To What Extent Did Alexander Ii Deserve His Title of the...

Does Alexander II truly deserve the title of liberator? To liberate is to set free (a group or individual) from legal, social or political restrictions. There is evidence to suggest that he disliked serfdom. Even his father, Nicholas I, believed that serfdom was an â€Å"evil palpable to all,† and Alexander II was certainly even more liberally educated than his father. His arguably most fundamental reform was the emancipation of serfdom in 1861. As he said, â€Å"It is best to abolish serfdom from above than to wait until it abolishes itself from below†. This quote demonstrates his realization that reform was needed. Many saw serfdom as Russias biggest handicap in development into a new modern era, to be the equal of other European powers. There†¦show more content†¦Milyutin’s reforms made the army more civilized and efficient-the army was made to be more accommodating for the soldiers with the army methods being made more humane. This meant that training was made more relaxed and corporal punishment was banned. Shorter services meant that the army was no longer seen as a prison life sentence. The success of the reform was due to the efforts of Dmitri Milyutin, not Alexander II, but overall successful nonetheless. Furthermore, the success of the reform was not measured in the number of victories in battle, but the way in whic h it introduced a sense of professionalism and discipline in soldiers. This gave birth to modern military strategies and more effective combat tactics. In 1864, Alexander introduced a modern western-style judicial system based on the French system that was aimed to be â€Å"equal to all our subjects.† The salaries of judges were also increased, making them less likely to accept bribes, thus decreasing corruption. Further reforms included the opening of courts to the public, which drastically increased freedom of expression and opportunities of careers in law. As historian Hugh Seton-Watson argues, â€Å"the court-room was the one place in Russia where real freedom of speech prevailed.† However, the success of these reforms can be questioned as the police of the Third Section could arrest people on demand and political and military cases were soon

Analysis Of Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five Essay

Natalie Lubben December 5, 2016 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Draft Slaughterhouse-five War is a virus, a plagues our world and has experienced since the early ages of time. Once a war is cured a new strain begins stronger and more unforgiving as the last. Humans are creatures of habit which continue the violence. Kurt Vonnegut’s novel, slaughterhouse-five, is a deliberate and well developed statement against war as expressed through the tone, rhetoric, and characters, making anti war a prominent theme through the entirety of the novel. Slaughterhouse-five advocates for the prevention of war and all the terrible consequences that follow. Kurt Vonnegut s seemingly parallel relationship with the main character of the novel, Billy Pilgrim, and the parallels of other characters to real life individual paints a more vivid and real wickedness to war. â€Å"All this happened, more or less. The war parts, anyway, are pretty much true† (1). In the first line of the novel Vonnegut declares his credibility. In 1944, Kurt Vonnegut served in Europe and fought in t he Battle of the Bulge. After this battle, Vonnegut was captured and became a prisoner of war. He was in Dresden, Germany, during the Allied firebombing of the city and saw the complete devastation caused by it. Vonnegut himself escaped harm only because he, along with other POWs (prisoners of war), were working in an underground meat locker making vitamin supplements. Similarly Billy Pilgrim, the main character ofShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five 1453 Words   |  6 Pagesbut the main traits of post-modernism are embracing skepticism and overturning conventions. With this in mind, Kurt Vonnegut explores war drawing parallels from his own past experience and depicts it through his character Billy Pilgrim allowing the reader to see the dichotomy in reality and fiction, separating his novel from the normal layout of a linear novel. Also, Slaughterhouse-Five discusses the controversial military action as a post-modern novel, as it brings many perspective s to the bombingRead MoreAnalysis Of Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five 1634 Words   |  7 PagesKurt Vonnegut once said, â€Å"So it goes† to describe the unavoidableness of fate. This aspect of seeing terrible things and being able to continue on would become a main theme in his novels. Vonnegut, as an author, received his essential voice by writing about his own experiences, using what would become his signature pessimistic yet humanist view. Vonnegut is described by Lindsay Clark as, â€Å"Worse than a pessimist†¦ he is an eternal optimist doomed to disappointment† (Clark, â€Å"Viewing Four Vonnegut NovelsRead MoreAnalysis Of Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five1134 Words   |  5 Pagesmoment, but that the same person is just fine in plenty of other moments. Now, when I myself hear that somebody is dead, I simply shrug and say what the Tralfamadorians say about dead people, which is so it goes. This quote, from Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse-five, has always stuck with me. Looking at the world through a softly tinted glass can brighten the edges. All the difficult and low stretches of life could be such a small fraction, if we would look at things from perspectives other thanRead MoreKurt Vonnegut : A Hybrid Of Science Fiction And Satire1716 Words   |  7 PagesLeanne Arata English 11 Mrs. Wheeler 5/8/2016 Kurt Vonnegut The idea of making a work that does not fit into a single category of work is how Kurt Vonnegut has become such a phenomenon. Kurt Vonnegut has a hybrid writing style which allows him to critique human nature and this is evident in his work. A hybrid writer is someone who makes something by combining two different genres to create something new. Vonnegut’s work is a hybrid of science fiction and satire. Satire is an author’s way of sayingRead MoreKurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse-Five Essay1311 Words   |  6 PagesI. Author- Kurt Vonnegut’s background had an endless influence upon his writing. In his early years, Vonnegut was a private in the 106th infantry division in World War II. He and five scouts were caught behind enemy lines, and then captured. They were held POWs and were beaten on various occasions. In 1945, they witnessed the fire-bombing of Dresden, Germany. Kept during this time in a slaughterhouse, this is part of the inspiration for Slaughterhouse-five. After being released from the SlaughterhouseRead MorePoststructuralist Analysis Of Slaughterhouse-Five. Poststructuralism1603 Words   |  7 PagesPoststructuralist Analysis of Slaughterhouse-Five Poststructuralism is a form of psychoanalytic theory. It is the study of the natural development of the psyche to structure. In this critical analysis, Lacanianism will be the focus. â€Å" Lacan’s psychoanalytic work is often evoked to explain how power works, why the individual - the subject - is so extraordinarily susceptible to power† (Bertens, 161). What this form of poststructuralist psychoanalysis can do is explain someone’s behavior by deconstructingRead MoreEpicac by Kurt Vonnegut897 Words   |  4 PagesEPICAC is a short story which is written by Kurt Vonnegut and published in his book  ¨Welcome to the Monkey House ¨ (1968). This book is a collection of short stories with different themes from war-time epics to futuristic thrillers. This story was first published before in 1950 for Colliers Weekly. Kurt Vonnegut (1992-2007) is considered one of the most influential American novelists of the twentieth century. Some of his most importantRead MoreThe Mom2180 Words   |  9 Pages | |Author(s): Wilson |Date Created / Revised: 4-06-2010 | |Six Weeks Period: 6th |Grade Level Course: English III AP | |Timeline:   25 Days |Lesson Unit Title:  Slaughterhouse Five/AP Test Blitz Read MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper, By Charlotte Perkins Gilman2534 Words   |  11 Pagescertain that Gilman’s own experiences of mental health problems and subsequent inadequate attempts at treatment provided the mainstay of her inspiration for the novel. In her autobiography Gilman stated that the real purpose of the story was to reach Dr. S. Weir Mitchell [her doctor], and convince him of the error of his ways’. Gilman’s use of such a forwardly unreliable narrator was not ground-breaking, the technique has been utilised by authors from Chaucer to Sterne. Yet Gilman’s choice utilisationRead MoreAnalysis Of The Limerence Of Martha 1170 Words   |  5 Pagesmortal. Many war writers who have seen action follow that same trend, especially if they have been on active duty. Kurt Vonnegut has been renowned for his stor y Slaughterhouse 5 where he tells of a first-person tale about the Dresden firebombing. The Things They Carried and Slaughterhouse Five both carrying the tone of humping life on your shoulders. It is routine survival from Vonnegut s quote â€Å"so it goes,† and Tim O’Brien’s quote â€Å"determined by necessity.† These books are raw, untainted passion.

Performance Measurement free essay sample

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www. emeraldinsight. com/0263-7472. htm Performance measurement in facilities management: driving innovation? Michael Pitt and Matthew Tucker School of the Built Environment, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK Abstract Purpose – This paper aims to examine the state of knowledge of performance measurement in facilities management, in particular regarding the concepts underlying benchmarking in relation to its ability to drive innovation in the industry. Design/methodology/approach – An evaluation of the key issues surrounding performance measurement and the effective application of benchmarking systems are examined, exploring the possibility of applying a benchmarking technique to measure facilities performance. Findings – The paper suggests that a fully developed performance measurement solution via effective benchmarking can deliver as a business tool in facilities management (FM), whilst acting as a driver in the innovation process. Practical implications – With the nature of performance measurement having changed over the past few decades, the paper acts as a catalyst to how performance measurement systems and techniques operate within FM and stimulate innovation. Originality/value – By adopting the notion of innovation to performance measurement, the paper highlights new areas of thought to facilities management and how performance measurement is strategically applied to the industry. Keywords Performance measures, Benchmarking, Facilities, Innovation Paper type Research paper Performance measurement in FM 241 Received October 2005 Revised August 2007 Accepted May 2008 Introduction Performance measurement is an area to which companies have paid much attention recently. Performance is regarded as a major competitive issue (Tran? eld and Akhaghi, 1995). In facilities management (FM), there is a wide range of choices in measuring FM performance, re? ecting the varied nature of the ? eld. The focus on FM skills and techniques should be in the areas that contribute to the overall management of a business, ? nancial and ersonal criteria (Barrett, 1992). This paper aims to review the state of knowledge of performance measurement in FM and seeks to explore how measuring service performance is linked to innovation processes within the organisation. Benchmarking is a key performance measurement tool that allows organisations to achieve added value and â€Å"superior performance† (Camp, 1989). The discussion focuses on the proposition of adopting benchmarking techniques in measuring facilities performance, driving a framework of an FM performance measurement solution. It is important to stress however that by researching such an approach, with the emphasis on benchmarking, it does not contend that benchmarking should be the only performance instrument implemented to organisational performance measurement Property Management Vol. 26 No. 4, 2008 pp. 241-254 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0263-7472 DOI 10. 1108/02637470810894885 PM 26,4 systems. It merely identi? es the importance of benchmarking as a stimulant to achieving innovation in performance measurement. Facilities management overview FM is a relatively new discipline. It has developed since around 1978 where the Herman Miller Corporation, the worlds leading furniture manufacturer, staged a conference on â€Å"Facilities Impact on Productivity†. This might be seen as the beginning of FM. FM as a discipline emerged out of practice, just as the great established professions. It emerged with the integration of three main strands of activity: property management, property operations and maintenance and of? ce administration (Kincaid, 1994). More signi? antly it established a focus on the management and delivery of the business â€Å"outputs† of both of these entities; namely the productive use of building assets as workplaces (Varcoe, 2000). The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) adopt the following de? nition, â€Å"the practise of coordinating the physical workplace with the people and work of th e organisation: it integrates the principles of business administration/architecture/behaviour/ engineering science† (US Library of Congress). FM can be de? ned as the integration and alignment of the non-core ervices, including those relating to premises, required to operate and maintain a business to fully support the core objectives of the organisation. Over the years, FM has been growing as a business ? eld and also as a scienti? c discipline, slowly ? nding and anchoring its position among organisations’ business processes. Nowadays, the dedication of FM organisations to new developments and continuous innovation processes seems to be the way to stay in business, constantly exceeding customers’ expectations and adding value to the core business of the client organisation (Mudrak et al. , 2004). Performance measurement principles and revolution The traditional view determined by Teague and Eilon (1973) of performance measurement is that it has three broad purposes: (1) to ensure the achievement of goals and objectives; (2) to evaluate, control and improve procedures and processes; and (3) to compare and assess the performance of different organisations, teams and individuals. An early attempt at developing ? nancial measures was made by Du Pont (Walters, 1997). Du Pont is widely acknowledged as being the founder of ? nancial performance measurement, by introducing a pyramid of ? ancial ratios as early as 1903. However, in the late 1970s and 1980s, numerous authors expressed a general dissatisfaction with traditional backward looking or lag accounting based performance measurement systems. In the 1990s, attention on performance measurement shifted to quality and consumer satisfaction. A broader conceptualisation of business performance emerged, as the emphasis on operational performance (i. e. non-? nancial performance) was added to indicators to measure business performance (Venkatraman and Ramanujam, 1986). 42 Traditionally the use of ? nancial indicators has determined the way in which businesses operate – if the cost is low, and the pro? t is high then they are happy. With the considerable in? uence of the changing business marketplace however, this philosophy is no longer sustainable, and the emergence of non-? nancial or qualitative indicators, speci? cally focused on process, structure and change, instead of traditional cost, pro? t, and output, has drastically changed the way in which businesses perceive performance. Drucker (1993) described traditional measures as not adequate for business evaluation and fail to meet new business needs as they are lagging indicators. By this, they mean that traditional indicators are not able to provide real time performance, they are always set on past periods. This was reiterated by Varcoe (1996) terming traditional indicators as being â€Å"past their sell by date†. Kaplan and Norton (1996) contended that â€Å"companies were in the midst of a revolutionary transformation† as they shifted from industrial age competition to information age competition. By this, they urged that it was no longer feasible to gain â€Å"competitive advantage† within business merely through the deployment of new technology (Kaplan and Norton, 1996). To this, a shift has occurred, as Kaplan and Norton (2001) claim that ? nancial measures are historical in nature, they report only on outcomes and the consequences of past actions. Amartunga and Baldry (2003) summarised the views advanced in the debate on traditional performance measurement as follows: . Criticism of traditional management control (Brown and Laverick, 1994; Stone, 1996; Letza, 1996; Rangone, 1997; Neely, 1998). Need to represent non-? nancial measures (Olve et al. , 1999; Ernst Young, 1998). . Lack of prescription on how to implement the measures (Olve et al. , 1999; McFadzean, 1995). . Lack of strategic focus (Hally, 1994). The debate and the criticism on traditional performance measurement show that ? nancial performance measures are not a solution to the measurement of business p erformance. Therefore the principles of performance measurement become revolution, as contemporary ideas and practices of how to strategically measure business performance change. For Nani et al. (1990) performance measurement systems were developed as a means of monitoring and maintaining organisational control: Organisational control may be de? ned as the process of ensuring that an organisation pursues strategies that lead to the achievement of overall goals and objectives. Performance measurement in FM 243 Hronec’s (1993) work emphasises this, de? ning performance measures as a vital sign of the organisation, showing how well activities within a process or the outputs of a process achieve a speci? c goal. According to Zairi (1994) performance measurement is the systematic assignment of a number of activities. Kanter (1995) claims that in today’s dynamic business environment the emphasis has shifted to the â€Å"three C’s† – concepts, competence, and connections, which drives from investments in innovation, education and collaboration. As cited in Wilson (2000), the roles of performance measurement have been intertwined with the premise that organisations achieve PM 26,4 244 success (meet their objectives) by delivering services with greater ef? ciency and effectiveness than their competitors (Ghobadian and Ashworth, 1994). Further themes emerging in contemporary academic literature that relate to adding value to performance measurement systems have been determined and analysed by Wilson (2000). The themes are: . Measurement for improvement, which states that measurement systems are service functions and only have the right to exist if they add value to the organisation (Van Schalkwyk, 1998). . The integration of broad measures, which see the challenge for performance measurement systems as being the ability to balance multiple measures (i. e. cost, quality and time) across multiple levels (i. e. he organisation, the process and the people) (Hronec, 1993). . Clear communication and dissemination, where, if information is poorly presented, it may be misunderstood, poorly assimilated or at the extreme completely ignored (Harvey, 1984). Research by Amartunga and Baldry (2003) described performance measurement as a process of assessing progress towards achieving pre-determined goals, including information o n the ef? ciency by which resources are transformed into goods and services, the quality of these outputs and outcomes, and the effectiveness of organisational objectives. Therefore, the basic foundations of performance measurement are the quali? cations of elements, which impact on organisational objectives, management control and evaluation. Fitzgerald et al. (1991) examined performance measurement in service businesses. They highlighted the complexity of measuring performance within the service sector, as opposed to that of the manufacturing sector, as services are intangible in nature. For example, Fitzgerald et al. (1991) talk about air travel where there are many intangible factors such as the helpfulness of the cabin crew, but also more tangible factors, such as the measure of luggage with passengers. Fitzgerald et al. (1991) contended therefore that â€Å"a range of measures† is required, which act as a â€Å"contingency theory† to the uniqueness of performance measurement within the service sector. Fitzgerald et al. (1991) stressed however that the selection of a range of performance measures should be made according to the strategic intentions of the organisation. What this means in essence is that measures should have a balance so that one dimension is not dominating the performance system and consequently skewing the strategic goals of the organisation. Facilities performance and innovation The objectives and roles of performance measurement to achieve organisation goals have been expounded as FM is growing and enhancing into this business. However, as business performance becomes revolution, the need for learning, growth, and innovation becomes crucial. There are as many de? nitions of innovation as there are of FM. Innovation can be de? ned as a continuous process of bringing new ideas into practical uses (Tidd et al. , 2001). A broad de? nition as cited in Mudrak et al. 2004) is that innovation is: a management process, involving multiple activities, performed by multiple actors from one or several organisations, during which new combinations of means and/or ends, which are new for creating and/or adopting a unit, are developed and/or produced and/or implemented and/or transferred to old and/or new market-partners. Performance measurement in FM 245 According to Tidd et al. (2001) the innovation processes in product and service de velopment are similar in principle; however, they vary in speci? routines and activities performed, by which the innovation processes are enabled. One of the more common debates concerning the de? nition of innovation asks whether innovation should be regarded as a process or a discrete event (Cooper, 1998). Either a process or discrete event, innovation is a synergised element to organisation growth and competition in the market. According to Cooper (1998) understanding of learning processes is a key requirement for the facilitation and optimisation of improvement and innovation in business processes. By understanding and optimising learning processes, managers in organisations will be able to achieve behavioural change leading to performance measurement. With respect to performance measurement and the innovation process in organisations’ it shows that performance measurement is the driver. Buckler (1998) explained the link between learning and performance improvement and stated that by understanding and optimising learning process, managers will be able to achieve behaviour change leading to performance improvement (Figure 1). Therefore the growth in performance measurement within the FM discipline seems to relate and directly impact on the organisations performance and actual innovation of that performance. Facilities performance measurement The focus of facilities management skills and techniques should be in the area that contributes to the overall management of a business by relating accommodation and support infrastructure issues to business, ? nancial and personal criteria (Barrett, 1992). Therefore the issue of measuring facility performance is a critical task to the facilities manager. However, why should FM organisations want to measure performance? From a classical management perspective there is a need to assess performance in order to guide management decision-making, and as FM is a subset of general management, performance measurement applies to management in the FM context (Amaratunga et al. , 2000). Further, performance measurement is a driver to an innovation process in an organisation. Alexander (1996) identi? es measurement of performance as one of the â€Å"three essential issues for the effective implementation of a facilities strategy†. Thus Figure 1. The link between learning and performance improvement PM 26,4 246 performance measurement has become increasingly important both for reasons of justi? cation to general management and to support management and practise within FM organisations. The measurement of facilities has three main components, namely, physical, functional, and ? nancial (Williams, 1996). Physical performance relates to the behaviour of the building fabric and embraces physical properties such as structural integrity, heating, lighting, energy ef? ciency, maintainability, and durability. Functional performance concerns the relationship of the building with its occupiers and embraces issues such as space, layout, ergonomics, image, ambience, communication, health and safety, and ? exibility. Finally, ? nancial performance arises from the physical and functional performances of the building and comprises capital and recurrent (life-cycle) expenditures, depreciation and ef? ciency of use etc. According to Amartunga and Baldry (2003), the contribution made by FM will be judged by organisations’ stakeholders over a wide range of performance criteria, including the hard metrics of ? ance and economics. FM is seen to be able to contribute to the performance of an organisation in many ways, including strategy, culture, control of resources, service delivery, supply chain management, and perhaps most importantly, the management of change. Quality, value and the management of risk also emerge as signi? cant factors. Thus it is important to have systems to measure the ef fect of the FM functions on an organisations core business, together with systems to measure FM’s own performance. There is a wide range of choices in measuring FM performance re? ecting the varied nature of the ? eld, and is regarded as a major competitive issue (Kincaid, 1994). Facilities managers must understand the nature and the business of the organisation and their work process in order to derive the effective and ef? cient measurement tools. Besides this, the facilities manager may also have to clarify the purposes of measurement before deciding on the technique to be applied for assessing facilities management performance. Measuring facilities performance: a practical insight The key determinant in achieving effective performance measurement is to view FM strategically, where FM is aligned to support the core objectives of the organisation. To exemplify how this may operate practically, let us take one element of FM, the reception service. The reception service is at the front-line of the business. Often it is the ? rst service that the customer comes in contact with, and consequently has a signi? cant impact on their initial perception of the organisation. One could assume therefore that the most ef? ient method to measure the performance of the reception service is through customer satisfaction indicators. However, is this comparable for all organisations? Here is where FM performance measurement must be viewed from a strategic context. This can be further exempli? ed by comparing three different organisations delivering a reception service. Firstly, the reception service within a telecommunications of? ce. Primarily, the core business objectives within the telecommunications industry are centred on the customer through the delivery of a product. All business operations must meet the needs of the customer in order to generate mass customer satisfaction and stimulate market sales. Hence, when measuring the ef? ciency of the reception service within a telecommunications of? ce, the primary indicators will be focussed on customer satisfaction, such as the helpfulness of staff, the ability of staff to deal with a query, and the comfort of the waiting area. Second, the reception service within an international bank. Again, primarily core objectives if an international bank are centred on the customer, in this case however through the delivery of ? ancial support and management. Here, the core business objectives differ slightly, as the bank is still primarily selling services to the customer and therefore needs to promote high levels of customer satisfaction, but also has an important security element involved due to the nature of the core business. When measuring the ef? ciency of the reception service within the bank, the indica tors will be different, focussed around two key factors – ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction, and ensuring security measures are in place when dealing with customers. This is likely to involve ensuring that standard identi? cation checks are taking place, such as cross-checking personal details within a database. Third, the reception service within a government security building. Here, the core business objectives differ dramatically to the previous two examples, as the primary focus is centred on security. In this instance, measuring the levels of customer satisfaction of the reception service fall much further down the list of priority indicators, and are overtaken with robust security measures ranging from ensuring that standard identi? ation checks are taking place, to more sophisticated measures involving rigorous scanning and checking of visitors entering and exiting the building. Through using the example of one element of FM, it illustrates the importance of how the practical application of performance measurement must be centred on the core business objectives of that organisation. FM performance measurement however is often too internall y focussed. Measures can therefore be benchmarked in order to understand how an organisation is performing compared to industry overall. However, the scope of benchmarking data depends heavily on the diversity and depth of the particular sector in which the organisation functions. From the examples above, benchmarking reception performance is much more accessible in the ? rst two examples. However, obtaining benchmarking data on high level security buildings is more dif? cult. The paper now seeks to understand how benchmarking can be used as a tool to measure facilities performance, and what impact this can have on driving innovation in FM performance measurement. Using benchmarking as a tool to measure facilities performance Benchmarking is essentially a cost reduction method (McDougall and Hinks, 2000). The principle of benchmarking evolved out of the total quality management movement and allows managers to place their performance measurement in context (Camp, 1989). It is the most powerful technique for gaining and maintaining competitive advantage (Codling, 1992). Sarkis (2001) outlines that from a managers perspective, benchmarking has been de? ed as a continuous, systematic process for evaluating the products, services and work processes of organisations that are recognised as representing best practices, for the purposes of the organisations’ improvement. For Camp (1989), benchmarking in the ? rst instance is about practices, not metrics. Many immediately consider benchmarking as a set of outputs, just like many confuse innovation as a one off invention instead of a process. Benchmarking is not as simple as gathering indicators t ogether so an organisation can evidence that they are measuring something. Because what are they measuring, and how relevant is it to their overall objectives? Hence, there must be a meaning before the measurement, a process Performance measurement in FM 247 PM 26,4 before the output, or in Camp’s case, a practice before the metric. To this, Camp de? nes benchmarking as follows: Benchmarking is the search for industry best practices that lead to superior performance. 248 In order to achieve this, Camp identi? es four basic steps that are fundamental to benchmarking success: (1) Know your operation – evaluate internal operation strengths and weaknesses. 2) Know the industry leaders or competitors – know the strengths and weaknesses of the competition. (3) Incorporate the best – emulate the strengths of the leaders in competition. (4) Gain superiority – go beyond the best practices installed and be the best of the best Hence, benchmarking techniques can signi? cantly help FM organisations to gain â€Å"superiority†, a nd can signi? cantly drive innovation in their performance measurement systems. Benchmarking within FM began to take shape in 1984, where the IFMA started to collect data on facilities trends and demographics. This was expanded in 1987 to include occupancy costs, which coincided with the initial interest in such data in the UK (Varcoe, 1996). In FM, benchmarking as a performance measurement technique is now well known however, and the application of benchmarking to FM performance criteria is now apparent within large organisations (McDougall and Hinks, 2000). It is the ideal tool for setting corporate goals and transforming them into tangibles which are delivered to the end customer and it is the tool that enables the senior manager to answer questions such as: where are we now? Where do we need to be? How do we get there? How could we remain there? The desired standards of performance are therefore to optimise process performance in order to deliver total quality and 100 per cent value to the end customer (Zairi, 1994). Gilleard and Yat-Lung (2004) stated that FM benchmarking issues are typically driven by ? nancial, organisational, change management, and customer-related needs. They may be either internally focussed or external driven. Therefore it has put pressure on FM teams that value customer-driven issues such as delivery of quality and timely services. It also fails to take into account how an organisation performs at a strategic level, whether from the worker or the workplace perspective. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI, 1993) produced an executive guide and point out the importance of benchmarking against: . The best you can ? nd whether within your industry or outside. . What is relevant to your customers view of what is important. . That thing that affects ? nancial performance. From an FM context, many people think that benchmarking is only about comparing cost levels. However Wauters (2005) revealed there are other aspects of FM that can be benchmarked. The most prominent of these aspects are: . Space use: Benchmarking the space use is a prime aspect as it drives all of the premises costs. The ? oor areas need to be known for the purpose of comparing costs of maintenance, cleaning etc; . . FM management: Benchmarking the effectiveness and cost of the facilities management operation on a strategic/tactical level; and Computer-aided FM systems: Benchmarking of the costs and effectiveness of the help desk. Performance measurement in FM 249 In addition, Hinks and McNay (1999) emphasise the need to measure performance gaps between service delivery and customer satisfaction. Hence, Hinks and McNay stress the need to rank benchmarking criteria, linking these to performance and service in such a way that their overall in? uence may be evaluated against business-driven imperatives. Further, Hinks and McNay suggest that the application of a manage-by-variance tool. The tool identi? es business and facility key performance indicators (KPI), helping to create a rank order among the benchmarking criteria. Further literature on benchmarking techniques focused within the FM discipline has come from Wauters (2005), Gilleard and Yat-Lung (2004), Loosemore and Hsin (2001), Massheder and Finch (1998), Akhlagi (1997) and Varcoe (1996). According to Wauters (2005) benchmarking is one of the techniques that has been used by many organisations and if applied correctly will lead to effective value management of facilities services. By this Wauters means that to use benchmarking effectively, you must identify the â€Å"ideal performance†, and hen emulate it. Benchmarking and service performance in FM Most services are provided through facilities (Brackertz and Kenley, 2002) and it has been suggested that the measurement of facilities should relate to the core business objectives such as customer satisfaction or service delivery (e. g. Walters, 1999; Tucker and Smith, 2008). As an integrated approach in managing the workplace, service is one of the key components facilities managers put for ward and seriously consider in achieving the set-up goals of the organisation. In service provision, FM is wide in scope, concerned with the major strategic decisions to the very detailed decisions such as posting the signs to the ladies’ toilet in a restaurant (Looy et al. , 2003). Therefore, in order to achieve organisational objectives, measuring service performance is crucial to the facilities manager. However, applied models that link facilities performance measurement to organisational strategy have to date, been limited (Brackertz and Kenley, 2002). It has been noted that in service ? ms, the importance of the physical setting depends on the nature of the job as well as the consumption experience. Consequently, she presented a typology of service environments or â€Å"servicescapes†, being those categories of a service based on who is performance in the servicescape (the customer, employees, or both) as well as the complexity of the servicescape. According to Looy et al. (2003), the customer perceives the servicescape holistically. They sug gest the environmental dimensions where customers value the service. Environmental dimensions comprise ambient conditions, spatial layout and process, and sign, symbols and artefacts (Figure 2). Ambient conditions refer largely to background characteristics such as noise, temperature and scent. In short, all the elements of our human environment affect the human ? ve senses. Spatial layout and process includes elements of the environment that are closely related to the core elements of service delivery. These dimensions refer to the way of arrangement and the physical and psychological effects on the customer. PM 26,4 250 Figure 2. Servicescape environment The other dimension relates to sign, symbols and artefacts. It is the item in the physical environment that serves as explicit or implicit communications to its users about the place. Tucker and Smith (2008) explored the importance of user perceptions within an organisational context, and how their perceptions can be evidenced and applied within FM. Tucker and Smith contended that there is a â€Å"logical customer performance ladder† (LCPL) that organisations should aspire to climb in order to achieve optimum levels of service delivery (Figure 3). The ladder acknowledges the importance of the initial user input to determine innovative ways of delivering what is important; to the internal business processes that will enable this delivery to be successful; to the strategic direction of the performance measures in line with their core business objectives; and to the consequent added value by increased customer satisfaction. Figure 3. Logical customer performance ladder Performance measurement is integral to the effective implementation of continuous improvement and added value within business (Tucker and Pitt, 2008a) and can act as a key driver for embedding innovation into the mindset. Tucker and Pitt (2008a) illustrate the importance of incorporating a performance-focused strategic concept in FM (Figure 4), emphasising that in order to achieve strategic FM, organisations should incorporate performance measurement through a balance of competitive service delivery and the application of best value principles, which will in turn feed directly into the core objectives of the organisation. Research in benchmarking and innovation in FM Generally the review of the literature has determined the area of proliferation in measuring FM performance. Measuring facilities performance contributes to the organisational successfulness to the innovation process. Benchmarking is among the accepted approaches involved in measuring â€Å"hard† and â€Å"soft† issues in facilities performance without denying the weaknesses of the technique itself. Hence, the innovation process of performance measurement systems, can be signi? cantly enhanced via the application of effective benchmarking techniques. Focusing on measuring service performance in a facilities context, benchmarking seems to be an approach to be considered. However, questions to be asked as an ngoing research project before applying a benchmarking technique are as follows: (1) How do customers value the service performance and how is it distinct from the service itself? (2) What are the mechanisms to measure the service performance and how is it measured? (3) How does one differentiate between the appreciation of service provided and the physical environment? Thes e questions and the general application of benchmarking and achieving customer satisfaction and added value within organisational performance measurement systems form the basis for the authors’ further research in this area. An example of this is through Tucker and Pitt (2008b) attempting to enhance the level of performance measurement sophistication in FM by ? lling the existing void of strategically applying customer satisfaction systems. Tucker and Pitt are implementing a strategic management approach to develop a customer performance measurement system (CPMS). The concept of the CPMS is to integrate generic industry benchmarks into a customised organisation framework in order to kick-start a gap Performance measurement in FM 251 Figure 4. Performance-focused strategic FM PM 26,4 nalysis process and stimulate continuous improvement. It is hoped that in turn this research will generate innovation within FM by applying performance measurement strategically. Conclusions Performance measurement is an established concept that has taken on renewed importance in varieties of organisations. In FM, performance measurement is important to contributing to organisational success in terms of effectiveness, ef? cie ncy-adding value. The review of the literature suggests that the key components that impact on FM implementation are the synergistic blend of â€Å"hard† and â€Å"soft† issues. The principle of benchmarking seems to be techniques that can be applied in measuring facilities service performance and a catalyst in generating innovation to the performance process. It is important to highlight that the characteristic of the services itself are very subjective to measure, and the acknowledgement that benchmarking should not be the only performance mechanism within an organisations overall system. However it does suggest that benchmarking techniques are sparse and can directly generate innovation processes to performance in FM. Hence, the questions put forward will be scrutinised in whole or in part through further extensive research. References Akhlaghi, F. (1997), â€Å"How to approach process benchmarking in facilities management: catering services in the UK National Health Service†, Facilities, Vol. 15 Nos 3/4, pp. 57-61. Alexander, K. (1996), A Strategy for Facilities Management: Theory and Practice, E FN Spon, London. Amaratunga, D. and Baldry, D. (2003), â€Å"A conceptual framework to measure facilities management performance†, Property Management, Vol. 21 No. 2, pp. 171-89. Amaratunga, D. , Baldry, D. nd Sarshar, M. (2000), â€Å"Assessment of facilities management performance – what next? †, Facilities, Vol. 18 Nos 1/2, pp. 66-75. Barrett, P. (1992), â€Å"Development of a post-occupancy building appraisal model†, in Barrett, P. (Ed. ), Facilities Management: Research Directions, RICS Books, Coventry. Brackertz, N. and Kenley, R. (2002), â€Å"A service deliver y approach to measuring facility performance in local government†, Facilities, Vol. 20 Nos 3/4, pp. 127-35. Brown, D. M. and Laverick, S. (1994), â€Å"Measuring corporate performance†, Long Range Planning, Vol. 27 No. 4, pp. 89-98. Buckler, B. (1998), â€Å"Practical steps towards a learning organisation: applying academic knowledge to improvement, an innovation in business process†, The Learning Organization, Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 15-23. Camp, R. C. (1989), Benchmarking – The Search for Industry Best Practices that Lead to Superior Performance, ASQC Quality Press, New York, NY. Codling, S. (1992), Best Practice Benchmarking. A Management Guide, Gower, Aldershot. Cooper, J. R. (1998), â€Å"A multidimensional approach to the adoption of innovation†, Management Decision, Vol. 36 No. 8, pp. 493-502. Drucker, P. F. 1993), â€Å"We need to measure, not count†, Wall Street Journal, April 13, Section A, p. 18. DTI/CBI (1993), Best Practice Benchmarking: An Executive Guide, Department of Trade and Industry, London. 252 Ernst Young LLP (1998), Measures that Matter, Ernst Young Centre for Innovation, London. Fitzgerald, L. , Johnston, R. , Brignall, S. , Silvestro, R. and Voss, C. (1991), Perfo rmance Measurement in Service Businesses, CIMA, Black Bear Press Ltd, Cambridge. Ghobidian, A. and Ashworth, J. (1994), â€Å"Performance measurement in local government – concept and practice†, International Journal of Operations Production Management, Vol. 4 No. 5, pp. 35-51. Gilleard, J. D. and Yat-Lung, P. W. (2004), â€Å"Benchmarking facility management: applying analytic hierarchy process†, Facilities, Vol. 22 Nos 1/2, pp. 19-25. Hally, D. I. (1994), â€Å"Accounting for the 1990s†, Finance, December, pp. 129-82. Harvey, M. (1984), â€Å"Balancing facts against ? gures†, Certi? ed Accountant. Hinks, J. and McNay, P. (1999), â€Å"The creation of a management-by-variance tool for facilities management performance assessment†, Facilities, Vol. 17 Nos 1/2, pp. 31-53. Honrec, S. M. 1993), Vital Signs – Using Quality, Time and Cost Performance Measurements to Chart Your Company’s Future, AMACOM, New York, NY. Kanter, R. m. ( 1995), World Class: Thriving in the Global Economy, Simon Schuster, New York, NY. Kaplan, R. S. and Norton, D. P. (1996), The balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA. Kaplan, R. S. and Norton, D. P. (2001), â€Å"Transforming the balanced scorecard from performance measurement to strategic management: part 1†, Vol. 15 No. 1, American Accounting Association Accounting Horizons, March, pp. 87-104. Kincaid, D. G. (1994), â€Å"Measuring performance in facilities management†, Facilities, Vol. 12 No. 6, pp. 17-20. Letza, S. R. (1996), â€Å"The design and implementation of the balanced business scorecard: analysis of three companies in practice†, Business Process Re-engineering Management Journal, Vol. 2 No. 3, pp. 54-76. Loosemore, M. and Hsin, Y. Y. (2001), â€Å"Customer-focused benchmarking for facilities management†, Facilities, Vol. 19 Nos 13/14, pp. 464-75. Looy, B. V. , Gemmel, P. and Dierdonck, R. V. (2003), Service Management and Integrated Approach, Financial Times/Prentice-Hall, London. McDougall, G. and Hink, J. (2000), â€Å"Identifying priority issues in facilities management benchmarking†, Facilities, Vol. 18 Nos 10/11/12, pp. 427-34. McFadzean, E. (1995), Relating Facilities Management to Organisational Performance, Centre for Facilities Management, University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde. Massheder, K. and Finch, E. (1998), â€Å"Benchmarking methodologies applied to UK facilities management†, Facilities, Vol. 16 Nos 3/4, pp. 99-106. Mudrak, T. , Wagenburg, A. V. and Wubben, E. (2004), â€Å"Assessing the innovative ability of FM teams: a review†, Facilities, Vol. 2 Nos 11/12, pp. 290-5. Nani, A. J. , Dixon, J. R. and Vollmann, T. E. (1990), â€Å"Strategic control and performance measurement†, Journal of Cost Management, Summer, pp. 33-42. Neely, A. D. (1998), Performance Measurement: Why, What and How, Economics Books, London. Olve, N. , Roy, J. and Wetter, M. (1999), Performance Drivers: A Practical Guide to Using the Balanced Sco recard, John Wiley Sons, Chichester. Rangone, A. (1997), â€Å"Linking organisational effectiveness, key success factors and performance measures: an analytical framework†, Management Accounting Research, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 07-19. Performance measurement in FM 253 PM 26,4 254 Sarkis, J. (2001), â€Å"Benchmarking for agility†, Benchmarking: An International Journal, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 88-107. Stone, C. L. (1996), â€Å"Analysing business performance: counting the ‘soft’ issues†, Leadership Organization Development Journal, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 21-8. Teague, J. and Eilon, S. (1973), â€Å"Productivity measurement: a brief survey†, Applied Economics, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 133-45. Tidd, J. , Beasant, J. and Pavitt, K. (2001), Managing Innovation: Integrating Technological, Market and Organisational Change, Wiley, Chichester. Tran? eld, D. and Akhlaghi, F. (1995), â€Å"Performance measures: relating facilities to business indicators†, Facilities, Vol. 13 No. 3, pp. 6-14. Tucker, M. and Pitt, M. (2008a), â€Å"Innovative customer performance measurement and benchmarking†, paper presented at European Facilities Management Conference 2008, Manchester, June. Tucker, M. and Pitt, M. (2008b), â€Å"Update on the development of a customer performance measurement system (CPMS) for facilities management: enabling generic market benchmarks†, paper presented at CIB 070 Conference 2008, Edinburgh, June. Tucker, M. and Smith, A. (2008), â€Å"User perceptions in workplace productivity and strategic FM delivery†, Facilities, Vol. 26 Nos 5/6, pp. 196-212. Van Schalkwyk, J. C. (1998), â€Å"Total quality management and the performance measurement barrier’†, The TQM Magazine, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 124-31. Varcoe, B. J. (1996), â€Å"Facilities performance measurement†, Facilities, Vol. 14 Nos 10/11, pp. 46-51. Varcoe, B. J. (2000), â€Å"Implications for facility management of the changing business climate†, Facilities, Vol. 18 Nos 10/11/12, pp. 383-91. Venkatraman, N. and Ramanujam, V. 1986), â€Å"Measurement of business performance in strategy research: a comparison of approach†, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 11 No. 4, pp. 801-14. Walters, D. (1997), â€Å"Developing and implementing value-based strategy†, Management Decision, Vol. 35 Nos 9/10, p. 709-12. Walters, M. (1999), â€Å"Performance measurement systems – a study of c ustomer satisfaction†, Facilities, Vol. 17 Nos 3/4, pp. 97-104. Wauters, B. (2005), â€Å"The added value of facilities management: benchmarking work processes†, Facilities, Vol. 23 Nos 3/4, pp. 142-51. Williams, B. (1996), â€Å"Cost-effective facilities management: a practical approach†, Facilities, Vol. 4 Nos 5/6, pp. 26-38. Wilson, A. (2000), â€Å"The use of performance information in the management of service delivery†, Marketing Intelligence Planning, Vol. 18 No. 3, pp. 127-34. Zairi, M. (1994), â€Å"Benchmarking: the best tool for measuring competitiveness†, Benchmarking for Quality Management Technology, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 11-24. Corresponding author Michael Pitt can be contacted at: m. r. [emailprotected] ac. uk To purchase reprints of this article please e-mail: [emailprotected] com Or visit our web site for further details: www. emeraldinsight. com/reprints

To the young woman of malolos free essay sample

â€Å"To the Women of Malolos† was originally written in Tagalog. Rizal penned this writing when he was in London, in response to the request of Marcelo H. del Pilar. The salient points contained in this letter are as follows: 1. The rejection of the spiritual authority of the friars – not all of the priests in the country that time embodied the true spirit of Christ and His Church. Most of them were corrupted by worldly desires and used worldly methods to effect change and force discipline among the people. The defense of private judgment 3. Qualities Filipino mothers need to possess – as evidenced by this portion of his letter, Rizal is greatly concerned of the welfare of the Filipino children and the homes they grow up in. 4. Duties and responsibilities of Filipino mothers to their children 5. Duties and responsibilities of a wife to her husband – Filipino women are known to be submissive, tender, and loving. We will write a custom essay sample on To the young woman of malolos or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Rizal states in this portion of his letter how Filipino women ought to be as wives, in order to preserve the identity of the race. Counsel to young women on their choice of a lifetime partner was greatly impressed by the fighting spirit that the young women of Malolos had shown. In his letter, he expresses great joy and satisfaction over the battle they had fought. In this portion of Rizal’s letter, it is obvious that his ultimate desire was for women to be offered the same opportunities as those received by men in terms of education. During those days young girls were not sent to school because of the universal notion that they would soon only be taken as wives and stay at home with the children. Rizal, however, emphasizes on freedom of thought and the right to education, which must be granted to both boys and girls alike. Rizal stipulates a number of important points in this portion of his letter to the young women of Malolos. The central idea here, however, is that whatever a mother shows to her children is what the children will become also. If the mother is always kissing the hand of the friars in submission, then her children will grow up to be sycophants and mindless fools who do nothing but do as they are told, even if the very nature of the task would violate their rights as individuals. Rizal enumerates the qualities Filipino mothers have to possess: 1. Be a noble wife. 2. Rear her children in the service of the state – here Rizal gives reference to the women of Sparta who embody this quality 3. Set standards of behavior for men around her. Jose Rizal points out to unmarried women that they should not be easily taken by appearances and looks, because these can be very deceiving. Instead, they should take heed of men’s firmness of character and lofty ideas. Rizal further adds that there are three things that a young woman must look for a man she intends to be her husband: 1. A noble and honored name 2. A manly heart 3. A high spirit incapable of being satisfied with engendering slaves. â€Å"To the Women of Malolos† centers around five salient points (Zaide Zaide, 1999): 1. Filipino mothers should teach their children love of God, country and fellowmen. 2. Filipino mothers should be glad and honored, like Spartan mothers, to offer their sons in defense of their country. 3. Filipino women should know how to protect their dignity and honor. 4. Filipino women should educate themselves aside from retaining their good racial values. 5. Faith is not merely reciting prayers and wearing religious pictures. It is living the real Christian way with good morals and manners. Jose Rizals main idea in his letter to the young women of Malolos is that since mothers are the first teachers of their children, he wants the women to be well educated so that they can be efficient in teaching their children. It is obvious that Rizals ultimate desire was for women to be offered the same opportunities as those received by men in terms of education. During those days, young girls were not sent to school because of the universal notion that they would soon only be taken as wives and stay at home with children. But if the mothers are the first teachers of their children, how can they be efficient teachers if they were not as educated as men? The idea is that whatever the mother shows to her children is what the children will also become. If the mother is always kissing the hand of the friars in submission, then her children will grow up to be mindless fools who do nothing but do as they are told, even if the very nature of the task would violate their rights as individuals. A mother must teach her children to prefer death with honor to life with dishonor, which Rizal stated with reference to the Sparta women. Going back to education of women, Rizal said that education is the fundamental source of liberation. If the mothers have the right education, they can teach their children the following values: love for honor; sincere and firm character; clear mind; clear conduct; noble action; love for one’s fellowmen; and respect for God. Moreover, Rizal warned that the country will never be free and flourishing as long as the children and the women remain ignorant. Rizal directly states that he strongly believes that WOMEN can exert great influence towards the liberation of their country.

Delinquent Daughters Summary Essays - Sex Crimes,

"Delinquent Daughters Summary" Delinquent Daughters by Mary E. Odem touches on many topics involving women residing in the U.S. from 1885 to 1920. Not only does the book raise issues about women as a whole, but also it breaks the women into a more realistic view. Women's age, race, religion, ethnicity and immigrant status, social class, and complex of morals are all used as means of classifying women for analyzing their sexual behavior. To start with there is the issue of statutory rape and what the legal age limit shall be set at. Not only are the middle class women groups seen as organizing ways to protect women they are also seen in terms of protecting only white girls through the passage of their laws. This is seen by the African American women having to form their own organizations in order to insure the morality of the young African American females, and by being denied real help when requesting help against the white male to protect the decency of their young females and help in response to lynching. The classes of girls being evaluated were also seen. For instance, reasoning was given as to why working class girls became sexually active. Like for marriage or rebellion. The female being looked at as helpless and taken advantage of was not shown in an exaggerated light. There were women who made the choice to become involved in sexual situations.

Free Essays on Choices

In the Book of Genesis, an ancient Hebrew story from the King James Bible, we are given the account of Adam and Eve. Eve is led up the path of temptation and forced to make a difficult decision. The outcome of her selection not only affects her own existence, but also that of Adam and their descendants. In the story, Eve is forced to choose between what she knows is right or what will turn out to be only a temporary pleasure. The reader is fully aware of the role of the snake, presenter of the golden apple, an excellent example of the archetypal character the temptress. The apple is the forbidden fruit, the irresistible pleasure, what the decision-maker is fully aware of being the obviously wrong choice, and yet can’t help but have one taste, perhaps to get a rebellious high, perhaps out of curiosity. Or perhaps the character is just plain ignorant. Whatever the motives of Eve and all others in the wrong, it is soon revealed that the easiest choice to make is not always the be st. Eve’s acceptance of the apple served to show her own weakness and insecurity in what she believed was just. She deceived the very being who created her, the ever-famous clichà © of bite the hand that feeds you. She traded in a life of eternal happiness in the Garden of Eden for one taste of that golden apple. It was a mistake that would alter the entire substance of mankind. Through Eve’s unfortunate judgment, the lives of others were to be miserable for generations to come. Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, and from the sheltered life they had so enjoyed, obviously symbolic of a fall from innocence. To survive, they had to labor ceaselessly. No longer were meals served on a silver platter. They must toil away to make fertile ground for food to grow, and gather their life-sustaining water from wherever it could possibly be found. Eve was burdened with pain and suffering through childbirth, when previously that was the least of her worries... Free Essays on Choices Free Essays on Choices In the Book of Genesis, an ancient Hebrew story from the King James Bible, we are given the account of Adam and Eve. Eve is led up the path of temptation and forced to make a difficult decision. The outcome of her selection not only affects her own existence, but also that of Adam and their descendants. In the story, Eve is forced to choose between what she knows is right or what will turn out to be only a temporary pleasure. The reader is fully aware of the role of the snake, presenter of the golden apple, an excellent example of the archetypal character the temptress. The apple is the forbidden fruit, the irresistible pleasure, what the decision-maker is fully aware of being the obviously wrong choice, and yet can’t help but have one taste, perhaps to get a rebellious high, perhaps out of curiosity. Or perhaps the character is just plain ignorant. Whatever the motives of Eve and all others in the wrong, it is soon revealed that the easiest choice to make is not always the be st. Eve’s acceptance of the apple served to show her own weakness and insecurity in what she believed was just. She deceived the very being who created her, the ever-famous clichà © of bite the hand that feeds you. She traded in a life of eternal happiness in the Garden of Eden for one taste of that golden apple. It was a mistake that would alter the entire substance of mankind. Through Eve’s unfortunate judgment, the lives of others were to be miserable for generations to come. Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, and from the sheltered life they had so enjoyed, obviously symbolic of a fall from innocence. To survive, they had to labor ceaselessly. No longer were meals served on a silver platter. They must toil away to make fertile ground for food to grow, and gather their life-sustaining water from wherever it could possibly be found. Eve was burdened with pain and suffering through childbirth, when previously that was the least of her worries... Free Essays on Choices I. Introduction A. Catch Attention While on my weekly constitutional on the lake, I noticed the waves hit the shore and remembered, â€Å" I wish I was Ocean size no one moves you man no one tries.†- Jane’s Addiction. B. State a Thesis We all wish we were someone we are not, however we choose to be who we are mostly by our actions and our decisions, not how we were bought up. II. Topic Sentence One I was raised a strict Roman Catholic. a. I was taught the bible and how to interpret it. b. I learned fear of failure and the difference of right or wrong. c. I now choose to believe what I want to believe about religion III. Topic Sentence Two I was in the Boy Scouts until age 17. a. Part of the Boy Scout Creed is loyalty, being prepared, and Kind. b. Teamwork and counting on others is instilled in everything the Boy Scouts do. c. I choose who I am loyal and kind to; and only prepare for what I feel the need to prepare for. IV. Topic Sentence Three Throughout school, and my upbringing I was taught a hard work ethic. a. Good student-Mom/school b. Athletics- Dad/school c. Job- Dad/peers V. Conclusion Through experience, education, and the law I make my decisions of what I do from day to day. Yes who I am today has to do with how I was raised; however the decision I make are mostly responsible for the man I am and how society views me. â€Å" I wish I was ocean size†¦Ã¢â‚¬  yes; however I believe we are all ocean size, for no can move us unless we allow them to....

Philosophy-Contemporary Ethical Theory4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Philosophy-Contemporary Ethical Theory4 - Essay Example The ethical realist believes that ethical statements are descriptions of the states of the world, hence are like other fact-stating assertions, true or false independently of the beliefs of the speaker (O’ Neill: 163). According to G.E. Moore’s (1873-1958) intuitionism, good is a simple, unanalysable property similar to a primary colour. Adapting a version of Utilitarianism, Moore believed that right acts are those that produce the most good; but he stated that goodness cannot be defined or identified with a natural property such as pleasure. Moore, an ethical intuitionist believed that good could be understood directly, through moral intuition, so that it is possible to say whether a moral statement is true or false. The simple notion of describing goodness when it is seen, is like trying to define the colour yellow. It is not possible to define the color yellow, but only by showing someone an example can the color yellow or similarly the concept of goodness be explained (Oliphant & Mayled: 10). W.D. Ross’ (1877-1971) intuitionism also believed, like Moore that â€Å"right† and â€Å"obligatory† are as indefinable as â€Å"good†, and stated that certain types of actions called prima facie duties were right. Ross’ seven classes of prima facie duties were: duties of fidelity, reparation when we have done something wrong, gratitude, justice, beneficence or helping others, self-improvement, and duties of non-maleficence or not harming others. When these prima facie duties, which mean duties at first sight, oppose each other, it is essential to follow the one which is right for the situation. Hence, one prima facie duty may have to give way to another. However, deciding on which one to obey in cases of conflict, depended on a person’s moral maturity, realization of self-evident truths and intuition (Oliphant & Mayled: 12). Some criticisms of intuitionism are that if value

IT MANAGEMENT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IT MANAGEMENT - Assignment Example Then launched it on the internet in August that year, to judge the response from the people for such a technology in which they can let the whole world know what they are doing in their lives by simply sending micro-blogs. The Twitter technology is also equipped with the concept of receiving tweets on mobile phones in form of messages. Arthur (2008) states that Twitter is often called the â€Å"SMS of the Internet† and the character limit of twitter is also chosen in accordance with that of the SMS. McIntyre (2009a) states that since Twitter can be used by PCs and mobile devices both and it offers a very small blog message of maximum 140 characters, due to this advantage it has become one of the biggest mediums globally for sharing real-time data. The size of the messages have also decreased the problem of information overload on the Web. Payne (2008) states that the technology that was used to handle messages from 2007 to 2008 was of a Ruby persistent queue server called Starling. Venners (2009) states that in 2009, they changed the technology and started using software written in Scala. Twitter has been one of the most successful social networking services and has gained its name among the top league including Facebook, video sharing platform of YouTube etc. McIntyre (2009a) states that according to a research by Wall Street Journal; Twitter has had an increase from 2 million users to 32 million users since last year only. There have been some internet measurements services stating that the figures are continuing to grow from 50% to 100% month after month. With such a huge and increasing market; Twitter and other businesses have a great future lined up. McIntyre (2009d) states that consumer feedback plays an important role to any organization in improving their products. Companies spend a great deal of their resources in market research and collecting consumer feedback.

Starbucks Customer Service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Starbucks Customer Service - Essay Example An enterprise that has succeeded in the beverage business by providing superb customer service is Starbucks. This paper analyses the customer service at Starbucks Incorporated. At Starbucks customer service is not just a business function it is integrated into the corporate culture. This company whose core business is selling quality coffee beverages has become a global icon of popular culture in the United States and worldwide. At Starbucks coffee is not just a drink, it is a complete experience. Starbucks has expanded worldwide and currently has operations in 41 countries with a total of 10,295 outlet stores operating as wholly owned or licensing agreements (Starbucks). People go to Starbucks because it offers an eccentric comfortable atmosphere that is created by the company’s partners (employees). Starbucks offers a variety of the best tasting top quality coffees in the world. The clients are enticed to stay around the stores and hangout to enjoy some of the company’s other products and services such as coffee merchandise, fresh foods, consumer and entertainment products which include high speed wireless internet access (Starbucks). Customer service is a strategy that is integrated in the entire supply chain. At Starbucks the customer service philosophy starts with the coffee farmers & makers and its suppliers of materials. Starbucks builds close relationships of mutual benefit with its suppliers to ensure the company obtains the possible price and on time delivery. The company gets involved in the farming operation of its producers of coffee to assist and ensure the crops of coffee are produce at the highest possible worldwide standards. â€Å"The farmers, millers, exporters, and importers who grow process and or supply coffee to Starbucks share the same uncompromising commitment to quality we value† (Corporate Social Responsibility 6). Customer service at Starbucks also means serving the needs of the communities in

Benefits and Strategies of Human Resource Development (HRD)

Benefits and Strategies of Human Resource Development (HRD) Introduction Human resource development coordinates the functions of training and development experiences in the organizations. In recent years the scope of human resource development (HRD) has expanded from simply providing training programmes to facilitating learning throughout the organization in a wide variety of ways. There is an increasing recognition that empoloyees can and should learn continuously, and they should learn from experience, from each other as well as from formally structured training programmes. Nevertheless, formal training is still essential for most organizations. 1.1 Training Defined. It is a systematic modification of behaviour through learning which occurs as a result education, instruction, development and planned experience. It is a learning experience in that it seeks a relatively permanent change in an individual that will improve the ability of performance on the job. Employee training is present-day oriented focuses on individuals, current jobs, enhancing specific skills and abilities to immediately perform their jobs. Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour as a result of practice or experience. Development focuses on future jobs in the organization. It seeks to improve a persons overall career prospect. It comprises series of planned training activities and experiences designed to improve managers performance. Activities include attending short courses, job rotation, understudying senior mangers, attachments, completion of long-term academic qualification in the management field. Education refers to activities that are aimed at developing the knowledge, skills, moral values and understanding required in all aspects of life. Its purpose is to provide the conditions essential to people to understand their environment and make a contribution to it. 1.2 SCOPE OF TRAINING Organizations provide training for many reasons: To orient new hires/employees To improve current performance for workers who are not performing well To prepare employees for future promotions, changes in design, processes, or technology in their present job To help organization achieve its purpose by adding value to its key resources (people). It means investing in people to enable them perform better and to empower them to make the best use of their natural abilities. To reduce the learning time for employees. Competitive pressures change the way organizations operate and skills that employees need. 1.3 Training as Related to Other HR Functions HRP identifies the skills and number of employees needed. Recruitment and selection function locates individuals with these skills in the labour market. Information on projected HR needs and probable qualifications helps determine amount and level of training to be provided. Performance evaluation specifies whether employees are performing to the desired standards and if not the employer discrepancies identified may signal the need for additional training. Performance evaluation may be used as criteria for evaluating training effectiveness. Training is pivotal in implementing organization-wide culture change efforts, e.g. developing a commitment to customer service, adopting total quality management etc. 1.4 Training benefits Minimizes learning costs Improves individual, team, and corporate performance in terms of output, quality, speed and overall productivity. Improves operational flexibility (multi-skilling) Attracts high quality of staff by developing their competences Increases commitment of staff. Help to manage change by increasing the understanding reasons to change Help to develop positive culture in the organization Help to provide high levels of service to customer. 2.0 Strategy and HRD Training can help an organization succeed in a number of ways. Ultimately it is employee knowledge and skills that produce the organizations products and services. Training facilitates the implementation of strategy in the following ways: Providing employees with the capability to perform their jobs in the manner dictated by strategy. Assisting in solving immediate business problems such as when managers in an action learning programme studies a real problem faced by their organization and recommend the solution. Helping the organization to keep ahead in a highly competitive and turbulent environment. The training function therefore, must foster a continuous learning culture and stimulate managers to reinvent their organization. Recent changes in the environment of business have made the HRD function even more important in helping organizations maintain competitiveness and prepare for the future. Technological innovations and the pressure of global competition have changed the ways organizations operate and the skills that their employees need. The tight labour market of the lat 2000s has increased the the importance of training in several ways: First, higher employee turnover means that more new employees need training. Second, it has been suggested tha frequent and relevant and relevant development experiences are an effective way to gain to gain employee royalty and enhance retention of top quality staff. Training must be tailored to fit an organizations strategy and structure. For instance, an organization whose strategy involves providing exceptional service through a committed, long -service cadre of a well qualified employees will need more complex training and career development systems than an organization that competes on the basis of simple, low-cost services provided by transcient, unskilled employees. The later will need a highly efficient orientation and basic training. Team- based high involvement organizations find that extensive training in team skills, as well as in individual job skills is necessary to make an innovative organization structure function as in tended. When strategy changes, training is needed to equip employees with the skills to meet new demands Training is seen as pivotal in implementing organization-wide culture -change efforts such developing a commitment to customer serviced, adopting a total quality management, or making a transition to self-directed work teams. PLANNED TRAINING A deliberate intervention aimed at achieving the learning necessary for improved job performance. Purposes: To identify and define training needs involves analyzing corporate, team, occupational, and individual needs to acquire skills knowledge or to improve competencies. Define the learning required Define the objectives of the learning learning objectives should be set which define not only what should be learnt but also what trainees must be able to do after their training programme. Plan training programmes these must be developed to meet the needs and objectives by using the right combination of training techniques and locations. Decide who provides the programme either from within or from outside the organization Implement the training ensure that the most appropriate methods are used o enable to acquire the skills, knowledge and attitudes they need. Identification of Training Needs (Training Needs Assessment) It is an investigation that is undertaken to determine the nature of performance problems in order to establish underlying causes and how these can be addressed trough training. It can be undertaken to identify and justify developmental needs trying to prepare people to take extra responsibilities in future. Purpose and Methods of TNA The choice of methods and sources of information depends partly on the purpose of the training. If it is to improve employees performance and identifying performance deficiencies in the present job, the trainer must begin by looking at present performance to identify the performance deficiencies. Sources of information for this include supervisors and clients complaints, performance appraisal data, objective measures of output or quality or even conducting special performance tests to determine current knowledge and skill levels of employees. Individual or group interviews with superiors, incumbents or even clients. Once performance deficiencies have been identified, next step is to determine whether these deficiencies can be addressed by training. In some cases motivation, constraints, or poor task design can be the cause. If training is planned for current employee destined for promotion or transfer, needs assessment is more complex. The training specialist must measure the demands of the future job and then attempt to assess the ability of employees to meet those demands. If training is destined for new hires, the method must be slightly different. Training is designed on the basis of careful analysis of job content and the assumed characteristics of the trainees. Three Levels of Needs Assessment. Company level: Involves organizational analysis looking at how the training fits within the context of company strategy. Concern should be at issues pertaining to changes that have occurred in the organization e.g. organizational structure, process technology, production problems, human resource plans reputation with competitors, personnel statistics, customer complaints, employee behaviour, retention and motivation strategies Job/Task Analysis: use of job description job specification kind of skills, and knowledge required to perform the job be clearly established Individual levels: identify who should be trained current level of individual skills, knowledge and abilities performance standard of individuals training programme attended. IDENTIFY TRAINING OBJECTIVES Translate the needs identified at those levels into measurable objectives that can guide the training effort. PLAN TRAINING PROGMME It should contain objectives of the training programme Objectives should be the criterion behaviour i.e. the standards or changes of behaviour on the job to be achieved after training. It should have clear contents of what to be covered Length of the programme Where it will take place Techniques to be used Who will provide the training TRAINING METHODS On -the-job training: conducted at the work site and in the context of actual job. Learning by trial and error Sitting next to experienced worker Coaching: Experienced managers guide the actions of of junior or less experienced mangers. Job rotation-involves moving employees to various positions in the organization in an effort to expand their skills, knowledge, and abilities. It can be either horizontal or vertical (promoting employee to new position). It is a good method for broadening individuals exposure to company operations and for turning a specialist into a generalist. Job rotation provides an opportunity for a comprehensive evaluation of the employee by his/her supervisors Assistant to positions: Employees with potential are sometimes given opportunity to work under seasoned and successful managers in different areas in the organization. It helps to get exposure to a wide variety of management activities and are groomed for assuming duties of the next higher level. Committee assignment: It provides an opportunity for the employee to share in decision making, to learn by watching others, and to investigate specific problems. Committees can either task forces (which are temporary in nature), or permanent one. Advantages: the transfer of training to the job is maximized. costs of separating training facility and full- time trainer is avoided trainee motivation remains high because what they learn is job related. OFF-THE JOB TRAINING It is a formal method considered as an incentive, mostly organized in exotic places or in colleges and universities. This approach may not provide as much transfer to actual job as do on -the job programs. Methods include: Lectures and seminars: The traditional form of instruction revolves around formal lecture courses and seminars. They help individuals to acquire knowledge and develop their conceptual and analytical abilities. Simulations: Training technique using exercises based on actual work experiences. Exercises include case study analysis, role playing, business games etc. Team Building: It is the process of enhancing the effectiveness of teams. It helps employees develop capacity of work groups to interact more effectively and develop skills. LEARNING THEORIES They attempt to explain how learning occurs. Stimulus- Response school Cognitive School The Stimulus -Response School (Behaviourial school) Learning is the development of links between stimulus and response. Theorists interested in demonstrating how links can be encouraged, and the way in which experience of other stimuli can change bonds. Specifically, people must be stimulated by learning by the learning process. This school is based on conditioning theories Classical conditioning by Pavlov(1941) Operant conditioning by Skinner, 1953) Classical conditioning Behaviour is learned by repetitive association between a stimuli and a response. Stimulus observable condition that can give rise to behaviour. Response objective manifestation of behaviour Conditioning a process whereby an association is formed between a stimulus and a response Pavlov did an experiment with a dog using an unconditioned stimulus (meat) and a conditioned stimulus (bell). Experiment Before conditioning: Meat( unconditioned stimulus) Dog salivates(un Res) During conditioning: Meat + Bell (cond. Stimulus) Dog salivates (cond. Res.) After conditioning: Bell ringing (cond. Resp Dog salivates Implications: the experiment shows that learning can be transferred to higher order conditioned stimulus other than those used in original conditioning. However, it is difficult to trace exactly the cause effect relationship of the such behaviour. Operant Conditioning ( Skinner- 1953) A type of learning that involves an increase in the probability of a response occurring as a function of reinforcement. Suggests that people emit response that are rewarded Human beings learn behaviours that are rewarded and they will engage in those behaviours. Implications: In organizations, behaviours are learned, controlled , and altered by consequences managers use. Operant conditioning is used to influence behaviours by designing suitable reward systems. Cognitive Learning Theory It involves gaining knowledge and understanding by absorbing information in the form of principles, concepts and facts, and then internalizing it. Learners are regarded as powerful information processing machines Social Learning Theory It states that effective learning requires interaction. People participate in groups of people with shared expertise, and these are the primary sources of learning. Principles of Learning Goal Setting Individual behaviour is influenced by their conscious goals Hard goals result in better performance Learning objectives must be clearly conveyed to trainees Goals must be difficult enough to challenge individuals but not to discourage them Finishing the programme must be supplemented with evaluations, tests, quizzes or any reward. Reinforcement It consists of giving reward following performance of activity that increases the likelihood to perform the activity again. Trainee should know what specific behaviours are expected of him/her Reinforcement be related to these behaviours Reinforcement be prompt and continuous when trainee begins to learn new behaviour. Reinforcements must be effective and should very from individual to individual. Feedback (Knowledge of Results): Feedback with a directional function provides information about behaviour necessary to improve performance Feedback with motivational function provides information about outcome of behaviour that needs to rewarded Behaviour Modeling: People tend to pattern their behaviour with that of their associates, parents, friends, and acquitances etc. Much of the human behaviour is learned by observing others. EVALUATION: It is an attempt to obtain information (feedback) on the effects of a training programme, and to assess the value of the training in light of that information. Evaluation helps to know whether the progamme was worthwhile in terms of cost-benefit terms. It is difficult because it is difficult to set measurable objectives and to collect results the information on the results. Evaluation levels: Reactions: the reactions of participants to the training experience Learning: At this level it requires the measurement of how trainees have learnt as a result of their training new knowledge and skills acquired. Job behaviour: measuring the extent to which participants have applied their learning on the job. Assessing the amount of transfer of learning that has taken place from off the job courses. Organization: attempting to measure the effect of changes in the job behaviour of trainees on the functioning of the organization. E.g. improvements in output, productivity, quality, turnover. . PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Designing appraisal system Should reflect the needs of those concerned (organization) to collect information for personnel decision making and distribution of rewards. Should be related to longer- term needs of the organization e.g. kind of staff and how they will be developed. Should act as a consultation process: There should be a degree of compromise between the people involved in pursuit of the commitment to the system. Organizational structure and culture dynamically related and should be considered in designing of the system. E.g. a highly structured bureaucratic company will have a different system as compared to a company with a decentralized flat structure. WHO SHOULD BE APPRAISED? Self Appraisal: Reduces defensiveness Individual becomes motivated and committed Disadvantage: Leniency error. Peer Evaluation: May be accurate Appropriate for developmental purposes Useful when supervisor has no chance to observe the employee Can work well in teamwork. Disadvantage: Friendship bias. Immediate superior: Has knowledge of the tasks performed by individual Superiors Superior: He can countersign supervisors appraisal of the employee in approval indicating the process is fair He may directly carry out the appraisal 360- Degree appraisal: An appraisal device that seeks performance feedback from such sources as oneself, bosses, team members, customers and suppliers. It has more accurate feedback, empowering employees, and reduces the subjective factors in the evaluation process Assessment Centres: Assessment centers are most often used in appraising potential superiors and managers. Assessment centres use tests, group exercises and interviews to appraise potentials. MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES (MBO) It is an approach to performance appraisal which emphasizes the need to assess performance with reference: agreed output, tasks to be accomplished or standards of performance. It involves three steps: The employee meets the supervisor and agrees on a set of goals and standards to be achieved during a specific period of time. Goals should be quantifiable and agreed targets. Monitoring progress : employee left free to determine how to achieve the goals At the end of the set period, supervisor and employee meet to evaluate whether goals were achieved and decide together for the new set of goals. Feedback of Results (PA Interview) Before employees are told to improve their performance after appraisal, they must know how they are currently doing. Feedback Interview is a discussion between the supervisor and the employee concerning the employees past performance and how it wiil be improved in the future. Approaches to Feedback Interview Tell and Sell: -The supervisor tells the employee how good or bad the employees performance has been. He attempts to persuade the employee to accept his judgement. The employee has no input in the evaluation The discussion is directive and one sided. Problems Can lead to defensiveness, resentment, and frustration. Subordinate may not accept results and not be committed to achieving goals. Tell and Listen: Supervisor tells the employee what has been right or wrong, and gives him/her a chance to react. Employee participates in the interview by reacting to supervisors statement. Problem Solving: The employee has much more control over the interview He evaluates his/ her performance and sets own goals for future performance Supervisor is helper rather than judge There is an open dialogue in which goals for improvement are established mutually Advantages: It can lead to employee commitment to established goals

Honest Iago Essay

Iago is the most unique villain of Shakespeare There has been a lot of controversy about his motives and he has been considered as an incarnation of the devil. At the same time, Iago is one of the most brilliant Shakespearean characters although Shakespeare uses his cunningness only for diabolical purposes. He has can rightly be called an atheist of human nature and a stealthy corrupter of human piety, a fearless disturber of domestic peace and an unbeliever in and denier of anything spiritual. This is interesting to note that all characters in the play, except for Roderigo (to whom he sometimes shows his real face) have a high opinion of Iago and refer to him as â€Å"honest Iago†. He uses this high oestimation of him by these major characters to befool them. The Mutual relationship between Iago and Othello is of trust and reliance on the part of Othello but it is conniving and devious on the part of Iago. Iago has same relationship with Cassio. Cassio is also deceived by the seeming virtue of Iago and actually believes that ensign is a kind-hearted man. But at the same time is a rival to Iago in the royal court. Another facets of his relationship with Othello and Cassio is that he (Iago) lives the part of a blurt outspoken plain fellow who is always prepared to say what he really thinks without caring for the effect it may have on others. Othello is shown as a trustful and thorough in his trust for Iago. Although when Iago starts working on him, he suspects him and asks for evidence, yet from the beginning of the play, he seems to have put entire confidence in the honesty of Iago, who had not been his companions in arms. This confidence is misplaced but it is no sign of stupidity in Othello. He does not have a distinctive fear of him. We find this even before Iago has set a trap for him. Othello fears the monster â€Å"too hideous to be shown† that he discerns about Iago’s thoughts. This manifests a strange relationship based on paradoxical feelings. It is of confidence, trust and fear. But latter events show that Othello’s trust in Iago overpowers the instinctive fear. This happens due to Othello’s non-meditative nature. He does not contemplate over issues and does not weigh their motive and consequences. And this is the thing that helps Iago to get control over Othello. A. C. Bradley rightly says in this regard; The sources of danger in this character are revealed but too clearly by the story. In the first place, Othello’s mind, for all its poetry, is very simple. He is not observant. His nature tends outward. He is quite free from introspection, and is not given to reflection. Emotion excites his imagination, but it confuses and dulls his intellect. On this side he is the very opposite of Hamlet, with whom, however, he shares a great openness and trustfulness of nature. In addition, he has little experience of the corrupt products of civilised life, and is ignorant of European women. (p. 217) Relationship between Iago and Cassio exists and develops on the same lines as that of Othello’s. Cassio has a high opinion of Iago and considers him an unmatched person in Florence but Iago’s opinion of him is prejudiced and biased. Iago dismisses Cassio as a mere theorist and not a practical warrior. In their mutual relationship Cassio’s genuine honesty is contrasted with Iago’s seeming honesty. We are never certain that we understand why Iago commits his evil deeds. Coleridge calls his evilness as â€Å"motiveless malignity† (315) there is no doubt that he is throughout an artist in villainy. There is no mystery in the psychology of Iago and the key to Iago’s motives may lie in the composition of his character. One of the noticeable traits in his character is keen sense of superiority and contempt for others. There also the annoyance of having always to play a part, the enjoyment of the action and the absence of fear. Iago’s sense of superiority has been thwarted and it needs satisfaction. The fullest satisfaction, it could find would, no doubt, be in the consciousness to take revenge from those who are so successful and popular. In addition to his strong desire to satisfy his sense of power, there are also certain other forces which drive him on. One of these is a pleasure in action very difficult and perilous. This action and pleasure lends him artistry in the art of being spiteful against other. All these characteristics if nature and his disposition play a part in making him a great villain of Shakespeare. These motives appear and disappear in the most extraordinary manner. Resentment as Cassio’s appointment is expressed in the first conversation with Roderigo, and from that moment is never once mentioned again in the whole play. Hatred of Othello is expressed in the first act only. Desire to get Cassio’s place scarcely appears after the first soliloquy, and when it is gratified Iago does not refer to it by a single word. The suspicion’s of Cassio’s intrigues with Emilia emerges suddenly as an afterthought. Iago’s love of Desdemona is alluded to in the second soliloquy; there is not the faintest trace of it in word or deed either before or after. The mention of jealousy of Othello is followed by declarations that Othello is infatuated about Desdemona and is of a constant nature, and during Othello’s suffering Iago never shows a sign of the idea that he is now paying his rival in his own coin. In the second soliloquy he declares that he quite believes Cassio t0o be in love with Desdemona; it is obvious that he believes no such thing, for he never alludes to the idea again, and within a few hours, he describes Cassio as an honest fool. All these motives have strange paradoxical characteristics in them but it could not have been coincidence that Shakespeare has attributed so many motives to Iago. All these motives manifest the intricate nature of Iago’s characters and disposition. In addition to a man of action, Iago also seems to be something of an artist who takes delight in undertaking a complicated task in a meticulous manner. The action he starts and works out is intricate. We get an impression that at some stage, the action Iago initiates remain no longer within his control and power but rather becomes his master. It is as he was fated to do what he does. Works Cited Bradley, A. C. Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth. 2nd ed. London: Macmillan, 1905. Colderidge, Samuel Taylor. Lectures 1808-1819 On Literature. Ed. R. A. Foakes. Volume 2. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1987. Shakespeare, William. Othello. New York: Penguin Books. 1993.

Child development Essay

1. Understand the development and learning of babies and young children. 1.1 Explain the pattren of developments in the first three years of life and the skills typically acquired at each stage. Babies and toddlers show amazing progress in all aspects of their development from birth to three years, considering they are born with simple reflexes and are quite helpless and dependent. It is essential to have a good understanding of the development stages in this group in order to support their development. The changes that occur in a child’s development in the first few years of life are truly remarkable. Practitoners note children’s development as they begin to smile, laugh, sit, crawl, babble and talk. Children begin to socialize and play cooperatively with other children. They acquire important skills to get along with others such as turn-taking, sharing and following instructions, as well as skills that will help them academically such as drawing, counting, reading, and writing.(REF:http://www.beststart.org/OnTrack_English/3-childrensdevelopment.html) Early child development usually follows a sequence, as the child needs to master one skill before he/she can a cquire the next, but all children develop at their own rate. At times, a child may take a long time to master a new skill; at other times, he/she may seem to skip a skill in the expected sequence in his/hers speed of development. Through careful observation, assessment and communication with the child’s key worker, they can draw a clear picture of the child within their setting. 1.2 Explain: How development and learning are interconnected How and why variations occur in rate and sequence of development of learning That learning may take place in different ways The importance of play Development and learning are closely tied. Children need to develop certian  skills in order for them to learn, but also the desire to learn something or achieve a goal can motivate a child to develop the necessary skills. A good example of this is walking, for a baby to begin to walk, a level of coordination and growth is required, but the baby must also have the desire to walk. during the process of learning to walk, the child will develop balance, strength in the legs, and improved coordination. Once the child can walk, a whole new world can be discovered as the child can now reach things and see things from an different level. Therefore, Learning to walk has improved both the child’s physical development, and his or her cognition. It is not fully understood why some children appear to learn faster than others, but it is thought that there both genetic and environmental factorsat play. Some children have learning difficulties that prevent them from learning in the same wa y – or at the same rate – as other children. The causes of learning difficulties vary and include chromosomal conditions, medical conditions and others that are not yeat understood, however, although the term ‘ learning difficulties’ is used, it does not mean that such children will have difficulties in learning in every area of their lives. So some children will learn some skills, for example the ability to draw or socialise, at the same rate as others. Some children are seen as ‘bright’ very early on. Adults may notice how quicky the remember things and how fast they are to learn new skills. For these children, it would seem that they are able to process information more quickly and effectively than other children of the same age. This is thought to be linked to the presence of a stimulating environment combined with a strong genetic component. Children can learn in a variety of ways. They can copy adults and other children, they can also learn from thier own experiences as they will repeat activities that fascinate them or are enjoyable. Interestingly, most of what babies and toddlers will learn comes from ‘doing’ rather than being ‘taught’ by adults. As children can learn in variety of ways, it is important for us to provide them with a range of different opportunities and experiences. Play is essential for children’s development. through play, children can delelop a variety of skills that support every area of development. Good play opportunities allow children not only to have fun and to explore, but also to learn about materials, concepts and how to socialise. Play begins very early on in babies’ lives as long as they have an adult who can engage  with them. As ch ildren grown an develop, they are able to choose and create their own play; Physical – A range of physical skills, including fine and gross motor skills, are developed as children make movements, balance or sit in order to play with toys or engage in games with adluts. Cognitive – Children learn concepts and about the world around them by playing with materials, resources and learning by trial and error what things can do. Language – Play gives children a reason for taking and communicating. At first this is with adluts, but as children can play together, they talk to each other. Emotional – Play is fun. It makes children feel happy and also helps them to feel powerful and learn about feelings; when they engage in role play they also learn about different perspectives. Social – From playing with adults, babies learn social skills such as talkingturns and co-operating. They so learn to ‘read’ faces. With age and language skills. children also learn to play with other children. 1.3 Explain the potential effects on development, of pre-conceptual, pre-birth and birth experiences. All babies and children show different rates of development,but some do so because of difficulties linked to experiences during conception, pregnancy and birth. We know that even before a baby is conceived, the lifestyle of the parents can have an effect on thier potential development. this is because men’s sperm and woman’s ova can be easily damaged. Parents are advised to think about stopping smoking, about taking folic acid supplements, cuttting down on alcohol and avoiding recreational drugs. They are also advised not to leave starting a family too late because not only does it become harder for a woman to conceive as they get older, but also the quality of a woman’s eggs can deteriorate over time. Conception At the moment of conception, when a sperm and egg fuse, a transfer of genetic information takes place. the fertilised eggs will have 23 chromosomes from the father and 23 chromosomes from the mother, which are used to determine its development. This is mixing of genetic information is often described as  nature’s lottery, as some medical conditions and disabilities are the result ofthis genetic combination. Pregnancy Between conception and birth, babies can be affected by the health of their mother as well as her lifestyle choices. Stress, deit and alcohol are examples of factors that can affect development. It is now recognised that the first twelev weeks of pregnancy is when the foetus is at it’s most vulnerable. During this time the foetus becomes recognisably human and all the organs are formed. Smoking Smoking restricts the amount of oxygen the unborn baby is getting and affects the groth and development. Bbaies born to mothers who smoke are therefore more likely to be lighter at birth and also premature. Ther seems to be other long-lasting effects on health as well. These include a higher incidence of cot death and a greater predisposition to asthma. Substance abuse the use of recreational and prescribed drugs can affect the developing foetus. Drugs enter the mother’s blood stream and the cross via the placenta into the baby. the effect of drugs can be devastating – especially in the first twelve weeks when the foetus is developing. Pregnant woman are therefore advised not to take any drugs during their pregnacy unless told to do so by a doctor. Alcohol Alcohol can enter the foetus’s blood stream in the same way that drugs can. Again this can have a serious impact, especially in the first few weeks of a pregnancy when sometimes mothers may not even know their pregnant but the baby is at a critical point of development. During the rest of the prgnancy alcohol can effect the development of the bay an so doctors advised mothers not to drink threw out their pregnancy. A specific condition known as Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, which is cuased by alcohol during pregnancy, has now been identifed. This condition negatively affects aspects of the children’s cognitive development including their concentration. Infections Some infections that a mother may pick up during pregnancy can affect the  development of the foetus. The common cold is harmless, but food poisoning, rubella or sexually transmitted disease such as genital herpes can put the unborn baby at risk. Babies who have been exposed to rebella often have sight and hearing problems. Maternal Health Most women should have healthy pregnancies, but some woman can develop complications, including diabetes and pre-eclampsia (which can even be fatal). If left undereated, these conditions can affect the health of both mother and baby. This is why pregnant women are offered refu;ar antental check ups. Maternal Diet Diet is particularly important in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy when lack of a mineral called folic acid, found in green leafy vegetables, can cause spina bifida. Women who are consirdering a pregnancy are therfore urged to take supplements of 400mcg of folic acid daily untilthe twelfth week of their pregnancy. Pregnant woman can also become deficient in iron and so are encouraged to eat high in iron such as red meat, green vegetables, dried apircots and fortified breakfeast cereals. The process of birth can present various dangers to both mother and child, which is why mothers are monitored before and during birth. Most women give birth vaginally but sometimes a Caesarean Section is given. This is when an incision of approximately 20cm is made across the lower abdomen and the baby is delivered through this opening; the mother is given an anaesthetic beforehand. A Caesarean may be planned in advance, for example when a woman is carrying triplets, or may have to be carried out at short notice if there are difficulties when giving birth. The main danger for babies during the birthing process is a lack of oxygen. During labour, the oxygen supply to the baby might be interrupted for several reasons, including the umbilical cord becoming entangled or the baby being slow to breathe at birth. In extreme cases anoxia can be fatal or leave the baby with permanent brian damage. It is important to emphasise. However, that this is relatively rare and most abies are born safe ly.