How can we understand power in politics Research Paper

How can we understand power in politics - Research Paper Example This brings a sharp contention between those who try to understand the sociology behind these behaviours and the political scientists who do not believe and recognize that power can be held. Power in politics is viewed as either held or diffuse and unpredictable. Power is something that is beyond just an aspect of being violent. It has a lot to do with the influence over the people compared to being violent and aggressive despite the two components prevailing in politics. According to Hannah Arendt in her essay ‘On Violence’, there is a clear distinction between the concept of power and violence. Most of the modern theorists have developed arguments that have linked violence with excessive demonstration of power, but Arendt dispels this notion by pointing out that two aspects are not comparable. In fact, she points out that they are directly opposed. The first point that comes out clearly from the arguments raised is that power emanates from the will of the majority and cannot be coerced or influenced by violence in achieving its results. What happens is that the voluntary decision by the people prevails. In case violence is used to capture power, the same shall prevail in losing the power. Bureaucratic regimes are potential sources of violence because they attempt to distance themselves from the people that placed them in the powerful dockets. The missing links with the people stirs up a revolution and the ultimate result is violence (Arendt 42- 46). Another point of view is that power is pervasive and dispersed. It has been argued by some quarters of theorists that the people or groups hold power. Contrary to this view, Michael Foucault, a postmodern theorist observes that power cannot be localized, it can come from anywhere and it is everywhere. He continues to argue that power in politics is constituted through certain aspects of knowledge that is obtained in some scientific truth. It is apparent that every society comes with its version of tru th that is shaped by the political and economic ideologies, the media and the education system that is in place. This means that despite the perception that some have taken power as oppressive, coercive and with negativity, there is positivity and productivity thereof. Foucault’s view agrees with that of Arendt by demonstrating that generalizing power in politics in the bad light of negativity, oppression, violence and coerciveness is not right (Foucault 777-790). Power is capable of presenting social discipline among the individuals and adherence to set regulations. It is not true that a subject will adhere to what is required of them just because power is exercised over them. At times, use of power demonstrates rebellion among the subjects. People have learnt how to behave rightly not because they are forced or coerced to do so. Power transcends politics and is more of a social issue; Foucault states that this is the reason why when revolutions occur they do not significant ly influence the social order. Politics have several closely related factors; these are power, influence, control and authority. These aspects are often confused but power presents a lot of ambiguity in its understanding. According to Andreas Hillgruber power has a lot to do with influence over people, he notes ‘

Elements of Religious Traditions Essay Example for Free

Elements of Religious Traditions Essay The term religion can bring up mixed emotions in people. Many people have different religious views and their traditions usually follow that religion. Religion is very vast and there are many different forms, views, traditions, and beliefs within each religion. Certain religions are monotheism, some are polytheism, and others are pantheism. Each religion encourages relationships with the divine, sacred time, sacred space or the natural world, and relationships with others. Relationships with the divine According to Molloy (2010), â€Å"All religions are concerned with the deepest level of reality, and for most religions the core or origin of everything is sacred and mysterious† (p 7). Each religion often calls the sacred by name such as Divine Parent, Great Spirit, the Divine, and the Holy to name a few (Molloy, 2010). Monotheism is a term that means belief in one God (Molloy, 2010). Polytheism is the belief in many Gods or Goddesses; the multiple Gods may be separate or a multiple manifestation of the same sacred reality (Molloy, 2010). Pantheism is the belief that the sacred as being discoverable within the physical world, in other words nature itself is holy (Molloy, 2010). Recently there are people who tend to deny the existence of any God or gods which is described as atheism (Molloy, 2010). Relationship with Sacred Time According to Molloy (2010), â€Å"Our everyday lives go on in ordinary time, which we see as moving forward into the future. Sacred time, however, is the time of eternity†(p 43). Many people have different names for this measurement of time such as the Artic people refer to it as â€Å"distant time†, Australian aboriginals refer to it as â€Å"dream time†(Molloy, 2010). Although there are many different names for sacred time they all refer to the time of eternity and each religion has a different theory on sacred time. Some people believe that sacred time is cyclical and returns to its origins for renewal. Others feel that by recalling and ritually reliving the deeds of the gods and ancestors (Molloy, 2010). Indigenous religions even structure their daily lives to conform to mythical events in sacred time which creates a sense of holiness in their daily lives (Molloy, 2010). Certain religions strongly encourage a relationship with sacred time and others tend to not worry about sacred time. Christianity for instance knows that someday Christ will return to earth however most Christians do not center their lives on waiting for this day. However some Christians live everyday as if it will be the day He returns and strive to be worthy in His eyes when that day does come. Relationship with Sacred Space or the Natural World Just like ordinary time there is also ordinary space. Sacred space refers to the doorway in which the other world of gods and ancestors can contact us and we can contact them (Molloy, 2010). Sacred space is often considered the center of the universe where powers and holiness are strongest; where we can go to renew our own strength (Molloy, 2010). In certain native religions sacred space is a mountain, great volcano, or other striking natural site. In Australian aboriginal religions Uluru (Ayers Rock) is their sacred center (Molloy, 2010). Sacred space can also be constructed into a certain shape, special building, or a boundary. For some religions, sacred space is often in the form of a church where people go to worship, pray, and learn about God; some churches are even built extremely tall to be â€Å"closer† to God. Critical Issues What should we study in order to properly understand religions? What attitude should we have when we study the religions of others? How can researchers be objective? These are just some of the complex questions that researchers should ask before attempting to study religions. Some of the issues in the first century included inability to travel, incomplete scriptures, or the translation they depended on were not accurate (Molloy, 2010). One of the main critical issues when studying religion is forming a prior opinion that can create a bias on the research. If a Buddhist is studying Christianity his opinion could be bias because of his own personal opinions on religion or a preference of his own beliefs versus the other. Conclusion Religion is sometimes defined as to join again. According to the common dictionary the word religion is defined as â€Å"a system of belief that involves worship of a God or gods, prayer, ritual, and a moral code† (Molloy, 2010 p 5). Within each religion there are specific beliefs, traditions, and values. Many religions encourage the relationships with the divine, sacred time, sacred space or the natural world. It is also crucial to identify critical key issues when studying religions. Whether someone worships one God, many gods, goddesses, or denies any existence of God or gods it is important to look inside each religion with an open mind. References Molloy, M. (2010). Experiencing the world’s religions: Tradition, challenge, and change (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Effectiveness Of Communication In Project Management

Effectiveness Of Communication In Project Management A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or result (PMI, 2008, pg. 5). A project is a sequence of unique, complex and connected activities having one goal or purpose and that must be completed by a specific time, within budget, and according to specification (Wysocki and McGary, 2003, p. 3). A project comprises of number of activities that must be completed in some specific order or sequence according to their technical requirements. Activities in a project are unique, complex and connected in a sense that no two activities can occur under the same conditions which make them unique; the activities are not simple, and the output of one activity becomes the input to another which makes them connected (Wysocki and McGary, 2003). The most important difference between the management control of on-going operations and the management control of projects is that the on-going operations continue indefinitely, whereas a project starts, moves forward from one milestone to the next, and then stops (Anthony and Govindarajan, 2005, p. 790). Projects are temporary, unique and require progressive elaboration (Gardiner, 2005, p. 2). The first characteristic is that projects have a definite life span and they exist for a limited time varying from few days to several years although its end products may sustain indefinitely. This temporary nature of project indicates a definite beginning and an end. The end is reached when the objectives of the project are achieved; the need for project no longer exists or the objectives of the project cannot be met due to lack of resources and the project is terminated. The second characteristic is that each and every project will be different from other projects in their own way. The last characteristic is that as the project progresses, work required is slowly defined with information being added over time (Gardiner, 2005). A project usually has a single objective and the time horizon is the end of the project. The objective of a project is to produce a satisfactory product, within a specified time period, and at an optimum cost (Burke, 2007). Projects often involve trade-offs between scope, schedule, and cost (Gardiner, 2005). Less scope might mean less costs or a shortened schedule leads to overtime and thus increasing costs. Plans for projects can be changed frequently and drastically. A project begins when management has reviewed the nature of what is to be done in the project and approved it. The project ends when its objective has been accomplished, or when it has been cancelled. Projects can be of various durations. Some project may last for a few days, a few weeks, or several years. Its content can be similar to work done before, or unlike anything ever done before (Burke, 2007). Most projects start small, build up to a peak activity and then taper off as completion near (Anthony and Govindaraja n, 2005). An international project is a project that involves multiple locations, entities, organizations and business units (Lientz and Rea, 2003). International projects typically are simultaneously multicultural projects relating to diverse cultures be it national, organizational, or functional cultures (KÃ ¶ster, 2010, p.3). In international projects, stakeholders and organizations who have different cultural and educational background work together. International projects are different from national projects because of language and dialect variations; religious practices; legal, regulatory and reporting requirements; technology level differences in different areas (Lientz and Rea, 2003). The difference between standard projects and international projects are shown in the table below: Attribute Standard projects International Projects Organizations Single Multiple organizations and departments System and technology Homogeneous Multiple systems Culture Single and common culture Multiple, varied cultures Organization Can be focussed on the project Many other competing demands for resources Self-interest More easily understood More complex to understand Table 1 Comparison of standard and international projects (Lientz and Rea, 2003) In short, a project can be considered as a series of activities and tasks that have A specific objective Defined start and end dates Consume human and nonhuman resources Are multifunctional 2.2. Project Life Cycle A project can be considered to have a life-cycle that is divided into four phases. Those phases are: Initiation and definition, Planning and development, Execution and control and finally Closure (Gardiner, 2005; Burke, 2007; Keeling, 2000). A clear understanding of these phases permits the project manager to control resources effectively to achieve the project objectives. D:DocumentsMscDissertationRequiredPlc.JPG Figure 2 Project Life Cycle (Gardiner, 2005) 2.2.1 Initiation and definition This phase represents the start of the project. This is a conceptual phase which includes the preliminary evaluation of an idea (Kerzner, 2006). This phase sets the scope of the project (Gardiner, 2005; Keeling, 2000). It forms the basis for deciding if a particular function or feature is within the scope of the project. This is the phase where new ideas and options are considered and tested to ensure the project objectives can be achieved making use of resources effectively (Burke, 2007). The project ideas are usually derived from the identification of a demand, an available resource or a need (Potts, 2002). The initiation and definition phase is mainly about formulating goals and strategies (Keeling, 2000). 2.2.2 Planning and development During the planning phase, the time plan is set into detail and the planning of the project is conducted with great accuracy. In the project planning phase, a project planning team specifies the rough estimates that were made when it was decided to implement the project. The project planning phase is often the most challenging phase for a project manager as he/she needs to make an educated guess of the stakeholders to be involved, resources and equipment needed to complete the project (Wysocki and McGray, 2003). The project manager needs to plan communications and procurement activities and create a comprehensive suite of project plans which set out a clear project roadmap ahead (Gardiner, 2005). Planning helps in reducing uncertainty, increases understanding of the goals and objectives to be achieved and improves resource efficiency (Wysocki and McGray, 2003). Thus detailed specifications for the product, time schedules, and cost budget are prepared and a management control system, a task control system and an organization chart developed. Furthermore a responsible manager is identified for each work package. Even on projects with little complexity a plan for planning exists and the planning process itself can be seen as a subproject (Anthony and Govindarajan, 2005). 2.2.3 Execution and control This is the phase in which the plans are put into operation (Keeling, 2000). The rate of expenditure is at its peak in this phase (Gardiner, 2005; Burke, 2007). Executing the plan involves four steps (Wysocki and McGray, 2003) Identify the specific resources that will be required to accomplish the work defined in the plan. Assign workers to activities. Schedule activities with specific start and end dates. Launch the plan. No matter how attentive the team is when creating the plan, the project work may not go according to plan. There may always be some schedule slips (Wysocki and McGray, 2003). To minimize this, the progress of the project should be regularly monitored. This is usually done in the controlling phase. Completed work is measure against the plan to monitor the progress of the project and avoid potential problems which may occur in the future. 2.2.4 Closing Closing a project means that the project has been completed and the results of the project can be submitted to the client. The closing phase evaluates what occurred during the project and provides historical information for use in planning and executing later projects (Keeling, 2000; Kerzner, 2006). 2.3. Role of Project Manager The role of project manager is to attain the project objectives (Gardiner, 2005). The project manager must be experienced, capable, and competent in getting the project work done on time, within budget and according to specification (Wysocki and McGray, 2003). The project manager must simultaneously see to the needs of the sponsor and other stakeholders, manage the project life cycle and the performance of the project team, including his or her performance (Gardiner, 2005). It is a role that involves a mix of abilities, combining management with leadership and political awareness (Pinto, 2000). The project manager is responsible for coordinating and integrating activities across multiple, functional lines. The integration activities performed by the project manager include activities which are necessary to develop a project plan; execute a plan and to make changes to the plan (Kerzner, 2006). A project manager must be able to understand the project detail but manage from the overall perspective (PMI, 2008). As an architect of the project plan, the project manager must provide complete task definitions; resource requirement definitions; major time table milestones; definition of end item quality and reliability requirements and the basis for performance measurement (Kerzner, 2006). Project managers influence people to take action (Gardiner, 2005). This requires an ability to communicate in a style appropriate for the individual concerned. If communication in the project is of low quality, the project will be more likely to fail (Armstrong, 1992). People working within a project always communicate but the quality of the communication must be high. The purpose and direction of the project lie on the ability of the project manager to communicate well with the partners within the project (Briner et al., 1996). One important role of the project leader is to create active communication among the project members by staying in touch with individuals and passing information between different members and between them and the funding organization (Briner et al., 1996). The project manager must be able to convert the inputs (i.e. resources such as capital, materials, equipments, facilities, information, personnel etc.) into output of products, services and ultimately profi ts (Kerzner, 2006). In order to do this, the project manager needs strong communicative and interpersonal skills, must become familiar with the operations of each line organization and must have knowledge of the technology used (Kerzner, 2006). Project leader should have high level of communication skills to be able to successfully manage with the project. The project managers role is like a spider weaving the web and should be the centre of communication and events (Briner et al., 1996). One of the major responsibilities of the project manager is planning. If project planning is performed correctly, then it is conceivable that the project manager will work himself out of the job because the project can run itself (Kerzner, 2006).The chief executive role of the project manager involves more than that of being accountable for the activities of the project (Cusworth and Franks, 1993). It implies that the manager is expected to make things happen by active involvement. The manager role as co-ordinator is vital in co-ordinating the efforts of the project team and the stakeholders. The project manager should define the ethics, norms and values of their project team, establishing the atmosphere of the organization and the way that the various project tasks are approached. The project managers role as a diplomat requires high level of sensitivity and good negotiating skills (Cusworth and Franks, 1993). He/she must be able to negotiate the relationship between the project and its environment and must be able to ensure the political support. The project manager along with his/her team should brainstorm to decide who the various stakeholders in the project might be. The project manager should go out and talk to all of those stakeholders and develop the necessary interviewing and probing skills which enable him/her to draw out of them what their expectations are. Often, the stakeholders are uncertain about what they want (Potts, 2002; PMI, 2008). The project manager should engage in a dialogue with them to help them to think through their expectations (Jandt, 2007). The project managers initial consideration of stakeholder expectations will help him/her to begin to understand the kinds of resources the project might require and will ensure positive outcome (PMI, 2008). Talking about resources does not mean only talking about tangible resources of money, time and materials, but also about those intangible resources of technical skills, non-technical managerial and communication skills, and the vital intangible of commitment and support from particular people within the project organisation and outside it (Jandt, 2007). The project manager should need to map the risk that may occur in a project by going through a structured process (PMI, 2008). Such process might include: brainstorm possible risks; considering what was wrong in similar projects previously; clustering into related topics; weighting-seriousness and probability; focusing on the very serious and highly probable; defining the project type, and review typical risks; planning how to run the project with the risks in mind. Highlight where in the project the risks will be most crucial; deciding how to reduce the risks so that the chances and consequences of failure are minimised. The project can be considered as temporary organization because it has limited time frame, limited budget, specific goals and activities (Maylor, 1999). Some of such temporary organizations might be inter-organizational projects that involve many organizations having different specialties or expertise (Maylor, 1999). In such projects, it is very important for the project manager to ensure the flow of information from the different organizations involved within the project. The flow of information is vital for the success of such project or organization (Burke, 2007). Since these innovation projects are of interdisciplinary and innovative, the share of experiences, knowledge, and the cooperation in different stages of the project development become absolute necessary for its success. Managing international projects that are of multi organizational type is not an easy task, especially when these organizations are from different technical, cultural, political backgrounds and have different management style in their approach for handling a task (Lientz and Rea, 2003; Koster, 2010). A careful and detailed preparation of projects, especially for inter organizational ones due to their complexity, in their planning phase is vital for their success. The manager should have high experience in planning such projects. To summarize things up, the project manager should have the following attributes Ability to select and develop an operational team. Leadership skills and management ability. Ability to anticipate problems, solve problems and make decision. Ability to integrate the project stakeholders. Operational flexibility. Ability to plan, expedite and get things done. Ability to negotiate, persuade and make deals. Understand the environment within which the project is being managed. Ability to review monitor and apply control. Ability to keep the stakeholders and client happy. COMMUNICATION: ITS ROLE AND EFFECTIVENESS IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT 3.1 Definition of Communication Communication is a process in which information is transmitted from a source to a receiver through various channels (JPIM, 2000). Communication means act of transferring information, exchange of information, message which is either written or verbal, and an idea for conveying thoughts effectively (Kerzner, 2001). A good definition of project communication is Project communication management includes the process required to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, distribution, storage, retrieval and ultimate disposition of project information (PMI, 2008, p. 243). In a project environment, communication refers to the exchange or sharing of messages and information to convey meaning and knowledge between project manager, internal and the external stakeholders (Verma, 1996). Communication is a process involving the exchange of message and the creation of meaning. No two individuals ever attach the same meaning to a message or symbol. Effectiveness of communication depends on the degree to which the individuals attach similar meanings to the messages exchanged. Stated differently, communication is effective when individuals are able to minimize misunderstandings. To say that meaning in communication is never totally same for all communicators is not to say that communication is impossible or even difficult only that is imperfect (Fisher, 1978, p. 257). When individuals communicate, they attach meaning to messages they construct and transmit to others. They also attach meaning to messages they receive from others. There are different types of communication such as verbal, written and non-verbal (Verma, 1996; Mehta, 2008). Verbal communication gives a lot of flexibility to the speaker. It is mainly used in face to face meetings, group meetings and over the telephone. While communicating verbally, the speaker can communicate with voice as well as body language. Written communication on the other hand is usually more precise (Mehta, 2008). Written communication can be in the form of letters, memos, notices, emails, reports, proposals memoranda etc. Another type of communication is the non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication refers to a speakers actions and attributes that are not purely verbal. It can be reflected in the way people dress, their tone and stance while talking, their gestures, facial expressions and their body language (Verma, 1996). 3.2 Importance of Communication Communication is an important skill for project managers to accomplish effective project management (Analoui, 1993). This skill is vital because part of management is motivating people to perform their assigned duties to the best of their ability (Perret, 1982; Scott, 1989). Effective communication is the key to success for the individual as well as for the project (Verma, 1996, p.23). By using communication skills, the project manager help to plan, direct, control and coordinate their operations throughout the project life cycle (Verma, 1996). Most of the communication activities of project managers involve interpersonal communication and project communications, sharing information with the project team members and other stakeholders. Communication is the nerve system of leadership, teamwork, cooperation and control. It determines the quality of relationships, levels of satisfaction, the extent of projects success or failure. Cleland and King (1988) in a study of fifty project managers found that managers named communication as one of the vital ingredients for successful project implementation. Moreover, Morris and Hough (1986) also argues that clear communication is necessary for project success and that effective communication is the key to high staff morale which is vital for project success. According to Ruuska (1996, p.67) More than half of the management problems in projects are more or less caused by poorly looked-after communication. Communication acts as a resource as well as tool in project management. As a resource, communication can be compared to other project resources such as time, money, people and equipment. It should be taken into consideration when planning along with the resources. On the other hand, communication is a tool which can be used for effective utilization of other project resources. Communication helps in developing relationships in the organization (Ruuska, 1996). A projec t manager uses communication more than any other element in the project management process to ensure that the team members are working cohesively on project problems and opportunities (Verma, 1996). Communication plays an important role in connecting different parts of an organization together and its external environment (Taylor and Watling, 1979). In an organization, communication is needed to inform the members about the on-going status of the project. For an effective management, it is necessary to have a two way communication channel, to and fro in and across a project organization. A good communication channel can also allow progress to be monitored; difficulties to be reported back to the executive management and expert specialist can advise on technical or commercial problems to be sought by any participant (Keeling, 2003). Communication plays an important role in influencing the whole organization that may be affected and not only those immediately involved in the change. However, the importance of communication is often neglected in many projects (Toney and Power, 1997). Furthermore, lack of communication also results in many failures in change projects (Orr and McKenzie, 1992). Failure to maintain adequate information flows, conflict among project staff or between project administrators and professional staff, as being among some of the causes for inadequate execution, operation and supervision in projects (Rondinelli, 1977). These problems which are in essence communication problems are likely contributors to project failure. Hammond (1990) states that if the intrinsic difficulties such as limitation of funds are taken away, the reason some projects fail is because of problems with people, problems that effective communication could go a long way in solving. Lack of effective communication may lead to misunderstanding. Frustration can be seen in employers due to ineffective or poor communication and may result in conflicts. Communication breakdown is a prime cause of discord or conflict (Keeling, 2003). 3.3 Model of Communication A basic model of communication is shown below: Description: C:Documents and SettingsmnmbaramDesktopcommunication model.JPG Source: Project Management Institute, 2008. This model shows how communication is transferred between the sender and the receiver. The model includes the following components: Encode. The process of putting an idea or a thought into a symbol. Message. The encoded thought or idea. Medium. Means by which the encoded message is transmitted. Noise. Anything that distorts the message. Decode. To translate the message back into thoughts and ideas. The components in the communication model should be taken into account when discussing project communication. The sender determines what information he or she intends to share, encodes this information in the form of a message, and then transmits the message as a signal to the receiver. The destination decodes the transmitted message to determine its meaning and then responds accordingly. If the message decoded is the same as the sender intended, communication is successful (Jandt, 2007). Whenever information is sent from the sender to the receiver, the sender is responsible for making the information clear to the receiver so that the receiver understands it clearly. The receiver is responsible for making sure that the information is received is in its original form and understood correctly. In order to make sure that the message is sent and understood properly, feedback is required (Verma, 1996). 3.4 Channels of Communication Three basic channels of communication in a project environment exist (Verma, 1996). They are upward communication, downward communication and lateral communication. 3.4.1. Upward communication This type of communication is called subordinate/manager communication (Fielding, 2006). It involves communication from the lowest positions in the company to the highest positions. It contains information that higher management needs to evaluate the overall performance of the project for which they are responsible (Verma, 1996). This communication is in the form of reports, memoranda or messages about individual problems and performance; company policies and practices and specific staff problems. 3.4.2 Downward Communication This communication involves managers communicating down the line to subordinates. It provides direction and control for project team members and other employees. It may include information such as missions and goals of the organisation, feedback to subordinates on their performance; procedures to be followed etc (Fielding, 2006). 3.4.3 Lateral communication This communication takes place between departments in a company or project manager and his/her peers (Verma, 1996). This communication is in the form of reports on the activities of departments to keep each other informed and information to managers on company policies and progress so that they are able to make informed decisions (Fielding, 2006). 3.5 Effectiveness of Communication Effective communication involves minimizing misunderstandings. To be effective in communicating with people, everyone must be mindful. Communicating effectively and appropriately are important aspects of being perceived as a skilled communicator (Gudykunst and Kim, 1992). Communication is only effective if the following two conditions are met (Rogers, 1976 cited in JPIM, p. 364). Firstly, the source must be willing to share the information. However, such willingness may be absent at times because the source may not be able to transmit the information, is reluctant to transmit the information or thinks that the information is irrelevant. Secondly, the information transmitted is only effective if it has an effect on the receiver. The effect maybe either change in knowledge, change in attitude or a change in behavior. Ineffective communication can occur for a variety of reasons when individuals communicate. They may not encode the message in a way that it can be understood by others, people may misinterpret what they say or both can occur simultaneously. Effective communicators are those who are motivated; knowledgeable and possess certain communication skills (Samovar and Porter, 2004, pg. 303). Project managers should be motivated; should have a positive attitude towards communication event and they should put every effort to bring about constructive results. They should have the knowledge of what topics, words or meanings are required in a situation. They should know how to assemble, plan and perform content knowledge in a particular situation. Their communication skills should be high enough to accomplish their goals (Samovar and Porter, 2004, pg. 303). For effective communication in project management, it is essential that communication should be focused. If used effectively, can reduce non-productive effort, avoid duplication and help eliminate mistakes (Clarke, 1998). Communicating effectively helps in identification of problems, helps in generating ideas leading to better solutions and helps in dealing with uncertainty. Moreover, it encourages team-work, motivates the team and ensures that every member of the team is involved (Gannon, 1994). Not only effective communication is essential for project implementation and control, it is a powerful weapon against stakeholders conflict. Communication usually fails for the following reasons; not having a clear goal in mind; not establishing relationship; being impatient; not hearing what others have to say; overabundance of ego; assuming that others have the same information on the subject that you have; mistaking interpretations for facts; failure to analyse and handle resistance (Ritz , 1990). 3.6 Communication in stages of Project Life Cycle Communication is important during various phases of the project life cycle. During the initiation/planning phase, communication planning involves determining the information and communication needs of the stakeholders: who wants what information, when will they need it, and how will it be given to them (PMI, 2008). Some other things to be given consideration are the methods of communication to be utilized during the project. These are the technologies or methods used to transfer information back and forth among project entities. Different forms of communication will need to be utilized for communicating with different types of stakeholders and different occasions. Different assumptions and constraints that will affect the project also need to be carefully thought out. Once these factors are kept in mind, develop and document a communication plan that can be shared with the entire set of stakeholders, including team members, management customers and vendors. This type of methodical pl anning can lead to a carefully constructed project communication plan (Mehta, 2008). The plan should detail out what type of communication will take place during the project, who will receive what type of information, where the information will be stored, the schedule of communication such as status reports and project team meetings. Communication with stakeholders from start to the finish of a project is essential to all project management (Verma, 1996). Once the initial communication guidelines and expectations of the project have been established, the communication plan can be executed. During the execution phase of the project, the three main communication functions are information distribution, performance reporting and project control. Information distribution involves making needed information available to project stakeholders in a timely manner. It includes implementing communication management plan and responding to unexpected requests for information (PMI, 1998, p. 106). Some of the essential tools and technologies for information distribution are communication skills and information distribution system. Many of the project deliverables and records result from this function such as meeting minutes and decision documents. Various tools and techniques can be used for performance reporting such as performance reviews, variance analysis, traffic light reports, earned value analysis and trend analysis (Scott and billing, 1998). The output that results from performance reporting are performance reports and project change requests that is generated due to corrective action that needs to be taken to address a variance from the original plans or additional customer needs. All of these functions are useful for project control. Keeping the project on track according to the project plan, budget and estimates that have been laid out is of prime importance. If the project needs to vary from any of these established plans, the project information distribution system should be utilized. The project stakeholders need to be informed and new expectations need to be set. Following a set of established project management processes can be helpful in identifying events that are not planned for. When unexpected events occur , assessing the impact and quickly communicating them to the affected people according to your established communication plan can be efficiently addressed them. Some simple things that a project manager needs to keep i

An Intellectual and Emotional Response to Oedipus the King :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

An Intellectual and Emotional Response to Oedipus the King    While reading the play Oedipus the King, my response to the work became more and more clear as the play continued. When I finished the play, my reaction to the work and to two particular characters was startling and very different from my response while I was still reading. My initial response was to the text, and it was mostly an intellectual one. I felt cheated by the play because the challenge of solving the mystery of the plot was spoiled for me by the obvious clues laid out in the work. My second response was not as intellectual; instead, it came more from a feeling that the play evoked in me. I felt a strong disappointment in the drastic actions that Oedipus and Jocasta took at the end of the play. My two different responses to Oedipus the King, one intellectual and one not, now seem to feed off and to amplify each other as if they were one collective response. The play's plot, in a nutshell, develops like this. After solving the riddle of the Sphynx, who had kept Thebes under a curse of some kind, Oedipus is invited to become king of the city. He marries Jocasta, the widow of the previous king, and they have two children. When the play begins, Thebes is again under some sort of curse, and Oedipus tries to find out its cause so that he can rescue the city. He is told that the cause of the curse is that the murderer of the previous king is still in the city and has gone unpunished. In the process of searching for the murderer, Oedipus discovers that it is he, himself, who is responsible and that he is actually the son of Jocasta and her previous husband. Horrified by his sins of incest and murder, Oedipus claws out his eyes. Jocasta commits suicide because she is so disgraced. My disappointment in the lack of mystery in the plot of the play was evoked by the continual clues appearing throughout the play. For example, in Oedipus's first speech to the people of Thebes, he condemns the murderer of the previous king, stating that "he will suffer no unbearable punishment, nothing worse than exile" (261-62). This is the first of a multitude of clues about the outcome of the play.

Are Professional Athletes and Actors Overpaid Essay

In this essay I will explore a much debated topic in this country pertaining to the undeniable fact that professional actors and athletes overwhelmingly get paid much higher than the average American. As any highly debated topic, there are always arguments and viewpoints from both sides of the spectrum. Like many Americans, for entertainment I thoroughly enjoy watching both film and professional sporting events. Even though, I have always maintained a firm stance that many in these professions are simply overpaid. I believe once you have read my research and analysis on this topic, you as well will agree from a sociological, economical and even ethical perspective that they are grossly overpaid. Proponents of the film industry or â€Å"Hollywood† and the pro-sporting industry would contend that they are simply providing for a demand. These two industries do provide for Americans some of the most enjoyed and popular forms of entertainment in our society today. These industries not only provide earnings to the actors and athletes but also provide jobs to many other Americans as well. Like any successful industry, those who provide the primary service to that industry will in turn be rewarded appropriately for their contributions to its success. Both actors and pro-athletes would argue that attaining their current level of success was not easy as these jobs are very competitive. Also, there are many times huge expectations to perform and stress that come with the job and the celebrity status. Some pro-athletes such as football players, would also argue that after they retire, their physical condition has declined much earlier in life due to years of physical trauma and injury and performing in other jobs post-career is many times difficult.  As I wrote earlier, there are arguments from both sides of the spectrum. Let’s begin to analyze from the other viewpoint not ignoring the other side’s arguments and include some of the fundamental and sociological reasons of our need and demand for entertainment. Looking back to the era of the â€Å"Roaring 20’s† in which America was enjoying a period of sustained economic prosperity, the average American could at a higher level afford to enjoy  different forms of entertainment than previously. This ushered in a new era and cultural dynamic which emphasized organized sports, theatre, and f ilm. Since this era, America has seen economic depression, recession and crisis, but has still remained the wealthiest country in the world. Due to this, the entertainment culture that was created roughly 100 years ago still exists today, and the demand for it continues to grow. Each year more and new gaming devices, games, videos, movies, and television shows are released. Likewise the costs of these products and devices continues to go up. The unfortunate side to this is that it has created a more sedentary lifestyle and culture of everyday America, and in turn attributing to issues as obesity amongst both children and adults. Regardless, we have developed and created this culture with the associated increased demand for this form of entertainment, and the industry is nothing more than happy to oblige us in providing it. In a study conducted by USA TODAY and Statista of top paid Hollywood actors, it found that Robert Downey Jr. earned over $75 million in a one year timeframe from June 2012-June 2013. Much of his earnings were a result of his roles in both â€Å"The Avengers† and â€Å"Ironman 3,† with â₠¬Å"The Avengers† alone grossing $1.51 billion in box office sales making it the highest grossing movie of 2012 worldwide. Liam Neeson who was ranked as the 10th top earner, grossed over $32 million in the same timeframe. According to the Daily News, Samuel L. Jackson is titled with being the highest grossing actor of all time with earnings of $7.42 billion throughout his film career. Floyd Mayweather Jr. who is a pro-boxer has earned a total of $90 million in 2013 from winnings alone, making him the top pro-athlete earner according to Sports Illustrated. Mayweather has achieved such a high status that it is common for him to have a guaranteed win-or-lose purse of around 30 million per fight. Pro-basketball player Lebron James who is at number two in the rankings, earned over $17 million in salary and a staggering $39 million in endorsements alone for 2013. The list goes on and on with astronomical numbers that get higher and higher each year in passing. There is essentially a fundamental question that is raised in regards to all of this, â€Å"What individual is simply worth that much?† The services provided by these individuals is simply for entertainment alone. What is provided  does not contribute to the functionality or betterment of our society. There was a time when acting or professional sports were a second job in which an individual would perform due to their love for the sport or art. After all, a sport is something that is played for enjoyment by the rest of us because it is enjoyable. They get paid millions while the rest of us do it for fun. Being the die-hard Green Bay Packer fan that I am, I scream and yell and root for my team as hard as or harder than the other fans. When my team loses or Aaron Rodgers has a bad game I can find myself feeling down and upset. Some fans feel as if their whole day or week is ruined if their favorite team loses. I think it is they that always have the last laugh. At the end of the day he or she is disappointed but regardless they’re still making millions. When Mayweather has a bad fight, he still takes home his $30 million. In a way we are all pawns in their game, and we are always the losers. As we look at wealth distribution in the U.S., many of these actors and athletes fall into the wealthiest 10% of Americans. According to James M. Henslin in Essentials of Sociology, 70% of our nation’s wealth is owned by this top 10%. To break this down even more, the top one percent owns 1/3 of all U.S. assets. The average per capita income in the U.S. is only $42,000 per year (194). The other 90% who is the fan base that provides the majority of the income of these actors and athletes, are seeing this income gap continue to widen. Even with the recent recession in our economy, the rich as a whole statistically remain unaffected. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The strong middle class that once was the backbone of our economy is slowly diminishing and sliding to the left. This middle class are the firefighters, police officers, and service members who protect and serve our communities and country. They are the structure of society who provide strength and functio nality and who ultimately serve to the betterment of us all. There is much debate on how wealth should be distributed. A capitalist society has proven for the U.S. to be effective and be partially credited with building the foundation of all of the wealth and creating the richest country in the world. Completely socialist societies have proven in history to be a failure. Typically there is a Darwin Effect of â€Å"Survival of the Fittest† which dominates. There obviously  needs to be some middle ground here, but finding a solution is difficult. In this case of actors and athletes, I believe us as the consumer and their supporters have the power to control this huge inequality and disparity by saying, â€Å"Enough is enough!† and demand that some rationale come into play. Paying these individuals this much money is simply ridiculous in my opinion. Fundamentally we as a society should give value to those professions which serve us in a way that promotes a more sustainable society. Works Cited Fortunate 50: Sports Illustrated 13 Apr 2014. WEB Henslin, James. Essentials of Sociology: A Down to Earth Approach. Edwardsville: Southern Illinois University. Print. Seventh Edition. Maitland, Sashana, Samuel L. Jackson named highest-grossing actor, DAILY NEWS 25 Oct 2011, WEB, 13 Apr 14 Maria Puente, Robert Downey Jr. is highest-paid actor, USA TODAY 13 Apr 2014, WEB, Jul 2013 Best-paid Hollywood actors of 2012/2013, Statista 13 Apr 2014, WEB

Europeans vs the Native Americans essays

Europeans vs the Native Americans essays 1) Discuss the clash of cultures between the European and the Native Americans. What were the similarities and what were the differences? The Native Americans outnumbered the colonists so why didnt they drive the Europeans from the Atlantic coastline. Any general lessons to be drawn? The pre-Columbian Indian civilizations consisted of the Mayas, Toltecs, Astecs, Incas, and other Indians. Remnants of stone choppers and scrapers that were discovered suggest that the Indians used these items for spears and arrows. (Tindall, pg. 7) The Indians were not domesticated, they used their hunting skills to kill their prey and bring it home to their families. As the Indians began to settle in more permanent or semi permanent villages, they began to invent more domesticated items such as fiber snares, basketry, mills for grounding nuts, and domesticated the dog and turkey. (Tindall, pg. 7) The Indians began to consume more plant foods that became the staples of the New World: chiefly maize, which is Indian corn, squash, chili peppers, avocados, and pumpkins. (Tindall, pg. 7) Present day America should give credit to the Native Americans for harvesting these foods, because these foods are in our diets. Long before Columbus arrived, America lived in the fantasies o f Europeans. (Tindall, pg. 13) When the Europeans arrived, they encountered a land of many opportunities, some in which they had to swipe out from under the Native Americans feet. The first European contacts with the New World began a diffusion of cultures, an exchange of severe magnitude and race, as humanity had never known before. (Tindall, pg. 21) The Europeans were introduced to animals and creatures that they had never seen before. The only domesticated animals that the Europeans recognized were the dog and the duck. (Tindall, pg. 22) On the other hand, the Native Americans had never seen horses, cattle, sheep, goats, or chickens. The diversion of plants ...

Kenisha Berry Killed One Infant and Attempted to Kill Another

Kenisha Berry Killed One Infant and Attempted to Kill Another On November 29, 1998, in Jefferson County, Texas, 20-year-old Kenisha Berry placed duct tape across the body and mouth of her 4-day-old son, placed him in a black plastic trash bag and left his body in a trash dumpster, resulting in his death. She was convicted of murder in February 2004 and sentenced to death, but her sentence was later  changed to  life  in prison. The 4-day-old dead child was found by a Beaumont, Texas couple looking for aluminum cans in the dumpster near their apartment. Named by concerned neighbors as Baby Hope, the police were contacted and the investigators were able to get a palm print off the trash bag and a fingerprint off of the duct tape, but the case remained unsolved until five years later. During the hot month of June 2003,  another newborn child named  Paris, was found abandoned in a ditch and covered in hundreds of fire-ant bites. The infant was hospitalized for almost a month due to seizures brought on by the bites. DNA and Print EvidenceA tipster told investigators that Berry was Paris mother and she eventually turned herself into the police. Past employment records show that Berry worked for four months as a prison guard at Dayton prison and as a day care worker at in Beaumont around the time of her arrest. A DNA test proved that Berry was also the mother of Baby Hope. Also, her palm and fingerprint matched the palm and fingerprint that had been found on the bag and duct tape. Berry also took the investigator in the Paris case to a dumpster where she  had thrown a pillowcase that she said had wrapped around the child. It was in the same trash can where Baby Hope was discovered. She was arrested and charged with the capital murder of her son  Malachi Berry (Baby Hope). The Trial According to the court records, Berry gave birth to the two children at home and kept their births a secret. She admitted to this to an agent with the Child Protective Services. According to the same agent, Berry had three other children, all fathered by the same man, and that they appeared to be unharmed. Berry told her that Malachi and Paris were fathered by different men and that none of her family knew about the pregnancies or the births of the two children. Berry also told her that on the day that Malachi was born, she had arranged for the children to stay with relatives. When they returned the following day, she told them that she was taking care of a baby for a friend. Berry testified in court that she did not kill  Malachi and that he appeared fine after she gave birth to him at her home. She explained that she left the infant asleep on the bed in her bedroom and went to the store to get milk. When she returned, she checked on Malachi who was still asleep. She then fell asleep on the couch and when she awoke she again checked on the infant, but that he was limp and not breathing. Realizing that he was dead, she said she was too scared to call for help because she did not know if it was legal to have a baby at home. Berry testified that she then duct taped his arms so that they would be in front of him and across his mouth because it bothered her that his mouth was opened. She then put him in a trash bag, borrowed her grandmothers car and placed the infant in the dumpster where his body was later discovered. The forensic pathologist that had performed the autopsy on  Malachi  testified that based on his finding, the cause of death was asphyxia due to smothering and ruled the death a homicide. The prosecutors believed that Berrys motive for murdering Malachi and later abandoning Paris in a ditch on the side of the road shortly after being born,  was an attempt to hide the fact that she had been pregnant, noting that she kept the children that shared the same father and discarded the children fathered by different fathers. Verdict and Sentencing Berry was found guilty in the first degree in the murder of  Malachi. She was sentenced to death  on Feb. 19, 2004. She was then resentenced to life in prison on May 23, 2007 ,  because the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that prosecutors failed to show that she would be a  danger to society in the future. For the death of Baby Hope, she is to serve a prison sentence of at least 40 years before being eligible for parole. For throwing Paris in a ditch of fire ants, Berry received an additional 20-year sentence.

comparing the earthquakes Essays

comparing the earthquakes Essays comparing the earthquakes Essay comparing the earthquakes Essay WHY WAS THE GUJARAT EARTHQUAKE MORE DESTRUCTIVE THAN THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE? In 1989 an earthquake hit San Francisco, on the west coast of USA, killing around 63 people. Twelve years later an earthquake hit Gujarat, in India. This time it killed approximately 20,000 people. In this report I will be comparing the two earthquakes, giving reasons why the Gujarat earthquake was so much more destructive than the one in San Francisco. An earthquake is a movement or tremor in the earths crust. Earthquakes happen all the time, but some are so weak that they cannot be felt. The San Francisco earthquake and the Gujarat earthquake were so powerful that the shaking of the ground caused the buildings to collapse and landslides to occur. In both earthquakes a lot of damage was done not Just to the buildings but to the people as well. In the San Francisco earthquake over 3000 people were injured and 13,000 people were left homeless this is a big impact but compared to the Gujarat it asnt. In the Gujarat earthquake 170. 000 people were injured and 1,000,000 were left homeless. The damage cost $4 billion in the Gujarat earthquake but in the San Francisco it cost $7 billion. This is mainly because India is a poorer country compared to the USA. We can know this because of the average wage in each country. WHY WAS THE GUJARAT EARTHQUAKE MORE DESTRUCTIVE THAN THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE? to the USA. We can know this because of the average wage in each country.

Marketing Channel - Reverse logistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing Channel - Reverse logistics - Essay Example implementation and management of proficient, cost effective streaming of raw materials in process catalog, finished products and other information reversing from the consumers point back to the origin. This topic may as well include remanufacturing and renewing. Remanufacturing involves manufacturing of products that the company had manufactured while renewal involves renovation of already manufactured goods. It encompasses the sale of superfluous goods, other paraphernalia and machines that customers return to the manufacturer, and leasing businesses because of different reasons. Talking of logistics, we refer to the events surrounding the movement of goods from the producer to the consumer and reverse takes the goods at least a step or more backwards the supply chain.1 A manufacturer may produce a product which, through a supply chain, moves through the distributor to the consumer. Any other process after the sale of the product is reverse logistics; if the product is substandard of defective, then the customer would certainly return it. This would mean that a manufacturer has to incur shipping expenses to fetch the product, test the product, 2possibly dismantle the product, repair, recycle or even dispose the product. This means that the product reverses the chain of supply network for manufacturers to gain any use from the defective product. This has effects on the market and the overall business enterprise since most retailers consider products that their customers return as personally dislodged deals. The retailers have the main challenge in processing the returns at an expertise level for faster, proficient and money-making collection and return of the product3. The probability of product returns depends on the consumer requirements which end up aiding high service standards including accuracy and timeliness. Retailers can address all the operational and customer base retention issues in regards to merchandise returns through following the best

Explore Hardy's use of Nature in Tess of the D'Urbervilles Coursework

Explore Hardy's use of Nature in Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Coursework Example Tess of the D’Urbervilles (1891) portrays the life of an innocent girl, Tess and details the path of her life to the tragedy and destruction. The writer justifies his presentation of the protagonist by giving the subtitle, ‘A pure woman faithfully presented.’ The life of the pure woman is symbolized with the purity of nature. The nature, as in other novels, remains to be a strong force and motif in this novel. The suffering of Tess is pictured as corresponding to the changes in nature and vice versa. So the affirmative relationship with the protagonist and nature makes the readers to call Hardy as the nature lover just like William Wordsworth, the renowned nature poet. The present paper tries to analyze how Thomas Hardy explored the change of nature in his novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles. Hardy could make use of the involvement of nature with the ups and downs in the life of the protagonist. Tess represents the purity of nature. In the May Day dance Tess is presented as the most beautiful and pure in the ceremony. She became the major attraction of the program. This ceremony is linked with the peasantries’ pagan rituals and culture which is highly associated with the nature. The innocence of peasantry is again associated with the accident when the horse was killed. She feels the responsibility on herself. The death of the animal has become a stink into the conscience of the lady. This marks for the beginning of her tragedy. The innocent girl, Tess Durbeyfield makes her way of tragedy to Trantridge where she was seduced by Alec d’Urbervilles and hence follows the problems in her life finally making her a murderer. In all the flux of her life nature responds with her as a close associative. So nature acts as an integral part in the novel, Tess of the D’Urbervilles. The life of Tess is reflected in the nature surrounded her. She feels carefree and happy at Durbeyfield. Chapter two of the novel describes the village o f Marlott as in the lap of nature. The novelist says that the village of Marlott lay in the Vale of Blackmore and it is â€Å"an engirdled and secluded region, for the most part untrodden as yet by tourist or landscape- painter, through within a four hours’ journey from London.1† This depicts the psychological nature of the protagonist symbolizing purity and beauty. She enjoyed being in the lap of nature at this time. The Club walking or May Day dance that they had conducted at this villages also is the epitome of the enjoyment in the mind of the protagonist. The nature depicted in the Chase where she was seduced by Alec shows the pitfalls in the nature. The agony and sorrow of the protagonist is compared with the sorrow of the animals and birds at the place. Hardy describes the situation as, â€Å"She could hear the rustling of the branches as he ascended the adjoining slope, till his movements were no louder than the hopping of a bird, and finally died away2.† The writer here asks about her guardian angel that why it has deserted the innocent woman to be seduced by a vagabond. The novel states that the nature too is over darkened at this night by the seduction of this innocent girl. But the writer in no way establishes that her purity is lost. She still represents the nature with its purity and beauty. The death her newborn baby seems to be affected in the nature by projecting the sorrow it carries through the birds and trees. The life of Te

Research Methods Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research Methods - Coursework Example Organizations have therefore continued to struggle with the challenges that impact on the performance of managers and employees, which contributes greatly to dealing with competition within the various industries. Managers and employee performance is a theory of management within organizations that takes on various perspectives and purposes with the traditional purposes being the organization having good planning systems which serve as a means of meeting up the work expectations for managers and employees. An organization should have effective ways in which they are able to monitor performance and have ways in which an organization is able to develop the capacity of employees in performance and putting in place appropriate reward systems which motivate employees, thus resulting to good performance (Baldwin, 2008). Research question My project answers and reviews the extent to which performance of employers and employees in an organization is limited by relevant factors. Aim The proje ct seeks at ascertaining the factors that limit employees and employers within an organization’s environment. Research paradigm The paper will make use of realistic research paradigm especially because of its ability to take in the aspects of positivism and constructivism. Through the realistic research paradigm, it will be possible for me to hold on the notion that real structures exist and bring in knowledge and consciousness as aspects that look at human knowledge differently. According to the realistic paradigm, social and natural science are differentiated, while social reality is reinterpreted. Use of the realistic research paradigm was chosen because of its ability to take on a wider perspective, by bringing together the assumptions of positivism paradigm and the constructivism paradigm (John, 2005). Methodology/Research strategy My project will make use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. First-hand information method will include the use of persona l interviews and well structured questionnaires with well-organized questions, which will be administered to employers and employees within organizations in different industries. I will use secondary data sources such as books and journals that look at the limitations of employees and employers performance in organizations, through analysis of theories and previous research on performance. Literature Review Basically, organizational performance takes into account actual results of a particular organization as measured against the intended goals and expectations within a specified period of time. Performance is therefore the end result of an organization while organizational performance at large refers to the accumulated results of an organization’s work processes and activities. Organizational aspects therefore take in activities within an organization that are concerned with the activities, goals and their monitoring and adjustment, to ensure they contribute effectively towa rds an organization (Kirkpatrick, 2010). Employers and employees have been appreciated and recognized as the major aspects of organizational performance in any industry. Good managers and employees’ performance contributes to the ability of an organization to fulfill its mission and visions, which is complemented by sound management, strong governance and persistence towards the results. Employee performance also takes in perspective employee performance

History - Sanctions and Nonprofilerations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History - Sanctions and Nonprofilerations - Essay Example There was once a time when Libya also had uranium enrichment plants and weapons of mass destruction. So if that much of the countries in the world are running their nuclear programs then why US and western countries are behaving in a selfish way to deprive off Iran and north Korea from this technology? The answer is no doubt, quite complex and even US is trying to impose sanctions for the nonproliferation of such technology, none of these countries wanted to set ears on it. To begin with, the situation in Iran is quite different that of North Korea. It is surrounded by Iraq, Afghanistan and is not so far from a strongly opposed nuclear power, Israel, who keeps on threatening Iran on its extreme Islamic policies. On the other hand, with US in the region, Iran does not feel itself secure enough from the borders. Actually it’s the US and some other western countries that provided Iran with nuclear technology during the dynasty of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi during 1960s and 1970s. Howe ver, after the Islamic revolution of Iran in 1979, these countries become aware of the fact that most Iranians do not like their policies and are not in favor of taking dictations from them. So they consider Iran’s nuclear program as a great threat to their strength and might in the world. So far, there have been no weapons of mass destruction found in Iran and it has also signed the non-proliferation treaty of nuclear weapons. But as far as US is concerned, it has a history of invasion into other countries on the names of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, like it did with Iraq where none was found to be the weapon of mass destruction. So in order to remind US that Iran would not be another Iraq for it to invade and gain natural resources, it is necessary for Iran to have its own nuclear program so that no one become able to set eyes on it. These are the reasons due to which Iran withdrew from the non-proliferation treaty and is working on its program (Jarrod Hayes. 2011). Almost same is the case with North Korea, it also signed the treaty but withdrew from it in 2003 due to US double faced policies which do not make the world a safer and better place at all, rather there is already much destruction in most parts of the world due to illegitimate invasion of US. The hypocrisy of the entire world does not ever come to an end. the accuse of having a nuclear program not so protested has become old now, as everyone knows that when a country starts such projects, first it make sure that everyone will not have access to the weapons and that those will not cause any harm to the population. They are better well wishers of their own countries as compare to others. North Korea is a declared nuclear power with tests in 2006 and 2009, where Iran is still in the way. Both the countries should not roll back their programs to make their people safe and guarded (Millon). As far as the sanctions are concerned, US tried to put both Iran and North Korea into sever e circumstances by putting industrial and economical sanctions on them. In April 1998, North Korean was entitled to sanctions for their role in transferring Missile Technology with Pakistan. In November 2011, US decided to pressurize Iran to hold its nuclear program as it did not obey any of the international obligations and continue to build weapons of mass destruction. US prohibited any of the procurement activities taking place for Iran by carrying equipment and technology and there would

Fuel Prices Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fuel Prices - Statistics Project Example The mean price for regular unleaded gasoline in the US is $1.91/gallon, with a standard deviation of $0.17/gallon and a median of $1.86/gallon. Most of the state prices are distributed around the mean, except the outlier cases- Alaska ($2.51), California ($2.25) and Hawaii ($2.45). Without these three states, the standard deviation has a much lower value, and the normal-distribution curve is less spread out. Alaska has the highest state fuel price in the US- $0.60/gallon more than the mean price. The small demand-supply market, inefficient refineries, and lack of competition have kept the gas retail prices at a consistent high (Loy, â€Å"State begins inquiry into higher gas prices†). In California, a combination of unregulated refineries, low demand and difficulty in transportation has led to an increase in the gas prices (â€Å"Record high gasoline prices in California but relief may be in sight†). Hawaii is the most oil-dependent state in the nation, with more than 90 percent of its energy coming from imported oil. Being a tourist destination, the states economy is also extremely sensitive to global oil prices. Due to these factors, the cost of gas in Hawaii has also shot up in recent times (Song, â€Å"Gas Prices In Hawaii, California Hit $4†). The two fuel prices show a fairly strong linear correlation, with the diesel and premium unleaded gasoline prices varying proportionally. Most states form a single clustered group. The only anomalous points are for the states of California ($2.33, $2.43), and Nevada ($2.26, $2.40) and Washington ($2.40, $2.36). In these states, the prices of premium unleaded gasoline are higher than diesel prices by an average $0.09. The two outlier cases – though distributed about the linear regression line – have exceptionally high cost of both diesel and premium unleaded gasoline. The dependency of the two variables is still proportional (thus, these are not anomalous points), but the overall price

(poverty)socio-political factors influencing the mental health of an Essay

(poverty)socio-political factors influencing the mental health of an individual - Essay Example Poverty has a significant influence on physical and mental health. This paper presents a critique of the impact of poverty on the mental health of an individual. Poverty is strongly associated with social inequalities in the society. According to Nettleton (2006), unequal distribution of income leads to the emergence of a gap between different income groups yet such groups require the same basic needs. The underprivileged group suffers psychosocial anxiety that contributes to weakening health and death in case of prolonged stress. Poor social and physical infrastructures result in poor community health and mortality especially among the lowest social economic groups in such communities. In spite of stress, poor communities suffer frustration and unstable families and often exhibit tendencies towards domestic violence, criminal activities such as theft, murder and rape. These antisocial behaviors are also experienced in higher income groups but at a lower rate (Dalton et al. 2007). In one of my clinical placements I met a client named John who’s came from a poor neighborhood. He was worried about insecurity and was stressed after his d aughter was sexually assaulted by three young men. Hearden (2008) argues that the poor are exposed to hazardous environments and even when in employment are engaged in stressful, unfulfilling and depersonalizing activities. For example, John worked as a casual laborer in a skin tanning firm which was the only alternative available after his shop run out of stock as a result of rising cost of living that made him use part of the goods to feed his family of six. Such people often have no access to the essentials and services of life and are also subjugated by the main stream social class that is better informed regarding mental health. The poor are among the minority groups whose mental health is at risk due to the tendency to

History - Sanctions and Nonprofilerations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History - Sanctions and Nonprofilerations - Essay Example There was once a time when Libya also had uranium enrichment plants and weapons of mass destruction. So if that much of the countries in the world are running their nuclear programs then why US and western countries are behaving in a selfish way to deprive off Iran and north Korea from this technology? The answer is no doubt, quite complex and even US is trying to impose sanctions for the nonproliferation of such technology, none of these countries wanted to set ears on it. To begin with, the situation in Iran is quite different that of North Korea. It is surrounded by Iraq, Afghanistan and is not so far from a strongly opposed nuclear power, Israel, who keeps on threatening Iran on its extreme Islamic policies. On the other hand, with US in the region, Iran does not feel itself secure enough from the borders. Actually it’s the US and some other western countries that provided Iran with nuclear technology during the dynasty of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi during 1960s and 1970s. Howe ver, after the Islamic revolution of Iran in 1979, these countries become aware of the fact that most Iranians do not like their policies and are not in favor of taking dictations from them. So they consider Iran’s nuclear program as a great threat to their strength and might in the world. So far, there have been no weapons of mass destruction found in Iran and it has also signed the non-proliferation treaty of nuclear weapons. But as far as US is concerned, it has a history of invasion into other countries on the names of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, like it did with Iraq where none was found to be the weapon of mass destruction. So in order to remind US that Iran would not be another Iraq for it to invade and gain natural resources, it is necessary for Iran to have its own nuclear program so that no one become able to set eyes on it. These are the reasons due to which Iran withdrew from the non-proliferation treaty and is working on its program (Jarrod Hayes. 2011). Almost same is the case with North Korea, it also signed the treaty but withdrew from it in 2003 due to US double faced policies which do not make the world a safer and better place at all, rather there is already much destruction in most parts of the world due to illegitimate invasion of US. The hypocrisy of the entire world does not ever come to an end. the accuse of having a nuclear program not so protested has become old now, as everyone knows that when a country starts such projects, first it make sure that everyone will not have access to the weapons and that those will not cause any harm to the population. They are better well wishers of their own countries as compare to others. North Korea is a declared nuclear power with tests in 2006 and 2009, where Iran is still in the way. Both the countries should not roll back their programs to make their people safe and guarded (Millon). As far as the sanctions are concerned, US tried to put both Iran and North Korea into sever e circumstances by putting industrial and economical sanctions on them. In April 1998, North Korean was entitled to sanctions for their role in transferring Missile Technology with Pakistan. In November 2011, US decided to pressurize Iran to hold its nuclear program as it did not obey any of the international obligations and continue to build weapons of mass destruction. US prohibited any of the procurement activities taking place for Iran by carrying equipment and technology and there would

(poverty)socio-political factors influencing the mental health of an Essay

(poverty)socio-political factors influencing the mental health of an individual - Essay Example Poverty has a significant influence on physical and mental health. This paper presents a critique of the impact of poverty on the mental health of an individual. Poverty is strongly associated with social inequalities in the society. According to Nettleton (2006), unequal distribution of income leads to the emergence of a gap between different income groups yet such groups require the same basic needs. The underprivileged group suffers psychosocial anxiety that contributes to weakening health and death in case of prolonged stress. Poor social and physical infrastructures result in poor community health and mortality especially among the lowest social economic groups in such communities. In spite of stress, poor communities suffer frustration and unstable families and often exhibit tendencies towards domestic violence, criminal activities such as theft, murder and rape. These antisocial behaviors are also experienced in higher income groups but at a lower rate (Dalton et al. 2007). In one of my clinical placements I met a client named John who’s came from a poor neighborhood. He was worried about insecurity and was stressed after his d aughter was sexually assaulted by three young men. Hearden (2008) argues that the poor are exposed to hazardous environments and even when in employment are engaged in stressful, unfulfilling and depersonalizing activities. For example, John worked as a casual laborer in a skin tanning firm which was the only alternative available after his shop run out of stock as a result of rising cost of living that made him use part of the goods to feed his family of six. Such people often have no access to the essentials and services of life and are also subjugated by the main stream social class that is better informed regarding mental health. The poor are among the minority groups whose mental health is at risk due to the tendency to

Literature Paper Essay Example for Free

Literature Paper Essay Sophocles two plays, namely the AD 6717-658 Oedipus the King as well as the 658-693 Antigone, are dominated by elements of conflict both external and internal. The external conflict involves two persons with opposing viewpoints being engaged in a physical or philosophical confrontation. On the other hand, the internal cases of conflict occur when certain individuals in the 2 plays encounter dilemmas regarding doing things that their consciences counsel against. Further, the playwright describes various characters handling the conflicting situations in a variety of ways. For example, some characters just choose to give in, become complicit, and do the things that their consciences advise against. A notable example of this phenomenon in Oedipus the King is Queen Jocasta’s action of bowing to King Laius’ (her husband’s) pressure and thus giving away the young Oedipus to be disposed off. Likewise, in Antigone, Ismene depicts the same behavior of allowing outside pressure to adversely influence her conscience-led aspirations. To this end, Ismene refuses to join efforts with Antigone her defiant sister in burying Polyneices the 2 sisters’ departed brother. Conversely, the 2 plays contain cases whereby physical person-to-person conflicts arise. For instance, in Antigone, Creon Thebe’s ruler holds viewpoints that conflict with those of Haemon Creon’s son. To illustrate, when Creon detains and intends to murder Antigone Haemon’s fiance son and father are at loggerheads. The situation deteriorates to the extent of father and son insulting one another. Haemon angrily leaves, promising that he will never come back. Similarly, in Oedipus the King, King Oedipus becomes conflicted with prophet Tiresias because Tiresias is experiencing an internal sort of conflict. The prophet is aware that telling King Oedipus the truth about who killed King Laius would yield no good results. On the other hand, King Oedipus is very intent on ascertaining the true identity of Lauis’ killer, not knowing that Oedipus himself killed Laius. The conflict between the 2 personalities pushes them to exchange harsh words. This conflict is resolved when Tiresias utters the definitive paradox that Laius was indeed killed by his (Laius’) son. All in all, through the two plays Antigone and Oedipus the King, playwright Sophocles describes both external and external cases of conflict, with the conflicts being resolved to the detriment of a certain individual. To begin with, Queen Jocasta’s conflict regarding either disposing off or saving the life of Oedipus her son ends with the infant son being disadvantaged when he is disposed off. The hopeless Oedipus passes from the hands of Jocasta, to a servant, to a lowly shepherd and eventually to a King’s palace. Through such transition, the baby encounters various hardships. Firstly, he risks being killed and then spends some time out in the open fields where he is exposed to the elements. Further, it is notable that the shepherd who eventually passes Oedipus on to King Polybus has no means of keeping and raising the condemned child. Jocasta’s indecisiveness when she faces the internal conflict of either saving or killing Oedipus thus causes the son immense problems. In this case, Sophocles describes a conflict being resolved to the detriment of a particular personality Oedipus. In a similar version, in Antigone, Sophocles describes Antigone’s conflict as resulting in a string of misfortunes. After Creon the King unjustly orders that Polyneices should be ignored regarding proper burial, with Eteocles being accorded a fitting send-off, Antigone Polyneices’ sister becomes mentally conflicted. Antigone immediately detects Creon’s partiality in ordering for this obviously discriminative treatment. She thus cannot demonstrate complicity by adhering to Creon’s unjust edict. The determined girl therefore opts to secretly accord Polyneices a proper burial. By doing this, Antigone risks being put to death as indicated by Creon’s directive. She however gallantly carries on with her plan and even boldly defending her decisions before the King. Related to Antigone’s mental conflict is Ismene’s dilemma whereby she has to choose to either stand by Antigone or obey Creon’s controversial decree. By adhering to the directives that Creon has issued, Ismene will in effect be betraying Polyneices her brother. Conversely, by deciding to join Antigone in properly burying Polyneices, Ismene will be showing sisterly responsibility to her departed brother as well as to Antigone. In addition, Ismene risks being put to death as per Creon’s orders should she go by Antigone’s bold decision. Eventually, Ismene shies away and avoids going by Antigone’s plans. On her part, Antigone boldly accords Polyneices a proper send-off, thus attracting Creon’s wrath. Ultimately, the 2 sisters find themselves behind bars, with Ismene being a sort of martyr since she did not participate in Antigone’s defiant actions. It is at this point that Antigone faces another conflict when Ismene offers to suffer the consequences of Antigone’s actions. Antigone is aware that it would be unjust to allow Ismene suffer the same fate as Antigone. Although outside pressure eventually forces Creon to let the 2 girls walk free, the conflict that Ismene and Antigone face is resolved with disastrous results. Further, the decision that Antigone makes because of being mentally conflicted serves to make Creon’s son Haemon to also become conflicted. To illustrate, after Creon puts Antigone in prison, intending to kill the girl, Haemon intervenes, trying to persuade Creon to let the girl walk away. Haemon does this because he is an intimate friend to Antigone. He thus cannot allow his father to kill Antigone owing to the love that Haemon has for Antigone. It is worth noting that Haemon is in a tight spot when he approaches Creon, persuading the King to let Antigone go away. This is because Haemon risks being branded a traitor or someone who demonstrates insubordination towards the King. On the other hand, should Haemon decide to keep quiet, allowing the King to do as he wills with Antigone, Haemon will demonstrate lack of commitment towards Antigone. Son and father thus confront each other because they hold varying viewpoints about the incarceration of Antigone. Again, Sophocles describes a person-to-person conflict being resolved in a negative way. After Haemon and Creon hurl insults at each other, Haemon walks away, promising that he will never come back. True to his words, Haemon commits suicide. Likewise, through the Oedipus the King play, Sophocles describes the shepherd who witnessed King Laius’ murder as well as Oedipus as being conflicted both externally and internally. For instance, King Oedipus desires to know every detail of his (Oedipus’) childhood. On the other hand, the shepherd is aware that should he become aware of his past, Oedipus will only experience pain. The shepherd thus only gives certain details of Oedipus childhood after which he begs to be allowed to stop the narration. By doing this, the shepherd seeks to shield Oedipus from the pain that will inevitably result when the King learns of his (the King’s) past. Such good intentions are however misunderstood by Oedipus as the shepherd’s demonstration of insubordination. Consequently, Oedipus threatens the shepherd with death should he hold back any information from the King. The shepherd is thus deeply conflicted. He is very sure that when Oedipus learns the truth about Oedipus’ lineage, the King will surely be gravely hurt. Out of fear for his life, the shepherd finally explains all the details about Oedipus life. Consequently, the King becomes distraught. Further, the Queen commits suicide, after which Oedipus gorges out both his eyes and goes into self-imposed exile. Once more, Sophocles describes the conflict between the shepherd and King Oedipus as being resolved in a bad manner as it results in the deaths of Queen Jocasta and the self-imposed exile of King Oedipus. In conclusion, though his 2 plays Oedipus the King and Antigone playwright Sophocles describes numerous instances whereby various characters are conflicted either externally or internally. One notable case of mental conflict in Antigone is the instance when Antigone has to choose to either remain loyal to Polyneices her brother or obey Creon’s dictatorial decree. Conversely, the instance when Creon and Haemon exchange bitter words denotes external conflict. On the other hand, in Oedipus the King, Jocasta’s indecision regarding whether to dispose off or save Oedipus represents internal conflict. The shepherd and Oedipus’ confrontation demonstrates external conflict. Further, all the conflicts that are presented in both Oedipus the King as well as in Antigone are resolved in ways that harm certain characters.

Impact of Recession on Recruitment and Selection

Impact of Recession on Recruitment and Selection 1.0 Impact of current global economic situation on recruitment and selection The collapse of 2008 caused unemployment for many people in major countries of the world. The affected nations tried a lot to combat effects of slowdown in economy. We can easily conclude that the unemployment rate and the growth rate of a country are closely related and are inversely proportional. During the slowdown when the growth rate of various economies decreased the unemployment rate increased and now when the economies are recovering then the unemployment rate is decreasing (Roberts, 1997). During the economic crisis 2007-2008 the GDP growth rate of major economies decreased. For United States of America it decreased from 2.9% in 2008 to -6.8% in 2009, United Kingdom from 0.3% in 2008 to -2% in 2009, China from 11.2% in 2008 to 6.8% in 2009 and India from 9.7% in 2009 to 6.1% in 2010. The unemployment rate increased from 5.00% in 2008 to 7.70% in 2009 for United States of America, from 5.20% in 2008 to 6.60% in 2009 for United Kingdom, from 4.00% in 2008 to 4.30% in 2009 for China and from 7.8% in 2008 to 8.8% in 2009 for India (Rachel Potter,, 2001). The GDP growth rate of major economies has improved over a year. For United States of America it has increased from -6.8% in 2009 to 2.5% in 2010, United Kingdom from -2% in 2009 to 0.8% in 2010, China from 6.8% in 2009 to 9.6% in 2010 and India from 6.1% in 2009 to 8.8% in 2010. The unemployment rate decreased from 7.70% in 2009 to 7.60% in 2010 for United States of America, from 6.60% in 2009 to 6.30% in 2010 for United Kingdom, from 4.30% in 2009 to 4.20% in 2010 for China and from 8.80% in 2009 to 8.00% in 2010 for India (Pescha, 2001). It is clear from above that there is a very high correlation between GDP growth rate and unemployment. Also, after the setback to economy in 2007 the economy across the world has shown the sign of recovery which is also reflected in the employment trend across these countries (Armstrong.M 2003). Especially companies of Information Technology (IT) sector considering their good quarter results are back on hiring front. Indian major IT companies i.e. Infosys, TCS and Wipro have set a large target for hiring. Infosys declared that it add 30,000 new employees in 2010. According to NASSCOM Indian IT sector will add 90,000 employees in 2010 and overall hiring for this sector is expected to be 1,50,000 in 2011. Labour intensive sector has also shown improvements and has registered a 1.2% growth in the number of employees being hired over a year. Real State sector has also gain the pace and with gradual increase in demand of houses the sector has registered growth especially in developing cou ntries (Aswathappa.K 2005). This has also resulted in the increased demand of labour as the companies like DLF and Sahara are coming up with various projects. The Common Wealth Games and now Asian games also generated a lot of demand of workers. Thus couple with economic growth these sectors have provided employment opportunity for low income group thus contributing to the growth in employment rate of the country. The general trend in hiring is that the companies are optimistic about the future and are taking the opportunity created by slowdown of hiring talents at cheaper rate and replacing low performance workers (Weil, 2003). Also they plan to provide greater flexibility in work arrangements like compressed work weeks, shared work, sabbaticals, alternate schedules etc. Rehiring of Laid-Off-Workers has also increased with 29% of companies to hire back the earlier laid of employees increasing the ratio of these employees to 9% from 5%. The percentage of hired or contract worker are also estimated to increase to 18%. Thus all this figures indicates the future trend in recruitment of employees (Dale, 2004). From the above analysis two things are very clear. First, recruitment plan of a company depends upon the economic condition of a country. The better the economy the higher the employment rate is. Second, the future aspect of the recruitment and hiring seems to be positive in view of the expected growth in the economy. However, the unemployment rate is still high in most of the countries and the gap between men and women employees in developing nations has increased in past three years according to International Labour Office. A lot of effort has to be made by government in order to bring the unemployment percentage down and reduce the gap in men and women. 2.0 E-Learning and its role in Human Resource Development: E-Learning can be defined as providing training, books, journals or any other material that will help the person to enhance his or her knowledge base with the help of computer base applications usually with internet as the major source of catalyst in the process. It is very important for an employee to continuously update himself with the current trends in the market and with the new technologies and methods being practiced so that he remains competitive and in turn increase his efficiency (Rosenberg, 2001). Also organization look upon the employees who have a good work experience and knowledge of the industry to take up more responsibility and thus contribute to the organization instead of hiring a new employee for the same position as the previous person is well known in the organisation and can be trusted more than the latter one. However, if the employee is not having sufficient skills then it would be difficult for him to justify with the new responsibility. Thus, it is the responsibility of the human resource department to identify potential leaders and train them so as to enhance their skills. Thus, learning is of great importance to any organization. Also, it is very difficult to provide library facility by each and every company at each and every branch and offices. The options are contract based trainings but often the training courses designed by the external party are very costly and lacked the direction required by the company and hence are not as per company and individual requirement. E-Learning comes as a cheap and convenient solution to the above problem for many companies who cannot afford to manage libraries and are struggling with properly training facilities. Most of the IT companies for example Cognizant Technology Solutions, Infosys and IBM have a good E-Learning facility available where the employees can select the modules as per their need and requirement and complete the course sitting on his desk. This not only prevents the cost associated with such training but also reduces the work load at the Human Resource department of arranging for training of these employees. Some of the companies that provide E-Learning are Safari online books, Books 24X7, Skill-soft Corporation, Educause, Centra Softwate Inc. etc. Though Wikipedia and other online encyclopaedia also provide a good source of learning but it is often difficult to find a particular requirement on these websites. It is observed that the quality of education in most of the developing nations do not match the requirement of the companies and thought the employee is educated but lack the skills required for job and for this it is essential that HR of the company provide trainings for these employees. Almost 70% of the fortune 1000 companies lack properly trained employees to execute the task and sustain the require growth rate. Most of the employees in companies are encouraged for distant education based on computer (Horton, 2001). These courses not only help organizations to build a talent pool in the organization but also fulfil the requirement and demand of the company for required talent. Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), India, is an open university that facilitate the distant learning in India incorporate in 1985 has keeping a close watch on the development of talent pool in India to satisfy the requirement of the nation to sustain the growth rate. They have also adopted the online training modules so as to reach more and more people in the country. According to Dr. Ashok Kumar Gaba, Senior Research Officer Staff Training and Research Institute of Distance Education at Indira Gandhi National Open University, the online training has reduced the cost to one-fifth and over a period to time it is expected to be the main source of learning. It is the responsibility of human resource department of the organization to identify the requirement of the company and accordingly select a proper course, promote it and bring into practice the E-Learning culture in the organization. The constraint associated with E-Learning is computer and internet facility at company and one might require investing a good amount initially to build the required infrastructure for this. 3.0 Bonuses in Financial Service Sector when the banks are being bailed out: The issue related to bonuses are usually very emotional to employees. They expect the bonuses and plans accordingly and if these bonuses are cut or complete removed then this can be a serious cause of dissatisfaction among employees which can affect their productivity and the output delivers (Geroski et.al 1997). If these issues are not seriously handled then it might lead to a major problem in the organization. Hence, it is very important to first understand the importance of the issue before discussing the topic. The bonuses of any company depends upon the performance of the country vis-a-vis its performance last year, the performance of the sector, the growth in the economy and the future prospects of the economy and industry. During the economic crisis in 2008-09 the financial condition of many banks and giant organizations was so crushed that they have to plea the government to bail them from the financial distress (Sameuls, 2001). After the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers many banks came to plea United States government for bailing them for example Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and American International Group (AIG). In Britain, Northern Rock, a mid-sized British Bank, and Bank of England required government aid to continue their daily task. When these banks and financial institutions are being bailed out it means that the available liquidity in the market is very less and hence it will be very difficult for the companies to raise fund. In this situation the pressure on specially the financial service providers increases and they have to be very careful in investing the available cash. It is logical for these companies to either cut or completely remove the bonuses for that particular year so as not only to preserve the liquidity but also to avoid any firing of the employees. At this time it is very important for them to maintain the balance between the market condition and their financial condition. J.P. Morgan Chase, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Washington Mutual, Wachovia and other financial service providers if they would have thought of bonuses at that time then they would have been shut down and any more damage after Lehman Brothers would have proved last nail in the coffin to already shattered economy and we would hav e been still struggling to recover from the crisis (Bewley, 1999). As a matter of fact, US president Mr. Barack Obama said that asking for bonuses at the time of crisis is a shameful act and he urged the citizen of United States of America to show some sense of responsibility after Wall Street firms distributed a bonus of $18.4 billion (Howell, 2007). Also at time a hefty bonus payment culture might lead to loss in liquidity of the firm and might result in potential threat to the company and banks to face a financial crisis. The company should avoid paying hefty bonuses in order to save some tax (Sameuls, 2001). In May 2009, Financial Services Authority (FSA) declared certain rules regarding this and took various measures in order to reduce this practice. According to them bonuses was the reason for banking crisis. Probably Deutsche Bank already understood this and the bank chief did not accept the bonuses in 2008 so as to minimize the effect of crisis. This was the personal sign of solidarity by Josef Ackermann, the chief executive of Deutsche Bank, toward the employees. This move not only helped the bank to fight the crisis but also encouraged the employees to take the move of not distributing bonuses in a right spirit and contribute to the organization at the time of difficulty. Later John Mack, chief executive of Morgan Stanle y, and James Cayne, the former chief executive of Bear Stearns, also went ahead declining the bonuses. From the above study it can be concluded that in state of financial crisis where even banks are been bailed out it is more important for the companies especially financial services to prevent any firing of employees for which if they have to sacrifice the bonuses then they should go ahead with this. Employees should also understand this and they should consider long term gains rather than short term profits. It is the duty of organization to be transparent in its dealing and should reward the loyal employees when the favourable time comes. Also, it is important for the leaders in the organization to set an example for the employees so that employees believe that the organization is with them and they do not feel cheated. This is a very sensitive issue especially during crisis and should be dealt carefully and with high importance. 4.0 Relevance of trade unions: The nature of business has changed drastically over past few decades with the advent of technology most of the work is done by machines and human intervention has reduced in most of the cases (Fernie, 2005). The work environment and conditions has improved resulting in lesser disputes (Somers, 1976). Technology has enabled the management and employee to communicate effectively. In this era of technology the question is whether the trade union culture is still relevant in present scenario? The trade union acts a channel to help the workers communicate their issues and concerns to the management. They also provide support and help to these workers in times of difficulty and ensure that the work environment is healthy and safe. They also help management to communicate major announcements to these workers and help them understand their point of view (Wrigley, 2002). In case of any dispute it becomes easier for management to talk to the representatives of workers in the form of trade unions rather than talking with each and every individual. The union also help in uniting the workers who are usually from different background. There are many unions who are still very active and fight for the cause of the worker and help them educate about their rights. One example is REACH which focuses upon educating workers about the hazards caused by chemicals and their rights in case of such hazards. In India Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) is the largest report trade union which was founded in 1955 and with such a reach and power the organization has been working in making the life of workers better. They have carried out various education programs like spreading awareness among labours about their rights, proper safety practices, health education, women empowerment, minimum base wage and movement against child labour. Other major trade union in India are Madras Labour Union, Textile Labour Association, National Trade Union Federation, Hind Mazdoor Panchayat and All India Trade Union Congress (R Jha, 2000). Still in nations like India the trade unions are active and have not lost its relevance. However often the leaders in the unions take advantage of their position and put unjustified demands in front of management and threat them by announcing strikes, lock downs etc. This has reduced the relevance of trade unions. Also, in most of the organization has adopted performance based incentive schemes that encourage the employees to perform better in order to get better compensation this has also reduced the issues related to pay as the person enters in to an agreement to accept the compensation scheme of the organization. Another major issues that employees face today are the work-life balance issues for which the human resource department of the company actively take steps in most of the organization and moreover trade unions have failed to tackle this issue thus the need of the trade unions are reduced (Aswathappa, 2005). The trade unions also failed to address the issues of cross nation al employee and women empowerment. The trade unions have lost on major three grounds (Trant, 2010).). First, they have been neglecting the poor and thus lost the moral ground as their major concern is maximizing the interest of few people and groups. They also lost on the political front due to shrinkage in the membership of the union and also due to the formation of many parties and unions. The third ground is the loss of intellectual high as their strategies are outdated and for most of their solutions they go on strike irrespective of the severity of problem. A trade union if lead by a intelligent and well educated person having a proper understanding of situation of employees and who is directed to work for people can prove to a problem solver else a problem creator and as the latter is often found the trade union seems to loss its relevance in todays scenario (Horton, 2001). Though the technology has solved many problems of the employer and employees but still in developing nations like India where technology is a constraint and workers still fight for basic rights, trade unions acts as a tool to voice their concerns and hence still in these nations they hold a relevance.