Should Pregnant Teenagers Be Allowed In School Essay

Should Pregnant Teenagers Be Allowed In School - Essay Example Not only, is she discriminated in her social groups but also by the people who are the backbones of the education system. Many principles of schools ask parents of pregnant teenagers to take away their daughters from their schools in fear of the bad reputation of their institution. A book that has been written by experts and which is an extension of the thoughts promoted by The National Childbirth Trust has stated that " giving birth is often called 'the everyday miracle', and nothing can be more true." (p.10) To this observation I want to add that it's also true that this miracle of nature sometimes becomes very unwanted, embarrassing and burdensome to the society on the whole and also the parents if they themselves are nothing but children. What follows is the continuous phase of guilt and depression. The situation may become even worse if in such trying times pregnant teenagers are barred the right to education which is a great source of hope for them to make their lives better. T hrough education they get the power to console themselves that future holds better jobs, better money and better living conditions for them and their unborn babies. Heyman andEducation is essential Heyman and Henriksen in their book have integrated the observational, surveys and qualitative interviews upon pregnant women, doctors, and midwives of a hospital to observe the relationship between risk, age and pregnancy. They stated: Survey data can document the complexities of judgments about the timing of parenthood, although it cannot bring out the reasoning behind such judgments with any depth. Our respondents were asked whether they felt that men and women could be too old or too young to have a baby, and, if so, to specify these age boundariesour respondents, collectively, define the lower parental age boundary more sharply than the upper one(2001, p.64) Through this detailed study it is easier to believe that the majority of people are against pregnancy at tender age. This can be related to the main topic, as when the majority does not approve of teenage pregnancy a simple right of education has become a matter of discussion: whether these people should be allowed to mingle with normal teenagers who might never have to face this situation before time. Many parents feel that if schools allow these teenagers to take classes then it would be giving wrong signals to their other wards. Strongly opposing this viewpoint, Hayes in Gottlieb has stated that "I don't think [a pregnant teen] is any more a bad role model than the teen who's sexually active and just not getting pregnant. Getting pregnant doesn't make [someone] any different from you. I think that's a more practical lesson. Students will look at her and say, 'Whoa, she was doing just what we're doing.'" (Screwed twice section, para. 6) Heyman and Henriksen in their study pointed out that some respondents in their study felt that on the account of their pregnancies the teenagers should not stop their education. Their concern is easily highlighted in one of the

Math and children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Math and children - Essay Example Symbols such as circles, squares, triangles are good for patterning. This learning activity is best suited for grade four levels. This symbol patterning intends to expose children to sequences. This concept will use an analogy of a picnic table as an introduction to the sequence. Students get insight as they use T-charts to the idea of pattern rules. Once the student is able to solve the problem, they continually develop cognitive ability to understand mathematical concepts that are more abstract. In this activity student will understand relationship between numbers, figures, tables, and diagrams as mathematics models. This will work only if the student has experience in extending simple number pattern at a lower grade (Ministry of Education, 2008). For instance, patterning can be used to expose children in elementary level to Pascal triangle. Student investigates the pattern of rectangular number and sums of the triangle. This activity may involve delivery of small toys to a prizewinner at a fun fair in several days. In day one chipmunk will be delivered, day two the same with two blue jays. In day, three repeat of previous with additional three puppies. This may continue for ten days and the Pascal concept will be easily understood (Ministry of Education, 2008). In conclusion, patterning plays a great role in student perception towards numbers. It depends on the skills of the particular pattern introduced at a lower grade. Therefore, it is an interdependent process. Use of pattern in elementary mathematics is a progressive process. A pattern in a higher grade depends on what pattern was introduced at a lower grade level. Ministry of Education. (2008). Patterning and Algebra, Grades 4 to 6. Retrieved from

The logisitics and supply chain of Dell

The logisitics and supply chain of Dell This is the era of globalisation which means that individuals are living in one world. There are no more limitations, and boundaries are diminishing in every possible ways. Moreover, trading worldwide has become very common now. This scenario leads us to have greater and detail knowledge on managing international operations and the supply chain. The subject tends to be much more complex than it may sound. Appropriate logistics and supply chain help companies to save huge amount of costs and generate greater revenue. In this report, I have analysed, applied academic modules and put my best effort to deliver the logistics and supply chain system of Dell Inc. Dell Inc. is one of the largest IT companies providing information technology and business related services, support and solutions worldwide with 100,300 employees. It was established in 1984 with only $1,000 capital in Texas, United States. The unique strategy of Dell to sell custom built PCs (Personal Computers) directly to customers, eliminating middlemen to enhance customers savings was practiced at the initial stage of its establishment by Michael Dell. However, as per the sources, the company now operates in four global business segments; Large Enterprise, Public, Small and Medium Business, and Consumer. The focus of this case study is the supply chain management practices of Dell. Dell has been following its unique direct build-to-order sales model for more than 20 years. Customers can plan their own configuration and place orders directly with the company via the phone or its Web site. Over the years, Dells supply chain efficiencies and direct sales gave it a competitive advantage. The nature of logistics and international trade: Globalisation or international trade has become a common ground for most traders now. It is a general rule for businesses to enhance their potential growth by increasing revenues and cutting down costs. In implementation of this rule, logistics plays an important role in any kind of business operating globally or locally. However, the proper management of logistics is even more crucial when it comes to international traders. In earlier period, logistics was only described as warehousing or trucks and sheds. However, warehousing is one of the fundamental components of logistics. The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) in the UK define logistics as, Getting the right product to the right place in the right quantity at the right time, in the best condition and at an acceptable cost. The above definition makes us clear that logistics involve getting everything right in the process to meet customers requirements and expectations from beginning to the point of consumption. In general, 8R are followed in order to define and implement logistics. They are; right product, right place, right quantity, right time, right customer, right way, right cost, and right quality. Our Dell Global Logistics Teams aim to develop and sustain a global transportation and logistics network that uses the most efficient and effective means for us and our transportation providers to distribute our products to our customers. Our job is to get the right stuff, to the right place, at the right time. Furthermore, our Dell Logistics Teams must do this at the right cost. We continue to optimize transportation costs while improving quality and striving to exceed the service expectations of our customers. In fiscal year 2009, many dynamic changes within the Dell fulfillment model challenged our Dell Global Logistics Teams. During the past year, our Dell Logistics Teams continued to do the following: Optimize our inbound and outbound transportation networks, focusing on using the most efficient use of air, land and ocean modes of transportation Work green initiatives that demonstrate that we recognize our roles and responsibilities in being good stewards of the environment Collaborate with the best logistics and transportation providers, who are focused on providing our customers with timely and damage-free deliveries, and operate their businesses within the principles of environmental stewardship. Supply chain strategies: Supply chain strategies are the approaches related to logistics and supply chain that are influenced or related with the organisations strategy. Corporate strategy Business Unit Strategy Functional Strategy As discussed in Pascal Renet (2010), Supply Chain is one of the most crucial parts of an organisation and its strategy lies on aligning and developing it according to the nature of an organisation. The figure below demonstrates the alignment and development of supply chain strategy. Many Supply Chain strategies are formed by using the above mentioned variables. However, there are two principle strategies practiced widely in the real world situation. They are; lean and agile. Lean strategy has been a huge success from the early years of 1930. Its main aspect is to add value (which includes efficiency and effectiveness) at each stages and steps of the process and eliminate processes that do not contribute in value adding of the system, services or product. Some of the most popular processes used in lean strategy are; Just In Time (JIT), Pull based system, Make-To-Order (MTO). Agile strategy is practiced to effectively deal with uncertainties caused by various factors, which may include terrorism, natural calamities, demand system of the market and many more that vigorously affects a business environment. The main technique in agile strategy is mass customisation which follows the production philosophy known as principle of postponement. Leagile strategy is the combination of lean and agile strategies. Michael Dell (2007) states, As we continue to grow worldwide, it is important that we increase our ability, via the direct model, to manufacture close to our customer and fully integrate our supply chain into one global organization. This will allow us to drive for even greater excellence in quality, cycle time and delivered cost. We will innovate and adapt our supply chain model to help drive differentiated product design, manufacturing and distribution models. Directs Sales The direct model refers to the fact that Dell does not use the retails channel, but sells its PCs directly to customers through its website, Dell.com, as Figure 4 shows. This way the intermediary steps that may add time and cost are eliminated, and Dell is directly linked to its customers. Indirect Distribution Channel of the PC Industry Dells Direct Distribution Channel Areti Manataki (2007), In fact, Dell sells directly to all its customers, from home-PC users to the worlds largest corporations [54]. This way it creates a direct relationship with each individual customer, which turns out to be a great source of competitive advantage. As Michael Dell has stated, this direct relationship creates valuable information about the customer, thus Dell knows who the end users are, what they have bought from Dell and what their preferences are, a fact that allows Dell to offer add-on products and services, and stay, in general, closer to the customer [27]. As Lawton et al [29] suggest, this provides Dell with a wealth of marketing and product development information. Especially in the case of large customers, the above-mentioned direct relationship is upgraded to virtual integration. With the help of information technology and traditional face-to-face human contact, customers work with Dell as partners; this means that Dell is not going to be just their PC vendor anymore, but their IT department for PCs, as Michael Dell claims. There are two main facilities that bring Dell and its customers closer: Premier Pages and Platinum Councils. Premier Pages, now called Premier.Dell.com, are customised IT procurement and support sites for big clients, which let them decide and manage their purchases from Dell, thus leaving to salespeople a more consultative role. Premier.Dell.com represents a customised sales channel and as Dell has realised how beneficiary that is, it has increased the number of Premier Pages from 1000 in 1998 to 50,000 in 2000 [36]. Platinum Councils are regional meetings of Dells largest customers, where executives, salespeople and technicians discuss their experience with Dell and their needs and expectations from technology. Additionally, Dells Customer Experience Initiative, Dell Forums [55], the Direct2Dell blog [57] and the IdeaStorm [56] illustrate the importance that Dell places on its customer relationships. in the case of Dell, a computer is built only after a customer has placed an order; then lean manufacturing and just-in-time production take place. This means that once an order is placed, configuration details are sent to the manufacturing floor and the assembly begins; once the computer is built and the requested software is downloaded, it is shipped by a 3PL to the customer. The choice of a build-to-order and JIT manufacturing procedure has several advantages for Dell. First, the level of inventories is very small, leading to low inventory costs and faster response to demand changes for instance, when a new microprocessor comes out in the market, Dell can immediately order it from its suppliers, as there is no excess inventory to get rid of first. Also, it is common that customers pay for an order before Dell pays its suppliers for the products components, thus letting Dell operate on a negative cash conversion cycle [27]. Not to forget the fact that this way customized products are offered, and instead of guessing, Dell knows exactly what its customers want before producing it. What is special in the case of Dell is its relationship to its suppliers, which also facilitates its build-to-order model. Dell fully adopts the approach of the extended enterprise by viewing its suppliers as an integral part of doing business and a key factor for its success. The supplier effectively becomes our partner, as Michael Dell states [15]. Logistics service providers: Third Party Logistics Service Providers both at global levels and local levels form major partners to manage and offer Supply Chain services and the second major factor being the internet and IT technology which helps manage information and data ahead of or along with flow of materials and goods. Dell has manufacturing facilities located in Austin-Texas, North Carolina, Miami, Florida that service US Markets. European Markets are serviced from its plants in Ireland and Poland. Asia and other sub continents are supported by its manufacturing facilities in Penang in Malaysia and Xiamen in China along with the latest factory setup in Chennai in India. South America is serviced from its Eldora do plant while the new plan in Brazil supports the African continent. One can imagine the complexities involved in designing procurement systems. Dell does not buy raw materials and components and maintain inventory. Dells vendors use third party service providers to setup logistics parks and distribution warehouses close to Dells plants and deliver materials just in time to the plant against an order for production which is triggers based on an order confirmed by the customer on the internet. Under procurement Logistics in this case, there are number of logistics service providers who play major part in ensuring smooth operations. Vendors are based out of Europe, Taiwan, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea and Japan etc. Our Dell Logistics Teams continued to explore the use of every mode of transportation and sought opportunities to ship more freight using modes that offer greater reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Our regional teams examined the ability to upgrade the attach rates for freight that was best moved by sea instead of by air. Feasibility studies are planned for various transportation modes, such as rail from Asia to Europe, sea/air from Asia to Europe and rail network from China to South Asia. In Asia-Pacific/Japan (APJ), the optimal mode of transport is ocean shipment to countries such as Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Logistics Operations in Supply Chain Network (2011). Management Study Guide. http://www.managementstudyguide.com/logistics-operations-in-supply-chain-network.htm Procurement and outsourcing: Dell outsources its supply chain reinvention 14 JUNE 2010 Guy Clapperton As part of the reinvention of its business model, the computer maker handed the support and operation of its supply chain to a third party Dell was the hardware manufacturing success story of the 1990s, thanks to such innovative business practices as selling to customers directly and assembling devices to order. The past ten years, however, have seen Dell rather lose its edge to Apple in the consumer space and to Hewlett-Packard in business. That has prompted an attempted reinvention at the company. One of the most conspicuous facets of this has been Dells acquisition of ITservice provider Perot Systems in the second half of 2009. Just as significant, though rather less visible, has been the expansion of its global supply chain to include both retailers and so-called original design manufacturers, which sell complete devices for Dell to rebadge. This transformation placed a significant new burden on Dells supplier engagement processes, and the disparate systems that supported them. The company therefore decided to outsource these processes and systems to Inovis, a US-based business-to-business outsourcing provider. http://www.information-age.com/channels/it-services/features/1261013/dell-outsources-its-supply-chain-reinvention.thtml Inventory, warehousing and materials management: Transport planning: While the shipments are in transit, the freight forwarders electronically transfer shipment information and documentations to their overseas offices or agents at the destination and keep Dell and vendors informed of the status of shipments. Freight forwarders at the destination ports file advance shipment documents with customs and on arrival of cargo, complete customs formalities and custom cleared cargo is then transported to freight forwarders warehouse or customs bonded warehouse or to another designated third party warehouse which houses all inventories meant for Dell. The third party service provider who manages the inventories in his warehouse receives the cargo, unpacks the shipments from bulk skids to individual carton level and completes inbound formalities including up dating of inventories in its system and stocks the materials in designated rack locations. Both vendors and Dell are continuously kept informed of the data regarding shipments and stocks. The warehouse stocks inventories in the name of various vendors at SKU level. Most of the times these warehouses are situated adjacent to the plant or at close proximity. Upon receiving a production order from Dell, as per Bill of Material received through DELL ERP system, items are picked up, loaded into the supply cages and trays as per pre determined design and delivered to the plant after completing documentation and system entries to remove inventory from its system held in vendors name, invoice raised and physical delivery accompanied with documents completes the supply chain cycle of Ra w material supply. The revenue recognition happens when material is transferred out of the warehouse and its system and invoiced to Dell.

One Hundred Years of Solitude: Relationship between Ursual and Jose Ar

One Hundred Years of Solitude: The Relationship between Ursual and Jose Arcadio Buendia In literature, a central relationship can bond a group, and serve as a measure of the vitality of the society that it bonds. One such monumental relationship is that between Ursual and Jose Arcadio Buendia in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude. In the chosen passage, the author uses imagery, metaphors, and characterization to illustrate their relationship, establishing a preview of their future relationship, harboring its development into the measure of stability of that society. As the passage opens, the reader is immediately made aware of Jose Arcadio Buendia's feelings about the current location of Macondo. He felt trapped in Macondo, away from the advances of modern science, as if evident by his map of "peninsular" Macondo. Unsatisfied without the most modern advances of science, in a fit of rage, Jose Arcadio Buendia drew a map of Macondo, exaggerating their isolation, then proceeded to take responsibility for this isolation. Marquez uses superb imagery, beautifully illustrating this feeling, when he describes the laboratory as a small, closed in space. He illustrates a very frustrated man, struggling against his isolation, working in his small laboratory. This man finally releases some of these pent up feelings and is filled with rage. In fact, as he draws the map, he "punish [es] himself for the absolute lack of sense with which he had chosen the place." As he sat in his isolated laboratory, oblivious to the events occurring in the outside world, Jose Arcadio Buen... ...n them with an inked brush, without reproaching him, but knowing now that he knew (because she had heard him say so in his soft monologues) that the men of the village would not back him up in his undertaking. Only when he began to take down the door of the room did Ursula dare ask him what he was doing, and he answered with a certain bitterness. "Since no one wants to leave, we'll leave all by ourselves." Ursula did not become upset. "We will not leave," she said. "We will stay here, because we have had a son here." "We have still not had a death," he said. "A person does not belong to a place until there is someone dad under the ground." Ursula replied with a soft firmness: "If I have to die for the rest of you to stay here, I will die." Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. One Hundred Years of Solitude. Harper Perennial: New York, 1991, pages 13-14.

Kant defines God as simply the idea

Kant defines God as simply the idea (in his technical sense of idea) or analogical image of systematic unity. As an existent, ‘God' is a natural illusion. We can have no cognition of God or an underlying substratum because such concepts transcend the conditions of possible experience. In the phenomenal realm, God or the ens realissimum, an individual being containing â€Å"the sum-total of all possibilities† or all predicates of things in general – can be characterized only negatively. God is not an object and as such can be cognized only by analogy with nature. It is by means of this analogy that there remains a concept of the Supreme Being sufficiently determined for us, though we have left out everything that could determine it absolutely and it itself.In his analysis of the conditions of the possible cognition of objects Kant distinguishes between different kinds of judgments. In doing so, he is examining what type of cognitions make up, or could make up, the concept of God or any other metaphysical consideration. Kant does not divide propositions, as traditionally done, into the empirical and the a priori. Instead, Kant talks about judgments, propositions that are held by a subject. Kant argues that all judgments are either analytic or synthetic, and either a priori or a posteriori. Analytic judgments are those in which the predicate inheres in the subject or is presupposed by it. Synthetic judgments are those in which the predicate is not in the subject.A priori in the Kantian sense means held before experience, or what can be held without experience. A posteriori means dependent on and derived from experience. Kant's analysis of judgments has implications for the analysis of metaphysical concepts such as God. If metaphysics is at all possible, then its judgments cannot be empirical or a posteriori. Nor can they be analytic, since this would be contrary to the very idea of going beyond what is given – something that metaphysics claims as its defining characteristic.In its traditional guise, the cosmological proof is premised upon finite and contingent being or, more to the point, conditioned being.   What is conditioned has conditions, and the mind is naturally led to infer condition from conditioned without limit.   The only possible way to end this regress (and thereby to satisfy understanding) is by positing unconditioned being.   Kant expresses the proof as follows:   â€Å"If anything exists, an absolutely necessary being must also exist.   Now I, at least, exist.   Therefore an absolutely necessary being exists†. Without absolutely necessary (i.e., unconditioned) being to end the regress of causes, there is no completeness to the series and no satisfaction for understanding.On the otherhand, Hegel’s ultimate aim in discussing the proofs for the existence of God (viz., the cosmological, teleological, and ontological) is to remove what he calls the ‘distortion’ ev ident in their popular exposition. Hegel takes this distortion to be the well-spring of Kant’s widely accepted refutation of the proofs.   Hegel explains, â€Å"our task is to restore the proofs of God’s existence to a position of honor by stripping away that distortion†Ã‚   Kant’s damning attack, then, is not directly met by Hegel.The Kantian criticisms were, for Hegel, by and large warranted given his construal of the proofs.   Hegel’s aim is rather to recast the nature of these proofs (and proof in general).   Hegel accomplishes this end is quite naturally in light of his reformulation of metaphysics.   His subsequent reintroduction of the proofs is one that is able to avoid Kant’s refutation – a refutation which Hegel thinks is based upon a mistaken view of human conception.There is very little regarding Kant’s analysis that Hegel finds objectionable given Kant’s rendition of the proofs.   Rather than refut e Kant directly, Hegel is far more concerned that we see these proofs in their ‘true and proper form’.   According to Hegel, Kant â€Å"failed to recognize the deeper basis upon which these proofs rest, and so was unable to do justice to their true elements†. In each case, Hegel agrees, the infinite is supposed to be reached from a starting-point which is finite.   This transition, however, is not the static formal mediation Kant believes it to be.   Hegel explains, This knowledge of God, is inwardly a movement; more precisely, it is an elevation to God.   We express religion essentially as an elevation, a passing over from one content to another.   It is the finite content from which we pass over to God, from which we relate ourselves to the absolute, infinite content and pass over to it .Returning to the proofs themselves, Hegel finds that they evidence the progression of human thought itself.   Kant was in part correct in his claim that the ontolog ical proof is the battlefield on which the outcome of the war is to be determined.   For Hegel, the ontological proof is the most profound achievement of spirit.   It comes late in the historical play of appearances for this reason.   For Hegel, furthermore, the deficiencies particular to each of the earlier proofs are very nearly the ones pointed out by Kant.The cosmological proof has as its point of departure the nonsystematic cognition of the world (i.e., the world is not seen as Nature). â€Å"By the term world we understand the aggregate of material things.† In this mode of proof, consideration is first given to the being of variety, flux, and contingency evidenced by this aggregate.   â€Å"This is the kind of starting-point from which the spirit raises itself to God†.   This elevation, as already discussed, is impossible if one affirms this contingency. Further, to affirm the contingency of the world is to overlook its self-negating character.This next proof is so similar to the first that it seems unnecessary to consider it in great detail.   There are, however, also some distinctive insights worth mentioning.   Again, the proof departs from an apprehension of finitude – in this case determinate finitude.   â€Å"There is finite being on one side, though it is not just abstractly defined, or defined only as being, but rather as being that has within it the more substantial determination of being something physically alive†.   The negation of finitude is, again, at the same time an elevation and affirmation.The ontological proof also finds its point of departure in finitude.   In this case, finitude appears in the form of subjectivity.   Progress is not to be had by affirming the finitude of the mere conception of God.   Such an affirmation amounts to a reduction of all conception to mere representation.   This finitude of consciousness (in which consciousness is construed as subject in contradistinc tion to object) must, of course, be negated.   Conception must be cast in its true and proper light.This final proof is the culmination of millennia of progress in the realm of consciousness for Hegel.   â€Å"Only when spirit has grown to its highest freedom and subjectivity does it grasp this thought of God as something subjective and arrive at this antithesis of subjectivity and objectivity†.   It is natural that the earlier proofs should therefore fall short of their mark.   This elevation fits naturally into Hegel’s larger system for understanding the history of religion, consciousness, being, and culture.   Indeed, Hegel explains, â€Å"Even within the Christian era it was not accomplished for a long time, because it involves the most profound descent of spirit into itself†.

Effects of a stronger Euro on the Eurozone Essay

Most countries, in fact all countries in the Euro zone, have adopted a floating exchange rate, which means that the value of the Euro and, thus, the exchange rate are only determined by the demand for and supply of the currency on the foreign exchange market. Therefore, the value of the Euro can fluctuate drastically depending on different factors. At the moment, the Euro is a very strong currency. This has got different effects on the Euro zone, positive as well as negative. On the one hand, a strong Euro and, therefore, a high exchange rate decrease the price of imports into the Euro zone, so that more goods and services can be imported for the same amount of money, as one unit of currency will buy more units of foreign currencies than before, which means that more foreign goods and services can be imported. These imports might include services such as foreign travel, products we can directly consume, such as clothes from China or primary resources which are bought by firms. When producers can buy cheaper resources, their costs of production decrease, which causes prices to decrease, too, as the following diagram shows: Here, the supply curve shifts to the right, due to lower costs of production. This is a shift along the demand curve and therefore, the quantity demanded increases, whereas the price at which the goods and services can be purchased falls. A decrease in prices is – obviously – good for the consumers, as they have to pay less money for the goods they buy, and it is also good for the government because low prices reduce inflationary pressure. However, although the greater amount of imports is good for the consumers, domestic producers might be worse off. With the imports being relatively less expensive than the domestically produced goods and services, competition increases and there might be a fall in the demand for domestically produced goods and services. This could lead to unemployment as the domestic producers, whose profits decrease, can’t afford anymore to keep all these workers. Another consequence of high exchange rates are increased prices of exports for foreign countries. Industries which export price inelastic goods will probably find that they have increased export revenues as the following diagram shows. Here, the quantity demanded decreases from Q1 to Q2, and therefore, the price at which the goods or services are sold increases from P1 to P2. However, the change in price is much bigger than the change in quantity demanded as it is an elastic good. Therefore, the profit increases. However, although these industries have benefits from high exchange rates, most firms don’t produce goods for which demand is inelastic, so that it is difficult for them to sell their goods and services abroad, because their prices are, compared to the prices of producers from other countries, relatively high and they are, therefore, not able to compete with these producers. This means that they make less profits because they sell less, which might cause a further increase in unemployment. If the amount of money flowing out of the economy because of imports increases, and the amount of money flown into the economy because of exports decreases, this would worsen the balance of payments which could, in the worst case, become negative. This would decrease aggregate demand (AD) which is defined as consumption + investment + government spending + (exports – imports). However, although the high export costs will in the short run harm domestic producers, as it threatens their international competitiveness, they will in the long run increase their inflationary discipline. In order to maintain their competitiveness, domestic firms have to lower their costs of production, so that their prices decrease and they export more. In order to lower their costs of production, they have to be more efficient, which will, ideally, eventually result in a more efficient economy overall. This shows, that a strong Euro can have both, positive and negative, consequences on economies. But whether it is considered to be good or bad, very much depends on the kind of economy: A strong Euro doesn’t have the same effect on all countries in the Euro zone. Whereas economies which specialise on exports, such as Germany might not want a too strong Euro, as their international competitiveness might decrease, economies which very much rely on imports might be better off with a strong Euro.

Chapter 1 Essay

Chapter 1 Essay Chapter 1 Essay Copyright  © 2007 Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant B. Navathe Slide 1- 1 Chapter 1 Introduction: Databases and Database Users Copyright  © 2007 Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant B. Navathe Outline ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® Types of Databases and Database Applications Basic Definitions Typical DBMS Functionality Example of a Database (UNIVERSITY) Main Characteristics of the Database Approach Database Users Advantages of Using the Database Approach When Not to Use Databases Copyright  © 2007 Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant B. Navathe Slide 1- 3 Types of Databases and Database Applications ï  ® Traditional Applications: ï  ® ï  ® More Recent Applications: ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® Numeric and Textual Databases Multimedia Databases Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data Warehouses Real-time and Active Databases Many other applications First part of book focuses on traditional applications A number of recent applications are described later in the book (for example, Chapters 24,26,28,29,30) Copyright  © 2007 Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant B. Navathe Slide 1- 4 Basic Definitions ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® Database: ï  ® A collection of related data. Data: ï  ® Known facts that can be recorded and have an implicit meaning. Mini-world: ï  ® Some part of the real world about which data is stored in a database. For example, student grades and transcripts at a university. Database Management System (DBMS): ï  ® A software package/ system to facilitate the creation and maintenance of a computerized database. Database System: ï  ® The DBMS software together with the data itself. Sometimes, the applications are also included. Copyright  © 2007 Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant B. Navathe Slide 1- 5 Simplified database system environment Copyright  © 2007 Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant B. Navathe Slide 1- 6 Typical DBMS Functionality ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® Define a particular database in terms of its data types, structures, and constraints Construct or Load the initial database contents on a secondary storage medium Manipulating the database: ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® Retrieval: Querying, generating reports Modification: Insertions, deletions and updates to its content Accessing the database through Web applications Processing and Sharing by a set of concurrent users and application programs – yet, keeping all data valid and consistent Copyright  © 2007 Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant B. Navathe Slide 1- 7 Typical DBMS Functionality ï  ® Other features: ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® Protection or Security measures to prevent unauthorized access â€Å"Active† processing to take internal actions on data Presentation and Visualization of data Maintaining the database and associated programs over the lifetime of the database application ï  ® Called database, software, and system maintenance Copyright  © 2007 Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant B. Navathe Slide 1- 8 Example of a Database (with a Conceptual Data Model) ï  ® Mini-world for the example: ï  ® ï  ® Part of a UNIVERSITY environment. Some mini-world entities: ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® STUDENTs COURSEs SECTIONs (of COURSEs) (academic) DEPARTMENTs INSTRUCTORs Copyright  © 2007 Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant B. Navathe Slide 1- 9 Example of a Database (with a Conceptual Data Model) ï  ® Some mini-world relationships: ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® SECTIONs are of specific COURSEs STUDENTs take SECTIONs COURSEs have prerequisite COURSEs INSTRUCTORs teach SECTIONs COURSEs are offered by DEPARTMENTs STUDENTs major in DEPARTMENTs Note: The above entities and relationships are typically expressed in a conceptual data model, such as the ENTITY-RELATIONSHIP data model (see Chapters 3, 4) Copyright  © 2007 Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant B. Navathe Slide 1- 10 Example of a simple database Copyright  © 2007 Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant B. Navathe Slide 1- 11 Main Characteristics of the Database Approach ï  ® Self-describing nature of a database

Free Essays on Memory

Memory is the mental faculty of retaining and recalling past experiences. A repressed memory is one that is retained in the sub conscious mind, where one is not aware of it but where it can still affect both conscious thoughts and behavior. When memory is distorted or confabulated, the result can be what has been called the False Memory Syndrome: a condition in which a person's identity and interpersonal relationships are entered around a memory of traumatic experience which is objectively false but in which the person strongly believes. Note that the syndrome is not characterized by false memories as such. We all have memories that are inaccurate. Rather, the syndrome may be diagnosed when the memory is so deeply ingrained that it orients the individual's entire personality and lifestyle, in turn disrupting all sorts of other adaptive behaviors. The analogy to personality disorder is intentional. False memory syndrome is especially destructive because the person assiduously avoids confrontation with any evidence that might challenge the memory. Thus it takes on a life of its own, encapsulated and resistant to correction. The person may become so focused on the memory that he or she may be effectively distracted from coping with real problems in his or her life. John F. Kihlstrom, Ph.D. There are many models which try to explain how memory works. Nevertheless, we do not know exactly how memory works. One of the most questionable models of memory is the one which assumes that every experience a person has had is 'recorded' in memory and that some of these memories are of traumatic events too terrible to want to remember. These terrible memories are locked away in the sub conscious mind, i.e. repressed, only to be remembered in adulthood when some triggering event opens the door to the unconscious. And, both before and after the repressed memory is remembered, it causes p... Free Essays on Memory Free Essays on Memory Memory One of the most important things that involves the brain. Without memory you would not know how to move, eat, or do any of life’s essentials. If I did not have memory then I would have not remembered to do this paper or how to type it. Think about it, memory is essential to your life. Memory is the ability to remember something that has been learned or experienced (Psychology Book). Memory also refers to the brain's ability to store information. Memory is a vital part of the learning process, without it, learning would be impossible. If your brain did not record anything from the past then you would be unable to learn anything new. All your experiences would be lost as soon as they ended, and each new situation would be unfamiliar. Without memory, you would repeatedly have the same experiences for the "first time."(Grolier Encyclopedia). Psychologists divide a person's memory system into three types, each of which has a different time span. These types are called sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. Sensory memory holds information for only a second or two. Suppose you look at a picture of a mountain. A nearly exact image of the mountain is stored briefly in your visual sensory memory, which involves your eyes and parts of your brain. However, the image quickly fades and disappears unless you make an active effort to think about it. Short-term memory contains what you actively think about at any particular time. It can hold a fact for as long as you think about it. You use short-term memory when you look up a telephone number and repeat it to yourself until you dial it. Unless you continually repeat this information to yourself, it will fade after about 20 to 30 seconds. Long-term memory can store facts, ideas, and experiences after you stop thinking about them. All conscious processing of informationsuch as when you think or when you solve problemsinvolves short-term memory working together w... Free Essays on Memory Memory has been an ongoing topic for study throughout the years. How and why we remember certain pieces of information has led to decades of research and investigation. Studies conducted in recent years have explored the interests of college students. The article, What Aspects of Their Memories Do College Students Most Want to Improve?, discusses the results of these studies in order to answer that question. The author of the article, Kenneth L. Higbee, initially conducted a study to learn what aspects of memory are important to people. A general audience of people attending a memory-improvement seminar responded to an open-ended question. That question was, â€Å"What aspects of memory do you most want to improve?† Another group was then given a survey based on the responses of the first group. It was found that the most important aspect of memory was remembering people’s names. The purpose of Higbee’s research was to compare the results of that first study (conducted among a general audience) to two other linked studies, which dealt with responses of college students. In a pilot study, 41 college students from a memory skills class were asked the question, â€Å"What are the main benefits you hope to get from taking a memory-improvement class?† The students’ responses were tallied and placed into four main categories. The categories were as follows: 1. Schoolwork : 51% 2. People’s names and faces: 24% 3. Everyday tasks: 15% 4. What I read: 10% It was found that no substantial differences existed between males and females, low-GPA and high-GPA students or among years in school. An additional study was then conducted to more deeply explore what aspects of memory college students most want to improve. Like the other study, the participants were college students enrolled in a memory skills class. Mr. Higbee was the teacher of this class. 36 students participated, including 23 males and 13 ... Free Essays on Memory Memory is the mental faculty of retaining and recalling past experiences. A repressed memory is one that is retained in the sub conscious mind, where one is not aware of it but where it can still affect both conscious thoughts and behavior. When memory is distorted or confabulated, the result can be what has been called the False Memory Syndrome: a condition in which a person's identity and interpersonal relationships are entered around a memory of traumatic experience which is objectively false but in which the person strongly believes. Note that the syndrome is not characterized by false memories as such. We all have memories that are inaccurate. Rather, the syndrome may be diagnosed when the memory is so deeply ingrained that it orients the individual's entire personality and lifestyle, in turn disrupting all sorts of other adaptive behaviors. The analogy to personality disorder is intentional. False memory syndrome is especially destructive because the person assiduously avoids confrontation with any evidence that might challenge the memory. Thus it takes on a life of its own, encapsulated and resistant to correction. The person may become so focused on the memory that he or she may be effectively distracted from coping with real problems in his or her life. John F. Kihlstrom, Ph.D. There are many models which try to explain how memory works. Nevertheless, we do not know exactly how memory works. One of the most questionable models of memory is the one which assumes that every experience a person has had is 'recorded' in memory and that some of these memories are of traumatic events too terrible to want to remember. These terrible memories are locked away in the sub conscious mind, i.e. repressed, only to be remembered in adulthood when some triggering event opens the door to the unconscious. And, both before and after the repressed memory is remembered, it causes p...

How to get the most out of your internship and actually learn something

How to get the most out of your internship and actually learn something Internships are great learning experiences. You get to dip a toe in your chosen industry, and either start working toward the future job you want, or decide that hey, maybe it’s not for you after all. (It happens.) But how do you maximize your relatively short time at your internship? What are you supposed to take from it, besides a resume point? One word: networking. Networking, or forming relationships with people in your professional field, is one of the most important things you can do at every level of your career. And when you’re just starting out in an internship, you have the opportunity to start building that network the right way. Here are 4 strategies you can use as an intern to get that network up and running.1. Don’t blow off company events.Company events can be awkward and boring, sure, but they also have two things going for them: 1) free food (usually); and 2) people congregating in one place. So if your internship company advertises any kind of g roup event that’s open to employees, you should go, even if it’s not mandatory. Company softball game, and you can’t throw? Go and sit in the stands and make friends. Book party for that executive who wrote a super-boring treatise on project management? Go, eat some cheese cubes, and chat with people from departments other than your own. Any event can be useful for networking, as long as you’re up for it. And even if you’re an introvert, don’t let that stop you.2, Organize your own events.As an intern, it can feel like you’re on the low end of the power scale, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try to make inroads with the people around you. You might not want to start by inviting the CEO for drinks, but you can try to organize lunches with your fellow interns, or some kind of after-work activity where you invite some of the people you work with.3. Ask for references before you leave.Don’t be shy! Before you wrap up your internship, ask key people if you can use them as a recommendation for future jobs. This way, you’re not only cementing your network contact, but also setting up a framework for actually asking for a reference later. Most people will likely say yes, but if you get a â€Å"no,† don’t sweat it- just move on to someone who might be more appropriate or willing to provide you a reference.4. Stay in touch.Before you leave the company at the end of summer or your internship period, send a thank you to everyone you’ve worked with- everyone who’s helped you in some way. Get business cards or contact information, then make an effort to stay in touch. LinkedIn is a great way to do this, but it’s also good to drop an email once in a while, ask how things are going these days at Corporate Corp., and let them know what you’re up to as well. Maintaining network relationships isn’t that hard, unless you let them lapse and have to awkwardl y start from the beginning when you need something later.Whatever on-the-job expertise you gain from your internship, the longer-term benefits are likely to come from the relationships you form while working there. Make sure you’re making the most of your time at any company, no matter how you feel about the work.

Portrait of a Teacher Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Portrait of a Teacher - Personal Statement Example One particular past educator of mine singlehandedly embodied the teaching philosophy found within each â€Å"portrait of a teacher.† During my time spent in this classroom, I was able to feel a sense of belonging and purpose. Incorporating a student-centered instructional approach, as well as diverse assessment approaches, this particular educator fostered a learning environment where each and every student felt the driving purpose and moral of each lesson. Throughout the course of the year, the instructor cultivated learning through student interaction, as well as life-relevant lessons, which afforded each pupil a meaningful and unique learning experience. Although the educator incorporated the use of direct-instruction into the classroom setting, the majority of learning activities centered around student interaction and engagement, which allowed each student the opportunity to learn on their own, while the teacher played the role of the facilitator, rather than the dictator . Students in the classroom felt encouraged to think critically about a topic or lesson because they felt a connection to the instructor’s material, and no longer felt like an inanimate object in the classroom. The democratic feel to each classroom activity permitted students to express themselves through their artistic and personal strengths, and also led to peer interaction that was absent from most classroom settings. In contrary to this particular teacher, another instructor from my past lacked the fundamental qualities of an influential educator. Rather than promoting a democratic principal in the classroom setting, this particular teacher followed a more totalitarian approach to education. Thinking back to this classroom, I struggle to recall meaningful lessons or memorable moments. Instead, I can recall a sense of fear and anxiety, which ultimately restricted my ability to learn and develop as a student. The lack of peer interaction in the classroom, as well as the tea cher-centered instructional approaches, cultivated an inability to focus on the task at hand, and inevitably led to poor student retention and understanding. One specific instance I can recall from this learning environment, which illuminates this exact point, was during a test review lesson. During review, the teacher would simply instruct students, through direct instruction, of the material that would be covered on the future exam. Instead of utilizing a student-centered approach, which would have ultimately encouraged student interaction and promoted discussion on the topic of review, the teacher simply lectured on the main points of the test. I can still recall the feeling of being unattached to the curriculum, simply worrying about the results of the exam, rather than the process of learning or the enjoyment of being a student. Inevitably, this led to poor test results, as well as a lack of enthusiasm for education. As a future educator, my goal is to incorporate a sense of be longing and purpose within each and every student. From my experiences as a student, I can still recall the detrimental impact of feeling neglected or ostracized from the process of learning. Author, Robert Slavin, discusses the impact on learning when students are neglected within the learning process. Slavin writes, â€Å"

The European Economic Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The European Economic Community - Essay Example This resulted in the benefits of four freedoms namely, capital, labor, products and services to the European community. In subsequent years, the movement gathered momentum, and as the policies of liberalization and globalization started having bigger impacts on the world polity, the EEC saw more relevance for it. Stated objective of formation of EEC is of course protecting the economic interests, but the region has also learnt quite a few lessons from the history as well. Germany used to be a loose confederation of independent states till 1870. On January 18, 1871, these states united under a Prussian king who had the title â€Å"Kaiser, of the German Empire†. Bismarck was the first Chancellor or Prime Minister of the unified Germany. This resulted in gradual expansion of Germany and alternation of distribution of power within Europe and a new world order (Henig, 2002). This shift is balance of power made the group of nations like Britain, Russia and France together. Gradually the imperialistic urge started crossing the borders and entered into the African region. All such events led to the two world wars and massive devastation on all sides. Therefore, formation of a common platform is also the efforts towards averting the recurrence of such wars. The stated objectives for the EEC in clude2; The common commercial policies are an important step towards safeguarding the interests of the region particularly while dealing with the outside world. After the treaty of Rome, a need was being felt to serve the interests of the customs union with a Common Customs Tariff (CCT) to deal with the third parties. Established by Article 113 [133] of the Treaty of Rome, Common Commercial Policies therefore took shape in 1961 to safeguard the common interests of the EU nations3. This effectively meant that the EU region will act as one country while

How to save a failing law firm Speech or Presentation

How to save a failing law firm - Speech or Presentation Example To be specific, the administration develops the rules and regulations required to govern all aspects of the company. Therefore, the administration should exercise innovation, in order to provide the company with guidelines that would shape the destiny of the firm in the long term perspective. On the other hand, management takes the established rules and regulations and implements them using the available resources in the firm. The management goals are usually in the short term. The available resources in a firm refer to the factors of production such as capital, labour, and skills. These two responsibilities are very important in running any firm as they define the future position of a company. For this reason, leaders and managers require to possess vast knowledge and skills for any meaningful success in a company. Knight and Day Company is in the verge of collapsing. Hence, there is the need to integrate leadership and management skill so as to revive the economy of this firm, and save it from losing its credibility. A number of critical issues threaten Knight and Day Company in its leadership and management. There are several challenges that these two dockets need to address immediately in order to save the existing situation. One of the potential challenges in this firm is the labour resource. There is evidence of poor management and utilization of the labour force in this firm. To begin with, there is evidence of unskilled labour resource.In any given company, lack of skilled labour force is one of the major drawbacks in the labour resource. Unskilled labour brings out low productivity in the farm. Labour is one of the most significant and scarce resource in any company. Therefore, it is the duty of the management to oversee hiring of skilled labour to ensure that tapped labour resource can be harnessed effectively. This will provide optimum profits for the firm. In addition, there is evidence of loss of the already existing labour facility as the workers quit their jobs and take up alternatives out of this company.This is a major problem that can lead to failure of a company. This is because when the firm loses its laborer, it takes time to replace it through the recruitment process. This contributes to a large extent to the losses in a firm. The problem of labour resource management might require more allocation of resources such as time and money. In the process of reformation, there is the need to reform the labour resource through a recruitment process in order to have the required skilled labour. The recruitment process involves advertisement, interviews and even orientation of new employees. All these activities require financial support to implement. Moreover, skilled manpower requires that the salaries are moderated, and more specifically raised in order to avoid the massive departures of the employees from the firm. In addition, the whole process would require that the management sit in various sessions in order to provide a new set of development policies that would be used to regulate the labour force. This will require abundant time and also the use of money Another factor threatening the success of this firm is the poor co-ordination of the various departments and branches. For instance, the Los Angeles office operates autonomously from the rest of the offices in

There are 3 options and the writer can choose 1 to write on Essay

There are 3 options and the writer can choose 1 to write on - Essay Example In the event that social inclusion refers to the obligation of all members of the society to include individuals secluded by society based on bias or unjustified reasons, then preventing the birth of people with individuals via genetic intervention cannot be justified. The paper holds that preventing the birth of individuals with disabilities within the present social system is immoral and exclusive of people with disabilities. From Chance to Choice Introduction One of the dominant ways in which the human condition could be altered is through the enhancement of fundamental human capacities. If one of the partners carries a version of a gene that could prejudice the offspring to inherit conditions that they want to avert, then gene manipulation may appear a viable way to safeguard the undesired outcome. Disability represents a physical or mental condition that individuals have a powerful preference not to be, which in some sense can be considered as a â€Å"harmed condition.† T his elevates the significance of probing the normative questions raised by such prospects (Robertson,1996. Background In the article titled â€Å"from Chance to Choice,† Buchanan et al. ... The prediction on whether support will reduce as science reduces the occurrence of genetic diseases is much less reasonable today, than it would have been two decades ago. This disregards the possibility that those who may not be disabled can possess legitimate interests in minimizing the rate of disabilities (Buchanan, Brock, Daniels, & Wilker, 2000). The interest that individuals have in not having disabilities can be regarded as morally legitimate; however, in some instances, the interest may be irrelevant since the disability can be averted only by safeguarding the existence of the individual who might be born with the disability. The incidence of genetically based diseases may be minimized devoid of preventing the birth of individuals who might have disabilities. Hence, argument on the loss of support must be rejected as it fails to award any weight to the legitimate interests that individuals possess in averting disabilities. Buchanan et al. (2000) makes a distinction between b eing harmed and being wrongly harmed. Furthermore, the loss of support argument is exclusionary, which render it flawed since it considers only a section of legitimate interest at stake and award no weight to the legitimate interests that individuals have in not having disabilities (Sherlock & Morrey, 2002). Discussion I agree with the presented notion that utilizing germ line choice to eliminate disabilities is immoral and harmful. Overall, there exists an inherent ethical objection to the pursuit of altering genes of future generations given that such an action cannot be labelled as a â€Å"therapy† of a set future offspring, but rather relies on a â€Å"eugenic† judgement on the worthiness of

Why And How Was Neo-Liberalism Able To Establish Itself As The Essay

Why And How Was Neo-Liberalism Able To Establish Itself As The Dominant Paradigm In The 1980s - Essay Example (Tyvela, 2004, p.156) Even Communist China was at the forefront of the global neo-liberal program, making it only a matter of time before other countries joined the system. And this is precisely what had happened in the 1980s and continues to this day. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and the shift in policy framework of several developing countries, the nature and complexion of geo-economics had taken a different form. Major financial institutions such as International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Inter- American Development Bank were the chief promoters of the neoliberal project. The neoliberal system also possessed some inherently democratic values such as the emphasis on free-trade and offered equal economic opportunity for those who are enterprising. This made it easy for many fledgling and aspiring democratic countries in the developing world to adopt the system. Moreover, the prospect of creating prosperity and the potential for lifting st andards of living convinced politicians to take this approach. Nothing exemplifies the merits of neoliberalism than the recent developments in India and China. Since they started to participate in financial globalization, countries with abundance of cheap labour such as India and China are destined to assume leadership position in coming years. (Foulkes, 2006, p.22)

Quantitative data analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quantitative data analysis - Assignment Example we also have 44 people in the 2 (v26) (N) and on average, they have 68 V01 with standard deviation of 28.175 v01.the last column shows the two groups Std error mean. Basing on table 2, the p value of Levenes test is .185.In this case, this p value is greater than 0.05 the alpha. Therefore, we will have to use the middle row of the output (‘labeled Equal variances assumed.’).So we will have to assume that the variances are equal and we need to use the middle row of the output. The labeled column ‘‘t’’, provides a calculated t value. In this case the t value is -3.961 assuming equal variance (the sign is ignored for two tailed t test). The labeled column df provides the degree of freedom related with the test. In this case we have 106 degrees of freedom. The labeled column sig (2 –tailed) provides p value related to the t test. In this case, the p value 0.185. The sixth step is to decide if we have to reject the null hypothesis. In this case: If p ≠¤ ÃŽ ± , then reject H0.Therefore,0.185 is not equal or less than 0.05.so we fail to reject the null hypothesis. This means that we failed to observe a difference in the attitude to catalogue shopping between men and women. As shown in table 3, for each dependent variable, the output shows the sample size, minimum, maximum standard deviation, standard error and confidence interval for every independent variable level (quasi) In this case, the p value of 0.520 is greater than the 0.05; we fail to reject the null hypothesis. This means that there is limited evidence that the variances aren’t equal as well as the variance assumption homogeneity may fit. The 2 is the between groups degrees of freedom, 105 is within groups degrees of freedom,0.723 is the F ratio from the F column,0.487 is the p value and 986.098 is within groups mean square estimate of

Why And How Was Neo-Liberalism Able To Establish Itself As The Essay

Why And How Was Neo-Liberalism Able To Establish Itself As The Dominant Paradigm In The 1980s - Essay Example (Tyvela, 2004, p.156) Even Communist China was at the forefront of the global neo-liberal program, making it only a matter of time before other countries joined the system. And this is precisely what had happened in the 1980s and continues to this day. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and the shift in policy framework of several developing countries, the nature and complexion of geo-economics had taken a different form. Major financial institutions such as International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Inter- American Development Bank were the chief promoters of the neoliberal project. The neoliberal system also possessed some inherently democratic values such as the emphasis on free-trade and offered equal economic opportunity for those who are enterprising. This made it easy for many fledgling and aspiring democratic countries in the developing world to adopt the system. Moreover, the prospect of creating prosperity and the potential for lifting st andards of living convinced politicians to take this approach. Nothing exemplifies the merits of neoliberalism than the recent developments in India and China. Since they started to participate in financial globalization, countries with abundance of cheap labour such as India and China are destined to assume leadership position in coming years. (Foulkes, 2006, p.22)

Eid Celebration and Poors Essay Example for Free

Eid Celebration and Poors Essay Abstract Acknowledgement We are highly grateful to almighty Allah who gave us the power to complete this report and we would also like to a very special thanks to our honorable teacher to Mr. Tahir Iqbal DIHE ,   for providing us a golden opportunity to do this research whose help , stimulating suggestions, knowledge, experience and encouragement helped us in all the times of study and analysis of the project. without whom this report was almost mpossible. It was a really good learning experience working under him. We would also thanks to all of those who supported us in any respect during the completion of the project. There are many traditional celebrations throughout the world. There is Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. Not everyone or every culture, so to speak observes these celebrations. It depends on your background, culture, and beliefs. Every year within our culture and religion we celebrate (Eid) al Fitr. Eid is the Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the month in which the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad it is the month of fasting Eid is an Arabic word meaning festivity, while Fi? means conclusion of the fast; and so the holiday celebrates the conclusion of the thirty days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. The first day of Eid, therefore, falls on the first day of the month Shawwal. Eid is almost like Christmas, with family gathering, festive attires, giving of gifts, and food, this holiday is very memorable. In Pakistan, as the holy month of Ramadan comes to an end, charities and markets find the mselves overcome by a burst of activity. We call ourselves Muslims, yet we don’t want to lose out on this wonderful opportunity to rip people off in the holy month of Ramazan. We create an artificial price hike, raise the prices to double and triple to earn a windfall profit†¦ because who knows when the chance to ‘hit the hardest where it hurts the most’ will come again. The entire nation adorns a garb of piety from the evening of the first day of Ramazan till Chand Raat. Western society has a lot to learn from us Muslims; they don’t quite understand the essence of unity, do they? Like naive creatures they actually lower their prices around Christmas time and go on a complete slash of prices right after Christmas. These people actually want consumers to afford the luxuries of life and celebrate with their loved ones. It seems like they haven’t learnt their lessons of a capitalist society well enough. No wonder people in that part of the world live longer and are hideously obese! On Eid day and the holidays that followed, we saw numerous pictures on television channels of  people celebrating the occasion in parks, on the beach and at family gatherings but this is just one face of Eid. For many others — perhaps, tens of thousands of people — Eid remained a far less festive occasion. The parents who could not buy clothes or new shoes for their children ; nor did those unable to put together a decent meal even on this occasion. During the religious festival, the household spending touches its peak Our survey revealed that in Karachi even low income group spend nothing less than Rs1000 per person in the family. This is inclusive of all expenditures that include spending on dresses, footwear, accessories, edibles, household durables and transport. The informal survey indicated the varying composition of spending in the family budget of different social classes. The proportion of spending on poor increases as income climbs. While in families of modest means, the Eid budget is consumed by basic needs, food, clothing, etc . Problem Statement The commencement of the month of ramadan is going to bring in not only the frenzy of the upcoming Eid festival but also something else which is increased tension and worry that is caused by the uncontrolled price hike of the daily essentials. Each year before the month of ramadan, the prices of the daily essentials increase twise or even thrice as much. Its difficult for lower income families to manage their budget in Ramadan and Eid due to increases of prices. The poor have got poorer and those who thought that they were well off a few years ago are busy reassessing their value – something to do with fitting into the elite. , a person (unskilled worker or the people at the lowest rung such as guards, sweepers or seasonal workers) making Rs5,000 (about $75) per month living off a make- shift hutment in a shanty township (kutchi abbadi) supporting a family cannot spend his full salary on Eid shopping. The market sources confirmed that inflation has jacked up the prices but the rise in prices of fabric, footwear and ordinary accessories is much less in percentage as compared to hike in the prices of edibles. â€Å"The food inflation is backbreaking high at 25-35 per cent. For a variety of reasons, the rates of ordinary local fabric and garments have risen marginally by 5-10 per cent†, a market analyst observed. According to a Gilani Research Foundation Survey carried out by Gallup Pakistan, 88% of Pakistanis said their preparations for Eid suffered due to inflationary pressures. Eid is our religious festival and give the massage of sacrificing and share the joys but now days it becomes celebrate as cultural festival and we forgot this massage | | | | |Variable to be Studied | | |Independent variable: | |†¢ Price hike | | | |Dependent variable: | | | |†¢ Family of Middle class | |†¢ Family of working class | |†¢ Family of lower class | Research Hypothesis H1:- Does the price hike affect the budget of lower income families H2:- Does the price hike affect the purchasing power of lower income families H3:- Does the price hike affect the Ramadan spending of lower income families H4:- Does the price hike affect the Eid celebrations of lower income families. H5:- Does inflation affect the Eid shopping very highly Research Objective The main objective of this research is Find out and analyze the problems which are faced by lower income families due to high inflation that how they manage their budgets specialy in Ramadan and how the celebrate their Eid with low income. Sources of Information Primary Sources:- Questionnaires Interviews Secondary Sources:- New Articals Online Articals Websites Method Of Data Collection A self administered questionnaire interview was conducted to collect the data from the target population on basis of non probability based sampling techniques. The people belonging to above mentioned three classes will be approached for this purpose. Questionnaires were developed for the interview which were distributed in different social Classes. To obtain the relevant information, population interviewed consisted of house wives and people from all walks of life. The questionnaire was designed to measure the impact of price hike on low income families. Likert scale was used for dependent variable different social classes independent variables price hike ranging from 1 to 5 where 1 is coded as â€Å"strongly agree† to 5 is coded as â€Å"strongly disagree†. Sampling Techniques Convenient Sampling:- Non Probability based Convenient sampling technique has been used for this purpose of data collection. Sample was taken from the Karachi city, through structured questionnaire , Instruments of Data Collection:- Close ended Questionnaire with likert scale has been used for data collection Sample Size: A total of 300 questionnaires were administered to potential respondents chosen from various areas of Karachi. A total of 250 usable questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 87%. Data Analyses ; Findings Discussion ; Conclusion Recommandation List Of References Apendix

What Is Talent Management?

What Is Talent Management? Chapter 1 Introduction Background of the study There has been a paradigm shift in the business environment across the world which has led to a growing demand of more efficient and phenomenal results from the scheduled operations and routine activities. This applies primarily to the field of human resource management which stands accountable for the acquisition, development, utilization and retention of the human capital. The present, as is evident, is immensely competitive, be it in terms of sourcing activities, investor relations, technological advancement or simply the workforce. The human resource managers are now faced with the double-edged sword of identifying, selecting and nurturing potential talent and also to formulate and implement pertinent strategies that can effectively contribute towards the achievement of organizational objectives. Hence, the biggest challenge that comes across the human resource panels is to get a hold of limited and thinning pool of skilled accessible candidates to replace important employees whe n they leave, hugely emphasizing the difficulty to attract, develop, motivate and retain the best employees in an organization. Authors, academicians and business experts alike maintain different views and opinions regarding the meaning of â€Å"talent†. Talent can be anything that predisposes an individual to success in a position or organization (Jason Lauritsen, 2010). The author further supports this view by stressing that talent is situational. A person can be advantageous because of his natural ability in one scenario but not necessarily in others. This means that in order to be successful that person has to be placed in a right role within an organization so that his abilities and capacities can manifest as talent to drive the success of the business. Another view maintains that talent can allegedly be a potential trait, a symptom of inherent ability, a foreshadowing of future greatness, or a way of describing an individuals early achievements or performance merits (Downey Greg, 2009). Whilst at the same time paradoxically, talent can be understood as the reason why some experts are more capable than others; unlike a concept like jeito, (a Brazilian term for knack), talent is more often than not generally very much task specific or specialized, even while a talented person is believed to be often quite versatile. Talent is specifically opposed to hard work or determination, implying that skill is primarily a mix of natural talent and hard work, in various proportions and quantum. Likely, talent is very much an idea or a skill that some people learn faster, more effortlessly, and with greater effect. In certain ways, talent can be thought of as a multiplier, enabling a person to achieve more out of formative experiences and activit ies. Keeping such ideas in mind, in the business purview, â€Å"talent management† is the process of matching capabilities with commitments (Donald H Taylor, 2007). This describes the aim of the entire talent management process. It underscores that talent management rather than being aimed at an individual focuses on the entire organization so as to ensure that the firm is able to achieve its set targets for both, the present and the future. The encompassed assumption here is that capability is based on an organizations sole source of value and competitive advantage in a developed economy: its human capital. â€Å"Talent management† comprises identifying a persons innate skills, traits, individuality and fitting him into the right work profile; every individual possesses unique talent that matches an exacting job profile and any other position will lead to discomfort (Salma Aliakabar, 2004). It therefore falls under the Management, specifically the HR Division, to situate candidates with discretion and prudence simply because a wrong fit can result in additional hiring, re-training and all such wasteful activities. â€Å"Talent management† is a complex assortment of associated HR processes that delivers an easy elementary benefit for any business (SHRM, 2009). Talent Management can be easily considered to be advantageous and important to both the organization and the workforce. The organization gains from: improved productivity and potential; an enhanced association between a persons efforts and business goals; commitment of esteemed workforce; reduced employee turnover rate; Better bench strength and an improved fit between individuals work and skills. Employees gain from: Enhanced motivation and dedication; career growth; increased awareness about and involvement in companys goals; Continued inspiration and job satisfaction. Analyst research has established that companies employing talent management strategies and solutions display superior performance than their direct competitors and the market in broad (SHRM Survey, 2009). About 83% of the large enterprises view integrated talent management as mission critical and upto 73% of HR professionals believe that talent management impacts the financial performance positively (Softscape Global HR Survey, 2009). As per the Talent Pulse Survey, (2005) about 1,400 HR professionals worldwide believed the attraction and retention of high-caliber employees as the most critical issue. These issues were further underscored by the fact that 54% of the respondents agree that talent issues have an influence on overall productivity and that there is a clear linkage between talent management and industry performance. HRVote, Human Resources magazines online voting forum reported that 44% of the respondents implied talent management and succession planning was a considerabl e challenge. According to an IDC study U.S. HR BPO 2005 Vendor Analysis: The Evolving Landscape, 37% of U.S. HR outsourcing expenses in 2004 was on HR and talent management services. Several taxing workforce problems confront HR, counting: Increased competition for skilled personnel. Imminent retirement of the â€Å"baby boomer† generation workers. Reduced levels of employee commitment. Realization of the high cost of the employee turnover. Onerous demands of managing global human capital. Necessity of succession planning. Outsourcing and off shoring practices. This necessitates novel thinking and a new charge to achieve success in an industry. These elements, coupled with the requirement to align workers directly with business goals, compel HR to progress from policy formation, cost diminution, process competence and risk management to lashing a fresh talent frame of mind in the organization. Therefore, talent management is an ongoing process that provides the optimal personnel for a particular business. Under this role, HR performs as the strategic enabler and a catalyst of talent management processes that empower the managers and workforce whilst developing business value. Taleos graphical representation stresses upon the mandate of talent management to be responsive to the organizational goals and accordingly be the driving force behind the business performance. Herein, talent management is denoted as a circular and not a linear, module of activities. In the present scenario, workforce expenditure is the prevalent category of pay out for most organizations. Automation and analysis of the recruitment and hiring processes of a firm delivers the abrupt labor force visibility and insights that are needed to notably perk up the bottom line. Performance management contributes towards the ongoing processes and activities to sustain a vast workforce. The future prospect of talent management is encompassed in the solutions planned from the scratch to provide for the business-centric operations on an integrated talent management platform. Decisions about talent management figure the competencies that companies have and their eventual achievement and from the perception of people, such decisions establish the path and pace of careers. In India currently, it may be difficult to visualize the crisis of possessing too much talent, but the first slump in the financial system, or even in a fragment of the economy will make things stand apart. Such mismatches are most definitely included in the primary problems that organizations and many large employers face. Over the precedent generation, companies specifically, seem to have jumped from surpluses of talent to shortfalls to surpluses and back to such a cycle. The challenge evident in front of the employers is to follow much more strongly the requirements for talent to evade both the shortfalls and oversupplies. Talent management is not an end in itself. It is not about fostering the growth of employees or charting succession plans. Neither is it about gaining definite benchmarks like a four percent employee turnover rate, having the most qualified and skilled personnel, or any such strategic outcome. The objective of talent management is the quite more general but valuable task of serving the business achieve its general objectives. And in the business world, that objective is to be profitable; be it in the short run or the long. What we need to attend to going onward is to ensure how to craft investments in growth affordable and fraction of that challenge embodies employee retention, making it probable to at least retain workers long enough to recover the training investments made in them. Problem Statement â€Å"Intense competition in the emerging Indian IT market has made talent retention and its management a challenge and therefore, questions the role of strategic talent management in being able to address such issues and being effective in an organizations overall effectiveness.† Talent Management has gained its fair share of fame in being effective in attracting, retaining and managing talented individuals. The Indian IT industry is marked with the following: The increased globalization has fuelled the growth as well as competition of the IT industry in India which is characterized by issues of talent retention. In spite of rising demand for talent, talent management has not yet completely arrived in India, making it all the more crucial in the current chaotic times and its effectiveness in the Indian scenario. Development of talent pools remains to be a sore issue with the HR professionals employed in the Indian IT sector. To summarize the above headings, the issue is the talent retention of skilled individuals in the Indian IT industry that leads to increased costs to an organization. The HR professionals have to engage in brainstorming activities in order to unearth ways to attract, retain and manage talents which are considered to be the biggest asset of a company today. Also, the talent management practices and their implementation in the Indian IT industry context have been far from satisfactory and add to the woes of a highly competitive market. Moreover, maintenance of talent pools so as to support succession planning and measures to integrate talent retention, employee commitment and employee involvement all stress the need to address the issue of talent management with a strategic bend. Aims and Objectives of the Study The aim of the study is to understand the importance of talent management in the current corporate scenario by collecting relevant information and enabling a better understanding of the strategic HR processes that a company can employ in order to manage and retain its key people. Aim â€Å"To understand the impaxt of a good talent management program on an organizations overall effectiveness, particularly in the case of Indian IT industry, in order to enable it to manage and retain its key resources; and gaining an understanding of the talent retention and employee involvement functions.† Objectives The objectives of the study are: To gain an understanding about talent management and its relevance to the current corporate scenario To explore the importance of talent management in the organizations overall success To study the role of strategic planning, employee retention and employee commitment in talent management To understand and evaluate the challenges faced in managing talent in the organizations today To study the role of talent management in prolonged employee satisfaction To explore the importance of talent management in the Indian IT industry and the significance of maintaining a talent pipeline for companies in the Indian IT sector To study the key drivers that lead to employee commitment crucial for a talent management system to be effective Significance of the study (to be edited upon the completion of the study) The implications of this research aim at exploring the relevance of talent management programs to the Indian IT indutry. It will assist the corporate in understanding the effectivess of framing such programs so as to be able to effeciently manage and retain its key players. Through implementation of talent management practices, the organizations efficiency is likely to increase, developing a proficient pool of skilled and talented employees which can be leveraged as a competitive strategy; making the corporate more competent to challenges in the industry. The research tests an employee commitment level to his/her organization and also aims at identifying the key drivers/attributes that propel employee commitement level in an Indian IT setting. The significance of the results mark that talent management programs are not only crucial and effective, but also cost-efficient, by maintaining a consistent pool of skilled employees tehreby reducing on the hiring, training and firing costs. In the present financial crisis effective workforce is the only difference that can make an organization carry its operations smoothly. Successful implementation of such talent management programs is of remarkable significance for the business. The research solution furthers the adoption of healthy talent management processes and its various functions to create significance for the business in achieving its ultimate goal of operational efficiency, cost control and profitability. Limitations of the study The study is subject to several limitations, some of which are highlighted as under: The study is confined to the specific organizations of the India IT sector. The finding of the study, therefore, cannot be generalized for the entire Indian scenario as a whole. Sample size, being small, is not completely representative of all the employees, employers and the HR people engaged in the Indian IT sector. All this might have affected the reliability of the results to some extent. Time as well as financial constraints are also one of the limitations of the study. Organization of the paper Chapter 2 Review of Literature 2.1 Meaning and Definition of Talent Management According to several authors, an all-encompassing definition of talent management is difficult to pin down. Lewis and Heckman (2006) pointed out that identifying an exact meaning of talent management is complicated owing to both the confusion regarding the definition of terms used and the various deviations in assumptions made by the writers who consider the issue. Lewis and Heckman further support their view by noting that the terms succession management, talent strategy and human resource planning are more often than not used interchangeably, all of which form an integral part of talent management functions. They believe that there is no clear view existing on talent management and none at all that can be considered as sufficiently strategic. As is evident, there are several approaches to talent management. One such approach identifies talent management with the traditional HR practices for instance recruitment, selection, training and performance management, among various other things (Cheese et al., 2008). This approach cannot be considered new as the traditional HR practices are becoming more decisive to a business success and hence, it is gradually getting imperative to associate such practices with the talents needed by the firms. Another varying approach towards talent management is firmly linked with the notion of HR planning, succession planning and strategic HR management (Rothwell Kazanas, 2004). These authors underscore and emphasize the strategic significance of talent management, whereas others stress upon the talent pools required for the succession planning. But this literature fall short in advancing the theory or practice of HR (Lewis Heckman, 2006). A third approach towards talent management caps on a rather general view by identifying talent management with concerns like leadership (Barner, 2006), talent pools (Michaels et al., 2001), an individuals potential (Smilansky, 2006), the development of talent (Fulmer Bleak, 2008) and the attraction and retention of personnel (Rueff Stringer, 2006). Understandably, none of the above-mentioned approaches to talent management is able to clearly define the concept of talent management or to highlight the ways of managing talent through comprehensive understanding of HR planning and practices. The third approach fails in being persuasive owing to its lack of focus and the plethora of topics covered under one head. Moreover, all these approaches overlook the strategic significance of talent management and hence, fall short of linking it with the overall business strategy thereby limiting the potential and scope of talent management and perceiving it as another HR domain. Another view deals with the task of talent management, â€Å"Talent Management is the recruitment, development and retention of individuals who consistently deliver superior performance.† (Tony Davis, 2007). The author further defines a talent management strategy as â€Å"a structured and corporate approach to the recruitment, retention and development of talented individuals within the organization.† The intent of a talent management strategy remains to ensure the employment of such personnel that will consistently deliver superior performance. The writer maintains that a talent management strategy is not an overtly intellectual concept as it is evident that highly skilled employees are expected to disproportionately contribute to an organizations successful achievement of goals and hence, become an invaluable asset in the process. The author inevitably agrees that it is a challenge to manage and retain a talented workforce and hence, terms it as a strategic issue whic h involves its own fair share of planning and execution. As per AndrÃÆ' ©s Hatum (2010), â€Å"Talent Management is a strategic activity aligned with the firms business strategy that aims to attract, develop and retain talented employees at each level of the organization.† Therefore, the talent management process is linked to an organizations business and strategic-planning processes. This approach emphasizes upon the most important aspect of talent management: the employees. The author further aligns talent management with the resource-based theory of the business which maintains that sustainable competitive advantage is in possession of the companies that nurtures resources that are valuable, rare and difficult to imitate. Talent Management is but a tool to generate and maintain such resources through its human capital. With such a view, the author has conveniently delineated the focus of talent management on the talent at the organizational level and not at the individual employee level. This definition therefore clearly defines how talent management can be used to develop an organizations talent structure by attracting, developing and training people. Such a talent structure can most definitely be the source of a sustainable competitive advantage in the current scenario. Talent Management is â€Å"a holistic approach to optimizing human capital, which enables an organization to drive short- and long-term results by building culture, engagement, capability, and capacity through integrated talent acquisition, development, and deployment processes that are aligned to business goals.†, (ASTD Research, 2009). The view focuses upon the consequences of employing talent management practices in the immediate as well as the distant future. Also, it supports talent management as being able to result in building and organizational culture that encompasses the essence of the work environment of a company. The definition also stresses upon the ability of employing talent management to enhance both the capacity and capability of individuals by appropriately matching them with the right job profile suiting their personalities. Furthermore, all such modules pertaining to talent management are to be designed keeping in view the ultimate goals of an organization thereby aligning it with the entire business strategy. Derek Stockley, (2011) defines talent management as, â€Å"A conscious, deliberate approach undertaken to attract, develop and retain people with the aptitude and abilities to meet current and future organizational needs.† He further states that â€Å"Talent management involves individual and organizational development in response to a changing and complex operating environment. It includes the creation and maintenance of a supportive, people oriented organization culture.† Derek aptly emphasizes upon the dynamic role of talent management in an ever-changing business atmosphere. The view aims at the function of talent management that leads to the development of healthy organizational culture within a business that considers the involvement of employees at a more active level. This view besides being consistent with others also, adds a new dimension to the scope of talent management thereby widening the applicability and functionality of the same. Another view maintains that â€Å"Talent Management is an oxymoron† (Davies Kourdi, 2010). The authors hold that linking talent to ‘management, a term that best describes planning, organizing, leading, directing, facilitating, and controlling a business; is absurd as talent is believed its own special ability and personal capacity for achievement. According to the writers, talent management was used first in early 1990s by an IT software firm that wanted to market a new employee database, hence, the view that talent management can be best believed to work with data and not with human capital and their potential. There are clearly several opinionated ideas of different authors on talent management. Whilst some associate it with the routine HR activity and processes and consider it as an extension to the faculty of human resource planning, others define such role as meager to the scope of talent management. They believe that limiting talent management to a specific domain is very much being unassuming and therefore, a proper sense is manifested in the term only when it is viewed as being appreciably strategically skewed. Under this dimension, the role of talent management can be considered as being fruitful in the present and the immediate future and both in the short-run and the long-run as well. 2.2 Importance of Talent Management in organizational success â€Å"Talent Management has become the lifeblood of organizations. It is often seen as a primary reason for organizational success and failure and the key source of competitive advantage.† (Silzer Dowell, 2010). The authors mutually agree that the business environment since the 1990s has been witness to several groundbreaking changes such as falling trade barriers and globalization of businesses worldwide. Such an expansion has led to increased demand for global talent which is needed to support these initiatives (Sloan, Hazucha Van Katwyk, 2003). This has further resulted in immense competition for the talent on a global scale (Michaels et al., 2001). Therefore, the ever-increasing demand for talent globally along with the widening scarcity of exceptional talent has made the organization realize both the importance and benefit of talent management practices. According to Ringo et al., (2008) as companies seek to overcome challenges coupled with globalization, changing workforce demographics and the emergence of new business models, they are looking forward to their employees as the critical source of differentiation in the market. The authors firmly believe in talent management practices and consent that investment in the same leads to an organization outperforming its peers. They also found through their research that high performing firms are more likely to invest in the talent management processes. They maintain that all organizations put into practice some form of talent management, without it they would be not capable to function. But at the same time, those that invest in an integrated set of talent management capabilities closely associated with their business strategy have a leg up against the competition. â€Å"No organization in todays economic climate can afford to invest in talent management practices without a demonstrable and significant return on investment† (Ringo et al., (2008). Organizations that are able outpace their competitors in attraction; development and retention of the best talent have a several distinct advantages: considerably lower costs, invariably higher productivity, consistently better quality, more satisfied and loyal customers, and increased financial performance (Schiemann, 2011). All such merits determine the critical path to on organizations success thereby chalking down talent management as the key driver in the entire phenomenon. Talent management, beyond any confusion, is crucial to organizational success. It can be easily considered equally important for innovation, customer satisfaction, profitability and new product development of the company (Management Study Guide, 2011). Talent and leadership continue to be inadequate. Fewer qualified personnel and leaders intend to join the workforce to replace aging workers who are on the verge of retirement. Moreover, talent management practices of the 20th century need to be relooked and worked upon to keep pace with the actuality of a rapidly varying 21st century business environment (ADP, 2010). Silzer Dowell (2010) further maintain that there are several other such factors that have contributed invariably to the growing importance of talent management in an organization: There is a widely increasing demand for talented leaders and individuals with growth of the emerging markets in the developing countries. There is an acute realization of shrinking pool of skilled, talented and experienced workforce, especially in USA, Europe and Japan. Besides, increasing complexity of global business and the emerging requirement for talented individuals that can effectively adapt to the changing business atmosphere further advocates the role of talent management in organization success. The growing need that specific organizational capabilities are needed for developing a sustainable competitive advantage in a highly competitive market and a rising call for recruitment and retention of highly skilled workers with specialized competence to build upon the future capabilities. And most importantly, the increased difficulty in retention of crucial talent as a result of a shift to a self-managed professional careers where skilled personnel aggressively pursue their careers and advancement by switching over different companies and geographic boundaries. Also, talent management has led to containment of internal costs of hiring, training and firing by focusing upon centralized shared services, outsourced functions and continual investment in the state-of-art HR practices of talent management that seeks internal hiring and retention. Talent management adds up to a number of significant human resources and management inventiveness (Derek Stockley, 2011). Organizations that properly make a decision to manage their talent (i.e. human capital) embark on a strategic analysis of their contemporary HR processes. This is to make certain that a synchronized, performance oriented approach is implemented. According to Derek Stockley (2011), most often than not, organizations adopting a talent management approach should focus on co-coordinating and incorporating, in order for it to be beneficial: Recruitment Under this the organization has to ensure that the right people are attracted to the right jobs matching their attitude and personality which will lead to â€Å"best job fit†. Retention Under which the focus lays on the development and implementation of such practices that reward and support employees. Employee development It is concerned with ensuring that incessant informal and formal learning and development continues within a firm. Leadership and high potential employee development This involves particular development programs for fostering the growth of existing and future leaders. Performance management This module primarily deals with specific processes that cultivate and sustain performance, including feedback and measurement mechanisms. Workforce planning The organization here undergoes planning for business and general variations, including the older workforce and current or future skills shortages. Culture This particularly deals with the development of a positive, progressive and high performance way of operating the processes and activities. A vital step is to recognize the personnel or workers, the people and positions that are significant to the business. It is not necessary that they need be senior personnel. Many companies lost a substantial amount of organizational knowledge in the downsizing exercises during recession a couple of years ago. The impact of the loss was not realized immediately. However, with time it became apparent to many firms their mistake, when the organizations were at a loss of people with the knowledge and skills to either anticipate or solve problems that arose. Therefore, talent management processes ensure the avoidance of such blunders by recognizing and assorting talented individuals in such a format that their real potential is unleashed and the organizations stand to gain from this. Derek further maintains that the current deliberations about skill shortages and the ageing population are also hugely forcing the organizations to focus on the talent management issue. At most of the times it becomes improbable to recruit and develop new individuals to look after the operational needs. Therefore, as a solution most of the leading firms often decide to develop and foster their own personnel, instead of making an attempt to hire highly skilled individuals. The author believes that every organization should implement talent management principles and approaches. The varied views on the importance of talent management in the organizational success all converge on a single theme that it is critical for the successful achievement of business goal and more so, in the competitive times such as these. They clearly throw light on the advantages and benefits that a firm can accrue from the efficient implementation of talent management processes and can bolster the business as well as its corporate culture. 2.3 Role of strategic planning, employee retention and employee commitment in talent management Strategic Planning The talent management approach should be strategically driven in order to be successful and effective (Silzer, Israel, Dowell, 2009). It then becomes the focus of achieving the business and talent strategy. The planning of talent management has to be done strategically in Discourse Community Analysis Draft: Die-Hard Sports Fans Discourse Community Analysis Draft: Die-Hard Sports Fans In one way or another, we have all been members of a discourse community at some point in our life. So, what is a discourse community? A discourse community is defined as a group of people involved in and communicating about a particular topic, issue, or in a particular field (Mohrenne). They share the same common goals and aspirations. It can be anything from the organizations you participate in at school, to the choir you sing with at school or church, and/or the groups or organizations you engage in at work or at home on a daily basis. According to Robert Mohrenne, John Swales suggests that a discourse community can be characterized by six distinguishing characteristics 1) a broadly agreed upon set of common public goals, 2) mechanisms of intercommunication among its members, 3) participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information and feedback, 4) one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims, 5) some specific lexis, and 6) a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise (Mohrenne). A good example of a discourse community are die-hard sports fans. Die-hard sports fans fit the description of being a discourse community because they all have the common goals of wanting to see their team dominate other teams and displaying their loyalty for their team year after year. They faithfully follow their team throughout the entire year by supporting them through the good and bad times. Die-hard fans also watch every game, know specific stats about every player on the team, and know the language and signs players and referees use on every play. Die-hard fans do not care for fans who only ride the wave of the team when they are on a winning streak. They typically call these kind of fans bandwagoners because they are not passionate or committed to the overall goals of the community. In actuality, it is somewhat hard to call yourself a die-hard fan around true die-hard fans because they tend to question the loyalty of new comers especially if they know that the person supported other teams in the past. According to my dad, Mark Jefferson, a die-hard Pittsburg Steelers fan, a die-hard fan has a ride-or-die type of attitude for their team even if theyre having an 0 -14 season. He stated that he would never jump on another teams side regardless of how bad his team is doing because he knows their potential as a team and the skills of their players. In other words, die-hard fans can clearly distinguish bandwagoners from true die-hard fans based on interest level and knowledge of the team. Die-hard sports fans also use their own language to communicate with each other during games. For example, when die-hard sports fans are preparing for and/or watching their team play, they use social media and other forms of communication to communicate their respect and admiration for their team. They might text, call, tweet, post images on Instagram, or send messages on Facebook to express their thoughts and feelings about plays, calls that referees make, or their dislike for the opposing team. They also use these methods of communication to stay in touch with each other throughout the game they are watching and throughout the season. When a die-hard fan communicates with another die-hard fan, he or she will use the language of their community. They are typically loud, uses a lot of profanity, and are very aggressive. The language die-hard sports fans use to communicate is powerful because they have the ability to bring out the best in their team and other fans and in some instance s their language can upset fans from other teams. Along with using their own language within this discourse community, die-hard fans also have a specific lexis they use to show their undying loyalty and devotion to their team. For example, they wear team jerseys and other team paraphernalia to show their support all year long. Regardless if theyre sitting at a stadium in 20-degree weather, in the comforts of their home screaming at the television, or just going to pick up items from the grocery store, die-hard fans make sure others know that they are passionate about their team. Furthermore, this public display of loyalty also gives them the opportunity to dialog and form bonds with other die-hard fans regardless if they know the person or not. In conclusion, I think die-hard sports fans is a great example of a discourse community. Its members are commonly interested in their team defeating other teams. The members have an unexplainable passion for the team (s) and/or sport (s) they support season-after-season despite their wins or losses. This type of passion for sports is what distinguishes a new fan from a fan who has supported their team for years. They have a way of communicating with one another that is unlike any other form of communication when watching sports. As a member of a family of sports fanatics (especially football), I have seen and heard the enthusiasm on the faces and in the voices of several members from this discourse community. With that being said, I understand why being a die-hard sports fan can be considered a discourse community. Works Cited Jefferson, Mark. Personal interview. 8 March 2017. Mohrenne, Robert. English 1102-Composition II. University of Central Florida, Aug. 2013, https://webcourses.ucf.edu/courses/984277/pages/what-is-a-discourse-community. Accessed 10 March 2017.