World War II Through the 1970’s

In this paper I will go into details explains two major historical turning points that occurred during the period of World War II through the 1970’s, and the effect it had on today’s society, economy, politics and culture. In this paper I will also give two reasons why in the late 30’s Americans wanted to remain out of the European conflict.In this paper I will talk about the role women played to helped win World War II, will describes two civil rights breakthroughs, explain two ways the Vietnam War brought political awareness to a new generation of young Americans and I will talk about two programs that president Lyndon Johnson Great Society Agenda had put into effect and that are still into effect today. A turning point was in 1962, the world experienced a threat so real, so dangerous, and so deadly; that any believed Armageddon was approaching. The Cuban Missile Crisis was undoubtedly the closest the world has come to nuclear war in its entire existence.The pr esence of Soviet nuclear warheads on Cuban soil, less than 100 miles from the coast of Florida shocked the world. The discovery of the missiles was completely unexpected; the public's reaction was not. Thousands of people stockpiled food, students were trained to survive nuclear holocaust and civilians built bomb shelters in their back yards. It was the most shocking event of the 20th Century. The second turning point was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 27, 1963 where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his I Have A dream speech on the steps on the Lincoln Memorial.Two Historical Points There are many major historical points during this period of time such as Pearl Harbor, Integrating in Baseball, the murder of Emmett Till, Brown v. Board of Education, Civil Rights Movement, Black Power Movement, Chicano Movement, the assassination of President Kennedy, Malcolm X, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and Robert Kennedy, Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. In m y opinion all of these events had effect on today’s society. One of the historical points is bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 4, 1941. A Japanese bomber attacked the United States pacific fleet.This attacked killed 2,403 Americans at the same time Japan also attacked American positions in the Philippines, Guam, and Midway Islands as well as Hong Kong and Malaysia. President Roosevelt declared that December 7th would become a date which will live in infamy. On December 8, 1941 declared war and on December 11th Adolf Hitler declared war on United States making it a world war. ( Schultz, 2012 p,413) The Watergate Scandal is known for its complex web of serious political scandals that occurred during 1972 and 1974. At the time the president was Richard M.Nixon, this scandal would change his Life and his legacy and the lives of many people involved as well as the Americans view of political leaders. During Nixon successful reelection bid in 1972, five men were arrested breaking into the Democratic National Committee offices at the Watergate Hotel in Washington D. C. One of the men worked directly for Nixon’s Committee (CREEP). (Shultz,2012 p. 474) Many things were found out during the long investigation including the unveiling that President Nixon was taping all the conversations in the White House.Also Nixon’s vice president Agnew was also admitted to tax evasion. There was also many other things that came to light during the Watergate Scandal leading Americans to have major distrust within the entire leaders of our country. Today political leaders and everyone for that matter grasp the idea that no one is above the law. I believe the biggest outcome of the Watergate Scandal would be the realization that the â€Å"freedom of press† defined in the First Amendment can be held up and used to print and report on if the information is true. Stay out of European AffairsThe disinclination of Americans to become too closely involved with Eur opean affairs was also reflected in the Administration’s refuge policies. As the Nazis steeped up their persecution of Jews and other minorities, a steady trickle of German Jews sought refuge in countries around the world. ( America’s Decades 1930’s p. 343) The people of the United States had many reason as to why the wished to stay neutral in what became World War II. First from my understanding Americans were still trying to recover from World War I and also the Great Depression.America suffered from so many devastating blows financially during the Great Depression. They felt as if we should concentrate on recovering here at home first rather than going overseas and incurring more financial problems. The second reason I think Americans wanted to remain out of the European Conflict is because of a man named Adolf Hitler. Although Adolf Hitler did many horrible unforgiving things during his time Americans took a liking to him at first. This was simply because Hi tler pulled Germany out a horrible economic depression in record breaking time.Americans thought that if Hitler had enough power and wisdom to help Germany so swiftly then why should be fight such a strong and very smart power. Women Role in WWII Women played a very significant role during the World War II to help the United States achieve a win. During the World War II many women found themselves left at home trying to do whatever they could to make ends meet. Hundreds of thousands of women went to work in factories taking the place of many male jobs. During the war around 350,000 women enlisted into various branches of the armed forces working mainly as nurses and secretaries.A great achievement women made during the war was becoming Air Force service pilots. This gave males the opportunity to leave the service aspect of the military to join in actual combat. Women made up a major part of the Red Cross lending hand to wounded soldiers to help heal and get them back to combat statu s. Civil Rights Breakthrough Between the end of World War II and the passing of the passing of Civil Rights Act in 1964 many Africa Americans devoted their lives to fighting devoted their lives to fighting social injustices. Like much of United States society in 1940’s professional baseball was segregation.The Major League was for white players only. When it came to African America baseball player they were restricted to the Negro League with received little press. Jackie Robinson broke the baseball color line when the Brooklyn Dodgers started him on April 15, 1947. As the first African American to Major League Baseball Robinson had to endure racial taunts, threat, and death letter by fans of the game. He also had to death with it from other players and his teammates, some players shunned him or kicked him with spike shoes as he ran bases. (America’s 1940 p. 122) Robinson played at top level he batted .97 in his rookie year, won National League Rookie of the Year and l ed the Dodgers to 1947 World Series. Just elven weeks after Jackie Robinson integrated baseball Larry Doby deducted with the Cleveland Indians. Robinson was the first African American inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 . In 1951 suit was filed against the Topeka Board of Education at a state level with the help of the NAACP. Unfortunately the case was lost, but got taken on by the Supreme Court. After a long battle inBrown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansa decided by the Supreme Court in 1954, is considered the case that began to dismantle legal segregation.It brought together five discrimination suits being filed across the country against locally segregated school system where blacks’ schools were found to be inadequate. The case argued by Charles Hamilton Houston, James Nabritt, Thurgood Marshall ( who became the first African American Supreme Court Justice) who had applied for to University of Maryland Law School and was refused because of his race. ( Legacy Treasures of Black History p. 171) The murder of Emmett Louis Till was an African American boy who was murdered in Mississippi he was only fourteen.It was reported that he was flirting with a white woman named Carolyn Bryant. Several nights later Bryant’s husband and half-brother took Till from his great uncle house and brought him to a barn where they beat him and gouged out one of his eyes then they shoted him in the head. They dispose his body in the Tallahatchie River weighting it down with a 70 pound cotton gin. Till body was found three days later he body was returned to Chicago, Illinois to his mother where she insisted on a public funeral with an open casket to show the world the brutality of the murder of her son.Ten of thousands attended the funeral or viewed his casket and images of his mutilated body was publish in Jet magazine and newspapers. Emmett Till murder is noted as a pivotal event motivating the Civil Rights moment. That December of 1955 in Montgomery, A labama Rosa Park refused to give her seat up and was arrested that spark a boycott of the public bus system in Montgomery, Alabama that last thirteen months. Vietnam War While Vietnam started in 1955 the United States did not enter until roughly 1961.America wanted to remain out of this war but ultimately succumb to the realization that we intervene if we did not want communism to spread any farther than it already had. As of today the Vietnam War is known for its dramatic bloodshed with the losses of so many lives and also for that to date is the only war United States lost due to withdrawing from the war. Today we can see the effects of the war economically because all of the health problems we see in the veterans of the war. We help to pay for the medical bills of proud men that served our country during that time.Our veterans today still suffer greatly from port traumatic stress disorder and drug dependencies. The war was also very costly not in just that thousands of lives were lost but also financially. The Vietnam War brought political awareness to a new generation of young Americans in many ways. The war weakened public faith in government, and in the honesty of its leaders. A high degree of suspicion and distrust toward authority of all kind was felt by most Americans. Also Americans discredited the military for a long time to come. Americans would come to never have respect for or trust public institutions again like they had before the war.President Johnson’s Great Society President Lyndon Johnson did many great things for our country, including what is called his â€Å"Great Society† agenda. While the Great Society agenda had many aspects of it, I think one of the dynamics that still stands today and is very important to us is the Economic Opportunity Act (EOA) of 1964. The EOA was created to do many things but a few are commonly still heard about. For example the EOA created a program called Head Start. Head Start is provides many th ings including education, parent involvement, health, nutrition, and family support services to low income families.The EOA also created the Job Corps which is still in operation today. Job Corps is a free training and education program that helps low income young people aged 16 to 21 earn a high school diploma, learn a career, and find and keep a career. Another program that was created in 1965 under Johnsons Great Society was Medicare. Medicare is in full force still in today’s time. Medicare is a national insurance program, regulated by the U. S. federal government; it guarantees access to health insurance for Americans for younger people with disabilities and for those ages 65. (Shultz 2012 p. 458)

My Personal Learning Styles

My Personal Learning Style Learning has been going on since the beginning of human kind and is still going on in today’s world. While in the beginning they did not study how they learned they still accomplished many things. Now we study how we learn so that we can hopefully learn more efficiently to accomplish things beyond our wildest dreams. Today I took to learning style quizzes in hopes of learning more about my personal learning styles so that I may improve myself. Today in this essay we will explore learning styles that equate with a preferred bodily sense through which one receives information.The three that are the most popular and explored are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Gaining knowledge about things that connect to the real world that we walk in everyday is of great interest to me. In saying that, I chose to pursue a degree in Public Health, because it something I see every day and became very intrigued by. My chose to obtain a degree also came out of wanting to better myself and the people around me. A very important reason that I wanted to acquire my degree is so that I could be more financially capable to providing a comfortable life for my family.Finishing a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health would also give me a great deal of pride in myself. The two quizzes that I took today were the Felder and Soloman Quiz and the Learning Styles Quiz. They both gave me some good insight to how I learn and suggestions to help me learn more efficiently in any leaning environment. The results from the Felder and Soloman quiz showed me that I was reflective, sensing, verbal, and sequential which seemed to very accurate (Felder & Soloman, n. d. ). As a reflective learner I prefer to think it through quietly, working alone, and taking notes while listening to lectures (Felder & Soloman, n. . ). Being a Sensor tells me that I tend to enjoy learning about facts to the real world, solving problems with well-established methods, and I am patient wi th details (Felder & Soloman, n. d. ). Verbal learning is something I have always enjoyed I just get more out of words–written and spoken explanations (Felder & Soloman, n. d. ). Writing out or seeing steps in my head while trying to process information points to sequential learning where the learner tends to follow logical stepwise paths in finding solutions (Felder & Soloman, n. d. ).The learning styles quiz focused on visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning styles which made it very straight forward. After taking this quiz the results showed me to be more of an auditory learner with sixty-four percent. As far as visual and kinesthetic learning both of the percentages were at eighteen percent so I definitely lean towards one method. As an auditory learner you prefer to learn by listening and often recall the words you've heard in your mind (Penn State, 2010). This quiz brought to my attention that while taking a written test, I am slow because of speaking to myself as you read (Penn State, 2010).The results of the quizzes that I took were very enlightening to me since I was of the belief that I really did not lean towards one learning style. Felder and Solomans’ quiz was the best out of the two that I experienced today because it was so full of information. I especially like that it gives you helpful tips on how to learn better with the learning styles that you have. Taking the quizzes today helped me better understand my learning style which I know will help me down the line while trying to learn anything.Basically what this essay boils down to is everyone has different ways of learning whether it is auditory, sensing or reflective. Knowing how I learn can be a very helpful tool in my success to completely my degree. Taking a quiz to learn about my learning style proved to be very insightful into my tactics taken while studying. In the end knowledge is power and knowing how to pour it into your mind with understanding is priceless. Reference s: http://www. engr. ncsu. edu/learningstyles/ilsweb. html http://www. howtolearn. com/learning-styles-quiz

Halfway House Essay

‘Aadhe Adhure’ or ‘Halfway House’ has often been described as a cross between Naturalist Theatre and Theatre of the Absurd. Interestingly, both these elements actually undercut each other as theatrical movements and are said to have polarized western theatre. Naturalism argues for heredity and a global perspective on human behavior, which is said to develop out of the social environment in which a particular individual lives. On the contrary, Absurdism believes that there are no solutions to the mysteries of existence because ultimately man is alone, forced to perform repetitive actions in a world without meaning. This play has many elements of Naturalist theatre, including a linear movement, a limited time span, an in-depth psychological characterization and a defined beginning, middle and end. However, the opening line– â€Å"Once again, the same thing all over again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  firmly typecasts it as a part of Absurdist theatre, as from the start itself there is a hint at circularity of events and a hopelessness and banality defined by the repetition of the word ‘again’ in the short sentence. Mohan Rakesh borrowed a common device from the theatre of the Absurd and in ‘Aadhe Adhure’, for the first time in Indian theatre the same actor was used to play five characters. According to Rakesh, â€Å"The woman is the central character and I want the four men to be played by the same actor. What I want to indicate by that is that it’s not the individual who’s responsible for his situation, for he would have made the same choice no matter what, regardless of the situation. Any choice anyone makes has a certain irony in it, for things turn out the same regardless of the choice.† Though it was passed off by some critics as a gimmick employed by the playwright, its thematic relevance came to the fore when Rajinder Nath, contrary to his own views on the importance of the technique, directed the play using five different actors for the roles. The conclusion was felt to be severely lacking as the notion of inherent ‘similarity’ in all the men which underlines the climax of the play failed to have the same impact. Interestingly, though Savitri implies that it is beneath their appearance, that this ‘same man’ exists, the implication is only forceful for the audience because of the simultaneous visual impact of one man playing different roles. According to Nath himself it was a powerful theatrical device â€Å"to show how according to one’s convenience the same man can put on different masks depending on the situation in which he is placed†. That the authorial view corroborates with this statement is clear from the prologue where the ‘Man in the black suit’ equates identity with fluidity and calls himself undefined. Each character, given a certain set of circumstances, can occupy the place of another. This also follows the assumption that there is no real development or evolution of character; the character at the beginning of the play will not be shaped differently by the situation, enforcing the idea of a universality of experience, that â€Å"things turning out the same regardless of choice†. The prologue defines the play as ‘amorphous’. The audience is told that there is a bit of each character in all of them. Those watching the play and even those outside the theatre. The characters are said to be people â€Å"you bump into by chance in the street† stressing the alienation of urban crowd from one another as the source of difference as well as similarity, since they are all nameless, faceless people who can easily get lost in a crowd comprising of the same. Therefore, one man can play five characters because they are, in essence, the same man. This likeness is reiterated by the naming of the characters in their dialogues, not individually, but rather as First Man, Second Man, etc. According to the Hindi version of the play, the Man in the Black Suit â€Å"has a look of civility with a touch of cynicism†; the face of the First man â€Å"expresses the helpless anguish of having lost the battle of life†; the Second Man is â€Å"self-satisf ied and yet a little insecure†; the Third Man â€Å"projects an air of someone who is committed to a life of convenience†; and the Fourth Man â€Å"looks older, quite mature and shrewd†. They have different characteristics, lifestyles and manners of speech, yet according to critics Nita Kumar and N. S. Dharan, this device makes use of the inherent notion of playacting which includes the concept of freedom; to pretend and be whatever one likes. Every man remains an actor and therefore, it is easy for him to put up a faà §ade and to hide his interiority according to the demands of the situation. This concept is emphasized not by the fact that the same man plays all the characters, but rather by the fact that it is possible for the same man to play all the characters. Simply by changing his costume and facial expression, he manages to change into a different person entirely. Therefore, the assertion of the prologue of the interchangeability of these characters is understandable. The problematic element in the play arises out of the contention of the Man in the Black Suit that interchange of roles can take place not only between the men in the play but also between the man and the woman. This strikes a discordant note as, according to critic Arti Mathur, it negates Savitri’s gender-specific struggle against social constraints. One of the biggest contributions to the ‘sameness’ of the multiple characters is that they are all men. And men, by the patriarchal definition especially prevalent in urban middle-class India, have a certain societal role which leads to their convergence into one man. Irrespective of circumstances their position in society is defined while that of the woman is defined in relation to the man. However, the statement is not entirely wrong either as Savitri, as the breadwinner of the household is actually the ‘man of the house’. Every society has an economic base and a cultural superstructure, which is derived from the base. In Halfway House, the base has shifted and it is the wife who is economically independent, however, the tragedy of the ironically named Savitri lies in the fact that the superstructure has not shifted in accordance with the base. Mahendranath has not become the domestic centre just because of his confinement to the house; Savitri is still required to fulfill her ‘womanly’ domestic duties. She is defined by the context of what it means to be a woman and has internalized the patriarchal system. This is also made clear by Savitri’s contempt of what she believes is Mahendranath’s lack of manliness. She despises his dependency on herself as well as Juneja and constantly searches for escape routes through other, more sui table men. An element of unrealism is brought in, in which even the characters seem to be aware of an underlying similarity between the men, a device not available to them as characters. Askok’s sketch of Singhania leads Savitri to ask Binni if the portrait reminds her of someone, and on being asked, â€Å"Whom†, she replies â€Å"Your father.† This intermingling of the play and the outside elements draws attention to this device. There is irony in the fact that one of the ways in which these men are actually the ‘same’ is in their exploitation of Savitri. According to critic Veena Das, these characters are seldom all of a piece, they are the broken images of a decomposing society. Mahendranath is a self-described ‘parasite’ and is later shockingly revealed to be a former wife-beater. His inability to hold the position of the ‘head’ of the family has made him bitter and suspicious; suspecting his wife of illicit liaisons, which, although hinted at are never confirmed by the text. His ‘unmanliness’ makes Savitri lose all respect for him, till their marriage is reduced to a sham of public expectations. Singhania treats Savitri with condescension and his ‘favors’ are granted with an obvious air of patronization. His pompous manner and speech is calculated to make the listener feel inferior, a fact that is explicitly stated by Ashok. However, in Savitri’s eyes his position as her boss and his salary makes him ‘superior’ and she remains silent in face of his thinly-veiled innuendos and his humiliation positioning of her as â€Å"one of his child’s ‘aunties’†. His crude behavior is a caricature of the sexual exploitation that women have to deal with in work places. Jagmohan is introduced almost an antithesis of Mahendra. He is suave, successful, with a man-of-the-world air and is presented as the eleventh hour rescuer. He is the only outcome available to her from the â€Å"hell† that her house has become to her. However, this apparent proactive position loses much of its worth as it is weakened by the fact that she waits for Jagmohan to ‘fetch’ her. She overlooks his barbs at her expense and goes with him willingly, an act in defiance of society which is only rewarded by rejection. Again, this seemingly perfect man is unable to provide her with emotional support or security. Her disillusioned return drives home the point that there is no escape route left available for her. The point of concern becomes the fact that though Savitri is an economically independent woman, her means of ‘escape’ from the house is linked to a man. Savitri, in her search for the â€Å"complete man† speaks in the language of patriarchy, as the concept of ‘masculinity’ is a derivative of society. Even though she is a ‘modern, independent’ woman, she is unable to cut off the suffocating patriarchal bonds of the environment in which she lives. The Fourth Man, Juneja is introduced onto the stage around this point. He gains the sympathy of the audience by showing kindness towards Kinni, a character who is almost absolutely neglected in the play. He comes as a voice of rationality; as an almost omniscient character. He seems to have intimate knowledge of both Savitri and Mahendranath, as well as their circumstances. His seems to be the projected authorial voice in the play. His looks and manner of speech is structured so as to make the audience favor his point-of-view and assessment of character. Juneja espouses the belief that to Savitri the meaning of life is â€Å"how many different things you can have and enjoy at the same time.† He lays the blame for the current situation of hopelessness squarely on her shoulder and her quest for the â€Å"complete man†. According to him the problem is not a social reality, but instead lies in the psychological realm. All of the men she encounters are incomplete and therefore her solution is multiplicity. Her way of filling her void is â€Å"excess†. And she is only attracted to men because, â€Å"they are not Mahendra.† According to Juneja, if she had married one of the men whom she is attracted to she would have still felt she had married the wrong man. Juneja brings in another element of unrealism by accurately recounting the encounter between Jagmohan and Savitri because â€Å"in his place I would have said the same†. Once again this brings forth the ‘sameness’ of these characters, as Juneja’s claim is validated by Savitri’s shattering realization- â€Å"All of you†¦every one of you†¦all alike! Exactly the same. Different masks, but the face†¦? The same wretched face†¦every single one of you!† The tragedy of the realization is heightened by Juneja’s ruthless perusal- â€Å"And yet you felt you had a choice†¦? Was there really any choice? Tell me, was there?† In the above dialogues lies the greatest significance of that particular theatrical device. It brings out a clear dichotomy between the ideal and the real. What Savitri has been pursuing all along, the ‘ideal man’ does not in fact exist. The notion of her having had a ‘choice’ has been illusory all along; she is trapped in a world with no exit. The play shifts focus to lack of freedom for a female in urban, middle-class India. The tragedy is that Juneja’s speech provides a dual closure for Savitri; both in her search for the ‘perfect’ man who can â€Å"fill her void†, as well as an acknowledgment that she shall never gain satisfaction, and related to that, happiness. In naturalism, free will is not denied but is contained and confined within the environment in which the individual lives. Savitri’s free will is her ability to choose but the fulfillment of that choice depends on the context. Her freedom is linked to a man. She is free to choose which man, but it has to be a man. The illusion of choice arises from the four men and her ‘independence’ is related to shifting from one man to the other. In the prologue, the Man in the Black Suit had asked the existentialist question of ‘who am I’. This is now problematized, as the dramatic innovation of using the same man for multiple characters casts doubt on whether there is an ‘I’ at all. ‘I’ refers to individuality, the existence of a self different from the ‘other’, a projection that the men in the play are all different which is negated through Juneja’s speech. Savitri uses the language of social realism to justify her belief that she moves on to other men because Mahendra is not the right man. Juneja uses the language of absurdism to articulate that there is no ‘right man’; her search is futile because such a man does not exist. All the men in her life are essentially the same man and can only satisfy her for a limited period of time. Surprisingly, the text does not lead up to its realist conclusion; that she is trapped because of the prohibitions of the society in which she lives, a world in which a woman has no choice in her own destiny. It, in fact, veers from its apparent initial realist stance of ‘all men are the same in a patriarchy’ and seems to suggest that all men are the same only to Savitri. Halfway House has often been described as a woman-centric misogynistic play. â€Å"Even as the play builds up a dark vision of trapped humanity, it weakens the force of its statement by simultaneously cutting Savitri’s credentials.† (Nita Kumar). The play does not imply that if the only conditions were different or could be changed then Savitri would be able to escape from the ‘trap’, instead her sexuality is morally condemned, she ought not be able to escape. Juneja contends that all the men who had come into her life were different. They were individuals with their own diverse characteristics and, according to critic Veena Das, what made Savitri see them as parts of the same fractioned entities was her own â€Å"diseased imagination†. Juneja, in saying that all men are the same, is trying to define the essential nature of desire. Desire is always in excess of the individual and can never be completely satiated. The frightening aspect of desire lies in its limitlessness. All men are the same because they are looked at through Savitri’s desire, the fact that they will all eventually be unable to satisfy her is the reason for their ‘sameness’. Their amorphousness derives from the fact that they change in accordance with Savitri’s assessment of them. The transcendental nature of desire will always make her move on to other men and search for completeness. It seems to suggest that every being is half-incomple te, it is not a tragedy, but rather a fact of existence, and Savitri, in her search for masculine perfection and inability to accept this fact, is herself responsible for her ruination. Unexpectedly again, the play doesn’t build up even to the absurdist conclusion; it does not suggest that everybody in essentiality is like Savitri, because desire is universal, exceeding every individual. Instead, the elements of Naturalism as well as Absurdism are developed only to lay the blame on Savitri’s inherent nature, which is considered responsible for the destruction of this particular family. She stands the last accused and the play ends before there can be any possibility of defense on her behalf. Interestingly, though certain relationships in life are deterministic, including that of a mother-daughter, sister-brother, etc, the same cannot be said about spouses; however, in this very context the language used by Juneja is the final language of containment, of absolute, rigid determinism. As earlier mentioned, the device of one man playing multiple roles is that of the actor and is not available to the character, and therefore it is significant that the visual of the play itself shows that nothing can be changed. Juneja’s speech corresponds to the structure of the play, which has to come from without and therefore indicates a concurrence with the playwright’s view. According to critic Kirti Jain, this device loses a little of its relevance in the actual stage performance as the focus of the audience is drawn primarily towards the clothes, mannerisms and voice of that one actor rather than the thematic import. However, there is no ambiguity on the fact that the nature of the play cannot be understood without a reference to this particular device. Through this, the area of thrust changes entirely from the ‘universality of human experience’, and the ultimate censure is not of society, or even the circumstances, but rather of Savitri’s desiring nature. Her lack of constraint and implicit sexuality stand accused as the essential reasons for what makes her home an incomplete, halfway house.

Policies to reduce negative externalities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Policies to reduce negative externalities - Essay Example Also such a tax tries to compensate the situation where the cost to the society is more than the cost to the producer. This tax will ensure that the producer bear the full burden of the market decision taken by him. Such a tax might urge the plant to reduce its production or improve methods to contain pollution which might involve technological upgradation. Hence in case of such a policy the company bears the cost. This policy was practiced earlier with success but later replaced by pollution rights which ensure that the firm does not lose profits but can trade their pollution rights. However in such cases the gains to the environment is not much compared to the effect it has on minimizing cost to the firms. This policy has worked in case of Kyoto Protocol where the carbon taxes imposed is targeted at the producer causing the negative externality. Such taxes on emissions also encourage the development of alternative and renewable energy sectors. Also when a large organization is forc ed to cut down production it gives relief to the smaller organizations from a competitive pressure. Hence this tax can also help in bringing about a balance in the market to reduce inequalities. (Hackett 2001) The second policy that the company can adopt is that of setting caps and baselines.

Admission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10

Admission - Essay Example As students, we were regularly tasked with coming up with project in groups of five or thereof, these tasks equipped me with the ability to tolerate and work with people of different natures and principles contrary to mine. The tasks also gave me valuable knowledge on how to ensure maximum productivity in groups and meet deadlines. I can actively employ these skills in my professional life where I am tasked with working with my colleagues. I can also use the skills to ensure that deadlines are met to ensure maximum productivity My undergraduate studies gave me valuable lessons on leadership. The coursework contained tenets on business management and how to ensure business success (Norman 35) .In the classroom I learnt how to lead and handle crisis situations. As a project leader, I gained valuable knowledge on how to motivate my group members to ensure maximum productivity. I also learnt how to cope with uncooperative members. The leadership skills would prove invaluable to public service especially if given a managerial position. The ability to motivate my colleagues in situations where an institution is making losses would be necessary. It would also help me to maintain the morale of the employees. My experience as a volunteer with the World Health Organization was pivotal in my learning experience. Among the many students who volunteered during the 2004 cholera outbreak, only a few of us remained by the end of the containment period (Geudens 36). This experience taught me the value of commitment to set goals and agendas. I learnt that without commitment, one would not achieve the desired results. This skillset would be useful in my public service especially as pertains quality service delivery. Commitment to my duties will be important in the achievement of institutional goals and objectives. My six months training as a cadet in the military taught me how to cope with

The Use of Emotional Focused Therapy Research Paper

The Use of Emotional Focused Therapy - Research Paper Example Attachment theory is the basis of information for attachment injury work. John Bowlby considered the "father" of attachment theory found that the way that children form attachments based on their early attachments to their primary caregiver. If they are able to bond strongly with this individual, they have a strong foundation for love, respect, self-esteem, and self-confidence. Farley (2004) studied Bowlby's work and suggests that children are always looking for the presence of their caregiver and asking the question,   Ã‚  "Is the attachment figure nearby, accessible, and attentive?" If the answer to this question is "yes", the child will grow up feeling confident and secure and may be able to explore their environment easier; they will be more prone to have close friends and to be very social. If the child perceives that the answer to this question is "no," they will more likely feel anxious and afraid, and will constantly seek out attention because they are looking for the careg iver. These children develop a lack of trust because they feel that the attachment figure will not be available to them, and it also means that they may not be able to reestablish a connection with the attachment figure (Farley, p. 1). Translating this information to adult attachment therapy, Farley states that "the same motivational system that gives rise to the close emotional bond between parents and their children is responsible for the bond that develops between adults in emotionally intimate relationships" (p. 1). The challenge is that when an attachment is not clear or has not developed in childhood, as children grow into adults, they may experience attachment injuries.

Waste Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Waste Management - Essay Example If the temperature is high then all wastes will be decomposed. Incinerator design also determines the amount of airflow into the incinerator. This determines the level of decomposition of the wastes. High air flow means total combustion while low inflow of air means partial combustion. Total combustion means low quantity of gases. The operation of the incinerator will also determine the quantity of gaseous products produced and their composition. The type of handling the materials are given dictates the quantity and composition of gases produced. Operation determines the temperature of combustion and the level of mixing as well as the amount of air allowed in (Oppelt 1987). Operation also determines the residence time that the combustion process takes and the type and amount of fuel to be used in the combustion Fuel also contributes to gaseous products. All these factors have a bearing on the quantity and composition of the gaseous products coming out of the incinerator The properties of the waste materials also determine the quantity and composition of the gases produced. Different types of waste materials produce different gaseous compositions in different quantities. Waste materials have different physical and chemical properties which result in production of different quantities and compositions of gases (Oppelt 1987).The quantity of residues is determined by the quantity of the waste products that are fed into the incinerator. The residence time of the wastes in the incinerator, the temperature, quantity of oxygen and level of mixing determine the level of combustion hence the amount of residue produced. When there is absolute combustion then little residue is produced (Oppelt 1987). A WAP which stands for a waste analysis plan is the plan that is used as an outline of the analysis done on wastes before they are disposed off. Not all

Household Env Impact Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Household Env Impact - Lab Report Example The experiment was done based on the highest national average of household water consumption --- toilet flushes. It was hypothesized that lesser water can be used to flush toilets as effectively. If the water consumption in flushing toilets can be decreased by a third of the normal use, this could save around 10% of the total household water consumption. The results of the experiment showed that water conservation was 12.5% to 15.5% of the total water usage. Lab Report: An Experiment on Household Water Consumption Introduction According to the American Water Works Association, Americans are the biggest water consumers worldwide. According to the Colorado Water Research Center, the average daily household water consumption is 400-500 gallons, which means that an average person uses around 80-100 gallons of water per day. Some statistics claim that average per capita water consumption is even higher than 150 gallons per day. With all these numbers, the biggest percentage of individual/ household water use --- an estimate of 26% --- goes to flushing the toilet. The next biggest household water consumption goes to clothes washers, which eats up around 22% of daily household water use. The third biggest water consumption goes to showers and baths, which eats up around 19% of daily household water use (U.S. Geological Survey). ... 452 & Willis et al. 1998). Background Water is a valuable source of life. Using water resources efficiently and wisely will help fill the needs of both the private and public sectors. Households, farms, businesses, and industries all need water to survive and flourish (Chimbari et al. 451). Furthermore, water is essential not only to humans, but to all living organisms as well. Everyone, from individuals to large industries, water use should be appropriately shared to avoid water shortages especially in times of fluctuating and limited supplies. Water availability depends on several factors. One of the most talked about issue that affects water supply nowadays is climate change. The rapid and continuous increase in the population also means that more water is consumed even if the supply does not really change. Urban development also means that there are now more paved surfaces that cause a decrease in rainwater absorption by the ground. Water conservation is essential to ensure adequ ate water supply in the future, and everyone can take part in this very simple task (Yung, Tolson, and Burn 252-4). Objective This experiment aims to cut down water supply by approximately 10% by limiting water waste in toilet flushes. Hypothesis If the average household water consumption in flushing the toilet is around 104-130 gallons per day when using a 3-5 gallon toilet flush, then using a 2-gallon flush can cut down this number and save at least 10% of the average household water consumption. Materials A working toilet flush Empty plastic bottle (one 1-gallon or 2 half-gallons) Small pebbles or sand (will fit the mouth of the bottle) Bottle cap/s Chart/table to record water meter readings Clock (or 24-hour timer) Water meter

Developing Global Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Developing Global Managers - Essay Example Applying one management style or theory because of its success in one place does not necessarily result in similar success in other countries. This concept has been explained based on various characteristics associated with societal beliefs, national cultures, and impact of management policies and practices in cross-national and cross-cultural settings. Therefore, before applying the management theories that originated in one country or culture, it is important to assess its implications on other cultures and countries. 2. Explain the difference between individualistic cultures and collectivist cultures and your personal experiences with culture shock. The difference between individualistic and collectivist cultures is that people in the former type, it is generally assumed and accepted that every individual is responsible for him/herself and that individual is responsible for all rewards and repercussions for his/her actions. Individual decision making is highly emphasized and do no t entertain indulgence in others privacy. The latter type believes in family or team culture in which responsibilities and repercussions are shared by the group/family. These individuals let others invade their privacy because that is thought to be respectful, and group decision making is common.

Anomaly Detection Scheme for Prevention of Online Attacks Dissertation

Anomaly Detection Scheme for Prevention of Online Attacks - Dissertation Example The time parameter reflects any deviation from the normal (duration taken) in disseminating information and receiving of the feedback. The efficiency of communication is therefore slowed down and this cripples the activities of an institution. Hacking of the internet system distorts the original information that was fed and may bring about a jam. All these are prevented by use of highly advanced and sophisticated modern devices that quickly sense and produce signals to notify the comptroller (Chiang, 2004). Data analysis must be undertaken to confirm and ensure only the vital information is online and accessed by the target population. The systems are made in a way that they are able to identify the geographical location of an attacker who can then be easily trailed, and legal action may be taken. The coming attacks may also be blocked by an automated program in the system. Updating should always be done to facilitate prompt detection of attacks. This ensures the system remains at pa ce with any new technological changes. When all security measures are considered, the privacy of an institution remains secured. They remain at the disposal of the authorized authorities. Transmission of information must be sufficient at the shortest time possible. According to Chiang (2004), visualization of system level is done to integrate technology with the systems hardware, software or both. This ensures protection by offering an opportunity to study and analyze visual patterns that indicate any possible attack. Sensors are used to detect and send an alert signal inform of graphs on a screen. Multiple attacks are easily displayed and tracked down from their sources. This calls for a quick action in order to protect the data which includes resetting of the connection. All the forecasting and analysis is done in a data warehouse. This method ensures a quick and smooth action is taken to counteract any attack at the shortest time possible. Selection of heterogeneous threshold and conduct of a proper correlation analysis ensures systems are well set to accommodate large amounts of data and detect any slight attacks at any moment. A web of links is made that connects the major system to several others. A threshold value is also set which sounds an alarm when exceeded. The ease of detection of attacks becomes easier since either of them signals the main server (Chiang, 2004). An internal program is installed to ensure the system is able to detect any foreign data and differentiate self from non-self before sending a signal. The system becomes protected from collapsing and is encompassed with appropriate buffer zones to ensure the best possible results are obtained. Anomaly refers to deviation from the normal way in which information systems operate. This compromises the confidentiality and security of information contained within the system. Any delay in detection and streamlining back to normal may result to great negative impacts. Computers should therefore be protected from any form of attack by installation of a specialized and highly sensitive detector. This is called a detection scheme. It is backed up by additional security features which limit access to specific individuals and from a central point. The system is well cushioned and security guaranteed. Most institutions trust the viability of this security measure.

Managing oganisational relationships Essay Example for Free

Managing oganisational relationships Essay Introduction No Organisation can hope to keep up with the fast pace of change of the world today without enthusiastically embracing change within itself. [www.thecommonwealth.org 2005] The above statement is very powerful, but one I strongly agree with, because changes are taking place everyday and if managers dont respond to these changes then the business is most likely to suffer. Managers may have little ability to prevent change, but awareness that change is coming can make it easier to deal with. If an organisation is prepared to handle an event, then many problems can be prevented or solved without difficulty. Management versus Leadership There is a continuing controversy about the differences between management and leadership. I think its obvious that a person can be a leader without being a manager and vice-versa. According to the management theorist Mary Follett: Management is the art of getting things done through people [M.Follett 1989] However, the idea that a Manager only manages people I think is over-simplified. This is because managers hold many responsibilities. I have outlined below the role of a manger: Decision Maker Are held responsible for results Have conflicting goals to achieve Need to Plan and Budget Work with and through people organise staff. Whereas, leadership is; the ability of an individual to influence, motivate and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the organisation. [House et al., 1999] From the above statement I can gather that the role of a leader is to mainly to: Communicate Motivate and, Encourage employees Leadership is a managerial activity where employees work together towards achieving company goals. The difference between managers and leadership is that managers are elected to supervise the work of other people in the organisation and carry out formal duties. While, leaders influence the behaviour or actions of others. Managers value stability, order and efficiency. Meanwhile, leaders value flexibility, innovation and adaptation. Managers are concerned more about how things get done and try to get people to perform better. Whereas, leaders are concerned with what things mean to people and try to get people to agree about the most important things to be done. As you can see there are many differences between management and leadership. I believe leaders are more effective than managers, as they influence workers to achieve company targets and their leadership approach is usually very effective. At Morrisons the leadership style is very effective as the leader has many good characteristics. I have outlined these below; * Good communication skills * Is decisive * Good at delegation These characteristics help employees feel more valued as they know what is going on in the company and so try harder for the company to achieve targets. There are many approaches leaders can emphasise on: Trait approach Behaviour approach Power-Influence approach Situational approach Integrative approach There are strengths and weaknesses to each of these approaches and the approach used highly depends on the nature of the organisation and the situation they are in. I would say that at Laurens cake factory, the managers implements a behavioural approach. They are very authoritarian where they focus on power, decision making and hold authority with the leader. The management style they hold is Task Management. This is when they: * Focus on production * Expect schedules to be met * Problems arise from other peoples mistakes I dont believe, that this approach is very effective because employers dont involve employees in decision-making and dont provide opportunity for training and development. I think this would make staff feel less valued and not part of a team so, will not motivate them to perform better to achieve targets. Performance Management performance management includes activities to ensure that goals are consistently being met in an effective and efficient manner. [www.managementhelp.org 2005] Performance management can focus on performance of an organisation, a department, processes to build a product or service, employees etc. Performance management reminds us that training, strong commitment and working hard alone are not results. The major contribution of performance management is its focus on achieving results. Performance management redirects our efforts away from business and gets managers to think towards effectiveness. Recently, organisations have been faced with challenges of increasing competition from businesses across the world. This means that all businesses must choose effective strategies to remain competitive. Employees must commit to these to ensure strategies are implemented effectively. This situation has put more focus on effectiveness, to achieve results. All of the results across the organisation must continue to be aligned to achieve the overall result for the organisation to survive and thrive. It is only then that organisations can really tell if they are performing. Culture of an Organisation Every organisation has its own unique culture, based on values of the top management who direct the organisation. However, over time individuals attempt to change the culture of their organisations to fit their own preferences or changing marketplace conditions. This culture then influences the decision-making processes and effects styles of management. Mullins defines the culture of an organisation as: a collection of traditions, values, policies, beliefs and attitudes that constitute a pervasive context for everything we do and think in an organisation. [Mullins 2002] A key role for culture is to differentiate the organisation from others and provide sense of identity for its members. At Accordia the culture is very democratic as the manager delegates responsibilities on others. It is also creative and innovative because they are always open to new ideas. They build their culture around quality based upon commitment to the company as a whole. Cross Culture As a business becomes more global the need to understand cultural differences is critical to success. [M. BERGER 1996] Berger highlights the importance of cultures. I think it is essential to understand the basics of good cross-cultural relationships, because when people do things differently, they are not necessarily wrong they just dont follow this in their culture. I have drawn out a table below giving an example of how UK and France have different styles of conducting meetings: UK France Purpose of meetings is to agree actions and make decisions Acceptable to astray from agenda in discussions Stick to agenda, deviate only if new priorities emerge Purpose of meetings is to give input to decisions, not necessarily to make decisions Time conscious Dont challenge the Big Boss Defined follow-up actions are generally agreed The key decision-maker may not be at meeting People are expected to attend on time and stay through out the entire meeting Not time-conscious people come and go during meetings, there can be side discussions. Figure 1 [M. Berger 1996] As you can see there are many cultural differences. The UK and France have completely opposite managing styles. From respect and understanding people can find ways to work together based on mutual strengths. I think cultural values affect attitudes and behaviours around the world and we need to examine how one can adapt their skills to the cultural approach in which they find themselves in. Flexible Working Flexible working is the term used to describe the ability to employ people when and where required in the interests of everybody. [R. Pettinger 2002] There has been a huge movement towards flexible working over the years and Neatly Hurstfield found that: Employers were making increasing demands on all employees to become more flexible, both in working hours and in functional flexibility. [Hurstfield 1995] Flexible working involves the creation of work patterns and arrangements which are based on the need to maximise organisational output, customer and client satisfaction and staff expertise and effectiveness. I found out that there are many approaches to flexible workforce Atkinson was one of them, where he produced the flexible firm model in 1984. Diagram flexible firm I believe that this model has more relevance today because when we look at the retail sectors every employee is flexible. For example; At Woolworths they have their core managers who work contracted hours. And then all the other employees are part time workers with high flexibility hours. I think they take advantage of the functional flexibility, where they recruit more staff and create short-term contracts when sales are likely to be high, eg) Christmas. This maximises flexibility as they are getting workers in only when needed. I think the flexible firm model shows that the environment is more competitive and the need for cost effectiveness is important. I think Atkinson was well ahead of his time and predicted accurately. I consider the greatest emphasis was based on the flexibility in part time working as many retailers implement this model. Psychological Contract The term Psychological contract is; the perceptions of the two parties, employee and employer, of what their mutual obligations are towards each other. [www.adelphi-associates.co.uk] It is the psychological contract that effectively tells employees what they are required to do in order to meet their side of the agreement, and what they can expect from their job. There has been conflict in employees not commiting to their contract, but due to the changes occuring recently, employees have been persuaded to taking the contract more seriously. I have listed the changes below: The nature of jobs more employees are on part time and temporary contracts, so, functional flexibility is more popular Organisations have downsized and delayered so individual employees are carrying out more tasks. Markets, technology and products are constantly changing customers are becoming more demanding. So, quality and service standards need to be of high standards Traditional organisational structures are becoming more inflexible so, new methods of managing are required. The effect of these changes is that the ability of the business to add value, rests on employees, where they are seen as the key business drivers. Organisations that wish to succeed have to get the most out of their resources. In order to do this, employers have to know what employees expect from their work. This is where the psychological contract is used as a framework for monitoring employee attitudes. Since 1990s employees have low job security due to the impact of globalisation. This has completely changed the traditional contracts where there is no job for life. The new contract mainly focusses on fair pay and treatment and also opportunities for training and development notion of continuous learning. On this analysis, employers can no longer offer job security and this has underminded the basis of employee commitment. Conclusion To conclude, I have found out that change within an organisation is inevitable and managers need to respond to these changes for their business to remain successful. The trend towards globalisation is accelerating as foreign competition intensifies. This leads to a change in managerial responsibilities where managers must be able to understand and communicate with people from different cultures. Cultural diversity is increasing within the workforce where managers require the understanding of values, beliefs and attitudes of people from different cultures. I believe it is necessary for managers to have the understanding of building mutual relationships and have respect for diversity so they can work together without difficulties. Flexible working has also become very popular, where employers are constantly seeking flexible staff. This is so they can fully utilise their resources effectively. Organisations are familiar with the notion of high-quality staff willing to work when required. This is due to the fact that the staff, expertise and resources have to be engaged when customers and clients demand. The psychological contract enables employers to look at the welfare of employees. eg) what employees want: fair pay, continuous learning, opportunity for training and development etc. Overall, I have found out that the nature of organisations are changing with the times and both employees and employers are benefiting from these particular changes. Also, these changes have a huge impact on Managerial theories today. References Books: STREDWICK. J. (2005). An Introduction to Human Resource Management. Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann: Oxford. PETTINGER. R. (2002). Managing the Flexible Workforce. Capstone Publishing: Oxford. BERGER. M. (1996). Cross-Cultural Team Building, McGraw-Hill: London. BJERKE. B. (2001). Business Leadership and Culture. Edward Elgar: Cheltenham. MARTIN. G, KEATING. M. (2004). Managing Cross-Cultural Business Relations. Blackwell: London. MILES. R. (1975). Theories of Management: Implications for Organisation Behaviour and Development. McGraw-Hill: Oxford. WATERS. M. (1995).Globalization. Routledge: London. STREDWICK. J, ELLIS. S. (1998). Flexible Working Practices. Institue of Personnel Development: Wiltshire. YULK. G. (2002). Leadership In Organisations. Prentice Hall: New Jersey. ATCHINSON. T. (1978). Management Today. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich: New Harcourt Brace Jovanovich: New York. Web Sites: (2005). Culture of Organisations. [online]. Available at: URL:http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/learn/business/aim/culture [Accessed on 20/1/2006]. (2003). Employee Peformance Management. [online]. Available at: URL:http://www.managementhelp.org [Accessed on 20/1/2006]. (2005). Psychological Contract. [online]. Available at: URL:http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/psycntrct/ [Accessed on 21/1/2006]. (2005). Academic leadership: Online Journal. [online]. Available at: URL:http://www.academicleadership.org/ [Accessed on 27/1/2006].

Mythology and literature Essay Example for Free

Mythology and literature Essay The definition of mythology is deprived from the word myth. The word itself comes from the Greek word mythos, which means fable, legend or sagas. The word myth is a story that seeks to rationalize the universe and the world around us, passed down orally from generation to generation explaining religious origin, natural phenomena or supernatural event. Mythology is a collection of myths that concerns with cosmogony and cosmology, shared by a particular society at some particular time in human history. Literature is a body of written works of language, period or culture. Literature can be divided into fiction (e.g. fairty tale, gothic, saga etc) and non-fiction (e.g. essays, journal, science fiction etc). There are many distinctive natures of mythology and they seek to describe what a particular person or society believe during that period of time. Myths serves as an charter for their institutions, customs and beliefs. The typical mythology is the explanation of the universe and its ethology. Normally, the setting is set in a previous proto-world (simliar to the current world but also different) and they often revolve around non-human or extroadinary people such as god, goddess, supernatural beings (e.g. zeus, adam and eve, prometheus etc). These story explains why things are and how they became to be. It rationalised our way of thinking, reconcile us to reality and establishes our pattern of life. Apart from the explanation of the creation of the universe, mythologies seek to explain everyday natural phenomena. Certain myths explains way the sun exist and why there is night and day. Some explains the existance of seasons: Spring,Winter,Summer and Autumn while others shows of mother nature providing us with food and shelter. These myth suggest a way of understanding nature and organizing thoughts. For example, structualism recognizes different contrasting aspect (light and dark, good/evil) as centres to myths which charters for social order or value within a society (functionalism). Myth have been created by human beings for many reasons over thousands of years. They are an intellectual product of humanity and a rich resource for the ideas and belief of past generations. Their extroadinary and unbelievable aspect combined with the constant thought that there might be something out their is what keeps mythology functioning and is what keeps literature moving. There are also many differences between literature and mythology. For instance, they were used for different purposes and existed in different times. Myth several purposes, including to socially/politically control society (e.g. to spread a myth about something to control people, to scare people when facts were not available). Literature on the other hand, is more about persuading and informing people. There are also other benefits to mythology that cannot be achieved in literature, such as there is no boundary to the world, there is no such thing as false and there is low risk of anyone challenging your theory. The sets of beliefs also differ and the way they view the world differs. For example, literatures audience are educated modern people while mythologys one is from the old generation where there was not much information about the world and how it works. This would mean that the two different texts have different intended audience which would inevitably show why they differ so much. Both are products of humans but during different time frame. The arrival of the modern era would inevitably mean the death of mythology. The transformation from one to another was the belief that myth was useless, false and outmoded and that it did not work. Science (regarded as a fictional literature) was the objective explanation of how the world around us work while the subjective myth was about faith and believing something unfounded. Scientific rational thought was based on empricial knowledge, a priori (not falsifiable) and our way of thinking is based on facts. Myth is ultimately a different knowledge, an ideology, a set of belief. Systems of myths have provided a cosmological and historical framework for societies that have lacked the more sophisticated knowledge provided by modern science. Myth is related to science, however it only provide basis for a theory, not knowledge. For example the myth of how the origin was created would have lacked modern day rational scientific belief because they would prefer a more true, superior and more authority theory, which is the big bang theory. Our modern rational paradigm thought is based on observation. Scientific rational thinking is based on logic to solve or explain how the world works and as it becomes a part of our everyday thinking, mythology will be inevitable cast aside. Carl Jung invented modern scientific theory and for him, the world of dream, and myth represented the most fascinating and promising road to deeper understanding. The significance of literature in mythology as said We need the stories of myth to make sense of the confusion of our society and our own psyches. Myth voices the truths of our unconscious selves, and the gods, goddesses, and heroes of myth embody aspects of creativity, cleverness, grief, joy, aggression, and ecstasy. Carl Jung believes that even the most sophisticated and important literature requires some mythological aspect. (E.g. the Lord of the Ring depends on mythical characteristic to drives the ideas; horror movies have a message and some urban myth taps into childs fear of a bogyman under the bed) Northrop Frye criticises literature and states the importance of cultural myth underlying literature (E.g. Sea, land and sky, control, creation, decay, regeneration, our fear). Mythology evokes our sub-conscious mind (e.g. dream) which is employed by reference to mythology in literature. Frye states that mythology provided themes for some of the worlds greatest drama, and similar themes can be traced back to the Renaissance literature, through to Shakespeare (E.g. Hamlet, Midsummer Nights Dream) and finally to modern poetry and thus mythology plays a significance role with literature. One could even say that literature is based on mythology. Karen Armstrong book A Short History of Myth is about how literature and mythology were shaped by the problems of the society people lived in. Armstrong states that the existence of Mythology from an early period: Human beings fall easily into despair, and from the very beginning we invented stories that enabled us to place our lives in a larger setting, that revealed an underlying pattern, and gave us a sense that, against all the depressing and chaotic evidence to the contrary, life had meaning and value. With the coming of the great revolutions in human experience science was used to explain facts as opposed the theory of myth, which became useless, false and outmoded. Literature, which could explain things that was never thought possible, was regarded as the next step from mythology (from an uneducated society to a civilized society). The relationship between literature and mythology is one of similarities as well as differences. They are both important creation by human beings and will continue to play an important role in the intellectual world. Literature will always include some aspect of myth which will continue to shape our modern world like it did in the past.

IKEA Recruitment and Selection Process

IKEA Recruitment and Selection Process Ikea is a furnishing company whose vision is to create a better everyday life for the most people possible by offering a wide range of well-designed and functional standardized home furnishing at low prices so more people have access to its products. It was created 60 years ago in Sweden and traces of scandinavian culture are quite noticeable when looking at the companys management style. The company has expanded throughout the world and has become a global player in the furnishing industry. As far as Human Resources are concerned, the company adopts an extremely familial policy and takes good care in enabling each employee to exploit all of his or her capacities. As a matter of fact, IKEA has built its identity on a very strong nurturing management style that allowed to company to clearly stand out from its competitors on that level. IKEA and Human Resources Ikeas human resources teams are responsible drawing in and inspiring workers and creating a bracing environment in order to favor innovation and dynamism. The success of IKEA depends on the continuing development of IKEAs human resources policies and thus managers greatest efforts are indispensable to succeed on that path. Human Resources are present in all parts of the company and in every country where the company is established. They look after recruitment and training as well as they are also responsible for keeping and strengthening IKEAs culture, which is based on a specific set of values that help them develop and transform their vision and beliefs into a fact. With that end in view, recruiting and selecting candidates are two key aspects to keep up with the organizations reputation as it is important for the company to make sure that each and everyone of the candidates will be able to bring an added value into IKEAs family. This report aims at analyzing how the company manages to attract suitable candidates by describing its recruitment policy. The second topic that will be treated is the selecting process, meaning the way that the company manages to pick the best person for the job. I. Recruitment 1. General overview at IKEA à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ISABEL IKEA is a company known internationally, and so are their values. it is a big enterprise that has all kind of job positions to be filled. The IKEA of Lille recruits around 100/150 people every year. Because IKEA is a well-known brand, it is obviously not very difficult to attract candidates for a job offer. However, the recruitment process aims at providing the company with the best suitable candidates by targeting appropriately these offers to candidates with relevant profiles. IKEAs reputation is a key point for its recruitment process; as said by their Recruitment and Competencies Development Manager when we interviewed her: Applications are usually spontaneous. They either come through our website or applicants bring their CVs directly to the store. But sometimes they come in response to an offer. In most cases, companies need to seek out their prospective employees.In this case, applicants tend to apply they wish to work for the company. This, linked to the fact that IKEAs turnover is very low can give us an overview of how successful IKEAs recruitment process is. 2 3. Recruitment policies and methods Recruitment at IKEA did not seem to be an issue. The HR Department of IKEA receives about 7 CVs every day, and 200 every month, most of them sent by e-mail through the IKEA recruitment web page, which clearly facilitated the process for applicants. In addition,external channels such as Pà ´le Emploi and local partnerships with associations and schools are also used at times. For instance, IKEA is starting to develop partnerships with Business and Communication schools in the area of Lille. IKEAs policy is to build a long-term relationship with its employees and help them develop themselves both on the professional but also personal level.   Therefore, one of the aspects of recruitment at IKEA is that they tend to privilege internal recruitment when a position is available. However when there is no potential within the body of employees, the Recruitment Officer that we met said that she has to go and search the candidates elsewhere, and this is where external recruitment comes in. Many directors nowadays started their career with part-time jobs at IKEA when they were still students and managed to climb up the companys ladder thanks internal recruitment. We were told that there is a floor manager for every department (kitchen, bathroom, living room, etc.), and when they feel like they could use one more salesperson in his department, they report their needs to the HR Manager who takes care of the recruitment and selection. With time and experience, the job analysis and information gathering are not necessary anymore, because the HR managers know exactly what type of people the floor managers want, especially for shop-floor workers. For managers, the question is trickier: when internal promotion is possible, the problems dont arise, candidates usually fit the job description, but when there is a need to go through external channels, the specifications and necessary competencies are stated very clearly, although IKEA employees do not have a typical profile. II. Selection 1. General practices and culture at IKEA à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ISABEL Selection represents the process of differentiating between applicants with the goal   to identify those with greater probability of success in the job, therefore for an enterprise such as IKEA it is crucial to keep on with an exceptional and reliable process in order to succeed. What makes IKEAs selection methods efficient is the fact that it is not based on the curricular information of the candidates, but rather on the motivation, capacities, skills, values and personality as said by the Recruitment and Competencies Development Manager. IKEA does not look for the typical profile, it is interested in people that share its values, people who can be inspired by the company to do greater things, people that bring something more to the company and helps it grow even more. IKEAs method is composed by several steps which will be explained below such as phone interviews, individual and group interviews or personality tests. 2. Procedure and Methods Procedure and Methods: Steps for shop floor workers: Steps for managers: The HR manager does not look for particular skills.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  First the candidates apply by mail and/or by the website of Ikea. Click here  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Then there is a pre-selection made by the HR department and based on CV and application form  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The candidates pre-selected have a phone meeting with the HR department.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The candidates receive a mail and they know if it is negative and positive to continue the selection process.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  When it is positive the applicants have a meeting generally only the HR manager.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  If the HR manager valid, there is a meeting with the floor manager.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  And finally for only permanent contract, the applicants have a meeting with the manager of the department. When there is a manager position to provide, the HR department focus on the internal candidates and they prefer promote the actual employees instead of external recruitment for managers positions.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  First the candidates send their CV (only for external candidates)  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  There is a pre-selection based on CV.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The external candidates will have a phone meeting in order to be pre-selected.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The external candidates receive a mail and they know if it is negative or positive to pursuit the selection process.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The candidates have a meeting with the HR manager.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  If they pass the meeting they will have one with the Department manager  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  They will also have a recruitment day in an assessment center with personality test, exercises in group, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦)  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The candidates selected have a meeting with the CEO of the shop (e.g.: Ikea in Lomme)  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  And finally the candidates have a last meeting with the national CEO of Ikea.   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‚  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‚  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‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   The entire process take place within two or three weeks. There is no feedback for the negative answers by mail (step 4) but the candidates can ask for a feedback. The process for a position with responsibilities it longer and more difficult. For a manager position the decision of the HR manager is followed by 4 others interview whereas for a shop floor position there is only 2 interviews after the HR managers decision. (Je mettrai les bullet point en nombre pour montrer le nombre de step) 3. Final Decision The final decision is a shared decision between all the members that have been part of the process. This decision can only be achieved with a consensus and it is very important that no doubt whatsoever are remaining when selecting a candidate. As the decision process involves several people, it is supposed to be a guarantee that the candidate who is selected is a good fit for the company. In addition, this plurality of point of views are also necessary to ensure the fairness of the selection process. III. Beyond recruitment and selection 1. Fairness and Ethics When we met the Recruitment Officer at IKEA, she told us that she and the other interviewers were all experienced and intended to be as fair as possible, asking open-ended questions and reformulating so that they do not misunderstand what the candidates say. The selection methods used are diverse and the exchanges are multiple, which improves the fairness of the process.    However, she repeated that Human Resources remain Human Sciences, and are not accurate every time. 2. Strengths and weaknesses of the model Strengths Shows a real identity based on clearly stated values Several selection methods Multiplication of exchanges No typical profile Possibility for anyone to apply Feedback in case of rejection when asked for it, debriefing for managerial positions Preference for internal promotion Recent review of the whole process Employees retention plans Training for new employees Appraisal meeting after a few months Weaknesses   The applications and policies are more or less standardized and thus sometimes dont correspond when applied uniformly to all employees. Policies dont always match individual needs and requirements. Standardized policies   with universal appeal, that do not account for local culture and management differences 3. Suggestions à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ GREG IKEA has settled for an employee-centered policy which enabled the company to have a high satisfaction rate for their employees. Therefore, the recruiters take a really good care selecting people that would fit perfectly in the model of simplicity and conviviality they promote. However, the standardized model that IKEA has been relying on for decades doesnt allow to take into consideration all the local differences in terms of management. Indeed, that model, as nurturing as it could be, might not fit in every IKEA stores throughout the world. Assimilation is one of the major challenge that the company has faced and consequently, IKEAs Human Resources would certainly benefit from a higher customization of the model according to cultural differences. As a matter of fact, a more intense consideration of local management styles would definitely enable the company to get the maximum of each and every employee. Conclusion à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ IRENE We can conclude saying the success of the company, the fair treatment of employees and   the good working conditions of IKEA makes the company receive quite a lot of applications. As a matter of fact, it is undeniable that IKEAs HR policies have been one of their strengths for a long time although sometimes on the antithesis of their reduced-cost motto. The concept of IKEAs one big global family has been running almost perfectly under the governance of its paternalistic founder Ingvar Kamprad. Good recruitment and selection methods are indispensable in the company as it enables IKEA to keep an equilibrium among its employees. The futur on the organization is based on those activities and this is why recruiting is not at all about filling positions but rather about finding people that can help the company progress and go one step further.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   ______________________________________________________________________ On the aim of recruiting, IKEA has preference among existing employees (which means they like their employees to feel valued)when there is a new vacancy although they also use external recruitment methods and they are trying to improve them , rising the number of possible applicants through partnerships with business schools and associations. About selection, IKEA uses different methods and steps for selecting the right candidates which means that for IKEA selecting the right candidates is a really important decision that will affect the long-term success of   the company Ikea is a furnishing company whose vision is to create a better everyday life for the most people possible by offering a wide range of well-designed and functional standardized home furnishing at low prices so more people has access to its products. History Ikea was created 60 decades ago in the south of Sweden, from all wood and materials come from, by a young man who wanted to start a business. It was in the 1920s when its founder, Ingvar Kamprad, started to sell furniture and matches to his neighbors and he discovered it will be cheaper and more profitable to buy them in Stockholm and then sell them in Sweden. Afterwards, in the 1940s-1950s he started to develop IKEA as a furniture retailer but it was in the 60s-70s when the IKEA company started to be known and opened new stores in Sweden until 1980 when IKEA expands globally to new markets such as USA, Italy and France. Since then, it has been growing and entering into new markets with its standardized and functional bedroom, kitchen and home furniture taking the form of what we know today as IKEA. Values As most of the products of the company are made with wood and other materials that affect the environment, IKEA is concerned with the sustainability of the planet so they work and produce their produce in a responsible and eco-friendly way investing on renewable energy and energy efficient technology to help the environment and diminish the impact on it. IKEA has what are called action-based values to protect the environment. IKEA and Human Resources IKEA companies needs down-to-earth, straightforward people who want to help them fulfill the IKEA vision to create a better everyday life for the many people. Their Human Resources teams lead the work of attracting and inspiring co-workers and creating a stimulating and enjoyable work environment. They are keenly aware that the continued success of IKEA businesses depends on the continual development of IKEA co-workers. Human Resources works in all parts of the company and in every country where they have markets. They look after recruitment and training, benefits management and succession planning. Human Resources is also responsible for safeguarding and strengthening the IKEA culture, which is based on a specific set of values values that help them develop and transform the IKEA vision into reality. Recruitment and selection are two key aspects of Human Resources. Recruitment aims at attracting the suitable candidates RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION Overview How many vacancies does the company have to fill in every year ? The recruitment is defined and readjusted every months in function of the needs and the results of each department of IKEA, but they recruit about 100/150 people every year in Lille. How and who can apply ? The applications are usually spontaneous. They either come through the internet website or applicants send their paper CVs directly to the store. But sometimes they come in response to an offer. They also use the external channels such as Pà ´le Emploi (the French Governmental organization that links the demand with the offer in the labour market) and local and regional partners such as associations and schools. IKEA is starting to implement partnerships with business and communication schools in the area of Lille. Whats the typical profile of the candidates ? There is no typical profile. The company and the jobs is so diversified that it is not possible to set a typical profile for candidates. They have very variate backgrounds and competencies. What is the selection process, how do you break down the process ? Shop Floor Employees When the HR people receive the CVs, a first pre-selection is made. Those who passed this step go through an telephonic pre-selection, before doing an individual interview, either with the Responsible of Human Resources or directly with the HR and the manager at the same time. For the CDI (Contrat à   Durà ©e Indà ©terminà ©e, or permanent contract), the interview is done with the head of department. However, during the high recruitment periods, for example during the summer, the interviews for the employees are done in groups. Duration -> 2 weeks Negative answer -> max 3 weeks Managers, Direction First, there is an interview, then a personality test is performed, and the candidates have to participate to an Assessment center (tests), and finally they meet the Store Manager and the Functional Manager. How many stages does the selection process comprises ? About 6. How many of the applicants become candidates ? They receive too many CVs to count them all, but on the level of the interviews, about 1 on 2 or 3 persons are selected and can continue with the selection process. What do you base yourself on for the selection ? More on the CV or on the personality ? The CVs are used to start the conversation, but then what matters more is the motivation, the capacities, skills, values and the personality What are the typical questions that you ask the candidates ? 0 What are the selection methods ? CVs, Phone interviews, individual/group interviews, personality tests, Assessment center, meetings Are the HR people free to choose anyone they think fits, or do they have to follow some rules/standards ? No rules or standards Who takes the final decision ? The HR people do not take the final decision, however, if they say no to the CV, or after the phone interview, or after the first individual interview, its over for the candidate. Who is involved in the selection process ? HR people, manager, head of department, Store Manager, Functional manager Do you organize a selection day ? No Preference between internal selection vs. external for higher positions ? This depends on the structure of the company. They try to promote internal promotion, but when there is no potential within the employees, they have to go and search the candidates elsewhere, in the schools and universities for examples. Many directors now have began their career at IKEA when they were still students, working a few hours a week at IKEA. Do you outsource your selection to another company ? Only for very specialized or technical jobs. What are the differences between the selection methods to recruit shop floor workers and people with higher positions (management, direction) ? (see above) How many people drop out of the company after a short period of time ? (people who were hired for a long time and decide that they dont want to stay) How many quit before the end of their contract (Short term contracts vs. long term contracts) ? Very rare cases. Do you train people after they are hired ? (to make sure they stay in the company) Depending on the job, the newly hired staff has a trail period of 1, 2 or 4 months renewable. During this period, they have time to be trained and integrated in the company. Have the HR policies and the selection methods changed in the past years ? If so, why ? Everything was written down 5 or 6 years ago, and they reviewed everything 4 months ago. In fact, the Human Resources rules and traditions are lost with the expansion of the companies. Do you think the selection methods are fair and ethical ? The interviewers try to be as fair as possible, asking open ended questions and reformulating so that they do not misunderstand what was said according to their own view. However, Human Resources remain human sciences, thus they are inaccurate. The multiplication of the exchanges make it quite impossible to be unfair. Do you have comments or suggestions that you think could help us write our report ? Feed back is given when asked for. Always. For the managerial positions, a debriefing takes place obligatorily. They send a standard message in case of rejection, no time to do personalized answers. Juliette à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. We met the Recruitment Officer. Recruitment and competencies development Manager. At IKEA, the HR department help their employees to develop. Part time = 32% of the employees

A Man For All Seasons :: essays research papers

What characteristics should a hero possess? There is no particular answer to this question since one can be considered a ordinary person even he actually commits his whole life to the people or even sacrifices his own life for the people while one can considered a hero by contributing a benefit to the people. In the epic poem "Beowulf", the main character Beowulf is considered a hero by the people because he is courageous, intelligent, and physically stalwart. A fictional character can easily be honored as a hero because it is only the author's assignment to make up a character that has one or some of the traits that will quality for a hero. However, being able to find a hero that really exists in the real world is a difficult task since a person has to effectively show the people that he possesses one or several characteristics of a hero. After reading the drama "A Man For All Seasons" by Robert Bolt, the main character Sir Thomas More, former Lord Chancellor of England, can be considered a hero as the historical background makes his actions very distinctive. As More was a person born in England at the time near the end of the Renaissance and the beginning of the Reformation in England. More was a nobleman, lawyer, humanist, writer, and he was also a long-time friend and favorite of the king in England that time, Henry VIII. More became the Lord Chancellor when Cardinal Wosley died in 1529. He is the one that nominates More to be the next Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII. As England had a distinct social class system and was ruled by an absolute monarch during that time, it made More a person that was highly educated, well-known, and politically powerful. These are all the basic characteristics that a hero should have other than big muscles or fighting skills. The milieu and government system in England helped to shape More as a hero. Due to the fact that England is a Catholic country, most of the people in England are Roman Catholics, including King Henry VIII and More. In the drama, Chapuys was a diplomat who suggested that "More is a true son of the Church". More also attempted to serve two masters, Henry and God, but this is proven to be a failure because at the end of the play More can choose to serve his King keep his life and lose his soul, or serve God to keep his soul and lose his life.

Essay on the Dark Side of the Mind Exposed in Cask of Amontillado

The Dark Side of the Mind Exposed in Cask of Amontillado "A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong." With that statement, Montresor begins his tale of revenge deciding that the act must be slow and sweet and that in order to fully enjoy it, his adversary must be aware of his intentions. Hidden within those same few lines, lies not only this horrid plan, but also the true interest of its' true author. In his Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allen Poe reveals his supreme interest in the dark side of the human mind and heart. Much of what a story means, much of its effect on the reader depends on the eyes through which it is seen and on the voice that tells it to us. In Cask of Amontillado, those eyes and voice belong to Montresor. The story is written in second-person perspective. In relaying the events of the day, Montresor refers to the reader as 'you' several times. This does not only act to pull the reader into the story, but it also provides a valuable insight into the mind of the author. By referring to the reader as 'you' a connection is established between Montresor and the reader. This connection suggests that the reader can sympathize with the actions of Montresor by relating them to some event in the readers' past or imagination. Poe suggests that we, as a body of readers, all want to commit acts such as that committed by Montresor and therefore can understand him and his dark actions. To fully understand the dark side of the human mind and heart, the mind of Montresor has to be examined. The question as to what fiendishly evil act Fortunato committed that was so seve... ...each step, Montresor pulls Fortunato in a little further by provoking him with threats of getting his archenemy Luchresi to test the wine. Without breaking from his calm shell, Montresor is able to lead Fortunato to his doom never once faltering or stumbling. In his Cask of Amontillado, Poe dives into a study of the darkness of the human mind and heart. He looks at the worst crime possibly committed by one human to another and ponders over the mind of the criminal. Montresor, calm, cool, and collected, is able to fulfill a plan that he had made long before. Fifty years later, he conveys the story to the world so that the dark side of all people may be matched against that of him. A man that truly lives by the motto of his family, "nemo me impune lacessit" [no one provokes me with impunity], Montresor becomes a study for Poe and a mirror to all mankind.

Bitter Sweet Symphony by Erin Flannery :: Music Creative Writing Flannery Essays

Bitter Sweet Symphony by Erin Flannery True, it was a hard decision when I was decided which of my classmatesà ­ papers to choose as à ¬the one.à ® I considered a question when trying to decide. I asked myself, à ¬What purpose this time capsule will serve?à ® My answer told me that the song inside this time capsule must be one that can still teach a message while telling the future generation something about our time. I believe the culmination to this answer was found in Erin Flanneryà ­s à ¬Bitter Sweet Symphony.à ® The title is fairly self-explanatory when it refers to the word bittersweet. That is what life is. We canà ­t expect only the good or the bad. Life is a heterogeneous mixture of both. Yet this mixture comes together in a harmonious conglomerate that is altogether something beautiful. We have the chance to give the future generation a gift. We can give them the answers before they encounter the questions. We can give the help theyà ­ll need before they need it. No oneà ­s perfect when dealing with life. Weà ­re only here for a short time, why not make it the best time you can? Life throws things at people and one has to be able to cope and learn to solve them as best as they can. As Rolling Stone eloquently put it, à ¬the lyrics address the need to cope (Wiederhorn).à ® In life, people are going to encounter problems no matter how hard they try to get around them. This song recognizes that fact and addresses it. The truth seems hard to come by these days. In my life, it is something I strive to give and receive. Thereà ­s no telling how many times one person has been lied to. Letà ­s just not mention that whole Lewinsky thing. à ¬Bittersweet Symphonyà ® donates the truth to the future. No sugarcoating or hiding of facts takes place. T he lyrics say, à ¬try to make ends meet youà ­re a slave to money then you die . . .à ® As life is, the song is inclusive of the good and the bad. Without the bad, how would we know of the good and vice versa? This common thread of truth connects us and the future.