African American and Obama Essay

In â€Å"A More Perfect Union’†, a speech given by Barack Obama, there are multiple issues addressed, with race being the biggest of them all. In Obama’s speech, his main focus is the issue of racism, and he touches on the examples of racism today and how we should cope with these problems. Obama uses various tones and experiences in both his life and the lives of others as well, to portray his thoughts on the subject. Obviously in a speech about racism given by an African American man, there are going to be mixed responses portrayed by the audience, and I think those mixed reactions are exactly what was occurring in the audience. As being part of that audience, I think Obama did an exceptional job of showing how racism is still present today, not only towards African Americans, but every other race as well. In â€Å"A More Perfect Union†, Obama not only talks about the conventional types of racism consisting of whites and blacks, but also that of all the other ethnicities we have in this country. As a result of doing this Obama presents all these issues fairly and unbiased, without concentrating too much on which form of racism applies to him the most, which would be racism towards African Americans. He makes a case that there is also racism towards Caucasian Americans, which is not usually thought of when dealing with prejudice amongst groups of ethnicities. By doing this, Obama really shows that he is presenting his concerns equally, and is no way biased towards a certain group or race in his speech. Obama talks about different types of experiences of racism in his life that many other young African American men and woman might have also experienced. And since he has such a rich cultural family, with many different ethnicities, he makes his life relatable to almost every race in America. The points he uses in his speech are both realistic and appropriate towards the audience that he is addressing, which are the voters of America. Obama had a very valid point which I think intrigued many people, when he spoke of his family situation. He explained his family background and all the different ethnicities that were intertwined within his family tree, including his white grandmother. Just like any other grandson, he loved his grandmother and she loved him no matter what her views on racism were. By presenting this background Obama made it clear that race was no boundary when it came to family life, so why could this not be the case between associates in every day life. I think this story of his grandmother is one of the most vital points in the speech. Most everyone in the audience can relate because mostly everyone in the audience would probably of had a grandmother that they loved as Obama did. Out of everyone in the audience who had a grandmother, I would almost guarantee they would love the same even if they were a different color or race, which is the point Obama is trying to make here. While Obama was giving this speech he had a very distinct tone, which I think was made known to everyone who had heard it. Listening to the speech, I couldn’t help but think of his tone as sad and disappointed. Also I think it was clear that Obama was very disappointed when it came to his feelings regarding his very own Reverend Jeremiah Wright, and rightly so. When talking about active racism going on in a country like America today, there should be no feelings other than disgust and disappointment. I believe that it didn’t take long for the audience to pick up on Obama’s tone for the speech, and henceforth this tone set the stage for the rest of the speech. Obama used his tone to his advantage when speaking and, really helped him make a more emotional speech when talking to his audience. Obama used various different tones and examples when giving his speech to the American people. The reason he did this, was to try to connect with all the different types of audiences he was addressing. Obviously he was addressing the American people, but there are many sub groups within the American people. Obama made sure to speak of racism toward African Americans, as well as other ethnicities, including Caucasian, to eliminate any bias there was when giving the speech as an African American male. Doing this was very important when giving this speech, because if all the different different audiences weren’t addressed, it would automatically be assumed that this African American man, was speaking towards his race only, and therefore isn’t taking into account the rest of the American people. If the audience would of reacted to this speech, I would assume they would think that Obama is not only an unfit candidate for president, but a morally challenged American as well. Obama’s â€Å"A More Perfect Union Speech†, was not just a speech, but a message to all of the American people that we will not succumb to racism today, as we had in the past. By addressing America in this way, I think he gained a lot of respect from people that otherwise wouldn’t have even considered voting for him in his presidential campaign. In his speech he brings up many concerns that we had as a country, and I think that he addressed those concerns as well as anybody could of. Obama presented a lot of valid points, and showed to America that he had many insightful experiences that qualified him to be a successful leader in a country such as the United States. â€Å"A More Perfect Union†, really set the stage for the new movement against racism, by giving this speech Obama changed the view of many Americans’ on the subject of racism, and I think that is exactly what Americans needed to realize.

Parents Should Use Physical Force to Discipline Children Essay

Introduction                     Discipline is a set instructions laid down for correction and training. It can be in form of punishment, physical activity, exercise or training aimed at changing and/or improving the behavior of the person being corrected. Discipline has always been seen as forceful correction, thus bringing negativity in its perception (Foucault, 1977). Generally, for any parent, a child should grow in a manner that pleases the parent and the community. The use of force has always been associated with the phrase â€Å"to discipline†. Physical force when used by a parent in disciplining a child, may leave a mark on the body of the child that will always serve as a reminder to the child whenever the child goes wrong. But it’s the way to child abuse. Schwan (2011) states the mark will serve as reminder thus bring self-control in any child whom is a victim, thus the willpower that will drive the child what is right. With self-control, comes motivation that is the steering to propel a victim. Physically inflicting pain brings training and control. Training is a routine as well as control therefore calling the parent to come out strongly and be ready to bring back the child to the desired direction any time the child goes wrong. Force can be quick and effective because not all children react to other forms that parent use to discipline them, this is true for children with hearing impairment as a disability, under this situation parents are left with no option but to use force to make the child grow in accordance to the ways that pleases not only the parents but the society to which the child belong. References Shaver, P. R., & Mikulincer, M. (2011).  Human aggression and violence: Causes, manifestations, and consequences. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Fairchild, J. H. (1892).  Moral science: Or, The philosophy of obligation. New York: Sheldon & Co. Crosser, S. (2005).  What do we know about early childhood education?: Research based practice. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning. Films on Demand., & Films Media Group. (2010).  Breaking the Cycle of Abuse. Lawrenceville, NJ: Films Media Group. Source document

Mis-760 Citibank Case Study

MIS 760 – IT Strategy Case Study: Citibank’s E-Business Strategy for Global Corporate Banking Please prepare an analysis of this case. Your write-up should be 4 to 7 pages. Each of the following questions should be addressed individually: 1. What are the impacts of the internet on the competitive landscape of corporate banking? Hint: use Porters 5 forces) The statements below are the impacts of the internet on the competitive landscape of corporate banking: * Intense competition which further increased the rivalry amongst existing competitors * The challenges of serving corporate customers with a variety of needs in terms of size of organization and how progressive and open to change these companies were. Based on the resistance received this could create a threat of substitute products or services. The aggressive changes that were being made by Citibank placed them away head of the competition. This lead in front of their competitors could create new alliances to limit the gap. * The new markets that are potentially Citibank’s creates a challenge to lower cost, improve efficiency while still meeting the needs of the customers. * The substitute products such as local banking and or older systems which may not be as progressive as Citibank in terms of technology. 2.What has Citibank done to differentiate its e-business products from those of its competitors? Citibank was able to differentiate its e-business products from those of its competitors by focusing on customer satisfaction instead of only the bottom-line. Customer satisfaction was focused on the support, technology and response time, making sure the clients felt confidence in the brand. The customer service along with the products are the reasons why Citibank is able to keep its recognition and loyalty throughout the world.Citibank used many technologies to get more clients satisfied such as ATM’s, telephone lines, and the paperless system of payments which is a secure busine ss transaction for the customer. 3. What can Citibank do to create competitive advantages? In order for Citibank to create competitive advantage the following processes can be implemented: * Find a way to lower prices on products while still increasing the bottom line. * Mobile and Web is very important to many individuals so having the ability to initiate transitions via the previously mentioned methods will put them ahead of the competition. . How has Citibank successfully converted its traditional money management business into an e-business? During the process of transforming traditional assets to digital assets, what issues should a company like Citibank take into account to ensure successful implementation? Citibank successfully convert its traditional money management into an e-business system by giving convenience to the customers, (example the technology investments), flexibility, and staying ahead of the competition by investing in infrastructure that would only make the e xperience better for the customer.The transformation was done by becoming more centralized and focusing on the customers and investing in the right technology to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction. For example use of systems to manage the automatic processing of transactions which reduces the time is takes to process and human errors as well. Also the online and real time processing with the direct access to the information for customers and employees, efficient working, cost savings and comfort for customers.During the process of transforming traditional assets to digital assets, the issues Citibank should take into account to ensure a successful implementation are, consistency of data and the learning curve/impact for the customer. Citibank successfully responded to these changes with the different alliances with technological companies such as Oracle, SAP, Commerce One, building a new global infrastructure integrating products in new ways. 5. What actions has Citibank t aken to serve the needs of two very different market segments, MNCs and SMEs?Citibank developed two different strategies for each market segments, some of the strategies for MNCs are secure platforms to access services, local and global which can offer fast and worldwide capabilities. Also provide fraud and identity theft protection, showing the advantages of online real time banking For the SMEs, Citibank offer rewards such as free internet access as the customers slowly progress into a fully online environment. The clients were not aware of the additional benefits of the internet, especially dealing with limited access so the free internet allowed for an easier transition. . How has Citibank’s Cash and Trade Group managed to develop different e-business products for varied industries? With the market changing so rapidly, how does Citibank identify market needs? Citibank has managed to develop different e-business products for diverse industries by utilizing the growing tech nology market and providing the convenience for their customers. The many products and services offered has been a success for each market segment because it meets the needs of each groups.Also the customer’s service lines, relationship managers and products specialists for the varied clients are required to identify the market needs and develop the new services according to the different industry segments. 7. One of Citibank’s challenges is in managing vendors and suppliers without allowing them to exploit its clients. How does Citibank protect its clients from its strategic partners? Citibank managing vendors and suppliers without allowing them to exploit its clients by not sharing their clients information with the vendors and suppliers.This is very important because they are protecting the privacy for the customers. Citibank was able to do so by using the suppliers technology without directly involving them, using the different suppliers applications, providing bes t customer service to their clients without charging extra service fee, and marketing or promotions from the suppliers. The goal is to give convenience to the customers using the Citibank applications providing customers full access to their accounts whenever or wherever without the hassle or headaches. 8. Prepare a SWOT analysis to evaluate Citibank’s e-business strategy.SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS * Combined business units * Acquisitions * CitiDirect * Partnerships: Oracle, SAP, & Commerce One Inc. * Centralized operations with much attention focused on 1,400 large global corporations and institutional investors| WEAKNESSES * Different clients and different needs * Service differentiation. This relates back to the different clients and needs because the service has to cater to the client. * Vendor Citibank was working with and the issues when it came to supplier management| OPPORTUNITIES * Creating a brand which is known for excellence.Being a pioneer of Web and mobile support for their customers. * The global service market has a lot of room for growth. Citibank was one of the few doing business so it is possible to still take advantage and increase profits. They have the ability of first to market in this case. * As Citibank continue to increase their business globally, it would service them best to take an opportunity to work with local business (not within the same market) to offer benefits to their customers. | THREATS * Utilizing the web or mobile brings the concern of security. Threat of new entrance from competitors being able to offer lower prices, better incentives, and the technology to go with it. * Decrease in revenue due to economic times| 9. How does this case demonstrate the alignment of an e-business strategy with a company’s overall business strategy? This case demonstrates the alignment of an e-business strategy with a company’s overall business strategy by emphasizing Citibank's changes from traditional to a more e-busine ss structure still being global, meeting the needs of the customers, and still improving bottom line doing so.Also the ability to offer a variety of products and services was in alignment with Citibank's business strategy because it had to meet the needs of various customers. The e-business strategy allowed them to do so successfully. 10. Beyond the case: Citbank has hit hard times in the last several years. Do you think the strategy described in this case helped in the decline or was this a bright spot? Explain your answer. I think the strategy implemented was a bright spot for Citibank.It helped to gain more clients at different levels on a global perspective. The internet revolutionize the banking industry and changed the customers and clients expectations as it pertains to integrating its products and services in new ways. The hardship Citibank faced in the last several years, I believe had nothing to do with this strategy but more so economic. There were many other factors in t he market which contributed to the hard times. Once those factors are changed then Citibank's strategy will continue to benefit them in the long term.

Pecking Order Theory

Brigham Concise 4th Edition Chapter 1: An Overview of Financial Management 1. Which of the following are among the three main areas of finance? a. financial institutions b. investments c. financial management d. all of the above are correct e. none of the above are correct d. Correct. 2. The globalization of business and the increased use of information technology are the two key trends in financial management today. a. True b. False a. True 3. Which of the following could explain why a business might choose to organize as a corporation rather than as a sole proprietorship or a partnership? a. Corporations generally face fewer regulations. . Corporations generally face lower taxes. c. Corporations generally find it easier to raise capital. d. Corporations enjoy unlimited liability. e. All of the above statements are correct. c. Correct. 4. A partnership is subject to the same taxation as corporations. a. True b. False b. False 5. One main disadvantage of partnerships is the requireme nt of a charter and set of bylaws. a. True b. False b. False 6. One disadvantage of the sole proprietorship form of organization is that there is: a. unlimited liability. b. double taxation c. more regulations than for corporations d. easy transferability of ownership interest . all of the above are correct. a. Correct 7. A corporate charter should include which of the following: a. name of the proposed corporation b. type of activities it will pursue c. amount of capital stock d. number of directors e. names and addresses of directors f. all of the above f. Correct. 8. One reason that the value of most businesses is maximized if they are organized as a corporation is that: a. corporations face unlimited liability. b. it is easier to transfer ownership of a corporation (corporations are more liquid assets). c. corporations have a more difficult time raising capital than sole proprietorships. d.All of the above b. Correct 9. Which of the following represents a significant disadvantag e to the corporate form of organization? a. Difficulty in transferring ownership. b. Exposure to taxation of corporate earnings and stockholder dividend income. c. Degree of liability to which corporate owners and managers are exposed. d. Difficulty corporations face in obtaining large amounts of capital in financial markets. b. Correct 10. The chief financial officer (CFO) is usually the highest ranking officer in a corporation. a. True b. False b. False 11. The activities of the financial staff include: a. forecasting and planning. b. ajor investment and financing decisions. c. dealing with financial markets. d. risk management. e. all of the above. e. Correct. 12. The financial vice-president’s key subordinates are the president and the chief executive officer. a. True. b. False b. FAlse. 13. In most firms the treasurer has the responsibility for managing the firm’s cash and marketable securities, for planning its capital structure, for selling stocks and bonds to r aise capital, for overseeing the corporate pension plan, and for managing risk. a. True b. False a. True 14. The primary goal of a publicly-owned firm interested in serving its stockholders should be to: a.Maximize expected total corporate profit. b. Maximize expected EPS. c. Minimize the chances of losses. d. Maximize the stock price per share. e. Maximize expected net income. d. Correct 15. Managers that depart from the goal of shareholder wealth maximization run the risk of being removed from their jobs. a. True b. False a. True. 16. Most actions that help a firm increase the price of its stock also benefit society at large. a. True b. False a. True. 17. The primary contribution of finance to total social welfare is its: a. Function as a productive resource. b. Contribution to the efficient allocation and use of resources. c.Role as an exogenous variable. d. Positive impact on the externalities of â€Å"other variables. † e. Contribution to environmental protection. b. Cor rect 18. Most firms today have in place strong codes of ethical behavior, yet there are no obvious answers for many of the ethical questions facing many companies. a. True b. False a. True. 19. Socially responsible actions that increase costs may have to be put on a mandatory basis. a. True b. False a. True. 20. An agency relationship arises whenever one or more individuals hire another individual or organization to perform some service and delegate decision-making authority to that agent. . True b. False. a. True. 21. In financial management the primary agency relationships are those between: a. stockholders and managers b. managers and debtholders c. managers with similar levels of authority within the firm d. a and b e. a, b, and c d. Correct 22. Which of the following work to reduce agency conflicts between stockholders and bondholders? a. Including restrictive covenants in the company’s bond contract. b. Providing managers with a large number of stock options. c. The pas sage of laws that make it easier for companies to resist hostile takeovers. d.All of the statements above are correct. a. Correct 23. Which of the following actions are likely to reduce agency conflicts between stockholders and managers? a. Paying managers a large fixed salary. b. Increasing the threat of corporate takeover. c. Placing restrictive covenants in debt agreements. d. All of the statements above are correct. b. Correct 24. The managers should always undertake actions that result in a transfer of wealth from bondholders to stockholders. a. True b. False b. False. 25. Which of the following factors tend to encourage management to pursue stock price maximization as a goal? . Shareholders link management’s compensation to company performance. b. Managers’ reactions to the threat of firing and hostile takeovers. c. Statements a and b are both correct. c. Correct. 26. Mechanisms used to motivate managers to act in shareholders’ best interests include: a. m anagerial compensation b. direct intervention by shareholders c. the threat of firing d. the threat of takeovers e. all of the above e. Correct. 27. Creditors lend funds at rates that are based on: a. riskiness of the firm’s existing assets b. expectations concerning the riskiness of future asset additions c. he firm’s existing capital structure d. expectations concerning future capital structure decisions e. all of the above e. Correct. 28. The dividend policy decision is the way the firm is funded (e. g. , the mix of debt and equity used). a. True Incorrect. The dividend policy decision is the choice of how much of earnings to pay out as dividends and how much to retain to reinvest in the firm. b. False b. False. 29. Managerial actions are the only determinant of a firm’s stock value. a. True False. b. False. 30. If the firm maximizes EPS, it will maximize stockholder wealth. a. True b. False b. False.

Comparison: O.J. Simpson and Tom Robinson Trials Essay

â€Å"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.† This was taken directly from the Bill of Rights (Amendment XIV section I), and it clearly states that nothing should make or enforce any law that dispossesses the immunity of the citizen on trial. In the trials of Tom Robinson and Orenthal James Simpson, this amendment seemingly may not have been considered. Every man should be treated equally, regardless of his race and social status, and in these two trials that statement was not being applied. The social and political climate of the town in both cases was a major factor in the result of Robinson and Simpson’s trials. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Tom Robinson was a man of innocence that was accused of rape, a crime he did not commit. Back in the 1930’s, white men were constantly trying to prove the â€Å"natural inferiority† of the African American race, condemning them as unreasonable. The jury was unable to look past race and praise the integrity of Tom and epitomize the opposite of prejudice. If Tom Robinson were a white man, the outcome of the trial would be entirely different. However, in 1994, times have shown to have changed from the extent of racism and prejudice from the early 1900’s. Now, money and popularity is power, despite the race of a person. OJ Simpson was an African American, who was ranked fairly high on the social scale. He was a well-known, NFL-all star with a great deal of money on his side. The jury were in favor of OJ Simpson’s innocence from the beginning because they felt that a man like himself could not a crime as extreme as the murder of two people. Thus, in both cases, the race and rank of the defendant detained a major position in the result of their trials. In both trials, the evidence appeared to be somewhat disregarded by the jury. In Tom’s trial, there was no medical verification that he took advantage and  raped Mayella Ewell. The jury could only base their guilty sentence of Tom on what was said by the Ewells in the courtroom. Back then, a white person’s word was automatically the truth when it was held up to the credibility of someone whom was black. At Simpson’s trial, the substantiation of murder was observed wrongfully. At the crime scene of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman, blood was found in OJ ‘s car, his socks, and a pair of his rubber gloves, upon many other things. For some reason, the jury looked past this evidence of guilt, and that is wrong. Although there are many similarities present between the two trials, there are also some differences. One difference is that there was a change of venue made in one case but not the other. It was deliberated in Tom’s trial but in the end it was determined that a change of venue would not be necessary due to the fact that any jury would find a black man guilty in any case. OJ ‘s case was moved to the downtown district instead of where the crime occurred to avoid racial imbalances and to accommodate the media crash in Los Angeles (trial was moved to Santa Monica). This also made it possible to change the jury, which also had a major effect on the result of OJ ‘s trial. The final verdicts of the two trials are not truthful. Both Tom and OJ were not treated equally as citizens of the United States. Instead, they were thought of as an evil and unreasonable black man and a NFL all star who would never commit a crime. Perhaps if the jury had realized that they were treating these two people unequally and unfairly the verdicts of these trials would be utterly different. These trials demonstrate how race, social status, and money have an effect on the current law system. All people are created equally, so they shall be treated equally in any matter

Alone Together by Sherry Turkle Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Alone Together by Sherry Turkle - Research Paper Example Forming social networks is an inherent trait, rather an inherent need, of all human beings. Such social networks may include our family, our friends and our colleagues. Today we can share any kind of information with our social network using social networking websites such as Face book, Twitter and YouTube through blogs, forums, video, audio, photos, online profiles and status updates. In the last few years social networking and social media sharing has gained immense popularity amongst millions of users worldwide. (Kaplan, 2010) The presence of IT has revolutionized each and every aspect of our lives. Not a single aspect of modern man’s life has been left untouched by the sweeping presence of IT in the form of the computer, the internet and the social media. Despite the uncountable gifts of the IT age, the over-involvement in the use of IT as a social ambassador has a flip side to it, which has been discussed at length in Alone Together, a remarkable work by MIT technology specialist Sherry Turkle. The work sums up the author’s fifteen-year-long study of human lives in the digital age. The arguments presented by the author are based on her interviews with hundreds of children and adults regarding their use of technology and its impact on their interpersonal relationships. The book discusses the instabilities that have crept into the modern day relationships owing to digitization and how they have modified the aligned concepts of privacy, relationship and community. The thesis of this paper is that Sherry Turkle is convincing in her argument that our growing dependence on social media technology has eventually led to the destruction of our humanity. In the first half of her book, Turkle talks about social robots, or the sci-fi machines that apparently possess all human-like qualities required to facilitate our day-to-day chores. But the author

HRM Issues in McDonalds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

HRM Issues in McDonalds - Essay Example HRM Issues in McDonalds McDonalds Corporation is the largest network of fast food restaurants headquartered in the United States. The company was founded in 1940 by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald. Currently the organisation has it active presence in 119 countries across the world with franchisees, affiliates, or the corporation’s own restaurants. The firm’s main sources of revenues include rent, royalties, and fees from franchisees, and sales revenues from company’s directly-operated restaurants. As stated in its website, the corporation’s product lines include hamburgers, chicken, cheeseburgers, french fries, soft drinks, and desserts (McDonalds.com). The strategic position of McDonald with regard to the recruitment and selection, training and development, staff turnover, and reward and benefit has been a topic for academic discussion for decades. High staff turnover has been criticized as the indication of low staff morale in McDonald, however, a BBC report (28 January 2008), says that McDonalds specifically focuses on the issue of staff turnover as a strategic gap to be bridged (BBC News, 2008). The challenges involve the following; first, recruitment and training of new employees is an expensive task. Hence employee turnover contributes to the firm’s operating expenses. Secondly, due to this issue the organisation has been losing experienced and skilled employees and thereby it causes productivity declines. Most of the Multinational Corporations confront the issues of rising labour costs, staff turnover, and staff shortage. As Smith (2006, p. 175) points out, in order for keeping the labour costs low, McDonalds and other fast food chains have lobbied government and legislative bodies against worker benefits many times. And the result was high turnover which in McDonalds alone reached 300 percent per year in some of i ts outlets (Ibid). A recent report in Wall Street Journal dated April 10 says that McDonalds is striving to address the mounting complaints against its rude and unprofessional employees (Jargon 2013). The problems with low employee morale also have to be counted as the indication of high staff turnover that can be attributed to some HR failures. Evidences suggest that employee turnover has been pertinent in the industry for several years. For instance, a Chicago Tribune report (May 15, 2007) by Schmeltzer also describes what McDonalds did for retaining its employees in Chicago outlets. It launched a career campaign highlighting the employment in McDonalds as McCareer instead of McJob. According to the Fast Food Nation statistics (as cited by Lubin & Badkar Dec 7, 2012), McDonalds hires more than 1 million workers in the US every year with 700,000 domestic workforce and with 150% turnover rate. Msn Money report by Berr (Apr 11, 2013) also reveals that McDonalds has been recently faci ng numerous issues associated with staff shortage. Another report of the sort by Chittum (April 12, 2013) appeared on Columbia

HR Alignment Part II Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HR Alignment Part II - Assignment Example th the organization’s business objectives, the very first step that leaders of any organization has to take will have to do with selecting the right goals and objectives for the organization. I say this with experience from my previous workplace where a failure to set the right business objectives led to a situation where there was human resource alignment alright but the outcome of it was not successful. This was because the employees were pursuing something that was not suitable for the organization. I really admire the approach you took to addressing the benefits of assessing HR alignment when you indicated that you can only manage what you measure. The indication that this gives is that before HR managers can even think about gaining from the benefits of the alignment process, they have to get a means by which they can measure the HR alignment process (Becker,   Huselid & Ulrich, 2001). I would therefore use an example with my current organization to suggest how this can be done for any real world organization. In our organization, an integrate metric has been used that seeks to measure the business goals separately, after which it measures the HR performance also separately. After this is done, the two measures are integrated to know how any successes or flaws with the business goals can be associated with the HR responsibilities. With this approach, it is possible to have the HR as an agent of change because when any elements of failure are identified, the HR is called upo n to change its approach to work as a way of fixing

Research the development of endoxaban as well as the target and Essay

Research the development of endoxaban as well as the target and mechanism of action. Illustrate aspects of the discovery and development process that are relevant to endoxaban - Essay Example , however jus most recently in the January of 2015.1 In the USA, the drug has been approved both for the prevention of the systematic formation of blood clot in the non–central-nervous-system, as well as for the prevention of stroke1. The drug is currently approved for medical use in the treatment of the thrombosis of deep veins, as well as in the treatment of pulmonary embolism, after a period of 5 to 10 days therapy involving the application of a parenteral-based coagulant.3 The development of the Endoxaban oral drug started several years ago, but the first official request for investigation and approval by the Daiichi Sankyo company was made to the Ministry of Health in Japan in 6 April 2010.2 The investigation of the drug commenced and the approval of its commercial production and sale was approved in Japan by the Ministry of Health on 22 April 2011, making the drug a fully approved medication for the prevention of venous thromboembolisms (VTE).4 At the international level, the drug has undergone successful investigations, with the first clinical investigation being initiated towards the end of 2009, where a clinical study was undertaken usinig 21,000 patients in the USA, Europe and Japan.3 The second clinical trial was subsequently undertaken in Japan, followed by the third clinical investigations, all of which have demonstrated the efficacy and safety profile of oral Endoxaban when comparable to that of warfarin, which is the most common used antico agulant in the USA.4 The first clinical investigations of the drug, since the drug was first subjected to clinical investigations in 2009, has indicated that the drug has the acceptable profile of both safety and efficacy of use for medication.5 The second and the third phases of the clinical investigations have affirmed the safety and efficacy profiles of the oral Endoxaban, resulting in its approval for the medical use in the prevention of both venous clotting and stroke. Despite the fact that the Endoxaban

The political and economical role of Qatar in the Middle East and the Essay

The political and economical role of Qatar in the Middle East and the Arab world - Essay Example Revamping of the region into a number one country in terms of Gross Domestic product has been ascribed to the oil revenue. Researchers have faced controversies on how they can typify such a small region based on international relations literature and traditional comparative politics. Similarly, Qatar has been identified as a region that is stable due to absence of immediate threats to its political stability and security. Nonetheless, stability is hardly perfect in Qatar. This is exemplified by competition over political powers and internal conflicts in the Al-Thani, the royal family. Forced abdication within the governing families has been identified as the cause of Qatar past leadership transitions of 1949, 1960, and 1995. However, this ruling family has upheld social peace in Qatar for many decades. Several studiers have identified that Qatar has a baffling political stability. Qatar’s branded image has been generated by its diplomatic successes. These include its notable role in hosting major internal events and involvement into peacekeeping programs. As a result, the country has experienced impressive achievements in the economic sector. Economic achievements in this Persian Gulf small peninsula have been contributed by a breathtaking modernization rate of the economic sector. In regards to a survey of the 2008 Qatar per capita income, the annual per capita income was estimated at $ 95, 000 at the current prices. This is ascribed to the abundance of gas and oil in the region. On the other hand, an outdated political system has been another contributing factor. The autocratic state of Qatar has been contributed by consolidation of Shiekh Hamad position within Qatar and the royal family. Silencing of political liberation talks exemplifies this assertion. Comprehension of Qatar’s political dynamics is centered on the religious and tribal structures. This is based on the strong and weak dilemma

Consider the mediatisation of warfare. Does the rise of social media Essay

Consider the mediatisation of warfare. Does the rise of social media change the ability of western military to control perceptio - Essay Example The government resources and power was no match for the hordes of people which were notified through the social media about where and when to meet for rallies and demonstrations. The Egyptian civil war was known as the Facebook Revolution, largely in recognition for the huge role of Facebook and the social media on the turnout of the war in the favor of the majority of Facebook users. This is a phenomenon which would likely be repeated in the future. There have already been incidents when the media and the social media has had an impact on warfare, so much so that it has also affected the western ability to control the perceptions of contemporary conflicts. This essay shall discuss this point further, seeking to answer how the rise of social media change the ability of western military to control perceptions of contemporary conflicts. This essay shall argue that the rise of the social media has decreased the ability of the western military to control perceptions of contemporary confl icts, especially in relation to how these wars are fought, how necessary or unnecessary they may be, how long they are fought, and in what favor the wars should end. Initially, a general overview of the impact of the social media on warfare will be discussed. This shall include a discussion on key theories related to the subject matter. This shall be followed by a discussion of various incidents where the social media has impacted on warfare in different parts of the world. The latter part shall then relate the impact of the social media on how the western military has been able to control (or not control) the perceptions of contemporary conflicts. B. Body In considering the theories discussed during this course, the media determinism theory is likely the closest theory which would help explain the impact of the social media on warfare and the outcomes of warfare (Chandler, 1995). The theory discusses how the media seems to imply a direction in opinions and actions which is not with in the cultural or political influence. There is a belief in this case that the media has a strong governing impact on society. It impacts on how individuals think and how they relate with each other. It drives social progress and innovation. This theory declares that media impacts significantly on society and it can have a significant cause and effect relationship with society (Chandler, 1995). Media technologies, including the social media can bring about change in society. This theory is a simplistic assessment of complicated situations, with cause and effect relations decreased to their lowest premise, sometimes managed in those conditions. Innis and McLuhan have applied this theory as they declare how the media can shape a person’s and society’s self-perception as well as realization (Chandler, 1995). In general, this theory highlights the fact that the media can impact significantly on how society and technology can impact on the general population. In this case, the social media is an innovation of the media. It is a new aspect of media relations which is also having a similar impact on society and how they understand, perceive, and conceptualize information. In other words, the theory supports the notion that the social

Oil Spills And Their Affects On Our Beaches Research Paper

Oil Spills And Their Affects On Our Beaches - Research Paper Example Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA ’90), which imposed unlimited liability on proprietors and operators of ships and shore facilities who discharge oil  into surrounding waters. This Act met with much criticism, especially from energy company lobbyists, for it contained strict rules and regulations that had the potential to alter international oil trade. For example, the cost of compliance with OPA ’90 was said to be â€Å"$1.3 billion over the next 24 years, but some say the figure will be closer to $7 million by 2015.† (Oshins, 1992, p.54) This is an important statistic in the context of this essay, for it indicates the real reason behind continued instances of oil spills – namely, cost of compliance. Although the OPA ’90 was supposed to deter sub-standard safety measures, it has not fulfilled that end. This is in part due to the perceived excesses in some of its clauses. There is validity to those claims which portray OPA ’90 in negative lig ht, attacking it for the severity of punitive measures it encompasses. For example, under the OPA ’90, â€Å"in addition to removal costs, the responsible party becomes liable for consequential damages: harm to natural resources, economic loss to real or personal property, losses suffered by one who earns subsistence from natural resources, losses in tax revenues, loss to profit or earning capacity, and increased expense of public services.† (Oshins, 1992, p.54) Hence, a major drawback of the legislation is its underlying assumption that exorbitant financial compensation after the event will somewhat prompt oil companies to tighten up their transportation procedures. But this assumption has proven weak. For example, although there are some efforts by major oil companies toward making their oceanic oil transport as risk-free as possible, the frequency of spills has not reduced. The recent British Petroleum disaster is another example of the systemic failure of oil indus try and government agencies. The recent BP disaster is as much a result of human failures as it is due to technical shortcomings and inadequate planning. Even as investigations were started and all pretense of earnestness were shown by politicians, the most important reason has been ignored – namely, that deep sea drilling is inherently risky and continued use of fossil fuels are already affecting marine ecosystems through climate change. Another factor that amplifies risk of oil-spill is the generation of hydrate gas. Under a depth of 1000 feet or more beneath the sea-level hydrate gases such as methane are found in a solid state, compressed into â€Å"molecular cages of ice†. (Allen, 2010, p.12) But if they happen to get destabilized due to a reduction in pressure or rise in temperature, the â€Å"gas-water compound can quickly expand 164 times in volume. If ignited, even ice-bound hydrates burn. This could potentially block the [blowout preventer] stack, kill lines and chokes, obstruct the movement of the drill string, and cause serious operational and safety concerns including blowouts† (Allen, 2010, p.12) In the last thirty years, 165 blowouts were witnessed in U.S. marine zones and 500 worldwide. The Minerals Management Service (MMS), which is the chief government agency looking into the problem, has not taken adequate steps to mitigate this risk. Even in the BP case, the MMS was suspected of colluding with the business corporation: â€Å"

Political science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Political science - Essay Example This is because public philosophy that originates from protection of freedom of individuals can be used to denounce or support the intervention of the government in the economy. Conversely, Jeffry Frieden argues that the downfall of the effectiveness of the US government in managing its domestic economies was caused by the international economy growth and evolution. The growth and evolution of the international economy impacts directly or indirectly on the ability of functionality of a nation’s government to manage the domestic economy, hence resulting to the downfall of the local economy of the country. Rapid growth and evolution of the international economy in the 1970s reduced the US’s governmental effectiveness in managing its domestic economy because it affected the domestic political cleavage of the nation. This implies that the relationship between political performance and growth and evolution of the international economy is crucial. In evaluating the relationship between the two aspects, focus is directed towards a future of democracy that is achieved through civic virtue and self-governance. Democracy indirectly affects the development of a high and more stable domestic economy. Because of the increased growth and evolution of the international economy during the 1970s, the scope of marketing of the US broadened. Consequently, the effectiveness of the government to manage its domestic economy reduced. This is because America decided to sell commodities across borders. This was because of the many dimensions that the nation had to justify. The government has a significant role of protecting and contributing to the growth and development of the domestic economy of its nation. This is achieved by implementing various laws and regulations for the purpose of protecting local markets and domestic economic growth. However, due

Media Smart Quiz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Media Smart Quiz - Essay Example Rappers singing about killing cops make individuals think that all rappers want or have killed cops. c. Audiences negotiation their own meaning: Audiences judge media literacy differently. A white male might think that all the aid to Haiti is wasted because he does not have a job in the slow economy. However a Haitian woman living in the United States might think help should have been provided before the earthquake. d. Media constructions have commercial purposes: Media construction can revolve around a product. An example might be a newscast having a sponsor provides coffee mugs with their logos prominently displayed toward the camera. e. Media messages contain values and ideologies: Values and ideologies are contained in every media message depending on the outlet. Examples would be Fox News promotes a prolife agenda, whereas other networks are prochoice. These two messages promote the values and ideologies inherent in American society today. f. Media messages have social and political consequences: The social and political consequences of media messages are seen daily. Social issues like smoking is discouraged in ads from truth.com and political pundits on both sides give their spin on issues daily. Each story or message can influence citizens about social policy or politics. g. Each medium has its own unique aesthetic form/impact: Pictures and other media messages are presented in different mediums. Black and white, color, sepia, still picture, video, and so forth all have unique mediums. A video on a plasma television of a real battle scene would more graphic than the same scene on an old black and white set. However when portraying WWI or WWII, it seems more realistic to view black and white footage. This is how the audience learned this material so black and white is more creditable. The same goes for Vietnam and the Gulf Wars except theses wars are more credible in color. Mass communication grew during the industrial age due to

Lamic2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Lamic2 - Essay Example b. The U.S. Department of Labor provides a comparison of the federal minimum wage and different state minimum wages at Minimum Wage Laws in the States. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides updated information on average wages, by state, at 2000 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. Compare the average wages of waiters in Texas, New York, and one state with a minimum wage below the federal level (this will be found in the category "Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations"). If the minimum wage were to go up by $0.50, where do you think it would have the greatest effect on restaurant costs? on unemployment? What does this tell you about what stage in the business cycle (for example, during a recession or during a boom) an increase in the minimum wage is more likely to be approved? Ans: The average wage of a waiter per hour is $6.66 in Texas, $8.16 in New York, and $7.11 in Wyoming. If the minimum wage were to go up by $0.50, it would have the greatest effec t on the state that offers the lowest minimum wage which is Texas. On the other hand, the increase would have the greatest effect on unemployment on restaurant costs of states whose minimum wage is below the federal level, which, in this case is Wyoming. ... On the other hand, costs for users are usually higher because the supply of contraband substances are usually low. If this substance were legal, producers would incur higher costs and users would enjoy a lower price for it. 2. Lesson 8 3. Graphing the Demand Curve (21 points) Imagine that the owner of your favorite veggie taco stand changes the price of a tacos randomly each day. How many tacos you eat each day depends only on the price that day, not on the previous price or which day it is. You cannot store tacos. Fill out the following demand chart using your own preferences for tacos, that is, if the price is as indicated at left, how many tacos will you buy? Remember, use your own preferences. The answers will depend on how much you like tacos, how hungry you are at lunchtime, and how much money you want to spend for lunch. There is no right or wrong answer. Price of a 4 oz. regular taco How many tacos will you eat at this price? 0.00 Â  3 0.25 Â  2 0.50 Â  2 1.00 Â  1 1.50 à ‚  1 2.00 Â  1 2.50 Â  1 4.00 Â  1 10.00 Â  0 a. Graph your demand function, placing price on the vertical axis. Is your demand for tacos linear? What happens to the relationship as price increases? Ans: The demand for tacos has a more exponential relationship with price, rather than linear. As price increases, demand for tacos approaches zero. b. Is there a positive or negative relationship between price and your demand for tacos? Does the slope get steeper or flatter as price increases more? Ans: There is a negative relationship between price and my demand for tacos. The slope gets steeper as price increases. 4. Choosing Optimal Consumption (28 points) Microeconomics, Chapter 7, Problem

The Decision Making Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Decision Making Process - Essay Example This discussion outlines that a change in the managerial concerns is inevitable and the impact of decisions related to an immediate alteration may reflect in the overall performance of the entire workforce. Generally, a decision making process is initiated according to the expectations and preferences of the decision maker for the purpose of eliminating possible uncertainties of the results of a preplanned future action.  This study declares that  the process of decision making is not a simple action, because it is the key to the future perfections as the decider of an action has an unbreakable relationship with the implications of the results as well as the quality of the chosen output that comes as the end result. Therefore the course of deciding anything has to go through various stages. Firstly, the problem is identified and defined, then the trial for identifying the possible solutions to it. Next, the solutions are evaluated for determining the best one and the decision is made on the basis of it. The remaining stages are the implementation and evaluation of the decision as a continuous process. Through these stages, the decision maker gets a chance to explore the actual situations pertaining to a conflicting condition and becomes able to obtain various alternatives to settle the issue. However, the success of the decision depends on the way it is implemented and evaluated in a way that the correctness of the actions for fixing the problem is appreciable.

Nutrition for Health and Social Care (DISCUSSION) Assignment

Nutrition for Health and Social Care (DISCUSSION) - Assignment Example One protein is differentiated from another by the sequence of amino acids, and this is responsible for the tertiary structure that defines the function of the protein. The digestion of proteins takes place in the stomach and the small intestines. In the stomach, pepsinogen is secreted from gastric glands and activated by hydrogen ions to pepsin. Pepsin works on long amino acid chains to produce fragments of various sizes referred to as peptides (Protein Digestion & Absorption , 2005). Protein digestion continues in the small intestines where hydrolysis is accomplished by the action of three proteases including procarboxypeptidase, chymotrypsinogen, and trpsinogen (Murray, et al., 2006). Digestion in the small intestines breaks peptides into smaller chains finally resulting into dipeptides and tripeptides (Protein Digestion & Absorption 2005). Individual amino acids that are yielded at the end of the digestion are absorbed through the cell lining the small intestines into the blood stream. After digestion, proteins are used in the body for various functions. About 20 amino acids are yielded after digestions are used to construct proteins for different functions in the body. Proteins are basically used to produce antibodies, for body tissues (production and repair), production of enzymes and storage of products including amino acids. Most of the fats consumed in diet are in the form of triglycerides (Murray, Harper, Granner, Mayes, & Rodwell 2006). Triglycerides are identified by the presence of a backbone, to which fatty acids are attached. Triglycerides are determined by the type of fatty acids attached, and this varies to a large extend (Murray, et al., 2006). There are three types of fatty acids that are classified depending on the number of double bonds in the molecule. The three are identified as Saturates, Monounsaturates, and polyunsaturates (Rose 2013). Polyunsaturates can

The copenhagen criteria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The copenhagen criteria - Essay Example In order to acquire the European Union membership the candidate countries should fulfil the above-mentioned three criteria. Since the enlargement process by European Council was held at Copenhagen, the name Copenhagen criteria came into existence. "Neither the EU nor the candidate countries have the power to change the geographical reality on the ground or the definitions of terms long defined in the English language in respect of physical and political geographic descriptions" (Wikipedia). The enlargement process is resolved at the beginning before taking an opinion of the application of a particular country. There is no geographical limit for any European country to join European Union. Some cases of non-European countries2 came into picture but none the less it is not possible for non- European states to attain a European Union membership. It has been stated that there is no possibility of non-European countries to become EU member but ironically some of the countries, which were geographically apart from Europe, were given European Union membership. Countries like French Guiana and Greenland, which were geographically not connected to Europe, were given EU membership. ... It has been stated that there is no possibility of non-European countries to become EU member but ironically some of the countries, which were geographically apart from Europe, were given European Union membership. Countries like French Guiana and Greenland, which were geographically not connected to Europe, were given EU membership. The reasons cited for their inclusion was French Guiana was an integral part of French Republic and Greenland joined the EEC as a Danish dependency. It clearly shows the double standards employed in the inclusion.One of the biggest headaches for European Union member states is inclusion of Turkey as a EU member. Turkey has been declared as a candidate for membership. At first European Union declined the inclusion of Turkey as a member. To become a EU member every country has to fulfil the Copenhagen Criteria and Turkey was well short of the above-mentioned criteria. One of the reasons for turning down Turkey's candidature was its being a non Christian st ate. The majority community of Turkey is Muslims. Since shariat3 law was enforced as it has been in every other Islamic country, became one of the reasons for its being declined.The human rights record of Turkey was well below the mark. They had very bad human rights record. Since it is an Islamic country there was a fear of terrorists residing in Turkey. Due to the increase in terror activities Muslim sympathisers may take advantage of the membership and might cause damage to the European Union members. They might indulge in terrorist activities. There is no gender equality in Turkey. Women were treated as slaves. They don't have any independence inside

Comparison of A Good Man is Hard Essay Example for Free

Comparison of A Good Man is Hard Essay SETTING The setting of A Good Man is Hard to Find is in a place in Georgia, but the reader is not exposed to the description of the original setting. The story begins in a city that is not named where the family lives and takes the reader to many places where the family travels. There is Plenty of local color there are the old plantations that get passed, and Red Sammys roadside barbeque joint. For Love in L.A the story takes place on the Freeway of Los Angeles, where Jake, protagonist, lazy, self-absorbed and irresponsible, is driving along the freeway (Dagoberto, 2004). The similarity in the setting of the two stories is the fact that story happens as an experience of persons travelling. However the two stories are different because in A Good Man is Hard to Find it involves a family and the relationship to one another. This is not the dame case in Love in L.A where the story involves Jake who is driving along a freeway. CHARACTERS In Love in L.A Jake is presented as an irresponsible, self absorbed and lazy protagonist. This is seen when he hits Marianas car due to his carelessness. Jake is also dishonest when he gives Mariana wrong information regarding his address, phone number, and insurance information (Dagoberto, 2004). The main reason as to why he does this is for him to walk free from the consequences he is likely to face for hitting Marianas car. Mariana is the storys antagonist. She believes the information given to him by Jake and she gives her correct information to Jake, with hopes of becoming good friends. Despite the fact that he hits her car does not make to feel anger against him, but instead accepts his proposal. In A Good Man is Hard to Find the grandmother is seen as a manipulator. She does not want to go to Florida because she has relatives in Tennessee she  wants to see. She tries to change the mind of Bailey through a subtle style (Flannery, 1992). The Misfit despite being violent and a wanton killer, he has a different opinion to that of the grandmother. As much he knows that he is not morally upright, he also has the view that there are some people who are worse than him. He is consistent in these views, something that lacks in the grandmother. Bailey can be seen as submissive since he submits to his mothers request to visit the old plantation house. He is also ineffective when he fails to quiet his mother but in vain. Red Sammy Butts is honest as is seen by the trust that the grandmother has in him. He is gullible to fault. The two escaped criminals are cowards because they escape from the consequences that they are likely to face, having killed several people. The two children are adventurous as seen by their push to visit the old house their grandmother having said that it contained a secret panel. SYMBOLISM The freeway in Love in L.A is symbolic in that it makes Jake feel all the freedom provided by the open road, something that leads him into day dreaming. The car is also symbolic because it represents how well or bad he uses his freedom, basing on the fact that he is involved in an accident due to carelessness. In A Good Man is Hard to Find the grandmothers hat which she puts to show that she is a lady is symbolic in a way that it represents her moral code, which is misguided (Flannery, 1992). This is illustrated when she dresses in that specific manner, so that in case there is an accident, everyone would easily identify her as a lady. The Toomsboro town is mentioned in a manner that it sounds like a Tomb meaning that the family is headed for doom. Through the description of Misfits car, the writer brings out the picture of the ultimatum of the family. He uses a big black battered hearse-like automobile, instead of brand names like Cadillac, Lincoln and many others. THEMES In A Good Man is Hard to Find the main theme is good versus evil where  there is a confrontation with a superficial logic of goodness and a person who is embodies aspects of evil. She treats goodness just to appear decent, with the right manners and to paint of a picture of coming from a family of right people, which is a contrast as is seen when she meets the Misfit who acknowledges and accepts his true nature. In this piece, the writer brings out the nature of people to paint a picture which is in contrast of their true natures just to gain a social status among the people they interact with. In Love in L.A the main theme is love for self. This is seen as Jake is consumed with himself and the obsession he has with his car. He wants more for himself and for the main reason of getting more women. The author illustrates the nature of people in the society to always want more in life (Dagoberto, 2004). TONE In Love in L.A, The tone of the author brings out the fact that he might see himself in the main character, Jake. The author could be a good person who at one time struggled in the place of a bad guy. In A good Man is Hard to Find, the overall tone used plays a fundamental role in developing the plot of the story, which is retro respect, based upon the unforgiving terrain especially during the writing of the story. IRONY The title of the story,A Good man is hard to find is ironic because the grandmother refers the Misfit as a good man when she says, I know youre a good man I know you must come from nice people, (Flannery, 1992). which is not the case since the Misfit has escaped from prison and has killed his father. Irony is also evident in Love in L.A because of the continual longing for love which does not occur. Through Jake, love is developed in different fashions which do not suggest anything positive. He is seen as one with a love for image, daydreaming and self conceit, which does not represent the true meaning of the word love. MORAL CODES In Love in L.A, Jake has no moral codes. Despite the fact that he knocks Mirandas car, he does not make any efforts to honor the responsibility but instead tries hard to evade the situation by telling Miranda lies and giving him false information. He does not also mind about the conditions of other people but instead thinks about himself and does everything to get what he wants. In A Good Man is Hard to Find I think the grandmother does not have the qualities to be looked at as a good man since the image that she tries to paint is not what she truly is, she lives in deceit and does everything to get recognized (Flannery, 1992). This is the same scenario in the case of Misfit, who despite the fact that he sees himself as perfect, and that there are others even more dangerous than him, does not mean that he is morally upright. This is because he does not make any efforts in changing what evil he has done in the past. FINAL THOUGHTS I have learnt that there are many ways in which perceive love. Having read the two short stories, I discovered that people are of different opinions. This is illustrated by Jake as being in love with his car and self image, the same thing is seen with the grandmother, where he only loves the image that can be represented by her and not about the affairs of the other people. This is a moral lesson that we should learn and try as hard to always consider the affairs and statuses of other people before putting ours ahead. REFERENCES Flannery, O. (1992) A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories Chicago: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Dagoberto. G, (2004) Love in L.A. Chicago: Cengage Learning

Time and Truth Essay Example for Free

Time and Truth Essay The unreal in English is used to talk about things in your imagination, but which are not true. The unreal is often used with if and wish. Present Unreal Conditional The present unreal talks about the present time, life today, right now, but imagining (or wishing) something that is untrue. In a wish sentence, or in an if-clause, you use the past tense to show that the verb is unreal about the present. The main clause (often called the â€Å"result† clause) uses would: If I had a lot of money, I would buy a house. (The truth is that you don’t have a lot of money. ) If I knew Japanese, I would work in Tokyo. (The truth is that you don’t know Japanese. ) I wish I had a better job. If I had a good job, I would be much happier. (The truth is that you don’t have a good job. ) I wish I knew how to type. If I knew how to type, I would be able to get a better job. (The truth is that you don’t know how to type. ) The verb to be is always were in the unreal, no matter who the subject is: He wishes he were the mayor. If he were mayor, he would solve the homeless problem. (The truth is that he is not the mayor. ) If I were taller, I would play basketball. I wish I were six feet tall. (The truth is that you are not tall. ) Exercise 1. She doesn’t speak English, so she doesn’t understand you. If she ____________ English, she ______________________ you. 2. He can’t drive, so he won’t buy a car. If he _________________________, he _____________________ a car. 3. He isn’t rich, so he won’t buy a beach house. If he _____________________ rich, he ___________________ a beach house. 4. He eats too much, so he’s fat. If he ________________________ too much, he ___________________ fat. [Note: You need to use didn’t in this sentence. ] Past Unreal Conditional (Rick Shur, page 2 of 2) A wished or imagined idea about a past event is called the past unreal. The verb in the wish clause or if-clause is put in the past perfect (had + past participle) to show the past unreal. The main clause (the â€Å"result† clause) will use would have + past participle. When I was a child, I hated school. (This is the truth, what really happened. You hated school.) If I had liked school better, I would have studied and [I would have] learned more. I wish I had been a better student as a boy. I wish I had had better teachers, too. I wish my parents had forced me to do my homework. (The truth is that you didn’t like school, you didn’t study, you didn’t learn, you were not a good student, you didn’t have good teachers, and your parents didn’t force you to do your homework. ) If she had reminded me that yesterday was her birthday, I would have bought her a present. At least, I would have sent her a card. (The truth is that she didn’t remind you, so you didn’t buy her a present. ) I wish the Mets had won the game last night! If they had won, I would have made a lot of money. If the Mets had beaten the Yankees, I would have won $200. (The truth is that the Mets didn’t win, and you didn’t win any money. You lost! ) Exercise 1. She didn’t give me her phone number, so I wasn’t able to call her. If she ___________________________ her phone number, I ________________________________able to call her. 2. He didn’t have his wallet with him last night, so he didn’t buy the book. If he ____________________________ his wallet with him, he ________________________________ the book. 3. They didn’t get to the airport in time, so they missed their flight. If they __________________________ to the airport in time, they ________________________________ their flight. [Note: You need to use wouldn’t in this sentence! ] 4. He wasn’t able to open the wine bottle, so they didn’t drink wine. If he ___________________________ able to open the wine bottle, they _______________________________ wine.

The Literature In English Component

The Literature In English Component CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1Introduction It has been 9 years since the literature in English component was first introduced by the Ministry of Education and to be included in English subject syllabus for Secondary school. In parallel to the Ministry vision in producing excellent students who can compete globally in the future, Literature in English for both Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary Schools aim to inclusively facilitate secondary students to improve and strengthen their proficiency in the English Language. Through the literature in English component also, it allows the students to learn many things from many perspectives by studying other cultures and world views. Literature in English also gives the students more opportunities to be more appreciative towards the esthetics of the English language and towards Literature masterpieces as well. Besides, the learning of literature will help to impart values beneficial to students personal growth, development and character. However, throughout the 9 years of implementation of the Literature component in secondary school, numerous studies have been done and have revealed some facts regarding students interest towards the literature in English component in the secondary school. Most of Malaysian students give negative responses to the learning of literature in English in classroom especially at the early period when it was first introduced. Indeed, most of the researches have done some researches on how to enhance the learning of literature in English among the students due to the fact that Malaysian students have lack of interest in learning literature in English. There are varieties of factors that contribute to students interest in Literature. However this research will look deeply into the three main causes that affecting students interest in learning literature in English and on how strong the causes really affects the students. The three factors are the students exposure towards the target language and the level of proficiency, the content of the literature component itself, and the activities done in the classroom. In fact, these three main factors are always being discussed as the reasons that influence students interest in learning literature in English. The language spoken at home might influence the students interest towards the learning of literature in English differently. Students are coming from different family background that has different experience communicating in English at home. If the parents are good in mastering the English language and always communicate with the children in English, it might encourage the students to read the literature in English texts. However, if the students have lack of exposure towards English language, it might also demotivate them to read the literature in English texts since they are hardly understand them. Another main challenge for the students to learn literature in English is caused by the selection of texts itself. Students might have lack of interest in Literature because of the text (short story, poem and novel) are boring and inappropriate for them. If the students are unfamiliar with the plot and the settings of the story, they will have difficulty to understand it and lead to the lack of interest to learn it. Furthermore, the major problem regarding students learning in literature is students encounter language difficulties that does not match their language ability. Even teachers cannot agree on the type of texts that should be taught although they generally agree that the texts should promote intellectual development, independent thinking, are interesting to adolescents and meet certain cultural and aesthetic standards (Agee, 1998). Thus, the selection of the texts should be analysed and studied again whether they are appropriate or not. Literature component in English has been implemented in Malaysian curriculum starting from the year 2001. Since then, the students in secondary school have learnt a lot of poems, short stories and even novels as the items of learning literature. Table 1.1 shows the items that learned by lower secondary schools students in Malaysia. Table 1.1: Curriculum specifications for literature in KBSM English program for lower secondary students. Form Title Author Genre 1 Life's Brief Candle William Shakespeare Poem The Dead crow A.Samad Said Poem The Lake Isle of Innisfree W.B Yeats Poem The Pencil Ali Majod Short Story How Dalat Got Its Name Heidi Munan Short Story Of Bunga Telur and Bally Shoes Che Husna Azhari Short Story 2 Rubinson Crusoe Danie Defoe Novel Potato People Angela Wright Novel Phantom of the opera Gaston Leroux Novel 3 The Prisoner of Zenda Antony Hope Novel Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde R.L.Stevenson Novel Teachers creativity in teaching Literature is also one of the most important features to capture students interest. Since literature is still considered new to Malaysian education system, the main problem for both teachers and students is to have various interesting activities to be applied in the classroom to teach literature. Most of the activities in literature classroom focus on the comprehension of the text by reading the text and answering the comprehension questions provided by the teachers and from the work books. In the discussion forum as stated in the Malaysian English Language Teaching Association (MELTA) web, www.melta.org.com, teachers are advised to provide the students with various creative activities in classroom to teach literature and to generate students interest in learning literature. Thus, teachers role is to search for new ideas, practicality and do experiments in literature through the reading from activities book or through the internet. Creative activities are used to enhance students understanding of literary texts and to attract their attention and interest in reading and learning literature. Creative approaches like role play and dramatization or even games are created to improve the dull traditional method of teaching literature, which only focus on close reading and explanation of literary texts. Students interests need to be capture before they can fully appreciate the beauty of the literature. (MELTA forum). 1.2 Statement of Problem The literature in English component has been implemented as part of KBSM English syllabus for about 9 years since it was first introduced in year 2001. However, through my experience and observations show that the students have a lack of interest towards the learning of literature and they fail to appreciate or understand of what literature is. Thus, it is vital to understand the factors that influence the students interest to learn literature in English in order for all to solve the problem. Since English is considered as the second language in Malaysia. Thus, the students level of proficiency in the language is varying to each other. Some students are given much exposure to the target language at home and some are even never utter any English word at home. However, interest is an subjective issue because it does not mean that if the students are good in English language that they are interested to learn literature in English more than the students who are not very proficient in English language. However, at the same time one of the underlying issue in the implementation of the literature in English component is that most of the students feel that the literature texts offered in the English language Syllabus are inappropriate, unchallenging and even boring. In fact, the topic of literature text has been discussed and debated since it was first introduced until the present time. The main issue is to revise the use of the current text and it has been supported by the students, parents and teachers. Some people think that the texts are beyond the students level of proficiency to understand it and the themes discussed are also very dull. On the other hand, some argue that the texts cover a wide range of works dealing with different themes and appropriate for the students to learn. As stated in MELTA forum website, one of the members in the forum who is only known as tpriya_1717 wrote that the important aspect that should be given greater emphasis would be the effectiveness of teachers in utilizing the texts in the teaching and learning process in classrooms. From her opinion, it gives a picture that the teachers should be more creative to involve students with lots of interesting and enjoyable activities to boost the students interest while learning literature in the classroom. Unfortunately, since our education system tends to be more to exam-oriented, most of the teachers teach literature with the purpose to pass the students in the examination and neglecting the main reason of learning literature which is to understand and appreciate literature. Thus this research aims to find the answer whether all the factors mentioned above influence the students interest in learning literature in English positively or negatively. Furthermore, the research also will investigate which factor is having greatest influence to the students interest to learn literature in English. 1.3 Objectives of Research The purposes of this research are to: 1) Investigate the influence of students level of proficiency in English language towards their interest in the learning of literature in English. 2) Examine whether the contents of the literature component in Malaysian curriculum for lower secondary students are appropriate and suitable for the students and whether the contents are able to generate the students interest to learn literature in English. 3) Study students preferences of activities applied in the classroom by the teachers during the literature lesson. 1.4 Research Questions The research questions for the research to find out are as below. 1) How does the students level of proficiency in English language influence students interest to read the literature in English texts? 2) What are the students perceptions towards the current literature in English component texts? 3) Which types of activities in the classroom are more interesting to the students in the learning of literature in English? 1.5Definitions of Terms 1) Factor: One that actively contributes to an accomplishment, result, or process. Context of study: The factors are the causes or the reasons that contribute to the influence in students interest in learning Literature in English. It can be considered as the agents that are responsible towards the development of students interest in learning Literature in English. In this study, the factors are divided into three main divisions which are the students family background, the selection of texts in literature in English component, and the activities during the literature in English lessons. 2) Interest: A state of curiosity or concern about or attention to something Context of study: Interest is the emotional reactions and behavioural tendencies towards the learning of literature in English. In this study, the students interest is categorized into two categories which the students who react positively towards literature in English and students who react negatively towards the literature in English. However, interest is the behaviour that can be changed or developed by certain strong influences either it turns out to be positive or negative. 3) Learning: Knowledge or skill gained through schooling or study. Context of study: Learning is a process of study to gain the knowledge. The learning of literature in English mostly happens at school especially during the literature lesson for English subjects. As literature in English component is a part of English syllabus in Malaysian education curriculum, the students need to learn it. Thus, in this study, the learning of literature in English is referring to the formal learning of the subject in Malaysian secondary school. 4) Literature in English: written material specifically in English language such as poetry, novels, essays, etc., especially works of imagination characterized by excellence of style and expression and by themes of general or enduring interest. Context of study: Literature in English component is a part of the English syllabus in Malaysian secondary schools. It is divided into three genres which are short stories, poems, and novels. 1.6 Scope of Research The scope of the research involved the participation of 40 students in Form 3 with different level of proficiency from SM La Salle Tanjung Aru Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Form 3 students have finished covering all the literature contents for lower secondary school. The data was collected and analyzed based on the questionnaires which were distributed to the respondents concerned. 1.7 Limitation of Research The limitation of this study: A. Time constraints : 1) Students might not have sufficient time to fill the survey form thus resulting in unanswered items and/or inaccurate answers. B. Small sample: 1) The findings of the research are only valid or based on one school. It does not representing of all schools in Malaysia and not even in Sabah. 1.8 Significance of Research Over the years since the implementation and the development of literature in English component as part of Malaysian curriculum, many issues has been discussed regarding on the problems faced by the students that affect their interest in learning the literature in English. This study will find the most reasonable and rational answer on the factors affecting students interest to learn literature in English. This study also will prove whether students level of proficiency in English really has a very strong influence to the students interest in learning literature. Besides, this study will help the curriculum designers to improve the contents of literature component for lower secondary school. This study also can be used as a reference for teachers to investigate students preferences for activities in classroom during literature lesson and apply them in the class. This Study will also provide and enable other or future researchers who would like to conduct the same research with sufficient and useful information based on the topic. The methodology in this research such as the questionnaire can ease the future research by adapting them or perhaps amend them to suit their study. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Introduction This chapter presents review of the general situation and the development of literature in English in Malaysias education system. However, the main discussions are focused on the three main factors that have the greatest influence towards the students interest in learning literature in English. The three main factors are the family background of the students, the selection of text or the contents for Literature components, and the preferred activities by the students during the literature lesson. This review will also provide some insights into the relationship between English language proficiency that might influence students interest in learning Literature in English. Apart from that, reviews on other possible factors will also be discussed as the argument of this chapter. These reviews are to give a better understanding on how these factors can really influence and affects the students interest in learning literature in English. 2.1 The Scenario of the teaching of LIE components in Malaysia Historically, the development of the teaching of literature in English in Malaysia can be considered as inconsistent. The teaching and learning of literature in English in the Malaysian English Second Language (ESL) context has evolved from being a core part of the English language curriculum to a point of near extinction only to re-emerge in the 21st century in a far stronger form (Subramaniam, 2003). In addition, he stated that the downturn in the teaching and learning of literature as a subject is crucially marked by the change in the medium of instruction in schools from English to Malay. According to Carter and Long (1991: cited in Fauziah Ahmad 2007), the importance of literature was only fully realized sometime in the mid 1980s where extensive debates and discussions took place. Since then, the situation for learning and teaching has changed radically and literature is presently being reconsidered within the language teaching profession. Fauziah (2007) believes that the changes of attitude toward the importance of literature have also affected the Malaysian national curriculum. As she stated in the introduction of her research, Literature in English was first introduced to Form Four students in 1992. Subsequently, this has led to the re-introduction of literature into language classrooms in the year 2000, and is now an integrated element of the English language component. The wind of change in the teaching and learning of literature in Malaysia is also supported by Talif (2005), in his book entitled Teaching Literature in ESL:The Malaysian Context, a book which discusses briefly on the development of literature in English in Malaysian schools. The study shows that Literature in English was first introduced by the Malaysian Education Ministry by implementing the Class Reader Programme (CRP) in 1990 at the Form 1 level in all secondary schools. Basically, the CRP programme was designed to motivate students to read the class readers at home as well as to prepare the students for the Literature in English Programme (LEP) at the upper secondary students. The LEP was offered as an elective subject for study at the upper secondary school level (Form 4-5) which was implemented in 1992. To date, the Malaysian Ministry of Education (KPM) implemented the literature in English component as a part of English syllabus in March, 2000. It started with only for Form 1 and Form 4 students in year 2000, followed by Form 2 and Form 5 in year 2001, and to all Form 3 in every school in year 2002. The component has been examined in SPM exam in year 2001 and in PMR exam in year 2002, (Ministry of Education Malaysia). To summarize the history and the development of literature in English in Malaysian curriculum, the following review may conclude all. In Malaysia, three different reading programmes have been introduced over the last three decades. The English Language Reading Programme (ELRP) was implemented in 1983, the Class Reader Programme (CRP) in 1993 (Malachi Edwin, 1993) and the incorporation of the literature in English component into the English Language syllabus in 1999 (Subramaniam, 2003). To date, the literature in English component in the English Language paper is considered to be the most successful reading programme because the texts that are being taught and read in the classroom are a tested component in the public examinations (Vethamani, 2004a; 2004b). (Too W.K, 2009, page 41) From the reviews above, it can be concluded that the journey towards the inclusion of literature in language courses has been going through many stages of change. Thus, the implementation can be considered as unstable and the improvements by the ministry are needed from time to time. 2.2 The Students Attitude towards the teaching and learning of Literature in English The lack of interest in learning literature in English among Malaysian students is one of the prevailing issues focused on by various authorities and researcher. It is such an alarming issue because the students attitude towards literature is closely related in determining the success and failure in learning literature. There are three main factors that are always being associated with the lack of interest in learning literature in English among the Malaysian students. The figure 1 shows the main focus of the researcher in the study of factors affecting the Malaysian lower secondary students interest in the learning of literature in English. In order to support the statement above, the researcher decide to make Daviss model of research as a reference (1992: cited in Siti Norliana, 2008) to compare and support statement of the problem on the factors that affecting students attitude towards studying literature. For the purpose of this study, the researcher opts to consider attitude (Daviss model of reaseacrh, 1992) as interest towards studying literature. The positive attitude may bring the meaning of highly interested and negative attitude would be the lower interest. According to Davis (1992), the Figure 2 shows the potential factors that have significant relationship with students attitudes towards literature in a foreign language. Factors In comparison to the researchers model and the Daviss model of research, both models show several similarities regarding on the factors that might influence and affect the interest towards the learning of literature in English. Davis believes that those factors contribute great impacts to the students attitudes in studying literature. Based on Davis (1992), all of the factors result the variation of the students attitudes towards the studying of literature. 2.3 Students Level of Proficiency in English Language Learning literature in English is quite a challenge for Malaysian students because the English is considered as the second or the third language in our nation. In order for the students to learn literature in English, the first thing that they have to master is the language itself because that is the only way to associate with literature in English better. Thus, the level of proficiency in English would affect the students interest in learning literature in English. If the student is good in English, the possibility to have higher interest towards literature in English is very high. Meanwhile, lower proficiency levels in English may lead to frustration and less motivation among students to learn literature in English. 2.3.1 Language Spoken at Home Students usually are coming from different family background. Thus students may have different experience or exposure towards the learning of literature. There are students who are very good in term of proficiency in English language because they practice the language at home with their parents in daily communication. However, there are also students who never use or speak in any other language including English as a spoken language at home but only speak in their mother tongue language at home. This situation can be seen by comparing between the students from urban area and students who live in rural area. According to Jamali and Hasliza (2002), Malaysian students especially those who live in rural areas do not see the need to use of English in their life, and it caused them to have lower motivation to learn English. The exposure towards English language and literature in English that they received are very little compared to urban students. In fact, there are a growing number of ch ildren whose first language is English and who may be termed native speakers since their parents have chosen to use only English in the home instead of their ethnic languages. Murugesan (2003). Thus, the students level of proficiency in English language may vary to each other. The more the students have been exposed to the English language, the more interest they gain to learn and read the literature in English. 2.4 Selection of texts in Literature in English component There are always bad and negative feedbacks that have been received from the students and the teachers regarding on the literature text in Malaysian school. Sidhu (2003), as cited in Too (2006), found that most students showed little interest in reading prescribed texts. The result of Sidhus research revealed that 60% of the students viewed the texts in Literature in English as boring and failed to arouse their interest to read. Various comments and feedbacks also can be retrieved from the discussion forum in MELTA website mostly participated by the teachers and the students. Some of them think that the texts for English literature components are boring and need to be reviewed. Retrieved Online November 18, 2009 from: http://www.melta.org.my/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1098forum=5viewmode=flatstart=20 2.4.1 Students Difficulties in understanding the texts There are three different genres that the students have to learn and read for the literature in English component. They are short story, poem and novel. Students have different perception and interest towards each genre. According to Siti Norliana (2008) research, the students showed higher interest in reading the short stories item compared to poems and novels. The students prefer short stories because they are not lengthy and less time consuming to read if compared to Novels. Most of the students described novels as lengthy and very confusing in term of plot and characters. It should not be a surprise that the students prefer short stories more than novel because as cited in Wei-Keong Too (2006, Page 43), both Reed (1992) and Chances (1999) analyses conclude that the books that young adult choose are character driven and the plot is fast. In Dr. Sharifahs (2002) study, the analysis result showed that the students positive responses towards short stories and novels are higher than the poems. According to the result, students are less interested in reading poems because of the use of literary language with underlying meaning. Thus, it is very hard for the students to understand the texts. When the students find the poems very difficult in terms of language, they will automatically refuse to read it and show lower interest towards any text in the same genre. For instance, the poem like Lifes Brief Candle is very hard for the students to understand since they are not familiar with the literary language used in the poem and could not get the underlying meaning of the poem. In Huzainas (2006) research result, students found Lifes Brief Candle the most difficult because they could not associate the candle much with their life. If the students could associate the texts with their own experience and surroundings, they will understand the meaning of the texts easier and become more interested to read more from other authors. 2.5 Activities in the classroom Teachers creativity in teaching Literature is also one of the most important features to capture students interest. Teachers play the important role to instill interest in learning literature in English among the students. As for that, teachers need extra initiatives and creativities to instill students interest towards the subject by providing the students with the interesting activities. Creative activities are used to enhance students understanding of literary texts and to attract their attention and interest in reading and learning literature. 2.5.1 Teacher-centered VS student-centered activities The activities during the literature in English lesson are important to make the students take part in the lesson. However, many teachers lack creative ideas to provide the students with interesting activities when teaching literature in the classroom. Unfortunately, many teachers apply activities which are more teacher-centered in orientation during literature lesson. Teacher-ecentered activities are activities that are more controlled by the teachers all the time, such as spoon-feeding the students with all the information and thorough explanations and translations. Thus, the students role is only taking notes from the teachers and memorise them for the sake of passing the exam. As mentioned by Sharifah Nadia (2007) in her research, since our education system is exam-oriented, most of the teachers teach literature with the purpose to pass the students in the examination and neglecting the main reason of learning literature which is to understand and appreciate literature. As a resu lt, the activities are stereotype because the teachers only focus on how to make the students pass in the exam. An experienced and excellent teacher would use student-centered activities that involve students participation during the literature lesson. In this kind of activities, the students get involved and participate in the lesson instead of listening only to the teachers explanation. The students will be able to experience and understand the meaning of literature during the learning process. There are many enjoyable activities that the teachers can apply in the classroom especially during literature in English lesson such as dramas, role plays, group discussion, games, and multimedia presentations. These activities allow the students to express themselves through literature and capture their interest to learn literature in English. Since the student-centered activities are more enjoyable and link to the students interest, the students are more interested to learn more about literature in English in the classroom. In Siti Norlianas (2008) study, the students show more positive response towards activities that allow them to participate in the lesson actively. Table 2.1 shows the result of students acceptance towards activities used in literature in English lesson by the teacher in the classroom. Table 2.1 Students Acceptance towards the Activities for Literature in English Classroom No. Teaching Methods Percentage (%) 1) Students provide background information 96.2 2) Variety of activities (games, drama, role play, etc) 95.4 3) Working in groups 91.8 4) Teacher's explanation 90.9 5) Audio Visual Supports 85.5 6) Translation and using Malay in teaching literature 70 The result is cited from Siti Norliana (2008) From the result, it shows that the students prefer the activities that can encourage them to participate in the lesson and allow them to think more critically rather than listening to teachers talk. In addition to the research, based on the interviews by Siti Norliana (2008), found that half of the students described that the activities employed by the teachers are dull and inadequate. This situation is supported by Dr. Sharifah (2002), she concluded that the teachers knowledge, expertise, and creativity i