Saturday, August 31, 2019

Choosing a Career in Botany

Choosing a career in botany ensures a person a wide choice of career opportunities, a fair salary, and an exciting life. If you prepare yourself with a good education and a positive attitude, you†ll be well on your way to becoming a successful botanist. Anyone can find enjoyment and fulfillment in a career field as fun and beneficial to others as botany. If you like nature and being outdoors, you might enjoy a career as an ecologist, taxonomist, conservationist, forester, or even a plant explorer. With a job in one of these fields, you might find yourself doing exciting traveling to all types of new and beautiful places. If you take well to mathematics, maybe you should look into a career in biophysics, developmental botany, genetics, modeling, or systems ecology. If chemistry is more your thing, you should enjoy working as a plant physiologist, plant biochemist, molecular biologist, or chemotaxonomist. If you like designs and microscopy, you would probably find plant structure interesting. If microscopic organisms appeal to you, you should look into microbiology, phycology, or mycology. If you are artistic, ornamental horticulture and landscape design might be right up your alley. If you worry about feeding the hungry, you should study plant pathology or plant breeding. At some larger universities, you can even study specific types of botany, each with its own department. These departments include argonomy (field crops), microbiology (microbes like bacteria and fungi), horticulture (fruits, ornamentals, and veggies), and plant pathology (diseases pertaining to plants). If you are a people person, you might even be interested in teaching botany or providing public service. After hearing the endless list of career opportunities, you have probably found one that appeals to you. But how should you prepare for your new career in the wonderful world of botany? Well, first you should keep in mind that four years of college and a Bachelor†s degree are the bare essentials for most of the careers aforementioned. If you have these requirements, careers as laboratory technicians or technical assistants in education, industry, government, museums, parks and botanical gardens are all readily available. However, there are great deals of other positions where a Master†s or Doctor†s degree is essential. For most teaching and research positions in universities and colleges, a Ph. D. is vital. For those of you still in high school, its never too early to plan ahead. When selecting your courses be sure to include college preparatory classes including English, mathematics, foreign language, physics, chemistry, biology, social studies and humanities. You should also participate in science fairs and clubs. Try getting summer jobs and/or internships having to do with biology. Try looking for jobs in parks, plant nurseries, farms, experiment stations, laboratories, camps, florist shops, or check with your local landscape architect. Try adding camping, photography, and computers to your list of hobbies. You should also get information on colleges and universities offering a good education in botany. If you are interested in botany, it should be for your genuine love of the science, not the money. Back in 1993, students graduating with Bachelor†s degrees received starting offers of about $24,000 a year. Those people with Master†s degrees were offered salaries starting at $30,650. Botanists in civilian positions were given an average salary of $35,084. Those who were federally employed received an average $41,754. Careers in botany offer individual freedom, varied work, pleasant surroundings, inspiring coworkers, and travel opportunities. The availability of jobs is good. Some fields can be competitive, but jobs are usually available for well-trained scientists. So no matter where you come from, how smart you are, or what your background, there is a career in botany for you. Everyone can find delight with this field of careers. So next time you wonder what to be when you grow up, or think about how you hate your job, remember, a career as a botanist may be just what the doctor ordered. Choosing a Career in Botany Choosing a career in botany ensures a person a wide choice of career opportunities, a fair salary, and an exciting life. If you prepare yourself with a good education and a positive attitude, you†ll be well on your way to becoming a successful botanist. Anyone can find enjoyment and fulfillment in a career field as fun and beneficial to others as botany. If you like nature and being outdoors, you might enjoy a career as an ecologist, taxonomist, conservationist, forester, or even a plant explorer. With a job in one of these fields, you might find yourself doing exciting traveling to all types of new and beautiful places. If you take well to mathematics, maybe you should look into a career in biophysics, developmental botany, genetics, modeling, or systems ecology. If chemistry is more your thing, you should enjoy working as a plant physiologist, plant biochemist, molecular biologist, or chemotaxonomist. If you like designs and microscopy, you would probably find plant structure interesting. If microscopic organisms appeal to you, you should look into microbiology, phycology, or mycology. If you are artistic, ornamental horticulture and landscape design might be right up your alley. If you worry about feeding the hungry, you should study plant pathology or plant breeding. At some larger universities, you can even study specific types of botany, each with its own department. These departments include argonomy (field crops), microbiology (microbes like bacteria and fungi), horticulture (fruits, ornamentals, and veggies), and plant pathology (diseases pertaining to plants). If you are a people person, you might even be interested in teaching botany or providing public service. After hearing the endless list of career opportunities, you have probably found one that appeals to you. But how should you prepare for your new career in the wonderful world of botany? Well, first you should keep in mind that four years of college and a Bachelor†s degree are the bare essentials for most of the careers aforementioned. If you have these requirements, careers as laboratory technicians or technical assistants in education, industry, government, museums, parks and botanical gardens are all readily available. However, there are great deals of other positions where a Master†s or Doctor†s degree is essential. For most teaching and research positions in universities and colleges, a Ph. D. is vital. For those of you still in high school, its never too early to plan ahead. When selecting your courses be sure to include college preparatory classes including English, mathematics, foreign language, physics, chemistry, biology, social studies and humanities. You should also participate in science fairs and clubs. Try getting summer jobs and/or internships having to do with biology. Try looking for jobs in parks, plant nurseries, farms, experiment stations, laboratories, camps, florist shops, or check with your local landscape architect. Try adding camping, photography, and computers to your list of hobbies. You should also get information on colleges and universities offering a good education in botany. If you are interested in botany, it should be for your genuine love of the science, not the money. Back in 1993, students graduating with Bachelor†s degrees received starting offers of about $24,000 a year. Those people with Master†s degrees were offered salaries starting at $30,650. Botanists in civilian positions were given an average salary of $35,084. Those who were federally employed received an average $41,754. Careers in botany offer individual freedom, varied work, pleasant surroundings, inspiring coworkers, and travel opportunities. The availability of jobs is good. Some fields can be competitive, but jobs are usually available for well-trained scientists. So no matter where you come from, how smart you are, or what your background, there is a career in botany for you. Everyone can find delight with this field of careers. So next time you wonder what to be when you grow up, or think about how you hate your job, remember, a career as a botanist may be just what the doctor ordered.

Friday, August 30, 2019

How Does Hosseini Tell the Story in Chapter 17? Essay

Chapter 17 is potentially the most important chapter in the novel for structuring the shape of the narrative and may be seen as the turning point in the novel. During this chapter, Amir is handed a letter by Hassan writing about his son Sohrab and how life in Kabul has changed dramatically since he and Baba fled to America. Rahim Khan explains how Hassan and Farzana were killed by the Taliban and as his dying wish, Amir must go and rescue Sohrab. It is revealed that Baba is Hassan’s father, making him and Amir half brothers. Hosseini uses 3 different narrative voices in chapter 17 opposed to other chapters with just Amir narrating. This gives us a much more personal perspective into Hassan’s life, adds realism to the narrative and how corrupt Kabul has now become. ‘†¦suddenly a young Talib ran over and hit her on the thighs with his wooden stick’, contrasting hugely with Amir and Hassan’s childhood. Amir’s usual retrospective first person narrative is present however Hosseini also uses the present tense to make Hassan’s death more emotive as we can imagine it more vividly as a reader. ‘Hassan slumps to the asphalt, his life of unrequited loyalty drifting from him like the windblown kites he used to chase. ’ Not only is this quote used so we can see Hassan dying but it links the whole novel together by using the recurring motif of kites, linking back to chapter 7 when he ‘chased’ the blue kite, and his ‘unrequited loyalty’ is evident throughout the majority of the novel, ‘Hassan never denied me anything’. Although Hassan’s death is foreshadowed however in chapter 16, ‘God help the Hazaras now’, Hosseini creates suspense and dramatic tension towards Hassan’s death by giving Amir the letter first before revealing his death, giving Amir hope and making the reader assume his journey to redemption would soon be over. ‘I dream that someday you will return to Kabul and re-visit the land of our childhood. If you do, you will find an old faithful friend waiting for you. ’ This quote again creates a more dramatic and emotive response to Hassan’s death both from the reader and Amir after Hassan’s optimistic and promising letter. Hassan’s death is instrumental in shaping the narrative of the novel and is arguably the turning point as it forces Amir to seek his redemption and debt to Hassan to Sohrab. The reason Amir came to visit Pakistan in the first place was to apologise to Hassan and being the only person alive and able, ‘Now everyone in that photo was either dead or dying. Except for me’, Amir was the only one left to save Sohrab from the Taliban and Assef. Another key event in the chapter is the unveiling of Hassan’s true father, Baba. Amir reacts badly to the news and Hosseini portrays this using Westernised language to contrast with Rahim Khan’s traditional language. His anger is emphasised through the repetition of ‘you goddamn bastards’. This contrasts with the earlier chapters in the novel where Amir always speaks to Rahim Khan politely and with respect and could represent the influence America has had on him. Finding out that Hassan and he were half-brothers also makes his decision to save Sohrab even more crucial and makes the reader more anxious to see whether or not he will betray Hassan again or redeem himself. His decision to save Sohrab is foreshadowed in chapter 14 when General Tahiri says ‘blood is a powerful thing, bachem, never forget that’ suggesting that the bond of blood and brotherhood is so strong, Amir must save Sohrab, his own blood relative in order to fully complete his journey to redemption and atone for his sins.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 Essay

Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Affordable Care Act) Passage of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 by Congress, followed by it’s signing by President Obama on March 30, 2010, completes a massive overhaul of the nation’s health insurance and health delivery systems. The Reconciliation Act amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, which President Obama signed on March 23. Combined, the two new laws include more than $400 billion in revenue raisers and new taxes on employers and individuals. The social and political struggles of the American population served as a key contributor to the push for the Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 to be formed and written into law. These struggles include but are not limited to an increasing unemployment rate of the nation which essentially meant that the average American was becoming less and less able to provide for himself and his family, therefore making the prospect of getting health insurance or paying for higher education a weightier endeavor. Also the number of Americans without healthcare was on an exponential rise and more and more people were unable to get healthcare, and take care of themselves, a condition that is detrimental to the GDP of the nation. The Affordable Care Act has shaped social, economic and political consciousness since its inception in 2010. More companies are open to providing their employees with health insurance options as the Affordable Care Act has increased subsidies to companies that provide their workers with healthcare options. The Act has also significantly increased the number of young adults with healthcare as children up to the age of 26 are able to stay under their parent’s health coverage plans. Also the $250 million the government provides in grants to the health insurance companies has assisted in cracking down on the premium hikes that were common in the pre-Affordable Care Act era. Now Americans can peacefully sign up for healthcare with the guarantee of fairly constant premiums that they know they can afford and keep up with. Numerous groups are opponents of the Affordable Care Act. Notable opponents of the Act are the Republicans and the more conservative and capitalist population of the nation. They believe that the reform would lead to government take over of healthcare and in the long run a socialist nation. They also believe that the implementation of the law would force tax payers to contribute tax dollars towards the funding of abortion; an issue that steal remains controversial in political gatherings and legislation. Lastly these opponents feel that the implementation of the Affordable Care Act into law in 2014 will ultimately drive companies to stop providing health coverage to their employees as they believe the bill does nothing to bring down the cost of healthcare as the government is transferring all the burden to the companies, strengthening their argument that the Act only strengthens a socialist system in America.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN BUSINESS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN BUSINESS - Assignment Example However, the industrialization is an imperative need for England if the government is interested into fulfilling the basics of the country’s population. Taylor guided the managers to promote sameness and integrative objective setting in the organizations. The idea needed the companies to get highly trodden in order to facilitate effective communication. The SMEs have a smaller setup as compared to other larger forms of the organizational structures and therefore, they can provide the perfect venue for the execution Taylor’s philosophy towards organizational culture and structure. The main idea behind International Labor Organization’s definition of child labor is to give children an opportunity to experience growth, nourishment and development before becoming an active part of the workforce. The areas upon which the definition emphasizes are age, safety of children who work and it is strictly against the work that is taken without making appropriate compensation to the less-aged workers. Child labor does not encompass everything that is done by the children and ILO allows organizations to hire youngsters to do the jobs which do not strain them significantly. The current business, entrepreneurial and corporate mindset is looking to minimize the cost of production and they look to save each and every penny at their disposable. The child labor is the cheapest workforce available and the companies always seek cheap labor and therefore, businesses in all parts of the world are hiring children to do their dirty work. However, the developing economies and emergent nations have gotten the worst condition in this regard because of their poor legal infrastructure and framework. Nevertheless, the organizations such as UNO and WTO have to play their due roles in terms of causing the companies to implement modern labor laws until than they remain a set of dream-words. Additionally, the humanistic values are required to

Laboratory report on sluice gate and hydraulic jump Coursework

Laboratory report on sluice gate and hydraulic jump - Coursework Example Generally, sluice gats are made up of a gate, a power mechanism and a frame and they are designed to withstand various water loads at different operating heights. There are two types of sluice gates. These are the wall-mounted sluice gates and the vertical rising sluice gates. For the vertical rising sluice gates, they are designed such that water flow is prevented as long as the water height does not exceed the gate height. In this types of sluice gates, the bottom and the side walls are sealed. For the wall-mounted sluice gates, also referred to as bottom sluice gates, passage of water is prevented to flow up to heights that exceed the gate. In this type, all the four sides of the sluice gates are sealed (Hager, 1992). As water flows in an open channel, it is only acted upon by atmospheric pressure implying that the gauge pressure is zero. In open channel flow, two flow depths exists, these are the subcritical flow and the supercritical flow (Khatsuria, 2004). The use of sluice in open channel alters the flow characteristics resulting in the flow changing from subcritical to supercritical. The flow rate under a sluice gate is illustrated by equation (1) below where by it is assumed that the flow is ideal (which is never the case in real situation). From the figure 1 above, it can be seen that flow under the sluice gate results into generation of a hydraulic jump just before the flow resumes back to subcritical flow from supercritical flow (Subramanya, 2009). As earlier connoted, a sluice gate changes flow from subcritical to supercritical flow. Under normal cases, the flow in an open channel is usually subcritical, therefore as the flow reverts back to sub-critical flow after passing through a sluice gate, there is sudden energy dissipation that results from the change of flow from supercritical to subcritical (Hager, 1992). This is the hydraulic jump. Where V is the velocity, is the

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Columbus first voyage, 1493 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Columbus first voyage, 1493 - Essay Example The author has rightly presented that Christopher Columbus was a navigator and explorer whose mission was to explore to the Indies. During his exploration, Columbus sailed to different locations including the west across the Atlantic Ocean. He had difficulty obtaining support for his plan because European thought the Earth was flat. Columbus’ first journey and discovery were a remarkable event in world history because of its extensive importance. Columbus discovery of the Indies expanded knowledge of the sea and trade routes. His discovery of the wealth in Indies initiated success for most European countries such as Spain in trade and other commercial activities. In addition, Columbus’ discovery motivated other explorers to embark on other voyages that marked the Era of Discovery. New opportunities for commerce were developed for European. Based on reports about Columbus first voyage in 1493, the mission initiated several discoveries and trade among European nations. In his letter, Columbus notified Lord Gabriel Sanchis of his discovery of the islands of India. He expressed the pleasure of having successfully completed the mission to discover the great islands of the sea. His discovery was a plausible step towards opening up avenues of trade. In the Indiana Sea, Columbus discovered islands inhabited by a great population. Columbus named the various islands discovered in the Indiana Sea. These included the islands of Fernandina, Isabella, Juana and Santa Maria. Juana was an extensive island and, therefore, named the province of Cathay.  

Monday, August 26, 2019

Social Stratification and Social Inequality Essay

Social Stratification and Social Inequality - Essay Example As compared to America, Japan is a much more patriarchal society which means that culturally, it would be difficult to find women as head or corporations or even on the directorial board of a company. Chieko (2001) reports that the position of women in the workforce is less than forty percent which is far lower than international standards. Women are seen to be fulfilling their duties in traditional roles rather than modern roles which are more acceptable in America. A quick examination for the American Fortune 500 list of companies shows that in 2003, women held 14% of board seats in various companies while they only had a 10% representation back in 1995. One in ten companies on the same list had 25% or more women on the boards (Lockwood, 2005). On the other hand, when it comes to Japan, the Asian Human Rights Commission (2001, Pg. 1) reports that, â€Å"The equality of men and women has not been fully achieved in practice, for the traditional concept that the woman is to stay at home is still deeply rooted†. Even when the women get to work, they face issues which are similar to the ones faced by American women workers. Of course the American women have some recourse in terms of legal action against sexual harassment at work but Japan has no law against sexual harassment. The Japanese government knows that there is a problem with sexual harassment since their own survey has shown that half of women working in Japan have faced sexual harassment. Some reports place the figure as high as 70% of women having faced sexual harassment since the majority do not report it (Asian Human Rights Commission, 2001). Perhaps the most significant problem for women in Japan comes from the way some Japanese laws may be structured to work against women. For example, if a woman reports that she was raped, she may have to prove with physical evidence that she resisted the rape. Other factors, such as the courts considering physical violence to be a natural

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 36

Case study - Essay Example To the majority, what was just a concept and dream never come true had been turned into reality. In order to secure the future of the product in America, the marketing team had to address several issues with a high level of precision. Target population was one of the main issues to be addressed. Consideration of the target population, in this case, is the young population. It was based on the specs of the vehicle as the New Beetle is economical, stylish, and affordable (Rossman, 2011). The other key issue was to increase the sales volume of the brand. The first step towards improvement of the sales lackluster performance was to hire a new advertising agent. The new advertising agent would help in making the German piece of engineering attractive again (Kiley, 2002). Several challenges were faced in an attempt to improve the number of cars on the streets of America. Dealing with the competitors was one of the challenges. Test and preference vary a great deal in America. Attaining the required target demands specialty or rather focusing on a specific market niche. The other challenge was to keep up with the Americas ever-changing taste. The young population of America needs constant change and improvement of the vehicle with time. They easily get bored of a particular product after using it for some time. In conclusion, the marketing team in conjunction with the German engineers has been doing a good job regarding manufacturing and maintaining sales of the brand. Customer satisfaction for a long period comes at a price, and the Volkswagen team has been doing it. Introduction of other models that meets the customers requirements has also helped in maintaining the

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Unemployment in UK auses and effects on economy Assignment

Unemployment in UK auses and effects on economy - Assignment Example Unemployment is one of the challenging and serious issues that usually effect a country's economic development in negative manner and the countries having high rate of unemployment often face sharp economic downturn. In this regard the paper presents an overview of the unemployment situation in the country and discusses the causes and effects of unemployment on the economic development of the country. Furthermore, the paper also describes some possible ways that can help the country in reducing the unemployment rate.This paper is intended to identify the main causes of unemployment in the United Kingdom.The history of unemployment in the UK tells that during Great Depression the rate of unemployment was very high in the country. It reached to the level of 25 percent but after that time, unemployment rate used to remain at low level and with the help of different policies and strategies the government of the UK succeeded to attain more or less full employment level until 1970s. Howeve r, after oil prices fluctuation in 1970s the unemployment rate was also badly affected and gradually it began to rise. The recent rise in the unemployment rate is highest during the last decade and the country is facing worst situation with respect to unemployment crisis in the country (Pettinger, p2, 2009). The following table shows the United Kingdom unemployment rate during last three years and it is clearly seen in the table that unemployment rate is continuously increasing in the country with each passing year. Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2009 3.80 2008 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.60 2.60 2.70 2.80 2.90 3.10 3.30 3.60 2007 2.90 2.90 2.80 2.80 2.70 2.70 2.60 2.60 2.60 2.60 2.50 2.50 2006 2.80 2.90 2.90 2.90 2.90 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 2.90 2.90 The recent statistics also show that the unemployment is recorded at highest rate in last eight years. The rate of unemployment is rising at alarming pace due to which the year 2009 is also expected as a stagnant year for the economy of United Kingdom. (Monaghan, p1, 2008) The country while responding towards the global financial crisis is witnessing worst situation of unemployment and there is high level of concerns and worries at all level regarding the rise of unemployment rate. The following chart shows the current situation of unemployment in the country that is expected to rise even more. Causes of Unemployment in United Kingdom Unemployment is closely related with the economic development of a country. When economy faces recessions, the rate of unemployment also increases. Thus, the economic recession is the major cause behind the high rate of unemployment in the UK and it is expected that if the UK will face deep economic recession in 2009 then the unemployment will also reached the level of 3 million. (Pettinger, p2, 2009) Hence, the recent economic instability can be sought as one of the major causes of unemployment in the UK. Furthermore, the credit crunch is also viewed as an important cause of rise in the unemployment rate in the country. Due to market uncertainty it has become difficult for the investors to get loans and credits from the banks and financial institutions. The financial instruments in the UK economy are witnessing worst effects of global financial crisis due to which the credit and mortgage market is also going through a recession phase. The banks in the UK are now reluctant towards le nding loans, credits and mortgages to the people and business that led to reduction in the consumer spending. The investment level is also very low and many of the bid investment projects are delayed. This entire situation is responsible for reduction in productivity and demand for labor in the country.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Understanding people in organisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Understanding people in organisation - Essay Example Workplace structure can be described as the way individuals departments and managers in an organization work with each other to achieve the laid out objectives at the workplace. The work place structure can be informal or highly complex depending on the size of the company. Small businesses usually maintain simple workplace structures (Anderson, 2008). A simple workplace structure allows the leaders in that organization to have most of the control. The employees are usually flexible and usually possess knowledge and skills to perform many different tasks. Medium sized companies usually have a functional workplace structure in place. The functional workplace structure is organized around specific job functions. The structure groups employees together depending on the duties they perform within the organization. The leaders are categorized by departments and each employee performs duties according to the area of expertise. Health workplace refers to combined efforts of the employers and the employees to support and encourage health lifestyle habits and making healthy choices at workplace. A healthy workplace is one where people are safe, healthy and are happy to come to work. A healthy workplace can be created by developing health-related policies like no-smoking policies. It is also important to develop and encourage activities that promote team work. For instance, coming up with team related extracurricular activities like participating in walks for a good cause can also go a long way in promoting a healthy workplace environment. Another way of developing a healthy workplace environment is by organizing talks by health professionals who can advise employees on some issues affecting their health like alcohol abuse or smoking (Scott, 2007). A healthy workplace is characterized by the way employees relate with each

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Holes Essay Example for Free

Holes Essay Novels are extremely important part in people’s life. They teach us valuable lessons and provide an escape from the real world. Louis Sachar’s novel Holes, allows teenagers to feel for the characters and also allows them to relate to what character is going through. In the novel Holes, there are many characters that teenagers can relate to. One of these characters is Stanley. Stanley is the main character from the novel. When he first arrives at Camp Green Lake Stanley was bullied by the inmates and put in his place. He soon became friends with the inmates from group D. Everyone in group D had a nickname. Stanley had yet to get one but when he was called Caveman for the first time he finally felt that he was accepted into the group. â€Å" you coming caveman? Said squid. Stanley looked around to see that armpit and squid were talking to him†. Another character from the novel that teenagers can relate to is Zero. Zero is a small, shy character who Stanley becomes great friends with in the beginning of the novel. When Zero became friends with Stanley, the reader learnt that Zero is silent because he does not like answering questions because he is cautious of people like Mr. Pendanski, who always mock him. Teenagers can relate to this because they are always wary of what people think about them. Zero was called stupid and dull all the time which makes Zero angry but he can’t do anything about it because he is a lot smaller than the rest of the inmates. â€Å"He is so stupid he doesn’t even know he is stupid†. Zero represents an incompetent teenager that we can all relate to at some point in our life. Louis Sachar uses many themes in the novel Holes. One of these themes is friendship. The benefits of forming solid friendships are clearly shown in the text. Stanley and Zeros friendship leads to survival and wealth. Once Stanley became Zeros friend he feels happier than he has ever felt in his life. False friends who are only friendly when they are getting something they want, like X-Ray, are shown to be dangerous. Once X-Ray stops getting benefits out of his friendship with Stanley, he becomes hostile towards him. â€Å" Another very important theme from the novel is Bullying. Bullying is used throughout the novel, which helps teenagers feel and understand what the characters are going through. Bullying is the act upon a person or persons causing harm physically or mentally. This theme adds extra emotion to the novel. The two characters Zero and Stanley are used to generate an authentic and recognisable aspect in the book. Stanley and Zero bond throughout the text and Sachar modifies the language when they are present to relax the reader, so they can interpret the text in their own way this quote clearly describes the beginning of their friendship and allows the reader to warm up to the characters. Conclusion Louis Sachar uses all these techniques to create a fascinating novel that all teenagers can relate to. Sachar uses language techniques appropriately and it enhances the books attractiveness and makes teenagers continue to read the book

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Logical Fallacy in Journalism Essay Example for Free

Logical Fallacy in Journalism Essay The effectiveness of journalism hinges largely on its effective representation of the facts. This is not to argue that a news story cannot be inherently biased by such factors as culture, perception and even the intended audience of a specific journalistic outlet. However, it is to suggest that any claim made and unsubstantiated will serve only to diminish or discredit the value of a journalistic purpose. Such is a point notably evident in Clarence Page’s 2000 article, originally published in the Sacramento Bee and entitled â€Å"Keeping the Faith. . . To Yourself. † At the heart of this article is the assessment that the separation of church and state which Americans have long valued as a means to preserving individual religious freedoms is being eroded today by a resurgence in some contexts of what the editorialist refers to as zealotry. Page, who has a long a respectable resume as a nationally syndicated writer for the Chicago Tribune and as a frequent guest on such television news programs as The News Hour with Jim Lehrer and Hardball with Chris Matthews. (Wikipedia, 1) Having established himself with a considerable degree of recognition and credibility, Page is possessed of the responsibility to engage his subject matter with the utmost of objectivity. However, the concise editorial presented here fails in this effort, proceeding toward its point regarding the fading line between church and state by crutching upon a series of rational fallacies. These fallacies run the gamut of categorical errors in logic, ultimately reducing the article to rhetorical expression and opinion. There is little to recommend it as an empirical case examination or as a cultural study in American factionalism, though it seems to recommend itself as such. Indeed, the anecdote which stimulates the article is compelling enough. In a thought-provoking incident at a football game in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Page reports that when small group of students in the bleachers began chanting â€Å"The Lord’s Prayer,† it was only a matter of utterances before 4500 individuals where collectively engaged in prayer. Informal and culturally inherent in one regard and founded upon the indoctrination which Supreme Court decisions, Page reports, no longer entitle in public schools, this would suggest a remarkable undercurrent of religious commitment. It is Page’s intent to discuss with justified concern the implications of this natural occurrence to the importance of maintaining an atmosphere in our public schools which is comfortable and non-threatening to individuals of all religious dispositions and faiths. To the discredit of this article, Page does not employ a great deal of research or referenced support to endorse any of his claims, which renders a great many of them as outsized or disproportionately stated. While certain aspects of his argument seem rational and worthy of our consideration, the haphazard approach taken to the expression of information here suggests a less-than-journalistic value system in place. For instance, there is immediately a glaring absence of documented source support in instances where the nature of claims would seem to suggest that such is needed. Particularly, the article’s intent suffers from Insufficient Data. At the resolution of the article proposed, Page slips into a brief and theretofore unsuggested diatribe about the importance of America’s free market and the relationship of this market to religious freedom. Though not an objectionable statement, its phraseology is questionably hyperbolic given the absence of any definable support or pretense. Page contends that â€Å"America’s vitality owes a lot to its free market place of ideas, including religious ideas. It is a major reason more people clamor to get into this country than clamor to get out. The best way for the marketplace to keep its vitality is for us Americans to seek to understand each other’s belief, not coerce each other into joining ours. † Particular statements such as â€Å"major reason† and â€Å"the best way† are fully unqualified and the stated proportion which determines that there is a specific effector (i. e. religious freedom) which causes more people to clamor for entrance than exit from America. In this latter statement, there are two assessments made with unequivocal resolution that have no give evidence to support them and, upon statistic reflection, could even be held as incorrect. This is a clear journalistic shortcoming. So too is the frequency with which Untested Assumption mars the pertinence of Page’s argument. Essentially, the work is committed to the restatement of the theme that while the author does not wish to discredit faith or prayer, he does wish to recommend that religious leaders take a more sensitive and less public approach to encouraging and embracing it. There is, in this argument, a gesture which seems almost over-compensatory, by which Page attempts to assert the high esteem in which he hold religion and prayer even as he coins various phrases which portray organized religion with condescension. This is on clear display in his determination as to the likelihood of cooperative restraint on the part of Christian prayer advocates where he states, â€Å"I don’t expect to see much reduction soon in efforts by various believers—most of them quite well-meaning—to push their beliefs on others. † Among the more blatant of Untested Assumptions here is that which denotes that most Christians are well-meaning. Again, here is a statement which at its core does not necessarily provoke a sense of journalistic scrutiny. However, in its overstatement or in the failure to substantiate such as statement with closer inspection, the article diminishes the veracity of what might otherwise be considered a perfectly acceptable statement. It also tends to underscore the contradiction within the statement, which also voices explicitly (‘I don’t expect. . .) a professed knowledge as to that of which others are intended upon or capable. This could be conceived as a somewhat antagonistic or inflammatory bating of the Christian parties at subject in the discussion, ultimately producing an assumption which betrays ideological prejudices on the part of the journalist. The prejudices become inherently problematic to the intended value or veracity of the statements carrying the editorial. And even more troubling, in the rare instance where the article does reflect on some verifiable account of information or historical case, it has descended into the fallacy of False Analogy. Namely, it appears that little thought has been placed in the selection of examples by which to support the claims of the article. Particularly, we might expect that a useful analogy would compare the author’s desire to see a reduction in public display of prayer to another instance in which the public and governmental will had agreed to maintain the separation of Church and State. Instead, the author refers in a somewhat self-defeatist manner to examples of exactly the opposite. He notes that â€Å"past court decisions have ruled that â€Å"in God We Trust,† which began appearing on currency in 1860, has been in use so long as to have lost its religious significance. Obviously, it has not lost is religious significance in some minds. † In addition to the use, once again, of an untested assumption in the last statement which assumes that it is true and even obvious that there is a religious significance to the phrase â€Å"in God We Trust,† the false analogy here actually proves a greater cultural proclivity toward the mainstreaming of the practices which Page decries. Thus, it is a confusing and awkward choice of analogies. On the sum, the Page article proceeds to diminish the viability and appeal of a perspective which, if founded upon supportable statements rather than categorical fallacies, would be otherwise agreeable. Works Cited Page, C. (2000). Keeping the Faith. . . to Yourself. The Sacramento Bee. Wikipedia. (2008). Clarence Page. Wikimedia, Ltd. Inc.

Succession Planning for SMEs in IT Industry

Succession Planning for SMEs in IT Industry Purpose This thesis is based on an investigation into succession planning in small to medium-size organisations within the Information Technology (IT) industry. The main area of research is centred on whether these organisations develop employees sufficiently to move into pivotal roles or whether they must continue to rely on external recruitment for senior positions. An additional question raised by the report is whether operating within the IT industry brings its own peculiarities. Methodology A survey, by means of postal questionnaire, was chosen as the means of collection of primary data. This questionnaire was distributed to human resource managers and officers operating within the IT industry. In addition to this data collection, use was made also of secondary archive survey data. Findings The findings of this report quite clearly show that, despite statements to the contrary, true succession planning exists in very few organisations. Succession planning theory and best practice are ignored to the extent that real top level commitment is hard to find and very little HR participation exists other than at operational level. Findings show that little has changed over the years in that whatever succession planning exists in organisations, it remain in the authority of senior management, operated by and for them. There is little evidence to show that this has been widened to include more junior levels within organisations. Notwithstanding the fact that succession planning exists within the senior ranks, there is little evidence to show that it actually works. External recruitment continues to be the norm and retention rates of senior personnel do not show any real benefit. The specific problems of lack of opportunity and resource, faced by small to medium-sized organisations, are exacerbated within the IT industry, which brings its own issues of employee high expectation and impatience. Introduction Succession Planning What is it? Definition: Succession planning is making sure that the organisation develops and keeps the right people for key jobs. .. More successfully, it defines the competencies needed for the future and develops them in everyone who has the capability. This provides a pool of talent from which successors to important jobs can be drawn. The Industrial Society (April 1997)[1] Staff turnover dictates that all organisations have a need to fill employee vacancies; key roles not excluded. Forward-looking organisations look beyond a basic recruitment process and understand the value of a system that identifies high potential in current employees, as well as recognising leadership gaps in the organisation. Having acknowledged these requirements, good organisations put in place a development structure that seeks to answer these needs. This complete process is known as Succession Planning. Of course, where such a process is part and parcel of everyday life in an organisation, most likely it is not restricted to the hierarchy of the company. An expected consequence of this situation is a culture of ongoing development of employees from top to bottom, leading to a continuous process of succession planning throughout the organisation. Succession Planning Why is it important? The brief that good leadership has a direct affect on organisational performance lies at the heart of the move towards succession planning. We live today in a fast-moving, high pressured, competitive society, where the slightest advantage may give a company a valuable aggressive edge. If a company is to grow and expand into new areas and markets, it is important that the organisation is built on a strong foundation. The best and strongest foundation for an organisation is a pool of capable, talented individuals, who have grown with the organisation; absorbing its knowledge and its culture, ready to move up through the company into pivotal leadership roles. Organisations that do not provide this home grown talent, and possibly lose valuable knowledge and expertise along the way, may have to seek replacements from outside; with this course of action runs the risk of recruiting the wrong person. This latter occurrence could be a disaster, particularly when a wrong choice is made at a senior level. This situation could lead to serious disruption in an organisation and, depending on the importance of the employee concerned, the result could be terminal decline. Research Aim Succession planning is seen as a crucial process by most major employing organisations (Hirsch 2000, p.ix)[2] The aim of this research is to establish whether, despite the perceived benefits of succession planning, most small to medium-sized organisations fail to nurture sufficient home-grown talent and have to look outside their own organisations to fill key senior positions. An alternative, but equally worrying situation is the appointment of individuals on the basis of class, length of service, family history, etc., without the developmental support. This situation certainly exists within the authors organisation at the present time. There is little, if any, work being done among the senior management team to develop the leadership skills of the successors to the principal roles; although it does appear that in the case of the primary position, the choice has been made! More importantly, this situation continues down throughout the organisation and, in many departments, it is difficult to see which individuals would have the qualities necessary to be able to stem into senior roles if the need arose. This state of affairs creates serious concerns for the direction and future of the organisation. All this exists in an organisation, which claims that a culture of development exists and, if questioned superficially, would be of the opinion that succession planning occurred. Strategy The research method chosen was data collection by means of postal questionnaires to be sent out to the HR Officers / Managers in small to medium-sized high tech companies / organisations in the UK and India private sector. Where necessary, the postal questionnaires are to be followed up with telephone reminders and completed via telephone calls or emails. Outline Structure Literature Review History of Succession Planning Historically, succession planning systems were the sole province of the upper echelons of male, class-dominated society. Whether or not this served society well is an arguable point; the fact that it existed in a class-ridden paternalistic age is not up for debate. The traditional model of succession planning, as identified in The Industrial Society (1997), is for the Board of identify, secretly, a list of two or three potential successors for the senior roles. According to Holbech, no more than two or three per cent of the workforce were deemed to have management or executive potential (Holbech, 2003)[3]. There are considerable, well-documented, drawbacks associated with this process for example, management may continue to choose clones of themselves, perpetuating a culture with a reluctance to change. Without fresh blood, bringing new ideas, organisations may begin to stagnate. The disadvantages brought about by this traditional model may be distilled down to two arguments; the organisation risks losing exceptional talent (with the associated consequences) and employees miss out on development and fail to fulfil their potential. Chris Watkin of Hay Group maintains that the roots of talent management can be found in the outsourcing of the pervious decade. (Carrington 2004)[4] The reduction of graduate recruitment schemes in the early 1990s meant organisations often did not have the right employees in place to move into the senior positions. This situation was fine for a while but, long-term, it proved to be very expensive and not to successful. (2004, p.26) Watkin also says that the recruitment slow-down that had occurred over the past couple of years has highlighted further the need for organisations to make more of their current employee talent. (ibid p.26) Certainly, within the authors industry (IT), the lack of available talent during this period has been a serious (and costly) concern. Definitely, it is cheaper to develop current employees than to buy-in expensive candidates with great potential but little knowledge of the Companys products and specific technologies. The CIPD (2004, p.1)[5] support this view by suggesting that maybe it was better to develop loyal employees who understood the organisation and its culture. According to Rothwell (2001, p.5)[6], one of the first writers to appreciate the need to plan was Henri Fayol (1916), whose fourteen points of management indicate that management has a responsibility to ensure the stability of tenure of personnel. Fayol also said that if the need were ignored, key positions would end up being filled by ill prepared people. The world is now a much different place than in Fayols time but the basic tenets of his thinking remain. According to the Corporate Leadership Council (CLC)[7], from 2000 to 2002, many organisations struggled in the difficult economic climate. Despite this, a number of companies continued to excel, sometimes surpassing their earnings expectations. The CLC believe that the reason for this was the quality of their senior executives; they were successful in creating a steady supply of talent at a time when others were failing to keep up. The CLC go on to say that this differentiation may hold the key to organisational success. (2004)[8] The situation prevailing within corporate management today, not surprisingly, puts Board management succession in the limelight. According to Carey and Ogden in Berger Berger, directors, as guardians of the interests of shareholders, naturally are concerned with the ongoing health and success of the corporate enterprise. Capable leadership is vital to this objective, which means that succession must be considered first and foremost and fundamentally a responsibility of the board. (2004 p.243) Despite this, the CLC found that only 20% of responding HR executives were satisfied with their top-management succession processes. Ram Charan thinks that this is simply inexcusable and goes on to say that a board that has been in place for six or seven years but does not have a pool of qualified candidates and a robust succession process is a failure. (2005, p.74)[9] Build Talent throughout the Organisation If an organisation is to be in a position to provide a continuous pool of talented employees from which the leaders of tomorrow must be chosen, it is important that the succession management process is not restricted to the senior level. There is a need to identify and coach potential throughout the organisation. Sisson and Storey thinks that training and development were the building blocks of a learning organisation and, according to many, the real key to developing competitive advantage. (2000, p.147)[10] According to Carey and Ogden, the familiar view of succession is around changing leadership at the top, one CEO[11] moves out of the corner office and other moves in. In reality, this is only a fraction of the whole organisational development picture. The most vital features of the leadership-development process take place beneath the top level, often not visible to people outside the organisation. (ibid, p.247) Obviously, a long-term goal of an organisation may be to extend the succession planning/ management process down through the organisational layers. Hirsch talk about devolved succession planning where local or functional managers are pro-active with regard to the development of successors for roles within their control. This may be extended in a more deliberate way with a result that although the corporate centre considers only the top levels, the bulk of the organisation follows suit. (2000, p.12)[12] A former Vice-President at General Electric commented, The act of creating a mentality of development within a company makes for more effective operations, even before the change takes place. People function better in a developmental mode. (ibid, p.248) Conger and Fulmer were of the opinion that succession planning and leadership development ought to be two sides of the same coin. They went on to ask that, if this were the case, why do many companies handle them as if they were completely separate issue? (2003, p.76)[13] Identifying possible successors, without the structured leadership development in place may lead to failure for the selected candidate and disaster for the organisation. More and more organisations, including very successful High Street retailers such as Tesco and Asda in UK and Pantaloon, K Raheja Group in India have a policy of promoting from within. According to Zneimer in Human Resources Magazine, Asda grooms its brightest talent for the time when they will step into the shoes of those currently sitting on the board or in the management tier just below. They are encouraged to enter a development programme that taps into the skills of external coaches and internal mentors. This ethos is encapsulated in Asdas Accelerated International Management (AIM) initiative, whereby those deemed to be ready are given top jobs abroad. (2004, p.34)[14] Surely, it cannot be an accident that successful companies have home-grown CEOs:- Tesco Sir Terry Leahy 25 years GlaxoSmithKline J P Carnier 14 years AstraZeneca Sir Tom McKillop 34 years BP Lord Browne 38 years Pantaloon India Kishore Biyani 22 years Source: Management Today, December 2003 (updated) in Zneimer (2004, p.37)[15] As Zneimer points out, the succession policies of Asda and Tesco contrast greatly with that of Marks Spencer, which has gone awry in recent years. Instead of continuing to grow their own, they have been spending a fortune on a revolving door CEO succession policy, which has resulted in a couple of very high profile failures. (2004, p.34)[16] This difference in fortunes highlights very well the benefits of a good succession management process. Ram Charan points out in the Harvard Business Review that, in Europe, 70% of outside CEOs, who departed in 2003 were forced to resign by their boards, as compared to 55% of insiders. In the US, these figures were 55% and 34%, respectively. (2005, p.74)[17] Management Commitments All of the theory and best practice covered in this report will come to nought if management commitment is not secured and followed through. Rothwell makes the point that a programme will be effective only when it has the support of its stakeholders; they must perform as well and own the process. (2001, p.116)[18] Lucy McGee quoted in People Management, the European head of HR at Matsushita observed, Without support from the CEO, you might as well not bother. (2004, p.49)[19] The DDI Study, Succession Management Practices, found that effective succession management systems are more likely to be found in organisations which, among other things, involve the CEO; have the support of senior management and involve line management in identifying candidates. The McKinsey study of the war for talent in corporate America, cited by Hirsch in Succession Planning Demystified, contends that with talent comes business success: You can win the war for talent but first you must elevate talent management to a burning corporate priority. According to a survey conducted by Consultancy Fairplace, as cited in Human Resources Magazine, talent management is not getting the funding it needs. In Human Resources Magazines opinion, this suggests a lack of commitment to talent management. (2004)[20] It is recognised that not all organisations, particularly those in the sector forming the target of this report, are able to fund succession management programmes along the lines of those underway at companies such as Asda and Tesco. Succession management, however, really need not cost a great deal of money. In fact, lack of support for this issue is not generally based on lack of budget but more a function of time. Without priority given to this issue, management keeps its focus on customer demands and is too busy reacting to business crises to give the necessary attention to the succession management process. A great deal of management fails to realise that by always focusing on the urgent (not on the important) instead of delegating, they are missing out on an important development process. Of course, there are numerous ways that a succession planning process may be set up and it is not necessary to include such expensive techniques as external executive coaching. Indeed, small to medium-sized companies may still manage to instil a culture of development without recourse to such methods. Combating The Lack of Support: Obtaining management commitment to a succession management programme will not come easily or quickly. HR professionals must be prepared to give time and effort to the task if they are to be successful. In order to succeed, it is important to demonstrate a need and develop a business case for succession management. Rothwell believes that a succession management programme will be successful only when it has the support of its stakeholders; indeed, in order for it to work they must own the process. (2001, p.116)[21] According to the Corporate Leadership Council, there are increased internal and external business trends, which are forcing companies to focus attention on succession management. Fig. 1 outlines current business trends that may be used to make a case for a succession management process. Where top management support is difficult to obtain, Rothwell suggests that the best strategy is to win over idea champions to support the cause. Ideally, such champions come from well-respected top managers who, possibly, have experienced work-related problems as a result of the lack of a successor to a critical role. (ibid, p.69) The Role of Human Resources If HR really is to contribute at a strategic level and take its place at the top table, it must rise to the challenge. Lance Richards, writing in Personnel Today, suggests this is the challenge of delivering the right people in the right place at the right time and at the right cost and goes on to say that HRs ability to do this could be the key to future organisational success. (2004, p.15)[22] Certainly, much has been written on the contribution that HR is able to make to business. Lucy McGee believes that HR must educate its organisations leaders to understand that business plans for growth and change simply dont stand up without a serious commitment of their time and energy to developing people. (2004, p.48)[23] The overwhelming considered opinion about the role of HR seems to be as a champion of the process, guiding rather than taking ownership. This view is in accord with the CIPD, which feels that, although succession planning needs to be owned by managers, led by the CEO, HR has a critical role in supporting and facilitating the process. (2004, p.5)[24] Conger and Fulmer are of the opinion that, although in most companies, HR is the primary owner of the succession planning and leadership development process, this is a mistake. They believe that, in order to be successful, these processes need multiple owners. It is only by active commitment from the top and not just gratuitous support which managers will sense this is a fundamental activity, which must be taken seriously. (2003, p.83)[25] Conger and fulmar also says that it is not realistic or desirable for the CEO and their executive teams to have sole responsibility. HR needs to be involved in order to bring with it the necessary time and expertise. (ibid, p.83) Certainly, Hirsch found that, although the general role of HR could be described as facilitator, the term really did not do justice to the range of activities carried out. Hirsch also says that a project conducted by the Careers Research Forum qualified facilitator in this context as shown in figure 2. HR as Facilitator Process designer: Advising on how information should be collected and collated. Framing agendas and questions. Process Manager / Facilitator: Direct personal involvement in making sure meetings happen and, on occasion, acting as referee in ensuring the discussion is wide-ranging and objective. Good and conscience: Looking further to the future; asking seriously difficult; questions; highlighting problems that executives may prefer not to see. Direct personal intervention as broker: Knowing people well enough to be able to suggest successors, candidates for vacancies; development opportunities for individuals and influencing executives to take these suggestions on board. Counsellor: Trusted to help executives talk through their issues and to help individuals work out their career directions. Information support: Maintaining quality information, which delivers a direct service when internal candidate search is required or more general questions are asked. Despite this general agreement concerning the important role of HR within the succession management process, the CMI survey found that it is rare for HR directors to have board-level influence. At the end of 2004, only 11 companies in the FTSE 100 had HR directors on their Boards. (CMI, 2005) A large number of organisations are looking now to management tools, some web-based, to assist in their succession management programmes and there is a plethora of talent management software systems on the market. Lance Richards argues, however, that we should pay no heed to the software salesman who offers elaborate, expensive packages they are nice but not required. HR should start the succession planning process, if only in a simple paper and pencil format sometimes, the first step is both the simplest and the hardest to make. Richards advice is not to dumb-down succession planning but to show that it can be done simply and without spending the GDP of Denmark in the process. (2004, p.15)[26] Succession Management Process So, where does all this opinion and theory brings us? Almost without exception, good practice points towards a formal succession planning process, at the heart of which lies leadership / employee development. According to Hirsch, succession planning sits inside a much wider set of resourcing and development processes, called succession management. Succession management encompasses links to business strategy, resourcing supply and demand, skills analysis, hiring processes and management development (including graduate and high-flyer programmes). (2000 p.ix)[27] Michael Liebeman in Rothwell supports this view; he feels that succession planning should not stand alone but should be paired with succession management, which assumes a more dynamic business environment. (2001, p.31)[28] For this view of succession management to be truly successful, it is vital that it be engrained in the culture of the organisation and functioning at all levels. Conger and Fulmer see this as a file-rule process, with the four subordinate rules resting on the fundamental rule of development. They believed that succession planning and leadership development are natural allies that share a fundament goal of getting the right skills in the right place. (2003, p79)[29] Implementing the Process Having secured management commitment, arguably the most difficult task of all, the next step is to implement the process. Identification When looking at a succession planning / management system for the first time, it is vital to establish the positions that the organisation wishes to include in the process. The selection of individuals may be linked to particular key posts or identified as having high potential. Conger and Fulmer suggested that by merging succession planning and leadership development into a single system, companies are able to take a long-term view of the process of preparing middle managers, even those below the director level, to become general managers. They suggested that these systems should focus on linchpin positions-roles that are essential to the long-term health of the organisation. (ibid, p79) Whatever the criteria, it is important that the process is tied in to business strategy and the risk posed by the loss of an incumbent is considered when reaching a decision. Composition of Team It is imperative that the composition of the succession planning / management team is such that sufficient weight is attached to the process to ensure its success. In addition to regular team members, most likely the CEO / MD, senior executives / managers and, preferably, HR, it may be a good idea from time to time to second interested parties. Not only will this provide valuable input into selection of candidates but also secure the assist in spreading commitment to the process throughout the organisation. Top level / company commitment and HR involvement are explored in more details in other areas of this report. Measure for Success Once the succession planning / management strategy is in place, it is important that the organisation puts measures in place in order to ensure that the system is operating efficiently and also to highlight any opportunities for improvement. Conger and Fulmer found that succession management systems were effective only when they reacted to changing requirements. They went on to say that none of the best-practice companies in their study expected that their succession management system would be able operate without modification for more than a year. (2003, p.84)[30] An additional important reason for monitoring the system is to demonstrate any success and, thereby, provide information to sustain management commitment. Retention Once an organisation has found its high performers and leaders of the future, it is important to retain these employees and to ensure not only that their aspirations are fulfilled but also that their talents are used to the best advantage of the organisation. Remember that just as organisations are interested in high performers, high performers are keen to be associated with organisations with a strong reputation. In the field of IT in particular, this reputation extends to cutting-edge technology and product development. Organisations need to hold the interest of these individuals if they are not to be lost to more attractive competitors. In addition to the attraction of personal development, one issue of major importance is the subject of recognition / reward and organisations need to give significant consideration to rewarding high performers. It may be necessary to look at alternative / additional methods of compensation, for example, stock options; performance-related bonus schemes; financial support for professional development. What is important is that high performers feel recognised and rewarded in relation to their perceived worth and at levels that are viewed as competitive in the marketplace. According to Susanna Mitterer of TMI, writing in People Management, Pay attention to how your incentive and bonus schemes are designed, making sure all means of reward are fair, consistent and transparent. (2004)[31] Time has moved on but the expectancy theory of Victor Vroom and notions of fairness expounded by Jacques and Adams still ring true today. Turnover Although it may be argued that some turnover is acceptable, even desirable, quite clearly excessive turnover is to be avoided. The cost to the organisation may be seen on many fronts and, in many cases, may not be recognised or considered. In addition to the oft-championed areas of recruitment, training, temporary / contractors costs, there are issues such as lost productivity, customer dissatisfaction and management time, as well as the very important area of loss of skills and knowledge, both explicit and tacit. This final issue, which is of particular significance in this report, is of vital importance to technology organisations, operating as they do in such a knowledge-rich environment. There are many reasons for voluntary turnover in an organisation and according to the CIPD survey, lack of development or career opportunities accounted for 37% of voluntary terminations in the UK. Additionally, 41% highlighted increased learning and development opportunities as a step taken specifically to address staff retention. Make it transparent It is important that the whole process is as transparent as possible. Conger and Fulmer were of the opinion that, although this was a sensitive issue to manage, it was the right view to take. They believed that, if employees knew what was expected of them to reach a particular level, they would be able to take the necessary action. Not making the process transparent and the criteria for inclusion absolutely clear, leads to misunderstandings, feelings of inequality and discontent. Lucy McGee, writing in People Management, believes that there is a genuine urgency at the moment for succession planning and that every manager must become a talent agent spotting, nurturing and lobbying for people with leadership potential and offers her 12-point guide. (2004, pp.48-49)[32] The Small / Medium-Size Business Viewpoint Although, as mentioned previously in this report, the smaller organisations often cannot afford to implement such practices as, for example, executive coaching, the basic principles of succession management remain open to all. Having said this, there are certain restrictions facing the smaller organisations. In addition to the likely limitations on cost, there are the obvious limited developmental opportunities, which could lead to possible difficulties in retention of able and ambitious employees. A consequence of this is the reduced pool of talent from which potential leaders may be drawn. The smaller organisation may also find its senior staff stretched in many different directions, which could lead to difficulty in obtaining commitment to the issue of succession management. Obtaining this commitment, and finding ways to mitigate the particular problems highlighted above, is a role to be embraced by HR. According to the Corporate Leadership Council, there are a number of imperatives and practices that the smaller organisation may consider to improve the situation, as shown in Figure 3. Although, quite clearly, these actions are to be advised in all situations, with regard to small organisations they become all the more relevant. The IT Viewpoint The IT industry in general is a very young, fast-moving and dynamic industry. A low average age, coupled with technical expertise, brings with it developmental and career aspirations that need to be satisfied and will wait for no man. It is important that Companies recognise this and form policies accordingly, in order that they are able to sustain the requirements for technical and career advancement. For this reason, a culture of ongoing development, whilst important and extremely desirable in all industries, takes on a more critical role in high technology organisations. It may be that the particular problems facing the smaller company are exacerbated when the company affected sits within the IT sector. Additionally, it could be argued that turnover rate within the IT industry takes on a slightly different hue. Turnover

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Celebrity Puppets Essay -- Personal Narrative

Celebrity Puppets The concept of using sports stars to market non-sport items has soared to new heights. Every corporation in the world is trying to get the edge over their competitors. The classic example is that of the â€Å"Cola Wars.† During the 1980s, Pepsi and Coca Cola began an advertising slugfest, in which Pepsi emerged victorious by using Madonna and Michael Jackson as puppets in their commercials. These two companies, as well as thousands of others, have taken advantage of exposing celebrities in their commercials and advertisements. This is done as a means to persuade the public that these products are worth buying. As the years went by, marketers began to realize that in America, sports imagery constituted the most popular way of communicating to the public. The major sports organizations that corporations use to market their products consist of the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Hockey League, but more groups are beginning to get in on the act. These groups include the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), as well as many others as a result of their increasing popularity and a younger group of stars. A little over a year ago, San Francisco Forty-Niner star wide receiver Terrell Owens caught a touchdown pass and began a unique celebration. When he reached into his sock and pulled out a Sharpieâ„ ¢ marker and signed the football, giving it to a friend in the stands. His touchdown celebration was covered by many major media sources. As a result Owens was offered a partnership with the marker manufacturer. Sharpieâ„ ¢ agreed to donate five hundred dollars to the Alzheimer’s Association in Northern California/Northern Nevada for every touchdown Owens scor... ...ich the rock band Metallica wrote, entitled â€Å"Master of Puppets.† The lyrics go: Master of Puppets I'm pulling your strings Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams Blinded by me, you can't see a thing Just call my name, `cause I'll hear you scream This reminds me of today’s marketing world because these corporations all over the world are trying to twist our minds and make us believe that their products are superior to those of their competitors. In today’s world it is no longer who makes the better product, but who can present the product in a better fashion. There is no major difference in the quality of sneakers throughout the world. But unless the Nike, Adidas, or Rebok logo is not there, the sneaker is viewed as poor. It just goes to show how a song written in the 1980s can reflect the marketing era of the year 2003.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Power of One :: essays research papers

In the novel The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay, heroism is expressed in many different ways and in different characters. According to the dictionary a hero is defined as â€Å"a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deed and noble qualities† (Webster). Forms of Heroism are expressed in ways such as, bravery, determination and intelligence. Peekay, the main character, shows heroism in many ways such as bravery. Peekay has to stand up to the Judge and many others when he was young at a boarding school. Peekay had to go through a lot of torture from the Judge and other kids, and he took it so well it shows bravery and the kind of person he is. Anyone who can go through torture such as that should be considered a brave hero. Hoppie showed bravery to Peekay by saying, â€Å"first with head, then with heart† (Courtenay, 103). This was a tip Hoppie, another boxer, gave to Peekay that helped him stay relaxed and brave when in a fight. Peekay can not only use Hoppies quote while in a fight, but also in his life. Peekays bravery showed how Peekay would be defined as a hero. Determination is shown in many different characters, but mainly in Peekay. For example, Peekay was determined to become an extravagant boxer just like Hoppie. He had to overcome many childhood fears that he had. He was determined to be a great boxer just like Hoppie. Determination brought Peekay to becoming the champion boxer of South Africa. Peekays intelligence was one of the main things that make him a hero. He is intelligent in a way that he overcame his oppression. Meaning he overcame his weakest points in life, his mental scaring. Peekay showed it by leaving a physical scar on the Judge. Peekay had to fight the Judge and by using his intelligence to overcome his weakest fear he crossed out the Judges Swastika tattoo and carved his initials and the British flag instead. Peekay knew that by doing this it would help him overcome his fear.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

When Pigs Heads Talk :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"What are you doing out here all alone? Aren’t you afraid of me?† asks a pig’s head on a stick, covered in flies. But it’s more that, it’s an entity, which is hidden within the depths of the book, concealed for the reader to discover. The book Lord of the Flies by William Golding contains symbolism all throughout the text, each symbol to be interpreted in its own way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main symbol in Lord of the Flies is quite obviously, the Lord of the Flies, which as aforementioned, is a pig’s head on a stick, covered in flies. The symbol represents the evil within the boys that reside on the island. Each one corrupt in his own, fearing what resides within them. Jack with his â€Å"macho† attitude, while he is a leader, has actually took part in killing someone, but then again, so has every boy there. This evil could also be interpreted as a loss of innocence, in which the boys spiral from helpless little tykes to voracious savages, living only to kill.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another symbol, is just the flies residing upon the sow’s head. They seem to represent people that cling to evil, as though it would their only chance of survival. An example of that would be a cannibal, whose own desires have led him to feast upon flesh, and then, even when he knows that what he has done is wrong, he continues to do it until his disgusting gorging has ended with his capture and punishment. Oddly enough, the flies are feeding on rotting flesh as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Simon, the boy murdered by his peers, can be viewed as a Christ figure. While some may say it is Ralph, Simon seems more like a savior. He comes down from the mountain, bearing news of the boys salvation from the beast that torments him and he is persecuted by them, each one taking part in the frenzy of his death. He also seems to be knowledgeable about things the boys can’t comprehend. He is always off in his own little world, pondering something that most boys wouldn’t even consider thinking about.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yet another symbol in Lord of the Flies would the conch, which Ralph clings to so dearly. All of the boys see that as the upholding of order, until Jack claims it not so. With the shattering of the conch, Ralph seems to plummet into a slight depression, wherein he has nothing to remind of the upright and strict ways of his home. Without it he is nearly lost in a sea of his thoughts, buses as an example.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Andy Stern’s A Country That Works Essay

The president of the largest, Andy Stern, fast-growing and dynamic union in North America named SEIU or Service Employees International Union has just recently launched his new book and even conducted a nationwide tour just to promote it. The SEIU president’s new book which is entitled â€Å"Getting America Back on Track: A Country that Works passes judgment on the union of laborers or workers which are present or established nowadays because they have not adjusted or conformed to the current political landscape. Furthermore, he disapproves on the labor unions failure to bring the workers together and unite them on a common goal. Andy Stern in his books lays out a plan that he believed would refurbish or repair the current tax system. Furthermore, the plans that he proposed aimed the transformation of the health care system and fix the retirement system. His new book also includes certain strategies or arrangements to improve the current existing education. Andy Stern’s book is basically concern with the decline of the United States trade union movement. Andy Stern is aware that economy is changing and that there is a great mass of working class that requires equality. The economy is changing by shifting the power more towards those in the authorities and less to the working class. Furthermore, there is a decline or decrease in the rate of private sector unionization and reached the lowest level even before the year 1900. In addition to this, as economy changes and the power shifts to an inequality, the role of the labor in the economy is also changing. As the occurrence of mass protests, especially those that come from the immigrant workers in the United States, and the worker or labor strikes and protests conducted in France continues to increase, the losses which the companies or corporations incur also increases. As the labor tends to slow down, the process and company’s working time decreases and productivity is affected. Andy Stern’s new book is actually not directly aimed at the workers. Furthermore, it does not also include the advancement of any serious strategy in combating the present or occurring corporate assaults on the jobs of individuals and most especially to the living standards. On the other hand, the book is able to inform or give a certain warning to the administrators in the corporate world and the ruling elite. It warns them that if the unions who have worked hard and served the corporate world, more especially in America for already a long period of time, is allowed to collapse, there would be serious and dangerous social upheavals. Furthermore, it gives a forewarning that these social upheavals, if it goes outside the control of those in power or of the labor bureaucracy, would greatly increase. The labors which are organized should be in an innovative position as to create new leadership and perspectives. In the old days, manifestations from the labor unions are mainly expressed through strikes and workers tend to stop from working. This is not a good habit for it does not only incur losses to the corporations but also to the workers as well. Being laid-off from work could also be a problem in the old ways, especially if a union continues to ask its members to do strikes or constant protests. The new organized labor should innovate or reinvent itself to create more ideas in creating solutions to the root of the problem. There would be no serious struggle against the present social inequality if the organized labor’s old ways continue to be of practice. It is therefore necessary or required that the labor union would create or establish an independent political and socialists movement that is composed mainly, if not solely, of the working class. On a different perspective, it can be noted that it is impossible not to understand and be familiar with the effect no matter the degree or even if it was immense, of the increasing productions made by the transnational corporations. It is also impossible to recognize what globalized productions could do with regards to the old labor organizations. On the other hand, acknowledging this fact and be able to create ways of moving forward through a progressive answer are poles apart. According to Andy Stern, the country or the United States labor bureaucracy could outsource the strikes conducted by the labor unions or workers. He stated that the country could give the workers who are in strike a certain â€Å"pay strike† especially in low wage countries. Furthermore, he believed that this could be an alternative in calling out its own members on strike, would eventually reduce the number of strikes conducted by the labor unions. If the workers or labor unions are ready in conducting strikes in the United States and the companies or corporations would also be ready in paying them to strike, then there would be an increase in the losses incurred. It would be very much costly as to when a pay was not given to those who would go on strikes. But, paying the laborers in India, Indonesia or other places to conduct strikes and protests against the same global employer would incur less loss and is basically not that expensive. These assumptions are however blunt and has a mark of certain arrogance to it. It should be noted that an international working class movement should have its grounds on a plan or an agenda that ensures mutual solidarity in achieving liberation for all. It is not good to use workers from other countries to serve as pawns in achieving a narrow and constricted national interest. The final chapter of Andy Stern’s book includes his proposals for the reordering of the society. From his proposals, it could be analyzed that here is none that goes beyond the milk toast reforms which are pressed forward by the sections in the Democratic Party. In addition to this, it can also be noted that his proposals have no chance of being adopted or accepted because the big businesses or corporations do not want any infringement on its profits. These measures which Andy Stern stated were supported by another proposal that he made. He proposed to the capitalists and even to their political representatives that these are under their best interest. Though on the other hand, it may somehow state a conscious duplicity or self-deception and cynicism vaguely. In some cases, cynicism somehow dominates. Andy Stern has some dulled statements which support these points of view and somehow admit that the labor bureaucracy’s alliance together with the Democratic party is worthless or hollow. The statement is somehow correct, in the point of view of an individual who understands through politics or capitalist politics. But in the point of view of a political struggle in general, that statement is basically incorrect. Andy Stern, in some parts of his book, is able to write or create reactionary conclusions which are basically based from the right or proper observations. He puts forward or suggests addressing the incapability, generally the failure, of the labor unions’ alliance with the Democratic Party. On a different point of view, it can be said that this only puts the labor unions in forming closer ties with the Republicans. Generally, Andy Stern’s book, from one chapter or part to the other, is really thought-provoking as to what methods or proposals should be really followed.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Ann Taylor External Analysis

How is the industry structured? The industry could be defined a specialty retailer chain store which concentrates to a certain type of customer or carries certain type of goods. Sectors Discounted mass merchandisers: big chains , Multitier department stores: offering a large variety of goods, including clothing. Specialty store chains: those catering to a certain type of customer or carrying a certain type of good.Market Size and Growth The National Retail Federation reported that the retail niches showing the greater growth were department stores, stores catering to the teenage children of baby boomers, and apparel chains aimed to women over 35. The industry retail industry is big but the specialty retailer is small. $45. 9 billion of total $108. 7 billion women’s clothing purchases in 2009. Major firms are reporting down sales during the past quarters. Economic of Scale Fouth firms dominated the industry, which indicate that large firms have an advantage and economic of scal es are present.To enjoy economic of scales specialty retail stores create use brand extension to appeal to different segments (production) ad brand expansion (marketing) Vertical Integration Some of the bigger fashion companies are vertically integrated with their line of production so as to be able to shorten production cycle and be able to adapt to the current demand as well as customer satisfaction. Integrated manufacturing, distribution and retail together, with every step of the process done in-house and not replying on outsourcing. From designing and marketing, fabric storage to warehouse distribution and retail,Degree of Product Differentiation Unlike department stores that sell many different types of products for many types of customers, specialty retailers focus on one type of product item and offer many varieties of that item. Always looking for new segments which can create a branding problem. The product differentiation is low because the product can be produce by other firms. Companies need to compete in price. These dominant economic traits indicate that the structure of this industry is difficult to earn a positive income because is a small industry segment and is dominated by large firms.What kinds of competitive forces are at work? Threat of new entrants – low * Is easy to enter in the retail industry but hard in specialty retail. Majority of stores are chain stores. Their vertical structure and centralized buying gives chain stores a competitive advantage over independent retailers. If a company has a patent for a product is difficult to enter to the industry. Bargaining power of buyers – moderate * The industry sells directly to customers, consumes are free to shop anywhere but there a few alternatives. This makes the industry more attractive.Bargaining power of suppliers – low * Specialty retail stores are segmented and suppliers can influence price, quality, and terms. Is a small part of a whole industry, if supplies decided that the segment does not represent a significant fraction of its sales they can exert power. Apparel stores are known to have a higher quality standard, if suppliers don’t meet this standard they could get dropped from their line. Threat of substitutes – low * Clothing is common known as the basic need for human life. It is a kind of necessity and is hard to find substitutes to replace the function.Basically, apparel products are no major different in nature, but the main differentiation may come from the brands. So, the treat of substitutes seems not an important factor. Intensity of rivalry – high * There are a lot of brands existing in the market. They try to differentiate themselves in order to find their niche and decrease competition, but nonetheless in every niche there are 3-5 direct competitors of different size, but in some locations there are only 1-2 firms and so these locations are quite attractive to the new entrants.Competition primarily based on the customer image that firm created and quality, price is the second thing. E-commerce also forces competition because it seriously increases availability of the product in any location. Value-Net * Target a celebrity that is known to ware specialty products. Partner with a magazine who target women over 35 but they were luxury clothes. Partner with other high quality products like cars and phones. Is an extreme competitive industry and there are few complements that would provide options to expand the size of the market. What forces are driving change? Luxury fashion spending was up 35 % in 2010, while mainstream fashion gained 8 % overall. +, Great growth of department stores+, 2009 worse holiday season generate a wave of retail closures among many well- known brands. -, 2008 women’s clothes retailer had felt downturn and lost customers and cause shoppers to cut back on purchases. -, Customer had shown a clear preference for select high-end apparel willing to pay a premium on something that delivers luxury+ Spending in valued-oriented stores has been stable- China wages increase were causing inflation in merchandise manufacturing. Over the next few days is going to be rare for specialty apparel retailer to return to its historical level of profitability. – Over all the trends seem to be negative making the industry more comperative. 4. Which rivals are strongly positioned and which are not? What strategic moves are rivals likely to make next? Ann Taylor ANN History: Since 1954, Ann Taylor has been the wardrobe source for busy, socially upscale women, and the classic basic black dress. , Contained two division segments: AT and LOFT, In 1998 Ann Taylor created the Ann Taylor Factory, 2000 online store was launched.Goals: improving profitability while enhancing both brands. Restoring performance at the Ann Taylor division and. Restoring the momentum at LOFT. Performance: the stock responded with new highs, moving to a peak of over $40 in late 2006, but the stock price retreated in 2007 and 2008. At the end of 2010 the 4th quarter results indicated sales had jumped 10 % from 2009 and although gross margins fell to 51. 7 % from 52. 5 a year early earning per share had nearly quadrupled.Has suffer manager turnover Next Move: increase traffic to the Ann Taylor brand and future enhancing the brand experience. Improving the LOFT brand stores channel and continue to capitalize on the potencial o the online and outlet channels. Investing in the growth of ecommerce channel. Renovating stores to increase productivity. Implement technology for inventory Talbot TLB History: Acquired J. Jill group in 2006 – specialty retailer offering casual fashion through multichannel targeting women age 35 to 55 and Talbot targeting women age 45 to 65.Decided to sell J. Jill in 2009 in the wake of retailing’s â€Å"abysmal holiday season† They have problems integrating both firms They we suffering with inventory that was too â€Å"mature† Goals: Brand s target high-income, college educated professional over 35. Performance: Sales dropped in 2010 by 1. 6 percent, but online and direct sales had increase 9. 8 to 6. 7. CEO was expending that the web channels would spark growth. Inventory turnover 4. 87 and operating margin -1. 31 Next Move: Implement technology for inventory.Open new channels for distribution. Target a different niche 6. What are the key factors for future success? The critical requirements to compete in this industry are: * Maintain quality in merchandise mix: Requires right product mix, And also increase the inventory turnover ratio, Requires to stay up with fashion trends * Remarkable customer service: Quick response to customers, And pay extra attention to customers’ needs * Control inventory: Keep merchandise in 3 price lines budget, off price and moderate.Create a computer system to maintain control of inventory and improve productivity * Marketing: Established a r ecognized brand. Explore different niches markets Create different distribution channels 7. Is the industry attractive? In conclusion the retail industry is lack of substitutes, easy to entry, the bargain power of buyers is high and for suppliers relatively low. Overall, the attractiveness of the industry is quite favorable. | Local/regional| National/global| New entrant| yes| yes| Established firm| yes| yes|

Thursday, August 15, 2019

A Hunger Artist Analysis Essay

Franz Kafka is the author and writer of the poem â€Å"A Hunger Artist†. ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ has fascinated about fasting and one of the main reasons is how less people have taken interest in participating in this weird act making it rare thing to do. While ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ was fasting years ago, people were paying for admission to go and witness this wise and unique behavior. ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ kept he himself concealed a cage and his priority was to be able go hungry more than 40 days. There are butchers who keep an eye on ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ to make sure he can’t cheat the people who take interest in him by sneaking a little food here and there which makes him pretty angry and frustrated. Pablo Picasso drew a famous portrait called Crucifixion years ago. If you look at the portrait and have a good understanding of ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ it is easy to comprehend and see some similarities between them. The Crucifixion shows a whole variety of colors red, green and yellow representing its tone. In the picture there is a strong view of passion, tragedy and sacrifice which all kind of fits into the tone of ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’. The photo shows a significance of being one of the most popular religious paintings. One interesting fact about the portrait was that Picasso had intended to have looked at only by his close friends Franz Kafka’s main point is to show how there is a capitalism of art that has a bad reputation by others. He even painted a very unique portrait of ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ that shows ‘’‘The Hunger Artist’ ’passionate about his fasting and fame is he is achieving from the public. This stories genre can also be seen in the Picassos photo ‘Crucifixion’. If you look really hard at the photo you can see woman surrounding the Christ on the cross. It is obvious that the Christ was getting attention and specifically in that picture there were woman trying to come to his aid. Similar to the way two women were trying to help ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ and help him out of his cage but him initially refused. As you get deeper into the story it’s noticeable that ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ is not as independent as he was early. After some time an impresario is told to administer the show and guide ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’. The impresario gives ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ a certain amount of time to fast and these causes ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ to lose his free will. ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ had his cage placed by the animals so that the people walking by to observe would have to run into him regardless. A lot of people pass with no disregard but he does eventually get the attention of quite a few viewers. Fafka shows the famous ‘‘Hunger Artist’’ going through such emotional pain and being recognized as a sort of icon to society. Much like the cage that he is in shows him being imprisoned, Picassos painting he also gives a very unique description of the Christ suffering which is very similar to ‘’The Hunger Artist’’ because shows an expression of the Christ’s frustration and dealing with a great amount of pain he is going though especially because he has no way of getting himself off that cross unless he asks for help. Like the â€Å"The Hunger Artist† he was refusing to beg for mercy and peacefully died on the cross. ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ has a weird obsession with fasting and he makes people believe it’s a simple thing to do, but a majority of people do not believe him. To him a great public performance is him sitting a cage suffering and starting to slowly die from the severity of the starvation. It makes ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ happy to see people enjoy food in front of him while he fasts and the feeling of him viewing that makes him feel more superior. He does want anyone to judge his art and even there really no one that can fully understand what his main point for fasting is but that makes him proud about his craft. What makes it a great twist is that audience may not understand the art but enjoys it while ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ understands and does not enjoy it. Kafka kind of creates a similarity and comparison with suffering between ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ and Jesus Christ . the impresario proves to the audience how weak and exhausted ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ is with pictures. The people’s sudden change of behavior when viewing art is one the things Kafka digs deep into. In the painting ‘’Crucifixion’’ you can also see the Christ has one of his arms stretched out and the other hidden the bright light, on either side of the Christ are the moon and the sun. If you also look very carefully you can see two people sitting below the Christ playing a game of dice on a table just below the cross. This shares a similarity with The Hunger Artist because a majority of people who visited the zoo observed â€Å"The Hunger Artist† and acted like nothing was out of the ordinary. That’s how people treated the Crucifying of the Christ years and years ago, it didn’t seem cruel or hurtful it was just a normal religious practice occurring. His way of dealing with his freedom loss was to continually pushing to show the significance of his art. Even though ‘‘The Hunger Artist’’ would like everyone’s attention that’s looking at the animals he mainly focuses on the people who just stare and observe him to challenge the people in the zoo. Getting very fed up because to his knowledge the people are not really all that interested and he cloaks his anger without showing any signs of madness and to them he’s sort of a like a freak . But he never stopped and continued on entertaining people. Pablo Picasso shared a great sense of wanting to bed remembered for his old Egyptian style oil paintings. He actually had been in love with the two women seen in the photo; their names were Marie Therese Walter, and Olga, his wife.