Slavery as an Attack on Domestic Life in Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet B

Slavery as an Attack on Domestic Life in Uncle Tom's Cabin      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Compromise of 1850 included The Fugitive Slave Law, a law forcing non-slave owners in the free Northern states to return escaped slaves to their Southern masters and participate in a system they did not believe in. Jehlen notes the reaction to this cruel governmental act by stating that "[t]he nation's growing guilt and apprehension is tangible in the overwhelming response to Uncle Tom's Cabin" (386). It seems hard to believe that people could find no wrong in making it a law to return humans as if they were property. In fact, Stowe wrote her most famous work, Uncle Tom's Cabin, at a most opportune time; indeed, she wrote it in response to the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law.  Ã‚  Ã‚      Knowing her audience would be primarily white women, Stowe played on their feelings of uneasiness and guilt over the treatment of slaves, especially those of the Northern white women who could help with the Abolitionist movement, by introducing her readers to seemingly real characters suffering from the injustice of slavery. This can be seen even in the style in which Uncle Tom's Cabin was written; Stowe directly addresses her readers, forcing them to consider slavery from the point of view of the enslaved. "Expressive of and responsible for the values of its time, it also belongs to a genre, the sentimental novel, whose chief characteristic is that it is written by, for, and about women" (Tompkins 124-25).   Uncle Tom's Cabin is a sentimental novel; it was meant to appeal   to the unsettled emotions that existed in the reader's mind, creating and sense of   guilt and injustice, making them see how slavery destroys human lives and families. Through the introduction of ... ... of California P, 1990.   39-60.   Brown, Gillian. "Getting in the Kitchen with Dinah: Domestic Politics in Uncle Tom's Cabin." American Quarterly 36 (Fall 1984):   503-523.   Davidson, Kathy N. "Preface: No more separate spheres!" American Literature 70   (September 1998):   443-454.   Jehlen, Myra. "The Family Militant: Domesticity Versus Politics in Uncle Tom's Cabin." Criticism 31 (Fall 1989):   383-400.   MacKethan, Lucinda H. "Domesticity in Dixie: The Plantation Novel and Uncle Tom's Cabin." Haunted Bodies: Gender and Southern Texts. Ed. Anne Goodwyn Jones and Susan V. Donaldson. Charlottesville: UP of Virginia, 1997.   223-239.   Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom's Cabin or, Life Among the Lowly. New York: Penguin Books, 1981.   Tompkins, Jane. Sensational Designs: The Cultural Work of American Fiction, 1790-1860. New York: Oxford UP, 1985.   Slavery as an Attack on Domestic Life in Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet B Slavery as an Attack on Domestic Life in Uncle Tom's Cabin      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Compromise of 1850 included The Fugitive Slave Law, a law forcing non-slave owners in the free Northern states to return escaped slaves to their Southern masters and participate in a system they did not believe in. Jehlen notes the reaction to this cruel governmental act by stating that "[t]he nation's growing guilt and apprehension is tangible in the overwhelming response to Uncle Tom's Cabin" (386). It seems hard to believe that people could find no wrong in making it a law to return humans as if they were property. In fact, Stowe wrote her most famous work, Uncle Tom's Cabin, at a most opportune time; indeed, she wrote it in response to the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law.  Ã‚  Ã‚      Knowing her audience would be primarily white women, Stowe played on their feelings of uneasiness and guilt over the treatment of slaves, especially those of the Northern white women who could help with the Abolitionist movement, by introducing her readers to seemingly real characters suffering from the injustice of slavery. This can be seen even in the style in which Uncle Tom's Cabin was written; Stowe directly addresses her readers, forcing them to consider slavery from the point of view of the enslaved. "Expressive of and responsible for the values of its time, it also belongs to a genre, the sentimental novel, whose chief characteristic is that it is written by, for, and about women" (Tompkins 124-25).   Uncle Tom's Cabin is a sentimental novel; it was meant to appeal   to the unsettled emotions that existed in the reader's mind, creating and sense of   guilt and injustice, making them see how slavery destroys human lives and families. Through the introduction of ... ... of California P, 1990.   39-60.   Brown, Gillian. "Getting in the Kitchen with Dinah: Domestic Politics in Uncle Tom's Cabin." American Quarterly 36 (Fall 1984):   503-523.   Davidson, Kathy N. "Preface: No more separate spheres!" American Literature 70   (September 1998):   443-454.   Jehlen, Myra. "The Family Militant: Domesticity Versus Politics in Uncle Tom's Cabin." Criticism 31 (Fall 1989):   383-400.   MacKethan, Lucinda H. "Domesticity in Dixie: The Plantation Novel and Uncle Tom's Cabin." Haunted Bodies: Gender and Southern Texts. Ed. Anne Goodwyn Jones and Susan V. Donaldson. Charlottesville: UP of Virginia, 1997.   223-239.   Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom's Cabin or, Life Among the Lowly. New York: Penguin Books, 1981.   Tompkins, Jane. Sensational Designs: The Cultural Work of American Fiction, 1790-1860. New York: Oxford UP, 1985.  

Consequences of Friedman’s Shareholder Theory for Hrm Ethics

Milton Friedman wrote in 1973 that managements â€Å"primary responsibility is to the shareholders who own and invest in the company†. What are the consequences of this philosophy for HRM ethics, and what alternative perspectives might serve the profession in the future? Friedman’s Shareholder Theory Milton Friedman’s shareholder theory has had a broad range of consequences for HRM ethics.The main consequence being that if management are only answerable to owners and shareholders, and must do as they wish, management’s quest will almost always be to maximise profit. Organisations that are constantly trying to maximise profits are often constricted by short-termism. Short-termism refers to the excessive focus of some organisational leaders on short-term earnings which can impede the long-term value creation of a company. Short-termism can have profound effects on an organisations HRM ethics.Before examining the consequences of Friedman’s theory that managements â€Å"primary responsibility is to the shareholders that own and invest in the company†, and before outlining alternative ethical perspectives that might serve the profession in the future, I think it is important to give a brief account of the different agendas of HRM ethics and of Friedman’s reasoning behind his theory in order to relate it to HRM ethics. Fryer (2009) says that there are two contrasting agendas with regards to the relationship between HRM and ethics.He says the first agenda is welfare humanism and the second agenda is managerial performativity. The welfare humanist ethical agenda says that the ethicality of HRM practice should be measured in relation to its responsiveness to the needs and aspirations of employees. Under this perspective, self-actualisation and self-esteem of employees is considered very important and is rigorously promoted. The managerial performativity agenda is the opposite of the welfare humanist agenda. This agenda pl aces the achievement of strategic success above all other considerations, including employee well-being.Supporters of this agenda argue that if an organisation focuses purely on maximising profit within free/liberal market conditions, it will ultimately be in everyone’s best interests. According to Fryer (2009), Friedman was a utilitarian and also followed the managerial performativity agenda. Utilitarian theory proposes that the best way to lend moral legitimacy to a decision is to promote the way forward that will generate â€Å"the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people† (Fryer 2009, p. 77).Oslington (2012) suggested that the work of Adam Smith can be used to support the idea that if an organisation prospers, society in general will benefit from this. Therefore, as Friedman believed, if a firm tries to maximise profits, it will ultimately be in a society’s best interests as many people stand to benefit from the commercial prosperity of a bu siness, including its shareholders, suppliers, customers, the vast majority of employees and society at large as the business generates economic activity. Friedman (1970) wrote a seminal article in the New York Times called The Social Responsibility of Business is to increase its Profits.In this article he argues that any person who believes that a business should be concerned with issues other than maximising profit, issues such as eliminating discrimination, avoiding pollution and providing employment, are just puppets of the forces that strive to undermine the basis of a free society. This article lays the foundation for Friedman to declare in 1973 that managements only responsibility is to shareholders as he places an increased emphasis on property rights. Fryer (2009) suggests that that property rights are fundamental to Western culture and that the right to own and to transfer property is of the utmost importance.Consequences of Shareholder Theory The consequences of Friedmanà ¢â‚¬â„¢s shareholder theory for HRM ethics are profound. HRM ethics is the moral obligations of an employer towards its employee’s and shareholder theory forces management to focus on short term profit maximisation which justifies actions such as imposing stressful working conditions on employees as long as it improves the performance of the company. Many organisations that follow this shareholder theory have largely questionable ethics towards their employees as they seek to maximise profits without breaking the law.A good example of an organisation that follows this theory is Ryanair. Ryanair’s (2012) code of ethics clearly states that â€Å"Ryanair is committed to the fair and equitable treatment of all employees and abides by employment laws in the countries in which it does business. † Ryanair does not break any laws with regard the treatment of their employee’s. However, they do marginalise workers as they are not actually employees of Ryanair, but independent contractors. Employment law places strict responsibility on employers for their employees, whereas the conditions for independent contractors are not as strict.This allows Ryanair to maximise profits without having to incur extra costs such as tax requirements and providing better work conditions. Short-termism can also directly affect an organisations HRM ethics in other ways. Kreymeyer et al. (2006) carried out a survey of more than four hundred executives across many of the largest U. S. corporations. Analysis of the survey found that, due to the pressures of short-termism, more than half of all respondents said they would delay or cancel new projects, even if the cancellation of those projects meant that the organisation sacrifices value creation in the future.Such projects may include implementing a new HRM system. Implementing a new HRM system may be costly to install at first but if successful, could increase future value creation through many different ways such as reducing conflict within an organisation, improving workforce morale and productivity, reducing employee turnover which in turn could reduce recruitment and training costs. This can show how Friedman’s shareholder theory, which increases the pressures of short-termism, can affect an organisations HRM ethics as profit maximisation in seen as the number one priority of the firm.As HRM ethics focuses on moral obligations of employers to employees, one priority of a firm should be to try to secure the long term sustainability of an organisation in order to provide job security to employees. Friedman’s shareholder theory should back this up but the overriding emphasis on short term goals and profitability can impede long term sustainability. Opportunities that could improve the long term performance of an organisation may be ignored as they might impact on short term profitability.For example, projects may be ignored because of the cost of the initial investment is too h igh or because the payback period of the project is too long. In Krehmeyer et al. (2006) survey, eighty per cent of respondents said that they would reduce discretionary spending on advertising, research and development, maintenance and hiring in order to meet short term performance targets set out by the organisation. These factors can reduce competitiveness of a firm and can put its long term sustainability in jeopardy.Alternative Ethical Perspectives Some ethical perspectives that might serve the business world in the future are Kant’s theory of ethics, Rawls theory and also the Aristotelian theory of ethics. These perspectives can be considered as alternatives to Friedman’s shareholder theory. Kant’s Theory of Ethics The Kantian theory of ethics was created by a German philosopher called Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). His theory of ethics was based on respecting people and also on the idea that a person should never use another for personal gain.Kant did not bel ieve that a person’s actions should be considered right or wrong by examining the consequences of their actions, rather, he believed that it is the motives behind the decision that lend moral legitimacy to it. Klikauer (2010) says that, for Kant, ethics need to be established through a series of logical arguments and without any inclinations or feelings that may cloud judgement. Kant’s ethics are guided by purely ethical laws.Klikauer (2010) also notes that Kantian ethics does not offer business managers any room for manoeuvring with ethical decisions as one’s actions, and more importantly one’s intentions cannot be ethical and unethical at the same, there is no middle ground. There are valuable lessons that can be learned from Kantian ethics but it is also somewhat incompatible with business ethics. Kant believed that one should not use another for personal gain but the essence of management is to use people as a means to an end. The end would be an orga nisation’s goals.Therefore people are treated like costs, which is the opposite of Kant’s Kingdom of Ends which says that humans should be treated as ends. Rawls’ theory of ethics John Bordley Rawls (1921-2002) was an American philosopher that based his theory on the concepts of equality and fairness from behind what he calls a veil of ignorance. Rawls (1972) says that in order to ascertain fairness with regards ethical standards, we must imaginatively project ourselves into an original position. This original position is one that is ignorant of our status in society.He believed that the only fair way to reach a decision was if a person was behind a veil of ignorance, this means a person must revert back to a position where he or she does not know his or her class, race, sex and also what side of the social contract that that person will be on. According to Chryssides and Kaler(1993) once the decision maker has imaginatively reverted back to the original positio n, the social and economic inequalities of the decision are to be arranged so that the greatest benefit goes to the least advantaged.Rawls’ theory is more sympathetic to a welfare humanist agenda as he believes that a business has a duty to less advantaged stakeholders, not just to employees. â€Å"Stakeholders are those individuals or groups who depend on an organisation to fulfil their own goals and on whom, in turn, the organisation depends† (Johnson, et al. 2008,pg 132). Rawls theory could be extremely valuable in the future as an increasing number of organisations are embracing corporate social responsibility (CSR).It has been suggested that more organisations are moving from â€Å"laissez-faire† CSR stance, which is compatible with Friedman’s shareholder theory, to a CSR stance of â€Å"enlightened self-interest† which is now being seen as a more sustainable way for business to be carried out (Johnson, et al. 2008,pg 146). Aristotelian theory of ethics Aristotle (284-322 B. C. ) was a Greek philosopher. Fryer (2009) believed that the Aristotelian theory of ethics relates to virtue ethics as Aristotle believed that discourse can offered as a basis for moral probity.Virtue ethics says that the morality of a person’s actions can be judged in relation to their conformity to the standards of conduct that are acceptable within that given community. Aristotle did not believe that there was an absolute right way to make a decision, he believed the human ability to engage in democratic processes was a defining characteristic that separates us from all other creatures on earth, and that democratic processes were the best way of identifying that way (Fryer, 2009).Lessons from Aristotle’s theory of ethics could be very useful for the business world. Aristotle believed that the only way to lend moral legitimacy to a decision was to involve all those that were going to be affected in the decision making process. An orga nisation can involve all those that are affected by their actions through the use of employee voice mechanisms, collaborating with suppliers and customers and by involving all stakeholders in the decision making process. ConclusionFriedman’s shareholder theory has largely negative consequences for HRM ethics, as shareholder theory forces organisations to operate under the straight jacket of short-termism in the drive to maximise profits for the shareholders who own and invest in the company. Kant’s, Rawls’ and Aristotle’s alternative ethical perspectives might not be perfectly compatible with the business world but each of them, in their own way, can offer valuable insights that could be extremely valuable and might serve the profession in the future. References Chryssides, G. D. and Kaler J. H. 1993), An Introduction to Business Ethics, 1st ed, pg. 180-185. London, UK: Chapman and Hall. Friedman, M. (1970), â€Å"The Social Responsibility of Business is to increase its Profits†, The New York Times Magazine, Available from: http://www. umich. edu/~thecore/doc/Friedman. pdf [Accessed 22nd October 2012] Fryer (2009), ‘HRM: An Ethical Perspective’, in D. Collings & G. Woods (2009), ‘Human Resource Management A Critical Approach’, (Taylor & Francis e-Library) pp. 75-90 Johnson, G. , Whittington, R. amp; Scholes, K. (2008), Exploring Strategy, Text and Cases, 8th ed, London: FT Prentice Hall. Klikauer, T. (2010) Critical Management Ethics. 1st ed. Pg 68-87. Hampshire, UK: Palgrave Macmillan (James Hardiman Library) Krehmeyer, D. Orsagh, M. Schacht, K. N. (2006) â€Å"Breaking the Short-Term Cycle: Discussion and Recommendations on How Corporate Leaders, Asset Managers, Investors and Analysts Can Refocus on Long Term Value†, CFA Centre for Financial Market Integrity/Business Roundtable Institute for Corporate Ethics, Available From: http://www. darden. virginia. edu/corporate-ethics/pdf/Short-termis m_Report. df [Accessed 24th October 2012] Oslington, P. (2012) â€Å"God and the Market: Adam Smith’s Invisible Hand†, Journal of Business Ethics, vol:108 (iss:4), Pg: 429-438. Available from: http://www. springerlink. com. libgate. library. nuigalway. ie/content/e2255226763w13qp/fulltext. pdf [Accessed 23rd October 2012] Rawls, J. (1972) A Theory of Justice. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press (James Hardiman Library) Ryanair (2012), ‘Code of Business Conduct and Ethics’, [online] Available from: http://www. ryanair. com/doc/investor/2012/code_of_ethics. pdf [Accessed 24th October 2012]

Coordination as a Component of Organisational Culture - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2190 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? Impact of Coordination as a component of Organizational Culture on teamwork Coordination always involves a Coordinating of Project Actions and principles for doing the job well in an organization. Flick (2006) sometimes it also involves a Coordinating of Project People in a design team if you are a supervisor, or a team member who is serving as an unofficial leader. A basic coordinating of design-actions is similar for your own actions or a teams actions; Coordinating the design-actions of your team members can be done by direct decisions (if you decide what they should do and when) and indirect delegation (if you give them responsibility for some of their own action-decisions), in whatever balance you think will be most effective, when all things are considered,Babbie (2003).As described above, you use the two parts of a Teaching Strategy, appropriately adapted for the context of your project and people, by encouraging your team members to develop use their own Strategies for Learning-and-Performance, for delegated responsibilities and by developing usi ng your own Supervising Strategies. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Coordination as a Component of Organisational Culture" essay for you Create order Producing Teamwork: When a group works on a design project, especially the leaders, official and unofficial à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  should consider the social aspects of the process. They should design strategies for optimizing their use of resources in a way that helps individuals enjoy their work and gain satisfaction from it, while building an à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“usà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  feeling in the group with good attitudes toward each other, as co-workers and as people. Doing this well requires skillful cognition plus aware à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“external met cognitionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  in the social context of their working environment. Those being supervised also play valuable roles by doing their jobs with skill, and being good team members.Overcoming Challenges: A group may have to cope with the pressures of a difficult project when their work is constrained by the limitations of time deadlines and resource budgets. There might be interpersonal tensions between some people, or institutional structures that hinder teamwork. Hess (2001) any of these factors, and others, can put a strain on individuals, their relationships, and the teamwork; in addition to the harmful personal effects for the people involved, the practical effects for a business can be a decrease in the effectiveness of a design process and the quality of a resulting solution. Supervisors and other leaders, as part of their official or unofficial responsibilities, can try to develop strategies for achieving the best possible process-of-design and results-of-design, in ways that are also personally beneficial for the people on their team. Information and communication technology enables accomplishment of work to become independent of time and place. People now work at various locations and participate in the work of one or more organizations. Organizational forms are increasingly based on distributed working practices and localized decision-making. This offers many advantages for both the workers and th e organizations but induces considerable coordination costs. At the same time, traditional coordination mechanisms based on predefined organizational constructs such as formal structures, procedures, methods and plans, are no longer satisfactory in a business environment of globalization and rapid change. New mechanisms are needed and a large number of organizations adopt various forms of flexible and decentralized work management All coordination intensive organizations are characterized by local control over job allocation and day-to-day work planning and control. Examples of organizational forms of this type are All fieldwork at the customer service teams of a majorUK telecommunications company is coordinated by their in-house operational support system (OSS). The OSS is based on a combination of large monolithic applications, including a personnel database. The system processes the requests for work for the next day to produce a work schedule for the field engineer repair tea ms. A task is dispatched to a worker by sending a message to his or her hand-held terminal. Salas et al (2009). The basic assumption of dependency lends cohesion to the group by means of supporting the assumption that nourishment, protection, knowledge, and life can come only from the wisdom of a leader who is omnipotent and omniscient, akin to a magician. The basic assumption of fight/flight brings individuals together around the violent, excitation-saturated feeling that the salvation of the group and its individual members depends on the fact that their leader will enable them to identify, and then successfully fight or flee, a specific enemy either within or outside the group. The basic assumption of pairing enables the group to come together as such through the members sharing of an implicit, mysterious hope, sparked by the assumption that a couple will give birth to a messiah, a new guide, a new idea, or a new theory or ideology. Hersey (2007) narrates that team work is ess ential in corporate for better output and a better bonding among employees. No organization runs for charity. Targets must be met and revenues have to be generated. Tasks must not be kept pending for a long time and ought to be completed within the desired timeframe. A single brain canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t always come with solutions or take decisions alone. He needs someone with whom he can discuss his ideas. In a team, every team member has an equal contribution and each team member comes out with a solution best suited to the problem. All the alternatives can be explored to come out with the best possible solution. Higgs (1996) expresses that thoughts can be discussed among the team members and the pros and cons can be evaluated. Tasks are accomplished at a faster pace when it is done by a team rather than an individual. An individual will definitely take more time to perform if he is single handedly responsible for everything. When employees work together, they start helping each o ther and responsibilities are shared and thus it reduces the work load and work pressure. Every team member is assigned one or the other responsibility according to his specialization, level of interest and thus the output is much more efficient and faster. Work never suffers or takes a backseat in a team. Mike was taking care of an important client and was the only one coordinating with them. Mike took a long leave and there was no one else who could handle the client in his absence. When he joined back after a long vacation, the organization had already lost the client. Had Mike worked in a team, others could have taken the charge when he was not there. In a team, the other team members can perform and manage the work in the absence of any member and hence work is not affected much. There is always a healthy competition among the team members. Competition is always good for the employee as well as the organization as every individual feels motivated to perform better than hi s other team member and in a way contributing to his team and the organization. Team work is also important to improve the relations among the employees. Individuals work in close coordination with each other and thus come to know each other better. Team work also reduces the chances of unnecessary conflicts among the employees and every individual tries his level best to support his team member. The level of bonding increases as a result of team work. Team members can also gain from each other. Every individual is different and has some qualities. One can always benefit something or the other from his team members which would help him in the long run. Everyone is hungry for recognitions and praises. One feels motivated to work hard in a team and to live up to the expectations of the other members. Each member is a critic of the other and can correct him whenever the other person is wrong. One always has someone to fall back on at the time of crisis. Team and team work must be encou raged at workplace as it strengthens the bond among the employees and the targets can be met at a faster pace. Workload is shared and individuals feel motivated to perform better than his team members. 2.3 Impact of individual job satisfaction as a concept of team performance Teamwork theorists believe that if teams work well, have a common goal, are autonomous in their decision-making, and have responsibility and support, teamwork becomes a valuable experience for the workers involved. Working in a team empowers people and helps them develop autonomy, which is a source of profound job satisfaction and reduces stress(Hayes 2005).The relationship between the nature of work, working conditions and satisfaction is explained most often by the cited theory of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"satisfactoryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"dissatisfactorsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ drawn up by Herzberg (Herzberg et al, 1957). According to this model, three classes of factors influence job satisfaction. The first class of factors leading to job satisfaction corresponds to the salary appraisal. The second category of factors relates to promotions and the third relate to working conditions. All these classes or categories can be denoted as satisfactors/motivators or as dissatisfactors. The latter types of factors tend to be described as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"hygienic factorsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ in relation to the working environment.The promotion and increment of salary do not ensure that all of the employees are satisfied in an organization. The other major factors are the staff appraisal process and the dealing of the managers with individual staff. In some cases the managers fail to adopt a professional appraisal process and respond positively to it. Beyond that, the managers cannot change their pre-occupied attitude or behaviour. Thus, they fail to take a fair appraisal process or fail to respond properly to the need of the employees. As the managers possess the authority to set the rules of the games, sometimes they are highly deviated or prejudiced for or against certain employees. Whatever, the result of the survey or appraisal say they take the decision on their own way. Sometimes the managers want to establish a power relationship to govern the organization and knowingly or unknowingly they use some trustees informationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s for or against some employee. The trustees may not necessarily provide the right information as expected. Thomas (2008) 2.3.1Impact of salary as a component of job satisfaction on team Performance Pay refers to the amount of financial compensation that an individual receives as well as the extent to which such compensation is perceived to be equitable. According to Luthans (1998), salaries not only assist people to attain their basic needs, but are also instrumental in satisfying the higher level needs of people. Previous researches (Ojokuku and Sajuyigbe, 2009; Sajuyigbe, Olaoye and Adeyemi, 2013) discovered that pay is one of the most significant variables in explaining job performance and satisfaction. Frye (2004) also found that there is positive relationship between pay and performance. It was further concluded that pay plays vital role in human capital intensive firms to attract and retain expert workforce. In the research carried out by Sajuyigbe, Olaoye, and Adeyemi, (2013); Igalens and Roussel,(1999); Brudney and Coundry,(1993); and Tessema and Soeters, (2006) they found that pay has significant impact on job satisfaction and performance. Lambert, Hogan, Barton and Lubbock (2001) finding was in line with previous researchers who agreed that financial rewards have a significant impact on job satisfaction and performance. They concluded that, the greater the financial reward, the less worry employees have concerning their financial state, thereby enhancing their impression of their self-worth to the organization. According to Robbins et al. (2003), employees seek pay systems that are perceived as just, unambiguous, and in line with their expectations. Instead of motivating a single individual there is need to focus on selecting team members, the attitude of them, how to train the members, a constant appreciation, provision of equal promotions, other incentives like car, laptop etc. Unfortunately there is a lack of knowledge about construction of a team and its collective effort. (Belbin, 2006).Pay must relate to the accomplishment of goals, the company mission and vision. Any system that offers an employee the average increase for their indus try or length of service (usually 1-4 percent) is counter-productive to goal accomplishment. Even an above-average increase that differentiates one staff person from another can de-motivate. Additionally, the pay system must help one create the work culture one desires. Paying an individual for his / her performance accomplishments alone, will not help them develop the team environment one wants. Thus, one must carefully define the work culture he/she wants to create, and aim their best salary increases at those contributing to the success of that culture. If you want your organization to change, define the change, and pay employees commensurate with their support of and contribution to the change. Finally, the salary strategy must align with oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s human resources goals and strategies. If the HR function is charged with developing a highly skilled, outstanding workforce, one must pay above industry or regional averages to attract the quality employees one seeks. Paying less than comparable firms will bring mediocre employees and fail to fulfill the desire to create an outstanding workforce. If, on the other hand, the HR strategy is to get cheap labor in the door quickly with little regard for turnover, one can pay people less salary. Yvonne (2012) this will in fact not act as a motivation to staff and hence even achieving teamwork in the place might be a big challenge. 1

Pythagoras of Samos Biography

Pythagoras, a Greek mathematician and philosopher, is best known for his work developing and proving the theorem of geometry that bears his name. Most students remember it as follows: the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. Its written as: a 2 b2 c2. Early Life Pythagoras was born on the island of Samos, off the coast of Asia Minor (what is now mostly Turkey), about 569 BCE. Not much is known of his early life. There is evidence that he was well educated, and learned to read and play the lyre. As a youth, he may have visited Miletus in his late teenage years to study with the philosopher Thales, who was a very old man, Thaless student, Anaximander was giving lectures on Miletus and quite possibly, Pythagoras attended these lectures. Anaximander took a great interest in geometry and cosmology, which influenced the young Pythagoras. Odyssey to Egypt The next phase of Pythagorass life is a bit confusing. He went to Egypt for some time and visited, or at least tried to visit, many of the temples. When he visited Diospolis, he was accepted into the priesthood after completing the rites necessary for admission. There, he continued his education, especially in mathematics and geometry. From Egypt in Chains Ten years after Pythagoras arrived in Egypt, relations with Samos fell apart. During their war, Egypt lost and Pythagoras was taken as a prisoner to Babylon. He wasnt  treated as a prisoner of war as we would consider it today. Instead, he continued his education in mathematics and music and delved into the teachings of the priests, learning their sacred rites. He became extremely proficient in his studies of mathematics and sciences as taught by the Babylonians. A Return Home Followed by Departure Pythagoras eventually returned to Samos, then went to Crete to study their legal system for a short time. In Samos, he founded a school called the Semicircle. In  about 518 BCE, he  founded another school in Croton (now known as Crotone, in southern Italy). With Pythagoras at the head, Croton maintained an inner circle of followers known as mathematikoi (priests of mathematics). These mathematikoi lived permanently within the society, were allowed no personal possessions and were strict vegetarians. They received training only from Pythagoras, following very strict rules.  The next layer of the society was called the akousmatics. They lived in their own houses and only came to the society during the day.  The society contained both men and women.   The Pythagoreans were a highly secretive group, keeping their work out of public discourse. Their interests lay not just in math and natural philosophy, but also in metaphysics and religion. He and his inner circle believed that souls migrated after death into the bodies of other beings. They thought that animals could contain human souls. As a result, they saw eating animals as cannibalism.   Contributions Most scholars know that Pythagoras and his followers didnt study mathematics for the same reasons as people do today. For them, numbers had a spiritual meaning. Pythagoras taught that all things are numbers and saw mathematical relationships in nature, art, and music. There are a number of theorems attributed to Pythagoras, or at least to his society, but the most famous one,  the Pythagorean theorem, may not be entirely his invention. Apparently, the Babylonians had realized the relationships between the sides of a right triangle more than a thousand years before Pythagoras learned about it. However, he spent a great deal of time working on a proof of the theorem.   Besides his contributions to mathematics, Pythagorass work was essential to astronomy. He felt the sphere was the perfect shape. He also realized the orbit of the Moon was inclined to Earths equator, and deduced that the evening star (Venus) was the same as the morning star. His work influenced later astronomers such as Ptolemy and Johannes Kepler (who formulated the laws of planetary motion). Final Flight   During the later years of the society, it came into conflict with supporters of democracy. Pythagoras denounced the idea, which resulted in attacks against his group. Around 508 BCE, Cylon, a Croton noble attacked the Pythagorean Society and vowed to destroy it. He and his followers persecuted the group, and Pythagoras fled to Metapontum. Some accounts claim that he committed suicide. Others say that Pythagoras returned to Croton a short time later since the society was not wiped out and continued for some years. Pythagoras may have lived at least beyond 480 BCE, possibly to age 100. There are conflicting reports of both his birth and death dates. Some sources think he was born in 570 BCE and died in 490 BCE.   Pythagoras Fast Facts Born: ~569 BCE on SamosDied: ~475 BCEParents: Mnesarchus (father), Pythias (mother)Education:   Thales, AnaximanderKey Accomplishments:  first mathematician Sources Britannica: Pythagoras-Greek Philosopher and MathematicianUniversity of St. Matthews: Pythagoras BiographyWikipedia Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

The Financial Crisis Of 2008-2009 - 1908 Words

The financial crisis of 2008-2009 was an extremely significant event in recent history and has been described as â€Å"perhaps the most important economic event since the Great Depression† (Gorton Metrick, 2012, p.g. 150). We are still experiencing the effects of the crisis today and there is a considerable amount of literature on the subject. There has been much research into the crisis and what caused it (Gorton and Metrick, 2012). Using some of this research both the causes and effects of the financial crisis can be explored. This essay will discuss what happened in the months leading up to the crisis, the causes and effects of the financial crisis and tackles some of the questions that researchers have asked regarding the events of 2008-2009. Mishkin (2011) discussed the idea that when analysing the causes of the financial crisis the events should be split into two separate periods. The period occurring towards the end of 2007 and beginning of 2008, which involved lending within subprime markets and the end of the housing bubble, and the second occurring in September 2008, beginning with the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers (Mishkin, 2011, Gorton Metrick, 2012). Although the start of the financial crisis is thought of by most to be in September 2008, when investment bank Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy, some of the main contributing factors actually occurred prior to 2008. During the early 2000’s interest rates were low and as a result more people were able to affordShow MoreRelatedFinancial Crisis : The Recession Of 2008-2009881 Words   |  4 PagesThe most popularly known subprime mortgage crisis came into lime light when a steep rise in home foreclosures in 2006 spiraled seemingly out of control in 2007, triggering a national financial crisis that went global within the year. The maximum blame is pointed at the lenders who created such problems. It was the lenders who ultimately lent funds to people with poor credit and a high risk of default. When Fed flooded the markets with increasing capital liquidity, its intention was not only to lowerRead MoreCauses of the Financial Crisis of 2008-20091736 Words   |  7 PagesCauses of The Financial Crisis of 2007-2009 According to our financial textbook â€Å" Financial crises are major disruptions in financial markets characterized by sharp declines in asset prices and firm failures† (Mishkin and Eakins 2012). In August 2007, defaults in mortgage market for subprime borrowers sent a shudder through the financial markets, leading to the worst U.S financial crisis since the Great Depression. Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Fed, described the financial crisis as a â€Å"once-in-a-centuryRead MoreFederal Reserve And The 2008 / 2009 Financial Crisis1373 Words   |  6 PagesFederal Reserve and the 2008/2009 Financial Crisis: What they did and Why In the late 2007, early 2008 the United States and the world was hit with the most serious economic downturn since The Great Depression in 1929. During this time the Federal Reserve played a huge role in assuring that it would not turn into the second Great Depression. In this paper, we will be discussing what the Federal Reserve did during this time, including a discussion of our nation’s three main economic goals which areRead More2008 Financial Crisis: Icelands Then Now Essay examples1558 Words   |  7 PagesCauses of the Crisis On September 15, 2008, the American bank Lehman Brothers, with holdings over 600 billion USD, filed bankruptcy. This was by far the biggest bankruptcy in U.S history and it marked the beginning and the largest financial crisis ever. How can one of the biggest banks in the world fail? How can a bankruptcy in US make someone on the other side of the world unemployed? The answer is Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDOs) and it all started by new innovations in the financial sector combinedRead MoreThe Global Financial Crisis Of Broward College920 Words   |  4 PagesResearch Paper: The Global Financial Crisis Michelle Beira Broward College There have been few financial crises in the United States. The Global Financial Crisis of 2008 to 2009 was the most recent and before that was The Great Depression of the 1930s. The Global Financial Crisis actually began in 2007 when prices of homes tanked. It not only affected the U.S. but it also affected economies overseas. The entire investment banking industry, some of the biggest insurance companies, enterprisesRead MoreThe Global Financial Crisis Of 2007-20081123 Words   |  5 PagesThe Global Financial Crisis of 2007-2008 is the worst financial crisis since the 1930’s The Great Depression (Reuters, 2009). Even if bailouts of banks by national governments prevented the collapse of major financial institutions, worldwide stock markets continued to drop. Evictions and foreclosures overwhelmed the housing market while severed unemployment embraced the labor market (Baily and Elliot, 2009). This global financial crisis was responsible for the decline in the consumersâ₠¬â„¢ wealth, andRead MoreRanking the Key Principles of Corporate Governance1579 Words   |  7 Pagesphilosophy applied in this essay is based on analysis of the results of international investigations into the underlying causes of the 2008 global financial crisis (GFC). Stakeholder reactions to and perceptions about the standards of corporate governance in the lead up to the global financial crisis are also taken into account. In light of the global financial crisis, this essay proposes that the corporate governance principles be ranked based on four critical threads: risk management; board andRead MoreHow Government Economic Policies Caused the Financial Crisis of 20081553 Words   |  7 PagesThe financial crisis in 2008 that led to a crisis in the banking sector, and which nearly led to a complete collapse of the economy globally, was not only caused by changes in the regulatory, regulation and legislation oversight, but also fiscal and monetary policies. Many believe that, expansion of excesses monetary and irresponsibility of some of the government agencies led to the crisis. According to reports by Taylor (2009), excesses monetary policies were the main cause of the 2008 financialRead MoreThe 2008 Financial Crisis Essay1326 Words   |  6 Pagesintroduction The 2008 financial crisis led to a sharp increase in mortgage foreclosures primarily subprime leading to a collapse in several mortgage lenders. Recurrent foreclosures and the harms of subprime mortgages were caused by loose lending practices, housing bubble, low interest rates and extreme risk taking (Zandi, 2008). Additionally, expert analysis on the 2008 financial crisis assert that the cause was also due to erroneous monetary policy moves and poor housing policies. The federal governmentRead MoreFactors That Affects The Global Economy And Its Impact On The Nigeria And Egypt Economy1568 Words   |  7 Pageseconomy. In 2007, the financial crisis, which later extended to the global financial crisis began in the United States of America. The origin and elements of the 2007/2012 global financial crisis have been widely discussed in the literature throughout the period. The aim of this work is to, however, try to point out the reasons and also the macroeconomic effects of the financi al crisis in both countries economy and the resulting policy responses. Nevertheless, the impact of this crisis on the real economy

Modern Family vs. Leave It to Beaver free essay sample

Television Review There are some slight differences between the families in Leave it to Beaver and Modern Family. Lets start with Leave it to Beaver, created in 1957 with black and white video the main family consisted of a husband and wife, and two sons named Wally and Beaver. The family manner was the man of the house brought in the money while the wife cleaned and served most of her time at home looking after the boys. As I viewed a couple episodes, I saw that both brothers got along very well and had a brotherly love relationship, who were respectful and faithful to there parents. Compared to Modern Family, the family looks out of rhythm. In this show the parents play the same role as in Leave it to Beaver, but the siblings have slightly different behaviors than those of Beaver and Wally. Comparing the siblings together, Beaver and Wally treat their parents with great respect and have family conversations about concerns they are have in their life. We will write a custom essay sample on Modern Family vs. Leave It to Beaver or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page While in Modern Family, there is hardly a close family relationship between anyone in the family. During breakfast, everyone at the table is completely focused on their electronic devices and there are no group discussions. In Leave it to Beaver, the parents are on track with their kids and decisions are made 100% between them with no arguments. On the other hand, Modern Family has a lot of disagreeing involving the parents. There is a lot of talking back to the parents and calling them names like â€Å"daddy-o† rather than a respectful Sir or Madame. All in all the differences in these two families show how family roles have changed over a period of time. It also shows how technology has had a great impact on the world today, and is rapidly taking away from face to face conversations. In other words its an outlook on how much society has changed in a short period of time to go from a conservative outlook to and independent society.

Maritime Transportation Security Act

The U.S. Maritime Security is made up of a variety of laws, regulations, different agencies that bear the responsibility for ensuring that the ports are safe and that the cargo goes in and out securely. Since the 11th September, the National Congress has created and passed an array of laws that relate to the maritime security, including the 2002 Maritime Transportation Security Act (Bondareff O’Neill, 2013, para. 3).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Maritime Transportation Security Act specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From the start of the Nation, the security of maritime ports has been of great concern. Since the early beginnings of the country development, the US Coast Guard alongside with the US Custom service shared efforts to protect the ports, waterways, and maritime borders from a variety of attacks and other criminal acts (Maritime Transportation System Security Recommendations for the Nat ional Strategy for Maritime Security, 2005, p. 6). They still contribute to the Nation’s security by preventing and suppressing human and contraband smuggling, illegal migration, piracy and other crimes that occur within port facilities. According to the testimony of Christopher Koch (2002), the President CEO of the World Shipping Council, before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, â€Å"Designing and implementing an effective maritime security program will require cooperation, information sharing, and coordination between government and industry. At the outset, the Council recommends that the federal government’s strategy and actions should be consistent with certain principles† (p. 3). Thus, the implementation of the Maritime Transportation Security Act is a unified strategy for addressing the primary issues linked with maritime safety. Improving security aboard and in ports required clearly stated responsibilities as well as an inte grated approach. Second, the regimen of security should allow the free and efficient trade flow. Secure and efficient transportation should work side-by-side. Maritime Transportation Security Act Significance The authority of law administration is assigned to the Department of Homeland Security and is distributed among various entities within the Department. These entities include the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Borders Protection, and the United States Coast Guard (Bondareff O’Neill, 2013, para. 6).Advertising Looking for research paper on transportation? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The 2002 Maritime Transportation Security Act is considered a significant piece of legislation that has set up a framework for developing and improving the security of the national ports as well as their protection from possible terrorist attacks. Moreover, ports are the si gnificant pathways that ensure a safe transportation of cargo along the waterways. Twenty-five percent of the US GDP moves via the waterways. An attack targeted at ports can cause a disruption of the supply chain that has been managed and tuned for decades. On the other hand, understanding how the port industry operates is the first step in improving the security on land and aboard. When the Maritime Transportation Security Act introduces the new mandates on safety in the maritime industry, it was done without the disruption of the free trading flow or the maritime sector economic viability (MarEx, 2012, para. 3). However, there are many areas of concern regarding port safety despite the Maritime Transportation Security Act being a story of success. As seen from various hearings of the Committees and Subcommittees, there were no regulations regarding the deployment of the TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) readers. There are also concerns linked to the new rules fulfilling the requirements targeted at improving maritime security as well as the installment of new tracking technologies aboard, as well as the exchange of information between the government, local authorities, and the agencies. The sources of frustration are the inability of the Service to connect the MDA systems in the ‘operating’ picture as well as the vague approaches to vessel tracking. In addition, because of the physical decrease in the Interagency Operation Centers, the efforts of sharing Maritime Domain Awareness information between stakeholders (MarEx, 2012, para. 6). Port Security Concerns Security experts along with government leaders have great concerns about the ports being a gateway for the terrorists to smuggle weapons, personnel, and other dangerous items into the country. Moreover, there are worries that the ships in the country’s ports, especially large commercial cargo, cruise ships, and other ships could be targets for the terrorist attack s. Experts warn that such attacks can easily paralyze he functioning of ports and the maritime trading system that directly affects the global US Commerce (Frittelli, Lee, Medalia, O’Rourke Perl, 2003, p. 2).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Maritime Transportation Security Act specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some Congress Members expressed concerns that the Maritime Transportation Security Act does not go far enough in its requirements for increasing security in ports. Additionally to the proposals about port security enhancement, the Congress should have debated on the problem raised by the last Congress, the problem of paying for ensuring maximum security in ports. Moreover, the Congress can also think about implementing the issues linked to different maritime security provisions set by the Maritime Transportation Security Act. The debate about whether the country is spending enough on securi ty in ports and whether the funding is directed at the vulnerable sectors that can become targets for terrorist attacks. On the other hand, the skeptics put forward an idea that no matter how much funds is spent on the port security, achieving success in preventing terrorist attacks in ports (Frittelli et al., 2003, p. 6). Moreover, there is an issue concerning whether a general taxpayer should be a contributor to ensuring security in port through user fees. Port authorities argue that the port security should be a public good, and thus, the whole nation should share in the cost on security. Others argue that security at ports is only beneficial for the maritime industry because it reduces the cost of cargo theft. Thus, they argue that the industry should be the one to pay for port security. A Decade After Maritime Transportation Security Act November 2012 was a mark of the Maritime Transportation Security Act tenth anniversary. Thus, the anniversary requires a number of improvement s targeted at protection of country’s ports and waterways from terrorist attacks. The Department of Homeland Security is the main federal agency that is responsible for the implementation of the Maritime Transportation Security Act. The federal government progressed in the port security planning by developing an array of strategies and plans as well as testing them (Caldwell, 2012, p. 5). When it comes to the port safety strategies development, the federal government has made progress. For instance, the approvement of the National Strategy for Maritime Security in 2005 was one of the first steps. The strategy is linked to eight supporting plans that are targeted at addressing various threats to the maritime port environment. In June 2008, it was reported that the plans were developed accordingly, as well as they included the following crucial components: methodology, scope, risk assessment, coordination of responsibilities, integration and implementation. With the help of suc h characteristics, the federal government is able to enhance security in ports. For instance, better risk assessment and the definition of the problem provide further information required for the needs of specific maritime sectors, including ports (Caldwell, 2012, p. 6). Progress and Challenges The Department of Homeland Security has made a significant progress in implementing various programs linked to maritime security, including port security. In addition, DHS has developed an array of security programs and strategies, as well as exercised the security plans.Advertising Looking for research paper on transportation? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, the Coast Guard has implemented the Area Maritime Security Plan throughout the whole country in order to coordinate the Coast Guard procedures that are linked to the protection and prevention of attacks targeted at the US ports (United States Government Accountability Office, 2012, para. 1). Moreover, the Coast Guard has conducted a number of programs for conducting inspections in federal ports. Despite the fact that the Department of Homeland Security and its components have progressed substantially, there were some major challenges linked to the program and initiative implementation. Since passing the Maritime Transportation Security Act, the challenges faced by the DHS included the following aspects: implementation and program management, collaboration with other agencies, funding and resources for port security implementation, and the measures of performance. One of the major challenges of ensuring port security is connected with funding. For instance, the data acq uired from the Coast Guard states that because of the lack of funding, some port security units are unable to meet the set standards in various security activities – including escorting and boarding vessels (United States Government Accountability Office, 2012, para. 2). Conclusion There is no doubt that since the 11th September the ports become much more secure. However, the government has stopped paying attention to the important part ports play in the transportation system as well as the economy. The funding of the maritime infrastructure and port security has declined significantly. Port security has become only a small step in the transportation security programs. Thus, the Congress should work side-by-side with the Administration in order to enhance and improve the funding for port infrastructure and port security as well as ensure a tighter cooperation between the agencies responsible for port security (Bondareff O’Neill, 2013, para. 18). On the other hand, the Maritime Transportation Security Act has set up regulations for various transportation modes that are linked to reducing the security risks at ports. The regulations can affect the risks connected with on-shore and off-shore facilities, at the intermodal connections that exist within the port infrastructure. For the future, the Department of Homeland Security should consider some guidelines for implementing security in ports. The guidelines are the following: working with national, international, and industry entities that can develop port security regulation for considering whether the regulations are to be revised for managing the risks linked to the terrorist attacks (Maritime Transportation System Security Recommendations for the National Strategy for Maritime Security, 2005, p. 12). For a comprehensive port security network, promotion of technology is essential. The federal government should encourage the use of new technologies for improving port security as well as be a cent ral entity in the relevant technology development. References Bondareff, J., O’Neill, P. (2013). Are Our Ports Safe?  Web. Caldwell, S. (2012). Maritime Security. Progress and Challenges 10 Years after the Maritime Transportation Security Act.  Web. Frittelli, J., Lee, M., Medalia, J., O’Rourke, R., Perl, R. (2003). Port and Maritime Security: Background and Issues. New York, NY: Novinka Books. Koch, C. (2002). Testimony Before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.  Web. MarEx. (2012). Tenth Anniversary of the Maritime Transportation Security Act: Are We Safer? Web. Maritime Transportation System Security Recommendations for the National Strategy for Maritime Security. (2005). Web. United States Government Accountability Office. (2012). Progress and Challenges 10 Years after the Maritime Transportation Security Act. Web. This research paper on Maritime Transportation Security Act was written and submitted by user Leonel Daniels to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.