Character Analysis of Armand Aubigny

I think Armand Aubigny is one of major character in the story. Because if there are no Armand in the story, then the conflict will not be until the climax, or maybe there would be no conflict at all. In the story, Armand had a conflict with his wife, Desiree. Before we get to the main conflict, yes, I think when Armand had a quarrel with Desiree about Desiree’s baby is the main conflict, first, I will lead you to the characterization of Armand Aubigny. It was no wonder, when she stood one day against the stone pillar in whose shadow she had lain asleep, eighteen years before, that Armand Aubigny riding by and seeing her there, had fallen in love with her. † Armand is a man who fell in love with Desiree. He has a light skin and handsome but his mother having black skin. His mother died when he was eight. He didn’t remember her mother have a black skin, maybe because his light skin. I can say that Armand is a racist, because he has strict rules to his slaves. And hi s slaves are Negrillon. Armand has known Desiree since he is a boy. But on that time, Armand not loved her.It is represented in the sentence: â€Å"The wonder was that he had not loved her before; for he had known her since his father brought him home from Paris, a boy of eight, after his mother died there. † Then, Armand didn’t care about Desiree’s origin. He really fell in love with her. He believed that he can give Desiree the best, the oldest and the proudest in Louisiana as is evidenced under the sentence in which he didn’t care with her nameless: â€Å"What did it matter about a name when he could give her one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana? † Then they were married. Armand is the man who is arrogant.He cannot discuss a problem using his brain but he uses his emotion. Armand and Desiree live their lives as a family as did other family. Until Desiree gave a birth to a baby and Armand knew that baby has a dark skin. Armand who formerly loved Desiree is now turned into a fierce Armand. Armand blames Desiree for what happened to his child. He said that Desiree is a descendant from a black people . We can look at the scene when Desiree tried to talk to Armand about the child: â€Å"Tell me what it means! † she cried despairingly. â€Å"It means,† he answered lightly, â€Å"that the child is not white; it means that you are not white. †¦ â€Å"As white as La Blanche's,† he returned cruelly; and went away leaving her alone with their child. He didn’t care when Desiree decided to leave the house. Please, look at this conversation: â€Å"Do you want me to go? † â€Å"Yes, I want you to go. † Armand blamed God too. He thought that God has unfair to him because formerly he loved Desiree very much and then Desiree gave him badness into his house and his family. Finally, Armand read a part of a letter from his mother to his father and he knew that he is a descendant of the rac e that is cursed with the brand of slavery.

Boeing Case Study

Q1: How would you describe Boeing’s unethical culture. So called rotten to the core (5)? The unethical culture inside Boeing was widespread, and affected multiple geographic areas and there were cases across all divisions of such unethical behaviour. The promotion of the well-being of stakeholders was no longer being practised. Managers were no longer taking the claims of all stakeholders into consideration in their decision-making, and as such all stakeholder groups were at threat from this unethical behaviour, including the stockholders, employees, suppliers and distributors and the customers.The problem is that the relentless pursuit of self-interest was evident, and this seemingly led to a collective disaster inside the company, as one or more people started to profit from being unethical in the company, which likely encouraged other managers and employees to act in the same way. As a result, the efficiency and effectiveness of the company and its performance was compromis ed (e. g. failing to capitalise on cost savings initiatives).All in all, this resulted in reputation loss (e. g. humiliating ouster of Harry Stonecipher). As unethical behaviour was evident from the former CEO (affair with colleague) to his executive and other lower level managers (imprisoned employees), it is understandable and appropriate to refer to the culture and being ‘rotten to the core’. The culture that existed was simply unacceptable. Q2: What kind of factors resulted in Boeing’s unethical culture (10)?There are a number of factors that led to and resulted in culture at Boeing being unethical in nature. Some of these helped to create the environment for poor ethical decisions (e. g. poor ethics), and some of the factors were direct breaches of ethical conduct that served to stimulate further acts of ethical breach in the organisation. a)Environmental The four rules for ethical decision-making had been violated inside Boeing. Utilitarian rule – th e greatest good for the greatest number of people was not being pursued †¢Moral rights rule – decisions were not protecting the fundamental rights and privileges of people †¢Justice rule – distribution of benefits were not fair, equitable, and impartial †¢Practical rule – people in society didn’t not find these decisions and behaviours acceptable The breach of the environmental factors is supported by the complacency amongst the management that existed. Management was used to hiding behind bureaucracy, and there was a lack of effective and centralised leadership.Thus McDonnel-Douglas and Boeing was cultures were still evident in the same organisation. Management also had a culture of excess – they went away on posh getaways for their executive breakouts, â€Å"played golf, and closed down the bar†. The culture in the organisation was a closed culture and a â€Å"culture of silence†. There was no whistle-blowing on ethic s breaches. There was a general lack of attention to factors that create an enabling environment for productive and efficient work execution within ethical norms.Appropriate incentives were lacking and not in place, when the company grew as a result of the merger, there was no strong central control or corporate governance – which resulted in ethical breaches throughout the organisation. Also as a result of the merger, there remained internal conflicts and rivalries by the management teams which were not addressed, resulting in two cultures that didn’t integrate and work together. This led to a number of challenges such as good ideas not being shared, and internal cost cutting measures being hindered. b)Breach of ethical conductThere were also breaches of ethical conduct which only served to perpetuate and entrench the rogue ethical culture: †¢The former CEO’s relationship with his female Vice-President †¢The abuse of attorney-client privilege in cover ing up internal studies †¢Unethical pay discrepancy where females earned less than men at Boeing †¢The theft of 250000 pages of proprietary documents Because self-interest can lead to a collective disaster when others are encouraged to follow suit, it is likely that these acts further the company as a collective in terms of its adopted culture and reputation. The lack of legislation banning some behaviours (e. g. iaisons and affairs with colleagues) may have contributed to such conduct. However, neither law or ethics are fixed principles, and the managers should have used the combination of individual, organisational, occupational, and societal ethics to guide their the behaviour and conduct. All in all, the standards by which the Boeing managers ought to have governed themselves in terms of their individual, organisational, occupational and societal ethics were violated, resulting â€Å"in a tragedy of the commons†, where the company’s performance was compro mised, and the company suffered a reputation loss (the publicised Palm Springs affair).Q3: What steps is the new CEO taking to change Boeing’s culture and make ethical behaviour the centre of attention (10)? McNerney embarked on a process to re-establish business ethics at Boeing, putting individual, organisational, occupational, and societal ethics back at the centre of decision-making. He confronted the unethical culture directly and head-on by giving a â€Å"wake-up call† to his executive management team at the company’s annual executive retreat. This included the reading out of prison numbers at the retreat.He was honest and direct when telling the managers that they had â€Å"gotten carried away with themselves†. An important step was to encourage managers to talk about ethical lapses, and undo the culture of silence that permeated the company. He encouraged people to â€Å"speak up and take the risk†. McNerney paid attention to detail, includ ing remembering employee’s names, to ensure that they feel important and valued, and thereby defusing the need to take ethical short-cuts in their work conduct and behaviour.Some of the direct tools he used to achieve his culture change was centralising leadership to exert more influence and control over the 3 divisions in Boeing. Also, he aligned pay to ethical values and behaviours, rewarding collaborations amongst teams and divisions, and rewarding those who were living Boeing’s values. These values included the promoting of integrity and the avoiding of abusive behaviour. McNerney realised that he had a direct influence on the culture he wanted to create and chose to lead by example.He adopted an understanding and caring type leadership style, asking less technical questions in meetings with staff, and focusing on the human element. This form of leadership quickly established trust. People were able to have faith and confidence in him, and as a result he â€Å"win s praise from co-workers†. He was able to salvage and restore Boeing’s reputation as a result of the combination of steps taken above. However, there was still room for improvement in that of adopting a change and transformation programme.Such a programme would have set very change objectives, been communicated throughout the organisation, and measures established to track progress towards the desired culture and ethical changes. â€Å"Giving speeches about management virtue† and then following through with concrete actions – has a place on the change and transformation programme towards an ethical culture. McNerney could have also drawn-up a code a conduct for his team. This approach would have been more directive, and would have sent a clear and strong message in terms of the importance of ethical conduct and behaviour. Boeing Case Study Q1: How would you describe Boeing’s unethical culture. So called rotten to the core (5)? The unethical culture inside Boeing was widespread, and affected multiple geographic areas and there were cases across all divisions of such unethical behaviour. The promotion of the well-being of stakeholders was no longer being practised. Managers were no longer taking the claims of all stakeholders into consideration in their decision-making, and as such all stakeholder groups were at threat from this unethical behaviour, including the stockholders, employees, suppliers and distributors and the customers.The problem is that the relentless pursuit of self-interest was evident, and this seemingly led to a collective disaster inside the company, as one or more people started to profit from being unethical in the company, which likely encouraged other managers and employees to act in the same way. As a result, the efficiency and effectiveness of the company and its performance was compromis ed (e. g. failing to capitalise on cost savings initiatives).All in all, this resulted in reputation loss (e. g. humiliating ouster of Harry Stonecipher). As unethical behaviour was evident from the former CEO (affair with colleague) to his executive and other lower level managers (imprisoned employees), it is understandable and appropriate to refer to the culture and being ‘rotten to the core’. The culture that existed was simply unacceptable. Q2: What kind of factors resulted in Boeing’s unethical culture (10)?There are a number of factors that led to and resulted in culture at Boeing being unethical in nature. Some of these helped to create the environment for poor ethical decisions (e. g. poor ethics), and some of the factors were direct breaches of ethical conduct that served to stimulate further acts of ethical breach in the organisation. a)Environmental The four rules for ethical decision-making had been violated inside Boeing. Utilitarian rule – th e greatest good for the greatest number of people was not being pursued †¢Moral rights rule – decisions were not protecting the fundamental rights and privileges of people †¢Justice rule – distribution of benefits were not fair, equitable, and impartial †¢Practical rule – people in society didn’t not find these decisions and behaviours acceptable The breach of the environmental factors is supported by the complacency amongst the management that existed. Management was used to hiding behind bureaucracy, and there was a lack of effective and centralised leadership.Thus McDonnel-Douglas and Boeing was cultures were still evident in the same organisation. Management also had a culture of excess – they went away on posh getaways for their executive breakouts, â€Å"played golf, and closed down the bar†. The culture in the organisation was a closed culture and a â€Å"culture of silence†. There was no whistle-blowing on ethic s breaches. There was a general lack of attention to factors that create an enabling environment for productive and efficient work execution within ethical norms.Appropriate incentives were lacking and not in place, when the company grew as a result of the merger, there was no strong central control or corporate governance – which resulted in ethical breaches throughout the organisation. Also as a result of the merger, there remained internal conflicts and rivalries by the management teams which were not addressed, resulting in two cultures that didn’t integrate and work together. This led to a number of challenges such as good ideas not being shared, and internal cost cutting measures being hindered. b)Breach of ethical conductThere were also breaches of ethical conduct which only served to perpetuate and entrench the rogue ethical culture: †¢The former CEO’s relationship with his female Vice-President †¢The abuse of attorney-client privilege in cover ing up internal studies †¢Unethical pay discrepancy where females earned less than men at Boeing †¢The theft of 250000 pages of proprietary documents Because self-interest can lead to a collective disaster when others are encouraged to follow suit, it is likely that these acts further the company as a collective in terms of its adopted culture and reputation. The lack of legislation banning some behaviours (e. g. iaisons and affairs with colleagues) may have contributed to such conduct. However, neither law or ethics are fixed principles, and the managers should have used the combination of individual, organisational, occupational, and societal ethics to guide their the behaviour and conduct. All in all, the standards by which the Boeing managers ought to have governed themselves in terms of their individual, organisational, occupational and societal ethics were violated, resulting â€Å"in a tragedy of the commons†, where the company’s performance was compro mised, and the company suffered a reputation loss (the publicised Palm Springs affair).Q3: What steps is the new CEO taking to change Boeing’s culture and make ethical behaviour the centre of attention (10)? McNerney embarked on a process to re-establish business ethics at Boeing, putting individual, organisational, occupational, and societal ethics back at the centre of decision-making. He confronted the unethical culture directly and head-on by giving a â€Å"wake-up call† to his executive management team at the company’s annual executive retreat. This included the reading out of prison numbers at the retreat.He was honest and direct when telling the managers that they had â€Å"gotten carried away with themselves†. An important step was to encourage managers to talk about ethical lapses, and undo the culture of silence that permeated the company. He encouraged people to â€Å"speak up and take the risk†. McNerney paid attention to detail, includ ing remembering employee’s names, to ensure that they feel important and valued, and thereby defusing the need to take ethical short-cuts in their work conduct and behaviour.Some of the direct tools he used to achieve his culture change was centralising leadership to exert more influence and control over the 3 divisions in Boeing. Also, he aligned pay to ethical values and behaviours, rewarding collaborations amongst teams and divisions, and rewarding those who were living Boeing’s values. These values included the promoting of integrity and the avoiding of abusive behaviour. McNerney realised that he had a direct influence on the culture he wanted to create and chose to lead by example.He adopted an understanding and caring type leadership style, asking less technical questions in meetings with staff, and focusing on the human element. This form of leadership quickly established trust. People were able to have faith and confidence in him, and as a result he â€Å"win s praise from co-workers†. He was able to salvage and restore Boeing’s reputation as a result of the combination of steps taken above. However, there was still room for improvement in that of adopting a change and transformation programme.Such a programme would have set very change objectives, been communicated throughout the organisation, and measures established to track progress towards the desired culture and ethical changes. â€Å"Giving speeches about management virtue† and then following through with concrete actions – has a place on the change and transformation programme towards an ethical culture. McNerney could have also drawn-up a code a conduct for his team. This approach would have been more directive, and would have sent a clear and strong message in terms of the importance of ethical conduct and behaviour.

Coffee-The Supply Chain Essay

Nowadays, people use different methods of mass media to express their concern about which sources cause (the ) pollution, and which consequences will be lead from it. This essay will try TO FIND OUT ABOUT (learning) these causes and effects of the pollution. There are different sources, which badly affect our environment. Different kinds of car, trucks on THE street day by day not only cause (the) noise in cities, but also damage clean air. Industrial plants, factories throw into the air huge amountS of waste. Green forests in the past are being cut down for producing wood production or for new areas of land. Dirty water from living buildings/PEOPLE’S HOUSES, from industrial zones is soured/POURED directly into rivers. We now face different kinds of pollution: air, water, noise and lack of green areas. From THE reasons mentioned above, our environment is changing. The air become less clean than ever before, many people now wearing/WEAR maskS when THEY WALK IN THE STREETS going on streets. THE Temperature becomes higher, cities’ air/THE AIR IN CITIES becomes hotter, and water in oceans becomes warmer. Many old green forests are like a bald hill when looking/YOU SEE THEM from ANairplane. The effects cannot be good for the environment itself, as well as for the people. Floods are so dangerous, but they are now very popular/COMMON everywhere in the world and are mentioned daily on TV. At the same time, some green areas return into death/TURN BACK INTO DEAD deserts. Just only these things are capable to damage/OF DAMAGING our world. There are many efforts are begin held for environment protectionWHICH ARE BEING STARTED TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. But there is one more important thing WHICH must be cared/CARRIED about: we must stop harmful to our /STOP CAUSING HARM TO THE EVIRONMENT BY OUR ACTIONSenvironment actions, before taking/MAKING any effort to protect it Nestlà © is a pioneer in purchasing coffee direct from growers. A growing percentage of the company’s coffee is bought direct from the producer and it is now one of the world’s largest direct purchasers. In countries where this is not possible Nestlà © operates in a way that takes it as close to the growers as possible. Nestlà © began its direct buying policy in 1986 and the amounts involved have steadily increased. In 1998, around 15 per cent of its green coffee purchases were bought directly. As an example, in the Philippines, farmers bring their produce to Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s buying centers situated in the coffee growing regions. Quality is analyzed while they wait and growers are paid on the spot. In 1998, direct purchases accounted for over 90 per cent of the green coffee destined for its two instant coffee factories in the country. Today, a jar of instant coffee can be found in 93 per cent of British homes and increasingly consumers are trying out different types of coffee, such as cappuccino, espresso, mocha and latte. The expanding consumer demand for product choice, quality and value has led to an increase in the coffees being made available to a discerning public. ‘Value’ is the way in which the consumer views an organization’s product in comparison with competitive offerings. So how does coffee get from growing on a tree perhaps 1,000m up a mountainside in Africa, Asia, Central or South America, to a cup of Nescafe in your home, and in millions of homes throughout the world? This case study explains why Nestlà © needs a first class supply chain, with high quality linkages from where the coffee is grown in the field, to the way in which it reaches the consumer. A supply chain is only as strong as its links. Different relationships exist between organizations involved in the separate stages of the chain – whether it is in the structuring of product distribution, arrangements for payment and arrangements for handling, or in storing the product. At the heart of these relationships is the way in which  people treat each other. Long-term business relationships need to be based on honesty and fairness – parties to a trading agreement need to feel that they are getting a fair deal. Creating wonderful cups of coffee is not only Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s business; it is the business of everyone involved in the supply chain. It is in everyone’s interest – the farmers’ and Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s – that farmers receive a fair income from their coffee. This ensures that they will continue to grow coffee, and to invest in increasing their yield and quality, and this in turn guarantees the supply of quality coffee which companies like Nestlà © require.

Parallel DC circuits Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Parallel DC circuits - Lab Report Example Hence, NI Multisim is an essential software that enables the user to observe the operation through simulation without performing that operation. Simulation software is play an important role in understanding how circuits operate in electronics. Electronic simulation software applies mathematical models to show the behaviour of an actual electric circuit. Electronics simulators include Circuitlogix, electronic work bench, NI Multisim among others. By simulating a circuit’s behaviour and response before building it, greatly improves efficiency and provides insights and relevant information concerning the behaviour and stability of electronics circuit designs. In many electrical circuits, it is important to determine the rate at which electrical energy is transferred into other forms of energy. To calculate power P for electrical appliances, we find the product of the current (A) through it and the Potential difference (V) across it. Thus, For resistors in series, the same current flows each of the resistors whereas the total sum of the voltage across each resistor equals to the total voltage applied. Therefore, the combined resistance is given by To study various waveforms on the DSO, the 3MHz Function Generator (TG300 Series) was connected to CH1 of DSO (Tektronix) using BNC leads. A sine wave of 1 kHz frequency and a root mean square voltage of 1.4145V was displayed on the screen. The period of the sine wave was determined using equation 1 in the introduction. Furthermore, the peak to peak voltage of a sine wave was measured and recorded as required. The waveforms and its FFT graphs were then printed out using the PC communication software. Similarly, a square wave with parameters 2 kHz frequency and 2Vpeak was shown on the screen. The period of the waveforms and the peak-to-peak voltages were determined. The FFT graphs were printed out as required. The above procedure was repeated for 1.5 kHz, 2Vpeak

Assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Assignment 2 - Essay Example In addition, as the world’s demand continues to rise, a lot still has to be done on mismanagement of some resources. People often take for granted free energy resources like wind, water and solar energy. If they increase utilizing this forms of energy that are renewable, then they would not have a bigger problem in the future. There is a possibility of the world meeting its rising demand for energy if it only used its resources wisely. Furthermore, this speaker adds that part of the world’s energy problem could be solved by having good world governance. By having a good world governance, the world would be avoiding an energy crisis in the future by avoiding some countries from taking all of the available resources for themselves. In relation to Tom Burke in video 1, the planet cannot have shortage of energy and is able to provide energy for its current population and even supply the future population. This can be achieved by using the necessary resources to utilize energy resources that had not been utilized fully, for example, water, wind and solar energy. The world is able to cope with its energy supply only if it would avail the necessary capital, political and technology know how towards increasing its energy production. In accordance to Malcolm Wicks in video 1, in as much as population growth in the western world is decreasing, still energy demand is increasing. As the population becomes more affluent and more educated, there energy demand tends to increase. Therefore, this speaker implies that population increase might be a direct factor on energy demand in some cases. In relation to video 2, Professor Al Bartlett discusses about energy use in relation to population. The video starts with a question posed to him if energy is the world’s number one problem. The speaker on answering twists the question and supports the notion that population is indeed the world’s greatest challenge. He emphasizes that population plays a

How changes in technology and the emergence of a global economy might Essay

How changes in technology and the emergence of a global economy might affect college graduates seeking jobs , and what new skill - Essay Example First of all, communication across cultures is the most important skill one should possess in the global economy. It is essential in the present business world to communicate with people from various cultural backgrounds. Undoubtedly, today’s workplace is rapidly becoming vast as business spreads to new geographic locations. So, knowing how to communicate with various cultures will make business transactions and management easy. Thus, recognizing cultural differences can ensure that the business transactions are successful. In fact, people from dissimilar cultural backgrounds have different ways of communication. This may result in poor communication, and consequently in misunderstanding and frustration. In such a global business arena, it becomes necessary for management students to have good cross cultural communication skills. In fact, the consequences of poor cross-cultural communication are plenty. In the opinion of Don W. Prince et al, they are â€Å"lost confidence, lo st customers, lost business relationships, and lost opportunities† (Prince & Hoppe, 2007, p. 30). The second important skill is computer skills. One cannot think about a business in the modern day world that functions without the aid of a computer. Presently, computer is used by employees at all levels in a company.

Decriminalization, drug maintenance and harm reduction Essay

Decriminalization, drug maintenance and harm reduction - Essay Example Thus it is time to seek alternative approach in combating drug abuse. Among such alternatives are: decriminalization, harm reduction, and drug substitution and maintenance. Decriminalization is the process of making an action no longer a criminal act in the relevant jurisdiction. While decriminalized acts are no longer crimes, they may still be the subject of regulation; for example, the licensing and regular medical testing of prostitutes, or a monetary penalty in place of a criminal charge for the possession of a soft drug. (Decriminalization, 2006). The decriminalization of drugs is a complicated issue embracing numerous distinct moral/ethical and practical strands which can, possibly, be summarized thus: (a) Whose body is it anyway Where do I start and the government begins What gives the state the right to intervene in decisions pertaining only to my self and contravene them (Valnin, n.d.). However, most studies shoed that decriminalization could the best weapon against drug abuse. For example, in the case of marijuana, findings from dozens of government-commissioned and academic studies published over the past 25 years overwhelmingly affirm that l iberalizing marijuana penalties will not caused an increase in marijuana utilization or influence a teenager perception of drug use. Since 1973, 12 state legislatures -- Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Oregon -- have enacted versions of marijuana decriminalization. In each of these states, marijuana users are no longer jailed when caught possessing marijuana (Marijuana Decriminalization & Its Impact on Use, 2002). Harm reduction Another alternative would be to replace unsuccessful laws and policies with harm-reduction strategies, which center on reducing the societal costs of drug abuse and other drug use. Techniques include education to avoid overdose, needle exchange programs to reduce the spread of blood-borne diseases. Addressing drug use as part a public health issue rather than a criminal one would be beneficial in the long run (Zinberg, 1984; Drug Abuse, 2006). The central idea of harm reduction is the recognition that some people always have and always will engage in behaviors which carry risks, e.g. casual sex, illicit substance use. Harm reduction aims to lessen the potential harm linked with these behaviors without attempting to prohibit the behaviors. Therefore, no one should be denied of health care services simply due to the fact that they take risks. Furthermore, harm reduction seeks a social justice response to illegal drug use, in contrary to a criminalizing one (Harm reduction, 2006). Drug substitution and maintenanceAnother alternative to unsuccessful laws and policies is drug substitution and maintenance. These approaches have a long history however. The logic behind is that of harm reduction: if some people are unable to quit using drugs, both users and society at large benefit if these users, i.e., addicts, are able to switch from "black market" drugs of indeterminate quality, purity and potency to legal drugs, of known purity and potency, obtained from physicians, pharmacies and other legal channels (Drug substitution

Project Management for Information Technology Assignment

Project Management for Information Technology - Assignment Example The applications as well as the limitations of these two models in the aspect of information technology project management are also considered. The examples of information technology projects are taken from two companies, namely Google Inc. and Microsoft Corporation and the role of culture in the success or failure of these projects are discussed and analysed. It is identified that both Google Inc. and Microsoft Corporation are extremely mature companies in terms of project management as well as in the use of information technology systems. The analysis of the examples of information technology projects in these two organizations establish that culture plays an important role in the management of different types of information technology projects. The analysis also indicates that a supportive culture is necessary for the short term as well as the long term success of these kinds of projects. The examples show that the complexity associated with the information technology projects can be managed to a high degree through the development of an appropriate culture within the organization and among its members. The report is concluded by summarizing the overall findings from the analysis of the theories and examples. Organizational culture has emerged as an important perspective in the modern business world. The role of organizational culture has been highlighted in the recent years due to many organizations experiencing issues and fallouts due to discrepancies in their project management and their respective cultures. On the other hand, a majority of the successful companies across the world are identified to have focused extensively on integrating culture in their organizational functions and capabilities. Corporate culture is also an important influencing factor in the way in which information technology projects are managed in a company. It has been identified that when an information technology project fails,

The assignment is for Environmental Compliance & Safety class

The is for Environmental Compliance & Safety class - Assignment Example The Clean Air Act enabled United States to enforce laws that meet minimum standards for air quality. The Act requires the EPA to come up with and enforce regulations that guard the general public against exposure to hazardous wastes. Factors determining whether negligence has been involved in releasing hazardous materials into the environment are knowledge of the generator of hazardous material and provisions in the environment laws. A person is said to be negligible in releasing hazardous waste into the environment if he has full knowledge that he generates hazardous waste in his company and goes ahead and release it to the environment without considering its impacts to the environment (Dennison, 1995). Also, a person is negligible if he understands the provisions in Clean Air Act, but contravenes the provisions. Negligent action can be said to be a failure of doing something or observing the degree of care, which is required in the discharging of a responsibility, which the individual charged with negligence ought to have done to the injured party. In this case, the negligent individual is liable to all the problems caused by failing to undertake his responsibility. RCRA categorizes hazardous waste into eight categories, which are ignitable waste, corrosive waste, reactive waste, acute hazardous waste, toxicity characteristic waste, waste from specific and non-specific sources, toxic waste and discarded unused chemical waste. These categories help the RCRA in grouping of the hazardous waste (Dennison, 1995). Furthermore, waste can be categorized using four criteria. These are ignitability, reactivity, corrosivity, and toxicity. Ignitable wastes are those that are flammable when exposed to a source of fire. Reactive wastes are those that react with various elements and compounds in the environment. Corrosive wastes are those wastes that cause wear and tear of substances in the environment. Toxic

Criticism on William faulkner on the short story A Rose for Emily Research Proposal

Criticism on William faulkner on the short story A Rose for Emily - Research Proposal Example Life was not easy for the members of the upper class either, with their clinging to obsolete customs and traditions. It will be shown that Miss Emily Grierson in Faulkner's "Rose for Emily" took advantage of her upper class upbringing at the same time becoming a victim to the same tradition of class difference. "A Rose for Emily" is a seminal work by William Faulkner in which he has portrayed the various characters in a small town in America. Set in the period between the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, the story is steeped in tradition. This short story was the first of Faulkner's stories to be published in a national publication, when it was published in the Forum in 1930. He narrates the story of Emily Grierson and her doomed love affair. Using a technique not much used in those days, Faulkner goes back and forward in time making the story very effective .Emily Grierson belonged to a wealthy upper class family which had lost all their money, but not their iron pride. Thinking her too good for the local young men, Emily's father had never allowed her to date anyone." None of the young men were quite good enough for Miss Emily and such."(Faulkner) When the father dies, Emily refuses to accept his death. Soon after, Emily's unsuitable suitor Homer Barron, who did not belong to her class arrives .He goes about with her in spite of the disapprobation of the towns' people. The minister trying to advise Emily and the minister's wife writing to Emily's cousins about the unsuitable Homer Barron, the Yankee foreman are typical of the class distinction which was prevalent in those days. The cousins arrive, and Barron is seen no more except once. Emily buys arsenic ostensibly to kill some rats, which leads the townspeople to think that she will commit suicide. After that Emily shuts herself up in her house with the old negro servant to care for her. She adamantly refuses to pay taxes citing a long expired grant by a former mayor. In a macabre end to the story, after Emily's death, the townspeople discover the skeleton of Homer Barron in the locked up bedroom upstairs, with a strand of 'long gray hair' in the pillow next to it. Faulkner has used the inherent class distinctions prevalent in the small towns of the American South to develop the story. He begins the story with Emily's death." And now Miss Emily had gone to join the representatives of those august names where they lay in the cedarbemused cemetery among the ranked and anonymous graves of Union and Confederate soldiers who fell at the battle of Jefferson." (Faulkner) Only in death did the 'august names' and the anonymous soldiers come together. Emily was a tradition in herself for the town with not many other 'august names'. Faulkner's preoccupation with heredity is evident in his works. His characters are haunted by their traditions .He draws upon his observations in Oxford, a small town in the American South where he lived. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Oxford provided Faulkner with intimate access to a deeply conservative rural world, conscious of its past and remote from the urban -industrial mainstream". (E.B.)We see the town of Jefferson portrayed by Faulkner has all the characteristics of a deeply conservative world. Emily goes on ignoring the notices to pay taxes,

The Lang report Essay Example for Free

The Lang report Essay The Lang report was one of the first reports to not only investigate why hooliganism occurred, but measures to stop it from occurring in the future it reported that:  There can be no doubt that the consumption of alcohol is an important factor in crowd misbehaviour  In more recent reports hooliganism has not only been committed outside or in the stadium. Under cover operations have revelled that hooliganism has become more organised where the ringleaders of sets of troublemakers on opposing sides have been in contact with each other and meet at a predetermined destination to fight. The advantage of this for them is that there wont is police patrolling that area so they can get away with it. The methods the authorities have developed to stop it,  The approach taken by the British authorities to reducing football hooliganism has been largely increasingly sophisticated policing, surveillance and monitoring techniques, segregation of fans, restrictions on alcohol etc. The British Government has also introduced specific legislation to cover acts of hooliganism.  Such measures are common elsewhere in Europe, the German, Dutch and Belgian authorities, in particular, have been more proactive in their approach to the problem. The development of fan coaching schemes appears to have had an impact on levels of violence in certain areas. Such schemes, which involve social workers deployed with groups of fans, provide useful models for other countries. German clubs are involved to an extent in the fan coaching schemes; elsewhere there is little contact between club officials and the fan groups. Very recently the British police have started using the Spotter system. This is a system that is used throughout the season in the English Premier and Football Leagues. A police liaison officer is attached to a particular club and has the responsibility of identifying and monitoring hooligans, usually travelling to away games and assisting the local force with the detection of hooligans. Identified hooligans would be banned from viewing all of there teams games and before European and international ties take place, their passports are confiscated so that the wont travel to the away games in other countries and cause any trouble. Another scheme introduced was a hooligan hotline whereby supporters could phone in and report incidents of hooliganism and perhaps even identify perpetrators. Although this scheme was promoted as being entirely new, similar schemes have been in existence since 1988, when the West Midlands police set up a 24-hour hotline. Conclusion I believe as long as football exists there will be hooliganism as when people have differences of opinions there are always going to be some narrow minded people who will get angry and lash out. This may be on supporters of the opposing side, the authorities or vandalism of public property. However although I believe hooliganism will always exist I believe that there are things that increase the likelihood of such acts occurring these include:  Drink, which heightens peoples emotions making them more likely to get angry and it also, stops them from fearing fighting and the law. When people drink they stop thinking rationally and do things that they otherwise wouldnt do. Troublemakers these people come to a stadium often not watching the match especially to get into a fight. They often encourage drunken supporters into joining in with there trouble making. They often taunt opposing fans in the hope that there will be a fight.  The mood of the fans contributes to hooliganism, as if the supporters have had a good journey and their team has a good result then they will be in a good mood hence being less likely to cause trouble  Security presence, will act as a deterrent to hooligans as they will not want to be punished for their actions, so if there are many police officers they wont want to start trouble. Although there are still the occasional instances of hooliganism the police have done well in dramatically cutting down the amount of them. They are co-operating much more with their European counterparts and have new measures such as the spotter system and the hooliganism hotline. However there is more that the government can do I believe the police should be given greater powers in arresting and prosecuting hooligans. Penalties for hooligans should be a lot more severe in order to act as a deterrent. Also everyone entering a stadium should undergo a breathalyser test to see if they are over the legal alcohol limit and if they are they should be taken to the police station and fined and banned from viewing there team play for a set period of time. I believe that this will not only act as a deterrent but it will stop the trouble makers from coming to the football so the atmosphere in the stadium will good and the emphasis on having a good time. This will also increase the popularity of the sport as more families will come to watch the sport introducing a new generation of football lovers who wont be interested in hooliganism, just in the sport. Appraisal of study  The problem with my project was that as I choose the subject matter of hooliganism. It was very hard to find facts and figures to back up my points all I could find to prove my points were discussions and reports about this study. Though these reports were written by experts in this field, they too had to work in the same conditions without facts to back up what they were saying, so I am only going on what they believe and they cannot prove what they are saying to be true. So if I were to improve this project I would have to get some data to prove my theories to be correct.

Hebrew Wisdom on Diligence and Laziness Essay Example for Free

Hebrew Wisdom on Diligence and Laziness Essay Part I 1) I chose the Islam worldview i)The Question of Origin Islams believe that man came into being through a long process of evolution. They believe the evolutionary process which produced man in its form today took millions of years, and man evolved from lower forms of animal life. In their belief,it was only small types of animals in the beginning, and in the course of time animals got larger and eventually one of these animals developed into man. This animal is believed to have become extinct, but is believed to have been represented by the monkey. The basis of argument is certain kind of monkeys have a strong resemblance to man. ii)The Question of Identity—Islamic identity is an upmost possession. It is your faith, religion, moral values, and your whole life. This identity is the one that makes you wake up before sunrise to pray to Allah. This identity makes you kind, sincere, responsible, and thoughtful when you deal with people. It also forbids you to steal, gamble, participate or engage in implicit behavior. This identity makes you realize and understand that Islam is a way of life in other words this identity makes you a good human being. iii)The Question of Meaning/PurposeAllah states in the Quran, that he created man to be his Khalefah (confident ,attractive handsome, man),and to regulate humans; the Quaran is the constitution revealed by Allah, the name of Islam’s God. Very simple, the purpose for man’s creation is to worship the creator, Quaran 51:56-58.Allah states that he made this life in order to test man so that every person may be recompensed after death for what he has earned. iiii)The Question of Morality-A person becomes a Muslim by believing there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and saying the Shahadah (Declaration of Faith)with sincere conviction. Muslims are believers of the Islam worldview. They believe this present life is a trial in preparation for the next realm of existence. They also believe the world was created by man. iiiii)The Question of Destiny-Islam teaches that destiny is written by one’s personal hands, and then handed over to God for judgement. They believe the good and evil are in Allah’s responsibility, but if you accomplish good things in life you attain heaven and if you do bad things you will attain hell; this also means that Allah is the knower and creator of all things, and nothing exist outside of his will and decree according to the Islam worlview. Part II i)The Question of Origin—The Islamic worldview, and the Biblical worldview has no comparison, or similarity in the origin of man. Genesis 2:7, clearly states that God created man from the dust of the earth, blew into the nostrils of man, and man became a living soul. Man was also created in God’s image, Genesis 1:27. This destroys the theory of evolution; man was not developed from an animal, assumably some type monkey. ii)The Question of Identity—According to the Biblical worldview, God gave man dominion over the animals on earth in Genesis 1:26.We, not only were created in God’s image which is a very distinctive quality, but with the authority to rule. There are some similarities with the man in Islam worldview, such as being distinguished in character and morals. Although; God views are different from man’s, there are standards, and character that Christians should live up to, just as the muslims do in the Islamic faith. Christians should not be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and be willing to tell others of Jesus and even willing to die for the gospel: the same with muslims, they are bold in their belief, and they are persistant and steadfast in their way of life. iii)The Question of Meaning/Purpose—‘For god so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ’John 3:16.God came to give us life, eternal life with him. As Christians, we are made to worship God. Allah states that he made this life to test man for their recompensation after death. God doesn’t test or tempt us with evil, he gave us his son to help us overcome evil by believing in Jesus. The Islamics must control their own desires to do good or evil; the biblical worldview has Jesus to help us overcome. After death, hell is the payment for a person who chooses to live an evil life, and the similarities are the same in both worldviews. iiii)The Question of Morality—Genesis 1:31 tells us that everything God made was good. Muslims, recite with conviction the shahadah, and the change transpires in their life of belief. A Christian, too, with conviction repents of their sin, confesses Jesus as their lord, and in the belief, one is a new creature iiiii)The Question of Destiny-Destiny is something that Christians, and Islams have in common. One day life will come to an end. According to Allah, nothing is out side his will, and no one is forced to obey Allah, because he has a freewill. There are minor similarities, such as :nothing is done without God’s will, no one is forced to obey God, and we are free moral agents, BUT one day every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Impact Of Culture On Human Resource Management Management Essay

Impact Of Culture On Human Resource Management Management Essay The global anarchy has witnessed the growing importance of Human Resource Management in both business and public life. The stormy business climate brought in the wake of liberalization, globalization, changing technologies, development in knowledge and advances in information technology is offering managers a complex and challenging situation (Davis, 1995). So researchers are looking into Human Resource Management (HRM) practices on a comparative basis comes across a major question. This question has to do with the extent at which societal culture influences the way firms manage their personnel and the way HRM practices are developed and implemented within firms across various countries in the world. Globalization has shifted the attention of both researchers and practitioners to the way that organizational practices, and especially HRM, are differentiated across various countries as per their cultural context. In the literature one can find several comparative HRM studies concluding , in their majority, that national culture is a conclusive factor in shaping HRM (Heijltjes et al., 1996; Sparrow et al., 1994). In studying about Multi National Companies (MNCs) in 12 countries, Sparrow et al. (1994) found differences in the HRM practices that are perceived to be a source of competitive advantage across the countries. Of all the factors affecting Human Resource Management (HRM) perhaps none is more effective than the national culture and the most popular model for comparison at the level of national culture is that of Hofstede (1980, 1991), which has been the base of numerous research studies in the area of management in general. Hofstede (1980, 1991) argued that American management theories represent their own cultural environment. So, it can be said d that American management cannot be detached from American culture. In the meantime, Laurent (1986:92) viewed that every culture has developed through its own history, some specific and unique insight into the managing of organization and their human resources. Every culture has also developed specific and unique blind spots in the art of managing and organizing (Singh, 2009). Aycan et al (2000) described that due to the increasing demands of the globalized and liberalized business environment, both researchers and practitioners have started paying more attention to the study of culture as an explanatory variable. The researchers have also come to realize that the uncritical adaptation of HRM practices and techniques evolved in the context of Western cultural values may not be effective in other socio-cultural environments. By using Hofstedes framework of national culture, the objective of research is to examine the impact of national culture on HRM practice by applying the Hofstedes (1980) cultural dimensions of collectivism/individualism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and femininity/masculinity theory. Background of the study: In the new global economy, HRM has become a vital issue for the effectiveness of organizations. In accordance with the existing studies, the shift to globalization required from corporations to achieve focused performance by all means. This shift emphasized the necessity for businesses to fully utilize their human resources engaging suitable practices and strategies (Schuler and Jackson, 2005). The presence of supportive cultural factors is essential for the efficiency and success of the HRM result. It seems obvious that the ways western organizations cope with HRM practices are different from the ways Middle Eastern organizations with their different cultural and institutional situations cope with these issues (Westerduin, 2010). Because Arabic countries have different values and attitudes than the developed countries, which may determine and shape specific managerial approaches in human resource as cited by cultural research perspective. As Mendonca and Kanungo (1996) determined th at one of most important cultural dimensions, which is different in western and eastern cultures and is exclusively important in shaping their HRM strategies, is the assumption about human resource capability. This restlessness to adopt western HRM tools could results lack of suitable practice in the Arabian context (Binjabi, 2011). Saudi Arabia is the most traditional country in the Arab world; it is also the largest member of the six Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states and has the largest known oil reserves in the world estimated at around 25% of the proved reserves (Mellahi, 2006). Taking into account its strategic geo-political position and energy resources, Saudi Arabia is a major player in the stability of the regional and global economy. Saudi Arabia during the era of King Abdullah since 2005 has also introduced numerous laws and policies such as privatization and foreign investment laws to stimulate competition. He also in a smart step to diversify the economy and create more jobs for Saudis in the privet sector and attract the local and foreign investments has launched giant projects with hundreds of billions dollars. To achieve these development goals, Saudi Arabia has a major investment in human resources management in order to raise its average skill level (Mellahi, 2007). Developing the HRM syste m in a very conservative tribal society, there would be as a natural result numerous Saudi cultural impacts on the HRM system (Albugamy, 2010). The present research will reside on HRM practices in the context of Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the influence of the cultural factors on HRM practices in this country will be examined for its wider implications. Rationale behind choice of setting: Saudi Arabia is chosen as the setting for this study since it is a typical example of a developing economy in Arab with the most conventional and historic cultural environment. According to U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council (2008-09), the construction sector in Saudi Arabia is the largest and fastest growing market in the Gulf region. This sector is the most developed, organized, and diverse also in terms of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices in the country. Ongoing construction projects in the Gulf are valued at $1.9 trillion, and one-quarter of the developments are located in Saudi Arabia. The sector has both foreign and local organizations that bring out the different HRM practices employed by various organizations. Identification of the Problem: It is attempted through this research to create a better description of the effect of culture on HRM practices in Saudi Arabia as we know culturally Arab countries are completely different from other countries. At this moment there is some literature available on the research subject, but not much research on this subject conducted until this moment in the context of Arab countries which present an overview of the current status and trends of HRM in Middle East. It could emerge that the knowledge of HRM in Arab culture that these organizations use at this moment is outdated, or that these organization should be aware of the direction in which the differences between HRM in Western countries and HRM in Middle Eastern countries are evolving. Also, there are problems in the image that people in the Western world have of the Arab world. Negative images in the media of the Middle East prevent these people of obtaining a correct view of all aspects of the Arab culture and values. The curre nt research is an attempt to contribute in order to find out the truth. Also by the help of this research compatibility of HRM practices chosen and implemented by organizations would be checked with the respect of the Arab world (in particular, in the Saudi context with a focus on the construction sector). Aim and Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the effect of Saudi Arabian national culture on the Human Resource Management (HRM) practices within the organizations and how the cultural elements play a key role in that issue. To this end, HRM practices are viewed in terms of Reduction of status distinctions, Employment security, Performance appraisal and Selective hiring whereas National culture is viewed in terms of Power distance, Uncertainty avoidance, Individualism/Collectivism and Feminity/ Masculinity. On the basis of the stated research aim, the following objectives are formulated: O1:- To investigate the relationship between the national culture and HRM practices. O2: To identify the effect of the cultural attributes on HRM practices. Significance of the study: It is expected that the current study will make a considerable novel contribution to the academic research in the field of organizational Human Resource Management (HRM). To be more specific, it will assess the role of cultural determinants in the Saudi Arabian context, which was not given enough attention in the previous studies. The significance of the study is that it will lead to the better explanation of HRM lessons in an international environment. On practical basis, the findings that will be drawn from the current study could serve as a guide in transferring HRM policies within the construction sector of Middle East. It also offers insights into what type of HRM practices are more likely to positively influence the organizational performance. It will also add value by suggesting the need for modified HRM practices to fit the Saudi Arabian as well as the international context. Literature Review Human Resource Management (HRM) and Culture: The impact of national culture on a variety of Human Resource (HR) practices has become one of the most important topics in management research (Chen et al., 2006; Gahan and Abeysekera, 2009). From the perspective of institutional theory (Scott et al., 2003; Westney, 2005) it is suggested that HR practices are affected by differences in national culture and that HR practices will be largely dependent on managers abilities to understand and balance different cultural values and practices (Wang et al., 2008). The contingency or external fit perspective emphasizes the fit between national culture and HR practices, implying that specific HR policies are affected by national culture. According to Alcazar et al. (2008), the theories on Human Resource Management (HRM) have focused on universalistic perspectives for number of years. Researchers have put great efforts in finding a single human resources theory that is applicable in every situation, in every organization, every culture, and every country worldwide, therefore a best practices model. During these expansions it became more and more clear that this universalistic theory was nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ existent, and that the solution to the universalistic HRM model should be sought in a contextual, contingent theory which takes into account a wide range of factors that influence the fitness of an HRM model in the given setting. By regarded it, the researchers admitted that a single outline for HRM practices does not exist. The further globalization of businesses meant that the approach HRM takes to her tasks differs from several years ago. HRM departments need to take more factors in consideration than before, inclu ding cultural differences, different labor laws in different countries and different views on labor of the employees (Westerduin, 2010). So research (Sonja and Phillips, 2004) assumes that managers in todays multicultural global business community often encounter cultural differences, which can hinder with management practices in organizations. Leat and El-kot, (2007) have emphasized the effect of national culture, a concept that includes traditions, values, beliefs, attitudes and behavior which influence HRM practices. Laurent (1986) proposed that HRM methods in any country are a reflection of the national culture of that country (Albugamy, 2010). Triandis (1972) and Schein (1992) defined culture in terms of shared ways of thinking, feeling, and reacting; shared socially constructed environments and commonly experienced events including the history, language, and religion of their members (Pellegrini Scandura, 2006). National culture is also defined as the ideas, set of beliefs and norms followed by the people of a certain country; the countrys history, religion and traditions make up for the national culture (Majee d et al., 2010). In comparing cultures of different countries, cross-cultural researchers have focused their attentions on an examination of a set of cultural value dimensions developed by Hofstede. These dimensions are based on a large sample of employees from 40 countries from the large multinational IBM, whom he studied from 1960s, 70s and 80s. According to Gannon Newman, (2002), after investigates, examines, and compares more than 50 countries; he is regarded as the authority in culture differences and how culture differences influence management strategies. He said: in global economic integration of the world, the strategies of all companies in the world are focused on how to meet the largest market to most customers by products and services; while the study of different cultures and values, is the key to success of such strategies (Jing, 2010). Leading value systems of different countries can be ordered along Hofstedes set of cultural value dimensions (Hofstede, 1980; Hofstede Bond, 1988). Peoples Dominant value systems have been crystallized in the institutions these people have built together: their family structures, religious organizations, educational structures, associations, systems of government, work organizations, law and regulations, literature, settlement arrangements, and buildings. All of these reflect common beliefs that derive from the mutual culture. Whereas the value systems affect human thinking, feeling, action, and the behavior of organizations and institutions in predictable ways, the value dimensions reflect basic problems that any society has to cope with but for which solutions differ from country to country (Hofstede, 1983). Current study (Gelfand, 2000) concludes that managers in organizations are recognizing that it is impossible to maintain bias views while doing business across different cultures. Cultural knowledge and a global focus are crucial to survive, and to thrive, within todays business environment. However, the same literature does not give a global focus that is accordant with the global reality of business. Discussion and empirical assessment of culture and HRM practices (Aycan, et al, 2000) has been focused on specific developed countries and developing countries have been given little attention (Nyambegera et al, 2000) which is the gap in the existing academic knowledge. Variables of the study For the purpose of this study the study variables have been grouped into two categories, namely cultural variables that include sub variables as defined by Hofstede, 2001, and organization variables that include HR practices as defined by Gong et al., 2009. Cultural variables: The first category of variables includes the societal culture as defined by Hofstede (2001). Power Distance: Power distance is the degree to which individuals agree that power should be dispersed unequally in the society (Hofstede, 2001). Hofstedes Power Distance Index tells how much one countrys less powerful people accept and respect the unequal power distributed. The inequality of the society is followed by peoples earlier different life experiences such as value and norms. Some cultures present the Power Distance obviously, some present inconspicuously (Jing, 2010). High power distance cultures tend to view inequality as normal or natural. In such cultures, lower-status people are addressed by their first names, while for higher-status people different prefixes are added before their first names (Pellegrini and Scandura, 2006). In low power distance cultures lower-status people are more likely to believe that they should have voice in decision processes (Alves et al., 2006), and will be less motivated if this is withdrawn. Power distance has significant implication for management styles and practices (Emmerik et al., 2008). In low power distance cultures there is a preference for leadership styles that promote flexibility, innovation, job mobility, and general skills, rather than the specialized skills that are preferred in high power distance cultures (Dickson et al., 2003). Power distance plays a role in employees willingness to accept supervisory direction, and on their emphasis on gaining support from those in positions of authority (Taleghani, 2010). People in high power distance cultures accept more guidance from superiors, and this extra attention makes high-status employees more enthusiastic about work. In lower power distance cultures wage differentials between men and women are smaller (Hofstede, 2001). Uncertainty Avoidance: Hofstede (2001) defines uncertainty avoidance denotes to the extent to which individuals feel threatened by and try to avoid vague and uncertain situations. Uncertainty about the future is a basic fact of human life, extreme uncertainty creates unbearable anxiety, and human society has created ways to avoid the uncertainty, for example by the mean of technology, which helps us defend ourselves against uncertainty caused by nature and laws, which help us against the actions of others, religions, which help us accept the uncertainties we cannot protect ourselves against. Different societies have different ways to adapt to uncertainty, how tolerant for the uncertain anxiety a single society has is talking about the Uncertainty Avoidance Index. The high Uncertainty Avoidance society has more worries about the future and anything uncertain, and therefore more ways to defend against those anxieties; and the low Uncertainty Avoidance society has fewer fears about the uncertainties, and therefore such society doesnt care so much about the rules (Jing, 2010). Dikson claims that in societies high on UA, career stability, formal rules and the development of expertise tend to be valued, whereas in low UA cultures, more flexibility in roles and jobs, an emphasis on general rather than specialized skills and more job mobility is more typical. People in uncertainty avoiding cultures are also more expressive, and driven by inner nervous energy. People in uncertainty accepting cultures may be more tolerant of different opinions and relatively unstructured situation s. In the work environment, uncertainty avoidance may lead individuals to try to avoid ambiguous situations and look for precise alternatives. Within such a cultural context, there will be many established formal rules or informal norms controlling the rights and duties of employees (Chang et al., 2007). Individualism/Collectivism: Hofstede (2001) defines individualism against its opposite, collectivism, as the degree to which the society encourages and rewards collective action (Pellegrini Scandura, 2006). The culture inclined to be individualistic is more focused on ones own desires and values, and serves their own interests by relying on individual exertion; the relations between people are regarded less important than oneself. On the other hand, compared with individualism, the culture inclined to be collective is more focused on a combination of strong social organizations, which is divided into inside the group and outside the group. People cared for by members inside the group, and pay back by their loyalty; they love their group like themselves, and they can sacrifice their own likings for the group (Jing, 2010). In collectivist societies, supervisors rely on loyalty of staff, reliability and harmonized group relationship with others while people in individualism culture people enjoy personal particula rs and successes in order to define themselves. The dimension of individualism and collectivism has received the most attention in cross-cultural organizational research (Triandis, 1994). It has been shown to have major implication for the motivational as well as employment practices. For example, in more individualistic societies HR practices tend to differentiate between employees based on their individual performance. These societies also use differentiation in the reward system (Beer and Katz, 2003). At the same time, employees from collectivistic countries prefer reward systems that are non-competitive in nature (Chiang and Birtch, 2005). Employees from more individualistic cultures tend to be more driven by improving themselves and their own positions in life, and are also characterized by feeling comfortable in competitive environments (Probst et al., 1999), whereas employees from more collectivistic countries tend to be more motivated by the success of the group as a whole. More individualistic cultures will tend to emphasize HR practices that stress individual rewards management (e.g. offering individual bonuses and perks, promoting on performance) more than in collectivistic cultures. Masculinity/Femininity: Hofstede (2001) refers to masculinity/femininity, as the distribution of roles between the genders. It is also referred to as assertiveness (House et al., 1999), which emphases on competition, success, aggressive social relationships, and limited emotional involvement with others. His research showed that womens values differ less among societies than mens values; and mens values from one country to another contain a dimension from very assertive and competitive and maximally different from womens values on the one side, to modest and caring and similar to womens values on the other. Hofstede (1998) stated that in high masculine societies, men are supposed to be firm, tough, and focusing on material success; woman are supposed to be more modest, affectionate, and concerned with the quality of life. A man has the obligation to earn money for his family; he should work hard to be successful in society, the harder he works, the more respect he gets from his family and society. Therefore , competition in a masculinity society is very fierce and people pay attention to the work performance very much, they believe life is for work. In high femininity society, both man and woman are supposed to be concerned with the quality of life. A woman has the obligation to take care of the house work, such as cooking, cleaning, and the children, so that her husband can go out and earn money without any worries (Jing, 2010). Research showed that the distribution of gender roles has major implications for HR practices and for career strategies as well as career opportunities of women. Hofstede (2001) described that masculine and feminine cultures create different leader hero types. The heroic manager in masculine cultures is decisive and aggressive. In feminine cultures, the hero is less visible, seeks consensus, and is intuitive and cooperative rather than tough and decisive. At work, in more feminine societies more weight is attached to subjective, intuition-oriented conditions such as care, nurturing and relationships (Alves et al., 2006). At the same time, in more masculine societies people ascribe greater value on monet ary rewards, while in turn more feminine societies place greater importance on non-financial rewards (Chiang and Birtch, 2005). Saudi Arabian culture in Hofstede cultural perspective: Studies of the culture in Saudi Arabia have specified that it is fairly homogenous, like most Middle Eastern nations (Idrees, 2007). Analyzing and comparing Saudi cultural orientations based upon a typology developed by Geert Hofstede show that on the above mentioned cultural dimensions Saudi Arabia presents a unique culture. Saudi Arabias power distance ranking of 80 is revealing of a high level of inequality of power and wealth within the society. This ranking advocates that the population has an expectation and acceptance that leaders will separate themselves from the group and this condition is not essentially undermined upon the population, but rather accepted by the society as their cultural heritage. Idris (2007) indicated the high power distance in Saudi Arabia is evident in the Saudis strong preference for managerial positions due to the belief that labor jobs are dishonorable and considered by many to be a cause of embarrassment. Saudi Arabias high power distance also impacts decision making. Bhuian (1998) described that, generally, Saudi managers make decisions autocratically and paternalistically to subordinates who are considered as having strong dependence needs (Cassell Blake, 2011). Saudi Arabias uncertainty avoidance ranking of 68 shows the societys low level of tolerance for uncertainty. Saudi Arabias ranking suggests that new projects will be carefully analyzed to assure that whatever risk they represent is thoroughly understood and addressed. In order for change to take hold, the idea needs to be perceived as good for the group and be accepted by the group. Due to Saudi Arabias uncertainty avoidance ranking, there is a conception that Saudis prefer government intervention in business practices. Bhuian, 1998 mentioned that within organizations, the ranking is evident in the fact that Saudi managers are generally not tolerant of deviation of the generally inflexible company rules (Cassell Blake, 2011). Saudi Arabias individualism ranking of 38 interprets into a Collectivist society as compared to Individualist culture and is revealed in a close long-term commitment to the member group, that being a family, extended family, or extended relationships. Alanazi and Rodrigues in 2003 also described the Saudi culture as collectivistic with strict  devotion  to the teachings of Islam, which governs the  social behavior  and provides a strong cultural fabric that covers the whole nation. Essentially, business is affected by the collective thinking of the Saudis, which dictates that relationships trump business dealings (Idris, 2007). Saudi Arabia scores 52 on the dimension of masculinity/femininity, thus Saudi Arabia has a more feministic culture. So, in Saudi Arabia people maintain good relationships with each other. Saudi Arabias ranking also impacts hiring and firing practices. Research has found that terminations for poor performance rarely happen because the desire for relationships results in long life employment (Idris, 2007). Historically, the society has been characterized as valuing behavior displaying kindness, selflessness, and generosity; deference to those above in the hierarchy of the family; freedom from reliance on others and mastery over ones emotions; and a willingness to support other family members and accept responsibility for their errors as well (Cassell Blake, 2011). HR Management Practices in Saudi Arabia: HR professionals in Saudi Arabia view HR as a core strategy for improving organizational performance (Ramlall et al., 2012). Pillai et al., (1999) explained management practices in the Islamic world (of which Saudi Arabia is a major part) as influenced by tribal traditions where the manager is expected to act as a father figure. This means favoring the continuity of the family concept over improved organizational effectiveness and competitiveness. Their study showed that this reliance on the  father-figure  relationship means that leaders and managers in the Middle East face difficulties convincing the employees to be part of the solution to management problems. According to Yavas (1997), a prevailing organizational structure in which the manager makes all the decisions repels positive change. According to Bhuian et al., (2001) the people of the kingdom need to be guided and told what to do and actually prefer government involvements in business practices (Idris, 2007).  Beer e t al., (1985) specified, Since, Saudi Arabias collective culture values group work, the pay-for-performance system that recognizes individuals is destabilized when management tries to  moderate  it by writing comforting statements on the appraisal forms to compensate for low salary increases for poor performers. The prevailing culture is  in favor of  life employment, so managers are restrained from  purging  poor performers and substituting them with high performers. Unless the difference in compensation of the high performers and low performers is great, companies risk discouraging the high performers whereas motivating the low performers to remain unproductive (Idris, 2007). Organizational Variables: The second category of variables includes the HRM practices that reflect cultural dimensions in which they were developed. HR practices that are likely to be sensitive to cultural influences are followings (Gong et al., 2009); Employment security: Employment security can be characterized as maintenance-oriented HRM because they defend employees well-being. Employment security may encourage employees to stay in their job. In the literature, employment security usually refers to protection against unfair or unjustified dismissals. According to ILO (1995) employment security means that workers have protection against arbitrary and short notice dismissal from employment, as well as having long-term contracts of employment and having employment relations that avoid casualization. Evidently this definition covers only one category of the labor market wage and salary workers. It is they who are employed by some legal entity, and are at risk of being dismissed by that legal entity, and can have a stable or unstable employment relation with their employer (Dasgupta, 2001). In an era of downsizing and rightsizing, employment security can confer yet another advantage, in that it boosts people to take a longer-term perspective on their jobs and organizational performance. Employment security policies will also lead to more cautious hiring, because the firm knows it cannot simply let people go quickly if it has overestimated its labor demand. Slenderer staffing can actually make the work force more productive, with less people doing extra work. Additionally, employment security maintained over time helps to build trust and belief between people and their employer, which can lead to better spirit in the company (Pfeffer, 1998). Reduction of Status Distinctions: The basic premise of high-performance management systems is that organizations perform at a higher level when they are able to tap the ideas, abilities, skills, and struggle of all of their people. One way in which they do this is by organizing people in work teams, a topic already briefly covered here. But neither individuals nor teams will feel comfortable or stimulated to contribute their minds as well as their physical energy to the organization if it has sent signals that they are not both valuable and valued. In order to help make all organizational members feel important and devoted to improving organizational operations, so, most high-commitment management systems attempt to reduce the status distinctions that separate individuals and groups and cause some to feel less valued. This is accomplished in two ways: symbolically, through the use of language and labels, physical space, and dress, and practically, in the reduction of the organizations degree of wage disparity. Status differences are reduced and a sense of common fate established by limiting the difference in compensation between senior management and other employees. The reduction of status differences inspires open communication, essential in an organization in which learning and adaptation are encouraged. Status differences are reduced and a sense of common fate developed by limiting the difference in compensation between senior management and other employees (Pfeffer, 1998). Conclusively reduced status distinctions include dress, language, of ¬Ã‚ ce arrangements, wage differences and behaviors across levels (Ahmad Schroeder, 2003). Selective hiring: Selective hiring is aimed at developing an organizations talent pool. Organizations serious about gaining profits through pe

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

If I was asked to describe the attitude of the common high school student with one word, I would choose the word "why." We seem to be constantly questioning everything that appears out of the ordinary, anything that departs from the routine which has been established for us. We seem to be intolerant of anything that our MTV culture has declared "uncool." As we graduate from Washington High School, we must stop asking "why" and start asking "why not." We should be open to anything as we venture into what society has labeled "the real world." No longer should we limit ourselves to the same environment and small group of people we have grown accustomed to. In turn, we should no longer limit ourselves to the same view of the world. Life is merely a collection of experiences. However, how many different experiences can you have if you are constantly asking why? If we refuse to venture into the world and see what, in fact, is out there, we may never find our true calling. For it is through experiences that we will find who we really are and what we truly believe. Somewhere out in the d...

Fear Factor :: essays research papers

Fear Factor Journal   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  H. P. Lovecraft once said â€Å"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear.† Everybody has or has dealt with some sort of fear in their life. For some, fear only manifests itself in some form of mild discomfort, but for others it can be so great that it creates an emotional vice-grip and holds it victim captive. I have my share of fears in life. One of these fears, which I have had since childhood, is my fear of supernatural and evil spirits. I am Christian and I believe in God, therefore I must also believe that there is a devil. As a Christian I am also aware of the contest between good and evil, so I am no doubt afraid of Satan and the infections of evil that he has brought to this earth. In the Bible it says that God allows Satan and his fallen angels a limited amount of power on earth. When I was younger I began hearing stories of people practicing witchcraft and worshipping Satan in a nearby town called Cassadaga, Florida. I was frightened at the thought of people that would deny God and follow Satan. This fear is commonly known by many as satanophobia. To confront this fear I must be prepared to possibly be in the presence of people that worship the dark prince and possibly demons or spirits.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One September day I decided to go out to Cassadaga and confront my fears of the stories that I had heard. I told myself that there should be no place where I may go that God will not be with me to protect me. With that in mind, I found the directions to this town of only 55 residences. I began driving and soon enough saw a sign that said â€Å"Cassadaga 1 mile†. Once I entered the city limits I realized that my surroundings looked like the setting of a modern day horror film. There were tall trees that were dead with no leaves, rundown houses, broken fences, dirt roads, and rotted wooden signs. The main road was paved and as I drove through the town I saw signs everywhere out front of houses that read â€Å"Spiritual Readings, Psychic Readings.† This didn’t really bother me, because I kept thinking of funny old people like Miss Cleo from paid programming on T.V. I decided to drive down some of the narrow dirt roads.

Ideology and Reality in the Movie, The Matrix Essay -- Movie Film Essa

Ideology and Reality in the Movie, The Matrix The matrix, as presented in the eponymous film, operates as an Althusserian Ideological State Apparatus (ISA). The Matrix1 presents a world in which "the state [as] a 'machine' of repression" is made literal where robots rule the land (Althusser 68). It is true that they rule by force (sentinels and agents) and these constitute the Repressive State Apparatus, but their primary force of subjugation is the matrix, their ISA. The film traces the path of one man, Neo, in his painful progress from the ideology of the matrix to the "real world," or the ideology of the "real."2 The matrix, unlike the ideology of the "real," is explicitly defined along Althusserian lines as an ISA. Althusser identifies ISAs as "a certain number of realities which present themselves to the immediate observer" (Althusser 73). Just as the "machine" of the state is taken literally, ideology as "reality" is taken literally. Any discussion of the ISA must include both a brief discussion of the State and Althusser's use of the term "ideology." For him, the State "has no meaning except as a function of State power" and as such, "the State is the repressive State apparatus" (71-72). The State Apparatus (SA) is in turn comprised of the Repressive State Apparatus and the Ideological State Apparatus. The RSA will be discussed in further detail later, but to understand how the matrix serves as an ISA, a brief discussion of ideology is called for. Althusser defines the ISA as those private institutions that operate by ideology instead of physical repression. Ideology, as a term, has two aspects for Althusser. The first is that "ideology represents the imaginary relationship of individuals to their ... ... amount of time that passed between The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded. 2 To be concrete about the difference between the matrix and the "real world," I will refer to one as the matrix and the other as the ideology of the "real." The quotes are necessary as the ideology of the "real" is still a fictional ideology. Furthermore, it must be remembered that Althusser saw ideology as inescapable and a necessary feature of society ("there is no practice except by and in an ideology") (Althusser 93). Therefore, referring to the world outside of the matrix as the real world is insufficient and inaccurate. The ideology of the "real" (as Morpheus says, "welcome to the real") serves to enforce the notion of Neo not as rejecting ideology in favor of reality, but rather moving from the ideology of the machines (the matrix) to that of Morpheus (the ideology of the "real").

Technology Infrastructure

The question is rather vague so not sure what other devices they loud want to share between the computers that are networked in this scenario. An enterprise level company wishes to set up a network to support several hundred business users as well as manufacturing equipment in a new building. Describe what network device or devices you would recommend they purchase and explain why. Note, you are not required to detail the media or topology utilized, but thinking about these will help you to choose and Justify your device choices.I would suggest the purchase of a rack system with two servers on large server to handle the few endured computers and users and the other to handle the manufacturing equipment. This would give them choices for backups and file sharing between one another. The servers would also help on reducing file and program redundancy among the systems. A few hundred workstations will need to be purchased as well along with any software that will be needed for daily work .I would also install a wireless feature so that the board rooms could have easier setups for laptops and meeting needs. File and print servers are typically combined on one server and perform as part of the network operating system. File and printer servers manage the storage of data and the various printers on the network. These servers regulate and monitor access to these resources. A few popular file and print servers Include: ;Microsoft Windows Server 2008 (Qualifying nonprofits can request Windows Server 2008 from Teachers Stock for a $40 administration fee. ;Mac SO X Server ;Redhead Linux Server ;Bunt Server Edition While Windows 2000 and XP operating systems have built-in file and print-server functionality, the server version of the SO gives you increased security as well as the ability to expand your network. Also, if your network consists of machines running on different platforms, you might want to investigate Samba, a free, open-source software solution that allows user s to share files among computers running Windows, Unix, and Mac. Groupware servers commonly incorporate different tools for helping users scheduling; and other operations.When used to manage email, groupware servers manage both local (within your network) and global (Internet-wide) electronic messaging. There are many examples of groupware servers, but some of the popular ones include: Microsoft Exchange Server (Qualifying nonprofits can request Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 from Teachers Stock for a $280 administration fee. ) ;Maillots Fusion In addition to the options listed above, many Linux SO distributions -? including the aforementioned Bunt -? have built-in groupware functionality. An analog value of intensity to produce the desired brightness at that point on the screen.Further, as the beam scans, the analog value changes. The video image, then, can be viewed as a time-varying analog signal. While many groupware servers offer the capability to serve an email listserv or mas s mail distribution, there are some servers that handle these tasks exclusively. Here are a few to look at: ;LISTSERV ;Lyrics ;Arrow Mailing List Server ;Mailman Also, a number of free Web-based services -? including Google Groups, Yahoo Groups, and Nonporous -? will allow your organization to set up a mass email distribution list free of charge.Setting up a network of four computer systems in my house two are up stairs and two are down stairs. I am doing this with a Links router and Ethernet cable run down through the walls of my house into each room that will have a computer networked. I am using the standard on board Ethernet connections' found on each computer; the upstairs office computer will be the one with the router that feeds off to the other three. All of these will be networked through a home server and will have a tape and hard drive backup so that documents and pictures can be saved and restored when needed.Each computer is running Microsoft Windows 7 Home and will hav e different permissions set on two of the four systems. Wireless DSL modem will be on the same computer as the router and the DSL modem will be run through the router o as to give all four systems the DDCD internet connection. I don't really need a separate router because I can use the DSL modem as a router to since it is a router as well as a modem and can except up to four network connects .Though I like to have the added security of using a standalone router which adds layers, it acts as double protection from the outside coming in. Parental settings will be applied to the one the kids will be using along with a strong firewall and antivirus program. The Ethernet cable has a barrier that shields it from interferences from outside signals ND noise though I will be adding some added protection by running the cable inside be ran the same way to ensure that the risk of interference with signal and transfer will be reduced.Identifying all network devices utilized and explain the purpo se of each in the network we have the DSL modem/router which not only provides the internet connection but also helps to network the systems. Then we have the router which Just adds a layer of security to the network and data. I am also adding a wireless printer so that all four computers will have access to print if the need arises. 13TH Technology Infrastructure unit 6 This depends on whether they have a wireless router or wired, if they have a wireless router then some internet ready televisions have wireless ability.Either way would work though running an Ethernet cable from the router into the back of the television would give the internet connect that is needed. Looking at the Viii (Voice over ‘P) I would suggest Peonage as the service carrier for phone. The phone adapter and software needed for the Viii is normally included with the purchase of Peonage A few popular file and print servers include: collaborate, including email; managing calendars and contacts; group meet ing Setting up a network of four computer systems in my house two are up stairs and two are down stairs.I am doing this with a Links router and Ethernet cable run down through the walls of my house into each room that will have a computer networked. I am using the standard on board Ethernet connections' found on each computer; the upstairs office computer will be the one with the router that feeds off to the other three. All of these will be networked through a home server and will have a tape and hard drive backup so that documents and pictures can be saved and restored when needed. Each computer is running Microsoft Windows 7 Home and will have different permissions set on two of the four systems.Wireless DSL modem will be on the same computer as the router and the DSL modem will be run through the router so as to give all four systems the DDCD internet connection. I don't really need a separate router because I can use the DSL modem as a router to since it is a router as well as a modem and can except up to four network connects . Though I like to have the added security of using a standalone router which adds layers, it acts as double protection from the outside coming in. Parental settings will be applied to a % inch PVC pipe within the walls.

Conclusion and implication Essay

Failure to make use of available hazard-reduction information and measures of known effectiveness constitutes another general policy issue. It is one that assists to stimulate the ongoing UN-sponsored International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (Mitchell, 1988). In many places it would be potential to mitigate losses simply by putting what is known into effect. For instance, the value of warning and evacuation systems has been proven repeatedly; yet such systems are often underused. Likewise, hazard-mitigation schemes offer consistent paths toward reducing the long-term costs of disasters but they are often resisted in favour of instant post-disaster relief, insurance, and compensation programmes. Why do individuals and governments fail to make optimal use of available knowledge? There is no single answer to this question. A large number of factors are involved. Lack of agreement about definition and identification of problem; †¢ Lack of attentiveness of hazards; †¢ Misperception or misjudgement of risks; †¢ Lack of awareness of suitable responses; †¢ Lack of proficiency to make use of responses; †¢ Lack of money or resources to pay for responses; †¢ Lack of harmonization among institutions; †¢ Lack of attention to correlation between â€Å"disasters† and â€Å"development†; †¢ Failure to treat hazards as related problems whose components require simultaneous attention (i. e. reciprocity); †¢ Lack of access by affected populations to decision-making; †¢ Lack of public confidence in scientific knowledge; †¢ Conflicting goals among populations at risk; †¢ Fluctuating salience of hazards (competing priorities); †¢ Public opposition by negatively affected individuals and groups. Underlying all of these explicit reasons is a larger problem. It is this: society fails to take care of natural hazards as complex systems with several components that often require simultaneous attention. We tinker with one or another aspect of these systems when what are required are system-wide strategies. Perhaps even more significant, we fail to address the direct connection between natural hazard systems and economic investment decisions that drive the procedure of â€Å"development† and affect the potential for disasters. That such links subsist has been known for a very long time: If a man owes a debt, and the storm engulfs his field and carries away the produce, or if the grain has not grown in the field, in that year he shall not make any revisit to the creditor, he shall alter his contract and he shall not pay interest for that year. But mainly of the decisions that are taken to build new facilities or redevelop old ones, or to take on new production and distribution processes, or to develop new land, or to effectuate a myriad of other development goals are not currently very receptive to considerations of natural hazards. They must become so. And that is a task that will require a great deal of effort by natural hazard scientists to go beyond the laboratory and the research office or the field study site to obtain an understanding of how best to apply their expertise in public settings. It will also need the users of scientific information about hazards (architects, engineers, planners, banks and mortgage companies, international development agencies, and investment financiers) to foster a mutually interactive correlation with the scientists who are producers of that information. â€Å"Development† is only one of the main public issues that overlap with natural hazards reduction. Others include: environmental management; public health; security (personal, social, and national); and urbanization. All of them are major hitch sets in their own right, each patterned by philosophical and managerial disputes and unsettled issues. Efforts to work out commonly supportive policies and programmes raise entirely new sets of appropriate issues for hazards experts. References: †¢ Dombrowsky, Wolf R. 1995. â€Å"Again and Again: Is a Disaster What We Call ‘Disaster’? Some Conceptual Notes on Conceptualizing the Object of Disaster Sociology. † International Journal of mass Emergencies and Disasters (Nov. ), Vol. 13, No. 3, 241-254. †¢ Crozier, M. and Friedberg, E. (1979) Macht und Organisation, Berlin: Athenaum. (in German). †¢ IDNDR (International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction). 1996. Cities at risk: Making cities safer †¦ before disaster strikes. Supplement to No. 28, Stop Disasters. Geneva: IDNDR. †¢ Maskrey, Andrew. 1989. Disaster mitigation: A community based approach. Development Guidelines No. 3. Oxford: Oxfam. †¢ Mitchell, James K. 1988. â€Å"Confronting natural disasters: An international decade for natural hazard reduction. † Environment 30(2): 25–29. †¢ Mitchell, James K. 1989. â€Å"Hazards research. † In Gary Gaile and Cort Willmott (eds. ), Geography in America. Columbus, OH: Merrill Publishing Company, pp. 410– 424. †¢ Mitchell, James K. 1993b. â€Å"Recent developments in hazards research: A geographer’s perspective. In E. L. Quarantelli and K. Popov (eds.), Proceedings of the United States–Former Soviet Union Seminar on Social Science Research on Mitigation for and Recovery from Disasters and Large Scale Hazards. Moscow, April 19– 26, 1993. Vol. I: The American participation. Newark: University of Delaware, Disaster Research Center, pp. 43–62. †¢ Mitchell, James K. and Neil Ericksen. 1992. â€Å"Effects of climate changes on weather-related disasters. † In Irving Mintzer (ed. ), Confronting climate change: Risks, implications and responses. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 141–152. †¢ Mitchell, James K. , Neal Devine, and Kathleen Jagger.1989. â€Å"A contextual model of natural hazard. † Geographical Review 89(4): 391–409. †¢ Myers, Mary Fran and Gilbert F. White. 1993. â€Å"The challenge of the Mississippi flood. † Environment 35(10): 6–9, 25–35. †¢ Parker, D. J. and J. W. Handmer, eds. 1992. Hazard management and emergency planning: Perspectives on Britain. London: James & James. †¢ Showalter, Pamela S. and Mary F. Myers. 1994. â€Å"Natural disasters in the United States as release agents of oil, chemicals or radiological materials between 1980–1989: Analysis and recommendations. † Risk Analysis 14(2): 169–182. †¢ Setchell, C. A. 1995. â€Å"The growing environmental crisis in the world’s megacities: The case of Bangkok. † Third World Planning Review 17(1): 1–18. †¢ Wynne, Brian. 1992. â€Å"Uncertainty and environmental learning: Reconceiving science and policy in the preventive paradigm. † Global Environmental Change 2(2): 111– 127. †¢ Yath, A. Y. 1995. â€Å"On the expulsion of rural inmigrants from Greater Khartoum – The example of the Dinka in Suq el Markazi. † GeoJournal 36(1): 93–101. †¢ Zelinsky, W. and L. Kosinski, L. 1991. Emergency evacuation of cities. London: Unwin Hyman.