Positive Aspects of Technology Essay Example for Free

Positive Aspects of Technology Essay From man`s first invention of the wheel to modern day’s advanced computers, one can clearly see how far humans have developed with technology. Modern technology has provided mankind with numerous positive aspects; from getting to places in seconds to curing complex diseases. The most fundamental and important positive aspect of technology is that it gives humans the ability to share knowledge more effectively. Nowadays, a country is not defined by its wealth or influence, rather by its â€Å"ability to develop and advance knowledge† (Johnston 1). In the essay, The Diplomacy of Knowledge, author David Johnston states that, â€Å"information has never been so ubiquitous and so cheaply and easily shared† (1). In other words, information has never been so readily available, thanks to the fast growing Internet. The Internet allows billions of people to express their opinions and put forth their knowledge for others to see. Johnston also mentions that the foundations of the internet were laid by â€Å"300 years of discovery in math and science from Newton to Einstein† (2). Great scientists such as Newton to Einstein shared their experience and findings which have become the cause of all the ongoing technological development. For instance, the recent uprising in Libya was hugely successful due to the internet. Thousands of people posted Facebook statuses and communicated in numerous other ways. By sharing each other’s thoughts and knowledge, they were able to overcome the situation by establishing a strong and organized community. Moreover, new inventions are also greatly impacted by the sharing of knowledge and this can be evidently seen with a great discovery such as Insulin. Charles Best and Frederick Banting, a bio-chemist and a surgeon, are innovators from different fields. Both of them shared each other’s knowledge and brought forth one of the greatest discoveries of all time, insulin which saved millions of diabetic patients. In other words, today’s advancements in technology let the sharing of knowledge much more effectively, as it allows mankind to â€Å"[experience] unprecedented rates of change† (2). It also gives humanity the opportunity to undergo â€Å"rapid transformations, characterized by risk and opportunity on a global scale â€Å"(2). These changes brought through the sharing of knowledge bring an evolution in social and ethical factors within the society. In conclusion, technology has provided mankind with countless positive aspects, although the greatest aspect is the better collaboration of knowledge. From insulin to modern medicine, history has made it clear that great things can happen when everyone shares their learning with each other. As Thomas Jefferson mentions, â€Å"[by lighting] your candle with the flame of mine, my light is not diminished, it is enhanced† (2).

Research: Buying behaviour and culture

Research: Buying behaviour and culture Data Analysis The following chapter aims to provide the reader with the results generated form the questionnaire distributed manually. The analysis and discussion is focused on evaluating the primary data in the line with objectives of the proposed study which is about Buying behaviour and culture. Respondent to Questionnaire: There are total of 80 Questionnaire was given to people belong to Pakistani community and only 33 Questionnaires are returned which is 41 % of total and taken for further research. Overall there are 59 % Questionnaires was not respondent and could not include for analysis. Feels Happy in Cultural Clothes: The below chart shows that females and males of almost all the category of ages considerably have strong point of view that it give them feelings of happiness when they wear their cultural clothes because it create a difference and also it gives them feeling of belonging to the traditional cultural as well. Cultural Clothes as Identity: The below Graph is showing that females of age 26-35 and also females of age 18-25 are significant believes that cultural clothes are their identity and the Males of middle age 36-49 and above 50 believes that cultural clothes are their identity. Here the difference between the Females and Males age difference shows that Female of Young age are more concern about their cultural identity as compared to Males because they mostly do not bother about clothing as cultural identity. Peer Group and Reference Group influencing: The below graph shows that females of age group 18-25 and age 26-35 consider the compliments of the family and friends for the destining and also males of age 18-25 and 26-35 believes that opinion of the family and friends are important follow for choice clothing. It shows tat Overall males and females of Pakistani community is influenced by the reference groups compliments and opinions. According to the studies about the Pakistani community it was observed that they have strong influences of peer group specially the family and parents who always give them guidance and opinion about their behaviour and culture. Cultural Influences for shopping of Clothes: The below Graph is about the point of view when Pakistani community looking for shopping .When people are going for clothes shopping they consider the cultural they belong as this graph shows that females of the community between age group of 18-25, 26-35 and 36-49 consider that culture influences the shopping for clothing but males have not shows the large impact of cultural for their shopping. According to studies carried for Pakistani community also discussed that people have strong feeling and believes about the culture and also feel happy when they do something depending on their culture. Western and Eastern Clothes Likeness between Old and New Generations: The below graph shows that New generation Strong believed that western clothes are good to wear and they like it. It show that Female and male of age between 18-25 and 26-35 are significantly agreed that they likes the western clothes and it is important for Marketers to know that this segment have strong view point about likeness of Western clothes. The blow graph shows that Old Generation likes the Eastern Clothes. If we look at graph it clearly shows that Females and Males of middle age 36-49 are more interested towards the eastern clothes and hey have strong believe that eastern clothes are good to wear. If we look at old and new generations Likeness about eastern and western clothes we can analysis that new generation likes more western clothes and they follow the western clothing trend as compared to old generation which is still following the eastern cultural clothes and fashion. It show that old generation have more impact of the cultural believes and values on them as compared to new generation. Religious Gathering and Traditional Clothes: The below graph show that females of all age consider that traditional clothing is important for religious gathering and they prefer to dress up according to the gathering requirements on this preference of traditional clothing males have not show he significant impact of gathering and traditional clothes which shows that females are more concerned about the traditional clothing as compared to males for the religious gathering. According to the Studies shows that Pakistani Community have strong religious, traditional, beliefs, Rituals which reflects in their buying behaviour which seen in research carried out as secondary research. If Western Brands Offer Eastern Clothes: The below graph shows that Pakistani community will feel happy if they can find eastern clothes in western brand shops like Asda and next etc. Females and males of young to middle age are strongly believed that it would be pleasure to shop when they can buy eastern clothes in western brands shopping. It is important to know about this segment point of view about this and Asda is already considering this eastern clothing for this segment and they are working good and people also showed their interest in this research (secondary research about Asda). If Eastern Shops Start selling Western Clothes: The below graph showing that people are somehow interested to buy western clothes if eastern shops start selling. But their point of view about this in both gender males and females are not significant considerably so it is telling about that they feel more happy to busy western clothes from western brand shops rather than eastern. It is important for marketers to know about this to start any new product for this community. Quality is more important than Price: The below Graph shows that Pakistani community have strong believe that quality is more important than price. Females and males both consider this that quality is more important and also this graph shows that young and middle age people are always considering quality as important factor to buy clothes. It shows that old age people are still not that much aware about the quality product they still try to consider the price and it is also social class factor that people look for the low price even if the quality is not good and it was seen in secondary research as well. According to secondary research about the Pakistani community also shown that people are brand lover yet they are still conscious about price as well because of exchange rate but as far as young generation they are not that much price conscious they are brand lover and take brand as status symbol it can be the reason that they are born here. Research Ethics: Research ethics is the appropriateness of how the researcher behaves in relation to the rights of the respondents who become the subject of the researchers work, or are affected by it (saunder et all 2003), Throughout the whole research there will need to be a consideration of the ethical issues. Ethnical responsibilities like honestly and with integrated work have been taken care. Fraud has been avoided to bring new finding by the research. Data analysis has been done on in right direction by using excel sheet. Conclusion: According to the secondary research and the result of primary research which is done by questionnaire shows that Pakistani community Have strong believes, values and ritual consideration when they are buying Clothes. They consider their culture as important factor and have strong influence towards shopping for dresses. Growth Prospects And Outcomes: Due to increase in Pakistani population and their economic status as leading high earning community with huge expenditure capacity, marketer should study more cultural and consumer buying Behavior of this community in UK market, by forming Pakistani consumer market segment, targeting and Positioning Pakistani consumer in UK to make business more profitable, expandable and providing better customer services. Currently there are few branded shops target perfectly the Pakistani consumer, but still to marketers need to understand the Pakistani consumer and explore their cultural influences to make this segment important. Further Research Due to limited resource of manpower and time, Research can be further carried out on larger scale, more geographically, aged group and big target consumer. Further researched is needed on Pakistani consumer buying Behaviour, understanding cultural and social characteristics and its implication. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens | Analysis Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens | Analysis Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. Given the reputation and gravity of Oliver Twist, it is sometimes difficult to recall that this was only Dickens’ second novel, written and serialised in 1838. Moreover, it was a risky project because Dickens had won massive popular acclaim on the basis of his preceding novel, The Pickwick Papers (1836), which could not have been more different in its comic recording of the adventures of the ‘Pickwick Club’. Nevertheless, Dickens’ novel of the pauper child’s struggles in the wickedness of London’s thieves’ kitchens was to become one of his most enduring, popular successes, adapted for stage and screen multiple times since its inception and as popular today as when it was first published. When Dickens began Oliver Twist, he was a young man with a mission: to expose the evils of society’s treatment of such children as Oliver represents and expose the invidiousness of the contentious Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834. From his birth in the workhouse, where he is ‘badged and ticketed’, Oliver is the essence of all that Dickens believes to be wrong with Victorian Society. Indeed, the author believed that by making his readers care about one such boy, he could make them care about many. Though it may be ‘a mistake to think of Oliver Twist as a realistic story’ it nevertheless contains enduring truths and such descriptions as ‘the paupers funeral in Chapter Five [were] also historically accurate’. The novel concerns the story of a child, born out of wedlock in the workhouse of ‘a certain town’. By refusing to name the town, Dickens is not only dismissive of all such places as not worth the ‘trouble’ of mentioning but also imposing a comprehensively applicable generic, as he is on the emblematic child himself. After a series of early struggles, set pieces, such as Oliver’s asking for ‘more’, having become so powerfully entrenched in the public consciousness as to make them almost clichà ©d,   Oliver becomes so desperate that he walks to London and is immediately sucked into the world of thieves and vagabonds which so powerfully populate the novel. A palpable concern with these characters, such as Fagin and Sikes, is that they are, in common with many of Dickens’ villains, more charismatic than the benevolent and certainly, one of the reasons readers continue to be drawn to the story is the evil genius that is Fagin, persis tently referred to as ‘the Jew’. This is in itself problematic in contemporary society, as the inherent anti-Semitism which attaches to Dickens’ descriptions of him are difficult for the modern reader to dispassionately assimilate. Yet, ‘in his rendering of Fagins gang and their surroundings, Dickens intended a realism that he felt was lacking in the popular crime fiction of the time, the so called ‘Newgate Novels’. Oliver finds some solace in the company of the urchin robbers, such as Dodger, nurtured by Fagin and in this the reader perceives a connection with Dickens’ own early struggles alone in London. When the intricacies of the plot deliver Oliver back and forth between what we later learn is his ‘natural’ environment, that of the upper-class Brownlow et al, a certain energy is removed from the novel until, via Nancy and Bill’s violent relationship and her betrayal of him to save the child, the appalling vitality of the story reappears. This complex relationship is in fact possibly one of the more contemporaneously resonant within the novel. Indeed, it is said that Dickens, when acting out the scene of Sikes murder of Nancy, frequently came close to physical collapse since this, combined with the insidious malevolence of Fagin that urged Sikes to it, is one of the more terrifying yet gripping moments in the book. Its potent appeal, indeed, may cause the reader to question his own moral sensibility in finding such wickedness such a compelling draw. It is, indeed, interesting to note that when David Lean filmed the novel so brilliantly in 1948, possibly due to censorship, he cut away from the violence to focus on Sikes’ dog desperately trying to escape. Nancy remains one of the finer and more subtle creations in a novel teeming with emblematic caricatures, her pain at betraying Bill fully revealed in her ‘confession’ to the character of whom she is in many ways the inverse, Rose, who cannot understand her compulsion to return to Sikes any more than Nancy can herself: ‘I dont know what it is, answered the girl; I only know that it is so, and not with me alone, but with hundreds of others as bad and wretched as myself. I must go back. Whether it is God’s wrath for the wrong I have done, I do not know; but I am drawn back to him through every suffering and ill usage; and I should be, I believe, if I knew that I was to die by his hand at last.’ Nancy is describing the purest of loves and by rendering a prostitute capable of such delicacy and depth of feeling Dickens was yet again giving a voice to those that had none. Both in his fiction and in his life, indeed, Dickens spoke out time and time again for those whom society, for one reason or another, ‘cast out’. In the final analysis, Dickens’ achievement in Oliver Twist is fundamental to its continuing appeal. It has, within its pages, the evocation of both the era in which it was set and the possibility of the perpetuation of evil which continues to dwell within mankind. Historically, one cannot imagine the possibility of a realisation of social iniquity which is beyond or above that realised in Oliver’s story and in this, the child does indeed, as Dickens intended, represent the small voice of the innocent against   the power and invidiousness of an uncaring mass. As an enduring emblem of the many, this one, lonely child, Oliver Twist, became, both contemporaneously and for future generations, a symbol of both the deep despair and profound hope he definitively embodies. Bibliography: Peter Ackroyd, Dickens, (Sinclair Stevenson, London, 1990). Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist, (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1999). John Forster, The Life of Charles Dickens in Two Volumes, (J.M. Dent Sons, London, 1966). Ruth Glancy, Student Companion to Charles Dickens, (Greenwood Press, Westport CT, 1999). F. Hopkinson Smith, In Dickenss London, (Charles Scribers Sons, New York, 1916). John Manning, Dickens on Education, (University of Toronto Press, Toronto, 1959). Steven Marcus, Dickens, from Pickwick to Dombey, (Basic Books, New York, 1965). John R. Reed, Dickens and Thackeray: Punishment and Forgiveness, (Ohio University Press, Athens, OH, 1995). Paul Schlicke, Dickens and Popular Entertainment, (Unwin Hyman, London, 1988). Types of Neighbourhoods: Exam Revision Types of Neighbourhoods: Exam Revision Malachi-Chaim Robinson Jason Rhodes Essay Exam 1 Part 1- Short Answer: Jacobs to contend there are only three types of neighborhoods: (1) the street neighborhood, (2) districts of 100,000 people or more, and (3) the city as a whole. This ideas definitely reflect in the idea of city planning. It is noteworthy to note that Jacobs considers these to be the ideal take on what a neighborhood to have in order to not be dependent on economics and that these three types of neighborhoods enable people to come together in unity and harmony and that is when the neighborhood is most successful. And also she believes that the continuity these neighborhood bring definelty help foster the social interactions among the people to have a healthy and safe environment. These three types are also related as they describe that the planning of a city needs to take place from the street level perspective and the goal needs to support and promote the vitality of city streets. And the biggest thing of how these are related is that the city is organized in a complex fashion. Thus , everything is interrelated and everything is related to everything. So any attempts to simplify anything hurts the people of the city and planning. Kevin Lynch was able to introduce urban designers to a new idea about the urbanism of a city. He focused on how the people in the city used and perceived the physical environment and not the traditional way by the use of learning about the city through maps. Lynch was able to gather his research after a five year long examination of the most important elements of the city perceived by the residents in that area and his goal reflected his vision of identifying the most important features to the people in that area. His core concept was the idea of â€Å"legibility† which is how easy the paths of the cityscape can be organized into a recognizable pattern. He conducted his research in three cities and identified the five key elements that make up the perceived elements of the city: path, edges, districts, nodes, and landmarks. The path consists of the channels along which the observer moves. This includes streets, paths, routes and this the single most important mechanism in the idea of promoting urban legibility because this is how people experience the city. And the idea that people are using paths constructed in their mental capacity demonstrates the idea of the promotion of legibility as they are able to recognize the paths of the cityscape. Landmarks are point references which are similar to nodes. Contrasting nodes, landmarks are external features to the individuals and where they enter during their travels. They are often physical structures and is extensive. Landmarks help promote the idea of urban legibility as they are used by people to help better understand and navigate the environment that was built. In â€Å"Building American Cityscapes,† Edward Muller argues that the American urban landscape reflects â€Å"a unifying consensus founded on a capitalistic economy and liberal social philosophy† (304). Basically, in lament terms, Muller is arguing that the characteristics of the American system ideals is written into the landscape and is shaped differently from other cities and countries. An example of this in the text is when he argues that ideally, the transformation of the American system has been transformed and impacted by the change from the original urban settlements in North America that reflected the derivative transplants of European societies (304). The furtherization from the idea of the founding roots built the nationwide enterprise of the current state and premise of which Muller argues of the capitalistic economy. The liberal social philosophy stresses the freedom and rights of the individual marked by the government protecting these fundamental rights. An example of this is in the text is when Muller said: â€Å"Substantial infusionsofdiverse immigrant groups have testedthissocial vision,butageneral adherenceto theliberal philosophyin agrowingeconomy diminished rigid class stratification, effected a sharing of the power and wealth with upwardly mobile generations, and produced a dynamic yet untidy social geography (304). Thus, changes and marks have impacted the environment and changed the way in how the environment is looked and perceived as the current American urban landscape according to Muller. And due to the new center of the economics at the center of the American landscape, these changes have been reflected the consequences by the geographical nature. Part 2- Essay Answer to Question 1: More and more people have been moving to the suburbia since the 1950’s and it has become the place to live. But, also to geographers it has become and study and a huge cultural discussion. Geographers have researched and tried to create a set of definitions or a criteria that defines a suburbia. In fact, contrary to popular belief while researching and trying to determine the suburb is from different approaches and cultural angles, it has been found that the concept and idea of the suburbia is a hotly discussed and popular issue among geographers. So many definitions are proposed for the suburbia, but geographers do agree on the fact there are few people who even understand the idea and concept in this world as to what a suburbia truly is. So what exactly is a suburbia? The urban settings are inside of the main city and urban areas have high population densities and lots of businesses that are centralized in that area in order for people and there is some stress on interpersonal relationships because of overcrowding. On the contrast, rural settings are completely different and are far from the city and the density of the population in the rural settings is low. Few businesses can cater to the people. The suburbia is the level between the rural and urban areas. It consists of neighborhoods that surrounds the city but not located in the centralized location of where people go or congregate to. The suburbia exists really on the outer edge districts and is characterized by housing area, some shopping avenues, and some schools. In James Howard Kunstler’s TED talk, he basically is able to dictate that public places should be inspired by the centers of civil life and the idea of common good. Also, he argues that he believes that there are locations or places in America that should not be worth caring about. Kunstler is a sense relates to the ideas and concepts proposed by Jane Jacobs. Jane Jacobs was an urbanist pioneer that examined how planners plan the city and the various concerns that arise when planning the city. She even researches as to what factors directly lead to the success of neighborhoods, sidewalks, and such. She has even contributed this success because of the rising demand for diversity. In Kunstler’s view we see his fear of the trust in the suburbia because no one cares to know each other and develop social interactions. People keep to themselves and there is a sense of a lack of trust in the eyes of the community among neighbors. This critique reflected the idea of Jacobs in s ense. Both agree that lack of trust and fear is evident among urbanism and both agree that if this problem is captured it can be definitely changed and impacted. Kunstler believes that if you get to know the people and environment around you, this can definitely have an impact on how the fear can be resolved in a sense. Jacobs, on the other hand argues for the development of surveillance. Even though the two have different solutions, both can agree on the concept that neighborhoods become successful when the problem is identified and fixed in the best way possible. Another concept that be realized is that both Jacobs and Kunstler agree on the fact that a change in the planning of the city needs to be in order to bring continuity in order to have social interactions in order to foster a healthy and safe environment, which Kunstler argues. In James Howard Kunstler’s TED talk, he basically is able to dictate that public places should be inspired by the centers of civil life and the idea of common good. Also, he argues that he believes that there are locations or places in America that should not be worth caring about. Kunstler is a sense relates to the ideas and concepts proposed by Kevin Lynch. Lynch was an urban farmer that was able to research and dissect on the perceptions and the navigation of the environment by the people in relation to city planning. He is able to examine how the external factors of the environment affects the people along with space and time. Lynch says that specific and definite elements such as the path, district, landmark, edge, and node exists in the complexity in every structure. Kunstler’s ideas as a stretched part on my end also reveals a want for the city to be transformed into an imageable landscape which is similar to Lynch. In fact, both can agree on the fact that the ci ty can be transformed into different view by considering the environment. If this is done, both also agree the people in that community can perceive the place with different perceptions and meanings. Thus, change can impact the people living in that area. Both Kunstler and Lynch both definitely share the idea that there needs to be a change in the development and planning of the city. Both Lynch and Kunstler stems from different backgrounds and different approaches ideally, but both argue on the same premise that the environment needs to be altered in order to impact the people around it. In a sense, the landscape of the environment are being shaped and reshaped by the social interactions and perceptions of what it should be in that particular area. It seems as if both Lynch and Kunstler seems to grasp the concept of the urban life and environmental images. In conclusion, Kunstler ideas seems to relate back to the pioneers of the great field of urbanism in this subject. There is a definite parallel of Kunstler’s work to Jane Jacobs and Kevin Lynch. Kunstler is definitely able to cover the history and development of the planning of specific cities and suburbs. He is able to critically examine how land have been used and misused, rather than for the collective group effort. Kunstler definitely blames the fall of suburbia due to the automobile industry and the destruction on the idea of what a community is in the idea of an urban sprawl. Kunstler definitely has some good points to show how history has shaped the ideas of neighborhoods. The fact alone is that Kunstler is a controversial figure. Reflection: Human Resources and CSR Reflection: Human Resources and CSR This essay would cover three major aspects of human resource management in my previous employment. HRM in my organization HRM and CSR HRM policies during recession Human resource management can be described as an approach to management that consider people as its key resources. For every organization their employees are the key resource for success. Without co-operation or commitment from employees, organizations cant achieve heights. In a broader sense HRM is defined as the part of management process that specializes in the management of people in work organizations.HRM emphasizes that employees are critical in achieving sustainable competitive advantage, that human resource specialists help organizational controllers to meet both efficiency and equity objectives'(The human resource management:Theory and Practice pg11) HRM in my organization In my limited experience I have seen a range of HRM activities by HRM professional in my organization.HR managers are considered as single point of contact for employees for all the HR related issues.HRM holds a significant role in managing employees in an organization. Behaviour theorists suggests that behaviour and performance of the human resource is a function of at least four variables: ability, motivation, role perception and situational contingencies.(McShane,1995). Strategic management of people has been considered as a primary goal for HRM. Strategies has been formulated at the organizational level by the senior management and then it has been distributed to the Business level and then to Functional level.HR managers has to leverage the organizational strategy to the line managers.HR managers has to motivate employees to achieve the common goal or the organizational strategy. HRM activities includes a range of activities from recruitment, training, appraisal and rewards.HR managers are linked to an employee from the time he joins the organization to the time he leaves the organization. An HR manager has to keep record of all the employees working in the particular organization. In my experience HR team conducts recruitment based on the requirement from each business unit to carry out a project.HR team first analyze the available internal work force and then if not found enough resources, then conduct recruitments. Appropriate candidates are shortlisted and then interviewed.HR manager role also includes planning induction training for the new joiners, creating training plan from the employees, making a buffer pool to manage surplus employees in the organization and also to take care of employee separation processes. In my personal view my previous employer Tech Mahindra limited follows Guest model of HRM. According to Guest model of HRM core set of HRM practices can achieve superior individual and organizational performance. The central hypothesis of HRM is that if an integrated set of HRM practices are applied in a coherent fashion with a view to achieving normative goals of high commitment, high quality and task flexibility then superior individual performance will result.(Braton, Gold : Human Resource Management:Theory and Practice pg21).In Techmahindra HR practices are performed in such a way that employees are given proper training and are rewarded properly so that their commitment to the organization will increase. They are made aware of the organizational strategy and the organizational goals. By doing like that each employee will work towards achieving that common goal. We also had a forum call JOSH which represents fun and entertainment of employees in the organization. JOSH club will o rganize events throughout the year so that employees can participate in those events and can relax from the work load. This will create a good work environment for the employees. I consider this as a good HR strategy to give employee a warm feeling in the organization. Picture adapted from Lecture2 hand out. I can clearly say that in my previous employment the HRM cycle was similar to the HRM Cycle developed by Fomburn(1984).Once the employee is selected to the organization then he will be evaluated yearly based on his performance. Manager will assign goals to employee that needs to be achieved during the financial year. At the end of financial year appraisal discussion will take place between employee and manager and will review how far the employee achieved his/her goals. Based on that if required manager will ask the employee to attend training programmes or if the employee performs exceptionally then he/she will be nominated for a reward and will receive a hike in his/her pay. HRM and CSR Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate social responsibility (CSR), also known as corporate conscience, corporate citizenship or corporate social performance, is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model.(Source: Wood, D. (1991)). CSR focused business promotes public interest by encouraging community growth and development and eliminating practices that harm public sphere regardless of legality. All major multinational firms have CSR policy associated with their organizational policy. All organization has a responsibility to the society. Many organizations follow different procedures for CSR.CSR based business promotes public interest by encouraging community growth and development. Organizations focus on growth of the community and society by implementing several welfare schemes.CSR is also considered as a welfare policy that each multinational firms or organization dedicate to the society. In my previous employment we had several schemes included in the CSR policy. In my organization it was considered as an initiative which is voluntarily undertaken by every employee to improve quality of life in the society.CSR reflects organizations brand and value by addressing societies most complex problems and try to bring a sustainable solution(source:TechMahindra website). HR policies are tailored in such a way that organizational and project goals are not affected by employee participation in CSR activities. Several issues that a society faces include lack of proper education in villages, lack of computer in some schools etc. So these issues are taken as part of CSR and each organization with the help of their employees tries to find out a solution. In my previous employment we have taken care of an orphanage. We have supplied them with all the necessary food, provided education and invited them for all the celebrations that we conducted in our office. All employees who are actively involved in the CSR spend valuable time with them when they visited our office. Similarly we have also conducted tree plantation and also implemented Go Green policy in office premises. We have taken up a rural village and provided education for women and children. Employees can actively participate in these programs during their free time and on weekends. We have Techmahindra foundation to help and support Education in rural areas, women empowerment and to support the needy. HR policies are made in such a way that employees can provide support to the foundation by giving donations or being a volunteer of the foundation to help and support the CSR activities. HR Policies during recession Every organization has a change in their organizational strategy during the economic recession time. Senior management has asked HR professionals to come up with a new HR strategy to deal with the financial crisis. The primary objective of senior management was to reduce cost and maintain financial stability in the organization. Due to financial crisis many organizations had to shut down their operations, many employees lost their job and those organizations that survived the crisis are due to proper organizational and HR strategies. Creative human resource management is necessary during the recession period. HRM function has to develop new ideas to bring change to HRM process. These changes bring change in the procedure in which an organization works. The main idea behind brining in new procedures is to reduce cost of the organization. Usually recession period is not considered as a good time to bring HRM Innovations. For most organizations during recession their policies and practices should be base lined on cost cutting In my previous employment, during recession period HR professional came up with a strategic plan to find out number of employees that are currently working on projects and employees that are not allocated to any projects. As cost cutting was one of the main objectives HR professionals implemented job rotation scheme so that employees that are working on a project is given an opportunity to work on another project where the organization was actually looking for an external resource. When they found that by job rotation the requirement of external candidate is not required as the internal employee was able to manage the new challenge. Another HR policy was to identify real key employees in the organization. This was done to ensure that key employees dont leave the organization during the recession time. They were made intact to the organization.HR professionals has also implemented some policies to find out employees that are not performing up to the expectation. Those employees were put in a job pool and have given opportunity to develop their skills and apply for new roles outside the organization. Most organizations were following lay-off scheme during the recession time as an easy way of cost cutting. In my organization we valued commitment of employees to the organization. So instead of relieving employees they were given a nominal amount as salary and a space to develop their skills. If an employee shows his/her skills then he/she will be taken back into project with the normal pay. During recession period HR officials were forced to revisit the training plans and make suitable arrangements so that trainings will not incur heavy cost for the organization. CONCLUSION I could clearly state that in my previous employment the HR strategy was intact with the organisational strategy, where the strategy was driven by HR. Resource based view of strategy was given more importance.HRM policies and practices should be tailored by considering employees as their key resources.

themebeo Epic of Beowulf Essay - Themes and Motifs in Beowulf :: Epic Beowulf essays

Beowulf:   Themes and Motifs    Beowulf is the most important work of Old English literature, and is well deserved of the distinction.   Throughout the epic, the Anglo-Saxon storyteller uses many elements to build a certain depth to the characters. Just a few of the important character elements in Beowulf are Wealth & Honor, Biblical & Paganistic, and Man vs. Wild themes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many of the characters in Beowulf are, like in most epics, defined by their status.   But, in addition to status, the Anglo-Saxon culture also adds an element of honor.   To the Anglo-Saxons, a character’s importance, as well as their wealth and status, where measured not only in monetary terms, but it was also measured in terms of honor, fame, and accomplishments.   Hrothgar, king of the Danes, is one example of the Anglo-Saxon measurement of importance in Beowulf.   In Canto 1 the story teller describes his wealth and importance, not as mounds of gold or jewels, but instead as his ability to â€Å"[lead] the Danes to such glory.† and as his tendency to â€Å"In battle, [leave] the common pasture untouched, and taking no lives.† Through this display of compassion for the commoner who doesn’t fight in battles, Hrothgar proves the full extent of his honor and therefore the extent of his wealth and status.   Beowulf, th e hero-prince, also proves his true wealth and status through his deeds as defender of the Danes..   As he fights and defeats Grendel, Beowulf Earns Fame and wealth from his companions, and from the Danes, but more importantly, he earns honor raising him to the level of an archetypal hero.   Grendel, on the other hand, is the total opposite of Beowulf.   He has no wealth, no honor, and he in infamous as an evil killer.   This lack of wealth and honor defines Grendel as a symbol of evil and corruption.   In addition to using Honor and wealth to define a character’s character, the story-teller(s) have incorporated alternating Biblical and Paganistic motifs in the epic-poem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The original Epic was obviously Paganistic due to the time period of it’s creation. But, as time wore on, the rewriting and touching up of the manuscripts by various sources including religious monks, caused the characters to have slight Christian characteristics. These Christian themes have become very important to the epic to add am element of depth that wouldn’t be possible in modern times due to the lost of the Anglo-Saxon culture and beliefs.

Magical Realism :: Latin American Literature Essays

Magical Realism It is a long and unusual journey. I still wonder what it really is. I read the selections of four wonderful authors and I am still a little confused about the real history and theory of magical realism. I do know that before a person gets into this idea of magical realism, he or she really has to have a big imagination and willingness to learn about it. I guess what I am trying to say is that magical realism depends on who a person is and what a person is willing to believe. I thought that Franz Roh's selection was brief on magical realism. I see where Roh compared Magical Realism to Expressionism. He came up with different theories about how to look at certain things in the world. This essay was definitely deep and way out there. He talked about the different ways to represent something. "We recognize this world, although now-not only because we have emerged from a dream-we look on it with new eyes"(Roh 17). It was not just an everyday word, it had to be mystical, magical, fantasized etc. I really do not see how somebody could come up with such an idea. The whole point is he mixes reality with fantasy. In his selection, he talks about the supernatural, things such as aliens that really move some people. Magical Realism plays a major role in issues such as this. People have to go beyond the world and look just a little further. One's imagination will take them places of which they have never dreamed before. Some people swear up and down that aliens, UFO' s, and foreign space ships are not real. How do they know? I guess I will have to stick with Roh on believing in the existence of the supernatural, the magical, and the freaks of nature. Whether I understand completely or not, I think it is really neat how someone can go beyond the unthinkable. That is exactly what Roh does. Some things he talks about I cannot interpret, but I see his outline of it. I do not think there would be any interesting things to look forward to if someone did not use one's imagination and research on things that are mind boggling to the world today. Maybe if more people knew about this "magical realism, they would look at things differently. Angel Flores wrote about magical realism in a way that was hard for me to understand.

Orientalism and Post-Colonial Theory :: Essays Papers

Orientalism and Post-Colonial Theory Fitting Said’s vision of Orientalism into post colonial theory is a fluid meeting of social discourse. As post colonial theory demands a â€Å"constant redefinition of both â€Å"politics† and â€Å"culture† in a rapidly globalizing world,† Said also questions how cultural power and privilege determines modern identity (Nealon and Giroux, 149). Said’s dialogue of â€Å"Oritentalism† demands a new look at history and the colonial processes imprinted upon so many peoples. It opens and engages discourses of racism and socio-economic inequality, and intrinsically asks how post-colonial theory translates into our lives today. Recasting human identity using new conceptions of historical and modern communities of â€Å" â€Å"us† Europeans against â€Å"those† non-Europeans,† Said challenges European versions of history and authority of knowledge (Said, 7). The pursuit of a more complete understanding of howâ€Å" â€Å"our† world† and the â€Å"other† are connected requires a challenge to the referential power of European historical texts and its â€Å"exteriority to what it describes† (Said, 20). Deep â€Å"analysis of postcolonial relations is necessary† within all bodies of academic thought (Nealon and Giroux, 142), Said contends; even the study of English literature is rooted in colonial purposes of assimilation and control (Said, 145). How we conceptualize ourselves extends beyond scholarly print to other modes of experience and the everyday assumptions of our culture about the â€Å"other.† If â€Å"politics and culture work in collusion† (Nealon and Giroux, 142), it is in this interface that social identity finds root and means for change. Post colonial theory realizes the socio-economic inequality of nations and peoples as consequence of colonial systems, and attends to the question of how cultures maintain autonomy when modern media and military forces â€Å"divide world in ways astoundingly similar to the era of colonialism† (Nealon and Giroux150).

Authentic Freedom Essay

A human being is free to do as what they please! That’s just an interpretation of authentic freedom. All too often humans think of freedom as a free for all. Authentic freedom is does not mean doing what one wants when one wants to whom one wants, but rather it means, understanding who one is , that a human being is not alone and here to contribute to society. Authentic freedom is a paradox, one that will make you think, but not a contradiction. The more freedom a human being has, the more one is called to respond. â€Å"Freedom is exercised in relationships between human beings. Every human person, created in the image of God, has the natural right to be recognized as a free and responsible being. All owe to each other this duty of respect. The right to the exercise of freedom, especially in moral and religious matters, is an inalienable requirement of the dignity of the human person. This right must be recognized and protected by civil authority within the limits of the common good and public order (Catechism, 1732). A human being gains freedom, by exercising freewill in a positive and productive way. People make choices in daily life, choices that affect the ability to live a free life. When one chooses to go counter to the common good, a human being chooses slavery, slavery to the consequences of one’s choice. †The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to â€Å"the slavery of sin† (Catechism, 1733). When a human chooses not to listen to their conscience one chooses to listen to the voice of evil, when that happens, a human being has just entered in to a slave/master relationship. With them being the slave. Freedom allows one to make choices that benefit themselves and more importantly the world around them. Freedom demands of one, or rather obligates one to concern ourselves with the affairs of the world around us. If you look at the world around a human being, countries where freedom is lacking, the overall population is less concerned with their fellow man, then in a freer society. The same can be said of individuals, the more freedom a human being has, and the more responsible one acts to other, on the whole.

Early Childhood Education and ‘Kindergarten’

Pre-school didactics is discussed mainly with and done the discipline of a small frys personality. The knowledge and practices acquired by fryren during this comprise of learning argon implant with their case. Further more(prenominal)(prenominal) development of creative thinking, conversation skills and genial interaction argon a few benefits able to acquire by pre-school pip-squeakren. (Palihakkara, D.W., Premaratne, R.M. 2004, p 36).Kindergarten, is a German metaphorical term referring to a garden, in which squirtren are compared to growing plants. It is used as a common term for pre-school educational institutions, delineate in dissimilar looks in many countries. The Kindergartens are recognized educational surroundingss take a crapd to motivate and support the psychical, bodily, stirred up, linguistic and cordial development of tykeren between ages 3-5 years. (Source Friedrich Froebel, http//www.infed.com/Froebel.html )History of Early puerility knowled geMany contri exactlyions are made to the development of theories on archaean puerility education through the ages in the history of educational philosophy. on the whole theories are establish upon the childs psychological background, with various scientific research and interpretations made with clock through established contemporary methods. classical philosopher Plato in 4th Century B.C. was the low gear to emphasize the importance of education with behave and rhythmic movement to improve mental and physical growth during the first quintette years of a childs smell. This idea was make headway improved by the addition of Aristotles ideas on practicing right-hand(a) habits and attitudes in children.John Amos Komensky (Comenius) in the 16th Century, expressed ideas of child bear on education he believed children should learn by centripetal experiences through activities engineered within their graphic purlieu. He stressed on the childs subscribe for love and Security a nd the use of goods and services of a m some other as a teacher in the home based earlier childhood education. (Dudek.M, 1996, pp30-39)Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) merely illustrates that nothing should be forced on the child. He suggests methods of participating learning through experience and the utilization of work as nobble.Work or cultivate is all one to him, his games are his work, and he knows no difference.-Rousseau-The four stages of a childs development described by him are as followsInfancy reveals habits and the framing of emotions childishness reveals destiny and study of sensesBoyhood reveals utility and the training of the intellectAdolescence reveals mortalityOf these training emotions and the senses was stressed only in archaeozoic childhood education.Fredrich Froebel (1782-1827) believed that the childhood is a plosive speech sound with its knowledge interests, values and creativity and identifies reanimate as the typical bodily design. He established the pre-school trunk Kindergarten with the emphasis on exhaust depend and childs easedom. (Dudek.M, 1996, p51)Fig.2.01 Freidrich Froebel and his kindergarten tools cognize as Froebels gifts in use with children. educationalist female horse Montessori (1870-1952) concentreed on the essential of sensory learning, skill development, the use of materials and well-off class room environments for children in similitude to Kindergarten method, the Montessori Method focuses more towards the efficiency and run in making children ready to make with semiformal learning. (Dudek.M, 1996, p.58)Fig.2.02 Maria Montessori and pre-school childrenPsychologists such as Wellman and Piaget during the twentieth century signaliseed that comprehension levels of children can be manipulated by environmental experiences such as pre-schooling. Also disapproved ideas of icy intelligence and predetermined development. These findings improved the timbre of pre-school education as struc tured touch environments for cognition and skill development. (Dudek.M, 1996, p.65)2.1.2 Early childhood Education in Sri Lankan ContextPre-school education has been a key priority of the Sri Lankan Education since the early 1940s. (The Kannangara promulgate of 1943, Jayasooriya Commission Report on education in 1961). In 1986 the affiliation of powers to the Ministry of Womens Affairs and Childcare enabled to invoke and support the eccentric and regulations for Pre-schools Island wide. Experts on child psychology and education help to categorize various early educational programs.The trouble of Pre-school education in Sri Lanka can be identified under three basic sectorsState sector Managed under the Departments of hearty Services, Fisheries, Womens Affairs and Protection and child care, local anesthetic Government etc.Voluntary Organizations Sarvodaya, Mahila Samithi, Religious Organizations, Samurdhi Movement, and Social public assistance Trust Organization (Pre-scho ols in the terra firma Sector)Private Sector Private Educational Organizations or individuals (Mostly Montessori System Adopted)The two key systems of early education in Sri Lanka arenursery Kindergarten MethodMontessori Method (Palihakkara, D.W., Premaratne, R.M. 2004, pp54-57).The glasshouse and kindergarten method is a combination of the Nursery and Kindergarten systems currently do in Sri Lanka.KindergartenThis system focuses a child centered approach which became the inspiration for new pre-school education. Founded by, Freidrich Froebel, it fosters cultivate, giving precedence for the growth of childrens feelings and their fancy.The objectives focus on the childs development which includes complaisant skills and sensory development.Sociability and care within a group of childrenProblem solving ability based on individual and group activitiesAccomplishment of sensory ride coordinationUnderstanding basic concepts necessary for latter learningAppreciation of kayo in a ll formsSocial maturity and self-awarenessProgress of creativity(Palihakkara, D.W., Premaratne, R.M. 2004, pp37-38.)Nursery SchoolsA more recent education system based on the Kindergarten system, which functions on a noncommercial basis through churches, homes and charitable organizations .Its objectives areChild socialization and the use of reverie Play promotes sensory motor and stirred development.Attachment between teacher and child brings pop out self-confidence, security and spontaneity within the child.Creating a learning environment free from restrictions and rateionsEstablishment of good parental relations(Palihakkara, D.W., Premaratne, R.M. 2004, p38.)Organized and free fly the coop is believed to help the child realize his admittedly capacity through aesthetics and self-expressive qualities of play. Nursery schools limit each group to a maximum of twenty students with a marginal of two teachers to maintain good child-Teacher consanguinity where the teacher is o nly a guide, selecting music, materials for play discussion or art activities.MontessoriAn early education system that combines both the psychological concepts and academic techniques was established by Maria Montessori. She believed in creating a core environment based on love, care, co-operation, patience, self control and responsibility to be the main gambol of the system.The system aims skill development of children through activities such asPractical breeding exercises and occupational skills Ex. Carrying and using objects, buttoning, folding linen paper etc. as practical life skills and sweeping, washing, brushing as occupational skills sensory exercises Sensory discrimination skills and conceptsDidactic exercises understand shape, size, garble, texture, temperature etc.(Palihakkara, D.W., Premaratne, R.M. 2004, pp39-40.)Fantasy Play of the Kindergarten has been substituted in the Montessori system by the nonionised activities that contribute to self-discipline and the c ourse of work. learn through Play MethodAs Friedrich Froebel believes play as the most distinctive activity of children. Apart from bringing triumph to the child, play also evokes the inherent whole step that children deliver which symbolizes the acknowledgment of each individual. (Dudek M. 1996, p.47)Research on human behavior has revealed that children learn efficiently from seemingly-random play as from the formal classroom. Play gives children the opportunity of firsthand experience to discover things through exploration it motivates them to take risks and challenges to search the world further. (McConnell.J, 1989)Piaget describes the basic types of play a child progresses through in his/her developmental stages as Pre-Social and Social play.Pre-Social Play The child take on play with hands, feet, bells, rattles and dolls at six months.Social Play Is a more intricate and social in character as it occurs with both individual and physical development.Category 1 Social play is in relation to the activity, such asFree Play The basic kind of social play that involves physical play activities with other children. This enables them to control their demeanor. mannikinal Play Play with formal rules, but turns out to be malleable when children become more verbal.Creative Play define as the pinnacle of all types of play by Piaget the child learns to operate with symbols rather than objects.Category 2 play can be separate under the point of social give it offers. the curriculum of a Kindergarten encourages the following types of playSolitary Play children compete alone, independently, of their own interest.Parallel Play performing beside each other, but not with each other.Associative Play children playing with each other, communicating, sharing materials and activities in an unorganized pattern, without an overall goal.Corporative Play children organizing themselves in a group, with a common goal or purpose.(Malone. K, Tranter. P, 2003)Category 3 Any activity of play can be viewed in different stages of complexities of activity.Stage One Simple exploration of play material feeling sand, burbling water back and forth, scribbling with vividness in pencils etc.Stage twain Symbolic Play Use of objects as symbols for some other object. Takes place during the Preoperational stage mentioned byPiaget, a play very oftentimes used by kindergarten children.Stage tether When Kindergarten children are able to interact in co- operative play, they devised flexible rules to their games. (Malone. K, Tranter. P, 2003)The three categories of social play are effectively practised in Kindergarten programs facilitated by teachers without restricting child behavior.Fig.2.03 Children booked in learning Fig.2.04 Children engaged in playResearchers have marvelous three main categories of play in relation to child development. These are summarized to a lower place with its marks.Physical/motor skill play activities playing on structured gam es, using free equipment (e.g., bat ball). A pictorial way through which, childrens physical growth, agility and survival of the fittest is improved. These are essential to a honorable childhood and later life.Social/non social play activities Talking with others, observe others activities, daydreaming (includes looker-on play). Children must play with others, share and cooperate, observe other views, express their ideas, feelings and subscribe tos without the exponentiation of an adult. A child constructs identity which suits him. Learns to accomplish with others, and interaction with their peers allows to acquire social skills and emotional well-being essential for childs development.Cognitive play activities (includes visionary and creative play) building with materials and engaging in imaginative activities enables children to discover, explore and develop an mind of the environment around them. They become long-familiar with the patterns and systems of life and co nnections with the experience. Therefore, play being a stimulant of physical, emotional, social, intellectual and cognitive development of the child plays a key role in early childhood education. (Malone .K, Tranter. P, 2003)Spatial whole step of a KindergartenThe Nursery and Kindergarten method encourages license for the child to self-explore and experience his world. The psychological need for granting immunity is given priority in child centered education. A Child requires the freedom to experience childhood to its fullest potential. It is a key feature that enables him to successfully proceed with future endeavors in life. (Selmer Olsen I., 1993)The spacial property depends on the quality of activity, physical and psychological requirements of the users etc. A Kindergarten facilitates the main function of discipline through Play. The put and spatial quality of such institutions is the tool which moulds the atm required for the activity. The environment of a kindergarte n should be organized, supportive and inspirational with desired freedom for the child to explore within the be limitations of safety.Thus an ideal environment would run to the requirements of a childs intellectual, social, linguistic, aesthetic and physical development. It pass on incorporate spatial variety with mollify spaces for solitude and security, more opened social spaces for group activities and exciting outdoor spaces for exploration. The brutal variety in featherbrained, blazon, texture, and sound, would intensify the spatial quality to motivate children to engage positively with the kindergarten activities. (Bettelheim. B, Annalia. G, (1992), Dudek M. 1996, p.06).The objective of kindergarten architecture should be to create stimulus and secure learning environments that celebrates the characteristic activity of childhood play. (Dudek M. 1996, p.06).Kindergarten environments should consider Learning and Play as a synchronized, serial publication of simultaneou s learning and play activities. The spatial quality of a dynamic disposition for remark of Play should be controlled to achieve levels of ingress required for learning. This aspect should be turn to by using architectural elements such as form, scale, proportion, colour, texture, pattern, diminish and views. (Dudek M. 1996, p.06).2.2.1 Colour as a spatial quality in KindergartensAmongst architectural elements that stimulate space for humans, colour plays a vital role with direct impacts on mind and body. The sensation of colour enables to communicate between innate and manmade elements in architecture.The Three Elephants kindergarten designed by Knafo Klimor Architects in Caesarea, Israel. It is a testimony of the above averment as ar figurements of dynamic spaces with a series of geometric wall planes are accentuate by colour.Fig.2.05 Interaction with Nature Kindergarten in Caeserea, IsraelThe natural contrast between light and shade creates a new range of form and colour. Two dimensional architecture will eventually create a richer composition of colour, which, in turn, will enrich the childs experience. (Eylon.L, 2003)The constant interaction with the surrounding environment draws in the light and colours of nature to animate the opthalmic ambiance for the child it is a dynamic experience of life. The vibrant application of colour highlights and symbolizes the abstract strengthened forms of nature. The forms and colours with resemblance to a toy, encourages the childs imagination to visualize a herd of elephants and further explore activities of play through his unreal world.Fig.2.06 Light provides visual depth to Form and Colour Kindergarten in Caecerea, Israel and Kindergarten8units in Spain inborn light is a source which enhances the spirit of spatial quality. Kindergarten8units in Spain is an example for its carrying into action in enhancing colours.Fig.2.07 Eye level views for childrenThe windowpane is used as an activity space against the wall. Therefore, the activities can have a gratifying bright setting and a most view of the outdoor environment. Bringing the window heights to childs eye level provides them with visual continuity from indoors to outdoors.Fig.2.08 Spirit of light and colourUse of colour with natural illumination energizes space and brightens the mood. The brightness of natural light floods into the corridors (common spaces) from the sky lights above and spreads into the classes ordered around it. Natural light and colour cooperate and works by changing light and the colours of the views of outdoors.This provides children a base understanding of time, nature and natural phenomena. Hence, colour becomes a vital spatial character in a kindergarten as it stimulates the child to positively communicate with its activity and the environment.