Dependency Theory and Colonial Heritage Essay

Many have tried to draw upon the legacy of the colonial system to explain the reasons for underdevelopment in many areas of the world. Most areas that suffer from poverty today are former colonies the developed nations, for the most part, are former metropoles. The colonizers exploited their underlings in colonies, turning them into suppliers of cheap raw materials and restricting the infrastructure construction, leaving former colonies with only basic facilities. In many cases, when the colonizers departed, the nations were left with artificial boundaries that separated them from each other without regard for their historical development. This fuelled subsequent separatism and military conflicts, hampering economic progress. Thus, if one looks at straight-line boundaries in Africa which we are now learning in DS 202, it becomes obvious that those were artificially created. The colonizers, in particular the British Empire, were suppressing the industrial development in their colonies because they viewed them as sources of cheap imports and at the same time large markets for their industrial goods. An example of north-eastern Brazil that often surfaces in literature on underdevelopment, (Taylor 2001) claims that north eastern Brazil in the 19th century would have appeared to be an ideal place for a textile industry with its high quality cotton and existing demand for sugar bags cloth and slave clothing. However, to develop the textile industry, it would take years during which the industry should have been shielded from foreign competition with import tariffs and quotas. This was surely not something Britain would allow in its colony. As a result, the fledgling Brazilian textile enterprises proved unable to withstand the competition with Britain’s textile industry. Britain, like almost any metropole, was interested in selling to the colony, not de veloping industry inside it. As of 1822, when Brazil received independence, it was a larger export market for Britain than all the rest of Latin America combined (Taylor, 2001). Naturally, even as Brazil proclaimed independence, Britain did not want to lose this lucrative market and demanded a trade treaty with Britain which prohibited import substitution tariffs (Taylor, 2001). Brazil was forced into this treaty by its political weakness. In this way, former metropolitan powers keep control of their former colonies to varying extents, blocking their effective development. In newly independent nations of Latin America, for instance, the warfare that  often preceded proclamation of independence devastated regional and national economies (Kinsbruner 1994 pg 126). Although this perspective is not universally recognised, the IMF and the World Bank for imposing policies said to aggravate third world countries. The stated goals of both institutions are certainly to spearhead economic growth in nations they service with their financial programs. Critics , however , point out that loans from the World Bank and the IMF often come with conditions that block the road to sustainable development and make poverty even worse . The Structural Adjustment Policies (SAPs) imposed by the IMF as a prerequisite for qualifying for its loans often aggravate the deplorable condition of the third world nation. Thus, SAPs often call for reduction in government expenditures for health, education and other government services for the sake of debt repayment. In this way, third world nations are dragged into the quagmire of debt repayment, as their interest provides income for Wall Street banks and other financial institutions. IMF policies urge third world countries to increase their exports of raw materials and agricultural products in to cope with debt – an immediate concern. This, however, reduces the amount of food available to the poor inside the country and can lead to starvation second, does not create conditions for building processing industries that will increase value added inside the country. Besides, the IMF often demands for liberal market reforms that involve privatisation that, without proper prepa ration and evaluation of potential consequences, can lead to loss of jobs, aggravation of the social situation and civil unrest. Such measures lead to social discontent that can hamper the development of economies in developing countries. With respect to harmful policies imposed by the fund, Amin notes that the key to development is subordination of outside relations to the logic of internal development and not the reverse as it is happening when development policies are imposed by outside financial institutions (Amin, 1995 pg 10). The harmful role of the World Bank and the IMF in the development of poor nations is by no means indisputable. However, there are many criticisms aimed at the policies that accompany loans and the very idea of reaping interest income off the populations of the nations where starvation is a widely spread phenomenon. Political Aspects. Many regions of the world that demonstrate marked third world are characterised by overt concentration of power in the hands of a rich minority that uses this power to oppress the majority. For example, the North-eastern areas of Brazil that rely on sugar production as the primary source of income are seriously underdeveloped as compared to the rest of the nation. The property patterns in this region are the history of the dominant class manipulating social, political, and economic institutions so as to expropriate the maximum possible surplus from the rural workers (Taylor, 1978 pg 57). The economic interests of the land-owning class lay in extracting as much as possible from their plantations and workers as opposed to investing in the area. The result is miserable since an area that specialises in agricultural production cannot even feed its own citizens and has to import most of its agricultural produce from the rest of the nation. With a stagnant economic situation, the north-eastern Brazil has suffered from health education, and literacy standards that ended in a peasant revolt in the 1960s (Taylor, 1978 pg 157) Regional Inequalities. Many travellers to nations lik e China, India or the Caribbean are immediately impressed by the contrast between squalor of provincial areas and the apparent luxury of large cities and some ‘advanced’ areas. Regional inequalities contribute to underdevelopment, creating a situation when some areas are on their way toward modernisation, while others are forced into the backseat of social and economic progress. The importance of regional inequalities as source of underdevelopment is explored, for instance, in Andre Gunder Frank ‘s 1989 publication The Development of Underdevelopment (Frank 1989) challenges the view that third world nations are still going through the stages that more developed countries are done with. Instead, he asserts that problems of underdeveloped areas are the inevitable result of the capitalist system. The same, in his mind, is true of the regional disparities observed in the third world countries where the capital and larger cities often stand out as oases of advancement among the generally gloomy landscape around. The underdevelopment phenomena in the province are the products of the historical development of the capitalist system no less than are the seemin gly more modern or capitalist features of the national metropoles of the third world countries Frank (1989, pg 37). Education and Training. A well-trained and educated workforce is the necessary precondition for successful economic development. The presence of a large educated population contributes to India’s current rise as an outsourcing destination, although  it has so far failed to ensure overall prosperity in this nation. This problem, for instance, is addressed in Canadian programs targeting development of Aboriginal areas. The Indian entrepreneurship has to be supported with knowledgeable workforce that will attract capital flows to the areas. Although the fact that Native Americans missed the industrial revolution ‘ has its upside, as there is no need for re-training, integration of these people into the complex web of the global economy is a serious challenge (Kendall , 2001). Similar problems are experienced by many third world countries only in their case unlike the situation of Aboriginal populations in Canada, there is no strong nation to back them up in the efforts to increase their education. Cultural Factors. Culture, to some degree, can also adversely impact development or contribute to it. The modern world is patterned to a great extent after the Western cultures of the nations that have a dominant role in this world. Those that do not fit into these patterns will not achieve success as their development would ideally proceed along different lines. An example can be the case of Africa and Native Americans in Canada. Although living in a highly developed and prosperous nation, Native Americans, South Africa and even Zimbabwe, the Aboriginals fail to attain economic well-being. One reason that precludes their success is supposed to be their culture that envisages collective ownership and sharing of resources, as opposed to the idea of individual private rights that characterizes Western culture Kendall, (2001 pg 43). Industrial technology best develops in conditions that favour private ownership however, for these countries, it often means they have to abandon their cultural values which in most cases is not the case. CONCLUSION The difficulties of modernising and developing third world countries are multiple. More often than not different factors of third world countries will be present in areas affected by this problem, intertwined and perpetuating each other. Thus, the political situation marked by elite domination perpetuates economic inequalities that in their turn cause inadequacy of educational facilities and ensuing lack of local qualified specialists. Lack of medical services can lead to absence of effective family planning measures that in their turn lead to overpopulation and then to poverty as the national GDP struggles to catch up with economic growth.  Therefore, addressing a set of problems rather than separate issues is the cornerstone for building an effective development program.

The Life of Jesus Christ

The Life of Jesus Christ The birth of Jesus Christ to the Virgin Mary is said to have happened in a humble stable in Bethlehem, which is of some controversy. There is belief that the Christian Monks miscalculated the actual time and date that Jesus was born. It has been stated that Jesus, born in Bethlehem as told in the Old Testament, could have been born in or near Nazareth in the town of Galilee. With that, some scholars have dated Jesus’ lineage back as far as Adam, the son of God, as well as King David and Abraham from the Old Testament. With the birth of Jesus, nothing else is told about his childhood until he reached the age of twelve. It is said that he found himself lost from his parent during Passover in Jerusalem, when found by his parents; Jesus was in the Temple discussing the Torah with the rabbis. The rabbis were astonished in Jesus’ comprehension of the Torah and the answer he had provided them to their questions. There is little said about Jesus’ climb to manhood, he is about thirty when it is told about his Baptism by John in the Jordan River for his preparation for the Kingdom of God. After the Baptism, Jesus then began to gather his first disciples, having them leave their processions and human attachment to follow him. Jesus taught that the spiritual treasures were far more fulfilling than the material riches of the earth, that prayer to God for help will hem them find what they seek. Jesus’, Or the Messiah as he was called by his disciples, began performing miracles in his travels such as; turning water into wine, healing the sick, resurrecting the dead and the widely know, walking on water. Jesus taught that everything was possible with God and that god was forgiving to those who are willing to repent their sins. In Jesus’ travels he finds himself back to Jerusalem, the place where Jesus knows will bring about his end, but continues. Jesus is then put on trial and Crucified on the hill called Golgotha, also know as the Place of the Skulls. It is at the Crucifixion that Jesus’ disciples became fearful and took to hiding till the word of Jesus’ Resurrection. The resurrection was seen as a victory for Jesus, making his followers believe that he was God sent down into human form to guide them to the Kingdom of God. The Life of Muhammad Muhammad, unlike Jesus, was a prophet that was sent out by Gods angels to spread his word. Mohammad’s mother and father passed away when he was very young and was taken care of by his protective uncle. Muhammad had been noticed by a Christian Monk that identified the marks on his body as that of a prophet. When Muhammad reached the age of twenty three, a woman named Khadijah offered to marry him and became his biggest supporter as he began his teaching of Allah. It is said that angels in human form would come to Muhammad giving him the word of god, which at first, Muhammad was opposed to accepting. The teachings that Muhammad was told to preach publicly, were rejected by the Qurayshites at Ka’bah, and Muhammad was ridiculed and stoned for preaching these beliefs. It is said that after this public preaching, Muhammad and his followers were banished for three years to a desolate place to struggle for their survival. At the age of fifty, also know as his â€Å"Year of Sorrows†, Muhammad lost his beloved wife and protective uncle. With his strongest backers gone, the persecutions increased when he returned to Mecca, thus causing him to accept an invitation to Yathrib to assist in solving their social and political problems. This movement caused the Meccans to feel threatened by Muhammad, causing the Meccans to wage war against Yathrib or al-Medina. After several battles, Muhammad was able to negotiate a truce between the two cities. In 630 ce, Mohammad returned to Mecca, with a following so great that the Meccans did not fight and began to accepted Muhammad as a prophet. Muhammad, using Qur’anic revelations, emphasized that the traditions of Abraham are the religious unities of Jews, Christian and Muslim belief systems. With Mecca reclaimed, Medina was kept as the political and spiritual base of Islam, allowing campaigns to spread the faith to Africa and Persia. The Death of Jesus Christ After the Crucifixion of Jesus, many that followed him became fearful and hid from the Jews, spending that time in hiding mourning instead of continuing Jesus’ preaching’s. His death was thought to be the end of the religion as had happened to numerous other messianic religious cults. With his death, the belief that Jesus was God in human form was crushed till his resurrection from his tomb. The Death of Muhammad Muhammad’s death had little impact on Islamic religion because he was and still is considered just a man. There was no thought that Muhammad was anything more than a man that was a servant to God, helping spread God will to those around him. The humble life that Muhammad led is what allowed the continued strength of the religion, the non discriminatory way about him is was every Muslim strives to be. Muhammad may not have been God, or a Messiah, but the way in which he led his life is still a very important part of how the Muslim religion works. Good Muslins try to live in the footsteps of Muhammad as though he was just man as they are, instead of a God. The Worshipping of Jesus Worshippers of Jesus believed that he was the Messiah and Savior for humanity, even though Jesus himself refused to be considered in that way. Communion, the sharing of bread and wine, and Hymns are just a few way that Jesus has been worshipped. The Mass is a gathering of Christians to, in prayer and preaching, remembering Jesus Christ and all the suffering he did for the good of humanity, and then is praised with music and hymns. The sharing of the bread and wine are for the remembrance of Jesus, the bread a sign of his body and the wine of his blood, the comer is thought to bring Jesus in them. The cross, from which Jesus was crucified from, is the centerpiece of the Christian faith as a reminder that Jesus had sacrificed himself for the good of humanity. The Death of Muhammad Mohammad’s followers would have done anything and everything for him, if Muhammad would have let them. Worshippers of Muhammad were told that worshipping him would discrimination, God would not was his servants to consider themselves as superior to another. It wasn’t till after Muhammad’s death that he was worshipped for the way that he led his life, which true Muslims try to model their own lives. Muslims now face Mecca for their daily prayers on the urging of Muhammad, and remember the trial and tribulations he endured for God. Christianity Today In modern day Christianity, many different views of the bible have formed as well as doctrines. These four doctrines would be; the Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant and other Catholics, and Restorationists , all having a slightly different version of worship. In some aspects, Christianity has taken on some of the Muslim belief as far as discrimination. The cross is still a symbol of Jesus’ sacrifice for humanity, and there is now a place for a Christian to confess their sins for forgiveness. Aspects of Christianity have had to do a certain amount of changes to conform away from the skepticism today. Islam Today The Muslim religion today, minus a few setbacks early on, still holds true to the teachings of Muhammad. The changes in the Muslim culture have set on some changes to help those less fortunate, to help increase the right of equality and kindness. The Qur’an is still used as the Muslim scriptures and adhered to as it was when Muhammad taught them. Islam has rejected Christianity as a brothering religion and women are returning to being veiled in public. References all information came from Fisher, M. P. (2005). Living Religions (6th ed. ). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.

Strategic Planning of General Electric

Jill Ridgley General Electric Strategic Planning During the 1980s General Electric’s Chairman, Jack Welch, became highly influential and equally controversial in the world of strategic management. Although Welch focused on gaining competitive advantage for his organization, he also began downsizing and restructuring GE. GE’s strategic planning and operational efforts began a shift toward Total Quality Management and improving productivity. (WriteWork contributors. â€Å"Levels of Planning in Management† WriteWork. om) The 1990s brought about a renewed interest and obsession with strategic planning, as mergers and acquisitions increased in frequency along with a rising rate of complex joint ventures. Such trends focused strategic planning on innovation through decentralized models, leveraging core competencies and emergent strategy. In order to develop a plan, there are several guidelines that need to be remembered. The main goal is to maintain business operations , looking closely at what you need to do to deliver a minimum level of service and functionality is important.Thus far in the 21st century (2000s), GE’s strategic planning continues towards an orientation of gaining competitive advantage, but with the added dimension of developing and nurturing organizational innovation. As General Electric looks to strategy to help them grapple with issues that include reconciling size with flexibility and responsiveness, planning has grown more complex. This can be attributed in part an increasingly interwoven global marketplace and growing number of competitive forces that have accompanied that change.Likewise, planning complexity has been affected by the economic woes of the 2000s, which have driven businesses to form many new alliances, partnerships and mergers. The net effect of these changes has resulted in the need for cooperative strategies, resulting in more planning and execution complexity. Additionally, the 2000s have brought abo ut changes in environmental commitments and corporate social responsibility. Within the past several years, GE has been looking into how their strategic planning will help with the ecomagination for the new â€Å"greener† products that are a ig competition now for the environment. Faced with the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, businesses across the board are adapting their behaviors and strategies. GE’s strategic planning has transitioned from a process of trying to predict the future to one of looking backward at what we â€Å"know†, examining current-state realities in order to build effective transformation strategies for the future and leveraging lessons learned from the past.

A Six Sigma Exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Six Sigma Exercise - Essay Example The method of reaching the rating of one out of six which is considered as the lowest ranking is based on the DPMO calculation. The percentage of defects was 99.995%. Significantly high level of defects or very low level of success percentage is clearly an indication of the low quality control by ACME for its Jamaica based customer support programme. In other words, the defects per million opportunities and the percentage of defects can help the company to identify more precisely and accurately, its quality control or six sigma rating. High level of defects per million opportunities or high percentage of defects indicates that the six sigma rating is very low. The Mexico City is the capital of Mexico. Mexico City is considered as the federal independent entity within the Mexico, which is not part of any one of 31 Mexican States. It belongs to the Federation as a whole. Mexico City is believed to be the financial hub of Mexico. The Country’s largest city is Mexico City. It is also considered to be the most important political, cultural and educational center for the country along with the financial centers. Study on the culture of Mexico revealed that Mexican make several subdivisions within the nation. Mexican City is housed with small indigenous population. The culture of Mexico or Mexican City is regarded as the frontier culture. The political structure of Mexico is based on the seat of the power of the union. It did not belong to any particular state but to all. The City’s foreign district reports the production of more than 20% of GDP. It is considered as one of the most important economic, as well as, financial hub in Latin America. Study of the local market indicates that more than 50% of the population is Mestizo, which means the indigenous along with the Europeans. There are 68 different languages, which are considered as national languages in addition to Spanish.

Global marketing strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Global marketing strategy - Essay Example Argos was found by Richard Tompkins in the year 1973. The company was formed by rebranding an existing company known as Green Shield Stamps in the United Kingdom. The first store of Argos was opened up in Canterbury, United Kingdom. Argos presently has more than 737 brick and mortar stores and has an average of 340 million website clicks in a year. The company is one of the largest retail companies operating in the high street retails segment of the United Kingdom and Ireland. The retail company is a part of the Home Retail Group and runs alongside two sister companies, Habitat and Homebase. Argos owns a number of brands including the famous consumer electronics brands Bush and Alba, the currently dysfunctional jewellery and watches brand, Elizabeth Duke, Chad Valley along with, many other varied brands. It was estimated in the year 2012 that 96% of the total population of the United Kingdom resided within the 10 miles radius of a branch of Argos located in the country. Before 2004, the stocks of Argos were independent constituents of the FTSE 100 index. Currently, the stock of Argos is the constituents of the FTSE 250 Index as a part of its parent company Home Retail group. Also, the stocks of Argos are listed in the London Stock Exchange since 1990. The company Argos has operation in UK and Ireland. The company has 737 stores. If the company wants to expand its business then Argos has to make plans and forms strategies according to the marketing environment of the countries. In Japan the market environment of the retail industry is positive. The government of this county have made many new policies which influence the customers for spending more money in different types of goods and services. Japan’s retail market is presently targeting the ageing population. It offers different types of products and services to them for making them feel comfortable in the retail marketing environment

Coca Colas Marketing Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Coca Colas Marketing Strategy - Case Study Example The Coca Cola Company is one of the world’s leaders in soft dink sales. It produces and distributes several brands of beverage internationally. The company also manufactures and distributes many fruit juices and other non soda beverages. It is based in Atlanta, Georgia. Coca-Cola’s soft drinks include its flagship product Coca-Cola, popularly known as Coke, Diet Coke, Tab, Sprite, Fanta, Fresca, the Mello Yello, and Barq’s root beer. The company’s nonsoda beverages include Minute Maid fruit juices, PowerAde sports drinks, and Nestea iced tea drinks. (Microsoft Encarta, 2006)Â  Invented by a pharmacist named John Stith Pemberton in 1886 and was the later bought by Asa Candler in 1889 who incorporated the Coca Cola Company in 1892. Coca Cola currently offers nearly 400 brands in over hundreds of countries and territories all over the world. According to the 2005 Annual Report of the company, it sells beverage product in more than 312 countries. It further s tates that of the more than 90 billion beverage servings of all types consumed worldwide everyday and that approximately 4.5 billion of beverages owned and licensed to the company. Also, according to the 2007 Annual Report, Coca Cola had gallon sales of 37% in the United States, 43% in Mexico, Brazil, Japan and china and 20% spread throughout the world. (Wikipedia, 2008)Â  Like any other companies, Coca Cola has also been involved in a number of controversies, issues and lawsuits.... Throughout the paper, COCA COLA Company is used as the main focus and object of discussion. The company's marketing strategies and techniques will be reviewed and analyzed and will be use as examples and citations. The paper aims to answer questions such as how do Coca Cola's marketing strategies and techniques contribute to its growth and success What is the impact of marketing strategies in an organization on the 21st century and in future years 2.0 Coca Cola's Marketing Strategy: A Case Analysis 2.1 Company Background The Coca Cola Company is one of the world's leaders in soft dink sales. It produces and distributes several brands of beverage internationally. The company also manufactures and distributes many fruit juices and other non soda beverages. It is based in Atlanta, Georgia. Coca-Cola'ssoftdrinks include its flagship product Coca-Cola, popularly known as Coke, Diet Coke, Tab, Sprite, Fanta, Fresca, Mello Yello, and Barq's root beer. The company's nonsoda beverages include Minute Maid fruit juices, PowerAde sports drinks, and Nestea iced tea drinks. (Microsoft Encarta, 2006) Invented by a pharmacist named John Stith Pemberton in 1886 and was later bought by Asa Candler in 1889 who incorporated the Coca Cola Company in 1892. Coca Cola currently offers nearly 400 brands in over hundreds of countries and territories all over the world. According to the 2005 Annual Report of the company, it sells beverage product in more than 312 countries. It further states that of the more than 90 billion beverage servings of all types consumed worldwide everyday and that approximately 4.5 billion of beverages owned and licensed to the

Baroque to Classical Kinds of Music and Composers Essay

Baroque to Classical Kinds of Music and Composers - Essay Example An imperative kind of instrumental music in the Baroque period was the concerto. Two of the best writers of concertos were Corelli and Vivaldi. Vivaldi's The Four Seasons is not just an excellent and suggestive bit of music, but at the same time it is an impeccable representation of the expanding beautiful force Baroque music was going for. Vivaldi's most well known pieces are the concertos for one or several solo violins and string symphony, in spite of the fact that he made an extraordinary arrangement out of music in different classifications, including musical dramas, cantatas, and others. Vivaldi took after the typical example of the period in his concertos by encircling a musical or sensational moderate second development with quick and energetic first and third developments. In reality, Vivaldi's instrumental works establish the framework for the concerto's advancement into the Classical Period. Toward the established Classical period in the history of classical music the orch estra had little contrast to its Baroque forerunner. As the years advanced, we see the expansion of more woodwind and metal instruments as composers discovered approaches to give the wind instruments more character and profundity. Significantly, the Classical period saw the presentation of a structure which has commanded instrumental organization to the present day: sonata structure. With it came the present day's advancement orchestra, concerto, trio, sonata, and quartet to another top of basic and expressive refinement.

Chinese Foreign Currency Reserves Swell by Record Amount Article

Chinese Foreign Currency Reserves Swell by Record Amount - Article Example This article tries to raise public alarm over the swelling foreign exchange reserve levels of China and how this contributes to the country’s â€Å"worsening inflation problem† (Bradsher, 2011). This has to do with its effect on the renminbi’s exchange rate vis a vis the US dollar.   A high level of reserves causes the renminbi to appreciate against the dollar.   The problem is this will make China’s substantial exports more expensive; thus, losing its competitive advantage.  Ã‚   This then could lead to the loss of jobs by millions of people working in the export industry.   This led to China’s central bank’s decision to keep the value of its currency low.   To do this, it prints renminbi at a â€Å"furious pace in order to buy the dollars and euros† that come in through trade surpluses and foreign investment (Bradsher, 2011).   However, this spawns another problem.   The additional renminbi issued causes the money suppl y in the country to rise even further.   What was not discussed in the article is the direct impact of the level of money supply on inflation.   A high level of money supply circulating in the economy causes aggregate demand to rise.   This increased demand for goods and services is what pushes general prices to go up. Looking at China’s foreign reserve levels, in the third quarter of 2010, it increased by $194 million.   In the fourth quarter, it jumped by $199 million to raise the total to $2.85 trillion.   This increase was much larger than what economists had expected.   During this time, China â€Å"doubled its intervention in the currency markets to about $2 billion a day† (Bradsher, 2011).   And so, the country’s money supply was 19.7 percent higher in December than a year earlier. The increase in money supply though is not solely due to the central bank’s efforts to keep the value of the renminbi in check.   Banking loans have also risen and measures taken by the central bank to slow down lending, primarily by increasing bank reserve requirements have proven to be ineffective.

What are the organisational benefits of performance review Essay

What are the organisational benefits of performance review - Essay Example While these individuals may differ on how and when performance reviews should be conducted they are all united on the point that such reviews and the review process itself is an essential part of employee growth which in turn leads to the growth of the company. Jack Welch served as the CEO of General Electric for more than two decades and links performance reviews to the overall mission of the company. Welch (2005, Pg. 16) says that â€Å"Every decision or initiative was linked to the mission. We publicly rewarded people who drove the mission and let go of people who couldn’t deal with it for whatever reason.† GE’s own mission, when Welch was running the company, was to be the most competitive company in the world which fits with the two pronged approach of rewarding and doing the utmost to keep the best talent within the company and letting go of those who do not perform to a certain level. Such tactics could only be employed when effective performance review processes are in place and GE’s system for performance reviews has been lauded by critics and copied verbatim by the competition simply because it is one of the best. The current issues faced by our organisation are mostly concerned with the human resource management of the company. Before an outline of these issues as well as a discussion of the problems is made, it must be noted that none of these issues are large enough to cripple the company but they do make the management process more difficult. Additionally, all these issues come with simple solutions and if those solutions are applied with careful consideration there should be no reason why the company can not gain competitive advantages over time. The central issue for the company comes from the fact that many of our senior managers and other personnel have little or no formal training in management which leads to a lack of

The effectiveness of abstinence-only sex education Essay

The effectiveness of abstinence-only sex education - Essay Example It promotes sexual refrain from indulgence before marriage and does not include discussion over contraceptive methods. (â€Å"Abstinence-Only Sex Education†, 2011). The abstinence-only sex education views abstinence from sexual intercourse as the best way to control sexual health. (â€Å"Abstinence and Sex Education†, n.d.) It shares the fundamental use of teaching social, health and psychological gains, which can be realized by refraining from indulgence in sexual acts. Bearing children at a young age is both harmful for the baby as well as the parents and society. It promotes the abstinence from alcohol and drug abusing which leads to increased desire for sexual intercourses. It also teaches one to acquire self-sufficiency before indulging into any type of sexual activity. (â€Å"Abstinence and Sex Education†, n.d.) The combined education based on both abstinence and comprehensive based is often referred as abstinence plus. (â€Å"Abstinence and Sex Educationà ¢â‚¬ , n.d.) Abstinence-only sex education is found to be losing control in the recent years. This type of education is a faulty or negative view of contraception. It is required to provide consumers with inaccurate information and the teenagers are perceptive consumers. (Thomas, 2009) Education on sexuality is a hot button topic in schools and is associated with the social and parental interpretation of wrong or right and with the people’s sensitivity towards religious and personal autonomy. Pelvic inflammatory diseases are a consequence of untreated or inefficiently treated reproductive tract diseases. It is responsible for sterility and impotency amongst woman and can lead to ectopic pregnancies, cancers of reproductive tract, abortions and stillbirths. (Collins, Alagiri & Summers, 2002) The prime reason why teens do not opt for the use of contraception is due to alcohol and drug abuse. A reciprocally faithful monogamous sexual relationship in the context of marriage is t he expected benchmark of sexual acts. Outside the context of wedding sexual activity is likely to have negative psychological and physical effects. (Collins, Alagiri & Summers, 2002) The affected youth may include sexually experiences teens, sexually abused teens, homeless and runaway teens, gay and lesbian youth as well. The gay, lesbian and bisexual teens face other consequences as well, as harassment and violence and finally they tend to commit mass suicide. Bisexuals are abandoned by their family members and are deprived of both public and private health care systems. (Collins, Alagiri & Summers, 2002) In most countries the homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender youths (LGBT) are often neglected in sex education classes, which include lack of discussion regarding manual, oral, and anal sex practices in regards of different risks for contracting deadly reproductive tract diseases. (â€Å"Sex Education†, 2011) STATISTICAL DATA OF IMPACT OF ABSTINENCE-ONLY SEX EDUCATION OVER PEOPLE The University of Pennsylvania published the fact that only one third of sixth-seventh grade adolescents who studied abstinence-only sex education had sexual intercourses in the next two years. The study is called â€Å"game changing† by proponents of abstinence-only sex education. (â€Å"Abstinence-Only Sex Education†, 2011) Abstinence and comprehensive based approaches of sex education can be combined to have increased impact on people. (â€Å"

Short Answers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Short Answers - Essay Example (Mulvey, 1989) The growing theory of the spectacle is old to be remarkably striking in old English, and making important classifications of the theory itself. This is attained powerfully by the changing scenerior of an inspirational moment, powerfully explored by the situationsits approach, known by its distinct approach to environmental challenges. The concept is derived from the growing list of the societal understanding of built intellectualism. The shocks that were historical identified explore remarkable moments, which are fascinating and are unique especially when important derivatives remarkably involving good moments and good political landscapes. Particular words are uniquely important and their meanings are hugely significant to the cultures that explore them. Writings as explained by various philosophers are based on changing linguistic trends, and which are meaningfully explored through generations and through periods of change. Denotative and connotative meaning provides various angle derivatives that are best known for semiotics or in other instances semiology. Semiotics is old linguistics that is defined in today’s language as the core concept within which concepts of language are established. The finger derivative in a signifier provides a lasting solution to word changes, making visual derivatives at various points. Denotative is defined by a signifier and which identify an obvious meaning of a specific sign. For example in accordance with a camouflaged statement, the obvious theory is to provide a conventionally agreeable statement that is also referred to as the first order signification. On the other hand, connotative meaning offers the socio-cultural as well as the personal associations relative to emotional, ideological levels of the given sign. The theories defining the visual culture are defined by

Prison Inmates Should Be Allowed To Take College Courses Essay Example for Free

Prison Inmates Should Be Allowed To Take College Courses Essay Prison Inmates Should Be Allowed To Take College Courses Prison inmates should be allowed to take college course because having an education helps reform the inmate into a useful member of society. Education is useful in helping the inmate acquire the life skills necessary to make a life change for the better. Studies have shown that inmates who participate in educational programs were less likely to recidivate once released back into to society than those who did ot participate. Allowing prisoners to take college courses restructures the way inmates think and benefits society as a whole by helping inmates adapt once released, providing Job skills necessary to find work, and aiding in inmate rehabilitation. Providing an education for inmates helps them acquire the necessary life skills to make better choices once released and makes it easier to adapt to life outside the prison walls. An educated person is better able to choose etween right and wrong and also make wiser decisions. By restructuring the way an inmate thinks, the inmate makes better choices and finds better role models to emulate. An inmate who has the ability to read and write is better able to find information for himself and is more likely to use that information to make informed decisions. It is therefore easy to deduce, an inmate who has received a prison education can think more clearly and will act more positively preventing most inmates from recidivism. Using the education gained in prison will facilitate an inmates adaption to society and provides the necessary Jobs skills to find work once released. Education for inmates helps build a foundation for future success and provides the Job skills necessary to help inmates find work once they are released. Teaching basic educational skills to inmates such as reading, writing, and math skills increases their chances of passing employment tests and greatly improves their..

Monash Carbon Footprint report

Monash Carbon Footprint report This report presents interpreted data after Monash university conducted a carbon footprint assessment between 2005 till 2014.   Introduction Today we can see for ourselves the damage we have caused to our home planet. overshoot is known as the consumers demands for earths resources are going beyond the level which the earth can regenerate. According to dahl(2008), improving global governance and our ability to manage the earths resources is thus a key part of any solution. Preventing overshoot and collapse is a challenge of our time. to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Monash university has assessed their carbon footprint from 2005 to 2014. Monash university consists of the Berwick, Caulfield, Clayton, Parkville, and Peninsula campuses within all of Australia, Carbon dioxide(co2) is emitted daily when we account for the burning of fossil fuels to supply heat and to cool rooms, to run appliances, transportation, and the management of water and waste products. According to the united states environmental protection agency, co2 is then trapped within our earths atmosphere and are termed as greenhouse gases as co2 is a direct threat to our ozone layer and is also a major contributor to global warming. There are three scopes consisting of either direct or indirect. Monash universitys gross total emissions started out with 168,838 tonnes of co2-e/year after being recorded in 2005 and at the end of 2014, Monash universitys gross total emissions were calculated at 190,874 tonnes of c02-e/year. Characterizing the scopes Scope 1: this is a direct method of emitting greenhouse gases (GHG) by Monash universitys use of natural gas at all sites, the types of fuel used for transportation, the types of fuel used for other purposes, use of appliances such as refrigerants, methane emissions, and commercial c02. Scope 2: this is an indirect consequence by monash university of GHG emissions released for their use of electricity which is purchased from another party. Scope 3: this is also an indirect way of GHG emissions being released into the earths atmosphere which generally accounts for electricity, natural gas, paper/cardboard waste, food waste, recyclables, transport fuel, water waste, air travel, taxi cabs, fire extinguishers, and public transport. GHG emissions from scope 1 according to marty mccarthy (2015), scientists gathered a national study was taken where over a 1000 cows were tested and the method of measuring the ghg emissions under the factor of livestock methane is by putting the livestock animal in chamber which can be used to measure methane. Then the next step is to monitor the air in and out and then calculate the concentration in that of the air mixture. It can be observed that the emissions have tripled over the course of 9 years. A reason to this might be the amount of food that is been fed to the livestock animal, or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. upon checking the ghg emissions within all of the sites of monash university, it is most important to check the fuels used for transport purposes and to separate the types of fuel since different fuels produce different emiisions. according to the national greenhouse account factors (2014), there is a formula which calculates the ghg emisiions released by different fuel types. there is a trend to be seen and it could be seen that the ghg emissions are slowing declining after each year. A reason to this might be the adaptation of hybrids and electric carsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the ghg emissions can be measure by the equation given below, scope 1 Refrigerants When we use refrigerants, we never account for the harmful emissions that are released into our atmosphere. Beck in the day, ghg emissions like chlourofluoro carbons(CFC), halons, and hydrochlorofluro carbons (HCFC) went unnoticed for a very long time. To combat CFCs , halons, HCFCs, substitues such as hydroflouro carbons (HFC) and perfluoro carbons (PFC) have been used to regulate the substances that deplete the ozone layer. This occurance was due to the amendment of the montreal protocol in 1990 which is known to be widely successful due to the universal ratification of fighting ozone depleting substances (ODS). Emissions from regrigerators and ari conditioners can be a resulted from the manufacturing process of the product, from leakages, or from poor service of the operation life of the products. Any reduction of the ODSs can have huge potential benefits since ODSs pose a threat greater than 1000 times that of co2. during the period of assessing monsh univeritisys carbon footprin t, it can be see that there is a linear trend where ghg emissions are increasing over time. This can be a result of opening up new builings within the campuses and the addition of commercial unitary air contioning units to have comfortable room temperatures in the given buildings, or it can be from the transport of refrigerated goods, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Scope 2 electricity The ghg emissions from the comsumption of purchased electricity from the grid has a physically toll on our environment but this is not a direct result from monash university as aforementioned. The burning and processing of coal, natural gas, or the refinement and transport of crude oil(petroleum) can have the direct response of ghg emission released into our environment. Emissions from electricity (scope 2) can be meure by the equation below, According to scope 2 guidance by GHG protocol, there are two methods to determine for the emission associated with electricity consumption. The first metheod is the location-based method, where it can be applied to every grid, and it focues on the connection between collective comsumer demand for electricity and how much emisiions re leased from the local electricity generated. The other method which is market-based method, focuses on hoiw much electricity is consumed by the choices of the consumer. Observing Monash Univeristys scope 2 emissions, is can be seen in the graph that the lowest reading of GHG emissions occurred in 2005, and throughout the years of recording scope 2 emissions, it can be seen the number fluctuates each year till the period of 2009 till 2014 where the number have a staggering amount where the ghg emissions ranges around 120, 000 tonnes of CO2-e per year, but during 2014, the ghg emissions have sort of been regulated. A reason for the increase of ghg emission s might be negotiating with a company whose primary source of energy might be from coal, and a way to reduce this would be to switch to a low carbon electricity supplier, or to purchase certifictaes from low carbon energy generation. Scope 3 https://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/briefs/fung_01/ http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-14/impact-of-cattle-on-methane-emissions-downgraded/7027088 http://www.chlorinated-solvents.eu/index.php/regulatory-compliance/ods-regulation http://www.environment.gov.au/protection/ozone/montreal-protocol http://ghgprotocol.org/files/ghgp/Scope%202%20Guidance_Final.pdf http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/NGER/About-the-National-Greenhouse-and-Energy-Reporting-scheme/Greenhouse-gases-and-energy http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/DocumentAssets/Documents/NGER%20Energy%20production%20and%20consumption.pdf http://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/greenhouse-gas-measurement/publications/national-greenhouse-accounts-factors-dec-2014 https://www.monash.edu/environmental-sustainability/get-involved/staff/green-program https://www.monash.edu/environmental-sustainability/get-involved/students/do-one-thing https://www.monash.edu/environmental-sustainability/campus-initiative/energy/renewable-energy http://www.greenpower.gov.au/About-Us/ https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases http://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/01/health/antarctic-ozone-layer-healing/ http://sciencing.com/co2-deplete-ozone-layer-4828.html http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/NGER/About-the-National-Greenhouse-and-Energy-Reporting-scheme/Greenhouse-gases-and-energy http://www.ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools/faq http://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/greenhouse-gas-measurement/publications/nger-technical-guidelines-2014 http://www.ghgonline.org/othershfcs.htm https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/f-gas/alternatives_en https://www.epa.gov/ods-phaseout http://www.energyaction.com.au/energy-procurement/electricity-procurement http://www.ghgprotocol.org/scope_2_guidance http://www.treasury.gov.au/PublicationsAndMedia/Publications/2015/2015-Intergenerational-Report http://www.treasury.gov.au/~/media/Treasury/Publications%20and%20Media/Publications/2015/2015%20Intergenerational%20Report/Downloads/PDF/2015_IGR.ashx https://www.mla.com.au/Research-and-development/Environment-sustainability/National-livestock-methane-program https://www.monash.edu/environmental-sustainability/our-commitment/environmental-sustainability-policy https://www.monash.edu/policy-bank/management/facilities-services/enviro-procedures http://iefworld.org/ddahl08d.htm https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/783617/Environmental-Sustainability-Policy-Australia-only.pdf https://phys.org/news/2007-11-atmosphere-carbon.html http://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/greenhouse-gas-measurement/tracking-emissions http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/da7bde5c-1be2-43f7-97d7-d7d85bb9ad6c/files/nger-technical-guidelines-2014.pdf http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/5e11ecad-6d23-4e4b-bf9d-d4630a4e523b/files/nger-technical-guidelines-2012.pdf https://carbonneutral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Carbon-Offsetting-and-Carbon-Neutralilty-Explained.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-07/documents/fugitiveemissions.pdf http://www.treasury.gov.au/~/media/Treasury/Publications%20and%20Media/Publications/2015/2015%20Intergenerational%20Report/Downloads/PDF/2015_IGR.ashx

Strategic HRM in Organisations

Strategic HRM in Organisations INTRODUCTION Human Resource Management (HRM) is one of the most importance function in any organisation. The basic function of HRM is managing the people, which in simple clarification is putting right people at right in right time. HRM involves the activities as recruitment and selection, training and development, reward and performance appraisal etc. of an employee. In this assignment, Care Quality Commission (CQC) will be taken as a chosen organisation. CQC is a government funded health care regulating body which is responsible for controlling and monitoring of health care service providers to make sure they abide by the standards and rules and regulations set by the government. Besides CQC is given authority to punish the service providers in case they do not meet the standards. Task 1.1. Definition of Strategic HRM in organisations: Human Resource Management (HRM) is one of the major functions in an organisation for managing people within organisation, focusing on the systems and policies of the organisation (Collings and Wood, 2009). HRM is primarily the systems and processes of recruitment, selection, training and development, appraisals and rewarding of the employees (Paauwe and Boon, 2009). Strategic HRM in todays context, is a necessity for organisations which, according to Wright and McMahan (1992) is a planned human resource deployment and activities that enable an organisation to pursue its goals. Various HRM models have been studied and proposed by different authors. Below is the discussion on some of them. Devanne et als Matching Model of Strategic HRM This model, proposed by Devanne et al (1984) is based on the philosophy of matching (or fit) of HR systems and organisational structure with the organisational strategy, where, HRM strategy and organisational structure follow and feed upon one another and are influenced by environmental forces. The limitation of this theory is that it assumes that organisational controllers act rationally. However, some theorists argue that strategic decisions need not necessarily based on rational calculation. As argued by Boxall (1992), excessive fitting can make a company inflexible and incapable of quickly adapting to external environment, failing to gain competitive advantage. Fig. 1 Devanne et al (1984)s Matching Model of Strategic HRM Hard/Soft Model of SHRM HRM, as postulated by Storey (1992), can be divided into Hard and Soft HRM. The hard model is characterised by top-down approach where employees have little freedom to act. It can be argued that hard HRM focuses on resource component of HR, as hard HRM is instrumental and employees are considered as commodities. In this model, the focus is in the numerical management of employees so that workforce can be closely matched with the requirement. In contrast, soft HRM deals with the human aspects and enhances commitment and involvement of the employees. Perhaps, more appropriately it can be said that people are led, instead of being managed and people are involved in decision making process. HR Strategies HR Strategies outlines what the organisation intends to do regarding HRM policies and how they should integrate with business strategy. Dyer and Reeves refers HR strategies as internally consistent human resource practices. The purpose of HR strategies is to provide communication means to the intentions about how the human resources will be managed. Many different strategies are prevalent depending on the organisation. However, broadly the HR strategies are categorized into Overarching HR strategies and Specific strategies. The Overarching HR strategies describe the organisational intentions about how people should be managed to ensure organisation can develop and retain its people so as to make them committed and engaged. The Specific HR strategies set out the organisations intentions in specific areas as talent management, continuous improvement, knowledge management, resourcing, reward and employee relations (Armstrong, 2006). There are various approaches to HR strategy that can be termed as resourced based, achieving high performance management, strategic fit, high commitment management and high involvement management. In CQC, it is seen that it primarily focuses on the development of its people through continuous training and development programs. The standards and rules and regulations that are updated according to the need and situation initiates further knowledge advancement in the workforce that strengthens the efficiency of the staff. This gives the notion that CQC adopts the specific HR strategy. Criteria for successful strategy: The successful strategy is the one which works with a sense in achieving what it plans to achieve, focusing to satisfy the needs of the business. The strategy need to be based on detailed analysis, not just mere thinking, and takes account the needs of employees and managers as well as those of stakeholders. As argued by Boxall and Purcell (2003), HR planning should focus on needs of the stakeholders involved in people management and the organisation. Task 1.2 Importance of HRM in organisations An organisation needs good human resources to build a good team of workforce. The main function of HRM includes recruiting people, give training, appraisals and motivate them as well as workplace safety and communication. Huselid, Jackson and Schuler (1997) did a study on human capital of the HR department by contrasting technical vs. strategic HR manager capabilities which led to the result that technical HRM effectiveness was not related to organisational performance. However, strategic effectiveness was related to employee performance, cash flow, and market value. Researches on Strategic HRM have often considered contingent relationships to achieve a fit between HR activities with strategic outcomes. Miles and Snow (1984) proposed a strategy typology (later described as contingency approach), that showed how corporate and business strategies could be matched with HR practices. This perspective means that a set of HR practice is dependent upon the organisations strategy. The import ance of HRM in improving organisational performance is paramount. The linking pin between vertical and horizontal alignment in strategic HRM is the person-environment fit. Moreover, Werbel and Demarie (2005) proposed vertical linking between HR systems with corporate strategies through organisational competencies and horizontal link with HRM practices as means to improve organisational performance. Strategic HRM, hence links HR practices with corporate strategy and is believed that the integration between business strategies and HRM reflects in effective management of human resources, thus improving organisational performance. Task 1.3 Framework of strategic HRM The discussion on the framework of strategic HRM, here is done on the Harvard framework. Developed by Beer et al (1984), this model studies the solution for the problems of the personnel management. The model of Harvard framework suggests that HRM consists of two characteristics: 1) line managers accepts more responsibilities to ensure alignment between personnel policies and competitive strategy; 2) the personnel policies govern how activities are developed and implemented that enhances reinforcement. As supported by Boxall (1992), this model has the advantages of incorporating range of stakeholders; acknowledges a wide range of situational factors; puts emphasis on strategic choice and includes the employee influence. Fig. 2. Harvard Model of HRM (Beer et al, 1984) The Harvard Framework outlines four HR policy areas: Employee influence; Human resource flows; Reward systems and Work systems. These, in turn lead to four Cs (HR policies that need to be achieved; Commitment, Congruence, Competence and Cost effectiveness. As argued by Beer et al (1984) the long term effects of benefits and HR policies has to be evaluated at individual, organisational and societal level, which in turn must be analysed using these four Cs. The Harvard model has considerable influence over the HRM practice, and the emphasis is particularly on the fact that HRM is the action of management rather that the personnel function, in particular. Task 2.1 Analysis of the Human Resource Process The human resource process fundamentally is the process of formulation, implementation and evaluation of the HR strategies. Strategy Formulation It is necessary to consider the interactive relationship between HRM and business strategy while defining approaches to formulation of HR strategies (Hendry and Pettigrew, 1990). The strategy formulation process is effected by various external and internal factors. As identified by Formbrun (1984) political, economical, socio-cultural and technological environment are the external factors that impact the formulation process. The changes in these factors can be brought by changes in economic conditions in specific sectors, better information processing, changes in workforce/demand forecasting and political influences which effect the settings of strategic direction. Organisational culture, employees and management, HR department and its expertise are the internal factors as identified by Truss and Gratton (1994). Strategy Implementation The success of strategy implementation is dependent on the competencies of the human resources. The linkage of vertical and horizontal fit conceptualized by Graton, Hope-Hailey, Stiles and Truss (1999) seem to fit here. In vertical fit, HRM systems like performance management, recruitment and selection, training and development need to be aligned with the HR strategy, whereas, in horizontal fit the HR strategy aligns with the people and the process. Evaluation is the final process of HR process that deals with review and evaluation of the Strategy Evaluation HRM systems effectiveness and the strategic integration. The results of HRM systems in achieving strategic objectives is considered as an important part of strategic HRM where, the alignment of HRM systems in achieving strategic objectives should be evaluated for determining the strategic integration of HRM (Tichy, Fombrun and Devanne, 1982). The information generated through evaluation process provide necessary ingredients for changes in implementation process and also, is important in the context of strategy formulation. The strategic HR process can be understood by the following flowchart developed by Bratton and Gold (2007). Fig.3. Strategic HR Process (Bratton and Gold, 2007) Task 2.2 Assessment of the roles in strategic HRM Different tier of workforce in an organisation has their definitive roles in executing HR strategies. The role of the top management is providing visionary leadership and define values and purposes to set direction. It develops the business strategies and provide directive guidelines in developing functional strategies for operations, finance, marketing, production, HR and customer service etc. The front line managers, as appreciated by Purcell et al (2003), are the ones that bring HR policies to life. Purcell et al state that front line managers have great amount of discretion as their aspect of work is dealing with people. It is unlikely that the discretion to avoid putting HR ideas into practice will convert ideas into reality. Hence, the reluctance in managers to carry out ideas often result into failure of performance management schemes. Ulrich (1998) views that HR executives, to be fully fledged strategic partners with senior management, should impel and guide serious discussion of how the company should be organized to carry out its strategy. It is necessary that HR must set clear priorities of its work since, a HR staff may be loaded with various initiates in sight like, global teamwork, payfor performance and learning development experiences. A strategic approach of HRM tends to trigger HR specialist in innovation where they introduce new procedures that can increase organisational effectiveness. Ulrich (1998) identifies four specific strategic roles of HR business partner, innovator, change agent and implementer. In CQC, The board of Directors develop and formulate the strategies of the organisation which is the basis for the Chief Executive to generate the HR strategies for CQC. The Chief Inspectors and Heads of concerned departments are responsible for execution and implementation of the strategies. The regular meetings and feedbacks from the employees as well as service users are considered in the process of evaluating the HR strategies. Task 2.3 Analysis of the development and implementation of HR strategies The process of developing HR strategy is a complex process. The HR leader has to set vision and goals for the HR team, thereby the HR team develops the HR strategy which is aligned with the organisations competitive advantage. It is of prime importance that the new HR strategy does not abandon the previous strategies, however, there should be manageable changes and the implementation should be measurable (Briscoe et al, 2012). The implementation plan is developed by HR team where all the employees and managers monitor the progress of the strategy and provide necessary feedbacks. The implementation of any strategy is a difficult part which needs to be approved from the top management and has to be managed by the dedicated team. As noted by Brewster et al (2011) top management do not expect for total change in the new strategy; they look for continuity with manageable changes. Financially the implementation is expensive to operate. The top management needs to be aware of the overall co st because the implementation can get disrupted if the financial part is not carefully managed. The development of the strategic HR plan is always in alignment with the organisations business strategy. Many times it is seen that the HR team take negligible consideration of the business strategies while developing HR strategy. This can result into lack of vision of the strategy and difficulty in the evaluation of the strategy (Golden and Ramanujam, 1985). The following chart represents the alignment and procedures in developing HR plan. Fig.4 HR and Business Strategy Task 3.1 Identifying range of HR strategies The human capital uniqueness and strategic value are considered as two important components in HR strategies. Organisations need to maintain different relationship with different types of people and develop different HR strategies to manage people differentially. Below is the discussion on different types of HR strategies as proposed by Lepak and Snell (1999). Commitment HR strategy: The commitment HR strategies are for the employees with high uniqueness and high strategic value. Such strategies focus on internal development and long term relationships which develops employees to build knowledge and skills that are of prime value to the organisation. Compliance HR strategy: This kind of strategy seems suitable for the employees with low strategic value and low uniqueness where, in order to reduce administrative expenses, he outsourcing strategies are taken like peripheral functions, employees on leave arrangements and use of temporary employees. Collaborative HR strategy: Where the employees have high uniqueness but low strategic value, the strategy focuses on developing potential value in the employees and preserve the unique skills of those employees. Both the employees and organisation collaborate in using the unique skills for a shared outcome. As discussed earlier, the range of strategies can be broadly differentiated into overarching HR strategies and specific HR strategies (Armstrong, 2006). The specific HR strategies focuses on developing the strategies for certain areas. Learning and development management: In the area of learning and development management, CQC has the strategic goal of maintaining and developing required skills though continuous development programs and regular trainings on the functional skills of the employees and regularly updated governmental rules and regulations regarding health care policies. Reward strategy: The purpose in developing reward strategy lies in maintaining a high degree of motivation among the employees in CQC. The appreciation and recognition of the employees on achievement of the expected outcomes has tremendous positive impact on the CQC employees. Employee relation strategy: The nature of the operative function of CQC requires it to have a well managed inter relationship among employees across many departments. CQC organises frequent meetings and workshop programs among the employees from different departments to generate high level of collaboration and cooperation among the employees. The feedback system in CQC enables the employees for raising their voices in different aspects of their job roles. Task 3.2 Assessment of HR strategies and their application in organisation As discussed earlier, there are different types of HR strategies which are developed according to the prevalent situations and areas that need to be addressed. It is not necessary that there is one most effective strategy that can be applied in all organisations or is applicable all the time in the same organisation. The development of the strategies vary according to the necessity of the current situation that the business strategy directs. Another aspect of HR strategy application can be in terms of Hierarchy of strategy where the HR strategies can be categorised as corporate , business and functional level of strategy (Bratton and Gold, 2007). The success of the HR strategy can be measured through the degree of achievement of the expected outcome. However, Bratton and Gold (2007) argues that here is no clear focus on test of HR strategies and performance link; the different models and strategies tends to assume the alignment between HR strategy and business strategy that will improve organisational competiveness and performance. As discussed by Golden and Ramanujam (1985), there needs to be alignment between HR strategy with that of business or organisational strategy. As the vision and culture of organisation directs the business strategy. the HR strategy should be compliant with the HR vision and HR goal. The HR strategy in CQC is primarily focused on the development of employees in the field of job efficiency and knowledge on the regularly updates of governmental policies of the health care service and its regulation. This can be assumed that CQC by adopting specific HR strategy, it focuses on people oriented activities. However, CQC being a government funded organisation, it does have the strategic approach in building rigid work norms and ethics, which at times, seems to create problem in managing day to day problems of the employees like delayed submission of inspection reports, lack of regular inspections of the service providers etc.

Morphology :: MOO Teaching Technology Education Essays

Morphology "Everything we experience today in the mode of a limit, or as foreign, or as intolerable will have returned to the serenity of the positive. And whatever currently designates this exteriority to us may well one day designate us. Only the enigma of this exteriority will remain" --- Michel Foucault If the architecture of MOOs replicates real-life places like classrooms, we can be assured that real-life problems exist there, too. Educators need to be aware of how and in what forms these problems take shape online, in addition to knowing how to handle them. It is not easy to find answers in the mountains of popular culture hype and mass media reports on the Internet. Depending on what magazines and newspapers you read, Internet technology is either the salvation or the demise of civilization. Certainly the rapid growth of access to the Internet has parents and educators wringing their hands over how to protect children and students online from some of the same dangers they face in the physical world. Yet one of the most encouraging aspects of the growth and scope of the Internet is the opportunity for all of us to contribute to the social construction of ethical guidelines in the development and use of Internet-based technologies in educational settings. There is a fine line between giving students the latitude to be creative online and setting them loose with no ethical boundaries whatsoever. Just as in traditional classroom settings, common sense and proper preparation go a long way toward anticipating problems and resolving them. It is not necessary to blame the whole of cyberspace and thereby throw the virtual baby out with the virtual bathwater. There are ways to manage the "fluidity" associated with identity, speed, and open access on the Internet. We need to avoid the rhetoric of negative cyber-hyper and engage instead in productive discussion about the Internet in terms of its positive impact on individual and collective lives. Especially with respect to the use of Internet technology in education, we should do so rhetorically, going slowly, doing our homework, so to speak, before we make claims about the dangers of the Internet. Secondly, and perhaps less metaphorically, real-time teaching also creates real-time homework for teachers. The MOO will change the way you relate to your students, and teachers may find that they must give up their 'principle orientation' toward the individual student (Porter). Teletechnology mixes new modes of intelligibility (and new codes of behavior) with new pedagogical contracts between teacher and student, and it also effectively 'outs' the faculty in ways that they may find unnerving.

Willy Lomans Depression in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman :: Death Salesman essays

Willy Loman's Depression in Death of a Salesman    Arthur Miller's, "Death of a Salesman," shows the development and structure that leads up to the suicide of a tragic hero, Willy Loman. The author describes how an American dreamer can lose his self-worth by many negative situations that occur throughout his life. The structure and complications are essential because it describes how a man can lose his way when depression takes over. The first comlication which occurs in Act I, is when the reader acknowledges that Willy put his whole life into his sons, Biff and Happy, and they turned their backs on him. Willy always believed that biff would be this great, successful businessman and it turned out that Biff is still searching to find himself, which disappoints Willy in the worst way. The conflicts between Willy and Biff are rooted very deep. It all started when Biff was younger and he had failed his math class. He traveled to Boston to visit Willy, who was on a business trip. He had told that he had let Willy down and comes to find out that Willy is with another woman. Biff leaves and never takes that math class over. Willy felt guilty about this and believes that deep inside that he is responsible for Biff's choices in life and his failure to be successful. This conflict makes Willy weak and tremendously guilty, which stays with him as a reminder. The second complication that destroys Willy is his aging. By getting older he can't do the things he used to do. His aging affects his work because he is not the salesman he once was. He is not making enough money to support his wife, Linda, and himself. Being 60, Willy is getting too old for the traveling he does for his work. Willy asks his boss, Howard, for a raise and Howard fires him. Willy is really worn out and Howard knows this. This situation in end destroys Willy's pride and he could never ask his sons for money. The last complication at the end of Act II, is the conflict between Willy and Biff. Biff finally wants to get everything straight and clear with his father. Biff shows Willy the rubber tube that Willy wants to kill himself with. An arguement errupts from this and Biff tries to explain that he was never what Willy wanted him to be. Willy Loman's Depression in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman :: Death Salesman essays Willy Loman's Depression in Death of a Salesman    Arthur Miller's, "Death of a Salesman," shows the development and structure that leads up to the suicide of a tragic hero, Willy Loman. The author describes how an American dreamer can lose his self-worth by many negative situations that occur throughout his life. The structure and complications are essential because it describes how a man can lose his way when depression takes over. The first comlication which occurs in Act I, is when the reader acknowledges that Willy put his whole life into his sons, Biff and Happy, and they turned their backs on him. Willy always believed that biff would be this great, successful businessman and it turned out that Biff is still searching to find himself, which disappoints Willy in the worst way. The conflicts between Willy and Biff are rooted very deep. It all started when Biff was younger and he had failed his math class. He traveled to Boston to visit Willy, who was on a business trip. He had told that he had let Willy down and comes to find out that Willy is with another woman. Biff leaves and never takes that math class over. Willy felt guilty about this and believes that deep inside that he is responsible for Biff's choices in life and his failure to be successful. This conflict makes Willy weak and tremendously guilty, which stays with him as a reminder. The second complication that destroys Willy is his aging. By getting older he can't do the things he used to do. His aging affects his work because he is not the salesman he once was. He is not making enough money to support his wife, Linda, and himself. Being 60, Willy is getting too old for the traveling he does for his work. Willy asks his boss, Howard, for a raise and Howard fires him. Willy is really worn out and Howard knows this. This situation in end destroys Willy's pride and he could never ask his sons for money. The last complication at the end of Act II, is the conflict between Willy and Biff. Biff finally wants to get everything straight and clear with his father. Biff shows Willy the rubber tube that Willy wants to kill himself with. An arguement errupts from this and Biff tries to explain that he was never what Willy wanted him to be.

Adultery and Society Essay

Much has already been said about Couples – John Updike’s controversial 1968 novel about the lives and indiscretions of well-off couples living in the suburban town of Tarbox, Boston. At first glance, the novel may seem like a run of the mill erotic novel – tawdry and titillating, but nothing more. This was, in fact, the common perception that greeted the novel on its debut in 1968, hence its notoriety as a â€Å"controversial† novel. Much of its hype, however, is not lost, considering the amount of sex – illicit and otherwise – that graces the pages of the novel, as well as the forthright manner with which Updike boldly discusses these activities. Scandal and notoriety prevented a proper and contextual understanding of Updike’s novel, leaving it languishing in literary purgatory. In time, however, with the changes in society and modern views on sex, Updike’s Couples has, to some degree, been resurrected and reevaluated with a different perspective and point of view. Though still shocking in its extensive discussion of adultery and lecherous behavior in general, the novel has finally emerged from under its tag as a bawdy piece of B-rated literature to become one of Updike’s signature novels. No longer viewed as eroticized sensationalism, the novel is now seen as a representation of Updike’s most striking leitmotif: suburban adultery. If not erotica for eroticism’s sake, what then is the central thought in Updike’s Couples? Such is the question that this paper now intends to answer. This paper posits that John Updike’s Couples reflects the collapse of traditional values in the face of modernity particularly in the early 1960s. With the parameters of sexuality shattered by the advent of birth control, wealthy men and women living the â€Å"perfect† life are actually morally in disarray. Society, despite its beautiful and urbane facade, is in reality rotting away and slowly experiencing a moral decay. The beauty of suburbia and its polished citizens stand in sharp contrast to the breakdown of social norms and propriety. Such is the theme of John Updike’s Couples. To prove so, it is necessary to first look into the writer himself, John Updike. Much of his writings reflect his personal opinions, of course, and understanding the writer will most certainly provide a better contextual understanding of the novel. Moreover, it is necessary that a discussion of the era (early 1960s, under the Kennedy administration) be conducted in order to fully relay the circumstances that give way to the morally reprehensible â€Å"system† established by the titular couples. Lastly, this paper shall look into the juxtaposition of aesthetics (the beauty of both the people and the suburban town they inhabit) and the rotten structure of banality they willingly cling to. These are the significant aspects of John Updike’s Couples that shall be discussed. First of all, who was John Updike? Little is known about Updike’s childhood, except that he was born to a middle class Pennsylvania family in 1932. John Updike’s interest in writing began with his mother’s instructions, herself a prolific writer. His mother’s influence proved intense and enduring, giving him the strength and courage to continue with writing. Despite the lack of sufficient funds for his education, Updike’s talents received recognition and earned him a full scholarship at Harvard University, where he joined the Harvard Lampoon. Upon graduation, he joined the New Yorker, which published his first story, Friends from Philadelphia, in 1954. The story would soon be followed by several more of his writings, all published through the New Yorker. By the end of the 1950s, Updike was reaping the fruits of a successful literary career (Pritchard 2000, p. 2). It was not, however, his writing technique that caught the fancy of critics. Though fluid and never boring, it is not his efficient style that gained support for John Updike. Unfortunately, his choice of subject matter overshadowed his style of writing, essentially giving way to the â€Å"controversial† tag. Couples is just one example of his unique point of view and manner of describing even the most intimate of details (Amidon 2005, p. 51). The mention and overt discussion of sex remained quite touchy, if not entirely taboo, even as society during the 1960s had significantly modernized. The effect of his controversial topics, however, had led to a period wherein his writings were shunned, to a certain degree, and remained misclassified as bawdy erotica. â€Å"Suburban adultery†, a topic most associated with John Updike, is born of his own experiences in grappling with the temptations of sex and desire. The writing of the novel Couples came at a time when he was completely confused in his personal life, particularly with regards to his marriage. Updike was in the middle of a passionate love affair and was, in fact, contemplating filing for a divorce. In the end, he decided not to push through with the plan for divorce (Pritchard 2000, p. 119). The topic, therefore, is described vividly in every scene of the novel, reflecting Updike’s own struggle with his inner demons and the destruction of the institution of marriage before his very eyes. The crumbling of his own marriage proved to be the very basis of Couples. To Updike, a certain degree of the story of a failed marriage is â€Å"sad magic† (Pritchard 2000, p. 124). Extramarital relations for Updike are not erotic, despite the manner with which he describes the sexual activities of his characters in the novel. Rather than titillating, the goal of Updike’s prose is to portray the emptiness that these affairs and illicit relationships cause. There is no desire to eroticize or sexualize the characters; the idea is to present the weaknesses of their personalities and the ramifications of unbridled desire. It is not specifically aiming for preaching either, focusing only on the emotional hollowness that gives birth to the seed of lust and temptations in the first place. As Updike himself explains, his idea of sex in his literary achievements is far from intentionally erotic. Rather, the idea is to create a portrait wherein sex is a tool; it is a means by which Updike indicts the weaknesses of society’s moral fiber. As he said of sex in his writings in an interview with CNN, â€Å"I’ve seen it said of my work that it’s ‘anti-aphrodisiac,’ that it doesn’t – that my descriptions of sex doesn’t turn you on. But they’re not really meant to do that. I mean, sex described in detail is not a turn-on† (Austin 1998). Updike is far from a prude, true, yet his writings are not erotic for eroticism’s sake. The goal is to present moral weaknesses, not join banality. Unlike the earlier accusation of critics, the story of Couples is far from erotic, despite its routine use of sexual scenes and explicit activities. The story revolves around the lives of several couples living in an upscale community in Tarbox – a fictional suburb located in Boston. These young couples live wealthy lifestyles and have enough time on their hands to fool around. Piet Hanema, for example, is a serial adulterer. He has trysts with Foxy, as well as with several more of the novel’s women. His decadence is merely one of the morally bankrupt scenes in the story. It is not just Piet, though, who experiences a life of immorality and lack of a moral center. The couples engage in â€Å"wife-swapping† activities, such as in the case of the Applebys and the Little-smiths. None of the members of the community are entirely above the erotic rondalla, sending everyone in the community into a moral tailspin. In the end, however, it is Piet and his mistress Foxy who are cast out from the lot. Piet, since the beginning of the novel, is insistent on gaining freedom from his marriage. Though initially not bent towards the destruction of his own marriage, in the end, Piet divorces his wife Angela and his thrown out of the apartment with his mistress. As Greiner (1984) points out, â€Å"lovers are drawn as much to what destroys marriage as to what supports it† (p. 146). They are far from completely beyond the trappings of love, hence its effect as a double-edged sword. While it is love that bound two souls together under the sacrament of marriage in the first place, it is also â€Å"love† or whatever passes for it that successfully questions the sacrament and stands as a threat to its stability. Despite accepting the sacrament of marriage and his chained life, Piet needs and wants room, seeking sex and love from elsewhere despite his wife’s presence. There is a need to hone his skills as an illicit lover, and the adrenaline rush of such relationships do exist. And yet despite their illicit activities and immoral actions, Updike refuses to view his characters as villains. They are far from perfect, given their morally unstable relationships, and they are all tottering over the edge of hell with their hypocritical Presybterian lives. None of them truly lives up to the Christian ideals, and they can be described as having their own religion – the religion of sex and lust. Despite these errors and flaws, however, the characters are not evil per se. They are, rather, personifications of Updike’s understanding of suburbia and the moral decay that goes on behind the facade of wealth and propriety. They are weak, not evil, and are merely caught in the struggle to keep up with the liberal times even with the significant changes in society during this period (Greiner 1984, p. 148). Unfortunately, the highlighting of adulterous Tarbox soon became news across every home in the United States. Rather than view the sublime veins incorporated in Updike’s novel, it was soon branded sensationalized and controversial. Protests emerged, decrying Updike’s use of explicit words and graphic portrayal of sex. Perhaps most important of these criticisms, however, may be Anatole Broyard’s criticism of Piet Hanema, noting that there could be no sympathy for a â€Å"fornicator† (Greiner 1984, p. 149). In this the critics see the point of Updike’s novel, yet completely miss it as well To classify Updike’s novel as no more than a potboiler is to ignore its finer and less prominent points. To many, the adulterous activities and their graphic descriptions are the core of the novel. Looking past beyond such however, is the only way to find the true meaning of Updike’s Couples. In the world of Tarbox, sex is just another ordinary day. Despite their preoccupation with it, sex is not the core of the community. It is, of course, an ironic glue that brings various couples together and inevitably unhinges them when the time comes. The characters are simply wandering from one relationship to another, in search not of true love, but of companionship and momentary beauty. Rather than portray the couples as treacherous villains determined to subvert the values of the day, Updike presents them as brats unwilling to succumb to the demands of married life. The central concept of their lives is â€Å"fun†, and with the end of each day, beyond the trappings of the suburban community, husband and wife find themselves alone with the bills, the children, the leftover food and the dishes to wash. To a certain degree, such a relationship is less exciting and not quite as desirable as spending time with the equally bored neighbors (Grenier, 1984, p. 151). The couples, therefore, are far from total villains and much easier to understand as adults with the minds of young children, unwilling accept responsibility yet entirely willing to pursue the cult of fun. To say that they are the product of a determinedly lost generation is to heap unnecessary blame on the characters. It is not that they preeminently wished for the structure of such a morally reprehensible situation. The issues in the novel are, in fact, the product of the times. The characters are merely swept up in the current, following the changing values and transitional problems that occur when modernity clashes with traditional values. There are changes in society, with growing wealth and scientific advances, and it is simply not possible to ignore the changes; the characters succumb to the call of the â€Å"wild† despite their surface urbanity. As mentioned earlier, it is not an innate â€Å"evilness† that Updike wishes to uncover in his Couples. The underlying core is less sinister than what critics and censors of his day had easily assumed. In truth, the story of Updike’s novel is no more a potboiler than a thriller. It is simply a portrayal of Updike’s own nostalgic view of the changes in society, including the slow deconstruction of a small town similar to the one he grew up in. Throughout the novel, the tone is largely wistful, reminiscent of a different past. There is something in the manner with which Updike contrasts the beautiful town and the rotting away of its core; a resounding sigh seems to escape Updike’s lips with every word. Much of the story’s very core is essentially reliant on the time frame of the novel. Updike pegs it on the early 1960s, under the Kennedy administration. As he himself pointed out, there is no way that the plot could’ve existed in a different era. He noted that the action â€Å"could have taken place only under Kennedy; the social currents it traces are as specific to those years as flowers in a meadow are to their moment of summer† (Neary 1992, p. 144). There is something specific in the era that Updike particularly takes note of: the introduction of the bill and the liberation of women from the yokes of pregnancy. Without fear of pregnancy hanging over their heads, sex outside of marriage becomes a much more realistic possibility. It is what Updike calls the â€Å"post-pill paradise† (Sheed 1968), a world wherein the problem of unwanted pregnancy no longer exists. Updike describes his characters as wealthier than their predecessors, having been born into an era of relative prosperity. There is no limit to their desire for fulfillment, regardless of the price. They are driven by the id, raised in a culture of â€Å"me† and supported by the changing society. It is not just Tarbox which is changing. It is far from a microcosm entirely separate from the rest of society. Updike does not portray the suburb as a cancer entirely separate and different from the rest of the country. Rather, the suburb of Tarbox is a representative of many. The characters, themselves generic, are easily interchangeable and quite possibly recognizable in any town across the United States. In this world of change, not omly the couples of Tarbox are transformed. They are part of a larger social transformation, and Updike’s focus on their interactions and illicit affairs present his understanding of society (not just suburbia) in general. The couples, though seemingly too deviant and unbelievable to be considered general stereotypes, are in fact Updike’s definition of the moral breakdown of society. It is not an indictment of suburban life (despite the use of the term â€Å"suburban adultery†). The location of his subjects is more of a realistic portrayal than an unfair indictment. His judgment is not one of localization. Rather, Updike is presenting the class most affected by the changes in the Kennedy administration, primarily due to their wealth and social status. It is also in this level that the reality of class versus crass becomes most realize. Behind the beautiful homes and educated facades, there is darkness. The players randomly select their next partner, playing a grand, elaborate and ritualistic game of musical chairs with their neighbors. Play, again, is a significant theme in Updike’s novel, being the central concept that drives the couples to pursue sexual adventures again and again. The significance of the time period should not be ignored. Updike describes his characters as the products of national tribulations. Following the Great Depression and World War II, these young couples find themselves thrust into a new America, one that struggles to keep up the facade of decency while slowly eroded away by modernity and the vulgarity of the new world order. These characters are far from intentionally indecent, however. Their initial goal was to be enveloped in beauty, separate from the staleness of the rest of the nation and the vulgarity that threatens to creep up the morality ladder (Sheed 1968). In the end, however, they find themselves in a vulgarity of their own making, hidden under the sheen of decency and beauty that the suburbs signify. Quoting Updike, â€Å"the ultimate influence of a government whose taxes and commissions and appetite for armaments set limits everywhere, introduced into a nation whose leadership allowed a toothless moralism [sic] to dissemble a certain practiced cunning, into a culture where adolescent passions and homosexual philosophies were not quite yet triumphant, a climate still furtively hedonist† (Neary 1992, p. 146). The passage describes Updike’s view of the world in which the couples were molded. For all their failures and flaws, these characters were but the products of a bigger problem. Society itself, led by the government, was far from the pristine, moral structure it once was. The Applebys, the Little-smiths, the Guerins, the Constantines, the Hanemas etc. are merely the by-products of a flawed era. The destruction of society, therefore, does not begin and end with suburban adultery. It is merely a microcosm of a larger decay – one that goes beyond the wife-swapping activities of the inhabitants of Tarbox, Boston. In part, Updike’s focus is on the period and the circumstances that give rise to the opportunities for suburban adultery. One significant detail that Updike notes is the introduction of birth control. Whereas the novels of the 1950s focused on the â€Å"everyone is pregnant† motif, in Updike’s novel it is more of an â€Å"everyone is guilty† narrative (Greiner 1984, p. 145). Previously, pregnancy outside of marriage was the biggest obstacle for illicit lovers. Physical consummation, after all, could always leave an undeniable proof in the woman’s womb. With the introduction of the pill, however, a new â€Å"paradise† is opened to the people, with the characters of Updike’s Couples taking full advantage of the situation. These new methods of birth control had, to some effect, liberated the characters from the burdens of pregnancy. Now as long as his mistresses would remain on the pill, Piet would have no problems keeping his affairs in order. No longer would the characters of Updike’s novel fear the repercussions of sex outside of marriage, hence the ease with which they gradually fall into the abyss of sexual debauchery and adultery. And yet it seems as if this is just the tip of Updike’s metaphorical discussion. More than an indictment of the potentially â€Å"evil† consequences of birth control (such as the encouragement of promiscuity, perhaps), Updike’s inclusion of the pill is less of a reproach and more of a symbolism. It is not the pill per se that drives the characters into the arms of others. It is the slow break-down of society, particularly religion. The pill is merely a tool by which society slowly presents its disintegration. In itself, it cannot be identified as the cause of social decay. Rather, it is a sign of the changing times – a symbol of the struggle of the old traditional values to keep up with the changes in the modern world. In Updike’s own point of view, the concept of the novel is not really adultery. It is a discussion of the disintegration of society through the disintegration of church. Marriage, after all, is a sacrament. The destruction of marriage, therefore, does not signify the end of a union alone. It is a metaphor for the slow destruction of the church and its foundations. Sex is the new religion (Greiner 1984, p. 149). With the church crumbling and religion not as reliable as it once was, the characters of Updike’s Couples seek comfort and solace from another source. Marriage is not enough to provide the human warmth the characters require. They are not villains, just people trapped by circumstances and incapable of escaping from the needs of the flesh. It is a religion in itself, this search for fun. Quoting from the jacket blurb of Couples, Sheed (1968) notes how one character is supposed to be a priest and the other a scapegoat. In some ways, the idea of a spiritual leader leading the empty towards greater hypocrisy and shallowness is apt for the story. Fred Thorne is identified as the priest, the leader who organizes parties and games for the bored couples. His party on the night of Kennedy’s assassination is telling; the couples swear to be solemn yet soon revert to their partying ways. In a sense, this invokes a feeling of emptiness, of floating through space. These characters have nothing else but their physical selves to cling to. The government’s leader is assassinated, God strikes his own church with lightning and society is giving way underground to new bores. In essence, they are free of religious and political encumbrances, only to realize that without these structures there is almost nothing to hold on to at all. In the end, there is nothing but the warmth that sex provides – be it illicit or otherwise – giving a physical reality to the world. Without this physical connection, they are lost. The couples move around, shuffle in their beautiful clothing and beautiful homes. Beyond the facade however, are emptiness and a world of gradual moral decay. Works Cited Amidon, Stephen. â€Å"Unzipped: John Updike’s Prose is as Supple as Ever in This Chronicle of a Lifetime’s Erotic Exploits. † New Statesman, 134. 4724(2005): 51 Austin, Jonathan. â€Å"His Characters Allow Updike to be ‘Free’. † CNN. Com, 16 November 1998. Available 27 April 2008, from http://edition. cnn. com/books/news/9811/16/updike/index. html Greiner, Donald. John Updike’s Novels. Athens, OH: Ohio University Press, 1984 Neary, John. Something and Nothingness: The Fiction of John Updike and John Fowles. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1992 Pritchard, William. Updike: America’s Man of Letters. South Royalton, VT: Steerforth Press, 2000 Sheed, Wilfrid. â€Å"Couples. † The New York Times, 7 April 1968. Available 27 April 2008, from http://www. nytimes. com/1968/04/07/books/updike-couples. html? pagewanted=1 Updike, John. Couples. NY: Ballantine Books, 1999