race hatred. The newspapers had begun to treat black crime, mostly rape and assault, in an inflammatory manner. It had been reported that twelve white females had been raped in on week. The impression was given that it was black males who had been doing this. That began the riot. Mobs of whites murdered blacks, also destroying and looting their homes and places of work. This came with little help from the local authorities. The blacks attempted to resist the whites, but were too outnumbered. Some blacks armed themselves in self-defense, but were arrested. After the rioting went on for four days, two whites and ten blacks were dead with hundreds injured, and over a thousand had left the city. In 1917, in East St. Louis, many white working men felt that blacks were threatening their political and social status. After workers of a labor union at an aluminum plant went on strike in April of 1917, the plant hired blacks to do the work. When a militia, of both white and black, destroyed the strike the whites blamed the blacks for the defeat of the strike. A rioted was started, when whites began to burn and demolish black’s buildings. Many blacks were also beaten, and the only thing that the police did was to take the injured to the hospital. On July 1, a few whites in a Ford car drove down streets in a major Negro part of town. They shoot into many homes and buildings. After this the blacks armed themselves, so when the police came to investigate, who also were driving in a Ford, the blacks fired upon them, killing two police men.

Hr Systems Comparison: System Thinking , Best Practice, Best Fit

Managing human capital| HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT| | | | Table of Contents 1. Abstract3 2. Introduction3 3. System and Ecological Thinking4 3. Best Practice5 4. Best Fit6 5. Discussion7 5. 1. ‘Systems Thinking’7 5. 2. ‘Best-Practice’8 5. 3. ‘Best-Fit’9 6. Summary and Conclusion10 7. Bibliography11 1. Abstract This assignment will assess three main schools of thought that apply to Human Resources Management (HRM). With regards to contemporary HRM concepts it is evident that a consideration of the ‘larger picture’ is necessary to be able to effectively push an organisation towards its ideals goals.A consideration of ‘system thinking’, ‘best practice’ and ‘ best fit’ systems of HRM lead to balanced conclusion that it is necessary for an HR Manager to have a sensitivity to the individual needs of the workforce as well as the ultimate mission of the company. Each system discussed here does this diff erently here does this differently with each focussing on alternate viewpoints of what is most important; be it the intricacies of the system, the commitment applied to the overreaching goals of the organisation.This study finds that our of the three areas studied is viable and arguable that best practice system offers the most well rounded set of principles for general HRM. However, to assess the appropriate HR System for a more specific organisation either local or international, it is essential to consider a conglomerates system, which takes into consideration the specific aims of the company the needs of the staff to create an efficiency and enhanced performance that is still systematic and easily applicative.Key words: System Thinking, Best Practice, Best Fit, Human Resource Management 2. Introduction Human Resource Management was influenced from the changing look of the employment management relationship that occurred after the First and Second World War. It starts with the Fi rst World War; it can be classified in terms of a changed attitude of managers towards labour, changed labour management practices, the development of personnel techniques, and development of the personnel profession.During WW1 the demand for workers significantly increased, as a result of this, the need for monitoring workers, and finding qualified workers to manage the group of people similarly increased. â€Å"These new values became incorporated in what was emerging as a distinctive body of management thought, practice and ideology, upon which later theory and practice are founded. † WW1’s impact on HRM grew rapidly during WW2, with an increase in new theories and ideas. In addition to this, labourers created their industrial unions which enhanced the monitoring of the people and also allowed a development in training.During WW2 developments opened vast fields for HRM. Significant impacts occurred after the war, when the idea was introduced that â€Å"quality adds to costs†. Subsequently, â€Å"western organisations have since come to emulate the philosophy and practises of quality that proved so successful†. The concept of HR can thus find their beginnings rooted in the aftermath of the two world wars This essay will consider three main systems of HR namely; ‘systems thinking’, ‘best practice’ and ‘best fit’.Within these topics there will be an assessment of what each of these systems involves with regards to HR and occasionally the International HR Manager. The ‘best-fit’ system can be subdivided into three models which shall be discussed also. These are the ‘life-cycle model’, the ‘competitive model’ and finally the ‘configurational model’. Furthermore there will be consideration of the benefits and limitations of each of these practices, culminating in an assessment of which of these systems could offer the advantageous and beneficial HRM for the Director. . System and Ecological Thinking By definition, the context of HRM is complex because the nature of HR is that it is affected by many different factors, both internal (Vision, Mission and Goals, Policies, Management Approach, Organizational Culture, Quality of Work Life) and external (Political , economic, Social and Technological). Collins comments that â€Å"from the perspective of context, the story is never-ending†. He refers here of course, to the idea that these internal and external factors have an enormous effect on the working environment.It is a sensitive issue which requires a large amount of continued assessment; the goal being to keep these factors in check and accounted for in order to create a harmonious, productive and efficient workforce. This approach helps to simplify the complexities of context by looking upon HR as a ‘system', a term which denotes a delicate habitat made from smaller ‘sub-systems', where each ‘sub-s ystem' provides a layer of information that feeds up the chain to create the bigger picture.In the context of International HR (IHR), managers take on the same responsibilities as their local based colleagues but the area of activity and difficulty of these duties is based on the extent of internationalisation of the organisation. As they move towards a more global economy, organisations are supposed to revise their HR strategies. From one country to another, for example, external factors (e. g. politics) or internal factors (e. g. practice) would be vastly different.As a result of this, normal decisions can be really complex in an organisation operating around the world in multiple countries, particularly since for international organisations, all HR events are supposed to be synchronised across the home country and different national branches. The IHR manager needs to consider how to improve their leadership of a global company, choosing high potential employees and making correct decisions for the overall HR organisation A critical issue for IHR managers is creating co-operative strategies between countries.Consequently, the IHR manager cannot look at the ‘big picture’ from only one perspective. As Collin’s suggests, positivist and alternative views of a system can open â€Å"useful insights into the understanding of context†, ‘system’ thinking â€Å"allows us to see the whole rather than just its parts and recognise that we are a part of that whole. It registers patterns of change, relationships rather than just individual elements, a web of interrelationships and reciprocal flows of influence rather than linear chains of cause and effect. †The ‘system’ approach is organised in such a way that the processes and objectives are considered as a whole. For example, the ‘system’ consists of the organisation of the human element, machines, material resources, tasks, formal authority relatio nship; all of which are small informal groups. Each of these components works towards achieving the objective of the organisation – all of the processes are connected to each other. The main ‘system’ is the organisation, and this includes the interrelated and interdependent subsystems.The system thinking approach can be divided into an ‘open system' which refers to systems that take information from the environment, and a ‘closed system' whereby the system does not have any relationship with the environment. It is important for IHR Managers to remain firmly within an ‘open system’. They are required to start a dialogue with their environment and constantly adjust internally to remain buoyant and in balance with the external factors. It is interesting to consider an aspect of ‘systems thinking’ referred to as both ‘Hard Systems Thinking’ (HST) and ‘Soft Systems Thinking’ (SST).Within HST, humans are c onsidered as an objective resource. Its purpose is to pinpoint the ideal solution for predicting and controlling the use of existing resources. Once this ideal solution has been identified, the role of HRM then focuses on enforcing compliance with the designed regime. The difficulty with HST however, is that it is incapable of taking into consideration any kind of human misunderstanding or conflict which may hinder goal achievement. On the other hand, SST as proposed by Checkland (1980), is available to help tackle those problems which could not be handled by HST.SST has seven stages, which focus heavily on wide participation to create ownership of the outcome. Firstly, one must enter the problem situation, secondly express the problem in a â€Å"rich picture†, thirdly Formulate Root Definitions so that one can create precise perspectives of the participant system, fourthly Build Conceptual Models to understand better what each system does, fifthly, compare these models with reality, sixthly identify possible changes and seventhly take firm action to improve the situation. The benefits of SST are that it truly is able to recognise that problems occur due to differences of opinion.Its chief aim is to develop a sense of mutual understanding and preserving the existing state of affairs. Another aspect of ‘systems thinking’ is ‘Critical Systems Thinking’ (CST). According to Jackson (1991), CST accumulates five main components: critical awareness, social awareness, and dedication to human emancipation, complementarism at the theoretical level and complementarism at the methodological level. Midgeley (1995) stresses that CST developed around three areas of thought: improvement, critical awareness, and methodological pluralism.Improvement is able to be easily monitored through value systems, critical awareness considers participation factors and boundary judgements while methodological pluralism reflects on the range of methodologies available to temper communication and observation in order to supply an improvement, offer mutual understanding and involve a decision making process. Both Jackson and Midgeley show that CST is able to satisfy the three key human interests that were identified by Habermas in 1970 as being the technical interest, the practical interest and the emancipatory interest. 3. Best PracticeThe concept of ‘best practice’ falls under the category of a strategic human resource management technique (SHRM). It is also an example of ‘high commitment’ HRM. The idea behind ‘best-practice’ SHRM is that if an organisation adopts a particular selection of HR practices that are considered ‘best’ or most effective, then this will allow that organisation to enjoy an improved performance; both in terms of organisational productivity and output, and employee satisfaction. It is argued that with the ideal set of ‘best practices’, any company or organisation will benefit if they implement these practices fully (ie. ith a level of ‘high commitment’). There has been much research into the perfect set of ‘best practices’; since without knowing what constitutes the ideal universal set, it is impossible to claim any is really a ‘best’ set. Pfeffer (1994) provides one of the most commonly considered set of HR practices – a collection of sixteen HR principles designed for â€Å"competitive advantage through people†. These sixteen were then later simplified in 1998 into seven practices for â€Å"building profits by putting people first†.Marchington and Wilkinson later tweaked these practices for the benefit of the UK populace in 2002. The simple act of Pfeffer’s work needing to be altered to better fit a UK audience, suggests that the original principles were not relevant and consequently, not universal. If, the concept of ‘best practice’ is for an org anisation to follow a set of universal practices as closely as possible, with the idea being the more closely followed, the better the performance, then these principles need to be applicable to a universal audience to begin with.Guest (1987) expands on this by noting that since lists of ‘best-practices’ vary wildly in their inclusions it is difficult for there to be any rigorous evidence that supports any kind of universal application. Youndt et al. (1996) provide a generalised acknowledgement of what most models of ‘best-practice’ seem to focus on. In this research it is claimed that most focus on â€Å"enhancing the skill base of employees†. Extensive training of staff is undoubtedly important for many sets of ‘best-practice’, with most providing at least induction training and/or performance appraisals.Similarly Youndt’s recognition that many practices â€Å"promote empowerment, participative problem-solving and teamwork† which we can see reflected in examples such as Huselid’s (1995) stress on information sharing, Kochan and Osterman’s (1994) problem-solving groups, and Arthur’s (1994) suggestion of social events respectively. Youndt et al. goes some way towards establishing a more universal set of ‘best practices’, by taking the most commonly appearing practices and collecting them into a likely looking set of the most popular practices.In doing so, one could hopefully assume that the principles are relatable to a vast majority of organisations if not, ideally, all. Considering the difficulty in pinning down a firm set of ‘best practices’ acknowledged and agreed upon by all, it is interesting then that Capelli and Crocket-Hefter (1996:7) believe that in place of a single set of practices, which they believe to be â€Å"overstated†, it is rather the â€Å"distinctive human resource practices† that cause progression and enhancement of or ganisation.A type of practice that is thus distinguishing and characteristic or a particular workplace cannot be considered universal, but rather a focused set of practices that are applicable in a specific work environment. A final aspect to consider with ‘best-practice’ is the notion put forward by Storey, 1992, that single practices will be less affective if they are executed individually. MacDuffie, 1995, expands on this further by suggesting that it is essential for each practice to be grouped together into with complementary practices.This concept is known as ‘horizontal integration’. It is recognised that this type of integration allows some practices to be added or left out, as long as there are a core set of highly committed principles to adhere to. Although this too has problems, since in Guest et al. ’s analysis of the WERS data in 2000, they found that â€Å"the only combination of practices that made any sense was as straightforward cou nt of all the practices†. 4. Best Fit ‘Best-fit’ is also an example of SHRM.It is a concept which is rooted in ‘vertical integration’; the idea that a company’s business and HR strategies are aligned and cohesive. The suggestion being that an organisation becomes increasingly efficient when its HR department and the overall aims, goals and mission of the company are tailor fit. There are three models of ‘best-fit’ that explore this vertically integrated relationship, firstly the ‘life-cycle models’ (Kochan and Barocci, 1985), secondly the ‘competitive advantage models’ (Miles and Snow, 1978 and Schuler and Jackson, 1987) and thirdly the ‘configurational models’. . 1. Life-Cycle Models This model tries to link the vertical relationship between HR practices and company policy to a metaphoric ‘life-cycle’ of a company, from its start-up phase through to decline. Baird and Mershoulam (1988) states that â€Å"human resource management’s effectiveness depends on its fit with the organisation’s stage of development†. The inference is that as a company grows, changes, progresses etc. so must its complementary HR department. During the start-up phase, the emphasis for the HR department is flexibility and informality.As the company grows (growth phase), so must the HR policies. With the assumed increase in staff it is necessary for there to be a more rigid and formal HR department to cope with this. It is a perfect opportunity to foster innovation. The next stage is the maturity stage whereby a company is more established. During this time the HR role is about stability and control, and about perfecting practices already in place. Finally the decline stage considers HR’s role in matters such as redundancy and generally reducing company size. 5. 2. Competitive Advantage ModelsThis model usually applies to the research conducted by Porter (19 85), in which three bases of competitive advantage were identified: cost leadership, quality of service, and focus or innovation (i. e. being the sole provider of a product or service). Schuler and Jackson (1987) expand on this research by defining HR practices that ‘fit’ Porter’s three bases. Within each base (which can be referred to as a market strategy) there is an ideal set of employee roles alongside a reinforcing set of HRM policies. If the two are able to align efficiently, then it is presumed a higher level of performance will incur. 5. 3.Configurational Models The configurational model was proposed by Delery and Doty (1996). It attempts to rectify the problem that the best-fit school is often levelled with, that it oversimplifies the organisational reality. It does not take into consideration the ways in which a company is expected to grow and change in accordance with external factors (economic, political, social). The configurational approach aims to steer clear from linear thinking, and allows for the prospect that a company/organisation may be subject to many independent variables and may be focusing on multiple performance strategies at any given time.In short, the configurational model’s aim is to simultaneously achieve both horizontal and vertical integration. It responds to the truth that it is necessary for a company to be able to integrate it’s HR policies both horizontally and vertically (i. e. in accordance with the company’s overall direction but also with a set of practices that provide employee satisfaction and growth) in order for it to survive. This concept is easily visualised through Miles and Snow’s (1978) ‘defender’ and ‘prospector’ categories.The ‘defender’ category refers to a system that operates in a stable and predictable environment, while the ‘prospector’ category is conversely unpredictable and hurried. Each category is nec essary for the progression of the company (vertical integration), while the varying characteristics of both allow for a set of fairly general HR practices designed to secure employee satisfaction (horizontal) while adhering to the needs of both categories. 5. Discussion The three systems that have been discussed address HRM in vastly different ways.What is interesting to note is that despite this incongruence, they each prove to be successful and efficient systems. It is necessary however to discuss each system a little more critically in order to assess which system would be the most useful and effective in a work environment. 6. 1. ‘Systems Thinking’ ‘Systems thinking’ is a highly beneficial process for the IHR Manager. What is unique about its application is that it is able to take a very complex, perhaps global, situation and conceptualise it in such a way that it becomes clear how it can be manipulated by external factors.The manager is able to witness how the environment can affect the subsystems and consequently implement changes that react with the environment so as to produce a dialogue that is able to breathe and develop organically. For the IHR Manager it is essential for such complex dynamics to be simplified to an extent that it becomes easily manageable and they are able to grasp the bigger picture, whilst remaining in tune with the intricacies of the subsystems that are flexible to change. It is this ‘open system’ that makes ‘systems thinking’ so unique.Furthermore, the concepts of HST and SST are equally beneficial within ‘systems thinking’. HST is perfect for workforce planning and optimising resources, while SST is excellent for agreeing goals, performance feedback and participation. However, ‘systems thinking’ finds its downfall in the fact that while HST and SST are effective systems, they are only able to work independently of each other. Ideally, one would merge the two to provide an all encompassing system both in tune to the personal needs as well as the technical aspects. Another limitation of most ‘systems thinking’ in general is that it is primarily oriented towards ethodology, and is fundamentally rationalist. Flood (2001) argues that when focused on human existence, â€Å"systemic thinking helps people to sense a deep holistic or spiritual quality†, but arguably perhaps only if the idea of ‘systems thinking’ can be expanded to become part of a worldview, rather than just a discipline or methodology. In short, ‘systems thinking’ is at risk of only seeing the bigger picture to the detriment of the particulars. 6. 2. ‘Best-Practice’ The concept of ‘best-practice’ is one that takes into consideration the specifics of HRM.It encompasses some of the most commonly used principles of HR by identifying key policies that are essential to HRM. The advantages of this system lie in its simplicity. It is able to present a firm, established and tested selection of HR principles that will undoubtedly be beneficial to an organisation. The problems with ‘best-practice’ arise centred around the word ‘best’, however if one concurs with Capelli and Crocker-Hefter (1996), that these practices would be better referred to as ‘distinctive’, then we are faced with a healthy abundance of productive systems, ready to be implemented.An HR Manager in this instance need only choose a set of principles which they feel is most applicable to their situation and organisation and start using the immediately. Since there are so many ‘best-practice’ systems, it is arguable that one could alter and tailor-make a set of ‘best practices’ that are specific and unique to a particular organisation. The technique of horizontal integration, or ‘bundling’ allows complementary systems to be implemented alongsi de each other and heightens a sense of congruence and cohesion, as asserted by Wright and McMahan (1999).Furthermore there is evidence to support the idea that the ‘high-commitment’ strategy behind ‘best-practice’ (i. e. an organisation should aim to follow all systems within a ‘best-practice’ set) creates a higher achieving organisation. While horizontal integration can be considered beneficial, frustrations may arise due to the fact that ideally no single practice should be pulled out of a system and used individually as its efficacy will drop considerably. Additionally, the ‘best-practice’ system is only effective on a non-universal plane.Since there is such an abundance of systems it is impossible to select just one set as being the only ‘best-practice’. Consequently for an organisation on an international level, the ‘best-practice’ system would not be beneficial and could potentially neglect certain i mportant aspects if it is not catered towards the specifics of that organisation. On the other hand, Youndt et al. (1996) were able to briefly collect a sample of some of the most commonly appearing policies, which could provide a sound starting point for any HRM. 6. 3. Best-Fit’ When considering the ‘best-fit’ model it is plain that its main advantage is its use of vertical integration. By paying close attention to the overall aims and goals of the company, the ‘best-fit’ system is able to create a set of HR policies that work in complete cohesion with those aims in order to fully maximise the potential of the staff and consequently the business. Every aspect of the organisation works with the focus of the same goals. The various models within the ‘best-fit’ system each have their own benefits too.The ‘life-cycle model’ is able to vividly explore the natural progression of a company and alters it’s HR policies in tan dem with this progression. However, it is difficult to know throughout this model which HR strategies are able to secure the type of human resources that are necessary to continued viabilities, even when industries develop, and which are more likely to contribute to sustainable competitive advantage through the life cycle? (Boxall and Purcell, 2003). The ‘life-cycle’ model is unique also since it is able to allow the HR Management master the present while pre-empting the future.However, it is incapable of allowing for unexpected incidents and relies on an organisation not veering away from the pre-planned cycle. The ‘competitive advantage model’ is useful since it focuses on company gain and edge and tries to set an organisation apart from the other by an awareness of Porter’s three key bases (1985). Finally, the ‘configurational model’ allows both horizontal and vertical integration, which ideally allows the full potential of a company to be realised, whilst expanding and enhancing staff prospects. The difficulties of the ‘best-fit’ system lie in its common criticism, that it oversimplifies the matter entirely.It does not take into consideration internal turmoil or conflict which needs to be sensitively addressed. It assumes that everyone’s best interests are with the overall aims of the business, and provides a rather harsh reality of working life. It forces HR into a submissive system that fits into the overall goal, and implies that within this model HR is a secondary factor. On balance, on an advisory level for an IHR Manager, ‘systems thinking’ would be the most beneficial, since it offers the opportunity to assess the situation on a larger scale and implement strategies that can be manipulated in harmony with the external influence.However, when considering a start-up company or a localised company, it would appear that the ‘best practice’ model is the most viabl e. While it is not able to be fully universally applied, it is able to provide an excellent basis for most businesses. For the discerning HR Manager, a set of ‘best-practices’ can be established specific to that organisation that can be assessed and manipulated as the company progresses with time. 6. Summary and Conclusion In conclusion, this assignment is able to consider the complexities of HRM through the investigation of three strategic systems.It is apparent that each system has many benefits, and each is certainly applicable in various situations. Each HR system is designed with a certain business model in mind. The ‘system thinking’ approach is clearly catered towards a more internationally based institution, while the ‘best-fit’ approach takes into consideration the start-up company. It is only really the ‘best-practice’ system (in this study) that offers a middle ground option for the largest sector of businesses.It is evi dently important for the HR Manager to keep on top of their chosen system, as the ever changing environment, especially nowadays, leaves businesses vulnerable to external factors (most apparent in the form of political, social and economic factors). It is vital for HRM to remain vigilant, but flexible in their approach in order to maintain stable in the face of adversity. 7. Bibliography 1. Midgley, G. , Systemic Intervention: A Critical Systemic Perspective, in Systems Thinking, Government Policy and Decision Making, Bergvall-Karweborn, B. Ed. ), ISSS, Louisville, Kentucky(1995). 2. Human resource management in context, Audrey Collin pg85 4th edition 3. Ulrich, W. , Critical Heuristics of Social Systems Design, 103-115, in Flood, R. L. and Jackson, M. C. Critical Systems Thinking, Directed readings, Wiley, Chichester(1991). 4. Checkland. P. B. , â€Å"Are Organizations Machines? † Futures, 12:421(1980). 5. Miles, Raymond E. and Snow, Charles C. (1978). Organizational strateg y, structure, and process. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co 6. Delery. J. E. and Doty. H. D. 1996) ‘Modes of Theorizing in Strategic Human Resource Management: Tests of Universalistic, Contingency, and Configurational Performance predictions'. 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