Enterprise Architecture at American Express Essay

Critical facts American Express, located in New York City, was founded in 1850 (Corporate Profile, 2015). It is one of the 30 companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (Corporate Profile, 2015). American provides services such as credit cards, charge cards, and traveler’s checks (Corporate Profile, 2015). American Express cards account for 24% of credit card transactions in the U.S. (Corporate Profile, 2015). According to the company’s 10k, the company generates $33 billion in revenue and over $5 billion in income. The company’s total assets are over $150 billion. American Express has one of the largest IT infrastructures and is able to handle an extremely high number of transactions each second (Demirkan, 2006). In 2011, the company won the first annual InfoWorld/Forrester Enterprise Architecture Award for its EA initiatives (Knorr, 2011). American Express chose to use an Enterprise Architecture (EA) as their IT framework that aligned their business and organizational needs to their information technology. Enterprise architects were the employees responsible for using this framework to continuously make their processes more efficient and utilizing their IT/IS to the fullest extent (Pearlson and Sanders, 2013). Analysis I will be analyzing the success of American Express’s Enterprise Architecture, how Zachman Framework is used to structure the EA, and how this improved their existing service-oriented architecture (SOA). Changes in the way that mobile payments were being used by their clients, the company had to be flexible and adapt to the transformation. New delivery channels required American Express to adjust their prior time-to-market guidelines for payment services (Pearlson and Sanders, 2013). The company turned to its Enterprise Architecture (EA) to guide them through the current market conditions. The opportunity that American Express saw was to use EA to meet the demands for a hastily changing environment. EA is a complex framework of rigid standards for developing an IT architecture and infrastructure that provides a design of how the IS of a company relates to the businesses and processes  (Pearlson and Sanders, 2013). The architecture analyzes a great deal of the company, identifies core processes and how they work together, and then organizes how business units will interact and how IT will provide support (Pearlson and Sanders, 2013. The EA includes the Core business processes, shared data, linking/automating technologies, and customer groups (Pearlson and Sanders, 2013), with key components like the ability to do business effectively while utilizing new payment methods and mobile devices (Knor, 2011). Though an EA can help organize a company in a meaningful way, there are also potential drawbacks, which are discussed below. Zachman Framework is a tool that can be used to obtain the knowledge about itself with Enterprise architecture. It is a logical structure that classifies and organizes the descriptive representations of an enterprise (Pereira, Marques and Sousa, 2004). The framework integrates and aligns the IT infrastructure and business goals (Nogueira etc. al, 2011). Whereas an EA is used to document and develop the organizational data for American Express, the company uses the Zachman framework methodology to implement the EA. Zachman proposed the framework for IT architecture so that all of the IS architectures are depicted from top to bottom. It uses a matrix to provide a standard to ensure information environments are properly integrated (Nogueira etc. al, 2011). The 5 roles included in the framework are Planner, Owner, Designer, Builder, and Subcontractor. The EA provided several good things to the company. The EA system streamlined American Express’s processes, even as they were constantly re-analyzing how their business was being performed with the added intricacies of new delivery channels (Pearlson and Sanders, 2013). The employment of their enterprise architecture was key to adapting to this new business environment the company now found itself in. The enterprise architects worked closely with other departments and were able to both standardize applications throughout the organization and help create the strategies for each division. The Zachman framework positively assisted in the implementation by answering the questions: What (data), How (function),  Where (network), Who (people), When (time) and Why (motivation). It helped point out the information needed for the EA and their relationships (Nogueira etc. al, 2011). The strategies they helped create involved initiatives for each business, along with their IT support, that aligned well with the overall business plan of the organization. These initiatives, referred to as â€Å"road maps,† standardized their tools, architectures, governance, capabilities, and many other processes (Pearlson and Sanders, 2013). Three types of roadmaps in particular were used by American Express: Technology, reference architecture, and utility/capability. The three roads maps all used a consistent lifecycle management standard and a standardized architecture governance process. Another helpful aspect of the system included the flexibility that EA provided, which worked well with their existing architecture service-oriented architecture (SOA). SOA is an architecture type where larger software programs are broken down into services connected to each other via orchestration (Pearlson and Sanders, 2013). The services work together to form a business process, creating an agile, reusable system for creating applications. The existing software components can be modified to quickly build applications in a rapidly changing environment like the one American Express was experiencing. The enterprise architects assisted in the company’s SOA with an emphasis on reusable utilities and components (Demirkan, 2006). This system is ideal for a rapidly changing environment such as the one American Express was experiencing. Though SOA is a widely-used technology that can increase the IS’s agility, flexibility and interoperability between applications, there are also drawbacks, including the economic and personnel resources (Choi, Nazareth and Jain, 2010). SOA can reduce IT costs and increase the company’s return on IT investment, however the short-term requirements to implement SOA could outweigh long-term benefits (Choi, Nazareth and Jain, 2010). There are also some drawbacks to implementing an Enterprise Architecture,  including the cost of implementation, the risk of stakeholders’ unwillingness to accept it, and the new EA not corresponding to the business goals. When implementing SOA or EA, the entire IS organization is affected, along with the business alignment (Choi, Nazareth and Jain, 2010). Using a Zachman framework to implement the EA defined the involvement of stakeholders, as well aligning the EA goals with the business goals, which alleviated much of the risk of implementing the EA. The Zachman framework helped to avoid the risk that the architecture was not a fit for the employees and customers. In conclusion, the implementation of an EA is a complex endeavor, but was a necessary one for American Express to have the necessary tools to organize and document the whole enterprise, allowing them to quickly and efficiently change with the ever-changing business environment and customer needs. The Zachman Framework assisted in the implementation of the EA, and the company’s SOA gave it the desired agility needed to meet the customers’ needs. Recommendations My recommendation is that American Express’s continue to use the agility of their SOA to keep up with the changing environment. Their current EA was a great architecture that fit in perfectly with their business strategy. Moving forward, American Express will continue to use their highly efficient EA to meet the industry demands that they and their customers will face. The EA has worked well for them thus far, and should carry on as the ideal architecture of the firm in the near future. American Express will continue to face challenges beyond the near-term future and need re-analyze the situation prior to considering another overhaul of their current infrastructure. Many companies fail when attempting to implement an enterprise architecture. An EA will often fail if it is regarded as a separate initiative (Lohe, 2014), but American Express used it as a driver of their business and embedded it into their corporate strategy. Per the drawbacks noted above, this is a large and potentially costly undertaking. The agility of their current SOA and EA should allow the  company to adapt future challenges and they should not rush into an architecture overhaul. Furthermore, I would recommend using this system to its fullest potential by embracing the changing environment as much as possible. They can gain an edge on their competitors by focusing on mobile payments, new payment methods, and the newest innovations and technologies their clients are exposed to. The technological environment is constantly changing with new payment methods like Google Wallet and Apple Pay. Due to their EA, American Express is in prime position to accept these new methods as they develop. References Choi, J., Nazareth, D. L., & Jain, H. K. (2010). Implementing Service-Oriented Architecture in Organizations. Journal Of Management Information Systems, 26(4), 253-286. Corporate Profile. (2015, January 1). Retrieved February 22, 2015, from http://ir.americanexpress.com/CorporateProfile.aspx?iid=102700 Demirkan, H., & Goul, M. (2006). AMCIS 2006 PANEL SUMMARY: TOWARDS THE SERVICE ORIENTED ENTERPRISE VISION: BRIDGING INDUSTRY AND ACADEMICS.Communications Of The Association For Information Systems, 18546-556. Knor, E. (2011, September 19). The 2011 Enterprise Architecture Awards. Retrieved February 22, 2015, from http://www.infoworld.com/article/2619868/enterprise-architecture/enterprise-architecture-the-2011-enterprise-architecture-awards.html Là ¶he, J., & Legner, C. (2014). Overcoming implementation challenges in enterprise architecture management: a design theory for architecture-driven IT Management (ADRIMA). Information Systems & E-Business Management, 12(1), 101-137. doi:10.1007/s10257-012-0211-y Nogueira, J. M., Romero, D., Espadas, J., & Molina, A. (2013). Leveraging the Zachman framework implementation using action – research methodology – a case study: aligning the enterprise architecture and the business goals. Enterprise Information Systems, 7(1), 100-132. doi:10.1080/17517575.2012.678387 Pearlson, K. (2001). Organizational Strategy and Information Systems. In Managing and using information systems: A strategic approach. New York: J. Wiley & Sons. Pereira, C. M., & Sousa, P. (2004). A method to define an enterprise architecture using the zachman frameworkdoi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/967900.968175

External environmental influences Essay

The external environmental factors described in the following essay have a direct or indirect influence on HRM. To be effective, HR managers must monitor the environment on an ongoing basis; assess the impact of any changes; and be proactive in implementing policies and programs to deal with such challenges. Economic Environment The economic environment has a major impact on business in general and the management of human resources in particular. Economic conditions affect supply and demand for products and services, which, in turn, have a dramatic impact on the labour force by affecting the number and types of employees required, as well as an employer’s ability to pay wages and provide benefits. When the economy is healthy, companies often hire more workers as demand for products and services increases. Consequently, unemployment rates fall, there is more competition for qualified employees, and training and retention strategies increase in importance. Conversely, during a downturn, some firms reduce pay and benefits in order to retain workers. Other employers are forced to downsize, by offering attractive early retirement and early leave programs or by laying off and terminating employees. Unemployment rates rise, and employers are often overwhelmed with applicants when vacancies are advertised. In most organizations today, productivity improvement is essential for long-term success. Through productivity gains, managers can reduce costs, conserve scarce resources, and increase profits. This leads to a win-win situation, since higher profits often result in better compensation and improved working conditions, thereby enhancing the employees’ quality of work life and their motivation to further improve productivity. Australia’s relatively low productivity growth rate and high labour costs are of grave concern, since competition with foreign companies has become increasingly important. Australia’s economic success increasingly depends on the ability of Australian employers to meet international quality and  productivity standards and become more cost-competitive. This applies to firms selling products and services in the domestic market, in which foreign competition is increasingly a factor, as well as those with international markets. Labour Market Conditions The labour market is the geographic area from which an organization recruits employees and where individuals seek employment. In other words, it is the area in which the forces of supply and demand interact. The labour market is often different for various employee groups within an organization. While clerical and technical employees are generally recruited locally, the labour market for senior managers and highly specialized employees is often national or even international in scope. One measure of an organization’s effectiveness is its ability to compete successfully for high calibre human resources. Many factors motivate candidates to seek employment with a particular organization, including type of business/industry, reputation, opportunities for advancement, compensation, job security, and working conditions. Location and climate and other aspects of a firm’s physical surroundings, such as housing, commuting, and living costs, can help or hinder a firm’s ability to attract and retain employees. Recent population shifts to the coastal and small towns and rural areas can be attributed, at least in part, to the desire of many individuals to work and live in what they perceive to be a more desirable physical environment. Such shifts alter the demand for and supply of individuals in local labour markets, a factor that firms must always take into account when deciding where to establish a new venture, expand, or downsize. Because the labour market is not controlled or influenced by any one factor, it is unstructured and often unpredictable. Nevertheless, organizations must constantly monitor and track trends affecting supply and demand of human  resources. By doing so, they can gather information about the prevailing pay rates for employees with particular talents or skills, and estimate how difficult it is likely to be to attract and recruit staff. Labour market conditions should also be monitored to determine present and emerging trends (such as the changing composition of the labour force) as well as changing values and expectations, so that policies and programs can be adapted and/or designed in order to recognize and take advantage of these trends. Globalization Globalization refers to the tendency of firms to extend their sales or manufacturing to new markets abroad. For businesses everywhere, the rate of globalization in the past few years has been nothing short of phenomenal. â€Å"The bottom line is that the growing integration of the world economy into a single, huge marketplace is increasing the intensity of competition in a wide range of manufacturing and service industries.† Production is becoming globalized, too, as firms around the world put manufacturing facilities where they will be most advantageous. Also, there are increasing numbers of multinational corporations–firms that conduct a large part of business outside the country in which they are headquartered and that locate a significant percentage of their physical facilities and human resources in other countries. Many organizations are locating new plants in areas where wages and other operating costs are lower. For example, Australia’s Hewlett Packard’s computers are assembled in Singapore. While cheaper labour is one reason for transferring operations abroad, another is to tap into what Fortune magazine calls â€Å"a vast new supply of skilled labour around the world.† Many multinational firms set up manufacturing plants abroad, not only to establish beachheads in promising markets, but also to utilize that country’s professionals and engineers. This globalization of markets and manufacturing has vastly increased international competition. Throughout the world, organizations that formerly  competed only with local or national firms–from airlines to automobile makers to banks–are now facing an onslaught of foreign competitors. From boosting the productivity of a global labour force to formulating selection, training, and compensation policies for expatriate employees, managing globalization and its effects on competitiveness will thus continue to be a major HR challenge in the years to come. Demographic Trends and Increasing Work-force Diversity Demographics refers to the characteristics of the work force, which include age, sex, marital status, and education level. Demographic changes occur slowly and are well measured, which means that they are known in advance. The fact that Australia’s labour force is becoming increasingly diverse is one of the major challenges confronting HR managers today. Diversity refers to â€Å"†¦ any attribute that humans are likely to use to tell themselves, ‘that person is different from me,'† and thus includes such factors as race, gender, age, values, and cultural norms. Population Growth The single most important factor governing the size and composition of the labour force is population growth. Currently, the fastest growing groups in the Australian work force are women, visible minorities, Aboriginal people, and persons with disabilities. Age The baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1965, began crowding into the labour market in the late 1960s. The sheer number of â€Å"boomers† helped to expand the economy and made it easier for HR departments to focus on issues such as cost containment, since recruitment and selection, while important, were not the most critical problems. During the 1990s, individuals in this â€Å"population bulge† experienced a great deal of competition for advancement. This challenged managers to find new strategies for forging career paths, such as lateral moves, to keep this group motivated and satisfied. The  oldest of the baby boomers are now in their mid-fifties. Life expectancies have increased and fertility rates have declined, the average age of the population is increasing substantially. Since some baby boomers have already taken advantage of generous early retirement programs and many more will be retiring over the 25 years, pension plan and social security benefits issues are starting to present a very serious concern for employers and governments, given the smaller labour force available to support the retirees. Many organizations with a primary interest in the younger age group, such as retail establishments and fast-food chains, have already started to feel the impact of the fact that the population from which they have traditionally gained customers and part-time workers is starting to shrink dramatically. Some employers have undertaken initiatives to attract older workers, especially those who have taken early retirement, by offering job sharing and expanding the number of part-time hours available. For example, McDonald’s Restaurants of Australia is another organization that is actively recruiting seniors, as well as directing advertising efforts to appeal to the senior market. HR specialists must remember that many HR policies, benefits plans, and reward systems that attract and motivate employees in one age group may not appeal to those in another due to differing values and priorities. Education The level of education of the Australian labour force is increasing at a significant rate. more Australians are pursuing higher education, through a variety of institutions ranging from universities and colleges/TAFEs to trade schools, private-sector organizations, and professional associations.  growth in the number of cooperative-education programs, designed to enable students to gain work experience while still attending school, and of  distance-education opportunities, which mesh Internet technology with the fundamental need to continue learning. Given the higher expectations of the better-educated labour force, managers are expected to try to ensure that the talents and capabilities of employees are fully utilized and that opportunities are provided for career growth. In today’s economic climate, doing so is not always possible. Visible and Ethnic Minorities The proportion of visible and ethnic minorities entering the Australian labour market is growing, in jobs ranging from general labour to technical, professional, and skilled trades. Ethnic diversity is also increasing. Thus, HR specialists must ensure that policies and programs are developed in their organizations to accommodate and celebrate the diverse cultural characteristics of visible and ethnic minority employees, something that requires much more than ensuring compliance with human rights legislation. Women The growing presence of women has been one of the dominant trends in Australia’s labour force since the 1950s. Factors contributing to the dramatic increase in female participation rate include smaller family size, increased divorce rate, the need and desire for dual family incomes, increased educational level, and the availability of more-flexible working hours and part-time jobs. The employment rate for women has also continued to climb. Recent studies have shown that women have moved into occupations in which the unemployment rate is low, while men tend to be clustered in jobs in which the risk of unemployment is much higher.73 There is still strong evidence that women are underutilized in the Australian work force, however. Aboriginal Peoples Indigenous peoples are still facing considerable difficulty in obtaining jobs and advancing in the workplace. Persons with Disabilities Despite the fact that human rights legislation in every Australian jurisdiction prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, Australians with disabilities continue to confront physical barriers to equality every day. Inaccessibility is still the rule, not the exception. Even though studies show that there are no performance differences in terms of productivity, attendance, and average tenure between employees who classify themselves as having a disability and those who do not, persons with disabilities continue on average to experience high rates of unemployment and underemployment, and lower pay. Overall Impact of Increasing Diversity Managers must be extremely aware that related to the work-force diversity described above are significant value differences about the overall importance of work, what aspects or characteristics of a job are most important, tolerance of discipline in terms of hours and pace of work, attitudes toward authority, and definition of loyalty. Employees increasingly expect to exercise more freedom from management control, and are more demanding and questioning. More people are seeking jobs that are attuned to their personal values and provide the opportunity for them to bring their personalities to work with them,87 as well as flexible work arrangements and other programs that will enable them to balance their work and personal lives.88 Policies and practices must be adapted to embrace the diversity of the dominant values represented in an organization’s work force. Trends in the Nature of Jobs and Work Major changes have been occurring in the nature of jobs and work, in part as a response to a number of the environmental challenges already discussed. Telecommuting, is the use of microcomputers, networks, and other communications technology (such as fax machines) to perform in the home work that is traditionally done in the workplace. Many firms are using more contingent employees–defined as workers who do not have regular full-time or part-time employment status–to handle vacation and leave coverage, peak-period demands, extra workload, and specialized tasks or assignments. Included are contract workers, seasonal workers, casual and non-regular part-time employees, temporary employees, independent contractors (freelancers), consultants, and leased employees.108 Contingent workers currently account for about 12 percent of all jobs in Australia, a figure that is expected to reach 25 percent by 2010.109 There are more regular part-time employees in Australia than ever before. These are individuals who work fewer hours than fulltime core employees, typically during peak periods (such as evenings and weekends in retail stores and restaurants). Approximately 33 percent of all employed women work part-time: two-thirds of them by preference, and the other one third because they were unable to obtain full-time employment.112 The fact that part-time workers are often paid less than their full-time counterparts–and may not have benefits coverage–has raised some major equity concerns. Small businesses, classified as firms with fewer than 50 employees, whether sole proprietorships, partnerships or corporations, are a large and increasingly important part of the Australian economy. A Service Society Employment trends in Australia have been experiencing dramatic change. The primary sector, which includes agriculture, fishing and trapping, forestry, and mining, now represents only 2.8 percent of jobs. While the secondary  sector (manufacturing and construction) has grown In common with trends in Western Europe and the U.S., the sector of the Australian economy accounting for the greatest growth in recent decades is the tertiary or service sector, which includes public administration, personal and business services, finance, trade, public utilities, and transportation/communications. While much of this growth is attributable to rapid technological change (initially in the form of automation and more recently in improvements in IT), part is due to an increase in outsourcing of particular activities by primary- and secondary-sector firms to decrease costs and increase efficiency. Subcontracted functions range from building maintenance to provision of security, cafeteria management and laundry services to payroll and training and development. Since all jobs in this sector involve the provision of service, often in person but increasingly through the design, installation, and maintenance of service-providing technologies (such as automated banking machines and cable television), effectively managing and motivating human resources is critical. Although there are some lesser-skilled jobs (in housekeeping and food services, for example), many service-sector jobs demand knowledge workers, employees who transform information into a product or service, whose responsibilities include planning, problem solving, and decision making. Knowledge Work and Human Capital Management expert Peter Drucker has said that â€Å"the foundation of an organization is not money or capital or technology–it’s knowledge and education (human capital). By 2005, knowledge workers will be the single largest group in the labour force.†116 He is not alone in this belief. Many experts believe that the distinguishing characteristic of companies today and tomorrow is this growing emphasis on human capital. Jobs today in all sectors demand a level of expertise far beyond that required of most workers 20 or 30 years ago, which means that human capital is quickly replacing machines as the basis for most firms’ success. Furthermore, it is not  unusual for more than one-quarter of sales to come from products less than five years old. As a result, â€Å"innovating–creating new products, new services, and new ways of turning out goods more cheaply–has become the most urgent concern of corporations everywhere.†11 For managers, the challenge of fostering intellectual or human capital lies in the fact that knowledge workers must be managed differently than workers of previous generations. New HRM systems and skills are required to select and train such employees, encourage self-discipline, win employee commitment, and spark creativity. Apple computers is one organization that has learned how to encourage creativity and access the skills and ideas of all of its employees:118 Technology It is mainly through technological innovation that firms develop new products and services and/or improve existing ones in order to remain competitive, and gain the productivity and quality needed for competitive advantage. Manufacturing advances, such as robotics and computer-aided design / computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM), have eliminated many blue-collar jobs, replacing them with fewer but more highly skilled jobs. When robots were introduced in the automobile industry, for instance, there was a major decrease in the demand for welders and painters, but a new demand for technicians who could program, install, and service automated equipment.89 Due to computer technology, similar changes have been occurring in the nature of office work. Optical scanners, computerized x-ray scanners, and Magnetic Resonance Imagery (MRI) are technological advances that have caused major occupational changes in the medical field over the past few decades, and such advances are being made every d ay. Currently, for example, a few doctors are attempting to revolutionize heart surgery using computer assistance and robotic arms.90 The overall impact of the technological changes affecting almost every field is that labour-intensive blue-collar and clerical jobs have been decreasing, while technical, managerial, and professional jobs are on the increase. This shift in employment opportunities has many implications for organizations: jobs and organization  structures are being redesigned; new incentive and compensation plans are being instituted; revised job descriptions are being written; and new programs are being instituted for employee selection, evaluation, and training/retraining–all with the help of HR specialists. Unfortunately, the training of the Australian labour force has not kept pace with the rate of technological change and innovation. Consequently, there is a scarcity of skills in certain fields. Many Australian firms, such as Telstra, inevitably have to look outside of Australia to fill their high-tech openings, which is rather disturbing given the fact that there are currently about 1.1 million Australians seeking employment. While much of the impact of information technology has been positive, it has also led to some organizational problems. For many employees, it has created anxiety, tension, resentment, and alienation. Unions have consistently expressed concerns about job displacement and health hazards, such as those related to video display terminals. All of these issues must be addressed through effective HRM practices such as information sharing, counselling, ergonomic refitting, job redesign, and training. Information technology has also hastened what experts call the â€Å"fall of hierarchy,† or promotion of egalitarianism. Power and authority are spread more evenly among all employees. For example, with â€Å"distributed computing,† every employee with a personal computer on his or her desk can tap into the firm’s computer network and obtain needed information. Expecting employees to make more decisions has implications for selection, training, and compensation. Questions concerning data control, accuracy, right to privacy, and ethics are at the core of a growing controversy brought about by the new information technologies. Sophisticated computerized control systems are used to monitor employee speed, accuracy, and efficiency in some firms, including IBM Australia. More and more firms are also monitoring employee e-mail, voice  mail, telephone conversations, and computer usage, and some now monitor employee behaviour using video surveillance.94 Reasons for such monitoring include eliminating time wastage, deterring abuse of company resources, protecting network security, preventing misappropriation of company resources, ensuring compliance with health and safety standards and regulations and other legislation, and monitoring employee behaviour and performance. Employers considering monitoring employees should be aware that doing so may present both practical and legal problems: such monitoring may have counterproductive results such as increased job stress, decreased morale and productivity, lowered employee self-esteem, and decreased trust in and respect for the employer Setting up and maintaining a monitoring system may involve significant economic costs surveillance of employees in the workplace raises the controversial legal issue of employee privacy rights. Human Resources Information Systems Changing technology has also had major implications for HR departments. Over the past few decades, many firms introduced a Human Resources Information System (HRIS) to store detailed information on employees, HR policies and procedures, government laws and regulations, collective agreements, etc. HRIS computer applications include: salary and benefits administration; tracking statistics on absenteeism, grievances, and health and safety; collecting data for government statistical reporting and employment equity purposes; advertising jobs and recruiting candidates; and communicating with employees. Computers are now being used not only for storage, retrieval and analysis of information but for broader applications, including basic report production, long-range forecasting and strategic planning, and evaluation of HR policies and practices. Such systems can decrease time lost to comparatively non-productive work like data entry and employee scheduling, thereby providing time for HR department employees and managers throughout the firm  to focus on more strategic issues. Today, many Australian firms, are utilizing computer technology even more extensively by introducing a Human Resources Management System (HRMS), defined as an information management system accessible to staff at all levels, designed to ensure that the organization’s human resources are recruited, selected, developed, employed, deployed, and supported effectively. Functional applications include succession planning, pension plan projections and eligibility monitoring, interactive employee retirement training, and more. Self-service applications for employees and managers ensure that information reaches those who need it, with one-time data entry, less maintenance, and improved quality and accuracy. Government Various laws enacted by governments have had and will continue to have a dramatic impact on the employer-employee relationship in Australia. In one recent survey, 70 percent of the HR specialists responding cited changing regulatory requirements as a major factor altering their work environment. The legal framework for employment includes: constitutional law, particularly the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; acts of parliament; common law, which is the accumulation of judicial precedents that do not derive from specific pieces of legislation; and contract law, which governs collective agreements and individual employment contracts. Such laws impose specific requirements and constraints on management policies, procedures, and practices. Some of the employment-related legislation is aimed at prohibiting discrimination in various aspects and terms and conditions of employment, such as human rights, employment equity, and pay equity. Other laws require employers to meet certain obligations, such as occupational health and safety, employment standards, and labour relations. Still others make various payments mandatory, such as Workers’ Compensation, Employment Insurance, and the Australia Superannuation Plans. All of the laws mentioned above and their regulations have important  implications for all managers, since they must: Stay abreast of legislative developments is a major ongoing responsibility. Often, the HR department staff members play a major role in helping other managers to remain current by circulating reading material or holding seminars. Develop and administer policies and practices that ensure compliance to avoid loss of government contracts, suits by affected employees or regulatory bodies, fines, and bad publicity. Try to ensure that compliance does not interfere with the efficient and effective accomplishment of their other responsibilities. This means finding ways to comply with regulatory requirements with as little cost and disruption as possible. For example, many firms have developed manuals, videotapes, and self-administered quizzes, such that employees can study independently at home or at work during off-peak times, and submit their completed quizzes for evaluation and verification of training completion. Bibliography 1. Baron, J.N. and Kreps, D.M. (1999) ‘Consistent human resourcepractices’,California Management Review, 41(3), pp.29-53. 2. De Cieri, H. and Kramar, R. (2003) Human Resource Management in Australia; strategy, people, performance, McGraw Hill Australia. 3. Dessler, Griffiths and Lloyd-Walker (2004), Human Resource Management, 2nd ed, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W. : Prentice Hall Australia 4. Heneman, H.G, Donald P. Schwab, D.P (eds) (1978), Perspectives on personnel/human resource management, Homewood, Ill : R. D. Irwin, 1978 5. Lansbury, R.D. and M. Baird (2004) ‘Broadening the horizons of HRM: Lessons for Australia from the US experience’ Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 42(2), pp.147-155. 6. Mirabal, N. and De Young, R. (2005) ‘Downsizing as a Strategic Intervention’ Journal of American Academy of Business, 6(1), pp.39-45. 7. Nankervis A., Compton and Baird (2005) Human Resource Management: strategies and processes, 5th ed.,Thomson, Southbank, Victoria Australia 8. Stone, R. J, (2005) Human resource management, Milton, Qld.: John Wiley & Sons Australia, ch 1 9. Travaglione, A. and Marshall, V. (eds) (2000) Human Resource Strategies: An Applied Approach, Irwin/McGraw Hill, Roseville. 10. Todd, T and Crake. A, Human Resource Management 237, lecture notes (2005) 11. Young, S. (2000) ‘Outsourcing: Lessons From the Literature’ Labour and Industry, 10(3), pp.97-118.

Lost Worlds Essay

Some Americans remember where they came from; others don’t. That’s the case in Daniel Chacon’s story â€Å"The Biggest City in the World†. It is a story about Harvey Gomez who is a Mexican American young man whose grandparents migrated to the Unites States from Mexico. Harvey has only been to Mexico once in his entire life and neither of his parents has ever been there before. Therefore he doesn’t know anything about his native culture or language. In this story Harvey travels deep inside of Mexico for the first time with his Mexican history Professor David P. Rogstart and gets exposed to its culture and language. On the contrary, Carolina Hospital’s poem â€Å"Finding Home† is about Mexicans who were born in Mexico and later migrated to America. When Harvey arrives in Mexico he tries to distance himself from the country’s culture. In fact, shortly after he comes out of his hotel room the first place that he goes to is La Zona Rosa because â€Å"The expensive shops, Gucci, Polo, Yves St. Laurent, relaxed him because they reminded him of Beverly Hills† (Chacon 58). Harvey is going to places in Mexico that he is familiar with back in the United States and is not trying to explore his heritage. Perhaps this is because he doesn’t feel like he is a Mexican and that he is only an American. After all, he was born and raised in the United States by parents who have never been to Mexico themselves. Harvey eventually gets exposed to ancient Aztec monuments when he runs into Professor Rogstart who is viewing stone carvings. As Harvey decides to take a closer look at the stone carvings, he is seeing history of his heritage and begins to compare it. Gomez wondered how many Aztecs were scared into believing in their gods, like his father tried to make him believe in Jesus and the Virgin Mary† (Chacon 60). He starts thinking how the Aztecs were raised up into worshiping their gods in Mexico and how his father brought him up into believing in God in America. Harvey learns about the Spanish Conquest of Mexico and begins to ask Professor Rogstart questions. He gives him honest answers â€Å"Rogstart, feeling a professorial obligation, explained to Gomez the meaning of each panel, each symbol, giving such fine details† (Chacon 61). During the explanation, Harvey feels a sense of pride in his heritage. You can tell that Harvey now wants to learn more about his past; however, he is still struggling to accept his heritage. As Harvey continues his journey in Mexico, he repeatedly distances himself from the Mexicans. Harvey is reacting this way because he is attached to money. That will soon come to an end as Harvey himself loses all of his money. â€Å"He slipped his hand into his pocket for his roll of bills† (Chacon 63). After he realizes that he is broke, he starts to panic. Harvey’s immediate reaction is to find his money no matter what it takes, but when he does not find it, Harvey starts to feel the same way the Mexicans did when they begged him for money. This is the first time that he feels this way because he was raised in America where money is a major influence in life. When it looks like it will be the end of his journey in Mexico, he discovers it is beginning. Harvey enters a taxi and tells the driver â€Å"Take me to the Zona Rosa† (Chacon 65). During the ride, Harvey is relaxed and begins to feel like a Mexican deep in his heart. When it seems that he is going to continue his denial, he tells the driver â€Å"Take me to Chapultepec Park† (Chacon 66). The cab driver is surprised and Harvey laughs telling him that he wants to explore Mexico. Harvey finally ends the denial of his Mexican heritage and goes on to explore Mexico. The poem â€Å"Finding Home† written by Carolina Hospital tells the story of how Mexicans who come to America try to find their heritage in the United States. Like many who migrate to America, the immigrants miss their country and are concerned about losing their culture. In contrast to Harvey Gomez, this poem shows that many Mexicans in America appreciate their heritage. â€Å"I have travelled north again,/to these gray skies/and empty doorways,† (Hospital 101). This shows that they miss their native country and are concerned about forgetting their heritage. Perhaps Harvey’s grandparents thought the same thing when they first came to America from Mexico. Regardless of their arrival in America, they want to return to Mexico someday. â€Å"I must travel again soon† (Hospital 102). Despite leaving their ative land they have respect for Mexico and will visit again. After the experience that Harvey had in discovering his heritage, I am sure that he will visit Mexico again. Daniel Chacon is clearly making a statement that Mexican immigrants whose kids are born and raised in America forget their own culture. In the story Harvey Gomez is denying his heritage and was embarrassed at times to admit that he is Mexican. This is because he barely knows anything about Mexico and doesn’t even speak the language. Eventually Harvey accepts who he is and discovers his heritage throughout the story. I believe that Chacon wants to demonstrate how important it is for people to know where they come from and not to forget who they are. Carolina Hospital indicates that Mexican immigrants in America continue to appreciate their heritage. In her poem the Mexicans are not embarrassed to admit where they come from. The Mexicans embrace their heritage and plan on visiting Mexico. I believe that Hospital wants to demonstrate that Mexicans immigrants do appreciate their heritage. However the fact is that no matter where people come from they must appreciate their heritage.

United states Today Economic Situation and its Credibility around the Essay

United states Today Economic Situation and its Credibility around the world - Essay Example However, while reading the comments section of every online news report, I realized that it was not just Americans who were keeping themselves informed of the latest developments on the matter but also foreigners as well. Aside from this, I also read several news reports in which officials from other countries also expressed views on the subject. As I encountered more of such articles, I began to realize that the highs and lows of the American economy do have profound impacts on other countries. Because of this, it is only expected that they have their own views of current economic conditions of the US. It is also apparent that while the US boasts of still being the most powerful nation on Earth, the cracks on its walls have shown and grown worse through the years as its economy continues to remain in deep crisis. This can be observed by the international community who could only express negative opinions on the matter. For more than a century, the US has long held the title as a dominant global superpower. The two most compelling factors regarding this matter are its economic superiority and military strength. In the 1900s, US dominance was ostensibly challenged by the Soviet Union. It was after World War II that the contest between the two superpowers became more intense. However, the Soviet economy was not match to that of the US. Apparently, while the Soviets continued to espouse a closed-door socialist economy, America was extending it market on a global scale. I find this action not as a reflection of the benevolence or generosity of the country’s big business but simply a result of the drive to accumulate more profits from less saturated markets abroad. To some extent, the economic superiority of the US then had managed to scale down the impression that it too was trying to domin ate the world with its military strength just as the Soviets did. From my point of view, this prompted the development of the concept that economic relations with America make other nations richer too even as it is also making infractions on the sovereignty of other countries through military intervention. When a superpower lavishes a poor country with imported products, it could hardly be considered as a bully by the people. This was definitely not the case with the Soviet Union, which only focused on asserting military superiority. The current economic crisis that the US is facing has proven to be disastrous not just to the average American citizens but also to many other countries in the world. This is naturally the result of several decades of dominance also of the country in the sphere of international trade and global economy, in general. Through all those years, especially after the World War II until recently, the US is a major trading partner of a good number of economicall y more backward countries. These had established relations with the US as their largest market of raw materials and, at the same time, supplier of capital goods and other high-value added finished products. With the crisis besetting the US economy though, it has become a less attractive market from the perspective of those countries that export their raw materials to it. Apparently, the crisis has also led to slower production of capital goods and finished products in the US, while countries like China and India are showing successes in coming up with commodities that are competing with those it had been manufacturing. If I were to be the an

Dual Coding Theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dual Coding Theory - Research Paper Example Dual Coding Theory Dual coding theory emphasizes that people should not ignore the aspect of non-verbal processing of information, and concentrate on verbal processing. Today, many people rely on resources from the web for their learning requirements, and it is imperative to distinguish web sites that can benefit students and those that cannot benefit students (Jairath & Mills, 2005). The assumption of the dual coding theory is that there exist two cognitive systems in the human mind. One system specializes in the processing and representation of nonverbal objects while the other system focuses on language (Jairath & Mills, 2005). This theory has been applied in many fields of learning, which include language, problem solving and concept learning. According to Clark & Paivio (1991), dual coding theory focuses on mental processes and mental and mental structures. The mental structures are networks that are associative of imaginable and verbal representations. On the other hand, mental processes focus on the activation and development of the mental structures, including the effect of the physical and the social context in learning. Dual coding theory asserts that mental representations relate to distinct nonverbal and verbal properties, and symbolic modes of events of concrete sensorimotor, which form the basis of this theory. Any learning program should consider the verbal system, which contains auditory, visual and verbal codes that are articulate. The development of a web-based program of learning should create a comprehensive approach that captures all the essential aspects of dual coding theory.... the designers of learning programs to develop the nonverbal representation like environmental sounds, actions, visceral or skeletal expressions that symbolize emotions and images that symbolize shape. Designers of learning programs recognize that the principal purpose of learning and education is to acquire knowledge (Clark & Paivio, 1991). Knowledge is transferred to many people through tutorial lessons or private study. Private study has played a significant role in promoting the utilization of web-based research. This has called for improvement of web sources of information so that they can meet the knowledge demands of learners. Dual coding theory proceeds to provide guidelines, which facilitate program designers to ensure that the psychological mechanisms of learning from texts and web pages are designed appropriately (Khan, 2001). Learning program designers follow the avenue that education relevant knowledge is verbally represented in notes and textbooks. Further, nonverbal ima ging of information triggers a student’s ease of comprehension of text meaning. The dual coding theory in practice emphasizes that human beings have several systems that process information. Therefore, several channels of communication should be used to convey information in teaching, and in designing learning programs (Jairath & Mills, 2005). The theory informs the designers that the learning of students is influenced in a positive way by presenting illustrations and texts together. Furthermore, animations by computers provide an influential means for presenting learners with visually based information. Learning program designers imitate the idea of dual coding theory since it fosters imagery with mental images that help learners to develop sharp remembering skills. Further, program

Critically evaluate the operational activity of Singapore Airlines Essay

Critically evaluate the operational activity of Singapore Airlines - Essay Example The intention of this study is Singapore Airlines as one of the best rated airline companies operating in the globe. The highly turbulent and capital intensive industry segment generates a considerable need for organizations like Singapore airlines to ensure better operational abilities. Considering the fact that the domestic market of the nation is very small hence the airline needs to use the international route to stay in the business and maintain profitability and sustainability. Moreover the competitive price wars being introduced into the market by the advent of the low cost carriers also plays a major threat to the profitability and sustainability of companies like Singapore Airlines. Hence it is imperative for Singapore Airlines to ensure operational excellence that can help the company stay afloat in the highly turbulent and competitive business market. Singapore airlines have crafted a well structured operational strategy to maintain sustainability and retain the competitiv e edge. In this regard the company has procured new and advanced aircrafts like Boeing 777 and 747 to save on costs and generate efficiency. It is the first company to have used the world’s largest carrier for long haul flights generating greater revenue per unit spent on operations. The airline also had a good fuel hedging strategy under which the airline was the first among the major airline companies having international operations to be able to fully offset the entire quantum of price element by virtue of hedging strategies. This helped the company to save on costs in the highly volatile oil market that is characterised by heavy fluctuations and skyrocketing prices (Morrell & Swan, 2006, p.14). Singapore airlines have also used the hub and spoke model to enhance its reach to new areas. The airline has made Singapore the hub and draws passengers from neighbouring nations to its hub in smaller aircrafts. From its hub the company uses larger aircrafts like Boeing 747 and Air bus A380 to fly to far off destinations. In this way the company tries to use the international market to generate revenues. This assumes importance considering the fact that Singapore is a very small nation with a very small market and hence in order to maintain profitability and sustainability the company needs to tap the international audience. Figure 1: Operational Statistics-Singapore Airlines (Source: Singapore Airlines, 2010, p. 6) The figure shown above illustrates the operational aspects of the airline company. The figure clearly states that the carrier has generated a one percent change in the number of passengers carried with the figure at actual being 16647 (in thousands). The passenger load factor that is a measure of an airline’s usage of its capacity has also shown a slight improvement of 0.1 percentage point to 78.5 percent. However the figure is considerably impressive considering the dip in the number of passengers owing to recessionary activities in the eco nomy and the advent of low cost carriers in the market. The figure for available seat kilometres has also shown an increase by about 2.3 percent. This implies that the carrier has augmented its efficiency in using its available passenger seats. The figure for revenue passenger kilometres also shows a significant increase of 2.3 percent to 84801.3 million kilometres in the year 2010-11. This implies that Singapore Airlines has generated greater efficiency in generating revenues by flying passengers over greater distances. The measure of passenger yield has also risen by about 14.4 percent to reach figures of 11.9 cents per kilometre. This implies that the company generated greater fare as revenue flowing per mile from the passengers across various routes. The increase in the value over its previous year shows that the company

Energy Utilization in a Hand Soap Manufacturing Plant Essay

Energy Utilization in a Hand Soap Manufacturing Plant - Essay Example On the other hand, electrical energy is primarily utilized for lighting, refrigeration, generation of compressed air, and conveyance of raw materials and final products. Thermal energy could be generated from a wide array of boiler fuels, ranging from coal and firewood to diesel combustion. The main processes that utilize energy include those using thermal equipment like saponification, vacuum drying, mixing and plodding. In contrast, electric equipment constitutes air compressors, lighting system, and refrigeration plant, machines that handle material, boilers, electrical drives, and diesel generators, among others. Better understanding of energy consumption can be gained from consideration of the soap production processes individually (Wansbrough, 2013). The first process of significance is saponification. During this manufacturing phase, raw materials or fats are treated using thermal heat. The latter form of energy is usually in form of steam. Thermal treatment is conducted in pr esence of caustic soda, an alkali, resulting in formation of glycerin and soap. The thermal heat promotes reaction of raw fats with alkali forming grains of soap. Further boiling of the mixture with alkali makes it possible to create more soap grains. The resultant soap during this phase comprises of approximately 65% soap and 35% water, among other trace materials like salt and glycerin. The subsequent production stage involves soap washing. This is necessary to remove the excess glycerin and water presently in the soap mixture.

IS cyber bullying an increasing problem for young people in Australia Essay

IS cyber bullying an increasing problem for young people in Australia - Essay Example Ken Rigby explained that this so-called cyber-bullying may be considered as an extension of traditional covert forms of bullying and that this time this is achieved through the use of computers, the Internet and other electronic technology. (p. 112) It is important to underscore that even with the technological context, bullying is still the same: it occurs when a child is subjected to a steady stream of offensive and threatening acts and messages causing stress and fear and without any power to stop it. The physical separation of the bully from his victim is no longer significant particularly in terms of the frequency, scope and depth of harm being given by bullies and experienced by the victims. In a study conducted by Campbell in 2005, it was revealed that approximately 14 per cent of Australian children have been bullied, receiving distressing messages through emails, mobile phones, websites, internet forums and chat rooms. This figures are significant especially amidst the current trends characterized by the increasing rate of cyber bullying and the dangerous effects of this form of aggression as experienced by children across the globe. That is why as in other parts of the world, cyber bullying has become an issue of primary importance in Australia, particularly requiring immediate action from authorities. Mobile phones suddenly became an indispensable accessory for children students as the gadget start to offer multimedia features besides the basic calling functionality. Text messaging also contributed to its appeal among the young. This is the reason why it proved to be a tool in perpetuating bullying as bullies send text messages and mobile phone photos and videos that can be uploaded to the internet for public consumption either to offend, humiliate and hurt other children. According to Eli Cohen, when used for bullying this

Research Question Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Question - Research Paper Example Even though relationships between mothers and their children serve as a relevant source of support and protection even if they are not of the best quality, parents are not the only people who support children and help them deal with difficult life situations. Relationships between siblings and children are extremely important in the early childhood because children cannot take care after themselves and their parents ask siblings to help them by staying with the child for some short period of time. In the middle childhood siblings mediate conflicts in family relationships and become the source of protection for children. Gass, Jenkins and Dunn say that relationships between children and siblings become even more protective when there is a conflict in the marriage or parents make a decision to divorce. Overall, the article provides a deep insight into relationships between children and their relatives confirming the thesis that their relationships are of protective nature and they matt er a lot for creating supportive climate inside the

The Formation of Islamic Art and the Amalgamation of Different Literature review

The Formation of Islamic Art and the Amalgamation of Different Cultural - Literature review Example â€Å"Arts of the Islamic World† and â€Å"Islamic art† are significant phrases which refer to the various artistic traditions which have flourished since the advent of Islam across a vast geographic area ranging from southern Spain and North Africa to the islands of Southeast Asia in the late seventh century. (Arts of the Islamic World 2008). One most relevant factor about the formation of Islamic art has been the influence of the varied culture of the world on its formation. â€Å"The cultural influences ranged from Byzantine (inherited when the Ottomans made Constantinople their capital in 1453) to Italian, French, Central Asian, Persian and Arab.† (Sajoo 2001, p. 16-18). There was also important influences from Roman architectural elements, Spanish mosaic decoration, Chinese ceramics, and Iraqi calligraphic styles in North Africa under the Fatimid dynasty. One of the most important elements of Islamic art has been its architecture consisting of a unique relig ious architecture which comprises the mosque (masjid), and the madrasa and a secular architecture including palaces, caravansaries, cities and the mausoleum. The Islam from the Arabian Peninsula had no native artistic traditions, but as it began to spread politically and socially, it also absorbed and adapted indigenous art styles. â€Å"Islamic art thus developed from many sources. Roman, Early Christian, and Byzantine styles were taken over in early Islamic architecture; the influence of Sassanian art—the architecture and decorative art of pre-Islamic Persia under the Sassanids—was of paramount significance.

Long-Lasting Hostility Among Indians Towards British Rule Essay Example for Free

Long-Lasting Hostility Among Indians Towards British Rule Essay How far do Sources 10, 11 and 12 suggest that the Amritsar Massacre created widespread and long-lasting hostility among Indians towards British rule? Sources 10, 11 and 12 suggest that the Amritsar Massacre, the incident in which British troops under the order of General Dyer fired at a crowd of Indian protesters on the 13th April 1919, did create widespread and long-lasting hostility among Indians towards the British. Creating the British government to be portrayed as repressive and irresponsible. However, the alternative view presented by the sources is that Indians were not hostile towards the British, but they were in fact appreciative of their help and did not feel that they were repressive. The view of which the Amritsar Massacre did create widespread and long-lasting hostility amongst Indians towards British rule is presented in Source 11. ‘The Empire have become dishonest and unscrupulous, with no regard to the wishes of the Indian people.’ This article was written by Gandhi in 1920, which is shortly after the Amritsar Massacre, and the reliability of it is not that high as it is published in his own newspaper. Although it is still useful as Gandhi was a highly influential figure and supported by the masses so what he said would be key. Using strong words such as dishonest and unscrupulous, suggests strong feelings of hostility towards British rule. Also Gandhi feels as though the British are almost cheating the Indian people, meaning that the British are doing what they want without consulting the people they are ruling over. This source shows that the hostility felt by Indians was in fact widespread as it is written by Gandhi, a man who represented and was supported by the masses within India. This source does suggest that the Amritsar Massacre did create widespread and long-lasting hostility among Indians towards British rule. This theme of hostility towards British is also shown within Source 10, ‘Irresponsible government rights of human beings are denied to us.’ This extract is from a speech made by Motilal Nehru at the meeting of Congress a few days after the Massacre occurred. The usefulness of this is not as high as source 11 as we cannot be sure if the hostility was long-lasting as it is the same year as the Massacre itself. Although the reliability is still high Nehru was addressing the whole of Congress meaning he could not lie and also as it a few days after the Amritsar Massacre would increase the reliability as it will show the true feelings of Nehru. This extract shows that the Indians once again felt that the British were doing as they pleased without Indian voices being heard, which is also shown in source 11. However, as this source is written by Motilal Nehru, leader of the Indian National Congress, it is difficult to say from this source that hostility was in fact widespread as Nehru only represents the Indian National Congress which has the high caste community as a significant majority. Although this source does not show that the Amritsar Massacre created widespread and long-lasting hostility among Indians, however it does suggest that it was leading to this point. However, the alternative view shown within source 12 is that Indians were not hostile towards the British, but they were in fact appreciative of their help and did not feel that they were repressive. ‘Without British protection we would not be completely oppressed by their majority.’ This extract was from a Muslim shoe merchant, Hafiz Hussain, investigating Hindu-Muslim riots during the civil disobedience campaign in 1931. This extract is useful and also reliable as it is from a common Muslim who would have no reason to lie and would give an overview and insight into the situation. As Hafiz Hussain is talking about the pressure the Hindus put the Muslims under to close their shops as a mark of respect for an executed terrorist, he is glad that the British are protecting them as they would have no choice in closing their shops as the majority would oppress them into doing so. This shows that this hostility towards the British was not caused by the Amritsar Massacre but that of the execution of a terrorist. This suggests that the Amritsar Massacre was not the only reason widespread and long-lasting hostility among Indians towards British rule was created, it shows that other factors came into play. The view that the Amritsar Massacre created widespread and long-lasting hostility among Indians towards the British is shown mainly within source 11, as it is the most useful and reliable source, but also source 10 as well. Although source 12 does suggest that there were other factors leading towards the hostility among Indians towards the British its provenance is not as great as those of sources 10 and 11 combined. As source 10 is the most useful and reliable at showing the widespread and long-lasting hostility among Indians due to the Amritsar Massacre it outweigh the points given by source 12. Suggesting that that the Indian people did have widespread and long-lasting hostility towards British rule because of the Massacre.

English Composition Essay Example for Free

English Composition Essay In the aspect of writing English composition, several rules and guidelines must be followed for the aspect of clarity, clearness, and understandability. This grammar rules are established to follow a clear and concise presentation of the ideas and concepts being communicated in each composition. Included in these guidelines and rules is the use of examples and how they are used to promote the main argument in each composition. In the use of examples in the English composition, several approaches are established to guide the use of this strategy for the clearness in the composition. First, is using example in a word or phrase employing short approaches towards the presentation. The second is through sentence-length examples, which are more specific as they employ the idea along with the specific example explaining the said concept. Third is through the use of extended examples, which are commonly to be an entire paragraph for more detailed explanation and presentation. For better composition, most writer use different styles and conjoined different approaches in a single essay for more detailed explanation of the main topic. For example, in the composition of John Head entitled â€Å"The Brutal Business of Boxing†, the author was able to clearly and specifically presents his topic and ideas through the use of both single word or phrase example and sentence-length examples. In most paragraphs, the author mentioned specific words to support his topic and in the others, he used the sentence-length examples, which includes the idea and the specific argument explaining the concept. Through this approach, the author has able to present clearly his main argument and reasons about his opinions towards the brutal nature of boxing explaining why the said act should be condone not as a sport but as an uncivilized fight in the society.

Ethics Of Pre Implantation Genetic Testing Philosophy Essay

Ethics Of Pre Implantation Genetic Testing Philosophy Essay Humanity revolves around procreation. We need to reproduce in order to produce future generations. In the past few years, science and medicine has gained an immense amount of knowledge about pregnancy and the underlying developmental stages of how it works. Furthermore, science is progressively improving, resulting in our ability to diagnose, manipulate and sometimes treat genetic abnormalities. Procedures such as the pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) were developed as a means to avoid selective abortions by detecting that the embryo is free of terrible lethal genetic diseases such as Huntingtons disease. However, recently PGD has been raising some ethical questions as people began using this technology for medically unrelated and unjustified reasons. Vanity and secondary motives of patients who use PGD for the creation of designer babies and savior siblings violates the fundamental principle of morality. Using PGD for reasons other than justified genetic testing is impermissi ble because it treats the potential baby as a means not as ends in itself; therefore, it violates Kants second categorical imperative. Scientific Background PGD works through a process of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). In this procedure, multiple eggs are produced, retrieved from the ovaries and [manually] fertilized with the husbands sperm in a laboratory, outside of the female body3. As the embryos develop in vitro, embryo biopsy is performed by removing a single cell from each three day old embryo4. These cells are analyzed-by a variety of methods-for particular chromosomal or genetic abnormalities in order to distinguish which embryos are free of genetic disease. Normal, healthy embryos are then transferred into the uterus where they can grow and develop into a healthy child. Arguments Kant Immanuel Kant came up with a moral philosophy that was based on a theory of the Categorical Imperative. These are valid principles based off of the concept of duty that must be obeyed by all and are good in and of themselves. The second categorical imperative states that one should Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end and never merely as a means to an end2. In other words, one has perfect duty to not use someone as a means to achieve a personal goal. This principle of rationality formulates the core of moral law and requirements that rational agents must follow. Furthermore, each rational being has autonomy, or a free will to define their own law. However, possession of autonomy by each being implies that all persons should be treated equally, with the same amount of respect and one cannot infringe on the others rational will. The intuitive essence of humanity, therefore, objects to usin g others as a mere tool because it overlooks ones integrity and humanness. So, one cannot assert a moral right to own a person-like a piece of property-because proprietary right over a person denies any existence of a free rational action; furthermore, it denies the person a right to be an end in themselves. But, humans have value and worth; hence, they require to be respected. Each person deserves to be respected for his/her integral being (of who they are). While PGD is performed on fetuses, its use is still unjustified because fetuses are potential persons and therefore, require the same amount of respect as any other person. Furthermore, the use of PGD in creating designer babies and savior siblings violates Kants second categorical imperative. Designer Babies A very compelling argument against PGD arises out of its questionable potential use in creating perfect designer babies. The technology behind PGD would allow parents to select specific and nonessential traits (such as eye color, height, athletic ability, even intelligence) that they want their child to express. Such technology is reminiscent of the Build-a-Bear Workshop but for grown-ups. Using PGD as a means for eugenics is fallacious and unjustified in many ways, such as its violation of the second categorical imperative. Parents have abused PGD use in order to have it cater to their individual conceited expectations of creating a perfect child. They vainly pick and chose the traits they find beneficial and get rid of ones they find unhealthy or unperfect so they could satisfy their goal of not having a financially and socially burdensome child. Not only is this wrong because it discriminates against the disabled but also because it violates the core value of humanity by infringing upon the childs autonomous will by treating him/her as a means to an inappropriate end. The parents social and economic ends are being pursued while the childs ends are being neglected. In designing a child, parents destruct the childs will (in a few different ways) therefore, they fail to treat them as an end in themselves. Physically, parents annihilate certain features their child would naturally possess (not to mention the obliteration of unwanted fetuses). By doing so, parents fail to treat the child humanely. Also, al tering mental abilities of a child is deceptive and confuses their will. Hence, it overlooks the rational ability of a-potential-rational agent and his/her end in himself/herself. Finally, parents restrict their childs will by altering their whole mental and physical being and not allowing them to pursue their individual goals as they see fit4. In order for the mental and physical humanity to be treated as an end, ones will must exist. However, when parents select traits for their child, they overlook their childs dignified and humane right to be how they were naturally meant to be. They use their child as a means to reach some vain, social or economical end, therefore, violating Kants second categorical imperative. Every human being is a rational agent (even the fetus which is a potential person) and has autonomy; therefore, one should not be treated as a means to an end. Because the use of PGD allows parents to use their children as a means to an unjustified end, its use is imperm issible. Savior Siblings Another issue with using PGD rises out of its unjustified creation of savior siblings. A savior sibling is a child created by tissue typing and help of PGD in hope of providing a perfect HLA-match for the seriously sick sibling in order to save his/her life. While the engineered child does not benefit or is harmed, the implications of such procedure are morally unethical. It objectifies the child, viewing him/her as a mere commodity, disregarding the childs humane right to equality. Treating such child as a tool to cure another violates an ethical principle of treating a person as an end in himself/herself (violates the second CI) because it uses the child as a means for which to treat the unhealthy older sibling. Such applications of PGD resemble slavery, where the savior child is a slave and the parent is a slave-owner. The parent would possess a right to own the slave child affirming the child as a commodity. But a child is not an object to have possession over; the child is a per son who requires respect and possesses an autonomous will to be an end in himself/herself. Therefore, creating a slave or savior sibling would violate the categorical imperative due to the demolishment of the childs free rational action. Thus, use of PGD for the creation of savior (slave) siblings is unjustified because it strongly violates Kants second categorical imperative. Furthermore, creation of savior siblings leads to other problems. In addition to being unethical, there is a strong belief that a childs profound identity would be impaired. They would be viewed as a secondary gain, a tool solely designed for the purpose of saving another life. This impaired will of the child would lead to countless psychological problems. The mental aspect of the childs humane nature would be compromised-the child would lack self-esteem and self-rescpect-as he/she would not be praised for his/her individual value but rather as a means to a particular end. Parents, by using PGD for instrumentalization of their children, would violate the childs autonomous will and individual personal value by using them as mere means to parental ends and limit[ing] a childs right to an open future4. In sum, PGD promotes unjustified creation of designer babies and savior siblings. The use of this technology allows parents to use their children (or potential children) as a means to satisfy their parental end; therefore, neglecting the childs autonomous will to be an end in himself/herself. Thus using PGD to create designer babies and savior siblings is impermissible because it violates Kants second categorical imperative. Opposition PGD is argued to be unethical in this paper; however, others view its use acceptable and nothing more than a legitimate autonomous right of parents to produce healthy children. They believe that because parents are the most socially and economically affected by the birth of a child, then they should have the right and freedom to choose the identity of their offspring. Having a healthy child is in the parents interest because it is less socially and financially constraining and burdensome. Besides, being healthy is in the best interest of the child as well. The child would want to live a happy and healthy life, free of disease. If PGD can provide a tool for removing such lethal and stigmatizing disease form society, then it should be perfectly plausible to be able to use it. Parents have a right to choose what it best for their children and family; therefore, using PGD as a means that will allow them to select for traits they see best fit for their child would be perfectly justified. Rebuttal However, while these are plausible reasons for the use of PGD, they are not strong enough to justify its immoral applications. Every single individual-even the potential person and the disabled-has a right to autonomy. No one can or should be able to define what life is worth living; furthermore, no one can impose the quality of life of principle on another. As previously stated, we can not say that the disabled lead a good or a bad life; it is simply not for us to decide. In fact, values of good and bad are of human conception and will vary from person to person. Parents need to take responsibility, financially and mentally for their child regardless of its physical well-being. Good parent do not choose; furthermore, they do not use their child as a means to appease their interest of having a less socially and financially constraining life. Using PGD for vain reasons is never morally justified. Using PGD for medicinal reasons is appropriate; however, using it for designer babies and savior siblings violates the fundamental principle of ethics (Kants second categorical imperative) and therefore, can never be morally justified. Conclusion In conclusion, PGD has revolutionized reproduction. It has granted access into a remote realm by allowing persons to select favorable genetic characteristics of offspring before implantation. However, while its promising view of the world without suffering and disease sounds appealing, moral justifications of PGD and its policy raise many concerns. More specifically, some of the issues with the use of this technology deal with the unjustified creation of designer babies and savior siblings. These are serious issues, the implications of which can have destructive and irreversible consequences on the present and future generations. While some of the applications of PGD may be accepted; nevertheless, as of now, the risks outweigh the benefits. It is not medicines role to make one more socially accepted or be better-off. Those are not the types of standards for us to decide. Intentional destruction of potential human life is never justified. PGD runs on a dangerously thin line of potenti al medicinal benefit and playing God. It also violates Kants second categorical imperative by treating fetuses as a mere means to an end. Therefore, until clear, strictly medicinal and ethical applications of PGD are established, the use of this technology can not be justified.

The Themes of Antigone :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Themes of Antigone Antigone is credited as one of the best works of Sophocles, ranked by most modern critics above Oedipus the King. There are many aspects of Antigone that make it the play critics love to ramble about. â€Å"Antigone must be received as the canon of ancient tragedy: no tragedy of antiquity that we possess approaches it in pure idealism, or in harmony of artistic development† says one critic named Berhardy. Tragedy is usually concerned with a person of great stature, a king or nobleman, who falls because of hubris, or extreme pride and Antigone is no exception. Pride and its effects are a central part of Antigone’s plot and theme. Pride, being part of their character and morality, overran in to their literature and was a complex and multifaceted concept in Greek tragedy, exemplified by Sophocles’ Antigone. In the play both Creon and Antigone were incredibly proud and unwilling to back down once they took their stands. Creon had made a decision and was unwilling to compromise. Antigone was to die for her violation of the law, the sin of burying her brother. Antigone’s gender had a profound affect on the meaning of her actions. Creon had disliked for her disrespectful and rebelling nature. His need to defeat her was all the more pressing because she was a woman. â€Å"The ideal of the female character in Antigone is boldly and severely outlined. The freedom of Greek women was extremely limited and restrictive. Antigone’s rebellion is threatening because it upset the gender roles and hierarchy. Creon was a sympathetic character but abused his power. One of the purposes of the Chorus is to illustrate the sway of public opinion. In the end of the play, Creon is ruler over an orderly city, but he has lost everything dear to him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Closely related to the theme of gender, the theme of Inaction/Lack of Agency versus Agency plays itself out in the contrast between Antigone and her sister Ismene. Ismene chooses to do nothing under the threat of the law whereas Antigone chooses to act despite the possible penalties. Antigone and Creon are both championing what is right, but they define rightness through different sets of values. In Antigone, Creon finally recognized that he has been misguided and that his actions have led to the death of his wife and son. Antigone’s persistence in disobeying Creons decree falls under the themes of Individual verses State: Conscience versus Law: Moral or Divine Law versus Human Law.

Macbeth :: essays research papers

Two characters that have flaws that are the causes of their downfall is Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. Lady Macbeth's flaw is that she makes her husband kill king Duncan; she feels guilty after she does this, so she commits sucide. Macbeth's flaw is what leads him to kill; his ambtion and selfishness leads to his death. Lady Macbeth's flaw is that she convinces Macbeth that he isn't a man unless he goes through with the murder of Duncan. She threatens his manhood by saying "when you durst do it, then you were a man; and to be more that what you were, you would be so much more the man" (act 1, scene VII, l 49-51). After Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to kill Duncan, she feels guilty and says "here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand" (act 5, scene 1, l 35-36). Lady Macbeth becomes mentally ill; she kills herself because she feels so guilt. Macbeth's flaw is that he feels the need to prove his manhood, which eventually leads to his downfall. Macbeth was not secure in his manhood. So he feels the need to prove hinself to Lady Macbeth. After he proves he is a man by killing Duncan, he thinks he has alot of power to do whatever he wants. After Macbeth commits the crime, he feels that his soul can never be cleansed, no matter what he does. He said "They pluck out mine own eyes, will all great neptunes ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red" (act II, scene III, l 58-62). This shows that he really doesn't want to kill Duncan, but he does it in order to prove himself to Lady Macbeth, and to become the king. By the end he has ne fear, and has not only killed Duncan but also many other people such as Siward, Banquo and Macduff's family. Macbeth proves that he can be a man by killing, but in the end he can not believe that he we nt through with all that. All that he did eventually leads to the death of his love, Lady Macbeth, which is the original reason he feels the need to prove himself.

The Old Man and the Sea Essay -- essays research papers

In The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway describes an old fisherman and the unfortunate trials he faces as his "luck" runs out. Through the novel, the fisherman, Santiago, replicates Hemingway's ideal man, a noble hero. Hemingway had a Code of Behavior that he himself followed. He had morals that were strict and an appreciation for instinct and human nature. He had a specific way of living life and an understanding of time. He believed in taking risks and acting upon instinct. He believed that a person who followed his Code of Behavior was a noble hero. In Hemingway's Code of Behavior, a noble hero is a master craftsman. This means that he is not dependent on other people or on technology. It also means that he is a master at his art and he keeps practicing it in order to better himself. The second characteristic of a noble hero is that he struggles in order to remain undefeated. This means that he does anything possible to reach his goal. He struggles and suffers in order to perfect his art and therefore, himself, "No matter what kind of suffering and trial he has to go Kapadia 2 through he has to fulfill his destiny†¦"(Harada 270). The third characteristic of Hemingway's noble hero is that he accepts defeat. Once he is defeated, once he can better himself no more, he should stop trying because, "He lives in time. And the goal of time is death and destruction"(Harada 276). He should accept that he is no longer useful and that he has been defeated. These three characteristics define Hemingway's ideal man. In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago exemplifies Hemingway's Code of Behavior for a noble hero. In the novel, Santiago is a master craftsman. He is only dependent on himself. While the other fishermen use motor boats, Santiago uses his skiff. While the other men have many workers and helpers who hold several lines, Santiago has three lines all operated by his own hand. He is an expert, "†¦the old man goes much farther out than the other fishermen and casts bait in much deeper water"(Gurko 66). Because he knows the waters and the movements of the fish, he has a better chance of catching the fish. Although he is taking a greater risk by going out deeper, he has a better chance of catching the bigger fish. Another thing that makes Santiago a master craftsman is his experience. He has bee... ... craft to the task Kapadia 5 of playing the fish well"(Rovit 86). He knows tricks and occupies himself with bettering his ability to fish. He struggles and suffers in order to stay undefeated. He beats all odds and fights all battles with the thought that he can and will win. And so he does. He goes far out and acts on what he thinks is right. He does not fear his actions nor does he regret them. He fights every battle as if it is his last and therefore comes out on top. Third, he accepts defeat. This is the most honorable characteristic. No matter how hard he has fought, once it is over, he does not look back wishing he could have acted differently. He accepts his mistakes and recognizes that, "He has overstepped the boundary of man's finite and limited nature"(Harada 275). He went out too far and this is what he gets. In these ways he is much like Hemingway, a noble hero. His actions and the consequences of them are easily notable and should not be look down upon. In the long run, Santiago answered his calling, fought his battles, and when he was finally defeated by his own pride, he recognized it and accepted it. This makes Santiago a noble hero.

Sociology Interactive Quiz #1

Sociology Quiz #1: The Sociological Imagination 1. Which of the following is the BEST example of something that sociologists might study? – How wireless technology has enabled people in developing countries to communicate beyond their local communities. 2. Anything that humans create or take notice of, that exerts influence or pressure on their behavior is termed a social force . Which of these is the BEST application of the concept, â€Å"sociological imagination†? – understanding the technology of cellular phones The sociologist who first identified â€Å"social facts† as the subject of sociology was Emile Durkheim .Things like norms for using cell phones, the cost of education, types of jobs that are the most available, and the fact that English is the dominant language spoken in the U. S. may seem very different from each other. But one thing they have in common is that Durkheim would consider all of them social facts. Peter Berger describes the  "miracle of love† as being â€Å"somewhat synthetic. † What does he mean by this? – The process of finding a romantic partner is largely directed by social forces, as opposed to being purely individualistic. Which sociologist was the first to make the distinction between troubles and issues?C. Wright Mills A trouble is caused by a person's personal difficulties or shortcomings. Mills called the ability to see the connection between personal circumstances and the social and historical context, or outside forces, the sociological imagination. Which of the following BEST describes the relationship between the individual and society? Individual troubles occur within and shaped by a particular historical and social context. The transition from muscle-driven, labor-intensive systems of production to mechanization and the use of power sources such as coal and water is called the Industrial Revolution.  Read also  Sociology and Social Integration.The period of rapid industrialization and colonial expansion that followed the Industrial Revolution is called the Age of Imperialism. The term â€Å"sociology† was first invented by Auguste Comte, who defined the new discipline as a positivist science that studies the results of the human intellect. According to Comte's â€Å"Law of Three Stages,† society develops in three stages. The last, and superior stage, according to Comte, was based on using direct observation and the scientific method to understand the world. 15. Karl Marx was most interested in the effects of capitalism upon society.According to Marx, the primary cause of change in society is conflict. According to Emile Durkheim, the sociologist's task is to analyze and explain solidarity within society. Durkheim explained rates of suicide in terms of social ties instead of an individual's emotional state. An anomic state is one in which individual ties to the group are disrupted by a dramatic change in circumstances. Weber def ined social action that is pursued because it was pursued in the past as traditional. According the Max Weber, the sociologist's task is to analyze and explain – the reasons for, and the consequences of, social actions.A woman finds a wallet that contains a driver's license, in addition to hundreds of dollars. Despite the fact that she is experiencing serious financial difficulties, the woman returns the wallet and all of the money. Weber would define returning the wallet as value-rational action. According to W. E. B. DuBois, the â€Å"strange meaning of being black† in America includes double consciousness , which he defined as the â€Å"sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of the others and measuring one's self by the tape of the world. â€Å"In order to better understand how mobile phone technology impacts the culture of a Native American group, a group of sociology students arranges to live several months on a reservation, and participate in th e community life of the Native American group. Which classical sociologists would be most likely to have suggested this strategy for conducting research? Jane Addams 25. The continuing extension of social relationships across borders, so that goods, services, money, people, technology and information all flow throughout the world, is referred to as globalization.

Refer to Poem 327 “Before I got my eye put out” Essay

Dickinson is able to so effectively present the importance of sight because in 1864, she spent seven months in Boston undergoing eye treatment. In Poem 327, she appears to be reflecting on this experience, as well as exploring further possibilities, hence the use of the conditional tense. This is undoubtedly a poem of praise for vision, yet this is balanced by the solitary nature of the poem which creates a sense of pathos. Whilst traditionally women’s poetry was considered to be more polite, this is definitely not true of this poem, which uses raw, visceral imagery to emphasise the importance and power of sight. Dickinson establishes three distinctive parts to the narrative; before the narrator ‘got [her] eye put out’; after the event and the possibility of her regaining her sight in the future. Dickinson refers to the narrator’s loss of sight as her having her ‘eye put out’. The aloof expression with which she relates such a critical event immediately excites the reader’s attention. Pathos is created with the narrator mourning for her loss and reminiscing about times when she ‘liked†¦to see’. Furthermore, by capitalising ‘Eyes’, Dickinson emphasises the word and portrays the ideal quality that eyes now possess for the narrator. The reader is able to appreciate that the narrator has needed to find a way to cope without sight; she is no longer one of the ‘other Creatures, that have Eyes/ And know no other way-‘. Through blindness, the narrator has been forced to develop her imagination. The strength of her imagination is portrayed as something which is, perhaps, better than ‘finite eyes’ and it appears that the narrator has almost been enlightened since losing her sight. Dickinson conjures up intense, eidetic images of ‘Meadows†¦Mountains†¦Forests†¦Stars’. In the final stanza, Dickinson equates the mind’s eye with the imagination and ‘[her] soul’, implying that sight is affected by our thoughts and pre-conceptions. She also suggests that people need to look out through ‘the Window pane’ and perceive what is outside the limitations of their own body. This is possibly something the narrator is able to do now that her mind is no longer affected by her sight. Sight holds such great importance for the narrator that it is bound up with a wide range of emotions. When the narrator is first presented with the  possibility of regaining her sight, she declares ‘my Heart/ Would split, for size of me’. The forced cesura makes the reader pause, and the exclamatory quality of the syntax reflects the ‘split’ and its release of energy and bountiful emotions. The repetition of ‘mine’ suggests the narrator’s hunger for ownership of the images. If she owned them, she would be able to satisfy her need by looking at them whenever she desired. In the penultimate stanza, Dickinson uses dashes to isolate ‘to look at when I like’. This is the climax of the poem and the isolation of this phrase highlights the magnificent phenomenon of sight. The narrator expresses her resignation to a life without sight ‘So safer – guess†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. However the narrator does also seem to be aware of t he benefits of remaining blind because whilst sight is presented as being incredible, it is also presented as dangerous ‘Where other Creatures put their eyes- / Incautious – of the Sun’. The poem describes a very solitary experience, about the narrator in commune with some higher power. The narrator’s Romanticism is illuminated by her passion for and desire to hold on to the minutiae of the beauty of nature. This is evident from her description of ‘The Motions of the Dipping Birds’ and ‘The Morning’s Amber Road-‘. The use of capital letters highlights the significance these images hold for the narrator and the detailed descriptions demonstrate that her mind’s eye can contain finer details alongside the vastness of the large features of nature, such as ‘Meadows’ and ‘Mountains’. Dickinson uses hyperbolae ‘my Heart/ Would split’; ‘The News would strike me dead’ to portray the intensity of the narrator’s emotional experience. One of Dickinson’s contemporaries, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, employs a similar hyperbolic technique to demonstrate her passions ‘How do I love thee? Let me count the ways’. This is not the only parallel which can be drawn between the two poets; both show a similar confidence in being able to discuss the soul through poetry. Browning says ‘My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight’, while for Dickinson, the issue of the soul appears not just in this poem, but is several others too, such as Poem 280 and Poem 309. The way in which Dickinson sets out the stanzas in this poem seems to reflect the narrator’s response to losing her sight, through the way it builds and  intensifies emotion. From something quite ordinary like ‘other Creatures’ in the first stanza, the emotional intensity rises in the second stanza, continues to do so in the third stanza and climaxes in the fourth, before falling in the fifth, in reflection of her resignation. The more frequent use of dashes as the poem progresses act to punctuate and emphasise what the narrator is saying and also indicate the build up of emotion. The isolation and repetition of ‘mine’ in the third and fourth stanzas illustrates the tension and selfish nature of the narrator. The poem climaxes in terms of intensity in the fourth stanza and Dickinson then brings the intensity down to safer levels, which is highlighted by her use of the word ‘safer’ in the first line of the final stanza. The repetition of ‘other Creatures’ provides balance to the poem. The symmetry is strengthened as a result of the similar emotional tones in the first and fifth stanzas. This could be reflective of the symmetry and balance of nature, of which Dickinson has shown herself to be exquisitely aware. Through her different poems, Dickinson has shown her remarkable ability to sympathise with the varied challenges that people experience in their lives. It is this ability that makes her poetry as a whole so vivid and emotional. Her skilful use of syntax, hyperbolae and imagery conveys the power and importance of sight Bibliography McNeil, Helen ed., Emily Dickinson: Everyman’s Poetry, Orion Publishing Group, 1997Merriman, C.D., Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) URL: http://www.online-literature.com [17 January 2007]