Interest Groups

Interest Groups: 15. 3. 2013 Globalization occurring at rapid speeds is having vast affects on the Canadian political system. The strong emergence and growing influence of interest groups, gained through institutionalization and immense monetary funding have proven to become a direct threat to political parties in the modern age. This essay will primarily discuss, â€Å"Pressure Groups: Talking Chameleons† written by Paul Pross.Following, the analysis of the article, â€Å"Wilderness Politics in BC: The Business Dominated State and the Containment of Environmentalism† written by Jeremy Wilson. And finally, discuss and evaluate the vital contents of both articles in relation to other academic sources. Paul Pross identifies that modern governments in Canada have problems communicating with the public sector. Public debate was originally controlled by the government, however in the early 1970’s policymaking became more of a public process.Governments could no longe r insist on withholding valuable information, and the public insisted on increased transparency. Electronic media has proven to be a large contributor in the sense that it has created an environment encouraging public participation and the notion of making groups less dependent on bureaucracies. This resulting in a diffusion of power, granting more influence to the public sector. Prior to the emergence of these interest groups, political parties were the main vehicle enabling citizens to channel their concerns mainly by elections and enabling communication to and from the government.Political parties alone would not suffice to account for the entire populations aggregated demands and thus governments continue to further support pressure groups to battle the constant problem of communication. Interest groups simply emerged as individuals acting together and attempting to influence public policy in the direction of their common interests. In some cases what originated as little organi zations has now emerged into influential contributors to the policy making process. This raising concern that the Canadian democratic system is threatened by these emerging interests groups.Pross emphasizes that unless interest groups have access to substantial resources, their influence will be insignificant in most cases. Another factor which causes for some interest groups to survive and other to fail in the political system is undergoing the process of institutionalization. Pross defines an institution as a sophisticated entity, in which members have structured relationships, and collectively attempt to achieve a common goal. As Philip Selznick says, â€Å"As the institutionalization progresses the enterprise†¦ becomes peculiarly competent to do a particular type of work. The process of constant adaptation, and establishing connections to the government officials is of immense value in order for an interest group to partake in the policy process. The sub government process es the policy issues, it consists mainly of government agencies however interest groups and large corporations are also included to a certain extent. The degree of inclusion is debatable however the interest groups are guaranteed â€Å"a seat on the table† and thus consult with the government on a daily basis.Ideally the interest groups gain influence in policy decision and thus for the benefit of the government can successfully accomplish the citizens aggregate demands. However as of 1993 party activists began to criticize the influence of interest groups since they were constantly winning concessions over political parties. There was a large amount of party antipathy coming mostly from the government itself in the sense reducing direct funding to interest groups, and limiting advertising groups during election periods.Kim Campell was a great contributor towards reducing the influence of interest groups, as she remarks, â€Å" Interest groups are no longer useful adjuncts t o the political system, but a direct competition rival to political parties. † The notion of interest groups superseding political parties, and serving as the main channel to communicate with the government had become true. In this globalized world, Pross identifies the challenge between interest groups and political parties as inevitable. He metaphorically describes interest groups as â€Å"talking chameleon† this explains the superiority of interest groups to a certain extent.Unlike political parties, interest groups and corporations, are not specifically interested in the occurrence of certain locations, they plant themselves in many places, furthermore they have the ability to draw funds from around the world. Another factor making the political party inferior is its longstanding values, territorial basis restricting it from expansion since political parties aim to accomplish control of legislative. Hence since the legislature is based on a territorial perimeter, th e rest of the political party body must follow in this direction.In contrast to some interest groups, political parties have not fully been able to achieve a system which incorporates the public into the policy making process. Pross questioned whether the fragmentation of the political parties endangers long-standing institutions, or if this merely is the politics of the new age. Canada has witnessed the emergence of a new public philosophy â€Å"pluralism† started taking the place of the previous representative parliamentary democracy. Pluralism emphasizes the collaboration between government and interest groups.Ideally members of private groups exchange ideas and negotiate with government civil servants. The second article written by Jeremy Wilson focuses on how the British Columbian governments responds in regard to the so called environmentalist movement starting 1975 to 1989. The timber and paper industry is of vast importance to the economy of British Columbia. Most of the timber is Crown owned, and distributed to companies under long contracts, these licenses are easily renewable. Hence environmentalist protest against this established hierarchy.They argue in favor of tenure alternations and demand more caution regarding the protection of British Colombia’s wildlife. Environmentalists demand the forest areas to be protected and transformed into parks however corporations claim this is unwise use of the land. The article Global Spin by Sharon Beder analyzes the notion of anti-environmentalism. As mentioned in Wilsons article Beder, â€Å"reveals the deceptive and unethical underpinnings of the â€Å"wise use† movement, industry front groups, contrarian think tanks, multinational public relation firms, and media establishments. regulations. As Wilsonhad mentioned, the interest groups were arguing against the single use of areas, as they promoted multiple use which further legitimized their corporate use of forrest areas. These concer ns are very problematic for the forest corporations as an alternation of the tenure regulations would directly alter the value of the commodity and thus damage the economy as a whole. Timber companies, began to heavily lobby against these proposed suggestions, using there extensive wealth to battle environmentalist’s claims.These forest corporations, have extensive resources, a continuing organizational structure consisting of established professionals familiar to the governmental processes to represent their aggregate demands. According to R. V. Smith â€Å"Forest tenures and timber supply and the commitments by which those tenures are held are the fundamental asset by which potential investors or lenders judge the viability of a company. † It became clear that the security of timber was the priority for forest corporations.Thus the conservative stance of forest corporations claimed that the environmentalists were putting at risk a â€Å"system that has long legitimi zed a profitable traffic in rights to Crown resources. † Hence as could be expected the corporations heavily campaigned against the emerging environmental movement by adopting a hardline attitude; one sign of retreat will automatically result in further demands. Environmentalist movement pursuing redistributive politics in British Columbia challenged the establishment.These new groups want a share of the pie which was a strictly closed community consisting of; â€Å"Ministry of Forests (MOF), cabinet committee having ultimate responsibility for resolving land use disputes and the 10 or 12 major forest companies that hold tenure rights to over 60% of BC’s forest lands. This challenge resulted in minor alternations and corporations are no longer unchallenged, however this is a prime example in parallel the previously mentioned quote by Selznick; â€Å"in order for pressure groups to carry out their functions they need to become peculiarly competent. The institutionalize d pressure groups have immense power which are difficult to challenge, especially in the Forest industry of British Columbia. Hence the challenges of the environmentalist were everything but a paradigm shift. It appears that policy makers are under sever constraints from policies adopted by previous governments. There are deep rooted problems beginning with the fact that the process concerning resource management being a closed matter to the public. Furthermore provincial legislators playing no role in decision-making process, thus the power is held in the hands of cabinet ministers and other officials.Environmentalists groups like the Western Canada Wilderness Committee began to adopt the approach of a â€Å"moral call out† appealing on an emotional level to the citizens’ regard the environment. In addition their arguments mainly suggested that tourism would decreases as lumbering prevails. Even though the citizens are now collectively assisting as a bureaucracy they have no virtual political power in the decision making process. Most of the environmentalist movements is funded out of members due, or paid individually. None of the groups considered in the article has sufficient funds to support media advertising campaigns, or maintain a full time lobbyist in Victoria. † Quite similar to the analysis of Pross, Wilson clearly defines that money plays a large role in the power dynamics between governments, corporations and environmentalists. Another key factor to note is that since the 1982 adoption of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, interest groups have resorted to utilizing the process of litigation. Litigation under the charter is now partially funded by the government, in programs such as the â€Å"Court Challenges Program. The answer is not as simple according to Paul Pross; In the optimal case interest groups offer access to the political decisions, which were originally, influenced by elites, hence establishing a new soci al order. However in 1992 there was a fair degree of constitutional discussion, questioning whether or not to fully include women Aboriginal groups and other minority groups into policy making process. At first many were for the groups inclusion, however others feared that the re-ordering of social power portrayed by the Charlottetown accord.The aboriginal women groups attempted to achieve redistribution of power and saw this as an opportunity to partake in the constitutional debate. Unfortunately people developed a radical bias which primarily associated fragmentation process to the attempts of this group, even though they were following the footsteps of more â€Å"established interest, † In fact the gross part of the debate is dominated by the institutionalized groups a majority of these specifically representing business interests.The political process has become very diffuse, it has become difficult to differentiate between individual and public interests, and there have been cases of interest groups especially corporations establishing themselves by institutionalizing and extensive lobbying, and are thus dominating in certain policy processes. A consensus is established than overall interest groups are an effective method of getting to the public, however some groups have extensively developed into structures, giving them superiority and priority over other interests.This in Canada has lead to a sharp decline of the political party and a increase of interest groups. Wilson in his article describes a sheer decrease in motivation of the environmentalist, since there continuous attempts had little affects on public policy. Furthermore the structuring of Wilderness politics has put nominated preservation candidates into the foreground placing environmentalists at a disadvantage. This structure ignored the environmentalists’ claims to a small portion of the remaining wilderness, and furthermore creates the illusion that they are greedy. We gave t hem South Moresby, now they want Stein. † In summary of both articles and additional sources, it can be said that main themes continue to re-occur. Initially interest groups were a great access tool for governments, to communicate with the public sector, however after the diffusion of powers in Canada, some interest groups have attained extensive powers. These groups have achieved this by undergoing the process of institutionalization at rapid speeds differentiating themselves in terms to influence compared to environmentalist groups for instance.The corporations are now so established and reluctant to give into any environmentalist’s demands. IN addition Interests groups typically establish ongoing relationships with the departments of government corresponding to their interest, this is also known as â€Å"elite accommodation† has become very common in Canadian politics. The only solution which remains for environmentalist groups is to rise and attain power by; developing a cohesive inter group structure, institutionalizing and possibly merging with other interest groups to broaden the monetary funding established through increased membership.Environmentalist can thus employ professional lawyers and other personal to lobby on their behalf. The future entails many possibilities; on one hand the environmentalists groups could successfully expand their influence to eventually restructuring forest land use policy and thus would demonstrate how interest groups are not necessarily monopolistic and how there is room at the table for new comers. However the problem of the economy remains; one could pose the question of how a decrease in the revue caused by enforced regulations by environmentalist would be compensated to British Columbia economy as a whole? ——————————————- [ 1 ]. Paul Pross, Pressure Groups: Talking Chameleons. (Nelson, 1995): pp. 263s . [ 2 ]. Paul Pross, op cit. , pp. 263. [ 3 ]. Political demands of individual persons and corporations. [ 4 ]. Paul Pross, op cit. , pp. 252. [ 5 ]. Paul Pross, op cit. , pp. 257. [ 6 ]. Paul Pross, op cit. , pp. 259. [ 7 ]. Paul Pross, op cit. , pp. 260. [ 8 ]. Paul Pross, op cit. , pp. 264. [ 9 ]. Paul Pross, op cit. , pp. 265. [ 10 ]. Paul Pross, op cit. , pp. 69. [ 11 ]. Paul Pross, op cit. , pp. 269. [ 12 ]. Paul Pross, op cit. , pp. 270. [ 13 ]. Hugh H. Thorburn, Interest Groups and Polic Policy in Canada. (Queen's law journal. 1988) pp. 447. [ 14 ]. Jeremy Wilson, Wilderness Politics in BC. (Missisagua, Ontario, 1989): pp. 142. [ 15 ]. Jeremy Wilson, op cit. , pp. 143. [ 16 ]. Beder, Sharon. Global spin: the corporate assault on environmentalism. Alternatives Journal25. 4 (Fall 1999): pp. 42. [ 17 ]. Jeremy Wilson, op cit. , pp. 143. [ 18 ].Jeremy Wilson, op cit. , pp. 143. [ 19 ]. Paul Pross, op cit. , pp. 260. [ 20 ]. Jeremy Wilson, op cit. , pp. 147. [ 21 ]. Jeremy Wilson , op cit. , pp. 151. [ 22 ]. Morton – Allen. Feminisits and the Courts: Measuring success in Interest Group Litigation in Canada. (Canadian Journal of Political Science, 2001) pp. 55. [ 23 ]. Jeremy Wilson, op cit. , pp. 167. [ 24 ]. Jeremy Wilson, op cit. , pp. 167. [ 25 ]. Hugh H. Thorburn, Interest Groups and Polic Policy in Canada. (Queen's law journal. 1988) pp. 445.

Cat Eye Syndrome

Cat Eye syndrome Cat eye syndrome is a rare chromosomal disorder that may be plain to see at birth. The name â€Å"cat eye syndrome† comes from a distinctive abnormality in the eye that is shown in some affected people. This feature consists of partial absence of ocular tissue often affecting both eyes. Affected ocular tissues may include the colored region, the middle layer, and/or the innermost membrane of the eye. Individuals with cat eye syndrome frequently have coloboma(s) (which is a structural defect of the eye), down slanting eyelid folds, widely spaced eyes and/or other ocular defects.Discovery and cause: This disorder was discovered in 1898. In individuals with cat eye syndrome, the short arm and a small region of the long arm of chromosome 22 are present three or four times rather than twice in cells of the body. Symptoms: * Partial absence of the tissue pertaining to the eye * Mild or moderate mental retardation * Cat-like, downward slanting opening * Malformations of the facial and the skull region * Eyes are widely spaced Inherited: As cat eye syndrome is an inherited genetic disorder, it occurs by birth.The defect can arise from either parent, as it can be transmitted through both sexes. The person is diagnosed considering the symptoms present in the body. Treatment: Treatment is given according to the severity of the symptoms. Patients with short stature are given  growth hormone therapy. Miscellaneous: A recent study suggests that cat eye syndrome affects 1 in about 74000 people, making this a pretty rare disorder. This chromosomal disorder can occur in both, males and females. In many cases, individuals are born with this syndrome because it is prevalent in their families.

What can the public sector procurement learn from the private organisation procurement teams?

Simply viewed, purchasing is ultimately purchasing. Procurement specialists in the two sectors and even from the third sector of charitable, non-profit, and volunteer groups order their purchases from the same suppliers. Both the private and the public sectors pursue value for money. Towards this end, they plan responsible efficient and flexible procurement systems. However, few differences draw the distinction between the two sectors. This is reflected in the radically different dynamics in the two sectors’ operations. As the paper unfolds, it emerges that there is a lot which the public sector can learn from the private sector if it is to achieve the same level of success enjoyed by the former (Barrett and Hill, 2004). The volume or size reflects on one of the commonly touted differences in the procurement sectors (Braczyk, Cooke and Heidenreich, 1998). However, it is inevitable to examine differences in reporting, competition, trade agreements, accountability, corporate culture, tendering processing, awarding tenders, and performance. It is also important to look into professionalism across the two sectors. The commonality or difference in skills is critical also. Ethical considerations across the two sectors are equalled examined with a view to raising valuable information whether the public sector has something to learn from the private sector or not. The public sector management environment is heavily regulated by policy, legislation, and specific processes while on the other hand, the private sector remains more receptive to enterprising and entrepreneurial dynamics as exhibited by their differences in corporate culture (Braczyk, Cooke and Heidenreich, 1998). It is true that the private sector is also subject to certain rules and regulations but the difference rests on the nature of the regulations. The entrepreneurial dynamics are apparently an absent phenomenon in the public sector apart from few instances. This entrepreneurial focus is an area where the public procurement sector needs to learn and improve on based on the private procurement sector model. However, the sector may be impeded by the political influence, as the partisan nature of political processes is influential. The professionals who work in the public sector procurement need significantly more than the regular amount of diplomacy, patience, communication skills, and political intelligence if it is to prevail (Barrett and Hill, 2004). On the other hand, private sector procurement operates in more advanced challenges in the form of bigger risks, more recognition, among other issues. It is on this premise that the view that private sector pays more recognition to competence as key towards success in comparison to the public sector is held. The public procurement sector should minimise the diplomacy and political leanings and focus on competency just as the private procurement sector. Such focus should ensure bigger and attractive returns. Accountability and transparency present other areas of concern in reference to procurement (Barrett and Hill, 2004). This is influenced by the fact that the stakeholders in the public sector procurement come from diverse circles and do not stand a meaningful chance in influencing it. The stakeholders largely composed of taxpayers, clients, elected officials, and in other instances; vendors, underscore this realization. On the converse, the private procurement sector employs up-to date mechanisms to ensure accountability ad transparency in engagements. Most private procurement entities also focus on specific markets, an aspect that the public procurement sector can only attain through the establishment of specialised separate units to address the various aspects of procurement demands. It is thus not surprising that before procurement decisions are made, it is preferred that consensus is struck. Public organizations thus focus on consensus building rather than working competitively (Braczyk, Cooke and Heidenreich, 1998). Public procurement officers are as a result under an obligation to work cooperatively as opposed to doing so competitively. This is further under-lied by the idea that public enterprises engage in the sharing of some information, as it is a requirement in most public organisations. Ontario Public Buyers Association offers an example of organisations, which operate under these conditions. Consensus building is desirable towards appeasing contending stakeholders but this holds limited economic sense. This holds true since consensus building does not factor in the essence of time and other factors, which influence business in a positive manner. As proposed earlier, public procurement should be split into specialised units to deal with specific issues in procurement as it happens in the private sector. The freedom and flexibility to conduct business is absent in the public sector (Earl, 2002). On the converse, the private sector enjoys the presence of these attributes, which constitute the dream pursuits of every buyer. Flexibility is examined in reference to the kind of red tape associated with the public sector procurement. The procedural rules negatively influence the procurement process as the lengthening of the exercise proves an unattractive proposition. The red tape as a result puts constraints and unnecessary demands on the process of procurement. Red tape was intended to ensure observance of set rules ad regulations, but this s no longer congruent with emerging trends in business. As a result, doing away with the unnecessary procedural demands is desirable if the public procurement sector is to make progress. The absence of purposeful negotiations, discussions, leniency measures further compounds the shortcomings associated with public sector procurement. It is notable that public enterprises do not take their time in responding to issues like requests for proposals. Precision and detail must be presented to every relevant department before a decision is arrived at. On the converse, in the private sector procurement, the clients’ issues are keenly attended to as required. In the entrepreneurship spirit, private sector procurement allows for the negotiation of deals on the basis of fees and terms of work which appeal to both parties, as a result, growth in private procurement in tandem with quality of work (Earl, 2004). The focus is on building a good and long lasting working relationship between customers and private organizations. In the private sector procurement, if a company or client secures a satisfactory engagement, when similar projects emerge, the need to go through the same sieving exercises are not considered. The basis upon which tenders are given rests o the previous records of accomplishment. The solid ethical and moral aspects, which governmental organizations lean on, account for some unnecessary engagements. Public sector procurement demands that adherence to rules and procedures are unquestionable (Edquist, 1997). The formal protocol on responsibility, liability, accountability, and the need to protect government information constrains public procurement. On the other hand, the private sector procurement extends freedom on contractual engagements. The private sector clients focus on the market share, competitiveness, and visibility, fees, and contracts act as a measure towards achieving these goals. The moment corporate professionalism is established with a private sector client, the credibility set is useful in determining fruitful future engagements. Of late, governments are embracing e-Procurement; this embracement is based on the realization made concerning the beneficial attributes arising from both administrative and cost reductions associated with such in the private sector (Malerba, 2002). Tendering platforms, desktop purchasing systems, and e-marketplaces, features common in private sector procurement have been adopted in the public sector procurement. This is a positive step, which should pave way for similar improvements towards the promotion of efficiency and effectiveness. The nature of public sector procurement goes through rigorous bureaucratic procedures based on institutional demands (Miles, 2004). The regulation process of public procurement, which witnesses different roles played by international, national, and regional authorities, implies that this type of procurement faces a number of hurdles to overcome. This regulation is meant to ensure competition and transparency in the procurement exercise. To cite an example, public procurement in the UK has to be consistent wit the European Union procurement guidelines, which offer a framework of rules on the issue. These rules and regulations deter EU member countries from distorting competition in public procurement on the basis of geographical or national basis. The creation of the European market provides an avenue for getting value for money in the procurement sector. Apart from adhering to the European Union policy on public procurement, the public institutions must also comply with the requirements imposed by the government as reflected by the Value for Money policy. This policy demands that procurement choices should be premised on whole life cost assessment as opposed to lowest price only. On the basis of this synopsis, it is clear that government procurement is diverse in respect to what it has to cover. This extension and complexity implies that achieving efficiency and lower costs is hard to make operational. Reducing the complexity characterising public sector procurement is thus a challenge. The tendering process is designed in a way that ensures that work done by the government is given out fairy. The government considers the pricing and the nature of the entity offering the required services. The aim is to ensure that tender processing is fairly done based on governmental policies. Though important, pricing is not the major focus in public procurement (Malone, 2001). On the other hand, private sector tendering focuses on fairness and effectiveness in reference to competition. This is based on the drive towards achieving the most cost-effective outcomes in the tendering process. The primary focus is the cost effect, an attribute the government needs to learn from the private sector tendering (Malone, 2001). The political elite holds a lot of power when it comes to public tendering. This is partly due to the fact that the political class hold executive powers in country leaderships. On the other hand, in the private sector, key officials of companies who hold the required expertise holds the power of making decisions on the tendering processes (Malone, 2001). The public sector should learn from the private sector by fully authorising the bureaucratic experts to control the tendering process. If the public sector is to be in a position to operate competitively, it needs to posses buyer power. As in the case of the private buyer power, the public purchasing power may rise from the size of demand in reference to the public sector against the total market demand or due to strategic importance (Cohen and Levinthal, 2006). The size of the market however big, it may be affected by the uncoordinated and fragmented approach by the public procurement sector. This uncoordinated approach lowers the purchasing power of the public procurement sector. This presents one area the public sector needs to learn from the private sector. Towards this end, the public procurement sector should learn how to coordinate its activities properly in order to take advantage of its aces to big markets. The public procurement sector is fraught with unnecessary restrictions on participation (Cohen and Levinthal, 2006). The sector is also characterised with cost escalation. This especially affects small bidders. Such represent the level of discrimination in the sector. Large firms who are at a sound financial standing are thus the ones favoured in the public procurement sector. Towards reducing the chances of participation from the procurement process, the nature of restricted communication as reflected in the limited publication of contracting opportunities, this coupled with the narrow based qualification criteria place too much focus on firm size and experience. There are both benefits associated with increasing the number of bidders. However, the question of whether the government attains the balance between increased costs due to the higher number of participants and the expected drop in the prices as a result of the fierce competition both within the short term and the long-term. The pursuit of value for money should ensure the correct trade off is made, however, this may never be the case. This is attributable to the fact that the administrative costs are more visible as compared to the cost savings obtained from intense competition. Further, afield, risk aversion may lead to favouritism in which case, well-established companies and incumbents take the opportunities ahead of new entrants. Incumbency may limit participation. This is possible if minor suppliers believe that the public procurement sector is friendly to senior suppliers. This implies that some suppliers may boycott the bidding exercises, as they fear their success chances are limited. Such boycotts may in turn trigger price increases due to lowered competition (Cohen and Levinthal, 2006). Openness and publicness pass as challenges on the public procurement sector. Everything, which is done by public procurement, is subject to scrutiny from the public. The public purchases are normally orchestrated through invitations for bids. This opens the process to public bidding. In public procurement, public bid tabulations, which are posted on government websites. This implies that everybody understands what is going on. Overall, the private sector procurement focuses on profit, which is achievable through fierce competition. In practice, there is great variation in the way in which private managers go about establishing links with the customers. This is captured by the pursuit of firms’ attempts to lock opponents out of the market (Malone, 2001). Some firms operate in unstable environments, others like do like monopolies, while others operate in relatively protected niches where entrants find it difficult to make inroads, this under-lies the kind of challenges facing private businesses. Some sectors and businesses adopt methods, which are technologically advanced than others, further compounding the challenges (Egeberg, 1995). On the other hand, the public sector passes as a more homogeneous entity operating in a placid environment. Bureaucratic organisations are in most cases long establishments, which act, as monopolistic suppliers. The supply is to the society as opposed to the market, further to this, the pursuit of profits do not take precedence ahead of the provision of services to the citizens. The assumption that the public sector has been lacking in innovation is often advanced. However, Tan, (2004) notes that the spur of competition lacks in public procurement, a stark contrast with the private sector procurement. The public procurement sector should embrace new technological innovations like e-Procurement if it is to gain from benefits associated with such advancements, as is the case in private procurement (Fagerberg, Mowery and Nelson, 2000). Conclusion The drive towards introducing private-like procurement style into the public procurement sector is a plausible effort as this in the end translates into a number of benefits desirable to the needs of the clients its serves. Such adoption is bound to increase efficiency thorough cost reductions and improvement on service provision. The social responsibility is the major bottleneck affecting the public sector procurement. The public institutions remain accused of being irresponsive to the needs of the people they serve. However, all public organisations exist in a global setting, which heavily bears on how operations are conducted. This co-existence; between public and the other sectors imply that there is a lot to be passed or transferred through learning. The continued nature of existence of the public sector also indicates that learning through experience is a possibility since the various governments institutions are in a position to determine what works and the others which fail. The role of competition however desirable it is may prove inapplicable to the public sector procurement. This is the case in reference to when the public institutions are bidding for example, weaponry and other sensitive products. The public sector is also charged with diverse responsibilities, which are not based on economic terms but rather on the social responsibility aspect. Despite this, the public sector should learn from the public sector on how to become competitive on various fronts. On the basis of the above realisation, it is hypothetically presented that adopting measures to delink the public procurement sector from the diplomatic and political machinations presents a way out in the area. The sector should also encourage more competition in terms of recruiting skilful personnel and in allowing a level playground when it comes to the tendering process. The sector is equally expected to alter the procedural requirements, which mire the biding and tendering exercises. Such a move should lead to a flexible system, which paves way for the achievement of efficiency and effectiveness in the sector.

Internet in our life Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Internet in our life - Research Paper Example Internet is used by people of all ages and internet happens to positively as well as negatively impact all its users. Whether an individual is being impacted in a positive or a negative manner by internet is dependent on how they use it. This writing will focus upon the various negative effects associated with the use of internet and the various solutions that can either completely diminish or restrict those negative effects. Body Psychological Impact of Internet The youth as well as the adults of the society have become too much involved in internet usage. They happen to use internet at all times. They have gained internet access on the Smartphone, computers, schools and universities. In simpler terms youth have become addicted to internet and their addiction towards internet is similar to the addiction towards drugs and alcohol. According to Young, internet addiction has been recognized as a psychological issue and this addiction is causing similar problems that are caused due to s ubstance abuse and drug abuse (Young 240). These problems include: issues with family relations, issues at work and others. One of the major concerns of internet use is the violent content that is available over the internet for free. Online internet games, movies, songs and videos are all examples of mediums that offer violent content. This content is directly in the access of children who have a habit to imitate what they observe over the internet and due to this content child tend to behave in aggressive manner in the real world. According to Anderson, when children are exposed to violent content they tend to acquire what they see and tend to behave in the same manner in the real world (Anderson 354). Social Development Impacted by Internet Internet does not only impact the psychological development of individuals, it even negatively impacts the social development of people of all ages. Excessive use of computers and internet has the ability to ruin an individual’s social relationships in the real world, although their relationships in the virtual world may strengthen. For example: children and especially the teenage population tend to create and maintain relationships in the virtual world, tend to ignore their relationships in the actual physical world and due to this their relationship with their significant others (parents and friends) tend to deteriorate (Subrahmanyam 135). Secondly, there are children and individuals who perceive that their computers are better friends to them as compared to human friends and they tend to spend more time with computers rather than peers and this deteriorates their interpersonal skills. As stated earlier in the section of psychological impact of internet of this paper, online internet games and content makes children behave in a violent manner in the real world. Due to this violent behavior their relationships with their significant others is damaged and they are seen as anti-social individuals by members of thei r society. According to Murphy, the youth that conducted the event recognized as Columbine High School Shooting Massacres were addicted to violent video games and that had promoted them to get involved in the shootings (Murphy 1). Internet and Academic Performance Computer usage and academic performance has been perceived to be positively linked with each other, but this is not always the case in all instances. Children do not only use internet for the advancement of their knowledge. They

Research Paper on the film No Country For Old Men Essay

Research Paper on the film No Country For Old Men - Essay Example Using the critical mythological approach in analyzing the film’s content and how the events lead to one another, it is possible to entertain the existence of strong or invincible people despite having the fragile nature of humans, and how differing ideas regarding higher beings, destinies or fate, and the laws of the universe control the thoughts and viewpoints of individuals, which are also universal themes seen in older or classical stories. Evasion of and Facing People, Circumstances, and Death Some of the most compelling stories include parts wherein the main protagonist escapes getting hunted down and killed by adversaries, of having the need to face the enemies, and the possibility of ending up dead. This is an archetypal storyline of heroes and their adventures or quests, which in a way builds the heroic character and nature of the main protagonists (Guerin 153). ... rchetypal predisposition, wherein there is an evasion of circumstances when a hero initially stops to think and plan, to meditate or do retrospective thinking in order to transform and become better (Guerin 166). On the other hand the need to face people, circumstances and death as the consequence of events are shown in Moss’s unexpected death not from Chigurh but from a group of Mexicans shows how he faces death as the circumstance of seeing the results of a drug deal gone wrong and holding on to money he does not rightfully own right from the start, of Chigurh facing divine punishment after getting hit by a car and nearly dying right after scenes imply that he killed Moss’s wife, Carla Jean, and of Sheriff Bell having to face the reality that he has to let go of some things and move on with his life as his retired uncle explains to him(â€Å"No Country†).While not in their entirety seen as an adventure or heroic story, the individual lives of Moss, Chigurh, and Sheriff Bell reflect similarities with the quests of mythical heroes, of which some may succeed such as Chigurh, some may fail such as Moss and his death, and some momentarily put it on hold such as Sheriff Bell’s thoughts on resignation. Invincibility and Weakness Invincibility and weakness are often bound to each other, and usually employed in some, if not most classical works to remind people that despite all perfections within humans there will always be a hint of a weakness to ground them as mere mortals (Guerin 153). The Coen Brothers exploited this archetypal image of invincibility and weakness in developing Chigurh, the main antagonist in No Country for Old Men. Chigurh’s character is the definition of a scary, amoral, and dangerous antagonist that cannot be persuaded to spare lives by any means

Value and Risk Management Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Value and Risk Management - Article Example The company would be required to present before the attendees of this workshop with the bits of details about the project, such as the budget, pre-requisites, aims and the likes of it. This will help the attendees to understand the following arguments and requirements for the success of the project in a much better and elaborated manner. While the site for the same is yet to be decided, taking a peep at the various factors that might, in effect, make for the success of this project will help understand the project better. The project is targeted, apart from enhancing its regional presence, to make it easier for the customers and clients to approach the company. The project is focused at incorporating some of the important features like tour facilities for the prospective clients, giving a peek view into the kind of services and technology employed by the company. Secondly, the headquarters would provide office accommodation to over 12 staff members, recruiting the same for management and administrative purposes. Thirdly, it will also have an inbuilt workshop for the hi-tech light manufacturing processes, which will have another of 15 or more staff members recruited under head. While the foundations of the project do aim at solving the purpose behind the formulation of regional head quarters, it is essential here to examine a few factors that might help enhance the project and its establishment even better. The project has been allotted a set amount of funds. For the project to succeed, while the deadline is important, it is also of value for the project to remain within the boundaries of the set budget. In order to do the same, scoping of the whole project comes in handy, and that is what we will be doing here, as a part of the value management service. It needs to be seen if the project being offered by the company will in truth be able to come to terms with the reasons being cited for the project. Secondly, it also needs to be ascertained, if there are ample resources that can make the project successful in terms of requirements. To do the same, there is a "Job Plan" that will exploit various aspects involved in the project that are required to be referenced when discussing the project in general. Job Plan Dividing the whole process of value management to identify the strengths or weaknesses of the project will help the reader gain a better grounding of the whole scenario. Further, in this pre stage, the company managers would be required to understand, identify and explain to all involved the importance of the project, along with the aims that the project is trying to achieve. With detailed information and analysis, the people involved will be able to get a brief idea of the way project is to proceed, hence, enhancing the general output by those involved in the project. The Job Plan can be divided into four main stages - information gathering, alternative generation, evaluation and conclusion. Information Gathering In this first step, the need to identify all the requirements for the project will be looked into. Before beginning with the project, the company would be required to identify a location or site, keeping in mind the budget for the project. Once the site for the headquarters is identified, the next process of building the project would begin. This next process would

Development of English as a Global Language Essay

Development of English as a Global Language - Essay Example "Standard English" is a general term for a form of written and spoken English that is considered the model for educated people. There are no set rules or vocabulary for "standard English" because, unlike languages such as French, English does not have a governing body that establishes official usage. The concept of "standard English" is therefore fluid. ELFE stands for "English as a lingua franca for Europe." It is promoted by some linguistics experts, and aims to standardise the use of the English language in the European Union. RP, as in "British RP," is short for "Received Pronunciation" - received from the Queen or King, as it were. It is sometimes defined as the "educated spoken English of south-eastern England." RP is itself sometimes called the Queen's English, which stands to reason, but the Queen's English is sometimes even defined as "the language of the United Kingdom." RP was sometimes referred to as "BBC English," since this was the traditional pronunciation to be heard on the BBC, but RP is not often called "BBC English" any more-as a result of the multitude of accents heard on the BBC these days. "Oxford English" is simply the dialect of English spoken at Oxford University. Some consider Oxford English the most standardised, and sometimes even as synonymous with "Standard English," whereas others consider it pompous and pretentious. Standard English: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_English RP: www.infowrangler.com/phpwiki/wiki.phtmltitle=Received_Pronounciation BBC English: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Received_pronunciation Oxford English: Wikipedia. The rest of the information is something that I know. Official versus Global Status How does one language achieve such a status First, the using of language is a social act (Cameron, 1995); language is the means of communication. It follows that social change will contribute to a change in status of a language, as Knowles implies in his study of the history of the English language (Knowles, 1997). Next, that medium can become the official language (as distinguished from global) of a country when it is adopted (and adapted) as the mother tongue and used by "such domains as government, the law courts, media, and the educational system [of that country]" (Crystal, 2003, p.4). Finally, language achieves a genuinely global status as it "develops a specific role that is recognised in every country" (Crystal, 2003, p.3). English, however, did not achieve global status by way of one or two variables. Several factors contributed to the process and arrival of English as a global language. These factors are part of a slowly evolving phenomenon that parallel the social changes experienced by numerous cultures over many eras. Social Changes as Influences Political, military, economic, cultural, scientific and technological changes in society propelled the English language towards the historically significant status of "global language," since no other language has ever laid stake to so grand a claim. 1. Emigration and Invasion The Old Saxon language (also called Old Low German) and related dialects influenced Germanic populations. Germanic peoples from the coast of Frisia, Lower Saxony, Jutland and Southern Sweden emigrated to Britain during the Roman occupation of Britain, lasting,

Research on the effects of water pollution Paper

On the effects of water pollution - Research Paper Example by Calhoun and Seideman (2005, p 23), they described environmental pollution as â€Å"the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment, which normally results to an adverse negative change on the natural environment.† In these two studies, it was collectively noted that pollutants comprise of chemical substances, wastewater, garbage, and various forms of energy such as noise, light, and heat. Goel (2006) in his writings stated that certain pollutants normally cause an harmful effect if they are used in excess, for example, a small discharge of noise, light, or heat into the environment is not likely to cause an harmful effect or rather it is not likely to pollute the environment. This research study will focus on water pollution and in particular, it seeks to investigate the effects of water pollution from a broader perspective that comprises of the eco-system and even the living organisms. Because of the essential use of water in everyday life by all living organisms, Villers (2001) argued that water pollution tends to have the most detrimental effects amongst all other forms of pollution. Water pollution occurs when toxic substances either in liquid or solid form are discharged into water bodies and there is no effective treatment plan that has been put in place to remove the toxic substances. Because of it wide use by all living organisms, water pollution tend to have the most detrimental effect on the entire population, individual species and the natural biological community. This fact is supported by the argument that was given by Calhoun and Seideman (2005), who deemed water pollution as a major global problem that is the root cause of many diseases and deaths that in the society. In particular, a report released by the United Nations in the year 2011 under the title ‘Water Factsheet’ noted that water pollution accounts for over fourteen thousand deaths that occur on a daily basis across the World. This report further noted that water

Public Policy Issue in Healthcare Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public Policy Issue in Healthcare - Assignment Example The greatest impediment to the efforts to create a healthy society is the high cost of healthcare services in the country (Bryant, 2009). The high cost of health care casts a substantial number of people to premature deaths thereby subjecting millions of children to poor living conditions in the absence of their parents. The government acknowledges the problem and has since enacted a number of policies including the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), or Affordable Care Act (ACA). The challenges the legislation continues to prove the importance of costs in seeking high-quality health care services there showing the need for a lasting resolution of the problem of high costs as the research report below investigates. Health is an integral issue in any economy. The health of a society influences the stability of the government while safeguarding the future of the population. The government must, therefore, seek to address the problems facing the community in relation to health care. So far, the high cost of managing some of the leading causes of death in the country such as cancer and heart diseases has proven to be a major factor that continues to frustrate the population. As such, the government should formulate realistic policies that enable the population to access high-quality health care services. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is such a legislation that introduces a way for the citizens to afford high-quality services. However, the act has faced immense criticism and objection from politicians. The Congress among other organs of the government should strive to amend the law

Safety management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Safety management - Assignment Example Directing is a function of management that involves leadership. The people chosen to perform particular tasks need supervision and direction on how to perform their duties. The management of an organization does this supervision and leadership through directing. It involves more than merely giving directions to one’s juniors on what to do. The directing duty also involves motivating one’s team members to perform optimum towards achieving the set goals and objectives. Staffing, on the other hand involves assessing and evaluating of suitable individuals to take over positions in an organization, and placing them in the positions they most qualify to serve. The management determines the requirements of the job, makes advertisements on the available vacancies and takes the responsibility to hire the best candidate. This is usually after interviews. Thereafter, the management does orientation of the new staff member, trains him and places him. It also involves checking the progress of the new employee as far as performance of his duties is concerned. Controlling involves determining whether or not the resources available for operations of a company are used effectively. It has a close link with planning since it entails checking if the allocated resources have been utilized properly. Tools such as auditing could be employed to control the use of resources in an organization. 2) Safety incentive programs are essential in ensuring organizations are lured into practicing safe methods of production. This is essentially important in the manufacturing industry that produces a lot of wastes in form of gases and solid debris. Incentives that promote the use of methods that reduce production of poisonous gases are necessary to reduce illnesses and environmental degradation. Although the overall burden is borne by the tax payers who have to pay more to cover for the incentives, the

Literature 2.4.1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Literature 2.4.1 - Essay Example Because of this she was not able to make lasting friendships. She turned to reading books and writing poetry as a defence against her loneliness. In the tenth grade, she was encouraged by her teacher to join the school’s literary magazine and she eventually became its editor. After high school, she went to Loyola University in Chicago where she studied English. In 1974, she realized her passion to write about her experiences as a Mexican-American after attending a creative writing class titled "Ghost Voices: Writing from Obsession†. After graduating from college, she was again encouraged by a professor to enrol at the Iowa Writer's Workshop which is a greatly esteemed graduate school for aspiring writers. This workshop marked a turning point in Cisneros writing career. Her first published work was published in 1980 entitled Bad Boys. Her other work includes: The House on Mango Street (1984), My Wicked, Wicked Ways (1987), Hairs = Pelitos (1994), Loose Woman: Poems (1994) , Caramelo or Puro cuento (2002) and Vintage Cisneros (2004). Cisneros is known to write about the Chicana identity, the challenges of being a cultural hybrid and experiencing poverty. I hope to see the distinct characteristics of her Mexican-American heritage in the characters in â€Å"Woman Hollering Creek†.

Who Killed the Electric Car Essay Example for Free

Who Killed the Electric Car Essay Who Killed the Electric Car? is presented as a whodone- it mystery. Staying true to this genre, the film opens with necessary background information, describes the crime committed, answering all of the what, where, and when questions, and then in the style of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gathers the suspects for close scrutiny, coming to a conclusion on the guilt or innocence of each. Opening with a bit of automotive history that establishes the electric car as a competitive alternative to the internal combustion engine, Who Killed the Electric Car? takes the viewer back to the beginning of the twentieth century and the dawn of the automotive age. A straightforward explanation of why gasoline beats out electricity as the fuel of choice and how the internal combustion engine wins dominance concludes the broad overview. The film then moves to the recent past with the introduction of the California Air Resources Board and their 1990 decision to require that ten percent of all cars sold in California by each car manufacturer be zero-emission vehicles by the year 2003. The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde response of automotive companies is revealed; production and marketing of zero-emission cars is detailed, a period during which the legal and political teams of the same manufacturers work to defeat the law that gave birth to modern electric vehicles. While several manufacturers are included, the General Motors electric vehicle is featured. As this segment concludes, the success of the industry’s legal strategy is symbolized by a celebrity-studded funeral for the electric car. This segment is filled with factual analysis that examines conflicting claims about emissions, practicality, costs of various fuels, and consumer demand. The second half of Who Killed the Electric Car? is Sherlock Holmes at his best. The seven suspects identified in the first half of the film are scrutinized. One by one, consumers, batteries, oil companies, auto manufacturers, the U. S. government, the California Air Resources Board, and the newest villain, the hydrogen car, pass under the bare bulb in the inspector’s interrogation room in an attempt to answer the question asked in the film’s title: Who Killed the Electric Car? At the end of each segment the featured suspect is judged as guilty or innocent. The film ends on a positive note, recognizing a grassroots movement that envisions.

The Importance Of Internet And Communication Media Essay

The Importance Of Internet And Communication Media Essay The essay states the importance of internet, communication, virtual way of life and peculiarities of the modern world. The Internet opens large opportunities for work, leisure, communication, and sharing diverse information. Internet has changed the world and society consistently because the creation of internet and its growing popularity contributed to the consistent change in the life of people. They have opened the new, virtual world and a new effective means of communication- internet which have started to replace the traditional means of communication, to the extent that online communication has started to replace the live, real, physical communication between people. As well, essay shows to the audience the advantages and disadvantages of such way of life, the opportunities and interest in everything new. Today, staying online for the majority of people, who have computers at home, means more than staying offline. In actuality, people are relying too much on internet and on th e virtual way of life. Such a change has occurred under the impact of internet and innovation it brought into the life of people and their social relationships. The essay also states, that Internet era has changed the perception of having rest or relaxation for many people, as the unknown world of virtual reality seems to have something special. People tend to use internet as the means to escape from reality, from problems they have in the real life. Running from reality has become one of the most simplest ways to avoid problems, to postpone them, to try to forget and to involve in something that brings joy and happiness. The essay context is aimed to show the trends of the society, of the business and of the future. The essay also described that people prefer share their problems with strangers in their blog, as this way they are unknown in the internet and this fact helps people to communicate, inventing new ways of solving problems, communication and also fun. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦blo gs help people to talk to someone, without revelation of their personality. In such a way, people can make a sort of confession and receive feedback from users that relieves them and encourages people to carry on writing about issues which important for them in their blogs. The essay shows the counter arguments of people who have different opinion from the majority. People can live without technology, having other interests, probably more interesting than the online world. For instance, many people have little ideas of advanced information technologies and they are quite happy in their non-technological world. Some people do not admit the existence of the virtual world, considering it as a game, or something not serious and that will pass soon. They do not take it seriously and do not take into consideration all the advantages it brings, that is why there are claims that staying in the virtual world means just killing of time. For instance, Guillermo Gomez-Pena in The Virtual Barrio @ the Other Frontier refers to the example of Mexicans, who live next to the US, with its advanced information technologies, and local people are still simple and maintain traditional social relationships instead of virtual ones [Mexicans] are simple people. They are happy w ith the little they gotà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ They are not ambitious and complex like us. They dont need all this technology to communicate. Sometimes I just feel like going down there and living among them. (p. 555). Counter argument can exist, but they should not hide the reality and the important technologies along with the technological progress that has its advantages. Nevertheless, technologies keep progressing and affect more and more people. Technology has definitely changed humanity, as nowadays people devote a lot of time to the online way of life, exploring it, reading, watching, listening and communicating. Some people can balance and live in harmony with the technologies, but some people become addicted to the technologies, to the computer especially. Some people do not have the limit, as described in the essay. Some people create their own virtual world of online friends, of the websites to visit, of the places to spend time, of the games to play, of the videos to download. People no more want to share their thoughts, their dreams or ideas with their friends offline; instead they choose the options to write about all that in their blogs and micro blogs and social networking sites. There is the reasoning of a counter argument and there should be found a balance to be able to depict everything useful from the online world and to live happily in the offline world. The essay ethically responds to the reasoning of a counter argument and shows the both sides of the issue. Communication offline has become something challenging especially for youngsters these day, as it is much easier to respond or to give ideas when a person is at home and he does not fear to see the reaction of another person who will read his message. The more people get involved in the virtual world, the more challenging it is to get out of there. The essay about violence addresses counter argument and arguments reasoning. It includes the description of the problem, the different views on it, the possible solutions and different opinions of the experts. When analyzing the problem of violence and its impact on individuals, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that violence is a fundamental part of the life of people. In regard, it is possible to refer to history, when cruel and violent acts were considered to be a norm. The essay also includes the major claim considering the fact how violence is widely- spread and how many people suffer from it. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦cases of domestic violence were a norm in the past, because the violence in relation to children, for example, was considered to be essential to raise them up as good people. Others would argue that this kind of violence is still practiced. I would totally agree, but what is beginning shown by me side is that it used to be a norm that people did not see it anything more than a tool used to bring up good disciplined kids. Whereas, nowadays, it is considered a crime, at least in our society, and so, people have distanced from it to an extent. Reflective essay claims concentrate on the facts that some believe that by using violence they can solve all their problems and gain the respect of their social environment. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦they are unconscious of the negative effect of the violence on their own personality because the violence has a destructive impact on the behavior and psychology of individuals. Some would argue this, Many people like to use Mohandes Ghandi as an example of non-violent protest winning the day. But the only reason Ghandis tactics worked is because he was using them against a civilized adversary, the British Empire. Had he tried to use them against someone else, like Nazi Germany, he would have ended up with a bullet to the back of the head or in one of the cremation ovens after being worked to death in a concentration camp. There are also counter arguments present in the essay to highlight the opinions from different people with different points of views.Violence does solve things. It has ended brutal dictatorships, saved citizens from the predation of criminals, prevented injustices on a small and large scale, and prevented wars. Perhaps the old saying needs to be modified. Instead, it should be Violence never solves anything if it is used at the wrong time in the wrong place. Violence in and of itself solves nothing. It is the proper use of violence under the right circumstances that solves problems (Farm). Essay context is aimed to show the importance of the issue, the key problems and claims. There are a lot of factors that provoke the violence and that increase the risk of the violent and aggressive behavior from the peoples side. At the same time, people are vulnerable to a consistent impact of their environment and different situations in their life which make them choosing the violent model of behavior as the only effective way of behavior. The essay also described the solutions to the problem for the audience. People often have an alternative to the violent model of behavior but they do not always use them because they need much more efforts and they are not as widely-spread as violent methods, which have always accompanied the mankind in the course of its development and evolution.

Sociology Essays Sexual Harassment Work

Sociology Essays Sexual Harassment Work Sexual Harassment Work Introduction It is only in the past ten years or so that sexual behavior has been researched. The history of the term â€Å"sexual behavior† is thus short. Sexual harassment accounts for behavior that is socially, morally and verbally unacceptable at the work place. This leads to an antagonistic environment to work in. Physical and psychological health is worsened. The entire life of a person may be doomed after a horrific experience at the workplace. Definition of Sexual Harassment: According to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Sexual harassment is unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects a persons employment or education, unreasonably interfered with a persons work or educational performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or learning environment. The United Stated Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines sexual harassment in the following way When an individual is facing uninvited sexual advances, favors, or verbal or physical abuse, and his/her employment is being affected by this, it is termed sexual harassment. (EEOC). Continuous pestering by team mates at work is becoming part of the norm nowadays. Sexual harassment involves sexual bias. The term can be defined as any unwelcome verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is harsh and affects working conditions pessimistically. According to Fitzgerald,† Sexual harassment is difficult to measure and difficult to prove.† A variety of effects follow such behavior. Livingstone (1982) describes how cultural standards aggravate a woman’s feelings of coercion following sexual harassment since socialization seems to give men the right to practice sexual encounters, and women are the main victims of these unpleasant acts. Sexual harassment can be distinguished as: Quid pro quo: in which the employee is demoted or downgraded due to a refrain from sexual interaction. Hostile working environment, in which undesirable conduct of a sexual character creates a painful work atmosphere for some employees. Gender harassment is basically when a woman is treated differently because she is a woman. This includes general sexist remarks and behavior (Fitzgerald 1990). This creates a hostile environment for women. Gender harassment differs from quid pro quo, in that the latter constitutes a sexual activity which is specifically linked towards rewards or punishments. There are four levels of factors affecting sexual harassment: The individual, The interpersonal, The institutional and The socio cultural Some figures on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: The following table shows a record of sexual harassment cases: Percentage of cases in companies: Outline of sexual harassment % Insinuating remarks 55.2 Grabbing, deliberate touching 39.8 Insinuating gestures 30.3 Staring, meaningful glances 28.4 Seemingly accidental touching 25.4 Insinuating jokes 23.9 Stipulation for sexual action 20.4 Derogatory remarks 19.4 Insult after the rejection of an approach 12.4 Showing, distribution of pornography 11.9 Displaying pornography 10.4 Promise of pros for sexual sessions 8.0 Whistling at the back of a person 7.5 Physically violating to force sexual action 6.5 Fear of professional drawbacks in cases of rejection of advances 6.0 Threat of physical hostility to force sexual activity 3.0 Source: BMFSFJ, Beschà ¤ftigtenschutzgesetz in der Praxis, Berlin, 2005; the figures do not reflect the incidence but only the allocation of forms of sexual harassment in the cases reported.—provide complete source in the reference page The following facts have been established by the Equal Rights Advocates: Two thirds of sexual harassment cases are brought against a woman’s immediate supervisor. 95% of suffers have to undergo stress reactions, including depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, low feeling of dignity, sexual dysfunction. 95% of cases go unreported. Sexual harassment can cost a Fortune 500 company approximately $6.7 million per year, due to absenteeism and low productivity. Companies with proper policies against sexual harassment cases have lower reported incidents. Source: Equal Rights Advocates, 2000. â€Å"Facts About Sexual Harassment in the Workplace.† The Harasser and the Harassed Sexual harassment can be amongst any coworkers, not necessarily between male bosses and female subordinates. These incidents may constitute: Peer Peer harassment. Supervisor harassing subordinates. Women harassing men. Same gender harassment – men to men, women to women. Third party abuse. The victim of the harassment is not necessarily only the recipients of the behavior, but anyone who is affected by the misconduct, is considered to be harassed. Sexual Harassment – Sex or Power? Sexual harassment is linked with power and takes place in societies which often treat women as second-class citizens or are degraded. Causes It has been reported that throughout history women have suffered from some sort of sexual harassment or the other, but it was just considered to be usual behavior and a bitter part of the job market. Women working in coal mines in olden days had to face harsh cruelties of this world defined by men. Sexual harassment in the workplace started gaining acknowledgement only in the 70’s. (Caroline Goette, NLA Review, n.d). More women started gaining education, and got better jobs. This was the time when women started demanding equal rights as men. Emphasis was being laid upon the factor of equality. Behavior is the product of biological drive and symbolizes the expression of sexual pull in workplaces. Certain environments like open offices and overcrowding, generate unethical and strange, undesirable feelings. Sexual harassment does not have to be explicitly sexual in nature; it may include any single or multiple continual displeasing acts. If the gender of an individual causes unwanted behavior, this case may be considered harassment. Apparently it is not only the females who are victimized. Men may also be the fatality. Some instances of harassment may be when: A tutor or teacher at school constantly favors one gender (male or female). A medical officer examines a patient in a sexual manner. A superior asks sex-related questions. A trainer makes certain sexual advances like touching, grabbing, etc, whilst at work. Approximately 15,000 cases of sexual abuse or pestering are brought to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) yearly. According to media and survey reports, 40-60% of women are sexually harassed each year. About 30-50% of them have faced some kind of sexual assault or redundant sexual behavior at work (European Women’s Lobby). A major cause of such behavioral acts is that women or men both give confused signals to their colleagues when they approach them. Harassment through text messages has also risen due to instant responding on the reception of a text message. Sexual harassment poses a cost to business as well. Work efficiency is badly affected. Conditions Despite the rising frequency of harassment, individuals are still reluctant to report such cases (Gottlieb, 1990). Victims are more likely to be younger than the harassers and the people working under their direction are the ones feared to be targeted. This was the result of a survey conducted by Tangri. This is indeed a matter of grievance. The term sexual harassment may be confused with â€Å"dual relationships†, but these two elements are different from each other, in that the latter requires the consent of both parties, whereas the former case with holds a forceful act from one side. It is a single-sided affair that is annoying and highly unwanted. Psychologists who face sexual harassment cases or who are acquaintances of directly involved victims may take such measures of inadequacy to the employing institution, for appropriate action to be carried out. They may also take the case to the Society so that legal action is taken for unnecessary acts. If any conduct is unwelcome, then it is considered sexual harassment. It is essential to let the harasser know about his unwanted attitude toward you. Comments about clothing, behavior or body, sexual jokes, or even threatening a person, are attributes to sexual harassment. Physical conditions such as hugging, stroking, patting are examples of bodily harassment. Sexual stalking also includes a condition in which a person is rejected a promotion, is demoted, is given poor performance remarks because he/she rejects sexual advances of the supervisor. The manner of the harasser must be intense enough because a single incident is insufficient to make such a judgment. It would violate criminal laws, if such an incident occurs. Rigorousness and Frequency of Sexual Harassment The purpose of pairing rigorousness and frequency of an incident is to ensure offensive comments are not made in the work environment. The employee is to be protected from liabilities of objectionable remarks. A single incident may comprise sexual harassment if it is extended, unpleasant and very serious in nature, as mentioned earlier. A combination of event with varying amounts of harshness is also termed harassment. The EEOC states, â€Å"the more severe the harassment, the less the need to show a repetitive series of incidents.† (EEOC). Consequences Following are the collective aspects of sexual harassment: The abusive experiences of sexual harassment have a terrible impact on deeply-held values and beliefs. Sexual harassment leaves a long-term effect. They distress physiological and psychological health. The impact of harassment on interpersonal relationships (Diane K.Shrier, n.d). Work performance is influenced for the worse. Both genders face equal amount of harassment. There are laws designed against sexual harassment in the workplace, for protection from the boss, co-workers, or customer at work. The federal law ensures employers remain responsible for preventing sexual harassment that occurs at the workplace. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) forbid any sexual harassment on the job. Most state laws make sexual harassment illegal. Taking revenge against someone is also against the law. Even investigating a sexual harassment case can cause trouble. Employers of companies usually have certain internal grievance procedures, which employees are to follow in case of any such encounters. The employer of the company should know of any misconduct that has occurred. Embarrassment may be felt on telling someone about the harassment, but it is essential to do so because that way the employer will be held responsible for stopping such behavior in the organization. The consequences of harassment at work may include inefficiency of the affected person too. The worker may not be hundred percent in full swing, because of the uncomfortable environment created by such acts. Productivity may be affected negatively. Dedication and devotion to work may diminish. The employee may not even feel like going back to work due to circumstances he/she has to face there. Working will just be a compulsion so that he/she can remain the bread winner of the family. There will be no satisfaction, only necessity. Job satisfaction will not persist any longer and may even disappear eternally. Most sexual harassment cases go unreported due to the following reasons: Women fear their reputation being manipulated and distorted at work. There is fear of being known as a trouble maker or a menace. There is general apprehension about discrimination in the work place. Employees may be afraid of termination, or retaliation of the harasser, so they avoid confrontation with the high authorities about such cases. Solutions Every situation differs. You will have to look for different solutions in different cases. Firstly, it is important to report the sexual harassment to your employer. You can then file a charge with the state or even go to court. How women put up with sexual harassment: Since not all severity of harassment is equal, the reactions to the harassment incidents also differ. The supportiveness of the environment varies the reaction to harassment. In a more supportive environment, the victims of sexual harassment are likely to go to others with their problem. Sexual harassment can have a variety of psychologically damaging effects on victims, such as reduced self-esteem and hopelessness (Kauppinen – Toropainen and Gruber, 1996), victims coping mechanism may be reduced just at the time they need them the most. Most studies of victim’s responses are insensitive to the dynamism of harassment. It consists of how long the harassment has been happening, how a victim responds to the situation. Clearly say â€Å"No†: You have to clearly let the person know that you are offended by his/her behavior. Refuse all invitations by showing a firm attitude. Make a record of everything: Write down everything as soon as the sexual harassment starts taking place. Note down the dates, places and events. Try to involve witnesses as well. Do not keep this record at work, though. It is a good idea to keep it in a safe place like home. Report to the HR department: Tell the human resource department about your issue; they can stop the harassment. No matter who the harasser is, you must report. Make a proper trail: Make a written record of your incident; write down exactly what the problem is and how you want it to be fixed. A written record always holds value in such cases. Use the personnel policies: Read through the grievance procedures / manuals of your company. You may find a solution through them. File a lawsuit: You can consider filing a lawsuit. The law will let you get your job back, all the money damages, and the court can also assure of no further recurrence. References Legal Aspects – Information on Sexual Harassment http://www.de2.psu.edu/harassment/legal/ Accessed October 30, 2007 Know Your Rights: Sexual Harassment At Work http://www.equalrights.org/publications/kyr/shwork.asp Accessed October 31, 2007 A Briefing Paper on Sexual Harassment at Work and the Ethics of Dual Relationships http://www.bps.org.uk/the-society/ethics-rules-charter-code-of-conduct/code-of-conduct/a-briefing-paper-on-sexual-harassment-at-work-and-the-ethics-of-dual-relationships.cfm Accessed October 31, 2007 Sexual Harassment in the Workplace in France and in the United States http://www.nla.org/library/spring97/pg22.html Accessed October 31, 2007 UCLA the University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university and a member of the Association of American Universities http://www.sexualharassment.ucla.edu/what_is.html Accessed October 31, 2007 Center for Women and Work http://www.cww.rutgers.edu/dataPages/rbshintheworkforce.pdf Accessed October 31, 2007 BMFSFJ, Beschà ¤ftigtenschutzgesetz in der Praxis, Berlin, 2005 http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/2005/09/DE0509NU01.htmAccessed October 31, 2007 Caroline Goette, NLA Review Sexual Harassment in the Workplace in France and in the United States. http://www.nla.org/library/spring97/pg22.html Accessed October 31, 2007 Persistence of gender inequalities European Women’s Lobby http://www.womenlobby.org/site/1abstract.asp?DocID=1209v1ID=RevID=namePage=pageParent=DocID_sousmenu= Accessed October 31, 2007 Gruber, J. E., Smith, M. D., Kauppinen-Toropainen, K. (1996). An exploration of sexual harassment experiences and severity: Results from North America and Europe. In M. Stockdale B. Gutek (Eds.), Women and Work V Sexual harassment. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Livingstone, J.A. (1982). Responses to sexual harassment on the job: Legal, organizational and individual actions. Journal of Social Issues, 38(4), 5-22. Fitzgerald, L.F. Hesson-McInnis M. (1989). The dimensions of sexual harassment. A structural analysis. Journal of Vocational Behaviour, 35, 309-326. Tangri, S.S. et al. (1982). Sexual harassment at work: three explanatory models. Journal of Social Issues, 38, 33-35. Sexual Harassment in the Workplace and Academia: Psychiatric Issues – By Diane K. Shrier The American Psychiatric Publishing Inc, 1996

Being Young :: Free Essay Writer

Being Young Everyone has once been young. But everybody hasn't gone through this difficult period in life the same way. Which possibilities and living conditions have teenagers nowadays? Some people think that you leave childhood when you become a teenager, and that you are still young up in your twenties. I don't think there are exact limits that tell you whether you are young or old. According to christian tradition one is considered adult after the confirmation, but I wouldn't call fifteen year-olds adults. At that age, they're still not ready to handle the consequences of their own actions. When you are eighteen, you are considered an independent individual, and have all juridical rights, such as driving a car and the right to vote. You are also bound to serve in the military. Nevertheless, one can't buy spirits before the age of twenty-one is achieved. Now, more than ever, fashion seem to dominate the youth's everyday. Perhaps the reason is that they feel insecure and think that the "right" clothes will give them a feeling of being accepted by the group. This phenomen has a negative side. What if a pupil can't afford to buy these clothes? Will he or she be excluded from the gang? Some schools in various countries have tried to solve this problem. They have introduced a rule that allows pupils to go at school only if they are dressed in a specific school-uniform. But many students don't like these uniforms. They want to decide for themselves how to dress. During the last years it has become more usual for parents to divorce. Some people think that this conflict may have a positiv effect on kids, because the children get a bigger family to hold on to. Others think the opposite. But it is obvious that parental separation can harm or ruin many childhoods. I don't think it is healthy for the kids if they feel dragged between their mother and father, and perhaps it is even worse if the child is allowed to choose which parent to live with. In Norway, children above twelve years have the possibility to make their own choice. When youngsters today seek entertainment, he or she has a tendecy to drop down in front of a television set. This is not very constructive, because it leads to passivity. In the past, kids used to tell stories to each other and play games, both inside the house and out in the streets. I think that was a more developing way of entertainment. One can already see the results of the television's influence.

Free Huckleberry Finn Essays: From Conformity to Manhood :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays

From Conformity to Manhood  Ã‚      In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck is the narrator. The character of Huck Finn was very different than the society that he was born into. Mr. Twain uses Huck’s open mindedness as a window to let humor and the book’s points and morals shine through. Huck always takes things very literally. This not only adds to the humor of the book, but it also lets some of the books deeper messages come through.  Ã‚   The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, traces the story of a young man, Huck Finn, from conformity to the Southern way of thinking, to his own ideas about religion, wealth and slavery. In the first scenes of the book Huck is struggling to understand the concepts of Miss Watson's heaven and hell. He finds her harp strumming view of heaven boring and he wants to be in an exciting place. When Miss Watson tells Huck that he will get anything he prays for, he takes it very literally and decides to pray for fishing line, which he gets. But praying for fishing hooks didn't seem to work, when he asks her to pray for him to get some fishing hooks she calls him an idiot. These are both gentle pokes at southern religion. Christianity practiced a people so very pious, like Miss Watson, who can still treat their human slaves like property. This is an ongoing theme in the book. Twain points out some of the absurd incongruences between Christianity and the lifestyle of most of the south. Huck has not conformed to societies general way of thinking. When he is with the widow and Miss Watson, he begins to change, but Pap steals him away and he reverts back to a much more practical l ifestyle. Huck places very little value on the large sum of money that he has in the bank, while he finds smaller sums more important. Six thousand dollars was a fortune in the time that the book was written, but Huck, unlike the rest of his society wasn't impressed by it. This is again because of his literal mindedness. What could he use six thousand dollars for? He could use ten cents to buy some food, or five cents to buy some fishing line, but he had no use for huge sums of money. Society put value on wealth and property and book learning.

Gender Differences in Educational Achievement Essay

Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the claim that gender differences in educational achievement are primarily the ‘result of changes in society’ Some sociologists claim that gender differences in achievement are the result of external factors such as changes in wider society, e.g. The impact of feminist ideas and changing employment opportunities (as stated in Item A). However, this could also be an outcome of internal factors such as the education system becoming ‘feminised’, which could have impacted the performance of girls achievement, as it has risen at a faster rate at some levels and in some subjects. Some sociologists also argue that the media have exaggerated the extent and nature of any problem. External factors such as the impact of feminism and girls’ changing ambitions could have a large influence on gender differences in educational achievement. Since the 1960’s, feminism has challenged the traditional stereotypes of a woman’s role as mother and housewife within a patriarchal family. Feminism has also raises girls’ expectations and ambitions with regard to careers and family. These changes are partly reflected in media images and messages. A good illustration of this is McRobbie’s comparison of girls magazine in the 1970’s, where they stressed the importance of marriage to the 1990’s, where it was more focused on career and independence. Changes in the family and employment are also producing changes in girls’ ambitions. This is supported by Sue Sharpe’s research where she compared the results of interviews she carried out with girls in the 1970’s and girls in the 1990’s. In the 1970’s the girls had low aspirations and gave their priorities as love, marriage, husbands and children before careers. However, in the 1990’s girls were more likely to see their future as independent women with a career, rather than being dependent on a husband and his income. There have been a number of major changed to the family in the last 30 years. Some of these include an increase in the divorce rate, cohabitation and an increase in the number of lone parent families (mainly female headed). These changes are affecting girls’ attitudes towards education in a number of ways as increased numbers of female-headed lone-parent families may mean more women need to take on the major ‘bread winner’ role. This further creates a new financially independent, career-minded role model for girls. The need for good qualifications is made very clear and the girls aspirations tend to require academic effort. Becky Francis points out that boys are more likely to have career aspirations that are not only unrealistic but often require few formal qualifications, e.g. professional footballer. Evidence suggests that girls are more likely to spend their leisure time in ways which compliment their education and contribute to educational achievements. Mitsos and Browne place considerable emphasis on reading. Women are more likely to read than men, and mothers are more likely than fathers to read to their children. Therefore girls are more likely to have same-sex role models to encourage them to read. Poor language and literacy skills are likely to affect boys’ performance across a wide range of subjects. Whilst there are factors outside school, internal factors also impact gender differences in educational achievements hugely. According to Tony Sewell, boys fall behind in education because schools have become more ‘feminised’, as indicated in Item A. This means that feminine traits such as methodical working and attentiveness have been emphasised, which in result disadvantaged boys. The gender gap in achievement increased after the introduction of GCSEs and coursework in 1988. Mitsos and Browne argue that girls are more successful in coursework because they are better organised and more conscientious than boys. They found that girls tend to spend more time on their work, take more care on its presentation and are better at keeping deadlines. This all helps girls to benefit from the introduction of coursework in GCSE, AS and A Level. Sewell suggests that some of the coursework should be replaced with final exams and a greater emphasis should be put on outdoor adventure in the curriculum, as he thinks boys learn differently to girls. Jo Boaler argues that equal opportunities policies such as GIST and WISE are a key factor in the improvement of girls educational performance. Schools have become more meritocratic, which means that girls in general work harder than boys and achieve more. Teacher-pupil interactions were also identified as being very significant by Barber. For girls, feedback from teachers focused more on their work rather than their behaviour; for the boys it was the opposite. The low expectations of girls in science reinforced their own self-images; boys frequently overestimated their abilities. Research by Abraham (1995) suggests that teachers perceive boys as being more badly behaved than girls in the classroom, and as such expect bad behaviour. Teachers may also tend to be less strict with boys, giving them more leeway with deadlines and expecting a lower standard of work than they get of girls. This can allow boys to underachieve by failing to push them to achieve their potential. Some sociologists argue that the growth of ‘laddish’ subcultures has contributed to boys’ underachievement. Mac and Ghaill examines the relationship between schooling, work, masculinity and sexuality. He identifies a particular pupil subculture, the ‘macho lads’ which could help to explain why some boys underachieve in education. Jackson found that laddish behaviour was based on the idea that it is uncool to work hard at school. She found that boys based their laddish behaviour on the dominant view of masculinity – they acted tough, messed around, disrupted lessons and saw school work as feminine. Weiner, Arnot and David’s (1997) criticise this theory and have their own theory that the media have created a misleading moral panic which exaggerated and distorts the extent and nature of any problem. They argue that although the media are also interested in the underachievement of white, middle-class boys, they see black and working-class underachievement as a particular problem because it is likely to lead to unqualified, unemployable black and working-class men turning to crime. In conclusion, girls are improving in achievement whereas boys are underachieving due to external factors such as: the impacts of feminism; boys poorer literacy skills, unrealistic expectations and also girls changing ambitions and perceptions. On the other hand, there are also internal factors , which in my opinion are equally as valid and important, such as: laddish subculture, teacher interaction and attention, and also positive role models in schools. However the pre occupation with failing boys diverts attention from underachieving girls. Research by Plummer suggests that a high proportion of working class girls are failing in the school system. Cohen (1999) argues that the question is not ‘why are boys underachieving’, but ‘why boys’ underachievement has now become of concern. Her answer is that it is not just the destruction of the industrial bas of Britain; nor is it the result of pressure put on men by feminism, or by girls’ superior achievement in recent years.

Discussion Luminary

redden in the 1960s the jungle remained terra incognita, an unfamiliar land with the power to hold the applied science of mechanized warfargon beyond its periphery. And with honest reason, Munro though. Men just did non belong there. He was non gratify to be back. Elliot, never having been in a come down timbre, was fascinated skip to next page Because Elliot had looked forward to his set-back experience of the equatorial Afri quite a little rain forest, he was surprised at how quick he felt oppressedand how in brief he entertained thoughts of leaving again.Yet the equatorial rain forests had spawned most raw(a) liveness forms, including man. As he walked through the forest, Elliot found himself thinking of it as an colossal hot, dark womb, a place new species were nourished in unchanging conditions until they were name to migrate out to the harsher and more shifting temperate zones. This line of achievement has a span competing ideas that illuminate the other t ensions of congo. Munro says that earth do not belong in the jungle and despite Elliots sign enthusiasm his later feeling of conquering devotes him closer to Munro. exclusively Elliot also thinks that the rain forest is where demeanor comes from, including tender-hearteds, a place supernumerary from the technology of mechanized warf ar that destroys life without replacing it. So, if we read this together, military man owe a debt to the universal ocellus of life alone argon now thinned off from it and feel it as a mysterious enemy. In a way, though, phrase lets us re-enter or re-connect with this origin of life through Amy and her connection to the association base of gorillas and homo. Day 8 Chapter 4 only if he know what Munro was saying.Inevitably, wad who raised apes found at a certain point they could no weeklong keep them. With maturity the animals became besides large, alike powerful, too much their own species to be controllable. It was no longer possible to put them in diapers and pretend they were cute anthropomorphous creatures. Their genes coded inevitable engagements that ultimately became impossible to overlook. This passage is interesting because it helps to explain most of the definition elsewhere in the book approximately how humans are affecting the globe.Like apes, human civilization has grown up and take f atonic from the control of nature we are too large and too powerful for the jungle to resist our bulldozers and chainsaws. This passage also seems to have in mind that each species has a genetic nature that it cannot resist, so we leave alone probably be helpless to stop ourselves from exhausting our inseparable resources unless it is also part of our nature to guard ourselves. Day 9 Chapter 1He also found it off that the learning recorded by the video photographic camera had to travel more than twenty honey oil miles before returning to the display screen, scarce a few feet away. It was, he utter later , the worlds longest spinal cord, and it produced an odd effect. Even at the zip up of light, the transmission required a 10th of a second, and since there was a diddle processing time in the Houston computer, the images did not appear on the screen instantaneously, precisely arrived well-nigh a half a second late. Even out of setting this passage is an interesting commentary on our every day lives.Although we know that light and sounds travel at certain speeds we are used to feeling like we are immediately connected to our surroundings however, the narrow gap between our selves and our world becomes seeming(a) through technology. This is ironic since, as in the passage quoted, technology gives us knowledge of the world we otherwise wouldnt have. But the price of knowing more about the world is that we are also far away from it. Discussion Director In Day 11 Chapter 2 Ross says, people piety what they fear oping to control it. How qualification this be a commentary on Con go? Congo creates a supernatural and mythical species of gorilla to terrorize the inquisitive Westerners. Although an alternative explanation in the refreshed explains what is happening in the city of Zinj, Congo represents to us what we fear. However, what we are led to worship is not the violence of the gray gorillas but Amys language abilities. The possibility that animals can be equal to humans in mastering language is something we fear and wanton away stories about in the hopes of controlling it.Day 13 Chapter 1 What does the teams response to the discovery of diamonds say about the difference between humans and animals? Animals are unremarkably thought to respond to training in a relatively mechanistic way, whereas humans are thought to possess apologise will. The recent defeat of the gray apes agrees with this they could not resist the broadcast with their own will and had to obey it. However, even though the humans are in danger for their lives they result the blue di amonds as if they are value more than life itself.How does Crichtons alternative of References make you feel about the truth of the novel? The references show that there are real scientific observations and facts underpinning some of the skillful aspects of the novel. On the other hand, it is clearly a novel of fiction that depends on some pretty fantastic departures from the real world for its effect and to make its points about human-animal communication. eventually it indicates that even scientific facts can be bent around a convert narrative and put to the service of something that is not scientifically verifiable.