Human Resources Management Essay

Proper management of human resources is vital to being a successful business. Human resources are one of the critical departments within any organization. The purpose of this essay is to emphasize the basic principles of Human Resources Management. EEO and Affirmative Action, Human Resources Planning, Recruitment, and Selection, HRD, Compensation and Benefits, Safety and Health, and Employee and Labor Relations are the six areas of Human Resources Management that will be the focus. All of these Human Resources Management areas should be working together and should correspond with the overall business strategy. According to our text, â€Å"Human Resource Management is specifically charged with programs concerned with people – the employees† (Ivancevich, 2007). It was observed by Edward L. Gubman, in the Journal of Business Strategy, that â€Å"the basic mission of human resources will always be to acquire, develop, and retain talent; align the workforce with the business; and be an excellent contributor to the business. Those three challenges will never change† (Gubman, 2006). In today’s world the terms human resource management and human resources is called personnel management or a personnel manager. â€Å"In simple words HRM means employing people, developing their capacities, utilizing, maintaining and compensating their services in tune with the job and organizational requirement† (Storey, 2007). The recognition of the importance of Human Resource Management extends to small businesses also. There for some time they did not generally have the same volume of human resources requirements as the larger organizations, but they too face personnel management issues that can have a decisive impact on the business’ health. In The Small Business Handbook Irving Burstiner stated â€Å"hiring the right people and training them well can often mean the difference between scratching out the barest of livelihoods and steady business growth personnel problems do not discriminate between small and big business, you will find them in all businesses, regardless of size† (Burstiner, 2008). The proper management of a company’s human resources is vital to the success of that company. People within an organization are the most precious and vital resource. They should be treated as such. It is important that the managing of human resources should be done correctly as it affects the overall business plan of any organization. As a person that plans to own an accounting business, this course has made realize that human resources are a very important and vital part of a company. This course has given me the tools to ensure that I have proper Human Resource Management and my employees are taken care of. There are many employers that consider themselves to be equal employment opportunity (EEO) employers. There may even be an employee within the organization that is an EEO officer or they could simply make sure they have a personnel manager, and/or other managers who understand and follow EEO. Our text stated â€Å"the human resource manager plays an important role in showing by example that each employee is important and will be treated ethically and equally† (Ivancevich, 2007). This usually means: †¢ That the employer is following the anti-discrimination laws and is ensuring that everyone within the organization understands these laws and abides by them. †¢ That the employer is preparing and implementing equal employment opportunity management plans or programs designed to ensure that everyone really does get equal opportunity within the organization. Most people know affirmative action as having to do with the development of equal opportunity plans and providing special help for minority groups with a disadvantaged past. Affirmative action programs also help give previously disadvantaged groups the skills they need to compete on equal terms with all other employees. This is a way of ensuring that there is truly equal opportunity between all potential and existing employees. There is a full-time EEO officer within my organization. It is my understanding that our EEO officer has never had anyone come to her about any discrimination that has taken place within the organization. An analysis of the job to be done, written into a job description should be written so that selectors know what physical and mental characteristics applicants must possess, what qualities and attitudes are desirable and what characteristics would be a decided disadvantage. Human resources planning usually refer to classic human resource administrative functions. The evaluation and identification of human resource requirements should meet organizational goals. Effectively, selection is essentially ‘buying’ and employee, the wage or salary multiplied by probable years of service being the price. Bad employee buys can become very expensive for any organization. For this reason, for particular jobs, some organizations may use external expert consultants for recruitment and selection. The ‘cost’ of a poor selection is a reason why those who recruit and employ should be well trained to judge the suitability of all potential applicants. The main sources of recruitment are as follows: †¢ Internal company promotions †¢ Appointment boards †¢ Agencies for the unemployed †¢ Advertising or the use of other local media. The businesses vacancy numbers should determine what line of recruitment should take place. It is important that an organization have a background check done to verify experience and statements about qualifications thoroughly before hiring a potential employee. To ensure a good recruitment process it is important to have training in interviewing and appraising candidates. This type of training usually teaches interviewers how to draw out the interviewee and how to rate the candidates. This is probably one of the most important parts of human resource management. Human Resource Development (HRD) helps employees develop their personal and organizational abilities. Opportunities for employee training, employee career development, performance management, mentoring and organizational development are included in Human Resource Development. Human Resource Development mainly focus is the development of the best employees possible. The reason for this is so that the organization and its employees can accomplish the organizational goals. Human Resource Development can be formal, such as a classroom setting or informal, such as an employee mentoring session by a manager. Organizations that are healthy believe in Human Resource Development. They also believe that the development of their employees is what makes the organization prosper. Unfortunately this is not something that takes place within my organization. It would be nice to be able to receive training that would improve my knowledge and skills and allow me to help in other areas of the organization if possible.

Biological and Humanistic Theories Essay

Two important personality theories are the biological theory and the humanistic theory. The biological theory is based on the premise that all people inherit their characteristics from their family. This theory basically contends that people do not have control over their behaviors because they are genetically pre-determined. The humanistic theory, on the other hand, is based on the premise that each person has free will to control their actions. This theory does not go along with the idea that behaviors are pre-determined by genetics, but chosen by the individual. These two theories have created debates between psychologists for many yearsHans j. Eysenck, Ph.D., D.Sc., who developed the biological theory, is one of the world’s most cited psychologist. He is a pioneer in the use of behavior therapy as well as research in personality theory and measurements. The biological theory has to do with his findings that individual differences in personality are biology based. This was based on his theory that there are three dimensions of personality (super factors). These dimensions of personality were extraversion-introversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism. Eysenck also went a step farther in pointing out the results of many studies indicating that genetics play an important role in deciding the amounts of which of the three personality dimensions one might possess. I agree with this theory because even most psychologists will admit that it is getting increasingly harder to ignore the obvious link between our genetic makeup and certain inherited behaviors. I disagree with this theory because it is difficult to test in actual experiments. Another reason I disagree with this theory is that while genetics play a role in certain behaviors, it does not excuse or justify certain actions. Lastly, this theory offers us very little in the area of personality change. Biological and Humanistics 3In humanistic theory, the motivation for developing one’s full learning potential is inherent in each of us. Although there is no real definition for the humanistic theory, the four primary humanistic categories are personal responsibility, the here and now, the phenomenology of the individual, and personal growth. This theory is unlike the biological theory, in that it believes that all of us are born with the ability to shape our own futures and are limited only by our physical limitations. The here and now is just exactly what it sounds like. It  reminds us that we should live for the present and not get caught up in the past. This has the tendency to limit what we may become and leave us short of our personal goals and or objectives. The phenomenology of the individual deals with the concept that no one knows you as an individual better than you. It is ludicrous to think that some doctor could have any clue as to what to advise after only hear ing your problem a few moments earlier. This could mean that we need to communicate our problems to someone from time to time, but one will eventually come to his or her own conclusion after careful reflection. The last category is Personal Growth. This process has to do with becoming a fully functioning individual achieving personal satisfaction. All of us strive to meet our immediate needs. This process states that once our immediate needs are met if left alone we continue to strive toward this ultimate satisfying state of being. I agree with this theory because one cannot argue the fact that each individual has control over the decisions that they make. I disagree with this theory because much of it cannot be tested in a scientific atmosphere. A large portion of this theory relies on the concept of free will, which is not observable or predictable. Another thing that I disagree with is that in some instances a person may not be able to control some of their behaviorsBiological and Humanistic 4because of genetics. Cancer and heart disease run in families, so why wouldn’t depression or drug dependency. Abraham Maslow, considered the Father of Humanism, was an American psychologist best known for his publication † A Theory of Human Motivation † in which he presented his theory the hierarchy of human needs. This Hierarchy of Needs can be used to explain human behaviors and emotions associated with potential. Maslow’s Hierarchy may show that fulfillment of potential is linked to a pre-fulfillment of all needs that may distract an individual from achieving self-actualization. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a very compelling theory due to the fact that most discussions of people’s needs in the realm of effort usually begin with a basic understanding of Maslow’s premise. The central thesis of his theory is that human needs are organized in a hierarchy of five levels of basic needs. These needs include physiological needs, safety needs, needs of love, affection, and belongingness, needs for esteem, and the needs for self-actualization. Even  though there are needs which sit at a higher level than these basic needs, the person does not feel the second needs until the demands of the first have been satisfied, nor the third until the second has been satisfied, and so on. Between these two theories, I believe that humanistic best describes my personality. My father was a severe alcoholic and died at the age of 53. His alcoholism destroyed my parent’s marriage and many other relationships in his life. By watching the effects of this detrimental behavior, I decided a long time ago that I would not go down the same path, especially since alcoholism might b genetic. By choosing not to engage inBiological and Humanistic 5this behavior, I have demonstrated free will of choice and motivation to change what may have been pre-determined. In conclusion I feel that both these theories possess credibility, but personally I think that I would take certain aspects from both theories to create something of a collage theory. I cannot believe that we have no control over our behaviors, but at the same time it is hard to argue that genetic predisposition does not influence our personalities. References Burger, Jerry M. (2008). Personality (7th edition). Retrieved December 3, 2008 fromEsource.

Preamble of the United States' Constitution Essay

Preamble of the United States' Constitution - Essay Example The language used in the preamble of the US’ constitution envisions an American society where citizens are granted the freedom to develop appropriate sets of beliefs that governs the way they relate to each other. It states further that the monarchy does not have divine rights over its subjects. The source of power rests with citizens because they were born with it. The monarchy was established by the citizens for protection purposes. Citizens agreed to obey the monarchy and in return, the latter would protect their innate rights (Loflin 7). The preface of the US constitution guarantees freedom and posterity to all American citizens (Borgwardt 10). The constitution of United States promotes a democratic system that guarantees pluralism and self-government. With regard to pluralism, citizens have the liberty to develop customs and beliefs that will govern their lives. With respect to self-rule, citizens are granted the freedom to partake in the development of polity in which they reside and in its ensuing governance (Loflin 3). As note above, the language of the preamble promotes the general wellbeing of US citizens. It also states that citizens have rights to elect a government that will protect their interests. Consequently, the working class citizens can use the democratic process to elect leaders that will promote their welfare (Borgwardt 10). Borgwardt, Elizabeth. All the clauses in the Preamble to the Constitution are worth fighting for: FDR’s Four Freedoms and Mid-century Transformation in America’s Discourse of Rights. Washington University: St. Louis, n.d.

Mergers And Acquisitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mergers And Acquisitions - Essay Example The companies are keen to reach out to a global customer base in a bid to respond to the increased pressures of achieving scale (Finkelstein, 1999, pp.1). This is also one of the motives in the case of Kraft and Cadbury deal as it will open new markets for the company. A thorough analysis of this deal covering aspects like long term strategies, regulatory implications, financing, defence mechanisms etc has been presented in the paper. Strategy of Kraft Inc Recently there has been a spate of merger and acquisition activities across the globe with the ‘bidder’ taking advantage of the low ‘target’ valuation. Besides the low valuations the other incentives in a merger and acquisition deal are tapping developing markets, acquiring access to the customer base of the target company, capitalising on the good-will of the target, generating business synergies etc. The global growth strategy of Kraft Foods is also based on the aforementioned objectives. By way of this strategy the company is anticipating an organic growth in its revenue base by 5% or higher; accompanied by a growth of 9% to 11% in the earnings per share (EPS) placing it in a good stead in the worldwide food industry. Irene Rosenfeld, Kraft Foods Chairman & CEO, takes pride in the market positioning of the company which has now entrenched itself as â€Å"global snacks powerhouse† based on its unparalleled portfolio of leading local and regional brands. By virtue of this unique combination and its significant market presence in the emerging markets the company is expected to register a consistent growth. The global growth strategy has enabled Kraft to lay the foundation for strong growth. The company aims at taking its performance to a higher level by leveraging on its scale and investing strategically in sales, marketing, innovation and create a high-class cost-structure. The acquisition of Cadbury has made Kraft Food an undisputed leader in Snacks, a high-margin and high g rowth category which comprises more than fifty percent of the total revenue of the company. The Snacks portfolio of the company is complemented by iconic local and regional brands in grocery, cheese, beverage etc. A majority of these iconic heritage brands are placed in top positions and is the favourite of the consumers who tend to be extremely loyal towards these brands. They generate high margins and have robust cash flows. The popular heritage brands offer Kraft Inc the unique opportunity of investing profits from its stable cash rich businesses to fast growing and high margin yielding developing markets. Kraft and Cadbury combination offers the scale required to grow distribution and sales in existing and new markets. The company anticipates revenue synergies and cost synergies to the tune of $1 billion and $750 million by 2013. Based on its anticipated growth in EPS and organic revenue Kraft Inc aims at becoming a top-rung performer in the food industry (Kraft Foods Inc.-a, 20 10). Regulatory implications The takeover of Cadbury by Kraft has been spoiled by the controversy surrounding the closure of Somerdale factory thereby creating sentiments of mistrust in the manner the Kraft is held. Now the company faces a stiff challenge in restoring its image in UK. The evidences gathered from

Case Study Analyses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Study Analyses - Essay Example Wal-Mart is a business which over the years has empowered the employees to be able to live a better life, this was especially so in the earlier days when Wal-Mart was in its full glory. To begin with, being a large organisation helped the employees to have job security because it was harder to lose their job in a large organisation such as Wal-Mart. However, it is necessary to note that this seems to have changed since in the recent days, Wal-Mart has had various issues with its employees where many employees complain of being overworked, underpaid and that they don’t have job security anymore. The Wal-Mart Way is the strategy which Wal-Mart uses in doing its retail business. The Wal-Mart way has helped the firms to become a colossal success and this success in turn affects the employees and the associates by empowering them. The absence of Sam has however meant that the employees and the associates are no longer as advantaged as they used to be. Wal-Mart can be seen as the pi oneer in corporate social responsibility. Sam had a genuine sense of responsibility towards the stakeholders and especially the communities in which his business operated. These early stances on corporate social responsibility can indicate that Wal-Mart’s core values are geared towards responsible business which looks at the interests of all the stakeholders. The Buy American stance for instance is a good example because by implementing this idea, Wal-Mart was getting a disadvantage because it had to buy more expensive goods from the local manufacturers while its competitors continued buying cheaper goods from overseas manufacturers. If Wal-Mart was doing this just to entice the customers, it could have given up later but instead of that, it stuck on its policy. The effect of Wal-Mart on the smaller merchants does not neutralise the advantages of the firm’s corporate responsibility because Wal-Mart does not owe anything to these merchant as long as it applies ethical r ules of competition. With regard to the closure of the stores, Wal-Mart, just like any other employer, owes it to the employees to provide safe and secure employment. There is no employee who doesn’t want to know that their jobs are secure and that they will not wake up one day and find that they no longer have any their jobs. In this regard, Wal-Mart owes it to the employees to make sure that their jobs are secured and that they will not suffer trying to look for other jobs. With regard to the loyal customers, Wal-Mart also has a responsibility because these customers were used to getting the services of Wal-Mart. In a modern world, customers’ lives are moulded by the services they get from businesses like Wal-Mart and when they receive these services for long enough, their lives are highly dependent on these services and if these services are removed, the customers are affected. This is why firms like Wal-Mart have the responsibility to do whatever it takes to ensure the continuity of these services and therefore Wal-Mart owes it to these customers to continue offering the services. The competitors in some cities have secretly hired consultants to block Wal-Mart from entering these cities. This is not fair business and it breaks all rules of business competition ethics. This is very

Online Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Online Education - Essay Example The use of pen and pencil can be dated back to the Roman Empire. However with the developing pace the traditional means of attaining education are changing. The introduction of information technology has brought forward a new way of learning through the internet. E-learning is the new form of education introduced by IT which helps people to attain knowledge through the use of their computers. A portal is introduced by the use of information technology which the students are able to access and give their tests. However this new technology also brings with it other ethical issues of plagiarism and social contact. Online education is an inadequate alternative for traditional, classroom-based teaching for several reasons: there is no interactive communication between the student and the instructor, potential employer do not value online course work, class offering are limited, instructor feedback to the student might be delayed for days, and group projects are nonexistent. Discussion Wit h the advent of modern technology, a forceful impact of this technology has been observed in nearly all walks of modern day life. With the increasing access to these facilities, the lives of modern day human beings have changed so dramatically that in many cases a reversal towards the old ways of life seems apparently impossible. Similar is the case with the process of our education. The concept of e-learning has modified our learning modes and behaviors to a much greater extent. It has been seen that the use of pen and pencils has been prevalent in our society since the early days but this concept is gradually being changed with the introduction of e-learning. E-Learning is a type of education which helps the students to learn with the help of internet and computer. Individuals can access internet and enrol into courses through which they can gain knowledge. The ease of access to educational resources has improved the overall learning environment, while at the same time, there are a number of ethical, social and professional issues that have emerged in parallel with the emerging e-learning facilities as we shall discuss in the following lines (Alan 2007; Rosenberg 2001). The e-learning approach draws the burden on both students and teachers to create a learning environment where diversified student population feel comfortable and relaxed. The language, cultural and social differences should not pose as a hurdle in the learning process of the diversified students’ list. Since e-learning environment provides a virtual classroom environment, it becomes difficult to judge the confidence level, practical working abilities and enhancing practical knowledge of the students. It, thus, becomes an important factor to be analyzed while opting for this kind of education. E-learning affects the learning pace of students as it provides virtual classroom environment which is less effective for a number of educational areas. The areas that require face-to-face interac tion and on-campus practical demonstrations involve nursing, psychology etc. Hence such professional issues involving those related to the reliability of the infrastructure of the e-learning environment, access to the e-learning tools and the learning curve which is essential to be achieved by proper coordination between teachers and students must be considered while choosing e-learning software or education system (Billings, 2002 p 5). The importance and effectiveness of social interactions, virtual conduct and social support using e-learning courses have been discussed by a number of researchers in great depth (Gunawardena, 1995). Of these researches, mostly were determined to check the credibility of social learning theory on web based learning environm

ECOTOURISM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

ECOTOURISM - Essay Example Thus a new concept of Ecotourism emerged. Ecotourism is focused primarily on exploring the nature and learning from it. Most countries encourage this because it attracts a large number of tourists to the land, which helps improve the economy. It typically occurs in areas that are naturally well-endowed, and it is expected to contribute to the conservation and preservation of such areas. Though all the promotional activities in tourism, especially that of ecotourism, are done in the guise of love for the environment and efforts to protect it, the underlying motive is profit making. Visiting exotic cultures and pristine sceneries of the host land provide the tourists a rare and unique experience, and they readily spend huge sums of money to be able to share it. The local tour operators and government seize this potential and promote the tourist activities. Most of the time the result is that the environment that they proclaim to protect is often exposed to deterioration. Though cultura l exchange is upheld as one of the benefits of ecotourism, the reality is that culture is being sold as brands. The safaris into an African jungle or a visit to the backwaters of Kerala by herds of tourists are not helping the environment improve; instead these only cause trouble to the natural resources of the area. But the stakeholders like tour operators, agents, local administration and government etc are deriving monetary benefits which motivate them to promote such activities instead of discouraging it and saving the environment from harm. Thus one can easily see that profit making is the main objective of all the propaganda about ecotourism. Ecotourism has become a much sought after means for the intensified economic growth and is well illustrated in its rapid expansion worldwide over the past two decades. The fact that more and more nations are waking up to the economic potentialities of ecotourism that has turned almost all pristine places across the world as the

How and Why Did Korean Immigration Begin to the US, Southeast Research Paper

How and Why Did Korean Immigration Begin to the US, Southeast Immigrants as Refugees - Research Paper Example During the first wave, Koreans immigrated to Hawaii because of national problems in Korea, specifically, famine, heavy taxes, the epidemic of cholera, and government corruption. Some of the hardships they experienced as immigrants were poverty, racial discrimination, and social alienation. In order to adjust in Hawaii, these first-wave Korean immigrants resisted integration and assimilation through 1) creating Korean language schools in 1945, 2) establishing churches and patriotic organizations, and 3) following a government-in-exile model. Second-wave Korean immigrants were mostly Korean War brides, orphans, and students who immigrated to the U.S. because of the Korean War. Several hardships that they experienced were: 1) for the Korean brides, culture shock, language and cultural differences, isolation, and alienation; 2) for the Korean orphans, some concerns for dual identity; and 3) alienation for Korean students. Korean brides coped through connecting with fellow Koreans when su ch friendships were accessible and integrating and assimilating for the Korean orphans and students. Third-wave Korean immigrants went to the U.S. because they are searching for better economic and educational opportunities since the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 made it easier for them to immigrate too. Some of the problems they experienced were: 1) cultural and language differences, 2) changes in gender roles, 3) conflicts in norms and values, 4)   attaining a healthy identity in white mainstream culture, and 4) preserving local values, beliefs, and practices (121). To ease their adjustment, some of the things that the Koreans did were: 1) create ethnic communities where ethnic and language differences can be erased because of the preservation of local values and language; 2) establish Christian churches that retain local norms and values; 3) preserve family and kinship ties by decreasing multiracial contacts; 4) participate in non-ethnic organizations; and 5) use h ard work ethics in attaining success.  

Help me make a topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Help me make a topic - Essay Example However, the term globalization gained prominence during the mid-1980s, and more so, after the 1990s. Scholars denote that innovation plays an important role in ensuring the development of globalization. They argue that innovations in telecommunications and information technology have led to the reduction of international and national transactions. Because of these reductions, opportunities in manufacturing have increased, especially so in remote areas (Rivoli, 31). This is because it is easy to communicate with various players within the manufacturing industry, at whatever location they are. Effective communication is an important element of the manufacturing process. Another important factor that has led to globalization is the various changes in the governance structure of the various national countries. These countries have opened up their economies, leading to free flow of goods, resulting to commerce. There are four basic elements of globalization, namely transactions and trade, migration of people and their movements, capital movement and investments, and dissemination of knowledge (Caporaso and Mary, 33). Basing on this background, this paper analyzes the globalization of coffee in its early stages of globalization. That is the periods of 1960s and 1970s. Coffee was introduced in African, Asia and some parts of America by the colonialists. During this period, colonial governments grew the product in their colonies for purposes of satisfying their domestic markets. For example, the British introduced coffee in the colonies of East Africa, and some countries of West Africa. They grew this product, and after harvesting, they took the coffee beans to Britain for processing and consumption. When they left, their colonies began to produce the substance for export, and as a means of earning foreign exchange (Peyser and Bill, 42). For instance in Kenya, the government that took over

Asthma Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Asthma - Research Paper Example In the US childhood incidence had increases fro 3% to 9% since 1980. Among different ethnic groups in the US, Puerto Ricans have the highest incidence of asthma. African Americans also have a high incidence of this disease. Irish Americans and Hawaiians also have a high incidence of asthma. The lowest incidence is found in the Mexican population. Although the incidence of pediatric asthma is higher in males than in females, the occurrence of this disease is much higher in adult females, who are twice as likely to die of this disease as males. Moreover, the incidence of asthma is higher in lower socioeconomic groups who reside in urban centers. There are two primary forms of this disease: acute and chronic. The acute form of the disease is characterized by the occurrence of in worsening symptoms and unstable bronchial function. The chronic form of the disease is a stable, non-progressing condition (Adam 10). Many patients with asthma vary over time between the two disease states. Asthma can be distinguished from several other major forms of lung disease by means of differential diagnosis. Unlike emphysema which affects the structure and function of the alveoli, the primary site of gaseous exchange in the lung, asthma affects the airways or conductance passage that transport air between the lung tissue and the external opening of the body. Likewise, COPD is an irreversible deterioration of the primary lung tissue; in contrast at the inflammatory manifestations of asthma are reversible (Adam 20-23). Asthma is a chronic pulmonary disorder characterized by inflammation of the major airways of the lungs and has a complex etiology. The recurring inflammatory episodes result in hyper-responsiveness of airway vessels that causes tissue swelling with many physiological consequences (Adam 44). These episodes cause symptoms of wheezing, tightness of the chest, coughing and restricted airflow that result in

War and its biggest casualty Essay Example for Free

War and its biggest casualty Essay Irene Zabytzko’s â€Å"Home Soil† is a painful reminder of how we often commit the mistake of equating patriotism with going into war, ignorant and often unmindful of the emotional and psychological trauma that war creates not only on those who fight in it but also on the families, friends, lovers, and even acquaintances left behind. Indeed, there is a tendency for people, especially those in power, to measure the effects and the impacts of war based on the number of cities captured and the number of ammunitions spent. It neglects the all-too human side of wars, the limbs and bodies strewn about as a result of grenade blasts, the terror that soldiers feel as they feel their own death foreshadowing them, and the suffering that entire families and communities have to endure with the loss of a loved one. If anything, war teaches us to dissociate ourselves from humanity. As American soldiers’ war experiences in Vietnam shows, it brings out the worst aspects of human beings instead of molding them into the best persons they could have been. It teaches individuals and entire countries to enjoy rage and nightmarish scenes, as body bag upon body bag of dead soldiers return home and the number of widows and orphans pile up. It teaches selfishness as those who lost their loved ones feel only their pain and loss and renders them numb to the pain and loss that those on the enemy’s side must at the same time be feeling. While the images of war shown by the media tend to show the heroism and the courage of soldiers, people must be critical enough to see beyond the superficiality of the images shown and explore instead those that have been cut out because they were considered unfit for viewing. As entire cities and cultures are destroyed by bombs and bullets, the question of where the people of these cities have gone to and their condition should jar us from the complacency with which we watch tanks, bombs, and soldiers ruin not only buildings and infrastructure but also the hopes and dreams of the people who lived and occupied these spaces. Indeed, it is with the numbing of our ability to emphatize with the culture of other people and other civilizations different from our own that is war’s greatest casualty. It is this loss of guilt, of feeling a false sense of triumph as abundant valleys are turned into blackened cemeteries, that we loss our humanity. As both camps of the warring forces come to terms with the rising number of â€Å"collateral damage,† it is the loss of innocent lives that haunt most; it is therefore not surprising for many of those who fought in these wars to come home and suffer from psychological disorders from the trauma of witnessing horrific and inhuman actions or at times committing these themselves. Zabytzko’s story therefore becomes more poignant as more and more conflicts arise from the pursuit of American and other developed nations’ strategic interests in economic development and the fact that a lot have been fought and are continued to be fought after Vietnam. Lest the people forget that war leaves scars not only on the individual but also on our collective memories. No matter when or how it is fought, war will always claim lives and that its biggest casualty will always be none other than our collective conscience.

Organisational development and organisatins effectiveness and viabi

Organisational development and organisatins effectiveness and viabi The most bizarre thing about Organisational development is that there is not a single definition capable of explaining it properly; in simple terms Organisational development can be regarded as planned change concept, organisation wide effort to increase an organisations effectiveness and viability. Organization development is interdisciplinary in nature and draws on sociology, personality, psychology, and theories of motivation. It is considered both applied behavioural science focused on understanding and managing organizational change as well as a field of scientific study and enquiry (en.wikipedia.orgwiki/organization_development). Kurt Lewin (1898-1947) is credited with the origin and development as it is his work on Group dynamics and Action-Research which corroborates the basic OD process. Going through the history it would be worth saying that 1960s were the Influential period of T-group which saw the inculcation of Lewins Force Field analysis and organisational theory (Lawre nce and Lorsch, 1967; Argyris, 1962; Harisson, 1963, 66). Planned change approach coined by Kurt Lewin is corroborated by the humanistic and democratic values and had its focus upon resolving group issues and improvement through the involvement of managers, employees and a change consultant (Bernard Burnes, 2004). Till 1980s planned Change was the dominant approach to manage organisational change, however by 1980s it faced harsh criticism regarding the ability to stand for the organisations operating in dynamic and unpredictable environments. This essay will discuss the origin and objectives of Organisational development. Going further insights will be developed regarding the evolution of organisational development and its present scenario. Critical evaluation and comparison will be done in order to determine the difference between the present one and the original developed and to understand whether Organisational development still hold its purpose and coherence. ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT It will be worth saying that it is an uphill task to put Organisational development under a single definition. In an organisation team building with top corporate management, Job enrichment in manufacturing are all examples of Organisational development (Cummings and Worley). Some definitions of Organisational development are described as under Organisational development is a Planned process of change in an organisations culture through the utilization of behavioural science technology, research and theory. (Warner Burke) Organisational development is An effort (1) planned, (2) organisation-wide, and (3) managed from the top, to (4) increase organisational effectiveness and health through (5) planned interventions in the organisations processes using behavioural science knowledge. (Richard Beckhard) Organisation development refers to a Long-range effort to improve an organisations problem-solving capabilities and its ability to cope with changes in its external environment with the help of external or internal behavioural-scientist consultants, or change agents, as they are sometimes called. (Wendell French) Organisational development is Long term, planned changes in the culture, technology and management of a total organisation or at least significant part of the total organisation. (Jamieson, Bach Kallick and Kur, 1984) From the above explained definitions it is quite obvious that all of them differ on several important dimensions such as some focus on culture, some on the importance of top management support while other on the importance of technology, there is no doubt that do exhibit some common features Organisational development is concerned with managing planned change targeting organisation-wide issues, problems and challenges. Organisational development is basically a data-driven process, collected through process of action research by ways such as observations, assessments and surveys. Intent of organisational development to improve organisational effectiveness and it serves the purpose of both the creation as well as the subsequent reinforcement of change. Organisational development is concerned with the change in strategy, structure and/or process of an entire system. Organisational development is based upon the application and transfer of behavioural knowledge and practice such as leadership, group dynamics, and organization design. (Cummings and Worley, 2005) An attempt have been made by Cummings and Worley to incorporate most of the views expressed in various definitions through the very definition explained below Organisation development is a system wide application and transfer of behavioural science knowledge to the planned development, improvement, and reinforcement of the strategies, structures and processes that lead to organisation effectiveness. Organisational development had its origin in the 1960s when the need of Organisational health preponderant. Organisational development tends to works by acknowledging the dysfunctions and correcting them in order to retain equilibrium. Initial approaches to Organisational development was developed on the theories of Kurt Lewin who described it as a planned change and is based on Field theory, Group dynamics, Action Research and Three step model. Apart from significant work carried out by Kurt Lewin there are other prominent researchers in this field such as Bullock and Batten(1985) who proposed a four phase model of planned change Exploration phase, Planning phase, Action phase and Integration phase. It will be worth mentioning that in spite of the extensive work carried the focus was on change at Individual and Group level ignoring the organisations in their entirety. The main objectives of Organisation development are to address and smoothen the process of change that will in turn help the organisation to achieve greater effectiveness. Evolution of Organisational Development Organisational development have emerged from five basic backgrounds or stems as described below (Cummings and Worley) Growth of National Training Laboratories (NTL) and development of training groups known as T-groups. This very stem of Organisational development pioneered the T-Group a small, unstructured group in which the participants are expected to gain from their own interactions and developing dynamics such as interpersonal relations, leadership, and group dynamics. With the passage of time T- Groups have declined on their importance as OD intervention and is often associated with the reputation of Organisational development as touchy-feely process. The practical aspects of T-Group organisations are better known as team building and worth saying that it is one of the institutionalized forms of Organisational development today. Inculcation of action research as a way of applying research to managing change. An important feature of action research was survey feedback. It was well-understood that in order to manage change research needs to be in close ties with action. Action research was seen as two-pronged process and it focuses on the fact that change requires action that can be achieved by carefully analysing the situation properly, looking out for all the possible alternatives and going for the most apt. to situation at hand (Bennet, 1983). Action research stresses that change can only be effective if it is taken at the group level by involving concerned ones and it must be a participative and collaborative process. (French and Bell, 1984; Lewin, 1947b). One of the key components of action research studies was the systematic collection of survey data that was fed back. The third one is associated with a normative view i.e. One best way to manage organisations. The third stem that popped out was the normative view which closely held the view that Human relations approach represents a One best way to manage organisations. Furthermore, this normative belief was illustrated by through Likerts Participative Management style i.e. Participative Group systems and Blake and Moutons Grid OD program with organisational effectiveness. (R. Likert, 1967; R. Blake and J. Mouton, 1964) The fourth stem can very well be described as the approach focusing on quality of work life and productivity. This very stem or we can say the background to OD can be described under two phases that initially took off by the projects developed and their emergence in 1950s, 60s and lasted until mid 1970s. This phase of QWL programs were concerned with providing employees high levels of discretion, task variety and feedback about results. One of the main characteristic of QWL was Self-managing groups as a form of work design. It lost its importance during 1970s due to other important and emerging issues such as inflation and energy costs. Second phase of QWL extended its scope and inculcated other features such as work flows, reward systems, management styles that effect employee productivity and satisfaction and is known by the term Employee Involvement. (Cummings and Worley, 05) The fifth and last stem of organisational development involves strategic change and organisation transformation. The latest of Strategic change background have an overarching influence on Organisational Developments evolution. In current scenario the environments known as technological, socio-political environments are more complex and uncertain than ever before which in turns calls for planned change process and strategic perspective from Organisational development (D. Naddler, 1988). Strategic change intervention helps to improve both the organisational effectiveness and its relationship to its environment. Moreover, Strategic changes to organisational development have made its presence felt in mergers and acquisitions, alliance formation. (M. Marks and P.Mirvis, 1998). All the above explained five stems have great influence on the current practice of organisational development as well as by the trends that are responsible of shaping change in the organisations. The commonality between all the backgrounds is that all wholeheartedly support the transfer of knowledge and skill to the client system and making them capable of managing better change. This field of organisational development is on a growth spree as it can be witnessed through the new researchers, theorists, practitioners who are building their work on the work of early pioneers and making it perfect for the contemporary situations. Findings Organisational change as a planned discipline is concerned with the application of behavioural knowledge and practice in order to help organisation to achieve greater effectiveness but growing with the evolution phase, Current phase of organisational development goes far beyond its humanistic origins and it will be worth saying that as now a days practitioners of Organisational development took a more prescriptive approach as compared to early pioneers of Organisation development who took analytical approach. Lawrence and Lorsch (1969) draw organisational development in terms of activities at three interfaces Organisation to environment, Group to group, and Individual to organisation. Till 1980s planned change approach as coined by Kurt Lewin with its set of tools, techniques and practitioners was the dominant approach in managing organisational change unless it faced criticism from certain quarters regarding its inability to cope up with emerging and coercive situations such as dyn amic and unpredictable environments. Even in todays scenario there is a continuing argument over the proper definition, its state of art and the skills required for practising it. Despite certain limitations cited who have opposed it by saying that Planned change is more flexible and holistic approach than it is being considered and is en route on a transition phase from being a miscellany of certain devices to becoming a mature, usable set of principles and procedures for organisational change (Cummings and Worley, 2001; French and Bell, 1995; Robert L.Kahn, 2002). The problems cited with Planned change to change are that it was developed for the organisations operating in Top-down, autocratic environment (Wooten and White, 1999:8). It also have been criticized on the other note that it is more emphasized on Incremental and isolated change rather than its ability to cope up with more radical and transformational change (Dawson,1994 ; Schein,1985). Planned change is more suitable fo r the group and individual context but lacks strength for system-wide change. One of the problems of organisational development is the inclusion of conversational and commercial terms as independent variables such as T-Group training as a number of activities lies with the preference of trainer itself (Back, 1972). Other problem that can be cited is that Organisational development relies too much on the expertise and experience of trainees and change agent. Though often the process of planned change in terms of three successive phases Unfreezing, Moving and Freezing is often quoted without proper understanding of it as well as the Lewinian quasi-stationary equilibrium is often seen but without undergoing any proper system conceptualization calls for more serious attention so that a more holistic approach can be developed in managing Organisational change. In a nutshell, it can be said that it is not fruitful to look solely at group and individual level, the need is to look for the organisations in their entirety as seen from the concepts developed by Kurt Lewin. Organisational development practitioners have understood the importance of understanding organisational culture and organisational learning. The concepts coined by Kurt Lewin and others pioneers in this field are still relevant and needs a more in-depth understanding. The need of the hour is the conjugation of the emergent approaches such as punctuated-equilibrium, continuous transformation models with the existing approaches so that more benefits can be realized in terms of organization effectiveness by achieving planned organisational change. In the end it is worth mentioning that organisational development is not that Strategic and this is the prime reason why Organisational development have lost its purpose and coherence. Though there has not been a single approach for Org anisational Development but the combination of all the approaches make it a very coherent approach and it needs to be developed with the ever changing scenario so that nothing affects its suitability. References en.wikipedia.orgwiki/organization_development. Lawrence and Lorsch, 1967; Argyris, 1962; Harisson, 1963, 66 Bernard Burnes, 2004 ; Managing Change W.Burke, Organisation Development: Principles and Practice (Boston: Little,Brown, 1982); Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) W. French, Organization development: objectives, Assumptions, and Strategies, California Management Review 12,2 (1969):23-24; Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) R. Beckhard, Organisational Development :Strategies and models (Reading,Mass: Addison-Wesley, 1969) ; Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) (Jamieson, Bach Kallick and Kur, 1984); Introduction and overview of Organisational Development as a data driven approach for Organisational change ( Janine Waclawski, Allan H.Church) Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) Bullock and Batten, 1985; Bernard Burnes, 2004 (Managing Change) French and Bell, 1984; Lewin, 1947b; Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) R. Likert, 1967; R. Blake and J. Mouton, 1964; Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) D. Naddler, 1988; M. Marks and P.Mirvis, 1998; Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) Cummings and Worley, 2001; French and Bell, 1995; Robert L.Kahn, 2002; Wooten and White, 1999:8; Organisational development : Some problems and proposals, (Robert L. Kahn,2002) Dawson,1994 ; Schein,1985; Organisational development : Some problems and proposals, (Robert L. Kahn,2002) Back, 1972; Organisational development : Some problems and proposals, (Robert L. Kahn,2002)

The Complexity Of Society And Diversity

The Complexity Of Society And Diversity In the words of Thompson we live in a complex society where diversity is the order of the day. This indeed can result into conflict of interest and discrimination. To narrow this down, discrimination borne out of Cultural Diversity in the social care practice is a very pertinent issue in care delivery especially between the service giver and the client alike. This can be explained as the reflection of the differences that comes through their, languages, values, beliefs, thoughts, behavioural action, ideas and reaction. Basically, is a pointer to the sensitivity nature of the profession and the approaches needed to provide culturally appropriate care that will accommodate and embrace individuals beliefs, values and culture incorporates individuals cultural values, beliefs, and practices including sensitive and of course practitioners among others must take cognisance of individual background to facilitate antidiscriminatory practice in service delivery. When implementing prevention programs to curb any form of discriminatory attitude ,some of the cogent factors that should be considered as sub set of cultural diversity are, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexuality, spirituality, and some other areas. Both the internal and external parts of human life can be considered as the understanding of culture. Among diverse of lots of ways to define culture, it can be viewed from the angle of experience, values, knowledge, attitudes, skills, ideas, tastes, and techniques which are transfer from one experienced person in the community to others. Transmitters of culture are now families both immediate and nuclear, religious group, peer groups social groups, neighbours and professional organisations. Essentially it should be noted that element of culture and diversity are numerous, some cultural experiences could be are biological related factors, like physical stature and colour of skin, whereas others could be sociological related factors, like socioeconomic status and religious connection. Based on these variables it will be wrong and illogical to draw a conclusion regarding people based on the way they appear externally. It has become imperative for social care practitioners to be very competent cultural, apart from the fact that this could improve the service delivery standard it will help immensely to help in the quest for antidiscriminatory practice in this profession. Some of the importance of this antidiscriminatory practice in this regards is that it will help to facilitate a serene atmosphere whereby social workers will be able to see it as a matter of responsibility to engage in proper conduct, effective ethical services and decision making. This will enable them to be more conscious about the value base of their service users and of course it will help to maintain an ethical standard that could ultimately serve as a platform on which a professional relationship that can facilitate and improve service delivery can be attained in the long run. Civilization according to Obama can be described as a method of living and an attitude of equal respect for all and sundry. Obama B. (2006).In a similar vein, a speech was delivered by M. Martin in Dublin (2001) in regards to solving the challenges of cultural diversity in the health care Sector in republic of Ireland. Martin stated in his speech that, diversity gives social care practitioners the privilege to develop their knowledge, mental know-how and the understanding of the problems associated with issues cultural diversity in the health care sector from the twin perspectives of both clients and staff. He also identify awareness and sensitivity training workshop for staff as a key requirement for adapting to a diverse population issue. He suggested that such training should be projected towards enhancement of knowledge based development and skills in other to render effective services that are sensitive to cultural diversity. Diversity according to Thompson, (2001: 34), is a term hugely being used to lay emphasis on the differences between individuals and across groups, and the fact that such differences are best seen as an assets to be valued and affirmed, rather than as problems to be solved. Diversity and difference could result to discrimination and thus oppression can take place. Moreover, social care workers do encounter many problems and obstacles in attending the elderly, the young and the physically challenged as well. Ireland as a country is fast becoming a much more multi-cultural society where people are coming from diverse cultural and ethnical background obviously peoples ideas thought and expectations based on service delivery will definitely be conflicted , but it is expected that social care practitioners will manage all these issues as a matter of cultural competency. In recent times, it is now not unusual for a practitioner to work with a black or coloured person or a person from an Eastern European country. Nor is it unusual to work with a child from an ethnic minority in residential care. Another important of antidiscriminatory practice is that it will enable practitioners to have an insight to how human life and experience is characterise by diversity and how is germane to identity formations. Diversity as it may, can be viewed from intersectionality of different dimensions, these factors consist of gender, age, colour, religion, sexual orientation, class differences, culture, sex, physically challenged, immigration status, ethnic background, political ideology and national origin. Social workers need to understand and placed ultimate premium of the fact that as a rerult of individual differences, somebody somehow might have experience or suffred from exploitation, maginalisation, oppression, poverty, exclusion and stigmatisation. Understandind this fact will not only help a practitioner to manage and deliver good servive but will greatly assist to be able to deal effectively in handling individuals need individually. According to Worman, (2005) diversity can best be described as, the the disparities that exist between people that ranges from both visible and non-visible. He identifies three different types of diversity: Social diversity which includes age, race, ethnicity and gender, Value diversity such as psychological differences based on personality and attitudes and Informational diversity which includes organisational differences in education, tenure and function. Rather than seeing this as the beginning and end of one the greatest challenges been faced by this profession it should be seen as a means to an end towards achieving a better service delivery. Perhaps, one of the possible fruits of the challenges of cultural diversity is that it could chrysalises to discrimination talking about the client and the service deliverer . According to Laird, (2008) concerns with racism first emerged in the social-work profession back in the 1970s and during the 1980s major social-work texts appeared to guide practice (Payne, 2005: 277). The new Diploma in Social Work was introduced in 1990 and it made it compulsory for anti-racist practice to be part of the prospectus. Thompsons advanced work on the PCS analysis, (1998, 2006) refers to the personal, cultural and structural levels at which discrimination can occur, as a means of identifying and combating oppression against ethnic service users. As a result of his research Thompson would say that the combination of personal and cultural predispositions can create an ethnocentric outlook. Ethnocentrism results in judging other distinctive groups of people according to the norms of ones own group. This of course can create more problems rather than solution that ought to be the central major target of the carer and invariably it can lead to frustration on the part of the carer. Practically, over time it has been proven that problems that arises from discrimination in service delivery if properly addressed and managed will ultimately enhance performance and this to a large extent will help to improve the lives of the clients. Some the discriminatory acts from recent research have their source from language and culture. Ireland for instance is now a cross multicultural country whereby we have huge number of people from Africa and Eastern block. This factor can make or mar service delivery effectiveness depending on how is applied. Practitioners and service users recognise that language and cultural barriers can limit the provision of effective and meaningful social care. (Share et al 2009: 423). Also, antidiscriminatory practice can necessitate the quest for knowledge and information to improve learning. To be effective at their job, Social Care Workers need to acquire the skills in dealing with culturally different co-workers, subordinates peers and clients. Powell (2004) points out those organisations are becoming increasingly aware of the need to understand and respond to demographic trends in the modern employment force. Carer need to gain an awareness and understanding of the environment around them in order to provide effective supports to service users and their individual needs. A lack of knowledge and/or a lack of understanding can lead to discriminatory practice. Lack of knowledge can simply mean not being aware of the needs and choices of an individual this can lead to complications and frustration on parties. This information may include dietary requirements, religious practices, cultural differences, language barriers or personal rituals. Thomas (1991), observed that workplace diversity transcend beyond gender and race. It cut across people lifestyle, age, sexual preference, functional speciality and geographical location. Communities and organisations are becoming extremely diverse and are being challenged to manage diversity. Wilson (1997) describes the changing workforce as the new workforce. For example, todays workforce includes more dual earner families, an older work force, more people of colour and ethnic minorities, more people with disabilities and more homosexual practitioners. These set of new workers that falls within the groups earlier mentioned are more demanding and their expectation about the employees involvement is so great, Provision has to be made for better work and family balance and access to more vital information, legal frameworks should be in force in order to encourage the Irish workforce to acknowledge and appreciate diversity. The Employment Equality Act 2004 and the Equal Status Act 2000forbid by law on different nine grounds the act of discrimination including race and membership of the travelling community. Section 24 of the Employment Equality Act 2004, states that it is aimed to: Implement the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin..establishing a general framework for equal employment and occupation and equal treatment for men and women in regards to employment, vocational training and promotion. As a social care worker, in a diverse workforce, there is a need to recognise and respect such differences. Ethnic and cultural diversity are not a new occurrence in Ireland. The Irish Travelling Community is synonymous with a long history of an indigenous minority group with a strong culture and identity of their own. Only when these differences are acknowledged in a respectable manners and informing ourselves with regard to them can we be rest assured that these differences has been addressed. Equality and diversity are about the understanding and valuing of difference. It is about creating a working environment that recognises respects and harnesses difference. A fair environment allows everyone to contribute and gives the opportunity to all to fulfil their potential. Practitioners face many challenges in their everyday work environment. In stressful situations it is important to have support, for example, from the team a carer work with, the supervisor or even an individual co-worker. Consistency is an important tool for any practitioner so as to provide the best service for the people that they work with. Powell (2004) explains that ignoring diversity may limit a team in its work to reach a required goal. According to Powell, practitioners benefit from working in a multicultural environment as it teaches them a culture of inclusion and they can benefit from the range of skills and values that are present in the team. This leads to the absence of discrimination and prejudice and ultimately both the staff and clients benefit from this environment. Effective social work education and practice in the increasingly mobile and diverse modern European society requires and understanding of minority ethnic cultures and sensitivity to inter-cultural perspectives. The National Association of Social Workers (N.A.S.W) describes the responsibilities of social workers as to act to expand choice and opportunity for all persons, with special regard for vulnerable, disadvantaged, oppressed and exploited people and groups. These standards heighten the acceptance and respect for diversity as a fundamental social work value. Share et al (2009) points out that many third level institutions providing social care courses integrate inter-cultural training as part of the prospectus. Many organisations adopt diversity programmes to combat exclusion in the work place. Social workers have a professional mandate to identify and challenge organisational systems and individual practices that compromise client service, choice and general well-being. (Maidment et al, 2002: 399). Constant rising in Ethnicity and social heterogeneity has been identified as one of the greatest and essential challenges militating against modern societies, and in the same way, one of the most significant opportunities in almost all the advanced countries of the world. One thing that is very certain that can be said about virtually all the modern societies is that is generations are going to be more diverse than ever in a foreseeable future. According to Putnam (2007). He described in the theoretical tool kit of social science two diametrically opposed perspectives about the effects of diversity on social connections. One of those, he labelled the contact hypotheses which argues that diversity fosters interethnic tolerance and social solidarity. The more we associate and make more contact with people who are different from us, it will enable us to overcome our initial hesitation and ignorance and come to trust them more. This is true in social care an example been the first time a service user would have had a black worker as a carer there could or would have being name calling because they did not know any better. In some cases this has improved as the client and carer have gotten to know each other and come to realise that the only difference is their culture and not what colour they are. CONCLUSION This essay has been able to observe and established that in order for social care work to be effective and fair, social care workers need to acknowledge difference and embrace it so as to reap the benefits of a diverse workforce. Racism has no place for the social care worker in the work place. Working with clients who have diverse needs can only serve to further teach a social care worker and enrich their practice, which in turn promotes their standard of professionalism and experience. What is recommendable is that there are two sides to a coin, diversity as it may, in totality could be a blessing in disguise because it can propel a society towards achieving or providing the best and the most effective service delivery in the context of social care practice through all the possible learning and training processes that ranges from competency to ethical conducts for all the social care workers. This essay has shown just what diversity is and what types of diversity challenge social care workers on a daily basis. It has also emphasised how important training and development is in order to give potential social care workers a prepared insight into how diversity can be managed and respected. The world is a small place and social care workers need to recognise and embrace all cultures and their respective differences in order to further enhance their ability to help all service users in multicultural society. Emphasis has been laid on some the importance of antidiscriminatory practice in the context of this profession like better service delivery, enhancing good relationship, improve professionalism and help to facilitate cultural competence and ethical standard amongst others. All this factors put together will ultimately underpinned the future and best practice for this profession.

Korean Buddhism :: Religion Korea Religious Essays

Korean Buddhism Buddhism was first brought from China to the Korean peninsula in the year 372 CE. At this time the dominant and traditional religion was Shamanism. While Shamanism was the belief in animism and nature-spirit worship, Buddhism expressed the idea that human beings as well as nature possess spirits and should be included in the rites of worship. This had no conflict with Shamanism and so it was easily adapted. The early elementary forms of Buddhism believed primarily in cause and effect related to the path of happiness (Buddhapia). More recent applications of Buddhist monks’ time goes to solving conflicts within different sects of Buddhism or among other religions. They also devote a great deal of time to solving doctrinal inconsistencies (Charles Muller). More traditionally a basic concept of Buddhism is that of interpenetration (t’ung) in which one must move along a path that has already been opened and just needs to be traversed. This is especially relevant in that of a sage’s mind capable of â€Å"penetrating† (understanding) the principles of things. Penetration as Charles Muller says, â€Å"Is a basic underpinning of both the Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean, in both of which the inner and outer aspects of the person are understood to penetrate each other such that quality of the person's inner mind is always discernible in his outer appearance†. Other important aspects of Korean Buddhism are individuality, mental foundation and ideology, philosophical reformation movement, and the pursuit of harmonization and unification. Individuality is found all throughout the Buddhist culture where there are many different approaches to meditation, studying sutras and chanting. Buddhist ideology assisted in the foundation of many aspects of Korean culture including socio-political issues. Korean Buddhists devoted their thought to philosophical reformation in the overcoming of fixed concepts. Buddhism developed different levels as each one reached its level of conceptual development. A Buddhist’s final stage comes when their teacher sees that they are fit and sends them off to become a full member of the monastic community in which they will have five days of training and lectures before the actual ceremony (Buddhapia).

Brave New World Essay -- essays papers

Brave New World Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is a fictitious story about a future utopian society where people are mass-produced in laboratories. People have no emotions in this world where drugs and promiscuous sex are greatly encouraged. People are given labels according to their pre-natal intelligence assignment. These different classes all have specific roles within society and nobody is unhappy with their place. The Brave New World he was a fictitious story that sets up a symbolic mirror to our world that shows the reader what our world is slowly evolving to. As young children, the utopians are conditioned to practice certain rituals, to later benefit society as a whole through the stability that these practices bring. One of the acts that the children are taught to do is begin to experiment sexually at a very young age. This will prevent sexual anxiety in their adult years. Sexual play is greatly encouraged to the point that a special time is set for children to experience an erotic play. â€Å"In the garden it was playtime. Naked in the warm June sunshine, six or seven hundred little boys and girls were running† (Huxley 30). As they grow older, sexual promiscuity becomes a requirement among the adults. In order for them to keep a stable society, the utopians cannot risk strong emotions among its people, if it is allowed people will be preoccupied with emotion thus leading to under production. The attitudes of the utopians support ideas of no monogamy. As one character said, â€Å"You ought to be careful. It’s such horribly bad form to go on and on like this with one man† (Huxley 41). Huxley commented on his story’s relevance to the current time (Huxley’s book was published in 1932), with resp... ...eality that allow a person to be happy when they’re down, Prozac is just one of many drugs with this purpose. Prozac is advertised as something that can solve any and all everyday blues. Many people in the world use Prozac in order to make them happy and to take away their problems, just the same way the people of Brave New World do with soma. Through out this story, Huxley uses the practices these people do as an example to show modern day readers by mirroring what our society could become if we’re not careful. Huxley uses these comparisons to show that the Brave New World could happen. He writes about this also in his forward, â€Å"All things considered it looks as though Utopia were far closer to us than anyone, only fifteen years ago, could have imagined.† Bibliography: Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1932.

Tennysons Use of Landscape as an Indication of Mood :: essays research papers

Tennyson’s poetry is renowned for reflecting a penetrating introspection and meditative expressiveness unsurpassed by other poets of his time. His explorations into a vast breadth of topics ranging from the political to the deeply personal reflect his multifarious enthusiasms, and his ability to reach out to his readers as well as probe the depths of psychological expression. ‘The Lady of Shalott’ and ‘Mariana’, two of his earliest poems, exemplify this ability to communicate internal states of mind through his use of scenery. Although Tennyson’s use of landscape indeed creates a strong vivid impression, I feel that it also serves a higher purpose: namely, to express the psychological state and mood depicted in the protagonists of the poems. As a child Tennyson was profoundly influenced by the poetry of Byron and Scott, Romantic poets celebrated for their presentations of emotional or psychological issues through natural imagery. This influence can be plainly seen in his poetry, none so much so as in ‘Mariana’ where he uses Keatsian descriptions of the surroundings to describe a woman’s state of mind. The subject of this poem is drawn from a line in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure: ‘‘Mariana in the moated grange.’’ This describes a young woman waiting for her lover Angelo, who has abandoned her upon the loss of her dowry. From the outset Tennyson creates an impression of profound disrepair and decrepitude, the ‘sheds’ are left broken and abandoned, the thatch is ‘worn’ and covered in weeds. Everything is coated in rust, moss or dust, unmoving, inactive and still. This strong suggestion of stagnation recurs throughout, and is emphasized by the refrain of the poem: ‘She only said, ‘My life is dreary, He cometh not,’ she said, She said, ‘I am aweary, aweary, I would that I were dead!’ This acts almost as a confirmation of what the reader already suspects, that Mariana has been abandoned and the ‘grange’ with her, and expresses continuity without hope of change. His use of adjectives such as ‘lonely’, ‘ancient’, ‘level’ and ‘old’ throughout the poem poignantly express disrepair and isolation. This sense of dormancy Tennyson depicts draws a direct correlation with the psychological state of mind expressed in Mariana. He uses her surroundings to echo the fact that she is left in a constant state of perpetual, isolated brooding and that through her dejection all she sees appears equally miserable and ‘dreary’.

Blaine Case

Executive Summary: In summary, recommendation by the banker to buy back 14 million outstanding shares of Blaine Kitchenware with $ 50 million debt and $209 million cash in hand would result in following financial metric changes: * Increase the value of the firm through the benefit of tax shield from current $960million to $1. 063billion. * The offer results in 3% increase in EPS from $0. 91 to $0. 93 based on 2006 financial numbers. * An increase of 7. 3% on ROE from 11% to 18. 3% based on 2006 financial numbers. * After adjustment, share prices will be $18. 0. Proposed Buy-Back Plan Analysis:Although Blaine’s current financial situation is sound with no debt, its current balance sheet is under levered and over liquid compare to its peers. The current financial structure earns little return on the short-term assets while does not allow the firm to benefit from any debt interest tax shield. The proposed capital structure will benefit the company by levering its balance sheet. I t will provide an interest tax shield for the income thus increasing the value of the firm for the shareholders. Because interest on debt is a tax-deductible expense, taking on debt will effectively lower the taxable income allowing the firm to pay less tax.The current large cash and short-term marketable securities on the balance sheet make Blaine an attractive target for a take-over. The large cash on balance sheet could effectively be used as a collateral to finance a take-over or merger of Blaine. Such characteristics attract private equity firms in which can utilize the over-liquid situation to their advantage. The current mature nature of business also requires a levered capital structure. A firm in this situation should not follow a pecking order, as it would hold down the value of the firm while making it attractive for a take-over or merger.Less cash in balance sheet also reduces agency cost by forcing managers to invest only in opportunities that are aligned with sharehold ers vision and interest therefore reducing wasteful investments not benefiting shareholders. As for the future acquisitions, Blaine can either use debt or issue stocks when appropriate. Furthermore the proposed share buy-back will give more control to family investors. Since initial IPO and previous acquisitions has diluted the shares, family control in Blaine has been on decline and a source of concern.The proposed share buy-back will return more control into family shareholder hands further solidifying their support for the new capital structure. The repurchase offer would affect both income statement and balance sheet of the firm. In the balance sheet debt is increased by $50 million, cash is reduced by $209 million while equity is reduced by $259 million. The remaining cash can be used to fund seasonal peak operation in combination with additional short-term debt should it be needed. Our EPS will increase by 3% to $0. 93 from current $0. 91 and our ROE will see a large increase from 11% to 18. % further bringing Blaine closer to its competitors. The result of additional debt in the balance sheet will increase the value of the firm from current $960million to $1. 063billion while adjusted share prices will rise to $18. The increase in share value is due to increase in the value of the firm from $960million to $1. 06billion because of levering up the firm since value of any levered firm is its unlevered value plus its tax rate multiplied by its interest bearing debt. The $18. 50 offer holds a premium over adjusted future share price of $18 therefore making the proposed capital structure attractive to shareholders.The debt to equity ratio of 2. 5% is still conservative and aligned with the vision of the company not to over utilize debt in its capital structure. Furthermore the increase in Enterprise Value to EBITDA ratio from 9. 9% to 14. 8% will make the firm more costly to be acquired thus less attractive for a take-over. A dividend policy in place of the s tock repurchase will not provide the same value for the company and its shareholders. Dividends are subjected to higher tax rate compare to capital gain increased due to share buy-back.This discourages shareholders from desire to receive high dividends in place of higher capital gain as share values increase. A comparison is made below between the proposed capital structure and dividend policy. | Share buyback| One-time special cash dividends| Pros| Increase EPS/ROE, pos. sign of future earnings, Lower tax rate compare to div policy| Happy shareholders, positive sign of future earnings, | Cons| Limiting liquidity, opportunity cost | Limiting liquidity, opportunity cost, higher tax rate compare to capital gain policy| Share outstanding| Decrease| No change|EPS| Increase| No change| ROE| Increase| Increase| In summary we recommend the share buy-back plan, as it will increase the value of the firm, shield part of income from taxes, increase return on equity and lowers agency cost. The increase in value of the firm and lower cash in hand also makes the firm less attractive target of a take-over. Supporting Material: Case Exhibit 1 Income Statement| | | | | | With Repurchase Option| | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | | |Operating Results:| | | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2006 | | Revenue| | | | 291,940 | 307,964 | 342,251 | 342,251 | | Less: Cost of Goods Sold| | | 204,265 | 220,234 | 249,794 | 249,794 | | Gross Profit| | | 87,676 | 87,731 | 92,458 | 92,458 | | Less: Selling, General & Administrative| 25,293 | 27,049 | 28,512 | 28,512 | | Operating Income| | | 62,383 | 60,682 | 63,946 | 63,946 | | Plus: Depreciation & Amortization| | 6,987 | 8,213 | 9,914 | 9,914 | | EBITDA| | | | 69,370 | 68,895 | 73,860 | 73,860 | | Â  | | | | | | Â  | Â  | |EBIT| | | | 62,383 | 60,682 | 63,946 | 63,946 | | Plus: Other Income (expense)| | 15,719 | 16,057 | 13,506 | 0 | No marketable security income| Less Interest| | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,375 | Tax shield amount| Earnings Before Ta x| | | 78,101 | 76,738 | 77,451 | 60,571 | | Less: Taxes| | | 24,989 | 24,303 | 23,821 | 18,629 | | Net Income| | | 53,112 | 52,435 | 53,630 | 41,942 | | Dividends| | | | 18,589 | 22,871 | 28,345 | 22,167 | Assume same 53% div policy| Â  | | | | | | Â  | Â  | | | | | | | | Â  | Â  | | Margins:| Â  | |Revenue Growth| | | 3. 2%| 5. 5%| 11. 1%| 0. 0%| | Gross Margin| | | 30. 0%| 28. 5%| 27. 0%| 27. 0%| | EBIT Margin| | | 21. 4%| 19. 7%| 18. 7%| 18. 7%| | EBITDA Margin| | | 23. 8%| 22. 4%| 21. 6%| 21. 6%| | Effective Tax Rate (1)| | | 32. 0%| 31. 7%| 30. 8%| 30. 8%| | Net Income Margin| | | 18. 2%| 17. 0%| 15. 7%| 12. 3%| | Dividend payout ratio| Â  | Â  | 35. 0%| 43. 6%| 52. 9%| 52. 9%| | Case Exhibit 2 Balance Sheet| | | | | | With Repurchase Option| Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | | Assets:| | | | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2006 |Cash & Cash Equivalents| | | 67,391 | 70,853 | 66,557 | 21,866 | Marketable Securities| | | 218,403 | 196,763 | 164,309 | 0 | Accounts Receivabl e| | | 40,709 | 43,235 | 48,780 | 48,780 | Inventory| | | | 47,262 | 49,728 | 54,874 | 54,874 | Other Current Assets| | | 2,586 | 3,871 | 5,157 | 5,157 | Total Current Assets| | | 376,351 | 364,449 | 339,678 | 130,678 | Â  | | | | | | Â  | Â  | Property, Plant & Equipment| | 99,402 | 138,546 | 174,321 | 174,321 | Goodwill| | | | 8,134 | 20,439 | 38,281 | 38,281 |Other Assets| | | 13,331 | 27,394 | 39,973 | 39,973 | Total Assets| | | 497,217 | 550,829 | 592,253 | 383,253 | Â  | | | | | | Â  | Â  | Liabilities & Shareholders' Equity:| | | | Â  | Â  | Accounts Payable| | | 26,106 | 28,589 | 31,936 | 31,936 | Accrued Liabilities| | | 22,605 | 24,921 | 27,761 | 27,761 | Taxes Payable| | | 14,225 | 17,196 | 16,884 | 16,884 | Total Current Liabilities| | | 62,935 | 70,705 | 76,581 | 76,581 | Other liabilities| | | 1,794 | 3,151 | 4,814 | 4,814 | debt| | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50,000 |Deferred Taxes| | | 15,111 | 18,434 | 22,495 | 22,495 | Total Liabilities | | | 79,840 | 92,290 | 103,890 | 153,890 | Shareholders' Equity| | | 417,377 | 458,538 | 488,363 | 229,363 | Total Liabilities & Shareholders' Equity| 497,217 | 550,829 | 592,253 | 383,253 | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | EPS | Â  | Per Outstanding Shares of| Before| $0. 908 | 59,052,083 | After| $0. 931 | 45,052,083 | Improvement| 2. 51%| | ROE| Â  | @ Book Equity| Before| 10. 98%| $488,363 | After| 18. 9%| $229,363 | Equity Value| Â  | Vu| $959,596 | VL| $1,063,196 | New Share Prices| $18. 00 | Case Exhibit 3 – Peer Comparison | Home ; Hearth Design| AutoTech Appliances| XQL Corp. | Bunkerhill, Inc. | EasyLiving Systems| | Blaine Kitchenware| Blaine Kitchenware After Repurchase| | | | | | | Â  | | | Revenue| $589,747| $18,080,000| $4,313,300| $3,671,100| $188,955| | $342,251| 342251. 25| EBIT| 106,763 | 2,505,200 | 721,297 | 566,099 | 19,613 | | 63,946 | 63945. 5| EBITDA| 119,190 | 3,055,200 | 796,497 | 610,399 | 23,356 | | 73,860 | 73,860 | Net income| $53,698| $1,416,012| $412,307| $335,073| $13,173| Â  | $53,630| 41941. 55799| | | | | | | | | | Cash ; securities| $21,495| $536,099| $21,425| $153,680| $242,102| | $230,866| 21,866 | Net working capital*| 54,316 | 1,247,520 | 353,691 | 334,804 | 21,220 | | 32,231 | – | Net fixed assets| 900,803 | 7,463,564 | 3,322,837 | 815,304 | 68,788 | | 174,321 | 174,321 | Total assets| $976,613| $9,247,183| $3,697,952| $1,303,788| $332,110| Â  | $592,253| 383,253 | | | | | | | | | |Net debt (1)| $350,798 | $4,437,314 | $950,802 | $238,056 | ($64,800)| | ($230,866)| 28,134 | Total debt| 372,293 | 4,973,413 | 972,227 | 391,736 | 177,302 | | – | 50,000| Book equity| $475,377 | $3,283,000 | $2,109,400 | $804,400 | $94,919 | Â  | $488,363 | 229,363 | | | | | | | | | | Market capitalization| 776,427 | 13,978,375 | 5,290,145 | 3,962,780 | 418,749 | Â  | 959,596 | 1063196. 354| Enterprise value (MVIC)| $1,127,226 | $18,415,689 | $6,240,947 | $4,200,836 | $353,949 | Â  | $728,730 | 1,091,330 | | | | | | | | | | E quity beta| 1. 03| 1. 24| 0. 96| 0. 2| 0. 67| | 0. 56 | 0. 7| | | | | | | | | | LTM Trading Multiples| | | | | | | | | MVIC/Revenue| 1. 91x| 1. 02x| 1. 45x| 1. 14x| 1. 87x| | 2. 13x| 3. 19x| MVIC/EBIT| 10. 56x| 7. 35x| 8. 65x| 7. 42x| 18. 05x| | 11. 40x| 17. 07x| MVIC/EBITDA| 9. 46x| 6. 03x| 7. 84x| 6. 88x| 15. 15x| | 9. 87x| 14. 78x| Market/Book equity| 1. 63x| 4. 26x| 2. 51x| 4. 93x| 4. 41x| | 1. 96x| 4. 64x| | | | | | | | | | Net Debt/Equity| 45. 18%| 31. 74%| 17. 97%| 6. 01%| -15. 47%| | -24. 06%| 2. 65%| Net Debt/Enterprise Value| 31. 12%| 24. 10%| 15. 23%| 5. 67%| -18. 31%| | -31. 68%| 2. 58%|

Agriculture and Technology Essay

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings 1) Summary of Character Traits a) School smart (Maya is smart. When she moves to San Francisco from Stamps, Arkansas, she is skipped a grade. b) Caring sister (she always talks of her devotion to Baily) c) Determined (she wants to get a Job with the streetcar company and she keeps bugging them until they finally give her a Job) d) Proud (she lives with the Junkyard kids instead of going back to her father’s; she slaps Dolores for calling her mother a whore) 2) Appearance a) African American, tall, skinny, small and squinty eyes, big feet, large ap between her front teeth, black hair 3) What The Character Wants a) Maya wants, ultimately, for her family to be happy. She wants the segregation of blacks to end (she is disgusted when young white girls call her grandmother by her first name). 4) How the Character Changes a) After being raped, Maya stops talking as much b) After spending time living in the Junkyard, Maya learns tolerance, which will help her through out her life. She matures from a young girl to a mother, as well. c) Becomes more mature once she gets her Job with the street ars 5) Key Statements About the Character a) â€Å"Ritie, dont worry Ocause you ain’t pretty. Plenty of pretty women I seen digging ditches or worse. You smart. I swear to God, I rather you have a good mind than a cute behind. † (p. 56) b) â€Å"In those moments I decided that although Baily loved me he couldn’t help. 0 1 knew that because I loved him so much I could never hurt him† (p. 73) 6) Key Actions a) Father comes to Stamps and takes them to their mother b) Moves back to Stamps, then to SF c) Drives home from Mexico d) Slaps Dolores br;  e) Stays with the Junkyard people f) Gets pregnant 7) What Others Think Of the Character a) When they are younger, Baily really looks out for Maya. As they grow up, and after she spends time with her father, they drift apart. b) Her grandmother loves Maya very much, and knows that she is a very smart girl with a lot of potential. c) Her mother seems to care much more about her than her father did. Thesis Statement: Maya Angelou faces many hardships, yet manages to overcome them all, in her autobiography, â€Å"l Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. br>Maya Angelou faces many hardships, yet manages to overcome them all, in her autobiography, â€Å"l Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Maya is a strong willed, often stubborn, outgoing, somewhat outspoken, and rather intelligent girl. She becomes very tolerant due to some of her experiences. She also matures faster mentally than many other girls her age because of her situation and experiences. From the time she was young and through adolescence, Maya considered herself ugly. She was a tall, somewhat lanky African American. She was skinny, and felt that her eyes were too small and squinty. She was also ashamed of her large feet. r; Throughout the story, Maya is discouraged by the segregation of the blacks. For a long time she is denied the Job that she wishes to have because of the color of her skin. Also, she wants her family to be together and to be happy. She is separated from her parents at a young age and lives with her grandmother and uncle for most of her childhood. When she is with her parents, she tends to feel secondary. There is always something a touch more important that she and her brother Baily. autobiography, â€Å"l Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. When the book begins, Angelou is a young child, a mere three years old. As she grows up, though somewhat sheltered by her grandmother’s position as a general store owner, her eyes are opened to the current ways of the South. Blacks are lesser people that whites, and that was the way it was for her. On several occasions she watched in horror as young girls called her grandmother by her first name, when they should have been respectful and at lease used â€Å"Miss†. Once breaking the segregation barrier for herself, she gets a Job with the Streetcar Company. Having a Job, and the responsibility that comes with it, she mentally matures faster than the other children her age. While living with her mother he first time, Maya is molested by her mother’s boyfriend. After this, she becomes almost completely silent. She avoids talking as much as possible, which is a contrast to her previous behavior. Maya spends time living with other children in a Junkyard after her father asks her to leave. He asks her to leave because she and his girlfriend, Dolores, get into a fght and Dolores hurts Maya. After spending time with those children, she learns tolerance and matures more. Also, after becoming pregnant and realizing that she is responsible for another human life, she matures even more and becomes more responsible. br>Maya and her brother Baily were very close during their childhood and most of their adolescence. Baily was always proud of Maya for her intelligence, even though at times she wished she could have forfeited it for good looks. Baily expresses his pride by saying, â€Å"[Maya], don’t worry Ocause you ain’t pretty. Plenty of pretty women I mind than cute behind. (p. 56) After being raped, Maya wishes to protect her brother. She doesn’t want anything to happen to him because, according to her, she isn’t as good of a person as she should be. Through out her life

Latin american woman from 1825

From 1810 to 1825 women were engaged effectively in different wars of independence against the Spanish.   The most recognized women were the Latin American women who were deeply involved in the struggles for independence especially in the struggle for women’s rights in the broadest sense of economic, political and legal.   The women were also credited for the great role they played in redemocratization and economic reconstruction. IMPACT OF SPANISH CONQUEST ON INCA AND AZTEC WOMEN Many Spaniards moved into America because of the reports of gold.   Many people were pressed into ritual slavery in search of gold. Consequently the local overlords grew rich and the natives remained poor.   The continued success of the local overlords led to Spanish conquest in America. Aztec rulers were ruling around 25 million people who were living in large cities administered by elaborate array of military leaders: priests and government officials. There were also village elders who were united through marriage arrangement between their families and other families. â€Å"Chief speaker† was a body of elected representative elders, and it developed into strong emperor figure and was having great powers.   The Aztec system was theoretically meant the empire enjoyed closer ties of divinity and the priest was to select sacrifices required to keep sun shinning and to see rains falling. The priest was also required to maintain order in the society and during the time the sacrifices were being made. (Tompkins, 2001) The Incas were however weakened in regime from factional fighting and diseases even before the sparkles armored.   Emperor Pizzarro’s forces were captured the empire leading to the destruction of the Incas and then the way was open to Spanish enconmediams to take over the Inca and Aztec empires which were found in the gulf of Mexico. The Spaniards persecuted the people in the two empires and their cities were destroyed and were to be replaced by Spaniard cities.   These people faced horrible time in the Spaniards hands because they were massacred purposely or accidentally by transmitting to them European diseases. The Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan was conquered destroyed and the Spaniards build their own capital: Mexico City (just on the site of destroyed Aztec capital). The Aztec and Inca empires were located in the present Gulf of Mexico and by the time they were conquered they were barely a century old.   Both empires were extending over large areas and were having millions of people.   The conquest of Aztecs by Spaniards was due to the epidemics that had affected them while the Incas were conquered through the impact of deliberate infection of European diseases though they were also weakened by internal conflicts. (D’Altroy, 2002) Aztec community is an ethnic group found in central Mexico particularly those who speak Nahuati language.   They achieved a political and military dominance in the parts of Mesoamerica.   While the Inca Empire was on the other hand the largest empire in the pre- Columbia America. (Michael, 1984) Before the invasion and occupation of Mexican Gulf by the Spaniards the Aztec and Inca women were considered to be lesser members of the society.   The Inca women were given the specific task of making the local brew while the Aztec women were empowered in textiles making.   However with colonialism the roles of women changed women were seen to be in the fore fronts to fight against the inhumaniterian activities that were being done by the Spaniards. During colonization the women were having very great levels of uncertainties because this was the time when sexual harassment on women was on the range of rising. They were also used as maids in the houses of the ruling elites.   These mistreatments generated the uprising of women to fight for colonial liberation which they needed more than the men. Colonialism also saw the abolition of indigenous ways of life for example the use of the indigenous trees and plants to cure some diseases and some agricultural seeds which they treasured were abolished. In their role as the primary protectors of the family the Aztec and Inca women saw this as a threat to their royalties they had valued for long time.   They also fought for land rights; globalization and clear cut cultural identity with no job description for males and females in the society. (Michael, 1984) ROLE OF INDIGENOUS TUPI WOMEN The Tupi women were generally described as indigenous women rooted to domestic domains and so they were not able to fulfill institutionalized political and economic roles.   However this was not easy to achieve because in the indigenous Tupi there were distinct gender regimes and gender symbolism were associated with masculinity, this lead to increased war in Tupi society. These women worked hard to see new complementary spaces opening up to them and most of them even fought for colonial liberation from Europe.   They also demonstrated strong desires and complain to survive the criticism and brutality; they also ensured that they adjusted to resist the myriad colonial changes.   Despite the numerous attempts by the colonial governments the Tupi women were able to negotiate for social and political rights for the society. (Miller, 1991) Traditionally Tupi women were restricted to aesthetics alone for instance, they were required to decorate the housed, and they also painted their men to look delightful all over their bodies like birds or waves of the sea.   The women also painted their own legs so that someone seeing them from a distance may think they are dressed in the black worsted stockings. Council of male elders ruled the Tupi tribes to mean that women had no leadership positions in this tribe.   The elders met almost daily and were only addressed by the chief on how to rule the society.   The Tupi also believed in the real supernatural power but they were not having formal organized form of religion.   They believed in spirits and deonoms making their tribes life to be a form of myth, legend spiritual and ceremonial web. The women were entitled to domestic chores and they also participated in agricultural activities with no voice in administration. They were greatly discriminated upon by the men and were not allowed to make any vital decisions but to listen to and follow orders from their men. (Monteiro, 2000) However after colonialism the roles these women changed greatly with leadership style taking different dimensions. The women participated actively in the fight for colonial liberation giving their cultural and indigenous practices new meaning and approach. The women formed different movements to fight for equal representation in the ruling class as well as liberalized roles for both genders. They wanted an end to the work specification according to gender that had been there in olden days and was also magnified by the Spaniards during colonialism. This is because during the fight for colonial liberation the Tupi women realized their potentials to rule and do other duties better than the men. Their roles eventually changed but they maintained one provision of domestic needs and services mostly decoration of their bodies and houses using traditional approaches. Bibliography D’Altroy, T. (2002), the Incas: peoples of America. Blackwell publishers. Michael, D. (1984). Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs (ancient people and places) Miller, F. (1991), American women and the search for social justice. Hanover university press. Monteiro, J. (2000), the heathen castes of sixteenth century. Duke university press. Tompkins C, Foster D W, (2001), Notable Twentieth Century Latin American women, Amazon, Green wood press.