Nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nursing research - Essay Example However, the hospital cannot involve the four nurses in the pediatric ward, which consequently requires the identification of one nurse who has extra training on children care. The identified nurse will be given the responsibility of equipping nurses with skills to assess, manage, and control pain in children. In addition, the pain nurse will provide the pediatric ward nurses with the skills to incorporate parents during pain management in order to provide personalized care. Resources required for proposed change In order to achieve successful implementation of any program, or proposed change, it is essential to allocate adequate resources that supported the implementation of the proposed change. In line with this, the fundamental resources required to implement this proposed change are not financial in nature, but they revolve around the availability of human resources in the hospital. In this case, the hospital requires a pain nurse who has pediatric training in order to handle the lead role of pain management in the hospital’s pediatric ward. On the other hand, the nurse requires the resource of time to train nurses in the pediatric ward and equip them with the skills required to assess, manage, and control pain in children. In line with this, financial resources will play an essential role in providing the materials required for training. Methods for monitoring solution implementation A program that is not monitored during its implementation can fail to achieve its objectives. In line with this, it is important to monitor a program in an approach that was effective and efficient in order to take corrective measures and promote the likelihood of achieving success. As the person responsible for this program, I will engage my mentor and the pain nurse in the monitoring process. In this case, my mentor and I will gather data from the nurses in the pediatric ward using a questionnaire that tested the efficacy of the program in the processes of assessing, managing, and controlling pain in children in this ward. Through a comparative analysis of this data, we will be able to identify the areas in the program that required improvement in order to promote the quality of care in patients. Conversely, I will ask the pain nurse to keep a record of the incidents that she witnesses as pediatric nurses manage pain in the wards. In effect, I will identify practices that required correction and develop approaches that corrected these approaches together with the pain nurse who will engage in the implementation process. Theory of planned change McNiff developed an eight-step model of action research that was instrumental in the implementation of this planned change. Primarily, the theory of planned change begins with a review of a nursing practice that identifies the change required. In this case, the review identified the need to manage pain in the hospital in an effective approach. Subsequently, the theory proposed a visualization of the way f orward, which provides the vision for developing the program with the fifth step involving the implementation of this program while using the action aid developed. During the process of implementation, it is important to engage in the process of monitoring the progress of the implementation process with the monitoring process providing corrective approaches that require evaluation. These approaches should be continuously implemented in order to achieve the

The Continuum from Legitimacy to Fraud Research Paper - 1

The Continuum from Legitimacy to Fraud - Research Paper Example Though there are extensive accounting rules and policies to control and monitor the books of accounts or financial statements, yet some amount of flexibility or freedom is allowed. In accounting, freedom of choice is necessary to increase the efficiency of the accounting procedures However if companies want to use such methodologies for manipulating or inflating their earnings, then they can do so using creative accounting methods (Loughrey, 2011, p. 225). Earning management is a critical part of financial accounting because it provides information to the users of financial statements for interpreting and deriving conclusion about the performance of the company. Creative accounting practices are such malpractices in accounting which may be legal and in accordance with the existing standards but may not be in line with the true spirits of the rules laid down under accounting standards. In other words, when financial statements are prepared by the relevant managers of a company that is inconsistent with the purpose or intention of the existing accounting standards, then it is said to be a practice of creative accounting. ... counting one can use their discretion to choose their own preferred way of recording sales or turnover of the company, the method of depreciation to be used by the company, the method of valuation of inventory, etc. This type of flexibility helps the managers of a company to represent the true and fair view of the company’s affairs and its earnings in the financial statements. Account Management: Accounting policies can be utilized by the managers of a company to accomplish the objectives of the management of the company and may not fulfil the essential requirements of the users. It can thus be used as a tool that can be managed and not as a means to provide true and fair view of the company. Interests of Managers: In theory, accounting information should provide relevant information to the users which can be used by them for various decision making process. Whereas in practice, earning management is more for the interest of managers rather than for the benefit of its users. B rief Literature Review Earnings management is a term which acts as a substitute for creative accounting. Trying to manipulate the earnings which are reported by the managers of a company, by taking help of some specific accounting process, is termed as earnings management. The company does so to influence its earnings in a short-term horizon (Coenen, 2009). Earnings management makes use of accrual accounting. However, the main issue regarding this is that it becomes very difficult to differentiate between regular accrual accounting and earnings management (Larcker, & Tayan, 2011, p. 164). Now since management has discretion in earnings management, it can lead to fraudulent activities like wrong representation of data in the financial statements.  

Workforce Diversity in a Foreign Subsidiary

Workforce Diversity in a Foreign Subsidiary 1. Abstract: In the todays dynamic competitive business environment, Diversity management is one of the key challenging area in Human Resource Management (HRM) in particularly to the Multinational Corporations (MNCs) those who have started their operations recently in a country like India where the culture is totally different from western culture. This paper mainly focuses on to what extent Target India, the subsidiary of retail giant Target Corporation, USA, has taken initiative to maintain the work force diversity and analyze the major challenges and issues faced while implementing with their strategic HR policies. It also discusses the role of Human Resource Management (HRM), International Human Resource Management (IHRM) and Strategic International Human Resource Management (SIHRM) in implementing and integrating the diversity initiatives. To examine the effectiveness of Target India HRM policies with respect to the diversity and culture, I used published sources like Target internal records , articles, books, internet and online data bases. 2. Introduction: Target Corporation is one of the United States biggest retail store. It was established in 1902 and known as Dayton Dry Goods Company before it was named as Target. The first Target store was opened in Minnesota, in 1962.It is widely spread in United States with 1,613 stores in 47 states. This includes 240 Super Target stores which gives a unbelievable grocery shopping experience. Target ranked 41 on their list of Americas Most Reputable Companies-2009 Target Corporation has its presence in India by establishing Target India Corporation in Bangalore in 2005. Target India has 2500 employees currently and it is expected to grow faster and have 5000 employees by end of fiscal year 2010. Target India is located in three different places in Bangalore namely Embassy Prime, RJU building which is named after Robert J. Ulrich, the former CEO of Target Corporation and GWS building which is named after Gregg W. Steinhafel. Another location is being established in Mysore in 2015. Due to demographic differences, it is very obvious that Target India with respect to Target Corporation varies in work culture, age, work-life balance and all social and personal aspects. Target India takes every effort to build Target culture in the work place which is very similar to Target head quarters with help of strong strategic HR policies. Target is in particular about the company culture which includes Collaboration, minimizing hierarchy, Work/Life balance, Accountability. Targets vision to become the best company ever follows the three core values: FFF (Fast, Fun and Friendly), Es of Excellence (Energy, Enthusiasm and Execution) and Speed is life. 3. Background: Target Corporation has its offshore extension called Target India. The fast and continued growth of Target India reflects the commitment to develop a global work force. Target drives business efficiently by motivating team members (employees), crediting innovations and thereby giving the best guest experience. Target India plays a key role in providing the brand promise of Target Expect More. Pay Less. by implementing the technology and business solutions. Target India works with ten pyramids: Target India is a key partner to achieve the vision of Target Best Company Ever and reach the goal of 100 billion in scale. The key accomplishment of Target India is opening Target Sourcing Services (TSS) in Bangalore during the first anniversary and also by opening the new facility which is now called Gregg W. Steinhafel (GWS) centre. 4. Literature Review: Over the years, it is very obvious that organisations are considering diversity as an essential competitive advantage factor to sustain in the market place where they can serve various array of customers and their needs, to make the customers and stake holders happy and satisfy. Diversity meaning is reached beyond the Equal Employment opportunity legislation and provides opportunity to the workforce with regardless to gender, colours, religions, races. One of the most important trends in the recent years has been the growing interest in the benefits to be achieved by planning for a diverse workforce known as diversity management. This was based on view that people should be treated equally regardless of race, ethnic orgin, gender and sexual orientation and other social categorization so that individual are enabled freely and equally to compete for social rewards (Jewson and Mason ,1986 P.307).Jewson and Mason set equal opportunities within a free market tradition, and the purpose of the legislation and polices was seen as removing obstacles and distortions to the working markets. According to liff(1997b), there are four approaches to managing diversity based on the degree of the commitment to social group equality as an organizational objective and on the perceived relevance of social group differentiation for policy making .Four diversity management approaches are :1)dissolving the differences2) valuing the differences3)accommodat ing differences4)utilizing differences Diversity, according to Schneider (2001, P.27) is about creating a working culture that seeks, respects, values, and harnesses difference. The basic contrast with the equal opportunities is an acceptance that there is difference between people, that such difference can be valued and that they are the source of productive potential within the organisation. Thomas(1995) argues that diversity does not automatically mean with respect to race and gender and describe diversity as not synonyms with difference but encompasses difference and similarities.(Cassel 2001) define diversity is a complex, multidimensional concept as a whole. It is a plural term with different perception in different organisations, societies and natural cultures without any unitary meaning. Hofstededes (1980) research suggest demonstrate that even within a large multinational, famous for its strong culture and socialization efforts , national culture continues to play major role in differentiating work values. The convergence /divergence argument (Webber 1969) states that economic development, technology, and education would make possible globalization whereas differential levels of available resources and national cultures would work against this. The need for human resource consultants, managers and specialist to adopt international orientation in their functional activities for those who are working in Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) are playing key role in implementing the cross cultural and comparative human resource management to make their organisation success. Boxall (1995) define the distinction between comparative HRM and International HRM. 5. Diversity Management Diversity Management denotes achieving wide range of benefits from diverse work force. The management of diversity concentrates on individuals rather than groups. This also includes opportunities for all individual and not just for people belonging to minority category. Ellis et, (1994) defines A multicultural management perspective fosters more innovative and creative decision making, satisfying work environments, and better products because all people who have a contribution to make or encourage to be involved in a meaningful way. Diversity management denotes the initiatives taken by the organisation to take advantage on the diversity in their workforce including characteristics such as (origin, gender, age, ethnicity and disability) as a strategic approach to achieve the organisational goals. The key differences between equal opportunities and managing diversity is given in the below table Aspect Equal Opportunities Managing Diversity Purpose Reduce discrimination Utilise employee potential to maximum advantage Case argued Moral and ethical Business case improve profitability Whose responsibility HR/personnel department All managers Focuses on Groups Individuals Perspective Dealing with different needs of different groups Integrated Benefits for employees Opportunities improved for disadvantaged groups, primarily through setting targets Opportunities improved for all employees Focus on management activity Recruitment Managing Remedies Changing systems and practices Changing the culture Source : adapted from Human Resource Management p -540) Derek Torrington ,laura Hall, Stephen Taylor Diversity Management is considered as the core approach to implement equality. It is believed that equal employment opportunity is driven by HR functions and diversity management is driven by the managers. As a reason to run the business, it is argued that managing diversity should be made as the integral part of any organizational policy. This concept is called mainstreaming. 5.1 Diversity at Target India Diversity became one of the key aspects and challenging area for the HRM area over the last few years. This is not only to tackle high cost but also to have workforce diversity to attract, retain and motivate diverse population of team members to help and server diverse guests and communities. At Target, diversity is much more than a goal or campaign, its a core value we integrate into every area of our business from our suppliers, to our teams, to the shopping experience in our stores, we foster an inclusive culture that allows our high-performing and diverse team to drive innovation. Target adopts a miltilocal approach in implementing the diversity, So Target India is responsible for designing and implementing the diversity management program. Target corporate headquarters is an advisory, informing the corporate wide diversity related messages and providing assistance if required. The definition of diversity at Target India is broad and focused on appreciating and recognizing the individuality of team members. Target India put this in simple terms as The Strengths of Many. The Power of One.. At Target India, diversity plays an integral part of the culture to communicate better with diverse team members and thereby serving the guests and communities in the best way possible. Target India builds the competitive advantage to drive the success by attracting the best talent and creating an atmosphere where diverse individuals are respected. 5.2 Challenges in Maintaining Diversity: Over the past few years, many Organizations have the goal of implementing multicultural work culture. However, promoting diversity across the Organizations has been challenging in practical way. There are three main reasons for failure of workforce diversity across Organizations. 1) Misunderstanding the problem, 2) Wrong solution, 3) failure to have clear learning cure. Major challenges faced by Target India during the initiatives of workforce diversity are, 1) Issues related by marginalization and discrimination, 2) Due to time constraint, getting team members together to collect data and feedback regarding diversity is a difficult task, 3) To make team members accountable for goals related to diversity, 4) As diversity is a new phenomenon in HRM, training all the team members requires huge cost, time and effort, 5) Slow progress rate, 6) Complexity in handling different perspectives from various groups or individuals. 5.3 Target India Vs Headquarters: Target India team member culture is different to headquarters. The main cultural differences arise as Target India team members are younger when compared to the headquarters and more specifically in Technology Services. Being young to job and also with a lot of job opportunities, Target India team members tend to leave the job for salary or career growth. This is in great contrast with the onsite team member. Team Members at Target India tend to work at different time structure than their onshore counter parts. The typical work time is nine to five at headquarter. Team members reach on time, complete their work and leave on time. Though the time is 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM at Target India, team member work on flexible timings to overlap with the onsite timings for better co-ordination and save time and effort. Coffee/Tea breaks are taken as per the convenient time whereas in headquarters normally they do not take much time. Also, Target India is providing free nutritious meal to all the team members which they prefer to have together at cafeteria. 5.4 Cultural Adjustments: Most of the Target team members have not worked in a foreign land. It is with the establishment of Target India, Target team members are encouraged to travel to India for working. The juxtaposition of developed and underdeveloped and more importantly rich and poor, the basic contrast of American culture which they need to cope up with. Indian people also have help in cleaning, cooking, driving etc. Though it sense to be of much help but there need to be significant adjustment on two core values of American culture: Privacy and Independence. The leadership style needed a great alteration moving to Target India. Target India team members are used to work with instructions from clients and managers. They need more of interactive approach where the leader can post their ideas, views and suggestions rather than giving general instructions. 6. Target India HR Approach: The main asset to IT industry is human resources. The challenging task for Multi National Companies (MNCs) in the IT sector is managing the human resources, especially for MNC subsidiary like Target India, where the culture is totally different from each other. Being very young to market, Target India faces the same challenge to retain employees. Though country like India is abundant in low cost and highly skilled labourers, it is very hard to retain employees because of salary and career growth. Target India is able to handle it better with its strong strategic HR policies and methods. Target India HR policies work as per the below metrics, HR Management Organizational Effectiveness Training and Development The main objective of HR management is to frame strong HR policies and thereby managing and retaining the human resources. This includes the best recruiting and selection methods, Pay and Benefits, Performance appraisals, Career development. Organizational Effectiveness literally means integrity. Their main purpose is to maintain the secure work atmosphere with information security, zero tolerance and violence free workplace. Training and Development team deals with training programs such as technical trainings for budding tech professionals, leadership training for those who admire to become leaders, personal development trainings, work oriented trainings. 6.1 HRM Practise: The following are the team members experience and saying about Target India. I was fascinated by the neat and cool shopping experience I had at Target during one of my visits to the U.S. and just fell in love with Target. I then wondered what it would be like working here and thus began my journey of exploring working at Target. Target is just the perfect world for high-energy, fun-loving and make-things-happen people. The welcoming ambience, smiling teams and committed managers are just the things I like here. I am pursuing the Masters program in Software Engineering and am part of the global cohort. Its truly an international experience. I get to do capstone projects within Target as academic work and at the same time its a real life experience -Praveen, Information Technology I have never seen any organization so far in my career where everyones so approachable and friendly. Targets the place where I felt my creative potential was explored. Supervisors and peers are open to ideas and change. This keeps me going every day. Dee, Brand Management, Buying + Planning 6.1.1 Recruitment and Selection: Target India follows equal opportunity as an employer. Employment practises are implemented without regard to religion, colour, race, creed, caste, sex, age, place of birth, disability. This list also includes sexual orientation and also pregnancy. Equal Employment Opportunity policy plays an important role for Target Indias commitment to hire and develop talented, strong and diverse workforce. With this policy, Target India accommodates qualified and talented applicants, employees with disability and also applicants with strong religious beliefs provided such team member doesnt create hardship to Target India. At Target India, recruitment and selection happens for both fresher and experience candidates. The highly talented fresh young graduates from the top universities are selected after the written aptitude test, group discussion and HR round. Experience candidates are hired after a series of process such as resume selection, initial technical round, high level technical round followed by managerial and HR round. Team members at Target India are able to get rewards through referral programs. 6.1.2 Training and Development: The Training and Development team co-ordinates and arranges various training programs. Technical trainings, Personality Development trainings, Induction training, Integrity trainings, Work place trainings, Leadership trainings are the major trainings provided by the training department. Internal training programs are the major trainings arranged where team members are encouraged to attend and learn new technologies and various leadership skills. Target India also partner with external training consultants for those trainings which are not available internally. Fresher recruited from universities are trained in technical and development trainings initially. Experienced candidates are also provided with trainings in the latest version of their technology to accomplish the work as per the time schedule. Target India follows the mentoring system. With help of the mentoring system, senior leaders are helping various team members by motivating, providing organizational updates, helping in career planning. Target India believes in job rotation for any interested team member. Any team member who is willing to transfer to a different pyramid, department or technology is motivated with various basic technical trainings and job handling trainings. Apart from class room trainings, Target India also offers online trainings for team members. The online trainings include integrity trainings to maintain confidentiality of information and have best ethics in work place. 6.1.3 Career Management: Target India is committed for team members personal and career development. This is carried out with mentoring, Individual Development Plan (IDP) creation where team member and the supervisor analyze the team members strengths and development opportunities to develop the career map. There is an opportunity for team members in Target India to move vertically and horizontally across Target Technology Services (TTS), Target Financial Services (TFS), Strategy, Target.com, Stores, Marketing, Human Resources, Property Development, Legal and Quality. This is generally known as talent pool scheme. 6.1.4 Flexible Work Timing: This is one of the strong HR policies which enable the team members to work on their convenient time shifts. This makes the Target India team members to have better co-ordination with their onsite counter parts. This saves a lot of time and effort which ultimately leads to better productivity. 6.1.5 Compensation and Benefits: Based upon the employees experience and technical/managerial skills, Target India offers compensation package as per or higher than the industrial standards. Compensation revision normally revised twice in a year. Target India provides the following benefits to all its team members, Health Benefits Target Indias health benefits supports wellness and healthy living for its team members with schemes such as Group Mediclaim, Parental Insurance, Personal Accident, Wellness Program, and Medical Insurance while Travelling. Retirement Target India team members are encouraged to save for retirement by making contribution to their Provident Fund (PF). Paid Time Off This consists of Privilege Leave, Casual Leave, Maternity Leave, Paternity Leave, National Holidays, and Bereavement Leave. This helps the team members to recharge and refresh themselves. Additional Benefits All eligible Target India team members are provided with additional benefits: Company Loans, Conveyance Program, Gratuity, Free Meals, Tuition Scholarship, Team Member Referral Bonus, Concierge Service, Training and Development. Other benefits such as professional counselling for team members and their family members, facility for new team members to settled down easily and quickly in new location and all relevant assistance for team members and their family members travelling on an assignment are also provided. 6.1.6 Performance Management: Performance Management is a crucial determinant of culture and what managers consider in their thinking about their team members. Measurement of performance is an indication of organizations business success. Target India defines the appraisal as a process which analysis a persons overall capabilities and potential. One of the important part of this process is assessment where team members past and current work behaviour and performance are collected and reviewed. With the help of performance appraisal, Target India is able to improve morale, motivate team members, reduce ambiguity about performance, clarify expectation, identifying training and development opportunities, manage careers, improve communication, setting goals and targets. Target India follows transparent process for evaluating team members performance and providing compensation packages. Being transparent, it is very clear to the team members as of what is required to reach next level. Target India offers high performers with performance certificates in the form of Great Team Card (GTC) and reward and vouchers. To motivate the team members, high performers are honoured in the Annual Leadership Meeting. 6.1.7 Work-Life Balance: Target India is conscious about Work-Life Balance. This has been supported in the form of work from home where team members are allowed to work from home due to emergency and any other personal commitment. Older team members who wish to remain in work are allowed to work fewer hours or different shift pattern. To maintain work-life balance various programs such as flexible work timings, Personal counselling for team members and their family members are initiated. This form of work-life balances gives satisfaction to the team members in the form of handling work and also caring children and elderly parents. 6.1.8 Community Work by Employees: Target India believes in serving the community. Target India and its team members play a vital role in taking part in community work to serve the society. Many team members play leadership role in community work. As a corporate citizens responsibility, team members are allowed to organize various camps to rural areas to help in educating and bringing awareness about different social causes to rural population. This brings self satisfaction to the team members and also makes work place more enjoyable. 6.1.9 Women Empowerment To increase the women workforce, Target India conducts recruitment programs especially for women. Target India women all hands meeting is conducted frequently to help and discuss the hurdles faced by the working women. These meetings not only give women spirit but also help them to develop career growth and leadership qualities. 6.1.10 Employee Retention: Attrition rate is a major concern for newly started MNC subsidiaries in developing country like India. When other similar organizations have the attrition rate in double digit, Target India managed the employee retention rate in single digits with help of their sound career growth plans, high rewards and appreciation apart from their fulfilling compensation and benefits. Target India provides the following benefits to retain the team members, Good work atmosphere Meals and transportation facilities Giving more career plans Employee oriented policies 6.1.11 Open Door Policy: No organization can improve without constant feedbacks, ideas, suggestions in a diverse work environment. Target India aligns with its headquarters belief of having Open Door Policy. To improve workforce diversity, team members suggestions, feedbacks and ideas become a crucial factor. This vision is attained through Open Door Policy where team members can reach to any leader irrespective of their caste, religion, sex, culture, age at any time with their thoughts. Although this is the easiest way to reach to any leader, for those who feel uncomfortable speaking to the leaders directly there is also a separate HR team named as Employee Relations team. Team members can post their issues, solutions and ideas to the Employee Relations team or call the Integrity Hotline numbers being anonymous. Every concern of the team members are reviewed by the Employee Relations team and sent to the appropriate leader. 6.1.12 Great Team Recognition: Target India follows a unique culture of appreciating great work. Although recognition is done annually through performance appraisals, best performer awards and certificates, many great works go unnoticed in the annual meetings. To avoid that, Target India encourages sending Great Team Card to any individual contribution or to the team at any moment. This makes the team members feel that they are noticed in diverse work culture. 7. Conclusion: Due to globalization, organizations are operating in multicultural context. A key debate is to what extent their diversity programmes should be standardised across subsidiaries. As there is no best approach to manage diversity workforce, since it varies from organization to organization, country to country. From last many quarters, Target India is growing steadily because of its strong strategic HR policies and in particular with workforce diversity. The process of acquiring, retaining and bringing success with diverse population in a growing organization like Target India is not an easy task. The determination from top management, HR and operations team across Target India and Target Corporation, helped Target India to achieve the success of implementing strategic HR policies in a multicultural and diverse workforce.

The Maturation of Telemachus in Homers Odyssey Essay -- Odyssey essay

The Maturation of Telemachus in Homer's Odyssey       The Odyssey was a great book in which many characters were brought out and developed.   The most significant development that occured in the epic was the development of Telemachus.   Telemachus is a very complex character that Homer develops from beginning to end.   From the beginning when is a mere shadow of his father to near the end in which he is considered just as courageous.   Many factors influence Telemachus as he matures into a man.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To begin with his name means "Far from Battle".   This was given to him because he was born when the male generations of his parents were going off to the Trojan War.  But the name proves to be ironic, for the epic ends with Telemachus taking part in two battles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Not having any father figures as a child severely effects Telemachus.   He becomes a timid, shy and spineless boy who is greatly pampered by his mother.   He is not helped by being the son of a world-famous father- a difficult reputation to live up to.   This lack of motivation and assertive behavior does not help Telemachus when the suitors start eating away at his estate.   Telemachus knows what the suitors are doing is wrong but yet does not do anything about it.   Telemachus foolishly hopes that his father will come and clean up the mess that the suitors are to blame for.   Telemachus knows that his father would handle the situation with the suitors in a much more aggressive manner than he does.   Odysseus would kill all of them for being treacherous beings, while Telemachus does nothing but whine.   Telemachus says "how his noble father might come back out of the blue, drive the suitors headlong from the house, and so regain his loyal honors, ... ...us and his son fight side by side against the suitors. It is clear at this point that the old Telemachus is gone and all that is there is a new brave, bold and thoughtful Telemachus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Homer does a wonderful job in maturing Telemachus during the course of this book.   It is delightful to see a young, foolish boy grow into the proud man that he became.   Pallas Athene helped get the wheels in motion but it takes true hero to get places and keep the status that he gains.   We last see him standing within the accurate order of the clan of Odysseus, when Grandfather Laertes, Odysseus, and Telemachus, all in armor, all defending the ancestral estate receive the blessing of Pallas Athene and of Zeus. Works Cited and Consulted Homer, The Odyssey, ed. W. Shewring Oxford University Press, 1980. Tracy, Stephen V. The Story of the Odyssey Princeton UP 1990

Banal Evil

Murder often makes a persons blood boil and ask the question, â€Å"How can someone do that to someone else? † Most of time when a gruesome act of violence happens people wonder, â€Å"What kind of human being does it take to do something like that? † Truman Capote’s book, In Cold Blood, is about such an act of violence; a murder that, when the reader walks away, only registers a banal. The killing of the Clutter family, which happened in 1959 in the town of Holcomb, Kansas, blew most people away with its senselessness and horror. Capote, however, writes the story with personal background on the killers, making them human and giving the reader, something most people do not get to hear or even care to know, a reason to the mindless murders. Evil is easily banalized when there is a story to go along with it. At the beginning of In Cold Blood the Clutters murderers, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, are â€Å"persons unknown† elevating them to a state of inhuman, mythical form. The town of Holcomb, a small quite place where nothing happens, is suddenly shaken and view Smith and Hickock as motiveless evil that has come down to destroy the peaceful life the community has. This hitherto peaceful congregation of neighbors and old friends had suddenly to endure the unique experience of distrusting each other; understandably, they believe that the murderer was among themselves† (88). This quote shows the havoc that is wreaked on the security of town, fragmenting the community into suspicion. They, as the town, fall from grace, a loss of their former innocence, as they are forced to confront the reality of the killers and the world they represent. However, as the book moves on so does the readers point of view, from one of the townspeople to that of the killers. Capote replaces the simplistic view to a more sensitive interpretation exploring the physiological, material, and environmental circumstances that are the catalyst for Smith and Hickock to commit murder. Smith, the reader is told, is the child of an extremely abusive household in which is subjected to alcoholism, the suicidal deaths of his two siblings and mother, abandonment, no formal education, etc. Describing his father Smith says, â€Å"But no education, because he didn’t want me to learn anything, only how to tote and carry for him. Dumb. Ignorant. That’s the way he wanted me to be. So that I could never escape him† (185). Smith clearly hates his father and blames him for the situation he is in now; not having an education is something that Smith seems very occupied with and resents in people around him. Hickock on the other had seems to come from a poor, but good family. Being the star athlete in high school, with good grades to boot, Hickock seems to have had a normal life. However, he is in the constant mindset of envy of money/power. Envy was constantly with him [Hickock]; the Enemy was anyone who was someone he wanted to be or who had anything he wanted to have† (200). The Clutters, in contrast, were â€Å"the perfect family†. Extremely wealthy, well to do, and educated they were a symbol of everything the murderers wanted. With the envies in toe, Smiths being education and Hickock's being money/power, the Clutters were the perfect family for the two murders to let their rage out o n. Knowing Hickock's and Smiths backgrounds, the reader now has something to empathize with and to mold into some type of understanding. The killers are being transformed from heartless, cold-blooded murders to frightful and pitiful individuals. The crime itself is boiled down to pure emotional responses. Stephen J. Whitfield compares the emotions of the Clutter murders to that of Adolf Eichmann, the man who â€Å"directed the transportation of the Jews of Nazi-occupied Europe to their death (496)†, in the book The History Teacher. â€Å"Between such multiple murders and Eichmann, some parallel can perhaps be traced in terms of the absence of any human connection, any remorse, any emotional weight to be attached to their crimes. They were frighteningly estranged form the rest of the human race† (473). Whitfield brings up any interesting point, which Smith brings up latter in the book. The fact that Smith and Hickock are so separated from the human race is something that not only scares the reader, but also puts the murders in a different light. Though remorse is thought of as the road to forgiveness, Smith makes a point that most do not think of. â€Å"Just remember: I only knew the Clutters maybe an hour. If I’d really known them, I guess I’d feel different†¦But the way it was, it was like picking off targets in a shooting gallery† (291). Capote does not mean to excuse Smith and Hickock from their action, but he does show how ordinary feelings of frustration and despair can erupted into vicious acts of murder. Smith explains it by saying, â€Å"And it wasn’t because of anything the Clutters did. They never hurt me. Like other people. Like people have all my life. Maybe it’s just that the Clutters were the ones who had to pay for it† (290). In fact, during the murders, Smith even talks about his frustration and self-loathing that finally lead him to kill Mr. Clutter. â€Å"I knelt down beside Mr. Clutter, and the pain of kneeling-I thought of that goddam dollar. Silver dollar. The shame. Disgust. And they’d told me never to come back Kansas. But I didn’t realize what I’d done till I heard the sound† (245-246). The murder comes as an automatic response to the memory of other frustrations and insults Smith has endured, of which the Clutter house is a symbol of. Another idea that Capote makes the reader take into fact is that Hickock and Smith were not inspired to murder due to literal hatred of the Clutters, but a misdirected frustration and resentment that finds a symbolic object in the Clutters and the values that they represent. â€Å"I [Smith] didn’t want to harm the man. I thought he was a very nice gentleman. Soft-spoken. I thought so right up to the moment I cut his throat† (244). The family is unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of this furry, but they are by no means the source. The fact that Capote also brings in the psychologist goes to further legitimize that the murders had no control over their actions. â€Å"When Smith attacked Mr. Clutter her was under a mental eclipse, deep inside a schizophrenic darkness† (302). Smith was acting out of his medical incapacity to manage his emotional response. However, though Capote throws all of these ideas and images at us he tries to humanize the murders and make their crimes seem ordinary because he feels that this situation could have happened to him. If one reads Capotes history, his life was not that much different from Smith. Capote touches on a human question of what people are capable of put in the right situation and the right environment. Saying that his event could happen to anyone, Capote places the readers brain on high alert and makes him or her consider his or her own situation. The evil of this crime, and of the criminals themselves, becomes banal due to Capote’s willingness to make it that way. He humanizes them in a way that no one else would. When the reader sees Hickock and Smith, they also see their past and motivations. The reader sees more then what they bargain for and, sometimes, even see themselves.

Narrative report on educational tour Essay

INTRODUCTION The purpose of our educational tour is to expose students in actual industries, manufacturing companies in order to acquire knowledge, opportunities, experience rather than sitting alone in a four corner classroom. The site visit location was Villar Foundation (Organic Herbal Garden, Factory of garbage chairs, Coconet coir and Peat Enterprise, The water Hyacinth Weaving Enterprise) Lola Corazon Leisure Farm, Hansa Toys and Azucarera de Tarlac. The waste plastic factory was our first stop. The Villar Foundation and the local community are in charge of collecting and segregating the plastic wastes, which are then shredded, washed, dried, melted and molded in the plant which can be fashioned to look like wooden pieces and comes with replaceable parts amazingly!. That envirotech’s plant can produce 1,000 armchair/month. About 20-24 kilos of mixed soft plastics. That finished product has a 20 year lifespan. Our second stop was the Coconet factory. It was the coconut husks converted to a coco net. It comes from near markets that was given by vendors. The fiber can be extracted through a decorticating machine, the decorticated coconut will be air dried, then the fiber and the dust will be separ ated through dusting, the fiber will be twined and lastly they’ll weave it to make a coco net. To lessen the waste in Las Pinas produces the Villar Foundation also started a project to turn wet waste into soil conditioners and Vermicompost through composting. The process is to mix wet waste, mostly food with coconut dust and trichodema fungi that produces enzymes that helps in composting. The Water Hyacinth weaving enterprise was our third stop. in cleaning the river was the water hyacinths also known as water lilies that floats on the river and traps more wastes and causes flood when it rains. They found a solution by transforming water lilies into beautiful pieces of arts like decorations and baskets. Next destination was in Hansa Toys. Artists create each Hansa animal from portraits of the creature in its natural habitat that is made of PLASTICS. Most fabrics are custom designed and exclusively manufactured to HANSA’S exacting specifications. The animals coats are meticulously hand-cut and trimmed, never stamped out by machine.The animals are sewn inside out, resulting in the minimization of seams. This development ofan exceptional  internal stitching method allows the Hansa artisans create effects like muscle tone and features unique to each creature. On average, there are 42 separate pieces required to make each animal. (Some animals have as many as 240 different parts!) The subtle coloring on the animals is hand painted or airbrushed by specially trained Hansa artisans.Each animal is hand finished with loving detail to give them the life like look yet sweet face and cuddly feel that is unmistakably HANSA.All animals are made with custom designed all man-made plush material made from high pile 100% Modacrylic fiber Kanecaron Brand with backing material of polyster 150/48F. Last was the Azucarera de Tarlac. It is one of the best integrated sugar manufacturing plants producing both raw and refined sugar, alcohol, liquid carbon dioxide, and yeast in the Philippines. KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED That memorable tour advocate us of green living. In Villar Foundation they converted raw materials into something useful they not just only cleaning and protecting environment but also providing a livelihood to the poor. By promoting this 1 less child on the streets, 1 less person without a job, 1 less family without a home, 1 less worker stranded overseas, and most important 1 more Filipino save from poverty. Hansa toys says â€Å" Toys that educates the heart† Believing that today’s children will play a vital role in the fate of wildlife, and that toys can be an important tool in forming children’s values, they have created the â€Å"Endangered Animals Collection† . They inspire children and adults (all ages) to love and learn about wild animals and they hope to inspire a life-long commitment to widelife conservation. Hence environment may be defined as â€Å"the sum of all social, cultural, economical, biological, physical and chemical factors surrounding the ‘man’ to give necessary protection to him.† A clean environment is very necessary to live a peaceful and healthy life. But our environment is getting dirty day by day because of some negligence of human beings. It is an issue which everyone must know about especially  our kids. An environment is the natural surroundings which help life to grow, nourish and destroy on this planet earth. Natural environment plays a great role in the existence of life on earth and it helps human beings, animals and other living things to grow and develop naturally. But due to some bad and selfish activities of the human beings, our environment is getting affected. It is the most important topic that everyone must know how to protect our environment to keep it safe forever as well as ensure the nature’s balance on this planet to continue the existence of life. RECOMMENDATION Everyone can do a big change to create a better environment. Why people having diseases? This is because of you, me, US! even a single wrap of candy can we just keep in our pocket for a while then throw it in a proper garbage can. The earth is dying it is an open reality to everybody. The earth is sick and if we can’t control its sickness we will die too. Just imagine, without a sustainable environment we will have nothing. The dirt we’re throwing away always comes back to us it means nature has his own way of taking revenge. Let us not be blind or deaf to this problem. We should take part because if not, we may be causing our own extinction