Isaiah Davis Essays - Alls Well That Ends Well, William Shakespeare

Isaiah Davis One of the themes that emerge from Shakespeare's comedy All's Well That Ends Well is the conflict between old and new, age and youth, wisdom and folly, reason and passion. As one critic points out, a simple glance at the characters of the play reveals an almost equally balanced cast of old and young. "In performance it is apparent that the youth of the leading characters, Helena, Bertram, Diana and Paroles, is in each case precisely balanced by the greater age of their counterparts, the Countess, the King of France, the Widow of Florence and the old counselor Lafeu."1 Indeed, the dialectic between youth and age is established in the first act as the Countess sees a mirror of her former self in Helena's love sick countenance in scene three when she exclaims "Even so it was with me when I was young," and Bertram's worthiness to the ailing King of France in the previous scene appears to hang upon his youthful resemblance to his deceased father. As the King explains, "Such a man might be a copy to these younger times,/Which followed well would demonstrate them now/But goers-backward. Like so many literary youths of his day, Shakespeare went backward for his source material for All's Well and based the play on Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron. Boccaccio's early sixteenth-century story revolves around Gillette of Narbona, the daughter of a wealthy and respected physician. Giletta, like Helena (the daughter of the deceased--and indigent--Gerard de Narbonne), falls in love with young count Beltrami, follows him to Paris where she remedies the King's incurable disease, and, because of her newly-acquired royal favor, is granted the right to demand a husband: Beltrami. Despite the King's elitist reluctance to grant Gillette her wish (which contrasts the Shakespearean monarch's unmitigated blessing), he keeps his promise and orders the count to marry the physician's daughter. The rest of Boccaccio's story proceeds in like fashion to Shakespeare's with the exception of Gillettes arrival at Rossiglione (vs. Rossillion) with twin sons as opposed to a single fetus. As W. W. Lawrence points out, conventional folk motifs such as "The Fulfillment of the Tasks" and "The Healing of the King" undergird Boccacio's--and thus Shakespeare's--tale.2 In addition to theses narrative devices, the play also contains another folk motif, that of the "bed-trick"--a frequently used convention in Renaissance drama that allows one lover to be substituted for another unbeknownst to the first party of a particular amorous tryst. Shakespeare relies on tradition to provide character types for him as well as thematic elements. The puffed-up Platean soldier or miles gloriosus figure makes his appearance in All's Well in the guise of Parolles, who "descends from a venerable line of braggart warriors, talkers and not doers, who originate with Aristophanes and then swagger their way through Menander, Plautus, and Terrence into Elizabethan comedy. Thus, Shakespeare collects old conventions, devices and stock characters to create a new fairy-tale, one that bears the distinctive mark of tradition but reveals new insights. For Shakespeare's archetypal story is one that gives genesis to some difficult questions. As many critics testify, All's Well differs from many of Shakespeare's other comedies in its dark overtones. He illustrates certain problems at court but provides no Greenworld; he introduces a love story without two active lovers; he creates a seemingly equivocal heroine and a callow, prevaricating hero. "In this world," Anne Barton explains, "unicorns do not exist to testify to the mystic power of virginity, and Prince Charming is likely to prefer the fashionably dressed elder sisters to beauty in rags. Love itself is not simply the servant of a fantastic plot, but a matter of complex adjustments within the personality. Indeed, Shakespeare's old skins produce potent and problematic new wine for, as many critics note, the psychologically complex characters in this play prove far too sophisticated for the formal stylistic vehicle that contains them. This fairy-tale ends happily, but only if we suspend our disbelief to allow for Bertram's all too brief conversion and forgive him of certain newly rendered sins that further cast him as a rather unworthy prize. This fairy-tale ends happily if we can resolve the problems presented by Helena's character: Is she a "saintly maiden" or a "cunning vixen. It

Sedentism, Community-Building, Began 12,000 Years Ago

Sedentism, Community-Building, Began 12,000 Years Ago Sedentism refers to the decision made first by humans at least 12,000 years ago to start living in groups for long periods of time. Settling down, picking a place and living in it permanently for at least part of the year, is partially but not entirely related to how a group gets required resources. This includes gathering and growing food, stone for tools, and wood for housing and fires. Hunter-Gatherers and Farmers In the 19th century, anthropologists defined two different lifeways for people beginning in the Upper Paleolithic period. The earliest lifeway, called hunting and gathering, describes people who were highly mobile, following herds of animals like bison and reindeer, or moving with normal seasonal climatic changes to collect plant foods as they ripened. By the Neolithic period, so the theory went, people domesticated plants and animals, necessitating permanent settlement to maintain their fields. However, extensive research since then suggests that sedentism and mobility - and hunter-gatherers and farmers - were not separate lifeways but rather two ends of a continuum that the groups modified as circumstances required. Since the 1970s, anthropologists use the term complex hunter-gatherers to refer to hunter-gatherers who have some elements of complexity, including permanent or semi-permanent residences. But even that doesnt encompass the variability that is now apparent: in the past, people changed how mobile their lifestyles were depending on circumstances, sometimes due to climatic changes, but for a range of reasons, from year to year and decade to decade. What Makes a Settlement Permanent? Identifying communities as permanent ones is somewhat difficult. Houses are older than sedentism. Residences such as brushwood huts at Ohalo II in Israel and mammoth bone dwellings in Eurasia occurred as early as 20,000 years ago. Houses made of animal skin, called tipis or yurts, were the homestyle of choice for mobile hunter-gatherers throughout the world for an unknown period of time before that. The earliest permanent structures, made from stone and fired brick, were apparently public structures rather than residences, ritual places shared by a mobile community. Examples include the monumental structures of Gobekli Tepe, the tower at Jericho, and the communal buildings at other early sites such as Jerf el Ahmar and Mureybet, all in the Levant region of Eurasia. Some of the traditional features of sedentism are residential areas where houses were built close to one another, large-scale food storage and cemeteries, permanent architecture, increased population levels, non-transportable toolkits (such as massive grinding stones), agricultural structures such as terraces and dams, animal pens, pottery, metals, calendars, record-keeping, slavery, and feasting. But all of these features are related to the development of prestige economies, rather than sedentism, and most developed in some form prior to permanent year-round sedentism. Natufians and Sedentism The earliest potentially sedentary society on our planet was the Mesolithic Natufian, located in the Near East between 13,000 and 10,500 years ago (BP). However, much debate exists about their degree of sedentism. Natufians were more or less egalitarian hunter-gatherers whose social governance shifted as they shifted their economic structure. By about 10,500 BP, the Natufians developed into what archaeologists call Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic as they increased in population and reliance on domesticated plants and animals and began living in at least partially year-round villages. These processes were slow, over periods of thousands of years and intermittent fits and starts. Sedentism arose, quite independently, in other areas of our planet at different times. But like the Natufians, societies in places such as Neolithic China, South Americas Caral-Supe, the North American Pueblo societies, and the precursors to the Maya at Ceibal all changed slowly and at different rates over a long period of time. Sources Asouti, Eleni. A Contextual Approach to the Emergence of Agriculture in Southwest Asia: Reconstructing Early Neolithic Plant-Food Production. Current Anthropology, Dorian Q. Fuller, Vol. 54, No. 3, The University of Chicago Press Journals, June 2013. Finlayson, Bill. Architecture, sedentism, and social complexity at Pre-Pottery Neolithic A WF16, Southern Jordan. Steven J. Mithen, Mohammad Najjar, Sam Smith, Darko MariÄ ević, Nick Pankhurst, Lisa Yeomans, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, May 17, 2011.   Inomata, Takeshi. Development of sedentary communities in the Maya lowlands: Coexisting mobile groups and public ceremonies at Ceibal, Guatemala. Jessica MacLellan, Daniela Triadan, Jessica Munson, Melissa Burham, Kazuo Aoyama, Hiroo Nasu, Flory Pinzà ³n, Hitoshi Yonenobu, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, April 7, 2015. Railey, Jim A. Reduced Mobility or the Bow and Arrow? Another Look at Expedient Technologies and Sedentism. Volume 75, Issue 2, American Antiquity, January 20, 2017. Reed, Paul F. Sedentism, Social Change, Warfare, and the Bow in the Ancient Pueblo Southwest. Phil R. Geib, Wiley Online Library, June 17, 2013. Rosen, Arlene M. Climate change, adaptive cycles, and the persistence of foraging economies during the late Pleistocene/Holocene transition in the Levant. Isabel Rivera-Collazo, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, March 6, 2012.

3 Common Errors When Using Numbers

3 Common Errors When Using Numbers 3 Common Errors When Using Numbers 3 Common Errors When Using Numbers By Mark Nichol References to numbers, spelled out or in numeral form, often include erroneous use of hyphens or dashes, as shown in the following examples. Errors are explained and corrected in the discussion and revision that follows each sentence. 1. The US men’s basketball team won seven Olympic gold medals between 1936–68. A dash (not a hyphen) that connects two numbers to represent a range functions as a replacement for from and to, so do not include from before a number range separated by a dash. Between, likewise, should not be paired with a number range, but in this case, retain the word, pairing it with and in place of the dash: â€Å"The US men’s basketball team won seven Olympic gold medals between 1936 and 1968.† (â€Å"The US men’s basketball team won seven Olympic gold medals 1936–68† is not syntactically valid.) 2. Fourteen and fifteen-year-old kids are easily impressionable. When two hyphenated phrasal adjectives are identical except for the first term, the rest of the first phrasal adjective after that term can be elided, with the implication that the balance of the second phrasal adjective serves both of the initial words. However, to signal this sharing, retain the hyphen after the first element: â€Å"Fourteen- and fifteen-year-old kids are easily impressionable.† (Otherwise, the implication is that fourteen kids are easily impressionable, and so are fifteen-year-old kids.) 3. The rockslide occurred when a massive slab measuring fifty-by-eighty-by-fifteen feet broke off from a sheer cliff and went flying down the mountain. When a phrase consisting of two or more numbers separated by by describes the surface area or volume of an object, omit hyphens unless the entire phrase modifies a noun: â€Å"The rockslide occurred when a massive slab measuring fifty by eighty by fifteen feet broke off from a sheer cliff and went flying down the mountain.† (Compare â€Å"The fifty-by-eighty-by-fifteen-foot slab broke off from a sheer cliff and went flying down the mountain.†) The same rule applies when numerals represent the numbers. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Redundant Phrases to AvoidDriver License vs. Driver’s LicenseWhat Is a Doctor?

Case Briefing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Case Briefing - Essay Example Under the law, Congress delegates to the Comptroller General of the United States the power to restrict federal budget spending by making across-the-board cuts to it and upon the recommendation of the Directors of OMB and CBO whenever the maximum allowable deficit amounts are exceeded. The Comptroller General then presents this to the President who is required to release a â€Å"sequestration order† effecting the Comptroller’s reductions unless Congress enacts a law mandating a specific budget cut thus obviating the President’s â€Å"sequestration order†. Moreover, Congress is given the power to terminate the Comptroller General through a joint resolution for reasons of inefficiency, malfeasance or neglect of duty. The other method of removing the Comptroller is through impeachment. (2) Congressman Synar and 11 others immediately filed a declaratory relief complaint before the District Court which held that the delegation of power to the Comptroller Genera l violated the constitutionally imposed doctrine of separation of powers. III. THE LAW: The relevant law under scrutiny in this case is the Doctrine of Separation of Powers as entrenched in the US Constitution under Article I (legislative powers in a Congress), Article II (executive power in a President) and Article III (judicial power in one Supreme Court and in other inferior courts). IV. ISSUES: (1). Whether or not the assignment by Congress to the Comptroller General of the United

TO WHAT EXTENT HAS TESCO DELIVERED IN ITS CORPORATE SOCIAL Essay

TO WHAT EXTENT HAS TESCO DELIVERED IN ITS CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILTY FOCUSING ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSION - Essay Example The government of developed economies like United Kingdom is working on produces legislations and different policies to safeguard the nature and environment from harmful practices of the different industries. To this end, the paper divulges to research the significance of protecting the natural environment in the light of Tesco’s corporate social responsibility dimension. 2.1 Background into CSR The social responsibility of a corporate firm is increasingly being tied up with factors to safeguard the natural environment. In this regard, Hay, Stavins, & Vietor (2005) observe that the corporate norms of responsibility towards the society must be extended to encompass the natural environment. However, several debates take place for some experts do not feel the importance to extend the social responsibility concept of business to embrace environmental factors. Hay, Stavins, & Vietor (2005) state that the natural environment must be incorporated as another stakeholder for the busine ss like suppliers and government. The responsibility of the business in protecting the natural environment of the geographic region has a strong ethical standing. Business firms are expected to

Planning for examinations Essay Example for Free

Planning for examinations Essay I decided not to revise anything for the essay part of the exam paper. This was because I felt that I had done enough research for my specialist modules and would be able to recall it when needed. In the weeks leading up to the exam I spent about 30 minutes a day going over various chapters in my study skills folder, and if there was a particular item I had trouble with I would make a note of it and go over it again the next day. Finding time at home to revise was a bit of a problem and I found that the best time was in the evening when the children had gone to bed. This meant that I was sometimes quite tired when I tried to revise and wasted some sessions simply because I could not absorb any information. In future I may choose to do my revision somewhere other that at home, for example, the library. This means I will be away from the distractions of children and phone calls. I will also give my friends and family a copy of my revision time-table so that they know not to bother me. I felt that we were given enough information before the exam to know what to expect though I would have liked to have seen a copy of an old paper and perhaps given the opportunity to have a go at completing one. When we were allowed to look at our paper I read it through once before answering any questions. Once I had done this I first answered the questions I did not need to think about too much before going on to the others, and if there were any I did not know then I left them blank. I then went onto the essay question and decided which to do, though I found making a choice difficult as I did not know how I would get on once I had started. Once I got started on the essay I realised the mistake I had made by not revising my specialist modules. I wanted to be able to include examples, statistics or case studies in my essay by could not remember any. Once I had completed the essay I went back to the questions and any that I did not know the answer to I guessed. I then proof read the whole paper and corrected some errors which I had missed. If I could have done thing differently I would have planned my revision better to avoid distractions. I found that spending 30 minutes a day trying to revise while cooking dinner and running around after the children does not work. Before the exam I was not nervous but I think this was to do with the fact I did not have time to think about it too much. I also think that I did not take it as seriously as I should have and therefore did not revise enough. While waiting outside the exam hall I seemed to catch nervousness from other people but cannot see any way to avoid this. During the exam I was more nervous than I expected and was really aware of how quickly the time was passing. I wanted to work out how much time I could spend on each section, but this seemed to make me feel worse as I could not remember how many points would be awarded for each. After the exam I felt a bit disappointed as I feel my lack of revision meant I could not do my best. Dealing with stress during my revision sometimes helped. It made feel more awake sometimes, though this was often short lived and I usually ended up feeling worn out. Stress often meant I could not concentrate properly and I would try to do too much in one session. In future I will try to avoid the negative affects of stress by taking regular breaks, planning my revision better, finding a better location for my revision, not revising when I am tired and taking revision more seriously. I also think that revision is something that should be a continuous process not only used just before an exam. Reviewing work monthly or termly is something that I will try in the future.

18th and 19th century view on nature :: essays research papers

Through the ingenious works of poetry the role of nature has imprinted the 18th and 19th century with a mark of significance. The common terminology ‘nature’ has been reflected by our greatest poets in different meanings and understanding; Alexander Pope believed in reason and moderation, whereas Blake and Wordsworth embraced passion and imagination. The 18th century was known as the Age of Reason, where the focus was on the search for truth and clarity in the world of disorder through reason. Alexander Pope displays his views and beliefs on world through his infamous poem "Essay on Man." Pope depicts the role of nature in the 18th century by setting the poem in a garden. Not only does the garden parallel John Milton's "Paradise Lost," the garden symbolize the limitations of man. Pope wants to convey the importance of how man must accept his own limitations and lead his life to "vindicate the ways of G-d to man." However, we must yield to our pride and take responsibilities of our actions by not blaming G-d. â€Å"Cease then, nor order imperfection name: Our proper bliss depends on what we blame.† Through the poems of Blake and Wordsworth, the meaning of nature expands far beyond the earlier century's definition of nature. "The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom." The passion and imagination portrayal manifest this period unquestionably, as the Romantic Era. Nature is a place of solace where the imagination is free to roam. Wordsworth contrasts the material world to the innocent beauty of nature that is easily forgotten, or overlooked due to our insensitivities by our complete devotion to the trivial world. â€Å"But yet I know, where’er I go, that there hath passed away a glory from the earth.

Comparison of HR practices and employment relations philosophies Essay

Introduction In the face of ever-increasing globalization, both China and Taiwan have now joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO); a more open market economy and closer integration with the global economic order appears to be inevitable for both countries (Magarinos et al. 2002). Human Resource Management (HRM) is one of the critical tools for improving productivity and competitiveness at the grass-roots level (Poole 1997). This Essays aims to identify and compare the current HRM systems and practices at different types of enterprises in both China and Taiwan respectively (Zhu and Warner 2000), to evaluate their performance in this domain, as well as to illustrate the implications of the inter-relationship between social norms/ environment and the transformation of HRM in both economies. The outcome of this comparison may be meaningful in terms of understanding the theoretical arguments about the trend of HRM development towards a ‘convergent’ or ‘divergent’ model within the global production and economic systems of our time (Warner 2002) or possibly a hybrid ‘cross-vergent’ phenomenon where national cultural systems are blended with broader economic ideologies . HR practices and employment relations philosophies of China HRM is a term used to describe a wide range of activities involved in attracting, developing, motivating, and retaining the best and most capable people to perform within an organization. Western HRM places importance not only on systematic recruitment but also on selection, training, and development procedures, emphasizing motivation through involvement, and appraisal and incentives schemes (Child 1994). But the HRM in China is different. Its distinctive system is labelled human resource management with ‘Chinese characteristics’ (Warner, 1995). Labour management in China is currently undergoing a major change, shifting from the socialist model to a market-driven one. The ‘iron rice bowl’ is being slowly phased out. Guaranteed lifetime job security is being replaced by more flexible labour contracts. The ‘cradle to grave’ social welfare system is also fading out, with more performance-based reward systems replacing it (Warner 1997). Prior to the mid-1980s, when the Chinese government began economic reforms, most personnel issues enterprises were controlled by planning authorities, such as government personnel and labour bureaucrats. For instance, the recruitment of any person needed a pre-planned quota that was granted by the state. Neither the employees nor the employers (enterprises) had freedom to choose according to their preferences. People were assigned jobs for life with limited mobility. A worker’s personnel file recorded his/her employment history as well as a broad range of the person’s political activities. Wages and salaries were not determined by management, but fixed according to pre-determined grades based on seniority. Moreover, the Party Secretary’s organization maintained tight control of personnel within an enterprise. A manager’s political attitudes towards the Party were an important criterion in his/her appointment and promotion (Ding et al. 2000). The past two decades have seen the Chinese economy steadily evolve towards the state-engineered ‘market economy with Chinese characteristics’ (Warner, 1995). The productivity of the labour force has been recognized as the most valuable resource from the top central government to the grassroots organizations. The term ‘ren li zi yuan guan li’ (HRM in Chinese) frequently appears in books, local newspapers, and journal articles. In the real world, much has changed in HRM practices in China. One of the biggest changes is the increasingly predominant position of material rewards. The old wage grade system was abandoned nationally and the new ‘post plus skills’ (gang ji gong zi zhi) system was adapted. Under the reformed employment system, Chinese managers now have greater freedom to ‘hire and fire’ (Child, 1994). Even though fully fledged HRM on Western lines seems still far away, many personnel policies have been substantially changed: workers are employed on fixed term contracts, apprenticeships have been reformed, and training has been expanded for both workers and managers in most Joint Ventures and State Owned Enterprises (Warner, 1997). With the reforms of the employment system, a new terminology of HRM cam to China in the mid- 1980s (Warner 1999). Initially, HRM as an academic concept was introduced by joined teaching arrangements between Chinese and foreign universities, as well as in management practices in foreign-owned enterprises, mainly from Japan, the USA and Europe (Warner 1995). The Chinese translation of HRM is renli ziyuan guanli hich means ‘labour force resources management’. But in fact, some people now use it misleadingly as a synonym for personnel management (PM) (renshi guanli) and indeed treat it as such (Warner 1997). This form of older PM practice is still very common in SOEs and a fair degree of conservatism continues to pervade the administration of personnel on such enterprises. Certainly, it is still somewhat far from the initial concept of HRM as understood in the international business community (Poole 1997). In parallel, attempts were made to import ‘enterprise culture’, code for adopting and adapting the Japanese model (Chan 1995). This is normally found in firms entering JV arrangements with Japanese MNCs or where the Japanese have set up wholly owned firms on site. Some aspects of the Japanese management system such as the quality control circles (QCC) and total quality control (TQC) have been practised in both local and foreign companies. However, the system is closely adapted to local laws and practices. The term HRM is in fact mostly de rigueur in the most prominent Sino-foreign JVs, particularly the larger ones. Even in such firms, management seems to be more inward-looking, focusing on issues like wage, welfare and promotion as found in the conventional personnel arrangements rather than strategic ones like long-term development normally associated with HRM. Clearly, at this time, there is not a homogeneous model of HRM in Chinese enterprises. Individual enterprises are reforming their HRM systems differently on the basis of their existing conditions and the respective impact of economic reform. HR practices and employment relations philosophies of Taiwan The Taiwanese management system is also rooted in traditional Chinese culture and values, predominantly in the form of small size family businesses, coupled with strong family control and extensive subcontracting networks (Chen 1995). However, in the first half of the twentieth century, Taiwan was colonized by Japan and Japanese influence was widespread, including its management system. Taiwan gradually developed large businesses in the capital – intensive sector owned and/or controlled by the State under the Nationalist government since the late 1940’s (Lee 1995). Generally speaking, the characteristics of the Taiwanese management system can be summarized as follows: hierarchy, paternalism, strong personal loyalty and commitment, and the importance of personal loyalty and commitment, and the importance of personal connections (guanxi) in business and individual lives (Chen, 1995). These characteristics are rooted in Confucianism, a belief system that values harmony, and the tendency to see individuals in a family and socially dependent context. Different stages of economic development were accompanied by differing management patterns. In Taiwan, for instance, its economic development since the 1960’s can be divided into two stages: the export expansion period between 1961 and 1980 and the technology – intensive industries expansion period from 1981 to recent years (Lee, 1995; Zhu et al. 2000). HRM in Taiwan also changed over the two periods. The main characteristics of HRM during the export expansion period can be identified as follows: Recruitment Recruiting blue-collar workers relied heavily on informal channels, such as employee referral and company network. For the recruitment of white – collar workers, formal channels were preferred (Lee 1995). Since most middle and high- ranking management positions were filled either by the owners’ family members or by internal promotions, little outside recruiting activity took place (Lee 1995). Training Company – sponsored training was not popular during this period. Apprenticeships were also not common in Taiwan. However, as a rule, more skilled workers received formal on-the-job training (OJT) than did semi-skilled and unskilled workers, and foreign-owned companies offered more OJT programmes than did local companies (Lee 1995). Compensation Packages include basic pay and various types of bonus, such as those based on the year-end results, competition, invention, long-service and so on (Chen 1998). It was common for Taiwanese companies to adopt the Japanese seniority-based wage system for basic pay (Lee 1995). With the traditional culture of avoiding conflict between management and employees, most workers can be promoted up the scale of their job title if their annual performance is ‘above-average’ (Chen 1998). Trade Unions These worker bodies were controlled by the government during this period (Zhu et al. 2000). The ruling Kuomintang (KMT) – now known as the Guomingdang Party – guided most unions through local government control over the election of union officials, fostering KMT branches at workplaces and ‘supervision’ by larger affiliates of the sole national union peak council, the Chinese Federation of Labour (CFL) (Zhu et al. 2000). Thus the government was able to maintain a low minimum wage and control the adjustment of wage rates in the public sector (Lee 1995). Expansion of Technology – Intensive Industries (1981 – Present) During this period, not only did the structure of the economy change quickly, but employment relations, human resource management practices, and the government’s labour policies were similarly affected (Lee 1995). The industrial system became more complex and formal, and government policy became more pro – labour orientated as mentioned above. Changes in industrial structure and government policy and legislation had a profound impact on HRM and the structure of organisation in Taiwan. To cope with the increase in production costs employers adopted many strategies, such as employing foreign workers at lower wages; with government permission (companies can employ foreign workers up to 30 % of total employees) (Zhu et al. 2000)., improving the efficiency of the workforce by providing more training, introducing automated machinery to substitute labour, and subcontracting their work (Lee 1995). In addition, in order to obtain a further comparative advantage many companies from Taiwan relocated their operations to low-wage countries, especially to mainland China and south-east Asia (Zhu and Warner, 2001). However, different kinds of enterprise have different approaches towards change in the labour market and to the challenges of global economic competition. Two major variables here are predominantly family-based small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and predominantly state- owned large enterprises (LEs). Most SMEs still maintain a centralised decision-making process. However, there is now a tendency for owners to gradually withdraw from routine management activities. Some high-ranking managers are trained and promoted within the companies and are not necessarily family members. Management professionalism becomes increasingly important as a response to criticism of managerial favouritism. Most SMEs now pay attention to both pre-training and continuous training in order to cope with market changes and link the skills of employees with the needs of production. Trade unions have generally been weak in Taiwanese SMEs. Although the Trade Union Law (1975) required unions to be established in workplaces in most sectors with more than 30 employees (Lee 1988; Warner 1995) the reality is that even now a large number of SMEs are without union organisations. There is a general feeling that managers in SMEs do not want union involvement in decision-making (Zhu and Warner 2001). On the other hand, state-owned large enterprises (Les) in Taiwan for years enjoyed monopoly status in key sectors. They were mostly in the strategic industrial areas that had received strong support from the government. However, in recent years, privatisation and marketisation have dominated their economic decision-making and these enterprises are facing restructuring and reform. Generally speaking, LEs have well-established systems of external recruitment of managers. Using examination, interview and evaluation procedures, SOEs can recruit the most capable people from outside their organizations. For a long time, people sought positions within LEs for security, better pay and welfare, good working environment, and social prestige; it made recruitment even more competitive. Therefore, so far the qualifications of managers in these enterprises remain highest, with university graduates and post-graduates of high quality. In addition, public recruitment of employees is the main recruiting channel for Les. However, the public sector is not allowed to employ foreign workers. In terms of training, both on-the-job training and professional training are provided by the enterprises. The compensation package has not been changed as well. In fact, among all types of enterprises, Les seem to have the highest salary-levels. Bonuses are paid as group incentives equivalent to three or four months’ wages (Zhu and Warner 2001). Trade Unions in the Taiwanese public sector have been subservient to the government for a long time (Frenkel et al. 1993). Even now, trade unions in these state-owned LEs are not wholly independent, although they have a strong membership base. The functions of these unions were described as ‘promoting enterprise productivity as well as protecting workers’ interests’; they also provide a useful bridge between employees and management in order to guarantee smooth industrial relations (Zhu et al. 2000). Comparatively speaking, we can see that HRM policies and practices in China and Taiwan were both plainly under the influence of traditional culture (Redding 1995) and the changing political and economic environments (Zhu et al. 2000). Key characteristics such as collectivism, hierarchy, harmony, loyalty and strategic thinking can for instance, be found in both management systems. these characteristics are reflected in HRM, for example, in group-oriented production activities (teamwork), group-based performance evaluation and incentives, relatively narrow gaps in salaries between management and employees, co-operative and harmonised labour management relations and seniority-based wage systems (in particular during the pre-reform systems). In addition, strategic thinking and management have had to deal with such changes, in particular during the period of economic transition. In recent years, both increasing global competition and the Asian financial crisis have forced enterprises to adopt more flexible policies and management systems. New political environments, reformed legal frameworks and economic pressures have also have also added new dimensions of HRM. Conclusion Although traditional culture continues to influence HRM, such as group-oriented production activities, group-based performance evaluation and incentive, relatively small differences in salary between management and employees, co-operative and harmonious labour management relations, and so on, other differences remain vis-à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½-vis the stage of economic development and technology, market environment. In conclusion, it can be argued that that there will at least be a degree of ‘relative convergence’ (Chan 1995) given the evidence presented here. The trends towards globalisation may in many significant respects only strengthen tendencies towards greater similarities in HRM policies and practices over the coming decades, although both societies can be expected to retain their distinct identities.    References 1. Chan, A. 1995, Chinese Enterprise Reforms: Convergence with the Japanese Model? , Industrial and Corporate Change, Vol.14, No. 1, pp.449-70. 2. Chen, M. 1995, Asian Management Systems: Chinese, Japanese and Korean styles of Business, London: Routledge. 3. Chen, S.J. 1998, The Development of HRM Practices in Taiwan, Human Resource Management in the Asia Pacific Region, London: Frank Cass, pp. 152-69. 4. Child, J. 1994, Management in China During the Era of Reform, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 5. Ding, D.Z., Goodall, K. and Warner, M. 2000, The End of the Iron Rice Bowl: Whither Chinese HRM?, International Journal of Human Resources Management, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 217-36. 6. Frenkel, S., Hong, J.C. and Lee, B.L. 1993, The Resurgence and Fragility of Trade Unions in Taiwan, in S.Frenkel (ed.), Organised Labour in the Asia-Pacific Region: a Comparative Study of Trade Unionism in Nine Countries, Ithace, NY: ILR Press, pp. 162-86. 7. Lee, J.S. 1995, Economic Development and the Evolution of Industrial Relations on Taiwan, 1950-1993, Employment Relations in the Growing Asian Economies, London: Routeledge, pp. 88-118. 8. Magarinos, C.A., Long, Y. and Sercovich, F.C. 2002, China in the WTO: the Birth of a Catching-up Strategy, London: Palgrave and New York: St Martin’s Press. 9. Poole, M. 1997, ‘Industrial and labour relations’ in M. Warner (ed.), IEBM Concise Encyclopedia of Business and Management, London: International Thomson Business Press, pp. 264-82. 10. Redding, G. 1995, The Spirit of Chinese Capitalism, Berlin: De Gruyter. 11. Warner, M. 1995, The Management of Human Resources in Chinese Industry, London: Macmillan and New York: St Martin’s Press. 12. Warner, M. 1997, Management- Labour Relations in the New Chinese Economy, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 30-43. 13. Warner, M. 2002, Globalisation, Labour Markets and Human Resources, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 1-15. 14. Zhu, Y., Chen, I. and Warner, M. 2000, HRM in Taiwan: An Empirical Case Study, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 32-44. 15. Zhu, Y. and Warner, M. 2000, An Emerging Model of Employment Relations in China: A Divergent Path from the Japanese, International Business Review, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 345-61. 16. Zhu, Y. and Warner, M. 2001, Taiwanese Business Strategies vis-à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½-vis the Asian Financial Crisis, Asia Pacific Business Review, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 139-56.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act (Sox) 2002: CEOs & CFOs

The Sox Act in 2002 enhanced the responsibilities of the CEOs and CFOs by requiring them to certify the accuracy of the financial statements and making sure that there is no intention of fraudulence. Furthermore, they could significant penalties such as that they could face up to 10 years for â€Å"knowing† violations and up to 20 years if â€Å"willing† as well as criminal charges for certifying false information. In addition, they will be prohibited from holding corporate positions as directors or office in the future by the SEC (Fordham International Law Journal, 2003). The main purpose behind this is to make sure that any wrongdoing to the public investors will not go unpunished.Thus, the executives are placed in a position where they must personally responsible for the financial statement. Furthermore, the certification by CEOs and CFOs require more time and diligence from all members of the company including auditors and senior accounts to put more efforts into re viewing the financial statements. If in any case where â€Å"misconduct† activity is suspected, then CEOs and CFOs can be forced to lose any bonuses or profits from selling company stock in one year period (NACUBO, 2003). Before the SOX Act, most CEOs and CFOs usually do not take personal responsibility for the financial statement so they simply just signed it instead of spending time to review it carefully (Maroney &McDevitt , 2008).With this act, they are required to establish, maintain, and continuously monitoring as well as evaluating the effectiveness of the company’s financial disclosure and procedures. By certify the quarterly or annual report, CEOs and CFOs agreed to the accuracy and fair presentation of the report and basically certify that they have reviewed the report to the best of their knowledge, does not contain any untrue statement or omit any important and necessary information such as financial data and statements (Fordham International Law Journal, 2 003). The overall goal of SOX Act is to restore the confidence in investors when reviewing its financial reports because there is really no point of looking at it if it is inaccurate.The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Internal ControlThis section addresses the problems and weaknesses in internal controls and  how public company methods to collect, process, and disclose financial information to satisfy its statutory reporting requirements. Recent corporate and accounting frauds have demonstrated the inadequacy of internal controls with regard to revenue recognition. The act also contains requirements aimed at ensuring proper revenue recognition (SEC, 2013). Under this section, there must be a statement of management’s responsibility for establishing and maintaining internal control for any financial report of the company.Furthermore, they must list out the frameworks on how they used to determine the effectiveness of the internal control. In addition, they must write an formal e valuation on the effectiveness as company’s recent fiscal year. Finally, an auditor has issued an attestation report on management’s assessment (SEC, 2013). Although initially the compliance costs and efforts of this act were burdensome but after many years companies feel that compliance of the act outweight the costs as well as a great improvement in internal control over 10 years (GARP, 2013).

Wind Turbine †Research Paper

Wind Turbine – Research Paper Free Online Research Papers In his article â€Å"Move Over, Oil, Theres Money In Texas Wind,† Clifford Krauss writes about the growing popularity of wind turbines in Texas. It is an alternative source of energy, and many Texans are turning oil fields into wind farms. If the rate of wind turbines as a use of electrical generation keeps growing, wind power can become the main source of electricity in Texas and eventually the United States. Some drawbacks to wind power and turbines are that they are more expensive than fossil fuels, and on the hottest days, when it is need it the most, it is rarely windy. These turbines are increasing in size, and they are getting deadlier to bats and birds as the size of their blades increase. Despite the drawbacks to wind turbines, they are more environmentally friendly, and wind is also a renewable resource. Wind power is not only confined to Texas. Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado and Oregon have also started using wind turbines as a source of power. Long Island is also on th e same track. Other countries have also caught on to wind power, such as Germany and Spain. Most Texans are content to have wind turbines installed on their property. In fact, it raises their propertys value. Instead of worrying about the cost of oil, they have a source of energy they can rely on right in their backyards. â€Å"Even the worst days for wind dont compare to the busts in the oil business said Bobby Clark, a General Electric wind technician†(Krauss 3). Few Texans have any real issues with the growth of wind power in their state. Texans find the turbines appealing to look at, breath of fresh air in the bleak desert landscape. Colorado is also building wind turbines. Construction is already under way on the Cedar Creek project in Colorado. This wind power project will have 274 wind turbines. The Cedar Creek Wind Farm is the largest wind power project by Mortenson Construction and it is one of the largest single installations of wind turbines in the United States. â€Å"Babcock Brown and partner awarded the design-build project to Mortenson in December 2006, representing the sixth wind project built by Mortenson for Babcock Brown.† (â€Å"Cedar Creek Wind Farms†). Once Cedar Creek is finished in December 2007, the 300.5 megawatts of wind power will provide enough power for about 120,000 households and employment for approximately 30 maintenance workers. For such a small town of 150 people, the wind project has many business opportunities for employment and provides goods and services. Not everyone is pleased about the production of wind turbines. Senator Lamar Alexander was criticized from a small Colorado town for his bill that denied tax credits to some wind turbines because he complained that the tax breaks were going to an energy source that was expensive and unreliable. He stated the large wind turbines could ruin the scenery. â€Å"The senator has said the large, industrial wind turbines could be a scenic blight† ( â€Å"Winds of Change Stirring in Colorado†). During the approval process for Cedar Creek, many interested parties including the Audubon Society – had a lot to say about the project. Troy Florian, district manager for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, said his agency was worried about how the wind turbines might affect the wildlife. Wind power energy is produced not only in the U.S. It has spread worldwide. Spain is one of the three world’s largest users of wind power. Wind power has helped Spain to become more eco-friendly and gives it a head start for future, with the government leading this movement. Galacia currently leads wind power development in Spain.†Topographical and climatic conditions in Galicia make the area a favorable one for electricity production by means of wind farms†(Lindkvist). The Spanish government has been very supportive of wind turbines, including producing some Muros, which is in Galacia. Skofteland and Oyjordsbakken (2004) found that it was beneficial for the town of Muros because it created new jobs for engineers and construction workers. The people who decided to take an active role in the development of the wind turbines were people who lived around them. The Muros community saw the many changes, but the people really didnt really get involved. In general, locals had very little interest in, or knowledge of wind farms. The cost to buy the land for the wind farms was very expensive. This was done by the Santiago de Compostela windmill company, which included 10 employees living in Muros out of a total staff of 40. In Spain’s Atlantic coast, bird lovers, fishermen, and tourism officials have came together to oppose the creation of offshore wind farms, stating that they can harm birds’ migratory patterns, and make the coastline unpleasant to look at. †A biologist studied the effect that 368 turbines had on birds and bats in the Navarre region in Spain. The result was that nearly 7,000 wild birds were slaughtered in a year†( â€Å"Wind Turbine Blow to Birds and Bats†). Wind turbine projects in Long Island began in 2003, when the building an offshore wind farm was proposed. The â€Å"wind park† consisted of forty 3.6 megawatt turbines near Robert Moses State Park. The Long Island Power Authority has plans to become more dependent on wind power for the long-term. The wind park in Long Island was to be the first operating park in the United States. Although the wind turbines in Long Island could be beneficial, whether wind turbines can be constructed more than 3 miles offshore is being reviewed by the Army Corps Of Engineers. The entire project must go through much review and planning before it gets underway. Many Long Islanders are concerned that the building of wind turbines and wind farms is merely a whim of major corporations, rather than a response to the environment and people’s needs. â€Å"This ground-breaking project will prove to the country that we can generate electricity that is free of pollution and fuel surcharges, and do es not compromise our nation’s energy security†(http://lioffshorewindenergy.org). I would like to see the construction of the wind parks in Long Island because regardless of the whims of corporations, the wind turbines offer an alternative source of clean energy. The construction of the wind parks will be a good start for the United States to begin to invest more in alternative, and clean sources of energy, instead of continuing to rely on dwindling supplies of fossil fuels. Long Island is also a good place to start the placement of wind turbines because of its extensive coastline. The wind turbines should be installed further because the price of oil is skyrocketing, and unlike oil, wind power is a renewable resource. It will also decrease Long Islands dependency on foreign oil. A useful source of alternative energy is solar power. Although it is 150 million kilometers away, the sun gives off an incredible amount of power and heat that we have been able to turn into energy for our daily lives. The three main ways to harness solar power are solar cells, solar water heating, and solar water furnaces. More and more houses, schools, and buildings are using photo voltaic tiles for power as solar power technology becomes more mainstream. These photo voltaic tiles consist of silicon, and the neutrons have a reaction to the sun and are caught by small wires on the tiles. Solar power is predictable. The sun rises every day and gets hot at the same time of day and the same time of year. Solar energy is also reliable and renewable. â€Å"The technology and the systems are becoming smaller, more compact and better looking than when they were first created and used. Early examples of solar power systems can be seen in California where, in the 1980s, enough solar power panels were installed to power over 10 million homes†(Lenfki, Peter). Solar energy is worthwhile to invest in because, as well as wind power, it is a clean and efficient energy source. In some buildings in New York City, solar power is already being used, which is a good indicator of the bright future of the use of solar energy. Just the tiny fraction of the Suns energy that hits the Earth (around a hundredth of a millionth of a percent) is enough to meet all our power needs many times over. I favor solar power because it is eco-friendly, it is inexpensive, and takes steps in the direction of making the United States less dependable on un-renewable, expensive, and increasingly harmful energy sources. Research Papers on Wind Turbine - Research PaperThe Spring and AutumnNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceGenetic EngineeringPETSTEL analysis of IndiaAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Project Managment Office SystemTwilight of the UAWBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of Self19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

Chemical Reaction - Chemistry Definition

Chemical Reaction - Chemistry Definition A chemical reaction is a chemical change which forms new substances. A chemical reaction may be represented by a chemical equation, which indicates the number and type of each atom, as well as their organization into molecules or ions. A chemical equation uses the element symbols as shorthand notation for the elements, with arrows to indicate the direction of the reaction. A conventional reaction is written with reactants on the left side of the equation and products on the right side. The state of matter of the substances may be indicated in parenthesis (s for solid, l for liquid, g for gas, aq for aqueous solution). The reaction arrow may go from left to right or there may be a double arrow, indicating reactants turn to products and some product undergoes the reverse reaction to reform reactants. While chemical reactions involves atoms, typically only the electrons are involved in the breaking and formation of chemical bonds. Processes involving the atomic nucleus are called nuclear reactions. The substances that participate in a chemical reaction are called reactants. The substances that are formed are called products. The products have different properties from the reactants. Also Known As: reaction, chemical change Chemical Reaction Examples The chemical reaction H2(g)  ½ O2(g) → H2O(l) describes the formation of water from its elements. The reaction between iron and sulfur to form iron(II) sulfide is another chemical reaction, represented by the chemical equation: 8 Fe S8 → 8 FeS Types of Chemical Reactions There are countless reactions, but they can be grouped into four basic categories: Synthesis Reaction In a synthesis or combination reaction, two or more reactants combine to form a more complex product. The general form of the reaction is: A B → AB Decomposition Reaction A decomposition reaction is the reverse of a synthesis reaction. In a decomposition, a complex reactant breaks into simpler products. The general form of a decomposition reaction is: AB → A B Single Replacement Reaction In a single replacement or single displacement reaction, one uncombined element replaces another in a compound or trades places with it. The general form of a single replacement reaction is: A BC  Ã¢â€ â€™ AC B Double Replacement Reaction In a double replacement or double displacement reaction, the anions and cations of the reactants trade places with each other two form new compounds. The general form of a double replacement reaction is: AB CD  Ã¢â€ â€™ AD CB Because there are so many reactions, there are additional ways to categorize them, but these other classes will still fall into one of the four main groups. Examples of other classes of reactions include oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions, acid-base reactions, complexation reactions, and precipitation reactions. Factors That Affect Reaction Rate The rate or speed at which a chemical reaction occurs is affected by several factors, including: reactant concentrationsurface areatemperaturepressurepresence or absence of catalystspresence of light, especially ultraviolet lightactivation energy

Critically evaluate the argument that diversity management is good for Essay

Critically evaluate the argument that diversity management is good for organizations, but damaging for employees - Essay Example In forming this culture it is vital for the management to involve diversity initiatives in the business activities of the company. The top management should also promote diversity in the workplace as goal of the company. Diversity is about portraying a culture that recognizes personal needs and contributions. However diversity by nature is perceived to bring complexity in the workplace. This negatively affects the employees due the various cultures. According to Klarsfeld (2010, 126) Employees are bound to feel at ease when working with people from the same cultural background. Diversity management in the organization is good as it promotes maximum production compared to those organizations which do not employ diversity. Diversity as a practice starts and ends with the individual. Today diversity involves the all business practices driven towards creating trust and improving workplace. In order to maintain properly managed diversity in the organization it involves knowing workers ind ividually not as part of a particular culture. Organizations with multicultural diversity tend to portray high levels of engagement and the organization is able to outperform others. The outer-performance is in terms of stock price, turnover rate, stock price, revenue growth, net income and financial growth. According to Mor Barak (2010, 250), one of the important assumptions of diversity management is the strength of relationship between business assets. These include the business systems, practices, goals and the people involved. The compatibility of this interdependent relations as well as its well functioning affects the business operation. The effects are experienced in organizations image, profitability and stability which occur both in short-term or long-term. As suggested by Thomas (2006, 244), in diversity management, the organization needs to have an equal focus on all areas of management. Diversity in management has various benefits to the organization. They include: Easy entry to a changing market situation: Diversification in an organization implies incorporation of different practices. This means that the organization is less likely to have difficulties in adapting to changes. Working under diverse conditions enables the management to be able to handle various situations without fear. Diversity also means exploring various areas of the market therefore the management is aware of the market making its entrance easier. In diversity, employees are handled equally and this gives them the motivation to contribute the organizations development. High quality customer service: Diversification in an organization promotes enhanced customer services. The presence of individuals from different cultural background ensures that the organization can serve different customers and satisfy their needs. In diversity management since workers are used to working and relating with diverse cultural backgrounds, it becomes possible for them to handle different customers . Large-scale business transformation: transformation ensures business operation is more agile, rapid and lean. Diversity management ensures business operations are well transformed. It also ensure accountability in business transformation in large-scale. The diversity in the organization promotes modernization of business operations in business trans