Medieval and Renaissance

Lewis, after having been granted Chair of the Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University in 1954, presents his first lecture to shed light on this new responsibility by drawing on a latent misnomer that could perhaps be created by the title of his present position, particularly by placing the terms â€Å"Medieval† and â€Å"Renaissance† side by side to connote a concurrence in meaning, which according to him, â€Å"†¦by this formula the University was giving official sanction to a change which has been coming over historical opinion within my own lifetime.Referring to the remarkable yet discreet elimination of the traditional divides between these terms as human’s understanding of these epochs broadens. Such usage of the terms likewise indicates how the perceived invisible divides marking out the disparities between these terms have been overstated (par 3). To this Lewis provides an alternative view saying that, â€Å"The actual temporal p rocess†¦has no divisions, except perhaps those â€Å"blessed barriers between day and day†, our sleeps.Change is never complete, and change never ceases† (Ibid). Nonetheless, placing everything that happens in a lifetime cannot be put in a single continuum otherwise it will create a chasm filled with categorically definable events yet in such circumstance may not be totally identifiable. Hence creating recognizable divisions such as periods for events is inevitable. He then moved on to consider the different periods that have marked the transitions from the Medieval to the Renaissance, namely: 1) between Antiquity and the Dark Ages or the fall of the Empire (par. 5); 2) between the Dark and the Middle Ages (par. 10); 3) towards the end of the seventeenth century (par. 11).For each perceivable period, he identified significant events such that between the Age of Antiquity and the Dark Ages, particularly in the literary genre, he recounts, the inevitable effect of â €Å"the barbarian invasions, the christening of Europe† (par 5), while referring to the observations of Gibbon, most probably that of Edward Gibbon, an â€Å"English historian and scholar, the supreme historian of the Enlightenment, who is best-known as the author of the monumental THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE,† (Liukkonen, 2008) who believes that â€Å"the material decay of Rome was the effect and symbol of moral decadence† (Ibid). Lewis then suggests that such episodes where imperative that people in earlier days who were able to adapt to the circumstances where no different than the people now and the changes that have happened them would have the same effect to us—â€Å"Nothing new had come into the world† (par. 7).Likewise everything that happens then occurs for a reason and each event is irreversible as it is if it would happen now. As to the episodes between the Dark and the Middle Ages, which Lewis regards as â€Å"a period of retrogression: worse houses, worse drains, fewer baths, worse roads, less security† (par. 10), nonetheless, it is during this period that the world reached â€Å"a period of widespread and brilliant improvement† (Ibid) (i. e. recovery of Aristotle’s text and its consequent integration by Albertus Magnus and Thomas Aquinas; discovery of alternative solutions to technical problems in Architecture; introduction of rhymed and syllabic verse in place of the old alliterative and assonantal metres which has characterized European poetry for centuries [Ibid]).Finally, concerning the third boundary within the epochs towards the end of the 17th century, Lewis, as in his explanations on the exigencies in the previous epochs, maintains that such events or changes are prerequisites to impending developments. Thus he concludes: When Watt makes his engine, when Darwin starts monkeying with the ancestry of Man, and Freud with his soul, and the economists with all that is his, th en indeed the lion will have got out of its cage. Its liberated presence in our midst will become one of the most important factors in everyone's daily life (par. 11). One should then perceive circumstances as a priori to succeeding events. Lewis did not stop with this structure though.He moved on to create a structure that will eventually define the organization of the succeeding epochs, after the Renaissance. To this division, however, Lewis clarifies: â€Å"The dating of such things must of course be rather hazy and indefinite. No one could point to a year or a decade in which the change indisputably began, and it has probably not yet reached its peak† (par 12). He then starts drawing the lines between these periods starting off from Scott (par. 13), most probably Sir Walter Scott, â€Å"a Scottish writer and poet and considered one of the greatest historical novelists, who lived between 1771 and1832† (â€Å"Sir Walter Scott,† n. d. ). Lewis then presents his view on these timelines taking a stance in relation to the political order circumstances.Thus, â€Å"For of a ruler one asks justice, incorruption, diligence, perhaps clemency; of a leader, dash, initiative, and (I suppose) what people call â€Å"magnetism† or â€Å"personality† (par. 13). Next, he considers the arts as a factor affecting the timelines. At this point he presents his argument concerning the arts, saying: â€Å"I do not think that any previous age produced work which was, in its own time, as shatteringly and bewilderingly new as that of the Cubists, the Dadaists, the Surrealists, and Picasso has been in ours† (par. 15), implying the intrinsic worth he attributes to the arts then and now. Thus, â€Å"To say that all new poetry was once as difficult as ours is false; to say that any was is an equivocation† (Ibid).He then proceeds to consider the developments in the timelines placing circumstances in line with the religious aspects of develo pments where, according to Lewis, there was a time when there was a traditional pre-conceived notion that individuals have the tendency to â€Å"relaps[e] into Paganism† (par. 16) or â€Å"that the historical process allows mere reversal (Ibid), to which he maintains the idea that circumstances as a priori to succeeding events as irreversible. This he clarifies: It is not what happens. A post-Christian man is not a Pagan; you might as well think that a married woman recovers her virginity by divorce. The post-Christian is cut off from the Christian past and therefore doubly from the Pagan past (par. 16).In paragraph 17, Lewis finally transitions his structuring of the timelines with the creation of the machines, which he considers â€Å"parallel to the great changes by which we divide epochs of pre-history† and where â€Å"the latest in advertisements always means best. † It is during this period that man regards â€Å"milestones in life as technological advan ces†: everything that happens is either directly or indirectly affected by technology. Such factor, according to Lewis, starkly differentiates us from the people in the other timelines and concludes â€Å"that it really is the greatest change in the history of Western Man† (par. 18). In the end, he points back to his earlier claim that there really is a great divide between â€Å"Medieval† and â€Å"Renaissance.† Nonetheless, somewhere in that divide lies some defining distinctiveness that unify these terms which are â€Å"certainly important and perhaps more important than its interior diversities† (par. 19). To end the arguments created or most likely to be created in the presentation of the boundaries or frontier, as Lewis labels them to be, he clarified that he will be using â€Å"Old† (Ibid) culture instead. He concludes with an emphasis on the significance of having a deeper understanding of the past for with it one is released from its shackles (par. 21) and a claim that even though there is a great distance that separates men from different epochs or timeless, they can still have a common ground. Thus, Lewis, being a native of the time, is in authority when he said:It is my settled conviction that in order to read Old Western literature aright you must suspend most of the responses and unlearn most of the habits you have acquired in reading modem literature (par. 22). References: Lewis, C. S. â€Å"De Descriptione Temporum† Inaugural Lecture from The Chair of Mediaeval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, 1954. Retrieved April 28, 2009 from http://www. eng. uc. edu/~dwschae/temporum. html Liukkonen, Petri. (2008). â€Å"Edward Gibbon (1737-1794). † Retrieved April 30, 2009 from http://www. kirjasto. sci. fi/egibbon. htm â€Å"Sir Walter Scott. † (n. d. ). Retrieved April 30, 2009 from http://www. online- literature. com/walter_scott/

Non-medical incidents and emergencies that may occur in the work setting Essay

Security incidents Identify the issue and assess appropriate action. First, isolate your responsibilities away from security breech i.e. get children to safety. Call for emergency services to assist, next try to de-escalate the situation if possible but not at risk to personal safety Emergency incidents – (challenging behavior) The degree to which the behavior is affecting other around will make a difference as to how you deal with it. This is different to a security risk as it is assumed that this person is your person responsibility. Firstly, separate the danger from the other participants. Next, attempt to communicate with the individual and calm them down if possible. This may be suggesting a distraction, â€Å"how about we get an ice cream and talk it over† the walk to the shop might be enough to calm them down. If this does not work, emergency services must be called as they have greater knowledge at how to deal with these issues. The individual might not display aggressive challenging behavior. It might take a different form such as self-harm or running away from the campsite. These are extreme situations which can not be allowed to fester. Every second is putting the individual at risk of injury and stress.

IPv6 transition Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

IPv6 transition - Case Study Example Having been appointed as the regional IPv6 transition manager of the Environmental Protection Agency for Berkeley branch, California, this paper discusses by transition plan including the proposed timetable for compliance with the IPv6 Mandate, guidelines, solutions as well as the required technologies for IPv6 transition compliance throughout Berkeley Environmental Protection Agency branch. Fig 1: Dwindling availability of IPv4 addresses Summary of the applicable government IPv6 mandate In order to facilitate the planned transition from IPv4 to IPv6 protocols, the U.S government recently introduced an IPv6 compliance mandate consisting of various regulations and requirements designed not only to accelerate the process but also to help various agencies prepare for the eventual migration into the new protocol. The IPv6 mandate that is scheduled to come into effect on May 30th next year requires all federal agencies to transfer their public facing email services, DNS, websites and othe r related services to the new IPv6 platform. ... Networking Facility at the Branch The networking facility at the Environmental Protection Agency Berkeley branch consists of a single LAN together with a number of Servers, switches and routers. Generally, the networking facility at our small branch at Berkeley is primarily designed to allow all the members of the agency to share information as well as other necessary peripherals such as office laser printers. Internet connection is achieved by means of a local TCP/IP network set up and an ISP account allows all the members of branch to access internet and emails over LAN. On the other hand, the EPA branch has relies on a backbone network for the agency that channels data to the other branches across the country with a local area networks established in each branch. A number of switches have been used to connect various devices such as computers, servers and printers on the same network within the branch. Additionally, routers have been used to tie our multiple networks together ther eby enabling our computers to share a single internet connection. Lastly, the other important services provided by the networking facility of the agency branch include database services, email, disk space and backups. All these systems are however integrated by high speed networks that are currently being managed by our highly skilled technical staff. Summary of the main IPv6-related RFCs that pertain to the IPv6 support There are a number of Request for Comments (RFCs) published by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) that pertains to the current IPv6 support. Since, the early 1990s, the Internet Engineering Task Force(IETF) has always tried to create and define its major standards related to the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 through its working groups that are tasked with

Health promotion methods activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health promotion methods activities - Essay Example Community development is never easy. There are a number of barriers which restrict community development and welfare. In this case, we consider the health issue of importance of physical activity in children with obesity, and look at how we may reduce some of the barriers to increase community participation. Awareness is highly important for community members on community issues. Awareness comes with knowledge and skills. Considering the issue of obese children, many of the parents are not aware of the seriousness of this issue. They do not know the threats involved and what they need to do in order to reduce obesity. This knowledge has to be imparted in the form of awareness programs at community levels. Individuals should be encouraged to participate in these seminars and training programs. Individuals these days have busy lives with hectic schedules. Parents are unable to take their children out for physical activities and participate with them. This is a serious issue especially for obese children which need to participate in physical activities. Hence, to reduce the barrier imposed by lack of time, communities should aim to involve the obese kids in physical activity participation without their parents’ involvement. These activities can be started in school level or at neighborhood levels where the kids are made to participate in sports and other physical exercises. Funds are a critical issue in most community projects. Without adequate funding no community project can thrive. Considering the issue of physical activities for obese children, funds are required to establish parks and sports ground where children can participate. To overcome this barrier, communities should seek to obtain funds from external sources such as government or corporations. These can be in the form of sponsorships. Moreover, they can also pool funds from the community members themselves. Rothman’s model for community development defines three

Use of Old and New Media Simultaneously Research Proposal

Use of Old and New Media Simultaneously - Research Proposal Example Through new media, you can chat with your friends with whom a telephonic conversation would not make much sense. But the use of both the media together takes the main idea behind connecting. For example, many people watch TV or read newspapers while they chat with their friends online (Borsch, 2010). Here, the attention is divided between the two. Neither the friend you are chatting with gets your full attention nor the TV program or the news that you are reading. So in the end, you do not exactly know what you read on the paper or what you watched on the TV. Neither did you have a quality conversation with your friend? Hence, the use of both forms of media here is a disaster. Movies are a great way to relax and immerse yourself in a whole new world. In the past, movies meant complete disconnect with the real world. Movies were the most enjoyable media for many. But with the advent of mobiles, people now use their mobiles even in theatres distracting themselves and also those around them. This takes away the whole essence of watching a movie in the theatre. You pay to enjoy a movie but are distracting yourself by thinking about the message on your mobile. Also, it is very annoying for those around you. This is because you are loosing on quality time that you can spend with your loved ones. People by using both old and new media at the same time assume that they are getting more done at the same time. This is not always true as it can be seen in the above examples. In most cases, it turns out that you only do not do either of the jobs completely or with full attention. The purpose of new media is to make work easier, effective and entertaining (Chun & Keenan, 2006). But when new and old media is used together, this purpose is not served. For examples, when you read a newspaper and listen to music on your iPod simultaneously you are not doing either one of them with full attention. Finally, it would just be a waste of time.

Art History, Renaissance through Modern Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Art History, Renaissance through Modern - Essay Example Renaissance was a reaction to the Middle Ages and serve as the foundation for the subsequent Baroque period in Europe. Its etymological meaning is "rebirth" of classical antiquity, pertaining to the revival of arts and sciences after it was diminished because of the emphasis on religion. However, it should be noted the majority of the art work where commissioned either for the Church or by supporters of it (Gombrich, 1995). The period also marked the significance developments in artistic technique which included the development of linear perspective, spatial composition and definition of the proportions for human form. The most notable artist of the period includes Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael as well as Boticelli who while was briefly eclipsed by the first three artists rose to contemporary regard. However, the Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael have been more specifically associated as High Renaissance artists or for the latter Renaissance arts (Stokstad, 2004). One of the Botticelli's portraits, early example, if not more pure examples, of the renaissance style is featured in Figure 1. From the example, the subject, a woman of elite standing, dominates the frame. The figure is limited to the upper half or bust of subject, emphasizing the identity of the individual rather than her form. It is likely that Botticelli positioned the subject in such a way to facilitate the effect of the light coming from what appears to be a window in the background of the painting. The impression derived is that the work was done via formal sitting in studio or small space. In comparison to the other portraits in this paper (see figure 2 and 3), the positioning of the subject provides little detail for the rest of the painting's composition. The dark background with only a hint of a window as detail provides a direct contrast with the subject's red-sleeved dress. The background provides little detail or insight regarding the personality of the subject and essentially on serve to highlight the visual image of the subject. Technique The subject is defined finely from the background. In a similar manner, details on the subject itself are very definite, if not stark. The technique is reflective of the subscription to classical techniques that emphasize form and figure. There are no discernable brushstrokes and colors are mixed smoothly. Also, the portrait in itself is reminiscent of busts in relief since though there is more depth and application of lighting techniques, there little suggestion of movement or interaction with its space. Lighting techniques were used predominantly to create facial characteristics, emphasizing the forehead, nose and chin, again reflective of the classical influence. The features are associated with having strong character or persona and therefore may have been emphasized to communicate the social stature of the subject of the painting. The subject's complicated coiffure and quality of clothing also reinforce this idea. The light used is quiet harsh but not so much that the figure of the subject to seem like it is outdoors. Shadowing and graduations in hue on the body of the subject suggests that the light source has elevated and angled from the window in the back

Approaches to Effective Change Management Essay

Approaches to Effective Change Management - Essay Example It is important for change managers to be open for new ideas that may be significant in the change process, which encourages all the stakeholders involved to participate and own the organizational objectives, thereby making it possible for the change managers to accomplish their tasks (Ivancevich et al. 2007). Kotter (1996) observes that change management also requires that the important decisions be defended from denunciation by other players who might not be informed or whose interest might only be focused on resisting change irrationally. If change managers allow new ideas to be dismissed in such a manner, there can be no progress. However, while defending the ideas against criticism, it is important to consider the suggestions of others who might have a different perspective in regard to approaching change. For example, technical personnel who understand the organizational systems better can offer essential advice regarding the necessary changes that are beneficial. Flexibility i n decision making is important for change to be accomplished. In other words, change managers need to disregard the manner in which they have always approached matters related with decision making. They need to allow flexible practices that broaden their scope of thinking, which allows them to identify new opportunities and methods of working. Rigidity in decision making hampers innovativeness in organizations since they do not open up to change (Szamosi & Duxbury, 2002). In other words, organizational culture is important in determining the success of the change process. It may hinder or promote change and therefore change managers should be keen on maintaining a culture of flexibility in organizational decision making. Promotion of flexible working is also important to ensure that the employees are aware that the typical procedures followed in the workplace can be changed at the realization of any opportunity for improvement, which is significant in avoiding resistance to change a mong the organizational staff (Lines, 2004). According to Ivancevich et al. (2007), successful change management involves learning from past experiences. The change managers can use examples of situations where they failed in the past and apply the knowledge to avoid undesirable occurrences in the change process. In choosing the approach towards implementing new ideas, it is important to keep focused on the positive aspects instead of looking at the possibilities of encountering difficulties in the implementation process. Focusing on potential difficulties leads to undesirable pessimism that may hamper progress. Risks also need to be shared by forming strong partnerships that are also significant in developing new ideas (Szamosi & Duxbury, 2002). Bennett & Durkin (2000) observes that the information obtained in the change management needs to be analyzed and sorted out to distinguish between the vital information from the irrelevant. Failure of the change managers to make out the dif ference in such information leads to the presence of surplus data that makes the tasks even more difficult. Such situations cause exhaustion and low morale in implementing the organizational activities, and the change process may be abandoned before the change management goals are accomplished (Mourier & Smith, 2001). On the other hand, Lines (2004) observes that there is a tendency for managers and data collection staff to make assumptions that they collect all the information that can be accessed while they do not. In other words, improper judgment regarding the information received by the change managers leaves substantial information that might be useful to the management

Racism in Britain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Racism in Britain - Essay Example The British national self and race is constructed in relation to the other nations. Cultural differences are irreducible, and they revealed the ambivalence and hybrid nature of racism. Critics state that "The positing of ethnic origin raises the issue of the targets of racism being diverse and not restricted to groups defined in racial terms" (Anthias, Lloyd, 2002. p. 8). According to the nature of racism in Britain the great influx of immigrants had eroded homogeneous national identities, or rather the traditional, received instructive images and narratives of national homogeneity, and had thereby revealed the poor image of non-white race. Racism is akin to culture and religion rather than ideology in their depth and extent. The British nation is best seen as an imagined political community, at once sovereign and spatially finite-imagined. But once created, this imagined communion of the nation represents a powerful sociological reality as a community imagined to move in linear fashion through 'empty, homogeneous time. Critics and historians single out the following causes of racism in Britain. In Britain, racism can be explained as: "not just presence of physical differences between groups that creates races, but "the social recognition of such differences as socially significant or relevant" (Van the Berghe, 1967 cited Yassine, n.d.). The assumption that the root causes of these wars lay in antagonisms not only had its political and diplomatic uses therefore, but it also diverted attention from what really needed to be explained: how was it that these political elites were able to arouse people who had been living for generations in multi-ethnic, multilingual and multi-religious communities to such extremes of racism. Researchers suppose that "frustration-aggression" and "authoritarian personality" theories help to explain racism in Britain. A part of the explanation lies in the particular techniques and strategies which are deliberately employed by political leaders to turn these materials into a powerful resource for advancing nationalist claims. [They] "explain racism as a type of relief from "frustration", where a "scapegoat" may become the object of aggressive behaviour" (Yassine, n.d.). The failure, or refusal, of British public institutions to recognize the impact of political and economic change on the development of ethnic and national sentiment has made it easier for these British nation to ignore, or fail to give serious causal weight to, the role of racism in using ethnicity and religion to mobilize, polarize and radicalize larger target groups. Immigration is seen as another cause of racial ideas and prejudices existed in British society. "Immigrants from the 'New Commonwealth were not welcomed, or effectively woven into the fabric of a polyethnic, multicultural society" (Yassine, n.d.). For this reason, many British citizens do not respect other nations who come to their country looking for better life. In general, even if British society can be shown to have common values, they might be morally unacceptable. Inequality is a shared value in slave-owning, racist and caste-based societies, but historians would not wish to argue that it should therefore be cherished let alone enforced on their egalitarian minorities. Besides, the core values of any society

Assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Assignment 2 - Essay Example The strategic human resource management (SHRM) is not bounded or guided by some definite of rules. Rather the whole idea is to develop a human resource development model that is dynamic in nature. That can be changed and recalibrated according to the need and wants of the current business situation. The present research topic details the problems and challenges faced by the human resource development and the strategies that can be adapted to overcome such challenges. 2.0 Identification and explanation of the main Human Resource challenges facing any organisation The number of challenges an organisation has to face depends on the size of the organization since size matters more than the effects of the internal and external interferences. As the size of the organization increases, the number of challenges and problems also increases (Boxall, 1982). ... So instead only few challenges and problems are discussed which are important in the present context. 2.1 Problems is fixing compensation Compensation planning is one of the problematic areas. The reasons associated with compensation problem are one and many. The managers are sometimes not able to understand the best way to measure the efficiency of the employees. Due to the wrong choice or methodology to measure the employee efficiency, the managers at times have trouble to understand, the exact compensation level which correlates with the level of efficiency (Guest, 1999). This is the one of the most acute problem in the compensation management area. The managers do not revise the methodology to check the level of efficiency of the employee for long period of times. So even after there is significant improvement in the employee performance and efficiency, the managers still tend to follow the unrevised version to measure the employee efficiency. So the compensation fixed does not c orrelate with the employee efficiency. The managers are sometimes unable to understand the factors that motivate the employees. The different level of employee working in the organisation may not have the same kind of motivational factors. The management sometimes tend to follow a general guideline, which considers that all most all employees have the same motivational factors. For example the employees at the bottom level are motivated by material benefits more than the employees at the higher level (Hyman, 1987). For employees at the higher level, the recognition and the power allotted and the status granted matter the most. During the budget preparations the managers forget to factor in the fact that the current

People Play Important Roles in Our Lfe Essay Example for Free

People Play Important Roles in Our Lfe Essay The most significant people in your life would normally be your parents followed by siblings and extended family members. We are first sons or daughters before we take on the role of brothers or sisters. Our role will then be of husbands or wives and then fathers or mothers as we grow in our lives. We become grandfathers or grandmothers and with God’s blessings, become Great Grandfathers or Great Grandmothers. Our role will then become whatever role we take on in life. Our parents would definitely be the most significant people in our lives. How we grow up as an individual goes back to the cornerstone of our family unit. When there is love amongst the family members, this is where we are nurtured when we were young and we take our values from the family. Siblings that come along in the family unit are our companions and when we grow up being supportive of each other, that is where we can have support and encouragement from our siblings as well. As we grow up in society, we have friends and teachers along the way. Teachers who have motivated us during our school days play a significant part in our growth as well. As the saying goes, â€Å"No man is an island and hence our dependence on others and how they contribute to our lives by their presence gives meaning to our ambitions, our values, our way of thinking and so much more. In turn, we give a helping hand, a listening ear to our friends who need support and encouragement or just someone to understand them. When we have been touched by others in our lives and in normal cases, would be the family members. People without this family support such as orphans or kids being fostered out or adopted by their adoptive parents find themselves being cared for by others who make every effort to see to their needs and love them. These people then play a very significant role in their lives. It is very important that we appreciate the people in our lives and if we can thank them for being in our lives, it is a beautiful moment to cherish. Often enough, many of us take our loved ones for granted. Let that not be the case and let us be aware that we want to appreciate our loved ones and make every effort to let them know that we appreciate, care and love them. We need not do great things for our loved ones. Remembering them is one way to show our appreciation of them and we can do so by taking the time to be with them, talk to them and just be with them. Let us all take time to love our close and beloved so that they know they are loved and appreciated in their lives. It is something we can do and let us all make an effort to do so. Being appreciated and loved adds meaning to one’s life and it is up to each one of us to do so.

Factors Affecting Call Centre Employees Motivation

Factors Affecting Call Centre Employees Motivation Many people are currently working in call centres and much more are expected to work in them in the near future. Motivation of these call centre employees is of utmost importance so as to refrain them from leaving their work. Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation is to dredge out the factors that affect the motivation of the employees working in call centres and to contribute to research in the area of motivation among call centre employees. Method: The method that will be used is through questionnaires, where employees will be able to complete a set of questions which will specifically address the subject of Motivation amongst the workers. Benefits of the study: This study will be of great benefit as it responds to the call for more investigation into the factors that de-motivate call centre workers to perform. It will further be of importance to call centre managers who, through considering this study will be able to rethink their approaches to productivity, particularly on how they could better motivate their staff to achieve higher output. INTRODUCTION Almost all consumers have had experience with call centres (Anton, 2000; Dean, 2002). Why are they essential? Call centres are strategically important to many organisations because they are often the major customer interface, and they can provide a service-based competitive edge using high volume, low cost delivery via telephones (Callaghan and Thompson, 2001). Call centres are a growing part of the service industry in many countries and a substantial amount of call centre jobs have been created in this sector in recent years (Baumgartner, Good, Udris, 2002; Holman, 2003; Moltzen Van Dick, 2002; Wegge, Van Dick, Fisher, West, Dawson, 2006). Researchers already recognised that service work, that is, work in call centres was stressful according to a study carried out by Donovan in 1920. The conflicting demands for both quality and quantity, and the emotional nature of customer interactions all contribute to the strain that call centre workers experience (Varca, 2006). Moreover, scho lars have shown that call centre workers are under great pressure to meet their productivity goals at the same time as delivering quality customer service (Deery et al., 2002; Kinnie et al., 2000; Singh, 2000). As a result, call centre work carries with it high levels of employee stress. Consequently, the call centre employees need to be constantly motivated so as they demonstrate keenness and enthusiasm for their work. Motivation is simply the process of arousing and sustaining goal-directed behavior (Nelson Quick, 1997). One of the managers primary tasks is to motivate people in the organization to perform at high levels (Moorhead Griffin, 1992). The Hawthorne Studies conducted by Elton Mayo from 1927 to 1932 showed that views of how managers behave were a vital aspect of motivation and improved performance. This study brought to light the fact that peoples psychological and social needs have to be taken into account to make them feel important and thus motivate them to work. In addition, the work of Maslow in 1943 provided a major impetus to employee motivation since he put forward a theoretical framework of individual personality development and motivation based on a hierarchy of human needs. Likewise, Herzberg and McGregor also developed theories of motivation . Herzberg was of view that to motivate workers to give their best, proper attention must be given to a different set of factors, the motivation or growth factors. Additionally, McGregor argued that the style of management adopted is a function of the managers attitudes towards human nature and behaviour at work. He put forward two suppositions called Theory X and Theory Y which are based on popular assumptions about work and people. The ingredients of motivation lie within the employees themselves. So, managers should have the knack to motivate their de-motivated employees since, as mentioned above, employees at call centres face a lot of ordeals. Moreover, organizations are made of their individual members. The individual is a central feature in any workplace whether acting isolation or in a group, in response to the expectations of the organization. Where the needs of the individual and the demands of the organisation are incompatible, it can result in frustration and conflict. So, managers have as main aim to keep the motivation of their employees at a high level so as to achieve desired results and performance. PROBLEM STATEMENT Call centres are facing a major problem these days, namely absenteeism which can have a large impact service quality. Due to this problem, there is fewer staff to handle customer interactions, wait queues tend to swell and call centre employees are under high work pressure. This tends to impact directly on their morale and similar behaviour may be fostered in those left to carry the can. Call centre work is very monotonous due to highly repetitive nature of the job. Thus, call centres run the risk of the employees easily losing enthusiasm and becoming demoralised. Moreover, call centres provide limited career opportunities and they risk losing their best people if they cannot provide adequate career prospects. Talented employees lose interest in their work; they become de-motivated and stop working towards the high standards they set up before. Additionally, call centre employees have to work in night shifts which pose a problem to them. Employees, mainly the female staff fear workin g at night for security reasons. Social life is almost inexistent for them, since they work all the time. They also face problems such as inconvenient postures due to computer work and high noise level. It can thus be deduced that the work of these persons is not so simple and very demanding. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This study has as aims to determine the factors which affect the motivation of call centre employees. Its objectives are to acknowledge the problems faced by call centre staff so that the managers of call centres take necessary incentives to motivate their staff. This will help create a better working environment in which each employee will thrive. Besides, this study will benefit to the learning population who may be doing research on this particular topic. METHODOLOGY There are two types of data that can be collected, namely primary data or secondary data. Secondary data is data which exists already and which has been produced by some other person. It is known as secondary research because the person using it is the secondary user of the data. Primary data, on the other hand, refers to the process of generating and collecting original data from the intended operation for an organisation. It is the organisation which determines precisely and accurately what information is needed and from whom it is needed. It then sets about acquiring the data. Primary data sources are obtained by using one or more of the following techniques such as observation, surveys, experiments and questionnaires. To proceed with the study, primary data will be used, namely questionnaires. A questionnaire is a tool used by to deliver questions to respondents and then noting down their answers. Three types of information can be collected while using questionnaires. Fact: data such as demographic information, age, gender and so on. Opinion: beliefs, attitudes, feelings and knowledge. Motive: knowing peoples reasons for a particular belief or action. Questionnaires will be used since they will help to compare results as all the employees of call centres will be asked the same set of questions logically related to the problem under study, that is, factors affecting motivation. Thus, their responses can be added meaningfully. At around 150 questionnaires will be distributed to the employees. Firstly, the method of sampling used will be convenience sampling. Convenience sampling will enable me to give the questionnaires to any person whom I know, who will in turn give them to other colleagues to be filled in. Cluster sampling will also help me distribute the questionnaires. This consists of drawing up a list of clusters that together comprise the whole population and then selecting a sample of clusters (by using simple random sampling). The call centre employee population is conveniently divided into groups. For example, there are employees doing morning shifts and those doing night shifts. So, questionnaires will be given to these two groups accordingly. BENEFITS OF THE RESEARCH There are several benefits of the research. Firstly, this research may be used as a tool for managers to motivate their staff. Managers, as well as employers, will get a glimpse of the factors affecting the performance of the employees and through this; they will be able to implement several measures to encourage them to work. For example, it could be found that employees value getting access to training and development programs (Shah and Bandi, 2003). Having access to vocational training is perceived as a real job enrichment and benefit, so the organisation would highly benefit from it. Furthermore, through this study, the employment rate could increase. Since managers would be aware of how to attract and motivate their staff, more and more persons would be eager to join the call centre industry. As a result, the rate of unemployment will decrease, hence benefiting to the Government and the society as well. Amongst these target audiences, that is the managers and the Government, the re is also the learning population which will get benefit from it. Students may use this study as a means to acquire more knowledge on call centre industry or even use the data to carry on with their projects. WEEK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 ACTIVITIES ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Research Proposal ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Introduction ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Collecting research articles ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Meet employees ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Literature review ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Define research objectives ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Design questionnaire ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Write research design ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Conduct the survey ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Analyse data ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Write recommendation ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Write abstract ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Write conclusion and reference ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   Finalise and submit dissertation ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   ÂÂ   GANTT CHART The Gantt chart (time plan) shows the number of weeks taken to complete the dissertation. This research is extended on duration of 15 weeks. BUDGET ANALYSIS LIST OF EXPENDITURES ESTIMATED COST/Rs ÂÂ  Stationery ÂÂ  200 Printing of questionnaires 500 Transport 1000 Internet 800 Telephone bills 500 Other unexpected expenses 2000 ÂÂ   ÂÂ   TOTAL 5000 While conducting the research, several direct and indirect costs need to be taken into account. Expenses such as printing and photocopying of questionnaires and transport need to be catered for. Moreover, a budget is also being allowed for unexpected expenses which may crop up in the course of the research.

Pharmacologic Advances Essay -- bioservices, anti-body

Aligning to IBT BioServices’s business model and core competency, the top four critical needs and requirements have been identified from Model 1 assessment. These criteria are compared and contrasted to the company’s model and key strengths to develop a strategic roadmap for further expansion of the market position and share. The key learning from this assessment includes (Figure 4): 1. Need of surrogate assays model that are reliable (in-vitro and in-vivo assays) and predictive of protective immunity against RSV and DEN. This is a demonstrated key strength area for IBT BioServices with their cotton rat model. The company successfully tested RSV vaccine and therapeutic candidates that led to IND and clinical development (IBT BioServices). Their in-vitro assay platform, particularly CPE assay, provides high correlation of inhibitory and efficacy measurements of vaccine candidates to human subject. This is essential preliminary data needed to design pre-clinical and clinical trials direction. 2. Develop new assays platform that is compatible for next generation technology and approach e.g. structural-based design to develop RSV vaccines (vaccine research center- NIAID-NIH). This approach utilized atomic-level details of RSV protein to detect binding mechanisms of fusion glycoprotein needed to neutralize human RSV antibody (Oplinger, 2013). The assays must be able to measure and follow the activity of the protein-antibody complex to develop higher efficacy vaccine. 3. Compliance and data integrity. Early phase R&D programs do not require GLP certification; however, there are benefits in establishing such programs. In this industry the concept of speed to market is essential and critical for market share and profit generation. The th... ...o 2016, Stockpile Analysis, Competitive Benchmarking and Pipeline Analysis. Retrieved from: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/1195531/the_future_of_global_vaccines_market_forecasts (n.d.). Services for respiratory syncytial virus research. Retrieved from IBT BioServices website: www.ibtbioservices.com (n.d.). Services for dengue virus research. Retrieved from IBT BioServices website: www.ibtbioservices.com Thomas, S. (2011). The Necessity and Quandaries of Dengue Vaccine Development. J Infect Dis., 203 (3), 299 303. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiq060 WHO. (2014). Dengue. Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/immunization/diseases/dengue/en/ Wilson, P. (2010). Giving developing countries the best shot: An overview of vaccine access and R&D. Retrieved from: http://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/giving-developing-countries-best-shot-vaccines-2010-05.pdf

The Parthenon Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Greeks had an eager individualistic strain that led them to high levels of creative thinking in art, science, and literature. They were by nature sensitive to beauty and made its creation and enjoyment an important and necessary part of their lives. The Parthenon is a beautiful monument noted for its perfect simplicity of design and the harmony of its proportions. 1 From the architecture, to the sculpture, to the history of this great monument the Parthenon remains a masterpiece. The Parthenon is an ancient Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin), on the Acropolis in Athens. 2 Most Greek cities had an acropolis (meaning "high city" in Greek). The Greeks developed three architectural systems, called orders, each with their own distinctive proportions and detailing. The Greek orders are Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.3 The Parthenon architecture is of the Doric order. It is the earliest and simplest of the Greek architectural orders. The Parthenon's columns give an impression of graceful solidity and power. It was built from 447 to 432 BC, under the leadership of Pericles. The Parthenon was a rectangle marble temple measuring about 102 by 230 feet. It had 17 columns along each of its sides and 8 columns on each end. 4 The distances between the columns of the Parthenon vary mathematically so that when viewed from a distance, the columns reflected optical distortions. For example, a column that was perfectly straight wou ld look like...

Essay --

In the The Forgotten Plague: Opium and Narcotics in Korea under Japanese Rule, 1910-1945, John M. Jennings argues that opium and narcotics trafficking played a significant part in Korea under Japanese colonial rule from 1910-1944, and that the subject of opium in Korea under Japanese colonial rule is not fully examined by historians. Jennings bases this connection between the opium and narcotics trade and the Japanese on three factors: the spread of drug addiction in Korea during Japanese colonial rule, Korea's rise in production and exportation of narcotics throughout the 1920s and 1930s, and the political immunity of Korean drug traffickers in China. In the first part of the article, Jennings emphasizes how Korea was forced to deal with a major domestic drug addiction problem under Japanese colonial rule. The article highlights how opium first arrived in Korea from China, and that opium smoking has long been a widespread habit in Korean society. By I905 there were so many opium addicts in Korea that the Japanese Residency General had to force the Korean Government to stop the problem. This resulted in harsh laws condemning opium smoking, the importation and sale, as well as opium paraphernalia (Jennings 797). The article does a good job of emphasizing to the reader that these new laws were ineffective because opium smoking endured throughout the early stages of the Japanese colonial period. Jennings references how in 1912 the Japanese government was required to enforce a new law in which Korean opium smokers were punished under the same level of severity as if under Japanese law to discourage the widespread usage of opium (Jen nings 797). According to Jennings, Korean addicts were only permitted to continue smoking if the end... ...elf states many times in the article that he wishes to shed much needed light on an ignored aspect of imperial Japan's actions in Korea. This article contributes to the wider literature because it introduces the reader to the effects of Japanese colonialism in Korea through the analysis of primary source documents, first hand experiences, and expert opinion. My experience has shown that little is mentioned in textbooks and resources to cover the topic of Korea under Japanese colonialism other than the dates of annexation and the date of emancipation. This is a very good article for readers and scholars to compare with Western imperialism material. Furthermore, the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945 went through several overlapping phases, this article touches on many of those political, social, and economic changes occurring in Korea during this period.

Gender Roles: The Building Blocks of American Society Essay

Ever since I could remember most of what I learned about being a male came from a series of components, majority include my parents, family, television, school, toys, the media, and peers. Gender expectations were embedded within me by society and I had no clue of what was happening. When I was young it was expected of me to play with toys that suited males i.e. batman, spiderman, superman, watch television shows that encompassed male behavior, I even had to perpetuate dominance over my male counterparts as a means of sustaining my masculinity. This was all taught to me by the constructs of masculinity developed by society. I can recall many instances in which my stepfather would punish me if I stayed inside on on Saturday/Sunday mornings because in his time period, boys were expected to be outside performing manual labor while the woman were expected to cook and clean. It is the roles of American society that have plagued the notion of dominant and subordinate gender roles of male a nd female. I learned to perpetuate masculinity without even understanding what masculinity or femininity even meant, it was taught to me as a natural way of being, something that I never questioned because I simply thought it was the correct way of living, and even though it did not quite make sense to act tough or to act male, I still followed everything I was taught. All my life I acted the way I was expected to act, as a Hispanic male, I had to stay within the confines of my ethnicity and gender. Males where not expected to be emotional or to have feelings. Within a family that honors male dominance and power that males can perpetuate, none of my uncles show any signs of weakness or vulnerability, as it is taboo for the men in my family to show any sign of softness. I however, always had problems with living my life in  this order and having to perpetuate male behavior. I can recall one instance where I wrapped my hair in a towel after a shower because I saw my mother always doing it and I wanted to as well, it was not until my mom caught me, when she instantly put me in place and told me to never do that again. She specified that if my dad witnessed what I had done I would never see the light of day. Ever since I could remember, the ways in which I performed my gender role was not necessarily performed the way society constructed it. I never performed what was expected of me, most of the time I would sit on the side of my house crying after being yelled at by my stepfather for not being boyish enough for him. I always had my mind on being who I thought I should be i.e. free and able to explore as I wanted, and not what people told me to be. All my life, I have witnessed male family members and their inability to console or give proper advice to anyone because there was always an ego bias due to their lack of feeling and emotion. My father is a prime example, no matter what he discussed with me as a child it always related to male dominance and woman subordination and the idea of the other. I come from a family with ego gratification issues, most of my uncles including my father suffer from perpetuating masculinity and male dominance, and they thrive off of not showing an ounce of weakness or vulnerability. Within the confines of my family it is actually frowned upon to express feeling or even express care of love towards anyone, it is a sad fact, but it is the learned male dominant/ female subordinate roles that have convoluted American society to act in this specific manner. Nonetheless, it is a sad feat of American life. If I suddenly woke and I was female my life would change dramatically, the result would impact my whole center of being substantially. Not only would the mechanics of my body entirely change, my entire conception of self would as well. I could no longer go to the bathroom the same, use masculinity as a crutch to get ahead in society, my entire notion of self and the makeup of who I am as a person, and as a dramaturgical actor would be in chaos. The building blocks that I was founded upon would completely rearrange, everything I have learned my whole life would be flipped. I would no longer see myself in the same light, as I now have to relearn what it means to begin living a life that I have no real first hand experience within. My entire life revolves around my conception of myself as a male, my  educational level, my acquired dominance in society from just being a male, my role as a man, and my privilege in society. This change would alter my conception of what it means to be a human entirely. As our entire lives are shaped by gender expectations and societies ideas of what it means to be a male and female. It would be a tough change nonetheless. My gender performance would have to be re-built from the ground up. I would have to learn to act like a female, to make my way in the world as a female, I would lose certain privileges that come along with being male such as job opportunities, respect, power, and would have to completely relearn gender roles within a female body. For some, this would be the worst possible outcome that could ever happen to a male, not only because of everything that comes along with being a male, but also everything that comes along with being a female. Females are stigmatized for their femininity, their roles as woman in society, their sexual partners, the clothes that they wear, the way that they look, there are so many things that woman have to deal with that many men simply do not understand. This would be an eye opener, everything I have learned and got away with, as a male such as freely exploring my manhood and eating disgustingly, would be redefined. In society woman are held to the highest degree of observance and are forced to stay within the lines of femininity. Everywhere you look, on billboards, magazine covers, newspapers, and tabloids there is the romanticized version of what it means to be a woman and the standard that they are held up to is simply unreachable. No one can measure up to societies standard of what it means to be a woman, they are constantly broken down and told they are not pretty, they are not desirable, they are not what they should be, they are promiscuous, and if a guy does the same things he is not scrutinized for his actions. My entire life as a woman would be a new understanding, an entire new journey and experience. Learning what it means to be stigmatized and talked down upon if I decided to be who I was as a man, but as a woman. I woul d no longer be able to shove food down my throat, act vulgar, run around with my shirt off, jog around at nighttime because of the fear of being raped, or abducted. It would totally reshape everything I was taught and defined as in society. Even though acting masculine or acting feminine is a social construct, it has consumed me everyday, I have always filled that masculine role that society has brought me up within and even though  everything about myself is wrapped up within my gender specific role as a Hispanic male, becoming a female would totally change my gender experience. I would be reborn, forced to learn everything about myself as a female, and what it means to be a female and act like a female in society. Nonetheless, it would completely reshape my views and ideas about gender.

Religion Is More Effective Social Control Mechanism Essay

In the discussion of this work, I have divided it into three main segment . The first parts would consider the introduction which would talk about the concept of religion and that of social control. In the same section I would also consider the position of Ross as stating that religion is a more social control mechanism that enacted laws of society. The second and third part would look at how these religious elements would or can inform crime prevention and last the conclusion respectively. By definition religion has been defined by many scholars in various ways according to their perspectives but all seems to be pointing at one being which the belief in the supernatural. For the purpose of this work, I would go for the definition according to J. B Pratt (1920; p. 2). According to J B Pratt, religion is â€Å"the serious and social attitude of individuals and communities towards the power or powers which they conceive of as having ultimate control over their interest, and destinies†. This definition was captured by Max Assimeng In his book â€Å"Religion and Social Change in Ghana: introduction to the study of religion†. Based on this and many of the definition on religion, I agree with Ross that religion is a more effective social control mechanism that enacted laws for society. What is social control one may ask? Social control in its broader sense is the system of maintaining law and order in society and ensuring that members of society conform to the accepted ways of behavior. (Nukunya, 1992:81). This definition of religion and social control takes us to the basic argument of Ross for postulating that religion is a more effective social control mechanism that enacted laws for society is found in the macro theory of social control as suggested by Abotchie (2012). In this theory Ross argued that instead of thinking that social control mechanism could be found in some conventional laws constructed by some individuals or groups, one should think of it as embedded in the belief systems which is grounded in religion. For him, a person’s behavior is determine by the fact that he fears the wrath of the supernatural and this make him to conform to the laws of society. This belief can be supported by a verse in the Christian bible that states that â€Å"behold I come quickly and my reward is with me, to give every according to his work shall be† (Rev. 22:12). As an institution, the marriage institution was and still can be lively bringing in elements such as the traditional social control mechanism. This is because they believe in these mechanisms such as the concept of psychic padlock and gbolomagba for instance was and can still be useful combating crimes such as infidelity and adultery as postulated by Abotchie. Thus, this belief is the believe vested in the gods and the people trusted in their powers and so send their cases to them for a verdict to be given where the offenders may be dealt with severely if found guilty. Again religion serves as social control mechanism that enacted laws for the people in a sense and thereby preventing crimes in Ghana as it is believe that the offences committed strikes at the collective conscience of the community represented by the ancestors. Thus people would not do certain things such as destroying a clan’s totem. This action would inform crime prevention in that it would prevent people from poaching in the Ghanaian society. Among some communities in Ghana however the people believe that committing suicide is an act of abomination which is punishable the ancestors. Also people see this suicide as associated by evil spirit and that a family with such records for instance would be refuse marriages from other families. This instance may instill into the people a sense of refraining from committing such acts. In Ross supposition, the political system of the country is also influenced by religion as a control mechanism. For instance, before a person is elected into office, the Holy Bible or the Holy Quran IS given to the person to swear with. This is done because it is believe that the taking of the oath would compel the person to conform to the rules and regulations since the infringement of the laws would bring about inner sanctions between the individual and the supernatural. As a means of informing crime prevention in Ghana, religion provides a sense of community where people find security and safety. This has to a large extent brought some prevention since the desperate and the dejected could find belongingness within these bodies and would allow them to refrain from acts which otherwise would have been unlawful in our society. Thus for Ross religion gives assurance as it is stated in the bible â€Å"seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things shall be added unto you† (math 6:33).

India’s Role in the Climate Change Summit Essay

The worlds nation today adopted a package dubbed the cancun Agreements buildings blocks for a future legal treaty to address climate change amid concerns that commitments to avert acceptable level of global warming remain missing. Negotiators from 194 countries agreed on a set of decision that the un climate secretariat said would set all governments â€Å"more firmly on the path towards the low emissions future† and provide support to developing countries on their action on climate change. India played a key role at the climate change summit , proposing a new mechanism to allow international scrutiny of all countries’ including India’ s action to crub emission of greenhouse gases. The invironment minister Jairam Ramesh also signalled that India would eventually consider legally –binding crubs on emission, a shift from its long standing position. Some environmental grouos have criticised these moves by India. But climate change analysts have said India’s proposal for serutiny of the climate climate change exchange actions reflect an acceptance of the principal of transparency. ‘’ And (Rmesh’s) assertions on legaklly binding actions is an indicator that India is willing to shift from the position of doing nothing to joining the global community in fiting climate change ,†an analyst in Cancun said. ‘’This does not mean India will accept legally – bending cuts next year,’’ he said . The Cancun documents of ficially recognise emissions curbs targets set by industrialised and developing countries and once every year by the developing countries. But the target of cutting global emissions by 50 % by the year 2050- part of the draft circulated yesterday – has been replaced by text calling for ‘’ subsantial’’ reductions in blobal emissions by 2050 . The Cancun decision pledge US$30 billion in fast start finance from the industrialised countries to support climate action in developing countries. The goal is to raise this to US$ 100 billion by 2020. Thew agreements also  recognise the need of countries to work towards the keeping the rise in the aversge global temperature below 2 degree c. ‘’ Cancun has done its job ,’’ said chistiana Figueres, head of the UN climate change secretariat after the agreement was adopted today. ‘’ lt is not what is required but it is the essential foundation on which to build greater collective ambition Figueres said. But several environmental group including Indias centre for science and Environment have pointed out thst the emission reduction pledge made by all countries so far are way below the whst is required to keep the rise in the average temperature.

Discuss the Claim Made by Some Sociologists That in Modern Societies Religion Is Losing Its Social Significance Essay

Secularisation is the process of the decline of religious beliefs. Secularization can be measured in two ways. Firstly, there is the institutional approach that deals with church attendance and the societal approach which deals with the decline of people’s beliefs. Of course which method one chooses depends on how you define religion. Some sociologists such as Comte, Durkheim and Weber as well as others all believe that religion is indeed losing its social significance in modern societies. They believe that with industrialization, people would turn to rationalization. However, there are others that don’t agree that religion is losing its significance. Firstly Comte believes that society would go through three (3) stages. The first stage is the metaphysical stage where everything is controlled by abstract forces, the second stage is known as the theological stage in which philosophy would explain society and the final stage, the positive stage is where science dominates the society. As such, he didn’t see the existence of religion at all in society. In addition, Durkheim believes that with industrialization and the introduction of science and technology, religion would lose its social significance. People would be more concerned with the material aspects of the world such as ‘partying’ and going to ‘fetes’. In addition, with the demands of a hectic life, people would not see the need to. On the other hand, Weber believed that with industrialization, people would turn to rationalization. That is, they would turn to science and as such religious beliefs and practices would decline. An example of this is where people opt to go to the doctor rather than have a ‘bush bath’. Shiner also believed that there would be a decline in religious thought and action in the society. Also people would start to question the scriptures and religious techniques. In addition, Wilson used statistics to prove that religion is indeed losing its social significance. Finally, Marx foresaw the decline of religion when the economic structure of the society had changed. On the other hand, there are sociologists that believe that religion will not lose its significance. Martin criticized Wilson’s view on religion by using statistics. He believed that this was not an appropriate way to measure secularization since it says nothing about people’s beliefs. In addition, Marti n believed that secularization is a myth and does not exist. Glasner also believed it is a myth and that it cannot be measured. Jose Casanova, although he believed in the concept of secularization does not fully believe that religion will lose its social significance in society but that people would turn to rationalization. Steve Bruce also noted that secularization is an illusion and it cannot be measured accurately. However, in today’s society religion does play a significant role in the lives of the people. Many persons try to go to church and take part in their religion. However, there are others who do not go to church. May people are caught up with their hectic life and do not have time to go to church. There has also been a decline in religious thought and action due to science. Despite this, a number of measures could be put in place to help people see how important religion is. Parents, community leaders as well as the religious leaders must play their part and set better examples. In addition, youths should be given more respo nsibilities in the church and as such they won’t feel alienated. Hence we must do whatever we could to ensure that religion continues to play a vital role in our society.

Empowerment and innovation change in workplace Essay

Empowerment and innovation change in workplace - Essay Example While performing the employee empowerment program care should be taken to provide maximum satisfaction to the employees. This will result production hike and thereby the customer satisfaction can be maximized. If there are technical difficulties in implementing empowerment program, then a cultural change is essential for the whole organization. The authorities must try to learn the requirements of the employees for dedicating themselves to promote result oriented work. People have different views regarding the nature of empowerment programs to be implemented. For different organization the structure of empowerment will be different. These variations are according to the requirements of each organization. The developmental background and the processing of procedures for empowerment implementation are entirely different with respect to organizational point of view. Moreover the working media, the type of work carrying out and the time frame of work are the various aspects which are to be considered before designing and implementing employee empowerment programs. The need of empowerment in an organization is a kind of work redesigning process. Before redesigning is carried out in an organization the authorities must make sure decisions regarding the innovations to be employed in the work front. They must make a confirmative effort to find out the section of the organization which needs the innovation. The organization expects well cooperated performance from the employee side. For achieving this feat the working environment of the natural work group should be enhanced considerably. Since the concept behind the working classes is highly complicated it should be dealt with utmost care. The very important part that we can observe in social work group empowerment is social interaction. These enable employees to socialize on works entrusted to them. The interaction should be purely task based. If

Fff Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fff - Essay Example This tool will: I. Evaluate production achieved and the expectations, II. Enhance communication that will allow exchange of ideas between the employee and the supervisor on matters concerning job performance, III. Assist in highlighting areas that employees will require training and development needs as well as plan for growth in their career, IV. Assist in identifying skills to enhance promotion, V. Act as pillars for organization and employee goals and VI. Offer legal protection against false lawsuits against termination. Through performance evaluation, several benefits will be accrued. These include: I. The work done will be easily controlled and II. The employees will always feel motivated and as a result, production will increase, To achieve these benefits, performance reviews must be conducted annually and rely on individual job-related issues. A guideline must be provided that is used in the review of individual based performance and a review of the past performance. Team base d performance must be annually reviewed. The review must rely on the performance of the team in relation to the functions of the employees. The program is to enhance of quality of products. Question 1.4B: Based on your team’s experience, what data from the exploration phase would be of greatest help in developing the field? Subsurface information is used in the search for reservoirs and petroleum and gas traps through a process known as prospecting. This process is carried out on paper or with the assistance of computers. This involves the use of art and science. The success of a prospector lies in the use of a three dimensional space. This helps in developing a model that reveals lateral and vertical dimensions of the reservoir targeted. There are several sources from which a geologist can gather information from. These include: I. Study of the rocks on the surface of the earth, II. Information gathered from holes drilled in the prospect area after a careful study, and III. Through seismic reflection. The data collected are recorded, interpreted by geologists who develop cross sectional drawings of rocks that contain oil and gas. The cross sectional drawings reveal the changes in depth of the reservoirs. Structure maps developed by geologists assist in showing the folds or faults in the layers of the earth. Reservoir composition data collected assists in developing the size of the facility, and the design process. Question 1.4C: Based on your team’s experience, or â€Å"brainstorming† session, what unforeseen problem would most hinder developing the field? The best location of the surface of the well is determined by the geologist. The land is leased and a permit of drilling the well obtained. For a permit to be granted by the Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Oil and Gas Management, proper environmental planning is necessary. The exact position of the well may be shifted to protect key natural resources like streams, wetl ands and endangered species. Other producing wells may also be a barrier in locating position of the wells. When the wells are closely dug, production from the existing wells may decrease. Erosion and sedimentation are likely to occur because of heavy earthworks during construction of access road and well site (Flaherty and Flaherty, p.11). Question 1.4D: Well performance evaluation and enhancement are the primary charges of the production engineer. With the

Vacation to New York City Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Vacation to New York City - Essay Example From the size of the buildings to the width of the main streets, even the height of the horses on whose backs police patrolled was such as I had not seen before. However, perhaps the most memorable fact of all was the sounds and overall noise. Although I did not come from a small town, to begin with, I was not prepared for the business and overall noise level that New York life involved. In any given minute there could be a street musician, a sidewalk advertisement/demonstration, people whistling for taxis, horns beeping, construction equipment working, jackhammers chipping, and the general din of thousands of people all talking at once. To my young and impressionable mind, this is one of the facts I will remember to the day I die as I recall looking out into the faceless mass of humanity with child-like awe and wonder at the sea of humanity that existed all around me. Beyond the noise, the grandeur of the buildings and their size was something else that gave me pause. Courthouses back home had a level of grandeur as did banks to a certain degree; however, the columns, the size, the colors, the use of glass, granite and steel to make obscenely tall buildings erupt from the corners of the sidewalk was something I had never before seen to such a degree. Likewise, the smells that greeted me were also of particular interest to my young, curious mind. For instance, the sidewalks emitted the pungent odor of multiple different kinds of ethnic foods all being sold by street vendors – usually of the country of origin as was the food they were peddling. At the same time, there were twinges of sea air mixed with the distinct smell of horse urine from the many horse-mounted police that was commonplace in the city of New York.

Writing a Legal Opinion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Writing a Legal Opinion - Essay Example Learning of this decision, school officials responded by implementing a ban on the wearing of black armbands. Students wearing the armband would be asked to remove them and should they refuse to do so, they would be suspended. Two Tinker siblings and another student (Petitioners) wore black armbands and upon being asked to remove them, refused and were subsequently suspended. The three students filed a complaint against the Des Moines Independent Community School District (Respondent) in a Federal court claiming violation of their First Amendment Right to Free expression. That suit failed and the petitioners eventually appealed to the US Supreme Court. The petitioners invoked the First Amendment to the US Constitution which essentially protects freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of peaceful assembly and the right to â€Å"petition the Government for a redress of grievances† (US Constitution, First Amendment). The main question in the Tinker Case was therefore whet her or not the wearing of an armband constituted speech and if so, whether or not banning the wearing of armbands amounted to a violation of free expression/speech pursuant to the First Amendment of the US Constitution. The petitioners argued that wearing armbands was a protected First Amendment right in that it constituted expression of an opinion.

Smog and air pollution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Smog and air pollution - Research Paper Example In the U.S, smog is formed owing to the action of sunlight on different chemicals present in the air that are released by vehicles, oil refineries and factories and because of this activity, the word photochemical smog was coined (Edlin & Golanty 2010). It not only harms the ecosystem, but also destroys the scenic beauty of the country by forming a dirty dense layer of fog above it (Nolen 2009). Air pollution and smog formation results due to many causes and leads to negative effects and thus effective solutions should be formulated to overcome this problem. Smog is very hazardous for the health of the individuals. People living in these areas, suffer from memory loss or a stroke according to one of the publications of The Archives of Internal Medicine. A medical record reviewed by Wellenius who stated that between, 1991 and 2008, about 1,700 patients were admitted at a Medical Center in Boston because they were suffering from a stroke (Pittman 2012). Furthermore, Smog causes severe breathing problems by reducing the oxygen in the air that is from 21% to 16%, and increasing the level of carbon dioxide that makes the brain and body stop functioning. Asthma, bronchitis and cough are some other ailments found in the polluted areas of the United States (Edlin & Golanty 2010). Air Pollution also affects the Earth by making it warm because of the greenhouse gasses (Carbon dioxide, Methane, and chlorofluorocarbons) it consists. Over the years, the government has taken many steps to reduce these gases in the air, Sulfur being one of the major ones as it is the main cause of acid rain (National Geographic 2012). To accomplish and overcome the problems of air pollution commitment to â€Å"science and law† has to be restored (Nolen 2009). Many steps need to be taken for the reduction of air pollution for the betterment of the environment. People should limit their usage of cars, planes and recycle environment friendly products in order to

Lab report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Lab report - Essay Example Centripetal force is the description of the net force acting on an object moving in a circle. Any object moving in a circular motion will have a force acting on it to prevent it from deviating from the path of motion. The force also causes the object to deviate from its straight line motion. The direction of centripetal force is perpendicular to the velocity vector as the object is changing its direction and undergoing an inward acceleration (James Shipman). An object moving in a circular motion is accelerating. The acceleration is as a result of changing velocity either the changing magnitude of the velocity vector or the direction. Even if the body is moving at a steady speed, it is accelerating due to changing direction. The direction of acceleration is inwards towards the centre of the circle. In the diagram above, the particle is moving with constant speed but its acceleration is changing due to the changing velocity factor. Due to this change, acceleration is noted and directed towards the centre. The direction of instantaneous velocity is obtained by taking the two radial vectors defining a circle in constant motion. As the two radial vectors get closer together, becomes tangent to the circle. Since the direction of the velocity is equivalent to the direction of, then the velocity vector is in the direction tangent to the circle pointing perpendicular to the position vector (James Shipman). Resolving tesnion in 1 and 2 into vertical and horizontal elements, we find that horizontal components T1cosá µ ¨ and T2 cos á µ ¨ are in the same direction. These components add up to give centripetal force (James Shipman). The centripetal force for measurement 2 and 3 are the same because, in both cases, the masses on the hanger are almost the same. In measurement 2, the mass is 0.82 kg and in measurement 3, the mass on the hanger is o.84kg. These two masses produce relatively the same

Commitment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Commitment - Assignment Example Ted has had a demanding, but well paid job in a corporate finance firm but he and his wife Kate has decided to move to St. Louis to start a much more demanding, but poorly paying job as a personal finance advisor. However, the timing of the decision was wrong as the finance sector is going down. The job environment is not favorable. Small businesses are closing by the day; people in corporate world are loosing jobs. Ted and Kate are face with a decision to make: abandon the new job and go back to the old one (work in corporate finance); keep the job and embrace the â€Å"success† ethics of the personal finance advisor world; or keep the job and stick to their ethical convictions. The onus lies with Ted to make a decision, but he could also escalate it. Though Kate is not the decision-maker per se, she has a part to play. Now, Ted has a potentiality to be an exceptional advisor coupled with his moral scope and intellectual versatility. Projections of a vast client-base future with flexible and friendly schedule dominate the discourses of both of them. However, his vast knowledge and admirable ethics sees him sidelined as others in his field with unworthy morals and less knowledge are quite a success. Doing what is right for his clients as against what puts money in the pocket seems to be disadvantageous; only a few of such people get a lucky breakthrough. The non-rational escalation of commitment may occur where both Ted and Kate decides to keep Ted’s new job. This will not be so much as a result of the quest for success as the quest not to loss sunk cost. Thus, judgmental bias will facilitate this escalation. Although Ted recognizes that an initial poor choice has been made, impression management could lead him to embracing the â€Å"success† ethics of his sector which may pose a potential ethical issue. More so, Kate seems to be unfair in supporting the decision of Ted to remain

Blown to Bits Essay Example for Free

Blown to Bits Essay Technology has rapidly advanced, affecting standards on privacy, telecommunications, and criminal law. Every day, we encounter unexpected consequences of data flows that could not have happened a few years ago. Due to the bits explosion, the world changed very suddenly. Almost everything is stored in a computer somewhere. Court records, grocery purchases, precious family photos, radio programs†¦ It is all being reduced to zeroes and ones – â€Å"bits.† The bits are stashed on disks of home computers and in the data centers of big corporations and government agencies. The disks can hold so many bits that there is no need to pick and choose what gets remembered. So much disk storage is being produced every year that it could be used to record a page of information, every minute or two, about you and every other human being on earth. Once something is on a computer, it can replicate and move around the world in a heartbeat. Making a million perfect copies takes but an instant – copy of things we want everyone in the world to see, and also copies of things that weren’t meant to be copied at all. Due to instantaneous transfers, some data leak. Credit card records are supposed to stay locked up in a data warehouse, but escape into the hands of identity thieves. And we sometimes give information away just because we get something back for doing so. A company will give you free phone calls to anywhere in the world—if you don’t mind watching ads for the products its computers hear you talking about. The book presents 7 ‘koans’ or principles regarding the bits and the effect of it on humanity. Koan 1: Even though your computer seems to present pictures, texts, songs, and videos, they are all composed of bits. Everything that’s digital are ruled by bits. Even as we speak, bits are flying through the airwaves by our phones. Koan 2: Every copy made by a computer is perfect. The era of books  being handwritten oftentimes resulting to mistakes, has now been closed by digital explosion. And even though these machines do fail as long as the bits have been communicated, the probability of error of the bits is so slim. Koan 3: Vast as world-wide data storage is today, five years from now it will be ten times as large. Yet the information explosion means, paradoxically, the loss of information that is not online. Outdated software and information not stored in the computer are usually assumed as inexistent. Koan 4: The speed of a computer is usually measured by the number of basic operations, such as additions, that can be performed in one second. The fastest computers available in the early 1940s could perform about five operations per second. The fastest today can perform about a trillion. Koan 5: Exponential growth is actually smooth and steady; it just takes very little time to pass from unnoticeable change to highly visible. In the rapidly changing world of bits, it pays to notice even small changes, and to do something about them. Koan 6: Data stored will all be kept forever, unless there are policies to get rid of it. The Internet consists of millions of interconnected computers; once data gets out, there is no getting it back. Victims of identity theft experience daily the distress of having to remove misinformation from the record. It seems never to go away. Koan 7: In the bits world, in which messages flow instantaneously, it sometimes seems that distance doesn’t matter at all. The instantaneous communication of massive amounts of information has created the misimpression that there is a place called â€Å"Cyberspace,† a land without frontiers where all the world’s people can be interconnected as though they were residents of the same small town. The book introduces two basic morals. The first is that information technology is inherently neither good nor bad—it can be used for good or ill, to free us or to shackle us. Second, new technology brings social change, and change comes with both risks and opportunities. Any technology can be used for good or ill. Nuclear reactions create electric power and weapons of mass destruction. The same encryption technology that makes it possible for you to email your friends with confidence that no eavesdropper will be able to decipher your message also makes it possible for terrorists to plan their attacks undiscovered. The key to managing the ethical and moral consequences of technology while nourishing economic growth is to regulate the use of technology without  banning or restricting its creation.

Human Trafficking Essay Example for Free

Human Trafficking Essay What is human trafficking ? It is the illegal trade or smuggling of human beings for forced labour. It’s the fastest growing criminal industry in the world and second largest after the drug trade. It differs from people smuggling. After reaching their ultimate destination, the smuggled people are usually free to do their own thing and find their own way in the country they have been smuggled into. However, in human trafficking, the victims are not permitted to do so. They are held against their will and are forced to work or be engaged in unlawful activities by the traffickers and others. The work may include anything from bonded or forced labour to sexual exploitation. Forced labour is a situation where the victims are compelled to work against their will, under the threat of violence or some other form of punishment. Their freedom is restricted and most often they are compelled to work in appalling conditions. Child labour which is in force interferes with the education of children and also affects their health and physical, mental, spiritual and social development. Most people think that trafficking occurs only in poor countries. It happens in many parts of the world and some of the countries to which these people are taken include America, Japan and Singapore. Many organisations and antitrafficking groups have come forward to prevent this from happening. The International Organisation for Migration, and the United Nations are just two organisations fighting to stop human trafficking. One of the best ways to stop or minimise human trafficking is to educate the public, especially the uneducated society in remote villages, about the dangers of human trafficking. The Government should impose stringent laws and take necessary steps to stop it. I would like to say: â€Å"Let’s fight together and stop human trafficking. †

IKEA Recruitment and Selection Process

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