Monday, September 30, 2019
A Hunger Artist Analysis Essay
Franz Kafka is the author and writer of the poem ââ¬Å"A Hunger Artistâ⬠. ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ has fascinated about fasting and one of the main reasons is how less people have taken interest in participating in this weird act making it rare thing to do. While ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ was fasting years ago, people were paying for admission to go and witness this wise and unique behavior. ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ kept he himself concealed a cage and his priority was to be able go hungry more than 40 days. There are butchers who keep an eye on ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ to make sure he canââ¬â¢t cheat the people who take interest in him by sneaking a little food here and there which makes him pretty angry and frustrated. Pablo Picasso drew a famous portrait called Crucifixion years ago. If you look at the portrait and have a good understanding of ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ it is easy to comprehend and see some similarities between them. The Crucifixion shows a whole variety of colors red, green and yellow representing its tone. In the picture there is a strong view of passion, tragedy and sacrifice which all kind of fits into the tone of ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢. The photo shows a significance of being one of the most popular religious paintings. One interesting fact about the portrait was that Picasso had intended to have looked at only by his close friends Franz Kafkaââ¬â¢s main point is to show how there is a capitalism of art that has a bad reputation by others. He even painted a very unique portrait of ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ that shows ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢ ââ¬â¢passionate about his fasting and fame is he is achieving from the public. This stories genre can also be seen in the Picassos photo ââ¬ËCrucifixionââ¬â¢. If you look really hard at the photo you can see woman surrounding the Christ on the cross. It is obvious that the Christ was getting attention and specifically in that picture there were woman trying to come to his aid. Similar to the way two women were trying to help ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ and help him out of his cage but him initially refused. As you get deeper into the story itââ¬â¢s noticeable that ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ is not as independent as he was early. After some time an impresario is told to administer the show and guide ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢. The impresario gives ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ a certain amount of time to fast and these causes ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ to lose his free will. ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ had his cage placed by the animals so that the people walking by to observe would have to run into him regardless. A lot of people pass with no disregard but he does eventually get the attention of quite a few viewers. Fafka shows the famous ââ¬Ëââ¬ËHunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ going through such emotional pain and being recognized as a sort of icon to society. Much like the cage that he is in shows him being imprisoned, Picassos painting he also gives a very unique description of the Christ suffering which is very similar to ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢The Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ because shows an expression of the Christââ¬â¢s frustration and dealing with a great amount of pain he is going though especially because he has no way of getting himself off that cross unless he asks for help. Like the ââ¬Å"The Hunger Artistâ⬠he was refusing to beg for mercy and peacefully died on the cross. ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ has a weird obsession with fasting and he makes people believe itââ¬â¢s a simple thing to do, but a majority of people do not believe him. To him a great public performance is him sitting a cage suffering and starting to slowly die from the severity of the starvation. It makes ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ happy to see people enjoy food in front of him while he fasts and the feeling of him viewing that makes him feel more superior. He does want anyone to judge his art and even there really no one that can fully understand what his main point for fasting is but that makes him proud about his craft. What makes it a great twist is that audience may not understand the art but enjoys it while ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ understands and does not enjoy it. Kafka kind of creates a similarity and comparison with suffering between ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ and Jesus Christ . the impresario proves to the audience how weak and exhausted ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ is with pictures. The peopleââ¬â¢s sudden change of behavior when viewing art is one the things Kafka digs deep into. In the painting ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢Crucifixionââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ you can also see the Christ has one of his arms stretched out and the other hidden the bright light, on either side of the Christ are the moon and the sun. If you also look very carefully you can see two people sitting below the Christ playing a game of dice on a table just below the cross. This shares a similarity with The Hunger Artist because a majority of people who visited the zoo observed ââ¬Å"The Hunger Artistâ⬠and acted like nothing was out of the ordinary. Thatââ¬â¢s how people treated the Crucifying of the Christ years and years ago, it didnââ¬â¢t seem cruel or hurtful it was just a normal religious practice occurring. His way of dealing with his freedom loss was to continually pushing to show the significance of his art. Even though ââ¬Ëââ¬ËThe Hunger Artistââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ would like everyoneââ¬â¢s attention thatââ¬â¢s looking at the animals he mainly focuses on the people who just stare and observe him to challenge the people in the zoo. Getting very fed up because to his knowledge the people are not really all that interested and he cloaks his anger without showing any signs of madness and to them heââ¬â¢s sort of a like a freak . But he never stopped and continued on entertaining people. Pablo Picasso shared a great sense of wanting to bed remembered for his old Egyptian style oil paintings. He actually had been in love with the two women seen in the photo; their names were Marie Therese Walter, and Olga, his wife.
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Identify One Primary Value Creation, One Support, and One General Management Process You Might Encounter at Zappos.
Wilfredo Gonzalez External Hiring November 26, 2011 Human Resource Recruitment and selection ââ¬â Fall 2011 JR smith would have an advantage when hiring an external candidate for the Fort Lewis office. This candidate should be someone from the area well verse of the military rules, the demographics. This candidate will go though the full and formal hiring process of evaluation. The external hiring process relies on the candidateââ¬â¢s performance during screening, interviews and assessment. We have one current staff member that served in the National Guard for five years but only has a high diploma and another staff member that has fifteen years experience in customer relations but has never lived or served around military personnel. Therefore the candidate needed for the area of 19,089 people as of 2000, is someone who has military and civilian workforce experience, an MBA , and have strong customer service relations. The population of Fort Lewis in 2000 was 19,089 with a decline in 2010 of 8,043 in the amount of 11,046. Race/ethnicity| 2010 population| 2010 percentage| 2000 population| 2000 percentage| 2000-2010 change| White| 7,538| 68. 2%| 11,537| 60. 4%| -34. 7%| Black| 1,253| 11. 3%| 3,882| 20. 3%| -67. 7%| Two or more races| 1,058| 9. 6%| 1,230| 6. 4%| -14. 0%| Other race| 433| 3. 9%| 1,189| 6. 2%| -63. 6%| Asian| 336| 3. 0%| 650| 3. 4%| -48. 3%| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander| 258| 2. 3%| 342| 1. 8%| -24. 6%| American Indian/Alaska Native| 170| 1. 5%| 259| 1. 4%| -34. 4%| Total| 11,046| 100%| 19,089| 100%| -42. %| *Hispanic origin| 1,800| 16. 3%| 2,507| 13. 1%| -28. 2%| 2010 population by race/ethnicity| | | | | | http://data. spokesman. com/census/2010/washington/cities/fort-lewis-cdp-wa/ Research shows that organizations that foster strong cultures have clear values that give potential employees to embrace the cultures. Therefore a person with military back ground will be able to understand the struggles of the potential employees and help them the training needed for future employment. A strong culture may be especially beneficial to firms operating in the service sector sine JR smith are responsible for delivering the service and for evaluations important constituents make about this firm. Because research indicates that organizations may derive the following benefits from developing strong and productive cultures. It would better align the company toward achieving its vision, mission and goals. Give the employees high motivation and loyalty and it will help in shaping employee behavior at work, enabling JR Smith to be more efficient. The goal of having someone that has the correct customer experience management is to move customers from satisfied to loyal and then from loyal to advocate. CRM strategies and solutions are designed to focus on the product, price and enterprise. JR smith focus for the future is through job training, pension and VA benefits consultation and resume writing services with full time agents. Therefore a canadite with the customer service experience and military background will be valuable to the company from dealing with personal from the military. The fort Lewis area is made up of retired and transient service people ready to hit the work force but need a little help. A person with the expericance need for JR Smith management position will be able to guide them the right way with the back ground needed and degree. A person without the military back ground and only the degree will not understand the needs of the retired military personal. Reference Jean M. Phillips, Stanley M. Guly (2012). Strategic staffing. second edition, New Jersey: Person Hall education,INC. | | | | | | http://data. spokesman. com/census/2010/washington/cities/fort-lewis-cdp-wa/
Saturday, September 28, 2019
The Importance of Spiritual to Human Condition Essay
The Importance of Spiritual to Human Condition - Essay Example Thus, it can be concluded that spirituality is a central component to the human experience. This concept will be explored further by looking at the three novels namely, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and Sula by Toni Morrison. The Scarlet Letter is a portrayal of the fallen woman in the person of Hester. Within the Puritan society, Hawthorne reveals how religion and spirituality had strongly influenced the individual lives of its members. Being an adulterous in a religious society, Hesterââ¬â¢s sin brought her to become an object of ridicule and snickering. However, we can see that towards the end of the story, Hesterââ¬â¢s recognition and repentance for her sin brought about a transformation in her life. The story tells of her acceptance of the punishment as well as the determination to move on amidst the shame inflicted to her by the society. This perspective together with her good deeds and admirable character which represents moral transformation enabled her to partially regain the favor of the society. Thus, this story states that the spiritual condition of an individual directly influences her whole being. Hesterââ¬â¢s life in sin brought unpleasant things to her while her transformation leads the way to a happier existence.
Friday, September 27, 2019
Legal and Ethical Aspecrts of Delivery Of Health and Social Care Essay
Legal and Ethical Aspecrts of Delivery Of Health and Social Care - Essay Example When handling patients suffering from terminal illnesses, it is my role to ensure that a patient can successfully manage the condition, experience reduced pain, and approach the end of life stages with a positive outlook. Although my intention is to help such patients, complications may occur because of the choices made by the patients. The case of Brian, who is 55 years old and declined to adopt the advice and the equipment presented by me presents an ethical dilemma for any nurse. In this paper, I will discuss Brianââ¬â¢s case study in detail, evaluating, and analysing the case study and presenting my final ethical decision. In addition, the paper will examine the utilitarian ethical principle and weigh it against the respect for autonomy in an effort to help Brian experience quality life despite his condition. Brian, aged 55 years suffers from multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is a condition that presents adverse effects on an individualââ¬â¢s immune system. Specifically, the disease affects the protective sheath surrounding nerves. As a result, individuals suffering from the disease do not have a normal communication between the brain and the body. As the disease progresses, an individualââ¬â¢s nervous system may deteriorate badly. Usually, there is no cure for multiple sclerosis and patients with the disease have no other choice but to manage their condition. In the case of Brian, the disease has progressed to the level whereby he needs a wheelchair because he cannot walk (Dimond, 2011). Therefore, the disease has served to debilitate him compelling him to rely on my help and other social workers who help him to feed, wash, and get him out of bed occasionally. Worth noting is the fact that Brian does not have any carer at home because his wife suffers from Parkinsonââ¬â¢s disease. Since Brianââ¬â¢s condition compels him to stay in bed or the wheelchair for many hours, he is subject to
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Language Acquisition Priciples Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Language Acquisition Priciples - Essay Example The article also discussed latest methods of teaching English as a second language and also the connected strategic actions. This article also details the position statements issued by three professional organizations about the teaching of ELLs. According to Judy Richardson (2005) the well known professional organization in the area of education is "Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages" (TESOL), which has issued several position statements. The most prominent of which is "Position Statement on Language and Literacy Development for Young English Language Learners" (October 2001). This position statement encompasses six main recommendations regarding language and literacy development for ELLs. The position statement underlines the need for: The position statement issued by TESOL and International Reading Association (IRA 2001), a professional organization dedicated to best practice in teaching literacy have demonstrated consistency in their approach with regard to what teachers should know and practice. These organizations have also laid down what rights the ELLs should be given. A meaningful mainstreaming and a proper evaluation of the ELLs is possible with the establishment of these rights.
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Project Management - Communication Plan Assignment
Project Management - Communication Plan - Assignment Example The estimated price for the infrastructure needed for the ten floor building is highly fluctuating, thus we cannot put a solid price tag. As the project manager, I have seen it necessary to have the Complete Streets framework inclusive. This will set an idea that can be backed by the whole community where the building will be located. This sets a structure that can create support for ABC Tech employees and all who want safe, livable urban environments (Barnlund, 2008). Value message: The building will function effectively for all involved users ââ¬â ABC Technology, Inc. technical employees, their families and clients. However, some roadways throughout the surrounding will have to be worked on to ensure that they are safe. The Ask: Coming up with a clear design and implementation procedures in place so as to ensure that all the building procedure and the necessary tools, equipments and personnel are at a position of offering quality service. Vision message: Once I manage to do this as the project manager, the ABC Technology, Inc. building will be one of its kind, as it would be both a business and residential hub offering comfort and luxury for both the families of the technical employees and the ABC Technology, Inc. clients they will be
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Technology in the classroom Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Technology in the classroom - Research Paper Example This enhances growth of better collaboration skills among students. In these interactions, students engage in discourses on different topics that may not be allocated time in class schedules (Pitler et. al., 2012). The assertion that students lack the ability to interact with their present peers because of interacting with technology is partly true. This is because interaction with technology or with peers over a medium of technology requires concentration that would otherwise go to present peers. However, it is perfectly possible to adjudicate the two so that students can interact with those who are far across the globe whilst interacting with those in their present environments. Whereas some cite that the confidence that students have questioning things while interacting via technology is temporary and short lived, it provides a chance for students to challenge the things with which they are not comfortable. This offers an advantage over face-to-face interaction that intimidates and scares students from being open to certain thing. Technology enables students to carry out tasks of high complexity with ease (Shelly et. al.,
Monday, September 23, 2019
Evaluate Bribery in the context of International Strategic Marketing Essay - 1
Evaluate Bribery in the context of International Strategic Marketing - Essay Example in -- in other words, to "do as the Romans do." When a corporate official is faced with real situations abroad, this advice can give rise to conflicts and ambiguity, when actual situations require responses which are incompatible with the ethical norms in the home country. Payment of a tip to a government official or employee in the home country intended to facilitate licensing can be considered bribery, and therefore subject to legal consequences, at home; however, in a foreign country it may be a standard operating procedure that can facilitate and expedite action. The cost of refusing to comform to local practice can be result in significant losses which are disproportionate in relation to the small amount of "bribe" money. The international marketer can face a difficult dilemma when he has to respond to situations where there is no local law, where local practices forgive a certain behavior, or the companywilling to ââ¬Å" do what is necessaryâ⬠is favored over the company that refuses to engage in practices that are not ethical. The issue of bribery and corruption is not extensively covered in international or global marketing textbooks. The subject is often located under the rubric of legal environment (subtopic: ethics and regulations); cultural environment, (as in Hill 2005; Verna and Sarathy 1993). Or it is discussed as part of international promotions (Verna and Sarathy). For the most part the subject presents the the relevant US statute (FCPA) and analyzes its features and implications for the business person and marketer. A more comprehensive treatment, including its history and philosophical basis is found in textbooks dealing with the business environment (such as Baron 1997) and legal environment (such as Jennings 1997). This study will deal with the issue of bribery from the Western viewpoint, particularly that of the United States, being the first country to enact a law prohibiting its practice by its companies abroad. The Foreign Corrupt
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Comparing movie Genres Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Comparing movie Genres - Essay Example Revolts against slavery in interior parts of Africa and Asia have been focused more in action movies. Action movies use racism as a theme in scenarios involving revenge against the wrong doers or as an act of dominance towards the discriminated people. An instance where a good guy who is usually white investigates the stealing of robbery and jewels associated with black people also depict racism in action movies. These movies always portray them as the criminals. Movies which show a villain extensively using drugs, explosives, and alcohol are more often a person who is African American. In movies showing war between two countries, racism is the theme as one nation destroys the other minor/poor country. In horror movies, stories are more fictional and imaginary. Even in these imaginary stories, racism has been highlighted with the evil/ man-eater not being a white. These haunted stories like usually revolve around a group of people who are trapped in a forest to a witch/ man-eater (us ually the non-white), eventually killing it. The movie ââ¬ËFriday the 13thââ¬â¢ depicts how the black guy and the Asian guy are mocked at. In one of the instances, the black guy expresses his sexual desires, but is only allowed to look at the rich girls around (Champion, 2009). The effect of racism on the larger audience through action movies has a positive effect. Action movies address racism with its heart touching and eye opening scenes more so with the events which have occurred in the past. The revolts against racism which have occurred in the history are presented in movies have a motivational message attached with it. The audience realizes how inhuman racism is and gets the feel good factor about their revolutionary heroes. In contrast to horror movies, action movies give a meaningful message to the audience. The genres of Action and Horror address sex through most of the movies. In horror movies, it is more used to show how sex can make the best slip. In the movie â⠬ËA Nightmare on Elm Streetââ¬â¢, there is a scene where a girl is taking a bath, in which the bath becomes a deep pool of water (ââ¬Å"A Nightmare on Elm Streetâ⬠, 2011). These scenes though do not send a strong message, but are extremely important to show how the character blends into the story. Intense horror movies show sex between the good guy and the evil who is disguised as an attractive women and the evil later killing the guy. These instances address on how even the most vigil person can fall to attractive women. In ââ¬ËScreamââ¬â¢, a teenage girl shows another teen girl a photograph on her cell phone of a man's bare abdomen and chest, and the girl says that he's really hot (ââ¬Å"Scream4â⬠, 2011). These scenes go hand in hand with the horror movies to oscillate the emotions of the audience and to keep the thrill going. Action movies address the theme of sex more cleverly. The main idea of including such scenes in action movies is to deceive the gangst er or the lead in the movie and getting critical information from him. The movie ââ¬ËBad Companyââ¬â¢ shows how the protagonist of the movie is tempted to cheat on his girlfriend (ââ¬Å"Bad Companyâ⬠, 2011). An action movie addresses the theme of sex with attractive ladies making out with criminals or the hero in bars or at lodges. In some movies, these scenes are repeated. It shows that the goons in the movie wish to be surrounded by attractive and seductive women most of the times.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Key Objectives of an Organization Essay Example for Free
Key Objectives of an Organization Essay Task 1A. Identify the mission, values and key objectives of an organization of your choice and assess the influence of stakeholders The Body Shop is a public limited company they mainly specialize in beauty products, however they are very much different compared to regular make up brands such as DIOR, SHU UMERA and so on, they are different in a way that they use natural products and they are against animal cruelty. They use plants resources wisely. The body shop is different because of their values. Ms Dame Anita roddick, was a human rights activist and the founder of the body shop. AGAINST ANIMAL TESTING Every one of the body shops products is animal cruelty free and vegetarian. they were the first international cosmetics brand to be recognized under the Humane Cosmetics Standard for our Against Animal Testing policy. FOR TRADING FAIRLY They believe in fair trade to such an extent, that over 20 years ago we set up our own fair trade programme, called Community Trade. Body Shop believe this level of commitment to trading fairly is unique in the cosmetics industry. Community Trade now works with over 30 suppliers in more than 20 countries, providing over 25,000 people across the globe with essential income to build their futures. Most of our products contain Community Trade ingredients. OUR FIVE CORE VALUES The Body Shop is a leader in promoting greater corporate transparency, and we have been a force for positive social and environmental change through our campaigns around our five core Values: Support Community Trade, Defend Human Rights, Against Animal Testing, Activate Self-Esteem, Protect Our Planet. OUR CHARITABLE FOUNDATION We also have our own charity, The Body Shop Foundation. Launched in 1990 (registered charity no. 802757) we give financial support to pioneering, frontline organisations that otherwise have little hope of conventional funding. The Foundations focus is to assist those working to achieve progress in the areas of human and civil rights, environmental and animal protection. Let us move on to the various stakeholders in the organization. Primary Stakeholders Usually internal stakeholders like stockholders, customers, suppliers, creditors, and employees. Secondary Stakeholders Usually external stakeholders like general public, communities, activist groups, business support groups, and the media. The influence of various stakeholders on the organization establishes a balance of priorities on the organization. Some examples of balances that various stakeholders bring to the organization are: Stockholders: The stockholders of the organization ensure that the organization is constantly looking for new means to improve operating net profits. The stockholders of the companies keep a keen eye on the performance of the organization through the quarterly reports of the organizations submitted to respective regulatory bodies in the world. This ensures that the organization keeps a fine balance between working for short-term profits while keeping a firm eye on the long-term business possibilities that may emerge. Positive performance by a company over a longà period of time is rewarded through improved prices. Customers: The most important to any business, customers of an organization keep the organization on their toes to offer best of services in comparison with the market. The organizations strive hard to meet the ever-growing customer expectations in terms of improved products and services and reduced cost for these improved services year on year. Improved performance of the organization to meet customer demands is rewarded through more business orders. Employees: The employees of the organization are the assets of the organization that keeps the organization nimble and agile to meet the customer expectations resulting in profits that meet the stockholders expectations. The employees are rewarded through promotions and merit increments based on their contributions to meet the organizations goals, vision and objectives. Task 2 Evaluate the extent to which the organization achieves the objectives of three stakeholders. As mentioned above there are two different types of stakeholders, there is primary and there is secondary. Primary stakeholders include Internal stakeholders like stockholders, customers, suppliers, creditors, and employees. Secondary includes External stakeholders like general public, communities, activist groups, business support groups, and the media. Beginning with the internal stakeholders also known as primary stakeholders, the employees obviously work towards the goals and objectives that are set,à however in the body shop they are in for it in a different way as the people are passionate. Theyââ¬â¢re a customer-focused business that strives to create a fantastic experience for everyone who shops and works at The Body Shop. Aside from employees and customers they are also dedicated to their suppliers and creditors as well as stockholders. The body shop is dedicated to the planet and the people in simple words. The body shop is financial stable meeting their financial objectives as well as meeting the stock holders objectives which is keeping on-going improvements and new objectives which is what the body shop is already doing. Achievement of Customer Objectives: The organization is always talking about the natural way of beauty. In addition, the company also shares very positive information of the number of accounts where they have grown the relationships to multimillion dollar revenue generating business accounts through good performance in existing contracts and offering greater value to the customer though their foresight and operations management. This has resulted in good customer retention and repeats businesses for the company across various lines of businesses. Achievement of Employees objectives: Body shop has a large workforce employs over 100,000 employees across the globe and has become an employer of choice. This has provided many opportunities to the employees to grow professionally and vertically as well. Additionally, the body shop provides merit increments every year based on the performance of the employees, which keeps them engaged in their roles and glued on to the target objectives. Task 3. Explain the responsibilities of the organization and strategies employed to meet them. The body shop not only has responsibilities that they must keep to the company and their customers but also the environment, which is why they do the natural way. Nature is the key objective and responsibility to the Body Shop. Their responsibilities towards the environment can be seen on their website, the body shop focuses on cruelty free make up. Moreà responsibilities and strategies are shown below AGAINST ANIMAL TESTING Every one of the body shops products is animal cruelty free and vegetarian. they were the first international cosmetics brand to be recognized under the Humane Cosmetics Standard for our Against Animal Testing policy. FOR TRADING FAIRLY They believe in fair trade to such an extent, that over 20 years ago we set up our own fair trade programme, called Community Trade. Body Shop believe this level of commitment to trading fairly is unique in the cosmetics industry. Community Trade now works with over 30 suppliers in more than 20 countries, providing over 25,000 people across the globe with essential income to build their futures. Most of our products contain Community Trade ingredients. OUR FIVE CORE VALUES The Body Shop is a leader in promoting greater corporate transparency, and we have been a force for positive social and environmental change through our campaigns around our five core Values: Support Community Trade, Defend Human Rights, Against Animal Testing, Activate Self-Esteem, Protect Our Planet. OUR CHARITABLE FOUNDATION We also have our own charity, The Body Shop Foundation. Launched in 1990 (registered charity no. 802757) we give financial support to pioneering, frontline organisations that otherwise have little hope of conventional funding. The Foundations focus is to assist those working to achieveà progress in the areas of human and civil rights, environmental and animal protection. These are their values as well as responsibilities. The employees of Body shop and the suppliers all use environmental friendly products and packaging to support the living earth. Task 4. Explain how economic systems attempt to allocate and make effective use of resources Resource allocation is used to assign the available resources in an economic way across the economy. This may be done at a regional level, Social strata based or on priority basis. Resource allocation can be studies under two broad heads This includes majority of resources that is used in todayââ¬â¢s economy except some specific natural resources that are allocated to ensure an Oligopolistic or Monopolistic market. The economic systems attempt to distribute the available resources in an even manner through the price elasticity model. The price elasticity model proposes that demand and supply in the market will drive the cost of the resource. This is typically seen as below |High Demand ââ¬â low Supply |High Prices | |Low Demand ââ¬â High Supply |Low Prices | In the above cases, both demand and supply are relative to each others volumes. In a competitive market scenario, the requirement of products and services and its availability guides the prices of these resources. Given that Money by itself is a limited resource available to market forces, high prices of resources ensure optimized consumption of high priced resources. Once the resource prices are above the price of an alternative resource, market forces will start using the alternate resource as a main resource until such time that the prices of the original resource is again affordableà due to slowdown of demand. This is typically seen in the oil and gas business wherein some manufacturing organizations shift to alternative fuels like BP oil and residue oil in lieu of diesel fuel price rise. This model ensures that resources are optimally used by the economy and any steep increase in consumption is controlled through increased prices resulting in optimized allocation and effective use. allocation of some natural resources may not always take the same route as marketed resources. This is typically done by the governmentââ¬â¢s authorities to ensure lower prices of producers that reaches the consumers at large and to ensure availability of certain products to all and sundry of the population. Some very good examples of such resources are Irrigation Water supplied at subsidy to farmers, Coal allocation to Thermal power stations to ensure low electricity prices for consumers etc An economic system is consist of the several processes of organizing and motivating labour, manufacturing, allocating, and circulating of the results of human labour, including goods and services, consumer products, machineries, equipmentââ¬â¢s, and other technology used as inputs to future manufacturing and the infrastructure within and through which manufacturing, circulation, and distribution occurs. There are three types of economic system which are generally accepted by the different nations. They are: Free market, centrally planned, mixed market. 1. Free market economic system: The interference of government is reserved at a lowest point or mistreated in open market system and all the finances assets comes under the private sectors as well market. Price mechanism will decide the amount of goods or services to be provided with respect to the market demands. The majority judgments are on the basis of market mechanism. The supply, demand and capability play the very important function in marketà judgment making. According to observing at the open market operations it lifts a variety of unexplained questions like who will generate the goods and services and infrastructures for the country to congregate the requirements of the public. 2. Centrally planned economy system: Centrally planned economic system explains that government assigns the financial possessions; government initiates all the arrangement concerning the financial actions. Private sectors are held in reserve in distant in participation of any monetary gathering. These types of finances were establish in the Asian, central Europe, Eastern Europe and Latin American nations but now a days these are set up in Cuba, Iraq, Iran, North Korea etc. In this structure fundamentally joblessness troubles will not be tackled because government organize all the monetary performances and possessions will be owed on the basis of requirements of its persons and dissimilar industries contribution. 3. Mixed economy system: This structure is a combination of all other structures. The organism where together capitalism and socialism monetary schemes are involved it is called as the mixed financial system. In this globalizing world largely the countries are acquiring this financial system. Mixed financial system divides the obtainable financial possessions accessible in the country to mutually private sectors and government. Task 5. Discuss the impact of social welfare and industrial policy initiatives on organizations and the wider community. The social welfare and industrial policy of a nation impacts not only the economy but also the larger community. |Social Welfare Policy |Health Policy | | |Housing Policy | | |Income maintenance Policy | | |Education Policy | | |Social Security | |Industrial Policy |Inflation control | | |Financial Market stability | | |Manufacturing boost for increase in employment rate | Health policy can be described as the judgment, plans, and measures that are commenced to attain specific health care goals within a society. There are many groupings of health guidelines, involving personal health care policy, pharmaceutical policy, and policies regarding health of public such as vaccination policy, tobacco control policy or breastfeeding promotion policy. They may envelop monetary subjects and liberation of health care, access to care, quality of care, and health equity. The contemporary theory of health care includes right of entry to medical professionals from different sections as well as medical technology, such as medications and surgical tools. It also includes easy access to the newest data and confirmation from research, comprising medical research and health services research. Public housing is a type of housing tenure in which the possession is hold by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing refers to leasing housing which may be possessed and controlled by the state, by non-profit firms, or by a mixture of the two, generally with the aspire of offering housing which could affordable. Education policy can be defined as the compilation of laws and regulations which manages and directs the functions of education systems. Education takes place in a lot of type for countless functions through several organizations. An example involves early childhood education, kindergarten from side to side to 12th grade, two and four year colleges or universities, graduate and professional education, adult education and job training. Consequently, education policy can straightly influence the educated persons involved of all ages. Income maintenance Policy is habitually functional due to several curriculums formulated to offer a residential with income at times when they are not able to take care of themselves. Income preservation is on the basis of a mixture of five major kinds of program: 1. Social insurance: 2. Means-tested benefits: 3. Non-contributory benefits:. 4. Discretionary benefits. 5. Universal or categorical benefits Social security a social insurance program given that social security or protection against socially renowned circumstances, involving scarcity, old age, disability, joblessness and others. Social security relates to a bunch of advantages obtainable (or not available) from the state, market, civil society and households, or through a grouping of these organizations, to the person/family to trim down multi-dimensional deprivation. The Industrial Policy plan of a country, from time to time condensed IP, is its official planned attempt to support the expansion and progress of the producing sector of the economy. A countrys infrastructure (transportation,à telecommunications and energy industry) is a main element of the industrialized sector that frequently has a main role in the Industrial Policy. Industrial strategies are division definite, unlike broader macroeconomic strategy. They are occasionally label as interventionist as conflicting to laissez-faire finances. Several kinds of industrial strategies comprise ordinary fundamentals with other kinds of interventionist exercises such as trade policy and fiscal policy. An example of a distinctive industrial policy is import-substitution-industrialization (ISI), where trade barriers are provisionally obligatory on a number of key sectors, such as manufacturing. By selectively securing some business, these business are provided moment in time to study (learning by doing) and improve. Task 6. Evaluate the impact of macro economic policy measures and the influence of the global economy on UK-based organizations and stakeholders. Macroeconomic policy instruments define the macroeconomic measures that can be straight away managed by an economic policy former. Instruments can be divided into two subsets: a) Monetary policy instruments and b) Fiscal policy instruments. Monetary policy is carried out by the Federal Reserve or the central bank of a country or supranational region. Fiscal policy is formulated by the Executive and Legislative Branches of the Government and contracts with supervising a nationââ¬â¢s Budget. 1) Monetary policy Monetary policy instruments comprise of directing short-term rates (Fed Funds and Discount rates in the U.S.), and altering reserve necessities for commercial banks. Monetary policy can be moreover extensive for the market (short-term rates low relative to inflation rate) or restraining for theà market (short-term rates high relative to inflation rate). Traditionally, the main purpose of monetary policy had been to direct or restrain domestic inflation. In recent times, central bankers have frequently paying attention on a second objective: running economic growth as both inflation and economic growth are highly interconnected. 2) Fiscal policy Fiscal policy comprises in supervision the national Budget and its investment so as to manipulate economic activity. This necessitates the growth or development of government expenses regarding particular government curriculum such as building roads or infrastructure, military expenditures and social welfare programs. It also involves the elevating of taxes to finance government expenses and the increase of debt (Treasuries in the U.S.) to meet both the ends (Budget deficit) between receipts (tax receipts) and expenses regarding the execution of government curriculum. Increasing taxes and lowering the Budget Deficit is considered to be a preventive fiscal policy, as it would decrease cumulative demand and slow down GDP growth. Reducing taxes and raising the Budget Deficit is measured as an outgoing fiscal policy that would enlarge collective demand and encourage the economy. The impact of macroeconomic policy measures On enlargement, there likely to be periods of strength follow by phase of weak or even negative growth (recessions), particularly known as the economic cycle. All governments have an objective of eradicating this cycle. They desire repeated, sensible expansion that never ignites price increments. Fresh governments have stimulated closer to this Goldilocks scenario. Become aware of that the growth rate has been over 2% without receiving out of hand for six years. Subsequent the bust/boom/bust of the early 80s/late 80s/early 90s, this is quite an accomplishment. Inflation has also been extraordinarily submissive by historical standards.à Subsequent the horribly inflationary 70s (peaked at 25%) and the near 10% figure ten years ago, RPIX has been growing at 3% pa or less for six years. The objective of full employment has efficiently been relegated to the history books. Unemployment reached one million in the 80s for the first time since the 30s, and then continued to reach 3 million (or 4 million, depending on the definition) within three years. Having said that, full employment does not mean that everyone has a job. It is a depressing reality of economic life that UK customers favor imported goods to those made in Britain. The degree of the current account deficit mainly depends, consequently, on how well we export our services. Unfortunately, services are not quite as exportable as goods, so the UK is constantly fighting a losing battle. Optimistically the modifications in technology, and our capability to utilize them, will permit us to enlarge our exports of services by sufficient in the future to permit for the deficit in goods. Some economists consider that there is no problem, since in a world of completely mobile capital; the UK no longer depends completely on their own pool of foreign reserves to compensate for its importation. These days, if you want something from overseas but you do not have the foreign currency, then immediately purchase it on the Foreign Exchange Markets. Due to the global characteristics of financial markets, the financial services industry is deeply prejudiced by worldwide monetary improvement. These financial connections to international markets are just one of the numerous conducts in which wider worldwide expansion influence the UK economy. Global economic developments For instance the current commotion in financial markets ââ¬â also have a significant manner on the resolution of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). Similar to the UK, in an open economy worldwide forces can affect the prices to rise and vary about its aim or goal temporarily, and also insertà instability into the real economy. We have observed growing oil and product costs determined by tough universal demand push up price rises in the UK and further main economies over the earlier period and couple of years. By distinction the fresh modifications and alterations in international financial market circumstances could decline demand situations in the UK and globally put forth descending pressure on price rises. These are all aspects we require to take into consideration in our attention rate judgment. Ultimately it is domestic monetary policy Not the state of the international economy, which will conclude the UK inflation rate. The challenge for the MPC consequently is to regulate interest rates to make sure that worldwide pressure does not generate lengthened and important divergence in price rises from its aim. Global economy affects UK inflation There are a broad diversity of conducts in which international economic expansion influence the UK economy and therefore manipulate our rate of price rises. The entire procedure of globalization has structural influence on the UK economy, comprising the influence on labor relocation. The prices of trade in goods and services are the first one has an impact. Imports account for approximately 30% of the value of goods and services directly and indirectly sold by UK business at residence and overseas. On the other hand, the prices of trade in manufactured merchandise will also reproduce the resources and power utilized in their produce, forming a supplementary indirect influence from product markets. The second channel of impact from the international economy is through demand. Tough expansion of demand, whether it derives at residence or overseas, permits the profit margins to develop and is pushed at an upward pressure on expenses, mainly when the economy is operating close to its capacity limits. By the similar token, weak demand exercises a dampeningà impact on cost and price augmentation. Manipulating demand situations with the help of interest rates is one of the major means due to which the Monetary Policy Committee controls UK price rises. International economic expansion influence demand circumstances in the UK both directly and indirectly. The direct influence comes in the course of alteration in the demand for UK exports of goods and services, which make up approximately a quarter of the production of UK businesses on average. The significance of abroad demand diverges significantly among diverse sectors of the UK economy. Some manufacturing sectors sell a huge percentage of their production abroad, and for manufacturing industry as a total exports are approximately half the worth of production. In calculation to this export channel, there are also indirect financial connections in the course of which international economic circumstances can affect UK demand. The UK business society is extremely intercontinental, depicting our custom as a trading nation and the honesty and friendliness of our financial markets to abroad investment. A lot of UK businesses are branch of bigger worldwide groupings, which is probable to strengthen the compassion of their investment and other trade judgments to worldwide demand and profitability. In accumulation to these price and demand factors, there is a third method in which worldwide economic situations might also influence UK price rises, which is in the course of their influence on the pricing conditions. As businesses turn out to be further skilled and global in edge, some economists have disagreed that international circumstances have turn out to be more and more significant in influencing pricing actions, relation to domestic issues. As per this vision, the worldwide equilibrium of demand and supply and spirited forces on international markets may appear to have an important influence on cost in economies which are release to global business, such as the UK. The role of monetary policy In a world in which worldwide progress has a significant manner on UK price rises, monetary course of action should react in subsequent way. One ending you might illustrate from my conversation so far is that UK price rises will be deeply subjective by international upgrading. And however, in spite of the modifications we have observed in the worldwide market more than the decade, UK price rises has been low down and extraordinarily steady. Three major traditions in which financial guidelines can act as a factor to manipulate the price rises when the UK economy is batter by worldwide shocks. The first of these is the affect the interest rates on the exchange rate. The exchange rate is not straightly managed by financial policy. But financial policy has a significant impact. The interest rate discrepancy among diverse currency and the aspects, which are anticipated to manipulate its influence in currency markets due to their influence on the possible income to investors. If financial policy is constrict comparative to other countries, or is estimated to be constrict, this will be likely to push up the exchange rate in the next to time. Such an increase in the exchange rate should have a dampening influence on import cost augmentations, and can consequently answer an increase in worldwide price rises pressures. It also affects how eye-catching abroad markets are to exporters and consequently has a supplementary influence through the state of demand. The second way in which financial policy can contradict worldwide monetary forces is due to its influence on domestic demand expenditure by customers and investment by the private sector, both of which are exaggerated by interest rate alteration. Customer expenditure is the biggest single constituent of demand in the UK, and accounts for concerning 60% of domestic expenditure. A contraction in policy such as we have observed over the past year should have an important influence on the expansion of utilization, and therefore domestic demand. A third steady aspect is the reliability of financial policy and itsà influence on cost prospect. If price raises prospect stay fast at or shut to the price rises goal, turbulence to the price rises pathway should demonstrate momentary, and it will be simpler for financial policy to be carried out a provisional shift in price rises. The duty of the MPC is now made simple by the practice of a decade and a half of low and steady price rises, which has assisted to fasten UK, price rises prospects. The impact and pass-through of the identified unconventional policy shocks should help to learn more about the extraordinary policy measures taken by central banks as a response to the financial turmoil. Some caution is, however, required. A caveat of the analysis is that the estimations are based on a sample period that covers the turbulent period on financial markets, as well as normal times. An implicit assumption is hence that the parameters did not change dramatically as a consequence of the crisis. In addition, the analysis only captures unconventional monetary policy to the extent that the measures influence the banking sector. Hence, a useful extension would be to also include direct lending of central banks in private markets in the analysis.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Foucauldian Discourse on Punishment
Foucauldian Discourse on Punishment Foucauldian Discourse on Punishment It is noteworthy that the power and techniques of punishment depend on knowledge that creates and classifies individuals, and that knowledge derives its authority from certain relationships of power and domination (Sparknotes, 2006). However, it is in the works of French philosopher Michel Foucault on penal institutionsthat the idea of punishment as part of a discourse of power is made explicit. In this paper, I will critically assess Foucaultââ¬â¢s discourse concept on punishment as well as Benthamââ¬â¢s panopticon theory demonstrating the extent of Foucaultââ¬â¢s concept towards punishment. Disciplinary institutions are, by and large, places where power is exercised and coursed through various mechanisms. Without doubt, it is in Discipline and Punish (1977) that Foucaultââ¬â¢s concern with discipline and surveillance becomes even more pronounced than his other genealogical works. In this work he examines the progressive sophistication of disciplinary mechanisms such as punishments employed in prisons that are in fact, upon closer scrutiny, representative of the same progression of disciplinary mechanisms in society. He undertook an examination of power relations using the penal institution as a take-off point, for the primary reason that it is here where the different disciplinary techniques used in the exercise of power are more evident. At the outset, he shows how torture and execution was made a public spectacle; with the condemned man being paraded in a manner deemed suited to the crime he committed. Interestingly however, public tortures and executions soon became a ââ¬Ëhiddenââ¬â¢ affair, with the condemned man being transferred secretly from one place to another in a manner as inconspicuous as possible, using plain carriages with no particular distinguishing mark indicating that the cargo was a convicted felon. Nevertheless, Foucault points out the concern that the institution has with the ââ¬Ëbodyââ¬â¢, a preoccupation that the prison has in common with the asylum and the hospital and, upon close examination, with other institutions as well(Foucault, 1977, p.25). The shifting of torture and execution from the public to the private realm (resulting in more economical disciplinary techniques) subtly demonstrates how mechanisms of discipline evolve and take other forms. In an interview, Foucault states: What I wanted to show is the fact that, starting from a certain conception of the basis of the right to punish, one can find in the work of penal experts and philosophers of the 18th century that different means of punishment were perfectly conceivable. Indeed in the reform movementâ⬠¦ one finds a whole spectrum of means to punish that are suggested, and finally it happens that the prison was in some way, the privileged one (Foucault, in Lotringer, 1989, p.286). Using the prison as an example, Foucault demonstrates how such disciplinary institutions utilize different techniques to form ââ¬Ëdocile bodiesââ¬â¢: a direct coercion of the body to produce both productive subjects and instruments with which to channel power (Foucault, 1977, p.136). This is a positive perspective of power, because through subjection and subjugation, the individual at once becomes a productive body through direct bodily training. There is a purpose to an institutionââ¬â¢s exercise of power, depending upon the nature of that institution; at most, what can be said insofar as purpose is concerned is that institutions all aim at producing ââ¬Ëdocile bodiesââ¬â¢ in whatever form the latter may take. Again, this depends on what type of individual an institution intends to fashion. Docile body simply refers to the type of individual that is trained and disciplined in the context of a power relation in an institution. In discussing productivity, it can be understood to refer to the capacity of institutions to produce individuals of a specific type, utilizing punishments as mechanisms. In their book, Michel Foucault (1984), Cousins and Hussains write ââ¬Å"that imprisonment is also enveloped in a mechanism of powerâ⬠(p. 173). Foucault sees discipline, therefore, as combinative: it functions to combine elements, in this case, individuals, into a uniform mass not through the individual variables found in each element, but through the characteristics imposed upon it because of the space it occupies. Hence, the space defines the capabilities of each individual, which in turn contribute to the collective function of the mass. As it were, the individual is trained through its designation or position, the series that is relevant to his codified space, and through the issuance of a systematic order or command from the authority (Foucault, 1977, p.166). In the following part, it will be made evident that for Foucault, the institutional role of the prison-model of society paves the way for control and observation. At the end of the chapter entitled Panopticism, Foucault explicitly stated: The practice of placing individuals under ââ¬Ëobservationââ¬â¢ is a natural extension of a justice imbued with disciplinary methods and examination procedures. Is it surprising that the cellular prison, with its regular chronologies, forced labour, its authorities of surveillance and registration, and its experts in normality, who continue and multiply the functions of the judge, should have become the modern instrument of penality? Is it surprising that prisons resemble factories, schools, barracks, hospitals, which all resemble prisons? (p. 228). In this particular passage, Foucault outlines the mechanisms that the prison uses in controlling criminality. On closer examination, what he in fact outlines are the mechanisms that operate within different social institutions. This is a noteworthy point, since the institutions that he mentioned, i.e. factories, schools, barracks, and hospitals, all function in essentially the same way as the modern prison. These all use specific procedures and techniques to discipline subjects. Jeremy Benthamââ¬â¢s concept of the ââ¬Å"Panopticonâ⬠became an influential model for modern day architectural efficiency. In short, the prison that he envisioned in the late 18th century was to be constructed in such a way as to have the individual cells arranged in a circular manner, with an observation tower at the centre of the formation, light coming from the outside of the cells illumines the inmate for whoever is staying at the observation tower, while the observer in the tower itself remains hidden from the cellsââ¬â¢ occupants (See. Figure 1). This arrangement reverses, yet makes even more powerful, the traditional notion of incarceration that is, the putting away of criminality. Thus, to assume that someone is in the observation tower even if there is no one there is the full effect of the ââ¬Å"Panopticonâ⬠. Foucault (1977) further clarified: Hence the major effect of the Panopticon: to induce in the inmate a state of conscious and permanent visibility that assures the automatic functioning of power. So to arrange things that the surveillance is permanent in its effects, even if it is discontinuous in its action; that the perfection of power should tend to render its actual exercise unnecessaryâ⬠¦ in short, that the inmates should be caught up in a power situation of which they are themselves the bearers. (p. 201) It can be seen that central to the effective use of the panoptic principle is the efficiency of surveillance mechanisms. The latter should function in such a way as to force the recipient of disciplinary power to keep watch over his/her own actions, because of the fact that s/he is being observed by the authority figure. The concept of the gaze is what makes discipline work. In the panoptic model, visibility becomes the central principle that governs incarceration. In other words, For Foucault, the ââ¬Å"Panopticonâ⬠represents the way in which discipline and punishment work in modern society. It is a diagram of power in action because by looking at a plan of the ââ¬Å"Panopticonâ⬠, one realizes how the processes of observation and examination operate (Sparknotes, 2006). To my way of thinking, by and large the foucauldian concept of discourse towards punishment is an explicit, objective and realistic extensive concept with an array of persuasive arguments and insights on power and techniques of punishment that reflect the modern penal system and simultaneously the various mechanisms of observation and examination. On the whole, what is made evident at this point is that punishment in Foucault should be understood as something much broader than simple retribution. Instead, punishment is an act that is subsumed under the notion of discipline, or training. As such, the prison institution is designed to re-form a criminal into an individual who can be reintegrated into mainstream society, in order to be made useful and productive once more. As already mentioned, the mechanisms used by society are by and large the same mechanisms of discipline used in institutions such as the prison. Within this larger framework, it is implied that the notion of punishment, in all its forms, operate as a part of a purposeful social design within which all other theories become possible. What is positive about such a societal setup is the fact that techniques such as punishments are not entirely negative or prohibitive. Relations of power are important for Foucault because of the positive effects borne out of it. As a final positive note, consider what he says that is summed up best in an interview: It seems to me that power is ââ¬Ëalways already thereââ¬â¢, that one is never ââ¬Ëoutsideââ¬â¢ itâ⬠¦ But this does not entail the necessity of accepting an inescapable form of dominationâ⬠¦ To say that one can never be ââ¬Ëoutsideââ¬â¢ power does not mean that one is trapped and condemned to defeat no matter what (Foucault, 1980, p.141). While Foucault did not agree with the prison per se as the best form of punishment, he saw in the prison a mechanism that, as used by the society, functions as a state mechanism for internalizing discipline. That means the individual would be responsible for governing or disciplining himself from within. Every time the person ââ¬Å"feels the gazeâ⬠(i.e. domination), he would be forced to govern himself. In other words, the effects of discipline are felt even though the disciplinary power is absent. The prison is therefore not simply a place for punishment, but a model of an effective mechanism. Bibliography Cousins, M. Hussain, A. (1984)Michel Foucault. New York: St. Martinââ¬â¢s Press. Macey, D. (1994) The Lives of Michel Foucault. London: Vintage. Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and Punish. Alan Sheridan Trans. New York: Vintage Books. Foucault, M. (1989.) What calls for Punishment? In: Lotringer, S. ed. Foucault Live. New York: Columbia University, pp. 279-292. Foucault, M. (1980). Power and Strategies. In: Gordon, C. ed. Power/Knowledge. New York: Pantheon, pp. 134-145. Sparknotes. (2006). Michael Foucault: Discipline and Punish. Available: Last accessed 1 March 2007. Panopticon (Prisonââ¬â¢s Plan) Figure 1 From Discipline and Punish, 1977
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Raw and Living Foods Diet Essay -- Health Nutrition Essays
Raw and Living Foods Diet Introduction to the living and raw foods diet Raw and living foods are foods that contain enzymes and have not been heated or cooked in any manner. Raw foodists, or people whose diets consist of at least seventy-five percent raw and living foods, believe in eating an uncooked, unheated, unprocessed and organic plant based diet (http://www.rawfoods.com). Raw foodists hold that the act of cooking food destroys the majority of vitamins, minerals and essential enzymes naturally found in food. These believers also claim that cooking food renders it toxic and is the major cause of health problems (Andrukitas, 1998). The intensity of beliefs held by raw foodists vary with each individual, yet they all support the ideology that cooking is an unnatural process that destroys important and vital nutrients in foods. What are Living and Raw Foods? Living and raw foods are foods that are organic and have not been heated, cooked, or processed in any way. Living and raw foods are foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and enzymes. Such enzymes aid the body in the digestion and absorption processes (http://www.rawtimes.com). The difference between living and raw foods is distinguished by the fact that living foods have a higher enzyme content than raw foods. This is true because the enzymes in raw foods are dormant. To activate the enzymes in raw foods, raw foodists simply soak peanuts for example, in water for a period of time until sprouting occurs and the enzymes in the raw food are awakened or brought to life. (http://www.rawfoods.com). What are the Parameters of a Raw Foodist Diet? Raw foodists eat all fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts seeds, grains, sea vegetable and many other organic products that ha... ...the raw foodist have adopted the diet that sustained our species long before the world was as it is today. Resources (http://rawfoods.com.html) (http://rawtimes.com.html) Andrukitas, J. (1998). "Raw Courage." Restaurant Hospitality, 82,26-27. Itokawa, Y. and Kimura, M. (1990). "Cooking Losses of Minerals in Foods and Its Nutritional Significance. "Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, 36, S25-S31. Knickmeyer, E. (1998). "Potholder an Enemy to These Vegetarians; Nutrition: Group gathers to rejoice in the healthful benefits of raw food and the hoped-for demise of cooking." The Los Angeles Times, 10-12. Fry, T.C. (1998) "Is cooked food good for us?" (http.rawfoods.com.html) Rumm-Kreuter, D. and Demmel, I. (1990). "Comparison of Vitamin Losses in Vegetables Due to Various Cooking Methods." Journal of Nurtritional Science and Vitaminology 36, S7-S15.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Essay
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is classified as an anxiety disorder that can develop after an individual has observed and/or experienced an extreme traumatic event that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury to oneââ¬â¢s self or another (APA, 2000). An extreme traumatic event can include, but is not limited to, military combat, terrorist attacks, natural or manmade disasters, sexual assault, physical assault, robbery, and torture (APA, 2000). The type of traumatic event could influence the way in which medical and mental health care professionals assess, conceptualize, and subsequently treat the individuals with a PTSD diagnosis. For this reason, sexual assault, as the traumatic event that led to the development of a PTSD diagnosis, will be the focus of discussion. The current statistics on sexual assault exemplify the need to focus on this particular population. For example: every two minutes, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted, and each year there are about 213, 000 survivors of sexual assault (RAINN, 2009). The purpose of this paper, then, is to explore how cognitive-behavioral therapies assess, conceptualize, and treat clients with a sexual assault history and a PTSD diagnosis. Treatment Components of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy The treatment components of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that are typically utilized in the treatment for PTSD include psychoeducation, prolonged exposure and/or in vivo exposure, cognitive restructuring, and anxiety management (Harvey, Bryant, & Tarrier, 2003). Psychoeducation Psychoeducation includes providing the client with information about the common symptomology that may be experien... ... conceptualize, and treat clients with a sexual assault history and a PTSD diagnosis. The sexual traumatic event, experienced by the client, may elicit negative PTSD-related cognitions that are perpetuated by avoidant behavior. Prolonged exposure, in vivo exposure, and cognitive restructuring can challenge and correct such negative cognitions and avoidant behaviors. Psychoeducation can provide information, as well as a rationale about therapy, whereas anxiety management training can provide coping skills to engage in exposure and cognitive restructuring interventions. In general, cognitive-behavioral therapies can provide the means by which to assess, conceptualize, and treat clients, and has also shown to be efficacious (Dobson, 2010; Dobson & Dobson, 2009; Foa et al., 1999; Foa & Rauch, 2004; Harvey, Bryant, & Tarrier, 2003; McDonagh et al., 2005; Roman, 2010).
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
The Value of a College Education Essay examples -- Value of Education
Introduction The main focus of the essay is on the meaning of an education. Itââ¬â¢s stated that a real education consists of more than just training in the specifics of oneââ¬â¢s chosen field. It cites lateral thinking and communication skills as the valuable life skills that should be learned. It then proceeds to examine the need for these skills in the real world and the need for these skills to be taught at university level. It starts by examining the general case of all students arriving in college for the first time and by the end gets to the particular needs of computer science students and others in the more practical disciplines. It examines the causes that made this course relevant, mentioning why these skills havenââ¬â¢t been learned already and why at a university level they arenââ¬â¢t still taught implicitly by college life. It shows how and why college believes the teaching of these skills to be a necessary part of a university education What is the nature of a university education? Are we here to graduate with distinctions, get jobs in our chosen field and continue to think like computer scientists, lawyers, doctors, physicists or historians? Or as many would argue are we here to learn a little about the real world without being exposed to its harsher realities? Computers and Society is a course that annoys a lot of students; they deem it irrelevant and would rather be sitting bathed in the glow of a monitor than listening to the lecturer. Why then is a similar course taught in most degree level computer courses? Somebody seems to believe we need a broader education. Why teach a computer scientist to think and talk? First the question of education. How can one define it? Itââ¬â¢s either a broad concept whe... ...read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading," as G. M. Trevelyan put it. Since education is fast becoming a matter of churning out graduates competent in their fields with good job prospects and little else, the module is relevant. Bibliography: [TCD studentââ¬â¢s union] University Record, Issue One, Volume Two http://www.tcd.ie/Student/Union/News/news.htm [Robert W. Lawler] Learning and Computing: A Work in Process http://datacase.mdn.com/LC.html [Jake Werner] Thoughts on education http://pubweb.acns.nwu.edu/~jww990/essays.html [Mikhail Bakunin] Bakunin on Education (Essay 1 and Essay 2) http://spunk.etext.org/texts/writers/bakunin/ [Penny McCall Howard] The Dalhousie Faculty Strike: A strikingly liberatory education http://www.tao.ca/~dasn/issue2/dal.html Quotes about Education http://rhf.bradley.edu/~cmacas/edu.htm
Monday, September 16, 2019
The Qualities of Hero
Chris McClendon 12/11/09 3rd Hour The Qualities of Hero What makes Annie Sullivan significant? The traits that she showed in The Miracle Worker by William Gibson made her significant. In this story she showed many characteristics that make her unique in comparison to other teachers. Being half blind herself, she could relate to Helen in some ways. Annie Sullivan exemplified many heroic qualities such as patience, perseverance, and self-determination. First, Annie Sullivan showed patience in many different situations throughout the story.Patience appeared in this play when Annie requested to stay with Helen, alone in the cabin for two weeks. She stated, ââ¬Å"Two weeks, for only one miracle. â⬠(Act II). Helen tested Annieââ¬â¢s patience when choosing not to cooperate with her. They got into many altercations, but still remained patient. Helen benefited the most from Annieââ¬â¢s perseverance. Sullivanââ¬â¢s patience helped her to teach Helen. When Helen tested Annieâ⠬â¢s patience, she remained calm and continued to tolerate Helenââ¬â¢s behavior. This example shows how Annie exemplified patience in ââ¬Å"The Miracle Workerâ⬠.Another characteristic that Annie showed in this story included perseverance. Annie persevered during the scene where she tried to teach Helen how to fold the napkin. When she started, Helen did not seem to respond to sign language or folding the napkin. After a few days, she appeared hopeless to her parents. Sullivan still continued to try and teach her through all the obstacles, even when the Kellers wanted her to leave. ââ¬Å"The roomââ¬â¢s a wreck, but her napkin is folded. â⬠(Act II). Annie stated this after she successfully taught Helen how to fold a napkin.Even though the Kellers didnââ¬â¢t believe in Annie, and Helen seemed to not respond to her teaching, Annie still continued to try and teach her. Clearly, Annie Sullivan showed perseverance in this story. Lastly, Sullivan showed the quality of self-determination. Annie showed self-sufficiency throughout the whole play. A specific example would be when the Kellers thought that Annie would give up, but she didnââ¬â¢t. ââ¬Å"Here, give up, why I only today saw what has to be done, to begin! â⬠(Act II). Annie said this to the Kellers when they thought that she might have given up.Sullivan was determined to teach Helen sign language. She remained persistent and did not give up. At this point Annie would do whatever she had to do to teach Helen sign language. She wanted to stay alone in the cabin with Helen even though the Kellers opposed. This self-determination helped Helen to learn and to pay more attention to Annie. This is how Annie Sullivan showed self-determination. In conclusion, Annie Sullivan illuminated many qualities that would make one see her as heroic. Three specific examples of these traits are patience, perseverance, and self-determination.Sullivan shows these characteristics throughout the entire pl ay. The world would be a better place if there more people showed the traits that Annie Sullivan did. I agree with Robert Brustein when he states, ââ¬Å"Gibson possesses substantial literary and dramatic gifts and an integrity of the highest order. In addition, he brings to his works authentic compassion, wit, bite and humor, and a lively, literate prose style equaled by few American dramatists. â⬠in the New Republic. When William Gibson wrote this play he used much compassion and drama. Lastly, I am grateful for being able to read this transcendental play.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Kings Speech
Jordan Blume Blume 1 22/09/11 The Kings Speech Review Refurbished History The Kingââ¬â¢s Speech is a moving film which provides viewers with an auto- biographic view on King George VIââ¬â¢s reign to power. Set in the 1930ââ¬â¢s, The Kingââ¬â¢s Speech accurately conveys a believable setting and experience through the acting and camera work. Every emotion portrayed by the characters can be witnessed and felt first hand. One can literally feel for the characters and perhaps even relate at some points. Bertyââ¬â¢s stubborn and quick tempered personality make it difficult for him to succeed, until he meets Lionel, an elderly man who sees something in Berty, the potential for greatness. Lionel stands by Berty; helping and pushing him outside his comfort zone, trying to eliminate or at least control his speech impediment. The title of King George VI is Bertyââ¬â¢s and with Lionelââ¬â¢s help, the two work to overcome the odds and live up to the standards that are king. The Kings Speech is deserving of all the awards it received because it is a great movie. The historical content is accurately portrayed through flawless acting, sensual music, and lessons that anyone can learn from and appreciate. The visual and emotional experience overwhelms viewers making this an enjoyable and award deserving movie. Blume 2 After watching The Kings Speech, one could say that it had an unexpected appeal to it; not something that you would normally like, but did for some reason. Its easily seen the time and energy that was put into the movie, as the scenes all flowed nicely, the music matched what was happening, and the emotions were felt beyond the screen. Even the camera work is well done and edited in a way which strengthens the overall finished product. ââ¬Å"This is art, not just cinema. He doesn't frame everyone in the middle or even just to one side or another, he uses the colors, the atmosphere, the sets, every detail on the walls and everything around them to bring the entire frame, and subsequently the entire film, to life with a stunning elegance. [Alex Billington] Tom Hooper, the director, was nominated for Best Director, and won rightfully so. He adequately transformed history into a present day master piece, while still accurately displaying past events truthfully and with great detail. Drama films tend to drag on, not keeping the attention of most for very long, this is not the case with The Kings Speech. The character Lionel, although not th e main character, kept the movie going at a good pace with his witty humour, always sarcastic tone, and comforting personality. Bertyââ¬â¢s character, on the other hand, rectified the same feelings only in a different manner. Berty is a negative character, while Lionel is more positive, and viewers can without doubt feel the struggle the future king has to go through. Anxiety, pressure, doubt, and giving up are all aspects which can be felt outside the screen. A good film is able to make the audience think and feel alongside the characters on the screen. The Kings Speech definitely does this through great acting, directing, and the obvious time and energy spent creating this masterpiece. Blume 3 The title that is King, is passed down from generation to generation, granted that its kept in the family. This is what happened in The Kings Speech, which is based off true events. Colin Firth plays the king, and all throughout the duration of the film we see him partaking in what seems to be a life or death struggle, with his stammer. He was born into a royal family, which didnââ¬â¢t help the situation at all, and thus is expected to fulfill his duty with speeches and public matters. ââ¬Å"The highest of distinctions, is service to others. [King George VI] One will notice that after it is official Berty is to become king, the characters struggle seems to take an immense downward spiral, until meeting his speech therapist and future friend; Lionel. The kings stammer seems to have rooted from past events, which haunt him to the present day. This could perhaps hold true, as Berty becomes disoriented and defensive when being pushed outside his comfort zone. Nevertheless, Li onel does just this, allowing Berty to do things he never thought possible. Berty and Lionel share a unique bond; that which is different yet more recognizable, from the other characters in The Kings Speech. They meet early on, when characters are still being introduced, thanks to Bertyââ¬â¢s wife; Elizabeth, who sought out help for her troubled husband. An unlicensed speech therapist, being Lionel, decides to take on the Kingââ¬â¢s problem after meeting with him. The two clash heads initially until things start to take a turn for the better. Berty has an impulse which tells him he cant do things, whilst Lionel is that voice that is pushing him and telling him that he can in fact overcome his mental block. ââ¬Å"-whoââ¬â¢s unconventional techniques helped the second in line Blume 4 o the British throne gain his ââ¬â¢voiceââ¬Ë. â⬠[Gloria Goodale] Berty seems to think that he is unable to beat his flaw, damaging his ego more every time he fails. Prior to Lionel, his therapists seemed to only target the direct problem without going deeper to find out why the problem exists in the first place. In order to dig deeper, Lionel pushes Berty outside of his comfort zone which he carefully built up over the years, allowing Lionel deeper entry into the problems core. It takes a strong mind to deal with mental and psychological issues, and an even stronger mind to overcome those burdens. Berty, or rightfully; King George VI, beat the odds and overcame his underdog status by allowing his problem to be explored and treated by the right person. The Kings Speech is not only a movie, its an enjoyable experience for the eyes, ears, and mind. Through stunning and artistic camera work, to superfluous directing, this film is more then worthy of the awards it received; including best picture, best director, best actor and best original screenplay. Emotions can be felt outside the screen and within the viewers as they witness the cinematic masterpiece that is The Kings Speech. The director, screenplay writer, editors, and actors all deserve the awards they received for their marvellous and exorbitant performances. After taking into account all that has been noted, one must make the decision themselves; but over all, it cannot be argued that the Kings Speech is a movie that will go down in history. Works Cited Blume 5 Billington, Alex. Toronto Review: Tom Hooper's Exceptional ââ¬ËThe King's Speech'. September 20. 2010. 20/09/2011 Brit Royals. Royal Family History. (King George VI) 20/09/2011 Goodale, Gloria. The Real Story Behind ââ¬ËThe Kings Speechââ¬â¢. The Christian Science Monitor. February 16. 2011 19/09/2011
Leadership qualities Essay
This paper talks about testing in specifically psychometric testing that is used by employers in screening employees in the selection process at organizations. After a brief introduction to what psychometric is all about, it analyzes critically this method of choosing employees with respect also the disadvantages and advantages of this type of testing. The paper then concludes itself with discussion of the growth of psychometric testing in relation to its success factors leading on to the final concluding paragraph. INTRODUCTION Psychometric testing is being used for decades now, changing its forms while absorbing technological improvements. It is used as an essential element in the screening of employees at the workplace to thereby increase work effectiveness in terms of selection of the right candidate for the right job. Not only in the selection process, but this type of testing is also used in other areas namely, promotion, training, advisory services in terms of Human Resource management, planning and development. Psychometric testing is used as a tool for deciding upon the winning qualities of employees to get a better understanding of which employee to further develop upon and how, and which to spend different training resources on etc. This type of testing basically uses questionnaires that are made by professional test makers who also undertake analysis of the results with the help of an organizational psychologist. The verdict/s reached thereby is then considered final and accurate to a great extent. Psychometric tests have been categorized into: Ability tests, Motivation tests, Attitude and perception, Projective techniques (TAT), Personality inventories, Organizational climate surveys, Employee satisfaction surveys etc. (TVRLS, 2006) Psychometrics is the field of study belonging to the zone of psychometric testing, and is used as an indicator of measurement of abilities, attitude, perception, skills, personality traits including team playing, leadership qualities etc. The two major components of this type of study are: Construction of the method or procedure in testing and improving upon the qualities of the test in terms of analysis and judgment (Golombok, n. d. ). There are many other fields of study that are pertinent directly or indirectly to this type of testing. Firstly, there is the classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT). There is also the Rasch model that aims at the requirements when measuring educational and work indicators in terms of physical sciences. Secondly, in relation to correlation and finding out variation in the results there are many techniques including factor analysis, multidimensional scaling, data clustering, structural equation modelling, and path analysis. These few methods aim at finding out what data easily fits into the population that is being tested through a sample and how. (Hogan, 2006) Screening techniques in firms and organizations could range from traditional manual shifting of applications to sophisticated usage of psychometrics. Recruiters immensely make use of online resources or help search for criteria important in measuring the candidatesââ¬â¢ qualification (Suff, 2005). Psychometric tests undertake the study of assessment in terms of psychological assessment of individual with respect to five criteria that each test possesses. These are: ââ¬â Validity: measures what the test is supposed or has been designed to measure ââ¬â Reliability: the results in the end are in line with the research that was taken and will not change if the test is undertaken again keeping certain factors constant ââ¬â Standardisation: the instruments used in the test, timing, instructions, test items, scoring techniques are all same for each candidate ââ¬â Objectivity: there is no deterring of results due to biases caused by subjective decisions or favouritism etc. There should hence be no variation in scores according to these criteria. ââ¬â Differentiation: tests that have been undertaken have been designed to account for differences and the results should show no effect of the candidateââ¬â¢s personal traits and facts like ethnicity, religion, gender etc. (unless the test aims to measure these as a factor). (Dent & Curd, 2004) CRITICAL ANALYSIS The question that arises now is about the significance of these tests in our lives revolving around the workplace and in specific the corporate world. Psychometric testing is useful, yes but how can it be used, as a measure of success in employee selection, is the most important pointer here. Psychometric tests are used in assisting with the selection process to help predict future employee performance and hence to help in planning out the desired outcomes against these predictions. These tests are economical and efficient, and facilitate the test givers in the attainment of information quickly while cutting down on the money cost also. They are not prone to subjectivity biases when they are objective and hence aid in increasing fairness in decision-making. Apart from finding out the right person for the right job, these tests help recognize development needs, increase motivation and correct stress factors for employees which have a negative impact on their productivity levels if not removed or minimized. (Dent & Curd, 2004) Psychometric tests have evolved from the need to examine ability and resulting output in work situations. The two types of psychometric tests when broadly put, these being: As a measure of ability, verbal or numerical reasoning and as a measure of personality traits and work situations, and what leads to the correct or the best fit. Analysing the usage of tests carries utmost importance when it comes specifically to the choice in terms of what test is to be used in a given situation. This requires deep analysis of the kind of job at hand and then testing candidates to determine the kind of traits needed for that job. On measuring job performance the formula that needs to be remembered is skills + attitude + process + knowledge = Success! However useful this argument holds for psychometric tests, their validity and usage, as a tool in selection of employees is considered controversial also. The difficulty here lies in the fact that people who are being testes sometimes do not give their true answers and get prone to achievement of success with the formula given above, except that the attitudes, skills etc might just be their ideal states in their minds and not something that exists within them in real. This ââ¬Å"lyingâ⬠on the tests and hiding true meaning of their traits makes accurate judgments difficult and hinders the attainment of absolute fairness in decision-making. And this is also when frequently, psychometric tests are said to be not useful and prone to inaccurate collection of data and information. Hence in many organizations, the usefulness of these tests remains limited and is only to the extent of informing about the decision and not actually making it. Therefore, no matter how glittery the success formula looks, the inefficiency prone to this testing can rid an organization of valuable employees (those who had most probably not lied on the test). (Farrington, 2007) The ethical use of psychometric tests is also another factor that requires discussion in terms of a critical analysis of this topic under dissertation. It is highly essential that the information used by these tests is relevant to the purpose do study, is accurate and does not probe too much into the personal lives of the candidates so as to stay away from intrusion of their privacy. The test should undertake the testerââ¬â¢s competence, procedures and techniques used, and the client welfare to make sure that these guidelines corresponding to each is followed. The test users must be adequately qualified and trained. Results should not be leaked out or sold to any third parties or even other candidates and should only be available to the test takers who will need it to analyse and conclude the tests. Feedback needs to be offered to the people who have taken the test or the candidates to counter any negative effects of the test that was left on them. These tests should not discriminate against gender, race or ethnicity and even disability and age. All test materials need to be secured completely to ward off any unauthorized access to the information provided by these tests. A few of the common tests that are present, measure ability, aptitude, personality, interpersonal skills and relationship awareness etc. (Dent & Curd, 2004) With respect to the five criteria mentioned earlier, a study showed that where selection, assessment and training are concerned, cognitive ability tests and work samples were found out to be most valid. Also, the results of this study showed that interviews were most practical. Results from tests involving knowledge assessment, personality tests involving motivation, satisfaction etc showed that these were most popular with prospective employers. (Mok et al, 2008) CASES FOR PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS Psychometric testing provides organizations and any test givers a very commanding way of guaranteeing the selection and employment of the best candidates through their thorough analysis in terms of ability and preferred behavioural styles. Psychometric testing allows the pre-hiring screening becomes more popular because validity is a criterion that is usually always met and hence this form of testing becomes more preferred. Usually, it also includes IQ testing also along with personality test to enable the organization to gain valuable insight into the issue at hand. Time is saved, as prospective employees are able to learn constructive things that without psychometrics would have been very hard or time consuming to learn. The HR Department hence becomes a powerful unit as it realized true matching of the employeeââ¬â¢s personality traits with the characteristics of the company. Financial benefits to the company have also been seen where psychometrics are involved in the process of hiring. Through the availability of technological advances like LAN and the Internet, companies are able to easily administer these tests also. Cost benefits are achieved as eventually companies in the best-case scenario able to learn which employees will stay with the company longer than the others. (Vaid, 2007) Some of the benefits provided by psychometric testing are: 1. Efficiency: psychometric testing improves efficiency in selection and decision-making when it comes to human resource recruitment. Most suitable candidates are hence chosen thereby making maximum use of time, cost and efficiency. 2. More informed recruitment decisions: objective information is provided by these tests to ensure the occurrence of an informed decision-making. 3. Aid to interviews: interviews do not provide all information necessary to conclude upon which candidates are best for that particular job. Hence these tests are highly useful to especially those recruiters who are not much proficient in testing or analyzing a candidate. 4. Tried and tested: these tests now have been offered by many agencies that are used for outsourcing these tests by companies. Also, companies themselves now use many different psychometric tests in the selection process today. 5. Business needs: these tests are in direct relation with the needs of human resource of organizations, and hence fit perfectly to the purpose of these organizations 6. Potential of an individual: an individualââ¬â¢s skills and attitudes along with perceptions are thoroughly weighed through these tests that are not provided by interviews as such. 7. For all levels of staff: these tests are even more helpful since they are appropriate enough to be used at all levels in the organization. 8. Easy to understand: these tests are easy to understand, as their language is unproblematic and simple. They also hence are not prone to discrimination against ethnicity, language or region when they follow the five effective criteria of testing as mentioned earlier in this paper. (Psychometric Testing, n. d. ) 9. Job profiling: this can be done even before the interview takes place, so that key skills and abilities for a particular position in the organization can be further made clear before interviewing the person about it. 10. Useful information: these tests help in providing useful and complete information as to how functional an employee will be in terms of performance in a particular position. (Oriel Training, n. d. ) 11. Professional: psychometric tests make the entire selection process look more formal and professional 12. Objectivity: it adds objectivity to the whole process. 13. Time saving: maximum amount of information is collected in minimum time. 14. Flexibility: due to the use of technology, tests are administered with more flexibility. 15. Self-awareness: when it comes to development of the employees, these tests can help point out the negative factors that should be erased and positive ones that need highlighting and promotion. 16. Cost-effectiveness: when used appropriately, they also provide cost advantages to the firm. (Vaid, 2007) CASE AGAINST PSYCHOMETRIC TESTING It is essential to make sure that the correct procedure in testing is followed including the process of selection, administration, feedback and analysis. Failure on the part of the test giver to do can result in ill communication and analysis often results leading to cynicism, anger, and dissatisfaction. Some of the disadvantages of psychometric testing are: Initial training can prove to be more expensive and costly, Provision of feedback is mostly deemed essential but can waste a lot of time, Uneasiness and resistance shown by the participants can hinder collection of true results. These tests need to be paired with some other form of assessment because complete reliance on them can prove to be not useful at all to the company. Lying or hiding of true information about oneself can result in portrayal of a false picture to the prospective employer, leading to making of false or inaccurate decisions on his/her part (Dent & Curd, 2004). It is very difficult for an untrained eye to find out which is the correct psychometric test to use and employ, due to the high availability of various types of tests in the market. This involved correct decision in terms of choosing the right test for that organization because if this is not done then the results will not be relevant to the organization and the issue at hand. There are many cases where people administering these tests are not qualified or have not been trained enough to correctly administer these tests, hence it is imperative that in order to get the maximum out of these tests, organizational psychology courses need to be offered for training of these test administrators. It should also be understood that these tests provide results that are not hundred percent valid and reliable, so as to not take the effect of many external factors can result in large negative consequences to the organization which is often the case. (Team Focus, 2004) SUCCESS FACTORS Many managers do not make good interviewer and this is where again psychometric testing comes in handy. Studies have shown that many managers and interviewers focus on their ââ¬Ëgut feelingââ¬â¢ when it comes to hiring employees. Also, another important factor that they use is the candidateââ¬â¢s ability through his skills attained at School/ College etc. This is information; one can easily read off and understand through the Curriculum Vitae of that candidate. The success factor of psychometric testing comes in our discussion when we say that the question about whether a candidate is behaviourally fit in an organization is something whose answer lies in the analysis undertaken through psychometric testing. In other words, how well an employee according to psychometrics will be able to match his personality traits with characteristics of the organization; and how this will impact his performance inside the organization henceforth. (Lievens & Peeters, 2008) One type of psychometric test here exactly important to this kind of testing is the McQuaig System test which helps in outlining a behavioural profile of an employee with respect to the open position that candidate is applying for. Another success factor very essential to organizational development, is the basic fact that this outline can then be used to erase out the subjectivity biases attached to ââ¬Ëgut feelingââ¬â¢ and help make out a prediction that is dependent on the technical ability of the candidateââ¬â¢s behavioural personality. There are various reasons for growth in the usage of psychometrics in the selection process. A few of these are: 1. Especially when they are hiring employees legal obligations and regulations are met through the use of psychometric tests as they are now being awarded a status that is obligatory to follow and be used by organizations. 2. Test results are now found to be more useful than before because they have been in use for years now. The varied political and cultural state of affairs that pertain to an organization has changed. Also, there has been a shift in the climate of these organizations, which have become more varied in terms of diversity in religions, cultures, ethnicity and so on. Tests hence when effectively designed and made help take these factors into account also. Equal employment opportunity is hence offered immensely well in most cases. 3. The costs of testing have decreased significantly because of the improved and increased use of Internet among many other technological advances. Computer based testing allows for flexibility, ease and quickness in adding up scores and summing up data probing organizations to indulge when more in such testing procedures 4. Human Resource policies are more formally and appropriately designed now to take into account a once much ignored resource- human resource. 5. Tests provide up-to-date information and when employing older employees, this becomes essential because then school qualification would prove to be outdated mostly. 6. Large organizations can use these tests to screen large number of applicants, who without the use of these tests and other computer based tests, would be almost humanly impossible to accomplish. (Psychometric success, n. d. ) CONCLUSION The use of tests, in particular those involving psychological analysis are here to stay as can be seen from their wide usage and growing popularity. It remains however the duty of the employers to ensure that they remain professional, ethical, valid and reliable. Training is an essential component o the success of the usage of these tests in an organization to better analyze and understand the results depicted by these tests. Employers while undertaking the administration of these tests need to take a few things in perspective. They should be clear about what they are measuring, what is the audience like, make sure that it is not indiscriminate towards any class etc., ensure proper training, provide adequate feedback, and also guarantee confidentiality of information, so that effectives can be reached along with success in usage of these tests. Effectiveness, all in all depends directly on giving importance to these factors just discussed so that any form of psychometric analysis is made productive. (Dent, & Curd, 2004) Bibliography Golombok, S. (n. d. ) Modern Psychometrics: The Science of Psychological Assessment. International Library of Psychology Hogan, T. (2006) Psychometric Testing: A practical introduction. Wiley. Dent, F. and Curd, J.(2004) Psychometric tests: an overview of an increasingly complex world [Internet] Available from: http://www. ashridge. org. uk/Website/IC. nsf/wFARATT/Psychometric%20Tests:%20An%20Overview%20of%20an%20Increasingly%20Complex%20World/$File/PsychometricTest. pdf [Accessed 19 December, 2008] Farrington, J. (2007) Psychometric Tests and Professional Salespeople- unhappy bedfellows [Internet] Available from: http://www. greatmanagement. org/articles/57/1/-Psychometric-Tests-And-Professional-Salespeopleââ¬âUnhappy-Bedfellows/Page1. html [Accessed 19 December, 2008] Lievens, F.and Peeters, H. (2008) Impact of elaboration on responding to situational judgment test items [Online Library] Available from International Journal of Selection and Assessment. Dec2008, Vol. 16 Issue 4, p345-355 Mok, C. ; Wong, A. ; Lam, W. ; Baum, L. ; Ho, K. ; and Wong, L. (2008) A case-controlled study of cognitive progression in Chinese lacunar stroke patients [Online Library] Available from Clinical Neurology & Neurosurgery. Jul2008, Vol. 110 Issue 7, p649-656 Oriel Training (n. d. ) Key benefits of psychometric testing [Internet] Available from: http://www. orieltrain. com/KeyBenefitsofPsychometricTesting. htm [Accessed 19 December, 2008] Psychometric success (n. d. ) The growth of psychometric testing [Internet] available from: http://www. psychometric-success. com/psychometric-tests/psychometric-tests-advantages. htm [Accessed 19 December, 2008] Psychometric Testing (n. d. ) Exciting features [Internet] Available from: http://www. excitingfutures. com/psychometrictesting. htm [Accessed 19 December, 2008] Suff, R. (2005) First-line Filter [Online Library] Available from IRS Employment Review from: IRS Employment Review; 12/16/2005 Issue 837, p44-48 Team Focus (2004) Disadvantages of psychometric testing [Internet] Available from: http://www. teamfocus. co. uk/disadvantages_of_psychometric_testing. htm [Accessed 19 December, 2008] TVRLS (2006) Psychometric testing and climate surveys [Internet] Available from: http://www. tvrls. com/psychometric_testing_and_climate_surveys. html [Accessed 19 December, 2008] Vaid, R. (2007) Advantages of Psychometric testing [Internet] Available from HRD Test Products from: http://smarthiring. com/articles/articles/6/1/Advantages-of-Psychometric-Testing/Page1. html [Accessed 19 December, 2008]
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