Against Ufos Essays - Ufology, Ufologists, , Term Papers

Against Ufos UFOs: Neither Here nor There Throughout the past, the existence of unidentified flying objects and aliens has been disputed over and over. Many different platforms and viewpoints have been taken in order to support the respective sides of the issue. The main argument against intelligent life existing somewhere other than Earth is that of where they derive. The truth of the matter is there is no place in the universe that UFOs and aliens could exist. Skeptics are faced with the fact that modern science has stated that no other orbital body in our solar system or immediate surrounding area is able to sustain life (Blum, 1990). Our solar system is a collection of planets, comets, and assorted chunks of rock. Despite the similarity in appearance, there are startling differences between the various bodies in the solar system, and especially between the planets(David, 1967). Mars, the planet most often associated with aliens, has been tested by scientists with an instrument called the gas chromatograph mass spectrometer and ?. . .it found no signs whatever of any organic compounds on Mars (Man, 1985, p. 69).? This was a great leap in the debate over intelligent life as it finally put to rest the idea that Mars was the home of alien life(Man, 1985). Debaters now quickly jumped to the idea that life existed on any number of the other planets. Mercury, the planet closest to the sun, has no way of sustaining life as it is an airless and waterless mass. The planet also exhibits extreme temperatures up to 660 degree Fahrenheit thanks to its location relative to the sun(Rivera, http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/3852/mercury.htm [2001]). It is unlikely that life exists on Venus because of it's atmosphere and temperature. The green planet's atmosphere exerts 90 times the pressure of Earth's and traps all the sun's heat that enters it causing extreme and intolerable temperatures that average 900 degrees Fahrenheit(Hamilton, http://www.solarviews.com/eng/venus.htm [2001]). Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are made of almost entirely the same substances as each other. Made up of liquids and gases, the outer planets make it simply impossible to land a spacecraft on any of them(Man, 1985). After availing themselves to these facts, supporters still argue with the new conjecture that aliens come from outside our solar system. However, any immediate object outside our solar system that is vast enough to possibly maintain life has been investigated and shown to have no life(David (Ed.), 1967). In addition, all celestial bodies outside of the direct rays of the sun show alarming similarities in that none of which have enough solid mass to support the landing of any spacecraft, and that they show no method for sustaining life(Man, 1985). This pattern seems to be true for the rest of space, but, even with skeptics pushing the envelope further and further, scientists now have yet another way of disproving the existence of extraterrestrials. After disproving theories up to a certain point in space, scientists state that in order to subsist further away than what is known would force spacecraft to travel at speeds greater than light. This type of travel is simply impossible, due to the needed technology to produce vehicles that are able to maneuver the universe immaculately and without crashing at speeds exceeding 700,000,000 miles per hour(Setter, http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/AndyPage/WWWUFO.htm [2001]). The skeptics who state UFOs and aliens exist are faced with the simple fact that there are no hard facts to support their case(Vallee, 1966). Never in history has the government, along with the top scientists and astronomers in the world, of any country filed any flying saucer sightings as Alien Species(David, 1967). One point is illustrated best by an excerpt from The UFO Enigma in which the author tells us that a typical UFO observer would be an ?. . .unstable single or unhappily married clerk . . .a college student filled with youthful enthusiasm, or some spiritualistic soul in quest of unearthly experiences(Vallee, 1966, p. 160).? I believe this statement sums up why there are still people in this world who believe in Aliens and UFOs. Also, with the amount of media existing today, it is extremely difficult to believe that no news show or media broadcasting company has ever recognized any UFO report on national

Should I Stay Or Should I Go †English Essay (100 Level Course)

Should I Stay Or Should I Go – English Essay (100 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers Should I Stay Or Should I Go English Essay (100 Level Course) If I was a citizen of the city of Omelas, and saw the child in the closet, I would not walk away. I do not see any good that could come from walking away. The problem would still exist in the city and I would have nowhere to go, and going nowhere alone doesn’t sound like a smart thing to do. However, at the same time I wouldn’t just stay in the city and not do anything about the child in the closet. I wouldn’t go on living my life like I did before I saw the poor child locked in a closet. Witnessing the horrible situation in which the child has to live would affect me in a way that wouldn’t allow me to live my life in the happy manner that I previously lived in. I would try my best to help the child so that he or she could also live a happy life. First of all, how can running away even begin to solve any problems? I don’t understand what the point of leaving is. If you disapprove of something you should not just walk away. You should voice your opinion and try to make other people see things the way you do. Walking away wouldn’t be a good idea because the things that you are walking away from will still be the same. If I was in Omelas I would have listened to the crying and pleading of the child when it said â€Å"I will be good, please let me out. I will be good!† The people of Omelas just ignore the crying of the child, late at night it screams and whines for help. How anybody could be so lacking of compassion that they would not help a young child that is in so much pain is unbelievable to me. They say that â€Å"they would like to do something for the child, but there is nothing they can do.† That is absolutely unacceptable. They can do a lot for the kid. They can take it out of the closet, bathe it, feed it, clothe it, love it, and take careo f it. That is not hard for them to do. They say that if they did all those things then â€Å"the prosperity and beauty and delight of Omelas would wither and be destroyed.† How do they know that if they never tried to take care of the kid. Where is the logic behind that arguement? There is none. It makes absolutely no sense that there has to be a kid locked in a closet for the rest of the city to be happy. I can in no way appreciate the argument that â€Å"assuring the happiness of one would throw away the happiness of thousands.† For this reason I would help the child. Once I saw how thin, hungry, and alone the child was I would do the best I could to help it. I am not a believer of superstitions and the belief that helping the child would cause the city a lof of pain is a kind of superstition. Any person that has even a little bit of compasssion for other humans would have the same answer that I do. There is no way that one could go on living life the same after witnessing such a horrible situation. If I saw the child and heard his cries for help I would never be the same. I could not live with myself if I knew there was something I could do to help the child and I didn’t do it. In order for a city to be happy and free every citizen needs to be treated equally. This is not a quality that Omelas has. Even if it is only one person that is treated unfairly it ruins the image of the city. If I was there I would do my best to make the city I live the best place possible. I also wouldn’t walk away because I would have nowhere to go. The people in the story that walked away all walked away â€Å"alone, into the darkness, and never came back.† Walking away would not help myself, the child, or the city. The only way I would even consider walking away is if I was going to take the child with me, and that would not be walking away alone. Research Papers on Should I Stay Or Should I Go - English Essay (100 Level Course)Personal Experience with Teen PregnancyThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm X19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraStandardized TestingCapital PunishmentHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayWhere Wild and West Meet

Interpret the law of secured transactions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Interpret the law of secured transactions - Essay Example Article nine of the Uniform Commercial Code states that security interests are termed as personal property. According to the case, the first party to present the financing statement has priority to the collateral. Therefore, by filing the financing statement in advance, a party can perfect a security interest in the collateral. Therefore, this makes the party a secured creditor; in addition, the secured party creditors’ interest is also protected through the collateral (Miller, 2011). The creditor who acquired the security interest later also has a valid claim towards the collateral. Nevertheless, the later creditor is considered a junior creditor therefore; his security interest has less priority than the first creditor. Even though the later creditor had no prior knowledge of the collateral, the first creditor has priority over the collateral. The first creditor filed the notice first thus creating a useful knowledge for all future creditors (Miller, 2011). With regard to article 9 of the Uniform Commercial code, the interests are referred to as personal property. This is well to reveal the fact that according to the case, Metro Bank does not offer a quantitative statement to ensure that it receives as collateral if any as it claims (Duncan, Lyons, & Wilson, 2011). It is also the law according to the article that any other auxiliary shareholders or creditors should file statements that are clear to reveal the financial position of the company. In the given case, it is expressed that Metro Bank did not carry out enough survey to find out the source of the assets in terms of financial statements that Agile Corporation borrowed. Had Metro Bank carried out a full analysis of the assets without rushing out to offer the amount of Money that it did to the corporation, it would have found out that Agile Group had borrowed 1 million dollars from Hi Finance Company. The security interest that Metro Bank bore at this point, where Agile bleached

How useful is social anthropology for an overseas student in looking Essay

How useful is social anthropology for an overseas student in looking at and understanding modern British society - Essay Example Social anthropology is a title used in England and to some extent in the United States, to designate a department of the larger subject of anthropology, the study of man from a number of aspects. It concerns itself with human cultures and societies† (Pritchard 3). Therefore, it is evident that the study of Social anthropology deserves greater significance. Many researchers have identified that ‘social anthropology’ is quite a recent name which was taught under the names of anthropology or ethnology (Prichard 3). A very good definition of Social Anthropology can be found in the official website of Harvard University that writes, â€Å"Social Anthropology is concerned with the social and cultural diversity of contemporary human communities and groups† (Harvard). The website adds that through ethnographic methods and intensive participant observation â€Å"Social Anthropologists study topics such as gender, race and ethnicity; religion; economic development; i llness and healing; human rights and political violence; popular culture and the role of media in society; food and consumption; and the impact of globalization† (Harvard). This leads one to the inference that social anthropology will have an elite role in making an overseas student looking at and understanding the British society, its race and ethnicity, religion, economic development, illness and healing, and the like. The purpose of the study is to explore the certain factors of social anthropology that help an overseas student to properly understand the modern British society. Identifying gender has an elite role in assuring a good educational standard for an overseas student. When one selects a particular country for one’s further studies, it is mandatory that he or she should have proper awareness about the gender differences existing in that region. One should keep in mind that fact that ‘diversity, and complexity and change are, then, features of contemporary British society’ (Abercrombie,

Law Enforcement Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Law Enforcement Paper - Essay Example Policing in the United States dates back to the pre-colonial period, an era characterized by high level of immigration from European countries into the country. Immigrants from Britain formed a significant proportion of the foreigners and the United States later became a British colony. This colonial relationship played a major role in the development of the current modern policing and common law in the United States. According to Uchida (2004), the modern features that define American internal security such as community policing, crime prevention and hierarchical police command originate from British law enforcement agencies. As early as 900 AD, Uchida (2004) notes that law enforcement in United States was the responsibility of every citizen. Individuals used state authorized powers to uphold order in the society, a type of policing which Walker (1977, p48). refers as â€Å"kin police†. Because there was no police, individual persons were responsible for security of their rel atives. This type of security later developed into a formalized communal policing that was adapted from 1066 to 13th century. The defining characteristic of policing during the period was a community-based model called frankpledge (Uchida, 2004). This model comprised of small groups, each made of nine boys above the age of twelve years. These groups were called â€Å"tythings† and members came from the same neighborhood Uchida (2004 p23). Each member was sworn to uphold security by protecting fellow citizen, apprehending criminals and taking them to court of law (Uchida, 2004). This form of security organization was compulsory in nature and was enforced by the state although the members were compensated for their work. During this period, United States was under the rule of English Monarchy and absolute loyalty was necessary. A constable who was appointed by the local nobleman commanded a group of ten tythings (Uchida, 2004). Therefore, the constable was the first police offi cer with official security responsibilities beyond helping his neighbor. The tythings were grouped into larger units of hundreds, which were then collaborated into larger units, called â€Å"shires† (Uchida, 2004, p25). The head of each shire was called â€Å"sheriff†, an appointee of the king. This form of security system disintegrated in the 13th century as result of insufficient supervision from the king (Uchida, 2004, p28). The parish constable structure took over and adapted the same system, although it gave the constable more powers than in the preceding system. The constable commanded a group of watchmen who guarded entry points and gates of towns at night. This form of English security arrangement continued in the 17th and 18th centuries (Walker, 1977). The sheriff, constable and the watch formed the core hierarchical system of police system in the United States. The sheriff headed the police operations in a county and the governor appointed him. The role of sh eriff included collecting taxes, arresting criminals serving subpoenas in addition to making court appearances. In big tows and cities, the night watch reported fires, detained and arrested suspected criminals, raised the alarm, maintained street lighting in addition to walking around in the towns to ensure security. Constables were responsible for taking criminals to court, removing health hazards in the towns and ensuring that witnesses appeared in courts (Walker, 1977).

Strategy and practice

Strategy and practice Strategy and practice Human resource management and industrial relations The role of line managers in human resource management Abstract Recent research indicates that there is an increasing trend that human resource specialists and line managers share more effective responsibility for their organizations human resource practice. However, HR specialists and line managers often have different opinions and implementation on human resource management. Line managers didnt work well as expected. Therefore, much literature argues that line managers are the weak link in converting HR strategy into practice. Introduction In the first part, this paper analyzed HR specialists and line managers perspectives on line managers involvement in HR activities. Many literatures and a case study are used to find out the reasons. Line managers who are regarded as the weak part in HR practice implementation can be analyzed from four aspects: the competence of line managers, disdain for HR work, working priorities for line managers, tension and conflict with HR specialist. Secondly, this paper comprised the suggestions which could enhance line managers contribution to organizational performance. Defining line management It is important to define the concept of line management at the first stage. An early literature described that â€Å"the distinction between line function and staff function within organization, despite some speculation, maybe limiting.†( Logan, H. 1966,p.46) It is valuable to distinguish boundaries of responsibilities between line function and staff function. Stewarts defined line mangers as â€Å"those that have direct responsibility for achieving the objectives of organization, and are often identified in production terms (production/ operation/ manufacturing), while staff functions exit to provide advice and service to line functions†. (Stewart 1963 p. 24) Storey proposed a typology of senior/ middle line managers which is clear to show the role of line managers in organization. (Storey, J., 1992) Firstly, he identified two dimensions of line managers role. It was shown in a matrix. (Figure 1) The first dimension concluded commercial oriented and technical oriented. The second dimension is the extent to which line managers response to organization: proactive and reactive. Storey defined four types of line managers: business mangers, manufacturing managers, sales managers and production managers. Storey suggested that HR specialists and line mangers share different proportion of HRM responsibility in each type. Production mangers was regarded as the most traditional interpretation of the role, hence, HR specialist takes mostly responsibilities for the HRM. The manufacturing managers share HRM responsibilities with HR specialists. Business managers should have a general insight in the whole organizational business and environment. They a re expected to be more focused on strategy version. Here, HRM responsibilities are shared by line managers and HR specialists as well. The last types of line managers- sales managers, Storey have not got clear findings yet. The role of line mangers in HRM Much literature noted that the involvement of line managers in human resource management (HRM) has been a heated issue in the past few years (Guest, 1987, Storey, 1992), and HR work are partly devolved to line mangers in practice. The reasons of line managers involvement in HRM have been concluded by Brewster and Larsens research (2000) in five aspects: â€Å"to reduce cost; to provide a comprehensive approach to HRM; to place responsibility for HRM with managers most responsible for it, to speed up decision making; and as an alternative to outsourcing HR function. (Brewster and Larsen, 2000, p 196-198) The relationship between line managers and HR specialists is probably clarified as â€Å"partnership† in much literature. And a popular view is that line managers should be engaged in particular HR practice, cooperating with HR practitioners. Results from CIPDs research indicated that HR specialist is more likely to cooperate with HR specialist in resourcing, training and development but undertake alone in employee relations and reward management. (CIPD 2006) Furthermore, whats the particular work line managers should be responsible for? From Marchington and Wilkinson‘s point of view, the major responsibilities of line managers are: â€Å"leading team briefings, problem-solving groups and informal communications; performance review; team/staff development; managing employee absence.† And the shared responsibilities are â€Å"selection decisions; induction and ongoing training; disciplinary cases; flexible working patterns.† Lastly, the little responsibiliti es are: â€Å"performance-related pay; recruitment advertising, applications and initial search; promotions welfare; organization development.† However, although line managers have always been engaging in some specific HR work, they have been criticized by many researcher and HR managers for less effective performance than they expected. Thus, in the next section, an examples and case were illustrated to analyze these drawbacks from training, appraisal performance, EIPï ¼Å'recruitment and selection, theoretically and practically. Methodology In the next section, the weakness of line managers in implementing best HR practice and strategy will be discussed from many literatures and the results of interviews with line managers on their own experience in undertaking HR work, which is conducted by Douglas Renwick (2002). The research was done in three organizations in UK-Utility Co, Local Authority, Manufacturing Co. All three organizations distribute part of HR work to line managers, â€Å"appraisal performance, recruitment, communication with employees, sickness absence, and employee development.† A qualitative method was used to analysis interview resources. Some useful findings from the in case study are: â€Å"the line have many duties, and lack time to do HR work well; doing HR work diluted the lines generalist managerial focuses; significant line inadequacies in handling HR work; tensions between HR and line over transfer and completion of HR duties; the line are reliant on HR to do HR work properly.†(Dou glas Renwick 2002 p 271-272) Combined with these findings, if we look at more literatures, some explanations for criticisms of line managers in the delivery of HR practice can be summarized. (Below) Lack of competences Many researchers indicated that line managers dont have adequate competence and professional knowledge to implement HR activities if they dont receive supports and advice from HR specialists. Douglas Renwicks researchï ¼Ë†2002ï ¼â€° typically pointed out that: â€Å"significant line inadequacies in handling HR work† Thus, the line sometimes lacked the skills and abilities to do HR work but they still want to speed up decision making. The ineffectiveness of delivery is likely to emerge. Therefore, it is accepted by most line managers that they need proactive support from HR specialists. In Hiltons case study (Maxwell and Watsonï ¼Å'2006)ï ¼Å'Maxwell and Watson indicated that HR specialists in Hilton provided large support to line managers on training, coaching, recruitment and retention; staff budgeting; performance appraisals. Competing priorities Many line managers fell that they dont have enough time and effort to undertake HR activities when they are responsible for their own business jobs. Compared with their HRM responsibility, they are more likely to consider their own duties first. Using Hiltons study again, 86% line managers feel that they are enduring â€Å"heavy workload† while 78% think they have â€Å"short term job pressures.† (Maxwell and Watsonï ¼Å'2006). And Douglas Renwicks interview has similar findings. (2002) â€Å"line managers inadequacy in HRM was sometime to lead to problems when they are doing HR work.† As a line managers said in the interview (Douglas Renwick, 2002 p 269): â€Å"Quite often the manager doesnt have the time to deal with the problem and hes maybe unaware of it. And some managers are strong characters and give staff a hard time.† If we look at certain HR practice, Redmans findings (2001) showed that line managers dont like some HR activities, for example, in performance management; they think it is time consuming. Tension and conflict with HR specialist When HR specialists hold different views with line managers about the responsibility of specific HR practice, tension and conflicts would be emerged. For example, in terms of recruitment, many line managers think that recruiting an excellent employee is HR departments business, while HR practitioners think Line manager should take more responsibility because they understand clearly what kind of employees are truly needed. Thus, unclear boundaries of responsibility in particular HR practice may lead to conflict and reduce the effectiveness. Furthermore, different reorganization about the importance of particular HR work between the two groups also may result in tension and conflict. Finally, as performers of HR policy, most of line managers feel that some HR policies are unrealistic and hard to apply it into practice. According to Douglas Renwicks study, â€Å"line managers thought problems in HR policy lead to poor outcomes in HRM†. As some managers from UK-Utility Co, Local Authority, and Manufacturing Co said: â€Å"This is a HR initiative from corporate HR, but something is wrong. You should be developed now.† â€Å"If you really fall out- you try to give them a doing and it depends how well you defend themselves† (Douglas Renwick,2002, p.272) Disdain for HR practice Bevan and Hayday(1994) found that some lime managers are not clear about their responsibility and role in HRM. Many line managers think that a specialist qualification in HRM is not necessary because they believe that these skills and competence are gained from practical work and experience, not from training and development. Some line managers are even dont believe that HRM can make contribution to organization performance. Hayman and Cunningham (1995) confirmed that there was a lack of training and development among line managers even they realize the weakness. In a small organization in which lack of HR specialist, HR work are usually implemented by line managers who may dont posses any relevant knowledge. But in many cases, the organization still runs well because line managers only focus on routine and easy HR practice, such as regular pay, sickness absence, data collection, payroll management and simple appraisal management. Line managers can do this kind of work easily and well. But situations are totally opposite in a big organization. Operational system and people management are much more systematic. HR presence is essential as they can afford professional advice for line mangers. Whats more important, line managers as performers of HR practice need to handle much more complicated HR affairs than that of small organization. For example, in terms of recruitment, many big organizations adopt professional staff evaluation method, such as assessment centre, which need relevant knowledge and training to make full use of these appraisal me thods. Hence, line managers disdain for HR training and development inevitable is regarded as an evidence of line managers inadequacy in HR implementation. What line managers should do? Though line managers are recognized as a weak link in converting HR policy and strategy into practice, we could not deny their contribution and influence to HRM if the delivery of devolution of HR practice is effective. What should line managers do to enhance their contribution to HRM? First, from the view of line managers, a new perspective of HRM should be established. They need to realize their responsibility and role in HR work deeply. Also, they have to admit that HR work is kind of professional job and requires relevant knowledge and skills. A useful way to test to what extent line managers emphasis on HR work is establishing an effective appraisal management system. Secondly, I think HR training and development system are very crucial for line managers. High quality of skills to handle interview, staff management and a series of HR work can be developed through training and development. In fact, more and more companies are aware of the importance of HR training for line mangers. For example, in order to support line managers to undertake HR issues, MarksSpencer created an e-learning system, called Line Manager Performance Centre, which is a flexible and creative training system for line managers. The result of feedback from line managers showed that 88% line mangers feel this training improved their knowledge and skills in HRM. And 72% think the training improved employee commitment. Another case in point is Searle, a pharmaceutical company in America, in order to change precious unsuccessful training, they carried out an systematic training program, which include needs analysis; line managers fully engagement in training; financial support; pro fessional training in specific field, appraisal, etc. The result is satisfactory; employees course satisfaction was increased from 82.5% to 87%. Except practical work like conducting an interview, absence management, appraisal, etc, focus on employee involvement and engagement does have positive effects. The LMX theory also proposed that a good relationship between employees and their line managers can increase employee outcome and performance. Line managers should held informal meetings with employees to listen to their suggestions and take care of their work-life balance. These small changes can improve their commitment to the organization. Finally, learning to use information technology has been promoted by many HR specialists. Line managers are required to be trained to use information technology in conducting absence management, personnel records which can greatly increase work efficiency. Conclusion Line managers are playing a very important role in human resource management. Their responsibility and performance in HR work have large impact on organization effectiveness. The relationship between line managers and HR specialists is defined as â€Å"partnership†. But much literature argued that line managers are the weak link in the implementation of HR activities. The reasons are analyzed from four aspects: Lack of competences, competing priorities, tension and conflict with HR specialist, disdain for HR practice. To strengthen line managers contribution to HRM, we proposed three suggestions: establishing a correct perception of HR work, emphasis on training and development, adopting the use of information technology. Reference 1. Logan, H., on line and staff: an obsolete concept of personnel. 1966 2. Stewart, R., The reality of managementï ¼Å'Pan, London,1963 3. Storey, J., developments in the management of human resource, Blackwell, Oxford, 1992 4. Hope-Hailey V, Farndale E and Truss C (2005), ‘The HR departments role in organisational performance, Human Resource Management Journal, 15(3), pp49-66 5. Purcell, J. and Hutchinson, S. (2007), ‘Front-line managers as agents in the HRM-performance causal chain: theory, analysis and evidence, Human Resource Management Journal, 17(1), pp 3-20 6. Noreen Heraty and Michael Morley, ‘ Line managers and human resource manage net, Journal of European industrial training,19(10), pp 31-36 7. McGovern et al., ‘Human resource management on line? Human Resource Management Journal, 7(4), pp 12-29 8. Whittaker S. and Marchington M. (2003), ‘Devolving HR responsibility to the line: threat, opportunity or partnership, Employee Relations, 25, 3, pp245-61 9. Currie G. and Procter S. (2001), ‘Exploring the relationship between HR and middle managers, Human Resource Management Journal, 11, 3, pp53-69 10. Perry, E. and Kulik, C. (2008), ‘The devolution of HR to the line: implications for perceptions of people management effectiveness, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 19, 2, pp262-73 11. Douglas Renwick, ‘ Line manager involvement in HRM: an inside view, Employee relations, 25(3), 2002, pp 262-280 12. G. Maxwell* and S. Watson, ‘Perspectives on Line Managers in Human Resource Management: Hilton Internationals UK Hotels, 13. Marchington M. and Wilkinson A. (2008) op cit, pp 200-210 14. Susan w. and Marchington M, ‘Devolving HR responsibility to the line: threat, opportunity or partnership, Employee relations, 2002, pp 245-261 15. Adrian Thornhill and Mark N.K. Saunders. ‘What if line managers dont realize theyre responsible for HR, Personnel Review, 1998, pp 460-476 16. http://www.kineo.com/case-studies/line-managers.html 17. Nicola Mindell, Case studies: Developing training and development to line mangers. Management Development Review, 1995

Russian Revolution :: essays research papers

Russian Revolution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Russian Revolution did not happen overnight, and there were different stages that took place. There are so many small things that fit in to the bigger picture it is hard to put where and how the Russian Revolution started and ended. Russia was run backwards compared to all other countries in Western Europe. The peasants working and living conditions were very bad. The government badly wanted to industrialize in urban areas. For the government to do this they needed money, they got this money by taxing the peasantry. In 1905 is the beginning of the revolution was more rioting behavior than revolutionary behavior by the peasantry. In October of 1917 the Russian revolution turned in to a coup d’à ©tat when the Bolsheviks took power. The Russian Revolution was not a revolution of the proletariat but a coup d’à ©tat .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  January 22, 1905, commonly known as Bloody Sunday, was the beginning of the Russian Revolution. â€Å"Father Gapon led a group of demonstrators to bring economic grievances to the tsar. Police fired upon the demonstrators as they approached the Winter Palace.†(Outline, 2) The revolution started with a priest leading demonstrators to the Winter Palace, not the working class or the peasantry. The peasants living conditions were bad, and the government was making the situation worse by taxing harshly. â€Å"The urban revolution of 1905 stimulated the most serious peasant uprising since the Pugachev revolt in the late eighteenth century. Peasant rioting consisted of the sacking and burning of manor houses and attacks on landowners and officials.†(Fitzpatrick, 34) The peasantry was showing signs of rioting behavior, but not revolutionary change. During October of 1905 the Tsar Nicholas the II agreed to an elected parliament called the Duma. The Duma was given very limited powers that would not be able to make much change.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The revolution of February and October were a coup d’à ©tat. Just like the first revolution of 1905 it was seen by some to have a proletariat base. Women wanted to find and end to the Great War to bring their husband’s home. â€Å"Seven million men were under arms at the beginning of 1917, with two million in the reserve. To the soldiers, the February Revolution was an implicit promise that the war would soon end, and they waited impatiently for the provisional government to achieve this.†(Fitzpatrick, 52) The men in the Russian Army had suffered many losses and wanted out of the war.

Ambition & Emotions

Dr. Faustus stands at the onset of the Renaissance period and the dawn of the middle ages as he contemplates the religious drama of his time. Indeed, during those medieval times, the understanding of heaven and hell was not far removed from the conceptual understanding of the occult. The play is lined with supernatural beings, angels and demons, which might have stepped onstage to clarify a major ambition in the medieval ages, the fervent pursuit of salvation. Indeed, this type of ambition is contrasted very well in the play Dr. Faustus, by the onset of the Renaissance period and the ambitions it provides.A quick overview of the Renaissance period shows that it was also the Age of Discovery; word has just reached Europe of the existence of exotic places in the ‘New World’. This Age of Discovery is responsible for the change in focus of ambitions from the ‘otherworldly’ of the medieval ages, to the more familiar ‘worldly’ ambitions of our times. We see Faustus, although moving to embrace worldly ambitions beset by mullings of the other world. For example he asks the demon Mephistopheles, FIRST WILL I QUESTION WITH THEE ABOUT HELL. TELL ME, WHERE IS THE PLACE THAT MEN CALL HELL (5.120–135) And later, after being given an explanation, he says, COME, I THINK HELL'S A FABLE. (5. 120–135) In fact these arguments seem to capture well the transition between the middle Ages and the Renaissance period since no neat dividing line exists. As Dr. Faustus encourages his ambition to focus on the opportunities presented by this so-called Age of discovery. His single-minded concern is with luxurious silk gowns and powerful war-machines than with saving his soul. This contrast between wealth and salvation must be understood from the standpoint that Dr.Faustus intends to acquire such wealth through an ambitious carrer5 in necromancy. Indeed, black magic seems to him as the only career that can match the scope of his ambition, t he subject that can challenge his enormous intellect. Being a scholar, he has mastered the major professions of his time. Specifically he claims to have mastered Law, medicine and theology, and he finds them all dissatisfying. Dr. Faustus finds that his huge ambitions have seemingly met their match as he ponders to dig deeper into necromancy. Faustus is full of ideas for how to use the power that he seeks.He imagines piling up great wealth, but he also aspires to plumb the mysteries of the universe and to remake the map of Europe. Though they may not be entirely admirable, these plans are ambitious and inspire awe, if not sympathy. They lend a grandeur to Faustus’s schemes and make his quest for personal power seem almost heroic, a sense that is reinforced by the eloquence of his early soliloquies. Ironically, Faustus’s ambition seems to sap as he realizes the initial goal of his ambitions, to master the dark powers of black magic.This is depicted from the way he speed ily narrows his horizons once he actually gains the practically limitless power that he so desires. Now that he realizes that everything is possible to him, he trashes the grand designs that he had contemplated early on, contending himself with performing conjuring tricks for kings and noblemen and taking a strange delight in using his magic to play practical jokes on simple folks. Strange as it may seem, the realization of Faustus’s ambition makes him mediocre rather than elevating him to higher levels of grandeur.The question begs; does power corrupt Faustus or is it through power that Faustus becomes mediocre? This is because Faustus’s behavior after he sells his soul hardly rises to the level of true wickedness. Rather, gaining absolute power corrupts Faustus by making him mediocre and by transforming his boundless ambition into a meaningless delight in petty celebrity. Indeed this is a paradox since at the beginning of the play; Dr. Faustus seeks to gain more grea tness from the realization of an insatiable taste to rise above manly standards of achievement.Yet, as he gains the goal, he seems to sink lower than the basest man. Could we say that he should have been content with quelling his ambitious flames, as the medieval times’ logic seemed to encourage? Saying so will mean he learns to live with his dissatisfying and unfulfilled life, which only opens the door to more emptiness in life. Extrapolating from the fore going leads us to believe that such an ambitionless lifestyle will lead him to the very state that he is now at the end of fulfilling his quest, only he would have reached there quicker than after twenty four or so years.This state is of course, the state of being mediocre. From the fore going, it appears to me that it will be misguided to believe that Faustus is a villain. I believe that it is fitting to view him as a tragic hero, a protagonist whose character flaws lead to his downfall. THESE METAPHYSICS OF MAGICIANS, AN D NECROMANTIC BOOKS ARE HEAVENLY! (1. 40–50) This is because, even from the above quote, the logic he uses to reject religion is flawed, since it leads him to use his ambition in diabolical pursuits.This plays out slowly because initially, in Faustus’s long speech after the two angels have whispered in his ears, his rhetoric outlines the modern quest for control over nature (albeit through magic rather than through science) in glowing, inspiring language. He offers a long list of impressive goals, including the acquisition of knowledge, wealth, and political power, which he believes he will achieve once he has mastered the dark arts. These are indeed impressive ambitions that inspire wonder, to say the least. However, the actual uses to which he puts his magical powers are disappointing and tawdry.Furthermore, Faustus goes on to exhibit blindness quite unlike a man of knowledge. This blindness serves as one of his defining characteristics throughout the play, and is ar guably inspired by his ambition. He chooses to see the world, as he wants to see it rather than as it is. This shunning of reality is symbolized by his insistence that Mephistopheles, who is presumably hideous, reappear as a Franciscan friar so that he may not be terrified by the devil’s true shape [as depicted by Mephistopheles’ appearance]. Faustus even ignores Mephistopheles’ urgings to him to abandon his â€Å"frivolous demands† (3. 81).It is important to note that this so-called blind ambition of Faustus had catastrophic results. The height of which led Faustus not to even realize that he had reached the limits of his quest for knowledge. In scene six, we see the limits of the demonic gifts that Faustus has been given begin to emerge. He is given the gift of knowledge, and Mephistopheles willingly tells him the secrets of astronomy, but when Faustus asks who created the world, Mephistopheles refuses to answer. Faustus does not realize that this is th e first occasion that the demon has been unable to divulge to him the knowledge he so dearly aspires to gain.I believe that if faustus had not been blindly ambitious but kept his head as he did when he mastered the knowledge of Law, Theology and Medicine, then his ambition would have led him to the following realization: that all the worldly knowledge that he has so strongly desired points inexorably upward, toward God. As it is, of course, he is completely detached from God to the point of being an atheist. This detachment started awhile back when he misread the New Testament to say that anyone who sins will be damned eternally—ignoring the verses that offer the hope of repentance.Even when he sees Lucifer, Beelzebub, and Mephistopheles appear to him and becomes suddenly afraid exclaiming, â€Å"O Faustus, they are come to fetch thy soul! † (5. 264), Faustus still decides against repenting. This behavior is attributed to the bad angel and Mephistopheles who makes him believe that it is already too late for him, a conviction that persists throughout the play. This fact is seen at the end of his days when he says, SWEET HELEN, MAKE ME IMMORTAL WITH A KISS: HER LIPS SUCKS FORTH MY SOUL, SEE WHERE IT FLIES! (12. 81–87) At this point, he has realized the terrible nature of the bargain he has made.Despite his sense of foreboding, Faustus enjoys his powers, as the delight he takes in conjuring up Helen makes clear. Faustus continues to display the same blind spots and wishful thinking in that he seeks heavenly grace in Helen’s lips, which can, at best, offer only earthly pleasure. â€Å"Make me immortal with a kiss,† he cries, even as he continues to keep his back turned to his only hope for escaping damnation namely, repentance. In conclusion, Scholar R. M. Dawkins famously remarked that Doctor Faustus tells â€Å"the story of a Renaissance man who had to pay the medieval price for being one.† While slightly simplistic, thi s quotation does get at the heart of one of the play’s central themes: the clash between the medieval world and the world of the emerging Renaissance. To Faustus, his ambitions for power worked as a corrupting influence to him so that although early in the play, before he agrees to the pact with Lucifer, Faustus is full of ideas of how to use the power that he seeks, he later uses this limitless power to achieve rather vain exploits and finally earn himself eternal damnation References: http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/doctorfaustus/themes. html

Real World Marketing with a Focus on Promotion

Real World Marketing with a Focus on Promotion Outline Broader issues of the lighthouse identity B2C and B2B marketing communications The customer is the king Real world marketing with a focus on promotion Broader issues of the lighthouse identity Lighthouse identity is recognized as a vital credo in Morgan’s four stages, in the journey of a challenger. There are several broader issues to consider when considering the Lighthouse Identity. A challenger brand is not successful in a mature classification, because it is more trustworthy or convenient.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Real World Marketing with a Focus on Promotion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the contrary, it is successful because it delivers an emotional brand or relationship, to the extent that the Establishment brand never matches. This implies that the consumer’s emotions are realigned. It is imperative that the challenger brand has an emotionally- based and stronger link wit h the consumer, as opposed to the Brand leader (Duncan Moriarty, 1998: 12). It is worth mentioning that a Lighthouse Identity not only defines the brand, but also the business that the brand belongs to. In mature brands, a brand’s planning role is adding, as well as extracting value. Being a Challenger, success is achieved through having a clear sense of what and who you are as a business/ brand, and why. Consequently, the identity should be projected saliently, consistently, and intensely, just like a lighthouse (Chen Xie, 2008: 486). This is aimed at ensuring that the consumer notices them, although they may not have been looking out for them. Irrespective of the fact that goods have always been considered as a way of communicating, the present brands are more than goods. They are more than a communication form, and are navigation. Brand leaders should treat communication publicity and ideas as assets, which are high- leveraged (Duncan Moriarty, 1998: 9). Moreover, they should maintain this notion within the company. Over- commitment means considering barriers and focusing on avoiding them prior to their occurrence. To achieve over- commitment, it is crucial to identify irrefutable causes of failure in core marketing tasks. Consequently, there should be brainstorming on the most effective ways to reverse or neutralize the failures.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More B2C and B2B marketing communications B2B (Business- to- Business) and B2C (Business- to- Consumer) are commercial transaction forms. B2C involves the consumers buying products directly. On the other hand, in B2B, services and products are sold to other businesses. Purchasing Process: in B2B buying, there is an extremely complex purchasing process. This is because business purchasers buy services and products for use within the company (Ray, 1973: 160). On the other hand, consumers purchase services and products meant for individual use. In B2B, professionals from various departments are involved in decision making. Payment: in B2C, all the customers pay similar prices for products bought. In B2B, prices are different and depend on the customer. Customers who negotiate or place enormous orders are treated differently from other customers. There are also varying payment mechanisms. Transactions: in B2C transactions, customers choose products, which they pay for at the POS (Point of Sale) through various payment mechanisms. B2B transactions need an extremely complicated business system. Consumers use agreed logistic channels to carry out their transactions. Customers get an invoice which is settled within the agreed payment terms, as opposed to the delivery time (Morgan, 2009). B2B is associated with several advantages, especially in the advent of the internet. These advantages include increased awareness of businesses, as well as their services or pro ducts. Second, there is better interaction where marketers interact directly with customers through the website or email marketing. Particularly, the internet offers information and awareness, which results to better service. In B2B, there is a benefit of refined messaging, since through the internet, marketers can acquire information about their consumers (Chen Xie, 2008: 486). Marcoms reaps these benefits by using B2B marketing communication. Considering the financial hard times, Morgan’s challenger theory is relevant to the pragmatic and tough B2B world. The Customer is the King All marketers agree that the customer is the king. However, Morgan advises that there is a need to progress to the consequent stage after the business becomes a big fish. This implies that the customer is no longer accorded keen interest. This is a key strategy, as opposed to a mistake (Ray, 1973: 150). It is worth mentioning that brand leaders are not just big, nor do they enjoy proportionately b igger benefits.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Real World Marketing with a Focus on Promotion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Consumer awareness: consumers never purchase a brand they are unfamiliar with. The marketer’s assumption is that there is a connection between ‘spontaneous’ and ‘top of mind’ awareness, when there is quasi- exponential relationship. In cases where the brand rings in the mind first (‘top of mind’ awareness), the result is a multiple ‘spontaneous’ rise. There is also the aspect of shopping, loyalty, and purchase. The voice’s share in comparison to the footfall share appears the same to everybody apart from the brand leader, who experiences a much greater footfall. This is even in cases where he is supported by comparatively low voice. Double jeopardy of brands is modelled and observed for more than thirty five years across vari ous cultures and markets. In such cases, the brand leader experiences greater penetration together with consumers, who purchase the brand more often. The key impact is profitability; the brand leaders make more profit than anyone else. Real World Marketing with a Focus on Promotion Marcoms drivel can best be prevented through utilising real marketing executives who are practical, solid, and down- to- earth. Moreover, the marketing executives should possess an eye for promotion. It is imperative that promotional messages tell a story, and that the ideas stick in consumers’ minds. There is immense power in promotional advertising. Presently, promotional products are positioned as components of the promotional purchaser’s communication mix, and not as pure products. It is imperative that marketing executives focus on promotion because as a result of the unique nature, these products are used and kept, resulting to voluntary repeated retention, recognition, and exposure of the advertisers’ message and name. In this regard, marketing executives should target the audience specifically, so as to ensure effective promotional products (Morgan, 2009). Moreover, they should select items keenly to ensure they are appealing to customers, have a positive response, and that waste distribution is eliminated. Exceptional marketing executives possess excellent communication skills. These include excellent oral and written communication skills. Communication is an extremely vital connection between customer service, sales, production, and management.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Marketing executives should possess the necessary skills to ensure that they identify their clients’ needs, and meet them in a timely manner (Chen Xie, 2008: 486). Effective promotion and marketing using the promotional and marketing mixes ensures a greater market share for the company, and satisfaction of the client’s needs. The marketing executive should be aggressive enough and engage in marketing plans, market conditions, and assess customer research. They should collaborate with other professionals in determining services and products demand. Marketing executives are principally involved in marketing the company, and they should be exceptionally aggressive. References Chen, Y Xie, J 2008, â€Å"Online consumer review: Word-of-mouth as a new element of marketing communication mix†, Management Science, vol. 54 no. 3, pp. 477-491. Duncan, T Moriarty, S. E 1998, â€Å"A communication-based marketing model for managing relationships†, The Journal of ma rketing, pp. 1-13. Morgan, A 2009, Eating the Big Fish: how challenger brands can compete against brand leaders, New Jersey, Wiley. Ray, M. L 1973, â€Å"Marketing communication and the hierarchy of effects†, New models for communication research, pp. 146-175.

EFL Classroom

CALL Use in the ESL/EFL Classroom There has been much debate over the use of computer assisted language learning (CALL) in the ESL/EFL classroom over the past decade. As you are reading this feature via the Internet (and I am writing this using a computer), I will assume that you feel that CALL is useful to your teaching and/or learning experience. There are many uses of the computer in the classroom. As a teacher, I find that CALL can be successfully employed not only for grammar practice and correction, but also for communicative activities. As most of you are familiar with the programs that offer help with grammar, I would like to focus on the use of CALL for communicative activities. Successful communication learning is dependent on the students desire to participate. Im sure most teachers are familiar with students who complain about poor speaking and communication skills, who, however, when asked to communicate, are often reluctant to do so. In my opinion, this lack of participation is often caused by the artificial nature of the classroom. When asked to communicate about various situations, students should also be involved in the actual situation. Decision making, asking for advice, agreeing and disagreeing, and compromising with fellow students are all tasks that cry out for authentic settings. It is in these settings that I feel CALL can be used to great advantage. By using the computer as a tool to create student projects, research information and provide context, teachers can employ the computer to help students become more involved in the task at hand, thereby facilitating the necessity of effective communication within a group setting. Exercise 1: Focus on Passive Voice Generally, students coming from around the world are more than happy to speak about their native country. Obviously, when speaking about a country (city, state etc.) the passive voice is required. I have found the following activity using the computer to be of great assistance in helping students focus on the correct use of the passive voice for communication and reading and writing skills. Inductively review the passive structures in class (or introduce the passive structures)Provide a text example, focusing on a specific location, that includes many passive voice structuresHave students read through the textAs a follow-up, have students separate passive voice and active voice examplesUsing a program such as Microsoft Encarta or any other multimedia encyclopedia, (or the Internet) have students working in small groups find information about their own nation (or any city, state etc.)Based on the information they have found, students then write a short report together at the computer (using a spell check, communicating about formatting etc.)Students then report back to the class presenting their report created at the computer This exercise is a perfect example of involving students in an authentic activity that focuses on communication skills while at the same time including a grammar focus, and uses the computer as a tool. Students have fun together, communicate in English and are proud of the results they achieve - all ingredients for successful inductive learning of the passive voice in a communicative manner. Exercise 2: Strategy Games For younger learners of English, strategy games can be one of the most effective ways to get students to communicate, agree and disagree, ask for opinions and generally use their English in an authentic setting. Students are asked to focus on the successful completion of a task such as solving riddles (Myst, Riven) and developing strategies (SIM City). Choose a strategy game such as a SIM or mysteryHave students divide into teamsCreate a specific task in the game itself, such as the completion of a certain level, the creation of a certain type of environment, the solving of a specific riddle. This is important for providing a framework and specific language needs/goals for a common ground in the classroom.Have students complete the task.Have students come together in the classroom and compare strategies. Once again, students who find it difficult to participate in a classroom setting (Describe your favorite holiday? Where did you go? What did you do? etc.) generally become involved. The focus is not on their completing a task which can be judged as correct or incorrect, but rather on the enjoyable atmosphere of teamwork which a computer strategy game provides.

World War I and II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

World War I and II - Essay Example The First World War can be attributed to change in distribution of power in the international system and the many alliances which had been formed prior to the war to protect interests of different states (Dickson, 2011). This enabled all the European states to be drawn into the war making it the greatest war ever fought. However, there are many other causes which led and intensified the war. These include; arms race, nationalism, imperialism and militarism among others. The great powers involved in the war included Britain, Italy, France, Germany, Russia, and the Austria-Hungary Empire. The Second World War on the other hand, was as a result of dissatisfaction with the conditions of the peace treaty signed after the First World War and struggle for power by states. However, there are other important factors that contributed to the war such as the great depression of 1930s, the rise of totalitarianism, policy of appeasement, failure of the League of Nations as well as ideologies such as anti-communism, fascism, nationalism, and militarism among others (Dickson, 2011).... eaders followed social Darwinist ideas which view war as â€Å"the only powerful force of nature through which stronger nations prevail over the weaker ones in an international struggle of the fittest.† The international system culture was also that of tolerance to war; disputes between nations were better settled through war rather than negotiation and this created a good environment for nations to wage war against each other in order to maintain or gain power over others. Dickson (2007) argues that the culture of tolerance enabled European powers to assert their power and influence. This is what led Germany to support Austria-Hungary in its quest for war against Serbia after it failed to honour an ultimatum issued by Austria-Hungary demanding justice. Austria-Hungary had severed relations with Serbia as it had a lot of influence on the Balkans hence had long planned to wage war against Serbia. The war was supposed to be small scale but due to the alliance system, the war esc alated to a great magnitude. The alliance system began with Bismarck’s desire to unify Germany with the confederate states hence the war with Austria in the north and France in the south. The two were defeated by Prussia and the confederate states united to form the German empire. The loss of Alsace and Lorraine to Prussia left France yearning for revenge against Germany and was just waiting for an opportunity to attack. Germany’s desire to become a world power led it into acquiring more states and hence needed protection against the other powers. It thus started forming alliances with other powers so as to guard against any attacks from France or Russia. Germany formed an alliance with Austria-Hungary and Russia but Russia withdrew later hence the dual alliance to aid each other in case of

IT Consultancy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IT Consultancy - Essay Example They have a website that has information about all these issues regarding livestock. The problem with this website is that there is no functionality apart from providing information about the various activities in the organization. Due to this, there is a need to have any small web based functionality on the website so that livestock dealers can connect with ILD and interact in a dynamic way. This, therefore, requires that the website has some dynamic aspect that will enable the two entities to communicate and interact more interactively (Grant, Hackney and Edgar 65). There is therefore a need to install e-livestock, which is a small functionality that will enable the dealers to search for livestock, send requests, get feedback and issue queries without having to write emails. This will enable sellers of livestock to send their requests to the website and get feedback. The new application will be an addition of a form to the website. This will require that the form is accessible from a web site, that is, it is web based. For a user to access the form there will be the need to have the following requirements: The above are the requirements for the use of the system. It is a small system because the website is already there. There is no development of the website from scratch. This is a small application that will be achieved using the smallest time