On the Origin of the Scythed Chariots Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

On the Origin of the Scythed Chariots - Essay Example From this study it is clear that  Alexander is trying to reason about the role of reconstruction. As a distinguished scholar, he takes this opportunity to look for possible evidence that can help in unveiling the exact origin of this weapon. After acknowledging that this mater still remains a contentious issue, he goes ahead to state that he disagrees with Hesychius, but concurs with Xenophon for linking the chariot to King Cyrus the Great. Nonetheless, he concludes by saying that a lot of research still needs to be conducted by looking for all the available evidence that can help in shedding more light on this mater.This paper declares that  the reporter expresses his pleasure with this author for writing about scythed chariots. Having keenly gone trough his analysis, he concluded that it is a product of a vigorous research because it was based on a collection of necessary evidence. Also, the author provided exhaustive explanation to prove his point. For instance, his position t hat this type of chariot was used during the ancient times is accurate. He digs deeper into explaining that the chariot was used at a time when horses had not become stronger as they are today. This is why they were pulled by human beings. He explains this is a candid manner that makes it easier to comprehend by anyone who is interested in knowing about the origin of this weapon.  Alexander’s illustrations are up to the expected standard.

An Analysis on Themes and Writing Techniques Essay Example for Free

An Analysis on Themes and Writing Techniques Essay Explain why George tells Nick the Story of the boy who ordered `bergin`. If this boy is actually George, explain why he does not tell Nick that the story is autobiographical. If the boy is not George, explain why he is so upset with Martha when she relates the story about the manuscript her father, the president of the college, would not let George publish. The play begins with George and Martha having just returned from a party hosted by Martha’s father, who is President of the college where George works as a professor. Martha has invited a new faculty member over for some drinks. It is later revealed that their guests at the after-party are a younger couple; Nick, the young, new professor at the Biology Department and his wife Honey. When Nick and Honey arrive, the seemingly innocent after-party evolves into a night of games, manipulation, confrontation and enlightenment for the two couples. As the night deepens, the effects of alcohol start to take over Martha and George. They start to reveal sensitive things about each other and their marriage. In Act Two of â€Å"Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? † George tells Nick the anecdote of a boy who once ordered â€Å"bergin†, killed his mother with a shotgun, and then after a year, crashed into a tree and killed his father. This happens after Nick confides in George the truth in his decision to marry Honey. He revealed that he married Honey not because he loved her but more because of the prospect of moving up the social ladder. The play also reveals that Honey does not plan on having children and has been avoiding getting pregnant by taking contraceptive pills. The side effects of the pills have been making her weak all along. (KONKLE, 2003) The reason why George did not tell Nick the story of the boy is his story is that he was too ashamed to admit to himself as well as to other people his troubled past for fear that he might be judged according to this incident. (KONKLE, 2003) Another reason why George disclosed the details of the story of the boy who accidentally killed his parents to Nick is to point out to Nick that no matter how perfect or ideal things may seem on the surface in the present, in truth, there is no such thing as ideal or perfect. The reality of life is that things are bound to go wrong all the time and people need to be ready for anything. What matters is how one deals with these difficulties. Nothing is permanent in the world. Sometimes things go the way you expect them to be but they can go the other way. The only thing permanent is change. The best way to cope with change is to recognize it, assess the veracity of the circumstance, and learn to adjust accordingly. It is important to see the reality of the situation so that in case there are problems that need to be solved, the best way to come up with a proper solution is to acknowledge the gravity of the situation. Trying to cover flaws or problems will only worsen the situation. Oftentimes, when this happens, small problems that are left unsolved snowball into an ‘avalanche’ that gets too big that it is bound to leave too much damage. George and Martha started out as a couple with so much promise of success in the future. However, things did not work out as they have planned and as expected. As such, they are having difficulty adjusting to this reality. Instead of accepting the reality of their predicament and exploring other alternatives to get them out of their â€Å"pothole†, so to speak, they chose to remain â€Å"oblivious† to their situation. George and Martha are trapped in their illusion of perfection and are too proud to admit the truth. They are thus thrust deeper in to their â€Å"pothole† of problems. (KONKLE, 2003) George became upset with Martha when she told the story about his manuscript that her father would not let him publish because it exposed his inadequacies. George is a proud man and it is very typical of him to refuse to reveal anything that would make him seem the least bit incompetent. The reality of this situation brought out their frustrations. The incident also highlighted the stark reality of the state of their affairs. Martha’s bickering drew attention to how disappointed that George was not live up to her and her father’s expectations and that she was so disgruntled with her marriage with George. (KONKLE, 2003) What ensued between the two couples reveals the similarities, to some degree, in their marriages. The only difference is that Nick and Honey represent the beginning stages and George and Martha represent the latter. The conversations between the men and the confrontation scenes expose the flaws in both marriages. Through George and Martha, Nick and Honey were allowed to â€Å"peek† into the future state of their relationship. They realize that should they do nothing about the present state of their marriage, they could end up in a place worse than where George and Martha are. For George and Martha, Nick and Honey represent a slice of their past. It allowed them a glance back at the things that have happened, which brought them to where they currently are in their marriage. Reference List KONKLE, L. (2003). Good, Better, Best, Bested: The Failure of American Typology in Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? In B. J. Mann, Edward Albee: A Casebook (p. 44). New York : Routledge.

Link Between CSR and HRM

Link Between CSR and HRM Corporate social responsibility (CSR) prevails in the past four decades. A great number of companies embed CSR principles into their daily business practices. The CSR practices are always subject to debates. Some researchers agree with the benefits of CSR for organizations, whereas others question the nature of CSR and argue that it conflict with business profitability. Definition of CSR has been developed by various researchers; it varies in different context. World Business Council for Sustainable Development (1999 cited in Viljanen and Lahteenmaki, 2009) defined CSR as is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as the local community and society at large. Furthermore, CSR is defined as treating the stakeholders of the firm ethically or in a responsible manner (Hopkins, 2003, p.1, cited in Fenwick and Bierema, 2008). Similarly, in the study by Melynyte and Ruzevicius (2008), CSR was regarded to meet economic, social, environmental and ethical requirements of stakeholders. Moreover, Syed and Kramar (2008) cited the definition of CSR by EU: a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with stakeholders on a voluntary basis. Based on the definition by previous researchers, the author understands CSR from three aspects: 1) Voluntary actions. 2) Concerns of stakeholders, local community and society. 3) The economic, ethical, social and environmental (positive) impacts of business operations. Melynyte and Ruzevicius (2008) summarized CSR activities on the basis of previous research, including ensuring staffs health and safety at work, developing equal rights, providing continuous trainings, being responsible for consumers and customers, decreasing negative impact in environment, generating ecological products and services as well as participating in society activities. In this paper, the author will illustrate two points of views: HRM should be linked to CSR; such a link is still realistic in the current tough economic climate. Both of standpoints are explained on the basis of different perspectives and arguments in previous literature. Part Two: Link between HRM and CSR 2.1 literature debates In this part, four debates are identified, namely, feasibility of such link versus impossibility, classical views versus stakeholder theory, benefits from CSR actions versus CSR without returns, as well as soft HRM versus hard HRM. Winstanley et al (1996) indicated that ethical concerns, such as job insecurity and insufficient regard for the autonomy of staff, should be expressed when criticizing contemporary HRM; it is also important that HR professionals engage with ethical issues. However, some researchers think that the ethical treatment of employees is impossible. Claydon (2000) explained it on the basis of the Marxist perspective on capital and labour relations. He thought that fundamental contradiction exists between capital and labour, so it is impossible to make working conditions more ethical. In addition, Legge (2000)- from the perspective of utilitarianism- indicated that even though it is likely that ethical HRM will be found among the core workers, it is difficult to be found among sub-contracted or agency workers. The study by Friedman (1970 cited in Greenwood, 2002) suggested that business has sole responsibility of making profit for its shareholders and should maximize its profits. He believed that the social responsibility is fundamentally contrary to the principle of free-market economy. This classical view emphasized the sole benefit of shareholders, which was related to ethical egoism; it implies that corporations should pay little attention to building CSR into management system. This classical view was countered by stakeholder theory, which not only presents a conceptual framework of analysis of HRM (Ferrary, 2009), but also offers corporations a new way of thinking organizational responsibilities (Jamali, 2008). The stakeholder theory was defined by Freeman (1984) that managers have a responsibility to attend to all who has a stake in organizations. Similarly, Greenwood and Cieri (2007: 128) indicated managers must act in the interests of stakeholders and management must engage stakeholders in decision-making. Freeman (1984) also gave the definition of stakeholder as any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of organization objectives, consisting of shareholders, employees, customers and suppliers. In addition to traditional interest groups, local communities and environment- regarded as silent stakeholders- should be included (Simmons, 2004 cited in Jamali, 2008). This theory suggested that corporations should turn attention to considerations beyond direct profit maximization, because the needs of shareholders cannot be met without satisfying to some degree the needs of other stakeholders (Jamali, 2008). Since employees are regarded as key stakeholders, corporations must be responsible for staff and take them into consideration to large extent in managerial decision making. It implies that HRM should be linked to CSR. Papasolomou et al (2005) illustrated CSR actions to employees, such as building family-friendly work environment, sharing information with staff, offering equal reward and pay, administering diversity management in terms of selection and promotion, providing training and long-term development to all staff as well as encouraging staff engaging in social activities. Moreover, some researcher (such as Friedman) emphasized that companies should put the profit object first (Woodall and Winstanley, 2000), so CSR actions are minimized. It seems that primacy of the profit motive becomes a primary reason why researchers and managers oppose to connect HRM with CSR or minimize CSR activities. Some researchers questioned whether the company can obtain returns when adopting CSR initiatives (Heugens and Dentchev, 2007). On the contrary, many researchers hold that CSR can offer potential profits and improve long-term corporate profitability. Brammer et al (2007) indicated that it pays off when HRM is linked with CSR, on the ground that CSR is beneficial to the attraction, retention and motivation of employees. Similarly, Bohdanowicz and Zientara (2008) considered that corporations can get payoff in the long run if they treated ethically to employees. In addition, CSR play a critical role in enhancing employees job satisfaction and further organizational comm itment, both of which affect employees performance and workplace behavior (turnover and workplace deviation). Melynyte and Ruzevicius (2008) also hold similar views: the combination of CSR and HRM does indirect positive influence to the organizations financial results through influencing staffs morale, job motivation and loyalty to organizations. Furthermore, in the study by Michie and Sheehan-Quinn (2001 cited in Viljanen and Lahteenmaki, 2009), soft HRM approach, named as high-road HRM, regards employees as resource, which is valuable to continuously develop, and makes efforts to increase employee commitment. On the contrary, hard HRM, called as low-road HRM, is lack of organization promise to job security and pay little attention to the staff training. It seems that soft HRM advocate HRM should be linked to CSR whereas hard HRM do not take CSR into account. However, Legge (1995) indicated that even though some corporations make a display of soft HRM, it is hard in reality. 2.2 HRM should be linked with CSR On the basis of analysis of previous academic debates, the author personally supports that HRM should be linked to CSR. It will be explained from four aspects. Above all, it is possible to integrate HRM with CSR, although some writers explained the impossibility of this kind of integration (as mentioned above, Claydon and Legge). In the study by Vuontisjarvi (2006), sub-themes of CSR, which refer to the integration of CSR and HRM, were identified: training and development, employee involvement, job security, employee health and well-being, equal opportunities, work-life balance and diversity management. Many corporations took on a series of HRM practices which is linked with the principle of CSR. In the case of PSA Peugeot Citroen, which is a famous French car manufacturer, diversity management was adopted. This company not only sought diversity workforce through recruiting a ration of non-French employees and secondary school graduates in the local city, but also ensure the equal treatment of each staff and non-discrimination. In 2003, the company recruited 129 non-French employees (including 45 women), who are in position of engineers and managers, which account for 10% of new staff. In addition, age issue also was taken into consideration. In 2003, 60% of new staff were younger than 30; 13% of new staff were older than 40. Furthermore, all employees had equal rights to be informed what vacancies are available because all the information was publicized on the company intranet. Further measures also include offering apprenticeships to people who were difficult to find job. (Syed an d Kramar, 2008) In addition to PSA Peugeot Citroen, many cases- such as retraining programme offered to staff by Deutsche Bank in the climate of redundancy (Syed and Kramar, 2008)- prove the feasibility of integration of CSR and HRM practices. Secondly, according to stakeholder theory, firms not only meet the requirements of shareholders but also satisfy employees. A series of responsible HRM practices- such as work-life balance (offer female employee childcare support or flexible working time) as well as initiatives mentioned above- meet the requirements of staff. Moreover, in addition to money, employees are also provided the the feeling of meaningfulness and possibility to take responsibility for quality of future generations life (Melynyte and Ruzevicius, 2008). That companies offer chance to staff to join social activities meet the psychological needs of employees. Given these reasons, HRM should be linked with CSR. Thirdly, the issue of business profitability becomes the bones of contention. Some researchers refuse to build CSR into HRM practices because of consideration of the corporation profits. However, a lot of research (as mentioned above) indicates that potential profits can be obtained if companies effectively incorporate CSR rules into HRM practices. In the case of Scandic (Bohdanowicz and Zientara, 2008), a famous hotel in Scandinavia, CSR was embedded into HRM, which is a part of Omtanke programme. Scandic strives for treating equally all staff. For instance, when the company planed to design new working clothes, different nationalities of employees were taken into consideration. As a result, headband, a part of uniform, is not compulsory to wear. Moreover, all staff were congregated to discuss what CSR actions to community should be adopted. Employees were offered opportunities of information sharing as well as rights of participation of decision-making. In addition, with regard to employee health, the hotel propagated the information about cancer to employees in the form of lectures; the company also assisted staff to quit smoke through offering guidance. Scandic showed that the firm indeed cared for its staff by implementing these initiatives (equal treatment, information sharing as well as health of employees). The outcome of this study revealed that these responsible HRM practices were beneficial to enhancement of employees job satisfaction (employees feel that they are cared), thereby affecting work performance and behavior. As a result, employees performance well, namely offering the high quality of service for customers and the turnover has decreased, all of which are regarded as potential profits of corporation. Therefore, CSR principles should be integrated into HRM practices because it benefits for company by improving job satisfaction, enhancing organizational commitment, advancing employees performance and decreasing the turnover. Finally, even if CSR is sometimes described as window-dressing, it actually helps corporations to establish good image and reputation, which is conducive to HRM. The company who takes CSR measures is more attractive to candidates (Greening and Turban, 2000, cited in Brammer et al). In modern times, CSR has become the trend, potential employees, especially new graduates, prefer to work in the corporation which has strong social responsibility and good reputation. Likewise, Bohdanowicz and Zientara (2008) indicated that socially responsible company can more likely attract and retain employees who care about green issues. In addition, since the company which integrates HRM with CSR advertises the equal treatment and non-discrimination during recruitment and promotion, potential staff are more likely to apply for this kind of company. Therefore, CSR help the corporation to have competitive edge over other firms which pay little attention to CSR initiatives during recruitment Furthermore, employees are always proud of working in socially responsible firm which has good reputation, thereby they have more loyalty and commitment to the organization, which makes employees stay longer in this company (Bohdanowicz and Zientara 2008). In the case of Babyfood which is famous for socially and environmentally responsible food company, a good reputation is considered as the primary factor enhancing staffs loyalty and motivation. The research show that although employees satisfaction is not pronounced compared with other food companies, and salaries are even lower than average in this industry, staff are still willing to work in this company due to its good reputation. Babyfoods rate of turnover is 20% lower than food industry average. (Lamberti and Lettieri, 2009) In sum, Since CSR, leading to good image of company, is beneficial to recruitment and retaining of employees, CSR should be embedded into HRM. Additional advantages of integration of HRM and CSR were identified in the study of Melynyte and Ruzevicius (2008): establishing partnership environment, increasing customers satisfaction and trust as well as attracting external investments. All in all, HRM should be linked to CSR because of its feasibility and positive effectiveness. 2.3 Links between HRM and CSR HRM refer to the issues in people management and treatment of employees; many CSR approaches stress the significance of meeting the requirements of employees who are regarded as key stakeholder. Therefore, how to deal with employees becomes a key point when analyzing the link between HRM and CSR. In addition, Syed and Kramar (2008) indicated that the integration of HRM and CSR can be achieved when they get support from employers, investors as well as institutions. Melynyte and Ruzevicius (2008) reviewed previous research about links between HRM and CSR and then summarized three forms of links. 1) CSR functions identical to HRM functions (interdependent link). 2) HRM functions making impact on CSR (SR activities emerging from HRM). 3) CSR functions making direct or indirect impact on HRM (how SR activities make impact on HRM). The first one includes removing child and enforced labor, establishing healthy and safe work environment, safeguard individual rights, offering job security, producing the process of justice, ensuring equal treatment of staff and diversity management, designing reasonable and flexible working hours (e.g. holiday time and work at night) as well as equal pay and welfare benefits. Secondly, HRM functions can influence CSR. Many practices can be identified. a) HR manager can plan and initiate CSR activities, such as mobilizing employees to recycle paper. b) The process of recruitment, selection and dismissal can be judicial and transparent. c) Managers share information with employees and staff participate in decision-making. d) When companies are faced with changes, HR manager still need to take social responsibility into consideration and ensure staff rights. e) Corporations provide continuous training to employees. f) Employers strive for meeting staff needs, such as addressing the issue of work-life balance and providing medical insurance. Finally, CSR functions also influence HRM. For example, while recruiting, CSR activities are advertised in order to attract competent candidates. In addition, social responsibility issues are introduced to staff. Moreover, employees engage in the CSR activities initiated by companies they work in. Furthermore, CSR can be used as an element of the system of appraisal, reward and promotion (Syed and Kramar, 2008). Part three: the link between HRM and CSR in the circumstance of global financial crisis In the current social-economic environment, global financial crisis is ongoing, thereby leads to mass restructuring and redundancies. A number of HR actions are conducted to react to the economic crisis. Many debates about CSR or ethics and HRM emerge. Based on different perspectives in precious research, the author will explain her own view: in the climate of global financial crisis the link between HRM and CSR is still realistic. Mankelow (2008) indicated that responsible HRM are adopted because employees are regarded as key resource to maintain competitive edge in market. The purpose of CSR actions to employees is to improve work efficiency and increase business profitability. It implies that although the importance of CSR is admitted, it after all services for the business profits and is inferior to the significance of corporation benefits. In the current financial crisis, it is no doubt that companies fight with survival firstly and CSR may be neglected. In addition, He suggested that socially responsible activities to staff are subject to certain conditions. It seems that CSR should base on appropriate economic conditions; it is a challenge to connect CSR with HRM in the face of tough economic environment (Mankelow, 2008). Although the link between HRM and CSR is questioned in current environment (can company can afford CSR in global financial crisis? Or CSR should be subject to business benefit, and the current condition does not permit the implementation of CSR), some researchers indicate the possibility that CSR is embedded into HRM in the environment of financial crisis. For example, In the study by Jones et al (2000), good image and reputation, established through CSR actions and other initiatives, can protect corporations from the decline of market in the chaotic economic environment; the stock price of firms with good image fall less than those without good reputation. Schnietz and Epstein (2005) held a similar view. Therefore, CSR is conducive to financial performance even in such tough circumstance. Furthermore, some researchers consider that it is costly to embed CSR principles into HRM practices. For instance, many employers are unwilling to notify downsizing plans in advance, which is a responsible HRM practice, on the ground that the productivity will decrease, employee will lose morale and turnover increase, all of which is costly (Leana and Feldman, 1992, cited in Forde et al, 2009). On the contrary, Hopkins and Hopkins (1999, cited in Forde et al, 2009) suggested that advance notification virtually minimize the costs, because it alleviates the pressure of post-layoff through retraining employees and offering counseling. It implies that some actions comprising CSR principles can be helpful to cost-saving. In current climate of global financial crisis, redundancy and restructuring is inevitable. However, it does not mean that the link between HRM and CSR is unrealistic. Socially responsible restructuring is identified, which embed CSR principles into restructuring. It was defined as the use of one or more approaches to consciously take into account the interest of all the organizations stakeholders- managers, owners/shareholders, workers, as well as the large community (International Labour Organization, 2002, cited in Forde et al, 2009). Since restructuring and redundancies are also parts of HRM functions (Redman and Wilkinson, 2001), socially responsible restructuring can be regarded as special integration of HRM and CSR in special economic circumstance. Forde et al (2009) proposed that- from the perspective of business case- socially responsible restructuring are implemented because it can be beneficial to the competitiveness of company. However, Heller (2009 cited in Forde et al, 2009) argued that with the intensity of global financial crisis and increases of redundancy, fewer corporations take up socially responsible restructuring. In fact, Legislation and labor market policies are enacted and implemented to advance companies to adopt socially responsible restructuring measures. For example, Trade Adjustment Assistance Act is used to promote social accountability when redundancy and layoff increase (Office of the US Trade Representative, 2009, cited in Forde et al, 2009). Therefore, with the support of legislation and government policies, the link between HRM and CSR is realistic even if it is faced with deepening economic crisis. Viljanen and Lahteenmaki (2009) analyzed different HR reactions to global financial crisis from two HRM philosophies: hard and soft. Hard HRM is in pursuit of maximal short-term saving and obtain cost efficiency by direct personnel cuts. On the contrary, soft HRM seek for the maintenance of business in the long run. The HR actions according to this kind of approach include dismiss employees temporarily, implementing pension plans as well as offering support to staff in the face of redundancy (such as outplacement services and retraining). Legge (2005 cited in Forde et al, 2009) concluded that in order to seek for profits, companies are forced to take hard HRM actions, such as direct personnel cuts. Moreover, collapsed market also compels employers to strive for cost-saving by directly cutting headcounts of employees. It seems that HRM actions easily turn hard in the circumstance of global financial crisis. It is indeed a challenging for company not only to strive for survival in tough environment and make the balance of short and long term profits, but also to maintain its good reputation and performance reliable employer. Although these activities appear to be hard in common situation, when they are located in the climate of economic crisis, HRM seems not to be hard. It is possible to integrate CSR with HRM during global financial crisis. (Forde et al, 2009) It is impossible that companies can meet requirements of all stakeholders (including shareholders and employees). In the tough economic environment, what firm can do is to strive for minimizing the loss of benefits of all stakeholders and avoid direct personnel cut (hard HRM). Therefore, CSR can play a potential role in restructuring, on the ground that socially responsible restructuring minimize negative influence of layoffs and redundancy. whilst at present we do not have a viable CSR tool for the successful anticipation and management of corporate change, there are a range of possibilities for connecting restructuring to CSR (Forde et al, 2009). It affirms the viability of the link between HRM and CSR. Indeed, considering that in the environment of financial crisis CSR is beneficial to financial performance, that some actions comprising CSR principles can minimize the costs and that socially responsible restructuring are promoted by legislation and government policies, it is realistic and feasible to integrate HRM with CSR in current economic environment. Three case studies will be illustrated to prove that such link is possible in the face of tough economic environment. In the case study of steel industry in the UK (Corus and ASW), previous to the declaration of layoffs, both Corus and ASW offer high level of training which enhances the employability of employees and help them adapt to changing environment. In addition, ASW held a formal meeting to notify employees in advance that company will lay off staff because of unstable financial situation. During the period of announcement of layoffs, Corus did not put layoff planes into action immediately. Instead, it offered 90-day consultation time. Moreover, in the period of implementation of layoffs, companies establish equitable criteria to choose employees who should be laid off. At Corus plants, workers who were voluntary to leave were hunted prior to the adoption of compulsory redundancy; early retirement schemes were implemented, namely employees, in the age of fifty and above, can retire early with sufficient pension. Furthermore, Corus offer criteria for the selection of redeployment. In addition , many support activities were administered, such as offering information about job opportunities and career advice, providing retraining programme as well as offering counseling. Deutsche Bank also did well in combining CSR with HRM practices in the climate of restructuring. Many HRM actions were devised to help staff whom the bank laid off to find another job. Vocational retraining and job coaching (e.g. advice for job applications) were offered. Staff were redeployed by internal temporary work agency. Both internal (e.g. HR advisers) and external counseling were provided. In addition, the bank also offer part-time working and have outplacement activities (Syed and Kramar, 2008). Another case is Hotel Villa Magna-Park Hyatt. In 2007, the hotel implement redecoration programme which lasted for 14 months rather than lay off employees. The company showed that it truly care for staff by providing chances for employees to participate in all activities (Bohdanowicz and Zientara, 2008). In a sense, the integration of HRM and CSR is realistic by insert CSR principles into redundancy and restructuring, even though it is different from the responsible HRM practices in normal circumstance (such as job security and work-life balance). Part Four: conclusion In this research, the author demonstrated that HRM should be linked to CSR. It was explained with references to academic debates from four aspects. Firstly, such link is feasible on the ground of reality that responsible HRM actions are actually adopted by many companies. Secondly, according to stakeholder theory, corporations should strive for meeting the requirement of all stakeholders (including shareholders and employees). CSR actions can meet the psychological needs of employees. Next, the integration of HRM and CSR can bring about potential profits by improving job satisfaction, enhancing organizational commitment, advancing employees performance and decreasing the turnover. Finally, CSR is conducive to establishment of good reputation of companies, thereby help employers recruit and retain employees. In addition, socially responsible restructuring is regarded as the special links between HRM and CSR in such tough economic climate. The researcher also proposed that such link is still realistic in the current climate of restructuring and redundancies on the ground that it helps companies set up better reputation, which can alleviate the economic loss of firms in collapsed market, that it can be beneficial to cost-saving in the face of redundancy and that it is supported by legislation and government policies. Although restructuring and redundancy are considered as hard HRM actions, such link seems to be soft in current tough climate.

Patriot Act Essay -- Politics Foreign Affairs Safety Terrorism Essays

Patriot Act "We're dealing with terrorists who operate by highly sophisticated methods and technologies, some of which were not even available when our existing laws were written. The bill before me accounts for the new realities and dangers posed by modern terrorists. It will help law enforcement to identify, dismantle, disrupt, and punish terrorists before they strike," (President George W. Bush at signing of Patriot Act, 2001). The terrorists of today cannot be reasoned with. We must do whatever necessary to ensure that there never will be another September 11th. Since the enactment of the Patriot Act, there have not been any major acts of terrorism committed on U.S. soil. If the Act had been established earlier, perhaps the tragedy of September 11th would have been prevented. The Patriot Act has applied common sense knowledge and resources to law enforcement, making it easier for them to seize terrorists before they strike. The Patriot Act, however, has stirred up controversies amongst those who believe it to be a violation of our civil liberties. The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) argues that the Patriot Act not only fails to make us a safer nation, but also a less free one. They believe that it does not uphold our fundamental rights and freedoms. They want Congress to limit the sharing of information through wiretapping between the government, so as to preserve their privacy. The ACLU also believes the F.B.I., has been given too long a leash, that the Patriot Act has overstepped its boundaries. The ACLU has issued eighteen sheets, written dozens of letters to Congress and the Bush administration, and made hundreds of TV and radio appearances, calling on Congress to "defend the fundamental rights and freedoms that distinguish us from repressive societies in other parts of the world." The Patriot Act, however, violates none of these liberties and is a key source in protecting our freedom. If we do not fight back against terrorists who want to take over this land, we will be no different from other repressed societies. It is our determination and strength that has set us apart from the rest of the world. The attack on September 11th stirred up a desire in Americans to want to protect and defend this nation. The Patriot Act is a tool for defending our fundamental rights and freedoms from and enemy who will show no mercy. Terrorists are e... ...make the provisions of the Patriot Act more permanent and secure. We have let the terrorists go far beyond our reach. They are now embedded into all sections of our cultures. We can trust no one and must do whatever necessary to ensure that there will never be another event like September 11th. The actions we take today will affect who we are tomorrow. What we so now will form the future of this nation. The religion of the terrorists is to destroy Americans for a greater reward in their heaven. They are relentless and will stop at nothing. We, therefore, must always be vigilant and on guard, and support the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act lets us rest assured that future generations will live in a safe and free world. Works Cited: ACLU of Northern California. (Online) Available http://www.aclunc.org. February 23,2003 National ACLU. (Online) Available http://aclu.org/Files/openFile.cfm?id+10897, December 17,2002. President Bush's remarks on signing USA-Patriot Act. (Online) Available www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/10/20011026-5.html, December, 2001. U.S Department of Justice. (Online) Available www.usdoj.lifeandliberty.gov/subs/q_support.htm, October 25,2001

Dragons Essay example -- Expository Animals History Essays

Dragons What’s the first thing people think when they hear the word â€Å"dragon?† Most Americans and Europeans probably envision a huge scaly green beast, one that sits on a hoard of golden treasures and breathes fire. Asians are more likely to think of a benevolent snake-like creature, one that controls rains and rivers. And some people will think of the dragons in movies, or in books, which come in innumerable shapes, sizes, and dispositions. Practically every culture on Earth has dragons of some kind. The broadest way of categorizing dragons is into Western and Eastern dragons, though some of the dragons in the media have distinct characteristics as well. And then, of course, is the ultimate question: did they exist? Western dragons are the storybook monsters that most Americans recognize. The most common variety have four legs, two bat-like wings, a long tail, and a lot of teeth. They breathe fire, are covered in scales, hoard treasure, and have dangerous claws. They vary in color, and can be any shade of the rainbow, white, black, or any of various metallic shades. They are usually fierce, and feast on young virgins or sheep sacrificed by nearby villagers in an attempt to pacify the beast (Blumberg 6-7, Lurie n.p, Walker, Tempest). The Eastern dragons, by contrast, are benevolent water spirits. They are long and sinuous, covered in scales, and wingless, though they have four legs. They have whiskers, horns and often a mane, and always have a pearl either under the chin, in the mouth, or in the claws. Eastern dragons govern rain and rivers, and breathe clouds rather than fire. They are fond of swallow’s meat, and afraid of centipedes. The Chinese and Japanese emperors were believed to be descended from dragons (Ayles... ...gons have over the human imagination is as legendary as the great beasts themselves. Works Cited Aylesworth, Thomas. The Story of Dragons and Other Monsters. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1980. Blumberg, Rhoda. The Truth About Dragons. New York: Four Winds Press, 1980. Dickinson, Peter. The Flight of Dragons. New York: Harper and Row, 1979. Dragonheart. Dir. Rob Cohen. , 1996. Lurie, Alison. Fabulous Beasts. New York: Rae Publishing Company, 1981. McCaffrey, Anne. Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern. New York: Ballantine Books, 1983. Mulan. Dir. Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft. Disney, 1998. Pete’s Dragon. Dir. Don Chaffey. Disney, 1977. Tempest. â€Å"Advanced Dragon Description.† D.R.A.G.O.N.S. n.d. 14 May 2002. . Walker, Jennifer. â€Å"Physiology of a Dragon.† Here Be Dragons. n.d. 14 May 2002. <

Dr. Stephen Hawking; Man Of Mystery :: essays research papers

Dr. Stephen Hawking has been considered to be more brilliant then Einstein. Dr. Hawking was born on January 8 1942 in Oxford, England on the 300th anniversary of Galileo’s death. Is this a coincidence? After his studies at St. Albans School, he attended University College, Oxford. He wanted to study Mathematics, but because it was unavailable at Oxford, he concentrated on Physics and earned a degree in Natural Science three years later. Stephen went on to Cambridge to do research in Cosmology. After attaining his Ph.D., he became a Professorial Fellow at Gonville and Caius College. He left the Institute of Astronomy to become a professor at the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics at Cambridge. He has held the post of Lacasian Professor of Mathematics since 1979. In the early 1960’s, Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with the dreadful disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (A.L.S.), an incurable degenerative neuromuscular disease, also known as Lou Gerh ig’s Disease. He has been paralyzed unable to use every muscle in his body. The only muscles he has use of are those around his eyes. This explains why Hawking has become a theoretician rather than a â€Å"hands-on† scientist. He spends hour after hour in his wheelchair pondering complex ideas and formulating mind bobbling equations in his head. Dr. Hawking’s work is primarily in the field of general relativity and in particular on the physics of black holes. He uses his theory on the origin of black holes to help explain the creation of the universe. In 1971 he suggested the formation (following the big bang), of numerous objects containing as much as 1,000,000,000 tons of mass but occupying only the space of a proton. These objects, called mini- black holes, are unique in that because of their immense mass and gravity, they are ruled by the laws if relativity, while their minute size requires that the laws of quantum mechanics apply to them also. In 1974, Hawking proposed that, in accordance with the predications of quantum theory, black holes emit subatomic particles until they exhaust all their energy and finally explode. Hawking’s work spurred efforts to theoretically delineate the properties of black holes. It was previously thought that nothing could be learned about black holes. Now we know that each bl ack hole starts out as a star about ten times the size of the sun. Over time, the star burns all its nuclear fuel and explodes.

How Can Tax Cuts Help Revive the Economy

There are many opinions and predictions about how the economy will get back on track or how it will sink, and what should be the best approach of the government to take on this economic crisis. How important is the role of the government and how much a government should interfere in the economy? Introduction Unemployment has been one of the major concerns for many governments; historically unemployment reached 25% in the United States during the great depression in 1933. When there are no jobs people don’t have the money to spend, and demand for products decreases.When demand decreases many companies go out of business or just hire fewer workers, while unemployment keeps growing. The government has a very powerful tool called fiscal policy to manipulate the economy and control and manage the levels of demand. Fiscal Policy Fiscal policy is based on the theories of John Maynard Keynes also known as the Keynesian economics. The theory of Keynes state that the government can infl uence the economy by manipulating the increase or decrease of taxes and at the same time the level of government spending.By controlling the level of government spending what fiscal policy can do is to change the position of the Aggregated Demand curve (AD), since Government (G) is part of the aggregated demand. At the same time the government could cut taxes putting more money into the pockets of consumers called â€Å"disposable income†, which is another way of busting the Aggregated Demand since Consumers (C) is also part of the Aggregated Demand. The Multiplier EffectI think that there is a good question that we can formulate here: If government cut taxes and raises the level of government spending, how can the economy get better if by cutting taxes the government has less coming in, and at the same time by spending more the government is has more coming out? The multiplier effect states that when a part of the Aggregated Demand (C+I+G+(X-N) is changed, any of this compon ents which usually is (G), the result is an increase even greater than what was originally impacted by the changed and by doing this the government could push out the Aggregated Demand curve according to this rule.To explain the multiplier effect a little better let’s imagine that the government has 1 million dollars to spend, and it has several choices to do so, so let’s say that they decide to construct a new bridge. They hired 10 people who are now being paid and will spend part of that money each on another 10 more individuals. They spend 80% as disposable income and basic needs and save 20%. By spending 80% they are creating revenue for somebody else, who will use it as disposable money, at the same time by saving money they are creating more resources for a bank to e able to invest. At the end the initial money the government spent is not lost is only multiply and has created jobs, it has raised the level of demand, and it has boosted the (AD). The answer to the initial question: We can guess that the government expects to boost or better the economy by spending more, because eventually this spending will result into a greater impact into the economy by the consumers (C) Obstacles Reaching the GoalsFiscal Policies have some obstacles that can make the goals very hard to reach, and it could reverse the process and create inflation if these policies are not monitored constantly. The way this could happen is if too much money is injected into the economy while taxes are still down, and the consumer demands for goods and services are lower than the production supply. The increase in economic productivity can cross over a very fine line devaluating the real value of money and pushing the prices up, hence inflation occurs.At the same time the Multiplier effect can work in reverse because the success of the multiplier effect is based on the level of consumer spending. If the consumer doesn’t want to spend any money during difficult times th ere will be no money injected into the economy and the impact will be a decrease on the aggregated output. Conclusion The government plays a very important role in the economy, the decisions the government makes has a tremendous impact in the lives of its citizens.Making smart decisions in an economy that seems very volatile and probably unpredictable is very difficult. I believe that by making tax cuts and spending which I would call (Investing) the government is making the right decisions because in the long run my generation is eager to be part of this economy and very soon become a big spender after I am done with school, after I graduate.Bibliography/ReferencesHeakal, Reem. What is Fiscal Policy? Investopedia AForbes Digital Company File under: Bonds, Economics, Retirement URL Web Site: http://www. investopedia. com/articles/04/051904. aspWikipedia: Fiscal Multiplier:URL Web site: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Fiscal_multiplier Holden, Paj.Teacher of Economics:PajHoldenâ€℠¢s Channel In Youtube fiscal policy and the multiplier effect URLWeb Site: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=0CjNlyiDAno New Law's Tax Cuts Mean Extra Cash: IRS Web Site http://www. irs. gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=109816,00. html