Learning English: A Lesson in Language and Culture

To those outside the educational system, the teaching of language may seem to be a simple communication of skills from one person to another.   For those involved in education, however, language instruction has long been linked to cultural bias and social engineering, leading to debates over the notion of a â€Å"neutral language.†Ã‚   Such a language would facilitate the exchange of objective concepts such as spelling, grammar, and pronunciation without imposing subjective cultural constructs such as beliefs abut class, gender, and religion. As languages originate and develop in response to needs and conditions all too human, and therefore highly emotional, it is unlikely that any truly neutral language exists, and this is particularly evident when we consider the English language. The teaching of English has sociocultural implications that extend far beyond the learning environment, and this is best demonstrated by examining the relationship of Standard English to other varieties of English as well as to other languages being taught. The distinction between standard and vernacular forms of a language is based on the perceived differences between the educated and the uneducated.   The term â€Å"standard,† when used to describe language, generally refers to that form of the language that is used for formal and written applications by those who occupy the highest ranks of society.   Rules governing its usage tend to be rather strict and resistant to change. In contrast, a vernacular is the colloquial language used informally by a group of people, much less rigid in its forms and much more liable to change.   An online version of the Oxford English Dictionary, the recognized authority on the English language, exemplifies this divisiveness in its definition of the noun â€Å"vernacular† as â€Å"the language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people of a country or region.†Ã‚   Aligning the vernacular form with so-called â€Å"ordinary† folks naturally infers a similar association between the standard form and less ordinary people, the literate elite who use it. This lofty status is often justified by reference to the wealth of classical literature, historical documents, and scientific/technical writings that exist in both British and American Standar1d English.   An understanding of Standard English provides access to these canons and to the educational systems that utilize them.   These systems offer the knowledge and expertise necessary for the highest levels of professional and intellectual achievement.   Simply put, a better than average knowledge of Standard English offers a better than average chance at attaining prominence in highly skilled and specialized areas such as education, business, or technology (Brindley 208). Whether this effect is seen as favorable or unfavorable depends, as most things do, on the perspective through which it is viewed.   Any experience that affords people greater personal control over important life issues may seem universally appealing, yet insistence upon teaching only Standard English has evoked considerable controversy (Brindley 205).   Those who advocate the teaching of Standard English writing in a way that emphasizes its reliance on stringent rules and formats have been accused of perpetuating a desired status quo (Brindley 226-227). By learning Standard English, students are carrying on a long tradition of literary scholarship that has yielded many important intellectual gains and brought the western world to the forefront in industry and science.   Detractors see the teaching of Standard English as an imposition of social norms that depend on conformity and narrow-mindedness.   By forcing people to think in constrained ways about language, teachers are hindering both creativity and individuality for the sake of convention (Bourne 243). Such adherence to uniformity often puts the learner in an uncomfortable and confusing situation, as when the home background and the educational environment clash in terms of language.   Katharine Perera describes the difficulties encountered by children being taught Standard English while living in homes and neighborhoods where the vernacular is the mode of expression. For them, a change in their manner of speech represents an invalidation of their customary way of life and may create barriers between them and their peers.   The experience of speaking one way with friends or family who share their idiom, only to then be told by teachers that this language is wrong, forces most children to reluctantly choose one identity at the expense of the other (cited in Brindley 212). Concern over this loss of identity has fueled heated disputes in â€Å"mother-tongue† contexts, where English is taught as a first language and some form of it is used by much of the population as a native language (Brindley 206).   Davis and Watson report that in Australia, post-war migration increased the nation’s multiculturalism while weakening the influence of a common British legacy.   Responding to the resultant search for a national identity, the Australian curriculum acknowledges the relationship between this identity and language yet also recognizes the diversity that exists within â€Å"Australian Standard English† (cited in Brindley 206). The Australian Education Council’s statement on the English curriculum sets Australian English apart from American or British English chiefly by differences in vocabulary and pronunciation, and describes this national variety of English as a combination of the Standard Australian English used in schools and several vernacular forms, any one of which a student may use at home.  Ã‚   The curriculum statement also advises that Standard Australian English should be taught as an extension of local idioms and not as a replacement for them. Although the report further stresses importance of Australian Standard English because of its role in educational structures, professional fields, and spoken communication, it also recognizes the value of vernacular forms and the cultural backgrounds they represent.   Its national plan for teaching English also notes that language changes in respect to context and purposes, and it urges that students be made aware of this fact so they can apply their language skills accordingly.   The Council also officially confers equal status to standard and local forms of English, viewing neither one as inherently superior to the other (cited in Brindley 207) Sue Brindley relates that the issue of the relative worth of different language forms is intensely debated in Britain, where the world’s richest history of English has led to much linguistic diversity.   Standard English is an integral part of the official school curriculum, yet there is no consensus about exactly what constitutes standardized English and how it is connected to a student’s home variety (Brindley 208).   A Department for Education and Welsh Office statement cites strict observance to rules of vocabulary, grammar, spelling, and pronunciation as the distinguishing features of Standard English to be taught in England and Wales, yet this description is too vague to give a precise definition. Although the British policy encourages the use of standardized language for both written and spoken applications, it also recognizes that spoken English is more spontaneous and therefore less apt to conform to the same rigorous criteria used in more carefully planned written applications (cited in Brindley 210).   By associating Standard English with qualities like precision and clear diction, the British curriculum contradicts the viewpoint of many linguists and educators, as well as the sentiments expressed in the Australian English statement, by implying that school-sanctioned standardized forms are linguistically superior to other varieties (Brindley 211).   The obvious counterpart to this attitude is a belief that vernacular forms of English are inferior. Brindley speaks of educators who are concerned that such a prejudicial position will necessarily lead to a gradual erosion of the traditional cultural values that underlie the home life of those whose first language is the vernacular. Some teachers have taken it upon themselves to teach Standard English in a way that does not discriminate against home-based language varieties and, by extension, their associated ways of life. In this manner, they hope to allow students to derive the benefits inherent in a multicultural approach: a greater fund of knowledge about languages, a richer social experience, and a keener appreciation of different manners of thinking (212-213). In countries where the native language is not English, there is every bit as much controversy regarding the cultural aftereffects of learning English.   For people living in geographical areas marked by poverty and need, an education in English may be seen as a way to rise to the echelons of power and privilege.   Yet for those already enjoying that power and privilege, the promotion of English for the masses may be seen as either a welcome conversion or a dangerous threat.   Anthea Fraser Gupta’s account of the spread of English in colonial India traces the complicated history of the English empire’s influence over native Indians.   When Great Britain officially endorsed the teaching of English to Indians, the intent was to introduce not only the language of the United Kingdom but also its cultural and religious values. British officials were in effect attempting to create darker-skinned versions of themselves, seeing the inculcation of western ideals as a means of eradicating a way of life that they considered idolatrous, immoral, and unrefined ( 190-191).   At the same time, Indians in positions of power worried that giving the lower classes a glimpse of what was possible through an English education worked against their interests.   S.N. Mukherjee (cited in Gupta 192) reports that the Calcutta upper classes feared that those below their social rank would become dissatisfied with their inferior status. More than a hundred years after the events chronicled in Gupta’s account, teachers of English still encounter resistance from pupils who either feel that language is being forced upon them or resent social exclusion from English-speaking society (Bourne 243-244)..   Despite this, Jill Bourne informs us that the current trend in non-English speaking countries is to incorporate English language lessons into the primary school system.   Even in Malaysia, where this is not endorsed, private schools offer English instruction to students whose wealthy parents are willing to pay for what they perceive as an important step on the road to social success (244). Several countries, including Germany, the former Czech Republic, Hungary, Malay, and Hong Kong, have implemented some form of what America calls Language and Content Teaching, which blends language instruction with course content.   The focus is shifted from the English language to the curriculum material, which is presented through the medium of English.   However, in most parts of the world where English is taught, the emphasis remains on English as a subject itself (Bourne 244).   This suggests that for most nations, what is truly being sought is not an adoption of English values but the attainment of proficiency in a language that offers access to more profitable pursuits. It is easy to understand why countries such as Hong Kong, whose economy is deeply invested in international commerce, would feel pressured to acquire English fluency.   English is a major language of trade, and an inability to speak it proficiently is a definite disadvantage in the business arena.   This becomes clearer when we consider it on a smaller, more personal scale.   Anyone who has spent time among people who shared a common, foreign language knows the frustration and stigmatization that can result from an inability to communicate easily and appropriately with others. There is a natural human desire to feel connected to others in some way, and language provides an excellent means of achieving that sense of belonging.   When essential life factors such as economic, social, and professional standing are at stake, language becomes even more crucial. This relationship between modes of communication and key life issues is precisely why the concept of a neutral language is a hypothetical one.   The teaching of any language involves the transmission of much more than rules about grammar and pronunciation.   It inevitably requires some measure of cultural change on the part of the learner, and in the case of English instruction those changes can have profound effects upon many major aspects of life.   For this reason, educators and students alike must respect the various forms of language as reflections of valuable cultural and social traditions. Works Cited Bourne, Jill. â€Å"English for Speakers of Other Languages.† Learning English: Development and Diversity. Eds. Neil Mercer and Joan Swann. UK: The Open University, 2002, 243-270. Brindley, Sue, with contributions from Swann, Joan. â€Å"Issues in English Teaching.† Learning English: Development and Diversity. Eds. Neil Mercer and Joan Swann. UK: The Open University, 2002, 205-228. Gupta, Anthea Fraser. â€Å"English and Empire: Teaching English in Nineteenth Century India.† Learning English:   Development and Diversity. Eds. Neil Mercer and Joan Swann. UK: The Open University, 2002, 188-194. â€Å"vernacular.† Compact Oxford English Dictionary. 2005. http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/vernacular?view=uk (3 Dec. 2005).

Pestel

Pestel P2: The pestel framework: The PESTEL framework categorises environmental influences into six main types: political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal. Why you are using it: Thus it provides a clear list of influences on the possible success or failure of particular strategies apple uses or will use. Analyse how the pestel factors that may affect company: Political factors look at government policies, taxation changes, foreign trade regulations, political risk in foreign markets and changes in trade blocks (EU).In this case Apple†¦(article or) Economic factors look at business cycle and GDP trends, interest rates , unemployment rates, disposable income and exchange rates. In this case Apple.. (article or ) Socio cultural factors look at population changes, lifestyle changes, changes in tastes and fashion and culture. In this case Apple†¦(article or) Technological factors look at new discoveries and technology developments, ICT innovations, Rates of obsolescence and Increased spending on R&D. in this case Apple.. article or) iTunes 11 remains much the same as it has always been – bar some radical new design and front-end improvements. The visual redesign is obvious, with music selection laid out in a more logical manner. One of the few new features to be implemented in the update is the inclusion of the Miniplayer which, instead of being a mode within the application, appears in a completely new window. Another simple, yet helpful, addition is the inclusion of buttons which allow users to switch between the iTunes store and back to the library.However, Apple has made some good technological developments especially with their current Iphone5. It is half an inch bigger (4-inches), lighter (112g) and has a more powerful A6 chip than the previous. Siri (voice control software) has been updated so users can ask it to recommend films and restaurants and update their Facebook accounts verbally. The 4G network offers speeds up to five times faster than 3G. This will allow uninterrupted access to the web on the go, high definition films to be downloaded in minutes and TV to be streamed without buffering.The Camera includes a Panorama function: sweep phone sideways and software stitches images together. Finally a new software feature is a much whizzier Maps app which includes photo-realistic 3D cityscapes for some areas. Environmental (green) factors look at environmental protection regulations, energy consumption, global warming, waste disposal and re-cycling. In this case Apple†¦(article or) A Chinese environmental group singled out Apple for criticism in 2011, accusing the company’s Chinese suppliers of discharging polluted waste and toxic metals into surrounding communities and threatening public health.Factories that the group suspected were Apple suppliers often â€Å"fail to properly dispose of hazardous waste† and that 27 of the suppliers had been found to have environmental pr oblems. Also in 2011, 137 workers at a Chinese factory near the city of Suzhou had been seriously injured by a toxic chemical used in making the signature slick glass screens of the iPhone. In 2010 one of Apple’s biggest suppliers was hit by a wave of worker suicides at several of its mainland Chinese facilities.Also, in May, two people were killed and more than a dozen were injured in Chengdu city, in southwest China due to an explosion and fire at a plant that made Apple products. Legal factors look at competition laws, health and safety laws, employment laws, licensing laws and IPR laws. In this case Apple.. (article or) Apple Inc. of the U. S. and Samsung Electronics Co. of South Korea are embroiled in legal battles in 10 nations over intellectual property, spanning dozens of cases. Here are details of some of the bigger legal fights: In the U. S. , Apple scored a major victory on Aug. 4 2012 when a jury found Samsung had â€Å"willfully† copied Apple's iPhone and iPad, and awarded Apple $1 billion in damages. Apple is now requesting eight Samsung products be banned from the U. S. market. A hearing was rescheduled for Dec. 6. April 15, 2011 –In south Korea, Apple files a patent suit against Samsung claiming that it had copied the â€Å"look and feel† of iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad for its Galaxy smartphones and tabs. Apple lays out a total of 16 claims covering software and hardware. However, the court on Aug. 24 2012 dismissed Apple's claim that Samsung copied the look and feel of the iPhone and the iPad.Still, the judges issued bans on some Samsung and Apple products. It found that Apple illegally used Samsung's wireless technology while Samsung violated Apple's patent related to the way mobile devices notify users when an image reaches to the end. In Japan, the Tokyo District Court denied Apple's claim on Aug. 31 2012 that Samsung infringed upon Apple's patent to have mobile devices and personal computers â€Å"synchronizeâ €  or share data with each other. Other cases in Japan are still pending. P9 Summarise key implications of the pestel analysis (e. g. threats/opportunities): SWOT

Lessons from the Locker Room Essay

A new chapter began in my life on the first day of ninth grade. That day, I went to my first day of freshman football practice. Although I knew a little about the game, I had never played football before, so I was somewhat apprehensive about what might happen. The coaches guided us through a series of tests designed to place us into the appropriate positions, although most of the guys already knew where they would be playing. I did everything the best I could, and was soon assigned to Coach Green and the linemen. Through that year I never got to start a game, but the things that happened both on and off the field with the other players made me very interested in what would come in the future. The experiences of that year set the stage for my entrance into varsity high school football, an experience which would shape much of my life. Before anyone can join the varsity football team, he must complete a series of tests. However, these tests are not like those at many schools. Coach has a philosophy that anyone who is willing to â€Å"pay the price† should be allowed to be on the team. Based on that philosophy, numerous criteria are presented to all the would-be players at the beginning of preparation for the season. When I first saw these criteria, I thought that they sounded very simple. They consisted of such things as getting into bed by a specified time each night, eating healthy, coming to five workouts in the summer, and not missing a practice for any reason other than family emergency. Little did I know, they would, in the end, be much more costly than I originally thought. After our freshman season was over, some of the players on the team were given the opportunity to â€Å"move up† to the varsity team for the playoffs. I took advantage of the opportunity, and quickly found myself in the middle of a close-knit family. At that point, I understood very little of what was happening. However, I knew for sure that I wanted to learn more. That season ended at our rival’s field in defeat on a cold night in late November. In the locker room after the game, most of us cried as we realized what this meant for the seniors of that year and for that team. For the first time, I watched guys cry and hug each other as they used their love for each other to pull themselves through the feelings of disappointment. Coach called together those of us who would comprise the team of the following year, and  told us to prepare for plenty of hard work in the off season. The first day back in January, I had my first official test. This test would be the benchmark by which each player would judge his progress in the off season. The test tested our speed and strength, but the workouts would test our heart and our commitment. The next day, we had our first official workout. We spent the first week with coaches giving us demonstrations on proper technique in weight lifting. Within two weeks though, we had begun in earnest. Fridays were reserved for â€Å"special† workouts. I still remember my first one. It was supposed to be an upper body lifting day, and the youngest of us were rather confused when we were told to leave the upper body room and go into the locker room. We all dreaded what might be waiting for us. All we actually did through the whole thirty minute workout was what seemed like a thousand pushups, but that day began a special bonding process. Within five minutes of beginning, most of us were already extremely tired and ready to quit . I am not sure that I ever knew who was speaking, but all that I can remember was intensly painful muscle cramps and the encouragement being shouted by my teammates. At that moment when failure seemed just one more pushup away, we began to develop a sense of responsibility to one another. All that I knew was that we had to work together if we were going to have a chance to be what we could be. The one voice I can remember was a teammate of mine. I remember him lying three guys over, sweating and straining as he struggled to keep his body off the ground. At the moment when I felt that I could not go on any longer his eyes met mine. He quietly told me to never give up and to fight as long as I had the chance. I merely nodded to him and decided that I had to make it through. After several more torturous minutes, Coach told us to â€Å"get in our half mile† before we leave. As I jogged around the track, I thought to myself about how difficult varsity football was going to be. As the workout ended I thought to myself, â€Å"just bury me right here.† I decided, however, that I would be able to make it through with the help of my teammates. We had several more â€Å"special† days, but whenever I would think that I could not go any longer, I would remember my teammates going through the same thing and be strengthened. Very quickly, the summer was upon us. At first I thought that the summer workouts would be a carbon copy of the ones which we had during school, but I would  soon find I was wrong. The first thing that I noticed was that attendance at summer workouts was optional. However, this proved to be more beneficial. Because people were not required to come everyday, most days only people who wanted to be there would come. There were always some guys who could be counted on to be there. These guys were the ones who eventually formed the core of our team. Friday was once again reserved as a day for a different kind of workout. The first Friday of that summer I was introduced to a superset. In a superset, Coach would decide on a series of exercises, and we would go through the circuit as many times as possible in the time available. These undoubtedly were seen as something of a competition to see who could do the most, but eventually we would all get tired and slow down. Coach noticed our slowing pace and our fatigue, and he asked us why we had been slowing down. Of course he knew the answer, and he quickly asked us another question. His next question though, was much more difficult. He brought up a hypothetical situation in which we had reached the fourth quarter of a game and were all very tired. Coach asked us if, when the fourth quarter came, we were going to quit and take the easy way out. Of course we all answered that we would play with everything that we had. Then he made a very simple statement. Coach told us that if planned on being able to give things our all in a game, we had to practice fighting past the pain. According to him, to do anything less would be selling ourselves short of the potential that we had. From that time on, we gave all that we had in every opportunity we had. We fought through the summer workouts together, and gradually became more and more dependent on each other. We began to realize that we would have to put together everything that we had learned and practiced all summer if we were to survive the last two weeks before school started. The last two weeks before school started is known as Camp. Camp is the last hurdle to be cleared before someone is an official team member. We practiced from one till nine for two weeks that year. By the end of the two weeks, we were all strained physically, mentally, and emotionally. Each night, I would come home, shower off, and slump into bed. Then, I would proceed to coat my legs in a layer of Flex-All. While there were moments when some of us likely  wondered if the end of Camp would even come, it did eventually arrive. However, eventually the end of the two weeks came. I vividly remember the last night of Camp. We practiced until our regular time, but then a team meeting was called at the fifty-yard line. Coach congratulated us for making it through and told us it was time for story time. We spent the next twenty minutes running from coach to coach at different places on the field, and listening to stories about something that had happened on that spot of the field. All of the stories told were based on â€Å"what it means to be a part of the team.† Through these stories, the coaches painted vivid portraits of past team members who had been willing to go beyond the call of duty for the team. I do not remember the details of many of the stories very well, but I do remember the story told by another coach. He told the story of a guy from a team several years removed who had really shown what it meant to be a mustang. According to the story, the quarterback had thrown an interception when the team was already down by a touchdown in the fourth quarter. One of the quarterback’s teammates, a guy who had never really been a standout player, was not willing to let the opposing team score as a result of the interception. He ran from the opposite side of the field and was able to tackle the guy ten yards short of the goal line. Coach claimed the player had never run as fast as he did on that night. Spurred on by the effort of their teammate, the defense made a strong stand, and the team fought back to win that game. I expected to hear a lesson about giving it all you had, but instead, Coach had something different in mind. He told us about the importance of picking up the slack for everyone else. He reminded us that in the time we would spend together, not everyone would be perfect on every play, but that we would still be alright if we all did the best we could. This year has been a very interesting one. As a senior captain on the team, I have had a responsibility all year long to help lead the team. During the workouts, I would often find myself shouting encouragement to the younger players as they struggled. Many of the seniors have gone beyond their responsibilities for the sake of the team. But these lessons do not stay confined to the field and the locker room, for I often find them having an  effect on me outside of the football environment. Coach has taught us that we are examples everywhere that we go. Any time there is a decision that I must make, my thoughts inevitably bring me to the question, â€Å"Is this something worthy of a Mustang football player?† I believe that my experiences in football were critical to me successfully overseeing a class day as junior class president while I was short handed. I think I would have been tempted in the past to just give up. I was so intent on not giving up and on doing everything I could possibly do for the â€Å"team† (in this case, the class) though that I knew I had to depend on some other people and, with their help, work everything out.

Case Study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Case Study - Research Paper Example According to this company, their peanuts butter and jelly pockets are enclosed using crimping method and they do not include the outer hard part of the bread. However, the U.S. Patent and Trademark office rejected the company’s request by claiming that the same method was being for making pie crust, which has been use since 1980s. The Smucker’s argument is unjustifiable because they bought the idea from other people and other producers of similar products had already established their companies in the same industry. According to Greenhalgh & Rogers, (2010), since the company already has an exclusive authority to produce peanut butter and Jelly sandwich, it would be unfair for them to protect the method they use to produce their own products. The U.S. patent system claims that granting Smucker company absolute right to process and sell the Uncrustables will disadvantage the buyers because it will create monopoly in the sale of those products (Matthew, 2011). This is true because these are essential commodities and Smucker already has patent for production of peanut butter and jelly sandwich. By limiting the processes used in manufacturing will discourage other interested investors from exploiting the available opportunities in the market. According to those who were in favor of Smucker idea to acquire protection against duplication of the production of Uncrustables, excusive right encourages inventions and economic advancement. This is because it offers incentives to those people with unique ideas. However, the patenting department f United States claimed that most of the ideas are not inventive but just modifications of the existing ideas (Matthew, 2011). It is obvious that even the J.M. Smucker had purchased the idea from Len Kretchman and David Geske who were the initial owners of the invention. Therefore, this argument is somewhat invalid because such a move will limit economic advancement. According to

Marketing Campaign & Strategic Planning Assignment

Marketing Campaign & Strategic Planning - Assignment Example Once the customer is loyal to a company then an imaginary contract is signed between the company and the customer which becomes hard to break. A loyal customer will be hard for the other companies to influence and in this way loyalty will act as a revenue sustaining agent for the company. Another major benefit of satisfied customers is that they become an un-paid marketing agents for the company’s brand, as they are unintentionally carrying out a word of mouth campaign for the company which further gives a boost to the sales of the company. It is true that a satisfied customer increase the profitability of a company, but a dissatisfied customer decreases it by two folds. It is important for a company to pay special attention to what the customers wants rather than giving them something they hardly value. A dissatisfied customer will always share his/her poor experience with others which will further hurt the brand name. According to an article of customer service facts, a happy customer will share his/her experience with 4-6 people however a dissatisfied customer will tell it to 9-15 people. (Customer Satisfaction Facts) In this way a bad experience of one customer can take away 9-15 possible customers. This high risk of bad mouthing of a dissatisfied customer increases the marketing costs of the company which in the struggle to regain the initial position runs heavy advertisements and promotions to re-capture the place in the customers mind. (Richins et al

Higher education policies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Higher education policies - Essay Example Thus, this paper will specifically focus on the policies of higher education system of one of the countries of the African continent, South Africa. In particular, the paper will focus on the process of policies development in South African higher education system while discussing the responses of higher education institutions regarding the alterations in the mode of curricula after policy developments in the country. Lastly, the researcher will put efforts to conclude the paper while proposing some recommendations that will be beneficial for the higher education system in the coming years. In addition, it is anticipation that such discussion and deliberation on higher education system of South Africa and its process of education policies formation will enlighten readers with differences in the policy formulation and its implementation in real scenarios. Furthermore, this paper will provide critical observations that will enable the experts in prioritise future educational policies Analysis of the literature (Johnson, 1996) has indicated that since beginning, public institutions have been dominating the higher education system in South Africa; however, since a decade, there has been an increment in the number of private institutions, an indication of successful policy alteration implementation. Moreover, there have been reports (Bitzer, 2009) of private-public partnerships as well in the same sector that points toward the growth of the higher education system. In particular, besides public institutions, according to the statistics of the year 2004, private educational institutions had approximately eighty-five thousand students in different academic programs all over the country (Bitzer, 2009). In addition, foreign educational institutions have also begun to operate in South African that is another indication of success in the policy

Pat Barker's novel Regeneration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pat Barker's novel Regeneration - Essay Example He has a cause for the fight, the heart for the fight, the will, grit and determination for the fight; and finally, to receive the rewards or punishment of the fight with a balanced mental attitude provided he lives through to fight another war! In fierce wars, the casualties-- death and wounded--are many. A solider obeys the commands and fights the war; he is not supposed to question the whys and the whereabouts related to the wars! In the novel, Barker introduces a soldier, S. Sassoon, who questions the merits of the war that he has been asked to fight. One of the important clauses of his protest letter as recorded by the author (1993, p.3) is: â€Å"I am not protesting against the conduct of the war, but against the political errors and insincerities for which the fighting men are being sacrificed.† Dr .River, though professionally a medical man, has his opinions about wars and the futility of using the brutal force by one section of the humankind against the other. The pat ient I choose to make an argument about how this awareness affects him is Siegfried Sassoon. The dilemma of Dr. Rivers is-- he is rendering a yeoman service to the country by healing soldiers, mostly by treating them for anti-war-complex which amounts to preparing them for another round of war. Once physically fit, they are bound to report for duty. Dr. River is not happy about the state of affairs.

Educational Service Journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Educational Service Journal - Assignment Example The Floor was dusty, and the walls were made of mud. In my class, I did not have students with a special need but nearly all the students were communicating in the mother tongue. The school students had a unique culture of punishing students, for example, if a student made noise in class; he was to carry a pan having all the utensils in and run all around the field five times. This culture did not value all students, and I was of a different race I would not be comfortable in the school. During classes and on playgrounds, students divided themselves basing on their cultures. Yes, in peers there was a bigger discrimination rate, and if anything that will bring them is done then they will interact. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meeting are held, and parents are involved and shown how their children are stuck in cultural values. The school at large struggles with the eradication of culture by mingling the students in class and within the playgrounds among the varying cultural disposition. This attempt by the school has helped much because there was a smaller cultural difference in the whole school. In any normal class, boys get boredom faster they seem not to corporate anymore compared to their colleagues; girls. When it reaches that point, I let them go and play for some minutes. Girls do cooperate actively with each fully. Girls are hyperactive, and whenever any question is asked, they are the first to answer and when given an assignment they finish in time. Boys and girls do not play together; they stay separate and play separately. With time, this trend will change when they have reached certain age levels. Equality is a uniform factor, so when dealing with either boys or girls, dealing with them in the same discipline should apply to treatment, treat them equally without any favor. The school culture and the official curriculum do not promote cultural awareness.  

Examination of Bacterial Infections Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Examination of Bacterial Infections - Essay Example The essay "Examination of Bacterial Infections" talks about a keen examination of bacterial infections and elements necessary to spread an infection. It provides facts concerning the conditions necessary to spread an infection, the nature of a potential host and the modes of pathogen transmission. A susceptible host is the one who has little resistance against a certain organism, therefore, when exposed to it, he or she is likely to contract a disease. A potential host can be made susceptible by factors such as; age, immunity or physical conditions. Certain bacteria have a natural affinity for persons of certain age groups. The very young and the very old persons are generally more susceptible to diseases compared to the older children and young adults. Low immunity can make a potential host susceptible to an infection. For instance, persons who have never been exposed to an infectious organism might not develop acquired natural immunity against it hence being more susceptible compar ed to the ones who have been exposed to it before. Nevertheless, physical conditions such as exposure to elements, malnutrition, and extreme fatigue can weaken the resistance to pathogenic invasions hence making the host susceptible. There are three primary modes of pathogen transmission that include vehicle, vector, and contact transmission. Vehicle transmission is whereby an object carries the disease-causing microorganism to the host. Vector transmission involves organisms such as insects that transmit the pathogens to the hosts.

Courtroom Group Essay Example for Free

Courtroom Group Essay In the following essay will talk about the participants in a courtroom. How do they work on a daily basis and what changes would I recommend. Also what is the role of the prosecutor? How does a prosecutor determine which cases to pursue? Also what are some solutions to backlog of cases? According to Schmallager (2011), criminal trial participants are dividing in two categories that are professionals and outsiders. The professional are the people who work in the courtroom. They are well trained to conduct the business of the court; for example; prosecuting attorneys, judges, defense attorneys and others who work in the courtroom falls into this category. They are also known as courtroom work group. The outsiders are those who temporarily are involved with the court, but they are not familiar with the court organization and procedures. Outsiders include jurors and witnesses, also defendants and victims. Judges has primary duty. It is describe as follows: the judge is responsible for the right of the individual and the interest of the administration of criminal justice. The purpose of the criminal trial is to be sure the prosecution has established the law as required. Judges holds the ultimate authority and ruling in law. The defense is the attorney that specialized in criminal law. He is responsible of representing the accused after being arrested and make sure his or her rights are not violated during the process. As a good reader I would recommend the courtroom group to lower the work load. What I mean is to try to hear less case a day, but I understand that criminal cases have increased tremendously. According to Schmallager (2011), the prosecutor is called the district attorney, state’s attorney, and commonwealth attorney, county attorney or solicitor. The prosecutor’s role is to protect the right of the public. The prosecutor represents the entire community, attempting to ensure their safety from the wrongful actions of criminal. The goal protective responsibility plays out in the context of the criminal trial, from the contemplation of initial changes before the trial, the activities during the trial, and through post-trial sentencing recommendations. Prosecutors are elected to serve during four years with the possibility of continuing. Prosecutors supervise a group of assistants who are district attorneys and does most in-court work. The prosecutor role is to advise the local police departments. Prosecutors are sensitive when it comes to the kind of information they need to conviction, they help with the police investigation and help detective identify witnesses and evidence. This role is limited. At the time of the trial the prosecutor presents the state’s case against the defendant. They introduce the evidence against the accused and argue in favor of the conviction. The defendant is innocent until proven guilty. Before a case comes to trial, the prosecutor has to decide if accept a plea bargain, for example; divert the accused to a private or public social service, ask the suspect to look for counseling or dismiss the case for lack of evidence. Prosecutor play significant role before grand jury. Some states use the grand jury depend on the evidence the prosecutor brings before them. The prosecutor decides which witness to call. The prosecutor does not end with the finding guilt or innocence. They are allowed to make sentencing recommendations to the judge. They can argue the accused criminal record. The prosecutor responsibility of a minister of justice and not simply that an advocate; the prosecutor duty is to look for justice, not merely to convict. The responsibility has specific obligations, is to see if defendant is accorded procedural justice and guilty is decided upon sufficient evidence. Usually a prosecutor tries to prove that the accused is guilty of an offense to determine based on beyond the reasonable doubt is the case pursued. According to Smith (2010), the criminal justice funnel refers to a number of cases that still haven’t being resolved until a percentage has to be through trials. The criminal justice funnel is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. Some cases might be dismissed while others are required to go for counseling. Another way of explaining the criminal funnel is to say that there are more crimes than inmates. This process has its limitation of amount of offenders incarcerated and in court. The result of the funnel justice is a small numbers of criminal researching for trial. The decreased of people incarcerated and trials the criminal justice system would save money and man hours. The less serious crime offenders are given probation, where they are incarcerated for another violation or committing another crime. Many of the cases are dismissed due to the lack of evidence or pleas are bargained. In conclusion the criminal funnel backlog is not just to setback of the judiciary. The backlog cases obstruct the access of justice which is considered the basic human rights. The backlog in a court means a heavy case which is not able to hear or try cases in a certain time manner because the cases docked is over the court capacity. References Schmalleger, F. (2011). Criminal Justice today: An Introductory text for the 21 century (11th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix e-Books Collection database. Smith, A. (2010) what is Criminal Justice Funnel? Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/facts_6870601_criminal-justice-funnel_.html

What Is Talent Management?

What Is Talent Management? Chapter 1 Introduction Background of the study There has been a paradigm shift in the business environment across the world which has led to a growing demand of more efficient and phenomenal results from the scheduled operations and routine activities. This applies primarily to the field of human resource management which stands accountable for the acquisition, development, utilization and retention of the human capital. The present, as is evident, is immensely competitive, be it in terms of sourcing activities, investor relations, technological advancement or simply the workforce. The human resource managers are now faced with the double-edged sword of identifying, selecting and nurturing potential talent and also to formulate and implement pertinent strategies that can effectively contribute towards the achievement of organizational objectives. Hence, the biggest challenge that comes across the human resource panels is to get a hold of limited and thinning pool of skilled accessible candidates to replace important employees whe n they leave, hugely emphasizing the difficulty to attract, develop, motivate and retain the best employees in an organization. Authors, academicians and business experts alike maintain different views and opinions regarding the meaning of â€Å"talent†. Talent can be anything that predisposes an individual to success in a position or organization (Jason Lauritsen, 2010). The author further supports this view by stressing that talent is situational. A person can be advantageous because of his natural ability in one scenario but not necessarily in others. This means that in order to be successful that person has to be placed in a right role within an organization so that his abilities and capacities can manifest as talent to drive the success of the business. Another view maintains that talent can allegedly be a potential trait, a symptom of inherent ability, a foreshadowing of future greatness, or a way of describing an individuals early achievements or performance merits (Downey Greg, 2009). Whilst at the same time paradoxically, talent can be understood as the reason why some experts are more capable than others; unlike a concept like jeito, (a Brazilian term for knack), talent is more often than not generally very much task specific or specialized, even while a talented person is believed to be often quite versatile. Talent is specifically opposed to hard work or determination, implying that skill is primarily a mix of natural talent and hard work, in various proportions and quantum. Likely, talent is very much an idea or a skill that some people learn faster, more effortlessly, and with greater effect. In certain ways, talent can be thought of as a multiplier, enabling a person to achieve more out of formative experiences and activit ies. Keeping such ideas in mind, in the business purview, â€Å"talent management† is the process of matching capabilities with commitments (Donald H Taylor, 2007). This describes the aim of the entire talent management process. It underscores that talent management rather than being aimed at an individual focuses on the entire organization so as to ensure that the firm is able to achieve its set targets for both, the present and the future. The encompassed assumption here is that capability is based on an organizations sole source of value and competitive advantage in a developed economy: its human capital. â€Å"Talent management† comprises identifying a persons innate skills, traits, individuality and fitting him into the right work profile; every individual possesses unique talent that matches an exacting job profile and any other position will lead to discomfort (Salma Aliakabar, 2004). It therefore falls under the Management, specifically the HR Division, to situate candidates with discretion and prudence simply because a wrong fit can result in additional hiring, re-training and all such wasteful activities. â€Å"Talent management† is a complex assortment of associated HR processes that delivers an easy elementary benefit for any business (SHRM, 2009). Talent Management can be easily considered to be advantageous and important to both the organization and the workforce. The organization gains from: improved productivity and potential; an enhanced association between a persons efforts and business goals; commitment of esteemed workforce; reduced employee turnover rate; Better bench strength and an improved fit between individuals work and skills. Employees gain from: Enhanced motivation and dedication; career growth; increased awareness about and involvement in companys goals; Continued inspiration and job satisfaction. Analyst research has established that companies employing talent management strategies and solutions display superior performance than their direct competitors and the market in broad (SHRM Survey, 2009). About 83% of the large enterprises view integrated talent management as mission critical and upto 73% of HR professionals believe that talent management impacts the financial performance positively (Softscape Global HR Survey, 2009). As per the Talent Pulse Survey, (2005) about 1,400 HR professionals worldwide believed the attraction and retention of high-caliber employees as the most critical issue. These issues were further underscored by the fact that 54% of the respondents agree that talent issues have an influence on overall productivity and that there is a clear linkage between talent management and industry performance. HRVote, Human Resources magazines online voting forum reported that 44% of the respondents implied talent management and succession planning was a considerabl e challenge. According to an IDC study U.S. HR BPO 2005 Vendor Analysis: The Evolving Landscape, 37% of U.S. HR outsourcing expenses in 2004 was on HR and talent management services. Several taxing workforce problems confront HR, counting: Increased competition for skilled personnel. Imminent retirement of the â€Å"baby boomer† generation workers. Reduced levels of employee commitment. Realization of the high cost of the employee turnover. Onerous demands of managing global human capital. Necessity of succession planning. Outsourcing and off shoring practices. This necessitates novel thinking and a new charge to achieve success in an industry. These elements, coupled with the requirement to align workers directly with business goals, compel HR to progress from policy formation, cost diminution, process competence and risk management to lashing a fresh talent frame of mind in the organization. Therefore, talent management is an ongoing process that provides the optimal personnel for a particular business. Under this role, HR performs as the strategic enabler and a catalyst of talent management processes that empower the managers and workforce whilst developing business value. Taleos graphical representation stresses upon the mandate of talent management to be responsive to the organizational goals and accordingly be the driving force behind the business performance. Herein, talent management is denoted as a circular and not a linear, module of activities. In the present scenario, workforce expenditure is the prevalent category of pay out for most organizations. Automation and analysis of the recruitment and hiring processes of a firm delivers the abrupt labor force visibility and insights that are needed to notably perk up the bottom line. Performance management contributes towards the ongoing processes and activities to sustain a vast workforce. The future prospect of talent management is encompassed in the solutions planned from the scratch to provide for the business-centric operations on an integrated talent management platform. Decisions about talent management figure the competencies that companies have and their eventual achievement and from the perception of people, such decisions establish the path and pace of careers. In India currently, it may be difficult to visualize the crisis of possessing too much talent, but the first slump in the financial system, or even in a fragment of the economy will make things stand apart. Such mismatches are most definitely included in the primary problems that organizations and many large employers face. Over the precedent generation, companies specifically, seem to have jumped from surpluses of talent to shortfalls to surpluses and back to such a cycle. The challenge evident in front of the employers is to follow much more strongly the requirements for talent to evade both the shortfalls and oversupplies. Talent management is not an end in itself. It is not about fostering the growth of employees or charting succession plans. Neither is it about gaining definite benchmarks like a four percent employee turnover rate, having the most qualified and skilled personnel, or any such strategic outcome. The objective of talent management is the quite more general but valuable task of serving the business achieve its general objectives. And in the business world, that objective is to be profitable; be it in the short run or the long. What we need to attend to going onward is to ensure how to craft investments in growth affordable and fraction of that challenge embodies employee retention, making it probable to at least retain workers long enough to recover the training investments made in them. Problem Statement â€Å"Intense competition in the emerging Indian IT market has made talent retention and its management a challenge and therefore, questions the role of strategic talent management in being able to address such issues and being effective in an organizations overall effectiveness.† Talent Management has gained its fair share of fame in being effective in attracting, retaining and managing talented individuals. The Indian IT industry is marked with the following: The increased globalization has fuelled the growth as well as competition of the IT industry in India which is characterized by issues of talent retention. In spite of rising demand for talent, talent management has not yet completely arrived in India, making it all the more crucial in the current chaotic times and its effectiveness in the Indian scenario. Development of talent pools remains to be a sore issue with the HR professionals employed in the Indian IT sector. To summarize the above headings, the issue is the talent retention of skilled individuals in the Indian IT industry that leads to increased costs to an organization. The HR professionals have to engage in brainstorming activities in order to unearth ways to attract, retain and manage talents which are considered to be the biggest asset of a company today. Also, the talent management practices and their implementation in the Indian IT industry context have been far from satisfactory and add to the woes of a highly competitive market. Moreover, maintenance of talent pools so as to support succession planning and measures to integrate talent retention, employee commitment and employee involvement all stress the need to address the issue of talent management with a strategic bend. Aims and Objectives of the Study The aim of the study is to understand the importance of talent management in the current corporate scenario by collecting relevant information and enabling a better understanding of the strategic HR processes that a company can employ in order to manage and retain its key people. Aim â€Å"To understand the impaxt of a good talent management program on an organizations overall effectiveness, particularly in the case of Indian IT industry, in order to enable it to manage and retain its key resources; and gaining an understanding of the talent retention and employee involvement functions.† Objectives The objectives of the study are: To gain an understanding about talent management and its relevance to the current corporate scenario To explore the importance of talent management in the organizations overall success To study the role of strategic planning, employee retention and employee commitment in talent management To understand and evaluate the challenges faced in managing talent in the organizations today To study the role of talent management in prolonged employee satisfaction To explore the importance of talent management in the Indian IT industry and the significance of maintaining a talent pipeline for companies in the Indian IT sector To study the key drivers that lead to employee commitment crucial for a talent management system to be effective Significance of the study (to be edited upon the completion of the study) The implications of this research aim at exploring the relevance of talent management programs to the Indian IT indutry. It will assist the corporate in understanding the effectivess of framing such programs so as to be able to effeciently manage and retain its key players. Through implementation of talent management practices, the organizations efficiency is likely to increase, developing a proficient pool of skilled and talented employees which can be leveraged as a competitive strategy; making the corporate more competent to challenges in the industry. The research tests an employee commitment level to his/her organization and also aims at identifying the key drivers/attributes that propel employee commitement level in an Indian IT setting. The significance of the results mark that talent management programs are not only crucial and effective, but also cost-efficient, by maintaining a consistent pool of skilled employees tehreby reducing on the hiring, training and firing costs. In the present financial crisis effective workforce is the only difference that can make an organization carry its operations smoothly. Successful implementation of such talent management programs is of remarkable significance for the business. The research solution furthers the adoption of healthy talent management processes and its various functions to create significance for the business in achieving its ultimate goal of operational efficiency, cost control and profitability. Limitations of the study The study is subject to several limitations, some of which are highlighted as under: The study is confined to the specific organizations of the India IT sector. The finding of the study, therefore, cannot be generalized for the entire Indian scenario as a whole. Sample size, being small, is not completely representative of all the employees, employers and the HR people engaged in the Indian IT sector. All this might have affected the reliability of the results to some extent. Time as well as financial constraints are also one of the limitations of the study. Organization of the paper Chapter 2 Review of Literature 2.1 Meaning and Definition of Talent Management According to several authors, an all-encompassing definition of talent management is difficult to pin down. Lewis and Heckman (2006) pointed out that identifying an exact meaning of talent management is complicated owing to both the confusion regarding the definition of terms used and the various deviations in assumptions made by the writers who consider the issue. Lewis and Heckman further support their view by noting that the terms succession management, talent strategy and human resource planning are more often than not used interchangeably, all of which form an integral part of talent management functions. They believe that there is no clear view existing on talent management and none at all that can be considered as sufficiently strategic. As is evident, there are several approaches to talent management. One such approach identifies talent management with the traditional HR practices for instance recruitment, selection, training and performance management, among various other things (Cheese et al., 2008). This approach cannot be considered new as the traditional HR practices are becoming more decisive to a business success and hence, it is gradually getting imperative to associate such practices with the talents needed by the firms. Another varying approach towards talent management is firmly linked with the notion of HR planning, succession planning and strategic HR management (Rothwell Kazanas, 2004). These authors underscore and emphasize the strategic significance of talent management, whereas others stress upon the talent pools required for the succession planning. But this literature fall short in advancing the theory or practice of HR (Lewis Heckman, 2006). A third approach towards talent management caps on a rather general view by identifying talent management with concerns like leadership (Barner, 2006), talent pools (Michaels et al., 2001), an individuals potential (Smilansky, 2006), the development of talent (Fulmer Bleak, 2008) and the attraction and retention of personnel (Rueff Stringer, 2006). Understandably, none of the above-mentioned approaches to talent management is able to clearly define the concept of talent management or to highlight the ways of managing talent through comprehensive understanding of HR planning and practices. The third approach fails in being persuasive owing to its lack of focus and the plethora of topics covered under one head. Moreover, all these approaches overlook the strategic significance of talent management and hence, fall short of linking it with the overall business strategy thereby limiting the potential and scope of talent management and perceiving it as another HR domain. Another view deals with the task of talent management, â€Å"Talent Management is the recruitment, development and retention of individuals who consistently deliver superior performance.† (Tony Davis, 2007). The author further defines a talent management strategy as â€Å"a structured and corporate approach to the recruitment, retention and development of talented individuals within the organization.† The intent of a talent management strategy remains to ensure the employment of such personnel that will consistently deliver superior performance. The writer maintains that a talent management strategy is not an overtly intellectual concept as it is evident that highly skilled employees are expected to disproportionately contribute to an organizations successful achievement of goals and hence, become an invaluable asset in the process. The author inevitably agrees that it is a challenge to manage and retain a talented workforce and hence, terms it as a strategic issue whic h involves its own fair share of planning and execution. As per AndrÃÆ' ©s Hatum (2010), â€Å"Talent Management is a strategic activity aligned with the firms business strategy that aims to attract, develop and retain talented employees at each level of the organization.† Therefore, the talent management process is linked to an organizations business and strategic-planning processes. This approach emphasizes upon the most important aspect of talent management: the employees. The author further aligns talent management with the resource-based theory of the business which maintains that sustainable competitive advantage is in possession of the companies that nurtures resources that are valuable, rare and difficult to imitate. Talent Management is but a tool to generate and maintain such resources through its human capital. With such a view, the author has conveniently delineated the focus of talent management on the talent at the organizational level and not at the individual employee level. This definition therefore clearly defines how talent management can be used to develop an organizations talent structure by attracting, developing and training people. Such a talent structure can most definitely be the source of a sustainable competitive advantage in the current scenario. Talent Management is â€Å"a holistic approach to optimizing human capital, which enables an organization to drive short- and long-term results by building culture, engagement, capability, and capacity through integrated talent acquisition, development, and deployment processes that are aligned to business goals.†, (ASTD Research, 2009). The view focuses upon the consequences of employing talent management practices in the immediate as well as the distant future. Also, it supports talent management as being able to result in building and organizational culture that encompasses the essence of the work environment of a company. The definition also stresses upon the ability of employing talent management to enhance both the capacity and capability of individuals by appropriately matching them with the right job profile suiting their personalities. Furthermore, all such modules pertaining to talent management are to be designed keeping in view the ultimate goals of an organization thereby aligning it with the entire business strategy. Derek Stockley, (2011) defines talent management as, â€Å"A conscious, deliberate approach undertaken to attract, develop and retain people with the aptitude and abilities to meet current and future organizational needs.† He further states that â€Å"Talent management involves individual and organizational development in response to a changing and complex operating environment. It includes the creation and maintenance of a supportive, people oriented organization culture.† Derek aptly emphasizes upon the dynamic role of talent management in an ever-changing business atmosphere. The view aims at the function of talent management that leads to the development of healthy organizational culture within a business that considers the involvement of employees at a more active level. This view besides being consistent with others also, adds a new dimension to the scope of talent management thereby widening the applicability and functionality of the same. Another view maintains that â€Å"Talent Management is an oxymoron† (Davies Kourdi, 2010). The authors hold that linking talent to ‘management, a term that best describes planning, organizing, leading, directing, facilitating, and controlling a business; is absurd as talent is believed its own special ability and personal capacity for achievement. According to the writers, talent management was used first in early 1990s by an IT software firm that wanted to market a new employee database, hence, the view that talent management can be best believed to work with data and not with human capital and their potential. There are clearly several opinionated ideas of different authors on talent management. Whilst some associate it with the routine HR activity and processes and consider it as an extension to the faculty of human resource planning, others define such role as meager to the scope of talent management. They believe that limiting talent management to a specific domain is very much being unassuming and therefore, a proper sense is manifested in the term only when it is viewed as being appreciably strategically skewed. Under this dimension, the role of talent management can be considered as being fruitful in the present and the immediate future and both in the short-run and the long-run as well. 2.2 Importance of Talent Management in organizational success â€Å"Talent Management has become the lifeblood of organizations. It is often seen as a primary reason for organizational success and failure and the key source of competitive advantage.† (Silzer Dowell, 2010). The authors mutually agree that the business environment since the 1990s has been witness to several groundbreaking changes such as falling trade barriers and globalization of businesses worldwide. Such an expansion has led to increased demand for global talent which is needed to support these initiatives (Sloan, Hazucha Van Katwyk, 2003). This has further resulted in immense competition for the talent on a global scale (Michaels et al., 2001). Therefore, the ever-increasing demand for talent globally along with the widening scarcity of exceptional talent has made the organization realize both the importance and benefit of talent management practices. According to Ringo et al., (2008) as companies seek to overcome challenges coupled with globalization, changing workforce demographics and the emergence of new business models, they are looking forward to their employees as the critical source of differentiation in the market. The authors firmly believe in talent management practices and consent that investment in the same leads to an organization outperforming its peers. They also found through their research that high performing firms are more likely to invest in the talent management processes. They maintain that all organizations put into practice some form of talent management, without it they would be not capable to function. But at the same time, those that invest in an integrated set of talent management capabilities closely associated with their business strategy have a leg up against the competition. â€Å"No organization in todays economic climate can afford to invest in talent management practices without a demonstrable and significant return on investment† (Ringo et al., (2008). Organizations that are able outpace their competitors in attraction; development and retention of the best talent have a several distinct advantages: considerably lower costs, invariably higher productivity, consistently better quality, more satisfied and loyal customers, and increased financial performance (Schiemann, 2011). All such merits determine the critical path to on organizations success thereby chalking down talent management as the key driver in the entire phenomenon. Talent management, beyond any confusion, is crucial to organizational success. It can be easily considered equally important for innovation, customer satisfaction, profitability and new product development of the company (Management Study Guide, 2011). Talent and leadership continue to be inadequate. Fewer qualified personnel and leaders intend to join the workforce to replace aging workers who are on the verge of retirement. Moreover, talent management practices of the 20th century need to be relooked and worked upon to keep pace with the actuality of a rapidly varying 21st century business environment (ADP, 2010). Silzer Dowell (2010) further maintain that there are several other such factors that have contributed invariably to the growing importance of talent management in an organization: There is a widely increasing demand for talented leaders and individuals with growth of the emerging markets in the developing countries. There is an acute realization of shrinking pool of skilled, talented and experienced workforce, especially in USA, Europe and Japan. Besides, increasing complexity of global business and the emerging requirement for talented individuals that can effectively adapt to the changing business atmosphere further advocates the role of talent management in organization success. The growing need that specific organizational capabilities are needed for developing a sustainable competitive advantage in a highly competitive market and a rising call for recruitment and retention of highly skilled workers with specialized competence to build upon the future capabilities. And most importantly, the increased difficulty in retention of crucial talent as a result of a shift to a self-managed professional careers where skilled personnel aggressively pursue their careers and advancement by switching over different companies and geographic boundaries. Also, talent management has led to containment of internal costs of hiring, training and firing by focusing upon centralized shared services, outsourced functions and continual investment in the state-of-art HR practices of talent management that seeks internal hiring and retention. Talent management adds up to a number of significant human resources and management inventiveness (Derek Stockley, 2011). Organizations that properly make a decision to manage their talent (i.e. human capital) embark on a strategic analysis of their contemporary HR processes. This is to make certain that a synchronized, performance oriented approach is implemented. According to Derek Stockley (2011), most often than not, organizations adopting a talent management approach should focus on co-coordinating and incorporating, in order for it to be beneficial: Recruitment Under this the organization has to ensure that the right people are attracted to the right jobs matching their attitude and personality which will lead to â€Å"best job fit†. Retention Under which the focus lays on the development and implementation of such practices that reward and support employees. Employee development It is concerned with ensuring that incessant informal and formal learning and development continues within a firm. Leadership and high potential employee development This involves particular development programs for fostering the growth of existing and future leaders. Performance management This module primarily deals with specific processes that cultivate and sustain performance, including feedback and measurement mechanisms. Workforce planning The organization here undergoes planning for business and general variations, including the older workforce and current or future skills shortages. Culture This particularly deals with the development of a positive, progressive and high performance way of operating the processes and activities. A vital step is to recognize the personnel or workers, the people and positions that are significant to the business. It is not necessary that they need be senior personnel. Many companies lost a substantial amount of organizational knowledge in the downsizing exercises during recession a couple of years ago. The impact of the loss was not realized immediately. However, with time it became apparent to many firms their mistake, when the organizations were at a loss of people with the knowledge and skills to either anticipate or solve problems that arose. Therefore, talent management processes ensure the avoidance of such blunders by recognizing and assorting talented individuals in such a format that their real potential is unleashed and the organizations stand to gain from this. Derek further maintains that the current deliberations about skill shortages and the ageing population are also hugely forcing the organizations to focus on the talent management issue. At most of the times it becomes improbable to recruit and develop new individuals to look after the operational needs. Therefore, as a solution most of the leading firms often decide to develop and foster their own personnel, instead of making an attempt to hire highly skilled individuals. The author believes that every organization should implement talent management principles and approaches. The varied views on the importance of talent management in the organizational success all converge on a single theme that it is critical for the successful achievement of business goal and more so, in the competitive times such as these. They clearly throw light on the advantages and benefits that a firm can accrue from the efficient implementation of talent management processes and can bolster the business as well as its corporate culture. 2.3 Role of strategic planning, employee retention and employee commitment in talent management Strategic Planning The talent management approach should be strategically driven in order to be successful and effective (Silzer, Israel, Dowell, 2009). It then becomes the focus of achieving the business and talent strategy. The planning of talent management has to be done strategically in Discourse Community Analysis Draft: Die-Hard Sports Fans Discourse Community Analysis Draft: Die-Hard Sports Fans In one way or another, we have all been members of a discourse community at some point in our life. So, what is a discourse community? A discourse community is defined as a group of people involved in and communicating about a particular topic, issue, or in a particular field (Mohrenne). They share the same common goals and aspirations. It can be anything from the organizations you participate in at school, to the choir you sing with at school or church, and/or the groups or organizations you engage in at work or at home on a daily basis. According to Robert Mohrenne, John Swales suggests that a discourse community can be characterized by six distinguishing characteristics 1) a broadly agreed upon set of common public goals, 2) mechanisms of intercommunication among its members, 3) participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information and feedback, 4) one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims, 5) some specific lexis, and 6) a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise (Mohrenne). A good example of a discourse community are die-hard sports fans. Die-hard sports fans fit the description of being a discourse community because they all have the common goals of wanting to see their team dominate other teams and displaying their loyalty for their team year after year. They faithfully follow their team throughout the entire year by supporting them through the good and bad times. Die-hard fans also watch every game, know specific stats about every player on the team, and know the language and signs players and referees use on every play. Die-hard fans do not care for fans who only ride the wave of the team when they are on a winning streak. They typically call these kind of fans bandwagoners because they are not passionate or committed to the overall goals of the community. In actuality, it is somewhat hard to call yourself a die-hard fan around true die-hard fans because they tend to question the loyalty of new comers especially if they know that the person supported other teams in the past. According to my dad, Mark Jefferson, a die-hard Pittsburg Steelers fan, a die-hard fan has a ride-or-die type of attitude for their team even if theyre having an 0 -14 season. He stated that he would never jump on another teams side regardless of how bad his team is doing because he knows their potential as a team and the skills of their players. In other words, die-hard fans can clearly distinguish bandwagoners from true die-hard fans based on interest level and knowledge of the team. Die-hard sports fans also use their own language to communicate with each other during games. For example, when die-hard sports fans are preparing for and/or watching their team play, they use social media and other forms of communication to communicate their respect and admiration for their team. They might text, call, tweet, post images on Instagram, or send messages on Facebook to express their thoughts and feelings about plays, calls that referees make, or their dislike for the opposing team. They also use these methods of communication to stay in touch with each other throughout the game they are watching and throughout the season. When a die-hard fan communicates with another die-hard fan, he or she will use the language of their community. They are typically loud, uses a lot of profanity, and are very aggressive. The language die-hard sports fans use to communicate is powerful because they have the ability to bring out the best in their team and other fans and in some instance s their language can upset fans from other teams. Along with using their own language within this discourse community, die-hard fans also have a specific lexis they use to show their undying loyalty and devotion to their team. For example, they wear team jerseys and other team paraphernalia to show their support all year long. Regardless if theyre sitting at a stadium in 20-degree weather, in the comforts of their home screaming at the television, or just going to pick up items from the grocery store, die-hard fans make sure others know that they are passionate about their team. Furthermore, this public display of loyalty also gives them the opportunity to dialog and form bonds with other die-hard fans regardless if they know the person or not. In conclusion, I think die-hard sports fans is a great example of a discourse community. Its members are commonly interested in their team defeating other teams. The members have an unexplainable passion for the team (s) and/or sport (s) they support season-after-season despite their wins or losses. This type of passion for sports is what distinguishes a new fan from a fan who has supported their team for years. They have a way of communicating with one another that is unlike any other form of communication when watching sports. As a member of a family of sports fanatics (especially football), I have seen and heard the enthusiasm on the faces and in the voices of several members from this discourse community. With that being said, I understand why being a die-hard sports fan can be considered a discourse community. Works Cited Jefferson, Mark. Personal interview. 8 March 2017. Mohrenne, Robert. English 1102-Composition II. University of Central Florida, Aug. 2013, https://webcourses.ucf.edu/courses/984277/pages/what-is-a-discourse-community. Accessed 10 March 2017.

Diabetes Within The Latino Community Health And Social Care Essay

Diabetes Within The Latino Community Health And Social Care Essay The National Institutes of Health (NIH) (2010) define disparities in health as differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups (para. 1). The Latino population is one group with known health disparities, especially in the area of diabetes. Extensive research in diabetes care has been conducted; however, there is a significant gap in the research literature related to factors that influence the achievement of glycemic control and self-management practices of the Latino population, in general, and migrant workers specifically. Diabetes is a metabolism disorder (NIH, 2008). In those with diabetes, the pancreas will provide little or no insulin, or the cells will not react to the insulin produced (NIH, 2008). This results in a build up of glucose, which the body disposes of through the urine. Even if there was a build up of glucose, the body loses it main source of energy. Diabetes among Latino population Diabetes is one of the fastest growing disease classifications within the United States, especially among the Latino population (CDC, 2005). Nationally 2.5 million or 9.5% of all Latinos, 20 years of age or older, have diabetes. Latino individuals are 1.7 times as likely to have diabetes compared to non-Hispanic white individuals of similar age (CDC, 2005). These numbers are on a steady increase and only account for diagnosed cases of diabetes. Prevalence rates for the common complications of diabetes, obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2002 and 2005 data for the Latino population, clearly imply that developing strategies for preventing the complications from diabetes is a critical need. For example, 16.5 per 100 Latino adults with diabetes have visual impairments; 430.4 per 100,000 Latino adults with diabetes have end-stage renal disease; and 26.9 per 100 Latino adults age 35 years or older with diabetes have self reported cardiovascular disease (CDC, 2005) . Comparable figures for non-Hispanic white adults are 19.5, 262.7, and 34.9 respectively. In addition, less than 60% of Latino adults with diabetes receive annual eye and foot exams, and participate in daily blood glucose monitoring (CDC, 2005). Among Mexican-American adults, a subgroup of Latino adults, type 2 diabetes has reached epidemic proportions with concomitant devastating health complications, morbidity and mortality. Fortunately, many of these complications could be prevented through self-management techniques that promote tight glucose control. The costs, financial, physiologic and psychologic, associated with this disease and its complications are extreme. The need to explore culturally congruent, cost reducing and health promoting disease self-management strategies is imperative for this high risk population. Vulnerability Vulnerability Among the Latino Migrant Population with Diabetes Within the diverse Latino population in the United States are those individuals who are long term residents of the United States and are well acculturated; individuals who have recently immigrated to the United States; and those who are migrant farm workers (individuals who relocate in order to work in agriculture and are unable to return to their permanent residence at the end of the work day) (Hakes et al., 2003). These characteristics have differential effects on cultural beliefs and practices, health outcomes and self-management practices. Extensive research has been completed related to vulnerability and the identifying factors that produce the greatest risk for poor health outcomes which include ethnic/racial, economic, educational and health care related factors (Aday, 2001; Flaskerud Winslow, 1998). Latino migrant workers meet all of these criteria. First, ethnic/racial factors, which include language barriers, apply because cultural norms of this group may not be well understood by health care providers and may clash with typical Anglo approaches to health. This group may experience a lack of support or feelings of isolation when migrating from region to region in search of work. Economic factors apply because they frequently have below minimum wage field work that does not provide for health coverage, experience increased financial burden related to migration from state to state, and from work area to work area, with periods of unemployment (US Census Bureau, 2003). Educational factors apply because few have a h igh school education (US Census Bureau). In addition to lack of education, they are confronted by a new society and legal system. Health care related factors apply because of inconsistency of health care caused by frequent moving. Many of these individuals move from provider to provider and often run out of medications in the process. The consequences for diabetes control are monumental. Extended periods with elevated blood glucose levels increase the likelihood of retinopathy, cardiovascular disease and kidney failure. If and when these individuals seek medical assistance, often no records are available to the provider who must then start over (Hakes et al., 2003). This often leads to new medications and dosages that may have already proven ineffective, in turn extending the time frame of poor glucose control. The expense of repetitive laboratory work, medication changes, and office visits increases the financial burden for this population, leading to further delays in treatment and follow up. In addition, routine screening and evaluation is limited or omitted due to lack of continuity of care. Typically, only the acute management issues are addressed, leaving recommended annual exams (dental, dilated eye, urine protein and creatinine) incomplete, further leading to increased risk of complications from non-interv ention (Clement, 1995; Hakes et al., 2003). Additionally, these individuals are at increased risk for work injuries due to the nature of fieldwork (Clement, 1995; Hakes et al., 2003). When the risk of unidentified injury secondary to peripheral neuropathy (resulting from prolonged blood glucose elevation) is added, these individuals are likely to become disabled and unfit to continue working. Unfortunately, these individuals do frequently continue to work, due to financial needs, often resulting in further injury that leads to lower extremity amputation (Clement, 1995). Diabetes significantly increases the risk of serious debilitating and life threatening complications if not aggressively treated and tightly controlled. Many devastating disabilities can be minimized if the client has the knowledge and ability to follow through on self-management. All of these issues point toward the need for strong self-care management skills because the Latino migrant adults are the major directors of their own care (in relation to access and migrant status.) As a migrant population, issues of border and border crossing may also influence the health disparities and/or vulnerability of this population. Crossing borders, including the U.S.-Mexico border and state borders within the United States, influences access to health care. of particular concern with this migrant population is the issue of legal documentation to enter the United States. Although the majority of this population has entered the United States legally, some lack this legal documentation (NCFH, 2005). As a result, fear of exposure and identification as undocumented, resulting in deportation, may hinder efforts to seek out healthcare providers. Knowledge of where and from whom to access care becomes an ongoing challenge along the migration path. In addition, members of this population may avail themselves of healthcare on both sides of the border, United States and Mexico, further fragmenting care. Health care availability, funding, and access also vary across U.S. state bo rders as each states regulations and requirements for low income assistance vary. Additionally, these assistance programs are not transferable to neighboring states, further increasing the vulnerability of this migrant population. Border crossing can also result in separation from family and social networks; decreasing, abolishing, or at the very least disrupting resources of social support for health maintenance. Each of these border factors further heightens the risks for poor health. The issues that increase vulnerability of this population are further accentuated by and not separable from border health issues in general. Promoting Self Management Practices Self-management has also been described as caring about oneself, not harming oneself, and having relationships that motivated self-care practices (Leenerts Magilvy, 2000). A large knowledge gap related to self-management in the Latino population exists. This group has a high rate of diabetes complications (CDC, 2003) despite interventions extensively documented in the Anglo population to decrease complication rates. Perhaps the problem relates to a mismatch between the assumptions of self-management among the Latino migrant population (familism worldview) compared to Anglo American individuals (individualistic worldview). Culturally influenced self-management beliefs and practices must be explored and culturally congruent nursing interventions developed. Conclusion A paucity of available research, and the strong cultural ties to familism in the face of the sometimes disrupted family structures characteristic of migrant status, leaves much to conjecture regarding diabetes management practices in this population. The epidemic rate of diabetes in the Latino population, coupled with the vulnerabilities that arise as a result of migrant status, highlights the importance of cultural and social processes of diabetes self-management within the families/households of Latino migrant workers. Understanding gained from this research can guide development of interventions and education programs, utilizing culturally appropriate methods, to enhance the health of this population.

Creation In Schools Essay -- essays research papers

Creation in School   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The debate of Creation versus Evolution. This has been a very heated debate since Darwin published Origins of Species in 1859. The reason for this debate comes from the contradicting ideas that this book has with the theory of Creation set forth in the Bible. Due to the fact that is extremely hard to prove what created the earth, people have wrestled between these ideas for the last one hundred and forty years. When Evolution was first introduced it was widely rejected because it went against what people were brought up to believe. Evolution has so far stood the test of time and has become more widely accepted, to the point to which it is taught in our schools. Where Evolution has found its way into the school curriculum, the theory of Creation has not. Some people feel that it Creation should get equal time to Evolution in schools. In this paper I will use what I have learned from Professor Swenson’s Christian Theology course and my personal feelings to tr y and express why there is no reason for the theory of Creation to be taught in school. Creation is based on Christianity and you must understand Christianity before you can make claims. Christianity is a very strong force that works in many people’s lives. It gives us morals to live by, inner strength, a reason to live, and much more. It is based on God creating the world in seven days. Most everyone has a religion and can try to imagine what would it be like to live in a world without religion? The way in which religion structures a society helps it to be more successful as a whole. Stanley Tambiah would agree with this, because its similarities to the Trobriands, a tribe that he studied the rituals of and found that the rituals they performed had practical purpose along with the mystical meaning. The Trobriands had certain rituals they must perform when eating yams and they could only eat them at certain times. If the Trobriands did not have the structure to there society all their yams would be eaten to quickly and the tribe would starve. As for our culture, do we need this structure? Americans are in no trouble of running out of yams. Maybe this is why we see a decline in religion in the United States and other developed countries. The practical purpose for Christianity is no longer needed and the religion is losing speed. Although we do not need thes... ...gious parents are trying to use in order to get their religion taught in school. As for me, I would not mind other religions being taught to my kid, I would want my children to know all the information before they go off believing just anything that I taught them. He could make the choice for himself. Although I can see where these things would help, I believe there would be too many complications in trying to teach it. On top that I also feel that it should be left at that without an argument. If a parent were to push any further, I would have to question their responsibility. Schools do not have to teach you child everything they know. Schools teach so much already, do you want your kid to only learn stuff from school. As a parent I would hope that I could at least teach my child religion along with many other things. We have become so dependant on school, it seems somewhat ridiculous. Back when my Grandfather was at school it was completely different. To bring this to a close I would like to say that although I am a religious person and would like to see what my faith calls on taught in school, but I believe the controversies it raises lays this idea to rest. Creation In Schools Essay -- essays research papers Creation in School   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The debate of Creation versus Evolution. This has been a very heated debate since Darwin published Origins of Species in 1859. The reason for this debate comes from the contradicting ideas that this book has with the theory of Creation set forth in the Bible. Due to the fact that is extremely hard to prove what created the earth, people have wrestled between these ideas for the last one hundred and forty years. When Evolution was first introduced it was widely rejected because it went against what people were brought up to believe. Evolution has so far stood the test of time and has become more widely accepted, to the point to which it is taught in our schools. Where Evolution has found its way into the school curriculum, the theory of Creation has not. Some people feel that it Creation should get equal time to Evolution in schools. In this paper I will use what I have learned from Professor Swenson’s Christian Theology course and my personal feelings to tr y and express why there is no reason for the theory of Creation to be taught in school. Creation is based on Christianity and you must understand Christianity before you can make claims. Christianity is a very strong force that works in many people’s lives. It gives us morals to live by, inner strength, a reason to live, and much more. It is based on God creating the world in seven days. Most everyone has a religion and can try to imagine what would it be like to live in a world without religion? The way in which religion structures a society helps it to be more successful as a whole. Stanley Tambiah would agree with this, because its similarities to the Trobriands, a tribe that he studied the rituals of and found that the rituals they performed had practical purpose along with the mystical meaning. The Trobriands had certain rituals they must perform when eating yams and they could only eat them at certain times. If the Trobriands did not have the structure to there society all their yams would be eaten to quickly and the tribe would starve. As for our culture, do we need this structure? Americans are in no trouble of running out of yams. Maybe this is why we see a decline in religion in the United States and other developed countries. The practical purpose for Christianity is no longer needed and the religion is losing speed. Although we do not need thes... ...gious parents are trying to use in order to get their religion taught in school. As for me, I would not mind other religions being taught to my kid, I would want my children to know all the information before they go off believing just anything that I taught them. He could make the choice for himself. Although I can see where these things would help, I believe there would be too many complications in trying to teach it. On top that I also feel that it should be left at that without an argument. If a parent were to push any further, I would have to question their responsibility. Schools do not have to teach you child everything they know. Schools teach so much already, do you want your kid to only learn stuff from school. As a parent I would hope that I could at least teach my child religion along with many other things. We have become so dependant on school, it seems somewhat ridiculous. Back when my Grandfather was at school it was completely different. To bring this to a close I would like to say that although I am a religious person and would like to see what my faith calls on taught in school, but I believe the controversies it raises lays this idea to rest.