Sarah Osorio 802 Essays - Demography, Geography Of The United States

Sarah Osorio 802 Immigration In the 1800's, there was a new wave of immigration that changed people's lives forever. Some for the better and some for the worst. They faced many difficulties on their journey to America. For example, if you weren't rich, you had to sit in the worst possible part of the ship in which you were coming, called steerage. Once here, you had to pass inspection to be let into America, and if you didn't pass you would be sent back to your country. Also, without family or a job, it would be difficult to live in the U.S., because you had no source of income or support. In the mid and late 1800's, there was a group of immigrants that we now know as "old immigrants". Most of them came from England, Germany, Ireland, and the countries in Scandinavia. The only Irish immigrants that chose to settle in rural areas, and become farmers or skilled workers instead, were the Roman Catholics. From about 1800-1860, immigrants from southern and eastern Europe came to America, and these were known as the "new immigrants". More than 5 million Czechs, Italians, Greeks, Hungarians, Poles, Russians, and Slovaks came to the U.S. for freedom and opportunity. Immigrants in the 1800's faced many hard times when coming to America, all so that they could have more freedom and better chances for them and their whole family. Most immigrants that traveled to America rode in the steerage of the ship. Which is the lowest point in the boat in which you could ride. Tickets to ride in the steerage were the least expensive, but since the immigrants were mostly poor, they were still pricey to them. The average steerage ticket costed about $30, depending on where you were coming from. The steerage of the ship was very uncomfortable, they were also hot and crowded since as many as 2,000 people could fit in there (http://www.ohranger.com/ellis-island/immigration-journey). They often slept in bunks that were stacked on top of each other, and the waves and crashing made some people on the boat seasick. Whatever symptoms they suffered from were dealt with in the area in which they were sleeping. Whether it was nausea or an upset stomach, everyone in the steerage section had to witness what the other passengers were suffering. Some passengers even died from illnesses they caught on the boat, it was common that the y died from diseases like typhus and yellow fever. The next part of their journey was getting through inspection at the immigration center depending on their race and financial status. Part of their inspection was questions about their name, their past health, and whether they had relatives in the United States already. Immigrants needed about $25.00 to enter the United States. This was difficult because if they had a disease that was incurable then, they would either be sent to the hospital, back to their country, or kept quarantined for lesser illness . Ellis Island was the busiest immigration center in the east coast. Less than 2% of people that came to Ellis Island weren't allowed into America. Immigrants that were coming to America from Asia entered through Angel Island. Immigrants were expected by American society to learn a new language, and find a new home and job if they wanted to survive and fit in, in America. It helped them if they already had family in the US because they would have someone to help them with all the responsibilities that came with living here, such as finding a job and home. When an immigrant came to America, they usually moved into neighborhoods with people from the same country as them. These were called immigrant neighborhoods. This allowed them to speak the same language and follow the same customs as they did in their own country, so it felt a little more like home, and not so much like it was a whole new beginning. A lot of these immigrants would become criminals because of the ease of making money through crime. It seemed that every nationality would organize a group that would control the crime in their particular neighborhoods. However, there were just as many immigrants that would create

history of gm essays

history of gm essays Drinking and Driving is dangerous to yourself and others around you. Alcohol is a depressant; it impairs your ability to drive, slows down your reaction time and causes you to make some risky decisions that you wouldn't normally take. The penalty for Drinking and Driving is driving Under the Influence (DUI). If your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) registers over .08, which is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, you are After having one drink it takes approximately one hour for your body to burn off the alcohol. You can't depend on yourself to be able to drive after an hour because everyone processes alcohol differently and you might even feel the effects long after you've been drinking. Your BAC is based on; your bodyweight, how much you have had to drink, the amount of food you may have eaten before drinking, the length of time over which you have had alcohol, and the speed at which your own body processes alcohol (once again, everyone's is different). There is no way to make your body burn alcohol faster, eating food, drinking coffee, exercising, or taking a cold shower may make you feel better but they have no effect on your rate that alcohol is processed. The following drinks all contain about .5 oz of alcohol; 12 oz of beer, 4 oz of wine, 1 oz of 80 proof liquors. If you are under 21 in California it is also illegal to purchase alcohol or transport alcohol unless accompanied by someone of the age 21 or over. It is also illegal to drive with an open container of alcohol regardless of the age. Of course the penalty would be more severe if the driver is under 21.The penalty for Driving Under the influence can be any combination of the following; prison sentence, fine or license suspension. The penalties can be altered depending on how much you've been drinking, past history of drinking and driving, the amount of time between your past Driving Under...

The Student Motor Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Student Motor Company - Case Study Example Additionally, each and every individual’s personal moral principles and values also count. Social responsibility on the other hand is the obligation a business has as it aims at maximizing the positive impact of its activities and minimizing the negative impact its operation has on the society in general. Top level management in business today realize that ethical issues can no longer be applied in the context of administrative rules and regulations that must be adhered to and followed by everyone like in the past, it is indeed more than that. Ethics has transformed to become very crucial in determining the success of business with the heightened level of competition (Saviour, Nwachukwu, Faye & James 110). The ethical dilemma of The Student Motor Company The stakeholders of The Student Motor Company from the case study are the customers of the automobiles, the government regulators who come up with the numerous regulations managing the operations of the company and the industr y, various interest groups and the public in addition to each and every individual’s personal moral principles and values. ... Additionally, tests conducted on the automobile reveal that Zinger does not meet emission standards with a check on the EPA standards revealing that the need was to meet the requirements at the sale. Numerous studies further indicate that the customers were most likely to realize the fact that the Zinger pollutes beyond EPA standards after driving the automobile for a year or two. The tests results were forwarded to the highest level of the company management by Mr. Technical, a student motor company engineer. Tests conducted by student’s motor showed installation of the fuel tank above as opposed to behind the rear axle made the vehicle pass the 20-mile per hour rear impact test. Despite these concerns, and recommendations being made to the top management of the company, the company still went ahead to produce the Zinger informed by the fact that the automobile met all the applicable federal standards and compared on safety grounds to other similar cars being produced. Inform ed by this, I believe that the management of Student Motor Company is both morally and legally responsible for Mrs. Gray’s burn death. The responsibility of Student Motor Company for the emission standards for the Zinger My firm has both ethical and social responsibility to prevent known failure which may cause death. The firm is ethically responsible to the customers of Zinger, the government regulators and the numerous interest groups with interest on the firm like the shareholders, the suppliers and the employees. the firm are responsible for communicating to the customers any defects on the firms products that maybe detrimental to the health of the customers and

Write a critical commentary on the following document about the Lille Literature review

Write a critical commentary on the following document about the Lille to Paris Hunger March 18 November- 2 December 1933 - Literature review Example This study will therefore assess and help in noting down a viable commentary about The Lille to Paris Hunger March. The document seeks to expound on the problematic factors that contributed to this march. Mass unemployment pops up as the main reason contributing to the rise of the hunger march. It is also the main reason that sparked other protests in France, protests that occurred at different times in history, before and after the Lille to Paris Hunger March. This commentary is therefore posed to highlight on the pre and post-march periods, provide the main arguments and facts with evidence, and finally draw a conclusion of the important points that are pointed out in the document. The author of this document had in mind the urge to bring forth the intended message of history as regards the famous hunger march. The languages used are French and English though the former is used sparingly in the document (Perry, 2007). The document (Lille to Paris Hunger March) was written with the intention of providing information to Newcastle University students and other persons with the urge to know more about historical labour events in France and specifically, the 1933 Hunger march. The document is structured in such a way that one is able to highlight the sequence of events that took place prior to and after the famous 1933 hunger march. It is an explanatory kind of document where the causes, the actual hunger march event, and the repercussions of the march are clearly highlighted for easier understanding of what really transpired during that period in the history of France. In between the two world wars, France experienced four recessions that contributed heavily to a sharp increase in unemployment. The origins of this march lie with the success of the Saint-Nazaire to Nantes march that took place that same year (June 27-28 1933) and organized by the local CGT (Confà ©dà ©ration Gà ©nà ©rale du Travail [General Confederation of Labour]),and

Stock marketing and the great depression Movie Review - 1

Stock marketing and the great depression - Movie Review Example In this movie, it is revealed that the creators of this model were two Nobel Peace Prize winners in Economics in the year 1997. Through out this documentary, I was impressed by the manner in which the characters sought to highlight and build upon the key themes. For instance, these Nobel Prize winners are noted to have engaged the formula which seemed to have worked well for them until 1 year later when their Long Term Capital Management hedge fund collapsed thus, forcing them to stagger with a debt of $100 billion. In this regard, it is prudent to note that apart from all the speculations that have been aired regarding the same, the collapse was due to a significant leverage in the strategy which they employed. So basically, I noted that the whole concept in this documentary was about the failure of the Long Term Capital Management hedge fund in the year 1998. First, the movie started by describing the stock exchange market at that particular time in relation to the psychological views that were held by different traders of the same market. More particularly, I am impressed at this point by the argument of how traders sell in the market. For instance, the fearful ones are seen as rushing in to sell all their stocks, a clear contrast of the greedy buyers who rush in to buy and accumulate the same stocks for speculation purposes. Thus, this behavior depicts the market as one purely based on irrational emotion. In my view, this notes that should a trader be willing to walk the path of success in the market, he would need to master the public’s psychoanalysis opinion on the nature of the market. Through this, a trader can be able to correctly predict the market movements and benefit from them (Beaudreau 70). However, as the movie progresses, the notion above is greatly contrasted by the views of academicians who perceive the stock market as a random walk with no defined or precise method to predict its

Perceptions of Diversity in the Workforce

Perceptions of Diversity in the Workforce Introduction/Research Objectives: Diversity Management: Diversity Management has been defined as accepting that the workforce consists of diverse individuals. Diversity could be on the basis of work-style, age, background, sex, race, disability, personality (Kandola Fullerton, 1998). A productive environment could be created by embracing these differences where everyone is contributing at their highest potential and feel appreciated while they achieve company goals and objectives (Kandola Fullerton, 1998). Company Profile: The organisation for primary data collection is from the Pharmaceutical sector having 40% stake in the market and an annual turnover of  £21 Million (Fig.1.1). With over 160 types of medicine production, this company is Britains 3rd largest Medicine Producer. 300 employees work between 3 sites of manufacturing, packaging and the corporate office. About 150 employees, most of whom are either African or White work at the main manufacturing site; at the second packaging site there are about 130 employees of mixed origins contribute while at the corporate office, out of 30 people, most are women, of Indian origin except one and also most employees are below the age of 40 (Fig.1.2). The company vision is to maximize inclusion to drive greater business results and sustainable competitive advantage (BL, 2004). This would be achieved by fostering a culture that embraces differences and drives innovation thereby, achieving a skilled, high-performance workforce that reflects the global marke t place. Research Aims and Objectives: The main purpose of this dissertation is to research peoples perception of diversity and the effects it has on the workforce of a company. This will be investigated with the help of a questionnaire, interview and a tracking log conducted among the employees of the company from all designations. It would be imperative to research the positives of having a diverse workforce and how they contribute in achieving the company objectives, differently. The trials and tribulations faced by them owing to their diversity will be looked into and methods to tackle them will be discussed. Open questions in the survey would include: Share an experience where the organisation supported your religious needs? Through this research, old theories of diversity will be revised, extended and applied to creating new knowledge which would have theoretical and/or practical application. It will not only simplify and add meaning to existing definitions but also create new understandings of diversity. Considering the industry sector at the time of recession, many people have lost their jobs, mainly those who are not British nationals. Hence, the question is: how will an organization create profits if all the diverse individuals who contribute to the company objectives have been dismissed. Therefore, in this project, the question addressed is: What are peoples perspectives of Diversity and how does it affect an organisation. Literature Review: Diversity – definitions: This section covers some of the theory and research on Workplace Diversity which is of particular relevance to this research. It is important to define diversity for the purpose of this project. CEO of Proctor Gamble, Alan Laffey said that A diverse organisation will out-think, out-innovate and out-perform a homogenous organisation every single time (PG, 2009; Skinner, 2001). Diversity can be defined as a mixture of people with different group identities within the same social system (Fleury, 1999). There are many definitions to diversity, in essence it includes culture, race, geographic origin, ethnicity, gender, nationality, functional or educational background, physical and cognitive capability, language, lifestyles, values and beliefs, sexual orientation, physical abilities, social class, age, socio-economic status, and religion (Dessler, 1998; Ferdman, 1995). The National Council for Voluntary Organisations defines Diversity as the integration of age, gender, sexual orientation, religious preferences, disability and ethnicity without biases into society (NCVO, 2007). According to CIPD, diversity has multiple levels like that of Social Category Diversity that includes demographic variances like age, gender, ethics and race; Informational Diversity which embraces organisational variances like that of education, experience in the field and utility and lastly, Value Diversity encompasses psychological differences like that of attitudes, behaviour and personality (Worman – CIPD, 2005). According to Anderson and Metcalfe, completely diverse people working together may lead to conflicts owing to diversity in their ideologies, experience, personalities, culture and attitude among other variables. Organisations that promote creativity need to find a way to satisfy such differences and lay out ground rules to ensure successful team working. Thereby, it assures competitive edge owing to the creativity and innovation brought by diverse perspectives in products, service pattern and methods of working. The downside is that organisations need to ensure that this does not let employees lose their individuality in the race to fit in (Anderson Metcalfe, 2003). Diversity is often associated with ethnicity as in case of American Indian/ Alaska Native MBA students showed 89% in a survey. Least association was seen in case of Asian-Indian MBA students which showed 67%. Gender was seen to be the second most common associate among all survey groups. It showed strongest association of 78% among American Indian/ Alaska Native MBA students and least association of 43% by Asian-Indian undergraduates (Fig 2.1, 2.2). Among all survey groups, Latino/Hispanic undergraduates associated diversity with language skills while Asian-Indian undergraduates relate diversity with religion and American Indian/Alaska Native undergraduates connected diversity with age (Black Collegian, 2006). History of Diversity and Legislation: Legislation: The concept of diversity came into power in 1990s (Gatrell and Swan, 2008). In the 70s, 80s and early 90s the need for diversity in the workplaces in UK grew because of the diminishing talent sources as well as to curb the discriminatory HR practices that were carried out against colour and gender. The first piece of legislation to be passed to support diversity was the Equal Pay Act 1970 legislates against discrimination between men and women in relation to their terms and conditions of employment followed by Sex Discrimination Act 1974 which made it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of gender. After these came the following pieces of legislation: Race Relations Act 1976 – protection against discrimination on the grounds of race or ethnic or national origins. Disability Discrimination Act 1995 – protection against discrimination for disabled people. Employment Equality (Religion and Belief) Regulations 2003 made it unlawful to discriminate against workers on the grounds of religion or belief. Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 – made it unlawful for employers to discriminate against or harass a person on the grounds of sexual orientation. Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 – made it unlawful to discriminate against individuals on the grounds of age. Equality Act 2006 Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006. (Daniels, 2008) Diversity training and interpersonal learning was introduced to help diverse workforces bridge the gaps between their education and cultures. Policy: The fundamental essence of diversity is based on its policies. To understand this, it is essential to know what a policy is. Organizational policies are a bunch of fundamental codes and relevant directives, devised and imposed by the presiding body of an organization, to express and limit its conduct while aiming for long-term objectives (Business Dictionary, 2009). An organisations goals, strategies and practices can be affected by a recognized set of broad, open directives, devised after an investigation of all internal and external aspects. Corporate policy is devised by the organisations executive board to lay down the organisations objectives to known and predictable state of affairs and circumstances. It also determines the creation and execution of strategy, and directs and limits the strategy, verdict, and deeds of the organisations employees in accomplishment of its aims (Business Dictionary, 2009). A policy is meant to balance individual and personal rights while safe-guarding the nation. Due to the ethnic and diverse mix in USA and Europe, the new diverse workforce required equal opportunities and diversity issues to be sorted out at the fore front ((Kandola and Fullerton, 1994; Cox, 1992). Hence, these countries have created policies and laws that protect diversity and promote equality (Dass and Parker, 1999; Kirton and Greene, 2000; Lawrence, 2000; Woodhams and Danieli, 2000). It was created to eliminate discrimination faced by black and ethnic minorities (Healy Oikelome, 2007). In the 1990s, the NI office initiated the Policy Appraisal and Fair Treatment guidelines (PAFT) which span across areas of religion and political beliefs, ethnicity, sex and race, disability, sexual orientation, age, marital status and those amid dependants. After its establishment, all new policies needed to satisfy the above mentioned nine equality sets (Bagilhole, 2007). Diversity Policies in SMEs v/s Large Corporations: According to Carrell, a policy that focuses on eradicating discrimination and bringing about fairness would help focus on overlooking differences and integration. However, he observed through a study that 70% of his respondents were from small companies while 30% were from companies employing 500 or more employees (Fig 3.1). 46% of this total had policies professing employee diversity in place of which 42% said that their policies were executed only in the last 5 years. 53% of the respondents in all said they do not have a written policy in place to enforce diversity and among them, only 7% opined of having discussed such an issue in their company (Fig 3.2, 3.21) (Carrell, 2006). Some SMEs opine that they are simply too small to employ a diverse range of individuals while others find it convenient to hire within the family. In such enterprises, diversity management can create a platform for new products and diverse clientele and networks which is overlooked in their short-sighted vision (European Community Programme, 2007). While SMEs harangue the increase in competition, they fail to see how innovation with the help of diversity can provide them with sustained competitive advantage. Other identifies benefits are reduced absenteeism, turnover, time wasted or lost, higher client loyalty and brand value and also, access to wider markets. Some SMEs that implement diversity policies feel that it not only increases an employees sense of belonging to the company but also their commitment and dedication to the job. The informal learning obtained from knowledge and skills gathered by working with diverse teams can also be of great competitive advantage (European Com munity Programme, 2007). Determining whether an organisation is diversity friendly is simple. Typically, large organisations have an entire page devoted to diversity and workforce friendly policies which are also available in print on request. A study revealed that 76% of senior global executives opine that their companies have 1 or no minorities (Fig 4). In some cases, in an effort to increase diversity levels, minorities are placed in positions that would add no value to their career graph. Hence, they choose to not be part of the organisation (Diversity Jobs, 2009). Looking at any large company like Coca Cola, General Motors and Nike among others, their common factor is their recognition of diversity being their key to direct and spanning sales. In order to have a diverse external environment, it would help to have a diverse internal environment as well in terms of contacts, approaches and skills (Eaddy, 2003). Contrary to the notion of diversity practices in Multinationals, the challenges faced by them were discussed among 50 academics, senior executives and HR professionals from multinational corporations at the Global Workforce Roundtable Summit at London in 2006. Some of the challenges faced are the dismissal of diversity policies as an American notion, the extent to which these practices need to be developed in order to be trickled down the ladder and implemented, getting people down the ladder to embrace the concept of diversity policies and take initiatives in its implementation (Global Workforce Roundtable Summit, 2006). Research Evidence Perspectives on Diversity: The Jewson and Mason Model (1986) is states that there are two perspectives on equality and diversity: I. The equality of opportunity or liberal approach introduces fair procedures to offer access to institutions, services, social positions and resources. II. The equality of outcome or radical approach refers to affirmative action for historically discriminated and disadvantaged groups (Gatrell Swan, 2008). The liberal approach to equal opportunities is described by a belief of an individual or their imagined capabilities and merits rather than structural sources of inequality. This approach believes that these barriers can be removed such that individuals find a way to make the best of themselves (Jewson Mason 1986: 314; Gatrell Swan, 2008). The main objective of this approach is to make sure people are treated equally at the work place (Jewson Mason 1986: 315). Emphasis is on an individualistic view of fairness and equality rather than a group based approach that encompasses equal and free competition among people (Kirton Greene, 2004). In the radical view, ability, skills, talent and merit are socially constructed norms by powerful dominant groups and that inequality is produced as a result of these social practices (Jewson Mason 1986: 315). Hence, individual merit is not a neutral term but a criterion to filter out diverse candidates from jobs and opportunities based on a socia lly valued judgment (Gatrell Swan, 2008). Thus the radical approach looks at equality as a form of social justice centring on checking the outcome of procedures and its effects of different groups and equalising the outcome rather than the opportunity (Richards 2001: 16; Gatrell Swan, 2008). The Business Case is another model for managing diversity and is related to bettering economic productivity and service delivery and depoliticising models of social relations (Blackmore, 2006; Gatrell Swan, 2008). It harnesses differences so that a productive environment may be created that not only benefits the individual but also the organisation (Kandola Fullerton 1994:8). A diverse workforce brings material benefits to an organisation such as increased profit, creativity and representative customer care (Gatrell Swan, 2008). It is seen as an investment rather than a cost and rejects the notion of justice for an instrumental, utilitarian model (Kirton Greene, 2004). The Social Justice Model favours a structural explanation of inequalities based upon the concept of social justice (Kirton Greene, 2000:5). This mode of diversity management can give rise to increased quality of outcomes for individuals as well as groups as it highlights heterogeneity of difference within social groups while taking into account that difference is not a individual possession but socially constructed within social relations (Kirton Greene, 2000; Ferreday, 2003). This model acknowledges that some differences matter more than others as shown in the research conducted by Ahmed et al. (2006), Hunter Swan (2007) among others demonstrates that race gender have a significant consequence on the admission to paid work, working conditions and experiences and possibility of discrimination (Gatrell Swan, 2008). Cultural Diversity Model addresses how diversity can be used as a tool to achieve competitive advantage in an organisation. This model was viewed from the social responsibility goals of an organisation which is a fraction of the constitution of diversity management. According to Cox Blake (1991), focussing on seven areas of effective diversity management can lead to a companys sustained competitive advantage like education programs, cultural variances, prejudice free human resource management schemes, diversity mindset, heterogeneity in race/ religion/ ethnicity, organisational culture and higher vocation resource acquirement for women i.e. extinction of glass ceiling (Parhizgar, 2002). Glass ceiling is an organisational prejudice or a bias in attitude that prevents women and minority groups from progressing to higher leadership designations in an organisation (Princeton, 2009). Researchers contradict this theory as they dont find the connection between diversity and organisational competitive advantage. In Coxs view, in the 1970s monumental organisations were leading USA that did not give importance to diversity or the essential HR function. Instead of being given a fair chance, minority groups were expected to acculturate themselves to the norms set by majority groups i.e. in this case, white men. Pluralistic organisations that came into power in the 1960s, implement diversity management in ways of recruiting minorities, monitoring for fairness and providing diversity training and programs. A key difference between a pluralistic organisation and a multicultural organisation is minorities group are not only employed and value but also identified as key contributors and formally as well as informally completely integrated into the organisation. Cox and Blake also created a model in 2001 that claimed 5 cyclical steps to a successful multicultural organisation. The five steps are leadership, research and dimension, academic backing, coalition of management syst ems and follow up action steps (Stahl Bjà ¶rkman, 2006). The effect of diversity on performance in an organisation is still unclear. Its effect maybe positive or negative in some situations and also sometimes there may be no effect at all (Barrett-Power Shaw, 1998). Research based on race has shown that diversity in teams can yield benefits as well as costs (Campion, Medsker and Higgs, 1993; Guzzo Dickson, 1996; Jackson, 1991; Magjuka Baldwin, 1991). A team can be defined as a distinguishable set of two or more individuals who interact independently and adaptively to achieve specified, shared and valued objectives (Salas, 1986). Organisations depend upon teamwork to improve quality, experience of work, product and customer service for their members (Guzzo, 1995). Teams are believed to be vital tools for solving problems and making decisions in a highly complex, international environment (Tjosvold, 1995). Magjuka Baldwin (1991) found that within a group, diversity showed positive effect on job performance in a sample of 72 manufacturin g teams. Some studies have shown that diverse groups (based on race) are more creative and make better decisions than homogenous groups (McGrath, 1984; McLeod and Lobel, 1992) but they can also be less cohesive, less satisfied, have less conformity and more prone to turnover (Jackson, Brett, Sessa, Copper, Julin and Peyronnin, 1991). 3 Level Impact of Diversity: Individual Level: Diversity creates an impact on three levels: individual, group and organisation (Nkomo, 1998). At an individual level, key variable in understanding diversity are culture distance, perceived similarity, a sense of control as well as culture shock (Triandis, 1997). According to previous research by Berry (1984), an individual goes through an acculturation process which is; assimilation, separation, deculturation and integration. With assimilation, the culture that is dominant in the group becomes the standard and individuals try to live up to the standard. With separation, majority cultures and minority cultures do not merge as individuals from the minority cultures distance themselves from majority cultures. In deculturation, the individuals of minority cultures lack strong ties with the group as they neither have ties with their own minority culture nor with the standard majority culture. Integration refers to the state where individuals change to a certain extent to accommodate the common norms and standards (Berry, 1984). If an individual from a minority culture is unable to adapt, the group is considered to be at fault instead of the majority culture (Nkomo, 1991). The Alteration Model suggests that minority individuals need not be forced to practice a particular, standard culture or adapt to their own minority culture. They can become competent in multiple cultures and use what is required of it in a context. This may also be known as code-switching where an individual uses a language that best suits a context (LaFromboise, Coleman and Gerton, 1993). Group Level Diversity: At a group level, diversity can give rise to emotional conflict or task related conflict within a group. Task related conflict will increase group performance while emotional conflict will hinder performance (Kottke Agars, 2004). In a group research on diversity, it was found that readily observable factors (surface level) are important for group development but deeply held values and beliefs (deep level) are decisive in group processes that yield group outcomes (Stockdale Crosby, 2004). Group composition has been investigated as surface and deep-level diversity (Harrison, Price and Bell; 1998). Surface-level diversity maybe defined as differences in age, sex, race, ethnicity and other biological characteristics while deep-level diversity maybe defined as differences in behaviour, attitudes, morals, values and beliefs that require interaction to be understood. Organisational Level Diversity: Many consultants and academics argue that organisational level diversity is essential to serve the 21st century consumer (Gardenschwartz and Rowe, 1993; Morrison, 1992; Thomas, 1990; Wilson, 1997). Diversity makes an organisation more effective by bringing a lot of creative perspectives to the table. This has served as a base for many claims that suggest that diversity is a resource and strength for an organisation (Adler, 2003; Dobbs, 1998; Thomas, 1990). OReilley et al. (1997) conducted a research in an organisation that gave primary importance to employee diversity. They found that within the organisations groups, diversity created positive performance-related results. Studies show a negative as well as positive effect in organisations as ethnic groups or minorities perceive themselves less likely to advance in an organisation than majorities. Ethnic groups when exposed to majority groups are more susceptive to emotional conflict (Kizilos et al.; 1996). This creates a branching in the hypotheses as the attraction and social categorization theories suggest that diversity will cause a negative effect on organisation performance while only information and decision making theory suggests that diversity promotes organisational performance (Jarry Pitts, 2005). Information and decision making theory is based on educational and functional diversity and not ethnic diversity. Hence, it forms a weak basis against two prominent theories (Jarry Pitts, 2005). Diversity Management According to CIPD, managing diversity stands for valuing people for who they are; whether they are customers, clients, or even employees, they are all fundamentally diverse. Diversity management is not about identifying a single constant individual difference but about recognizing different individual changes and their ability to create a large scale impact and create dynamic changes (Mullholland, Ozbilgin and Worman; 2006). Managing diversity is meant to bring people from different areas and thought processes together to ensure self development as well as production of superior quality results. It is meant to nurture creativity and innovation by caressing diversity while creating an atmosphere of creative genius and healthy competition (Leader; 2009). The University of Vienna describes diversity management as a strategy or a business plan to perceive, promote, acknowledge implement and preserve essential competencies within an organisation (University of Vienna, 2007). Diversity man agement stresses the necessity of indentifying cultural variances Between sets of employees, and making rational grants for such differences in policies within the organisation (Thomas, 1990). There can be a few negative consequences of diversity management like that of the trainers values expressed in a training program. The trainers values are just ones point of view and not the universal truth and yet it is forced upon unsuspecting trainees during a program. Some trainers may have ulterior motives or discreet agendas and usually training occurs too late. Diversity training is often looked upon as a band aid, a quick fix if you will a shortcut to a difficult situation. However, quick fixes are prone to disintegrating fast. A psychological disadvantage is the creation of an image that the trainees have some issues in dealing with diversity. Also, the definitions of diversity are often too narrow and under-expressed with the focus on diplomacy rather than honest opinions. Trainers chosen are also often based on which minority group they represent rather than how well they train (Public Personnel Management, 2002). A study among companies that provide diversity training revealed 33% who said that their efforts were quite or extremely successful. 30% said their efforts were quite successful while 3% opined extreme success. 50% of the firms opined neutral or varied results while 13% said their results were quite unsuccessful and 5% opined extreme failure (Fig 5) (Public Personnel Management, 2002). On understanding the effects of diversity, it is useful to know how diversity can be managed. Every individual is different from another in matters of age, education, gender, values, physical ability, mental capacity, personality, experiences, culture and the way each approaches work (Jamieson and OMara 1991: 3-4). Diversity advantage can be obtained by realizing, acknowledging and valuing these differences and creating an environment that appreciates these attributes by being flexible enough to meet needs and preferences – to create a motivating and rewarding environment (Jamieson and OMara 1991: 3-4). Managing diversity is not only about handling issues on discrimination but also making sure that everyone is contributing to their maximum potential to achieve the organisation objectives (Argott, 2008). Diversity management does not mean only increasing opportunities for women and minorities. It means increasing competitive advantage by taking those diverse variances and cre ating a comprehensive atmosphere where each can contribute and make a difference (Larson, 2004). This concept covers everyone including the white and middle class males while focussing on movement and culture within the organisation and meeting business objectives (Argott, 2008). Diversity Management differs from Equal Opportunities in its lack of reliance upon positive action or affirmative action (Kaler, 2001). Diversity training is training to increase the contributors knowledge, skills and awareness of different cultures. This would prevent civil rights violations, promote team work and also provide opportunities to different minority groups (Kalev, Dobbin and Kelley, 2006). It is an effective way to broaden diversity in an organisation and also, increase an individuals ability to cope with it (Vaughn, 2007). Present Day Diversity Management Hudson carried out a national survey as a result of witnessing a friend who was denied a job, promotion or increased salary as a result of their ethnicity. The survey conducted in USA in 2005 throws light on startling figures of 31% among African-American employees and drops to 18% among white workers (Fig 6.1)(Hudson, 2005). One out four (23%) employees opined that they know someone who has been treated differently on the basis of their gender. African-American women are more likely to make this claim than others. 23% of workers polled that they do not work for employers who actively promote diversity and 13% are unsure whether their companies have a formal diversity program. 64% of them work for diversity promoting firms (Fig 6.2), 20% of employees know someone who has been treated differently based on their gender and 18% know someone whose been discriminated against based on their ethnic or racial variances (Fig 6.3). These statistics increase to 32 and 29% respectively with work ers in non-diversity promoting companies. Employees working for large or multinational corporations are said to report a statistic of 76% for supporting diversity and its programs (Hudson, 2005). Since this report, two approaches to managing diversity have been founded. One is that which defines diversity in relation to equal opportunities and affirmative action only (Carrell, Mann Sigler, 2006). Affirmative Action can be explained as taking measures towards the depiction of women and minority groups in terms of employment, edification and commerce in which they have been ostracized throughout history. This method includes preferential assortment i.e. selection on the basis of race, colour, ethnicity among other. Hence, it is a subject of great controversy (Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, 2009). The other point of view argues the broader concept is inclusive of differences of the people i.e. considering that team members consist of different ages, genders, races, ethnicities and demographic categories to the likes of sexual orientation, religion among others (Carrell, Mann Sigler, 2006). Hudsons survey called for the implementation of the narrow point of view. Howeve r, more recent studies have shown that affirmative action does little to sort out the causative agents of inequality, bias and injustice and does not contribute to the enhancement of opportunities open to men and women in the workplace (Thomas, 1990). Xerox is among the top employers who enforce diversity. They are ranked among the Top 50 Corporations for Supplier Diversity, Top 50 Companies for Diversity and Corporate 100. They focus on four key areas to enhance diversity management like that of communiquà ©, CEO dedication, staff demographics and purveyor diversity. Xerox has been found to give more opportunities to Hispanics in the USA and also been named the national #1 in womens employment opportunities. At Xerox, a Supplier Diversity Program is mandatory for all employees especially those of middle management. The power of this program lies in the recognition of the strength in adversity right from the entry level to the top management (Poder 360, 2009). Xerox employees being diverse; act as campaigners in recommending and negotiating with diverse clientele. Xerox partnerships with diverse suppliers to finance and contribute to their business while profiting from it (Xerox, 2009). They call this their pioneering practice t hat brings them results (CSR, 2005). AstraZeneca (AZ) is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies who employ over 65000 people worldwide. Formed by the merger of Astra AB of Sweden and Zeneca Group PLC of UK, AZ brought together the merger of likeminded vision and diversity in race, religion, age, gender, ethnicity and skills (AstraZeneca, 2009). Here, diversity is looked upon in the broader sense and utilized to create high performance teams with the help of sharing ideas and discussing strategies across the board. At the heart of their vision, is the creation of true cultural diversity. Hence, they create small programs and global initiatives to embed diversity (AstraZeneca, 2009). Here, diversity is focussed on three a

Philosophy of Education Essay -- Philosophy of Teaching Statement

Philosophy of Education missing works cited The Education process is one that gradually proceeds throughout life, greatly in early years and really never stops. There will always be something someone has not learned. Knowledge is a powerful tool. One of the most well-known educators in the 20th Century, Christa McAuliffe, before her tragic death said, â€Å"I touch the future, I teach.† As an educator you seek to influence each of your students. A goal, common to many new and old teachers; as well as, those who ‘hope to be† desire the ability to touch someone’s future. In the opportunity one has as an educator it is likely that the future of one immediate student or even a small part of the success of our nation will be affected. If it had not been for the hard work and dedication of previous teachers our nation and even world would not be at the level it is today. If no one had ever learned the fundamental concepts of mathematics and science we would not have vehicles, airplanes, t elevisions, compact discs, computers, and the list continues. In other words, our world would virtually not exist as we know it. One example, from a long list of other notable achievements possible only thought the education process is a man by the name of Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft. If there had not been teachers to help him understand the basics of math, science, English and other usual subjects, he would not have made it to the collegiate level, thus banishing any ideas that Microsoft has contributed to our technological advancement in the computer industry. In fact, we would not have the computer operation system like the one utilized in homes and offices at present. So, in proclaiming that a teacher touches the futu... ...working toward a Masters degree either in education or educational administration. It will likely be educational administration; however, I will decide after I become involved in an actual classroom environment I have also considered a Doctorate in one of these two fields; though, at this time it is too early to commit myself. As an educator I will probably join a local, state, and national teacher organization such as National Education Association. This for support of various aspects of my professional career, including salary, better working environment, and legal issues. Overall, I feel my desire to be an educator, my diverse philosophy, and the plans I have for my professional development will all contribute to my effectiveness as a teacher. I also feel that my philosophy will likely become more enriched as I gain experience in the field.

Barbie Is A Good Role Model

First appearing in 1959 at the American International Toy Fair, Barbie has since become the best selling doll in the world. Barbie has become so popular, that several controversies have come up about her, the most recurrent being whether or not Barbie serves as a good role model for little girls. This paper aims to provide argumentative elements based on facts and reason that support the idea that Barbie is indeed a good role model for little girls. The argument that I wish to make is that Barbie’s biography is indicative of values that women hold dear and that mothers wish of their little girls when they grow up.Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. She was born a healthy baby girl to George and Margaret Roberts of Willows, Wisconsin. Barbie attended Willows High School in Willows, Wisconsin and Manhattan International High School in New York City. Barbie’s senior year in high school introduced her to Ken Carson, who would later be her boyfriend. Barbie has had over forty pets including cats and dogs, horses, a panda, a lion cub, and a zebra. She has owned pink convertibles, trailers, jeeps and more.She also holds a pilot's license, and operates commercial airliners in addition to serving as a flight attendant. She has been, among many others, a veterinarian, an astronaut and a diplomat. Barbie has a lot of friends including Hispanic Teresa, African American Christie and Steven (Christie's boyfriend). (Lord 2) Liberalism has been a positive value to America which has shaped the improvement of many sectors in society. Women in particular have forwarded the feminist movement successfully from the 60s through the 70s, lobbying for equality in treatment and dignity.Barbie’s plethora of abilities indicates the woman’s ability to take on any task given to her and do well in it. Her ability to drive convertibles and trucks and planes alike signifies that women need not bend over to masculine predominance and can actually do thin gs that men used to do for them on their own. Even Barbie’s relationship with Ken, riddled with breakups and reconciliations as it was, showed a Barbie that was not dependent on a man. This is the very core of the feminist movement that every little girl should be aware of.Little girls who are avid fans of Barbie run the easy possibility of being exposed to these lofty ideas of gender equality very early on in their lives. It could lead them to assert themselves in class, gather courage to participate in school activities and sporting events and have strength to fight against anyone that might want to take advantage of her. Animal rights have been a long standing issue in society. The welfare of house pets and the survival of endangered species are of primary concern to humankind.Towards the goals of animal rights movements, Barbie promotes kindness in the pets that she has had. Her many pets teach little girls the importance of taking care of one’s animals. Advertisem ents of Barbie with a new pet always show the young woman taking the best of care of her little darlings. Also, her array of pets includes endangered species, which at the very least gathers awareness from the little ones who idolize her. Who knows how many little girls were inspired to be marine biologists or veterinarians because they were fans of Barbie and her pets during their childhood years?In the era of terrorism, racial disputes and bickering abound all over the world. In the United States, violence in schools due to racial discrimination has reached an all time high. People are very suspicious of anyone who doesn’t look like them. New people are always regarded with fear or anger, especially if they are of a foreign race. But what does Barbie show our little girls at home? She shows them that having friends isn’t a matter of picking people you have a lot of things in common with; it is a matter of talking to people, of talking about your differences and findi ng the beauty in them.Barbie’s being white doesn’t hinder her from being friends with people of different colors, whether it’s Hispanic Theresa or African-American Christie. Barbie’s selection of friends is not hindered by prejudice. All these three explanations tied to three very contentious issues of today prove that Barbie is one of the good girls. It proves that Barbie is a believer in women’s rights. That she is a feminist by heart and that her nature as a young strong woman who can take on any task and not any man get in her way is the woman of today.It proves that Barbie is a supporter of animal rights. Her care for her pets condemns animal cruelty and her inclusion of endangered species among the animals she takes care of shows her concern for the dangers these animals face. It proves that Barbie is no racist, she is an open minded young lady who has made friends because of heart and not skin color. Barbie’s biography speaks of a goo d young lady, who serves as a good role model for all the little girls who love her. Sources: Lord, M. G. , Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll. Paperback

Ridicule essays

Ridicule essays Jeans of Rousseaus criticisms of society and its citizens are demonstrated in the movie Ridicule. Ridicule is defined as to make fun of, implying a deliberate often malicious belittling (Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary). Rousseaus critique was not merely an attempt to make society and its individuals objects of laughter, but to encourage, like other thinkers, progress of civilization through the improvement and ultimate transformation of society (Levack et al. 565). Rousseau was an atypical thinker who tries to grasp an emotional and passionate side of man. Contrary to Rousseaus emotionalism, the character of Mathilde is a single-minded individual and unaware of her emotions. Mathildes primary concern is her study of science. Her interest in science and nature overshadows and, eventually, removes any of her feelings of love. She agrees to marry a rich, old noble, Monsieur Montalieri, so she can use the income from the marriage to finance her scientific experiments. In Rousseaus The Social Contract, emphasis is placed on citizens recognizing a general will, which represents the common good or public interest. All of society should participate and commit to the general good, even if that means putting personal and private interests aside (Levack et al. 571). The character of the aristocrat Ponceludon demonstrates Rousseaus idea of the general will. Ponceludon travels to the court at Versailles hoping that King Louis XVI will provide financial aid for his drainage project of the swamps near his home. He wants to get rid of mosquitoes, reduce disease and death, and help the peasants who work for him have a better life. He goes to the court to see th...

How to Stay Longer in a Company You Are Employed

How to Stay Longer in a Company You Are Employed Steps You Should Make to Work Longer in a Company Your dream has come true: having graduated from college or university you managed to find a position that meets your demands. However, at this very point, you are faced with a challenge of maintaining the job. According to the statistic data, one in two employed people resign having worked in a company for not more than two years, and more than 25% of the newly employed quit their jobs within the half of a year. That is why the answer to the question of how to stay longer in an organization after landing a job is important. There is one thing you must be aware of: sometimes those skills, experience, and abilities that allowed you to land a job are not enough to ensure you to stay longer in a job. Learn how to stay longer in a company you have managed to find a job in. Show Your Interest The first day you are at work, show everyone that you are enthusiastic and passionate about what you are doing. Make suggestions and lead the way in terms of improving your performance and making a significant contribution to companys well-being. Once the company sees you are doing your best to contribute to the companys development, your position will be entrenched. Do Not Avoid Challenges What a company should learn is that you are an enthusiastic and ambitious person. Those employees who are willing to take risks for the sake of the corporate goal going beyond accepted routines and liabilities have better chances of being noticed by the employers and stay longer having landed in a job. Do Not Stand Apart If this organization is the place you want to work in, make sure you are a part of it, but not stand apart. If you demonstrate a sincere interest in your colleagues or superiors activity, you demonstrate your engagement and enthusiasm. This way, your stay in the organization is more likely to be lengthened. Meet the Deadlines The employers highly respect those employees who show commitment and provide efficient outcomes of high quality. One of the most important factors that ensure an employees longer stay is the ability to meet deadlines. If you make it a habit to do every task in time, you will find it easier to cope with any task assigned. Work of High Quality What is important for an organization is to see that you are able to keep your promises in terms of delivering the outcomes. It is necessary for a candidate to understand that failing to deliver what you have promised lessens the chances of being employed longer. All in all, if you intend to stay in a company you are currently working in and see real career prospects, you should make efforts to demonstrate your commitment and value. The reward will not be long to wait: you will stay in your dream work.

The Importance of the Employees Perception of Job Satisfaction Research Paper

The Importance of the Employees Perception of Job Satisfaction - Research Paper Example Benchmarks for evaluation of success can be defined by an organisational increase in retention of employees compared to past trends in the facility, with an increase in employee engagement of facility compared to past trends. The recommendation is to focus on the team and individual development to ensure that employees become fully engaged within their function and as team members. Therefore, by triangulating interviews and surveys from employee and management staff based on motivation, engagement, rewards and recognition, this, research will be able to identify weaknesses in the call centre with the ultimate purpose of making recommendations to improve job tenure. The employee's perception of job satisfaction, motivation and staff turnover will allow for evidence to suggest and identify the correlation between key points in managing employees to develop a continuous, stabilised workforce for Company A. This will lend to an affirmation on the importance of employee motivation in job satisfaction and a stronger understanding of ways in which motivation can lower employee turnover. Lowering employee turnover will, in turn, lower costs in training and development. The focus of the research based on the previous literature review and empirical evidence from Company A is to describe employee perceptions and managerial behaviours in relation to employee retention. ... Employee retention is a valid objective of any company, as the literature has shown. This is also relative to understanding the correlation between job satisfaction and staff turnover. These are strongly influenced by employee motivation and job satisfaction.  

Soundscapes in which Music operates in a Worship Setting Essay

Soundscapes in which Music operates in a Worship Setting - Essay Example The "Tao Meditation", is used to convey the worshiper into a deeper and more peaceful state of worship and spiritual growth. The music is focused in soft Tibetan sounds, with wind chimes, gongs, bells and gentle natural sounds to convey a deeper sense of inner peace and a desire to enter into the inner reaches of ones spirituality. The covey of the simple music allows for the worshiper to find a peaceful oasis of relaxation and stress relief from the business of life, to tap into the inner energies of spiritual awareness and silence. The setting, that I experienced was a simple room, lots of natural light where the worshipers like myself sit in simple seating set in a semi circle, with a screen at the opening of the circle that provided the features that impact upon the sight sensory experience. The leadership by a competence alternative worship leader gently brought one into a sensory but spiritual experience. The significance of the experience is the fulfillment of the inner spirit ual finding release in the gentle art of meditation. There was no specifically set ritual, just a simple group desire to come together to enjoy and experience a deeper and more meaningful spirituality. The ritual if any; or indeed order, was the gentle leading of the group by the leader into the peaceful state of meditation. ... The leadership by a competence alternative worship leader gently brought one into a sensory but spiritual experience. The significance of the experience is the fulfillment of the inner spiritual finding release in the gentle art of meditation. There was no specifically set ritual, just a simple group desire to come together to enjoy and experience a deeper and more meaningful spirituality. The ritual if any; or indeed order, was the gentle leading of the group by the leader into the peaceful state of meditation. Gently listening to the noises and sounds of the music and visualizing the scenes being shown on the screen, before us, invoked this. The meditation allowed each of group of worshipers to concentrate on their own personal spiritual journey and belief structure. The simplicity of the meditation enacted a sense of restfulness, peace and an inner desire to enjoin with the God force or life force within each of us. This was drawn out by viewing the many simple and colorful shapes that were sometimes floated, phased in and out on the screen before us then melting into the distance of the landscape on the screen. The group were able to discuss the experience after its conclusion in a facilitated discussion led by the worship leader. Many of the participants were able to explain that it allowed them to tune into the higher self or as some put it, the "God force" within us. What I enjoyed about the experience was that it allowed one to maintain ones own identity and individuality, without placing formal belief structures and dogmatic systems before the simplicity of simply and gently worshiping and enjoying peace with God. The second experience was completely different in its setting and style. The setting was a Methodist Church, which