Cyber Bullying Is A Phenomenon That Has Largely Been...

Summary: Cyber bullying is a phenomenon that has largely been examined from the perspective of the individual. Robin Schott, a philosopher and researcher and Dorte Sondergaard a professor of social psychology aim to challenge this perspective, examining cyber bullying occurring as a group. Stefani Germonotta, also known as Lady Gaga, visited Harvard University in Massachusetts to be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in 2012. At this interview, she openly discussed the cruelty she received from peers as a teenager; â€Å"I was called really horrible, profane names very loudly in front of huge crowds of people, and my schoolwork suffered.† Germonotta, a previous straight A student no longer wanted to attend school, lacked focus, and was ashamed of who she was. Lady Gaga’s appearance at Harvard was the platform to show the evolving problem that is touching the nerve of the public, families, educators, and researchers. Shortly after this appearance, Schott and Sondergaard (2014) wrote th eir book School Bullying: New Theories in Context in an attempt to answers the many questions that surround bullying and its various forms. Part I Bullying tells us something about how a society lives and how our youth interact. Bullying is directly related to the social conflicts that a given society is facing whether they be sexual and racial discrimination, or sexual harassment based on gender or sexual identity. Schott (2014) seeks to define bullying as a social experience rather than a negativeShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Bullying On Different Adults People2469 Words   |  10 PagesBullying can be linked to many negative effects on different aged people. Children that are bullied often experience harmful physical, school, and mental health concerns. These children are more likely to associate with depression and anxiety, amplified feelings of sadness and solitude, changes in sleep and eating patterns, loss of attentiveness in activities they used to like, health illnesses, decreased educational achievement like, GPA, standardized test scores, and school involvement. They areRead MoreThe Impact Of Self Esteem On The Rel ationship Between Empathy And Cyberbullying7843 Words   |  32 PagesThe Impact of Self-Esteem on the Relationship between Empathy and Cyberbullying The rapid evolution of the internet over the last two decades has been partly driven by the popularity of electronic communication technologies. One group to fully embrace this new medium of communication is adolescents (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2011). Adolescents of the twenty-first century have never known a pre-internet world, with an estimated 96% of Australian adolescents aged 12-14 years old accessingRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pagessave money From multiple study paths, to self-assessment, to a wealth of interactive visual and audio resources, WileyPLUS gives you everything you need to personalize the teaching and learning experience.  » F i n d o u t h ow t o M A K E I T YO U R S  » www.wileyplus.com ALL THE HELP, RESOURCES, AND PERSONAL SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS NEED! 2-Minute Tutorials and all of the resources you your students need to get started www.wileyplus.com/firstday Student support from an experienced

DermaCare - 10958 Words

For the exclusive use of R. van Munster, 2015. 9-808-064 REV: OCTOBER 21, 2010 PRICHARD G. HAMERMESH LAUREN BARLEY DeermaCa are: Zap pping Zits Z Dirrectly It was w a rainy Saturday S morrning in late November N 20005, and Peteer Scocimara pulled p on hiss Croc shoes to take his rambunctiou us golden rettriever Jasperr for a walk. Walking thee dog would d give Scocim mara some much-needed m time to clearr his head an nd prepare fo or a Monday y-morning meeeting with the cofounders of his co ompany, DerrmaCare, Incc. Headquarteered in Liveermore, California, Derm maCare was a start-up ven nture that plaanned to marrket its Therm maClear acnee-treatment device d directtly to consum mers using direect response television t (DR RTV).†¦show more content†¦There were many forms of acne, ranging from blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples to severe forms such as cystic or modular acne. Da Silva, whose scientific background was with lasers, had seen dermatologists use laser technologies in the treatment of mild to moderate inflammatory acne, most commonly referred to as â€Å"pimples,† â€Å"breakouts,† â€Å"blemishes,† or â€Å"zits.† Choi summarized the science behind the laser treatments: Lasers treat acne in two possible ways. At certain wavelengths—or colors—lasers go into the skin tissue and generate oxygen radicals, which kill the bacteria and reduce inflammation. At other wavelengths, lasers are basically heat sources that reduce sebum [an oily substance produced by certain skin glands] production by killing and reducing the number of sebaceous glands. This decreases the likelihood that excess sebum clogs pores, which can lead to acne. 2 This document is authorized for use only by Rachel van Munster in Entrepreneurial Law and Finance taught by Rafael P. Ribas, at HE OTHER from February 2015 to March 2015. For the exclusive use of R. van Munster, 2015. DermaCare: Zapping Zits Directly 808-064 However, a laser was an expensive solution for treating acne. Da Silva and Choi believed they could replace a laser, which cost between $20,000 and $50,000, with a $5 to $10 heater using a thinfilm resistor (a thin piece of metal that converts electrical current intoShow MoreRelatedVenture Capital and Low Cost Production Essay638 Words   |  3 PagesDermaCare has the potential of a successful business. They have taken several steps in the right direction so far by obtaining patents that protect their intellectual property both for sale through DRTV and the retail market and sourcing for low cost production costs. In addition, there are no obvious loopholes in their business model. They have a proven product that provides a solution to a large market of dissatisfied customers. Also, they are maintaining 400% margins by selling through infomercialsRead MoreVenture Capital and Tech Coast Angels9915 Words   |  40 Pagesschool class mer s smate Charle Moldow w a es was partner. The VC’s term sheet offered the com mpany $4.0 m million in fun nding, assumi a $7.65 m ing million postfi inancing valu uation. Moldo structured the proposed deal so that DermaCare w ow d d t would receiv $1.0 ve millio up front an the remain on nd nder after the Food and D e Drug Adminis stration (FDA gave Derma A) aCare cleara ance to marke its acne dev et vice. Scocimara was in a quandary. The angel andRead MoreRR Case8502 Words   |  35 PagesOwner/Employees VC Owner/Employees 5.00 7.50 10.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00 40.00 60.00 100.00 200.00 240.00 500.00 P a g e | 27 PunchTab 1. What is your evaluation of PunchTab’s business? Is it an attractive investment opportunity? Do you think DermaCare will be successful? Why or why not? 2. Do you think it makes sense to do a seed round of financing? Why or Why Not? 3. What are the relevant differences between angels and venture capital investors that Ranjith Kumaran should consider when raising

Effects of Globalization Towards Our Culture free essay sample

How does Globalization Affect Cultural traditions? Globalization is very synonym to us since the past few years. It can be defined as process by which regional economies, societies and cultures have become integrated through a global network of communication, transportation and trade. Globalization also has made a vast change in every angle of humans life and one of it is, our cultural tradition could be affected due to globalization process. Culture is what people eat, how they dress , beliefs they hold and activities they practice. Globalization has Joined different cultures and made it into something different. There are three things that could be affected: Food culture, traditional attire and traditional performing arts. First and foremost, Globalization is the fundamental cause for food culture to be transformed. As we know , food is the oldest global carrier of culture and It reflects the culture and identity of particular races or nation. For instance, Nasi Lemak resembles the food culture of Malay. We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of Globalization Towards Our Culture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Any change in the food that we eat, in its reparation , the way its served and consumed diminishes the traditional beliefs of the people. Today, someone in America can be eating Japanese noodles for lunch while someone in Malaysia is eating classic Italian meatballs. How this phenomenon happens? It shows that, Globalization has caused the spreading of culture throughout the world and food is one of it. People ofa particular country not Just eat their own foods but also others foreign foods. However, this circumstance could harm our food culture. As there are various kinds of foods, people tend to look for another ood that different from their own food, for example fast food like McDonalds. This could lead to the abandoning of our own food and consume more foreign foods and then, deteriorate the culture and identity of particular ethnics. Hence, we could say that, Globalization affects cultural tradition in food. Furthermore, Globalization has also spread the foreign fashions throughout the country. Foreign culture especially western culture seen by many peoples as the deals. They feel that international culture as good for them. As a result, they tend to follow these cultures and we can see many people started to wear Jeans , skirts and what not. As Globalization has made the trade became global and faster, cloth products from foreign countries can easily enter this country. So, people can easily get foreign clothes in various supermarket all over the country. As time goes by, people that wear others attire is increasing gradually while on the other hand, the traditional attire are less worn and only be wore in certain places or events, not so frequent as before. As a conclusion, Globalization does affect the traditional attire of particular ethnics as they tend to wear foreign clothes as it is regarded as international attire. In addition, another effect of Globalization is the deterioration of traditional One of kinds of performing arts is music. Every ethnic or nation have their own traditional music and it is part of culture. But, in this Globalization era, the traditional music and songs have declined gradually. People nowadays tend to look for modern music like Rock, Pop and RnB rather than hearing to traditional songs. They are also attracted towards foreign artists such as American artists as they bring modern music that fulfill the need of people in this century. Not Just that, local artists also tend to follow western styles of performance when perform on the stages. When this occur, the traditional music will slowly forget by people as they lured with international music style. For instance, wayang Kulit is a very happening and famous performance in Malaysia before, but now there are too little performance of this cultural art. So, we could say that foreign performance arts have made raditional performance arts are being left aside. As a conclusion, It is proven that Globalization caused foreign cultures can easily diffuse to culture in many countries and started to transform them to be different or even vanished them. It is also undeniable that Globalization does affect particular ethnic cultural tradition as people acknowledge the foreign cultures as they think it is good for them. At the same time, their cultural tradition could be abandoned as they practised more foreign cultures than their own culture. ( 648 words)

Mystic River Movie Paper for Psychological Disorders free essay sample

Here are the requirements for this exercise. You are to use the Librarys databases in Psychology (see the topic above on Finding Psychological Research-based Articles). Then, please post the following: 1. Tell us your search topic and how many results you found. i used PsycARTICLES and my search topic was PTSD and Sexual Abuse. First i just put PTSD and 673 results came up, so i put in sexual abuse which narrowed it down to 46 results. 2. Is the article you selected an empirical research study*? How do you know? The article is an empirical research study because it is based on a collection of data and i put selected to only look up empirical full text researches. 3. How does this topic apply to your Media Review Paper? The movie i selected is mystic rivers. The main character is dealing with ptsd from his childhood past event. So the topic i chose to research definitely apply to my media review paper. We will write a custom essay sample on Mystic River Movie Paper for Psychological Disorders or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 4. Please post the reference for your article here in APA style. i dont think i really understand how to do this correctly.

Communisn versus Democracy essays

Communisn versus Democracy essays Communism is an original system of society, quite different from Democracy in many ways. While total democracy is not widely spread, many forms of it are prosperous throughout the world today. One of the first and major differences between a Communist and Democratic government is their contrary economic systems. In a communist government, the community owns the major resources and means of production. The goal of such a system is to prevent any one person or group of people from becoming radically rich, while others are extremely poor. The system attempts to eliminate lower class by balancing the wealth between rich and poor, therefore giving everyone equal pay and ownership. Unfortunately, this results in an increased lower class. However, in a Democracy, free enterprising is permitted, and smiled upon. Here, free enterprising helps the economy to flourish. People can organize their own businesses and receive their own profits if it succeeds, or debts if it fails. In this system, the harder a person works, the more money they receive, allowing them to make ends meet. The downside to democracy is that people can get a high paying job through education, but may work just as hard at a lower paying job and receive less money. As Winston Churchill once said, "The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries." Generally, Democracys seem be more successful economically. In a democracy, money is the most dominant incentive. On the contrary, in a communist government, a person can work a million times harder than the person sitting next to him, and receive equal pay. This results in no incentive on the part of the worker whatsoever. When there is nothing to achieve by working harder, people become slothful, which does little good for a countrys economy. In most attempts, past and present, communism has failed economically, w ...

Should I Go to a Big or Small College

Should I Go to a Big or Small College SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips One of the main factors to consider when choosing a college is the size of its enrollment. This is one of the first things college search websites ask you to specify because it’s an easy way to eliminate a bunch of schools. But what if you aren't sure whether you’re interested in big or small colleges or what the benefits and drawbacks are for each? In this article, I’ll provide a rundown of the characteristics of large and small colleges and the ways they differ from one another. What Is a Big College? Schools with more than 15,000 students are usually considered "big" colleges.These schools offer diverse social experiences and a wide variety of learning opportunities.They are places where you'll constantly encounter new and exciting things to do and meet all different types of people. Examples of big colleges include: New York UniversityUCLAFlorida State UniversityGeorge Mason UniversityTemple University Pros of Attending a Big College There are lots of opportunities for socializing and meeting new people. Big colleges usually have a wider selection ofacademicprograms. There are extensive collections of research materials andstate-of-the-art research facilities. There's more variety in housing choices. There will be more extracurricular clubs and activities. Big colleges havewell-funded athletic programs. They often attract famous or otherwise distinguished faculty. Cons of Attending a Big College You could end up in huge lecture classes that contain hundreds of students, resulting inless individual attention from professors. There's more administrative red tape;if you wanted to switch majors, for example, you might have to get more signatures and approvals than if you went to a small college. If you don’t speak up for your needs and interests, you could get lost in the crowd. You have to be willing to go after opportunities at a big college because no one will seek you out and give them to you. It’s more common for students to get TOO immersed in the myriad social opportunities and neglect academics. Should You Choose a Big College? A big college may or may not be right for you depending on your personality and what you’re looking to accomplish in the next four years.If you’re someone who constantly seeks out new experiences and loves meeting new people, you may thrive at a big college.You’ll have the opportunity to meet people from many different cultural backgrounds and attend a huge variety of social events. Since there are so many people, if you’re willing to explore, you're likely to find others who have the same interests as you.You’ll almost certainly find extracurricular and academic opportunities that align with your passions.If you’re interested in sports, large colleges are also more likely to have well-funded athletic programs and facilities. If you want to gain experience as a research assistant or get your start in academia, a big college might also fit well with your goals.With top-notch research facilities and distinguished faculty, large universities have all the resources you need to find these types of opportunities.If you attend a large research university, you're more likely to be presented with opportunities to collaborate on projects with professors who are leaders in their fields. This could lead to being listed as a coauthor on groudbreaking research papers or presenting research at high-profile conferences. Large universities must provide cutting edge research facilities so that their high-profile faculty can continue to make new discoveries and publish work. Undergraduates can often access these facilities and reap the benefits in their own research endeavors. In many cases, this leads to an advantage in admission to graduate school programs that value students who have already demonstrated a knack for research. If you’re an independent person who is comfortable advocating for yourself, a big college environment will probably play to your strengths.There's less individual attention and direct guidance, but if you’re willing to seek out the resources for yourself, you may have many more opportunities at your disposal than you would find at a small college. Florida State University: It looks pretty, but I can only imagine what kinds of many-legged horrors are hidden in the vegetation. What Is a Small College? Generally, a small college is defined as a school with less than 5,000 students.These schools are characterized by a close-knit student community and a greater focus on undergraduate teaching by professors.You’ll always run into people you know and will have access to more individual academic attention. Examples of small colleges include: Babson CollegeFranklin CollegeMiddlebury CollegeOberlin CollegeVassar College Pros of Attending a Small College You can get to know most people and will run into familiar faces everywhere you go. At small colleges, the camaraderie amongst students is often very strong. You’re likely to get more individual attention from professors and have smaller class sizes. Professors, not Teaching Assistants, teach most classes- in general, there is more of a focus on undergraduate education. There are usually opportunities to create individually designed majors rather than being stuck with the programs that are officially offered by the school. Small colleges often have stronger advising systems for students. You may have more opportunities to gain leadership experience because there will be less competition than at big schools. Cons of Attending a Small College There are often fewer research facilities and resources. You'll find less variety in social life and less emphasis on large sporting events. There are usually fewer major choices (although as I mentioned, you can often design your own major which is pretty cool). Small colleges can be very isolating,especially in rural locations. There will be less variety in housing choices. Should YOU Choose a Small College? If you like being part of a strong community and feeling comfortable and familiar with your surroundings, a small college may work for you.Going to a small college can make meeting new people a bit easier.If you become friends with just a few of your classmates, you’ll see them around frequently, and it’s more likely that you’ll find connections with others in the community.Going to a small college makes it easier to relate directly to other students since there is a less dramatic range of experiences on campus. Did you enjoy small class discussions in high school? Did you have a close relationship with your teachers?These are both things that are more likely to be a part of the small college experience.You’ll have more interaction with your professors and get the opportunity to learn directly from them rather than being taught by TAs. Professors will get to know you on an individual basis and give thoughtful feedback on your work. You may also have more chances to collaborate with professors on research since you won't be competing with a large pools of graduate students. Additionally, curriculum at small colleges tends to be more flexible. If there's a unique academic path that you want to take that doesn't quite fit with the school's requirements, your advisors will help you make it happen.If you have more of an introverted personality and are hoping to find sustained support in college from your professors and advisors, a small college may be the right choice. Oberlin College: I can't think of any stereotypes about Ohio...Ohio's boring! HA The Compromise: Medium-Sized Colleges What about schools that have between 5,000 and 15,000 students?These are the Goldilocks schools - not too small, not too big.If you feel that certain aspects of both large and small colleges appeal to you, you might want to look at these medium-sized schools.This is tricky, though. You could end up getting the best of both worlds or missing out on the things you liked about one or both of the other types of schools. For medium-sized colleges, it’s particularly important to look at the specifics of what the school offers in the form of research facilities, class sizes, and extracurricular opportunities.A medium-sized college may have more big college characteristics or more small college characteristics depending on its location and the composition of its student body.If the school is in a city, the social life might be more like a big college since there will be a lot going on around campus and you'll interact with more people outside the student population. On the other hand, in a rural area, you might get more of a small college sense of community and familiarity. Examples of medium-sized colleges include: Carnegie Mellon UniversityEmory UniversityHoward UniversityTufts UniversityVanderbilt University In the next section, I’ll show you how to search for colleges by size so you can check out schools that are large, medium, and small and get a clearer picture of how they line up with your preferences. How to Search for Colleges By Size This information is all well and good, but how do you actually find schools that have the enrollment size you’re looking for?I would recommend using College Navigator for your initial search.You can specify thesize range you want if you click on â€Å"more search options†: Notice that you can you cannarrow your search down to schools that are the right size and also specify any other basic qualities that matter to you.The top of the search box allows you to search for colleges bystate or zip code and by program type. Once you get a list of schools, you can add any that sound promising to your â€Å"favorites† and even compare statistics side by side to see how they line up with your preferences. College Navigator will give you data about tuition, financial aid, enrollment, and admissions for the schools you choose.Once you have a good idea of which ones you like, you might consult another site to get more information about how students view the school and any other qualities you’re curious about. I would recommend Cappex, a college matchmaking site, for conducting the more in-depth part of your search since it offers both hard data and student reviews on all aspects of campus life.When you create a profile, you can specify your preferences for school enrollment size to get appropriate matches.You can also search for the schools you found on College Navigator and learn more information about them through their Cappex profiles.With these search options, you can start compiling a list of schools that you like by narrowing down your choices by size first and then figuring out if they have other features that interest you. Summary Big and small colleges differ in the characteristics of the social scene, the resources available, and the structure of classes.Big colleges are great places for motivated students to have diverse experiences and access high-quality research materials.Small colleges are great options for students who want to learn directly from professors and gain strong ties to the community.When searching for schools, you should take these characteristics into account and decide which type of college is a better fit for you personality and goals. Here's a quick questionairre that includes some of the major points from above so that you can get a sense of whether a big or small school is right for you. If the majority of your answers are "yes", you should look into big colleges first. If the majority of your answers are "no", small colleges might be better. If the majority of your answers are "sometimes", you might look into medium-sized colleges, or size may not be as important of a factor in your college decision as it is for other people. Yes Sometimes No I love meeting new people. I enjoy being exposed to unfamiliar situations and perspectives and having a wide variety of social experiences in general. I am a very independent learner. Class size is not important to me. I don't feel the need to have a close relationship with my professors. I like attending big sporting events. I'm looking for a school with extensive research facilities. I have a major in mind already. Keep in mind that not all big colleges and small colleges have the same characteristics - these are generalizations, not hard facts.Make sure you do your research to find out exactly what each school offers and how it will make your college experience worthwhile. What's Next? Looking for some great resources that will help you in your college search? Read my article on the best college search websites. The Common Application makes it easy to apply to a bunch of schools without filling out a bunch of different forms. Find out which schools use it here. Aiming high in your college search? Read this article on what it takes to get into Ivy League and other highly selective schools. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

International Finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Finance - Assignment Example in order for an economic union to be successful it is necessary to have following conditions among the member countries: 1. Labour mobility: Labour mobility is the free access to labour without any legal or cultural obstacle, and having similar wages and other employment conditions. 2. Capital mobility: It will allow the market forces to enhance the equal distribution of wealth and resources through supply and demand. 3. Similar Business Cycle: It will help the member countries in reducing inflation and increasing growth. 4. Automatic Fiscal Transfer Mechanism: It will help in redistribution of money towards less developed areas without federal interference. As of today, the European Union is comprised of 27 member countries having an aggregate population of around 500 million people. Making an economic union was a very bold and risky step for European countries. It involved not only the compromise on the individual monetary freedom of the member countries but also the integration of central banks. The basic purpose of this unification was to give economic support to member countries through the integration of economic and political policies. In order to enhance the importance of Europe in the monetary mechanism of the world, there was a need of unity among European countries. ... The European Union was officially created on 1st November, 1993 under the third Delors Commission. The Euro was introduced initially in a non-physical form like EFT or travelers cheques in January 1999 and captured the market completely in physical form on 1st January 2002. In contrast to the economist expectations, Euro survived a good length of time. It was the first experiment of its kind in the history. Many economists were skeptic about the future of Euro and its corresponding impact on European economic future. Several criticisms rose as to the applicability of the Optimum Currency Theory on European Union due to the lack of mobility of factors of production among member countries. US economists objected that European Union is not so integrated to issue single currency like the different states of US. However they overlook the fact that it took more than 150 years to United States to integrate the monetary system of all states by issuing Dollars for the entire nation. However t he theory of optimum currency area does not include political economy factors like the desire for European integration on political level, reducing the exchange rate risks and achieving stable price levels. US economists also believed that the entire European monetary integration was basically a political ploy and therefore lacking the necessary criteria of the optimum currency area. On the basis of the crisis of European Exchange rate system in early 90s, they begin to suspect the viability of this monetary union. From the very beginning of the European monetary integration process, this union is always question on the basis of the optimum currency area theory. The basis of all criticism was that the Europe was not at

Would the international response be different if it were men who were Essay

Would the international response be different if it were men who were suffering and dying as the result of child birth - Essay Example The fair gender is less mighty in strength and physical attribute compared to the man, for this reason they need to be treated with compassion. Unfortunately, physical assaults of various kinds, inhumane treatment, and domestic violence are few of the terms that are part of every society and target the women directly. Every year, large numbers of women go through various mishaps during the process of delivery, they offer come across miscarriages, other complications and in some societies women are held responsible for it, without thinking on the lines, that it’s the woman who suffers directly. The men and world community that is dominated by men might feel for the opposite gender only if exposed to it and made to have a taste of what women go through. It is quite unfortunate that even in modern times like these, there are societies where there are open violations of women rules, there is no consideration about their physical well being, and are directly exposed to violence in various forms, which entails not just the physical torture, but also the various other kinds. Many a times, they are taken for granted and despite going through the immense pain, they are ill treated. It would be an interesting case to see, if men were put to the test by going through equal pain. It is being said that the amount of pain woman goes through during the time of delivery, is right up there with any other kind of pain and suffering a human can endure . The element of consideration would creep into those societies and individuals where intolerance is on the higher side towards the fair gender. It is being said that one can not feel until they go through the suffering themselves, same is the case for the women’s suffering. Men would realize and understand only by going through it. If placed in the women’s shoes, they would realize what a woman goes through, what her sentiments her, what a woman wants in general, and how she should be

Streetcar Named Desire and The Wasp Factory Essay Example for Free

Streetcar Named Desire and The Wasp Factory Essay Disturbing behavior is clearly shown throughout both The Wasp Factory and A Streetcar Named Desire with representations of how the outside world effects and distorts the human mind through characters Blanche, Stella and Stanley in A Streetcar†¦ and Frank, Eric and their father in The Wasp Factory. I aim to explore and compare the two depictions of the disturbed mind by finding similar themes within the play and the book, such as obsession, alcoholism and the ultimate disconnection with reality. Blanches disconnection with reality in A Streetcar Named Desire is foreshadowed multiple times throughout the play with her statement â€Å"I ought to go up there on a rocket ship and never come down† and the general disjointment of her speech which is a metaphor for her instability. This foreshadowing results in Blanche eventually losing her sanity resulting in forced admittance to a mental asylum similar to Williams’ sister Rose who was also mentally unstable. Compared to in The Wasp Factory Frank’s disconnection with reality is clear within first few pages of the book when he claims to have predicted the future by means of an unknown factory â€Å"I already knew something was going to happen; the factory told me†. We later find out that this factory Frank speaks of is a contraption he has made resulting in a wasp’s gruesome death and a vague ‘futuristic prediction’ that Frank twists into becoming reality. An example of this would be when the factory predicts fire, Frank is attacked by a rogue male rabbit and breaks one of his many beloved inanimate objects – his slingshot The Black Destroyer – which results in him blowing the entire Rabbit grounds into heaps of smoke and mud. This shows Frank’s ability to mold his own reality an ability of which Blanche from a A Streetcar†¦ also possesses when she I s seen talking to herself at the beginning of chapter ten â€Å"how about taking a swim, a moonlight swim at the old rock-quarry?† she says the herself whilst placing a rhinestone tiara on her head. Although Blanche seems more aware of her ability to pretend and disconnect with reality she undoubtedly share this trait with Frank (The Wasp Factory). Although both characters have clearly disconnected with the reality they both do it in very unlike ways.  Blanche is lost and fragile due to the unfortunate suicide of her late husband which links to Williamsâ €™ personal experiences as in the suicide of his own lover. Likeminded Randolph Goodman feels that the play can thus be read as an allegorical representation of the authors view of the world he lives in. The second count of disturbing behavior linking both The Wasp Factory and A Streetcar Named Desire is the forbidden sexual connection between Blanche and Stanley and the disturbed near sexual gratification Frank achieves from death and destruction. During scene two of A Streetcar†¦ Stanley pillages through Blanche’s trunk while she is bathing, â€Å"he hurls the furs to the daybed. Then he jerks open a small drawer in the trunk and pulls up a fistful of costume jewelry† this shows Stanley’s disregard for Blanche and her things and foreshadows a later invasion of privacy and violent act that is Blanche’s rape. Constance Drake, in Blanche Dubois: A Re-Evaluation, finds Williams â€Å"presenting the pessimistic view of modern man destroying the tender aspects of love†. However Blanche and Stanley have spirts of flirtation throughout the play signifying that perhaps there was more to the buildup of the rape then just an act of hatred and violence. As Stanley is constantly portrayed as animalistic Blanche picks up on this when she says â€Å"a little on the primitive side I should think. To interest you a women would have to† to which Stanley retorts slowly â€Å"layher cards on the table†. This behavior is disturbing as Blanche is Stanley’s sister in law and neither of them seems to have any regard for Stella excluding when they both of them are ordering her around. As opposed to in The Wasp Factory Frank’s ‘disability’ disables him from receiving sexual satisfaction so alternatively he seeks it out and finds pleasure in death and destruction for example when he destroys the rabbit grounds he mentions â€Å"The catapult was avenged, the buck†¦soiled and degraded, taught a hard lesson and it felt good†. Contrasting to previous an unnamed critic countries â€Å"Frank is fixated on fate and although he unwittingly controls it he is infatuated with the act of playing God†¦Ã¢â‚¬  this critics outlines franks disturbed and almost sexual pleasure he gets from having control over the lives of other beings. Similarly in both texts characters find disturbing pleasure in things that they shouldn’t such as rape (Stanley) and Dea th (Frank) these fit  contextually to the mass amount of murder in the 1980s around Scotland and the power given to men during the 1940s. In conclusion disturbing behavior is clearly apparent in both texts with clear contextual links and apparent similar themes displaying such behavior. I believe both texts are the result of a disturbed mind or at least the viewing of one with Williams’ mentally ill sister and alcoholic father and Banks’ desperation to get one of his book published. The themes of alcoholism, obsession and dependency run deep throughout both texts.

Tree for Thought :: Free Essay Writer

Tree for Thought On a winding hillside along Birch Lake, various trees and organic landscapes hide my sacred place. It is located in the backyard of my grandparents’ house. To the average outsider, it is just another pine tree growing among piles of leaves and pine needles that blanket a grassy hill leading down to the lake. In my world, it was a place where I could lie at an acute angle and visit a tree I gave life to. I still remember the smell of the freshly baked bread my grandmother made that morning. I was only six years old, but when a fresh loaf of bread came out of the oven, I had the appetite of an adult. After stuffing ourselves, Grandma and I made our way to the shed in search of tools to plant a tree. As we searched for a shovel, fumes from the leaky gas tank of the lawnmower kept us in high spirits. We eventually found a spade and looked for a place to dig. The hill in the backyard was blocked off with a short fence. Dilapidated stairs led down to the beachfront. Grandma and I scaled the foot-high fence and sidestepped down the incline. About ten steps down, we found the perfect place for the tree. She gripped the ribbed, rubber handle of the shovel and began carving a hole into the fertile soil. I cradled the newborn tree, making sure he would be able to enjoy the new home we were making for him. The clouds were threatening as if they were predators preparing for an attack on their prey. The rolling thunder, snarling and growling, kept us working at a fast pace. My grandmother assured me that Spike that’s what I named the tree ¾would be fine when the storm struck later that afternoon. Once she finished digging the hole, we could have fit a soda can perfectly inside, but Spike fit much better. He seemed to like his new home. In time, mossy friends would keep him company, rain would nurture him, and dogs would soon make him their own. Grandma sent me back up the hill to grab the watering spout so we could feed Spike’s green needles the nutrients they needed to keep him alive and well. We were careful not to drown him, knowing that he would receive more water later that day.

Abnormal Psychology in the Media Essay

The film â€Å"A Beautiful Mind† (Grazer, 2001) tells of the true life of John Nash, a Nobel Prize winner who has struggled the majority of his life with paranoid schizophrenia. This essay will evaluate John Nash’s exhibited behaviors, and how therapists from the 5 perspectives of abnormal psychology would have treated his illness. At the beginning of the movie â€Å"A beautiful Mind† (Grazer, 2001), John Nash is moving into a dorm room at Princeton University in 1947. John Nash appears slightly strange by exhibiting social withdrawal by avoiding people, along with a drop in school performance as he does not attend his classes. Soon visual hallucinations become apparent as Charles; his roommate makes appearances with his niece Marcie throughout the movie, along with Parcher, the head of the Department of Defense, who appears later in the movie as John Nash’s hallucinations become worse. John Nash begins to believe that he is employed by the Department of Defense, deciphering secret codes from the Soviets. As John’s hallucinations peak, he is admitted to a mental hospital under the care of Dr. Rosen, who diagnoses him with advanced schizophrenia. During the hospital stay, John received Thorazine injections, rendering him unconscious. John is seen during his stay at the hospital restrained to a chair, as well as a bed. During the time that he is restrained to a bed, Doctor Rosen is seen administering insulin injections, resulting in seizure activity as John’s wife is viewing the procedure through a window. Doctor Rosen tells Johns wife, Alicia that John must have insulin therapy several times a week in order to get well. Once John has returned home, he is seen taking two pink tablets several times a day. John appears to be keeping to himself while  trying to deal with the effects of his medication; he decides to stop taking it without anyone knowing. Soon Alicia discovers that John is again having hallucinations of working for the department of defense requiring John to return to Doctor Rosen. After John resumes his medications, he begins to realize that Charles, Marcie and Parcher are not real. John goes to his friend Martin, who is in charge of the math department at Princeton University, asking for permission to sit in classes in order for him to get back into society which results in John gaining a teaching position after learning to deal with his illness by ignoring his hallucinations. The five perspectives of abnormal psychology are: biological, psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive, and sociocultural. The biological model of abnormal psychology â€Å"focuses on genetics, neurotransmitters, brain changes, and other physical factors† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012 Pg. 23). Treatment through this model would begin with a â€Å"diagnostic interview along with images of the brain structure from an MRI† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 25). After these evaluations, a therapist would decide on the treatment necessary to treat the disorder such as therapy, social training skills, vocational rehabilitation, and medications. John Nash would possibly be given dopamine which â€Å"generally has antipsychotic effects easing the symptoms of schizophrenia† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 25) and therapy. According to Saul McLeod (2007) the biological approach believes that most behavior is inherited and has an adaptive function. Biological factors such as hormones, chromosomes, and the brain have significant influence on behavior, in the case of John Hall having schizophrenia; biological psychologists believe that levels of dopamine are the cause (Pg. 6). The psychodynamic model of abnormal psychology â€Å"focuses on internal personality characteristics† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 25). Treatments from this perspective would begin with a â€Å"therapist exploring the patients past for unresolved conflicts† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 30). â€Å"Other treatments would be the use of free association, or dream analysis† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 31). In John Nash’s circumstance, the psychodynamic model therapist would be looking into his past for the answer to his hallucinations. According to Laura Saunders (2011) the goal of the psychodynamic model therapist is to enable the patient to gain access to their repressed ideas and conflicts encouraging them to face up to whatever  emerges from their unconscious (Pg. 1). The humanistic model of abnormal psychology â€Å"focuses on personal growth, choice, and responsibility† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 23), that â€Å"Assumes the person’s behavior is determined by perceptions of themselves and others† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 33). The humanistic models treatment begins with â€Å"qualitative assessments to find out the unique characteristics of the client, and their perceptions of the world. The therapist will then engage the client in conversations so that the client can develop solutions to their problems† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 34). Treating John Nash with this type of therapy would include conversations about his hallucinations in order for him to develop his own solutions. According to Kendra Cherry (2013) therapists from the humanistic model of abnormal psychology are focused on the individual’s potential and stress the importance of growth and self-actualization. The fundamental belief of the humanistic model is that people are innately good and that mental and social problems result from deviations from natural tendency (Pg. 1). The cognitive-behavioral model of abnormal psychology â€Å"focuses on specific thoughts and learning experiences† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 23). Treatment from the cognitive-behavioral model would include a â€Å"functional analysis, evaluating antecedents and consequences of behavior, followed by cognitive-behavioral therapy to change patterns of thinking and behaviors that are contributing to the patients problems† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 38), and â€Å"exposure treatment, which involves directly confronting the patients problem, or token economy, which reinforces certain behaviors with rewards† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 39), which John Nash, would possible be involved in, earning points for positive behaviors, and attending therapy. According to Jean Galica (2013), the cognitive behavioral model is an approach designed to change mental images, thoughts and thought patterns in order to help the patient overcome emotional and behavioral problems. This model is based upon a theory that behaviors and emotions are caused in part by cognitions and cognitive processes that the patient can learn to change (Pg. 3). The sociocultural model of abnormal psychology focuses on â€Å"external environmental events and includes the family systems perspective† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 23). Therapy within this model would consist of an â€Å"assessment of the patient’s culture, family  structure, dynamics, and environment in order to understand the person’s mental health† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 44). As therapists from this model focus on addressing the patients problems in order to decrease or prevent stress, along with having family and couples therapy in order to include multiple family members into the therapy† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 44). Within this model, John Hall would have attended both individual therapy as well as couples therapy with his wife. According to Sheila Grant (N.D.) therapists from the sociocultural model believe that abnormal behavior may be found in the failures of society rather than from within the person, and that psychological problems can be rooted in requiring the therapist to look deep within the person’s relationships and social life (Pg. 7). This writer feels that the biological method of abnormal psychology is the best to treat John Nash’s schizophrenia since it â€Å"focuses on genetics, neurotransmitters, brain changes, and other physical factors† (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 23). Along with the fact that treatment begins with a diagnostic interview containing MRI brain images (Kearney, C., & Trull, T., 2012, Pg. 25) before a treatment plan for schizophrenia would begin. According to NIMA.Gov (2013) it has been long known that schizophrenia can be inherited, that there are several genes associated with the disease (Pg. 1) resulting in treatments being based upon eliminating the patients symptoms by using medications such as: â€Å"antipsychotic medications to help normalize the biochemical imbalances, controlling hallucinations, delusions and confusion, along with supportive therapies† (Grohol, J., 2011, Pg. 1). References Cherry, K. (2013). Humanistic Psychology. Retrieved 2/19/2013, from http://psychology.about.com/od/historyofpsychology/a/hist_humanistic.htm?p=1 Galica, J. (2013). Behavioral/Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Retrieved 2/19/2013, from http://www.theravive.com/research/Cognitive-Behavioral_Therapy Grant, S. (n.d.). Introduction and Methods of Research. Retrieved 2/19/2013, from http://www.csun.edu/~hcpsy002/psy310_Nevid_cho1_Lecture_Handout.pdf Grazer, B. (Producer) & Howard, R. (Director). (2001). A Beautiful Mind [Motion picture]. United States: Universal. Grohol, J. (2011). Psych Central: schizophrenia Treatment. Retrieved 2/19/2013, from http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx31t.htm Kearney, C., & Trull, T. (2012). Abnormal Psychology and Life A Dimensional Approach. Belmont, California: Wadsworth. McLeod, S. (2007). Psychology Perspectives. Retrieved 2/18/2013, from http://www.simplypsychology.org/perspective.html Saunders, L. (2011). The Psychodynamic Model of Abnormality. Retrieved 2/19/2013, from http://alevelpsychology.co.uk/as-psychology-aqa-a/psychology/the-psychodynamic nimh.gov (2013). What Causes Schizophrenia?. Retrieved 2/19/2013, from http://www.nimh.gov/health/publications/schizophrenia/what-causes-schizophrenia.sht

Meat Industry Essay

People all over the world eat meat for its nutritional value and taste. The United States Department of Agriculture reports that in the year 2011 people in the U.S consumed 25.6 billion pounds of beef. Most of this meat was produced in America. A Holistic approach to food production is important in order to improve the quality of beef. What we feed our cattle, the housing conditions and the slaughter procedure directly impacts our food. What the farmers feed cattle directly affects the quality of beef for the consumer. The cow has many more benefits from eating grass than being fed corn. It is a lot healthier for cows to consume grass because that is what their stomachs are made for. The stomachs have three sections that are made specifically for digesting grass (Healthy Theory -Corn-Fed Vs. Grass-Fed Beef). Today, most cows are put on a diet that is based on corn. The cows used to be fed grass and roam free but since than there have been changes. The idea about feeding cattle grain began during World War II. It all started when farmers were producing more grain than the American population could handle, so the rest of it was fed to cows. It was discovered that feeding a cow different types of grains fattened them up a lot faster than when cows were consuming grass. With a grass fed diet, it takes cows about five years to reach 1,200 pounds. However, with the grain-based diet it takes a cow about 390 days to get to a reachable weight for slaughter (Healthy Theory -Corn-Fed Vs. Grass-Fed Beef). Also, the producer benefits more from feeding his cows corn because it is cheaper than grass. Therefore, a diet based on corn is more cost effective but the quality of meat has less nutritional value (Why Grass Fed- Health Benefits of Grass Fed Beef). The consumer benefits more from meat that comes from cows that consume grass rather than in-taking different types of grains. The cow is a lot healthier and happier when it is eating grass, which results in higher quality meat. Since cows’ stomachs are meant to break down grass, a corn based diet causes changes in the digestion of a cow leading to serious health problems, such as diarrhea, ulcers, and a weakened immune system. As a result of these issues, the cows are given antibiotics to help prevent this from occurring, which makes the meat unhealthier (Healthy Theory -Corn-Fed Vs. Grass-Fed Beef). Another huge topic of concern is the disregard of animal welfare. These animals aren’t being cared for and they are treated as units of production (Learn About The Issues). In order to fatten up cows in time for slaughter, many farmers put them in feedlots. The conditions these cows go through are unbearable. As many cows as possible are crammed into each pen. The result of this is massive amounts of waste covering the animals living space (The Issues Animal Welfare). This causes the air to be unhealthy and creates many gases and diseases that aren’t wanted. During the whole time the cows are in the feedlot they are breathing in methane gas. Large amounts of methane are bad for animals because it takes away oxygen from the air, which can affect the central nervous system (2- Health Effects of Methane). The alternative is a more holistic way, which allows the cattle to roam around freely on huge pastures until they get fat enough to get slaughtered. In the United States, animal welfare is being ignored, because cows are being treated in a cruel and unhealthy way. When they are living in the feedlots, they are covered with manure and aren’t being cared for. As soon as cows are fat enough to get slaughtered, they are sent to the closest slaughterhouse. On their journey they are faced with heartbreaking situations. They are often transported from 1,200 to 1,500 miles away in scorching hot weather or freezing temperatures. Dr. Lester Friedlander, a former U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinarian inspector said, â€Å"They are crammed onto trucks and go without food or water for days†. When it is cold, they are in the back of a trailer with nothing covering them. As the driver drives sixty miles per hour, cows are being exposed to a variety of extreme weather. Many cows collapse in hot weather. While they are traveling they urinate. After sometime it begins to freeze while their hooves are standing in it. Also, the fur of the cows â€Å"†¦ freezes to the sides of the trucks until workers pry them off with crowbars†(Cow Transport and Slaughter). When the cows get to the slaughterhouse, they are often in bad conditions. Most of them are sick and cannot walk because they are too weak. In order to move weak and injured cows they are dragged along with a bulldozer by a chain around their neck or leg. Even though they are in bad shape, cows are still being used for their meat because it means more money in the producer’s pocket. If some of the cows are able to walk, they are still abused. Workers beat them with a metal rod in order to move them faster (The Humane Society of the United States). Also, before they are killed the cows are lined up to wait for their turn to be stunned so that they will pass out before they get slaughtered. Sometimes the stunning procedure does not work. Ramon Moreno, a slaughterhouse worker has stated that he often has to cut the legs off of cows that are completely conscious. â€Å"They blink. They make noises,† he says. â€Å"The head moves, the eyes are wide and looking around. †¦ They die piece by piece.† If workers try to report that the cows are still alive they risk loosing their jobs (Cow Transport and Slaughter). After cows reach a certain weight they are ready to be slaughtered for meat consumption. The process of turning cows into packed meat can cause the meat to be infected. Before they are slaughtered, cows are cleaned. However, in some cases not well enough. The waste of the cow can get into the processed meat that is being cut by the workers. This can contaminate the meat with E-coli, which is a type of bacteria that can lead to death. â€Å"According to Centers for Disease Control estimates, up to 20,400 cases of E. coli infection and 500 deaths from E-coli disease occur annually in the United St ates† (Escherichia Coli 0157:H7). Another disease that is created in these fast paced industries is mad cow disease. (the issues-slaughterhouses and processing). Mad cow disease affects the cow’s nervous system and it causes the cow to act confused and loose control of the ability to walk (What is Mad Cow Disease). When people eat infected beef they may contract a human version of mad cow disease. It affects the nervous system causing depression and loss of coordination. As it becomes more severe, it causes dementia (The Basics of Mad Cow Disease). With our modern day technology, slaughterhouses are able to kill thousands and thousands of cow’s every day. There are many solutions that can change the food industry to produce their meat in a more animal friendly way. To help cut back more meat being produced in factories, consumers can support local farms by eating food that is grown locally. Holistic farming care for their animals and focus on getting delicious, healthy meat than just producing more and more for profit. The food quality of holistic farmed meat is a lot better because the cows are raised and treated well as opposed to when the animals are abused their whole life. If we really want a change, it is up to Americans to demand that. Currently, laws support the industrial farming methods and lack the attempt of helping small farms grow. An example is that American tax money goes to support research and the operating cost of large food producing companies (Learn About the Issues). In order for there to be a change, citizens need to become aware of the process. Change will happen by the consumer supporting politicians who are looking to change the food industry. Consequently, producers would need to be more focused on the care of the animals than earning as much money as possible. What American farmers feed their cattle, where they raise them and how they get slaughtered directly impacts the quality of our food. It is important for consumers to be aware of the United States food industry because there is so much more behind the food brought to you in the supermarket. If the consumer buys meat that is produced holistically, and legislation puts focus on the care of animals, the food industry will be forced to improve their methods.

Battle of Pea Ridge in the Civil War

Battle of Pea Ridge in the Civil War Battle of Pea Ridge - Conflict and Dates: The Battle of Pea Ridge was fought March 7-8, 1862, and was an early engagement of the American Civil War (1861-1865). Armies Commanders: Union Brigadier General Samuel R. Curtis10,500 men Confederate Major General Earl Van Dorn16,000 men Battle of Pea Ridge - Background: In the wake of the disaster at Wilsons Creek in August 1861, Union forces in Missouri were reorganized into the Army of the Southwest. Numbering around 10,500, this command was given to Brigadier General Samuel R. Curtis with orders to push the Confederates out of the state. Despite their victory, the Confederates also altered their command structure as Major General Sterling Price and Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch had shown an unwillingness to cooperate. To keep the peace, Major General Earl Van Dorn was given command of the Military District of the Trans-Mississippi and oversight of the Army of the West. Pressing south into northwest Arkansas in early 1862, Curtis established his army in a strong position facing south along Little Sugar Creek. Expecting a Confederate attack from that direction, his men began emplacing artillery and fortifying their position. Moving north with 16,000 men, Van Dorn hoped to destroy Curtis force and open the way to capture St. Louis. Eager to destroy outlying Union garrisons near Curtis base at Little Sugar Creek, Van Dorn led his men on a three-day forced march through severe winter weather. Battle of Pea Ridge - Moving to Attack: Reaching Bentonville, they failed to capture a Union force under Brigadier General Franz Sigel on March 6. Though his men were exhausted and he had outrun his supply train, Van Dorn began formulating an ambitious plan to assault Curtis army. Dividing his army in two, Van Dorn intended to march north of the Union position and strike Curtis from the rear on March 7. Van Dorn planned to lead one column east along a road known as the Bentonville Detour which ran along the north edge of Pea Ridge. After clearing the ridge they would turn south along the Telegraph Road and occupy the area around Elkhorn Tavern. Battle of Pea Ridge - McCullochs Defeat: The other column, led by McCulloch, was to skirt the western edge of Pea Ridge then turn east to join with Van Dorn and Price at the tavern. Reunited, the combined Confederate force would attack south to strike at the rear of the Union lines along Little Sugar Creek. While Curtis did not anticipate this type of envelopment, he did take the precaution of having trees felled across the Bentonville Detour. Delays slowed both Confederate columns and by dawn, Union scouts had detected both threats. Though still believing that Van Dorns main body was to the south, Curtis began shifting troops to block the threats. Due to the delays, Van Dorn issued instructions for McCulloch to reach Elkhorn by taking the Ford Road from Twelve Corner Church. As McCullochs men marched along the road, they encountered Union troops near the village of Leetown. Dispatched by Curtis, this was a mixed infantry-cavalry force led by Colonel Peter J. Osterhaus. Though badly outnumbered, the Union troops immediately attacked around 11:30 AM. Wheeling his men south, McCulloch counterattacked and pushed Osterhaus men back through a belt of timber. Reconnoitering the enemy lines, McCulloch encountered a group of Union skirmishers and was killed. As confusion began to reign in the Confederate lines, McCullochs second-in-command, Brigadier General James McIntosh, led a charge forward and was also killed. Unaware that he was now the senior officer on the field, Colonel Louis HÃ ©bert attacked on the Confederate left, while the regiments on the right remained in place awaiting orders. This assault was halted by the timely arrival of a Union division under Colonel Jefferson C. Davis. Though outnumbered, they turned the tables on the Southerners and captured HÃ ©bert later in the afternoon. With confusion in the ranks, Brigadier General Albert Pike assumed command around 3:00 (shortly before HÃ ©berts capture) and led those troops near him in a retreat north. Several hours later, with Colonel Elkanah Greer in command, many of these troops joined rest of the army at Cross Timber Hollow near Elkhorn Tavern. On the other side of the battlefield, fighting began around 9:30 when the lead elements of Van Dorns column encountered Union infantry in Cross Timber Hollow. Sent north by Curtis, Colonel Grenville Dodges brigade of Colonel Eugene Carrs 4th Division soon moved into a blocking position. Battle of Pea Ridge - Van Dorn Held: Rather than pressing forward and overwhelming Dodges small command, Van Dorn and Price paused to fully deploy their troops. Over the next several hours, Dodge was able to hold his position and was reinforced at 12:30 by a Colonel William Vandevers brigade. Ordered forward by Carr, Vandevers men attacked the Confederate lines but were forced back. As the afternoon wore on, Curtis continued to funnel units into the battle near Elkhorn, but Union troops were slowly pushed back. At 4:30, the Union position began to collapse and Carrs men retreated back past the tavern to Ruddicks Field about a quarter mile to the south. Reinforcing this line, Curtis ordered a counterattack but it was halted due to darkness. As both sides endured a cold night, Curtis busily shifted the bulk of his army to the Elkhorn line and had his men resupplied. Reinforced by the remnants of McCullochs division, Van Dorn prepared to renew the assault in the morning. Early in the morning, Brigadier Franz Sigel, Curtis second-in-command, instructed Osterhaus to survey the farmland to the west of Elkhorn. In doing do, the colonel located a knoll from which Union artillery could strike the Confederate lines. Quickly moving 21 guns to the hill, Union gunners opened fire after 8:00 AM and drove back their Confederate counterparts before shifting their fire to the Southern infantry. As Union troops moved into attack positions around 9:30, Van Dorn was horrified to learn that his supply train and reserve artillery was six hours away due to a mistaken order. Realizing he could not win, Van Dorn began retreating east along the Huntsville Road. At 10:30, with the Confederates beginning to leave the field, Sigel led the Union left forward. Driving the Confederates back, they retook the area near the tavern around noon. With the last of the enemy retreating, the battle came to an end. Battle of Pea Ridge - Aftermath: The Battle of Pea Ridge cost the Confederates approximately 2,000 casualties, while the Union suffered 203 killed, 980 wounded, and 201 missing. The victory effectively secured Missouri for the Union cause and ended the Confederate threat to the state. Pressing on, Curtis succeeded in taking Helena, AR in July. The Battle of Pea Ridge was one of the few battles where Confederate troops possessed a significant numerical advantage over the Union. Selected Sources CWSAC Battle Summaries: Battle of Pea RidgePea Ridge National Military ParkBattle of Pea Ridge Maps

Darwinius - Facts and Figures

Darwinius - Facts and Figures Name: Darwinius (after naturalist Charles Darwin); pronounced dar-WIN-ee-us Habitat: Woodlands of western Europe Historical Epoch: Middle Eocene (47 million years ago) Size and Weight: About two feet long and 5 pounds Diet: Probably omnivorous Distinguishing Characteristics: Small size; primate-like anatomy About Darwinius To many paleontologists, Darwinius is a case study in how scientific discoveries should not be communicated to the general public. Although the well-preserved fossil of this prehistoric primate was unearthed way back in 1983, it wasnt until recently that an enterprising team of researchers got around to examining it in detail. Rather than share their findings with other paleontologists, the team started a bidding war for book and TV coverage, so that Darwinius was announced all at once to the world in 2009most notably in an extensively hyped documentary on the History Channel. The premise of all the publicity: Darwinius lay at the root of human evolution, and was thus our oldest direct ancestor. As you might expect, there was an immediate backlash from the scientific community. Some experts maintained that Darwinius wasnt all it was cracked up to be, especially since it was closely related to another well-known early primate, Notharctus. Most at issue was the TV documentarys breathless use of the phrase missing link, implying that Darwinius somehow led directly to modern humans (to most of the lay public, the phrase missing link in the context of human evolution implies a simian ancestor that lived at most a couple of million years ago, not nearly 50!) Where do matters stand now? Well, the scientific community is still examining the fossil evidenceas should have happened before the announcement of Darwinius, not after.

Business Final exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Business Final exam - Essay Example For example with the development of the recent accusations against AB sugar, there is a need to strategize. Strategizing will involve analyzing the eight business environments in which the company operates. Here we analyze the people who are the end users of the product or the people we do business. Their identities, consumption behaviors, habits, needs and even their situation in life. The company AB sugar deals with a complex customer environment that includes other businesses, the government, groups, and even the individual himself (Albrecht, p6). All these people represent AB sugar’s patrons. Analysis of the consumer environment may be demographically in terms of gender, age, and their buying habits. How health conscious are they and what is their attitude towards institutions and companies like AB sugar (Albrecht, p5). Here the issue of the customer also comes up. Whom are we competing? We should aim at identifying their weaknesses, their current and previous behaviors and get to know their motives. Interaction between the potential competitor and the customer you are both aiming to do business with is an issue to look at. What are the products they are bringing into the market (Albrecht, p6)? For example, the players, in this case may be other companies in the same line of business, sugar, and who may be influencing the customer to do less business with you (Albrecht, p6). The economic environment is complex and volatile. In this case, we look mainly at the market itself. What are the latest trends, prices, and even costs? What is the market dynamics generally? AB sugar needs to be up to date with the changes taking place in the market in order to identify changes it may benefit from or those it needs to change for it to benefit (Albrecht, p6-p7). What are the new technologies developed, what are the trends in technology for example in production or marketing or what are

Reasons why a Large Company in One Country Might Wish to 'Go Global' Essay

Reasons why a Large Company in One Country Might Wish to 'Go Global' and the Various Ways it Could Expand its Operations Oversea - Essay Example Going global has become the norm because it offers the companies a range of opportunities to move ahead further and increase their profits in the long run (Orr & Sohal). It makes them realize their due potential and the risks that they could take to achieve supremacy within their line of business. Nearly all companies wants that it expands its operations within the far flung areas of the world in order to increase its sales and bring new customers into the equation. The large companies are no exception to this rule as they look to exploit the weaknesses of their competitors and build upon the strength that possesses within their folds. What is even more significant is the fact that these companies have started to understand the nuances related with growing far and wide which essentially allows them to develop in an out and out manner. The senior management domains within these companies are looking at exploring newer markets because they believe that the unique customers provide a go lden opportunity for the company under consideration and the outsourcing debates are also settled in an amicable way (Townsend, Cavusgil & Yeniyurt, 2004). This is indicative of the numerous discussions that are being done within the going global perspectives and which have more or less touched upon the new understandings of growth and development for the sake of the companies in the modern times. These companies are doing their best to find out where the opportunities lie and what is it like to tap them before their competitors are able to do just the same. Hence the intention is to bring along all the necessary resources and find new avenues and routes which will eventually build upon the profits and expand left, right and center around the world. The companies are therefore looking at areas from where they can cut down on costs and bring in more profits. This debate comes directly under the realms of the outsourcing ones because third world countries are seen as the most helpful ones, where they bring cheap labor with them yet look at establishing offices which cut down on costs immensely. In essence, the entire world has come out as a whole new ball game for the companies which earlier used to believe in a single local marketplace. Now the times have changed and that too for all the right reasons as has been evidenced by recent examples of some companies which have made it big around the world by exploring newer markets (Gregory & Shi, 1998). One of the other reasons behind companies going the global way is because they have started to realize that just being limited to a single place would not allow them to grow beyond a certain measures. Thus they need to enact strategies and find pathways which will double or tripe their expected sums in the coming times. This is the reason why these companies are always on the look out for newer markets, diversified product forms tailored for new and potential customers, and local market suited products and services. I n essence, the role of the companies within such a fray is a precisely sensitive one since they have to decide who to hire, where to purchase all the resources and how to go about doing operations within a new country which effectively is quite a risky process. The companies have also realized the fact that the local laws and regulations are also something which must be

The Alpha Level Science Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Alpha Level Science - Term Paper Example The Alpha Level Science If the Alpha Level Science curriculum focuses more on collaborative and active learning and emphasizes the emotional and social experiences of children rather than the visual stimulation by third parties (teacher and picture books), teachers will be directed to emphasize group activities, collaborative learning, critical thinking in both informal and formal settings and will encourage kindergarten students to apply science to the real world and as such gain a more hands-on educational experience. In its Benchmark for Science Literacy, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1993) recommended that children should be involved in an active way in learning about the world from a scientific perspective and this education should begin from the very first day they attend school. In this regard, young students need to acquire an incentive for making inquiries about science and nature, to look for explanations, collect, count, measure things, observe qualitatively, organize observations and things, discuss and explore. These kinds of experiences will help young students to form a connection to science and to enjoy science education. This will help to heighten awareness of the scientific world as they grow older and move up in school. In teaching science to all students regardless of age, it is also important to understand that science contains a system or body of knowledge representing existing knowledge and an understanding of the natural process that is constantly being expanded, revised and â€Å"refined†.... y, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1993) recommended that children should be involved in an active way in learning about the world from a scientific perspective and this education should begin from the very first day they attend school. In this regard, young students need to acquire an incentive for making inquiries about science and nature, to look for explanations, collect, count, measure things, observe qualitatively, organize observations and things, discuss and explore. These kinds of experiences will help young students to form a connection to science and to enjoy science education. This will help to heighten awareness of the scientific world as they grow older and move up in school (Saracho & Spodek, 2008). In teaching science to all students regardless of age, it is also important to understand that science contains a system or body of knowledge representing existing knowledge and an understanding of the natural process that is constantly being expand ed, revised and â€Å"refined† (Committee on Science Learning Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade, 2007, p. 26). In other words, science education necessarily involves teaching and learning techniques informed by pragmatism and progressivism. This study analyses the Alpha Level Science curriculum for early learners and identifies how this curriculum can be improved to meet the challenges and goals of science education through the implementation of content consistent with pragmatism and progressivism ideas. The Alpha Level Science Curriculum The Alpha Level Science curriculum is broken into nine themed units each complete with lessons built around one of the particular themes. Each unit offers lessons which repeat in general order of presentation. The specifics of each lesson type are examined

HRM Information Systems

HRM Information Systems ABSTRACT Information technology is expected to drive Human Resource (HR)s transition from a focus on Human Resource Management (HRM) to Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM). This strategic role not only adds a valuable dimension to the HR function, but also changes the competencies that define HR professional and practitioner success. The study aims at investigating what role if any do Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) play in SHRM. It attempts to examine how HR professionals and managers in different organizations see the effects of HRIS on strategic HR tasks and job roles. It also tries to find out if there is any significant difference in the usage of HRIS between Small/Medium (SME) size and large size companies. A survey questionnaire was sent to different companies. The target group of the questionnaire was HR managers, HR directors, and HR professionals in companies based in England. The scope was widened to include both large and small/medium sized organizations across all the business sectors. The results of the survey reveal that HR professionals not only consider HRIS usage as a support for strategic HR tasks but also perceive it as an enabling technology. The study also indicates that large sized firms are most likely to experience considerable HRIS usage in support of strategic HR tasks. Moreover, there was no significant difference in proportion to the size of a company regarding HRIS usage in support of commitment management and managing trade union relations with organizations. Low response rate of this study makes generalization rather difficult however, future research would benefit from higher response rates for more generalized results OVERVIEW The relationship between the HR strategies and the firms performance is an issue that has caused significant differentiations in the literature mostly because of the existence of many parameters that can influence the results produced through the examination of this problem in practice. Moreover, because within a firm, the participants and the interests are many it is difficult to identify the role and the significance of each particular organizational element particularly when there is no specific corporate plan for such an investigation. RESEARCH PROBLEM The human resources strategies followed by modern organizations present significant differentiations in accordance with the firms position in the market, its performance and its financial strength in general. In the long term, the application of specific human resources strategies has been found to be related with the performance of the organization. Moreover, where appropriate HR plans have been applied, the organizational performance has been found to be increased. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH Current research as already mentioned above will focus on the examination of the relationship between HR strategies applied within a particular organization and its performance. In order for the above task to lead to valid results, a series of other issues are going to be examined at a secondary level. These issues are indicatively: a) Which is the significance of the HR for the organizational operation, b) How the HR strategies can be more effective? c) Is there any chance for innovation in firms with specific HR plan or any relevant initiative has to be adapted to the existed framework? d) Which are the main aspects of organizational growth and e) Are there any other factors that can influence the firms performance and which would be their interaction with the HR strategies already implemented in the particular firm? LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH Current research is limited by the fact that it is rather unlikely for companies to provide data related with their employees problems related with the workplace. On the other hand, any programs or support tools existed are very likely to be provided by all firms that would be engaged in the research of current project. For this reason, although the job satisfaction and the personal development of employees would be rather easily monitored, the existence of problems in the workplace would be difficult to be proved. For this reason current research as already described above focuses on the examination of the human resources strategies followed by organizations in general as these practices can be observed in most firms of modern commercial market. The existence of specific differentiations in accordance with the specific issue will have to be proved either by statistics released in general or by cases examined particularly in the legal area. INTRODUCTION According to Likert, Every aspect of firms activities is determined by the competence, motivation and general effectiveness of its human organization. Of all the tasks of management, managing the human component is the central and most important task because all depends how well it is done. This quotation sums up the importance of human components in an organisation and the need for managing it effectively. Human resource management is concerned with all aspects of managing the human resources of an organisation. More specifically, human resource management involves determining the organisations heed of human resource, recruiting and selecting the best available employees, developing, counselling and rewarding employees, acting as a liaison with union and government organisation and handling other matters regarding to the well being of employees. Each of these functions is necessary to some degree irrespective of nature and size of the organisation. That is why in most of the organis ation a separate department know as Personnel/Human resource Department is created for the effective performance of these functions. The relationship between the HR strategies and the firms performance is an issue that has caused significant differentiations in the literature mostly because of the existence of many parameters that can influence the results produced through the examination of this problem in practice. Moreover, because within a firm, the participants and the interests are many it is difficult to identify the role and the significance of each particular organizational element particularly when there is no specific corporate plan for such an investigation. Organization must have a set of unique resources for gaining competitive advantage moreover proper utilization of those resources matters a lot. Today organization employee acts as a main resource and knowledge, skills and abilities have to be deployed and used to the maximum effect if the organization is to create value. LITERATURE REVIEW Human resources should be considered as a significant organizational asset. In this context, the application of the appropriate strategies for its development, can lead to the improvement of the corporate performance both in the short and the long term. However, there are also companies where human resources are not considered as having particular importance for the firms growth. In this context, Haines (1997, 95) supported that there are firms that view their human resources as an expense rather than an asset an element that is expendable and perhaps discarded when the skills possessed becomes obsolete; however when human resources are viewed as an asset, companies enhance individual value through training and human development and ensure continued contribution to the organization. The importance of human resources for the corporate performance has in any case proved both in the literature and the empirical research conducted in all industrial sectors. In accordance with the above, in order for a firm to achieve a stable and continuous growth, it is necessary that its employees are satisfied as this term has been explained in the literature. More specifically, in accordance with Kim (2005, 669) job satisfaction is an affective or emotional response toward various facets of ones job. Job satisfaction has been a topic of great interest for researchers and practitioners in a wide range of fields, including organizational psychology, public administration, and management. On the other hand, the existence of job satisfaction has been extensively related with the level of payment of employees in the particular sectors of a specific organization. Indeed, the study of Rudman (2003) showed that paying for performance is a big issue in contemporary human resources management; organisations have long believed that production and productivity improve when pay is linked to performance, and have developed payment-by-results (PBR) systems and incentive schemes to support th is belief. In the same context, it is noticed by Blinder (1990, 117) that employees usually feel that profit sharing and gain sharing are good for personal effort, company growth and productivity, and workplace atmosphere. However, in order for the firms to achieve the maximum level of growth, it is necessary to design and apply the appropriate HR policies as indicated by each particular firms needs. The use of fit as a criterion of evaluation of the appropriate corporate strategy has been extensively used in practice. Towards this direction Wright (1998, 56) mentioned that the basic theory behind fit is that the effectiveness of any HR practice or set of practices for impacting firm performance depends upon the firms strategy (or conversely, the effectiveness of any strategy depends upon having the right HR practices). In other words, the issues that need to be considered by a firm before applying any relevant HR strategy are many. Indicatively, Katzell (1975, 5, 11-12) tried to identify the relationship between the employee satisfaction (as a result of a specific HR strategy) and the corporate performance and found that policy-makers must face up to a serious dilemma and find some way to resolve it; the dilemma is this: policy-makers would like to achieve two objectives for work organizations, on the one hand to enhance productivity and performance, and on the other to improve the quality of working life and job satisfaction for employers because under certain conditions, improving productivity will enhance worker satisfaction and improvements in job satisfaction will contribute to productivity; what it does mean is that there is no automatic and invariant relationship between the two. Under these terms, corporate performance has been found to be related with the employees performance within a particular organization. From a different point of view, Lawler et al. (2003, 15) supported that HRs greatest opportunity to add value may well be to play a role in the development and implementation of corporate strategy; HR can make a logical case for being an important part of strategy development, because of the importance of human capital in the ability of the firm to carry out its strategy. In other words, HR strategy can influence the firms growth in accordance with the measures provided for the personal and professional development of the firms employees even in the long term. The implementation of appropriate diversity strategy has to be considered in this case as absolutely necessary because in case of inequality in the workplace, no cooperation would be regarded as existed even if such cooperation exists, it will be problematic. In this context, Mathews (1998, 175 ) noticed that before diversity strategies are implemented, the organizations cultural environment, management and evaluation systems should be examined to ascertain if existing personnel/human resources processes will support or hinder diversity in the organization; then, appropriate strategies can be designed to develop and manage diversity based on these findings. From the same point of view, Ramlall (2003, 60) supported that given that several large-scale studies have proven that HRM is a critical driver in an organizations financial performance, it is imperative for HR and other leaders to understand the critical nature and utmost importance of understanding the effectiveness of all HR activities in creating value for the organization. To a more thorough examination of the problem, Christensen managed to identify the five elements that are considered as most crucial in the improvement of the employees productivity (as this improvement is expected to lead to the increase of the corporate growth). More specifically, Christensen supported that there are five elements which are extremely important for the effectiveness of employees within a particular organizational environment. These are (1958, 34): a) The technical organization of the group; b) The social structure of the group; c) The individual task motivation, i.e., the willingness to work hard that each member brings to and maintains toward his job; d) The rewards he receives from doing the job, and e) The satisfactions he obtains from being an accepted member of the group. The above elements can exist in any organization and can influence the productivity of its employees either in the short or in the long term. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (HRM) During and after 1970s, several changes took place in many countries which led to the term Human resource Management in place of the traditional term Personnel Management. These changes, declining importance of trade unionism, shift from industrial employment to service sector employment, growing competition, deregulation of economies, etc. As a result, three important roles of human resources have emerged as stated below. Human resource policies can be integrated with strategic business planning and used to reinforce appropriate culture. Human resources are valuable and a source of competitive advantage. Human resources can be tapped mostly effectively by mutually consistent policies which promote commitment and Foster a willingness in employees to act flexible in the interests of the adaptive organisations pursuit of excellence. The term Human resource management has been the subject of considerable debate, and its underlying philosophy and character are highly controversial. Much of this controversy stems from the absence of a precise formulation of and agreement on its significance and definition (Storey, 1989; and 1995a), as cited by Bratton and Gold (2003: 7). Obviously, definition of the subject matter is needed for analysis and understanding of HRM theory and practice. HRM DEFINITION HRM has a variety of definitions but there is general agreement that it has a closer fit with business strategy than previous models, specifically personnel management. In all the debates about the meaning, significance and practice of HRM, nothing seems more certain than the link between HRM and performance (HRM Guide October 2006). Below are some of the definitions of HRM, although it can be argued that these will only be ones of several possible definitions. De Cenzo and Robbins (1996: 8) defined HRM as the part of the organization that is concerned with the people dimension, and it is normally a staff or support function in the organization. HRM role is the provision of assistance in HRM issues to line employees, or those directly involved in producing the organizations goods and services. Acquiring peoples services, developing their skills, motivating them to high levels of performance, and ensuring their continuing maintenance and commitment to the organization are essential to achieving organizational goals. This is much the case regardless of the type of organization, government, business, education, health, recreation, or social action. The authors proposed an HRM specific approach as consisting of four functions- staffing, training and development, motivation, and maintenance. In addition, Bratton and Gold (2003: 7) define HRM as the strategic approach to managing employment relations which emphasizes that leveraging peoples capabilities is critical to achieving sustainable competitive advantage. This is achieved through a distinctive set of integrated employment policies, programs and practices. The authors presented HRM functions as planning, recruitment and selection, appraisal and performance management, reward management, development, employee relations, health and safety, and union-management relations. Moreover, to Alan Price (2004: 32) HRM aims at recruiting capable, flexible and committed people, managing and rewarding their performance and d eveloping key competencies. Contributing to the working definition of HRM is Abecker et al., (2004). They see HRM as a strategic and target oriented composition, regulation and development of all areas that affect human resources in a company. Efficient and effective management of these resources to a large extend, affects human resource behaviour, and consequently the performance of the organization as a whole. Moreover, the authors identified HRM with the field it covers. These include planning aspects- personnel requirements analysis and personnel asset analysis, and change aspects- recruitment, personnel development and labour displacement (Ibid). Next, is the diagrammatic representation of the said field. Human Resource Management Change Aspects Planning Aspects Personnel Requirement Analysis Labour Displacement Personnel Development Recruitment Personnel Asset Analysis Figure1: Fields of HRM (Source: Abecker et al., 2004) It is however, somehow strange, that, an important aspect of HRM, payroll or compensation/payment is missing from the field in figure 1 above propounded by the authors. Abecker et al., (2004) like the previous other authors, did not present a conclusive and detailed definition of HRM including the other concepts (HR processes). Lastly considered are the opinions of various management scholars who have taken a more in-depth look at the whole concept of HRM. These opinions should be given the greatest weight, since they reflect more in-depth research on the subject than is done by most textbook authors. Few such authors are Dessler et al., (1999), and Torrington et al.,(2005). According to Torrington et al., (2005: 5) HRM is fundamental to all management activity and has evolved from a number of different strands of thought. It is best described as a loose philosophy of people management rather than a focused methodology. Thus, distinction has been made between HRM as body of management activities on one hand (generically described as personnel management) and then on the other as a particular approach to execute those activities (carrying out people-oriented organizational activities than traditional personnel management). An organization gains competitive advantage by using its employees effectively, drawing on their expertise and ingenuity to meet clearly defined objectives. Torrington et al.,(2005: 5) identified the role of the human resource functions with the key objectives. These four objectives are the corner stone of all HR activities. These include Staffing, Performance, Change-management and Administration. Staffing objective focuses on finding the appropriate pool of human resources needed to ensure full and timely supply of work force (Ibid). It therefore involves designing organizational structures, identifying working conditions for different groups of employees followed by recruiting, selecting and developing the personnel required to fill the roles. Performance objective aims at ensuring workforce motivation and commitment for effective performance. Consequently, employees training and development remain important. Moreover, managing change effectively and efficiently remains one of the core objectives in almost every business. Key issues here include recruiting and/or developing people with the required leadership skills to drive the change process. Change agents are employed to encourage acceptance of change by coming out with reward systems associated with the change process. Employees involvement is also paramount here and is encouraged. The aim is to avoid resistance to change, more especially where it involves cultural changes (attitude, philosophy or long-present organizational norms). Administration objective aims at facilitating the smooth running of the organization. Hence, there is the need for accurate and comprehensive data on individual employees, records of achievement in terms of performance, attendance, training records, terms and condition of employment and personal details are (Ibid). However, for the purpose of this study, literature on the HRM concept will be based on the opinions of Dessler et al., (1999). The authors defined HRM as the management of people in organizations. It consists of the activities, policies, and practices involved in obtaining, developing, utilizing, evaluating, maintaining, and retaining the appropriate number and skill mix of employees to accomplish the organizations objectives. The goal of HRM is to maximize employees contributions in order to achieve optimal productivity and effectiveness, while simultaneously attaining individual objectives and societal objectives Dessler et al., (1999: 2). To the authors, the function of HRM include assisting the organization in attracting the quality and quantity of candidates required with respect to the organizations strategy and operational goals, staffing needs, and desired culture. Helping to maintain performance standards and increase productivity through orientation, training, development, job design, effective communication, and performance appraisal. Helping to create a climate in which employees are encouraged to develop and utilize their skills to the fullest. Helping to establish and maintain cordial working relationship with employees. Helping to create and maintain safe and healthy work environment. Development of programs to meet economic, psychological, and social needs of the employees. Helping the organization to retain productive employees and ensuring that the organization complies with provincial/territorial and federal laws affecting the work place such as human rights, employment equity, occupational health and safety (Ibid). HRM PROCESSES This sub section illustrates the processes involved in executing the HRM functions. Each of the functions: planning, recruitment, selection, orientation and training, performance appraisal etc. goes through a process. Unless otherwise stated, the rest of this section will be drawn from (Dessler et al., 1999)s literature based on pages 165 to 533. PLANNING PROCESS Human Resource Planning (HRP) process reviews human resources requirements to ensure that the organization has the required number of employees, with the necessary skills, to meet its goals, also known as employment planning. HRP is a proactive process, which both anticipates and influences an organizations future by systematically forecasting the demand for and supply of employees under changing conditions, and developing plans and activities to satisfy these needs. Key steps include forecasting demand for labour considering organizational strategic and tactical plans, economic conditions, market and competitive trends, social concerns, demographic trends, and technological changes. RECRUITMENT PROCESS Recruitment is the process of searching for and attracting an adequate number of qualified job candidate, from whom the organization may select the most appropriate to field its staff needs. The process begins when the need to fill a position is identified and it ends with the receipt of rà ©sumà ©s and completed application forms. The result is a pool of qualified job seekers from which the individual best matching the job requirements can be selected. The steps in recruitment process include identification of job openings, determination of job requirements, choosing appropriate recruiting sources and methods, and finally, generating a pool of qualified recruits. Job openings are identified through human resource planning or manager request. Next is to determine the job requirements. This involves reviewing the job description and the job specification and updating them, if necessary. Appropriate recruiting sources and methods are chosen because there is no one, best recruiting te chnique. Consequently, the most appropriate for any given position depend on a number of factors, which include organizational policies and plans, and job requirements. SELECTION PROCESS Selection is the process of choosing individuals with the relevant qualifications to fill existing or projected openings. Data and information about applicants regarding current employees, whether for a transfer or promotion, or outside candidates for the first time position with the firm are collected and evaluated. The steps in the selection process, in sending order include preliminary reception of applicants, initial applicant screening, selection testing, selection interview, background investigation and reference checking, supervisory interview, realistic job previews, making the hiring decision, candidate notification, and evaluating the selection process. However, each step in the selection process, from preliminary applicant reception and initial screening to the hiring decision, is performed under legal, organizational, and environmental constraints that protect the interests of both applicant and organization. ORIENTATION, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Employee orientation is the procedure of providing new employees with basic background information about the firm and the job. Is more or less, considered as one component of the employers new-employee socialization process. Socialization process is an ongoing process of initialling in all employees the prevailing attitudes, standards, values, and patterns of behaviour that are expected by the organization. Training however is the process of teaching new or present employees the basic skills/competencies needed to perform their jobs. Whereas training focuses on skills and competencies needed to perform employees current jobs, employee and management development is the training of long-term nature. The aim is to prepare current employees for future jobs with the organization or solving an organizational problem concerning, for example, poor interdepartmental communication. Training and development processes include needs analysis, instructional design, validation, implementation, and evaluation and follow-up. CAREER PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS It is the deliberate process through which persons become aware of personal career related attributes and the lifelong series of activities that contribute to their career fulfilment. Individuals, managers, and the organization have role to play in career development. Individuals accept responsibility of own career, assess interests, skills, and values, seek out career information and resources, establish goals and career plans, and utilize development opportunities. The career stage identification entails career cycle (the stages through which a persons career evolves). These stages include the following: growth, exploration, establishment, maintenance, and decline stages. Occupational orientation identification is the theory by John Holland. This theory enumerates six basic personal orientations that determine the sorts of careers to which people are drawn. They include realistic orientation, investigative orientation, social orientation, conventional orientation, enterprise orientation, and artistic orientation. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PROCESS Performance appraisal may be defined as any procedure that involves setting work standards, assessing employees actual performance relative to these standards, and providing feedback to the employee with the aim of motivating the worker to eliminate performance deficiencies or to continue to perform above par. Processes in performance appraisal contain three steps: defining performance expectations, appraising performance, and providing feedback. First, defining performance expectation means making sure that job duties and standards are clear to all. Second, appraising performance means comparing employees actual performance to the standards that has been set, which normally involves some type of rating form. Third, performance appraisal usually requires one or more feedback sessions to discuss employees performance and progress and making plans for any required development. Some of the appraisal methods include graphic rating scale, alternation ranking, paired comparison, forced dis tribution, and critical incident methods. EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS PROCESS Employee compensation involves all forms of pay or rewards accrued to employees and arising from their employment. This however consists of two main components: direct financial payments, and indirect payments. While direct financial payments are in the form of wages, salaries, incentives, commissions, and bonuses, indirect payments are in the form of financial benefits like employer-paid insurance and vacations. Moreover, legal considerations in compensation, union influences, compensation policies, and equity and its impact on pay rates are the four basic considerations influencing the formulation of any pay plan. Benefits are indirect financial payments given to employees. These may include supplementary health and life insurance, vacation, pension, education plans, and discounts on say company products. Furthermore, income and medical benefits to victims of work-related accidents or illness and/or their dependents, regardless of fault are all part of employees compensation. The processes in establishing pay rates involve the following five steps: First, conducting wages/salary survey to determine the prevailing wage rates for comparable jobs, which is central in job pricing. Second, determine the relative worth of each job (job evaluation) by comparing the job content in relation to one another in terms of their efforts, responsibility, and skills. This eventually results in wage or salary hierarchy. Third, group similar jobs into pay grades, a pay grade comprises of jobs of approximately equal value or importance as determined by job evaluation. Forth, price each pay grade using wage curves. A wage curve is graphical description of the relationship between the value of job and the average wage paid for the job. However, if jobs are not grouped into pay grades, individual pay rates have to be assigned to each job. Fifth, fine tune pay rates. This involves correcting out-of-line rates and usually developing rate ranges. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PROCESS Occupational health and safety process aims at protecting the health and safety of workers by minimizing work-related accidents and illnesses. Laws and legislations to ensure and observe general health and safety rules bound employers. More so, rules for specific industries, for example, mining and rules related to specific hazards, for instance, asbestos have to be adhered to. The following steps are important in this process. Checking for or removing unsafe conditions by using checklist to audit a companys adherence to safety rules that are guarded against hazards, which cannot be removed. Next, through selection, screening out of employees who might be accident prone for job in question without compromising the human right legislation. More so, establishing a safety policy, this emphasizes on the importance of practically reducing accidents and injuries. Setting specific loss control goals by analyzing the number of accidents and safety incidents and then set specific safety goals to be achieved. Enforcing safety rules through discipline and conducting health and safety inspections regularly by investigating all accidents and near misses, and by having a system in place for letting employe