In the name of the father Essay

Often a film conveys a message about a character through various film techniques. This is true in the film â€Å"In The Name of the Father†. This story is mainly about a young man who is arrested for a crime he did not commit and how a relationship between father and son deepens throughout the tragedy. The main character, Gerry Conlon, is first portrayed to the viewer as an unruly rebel but is later developed into a more docile and compliant character. The director, Jim Sheridon, uses film techniques such as costume design, dialogue and extended metaphors to convey the development of Gerry as a character. 1st paragraph: -1st time we see gerry, scruffy, uncut -costume design – baggy jeans, long hair, dirty appearance -gives idea that gerry doesn’t care about his appearance or what people think of him -as film progresses he sharpens up appearance -combed pulled back hair 2nd: -change also shown through dialogue -lawyer asks him if he is scared of the court: -he replies â€Å"i just don’t want to be humiliated again† -this brief piece of dialogue shows that he has now changed and does care what others think of him -helps viewer understand how desperate an innocent man can be in the fight for justice 3rd: -use of extended metaphor -viewer sees lawyer gareth pierce driving through a long tunnel while listening to gerrys story -this could be viewed as an extended metaphor for the long dark road gerry has gone down while fighting the legal system -as the story draws to a conclusion she reaches the end of the tunnel, or the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ -could refer to the point in the story where gerry and the others are finally set free. Read more:  My Father Goes to Court by Carlos Bulosan

The True Definition of a Strong Team

The True Definition of a Strong Team What is a team one may ask? The formal definition of team is â€Å"a number of persons associated in some joint action† (Team). A group of athletes, a group of employees, or a group of friends can call themselves a team when united to complete a common goal. Truly any group of individuals can call themselves a team, but only when this group possesses the right characteristics is when they can be called a true, strong team. Being a strong team is much more than getting a group a group of people together and declaring it is a team. A strong team is constructed with more than speech; it deals with strong feelings, dedication, and hard work. Strong feelings provide great importance when construction a strong team. Whether people are part of a sport team or a work force, they all must possess the characteristic of having strong feelings for the situation they are placed in. If the person’s feelings are so strong, he/she will be more than willing to strive for that goal. If he/she did not care much for the situation they are placed into, they will most likely not strive and excel and unfortunately, the team will suffer by the goal not being reached. When each individual in a team has strong feelings toward the completion of or reaching that goal, a strong team is reached. Everyone, apart of the team, who has those strong feelings are on the same page allowing them to strive together with a great feeling of passion. When this passion is reached, every team member will know exactly how to complete their team goal with their inner feelings. When a team all has the same feelings toward a common goal it shows the strength of the team as a whole. A team may all have a strong feeling toward completing a goal, but each individual has to portray many other characteristics in order to become a strong team. With strong feelings, teams can reach many goals. But in order to complete and achieve more challenging goals, a strong team must posses’ dedication. Dedication is a very important characteristic that every great team out there acquires. Dedication requires individuals to do the best they can always. For example, always showing up for dance class, always being on time for dance class, always being at every rehearsal, and so fourth. When portraying the dedication attitude, others will envy that and respect the fact that this individual wants to be apart of something much greater than any individual. Dedication can also be portrayed through showing respect for the team. This can be done by putting others first. If every member of a team is willing to put others before themselves, a team will be able to accomplish goals the never thought they could before. Dedication is a characteristic every team must have in order to be called a strong team. A strong team that possesses dedication are the teams heard to be accomplishing phenomenal goals, not only because they are extraordinary at their sport, but because they have the passion and dedication of being apart of a team. Dedication is a possession that truly great teams have and with dedication comes hard work and if you are dedicated, you will work hard! Working hard is something each individual must provide their team. By working hard, a team will become stronger and will learn how to work together by working off each others’ strengths. Working hard means that people always put forth their best foot and try their hardest at all times. Through hard work, individuals will mold themselves to become better, along with helping others improve. When a team is able to work hard every day and put forth everything they have, that team will strive. In the end, what that team puts in is what they will receive out and each individual is going to get stronger through their teams improvement. Undergoing these strong feelings toward a goal will help the team succeed. Hard work will better the chances of completing this unique goal the team holds. Dedication is a key characteristic in all teams. Dedication most importantly makes the team not only stronger as individuals but as a team. Dedication builds the base for a strong team and hard work keeps that team functioning beautifully together. These characteristics will give that passion to excel towards a sport, job or any such life goals. When each of these characteristics are reached, I give the permission to call themsel

A comparison between Annie Barrows Potato Peel Pie Society and Mary Ann Shaffers Awakenings in The Guernsey Literary

A comparison between Annie Barrows' Potato Peel Pie Society and Mary Ann Shaffer's Awakenings in The Guernsey Literary Awakenings in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society In the novel The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, writer Juliet Ashton falls in love with Guernsey, an island in the English Channel occupied by Germany during World War II. One day, she receives a letter from stranger Dawsey Adams about a book he acquired that once belonged to her. They exchange more letters and Juliet gathers more information of the island’s book club: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. As several other members of the society begin to write to her, Juliet becomes drawn to the world of these islands and believes she has found a new topic for her next book. Throughout the story, characters experience awakenings and changes in attitude that play a part in making life changing decisions. While still living in London, Juliet begins dating Mark Reynolds, a publisher visiting from America. Mark treats her to lavish dinners and various other extravagant dates, which Juliet enjoys since she would not be able to provide these things for herself in these trying times. After two months of dating, Mark asks Juliet to marry him. She then discovers it is not Mark she is attracted to but his wealth. She finds that their personalities are not at all compatible and she cannot possibly have a future with this man, no matter how handsome or rich he may be. About two weeks after giving Juliet time to think, Mark’s patience runs out and refuses to take no for answer no matter how long it may take to get a yes, telling her, â€Å"We’re right together – you make me happy, you never bore me, you’re interested in the things I’m interested in, and I hope I’m not deluded when I say I think the same is true is for you. We belong together. I know yo u loathe it when I tell you I know what’s best for you, but in this case, I do.† (153) The next day, Juliet leaves for Guernsey much to the dismay of Mark and proudly leaves behind the thought of a life of fame and fortune, although she still may not be aware of what she really wants for her future. Shortly after receiving her first letter from Dawsey, Juliet becomes fascinated with the interesting story of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and begins exchanging letters with its other members. She soon discovers that the most compelling member of the society is their founder Elizabeth. Every person who writes to Juliet adds to story of Elizabeth’s extraordinary life. As punishment for helping a polish slave worker, she was been deported from Guernsey and the islanders later hear that she was killed later at a concentration camp trying to save someone else’s life. So captivated by the stories that the letters deliver, Juliet decides to travel to Guernsey herself. After leaving London for Guernsey, Juliet experiences something new to her, the feeling of belonging. Although the death of Elizabeth proves to be devastating for them, in the end they all grow closer because of it. Wanting more of this rare feeling for her, Juliet agrees to become the care taker of Elizabeth’s daughter, Kit. She treats her as she would with her own child and quickly falls in love with her. She develops her relationship with Dawsey and very often hangs around the society members and is able to converse with them as if she has known them for years. Despite only living in Guernsey two months, Juliet now sees it as a real home, saying she â€Å"would never marry [Mark] or anyone else who didn’t love Kit and Guernsey†¦Ã¢â‚¬  After deciding that this is the life she wants, she makes the decision to stay in Guernsey and without hesitation asks Dawsey to marry her. In The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, characters make life-changing decisions after experiencing awakenings and changes in attitude due to changes in environment and the actions of others. Before first writing to Dawsey, Juliet was very dissatisfied with her life. She did not have many friends to talk with and was struggling to find a new topic for her book. After leaving Mark behind, Juliet decides that the glamorous idea of life that she once had is not what she really desires. Being welcomed to Guernsey with open arms from the society members showed her what she really needs in order to be happy with her life: the feeling of family. Juliet’s relationship with Dawsey and the islanders shows us that love is sometimes where we least expect it.

Oil and the U.S. economy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Oil and the U.S. economy - Assignment Example The US remains very dependent on these foreign oil reserves for its functioning economy which leaves us helpless to disruption. The US consumes more than 25% of the world’s oil and this is going up by 2% every year; 57% of this oil being consumed is imported from Canada, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Mexico (Churchill). What this means is the US is built around the use of oil for cheap, reliable energy. The US economy, from its most basic consumer base, cannot survive without it for very long. Despite the US’s clear dependence on foreign oil the US is less dependent on this oil as it was in 1973 and 1980. According to the New York Times, â€Å"the energy used for each dollar of gross domestic product in 1980 was almost 70 percent greater than it is today. While we have collectively wrung our hands over the decline of manufacturing in the country, it has also reduced the relationship between energy prices and growth† (Goolsbee). The US commuter is more dependent than ever though. People live farther from their work and drive more. Because fuel efficiency standards in the US stopped going up in 1990, fuel inefficiency creates a higher demand among US commuter for oil to fill their tanks. When oil prices go up dramatically like in summer of 2008 the US commuter was forced to make difficult choices, and the economy scaled back because the consumer was left in shock by such high prices. This oil shock was right before the economic downturn (Panzner). On the stock market commodity prices and stock prices have an interesting relationship. When commodities go down in value, stocks usually go up in value (Mitchell). This relationship causes some people to look at oil prices in relation to the US economy as a whole when thinking about where the US economy will be going. Oil prices are a big commodity that many analysts look at, and if oil prices change, commodities in general change. This is because oil

Change the formula Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Change the formula - Essay Example We had to wait for a long time to receive our food especially after the waiters taking 20 minutes before they took our order. The waiters did not help me at the time when we needed more information about some options that I did not have adequate knowledge about. In general, I consider the experience at Olive gardens as irritating since it did not offer its clients a welcoming atmosphere. In addition to the services, I was also harmed psychologically during my stay at the hotel. The waiters were not willing to provide a friendliness environment to me since one of the waiters declined to my request for change of a hot dish. In determining the experience at Olive gardens, I used the following indicators in Omachonu and Ross (2004): In regards to the practice of total quality management and improving organization-wide performance, explain the importance and relationship of the value chain, quality, and satisfied customers. NOTE: This is a 20 point item and students are expected to write 4 - 8 sentences or a moderate-sized paragraph. In other words, be thorough and offer a "scholarly" response and not just your opinion. With reference to excellence, the organizations need to analyze the needs and expectations of customers, because the latter forms an inherent part of the profitability of any organization. This happens since they are the end-buyers, which the organizations consider as one major source of cash inflows. Intuitively, the determination of the needs will help an organization to determine the taste and preference of the customers, concerning improving quality and general satisfaction. Upholding good image among the potential customers, requires an organization to be in a position of raising a unique product, which is capable of retaining and attracting the customers. Consequently, the given organization should always modify the value chain quality since this will help in meeting

Health care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health care - Essay Example The fifth section concentrates on the target market, whereby the paper provides an insight on the strategies that can are used to serve the market, and the sixth section identifies resources needed to move forward in the entrepreneurial process. The seventh section covers a brief summary of the financial projections for the period end 30 June 2012, whereby the summary is benchmarked through data gathered from research of similar types of publicly traded companies. The eighth section elaborates on the forces that determine the profitability of the industry, and the paper concludes with the challenges that are faced by the business as it grows. Â   Funding Pitch portions of the Health Care Entrepreneurial Business Plan: Tele-hospice counseling service 1. The entrepreneurial opportunity Various changes in the society have contributed significantly to a creation of entrepreneurial opportunities by providing a strong concentration to the sector of services concerning new and fast growing business environment for adaptation of the entrepreneurs to dynamism in the society (Lindmark, 2012). The increased understanding of entrepreneurship process due to the research and the set of individuals, who have discovered, evaluated and exploited the opportunities. Therefore, fostering a reliable understanding of the changes in different levels of society has led to creation of opportunities and the way entrepreneurs can adapt and exploit these opportunities after an analysis, which is altered at an aggregate level. 2. The business, product or program planned Hospice refers to a twenty-four hour program, which is planned by hospice interdisciplinary team, in order to allow the terminally ill clients to make a decision related to physical, pastoral or spiritual and psychological comfort, instead of cure. These patients are hospitalized of they are indicating acute symptoms, and hospice care is initiated by the decision of the client, family or physician. However, there is a requ irement of a certification by the client in order to receive the services offered by hospice, which offered from either temporary or permanent place of residence. In this case, the Hospice service program is terminated by the client or family decision, death or discharge by the hospice agency, and bereavement care is offered to the family members (Whitten, Doolittle & Hellmich, 2001). The products of offered by this business are emotional and spiritual comfort that is related to the death of hospice client. The other product offered by hospice program is counseling services and support to the members of the patients’ family. They also focus on non-interventional care of patients succumbing to their terminal illness at their homes. Furthermore, the members of the family are made integral participants of the program, whereby the day care is offered by stepping a caregiver duty, which is considered foreign. 3. The management team The management team comprises of the Mike Friedel , Chief Executive Officer, who is charged with the responsibility of leading the team by making informed decisions on substantial issues in the organization. The other member of the management team is John Budnick, who is CFO with the responsibility of managing the organization’s financial resources and Ray Terrill, who is a sales and marketing manager with a significant role of formulating the strategies of targeting customers and

The Structuring of the Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Structuring of the Organization - Essay Example Establishing a successful car factory in the car industry must account for prior, current and possible future trends in the car industry. Planning and implementing a project that would make it possible to realize success in operations and performance must significantly counter or fundamentally actualize countermeasures of the possible problems that the car factory is likely to face, relative to the performance of the entire industry. In such a pursuit, leadership must be critically positioned in every aspect of the industry in order to minimize problem effects and enhance the success of the business. There are variant problems that the car factory would face in the industry, but leadership should be availed to combat all underlying problems. Different industries across the globe are characterized by stiff competition between the firms that make up such industries. Business enterprises within the industry setting engage each other in stiff competition for a significant market share that favors the continuity of the business aspects of every single enterprise (Robbins, Judge & Sanghi, 2009, p.218). The competitive advantage of a firm is determined by a number of factors, all of which are influential in the market. The objective to satisfy consumer needs is relative to product qualities and pricing policies. Consumer tastes and preferences must also be accounted for in the competition process since the ultimate concern is to be in business by engaging consumers to buy. High competition in the car industry is a problem due to the already established businesses in the same line. Existing firms are often preventative of the market, and they try to make the environment unfavorable for new entrants. Setting up a car factory cannot fail to consider this aspect of competition. In order to effectively tackle high competition problems, leadership practices etc.

Developing Professional Practice and Using Information in HR Research Paper

Developing Professional Practice and Using Information in HR - Research Paper Example As the paper outlines, in-house and on-the-job learning approaches are the two most effectual development approaches as compared to that of the external development such as educational background, workshops and various other practices which include visual and audio practices that have not made such impact. The previous survey carried out in 2011 regarding e-learning reports that the use of the approach is increasing in a few specific departments of training and development (CIPD, 2012)  A survey done among the employees regarding the effective learning and development approach in the organization provides a report that coaching and mentoring as well as performance management is the most preferred approaches to organizational change.  The organizations are making decisions more cautiously towards developing elements such as learning and development, organizational development and performance management to ensure organizational success. The utilization of the e-learning approach am ong the employees of public sectors was more than that of the other learning and development approaches management approach attracts the highly productive employees the most in the private sector. The public sector does not include the middle managers to put them in this approach. The objectives of the talent management are to develop an efficient workforce and to develop as well as educate them to be the future managers and leaders in the organizations. Talent management is considered effective by very few organizations.  Around 50% of organizations consider talent management as reasonably effective.

Kill a mocking bird 1.2.3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Kill a mocking bird 1.2.3 - Essay Example In the early chapters, he is known as a child who fights every conflict and never refuses dares thinking that those actions are expressions of bravery. In chapters 13-18 though different lines from the text showed Jem’s transformation. In the part where Jem and Scout’s father and aunt were having a discussion about Calpurnia, Jem told Scout in private to â€Å"try not to antagonize† their Aunt since she is still young to understand that â€Å"it’s different with grown folks.† In the said line he presented himself as an adult (Lee Chapter 14, p.139). Another evidence of Jem’s growth is the manner by which he handled the situation with Dill. Although, Dill did not like it, Jem told his father that the child run away from home and explained to him that he â€Å"cannot run three hundred miles off without his mother’s knowing† about it. This showed concern for other people (p.143). The third evidence of Jem’s maturity is his a wareness and understanding of the issues being discussed in court during the trial of the rape case. He explained to Dill that the matter was about. In addition, when Scout pointed out the fact that they had been seen by Mr.

The True Monster Essay Example for Free

The True Monster Essay In Mary Shelleys gothic novel, Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein creates and animates a monster from various corpses. Victors experiment works, yet when the creature he creates comes to life, he is hideous. He immediately flees from Frankensteins laboratory and kills Frankensteins brother. Later, feeling ultimate loneliness, the creature begs Frankenstein to build a companion for him, but he refuses to complete the task. In revenge, the creature murders Frankensteins wife and best friend (Hawkins). Frankenstein is a story that focuses on the outcome of Victors endeavor to interfere with nature. In the novel, Victors creation is not born evil; rather it is the result of poor parenting that he becomes evil and vengeful. Throughout the novel, Shelley creates a definite perception of the creature and his creator by using various writing techniques. Shelley makes readers sympathetic towards the creature by offering hints in her work as to the creatures true sentiments. She also uses writing techniques to create the perception that the true monster is Victor, not the creature that he created. Shelley offers insight into a series of characters qualities and actions and this offers readers a greater view into their knowledge and their personalities. By using these effective writing techniques, Mary Shelley is able to create the perception that the real monster is Victor and not the monster himself. Shelleys use of the technique of having three different narrators offers readers a greater perception into the experiences and the personality of Walton, Frankenstein, and the creature. This switch allows readers to have greater insight into the inner experiences of the characters, which leads to further development in the attitudes in which the readers begin to grasp from each character. Shelley includes the story of Victor, the creator, and the story of the creature, the created, to emphasize the contrast between their personalities and their different experiences. The contrast offers readers two entirely different views, and thus two entirely different responses towards each character. One example of this can be found in the story of the creature. The story incorporates the innocence and benevolence in the creatures personality along with the tormenting hardships that the creature was forced to experience. Even the creatures creator detests him, and upon meeting him in the summit of Mont Blanc, Victor roared Abhorred monster! Fiend that thou art (Shelley 81)! The revulsion that is present  toward that creature causes the reader to sympathize with the creature rather than to detest him. Shelley also includes the perspective of Victor, which gives readers insight on Victors arrogant, haughty, and appearance-based personality. Again, this causes readers to sympathize with the creature, which has fallen victim to Victors thoughtless actions. The beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room and continued a long time traversing my bedchamber, unable to compose my mind to sleep (Shelley 42), Victor said. This example causes the reader to question Victors capability of thinking and the thought that he actually put in before making the creature, and thus the reader begins to question whether the creature is the monster, or whether it is actually Victor who is the thoughtless, ignorant monster. Readers are made to think that the creature is the more civilized creature of the two, and that the character of Victor is far more monstrous and dangerous than that of the creatures. By using the structure of three narrators, Shelley ultimately shapes the readers responses towards Victor and the creature. Shelley uses the writing technique of imagery and symbolism to shape the reaction of readers and the ideas surrounding them. The use of imagery portrays ideas visually, which is ultimately more effective in causing the reader to respond in a certain way (Imagery). For example, Shelley portrays the depressing and miserable world in which the creature is born into as full of hypocrisy, oppression, and prejudice. The creature experiences neglect and is left to fend off for himself. When he tries to acquaint himself to the DeLaceys, a family that the creature has been watching and learning from in the forest for a long time, and fails and is beaten, he is left with a sense of ultimate loneliness. My heart sank within me as with bitter sicknessI saw [Felix] on the point of repeating his blow, when, overcome by pain and anguish, I quitted the cottage, and in the general tumult escaped unperceived to my hovel (Shelley 115). This powerful imagery causes readers to visualize and place themselves in the situation of the creature, thus feeling his pain and suffering as he was continually beaten  by Felix for the cause of only trying to make an introduction and make some friends. In turn, this causes readers to deeply sympathize with the creature and understand the neglect and suffering that he is facing. This situation also causes readers to think about the prejudice he faced just because of his ugly appearance. It makes readers consider who the monster really is, whether it is the creature with the unsightly appearance, or the mad, heartless man who created him. Shelley cleverly uses the writing techniques of imagery and symbolism to shape the responses of readers towards the idea that the real monster is Victor, not the creature. Shelleys use of tone and word choice in Frankenstein is also very efficient in influencing the way readers thought about Victor and the creature. Shelleys tone always consists of emotion and figurative language. Along with powerful and expressive word choice, which emphasizes and dramatizes Shelleys ideas, her tone and word choice also helps to arouse the readers emotions in a particular way. For example, when the creature narrates, the tone is very depressing and unhappy and dramatizes the experiences that he had and the feelings that he felt. Shelley used words such as pain, miserable, desolate, and oppressed to describe the experiences of the creature, which dramatizes the suffering and torment that the creature faces and arouses the emotions of the readers to sympathize with the creature. Shelleys tone and word choice for Victor is also very influential in revealing his character. Shelleys word choice dramatizes the personality of Victor and highlights the selfish, appearance-based attitude which he is shown to have. When Victor first sees the creature, his own creation, and examines it, his tone is of shock and disgust rather than of admiration or love, and the first thing he mentions is how ugly the creature is. I beheld the wretch—the miserable monster whom I had created (Shelley 43). Readers respond negatively towards Victor even from the beginning, ironically viewing him as more dangerous and treacherous than the monster himself. Shelley uses powerful words that force the reader to respond a certain way. She uses tone to arouse the readers emotions and to make her readers understand the relation between Victor and the creature and who the real monster is. Mary Shelley is able to create the perception that the real monster was Victor and not the monster himself. Readers continually sympathize with the creature and realize that Victor is actually more of a monster than the creature is. Readers realize that society never gave the creature a chance. Although the creature was born innocent, the corruption and prejudice of society spoiled the creature. Mary Shelley uses writing techniques, such as the implementation of characterization, imagery, symbolism, tone, and word choice to successfully depict ideas, create visual images, and arouse emotions, to create the perception that Victor was the real monster in Frankenstein.â€Æ'Works CitedImagery. HMS. Harris Middle School. 30 Sep 2008. Hawkins, Kathy. What is Frankenstein?. Conjecture 2003. 24 Sep 2008. . Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: New American Library, 2000.

Case Study of China Aviation Oil Corporation Ltd

Case Study of China Aviation Oil Corporation Ltd Risk Management and Corporate Governance A Case Study of China Aviation Oil Corporation Ltd. Background introduction to CAO China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corporation Ltd (CAO) is the Singapore subsidiary of China Aviation Oil. CAO was established in 1993 and its main business were jet fuel (kerosene) purchase for Chinese airports and international trading of fuels. CAO developed really fast and achieved 92% market share of the procurement of imported jet fuel for Chinas civil aviation industry by 2001. However, it was then involved in a big scandal which lead to its failure. In November 2004, CAO declared a total loss of $550 million and filed for bankruptcy. timeline of critical events Q1 2003 CAO enters into speculative option trades on oil prices with a bullish view Q4 2003 CAO changed its strategy and started trading speculative option trades taking a bearish view. Oct 2004 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  international oil prices rose steeply, leaving CAO facing significant margin calls on its open (short) derivative positions. Nov 2004 in a press release CAO stated it was unable to meet some of the margin calls arising from speculative derivative trades. The total derivative losses amounted to $550m. Mar 2006 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  CEO Mr. Chen Jiulin was arrested with the charge of insider trading, fined and sentenced to 51 months imprisonment. Literature Review option-based strategies There are two types of options: call and put option. One can either long or short the two options to gain profit (speculating) or mitigate risk(hedging) from price changes. In this case, CAO started its option trading in 2002 initially to hedge its jet fuel risk thorough. derivatives of futures and swaps. However, in the mid 2003, CAO started trading in speculative derivative options. hedging A hedge is needed to mitigate the risk from potential unfavorable swings in commodities. However, considering the cost and benefit effect, a hedge is not always necessary. One needs to understand the risks to be hedged, evaluate the severity and timing of downside risks properly, consider the financial instruments available and costs of certain instruments to determine the most cost-effective way to hedge. risk management and corporate governance Risk management is the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities. Risks can come from various sources including uncertainty in financial markets, threats from project failures, legal liabilities, credit risk, accidents, natural causes and disasters, or uncertain events, etc. The Board should establish appropriate guidelines for trading and ensured that they were consistent with the companys fundamental risk management policies, management capabilities and expertise, and overall risk appetite and tolerance. Senior managers (including executive members of the board) should formulate the major policies and guidelines of an institution. There should be a separation of duties between those who generate financial risks and those who manage and control these risks. Analysis CAOs trading strategies escalating bets As mentioned above, the companys trading strategy changing from hedging risks in 2002 to speculation with bullish strategy (bought calls and sold puts)in Q1 2003, which proved to be an accurate prediction. However, CAO then took a bearish view of the trend in oil prices in the fourth quarter of 2003, and began to sell calls and buy puts, with the result that it was in a short position at the end of the quarter. As the assumption was that oil prices would fall, it was further assumed that the counterparties would not extend the options, and these would therefore lapse to the benefit of the company. However, the price went further upward this time. The rise in oil prices resulted in the counterparties exercising the extendible features on options, and with the calls that were sold, the company faced the real risk of having to sell the contracted number of barrels at the strike price and realizing substantial loss. incorrect option valuation methodology The Special Auditor from PwC assigned by SGX discovered that the company used the wrong MTM valuation method by ignoring the time value, which lead to the misestimation of oil price and the wrong speculation strategy. While CAO had the chance to remedy the mistake by comparing the pricing with counterparties but the company met the margin calls without protest until it lost the financial capacity to do so at the end of September 2004. motivations behind Financial: the company developed fast and became monopoly in the market since 2000. In order to bolster its profile as well as boost investors confidence and generate more profit, the company was willing to take high risk. Political: according to exhibit 8, the year 2003 saw the burst of Gulf War. The company may want to take advantage of the war so that higher risk is acceptable as fuel is a critical resource during wars. Corporational: the lack of risk management knowledge of the CEO, insufficient management environment within the company and the inefficient external audit, as will be discussed in detail in the next section, further accelerated the fall of the big company. CAOs risk management and corporate governance In its 2003 annual report, CAO indicated that it had a formal system of rigorous internal controls over three layers. Meanwhile, other sources of control includes China Securities Regulatory Commission and External Audits. It seems that the company should have a stringent risk appetite. However, according to PwCs report, despite a continuing significant loss in 2004, in order to avoid recording and reporting losses, the company adopted a much larger risk exposure by selling longà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ term options with extremely high risk profiles to raise the premiums to cover the cost of closing out the lossà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ making option contracts (Exhibit 1). So in effect, CAO coveredà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ up the losses that were realized when closing out the lossà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ making nearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ dated options. Exhibit 1 It was unclear why the companys directors did not question or object to this contravention of regulations. The Audit Committee did not carry out its function of identifying and monitoring the financial risks involved in options trading, and investigating whether the risk management framework and safeguards were sufficient for dealing with the business. Follow-up Development Restructuring outcome: In response to the investigation results by PwC, CAO indicated in a press statement that it intended to form a committee to study the results and to recommend the company on specific remedial or disciplinary improvements. It also expressed the willingness to be more honest on past events and to move forward with the debt and equity restructuring exercise in a positive manner. The company then called for a creditor meeting to approve its latest debt restructuring plan on June 8. As far as I am concerned, with the resources of the parent company, both from the aspects of finance and entrepreneurship, the support from Chinese government, and the establishment of a strict risk management framework, CAO can still gain back confidence from stakeholders, which may need time and effort. Conclusion Improper application of accounting principles, lack of oversight, inadequate knowledge of market and ineffective risk management systems for the speculative options deal were the major contributing factors towards CAOs failure. We should learn a lesson from the case as factors are similar and equally applicable to different business contexts so it is important to avoid certain mistakes. References Li, S., Nadeem, M. (2010). Risk Management and Internal Control: A case study of China Aviation Oil Corporation Ltd. Farhan. (2016, April 10). China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corporation Limiteds Jet Fuel Scandal (2005) Casestudy. Retrieved January 15, 2017, from https://financetrainingcourse.com/education/2014/04/china-aviation-oil-singapore-corporation-limiteds-jet-fuel-scandal-2005-casestudy/ Yeo, A. (2014). China Aviation(Singapore) Limited- Sliding down a Slippery Slope: The $550m Derivative Trading Loss on November 2004.

A Comparison of Da Vincis and Tintorettos The Last Supper Essay

A Comparison of Da Vinci's and Tintoretto's The Last Supper The two paintings and artists I am going to compare and contrast are "The Last Supper" by Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) and "The Last Supper" by Jacopo Tintoretto (1518-1594). Although I am not a religious person, the sight of the painting by Tintoretto amazed me for the simple fact that it is so different from "The Last Supper" I grew up with. The first, and most obvious, difference between the two is the color. The work done by da Vinci is bright with lighter colors, and you can tell it takes place during the day. On the other hand, the work done by Tintoretto is dark-lightened only by fire, and the time of day is not as obvious. The painting's surrounding is almost in a bar-like place, and the picture is not as intimate as da Vinci's. The placement of the Last Supper's table is different. Da Vinci places his table in the center, with the main people facing the viewer. On the contrary, Tintoretto places his table to the left hand side of the painting, and the main people are looking towards the other "r...

Courtship Vs. Dating Essays -- essays research papers

Courtship - the act of wooing Woo - to ask in marriage; to court, to solicit eagerly; to seek to gain. You ask, â€Å"What in the world is Courtship?† Let me start by saying it is our country’s dating problem solution. Not too long ago, Christian parents along with their youth had realized the need to re-map the route to fruitful, God-ordained marriages. The result has been a push particularly among homeschoolers, to return to the more biblical principals of courtship. Simply defined, courtship is a reformed version of dating under the supervision of parents between a man and a woman who are ready to marry in the near future. In consumer terms, contemporary dating is the equivalent to window-shopping and courtship is shopping w/ cash in hand under the direction of experienced buyers. The te...

Technology In Our Society :: essays research papers

Technology In Our Society No doubt, technology is increasingly important in the modern world. It is amazing how fast technology has been developed. Nearly every major advance was invented in the last century. These invention are always planned for a positive result, however the negative effects often do not become apparent until after the event. These effects will be deal in the following paragraphs with related materials. The text, "Whose Life is it Anyway?", by Brian Clark, has clearly illustrated that with the development of medical technology, people can now have a better quality of life. Moreover, many lives which normally would not survive without the advance in medical treatment can now be artificially prolonged. The central character, Ken Harrison, who becomes a quadriplegic after a car accident, has met this situation. Nevertheless, it is cruel to ask him to face this life if he does not desire to. He can no longer sculpt, run, move, kiss or have any form of sexual fulfillment. Obviously, his normal life has drifted away. The tendency to sustain people's lives, just because the technology is available, is intolerance under certain circumstances. It is the individual patient who must make a decision about whether to keep himself alive. "What is the point of prolonging a person's biological life if it is obtained at the cost of a serious assault on that person's liberty?" There is probably no simple answer for this question. Any patient's decision should be respected, not based on the fact of all available technologies. This medical technology has the potential for both good and bad results. However, it is very important in today's society. "Insurance in the Genes" is a piece of valuable material which explores another area in the technological field. Nowadays, genetic engineering essentially plays an important role. Genetic testing can predict a person's biological use-by date, forecasting everything from heart attacks to breast cancer. People can therefore have a basic concept of their health situation and prevent what is going to happen if technology allows them to know this beforehand. "Up until now, only 50 genetic tests have been developed to detect diseases. But within a decade, there will be tests for 5000 diseases." It is a remarkable increase. In the near future, hopefully, genetic testing will be employed to reveal potential health risks. It is a positive effect of technology in the modern world. Another useful source for the effects of technology in our world is the documentary. On 23 April 1996, SBS broadcasted a film entitled "Weapon: A Battle for Humanity". It recorded that landmines and laser weapons are devils.

Assignment: Optimism and Health

Assignment: Optimism and Health Andrea Pulis PSY/220 October 9, 2012 Ratonya Bennett For this paper, I researched two peer reviewed articles which discusses the effects of optimism and psychological health. The first one that I found is called Optimism and Physical Health: A Meta-analytic Review by Heather N. Rasmussen, Ph. D. , Michael F. Scheier, Ph. D. , and Joel B. Greenhuse, Ph. D. It was published in 2009. The second article that I located is called Perceived Academic Control: mediating the effects of optimism and social support on college students’ psychological health by Joelle C.Ruthig, Tara L. Haynes, Robert H. Stupnisky, and Raymond P. Perry. In Optimism and Physical Health, there was a study conducted to find out the relationship between optimism and physical health outcomes. According to their findings, the data suggests that optimism is a significant predictor of physical health. I would have to agree with this study and I find it validating. One thing that I fou nd interesting in the article was the significance of pessimism and physical health.We learned from the study that optimism can have a positive effect on physical health but we also learn that pessimism can have a negative effect on physical health. According to the article Optimism and Physical health, â€Å"It may well be the case that it is the presence or absence of pessimism that is important in determining physical health outcomes rather than the presence or absence of optimism†(p. 247). What this is telling me is that having the presence of pessimism can have a more negative effect on physical health rather than the positive effect optimism has on physical health.To summarize, â€Å"In general, it is clear from this review that optimism is related to physical health. It is also clear that the link between optimism and health is stronger for subjective health outcomes than for objective health outcomes† (p. 248). This study really shows this information and it ca n be said that for future studies that they can move past this understanding and do further research. This could lead to what specifically does optimism effect and how to possibly teach those who are suffering physically how to be optimistic.In the second article I found, Perceived Academic Control, the article discusses the psychological effect that optimism has on college students, particularly freshmen and how they are doing psychologically at the end of their freshmen year. The study assessed year end GPA, stress level and depression level. According to the academic journal, â€Å"As expected, optimism and support predicted less stress and depression, yet their beneficial effects were mediated by student’ PAC† (Ruthig, Haynes, Stupnisky, Perry, 2008).PAC stands for perceived academic control. Having optimism can buffer the students’ for being susceptible to stress and depression and having optimism can protect freshman’s health when facing the challen ges of transitioning from high school to college. Think about it, a lot of students decide to leave home to go to college. They will be in a new environment, a new home, new friends, new restaurants, possibly new weather and many other factors. Believing in being optimistic is very beneficial.I can say from personal experience that I was very pessimistic and ended up dropping out of college after my freshman year because I could not handle it. I never thought positive. I did not believe, expect, or hope that things will turn out well and I did not have the attitude of somebody who feels positive or confident. I think and I know that if I was more optimistic or even possessed a hint of optimism, I would have stuck my years out at college. However, I was so depressed by the end of my freshman year that I could not even think of going back.I associated that place as negative and I was not going to put myself through it any further. It is safe to say that I believe whole-heartedly that optimism does have a psychological effect on individuals or in particular, on me. Both of these articles bring up how powerful thinking positively can be on individuals. You can always think negatively and think that nothing will turn out well and in fact, it might not. Or, you can be someone that thinks that things will ultimately turn out for the better, that there is positivity out there and that the glass is half full rather than half empty.I chose to think that the glass is half full. References Ruthig, J. , Haynes, T. , Stupnisky, R. , & Perry, R. (2009). Perceived Academic Control: mediating the effects of optimism and social support on college students’ psychological health. Social Psychology Of Education, 12(2), 233-249. doi:10. 1007/s11218-008-9079-6 Rasmussen, H. N. , Scheier, M. F. , & Greenhouse, J. B. (2009). Optimism and Physical Health: A Meta-analytic Review. Annals Of Behavioral Medicine, 37(3), 239-256. doi:10. 1007/s12160-009-9111-x

Human Resource and Industrial Relations Essay

In many Commonwealth Caribbean Countries since the early 1960’s, there have been attempts at Public Sector Reform by replacing the traditional system of Public Administration with what is commonly known as New Public Management and to this day, the successful implementation of such structural adjustment attempts have evaded most Governments who have dared to try. It was evident, however, that there were differences in the way each country attempted to introduce NPM. Jamaica and Barbados, for example, adhered rigorously to the primary tenets of NPM and Trinidad and Tobago by implementing some measures but not others. Human resource management (HRM) is a term which is now widely used but very loosely defined. It should be defined in such a way as to differentiate it from traditional personnel management and to allow the development of testable hypotheses about its impact. Based on theoretical work in the field of organizational behaviour it is proposed that HRM comprises a set o f policies designed to maximize organizational integration, employee commitment, flexibility and quality of work. Within this model, collective industrial relations have, at best, only a minor role. Despite the apparent attractions of HRM to managements, there is very little evidence of any quality about its impact or that of New Public Management. However, the purpose of this paper is to review and analyze some of the different approaches to Human Resource Management, New Public Management and  Industrial Relations initiatives used in Trinidad and Tobago and the extent to which the introduction of a â€Å"new† model of management in the public sector has led to a realignment in the roles, responsibilities, and relationships between the policy-makers, the bureaucracy, civil society and Trade Unions in Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, mentioning the work of two (2) well accomplished local minds who have contributed to the study of Public Sector Reform and Industrial Relations. Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations (HRIR) is a multidisciplinary area that investigates all aspects of employment relations in the public and private sector. Modern organisations i ncreasingly regard staff as their most valuable asset and a chief source of competitive advantage. Consequently, they attach great importance to how they manage people. Successful management of employment relations is vital if employees are to be motivated and organisations are to be successful. The Human resource management (HRM) side encompasses the governance of an organization’s employees and is sometimes referred to simply as human resources (HR). It is the people who work for the organization and human resource management is really employee management with an emphasis on those employees as assets of the business. Areas of HRM oversight include employee recruitment and retention, exit interviews, motivation, assignment selection, labor law compliance, performance reviews, training, professional development, mediation, change management and some extent of Industrial Relations. Industrial relations, which is sometimes called labour-management relations is a professional area of activity and is multidisciplinary, drawing from several academic areas such as law, economics, psychology, sociology and organizational theory. The field of Industrial relations also similarly encompasses the relationships between employers and employees, between employees and other employee s, between employers and their unions and advisors, between employees and their unions, between workplaces in the labour market, the environment created by historical, political, legal and social forces, cultural norms as well as the products of the industrial relations systems including industrial action, collective agreements, grievance handling and other problem-solving mechanisms. Since the 1990’s, there has been the need to transition from the traditional Public Administration (PA) to New Public Management (NPM) and the implementation of NPM ideas are closely related to Human Resources (HR)  in public institutions. In order to achieve a consistent shift, a lot of attention has been devoted to the reconstruction of Human Resource Management (HRM) as well as the improvement in the quality of Industrial Relations in Trinidad and Tobago that has become necessary due to the increasing frequency of strikes and other industrial action related to negotiations for new collective agreements. The first of the two (2) Authors who’s work are being mentioned and have made valid contributions to the field of Public Sector Reform is Dr. Ann-Marie Bissessar, a well accomplished Senior Lecturer in the Behavioural Sciences Department, University of the West Indies. Dr. Bissessar in one of her many writings entitled. â€Å"The changing nexus of power in the new public sector management of Trinidad and Tobago†, examines the extent to which the introduction of a â€Å"new† model of management in the public sector has led to a realignment of the bureaucracy and civil society in Trinidad and Tobago. The document suggests that the introduction of new public management in the public services of Trinidad and Tobago has led to changes in the structure, culture and functioning of the public sector. Doctor Bissessar argues that while there were tensions between the politician and the administrator during the post-independence period these were, to a large extent, kept in check by the rules and regulations that were part and parcel of the traditional method of administration. The introduction of principles of new public management in 1991 and the stress on greater autonomy and a more â€Å"fluid† bureaucratic arrangement, however, have fundamentally altered the power relationships between the politician and the administrator so that the division between the political sphere and the administrative sphere has become increasingly blurred. With respect to the civil society, concludes that with the exception of certain non-governmental organizations, the wider civil society continues to have a minimal input in either policy formulation or execution. Writing along the same lines of thought was Dr. Roodal Moonilal in his one of his articles entitled, â€Å"A note on the Human Re source Management and its Diffusion†. Doctor Moonilal, wrote that the notion of HRM is difficult to pin down with one definition and that is has central concerns with issues of quality, productivity, safety and the efficient use of materials. Other features include sub-contracting, re-deployment of labour, individual contracts and external forms of flexibility and much of the human relations  school. He took from the work of Allan Fox, who articulated two categories or frames of reference within which to conceptualise workplace industrial relations. He stated that Fox outlined a unitary frame of reference which stressed the importance of a common objective for the enterprise, with one source of authority and one focus of loyalty, all participants have the same basic aim and all aspire to share in the rewards which will accrue from the attainment of this aim. Conflict within this framework is denied, as Fox states, â€Å"the doctrine of common purpose and harmony of interests implies that apparent conflict is either (a) merely frictional, e.g. due to incompatible personalities or â€Å"things going wrong†, or (b) caused by faulty â€Å"communications†, e.g. â€Å"misunderstandings† about aims or met hods, or (c) the result of stupidity in the form of failure to grasp the communality of interest, or (d) the work of agitators inciting the supine majority who would otherwise be content† (1966:12). Improving human relations and communications are said to be the appropriate methods to avoid conflict which is seen as the result of poor social relations. In the unitary frame the presence of trade unions is seen as an â€Å"intrusion† into the private, peaceful and unified structure, they compete â€Å"illegitimately† for control over, and the loyalty of, the employees and are considered â€Å"foreign and alien† to the private affairs of the company. Foxs’ work also identified a â€Å"pluralist† frame which accepts that an enterprise contains groups with a variety of different interests, aims and aspirations and it is therefore a coalition of different interests rather than the embodiment of one common goal. In the pluralist enterprise conflict is normal, expected and should not be suppressed but the aim must be to keep it within accepted bounds to prevent the destruction of the enterprise. The article also states that if HRM can be located conceptually within the unitary ideology in the 1960s, it must also be traced to forms of strategic industrial relations adopted during the very period. The emerg ence of productivity bargaining defined as â€Å"an exchange of higher wages for more work, or the same wages in less time, or for greater flexibility and mobility of labour was seen as an earlier attempt by management to give direction to industrial relations. By the late 1970s external forces placed a focus on HRM in the academic and professional circuits as well as a wide range of features and dramatically contrasting reports on its implementation, impact and implications. The  article also stressed the need for Total Quality Management (TQM) and that the historical labour-management distrust and war in industrial relations has no place in Human Resource Management while stating that there are however characteristics of HRM which can threaten the functioning of traditional trade unionism. Dr. Moonilal states that even though some features of HRM can threaten the Union, they can only endanger a Union if it is weak at the shop floor level with a membership which is immobilized and lacking faith in the collective action and skill in representation. The Practitioners of industrial relations were said to be trade union officers, human resource managers, conciliators, mediators, labour department officials and project managers, among others. The main focus of industrial relations is on people in the workplace, whether such a workplace is a large transnational organization, or a small family firm, whether those employed are on a contract of service or on a contract for service; and whether or not a union is involved at the workplace. Indeed, industrial relations can exist even where collective agreements do not materialize. PART A Like most islands in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago emerged from colonization in the early 1960s extremely poor and with an economy structured around resource exports. Trinidad and Tobago’s tremendous growth spurt slowed, and the economy entered a ten-year period of sluggish growth and had become urbanized, many belonging to the middle class, a situation unknown in most developing countries. As economic growth slowed, increased demands were voiced for adequate housing, better labor rights, more jobs, improved living and working conditions, more equitable distribution of wealth, and national ownership of resources. Despite these demands, the socioeconomic problems present in Trinidad and Tobago were hardly as acute as in other Caribbean countries; nonetheless, such issues as negative attitudes toward foreign ownership tended to dominate. Led by the charismatic and intellectual Eric Williams since its independence in 1962, citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, like people through out the region, hoped and expected that political independence would bring not only dignity but economic improvement. The moderate growth Trinidad and Tobago had been experiencing resulted in some gains for the population. During this time,  the islands’ labor force was highly unionized and the industrial relations climate in Trinidad and Tobago was growing tense with the development of the trade union movement. There was an increasing number of strikes and labour disputes which threatened the economic growth and productivity of the country. The Public Service employees were described as being indolent, inefficient and corrupt and it was impossible to discipline anyone or reform the service. So, It was said that the Public Service no longer attracted the best. The Government of the day could no longer delay in taking legislative action to regulate the relations between unions, workers and employers and there was an urgent need for change and the role of government in the economy increased drastically during the 1960s. The year 1962 was actually when the first step in the development of the collective bargaining process in Trinidad and Tobago was taken in November of that year, just three (3) months after the country obtained Independence from the British in 1962. An agreement was signed by the Secretary to Cabinet at the time on behalf of the Government and by the leadership of the Civil Service Association, the recognized representative for Civil Servants. It established a Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal with the power to decide issues remaining unresolved between the Government and the Association. The Tribunal was designed to function on an â€Å"Ad Hoc† basis and under the Whitley Council System, the Colonial Secretary and subsequently, the Secretary to Cabinet discussed matters relating to the Terms and Conditions of employments in the Civil Service with the Executive of the Civil Service Association .However, the right to approve of not approve any agreements reached was reserved to the Governor General after Independence. The relationship then changed between the Government and the Association and by extension the Civil Service, by bringing an end to the virtually absolute authority previously exercised by the Government. The next phase of Collecting Bargaining was achieved in 1966 when Parliament passed the Civil Service Act as Act No. 29 of 1965. This Act which came into force on August 27, 1966 provided for an effective system of Collective Bargaining referred to in the Act as consultation and Negotiation. The Act established the Personnel Department of Government which was headed by the Chief Personnel Officer and staffed by Civil Servants to; maintain the class of Civil  Servants and keep under review the remuneration payable to them, administer the general regulations respecting the Civil Servants, provide for and establish procedures for consultation between the Personnel Department and an any Association in respect to classification of officers, any grievances and Terms and Conditions of Emp loyment of Civil Servants. Those aspects of the employment relationship which could not be left to collective bargaining such as employee health and safety, minimum age of employment and workers’ compensation, retrenchment and severance benefits and maternity leave are set down in legislation which bind the State and private employers. As a result the Industrial Stabilisation Act, 1965, was enacted. This Act introduced the concept of compulsory arbitration to Trinidad and Tobago by the establishment of the Industrial Court. The main function of this Court was to intervene to prevent and settle industrial disputes between employers and their union represented workers. The Industrial Stabilisation Act was later repealed and replaced by the Industrial Relations Act, 1972, Chapter 88:01 of the Laws of Trinidad and Tobago to provide for the following: free collective bargaining between employer and workers through their representative associations, the development of a peaceful and expeditious procedure for the settlement of disputes, the establishment of the Industrial Court,  the recognition and registration of trade unions,   the freedom to be represented by a trade union and the right not to associate, and industrial action which may be taken by both employer and employee. In addition, Provision was made for a T ripartite industrial relations advisory committee which had the responsibility of reviewing the IRA and making recommendations to the Minister of Labour. This way the Act kept up with industrial relations trends. The general industrial relations policy in Trinidad and Tobago was based on voluntary collective bargaining between employers and workers, via their representative associations, for the settlement of terms and conditions of employment. While the Government has ratified several ILO Conventions, including the Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144), these Conventions only become effective when they are legislatively implemented. A 144 Tripartite Committee, comprising all of the social partners, trade  unions, employers, and Government, in operation in Trinidad and Tobago with the responsibility of considering and recommending the ratification of ILO Conventions. State employees included all civil servants, teachers and members of the Protective Services (Fire, Police and Prison Services). The employment relationship between the State and its employees was governed generally by legislation, which made provisions for terms and conditions of e mployment including recruitment, hours of work, leave entitlements, payment of remuneration, pensions, allowances and other benefits. There was legislation which dealt specifically with each group, such as the Civil Service Act, Chap 23:01 for all civil servants, the Police Service Act, Chap. 15:01, as revised by the Police Service Bill (2003), the Fire Service Act, Chap. 35:50 and the Education Act, Chap 39:01 for teachers. The representative associations of monthly paid State employees may bargain collectively with the Chief Personnel Officer, who is deemed to be the employer of State employees under the IRA. The subject of these negotiations include wage increases, travelling and other allowances and leave entitlements. Other legislations were as follow: The Occupational Safety and Health Act – Sets standards for employee health and safety at the workplace The Workmen’s Compensation Act or the Employment Injury and Disability Benefits Bill – Provides compensation where employees are injured on the job Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act – Guarantees the payment of severance pay to retrenched employees. The Maternity Protection Act – Provides maternity leave and related benefits to female employees PART B In December 1991 a new government was elected in Trinidad and Tobago. It soon embarked on an ambitious programme of public sector reform under the overall direction of Gordon Draper as Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Administration and Public Information. The programme drew directly on the NPM paradigm and sought to deliver decentralised management, improved morale and productivity, improved human resource management, improved quality of service and delivery, and improved budgeting and accounting systems. The details of the programme were set out  in detail in a publication of the MTSD as A Profile of the Public Service of Trinidad and Tobago (Commonwealth Secretariat 1995). It covered seven areas, three of which were elaborated in some detail. The first was ‘making the most of staff’ through training and development, the establishment of ‘change teams’ within ministries to lead reform, new systems of performance appraisal, and improving work performance by upgrading accommodation and developing an employee assistance programme. The second focused on ‘making government more efficient’ through the introduction of strategic planning, improving productivity via computerisation, contracting out services, redundancy management, and conducting comprehensive audits, a view also shared by Dr. Bissessar and Dr. Moonilal as mentioned previously. The third area, ‘improving policy analysis and co-ordination’, was to be achieved by creating standing committees of Cabinet in vital areas for national economic development, improving policy presentation in the media, and creating more mechanisms for public consultation on national development. The other areas addressed the quality of public services, partnerships with the private sector and non-government organisations, effective management and the management of finance. It was a comprehensive vision and some of the ideas, mechanisms and procedures set forth in it have since been adopted by other Caribbean countries in their programmes of reform. In Trinidad and Tobago, however, it ran into difficulties. One was over the powers and responsibilities of the Public Service Commission (PSC). The reforms proposed their reduction and rationalisation, with many of them being exercised by ministries and other public agencies in accordance with the more decentralised management principles of NPM. These were resisted by the PSC, which claimed that the government was unfairly blaming them for failures in the public service. They also questioned the introduction of private sector values into the very different ethos of the public service (Trinidad and Tobago 1995). Another was the proposal to establish human resource units in ministries which would have seriously weakened the Personnel Department. A number of ministries submitted plans but there was much delay in implementation reducing the effectiveness of the reform. Other changes in this area, such as performance appraisal, also met employee resistance, suggesting a strong cultural re sistance to change. However, on the one hand, public servants supported change which was beneficial to them  Ã¢â‚¬Å"such as training, pay increases, systems of career path planning and enhanced opportunities†. On the other, they were â€Å"afraid of change† which was in any way radical, rather than incremental, since they equated it with â€Å"retrenchment and downsizing† which would threaten their jobs and erode their tenure. In such circumstances it is not surprising that many were â€Å"openly hostile to suggestions for further reform†. In the face of such opposition, and also a lessening of commitment to micro-manage change by the political leadership, the reform programme slowly ground to a halt. The role of the state in development has come under challenge. The reasons for this include the fiscal crises that hit most developing countries in the 1980s, weakening the ability of the state to fund development programmes; the stabilisation and structural adjustment policies that followed, which imposed reductions in the role and size of government and an increase in the scope and activities of the private sector; and the elaboration, from the beginning of the 1990s, o f programmes of ‘good governance’ which aimed to build ‘an effective state’ through matching a state’s role to its capability, which required a sharper focus on fundamentals, and raising state capability by reinvigorating public institutions. In the achievement of these last set of activities sweeping public sector reform was to be encouraged. The impact of such programmes on the developing world has been the subject of much comment. In the case of small states it raised particular difficulties. The public sector tends to be proportionately bigger and its responsibility for delivering services across a wide range of activities greater than in many larger countries. There were thus serious questions about any proposal to reduce the role of the state. At the same time the need for public sector reform was acknowledged in many small states. The New Public Sector Management (NPSM) is the transfer of business and market principles and management processes from the private sector into the public service itself, or outsourcing government activities to the special purpose companies owned by a government or even to the private sector. There is or has been no empirical evidence that NPSM reforms of the public service or outsourcing have led to productivity increases or public welfare improvements even by private sector standards. Th is is because there are basic problems implicit in the NPSM model which derive from the fact that the aims of the public service differ from those of the private sector.  The private sector is about competition and maximizing profits. The proponents of NPSM seek to treat the public as though they are consuming private sector goods and services. The use of these business techniques in the delivery of public functions constricts the accomplishment of the basic tenets of the state: democracy, regularity, transparency and due process, which are surely more important than perceived efficiency and speed. With regards to its impact on the Industrial Relations System, traditionally, trade unions in the Caribbean, in negotiating wages and conditions of employment for their members, have resorted to the confrontational approach to settle outstanding issues. In the early days of trade unionism, this approach was extremely successful and was effectively used. It can be said that employers were cognizant of the close relationship that existed between the political leaders in most of the Caribbean islands and the trade union leaders. In some instances, they were one and the same person. As the countries became independent and t he impact of adverse economic circumstances began to be felt, employers in both the public sector and private sector responded by resorting to taking tough economic decisions. Invariably, these decisions focused on the way in which wage increases were negotiated, the level of these increases and the impact which they had on government finances and on profits at the level of the enterprise. As a consequence, collective bargaining took a new turn as trade unions were forced to examine seriously their approach to the preparation of proposals and the presentation of their case. At the same time, alternative approaches to confrontation were examined and in some instances adopted. Social dialogue has been developed by the ILO as one of the alternative approaches recommended to the social partners (governments, employers and trade unions). A number of studies on best practices in selected enterprises in the Caribbean are being developed to demonstrate how effective social dialogue can be in increasing productivity and in keeping with the New Public Management approaches. However, it seems to me that there has been increasingly forceful moves by trade unions in Tr inidad and Tobago over the past few years to influence national policies and issues. This may be out of frustrated expectations which originate from political and economic circumstances. Whatever the reason, it is has begun to have a negative impact on the workers they represent and the wider society. If this  situation is not addressed it may very well deteriorate and there will be unintended adverse consequences, including loss of employment opportunities and declining standards of living for those whose interests should be served by the unions. The principal stakeholders must re-examine their contributions to the current state of affairs and resolve to bring about the necessary transformation. We need to start the process of change now and even though it would be time consuming, it must be done. It requires an understanding of the realities of the global economy and the imperative for small economies such as ours to survive and in the longer term, to prosper. Trinidad and Tobago has been in a more fortunate position due to our rich hydrocarbon industry and prices being unexpectedly high. However, this should not be the basis of planning sustainable economic grow th and development. The future requires all the social partners to work together, replacing confrontation by cooperation and collaboration. This can only be accomplished if there are suitable multipartite mechanisms established by the government and adhered to by all stakeholders (government, labour, private sector and civil society) whereby meaningful consultation leads to consensus on common objectives and the strategies by which these can be achieved. There must be a major paradigm shift from dependency on oil and gas revenues to support artificially high employee compensation without regard for productivity. There can be no justification for such irrational approaches to industrial relations. It is time to adopt new methods of resolving issues and to put the issue of pay for performance and productivity on the front burner. The era of ‘might is right’ is a luxury we can no longer afford. We need to usher in a new dispensation of enlightened industrial relations to create a truly developed society. Relations between companies and unions need to shift from being adversarial to one of co-operation and it is critical for both parties, union and management to jointly address the competitive pressures and to work together to harness the skills and the commitment of the workforce. The manufacturing and public sectors in many countries have been the traditional base of support for trade unions. They are now experiencing cons iderable difficulties in maintaining and increasing membership. It is the hope of many that the Government will begin the process of getting the economy back on its feet. In doing so, there is always the potential for increased agitation by trade  unions that could ultimately lead to Industrial action where their demands for double digit wage increases cannot be met by the Government. Such a situation can also impact the industrial relations environment across the private sector where unionization is concentrated, particularly along the East-West Corridor. There is also, the perception among many in society that our industrial relations climate will become increasingly adversarial. Employers are more weary of unionization today more than ever before given the current approach to negotiations and dispute resolution by certain trade unions. This is most unfortunate since these very employers accept that trade unions have a critical role to play in shaping industrial relations in our country and facilitating an economic recovery. It goes without saying that industrial action in any form and by anyone can lead to huge disruptions, losses in production and ultimately adverse long-term economic consequences if unchecked and properly regulated. The problem is that much of the current legislation and regulation governing industrial action was formulated back in the 1960â €™s and at a time when there were no legislative safeguards and specified minimum working conditions. On the other hand, the situation is very different today. Today, most workers enjoy legislative protections  in areas ranging from unfair dismissals to minimum wages, maternity leave and severance benefits. It is important to note that in the 1960s trade union membership was more than twice as much as it is now and industrial relations was more about power relations hence the prevalence of adversarial relationships between employers and workers. Today, this too has changed somewhat and great strides have been made to encourage tripartism, social dialogue and labour management co-operation. The movement towards human capital as the major investment for competitive advantage has greatly accelerated. Improved communication of total reward packages through face-to-face meetings, total reward statements and flexible benefits have in most workplaces replaced indirect forms of communication and the significance of basic pay in the overall remuneration package. The one (1) major area that needed to be addressed was the Industrial Court, which was noted to have served the country will but has not been perfect in  its judgments. Many have questioned whether there is a need for the Industrial Court as some of its judgments have been criticized. In a report submitted to Errol McLeod, Minister of Labour, Small and Micro Development Enterprises on July 29, 2013 by the Industrial Relations Advisement Report Committee, it stated twenty-five (25) recommendations for changes needed within the Industrial Relations Sector. The report stated that there is a need to ensure that the Industrial Court is examined and brought up to a more modern constitution, since there have been no direct changes in the Labour Relations Sector for decades. There are issues with the tenure of Judges, Independence of the Court, Migrant Law, Minimum Wages, Maternity Protection, Work men’s Compensation Ordinance and Retrenchment and Severance Pay. It was also stated that the Collective Bargaining process must be done in a more timely basis. The Industrial Relations Advisement Report Committee also stressed in their extensive report that it was crucial to the Industrial Relations Sector that all twenty-five (25) recommendations made be addressed. With this in mind, it is clear that what our industrial relations system needs now is a modernized legal framework which is relevant to changes in working life, modern human resource management practices and technological advancement. It also needs a proper functioning Industrial Court to preside over all its matters. RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION While several attempts have also been made in the past to improve the operations of the Public Service of Trinidad and Tobago, the challenges associated with Human Resource Management and its evolution into New Public Management, accountability, information and technology, communication technology, leadership systems and the systems of laws and procedures continue to occur. The culture of the Public Service has been one referred to as too â€Å"laid back† and that any diversion from the â€Å"status quo† is frowned upon and resisted. There needs to be collaboration between key central agencies to facilitate their acceptance of the fact that change is needed and accept the relevant responsibilities. Governments need to properly formulate and oversee the implementation of comprehensive change management strategies and have a robust legislative analysis of these  changes. Provisions must be created to ensure effective implementation and review, communication and networking within and among various Ministries and Departments. There also needs to be a strengthening of the Civil Service and administrative components of Public Service Reform, providing them with a better frame work and indicator set. More attention must be given to the budget execution phases of Financial Management and sufficient resources must be allocated to ensure that the officers can perform at their best and with a sense of urgency. With all this in mind, it is quite obvious that any kind or nature of Reform is a work in progress. BIBLIOGRAPHY Labour Law Profile. â€Å"National Labour Profile: Trinidad and Tobago Web. 27 July 2011 http://www.ilo.org/resrch/intro Trinidad and Tobago Economic Development Web. August 2011 www.photius.com/countries/Trinidad and Tobago Bissessar, Ann-Marie. â€Å"The changing nexus of power in the New Public Sector Management of Trinidad and Tobago†. Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of the West-Indies International Journal of Public Sector Management. Web.Vol. 16ISS: No.109 Moonilal, Roodal Dr. â€Å"A note on HRM and Its Diffusion†. June 13, 2009 Sutton, Paul. â€Å"Public Sector Reform in Small States† Cases from the Commonwealth Caribbean. (2009) â€Å"Industrial Relations in Trinidad and Tobago.† Wikipidea Online. Encyclopedia Wikipedea, 2012. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. Young, Greg. Home page. Web. 13 Nov. 2013 Chamber of Commerce. â€Å"The Current Industrial Relations Climate in Trinidad and Tobago† Chamber of Commerce, 2011. Web. 10 Nov 2013

Barn Burning Essay

William Faulkner’s short story, â€Å"Barn Burning,† can be interpreted as a coming of age story. The main character, Sarty, is a young boy who is forced to choose between following morals and supporting his father. Throughout the text the reader sees that he is torn between the two, not old enough to put his foot down and say no, but not young enough to continue on blissfully unaware. Right from the beginning paragraph, Sarty is sitting in the back of the Justice of Peace’s court. Faulkner paints this picture of the little boy â€Å"crouched on his nail keg at the back of the crowded room† (Faulkner 493). From this simple sentence, the reader sees Sarty as a weak, unimportant character in the story. His father is accused of burning an â€Å"enemy’s† barn. â€Å"Our enemy he thought in that despair; ourn! Mine and hisn both! He’s my father! † (Faulkner 493). This sentence indicates that the 10 year old boy knows to support his blood relations. However, when he is called to the Justice he thinks, â€Å"He aims for me to lie†¦ and I will have to do it,† (Faulkner 494) which indicates that the boy knows the truth, and even though to support his father would be lying, that’s what he needs to do. He continues to call the neighbor an enemy in his head, but when it comes to being questioned he freezes up. From this moment the reader begins to experience the battle inside Sarty’s head that continues throughout the story. That is, the battle between right and wrong, family or betrayal. In that moment of frozen nerves, Sarty feels, â€Å"As if he had swung outward at the end of a grape vine, over a ravine, and at the top of the swing had been caught in a prolonged instant of mesmerized gravity, weightless in time. (Faulkner 494. ) This quote holds an abundance of symbolism abot the position Sarty was put in. He was momentarily stuck in this weightless, timeless, unknowing moment, swung out over a ravine suggesting that if he let go, if he give in to his own morals, he could be flung into a world of pain. The grapevine is a universal symbol of rebirth or new beginning. Every spring, new green shoots spring up along gnarled, twisted old branches like life from death. For Sar ty, resisting his father would be a new beginning. As they walk out of the court, a boy wispers â€Å"Barn burner! † (Faulkner 495), and Sarty jumps at him trying to hit him. This indicates that in the beginning Sarty still sticks to his blood and tries to defend his father. However, we still see indications of the internal battle that Sarty is fighting throughout the story. Sarty then portrays independence towards his mother when she is trying to pamper his wounds and wash off the blood. He refuses to admit that it hurts, and tells his mother, â€Å"I’ll wash it to-night†¦ Lemme be, I tell you. † (Faulkner 495). It is contradictory that he wants so much to please his father but talks back to his mother in such a way, even when she’s the one trying to help him while his father doesn’t have his best interests at heart. This is an instance of a childish need to gain approval. He knows that his mother cares about him and approves of most of his actions, but it is his father that he knows he has to work for. His father wants him to grow up, and to be a man. Abner tells his son, â€Å"You’re getting to be a man. You got to learn. You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain’t going to have any blood to stick to you. (Faulkner 496). Sarty’s dad believes that growing up means supporting your family. However, in truth, if Sarty were to â€Å"grow up† he would realize that his father’s actions were immoral and stand up to him. These words make an impact on Sarty, nonetheless, because the next day, when they arrive at their new house and his f ather drags him away, the narrator remarks, â€Å"A week ago – or before last night, that is – he would have asked where they were going, but not now. † (Faulkner 496). A week ago a naive, ignorant Sarty would have questioned his father. But after their talk he gained a new perspective, not quite becoming independent or growing up, but rather a better understanding of discretion. Before they even reach the house, Sarty points out the oak and cedar trees, both symbolic of strength and endurance. Also, the honeysuckle and roses which line the gate symbolise love and caring. When they get to the entrance, they are greeted by a big gate with pillars and a long drive leading up to the coloumed pillars of the manor. This demonstrates the wealth and prestige of the manor. When Sarty sees the house he instantly thinks of a â€Å"courthouse. He forgets about the terror and despair his father has caused him and they are replaced by â€Å"a surge of peace and joy whose reason he could not have thought into words. † (Faulkner 497). The comfort that Sarty finds in this authoritative building is predictive of his resistance to his father later on. Next Major de Spain takes Abner to the local courthouse after he refuses to pay the twenty bushels of corn he was required to provide. The court decides to lower the amount to ten bushels, which is an extremely reasonable price to pay for ruining a rug of such value. However, as they are leaving, Sarty says to his father â€Å"He won’t git no ten bushels neither. He won’t git one. We’ll†¦ † (Faulkner 502). Not only is he passionately taking his father’s side in this quote, but he also refers to himself and Abner as â€Å"We,† suggesting a stronger emotional bond in this moment. None of this matters once they get home, and Abner sends Sarty out to the varn to get the can of oil. Sarty knows what his father is going to do, and contemplates running away, but he tells himself he can’t. Then, when Abner forces Sarty’s mother to hold him down to prevent Sarty from running away, the whole scene changes. I believe this is the moment when Sarty realizes how his father has misused him and that he has the ability to be independent. So, he struggles away from his mother and when he bursts through the front door of the glowing manor he babbles to the â€Å"white man† about the barn. During the course of this entire scene Sarty never stops running. He runs away from not only his childhood subordination, but also the hopeless dependance of his mother, the laziness of his sisters, and the careless mindset of his brother. He runs away from all the negativity, and yet when all alone, Sarty thinks, â€Å"He was brave!†¦ e was! He was in the war! He was in Colonel Sartoris’ cav’ry! † (Faulkner 505). Still blindly defending his father, and yet, without realizing it, he falls asleep. At the approach of dawn, and approach of a new day, Sarty has changed once more. He is free of his blood restraints. â€Å"He went down on down the hill, toward the dark woods within which the liquid silver voices of the birds called unceasing – the rapid and urgent beating of the urgent and quiring heart of the late spring night. He did not look back. † (Faulkner 505).

Online Dating Advantages

Some advantages and disavantages in online dating. Now days online dating hvae become so commun that everyone know a site or two where can meet or interact with other people becoming making it easy to become part of the online dating trend. But veryb seldon anyone couciously stop to think and anlyze the advantages or disavantages in online dating. In today's world everything goes so fast that it seem's 24 hour days are over for ever, every one is short of time.People running to school, work, appointments, that realistically there is no time to just go out to socialized and interact with friends or just go out. Online Dating, have filled this human need to be loved or wanted by some one else by just flipping tha computer switch or pushing a button. Instantly you have complete access to online world that where you can shoose to be part of to share your momories, fotos,tastes, likes and dislikes to the world. There are two words that plays a key role to the online dating phenomenun; fre e and instantly.You can freely bacome part of a online community and instatly intereract with those that accept you all for free, bringing this interaction up to your creativity and inmagination to meet as many and different people you would like. Even though, it can be very advantegeous to meet new people online and date,there are deffenetelly some important disavantages to consider. Online dating make it for the most part very easy to interact with so many people at differente place at different time , that you are constantly bonbard with a lot of possibilities.You can date someone today and tomrrow you could date someone else. According to a survey done by fox news, 60 % of online dating participants are actually dating two or more person at the same time. According to the report most people that are engage in online dating, feel that online is just another world , another set of values, nothing like could be judge as real. Moral and values that tend to be pracitce when meeting s omeone on a local school or live occassion wouldn't apply to those people met online.For one reason or another, online Dating keep beeing a growing trend, more youngster then ever have access to the internet and actually interacting with others on social sites and dating sites. With advantages and Disavantages today many online users are just so accostome to the online world that they have not even consider any dissavantages since its have just become a way of life. Online dating will continue benefiting those users that engage in an intelligente mature way or disgracing those that have poor judgment.

Reading #1 Analaysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading #1 Analaysis - Assignment Example In the article, materiality was perceived to be effects power possesses along with its productive purpose. Therefore, under these assumptions, gender is impossible to understand neither as a body nor a particular sex. The article also indicated the â€Å"abject designates here precisely those ‘unbelievable qualities and ‘uninhabitable’ zones of social life which are nevertheless densely populated by those who do not enjoy the status of the subject but whose living under the sign of ‘unlivable† which is necessary and required to circumscribe a political leaders†. The final part of the paper ends with a series of questions which include â€Å"How an individual can separate him or herself from social blindness and perceive the body as a variation of materialization which is controlled by a series of regulating norms? After this separation, there is a need to assess the functioning of heterosexual hegemony during the formation of what the article perceives tp be a viable body†. The article also raised questions on the subject, such as how bodily formations are capable of attaining such a paradigm of abjected bodies and fields of deformation which are at ti mes not quantifiable as human. This article is an aim to try and compare the paradox that involve gender, the body and the parameters associated with the interrelation and combination of these two aspects. It can be established that the authors of the article are of the material aspect of the body and how is far much relevant than its regulating factors monitoring the materialization of bodies. One aspect that is also mentioned to some detail in the paper is permativity which is done to evaluate the processes such as a power of discourse that is reiterative in nature and creates phenomena which it is responsible for constraining and regulation. I agree with the views of the author in the sense that â€Å"sex† is not the constraint upon which gender is artificially

Modern Europe Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Modern Europe - Research Paper Example The issue of whether or not the NATO is still a relevant organization can be resolved by assessing the organization’s ability to protect and ensure security and peace when it is most needed. With the global reach of activities which disturb the peace and security, the efficacy of the NATO seems to depend on the degree to which a more extensive application of its overall goals can be established and supported (Michta, 2007). Even as the NATO is considered an organization of equal states (with equal authority) who apply a consensus in their decision-making processes, the organization seems to function based on the extent of United States participation in these decisions. The security policy objectives of the US are important policies for the NATO (Michta, 2007). Its future efficacy largely depends on whether the European members will consider sharing common priorities with the Americans and whether these members will accept the related risks to such sharing. In the contemporary scene, it is important to consider the extent to which NATO supports such goals and the extent to which it has failed. NATO’s current dilemma exemplifies the looming issues in the current operations, mostly in the continuing armed issues with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. (Michta, 2007). The questions on NATO’s efficacy come from its failure to implement similar expansion activities it implemented during the 1990s in terms of military capability. Such a failure also comes from the missed opportunities after the September 11 attacks and the intercontinental political gaps over Iraq. Despite the shared contempt for any and all terrorist attacks, the US and the European states have still not agreed on how to respond to terrorist and other forms of attacks (Daalder and O’Haanlon, 2001). Attempts to resolve these differences in perceptions have not been successful. As a result, countries like France, Germany, and other European states still have differing opinions with the US in terms of methods which address the terrorist issue and other securi ty problems. The NATO is currently unstable because the end of the Cold War threat in the 1990s caused a gridlock on what the organization’s main mission should then be (The Economist, 2011). NATO established that it needed to consider partnerships, expansions, and enhancement of capabilities; however, the organization cannot seem to act as a united organization in terms of what its main security mission today is. The visions for NATO seem to be competing with each other, and these competing visions are not likely to be settled or resolved via the Continental security approach being advocated by France, Belgium and Germany (Michta, 2007). While the European members have supported NATO’s operations, the scope and the quality of the missions seems to be vague. Moreover, the EU’s goals to establish the European Security and Defense Policy have also impacted on the NATO’