Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Argumentation Essay Sex Education Should Be Offered in...

Argumentation Essay: Sex Education Should Be Offered in Public Schools With the new outbreaks of sexually transmitted diseases and the fact that sexually active persons are becoming younger, sex has now become a daily topic. Sex scandals in the media and talk such as who slept with who at last nights party are making these daily conversations apparent in high schools, middle schools, and in a lot of cases grade schools. As the saying goes monkey see monkey do one can only assume that this concept will pertain to these easily influenced children. That is why it is imperative that another side of this issue is presented on a regular basis, a side that demonstrates safe sex as well as no sex. Sex is a basic instinct in all-living beings;†¦show more content†¦The abstinence only programs offer students the ability to sharpen their decision making skills, and learn more about disease prevention. It also teaches them to be more responsible for their actions and how to have more self-control, and self-respect. Practicing safe sex is another subject that should be taught in the programs. Today, there are several different methods of safe sex that could be taught. Statistics show that nearly 50% of most high school students are sexually active. These students should also be able to receive the right information they need to understand the ways to be protected. Because once some STDS are contracted, the only cure is death. Currently, out of all the population of the United States, teenagers hold the highest record of sexually transmitted disease, and that is out of any age group. Condoms and oral contraceptives are the two leading ways of safe sex, and disease prevention. As said before, abstinence is the only 100% safe way, but oral contraceptives and condoms are between 97% and 99.9% safe. Although oral contraceptives are only used to prevent pregnancy in women, condoms prevent disease transmission and stop pregnancy from occurring. Distributing condoms in school is also another aspect of sex education. If the school would provide the protection to any teenager that was contemplating sexual intercourse, at least he or she would have adequate protection from pregnancy and STDS. This could also set a pattern forShow MoreRelatedLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesorganization is sound and the author does a superior job of presenting the structure of arguments. David M. Adams, California State Polytechnic University These examples work quite well. Their diversity, literacy, ethnic sensitivity, and relevancy should attract readers. Stanley Baronett. Jr., University of Nevada Las Vegas Far too many authors of contemporary texts in informal logic – keeping an eye on the sorts of arguments found in books on formal logic – forget, or underplay, how much of

Monday, December 23, 2019

Adolescents, Mental Health, and Cigarette Smoking Essay

I began this research interested in looking at mental health and its relationship to cigarette smoking. By searching the Internet, I found myself being drawn into the discourse surrounding cigarette smoking, mental health and adolescents/adolescence. By seeing nicotine as addictive, and therefore an abuseable substance, and understanding the neurological effects nicotine has on the brain, we can see how cigarette smoking is connected to mental health. In adolescents the effect is even more pronounced because their relationships to peers and parents create situations where their mental health is compromised. Nicotine is one of the many chemicals found in cigarettes, and is the primary component in tobacco that acts on the brain. (1).†¦show more content†¦Smoking increases dopamine, which in turn increases pleasurable feelings. The enjoyable effects of nicotine are even more enhanced by the subsequent feelings of craving and withdrawal. This positive reinforcement from needing to sustain increased dopamine levels by smoking, while coping with the addictive qualities of smoking, make this a hard habit to quit. Generally speaking, a smoker will take about 10 puffs on a cigarette in a five-minute period. If one smoked 30 cigarettes a day (1.5 packs), that person would get 300 hits of nicotine a day. These factors contribute considerably to nicotines highly addictive nature. (1). Even though most smokers would identify tobacco as harmful and express a desire to reduce or stop using it, most smokers, who try, fail to quit. Addiction is characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and use, even in the face of negative health consequences, and tobacco use certainly fits the description. (1). This makes it all the more significant when you learn that three-quarters of the adults who currently smoke started their habit before the age of 21. (2). If adults are already addicted by age 21, when did they start? It turns out that teenage years are critical ones in the habituation of cigarette smokers. (2). Cigarette companies know that if they can hook a young consumer in their early years, theyShow MoreRelatedDeterminants of Quality Healthcare1664 Words   |  7 PagesDeterminants of Quality Health Care Determinants 2 There are people from all walks of life in America. There are people of different races, cultures, different shapes and sizes and different ages. Sickness and disease can occur with anyone. A person’s lifestyle or who they are related to is just a couple of factors when it comes to what can make them sick. Not only can disease cause death but a person can even lose their life from a mere accident. The U.S. health care delivery system wasRead MoreTeenage Addiction to Smoking1498 Words   |  6 Pagesnation’s health and has defiled the health of future generations. The hostile impact on young generations, addiction to smoking cigarettes is staggering. Smoking has taken an enormous toll on the minds and health of young teens around the world. Teenage smoking is an epidemic that has derives from several causes. Smoking in young teens has become more common this day in age. Smoking in young teens is most commonly brought about by peer pressure. According to an article Teenage Smoking, â€Å"At no otherRead MoreEffects Of Smoking On The United States1841 Words   |  8 Pagestobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death. Chronic cigarette smoking is associated with many adverse health effects and 70% of adult smokers started smoking when they were adolescents. The World Health Organization’s definition of adolescence is a period of development that corresponds to the period between the ages of 10 and 19 years. This age group is vulnerable to initiate risky behaviors such as cigarette smoking. According to the Surgeon General’s report in 2015 for preventingRead MoreSocial And Ecological Model Of Public Health1480 Words   |  6 PagesThe social/ecological model of public health is a multilevel syst em that emphasizes on the linkages among several factors or determinants affecting health from an individual level to a larger social network (Coreil, 2010). This model is organized according to five hierarchical levels of influence: intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, community, and society (Coreil, 2010). Intrapersonal level can include biological and psychological factors such as genetics, cognition, and personality; interpersonalRead MoreThe Negative Impacts Of Smoking1547 Words   |  7 PagesThe most common problems that are destroying the health of young generations and killing thousands and thousands adults every day is smoking cigarette. The issue of smoking has become one of the most significant and controversial debates in Australia, due its health problem and the effect of the environment atmosphere. Researches and medics worldwide were studying the main causes that makes people smoke and why? (Backes, 2016). According to Dr Jewell‘s article, reveals th at there are lots of factorsRead MoreSolutions for the Choice of my Addiction1293 Words   |  6 PagesGeneral announced a causal relationship between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, following the Lalonde report (1974) which defined smoking as an individual risk behavior. Thereafter, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) also joined this bold move and included tobacco dependence in its third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III). Moreover, the US Surgeon General finally declared that cigarette smoking is an addiction in their 1988 report. However, thereRead MoreAir It Out Is A Tobacco Intervention Program946 Words   |  4 PagesAir It Out is a tobacco intervention program specifically designed to promote smoking cessation and smoking prevention among adolescents aged 11 to 18 regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or place of residence within the U.S. (e.g. suburban, urban, inner city, etc.). Until recently, speaking out against smo king carried zero authority given smoking was a personal habit that began in adolescence, a habit that continued until December 2015 when diagnosed with cancer. Now with two rounds of chemotherapyRead MoreSmokers in Great Britain and the United States1533 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Referring to smoking, different countries have different attitudes towards the habit. Some countries have strong negative altitude against smoking while others do not. In both America and United Kingdom, smokers are seen as social pariahs while in Hong Kong, the altitude towards smokers is not strict (Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 2013). However, the only one similar attitude between all the three countries is that they all disapprove smoking. This paper will exploreRead MoreHealth Promotion : Tobacco Use1698 Words   |  7 PagesHealth Promotion: Tobacco Use Smoking tobacco and tobacco related illnesses has become the leading cause of preventable illness and premature death in the United States and around the world (Goldenberg, Danovitch, IsHak, 2014). This directed my decision on choosing tobacco use as a topic from the Healthy People 2020 list for this promoting health assignment. In order to support my promotion and inform the reader on this subject matter I have selected an article to analyze: â€Å"Quality of Life andRead MoreSmoking Is An Addictive Habit That Has Been Killing People All Over The World1123 Words   |  5 PagesSmoking is an addictive habit that has been killing people all over the world for hundreds of years. About 25% of adults smoke and about 30% of all adolescents use some type of tobacco product (â€Å"Smoking†). Statistics show that the majority of tobacco users began as a teenager, around thirteen years of age (Miller). The human population is supposed to have innate instincts to do all they can to s urvive and extend their lives, but individuals still make the choice to smoke and may not take into account

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Family Drama Free Essays

Living with family is similar to living to living in the royal palace. There is always going to be guards watching over you’re every move, and certain standards you need to live up to. You will enjoy the luxury of an elegant house, clean laundry and slightly bigger budget, but it will slightly defer from the king and queen realm. We will write a custom essay sample on Family Drama or any similar topic only for you Order Now It will affect every detail of your life, right down to the way you talk, the food you eat, how often your friends can visit and how much freedom you have. You will quickly discover that if your sovereign isn’t happy you’re not going to be happy either. I recently graduated from high Scholl, got a job, and started saving up some money for college. I decided to move in with my parents, and what I have learnt is that its good being around family, but it’s never a good idea to live in with family. I get no respect from my parents. They treat me as if I’m still in high school, or should I say elementary school. My mom talks to me any how she pleases, no matter where we are , or, who is around. Last month was my birthday, so I decided to invite a few friends over just to chill and have a good time. Hoping that my parents would leave so I could have the house for myself, they decided to hang around. It was so awkward for me. My dad he just came and sat in the living room watching the TV, even thou they have one in there room. My mom kept complaining about the type of music I was playing. After a while my mom started butting in people’s conversation and disrespecting my friends telling them how they aren’t good enough to hang with me and how much of a dirt bag they are. I was so embarrassed. She was so disrespectful, I don’t know if they don’t want me to have a social life or they just like being mean to me. As expected living under someone else’s roof can be quite a challenge, especially if they are close family. I am a single child so you can imagine how hard it if for me to have any privacy what so ever. I really felt cross the line the other day when my mom decided to open my mail. I ordered some condom and other such items online with my own money( of course, which goes without saying) my mother couldn’t stand that I had any mail coming in or anything that she didn’t know what it was, so what does she do, she opened it. Then she judgmentally confronted me about them. I shocked embarrassed and very angry about that violation of my privacy. I should not have been surprised, this kind of things are typical for my mother she just like to be all up in my business. The clothes I wear, the food I eat, the color of my room, where I go, how I got there and people I hang with, these are just a few things that your parents have control over when you’re a child, but as you grow older they still seems to want to maintain that control. It is difficult for them to adjust to that and thus causes a lot of conflict. My friends and I decided to dress up as sexy doctors and fire fighters for Halloween, just to change up from what we normally do each year. The biggest sin in the eyes of my parents to be sexy. We had a big argument, because I was determine to wear what I wanted to, not only because it was what we had plan, but also a way of proving to my parents that I’m grown and can do whatever I can. My dad decided that if I left the house looking like a â€Å"hooker† I’m not to set foot back in his house, I didn’t even think of the after effect of it all I just back my stuff. As a I was about to leave, he decided to grab my stuff, I was so mad I push him and he slap me in the face. We started fighting and my mom called the police. Luckily no one went to jail, but we were warned. I love my dad and I didn’t mean for things to get out of control like that. All that could have been avoided if I was living on my own. Relatively speaking, as a child growing up, I enjoy living with my parents, they were my best friends, but as a bird grows older they have to leave the nest. In order to have a good social life and worry free about what you do and how you to it, its better to How to cite Family Drama, Essays

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Time Management free essay sample

Our constituency includes students from all disciplines and all levels of academic duty, from Foundation degrees and part-time Certificate courses through to PhD students. We have regular direct contact with a diverse student community, including international and mature students, and students with Specific Learning Difficulties. Some are studying part-time, while others are on placements or are distance learners.Given this privileged, direct and everyday access to a broad demographic of students, their experience of managing time at university and the effectiveness of interventions, it was appropriate for us to adopt an action research approach. As a consequence, we have established an iterative cycle of reflection on our own practice to motivate and identify areas for study. The research projects listed below were carried out at the University of Reading, 2005-2010. Sing practice-led enquiry to develop resources for time management in higher education Presentation reflecting on the use of practice-led enquiry as a tool for research and development in learning development. We will write a custom essay sample on Time Management or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Powering slides available here. Managing time at university: a learning development perspective on issues and effective interventions An overview of common issues with student time management and interventions which have proved effective in practice: developed through taking an action research approach to our work as student-facing learning developers at the University of Reading.Full write-up available here (PDF). Using student feedback to develop resources for time management in Higher Education This project trialed different formats for resource delivery with dents studying in different faculties at the University of Reading. By making the same advice on student time management available in three formats (paper, online and oral) to students in three different subject disciplines, we hoped to gain feedback on preferred formats for delivery of learning development resources, and on perceptions about time management for students in different disciplines.Full write-up available here (PDF). Poster presentation available here (Powering). Procrastination in university study: causes and solutions Being blocked, or putting off starting a study task is something that most students experience over the course of their academic careers. For a few, this is a more serious and persistent problem which may require a co-ordinates approach with referrals to other support services such as counseling and liaison between learning developers providing support and academic and personal tutors.Early intervention with effective strategies may prevent procrastination from becoming habitual and avoid some of the consequences hat make it difficult to break the cycle. This paper considers some of the root causes of procrastination, and describes some interventions that have proved effective with students in learning development practice. Poster presentation available here (Powering). Time management issues for mature students While effective time management can be a problem for all students in Higher Education, there are differences in the primary issues for particular groups. In turn, these may motivate the need for particular strategies for interventions y learning developers. While presenting a very broad constituency in terms of age and prior experience, the difficulties reported by mature students are often associated with a specific set of issues that include misapplications of Higher Education, the need to integrate study and other commitments, and a lack of academic confidence. This paper examines these issues and their effect on student time management, and describes some interventions that respond to them. Full write-up to follow.

Friday, November 29, 2019

The Color Purple and Shug free essay sample

Every story has characters that have their own roles of keeping the story going. In â€Å"The Color Purple† by Alice Walker, one particular character goes beyond playing their part. Shug Avery. Shug Avery herself is a symbol throughout the story, though not the main character she works behind the scenes at adding more to the story. Shug serves as a symbol of a better life in the black community in which the book is based. Though the story seemingly goes on as a flow, there are stops and goes when Shug enters the scene. Shug Avery leaves an impression on every other character. She functions as a bold flower in a dim background in the story that slowly relates and combines with what is in the background. Shug changes lives with her boldness and promotes freedom that she believes everyone deserves. Easing into the beginning of the story, Shug is used as a bold feature in a blunt background. We will write a custom essay sample on The Color Purple and Shug or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page At the start of the story the reader falls into the normalcy of the way of life and a woman always being controlled by man. Once Shug steps in however, she brings along a major contrast. Once the reader compares the differences, then the story has more of a feeling to it because there is something to compare the formal characters’ lives to. Shug is rich, a free woman and never takes orders from a man if she does not want to. In addition she is blunt, does as she pleases and sings with tight expensive clothes in public. Compared to what ‘dim background’ folk, Shug was just too special, lucky and good. Shug herself certainly felt that way. In the beginning when she arrives to live with Cecile and Mr. _ , Cecile writes, â€Å"She look so stylish it like the trees all round the house draw themselves up tall for a better look (45)†. Clearly Shug stood out and wore much more extravagant clothes than Cecile was used to seeing. Shug was definitely bringing difference and change to the house. She was very assure of herself and wanted only the best. Cecile states, â€Å"She look me over from head to foot. Then she cackle. You sure is ugly (47)†. Shug was open and her thoughts are what counted most. Clearly Shug provides a difference in atmosphere and shows a whole difference part of the world that Cecile and people in her family had only dreamed about. Shug was an outstanding contrast painting in midst of mellow paintings. After staying a while in the mellow paintings, Shug lowers her standards to her surroundings. She becomes the best friend of Cecile. Through understanding, listening and all the time she spends with Cecile, Shug changes her views of disgust to love towards Cecile. â€Å"I won’t leave, she say, until I know Albert won’t even think about beating you (75)†. Shug is constantly learning how different life is for Cecile and when she hears about Cecile being beaten, Shug takes it to change things herself. Shug herself promotes her independence and rights throughout the story. Through her own independence, she becomes a figure that Cecile and other women look up to as their fighter for freedom, or someone to learn from. A free woman is a happy woman and that is secretly what all the woman want. And Shug is the free woman to follow. At one point Sofia was put in prison for denying, and getting physical, a white woman her service to her kids. Miss Shug cuss, she come special from Memphis to see Sophia (88)†. Throughout her long stay with Cecile and the family, Shug had come to believe them as part of her own family also. Shug has become a protector too all that know her well. She might be sassy and rude at times but she now cares for this family that has multiple problems with staying together. She is now the strong glue that holds every one together, and the lady that women look up to. Throughout the book though Shug’s attitude and perspective of life stay the same, she changes others. Shug is a symbol of strength for many, especially Cecile. Shug has no strings attached to her families, sings in public with expensive clothes without embarrassment and never lets herself be treated wrong by a man. Her easiness with her seemingly stressful life puts her in a position of awe for others. There are multiple couple fights and breakups in the story, but with Shug around to support the girl, things do not get too messy and physical. When Shug announces that she is leaving to Memphis with Cecile, Mr. _ says he thought Cecile was finally happy. In reply Cecile says, â€Å"You a lowdown dog is what’s wrong, it’s time to leave you and enter into the Creation. And your dead body just the welcome mat I need (199)†. Shug had taught her that. Shug taught Cecile to stick up for herself and not let a greedy angered man always rule over her just because he thinks he can. She taught Cecile independence and that was the greatest gift to Cecile. Also, this was a turning point in the story. After the whole story having problems with men and beating, this showed that independence was not impossible. During this occasion, Sophia stands up to her husband too. When Cecile exclaims that Sophia would have never gone to prison if Harpo (her husband) had not tried to rule over her, Sophia said â€Å"A little truth in it (200)†. Confirming and standing up to what Cecile was saying. At one point Squeak decides she wants to speak and announces she is going to do so. First everyone is against it, but she is persistent with her wish and achieves it. Shug changed all these women. She brought in unity, love and strength so each could walk on their own feet. She opens their eyes and has them see that they are all equal and deserve their equal rights. Shugs boldness is like no other in the book. She does as she wants and listens to none other. Her happiness with just the way she is contagious throughout the story. Slowly other women realize that their happiness should not necessarily rest on a man’s happiness. Thus, a good change is funded through Shug. She depicts everything a woman wants and shows, indirectly, how to achieve them. Sometimes it is though the characters think pleasant kindness and simple pleasure are sin. Shug steps in and shows there is no such thing as sin besides treating another as a slave.

Monday, November 25, 2019

buy custom Pacific Quad Incorporation essay

buy custom Pacific Quad Incorporation essay The defendant in this case is the Pacific Quad Incorporation. Ladies, gentle and the distinguished jury, the testimony that is going to be presented and heard in this case, may at times prove to be complicated, but still there is some remedy to it. The rule that the judge is likely to ask to be applied at the end is rather simple: Did Pacific Quad Inc., fail to take immediate action to stop its operations manager from sexually harassing Ms. Rowe, an event that led to her wrongful dismissal? The indictment in this case sets for that the Pacific Quad Incorporations operations manager; Stanley Schmit sexually harassed his subordinate staff, Ms. Rowe. Schmit continuously made very offensive comments of sexual nature to Rower, leered at the plaintiff, brushing by her so that he could touch her, and even tried to proposition her. The defendant in this case did not plead guilty to the indictment. Therefore, it is the duty of the jury and the legal bench to prove the company guilty. And, if they prove the defendant guilty, every person with interest in this indictment must definitely find it so. The burden of proof lies on the prosecutor to precisely prove to that Schmit was an operations manager and an employee of the Pacific Quad Inc., and Walsh, the president of the company did nothing to stop him from his alleged sexual harassment against Rowe. Instead of taking some punitive or corrective action against Schmit, he simply ratified the sexual harassment claims that were brought before him. As agents of the company, both Walsh and Schmit who are in the position of authority and vested with the power of running the company, they are supposed to manage it with absolute care, diligence and profession, since they had failed in this, the company was liable to award damages to Rowe, if she wins the case. Schmit and Walsh could not be individually sued for the offense committed since they made the mistake in the course of duty. However, they can still be sued for failing to observe the professional diligence and care in the line of duty, which is against the set work standards, c odes of ethics and procedures. It would be one of the most barbarous facts, to sexually harass a lady and make her lose her employment, probably the only means of livelihood. Therefore, the plaintiff claims her lost wages, psychotherapy expenses, punitive damages, and emotional distress damages. Considering the facts in this case, relying on the presented substantive evidence, it is justified for the jury to compel the company to award damages for the loss suffered, as her compensation. Buy custom Pacific Quad Incorporation essay

Friday, November 22, 2019

Change Management in the Learning Organization Essay Example for Free

Change Management in the Learning Organization Essay Organization (1318) , Structure (56) In this paper I intend to discuss change management approaches that support the learning organization philosophy. The learning organization is defined as an organization that acquires knowledge and innovates fast enough to survive and thrive in a rapidly changing environment. Learning organizations (1) create a culture that encourages and supports continuous employee learning, critical thinking, and risk taking with new ideas, (2) allow mistakes, and value employee contributions, (3) learn from experience and experiment, and (4) disseminate the new knowledge throughout the organization for incorporation into day-to-day activities. On the other hand we have a process called change management which is defined as minimizing resistance to organizational change through involvement of key players and stakeholders. At my organization these two go hand in hand and it allows for us as a company to experience constant growth and development of our staff. Our employees are more willing to welcome change when we train them in the process. As businesses moves through the 21st century, they are becoming more dependent upon their managers to be change agents. These companies actually seek managers who can bring success to their organizations. Three of the characteristics we look for in our new managers are they must have the ability to stimulate change, excellent planning capabilities, and ethics. Over the years I have spent in management I have learned that success in  becoming a learning organization relies on a commitment to learning on the part of the organizations I have worked for and the willingness of the individuals involved to be receptive to the change process. As a manager, what we usually can change falls into basically three categories; people, structure, or technology. An efficient manager will make alterations in these areas in an attempt to facilitate change. With people the change involves adjusting attitudes, expectations, perceptions, and probably most importantly behavior. Coaching people to adjust in these areas will help employees within the organization to work together more effectively. Changing structure relates to the job design, specialization, hierarchy and any other structural variables. These usually need to be flexible and non-static in order to be adaptable to change. When dealing with technological change we are looking at modifying work processes and methods along with the introduction of new equipment. To me learning organizations support the change process just as much as change management supports the learning organization philosophy. I say that because every change calls for some sort of learning as the more comprehensive the change the more attention we have to place on learning for the individuals involved in the change. By utilizing the learning organizations philosophies companies including the one I work for are able to magnify the potential of its employees which keeps them growing. Learning in action: a guide to putting the learning organization to work/ David A. Garvin Change Management in the Learning Organization. (2016, Aug 06). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Internet addiction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Internet addiction - Essay Example People often tend to ask as to what internet addiction is. The focus of internet addiction can cause people to believe that they are being informed by the IAD, also known as internet addiction problem. This paper will look into the way in which internet manipulates people’s minds and distracts them, thus causing them to think about entirely different things and experience radical change in their priorities (Young, â€Å"Internet Addiction: Symptoms†). The solution to internet addiction is realization of addiction, time management, and increased family unions. Firstly, Internet addiction is a very nasty disorder that might even be more technical than the obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) that most of the world is aware about. Just like OCD, the roots of internet addiction disorder are psychological and are triggered due to a nervous system that exists within the brain. What is shocking though, is the mere fact that internet addiction problem does not get as serious as OCD and is not fatal, physically, but it is fatal in the sense that a person loses his ability to grasp priorities and change from one situation to another in a smooth transition. A person having internet addiction will always have this time crunching feeling that he needs to work on something different, something more reproductive, on the internet. For example, a person who has an assignment to compete for his college will often try to complete the assignment because he feels responsible for it. However, if that student is addicted to internet, he will often get an urge t o check what is going on when it comes to his Facebook account, Twitter account, some other social media platform account and thus get distracted immediately (Young, â€Å"Internet addiction: the†). His conscience may have been about fulfilling his responsibility but his obsession with social media platforms drives him to ruin his own work himself. Moreover, it also becomes hard for the

Monday, November 18, 2019

International & Regional Financial Regulators Research Paper

International & Regional Financial Regulators - Research Paper Example 12). The operations are put at a level playing field which ensures that banking institutions contribute an equal amount of capital. It also ensures that some set of standards are complied to. Different countries and economies are affiliated to different regional central banks and international financial regulatory institutions. Some operate at a lower cost while some at a higher cost. Depositors prefer regulatory institutions which offer services at a lower cost as compared to the ones which offer services at a higher cost. It is also evident on this extract that regulatory bodies experience a cascading effect on their financial systems depending on their policies. It can be seen that the regulatory institutions with stringent policies have their market share eroded (Quintyn & Taylor 2004, pg. 6). Financial regulation is a form of supervision, monitoring, or offering of guidelines that subject financial institutions or any other financial elements within a financial system to restriction in order to maintain the integrity of the financial system. Governments and regional financial institutions regulate financial elements for safety. Financial safety protects the depositors and share holders of all financial institutions within a financial system. Financial safety prevents financial insolvency which might in turn lead to an economic, political, banking and a social crisis. International and regional financial regulation has its own pros and cons. Regional financial regulations impose restrictions to member financial elements which in turn force them to comply with the expected standards of performance in order to achieve the set objectives (Quintyn & Taylor 2004, pg. 26). These standards at times affect the member elements negatively or positively. For instance, a regional central bank might issue orders to the member elements to sell bonds to their account holders or shareholders in an effort to regulate a looming

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Composition About Film Essay Example for Free

Composition About Film Essay The film that I saw last week is about the dangerous art of extraction valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during sleep, when the mind is most vulnerable. The main character of the film called Cobb. He is a talented thief, the best of the best in his work. At the beginning of the film we see Cobb’s dream in which he with his wife lived in their town that they create alone in unexpected for me and I was surprising when I saw how in our dream we can see people who not existent in the reality. Then the point is that Cobb’s command received the proposition to change some events in the life of one of the richest company in the world. They had to do that this company fell down and other man who managing other company could be the first and control others. If Cobb, and his command do this he promise Cobb to help him with law, because as we know he was a thief and all police search him and that’s why he can’t returned home to his children. For this work he must to find a new architecture, because without him it will be not possible. Architect a specialist defining illusory world for another dream. The purpose of the architect when extracting designed sleep so sleep could not distinguish it from reality and create a sleeping most complex maze of sleep, from which the victim could not easily escape. The complexity of this work was that this dream consisted of three levels, that is to say they must to reach the deepest within of the subconscious to change what they want. Now their task not to steal an idea, but to implement it. If they succeed, it will be the perfect crime. I realized they done this work in the best way. To my mind this film is very interesting and exciting, but it is necessary to understand . It is fantastical, but as for me it was interesting to see what we can do when we sleep.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Life of a Slave :: essays research papers

My name is Shaniqua and I am a sixteen-year-old girl from Mali, Africa. Everyone was nice back in my village. I lived at home with my mother, father, and my younger brother, Jamal. Life back home was great. I would help my mother around the house and take care of my little brother Jamal. Jamal and I would help mama clean and cook. I would also help my mother make clothes to sell at the market. On certain days I would go to the market to sell the clothes my mother and I made. My mother and I would take turns going to the market. Sometimes in the summer I would go to the river with my best friend. I’m the type of person that would help someone if they were in trouble. I always treated people fair. I was very happy at home. The village that I lived in was always busy; people always had something to do. There was never a dull moment in my village. We all got along in the village. It was a nice summer day so my friend and I decided to take a walk to the river and cool off. As we approached the river some strange looking men popped out from behind the bushes and grabbed us. I had never seen someone like that before; they were pale and white. They had yellow hair and blue eyes. The men shackled us to one another and forced us to walk to where there were many other Africans in a cage. I was crying and screaming but they didn’t care. I tried to get away and they hit me with a whip so hard across my back that it bled. I had no chouse but to follow them to the coast. As I was walking I saw people from my village being whipped and beaten. They were getting whipped so bad chunks of their skin were falling on the floor. There was blood gushing from their open flesh. People are screaming for help but there’s no one to help them. Some man that was shackled tried to escape, he failed. The white men killed him. As we got to the coast there were huge wooden boats waiting for us. They shoved us into the boat, then they through us into some place below decks. We are so close together we can hardly move. I see people getting thrown off the ship left and right.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Pride and Prejudice Themes and Motifs Essay

Class is the target of much of the novel’s criticism of society in general. Austen makes it clear that people like Lady Catherine, who are overly invested in their social position, are guilty of judging that a person’s social rights are strictly defined by their class. Other characters, like the stuck-up Mr. Collins and the scheming Caroline, are depicted as thoroughly empty, their opinions and motivations completely defined by the dictates of the class system. Mr. Collins is not a part of the very high class, but driven by pride, he thinks he is. His marriage to Charlotte was his attempt to recover his pride after being rejected by Lizzy. That is what makes him so obnoxious; his focus is always on showing off himself and his situation in life. To contrast them, Austen offers more positive examples in Bingley and the Gardiners. Bingley is someone from the upper class who wears his position lightly and gallantly. The Gardiners represent the honest, generous, and industrious middle class and are examples of how even the middle class can be as educated and refined as the upper class. Austen does seem to respect the class system in a few ways, especially when it operates not as a dividing power in society, but as a force for virtue and decency. Darcy is the primary example of Austen’s ideal high-class gentleman. Though originally he seems to be an arrogant and selfish snob, as the novel progresses it becomes clear that he is capable of change. Eventually, thanks to Elizabeth’s influence and criticism, he combines his natural generosity with the integrity that he considers a crucial attribute of all upper-class people. He befriends the Gardiners and plays a key role in helping the ungrateful Lydia out of her crisis. The marriage of Darcy and Elizabeth shows that class restrictions, while rigid, do not determine one’s character, and that love can overcome all obstacles, including class. Pride Pride is a constant presence in the characters’ attitudes and treatment of each other, coloring their judgments and leading them to make rash mistakes. Pride blinds Elizabeth and Darcy to their true feelings about each other. Darcy’s pride about his social rank makes him look down on anyone not in his immediate circle. Elizabeth, on the other hand, takes so much pride in her ability to judge others that she refuses to revise her opinion even in the face of clearly contradictory evidence. This is why she despises the good-hearted Darcy for so long, but initially admires the lying Wickam. Yet while Pride and Prejudice implies that no one is ever completely free of pride, it makes it clear that with the proper moral upbringing one may overcome it to lead a life of decency and kindness. In the end, the two lovers are able to overcome their pride by helping each other see their respective blind spots. Darcy sheds his snobbery, while Elizabeth learns not to place too much weight on her own judgments. Prejudice Prejudice in Pride and Prejudice refers to the tendency of the characters to judge one another based on preconceptions, rather than on who they really are and what they actually do. As the book’s title implies, prejudice goes hand in hand with pride, often leading its characters into making wrong assumptions about motives and behavior. Austen’s gentle way of mocking Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s biases gives the impression that such mistakes could, and indeed do, happen to anyone; that faulting someone else for prejudice is easy while recognizing it in yourself is hard. Prejudice in the novel is presented as a stage in a person’s moral development, something that can be overcome through reason and compassion. Austen only condemns those people who refuse to set aside their prejudices, like the class-obsessed Lady Catherine and the scheming social climber Caroline. Austen’s work offers a powerful illustration of the damaging effects to people and to society that prejudice can inflict. Marriage Pride and Prejudice is a love story, but its author is also concerned with pointing out the inequality that governs the relationships between men and women and how it affects women’s choices and options regarding marriage. Austen portrays a world in which choices for individuals are very limited, based almost exclusively on a family’s social rank and connections. To be born a woman into such a world means having even less choice about whom to marry or how to determine the shape of one’s life. The way that society controls and weakens women helps to explain in part Mrs. Bennet’s hysteria about marrying off her daughters, and why such marriages must always involve practical, financial considerations. As members of the upper class, the Bennet sisters would have been expected to become Governesses if they did not marry. However, their father did not make sure they had a thorough education, so they are not qualified to be governesses. Yet as women they are not allowed to inherit anything. As a result, marriage is basically their only option for attaining wealth and social standing. Yet Austen is also critical of women who marry solely for security, like Charlotte. The ideal for her is represented by Elizabeth, who refuses to trade her independence for financial comfort and in the end marries for love. Love The biggest and most obvious theme of this story is love. The book is a big ole’ love story that is not just about how beautiful love is, but other aspects of love as well. Jane Austin also shows how love complicates the lives of the characters throughout the plot. Caroline Bingley’s love for Mr. Darcy makes her bitter. And Jane’s love for everyone makes her fall victim to the schemes of others. And how Elizabeth’s love for her family, make her blind to the reality of how people perceive them. Jane Austin shows that there is a difference between love and lust. She shows this through Lydia and Wickham’s marriage as well as how Mr. and Mrs. Bennett married foolishly and did not truly love each other and therefore had a bad marriage. In every true love story the lovers must separate and overcome numerous stumbling blocks, beginning with the tensions caused by the lovers’ own personal qualities. In Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth’s relationship they had many hurdles. There was the pride theme from both of them, the prejudice theme from both of them, Lady Catherine’s attempt to control her nephew, Miss Bingley’s snobbery and attempts to take Darcy all to herself, Mrs. Bennett’s idiocy, and Wickham’s deceit. In the end, love triumphs all. Through this, Austen suggests that true love is a force separate from society and one that can conquer even the most difficult of circumstances. It is not something that can be defined with marriage or similar class, etc. In each case, love seems to trump class and the other themes mentioned. Austin used these obstacles to create an ultimate love story. She also highlights this theme more by having the very first sentence of the book be, â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife,† and using the character of Charlotte Lucas, who was the one who marries the buffoon Mr. Collins for his money, to demonstrate that the heart does not always dictate marriage. By using love as the theme of her book, Austen inputs her views on love as something independent of these social forces, as something that can be captured if only an individual is able to escape the warping effects of hierarchical society. MOTIFS Courtship/Dating There are two major courtships that occur in the story—those between Darcy and Elizabeth and between Bingley and Jane. Darcy proposes twice to Elizabeth throughout the course of the novel, and Jane and Bingley’s relationship is continually deepening. There are also other less significant courtships which take place, such as the failed attempt of Mr. Collins’s proposal to Elizabeth followed by his successful marriage to Charlotte Lucas. Another example would be the Miss Bingley’s unsuccessful attempt to attract Darcy; Wickham’s pursuit first of Darcy’s sister Georgianna, then Elizabeth, followed by a rich heiress in Meryton, and finally of Lydia. Courtship therefore takes on a profound importance in the novel. Courtship constitutes the real working-out of love. Courtship aka dating, is just a way to figure out if this person likes that person. It’s a sort of forge of a person’s personality, and each courtship becomes a different type of love (or different ways to abuse love as a means to social advancement). Therefore, courtship proves to be of great importance at various points of the novel. Each courtship contains a different kind of love, with marriage usually as the ultimate goal. Journeys There are several journeys in which the characters take, even though most of the action is usually centered around the Bennet household in Longbourn. Jane when hearing word that Bingley has left town, she takes a Journey to London. Elizabeth’s first journey is to visit her friend Charlotte and Mr. Collins, however, on this journey, she encounters Mr.  Darcy and during this time he also makes her his first proposal. Her second journey is with the Gardiners, and it leads her to Pemberley, Darcy’s beautiful estate. Another major journey occurs at the end of the novel, where various people are in pursuit of Wickham and Lydia. This journey ends with Darcy saving the Bennet family’s honour, and then returning to Longbourn again to make his second proposal to Elizabeth. At the end of the novel, Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy, Jane, and Mr. Bingley get married and all live near Hunsford. Which is a big ‘journey’ from where they started in Longbourn.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Managing a Multigenerational Workforce

Managing a Multigenerational Workforce Monash University Jason Cheah Introduction A multigenerational workforce can present many challenges for organizations of today and are fast becoming a prominent issue for Australian HR managers. An ageing workforce and continual technological innovation are the main reasons attributing to the issues associated with a multigenerational workforce. To remain competitive organizations will need to utilize such a workforce to their advantage and this can be achieved through effective human resource development. The differences between generations are known to occur due to major influences in the environment in which early human socialization occurs (Macky, Gardner & Forsyth, 2008). These influences can impact on a range of factors of an individual including personality, values and beliefs, which will generally remain stable throughout adulthood (Westerman & Yamamura, 2007). The changing nature of the socio-cultural environment will also influence generational differences as individuals of different generations will have been exposed to different events and experiences during their developmental years (Beaver & Hutchings, 2005). A multigenerational workforce is an issue that cannot be ignored and the challenge then for organizations is to be able to manage, develop and maintain an effective multigenerational workforce. HR departments will need to recognize the demographics of their workplace and to implement an organizational culture that values and rewards diversity (Holland & De Cieri, 2006). This article will aim to address the issue of a multigenerational workforce and its impacts on Australian organizations and HRD. Using the case study of Mixed Ages Technology Corporation (MATC), the challenges and issues presented by managing and developing older and younger employees will be discussed. Then a brief summary of the case study will be followed by a discussion of strategies best suited for MATC to improve the morale of multigenerational workforces and HR’s role in improving efficiency between the Baby Boomers and the Generation Y workforce Issues and Challenges of Baby Boomers The global trend of an ageing workforce and government policy directions towards reversing early retirement trends raises the issue of the costs to employers with an ageing workforce (Brooke, 2003). Recently Australian government policies are being directed towards retaining older workers and reducing costs of pensions, health costs of retirees and superannuation payments; which are estimated to cost the country $46 billion between 2000 and 2031 (Brooke, 2003). This is having a direct impact on Australian organizations as an increase in age of their workforces creates an increase of the human resource costs associated with older workers, consequently making older workers more expensive to employ (Patrickson & Hartmann, 1995). However another worrying factor of a mature age workforce force is that with the impending retirement of the baby boomers; organizations will lose a wealth of experience, knowledge and skills that will be extremely hard to replace (Jorgensen, 2005). Difficulty in replacing such skill and experience can be attributed to Australia’s low fertility rate, and therefore a reduced supply of younger workers joining the workforce and the increasing skill shortages (Anonymous, 2006). This will lead to an increase of competition for talent and Jorgensen (2005) believes that organizations must look at new ways of retaining older workers and to make better use of their skills and experiences. Organizations will have an increased need to retain older workers by creating career paths to help older workers to break out of career plateaus, and to retrain those whose skills have become outdated (Holland & De Cieri, 2006). Organizations that fail to address the ageing workforce issue risk future staff and skill shortages. The key to managing ageing workers is to actively identify strategies to retain, retrain and integrate older workers into their workplace and to capitalize on their skills, knowledge and experiences (Holland & De Cieri, 2006). Managing and Retaining Baby Boomers Organizations need to be wary of losing a wealth of skills and knowledge that older workers possess through poor management (Beaver & Hutchings, 2005). As employees mature they are more likely to experience disengagement with the workplace and career plateauing, which can lead to an increased intention to leave. HR managers will need to work with both the employee and the organization’s goals to eliminate these barriers. There are various options available to organizations faced with the problem of retaining older workers. Providing phased retirement plans, moving older workers to part time work and creating more flexible working conditions can save organizations the costs involved with hiring new employees while maintaining older workers technical knowledge. Additionally it is important for organizations to recognize older workers personal commitments and their need for work life balance (Hutchings & Beaver, 2005). Contrary to the view of a career plateau, Armstrong-Stassen (2008) argues that majority of older workers want to continue learning and developing their skills and also desire a job that is challenging and meaningful. There will also be an increased attractiveness for organizations to hire mature age workers, even if it is on a part time basis, as older workers are readily available sources in terms of expertise that can impact the future success of the organization (Miller & Siggins, 2003). In turn HR managers will have a responsibility to have policies in place to encourage lifelong learning and knowledge management. However older workers can be a popular target during downsizing, and many experience hidden and open pressures to retire early. Addressing these issues through frequent training and feedback programs will assist older employees to feel valued by their organization. (Cadrain, 2007) believes that the costs associated with recruiting and training staff pays off over time, as the longer you retain staff the greater the return is on your investment. Therefore it is vital for organizations to retain and retrain not only the older workers but younger workers as well as generation Y workers present a different challenge for HR managers altogether. Issues and Challenges of Generation Y In a tight labour market the need for organizations to effectively manage younger workers, such as generation X and generation Y have become crucial. During the current skills shortage organizations will need to put new strategies in place to support proactive recruitment and HR policies. The high mobility of generation Y can be attributed to technological advances whereupon there is instant connectivity and experience sharing with others, leading to more information and inevitably more choice (Macky, et al. , 2008). Younger workers relish employment opportunities that allow them to learn new things, meet new people, to work in new ways and to take calculated risks (Schulman, 2007). Therefore organizations will need to include values such as flexibility, creativity and personal development when dealing with the management of younger employees. Due to the high mobility of Generation Y, organizations will need to focus on engagement of their younger employees. Younger employees are eager to showcase their talents when joining an organization, as they have not been tainted by bad working habits and are generally excited to take on new and challenging responsibilities (Fallon, 2009). Although this may be seen as a positive, keeping them happy and motivated requires different strategies than those that have been used with the baby boomers. It is widely accepted that younger workers care about much more than money; Holland & De Ceiri (2006) believe that work life balance is critical to Generation Y employees, while Fallon (2009) states that younger employees aim for a holistic fulfillment through work including feeling good about their job and a healthy balance with their social lives. This view is consistent in that younger generations need to have a perception of meaningfulness associated with their role. A lack of engagement from the employer can produce disillusionment, a lack of creativity and a lack of investment (Shulman, 20007). Organizations will therefore need to have HR strategies in place to retain younger employees and to keep them motivated and productive. Managing and Developing Generation Y There are many strategies that organizations can utilize in order to attract, train and retain the best young talent in the market. As generation Y have incredibly high expectations about the work environment, growth opportunities and rate of advancement (Downs, 2009) it is imperative for HR managers to consider the career plans of younger employees. Generation Y’s are entering the workforce in large volumes, and organizations that are unable to harness this growing resource will find themselves at a distinct disadvantage (Anonymous, 2006). Management of younger workers is crucial in times of financial hardship. Contrary to the view of (Miller & Siggins, 2003), who argues that older workers can assist organizations through financial as they are readily available sources, Anonymous (2009) states that organizations need to consider the long term prospects of generation Y’s. In order to keep generation Y’s challenged, HR managers may consider restructuring certain entry level positions so that the duties of the role vary. Additionally HR managers should discuss various career paths with younger employees and the possible steps in reaching such goals (Downs, 2009). Research shows that communication between managers and younger employees is becoming increasingly crucial (Fallon, 2009). As younger employees are used to direct, ongoing feedback in their developmental years they expect the same type of treatment from their managers. Especially as they have not yet experienced a recession, Generation Y’s will need constant feedback to remain motivated and productive. They will feel more valued and loyal to the company if managers are able to show that they care about the growth and progress of the employee. This will in turn have long term benefits and save the organization costs from a reduced turnover (Fallon, 2009). How organizations manage the generation gap is determined by the demographics of the workplace and strategies available to them. This article will now link effective HR strategies to Mixed Ages Technology Corporations organization culture and goals. Feeling Valued by the Organization There are several generational issues that confront MATC’s newly appointed HR director Tom Fletcher. Employee morale and productivity has dropped due to the rising tension between the baby boomers and the generation Y workers. The baby boomers of the company are unsatisfied with the amount of respect shown to them by the younger workers and are quite resistant to any change in the promotions system, which is based on seniority. On the other hand the generation y workers believe that there is a lack of opportunity for individual growth and oppose the current promotion system; they also believe that the older workers are outdated when it comes to modern technology. To enable both younger and older workers to feel valued by each other and by MATC, the HR team will need to address these two underlying issues. Initially the HR team needs to assess the generation gap by recognizing and openly discussing generational differences with the employees. McGuire, By & Hutchings (2007) believe that effective managers will help employees feel valued by the organization; therefore HR should be proactive in helping managers succeed in this area. As managers nowadays have to deliver in a shorter time frame and with limited resources (Aker, 2009), HR can provide coaching and mentoring programs and develop learning solutions and performance management tools to educate managers on generational differences and the best strategies available to manage a multigenerational workforce. However (Anonymous, 2009) argues that it is up to the employees to adapt to generational differences and that an assessment should be made to identify improvement opportunities within MATC’s organizational culture. The company’s current culture is one of continuous change and adaptation; hence HR needs to remind employees of this culture while adding a culture of embracing and encouraging workforce diversity (Aker, 2009). A diverse workforce is richer because there are many different perspectives, different learning styles and different attitudes towards work. Through effective human resource development, MATC will have the ability to harness this diversity into an organizational strength and investment for the future. Feedback Programs One of the biggest causes of generational tension is insecurity about jobs (Crumpacker & Crumpacker, 2007). Older workers may be involved in a transactional psychological contract and will therefore be reluctant to share information and resources will the younger employees. Additionally younger employees may worry that older employees will resent their attempts to climb the corporate ladder (Downs, 2009). HR needs to encourage an intergenerational learning environment and an environment of continuous learning and a continuous transfer of knowledge by addressing anxiety and tensions through positive reinforcement. HR also needs to reassure all employees that their contributions are valued and may even consider rewarding behaviours displaying knowledge sharing and acceptance of diversity. These types of career management strategies will help employees to feel greater job security and in turn less threatened by other generations. A commonly used strategy to instill confidence in employees and to make them feel valued is to provide frequent and timely positive feedback and offering public praise from management and peers (Cadrain, 2007). However HR needs to understand that feedback programs need to differ according to generational characteristics. It is not uncommon for HR to bring in change and communication consultants to train managers in areas of communication, feedback and negotiation to help managers understand such differences (Crumpacker & Crumpacker, 2007). As baby boomers are facing a growing pressure from a young demographic of workers, they will need to be reassured about that value they add to the organization. However baby boomers can be overly sensitive to feedback and can usually spot transparent feedback (Cadrain, 2007). In contrast generation Y employees rely of feedback from authority figures to assess whether they are on the right track and consequently they can struggle with the processing of feedback (Fallon, 2009). Therefore it is imperative to reassure younger workers that the feedback is designed to support their career progression, which is a major driving factor for generation Y’s. In the same article (Fallon, 2009) it states that it will be worthwhile for HR managers to organize more frequent gatherings among the staff and to explore programs that encourage greater collaboration. Improving Productivity through Mentoring Programs For a multigenerational workforce to function cohesively, MATC needs to build a culture based on open communication and mutual respect. A popular method for achieving such as goal is to encourage frequent group collaborations and teamwork. (Carnevale, 2005) found that brownbag training sessions, special projects and committee work can assist to reduce friction and in turn build camaraderie among employees. Another effective strategy to lower tensions is to assign the older workers as mentors to younger employees. Despite the stereotype of Generation Y’s to be impatient, Downs (2009) states that they keenly understand the value of experience and that they excel at working in teams. By pairing them with older and more experienced workers, this will assist the older workers to feel valued and respected and in turn facilitate the transfer of knowledge between generations, it will also fulfill younger employee’s desires to rocket up the learning curve and improve their chances of promotion. Further to this Caudron (2002) states the importance of dual mentoring relationship. There is a distinct advantage of this method in that two professionals may possess vastly different skill sets, and pairing them will eliminate shortcomings and maximize strengths. However (McGuire, et al. 2007) argues that organizations need to be wary that generational differences in judgments or a destructive tone of relationship such as jealousy or prejudice may have a negative impact on mentoring program and therefore need to link a culture of embracing generational diversity with such HR strategies. This view is supported by Jorgensen (2005) who argues that older employees who are no longer competing for promotion could move into a mentor or coach role to enable effective knowledge transfer to younger employees, while still contributing their skills and experiences directly to specific projects. By engaging all employees, the organization will inevitably improve long term benefits. Engagement of the Workforce Given current economic challenges MATC need to put a premium on fully engaged employees. Promoting employee engagement is one indicator of the effectiveness of HR approaches to talent management, due to the fact that enhancing employee engagement benefits both employees and employers (Downs, 2009). There are a range of benefits resulting from effective engagement including higher productivity, higher job satisfaction, less sick days taken and a longer tenure with the organization. Managing a multigenerational workforce has forced organizations to consider many alternative strategies for engagement. Past research has found varying factors effect the level of engagement; gender, caring responsibilities, physical health, core self evaluation and most importantly, age (Tsai, 2008). MATC needs to identify options for different approaches to enhancing employee engagement. The HR team may want to get suggestions employees about supports that they can rovide for them that would simultaneously support positive work life balance and also enhance engagement. It terms of baby boomers, child care facilities or carers leave may be beneficial. While for generation Y’s past research has shown that work life balance is a priority (Shulman, 2007), therefore an increase in flexible hours may lead to higher levels of engagement. MATC can also put HR strategies in place that directly affect some of the individual characteristics noted above. For example, the offer of wellness initiatives and programs can improve or maintain the health of older workers which can in turn affect their engagement level. While having social gatherings and events may help younger employees have a greater sense of inclusion in the organization. Conversely Gebauer (2006) believes that it is an interaction of an employee’s characteristics and experiences at work that affect their level of engagement. The workplace culture regulates an individual’s experiences at work. Providing employee specific opportunities for training and development, a culture of flexibility, organizational support and perceptions of inclusion and job security are all important in maintaining productive employees. Conclusion Every individual possesses biases that can often prevent them from recognizing the valuable contributions that others can offer; the generational stereotypes that exist in the workplace are usually derived from generational differences in personality and motivational drivers (Brooke, 2003). Tensions arise if these differences are not addressed and can lead to a low morale of the workforce. HR managers need to eliminate generational barriers between older and younger workers and this can be done by imposing an organizational culture that accepts generational differences while promoting the fact that there are consistent drivers across generations (Macky, et al. , 2008). Organizations nowadays can have up to four generations working for them and it is their ability to address generational gaps and manage these differences that is imperative to remaining competitive and having a motivated and productive workforce. As workforce demographics are shifting dramatically, HR managers should aim to provide an effective mix of compensation, benefits, flexible work arrangements and opportunities for growth and development for every individual. Traditional approaches designed to meet the needs of baby boomers are no longer effective and therefore new strategies need to be tailored to a more diverse workforce. Each generation requires a unique set of factors to motivate them at work and human resources plays an important strategic role in enabling diverse talent to thrive (Tsai, 2008). HR strategies should be free of bias from the recruitment, training and development and promotional processes of the organization. Organizations will need to shift away from a mindset that tolerates diversity to one where diversity is valued, harnessed and leveraged to achieve greater business success. This will have implications for organizations to have effective strategies in place to manage and support diversity which are aligned to organizational goals. After all it is a diverse workforce that creates balance and a successful and productive workforce. References Aker, J, M. (2009). Managing a multigenerational workforce. Buildings. 103(1), 46-48. Anonymous. (2006). Beyond age discrimination to leveraging human capital. Human Resource Management International Digest. 14(3). 6-8. Anonymous. (2009). Make plans for Gen Y workers. CU360 Newsletter. 35(7), 2-3. Armstrong-Stassen, M. (2008). Factors associated with job content plateauing among older workers. Career Development International. 13(7), 594-613. Beaver, G. , & Hutchings, K. (2005). Training and developing an age diverse workforce in SMEs. Education & Training. 47(8), 592-604. Brooke, L. (2003). Human resource costs and benefits of maintaining a mature-age workforce. International Journal of Manpower. 24(3), 260-283. Cadrain, D. (2007). Employers prepare to keep, not lose, baby boomers. HRMagazine. 52, 23-24. Carnevale, T. (2005). The coming labor and skills shortage. T&D. 59(1), 37-41. Caudron, S. (2002). Rebuilding trust through communication. Workforce. 81(10), 33-33. Crumpacker, M. , & Crumpacker, J. M. (2007). Succession planning and generational stereotypes: should HR consider age-based values and attitudes a relevant factor or a passing fad? Public Personnel Management. 36(4). 349-369. Downs, K. (2009). Managing Gen Y in recessionary times. Business Credit. 111(4), 28-29. Fallon, T. (2009). Retain and motivate the next generation: 7 ways to get the most out of you millennial workers. Supervision. 70(5), 5-7. Gebauer, J. (2006). Workforce engagement. T&D. 61(2), 28-30. Holland, P. , & De Cieri, H. (2006). Contemporary issues in human resource development: an Australian perspective. NSW, Australia: Pearson Education Australia. Jorgensen, B. (2005). The ageing population and knowledge work: a context for action. Foresight. 7(1), 61-76. Macky, K. , Gardner, D. , & Forsyth, S. (2008). Generational differences at work: introduction and overview. Journal of Managerial Psychology. 23(8), 857-861. McGuire, D. , By, R. T. , & Hutchings, K. (2007). Towards a model of human resource solutions for achieving intergenerational interaction in organizations. Journal of European Industrial Training. 31(8), 592-608. Miller, M. & Siggins, I. (2003). A framework for intergenerational planning. Foresight. 5(6), 18-25. Patrickson, M. , & Hartmann, L. (1995). Australia’s ageing population: implications for human resource management. International Journal of Manpower. 16(5), 34-46. Schulman, S. (2007). Crossing the generational divide: engaging â€Å"young† employees in your organization. Development and Learning in Organizations. 21(2), 7-9. Tsai, J. (2008). Working with the years. CRM Magazine. 12(11), 15-16. Westerman, J. W. , & Yamamura, J. H. (2007). Generational preferences for work environment fit: effects on employee outcomes. Career Development International. 12(2), 150-161.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Speeding Through Life essays

Speeding Through Life essays The feelings as you drive a Ferrari 550 Maranello are amazing. The car throbs to life, rumbling idly all around you. You look to the right, and see your opponent: a Porsche 911. You look up at the red light, waiting for it to turn green. You can almost taste the raw power. You rev the engine, getting ready to fly when the light turns green. The light changes and you're off!!! For all of the feelings that you get when you drive this car, you Born in Modena, Italy on February 18, 1898, Enzo Ferrari would go on to make some of the greatest cars on earth. At an early age, he gained an interest in auto racing, when he saw his first race at the age of ten years old. Although he was forced to leave school when his father died, he worked as a turning instructor in the Modena Fire Brigade workshop. This ended shortly after he got drafted into the army. He served out WWI in a mountain artillery unit. During his service, his brother was killed. After Enzo's service was over, he went to work for Alfa Romeo, a well-known car maker in Italy. At this job, he worked as a mechanic, a test driver, and a racecar driver. In 1919, he entered his first race and astoundingly enough, he finished fourth! He was so skilled, that he was dubbed "Cavaliere", which was "the equivalent of Knighthood in England." (Serial-Designs.com) Soon after, Romeo decided that Ferrari should become the head of the racing division. He stayed in this position until 1939. Because of disagreements, Ferrari and Romeo soon parted ways, and Ferrari opened up a shop in his hometown of Modena. Unfortunately, in 1940, Benito Mussolini called upon Ferrari to make military vehicles for him during WWII. While he built military machinery, allied forces were busy bombing his factory. They obliterated it twice, once in 1944, and once in 1945. Production stopp ...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Supervisor Interview Assignment II ( Is there someone who has Essay

Supervisor Interview Assignment II ( Is there someone who has Supervisor friends or contacts or you can be a interviewee if you are a supervisor.^^ ) - Essay Example Before taking on the responsibilities of a supervisor, this candidate had 4-years experience in same process that he is currently supervising. Upon being recognized as a potential candidate for supervisory role, he was selected for an in-house front line leadership training workshop. According to the interviewee, the three most important qualities of a good supervisor include knowledge of the work, coaching skills and ability to build strong interpersonal relationships. Knowledge and expertise related to the concerned work and tasks will help in training and guiding the executives; secondly, these will also help in monitoring their progress and providing the correct and constructive feedback so that the executives can continuously improve their performance. In order to train and continuously improve the team members’ performance, the supervisor needs to earn their trust and confidence which is possible only when the team members believe that their leader has the knowledge of the work and is aware of the challenges and issues related to their work. This will help the supervisor and the team members to work together without any conflicts. The second most important quality is coaching ability because it is their responsibility to coach their executives on wo rk, on attitude and behavior, as well as provide constructive feedback. Thirdly, the supervisor feels that the ability to build strong interpersonal relationships is essential for executing effective leadership. Supervisor’s functions also involve empowering individuals with tasks according to their skills and abilities; motivating the staff through appreciation, promotion, and meeting their expectations as much as possible; managing the smooth running of work processes; handling conflicts and influencing team members to perform as per organizational expectations. All these functions require an understanding of the executives’ needs and

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Child art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Child art - Essay Example School art is typically distinguished by the subject matter it denotes: visual art, music, dance, or drama. In this article, I suggest a new distinction among the arts genres used in the school, namely, "child art," "fine art," and "art for children." Rather than being categorized by subject matter, these three genres operate across the various media. Each genre is associated with different contents, pedagogies, and evaluation practices. Each is based on a separate set of ideologies and goals, related to different underlying assumptions about the nature of arts and arts learning.(1) Those assumptions are incompatible with each other on both the ontological level (what constitutes art) and the pedagogical level (how to teach it). In the first part of the article I examine the day-to-day "operational curricula"(2) of the three art worlds in the subjects of dance and drama (which, when taught by specialists in the schools in which my colleagues and I observed, were taught as one subject), music, and visual arts. There are fundamental differences among these genres--in their out-of-school manifestations as well as in their ideal curricula--but, I argue, the genres are being diluted and their distinctions blurred, and they are sacrificing their potential contributions to one another.(3) In the second part of the article, I focus on the contexts in which the genres operate. Specifically, I examine the contexts of time and space for arts instruction, as well as the communities of practice in which school art functions. I show that each of the components plays a different, though interrelated, role in the dilution of the three genres of school art. In the third part I suggest that the three genres may be strengthen ed by policies addressing the aforementioned contexts. I argue that similar genres and analogous dilution exist in other school subjects, from language arts to math and science, and that dilution is shaped by the same contexts that shape school arts. That commonality in structures, problem, and cause calls for coordinated action. Accordingly, the development of policies should involve policymakers, teachers, and specialists in each of the genres (e.g., in the subjects of art, science, and math) so that efforts and deliberations may be aligned, informing and supporting each other. School Arts This article is based on two research studies, which examined arts education in elementary schools using qualitative methods. The first, a three-year project, was conducted under the auspices of the National Endowment for the Arts.(4) The second, a four-year project, was sponsored by the Bureau of Educational Research and the research board at the University of Illinois.(5) Observations revealed three genres of arts used in the schools: (1) "child art," meaning original compositions created by children in dance, drama, visual art, and music; (2) "fine art," meaning classical works in the different arts media created by established artists; and (3) "art for children," meaning art created by adults specifically for

Thursday, October 31, 2019

SEE WROD Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SEE WROD - Assignment Example irst was conducted by a company introducing an online television service through the payment of per hour basis, where it sampled 218 undergraduates (Bagchi and Davis 65). The second research involved the use of 216 online personnel where they were required to choose the lowest set of per unit price from a variety of price presentations (Bagchi and Davis 67). The third research used 167 participants where they were to select a movie package price in relation to happiness and importance variables. In the first research, customers’ value-perceptions and trial like-hood are based on difficult calculations of the first item in the larger package. The second hypothesis was customers’ perceptions are influenced by certain conditions when evaluating complex calculations and large packages. The third hypothesis was customers perceive trial likelihoods based on dependent variables (Bagchi and Davis 70). In the first study, consumers purchase a product based on the first information of the large package and later adjust inadequately based on time constraint. The second study confirms that customers’ trial like-hoods are based on the unit price. The study indicates customers achieve trial like-hood in large packages during complex calculations, when the unit price appears before the item in presentation order (Bagchi and Davis

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Hofede in China Essay Example for Free

Hofede in China Essay School of Business, Saint Marys University, Halifax, Canada Shen Cheng, Business School, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China Abstract Questionnaires were completed by 554 respondents in cities in east-central China and in eastern Canada to compare the levels of Hofstedes five cultural dimensions in the two countries and to examine the effects of gender and age on these levels. Country differences were found with four of the five dimensions. Differences in the evels of power-distance, masculinity, and individualism were observed across classes of gender and age. Introduction Hofstedes (1980) dimensions of culture have become the most widely used model for explaining various effects across cultures (Yoo and Donthu, 1998). Stedham and Yamamura (2004) describe culture as stable and enduring but also somewhat changeable due to external forces. Hofstedes five dimensions include the following. a. Power Distance. The power distance dimension has to do with inequality in a society. In a high power distance environment there would be greater tolerance for, nd expectation of, inequality in prestige, wealth and power. b. Uncertainty Avoidance. Hofstede focuses on uncertainty at the organizational level looking at the use of rules and strategies to reduce exposure to an unsure future. c. Individualism and Collectivism. This dimension has to do with the relationship the individual has with the group and more generally with society. Hofstede points out that the nature of this relationship determines not only how people think about themselves and their immediate group but the structure and functioning of many institutions aside from the family (p210) . Masculinity and Femininity. There seem to be two elements to this dimension. One deals with the values held and the other with role expectations. Hofstede (1980) notes that in a work setting, males value advancement, earnings, training, up-to- dateness while females value friendly atmosphere, position security, physical conditions and manager cooperation (p281). The second aspect of this dimension culture, sex roles would be differentiated while in a feminine culture sex roles would be more similar. e. Long Term Orientation (L TO). This is a recent addition to the Hofstede model, dded as a new dimension to the model in the second edition (2001). It is based on the philosophy of Confucius and has to do with persistence, thrift, personal stability and respect for tradition (p351). It describes a longer term, higher level view of life. China was not included in the Hofstedes original study (1980) as the sample for that study was from the offices of IBM and, in the 1970s, there was none in mainland China. Its scores were not reported in the second edition Hofstede (2001) either. There have, however, been some efforts to study the Chinese using Hofstedes dimensions. Pheng and Yuquan (2002) studied the Chinese in the Wuhan area of China, comparing construction employees there to those in Singapore. Taking a workplace focus similar to that of Hofstede, they found that, compared to Singaporeans, Chinese had lower levels of power distance and individualism, and higher levels of uncertainty avoidance and masculinity, but their scores are different from those of Hofstede and therefore are of limited use in predicting how the Chinese scores will compare to those of other countries. Culture has been observed to vary within Chinese areas. Huo and Randall (1991), for xample, used the framework to examine the differences among Chinese in Taiwan, Beijing, Hong Kong and Wuhan and found sub cultural differences. Just as there are differences seen in the dimensions between countries, it could be expected that there would be differences expected between groups of individuals within countries. Differences between attitudes and behaviors of males and females are extensively studied and well documented in Western culture. Similarly, individuals have been observed to change in their attitudes and behavior as they age. Variations in Hofstedes cultural dimensions across age and gender have been tudied by some researchers. Stedham and Yamamura (2004), for example, examined the cultural differences between Americans and Japanese with a focus on sex and age differences. They found no differences due to age and differences between males and females on the power distance dimension in Japan (mf), individualism (mf) in both countries. In the current paper, differences in the levels of the four dimensions of Hofstedes model are examined between Canada and central China. As well, differences in the levels of the five dimensions across age groups and sex category as well as nteraction among these three variables are studied. Hypotheses Main Effects was settled by Chinese several centuries ago and was the target of an influx of several million more Chinese around 1950. It seems likely that the culture of Taiwan would be similar to that of mainland China. As none of Hofstedes scores were available for China, perhaps those of Taiwan would be useful for the purpose of hypothesis formulation. A large difference on the individualism score is apparent where Taiwan was one of the lowest of all the countries studied while Canada tended to be toward the top of the individualism scale.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Original Aims of the European Community

Original Aims of the European Community This paper considers the original aims of the European Economic Community on its formation under the Treaty of Rome 1957 as a background to the transformation of the EEC into the European Community. A discussion of the subsequent development of the EC thereafter forms the main body of this work and the staged development of the EC through subsequent amending treaties provides the focus of the analysis offered. A brief historical survey of the European Economic Community The European Community of 2008 sees its origins in the six member European Economic Community formed by the ratification of the Treaty of Rome in 1957. The signatory member states were France, Germany, Italy and the Benelux states. It is submitted at the outset that the EEC was founded largely on fear. It is hard to appreciate from the perspective of 2008, exactly what motivated the founding fathers of the Treaty of Rome to pursue integration because the world has moved on, but in the 1950s the base motivation was manifest and pressing. The continent of Europe had endured two catastrophic World Wars in the space of one generation. War had ravaged each and every country of Europe, and in particular the founding member states. The architects of the Treaty of Rome, including Italian Prime Minister Antonio Segni, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman and French civil servant Jean Monnet, while undoubtedly harbouring in the back of their minds lofty notions of improving the economic and social conditions of European citizens, were above all preoccupied with the goal of reducing the chances of a third world war starting on the continent. As stated, this fear is difficult to understand in the context of the early twenty first century and this is a testament to the greatest achievement of the European Economic Community and its successor organisations. The political and economic worlds of the major European powers are now so inextricably linked and integrated within the European Union that the notion of armed conflict between those powers has become almost unthinkable. It is argued that this is precisely what Segni, Schuman and Monnet were striving for above all other considerations. All the architects of European integration had suffered great personal and family losses as a result of the two most appalling wars ever to be fought in the modern world. Their most important and profound legacy is that their grandchildren and great grandchildren have been spared a similar experience. The substance of the integrationist treaty that preceded the Treaty of Rome is certainly no coincidence. The European Coal and Steel Treaty was signed in 1951. Why? Because coal and steel were the two great industries of twentieth century war. On the same day as the Treaty of Rome was signed, EURATOM was also signed, and the European Atomic Energy Community was created in order to institute cooperation and joint research that would presumably avoid an imbalance and power and knowledge which could threaten an unthinkable atomic war in Europe. The preamble to the Treaty of Rome sets out a broad range of aims and objectives cast in terms of political, economic and social goals, but make no mistake, the raw, basic and original aim of the European Economic Community was the avoidance of future war in Europe. At a certain level, buried deep in the political and institutional foundations of the European Community since its foundation under the Treaty on European Union (popularly known as the Treaty of Maastricht), the overarching goal of the avoidance of conflict and preservation of harmony in Europe remains to this day. The fear that proved the overwhelming catalyst for European integration underwent a metamorphosis over the latter decades of the twentieth century. The fear of conflict between Western European powers was replaced by a fear of the threat from behind the Iron Curtain and the spectre of the Soviet Union. The desire to bind together and integrate more fully came to be fuelled by the challenge presented by the Soviet Bloc, and one of the reasons why the Soviet threat dissipated with the break up of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and early 1990s was because the citizens of Eastern Europe looked at their counterparts in the West and became dissatisfied with their own lot in life. By the time of the break up of the Soviet Union, the fear that held the European Community together had changed again. Now the preoccupation was binding together for strength and protection against the rising â€Å"Tiger Economies† of Japan and the Pacific Rim. Today, the EC is concerned with maintaining and enhancing its position with an increasingly competitive global economy. ‘Fear therefore, in the form of pragmatic reactions to political and economic conditions around the world, has held the European Community together, and motivated to bind and integrate itself ever more closely, since the day the Treaty of Rome was signed on 25 March 1957. Seven years earlier on May 9 1950 Robert Schuman declared: Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements, which first create a de facto solidarity.† It is submitted that Schuman would be content with the European Union of 2008. It has bumped through various potholes and progress has not been either smooth or rapid, but it has fulfilled its original and overwhelmingly most important objective in exemplary fashion. Just to prove the thrust and theme of this introduction, the point that Schuman chose to make immediately following the above statement is reproduced below: The coming together of the nations of Europe requires the elimination of the age-old opposition of France and Germany. Any action taken must in the first place concern these two countries.† From the European Economic Community to the European Community Steiner succinctly describes the development of the European Community in her text, EU Law. The EEC enlarged in stages over the decades after its creation. The United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland joined in 1973, Greece joined in 1981 and Spain and Portugal acceded to membership in 1986. Austria, Finland and Sweden joined in 1995. This was the size and state of the European Economic Community when it underwent transition to the European Community under the superstructure of the European Union in 1992. Ten further states, mainly from Central and Eastern Europe (including Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic) joined in 2004 and the last states to join were Bulgaria and Romania in 2007. In the 1980s there was consistent pressure to embark on moves towards deeper and closer integration in Europe. The signing of the Single European Act in 1986 saw the Community reform and improve its institutions and decision making processes with a view to supporting such deeper integration and in 1989 two intergovernmental conferences were held (under procedures established by the Single European Act) to consider the issues of political union and economic and monetary union respectively. These conferences resulted in a new treaty, the Treaty on European Union (The Maastricht Treaty), which was signed on 7 February 1992. The 1992 TEU introduced substantial reforms and amendments to the original EEC Treaty and created the legal and political entity of the European Union. Perhaps one of the most profound, but simple and easily overlooked changes instituted by the Maastricht Treaty, was the renaming of the ‘European Economic Community as the ‘European Community. This small change had massive implications. It signalled the Communitys intention to move on from its original exclusively economic boundaries and develop far reaching new competencies in other socio-economic, social, cultural and political spheres. Building on the EEC: The original aims of the new European Community With specific reference to the title to this work, the preamble to the Treaty on European Union sets out the basic aims and objectives of the European Community at the point of its creation. These aims, which are formally summarised as stated objectives in Article B of the TEU, include in particular: attachment to the principles of liberty, democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and of the rule of law† to deepen the solidarity between their peoples while respecting their history, their culture and their traditions† These fundamental objectives underpin the legal order and socio-political foundations of the European Union and have been articulated in EC law and in the judgments of the European Court of Justice in seminal cases such as C11/70 Internationale Handelsgesellschaft mbH v Einfuhrund Vorratsstellle fur Getreide und Futtermittel8 since the creation of the European Economic Community. The preamble to the 1992 Treaty also pledged: to enhance further the democratic and efficient functioning of the institutions so as to enable them better to carry out, within a single institutional framework, the tasks entrusted to them† It is clear that the architects of the nascent European Community realised that the modus operandi of the EC, its institutions and legal and political processes would need to be extensively reformed and refined, even beyond its new constitution, if it was to be capable of functioning effectively to administrate and govern a more deeply integrated union of states (which was anticipated to grow rapidly, and of course did grow rapidly, over the following years). The 1992 preamble also pledged: to achieve the strengthening and the convergence of their economies and to establish an economic and monetary union including, in accordance with the provisions of this Treaty, a single and stable currency† This objective sees the EC articulate its specific aims in regard to the economic integration of the member states and confirmation of the ECs intention to take this integration to a new and deeper level in the shape of monetary union and the creation of a single currency, the Euro, which has of course now been achieved. Other pledges stated in the TEU preamble include: to promote economic and social progress for their peoples, within the context of the accomplishment of the internal market and of reinforced cohesion and environmental protection, and to implement policies ensuring that advances in economic integration are accompanied by parallel progress in other fields† to establish a citizenship common to nationals of their countries† It is submitted that progress has been made on each of these aims to a greater or lesser extent. For example, the Single Market project has been assiduously protected and the concept of EU citizenship and the rights attached thereto have been advanced by the European Community and it has received cogent support in this regard from the European Court of Justice in proactive rulings that have put flesh on the bones, and in some purposive decisions a few more bones on the flesh, of EC law: see inter alia, C- 46 48/93 Brasserie du Pecheur SA v Germany and R v Secretary of State for Transport ex parte Factortame (and for comment see Contravening EC law: The liability of the Member State (1996)). As the Court of Justice held in Rudy Grzelczyk v Centre Public dAide Sociale dOttignes-Louvain-la-Neuve, the status of citizenship of the European Union: is destined to be the fundamental status of nationals of the member states, enabling those who find themselves in the same situation to enjoy t he same treatment in law irrespective of their nationality, subject to such exceptions as are expressly provided for†. Other pledges made by the European Community on its creation include commitments: to implement a common foreign and security policy including the eventual framing of a common defence policy, which might in time lead to a common defence, thereby reinforcing the European identity and its independence in order to promote peace, security and progress in Europe and in the world† to facilitate the free movement of persons, while ensuring the safety and security of their peoples, by including provisions on justice and home affairs in this Treaty† to continue the process of creating an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe, in which decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizen in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity† Again, some progress has been made on all these fronts, although advances on the CFSP have proved unsurprisingly controversial and difficult to achieve, certainly in comparison with development in the free movement of persons, which has grown from strength to strength after the marriage of the concepts of EC workers and EC persons within the unified legal status of EU citizen. Successive Treaties It is true to say that the EC lost momentum after the Treaty on European Union. The subsequent Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) and thereafter the Treaty of Nice (2001) added layers of reform designed to expedite progress towards the achievement of the ECs aims, but did so only in a piecemeal and relatively half-hearted fashion in comparison to the giant leap forward taken by the Maastricht Treaty and even in comparison to the advances of its predecessor the Single European Act. The Amsterdam Treaty made some innovative changes and improvements in the EU fields of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and Justice and Home Affairs but its substantive amendments of the Treaty of Rome and EC law were lacklustre and minimalist. The Treaty of Nice was forced on the member states, reorganising and rationalising the EC/EU institutions to facilitate their more efficient administration and operation after the Unions contemplated enlargement to 27 member states, but the Nice Treaty fell short of achieving its full range of proposed substantive reforms of the Treaty of Rome because they proved too controversial. Political development became patchy, sporadic and hesitant as a Euro-sceptical agenda gained influence and support within Europe. This culminated in the rejection of the draft Constitutional Treaty in 2005. Although the integrationist lobby has since gained the upper hand again in the form of the Lisbon Treaty. This issue is discussed in more detail in the fol lowing section. The Development of the European Community: An Overview The European Community has come a long, long way since its beginnings as the European Economic Community, which saw the introduction of a common market and free movement of goods between six Western European states in the 1950s. In 1992, when the European Community was formed from the member states of the EEC and took its place under the superstructure implemented by the Treaty on European Union, various aims and objectives were set out and progress has been made in the intervening years towards the fulfilment of all of these aims to some extent. This progress has come in the form of the staged, incremental development of the Community by means of the Treaties that followed Maastricht. Many of the reforms introduced have been forced upon the Community by its growth from 15 largely homogenous Western European member states when the Community was created in 1992 to a sprawling organisation of 27 member states, including many from Eastern Europe by 2007. That is not to say the picture is entirely positive however, The Treaties of Amsterdam and Nice and now the Lisbon Treaty, have one thing in common and that is that none of them went as far or as deep as the integrationists within the Community wanted. The effect of this has been to slow the progress of convergence within Europe and such was inevitable given the strong Euro-sceptic lobby in various parts of the Community. One manifestation of this was the failure of the Constitutional Treaty, which was rejected by France in May 2005 at a national referendum by a 54.68 per cent majority, and by the Netherlands just days later by a 61.6 per cent majority. The United Kingdoms shadow Foreign Secretary of the day, the Conservative Dr Liam Fox, offered an unequivocal opinion as to the fate of the draft Constitutional Treaty: I may no longer practice medicine, but I can tell a corpse when I see one and this constitution is a case for the morgue if ever I saw one this is a dead constitution.† It is a testament to the commitment, drive and determination of those seeking the fulfilment of the European Communitys base objectives that Dr Foxs confident predictions ultimately turned out to be false. The Lisbon Treaty represents the reincarnation of the draft Constitutional Treaty in all but name, disposing only of peripheral matters such as the Union anthem and flag but retaining almost all the crucial institutional and legal process reforms in word for word, line by line form. Moreover, given that the European Community and its supporters are now wise to the folly of actually allowing national populations to decide on their own future (a lesson that UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown is learning the hard way), it is submitted that the Lisbon Treaty will not meet the fate of its almost identical predecessor. The entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty will constitute another significant step towards the achievement of the ECs goals. In addition to political reluctance to invest more and more power centrally in the European Community body, the expansion of the Community has itself acted as a brake on further and deeper integration, as new challenges and issues relating to the accession of so many disparate and in some cases fragile new member states have fallen to be confronted. The expanding membership of the EC has thus frustrated the aims of the most passionate integrationists. Time will tell whether this proves to be a temporary effect or a permanent obstacle to the goal of a federal United States of Europe, which is not so proudly or overtly promulgated in 2008 as it was in the early 1950s, but which has been reflected in the Treaty of Rome and the Treaty on European Union by direct implication if not express commitment. Concluding Comments In closing, it is appropriate to refer back to the title to this work, which asked for a critical analysis of the development of the European Community since its creation in 1992 in terms of the degree of achievement of its original aims. The fact is that the EC remains ‘work in progress. While progress has been certainly made almost across the board to a greater or lesser extent, the institution still falls short of the ultimate fulfilment of those objectives set out in the Treaty on European Union. This is unsurprising, given the sheer enormity of the task and the difficulties that have confronted integrationists have also proved entirely predictable. It remains to be seen whether the European Community will ever achieve the complete satisfaction of its ambitious agenda, but one thing is certain. The European Community continues to fulfil its first, most fundamental and overwhelmingly most important role and that is the preservation of peace and stability between its member states. For this reason and this reason alone, the European Community has proved a great success, despite its many detractors.