Aggression in Humans Essay

There are many different reason why a person may act aggressively towards other human being. The person may act this way because of his background or the way he/she was brought up in life. A person does not; act this way based on natural feeling alone. Is more like a melded, learned behavior. A human being must have both environmental and instinctual factors in order to show aggression. Some of a person’s natural instincts are to desire food, reject some things, escape from danger, fight in a dangerous situations or when challenged. As well also sex desire, care for the young, control, and to accept substandard status. This combination of both instincts and environment determines a person’s behavior and actions throughout life. This is based on the theory that everything human beings do would have to be learned from other human beings. Aggression must be learned as we grow. It is not just simply there from the moment of birth. A person behavior is something that is taught to him rather than being an unmanageable instinct. For example, a newborn baby is breathing because it is an uncontrolled reaction. But on the other hand, a father may tell his young son to beat up the school buly who is picking on him. As a result, the boy is dealing with the situation by using violence. In order for a human being to display aggression, violence and anger, it must be driven by an instinct interacting with that person’s surroundings. The word instinct is defined as â€Å"an inherited or innate psycho-physical disposition which determines its possessor to perceive, and to pay attention to, objects of a certain class, to experience an emotional excitement of a particular quality upon perciving such an object, and to act in regard to its particular manner, or, at least, to experience an impulse to such action.† This definition, explains that people have different reactions for different situations they are put in. Therefore, an individual is expected to act a certain way when he is encouraged to do so from his surrounding environment. For example, an Eskimo does not have an inborn instinct that allows him to survive in his climate. He has to work with his people in order to survive when he is at a very young age. Furthermore, when people are brought up in a society, they learn a certain way of life and traditions. These customs are usually taught to them because it’s part of their society’s way of life, even if some of the customs may be brutal and horrible to others. For example, cannibalism is distasteful to us, but in some prehistoric cultures, to eat an enemy is to gain his or her strength. This aggressive behavior was taught to the people of this culture and is the cause for its existence. People need to have contact with aggressiveness in society in order to act aggressive. For example, there was a tribe in New Guinea, who were violent warriors that were always fighting and killing each other. The children of these people learned this aggressive act from their parents and then acted in the same way. A parent’s method of child rearing has a huge impact on the child’s aggression. For example my own brother found a way, which will convince my parents to buy him what he wants. All he has to do is cry and if he doesn’t get what he wants he will start smashing, kicking and throwing thinks that he find around him. Moreover, when a group of people are isolated, their behavior does not change unless they interact with other people. There was tribe made up of a group of people who were completely isolated fro the rest of the world. They did not show any signs of aggression due to the fact that they had no words for weapon, aggression, anger or war. All they did was gathering food. So the tribe and had no use for weapons. The tribe only used knives and other things that might be thought as weapons or tools to gather food. They even rejected the spear, the bow and arrow because they could not use them to gather food. There could not been anything in their genetic makeup that made them act in an aggressive or peaceful manner. This was just their way of life that was taught from generation to generation, to gather food which was needed to survive. The source of human aggression lies in factors such as society and culture. Aggression is a learned emotion that is built up on different factors in a person’s surrounding environment. It the combination of environment, society and culture that creates aggressive behavior. It is the person’s instincts that are the basis for the three. While one tribe is a peaceful group of people, and the other a group of aggressive warriors. Both of the tribes had  the ability for aggression and peaceful life but it was their environment, society and culture that have driven them to choose totally opposite paths.

Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration

GHANA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (GIMPA) MBA (PROJECT MANAGEMENT OPTION) GMBA 799 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT STUDENT NAME: EMMANUEL SESSOU STUDENT ID NUMBER: MBAE 10040217 Question: Write a short note on the Balanced Scorecard Balanced Scorecard  Basics The balanced scorecard is a  strategic planning and management system  that is used extensively in business and industry, government, and nonprofit organizations worldwide to align business activities to the vision and strategy of the organization, improve internal and external communications, and monitor organization performance against strategic goals.It was originated by Drs. Robert Kaplan (Harvard Business School) and David Norton as a performance measurement framework that added strategic non-financial performance measures to traditional financial metrics to give managers and executives a more ‘balanced' view of organizational performance. The balanced scorecard has evolved from its early use as a sim ple performance measurement framework to a full  strategic planning and management system. â€Å"The balanced scorecard retains traditional financial measures.But financial measures tell the story of past events, an adequate story for industrial age companies for which investments in long-term capabilities and customer relationships were not critical for success. These financial measures are inadequate, however, for guiding and evaluating the journey that information age companies must make to create future value through investment in customers, suppliers, employees, processes, technology, and innovation. The balanced scorecard suggests that we view the organization from four perspectives, and to develop metrics, collect data and analyze it relative to each of these perspectives: The Learning & Growth Perspective, The Business Process Perspective, The Customer Perspective and The Financial Perspective The Learning & Growth Perspective This perspective includes employee training a nd corporate cultural attitudes related to both individual and corporate self-improvement. In a knowledge-worker organization, people — the only repository of knowledge — are the main resource.In the current climate of rapid technological change, it is becoming necessary for knowledge workers to be in a continuous learning mode. Metrics can be put into place to guide managers in focusing training funds where they can help the most. In any case, learning and growth constitute the essential foundation for success of any knowledge-worker organization. The Business Process Perspective This perspective refers to internal business processes. Metrics based on this perspective allow the managers to know how well their business is running, and whether its products and services conform to customer requirements (the mission).These metrics have to be carefully designed by those who know these processes most intimately; with our unique missions these are not something that can be d eveloped by outside consultants. The Customer Perspective Recent management philosophy has shown an increasing realization of the importance of customer focus and customer satisfaction in any business. These are leading indicators: if customers are not satisfied, they will eventually find other suppliers that will meet their needs. Poor performance from this perspective is thus a leading indicator of future decline, even though the current financial picture may look good.In developing metrics for satisfaction, customers should be analyzed in terms of kinds of customers and the kinds of processes for which we are providing a product or service to those customer groups. The Financial Perspective Kaplan and Norton do not disregard the traditional need for financial data. Timely and accurate funding data will always be a priority, and managers will do whatever necessary to provide it. In fact, often there is more than enough handling and processing of financial data.With the implementat ion of a corporate database, it is hoped that more of the processing can be centralized and automated. But the point is that the current emphasis on financials leads to the â€Å"unbalanced† situation with regard to other perspectives. There is perhaps a need to include additional financial-related data, such as risk assessment and cost-benefit data, in this category. Reference Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton, â€Å"Using the Balanced Scorecard as a Strategic Management System,† Harvard Business Review (January-February 1996): 76.

Strategic Management of Next Plc Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Strategic Management of Next Plc - Case Study Example "If only I knew then what I know now, I would have done things differently". (Halbleib, 1993, 803) public constantly makes this statement after they have implemented the incorrect corporate strategies. As we exist in era of entwining complication, acceleration, and ever changing market, making the correct decision is enormously significant for strategic planning. It is fair-haired to state that each organization and individuals have their sole set of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. "It is extremely vital that an organization determines its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, as well as the competitors". (Halbleib, 1993, 804) by linking the SWOT examines with the fair scorecard, an association can balance its strengths Boosts its competitions' weaknesses, and optimise its opportunities within the market. Next is a UK based vendor contribution stylish, good quality harvest in clothing, footwear, accessories and home products. The group first and foremost operates in the UK. It is headquartered in Ender by, Leicester, and employs about 39,000 people. The group recorded revenues of 3,283.8 million during the fiscal year ended January 2007, a BOOST of 5.7% over 2006. The operating profit of the group was 507.5 million during fiscal year 2007, a boost of 8.2% over 2006. The net profit was 331.5 million in fiscal year 2007, a boost of 5.7% over 2006. Next's Mission Statement Next's mission is to be the natural choice retailer in the UK for fashion aware men & women who expect style, distinction & quality from their clothing Business Description Next is primarily engaged in vending, and customer excellences management. The group operates 480 stores and has operations in the UK, the Middle East, Asia and other European countries. The group giving its services through five business separations: Next retail, Next directory, Ventura, Next sourcing and other. Other segment includes investment in associates; Choice Discount Stores Limited and Cotton Traders Holdings Limited. The Next trade separation is engaged in the vending of fairly priced clothing for men, women and children. It also sells house wares and furniture through 480 stores in the UK and Eire. This separation also has franchisee stores in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The group currently has 129 franchise stores in the Middle East, Russia (13 stores), Turkey (5), India and Thailand. The Next directory separation markets women's wear, mens wear, children's wear, home products, accessories and jewellery through direct mail catalogues, phone and a transactional website with more than 2 million active customers. The Ventura separation provides call centre and customer support excellences to NEXT and other companies. It operates across many sectors including telecom, utilities, monetary excellences, travel, media and the public sector. Ventura employs about 10,000 people. It has a call centre in the UK and another call centre in Pine, India, which handles business on behalf of Next Directory and two other clients. The Next sourcing separation has operations in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Romania, Sri Lanka, Turkey, the UK and other locations. It is engaged in the design,

Employee's Perception of Managment of Workplace Stress Essay

Employee's Perception of Managment of Workplace Stress - Essay Example There have been recent researches across the globe to address the causes of stress in work places. Notably, the research on employee perceptions of management of stress in workplaces identifies that the source of stressors and individual behavior need to be viewed to diminish this condition (Buys et al, 2010, p. 25). The research on employee perceptions of management of stress in workplaces notes that it is ineffective to return workers to the same surrounding that conduced their stress. It is thus significant to have intercessions at the organizational level since some of the stress contributors can be regulated by the employer; such as unreasonable performance demands, excessive working hours, poor communication, bullying, and job insecurity. These factors are embedded in the organization’s culture which can be changed through helpful leadership and common indulgent organizational goals. Legislative and policy systems devised to assist injured employees also contribute to st ress related disorders in work places and hinder rehabilitation efforts (Buys et al, 2010, p. 26). The research on employee perceptions of management of stress in workplaces employed qualitative data collection method. It employed the use of questionnaires on 600 respondents, who had attended an international conference on disability management in Berlin, Germany (Buys et al, 2010, p. 27). The questionnaire had two sections; section one required a respondent to fill information on the location of their organization, the number of employees, organization type and the respondents role in the organization. Section two engrossed 30 statements and open-minded questions that touched on the approaches that the organization uses to manage stress. The statements called for the respondent to specify the level of agreement on a 6-point Likert scale having ranges from â€Å"strongly agree† to â€Å"strongly

Assess the recent performance and future prospects of any commercial Essay

Assess the recent performance and future prospects of any commercial bank known to you - Essay Example UBS is one of the best-capitalized financial institutions in the world, with invested assets of 2.2 trillion Swiss francs, shareholders equity of 35.4 billion Swiss francs and market capitalization of 95.4 billion Swiss francs. UBS is present in all major financial centers worldwide, with offices in 50 countries. UBS employs 65,929 people, 40% of whom are located in Switzerland, 39% in the Americas, 15% in Europe and 6% in Asia. As an integrated firm, UBS creates added value for clients by drawing on the combined resources and expertise of all its businesses. As an organization, UBS combines financial strength with a global culture that embraces change. In the 10 years before their merger, both banks had made a series of purchases to increase their investment banking presence. The most significant was the 1995 acquisition of SG Warburg, a venerable London investment-banking firm, by SBC. S.G. Warburg, was founded London in the 1930s and reached prominence after the Second World War. UBS strengths have traditionally lain in Europe. But the bank is seeking to raise its game in the US. In the 1990s in the US, it acquired Dillon Read, a corporate finance specialist and OConnor, a derivatives specialist. In 2000 it acquired Paine Webber, a US Stock broker and investment bank for $10.8bn (â‚ ¬8.3bn, $5.7bn). UBS has also been boosting its US corporate finance and equities teams with additional hires. UBS has almost $2 trillion in personal and corporate assets invested, among the worlds largest asset pools. With acquisitions such as Sauerborn, UBS is pursuing a bold strategy that is not without risks. It is expanding rapidly beyond its Swiss base. It is also taking on clients, such as those at Sauerborn, who had chosen not to put their wealth in the hands of a big institution and who may be skeptical about staying with a money manager as giant as UBS. But UBS figures if it can win the confidence of these top business families its position in Europes

Finial exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Finial exam - Assignment Example ii. The wages are in accordance with the Federal minimum wage which is $7.25 per hour – the lowest pay rate offered by the company. Although, the last minimum wage increase in California was in 2008 when it increased to $8 the Federal minimum wage remained at $7.25 per hour (Bernstein 2013). Both rates are expected to increase in the near future if the Governor and the President have their way to $10 per hour n 2016 (Bernstein 2013). iii. The level of inflation which is set at 3% for expenses is considered fair as it is close to the projected inflation rate. iv. The company took liability insurance into account even though it is not a requirement in California at this time. This is an indication of the importance it places on this issue. The areas which appear unreasonable relates to vehicle expenses, amounts omitted and the amortization period for the loan. These are outlined as follows: i. Motor vehicle expenses are assumed to remain constant from one year to the next. This is highly unlikely to happen since the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for 2013 indicated that license fees and the cost of maintaining a vehicle both increased (BLS 2013). ii. The amortization period for the loan is projected at 25 years. This equates with the depreciation period of 25 years on the building. It is highly unlikely that the lender would want to wait until the asset for which the loan is intended is at the end of its useful life before the loan repayment period expires. iii. All Assisted Living Facilities in the State of California are required to be licensed on an annual basis. The initial fee is a maximum of $1,500 for the first year and $750 each year for renewal in the future. This fee although immaterial was not considered. However, small it could mean the difference between a profit and a loss Contract for Construction The contract for construction indicates that the project would be registered as a limited liability company (LLC). This means that the company and not the contractor would be liable for damages resulting from the project. This also suggests that the contractor would be free of liabilities to anyone and that his liability would be limited to his investment in the project of $100,000. Furthermore, the suggestion that the other investors will have no say is unreasonable as it means that the general contractor is responsible to no one and will be able to do as he pleases. There is a conflict of interest and the contractor needs to face any consequence resulting from his mismanagement of the project. There is nothing in the contract about retention monies or the consequences of failure to complete the project on time. These are important issues that need to be addressed in any construction contract. In fact, the suggestion that the project will only start when all monies are received without consideration of the time value of money and the cost of delays are ludicrous and needs to be reconsidered. Analysis of the Anticipated Rate of R eturn The rate of return as calculated by the return on capital employed (ROCE) will be negative in the first four years and less than 1% in year 5 and 6. However, the return increases to 1.95% in year 7; 2.73 in year 8; 3.44 in year 9; and 4.42 in year ten. This trend is expected to

A Vanished World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

A Vanished World - Essay Example Visigoths had swept over the old Roman Hispania in the fifth century and similarly Islamic Arabs led by Tarriq stormed over Iberian Peninsula just as Carthaginians conquered centuries earlier. The Christian kingdom of Visigoth’s fall was dramatic, swift and complete that it appeared no reversal could be brought about for several centuries later. Conquest of Spain by Muslims started in July 710 when Tariq ibn Ziyad, the governor of Tangier was deputed by the Governor of the whole Maghrib (presently Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) to invade the Christianized Visigoth kingdom ruled by the Visigoth king Rodrigo (Roderic) whose forces were defeated at the Battle of Barbate (Wadi Lago) on 19 July 1971. Visigoth lost to Tariq forces because of their loosely administered kingdom. King Rodrigo who had clashed with Basques rushed to Cordoba where he kept his army in the waiting to oppose Tariq’s forces. Tariq chose to wait at Algeciras instead and by then strength of his army incre ased to 12,000 men. While the war was on, Witza’s sons Sisbert and Oppa who had been commanding Visigoth’s army abandoned the king owing to some secret arrangement with the enemy and allowed themselves to be routed. King Rodrigo disappeared and only his white horse and a golden saddle were found by the victors. Tariq’s original intention was only to reconnoiter but he could easily take over the kingdom. Surviving Christians attributed the fall of Visigothic kingdom due to the vices of Witiza or Rodrigo. Still others felt that the fall of Spain to Muslim rulers was a divine punishment for the sins committed by Visigoths. The last thirty years of Visigothic Empire had been characterized by warring factions. As there was no hereditary monarchy, the kingdom had been subjected to constant conspiracy and civil war. At the time of Tariq’s invasions, Visigoth king had not cared to settle the consequences of rivalries within the kingdom at the time of Tariqâ€℠¢s invasion. Visigoths had not cared to secure control of ports and adjacent regions. It emerges therefore that minority Muslims could take over majority Visigoths (Christians) dominated Spain by their sheer brilliance and because of the inefficient administration and preoccupation in worldly pleasures by the Christians (O'Callaghan),(Lowney 29-42). Christian Martyrdoms Christian martyrdom began with the beheading of Euologius who was a martyr activist. He denounced Islam and harbored a Muslim apostate in 859. Islamic culture flourished in Cordoba and some Cordoban Christians violently reacted to the situation. Eulogius and his co-activists wanted to awaken the conscience of their fellow Christians who were attracted to Islam. Lowney draws a parallel to the present situation of Muslims embracing martyrdom against Christians. Isaac, a Christian scholar who was mediating between majority Christians and minority Muslims and in a prestigious Government job for tax collections suddenly r esigned for unknown reasons and pursued Christianity more vigorously. In that connection, in 851 he deliberately blasphemed

Internet Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Internet Marketing - Assignment Example Source from website: http://www.toshiba.co.uk/about/index.html Toshiba's strategy has been to support from behind and offer its executives sufficient responsibility in the local offices. It is an enormously focussed and transparent and its commitment to excellence has held it in good stead. Toshiba has products in varied domains. Its primary domain comprises of notebook computer and related equipment and peripherals, mobile phones, home entertainment segment with AV equipment, including digital and flat panel TVs, and portable personal equipment and home appliances. Its major competitors would be Dell, Hp and Compaq in the notebook segments, Sony in home entertainment sector, flat panel TV's and PDA's by Dell. Customers would be retailers and individual consumers. This is a mass marketing segment over the Internet and these target consumers are more probable to end up in a purchase. They are very strong market players in electronic devices & components consisting of semiconductors, electron tubes, opto-electronic devices, LCDs, batteries, printed circuits boards, etc., but it is a more niche marketing segment which may or may not end up doing the purchase over the Internet. Consumers would include high technology operators and business. Another stable sector for Toshiba is the domain that sells industrial apparatus, power generating equipment, transportation equipment, social automation equipment, telecommunication systems, broadcasting systems, elevators & escalators, medical systems, etc. The target segment would be hospitals and medical facilities, municipalities, universities, commercial construction companies. The purchasing power of these consumers need to be very high and often these decisions a thorough product evaluation that may not be possible through the website. The website will be more of a product introduction that may lead to a purchase through an agent after product observation. Evaluation of the site The website is a part of the integrated marketing approach of Toshiba. With the number of Internet users exploding, it is imperative that the website is utilized to generate awareness and business for the company. The website scores on theses counts. It is very well laid out. The look of it is clean and it plays a great part in enhancing the brand and the company, to the professional image they portray. There is consistency in the presentation of information and common standards are maintained in the presentation of the information throughout. The site has a complete list of all the company's products, product information and registration, owner's manuals and service information as well as enabling consumers to purchase accessories and news releases pertaining to the segment. The look and feel of the site is also very simple and seems to encompass all of Toshiba's marketing disciplines. There is sufficient information for the knowledgeable buyer and there were no error messages encountered through the time it was navigated. It is easily navigable and quite user friendly. However, the site seems to have an overload of information and the product categories are all listed together. An individual consumer and the products he wants to buy are very different from a business and

Performance Management System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Performance Management System - Essay Example This especially most applies on the part of the sales person and among installers. The sales personnel under the marketing department and installers under the technical department are mostly the ones who usually undergo special performance evaluation activities. Although, the performance evaluation activities applies to all, sales personnel and installers are mostly receiving special treatment most particularly in product knowledge activities, as they are the ones who should know more about the company’s product in great detail. This paper focuses on the prevailing performance management system at XYZ Company including the description of the said organization’s performance management system, the type of performance appraisal used, and suggestion and evaluation of the effectiveness of its appraisal and performance management process. Description of XYZ’s performance management system At XYZ, it is all the function of the Human Resource Department to create a produ ctive design and training to initiate appraisal and corrective measures as integral components of its overall performance management system. Shown in the following figure is an illustration of the overall working performance management system at XYZ. Figure 1. XYZ’s performance management system model. ... Thus, the training is appropriate for the Human Resource Department so that the right method of appraisal and corrective measures if necessary should be implemented, accordingly. With this, they could substantially make use of whatever information they obtain at an optimum level. After this, the Human Resource Department will try to delegate the actual appraisal process to the department heads and supervisors in every department. They will then analyze the results and implement corrective actions and measures if necessary. Type of performance appraisal used The XYZ Company uses graphic rating scale to evaluate the performance of the employees. Graphic rating is one of the oldest ways in the evaluation of employees’ performance that involves listing the desirable qualities that the person being evaluated should posses and be rated with from certain range of quantitative or qualitative value (Mathis & Jackson 2011). The effectiveness of the performance appraisal process XYZ eval uates performance mainly for increase of salary and other benefits. Thus, employees have this common notion that performance appraisal is tantamount to having increase in salaries and obtaining additional benefits. On the part of the company, performance appraisal is a motivating factor because only those who receive salary increase will be evaluated in their performance. Performance appraisal should be a form of self-rating in order that employees should know how well they perform and on what ground the company should guide development (Daft & Marcic 2008). Based on this concept, the effectiveness of the performance appraisal process at XYZ at some point will not be remarkable as this would not

The North Korean Problem Essay Example for Free

The North Korean Problem Essay American leaders have struggled to deal with communist North Korea for decades. It is a unique diplomatic problem. As China gradually opens up to democratic influence, North Korea remains as one of the few remaining communist stalwarts in Asia. American Presidents have been reluctant to deal with the issue. The militaristic stance of North Korea has forced recent Presidents to develop a diplomatic strategy, however. In general terms, the Clinton approach might be described as a â€Å"reward† strategy. The G.W. Bush strategy, in contrast, is generally seen as a â€Å"punishment† approach. The strategy of both Presidents has been affected by events on the ground and the stance of South Korea. For both Presidents, the issues have proven to be difficult and lacking in clear-cut solutions. Both Presidents have learned, though, that the North Korean issue cannot be ignored. The North Korean Threat There are few places in the world where the contrast between a successful democratic state and a poverty-stricken communist state is so stark. Recently, many news organizations aired a nighttime satellite photo of the Korean peninsula. The southern end was lit up, indicative of a thriving economy and culture. In contrast, the northern end of the peninsula was almost entirely dark. After decades of mismanagement, the North relies heavily on   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   international food to feed the population, while continuing to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   expend resources to maintain an army of over 1 million, the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   fifth largest army in the world.   1 The Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook 2001. Wash. D.C.: Brassey’s, 2001, p.267. North Korea has, in many ways, isolated itself. Its economy is not self-sustaining, even though the country possesses a great deal of natural resources. Government policies have failed to stimulate business and international trade. Modern North Korea has been a dictatorship since its founding. When Kim Il Sung died, he was succeeded by his son Kim Jong Il.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Last October, the North Koreans announced they had reprocessed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   all 8,000 of their fuel rods and solved the technical problems of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   converting the plutonium into nuclear bombs. 2 Kim Jong Il maintains his position with an iron grip. He resists overtures from Western countries, fearing that their influence will ultimately weaken his grip on power. In 2006, North Korea exploded what was suspected to be a small nuclear weapon underground. The threat of a poor, desperate, dictatorial nation with nuclear weapons is rapidly becoming a reality. This action has moved the conflict to a new stage. The unpredictability of the North Korean regime is what makes it dangerous. Ultimately, the regime will do whatever it has to in order to survive. This may include selling nuclear technology or materials to terrorists or rogue nations. For its own reasons, the North Korean regime has insisted on staying in the headlines. Feeling ignored while the West fights the war on terror, the North Koreans have accelerated their nuclear program. Very public pronouncements of their success have followed. The pretense of a nuclear program strictly for energy purposes has been dropped with recent bomb tests. It remains unclear exactly what the military capabilities of the Fred Kaplan, â€Å"Rolling Blunder: How the Bush Administration let North Korea Get   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nukes† Washington Monthly, Available from;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0405.kaplan.html : accessed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   12 Dec. 2006. North Koreans are. Even less clear are the motives of its leader, Kim Jong Il. Some believe that the leader is playing a manipulative game of nuclear blackmail. Others believe, worse yet, that the leader is not altogether sane. The lack of clarity makes Western leaders nervous. Kim Jong Il, for his part, may be convinced that the world will not go to war against him. It is a dangerous game the recent American Presidents would prefer not to play. The Clinton approach Like the later Bush administration, the Clinton administration was still trying to gain its footing when the North Korean situation arose. It had suffered very public failures on universal health care and the siege at Waco, Texas. The President was also dealing with withering criticism of his personal behavior.   Increasing tensions on the Korean peninsula presented an unwelcome problem for the Clinton administration. The CIA had been issuing reports for several years similar to this one in 2001:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   North Korea’s long-range missile development and research   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   into nuclear and chemical weapons are of major concern to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   the international community.   3 An international incident arose when North Korea began to block access of international inspectors to their nuclear facilities. Eventually, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) determined that North Korea did have nuclear weapon capabilities. The Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook 2001. Wash. D.C.: Brassey’s,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2001: p. 267. The domestically-oriented Clinton administration would be forced to deal with the issue. Having been chastened by the events at Waco, Texas that year, the administration resisted taking a hard line against North Korea. Michael Breen wrote of the emerging crisis: Analysts drew a comparison between the Branch Davidian   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   cult†¦and Kim Jong Il’s North Korea and made the point that   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   North Korea should not be painted in to a corner. From this   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   point on, the consensus grew that Washington and Pyongyang   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   should talk.  Ã‚   4 There were two primary issues for the United States. The Clinton administration wanted to stop the North Koreans from enriching weapons-grade uranium. Secondly, it wanted to prevent North Korea from developing long range missiles capable of reaching the United States or Europe. The Clinton administration began bilateral negotiations with the North Korean regime. Diplomatic back channels were also used to assist the two sides in reaching a breakthrough. During the crisis, former President Jimmy Carter traveled to North Korea for discussions with Kim Jong Il. Publicly, Carter was portrayed as simply a prominent private citizen hoping to aid the process. In recent years, however, it has become apparent that Carter’s role was much more substantial. In effect, he served as a member of the Clinton administration. In 1994, a document referred to as the Agreed Framework was signed by both sides. North Korea agreed to remain in compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty. In return, the Clinton administration dropped its threat of economic sanctions on Michael Breen, The Koreans: who they are, what they want, where their future lies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (New York: St Martins, 1988): p. 246. North Korea. North Korea also agreed to shut down one of its old reactors in exchange for assistance building light-water reactors used to generate energy. Inspection and verification of North Korean facilities was part of the treaty, but it was by no means an airtight system. An element of trust was extended to North Korea. It was hoped that the economic incentives would prompt Kim Jong Il to abide by the treaty. The Bush approach During the Bush administration, the North Korean administration seemed intent on presenting itself as a world power that must be dealt with. Early in the Bush presidency, evidence3 began to surface that the North Koreans were violating the Agreed Framework. Bush, like Clinton, preferred not to deal with the issue. Having emerged from a contentious election that was ultimately decided by the Supreme Court, Bush was still settling into office six months in. The events of September 11, 2001 changed everything. After the devastating attack on the United States, the administration took on a war footing. In an effort to define the threats America faced, the North Korean regime was publicly included with the radical Islamic states. North Korea was not pleased to be publicly called out as a charter member of the â€Å"Axis of Evil†. Relations worsened from that point on. The 9/11 attacks made the United States government less likely to take a conciliatory approach with what it saw as rogue nations. It s still unclear to what degree the North Koreans had been cheating on the Agreed Framework. Once accused, however, they ejected inspectors and withdrew from the Non-Proliferation treaty. As a result, the Bush administration faced a similar crisis to what Clinton had faced in the mid-1990’s. World events caused them to address the crisis from different perspectives. For Clinton, the issue was somewhat simpler. His goal was to prevent another dictatorial regime from acquiring nuclear weapons they could use to threaten the world. Bush, on the other hand, was forced to look at the issue through the prism of terrorism. America was under attack, not by a nation, but by an unknown number of religious radicals. North Korea, desperate for money, could sell its’ nuclear technology to radicals who have already proven they are capable of devastating attacks on the American mainland. The Bush administration was inclined to give no quarter to the North Koreans. Kim Jong Il wanted direct discussions with the United States. The Bush administration, overburdened and mistrusting of the North Koreans insist on multi-lateral talks with other Asian countries. Most in the Bush administration regard the Clinton agreement as a failure. For that reason, they do not want to pursue a similar agreement. The Bush approach is to marshal world pressure against North Korea. Meanwhile, the United States is imposing unilateral sanctions. Food aid, once used as an incentive, is now being withheld as punishment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The biggest bundle came in 1999, with 695, 194 metric tons   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of food†¦the Bush administration cut back to 207,000 tons   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   in 2002, and drastically cut it to 40,000 tons through the first half of 2003.   5 Since the North Korean nuclear tests in 2006, the United Nations has begun to impose sanctions of its own. The outcome of the standoff remains unclear. A military conflict is possible, though Western nations are extremely reluctant at this point. A major humanitarian crisis is already under way and will likely worsen with international Bruce Cumings, North Korea: another country (New York: The New Press, 2004): 183: sanctions. The increasingly desperate regime of Kim Jong Il is highly unpredictable. The effects of the reduction of food aid on the political situation are not yet clear. The Bush administration hopes that a ratcheting up of pressure on North Korea will bring them back to the negotiating table under Washington’s terms. Meanwhile, the North Korean leader has been making incendiary statements, claiming that the sanctions are an â€Å"act of war† against North Korea. The Bush administration has insisted that North Korea return to the six-party talks which include other countries in the region. North Korea may be starting to warm to that idea, but the outcome is still unclear. North Korea has stated publicly that it wants a security guarantee that the United States will not attack militarily. Presidents Bush and Clinton both resisted that demand, as any President is likely to do. No American administration is likely to agree to this term unless it is tied to a substantial number of concessions and guarantees by the North Koreans. The level to which the Chinese will participate in solving the crisis is still in question. The Bush administration, with its hands full, would prefer that the Chinese step in. Kim Jong Il, however, appears to only want to deal with the United States. The Bush administration has taken a hard line, but the difficulties it is facing in Iraq and other parts of the world may force it to modify its’ approach. Some critics argue that the hard line is just the easy way of avoiding the problem altogether. According to Fred Kaplan of Washington Monthly, â€Å"Bush has neither threatened war nor pursued diplomacy†.6 Neither the Clinton nor the Bush policy has achieved the desired result to date. A third option is clearly required. In forming that strategy, the full participation of North Korea’s neighbor to the south is vital. Fred Kaplan, â€Å"Rolling Blunder: How the Bush Administration let North Korea Get   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nukes† Washington Monthly, Available from;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0405.kaplan.html : South and North and the U.S. South Korea is a unique, democratic success story. It is well positioned between Japan, an economic power, and China, an emerging economic powerhouse. The future looks bright for South Korea, but the biggest threat to it’s’ success is North Korea. South Korean policymakers walk a treacherous line When the Berlin wall fell and Germany was reunited in the early 1990’s, South Korean leaders considered the possibility of a reunification of the Korean peninsula. Koreans share centuries of culture. It seemed like a natural idea to state a policy that ultimately favored reunification. Researchers studied North Korea and the emerging democracies in Eastern Europe. They were discouraged by what they found, but not completely deterred. The South Korean government began to realize the scope of the humanitarian problem in North Korea. They concluded that immediate reunification could create unbearable economic stress on South Korea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   They came to a startling conclusion. If the North were to collapse the economic and social burden of reunification   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   might ruin the South.   7 For this reason, the resulting South Korean policy is somewhat vague. South Korea has been a strong ally of the United States for many decades. The United States would prefer regime change in the North. South Korea is more reluctant, being acutely aware of the fallout from such a change. In recent years, they have taken a more conciliatory tone toward the North. They walk a fine line of diplomacy between the worlds’ only superpower and their desperate, but powerful, neighbor to the north. Michael Breen, The Koreans: who they are, what they want, where their future lies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (New York: St Martins, 1988): p. 247. The South Korean approach is based on self-preservation. Although there is a natural yearning for reunification, those who have looked at it closely believe that it may not be the right thing to do. Michael Breen writes:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What the South Korean’s want now is reconciliation, not   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   reunification. This does not mean that they oppose reunification   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   entirely, but simply that they prefer postponement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  8 At the same time, the volatility of the situation has prompted South Korea to increase its defense spending, although it is still only a small fraction of that spent in the north. Ostensibly, South Korea is still a nation in the middle of a larger war. No formal treaty has ended the Korean war of the 1950’s. Peace is only preserved by an armistice. The country of South Korea has thrived, despite the constant tension and the permanent presence of a large number of U.S. troops. From its’ perspective, war would be devastating and a collapse of the Northern regime almost as bad. There is no way that any upheaval in the North can leave the prosperity of the South unaffected. At the same time, the prospect of a hostile, nuclear North Korea is daunting.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On a variety of issues, the United States and Korea perceive   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   genuine common interests such as better trade relations and the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. But fundamentally   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   different political and economic philosophies, military objectives   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and geostrategic aims have made it difficult for the two countries   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to act in concert.  Ã‚   9 Michael Breen, The Koreans: who they are, what they want, where their future lies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (New York: St Martins, 1988): p. 247. John Feffer, â€Å"American Apples, Korean Oranges† Foreign Policy Focus Aug. (2006)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The relationship between the United States and South Korea has been described by some as a sibling rivalry. The United States is the bigger, older brother. South Korea is the younger brother trying to escape it’ older brothers shadow. Like brothers, they sometimes battle. Recent years have seen a cooling in relations between the two. The leaders rarely communicate. Usually, the two make up, but there are other issues to consider. John Feffer, of Foreign Policy in Focus, writes:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The sibling comparison, however, can only go so far to explain   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   the U.S.-ROK dynamic and why the two countries have reached   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   one of the lowest points of cooperation in the 50 year history of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   their alliance.   10 Kim Dae Jung, the South Korean President, ad initially expected that the Bush administration would continue with the conciliatory approach. He was to be disappointed. Kim Dae Jung, while publicly remaining an ally of the United States, had advocated a more open and conciliatory approach to the North. In 2002, the Japanese prime minister made a visit to North Korea to discuss normalization of relations. This took the United States by surprise, increasing it’s’ anxiety all the more. An element of mistrust has entered the U.S. – South Korean relationship in recent years. The Bush administration cancelled a planned shipment of surveillance technology to South Korea. The reason given publicly was that they feared the technology would be leaked to the North. Analysis For Western nations, managing the threat of North Korea is proving to be a difficult if not impossible prospect. According to author Michael Breen: John Feffer, â€Å"American Apples, Korean Oranges† Foreign Policy Focus Aug. (2006)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   America is the key nation in the Korean question. It has had   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   its’ own reasons to hate North Korea. Barring Iraq in the 1990’s,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   North Korea may be the most demonized state in the American   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   political imagination†¦   Ã‚  Ã‚  11 In order for there to be a solution it seems clear that some level of communication must be established. Near-catastrophic events during the cold war show us the dangers of a lack of communication. The only communication in recent years has been public name calling and threats. Calling the North Korean state â€Å"evil†, for example, does not help the problem. To the North Koreans it is a meaningless insult. Evil is a loaded word in the Korean culture. Bruce Cumings writes of the Koreans conception of evil:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A society like this has no place for evil; in fact, Koreans don’t   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   have a conception of evil. Evil couldn’t exist because Koreans   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   have created a universe that has no place for it.  Ã‚   12 Kim Jong Il can then use rhetoric like this domestically to further solidify his power. In the Korean culture respect for authority is paramount. The American policy, under Bush and Clinton, is to advocate regime change in North Korea. Fomenting a revolution may not even be possible. The country is poor, unarmed, hungry and respectful of it’s’ leader. Much of the military and civilian leadership is composed from loyal families who have held those positions for generations. North Korea is an unwelcome issue for any American administration. Both the Bush and Clinton administrations have been forced to deal with it, however. South Korea, Michael Breen, The Koreans: who they are, what they want, where their future lies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (New York: St Martins, 1988): p. 245. Bruce Cumings, North Korea: another country (New York: The New Press, 2004): 206. in the mean time, maintains a precarious balance between the two nuclear powers. Any action taken by one of the three parties will invariably affect the other two. Nobody wants another war, but Kim Jong Il believes that by being a threat he can eventually gain concessions. Had it not been for the terrorist attacks of   9/11/2001, the Bush administration may have maintained the framework started by Clinton. North Korea has essentially become part of the war on terror. Seemingly unrelated world events have led to a total breakdown in communication with North Korea. Reestablishing that communication is the first step to creating a workable agreement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Presidential policies are often influenced by the policies of those who held the office before. In this case, the same would very likely have been true of Clinton and Bush if world events had not intervened. The entire Bush presidency has taken place on a war footing. As a result, all other countries are looked at more suspiciously. When evidence was presented that the North Koreans might be cheating on the agreed framework, the Bush administration was less inclined to negotiate again. North Korea was immediately named to the â€Å"axis of evil†. This, as much as anything, is an effort to engender international support against North Korea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Clinton administration had unquestionably shown a more deft diplomatic touch in its dealings with North Korea. How he would have reacted given the complicating factors Bush faced is anyone’s guess. In the end, it is questionable whether either Presidents policy could be called a success. North Korea has apparently exploded a nuclear weapon despite all of the attempts to prevent it. Achieving ultimate success in this matter may involve reevaluating our own goals and redefining what success actually is.    Notes The Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook 2001. Wash. D.C.: Brassey’s,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2001: p. 267. Fred Kaplan, â€Å"Rolling Blunder: How the Bush Administration let North Korea Get   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nukes† Washington Monthly, Available from;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0405.kaplan.html : accessed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   12 Dec. 2006. The Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook 2001. Wash. D.C.: Brassey’s,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2001: p. 267. Michael Breen, The Koreans: who they are, what they want, where their future lies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (New York: St Martins, 1988): p. 246. Bruce Cumings, North Korea: another country (New York: The New Press, 2004): 183: Fred Kaplan, â€Å"Rolling Blunder: How the Bush Administration let North Korea Get   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nukes† Washington Monthly, Available from;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0405.kaplan.html : accessed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   12 Dec. 2006. Michael Breen, The Koreans: who they are, what they want, where their future lies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (New York: St Martins, 1988): p. 247. Michael Breen, The Koreans: who they are, what they want, where their future lies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (New York: St Martins, 1988): p. 247. John Feffer, â€Å"American Apples, Korean Oranges† Foreign Policy Focus Aug. (2006) John Feffer, â€Å"American Apples, Korean Oranges† Foreign Policy Focus Aug. (2006). Michael Breen, The Koreans: who they are, what they want, where their future lies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (New York: St Martins, 1988): p. 245. Bruce Cumings, North Korea: another country (New York: The New Press, 2004): 206.                Works Cited Breen, Michael. The Koreans: who they are, what they want, where their future lies. New York: St. Martins, 1998. Cumings, Bruce. North Korea: another country. New York: The New Press, 2004. Dao, James. â€Å"Bush Administration Halts Payments to Send Oil to North Korea†. New York Times: 14 Nov. 2002, A01. Feffer, John. â€Å"American Apples, Korean Oranges†. Foreign Policy in Focus. 17 Aug. 2006. Harrison, Selig S. â€Å"Did North Korea Cheat?† Foreign Affairs, Jan/Feb 2005. Hastedt, Glenn P. American Foreign Policy: past, present and future, 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003. Kaplan, Fred. â€Å"Rolling Blunder: How the Bush Administration let North Korea Get Nukes†. Washington Monthly.   Available from; http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0405.kaplan.html : accessed 12 Dec. 2006.

How Strong Is The Business Case For Diversity Management Business Essay

How Strong Is The Business Case For Diversity Management Business Essay Assignment Question: How strong is the business case for diversity management? Using research evidence and organizational examples, discuss the extent to which diversity-management is and should be applied. Table of Contents 1 Introduction 2 Defining Diversity 2 Defining Diversity Management 2 Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity Management 3 Advantages of Diversity Management Program 3 Disadvantages of Diversity Management Program 4 Case Study of Diversity Management 5 Do and Dont in Diversity Management 6 Conclusion 7 References and Bibliography 8 Introduction The worlds increasing globalization trend demands more interaction between people from a vast diverse of cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds than the past. Today, people no longer live and work in an insulated marketplace. The reality is: they are now part of a worldwide (or commonly mentioned as flatten) economy with competition coming from nearly every angle of the globe. For this reason, businesses need to be open to change and accept the concept of diversity to become more creative (Kulik, 1998). The article in this section will be arranged as follow. Firstly, the concept of diversity will be defined. Then, the article further investigates and defines the concept of diversity management. Then, the perceived and often discussed advantages and disadvantages of diversity management program will be discussed. After that, some real life business cases on companies successfully managing diversity and subsequently reaped the benefits of growth, profitability and improved performance from an effective diversity management program will be presented. After the review of academic and research journals regarding the topic, the article proceed to suggest some do and dont for practical diversity management program. The article concludes with some outlook and general direction for managers to follow in implementation of diversity management program. Defining Diversity In daily conversation, the word of diversity has the meaning of differences or variety. However, in the business world and in the business textbook, diversity often refers to the many differences present among people today in workplace as well as marketplace that were not aware of by most people in the past. However, in-depth investigation discovered that different researchers may have different perceptions or definition on the concept of diversity. For example, Mondy (2010) argues that diversity refers to any perceived difference among people, be it from the dimensions of age, race, religion, functional specialty, profession, sexual orientation, geographical origin, lifestyle, tenure with the organization, position in an organization, or any other perceived differences. McShane and Von Glinow (2010), however, divided the concept of diversity into two parts, namely the surface-level diversity and the deep-level diversity. The surface-level diversity is referred to the observable demographic or psychological differences in people, such as their race, ethnicity, gender, age, and physical disabilities. In contrast, the deep-level diversity is referred to those differences in the psychological characteristics of employees, including personalities, beliefs, values, and attitudes. Whatever the definition employed, all these definitions share a common theme; where the terms of diversity encompasses any sort differences between two or more people from various dimensions of factors that can affect workplace relationships and achievement. Defining Diversity Management According to Mondy (2010), diversity management is often referred to the effort of ensuring that factors are in place to encourage the continuous development of a diverse workforce by melding actual and perceived differences among workers to achieve maximum productivity. Esty et. al. (1995), however, define diversity management as acknowledging, understanding, accepting, valuing, and celebrating differences among people with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, spiritual practice, and public assistance status for better workplace performance. The definitions of diversity management used by researchers are vast and may vary in the details. However, generally, it is safe to assume that the term diversity management indicates the implementation of strategies or policies to knit a network of varied individuals together into a dynamic work force. Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity Management In recent years, diversity is increasingly perceived as an important issue in the context of business management. This is due to the increasing differences in the U.S. population, globalization process, increasing of international business and cross borders business dealing activities. Many researchers recognize such a trend and highlighted that diversity is an invaluable competitive asset that organizational decision makers cannot afford to ignore (Robinson, 2002). In the business community, companies have also tend to pay more focus on diversity and look for ways to reap the opportunities offered by diversity as they acknowledge that diversity has the potential of yielding greater productivity and competitive advantages (Cooke et. al., 2010). Apparently, managing and valuing diversity is a key component of effective people management, which not only can improve workplace productivity, but also contribute significantly to the strategic objectives of human resource management. Advantages of Diversity Management Program Many researchers and businessmen have been arguing about the importance and roles and contributions of managing diversity nowadays. Generally, they often present the idea that diversity can be a sort of strategy which enables organization to gain competitive advantage in the market competitive landscape. For example, according to researcher, namely, Bledsoe et. al. (2010) claim that: managing cultural diversity is one of the key factors differentiating a particular company at factors such as (1) efficient work practices or procedures, (2) technological innovation or change, (3) product or services related innovation and lastly, (4) client or consumers related services. However, there are more contributions of managing diversity to the strategic objectives of a company. The following paragraph will outline these contributions or benefits of diversity in workplace to an organization in details. Improved and enhanced competencies in terms of customer services. As a matter of fact, diverse workforce will often means diverse expertise, talent, experience and capabilities in the employees. If a manager understands the intricacies and complexity of how to manage diversity effective, he will be able to put the right person into the correct position, by minimizing his weaknesses while enhancing the particular employees strength. From this perspective, a diverse workforce enables a manager to choose the correct candidate for a particular position in the organization. For example, someone with cheering personality and has the ability to build rapport fast with customers can be send to the customer services department. All these means that diversity management will make the company to enjoy higher competencies in providing higher satisfaction to a customer (McMahon, 2010). Able to compile and improve the strength of customer intelligence. As we employ diverse workforce, we can indirectly tap into the knowledge and experience of these workforce. In the era of information, we understand that marketing intelligence or customer intelligence has becoming more and more important. Diversity in workforce in this picture can help a company to compile and collect more relevant and effective data on the market place. Ability to operate effectively as well as efficiently in a global context. As a well known fact, the entire world is a colorful depiction of diversity. Thus, to go global, a diverse workforce is some sort a basis requirement. We simply need the local experts to assist us in managing business units at foreign countries or simply to expand market share in the other countries. Thus, it is not hard for us to understand that a diverse workforce will enable a company to operate more effectively and efficiently (Bledsoe et. al., 2010). Able to produce more satisfied workforce, and thus leading to more productive workforce. If a company can manage diversity in a proper way, then the individual employee will no longer need to clone or purposely changed himself to adaption of the corporate culture. This can often leads to a more satisfied workforce. A more satisfied workforce, will in turn, leads to more productive workforce (McMahon, 2010). Effective managing of diversity enables reduction in industrial disputes. Of course, proper management of diversity can also ensure less industrial dispute or court case arises from employees issues (Cooke et. al., 2010). Diverse workforce can lead to increased creativity and innovation. Diversity can produce synergy and creativity and innovative as well. A group of different people is better than a results produced by a single person. The combined efforts are always much outstanding. Not only that, it is also often mentioned by textbook that: Diverse workforce can produce more diverse perspectives, which in turn is highly beneficial in seeking or implementing solutions to problems (McMahon, 2010). Having better chance to attract higher quality employees from a larger pool of employees (Tatti et. al., 2009). As a company prepare or has already adopted the mindset of having diversity is beneficial, then the company automatically access to a diverse pool of human talents, which means that the company can choose the employees from a larger pool of workforce. As now the choices are enlarged, then we can have access to better talents around the world, or in other words, we can access to the world class talents around the globe (Pitts et. al., 2010).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Avoidance of group-think or cloning. (McMahon, 2010)mentioned that workplace heterogeneity can assist in avoiding groupthink or cloning, which in turn this will lead to increased productivity and reduces costs. To explain further, cost reduction is possible when we can have a reduction in conflict, lower turnover and absenteeism and improved cohesion. Likewise, Tatti et. al. (2009) finds that there is ample evidence to suggest that diverse groups with the skills and support systems to integrate effectively are likely to be significantly more effective than non diverse or homogeneous groups in the same activities. Disadvantages of Diversity Management Program However, the relationship between managing diversity and a particular companys performance from various empirical researches is not always straightforward. A good example by Stephensen and Lewin (1996) indicate that poorly integrated heterogeneous groups can be as damaging to the organization as overly integrated homogeneous groups. Apparently, managing diversity is an art, while although the contribution to a company strategic management picture is bright, the execution is nothing easy. Besides, unfortunately, there are also evidences that diversity can bring disadvantages to companies as well. For example, it is found that teams with diverse employees usually take longer to perform effectively. Besides, diversity also brings numerous communication problems as well as faultiness in informal group dynamics. At some serious cases, diversity can also be a source of conflict, that can cause issues such as reluctant to share information among workforce, employee morale deterioration prob lems, and higher turnover due to degradation of job satisfaction (McShane Von Glinow, 2010). Not only that, it is also mentioned that there can be various drawbacks due to implementation of diversity management program in the short term. For example, if handled insensitively, a diversity management program may invade employee privacy. Also, implementation of the diversity management program may be expensive in the short term. Apart from that, during the implementation process, deep seated prejudices within employees may be brought into the open, causing short-term tension. Particularly for a poorly handled program, conflicts and ill-feeling may be the end results for managers to handle (Tatti et. al., 2009). Case Study of Diversity Management There are various cases or real-life stories showing that diversity management can contribute to improved productivity, sales, market share, or profitability. There are three examples shown in the following section. Case I: Petro-Canada. The first case is about Petro-Canada. Recognizing that diversity management is essential; a Petro-Canada site in Vancouvers Chinese community, started to post signs in both English and Mandarin. The company is interested increase the companys presence within the community. Apart from that, after a team of sales associates found out that they had to be able to speak their customers native language as well, recruitment changes were made accordingly. Soon, the company was able to reap the benefit of diversity with a diverse workforce. The results and outcomes are outstanding, kiosk sales increased by 15 percent, and gasoline sales rose from 2.7 million liters to 3.1 million liters at the Main and Terminal stations, in just a mere four year period, between 1991 and 1994 (Pitts et. al., 2010). Case II: The McGraw Hill Companies. The second example is about a well-known book publishing company. The McGraw-Hill Companies emphasizes diverse workforce management. The reason is to tap into different talents available and critical to enhance the company presence worldwide. One program of the company talent management strategy is called the Associate Development Program (ADP). Since the program began in 1993, it has attracted talented individuals from top MBA business schools who are diverse in race, ethnicity, experience and perspective. All these diversity management programs had enable the McGraw-Hill Companies to leverages talent in global markets, on a worldwide basis. One striking example of using diverse workforce to tackle a foreign market is as follow: recruitment of local talent has enabled The McGraw-Hill Companies to solidify its brand reputation and market share in Latin America due to their expertise, cultural know-how, teamwork, experience and knowledge of the need s of the local market (Tatti et. al., 2009). Case III: Reebok. The well-known sport company has also been benefiting from a diversity management program. In the year of 1980s, a group of women at Reebok complained the fact that they could not find a good aerobics shoe. Listening to that complaint, Reebok began marketing aerobics shoes. The outcome is outstanding within just a period of two years, the company went from a $12 million-a-year shoe company to a $3 billion powerhouse. Since the incident, the company started to be aware of the importance of diversity. According to the CEO, Paul Fireman said that in order to become diverse and compete globally, a company must find people with different stories to tell at every level of employment, and then provide chances and opportunity for them to talk and perform (Pitts et. al., 2010). Case IV: IBM. IBM has a century-long diversity heritage based on the companys belief and philosophy that diversity is the bridge between the workplace and the marketplace. Such a belief and the act of valuing diversity are central to the companys ability to win in the global marketplace. Today, diversity management permeates every corner of IBMs management and technical operations and management style. Statistically speaking a convincing fact showing that the company is embracing diversity management whole-heartedly is this: 57% of IBMs Board of Directors is women, multicultural, and/or non-U.S. born (i.e., they are the minority group). Apart from that, it is also found that 40% of IBMs top 54-member Worldwide Executive Council is women, multicultural, or non-U.S. born. On closer scrutiny, it is not surprising to found that these women and multicultural executives have significant revenue responsibility. Not only that, further investigation also discover that 30 members of IBMs World wide Executive Council are involved in guiding specific corporate-wide diversity initiatives. They are held accountable for recruitment, retention and advancement of all talent and, most important, linking IBMs diversity initiatives to the global marketplace, which is in turn the main reason that IBM has been able to stay on top of the business landscape for decades (Cooke et. al., 2010). Case V: Levi Strauss Co. At Levi Strauss Co., diversity is a core company value being embraced by the companys management and workforce. The diversity management concept permeates throughout the organization the evidence is in the corporate belief that diversity is right for business, communities, and for families. The company senior managers had also argued that diversity creates greater tolerance. To sum up the implementation and philosophy of diversity management program in the company, we can observe the following statement from the companys officers. Specifically, the company officers mentioned that the companys diversity belief system translates into a four-component diversity strategy that has been instrumental in building their business. The four-components are as follow: (1) Sourcing diverse talent, (2) Empathetic marketing: If you are who you serve, [then] you will be a better marketer. (3) Creativity and innovation, and lastly (4) Community involvement. Such a belief sy stem is critical and powerful factors which ensure Levi Strauss Co. sustainable growth and success in the global marketplace (Cooke et. al., 2010). Do and Dont in Diversity Management As we have discussed above, there are perceived advantages and disadvantages of embracing diversity in workplace. It seems that there are evidences and cases indicating that diversity are possible source of competitive advantage and superior performance for businesses, but the implementation and the management of diversity is not an easy one. Apparently, the mismanagement of diversity or inability of the leader or manager to outline and execute and effective diversity management program will cause troubles to the organization with diverse workforce. In fact, for inexperience mangers, diversity indeed looks more like a curse than a blessing. Anyway, this writing has the opinion that it the presence of diversity is well-managed, it can create synergy and improve organizational performances. It is believed that diversity is a powerful strategy as managers can leverage on the strengths of some people in the team while making the weaknesses of some others irrelevant. The strengths in a person can compensate for the weaknesses of others, while his weaknesses are covered by others strengths, and this is essential for a high performing team. Consistent with such a view, this section will outline some do and dont for practitioners to follow. It may serve as a general guideline for managers to refer to in applying the concept of diversity management to daily management tasks (Cooke et. al., 2010). The first thing the manager should perform in managing diversity is that to ensure effectiveness of the diversity management program, the managers should communicate constantly to employees, managers, customers, shareholders, and other stakeholders at all stages of the program (Bledsoe et. al., 2010). It is vital to keep people informed as their support is necessary for the successful implementation of a diversity management program. The execution should involve everyone; as such a program is not an issue for only the personnel department or a responsibility of senior managers. Besides, it is also critically important to apply a change management processes to implement the program. The leader driving the changes should be aware that a long term perspective is required in implementation of a diversity management program (i.e., changes involves attitudes and dont happen overnight, and leaders have to expect that the program will last for years rather than a few weeks or months). Last b ut not least, the leaders must also have the correct expectations that resources are required for the program. Leaders must be prepared to invest money, time and resources to achieve successful diversity management program. On the other hand, there are two general dont rules to be aware of by managers. Firstly, managers should not confuse equal opportunities with diversity management. The equal opportunity approach can be part of any diversity initiative, but a successful diversity management program should go far beyond traditional equal opportunity issues. Secondly, managers should not design the diversity goals and policies for them (i.e., referring to the minorities), but they should instead think of us (i.e., everyone involved in the organization) (Bledsoe et. al., 2010). Conclusion This writing takes a critical view on the business case of diversity management. The results from researchers have been mixed. There are both advantages and disadvantages to a diversity management program. Successful cases of diversity management to improve company and workforce performance are also widely available. Apparently, from a review of the many journals related to diversity management, it can be summarized that the program can bring forward many benefits to a firm, but the implementation of the program can be challenging and resources consuming. Perhaps what is relevant for us to consider is how to cope with the increasing trend of workforce diversity in the globalization era. Organizations should recognize the changing workforce and other social pressures that are constantly demanding businesses to cope with diversity. Achieving diversity is not merely to become politically correct; it is more about cultivation of a culture that values individuals and their wide arrays of needs characteristics, nature and contributions. The good news is that correctly promoting and executing a diversity management program can improve company performance and to enhance the corporate reputation among marketplace, even though the implementation of the program is challenging.

Teen Crime :: essays research papers

How safe are teens wherever they go? Despite many people's attempts, teen violence is something that hasn't completely come to an end. Recently, 59% of students in grades six through twelve knew where to get a gun if they wanted one, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. The U.S. Surgeon General shows that each year, students spend $5.5 billion on alcohol, perhaps the cause of many violent crimes committed by them. Northeastern University's College of Criminal Justice reports that from 1985 to 1993, murders committed by people between the ages of 14-17 increased 165%. Certain adult crimes on the other hand, have decreased. There are many organizations out there that help prevent teen violence, some which include the National Alliance For Safe Schools, Mothers Against Teen Violence, The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and more. Is there anything else though, that we can do to prevent teen violence from escalating to an even higher level? The numbers are getting bigger and bigger. Since 1985, murder arrests of teens have jumped up 92%. In the year 2000, 2,369,400 youth arrests were made. Many which included violence towards others. In 2005, out of the 36,000,000+ inhabitants we have here in California, 2,503 were charged for murder, 9,392 for forcible rape, 114,661 for aggravated assault, and 692,467 for theft. Although crime here in California isn?t as high as it was around the ?90s, it is slowly increasing through the years. Statistics show that something needs to be done. Increasing crime varies on crime type. For instance, between 2000-2004, Larceny has increased. Also, from 1999-2005 vehicle theft and burglary have increased dramatically. On the other hand, forcible rape in recent years is slowly decreasing. This goes to show that crime is unpredictable. It can look as if it is being prevented for a while, and suddenly increase, touching lives everywhere in a negative way. By 1991, crime rate was 313% the 1960 crime rate. Chances of being a victim of crime in 1960 were 1.89%, where in 1996, the chances of being a victim raised to 5.079%. Overall, crime is increasing. It can be local, or even across the nation, but we know that it is there and is on the rise. Approximately 5% of the U.S. population are victims of crime each year. That?s around 13 million people and is unacceptable. But out of all these crimes committed, which ones are of adults and which ones are of teens? Teen Crime :: essays research papers How safe are teens wherever they go? Despite many people's attempts, teen violence is something that hasn't completely come to an end. Recently, 59% of students in grades six through twelve knew where to get a gun if they wanted one, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. The U.S. Surgeon General shows that each year, students spend $5.5 billion on alcohol, perhaps the cause of many violent crimes committed by them. Northeastern University's College of Criminal Justice reports that from 1985 to 1993, murders committed by people between the ages of 14-17 increased 165%. Certain adult crimes on the other hand, have decreased. There are many organizations out there that help prevent teen violence, some which include the National Alliance For Safe Schools, Mothers Against Teen Violence, The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and more. Is there anything else though, that we can do to prevent teen violence from escalating to an even higher level? The numbers are getting bigger and bigger. Since 1985, murder arrests of teens have jumped up 92%. In the year 2000, 2,369,400 youth arrests were made. Many which included violence towards others. In 2005, out of the 36,000,000+ inhabitants we have here in California, 2,503 were charged for murder, 9,392 for forcible rape, 114,661 for aggravated assault, and 692,467 for theft. Although crime here in California isn?t as high as it was around the ?90s, it is slowly increasing through the years. Statistics show that something needs to be done. Increasing crime varies on crime type. For instance, between 2000-2004, Larceny has increased. Also, from 1999-2005 vehicle theft and burglary have increased dramatically. On the other hand, forcible rape in recent years is slowly decreasing. This goes to show that crime is unpredictable. It can look as if it is being prevented for a while, and suddenly increase, touching lives everywhere in a negative way. By 1991, crime rate was 313% the 1960 crime rate. Chances of being a victim of crime in 1960 were 1.89%, where in 1996, the chances of being a victim raised to 5.079%. Overall, crime is increasing. It can be local, or even across the nation, but we know that it is there and is on the rise. Approximately 5% of the U.S. population are victims of crime each year. That?s around 13 million people and is unacceptable. But out of all these crimes committed, which ones are of adults and which ones are of teens?

Childrens Ability to Differentiate Between Real and Fantastical Entiti

Introduction In the field of developmental psychology, children have become a popular interest. By studying such changes children go through in the early stages of childhood, researchers provide better knowledge and insight on how these changes influence the actions and behaviors of children. It has been identified by many that during these stages, children have rapid mental and cognitive development. Likewise, during this time children are thought to easily confuse reality and fantasy. This paper will consist of two reviews involving two different studies which assesses the children's ability to differentiate between fantasy and reality. One will determine how fantasy/reality distinction evolves with age, while the other investigates children's perception of storybook entities. Both focus on children's ability to categorize specified objects/people/events. Article One - Purpose, Hypothesis & Goal of Study It is believed that a basic component of human cognitive skills is the ability to differentiate between reality and fantasy. Traditionally, children were assumed to confuse the boundaries between them. Yet, previous research has shown that three year olds are able to make reality/non-reality distinctions. The first article, published in 2004 describes a study performed by Sharon & Woolley. They hoped to provide a new viewpoint at a preschooler's level of fantasy/reality differentiation. They believed that children have a better understanding of these boundaries than most people assume. Believing that children have an understanding of what is "human" and what is not, which they use to determine whether entities are real or fantastical. The main goal of their study was to show this possibility, by exploring what childr... ... impossible allows for a broader understanding of what can be considered as real or pretend. Both studies show that increased exposure to fantasy based activities, improve their ability to differentiate and likelihood to question the reality status of various entities/events. It is also important to note that environmental and social factors play a key role in what children believe is real, especially if "false truths" like Santa Claus are instilled by a dominant figure in the child's life. References Sharon, T. & Woolley, J.D. (2004). Do monsters dream? Young children's understanding of the fantasy/reality distinction. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 22, 293-310. Woolley, J. D. & Cox, V. (2007). Development of beliefs about storybook reality. Developmental Science, 10 (5), 681-693. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2007.00612.x

Secret of Magnetism Essay -- essays research papers

Research, p.1 Do you want to know a secret? First, consider this: When a magician performs a magic trick, many ask, â€Å"How did he do that?† Well†¦the true magician never tells because it is a secret. But when speaking about magnetism and its use in our everyday lives, you can learn the SECRET—the secret of magnetism! A true scientist would be glad to share his secrets through experimentation. Thus, I will share the secret with you. It begins with science—physics, to be exact: matter and energy, conduction and induction, magnetizing and demagnetizing. All will be explained in my science project. More importantly, to discover through experimentation that the secret behind magnetism could be its power! Let’s start by defining an electromagnet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An electromagnet is a temporary magnet formed when electric current flows through a wire or a conductor. Most electromagnets consist of wire wound around an iron core. This core is made from soft iron that loses its magnetism quickly when the electric current stops flowing through the wire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Electromagnetism is the branch of physics that studies the relationship between electricity and magnetism. Electromagnetism is based on the fact that (1) an electric current or a charging electric field produces a magnetic field or (2) a charging magnetic field produces an electric field.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1820, the Danish scientist Hans Oersted discovered that a conductor carrying an electric current is surrounded by a magnetic field. When he brought a magnetized needle near a wire in which an electric current was flowing, the needle moved. Because a magnetized needle is moved by magnetic forces, the experiment proved that an electric current produces magnetism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research, p.2 Also, during the 1820’s, the French physicist Andre’ Marie Ampere declared that electric currents produce all magnetism. He concluded that a permanent bar magnet has tiny currents flowing in it. The work Oersted and Ampere did led to the development of the electromagnet—which is used in such devices as the telegraph and the electric bell. They confirmed as stated earlier: Most electromagnets consist of a coil of wire wound around an iron core. The electromagnet becomes temporarily magnetized when electric current flows th... ...you have any magnets around you? What shape are they? Magnets come in all shapes and sizes, but they all pull and push with an invisible force. Further, all magnets pull or attract some things but not others. For example, all magnets attract the metal iron. So, if you use a magnet to pick up safety pins or paper clips, it will only attract them if they contain iron.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You probably were aware that electricity can provide light, heat and sound. However, you probably did not know that electricity can also turn something into a magnet! Again, a magnet is anything that attracts or attaches to iron or steel. You have seen small magnets hold pictures and papers on refrigerator doors. There are a number of items in your home that need electromagnets to work, as I demonstrated with my doorbell experiment. To conclude, as you’ve witnessed, magnets have the ability to expel a force on other magnets or pieces of magnetic material some distance away. The reason that they can do this is because magnets are weaker the farther they are away from another magnet. Now that you know how a magnet works, can you make one? I’ll give you a hint: the North pole and South pole.

English grammar Essay

Read the passage given below: and answer the questions a, b, c, and d that follow: [25] A list of queries on email asks recipients to name the world’s richest man in 2008; the winner of the world’s golf title in 2007; the designer of the first rockets; the manufacturer of the first bicycle and so on? building up a roll call of achievers who left their mark on mankind. It ended with, â€Å"Who was the teacher who helped you to enjoy school and whom you remember most vividly? † I don’t know a single recipient of the email who answered a single one of the questions except the last. In other words, everyone’s most unforgettable person was a supportiveand encouraging teacher whose wealth, fame and social standing mattered not at all. What the grateful student received was beyond evaluation because what the teacher gave most freely was the precious gift of the self. It was not just knowledge to pass an examination that they gave their students but an understanding of the value of knowledge itself and a love of it. Great teachers seek to form, not merely inform their students. Today, when teaching (especially teaching young children who have not learned to write) is no longer a coveted profession, I wish we could all pay a silent tribute to the many obscure men and women who shaped our lives and asked for so little in return. Surely, a good teacher deserves to be called a deva because the real meaning of the word is â€Å"the shining one†. Every year, choosing a day when it is not functioning, my cousin visits his old school. The building and compound are much the same as they were when he was a student, so the sense of stepping back into the past is powerful. He moves from classroom to classroom following the exact progression his student-graph had taken him more than half a century ago, and pays a silent tribute to each of the teachers, intensely recalling those impoverished gentlemen whose wardrobes had hardly held more than two shirts. What still moves him is the memory of the care they had taken in the lives and progress of every student, encouraging each of them and guiding every child to do his best and then some. A drop in concentration or performance led to the â€Å"master† calling on the child’s parents to enquire if there was something wrong at home which the child found disturbing or was unable to cope with; very few homes had phones in those days and even if they did, a school-teacher would certainly not have been able to afford a phone call. So, umbrella held high, he would walk those extra miles. My first teacher was a smiling and very gentle woman named Mrs. Delamose, whose name my brother and I repeated over and over again to get it right so that we might greet her correctly: â€Å"delamosedelamosedelamose†. I still recall her dark eyes, and charming crooked smile with faint streaks of lipstick out of place, as she led us through Songs the Letters Sing. She was a true teacher who believed that every single child is unique and that there is no such thing as an unintelligent child I owe my profession to her. a) Give the meaning of the following words as used in the passage: [3] 1. Supportive

Kallipolis: the City of the Ideal

Around the time of 380 BCE, a philosopher by the name of Plato wrote one of his most famous works: The Republic. Within the text of this dialogue, Socrates and his fellow conversationalists discuss a morally and socially sensitive issue: what, per se, is justice? Throughout the work, there were several definitions ranging from â€Å"the power of the strong† to â€Å"rewarding good and punishing evil. † To help bring clarity to their discussions, Socrates proposes that in order to discover justice as a concept, they must apply it holistically as opposed to an individualistic, circumstantial criteria.In order to accomplish this, the group imagines what the ideal city would be like. In this ideal place, there would be three classes of people (producers, auxiliaries, and guardians) which would told they have have a corresponding metal which makes up their soul. Bronze for the producers, silver for the auxiliaries, and gold for the guardians. Each class would be determined b y individual merit in accordance with what tasks they best perform. For example, if a man is best at digging ditches he will dig ditches for the rest of his life.Additionally, the members of one class can only produce children with members of the same class. The citizens of this city (a total of around 30,000 individuals) would all share wealth, food, and shelter communally. Several core virtues such as wisdom (through the guardians), courage (through the auxiliaries), and moderation (through all classes dwelling together peacefully) will be emphasized to help preserve justice. Socrates emphasizes that the goal is to make a city as good as possible so that the populace is as content as possible.The end-goal is not just to make one person as happy as possible. As a pupil of Socrates, Plato's construction of this ideal city, named Kallipolis, was much more than hypothesizing about mortar and stone. For Plato, Kallipolis was meant to reflect two drastically different things on two tota lly different levels. On the baser level, Kallipolis' inclusion of human virtues just as justice and moderation mirrors the individual. On the other side, Kallipolis also represents the entirety of the cosmos with its realm of infinite possibly and wondrous ideals.To Socrates and Plato, this city was a sociopolitical organization which allowed citizens to achieve their potential, serve the state, and live according to the absolute truths which govern our existence. Unfortunately, the ideal Kallipolis is just that: an ideal. It may be all well and good to construct an ideal city in the mind, but unfortunately this utopian system lacks a firm foundation in reality. Kallipolis is a utopia: an imagined society put forward by its author as better than any existing society, past or present.Specifically according to Plato, Kallipolis is not just a better city, but rather is the best city. This makes creating Kallipolis impossible because there was nothing to from the real-world to model it self after. This is what makes construction of a place like Kallipolis to hard to even pragmatically imagine. It is not that obscure for one to even assume that in actuality, Plato never meant for Kallipolis to be a reality, but rather to have it serve as a goal for other poleis or nation-states to model themselves after.Plato planned for the society described in his Republic to not just be a utopia, but to rather be the best utopia, making this ideal even more difficult to properly realize. If one were to look into his work, one would certainly see that Plato never advocates revolution or legislation to bring his Republic into existence. On the contrary, Plato knew that Kallipolis was an impossibility and that the Republic would only live on in the minds of those who read his works.His message was that if all individuals (be they king, peasant, or representative) were just, the ideal city would exist. Thus, people must strive on their own to better themselves if they ever wish to b ring about a better society overall. This is the beauty of Plato's theorem: it is impossible for this utopia to fail because this city is only actually meant to exist as the hypothetical dream of an aging philosopher. Because of this, Kallipolis was able to evade some of the stubborn realities existent on Earth.The purpose for this city is not necessarily to exist, but rather to be the ideal which the contemporary cities (such as Athens or Sparta) and the ruling bodies (the people or the aristocracy, respectively) may be judged. Instead of looking at other countries, cities, and nations which dwelled in the real world to compare one's city to, Plato thought it would be best if a city was compared to the ideal, Kallipolis. Even in modern times, Kallipolis is a suitable standard concerning how a society made of of many different factions can live harmoniously.Personally, it is my viewpoint that this city is just for a community, but unjust for the individual. For this, I would not wan t to live in a governing system such as this. It is reasonable to assume that Plato's city might not be so â€Å"ideal† in the 21st century world of digitalized information and civil liberties. Through a primitive eugenics program, avid informational censorship, and telling a â€Å"noble lie,† Kallipolis' people do not so much choose what they wish to accomplish as much as they are conditioned to perform what tasks must be done.The individual rights of the people are cast aside for the sake of the â€Å"greater good† in a very utilitarian system which contains a harsh pragmatism in its application. One needs to look no further than Nazi Germany, Socialist Russia, Fascist Italy, or Communist China to see the problems with this worldview and the mindset it supported. The end game for Plato's Republic is not so much to have citizens who ponder life's deeper meanings, but to rather have mindless drones performing the tasks they were instructed to do.Yet even with th ese numerous infractions against the core of humanity, the ruling body of Kallipolis is incredibly legitimate. The guardians (who are more than qualified for their positions) rule both effectively and efficiently for the sake of the nation-state. Overall, they provide the proper protection for their people and preserve their well being. The guardians attempt to honor the welfare and well-being of all citizens by promoting justice, striving for class harmony, and defending their people within the walls of their ideal polis.However, the flaw lies not in the people themselves, but rather in the system they were placed into. After all, such a sense of loyalty to homeland is desirable, but the system's cost to individuality and free will is simply too much. All Men have certain rights ordained to them at birth by nature (or whichsoever deity a people worships) which include a right to life, a right to liberty, and a right to property. Socrates' and Plato's Kallipolis strips away its citi zens' rights to such things, such as when it dictates an individual's lot from the beginning.First, a person's life will be channelled into one of three categories. Second, (and based on the category) that person will instructed only on what they will be doing the rest of their lives. Finally, he or she will share all personal possessions with others, losing a sense of identity one moment at a time. Kallipolis, with all of its peaceful and harmonious benefits, eliminates certain rights which were made self-evident long before Socrates or Plato ever lived. The elimination of those rights is unacceptable and ought not be tolerated.