Woman as the Other and as the Other Woman

Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986), French existentialist, writer, and social essayist, passed on just over two decades ago. Putting it this way makes her ideas so much more alive. She did not just write about how she lived. She wrote, and she lived what she wrote about: she refused to be the Other, but she was also, in a manner of putting it, the Other Woman.Simone’s Life and Love(s) in Philosophy Simone de Beauvoir is now noted and appreciated as a philosopher. She was not always considered a philosopher however, but a writer, and has only been given the distinction of being a noted philosopher in more recent years.Her works became considered â€Å"philosophical† only after her death. Beauvoir was born in France in 1908. She belonged to a bourgeoisie family, and had one sister. As a teenager, she declared herself an atheist, and devoted her life to feminism and writing (Marvin, 2000). Apparently, her parent’s disposition and stature were a major influence on her. H er father was extremely interested in pursuing a career in theater, but because of his societal position (and with a noble lineage), he became a lawyer (which was expected), and hated it. Her mother, on the other hand, was a strict Catholic.Some authors have noted that Simone struggled between her mother’s religious morals and her father’s more pagan inclinations, and this purportedly led to her atheism and shaped her philosophical work. As a child, Simone was religious and had a relationship with God. She wrote in early work about her thankfulness that heaven had given her the immediately family that she had, but this feeling (at least the religious aspects of it) dissipated as she aged (Flaherty, 2008). When she was around 15, Simone de Beauvoir decided she would be a famous writer.She did well in many subjects, but was especially attracted to philosophy, which she went on to study at the University of Paris. There she met many other young creative geniuses, includin g Jean-Paul Sartre, who became her best friend and life-long companion. The group of friends that she spent her time with was considered a â€Å"bad† group, a circle of rebels. Such perceptions did not matter however for Simone and Sartre whose fondness for each other only grew over the years. Their works were frequently linked as they read and critiqued each other’s writings, and she was sort of considered as his ‘student’ — the Other.However, she was not just the Other, she was a significant Other, as it were. Their relationship became intimate and Sartre even proposed to her. She however declined the proposal because she felt that marriage was such a constricting institution and that they should, instead, be free to love â€Å"others† (Flaherty, 2008). After graduating from the university, Simone lived with her grandmother and taught at a lycee, or high school. She taught philosophy at several schools throughout her life, which allowed her to live comfortably. She spent her free time going to cafes, writing, and giving talks.In Berlin, she spent time with Sartre and they got linked with two female students, the sisters Olga and Wanda Kosakiewicz. Sartre initially pursued Olga but later had an affair with Wanda. Note that he and Simone had agreed that they would be free to love others. During this time, Simone got very sick and spent some time in a sanitarium. By the time she left the sanitarium, Olga was married, and Wanda and Sartre were no longer lovers (Flaherty, 2008). This phase in her life, one could perhaps say, highlighted her journey as the Other Woman. Simone traveled around the world later in her life, lecturing.She came to the United States in the 1940s and met another man, Algren. He proposed to her, but she opted to stay with Sartre instead. Also during her travels, Simone participated, with Sartre, in the 1967 â€Å"Bertrand Russell Tribunal of War Crimes in Vietnam. † There she met several note d leaders, including Khrushchev and Castro; however, unlike Sartre, she did not particularly enjoy being in the public spotlight. (Gascoigne, 2002) In 1981, when Sartre died, Simone wrote a memoir about him. After this, she continued to take drugs and drink alcohol, which contributed to her mental decay.She and Sartre had always taken drugs and alcohol. Simone frequently became drunk throughout her life. She died in 1986, and was buried beside Sartre’s remains (Gascoigne, 2002). Beauvoir’s Views: My Reflections Beauvoir strictly considered herself a writer, not a philosopher. Others did not see her as a philosopher because, in what may today be described as sexism, she was a woman and thus inferior in some ways. Moreover, she was also seen as merely a student of Sartre and not as a philosopher in her own right. On top of it all, she was a woman who wrote about women.It must be pointed out that this field of study was not truly accepted in the academe until very recentl y; hence, Beauvoir’s work was not accepted as being philosophical during her time. She was indeed heavily overshadowed by Sartre, especially because some of her work reflects his (Bergoffen, 2004). Beauvoir’s philosophical ideas focused on how truths in life were revealed in literature. She wrote several essays, including â€Å"Literature and the Metaphysical Essay† (1946) and â€Å"Mon Experience d’Ecrivain,† which translates to ‘My Experience as a Writer’ (1956).Her works include both fiction and non-fiction, all in regards to studying literature in reaction to human relationships and thoughts (Bergoffen, 2004). Truly life is mirrored by literature, but literature is also a part of life, and life can be shaped by literary work. In the life and works of this trailblazing feminist writer-philosopher, one can see the reality of literature as a potent force not only of self-expression but also of life changing. Feminism was of primary im portance to Beauvoir, and she is considered to be one of the pioneers of the movement.In fact, Beauvoir is best known for her feminist work, â€Å"The Second Sex,† now a classic of feminist literature (Eiermann). In this work, she looks at the role of women in society, and the advantages and disadvantages that she, herself, faced. It was initially not thought of as a philosophical work because it dealt with sex, which, during the Victorian era, was not a subject openly discussed. In reality, the book closely examines patriarchal society and its impact on women, and calls for women to take action against these oppressions.It fired up women of later generations to fight for political, social, and personal change. The book remains debated to this day because of the way it addresses the issues, but it is still considered a major early book on feminism (Bergoffen, 2004). Here she put an exclamation point on her observations of Woman in society being seen and treated merely as the Other. Beauvoir is also known for an earlier work, Force of Circumstance. â€Å"Within this piece she discussed vital issues of the day-confusion and rage regarding human freedoms and the French/Algerian War† (Flaherty, 2008).Human freedom was a big issue that was crucial in Beauvoir’s work. She was particularly concerned that people needed to be free. This is reflected in the way she lived her own life, and in the way she lectured others. She walked her talk, and was for some time describable perhaps (albeit from a rather sexist perspective) as being the Other Woman, with no rancor, in Sarte’s life. She Came to Stay (1943) is another work that deals with freedom. This is a novel that deals with â€Å"reflections on our relationship to time, to each other, to ourselves† (Bergoffen, 2004).The work doesn’t fit a traditional philosophical framework, where questions are brought to a close and fully answered. Instead it only explores questions by lookin g at the lives and interactions of the main characters. In this novel, a murder is committed because of a character’s desire for freedom, and the novel examines if the murder was just or not, among other issues surrounding the situation. This work is frequently considered her first true philosophical work (Bergoffen, 2004). How many times have this student been asked this question in real life by friends and particular circumstances: freedom or life?There is something profoundly unsettling in the questions that Beauvoir’s works raises. In She Came to Stay, purportedly a fictionalized chronicle of Beauvoir and Sartre's relationship with the sisters Olga and Wanda, we are treated to an exploration of complex personal relationships. Olga was one of her students in the Rouen secondary school where she taught during the early 30s. In the novel, Olga and Wanda are made into one character with whom fictionalized versions of Beauvoir and Sartre have intimate relationships.The novel delves into Beauvoir and Sartre's complex relationship. She wrote about her life, and she lived her writings. With what she wrote, she pursued her questioning, her philosophizing. Pyrrhus and Cineas (1944) is Beauvoir’s first philosophical essay and a major turning point in her life as a writer. This essay looks at questions like â€Å"What are the criteria of ethical action? † â€Å"How can I distinguish ethical from unethical political projects? † â€Å"What are the principles of ethical relationships? † â€Å"Can violence ever be justified?† The essay looks at the moral, political, and other implications of these questions, and further explores the notion of freedom, relationships, and violence. Simone was not sure if violence was truly justified, but concludes that it is ‘neither evil nor avoidable. ’ The questions are not truly resolved in this work, much like in her previous work (Bergoffen, 2004). Then there is Ethics of A mbiguity (1947), which further looks at ethical questions regarding freedom, and the difference between childhood and adulthood.According to Beauvoir, children ‘live in mystery,’ and they should. However, she posits that children should also be forced to be adults and there could be violations of freedom involved in this. This work expands on the idea of freedom from the previous work, and looks at new dimensions of it (Bergoffen, 2004). Two themes seem to appear most prominently in the work of Beauvoir: Freedom and Feminism. The Feminine is made an agent of freedom and is problematized so in the work of Beauvoir. Today, many still turn to her work for we can see the realities that her work reflects.We still find Woman as the Other — in some societies with her multiple burdens given her second-class status. Even in the supposedly modern nation that is the U. S. we find gender an unsettling concern in electoral politics. More broadly, freedom remains a problematic ideal in the globalizing world. Many states (e. g. , North Korea, China, Cuba, the young Republics in Eastern Europe) remain unstable at their core having had to grapple with forces of change and freedom from within and from outside their societies and territories.At another level, the world is not lacking with individuals and groups with their various advocacies aimed at expanding the limits of freedom in civil society. Today the woman question has become the bigger concern that is Gender. This student now more fully realizes that gender is a social-psychological thing while sex is a biological or physical matter. The Woman is more than her body after is all. To be Woman is a choice, is a matter of freedom. The definition of gender lies not in the body. Gender is the realization of what you think and feel you are, and what you prefer as a lifestyle, to put it broadly.

Military nurses Essay

The nurses gave care to the men who were wounded during the war. They gave the care that was needed for example, medical care to dress up the wounds of the men. For those who became paralyzed, the nurses supported them physically and emotionally. They clothed and fed them. The families of those who made it and their loved ones spoke of the care they received from the nurses and glorified their assistance. They continued to acknowledge their presence and selfless efforts to assist them. (Song, p78) The military nurses conducted talks at high schools. They wanted to educate the students regarding the careers available and what it would take for them to be qualified. They gave their stories and the challenges that they faced during their work. When the students were asked which profession was toughest and most demanding, they said it was nursing. (Chen, p45) Given all the stories that they heard, they concluded that, if they had to be a nurse, then it was tantamount to a vocation which demanded that one leaves behind all other dreams just to serve as a nurse. It was even more challenging for the nurses because they did not have proper health facilities from which to operate. They set up tents and the tent was used to carry out even very delicate surgery operations. The medical facilities were described to be beyond primitive. (Insun, p456) Ironically, it was compared to TV Show and MASH movie. The environment was dirty and non sterile. They did not have adequate instruments. In addition, the hands at work were not enough. The emergency cases were so many yet the nurses were few and could therefore not deal with the workload by themselves. To make the matter worse, there were some equipment which had to be shared during surgical procedures which were absolutely required to save people’s lives, yet they had not been sterilized. For example, the nurses did not have suction. Also missing was penicillin for irrigating the wounds. There was no blood for transfusion yet the majority of cases which were received were of people who had lost too much blood and needed more. The casualties out in the field were just so many. Despite the terrible state of the tents functioning as hospitals, all the casualties were taken there. (Woodside, p67-p89) These nurses were the only hope and the lives of people and soldiers were only entrusted with them. It was hoped that, once they treated them, they would eventually be sent back to fight. These women nurses were not allowed to cry. (Insun p56) They were supposed to encourage and give hope to the dying. It was very wrong to cry in front of the wounded men and the dying ones. These men needed the strength of these women in that poor state of their health. The women were not supposed to gain luxury out of their own feelings. At the same time, the nurses were not supposed to lie to the soldiers regarding their health. If they were dying they were supposed to tell then straight in their faces. (Taylor, p34) This was such a torment to them. The nurses at times were not able to get along with their nursing director and therefore sought transfer. Unfortunately, they were transferred to the war-torn areas and much worse than the areas they were previously serving. In addition women were supposed to fly runs for evacuation and many of the nurses had not had a chance to be in a helicopter, but they could not give up this responsibility since there was no one else to do it. The women serving in the medical personnel were the most inexperienced too serve during the time of war. Besides that, they feared for their lives especially because the soldiers depended on them for medical care. (Yu, Insun, 278) The nurses also went to Vietnamese villages and set up medial centers and clinical which they used to treat those children who had eye infections, skin diseases and intestinal diseases. Most of the diseases came form the bacteria which was always present. (Woodside, p36) Conclusion The stories of Vietnamese women are one that can drive a reader to point of tears. The sufferings and torture that these women went through is a living proof of their sacrifices. These women put their lives on line to restore peace and harmony as well as save lives. Despite the various roles and professions that were engaged in they never gave up their roles in the family as mothers, caretakers, wives and advisers. Their contributions particularly during the time of war deserve praise and honor. They should be rewarded for their efforts. They did what many women are not believed they can do. (Chen, 236) The women did not show cowardice but actually displayed courage and perseverance. Vietnamese women are a symbol of strength that is possessed by the women and discourages women to take a back seat in all matters. From the experiences, it is obvious that without the support that they gave to the soldiers, they would not have accomplished much in their country. It is high time that Vietnamese women held their leads high and walked with pride and dignity they have. Works Cited Chen, King C. Vietnam and China, 1938-1954. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969. Song, Jungnam. History of Vietnam. Bu-san: Bu-san University Press, 1966. Taylor, Keith W. The Birth of Vietnam. Redwood City: Berkeley, University of California Press, 1983. Taylor, Keith W. and Whitmore, John K. eds. Essays into Vietnamese Pasts. Ithaca: Southeast Asia Program Publications, Cornell University, 1995. Woodside, Alexander B. Vietnam and Chinese Model. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1971.

HAT task 3 Essay

SARS is known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. SARS was identified in late February 2003 by Dr. Ubani World Health Organization epidemiologist, but the first case of SARS was seen in November 2002 in the Guangdong Province of Southern China. The SARS was particularly seen within the healthcare workers and in their family members. The most of cases were fatal. Due to the unknown respiratory disease and it was spreading fast among people. World Health Organization (WHO) was notified. By the time WHO was involved, there was already 305 cases and five deaths of an unknown disease were reported (Christian, 2003). A medical doctor who was caring infected personnel in Guangdong Province in February 2003 was the source of transmission of the infection. This doctor traveled to Hong Kong and stayed in the hotel at ninth floor for one night. During his stay at the hotel, the virus was spread among the other guests who were staying in the ninth floor of the hotel. From there, these guests a nd visitors implanted outbreaks of cases to the various hospitals of Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Singapore. Concurrently the SARS was spread worldwide by air as infected individuals travel back to their home to United States of America, Canada (Toronto), and other countries of the world. (Christian, 2003). From November 2002- July 2003, there were a total of 8,098 possible cases of SARS were reported to the WHO from 29 different countries. From 8,098 cases, 774 deaths were reported. The ratio’s of mortality was reported to be Singapore was 14%, Hong Kong 17%, France 14%, and Canada 17% (Sars basic fact, â€Å"2012). The SARS epidemic was contained in July 2003. Data SARS is severe respiratory disease, and corona virus causes it. Corona viruses usually related to respiratory disease in some animal kind. Usually SARS has about 4-6 days of the incubation period. The most people started to feel sick within 2-10 days of exposure to the virus. The first primary symptom is high fever then it followed by headaches; generalized weakness and body ache, chills; rigors are common symptoms of the disease. Ten to  twenty percent of patients did experience some diarrhea. The first 2-10 days, patient also experienced nonproductive cough, shortness of breath, and hypoxia as disease progressed. The initial phase of the disease, the chest x-ray, doesn’t show any changes and are negative. As the disease progressed, the chest x-ray shows some interstitial infiltrates this means development of pneumonia. Because of the development of pneumonia, about 15-25% of patients require mechanical ventilation, despite mechanical ventilation half of the patient’ s still die. The risk of dying with SARS increases with advanced age and any other underlying medical condition for example diabetes. The death rate of 10% can increase to 50% in patient’s older than age of 60 (Parashar, 2004). Blood test shows decline in absolute lymphocyte count with normal to low white blood cell count. About 70-90% of patient showed a lymphopenia and 30-50% showed thrombocytopenia throughout peak stage (Parashar, 2004). Liver and renal functions need to monitor closely. The treatment of SARS usually supportive and also depends on the patient’s clinical picture. SARS treatment is usually similar to pneumonia antipyretics for fever, oxygen for hypoxemia, and ventilation in severe cases. There is no known supportive data on the effectiveness of the vaccine or antiviral agents (Trivedi, 2011 P. 1). The epidemiological data on SARS approximated mortality rate between 14-15%. During the epidemic, there were 8098 possible cases of SARS with 774 (9.6%) dea ths reported in different 29 countries (Parashar, 2004). The highest rate of cases was reported in China and Hong Kong. There were also some cases in Taiwan, Singapore, and Canada. Most of patients who got the virus were between 25-70 years of age. There were only few cases under 15 years and younger. The most of people were infected before the global alert was issued. There were only 27 cases of SARS in United States with no deaths. SARS transmission among people was fast and it made difficult to control the outbreak. Early Recognition and initiation of isolation of infected people is necessary. It is also essential to provide information to the infected communities and initiation of a global alert was also helpful to contain the spread of SARS. Route of Transmission Corona virus causes SARS, and it is usually found in some animal kind. Thirty percent of SARS cases were found in people who were handling food. Corona virus is usually spread by close contact with infected respiratory droplets of the sick person. The major mode of transmission is a close person to person contact. An infected person sneezes or coughs in the air and their droplets spread about 3 feet in distance. If a healthy person is standing nearby (about three feet) than the droplets enters into their mucus membranes of the nose, eyes, and mouth. The SARS can be spread by touching an infected object and then touches your nose, eyes, and mouth. The close contact also means sharing your eating or drinking utensils, kissing and hugging, and talking and standing by sick person. There is no evidence data on airborne transmission. The transmission can be prevented by identifying and isolating the infected object. The most important step to stop transmission of any disease is hand hygiene either using alcohol based hand sanitizer or simple hand wash with soap and water. Wearing proper mask is also important since droplets spread SARS. Graphic Representation Effect on Community SARS outbreak had a high effect on communities of all over the world. It did affected communities economically and psychosocially. According to the World Health Organization, airline industries lost business approximated from 30,000 to 140,000 million US dollars. Due to the outbreak people were canceling their flights to Asian countries. Effected communities also suffered psychosocially. Some ethnic groups experienced discrimination and quarantined. The affected communities suffered from fear and anxiety. People stop going out due to the spread of disease. Many schools and borders were closed for a course of time. To decrease stress and anxiety among people education about SARS was given. People were taught about signs and symptoms of the disease and how the disease was spread. Education was also given on how to control infection such as covering mouth or nose during coughing or sneezing, wearing mask at crowded places, using tissues to contain mucus, and the importance of hand washi ng with soap and water. Protocol Every state has a protocol how to report a communicable disease. These protocols help health care provider to prevent the outbreak of a communicable disease. When health care provider finds a case of SARS, the  initial step is to isolate the infected person. The second step is to notify state and county health department about the possible case of SARS. The Center for Disease Control should also be notified about the case. According to the Center for Disease Control, it is mandatory for healthcare worker to report † All persons requiring hospitalization for radio-graphically confirmed pneumonia who report at least one of three risk factors for exposure to SARS-CoV, any clusters of unexplained pneumonia especially among health care workers, and any positive SARS-CoV test results† (â€Å"In the absence,† 2005). The main step for any heath care facility is to arrange for the SARS laboratory test. Once the SARS laboratory test is confirmed, and it is positive in the infected person. The next step is to do further testing of the sick person such as chest x-ray, blood cultures, pulse oximetry, the sputum sample for gram stain and culture, complete blood cell count, influenza A and B test to rule out viral illness, and urine test Legionella and pneumococcal antigen (â€Å"In the absence,† 2005). Sick person should admit as an inpatient and placed on droplet precautions. Family or Friends and any possibly exposed people to the sick person should be notified and assessed for signs and symptoms of the disease. Modification of Care Air quality index (AQI) is used for to monitor the air quality outdoors. The air quality index is used to notify public about the air pollution. It helps the patient who has respiratory illnesses such as asthma, emphysema, bronchitis either acute or chronic, flu or SARS and the old people and pediatric population. These people fall under a sensitive group. According to Environmental Protection Agency, the air quality index scale is 0-500, but in United States it never exceeds above 200 (â€Å"Patient exposure and,† 2014). This is the reason in most of the cases the index is usually shown between 0-300. Increase number of air quality index represents increased air pollution. Air quality index number is 100 or lower is usually decent. If the air quality index is higher than 100, it is not healthy for the sensitive group. Even air quality index of 51 can cause symptoms in people with respiratory problems. Air quality index number of 51 represents moderate air quality. It is essen tial to teach patients about air quality index website www.airnow.gov so they can continue to monitor air quality. The days of poor air quality index, the people who have respiratory problems  should plan to stay home or indoors as much as possible. They should avoid exhausting activities or exercising outdoors. The people should also keep windows and doors closed and keep checking the air quality index and plan their activities accordingly. If the affected person cannot stay inside, he or she should wear a mask before going out. People should be educated about triggers what makes their disease exacerbation, about signs and symptoms of their disease such as Shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing. They should keep their rescue inhalers nearby in case of emergency. It is also necessary to teach them about when and where to get medical attention. Affected people can be benefited from antihistamines, nebulizers, and decongestant. Reference Christian, H. (2003). Sars reference 10/2003. (Third ed., Vol. October, p. 170). Flying publisher. Retrieved from http://www.sarsreference.com In the absence of sars-cov transmission worldwide: Guidance for surveillance, clinical and laboratory evaluation, and reporting version 2. (2005, May 03). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/sars/Surveillance/absence.htm Parashar, U. (2004). Severe acute respiratory syndrome: review and lessons of the 2003 outbreak. International Epidemiological Association, 4(33), 628-634. Retrieved from http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/content/33/4/628.full Patient exposure and the air quality index. (2014, March 12). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/o3healthtraining/aqi.html (â€Å"Sars basic fact,† 2012)Sars basic fact sheet. (2012, July 02). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/sars/about/fs-SARS.html Trivedi, M. N. (2011). Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Retrieved from http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/237755-overview The World Health Organ ization. Retrieved on November 27.2012 http://www. who.int/csr/sars/en

Battle of Algiers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Battle of Algiers - Essay Example Terrorist tactics are justified in the context of a war that is a product of colonization and when enemies cannot be differentiated from the masses, although it is not morally acceptable to use terrorist tactics when fighting a terrorist organization because it punishes combatants and non-combatants alike and uses technology to the detriment of the entire colonized people. The tactics of terrorism on both sides of the war are justified because of the nature of the socio-economic and political context of Algeria, where the minority is fighting the colonial rule of France, while France cannot discern combatants from non-combatants. The National Liberation Front or FLN only wanted freedom and autonomy for Algeria. The French, on the contrary, acted as the colonizer, so they aimed to crush the rebellion using all means possible. The FLN knew that it could not defeat the French with a heads-on collision, so it resorted to guerilla tactics, mostly terrorist attacks, to attain the mission of demoralizing the French and inciting the masses to fight their colonial masters. France retaliated to preserve its authority in its colony. It believed that the resistance was composed of the minority, so it felt justified to eliminate the rebels, even if it meant having casualties of non-combatants because of the difficulty of differentiating them from the rebels. It is not morally acceptable to use terrorist tactics, when combating a terrorist organization, because it does not differentiate combatants from non-combatants, thereby killing innocent civilians. The FLN bombed two French cafes and an airport because it knew that it could not conduct an effective offense using direct combat operations. Guerrilla operations would be more effective, even if they were stealthy and undermined the morality of their actions. This included hiding weapons in ordinary places and using women to hide guns under their burka and to launch bombing

Michael Jackson and How the Media Betrayed Him Assignment

Michael Jackson and How the Media Betrayed Him - Assignment Example A large number of interviews and news columns was publicised which have indicated Michael was a pedophile. Michael suffered the disparaging and debasing media charges and criticisms and persistently implored the media not to condemn him because his guilt was not yet proven (Barris & Gray, 2006). But the media kept on depicting the King of Pop in the most damaging way possible. Although the media has claimed their reports were for the public’s entertainment, the scathing media reports have constantly burdened and troubled Michael. For a media that flourished on generating images of Michael which depicted his life’s undesirable facets; the media coverage has been less disparaging in portraying the death of the King of Pop. His demise did not generate the burst of images normally depicting a famous icon’s passing away. The sole media image being shown is Michael’s ambulance snapshot while an EMS specialist was trying to revive him (Lee, 2009). It is somewhat unexpected that the media has easily acknowledged the verification of Michael’s death from law enforcement and family members. It is actually worrying because the media has constantly projected an ‘investigative’ character when it referred to current events or controversial personalities, particularly regarding the King of Pop (Hadley, 2009: 37). However, the media has not once challenged or looked into the legitimacy of Michael’s demise. They have been accommodating of family’s verification of Michaelâ €™s death and the unintentionally ‘disclosed’ coroner analysis of the cause of Michael’s demise (Campbell, 1994). The media has tracked and monitored Michael for roughly forty years, but they were not knowledgeable or informed of the degree of the alleged substance addiction of Michael. This is puzzling and incredulous a media quite meticulous in giving viewers photos and updates of   Michael and his children going abroad wearing surgical masks, being manhandled in a wheelchair, and going to establishments late at night (Sartore, 2000).

Individual Report Style Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Individual Report Style - Assignment Example For this reason, these businesses need to devise viable ways through which they can address all concerns in a sustainable manner. One of the problems that affect current international businesses includes cultural concerns. The ability of the business to survive and thrive after encountering relative challenges is dependent on the manner in which they address these challenges. In essence, successful businesses need to review their structural models and align these to the cultural expectations of the markets that they wish to explore. It is against this background that this paper analyzes cultural differences between the Swedish and UK markets. To enhance coherence, it also underscores the strategic impact that the differences have on the international marketing mix strategy of the film products. The paper begins by providing a comprehensive review of the film product and its performance in this market. As part of the entertainment industry, it is widely agreed that film actually drive s this industry. In the UK market, statistical evidence indicates that film contributes a significant 100 million pounds to the gross domestic product. Although studios generate their revenue from different windows, theatrical window reportedly offers the best opportunities because it sets the pace and establishes standards for home video, television products cable provisions and pay-per-view packages. In addition, successful establishments offers substantial opportunities for merchandising, licensing as well as a host of other entertainment products like books, television shows, and theme park attractions, plays and so forth. Although the film market is relatively volatile, we wish to pursue this field because of the opportunities that it offers. Sweden is a country that offers various opportunities for exploration by the film industry. Its economy is developed and comparatively, the film industry has not been fully established. Market trends indicate that film producers in this co untry assume only 45% of the entertainment market dominance. Yet the industry contributes close to 100 million dollars to its gross domestic product. Market analyses according to Rodgers also indicate that the country has a broad consumer base. Consumer preferences in this regard show positive attitudes and a strong urge to adopt English mannerisms (Brooks, 2008). Therefore, its exploration would probably yield beneficial outcomes. In particular, this investment venture wishes to produce films for the teenagers who seem to be greatly influenced by the English culture. It will enter the market through theatre which has proven to be more productive from the market analyses. As indicated earlier, culture has direct impacts on the behaviours and mannerisms that the consumers adopt. Just like in the United Kingdom, culture influences consumer attitudes and preferences in Sweden too. This is exhibited through various modes that range from language and social values to attitudes and religi ous practices. At this point, it is worth appreciating that the preceding factors are imperatively important because of the direct influence that they have on critical marketing mix elements such as pricing, placement of the product, promotion and the quality of the products. To begin with, language is an important aspect of culture that would have direct effects on the success of this film venture. It aids in communication and is very useful in eliminating inconsistencies

The Impact of PPACA on Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

The Impact of PPACA on Nursing - Essay Example It clearly indicates that through the provision of money the nurse-managed clinics will be supported therefore increasing the number of physicians. The access to money will help them provide real care, and their results will be clearly seen. Provision of education and funding program will also help cab the problem physician shortages, therefore, the delivery of quality healthcare. Nurses who have advanced education have a greater benefit since the law contains considerable language about the expansion of primary care services, and many people will be insured. It, therefore, allows for different approaches to how nurses deliver primary care, by whom and where (United States, 2012). Fewer physicians will be going into primary care and, therefore, an excellent opportunity for the nurses. It also means that nurses will be employed, and there will be no congestion since those who have specialized in geriatrics will be allowed to practice elsewhere and create opportunities. The above will impact on the nursing job positively since the availability of funding will help boost our clinics. It will also help provide quality care since individuals will have undergone thorough training. However due to job availability many people will run for the nursing course creating a jump in the sector United States. (2012). The true cost of PPACA: Effects on the budget and jobs : hearing before the Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress.

Learning Team Reflective Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Learning Team Reflective Article - Essay Example The principles of teamwork often exploit the social care theory and practices. The first advantage of teamwork is that it usually improves communication since it is a platform of increasing sharing of ideas, hopes, feelings, and desires among parties who respect and trust each other. Additionally, teamwork encourages flexibility that often depends on willingness to adapt, change, and learns skills of being open minded. The social care theory expects a good care worker to be flexible enough to be able to change in the light of new knowledge since it is the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and skills (Löwstedt, 2007). Team work is also advocated as a means of improving negotiation that is usually considered as the willingness to discuss issues through consultation with clients, management, and colleagues as a means of solving a problem towards discussing to an amicable solution to issues and problems. It should be noted that teamwork sometimes calls for comprise, collaboration, and or confrontation between the involved parties (Löwstedt, 2007). Therefore, teamwork often instills good negotiation skills and must be ready to compromise and relinquish their stand whenever necessary. Teamwork often encourages the growth of skill and ideas due to sharing ideas from different people who are believed to have a different understanding and knowledge in different fields and aspects that the team is involved. Therefore, it is clear theta teamwork increases the productivity of the persons or parties involved in the team work. Team members are often encouraged to work together and share most of the available resources in the implementing the task ahead of them thereby allowing each team member to have a subordinate concern (Löwstedt, 2007). This enables them to contribute their individual knowledge, skills, and resources are meeting the set goals. The collective

Hotel report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hotel report - Assignment Example Melbourne Marriot Hotel is one of the most admired firms in the region that has been deploying all the possibilities of hospitality, tourism, and event industries for its business growth. The Melbourne Marriott hotel is one of the distinguished franchisees of Marriott International, Inc. The hotel located in Melbournes central business district is unique for its personalized services and exceptional amenities. Melbourne Marriott constitutes the perfect stay for the people who visit the city. Melbourne Marriott hotel is the franchisee of Marriott International, Inc founded by J. Willard Marriott in 1927. Marriott was aware of the potentiality of hospitality industry and its scope in Melbourne. He later expanded his venture into a chain of restaurant and hotels over 74 countries with more than 3800 properties. The Melbourne Marriott Hotel has 185 guest rooms and 19 luxury suites, and all are uncommonly spacious and airy. Its lobby area is exceptionally elegant in style and facilities in rooms may surpass the wildest expectations of the visitors. One important feature of the hotel is its 100% non-smoking policy in its premises. Other important facilities include but not limited to heated salt water swimming pool, spa and gymnasium, conference hall, event facilities, bar, dry cleaning, and currency exchange. All bedrooms contain ‘one queen or two double beds and separate change area’ (Melbourne Marriot Hotel, visitvictoria.com). it also contain writing desk, phone, voice mail, TV, coffee making facility, iron, toaster, newspaper, Wifi access, porter bell, pull-out sofa bed, custom duvets, rollaway bed etc. Its reception works 24 hours and allows luggage storage ensuring extended customer service in every possible way. 24 hour room service, secure parking, and wheelchair facility also make the service incomparable. The Melbourne Marriott hotel is well known for its Business Center as well. It also

Manus for example refuses to speak Essay Example for Free

Manus for example refuses to speak Essay The opening movement can be referred to as the gathering where the characters are introduced to the audience9. It is evident that the sequence in which Friel presents the characters to the audience on stage is significant. Primarily, an obvious observation to make would be the entrance of the Irish community to the stage, followed by the English. However, the entrance of the Irish community to the stage alone is equally important, appropriately starting with Manus, Sarah and Jimmy Jack. These characters are the least accepting of Englands colonialism, and refuse to acknowledge the inevitable changes (Manus for example refuses to speak English. ). It is quite fitting therefore that Owen is the last Irish member to enter the stage; for he has not only embraced the unavoidable changes, but he has joined forces with the English to enforce them. Unlike his brother Hugh, and the other Irish members, he fails to appreciate that the roots of the Irish culture are masked in language. Friel also has additional reasoning for such a pattern of entrance. Hughs entrance following his attendance at the baptism of Nellie Ruadhs baby for example enhances the importance of naming in the play. I strongly agree with the critic Leon Litvack who stresses It is not so much the naming and the changing of names, but what that signifies and what those names signify in a particular context10. In the second and third acts there is celebration and breakdown together. Effectively, Friel contrasts the first two celebratory acts with the final act of breakdown, to represent the scattering of the Irish people and the collapse of the Irish culture. Hughs return from the christening of Nellie Ruadhs baby in Act one and his return from the babys wake in Act three symbolises simultaneously Britains colonialism of Ireland, and the death of the Irish language. Baile Beag can be perceived in Translations as a microcosm of Ireland11. In a similar way, one could thus support the view that the desire of the English to make a map is itself a microcosm Englands desire to colonise Ireland. Therefore, Friel uses this to represent how the roots of the Irish culture are destroyed, through the destruction of Irelands place names. Lanceys blinkered statement that a map is a representation on paper reinforces this viewpoint. However, I disagree with critics such as Andrews who over historicize the play, claiming that Friel attempted to portray the map as an extreme act of colonialism. In order to correct Friels so called historical errors Andrews claims that the map was much more of a civil measure, rather than an oppressive military act. In support of Friels own words that the play has to do with language and language only it is important to highlight the relationship between names and identity. Friel maintains that names, culture and relationships (embodied in language), establish identity. He supports this theory through the character of Sarah, a girl with speech difficulties, silenced by the colonisers she knows she cannot. She closes her mouth. Her head goes down. In contrast to this, in A Passage to India Forster suggests that identity is found on a more spiritual level, and is only masked by names, culture and relationships. Ironically, while Forster focuses on the complexity of three different religions, places and seasons to emphasise the importance of the individual, Friel adopts the small hedge school of Baile Beag, and the personal relationships within the school to stress the significance of language on a larger scale, and its importance when considering Irelands loss of identity through colonisation. In A Passage to India Forster questions the importance of language, relationships and culture, illustrating the significance of the spiritual understanding of the individual. Forster achieves this primarily through the character of Mrs Moore, and the spirituality of Hinduism. However, the issue of colonialism is less important in A Passage to India, and plays a more prominent role in Friels Translations. Unlike Forster, through the colonialism of Baile Beag Friel demonstrates his belief that the core of a persons individuality is held in language, and without it their culture, relationships and names are lost.

Principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework

Principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework Outline In this report I am going to be reviewing the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS) looking at the principles, how they underpin our Early Years settings and are based on the theory of pioneers. I will then cover the value and importance of play and how this is a major part of childrens learning. I will outline how we got to where we are today with the EYFS Framework including the importance and the impact it has had on todays practitioners. At the end of the review I will look at how training and the continuing professional development of practitioners is essential. Principles Dictionary definition a truth or general law that is used as a basis for a theory or system of belief Oxford English Dictionary, third edition 2005 Early Years Foundation Stage principles: A unique child every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured. Positive Relationships children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person. Enabling Environments the environment plays a key role in supporting and extending childrens development and learning. Learning and Developing children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of Learning and Development are equally important and inter-connected. Todays children are the main priority in every Early Years practice. The Early Years Foundation Stage must be underpinned by principles supporting every area of a childs development. They are all of equal importance and need to be in place when caring for children. They work together providing a stimulating and valuable practice, delivery of the EYFS and putting the legal requirements in to perspective. They also support childs needs and interest which means appropriate activities are delivered. Key pioneers and theorists such as Montessori and Margaret MacMillan have been studying how children learn for over 200 years. Through studying and observing children they realised and established what was important for a child to develop and learn. Margaret MacMillan came to her theory after noticing the affect poverty was having on children. She became aware of the importance of exploring the natural world, being outside in open spaces and receiving regular meals, bath time and plenty of sleep. As according to M.MacMillian In open-air nursery children had no examinations to sit, no formal structure to the day but had time to play, to run free in open spaces, feel the sun and the wind and explore the natural world.(how children learn pg24) Key pioneers and theorists still influence our principles and teaching today, as we ensure that childrens learning is extended and that they have access throughout the day to both the indoor and outside area and not just at set times. The outdoor area is now an extension of the classroom bringing the indoor areas outdoors including role play, writing, gardening, and caring for life stock. Childrens families who are on a low income are also offered free school meals to ensure the child received a healthy balanced diet and all children are given the time and space to rest throughout the day. Value of play Play is a powerful motivator, encouraging children to be creative and to develop their ideas, understanding and language. Through play, children explore, apply and test out what they know and can do Rumbold report pg7 56 All babies and children enjoy playing, it is an essential part of their growing up and is needed for children to reach their full potential. It allows the children to be in charge of their own learning and is used everyday, this allows us to see a lot more of their achievements rather setting the scene for them. Children are able to combine their play with learning in a safe environment as C.Macintyre (into VIII) states although the children might be seen to be just playing all the time they are learning, just as fast as they can Play supports a childs holistic development as PLAY play underpins all development and learning for young children. Most children play spontaneously, although some may need adult support, and it is through play that they develop intellectually, creatively, physically, socially and emotionally. Children can learn everything through play and it is an effective way of learning so it should be made fun and enjoyable for both the children and the parents. It is also important that children and practitioners understand they are allowed to play and that it is through play that they learn. When playing children naturally develop their skills and to act out and over come any issues they have in the immediate world. It is also where the children do their thinking, problem solving and use first hand experiences so it is important that the practitioners and parents enter the childrens world and encourage their play. Playing can take place anywhere not only in the classroom but the outdoor area as well and children need to be given time and space to place. The journey of Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum The journey of how we got to todays EYFS curriculum started in 1990 with the Rumbold report starting with quality. It researched in to the quality of education for under fives and how the process of a childs learning is just as important as the outcome. The report states Childrens imagination can be nurtured by responding to their curiosity. With encouragement and stimulation, this curiosity will develop into a thirst for, and enjoyment of, learning. Pg 7 56. In 1996 Desirable Outcomes were introduced consisting of six areas of learning: personal and social development, language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development, and creative development. The Curriculum Guidance was then set up in 2000 for the Foundation Stage children aged 3-5 years. It meant they had their own curriculum which supported their needs within the 6 areas of learning. Under each area then had set goals which gave guidance and structure to their education. Each chil d will achieve these goals at their own rate and are the foundation of their learning. It was then noticed that children under 3 also needed some guidance so in 2003 Sure start introduced a framework known as Birth to three: supporting our youngest children introduced. It takes a holistic approach in little stepping stones caring for children needs and routine. These are covered by four components: A strong child, skilful communicator, competent learner and healthy child. Today every practice is required to follow the Early years framework. It complies and supports all children from birth to five and separates from the National curriculum. It focuses on development, learning and care of the child. The framework The EYFS framework is one document which all settings working with children will have to comply with. It includes both education and care and is supported by the four principles (appendix). For a effective setting it is important that the following key points are in place. This has had a huge impact on practitioner as it ensures every childs development is being met and they are seen as an individual. Observing a child is an important part of the day-to-day role of a practitioner within an Early Years setting. As observing a child you are able to discover the childs interests, likes and dislikes, behavioral patterns, asses the childs stage of development and identify any patterns in the childs learning. S.Isaac pg 35 how children learn allowed adults to really get to know children, that their emotions were not hidden It can also highlight any concerns you may have and ensures that the child is seen as an individual with all its needs being met. Observing a child involves looking, listening and being activity involved. Assessing a child is of equal importance as observing them, as you use the information from the observation to identify the childs achievement and plan the childs next steps in their development and learning. Ongoing assessment is an integral part of the learning and development process EYFS Statutory Framework pg 16 2.19 In my own setting we are regularly observing children during play as this is when we feel we gain more from observing the children as they are more comfortable and demonstrate the skills that they have learnt. We then take the childs observation and record their achievements in their individual profiles and learning journeys. From looking at their achievements we then plan their next steps. This process is a continuous cycle as shown in the diagram. Planning There are three different types of planning Long-term, Medium term and short term all of which are important as they ensure all areas of a childs development are evenly met. It also ensures all the principles are being underpinned within the setting and that the children have access to a wide range of area including indoor, outdoor and a quiet area. Planning also enables areas of development to be linked together so the children are developing a range of skills and learning. In my setting the children are very much involved with the planning as we are interested in what the children want to learn. We use short-term weekly plans (Appendix) and review the activities each day including to see how successful they have been and to extend the childrens learning. Good planning is the key to making childrens learning effective EYFS FRAMEWORK principle pg12 2.8 Record keeping Keeping a record of childrens development is thoroughly important as it monitors a childs progress and achievements. Also highlights any patterns in a child development and is used as evidence to show parents, outside professionals and teachers. In my setting each child has their own Learning Journal which they are involved in. It consists of the child profile, evidence of their development and learning using photos, observations and their own work. This is shared between the child, their parents and the practitioners. Relationships with parents and importance of reporting to them Parents are a vital part of a childs learning as they are their main educators. A good relationship between the parents and the setting helps to build a strong connection which enables the parents to support their child and offer a continuity of expectations, experiences and behavior All families are important and should be welcomed and valued in all settings principle parents as partners 2.2 The parents also have an understanding of the EYFS and so understand how important it is for their child to play and how they their role as a parent is needed for them to develop. Within my setting we support the parents by making sure they feel involved and appreciated. We have an open door policy which allows parents to come and talk to a member of staff when they feel they need to. We also offer parent consultations, workshops, helping hand events and inform them of any information through meetings, newsletters, telephone calls and home/school diaries. Training Learning does not stop once leaving school you continue to learn throughout your life and within your professional career, today this is known as Lifelong Learning. So With frequent changes to the Curriculum it is important that practitioners continue to keep up to date with the training, as this helps them to develop on their knowledge and improve their skills within their career. It also allows them to reflect on their own learning experiences and to notice their achievements.

HR Practices in the Private Sector and MNC Banks

HR Practices in the Private Sector and MNC Banks Indian banking sector, especially commercial banks, have started realizing the need for a strong human resource orientation for their survival in the face of the rapid changing environment, global competition and other upcoming challenges. With attrition becoming a stark reality in the Indian banking sector, it is increasingly being understood that employee loyalty has to be created by organizational interventions and not something that can develop on its own. It is in this backdrop, it is an important topic to consider shaping your HR policies and practices around the workforce. Indian Banking Industry The banking sector in India is an integral part of countrys financial services industry. The banking index has grown has grown at a compounded annual rate of over 51 per cent since April 2001. The strong banking structure has been able to fuel continued growth, which has prospered long-term economic growth. Market cap of Indian banking industry 7500 Billion contributing to 7.7 % of GDP Human Resource Management Practices in India Indian banking sector is making efforts to adopt international best standards in HRM with the local customs and sensibilities. HRM function in a bank is being increasingly recognized as a strategic business partner with responsibility of managing key corporate resources. It is expected that HR Function must: Help the organization to be more agile by adopting practices that allows it not only to adapt to changes in the external environment but also to benefit from the same. Ensuring that the company is able to sustain its operation over a period of time. Ensure efficiency in the use of HR resources in the organization in an integrated manner with all other corporate resources. The success of any business depends as much on appropriate, effective, well-communicated, HR and business practices as it depends on meeting the requirements of mandated laws and regulations. In fact, good planning and the development of effective practices make regulatory compliance much easier. HR practices helps in increasing the productivity and quality, and to gain the competitive advantage of a workforce strategically aligned with the organizations goals and objectives. Organizations are becoming increasingly aware about the impact of generation gaps in the interaction between the various parts of its workforce. With increasing globalization, the diversity (both geographical as well ethnic) is on the rise in the organizations operating on a global scale. At the same time, the composition of the workforce itself is changing and different generation groups, with differing viewpoints on the same subject, are required to work together. This requires adjustments to be made by all categories. Organization must facilitate such adjustments by creating enabling environments so that the needs of all generation groups are satisfied, simultaneously with the achievement of the organizational goals. At minimum, the organizations must be aware about the diversity of generation groups within its ranks and tailor their personnel practices accordingly. 1.3 Key Performance Indicators for HR Practices Some of the key performance indicators for Human Resources include but are not limited to the following. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Employees clarity on HR policies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Employees clarity on roles, responsibilities and expectations à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Development of qualitative staff à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Number of HR issues arising for which there are no clear policies and guidelines à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Competitiveness of compensation structure relative to industry benchmark à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Usefulness and accuracy of compensation survey à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lead time to respond to staff welfare issues à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Employees assessment of promotion criteria and process (clarity, fairness) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Measurement of HR policy violation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Average time required to fill vacancies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Proportion of training programs resulting in productivity improvement à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Staff attrition rate à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Understanding / Clarity of the Organizational philosophy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Outline internal capabilities and identify gaps on skills-competencies-behavioural aspects In response to the change in the business environment, the competencies required by HRM present in any Indian or MNC banks are necessary to be studied. Objective of Study HRM department depends upon the HR practices of the organization. HRM is done according to HR practices. HR Practices differentiate the organization from its competitors by effective and efficient HR Management. By following this, the organization does its whole work process. HR Practices increase productivity and quality, and help gain the competitive advantage of a workforce strategically aligned with the organizations goals and objectives. In addition to aforesaid goals following are our additional objectives: Literature review Various online journals on HR practices were referred. Along with it articles on different banks were also referred for the purpose of this project. Methodology Secondary data from books and internet resources were used for reference to write this report Analysis and discussion HR practices differ from one organization to the other. Even though the concept remains same its implementation differs from each because of the difference in its policies. Hence the analysis on the concept of HR practices and its implementation is carried out for three main multinational banks which include ICICI, Citi bank and HSBC. Their HR practices along with its approach towards HR, the different ways of implementation and innovative changes brought about by them in its policies are discussed for each of these banks mentioned above in detail. Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation Holdings HSBC Holdings, a British financial holding company with origins in Hong Kong and Shanghai, where offices were opened in 1865 under a special charter which allowed Hong Kong rather than London as a headquarter location ( 2003). HSBC was in intense competition all over Asia with Chase Manhattan which showed interest in a small bank in India and Malaysia. HSBC pre-empted by purchasing the bank in 1959 (1991). Diversification had taken a beating although it was only in 2000 when acquisitions in Asia became topical again, in a small way. Two of them were part of the private banking drive, PCIB Savings Bank in the Manila area and Taiwans leading asset manager China Securities Investment Trust Corp. in 2001, to be followed by an 8 per cent stake in the Bank of Shanghai. HSBC had returned to its roots. Afterwards many more events unfolded including the turnover of Hong Kong to china this prompted HSBC to transfer headquarters to United Kingdom (2003). HSBC sees the Internet as one of several exciting new media, to be incorporated as an integral part of its working. The bank has concluded that e-commerce will change the fabric of the financial services sector and sees it as a way of finding new customers all over the world and improving its services to existing customers. The companys current approach to HRM HSBC has over 260,000 employees at present. The company employs and manages diverse kinds of people all around the world. Such is done by the company because they believe that these people can give them a balanced and well-rounded  organization. This also makes the company adaptable to different kinds of situation. The company wants to reach out to all parts of employment for maximum productivity and value. The company believes that a companys difference with its competitors can be seen in the way it serves it consumers and the way they treat their employees. The company makes sure that they treat the employees with outmost respect for their rights and it makes certain that the company is given the treatment they deserve. The companys personnel policies are geared to attract motivate and develop people who are perceptive, respectful, fair, progressive and responsive. The company aims to make itself a place people would like to work to. In the future the company can steer the g oal of its HRM to making the personnel the most competent people in the industry. The company can initiate activities that will make the personnel more competent without ruining their good relationship. Workforce Diversity HSBC claims that they are the Worlds local bank. Their tagline also applies to their work culture. They believe in the fact that no matter how diverse the work force may be, the ultimate aim of the bank is to have a work culture which is Global in nature. But at the same time they do give regional considerations in order to have synergies with the employees who are from the local population of a particular city/country. This in turn helps the corporation in becoming an employer by choice. Respecting individuals of all types inspires loyalty in both employees and customers, which has a direct line of sight in achieving business goals is their HR departments logo. The strategy is based on the premise that the most important competitive differentiators are the quality of individual service provided to our customers and the way we treat our employees. It connects with Managing for Growth, the brand and the people strategy. What is Diversity? Definition: According to HSBC, diversity is a source of opportunity, whether in employment or the customer markets. Appreciation of this diverse culture fuels group dynamics and helps in creating an environment where teams can perform to their fullest potential. Competitive edge can be gained from the variety present in their workforce and customer base, and specific attention to market variation. Example: In todays global environment, Banking corporations give finance to foreign companies. Now lets say that a company from USA wants to invest in emerging country like India in the field of agricultural technologies and approaches HSBCs New York branch for a loan to fund their new project. Now HSBC on its part would have to study various factors pertaining to the feasibility of the business plan submitted by the borrower. In order to decide whether they should grant a loan to the US company, HSBC will take a long time to collect data about the Indian agriculture prospects, the growth witnessed for the last 5 years, government policies, trade restrictions etc. This process will take a long time. However, now lets consider that this project is assigned to a handful of employees from India or from Indian origin in HSBCs New York branch. These employees by the virtue of being familiar with the country in question (India) would be very much familiar (there is a chance) with the aspects like agriculture in India, government policies pertaining to agriculture, trade etc. And hence, they would be able to prepare a report considerably faster than the employees who are not of Indian origin. This would considerably reduce HSBCs labour hours and would help them in coming up a quicker decision. This would thus make HSBC more competitive against a bank which does not have a diverse workforce. Recruitment and Selection HSBCs recruitment and selection policies are scripted in accordance with the organizations Equal Opportunities Policy. HSBC ensures that each stage of the recruitment procedure is conveyed out in a methodical manner and is based on pre-agreed criteria. They strive to eradicate individual bias that can influence the conclusion producing process. They ensure that all conclusion points are completely documented to aid followed by monitoring. HSBCs intentions are to make the entire hiring procedure as open as possible, and to double check that all candidates realize why conclusions have been taken and, where they desire, to get significant feedback. Demonstrate robust, clear methods and hence supply a cornerstone for appropriate defence in the event of a challenge. There are seven major phases to the procedure in the recruitment process in HSBC: Pre-advertisement Placing advertisements and considering with investigations and applicants Short-listing Interviewing and selection Post-selection procedures Induction Monitoring The following are the directing values for recruitment and on-boarding process. Attracting and employing suitable employees is one of the most significant undertakings of the association Merit will be the most significant factor in the recruitment process. Diversity of gender and ethnicity is to be achieved by with the assistance of recruitment vendors and the referral program. While abilities play an important role, they will charter persons who are group players and have the right mind-set most applicable to the heritage of the organization. Attitude is as significant as aptitude. They focus on hiring people who can push the organization to greater heights. They believe in allowing their employees to fulfil their vocational paths. They try and fill vacancies with internal candidates before assessing external candidates. They believe that each nominee consulted becomes an ally of the organization, irrespective of whether she/he is chosen. They treat all the candidates with the utmost respect and are open and equitable in connection with them They will relentlessly consider, recognize and cultivate strategic gifts for universities, administration schools, and community forums to address their long period needs. Hiring Approval All recruitment undertakings will be founded on the chartering design as accepted by the Business Head, HR Head the CEO. For each position, a chartering requisition will be needed prior to initiation of any recruitment activity. If the chartering is not encompassed in the designed allowance, it will also need acceptance from the CEO founded on a recommendation from the Head HR and the CFO. Recruitment total cost and expenditure should be budgeted and pre-approved by the HR Head. Candidate Sourcing: The chartering supervisor along with the Human Resource Department would conclude the source to use founded on the environment of the recruitment. The next causes of recruitment may be considered: Internal Sources: Whenever any vacancy arises, the likelihood of fulfilling the obligation internally via reassignment and relocation, re-allocation of the responsibilities or interior advancement will be discovered by the chartering function along with the HR Department. Employee Referrals: HSBC will boost workers to mention apt candidates for open positions. Other external causes include: Recruitment agencies External job postings College / campus requirement Employment of Relatives The association uses, solely on merit, the relations of employees as long as it does not bring about a conflict of interest. To decrease the possibilities of favouritism the following guidelines should be followed: Relatives are not allotted to a place where he/she has the opening to ascertain, method, and reconsider, accept, review or else sway the work of the individuals cited and above. If an employee is aware of a position that seems to be an opening for people to indulge in favouritism towards relations, one should communicate to the Department Head or Human Resources Department. Employees will not be part of the chartering method of their relations. Internship Program HSBC supplies internship possibilities to students. Such internships will result in young students producing genuine assistance to the company. HSBC will pursue the process as follows: HR will coordinate with enterprise assemblies to recognize possibilities for intern hiring. Internship demands could be obtained either from the students directly or as nominations from the informative institute. HR and chartering supervisor tele-interview the candidates and later conduct individual meetings in the office. Based on the illustrated capability, the intern will be appointed to work in multiple agencies to gain a broader enterprise comprehension. Probation Policy Probation is a test that is mutual opening for the worker and HSBC to affirm suitability for proceeded employment. The probation time span is to set up based on capabilities, anticipations and training required. The worker should illustrate suitability for proceeded employment. An evaluation will be conducted on components associated with work presentation, work customs, productivity, mind-set and compatibility, attendance and punctuality, and any other issue that is connected to the job profile. All new charters will be put on probation for a time span of 6 months from the designated day. HR will dispatch an appraisal pattern to the direct supervisor before culmination of the probationary period. The appraisal pattern is required to be accepted by the supervisors leadership. All notes of confirmation or extension of probation will be marked by the HR head and will be retained in worker records. HR practices in Citibank  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   The different steps in which Citibank implements HR practices are given below: I  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Staff Meetings: Staff Meeting aims at group synergy, team building, open culture, family feeling and talent recognition which individually and cumulatively benefit the organizations. Goals/Targets set for the unit/Bank is discussed in the monthly Staff Meetings conducted at all branches/units and action plan is drawn in achieving them. The forum is being effectively utilized for harmonious functioning of all the branches and administrative units through greater involvement and collective contribution of all staff members. II  Brain Storming Sessions This is a technique for generating ideas and suggestions on topics of relevance and also to provide alternate solutions to problems by simulative thinking and imaginative power of cross section of employees. Corporate Topics are selected for each quarter and BSS are conducted in administrative offices/ braches on the topic during every quarter. Worthy implement able suggestions emanated are circulated for necessary action. III Study Circle: Concept of Study Circle aims at self development of employees by kindling the desire to acquire/update knowledge, information and experience. Guest lectures/ Power Point Presentation / Group Discussions, etc. are arranged on topics of general interest by inviting experts in the field. Study Circle Meeting are conducted once in two months in administrative offices and once in a quarter in branches   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  IV Quality Circles It is a time tested tool of Total Quality Management (TQM) which promotes team spirit, cohesive quality work culture, commitment and involvement of employees. Challenges faced by Citibank: The real challenge of that Citibank faced while entering India first time was adopting its HR strategy according to the Indian culture. As most part of the jobs in the banks are monotonous/repetitive and routine, the HRD Department has to empower, engage and energies employees to create effectiveness efficiency through motivation organizational structures, systems procedures are facilitators of these, and there is a need to focus greater attention on these aspects by the industry. However, the emergence of a core and peripheral workforce in many organization has presented new challenges for HR managers public private sector organizations are fast becoming diverse communities for core workers, flexibly employed casual and part-time workers, consultants, contractors business partners. Certain rigidities have also developed in HRD within Citibanks banking system itself because this industry is still largely in the public sector. Suggestions: Following suggestions are very essential to adhere for effective Banking Administration in Citibank: HR functions to be linked to corporate goals. Shift from Industrial relations manager to Business manager or Commercial manager. Team work is another important and essential soft skill that is necessary in this industry. The HR Professionals have to introduce improve the adaptability of their structure that will be able to absorb, draw and retain the best. As people are primary asset, it is essential not only to invest in them, but also to ensure that the supporting elements for this asset are such that it can provide the maximum value on a sustainable basis. HRD is to be regularly reviewed against business outcomes as part of strategic and operational planning. To overcome the public sectors hierarchical structure, which gives preference to seniority over performance, is not the best environment to attract the best talent from among the young. ICICI Banks HR Practices Selection Process As per ICICI Banks research and in-depth study, following competencies are required to succeed in ICICI Bank: Customer first Passion Dynamism Compliance with conscience In order to assess the same a set of tools are used a. Aptitude Tests (for applicants with 0-2 years of work experience) The tests are designed to assess basic aptitude of candidates including numerical comprehension, verbal comprehension, logical reasoning and basic checking abilities. These are important skills for the role of an entry-level manager and people who do well in these tests tend to do well in their jobs at ICICI Bank. The total time taken in this exercise is 55 minutes. b. Occupational Personality Questionnaire Applicants are also required to complete the Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ) before they appear for the selection, the results of which are integrated into our selection process. Recruitment As a rapidly growing organization the bank looks to induct post-graduate management talent from various business schools across the country. Enthusiastic and talented youth form the backbone of their banking operations. The bank offers a wide range of careers in all functions including Finance, Marketing, Operations, Information Technology and Human Resources. According to Ramkumar (Group Chief Human Resources Officer of ICICI Bank in 2005), 4,000 of the recruits are freshers (2,500 MBAs from different management schools and about 1,500 graduates from various colleges). The banks growth in the retail segment is the driver for sharp hike in headcount of the bank. There is need of recruits to serve the fast growing small and medium enterprise, rural/agriculture, private banking and wealth management segments. Theres also a concurrent need for technical, back-office operations and quality assurance personnel. The bank recruits about 75 students from IIMs and another 100 from the next tier such as SP Jain, NMIMS, Symbiosis, Bajaj, etc., every year. It recruits only some persons from other banks. About 7.5 lakh persons working in the public sector bank generally dont change jobs and rather prefer job security. As a result, the remaining one lakh in private sector is a limited supply pool for a growing banking sector. So, the bank looks out for other companies in aviation and hospitality sector so that persons who like to serve customers are recruited. The group has some 50,000 employees on its direct payroll and another 1, 00,000 are indirectly employed as insurance agents and people working under service providers. The bank gets 4 lakh CVs each year. This benefits the bank and it does not face any hiring problem as there is plenty to choose from. While most of the hiring happens directly, consultancy firms are used for some of the higher level recruitments. The plans are to hire more people for insurance and securities broking businesses as these sectors are growing very fast. The bank has tied up with local colleges. With this, it is easy for them to create a local supply and also consume locally. Also, it would be able to gain the respect of the community and create loyalty. The recruits would be able to speak the local language. The motive is partially social and also makes good business sense. Also in a bid to control recruitment costs and raise productivity of its HR personnel, the bank has collaborated with Internet service providers such as Reliance Infocomm for providing interview cubicles with audio-visual recording and tele-conferencing facilities. By this process it would be convenient for candidates to attend interviews at centres nearest to their homes, instead of travelling to Mumbai, where interviews generally take place. The interview centres are expected to improve productivity of the banks human resources personnel by about 30%. It will also reduce the time invested by HR heads as they have to spend a lot of time traveling to tier-II cities to interview candidates. These interview centres would remain open 24 hours a day. This is a boon for working candidates who can find time only after office hours. Online application forms and an in-bound call desk are other initiatives the bank is taking to support recruitment. Bringing a Change The professional work culture, high salary and faster growth prospects make the group a preferred destination for top business school students. The senior bank officials have also met representatives of the countrys top 20 B-schools to discuss changes to their curricula so as to make them reflect the changing business dynamics. As per the current industry trends, retail and rural banking are emerging as big areas. So, the bank has suggested B-schools to forge them in the curriculum. Also, the nature of internships for B-school students should be changed from those involving mere summer training and data collection to the ones undertaken by doctors and lawyers. Research should be India centric and Indian case studies should be prepared for students. According to him, the group is not worried about getting skilled people as it has the infrastructure to train the well educated people. ICICI Bank, which boasts an extremely high proportion of women by industry standards (32,000 women or one-third of their headcount), has been running a campaign on campuses for last two years to bust notions regarding career options for women. There are some male stereotypes about certain kinds of job profiles and that is a misplaced notion which the bank is trying to correct. The average age of an employee at ICICI bank is 30 year. And 70% of these employees have additional qualifications they are CAs, MBAs or have diplomas in business management. Training Talents The banks HR Head believes that it is up to organizations to train the fresh talent so as to be able to retain them in the future. ICICI Bank spends 1.5% of its profits on training and has nine training centres across the country today. It employs 30,000 people and recruits 15,000 people annually. The training sessions are customized to enable employees to handle an irate customer without being aggressive or defensive; instead reassure him/her and work towards a solution in the right attitude. It also helps the employee handle difficult situations such as 5 customers appearing at the counter at one time. Training sessions are more or less on grooming, etiquette and more on presenting ones company, product and oneself, identification of customer needs, listening, and so on. To add to it, the senior managers of ICICI Bank take regular classes at B-schools and this provides an opportunity for interface with the institutes as well as help supplement the theoretical inputs with practical cases. The organization is tech-savvy, non-hierarchical, where early responsibility and independent decision-making enable each employee to reach their potential. Coupled with this is a strong performance management system that has built a meritocracy where high performing-high potential individuals are duly rewarded. Understandably, its a good time for bankers. Few years back, branch managers in private sector banks were getting Rs. 6 lakh a year. Now, they are being offered salaries as high as Rs. 25 lakh by MNC banks. Human Capital ICICI Bank views its human capital as a key source of competitive advantage. Consequently the development and management of human capital is an essential element of our strategy and a key management activity. Human resources management in fiscal year 2002 focused on smooth integration of the employees and human resource management systems in the context of the merger, as well as on continuous improvement of recruitment, training and performance management processes. The process of integration involved defining the organizational structure of the merged entity, people placement in various positions across the business and corporate groups, and integration of the grade and remuneration structure for the employees of the four entities. The organizational structure was announced in February 2002 and became effective on May 3, 2002. The people placement process was based on appropriate competency profiling tools and matching employee profiles to job specifications. The grade integration process has also been successfully completed, using job evaluation techniques. The recruitment process has been streamlined and a uniform recruitment policy and process implemented across the merged organization. Robust ability-testing and competency-profiling tools are being used to strengthen the campus recruitment process and match the profiles of employees to the needs of the organization. ICICI Bank continues to be a preferred employer at leading business schools and higher education institutions across the country, offering a wide range of career opportunities across the entire spectrum of financial services. In addition to campus recruitment, ICICI Bank also undertakes lateral recruitment to bring new skills, competencies and experience into the organization and meet the requirements of rapidly growing businesses. A Six Sigma initiative has been undertaken for the lateral recruitment process to improve capabilities in this area. ICICI Bank encourages cross-functional movement, enriching employees knowledge and experience and giving them a holistic view of the organization while ensuring that the bank leverages its human capital optimally. The rapidly changing business environment and the constant challenges it poses to organizations and businesses make it imperative to continuously enhance knowledge and skill sets across the organization. ICICI Bank believes that building a learning organization is critical for being competitive in products and services and meeting customer expectations. ICICI Bank has built strong capabilities in training and development to build competencies. Training on products and operations is imparted through web-based training modules. Special programs on functional training and leadership development to build knowledge as well as management ability are conducted at a dedicated training facility. ICICI Bank also draws from the best available training programs and faculty, both international and domestic; to meet its training and development needs and build globally benchmarked skills and capabilities. ICICI Bank seeks to build in all its employees a total commitment towards exceptional standards of performance and productivity, adaptability to changing organizational needs and the demands of the business environment and a willingness to learn and acqu

Rhetorical Analysis of Crash the movie Essay -- essays research papers

"It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something." -Graham from the Motion Picture Crash (2005) This quote refers to the diversity in Los Angeles and how people put up personal barriers and are hesitant to trust others. Crash is a movie that really gets people to look at their own prejudices and to the roots of their morality by showing the hidden racism and prejudices that are very present in our society and even in ourselves today. If this movie were to be summarized in one sentence, one may say that no matter who you are, everybody holds preconceptions and stereotypes against other people. For example, in this movie, an upper-class white woman sees two black men so she clings to her husband, showing she is scared of them. Even though this woman had no idea who they were, she still jumped to a conclusion that they were going to harm her because of the color of their skin. This movie takes place in Los Angeles and is about racial conflicts within a group of people which occur in a series of events. Since there are a wide variety of characters in this movie, it can be confusing to the viewer. In the plot, Graham is an African-American detective whose younger brother is a criminal. His mother cares more about his brother than Graham and she wants Graham to bring his brother back home, which in turn hurts Graham. Graham?s partner Ria is a Hispanic woman who comes to find that her and Graham?s ethnicities conflict when she had sex with him. Rick is the Los Angeles district attorney who is also op... ...cause of the conflict, as the shop owner continues the conflict with a number of stereotypes and racist remarks regarding Farhad?s race. We crash constantly. We crash into the cultures and lives of those that surround us in our society. We judge because we do not know or unwilling to understand the differences that surround us. The director wants the audience to make an unfair judgment on Officer Ryan because of he inappropriately searches Christine, however, as the movie progresses our judgments crashes as we begin to identify with Officer Ryan. When Graham states ?We are always behind metal and glass,? it is not the metal and glass we are behind, but the fear of understanding and trusting someone that is different from us. This fear is where our preconceived notions and racist habits come from. It is the fear of trusting that in which can cause us to crash.

Rodman Edward Serling :: essays research papers

Rodman Edward Serling, in my opinion one of the most brilliant men of our time, was born in Syracuse, New York, on December 25, 1924, to a wholesale meat dealer, and grew up in Binghamton. By his own account, he had no early literary ambitions, though from an early age, he and his older brother, Robert, immersed themselves in movies and in shows like Astounding Stories and Weird Tales. Rod was best known from the intro where he was seen wearing a suit and most often dangling a cigarette, which was unfortunately the cause of his untimely demise. "There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears, and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call... THE TWILIGHT ZONE," Serlings masterpiece would not come until later in his writing career. He began writing full-time in 1951, more than seventy of his television scripts were produced, garnering both critical and public acclaim. Full-scale success came early in 1955 with the production of a script called "Patterns," deemed a "creative triumph" by critics, and the winner of the first of Serling's six Emmy awards. Serling went to work on screenplays for MGM and as a writer for Playhouse 90, for which he crafted ninety-minute dramas. A critical and financial success, Serling shocked many of his fans in 1957 when he left Playhouse 90 to create a science fiction series he called The Twilight Zone. 156 episodes of Twilight Zone, ninety-two written by Serling, aired on CBS over the next five years. The show went on to be one of the most widely recognized and beloved series in television history, and achieved a permanent place in American pop culture with its instantly recognizable opening, theme song and charismatic host, Rod Serling. With appearances by personalities such as Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, Dennis Hopper, and more, Twilight Zone became a launching pad for some of Hollywood's biggest stars. The show headed downhill in its fifth season chiefly due to the fact that Serling lost most creative control of the show. After production ended in January 1964, Serling continued to write for film and television series and movies, and often appeared in his own productions, such as Rod Serling's Night Gallery. He returned to Antioch College as a professor and lectured at college campuses across the

Abstract of Judgement & Decision Making Topics

Reading 1. 3 (Jackall, R. (1988)) : Looking Up and Looking Around In every corporation the crux of a manager’s charisma is his decision making prowess. Though there is an abundance of scientific theories and myths related to decision making, generally decisions are made in a highly rationalized context. A manager would prefer taking decisions that are based on well-formulated and generally agreed upon strategies rather than evaluating all the possible solutions to the problem in hand and then taking a well reasoned decision. In contrast, managers are highly uncomfortable when faced with situations in which there are no specific procedures. Managers vouch for their own safety, safety in terms of reputation and therefore tend to look around and see what others opinions are, the perspective of their superiors. In situations where their reputation is at stake, or huge sums of money involved, or even the company’s goodwill is at stake managers tend to hesitate and wait for an opinion not due to lack of experience but due to fear of failure. Another aspect why managers tend to look around is the accusation or blame time after a problem occurs because there is no means to track down responsibility. As a result of bureaucratic structure higher authorities can easily sneak out of such situations leaving the subordinates hung out to dry. A negative aspect in an organization would be milking a plant which is generally performed by a top level authority in order to maximize gains. The negative aspect in this is of course the organisation bears the brunt of it, moreover at the end of it all, the person assigned the charge of the milked plant eventually becomes the scapegoat. Another aspect is that if focus remains on short term profit it may not be the key to lasting achievements though it may be profitable for a short duration. Likewise individuals look out for their own interests instead of the organisations when there are immediate personal benefits. Experience: In my experience this occasion has occurred a number of times when my manager tends to avoid the risky or rather sticky situations. As a newly appointed sales engineer in a trading firm my manager used to pass on a number of sales quotations to me for processing and finalizing the deal. Since I was fresh to the field of sales I didn’t realize that he was forwarding me these sales orders just because those orders were from clients who weren’t credible enough. Though I managed to get a couple of orders, two of the orders went kaput in terms of payment for which I was held responsible. My manager washed his hands of me accusing me with not consulting him before I plunged to seal the deal. Though on the other profitable orders he too had a take on the credit but the blame only fell on me. Reading 4. 3 (Wildavsky, A. , and Dake, K. (1990)): Theories of Risk Perception: Who Fears What and Why? This article mainly focuses on the outlook of different kinds of people, outlook such as the perception of risk of different products and practices, the diverse effect of a particular practice or event on these different groups, the intensity of the effect on these groups and the varying concerns on an individual basis to a diverse range of risks so as to understand the patterns of risk perception. Fundamentally an individual perceives a hazard as a risk with greater anxiety if his wellbeing is likely to be in danger. If the hazard doesn’t seem to affect him or his beliefs in any way it wouldn’t be of any concern to him though it might be of ample concern to someone else who will be directly affected. By classifying people on the basis of social relations such as hierarchical, egalitarian and individualist, along with the cultural biases that support them, turned out to be the best way to account for the perception of risk. It was found that people who support egalitarianism would be more inclined to risk taking individually but as a social group would be more risk averse, whereas those who favour hierarchy tend to be the opposite. An individualist would be risk taking when it comes to technology as they see an opportunity for growth. These observations were in respect to technology and environment but in terms of personality structure there is no evidence as to variation in risk perception. In spite of these observations one cannot presume that risk taking is preferred by cultures of individualism and hierarchy neither can one presume that egalitarians are always risk averse this is because as risks pertaining to technology and environment are feared by egalitarians in a similar way social deviance is feared by hierarchists and the risk of war is feared by individualists. In conclusion, depending on the object of attention risk perception also varies. Experience: During my tenure in a shipping company as a procurement executive I had once the task to procure water pump for eight ships. Since this was a high priority requirement and involved huge costs I made sure I had researched the market well and decided on a particular brand (Grundfos) even though there was another pump (Davey) that perfectly suited our requirements. The reason was that Davey’s technical support was really bad. So I forwarded the research report to my MD who called for me and told me to go ahead with the purchase of the Davey pump telling me that it was profitable and worthwhile to get our own technicians trained since we could use more of their pumps. To me it seemed like a big risk especially since it involved a huge cost but to him it didn’t seem a risk at all. Reading 6. 1 (Lindblom, C. E. (1959)): The Science of â€Å"Muddling Through† The author compares and contrasts two different approaches to policy making – Rational comprehensive method (Root) and the Successive limited comparisons (Branch) and explains why branch method is a better approach in formulating policies. The root method starts from the fundamentals, improving on the past only if included in a theory. This method cannot be used for complex problems simply because the facts needed require a gigantic compilation of observations. Whereas the branch method continually springs up from the present situation in a step by step manner, varying in small degrees and is more appropriate for complex problems because facts requirements are small and are relevant to the policy. In the root method, initially values or objectives have to be clarified before the alternative policies are examined. Disagreement is unavoidable even when objectives are clearly stated. Another difficulty is ranking of conflicting values since objectives may not have the same relative values. Whereas in the branch method values and policies are selected simultaneously and only incremental values are focussed on making it simpler. Secondly, in the root method, ends are initially chosen in a means-end relationship and means are then developed whereas in branch method means as well as ends are simultaneously chosen. Thirdly, in the root method decisions are termed â€Å"good† if an objective is achieved even when the decision hasn’t been described. In the case of branch method where the objectives are defined only by the incremental values it is still possible to determine if the policy achieved the desired objective. Again in the root method it is impossible to take all factors into consideration due to limitations unless the complex problem is simplified whereas the branch method by limiting the policy comparisons to relevant ones only differing slightly from the current policy the problem is simplified. Finally policy is made and re-made endlessly in the branch method. Nevertheless, branch method does have its disadvantages but is far superior for decision making in complex problems. Experience: In a new start up firm generally new policies are made often or even old ones are amended. During my work as a business development manager in a newly start up firm, I along with another colleague had the major task to formulate policies for my division. We decided to put together basic policies related to our past experience from similar jobs. This served as the base to us and the other employees of the division. There were revisions to these base policies only when there was a need to amend it because it wasn’t working for us or when some mishap happened and a new policy was inevitable. But the fact was that the new policies didn’t vary from the old policies in such a large manner. So it wasn’t difficult for the employees to get accustomed to the new policy. And slowly we managed to put together a solid set of policies. Reading 7. 1 (McIntyre, R. M. & Salas, E. (1995)): Measuring and Managing For Team Performance: Emerging Principles From Complex Environments The author of this chapter focuses on a fairly neglected but critical aspect namely teamwork that develops as teams mature over a period of time. The base for this research was military teams but due to the similarities between military and any organisation the findings can be extended to teams in an organisation too. The model formed for this research was The Team Evolution and Maturation (TEAM) Research Paradigm. The TEAM paradigm program observed and measured a number of tactical decision-making teams. Interviews were conducted, data instruments and self-report questionnaire were developed and employed to assist in the research. The data analysed were scanned for evidence of behavioural trends that characterized team performance and the results were presented. Teamwork is the interactive behaviour between members of a team but depending on circumstance may include technical activities. Teamwork consists of four major factors-performance monitoring, feedback, closed-loop communication, back-up behaviour and also performance norms such as team’s self awareness and supporting interdependence among team-mates. Also effective teams modify their behaviour depending on the situation and do change over a period of time. Another category that led to a better understanding of team performance was Team leadership. A team leader must be able to serve as models of teamwork in order to maintain the team’s effectiveness by engaging in teamwork and improving the team performance, being prepared technically, by listening and benefiting from the knowledge of team members, accepting and providing feedback but at the same time being cautious about his leadership style and the respect he commands. The role of each individual team member was also important in this context. Team members should be individually competent so that effective team work can take place but at the same time be aware of the tasks of his team-mate. Also, a team member must not be dependent on an outstanding team member by evading responsibility. Experience: During my career in a software company a team was formed for every project. The team was formed depending on the requirement of the particular phase of the project, budget and duration. The team members were selected based on their experience. Meetings were conducted with the project managers on an individual basis as well as a team. New ideas as well as difficulties faced by each team member were noted. Another method employed by the company was the team appraisal form in which team members rated their team mates in different tasks. At the completion of the project too a review of the performance of the team as well as the project manager was conducted. For the next project the outcomes of these reviews were specially taken into consideration to form another team. What I observed was as a team our performance improved and tasks were completed with less difficulty among team members. Reading 5. 3 (Parkin (2000)): Expert Judgment This reading discusses about how the conceptualization of information can help in retaining information for longer periods of time and achieving expertise. It also classifies the characteristics of an expert and finally whether experts are better judges in their own domain. The short term memory in human beings can only absorb and process few chunks of memory and that too for a short period of time whereas to remember data for a longer period it is necessary to put them in long term memory. Some recent findings have shown that in order to support the short-term memory, experts developed their long term memory thereby overcoming the limited capacity of the short term memory. But again the storage capacity isn’t what makes a difference between a novice and an expert. It is the ability of an expert to visualize and analyse as well as reason the patterns and data in such a way that it provides room for more planning that differentiates him from an amateur. In order to have this ability of an expert, practice seems to be the only solution. Again being an expert in problem solving in a particular domain is not the only skill required by an expert but good planning skill too is critical. By deciding on the right methods and goals based on past experiences experts are more successful in predicting likely outcomes. Thus in order to facilitate quick retrieval of information from the long term memory it is necessary to conceptualize the largely disaggregated data that one acquires during education and training. Through a continuous series of trial, error and reliable feedback, information gets stored in memory and readily available. But in spite of these characteristics experts may not be better judges also in their own domains. An expert’s decision would differ from another one based on his knowledge and experience. But again agreement cannot be the only criteria to judge an expert. Experience: During my career as a computer engineer I had done multiple projects. But I remember one of the projects in the early days of my career which was a fairly complex one. It was a complex one only because in spite of learning that programming language in my undergraduate course and also having been rained for it in the company I had to struggle through the coding because I hadn’t practised it actually. But the irony was that the project manager was quite an expert at it and had an extensive knowledge in that programming language despite the fact that this language came into actual practice long after his graduation. I later came to know that he had successfully completed a number of projects using this program ming language. Thus practice and definitely the multiple projects he executed got him to this level of expertise. Reference 1. UTS November 2002, ‘Judgment and Decision making’, CN2118 Lectures & Reading Material.