Law case to Joan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Law case to Joan - Essay Example Proximity has evolved from the straightforward test that was applied in Donoghue v Stevenson6 and seems to be applied after the duty of care has been determined. In Spring v Guardian Assurance Plc7 the House of Lords seemed to emphasise the importance of the ‘fair, just and reasonable’ factor when making a decision on the imposition of liability. In this case the judge held that that an employer who provided a reference in respect of an employee to a prospective future employer owed a duty of care to the employee in respect of the preparation of the reference and was liable in damages for economic loss suffered as a result of the negligent preparation of the reference. In Donoghue and Stevenson8 the complainant went to a cafà © with a friend who bought her a tumbler with ice cream. The shopkeeper poured a quantity of ginger beer from a bottle over the ice cream. The complainant drank from the tumbler and when her friend topped up the drink from the bottle the remains of a decomposed snail floated out of the bottle. As a result of this the complainant became ill. As there was no contractual relationship between the complainant and the shopkeeper the House of Lords were asked to consider whether the manufacturer if the ginger beer owed a duty of care to the ultimate customer. This led to the formation of the neighbour test9 the general principle of which was that ‘you must not injure your neighbour’.

A Midsummer Nights Dream Essay Example for Free

A Midsummer Nights Dream Essay William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the worlds preeminent dramatist. His surviving works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several shorter poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. William Shakespeares influence extends from theatre and literature to present-day movies and the English language itself. Shakespeare transformed European theatre by expanding expectations about what could be accomplished  through characterization, plot, language and genre. Shakespeares writings have also impacted a large number of notable novelists and poets over the years, including Herman Melville and Charles Dickens, and continue to influence new authors even today. Shakespeare is the most quoted writer in the history of the English-speaking world after the various writers of the Bible, and many of his quotations and neologisms have passed into everyday usage in English and other languages. Shakespeare made many contributions to English Literature and one of the ones that affect us every day is his contribution to the English language. Shakespeare is called the greatest author in the English language not only because his works are in English, but also for his profound and lasting impact on the language itself. Of the 25,000 words in the canon, roughly 3,000 were coined by Shakespeare himself. The article Words Shakespeare Invented by Amanda Mabillard contains a list of a few words Shakespeare coined. 2 Shakespeares writings greatly influenced the entire English language. Prior to and during Shakespeares time, the grammar and rules of English were not standardized. But once Shakespeares plays became popular in the late seventeenth  and eighteenth century, they helped contribute to the standardization of the English language, with many Shakespearean words and phrases becoming embedded in the English language. Among Shakespeares greatest contributions to the English language must be the introduction of new vocabulary and phrases which have enriched the language making it more colourful and expressive. Some estimates at the number of words coined by Shakespeare number in the several thousands. One word Shakespeare is known to have coined is the word â€Å"accused†. He took the Greek prefix acou-, acous-, acouso-, or acoust-, meaning denotes hearing,  which was already being used in Late Middle English, and combined it with the past tense ending -ed to refer to those who are on trial are those who need a hearing to determine their guilt or innocence. Shakespeare first coined the word accused in the play Richard II, Act I, Scene I, when, speaking of those who are being formally charged of treason, King Richard II says: Then call them to our presence; face to face, And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear The accuser and the accused freely speak. (I. i. 16-18) The word unreal was also coined by Shakespeare. He took the Latin  prefix un-meaning not or deprived of and combined it with the Latin 3 word realis being used in Late Middle English as a word in legal terminology meaning relating to things, especially real property. The word unreal first appears in Macbeth in Act III, Scene IV when Macbeth exclaims of the ghost of Banquo, Hence, horrible shadow! Unreal mockery, hence! 1. 1. Influen on Theatre Shakespeares works have been a major influence on subsequent theatre. Not only did Shakespeare create some of the most admired plays in Western literature. For example Macbeth, Hamlet and King Lear had being ranked among the  worlds greatest plays. He also transformed English theatre by expanding expectations about what could be accomplished through plot and language. Specifically, in plays like Hamlet, Shakespeare integrated characterization with plot, such that if the main character was different in any way, the plot would be totally changed. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare mixed tragedy and comedy together to create a new romantic tragedy genre. Through his soliloquies, Shakespeare showed how plays could explore a characters inner motivations and conflict. 1. 2. Influence on Europe and America Literature  Shakespeare is cited as an influence on a large number of writers in the following centuries, including major novelists such as Herman Melville, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy and William Faulkner. Examples of this influence include the large number of Shakespearean quotations throughout Dickens writings and the fact that at least 25 of Dickens titles are drawn from Shakespeare, while Melville frequently used Shakespearean devices, including formal stage directions and extended soliloquies, in Moby-Dick. In fact, Shakespeare so influenced Melville that 4 the novels main antagonist, Captain Ahab, is a classic Shakespearean tragic figure,  a great man brought down by his faults. Shakespeare has also influenced a number of English poets, especially Romantic poets such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge who were obsessed with self-consciousness, a modern theme Shakespeare anticipated in plays such as Hamlet. Shakespeares writings were so influential to English poetry of the 1800s that critic George Steiner has called all English poetic dramas from Coleridge to Tennyson feeble variations on Shakespearean themes. 1. 3. Influence on the English Language Shakespeares writings greatly influenced the entire English language. Prior to  and during Shakespeares time, the grammar and rules of English were not standardized. But once Shakespeares plays became popular in the late seventeenth and eighteenth century, they helped contribute to the standardization of the English language, with many Shakespearean words and phrases becoming embedded in the English language, particularly through projects such as Samuel Johnsons A Dictionary of the English Language which quoted Shakespeare more than any other writer. He expanded the scope of English literature by introducing new words and phrases experimenting with blank verse, and also introducing new poetic and  grammatical structures. 5 2. Categories of William Shakespeare’s Plays Shakespearean’s plays can be divided into three categories. The three categories are comedy, tragedy and historical plays. 2. 1. Characteristics of William Shakespeare’s Comedy and Tragedy When studying Shakespearean comedy, there are several traits that are common to all of The Bards comedic works. It is important to note that the term comedy didnt quite have the same meaning to Elizabethan audiences as it does today. While there is certainly quite a bit of humour to be found in Shakespeares  comedies, comedy generally referred to a light-hearted play with a happy ending, as opposed to his more dramatic tragedies and history plays. 2. 2. Shakespeares Comedies The comedies of William Shakespeare are Alls Well That Ends Well, As You Like It, The Comedy of Errors, Cymbeline, Loves Labour Lost, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Pericles Prince of Tyre, Taming of the Shrew, The Tempest, Troilus and Cressida, Twelfth Night, Two Gentlemen of Verona, A Winters Tale and Measure for Measure. Some of these works are truly funny from beginning to end, while others,  like The Merchant of Venice, have a very serious tone or strong dramatic moments. In all of these works, there are few common elements can be found in Shakespearean’s Comedy. 2. 2. 1. Young lovers struggling to overcome obstacles 6 There will be a struggle for young lovers to overcome difficulty in William Shakespeare’s Comedy. These obstacles are typically brought out by the elders in the play, often parents or guardians of the lovers. Various circumstances cause the lovers to be kept apart, either literally or figuratively, and thus they must find their way back together in the end.  For example in the Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hermia and Lysander must also overcome a major obstacle if they want to be together because Hermias dad wants her to marry someone else. 2. 2. 2. A Greater Emphasis on Situations than Characters William Shakespeare gave greater emphasis to a situation than a character. This numbs the audiences connection to the characters, so that when characters experience misfortune, the audience still finds it laughable. For example in the play of Midsummer Night’s Dream, both Demetrius and Lysander suddenly leave off being in love with Hermia and fall in love with Helena, and they do not know why,  even though the viewer does know. 2. 2. 3. Deception of Characters Deception of characters is one of the common characteristics for William Shakespeare’s Comedy, especially mistaken identity. Whether it takes the form of mixed-up twins or a clever disguise, mistaken identity was one of Shakespeares favourite and most-used plot devices. Gender mix-ups were also quite popular. Shakespeare quite often had characters masquerading as the opposite sex, leading to many misunderstandings and comical situations. During Shakespeares lifetime, men frequently played all the roles in a play, which added another dimension to the  comedy. For example in the Twelfth Night, Duke Orsino and Lady Olivia have 7 mistaken identity on Viola as a man, because Viola has disguised herself as a man in order to work for Duke Orsino. 2. 2. 4. Separation and re-unification Separation of family or lovers is also one of the famous characteristic can be found in William Shakespeare’s Comedies. For instance, in the Twelfth Night, Viola and her identical twin brother, Sebastian have separated for a period because they met a storm and faced shipwreck. Finally they meet each other again at the end of the play. 2. 2. 5. Clever Plot Twists Shakespearean comedy always involves multiple plot lines, cleverly intertwined to keep the audience guessing. These unexpected twists are always straightened out in a happy ending. Interesting climax often with an unexpected twist has made Shakespeare’s Comedy unique. For example, in the Twelfth Night, when Sir Toby and Sir Andrew attacked Sebastian which they thought Sebastian was Cesario, Lady Olivia came in to stop the fight and she asks Sebestian to marry her. While she also thought Sebastian was Cesario. 2. 2. 6. Clever dialogue and witty banter: Shakespeare is a huge fan of punning and snappy wordplay; so naturally, his  characters know how to get their witty repartee on. Shakespeare reserves some of the best dialogue for his warring lovers, especially Oberon and Titania in the Midsummer Night’s Dream, and even the rude mechanicals manage to wow us with their clever banter. 8 2. 2. 7. Happy Ending All the Shakespearean Comedies have happy ending. For example, at the end of the Twelfth Night, Viola and Orsino, Lady Olivia and Sebastian and Maria and Sir Toby, they finally found their love ones. 2. 3. Shakespearean’s Tragedies Shakespeare’s tragedies are typically the easiest to identify because they  contain a heroic figure, often a nobleman, who has a serious fatal flaw. Their weakness thus becomes their down fall and is often the cause of their or others demise. Also included as elements of tragedy is a serious theme, and in the end the death of someone important. Listed below are some of the most common elements in Shakespearean tragedies. 2. 3. 1. The Fatal Flaw All of the heroes in Shakespeares tragedies have a weakness in personality that eventually leads to their downfall. For example, in the Romeo and Juliet, because of Romeo kindness, his friend, Mercutio fought with Tybalt and died. 2. 3.  2. Fall of the Nobleman Many of the men in Shakespeares tragedies have extreme wealth and power, making their downfall more tragic. For example, in the Romeo and Juliet, Romeo and Juliet came from high class family, but their parents were enemies and caused Romeo and Juliet died at the end. 9 2. 3. 3. External pressure Shakespeares tragic heroes often fall victim to external pressure from others, such as evil spirits and manipulative characters who play a role in their downfall. 2. 3. 4. Hero The hero has opportunities for redemption but never takes advantage of these in time, which leads to death.

Slapshots And Turns :: essays research papers

Slap shots and Turns   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A downhill skier gracefully completes another turn while an ice hockey player checks an opponent into the glass. The skier sails off a jump like an eagle, just as the hockey player absorbs the blows of opposing players like a tank. The skier lands the jump with precision, as the hockey player stumbles towards the opposing goal. The skier gracefully passes the finish line and stops just as the hockey player shoots the puck. As the skier notices the time of his run, he cries tears of joy because he has just won the gold medal. The hockey player hears the horn sound as his puck sails into the goal. He spits blood out of his mouth as his teammates tackle him because they have just won the Stanley Cup. Both of these athletes have won the highest prize in each of their sports. Both will be hailed by children as gods in the sporting world. However, because these two men are in different sports they will never meet each other. Both will go home and celebrate their accompl ishments in different ways. The public will celebrate along with these two athletes, unaware that they both accomplished the same feat. The public believes these two athletes participated in totally different sports. The public believes that one played the graceful sport of downhill skiing, while the other played the brutal sport of ice hockey. At a superficial level it may appear that these two sports are different, however digging deeper proves that the sports of ice hockey and downhill skiing are quite similar in their technique. Ice hockey and downhill skiing are similar in that both utilize the same method to perpetuate motion. An ice hockey player wears a skate that posses a sharp blade at its base. This blade is believed to merely cut through the ice when movement occurs. This belief is false. In actuality the pressure applied to the blade via the weight of the hockey player causes the blade to melt a small of amount of ice underneath it. Then the blade proceeds to hydroplane over the small film of water melted by the skate. Immediately after the skate has passed over the small film of water it freezes again into ice. This is the reason the ice needs to be smoothed after a match, because it did not freeze into a flat, level surface.

Succubus Revealed Chapter 2

It took me a moment to really comprehend that in thirty seconds, the conversation had gone from a deeply seriously mystery about my love life to bowling for demonic bragging rights. And yet, this wasn't a particularly unusual pattern in my world. â€Å"And by ‘we,' † added Jerome, â€Å"I mean you four.† He nodded toward Peter, Cody, Hugh, and me. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said. â€Å"Let me make sure I'm following this. You've signed us up for some sort of bowling league. One that you aren't even going to participate in. And this is somehow going to prove your employees' ‘evilness' to the world.† â€Å"Don't be silly. I can't participate. Bowling teams only have four people.† He didn't comment on the proving evilness part. â€Å"Well, hey, I'll totally yield my spot to you,† I said. â€Å"I'm not that great a bowler.† â€Å"You'd better become one.† Jerome's voice grew cold. â€Å"All of you had, if you know what's good for you. Nanette will be impossible to live with at the next company meeting if you lot lose.† â€Å"Gee, Jerome. I love bowling,† said Carter. â€Å"How come you never mentioned this to me before?† Jerome and Carter held gazes for several heavy seconds. â€Å"Because, unless you're ready to take a fall for the team, you can't really compete with us.† A funny smile fell over Carter's face. His gray eyes glinted. â€Å"I see.† â€Å"I don't really like your use of ‘us,' seeing as you've already written off any participation on your part,† I pointed out to Jerome, imitating his earlier snide tone. Peter sighed, looking rather woebegone. â€Å"Where on earth am I going to find tasteful bowling shoes?† â€Å"What's our team name going to be?† asked Cody. That immediately degenerated into a conversation of truly terrible suggestions, such as Soulless in Seattle and Split Decision. After almost an hour, I couldn't handle any more. â€Å"I think I'm going to go home,† I said, standing up. I had kind of wanted dessert but was afraid I'd be drafted for beach volleyball and cricket if I stayed much longer. â€Å"I brought the wine. You guys don't really need me anymore.† â€Å"When you get home, tell my wayward offspring that I need him to coach you guys,† said Jerome. â€Å"By ‘home,' I actually meant Seth's,† I said. â€Å"But if I see Roman, I'll let him know you've found a good use for his formidable cosmic powers.† Roman – Jerome's half-human son and my roommate – actually was a pretty good bowler, but I didn't want to encourage Jerome. â€Å"Wait!† Peter sprang up after me. â€Å"You have to draw for Secret Santas first.† â€Å"Oh, come on – â€Å" â€Å"No complaining,† he argued. He hurried to the kitchen and returned with a ceramic cookie jar shaped like a snowman. He thrust it toward me. â€Å"Draw. Whatever name you get is who you're buying for, so don't try to get out of it.† I drew a piece of paper and opened it up. Georgina. â€Å"I can't – â€Å" Peter held up a hand to silence me. â€Å"You drew the name. That's who you've got. No arguments.† His stern look stopped me from any more protests. â€Å"Well,† I pointed out pragmatically, â€Å"at least I have a few ideas.† To his credit, Peter sent me home with some chocolate fondue sauce and a Tupperware bowl filled with fruit and marshmallows. Hugh and Cody were running forward with the bowling team plan, trying to come up with a practice schedule. Jerome and Carter said little and instead kept watching each other in a speculative, knowing way that was typical of them. It was hard to read much on their faces, but for once, Jerome gave off the vibe of having the upper hand. I left Capitol Hill for Seattle's University District and Seth's condo. All the windows were dark when I pulled up, and I couldn't help a smile. It was almost eleven. Seth must have called it an early night, something I'd been urging him to do for a while. Thinking of that, my smile faded as quickly as it had come. A few months ago, Seth's sister-in-law, Andrea, had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The disease had been pretty far advanced when caught, and although she'd almost immediately gone into treatment, the outcome still wasn't promising. Worse, the treatments had taken a huge physical toll on her, one that was testing the family's strength. Seth was frequently helping them out, especially when his brother Terry was working, since it was harder for Andrea to care for their five daughters now. Seth had been sacrificing both sleep and his writing career to look after them. I knew it was necessary. I loved Seth's family and had helped them out as well. But I still hated seeing Seth run himself down and knew that it hurt him to put his work on hold. He claimed his writing was the least of his problems right now and had time before deadlines were an issue, particularly since his next two books were queued for printing next year. I couldn't argue against that, but the sleep issue? Yeah, I was on him a lot about that and glad to see my words had gotten through tonight. I used my key to let myself in and slipped through the condo as silently as possible. I practically lived here lately and had no trouble finding my way around furniture in the darkness. When I reached his bedroom, I could just barely make out his form wrapped up in covers, softly outlined in the light of his alarm clock. I quietly took off my coat and then shape-shifted into a cotton babydoll nightgown. It was sexy but not blatantly so. I planned on sleeping with him tonight, for real. I slid into bed and pressed myself up against his back, lightly tossing an arm over him. He stirred slightly, and I couldn't resist pressing a kiss against his bare shoulder. The scent of cinnamon and musk washed over me as he snuggled closer. Despite sternly chastising myself that he needed to sleep, I lightly ran my fingers along his arm and sneaked in another kiss. â€Å"Mmm,† he murmured, rolling over toward me. â€Å"That feels nice.† A few things hit me at once. First, Seth didn't wear any sort of cologne or aftershave that smelled like cinnamon. Second, Seth's voice didn't sound like that. Third, and perhaps most important, Seth wasn't in bed with me. I didn't mean to scream as loudly as I did. It just kind of happened. I was out of the bed in a flash, groping for the light switch on the wall while the intruder attempted to get up. He ended up getting tangled in the covers and falling off the bed with a loud thump, just as I found the light. I promptly reached for a weapon, but seeing as this was Seth's bedroom, my options were limited. The heaviest, most dangerous object I could readily grab ahold of was Seth's dictionary, a leather-bound monstrosity that he kept on hand because he â€Å"didn't trust the Internet.† I stood poised and ready to literally throw the book at the intruder as he scrambled to his feet. As he did and I got a good look at him, I noticed something crazy. He looked . . . familiar. Not only that, but he kind of looked like Seth. â€Å"Who are you?† I demanded. â€Å"Who are you?† he exclaimed. He seemed more confused than anything else. I don't think he found the threat of a five foot four woman with a dictionary all that frightening. Before I could answer, a hand touched my arm. I yelped and threw the dictionary out of instinct. The guy dodged, letting the book crash harmlessly against the wall. I spun around to see who'd touched me and found myself looking into the eyes of a white-haired woman with gold cat-eye glasses. She was wearing flowered pajama bottoms and a pink sweatshirt with a crossword puzzle on it. She was also wielding a baseball bat, which was pretty astonishing – not just because it was more dangerous than a dictionary but also because I hadn't known Seth owned one. â€Å"What are you doing here?† she asked fiercely. She glanced over at the shirtless, dumbfounded guy. â€Å"Are you okay?† For half a second, I actually toyed with the idea that I had somehow let myself into someone else's condo. Like, maybe I was just one door over. This scene was so ridiculous that a mix-up seemed far more likely. It was only the obvious evidence – like my key and Seth's University of Chicago teddy bear watching this spectacle – that drove home the fact that I was indeed where I was supposed to be. Suddenly, the sound of the front door opening and closing rang through the condo. â€Å"Hello?† came a blessedly familiar voice. â€Å"Seth!† exclaimed all three of us in unison. Moments later, Seth appeared in the doorway. As usual, he looked adorable. His reddish brown hair was typically unkempt, and he was wearing a Dirty Dancing T-shirt that I'd never seen before. Despite my panic and confusion over this current situation, the concerned part of me still noted the little signs of fatigue on Seth's face, the dark circles and lines of weariness. He was thirty-six and usually looked younger than his age. Not today. â€Å"Seth,† said the bat-wielding woman. â€Å"This lady broke into your house.† He looked at each of us in turn before resting his gaze on her. â€Å"Mom,† he said quietly, â€Å"that's my girlfriend. Please don't bludgeon her.† â€Å"Since when do you have a girlfriend?† asked the guy. â€Å"Since when do you have a baseball bat?† I asked, recovering my composure. Seth cut me a wry look before gently trying to remove the bat from the woman's hands. She didn't let go. â€Å"Georgina, this is my mom, Margaret Mortensen. And that's my brother Ian. Guys, this is Georgina.† â€Å"Hi,† I said, feeling surprise of a different sort. I'd heard a lot about Seth's mother and younger brother but hadn't expected to meet them anytime soon. Seth's mother didn't like to fly, and Ian was . . . well, from the stories Seth and Terry told, Ian was just hard to track down in general. He was the wayward Mortensen brother. Margaret relinquished the bat and put on a polite but wary smile. â€Å"It's very nice to meet you.† â€Å"Ditto,† said Ian. I now understood why he looked familiar. Aside from the fact I'd probably seen a picture of him somewhere, he also shared some of Seth's and Terry's features. He was tall like Seth, but with Terry's thinner face. Ian's hair was all brown, with no coppery hint, but it had that same messy look that Seth's did. Except, on closer examination, I had the feeling Ian's had been purposely styled that way with the help of much time and product. Seth suddenly did a double take between Ian and me. He didn't even have to say anything for me to guess the question on his mind. Or questions, perhaps. My nightgown and Ian's shirtlessness undoubtedly raised a number of them. Ian's defense came swift and certain. â€Å"She got into bed with me.† â€Å"I thought he was you,† I said. Seth's mother made a strange noise in her throat. â€Å"You were supposed to be on the couch,† said Seth accusingly. Ian shrugged. â€Å"It's uncomfortable. And you weren't home yet, so I figured there was no harm done. How was I supposed to know some woman was going to come manhandle me in my sleep?† â€Å"I didn't manhandle you!† I cried. Seth rubbed his eyes, again reminding me how exhausted he was. â€Å"Look, what's done is done. Why don't we all just go to bed – where we're supposed to – and then get to know each other in the morning, okay?† Margaret eyed me. â€Å"She's going to sleep in here? With you?† â€Å"Yes, Mom,† he said patiently. â€Å"With me. Because I'm a grown man. And this is my home. And because in thirty-six years, this isn't the first woman to stay over with me.† His mother looked aghast, and I groped for a more comfortable topic. â€Å"Your shirt's great.† Now that she wasn't threatening to strike me, I could see that the crossword spelled out her five granddaughters' names. â€Å"I love the girls.† â€Å"Thank you,† she said. â€Å"Each one of them is a blessing, born within the holy confines of wedlock.† Before I could even fumble a response to that, Ian groaned. â€Å"Lord, Mom. Is that from that Web site I told you not to order from? You know their stuff's made in China. I know this woman who could have made you one out of sustainable organic fabric.† â€Å"Hemp is a drug, not a fabric,† she told him. â€Å"Good night, you guys,† said Seth, pointing his brother to the door. â€Å"We'll talk in the morning.† Margaret and Ian murmured their good nights, and she paused to kiss Seth on the cheek – which I actually thought was pretty cute. When they were gone and the door was closed, Seth sat on his bed and buried his face in his hands. â€Å"So,† I said, coming to sit beside him. â€Å"Exactly how many women have stayed over in thirty-six years?† He looked up. â€Å"None who were caught by my mother in so little clothing.† I plucked at the skirt of the nightgown. â€Å"This? This is tame.† â€Å"I'm sorry about that,† he added, waving vaguely toward the door. â€Å"I should've called and warned you. They just drove into town tonight – unannounced, of course. Ian can't be expected to do what people expect. It would ruin his reputation. They showed up at Terry's, but there's no room for them there, so I sent them on ahead since they were so tired. I had no idea it would result in you trying to sleep with my brother.† â€Å"Seth!† â€Å"Kidding, kidding.† He picked up my hand and kissed the top of it. â€Å"How are you? How was your day?† â€Å"Well, I tried my best to keep Santa from getting drunk and then found out Jerome signed us up for a Hellish bowling league.† â€Å"I see,† said Seth. â€Å"So. The usual.† â€Å"Pretty much. What about you?† The small smile that had been tugging at his lips fell. â€Å"Aside from unexpected family? The usual too. Terry was out late with work stuff, so I was there all night with the girls while Andrea rested. Kendall has to build a papier-mache solar system, so that was fun for everyone.† He held up his hands and wiggled fingers coated in white powder. â€Å"And let me guess. No writing?† He shrugged. â€Å"It's not important.† â€Å"You should've called me. I could've watched them while you wrote.† â€Å"You were working and then . . . what, it was fondue night, right?† He stood up and stripped off his shirt and jeans, getting down to green flannel boxers. â€Å"How did you know that?† I asked. â€Å"I barely knew that.† â€Å"I was on Peter's e-mail list.† â€Å"Well, regardless, it doesn't matter. And that mall job is nothing. I could have been over here in a flash.† He stepped into his bathroom and returned a few moments later with a toothbrush in his mouth. â€Å"That job is nuffing. Haf any of your interfeews panned out?† â€Å"No,† I said, not adding that I hadn't gone on any other interviews. Everything paled compared to Emerald City. The conversation was put on pause while he finished brushing his teeth. â€Å"You should be doing something better,† he said, once he was done. â€Å"I'm fine where I'm at. I don't mind it. But you . . . you can't keep going on like this. You're not getting enough sleep or working.† â€Å"Don't worry about it,† he said. He turned off the light and crawled into bed. In the dimness, I saw him pat the spot beside him. â€Å"Come over here. It's just me, I promise.† I smiled and curled up beside him. â€Å"Ian didn't smell right, you know. I mean, he smelled good, but not like you.† â€Å"I'm sure he spends gratuitous amounts of money to smell good,† muttered Seth through a yawn. â€Å"What's he do for a living?† â€Å"Hard to say. He's always got new jobs. Or no job. Whatever money he's got goes toward carefully maintaining his hard-fought, effortless lifestyle. Have you seen his coat?† â€Å"No. The only clothing of his I've seen is his boxers.† â€Å"Ah. Well, it must be in the living room. It looks like it came from a thrift store but probably cost four figures.† He sighed. â€Å"Although, I shouldn't be too hard on him. I mean, yeah, he'll probably hit me up for money while he's here, but I can't knock him and Mom coming out to help. At the very least, they can help watch the kids now.† I wrapped my arms around Seth and breathed in his scent. It was the right one, and it was intoxicating. â€Å"And you can catch up on some writing.† â€Å"Maybe,† he said. â€Å"We'll see how it goes. I just hope I'm not babysitting Mom and Ian more than the girls.† â€Å"How bad of an impression did I make on her?† I asked. â€Å"Not that bad. I mean, no worse than any woman – scantily clad or otherwise – would've made who was spending the night with me.† He kissed my forehead. â€Å"She's not so bad. Don't be fooled by her conservative Midwest grandma act. I think you guys will get along.† I wanted to ask if Maddie had met Margaret and, if so, how they'd gotten along. I bit my tongue on the question. It didn't matter. It was in the past, and Seth and I were the present. Sometimes, especially staying here as much as I did, I felt a little weird remembering that Maddie had lived with him too. There were still little touches here and there that bore the mark of her influence. For example, Margaret was most likely staying in Seth's office, which had a futon, courtesy of Maddie's ingenuity. She'd been the one to suggest he get it to help make the office double as a guestroom. Maddie had gone; the futon had stayed. I tried not to think about those things very often, though. In the big picture, they didn't matter. Seth and I had come through too much for me to get hung up on something like that. We'd overcome the problems in our relationship. I'd accepted his mortality and his decision to risk his life by being physical with me. True, I still rationed our sex life, but the fact that I allowed it at all was a big concession for me. Meanwhile, he accepted the terrible truth that I was often out sleeping with other men in order to sustain my existence. They were difficult things for us both, but they were worth it for us to be together. Everything we'd gone through was worth it. â€Å"I love you,† I told him. He placed a soft kiss on my lips and pulled me closer. â€Å"I love you too.† Then, in an echo of my thoughts, he added, â€Å"You make it all worthwhile. All this stuff I'm dealing with†¦. I can do it because you're in my life, Thetis.† Thetis. That was his longtime nickname for me, coming from the shape-shifting goddess in Greek mythology who'd been won by a steadfast mortal. He called me that all the time – and Letha, only once. I thought again about that night. The troubled feelings it stirred never seemed to go away, but I once again tried to force them aside. It was another of those little things that I was trying not to let bug me. It was nothing compared to the greatness of our love, and like my friends had said, Seth had probably overheard the name. I fell into a contented sleep, only to be awakened abruptly around dawn. My eyes flew open, and I sat upright. Seth shifted and rolled over but wasn't awakened by my sudden movement. I stared around the room, my heart racing. I'd been jolted out of sleep by an immortal presence, one I didn't know. It had felt demonic. There was nothing here now, visible or invisible, but I knew for a fact some servant of Hell had just been in the room. This wasn't the first time I'd had unwelcome visitors in my sleep, often ones with nefarious intentions. Of course, I'd felt this demon just now, and demons – being higher immortals, not a lesser human-turned-immortal like me – could mask their immortal signature. If he or she had wanted to sneak around or hurt me unannounced, it could have done so. Whoever this was hadn't cared about discovery. I slipped out of bed and continued studying the room, looking for some sign or reason for the demon's passage. I was certain there would be one. There. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a flash of red – in my purse. There was a business envelope sitting on top of it. I hurried over and scooped up the envelope. It was warm to my touch, but as I quietly opened it, I began to feel cold. That feeling intensified as I pulled out a letter printed on official Hell stationery. No good could come of this. Sunset had filtered more than enough light into the room to read by. The letter was addressed to Letha (alias: Georgina Kincaid), from Hell's HR: This is the thirty-day notice for your trans fer. Your new assignment will begin on January 15. Please make travel arrangements to leave Seattle and report to your new location in a timely manner.

Case Analysis for North American Warehouse Clubs Essay

The competitive environment has changed drastically since the BSG case was originally written. The United States (US) continues to decline in the market as opposed to several years ago, but due to certain qualities it continues to remain very competitive in the market. One factor which gives the US a competitive edge is innovation. US companies are highly sophisticated and innovative. For the purposes of this analysis, the focus will be on innovation. Modern technology with information systems and applications with state of the art information and communication technologies are leading factors in the success of businesses today. Many newer businesses use e-technologies as a tool that not only improves efficiency, but gives them the competitive edge against those companies which are still running operations with outdated technology. Companies who have been around for decades are forced to implement new systems depending on their business needs. Changing technology is an initiative that is generally high cost, taking time to implement. There are numerous options available today that if the implementation of a new system is not strategically planned it could ultimately place a business in a financial deficit forcing businesses to reduce operations and sometimes shut down. It is important for businesses to invest in research and development (R&D) when deciding to develop new processes to maintain a competitive edge. Looking at the case, it is apparent that Costco was the leader in modern technology compared to the other two competitors. Costco began to grow its business with two websites in 2004 in the US and in Canada. Costco’s e-commerce sales more than tripled over several years, reaching sales of over $1.2B in 2007. BJ’s began upgrading technology in 2007 which was fully implemented in 2009. Although net sales increased from $8,792M to $9,802M during the implementation years, net sales have seized to take an impressive incline with the new system. Net sales only increased $152M from 2009 to 2010. The case did not report on any innovations related to technology for Sam’s Club. Some of the problems Sam’s Club faces compared to the other competitors can be directed at the location of warehouses, their competition with Wal-Mart and their low scale target market. One way to improve would be to focus on their target market by offering upscale merchandise which will target upscale clientele. Sam’s Club could purchase BJ’s which already sells high quality brand merchandise. Merging with this competitor would tighten the market share even more. Focusing on members through this type of merchandising strategy will increase profitability. Another way to improve would be to reduce the amounts of international imports and focus on using American made products. Reducing import/export costs overall will increase revenue growth and financial performance. References World Economic Forum. 2012. The Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013. Geneva: World Economic Forum. Available at www3.weforum.org/†¦/WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2012-13 Wall Street Journal. Sam’s Club CEO Launches Charge on Rivals, Updated October 31, 2012, 1:44 p.m. ET http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203335504578089131653808580.html By SHELLY BANJO version of this article appeared October 31, 2012, on page B7 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Sam’s Club CEO Launches Charge on Rivals. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-43940823/sams-clubs-risky-move-into-sma

Catalysis Definition in Chemistry

Catalysis Definition in Chemistry Catalysis is defined as increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by introducing a catalyst. A catalyst, in turn, is a substance that is not consumed by the chemical reaction, but acts to lower its activation energy. In other words, a catalyst is both a reactant and product of a chemical reaction. Typically, only a very small quantity of catalyst is required in order to catalyze a reaction. The SI unit for catalysis is the katal. This is a derived unit which is moles per second. When enzymes catalyze a reaction, the preferred unit is the enzyme unit. The effectiveness of a catalyst may be expressed using the turnover number (TON) or turnover frequency (TOF), which is TON per unit time. Catalysis is a vital process in the chemical industry. It is estimated that 90% of commercially-produced chemicals are synthesized via catalytic process. Sometimes the term catalysis is used to refer to a reaction in which a substance is consumed (e.g., base-catalyzed ester hydrolysis). According to the IUPAC, this is an incorrect usage of the term. In this situation, the substance added to the reaction should be called an activator rather than a catalyst. Key Takeaways: What Is Catalysis? Catalysis is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a catalyst to it.The catalyst is both a reactant and product in the reaction, so it is not consumed.Catalysis works by lowing the activation energy of the reaction, making it more thermodynamically favorable.Catalysis is important! About 90% of commercial chemicals are prepared using catalysts. How Catalysis Works A catalyst offers a different transition state for a chemical reaction, with a lower activation energy. Collisions between reactant molecules are more likely to achieve the energy required to form products than without the presence of the catalyst. In some cases, one effect of catalysis is to lower the temperature at which a reaction will process. Catalysis does not change chemical equilibrium because it affects both the forward and reverse rate of reaction. It does not change the equilibrium constant. Similarly, the theoretical yield of a reaction is not affected. Examples of Catalysts A wide variety of chemicals may be used as catalysts. For chemical reactions that involve water, such as hydrolysis and dehydration, the proton acids are commonly used. Solids used as catalysts include zeolites, alumina, graphitic carbon, and nanoparticles. Transition metals (e.g., nickel) are most often used to catalyze redox reactions. Organic synthesis reactions may be catalyzed using noble metals or late transition metals, such as platinum, gold, palladium, iridium, ruthenium, or rhodium. Types of Catalysts The two main categories of catalysts are heterogeneous catalysts and homogeneous catalysts. Enzymes or biocatalysts may be viewed as a separate group or as belonging to one of the two main groups. Heterogeneous catalysts are those which exist in a different phase from the reaction being catalyzed. For example, solid catalysts the catalyze a reaction in a mixture of liquids and/or gases are heterogeneous catalysts. Surface area is critical to the functioning of this type of catalyst. Homogeneous catalysts exist in the same phase as the reactants in the chemical reaction. Organometallic catalysts are one type of homogeneous catalyst. Enzymes are protein-based catalysts. They are one type of biocatalyst. Soluble enzymes are homogeneous catalysts, while membrane-bound enzymes are heterogeneous catalysts. Biocatalysis is used for commercial synthesis of acrylamide and high-fructose corn syrup. Related Terms Precatalysts are substances that convert to become catalysts during a chemical reaction. There may be an induction period while the precatalysts are activated to become catalysts. Co-catalysts and promoters are names given to chemical species that aid catalytic activity. When these substances are used, the process is termed cooperative catalysis. Sources IUPAC (1997). Compendium of Chemical Terminology (2nd ed.) (the Gold Book). doi:10.1351/goldbook.C00876Knà ¶zinger, Helmut and Kochloefl, Karl (2002). Heterogeneous Catalysis and Solid Catalysts in Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. doi:10.1002/14356007.a05_313Laidler, K.J. and Meiser, J.H. (1982). Physical Chemistry. Benjamin/Cummings. ISBN 0-618-12341-5.Masel, Richard I. (2001). Chemical Kinetics and Catalysis. Wiley-Interscience, New York. ISBN 0-471-24197-0.Matthiesen J, Wendt S, Hansen JØ, Madsen GK, Lira E, Galliker P, Vestergaard EK, Schaub R, Laegsgaard E, Hammer B, Besenbacher F (2009). Observation of All the Intermediate Steps of a Chemical Reaction on an Oxide Surface by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy.. ACS Nano. 3 (3): 517–26.  doi:10.1021/nn8008245

Communication Studies Essays

Communication Studies Essays Communication Studies Essay Communication Studies Essay This web log is for pupils of the Community College of St Vincent A ; the Grenadines who are to be entered for CAPE Communication Studies scrutiny in May 2008. The web log contains information about the class course of study. disposal and assignments every bit good as the class content. Wednesday. March 05. 2008 The expositive presentation for CAPE Communication Studies Internal Assessmblies The presentation has two distinct parts * A FACTUAL presentation on an facet of your portfolio subject * A presentation about your research including an rating of two beginnings of information used to fix your factual presentation. It will hold all the following 6 elements present 1. An debut ( statement of subject ) In the debut you will give a brief account of topic/ subject and a prevue ( with a thesis statement ) of what you are traveling to cover. For illustration. My subject is Returning Migrants to St Vincent. Returning migrators or returnees are a group within the population of St Vincent who have spent a important clip off from the island and have so returned to for good settle once more. Returning migrators frequently are retired from their old business which they pursued in a more developed state such as the United States. Canada or Great Britain or they have been working in another Caribbean province. Harmonizing to statistics from the Customs Department given to me by Mrs B Chalres in an interview 4361 people claimed the grant for returning occupants in 2005. Returning migrators experience 5 stages of adjuststment when returning which can be termed as culture shock . Subject ; Returning Migrants to St Vincent. a group within the population of St Vincent a important clip off from the island returned to for good settle retired from their old business ( the United States. Canada or Great Britain ) OR working in another Caribbean province. Customss Department ( Mrs B Charles ) 4361 people claimed the grant for returning occupants in 2005 . Returning migrators experience 5 stages of adjustmentwhen returning which can be termed as culture shock . 2. A principle In the principle you need to explicate why you picked the subject and it can organize portion of the debut. In the principle you should advert any personal involvements. current academic links and future calling programs which influenced your determination to take the subject For illustration I chose the subject returning migrators to St Vincent and specifically to concentrate on civilization daze because I am a married woman of a returning migrator. I have a BSc honours in Sociology and the construct of civilization daze is portion of socio-cultural surveies carried out by Kavelo Oberg 1958. In the hereafter I will be subjecting my Masters thesis on this specific issue. 3. Discussion of issues The treatment of issues is the factual presentation about the subject and its narrowed focal point based on the thesis statement. It should hold a distinguishable organizational form and you should take for one of the expositive constructions such as cause and consequence. procedure analysis. analysis by division. categorization etc ( See Writing in English ) It should besides be referenced and include any research findings. You will besides necessitate to give a decision to your factual presentation as a kind of sub decision don’t delay until the terminal Here is an illustration of a possible lineation for my illustration presentation ( non all of it ) . It uses the organizational form of procedure analysis Remember you can non read from a book! Culture daze 5 stages Honeymoon. rejection/ arrested development. conformist. assimilation. rearward civilization daze Honeymoon Centre for Overseas Travel the tourer phase Questionnaire ( 300 returning migrators ) 78 % non experience tourist 82 % elated Rejection Oberg – defeat etc Questionnaire 50 % wanted to return after 3 months. Reasons. hapless service. backward attitude. nil to make. tiring Interview Dr Sheridan Mental wellness presentations tend to be in 1st 4 months of return. 4. Challenges of research You need to discourse what difficulties you faced in fixing your factual presentation. If you did non hold any troubles so merely explicate why. For illustration ( in note signifier ) Questionnaires – clip devouring. placing sample. Other beginnings – no cardinal informations on returnees. newspaper articles utile Academic research non on St Vincent 5. Evaluation of two beginnings For this facet of the presentation you need to discourse your research. The two beginnings need non needfully be given as a mention in the presentation but they should be relevant. You should seek to choose two different types of informations beginning e. g. a newpaper article and an interview. You may desire to really briefly summarize all your beginnings before measuring two for dependability and cogency. Please see other parts of the web log for information on reliablity and cogency. For illustration ( in note signifier ) Secondary beginnings: academic text books and diaries. local and international newspapers and magazines. web sites: international public administrations e. g. Peace Corps general sites e. g. Wikipedia Primary beginnings interviews of experts in St Vincent questionnaire of returning migrators. Questionnaire of returning migrators Reliable: primary informations beginning. research method suited to roll uping informations for societal research Valid: Problem with sample size as entire population of RMs unknown Problem with generalization as differences between UK. US and other RMs more research needed. Overall dependable and moderately valid The Experience of Return Migration: A Caribbean Perspective. Joan Phillips and Reliable Denis Conway. Ashgate Press. London 2005 Author expert Phd Social Anthrop. Specialised Caribbean author – Canada Publisher: reputable. specialst academic chief involvement Social research Valid Recently published Problem no mention to St Vincent Overall general but really dependable and valid beginning 6. Decision The decision should be somewhat different to the internal drumhead decision in your treatment of issues. At this phase you can show a personal position or set forward a possible solution. For illustration ( in note signifier ) Returning migrators YES civilization daze 3 ways Honeymoon Rejection Conformist NO assimilation Solutions Programme – promote overseas. maintain in touch. Information – authorities FINALLLY See my other station about the reseach utilizing the cyberspace for thought. Make certain that you are cognizant of the demands for acceptable notes during the test and be familiar with the Markss scheme – it is non merely content that is marked but besides presentation accomplishments.

Hind and Behind

Hind and Behind Hind and Behind Hind and Behind By Mark Nichol This post discusses the words in which the element hind, pertaining to location or movement in or to the rear, appears. The adjective hind means â€Å"back† or â€Å"rear.† Hindbrain refers to the rear part of the brain. Hindquarters denotes the rear part of a four-legged animal, though the term is sometimes used informally in place of â€Å"buttocks,† and a hind shank is a cut of meat from the upper part of an animal’s hind leg. (Heinie, and its alternate spelling, hiney, are slang terms for the buttocks.) To hinder is to hold or keep back, and something that does so is a hindrance. (Hinder is also a comparative of the adjective hind, meaning â€Å"more behind.†) Hindmost is a synonym for last, seldom used but widely known from the expression â€Å"The devil take the hindmost.† Hindsight means â€Å"perception of an event after it occurs† and is usually seen in the phrase â€Å"in hindsight† or in the expression â€Å"Hindsight is twenty-twenty,† which means that one’s vision is clear (at 20/20 acuity) in retrospect because it is easier to analyze and judge an event after the fact than before it occurs. Hinterland, taken directly from German, means â€Å"back country,† connoting an area far inland or remote from urban areas. Behind stems from the Old English adverb and preposition behindan, meaning â€Å"after† or â€Å"at the back of†; the first syllable means â€Å"by,† and hindan means â€Å"from behind.† The compound behindhand, serving as an adjective and an adverb, means â€Å"in a backward state† (of development or thinking) or â€Å"in the rear†- or, perhaps formed on the model of beforehand, â€Å"unable to pay.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Wether, Weather, WhetherProbable vs. PossibleIf I Was vs. If I Were

Construction safety Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Construction safety - Research Paper Example ons of the predominating safety approaches, this paper has looked into the major methodologies that have been actualized to enhance word related safety in the construction industry. Assessing the noteworthy methodologies regarding strategies and adequacy, it was discovered that all the methodologies, exchange the trouble of obligation on the foremen. While the part of foremen in guaranteeing the safety of laborers are evident, scientists are of the sentiment that perfect time to consider construction safety is a mid configuration stage. Considering the delayed association from the period of beginning, modelers and designers can assume vital part in recognizing and relieving potential risks to the construction specialists. The new approach of avoiding mischances and episodes through configuration has been proposed in this paper as the future course of safety change in the construction business. Construction work sites are mind boggling or rather complex because of successive work procedures, levels of technology utilized, association in the middle of specialists and supplies, and the changing degrees of safety mindfulness and preparing of the laborers. The erratic and complex nature of the construction assignments has made safety a worry wherever construction exercises occur. The quantity of word related fatalities and injuries in the construction business is exceedingly high. Separated from the societal expense of word related mishaps, the monetary impact can have a sizeable effect on business execution. In 2002, the aggregate expense of fatalities and non-deadly wounds, whether the expense were direct or indirect, was 13 billion dollars. These measurements highlights the essentials of wellbeing and safety in the construction business. Enhancing safety in construction remains a need in just about every nation around the globe, on the grounds that the construction business emerges among all different businesses as the primary giver to extreme and lethal mishaps.

Other Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Other - Article Example A proper grounding on child development in this case will be of help in making the educators understand how to touch the hearts of these little children. Male role models upon the lives of children are essential since they act the roles of models (Hendricks, Joanne &Patricia 24). This information is important in helping me develop proper strategies of shaping great morals and talents upon young children and encourage those seeking to be part of this field. As they say, it is easier to bend a tree while it is in its early stages†¦so are children. The four levels of the pyramid module as presented are designed to address the diverse needs of children. They include; the act of building and nurturing a responsive relation between children and other people, the implementation of high-quality supportive environments, the use of social and emotional supports in as teaching strategies and lastly planning intense individualized interventions with a motive of promoting and intensifying support to children. When designing and maintaining learning centers a number of factors need consideration. Placement calls for a clear set boundary to let children concentrate on their play and learning without interruption. It is important to consider the numbers by making sure that there are adequate centers to accommodate all the children without congestion. In addition to this, there should be enough materials enabling children carry out their plans in social play. Art material, dramatic play props and toys should be availed in these centers. Lastly, images that include books reflecting the diversity of the community also play a significant role in a learning centre. While striving to support peer interaction, it will be of importance for me to consider making enough centers that would allow children the opportunity of interacting with others socially. Selecting a wide range of materials and activities relevant to the different needs of children will be of importance too. According

Cassandra Database Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Cassandra Database - Research Paper Example As of this writing, the paper will discuss the general information about Cassandra database. Consequently, the paper will further discuss the database based on its data storage, query format, and its query processing Cassandra Database is a wide spread open source NoSQL database. The database is best used to manage large quantity of data across many centers of data and cloud. Cassandra database is characterized as a continuous availability, operational simplicity, and linear scalability across various servers without a single failure. Additionally, the database has a powerful data model mandated to offer a maximum flexibility and a rapid response period. Based on its operation, Cassandra database has an outstanding plan and architecture, meaning that all the nodes are similar. Increasingly, the database offers automatic distribution of data across the nodes participating in a database cluster. The database saves the administrators and developers the coding process in distrusting the data across the cluster since the data are partitioned in a transparent manner across the nodes. Consequently, the database provides a customized replication that stores redundant data across nodes participating the Cassandra ring. Meaning, assuming a node goes down, single, or multiple copies of the data will still be available on other cluster’s machines. Replication undergoes configuration to operate across zones of a single data center, multiple data centers, and many cloud zones. The database can be used in supplying linear scalability, meaning that a capacity can added easily through the addition of new nodes. For instance, two nodes can accommodate 100000 operations in a second, four nodes can accommodate 200000 operations in a second, and eight nodes can handle 400000 operations in a second. The latest version of the database is Cassandra 2.1. The new version has new features such as user-defined types, collection indexes, and improved metrics through metrics-core

Introduction and research questions sections Assignment

Introduction and research questions sections - Assignment Example There is a salient need for restaurants to find strategies of presenting such cultural dishes, making them more appealing and acceptable. It is not an easy task for many restaurants who intend to offer traditional delicacies as they were cooked in the previous era (Axtell 15). Most of the cultures do not just consider certain foods as taboos without evidential basis, but rather based on cultural and religious beliefs. In the 21st century, hotels are striving to ensure that customers can learn to enjoy some foods regarded as taboos and enjoy their nutritional values. However, if such foods are served with the traditional labels, identifying them as taboos, customers are less likely to be interested. Restaurants are compelled to engage in rigorous research if they are to identify some of the factors contributing to viewing some foods as taboos. The value of research in any business cannot be underestimated. In the dining industry, the most critical aspect is being able to discern the customer’s preferences. When hoteliers understand the customer preferences, they can improve their services hence ensure customer loyalty. In the specific case of taboo dishes, restaurant owners should consider the presentation of the dish, its name, health benefits, and the effect of peer pressure while determining whether to eat a taboo food. Many of the taboo food present desirable nutritional values. Such foods contain elements that are needed by the body and that can serve to improve an individual’s health immensely. Therefore, it is critical for restaurants to engage in rigorous research to identify the steps that can be taken to make taboo foods acceptable (20). In order to identify the factors that determine the consumption of taboo dishes, it is critical to define research questions that will address different aspects of consumer behavior. The criticality or research questions cannot be overemphasized because they present the

Climate Change and Green Buildings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Climate Change and Green Buildings - Essay Example Global warming is not merely an environmental issue but has several far-reaching economic repercussions as well. Accordingly, a new revolution in the real-estate market is observed, where efforts are on to build a low-carbon society, which has now become highly popular among the public and a top international priority. Although, cynicism regarding the viability of such a project i.e. economic benefits of green buildings, exist there are equally enthusiastic reports by researchers regarding its positive influences on reducing the carbon footprint. In recent years, amid growing concern that the impact of climate change is becoming more severe, there are indications that we are moving towards solutions to the problem. For example, when it comes to global warming issues, it is said that anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, are more than double the amount absorbable by nature, such as by forests and oceans. In order to prevent any further increase in gree nhouse gases in the atmosphere, it will be necessary to cut these emissions by at least 50%. Regarding the issue of biodiversity as a serious environmental problem along with climate change, at the 9th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity held in May 2008, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity(TEEB) study was announced. The TEEB study showed not only serious economic losses brought on by the progressive loss of biodiversity and ecological destruction, but also by the impact of deforestation in poor countries causing various natural disasters, such as floods. These are examples of the various repercussions of global warming whereby human actions have triggered a series of natural disasters leading to a vicious cycle of worsening poverty, food crisis, and shortage of pure drinking water in several developing countries where the actions of people in developed countries cause a negative impact on the water, food, and fish in developing countries. An other aspect of the study involved the use of market mechanisms as an advanced approach to biodiversity conservation (TEEB, 2008). Also, at the 10th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity held in Nagoya, Japan in November 2010, the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity’s Final Report was published. It was reported that various species are rapidly becoming extinct the speed of extinction of species is climbing as a result of the effect of climate change on ecosystems, and if appropriate measures are not taken, global losses in annual Natural Capital may rise to as much as 4.5 trillion dollars (TEEB, 2010). According to the EDMC Handbook of Energy & Economic Statistics in Japan 2009, the total amount of CO2 Emissions doubled globally from 1971 to 2007, with an increase of 98% across the world. This study focused on developed and developing countries (BRICs) that regularly emit substantial amounts of CO2, and also tracked these emissions on an annual basis. Increased industrialization, spurred by more construction, manufacturing, transportation, and travel, is reflected in the raised CO2 emissions from all the countries in the study. The developed countries (BRICs), however, showed an even higher increase, as a result of foreign companies expanding their

Introduction and research questions sections Assignment

Introduction and research questions sections - Assignment Example There is a salient need for restaurants to find strategies of presenting such cultural dishes, making them more appealing and acceptable. It is not an easy task for many restaurants who intend to offer traditional delicacies as they were cooked in the previous era (Axtell 15). Most of the cultures do not just consider certain foods as taboos without evidential basis, but rather based on cultural and religious beliefs. In the 21st century, hotels are striving to ensure that customers can learn to enjoy some foods regarded as taboos and enjoy their nutritional values. However, if such foods are served with the traditional labels, identifying them as taboos, customers are less likely to be interested. Restaurants are compelled to engage in rigorous research if they are to identify some of the factors contributing to viewing some foods as taboos. The value of research in any business cannot be underestimated. In the dining industry, the most critical aspect is being able to discern the customer’s preferences. When hoteliers understand the customer preferences, they can improve their services hence ensure customer loyalty. In the specific case of taboo dishes, restaurant owners should consider the presentation of the dish, its name, health benefits, and the effect of peer pressure while determining whether to eat a taboo food. Many of the taboo food present desirable nutritional values. Such foods contain elements that are needed by the body and that can serve to improve an individual’s health immensely. Therefore, it is critical for restaurants to engage in rigorous research to identify the steps that can be taken to make taboo foods acceptable (20). In order to identify the factors that determine the consumption of taboo dishes, it is critical to define research questions that will address different aspects of consumer behavior. The criticality or research questions cannot be overemphasized because they present the

Is Boxing just a sport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Is Boxing just a sport - Essay Example The paper shows that boxing does not just involve getting into shape and knowing the tools of the sweet science. An element that is equally vital of the fight match is posing a mental determination of succeeding. Boxing is unique from other sports, as a participant has to stand alone in the ring. Even well-known trainers like Angelo Dundee and Eddie Futch would get out of the ring during rounds. In spite of the ability of a boxer, there comes a time when he has to fight fatigue. One has to hurt or be injured, yet forced to go on. Boxing is different from other sports where a participant can look to the referee to call timeout. Instead, a boxer has to fight until the bell rings. He has the option to resign. They fight in spite of the hardship faced in the ring. Having a strong mind is important in these hardships, as the mind is a strong tool that some have not learned to control. This paper makes a conclusion that boxing is a sport that involves a lot more than what sport may require. This is from both the participants and the fans. Both the participants have to observe the rules and the requirements of the sport so as to enjoy it. Boxing also takes more than the physical participation. The mind of a boxer is also involved in so many ways. Boxing as a sport also involves a lot of risks. Every time risks happen, there is a call to abolish boxing or at least reform the institution. However, due to the money involved and the on going interest of the fans, boxing still has many participants who are willing to take the risks.

Human Resources Management In Small and Medium Enterprises Essay Example for Free

Human Resources Management In Small and Medium Enterprises Essay Introduction Competitive advantage to a firm accrues from the judicious employment of three basic types of resources, namely Physical Capital Resources, such as Finances, Plant and Equipment Organizational Capital Resources – Structure and systems in the organization Human Capital Resources, which include the skills, competencies, experience and intelligence of employees.[1] Human resources are among the most important resources that an organisation utilises and hence its importance to any organisation can be easily understood. Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are no exception to this rule, although this aspect is frequently lost sight of. This paper examines the role and importance of Human Resources in SMEs, and compares SMEs from two different cultural backgrounds – Taiwan and the UK. Role of Human Resources in SMEs The study of human resources management in SMEs needs to be strongly encouraged. CEO/founders in SMEs view human resource management decisions as very important to the growth of their enterprises[2]   A study into the perception of important HR issues in small organizations showed that top six issues were wage rates, availability of quality workers, government regulation, training, benefits, and job security[3] The role of Human Resources in SMEs is to contribute meaningfully to organisational objectives in a flexible and demanding environment. Lack of strategic employee management is widely accepted as characteristic of small enterprises. Decision-making has been perceived to be of relatively short-term nature compared to larger organisations, making small enterprises more flexible and less conflict-prone. At the same time, this also means that the advantages of long-term planning such as greater efficiency and effectiveness are lost. On the human resources front, this means that such organisations tend to have reduced capability to attract, retain and motivate the best human resources. This becomes important in view of the fact that out of thousands of small businesses that are established every year, only a few manage to survive in the long-term. While long-term planning and HR strategy are not the only reasons for this, they are among the important reasons. Hence an examination of the HR function as a strategic part of business, and its relevance to long-term planning, is in order. In addition, the role of recruitment and selection, training, and performance management, are also relevant to any discussion on the role of human resources. Planning and Human Resources Management Strategic planning for the organisation needs to be linked to individual goals. In turn, this means that the job design should take into account the long-term objectives of the organisation. â€Å"A framework for strategic management incorporating HRM involves developing a mission statement that answers questions of what businesses the organisation is in; determining goals that are general and long term; and establishing objectives that are short term and measurable. It should also encompass a complete SWOT analysis that incorporates HRM as a functional unit of analysis.†[4] One of the essential requirements of Human Resources Planning is proper job design. Human resources planning involves the matching of the knowledge and skills that are likely to be required in future with those that it has or will have. Human Resources Planning will help the organisation to estimate critical resource requirements, plan training and development needs, and link individual goals to organizational objectives. Job design involves specifying the characteristics of the job and the requirements such as skills for performing these jobs. Job design will thus provide the framework for a host of HR planning activities that can be linked to organizational objectives.[5] Recruitment and Selection Once the plans of the organization are clear the next important issue that any organisation needs to address is to get the right staff to implement the plans. â€Å"Surveys indicate that about 25 per cent of small businesses view the lack of qualified workers as a threat to their expansion and very survival.†[6] The problem assumes particular importance in the case of small enterprises because they almost always have a problem in attracting and retaining the best talent. This is partly due to the fact that they are unable to compete with larger firms for quality staff, because it is impossible for them to match the rewards and prestige that come along with positions in larger firms. Additionally, smaller firms have a reputation for being oriented towards a ‘hire and fire’ culture. Training Once the plans are clear, and the recruitment of the right people has been completed, it becomes necessary to motivate the staff, as well as to enable them to perform their tasks efficiently. This requires periodic training of the employees. Training is important in the case of small enterprises because they are more prone to changing environments and higher attrition rates. This makes it necessary for people to be more flexible, and to be trained in all aspects of the business. While the need for training of staff is thus greater in the case of a small enterprise, it is also accompanied by greater constraints that make it more difficult for these organisations to implement training programmes. Small organisations face two constraints in t his respect: Their budget for training may be more limited, and they may lack the necessary resources to carry out such training It is more difficult for small enterprises to spare their people for training programmes. In spite of the above limitations, however, small enterprises need to concentrate more on training, as it is an investment that needs to be done. â€Å"It has been suggested that top performing companies are distinguished by their higher spending on training and development.†[7] Performance Management Performance Management â€Å"includes work and job design, reward structures, the selection of people for work, the training of these employees, assessment of work performance and policies associated with rewarding and improving performance.†[8] Performance Appraisals are an important part of Performance Management and are useful in improving performance, assist HR planning, and identify development needs and potential for promotion. Small businesses, in general, lack a formal performance appraisal system. The disadvantages of not using structured and formal appraisal systems are that appraisals, and the consequent rewards, are often subjective, and may promote greater dissatisfaction. Consequently, appraisal systems and Performance Management play an important role in determining the alignment of HR planning with organisational goals, and ensuring that a proper climate is available for the achievement of the objectives. â€Å"In developing formal performance appraisal systems, small businesses not only are able to ensure that performance management may become strategically aligned with organisational goals, but also increase accountability, decrease under-utilisation of human resources, address concerns of productivity, and decrease employees’ concerns about fairness and accuracy.†[9] In addition, the salaries and rewards that are offered as part of the employment and the management of diversity within the workforce are important considerations for any organisation. These have a greater significance in the case of small organisations. As can be seen from the above, the role of Human Resources management in small organisations is an important one that needs to be well understood and implemented with care. One interesting extension to the role of HR management in small to medium industries is the use of Balanced Score Cards, which are normally viewed as the exclusive tool of large industries. The Balanced Score Cards approach shifts the focus to long-term growth, and includes measures of operational efficiency, customer satisfaction and employee related measures. The Balanced Score Card method thus includes a part of HR Management to assess the overall performance of the organisation. In a case study that included three SME organisations, Gumbus and Lussier present some interesting conclusions that have significance for the HR function in SME companies. The cases also serve to highlight the importance of HR in SME companies and the link between performance and HR. One of the three companies cited in the case is Futura Industries, an international company based in Clearfield, UT with 230 employees. It has over 50 years of experience in aluminium extrusion, finishing, fabrication, machining and design. The company believes that the two competitive weapons that put them ahead of competition are â€Å"their ability to hire and retain the best people and their devotion to the customer.† Futura’s President, Susan Johnson’s belief that committed and loyal employees make the difference has led the company into using the Balanced Score Card method. In the words of Ms. Johnson, the company â€Å"had all the financial metrics, lots of customer measures, and got ISO accredited three years ago †¦ but it is our employees that differentiate us from all other extrusion companies.[10] A Comparison of SMEs in the UK and Taiwan A study by Lin found that successful SMEs in Taiwan place greater emphasis on soft skills and attitudes rather than on hard skills. He infers that SMEs in Taiwan seemed to have a better grasp of its human resources.   â€Å"Whenever SMEs modernize equipment, alter production processes, revise compensation policies, and engage in other reorganisation activities, they take pains to handle employees responses and feelings with special care and invest heavily in skills development.â€Å"[11] According to Hu, the Human resource scenario in Taiwan is characterised by abundance of entrepreneurs and availability of high quality professionals. Hu traces this to the importance laid on education by Chinese, and the large-scale injection of high quality human resource into the island in the aftermath of the retreat into, and subsequent withdrawal from, Taiwan of the KMT government. In addition, the Taiwanese population has inherited from its ancestors the qualities of â€Å"hard working, brotherhood, strong family ties, competition, and similar attributes that form the basis for strong family businesses.†[12] According to McKenna Beech, the following values characterise the Asian HR scene[13]: Politeness and courtesy Emphasis on personal relationship Not losing face Harmony- avoidance of open conflict Predominance of group interests over individual interests Discipline and respect for authority and for elders Normative, rather than externally imposed control Trust and mutual help in business relationships Centralisation and authoritarianism As against the above, the HR scenario in Europe is characterised by the following features[14]: Pluralism as against unitarism Collectivism and social orientation instead of individualism, with the emphasis being on national, rather than individual, interests Legal framework: firing is more difficult Social Partnership: Employment security, protection of workers’ rights, and representation of workforce through trade unions. Social Responsibility: Concern for environment and other social obligations Tolerance for diversity Recognition of complexity and ambiguity. The characteristics enumerated under Asian values represent the Taiwanese scene, and the scenario in Europe is representative of the UK. From the above, it can be seen that the SMEs in Taiwan are formed with reliance on individual assistance, based on respect for authority, with trust and mutual relationships as the supporting factor. In the UK, and other European countries, it is the legal framework that gives the necessary assurance and support to the business rather than trust. In Taiwan authority is enforced, and followed, because it is natural to the culture. In the UK, the legal aspects are augmented by collective bargaining with a recognized trade union to achieve this purpose. Taiwanese take great care to handle employees’ feelings appropriately whenever major decisions need to be taken. This is replaced by collective bargaining and more formal communication in the UK. SMEs predominate in Taiwan, whereas larger firms represent the more prevalent form of business in the UK. SMEs constituted 99.43 percent of Taiwans total manufacturing firms in 1954, the highest level ever recorded; 95.26 percent in 1976, the lowest; and 98.07 percent in 1996. Among them, the smallest firms, employing fewer than 10 persons, accounted for 90 percent of all firms in the manufacturing sector in the 1950s.[15] On the other hand, SMEs generate roughly one quarter of the GDP of the UK. The generation of employment by SMEs varies from sector to sector, the highest being in the construction sector with 84% of the employment being generated by this sector. The SME sector, which was declining up to 1970, picked up momentum thereafter, and showed a rising trend till 1994. Since 1994, the number has remained constant.[16] As can be seen from these figures, the SME sector is less dominant in the UK than in Taiwan. Why Human Resources are important in firms The resource-based view of organisations explains variations in firm performance by variations in firms human resources and capabilities[17] Firms can gain competitive advantage by generating specific knowledge and skills that are difficult to imitate. This can be achieved through human capital development. The importance of Human Resource Development in small firms is thus self-evident – they help the firms to succeed by being competitive. In a study of more than 100 small enterprises in two towns from Germany, Rauch et al found that â€Å"human resources are essentially important and an optimal utilization of skills and knowledge increases small business growth.† [18] In order to harness this important resource and ensure it gives the best returns, an organisation needs to select its employees with care. It is expected that as firms grow, the skills and abilities required to perform various functions and activities no longer would be available from the familiar and informal recruitment sources preferred by the owner-manager[19] Apart from recruitment, other functions such as Training and Development, Performance Appraisal, and formal procedures and documentation help the organisation in improving efficiency. According to Kotey and Slade, â€Å"Benefits of formal HRM practices include meeting legal requirements, maintaining records in support of decisions in the event of litigation, treating employees fairly, and increasing efficiency.† [20] A study by Kotey and Slade involving more than 1300 small firms in Australia showed that as firms grow they tend to introduce formal HR practices and procedures. In the words of the authors, â€Å"While the analyses show that a significant percentage of SMEs implement formal HRM practices with growth, HRM remains informal in the majority of firms, particularly in small firms. It could be that implementation of formal HR structures and procedures necessary to support growth differentiates successful from unsuccessful SMEs.†[21] In a small organisation, people need to be more flexible and undertake a greater variety of jobs. This needs both motivation and skills. In turn, many employees may get better exposure and greater opportunities to learn and shoulder higher responsibilities in a small firm. All of these underline the importance of Human Resources Management in organisations, particularly small firms. The HRM model is â€Å"composed of policies that promote mutual goals, influence, respect, rewards and responsibility between employees in the organisation.†[22] These policies are promoted by practices such as team working, aligning performance objectives with organisational goals, and a flat organisation structure, all of which can be achieved only through a proper Human Resources Management in the organisation. Survey Research findings have confirmed the theoretical position with the conclusion that good HR systems is a source of competitive advantage. One study has shown that higher performance in a number of areas is correlated to good HR systems and practices. Companies that had significantly higher ratings on their HR practices also reported better market value, higher accounting profits, higher growth rates, better sales per employee, and lower employee turnover. Another study has found that newly started companies had a better survival rate if they had good HR practices. The probability of survival was found to vary by as much as 42% between the firms with the best HR practices and rewards, and those with the worst. Yet another study found that performance of the organisation was strongly linked with practices such as acquisition and development of skilled people, better job design, better autonomy, and positive employee attitude. All these studies clearly show that good HR could positively impact organisational performance practices, highlighting the importance of Human Resources in an organisation. Apart from improving performance good HR practices result in lower costs, while poor practices increase the costs to the organization. One of the contributing factors for this is the cost of employee turnover. â€Å"Interviewing and training recruits has significant out-of-pocket costs for the employer.† Replacing an employee involves expenses for Separation, Replacement, and Training. [23] Employee turnover costs can be divided into three major elements: Separation costs: These are the costs that are directly incurred when an employee leaves the firm, and include such costs as exit interviews, administrative and paperwork costs, disbursement of separation benefits, and revenues lost due to shortage of staff. Replacement Costs: These represent the cost of replacing the employee who has left and include the costs of advertising, sourcing, interviewing and selection. Training Costs: These are the costs that the company incurs for training and induction of a new employee. Apart from the actual expenditure on these activities, the costs of loss of efficiency in the initial stages, and the time lost during the training period should also be considered. Thus employee turnover could represent a fairly high cost to the organisation. Employee turnover can be classified into avoidable and unavoidable turnover. Most of the avoidable turnover results from lack of proper HR initiatives.[24] How Good/Bad employees affect the firm â€Å"A good employee is possibly the most valuable asset a small firm or SME can possess; a bad one could ruin the enterprise.†[25] Any firm, and more importantly a small firm, can ill afford to have people who do not perform. Robert Townsend, a noted Management expert was once asked the secret behind his ability to take over loss making firms, and changing them into profitable ones. The reply that he gave will be of interest to anyone asking how good or bad employees make or mar the firm. Mr. Townsend identified three factors that contributed to his success: Releasing the potential of employees so that they could perform at much higher levels by the practice of appropriate management styles Identifying people within the organisation who were blocking progress and preventing others from performing, and either changing their ways, or dismissing them Identifying people who had the ability and drive to take the company to greater heights, and promoting them. It can be seen that this highly successful Management practitioner reduced success to three simple rules, namely, eliminating deadwood, promoting and encouraging those with potential and creating the right climate in the company. This clearly shows that apart from creating the right environment, the most important requirement for success is the quality of people. Good people could transform a loss making company into a profitable one.[26] â€Å"Whether a firm is small or large, its only as good as its staff.†[27] This can be easily understood because the employees of the organisation make the vital difference between good and poor performance in every area. Apart from the demonstrated effect that this has on the firm’s performance, which has been cited earlier, this also stands to reason. A company depends on coordinated working by its employees towards a common goal to achieve its objectives. In order to meet these objectives, the organisation has to do what it does well. In other words, the competence of its employees should be good if it wants to achieve results. Secondly, the soft skills of the employees are important to achieve internal teamwork as well as to nurture customers with excellent performance and service. Thirdly, the employees of the company need to work efficiently if it is to have a healthy bottom line. All these objectives can be achieved only with good employees who know their job and possess the necessary hard skills, have the necessary soft skills, and are committed to the company’s success. In other words, a company needs good employees who have the right levels of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Conclusion Human Resources Management in Small-to-medium industries has been gaining a lot of attention lately. There is increased awareness among many of the SME entrepreneurs themselves about the importance of good HR practices and policies. It has been shown that organisations having formal Human Resources practices grow faster, and are more profitable, than those that do not do so. A comparison between SMEs in two countries, namely Taiwan and the UK, shows that the SME sector is more predominant in Taiwan, which is characterized by a culture that lays greater emphasis on group working, respect for authority, and mutual trust. This is contrasted by the UK situation where the SME sector is les pervasive, and the HR climate is characterised by formal and legal supports, collectivism, and social responsibility. Although the two situations are quite different from each other, the importance of formal HR systems in the SME segment is being recognised in both cases, and seem to affect performance positively, irrespective of the background. Works Cited A Causal Analysis. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, 29(6): 2005: 681+. Bennett, Roger. Small Business Survival: Strategies for Delivering Growth and Staying Profitable: Second Edition. London, Financial Times Management, 1998. Burns, Paul. Entrepreneurship and Small Business. New York, Palgrave, 2001. Griffith, Roger W and Hom, Peter W. Retaining Valued Employees. London, Sage Publications, 2001. Gumbus, Andra, and Robert N. Lussier. Entrepreneurs Use a Balanced Scorecard to Translate Strategy into Performance Measures. Journal of Small Business Management 44(3): 2006: 407+. Heneman, Robert L., Judith W. Tansky, and S. Michael Camp. Human Resource Management Practices in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Unanswered Questions and Future Research Perspectives. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, 25 (1): 2000: 11. Holbeche, Linda. Aligning Human Resources and Business Strategy. Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2001. HRD in Small Organizations, Edited by Graham Beaver Jim Stewart. New York, Routledge, 2004. Hu, Ming-Wen. Many Small Antelopes Make a Dragon. Futures 35(4): 2003: 379+. Kotey, Bernice, and Peter Slade. Formal Human Resource Management Practices in Small Growing Firms. Journal of Small Business Management, 43 (1): 2005: 16+. Lin, Carol Yeh-Yun. Success Factors of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Taiwan: An Analysis of Cases. Journal of Small Business Management, 36(4): (1998): 43. McKenna, Eugene and Beech, Nic. Human Resource Management, A Concise Analysis. Essex, Pearson Education Limited, 2002 Megginson, David, Banfield, Paul, and Joy-Mathews, Jennifer. Human Resource Development. Kogan Page India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 2001. Rauch, A., Frese, M., Utsch, A. Effects of Human Capital and Long-Term Human Resources Development and Utilization on Employment Growth of Small-Scale Businesses: Satava, David. The A to Z of Keeping Staff: Few Firm Employees Leave without a Good Reason-Heres How Not to Give Them One. Journal of Accountancy 195 (4): 2003: 67+. [1] L. Holbeche, Aligning Human Resources and Business Strategy, Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2001, pp.10-11. [2] R.L. Heneman, T.W. Judith and S. M. Camp. Human Resource Management Practices in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Unanswered Questions and Future Research Perspectives. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice 25(1): (2000): p. 11 [3] HRD in Small Organizations, Edited by Graham Beaver Jim Stewart, New York, Routledge, 2004, p. 81. [4] Ibid, p81 [5] Ibid [6] ibid, p82 [7] ibid, p 85 [8] ibid, p 89 [9] ibid, p 89 [10] A. Gumbus and R. N. Lussier. Entrepreneurs Use a Balanced Scorecard to Translate Strategy into Performance Measures, Journal of Small Business Management, 44(3): 2006: p.407. [11]C.Y. Lin. Success Factors of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Taiwan: An Analysis of Cases. Journal of Small Business Management, 36(4): (1998): p. 43. [12] M. Hu. Many Small Antelopes Make a Dragon, Futures, 35(4): 2003: p. 379. [13] E.McKenna and N. Beech. Human Resource Management, A Concise Analysis. Essex, Pearson Education Limited, 2002, pp.4-5. [14] ibid [15] M. Hu. P. 379. [16]   P.Burns. Entrepreneurship and Small Business. New York, Palgrave, 2001, p12. [17] A. Rauch, M. Frese A. Utsch. Effects of Human Capital and Long-Term Human Resources Development and Utilization on Employment Growth of Small-Scale Businesses: A Causal Analysis. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, 29(6): 2005: p681. [18] ibid [19] B.Kotey and P. Slade. Formal Human Resource Management Practices in Small Growing Firms. Journal of Small Business Management, 43(1): (2005): p.16. [20] ibid [21] ibid [22] E. McKenna and N. Beech, p34-35 [23] D. Satava. The A to Z of Keeping Staff: Few Firm Employees Leave without a Good Reason-Heres How Not to Give Them One, Journal of Accountancy, 195(4 ): 2003: p. 67. [24] R. W. Griffith and P. W. Hom. Retaining Valued Employees, London, Sage Publications, 2001, p10 [25] R. Bennett. Small Business Survival: Strategies for Delivering Growth and Staying Profitable: Second Edition, London, Financial Times Management, 1998. [26] D. Megginson, P. Banfield and J. Joy-Mathews. Human Resource Development. Kogan Page India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 2001, p. 82. [27] Satava, David. The A to Z of Keeping Staff: Few Firm Employees Leave without a Good Reason-Heres How Not to Give Them One. Journal of Accountancy 195.4 (2003): 67+.

The philosophy of human rights

The philosophy of human rights You may undertake EITHER a philosophical defence of human rights (paying particular attention to the fundamental critiques addressed to human rights) OR a philosophical critique of human rights (paying particular attention to the strongest arguments in their favour and to a possible alternative to them). â€Å"Defence of human rights philosophically† â€Å"Natural right is not the just resolution of a dispute offered by a harmonious cosmos or Gods commands. It derives exclusively from the nature of â€Å"each man†. (Douzinas: 2000, p70) Introduction The philosophy of human rights in turn is based on cultural philosophy and historical philosophy. Whereas human rights cannot be illustrated on the ground of other factors such as reality of violence in historically, culturally, politically or sociologically. Occasionally ethics, literacy, economics, psychology, philosophy and politics are some of the spots who can help describing the human rights better and made it easier to understand â€Å"respect of human rights† as a general set of work and discussion. Rights that are connected to human beings and performed as ethical pledge to hold up our argument towards the fulfillment of a simply fine living are called Human Rights. In broad term, human rights on their own are imitative of the perception of a right. We have customaries that human rights initiate as moral rights but that the flourishing channel of numerous human rights into international and national law permits one to consider human rights as, in many situations, both moral rights and legal rights. In addition, human rights may be either claim rights or liberty rights, and have a negative or a positive complexion in respect of the obligations imposed by others in securing the right. (Andrew, 2005, online) Aristotle stated that â€Å"justice† is a complete virtue, although not without qualification, but in relation to other individual. And for that reason justice is often consider to be the greatest of virtues. According to him â€Å"justice† is an actual exercise of virtue, as person do not think about himself but he care about other either a king or colleague. He said that justice is not a part of virtue but virtue entire. He said that just is a species of proportionate is the equality of ratios and proportional sharing. Whereas geometrical equality refers to an adequate measure of proportion. Justice is a kind of mean but, not in the similar way as other virtues and it linked to intermediary quantity. It is a virtue in which a just man is known as a achiever, by option of that which is just, and one who will share out either among himself or another or between two others not so as to give more of what is advantageous to himself and less to other human being, but so as to give what, is equal in agreement with proportion; and resemblance in allocating out between two other persons. (The Nicomachean ethics, Ch.V, 1925) I agree with Kant views about that our objectives are proscribed by rationale, and he verifies it by a statement, There is no possibility of thinking of anything at all in the world, or even out of it, which can be regarded as good without qualification, except a good will.( Barbara Herman, p. 208, 1993) The human nature understood by liberal philosophy is pre-moral. According to Immanuel Kant , the transcendental self, the prerequisite of deed and basis of meaning and value, is a mortal of complete ethical duty and lacks any earthly characteristics. The supposition of the independent and self-disciplining theme is shared by moral philosophy and jurisprudence but has been turned into neo Kantianism. Kant was predictable that Natural right become a matter of introspection and disclosure rather than of rational deliberation and dialectal argument and let to a conceptual morality of percepts. Kant viewed Morality as it is no longer stranded in pre existing idea of the good nor does it obtained from an external source. Kant assumed that classical philosophy made a fault of arranging first good and evil and then arranging the moral law consequently. Dealing to rational law, human rights mean to admit and defend the central and absolute characteristics of human nature. (Douzinas, 2000) Kants thought of freedom turns apparent when seen in the perspective of the problem that it was believed to solve. Rational beings survive not only as self conscious axis of knowledge, but also agents. Kant argues â€Å"is the sole principle of all moral laws, and all of duties which conform to them; on the other hand, heteronomy of the will not only cannot be the basis of any obligation, but is, on the contrary, opposed to the principles therefore, and to the morality of will†. Since sovereignty is patent only in the conformity to reason, and because reason must lead action always through imperatives, autonomy is explained as ‘that property of will whereby it is a law to itself.'(Roger Scruton, 1982) From some past decades, philosopher in many different times and places grappled with tricky issues about mutual connection among human beings both as an individual and as a member of communitarian society. Every so often lacking any exacting religious direction at all, they also contemplated the denotation of human nature, the universality of fundamental principles, ethical duties to siblings, social justice, whether customary rule based civilizations should be changed in to right based civilizations, and the proper responsibility of government in the lives of their people. In spite of their much dissimilarities of point of view and cultural tradition, they all required understate not through the exposure of religious faith or metaphysical basics but slightly through worldly inquest and human rationale. (Paul Gordon Lauren, 2003) The division of rights into personal right, real right and right to act is, in the vein of many other partitions, designed to systemize the heap of unfamiliar material. However this distribution quite confuses rights which presume such tangible relations as the family or the state with those which direct to sheer abstract qualities. Classification did by Kant, of rights into Real rights, Personnel rights and Personal rights that are of real kind. We will get too confused afield to explain how knotted and illogical the classification of rights into personal and real is. Visibly it is just personality which provides us a right to things, and therefore personal right is embedded in real right. A thing must be received in its Universal context as the external reverse of freedom, so with the intention of sense that my body and my life are things. (G.W.F.Hegel, p.4) If we look at a framework of human rights, the debate about the dignity of human beings relative to the rest of nature not only is a divergence from the context of human rights, but brings in us to metaphysical dialogues unrelated to the issue of human rights. The foundation of human rights, along with harmony and subsidiarity, is the metaphysics of the human beings. Those type of metaphysics function as the sense giving route relating to the wisdom of the speech and praxis of human rights, subsidiarity and commonality. Metaphysics like this should not start from a description or presumption whether religious, judicial or philosophical about human rights, which would be to take as fact to begin the point of influx. Problem regarding Hegels position should be kept in mind always. (Kant by Mary and Roger, 1996) The famous documents claiming personal rights, such as the Magna Carta (1215), the French Declaration on the Rights of Man and Citizen (1789), and the US Constitution and Bill of Rights (1791) the English Bill of Rights (1689), are on paper pioneer agreements to many of modern human rights documents. However much of these written agreements, once initially converted into course of action, debarred women, racism, minorities, religious, economic, and political groups. On the other hand, demoralized natives all over the world have strained on the ideology to these written agreement papers for expressions to maintain revolutions that affirm the right to autonomy. This type of pattern and lawfully binding manuscript shield the people from arbitrary persecution and punishment. Much of the flaws of Hammurabis code were due to its cause and effect nature, it failed to protect more conceptual thoughts such as religion, attitude, race and personal free will. One of the other important documents of the English history is called Magna Carta. It was about the group of barons who stood against the conflict to the increasingly authoritarian rule of King John, and were ensured with the implementation of the terms of Magna Carta, ‘the great charter of liberties as it was previously known just ten years later, officially contracted by him at Runnymede on 15 June 1215. It was based on the sequence of undertakings on a paper. According to that paper King should rule England keeping in focus the customs of feudal law. (Matthew Stricland, 2005, online) If we compare American bills of rights and English declaration such as Magna Carta, it demonstrates at once that the placing out of principles summary, and hence vague, is both common, as is also the suffering with which they are narrating. The French have not only adopted the American ideas, but even the structure they established on the other end. The cavernous gap divides the American declarations from the English ratification that have been mentioned. The Historian of the American revolution says about Virginia declaration that it was tested beside all oppressions in an account of the eternal laws of mans being: â€Å"The English petition of right in 1688 was historic and retrospective; the Virginia declaration came directly out of the heart of nature and announced governing principles for all people in all future times.† (Bancroft, VII, p.243) The English laws that set up the rights of subject matter are communally and independently verifications, come up of particular situations, or analysis of existing law. â€Å"Even Magna Carta contains no right, as Sir Edward Coke, the great authority on English Law, perceived as early as the beginning of the seventeenth century.†(Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, I, 1, p.127) On the other hand, American declarations consist of percepts which are placed on a top then the common policymaker. In the individual states as well as in Unions, there are parted appendages for regular and for legitimate legislation, and the judge observes the performance of the legal boundaries by the common legislative authorities. If according to his conclusion a law disobeyed on the primary rights, he must stop its enforcement. The assertion of rights even at present day is inferred by the American as realistic defense of the minority. (Cooley, Constitutional Limitations, 1890, Ch. VII.) According to Jellinek â€Å"American declarations are not laws of higher kind in name only, they are the creations of high lawmakers.† As in Europe, the establishments lay reserved complexity in the way of altering their conditions, but about all over it is the lawmaker itself who makes a decision upon the amendment. The American bills of rights do not dispute about setting firm ethics for the states organization, but first of all they try to draw border line between state and individual. They think that individual is not the mainframe of rights in the course of the state, but by his own nature he has incontrovertible and undeniable rights. The English do not take it seriously. They do not care to be familiar with an everlasting, natural light, but one hereditary from their forefathers, â€Å"the old, undoubted rights of the English people.†(1902, p.13) If we look upon right and liberties† we find them in seventeenth century English laws. Legislative body is always demanding simply the confirmation of the â€Å"laws and statues of this realm† that is, the strengthening of the existing relations between king and people. Even none of their document contains a single word about the new rights. Consequently there is no reference whatever to the important fundamental rights of religious liberty, of assembling, of liberty of the press, or of free movement. Blackstone (1765) is considered as the first doctrine of the absolute rights of persons upon â€Å"the idea of the personal rights of the individual. Security, liberty and property are the absolute rights of every Englishman, which from their character are nothing else than the natural liberty that remains to the individual after deducting the legal restraints demanded by the common interest.† (Loc. cit., p. 125 (113). Furthermore, the American declaration of rights, initiate with the proclamation that all men are born free and equal, and these statements articulate of rights that fit in to â€Å"every individual†, â€Å"all mankind â€Å"or â€Å"every member society†. They count on a much bigger figure of rights than the English declarations, and seem to be taking these rights as inborn and undeniable. (Jellinek, 1901, p. 14) One of the most dominant political philosophers of the present period is John Locke (1632-1704). He fortified the statement in Two Treaties of Government that human beings are by nature liberal and equivalent in opposition to statements that God had completed all men naturally refer to a sovereign. He stated that men comprise rights, such as freedom, right to life and possessions that covers groundwork, free of the laws of any scrupulous civilization. He made use of the argument that people are naturally liberated and the same as piece of the explanation for considering lawful political control as the effect of a societal bond where populace in the condition of nature provisionally convey some of their rights to the commanding authority in order to improved indemnify the constant, contented enjoyment of their lives, freedom, and assets. (Alex, 2005, online) Lockes views on property shows that natural right to property can be derived from the natural right to ones life and labour, is usually read as if it were simply the sustaining argument for the bare contention offered at the beginning of treaties that every man had a natural right to property â€Å"within the bounds of the law of Nature†. According to him there are two claims, the men have right to preserve their right, and that a mans labour is his own, Locke defended individual misuse of the generation of the earth which was originally given to mankind in common. Locke highlighted that, Money, is a commodity which has a value because it can enter in to exchange with other commodities. But its rationale is not merely to make possible the exchange of things created for consumption, that is, to enlarge, beyond the scale of trade, exchange between producers of goods planned for utilization. The attribute basis of money is to serve as capital. Locke has vindicated the purposely c apitalist misuse of land and money. And it is to be noticed that he has justified this as natural right, as a right in the state of nature. Therefore there are two levels of consonant in Lockes theory. One is the consonant between free, equal, rational men in the state of nature, to put a value on money, which Locke treats as accompanied by conventional recognition of the obligation of marketable agreements. (Macpherson, Ch. 5, 1962) Locke begins conventionally with a state of nature, and from ‘the law of nature which governs this state. But the content of this law does not seem reductivist at all. The state of nature that ‘all men are naturally in†, is not a social condition but a historical situation. It is that state in which men are set by God. The state of nature is a topic for theological indication, not for anthropological research. The theological environment functions rather as an interpretive proverb, it does not just lessen to a set of based on fact claims. Locke argues to be taking into consideration the human condition at large in terms of reason but what he recognizes in it is what he already knows (from Christian revelation) to be there.(John Dunn, Ch, 9. 1969) Dozinas argues â€Å"Desire is always moved by evil, to fly it† and the highest evil is death. The purpose of desire and fear overlaps. Nature built the desire of what it fears most. Nature, including human nature , which declared as the gauge of all things, ends up being just matter, to be proscribed, oppressed and shaped either by the self fashioning human being or by the all influential autonomy. According to him the rights of man, like all rights, are not natural or unchallengeable but historical formations of state and law. Their appearance and dialectal process is quite multifaceted: while the partition between state and society was the product of economic changes in society, the state turned the situations of survival of capitalism, which brought in to life, in to lawfully acknowledged rights and sanctified them as natural and eternal. Human rights are for that reason real and valuable but they attain much more and different from what is visible. (Douzinas, 2000) Conclusion I will say that the every individual had rights and its reality must be accepted undisputedly whereas there are some clarifications which should be needed in that account. The speech of human rights is implicated and operated by several peoples in extremely assorted conditions. Human rights have a lengthy historical legacy. The major philosophical basis of human rights is a standard in the continuation of a type of integrity applicable for all human beings, universally. To understand human rights understanding is just not needed but there should be some sensibility. The delightful conclusion of a human race can be only be obtained from ‘love for the joy of human beings. The modern principle of human rights has move towards to take up midpoint of geopolitical dealings. I would also mention criticism from Marx. His ideology is measured as an unsophisticated and brutal discharge of human rights and their ambitions. Marx was critical too of the rights of the citizens. But this was not because the rights are false and unfair, but because they cannot distribute what they promise within the boundaries of bourgeois society. Rights are confined but can only be criticized and forwarded from the point of view of an unrealized and unrealizable universal. Rights function as serious function only against a future perspective, that of the (impossible) ideal of an unbounded and self comprising humanity. (Douzinas, 2000) Human rights have turned out to be essential to the current indulgent of how human beings should be taking care of, by one another, locally and internationally political organizations. Human rights are finest reflection of as possible ethical agreement for each individual to direct a simply fine life. Philosophical source of human rights has been issued to regular criticism. Although, various features of the consequent discussion among philosophical followers and challengers of human rights stay unsettled and, possibly, not solvable, the all-purpose side for human rights stays honorably dominant. Debatably, main convincing inspiration for the survival of human may respite upon the implementation of thoughts. Refernces Douzinas, C. (2000 [reprint 2007]): The End of Human Rights: Critical Legal Thought at the Turn of the Century, Oxford: Hart Publishing. Macpherson, C. B. (1962): The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism: Hobbes to Locke. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Jellinek, G. (2007 [1895]): The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, Montana: Kessinger Publishing. 25-page electronic version in pdf format available at http://oll.libertyfund.org blackboard. Kant, I. (1996 [1797]): The Metaphysics of Morals, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Scruton, R. (1982): Kant, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hegel, G.W.F. (2005): Philosophy of Right, trans. by S.W.Dyde, Dover Publications Inc: Dover Ed edition. Aristotle, (1998): The Nicomachean Ethics, trans. by William David Ross, David Ross, J. O. Urmson, Oxford World Classics: Oxford University Press. Herman, B. (1993): The practice of moral judgment, Harvard: Harvard University Press. Lauren, G. P. (2003): The evolution of international human rights: visions seen, University of Pennsylvania Press. Strickland, M. (2005): ‘Enforcers of Magna Carta (act. 1215–1216), Oxford Dictionary of National, Biography, online edn, Oxford University Press. [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/theme/93691] Cf. Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, I, 1, p. 127. (Edited by Kerr, London, 1887, I, p. 115.) Cooley, Constitutional Limitations, 6th edition, Boston, 1890, Chap. VI Dunn, J. (1982): The political thought of John Locke: an historical account of the argument of the Two treatises of government, Cambridge University Press. Fagan, A. (2005): Human Rights: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, University of Essex.