Impact of superior leadership Essay

Introduction Leadership can be defined as â€Å"a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes, such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills†. (A good leader offers reality check, thank you – The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area) â€Å"Leadership is concerned with intimacy, intimacy with the substance of the work and with the people you serve,† (What is Leadership?) Nowadays in the world of business, one of the most important issues that companies face is that their workforces, including executives, are incapable of wrapping their minds completely about how to think and act as a superior leader. To become a superior leader, your role in your organization should be lasting success. Besides this, superior leaders must be ambitious, hard working, broad minded, striving, caring, competent, intelligent, cooperative, loyal, dependable, supportive, forward looking, mature, self controlled and so on. Superior leadership motivates us to do more, learn more and dream more. In fact, superior leadership is an approach that unleashes your employees’ brainpower. This is due to the fact that when this brain power is completely utilized, workers and employees are motivated, innovative, creative and committed. How Good Leadership Affects Organization Obviously, we all are aware of the fact that employees are our most significant asset and the best ones are self-starter and self-motivated. Unfortunately, they are approximately only 5 to 6 percent or so naturally occurring. By using a superior leadership strategy, the management can certainly make huge number of employees highly self-motivated and self-started. And in this regard, this superior leadership strategy can be taught to newly hired and prospective managers to maintain your product quality and to provide fineness in leadership. According to Richard Hughes, R&D director for groups â€Å"Specifically, most organizations whether they are in the corporate sector or not have business strategies but have not given sufficient thought to what human capabilities are needed to implement that business strategy effectively†. (McLean, 2005) Furthermore, as a corporate leader of a firm, delivering satisfactory results to your employees, customers, organization and shareholder/investors is your responsibility. Primarily, result-based superior leadership motivates trust, energizes organizational employees and makes performance measurement easier for an organization. Nobody can deny the statement that your company’s overall performance depends upon the fact that how your management plans certain things and applies them in business activities. And with respect of this, a strategic leader should make a caring plan that gives assurance of your company’s goodwill and future business. And to achieve the aforementioned things, the management and the leaders should treat team members as partners instead of employees. In addition to this, a successful leader builds a strong communication connection inside and outside the organization, and understands your stake holders’ and investors’ mutual expectations. Moreover, in order to understand a company’s goals and objectives productively, a workforce should mutually understand and practice its strategy because of the fact that overall success of a company depends upon good leadership. A responsible team leader or manager should apply the aforementioned points. In today’s globalized world of business, many corporations are facing economic, social, political and climatic changes. Hence, a good leader is one who can cope with day to day changing political and social situations. Certainly, true leadership provides business to organizations in any circumstances whatsoever. However, the business environment can have impacts on the style of leadership â€Å"Successful leaders of change may not always be successful leaders of stability, consolidation, continuity, or thriving leaders in periods of massive disruption, such as 9/11. These different conditions require a different style of leadership, which may not necessarily be found in the existing senior management†. (emcc – Transforming organisations – the importance of leadership and culture in managing change) If a strong leadership culture is not present in any type of organization, employees do not contribute a common vision to the organization’s future and would disagree on what the most significant priorities are. In this regard, one would believe that such indicators are influenced according to an organization’s size or in other ways like in which responsibilities are distributed in an organization. In this regard, Marvin Lieberman, Lawrence Lau and Mark Williams conducted a study which is considered a most classy study in the automobile industry. These researchers estimated the productivity equation in order to ascertain the growth in both labor and capital outputs in six companies over a period of forty years. They found that â€Å"effects of top management on all of the companies except Toyota (because it had a system that made performance robust and largely independent of who occupied senior leadership positions) and that these effects were significant† (Pfeffer and Sutton, 2000) Furthermore, there is evidence that leadership results are modest because of the fact that employees who are allowed to keep and hold leadership positions are similar to each other. Practically speaking, leaders are selected for similarity in outlook and education. Consequently, in most of the organizations, leaders who appear to be successful are highly sought after and are likely to take bit positions. Another theorist described his views about leadership and its impacts on your organization as â€Å"building your superior confidence in you requires giving them your confidence. Once you and they have established in both ways, your organization may have an unbeatable competitive advantage, whatever the battlefield†. (Hinders, 2005). Generally, it has been observed that bad leadership has adverse effects on organizational performance and work output. For instance, organizations without proper project management miss milestones. Projects in such organizations cost more than the estimated amount and do not deliver the desired results. Certainly, leadership plays a tremendous role in every aspect of the organization. For example, most of the US financial companies systematically hired the best world talent regardless of the market size and shifted these leaders through every critical and non critical aspect of its operation. Because of the leadership fact, human assets pay off handsomely in today’s global world of business. And in this regard, the world’s best economists also weigh the fact that in today’s business world, it is very difficult to run your business operations economically without having a good leader who has the ability to cope with different problems and solve problems economically and excel among business competitors. Tsun-yan Hsieh and Sara Yik, in an article while emphasizing the leadership importance for an organization stated that, â€Å"â€Å"what do we mean by â€Å"leadership†? Whereas good managers deliver predictable results as promised, as well as occasional incremental improvements, leaders generate breakthroughs in performance. They create something that wasn’t there before by launching a new product, by entering a new market, or by more quickly attaining better operational performance at lower cost, for example. A company’s leadership reaches well beyond a few good men and women at the top. It typically includes the 3 to 5 percent of employees throughout the organization who can deliver breakthroughs in performance†. (Hsieh and Yik).

Lee’s film & Brokeback Mountain

Ang Lee’s film, Brokeback Mountain, is one of passion, emotional struggle, heartache in relationships and unanswered questions in everyday life. Using a natural setting and authentic attire he examines the tumultuous relationship of two cowboys in a rugged area of Wyoming. The film poses various questions for the viewer, and how one is able to examine life, while fearing suspicion and choices, plagued with guilt and uncertainty.First of all, the main characters Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar are stereotypical of Western gentlemen during the 1960s, on the outside. Ennis is a soft-spoken man with a chip on his shoulder, while Jack is a loud-mouth rodeo fiend. But, slowly, they find their way together, despite a time when homosexuality was seen as a societal ill, particularly in rural America. We know this to be a taboo topic, because it is something that was not widely accepted in mainstream media prior to the release of this film.Several themes throughout the film apply to daily life, as we are able to analyze what drives individuals to difficult decisions. There is a thin line between love and obsession, and the basic human needs of affection, attention and survival all need to be nurtured. Communication is necessary, and divorce may be a result of a combination of lying, deceit and hiding one’s true self (Rose & Urschel 2006). This also proves that the reality of a dilemma can either be found in a one-night stand, or an affair that lasts for decades.Brokeback Mountain allows the viewer a chance to reflect upon our own values of consequence, presenting a very real relationship. When we usher aside our feelings of sexuality between two men, we can understand this to be a universal romance story. This forces us to understand a new knowledge of a bond between humans that transcends gender and stigma, and that, while circumstances may be different for each individual, we are all ultimately striving for happiness and love.This is a story that can be told to future generations to examine morality and life decisions. References Ossana, D. & Schamus, J. (Producers) & Lee, A. (Director). (2005). Brokeback mountain [Motion Picture]. United States: Focus Features. Rose, J. & Urschel, J. (2006). Understanding the complexity of love in brokeback mountain: an analysis of the film and short story. Journal of Men’s Studies, 14(2), 247-251. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier.

How does Grace Nichols convey the life of the slave women in her poetry? Essay

One way Grace Nichols shows us how the slave women had to live is by saying what they had to do for their captors. In her poem ‘We the women’ Grace says ‘we the women who cutclearfetchdigsing’. The idea of not putting spaces between each work shows how hard they had to work without a break. Grace also says ‘we the women who toil’ which also shows how hard they had to work. The simile ‘whose deaths they sweep aside as easy as dead leaves’ shows how much they were hated and seen as pieces of rubbish. The use of the word ‘we’ in the poem shows just how many women had been captured and a gives a sense of empathy with the slave women. The sun in this poem is shown as a bad figure even though it gives life. To the slaves it is bad because it makes the labour they have to do even harder than it should be. The slaves tried to cheer themselves up by singing. The verb ‘sing’ in the poem has a religious connotation which shows their belief in God. However, this belief is doubted by the suffering they have to endure day after day and also because their prayers go unsung, as Grace says. We see with the used adjective ‘unadorned’ that the slaves were treated badly, misused and badly dressed because appearance did not matter to the captors only work. Grace Nichols uses repetition to convey the harshness of their lives as well. The words ‘old dry-headed women leaning on her hoe’ are repeated in the poem ‘Up my spine’ to show how bad their condition was and how mistreated they were. It also shows the amount of heat exhaustion they get and the lack of rest they have. Their heads are burnt by the sun and the skin is dry. Grace also says in that poem that they have to work even if they are injured and hurt. This shows how much they disliked slaves but had to use them for work to make money. The phrase ‘Way back time when she had a fall’ is used to show that there is no medical help for the workers so they work till they die. Grace uses the senses to convey how awful the slaves’ lives were in this poem as well. Two examples of this are ‘I see the pit of her eye’ and ‘I hear her rattle bone laugh’. This also conveys the physical state that the slaves were in and how they looked. However their captors did nothing to help as it did not matter to them what they were like as long as they worked. The second example gives a feeling of hatred to the poem as she thinks that the slaves would want revenge on the overseers for what they did to them. After all no-one would want to work all day for nothing. The simile ‘twist up and shaky like a crippled insect’ which also conveys their lives. In the poem ‘Water pot’ the workers are slaving away in a plantation centre. Grace says in it, ‘there’s a water pot growing from her head’. This is because the slave woman is carrying it on her head whenever they needed water which, in the heat, is often. It also shows how much work they had to do and for how long every day. Grace says in this poem as well that they are like cattle ‘always hurried’. This conveys how badly they were treated and actually what the captors saw them as. The words ‘tried to walk like a woman’ is used to show how injured they were because of work and the fact they could not walk properly. Grace implies that the slaves had to pull themselves erect to keep some self-esteem, to keep going and not give up, and to show the overseers they will survive whatever they throw at them. However a vast number of slaves died during the 18th century alone. ‘Ala’ is a poem about a woman killing her own child and then being punished for it. In the poem, the slave has given birth to a child which she does not wish to keep because of who the father is. In this instance the father is one of the overseers/captors who raped her. This poem also symbolizes the horror the slave women had to go through and the fact that the title is a religious word meaning ‘god’ their cry for help to their God. The woman who is being tortured is lying on a board with her arms and legs spread-eagled and staked to the ground. This is an implication of Jesus as he was crucified on a cross. The overseers see this woman as a ‘rebel’ and are making an example to the others by killing her publicly. She is the scapegoat. Grace uses repetition here to show to us what was in line for the other women if they did the same. She also says the slave has sent the new-born soul winging its way back to Africa. This implies that the baby is an angel as it has not been forced to work or put through any physical labour. Grace says the soul has gone to Africa because it is where most of the slaves originated from and it is then free. This woman is being eaten alive by red ants as a form of capital punishment for her actions. The personification in the line ‘and the sun blind her with his fury’ adds to the cruelty. The sun is a male figure and so takes the side of the men. The other slaves then pray to God for the deceased woman to be accepted in the pocket of his womb. This is a link up with the baby who was also killed. They are asking for the both of them to be free. Another poem Grace uses to convey the lives of the slave women is ‘In My Name’. This poem goes on about the horror the slave women had to go through. In this instance the baby is not killed therefore it is the opposite of ‘Ala’. The slave is in labour, giving birth to her ‘curled bean’ as Grace describes it. The woman’s belly is an arc of black moon. This shows how unwanted the babies are and that the fathers are the overseers. The colour ‘black’ is evil and we get the impression of what birth is like the way she squats over the dry plantain leaves and commands the earth to receive you. The baby is being dropped here onto the ground because there are no medical facilities available. Grace says the baby is ‘my tainted, perfect child’. This is an oxymoron because she is saying two virtual opposites together. The hatred towards the overseers raping them is shown in the words, ‘my bastard fruit’ and ‘my strange mulatto’. The second example shows that the baby’s father’s parents are mixed race and the mother does not like this. It will always remind her of the slave drivers or her captors if she ever escapes from their grasp. Where as the first shows how appreciative the overseers are of the baby but not the mother. She wishes it wasn’t born so it did not have to become a slave. Grace uses the words ‘my sea grape’ to show how far they have had to travel before arriving at their work place or deathbeds in many instances. At the end she says ‘now my sweet one it is for you to swim’ showing that the baby should make its own decisions on its life and to begin its journey. Overall Grace Nichols poems show her hatred towards what happened to her ancestor’s long time ago and what is still happening today in some places. She believes ruling on it should be stricter and so there will be no slaves left.

British Airways Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

British Airways - Research Paper Example Three countries have been selected as the most appropriate targets for such initiative: Mexico, Brazil and Ukraine. Each of these countries can offer different benefits in regard to the firm’s particular plan. Mexico seems to meet all criteria as a target country for outsourcing activities. Brazil and Ukraine can also respond to the firm’s specific needs under the terms that appropriate arrangements of cooperation are made. The various aspects of such plan are presented below emphasizing on both the theoretical and practical implications of the specific project. Table of contents Executive Summary 2 1. Introduction 4 2. British Airways – Outsourcing of Aircraft maintenance services 4 2.1 Company overview 4 2.2 Aircraft maintenance services – industry characteristics 5 2.3 Outsourcing of Aircraft maintenance services 5 2.3.1 Brazil 5 2.3.2 Mexico 6 2.3.3 Ukraine 7 2.4 Outsourcing as a business strategy – theoretical perspectives 8 2.5 Conclusion 9 Re ferences 10 Appendix 13 1. Introduction The effects of firms’ strategic decisions can be quite important influencing the organizational performance either in the short or the long term. For this reason, when managers have to develop a critical strategic decision need to review all parameters of the relevant plan, taking into consideration potential failures or unexpected problems. In the Aviation industry a similar approach has to be used when such decisions need to be developed. This paper focuses on the potential effects of the decision of British Airways (BA) to outsource part of each supply chain activities, its aircraft maintenance services. There are three countries that have been reviewed, as of potential targets of this strategy: Brazil, Mexico and Ukraine. Each of these countries has been involved in such activities, but not at the same level. For example, Mexico has been found to be a country that can effectively support all aspects of outsourcing in regard to an ai r carrier’s aircraft maintenance services. The other two countries, Brazil and Ukraine seem to be less developed in this sector; still, Brazil and Ukraine also can offer a series of benefits to firms that would decide to outsource their aircraft maintenance services to these countries. The theoretical aspects of outsourcing, as a common business strategy are also presented in this paper, aiming to highlight the implications that BA would have to face in case it would decide to proceed to the specific plan, i.e. to outsource its aircraft maintenance services to Brazil, Mexico or Ukraine. 2. British Airways – Outsourcing of Aircraft maintenance services 2.1 Company overview British Airways is a major competitor in the global aviation industry. The firm was first established in 1919 under the name ‘Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited (AT&T)’ (British Airways History 2012). In the decades that followed the growth of the firm was significant (British Airways History 2012). At the end of 2011 the fleet of the company was estimated to ‘245 aircrafts’ (IAG About Us). In 2011, January, BA was merged with the Spanish Air Carrier, Iberia (IAG About Us); the firm resulted has been IAG, International Airlines Group, a firm based in Spain (IAG About Us). The financial performance of BA, as a member of IAG can be characterized as quite important, as indicating in the financial report of IAG, the parent company, for 2011 (Figure 4, Appendix). In a more

British Motor Industry and Government Strategy Essay

British Motor Industry and Government Strategy - Essay Example Usually they are classified as Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers etc., where Tier 1 represents the highest level of components such as the engines and the powertrains. At the assembler level, there used to only a handful of big players from countries such as the US, Japan and a few from the European Union (EU) countries. This situation, however, has now changed with many Eastern Europe countries and Asian countries such as China and India entering the automobile industry. The output side of the assemblers, also called "post-manufacturing" or "downstream", consists of distributors, dealers and the service and repair shops. This level accounts for a significant volume of employment, where in UK alone, about 73% of the employees in the automotive industry come from the automotive supply and distribution chains. This is out of an approximate total of 780,000 employees (Parker & McGinity 4). The world automotive industry has gone through several ups and downs from its inception to present. From the 1950s where the United States dominated with a 100% market share amongst the 3 giants General Motors (GM), Ford and Chrysler, it changed to a position where US lost its share to 52% while Japan cemented her place with a 43% share by 2005 (BBC "The Car Industry"). Since the beginning of this decade, the industry has seen the emergence of several new players predominantly from China and India and some Eastern Europe countries. The demand for energy efficient vehicles has gone up rapidly in the recent past and this has forced many auto manufacturers to invest time and money in more environment-friendly technologies. Context of Five Forces In analysing the present global trends, The Five Forces Theory (Porter 1979) offers sound criteria for an encompassing environment study. Rivalry among competitors Competition in the global auto industry has intensified with many new players entering the market. In fact, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (EFILWC) states "global competition" as one of four main drivers of change for the European auto industry (5). There is stiff competition coming from the new Asian manufacturers, led from China. For example, "In North America, domestic automakers have seen a steady decline in their share of the market. In the ten months to October 2004, the market share of Asian-owned carmakers in the US rose to a record 34.5%" (Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada 5). Threat of new entrants The new entrants are again primarily from Asia with China and India in the forefront. Automakers such as the Chinese FAW, Chana and the Indian Tata and Maruti are fast catching the markets, especially in the Asian region. Their makes of small cars with high fuel efficiency are particularly appealing given the present situation in the world oil market. Threat of substitutes Sky rocketing fuel costs can push the customers more in to public transport with a direct consequence of shrinking the demand for personal automobiles. The car and SUV markets can get hard hit by this. There is speculation

Quiz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Quiz - Essay Example Dr. Strangelove is one of the most satirical artistic works in history. The film was developed at a time when the entire country was terrified about the Soviet Union, yet it was developed with the approach of the issue by the use of humor instead of fear. Kubrick started the film as a drama but later found the whole situation so ridiculous that he had to laugh. The â€Å"big question† to be considered in this question is how human beings govern themselves (Landsburg 6). Governance is based on the fight for military and economic superiority by states that seek to rule others. This is depicted in the struggle by forces such as the USSR, Russia, and the United States in the film. Robert Oppenheimer is involved in the Manhattan Project that led to the development of the first atomic weapon. Oppenheimer believes that the atomic weapon came to make some states successful by improving their military superiority while other states would be affected by losing their citizens through deaths. This is the reason for his reference to Bhagavad Gita’s quote on the aspect of the destroyer of the worlds. The notion relates to Oppenheimer’s research in nuclear physics because it depicts the atomic bomb as a weapon that will destroy the world if not properly handled. The corset was so popular in the Victorian era because many women perceived it as a medical necessity. Women were believed to be fragile and always needed assistance in order to hold up. Even young girls needed to be laced up because of the weak nature associated with the female body. During the Victorian period, women were perceived as weak, and the corset was the most medically fit garment for them. Based on the â€Å"big question† on human beings, the corset was a violation of human rights. Based on the social construction, the society defines individuals. The society makes people perceive

Social Therapeutic Work Practices Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Therapeutic Work Practices - Article Example The therapist will have to extend his assessment to describe the client’s inherent reaction to environmental and social conditions that frequently spark violent responses. Therapists dealing with African American youths should transform some of the symbols and rites used in clandestine and corrupt ways into Microsystems that instill therapeutic change. Urban adolescents that engage in illegal behaviors value the symbols and ceremonies since they induce a sense of security and support (Toldson & Toldson, 1999, p. 77). The symbols and rites can thus be helpful in showing clients that they will still benefit when they change. It is also important to use the African-centered instructional material. The therapists should thus establish secret codes, phrases, symbols, and rites of passage that closely resemble those of West Africa. The incorporation of these elements will help the clients to appreciate greatly and understand group processes and improve the compatibility of the processes with African ethos. Dealing with Africa American clients requires prompting of initiative behaviors within the group. As such, therapists should interweave typical therapeutic factors (such as the installation of universality, hope, imparting information, and altruism) with esoteric group therapy. The process of attaining the factors within some cultural groups should involve cultural awareness. When working with clients from an individual culture, group therapy alone will not be enough. It is important to incorporate the traditional group therapy with conceptions and perspectives from that particular culture.

Kuwait Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Kuwait Women - Essay Example But, gradually, the authorities have noticed that the country with abundant human resources is facing workers' shortage in many strategic positions in the country. The government has invested a sizeable amount of money solely for the education of women in Kuwait. These initiatives had paved the way for the commencement of many developmental activities targeted towards women in the country. In the past there were stories about Kuwait women which had become hot news in the country's media. The same media is now reporting that Kuwait women are revolutionizing the role of women in the country's growth and prosperity. The recent years have proved that Kuwait has also some women leaders like that of other countries. In 2006, Vital Voices Global Partnership recognized seven Kuwaiti women at the Annual Leadership Awards as honor for their historic achievement. Their profile is briefed below: She is a professor of sociology and has been active in protecting the right of women in the country for 35 years. She is now trying to make the next generation Kuwaiti women and men to be more politically aware and active She is the first to forward request to the Parliament in 1971 of the women's political rights. She is the founder of Kuwaiti Women's federation, started an Arabic Magazine and first female Kuwaiti television director. She was recently honored by the National Council for Culture, Arts, , and Literature for a life time of achievement. Lulwa Al-Mulla She is the Secretary General of the Women's Cultural and Social Society. She led the efforts of Kuwaiti women to file a petition to the Kuwaiti Government seeking to attain the voting right. She had traveled throughout the world and has been maintaining good relations with many world leaders to find remedy for many conflicts Fatima Hussien Al-Essa Al-Qanaie She is one of the first Kuwaiti women to be educated outside the country and the first to work in Kuwait's Minster of Foreign Affairs. Moreover, she is a renowned writer and one of the top television and radio host. She has been known for her continuous efforts to bring marginal issues of Kuwait women to mainstream. Dr. Rola Dashti She is a women activist in Kuwait, fighting for gender equality and increased role of women in public life. She has been recently been listed as one of the fifty most powerful Arabs. She was the first women to declare her candidacy for the 2007 election in Kuwait. Ghada Al-Khalaf She is an MBA graduate from an International University, representing the future generation of Kuwait. She founded the Youth and Graduate Committee of Kuwait, an origination that works for augmenting the political awareness among the youth. Lulwa Abdelwhab Eassa Al-Qettami She is known as the mother of Women's Movement in Kuwait. She has served as the first Dean of a Women's College. She is famous for the controversial liberalization of women from wearing abaya in 1963. She was selected for her endless effort for Social Work and Volunteerism in the Arab world as the Arab Woman for the year 1987. Work Cited Fattah M. Hassan. 2006. First Time Out, Kuwaiti Women Become a Political Force. 23 November, 2008. Women Leaders of Kuwait. (n.d.).Vital Voices Global Partnership. 23 November, 2008 http://www.vitalvoices.org/desktopdefault.aspxpage_id=724

Structural equation modelling Research Proposal

Structural equation modelling - Research Proposal Example Skill was not found to impact trust. In addition, trust has a significant positive impact on long-term orientation of the relationship among SMEs. The origins of the structural equation modelling (SEM) have its roots in three disciplines: sociology, psychology and economics. In marketing SEM starts its application in November 1982 in the issue published by the Journal of Marketing Research (Bollen 1989). SEM grows out of and serves purposes similar to multiple regression, but in a more powerful way which takes into account the modeling of interactions, nonlinearities, correlated independents, measurement error, correlated error terms, multiple latent independents each measured by multiple indicators, and one or more latent dependents also each with multiple indicators. SEM may be used as a more powerful alternative to multiple regression, path analysis, factor analysis, time series analysis, and analysis of covariance. That is, these procedures may be seen as special cases of SEM, or, to put it another way, SEM is an extension of the general linear model (GLM) of which multiple regression is a part. In this analysis we apply SEM to examine the influence of reputation, flexibility, information exchange, power and skill on trust and consequently on long-term orientation. ... ng-term orientation is a central theme in marketing currently, it is crucial to know what are the variables that help explain successful long-term relationship building. The analysis is structured as follows. First, we give a brief description of SEM and its importance for marketing research, then we provide the bases for the interrelationship between the variables used in the model; this is followed by description of the design of the analysis and finally, discussion of the result is provided. Description of structural equation modelling and its applicability to the field of marketing SEM is usually viewed as a confirmatory rather than exploratory procedure, using one of three approaches: 1. Strictly confirmatory approach: A model is tested using SEM goodness-of-fit tests to determine if the pattern of variances and covariances in the data is consistent with a structural (path) model specified by the researcher. However as other unexamined models may fit the data as well or better, an accepted model is only a not-disconfirmed model. 2. Alternative models approach: One may test two or more causal models to determine which has the best fit. There are many goodness-of-fit measures, reflecting different considerations, and usually three or four are reported by the researcher. Although desirable in principle, this AM approach runs into the real-world problem that in most specific research topic areas, the researcher does not find in the literature two well-developed alternative models to test. 3. Model development approach: In practice, much SEM research combines confirmatory and exploratory purposes: a model is tested using SEM procedures, found to be deficient, and an alternative model is then tested based on changes suggested by SEM modification indexes. This

Art History Essay Example for Free

Art History Essay Jose De Ribera, Martydom of Saint Bartholomew, ca. 1639. Oil on canvas * Ribera uses this piece to scorn idealization of any kind. * The drama and brutality expresses the harsh times of the Counter-Reformation. * We notice Caravaggio’s influence on Ribera through the naturalism and drama used in Martydom of Saint Bartholomew and Caravaggio’s many works. Francisco De Zurbaran, Saint Serapion, 1628. Oil on canvas * Serapion was a British martyr who was supposed to fight the Moors in Spain, who ended up being butchered in Algeria. * What makes this piece different is a complete lack of violence. There is no blood or any sign of a wound, as we can see his white robe is spotless. * Unlike most martyr paintings that make the subject seem heroic and brave, Zurbaran captures the true helplessness of the saint, winning the viewer’s emotions. Diego Velazquez, Water Carrier of Seville, ca. 1619. Oil on canvas * This piece captures the social issue of the rich and poor of Spain during the time. * The contrast of dark and light shows elements of Caravaggio, who Velaquez had studied. * Although this scene shows everyday life, the care it conveys suggests a deeper meaning. Diego Velazquez, Surrender of Breda, 1634-1635. Oil on canvas * Velazquez aided Philip IV in regaining power by using Surrender of Breda as propaganda. * This piece was not only a symbol of Spanish nationalism, but a tribute to Ambrogio Spinola, the Spanish general of this war. * Velazquez’s relationship with Spinola made Surrender of Breda especially historically accurate. Diego Velazquez, King Philip IV of Spain (Fraga Philip), 1644. Oil on canvas * Velazquez portrays Philip as a military leader by focusing attention on his marvelous red and silver campaign dress. * The painting is also known as Fraga Philip, because it was painted in the town of Fraga in Aragon. * This portrait was just another example of Velazquez’s propagandistic images used for King Philip IV. Diego Velazquez, Las Meninas, 1656. Oil on canvas * The use of depth and content in this piece helped prove Las Meninas as Velazquez’s masterpiece. * The mirror on the back wall seems to be the reflection of the king and queen, meaning they are being painted on the other side of the room. * Velazquez actually painted himself as the artist in the room. Peter Paul Rubens, Elevation of the Cross, 1610. Oil on panel * Rubens used elements both from the Renaissance and of the Italian Baroque to create the first Pan-European style, as seen in Elevation of the Cross. * The tension is emotional and physical, as seen in Christ’s face and the grief of his followers. * The drama is intensified by the strong use of light and dark. Peter Paul Rubens, drawing of Laocoon, ca. 1600-1608. Black-and-white chalk drawing with bistre wash * The predominantly black chalk drawing shows Rubens’ study of classical representation of the human form. * This piece is obviously a revisit of the marble sculpture that depicted Laocoon and his sons breaking free from serpents. * Rubens had a big focus on mastering the human body, which led him to copy classical works of earlier master artists, such as this piece. Peter Paul Rubens, Arrival of Marie de’ Medici at Marseilles, 1622-1625. Oil on canvas * The painting depicts Marie arriving in France after a long voyage from Italy. * The women waiting for her is an allegory personified to represent France, and the goddesses, Neptune and the Nereids (daughters of the sea god Nereus), represent the sky and the sea rejoicing her safe arrival. * The surfaces are enriched with decoration to further bring the painting together. Peter Paul Rubens, Allegory of the Outbreak of War, 1638. Oil on canvas * The beautiful human forms and energy that take away attention from the chaos of this piece is a recurrent theme in Rubens’ other works. * The Thirty Years’ War was Rubens’ reason to create Allegory. * The woman clothed in black, deprived of her jewels and ornaments is an unhappy Europe. Anthony Van Dyck, Charles I Dismounted, ca. 1635. Oil on canvas * Charles I turns his back on his attendants as he looks over his domain. * His location on higher ground gives us the idea he is higher than all of his observers and followers. * The king impersonates as a noble man for a casual walk in the park, but no one can take their eyes off his regal poise. Hendrick Ter Brugghen, Calling of Saint Matthew, 1621. Oil on canvas * The naturalistic presentation of the subjects echoes the work of Caravaggio. * This piece differs from work of Caravaggio because the use of color, rather than extreme contrast of light and dark. * There is a definite claustrophobic effect as noticed by the figures being crammed into a well-lit room. Gerrit Van Honthorst, Supper Party, 1620. Oil on canvas * In this painting, Honthorst portrays the darker side of humanity. * The man on the right being fed by the woman is sometimes interpreted as a warning by Honthorst to avoid the sin of gluttony. * Honthorst frequently placed a hidden light source in his paintings, such as Supper Party, to work with violent dark and light effects. Frans Hals, Archers of Saint Hadrian, ca. 1633. Oil on canvas * The Archers were one of many militia groups that helped in liberating the Dutch Republic from Spain. * In this portrait, each man is a troop member yet individually different from the next. * The troop members’ attire further helps create a certain rhythm to the piece. Frans Hals, The Women Regents of the Old Men’s Home at Haarlem, 1664. Oil on canvas * This piece captures the details of each sitter and their cultural characteristics. * The women seem to have different emotions all around, from complete disinterest to concern of their environment. * The monochromatic theme of this painting further adds to the painting’s restraint. Rembrandt Van Rijn, Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp, 1632. Oil on canvas * The students’ individual faces tell us each has different feelings and thoughts about the man being dissected. * Van Rijn diagonally placed the body to break away from the strict horizontal orientation found in traditional paintings. * Rembrandt chose to have the students all on the left side to highlight Dr. Tulp and the body.

The Presidency Of George W Bush Politics Essay

The Presidency Of George W Bush Politics Essay George W. Bush ran for presidency in the year 2000 and termed himself a passionate conservative. With reference to foreign policy he heavily criticized the actions of Al Gore in sending U.S troops for peace-keeping missions that he deemed were not vital to national interest. However, at the same time he was pushing for more funding for the Pentagon and was seen calling for more action and tougher posture against rogue countries such as Iraq and North Korea. One of the goals in the bush presidency was to accelerate progress on deregulating industry and implementing tax reductions in an attempt to weaken the federal government thus strengthening the conservative agenda. The administration relied on executive authority to relax the workplace as well as the environmental regulations. He sought to affect the fiscal, strength of the Treasury and other areas of the government that were most vulnerable politically. The effect of this was powerful as the tax cuts distributed government benefits to Americans, rich and wealthy, which constituted a core part of the Republican coalition. Bush reflected in his practices the policies used by former republican presidents, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. The policies involved placing politically motivated administrators with vested interests in important positions. These administrators were unsympathetic to the programs they managed and thus were ruthless when doing their work. The attacks on the World Trade Centre on September 11 2001 offered Bush an opportunity to establish his political credibility, to reassert presidential leadership and to defend the interests of the United States. Through the event of the United States bombing in 9/11, Bush pushed aggressively for the use of executive-centered national security programs. Such programs involved the expansion of interrogation techniques including torture, which broke the national precedent and ignored international laws on detainee treatment. After the 9/11 event Bush announced an all-out war on terrorism and ordered the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. As the United States entered recession in 2007, the bush administration through the enactment of several economic programs took a more direct control of the United States economy in an attempt to preserve the countrys financial system. These policies included among others implementing a 170 billion economic stimulus package which aimed at sending tax rebate checks to Americans and providing tax breaks for struggling businesses. However, the policies were ill-equipped to deal with the looming financial crisis in what is termed to be the longest recession after World War 2 in history. The Presidency of Barrack Obama Obama, within his first 100 days set up to gather up support for his economic stimulus package otherwise known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. He further put through Congress the expanded State Health Insurance program. Furthermore, his administration was able to put into law the Ledbetter law which requires equal pay for women in all sectors. The obama administration is also credited with legislating health care reforms. This was done through winning the approval of the congress on a budget resolution regarding the matter. In his campaign and since Obama has heavily criticized the bush administration for ignoring the situation there and focusing too much on Iraq. At the onset of his campaign, Obama promised to withdraw all United States troops from Iraq, within 16 months, though he has laxed on this view, his actions seem to be more anti-war and catious. Analysts have commented that Obamas view on United States emphasis being on Afghanistan as a politically correct stand on the issue. Moreover, the Obama administration broke supported the United Nations declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity and relaxed the enforcement on marijuana laws. It also lifted the ban on embryonic stem research put in place since the Bush administration. Obama also ordered the closure of the Guatanamo bay detention camp in Cuba which was notorious for the infringement of human and detainee rights. Comparison of the two presidents with the federalists and anti-federalists views When comparing the presidencies of the Bush and Obama administrations against the federalists and anti-federalist views it is significant to deem what these citizens based their views on. The Anti-federalists were of the opinion, at the time of founding, that Congress and the executive b ranch of the government wielded too much power. They were also of the opinion that vthe constitution gave too much national power at the expense of the state governments. Additionally they were displeased by the lack of a bill of human rights within the constitution. The federalists, on the other hand responded that the powers were separated into three autonomous branches protected the rights of the people. Each branch was in fact representing a different aspect of the people and as all three were equal, there was fair say among all the branches and thus equity among the people. With this perspective in mind, we can now compare the two presidents. Former president Bush was largely conservative and this was evident through the socio-economic problems that his administrations actions caused. Thus it can be seen that he would largely fit in with the anti-federalist group. Furthermore, his actions to weaken the federal government so as to strengthen the conservative side of the government wing show that he is more anti-federalist than a federalist. President Obama, however, would more fit in with the federalist group. His actions largely bordering on developing policies that benefit all Americans equally show a federalist nature. His call to strengthen the federal government and his actions of abandoning the Bush administration policies further reinforce this fact. Though it can be seen that through his action, President Obama is setting into the mold of a federalist it is still too young in his presidential term to conclude on the issue. Conclusion Though neither president exactly fits into the mould of either federalists or anti-federalists, it can be summarized that through their actions during their term of presidency, George. W. Bush was more of an anti-federalist and President elect Barrack Obama more of a federalist.

Cell Phone Use Should be Banned While Driving :: argumentative persuasive

Cell Phone Use Should be Banned While Driving In 2005 in the UK 13 deaths and over 400 injuries were attributed to accidents where drivers were using cell phones, deaths which could have possibly been avoided. There are 4 main reasons for banning cell phones at the wheel: Research has proven that it is difficult to concentrate on driving and talking at the same time. A recent British study showed that talking on a mobile phone while driving was more hazardous than operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Tests conducted by scientists for UK-based insurance firm, Direct Line, involved 20 subjects using a driving simulator to test reaction times and driving performance and compared this to when drivers had too much to drink. The results showed drivers' reaction times were, on average, 30 percent slower when talking on a handheld mobile phone than when legally drunk - and nearly 50 percent slower than under normal driving conditions. The tests also showed that drivers talking on phones were less able than drunk drivers to maintain a constant speed, and they had greater difficulty keeping a safe distance from the car in front. Speaking on a cell phone is an anti-social activity because it puts the lives of others at risk. It doesn't matter how well we drive, if another driver is not being as professional or as careful, especially using a phone and splitting his/her attention, we are put in danger by their actions. Talking on a phone while driving reduces the competence level to control the vehicle as well as increasing the response time to any danger. It is a huge responsibility to drive a car and one which should not be taken for granted because it is associated with the lives of others. By speaking on cell phones while driving, such a responsibility is treated with impunity and the dangers ignored. Cell Phone Use Should be Banned While Driving :: argumentative persuasive Cell Phone Use Should be Banned While Driving In 2005 in the UK 13 deaths and over 400 injuries were attributed to accidents where drivers were using cell phones, deaths which could have possibly been avoided. There are 4 main reasons for banning cell phones at the wheel: Research has proven that it is difficult to concentrate on driving and talking at the same time. A recent British study showed that talking on a mobile phone while driving was more hazardous than operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Tests conducted by scientists for UK-based insurance firm, Direct Line, involved 20 subjects using a driving simulator to test reaction times and driving performance and compared this to when drivers had too much to drink. The results showed drivers' reaction times were, on average, 30 percent slower when talking on a handheld mobile phone than when legally drunk - and nearly 50 percent slower than under normal driving conditions. The tests also showed that drivers talking on phones were less able than drunk drivers to maintain a constant speed, and they had greater difficulty keeping a safe distance from the car in front. Speaking on a cell phone is an anti-social activity because it puts the lives of others at risk. It doesn't matter how well we drive, if another driver is not being as professional or as careful, especially using a phone and splitting his/her attention, we are put in danger by their actions. Talking on a phone while driving reduces the competence level to control the vehicle as well as increasing the response time to any danger. It is a huge responsibility to drive a car and one which should not be taken for granted because it is associated with the lives of others. By speaking on cell phones while driving, such a responsibility is treated with impunity and the dangers ignored.

Essay --

Two years ago, I started getting frequent headaches and dizziness. I was extremely stubborn and did not want to see my primary physician concerning my change in condition. I was checking my blood pressure more frequently and couldn’t help to notice the increase in pressure. I monitored my vitals for about six months. I tried everything I possibly could to change my lifestyle to aid in the relief. I started to run more and make healthier food choices. Nothing worked! My pressures maintained high. I was reluctant to visit the doctor. I personally did not want to be dependent on medications. After a long discussion with my spouse I realized I was being selfish. I scheduled an office visit the following week for a professional opinion. From the time I entered and left the primary care office, I was treated with dignity and respect. I felt extremely comfortable. I was happy I decided to commit myself. It was a big step to admit I wasn’t healthy. The nursing staff was completely empathic and concerned for me and my family. I could see I was the only thing that mattered while they were i... Essay -- Two years ago, I started getting frequent headaches and dizziness. I was extremely stubborn and did not want to see my primary physician concerning my change in condition. I was checking my blood pressure more frequently and couldn’t help to notice the increase in pressure. I monitored my vitals for about six months. I tried everything I possibly could to change my lifestyle to aid in the relief. I started to run more and make healthier food choices. Nothing worked! My pressures maintained high. I was reluctant to visit the doctor. I personally did not want to be dependent on medications. After a long discussion with my spouse I realized I was being selfish. I scheduled an office visit the following week for a professional opinion. From the time I entered and left the primary care office, I was treated with dignity and respect. I felt extremely comfortable. I was happy I decided to commit myself. It was a big step to admit I wasn’t healthy. The nursing staff was completely empathic and concerned for me and my family. I could see I was the only thing that mattered while they were i...

The Vietnam War Essay -- essays research papers

This essay is about talking and analysing the Vietnam War. This civil war was between the Communist North and the Democratic South because of the fear of communism spreading to the South. Other Western countries also helped in this war because they too were afraid of communism spreading, and so they sent money and troops to aid South Vietnam. Some of these countries included America, Australia, and New Zealand. This war was one of the most divisive events in history and I am going to talk about why this is so. For most of Vietnam?s history the country has been under foreign rule, primarily by the Chinese. Domination of the region by the French began in 1860, and by the late 19th century they had colonised a number of places around the Gulf of Tonkin. In World War II, however, the Japanese government took control of much of the area, and set up a puppet regime that was eventually forced out by the Vietnamese at the end of the war in 1945. After the war, France fought hard to regain their former territories in the region, but because they had a poorly organized army and little determination amongst its troops, their plans soon collapsed. The North Vietnamese tried to take over the government in South Vietnam between 1955 and 1960, and in 1964, with the help of China and Russia, North Vietnam began a large scale drive to conquer the whole country. This is when the Vietnam War really began. The Vietnam War started around the 1950?s, a time when communism was gradually spreading across the world. By 1954, Vietnam was separated into two parts, the democratic South Vietnam and the communist North Vietnam. Soon violence began to break out and tensions began to rise even more between the two. This was because the South was scared ... ...help for the stress they felt. It was only on the 3rd of October 1987, fifteen years after the veterans had returned from the war, that a ?Welcome Home? parade was finally held for them. This was when attitudes towards the people who had participated in the unpopular war began to change. Today Vietnam veterans can enjoy respect coming from their community but many still feel the bitterness over the impact the war had had on their lives. In conclusion, we can say that the Vietnam War was one of the most violent and divisive wars of all times. This battle of ideology and false fear of being dominated by principles dissimilar to the Western capitalist value system, led to the death of many innocent people and destruction of property that could have been spared otherwise, with a bit of benevolence in the heart of the politicians who were responsible for the war.

Outsourcing Essay

†¢ Question 1: Is the accounting policy proposed by OSI to defer costs associated with the origination of the agreement an appropriate policy? What advice would you give OSI regarding its policy election? Accounting policy proposed by OSI to defer costs is an appropriate policy. Cost should be deferred if they create or add value to an asset. In FASB Concept Statement No. 6, Par 25 states asset as â€Å"probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by a particular entity as a result of past transactions or events.† In the case of Outsourcing, management believes all up-front cost incurred are a necessary investment and will generate substantial profits through call revenue, therefore we could say the costs associated with the contract are part of revenue generating arrangement. This arrangement could be consider as an asset because revenue (Set-up and Call revenue) provides a future economic benefit, and this arrangement is controlled by Outsourcing Services, Inc. †¢ Question 2: If the accounting policy to defer costs is appropriate, what costs, if any, would be eligible? Any cost directly relate to the revenue arrangement are considered eligible for deferral. SAB Topic 13Af provide descriptions of cost that are eligible for deferral. Eligible cost are in the case of Outsourcing are: a) $1,500,000 Direct costs to a third party to configure OSI – The direct cost is incremental direct cost incurred with third parties. (FAS-91 or ASC 605-20-25-4) b) $250,000 Sales Commission – allow deferring the cost under FTB 90-1 because it is associated with the contract. c) $50,000 corporate cost – corporate personnel dedicated to contract negotiation is direct loan origination costs, these cost are eligible for deferral under FASB Statement No. 91 or ASC 310-20-25-2. †¢ Question 3: If there are costs for which deferral is appropriate, what is the appropriate period over which to defer these costs Utilizing matching principle: recognize deferred cost at the same time as related revenue is recognized. In the case of Outsourcing, they will recognize revenue over the estimated customer life, therefore the costs listed in question 2 are deferred and expensed over the period of 4.3 years. Both SAB Topic 13Af, question 4 and SC 605-20-25-4 state â€Å"acquisition of that contract (incremental direct acquisition costs) shall be deferred and charged to expense in proportion to the revenue recognized†.

How to Make Southern Style Spaghetti

A process analysis explains in step-by-step fashion how something works or how something is done or made. In this process analysis, I will be explaining how to make my favorite dish I would like to call it, â€Å"Southern Style Spaghetti. † This is my how-to-essay. Getting Started Making Southern Style Spaghetti is just as simple as making your traditional spaghetti with a twist. First thing you need are your ingredients which are: 2lbs. spaghetti noodles 2 lbs. ground beef or turkey 5 lbs. rumettes 1lb. of peeled shrimp 1lb sausage links 2 onions(chopped) 1 green pepper(chopped) 1lb cheddar cheese 2 cups of milk ? cup chopped parsley 4-6 qt. boiling water 64oz. spaghetti sauce Bring 4qrts. of water to a boil. Add 5lbs. of drumettes to boiling water. Boil chicken for 20-25mins. or until chicken is partially tender. / put aside. In a separate pot bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add shrimp and boil for 10-15mins. / put aside. Brown 2lbs. of ground beef or turkey. / put aside.Bo il your noodles for 5-7 mins. or until it reaches it desired texture. Drain water and rinse your noodles. / put aside. Cut your uncooked sausage into dices or desired shape. ( I prefer half-circle shapes) In a big bowl, mix all of your meats together. / put aside. Then in a large deep stew pot, mix your noodles and spaghetti sauce and bring to a boil. Add your bowl of meats, reduce heat to a simmer. Add your 2 chopped onions, chopped green peppers, parsley, and 2 cups of milk and stir for 2 minutes.Cover and let simmer for 20-25mins. stirring occasionally. Remove from heat then sprinkle top with the desired amount of cheese, cover and let stand for 10mins. serve and enjoy. Makes 10-15 servings. For Baked Southern Style Spaghetti, follow the same instructions, but you should preheat oven to 375 degrees. Use a large deep dish pan to pour everything into. (mix all ingredients together before pouring into pan. ) Cover with foil, place on center rack and bake on 375 degrees for 30-35 min s.Remove foil from pan then continue to bake for an additional 15-20mins, or until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10mins, and then serve. When making your Southern Style Spaghetti, you may omit or add more meat depending on your taste. You may also add more vegetables. Remember to reduce your heat when simmering to avoid scorching at the bottom of your pot. I suggest serving your spaghetti with garlic bread and salad. If the directions are followed correctly, you’re in for a great treat. This is delicious, guaranteed.

Gmr Case Study: Managing Hr in a Global Environment Essay

I. TERMS OF REFERENCE This report is a case study of GMR International Company, which analyzes the different components and challenges of Human Resources Management faced by GMR in a global environment and through a theoretical review, establishes possible improvement strategies towards the creation of best practices. II. METHODOLOGY This report is part based on the interview held with the HR manager of the company complemented with primary research from books and electronic sources listed at the references and lecture and seminar’s contents. 1. INTRODUCTION In a global market, how companies manage and handle their employees determines a key strategic role that ultimately creates a competitive advantage. Companies operate on an international operational level locating outbreaks in different countries and facing different cultural challenges. â€Å"Managing resourceful humans requires a constant balancing between meeting the human aspirations of the people and meeting the strategic and financial needs of the business.† (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2008, p.3) A company through any domestic and internationalization process must identify the basic needs of its employees in relation to their business guidelines, creating a balance between strategic and operational resource management. Businesses are valued for their intellectual capital and are projected by the management of intangible assets The purpose of this report lies in the evaluation of the different variables that a global company such as GMR must study, understand and reflect on its corporate strategy for the optimal development of their global operations, based on a adequate personnel management and the creation of sustainable policies for the management and development of intangible capital. 2. GMR INTERNATIONAL: COUNTRY PROFILE GMR Group is a Bangalore headquartered global infrastructure major with interests in the Airports, Energy, Highways and Urban infrastructure, with its International Headquarters based in London. GMR holds interests, directly and through its part ownership of InterGen, in 15 operating power plants with over 8,800MW of generating capacity. In addition an impressive portfolio of approximately 12,000MW of gas, coal and hydro plants are in various stages of construction and development both in India and internationally. GMR has shareholding interests in 4 international airports (New Delhi International (P) Limited; GMR Hyderabad International Airport; Sabiha Gokcen Airport LTD; GMR Male International Airport Ltd)) handling 40 million passengers p.a and 9 road projects exceeding 700 kms of paved roads. GMR is fully committed to the development of infrastructure assets, and in the past two years has raised over US$ 3 billion for the development of airports and another US$ 2.2 billion for the development of power and infrastructure assets including US$1.1 billion for the acquisition of 50% of InterGen N.V, a global power generator. The Group through the dedicated GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, manned by committed professionals is actively engaged in Education, Health, Hygiene and Sanitation, Empowerment & Livelihoods and Community-Based Programs, reaffirming its grass root presence as change agents of society in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility. 3. RECRUITMENT â€Å"Recruitment is defined as searching for and obtaining potential job candidates in sufficient numbers and quality so that organization can select the most appropriate people to fill its job needs.† (Dowling, Engle and Festing, 2008) â€Å"Recruitment is the discovery of potential applicants for actual or anticipated organizational activities. Two conditions must exist for selection to occur, (1) the organization must have a candidate whom it is willing to employ; (2) the candidate must be willing to accept an employment offer. Recruitment is the process of finding applicants who meet both of these conditions.† (Andrews 1993) â€Å"Organizations do not operate in a vacuum, and recruitment drives are one of the times an organization has direct contact with the outside world. Amongst other factors affecting recruitment, are the framework imposed on legislation and that no organization will want to spend money on unnecessary activities.† (Foot and Hook, 2005) 3.1 Recruitment Strategies There are 4 recruitment strategies, which are defined as such. These are 1. Ethnocentric 2. Polycentric 3. Geocentric] 4. Regiocentric Ethnocentric| Polycentric| Geocentric| Regiocentric| Ethnocentric is a belief in the superiority of one’s own ethnic group. The firm basically believes that parent-country nationals are better qualified and trustworthy than host country nationals.| Polycentric is a belief that local people know the local environment better than outsiders.| Geocentric is the notion that the best people should be employed, regardless of their nationality.| Regiocentric is the variation of staffing policy to suit particular geographic areas.| 1.Based on Paul Coldwell’s seminar slides, 2011. GMR International uses all four of the above-mentioned strategies, depending upon factors mentioned below, * The requirements of the job position to be filled in. * The position of the job in the hierarchy of the firm. If the job were a high position one, they would use the geocentric approach; and if it were for a more junior position, they would probably use a polycentric approach. * They would not like to waste too much time or money on the hunt for the right candidate. * Even when they are looking for a candidate for a high position job, they have certain restrictions to be cautious about from the UK Border Authority and the Government. When using the geocentric approach. E.g. The Head of Airport is an Italian working in South Africa and would report to the UK. Because he was an expert on airports, he was hired for the job. E.g. recently, when trying to bring in a Malaysian to UK, the UK Border Authority refused his sponsorship, so it did not work out. When using the polycentric approach. E.g. When looking for administrative support, GMR looks for local people to do the local jobs, as they would not like to waste the time and money to do a whole UK or EU based search for something small such as skills. 3.2 Challenges for hiring people at GMR International * GMR, as a brand, is not that well known in the UK and tit is also not as strong as some of their competitors, therefore, there is a hurdle of recognition. * GMR International is a non EU and non US organization * People are varying of working for a company, which is Indian by origin, yet headquartered in London. * People are not prepared to leave their jobs to work for a company with less work experience; limited recognition as a brand; and with limited track record. 3.3 Outlining the Recruitment Process â€Å"In the process of recruitment, in the first instance, sources of prospective employees are located. In other words, from where the employees would be available. Thereafter, these sources are approached and efforts are made to attract the interested people to the organization.† (Foot and Hook, 2005) The recruitment process at GMR International is not too different from those of other companies in UK. They look at the activities set out for the year ahead and map it out according to the capacity that they have in their organization. When they do this, there are obviously, some gaps that need to be filled in, in order for them to work on some projects. In order to fill in these gaps, the organization makes certain decisions as to how to do this. This can be done by 4 methods, 1. They could recruit temporary people 2. They could get people on contract 3. They could get that particular piece of work done somewhere else (outsource) 4. They could hire someone to do that job When they go ahead and choose the fourth option, they look at as to how to approach the market, in the following ways, * E- enabled vehicles – for the more junior staff as a lot of such recruitment takes place on web based applications. * They do not give much importance to the employees referral program * They tend to use agencies; search firms for the bigger, more senior positions * For the more junior staff, they recruit within UK. * As the position increases with seniority, they tend to engage colleagues from other offices to help them out, in case it can be managed within the GMR family. 3.4 Post Recruitment & Selection At GMR, they are not very firm in their services to keep an employee with them. They do not have a support system or an evaluation program. â€Å"Normally, at a firm, there is an evaluation program and a support system for the first 6 months. In this program, they make a check on the new employee on day 1; week 1; month 1; month 6. While, they have tried to be stricter in this aspect and tried different techniques for keeping an employee happy and with them, it has not always worked well with them. 4. EXPATRIATES With globalization shaping our world, organisations are trying to expand their marketplace in order to increase their competitiveness. In the industrialized countries, international working has become a common feature and the contact between different cultures becomes a regular thing in people’s social and professional lives. â€Å"International HRM involves striking an appropriate balance between global integration and local adaptation in terms of resourcing, training and developing personnel, reward and performance management, employment relations including communications, and health and welfare† (Porter, Bingham and Simmonds, 2008, p.400). So in this process of internationalisation, companies need to move people around and they have to make sure that they do it in an effective way because of the high costs involved. Expatriates have to deal with the changing they are going to occur, in culture, workplace, country and many more, the company must be sure to prepare them appropriately in order to get the best from their experience both in the new location and back home when they finish their period. According to Tayeb (1996), some companies such as Natwest in the UK, Philips in the Netherlands and Groupe Total in France conduct extensive international in-house seminars. In these courses they cover national culture differences, family adaptation, local politics and laws and international finance, more over some firms send their future expatriates, together with their family, to special language courses. Paul Colwell, former lecturer and HRM manager at Regents College states that an expatriate cost on average $250.000, or even more, which shows the importance of a good HRM strategy. An expatriate should receive the right support before, in the mean while and after his experience abroad. Before he leaves, the company should prepare him to live in another country, through teaching the culture aspects (food, climate, politics and laws, standard behaviour etc.), suggesting him not to sell his house in his home town, because if something goes wrong with his experience it would be way better to have some place in which he can to return. The language is an important factor in order to make him effective in his new workplace and the company should provide him the possibility of language classes to attend. All of these pre-departure trainings should be joined by the whole family, in fact while for the local employees the company don’t care about their family affairs, when you take in examination an expatriate the whole family becomes the company’s business. Experience shows that the majority failures in expatriate’s program come from family problem and complaints. After the departure, a good way of managing expatriate, according to the theory, is to take care about their house in the origin country (rent it or doing the maintenance needed) and to find a house where they are going to live in the new country, taking in consideration the location and the comfort they might need. A good communication with the expatriate during the whole experience should be maintained in order to prevent possible problems and to show him that the company doesn’t leave him alone. The company should take care of the partner job in the new country (or/and hobbies) and register their children in schools in order to make sure that the employee’s family is comfortable in the new location. The return of the expatriate is an important moment, too often underestimated. The company priority is to make sure not to lose all the money it has invested on him by making him decide to change job. An interview at the return it is a necessary step, as offering him the right position deserved in the company and not the same job he had before he left in order to maintain him motivated and happy, so they are not losing all the know how he gained through his years abroad. The period of the experience abroad it is variable, but following Paul Coldwell experience 3 years is and ideal length, because after that the employee may lose some of the attraction and interest in the job and start to decrease his learning. 4.1 GMR Policy Following the interview with the GMR HRM Manager, we found out that they do very little for their expatriates, mostly because they just started their internationalisation and they are a medium entity in the business. They don’t offer any pre-departure preparation, leaving it to the employee’s arbitrariness, they only thing they offer is a period of time that they could spend in the new country with their family in order to decide or not to go. GMR take about their VISA and immigration laws, moreover they find and pay the house in the new country, making sure that it is nice and well located. Moreover they pay for the double taxation (when it occurs) and they offer help in moving their employee’s furniture when requested, paying for it. Their typical expatriate appointment last 2 years, according with GMR HRM manager. As seen so far their expatriate strategy is very poor and just offer little helps to their employees, leaving a high risk of failure and waste of money. 4.2 Proposed Plan GMR in order to increase their competitiveness should set a better strategy for its expatriates. First of all the pre-departure preparation should be compulsory for everyone who decides to apply for an expatriate experience and should comprehend the whole family (especially for language classes), because they shouldn’t take the risk that their employees arrive in the new country and they are not able to integrate in the new position. GMR services to their expatriates, such as find a house, take care of the VISA and pay for the possible double taxation, are a good starting point but it is not enough if they want to make sure their expatriate’s program will be more effective. The company should take care of their expatriates’ proprieties in their home country, they definitively have to be more connected with their employees’ partners, in order to find them a job in the new country that would fit their current position, or/and taking care about their hobbies and their children necessities (such as school and sports). Eventually they have to develop a better repatriation system with complete feedback interviews and placing them in the position they deserve in order to gain value from their experience. 5. CULTURE â€Å"The collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the member of one category of people from another† (Lewis, 2006, p. 17) 5.1 Organizational Culture â€Å"The culture of an organisation refers to the unique configuration of norms, values, beliefs, ways of behaving and so on that characterize the manner in which groups and individuals combine to get things done. The distinctiveness of a particular organisation is intimately bound up with. (Brown, 1998) It is always said that the knowledge sharing culture is part of good knowledge management initiative. It is said that effective collaboration and communication across a whole organisational structure spreads knowledge throughout. In order to change the current culture of the organisation the change needs to be initiated at individual level. Employees have a sphere of influence along with their own individual knowledge, and this is where he believes a knowledge sharing culture can begin. GMR as an Indian based company, headquartered in Bangalore with offices in different countries as well such as U.K, Turkey, Singapore and Dubai, have identified the need of bring the different cultures together. As this company has to hire multicultural staff as part of their induction programme, most of their staff goes to India, to learn GMR history, values and operations through education workshop and its annual performance reviews. Working for an Indian company, which has strong culture and values and beliefs, employees have to manage the transition from their experiences. GMR has employees from the multicultural regions. Whereas, it is an Indian family business organisation and they glue the bonds whether it is Singapore, Turkey or Dubai. They share their values to India and initially they engage with their employees for first 4-5 years of the company to give them awareness about the company whether they can live by them and able to promote them to other positions. That is how they bring multicultural nationalities under the GMR brand. Therefore, there is a lot of difference between the 2 cultures. There are a lot of differences and similarities between the companies in which people have seen few things before in their previous organisations or the things they haven’t seen before, in GMR. â€Å"Individuals will have to adjust for the organisation but organisations will not adjust for individuals.† As GMR is an entrepreneur company, it has a very high regard for social responsibility. It has a set of values and cultures that can be shared and they are not company confidential. 5.2 Shared knowledge Culture is a shared phenomenon that people develop over time in response to shared experiences, which engender agreed values and mode of behaviours and which foster a similar outlook on the world. Working patterns that encourage people to engage in closed co-ordination and communication, which encourage them to identify the same problem and share the certain solution, and goals will be conducive to the formation of sub culture. (Brown, 1998) In GMR has focused knowledge transference culture among their 500 employees on the multiple layers. Employees have ongoing dialogues with the CEO on the day-to-day basis and once in a month everyone comes over for a breakfast in order to promote feedback in two-way direction. The biggest challenge for GMR is that how they leverage the knowledge within the Indian organisation with international organisation and back and forth. As Indian organisation is very process orientated and has a lot of process put in place around knowledge sharing. It hasn’t gained that much attraction outside India as it could have. The company is still improving in the knowledge sharing aspect. The firm still need to put some enthusiasm in the knowledge sharing as knowledge sharing is not a common concept in UK, Turkey, Singapore and with the Bangalore colleagues and then back to the international locations. Whereas, people think it’s a burden instead of an opportunity. They need to change the mindset of the people that they can learn something by being a recipient of knowledge.

Saving Grace by Lee Smith

Lucid and devoid of any ornate sentimentality, Saving Grace is the ninth novel of Lee Smith, followed by what many considers to be her masterpiece, Oral History. The Appalachian setting of the novel reflects the author’s unceasing obsession with nature, folklore and traditional humane values. Like Oral History, Saving Grace too deals with the thematic constructs of troubled family relations and wistful remembrances. The first person narrative technique brings out the feel of the novel perfectly. Florida Grace Shepherd, the protagonist of the story, vividly recounts her younger days in a melancholy tone which reverberates with lack of self-pity. Such a tone reflects Grace's complete alienation not just from established family or social orders, but also from her own internal world. Her subsequent coming of age in an adulterous world is amply recorded in the prose style which is â€Å"breathtaking in scope and heart-rending in effect–a redemptive work of art†¦ † (Saving Grace 2006). This essay is going to critically discuss how Grace’s life is shaped by her encounter with various men. What makes Saving Grace a standout among Lee Smith’s other novels is its portrayal of a compelling journey to self-exploration. The title itself serves as an interactive vehicle for bringing out the thematic aspects of the plot. Right from the fictional beginning, the heroine of the story Florida Grace Shepherd feels the need to be saved: â€Å"I am and always have been contentious and ornery, full of fear and doubt in a family of believers. Mama used to call me her â€Å"worrywart child. † (Smith 3) However, the fact that she never liked to be saved by some kind of divine intervention goes to show the matriarchal-patriarchal dichotomy in the Shepherds household. The first Man whom Grace is commanded to put her trust is Jesus Christ, and she hates doing that. She openly avows her hatred for Jesus. It is her mother in whom she finds solace and healing touch in moments of extreme pain and emotional anguish: â€Å"†¦smoothing my long yellow hair and pressing me against her bosom where I could smell the familiar smell of cotton dried out on the line. (Smith 3) Despite her mother’s firm faith in the Holy Lord, much like her father’s, Jesus to her is the perpetrator behind broken family relationships. Deep in her mind she knows that her father finds the forgiving nature of God as an alibi to lead a life of a compulsive womanizer on the pretext of fundamentalist preaching of Evangelism. The main line of business for the Reverend Virgil Shepherd is the unassuming womenfolk of the mountain community of Scrabble Creek, North Carolina. Her father’s escapades and itinerant schedule have spelled doom for the entire family. The serpent-healing of Grace’s father haunts her at night when she and her sister Billie Jean â€Å"fall asleep to the sound of serpents rattling in boxes under their bed. † (Eckard 174) In this context, the all-important theme of spiritual salvation comes into contention. Grace refuses to embrace the ways of salvation by being obedient to the Holy Lord. She scorns the prospect of becoming a â€Å"special servant of the Lord† (Smith 30). Her reluctance is extended to such a degree that she cannot even gather up enough courage to rely on the Lord fearing it would lead to misunderstandings within the family and she may be cast out of the known bondage. Moreover, her restricted and brainwashed childhood is manifested through the religious customs imposed upon the children by their father: â€Å"he would not let us read anything except the Bible, he said that was all we needed to read. We were not even allowed to read the newspaper, as the only news we needed to know was the good news of the Gospel, and anything else would distract us from it. † (Smith 11) So we have seen the affect of two men on Grace’s upbringing – firstly, her father and secondly and perhaps more ominously, Jesus Christ Himself. As the story sets in motion, the readers are introduced to a 38-year old Grace making a homecoming to Scrabble Creek. The course of her life appears to be bleak after two failed marriages, childhood seduction by half brother Lamer, her mother’s suicide, and the forsaking of her own children. Here we can get a feel of the plot which is to be unfolded as we go along. It is primarily a plot based on begin-at-end formation with the main character revealing her past life at a time when everything in her present seems to have come to a cul-de-sac. However, as The Washington Post Book World reviewed, Lee Smith gives an almost impersonalized voice to her heroine as she states the truth with an â€Å"honesty so severe we are brought to our knees†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Saving Grace 2006). â€Å"I mean to tell the truth†¦even the terrible things†, and she does unhurriedly and forthrightly (Eckard 174). Her recollection touches down the lives of everyone she happened to come across right throughout her childhood and adolescent days. What she can relate to fondly was the maternal love and care she got. But nowhere in her narration do we find traces of accusation or bitter repudiation against those men who directly or indirectly exploited her. Her matter-of-fact presentation renders a dramatic appeal to the narrative, making her a storytelling model. It conforms to the viewpoints held by Sheila Collins who in her essay Theology in the Politics of Appalachian Women argues that â€Å"women must resist the silent, feminized roles traditionally expected of them in religious and political spheres†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Eckard 175). Indeed, Grace’s account shakes the stereotyped role of womanhood hailing from rough and repressive highland living. All along the novel, the readers can find several sets of juxtaposition in terms of feminine ways of perceiving life. Time and again, Grace embarks on self-evaluation to find meaning behind her existence in a world which is ruthless and full of contradicting elements. Her internal world is perpetually at flux for the simultaneous presence of sin and salvation, silence and voice, power and powerlessness and so on. All these elements are typically associated with the male connections Grace has during her eventful journey. It won’t be an overstatement to claim that Saving Grace is about the tragic life of a woman who, after coming in touch with lumps of dirt, remains unblemished in the end. Her single life may not be seen ideal to follow, but one cannot deny the unyielding spirit of humanity in the face of male dominance that Lee Smith documents through the portrayal of Florida Grace Shepherd.

Unit 2 IPIntroduction to American Court System Essay

Unit 2 IPIntroduction to American Court System - Essay Example risdiction is the power provided to the court that it can only hear cases which are brought to the court, or the cases which the court has been limited to, not anything else. Subject matter jurisdiction limits the power of the court so that it can only hear cases which the laws of jurisdiction permit it to. (Subject matter jurisdiction) Personal jurisdiction allows the court to make decisions against or in favor of people who are involved in the case. Every court in a state can exercise personal jurisdiction over the people who live in that state, but not on people who belong to some other state. Therefore, courts cannot implement authority beyond their territories. The government allows the court to pass judgment to all residents of the state and also to those who have been away from the state for a brief period. Residents of other states, who have been in the state for a short period, are also answerable to the court. Moreover, a court which has jurisdiction in a state, also have authority over companies who have opened their offices in that state. The corporations are required to take permission from the court before they can continue their business in that area. The criteria of ‘minimum contacts’ differs in every case. In situations where the case involves a defendant’s contact with the state, the number of contacts required to form personal jurisdiction may be less. If a non-resident in a state does something wrong, the court of the state then, in order to protect its residents, can authorize personal jurisdiction on that person. (Personal Jurisdiction in Federal Courts) Although the courts are allowed to practice personal jurisdiction, there are certain laws, statutory and constitutional, which limit the power of the courts. Because of statutory restrictions, the court should examine the state law to ensure whether it can properly implement personal jurisdiction or not. However, there are three types of personal jurisdiction: Firstly, In Personam

Capital Gains Tax is an unfair tax and has too many exemptions to be Essay

Capital Gains Tax is an unfair tax and has too many exemptions to be useful and is not consistent with the ideals of Adam Smith - Essay Example The rules regarding exemptions are such that rich people often find ways to avoid taxes by making investments in certain specified areas hence paying even less taxes than the poor. This defies the canon of equality put forward by Adam Smith. According to canon of equality, the rich should pay more taxes than the poor, or at least, in proportion to their income. Capital gains tax allows many exemptions and allowable deductions and the rich are able to make the most out of them. Further, according to the canon of certainty, the measurement of taxes should be easily understandable and the taxpayer should not be uncertain about the calculation and determination of tax liability. Capital gains tax is very complicated and often tends to confuse the taxpayers a lot. Capital Gains Tax was introduced in the UK in 1962. It was introduced so that avoidance of tax could be curtailed. Taxpayers used the distinction between income and capital, and made their profits under the head of capital becau se it was free from tax. A flat rate of tax of 30% was introduced in 1965 on all capital gains, but it failed because taxpayers on whom the greater rate of tax was applicable still had an incentive to realize their profits under capital gains. On the other hand, the taxpayers who were subject to lower rates of tax ended up paying more if they had realized a profit under capital gain. Further, there was no allowance for inflation. This meant that the gains that had a significantly low present value, or had ceased to be â€Å"gains† were also charged to tax. Therefore, capital gains tax has been problematic since its very inception. The problem of impact of inflation on capital gains tax was curtailed very much due to a system of indexation that was introduced in 1982. This system was supposed to have made the capital gains tax very fair. However, once the inflation itself was brought under control, the value of this system started to diminish. Therefore, a new system called Ta per’s Relief was introduced in which the capital gain was reduced according to the period of taxpayer’s ownership of the asset. This relief did not prove to be successful in the long-run and was abandoned. It was somewhat useful to the business sector which is why it was demanded to be reinstated. In response, a different type of relief called Entrepreneur’s Relief was introduced. This relief applies where a whole or part of a business is sold. It also applies to the disposal of assets of the business after it has stopped. The disposals must be made by individuals who were involved in the running of the business. Entrepreneur’s relief is also applicable on gains on disposals of shares in a trading company. However, the individual making the disposal must have been an employee of the company and own at least five per cent of the ordinary share capital of the company. Entrepreneur’s Relief requires that a clear distinction is to be made between †˜business asset’ and a ‘non-business asset’. One of the biggest problems with this relief is that it is more generous for ‘business assets’ and less for ‘non-business assets’. It is almost impossible to explain why this differentiation has been made. The definition of capital assets involves cars and houses for personal use. These are the most valuable and personal assets of common people. It has often been debated whether it is right to tax the gains obtained by selling of these assets. Probably the biggest

Uprisings of Soviet Union Satellite Countries Essay

Uprisings of Soviet Union Satellite Countries - Essay Example In the 1960s Czechoslovakia, though still a satellite of the Soviet Union was starting to display a certain degree of independence from the Soviet Union. By early 1968, the reformers had gained sufficient strength in the political apparatus to install Ludvik Svoboda as President and Alexander Dubcek as head of the Communist Party. These two took Czechoslovakia onto a path of economic reforms and provided greater press and travel freedoms, and as a result, Czechoslovakia became the most liberal Communist state in the world, with the people enjoying the newly available freedoms. This state of affairs was not to remain for long, as this state of affairs in Czechoslovakia, was alarming to the Soviet Union. Through negotiations, an agreement was reached between Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union to slow down the pace of reforms in the country, in an attempt to reduce the alarm of the Soviet Union. However, on August 20, 1968, the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact countries of East Germany , Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria struck with lightening speed and massive force, so that within a week there more than half a million of these forces spread all over Czechoslovakia. Against this massive military might, the people of Czechoslovakia responded not through military means, but through nonviolent resistance. The Soviets responded with political manipulation and economic pressure that saw the Czechoslovakian leadership gradually give way. The intense initial resistance against the Soviet Union slowly eroded to a disgruntled complacency.

Essay for admission to college Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

For admission to college - Essay Example As a student, I feel that I learn best when I test the theories that I have studied through textbooks. – BU attracts students from more countries than are represented in the United Nations. Our global presence and reputation are important and are reflected in the perspectives, opinions, and experiences of our students. Why is this type of environment important to you? (500 words, 5000 characters) o As an international student, I have decided to study abroad to broaden my view and understanding of the world. Since I have experienced education systems in Korea, as well as United States, I am clearly aware of the differences between them. In Korea, students are forced to study while competing with their fellow students. After school, every single student is forced to attend afternoon study sessions until 12:00 am. This ruthless and yet systematic approach of education mechanizes students and teaches them only how to study, rather than coupling education with the knowledge of how to live like a good citizen in the society. All they learn in the school is how to become an efficient â€Å"student†. Due to this reason, they forget how to think creatively and react quickly to rapidly changing situations. As one of these students, I realized that learning under this environment would shrink my view and keep me away from being myself. Boston University’s norm of attracti ng students from different ethnical and racial backgrounds will surely set up a satisfactory learning environment that will guide me throughout my college career. A variety of arguments and opinions will help me understand different perspectives and contribute in my growth. o Undoubtedly, New York University is a prestigious university that focuses on the needs of its students and attempts to elevate their learning curve through careful nurture, education and providing

Intrusion Detection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Intrusion Detection - Essay Example There are different evils also associated to these network structures also. Personal information theft, business information hacking and virus attacks are the contemporary problems organizations are facing nowadays in the network communication and data transfer areas (Frederick, 2002). Because of the rising amount of intrusions and since the local networks and Internet have turned out to be so ubiquitous, businesses more and more applying a variety of systems that monitor Information Technology security breaches (Sans, 2009). Network Intrusion as its name represents, attempts to identify attempted or applied intrusions into network and to establish suitable actions for the intrusions. Intrusion detection includes an extensive collection of methods that differ on several axes. A few of these axes comprise: (Silberschatz, Galvin, & Gagne, 2004): The types of input inspected to identify intrusive action. These could comprise user shell commands, process system calls, as well as network packet headers or contents. Several types of intrusions might be identified only by correlating information from various such sources. The variety of action capabilities. Basic and straightforward types of actions consist of changing an administrator of the possible intrusion or in some way halting the potentially intrusive action, for instance, killing a course of action engaged in actually intrusive activity. In a complicated type of action, a system might clearly redirect an intruder’s action to a trap. A false resource exposed to the attacker with the aim of observing and gaining information about the attack; to the attacker, the resource appears real. These levels of freedom in the design of space for detecting intrusions in systems have brought an extensive variety of solutions acknowledged as intrusions detection systems (IDS) (Silberschatz, Galvin, & Gagne, 2004). The

Definition of the Term Poor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Definition of the Term Poor - Essay Example The conversation inevitably turned to the suitability of this individual to handle the task at hand. Keenly aware of the fact that someone was being judged in this matter, I listened closely for any determination; fully aware that whatever was decided would impact me specifically. What I heard was my mother and father agree that the woman was not suitable due to the fact that she was incredibly poor. At the time this made a large impact on me; as I realized that people’s abilities and talents could be classified with respect to whether they were poor or not. Within our entire culture, the term â€Å"poor† has taken on a highly pejorative meaning. Individuals are summarily grouped between those that can be classified as â€Å"poor† and those that cannot. As with many pejorative words, the actual meaning behind the word â€Å"poor† differs significantly from what is connoted when this word is so carelessly and continually thrown around by the likes of politi cians, news pundits, and stakeholders at every level within society. In seeking to understand this term to a more full and complete degree, the following analysis will consider the direct denoted meaning of the word as well as the connotations that it espouses within the current culture. Firstly, it must be understood that â€Å"poor† in its most basic denoted meaning merely involves the state of being without; and/or having a very small amount of something. Generally, this denoted meaning involves money or financial instruments of some variety. However, within the connoted meaning of the word, the societal participant is lead to understand that this involves a lack of education, propensity to crime, oftentimes even a certain socio-demographic. From the connoted and denoted meanings that have thus far been defined, it can be fairly securely understood what specifically defines â€Å"poor† within the current culture and society. Yet, it must also be understood that the term itself is incapable of defining many of the connoted meanings that have been referenced. As was described, the traditional definition has to do with material want; not personality traits and/or a proclivity away from education. These connoted meanings only act as a disservice to the way in which people understand what poverty and poor actual means. As a direct result of this misunderstanding, the definition of poor has come to take on a life all its own. One thing that should be manifestly clear, a topic that is not often discussed, is the fact that even though poor has a level of impact with regards to material possession, it cannot begin to define the level of skills, talents, ideas, creativity, passion, work ethic, motivation, or intelligence that a person has. Merely because poor can help to define the net worth of an individual in monetary terms should not be misconstrued to mean that it is somehow equally useful for delineating the overall net worth of a person physically , psychologically, emotionally or spiritually (Hom 391). By their very nature, humans seek to define and categorize information into easily understandable facts.  Ã‚