Organisational Change and Development. Why are there different Essay

Organisational Change and Development. Why are there different perspectives on change within organizations - Essay Example Organizational change has become the popular management theme. The main question whether organizational change is desirable is positively answered by most of the authors. But at the same time the authors do not go with the same kind of changes and on the basis of their different views, the reason for undergoing change also varies. But these authors have in common their support for change in a positive and rational manner. According to Boonstra there are two common approaches which are applied to achieve the desired changes in the organization. Therefore the two approaches are planned change and organizational development approach. These approaches are based on the assumption that an organization needs to be balanced both internally that is within the organization and secondly with the outside world. The change process can be well planned in a rational manner and can be controlled by means such as analysis of the environment, formulation of the goal, development and implementation of strategy. Feedback and interventions plays a role in controlling the change process (Ven, 2011, p.5). In many organizations there still exists a mismatch between the actual working practice and the current realities of the workforce of the organization. One of the reasons for mismatch is the traditional way of working which tends to overlook the diversity of the work culture. A growing number of men and women likes to work in a way which allows them to fulfil their needs and also spend quality time with their family members or can even take part in the other social activities. For example the European workers work in a way that allows them to have a life of their own beyond work. Also a study in Britain revealed that the profession of a Chartered Accountant which generally demands long working hours, most of the youngsters is resisting the work dominated lifestyles of their seniors. The youngster believes that they can work more effectively if they have the opportunity to integrate their professional and personal life. But in reality these benefits tends to be constrain for the organization and it assumes that an ideal employee have no responsibilities beyond work. However it is not only the com position of workforce that is changing but the nature of the job is at a flux. With an increase in the globalization of each sector, people are experiencing an intensification of work. Thus it is not always possible to hold back change but the forces of change can be well utilized or viewed in a positive way (Lewis & Cooper, 2005, p.4). About more than 70% of the change initiatives in the organization either fail or stall prematurely. The goals set are not achieved, policies are not implemented as well as the customers do not experience any changes or improvement in the organizations services air quality of the products. And in the process the employees, staff and the middle men gets confused with the entire change process. It has been found out that in USA majority of the change implemented no do succeed and turns out to be in vain. Thus it can be said that organizational change are difficult and the reason provided for difficulty in adoption of change includes, policy making and strategic management, the exiting structure of the organization, politics and power in organization, the culture of the organization and uncertainties of individual and resistance to change (Boonstra, 2004, p. 2). Significant change does occur within the organization, such as when a certain

Relationship influence relationships Essay Example for Free

Relationship influence relationships Essay Physical attraction is based on peoples appearances. Often a caring, kind, and affectionate person will go unrecognized among others. Mostly such people find their partners due to physical proximity, ones actual physical nearness to others, in terms of housing, work, school, and so forth. On the other hand, an attractive person usually would have far more attention from others. Mills had an experiment which showed that most important determinant of desire to continue relationship was physical attractiveness. (1982) However, in Todays Magazine, the article read : according to a new study, [men are] willing to overlook a womans body shape and weight if shes friendly and likeable. But, consider that the article, if you read it, doesnt present other important information, such the percentage of people who are in the category, and to what extreme were those studies true: its likely that men can overlook minor unattractive traits, but it doesnt totally disprove the study mentioned above. Even though the point if this study may have changed slightly, it is not a secret that attractive people seem to be more of everything, since with beauty, person seems happy, healthy, successful, interesting, even if it isnt necessarily so, which is called the halo effect. Another kind of attraction is romantic attraction. It is love that is associated with high levels of interpersonal attraction, heightened arousal, mutual absorption (with regard to romantic love, the nearly exclusive attention lovers give one another.), and sexual desire. Romantic attraction has a like scale and a love scale, that Zick Rubin brought up to measure the attitude towards friends and love partners. In result, love usually included passion and commitment, whereas liking lacked those things. Estimated by these scales, type of attraction can be described by the chosen attitude towards each other, as to what the two people think of each other, and whether they are intimate or not, and so on. Just as there are different reasons for forming our personalities, there are different causes which bring people together. The reason some people choose to date who they date is partially due to homogamy -the attraction of people who are alike and heterogamy the attraction of opposites. A person may seek to find someone with similar qualities or with the opposite ones to balance out. To some degrees, love may be just a mere excitement. This love (which is also something like secret love) is determined by different situations, such parents disapproval, or when fleeing the country with someone. Just as in secret love, those events may lead to feel even stronger attraction. But even if such situations can be an attribute to the relationship, it can also bring conflict. Those relationships can be affected by uncertainty of whether there is any kind of attraction between the two people. (As Kenrick wrote, it is sometimes hard to tell the difference among sex, love, and infatuation (1989). There are also two problems: excitement that adds to attraction and boredom that decreases it; the influenced behavior may not be the cause of attraction. (Homans 1961) Similarly, I am sure there have been times when youve known or heard of someone who, for example, embraced everyone he or she was friends with. His or her behavior doesnt necessarily mean deep attraction, but it may just be a way in culture, personal way of showing friendship, or a habit, or may be the fact that he or she misses his/her girlfriend/boyfriend. Any of those reasons may be the factor, why due to body language, a woman may take such action for affection, or, from another point, a man can misunderstand womans warning signals. References Homans, G.C. (1961) Social Behaviour: Its Elementary Forms, New York, Harcourt, Brace and World. Kenrick, D.T. and Trost, M.R. (1989) ‘A reproductive exchange model of heterosexual relationships’ in Hendrick, C. (ed) Close Relationships (Review of Personality and Social Psychology 10) Newbury Park, CA, Sage. Miell, D. Croghan, R. (1996) ‘Examining the wider context of social relationships’ in Dallos, R. Miell, D. (eds) Social Interaction and Personal Relationships, Milton Keynes, Open University. Mills, J. and Clark, M.S. (1982). ‘Communal and exchange relationships’ in Wheeler, L (ed.) Review of Personality and Social Psychology (Vol 3), Beverley Hills, CA, Sage

Why the Labour Party Won the Election in 1945 Essays -- Papers

Why the Labour Party Won the Election in 1945 The Labour Party won the general election in 1945, with Clement Attlee returning as Prime Minister. The state of play was that Labour has won 314 seats, the Conservatives 294. Socialism was not widely recognised until 1945. The majority of people were almost frightened by it. This was because Russia was a socialist state, promoting communism. When Russia proved to be a reliable alley during the war, socialism became less strange and was more approved of. The middle class citizens now started to vote socialism, they saw it as respectable. This therefore increased to amount of votes for labour. After the war, there was a mood for social change. This was because soldiers who came home from serving in the War came back to unemployment. They were promised a land fit for hero’s but instead came back to a depression. The 1930’s depression caused poverty in Britain and many citizens lost their job and became unemployed, the British public did not want to have go through this again. This caused for a change in government to see what a different party would offer the nation, to improve its chances of recovering now the war was over. The labour slogan was â€Å"Let us face to the future†, this slogan prompted forward thinking. Labour promoted the welfare state; this was made by written in the Beveridge report and labour made it specific in its manifesto. This meant families could receive the Allowances Act which would provide a regular sum for second and subsequent children to be paid to the mother. The National Health Service Act in order to provide a free and fully comprehensive health se... ...o† in power. This was the internal security police of Nazi Germany. The Nazis established the Gestapo in order to monitor and stamp out any political opposition to the Hitler regime. Under Heinrich Himmler, the Gestapo's powers became brutal and far-reaching in ferreting out Jews, Marxists, and even moderate critics of the regime. By referring the labour party to such a brutal regime it was not approved upon and lost creditability for the conservatives. Overall the actions of Winston Churchill and his decisions through the campaign cost them to loose the election to Labour. I believe that the conservative’s ways of campaigning and relying on gratitude from the British public for winning the war, lost them votes. I also believe that by trying to discredit the Labour party also lost them respect, which lost them votes.

Flight Patterns Essay

What is Sherman Alexie’s notion of the reality behind a story as this notion is presented in â€Å"Flight Patterns† I think Sherman ‘s notion of reality is that life is full of contradictions. The society sets up so many rules for people to follow, and people are often judged by their ethnic group, gender, religion†¦etc. Accordingly, they have to behave properly in order to meet the expectations. However, in reality not every person can deal easily with the role he is supposed to be in. For example, William doesn’t want to choose between American and Spokane. He loves them both. In religion, he is a generously religious man. In ethnic, he is a Spokane Indian while having in civic life like most American. In the text, it states that† William wanted all of it .Hunger was his crime.† I think Sherman Alexie points this out to tell us that in reality, a person might feel bemused to make a choice among all he wants. Fikadu faces the difficulties between killing his own people for Selassie and living with his family. William faces the difficulty between jobs and family. They both make up their mind and make the difficult choice despite feeling uncomfortable. The reality is not perfect as we may consider it. People sometimes have to make sacrifices or compromises to accomplish a bigger task. I think William chooses to believe Fekadu’s story because no matter it is true or not, it tells the essence of reality in this society.

Analysis of “John Donne’s” “The Flea”

Phillip Hassoun English 1102 Dr. Thomason 03/14/12 Analysis: The Flea, By: John Donne Most of John Donne’s work during his time frame was usually seen as being vulgar or too much, usually for the sexual themes he put behind them. But being the witty and clever author John Donne was, it is by no surprise that most people raise their eye brows after reading his poem titled The Flea. In the poem, he makes the unusual connection between a flea and sex between couples. Using a metaphysical conceit, the poem is written using that relationship in mind, which today most people would see as kind of funny or odd.In this unique comparison, he ultimately try’s to persuade his beloved to become fearless of the consequences in pre-marital sex. It is important to understand the use of metaphysical writing, and how it enabled writers like John Donne to write so well about two very seemingly different things. When the term metaphysical is used, it is referring to a very powerful form of philosophy dating back to Aristotle. It is used to explain something usually complex in simple to understand terms, by making a comparison. One does this by asking themselves two questions; what is there?And what’s it like? These two questions lead the person into a higher level thinking proses, which usually end up in a form of descriptive writing like parables and poems to add ever more understanding and emotion to the thought. This is how authors like John Donne can write of comparisons between something simple like a flea, and something as complex as the emotions we feel. However, the poem to most people today would still not make sense. But when considering the knowledge and ethics of the people during his time frame, this poem makes much more sense.When John Donne’s 16th century love poem was written, it was believed that when two people had sex, the partners would share each other’s blood. Also hygiene wasn’t a very big issue, since it wasnâ€℠¢t common knowledge to know that bacteria and viruses could make you sick or more obviously that people didn’t share blood during sex. Due to lack of hygiene, people during this time all had some sort of human flea that lived on them, which ate their blood. The people from this time frame really didn’t see it as something gross like people would see today.Because everybody had fleas on them, they were all equally as gross to each other in their minds. When John Donne is trying to persuade his beloved into sex with him, this is how he comes up with a metaphysical connection between the two, which is also a perfect example of why people thought he was coarse or dirty in his writing. Keeping this knowledge in mind as you read the poem is crucial in order to understand the poem. In the first stanza he begins to set up his argument with the girl he is addressing.Using the metaphysical conceit he makes between a flea and sex he writes to his beloved, explaining why he thinks she should have no reason to be worried about having sex with him. â€Å"Mark but this flea, and mark in this, How little you denist me is;† He says to open the poem. Look at how small this flea is, that’s how small the fact of why you won’t have sex with me is, to reword what he is saying. Describing how little the issue is as he goes on in the first stanza. He says that the flea can suck his blood, and then jump to the girls and suck her blood, and share all three of the souls in one body.Then says that by doing so, the flea is not causing â€Å"A sin, nor shame, not loss of maidenhead;† (1: pg. 571) talking about her virginity. He describes the nature of the flea to enjoy the mixing of blood from humans before it is in love, or without care at all since it is a flea. He finishes the argument at the end of the stanza by saying to his beloved that the flea, is doing far worse than what only they would be doing. He continues in the second stanza by tryin g to protect the flea’s life from the girl.It is understood from the reading that his beloved has become obviously upset with what he said, and so she attempts to kill the flea in spite of him. To prevent her from doing so, he starts to explain to her that the flea is carrying three souls inside it, him, her, and the flea. And reiterates how the flea is doing far more than them even if they are to be married, since it shares all three souls. He says that since there blood is mixed with inside the flea, to look at the flea as their â€Å"marriage temple† and their custom right to properly have sex, since their blood is already mixed.And furthermore says that although your parents urge you to not get married to me, we already have inside the living soul of the flea. He then in the last parts of the second stanza states his second argument for why they should have pre-marital sex. â€Å"Though use make you apt to kill me,† (1: pg. 172) hysterically saying that she wouldn’t mind killing him. He argues that although she wants to kill the flea, doing so would mean killing herself, himself, and the flea.An odd way of explaining that there mutual love would die, and the fleas love for both would also die, which would be sacrilegious by killing all three souls. As he continues to make this unconvincing argument to his beloved, she kills the flea at the beginning of the third stanza, probably from his almost mockingly sounding poem about a big step in their relationship. However it is at that point when he turns the argument on her completely. â€Å"Cruel and sudden,† he describes her actions as she kills the flea. Saying that the flea was only innocent, and only was guilty for was stealing two drops of blood.By killing the flea that shared the couple’s blood, he asks her if she feels as if their relationship is weaker. Obviously not feeling like their relationship had grown apart, he then completely switches the argument on her , after destroying their â€Å"wedding temple,† By saying that he taught her a lesson of fear. He explains further in the end of the last stanza that the honor she lost in killing that flea, would be just as much honor lost if she were to engage in intercourse with him, since she obviously did not care about the death of the flea.He reiterates in his last statements that he is doing the exact same thing as the flea that took life from her. This concludes his not so romantic poem, but very interesting explanation of their situation. John’s poem is written in a clever way, unlike most of the poems people would read from Shakespeare’s century. He makes a good metaphysical connection between the flea and sex, and almost sounds like he denies the fact that he is really just trying hook up with her. If any girl was to be read this poem as a pickup line, and understand it, then they would probably be offended.This is why the poem cannot be read far too seriously when h e explains that the important subject of losing your virginity can be compared to the instinct of a flea, and dooms the poem to have you chuckling while you read it. However, when he ties everything up in the final stanza it turns into an eye opening poem. This was a very ingenious way to explain the feelings of the man in a relationship. The one who is trying to get the girl in the bed, but she fears all of the consequences.The connection he made between something as small and irrelevant as a flea being described into a deep elaborate though about love, and man’s thoughts just show his great writing skill. Works Cited Page Barnet, Sylvan, William Burto, and William E. Cain. A Little Literature: Reading/writing and Argument. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2007. Print. â€Å"John Donne â€Å"The Flea† and Persuasion† StudyMode. com. 10 2011. 10 2011 . Analysis of â€Å"John Donne’s† â€Å"The Flea† Phillip Hassoun English 1102 Dr. Thomason 03/14/12 Analysis: The Flea, By: John Donne Most of John Donne’s work during his time frame was usually seen as being vulgar or too much, usually for the sexual themes he put behind them. But being the witty and clever author John Donne was, it is by no surprise that most people raise their eye brows after reading his poem titled The Flea. In the poem, he makes the unusual connection between a flea and sex between couples. Using a metaphysical conceit, the poem is written using that relationship in mind, which today most people would see as kind of funny or odd.In this unique comparison, he ultimately try’s to persuade his beloved to become fearless of the consequences in pre-marital sex. It is important to understand the use of metaphysical writing, and how it enabled writers like John Donne to write so well about two very seemingly different things. When the term metaphysical is used, it is referring to a very powerful form of philosophy dating back to Aristotle. It is used to explain something usually complex in simple to understand terms, by making a comparison. One does this by asking themselves two questions; what is there?And what’s it like? These two questions lead the person into a higher level thinking proses, which usually end up in a form of descriptive writing like parables and poems to add ever more understanding and emotion to the thought. This is how authors like John Donne can write of comparisons between something simple like a flea, and something as complex as the emotions we feel. However, the poem to most people today would still not make sense. But when considering the knowledge and ethics of the people during his time frame, this poem makes much more sense.When John Donne’s 16th century love poem was written, it was believed that when two people had sex, the partners would share each other’s blood. Also hygiene wasn’t a very big issue, since it wasnâ€℠¢t common knowledge to know that bacteria and viruses could make you sick or more obviously that people didn’t share blood during sex. Due to lack of hygiene, people during this time all had some sort of human flea that lived on them, which ate their blood. The people from this time frame really didn’t see it as something gross like people would see today.Because everybody had fleas on them, they were all equally as gross to each other in their minds. When John Donne is trying to persuade his beloved into sex with him, this is how he comes up with a metaphysical connection between the two, which is also a perfect example of why people thought he was coarse or dirty in his writing. Keeping this knowledge in mind as you read the poem is crucial in order to understand the poem. In the first stanza he begins to set up his argument with the girl he is addressing.Using the metaphysical conceit he makes between a flea and sex he writes to his beloved, explaining why he thinks she should have no reason to be worried about having sex with him. â€Å"Mark but this flea, and mark in this, How little you denist me is;† He says to open the poem. Look at how small this flea is, that’s how small the fact of why you won’t have sex with me is, to reword what he is saying. Describing how little the issue is as he goes on in the first stanza. He says that the flea can suck his blood, and then jump to the girls and suck her blood, and share all three of the souls in one body.Then says that by doing so, the flea is not causing â€Å"A sin, nor shame, not loss of maidenhead;† (1: pg. 571) talking about her virginity. He describes the nature of the flea to enjoy the mixing of blood from humans before it is in love, or without care at all since it is a flea. He finishes the argument at the end of the stanza by saying to his beloved that the flea, is doing far worse than what only they would be doing. He continues in the second stanza by tryin g to protect the flea’s life from the girl.It is understood from the reading that his beloved has become obviously upset with what he said, and so she attempts to kill the flea in spite of him. To prevent her from doing so, he starts to explain to her that the flea is carrying three souls inside it, him, her, and the flea. And reiterates how the flea is doing far more than them even if they are to be married, since it shares all three souls. He says that since there blood is mixed with inside the flea, to look at the flea as their â€Å"marriage temple† and their custom right to properly have sex, since their blood is already mixed.And furthermore says that although your parents urge you to not get married to me, we already have inside the living soul of the flea. He then in the last parts of the second stanza states his second argument for why they should have pre-marital sex. â€Å"Though use make you apt to kill me,† (1: pg. 172) hysterically saying that she wouldn’t mind killing him. He argues that although she wants to kill the flea, doing so would mean killing herself, himself, and the flea.An odd way of explaining that there mutual love would die, and the fleas love for both would also die, which would be sacrilegious by killing all three souls. As he continues to make this unconvincing argument to his beloved, she kills the flea at the beginning of the third stanza, probably from his almost mockingly sounding poem about a big step in their relationship. However it is at that point when he turns the argument on her completely. â€Å"Cruel and sudden,† he describes her actions as she kills the flea. Saying that the flea was only innocent, and only was guilty for was stealing two drops of blood.By killing the flea that shared the couple’s blood, he asks her if she feels as if their relationship is weaker. Obviously not feeling like their relationship had grown apart, he then completely switches the argument on her , after destroying their â€Å"wedding temple,† By saying that he taught her a lesson of fear. He explains further in the end of the last stanza that the honor she lost in killing that flea, would be just as much honor lost if she were to engage in intercourse with him, since she obviously did not care about the death of the flea.He reiterates in his last statements that he is doing the exact same thing as the flea that took life from her. This concludes his not so romantic poem, but very interesting explanation of their situation. John’s poem is written in a clever way, unlike most of the poems people would read from Shakespeare’s century. He makes a good metaphysical connection between the flea and sex, and almost sounds like he denies the fact that he is really just trying hook up with her. If any girl was to be read this poem as a pickup line, and understand it, then they would probably be offended.This is why the poem cannot be read far too seriously when h e explains that the important subject of losing your virginity can be compared to the instinct of a flea, and dooms the poem to have you chuckling while you read it. However, when he ties everything up in the final stanza it turns into an eye opening poem. This was a very ingenious way to explain the feelings of the man in a relationship. The one who is trying to get the girl in the bed, but she fears all of the consequences.The connection he made between something as small and irrelevant as a flea being described into a deep elaborate though about love, and man’s thoughts just show his great writing skill. Works Cited Page Barnet, Sylvan, William Burto, and William E. Cain. A Little Literature: Reading/writing and Argument. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2007. Print. â€Å"John Donne â€Å"The Flea† and Persuasion† StudyMode. com. 10 2011. 10 2011 .

Stunned, Astounded and Astonished

Stunned, Astounded and Astonished Stunned, Astounded and Astonished Stunned, Astounded and Astonished By Maeve Maddox stun: c.1300, to daze or render unconscious (from a blow, powerful emotion, etc.), probably aphetic of O.Fr. estoner to stun astound: 1600, from M.E. astouned, astoned (c.1300), pp. of astonien to stun astonish: 1340, astonien, from O.Fr. estoner to stun, from V.L. *extonare, from L. ex- out + tonare to thunder; so, lit. to leave someone thunderstruck. Although all three words derive from the same source, each has a different connotation in English. Stun seems to carry the strongest emotional punch, perhaps because it has only one syllable, but also because it has a literal meaning. The other two words are always used figuratively. (I’ve never seen the word â€Å"astonish† used to describe the effect of a literal lightning strike.) Astound and astonish suggest amazement, but the surprise engendered is not necessarily accompanied by the emotional pain suggested by the word stun. He was astounded by the bureaucrats stupidity. They were astonished by the magicians illusions. He was stunned by the unexpected death of his wife. The following headlines and captions from the web got me thinking about these words: Tendulkar stunned at his wax likeness Israel stunned at US firmness on freezing settlements Richard Dreyfuss Stunned at Natashas Accident Twilights Lefevre stunned at loss of role Crowds Stunned at Jacksons Death What first caught my attention was the use of the preposition â€Å"at† after stun instead of the usual â€Å"by.† The use of â€Å"at† instead of â€Å"by† has the effect of distancing the emotion. The metaphor is one of being hit over the head. One isn’t â€Å"stunned at a hammer,† but â€Å"stunned by a hammer.† One is stunned by bad news, not â€Å"at† it. My second observation was that in at least two of the headlines, either astounded or astonished would have been the more appropriate choice. As a general rule, I’d save the word stun for a truly tragic context and use astound and astonish to convey extreme surprise. As for the use of stunning in inappropriate contexts, here’s what David Auburn has to say in the Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus (p. 861): stunning is probably the most overused synonym for â€Å"very good,† especially in movie ads and book blurbs . . . Use of the word in this context has become not only an empty clichà ©, but also annoyingly counterintuitive: wouldn’t you be more likely to feel stunned by something bad than by something good? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a US Business LetterExpanded and ExtendedThrew and Through

How Effective Is The Child Protection System Social Work Essays

How Effective Is The Child Protection System Social Work Essays How Effective Is The Child Protection System Social Work Essay How Effective Is The Child Protection System Social Work Essay Literature highlights some of the challenges for societal workers measuring and doing determinations about African kids and households whose civilizations differ from the bulk of the white population in United Kingdom. The critical rating of cognition and research in kid protection and bar of kid maltreatment in black African kids is of import to the forming of societal work policy, services and appropriate intercession. This is because there is need to supply appropriate intercession services which are culturally sensitive but at the same clip forestalling child maltreatment. It is of import that black African kids perspectives form portion of policies and statute law. Several writers have critically analysed the grounds on service proviso for black households in general. A pathologising attack to black households may take to unneeded coercive intercession and on the other manus a cultural relativist attack may take to a non-intervention when services are required ( Dominelli 1997, Chand 2000 ) . The intent of the reappraisal is to research if the kid protection system is effectual in forestalling kid maltreatment in black African kids and their households. By kid protection, the reappraisal will be mentioning to all the bureaus and services involved in protecting and forestalling kid maltreatment. By associating to theory and research, there is hope to bring out spreads, subjects and arguments and besides, raise inquiries which can be utile for future research. The literature reappraisal starts by puting the parametric quantities that is, specifying the footings that will be used, such as, kid protection and kid maltreatment. The literature reappraisal goes to put the historical and theoretical context because it is of import to cognize how long literature and research has existed on the subject and what has been go oning including research on civilization differences, poorness, power issues and kid protection. The reappraisal goes on to turn to the theoretical positions on the subject to analyze the theories that form the cognition base in research. The reappraisal goes on to look at the major findings in research and literature by researching the cardinal subjects such as factors that impact African kids that can ensue them in being involved in the kid protection system for illustration, kid raising patterns, poorness and limited cognition in cultural patterns by societal work professionals. Finally the reappraisal will look at the anti-discriminatory pattern and user-involvement to demo how professionals can work sensitively and supply civilization appropriate services. The literature hunt Child protection system aims to forestall state of affairss that can ensue in a kid or immature individual aged 16 and under experience maltreatment that puts them in danger of non developing suitably or losing their life ( Salvage the Children UK, 2008 ) . The maltreatment can fall under the class of kid maltreatment which could be in signifier of disregard, emotional, physicals and sexual, ( Woolfson et al 2009 ) . The hunt involved these footings. After set uping the specific country to be reviewed ; the focal point was on black African kids and the kid protection system. The country of kid protection and black African kids is a controversial country that has been neglected in literature and research and there is demand to analyze subjects and place spreads in literature. The beginnings selected were diaries, books, authorities records and articles. Electronic hunt engines were used because they provided a readily available broad scope of literature and research articles which hav e been accepted for publication. These beginnings were used as grounds and beginning of information because they had been accepted for printing hence they would non supply with false information. Reappraisal of the literature Historical Context In puting the historical context, the most of import development in kid protection is the preparation of the Children Act 1989 which was influenced by the public enquiries of the 1970s and 1980s child deceases, for illustration, the Maria Cowell. The Act stressed that the Local Authority s responsibility is to safeguard and advance the public assistance of kids. However, research into how the Children Act was being put into action found that the kid protection system was still concentrating on individual incidents of kid abuse instead than be aftering to run into the wider demands of kids in demand ( DoH, 1995a ) . The surveies besides noted that many kids and households received small or no support, the appraisal of hazard was low ( Stevenson, 1998 ) and ignored the influences of poorness, unemployment and hapless lodging. This meant that a new manner in thought was needed about working with households. The consequence was publication of the Framework for Assessment of Children in N eed and their Families ( DoH et al, 2000 ) and Working Together to Safeguard Children ( DoH et al, 1999 ) . A Common Assessment model was besides developed to advance more effectual earlier designation of kids s extra demands and better inter-agency working. A reappraisal into old deceases of kids indicates failures to listen to kids, sharing of information, follow processs and recognizing indexs of maltreatment. The chief response to the deceases of kids due to local governments failures has been to seek bureaucratic solutions such as presenting new guidelines, Torahs and processs ( Ferguson, 2005 ) . However, the Laming 2003 question into the tragic decease of Victoria Climbie in 2000 is peculiarly important because it pointed out the inter-agency attack established after Maria Cowell s decease in 1973 was non followed and it considered deductions for the whole of the kid protection system ( Batty, 2003 ) . Crippling ( 2003 ) highlights the misjudgements made on the Climbie s instance based on cultural premises that led to a calamity. However, Garret ( 2006 ) argues that the Laming stud y ( 2003 ) appears to detach a kid s race from nucleus appraisals and this was echoed in the Every Child Matters which appears to advert really small about the demands of kids from other races. After the Victoria Climbie question at that place has been recent decease of kids known to societal services such as, babe P ( 2007 ) and Khyra Ishaq ( 2008 ) . This begs the inquiry, where is the kid protection system traveling incorrect? There are arguments on how to supply societal work intercessions and household support that are culturally sensitive and competent to African kids and their households who are at hazard of important injury ( Stobart, 2006 ; Holland 2004, Robinson 2007 ; Mama 2004 ) . This was highlighted in the Laming Progress Report ( 2009 ) which set out challenges faced in safeguarding kids such as: aˆÂ ¦ there is still need to better cognition and accomplishments to understand kids and their household fortunes. Besides the crippling study noted that despite the ad vancement in inter-agency working there are still jobs of twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours world of working across organizational boundaries and cultureaˆÂ ¦ , Laming Progress Report ( 2009 ) . When reexamining literature it is of import to observe that there is a sparse of research on black African kids and the kid protection system in the Britain hence it is hard to put out the historical and theoretical context. Where research and literature exists, the information is still non plausible because it is assorted with other research informations from minority cultural populations and their experience differs widely. Theoretical and research positions that form cognition Different theories and positions inform cognition base in literatures environing African kids and the kid protection system. When researching this country there is need to look at experiences of African people and their engagement with child protection hence research workers can utilize the black position which is based on the impression of common experiences that black people portion. The black position criticises repressive research and theories that are likely to suppress black people, ( Robinson 2007 ) . African households will ever mention to their civilization as frame of mention to their parenting capacities ( Bernard and Gupta, 2008 ) and understanding and recognition of the black frame of mention will enable societal workers to come up with accurate and comprehensive appraisals of African black kids involved with the kid protection system, ( Robinson 2007 ) . Other literature is based on the ecological position and foreground the importance to analyze the impacts of societal exclusion, poorness and in-migration on black African kids and their households, ( Gibbs and Huang 2003 ) . However, Robinson 1998 argues that there is a danger of over-generalising and stereotyping because single members from the same civilization can act otherwise from the form that is typical of that civilization. However, other research workers argue that postmodern theories have gained popularity in societal work, ( Pease and Fook 1999 ; Leonard 1997 ) . Research workers have argued against postmodern theories who want a better apprehension of individuality, uniting personal with structural elements of life ( Dominelli 2002 ; Graham 2002 ) , pulling on the thought of what holds people together, ( Badiou 2001 ) . The deficiency of appropriate preventive support services which are civilization sensitive frequently result in societal work runing against the involvements of black kids involved in kid protection, ( Barn 1993, Graham 2002 ) . Social work has operated within a job or iented model which is characterised by shortage and dysfunctional theories of black households ( Robinson 2008 ) . Major happening in literature and research Research agrees that black African kids and their households are disproportionately represented in kid protection ( Graham, 2006 ; Barn et Al 1997 ; Bernard and Gupta 2008 ) . When looking at experiences of black African kids and their households and how best to offer them appropriate intercession it is of import to admit background in footings of faith, civilization, linguistic communication and beliefs ( Bernard and Gupta 2008 ; Gibbs and Huang 2003 ; Robinson 2007 ) . Research shows that black African households may see subjugation and favoritism within the kid protection system ( Chand, 2008 ) . A batch of literature appears to pull attending to the parenting in African households and how their civilization is neglected in a batch researches and there is small empirical grounds particularly about African parenting in Britain ( Bernard, 2002 ; Graham 2006 ) . Rearing by African households is entwined into an already argument of what constitutes child maltreatment ( Francis, 1993 ; Chand 2000 ) . Barn, 2002 argues that kid maltreatment is a socially constructed phenomenon and most of literature environing kid maltreatment is based on western society s positions and middle-class. This can take to favoritism and stereotypes towards African households raising patterns and lead to unwanted intercession and societal attention engagement. There is good documented literature focused on how civilization influence parenting of African households involved with kid protection system, ( Brophy et al 2003, Bernard, 2002 ; Graham 2006 ) . However, the empirical research is limited but the small informations that exists poses the impression that cultural patterns appear to play some portion in African kids being involved in the kid protection system, ( Mama, 2004 ) . Literature suggests that African households pattern rough penalty for kids, nevertheless, Barn et al 2006 ; Thoburn et Al 2005 ; Nobes and Smith 1997, challenge such stereotypes and in their survey, they found no important differences between cultural groups with respect to physical penalty. However, these surveies can non be generalised to African households easy because the bulk of the participants where white parents. There is spread in research on the parenting by black African households and a perennial subject in literature is the demand to admit cultural and societal contexts of rearing and experience of African black households to do sense of kid maltreatment and supply appropriate intercession for kids and households involved in the kid protection system, ( Holland 2004, Robinson 2007, Stobart 2006 ) . A focal point on ethnicity or individuality, preclude issues of power and subjugation operating in the mundane experiences of kids s lives to be appreciated, ( Graham, 2007 ) . Research found that most black African households live in poorness and societal exclusion and how this impacts on parenting, ( Bernard and Gupta 2008 ; Gibbs and Huang 2003 ; Robinson 2007 ; Platt, 2007 ) . A survey of more than 7,000 kids looked after by 13 Local Authorities found that kids who were non of the white beginning where more likely to be put into attention due to poverty ( Sinclair et al, 2007 ) . Sinclair et Al s survey is really of import because it is a comprehensive qualitative survey which focuses on the demands of kids in attention systems affecting their positions and investigates the results for kids. The survey besides suggests how the attention system should work and pull off which is of import to societal work professionals and policy shapers. However, informations produced can non be easy generalised to the full population of African kids because their experiences varies. There has been research critically analyzing the intervention of refuge seeking kids and the kid protection system and there is statement between the Children Act 1989 and immigration statute law and policy and Jones ( 2001 ) argues that social work profession singularly failed to supply critical examination on the position and relationship of in-migration and kid attention jurisprudence and the eroding of kids s rights . Other research workers agree with Jones, that exposure of refuge seeking kids has emotional and legal facets, ( Woodcock, 2003 ; Chase, 2009 ) . Kohli 2006, argues that statute law obstruct the proviso of preventive services to vulnerable kids and their households. Research has highlighted the breakability of African kids who claim refuge such as holding enduring injuries due to their fortunes that led them to claim refuge such as war and anguish, ( Hodes, 2000, 2002 ; Ehntholt and Yule, 2006 ; Dyregrov and Yule, 2006 ) . Research shows that there is a spread in re search on refuge seeking kids and societal work to inform pattern, ( Kohli and Mather 2003 ; Okitikpi andA Aymer 2003 ) . Rustin 2005, states that there is a complicated interaction between societal workers cognition in refuge seeking kids and the bing stereotypes sing these groups of service-users, ( Bernard and Gupta 2008 ; Robinson 2007 ; Barn 1993 ; Owen and Statham 2009 ) . Bernard and Gupta ( 2008 ) travel on to mention other factors that affect African kids such as refuge seeking, AIDS, loss and separation and this is of import because when supplying intercession to African kids there is demand to grok their background to offer appropriate services which do non know apart them any farther. Young ( 1990 ) states that black kids frequently experience multiple-oppression for illustration, they suffer from stereotypes from society and besides they are unseeable to the kid protection system. Graham ( 1999 ) goes on to reason that intercession with African households is at the Centre of wider arguments and struggle ; and grounds from research continues to demo over-representation of African kids and their households in kid protection. The arguments seem to concentrate on power instabilities and how to affect African households to derive control over their lives, ( Graham, 1999 ; Young, 1990 ) . Other research workers highlight the issues of linguistic commu nication in kid protection and the proviso of appropriate intercession services, ( Chand 2000, Ahmed et Al, 1982 ) . The usage of kids as transcribers in sensitive kid protection issues is unethical and inappropriate, and besides the usage of an translator can falsify the appraisal procedure, ( Chand, 2000 ) . Bernard and Gupta ( 2008 ) travel further to look at other factors that affect black African kids that other literature seems to pretermit such as how gender norms place adult females in an inferior place within African civilizations and this can restrict female parents to protect their kids in the environment of domestic force, nevertheless Owen and Statham ( 2009 ) argues that the is limited grounds to keep or dispute this impression. Nevertheless, in Masson et Al ( 2008 ) survey, domestic force was evidenced as a cause of concern in the tribunal files of half the kids of Black African female parents implicated in their survey of attention proceedings. Research and grounds from Climbie question propose that societal work professionals involved with black and minority cultural households might non move in child maltreatment instances because of fright of being regarded as a racialist ( Scorer, 2005 ; Bernard and Gupta, 2006 ) . Nevertheless, literature and research fail to supply a big sum of grounds to back up this impression for illustration, Gordon and Gibbons ( 1998 ) in their survey found no differences between ethnicity in footings of kids being placed on the kid protection registry and factors such as parents mental wellness jobs, condemnable activities or the kid non suiting in a reconstituted household were the grounds for engagement than ethnicity ( Williams and Soydan, 2005 ) . However, Selwyn et al 2008 found that societal work professionals were more unsure and on occasion puzzled sing how best to advance the demands of cultural kids and they felt further self-doubting in their appraisal. Recuring subjects in literatur e is the significance of societal work professionals to construct up on culturally sensitive work with black and cultural households ( Gray et al. , 2008 ; Sue, 2006 ; Laird, 2008 ; Stirling et al. , 2009 ; Hodge, 2001 ) . Anti-discriminatory positions and the incorporation of cognition from service users Thompson, ( 2008 ) states that anti-discriminatory pattern has been used in Britain to account for good pattern in societal work to counter structural disadvantages nevertheless, Graham 1999, argues that anti-discriminatory pattern fails to supply a cognition base for societal work that is engaged in the corporate development of the black community . Professionals can indirectly suppress African kids and their households through pattern for illustration, by enforcing their personal values or power, ( Dominelli 2007 ) . Research and literature negotiations about the kid protection supplying cultural sensitive services and developing societal work professionals have the cognition and accomplishments in working with different civilizations. However this can really make farther subjugation and societal divisions. The bulk of the workers will hold dominant Eurocentric positions which encourage farther societal divisions for illustration, demuring the position that African households live in poorness and non fight and dispute this position by supplying services that help households to counter these structural inequalities in society. Dominelli ( 2007 ) argues that there is need to turn to the systems that reaffirm racist kineticss instead than disputing them. Dominelli ( 1992 ) argues that black kids and households are over-represented in the controlling facets of societal work and under-represented in the public assistance facets of societal work. Problems with communicating and working in partnership have been highlighted in literature. Chase s ( 2009 ) survey found that immature people described complex relationships with societal workers and other societal attention professionals and were besides more leery of the interplay between societal attention and in-migration services. There is limited research that incorporates service user engagement ( Buchanan 2007 ; Bernard 2002 ) taking in their lived experiences nevertheless, an of import survey by Chase 2009 found that immature people frequently described complex relationships with societal workers and other societal attention professionals and were besides more leery of the interplay between societal attention and in-migration services. Recent policy has tried to implement protagonism as a manner of advancing societal justness and incorporate disadvantaged groups positions on the services that are appropriate for them. In Bowes and Sims ( 2006 ) empirical survey, they found that black and minority cultural communities gave support to protagonism services, nevertheless, they were still marginalised by the services they were already utilizing. There appears to be a demand of qualitative research and literature that includes an extended survey of black African kids s positions and experiences, ( Graham 2007 ) which forms a value base to inform pattern in societal work. Relevance to policy and pattern Using the ecological attack the Framework For Assessment of Children in Need and their Families ( DoH, 2000 ) , places a demand on societal work professionals to take history of cultural background and socio-economic places of households paying attending to power instabilities in relationships, ( Dalrymple and Burke, 1995 ) . Dalrymple and Burke ( 1995 ) argue that an apprehension is needed of the association between personal experience and structural pragmatism of inequality. Therefore service users positions should organize portion of policies and statute law respecting and literature high spots that kids s rights may still miss from policy and statute law, hence, these impressions challenge professionals to take kids s positions earnestly and appreciate their part to research, ( Aubrey and Dahl 2006 ) . Lots of research appears to concentrate on authorization through cultural cognition ask foring new believing about the challenges faced by black communities, ( Aubrey and Dahl 2006 ) . The complex societal fortunes experienced by many African households pose challenges for societal work professionals working to safeguard and advance kids s public assistance. In order to safeguard and advance public assistance of African kids recognition of beginnings of favoritism and subjugation, a committedness to human rights and societal justness must be met. Several writers have critically analysed the grounds on service proviso for black households in general. A pathologising attack to black households may take to unneeded coercive intercession and on the other manus a cultural relativist attack may take to a non-intervention when services are required ( Dominelli 1997, Chand 2000 ) . Either manner appropriate intercession is non provided for black and cultural minority kids. The quality of services in black communities is a focal point for argument and raises of import issues about the deficiency of policy enterprises based upon demands and aspirations of local communities ( Graham, 2002 ) . By pulling on strengths perspective professionals can light how parents draw on civilizations as a resource to parents in circumstance of hardship whilst non pardoning behavior that is harmful to kids. Decisions There is spreads in research on kid protection and black African households and a perennial subject in literature is the demand to admit cultural and societal contexts of rearing and experience of African black households to do sense of kid maltreatment and supply appropriate intercession for kids and households involved in the kid protection system, ( Holland 2004, Robinson 2007, Stobart 2006 ) . Research shows that there is a spread in research on refuge seeking kids and societal work to inform pattern, ( Kohli and Mather 2003 ; Okitikpi andA Aymer 2003 ) . There is demand for research centred on black African kids and there is besides need to affect them in forming of policies, disputing the impression that merely ethnicity causes the experiences faced by African kids. This is because by holding cultural sensitive intercession, there can be support of stereotyped services and favoritism disregarding other things such as gender, age and category.

Alaric - Formation of the Gothic Kingdom Timeline

Alaric - Formation of the Gothic Kingdom Timeline Alaric Sacks Rome | Alaric Timeline Alaric Before 395: Alaric, a Gothic king [see Visigoths Timeline], had no territory or power base beyond his soldiers, but he was leader of the Goths for 15 years. When he died, his brother-in-law took over. When he died, Walla, and then, Theoderic ruled the Goths, but by then the Gothic king finally had a physical territory over which to rule. One of the historical sources, Claudian, says Alaric confronted the Emperor Theodosius at the Hebrus River in 391, but Alaric didnt come into prominence until 4 years later, in 395, when Stilicho sent Alaric and auxiliary troops who had served in the Battle of the Frigidus to the Eastern Empire. 395-397: The historian Zosimus claims Alaric, upset that he lacked a proper military title, marched on Constantinople to try to get it. According to Claudian, Rufinus, (de facto head of the Eastern Empire at the moment) bribed Alaric with Balkan provinces to sack, instead. Looting, Alaric advanced through the Balkans and via Thermopylae into Greece. In 397, Stilicho led naval forces against Alaric, forcing the Gothic troops to Epirus. This act provoked Rufinus, so he persuaded eastern Emperor Arcadius to declare Stilicho a public enemy. He withdrew and Alaric received a military position, perhaps magister militum per Illyricum. 401-402: Between then and 401, nothing is heard of Alaric. Gainas, a Gothic military leader under Theodosius, went in and out of favor so that Alaric thought his Goths would be better off elsewhere. They set off for the Western Empire, arriving at the Alps on November 18. Alaric threatened to invade Italy, and then carried through. He fought against Stilicho at Pollentia (map ), on Easter in 402. Stilicho won, took Alarics loot, his wife, and his children. The two sides signed a truce and Alaric withdrew from Italy, but soon Stilicho claimed Alaric had violated the terms, so they fought in the summer of 402 at Verona. 402-405: Although the battle was indecisive, Alaric withdrew to the Balkans, where he stayed until 404 or 405 when Stilicho granted him the office of magister militum for the West. In 405, Alarics people went to Epirus. This, again, upset the Eastern Empire who saw it as preparation for an invasion of Illyricum (map ). 407: Alaric marched to Noricum (Austria) where he demanded protection money what was probably enough to repay his losses at Pollentia in return for not invading Italy. Silicho, who wanted Alarics help elsewhere, persuaded Emperor Honorius and the Roman Senate to pay. 408: Arcadius died in May. Stilicho and Honorius planned to go East to tend to the succession, but Honorius magister officiorum, Olympius, persuaded Honorius that Stilicho was planning a coup. Stilicho was executed on August 22. Olympius refused to honor Stilichos bargain. Alaric next demanded gold and a hostage exchange, but when Honorius refused, Alaric marched on Rome and put the city under siege. There he was joined by veterans of other barbarian battles. The Romans feared starvation, so they promised to send an embassy to Honorius (in Rimini) to convince him to settle with Alaric. 409: The imperial legation met the Romans. Alaric demanded money, grain (it wasnt just the Romans who were hungry) and the top military office, magisterium utriusque militiae which post Stilicho had held. The imperials conceded money and grain, but not the title, so Alaric marched on Rome, again. Alaric made two more attempts with smaller demands, but was rebuffed, so Alaric set up his second siege of Rome, but with a difference. He also set up a usurper, Priscus Attalus, in December. The historian Olympiodorus says Attalus gave Alaric his title, but rejected his advice. 410: Alaric deposed Attalus and then took his troops near Ravenna to negotiate with Honorius, but he was attacked by a Gothic general, Sarus. Alaric took this as a token of Honorius bad faith, so he marched on Rome, again. This was the major sack of Rome mentioned in all the history books. Alaric and his men sacked the city for 3 days, ending on August 27. [See Procopius.] Along with their plunder, the Goths took Honorius sister, Galla Placidia, when they left. The Goths still didnt have a home and before they acquired one, Alaric died of a fever very soon after the sacking, at Consentia. 411: Alarics brother-in-law Athaulf marched the Goths into southern Gaul. In 415, Athaulf married Galla Placidia, but the new western magister utriusque militiae, Constantius, starved the Goths out, anyway. After Athaulf was assassinated, the new Gothic king, Walla, made peace with Constantius in exchange for food. Galla Placidia married Constantius, producing a son Valentinian (III) in 419. Wallas men, now in the Roman army, cleared the Iberian peninsula of Vandals, Alans, and Sueves. In 418 Constantius settled Wallas Goths in Aquitaine, Gaul. The Goths in Aquitaine were the 1st autonomous barbarian kingdom inside the Empire. Source Irene Hahns Review of Michael Kulikowskis Romes Gothic Wars: From the Third Century to Alaric (Key Conflicts of Classical Antiquity. Take the Alaric Quiz.

Communication stumbling blocks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Communication stumbling blocks - Essay Example For example, Barna in his works noted,â€Å"increased interaction through travel, students exchange programs, and other ventures should result in more understanding and friendship between nations†(Barna, p. 66). However, this is different especially due to variations of cultural contexts. These variations in cultural contexts create intercultural communication stumbling blocks, such as non verbal communication and time sense variations, thus lack of consensus during mediation and negotiations. Although I do not agree with Barna’s presumption that intercultural communication would result in understanding between nations, I agree with his assertion that â€Å"it takes a long time before a foreigner can adjust in a new culture† (Barna, p. 66). According to Kinetics, (2010), among the six stumbling blocks to effective cross cultural communication is nonverbal misinterpretation.A good example is the one given by the Japanese student, whereby he noticed that his non verbal communication did not coincide with the one of his Japanese culture (Barna, p. 67). He received a smile from American girls but only came to discover that the girls had no interest for him, unlike in his Japanese case, whereby such a smile can mean the person is sexual maniac. In such a situation, it would take quite some time before the Japanese student can fully adapt to the American culture. In regard to my own experience, I think the situation is more complext that it can be explained in writing. As I noted earlier during my visit to Tanzania in East Africa, I learned many things apart from their time factor issue. As I was speaking with some young girls, I noticed that they talked to me while bowing. In my own culture, this could mean that the person you are talking to is not attentive to what you are talking about, while in African culture it means that the person has high respect for you,

Airline Business Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Airline Business - Case Study Example The major drivers which facilitated this trend are: the deregulation of the European air travel sector; the establishment of the European Union; the 9/11 tragedy; the rapid technological advancement; and change in customers' lifestyle and preferences. It is irrefutable that the deregulation of the European airline industry primarily contributed to the rise of low cost carriers. It can be recalled that deregulation has lowered the barrier to entry in the industry as well as enhanced the competitiveness of the players which are previously receiving subsidy from the government. This, in turn, largely contributes to the cost efficiency of airline operators allowing them to charge lower prices to passengers. While this is true for budget airline like EasyJet large carriers have suffered significantly from the deregulation as this opens the door for the entry of smaller firms and heightening the competition among industry players. The establishment of the European Union affects the airline industry has the same effect like the deregulation of the sector. This has opened up markets and lowered operating costs, encouraging the proliferation of low cost carriers (Sorensen 2006). The 9/11 tragedy which left terror worldwide has also helped in lowering the cost of air tra

Are steroids harmful Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Are steroids harmful - Research Paper Example The experience was daunting for his family as well and I saw them facing this difficult situation rather closely. This personal observation made me curious about steroids and I wanted to know why its use is restricted in professional sports. I began reading steroids and found out that there was a whole era of steroids usage in American baseball (Kendrick n.p). Upon further drilling, I found that even our body produces steroids, however they are in moderate quantities and are relatively required by our body. Sometimes due to health conditions, steroids are recommended by health experts although over dosage has its side effects. At this point, I remembered that my grandmother had rheumatoid arthritis and doctors recommended oral steroids to her. Another interesting article caught my eye about injection of steroids in human food by cattle and vegetation farmers. Local farmers are generously using steroids in order to produce healthy livestock that can be sold to commercial food manufact urers who appear to be aware of the contents of meat and other natural produce that they are buying (Atwell n.p). Since I am highly conscious about my health and avoid taking foods that tend to have artificial flavors, preservatives and food colorings, this fact was quite disturbing. An extensive analysis of the issue by web and library-based research helped me understand the situation and increased my interest in use of steroids by food manufacturers and harmful effects of steroids on human body.... Most of the search was about athletes using steroids and there was relatively less data available on the subject matter which made me realize that may be the general public is unaware of what is in their food and how it is causing major harm to their health. During this search, I questioned myself if use of steroids by food manufacturers is intentional and whether they are aware of the fact that they are inducing obesity and other major health diseases and disorders in American nation, when obesity is one of the major health issues faced by United States. Works Cited Atwell, Janet. â€Å"Can steroids in our food actually make health issues worse?† Yahoo. n.p, 15 Feb. 2007. Web. 18 Jun. 2013. Kendrick, Scott. â€Å"Baseball players accused of using performance-enhancing drugs.† About.com. n.p, n.d. Web. 18 Jun. 2013. Menton, Jessica. â€Å"Top 10 most shocking athletes caught using performance enhancing drugs.† Yahoo Sports. NBC Sports Network, 25 Jul. 2011. Web. 18 Jul. 2013. â€Å"The use of steroid hormones for growth promotion in food-producing animals.† Food and Drugs Authority. US department of Health and Services, 2002. Web. 18 Jul. 2013. Student’s Name Class Essay 2 Burning Question: Are Steroids harmful and whether food manufacturers are trying to kill us? Writing a Profile It is an established practice that many athletes and general consumers use steroids to gain strength and enhance their body features. Being a restricted practice in professional sports the athletes face major setbacks in case of failure to pass drug and enhancement tests. Furthermore, the use of steroids leads to hormonal disorder causing irreversible damage to our internal body structure (Lenehan 129). One shocking aspect of this search was a series of articles about use of

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform - Research Paper Example People had to borrow in order to finance their mortgages. From the periods of 1994, to 2004, the ownership of homes amongst residents of United States of America increased from 64%, to 69.4% (Whalen, 2008, 220). Because of an increase in the demand of the houses, the price of these commodities increased by 124%. These made consumers to refinance their homes, and take on second mortgages resulting to a reduction in their disposable income. By the time 2008 reached, the United States mortgage debts in relation to its GDP increased by 26% reaching a figure of 73%. This is from the periods of the 1990s. The easy availability of credit, and an increase in the house prices led to the building boom, and this further increased the prices of the houses, and eventually to their decline in the periods 2006 (Deminyank and Herbert, 2011, 1851 ). Paying back these mortgages became difficult, because of the fall of the home prices, as compared to the prices in which they initially bought the homes. This had an effect of reducing the value of mortgage backed securities, eroding the financial capability of the banks. This failure led to the emergence of the subprime financial crises. ... Another reason for the emergence of the subprime crises is failure by the government to effectively regulate the financial activities of various banking organizations, and their financial products. This was made possible by the 1982 mortgage transactions parity act. This act allowed credit organizations to readjust their mortgage rates, and its aims was to make it possible for as many people as possible to own homes. This act led to an abuse of the mortgage lending procedures, because credit institutions could offer any amount of interest payments to their loan products. In 1999, the Federal government repelled the Glass Steagal Act, which created an environment of risk consciousness in investment banking (Immerglack, 2011, 247). This act had an effect of regulating the creditors during boom periods, making credit organizations to undertake risk measures while carrying out their duties. Its repeal made banking organizations, to lend freely, without establishing measures that would le ad to the mitigation of risks. The Securities and Exchange Commission also played a role into the emergence of the subprime mortgage crises. The commission changed the rules of calculating its capital reserves, and this enabled credit organizations to increase the percentage of debts they incurred for purposes of financing their operations (Deminyank and Herbert, 2011, 1850 ). The consequences of this action are that it led to the growth of mortgage securities that supported subprime mortgages. This eventually led to the near collapse of the banking system, because of an increase in their debts ratio, and inability to pay. This led to the enactment of the Dodd Frank financial reform act. This act created changes to the

Capabilities and Resources of LinkedIn Case Study

Capabilities and Resources of LinkedIn - Case Study Example The company has grown tremendously. As at 2011 December, the revenues had reached $522, 189 with the number of employees also increasing to 2,116 employees. It has also been able to establish its headquarters in Mountain View, California, and 14 other regional offices. Â  The social media industry is ripe and there are many opportunities for LinkedIn. The Asian market remains not fully exploited. In addition, there are other social networking platforms that the company can use to expand its operations and hence profitability. The company should stick to its focus on professionals in order to occupy its market niche. Despite these, various issues that confront the company. Firstly, there is high competition; Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Xing provide a big competition that has kept the stake of the company on medium in the social media industry. Secondly, the number of unique visitors is relatively low. Thirdly, the site has limited strategy of getting new subscribers; it usually occurs through referrals. Finally, the amount of time that is spent on the site is relatively lower. Â  LinkedIn is one of the major social networking sites in the world today. The site was started in December 2002. He was joined hands by his forms colleagues at PayPal, Stanford University, and Socialnet.com. The company has been growing since then courtesy of a number of facilitators such as technology, management, and the socio-economic environment. Reid Hoffman who is the president of the company founded the company; he was initially the chief executive officer (CEO) before the company hired its first CEO, Dan Nye in 2007. Nye resigned in December 2008 making Hoffman reassume the role of a CEO.

There is a real danger of a house price bubble in London. Discuss Essay - 2

There is a real danger of a house price bubble in London. Discuss - Essay Example ms to be a danger in the house price bubble, which results from a combination of different factors and there are several signs that the property market in London may be headed to an adjustment. The house prices in London seem to be changing each and every day and barely does a week go without the good news that the prices will supposedly rise. This is as a result of the investment circle spreading through the major towns of London. There have been other optimistic predictions that the prices in London to go up by about 40% according to Knight Frank. There are several factors and evidence that shows that show prospect for a real danger in the housing industry. Buyers from outside London are limited but are an important part of the housing market. The urge from these clients for new homes has catalyzed the current building of the luxury apartments (Barkham, 2012). Despite all these, changing the world economic conditions together with tough government controls on some important things like the visas threatens London housing industry. (Balling, 2006) If there will be a halt in the buying of houses by foreigners in London, it may result in a significant drop in demand and supply will increase reducing the price of the houses. The erection of new houses contributes for majority of the upcoming house stock, but they have a limited life on the market shelves and will appreciate slowly than the existing counterparts. More so, newly constructed buildings tend to a little bit expensive compared homes per Unit Square. London is expected to experience an increase in the number of new homes in the recent years, which threatens the house supply and demand in the country. The new homes will help in the elevation of Londons property prices near the future but may lead to long- term effects on the market prices (Barkham, 2012). There is a gradual appreciation in the house prices in areas where there have been new buildings, but this, in the long run, comes down, and foreign

Capabilities and Resources of LinkedIn Case Study

Capabilities and Resources of LinkedIn - Case Study Example The company has grown tremendously. As at 2011 December, the revenues had reached $522, 189 with the number of employees also increasing to 2,116 employees. It has also been able to establish its headquarters in Mountain View, California, and 14 other regional offices. Â  The social media industry is ripe and there are many opportunities for LinkedIn. The Asian market remains not fully exploited. In addition, there are other social networking platforms that the company can use to expand its operations and hence profitability. The company should stick to its focus on professionals in order to occupy its market niche. Despite these, various issues that confront the company. Firstly, there is high competition; Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Xing provide a big competition that has kept the stake of the company on medium in the social media industry. Secondly, the number of unique visitors is relatively low. Thirdly, the site has limited strategy of getting new subscribers; it usually occurs through referrals. Finally, the amount of time that is spent on the site is relatively lower. Â  LinkedIn is one of the major social networking sites in the world today. The site was started in December 2002. He was joined hands by his forms colleagues at PayPal, Stanford University, and Socialnet.com. The company has been growing since then courtesy of a number of facilitators such as technology, management, and the socio-economic environment. Reid Hoffman who is the president of the company founded the company; he was initially the chief executive officer (CEO) before the company hired its first CEO, Dan Nye in 2007. Nye resigned in December 2008 making Hoffman reassume the role of a CEO.

Labor & Management Relations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Labor & Management Relations - Research Paper Example As for employees, the job market in the United States has been turned upside down in the last couple of years, as a major result of the economic turmoil facing the country (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2011), the average unemployment rate across the United States remained steady for February and March 2011 at an estimated 8.8%. Thus, while working for a company like Wal-Mart may not be ideal, it may be one of the few forms of employment that many Americans are able to secure under the current economic circumstances facing the country today (Glasmeier, 2006). Unfortunately, the retailer is taking obvious advantage of the desperation of customers and employees. In remaining a major force in the retail industry, gaining power through the economic crisis on multiple levels, the actual costs behind its low prices are definitely not a part of the organization’s publicized marketing strategy (MSNBC, 2005). ... These customers do not need to be made to feel badly about their shopping experience, Wal-Mart has an opportunity that they are failing to realize. At this point, they have a massive market share, which will most likely return to what it was prior to the 2008 economic collapse, in the next couple of years when the economy bounces back from its brief devastation; based on historical data (Microsoft, 2011). However, without implementing a training program that drives customer loyalty through employee satisfaction, Wal-Mart has the potential to lose their significant gain, to competitors like Target, when unemployment rates are down and the economy is booming once again (Microsoft, 2011). Thus, this paper will examine the many reports of federal law violations and unacceptable human rights standards to which the big-box retailer has become accustomed in its time of economic prosper and impermanent power. According to Cram (2005), â€Å"In 2002, 43 distinct charges were filed against Wa l-Mart for violations of the National Labor Relations Act and since 1995, 60 complaints have been filed against Wal-Mart with the National Labor Relations Board.† In response to these charges, this paper will also recommend implementation of a training project that will ultimately help to improve the image of Wal-Mart in the eyes of its most important assets, its human resources. Assessment The number of employee complaints and lawsuits against Wal-Mart for its poor, and in some cases illegal, employment and employee relations practices that have been steadily rising throughout the past decade, makes this problem worthy of addressing; particularly at the local level where managers have

Past Movements in Education and Analysis of Curricuar Reforms Essay Example for Free

Past Movements in Education and Analysis of Curricuar Reforms Essay For an individual, it must be treated as a continuous process that should not end when graduation rites in each particular level of schooling are being held. True education is life, it must always be a part of our daily living, whether through formal or informal means. Educational systems in general, and educational curriculum in particular, also need not to be static. The curriculum should respond to the demands of a fast-changing society. To some extent, it should also be global or internationally-aligned. These are the reasons why foreign and local educational educators in the past and until now have been introducing educational reforms and innovations. They have been searching means to address the problems being met in the implementation of a certain curriculums and to ensure the total development of every learner. I. The Past Movements for Social Change in the School System Social change affects education. Centuries ago, pioneers of education have sought to introduce renewal in education. Their ideas were far ahead than the actual renewal that took place later on. Among them were Commenius, Condorcet, Rousseau, Pestalozzi, Froebel, Dewey, Drecoly, Montessori and Freinet. 1. Johann Amos Commenius -â€Å"Father of Modern Education† Most permanent educational influences: a. practical educational work Comenius was first a teacher and an organizer of schools, not only among his own people, but later in Sweden, and to a slight extent in Holland. In his Didactica Magna (Great Didactic), he outlined a system of schools that is the exact counterpart of the existing American system of kindergarten, elementary school, secondary school, college, and university. Didactica Magna is an educational treatise which aimed to seek and find a method of instruction by which teachers may teach less but learners may learn more, by which the school may be the scene of less noise, aversion, and useless labor, but of more leisure, enjoyment and solid progress; and through which the Christian community may have less darkness, perplexity (confusion) and dissension (disagreement), but on the other hand, more light, orderliness, peace and rest. b. formulating the general theory of education In this respect he is the forerunner of Rousseau, Pestalozzi, Froebel, etc. and is the first to formulate that idea of â€Å"education according to nature† so influential during the latter part of the eighteenth and early part of the nineteenth century. c. the subject matter and method of education -exerted through a series of textbooks of an entirely new nature His published works: Janua Linguarum Reserata (The Gateway of Language Unlocked) contained his convictio n (certainty) that one of the prerequisites for effective educational reform was a fundamental change in language of instruction. Orbis Pictus (The World of Sensible Things Pictured) contributed to the development of the principles of audio-visual interaction. It was the first successful applications of illustrations to the work of teaching, but not the first illustrated book for children. Schola Ludus (School as Play) a detailed exposition of the doctrine that all learning should be made interesting, dramatic and stimulating. These texts were all based on the same fundamental ideas: (1) learning foreign languages through the vernacular; (2) obtaining ideas through objects rather than words; (3) starting with objects most familiar to the child to introduce him to both the new language and the more remote world of objects: (4) giving the child a comprehensive knowledge of his environment, physical and social, as well as instruction in religious, moral, and classical subjects; (5) making this acquisition of a compendium of knowledge a pleasure rather than a task; and (6) making instruction universal. He also developed the pansophic scheme, the view that education should take the whole of human knowledge as its universe. For him, truth was indivisible and was to be seen as a whole. Thus by relating each subject to every other subject and to general principles, pansophia was to make the learner capable of wisdom. 2. Marquis De Condorcet Marie-Jean-Antoine-Nicolas de Caritat took his title Marquis de Condorcet from the town of Condorcet in Dauphine. He advocated that the aims of education were: o cultivate in each generation the physical, intellectual and moral facilities and, thereby contribute to the general and gradual improvement of the human race. He envisioned a national system of public education designed to develop the natural talents of all, making real equality possible. His proposals of the five levels of public instructions areas follows: 1. Elementary- for the teaching of the ‘elements’ of all knowledge (reading, writing, arithmetic, morals, economics and n atural science)and would be compulsory for all four years 2. Secondary school- of three years’ duration, teaching grammar, history and geography, one foreign language, the mechanical arts, law and mathematics. The teaching at this and the first level would be non-specialized. 3. Institutes- responsible for ‘substituting reasoning for eloquence and books for speech, and for bringing philosophy and the physical science methodology into the moral sciences’. The teaching at this level would be more specialized. Pupils would choose their own course of study (at least two courses a year) from among four classes: mathematics and physics, moral and political sciences, science as applied to the arts, and literature and fine arts. 4. Lycee the equivalent of universities, with the same classes as the institutes and ‘where all the sciences are taught in full. It is there that scholars-teachers receive their further training’. Education at this and the first three levels was to be entirely free of charge. 5. National Society of Science and the Arts a research institute responsible for supervising the formal education system as a whole and for appointing teachers. Its role would be one of scientific and pedagogical research. 3. Jean Jacques Rousseau According to the history of education, he was the first great writer to insist that education should be based upon the nature of the child. Rousseau’s Emile is a kind of half treatise, half novel that tells the life story of a fictional man named Emile. In the history of education, the significant contributions of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi are: 1) his educational philosophy and instructional method that encouraged harmonious intellectual, moral, and physical development Pestalozzis most systematic work, How Gertrude Teaches Her Children (1801) was a critique of conventional schooling and a prescription for educational reform. Rejecting corporal punishment, rote memorization, and bookishness, Pestalozzi envisioned schools that were homelike institutions where teachers actively engaged students in learning by sensory experiences. Such schools were to educate individuals who were well rounded intellectually, morally, and physically. Through engagement in activities, students were to learn useful vocations that complemented their other studies. 2) his methodology of empirical sensory learning, especially through object lessons Pestalozzi designed object lessons in which children, guided by teachers, examined the form (shape), number (quantity and weight) of objects, and named them after direct experience with them. 3) his use of activities, excursions, and nature studies that anticipated Progressive education. He also emphasized the importance of the nature of the child and propounded (advocated) that in the educational process, the child must be thought in relation to the subject matter. He sought to understand the nature of the child and to build his teaching around the natural, progressive and harmonious development of all the powers and capacities. He is an advocate of each man’s right to education and of society’s duty to implement that right and pave the way to universal national education. His motto Learning by head, hand and heart is still a key principle in successful 21st-century schools. 5. Friedrich Froebel The German educator, Friedrich Froebel, was one of these pioneers of early childhood educational reform. Froebel’s educational principles: a) free self-activity As an educator, Froebel believed that stimulating voluntary self-activity in the young child was the necessary form of pre-school education (Watson, 1997a). Self-activity is defined as the development of qualities and skills that make it possible to take an invisible idea and make it a reality; self-activity involves formulating a purpose, planning out that purpose, and then acting on that plan until the purpose is realized (Corbett, 1998a). Corbett suggests that one of Froebels significant contributions to early childhood education was his theory of introducing play as a means of engaging children in self-activity for the purpose of externalizing their inner natures. ) creativity Froebel designed a series of instructional materials that he called gifts and occupations, which demonstrated certain relationships and led children in comparison, testing, and creative exploration activities (Watson, 1997b). A gift was an object provided for a child to play withsuch as a sphere, cube, or cylinderwhich helped the child to understand and internalize the concepts of shape, dimension, size, and their relationships (Staff, 1998). The occupations were items such as aints and clay which the children could use to make what they wished; through the occupations, children externalized the concepts existing within their creative minds (Staff, 1998). Therefore, through the childs own self-activity and creative imaginative play, the child would begin to understand both the inner and outer properties of things as he moves through the developmental stages of the educational process. c) social participation A third component of Froebels educational plan involved working closely with the family unit. Froebel believed that parents provided the first as well as the most consistent educational influence in a childs life. Since a childs first educational experiences occur within the family unit, he is already familiar with the home d) motor expression Motor expression, which refers to learning by doing as opposed to following rote instructions, is a very important aspect of Froebels educational principles. Froebel did not believe that the child should be placed into societys mold, but should be allowed to shape his own mold and grow at his own pace through the developmental stages of the educational process. 6. John Dewey He contributed the educational philosophy which maintains that education is life, education is growth and education is a continuous reconstruction of human experiences from the beginning to the end of life. He was the spokes person of progressive education which states that aims have significance only for persons, not for processes such as education, and arise only in response to problematic situations in ongoing activities. Aims are to be viewed as anticipated outcomes of transactions, as intrinsic aspects of the process of problem-solving, and as a motivating force behind the individual’s approach to problem-solving situations. The Progressive Education Association, inspired by Dewey’s ideas, later codified his doctrines as follows: a. The conduct of the pupils shall be governed by themselves, according to the social needs of the community. b. Interest shall be the motive for all work. c. Teachers will inspire a desire for knowledge, and will serve as guides in the investigations undertaken, rather than as task-masters. d. Scientific study of each pupil’s development, physical, mental, social and spiritual, is absolutely essential to the intelligent direction of his development. . Greater attention is paid to the child’s physical needs, with greater use of the out-of-doors. f. Cooperation between school and home will fill all needs of the child’s development such as music, dancing, play and other extra-curricular activities. g. All progressive schools will look upon their work as of the laboratory type, giving freely to the sum of educational knowledge the results of their experi ments in child culture. He believed that education has two sides: the psychological and the social on the same plane. Education must start from the psychological nature of the child as the basis for directing his energies into totally useful channels. Schools must be set up to include bond the individual and social goals. The needs of a new society are to be taken into consideration in modifying methods and curriculum. 7. Ovide Decroly He influenced instruction in the kindergarten, the aim of which was to guide the child’s desire for activity and to give him a sense of discipline and norms for his social behavior (same with Dewey) 8. Maria Montessori Maria Montessori left a long lasting mark on education around the world.

Bird Imagery in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Essay -- essays

Bird Imagery in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man The works of twentieth-century Irish writer James Joyce resound vividly with a unique humanity and genius. His novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, published in 1916, is a convincing journey through the inner mind and spirit of Stephen Dedalus. Portrayed with incredible fluency and realism, imagery guides the reader through the swift current of growth tangible in the juvenile hero. Above all heavy imagery in the novel is the recurring bird motif. Joyce uses birds to ultimately relate Stephen to the Daedelus myth of the â€Å"hawklike man;† however, these images also exemplify Stephen’s daily experiences, and longing for true freedom . By using imagery of birds as threatening, images of beauty, and images of escape, the reader can unify the work and better understand Stephen’s tumultuous journey through life. The opening scene of Chapter one portrays a conversation between a very young Stephen and Dante, Stephen’s nanny. She scolds him for an unconventional thought, warning him that â€Å"the eagles will come and pull out [your] eyes†. This obviously graphic image suggests to Stephen the threatening presence of eagles that are minding all his thoughts. Joyce’s vividness with such gruesome imagery has a real effect on Stephen; he repeats Dante’s caution in his childish song, chanting: â€Å"Pull out his eyes, Apologize†. A playful, yet sensitive Stephen must immediately conformeven his innocent unorthodox actions in fear of the threatening phantom eagles to save the consequences they will bring. His thoughts are threatened again by birds when he meets an acquaintance named Heron when walking down a dark street. Stephen immediately notes the peculi... ...of how the creatures of the air have their knowledge and know their times and seasons because they, unlike man, are in the order of their life and have not perverted that order by reason†. In order to seek true emancipation, Stephen â€Å"must go away for they were birds ever going and coming...ever leaving the homes they had built to wander†. Stephen resolves to leave his Irish homeland; free and wild as his images of the birds. The attributes which mold Stephen Dedalus’ growing integrity and life decisions stem from the actions which surround him. The reader associates Stephen by the images he encounters and his reaction to them. In James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Stephen’s connection with bird imagery helps to define his search for a role in his society, and helps readers define and identify with his quest.

Cyrano De Bergerac :: Cyrano De Bergerac Essays

While reading Cyrano de Bergerac, I found myself often wondering whether or not Cyrano had led a happy life. Actually, I never once wondered that, but that is irrelevant, because Cyrano’s happiness is the focus of this essay. Was he happy? Truth be told, I cannot say for sure. If we look upon his life, it would seem that he was a bit of a martyr, always sacrificing his happiness for the sake of others. This is probably the case, but I do not believe that he led his life with his happiness as any sort of goal. That will be a defining case in my argument. What I really believe is that he simply did not care about his happiness. In that sense, he did not so much sacrifice it, as he annexed and divided it when he saw fit. To a further extent, this apathy towards himself probably came from a low self-worth, almost certainly spawned not from his elephantine nose, but the fair maiden Roxanne. Finally, the nose itself, the very icon of de Bergerac, was probably not the problem that Cy rano believed it to be. All of this, however obscure it may seem, is crucial to the question posed of me now. Cyrano’s happiness was not viewed by him with either a favor or a goal. I cannot believe that Cyrano cared about his own happiness whatsoever. Really, that apathy would probably be the only way that he could emotionally accept his dangerously selfless undertakings. Case in point, his giving of Roxanne to the incredibly undeserving Christian. No real happiness in that action. Roxanne and Christian’s, maybe, but certainly not his own, and he loved Roxanne. Had Cyrano actually wanted to be happy, the pangs of grief that he would feel as he gave her away would certainly have ripped him apart. But if Cyrano convinced himself that he did not care about his own happiness, then it would at least take the edge off of those bitter emotions that surely plagued his soul whenever he saw his love’s face. This triggered diffidence, with all the sacrifice that Cyrano made, may have been the only defense mechanism that he had. Continuing on from Cyrano’s carelessness for his happiness, we may easily make a jump to his sense of self-worth. Any man who would sacrifice his own love, thus, his entire world, for the sake of his rival cannot have a concern for himself.

That Eye, The Sky

Tim Winton’s that eye, the sky (1986) uses first person narrative techniques, symbolism, imagery and characterisation to create the persona of Morton Flack, the narrator and protagonist of the novel. Winton uses Ort’s narration to give the reader insights into the Flack family, the relationships they have and the issues that they face. As Winton develops Ort’s narration the reader is supplied with many symbolic images. The most important symbol and imagery in the novel is the sky.Prior to Henry Warburton entering the life of Ort and educating him about God and religion, Ort sees the sky as an eye which looks over the world and sees everything. Throughout the novel the eye imagery signifies the spirituality and mysticism between Ort and Henry. This essay will analyse how Winton uses the eye imagery to reveal the differences between the two characters by examining Ort’s unyielding faith in a higher force and Henry Warburton’s ever changing relationshi p with God.This paper will also compare the dispositions of both Ort and Henry. To describe the character of Ort and his journey throughout the novel, one may look to both vision/imagination and spirituality. Ort appears to be a very imaginative child who lacks knowledge and education. This is demonstrated in the book through the colloquial language of the text with phrases such as ‘Geez, yeah’ and ‘Yer justa kid’ (p 35 & 36). Ort has visions of an eye in the sky, jewels appearing in the flour jar and bells ringing in the forest.At night Ort sees rabbits’ eyes around the fence line and a mysterious light above the house (Matthew, 1986, p 83), although Winton describes the light as â€Å"a little cloud small and fat like a woolly sheep† (p 51). Nobody else can see these visions. Most of the time Ort keeps these images to himself. Sam and Alice Flack chose to move to the country after getting married so that they can live amongst the trees. The countryside is another strong image in the book which symbolises the true nature of the Flack family and the reason for the natural connection Ort has with the environment (p 62).When Ort identifies the sky as a symbol of God, he is happy to believe that something is watching over his family and protecting them. The novel ends on Easter morning, signifying the resurrection of Christ, but also the rebirth of nature and Sam Flack’s possible return to conscious life. It is because of Ort’s love for his family and relentless faith in God this miracle has occurred (p 150). Ort is pure and therefore has a natural connection with God, and Winton utilises the eye imagery to connect this with Ort.A glimps into Henry Warburton’s character may be found in the incident where he almost became blind but by some fortune he was miraculously healed. That is when Henry first came a believer in God. After this incident Henry stole a bible and became a Christian (p 92). As explaine d by Watson, a Christian is a person who believes in and follows the teachings of Jesus Christ (2000, p 8). Henry preaches only what he has read from the bible, quite like most institutionalised religions.Henry has never had any visions or powerful sense of spirituality. Henry’s sincerity as he ministers to the Flack family, providing spiritual and practical teaching, is evident, but he is always tormented by his past sins (p 141). Henry believes that his sins have harmed his relationship with God (Watson, 200, p 44), and at times Henry attempts to hide from him, â€Å"I hide and you see. I run and you follow† (p 83). Henry seems to have an ambivalent relationship with God.The reason Henry mysteriously arrived at the Flack household was to try and heal Sam. Henry believed that if he provided this selfless act he would be healed and God would give him the ability to truly love (p 141). Henry is a very hypocritical character who tries to give Ort spiritual meaning, yet i s still searching for meaning himself. Everything about Henry seems to be artificial just like his false eye. There are conflicting characteristics between Ort and Henry. Henry’s false eye emphasises Henry as a flawed messenger.He mimics the words of God, just as his eye mimics the eye in the sky, the true eye (p 133). In comparison Ort has a very natural spirituality and is kind hearted, which leads him to be able to see visions. Ort loves his family so much that he has a habit of peeping through windows, cracks and holes in the walls. In Ort’s mind he is just â€Å"Checking on people† (p 24), just like God is like the sky and can see all and hear all, Ort does not know why it will make a difference if a person’s son or brother sees them as well (p 24).Henry only watches people for his own gratification, for example when he crept around watching the Flack family for weeks and Tegwyn swimming in the â€Å"nick† (p 140). The light that Ort envisages throughout this novel represents religion. Although Henry knows all about religion, he does not really practise what he preaches and consequently cannot see the light (p 91). At the end of the novel when Henry and Tegwyn depart and Grammar dies, there are only three people left in the family (p 150), symbolic of the Holy Trinity.This essay has analysed the significance of the eye imagery in Winton’s novel and how the two characters perceive the eye of God and religion. The major revelation in Ort's spiritual growth is his recognition of Henry Warburton's false identity. Ort has grown and learnt enough about religion and life through Henry Warburton's stories and actions to identify what is right and what is wrong. Although Henry's preaching was honest and true, Ort saw that Henry was far from the image he portrayed himself to be.Winton demonstrates through the eye imagery that Henry is more like the orthodox harshness practised by much of the institutionalised religion. In c ontrast, Winton seems to support the more personalised connectedness between individuals and God which is revealed by Ort. Winton is critically revealing the idea that it is important to trust one’s own faith within the Lord, rather than human leaders of religion because, just like Henry, they too can be deceptive and give a flawed interpretation of God’s messages to their followers.