Voodoo Essays - Vodou, Afro-American Religion,

Voodoo When I was first assigned this research paper on Voodoo, the first thing I thought of was Voodoo dolls, zombies, and evil magic. I think Voodoo is an evil religion which sacrifices humans as well as animals to demonic gods. I think it has been around for thousands of years, but is little left today. I believe that Voodoo is nothing but evil and the work of the devil. Voodoo originated in Western Africa by the Yoruba tribe. The Yoruba religion has about four hundred lesser gods called Orisa. This is not the actual Voodoo religion as we know it today, but plays an important role in it. Voodoo believes that the Grand Master or God rules over all things, but pays no attention to human affairs. This is why they believe in lower spirits or Loa to whom they worship and make sacrifices to(Belgum 14-28). When the slave trade started, people of the Yoruba tribe were captured and brought over as slaves. when the slaves arrived, they were baptized into the Catholic religion. The slaves continued to practice their native religion in secret which over time was mixed with Catholicism to create the Voodoo that we know today (Introduction 1). Over sixty-million people still continue to practice Voodoo worldwide (Vodun 1). The main center of Voodoo in the United States is New Orleans (3). About fifteen percent of New Orleans practices (Voodoo 1). The Voodoo religion contacts the spiritual worked Quite frequently. They believe that spirits help people in all that they do (Belgum 30-1). The Voodoo religion believes that true communion comes only through possession of the body by a Loa or spirit. Possession is very common during rituals for it is how the Loa give instructions to or help the people. They believe they get possessed for certain reasons. Such things as protection, cures from illness, or even to give warning to an individual or to the whole community of worshipers (Possession 1). When a person gets possessed, they show struggle moving and jumping around like crazy people. Then all of a sudden they go blank and motionless. They then come out of that trance a totally different person. While a person is possessed all bodily functions and gestures take the form of the Loa which possesses the body. While the Loa possesses the body it will often smoke, drink alcohol, and eat. These are all things that it is usually not capable of doing unless in a human body. They are also known to eat orwalk on fire and will show no marks on their body afterwards. The possessed person shows great strength and is known to toss things as well as people around. The possessed will have a totally different voice, facial expressions, etc.... After the possession, the person has no remembrance of what happened and therefore cannot be held responsible for what they did while being possessed (Possession 1-2). Voodoo rituals play an important role in the religion. Since practicers believe that human and Loa depend upon one another, they hold many rituals to make contact with the spirits through a very special process. Rituals can be held for many different reasons. Rituals can be held to celebrate a special event in the lives of a family or a community, in bad times for guidance from the Loa, for healing of an illness or a disability, births, weddings, and deaths (Vodun 2-3). There are two different types of voodoo rituals: Rada and Petro. Both are exactly the same except for the type of Loa they are addressing and for the purpose of the ritual (Basic 1). All rituals are held at a hounfour or a temple (Belgum 37). All rituals are began by the houngan asking Legba, the Loa of the gate, to open it. After the opening, water is sprinkled throughout important places in the hounfour (Basic 1-2), especially at the center where the poteau-mitin is located. It is a pole where the people communicate with the loas and God (Vodun 3). The drum or tambula (Mysteries 1) begins to beat. A veve, or pattern of flour is made on the floor in a design of one of the Loa (Vodun 3). The Houngan then calls the Loa by striking the veve or calling upon it with the use of magical words (Basic 4). Chanting begins along with prayers (2), one of the most common being the prayer of life and death which reads: "Earth, while I am yet alive, It is upon you that I put my

Police Patrolling Methods

Police Patrolling Methods Free Online Research Papers Policing is an integral part of all civilized societies. For a society to be maintain peace and order the police must have demonstrate effective patrol. Over the years many departments face the same dilemma; how to effectively and efficiently patrol force while maintaining the safest working conditions possible for its officers. There have been several studies conducted in order to find the most effective patrol methods and crime prevention strategies. Several operational studies have been conducted within the Kansas City Police Department, the most well known being the Kansas City Preventative Patrol Experiment which was conducted between 1972 and 1973 by the Kansas City Police Department. The experiment tested the assumption that the likelihood of a crime being committed could be reduced by the presence (or potential presence) of uniformed officers in marked cars. It was also the first study to demonstrate that research into the effectiveness of different policing styles could be carried out responsibly, ethically, and safely. Another internal study conducted by the Kansas City Police Department was their Strategic and Target Oriented Plan, conducted in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, which attempted to produce the most effective workload and patrol strategies to combat the rise the almost 40% increase in Part I offenses. In the early 1990s the Kansas City Police Department conducted another study, the officers were told to proactively patrol neighborhoods with an emphasis on seizing illegal firearms. The officers did this by increasing traffic patrol. A follow up study was conducted in 1995 in order to gauge public opinion of the experiment. In the 1950s Stanley Schrotel published a paper detailing the pros and cons of foot patrol vs. motorized patrol. Studies have also been conducted involving the effectiveness of one-man vs. two-man police patrol cars, the most notable by Frank Day. Studies of one vs. two man police patrol cars have also been conducted in New York, San Diego and Kansas C ity. Kansas City Police Department The first of the Kansas City Police Department evaluations is the Preventative Patrol Experiment. The department wanted to test whether the likelihood of a crime being committed could be thwarted by the presence of the likelihood of a police patrol being present. The experiment was designed to study the impact routine police patrol had on the incidence of crime, the public’s reaction to police patrol and the public’s fear of crime. Three controlled levels of preventative patrol were used; â€Å"reactive† and area which received no preventative patrol, â€Å"proactive† in which police visibility was increases two to three times the usual, and â€Å"control† an area where police patrol activities remained normal. (Brown, Dieckman, Kelling, Pate 1974;7) The study utilized 15 beats evenly divided among the three study variables. (Brown et al 8) Findings were produced on the effect the experimental conditions had on the types of crimes (burglary, auto t heft, larceny-theft of auto accessories, robbery, and vandalism) traditionally considered to be deterrable through preventative patrol. (Brown et al 1974;9) The study revealed that the three experimental patrol areas used had no significant impact in the level of crime, citizen’s attitude toward police patrol, citizen’s fear of crime, or officer response time. The study did however show that officer’s non committed time (60% in the experiment) could be used for purposes other than routine patrol without a negative impact on public safety. (Brown et al1974;vii) Between 1978 and 1981 the department conducted â€Å"Strategic and Target Oriented Patrol Plan† experiment. Fiscal stress was very high in Kansas City as was the rate of Part I crimes being committed, which made the department look for a way to meet their obligations with existing resources. The â€Å"ten-plan† was the first response to the dilemma, it attempted to compensate for lack of patrol by applying an overlap of personnel during peak workload hours. (Caron, Curtin 1984:252) The goal of the â€Å"ten-plan† was not achieved due to the continuing increase of calls for service. Next the department decided to reorganize the beats in order to best meet demands while distributing work evenly throughout the area. The plan called for 65 percent call for service commitment level, which means that if 65 percent of an officer’s time was used was used in a particular beat during a particular shift then he would be assigned full time to that beat while the othe r 33 percent of his time would be used random patrol, administrative activity, etc†¦ (Caron 1984:255) The department also aimed to reevaluate its patrol strategy to allow field officers to handle calls for service and report duties effectively while allowing for proactive attacks on specific crime problems. The department reviewed several alternative patrol strategies. Two concepts emerged as primary alternatives to existing protocols, which were deemed ineffective by the Preventative Patrol Experiment, police specialist and sector-planning. The police specialist concept divided the patrol in two teams, â€Å"A† and â€Å"B†. Team â€Å"A† consisted of single officer cars dispatched to prepare reports arising out of service calls, while also being available to handle emergency calls. Team â€Å"B† consisted of one or two officer cars dispatched to handle calls for service to events in progress. Sector planning grouped beats together with near to equal workloads and a sector sergeant deployed officers to these areas based on monthly crime trends. (Caron 1984:257) The new strategy was named the â€Å"Strategic and Target Oriented Patrol† (or S.T.O.P). After six months of operation the study found that, with few exceptions, the plan resulted in a timely response to peak-hour calls for service there was also a more th an 10 percent drop in Part I offenses. Supervisors were also able to measure individual officer performance. In the early 1990’s the department aimed to locate and seize illegal firearms by using directed patrol. The strategy looked to utilize officers who were free from responding to calls for service and directed them to use aggressive means of traffic enforcement in high crime areas in order to seize firearms. The strategy produced striking results. The increase in traffic enforcement led to an astonishing 65 percent increase in the seizure of illegal firearms and a 50 percent decrease in gun-related crime. (Chermak, McGarrell, Weiss, Wilson 2001:119) In 1995 a follow up study was conducted in order to gauge public opinion about the gun control strategy. According to surveys the public thought the police did not show discrimination or show aggression in any manner towards the citizens they stopped, while observing a high level of legality in their basis for stopping the individuals. It also showed the patrol did not increase community tension and was supported in advance and in r esults by the majority of citizens interviewed. One group who was not surveyed was the offenders who were stopped by police and their illegal firearm seized. It was also found that nearly 1/3 of offenders who were arrested did not live in the Kansas City area. (Shaw 1995;708) The multiple experiments conducted by the Kansas City Police Department provide very useful strategies that could be employed by other departments across the country and even the world to efficiently operate. Foot Patrol vs. Motorized Patrol Foot patrol is performed almost always by uniformed officers on foot, while in some larger cities it is performed by mounted police and in some cases on bicycles. (Schrotel 1954:46) The rationale behind foot patrol was to engage the officer in a friendly relationship with his clientele. Foot patrol however has no guarantee that the desired relationship will be forthcoming, while imposing definite limitations on the effectiveness of the officer’s area served and quality of service. (Schrotel 1954:47) Fatigue is another serious limitation of foot patrol, once the officer arrives on the scene he me be, â€Å"out of breath or ill prepared for an arduous effort.† (Schrotel 1954:48) Schrotel also details the advantages of motorized patrol over foot patrol. He states motorized patrol amplifies the power of police patrol through superior mobility, maneuverability, and speed of movement. While used in conjunction with advanced communication, motorized patrol is the most effecti ve method. (Schrotel 1954:49) One Man vs. Two Man Patrol In 1977 the San Diego Police Department decided to study the effectiveness of one and two man police patrol cars. The study used stratified sampling which considered the patrol area, watch, and former staffing to select 44 patrol units, and assigned half to two man patrols and the other half to one man patrols. The overall performance of both groups pertaining to type and frequency of calls for service activities and officer initiated activities proved to be about equal. (Boydstun, Moelter, Sherry 1977:5) The study had concluded with several findings. The overall efficiency of one officer patrol units clearly exceeded that of two unit patrols even though single officer patrols required more backup support. The study also found that two officer units required less time to service calls than one officer units, but the relative time savings per minute was not enough to offset the overall cost per minute. One officer patrols seems to have an advantage in safety over two officer patrols, with an equivalent amount of exposure one officer patrols experienced less involvement in resisting arrest and equal involvement in assault on officers and other officer injuries. (Boydstun et al 1977:6) Frank Day conducted a study of police departments around the country in regards to one vs. two man patrols. He found one man patrols are more economically sound, cover a wider area effectively, provided more efficient officer performance, and enhanced safety with proper training. The only disadvantage is securing the investment to purchase and equip more cars, and training officers to transition to one man patrols. (1956:704-706) Kansas City Police Department attempted to recreate the results of the San Diego experiment within their own department while also attempting to expand its findings. The Kansas City Department found that two officer cars responded faster to calls but explains that the reason for this is due to the fact that one officer cars need to wait for backup. It is well known however that officers do not always wait for backup. The study also concluded that two one officer cars respond more rapidly than one single officer car. (Kessler 1985:58-60) New York City also wanted to test the feasibility of using one man patrol cars. The study found that an equivalent response time could be reached with one man patrols. This study however should be considered tentative because of the limited data available for NY’s two man patrol. The study also failed to account for an overbearing workload on the dispatchers being able to contact a patrol and send them a call for service. (Green 1984;970) Research Papers on Police Patrolling MethodsThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThe Fifth HorsemanEffects of Television Violence on Children19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesTwilight of the UAWResearch Process Part OneIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalOpen Architechture a white paperThe Effects of Illegal Immigration

A considerate of contemporary management function Essay Example for Free

A considerate of contemporary management function Essay ? A considerate of contemporary management function of the employer-employee relationship The six journal articles that have been looked at stem from the original Locke, (1982) article. Frederick W. Taylor popularised of scientific management. The essay will discuss 5 aspects of Taylor’s ideas about scientific management and show how understandings of contemporary management functions and the employer-employee relationship have been developed from Taylor’s ideas. What was Taylor’s idea about the management? Management involves coordinating and overseeing the work activities of others so that their activities are completed efficiently and effectively. The ideas about the relationship between employer and employee have been developed from a nother. Retain critical employees is important and necessary. According to the Fitz-enz(1997), the company average losses 1 million with every 10 people who is the managerial and professional employees. In addition, the total cost of least a former employee at least a year of wages and benefits, up to two years of unpaid salary and benefits. This is a huge economic loss with a company loses a number of critical employees. As a manager, we must give employees adequate physiological, safety, love, esteem. One of the advice is managers should look into a way to motivate employees to achieve a satisfactory and unmet needs through activities and exercises. Managers have a responsibility to create a suitable environment to inspire employees to their fullest potential. If no such right environment, will lead to a big difference such as lower job satisfaction, lower productivity, lower profit with a company. How to effectively improve the relationship between managers and employees? Taylor given 4 methods. (a) Scientific management: In Principles of Scientific Management (1911)Fredrick Winslow Taylor, the â€Å"Father† of scientific management utilises scientific methods to define th e â€Å"one best way† for a job to be done (b) Scientific selections. Taylor advocated selecting only â€Å"first class†(i.e., high aptitude) men for a given job because their productivity would be several times greater than that of the average man. (c) Money bonus. Taylor claimed that the money is what employees want most, he thinks employees should be paid from 30% to 100% higher wages for to do his job. (d) Management responsibility for training. Taylor thought that most contemporary managers should fully accept the notion that training new employees is their responsibility. My understanding about the  employer-employee relationship has also been shaped by these articles. I have learnt that (1) Scientific management can focus speed of production, low cost production and availability of an unskilled workforce. In addition, today’s use of scientific management can use time and motion studies to increase productivity, hire the best qualified employees and design incentive systems based on output. Equity theory is a theory of social comp arison effect on employees. This theory appears to be very common, but it is very important. Equity theory refers to the rate of employees with their work output and input compared with others. Time input includes the time of the work, work habits, work experience, work attitude, and so on. When they found unfair, they usually can’t change the rate of others, can’t change their input, so employees will find ways to change their output. This may mean that they will reduce their work time or effort to work. Then, the manager can use the equity theory to motivate employees. Managers can use a more open system of remuneration paid for employees to understand each position and every effort should position relative to how much salary can be get. (2) Scientific selections: Everybody have their own good aspects, based on each person strengths and rational allocation of work. As a result, not only can bring effectively produce but also can make person enjoy their work. According to the Wren (1979) notes that Taylor focuses on scientific selection can promote the develop ment of industrial psychology and personnel management and other areas. (3) Money bonus: How to influence people? The most common method is money bonus. Such as up wages, bonuses, benefits. These things are the most effective way to influence the work of passion and power of a work. Through the Vroom’s (1946) expectancy theory, we can find that an employee will play his better efforts when he is convinced that his efforts would be better evaluated. And these evaluations will bring him more rewards such as bonuses, salary increases. These rewards will meet staff personal goals. Individual employee attitudes and enthusiasm in their work will determine to a large extent a company’s performance. According to the Porter (1968) and Lawler’s expectancy model of motivation, this model proposes two factors that determine spending on a number of tasks energy. The first is the personal rewards from work to get. These returns will be the psychological perception of employees is their own work to be sure. The second is that these returns will be formed job satisfaction. (4) Management  responsibility for training: The staff training is an essential element of human resource management. Managers can’t ignore their training responsibilities. Understanding management system in staff training in this area can help you build an effective training system to help you prepare new employees for their work To sum up, from the six articles considered, scientific management can not only getting the most output from the least amount of inputs but also focus on those work activities that will help the company reach its goals. Taylor’s idea has shaped modern employer-employee relationships. Work is still specialised, personal are still trained. The quality of work is still rewarded in bonuses, as well as other. Reference: 1.Three chapters in The Ideas of Frederick W Taylor: An Evaluation’. 2.Wren, D. A. The evolution of management thought (2nd ed.). New York: Wiley, 1979. 3.Towards a unified model of employee motivation / Darren J. Elding, Andrew M. Tobias and David S. Walk [Chichester, West Sussex, England] : John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., 2006 4.Kotter, John P. What effective general managers really do / John P. Kotter Boston [etc.] : Graduate School of Business Administration, Harvard University, 1982 5.Managing in the new millennium : understanding the manager’s motivational tool bag / Patricia M. Buhl Burlington, Iowa, etc., National Research Bureau, etc.], 2003 6.A review of employee motivation theories and their implications for employee retention within organiz Hollywood, FL : Journal of American Academy of Business, 2004 A considerate of contemporary management function. (2016, Mar 24).

Wuthering Heights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Wuthering Heights - Essay Example However, this novel is not an ordinary love story with a happy end. It represents an awful picture of destructive feelings, which ruin the lives of many people. The most interesting thing is that nowadays, such stories become more and more popular. The famous novel â€Å"Twilight† written by Stephenie Mayer brought thousands of clients to the book shops all over the world. When the story was filmed, it was impossible to get the tickets to the cinema due to its extreme popularity among youth. Millions of people thoroughly watched the deviant relationships between the main heroes of the story, Edward and Bella, observing simultaneously the representation of cruelty and violence in it. The aim of this work is to analyze the features, which attract the audience to read such novels. Though, the plot of such stories has the scenes, which can be unpleasant for the reader, for example, domination of men over women, unnatural forces and so forth, they still attract much attention from the audience, which is an unusual phenomenon. This paper specifies on the attractive sides of these novels, which are of paramount importance for the reader. The plot of â€Å"Wuthering heights† does not represent anything unusual from the first sight. In its center there are two men (Heathcliff and Edgar Linton), who love one woman. The main female character of the story is Catherine Earnshaw. Catherine is a young, beautiful and egoistic girl, whose feelings are confusing and inconstant. She views the relationships with Heathcliff and Edgar differently. Her love to Edward Linton is calm, measured and harmonious, while her relationships with Heathcliff are rapid and unconscious. During the whole story, Catherine tears around her reserved marriage with Linton and the spirit of her past love to Heathcliff, who appears as a cruel and imperious person.

Critical Examination of the change management implications the Essay

Critical Examination of the change management implications the retirement of Terry Leahy's (Chief Executive) will have on Tesco - Essay Example Since its conception, Tesco has taken advantage and tackled major changes which have contributed to its success. Many changes facing the organization involve entrance of more women in the workplace, big disposable income, advent of weekly shop and the cheap food policy which was adopted in Britain after Second World War. The Origins and Development of Change in Financial Management The change in the financial growth of Tesco originates from e-commerce business activities which started in 2000 according to Finch (p184). Tesco concentrated more on its non-food business including the e-commerce business. Since then the company’s market shares have rapidly and impressively improved in the twenty first century. The management of Tesco since in history has been using technology for effective change. Tesco came up with a project known as Prospect to establish the areas in which technology could improve operational performance. The supermarket has indulged in a store-opening programme r for maintaining its position as the leading supermarket in the UK. The departure of a chief executive from any company attracts huge expectations in as far as changes in management are concerned as suggested by Toni and Tonchia (p947). The change can positive or even unsetting one depending on the leaving chief executive influence. The retired chief executive officer of Tesco spent his career developing the organization to be the biggest grocer in Britain. However his successor Phillip Clarke, will face the challenge of either maintaining the position or braking the company. The retailer has a wide range of products ranging from food to furniture as well mortgages and motor scooters. It has several outlets including its headquarters in Cheshunt and its branches in china. Tesco customers include buyers of high-quality goods and of low-cost goods while stores range from mega-stores to corner shops. One of the major changes that have been encountered by the retailer since the retirem ent of Leahy is the financial management. Since the set up of a joint venture with Royal bank which was done Leahy’s predecessor, Tesco has been offering financial services. According to Anon (69), this section has rapidly grown offering services such as loans, insurance and credit cards. One of the financial changes includes the now fully owned Tesco Bank which is aiming at becoming a great competitor to other banks. So far Tesco is selling its financial products to almost six million customers. Last year, the retailer launched a range of mortgages and savings account while in the current year Tesco is planning to launch a current account. The retail organization also intends to capitalize the discontent of customers through their current jobs. A focus by Liz Hartley who is principle consultant indicates that Tesco Bank will be among the top ten best banks in the country within the next five years. However the growth of the bank is likely to cause more changes in the organiz ation since banks are valued in a very different way compared to retailer. Key Implications of the Change to the Organization The change in financial management of Tesco has brought with it different implications. These implications include: The implication of balancing the current cost of managerial time with the new suppliers benefits as well as how to cope with the existing suppliers. With the retirement of Leahy, Tesco financial managem

The consequences of government imposing a price above or below the free market equilibrium Essay Example for Free

The consequences of government imposing a price above or below the free market equilibrium Essay 1. Use a diagram to show the consequences of government imposing a price above or below the free market equilibrium. (10) When government imposes the free market and prohibits a price from going above a certain level, we call it price ceiling. If the price ceiling is below the equilibrium price, then shortages are created. The intention of price ceiling is to protect consumers from rapid price increases. However, this intention comes with consequences that are unintended. An example of price ceiling is the gasoline shortages in the 1970s. The diagram below will show the consequences of price ceiling: In the first stage (before government imposing), the equilibrium price of oil per gallons is $1.20. This is where the number of demand equals to the quantity of product sold. The graph of demand and supply when government imposes the price below the free market equilibrium is shown below: We can see form the graph that the supply contracts from point A, the equilibrium, to point B, which represents the quantity of gallons if the price of oil was to be changed to $1. When supply contracts, it means that the quantity of oil that is supplied becomes less. Because of the shortage of oil, the demand will extend. The lack of supply of oil and the excess demand, scarcity will occur. Even though scarcity of oil existed before, shortages did not happen before the government imposed. Another outcome of price ceiling is the illegal economic activities that may occur. Because the maximum price that the government pointed is less than the equilibrium price, producers would feel that they could earn more money. With the shortage and the excess demand of oil, producers would then sell the products at a higher price illegally, and they would succeed in doing so because consumers would still need the oil that is so scarce in the market. Because illegal economic activities would occur, the government would then need to hire inspectors. These inspectors would have to supervise the oil market. Hiring inspectors would cost the government more money; therefore the government spending will increase. However, the producers of oil that are investigated would still find a way around the rules and regulations from the inspectors. For example, the producers would lie about their income as they have sold their product in the black market to make more money. This would lead to tax evasion as well, because they would understate their own income. 2. Evaluate the impact of either rent controls or a minimum wage. (15) Rent control is an example of price ceiling. This is a law that prohibits landlords to raise the price of rent to go above the price that they have determined. This law is determined by state or country legislatures. In Mumbai, the rent control act started in 1947, with the intentions of making houses affordable to more people. In rent control, the government imposes the price below the free market equilibrium, making the price lower than what it is supposed to be. Although the government intended well, the act proved that instead of benefitting the whole country, it mostly only benefit some of the poor and the people who already rented a place before the rent control. In the short run, rent control helped many people in obtaining places to live. This mostly helped the poor people who could not afford rents before. However, the effects of rent control have not fully happened in the short run. The number of people who look for housing may not be as high as it takes time to arrange housing. As market conditions change, it also takes a long time until the landlords could adjust the number of apartments they rent. As a result, rent control in the short run had quite a positive impact. However, as time passes, the disadvantages of rent control outweighed the advantages. Even though the intentions of rent control were to protect the rights of the poor, rent control did the exact opposite. As rent control continues in Mumbai, the landlords started to discontinue their rent because they are getting less money for their rents than the years before. Because the price of rents was below equilibrium price, landlords felt that they could earn much more with their rents. With the decreasing supply of rents in Mumbai, the number of demand increases. However, these demands could not be fulfilled with contracting supplies. As supply contracts and demand extends, the rent control act creates a shortage of rents. This would lead to homelessness, as people cannot find homes to live in. Although the rent control act denied access to the migrants, it protected the people that are already housed in Mumbai. Because of their safety in the rent, the people that are housed would refuse to leave, and it would cause immobility, meaning that companies outside would not be able to hire someone from Mumbai, even though they are very capable for the job. There are also cases in which people give their houses to their children, their children give it to their children, and so on. This again, decreases the supply of rents. As time passes and the landlord wants to renew the houses, those people who have stayed in the houses would be paid to leave, thus becoming millionaires when they only had to pay $20 each month. The lack of supply of rents is also seen as the biggest reason for slums in Mumbai. As the number of rents occupied increase and the number of the rents available decrease, more people would not have a place to live, resulting to the slums in Mumbai. Not only does rent control affect the tenants, it also effects what the landlords do. Because the price of rents fall, the landlords would not earn as much money as they did before, when it has potential to earn much more money. As a result, the landlords would decrease the quality of the houses. They could also charge the tenants for things that are supposed to be included in the rent expense, such as TV. In conclusion, rent control acts, particularly in Mumbai had more disadvantages than advantages. Even though it protects the rights of the poor by decreasing the price below the equilibrium, rent control only lead to a shortage of rent. The shortages would then cause slums to increase, as the demand extends but could not be fulfilled. ________________ References: Houterman, Robin. The Global Urbanist. Indias New Model Residential Tenancy Act: A one-size Solution That Hardly fits All N.p., 05 June 2012. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. http://globalurbanist.com/2012/06/05/india-model-residential-tenancy-act. Lessons From Elsewhere: Mumbai Rent Control. Cairobserver.com. N.p., 09 July 2012. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. http://cairobserver.com/post/26830679617/lessons-from-elsewhere-mumbai-rent-control. Lewis, Clara. Proposed Rental Law Gets Brickbats. The Times Of India. N.p., 1 June 2011. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-01/mumbai/29608341_1_landlords-maharashtra-rent-control-act-tenant-associations. Mahajan, Sulakshana. The Rent Control Act. Http://sdmahajan.tripod.com/. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. http://sdmahajan.tripod.com/slumming_mumbai.pdf. Principles of Economics. Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=nZE_wPg4Wi0C. Thakur, Pooja. Mumbais Boom Turns Renters Into Millionaires.Www.businessweek.com. N.p., 05 July 2012. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-07-05/mumbais-boom-turns-renters-into-millionaires. Tree of Knowledge. The Madness of Mumbai. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. http://tokblog.org/?p=309.

Essay --

The question I chose to focus on is question seven, â€Å"How Should Families be Involved in Assessment† (Nation Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC], 2003, p. 13). It is important to understand how to incorporate the families of the children being assessed into the assessment process. Whether the assessment is merely routine, or is being done out of concern for the child’s development, it is my belief that the parents should be involved. Rous et al. (2007) affirms this belief by defining assessment as â€Å"†¦a shared experience between families and professionals in which information and ideas are exchanged to benefit a child’s growth and development.† Involving the families in the assessment process requires three basic steps. The first step in involving the family of a child being assessed is to notify the family before assessment begins. When a parent (or parents) enrolls their child in a childcare program, they are entrusting the caretakers with the task of knowing what is best for their child. Discovering that may require assessment. NAEYC and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialist in State Departments of Education [NAECS/SDE] (2003) note that â€Å"to assess [a] young [child’s] strengths, progress, and needs, use of assessment methods should†¦[be] inclusive of families.† Essentially, in order to properly assess a child, the families knowledge and input is required (NAEYC & NAECS/SDE, 2003). Once the family has been notified, the second step should take place. The family should be made aware that their involvement in the assessment process is important for their child’s overall development (Rous et al., 2007). Rous et al. (2007) notes that â€Å"the role of family as the child’s first and most significant teac... ...ssed, which is step one. Step two is revealed when the parents and the teacher have a conference to discuss what steps can be taken to improve Tyler’s progress. Lastly, step three occurs when the teacher gathers evidence to show the parents their child’s marked improvement in skills he once struggled in. Involving the parents in their child’s assessment is incredibly important. As a teacher, it shows concern for the child’s overall wellbeing and concern for the parents involvement in their child’s development. While it is important to involve the parents, it is much more important in how a teacher or caregiver does this. With the three steps of informing the parents of assessment, encouraging the parents to participate, and showing the parents the final outcome of the assessment, a teacher or caregiver is able to involve the parents in a meaningful and helpful way. Essay -- The question I chose to focus on is question seven, â€Å"How Should Families be Involved in Assessment† (Nation Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC], 2003, p. 13). It is important to understand how to incorporate the families of the children being assessed into the assessment process. Whether the assessment is merely routine, or is being done out of concern for the child’s development, it is my belief that the parents should be involved. Rous et al. (2007) affirms this belief by defining assessment as â€Å"†¦a shared experience between families and professionals in which information and ideas are exchanged to benefit a child’s growth and development.† Involving the families in the assessment process requires three basic steps. The first step in involving the family of a child being assessed is to notify the family before assessment begins. When a parent (or parents) enrolls their child in a childcare program, they are entrusting the caretakers with the task of knowing what is best for their child. Discovering that may require assessment. NAEYC and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialist in State Departments of Education [NAECS/SDE] (2003) note that â€Å"to assess [a] young [child’s] strengths, progress, and needs, use of assessment methods should†¦[be] inclusive of families.† Essentially, in order to properly assess a child, the families knowledge and input is required (NAEYC & NAECS/SDE, 2003). Once the family has been notified, the second step should take place. The family should be made aware that their involvement in the assessment process is important for their child’s overall development (Rous et al., 2007). Rous et al. (2007) notes that â€Å"the role of family as the child’s first and most significant teac... ...ssed, which is step one. Step two is revealed when the parents and the teacher have a conference to discuss what steps can be taken to improve Tyler’s progress. Lastly, step three occurs when the teacher gathers evidence to show the parents their child’s marked improvement in skills he once struggled in. Involving the parents in their child’s assessment is incredibly important. As a teacher, it shows concern for the child’s overall wellbeing and concern for the parents involvement in their child’s development. While it is important to involve the parents, it is much more important in how a teacher or caregiver does this. With the three steps of informing the parents of assessment, encouraging the parents to participate, and showing the parents the final outcome of the assessment, a teacher or caregiver is able to involve the parents in a meaningful and helpful way.

Gender role Essay

â€Å"Bros before hos, The guy code†, is a piece by Michael Kimmel, published on the Anthology portable legacies on 2009; On this piece Kimmel explains what The guy code is and how these code defines guys masculinity in today’s society and how society expects guys to behave. Kimmel also explains that young boys are taught these rules by a male figure in their lives at a very young age and they grow up with the pressure of having to follow these rules no matter what. The guy code is a collection of rules, traits and values that make a man. â€Å"What is a man?† was the question asked to teenagers in their late teens and early 20’s. Where their answers were things like: â€Å"Boy’s don’t cry†, â€Å"Don’t get mad – Get even†, â€Å"Take it like a man†, and many more. Kimmel then proceeds and gives the four rules that have been summarized by Robert Brannon, a social psychologist of the 1970s. Some of these rules are: â€Å"No sissy stuff!†, â€Å"Be a Big Wheel†, â€Å"Be a Sturdy Oak†, â€Å"Give ’em Hell†. (655) These rules supposedly define masculinity and that one a man disobeys those rules, the risk is being bullied with words like â€Å"fagot† and â€Å"gay† that are used as an insult to describe a man’s weakness. The guy code also creates competition between most men, from playing the best sports, better jobs, pretties girl, nicer cars, etc. and it has been like this from a long time ago due to men wanting the power, respect, and that image of being better than the other man. Creating the image that all men are supposed to be unemotional, powerful and successful beings. Kimmel also claims that in the future, the guy code causes social and psychological problems for boys and young men. Renteria 2 Men have been taught this guy code ever since they were young boys; their uncles, grandpas, dad, coaches, peers or any male figure in a mans life are the ones that start tell little boys to â€Å"man up† or â€Å"don’t cry† and is no longer able to cry or show emotion, leading to their behavior in the future. The little kids learn to always hold in their emotion and to never show weakness. Kimmel then gives an example of how boys are introduced to the guy code: A three year old boy that was crying at the barbershop because he was burnt by hot chemicals. The barber said to the boys dad, he was a wimp for crying and he needed to stay away from his mom and the boys dad decided after that, his child was spending more time with him and less time with his mother because he was scared of his son  being a mamas boy. (659) As a child grows up and parents push them to be strong and tough by keeping them away from their mothers nurturing. Kimmel also talks about the â€Å"Gender Police† that is basically other guys around them who watch and judge how they act , what they wear and say even how they walk because with a little natural swing on their hips they could be called a â€Å"fag† making homosexuality seems as a weakness. The gender police makes them feel like they are ust waiting for someone else to screw up, for someone to wear something pink or acting a little bit feminine. and just putting standards for each other, forcing themselves and guys around them to create a fake cover where they act rough and manly around each other. This judgments make man feel like they are being watched because of the fear of being ridiculed and humiliated by their peers. Kimmel said that men are more about what other men think about them; however the judgment from girls because as a girl the social media taught us to be attracted to tough guys,for example in any Disney movie where the superhero is the dependable, ric h, handsome, muscular guy who takes care and provides everything for the girl, creating an idea that masculinity is success, wealth and power. Renteria 3 Peers are another big influence and problem of this â€Å"guy code†. Another example from the article is about Don,a former Lehigh College football player, who discuses the effects of always having to put up a front and act tough in front of his teammates and his coaches. He says that his coach would always make fun of or humiliate any one of his players for showing any sign of weakness or fatigue. Don says â€Å"I’m sure he thought he was building up our strength and ability to play, but it wore me out trying to pretend all the time, to suck it up and just take it.†(656) If a guy doesn’t follow the rules in the guy code he will be criticized by other man, often times bullied, and lose friends which leads to low self-stem. Men are scared of what other men will say or think about them regardless of the situation. While the Guy Code may have been meant to make men stronger it causes more harm than good turning out more self destructive in the end It causes them to grow up thinking that showing emotion is never an option, which leads them to depression, and emotion issues, aggression towards themselves and the ones around them. Kimmel’s article is really good, since it talks about a topic that need to be discussed more; it gives examples and  even talks about of where the problem begins; but it still seems quite limited to me since as Kimmel explains what the guy code is, it still does not apply to all man, for the reasons that for some guys, the guy code is just a challenge or a phase where they learn how to express their emotions, also the question that were being asked only cover white middle class man that live in a certain area, In America there’s a great variety of immigrants coming from places all around the world, also if Kimmel had questioned people from a less homophob ic part of the country, then there would be a better chance of getting a more gender equal survey. Work cited Kimmel, Michael. â€Å"Bros before hos, The guy code.† Anthology Portable Legacies 2nd edition. Ed. Jan Zlotnik Schmidt and Lynne Crockett. Boston, MA, 2009. 654 – 669. Print.

The Ritz-Carlton: A Snapshot

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is a management company that develops and operates luxury hotels for W. B. Johnson Properties, also based in Atlanta. In 1983, W. B. Johnson acquired exclusive U. S. rights to the Ritz-Carlton trademark, a name associated with luxury hotels for 100 years. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company operates 23 business and resort hotels in the United States and two hotels in Australia. It also has nine international sales offices and employs 11,500 people. Two subsidiary products, restaurants and banquets, are marketed heavily to local residents.The company claims distinctive facilities and environments, highly personalized services, and exceptional food and beverages. â€Å"Gold Standards† Quality planning begins with President and Chief Operating Officer Horst Schulze and the other 13 senior executives who make up the corporate steering committee. This group, which doubles as the senior quality management team, meets weekly to review the quality of products and services, guest satisfaction, market growth and development, organizational indicators, profits, and competitive status.Each year, executives devote about one-fourth of their time to quality-related matters. The company's business plan demonstrates the value it places on goals for quality products and services. Quality goals draw heavily on consumer requirements derived from extensive research by the travel industry and the company's customer reaction data, focus groups, and surveys. The plan relies upon a management system designed to avoid the variability of service delivery traditionally associated with hotels.Uniform processes are well defined and documented at all levels of the company. Key product and service requirements of the travel consumer have been translated into Ritz-Carlton Gold Standards, which include a credo, motto, three steps of service, and 20 â€Å"Ritz-Carlton Basics. † Each employee is expected to understand and adhere to these standards, which de scribe processes for solving problems guests may have as well as detailed grooming, housekeeping, and safety and efficiency standards.Company studies prove that this emphasis is on the mark, paying dividends to customers and, ultimately, to Ritz-Carlton. The corporate motto is â€Å"ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen. † To provide superior service, Ritz-Carlton trains employees with a thorough orientation, followed by on-the-job training, then job certification. Ritz-Carlton values are reinforced continuously by daily â€Å"line ups,† frequent recognition for extraordinary achievement, and a performance appraisal based on expectations explained during the orientation, training, and certification processes.To ensure problems are resolved quickly, workers are required to act at first notice — regardless of the type of problem or customer complaint. All employees are empowered to do whatever it takes to provide â€Å"instant pacification. † No matter what their normal duties are, other employees must assist if aid is requested by a fellow worker who is responding to a guest's complaint or wish. Much of the responsibility for ensuring high-quality guest services and accommodations rests with employees.Surveyed annually to ascertain their levels of satisfaction and understanding of quality standards, workers are keenly aware that excellence in guest services is a top hotel and personal priority. A full 96 percent of all employees surveyed in 1991 singled out this priority — even though the company had added 3,000 new employees in the previous 3 years. Detailed Planning At each level of the company — from corporate leaders to managers and employees in individual work areas — teams are charged with setting objectives and devising action plans, which are reviewed by the corporate steering committee.In addition, each hotel has a â€Å"quality leader,† who serves as a resource and advocate as teams a nd workers develop and implement their quality plans. Teams and other mechanisms cultivate employee commitment. For example, each work area is covered by three teams responsible for setting quality-certification standards for each position, problem solving, and strategic planning. The benefits of detailed planning and the hands-on involvement of executives are evident during the 7 days leading up to the opening of a new hotel.Rather than opening a hotel in phases, as is the practice in the industry, Ritz-Carlton aims to have everything right when the door opens to the first customer. A â€Å"7-day countdown control plan† synchronizes all steps leading to the opening. The company president and other senior leaders personally instruct new employees on the â€Å"Gold Standards† and quality management during a 2-day orientation, and a specially selected start-up team composed of staff from other hotels around the country ensures all work areas, processes, and equipment are ready.Quality Data Daily quality production reports, derived from data submitted from each of the 720 work areas in the hotel system, serve as an early warning system for identifying problems that can impede progress toward meeting quality and customer-satisfaction goals. Coupled with quarterly summaries of guest and meeting planner reactions. the combined data are compared with predetermined customer expectations to improve services.Among the data gathered and tracked over time are guest room preventive maintenance cycles per year, percentage of check-ins with no queuing, time spent to achieve industry-best clean room appearance, and time to service an occupied guest room. From automated building and safety systems to computerized reservation systems, Ritz-Carlton uses advanced technology to full advantage. For example, each employee is trained to note guest likes and dislikes. These data are entered in a computerized guest history profile that provides information on the preferen ces of 240,000 repeat Ritz-Carlton guests, resulting in more personalized service.The aim of these and other customer-focused measures is not simply to meet the expectations of guests but to provide them with a â€Å"memorable visit. † According to surveys conducted for Ritz-Carlton by an independent research firm, 92 to 97 percent of the company's guests leave with that impression. Evidence of the effectiveness of the company's efforts also includes the 121 quality-related awards received in 1991 and industry-best rankings by all three major hotel-rating organizations.

The best blogs every HR professional needs to ready

The best blogs every HR professional needs to ready Things are changing all the time in the HR world, so if you’re looking for ways to keep current, you can’t go wrong with blogs. But which one? We have you covered, no matter what avenue you want to explore. Here are some of the best, industry-leading blogs that can help keep you in the loop.The HR CapitalistWritten by Kris Dunn, a longtime HR executive with a passion for efficiency, The HR Capitalist focuses on ways to make your work more streamlined and informed. Highlights include everyday tips, interviews with essential pros, book reviews, and thoughtful essays on current trends. Bonus blog: Dunn also runs Fistful of Talent, which features diverse voices writing about trends and news from recruiting and talent management.PandologicBy putting the gamut of HR topics in one place (like recruiting, recruitment marketing, strategy, data and analytics, advertising, and tech trends), Pandologic gives you a checkpoint for all that’s new and developing in your professi onal world. With its focus on fast-moving trends and future development, this blog is geared toward the professional looking to make- or maintain- forward progress in their organization.Ask a ManagerWho doesn’t love a good advice column? Ask a Manager brings Dear Abby into the HR realm, giving insightful advice on real-life issues faced by professionals in the field. The advice here comes from Alison Green, a longtime management and human resources professional. Green’s philosophy is based on practicality and productivity, using communication to solve problems before they become insurmountable or, worse, career-blockers.The Buzz on HRIn The Buzz on HR, human resources manager Sarah Morgan (who has more than 20 years of experience in the trenches) brings her unique insights to leadership and organizational management. If you’re looking for a daily hit of short trend pieces and breaking news, this may not be the place; but if you want thoughtful, perceptive essays on the experiences and challenges facing the busy HR professional, this one is a great blog to add to your rotation.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});HR BartenderWhen happy hour feels too far away (when it’s, say, at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday), you can still get the experience of chatting with a friendly voice who understands that HR is a lifestyle (not just a day job) at HR Bartender. HR professional-turned-consultant Sharlyn Lauby gets that the HR world isn’t just recruitment and data- it’s an integral part of a living, breathing workplace, with human interests and concerns. HR Bartender uses a light, practical approach to the issues facing HR pros.HR ExaminerIf you’re looking for insight into the technology that’s shaping the HR world more and more every day, then HR Examiner can help you geek out to your heart’s content. It’s all about the intersection of technology, analytics, and hands-on HR work. T he blog includes in-depth analysis of trends and products, as well as weekly interviews, newsletters, and podcasts to keep you up-to-the-minute on all the latest tech trends.The Undercover RecruiterUndercover Recruiter is a bit different from the rest of the pack because it brings HR-themed content for several different audiences: the employer, the recruiter, and the job seeker. The blog features a diverse array of writers and topics, covering industry trends, tips for strategy and best practices, and news on the latest trends that affect hiring from all angles.WorkologyWorkology is great because it tackles topics meant for HR pros at every level: newbie, midlevel, management, executive, etc. With more than 100 writers providing news and insight into trends and the HR experience, the blog supports the human resources lifer at every stage of their career. The platform also has extensive social media and podcast content, as well as a weekly newsletter to keep you up on all the news yo u need to know.The best HR blogs are ones that not only inform, but also show how vibrant and diverse the HR community is. Each of these is a great resource that can help you grow and thrive in your organization and find your tribe while you learn everything you need to know.

Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Proposal - Essay Example In order to derive a genetic algorithm, potential solutions to a problem need to be developed by encoding; for instance by using binary bit strings. Another method used is the estimation of distribution algorithms for software optimisation, whereby a probability model is maintained for each generation of a problem situation. While there are studies applying each of these software optimization methods separately, the number of studies where both methods are compared in the same assessment are not as plentiful. This study seeks to carry out a comparison of both these software optimization methods in one particular study. Both these methods will be compared and an estimation of the efficacy of each method in terms of software optimization capacity will be made on the basis of the comparison. This study will rely primarily on two major research studies which are detailed below, which form a close parallel to the subject of this research study. The most relevant studies that would apply in the context of this research proposal are those showing different methods of software optimization. Through the use of parallel and distributing processing, multi thread techniques have been shown to provide better solutions than sequential options (Cruz and Pelta, 2009). Under the multi thread option, each solver thread represents a particular optimization algorithm and a coordinator collects performance information on the solvers and then sends them instructions on how behaviour is to be altered. On the algorithmic approach, metaheuristics can be successfully applied to complex and difficult combinations of optimization programs. In the study carried out by Cruz and Pelta (2009), the most basic ingredients of soft computing were used, i.e, through fuzzy sets and fuzzy rules, depending upon the location, i.e, by focusing upon the p-median, where the combinatorial optimization problem occurred. The

Medicare and Medicaid Module 4 (SLP) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Medicare and Medicaid Module 4 (SLP) - Essay Example The program has been designed to provide affordable medical support and its clients benefit from a range of products, including regional care teams, social workers, registered nurses and the behavioral health specialists. Medical services in Texas are offered depending on the laid down policies. The Medicare system is ideally relevant and it involves a number of radical considerations. The Medicare supplement involves paying your taxes through 65 years and from here you can be able to get your payback. To qualify for Texas Medicare, the state offers enrolment requirements for the couples. For example in Texas, the core consideration for people planning to acquire the health plan would involve ideally ensuring that qualification for Part A hospital insurance scheme is achieved. This implies that must work for 10 years in order to qualify for the free cover. Other people would opt to buy the program. The rates vary considerably from about $32-$100 depending on the program. To enroll hence for Part B program or otherwise known as medical insurance, you will be required to pay $99.90 every month. Once enrolled, your details would be reflected in the Medicare systems database once you reach 65 years. The services take effect as soon as your information has been crosschecked for authenticity. Further, the medicare scheme could be automatically loaded depending on specific pay details. The next step is to classify your outpatient insurance program to be able to attain the relevant benefits. Part B insurance is critical and it is fundamental for people looking for treatments outside the hospital. If you have been successful in meeting relevant requirements, then it would be ideal to ensure that you proceed to create specific milestone for your spouse and your family. The monthly fee for Part B is $99.9 per month but this could be much less and this is classified basing your existing membership scheme or even when your premium has