Essay on Sexuality and Sexual Identity - 2559 Words

Sexuality and Sexual Identity Alfred C. Kinsey argued in 1948 that It would encourage clearer thinking on these matters [of labeling homosexuals] if persons were not characterized as heterosexual or homosexual, but as individuals who have had certain amounts of heterosexual experience and homosexual experience. Instead of using these terms as substantives (real and apparent entities) which stand for persons, #8230;they may be better used to describe the nature of overt sexual relations, or of the stimuli to which an individual erotically responds. Here I shall look at this statement regarding sexuality and gender from a sociological perspective on deviance. In this discussion I will†¦show more content†¦The reinforcement of gender roles and boundaries through societal constructs is shown in Woodhouses discussion of transvestites or cross-dressers. Cross-dressing heterosexual men (dressing in womens clothing) pose a threat to traditional society that presents male and female gender categories as immuta ble categories that have no room for malleability. On a social and cultural level the two groups (male and female) are mutually exclusive#8230; (Woodhouse, p. 117). This is maintained and strictly enforced in our male-dominant society through approval of masculinity and disapproval of femininity. Outside of the closely demarcated boundaries of the drag act or the fancy-dress party, men cannot appear in any item of womens clothing without immediate loss of the superior status attached to the male and the full imposition of ridicule and censure (Woodhouse, p. 119). We see examples of this ridicule from very early childhood and adolescence with boys being scorned and called a sissy for playing with dolls or expressing feminine traits which are reserved for the secondary, inferior female role and should be eradicated (Woodhouse, p. 119). There is a vice-grip on the primacy of masculinity which refuses to let go of pointing out that which is not masculine, and giving it a value. An y man who is effeminate cannot be heterosexual, there must be something wrong with himShow MoreRelatedGender, Sexuality And Sexual Identity3292 Words   |  14 PagesAustralian schools in regards to issues of gender, sexuality and sexual identity. For students to thrive in their learning experience, schools need to provide a safe nurturing environment, free from harassment, aggression, violence and bullying. Homophobia and discrimination can have a significant negative impact on Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender (LGBT) students as well as children from same-sex families, especially in the schooling years (Sexual Diversity, 2016). While the Sex DiscriminationRead MoreGay Marriage And Its Slow Progression Of Acceptance1441 Words   |  6 Pagessociety, sexuality is a subject that plays a huge role in daily life and is becoming a common and prominent theme in society as more time passes. According to the American Psychological Association, sexual orientation refers to the sex or sexual interest to whom one is sexually and romantically attracted to. Heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality are the three mostly familiar categories of sexual orientation for a typical person, and these sexualities make up for 98.9% of the sexual orientationRead MoreSexuality, Identity And Media Audiences Essay1567 Words   |  7 PagesMedia Audiences Faith Holloway 300314105 Sexuality, Identity and Media Audiences Drawing upon qualitative audience studies, this essay aims to discuss the extent to which sexuality plays a role in media audience’s identity construction. Furthermore, this essay argues that sexuality is significantly influenced by hegemonic discourse surrounding masculinity and heteronormativity. Foucault eludes to this idea nothing that both â€Å"†¦ the formation of identities and practices are related to, or are a functionRead MoreSexuality Is Defined By Sexual Orientation1538 Words   |  7 PagesSexuality is defined by â€Å"sexual orientation or preference† as well as the ability to understand the capacity of sexual desires. Same sex sexuality refers to sexual orientation also, but one’s preference towards someone of their same gender and the â€Å"erotic thoughts, feelings and behaviours† they assign to those of the same sex. Culturally, same sex sexuality is not always based on sexual ideals, acts that could be defined as being homosexua l and appealing to those with same sex sexuality, oftenRead MoreMen Who Have Sex With Men Essay1476 Words   |  6 Pages MSM Men Who Have Sex With Men A Critical Concept Essay Tara L. Gill CIIS Sexuality is historically rooted vacillating through out time, adjusting to the individuals personal experience and is influenced by cultural norms. In the United States, sexual behavior and attitudes are driven by variations in gender, social class, ethnicity, and religion. In fact, sexuality is fluid and is different for everyone. It is a unique, diverse, complicated, secretive, and puzzling experienceRead MoreThe Topic Of Sexuality1144 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduce the topic of sexuality (para)- Horrocks (1997) points out in his book that sexuality encircles multiple aspects of human existence. Sexuality is then, not a uniform or simple phenomenon and is influenced by the interaction of psychological, biological, social, cultural factors and many more. Horrocks (1997), suggests that to try and understand or explain a definitive conclusion about sexuality seems impossible as sexuality has different meanings to so many groups of people. IntroduceRead MoreShould Same Sex Marriage Be Legal?1551 Words   |  7 PagesOutside from heterosexuality, there are so many other types of sexual orientation. The current stereotypes of homosexuality and other types of sexualities have a negative connotation. In today’s society, it is perhaps the lack of education, and religious beliefs that caused this rift. Many people do not realize that there is a difference between gender identity and sexual orientation. As well that there is many different types of sexual orientations and what they all mean. The country, itself, hasRead MoreSexual education programmes within school based learning have long been cause for controversy,1600 Words   |  7 PagesSexual education programmes within school based learning have long been cause for controversy, particularly in reference to which approach should be taken, what topics should be raised and at what age children should be begin to learn about sexual development and sexuality. Previ ously, sex education has focused on the biological development of humans however in recent years programs have shifted towards integration of sexuality and sexual health promotion in response to sexual development withinRead MoreSexuality As A Social Construct1486 Words   |  6 PagesHannah St. Lifer Sexuality as a Social Construct Heternormativity is the idea that there exist two distinctive classifications of the genders, males and females, with customary roles in society. The idea asserts that heterosexuality is the only normal sexual orientation of people and that all sexual and marital relations must abide by this norm. Society has adopted this belief and constructed it into a standard of life. It is normal for people to automatically presume that most other people are heterosexualRead MoreSexual Identity : Guadalupe Sanchez Essay1566 Words   |  7 Pages 2 Guadalupe Sanchez Sexual Identity Guadalupe Sanchez California State University Long Beach For a long time I was not aware of the concept of sexual identity. When a boy likes a girl they develop a romantic connection, with the condition that the girl also finds the boy attractive. For a long time I considered that this was a classical receipt for romantic relationships and I could not separate romance from sexuality. The way I was raised, the religious precepts that have shaped

Assignment 3 Human Resources Management - 1461 Words

Matthew Allen September 29, 2014 LS 625 Assignment 3 – Human Resources Management Issue CASE STUDY: Read Part One of the text: Chapters 1-4. Write a description of a problematic situation or incident that you have witnessed or experienced in your workplace. The situation or incident should focus on a human resource management issue. In detailing the incident, begin with an overview of the circumstances surrounding the initial development of the problem. Include specific details, the people involved, and the outcome. Next, provide your analysis of the situation, including what went right or wrong, and discuss how you would have chosen to deal with the situation, keeping in mind legal and ethical contexts of human resource management. Introduction A recent human resources management incident occurred while serving in my current role as the Assistant Aircraft Maintenance Officer (AAMO) of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29 (MALS 29). This problematic situation was the alleged violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act; specifically an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaint for prejudice based on race. This specific incident occurred when a recently joined military subordinate member felt that his immediate leadership was being overly critical and watchful of every move that he made. Specifically, the Marine believed that not all members of his work center peer group received this level of treatment and determined that it must be due to his racial background.Show MoreRelatedBus 310 Complete Course Bus310 Complete Course Essay1602 Words   |  7 PagesDiscussion Please respond to the following: * The goal of HRM is to maximize the productivity of an organization by optimizing the effectiveness of employees while simultaneously improving the work life of employees and treating them as valuable resources. What do you believe the HR department at your company, or company you’ve worked for in the past, has done to achieve those goals? BUS 310 Week 2 Discussion Please respond to the following: * Based on your experience and Chapter 2 in yourRead MoreThe Roles and Resposibilies of the Line Mangers in Virgin Atlantics Human Resource Management998 Words   |  4 PagesLONDON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT NQF level 4: BTEC Higher National – H1 UNIT NO: 21 UNIT TITLE: Human Resource Management ASSIGNMENT NO: 1 ASSIGNMENT TITLE: Human Resource Management UNIT OUTCOMES COVERED: LO 1. Understand the difference between personnel management and human resource management LO 2. Understand how to recruit employees LO 3. Understand how to reward employees in order to motivate and retain them LO 4. Know the mechanisms for the cessation of employment Read Moreunit 16958 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿BTEC NATIONAL IN BUSINESS (LEVEL 3) Unit 16 – Human Resource Management in Business The study of human resource management will help you understand an organisation, its structure, the way it works and its culture. Organisations need their employees to contribute effectively to the achievement of the organisational purpose. In order to achieve this, staff will have to be properly selected, trained and managed. Managers have to understand how to motivate employees and win their commitment to theRead MoreProject Manament1078 Words   |  5 PagesPortfolio and Project Management | Copyright  © 2010, 2009, 2005 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course introduces students to the planning phase of project management. Students will discover the connection between strategic portfolio management and project management. Other topics include project-based versus non-project-based organizations, activity planning and sequencing, human resource planning, communicationsRead MoreHuman Resource Management1748 Words   |  7 PagesModule 1 – CASE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; CHALLENGES AND CHANGES Case Assignment In today’s job market we see many human resource management changes and challenges evolving with the changes in a competitive market environment. One goal of the human resource department is to hire employees that will be as productive as possible, which in turn leads to more revenue and the success of an organization. In healthcare we see even more challenges; making sure there is enough staff members to care forRead MoreWeek 4 Individual Work1163 Words   |  5 Pagesmost critical resource, - one that also provides control over other resources. In fact, increasing recognition is being given to the role of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) that is the two way role of HRM in both helping to determine strategy as well as to implement it. That role in helping the organization to develop the necessary capabilities to be able to enact the desired strategy includes the reality strategic plans are developed in large part based on the resources possessed byRead MoreHrm 517 Week 6 Assignment 1 Planning Document896 Words   |  4 PagesHRM 517 WEEK 6 ASSIGNMENT 1 PLANNING DOCUMENT To purchase this visit here: http://www.activitymode.com/product/hrm-517-week-6-assignment-1-planning-document/ Contact us at: SUPPORT@ACTIVITYMODE.COM HRM 517 WEEK 6 ASSIGNMENT 1 PLANNING DOCUMENT HRM 517 Week 6 Assignment 1 - Planning Document You have recently been appointed head of human resources and are now in charge of managing a small team. Your next project is to revamp the compensation and benefits package employees are receivingRead MoreProject management Essay1284 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Assignment brief – QCF BTEC Assignment front sheet Qualification Unit number and title Extended Diploma in Construction the Built Environment Unit 7 Project Management in Construction and the Built Environment Learner name Assessor name B HUCKLE Date issued Hand in deadline Submitted on 8th October 2014 5th November 2014 Assignment title The Construction Team and Resource Management In this assessment you will have opportunitiesRead MoreHcs 341 (Human Resources in Healthcare) Entire Class596 Words   |  3 PagesHCS 341 (Human Resources in Healthcare) Entire Class - IF You Want To Purchase A+ Work Then Click The Link Below , Instant Download http://acehomework.com/HCS-341-Human-Resources-in-Healthcare-Complete-Class-A-Work-5457983.htm If You Face Any Problem E- Mail Us At JohnMate1122@gmail.com Week 1 Individual Assignment: Human Resource Management Roles Resource: Human Resource Management Roles grading criteria on the student website Write a 350- to 700-word paper in which youRead MoreBA 340 Human Resource Management All Assignments Midterm and Final Exam1671 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿BA 340 (Human Resource Management) All Assignments, Midterm, and Final Exam IF You Want To Purcahse A+ Work then Click The Link Below For Instant Down Load http://www.hwprofile.com/?download=ba-340-human-resource-management-all-assignments-midterm-and-final-exam IF You Face Any Problem Then E Mail Us At JOHNMATE1122@GMAIL.COM W1 Assignment â€Å"Workplace Shifts†    Society has evolved over the last century causing organizations to change with the times.       This evolution has, in turn, required workers

Music in Our Life Essay Example For Students

Music in Our Life Essay People cannot live without music. They listen to music, dance to music or learn to play musical instruments. There is music everywhere: at home, in a concert hall, in the park, at the seaside, in the forest and even in the street. Music is not a combination of pleasant sounds only. It is an art which reflects life. Music reflects peoples ideas and emotions. In this world of ours, filled with conflicts, regarded, Joys and hopes, music strives to speak to people of what is most important, urgent and poignant. Music in the lives of different people is different: some compose music, others play music, and others only listen to it. A lot of people who cannot play any musical instrument love to listen to music either at home or at a con-cert.. Different people like different kinds of music. You may prefer pop or rock music, country or folk music, lassie music or Jazz, but you certainly cannot think of a day without music. As for me, I prefer music. I have a lot of cassettes (CDC, records). I try to watch all the programmer dealing with it on TV and to go to the concerts as often as possible. My favorite composer (singer, musician) is I think he (she) is very talented. I can (not) play an instrument (the piano, the guitar, the violin). It is a great pleasure to be able to play an instrument and I like it a lot.

The Canterbury Tales, The Miller Essays - The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales, The Miller ?The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales? ?The Miller? ?The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales? were told during a pilgrimage journey from London to the shrine of the martyr St. Thomas a Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. This was approximately 70 miles to the southeast. These Tales were told by a group of 29 pilgrims, and a Host who met up with them at the Tabard Inn. They left the Inn on the morning of April, 11. The Nun's Priest Tale was the first story actually told, this was determined by whoever drew the shortest straw. The pilgrim who told the best story would win a free dinner, and the loser's had to pay for his dinner. Geoffrey Chaucer who was without a doubt the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages, wrote this great story ?The Canterbury tales?. What makes this story so memorable is the fact that Chaucer began writing ?The Canterbury Tales? in 1387, and had never finished , he wrote on this story from the years 1387-1400, until he passed away. But now that we've talked about chaucer and I have gave you a little bit of background on The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, We are going to learn a little bit about the Miller, who was one of the 29 pilgrims on the religious journey. We will learn about his Physical Traits, his Personality, and also his Professional Trades. The Miller was a very big and strong man, that , stated in The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, ?Could win the ram at any wrestling show?. He was Broad, Knotty , and Short-Shouldered. It also says he could ?Heave any door off hinge and post, Or take a run and break it with his head.? The Millers' beard was red, and very big and thick, and his nose had a wart on the end, with red hairs protruding out of it. His nostrils were black and very wide. He wore a sword and a buckler at his side, also the Miller wore a blue hood and a white coat. This is it for the physical traits of the Miller, I think you know by now, that he was big, and he was strong. Now we'll talk about the Millers' personality. The Millers' personality was very distinct, It matched his physical traits almost exactly. the Miller was very boastful in his ways, he would boast to people about how he could bust any door down and off the hinges, or take a run and break it with his head, he was also a very greedy man, He would steal from the poor, or the rich without even thinking twice. his thumb of gold was how he did this, meaning, he pressed on the scale with his thumb to increase the weight of the grain that he sold to his customers, or so they thought he was selling them. The Miller also had a filthy mouth, and told tavern stories quite often. Also, he liked to play the bagpipes, in fact he was the pilgrim that led all the pilgrims out of town playing the bagpipes. Well, now that we know the greediness, dishonesty, and boastfullness of the Miller, we'll talk a little bit about his professional trades. Of course, I think we all know what his trade is, it's obviously a miller, He weighed corn and wheat, which he ground up into meal and flour for his customers. But most importantly when he would weight the people's corn and wheat out on the scale , he would press down on the scale to make it seem like he was selling them more meal or flour than he actually was. the Miller was very skilled in cheating the scale. but, overall the miller was very good at his job, even though he cheated his customers. In this review of the Miller, we talked about his physical traits, personality, and his professional trades. As we know the Miller was very big and strong, his beard was red, and had a big wart on the end of his nose. We also learned of his boastful personality, how he bragged about busting down doors with his head, and running through them knocking the door of it's hinges. The Miller was also a very dishonest and immoral person, the Millers' trade was obviously a miller, he weighed peoples corn and wheat, and ground it up for them into meal and flour. He was very good at this trade, but, he had one flaw, he cheated his customers out of money, by making them pay for more meal or flour than they were

The art of Romanticism Essay Example For Students

The art of Romanticism Essay Romantics often emphasized the beauty, strangeness, and mystery of nature. Romantic writers expressed their intuition of nature that came from within. The key to this inner world was the imagination of the writer; this frequently reflected their expressions of their inner essence and their attitude towards various aspects of nature. It was these attitudes that marked each writer of the Romantic period as a unique being. These attitudes are greatly reflected in the poem When I Heard the Learned Astronomer by Walt Whitman. Walt Whitman reflects this Romantic attitude in the speaker of his poem. He situates the speaker in a lecture about astronomy that the speaker finds very dull and tedious. Thus the speaker looks past the charts, diagrams and the work that is involved with them and starts to imagine the beauty of the stars alone. Being lifted out of the lecture room, the speaker is freed of his stress and boredom and is able to enjoy the peace and true beauty that the stars embrace. Varying degrees of Romantic attitude has affected many areas in our lives today. We will write a custom essay on The art of Romanticism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now A vast area that Romantic attitude has affected is The Arts. The Arts, composed of many types of genre, are composed and interpreted very different. Some people may look at a painting and imagine extremely different attitudes than the artist who painted it had intended. Another area that the Romantic attitude has drastically affected is fashion. As you glance around youll probably observe that very few people dress similar and each person has developed their own style of dress. Fashion often reflects a persons attitude towards life and may express the mood that the particular person has, this gives each person a unique quality to distinguish them from the rest of society. As you can see, in almost every case, the Romantic greatly expressed their attitude towards the beauty, strangeness, and mystery of nature. This attitude gave each Romantic a distinct characteristic that separated them from other Romantics. The Romantic attitude is portrayed in various aspects of our lives today including fashions and The Arts.

Free Essays on Evergrowing Technology

â€Å" In the past 50 years, no industry has expanded faster or affected more human beings than computers.† They have changed the world in countless ways. With every purchase, with every push of a button, and with every flip of a switch, a computer is involved. It allows us to make unfathomable calculations with the stroke of a keyboard, and has helped develop new technology in every job field. The people involved with developing and maintaining these technological wonders are known as computer engineers. The career of computer engineering has been growing exponentially for the last 20 years. With constant need for repair, development, or modification, this field has boundless possiblities. As people become more and more reliant on computers, this need for engineers will only increase. Currently, there are many ways to be a computer engineer. There are research engineers who work on future systems to be released into the market. They develop new ideas and concepts for upcoming products and lay the groundwork for other engineers. There are also development engineers who create new products, systems, and applications. They take the ideas from the research engineers and decide how it will be created. Finally, there are also product and manufacturing engineers who transform laboratory creations into things that can be manufactured. All of these engineers have the same general type of job in the end. They work to improve or manufacture computers in one way or another. They work with both hardware and software to develop new and better ways to make computers work. However, there is much schooling involved to enter into this career. Along with a high school education, a minimum of a 4 year bachelor degree is also required. A masters or doctorate degree is useful to get higher, or more well paid positions. Once on the job, the average pay for a computer engineer is sixty thousand dollars a year. Starting pay varies depe... Free Essays on Evergrowing Technology Free Essays on Evergrowing Technology â€Å" In the past 50 years, no industry has expanded faster or affected more human beings than computers.† They have changed the world in countless ways. With every purchase, with every push of a button, and with every flip of a switch, a computer is involved. It allows us to make unfathomable calculations with the stroke of a keyboard, and has helped develop new technology in every job field. The people involved with developing and maintaining these technological wonders are known as computer engineers. The career of computer engineering has been growing exponentially for the last 20 years. With constant need for repair, development, or modification, this field has boundless possiblities. As people become more and more reliant on computers, this need for engineers will only increase. Currently, there are many ways to be a computer engineer. There are research engineers who work on future systems to be released into the market. They develop new ideas and concepts for upcoming products and lay the groundwork for other engineers. There are also development engineers who create new products, systems, and applications. They take the ideas from the research engineers and decide how it will be created. Finally, there are also product and manufacturing engineers who transform laboratory creations into things that can be manufactured. All of these engineers have the same general type of job in the end. They work to improve or manufacture computers in one way or another. They work with both hardware and software to develop new and better ways to make computers work. However, there is much schooling involved to enter into this career. Along with a high school education, a minimum of a 4 year bachelor degree is also required. A masters or doctorate degree is useful to get higher, or more well paid positions. Once on the job, the average pay for a computer engineer is sixty thousand dollars a year. Starting pay varies depe...

Do EU Regulations Provide Sufficient Protection From Child Essay

Do EU Regulations Provide Sufficient Protection From Child Exploitation Within Member States - Essay Example (Beckett, 2007) The European Convention on Human Rights 1950 was a more general attempt to define the rights of humans and it was not a child centric legislation. However, it sets the overall tone of the regulation and suggests that the rights of children have also been considered. This is also significant in the wake of the fact that EU Court on Human Rights has developed significant level of jurisprudence to cover extensively human rights issues pertaining to children. (Bueren, 2007) Local and national governments in EU are considered to be closer to their communities and are considered in a better position to safeguard the interests of the children under the UN Human Rights Charter and Child Rights. It is critical to note however, that children did not featured as a voice in the overall policy making and legislative process in EU till late 1990s. At the time of formation of treaty, though there was an emphasis on bringing in equality between men and women however, children hardly featured into the overall policy making and legislative process in the region. (Renucci, 2005) The Amsterdam Treaty for the first time however, realized this anomaly and clarified new changes though which discrimination based upon age was discouraged. Amsterdam Treaty was enacted in 1997 and supplemented the European Union Treaty. The Article 13 of the treaty clarified that Children should be included in the treaty and discrimination against them should be treated equally along with adults. (Cockburn, 2010) The overall child protection can also be viewed from the perspective of social protection. Expenditure on social protection is considered as one of the indicators of how the 27 member States actually contribute and intervene into reducing predefined risks to... Most of the existing studies on the topic are the reviews of the legislations made over the period of time. This research study will focus upon exploring as to whether these regulations have been effective in achieving their objectives. This research study will therefore provide an insight into how future legislations need to be done in order to make them more applicable and result oriented. Ethics are normally concerned with right, wrong, good and bad and outlines as to how issues of moral concerns can be explored. Since exploring the issue of child protection involves understanding the ethical point of view also, it is therefore critical that ethical inquiry should be blended with the qualitative research design to explore underlying research issues.More appropriately, the existing regulations from EU with respect to child protection will be explored from the perspective of Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism outlines the greater good for the greater number of people and as such existing regulations pertaining to child protection may be viewed from utilitarian perspective. Quantitative research methods will also be employed to explore and understand the impact of the legislations on the reduction of child exploitation. For the purpose of this research, a sample set of 10 member countries will be chosen. This sample will be randomly picked countries officially admitted to the membership of EU since last 10 years.

Compare three cinematic figures of Jesus Christ Essay

Compare three cinematic figures of Jesus Christ - Essay Example This Jesus is in love with Mary of Bethany, and although she obviously has the look of love in her eyes and he reciprocates the looks, there is something that prevents him to ask her to marry him, but he does not know what it is, when he asks his father about it, Joseph only answers; "I'm just a carpenter, but you Jesus, you are not just a carpenter." Before dying, his earthly father lets him know that he is expected to do something to deliver the people of Israel from the Roman tyranny, yet he does not understand what or why him. "You want me to step out but you leave alone" he tells his father in the grave, he begs God to raise him, he demands Him, and finally, he accepts God's will. It is Mary his mother who tells him about his divine conception and encourages him to follow his heart. That's when he leaves for forty days and forty nights to the desert to fast and meditate about his future. His innocence and great faith are evident in his encounter with Satan, when he tempts him to turn the stones into bread to feed the people of Israel so they won't die he answers: "They die because of the hearts of stone of other men, not because of the will of God." When told by Satan that in order to make people listen he should throw himself from the Temple, and have God's angels come rescue him, "that would get the people's attention." Jesus seems to understand Satan's point of view and he is about to jump, then stops and turns to tell him: "If God wanted to test nature's laws, he wouldn't have sent me." It is through the third temptation that he realizes He is "The lamb of God."

Coaching youth sports Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Coaching youth sports - Research Paper Example Most developed economies spend millions of dollars in promoting sports, training the new comers to it and making people aware of the importance as well as over all benefits of sports activities. This piece of research paper addresses basic techniques in teaching of softball to young players and positive ways of identifying appropriate skills in individual players and explains how sports can develop physical skills as well as self esteem in young people. Coaching Techniques for Softball As Softball is a team sport, it requires using of specific evaluation tools and techniques that can also be used to assess the developments of the individual parts to make up the whole of the team (American Sport Education Program, p. 9). Improving basic physical skill is key element to success of any sport, and therefore, it is highly important that all the techniques and tactics that are planned to coach softball players must be useful to improve the physical skills of the players. Similarly, there a re some non-physical skills like remembrance, mental capacity, communication skill, character training etc that are also important for effective performance in any sport and these are also to be considered while coaching is given to softball players. Evaluating the effective techniques for coaching softball requires understanding what are the essential physical skills required for softball. They are strength, speed, agility, flexibility and power (American Sport Education Program, p. 9). Techniques and tactics can be different from team to tem, from coach to coach, but all these techniques must be able to boost the above mentioned essential physical skills. Prior to starting physical training and coaching of physical skills, the trainers or coachers must convey messages regarding the importance of the coaching, motivate the athletes to improve in their present skills, try to make all the coaching techniques to be given to athletes are unbiased and constant and convey the feedback of the coaching to the, etc. In softball techniques, Hitting coaching is perhaps most important one. It involves quickness, strength and hand-eye coordination etc. While coaching to help players better hit, it must be carefully considered to make them comfortable in proper grip and stance as well (American Sport Education Program, p. 22- 24). Another important technique of coaching is stride, which is a controlled forward move in the direction of the pitcher in order to help the hitter transfer her weight while she swings. Coachers should also train how the players can effectively position their bat and how can they be angled well. Teaching the proper hand-position in bat is also highly important. In each and every step, through out every different move forward and along with different types of hitting, the coacher should teach different stance, hand position and better grip tactics to the players so that they can have gradual improvements in overall moving and other important parts o f the softball game. A well structures and effective coaching of softball with different techniques must be well-planned, considering various programs like a) monitoring academic progress, b) arranging team program, c) creating goal chart, d) administering coaching, e) cooperating with team-players etc (Veroni and Brazier, p. 36). Ways to identify skills appropriate to individuals Players are individually different in terms of their age, gender and physical strength and therefore certain skills are more appropriate to some

Literature Review On Flexible Work Practices

Literature Review On Flexible Work Practices This literature review will attempt to appraise and analyse previous works conducted in the field of flexible work practices and work-life balance and its impact on employees. Theories such as Atkinsons flexible firm model (1984), Handys Shamrock organisation concept (1985), psychological contract and Border theory will be used to support this writing. Flexible Work Practices The origin of flexible work practices can be traced back to the 1970s when organizations in Europe experienced challenges as a result of globalization, growth of the product market, advanced technology, and a demand for reduction in the cost of labor (Sarantinos 2007). In response to this, the policy makers recommended two different ways (the low road and the high road) of managing the situation (EPOC, 1999). The`low-road` involves price competition, reduction in earnings and other benefits that were designed for the employees. In contrast, the `high road` includes technical innovation, quality endorsement and the development of the work force. Due to the social orientation of the regulatory authorities and the large number of organizations, the high road was considered to be more appropriate. Employees were however expected to cope with these developments, and this can be regarded as the starting point or the foundation of flexibility for both the employer and the employees (EPOC, 1 999). According to Rose (2008) flexibility is mostly analyzed from the perspective of revolution within the structure of employment relationship and it aids in conforming rapidly to changes in the world of technology and market opportunity. Piore (1998 cited in Rose 2008) argues that flexibility enables the workforce to be multi-skilled and it also promotes a cordial relationship between workers and management towards achieving the organizational goals and objectives. In addition, Dyer (1998) states that the ability to increase workers competencies and involvement will lead to a reduction in the level of absenteeism and increase employee satisfaction as well as the organizational productivity. Furthermore, Armstrong (2006) maintains that flexibility helps in preserving a sense of balance between work and other activities outside work. In a research conducted on Human Resource specialists from 585 organisations in United Kingdom, CIPD (2005) found a rise in the number of employees making us e of flexible contract of employment. However, Pollert (1991 cited in Creagh and Brewster 1998) suggest that drawbacks such as reduced training and development, high job insecurity and low wage should be considered while adopting these practices. It can be argued that there is no widely acceptable definition of the term flexibility in spite of its possible benefits. According to Blyton and Morris (1992: 2), flexibility is defined as the adaptability or responsiveness to pressure and it is generally represented as the opposite of rigidity. Similarly, Bucki and Pesqueux (2000) describe flexibility as the ability to vary according to needs thereby reflecting the ability to stay operational in changing conditions. Furthermore, Benner (2002: 14) states that flexibility refers to the ability to change or react to changes with little penalty in time effort, cost or performance. In addition, (Smith 1989: 203 cited in Legge 2005: 178) defined flexibility as labour market and labour process restructuring to increased versatility in design and greater adaptability of new technology in production. Again, Pilbeam and Corbridge (2006: 104) posit that flexibility is the ability of an organisation to adapt the size, composition, responsivene ss and cost of the people inputs required to achieve organizational objectives. From the above definitions, it is important to note that flexibility is influenced by changes in the economic situation, increased competition, labour market volatility and changes in the world of technology. Wilson et al (2008) explains that different meaning could be ascribed to the term flexibility. According to the author, flexibility can be identified with high commitment work practices and it includes career development, team work, and multi skilling. Presumably, these practices should increase employee satisfaction and motivation and ultimately an increase in the firms competitive advantage. On the contrary, some organizations adopt flexible practices which involve the use of low-priced casual workers for the purpose of meeting changes in customers demand and generating performance benefit. EEF (2009) also maintains that the word flexibility can be analysed from two perspectives. For the employees, flexibility is often used to depict the right to demand for work practices such as home-working, term-time working, part-time working, flexitime and job sharing, annual or compressed hours. Thus, flexibility helps in creating a wide range of motivating jobs and a better working condition for the employees (Dyer 1998). From the employers point of view, flexibility is often used as an abbreviation of the flexible labour markets. It enables the employer to regulate the way work is done in order to meet up with changes in demand (EEF 2009). Thus, flexibility ensures that the organisation remains globally competitive. According to (Bouchikhi and Kimberly cited in Mullins 2007), one of the major challenges that organisations encounter within the flexible labour market is an understanding of individuals wants; and the need to support employee-driven flexibility. Furthermore, Pilbeam and Corbridge (2006) analyzed the term flexibility from two contexts. The first is from the employers viewpoint and it is concerned with the managements pursuit of workers flexibility in order to increase profitability and maximize efficiency. The second aspect is seen from an employees perspective and it is generally addressed by means of rearranging or restructuring of the patterns of work. The study of flexibility from the employees perspective remains the focus of this write-up as it involves the endorsement of flexible working practices to improve work-life balance. Several writers such as (Blyton and Morris 1992; Atkinson 1984; Bramham 1994; Sparrow and Marchington 1998 cited Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006, Lewis et al 2003; Torrington et al 2008; Armstrong 2006; Legge 2005; Dyer 1998) have attempted to identify the different types of flexibility which exists in the workplace. They include functional, numerical, financial geographical, temporal, skills and structural flexibility. Functional flexibility affords management the ability to quickly re-assign workers between different tasks based on jobs requirements (Sisson and Storey 2003). Furthermore, Dyer (1998) maintains that such movement enhances on-the-job training and it also increases employees satisfaction and productivity. Functional flexibility is associated with the core workforce within the Atkinson model (Lewis et al 2003). Atkinson argues that the core workforce is expected to apply their skills across a wide range of tasks in order to contribute significantly to the achievement of organisational success (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). According to Torrington et al (2008), the rationale behind functional flexibility is to enable employees acquire the skills needed to embark on different assignments, thus ensuring versatility within the work place. However, Legge (2005) argues that functional flexibility is about work amplification and managements ability to exert control over the work force. Nev ertheless, functional flexibility increases employees competencies and ensures a quick response to demand (Mabey et al 1998). Numerical flexibility is the firms ability to increase and reduce the number of work force in response to fluctuations in the demand for product or services (Armstrong 2006). Price (2006) maintains that there is difficulty in achieving this form of flexibility with the core workforce; and Blyton and Morris (1991) conclude that numerical flexibility can be achieved through the use of the peripheral employees within the Atkinsons model. Working practices which incorporates elements of numerical flexibility includes part-time employment, self employment, short-term contracts, job sharing, homework, and agency temps. (Dyer 1998). According to Sparrow and Marchington (1998), numerical flexibility increases employees empowerment because if gives an opportunity for individuals to define their own job. Legge (2005: 178) however argues that one of the reasons why organizations adopt numerical flexibility is to suppress the permanency of employment relationship; thereby making employee redunda ncy an acceptable practice within the employment relationship. (Conclude with statistics) Financial flexibility is the ability of an organization to regulate employment overheads by allocating labour costs to substantiate the supply of and demand for labour so as to increase profitability. It includes payment in relation to performance and the use of local market rates in establishing the cost of labour. To be applied, it requires the utilisation of temporal flexibility as well as the application of non- consolidated bonus pay and non- pensionable payment to steer clear of any expense that encourages a rise in cost (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). In addition, financial flexibility supports the implementation of functional and numerical flexibility (Dyer 1998). Temporal flexibility has to do with the arrangement of working hours so as to meet up with production demands. Its aim is to maximise productive time and minimise unproductive time. However, Muller-Camen (2008) argues that the aim of temporal flexibility is to reduce the payment of overtime premium, even though it helps in coping with high customer demand. Geographical flexibility involves the ability of organisation to engage the employee in distant working and it is achieved through better use of technology. To be applied, the employee requires access to organisations facilities from home usually for specific occasion or as situation demands. Arguably, geographical flexibility ensures job security and it enhances efficiency in the execution of work (Stredwick 2000). Forms of flexibility are flexible time, part-time working, overtime, job rotation, shifting, compressed hour, annualised hour, term time Two influential frameworks that address flexibility at the organisational level include Atkinsons (1984) flexible firm model and Handy (1985) shamrock organisation. The flexible firm model was developed by Atkinson in 1984 and it is useful in evaluating the general concept of flexibility (Stredwick 2000). The model contains all the various forms of flexibility discussed above and it also recognises some of the consequences of the flexible work force. Atkinsons (1984) flexible firm Atkinson reinforces an optimist view to flexibility, he argues that economic recession and technological changes have encouraged employers to make their firm more flexible thereby increasing productivity (Rose 2008). Atkinson believes that flexibility addresses the rigidities associated with the rules of employment established under scientific organisation designs where management control over workers was used to increase productivity (Dyer 1998). Atkinsons flexible firm model provides a framework based on breaking internal hierarchical labour markets by creating a core and a periphery workforce; and the author further argues that the flexible firm has a variety of ways of meeting the need of human resources (Torrington et al 2008). The core work force is made up of highly skilled workers (such as management, technical staff and other professionals) who are considered critical to organisational success by their ability to sustain the organisations competitive advantage (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). They are highly regarded by the employer, well paid and they are involved in the firms decision making (Torrington et al 2008). In addition, they tend to have development and career opportunities in order to secure their long-term commitment to the organisations. In return, these employees are expected to be functionally flexible by applying their skills across a wide range of tasks in order to contribute significantly to the achievement of organisational success (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). Whittington (1991 cited in Dyer 1998) however challenge the benefits associated with the core workforce and argues that improved working conditions and better pay is achieved through work intensification. In addition, Ursell (1991 cited in Dyer 1998) maintain that the scope of decision making associated with the core workforce is likely to be very limited and found that budgets, performance appraisals and selection techniques are being used to both monitor and control the extent of autonomy given to the core work force. The peripheral workforce is characterised by low wages, low job security with little or no autonomy in their work Dyer (1998) and are subdivided into several segments. The first group is known as the first peripheral. Employees in this group are drawn from the secondary labour market and they have skills and knowledge profile which is general rather than specific to the core business of the organisation (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). They are employed on contracts with some degree of permanence. They are important but not critical to organisation success as their skills and knowledge will normally be readily available in external labour market. Consequently, they cannot expect similar degrees of security as their colleagues from the core even if they display some functional flexibility (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). Instead of having a career, these group of employees only have job (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). They can be regarded as labour on call providing a buffer stock of reso urces enabling the organisation to expand and contract organically Rose (2008); hence they are seen as numerically flexible. Marchington and Wilkinson (2008) however argue against categorising all workers in this group as peripherals because some part time workers are critical to the success of the business given their close contact with customers and their contribution to business goals. Examples include administrative, secretarial, sales, production and supervisory staff. The second peripheral group comprises individuals who find it hard to break into internal labour market and whose employment experiences tend to be precarious, with little realistic prospect of employment security (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). They consist of beck and call workers (such as caterers, cleaners or assembly workers) characterized by casual, zero hours or core hours contract of employment (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). They have a limited contract of employment (either short term or part time) and they enjoy even less security (Torrington et al 2008). In addition, they have relatively restricted reward package and they can easily be replaced. They provide dynamic forms of numerical and financial flexibility and they can be said to have work rather than jobs or career. Examples include cleaners, drivers, caterers etc. Beyond the peripheral group are those individuals who are clearly external to the host organisation but employed by another employer or in self employment (Marchington and Wilkinson 2008). This group also includes labour provided through contracts for services and the sub-contracting of work to other organisations. Workers supplied through agencies also fit into this category (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). In contrast to the first and second peripheral, this group also include elite portfolio workers who possess skills for which there is high demand. They provide work on a paid for result or consultancy basis, and where the correspondingly high rewards compensate for any lack of employment security or regularity (Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006). Examples include information technology providers, teachers and lecturers, interim managers or even chief executives. Critiques of the flexible firm model The flexible firm model has been criticised as not been backed up by facts Muller-Camen (2008); and (Legge 2005; Torrington 2008) highlights the vagueness in the model as to whether the model is a description of trends or a prescription of the future. Sarantinos (2007) however claims that the model maintains clarity in classifying the different kind of flexibility and it highlights the methods which organisation are adopting in order to achieve a flexible model. Nonetheless, Dyer (1998) maintains that the notion that organizations have pursued flexibility by introducing core and periphery labor management strategies has been disputed. According to the author, rather than flexibility representing a fundamental shift in the way work is organized, it is more about intensifying the control of capital over labor by using new management techniques. In a research conducted on a group of scientists, Whittington (1991) found that market pressure had forced the research staff (who theoreticall y fall into the core category) to work harder and to respond rapidly to shifting client needs. Subsequently, (Ursell 1991; Smith 1991) argues that although the flexible firm model may use different tactics, the goal of flexible firms is the same as that of management under the Fordist model that of achieving management control over committed workers and utilizing the knowledge of the employee in the pursuit of profit. In addition, the status of the periphery workforce as opposed to the core is also challenged. According to Lewis et al (2003), the flexible firm analyses have a tendency to trigger different feelings among the employees especially the classification of employees into core and peripherals. Furthermore, (Geary 1992 cited in Pilbeam and Corbridge 2006) argues that the division of employee into peripherals perpetuates inequality and contradicts the main maxim of human resource management which is to value and develop employees as the organisations major asset. Similarly, Torrington et al (2008) maintains that this division is incompatible with the best practice approaches to HRM which seek to increase peoples management and development in order to achieve the goals of the organisation. Besides, Torrington et al (2008) also argues that this could lead to a negative effect on employees psychological contract, which according to Lewis et al (2003) is a tool used in analysing the employment relationship that exists between the employer and the employee. HANDY SHAMROCK PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT There have been major changes in the economy (as discussed above) over the last few decades leaving employees with different requirements from work. In addition, employees level of education has greatly improved with an increased knowledge of their preferences, and the ideas they develop exceeds that of the former generation (Stredwick and Ellis 2002). This changes have resulted into a transition from traditional contracts (where the employee perceives that the employer guarantees a job for life in response to their allegiance), to contracts where employees loyalty is dependent on a rise in earnings and increased training (Smithson and Lewis 2003). Such changes have been summarised as a move from relational contracts, depending upon reciprocal trust and commitment, to the one that is transactional, based upon negotiation and short term economic exchange (Herriot and Pemberton 1995 cited in Lewis et al 2003). Arguably, these changes affect employees attitudes and behaviour; and the psychological contract is considered to be a relevant tool in understanding and managing these changes (Conway and Briner 2005). This is because the psychological contract evaluates the individual aspect of employment relationship and this appears to be associated with flexibility advancement (Guest 2004). In addition, psychological contract presents a peculiar insight into the effect of flexible work practices (Guest 2004). It is a concept which has the capacity to explain the transformation that people goes through in the employment relationship (Arnold 1996). The term psychological contract was first used by Argyris in 1960 to explain the relationship which exists between a group of employees and their foreman (Coyle-Sharpiro 2000); though Conway and Briner (2005) argue that Argyris work was not subjected to theoretical analysis. According to Guest (2006), the psychological contract is the perception of both parties to the employment relationship, organization and individual of the reciprocal promises and obligations implied in that relationship. Another definition that focuses more on the employee is by Rousseau (1995). The author defined psychological contract as an individuals beliefs shaped by the organisation, regarding the terms of an exchange agreement between individuals and their organisation. Guest (1998) however argues that Rousseaus definition of the psychological contract is defective because it focuses on employee alone and he stresses the fact that the contract is the perception of both parties to employment relationship. C IPD (2003) further explains that the psychological contract is unlike the formal contract of employment and it is largely unwritten. It focuses on each partys perception of the employment relationship, it involves sincerity, reciprocated trust, and a duty of care; and it is more effective compared to the written contract in affecting employees behaviour (Stredwick and Ellis 2003). Coyle-Shapiro (2000) argues that the content of the psychological contract is influenced by employees view of the employment relationship. A positive psychological contract is directly related to job fulfilment and commitment which ultimately will result in an increase on performance. Similarly, a reduction on performance is likely to occur when the psychological contract is negative. With the introduction of flexible work practices, some employees (especially the peripherals) might assume that the organization has failed in developing their potentials thus reneging on its obligations. In an investigation conducted on some workers in a Swedish hospital, and result shows that individuals on flexible employment demonstrated higher levels of jobs insecurity and reduced organisational commitment (Sverke et al 2000). Arguably workers on flexible contracts are mostly associated with low benefits and they enjoy less opportunity towards training and development (Atkinson 1984). Consequently, they experience job dissatisfaction, mental discomfort and a negative life outside of work Guest (2004); leading to a reduction in loyalty and poor performance regarding organizations objectives. This is known as the violation or breach of the psychological contract (Rousseau 1995). (Morrinson and Robinson 1997 cited in Conway and Briner 2005) however argue that there is a distinction between breach and violation of the psychological contract. Subsequently, Kramer (2006) refers to a breach of the psychological contract as the perception held by someone in a relationship that another person in the relationship has failed to perform the promised obligations; and violation is referred to as the intense emotional reactions that comes with breaches (Morrinson and Robinson 1997 cited in Conway and Briner 2005). According to Conway and Briner (2005), the main way of understanding how the psychological contract affects employees reaction is when breach occurs. Employees who perceive breaches in the psychological contract think about their relationship with the organisation from a negative point of view, and demonstrate increase intention to quit the organisation (Robinson and Rousseau 1994). Similarly, Cortvriend (2004) found that violation is positively related to employee de-motivation, negative attitudes towards the job and withdrawal from the organisation. Furthermore, (Robinson and Morrison 1995 cited in Arnold 1996) found that employees who perceive a violation in their psychological contract usually report negative organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB). OCB is defined as a readiness to contribute beyond literal contractual obligations (Organ 1988: 22 cited in Coyle-Shapiro). Based on the above discussion, flexibility is directly related to perception of job insecurity and a breach of employees psychological contract; as a result, flexibility is portrayed as an unconstructive theory. Guest (2004) however stresses that this should not be used as a global conclusion. Consequently, Marler et al (2002) emphasis the fact that different employees consent to flexible employment for different reasons; hence they should not be treated the same way. Furthermore, Guest (2004) attempted to differentiate between workers on the margin of employment and knowledge worker whose contract of employment is by choice. Workers on the margin of employment are those whose competencies are low and those with poor bargaining power thus they experience unfavourable treatment from employers. As a result, they suffer increase job insecurity and reduced opportunity for training and development. On the other hand, knowledge workers are those who incline towards flexibility and whose em ployment contract is by choice (Capelli 1991). They consist of temporary workers, part-time or even self employed. These workers embrace flexible work practices and they have the capacity to move between employments as they desire. In contrast to general assumptions, workers who choose flexible contract enjoy higher job satisfaction and they suffer no insecurity in their employment. In a general research conducted by the IPD into the present disposition of the psychological contract, findings revealed that the psychological contract was in an improved condition than expected (Stredwick and Ellis 2003). 81% of participants affirmed that their employers were fair in dealing with them, and 72% believed that their organisation will honour its undertakings and obligations (Stredwick and Ellis 2003). Guest and Conway (1999) however attempted to assess the state of psychological contracts of core employees with the peripherals and found that a better state of psychological contract was reported by the peripherals. However, Dyer (1998) argues that the reason for this is because the peripheral workers exhibit more of transactional relationship and they tend to respond more quickly to changes in the composition of the psychological contract with changes in their pay. This argument can be supported by a survey conducted in the American aerospace industry with a sample of 1 99 employees on permanent contract and 24 employees on flexible contract (Pearce and Randel 1998). Pay differentials exists within the work place with employees on flexible contract earning more than those on permanent contract. Results show little or no difference in perceived job security, performance and job satisfaction between temporary and permanent workers. In a survey carried out for the UK Department of Education and Employment on 607 workers who enjoy flexible work practices (Tremlett and Collins 1999), 68% mentioned choice of work, reduction in workload and an improved work-life balance as some advantages of flexibility. Conversely, 79% mentioned the negative aspects of flexibility as job insecurity, difficulty in working as a team, reduced benefits and treatment lower than that of permanent workers. However, (Pearce and Randell 1998) argues that the perceived effect of flexible work practice can best be determined by employees career preference; that is, whether the choice of flexible contract was intentional or not. In the UK survey reported by Tremlett and Collins (1999), 147 out of 607 did not want a permanent job. As the main reason for this, they cited not wanting the commitment that goes with permanent employment (21%), the loss of freedom to choose the work they wanted to do (19%), being too old (18%) and general lack of int erest in permanent employment (18%). WORK-LIFE BALANCE Work-life balance initiative was developed as a result of changes within the work force involving an increase in the number of women, ageing population (author); and increased understanding of the importance of employees management to organisational success (Maxwell 2005). The rapid growth of this practice was supported by government legislation which introduced the right to request flexible working also known as family friendly policy (CIPD 2010). This right was initially available for parents with children below six years of age or with disabled children below the age of eighteen years. However, there is an ongoing consideration to extend the right to parents with children under the age of sixteen years (Pitt 2009). The aim of this policy is to ensure that skills and experience needed to sustain the economy is readily available by allowing parents (especially mothers) balance work with other family responsibilities. However (Lea 2001 cited in Torrington et al 2008) argues that this policy could prevent women with family responsibilities from being hired thereby hindering womens employment prospect. Nevertheless, Manfredi and Holliday (2004) maintain that the practice impacts positively on womens career path. Another reason for the growth of family friendly policy is an increase in the number of aged people. According to Manfredi and Holliday (2004), the population is ageing thereby leading to a rise in caring responsibilities for elderly parents in addition to child care responsibilities. This however, led to carers of some specified group of adults becoming eligible for this right from April 2007. As a result of growing recognition of employees in sustaining competitive advantage, this right was further developed into work-life balance policies to include employees without family responsibilities and who desire to benefit from flexible work practices for personal reasons (Fleetwood 2007). This arguably will reduce the risk of alienation and ensure that all employees are seen as business investments and valuable assets (Maxwell 2005). According to Work foundation (2003b) work-life balance is defined as the ability of employees to achieve a satisfactory equilibrium between work and non work activities such as caring responsibilities and some other interests. Similarly, employers for work-life balance also defined WLB as about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work leading them to enjoy an optimal quality of life. Furthermore, DTI (2005) defined work-life balance as being about adjusting working patterns regardless of age, race or gender, so everyone can find a rhythm to help them combine work with other responsibilities or aspiration. In addition, Heckerson and Laser (2006: 27) define work-life balance as a state whereby the needs and requirements of work are weighed together to create an equitable share of time that allows for work to be completed and a professionals private life to get attention. The concept of work-life balance is based on employees capability to synchronize respon sibilities at work and other interests outside work without causing conflict. According to IDS (2008a), work-life balance involves the availability of flexible work practices developed to enable employees participate in activities outside work in addition to fulfilling their job responsibilities; thus it is designed to promote flexibility (Maxwell 2005). Fleetwood (2007) argue that there is an inextricable link between the practices associated with work-life balance and that of flexible working. The author however stresses the differences between employee flexibility (employer unfriendly) and employer flexibility (employee unfriendly); and further states that employer and employees flexibility should not be used interchangeably because the former constrains work-life balance, while the latter enhances work-life balance. Work-life balance practices that make up employee flexibility are working time arrangements (such as home working, part tim

film and animation graphics :: essays research papers fc

INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hollywood has gone digital, and the old ways of doing things are dying. Animation and special effects created with computers have been embraced by television networks, advertisers, and movie studios alike. Film editors, who for decades worked trying to make scenes look real are now sitting in front of computers screens. They edit entire features while adding sound that is not only stored digitally, but that is also created and manipulated with computers. Viewers are witnessing the results of all this in the form of stories and experiences that they never dreamed of before. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of all this, however, is that the entire digital effects and animation industry is still growing pretty strong and, the future looks bright. In the beginning, computer graphics were really hard to manipulate but with time the software companies started to improve their programs, adding more tools and key features, which helped the way computers generated pictures, simulating real world scenes. 1 Creating computer graphics is essentially about three things: Modeling, Animation, and Rendering. Modeling is the process by which 3- dimensional objects are built inside the computer; animation is about making those objects come to life with movement, and rendering is about giving them their ultimate appearance and looks. Hardware is the brains and brawn of computer graphics, but it is powerless without the right software. It is the software that allows the modeler to build a computer graphic object that helps the animator bring this object to life, and that, in the end, gives the image its final look. Sophisticated computer graphics software for commercial studios is either purchased for $30,000 to $50,000, or developed in-house by computer programmers. Most studios use a combination of both, developing new software to meet new project needs. MODELING   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Modeling is the first step in creating any 3D computer graphics. Modeling in computer graphics is a little like sculpting, a little like building models with wood, plastic and glue, and a lot like CAD. Its flexibility and potential are unmatched in any other art form. With computer graphics it is possible 2 to build entire worlds and entire realities. Each can have its own laws, its own looks, and its own scale of time and space. Access to these 3- dimensional computer realities is almost always through the 2-dimensional window of a computer monitor. This can lead to the misunderstanding that 3-D modeling is merely the production perspective drawings.

National Parks of |Ethiopia

It is the oldest and most develode wildlife reserve in Ethiopia. It is even easy to access, situated 210kms (130miles) east of Addis Ababa. Awash national park occupies about 830 square kilometers (320sq. miles) of dry savannah in the middle of the rift valley. This hot, arid terrain climbs up to 1,000masl, with the exception of the peak of Fentale volcano, which reaches 2,007masl. The parks name comes from the longest river in Ethiopia: the Awash. It marks the southern boundary of the park by means of a deep gorge, then turns north where it reaches the inhospitable Danakil region.In the park’s interior, the river forms a waterfall underneath which it is possible to walk and enjoy the exceptional view of a great numbers and variety of birds. The park’s habitat features an odd riverine forest and interesting volcanic terrain. The impressive 3. 5km crater presents a vision of hell, surrounded by remains of lava from the last eruption in 1820. The harar road cuts the park in to two. Hot springs are accessible by road in the northern part of the park. Warm, turquoise waters with a temperature of 360c offer a delightful swim.Among the park’s sparse vegetation, the palm oil trees stand out. They are highly valued by the Afar people who live in the surrounding area, because edible oil is obtained from its fruit. Not far from the main roads, one can see soemmering’s Gazelles & even the pale beisa oryx, with straight horns capable of spearing a lion. These animals have adapted to the high temperatures and scarcity of water by developing a physiological mechanism that allows them to increase their interior temperature. Instead of perspiring, they lose heat through radiation.There are also other mammals inhabited in the national park like: greater kuhdu, lesser kudu, dik dik, warthogs, Anubis baboon, hamadryas baboon, black & white colobus monkey, vervet monkey and many more. It is not easy to spot predators, but in the park there are lions, le opards, cheetahs, striped and spotted hyenas, golden and black-backed jackals, servals and wild cats. The spotted hyenas, the largest in the family, reach a height of between 65 and 90cm. they have a wide head, short bristly hair, hind quarters lower than the front quarters, and a long, powerful neck. Their coats are grey or yellow with black patches.About 400 species of birds have been counted, including some endemic species such as the banded barbet, the golden backed woodpecker, the thick billed raven and the wattled ibis. SIMIEN MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK It is registered as a world heritage site by UNESCO, located in the Simien Mountain, it occupies a surface area of 180km2. Simien means â€Å"NORTH† in Amharic, an allusion to the position it occupies in the Gondar massif, one of the craggiest in Africa. The park is interesting because of the uniqueness of its endemic animals, the beauty of its flora, and the majesty of its impressive landscape.The park, situated between 4,6 20 and 1,900masl, boasts varied flora with three marked botanical areas. The highest parts have meadows with little vegetation, characteristic of afro alpine zones. Here one can find the endemic lobelia rhynchopetalum, small groups of perpetual flowers, helichrysum, and the striking kniphofia foliosa. Of particular botanical interest is the Afrovivella semiensis, a small fleshy plant with pink flowers in the shape of little bells. This plant has been found only in the Simien Mountains and nowhere else on earth.There is only one species within its genus. In the park, there are three most colorful endemic mammals in Ethiopia: the walia ibex which lives wild at an altitude of more than 2,500masl, the gelada baboonwhich inhabits the simian plateax, and the Ethiopian wolf which is also found in great numbers in the Bale mountain national park. In the park, approximately 50 different bird species have been identified, among them a great many scavengers and birds of prey. Birds migrating f rom Europe and all over Africa also can be seen here.One of the most striking birds is the large and powerful lammergeyer or bearded vulture. It is a scavenger, often seen on the north face of the park. This bird nests on inaccessible shelves and in hollows on great walls of rock. Unlike other vultures, its head is completely covered in feathers. Underneath its beak, it has a streak of stiff bristles, which accounts for its nick name â€Å"bearded vulture†. Its wingspan can reach up to 250cm. the lammergeyer feeds on animal remains stripped of meat by other vultures. It takes the bones, drops them from a great height, and eats the marrow.Bones and marrow comprise 85%of its diet. There are also other birds of prey in the park: buzzard, Egyptian vulture, Ruppel’s griffon vultures, eagles, falcons and ravens. Endemic bird species such as the spot-breasted plover, the white-billed starling and the black-headed siskin are easy to spot in the national park during rainy seaso n, as they search for food over the cultivated land of the high plateau. Even if there is a rare chance to see, one can also possibly spot the black-headed forest orioles & golden-backed woodpeckers in the valley. YANGUDI-RASSA NATIONAL PARKDespite the difficulties of getting this place, the Yangudi-rassa national park is worth visiting. It is the last refuge of the extremely rare and almost extinct African wild Ass. Found 500kms northeast of the Addis Ababa, the habitat is 4,371km2of semi desert with vegetation consisting of acacia trees, fleshy grass and scrub. The park protects against the dangers threatening the wild donkey: Somalis and Ethiopian who hunt them for food and medicine, depredation by hyenas, competition with cattle for scarce water, and cross-breeding with domestic donkeys.The sub-species living in Ethiopia, the equus africanus somalicus(YEDUR AHIYA), is down to only a few hundred heads, surviving in a completely wild state. These asses posses excellent climbing ab ilities and usually inhabit rocky, uneven places. This ability differentiates them from their brother, the domestic donkey. BALE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK Although the access route is difficult to traverse, the Bale Mountains are worth visiting because they contain the richest flora & fauna of the alpine habitat in all of Ethiopia. The park occupies a surface area of 2,470km2 and includes altitudes from 1,500 up to 4,400masl.This provides a unique diversity of landscape, vegetation and fauna. The park is divided by the Harenna cliff, which runs through it like a fracture from east to west, creating three clearly differentiated areas within the reserve. The northern part is known as Geyessey, named after a small river that crosses it & flows in to the WEYB River near the settlement of Dinsho. The central part, just above the cliff, is the sennete plateau which rises to more than 4,000masl. The southern part, below the cliff, is a densely forested area known as the Harenna forest.From th ere, the land continues to drop until it reaches the lowlands. In the northern part, geysey area, and around Dinsho, a large variety of animals can be seen. The vegetation consists of grassy ground, riverside plains, trees and bushes. In the hills, between 2,500 and 3,300m, there are meadows and plentiful hygenia abyssinica and juniperous procera trees. Geraniums, lobelias and Allchemilas species create colourful carpets interrupted by thickets of Artemisia afra, kniphofia foliosa flowers and the wild roses of the Rose abyssinica.This part of the park is the best place to see the endemic mountain Nyala, which is a large antelope the size of a Kudu. In the area surrounding Dinsho, one can find the endemic Menelik’s bushbuck. The bushbuck prefers plains and mountains up to 4,000m and feeds mainly on leaves, shoots and fruit. It is a natural swimmer. As it is a solitary creature, Menelik’s bushbuck is rarely found in pairs, except for couples in the mating season or a fem ale with her offspring. In the second part of the park, the senate plateau, just above the harenna cliff at a height of 4,000m.It was formed by ancient volcanic rocks. It can be reached by the road connecting Goba to Dolomena, which crosses the eastern part of the park. This road has views of some of the most wonderful natural scenery in the world. Rivers and streams cut gorges across the plateau, form waterfalls in some places and craggy crests rise above the plateau. The most outstanding peak is the second tallest in Ethiopia, TULLU DIMTU (The red mountain) at 4,477meter. Mount Batu, at 4,300m, is also impressive. The shallow depressions of the plateau fill up with water during the rainy season, forming small lakes.A few large lakes contain water year round, including Garba Buracha (Black Water) and Hora Bachay, which create unique places to observe migratory birds from Europe, that are avoiding the western winter. The plateau of volcanic rock is covered with emerald green moorlan d and a host of lichens. The area’s afroalpine vegetation is displayed in the numerous giant Lobelias and the everlastings represented by different species, among them H. splendidum with its yellow flowers and the thorny H. citrispinum. This area is the best place to see the endemic and rare Ethiopian wolf.This mammal can only be found in the high altitude prairies of the Bale and Simien massifs. Its reddish coat is similar to the European Red Fox, but its shape is between a wolf and a jackal. It has long legs, a sharp snout, and a very thick black and white tail. The male and female are identical. Its preferred prey is the endemic giant molerat, a large, brown, round-bodied rodent. The last part of the park is located to the south, where the land gradually falls away and a belt of heath land gives away to a densely wooded forest, known as the HARENNA FOREST.Depending the altitude, different species of trees appear in the forests, from Podocarpus, Hagenias, Juniperous, Scheff lera and Bamboos, all with bark decorated by the lichens and mosses. In the forest, it is difficult to spot animals but several types of pig have been seen, such as Warthogs, Bushh pigs and Giant Forest hogs. In the Harenna forest, Black & White colobus monkeys jump from tree to tree. Anubis baboons are most common, found in Adeley, Geysey and Harenna forests. Groups of them have been seen at altitudes above 3,700meters.Vervet monkeys live at an altitude below 3,000meter. More than 200 bird species have been counted, of which at least 15 are endemic. Among the rocky highlands of Bale, the spectacular lammergeyer, one can often find the thick-billed raven feasting on the lammergeyer’s leftovers. It is also possible to spot different birds of prey such as Falcons, Eagles, kites, Vultures and Ravens. The best season to visit the park is the dry season, from November to January when there are abundant clear days. The temperature can reach up to 300C during the morning and drop to -70C at night.

Gambling essays

Gambling essays Have you ever felt remorse after gambling? Has gambling affected your reputation? Do you often gamble until your last dollar is gone? Do you ever borrow to finance your gambling? After a win do you have a strong urge to return and win more? A compulsive gambler will often reply yes to most of these questions, but many simply wont admit the fact that they have a problem. Admitting that their behaviour is compulsive is like accepting defeat. Gamblers spend most of their time trying to win, so giving in doesn ¡t come easy. Gambling has been seen as a problem in society, ever since it was made legal in Nevada and Atlantic City in 1976. Since then, pro-gambling lobbyists have fought to get a form of legalized gambling in every state, but the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling has prevailed. In 1987 however, the Supreme Court ruled that Native Americans, who are without state regulation, could offer legal gambling far outside Indian reservations. This decision has contributed to the rising numbers of compulsive gamblers in many states. More than 6% of adult gamblers are now considered to be addicted, and the numbers are continuing to grow. At present, Americans will wager over 550 billion dollars a year, a! 3,200% increase since 1976. Solutions to this problem are beginning to come forward, much to the gambling industry ¡s dislike, as the four percent of pathological gamblers may account for as much as 52% of an average casino ¡s The causes of compulsive gambling are similar to those which alcoholics and drug addicts encounter. Compulsive gamblers are preoccupied with seeking out gambling and gamble longer than intended, and with more money than intended. There is also the equivalent of  ¡tolerance ¡ when gamblers have to increase the size of their bets or the odds against them in order to create the desired amount of excitement. (Lesieur 2)  ¡The cause of the addicti...

Beverly Cleary Childrens Book Author of Ramona Quimby

Beverly Cleary Children's Book Author of Ramona Quimby Beverly Cleary, who turned 100 years old on April 12, 2016, is the beloved author of 30 childrens books, some published more than 60 years ago, all still in print, along with two autobiographies. She was honored by the Library of Congress in 2000 as a Living Legend and has won numerous awards for her childrens books, including the John Newbery Medal and the National Book Award. Childrens books by Beverly Cleary have delighted children, particularly 8 to 12-year-olds, for several generations. Her humorous, yet realistic, childrens books about the ordinary lives of children, along with such appealing characters as Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins, have captured the interest of children around the world. Beverly Cleary has written 30-plus books, including three about a feisty mouse. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. In addition, Ramona and Beezus, a movie based on Clearys Ramona Quimby and her older sister, Beatrice Beezus Quimby, was released in 2010. Beverly Cleary and Her Award-Winning Childrens Books Beverly Bunn was born April 12, 1916, in McMinnville, Oregon and spent her early years in Yamhill where her mother started a small library. Thus began the authors lifelong love of books. Her family moved to Portland when Beverly was six years old; she was delighted to find a large public library. Beverly went on to study library science at the University of Washington in Seattle and became a childrens librarian. In 1940, she married Clarence Cleary. Beverly Clearys first book, Henry Huggins was published in 1950 and was inspired by a boy who complained to the librarian that there werent any books about kids like him. It, and the other books about Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy remain popular today. Her most recent book, Ramonas World, was published in 1999 and features one of her most beloved characters, Ramona Quimby. The first movie based on Clearys Ramona Quimby, Ramona and Beezus, centers on grade schooler Ramonas relationship with her older sister, Beatrice. This relationship is a part of all of the Ramona books, but most particularly in the book Beezus and Ramona. Beverly Cleary has won numerous awards, including the John Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw.   Two of her books about Ramona Quimby, Ramona and Her Father and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 were designated Newbery Honor Books. Cleary also received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award in honor of her contributions to childrens literature. If thats not enough, her books have also won about three dozen statewide childrens choice awards and she won the National Book Award for  Ramona and Her Mother. The Klickitat Street Books of Beverly Cleary When she was a child, Cleary noticed that there didnt seem to be any books about children like the ones who lived in her neighborhood. When Beverly Cleary began writing childrens books, she created her own version of Klickitat Street, a real street near her childhood neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. The children who live on Klickitat Street are based on the children she grew up with. Fourteen of Clearys books are set on Klickitat Street, beginning with her first book, Henry Huggins. While Henry was the focus of the first books, a number of Beverly Clearys books also highlighted Beatrice Beezus Quimby and Beezus little sister, Ramona. In fact, Ramona has been the title character in the last seven of the Klickitat Street books. The most recent Ramona book, Ramonas World, came out in 1999. HarperCollins published a paperback version in 2001. With a fifteen-year break between Ramonas World and the last previous Ramona book, you might be a little apprehensive about a lack of continuity.  But in ​Ramonas World, as in her other books featuring Ramona Quimby, Cleary is right on target as she addresses, in typically humorous fashion, the vicissitudes of the life of Ramona Quimby, now a fourth grader. Beverly Clearys books have remained popular because of characters like Ramona. If your children havent read any of her books, nows the time to introduce them to Clearys books.   They might also enjoy the movie version, Ramona and Beezus.

Hotel operation management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Hotel operation management - Essay Example The analysis of this report focuses on analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats which the seaside hotel faces in the industry. The financial analysis of the three years reveals that the hotel has increased its performance from the first year to the second year. However, from the second years to the third year, there was a reasonable decline in the overall revenue of the hotel. During the third year, the hotel offered discounts to the customer which was not reflected on the sales of the hotel. Further, the third year witnessed stiff competition as the facilities and services of the rival hotels and resorts were ranked higher than that of seaside hotel. This led to a decline in the revenue. The strengths of the company lie in the ability to compete favorably in the industry while encroaching into new markets. As such, Sea side endeavors to undertake several strategies in year 4 which will see the development of the conference facilities which are more updated due to increased demand. The hotel also wished to expand their operations by application of successful and sufficient advertising mechanisms for their different sectors such as conference facilities, bar and restaurant. The purpose of this report is to provide an analysis of Seaside hotel using the financial data of three consecutive years to analyze it performance and trends. The hotel is a 3 star hotel, for this reason it is characterized by a restaurant, bar, small health club, conference facilities and business services. There is also ample car parking and grounds that many a times have brought revenues from the weddings. Over the last three years the hotel has really performed quiet well. The hotel has been able to survive in a competition intensive market and managed to develop more and more into a major hotel in the region. This section will analyze the performance of the hotel for the last three years. It will be guided by the financial analysis of

General Motors - External Environmental Analysis Assignment

General Motors - External Environmental Analysis - Assignment Example The auto industry has always been vulnerable to economic fluctuations, and with the volatility of fuel prices growing by the day, GM and other companies are always facing tough times. This is despite the firm’s huge financial resources. GM has a sound strategic core. This is evidenced by its huge turnaround since its bankruptcy in 2009. The company has hired highly skilled managers with rich strategic experience and knowledge of strategic management to guide its corporate development (Lewandowski, 2014). As one of the largest automakers in the world, GM is resource-rich in terms of tangible (hardware and facilities) and intangible (liquid cash). These resources are used to drive its expansion and support its new innovative orientation (Lewandowski, 2014). GM is yet to expand its network to emerging markets and advanced economies in Europe, Africa, and Eastern Europe. The company has opportunities to invest in new markets and maintain profitability (Lewandowski, 2014). The electric/hybrid segment also has endless opportunities created by consumers’ new inclination towards green energy. The threat of new entrants is low to moderate. Factors such as research and development (R&D) costs, economic instability, competition, and inflation make it extremely difficult for prospective entrants to successfully venture into the industry. Rising fuel prices, coupled with economic instability, has signaled a shift to electric and hybrid cars. GM has been forced to embrace electric/hybrid cars in order to avoid losing market share to other firms. Consumers have started viewing electric/hybrid cars as viable alternatives to wasteful and environmentally unfriendly gas automobiles. The threat of substitutes is moderate to high. Buyers have moderate to high bargaining power, especially because of new regulations and a greater variety to choose from. In the US

Carrier Liability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Carrier Liability - Essay Example It is, however, necessary to refer to the Hague-Visby Rules (hereinafter referred to as HVR) and case law in order to investigate the carrier's liability. The HVR function to clarify the duties owed to, and responsibilities owed by, cargo liners, providing a comprehensive explication of the circumstances and types of damages to cargo which carriers are not liable for as well as those that they may be held liable for. Further, and as established by CoGSA (1971) and by national courts, HVR is applicable when either party to the dispute is a member of a Contracting State.1 With these points in mind, the issues to be investigated are, firstly, whether HVR is applicable in this instance and, secondly, in case of applicability, whether the carrier is liable for the damages to the rice. As determined by English law, and as further emphasised through CoGSA, HVR is enforceable upon carriers travelling from any port in Great Britain and Northern Ireland to any port within it.2 More relevant, however, is the fact that it is enforceable upon carriers that are travelling from a port or to any port which is party to HVR.3 The implication here is the HVR is enforceable as both the USA and Netherlands are parties to HVR. Within the context of the stated, it is important to note that Articles III, 1c and III, 2 of HVR establish the carrier as responsible for ensuring that its holds and chambers are well-suited for the storage of cargo, including their preservation and protection.4 These articles further emphasise that the carrier, including its personnel, are obligated to exercise all due caution to safely store and protect the goods.5 Furthermore, as stipulated in Article II, not only is the carrier responsible for the safe storage of the cargo but it is further liable for any damages which may befall the goods through loading and stowing.6 The above mentioned articles are immediately relevant to the question of the carrier's liability towards the damages which the rates may have wreaked upon the bagged rice. In brief, they establish liability as a direct outcome of the failure of the crew to exercise due care regarding the protection of the cargo from damages. The carrier's liability is established by HVR. HVR, Article IV, 2b states that the carrier is not liable for damages to cargo by "fire, unless caused by the actual fault or privity of the carrier." 7 This liability directly arises from Article IV, 1's assertion that the carrier and its personnel are obligated to exercise all "due diligence" to ensure that the ship is seaworthy and its crew fit.8 The crew did not exercise the requisite due diligence, as is evident from the failure to report the sighting of the rates and, the vessel was not seaworthy, a fact which takes on additional importance when considering liability for delay in delivery. Case law supports the argument pertaining to the carrier's liability, as in the matter of Papera Traders Co Ltd & Ors V (1) Hyundai Merchant Marine Co Ltd (2) Keihin Co Ltd Sub Nom Eurasian Dream (2002)9 In this case, the cargo owners sued the carrier following the occurrence of a fire which destroyed the cargo and rendered the vessel a total loss. As the owners of the

The American image of Thanksgiving Essay Example for Free

The American image of Thanksgiving Essay The American image of Thanksgiving is much different from the historical facts. The American vision is a big happy celebration with many people sitting around a long, wooden table. This, sadly, is not historically accurate at all. In this essay I will explain the current American’s Thanksgiving story as well as the historically accurate version. Today, Thanksgiving in America consists of big family gatherings, plentiful food, and giving thanks. One of the more obvious differences between the current Thanksgiving and the first on is the food. Today, everyone has an electric oven to bake breads, pies, and cakes. In the early American days electricity had not been invented yet. This meant that cooking meat was long, tedious, and over a fire. The early pilgrims and Native Americans had no way to bake all the foods we have today. In the earlier days, the people would hunt their food. The first Thanksgiving probably consisted of wild turkey, deer, fowl, and fish. This is very different from the big, farm-raised, store-bought turkeys that sit on our tables today. If you ask any elementary student, they will describe Thanksgiving as many happy pilgrims and Indians around a big table with plenty of food to go around. This, again, is incorrect. The Native Americans and pilgrims were quite hostile during this time. Several pilgrims had died by cause of disease and malnutrition. Many of the Native Americans had also been killed off because of Indian raids from the pilgrims. Some fragments of the current American’s story of the first Thanksgiving are correct. The famous Native American, Squanto did help the pilgrims learn how to plant food. He was there, helping create peace between the two groups of people. The pilgrims were very thankful for Squanto and his help, as we give thanks today. The meal eaten at the first Thanksgiving was similar to the Thanksgiving meal we eat today, with few differences. They ate wild turkey, along with other hunted meat and vegetables. The differences between the American’s view of the first Thanksgiving and the historically accurate version are abundant. The pilgrims and Native Americans were very hostile toward each other at the time of the first Thanksgiving. Food was not as plentiful as it seems. There were far less  people than thought at the first Thanksgiving due to disease, malnourishment, and Indian raids.

Essay example --

Major George E. Pickett was from a Virginia family that came to the Colony in 1635. George was a friendly and brave man who made the decision to attend West Point Military Academy, later graduating last with the class of 1846, but with George B. McClellan and Thomas J. Jackson. Due to George’s academic standings at his graduation, he was placed in the infantry and became an army officer, who received two brevets in the Mexican War with officers that he would later have to fight against. When the 9th U. S. Infantry was established, Pickett was soon promoted to Captain stationed within Washington Territory. He and 68 of his men went against hundreds of British troops, giving him a victory in what is known in history as â€Å"the Pig War†. After serving 15 long years in the United States army, Pickett was assigned as a brigadier general for the CSA in January 14, 1862. When the Seven Days Campaign began, he injured himself while serving with his command during the Battle of Gaines Mill. With all his hard work acknowledged upon rejoining the army, his rank went up to being Major General Geor...

In this paper, we evaluate a set of three medical

In this paper, we evaluate a set of three medical related websites namely www.nln.org for the National league of Nursing, www.nursingworld.org for the American Nursing Association, www.ama-assn.org for the American Medical Association and the https://www.ncsbn.org/index.htm for the National Council for State boards in Nursing. We also evaluate an Archives resource site namely https://www.congress.gov// or the Thomas, the website of the Library of Congress of the United States of America.Prior to presenting the evaluation we briefly describe each website: the purpose of these sites and their current set-up. We then go into the evaluation proper where we analyze the overall content, style and functionality of each site. In the overall content of the websites the quality of the information being presented and the comprehensiveness of the information is assessed.Moreover, how current the information located in the websites and where they were derived or from what authority this informati on was derived is also assessed. Lastly, in evaluating the style and functionality of the sites we take into consideration the layout or the manner content is presented within the sites, ease in navigating the sites, its compatibility with respect to various browsers, information space with respect to advertising pages, and the speed upon which it is accessed through the internet.The first of the sites to be evaluated is www.nursingworld.org, the official website of the American Nursing Association (ANA). Briefly, ‘ANA is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.9 million registered nurses (RNs) (About the American Nurses association,  that advances nursing through imbibing high standards, promoting the economic welfare in their workplace and by proactively lobbying governmental agencies on issues affecting them.For the overall content, the website contains comprehensive and relevant information supportive of the purpose of ANA mentioned pr eviously. The site has sections on information and services, newsroom and nursing issues/programs that sustain continuous support for promoting high standards in the nursing practice. It also has a section for showing their advocacies and initiatives for nurses’ general welfare, with sub-sections directing users to view publications relevant to nurses in the United States.As for the currency of the documents, the documents are up to date with uploaded documents as latest as January 11, 2007 (‘Press releases from the American Nurses Association†, http://www.nursingworld.org/pressrel/). As for the authority of the documents published, the documents that are published have their corresponding sources accompanying them. All these information are presented in a notably clear and concise fashion.For the style and functionality of the website, the overall layout is easily understandable. The site can be easily navigated and the information is clearly sorted out for easy access, even though the site carries a lot of information it is surprisingly accessible. On the other hand, the address of the site (www.nursingworld.org) is a bit misleading if you were to guess what would be the site of ANA and a name as www.ana.org or www.americannursingassociation.org may have been the better URL.The use of images instead of flash movies may have the decreased the site’s overall aesthetic impact to the user but without the use of flash movies, the site can then be easily accessible from any computer with varying internet speed with information prompting fast. Lastly for the evaluation of the www.nursingworld.org, the information relative to the advertisements, they are separated clearly in order to reduce the clutter and make browsing easier.The second site is www.ama-assn.org or the American Medical Association (AMA). AMA ‘helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional and public health issue s’ (‘The AMA mission’, http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/1815.html). Although it is similar to the initiatives and programs of ANA, AMA has a wider market as it focuses on the entire medical profession.For the overall content of the site, it has similarities as that of the ANA site, with additions of ‘professional resources section’ for medical practitioners and ‘med school ; residency site‘ for medical students. Most of the information is up to date except for the annual report is only has the 2005 annual report. In addition, the site’s information is taken from credible sources, which are also accessible in the site.As for the overall layout of the site, the vast information is batched together in a clear and easily understandable manner such that users can browse through the site easily. The site utilizes flash movies that make the site more appealing and further imbibes to the users the vision and mission of AMA. Apart f rom what was mentioned above, there are however no significant or innovative means of presenting data seen from the ANA and the AMA site.The third website is www.nln.org which is the site for the National League for Nursing (NLN). The purpose of NLN is similar to that of ANA but is slightly varied. According to its purpose (http://www.nln.org/aboutnln/ourmission.htm), the NLN ‘advances excellence in nursing education that prepares the nursing workforce to meet the needs of diverse populations in an ever-changing healthcare environment.’ This purpose is done through achieving the goals of Nursing education, Faculty development, Research in Nursing Education, Data collection, assessment and evaluation and Public Policy.For the overall content of the site, information pertinent to the goals mentioned above is clearly visible. Users who wish to participate in achieving one of the goals or for anyone who would just want to browse through the site can easily go to a specific heading and see its related sections. In terms of the currency of the documents, most of the documents are up to date however there are some documents such as the calendar of activities of NLN, which are still in need of updating (the calendar is still 2006).As for the overall layout, the site has a asymmetric design, departing from the modular and common website design that sets it apart from the rest of the websites being evaluated although the site uses only simple graphics to present its content. The site can easily be navigated, with information clearly divided and grouped together into concise headings that make it easier to browse through. Lastly, uploading time for the site is suitable for users with varying Internet bandwidths due to its low-memory web design, thus information no matter the manner of Internet access can easily acquire information.Another site evaluated is https://www.ncsbn.org/, the site for the National Council for State Boards for Nursing (NCSBN). The NCS BN is a United States-state wide organization aiming to promote and advance regulatory excellence in Nursing for public protection (‘Mission and Values,’ https://www.ncsbn.org/182.htm).For the overall content of the site, it has comprehensive content mostly pertaining to the nursing profession and for the regulatory nursing boards, each other that implies that their site presents specific, relevant and concise information that complement each other. The documents are well cited with authorities in the field clearly stated accompanying any research or paper they did for NCSBN. Overall the site is up to date, with sections for instance the calendar of activities that go as far presenting dates of activities for this year in advance, which is good for most people. However there are sections in the site that still need to be updated, sections such as the News releases and the annual report.As for the style and functionality, the site is more â€Å"cleaner† than the o thers in terms of the layout. The information is presented in such a way that even though there is a lot of information presented, the website is still able to present it in a simple manner that would not make the user â€Å"disoriented.† The site can be easily navigated with all the information easily accessible. The site however goes back to the symmetric design unlike the site of NLN. The site utilizes simple flash presentations in their homepage that gives an additional aesthetic impact to the user.Lastly, we evaluate http://thomas.loc.gov/, the site for the Library of Congress of the United States of America. According to the section describing the site (http://thomas.loc.gov/home/abt_thom.html), ‘THOMAS was launched in January of 1995, at the inception of the 104th Congress. The leadership of the 104th Congress directed the Library of Congress to make federal legislative information freely available to the public.’ Currently is being maintained by the Libra ry of Congress.For the overall content of the site, its presents a multitude of information as concise as possible yet the site still appears to be heavily cluttered with information. However as compared to the other sites and the content they hold, Thomas is appreciably easy to understand-simple as it possibly can. In terms of the authority, the information presented by the Thomas is undoubtedly accurate and comes from directly from the source that is Congress. In addition, the documents stored in the site are the most current in the field, with daily updates coming directly from Congress. Links are also presented in the site that are relevant to users who wish to browse other relevant legislation.In terms of style and functionality, the Thomas has a simple layout and aesthetic appearance as compared to the other sites. The main page is a bit cluttered so there is a possibility that first time users might get lost with regards to the immense information being presented and the one the user wishes to find. However the site boasts of a search engine for their database that is incredibly useful for users and researchers that would want to find the necessary information which adds up to the overall functionality of the website. Lastly, due to its simple web design, the site can be easily accessed with any Internet bandwidth at any location at any time. References:The American Nursing Association. Retrieved Jan 13, 2006 from www.nursingworld.orgThe American Medical Association. Retrieved Jan 13, 2006 from www.ama-assn.orgThe National League for Nursing. Retrieved Jan 13, 2006 from www.nln.orgThe National Council of State boards of Nursing. Retrieved Jan 13, 2006 from www.ncsbn.org