The Equality Act 2010 and Individual Employment Rights

The Equality Act substitutes and complements earlier laws like the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 and the Race Relations Act of 1976 (Phillips Scott 2012). The Act turned into law during 2007 with the aim of ensuring equal treatment of all people at the work place.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Equality Act 2010 and Individual Employment Rights specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Act includes similar groups that get protection from existing laws on equality. These laws protect people against discrimination based on disability status, age, gender, race, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy, marriage and civil partnership (Pitt 2011; Selwyn 2012). An Analysis of the Law and Public Policy Issues Since this study focuses on the case of Ladele and McFarlane with reference to the principle of conscientious, religious objection to same-sex relationships, we shall only look at elements of the Act that deal with discrimination on the basis of religion and same-sex relationships. These elements include discrimination based on sexual orientation, religion/belief as well as civil partnerships and marriage (Willey 2012). Sexual Orientation Discrimination The Equality Act 2010 protects employees against discrimination due to their sexual orientation. According to the Act, discrimination in the form of sexual orientation refers to unequal treatment of lesbians, gay men and heterosexuals (Wright Conley 2011). The Act prohibits the conduct of discriminating people on the basis of sexual orientation. This includes treating people unfavorably, discriminating them indirectly, victimizing people, or subjecting people to harassment due to their social orientation. The Act defines indirect discrimination as using a criterion or procedure that limits people of a particular sexual orientation when it is not justifiable. Discrimination based on Religion or Belief The Equality Act 20 10 protects employees against discrimination based on their religions or beliefs. The Act needs all employers to have policies that relate to recruitment promotion, development, grievance and harassment. Direct discrimination occurs when people get unfair treatment due to their religions and beliefs, or religions and beliefs of their associates (Willey 2012). The Act further explains different forms of discrimination. Indirect discrimination takes place when an employer has a policy or rule that concerns everybody, but will limit people who have a certain religion or belief.Advertising Looking for essay on labor law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Harassment occurs when an employer shows undesired actions due to a person’s belief or religion with the aim of infringing a person’s dignity, or creating a harsh atmosphere for that person (Willey 2012). Lastly, victimization refers to the unfair treatment of an emplo yee because of opposing an employer’s practices on religions or beliefs. Civil Partnerships and Marriage The Equality Act of 2010 allows gay and lesbian couples to enter a civil partnership, with similar rights to those of a married couple (Willey 2012). According to the Act, direct discrimination takes place when a person gets less favorable treatment than others due to belonging in civil marriage or partnership. On the other hand, indirect discrimination takes place when an employer has a policy or rule that concerns everybody, but will limit people in a civil marriage or partnership (Honeyball 2012). Nevertheless, indirect discrimination is justifiable in some situations (Honeyball 2012). This decision must show that the employer considered non-discriminatory alternatives before making the final decision. Some cases that the Equality Act 2010 apply to include McFarlane vs. Relate Avon and Ladele vs. Islington (Sandberg 2011). In McFarlane v Relate Avon case, the claimant g ot dismissal because his religion and beliefs could not allow him to offer therapy to same-sex couples. According to the Equality Act, McFarlane imposed his own standards on sexual orientation to Relate, which was legally wrong. On the other hand, McFarlane claimed both indirect and direct discrimination as well as harassment due to his dismissal. Equally, in Ladele v Islington, the Christian registrar became released from work due to her refusal to carry out civil partnership services for same-sex marriages (Hill 2011; Mooney 2009). The claimant said that she suffered both direct and indirect discrimination due to her religious views. However, the court ruled that she lost her job due to her breach of duty, and not religious inclination towards same-sex marriages. These two cases also show some difficulties associated with clashes of rights. Difficulties Associated with Rights Clashes Over the years, scholars have focused on the right clash between religion and homosexuality in the perspective of religious assemblies seeking exclusion from nondiscrimination acts as much as they defend gay entitlements. One question that arises when implementing the Equality Act is: how can a pluralistic community give tolerance of religious differences and equality at the same time?Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Equality Act 2010 and Individual Employment Rights specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another question is: how can the government serve commitments to the Act by guaranteeing expansion and use of civil rights laws in the community, or by guaranteeing protection and consideration for the varied beliefs and practices amid religious societies? A person can understand the dispute among the two parties’ claims in the case of Ladele and McFarlane by wearing the shoes of gay men and those of Ladele, or McFarlane, alternately. Gutmann (2003) explains that refusing people the rights to join volu ntary associations is unjust. Any way that a state resolves this clash between the autonomy to exclude and liberty to join, the liberty of some citizens to convey their character as they consider fit get restriction due to others freedoms. The certain win-loss described by Gutmann (2003) is a zero-sum game. Feldblum (Feldblum 2006) claims that due to the basis of homosexuality and religion clash on moral judgments, both sides belong to the zero-sum game since a benefit for one party leads to a loss for the disparate party. That is to say the values of both sides are too diverse that their last benefits become incompatible. Therefore, accepting religious groups cause that state actors deny civil rights protections. However, the effects of ignoring civil rights groups cannot be underestimated. While a zero-sum clash on rights involving identity groups must not rest on contrary moral values, the clash between homosexuality and religion arises from the moral character of their differenc es. For people like Ladele and McFarlane, whose religious beliefs make them think that gay men and same-sex marriages are immoral, any law fortification of gay persons is a loss (Feldblum 2006). The reverse is right for those who think that gay men and same-sex marriages are morally right. For these people, the failure of regimes to guarantee fairness in dealing with communities that have all sexual orientations through the legislature is a loss (Gutmann 2003)Advertising Looking for essay on labor law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Given any legislative action or inaction, just one party wins. Hence, most scholars seek to know whether religion is exceptional (Koppelman 2006). They try to find out whether religion has anything unique that would make it get the privilege over rights of gay men, or if equal rights for gay men have a unique feature that should let those rights beat religious freedom. Solutions One way of solving problems like religious and homosexuality rights clash is through legislatures (Kramer 2004). Superior authority for law decision-making is achievable either through lesser or weaker judicial review. Tushnet (1999) suggests that conscientious government officers outside the courts should carry out the work of interpreting the constitution, for some issues. Tushnet (1999) also mentions some of these issues as â€Å"the vindication of the declaration’s principles: the principle that all people are equal, the principle that all had inalienable rights† (53). Conversely, Waldron ( 2006) claims that judicial review hardly offers a system for a community to concentrate on the problems at hand when people differ on rights. Rather, Waldron (2006) suggests that the most suitable way to resolve rights clash should involve getting people’s opinions, and not judicial review. Besides, Waldron suggests that both rights need equal treatment in the process. Also, Waldron (2006) supports the idea of ordinary law followed by a court review as effective ways in solving rights clash. Key to this claim is a view that politics acts as the field of conciliation, which can hypothetically solve the matter of needing to choose a champion in the zero-sum competition. According to Tushnet (1999), lawmakers build statutes like civil rights statutes as they pay attention to their enemies and build compromises that include some concerns of their opponents. Private dispute resolution is also a way of solving rights clashes. This entails reaching a compromise amid two conflicting rights. McConnell proposes that the most suitable way to avoid a zero-sum game and get a solution to rights clashes is allowing conflicting parties to deal with their rows privately (Anderson Baker 2010). The government, using this method, should not inflict a punishment on practices related with or obligated by any perception of homosexuality, and must desist from applying its authority to support, encourage, or progress one place and not another. Therefore, the state would not penalize sexual acts through accepting gay people. At the same time, the state would not make use of sexual orientation as a ground for discrimination or categorization with no grand rationales that have a basis in moral objections. Conversely, the state would be slow to project this place of moral objectivity in the private area, although, it would let private influences in the culture find the last answer from the society. That is to say the problems that legislatures and courts encounter when dealing wit h rights clash can get a solution through eliminating such matters from their rule. Also, Minow (1987) argues that a more suitable choice should follow, for those disagreeing to negotiate a commonly tolerable solution since lawsuits may not serve as the most suitable instruments for realizing the normative growth that surface after expressing rights. Minow (1987) explains â€Å"the practice of litigation is too cruel and polarizing to serve the purpose of encouraging certain parties to join in exploring normative commitments through interpretation† (1861). Therefore, Minow (1987) proposes that parties should conduct mediation before filing lawsuits so that they can understand each other well and promote normative growth with no interference from legal authorities. Such solutions can make parties evade polarizing effects that they may get from laws, or in courts since they do not consider most aspects. Therefore, parties like Ladele and McFarlane and Islington BC could keep aw ay from the zero-sum game by negotiation. Another way of solving right clashes is through ballot initiatives. Citizens may suggest amendments to the constitution or law provisions (Skiba-Crafts 2009). Where citizens fruitfully meet the necessary processes, these proposals become subject to a democratic vote, and not legislative ratification (Skiba-Crafts 2009). This practice has occurred in countries like Florida, Arizona and California in the last two decades, and many anti-gay initiatives have succeeded or faced rejection (Keck 2009). For instance, Arizona citizens accepted the 2008 ballot initiatives to amend the constitutional provisions that sought to ban gay marriage as Arkansas citizens endorsed a ballot initiative banning gay partners from adopting kids.133 Critical Comment on the Efficacy and Desirability of the Current Law The Equality Act 2010 is effective when it comes to protection of most employees at workplace (Lockton 2011). However, the law becomes hard to enforce w hen there are rights clashes. So as, to solve this problem, parties may conduct mediation before filing lawsuits so that they can understand each other well and promote normative growth with no interference from legal authorities. Also, the Act should leave some crucial elements like homo-sexual rights to public opinion and not legislative ratification. In conclusion, The Equality Act 2010 protects individual employment rights at the work place. Some areas that this law addresses include discrimination based on sexual orientation, religion/belief as well as civil partnerships. However, implementing this law raises several issues on the way rights on varied beliefs and practices can get an offering without interfering with civil rights laws. This study recommends that conscientious government officers, outside the courts, can carry out the work of interpreting the constitution on issues like rights clashes. Also, the study supports mediation among parties before filing lawsuits and b allot box. This is the only way how cases like those of McFarlane v Relate Avon and Ladele v Islington can get fair judgment. References Anderson, R Baker H 2010, Corporate governance: a synthesis of theory, research, and practice, John Wiley Sons, London. Feldblum, C 2006, ‘Moral conflict and liberty: gay rights and religion,† Brooklyn Law Review vol. 72, no. 62, pp. 63–64. Gutmann, A 2003, Identity in democracy, Cengange, London. Hill, M 2011, Religion and law in the United Kingdom, Aspen Publishers, South America. Honeyball, S 2012, Honeyball Bowers’ textbook on employment law, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Keck, T 2009, â€Å"Beyond backlash: assessing the impact of judicial decisions on LGBT rights,† Law and Society Review vol. 151, no. 161, pp.151-154. Koppelman, A 2006, Is it fair to give religion special treatment?†Illinois Law Review vol. 571, pp. 572–574. Kramer, L 2004, â€Å"The people themselves,† Popular Consti tutionalism and Judicial  Review vol.7, no.8, pp. 220-223. Lockton, D 2011, Employment law 2011-2012, Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon New York. Minow, M 1987, â€Å"Interpreting rights: an essay for Robert cover,† Yale Law Journal vol. 96, pp. 1860-1907. Mooney, G 2009, Understanding social welfare movements, Policy Press, Bristol Portland. Phillips, G Scott, K 2012, Employment Law, College of Law, London. Pitt, G 2011, Employment law, Sweet Maxwell Thomson Reuters, London. Sandberg, R 2011, Law and religion. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Selwyn, N 2012, Selwyn’s law of employment, Oxford University Press, New York. Skiba-Crafts, A 2009, â€Å"Conditions on taking the initiative: the first amendment implications of subject matter restrictions on ballot initiatives,† Michigan Law Review vol. 1305, pp. 1308-1309. Tushnet, M 1999, â€Å"Taking the constitution away from the courts,† Yale Law Journal vol. 14, pp. 52-73. Waldron, J 2006, â€Å"The core of the case against judicial review,† Yale Law Journal vol. 115, pp.1346-1376. Willey, B 2012, Employment law in context: an introduction for HR professionals, Pearson, London. Wright, T Conley, H 2011, Gower handbook of discrimination at work, Gower, London. This essay on The Equality Act 2010 and Individual Employment Rights was written and submitted by user Trey Dillon to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Response To Dispositional Versus Situational Factors And Job Attitudes Coursework

Response To Dispositional Versus Situational Factors And Job Attitudes Coursework Response To Dispositional Versus Situational Factors And Job Attitudes – Coursework Example Whether job attitudes are affected most by situational factors or by a person’s disposition The argument on the most influential factors that improves employees’ attitude towards workEmployee attitude presents immense influence to their performance and overall productivity in institutions. Employees with negative attitude towards work record dismal performance in most instances. They lack the requisite passion and enthusiasm towards quality performance as compared to employees with positive attitude (Saari & Judge, 2004). However, achieving positive attitude is dependent on various that include dispositional and situational factors. The factors affect the attitude of employees towards work and job satisfaction especially in the present competitive environment. Despite the contribution of the two factors in shaping employees attitude, situational factors are more effective and influential as compared to dispositional factors as justified below. In particular, situational factors present vital incentives that are core towards effective motivation of individual’s further effort to exemplary performance and positive shaping of work attitude. The factors also help in enhancing employees’ morale thereby leading to the development of positive attitude as cited by several human relations and performance theorists such as Elton Mayo. The situational factors that are deemed more instrumental in the development of employees’ positive attitude include good working conditions, high salary, and provision of part time bonuses (Saari & Judge, 2004). Provision of subsidiary allowances and benefits, and employee recognition including reward system forms fundamental factors that contribute to positive development of employees’ attitude towards work. On the other hand, dispositional factors revolve around character and personality of an individual. The factors that include values, personality traits, skills, abilities, cognitive style, and self-concept are viewed as part of the individual character that informs behavior. According to the concept, individuals’ attitude towards work is likely to remain static or vary from situation to situation. Based on the facts presented, it is clear that situational factors remain the primary and influential motivators of employees in institutions. This is evident given that materialistic incentives such as money, better working conditions, and rewards tend to influence individuals next course of action in most instances (Saari & Judge, 2004). For instance, employees respond positively to pay increments and any form of reward that is accorded to them. Such rewards boost their working spirits and enhance their vibrancy. The instrumental nature of the situational factors in the development of positive attitude towards work has also been established in various empirical studies (Saari & Judge, 2004). The studies indicate that employees respond best to financial incentives and g ood working conditions given that they feel valued and part of the institution when such incentives are awarded. Therefore, they reciprocate by working with necessary determination as compared to other forms of reward. Elton Mayo and Abraham Maslow who are renowned human relations and performance theorists also affirmed that employees are more satisfied when remunerated. ReferencesSaari, L.M., & Judge, T.A. (2004). Employee attitudes and job satisfaction. Human ResourceManagement, 43(4), 395 407. DOI: 10.1002/hrm.20032

Cultural Landscape and Regeneration (The Olympic Stadium 2012) Essay

Cultural Landscape and Regeneration (The Olympic Stadium 2012) - Essay Example Back in the 1980s, hosting the Olympic Games was thought of as a financial and administrative burden to the organizing city and country. This view was confirmed by Montreal's horrendous loss of 692 million in the staging of the 1976 summer Olympics. The 1972 summer Olympics in Munich made a loss of 178 million. However, it was in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics that the city organizers posted a whopping 215 million in revenues. The City of London's plan to stage the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics centre will contribute to the regeneration of the Lower Lea Valley around Stratford in the east of the city. The goal of the UK government is to build structures that will be useful even after the Olympics. The key venues would all be located in a 500-acre Olympic precinct to be set in 1,500 acres of parkland stretching from Hackney Marshes to the River Thames. Among the facilities being prepared are as follows: an 80,000-seater Olympic stadium at Marshgate Lane in the heart of the Olympic precinct in Stratford to stage the athletics and opening/closing ceremonies and a 25,000-seater athletics stadium after the games, with a sports training, science and medicine centre. There will be a 20,000-seater aquatic centre which will The centre will contain two 50m swimming pools and a 25m diving pool, staging swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, the water polo finals and the modern pentathlon swimming. A velodrome and BMX track located at the Eastway Sports Centre alongside the existing Eastway cycling circuit for track and BMX cycling can accommodate 6,000 spectators. A multi-sport complex of four indoor sports arenas located at Hackney Wick on the site of the former Hackney Greyhound Stadium to stage basketball, fencing, handball, volleyball and modern pentathlon events. A hockey complex comprising two competition stadiums and one warm-up pitch located alongside the Olympic Village site.Stratford Park will also have the Olympic Park tennis complex for training purposes and Paralympic events. In addition, an Olympic Village accommodating 17,000 beds will be located next to Stratford International Rail Terminal and would become housing after the Games. A media complex less than five minutes' drive from the Olympic stadium, comprising a 65,000 square-metre single-storey International Broadcast Centre and a 45,000 square-metre two-storey Main Press Centre. the south of the Olympic Park Zone would b e another cluster of venues on both sides of the River Thames. The plans are designed to fit in with the International Olympic Committee's ideal of a compact Games, with more than half of the events within a 15-minute drive of the Olympic village, itself just three miles from the heart of the capital.Zevi, et. al., (1957) states that architecture deals with a concrete phenomenon which is entirely different: here, man moving about within the building, studying it from successive points of views, himself creates. Architecture takes into account interior space. Beautiful architecture would then be architecture in which the interior space attracts us, elevates us and dominates us spiritually. Ugly architecture would be that in which the interior space disgusts and repels us.The establishment of Olympic facilities is helpful to a country particularly when the government authorities decide to shoulder the expenses related to all its activities. Mules and Faulkner's (1996) stressed that th e public sector plays a pivotal

Sunny Cottage Holidays (SCH) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sunny Cottage Holidays (SCH) - Assignment Example Cottage owners on the other hand advertise with SCH based on the brand image of the agent, trust and comfort levels they enjoy with the company. The agency requires that marketing and communication strategies be employed keeping the following criteria in view. Short term communication objectives †¢The target segment of SCH is in various stages of hierarchical responses. Communication strategy must be employed to first create and increase awareness about cottage holidays rather than general holidays and brand awareness on the SCH package. This must be done through attractive advertising strategy, good media planning and promotional exercises. Differentiation between SCH and its competitors must be clearly specified. †¢Next the agency must focus on providing more information on SCH to the customer. The ‘comprehension’ phase should allow development of website, direct mailers etc that provides information about the holiday packages. †¢Endorsements by experts or feedback photos and comments from satisfied SCH customers are other tools that the agency can explore to convince customers. Conviction must be the third important stage of the exercise. †¢Desire to purchase must be generated through a strong promotional mix that includes good publicity and irresistible offers for the target segment. †¢Finally the campaign must motivate customers into action which can be measured by number of phone calls/ emails querying about the packages. Feedback forms and lucky coupons are other options. The market and competition The market for independent family holidays in cottages is fast growing, as many prefer 'their space' rather than being part of a group. A growing 58% people prefer the getaway to the countryside for relaxing weekends and planned vacations. The competition can be classified as, Local specialists: Most cottage agents are local specialists who focus on tourists coming to specific parts of UK. For example, the Wales cottage holidays agency in Wales has a comprehensive listing of holiday cottages in all parts of Wales. Its website and brochure are its main advertising arsenal. Other such area specific cottage agents include Cumbria cottages (the Lake district), Classic Cottages (for Devon and Cornwall), Mann's Holidays (North West Wales), Nefyn Holidays (Lleyn Peninsula and Snowdonia National Park), Marsdens Cottage Holidays (North Devon) and Holiday Homes & Cottages (South West). Their main medium is a coloured brochure which is often mailed to customers. General specialists: A small segment of general specialists offer holidays across UK. For example, Recommended cottage holidays agency offers a range of cottages across UK. It has a colored brochure that lists the various cottages and a website that allows customers to check availability and make reservations. Its main target market is large families and focuses on family/corporate reunions. It promotes itself as an economical holiday provider that offers a good range. Other UK cottage holiday providers include names of Hoseasons Holidays (well established and offers a great range) and Sykes cottages. The target market: customers Instead of opting for mass marketing, the company must undertake target marketing and must form one or more market segments relevant to buying behaviour. The sub groups or niche markets within its identified target segments can be identified as under. Geographic and Demographic segmentation: Customers are usually couples aged 25 onwards

Irony in the cask of amontillado Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Irony in the cask of amontillado - Essay Example Fortunato was dressed in clothing like a jester, in fact, he even had a hat with bells on it. Montresor was dressed in black with a mask of equal color. This symbolizes Montresor as evil and Fortunato as the fool. Montresor comments Fortunato on looking â€Å"remarkably well† and asks the drunken man to check his new case of Amontillado for genuity. Fortunato, stricken by his pride upon hearing the name of a rival wine connoisseur, Luchresi accepted the offer. Fortunato happily followed Montresor to his doom. Montresor led Fortunato to the Montresor to a dark tomb where the bones of Montresor’s ancestors lay untouched. In the musty tomb, Fortunato’s illness becomes worse and he begins to cough uncontrollably. Montresor feigns concern and warns Fortunato about going deeper into the tomb saying that he could die from the nitre. Due to pride, Fortunato refused Montresor’s invitation to leave the cellars saying â€Å"I shall not die of a cough.† Montresor took out a wine bottle from a nearby rack and offers Fortunato to drink. Fortunato took the wine and drank to the dead Montresor ancestors around him. Montresor drank to Fortunato, wishing him a long life. Montresor brought another bottle of wine, flaà §on of De Grà ¢ve, handing it to Fortunato who quickly drank the wine to his utter enjoyment. He did a hand sign that was exclusively for the Masons, a secretive group of people said to have political power. As a joke, Montresor said that he too was a mason and he took out a trowel from within his coat. Fortunato was thrown back a few steps out of shock when he realized Montresor was not a Freemason but a stonemason, a builder. Montresor began to seal Fortunato within the damp cellar. Fortunato was starting to recover from his drunkenness and began screaming. To taunt Fortunato, Montresor begins aiding his screams. When Fortunato screams â€Å"For the love of God,†

Analysis of Management and Leadership in Barclays Bank

Analysis of Management and Leadership in Barclays Bank Barclays Bank  has an extensive presence in Europe, the United States, Africa and Asia, providing a wide range of services for both individuals and businesses. Barclays has a long history that extends over three hundred years, and from its central office in London, it oversees operations that extend to fifty countries and more than 155,000 employees. Barclays Bank  lends, invests and moves money for more than 48 million people all over the world. The earliest roots of Barclays go back to 1690, when Thomas Gould and John Freame started operating as Goldsmith Bankers in central London. Seventy years later, Goldsmith Bankers moved into a large banking house, and subsequently joined up with nineteen other private banking concerns under the name Barclays and Company Limited, which provided the bank with a combination of 182 branches as well as deposits amounting a massive  £26 million. At this point in time, Barclays and Company was well connected to the community through family and religious links; hence Barclays and Company was often called the Quaker Bank. At the turn of the twentieth century, the Barclays and Company started expanding rapidly, taking over notable banks such as the Bolithos Bank in the South west of England and the United Counties Bank in the Midlands. By 1918, Barclays and Company had combined with London Bank South Western Bank and Provincial Bank to become one of the UKs five biggest banks. By 1925 Barclays had become a truly international organisation with the merger of the Colonial Bank, the Anglo Egyptian Bank and the National Bank of South Africa. This led to a great deal of business through the Middle East, Africa, and the West Indies. Barclays Bank has always been an innovative company. In 1966 Barclays became the first bank to offer a UK Credit card. The following year it was the first bank in the world to offer cash machines to its customers and by 1972, it had become the first bank to try TV advertising. Barclays Bank became the first UK bank to have shares listed on the Tokyo and New York Stock Exchanges in the late twentieth century, and consequently it moved into a high paced exchange whereby in 2006 a full 50% of its profits were being made outside of the UK. Recent developments Reuters  later reported that the  British government  would inject  £40 billion ($69 billion) into three banks including Barclays, which might seek over  £7 billion.  Barclays later confirmed that it rejected the Governments offer and would instead raise  £6.5 billion of new capital ( £2 billion by cancellation of dividend and  £4.5 billion from private investors). In January 2009 the press reported that further capital may be required and that while the government might be willing to fund this, it may be unable to do so because the previous capital investment from the Qatari state was subject to a proviso that no third party might put in further money without the  Qataris  receiving compensation at the value the shares had commanded in October 2008. In March 2009 it was reported that in 2008, Barclays received billions of dollars from its insurance arrangements with  AIG, including $8.5bn from funds provided by the United States to bail out AIG. On 12 June 2009, Barclays sold its Global Investors unit, which includes its exchange traded fund business,  iShares, to  BlackRock  for $13.5bn. Standard Life sold Standard Life Bank plc to Barclays plc in October 2009. The sale completed on 1 January 2010. On 11 November 2009, Barclays and First Data, a global technology provider of information commerce, have entered into a agreement according to which Barclays will migrate a range of card portfolios to First Datas issuing and consumer finance platform. On February 13, 2010 Barclays announced it would pay more than  £2 billion in bonuses. INTRODUCTION OF LEADERSHIP Leadership is all about harnessing people power for the attainment of a desired goal and thus the concept of leadership cannot be restricted to the Organizational context. It pervades through all realms of society, whether it be in politics, religion or the corporate world. DEFINITION OF LEADERSHIP We can define leadership as: â‚ ¬Ã‚  The activity of influencing people to strive willingly for group objectives.George R. Terry. â‚ ¬Ã‚  It is interpersonal influence exercised in a situation and directed through the communication process towards the attainment of specialized goals. Robert Tannenbaum. â‚ ¬Ã‚  Leadership is influencing people to follow in the achievement of a common goal Koontz ODonnell. â‚ ¬Ã‚  Leadership is the process whereby one individual influences other group members towards the attainment of defined group or organizational goals. Baron Greenberg The above definitions as is evident all pertain to the Western views. This is because leadership as a formalized field of study and analysis with a structured syllabus has not yet been established in India as it is in the West. LEADERSHIP THEORIES GREAT MAN THEORY Great Man theories assume that the capacity for leadership is inherent that great leaders are born not made. These theories often portray great leaders as heroic, mythic and destined to rise to leadership when needed. The term Great Man was used because, at the time, leadership was thought of primarily as a male quality, especially in terms of military leadership. TRAIT THEORY Similar in some ways to Great Man theories, trait theory assumes that people inherit certain qualities and traits that make them better suited to leadership. Trait theories often identify particular personality or behavioral characteristics shared by leaders. But if particular traits are key features of leadership, how do we explain people who possess those qualities but are not leaders? This question is one of the difficulties in using trait theories to explain leadership. Several researchers have demonstrated that such traits of leadership do not always ensure successful leadership but they do place the possessor in higher esteem. It is also seen that hardly10% of the listed traits in over 100 such researchers appeared in 5 or more study. The trait approach has lead to selection procedure by written tests or preference tests. The Greatest defect of this theory is that we cannot have common or universal traits of leadership. CONTINGENCY THEORIES Contingency theories of leadership focus on particular variables related to the environment that might determine which particular style of leadership is best suited for the situation. According to this theory, no leadership style is best in all situations. Success depends upon a number of variables, including the leadership style, qualities of the followers and aspects of the situation. Contingency theory is a class of behavioral theory that claims that there is no best way to organize a corporation, to lead a company, or to make decisions. Instead, the optimal course of action is contingent (dependent) upon the internal and external situation. Several contingency approaches were developed concurrently in the late 1960s. They suggested that previous theories such as Webers bureaucracy and Taylors management had failed because they neglected that management style and organizational structure were influenced by various aspects of the environment: the contingency factors. There could no t be one best way for leadership or organization. Historically, contingency theory has sought to formulate broad generalizations about the formal structures that are typically associated with or best fit the use of different technologies. The perspective originated with the work of Joan Woodward (1958), who argued that technologies directly determine differences in such organizational attributes as span of control, centralization of authority, and the formalization of rules and procedures. SITUATIONAL THEORIES Situational theories propose that leaders choose the best course of action based upon situational variables. Different styles of leadership may be more appropriate for certain types of decision-making. These approach places more emphasis on the characteristics of the specific situation or environment in which the leader is operating. Qualities for leadership vary with the situation or circumstances and that any traits or skill can become a quality of leadership in the right situation. BEHAVIORAL THEORIES Behavioral theories of leadership are based upon the belief that great leaders are made, not born. Rooted in behaviorism, this leadership theory focuses on the actions of leaders not on mental qualities or internal states. According to this theory, people can learn to become leaders through teaching and observation. PARTICIPATIVE THEORIES Participative leadership theories suggest that the ideal leadership style is one that takes the input of others into account. These leaders encourage participation and contributions from group members and help group members feel more relevant and committed to the decision-making process. In participative theories, however, the leader retains the right to allow the input of others MANAGEMENT THEORIES Management theories (also known as Transactional theories) focus on the role of supervision, organization and group performance. These theories base leadership on a system of rewards and punishments. Managerial theories are often used in business; when employees are successful, they are rewarded; when they fail, they are reprimanded or punished. RELATIONSHIP THEORIES Relationship theories (also known as Transformational theories) focus upon the connections formed between leaders and followers. Transformational leaders motivate and inspire people by helping group members see the importance and higher good of the task. These leaders are focused on the performance of group members, but also want each person to fulfill his or her potential Leaders with this style often have high ethical and moral standards. LEADERSHIP STYLE Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people. The U.S. Army Handbook, 1973 identifies three styles of leadership: AUTHORITARIAN OR AUTOCRATIC PARTICIPATIVE OR DEMOCRATIC DELEGATIVE OR FREE REIGN Although good leaders use all three styles, with one of them normally dominate, bad leaders tend to stick with one style. Barclays bank is using all these three leadership styles. AUTHORITARIAN OR AUTICRATIC This style is used when the leader tells his employees what he wants done and how he wants it done, without getting the advice of his followers. Some of the appropriate conditions to use it are when you have all the information to solve the problem, you are short on time, and your employees are well motivated. Some people tend to think of this style as a vehicle for yelling, using demeaning language, and leading by threats and abusing their power. This is not the authoritarian style rather, it is an abusive, unprofessional style called bossing people around. It has no place in a leaders repertoire. The authoritarian style should normally only be used on rare occasions. If you have the time and want to gain more commitment and motivation from your employees, then you should use the participative style. PARTICIPATIVE OR DEMOCRATIC This type of style involves the leader including one or more employees in on the decision making process (determining what to do and how to do it). However, the leader maintains the final decision making authority. Using this style is not a sign of weakness; rather its a sign of strength that your employees will respect. This is normally used when you have part of the information, and your employees have other parts. A leader is not expected to know everything this is why you employ knowledgeable and skillful employees. Using this style is of mutual benefit it allows the employees to become part of the team and allows you to make better decisions. DELEGATIVE OR FREE REIGN Also known as laissez faire, which is the non interference in the affairs of others. In this style, the leader allows the employees to make the decision. However, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are made. This is used when employees are able to analyze the situation and determine what needs to be done and how to do it. You cannot do everything! You must set priorities and delegate certain tasks. This is not a style to use so that you can blame others when things go wrong; rather this is a style to be used when you have the full trust and confidence in the people below you. One should not be afraid to use it, however, to be effective, it must be used wisely! There are a number of different approaches, or styles to leadership and management that are based on different assumptions and theories. The style that individuals use will be based on a combination of their beliefs, values and preferences, as well as the organizational culture and norms, which will encourage some, and discourage others. In this context, the various approaches could also be classified under the following heads. CHRISMATIC LEADERSHIP PARTICIPATIVE LEADERSHIP SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP TRANSACTIONAL LEADERSHIP TRANFOMATIONAL LEADERSHIP THE QUIET LEADERSHIP SERVANT LEADERSHIP CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THE ORGANIZATION DECIDE TO IMPLEMNT THE CHANGE Organizations have to face different challenges in this changing environment like Absence of group skills The most important this in any organization is to set skills that would enhance its effectiveness. Todays business environment keeps on changing and in this changing environment the one who is skilled would survive. Its the responsibility of manager to motivate others for positive change and would build the team that work according to the change. In this rapid changing environment its not easy for manager to prepare other members accepts the need for change. He helps them to understand the new techniques and methods. You may get lot of good ideas but the real thing is to translate those ideas into the accepted ways. The success of any change depends on the acceptance of the ways. Lack of motivation and morale To maximize motivation among employees, manager needs to think in terms of flexibility. He needs to recognize what motivate his employees. A diverse array of rewards in needed to motivate employees. Managers most important goal is to help their employees developing their potential and they can do so by offering them developmental work assignments that provide a variety of learning experiences in different organizational areas. In 1980 Hackman point out the core dimensions of the job which include skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback A job requires a variety of activities so that an employee could use a number of different skills and talents. It requires completion of whole and identifiable piece of work and it has substantial impact on the lives or work of other people. If these things exist in a job then the person will view his or her job as being important, valuable, and worthwhile. Job that possess autonomy give the job incumbent a feeling of personal responsibility for the results, and that if a job provides feedback, the employee will know how effectively he or she is performing. From a motivational point of view, these core dimensions suggests that internal rewards are obtained when an employee learns that he or she personally has performed well on a task that he or she cares about. The more these conditions characterize a job, the grater the employees motivation, performance and satisfaction and the lower his or her absenteeism and likelihood or resigning. Individual with a high growth need are more like ly to experience the critical psychological states and respond positively when their jobs include the core dimensions than are low growth need individuals. Conflict management In an organization sometimes conflict arises among members. This conflict is not always bad sometimes its good because, with conflict the team member would get more information, they can deeply understand the problems and would give the most appropriate solutions as well. In the era of globalization teams identify conflicts and made the successful strategic decision without sacrificing the speed of task accomplishment. But most times conflict results in slowing down the task accomplishment speed and it would reduce the effectiveness of adopted strategy. One should identify what are main reasons of conflict? Few of them are personal differences with respect to perception and expectations, lack of information, uncertainty about roles. Following are few points that help to overcome conflict Always work with plenty of information. Facts should be mainly focused. Multiple alternatives should be developed. Everyone should have same goal. Inject humor into decision making process. Solve problems without forcing consensus. Maintain balanced power structure. Power and politics Power is the ability to control the environment. If the person has power he can decide and act. If an employee is empowered he can act without any directions. Sometimes empowerment becomes very much important for the organization. In any organization, where employees are empowered they are responsible for observing one another, correcting improper procedures. Managers are increasingly leading by empowering their employees. It involves increasing decision making discretion of employees. Millions of employees are making the key operating decisions that directly affect their work. They are engaged in activities that until very recently were viewed exclusively as a part of managers job. The reason why more companies empowering employees is the need for quick decisions by those people who are most knowledgeable about the issues. If organizations are to successfully compete in a dynamic global economy, they have to be able to make decisions and implement changes quickly. In order to cope w ith increased work demands managers has to empower their people. When employees have the skills, knowledge and experiences to do their jobs competently and when they seek autonomy and possess internal locus of control, it can be beneficial. Rapid changes Organizations are changing due to change in internal and external environment. In order to adjust to these changes organization has to be flexible. Diverse workforce Another issue faced by the organization is coordinating work efforts of diverse organizational members in accomplishing organizational goals. Todays organization are characterized by diverse workforce i.e. more heterogeneous in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, age and other characteristics that reflect differences. Organizations will require larger workforce to meet the demand of high potential market. Employees dont set aside their cultural values and lifestyle preferences when they come to work. The challenge for managers, therefore, is to make their organization more accommodating to diverse groups of people by addressing different lifestyles, family needs, and work styles. Smart managers recognize that diversity can be an asset because it brings a broad range of viewpoints and problem solving skills to a company, and additionally helps organizations better understand a diverse customer base. Globalization Management is no longer constrained by national borders. There is significant importance from globalization, and the world has definitely become the global village. Managers in organization of all sizes and types around the world have to confront the challenges of operating in the global market. Managers face challenges due to an array of environmental factor while doing business. He must effectively plan, organize, lead, control and manage cultural difference to be globally successfully. General obstacles in an organization Organization needs a wide variety of skills but sometimes it happens that the organization got skills but still it wont work as it supposed to. In many cases management is not sensitive to change. They are not creative enough to put the skills of employees at the best use. Lack of vision is one of the main obstacles that prevent organization to use its resource to the full. One should have the ability to identify the problems and find solutions. If the manager doesnt have the ability to identify the opportunities to success then this would be a barrier to growth. If the management is not able to identify the creative solutions then it will be a problem for the organization in the long run. Another problem that hinders the organizational growth is that not all members are able to cope with the changing environment. Every organization has certain norms and values and its members have to follow those norms and values. All members should be sensitive to change if the business is continuo usly changing every member should accommodate according to that change. EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT Effective management is about: Filling vacant positions with the knowledgeable and productive candidates. To increase productivity, high potentials should be promoted. To increase the efficiency of staff in their current role develop the staff. Retain the best employees to increase performance consistently. Employee empowerment is very much popular term now, it is important for the development and change of any organization. Empowering employees leads to the best results for the organization. Professional generally agrees that empowering employees will increase the productivity of organization and employees are committed and loyal to the organization. Empowered employees provide better products and services When employee is empowered he feels strong and becomes more confident. This confidence then leads to better products and services. For the development of organization and cope up with the changing nature of programs empowerment is critical. This would improve the performance and employees would take ownership of their jobs and the delivery of products and services to their clients. They serve customers at the level of organization where the customer interface exists. Empowered employees are committed and loyal Whatever the situation is, employers dont like high employee turnover, selection, and training is very expensive. During organizational change if employee empowered become the foundation of organizational development activities this would ensure the commitment and loyalty of employees. Empowered employees take pride and ownership in their jobs when they know that they can exercise independent judgment when needed. Empowered employees are productive When employees feel that they are valued and their decision are considered and management would listen to their ideas, they work harder to prove themselves right. Implementing organizational development program calls for incorporating ways to help employees. And this would increase productivity. Empowered employees generate good ideas Every employee got some ideas with himself. They might have different skills. If they are empowered they share their ideas and this can provide important insight into management development and change management decisions. They can generate different products by using innovative methods on regular basis. Organizations who really are interested in effective organizational development and change programs, they acknowledge and reward their employees and give feedback on regular basis. Empowered employees spread the word Employees pride would boost if they are empowered in organizational development and change program. The more empowered employees the more they are satisfied and they would more likely to spread the word how well the company is to others. We will further discuss this statement further by Barclays and Lehman Brothers Integration. Barclays and Lehman Brothers Integration Barclays the global financial services provider acquired the US Lehman Brothers in 2008 for the enhancement of its market. The critical issues occurred while the integration was the business disruption minimizing the clients transfer to other banks Different culture of both the businesses Motivation of the staff of Lehman brothers AS A CAHNGE AGENT Effective dealing of problems The first step to solve the problem is to identify the cause of problem. Sometimes problem can be solved by simple talking with employees such as minor attitude problems or occasional tardiness etc. In coaching manager has to deal one by one with the problem or he direct other employee to work with the employee to solve the issue between the two. It is the responsibility of leader to provide employee with feedback in order to improve their performance. Coaching requires time and patience and this will result in employees modified behavior. Poor performance Sometimes employee has skills but still he doesnt perform well. This is may be because he is disturbed or unsystematic or careless. These habits can be removed through proper guidance. But, if lack of skill is the reason of poor performance than this can be corrected through additional training. Job incompatibility Sometimes it so happens that the reason of employees poor performance is that they didnt get the job according to their skills. Their skills are not compatible or are not compatible with the task assigned to them. This problem can be solved through additional training or assigning them a different task. Sloppy work Whenever you notice that employee has made some mistakes, point out those mistakes and monitor their work closely. It still they made mistake, talk to them and try to know the reason of being careless or why they are not doing their work or properly. But in all this one has to be positive and should know that how much important is employee to the company. Create an effective message Consider the needs of everyone in the organization and design your message according to that so they can understand what you are trying to say. The performance of employees is very much dependent on your message. An effective message would have good impact over employees performance. A face to face interaction would be more suitable and can help employees to adapt the change. Listen to your employees For the change management employee feedback is very important. You can encourage your employees to provide feedback through email or the intranet. Communication is the foundation stone to successful management of change. You need to communicate with your employees early and often to make them understand your message. STAKE HOLDERS INVOLVE INTO THAT CHANGE PROCESS Investors and Business partners and suppliers Investors influenced in this change management process because they invest their asset to get profit, but with the old policy they didnt get much profit. So they involve in the favor of change management process for achieving their goals. Bank employees Bank employees involved in the change management process and they goes against to the change process because they are habitual to work on through the old policy. Customers Customers also involve in the change process and go into the favor of change process because they want quick results and want innovation in organization so they also influenced with the change process. Government and NGOs Government and NGOs influenced in the way the Government expect more taxes and other duties from the organizations and if an organization is not going in profit then how they get the more taxes and duties. On the other hand Ngos want support from the organizations. If they are not in good position they will also influenced with this so these departments also want change process for improvement of the organization. KOTTERs 8 STEP CHANGE MODEL Change is the only constant. Heraclitus, Greek philosopher What was true more than two thousand years ago is just as true today. We live in a world where business as usual IS change. New initiatives, project-based working, technology improvements, staying ahead of the competition these things come together to drive ongoing changes to the way we work. Whether youre considering a small change to one or two processes, or a systemwide change to an organization, its common to feel uneasy and intimidated by the scale of the challenge. You know that the change needs to happen, but you dont really know how to go about doing delivering it. Where do you start? Whom do you involve? How do you see it through to the end? There are many theories about how to do change. Many originate with leadership and change management guru, John Kotter. A professor at Harvard Business School and world-renowned change expert, Kotter introduced his eight-step change process in his 1995 book, Leading Change. We look at his eight steps for leading change below. Step One: Create Urgency For change to happen, it helps if the whole company really wants it. Develop a sense of urgency around the need for change. This may help you spark the initial motivation to get things moving. This isnt simply a matter of showing people poor sales statistics or talking about increased competition. Open an honest and convincing dialogue about whats happening in the marketplace and with your competition. If many people start talking about the change you propose, the urgency can build and feed on itself. What you can do: Identify potential threats, and develop scenarios showing what could happen in the future. Examine opportunities that should be, or could be, exploited. Start honest discussions, and give dynamic and convincing reasons to get people talking and thinking. Request support from customers, outside stakeholders and industry people to strengthen your argument. Step Two: Form a Powerful Coalition Convince people that change is necessary. This often takes strong leadership and visible support from key people within your organization. Managing change isnt enough you have to lead it. You can find effective change leaders throughout your organization they dont necessarily follow the traditional company hierarchy. To lead change, you need to bring together a coalition, or team, of influential people whose power comes from a variety of sources, including job title, status, expertise, and political importance. Once formed, your change coalition needs to work as a team, continuing to build urgency and momentum around the need for change. What you can do: Identify the true leaders in your organization. Ask for an emotional commitment from these key people. Work on team building within your change coalition. Check your team for weak areas, and ensure that you have a good mix of people from different departments and different levels within your company Step Three: Create a Vision for Change When you first start thinking about change, there will probably be many great ideas and solutions floating around.

Design and Construction of The Titanic Essay -- essays research papers

11:35 p.m. the deadly iceberg was spotted. Margaret Brown was sitting is her bunk indulged in a book, when she was thrown across the room, off of her bed from the impact of the crash. The engine stopped at once but nothing dangerous had occurred, yet. At 12:00 a.m. there was serious flooding in the crew?s quarters. Many demanded lifesavers and there was much uproar. Putting on layers of clothing along with stuffing money into her pockets, Margaret Brown would be prepared. Margaret headed towards the lifeboats. Now the commotion was at an all time high. To keep the people calm, there was a band playing in the background. First class passengers had left money and jewels in the purser?s office, but it was locked due to the predicament. Some of the first class passengers threatened to sue the White Star Line because of the inconvenience. Margaret helped many people to their lifeboats and attempted to comfort some of the distressed passengers. The Titanic was almost submerged, Margaret he lped to load people and was seated on boat 6. Margaret remembers, ?Suddenly there was a rift in the water, the sea opened up and the surface foamed like giant arms that spread around the ship? (Landau 15). Suddenly the ocean liner Carpathia came to their rescue. Only about 31% of the passengers on the Titanic survived including the brave heroine, Margaret Brown. The doomed fates of the Titanic have motivated much discussion concerning why it was a disaster. The Titanic boasted unsinkable status and its demise will affect the way we build ships today and how we boast them. A passenger of the Titanic states, ?The design and construction skills of the yard were outstanding, and the captain E.J. Smith and workforce took great pride (Adams 10). The .. ...hers only felt a light bump. Titanic survivor Violet Jessop recalls, ?I lay lazily reflecting on many things, comfortable and drowsy. Crash! ? Then a low, rending, crunching, ripping sound, as Titanic shivered a trifle and the sound of her engines gently ceased? (Graham 126). In conclusion, the tremendous loss of life stirred a discussion to the cause of the failed sail. The 50,000-ton ship will be forever peaceful at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The brave heroines of the Titanic, both alive and dead will be remembered. Cruise Line ships today have put in much more precaution concerning safety. Luxury was put before safety in the Titanic. Today, ships have many more lifeboats and they are careful of the weather. The Titanic unsinkable status may have caused an ironic demise to the sail. The failure will affect how we build ships today and how we boast them.

Computers Are an Important Part of Most People’s

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Nowadays, computers are an important part of most people’s everyday lives. This change has improved the way people live. By advances in the technology, especially invention of computers, human beings can do their works much easier than the past. They have improved the way of our lives (life) dramatically. The number of advantages that computers can bring us is very much so that its disadvantages can be ignored (Advantages of using computers are so much that disadvantages could be ignored).Cases such as save (saving) time or facilitate (facilitating) job and affairs and improve(ing) our communications are my reasons which will be illustrated in details as following. To begin with, by using of computers we can save the time (more time). In todays’ community, it is told that time is money. With the huge advancements in technology, people’s life has more (become) complicated as it seems. Each of us hasn’t enough time to do all works on time (No one has enough time to do everything on time).The advent of computers in our lives(life), we can save time and do a big part of works more efficiently. For example, instead of going to shop and buying cloths, I (you) can buy it from my home by going to its website and even I (you) have this chance to see which cloth is the top-selling. (or) As an another example, I(you) can choose my (you) favorite five-star restaurant or hotel a couple of weeks before my(your) trip to a certain place. hat shows that I can better manage my affairs(It shows that people can better manage their life and schedule everything). The last example is that I even can control my home or personal room by using of my workplace’s computer (The last example is that home or personal room can be controlled or and monitored by using of a computer in workplace). These examples show computers have revolutionized our lifestyle. The last but not the least, computers improved our social behaviors.For the very first time in the history, Social networks and websites have given this opportunity to people to find friends and know people they never met before. Nowadays, there are a few internet-organizations by which we can find our future wife. It shows that computers even affect our lives (life) emotionally. To take these into consideration, I can confidently draw the conclusion that there are a lot of advantages which computers donate us such as finding new friends or saving the valuable time so that its drawbacks can be ignored. . .

Free Essays on The Color Puple

Alice Walker’s The Color Purple presents the life-long struggle of Celie, a black Georgia woman, who yearns to obtain confidence and self-esteem. During the early stages of the novel, references to wagons are made, signifying the â€Å"old days,† whereas towards the end of the work automobiles surface. Though Walker never discusses any specific time or place where the story actually occurs, the change in transportation suggests about a forty-year span of Celie’s life, from the beginning of the novel until the end. Written in first person, Celie writes a series of letters to God, explaining the torture that she faces, and begging him for some form of mercy. After years of abuse, both physically and emotionally, Celie discovers herself searching for some self-respect. Fonso, Celie’s abusive father, forces her to marry Albert, also abusive by nature. Celie finds a degree of hope through the depiction of Albert’s mistress, Shug. Shug serves as a tremendous force in Celie’s attainment of confidence, as the two eventually form a strong bond. Celie’s sister, Nettie, intelligent and caring who â€Å"mean[s] everything in the world† to Celie, also faces many of the same obstacles that Celie does, but Nettie first helps Celie overcome hers. As time passes, Celie gains more and more self-respect as well as some respect from others. The central theme flowing throughout the work remains that man often defeats his problems through the nurturing of close intimate relationships. The bond between Shug and Celie allows Celie to conquer her passive behavior. Likewise, her relationship with Nettie also instills a strong sense of courage and self-esteem within Celie. Celie refuses to allow the horrible deeds of the men in her life to control her towards the latter stages of the novel. The intimate relationships that Celie shares with both the energetic Shug and the loving Nettie provides Celie with hope that she will one day come out of her pa... Free Essays on The Color Puple Free Essays on The Color Puple Alice Walker’s The Color Purple presents the life-long struggle of Celie, a black Georgia woman, who yearns to obtain confidence and self-esteem. During the early stages of the novel, references to wagons are made, signifying the â€Å"old days,† whereas towards the end of the work automobiles surface. Though Walker never discusses any specific time or place where the story actually occurs, the change in transportation suggests about a forty-year span of Celie’s life, from the beginning of the novel until the end. Written in first person, Celie writes a series of letters to God, explaining the torture that she faces, and begging him for some form of mercy. After years of abuse, both physically and emotionally, Celie discovers herself searching for some self-respect. Fonso, Celie’s abusive father, forces her to marry Albert, also abusive by nature. Celie finds a degree of hope through the depiction of Albert’s mistress, Shug. Shug serves as a tremendous force in Celie’s attainment of confidence, as the two eventually form a strong bond. Celie’s sister, Nettie, intelligent and caring who â€Å"mean[s] everything in the world† to Celie, also faces many of the same obstacles that Celie does, but Nettie first helps Celie overcome hers. As time passes, Celie gains more and more self-respect as well as some respect from others. The central theme flowing throughout the work remains that man often defeats his problems through the nurturing of close intimate relationships. The bond between Shug and Celie allows Celie to conquer her passive behavior. Likewise, her relationship with Nettie also instills a strong sense of courage and self-esteem within Celie. Celie refuses to allow the horrible deeds of the men in her life to control her towards the latter stages of the novel. The intimate relationships that Celie shares with both the energetic Shug and the loving Nettie provides Celie with hope that she will one day come out of her pa...

Chem 1301- Carbon essays

Chem 1301- Carbon essays When one thinks of life, they must remember to acknowledge the carbon element because its compounds are essential to vitality, as we know it. Carbon is the sixth most abundant element in the universe. It makes up 0.32% of the earths crust. While the origin or founder is unknown, carbon dates back to the prehistoric times, but scientists did not discover the three different types of carbon until the 1700s. The individual most responsible for putting this element to use is Dmitri Mendeleev, in the 1860s when he organized the periodic table of elements. All the elements were arranged from lightest to heaviest in respect to carbon. Because carbon makes up millions of compounds, there is a special section in chemistry called organic chemistry devoted especially to the compounds formed by carbon and hydrogen. Besides being the basis of all life in living things, carbon is also used for ones everyday purposes. We rarely realized the chemistry involved in or day-to-day existence. Carbon is a non-metallic element found in group IVA of the periodic table. Its atomic number is 6, and the atomic mass is 12.01115. Carbon is used as the international standard for atomic weight. The simple formation about the carbon atoms is that they have 6 protons, 6 electrons, and 6 neutrons in the 12C isotope. This isotope is the most abundant. There are actually two stable isotopes with mass numbers 12 and 13. About 1% of carbon atoms are carbon-13. Four radioactive isotopes are known, but the most useful one is Carbon-14, which makes up a very small fraction of all carbons. The melting point of carbon is 3550oC, and the boiling point is 4827o C. The electron configurations for this element is written as [He]2s22p2. It must either gain or lose four electrons in order to become a stable ion. Also, unlike metals and non-metals, bonding in carbon is generally covalent rather than ionic, quite strong, and often forms long chains through a process c...

Managing Employees performance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managing Employees performance - Assignment Example Some of the most commonly used ‘traits’ include ‘dependability’ ‘attitude’, ‘attendance’, ‘initiative’, ‘cooperation’, ‘overall output’, etc. The employee could be given a rating on a scale of one to five for each of these traits. Here, 5 could represent ‘excellence’ and 1 could represent ‘poor’. 3 stands for acceptable but not outstanding standards. The total attained by the employee is a good indicator of his/her overall utility for the enterprise. The graphic rating scale can either be continuous or discontinuous. The forced distribution appraisal method is a modern management concept. It is more formal and structured compared to traditional models. It differs from traditional models in that it takes into consideration numerous employee performance parameters. The objective is not merely to find ‘justifications’ for an employee’s remuneration structure, but also to constructively identify weak and strong areas. In this manner an employee is offered a feedback for all-round development of skills. For example, the forced distribution appraisal method will grade employees across performance scales. This will help the management to offer inputs on their career development, training needs and optimal reward structures. There are several principles that make forced distribution methods successful. Firstly, the evaluator is given a predetermined distribution scale to fill up. ‘Job performance’ and ‘eligibility for promotion’ are given special attention. A five point performance rating scale is the norm, where employee traits are assessed only quantitatively. The worker can come out as ‘good’, ’bad’ or somewhere in between with respect to the traits. A graph can then be constructed with the rating designated to X-axis and’ number of employees’ to the Y-axis. What usually transpires is a Norman distribution curve with a majority

Democratic Party and Republican Party Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Democratic Party and Republican Party - Essay Example They rather use a self-defending approach, or try to plea to the broadest range of the voters. The republican have some work to do on both sides of the strategies. There are few similarities also between the two rival candidates. Republican candidate McCain from Arizona and Democratic candidate Barack Obama from Illinois; both the nominees of the major parties are fighting to attain support from maximum voters. McCain was in Virginia, looking to turn out the vote in a state that normally votes republican but appears to be siding with Obama. While, Obama was enjoying a lead in national polls, he sought a knockout punch in Nevada, Colorado and Missouri that went for George W. Bush in 2004. Barack Obama's efforts to get the support of the Sunshine State's hugely diverse electorate on Tuesday could prove decisive. Obama has held massive rallies throughout Florida as he seeks to pries the Sunshine State from its eight year republican grip, a move that could wrap up the election in his favor on Tuesday. Obama is ahead in states such as Nevada and North Carolina. Iowa and New Mexico are likely to move into the democratic column and Obama campaign is confident in chances in western states. If he has a good night on Tuesday he could even pick up Georgia, Montana and North Dakota.