Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism Free Online Research Papers Vegetarianism is a practice that vegetarians follow, which includes a diet of vegetables, fruits and sometimes selected animal products such as cheese or milk. This is a belief that vegetarians follow with respect to different origins. There are vegetarians all around the world, they don’t share the same religion but their belief stays the same. Some people prefer to be a vegetarian by choice while others have no other choice because their religion forces them to be one. Everything in the world has advantages and disadvantages, vegetarianism is no exception. Since I am an omnivore, I strongly believe that one should include plants and animals in his diet. My personal reasons consist of the Islamic perspective along with the fact that I have been used to it since childhood. On the other hand, I will be stating arguments against my stand and then I shall provide points that will refute them, too. The supporters of vegetarianism defend their views by a variety of arguments. One argument is concerning the life-span of a vegetarian. According to Dywer, the life-span of a vegetarian compared to a non-vegetarian is either the same or even a bit higher. This has been concluded after having experimented for it. Another argument states that a strict vegetarian diet helps people from being away from various diseases. Moreover, it states that this happens due to having concentration of ingredients that help one to reduce the risk of such diseases. These ingredients include low saturated fat and hence, they have low cholesterol. In addition to this, research has showed that animal products have high concentrations of the above mentioned i.e. high cholesterol, which leads to various diseases ranging from heartburns to major heart diseases. A study of the environment states that vegetarianism contributes positively towards the environment. A contrast has been made between animals and plants by saying that farming animals requires a larger area of land whereas growing crops needs to have a comparatively smaller piece of land. Moreover, the same study states that having vegetables is more or less the same amount of calories. Vegetarianism also is a positive belief in terms of being economical. This is based on the fact that the production of meat is comparatively more expensive and that is the reason why it is sold for a higher price than vegetables. From the health point of view it is said that vegetables are far much better than animals. This is due to the mere reason that when animals are slaughtered they release chemicals which are later consumed by meat-eaters. This is a cause of concern for all meat-eaters because this is also harmful for their health. On the contrary, consuming plants does not harm the environment and also the consumers. Since the availability of food from non-living things is highly limited, it is justified for the human beings to get sustenance for their survival from living things including animals and plants. Humans beings, being superior to all the other creations on this earth, have been permitted by God to consume food from living sources. This being an injunction of God, there is no harm in killing animals and plants for food both of which are lower creations of God as compared to humans. The arguments against vegetarianism can be classified into three different groups such as nutrition, environmental and ethical. Meat contains fat and proteins which are very important for the human body, especially focusing on young children. Moreover, plants consist of carbohydrates that are a cause of diabetes if consumed in excess. If a person strictly follows a vegetarian diet he/she will consume it in excess and undesirably face the serious consequences. John Vanderveen, the director of the FDA’s office of plant, dairy food and beverages says that the more you restrict your diet, the more difficult it is to get the nutrients you need. Vegetarians who exclude all dairy and animal flesh products face the greatest nutritional risks, because some essential nutrients exist only in animal products. Vegetarians have been noticed to eat more than meat-eaters and this is mainly because of the fact that meat-eaters consume enough food so that they survive through till the other meal. On the other hand, vegetarian food does not suffice the human body and that is why it causes disorders and makes vegetarians eat twice as much as meat-eaters. In extreme cases it also is a cause of obesity. In terms of being economical because vegetarians consume more than meat-eaters they tend to grow more crops and spend extra harvesting them and then eating them. Consuming meat helps in maintaining the environmental balance. This is because if the consumption of meat stops then cattle will increase and there will be an imbalance between the supply and demand of the animals such as cows and sheep, etc. Moreover, plants are the main supply for the oxygen that is used by human beings and if they are used up completely or even in excess it can cause a shortage for humans, which will definitely be very harmful for surviving. With all due respect to Animal Rights, they consider animals to have equal rights as humans and though this is accepted by humans, animals are still seen feasting on other animals so this is a way of justifying why humans slaughter animals for their source of food. Moreover, since vegetarians fight for the fact that living things should not be killed and made a source for food it can also be argued plants are also a living creation of God so why is it fair to kill them and unfair to kill animals. In the religious perspective, keeping Islam in view, it is allowed to eat animals along with plants. Moreover, it is mentioned in the Qur’an that there are various things that nature has provided human beings with and that everything is allowed to and should be explored and tried. Certain animals are prohibited in Islam, which have their own reasons too. The Qur’an has usually been read as allowing the eating of meat, as in verse 5:1 which reads, â€Å"O you who have attained to faith! Be true to your convenants! Lawful to you is [the flesh of] every beast that feeds on plants, save what is mentioned to you [hereinafter]: but you are not allowed to hunt while you are in a state of pilgrimage. Behold, God ordains in accordance with his will.† Humans are meant to eat meat, it is part of them and this is backed by the fact that their jaw motion is created by God in such a way. The jaw motion of a carnivore is up and down while the jaw motion of an herbivore is sideways. This explains the fact why majority of the population in the world prefers eating meat. Moreover, this cannot be the only reason for people to choose meat over vegetables. In our ecosystem the term food chain refers to the transfer of matter and energy from a weaker organism to a stronger organism in the form of food. So, in the same way human consume certain animals for their survival and vegetarianism goes against this concept and the practice of vegetarianism on a mass scale would disrupt this natural process. Traditionally, it was argued by vegetarians that killing an animal for food is a greater sin than killing plants. According to them, the animals are higher species than plants and killing them is nothing but cruelty. But this argument can be refuted because plants themselves are living things having few senses like sense of touch and responds to stimuli. If killing animals is cruel than killing plants should also be considered as cruel as both are living things. In 1973, Dorothy Retallack’s tried experimenting with different types of music. She played rock to one group of plants and, soothing music to another. The group that heard rock turned out to be sickly and small whereas the other group grew large and healthy. What’s more surprising is that the group of plants listening to the soothing music grew bending towards the radio just as they bend towards the sunlight. In the final analysis, it can be easily concluded that meat eating is much superior to vegetable food. It gives us all the necessary nutrients for our growth and sustenance. Vegetarianism is a personal decision of an individual who sometimes escape from this routine by eating fish and chicken. Research Papers on VegetarianismGenetic EngineeringComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Canaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionDefinition of Export QuotasMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyCapital PunishmentTwilight of the UAWThe Effects of Illegal Immigration

Friday, November 22, 2019

Everybody Must Make Up Their Own Mind About Their

Everybody Must Make Up Their Own Mind About Their Everybody Must Make Up Their Own Mind About Their Everybody Must Make Up Their Own Mind About Their By Maeve Maddox The DWT Forum is enjoying a lively discussion of the problem of what do do about the political need to make writing gender neutral without writing such ugly constructions as s/he, he/she, he or she. Some readers still support the use of he in a general sense as was the practice until it came to be seen as a mark of patriarchal oppression. Others defend the use in the title of this post as having historical precedent. In general we recognize that using their with a singular antecedent is wrong, but we instinctively want to do it. Does that make us bad writers or bad people? Of course not. The use of their with a singular antecedent drives grammarians wild, but it is a living impulse in the language and it will triumph. Heres what the OED has to say about it: [their is] [o]ften used in relation to a singular n. or pronoun denoting a person, after each, every, either, neither, no one, every one, etc. Also so used instead of ‘his or her’, when the gender is inclusive or uncertain. (Not favoured by grammarians.) And here are a few examples the OED gives from the works of writers whose quality of writing is not usually denied: 1749 FIELDING Tom Jones VII. xiv, Every one in the House were in their Beds. 1771 GOLDSM. Hist. Eng. III. 241 Every person..now recovered their liberty. 1845 SYD. SMITH Wks. (1850) 175 Every human being must do something with their existence. 1848 THACKERAY Vanity Fair xli, A person cant help their birth. 1858 BAGEHOT Lit. Studies (1879) II. 206 Nobody in their senses would describe Grays ‘Elegy’ as [etc.]. 1898 G. B. SHAW Plays II. Candida 86 Its enough to drive anyone out of their senses. I have to confess that Im one of those writers who rewrites such sentences by putting everything into the plural, but I may pull in my horns when it comes to castigating those of my colleagues who decide to go with the flow. The spirit of English has a mind of its own. It despises such grammarian-inspired constructions as It is I. and One never knows, does one? but it doesnt at all mind Many an explorer lost their way. Meanwhile the battle continues in the abodes of English lovers such as DailyWritingTips. Visit the Forum and enter the fray! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Definitely use "the" or "a"Latin Plural Endingsâ€Å"Least,† â€Å"Less,† â€Å"More,† and â€Å"Most†

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Entry into Foreign Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Entry into Foreign Market - Essay Example ays emphasis on four important areas: a) The question of value: Whether the resource of the company is sufficient to exploit an environmental opportunity or be able to neutralize an environmental threat (Chapman, 2011). b) Question of Rarity: Are the resources of the company presently controlled by other small competing companies (Chapman, 2011). c) Question of Imitability: Do the companies face difficulties in cost advantage in developing or obtaining it (Chapman, 2011). d) Question of organization: Have the policies and procedures of the company organized systematically to support the exploitation of valuable, rare and expensive to imitate the resources (Management Mania, 2013). The evaluation of various resources of CIC would be as follows: Tangible Financial CIC is one of the most profitable drilling equipment manufacturers which have successfully completed various drilling projects for the renowned companies of varied nations. Physical CIC has made a strong presence with the man ufacturing of 80 brands in more than 300 locations around the world. Technological The company has installed state of the art machineries and control equipments meant for oil drilling, control instrumentation and various other process operations. Organizational The company has developed in built effective strategies meant for its various onshore activities in ultra deepwater discoveries (Cameron, 2013a). Intangible Resources Human Presently, CIC boasts of a diverse workforce with more than 27000 employees globally. Innovation & Creativity One of the major objectives of the company is to design leveraging tools which lessens the burden of extracting crude oil onshore and offshore. Reputation The company has been successful in drilling and compressing activities without hampering the... Presently, Myanmar is facing various kinds of social and economic tensions, which have hampered the national unity of the country. This has led to a major downfall in the economic development and decrease in various economic opportunities. 90 percent of the population follows Buddhism and the cultural and social values are based on Theravada Buddhism. Gender biasedness is also prevalent to a large extent in the Myanmar society (BEWG, 2011). The country has been facing severe challenges because initially, it was under the control of the military regime, which has compelled the people to adapt to a particular lifestyle. Firstly, the management of CIC should understand and analyze the cultural variations in Myanmar which will help the company in studying the attitude and behavior of the common people. Secondly, the company should adopt several techniques which will help in understanding marketing dynamics and also adjust to it accordingly. Modeling techniques like Delphi methods will he lp in assessing the market requirement and developing strategies accordingly. Finally, the company should adopt a clear communication model which would help the employees to understand the importance of work ties over cultural ties and also provide clear instruction process. After assessing the current scenario in Myanmar it is advisable for CIC to opt for subcontracting techniques (WiseGeek, 2011).The subcontracting technique is a type of job contract, which will help in outsourcing certain type of work to other companies (WiseGeek, 2011).

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Business Evaluation For Fresh Juice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business Evaluation For Fresh Juice - Assignment Example Fresh Juice, as the product name, will be a refreshing agent for the tired customers and it will entail strong fruit values that will provide high energy to the customers. Correspondingly, this study intends to provide a business evaluation and feasibility report in relation to the business idea of ‘Fresh’ juice in the market. Furthermore, the report intends to incorporate in the feasibility part business model evaluation, industry considerations, marketing strategy and operational strategy assessment along with a personal reflection section. Business Model Business model canvas facilitates to have an in-depth understanding of the dimensions needed to be analysed for deriving information regarding the future prospects of the product. In accordance with the business model canvas, it is determined that it represents a strategic management mechanism along with entrepreneurial tool. It is essentially used in the business model design and invention among others (Business Mode l Foundry, 2013). The detailed constituents of business model canvas have been briefly explained hereunder with reference the business of ‘Fresh’. Key Partners In relation to the key partners for Fresh, it can be affirmed that the prudent relationship with them fosters promotion of the product at large. In order to promote the business, the key partners being selected and their advantages have been discussed below. The Universities: In keeping with the universities as a partner, it can be said that as the key target audience of Fresh would be students thus universities consent and support will be valuable to proposer the business. It can be affirmed that with the consumption of juice offered by Fresh, the students will be able to gain valuable strength and they will be refreshed as well by a considerable extent. The students within the universities are primary required to possess more concentration and energy in order to participate in various college activities along w ith addressing the educational pressures in the midst of the competitive scenario. Herein, Fresh juice can act as a refresher for them to change their mood and provide them renewed vigour instantly. Freundcontainer.com: This organisation is one of the America’s leading suppliers of packaging along with industrial supplies. Partnership with this particular company will enable to get the materials associated with the products at a reasonable cost. Moreover, relationship with this company will ensure the availability of quality products within applied time frame (Freund Container & Supply, 2013). Sunseedorganics.co.uk: Owing to the fact that ‘Fresh’ has concentrated upon the mission of providing organic fruits and vegetables as the ingredients of juice, the company Sunseed Organics will be a better choice. This organisation is regarded as one of the leading providers of organic fruits and vegetables (Sunseed Organics, 2012). Fluidbranding.com: The organisation is an experienced and professional merchandise supplier that provides innovative ideas and concepts pertaining to the promotion of a product. Thus, this partner

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Eddie and Catherine Essay Example for Free

Eddie and Catherine Essay When Catherine has a conversation with Beatrice about her behaviour in front of Eddie, Beatrice offers Catherine some advice that she not only doesnt like, but also that comes as a complete shock to her. Beatrice explains to her that Eddie thought that she was possibly jealous or something towards Catherine, because of the strong relationship that Eddie and Catherine had, compared to the weak relationship that Eddie and Beatrice share. When Catherine realises what Beatrice is implying, she claims that its the first [shed] thought of it, however it is clear from the way that she has started talking to Eddie that she has her suspicions. When we first met Eddie at the beginning of the play, he was a stern but kind husband to Beatrice and uncle to Catherine. He only cared about what was best for his family and tried to offer them the best advice that he could. However, events happened in his life that caused him to stop caring so much about Beatrice and started caring much more about Catherine. Eddies unavoidable feelings led him to think about what it was he actually did feel towards Catherine, and it is only at this point in the play that the other characters confront each other with what they think Eddie is feeling incestuous instincts towards his niece. However, the realisation of his lust is about to make Eddie reconsider his motives for trying to win the heart of his niece. When we see Eddies conversation with Alfieri, we appreciate why losing Catherine to Rodolfo is so difficult for him. Throughout the dialogue in this scene, we are presented with opinions and feelings that Eddie has never spoken of to anyone else, which represents a very strong trust between the two men. One of these feelings is jealousy: when I think of that guy layin his hands on her, I could I mean its eatin me out, Mr. Alfieri, because I struggled for that girl. Another feeling that Eddie shows is fear for his niece: what about it if the only reason for it is to get his papers? When an audience of the 1930s would have seen this, they would find it a crime. In America in the time of the Economic Depression, many people were illegally migrating from all over the world to America to seek a better life. If they were caught in America illegally, then they would be immediately deported back to their home country. However, the chance of being deported would have been less if the migrant had married an official citizen of the United States. In this case, if Rodolfo married Catherine then there would be less chance of Rodolfo being sent back to Italy. If someone in the audience then had felt that this was the only reason for Rodolfos love, then they would have been outraged with his actions and felt that he should get what he deserves and be deported. Eddies opinion about Rodolfo is made perfectly clear in this scene. He says to Alfieri what it is he thinks of him and his actions. The most prominent opinion is that he aint right, implying that Rodolfo is a homosexual and that the only reason he is marrying Catherine is in fact to get his American citizenship papers. This opinion has not just been made clear in this seen though. Throughout the play we see Eddie making comments to other characters about Rodolfos sexual orientation, such as when he is complaining about how late Catherine and Rodolfos date has taken, he says to Beatrice that he just hope[s] thats his regular hair, thats all. In the 1930s, it was not very common for males to get their hair coloured, so if a man did then it was considered that there was something nor right about them. Another opinion is that even if hes a punk he should still let Catherine go and wish her luck. If Eddie were to do this, then he would not forgive himself and regret it for the rest of his life. This is why Eddie never gives up in his fight to keep Catherine for himself. The opening of Act Two highlights the extent to which Catherine and Eddies relationship has deteriorated and how painful this is for Catherine. We are first presented with this when Catherine gives into Rodolfos emotional prompts and she tells him why she wants to move to Italy. She says to Rodolfo, Im afraid of Eddie here. This is the first time throughout the entire play that Catherine has admitted to being scared of Eddie, because she knows how angry she is at Rodolfo for loving her, and also how jealous he is that he cant have her as his own. Even though she knows deep down why she is afraid of him, she doesnt tell Rodolfo why. She says, I dont know! and tries to get Rodolfo to leave the subject alone, however he refuses. We see how painful it is for Catherine that her relationship with Eddie has broken down when she speaks of their history, Ive been here all my life Every day I saw him when he left in the morning and when he came home at night. You think its easy to turn around and say to a man hes nothing to you no more? and eventually breaks down into a fit of tears. Eddie has been there for Catherine ever since her mother died when she was a little girl. Eddie has been like a father to her, providing for her every need and trying his best to show her what is right and what is wrong. It is especially hard for Catherine because she knows that it is Eddie who has broken down their once outstanding relationship because of his pure jealousy and incestuous lust. If she could have her own way, then they would still be friends like they once were, but it is now too late because Eddie has been blinded by jealousy, anger and perverted sexual urges. It is more painful for Catherine than anyone else because she knows that its not her fault that their relationship has broken down, and also that she could have done something to stop this from happening. Up to this position in the play, there has not been a point where Eddie has given into his violent urges and acted upon impulse towards Rodolfo and Catherine. However, the climax of increasing tension between the characters is shown when Eddie is possessed by his own rage and jealousy and his kisses both Catherine and Rodolfo. This shows us Eddie desperately trying to do two things the first of these (the kiss towards Catherine) is trying to see if she would respond positively towards him, possibly by kissing him back or not resisting, just to see if she still loved him, or even if she felt the same way towards him. However, when she forces him away from her, he directs his sexual attention to Rodolfo. The second thing that Eddie tries to do is show that Rodolfo is actually homosexual, and he thinks that by kissing him it will make him admit it. If he didnt admit it, then he would still kiss him back, which would also prove his sexual orientation. When Rodolfo does not return Eddies passion to him, he demands that he leave the country. Because Eddie cannot prove that Rodolfo doesnt feel loving feelings towards Catherine, he demands that he leaves the country alone (Get outa here. Alone. You hear me? Alone) as a final attempt to break him and Catherine apart.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Struggle for Self-Definition in Boys and Girls by Alice Munro Essay

The Struggle for Self-Definition in Boys and Girls  Ã‚   When we are adolescents we see the world through our parents' eyes.   We struggle to define ourselves within their world, or to even break away from their world.   Often, the birth of our "self" is defined in a moment of truth or a moment of heightened self-awareness that is the culmination of a group of events or the result of a life crisis or struggle.   In literature we refer to this birth of "self" as an epiphany.   Alice Munro writes in "Boys and Girls" about her own battle to define herself.   She is torn between the "inside" world of her mother and the "outside" world of her father.   In the beginning her father's world prevails, but by the finale, her mother's world invades her heart. Although the transformation is not complete, she begins to understand and define her "self-hood." Alice Munro's "Boys and Girls" immerses us into the rural country-side of Jubilee, Ontario, Canada, and into the life of an eleven year-old tom-boy.   The story unfolds how she struggles to become herself while growing up on her parents' farm.   Her father raises silver foxes for the family's meager source of income as her mother cares for their home.   Let us first look at the world she is enthralled with at the start of her narrative. Initially, Father is her world.   As she helps him care for the foxes, she does not call him Daddy; she calls him Father.   The name Father commands respect and formality.   Munro writes, ". . . I was shy of him and would never ask him questions.   Nevertheless I worked willing under his eyes, and with a feeling of pride" (112).   Although eager and happy to spend time with her father, Munro reveals here that she does not have a close relationship with her fath... ...earning from her mother, she will define herself as well.   Indeed, it is not easy growing up.   It is painfully hard to defy the person that you most admire, in this case her father.   But at some point in our young lives we must break free from the conformity of our parents' world in order to give birth to our "self."   This is what Alice Munro shows us through "Boys and Girls." Works Cited and Consulted Carscallen, James. The Other Country: Patterns in the Writing of Alice Munro. Toronto: ecw 1993 Heble, Ajay. The Tumble of Reason: Alice Munro's Discourse of Absence. Toronto: University of Toronto Press 1994 Munro, Alice. "Boys and Girls." The Norton Introduction to Literature. Eds. Carl E. Bain, Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter. 6th ed. New York: Norton, 1995. Martin, W.R. Alice Munro: Paradox and Parallel. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press 1987

Monday, November 11, 2019

Odyssey Review/Essay Questions Essay

1.What aspects of social and political life in Homeric times are reflected in the â€Å"Odyssey†? =The aspects in the social and political life in Homeric times that are reflected in the Odyssey are the leadership and hierarchy. These are depicted by kings, warriors and peasants who sometimes live un-heroic simple life.Other than that it shows the culture of the Greeks wherein if you will court a lady,you should bring gifts. 2.What is the purpose of the many allusion to the legend about the homecoming of Agamememnon? =Agamemnon had an unhappy homecoming. He was either blown off course and landed in the country of Aegisthos, or he came home to his own land to find Aegisthuswaiting for him. In either case, Aegisthus had become the lover of Clytemnestra, and the two together murdered Agamemnon and Cassandra shortly after their arrival. Aegisthus and Clytemnestra then ruled Agamemnon’s kingdom, but were eventually killed by Agamemnon’s son, Orestes (or by Orestes and Electra in some accounts). The homecoming of Agamemnon and its aftermath were favorite subjects for Greek tragedy.Basically, his unhappy homecoming was used to foretell the possibly unhappy homecoming awaiting the unhappy hero Odysseyus, although his wife does not marry any of the suitors, and his homecoming ends up being a relatively happy one. 3.What outstanding personal qualities enable Odysseus to survive all his dangerous adventures and to surmount all obstacles to return home safely and regain his old staus? = The outstanding qualities that I think Odysseus had were that he was his intelligence, his strength, and he was very caring. His best quality is that he is very intelligent. He is able to use his mind to find solutions to problems, outsmart people, and to just use his mind for many different problems. For example when the Cyclops asked Odysseus what his name was and he replied by saying, â€Å"Nobody†. And so when Odysseus poked the Cyclops with the sharp blade and he started screaming the other Cyclopes’ asked him who was hurting him and he replied, â€Å"Nobody is hurting me†, so they just ignored him. Another of his Odysseus’ outstanding qualities was his strength. This helped him in war and to build supplies. The last of his outstanding qualities was his caring towards his crew. He tried to keep all of them safe as long as he could. He really cared for his crew and he was devastated when his crew got killed. These were his best qualities. 4.What are some Odysseus’ weaknesses? =Odysseus’ greatest weakness is his pride. Although pride can be a good thing, he is claimed to possess too much of it. This is shown in an act of hubris in book nine of the Odyssey, when Odysseus taunts the Cyclops Polyphemus after blinding him, which leads Odysseus to be cursed by Poseidon. =Odysseus curiousity could also be considered a weakness. On the island of the Cyclopes, Odysseus fell into temptation to stay in the Cyclopes’s cave to see what the Cyclopes looked like (Polyphemus). This left 6 of his men dead. 5.What is the significance of the blind bard,Demodecus,who entertains at the banquets of King Alcinous to historians? =In the Odyssey by Homer, Demodocus is a poet who often visits the court of Alcinous, king of the Phaeacians on the island of Scherie. DuringOdysseus’ stay on Scherie, Demodocus performs three narrative songs.In short Demodocus represents Homer in the story. 6.What role does Athena play in the Odyssey?Why is she often considered its main female character? =Athena is the patroness of Odysseus or most of all she loves his mind. Odysseus is a character that solves his difficulties not through strength or other god given talent he takes his time and thinks the problem through because Athena is a goddess of wisdom she would be partial to a hero like odysseus. =Athena is considered the main female character in Homer’s Odyssey is because Athena is always mentioned by Homer divinely intervening with Odysseus’ path e.g. Athena asks Zeus to release Odysseus from Calypso’s island of Ogygia and so he sends Hermes to order Calypso in Book 6, Athena is the reason both Odysseus and Nausicaa cross paths by the river bed. 7.What does the dramatic climax of Odyssey take place?Is this before or after reunion of Odysseus and Penelope?Why? =In my understanding each book contais different dramatic climax but for me I have some examples of it like when he finally reveals that he isn’t a beggar like Athena disguised him to be but rather Odysseus that has returned.The day that he killed all the suitors.The day that all his men died and so many more. 8.Who is Odysseus’s enemy and why? =I believe it was indeed Poseidon. The reason being that he blinded the Cyclops (Polyphemus).The story went that, while they were on the island,Odysseus named himself â€Å"Nobody† so that when the Cyclops yelled for help, he claimed that â€Å"Nobody† had blinded him, making his comrades think it was a punishment from the gods. Odysseus’s mistake was to call back from his retreating ship his true name. The Cyclops was the of Poseidon, who sought revenge. =Other enemies are the suitors of Penelope.The suitors wanted to get Odysseus’ throne of becoming king of Ithaca and became powerful. 9.What is Telemachus’ problem? =He hasn’t seen his father in 20 years,since the day of his birth.He was confident enough the his father is still alive and also the suitors are eating up his father’s land and want to marry his mother. 10.Why is Odysseus’ choice to raid the land of the Cicones,Ismaerus.a bad choice? What impression do you get of Odysseus from this encounter? = Odysseus and his men sack the city of Ismarus, kill many of the men and take their wives and booty, which include wine, money, and sheep. Odysseus spares Maron, a priest of apollo, who gives him much concentrated wine, 7 talents of gold, and a bowl of silver. Odysseus tells his men to return to the ship, but they do not obey, instead reveling in their spoils. Meanwhile, some of the Cicones had escaped and warned their brothers who brought many troops with chariots to fight off the Greeks. They end up killing about 70 men, (6 from each ship), before Odysseus and his men retreat. Odysseus’s ship was blown off onto an island that had a cyclops that Odysseus made blind by ramming a hot log into the cyclops’ eye. He also escaped punishment from Poseidon the Cyclops’ father by claiming that he was Nobody.It is bad enough to do such things for your survival. 11.What do you think is Odysseus’ worst action of his wanderings and why? =Odysseus worst action of his wanderings is when he was in One-eye Cyclopes’ island. It is because aside from he hurt Polyphemus’ eye, he made a wrong move that prolonged his voyage back to Ithaca. Though he just made it because he wants to escape in Polyphemus cave, still his pride leads them into their long journey back home. When Odysseus and his men are clearly safe away from the island, Odysseus brags about his exploit. He shouts his name and unwisely gave away his identity to Polyphemus. With that Polyphemus called upon his father, Poseidon, to punish the man who had harmed him. That incident hurt Odysseus more than losing a few men, because Poseidon made his travel home longer than he expected. He faces different struggles which brought them into danger and sad to say, he is the only one left because his men died. Nonetheless, Odysseus survived all that happened to him. His courage, wits, and endurance enabled him to come through each and every difficulty and arrive home safely. After 2 decades of being away from Ithaca and longing for his wife and son, Goddess Athena let him go back to his home and be with his wife and son. 12.Why is the â€Å"Odyssey† a story read by so many after years and years? = I think it’s because the Odyssey is almost a template that sets up our lives today. In this piece of literature, the Greeks value so much on good hospitality, which is important in our society. Everything can lead back to the Odyssey. Our tendon is called the Achilles Tendon – linking back to a great hero who fought in the Trojan War, some lyrics were inspired and taken from the Odyssey, Apollo 13 is taken on from Odyssey. =Also, a lot of characters take up after the Odyssey. Think about the characteristics Odysseus have and compare them to the characters our heroes in our society have. What are the similarities and differences? Even our damsel in distress is inspired by Penelope. Of course the sirens, the goddesses are all a template of how our female characters should be.The Odyssey marks the beginning of a lot of things, and it’s also a great story to read. 13.Why is Odysseus looked to as a powerful representation of the mythic hero? =because he was very brave and a good leader. He helped his men escape many situations including the cyclops. he has all the qulities of a hero. He slept with Circe so that his men would be turned back into humans. He made many sacrifices to help those in need.Being a hero comes with great responsibilities and duties.You will do anything just to make your countrymen happy. 14.In what ways are the â€Å"Iliad† and the â€Å"Odyssey† similar?In what way do they differ? Similarities: – Both are attributed to Homer. – Both begin with an evocation of the Muse. – They both take place over the course of 10 years. – They both begin in medias res, or in the middle of things. The Iliad opens up in the last couple weeks of the final year of the war ; the Odyssey opens up with Telemachus searching for news of his father, and then we first learn of Odysseus through flashbacks while he is being held captive by Calypso–which was actually around the middle of his journey. – They both use dactylic hexameter. – Many of the same characters can be found in both poems. Differences: The Iliad is about a 10-year war fought between the Achaeans (Greeks) and the Trojans; the Odyssey is about the 20-year journey home of the hero Odysseus after the Trojan War. – Achilles is one of the leading characters in the Iliad; Odysseus is the leading character in the Odyssey. – The Iliad is a poem telling the tale of many (Achilles, Hector, the gods, etc.), while the Odyssey is primarily the tale of Odysseus. – Menis, or the wrath of Achilles, is the main focal point and one of several themes in the Iliad; Nostos, or homecoming, is the main focal point and one of several themes in the Odyssey. – In the Iliad, the gods are portrayed as pretty deceptive, temperamental, backstabbing gods; there’s a lot of sneaking around behind each other’s backs to aid one side over the other (Hera wanted the Achaeans to be triumphant, but Zeus tried to remain neutral), several of the gods conspired to put Zeus to sleep so they could help the Achaeans win, and the battlefield is essentially one giant chess board for them, with mortals as their pawns. In the Odyssey, the gods seem a little more benevolent (Athena supports Odysseus and tries to assist him whenever she can, and they all –except Poseidon–would like to see Odysseus return to Ithaca) and they seem more unified and civil in their views on how things (particularly Odysseus making it home) should be handled. Even though Athena was Odysseus staunchest supporter, she did not try to retaliate against Poseidon when he made Odysseus’ journey all the harder and even longer. – In the Iliad, the gods were more actively involved in the affairs of mortals than they were in the Odyssey. In fact, there were numerous occasions where they actually took human form so they could go out onto the battlefield. In the Odyssey, there was little intervention, and usually only when it was asked for. – The Iliad takes place in one location: Troy; in the Odyssey, Odysseus visits numerous places in his journey home. 15.Explain how Homer uses chronology in telling the story of Odysseus? =There’s a difference between the chronological order of events in the movie and in the story.In the movie it started the day that Telemachus was born and Odysseus was invited to fight in the war.After the war ,his journey in sailing home have begun in sailing different islands and places like the One-eyed giants cave,Meeting the master of the wind,Land of the bewitching queen,Visit to the underworld,Island of temptation,Calypso’s kingdom and landing to the Island of Scheria,home of the Phaeacians.In the movie there were no flashbacks or throwbacks.The events were continuous unlike in the book the past events were told when Odysseus arrived at Scheria and told all his journeys and trials.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Gerry Conway – American Entrepreneur

Gerry Conway was the classic American entrepreneur – visionary, charismatic, driven, impatient, and impending. Born in Cleveland in 1931, Conway was the ninth of 13 children. His love of the retail environment, his strong interdependence, and his deep appreciation of people appreciation of people stemmed from his childhood experience: claiming that he has been in retail for over 60 years, working at some of his fathers 200 food stores. After college, Conway and his wife, Marty, returned to Cleveland. He began working for an industrial firm and quickly learned that, while sales attracted him, working in a large corporation did not.After working at some small firms, Conway decided to found his own company, Gerald A. Conway & Associates, being display-printing broker. One day, a colleague suggested that he sell the plastic parts that retailers used to display signs as part of his printing broker business. The advantage of selling accessories was that he could sell the same produc t to many companies simultaneously, which was not possible in display printing, for which each printing job was customized. An early product idea was the Arrowhead fastener, which was designed to hold coupons and signs on store shelves.It was a best seller from the start. During this time though, Conway had struggles with alcohol, stating that it was a problem, but through a self-help program he chose sobriety and regained focus in his life. The following year, his first year sober, his income shot up by about 35 percent-a direct correlation. He celebrated the event saying that was a significant event in the business and for his family. In the mid 1970s, now sober, Gerald Conway and Associates was renamed Fasteners for Retail (FFr) to acknowledge its exclusive focus on display accessories and fasteners within the point-of-purchase industry.The P-O-P product includes signs, displays, devices, and structures that are used to merchandise services or products in retail stores. The acces sory hardware segment was highly fragmented. No single supplier had more than 10 percent of the sub supplier market, and many competed in only a few product categories. FFr was the largest company in this niche, with a market share of approximately 7. 5 percent. The company distinguished itself from its competitors in several important ways. It offered a broad and innovative product line, free samples, quick turnaround on orders, and a liberal sales return policy.The willingness to emphasize new products also became a defining characteristic for the business. While the company’s early expansion began with imported Swedish design accessories, the product line grew because of Conway’s creativity and dissatisfaction with status quo. Two products in particular, the Shipflat literature holder and SuperGrip sign holders, were critical to FFr’s success in the early 1980’s. In the 1980s, FFr grew consistently and at a steady pace, having five employees and sales of $3 million. As stated above, business began to boom as a result of a expanding product line and larger sales force.The company grew steadily, adding employees in accounting, customer service, product design, and marketing. Its opportunistic philosophy supported the company’s growth. The business was always profitable, there was no debt, and the company never got tied up in long-term commitments. Production and most warehousing were subcontracted, and office space was leased. The company made quick decisions, and arrangements with vendors were frequently based on handshakes. The flipside of FFr’s opportunism and speed was that it lacked a business plan and strategic discipline.To keep the company growing, Conway realized that he needed to hire a president with managerial expertise. Although he understood the value of management, he was an entrepreneur, not a traditional manager. The company went through several presidents. FFr, for a time, was a company with an organ izational chart but not a lot of organization. That changed in the late 1990’s. In the early 1990’s, Conway and his wife, Marty, joined Case Western Reserve University’s Partnership for Family Business. This led to Conway realizing the importance for such things as an advisory board, which was made up of four independent current and former company CEOs.It also led Conway to begin thinking of the furture of the company, and the possibility of passing it down to one of his sons. Family involvement in the company began in the 1970s, when the Conway children earned extra money by putting adhesive on the back of Arrowhead fasteners. They had all done odd jobs for FFr, but of the seven children only three worked in the business as adults. Kevin, the eldest, joined in the early 1980s and became an outstanding salesman, Paul, the youngest, eventually became the international sales manager, and Neil, the fourth son, was diagnosed with schizophrenia in college and found w ork in the warehouse.Out of the three sons, Paul was seen as the most serious contender, but after some time in the company and deliberation, he decided that being CEO was not for him and went on to become a teacher. Now Gerry was left with a huge predicament. Kevin was out of the picture, his son Stuart had, long ago; decided that he didn’t want the responsibility. None of the kids were interested. Gerry’s problem was not only his lack of succession planning, but also his lack of retirement planning. He had done some retirement planning but the demands of running a business didn’t leave him time to establish an actual plan.So where does this leave Gerry, his company, and his family’s future? (Source: Poza PG 141-155) My first step of advice for Mr. Conway would be to take step a back. Even though he is experiencing a very rough time right now with his succession planning, it is very important to note what he has done for the company and his family. He ha s managed to start up a successful business in which his family is involved and with net sales in the millions. He also made sure that he set up certain things like an advisory board for the company, which was made up of his son, brother, and two independent CEO owners.He and his wife also made family meetings a regular event for everyone to gather at. They even went so far to go over their estate plan to make sure that their children gained a substantial amount of value from FFr over their lifetime. These are all great things that Gerry and Marty did for the family business and they should be recognized. After taking some time to admire their contributions to the company, its time to move on to the next step and tackle the problems head on. Gerry needs someone to take over the company, and his kids were not an option.After reading the case several times though, I determined that there was someone that Gerry could entrust with the company, his chief advisor and wife Marty. Marty pla yed a very pivotal role in the company, being a person who signed the checks and overlooked the company’s finances. She also had a public role at company functions and was a people booster. She played a more significant role behind the scenes, supporting Gerry as he considered important business changes, such as handling over administrative reins or making personal changes.Both family members and outsiders described Marty as the glue that worked behind the scenes to hold the family together through the predictable challenges that families who work together faced. (Source Poza PG 154) Marty seems more than qualified to take control of business, which would also give Gerry time to iron out his retirement plan. This would also give Gerry the opportunity to have another talk with his son Paul about running the company. The text states that Gerry was a loner in the way that he ran his business.Paul may not have realized that he could do the job differently- probably in a more dece ntralized and collaborative way. (Source: Poza PG 154) I feel that it is crucial that Gerry makes Paul realize that if he decided to be CEO he can take a different approach to running the company, his own. He could run the company and instill the values that he thinks is important into it. After realizing this and the possible opportunity that he his passing up, not only for himself but also his future family, he will have to at least reconsider his father’s offer and most likely come back to work for the company.If this still does not work, Gerry is left with the option of finding someone else in the family to run the company, find a trusted family friend to run the company, or sell it all together. In conclusion, Gerry Conway has managed to take his company Fasteners for Retail and turn it into a huge family company. He had been with so much with the company and realized that it was coming to the time to pass it on. He tried passing it on to his children, but he failed in a ll his attempts. Now left with little time and money, Gerry needed someone to run his company. I felt that the answer came in his wife, Marty.She was his chief advisor at the company and new how to read all the financial data associated with it. Family members and outsiders alike referred to her as the glue that held the company together. With her running the company, it would allow for Gerry to manage all his retirement issues and give his talk with son Paul another shot. After making Paul realize the opportunities that he is passing up, I am sure he will come back to the company and began work. References Poza, Ernesto J. , 2007. Famly Business Third Edition. South Western Cengage Learning 5191 Natorp Boulevard. Mason, Ohio 45040, USA.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

In Othello Shakespeare explores the nature of social prejudice Essay Example

In Othello Shakespeare explores the nature of social prejudice Essay Example In Othello Shakespeare explores the nature of social prejudice Paper In Othello Shakespeare explores the nature of social prejudice Paper Although Shakespeare does display the unusual trait of empathy towards societys outcasts; most of society at that time was plagued by social prejudice. However, prejudice in itself is a loose term for it simply refers to bigotry. Thus, it provides a rather extensive category to examine, for instance, in Othello racism is the most prevalent form of prejudice, yet misogyny and intellectual prejudice is also apparent. Instead, its the social aspect of the phrase that narrows the focus down a little as now it is apparent that the prejudice is not confined to any particular person, the problem being of course, that the only way for Shakespeare to portray such prejudices is through the medium of individuals. Those with a higher status within society are generally perceived to be those who are the most cautious with their views, yet Brabantio demonstrates no notion of restraint when Othello enchants Desdemona and marries her. In fact, Brabantios prejudices are conveyed in quite a brazen and passionate manner as he contrasts the thief of Othello with the delicate youth of Desdemona. Through this contrasting imagery, Shakespeare highlights that Brabantio believes Othello to be at fault and given rational mind, Desdemona would never have opted for marriage. This is quite an emphatic demonstration of racism, as Brabantio clearly believes that Othello stole Desdemona as opposed to Desdemona mutually agreeing to the marriage, a concept that is further emphasised by the constant references to the chains of magic that were used be Othello to capture his victim. In Shakespearian times, it was feared that Africans held the power of black magic and had the ability to manipulate the world around them, therefore Shakespeare here just utilises a common stereotype to engage the audience (at that time) with Brabantios viewpoint. Brabantio even goes as far as labelling Othello as an abuser of the world thus implicating him with crimes beyond what he has apparently committed towards his daughter. This perception is of course, completely irrational and perhaps fuelled slightly by the abruptness of the marriage, although that is not really an excuse given the fact that Brabantio, loved me [Othello], oft invited me, which shows that Brabantio has no qualms with Othellos personality, meaning that the only true reasoning behind his abhorrence towards the marriage is the colour of Othellos skin. However, Brabantio takes the racism one step beyond the realms of stereotypical racism, he actually denounces Othellos status in full: Of such a thing as thou Brabantio goes from despising the values that Othellos skin colour stands for, to not even perceiving Othello as human. Whilst Desdemona is placed on a pedestal as a maid so tender, fair, and happy, Othello is no longer recognised as being in the same world as Desdemona. Instead, by being dehumanised, Othello is released of all the characteristics present in a human and thus, capable of even greater evil. This of course, suits Brabantios bigoted view of Othello and provides Brabantio with an excuse to further condemn the sham of a marriage and disregard it as the iniquitous works of a sub-human being as opposed to a human capable of caring for his daughter. Shakespeare further embellishes this already extreme prejudice by the tone of Brabantio. The contrast between the calm and measured style of Othello and the angry hysterics of Brabantio is striking, and effectively portrays Othello as the rational and approachable character, whilst highlighting the lunacy that can so often accompany prejudice through the depiction of Brabantio and his frenzied speech. Christopher Wilson wrote how the use of commas in fact serves to increase the pace of Brabantios speech and thus, intensify the passion and anger that guides him through his thought processes. I therefore apprehend and do attach thee Brabantio has now taken it upon himself to act as the judge and the jury. Here the social aspect of social prejudice is being shown as it could be construed as a subtle dig by Shakespeare towards how societys governed by the prejudice. Considering the rational judgement of the Duke later though, this seems rather unlikely. Instead, Shakespeare could merely be emphasising how these views are unfortunately representative of society as a whole at that time, and thus, the prejudice becomes a social prejudice as opposed to just the execrable bigotry of an individual. To vouch this is no proof The Duke, who is the true figure of authority, puts Brabantio in his place by establishing the need for proof. This shows the Duke as an impartial and deliberative man, someone who is not swayed by emotional propaganda, but bases his views on the facts that are put in front of him. Consequently, he is able to detach himself from the emotional mania that is fuelled by Brabantio and delivers a verdict that is free of prejudice (free of his own prejudice and the prejudice that has been encouraged by other characters). The fact that the Duke is the figure of authority could also be argued as demonstrating the lack of social prejudice for in the end, society (epitomised by the Duke) acts in a rational and composed manner, proving that the prejudices of the individual is ultimately futile. In addition to all this, there is another form of prejudice present in the scene besides that of racism. Misogyny is highlighted by the absence of a womans voice, in other words, the absence of Desdemona. It is perhaps little surprise to find that the person who does eventually ask for a womans input is that of the accused, the man who is the actual victim of prejudice in Othello. I do beseech you send for the lady to the Sagittary, up until this point, the notion of asking for Desdemonas version of events has not even been considered. This is perhaps indicative of the role of women in society back then, where they were secondary to men and thus, were not considered to be useful when dealing with issues such as this one, despite being involved. This is Shakespeare depicting prejudice subtly, for nothing is actually said that is specifically derogatory towards women, but the absence of women does highlight the arrogance of men in society as well as showing that the most objective people were often the victims of prejudice themselves, like Othello in this instance. Tis such another fitchew! Marry a perfumed one. Another prejudice is present here as Bianca is regarded with contempt by Cassio, the very person who she sleeps with. Prostitutes have always had a lower status in society for the sordid lives that they lead. No one in Othello appears to be quite as poorly regarded as Bianca as highlighted by the fact that even Emilia berates Bianca. Biancas wish appears to be to marry Cassio, yet he does not even consider the possibility. Furthermore, Cassio refers to Bianca as a fitchew, which conjures up the image of a polecat, which is widely known for its rank odour and lechery. In addition to this, Cassio states how Bianca is haunting him, something which creates the unsavoury image of a stalker and compliments the bestial image of a fitchew. This is clearly a blatant use of hyperbole on Cassios part, although it is successful in emphasising the derision that Bianca is regarded with, and thus accentuating the prejudice in society towards prostitutes. Unfortunately, this sort of prejudice has not improved by much throughout the years, although a modern audience is more likely to sympathise with Bianca than a Shakespearian audience. The most flagrant display of prejudices, somewhat ironically, comes from the subtlety of Iagos persuasive approach. The purveyor of the injustice in the play is unsurprisingly the centre of the prejudice too, yet unlike Brabantio, Cassio or the others, he usually demonstrates this in a far more subtle way (apart from when referring to Othello as a barbary horse and other equally detestable images that were created to convince Brabantio of Othellos guilt). I would not have your free and noble nature out of self-bounty, be abused. Although not a direct indication of prejudice as it as an example of Iago flattering Othello, it still shows the contempt with which Iago regards Othello. Previously, Iago had alluded to Othello as free and open, in other words, gullible. Yet, he now uses it to flatter him and it allows him to lead on and remind Othello of his foreign heritage (I know our country disposition well. ) Othello obviously believes that Iago is doing this in his best interests, yet all these references have the undertones of prejudice. They all reflect what Iago had earlier said about Othello, albeit in a different context, and in my view, they thus represent a less blatant form of racism. Of course, the clearest forms of prejudice come when Iago confronts Brabantio about the truth; however, Shakespeare draws many parallels in what Iago says in that encounter and what he now says to Othello (but in a more subtle way). The fact that Othello begins to speak in a similar fashion to Iago and occasionally resorts to bestial imagery shows that Iagos prejudice is slightly contagious and could serve as a plague to society. Furthermore, Iago further displays prejudice views in his misogynistic attitude, which is especially displayed in his treatment of Emilia. To have a foolish wife is a hurtful enough comment to say in the privacy of the home, but to proclaim it in front of a small crowd is even more humiliating for Emilia. This unashamed display of deprecation is indicative of misogynistic views that Iago seemingly holds. Some critics actually support this interpretation as Iago is perceived by some in the literary community, to in fact be gay. There is no direct evidence to support this idea, but when, for example, Iago describes his dream about Cassio and Desdemona, there is some quite explicit images about Cassio, which perhaps suggest homosexual undertones. The greatest victim in the play is not Othello, but Desdemona. After all, she is the victim of a maliciously devious plot from Iago to destroy her life and the man she holds dearest to her. If anyone could be excused for being prejudice, it is arguably Desdemona. However, even when her trust has been betrayed and she has been murdered by her own husband, she still refuses to implicate Othello in the crime: Commend me to my kind lord. She is offered the opportunity to ensure that justice is served, but such is the compassion and love of her heart, she instead absolves him of his crimes. Of course, in reality such purity is an unrealistic expectation in life for no one can be that free of prejudice as to be able to forgive a person for such a large act of betrayal. Some critics have even interpreted this in a religious fashion by comparing Desdemona to Jesus as in death, Jesus forgives mankind for its sins, just as in death, Desdemona forgives Othello of his sins. Jesus is the only figure comparable to Desdemona for he too consistently acts in a caring manner, yet it could be argued that by preaching a doctrine that condemns sinners to hell, he is in effect, guilty of some form of prejudice. Thus, although I find it a little tenuous, it could be construed that Desdemona epitomises purity in its absolute form, in its most religiously clean form (her only act of lying, which admittedly is a sin, is to cleanse the soul of another through forgiveness). However, this interpretation also highlights the uniqueness of Desdemonas character. Due to her unparalleled lack of prejudice, Desdemona cannot be perceived as representing social prejudices but instead acting as a beacon against it. She is clearly an exception to society rather than the norm in society and by effectively symbolising the exact opposite of social prejudices, she highlights the fact that social prejudice is in fact present. Overall, there is little doubting that prejudice is rife in Othello and it is demonstrated by the language of several characters (Brabantio when speaking to Othello, Cassio when speaking about Bianca and Iago about almost every other character in the play). The social aspect of these prejudices is further emphasised by the use of common stereotypes at that time as well as the prevalence of prejudice in characters and also, the use of Brabantios status in society to show that the tendency of those in power to be driven by their attitudes. However, through the depiction of the Dukes calm resolve, the union of two races, and also Desdemonas incredible purity, Shakespeare does highlight that society is not solely governed by prejudice and also shows that it is possible for individuals to hold rational views separate from that of social prejudices.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

These technology trends are changing retail HR practices -TheJobNetwork

These technology trends are changing retail HR practices -TheJobNetwork As a consumer, you’ve probably noticed how tech is creeping into the way we shop every day. Discount codes and sale notifications mysteriously appear in your inbox as soon as you get close to the store (â€Å"Well, I’m in the neighborhood anyway†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Customer service happens at the speed of a Tweet. Automated checkout kiosks keep the line moving. There’s no question that retail is an industry that has embraced the digital. But what about behind the scenes, in the back rooms and offices? Retailers are increasingly relying on high-tech HR solutions for their employees as well.Paperless hiringWith a high employee turnover rate, retail HR can create a never-ending blizzard of paperwork, as you probably know all too well. Intake forms, training manuals, performance management docs†¦those add up for a large, and likely ever-changing staff. Putting application systems online (like directing potential hires to a computer kiosk or an online portal to comp lete the application process) doesn’t just save you money on your file cabinet budget. It can speed up the time to hire, with fewer touchpoints between the candidate’s information and who needs to review it. Putting new employee orientation and training materials online also creates a more efficient pipeline, with information perennially ready to go and accessible.Keeping applicant metrics all in one place also improves your hiring process, weeding out candidates with weak skills and identifying strong potential applicants by comparing them to an existing pool of data. Automating applicant review (even to a small extent) can also help minimize bias in the hiring process by adding blind review steps.Digital performance managementDigital performance management programs can consolidate all of that work (and information) in one place- making it more efficient to manage employee data, and also giving you more actionable info in one place. This gives you visibility into the information that can help drive retention, development, and promotion. Having all of an employee’s information in one single profile can mitigate work issues or skill gaps before they become a significant problem, or help identify when an employee is ready to be groomed for the next steps.Having the process more automated and user-friendly also allows for more checkpoints between employees and management, and gives real-time information about employee engagement, morale, etc. It used to be that performance reviews and two-way feedback were rare in retail, but performance management platforms close that gap and make the communication easier.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});Daily employee engagement and feedbackHaving a system for clocking employees in and out is hardly novel in retail, but having a digital platform for employees to give feedback about their day, or pass along information for the next shift, is relatively new. Automated schedu ling programs (typically used as part of a larger HR software suite) serve the main purpose of tracking employee time and creating schedules, but also expand an employee’s voice. Whether it’s asking employees to verify that something specific was completed before they leave, or leaving an open text field for direct feedback, these programs can collect more nuanced data than â€Å"Steve was here for 8 hours.† It gives the back office even more real-time insight into how employees are feeling, what their days are like, and other metrics that can be used to improve employee morale and retention.Digital tools give HR departments much more leeway in managing employees, and building stronger communication between the sales floor and the corporate life backstage. Integrating systems and software into everyday employee interactions increases efficiency, while also improving employee relations.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

The Effects Of The Likely Food Security Problems For Society In Africa Essay

The Effects Of The Likely Food Security Problems For Society In Africa - Essay Example What is most significant here is the belief that the world needs to step ahead as a collective unit and make its voice get heard so that sanity could prevail within the related ranks. The two world regions chosen here are of Africa and South Asia where food insecurity is more common than anywhere else on this globe. Within Africa, the aspect of food security seems more like an epidemic than anything else. This is because Africa is one of the most backward continents in the world. There is food deprivation of sorts that is existent within this continent. The countries are doing little to do away with the pressing matters that have remained for the longest time. The governments of the African nations are also not willing to go one step ahead and proceed with forming rules and regulations through which their own populations could be given the free rein that they richly deserve. In essence, Africa is lagging far behind in the race to achieve food security than any other region or contine nt in the world. The reason why Africa lacks in this department is because there is unequal distribution of resources within the continent. People are not being fed in an equal manner as there are a lot of diseases which have come to the fore. Some believe this is due to the hot climate where half of Africa is situated on the equator, while others believe this is due to lack of commitment by the world’s most developed nations, who are doing little or absolutely nothing to thwart such a situation from coming to its domains in the first place (Williams, 2002). Some African nations like South Africa are apt at providing equal distribution of food to its citizens but a number of other nations like Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, etc. lag far behind. Some drastic steps are required to take care of these problems in a head on manner. Within South Asia, the aspect of food security comes to the reckoning because there is huge population within the region and hence the gove rnments are unable to cope up with the resources that are available at their disposal. India is one such example where people find it hard to get hold of the food for their daily needs. It is poor to one extent that it is unable to meet the expectations of millions of people on a regular basis (Thakur, 2004). Much needs to be done within South Asia because the population is increasing at a rapid rate and there seems to be no alternate course available to curtail the problems at hand. The reason why South Asia lags far behind in the race to reach the top is because the people do not know what to do. Also their governments are not ready to give them what they direly require – food (Ingco, 2003). One of the more significant reasons behind this debacle lies in the fact that the unequal distribution of food is between the rich and the poor, living together within this region of the world. Solid steps need to be taken to do away with the varied problems that South Asia is facing at the moment, and the role of the government within such concerns is of a magnanimous one. Conclusion In the end, one should believe that both Africa and South Asia are running head to head as far as unequal distribution of food realms are concerned. The reason for this lies on the head of the people who are running these related affairs (Wyk, 2001). Much needs to be done and that too quickly because South Asia has a pressing problem of inflating population, which is widespread in nearly all