Anansi Essay

In this mythological story, the author outlines the relationship of Hess two by causing Spider to create stressful situations that push Charlie out Of his shell and to take control Of his life. It is evident throughout the novel that Charlie's character consistently develops into, like Spider, a more positive, confident and charismatic person, one by which fits into the Nancy family reputation. In the beginning of this story, there was nothing extraordinary about the character of Charlie Nancy.He could be described as a somewhat boring character: he had a nine to five job, a fiance and enjoyed partaking in normal day to day activities. Charlie's initial character comes across as a very insecure person; he never puts himself out there and has been known to get extremely embarrassed for the littlest things. Charlie rationalizes these attributes by blaming his father for embarrassing him as a child. Caiman writes, â€Å"The worst thing about Fat Charlie's father was simply this: He was embarrassing. (ANSI Boys, 10) The story continues into a description of how Charlie's father made him dress up as Taft: â€Å"Well, when I changed schools, when I was a kid, my dad made a point of telling me how such he had always looked forward to Presidents' Day, when he was a boy, because it's the law that on Presidents' Day, the kids who go to school dressed as their favorite presidents get a big bag of Of course, there was no such thing as President's Day and Charlie was mortified. In his eyes, his father was someone to be ashamed of. He was far too good at embarrassing people and would be the heart and soul of the party.Charlie was so embarrassed by his father that he argued to keep his father away from his and Rookie's wedding. After much convincing on Rookie's end, Charlie alls a family friend, Mrs.. Wiggler, to find his father's number; only to find out that his father had passed away. After his fathers funeral, Charlie visits with Mrs.. Wiggler and learns a great deal mo re about his family. She reveals that Charlie had a brother and their father was a type of ‘God'. Charlie of course, thought that Mrs.. Wiggler was going a bit crazy, but humored her regardless.While trying to get back to his normal life, Charlie decides the practical thing to do would be to go back to work. Caiman writes, â€Å"Fat Charlie was a man who preferred to be working. He regarded lying on a sofa watching Countdown as a reminder of his interludes as a member of the unemployed. He decided that the sensible thing to do would be to go back to work a day early. In the Aldrich offices of the Grahame Coats Agency, up on the fifth and topmost floor, he would feel part of the swim of things. There would be interesting conversation with his fellow workers in the tearoom.The whole panoply of life would unfold before him, majestic in its tapestry, implacable and relentless in its industry. People would be pleased to see ) This as the type of person Charlie was, reliable, sensi ble and practical. He believed that he would feel better once things were back on track in his life. Charlie's job at the Grahame Coats Agency fits perfectly into his type of character. Caiman explains, ‘From this you would presume that there is little you need to know about Fat Charlie's employment, save that he was unhappy in it, and, in the main, you would be right. (43) Charlie was in some type of rut in his life where he was completely unhappy in every aspect, but did and tried nothing to get out of it. As the story develops, Charlie learns, to his surprise, that he does have a brother. Charlie's brother, Spider, is not your average person. Spider takes after their father, and is a type of God. Caiman describes, â€Å"There was a family resemblance between the two men. That was unarguable, although that alone did not explain the intense feeling of familiarity that Fat Charlie felt on seeing Spider.His brother looked like Fat Charlie wished he looked in his mind, unconstr ained by the faintly disappointing fellow that he saw, with monotonous regularity, in the bathroom mirror. Spider was taller, and leaner, and cooler. He was wearing a black-and-scarlet leather jacket, and black leather leggings, and he looked at home in Within a few days of meeting Spider, Charlie's behavior had already changed. Before he knew It, Charlie was at a bar, drinking wine and talking with a group of girls. Spider had an effect on Charlie that made him act out of character.Caiman does a good job of making these characters completely opposite. In his interview R. LLC Sirius, Agrarian States, â€Å"The lead character in ANSI Boys is divided up into Fat Charlie, our hero, who is very English and very embarrassed, and his brother Spider, who is semi-fictional and god-like and for whom the world just sits up and begs and does more or less whatever he wants to Sirius, 3) Caiman explains to us that Spider is an energetic, attractive, smooth talking man who gets exactly what he w ants and takes on his father's persona.Spider continuously pushes Charlie out of his comfort zone and forces him to stand up for the things he wants in life. Spider shows an interest in Rosier rather quickly and even goes as far as telling her he loves her. This, of course, forces Charlie into a physical altercation with his brother, which shows again the extremes that Spider pushes his brother into. Spider goes to Charlie's work and ultimately gets him in more trouble. Charlie's whole life had been turned upside down because of his brother's selfishness and he reacts by promising to get rid Of him once and for all.After going through these stressful situations, Caiman develops Charlie's character into one that fits into the Nancy family's reputation. Not only did Spider's selfishness push Charlie over the edge, but it also made him into a stronger and more confident person. Through the development of Charlie's character, his relationship with spider develops as well. In the beginni ng of the novel, Charlie was unaware that he had a brother, but, through the many obstacles they face together, Charlie and Spider turn out to be closer than ever.One of the more defining moments that allow us to truly appreciate Charlie's new character is when he gets up to sing karaoke like his dad use to. Even though it was a life or death situation, Charlie would have never been able to sing on stage without getting nauseous a few months before that. Caiman describes exactly what Charlie is feeling in that moment: He was still terrified, still angry, but he took all the terror and the anger, and he put it into the song and let it all become a song about lazing and loving. As he sang, he thought. What would Spider do? Thought Fat Charlie.What would my dad do? He Boys, 243) In that moment, Caiman shows that Charlie IS not the same person that he was in the beginning of the story, but that he turned into the person that he always wanted to be; a person similar to his father and bro ther, who could be comfortable in their own skin. In the interview conducted by RIG Sirius Caiman states, â€Å"Gods and heroes win. â€Å"(RL Sirius, 2) It is evident in the conclusion of this novel that Charlie's character won. Not only did he defeat the ‘bad guy', but he also evolved as a human being and gained a brother and friend.Through all the turmoil, the hero still prevailed and the antagonist was what pushed Charlie to be better. Caiman develops Charlie Nanny's character through interactions with his brother, Spider. Not only does Charlie become a better-rounded person, he also builds a great relationship with his brother, who he never even knew he had. Charlie struggles throughout the novel to keep his composure and get rid of his elfish brother but in return, breaks out of his shell and becomes a person his father could be proud Of.

Hotel Industry

Introduction In the Introduction I have researched a given division of the Hotel area In Kolkata i. e. extravagance storing up of Hotels. The paper settled on the present Macro Business in India and its connection to the friendliness business. The focuses are as runs with:- Macro Environment may be depicted as the major outside and uncontrollable segments that impacts a conglomeration's choice settling on and effects its choice making and approach. PESTEL) Political, Social, Economical, Technological, Environmental, Legal investigation of Luxury Collection of Hotels. Evaluation of PESTEL examination Negative and Positive Aspects. Main Body †¢Political issues that happen for the abundance lodgings are the strikes that happen consistently. The clients are hesitant to visit and thusly drop reservations and lodgings run on occurrences. The foundations of certain structures are also an issue on the grounds that the promoters does not contemplate further frameworks as bids hail from t op power.Thusly structures are not made and the zone moves to working in the direction of inching toward getting pummeled decimating occupations of different individuals. †¢The Economical issues may be the sponsorship imperfections made watching the reach now clients starting from outside in particular complete visitors they need to stay in a wealth lodge that is composed close-by shade and in a spot where the street unite with the generally speaking city.For instance let's take a river side hotel which is situated in Kolkata as an example, the separation is essentially far at a partition from the runway or to the suburbs to the city so standard if the visitor has a get-as one kept inside the city he should leave early by a hour or two to finish the specific terminus on time which winds up being essentially a nervousness. Yet for a uxury hotel, it is essentially coordinated amidst the shed and the city so its much supportive for the visitor to stay in an important indulgence ke eping up which at the same focus is moreover segregated at a partitioning from every spot of the confusion which about bargains to manage generous situations. †¢The Social issues may be impeccable for an occasion completion of the line for the most part social occasions as it moreover incorporates I. T. arts and where there is a touch of progress individuals can furthermore encounter the certain underpinnings as the city Kolkata incorporates academic castles case in point British space offices and Queen Elizabeth's Victoria Memorial. So clients can encounter both forward and bona fide being. As the city is not rural based hence it has appositive impact. Here the customers can like both expert and private necessities. Summation:- The report thoroughly recognizes the PESTEL examination and its unavoidable finishes influence on the client cooperation.What are the various meanders being undertaken and what are the notable things and its suspected organize beginning from the foundat ion till the prodding position. How the whole cordiality business influences the business redesign as an entire degree that Macro Environment determining the budgetary and the political issues as the central issue. At whatever time its all stated and done the examination insists if the steps taken are gainful or setback acknowledged.

Canute the Great

What role did religion play in Canute’s leadership? 5 What were Canute’s strengths and weaknesses? 6 Conclusion8 References9 Canute the Great Introduction Canute was a Viking king. He was son of Sweyn Forkbeard, the king of Denmark. Canute ascended the Danish throne upon the death of his father in 1018. But in 1016, as the prince of Denmark Canute successfully conquered England. Thus by the time Canute became the king of Denmark he was the king of a vast empire that included England, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, parts of Sweden and Germany from 1018 to 1035. He came into power during a time of turmoil but Canute established an era of peace and prosperity to a once divided kingdom. His rule was known as a peaceful and orderly time throughout his entire kingdom. By the time of his death in 1035, Canute was not only known as a successful king but also a monarch and religious figure. This report will discuss the achievements of Canute, his strengths and weaknesses and how religion played a role in victorious leadership. What achievements did Canute the Great make? One of Canute’s greatest achievements was he was successfully able to use his skill as a leader and military commander and become the ruler of an empire that included England, Denmark, Norway, western Sweden, and northern Germany. Although Canute was a Dane ruling English land one of his other great achievements was bringing peace and prosperity to England. Over the twenty years of his reign Canute ensured that the ties of England and Denmark were strong and good. Canute also developed and maintained a strong legal and fiscal system to ensure his empire was orderly and calm. Even though Canute was a Viking and during the early part of his reign he was very ruthless, and his actions were barbaric he became a wise ruler who made many great decisions that benefited his empire. For example, he secured recognition from three Scottish kings after 1027. He also made English trade more profitable by controlling the Baltic trade root. In addition, Canute was able to obtain a reduction in tolls and charges for people wanting to travel to Rome for pilgrimage. This highlights Canute’s achievements in foreign affairs. Canute was also known as a religious king and he his achievements in promoting Christianity was seen for example when he encouraged the church to undertake missionary work in Scandinavia. Canute also ensured that those who were not Christians we not punished and was able to work with them for the benefit of his country. For example, he led an army that was largely mostly pagans and thus created a rule that was peaceful and orderly. Canute made many great achievements but perhaps one Canute’s greatest achievements was winning the English crown. England was a land in ruin in 1013 and only a strong and powerful king could unite this divided nation. The people of England recognised that only Canute had the will and power to unite their land and in 1016 Canute was declared king of England in Lincolnshire. What role did religion play in Canute’s leadership? Canute was an extremely religious king who was known for his close relationship with the church. He associated himself with key religious figures such as Wulfstan, the Archbishop of York. He was also known for his generosity toward the church, giving impressive gifts and relics to the English Church. One of the highlights of Canute’s leadership and association to the church was his pilgrimage to Rome to visit Pope John XIX, in 1026. During Canute’s reign, the Church was an extremely powerful and influential organisation. Canute recognised that he needed to ally himself with the Church, not only be accepted by the people as their Christian King but also to ensure that he was able to retain his power as a ruler. He knew that in order to avoid a conflict with the church and its followers he had be a friend of this very powerful religious organisation. Canute was a clever and effective ruler and led many successful military campaigns. Although Canute was a religious King, he did not punish those who were not of the Christian faith. For example, Canute’s army were mostly pagans and yet Canute was an effective military leader and was accepted by his men as a Christian monarch. This shows how clever Canute was in using religion to guide his leadership. Many however questioned Caute’s motives on showing himself to be a devoted Christian and a close friend of the Church. They thought that Canute allied himself with the church in order to be able to consolidate and retain the power he held as the ruler of his vast Empire. Despite controversy over Canute’s reasons for being Christian, history books say his treatment of the church was very sincere. For example, Canute repaired churches and monasteries that had been looted by his army and also built new ones. Although it is hard to know whether Canute was sincerely religious or he used the Church to his own benefit, what is clear is that Canute used religion and the power of the church to consolidate his leadership. What were Canute’s strengths and weaknesses? Canute was a ruler who showed both strengths and weaknesses. His weaknesses lead him to commit acts that tarnished his character as a great king. His strengths as a ruler allowed him to rule his empire, which included England, Denmark, Norway, and parts of Sweden, effectively and history has recorded him as one of the greatest kings. One of Canute’s main strengths was his strong management skill. For example, history books all recognize Canute’s ability to skilfully manage the wealth and resources of his empire very cleverly. He also managed his finances very well. For example, the coinage system was carefully controlled by his administration. In addition, Canute although a Danish ruler, understood the English political system very well. This was one of his greatest strengths as it helped him to keep control of his large diverse empire that included not only England, Norway, and Denmark but also parts of Sweden. Canute was also recognized as a strong military leader. Although he had very little knowledge of how to lead, control, and guide an army. In addition, unlike many other young kings, Canute had no second in command that could advice and support him. Despite this, Canute was very skilful at managing men and was able to lead a successful army. Canute was also seen as an opportunist, who took every chance he could get to accumulate power and expand his empire. He always took advantage of political and military opportunities. He was cunning and accumulated power strategically. For example, he married his daughter to the Roman Emperor. This action shows that Canute was also a very clever politician and diplomat. Canute’s greatest weakness was his ruthless character; he didn’t stop at anything. For example, at the very beginning of his rule over England, he gave estates belonging to English nobles’ to reward his Danish followers. This made the English unhappy. He also engineered the death of Edmunds brother Eadwig and had some prominent Englishmen killed and outlawed. Although Canute’s ruthlessness may be seen as a bad character trait it was important to have a leader that has that much drive in order to have a secure empire. Some people viewed Canute as a very short-sighted leader. For example, when he gave three of his earls; Godwin, Leofric, and Siward high power in order to gain their favour and support. This caused a lot of internal fighting between the three families and threatened to weaken Canute’s control of his Empire. In spite of these weaknesses Canute was a great leader who established and maintained prosperity and peace in his kingdom. Conclusion In conclusion, although Canute could have been remembered as a ruthless Viking Danish king who ruled by brutal force, he is remembered instead as a Great King because of the peace and prosperity he brought to his people. Through his many strengths Canute united a divided England and ruled over an Empire that included the people of Denmark, Norway parts of Sweden, Germany and England successfully. This required a ruler that was strong and powerful and wise and Canute was all of these. Canute’s diplomatic skills and military talent allowed him to be one of the greatest kings of his times. He is remembered as a Great ruler who brought peace and prosperity to his people.

Lutz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lutz - Essay Example likely to stir emotional and physical reactions from the clients, a development that is likely to negatively affect the brand image (Goshgarian n.p.). Based on the observations of Lutz, it is sad to note that people are often too short sighted to discover carefully articulated phrases. In this case, the impact of public understanding of linguistic strategies behind ads is explored. Without a doubt, the alcohol industry is marred by use of weasel words in attempts to lure clients into adopting drunken behaviors. In line with Lutz observations, double speak is a common occurrence. As a global brand, Heineken is acceptable to many as a responsibly brewed alcoholic beverage with esteemed quality. The firm has partnered with many institutions in an attempt to attain publicity that would be essential in promoting its brand integrity. Further, Heineken has sponsored many athletes and public figures, all targeted towards promoting its brand image. Through reviews, it is evident that many youthful populations find themselves endeared to the public figures, a fact that drives them into imitating what the public figures do. Further, football is a widely accepted and followed sport across the globe. Specifically, the European champions’ league provides an ideal platform for various firms to seek fame. In such avenues, clients tend to endear themselves to the produc ts on offer. Reviewing Heineken marketing strategy, the firm advertizes its alcoholic brand just before and after the champions’ league matches, creating its esteemed image as a stable firm with the capacity to sponsor the league. In this advert, the starring exhibits accurate ball shooting ability. In this sense, the brand is trying to indicate that consumption of the drink improves energy and accuracy of the client. In reality, this weasel image created is far from truth. If I were a client to Heineken, realization that consumption of Heineken is likely to affect my stability, preventing me from exhibiting

National Issue Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

National Issue - Research Paper Example The first and far most important consideration in this connection however, remains the worker and his needs. The needs are subjective and may have a variation of meanings for various cultures and individuals. The technological advancement and a change in human life style have a profound impact on working hour averages in first world countries like United States of America. The fast pace life of these social setups require specialized solutions for issues like maximum hours that an employee should work to earn his livings and to ensure the maintenance of social system. Despite being personal in nature the issue is no more a private concern and living societies have to address it in a collaborative and collective manner. The communal effect of the issue makes it a candidate for legal authenticity and legitimacy. However, Fleck (2009, p.3) has wisely inquired, â€Å"The number of hours individuals work stimulates debate on the quality of life in an international context: do some societ ies live to work while others work to live?† 40-Hours Week a Balanced Approach The human history in terms of labor rights protection has not been very bright. Specially extended working hours from the emergence of industrial revolution have received the stanch criticism of social reformists. â€Å"The widespread poverty and harsh labor and living conditions of the working class spurred those interested in economic and social reforms to develop new ideas to change how the industrial society functions† (Weiner, Mark & George, 2008, p.36). Apart from any idealist stance we have to acknowledge that the standard of 40-hours week is a not only acceptable but a balanced approach to address the concerns of all stakeholders. The presence of two extreme end workers in this age of globalization; those working more then 40-hours a week and a majority working below this limit, still suggest that 40-hours work week is the balanced, wise and practical approach to the issue. However, t here is a need to bridge the gap between two extreme end workers. Amendments and improvements should be suggested to bring into effect a harmonized system with more comforting arrangement for the working class while keeping the working hours cap at 40-hours a week. A Social Indicator A debate on the suitable limit for maximum working hours is essentially a debate on the standard of life people enjoy not only in local context but in the context to other nations of the world. The international organizations constantly review their statistics in this regard to establish the living conditions in a society and issue reports that are largely referred to gauge the standard of life in a particular region of the world. It may be surprising for many people that American workers work more hours than their European counterparts. â€Å"The OECD data series showing that U.S. workers work more hours per year, on average, than their European counterparts appears to be slightly inflated because of differences in sources and methods, but the difference is nonetheless real.† Fleck (2009, p.27). Despite some inherent biases, the comparison has international acceptance and should be honestly used to learn our lessons as liberal nation. â€Å"The evidence presented in this article confirms that biases are inherent in data sources used to measure hours worked.† Fleck (2009, p.27). We have to decide whether the Fair Labor Standards Act 1938 can still govern

Communication and CSR ethics Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Communication and CSR ethics - Thesis Example This paper shall discuss how businesses can effectively launch their CSR campaigns with effective communication, encourage their consumers to participate in their socially responsible initiatives while maintaining or even improving their profitability and stability as a business. For its case study, it will examine communication strategies of Kenneth Cole Productions, a footwear, apparel, and accessories company, of its CSR initiative called â€Å"Awearness†. Successful businesses have been known to harness goodwill and share their good fortune with those who they deem need their help the most. This practice earns them respect, admiration and a good reputation among their stakeholders. It is also known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Hopkins (2007) defines it as a business practice of companies which aim to adopt socially and environmentally responsible behaviours as a way for their business to contribute to society in a socially relevant manner. Not to be known as purely profit-seeking entities, socially responsible organizations manifest awareness and accountability in the societal and environmental effects that their business may cause (Lantos, 2001). Hence, they embrace responsible business practices and strategies in promoting better living standards for their employees and their targeted beneficiaries while still maintaining their profitability as a business (Hopkins, 2007). In implementing CSR strategies, it is essential that companies are clear in communicating their objectives to the public so that they may not be misconstrued in their intentions. It is common for people to raise suspicions in the sudden goodwill of corporations who are doing so well in terms of profit, that they may have hidden agendas to further promote their image and attract more business. Koehn & Ueng (2010) explain that some companies are criticized for masking shady financial dealings by buying the public’s good will in order to counter the damage

Do you believe tht the incresing power of dvertising tht these uthors Essay

Do you believe tht the incresing power of dvertising tht these uthors points to is hrmful to mericn culture - Essay Example widely red nd generlly pprecited nlysis of mening in dvertisements is discussed by Glori Steinem where she wlks the reder through gllery of dvertisements nd discusses their ideologicl content. Her own criticl perspective is informed by vriety of theorists, including Ferdinnd de Sussure, Krl Mrx, Louis lthusser, Rymond Willims, Sigmund Freud, nd Jcques Lcn. Steinem's pedgogic objective is to tech the nive reder how to interpret dvertisements long the lines of these theorists, nd mny reders do find tht their criticl bilities re gretly developed by pplying Steinem's theories: dvertisements lose whtever simple qulities they my hve hd nd become insted texts bout production nd consumption in the consumer society, bout the plce of commodities in socil life, nd bout the cretion of needs to service n economic system tht must sell wht hs been produced. In ddition to teching the interprettion of dvertisements, Steinem explins how dvertising constructs the ideologicl principles tht re embedded in it. For exmple, mny dvertisements borrow ides from externl sources ("referent systems") such s culturl history or concepts of nture. In the process of ppropriting, reworking, nd using them, dvertising trnsforms the borrowed ides. The dvertisements for Virgini Slims cigrettes, which frequently refer to the history of women's, struggle for socil nd economic equlity in meric, illustrte this process. Selected events from this struggle re retold nd edited in selected wys, nd progress is depicted s contemporry women's hving gined the right to smoke. Similrly, hundreds of products tht proclim their "nturl" qulities re in relity highly ltered through complex mnufcturing processes. Instnces like these, Steinem clims, illustrte the construction of ideology through dvertisements. The resulting distortions over the long run lter our understndings of th e originl ides tht were borrowed nd (mis)used within dvertising. Steinem's pproch to the interprettion of dvertisements is founded on her gol of trnsforming the reder's skills. She does not tret s problemtic tht uninstructed reders mke whtever sense they do of the thousnds of dvertisements populting their dily lives. Neither does she tke ny gret interest in how the copywriters who produced the dvertisements thought bout their work. Insted, she ssumes tht nive reder's filure to see the issues she uncovers is flse consciousness of their mening, flseness on which dvertising depends to do its work. The pproch hinges fundmentlly on Steinem's own skill in pplying the vrious theoreticl perspectives to the dvertisements. From the outset she bedzzles the reder by observing detils nd ptterns in dvertisements tht ordinrily slip by n udience. She repetedly points out the contrdictions between wht dvertisements seem to sy nd wht they relly men ccording to the vrious perspectives. lthough Steinem considers dvertising's udience nive, she does not ssume tht its members re merely receivers of pckged messges tht emnte from dvertisers. Rther, she rgues, the udience is implicted in the production of mening, collbortion tht dvertising continully invites: [] crucil feture of these odds nd ends of thought used by ds is tht they do not exist "independently" but in our thought: it is we, s subjects, who re ppeled to s providers of these

CHAPTER 8 DISCUSSION EXERCISE- THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION HEALTHY Assignment

CHAPTER 8 DISCUSSION EXERCISE- THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION HEALTHY WORKPLACES MODEL - Assignment Example In this context, a healthy workplace is an environment filled with sustainable strategies and resources meant to create and maintain suitable levels of physical, emotional and psychological well-being among the workforce. One of the key underlying principles of WHO workplace health model is leadership involvement. In addressing health issues within a workplace, leaders and managers should be at the forefront. Primarily, subordinate employees work under strict directions provided by leaders. Actually, subordinate employees have limited influence in the formulation and structuring of workplace practices (World Health Organization 21). Contrarily, leaders have the freedom and permission to integrate health objectives in workplace practices. Besides leadership involvement, another paramount core principle in the model is sustainable representation of workers. Technically, employees possess practical knowledge on the depth and breadth of health challenges within their respective workstations. In this case, democratic representation of workers in decision making and policy formulation will enhance the representativeness of healthy workplace practices (World Health Organization 21). Personally, I would inco rporate both principles of leadership engagement, and sustainable representativeness in my future workplace. As a participant in strategies of improving workers’ health, I would actively engage in awareness campaigns, especially charity runs and related community outreach programs. Undeniably, the first step in addressing health problems within a workplace is awareness creation. Most workers and community members may be oblivious of unhealthy workplace practices. In this case, awareness campaigns will not only highlight the presence of undesirable workplace practices, but also elaborate on the probable impacts of those practices. In this context, I would participate in the planning and staging of awareness marathons, and offer any

Memo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Memo - Essay Example By emptying our own trash in the large dumpsters at the basement, the business division will be able to reduce its operating cost arising from trash emptying service offered by the janitors, who charge the division an extra cost for this service. There will also be a reduction in operating cost since the trash emptying service offered by janitors contribute to high electricity cost since they perform this task during night shifts when faculty members are off duty. Secondly, by emptying our own trash there will be an increase in recycling since we are more likely to be keen on sorting between recyclables and non-recyclables than the janitors. This will instill positive feeling within ourselves, as we will be taking an active role in environmental conservation. Thirdly, when we are mandated to dump our own trash, the amount of waste is likely to decline since we will be keen on ensuring that we make fewer visits to the large dumpsters at the basement. Consequently, having less waste will also reduce cost within the division, since less trashcan liners will be purchased. With reference to the writings by Perkins and Brizee (2010), I was able to structure the memo appropriately and acknowledge the fact that mentioning the facts in summary form will be more effective in connecting the readers with the message of the memo. Using the ideas spelt out by Bowman (2002) in his writings, where he stated that when trying to persuade readers it is critical to inform them on the benefits they will get from willing implementing what the writer suggests. Thus, I focused on ensuring that my memo is very persuasive by listing five different advantages or benefits that faculty members will experience if they willingly dump their own trash in the large dumpsters at the

Strategic Management Practice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Strategic Management Practice - Assignment Example In the year 2012, Sony reported to its shareholders that the company experienced a substantial loss of over 67 billion Yen (Sony 2012). The year prior, in 2011, Sony had achieved another staggering loss of nearly 200 billion Yen which is a product of an inability to achieve revenue growth in a very saturated global competitive market with such companies as Samsung, Sharp, Sanyo and many other electronics producers. Sony, no longer sustaining a market position as pioneering and innovative company, faces substantial strategic problems in achieving growth and capturing the interests of very diverse global demographics to select Sony consumer electronics over that of competing product offerings. This report analyses the current competitive position of Sony Corporation, focusing on the specific strategic issues facing the firm, the goals the organisation should be constructing based on analysed market conditions, recommends strategic direction for the firm, and describes a performance management system that should be viable for developing the recommended strategy. To address the firm’s main issues, there are several models that can assist in conducting a thorough analysis of Sony. The company, due to its inability to innovate revolutionary products and competitive presence worldwide in the consumer electronics industry, has been unable to achieve competitive advantage. Barney (1991) provides the VRIO model, a strategy analysis that explores four dimensions of firm activity, these being rarity, value, inimitability and internal firm organisation. Value in this model is the extent to which a company has the capability of exploiting opportunities and to insulate itself from various competitive threats (Barney and Hesterly 2006). Value is measured on whether a firm’s total capital expenditures or labour investments are less expensive than the

Evidence Based Practice in Mental Health Nursing Essay Example for Free

Evidence Based Practice in Mental Health Nursing Essay One of the most common and disabling psychological disorders encountered within mental health and general medical settings is that of an anxiety disorder (Dattilio Kendall 2000). Research has indicated that people with learning disabilities are more prevalent to psychological disorders than the general population (Hassiotis et al 2000) consequently it could be hypothesised that prevalence rates of anxiety disorders are similar if not greater within the learning disabled population. Professional literature suggests that cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) has been an effective treatment against anxiety disorder (Beck 1995) however; this literature has predominately concentrated its focus to within the confines of mental health and general medical settings (Dattilio Kendall 2000). The ability of people with learning disabilities to identify, evaluate and respond to their dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs, fundamentals of CBT (Beck 1995) have put into question the very use of this treatment programme for this particular client group (Kroese et al 1997). From a professional and personal perspective and through the utilisation of the Seedhouse (1998) Ethical Grid responding to an anxiety disorder by way of CBT could be considered an ethically acceptable clinical intervention. Nationally and locally through government directives, Valuing People (Department of Health 2001) and initiatives such as Health Action Plans (Department of Health 2002) services have recognised that they need to be more responsive to the mental health needs of people with learning disabilities. As a learning disability nurse wishing to ascertain the effectiveness of CBT as a practical intervention when presented with the dual-diagnosis of anxiety disorder and learning disability, is through the use of evidence-based practice. When deciding on the best possible clinical intervention for an identified practice problem it seams logical to convert the issue into a single answerable question (Colyer Kamath 1999). Several authors have identified that the use of frameworks to inform the development of the clinical question provide the practitioner with a systematic process of formulating an answerable question (Sackett et al 1997 Ridsdale1998). One such framework as described by Sackett et al (1997) is a four- stage process, known by the acronym PICO: Patient or Population Intervention or Indicator Comparison or Control Outcome The construction of an answerable question is the basis of evidence-based practice and should guide the practitioner to how to find an answer (Ridsdale 1998). It is important that each variable under the PICO framework is clearly defined, being as detailed and explicit as possible in order to extend clarification to the question. Working through PICO methodically the practitioner would instigate the process by defining the Patient or Population. Characteristics such age, gender and diagnosis would need to be deliberated and whilst the aforementioned were easily recognised in the practice area as adult male, identifying appropriate terminology for diagnosis can prove problematic. The term Learning Disability is often used interchangeably in literature with terms such as, Mental Retardation and Intellectual Disabilities. Learning Disability is a term with contemporary usage within the United Kingdom to describe a client group with significant development delays (Gates 1996). Whilst the idiom Learning Disability is the preferred terminology for the question due to its contemporary usage it must be accepted that its a term not internationally recognised nor is it a term used for long in the United Kingdom (Gates 1996). Anxiety disorder comes in many facets and can be described as severe psychological disorders in which abnormal or chronic anxiety interferes with daily living (Adams Bromley 1998). The client in the practice area had described psychological and physiological symptoms that were diagnosed as a social anxiety disorder through rating scales and self-report measures. It is crucial that the practitioner is aware that the term identified for the question as social anxiety is often recognised by the synonyms, social phobia or panic disorder (Dattilio Kendall 2000). The recognition of this inconsistent terminology will enable an evaluation to  take place between the relationships of the chosen term to symptoms displayed by the client. The identification of existing clinical interventions is a valuable part of the process of developing evidenced-based interventions (Meijel 2003). Literature suggests that CBT is an effective treatment for a number of psychological disorders (Embling 2002 Hatton 2002). Central to the model of CBT is that distorted or dysfunctional thinking is prevalent in all psychological disorders (Beck 1995). Analysis of accumulated experience of existing interventions and the aforementioned evidence of its validity led to the application of CBT as the question intervention. It is not imperative for the question to have a comparison intervention and this was the situation in the clinical problem described, therefore the conclusive element utilising the PICO framework was outcome. The outcome should be measurable (Sackett et al 1997) and after initially trivialising with the term used it became evident that this would not develop into something that could be measured. Discussing whether or not an intervention is effective however would provide the question with a measurable outcome. Revision of the terminology identified through the PICO framework would consequently translate the question as Is cognitive-behaviour therapy an effective intervention for adult males with learning disabilities diagnosed as suffering from social anxiety? A well-formulated search strategy is an essential component in gathering appropriate evidence (Hewitt-Taylor 2002). Ridsdale (1998) discusses a four-stage search strategy that helps to translate the question into a meaningful search a) Identify the subject elements of the question b) Define the relationship between the subject elements c) Convert the subject elements into search themes d) Decide on the scope of the search Assistance to define the subject elements can be found within the PICO framework Patient Learning Disability, Social Anxiety Intervention CBT Outcome Effectiveness Once identified an effective means of linking the subject elements of a question for the search process is through the use of operators. Operators such as: And Or Not, form a logical link between the elements of the question and can be used collectively or individually in any electronic database search (Ridsdale 1998). All of the subject elements of the question were required in order provide a conclusive answer therefore the operator required for the search strategy could be identified as And. The subject elements then require conversion into terms by which references can be retrieved (Ridsdale 1998). A keyword search would apply the terms identified as the subject elements, however making a list of the known synonyms of the subject elements such as Intellectual Disability and Mental Retardation, for inclusion, would substantially develop the search process. Finally the scope of the search decides what is wanted from the search. In order to identify the most appropriate type of evidence that is required for the practice problem the type of question asked must be identified (Sackett et al 1997). The question developed through the PICO framework can be readily identified as questioning, the effectiveness of a therapy. Sackett et al (1997) proposes that the best available evidence to answer this type of question is comparative / prospective studies and ideally random controlled trials (RCTs) which in turn determine the choice of database (Ridsdale 1998). Sackett et al (1997) provides a comprehensive catalogue of information resources such as databases, journals and web sites along with descriptions  of the type of evidence that can be found within these resources. It was established previously that the best type of evidence for the question would be RCTs and comparative / prospective studies. From the descriptions supplied by Sackett et al (1997) it could be identified that the Cochrane Library supplies the user with full text systematic reviews of effects of health-care interventions along with bibliographies of controlled trials. Further electronic databases identified through Salford University library information services were PsycINFO that contains citations and summaries of journal articles and books in the field of psychology chosen for its congruity with the clinical intervention. Swetswise an electronic journal aggregator that provides access to full text publications from several major health care related academic publishers and IngentaConnect which offers full text availability for all core Blackwell science and medical journals were chosen due to familiarity of use and extensive subject matter. Other databases considered were CINAHL, EMBASE and AMED however all were discounted due to their general nursing bias. Despite the recognition of Ridsdales (1998) four-stage search strategy and its systematic approach the initial search were completed exploiting familiar strategies through the IngentaConnect database. Preconceptions from previous endeavours searching for relevant evidence furnished the belief that a similar strategy would provide sufficient evidence to answer the question. A number of the subject elements were used through keyword searches whilst the operator And was used to link each in turn (See Appendix). This easy to use search strategy produced a number of hits however none matched the criteria identified as being the most appropriate type of evidence to answer the question. The search revealed that almost all of the evidence found belonged in either mental health (Heimberg 2002) or general medical settings (Scholing Emmelkamp 1999). Whenever the term learning disability or mental retardation was utilised they invariable appeared indiscriminately amidst the title or abstract of the article providing no specific relevance to the question. The frustration born out of this strategy led to further searches of electronic databases firstly through another familiar database, Swetswise. Ridsdale (1998) identifies that too many hits will be recovered if the subject element is to general  and this was evident in the first keyword search. The term learning disabilities produced 548 hits (See Appendix) far too many to feasibly scan. The subsequent four searches failed to produce a single hit a possibility also recognised by Ridsdale (1998) who suggests alternative synonyms are utilised in this circumstance. Due to the inability to find any relevant material of value towards answering the question Ridsdales (1998) four-stage strategy was then conscientiously adopted in conjunction with the knowledge acquired through lectures received at Salford University. A further search of Swetswise database was completed (See Appendix) which revealed significantly less hits than previously achieved but produced a literature review (Hatton 2002) specifically aimed at the use of CBT and people with learning disabilities. Whilst this evidence did not fulfil previous identified criteria it established that pursuing Ridsdales (1998) strategy could provide some success. A similar approach was undertaken while searching the Cochrane Library database which allows the user to restrict the search to the acquisition of systematic reviews and controlled trials whilst using a simple keyword option. Again the subject elements were utilised along with the recognised operator and despite new found confidence and kno wledge the search strategy revealed no evidence of systematic reviews or RCTs with regards to the question (See Appendix). All systematic reviews or RCTs retrieved belonged within general and mental health settings. The final electronic database to be utilised was PsycINFO (via Ovid) where again Ridsdales (1998) four-stage strategy was conscientiously adopted. PsycINFO requires the user to have some prior knowledge of how to use electronic databases and their search strategies, which initially can prove bewildering to the novice. Once familiar with the database and its ability to combine search strategies either through keyword, journal or author the user should find it a practical resource (See Appendix). No systematic reviews or RCTs were found within the results however a further literature review (Feldman Rivas-Vazquez 2003) aimed at psychosocial interventions and people with intellectual disabilities was unearthed along with evidence from child and adolescence services (Dadds Spence 1997) and psychiatric services (Carmin Albano 2003). Hatton (2002) suggests that research evidence on the effects of psychosocial interventions  for people with learning disabilities is sparse, whilst Kroese (1998) adds that therapists are reluctant to engage into therapy with this client group due to their dislike of having to relate to them. In an attempt to discover any type of evidence relating to people with learning disabilities and CBT the Salford University library catalogue was searched (See Appendix). A simple keyword search revealed one book (Kroese et al 1997) attaining the subject elements however again it did not produce the type of evidence recognised as the most appropriate to answer the question. Sackett et al (1997 p.2) defines evidence based practice as: the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. With this definition in mind it should be established as to what constitutes current best evidence and its implications for the practitioner wishing to implement evidence based practice. Belsey Snell (2001 p.2) states that, evidence is presented in many forms and the value of evidence can be ranked according to the following classification in descending order of credibility: I. Strong evidence from at least one systematic review of multiple well-designed randomised controlled trials II. Strong evidence from at least one properly designed randomised controlled trial of appropriate size III. Evidence from well-designed trials such as non-randomised trials, cohort studies, time series or matched case-controlled studies IV. Evidence from well-designed non-experimental studies from more than one centre or research group V. Opinions of respected authorities, based on clinical evidence, descriptive studies or reports of expert committees In accepting this hierarchy of evidence practitioners should concede that the systematic review of multiple well-designed RCTs constitutes best available evidence (Colyer Kamath 1999). Sullivan (1998) adds weight to this argument when he states that RCTs constitute the strongest source of evidence and that the scientific community prefer the quantitative research technique that makes use of empirical data following a systematic process. Whilst a number of RCTs were found (Dadds Spence 1997 Scholing Emmelkamp 1999) whilst undertaking the search strategy none belonged within learning disability settings. The only evidence found specific to the original question were literature reviews and a specialist book (Kroese et al 1997) aimed at CBT and learning disabilities. The literature reviews (Hatton 2002 Kroese 1998) revealed that a number of case studies and a case series had demonstrated the potential feasibility of CBT reducing anxiety amongst people with learning disabilities. Whilst the specialist book (Kroese et al 1997) discussed conceptual and contextual issues of CBT and people with learning disabilities suffering anxiety disorders. This type of evidence appears in the lower reaches of the hierarchy of evidence and as such its subjectivity, reliability and validity can be disputed (Sullivan 1998). Whilst acknowledging the hierarchy of evidence and the proposal that comparative / prospective studies and ideally RCTs were the best forms of evidence to answer this type of question (Sackett et al 1997) it appears that in their absence the evidence revealed is the best available. RCTs are widely acknowledged as the gold standard of evidence-based practice (Rowland Goss 2000) however it is suggested that they bear little resemblance to day-to-day reality (McInnes et al 2001). RCTs can be pragmatic or explanatory the former is concerned with the overall effectiveness of an intervention whilst the latter examines the impact of specific treatment elements on outcome (Parry 2000) however neither considers the perspectives and uniqueness of the respondents. The evidence recovered for the question (Hatton 2002 Kroese 1998) albeit in the lower reaches of the hierarchy acknowledges the feelings of the respondents due to its qualitative nature (patient centred, holistic and humanistic) therefore making it extremely suitable for the study of nursing phenomena (Parahoo  1997) along with its relevance as regards answering a therapy question (Parry 2000). Kroese (1997) offers a number of reasons why there is this lack of quantitative research evidence surrounding the subject elements in the question. He suggests that people with a learning disability are a devalued population, it is impossible to ensure that changes are due to clinical manipulations if individuals (learning disabled) do not have stable cognitions. Finally there is a conjecture that anxiety in people with learning disabilities is the same as in the general population consequently there is no need for specifically focused research. It emerges that learning disability services continue to adapt research evidence from general and mental health settings (Finlay Lyons 2001) a similar approach with the RCTs recovered from the search strategy could make them a valued resource however it would take a skilled clinician to make this a feasible option. Reflection is a necessary component of Continuing Professional Development and is a legitimate method for questioning personal effectiveness and responsibility in all aspects of health care (Driscoll Teh 2001). Through the process of reflection the practitioner recognised his own limitations in identifying appropriate evidence for his clinical problems, along with the often inconclusive, time consuming and frustrating strategies undertaken in the search of evidence in support of his clinical practice. The structured frameworks utilised throughout the process described earlier gave the practitioner a systematic approach to formulating a question, developing a search strategy and identifying appropriate evidence to answer his practice problem. The ability to systematically approach future clinical problems will enable the practitioner to offer his clients a holistic, client centred practice from the best external evidence available. Adams, B. Bromley, B. (1998) Psychology for Health Care Key Terms and Concepts, London, Macmillan Press Beck, J.S. (1995) Cognitive Therapy Basics and Beyond, London, Guildford Press. Belsey, J. Snell, T. (2001) What is Evidence-Based Medicine? [Internet] Available from www.jr2.ox.uk/bandolier (Accessed 7th December 2004) Carmin, C.N. Albano, A.M. (2003) Clinical Management of Anxiety Disorder in Psychiatric Settings: Psychologys Impact on Evidence-Based Treatment of Children and Adults, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, Vol. 34, No. 2 pp 170-176. Colyer, H. Kamath, P. (1999) Evidence-based practice A philosophical and political analysis: some matters for consideration by professional practitioners, Journal of Advanced Nursing, Vol. 29, No. 1, pp 188-193 Dadds, M.R. Spence, S.H. (1997) Prevention and Early Intervention for Anxiety Disorders: A Controlled Trial, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Vol. 65, No. 4, pp 627-635. Dattilio, F.M. Kendall, P.C. (2000) Panic Disorder In: Dattilio, F.M. Freeman, A. Cognitive Behavioural Strategies in Crisis Interventions 2nd Edition, London, The Guildford Press. Driscoll, J. Teh, B. (2001) The potential of reflective practice to develop individual orthopaedic nurse practitioners and their practice, Journal of Orthopaedic Nursing, Vol. 5, pp 95-103 Embling, S. (2002) The effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy in depression, Nursing Standard, Vol. 17, Nos. 14-15, pp 33-41 Feldman, L.B. Rivas-Vazquez, R.A. (2003) Assessment and Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice Vol. 34, No. 4, pp 396-405. Gates, B. (1996) Learning Disability In: Kenworthy, N. Snowley, G. Gilling, C. (Eds) Common Foundations Studies in Nursing Second Edition, London, Churchill Livingston. Hassiotis, A. Barron, P. OHara, J. (2000) Mental Health Services for People with Learning Disabilities, British Medical Journal, Vol. 321, Issue 7261, pp 583-584 Hatton, C. (2002) Psychosocial interventions for adults with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems: A review, Journal of Mental Health, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp 357-373. Hewitt-Taylor, J. (2002) Evidence-based practice, Nursing Standard, Vol. 17, Nos. 14-15, pp 47-52. Department of Health (2001) Valuing People A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century, A White Paper, London, HMSO. Department of Health (2002) Health Action Plans and Health Facilitation Good Practice Guidance for Learning Disability Partnership Boards, London, Department of Health. Heimberg, R.G. (2002) Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder: Current Status and Future Directions, Society of Biomedical Psychiatry, Vol. 51, pp 101-108. Kroese, B.S. Dagnan, D. Loumidis, K. (1997) (Eds) Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy for People with Learning Disabilities, London, Brunner-Routledge. Kroese, B.S. (1998) Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for People with Learning Disabilities, Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, Vol. 26, pp 315-322. McInnes, E. Harvey, G. Fennessy, G. Clark, E. (2001) Implementing evidence-based practice in clinical situations, Nursing Standard, Vol. 15, No. 41, pp 40-44. Meijel, van B. Game, C. Swieten-Duijfjes, van B. Grypdonck, M.H.F. (2003) The development of evidence-based nursing interventions: methodological considerations, Journal of Advance Nursing, Vol. 48, No. 1, pp 84-92. Parry, G. (2000) Evidence-based psychotherapy In: Rowland N. Goss S. (Eds) Evidence-Based Counselling and Psychological Therapies Research and Applications, London, Routledge. Ridsdale, L (1998) (Ed) Evidence-based Practice in Primary Care, London, Churchill Livingston. Rowland, N. Goss, S. (2000) (Eds) Evidence-Based Counselling and Psychological Therapies Research and Applications, London, Routledge. Sackett, D.L. Richardson, W.S. Rosenberg, W. Hayes, R.B. (1997) Evidence-based medicine: how to practice and teach EBM, London, Churchill Livingston. Scholing, A. Emmelkamp, P.M.G. (1999) Prediction of treatment outcomes in social phobia: a cross-validation, Behaviour Research and Therapy, Vol. 37, pp 659-670 Seedhouse, D. (1998) Ethics The Heart of Health Care 2nd Edition, Chichester, Wiley. Sullivan, P. (1998) Developing evidence-based care in mental health nursing, Nursing Standard, Vol. 12, No. 31, pp 35-38

Effect of Job Satisfaction on Employee Performance

Effect of Job Satisfaction on Employee Performance Introduction Nowadays, it is very difficult to find dedicated employees who could be relied on when the going gets tough. It takes an encouraging supervisor to motivate an employee to stay on his job position and to do his job well. Likewise, it takes a committed worker to persist in his job no matter how difficult it may be, as long as he is properly motivated and satisfied with his job. Just what makes a worker motivated to do his job well? What makes him satisfied in his job? This paper attempts to investigate the aforementioned questions within a certain corporation, Reliance Industries, Ltd. It will take on a qualitative study. It will be employing the use of questionnaires and a focus group interview to probe into the issues of job motivation and job satisfaction and if this translates to performance and efficiency. Research Objectives: The objectives of the study will be: To examine the strategies that organisations use to motivate their employees To explore the relationship between employee motivation and job satisfaction. To examine organisational performance and efficiency. To examine organisational performance and efficiency entails. To examine the impact of employee job satisfaction and motivation on organisational performance and efficiency. Statement of the Problem: How does employee job satisfaction and motivation affect his performance and efficiency in the organization? The study will seek to answer the following questions: What are the strategies that organisations use to motivate their employees? What is the correlation between employee motivation and job satisfaction? What is organisational performance and efficiency? What does organisational performance and efficiency entail? What is the impact of employee job satisfaction and motivation on organisational performance and efficiency? Research Methodology Data collection will be carried out by use of questionnaires. A focus group interview shall be implemented so that a selected group of employees can give in-depth answers to issues pertaining to job satisfaction and motivation and how it affects their own performance and efficiency. It will also draw out much information from the thorough review of literature, so analysis of the results of the questionnaire and interview will be done in the backdrop of a rich tapestry of motivation models and principles. Descriptive research design will then be used where qualitative analysis will be made basing on the variables that aim at examining the impact of employee job satisfaction and motivation on organisational performance and efficiency. This is because descriptive methods are quite effective in identifying concrete socio-economic issues such as the impact of employee job satisfaction and motivation on  organisational performance and efficiency (Silverman 1993; Beverley 1998; Strauss and Corbin 1990). Significance of the Study The study aims to benefit organizational development purposes, specifically the human resources department. A thorough review of literature on motivation shall be done explaining theories, models and principles of how an individual is encouraged to do something for himself and for others. This research will enlighten employers on how to motivate their employees so they do better in their jobs and result in job satisfaction on the part of the latter. It becomes an win-win situation for everyone concerned if motivation is appropriate and effective and will elicit initiative on the part of the employee. Chapter Two Review of Literature Motivation comes from the enjoyment of work itself and from the desire to achieve goals set by the person (Dawson, 2009). Each individual has different goals. Some are financial, like working longer hours for extra income or exerting more effort just to push sales. Some set their sights on a promotion of rank believing that if they do well on their jobs and accept the challenge of more responsibilities that eventually, they level up to a position of more power and authority. This paper argues the need for employers to understand how their workers are motivated and how they can use such information to produce better results for the organization. Knowledge of employee motivation is an advantage for employers. When this knowledge is applied, it becomes a win-win situation for both parties since the employees are motivated to pursue shared organizational goals while the employer encourages the productivity in his organization. Handy (1999) reports that the initial goals of motivation research was to encourage individuals to provide better service to their employers by exerting more effort and maximizing their talents at work. Having a well-motivated workforce may be equivalent to better work productivity and success in product salability in the market. Additional advantages are lower level of absenteeism and staff turnovers because the employees are satisfied with their work. This also means that training and recruitment costs are lowered because work positions are always reliably staffed (Dawson, 2009). Douglas McGregors Theory X and Y gained much attention in the 1960s. He claimed that an individual falls under either of 2 categories, X or Y. The X individual needs a lot of controlling, directing, coercion and thereat just so he gets work done. On the other hand, individuals under Theory Y do not see work as tedious and instead, commits to the goals they have set. Meeting these goals becomes the reward in itself. The average individual stays in the middle ground. He prefers to be directed and avoids responsibility as much as he can. However, when left with no choice, he learns to accept it and carry it out. Further, even if imagination or creativity is widely distributed across the population, individual potentials of people are only partially used in work (Dawson, 2009). This now begs the question of how employers can find employees who fall under the Theory Y category, those who are motivated enough to give their best to the job. Other early motivation theories include the Satisfaction Theory, the Incentive Theory and the Intrinsic Theory. The Satisfaction theory posits that a satisfied worker works even harder and proves his loyalty to the organization he belongs to by staying longer there. Who would want to leave a work environment that provides satisfaction? If one is happy there, there would be little no motivation to leave, and utmost motivation to stay on. The Incentive theory claims that an individual will increase his efforts to obtain a reward, which are mostly compensation packages such as salary increases or access to more company benefits. The Intrinsic theory is culled from Maslows theory of Hierarchy of Needs. He categorized human needs as hierarchal from the basic physiological needs moving to safety, belongingness and love, esteem and finally self-actualization. Maslow contends that these needs serve as motivators (Handy, 1999). For example, a man is motivated to work to earn money for his fam ily to provide for their basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. However, as the man becomes richer and is able to meet his and his familys physiological and safety needs, he ensures that his higher needs are likewise met. As one level of needs is met, the individuals needs move up to the next level until he has met most of his needs and just strives for self-actualization. As an application to work, an employee likewise moves up the organizational ladder and strives to reach the highest position he can achieve. At that point, he is earning enough money, has gained enough belongingness and recognition and as a reflection of his need for self-actualization, is motivated to leave a legacy behind. In relation to Maslows Hierarchy of Needs theory, a real-life example from the international company, IKEA, is illustrated. This Scandanavian-based company is known to be the largest supplier and manufacturer of furniture worldwide. In 2004, IKEA in Denmark took the initiative to give their entire checkout staff a 25% raise. IKEA has more of them than any other group and it meant a sizeable increase in total monthly overhead expenses. However, it was a business decision that delighted the checkout staff. It follows that happy employees are bound to create positive results for the company (Kjerulf, n.d.). One is lower employee turnover. This provides tremendous savings for the company of time and money recruiting new staff. It also means that the longer workers stay with a company, the more experienced they become and the more they identify with the company. Hence, the company develops a more experienced and loyal staff. Being so, they provide better service, gaining higher customer s atisfaction. The companys reputation of providing high quality of service to its customers is spreads rapidly by word of mouth, thereby incurring more sales and profit for the company. Although IKEA incurred a humongous expense with the implementation of the raise, it paid itself within six months. Analyzing why this worked for IKEA, Kjerulf gives three reasons. The first is that the raise obviously gave the staff a significant improvement in their standard of living. The recipients were the least paid in the company, so a 25% raise made a huge difference in terms of their quality of life. Secondly, the salary increase gave people recognition. IKEA acknowledged that they were the most important group of employees since they are the only employees customers are likely to talk to at the end of the sale because customers help themselves with the products anyway. This acknowledgement makes the checkout staff feel valued and trusted. Finally, IKEA promoted the value of fairness. The recipients of the raise were suddenly paid as well as other employees, and even higher than the market average of their counterparts. So it is not really the salary increase that motivated the employees. More than that, they gained much in terms of self-esteem and the feeling of being valued as a worker. Albert Martens, one of IKEAs HR heads posits that giving financial incentive to staff does not actually increase the motivation of a worker who values customer-focused attitude more than money. Because they feel important due to such great service given them, customers come back not only for the quality of IKEAs products but for the kind of service they get from the staff. The staff in turn, gets intrinsically rewarded by this (Whitehead, 2006). According to Judge et al. (2001) the happier people are in the workplace, the more satisfied they are. Weiss (2002) and Rain et al. (1991) concur with this argument that employee job satisfaction and employee motivation are clearly linked. Rain et al. (1991) and Fried and Ferris (1987, pp. 287-322) agree with Porter (1997) that human resources are the most important assets that any organisation can boast to own and to maintain because people utilise and turn the organisations resources into products that the organisation needs in order to perform and to efficiently and effectively meet the needs of its customers. Workers expect some sort of psychological contracts from their employers. Consciously or unconsciously, they anticipate more than the benefits and compensation that the job usually presents. Workers expect support from management, work that is challenging and interesting and communication that is open and honest. These non-monetary rewards have become very significant to the motivation of workers. Of course their economical needs have to be fulfilled (as in the basic physiological and security needs in Maslows Hierarchy of Needs), however, their socio-emotional needs have to be given attention as well (as in the sense of belonging and esteem needs referred to by Maslow). Lester, Clair Kickul (2001) contend that the implication of this is that from the beginning, employers do not only discuss the workers compensation package also emphasize the aspects of the company that will be intrinsically satisfying to the workers. Money and other status symbols like higher job positions and titles, more spacious and opulent offices, and the like do not really increase ones motivation (Kohn, 1999). This may seem unbelievable, but each time a person is extrinsically-rewarded for doing something, it reduces their intrinsic motivation. Employers need to remember that intrinsic motivation spurs an individual to perform well and to high standards because the person does something on his own volition and commits to doing his best in the task (Kjerulf, n.d.). It is essential that employers realize the importance of such psychological contracts! They should keep in mind that all employees desire work that is meaningful, recognition and credit for such work, creative freedom and opportunities for personal growth. As a start, open and honest communication must be established and maintained in the organization. This must include encouragement and boosting of self-esteem of workers. Lack of communication may suggest to employees that the employer is susceptible to breach their psychological contract. Porter (1997) asserts that job satisfaction is a key indicator of how employees feel about their jobs and a predictor of work behaviours such as organisational loyalty, absenteeism and employee turnover. Fried and Ferris (1987, pp. 287-322) concur with Porters view that job satisfaction can partially mediate the relationship of personality variables and deviant work behaviours. According to Weiss (2002, pp. 173-194) and Porter (1997), there exists a huge correlation between job satisfaction and productivity. Job satisfaction amongst employees of Reliance Industries as a result of effective motivation packages has increased growth due to the commitment that workers exercise. According to Reliance Industries Limited (2010), this has come as a result of various motivation packages such as competitive compensation packages and world-class exposures that offer employees opportunities to learn and experience the world. Porter (1997) states that one source of an organisations competitive advantage is job satisfaction. Reliance Industries Limited recognises this and that is the reason why the company walks an extra mile to ensure that employees are satisfied on the job and this has enabled it to attract and retain excellent talent that places the company at a more competitive position that has enabled it to invest in innovative and lucrative ventures in areas such as Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), bio-technology-led research, life sciences and many more (Forbes 2010; Reliance Ind ustries Limited 2010). Investment of more time and effort in the establishment and sustenance of healthy relationships with workers keeps employers updated of their workers progress in both personal and professional areas. Motivating workers can be a challenge for leaders. However, it is well worth the time and effort in the end, as the workers themselves will bear fruits for the organization. Introduction About Chosen Organisation (Reliance Industries) Reliance Industries Limited was founded in 1966 by Dhirubhai Ambani, the Indian industrialist and was the pioneer in the introduction of financial instruments such as fully convertible debentures into the Indian stock markets (Forbes 2010). It is alleged by critics that the success of Reliance Industries Limited at the top position in terms of market capitalisation is the ability of the founder to manipulate the levers of a controlled economy to its advantage. The major subsidiaries and associates of Reliance Industries Limited include Reliance Petroleum Limited (RPL); Reliance Life Sciences; Reliance Industrial Infrastructure Limited (RIIL); Reliance Institute of Life Sciences (Rils); Relicord; Reliance Solar; Reliance Clinical Research Services (RCRS); Reliance Logistics (P) Limited (Cable News Network 2010). Reliance Industries Limited has 3 million shareholders and 1 out of every 4 investors in India is a Reliance shareholder (Cable News Network 2010). This makes it the company the organisation in which most stock is widely held in the whole world. According to Forbes (2010), the subsidiaries and associates of Reliance Industries Limited are the best performers in the Indian stock market. By market value, Reliance Industries Limited is the largest private sector company in India with an annual turnover of US$ 44 billion and profit of US$ 3.6 billion for the year ending in March 2010 and assets valued at US$ 43.61 (Forbes 2010). The company is ranked at 264th position in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2009 and at the 126th position in the Forbes Global 2000 list in 2010 (Cable News Network 2010; Forbes 2010). Reliance Industries Limited is one of the main players in the oil and petrochemicals industry in India. Although the companys main focus is oil, it has diversified its operations in recent times as a result of severe differences between the founders sons, Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani after the company was divided between them in 2006 (Cable News Network 2010). Chapter Three Methodology Strauss and Corbin (1990) stated that qualitative research is any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at by means of statistical procedures or other means of quantification. Glesne (1999) stated that qualitative researchers seek out a variety of perspectives; they do not reduce the multiple interpretations to a norm. Strauss and Corbin (1990) claimed that qualitative methods can be used to better understand any phenomenon about which little is yet known. They can also be used to gain new perspectives on things about which much is already known, or to gain more in-depth information that may be difficult to convey quantitatively, or where the researcher has determined that quantitative measures cannot adequately describe or interpret a situation. a. Questionnaires The use of questionnaires as a means of collecting data from the research participants, with an aim in obtaining their personal views on job satisfaction and motivation and how it affects their performance and efficiency has been selected for this particular research. (Campbell et al., 2004) describe questionnaires as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a very versatile data-gathering method; they are cheap, easy to administer, whether it be to three people or 300, and can be used to gather a great variety of data of both quantitative and qualitative nature. (Campbell et al., 2004, p. 146). Cohen et al. (2000) also praise the use of questionnaires for their efficiency. They allow an efficient use of the researchers time, as they can collect a significant amount of information in one attempt, rather than conducting interviews over a period of weeks. Gillham (2000) also highlights that questionnaires make efficient use of the respondents time, as they can complete the questionnaire at a time that is suita ble to them and does not require the researcher and respondent to match free periods of time to conduct the research. Cohen et al. (2000) and Gillham (2000) emphasize the usefulness of questionnaires for ensuring the participants anonymity, which in this study, may be requested due to its very sensitive and controversial nature. If the respondents cannot be identified, they may be more willing to write about issues and opinions more openly than they would in a face-to-face situation. It could be argued then that questionnaires are therefore most likely to generate more truthful answers as there is no personal contact with the interviewer. However, a disadvantage of using questionnaires is that the only data collected is a variety of tick boxes and brief responses, which means the data tends to have more breadth than depth. This results from the lack of an interviewer to prompt for further information or more detail in their answers, and they cannot interpret questions for the participant who is unclear about what is being asked. This may result in each participant having to decipher what they are being asked independently and may resort to their own subjective understanding of the questions. The following questions will be asked in the questionnaires and will be discussed in detail in a focus group interview conducted later: Are you satisfied with your job right now? Why or why not? What motivates you to do your job well? What are the strategies that your organisations use to motivate their employees? Do you think employee motivation leads to job satisfaction? Explain. How do you define organisational performance and efficiency? What does organisational performance and efficiency entail? How would you rate yourself in terms of job performance and efficiency? What do you think is the impact of employee job satisfaction and motivation on organisational performance and efficiency? b. Interviews To pursue the questions in depth, a selected group of participants who answered the questionnaires will be asked to join a focus group interview. The interview method involves questioning or a discussion of issues with one or more people.   It is useful to collect data which may not be accessible through observation or questionnaires (Blaxter et al, 2006). Robson (2002) points out how the interview is a flexible and adaptable research tool.   In face to face interviews, there is the possibility of following up interesting responses.   Frey and Mertens-Oishi (1995) comment how respondent participation can be enhanced by the interviewer sensitively guiding the questioning, and being able to answer any questions which the respondent may ask.   Oppenheim (1992) suggests that the response rate is higher in interviews than in questionnaires, due to the fact that participants become more involved. c. Qualitative Content Analysis of Literature The content analysis of findings from several studies in the review of literature is another great source of a wealth of information for this current study. Content analysis is a research technique for making replicable and valid inferences from texts (or other meaningful matter) to the contexts of their use (Krippendorff, 2004, p. 18). Constructs researched on and analyzed may be derived from existing theories or practices, the experience or knowledge of experts and previous research (Krippendorff, 2004). Content analysis aims to provide knowledge, new insights, a representation of facts and a practical guide to action (Elo Kyngas, 2008). Qualitative content analysis flows from a humanistic tradition. Replacing hypotheses associated with quantitative research methods are open questions that guide the research and influence the data that are gathered (White and Marsh, 2006). The researcher reads through the data and analyzes them thoroughly to identify concepts and patterns. He or she may discover patterns and concepts that emerge but were not foreshadowed but are nevertheless important to consider and report. For this study, available literature already reports data which has been gathered and analyzed by competent researchers in the field. The researcher is in a position to compare existing literature and discern which information will best answer the questions pertaining to this current research study. Procedure Firstly, permission to conduct the research should be sought from the rightful authorities of Reliance Industries Limited by way of written correspondence. The letter includes the aims and objectives of the study and the methodology to be used. The company will also be assured that they will be furnished a copy of the final research paper. Questionnaires will be distributed to the employees of the company either by hand or by email. Demographic data of the participants shall be collected like their gender, age, civil status and length of time they have served with the company. A small group of 7 to 10 employees shall be randomly selected from the pool of participants to engage in a focus group interview. This small group interview will be to follow up on their responses in the questionnaire and to further probe into their insights regarding motivation and job satisfaction and how these affect their performance and efficiency in their jobs. The focus group interview will be audio-recorded and transcribed in verbatim. The interview questions already stated above will be asked of the participants to guide the flow of the interview and the participants will take turns answering them and responding to others answers as well. An interviewer will be hired to facilitate the interview and may ask follow up questions to clarify some answers. This interviewer will be briefed beforehand on the objectives of the research and how to conduct the focus group interview to elicit candid responses from the participants. The participants are ensured of the confidentiality of their responses as their real names will not be used in reporting the responses as data. This occasion is to give students the opportunity to elaborate and freely express their insights with regard to student-teacher relationships. The focus group discussions are believed to add pertinent information to the study. Data Analysis Responses from the questionnaires and focus group interview will be culled and sorted according to themes that may surface (ex. motivations, company strategies to motivate employees, etc.). Each theme will be analyzed with the backdrop of the information gathered from the literature review.

Muhammad And The Rise Of Islam

Muhammad And The Rise Of Islam Islam is a monotheistic faith and one of the largest religions in the world. With a total population of almost 1.5 billion followers, it is also the fastest growing.  [i]  The reason for this steady rise is not only the increasing population in Muslim countries, but also the growing number of people who are turning to Islam, a phenomenon that has recently gained momentum, especially after the attacks of September 11th when the religion was put under the spotlight.  [ii]  However, despite all of this, questions that are often asked are, how did Islam rise to become one of the most represented group in modern times? Where did it originate and how did it all start? In order to answer these questions, we must go back more than 1400 years and trace the life of man, who almost single handedly changed the dynamics of this world. In the year 570 AD, Muhammad bin Abdullah was born into a noble family that belonged to a clan of the Quraish, the ruling tribe of modern day Mecca. The city was home to the Kabah, a holy shrine, which attracted thousands of people every year from nearby lands who would come and offer pilgrimage. Mecca soon became an important religious center and a financial hub, linking the Arabian Peninsula with powerful empires such as the Ethiopians and the Byzantines.  [iii]  As a result, the city became dominated by several influential families, among whom the Quraish were preeminent. Muhammads father, Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib, died before the boy was born. He was raised by his widow mother until the age of six when she too passed away, leaving him under the care of his paternal grandfather. After his death, the orphan was consigned to his uncle, Abu Talib, who took Muhammad in as his own son. As was customary, Muhammad was sent to live for a year or two with a Bedouin family that resided in the desert outskirts of Mecca. This period of his life had important and lasting implications on Muhammad. In addition to enduring the hardships of desert life, he acquired a taste for the rich language of the locals, whose speech was their proudest art. He also learned the patience and forbearance of the herdsmen, whose life of solitude he first shared and then later came to understand and appreciate.  [iv]   From his early youth, Muhammad was famous for his honesty and truthfulness. He was respected by everyone and was considered one of the most reliable people in Mecca. The people of Quraish honored him with the title of Al-Amin meaning the trustworthy and this purity of his nature increased as he grew older.  [v]  Muhammad also seemed to possess an inner knowledge that other people did not. He would refuse to worship the countless idols and gods that were central to pre-Islamic life in Mecca and would rather spend countless hours in meditation by himself, trying to seek true knowledge. When Muhammad reached his early twenties, he started working for a woman who went by the name of Khadija bint Khuwalid. She was a widow but was known for being a rich and successful merchant. Muhammad used to actively engage in leading her trade caravans up north, making handsome profits every time he did so. Khadija was so deeply impressed by his work ethics that she sent him a proposal of matrimony which Muhammad happily accepted. Even though Khadija was fifteen years older than him, the marriage proved to be very successful. Muhammad had gained a companion who was always there for him whenever he needed moral support and comfort. Muhammad grew more and more spiritually restless as the days went by and he started increasing the time he spent in meditation. In order to get away from the troubles and vices that existed within the city, he chose a spot in the hills that surrounded Mecca. The cave where he used to pray was known as Hira and according to popular Islamic belief, this was where Muhammad first received the message of Islam and where his journey as a Prophet of God began.  [vi]  The angel Gabriel came to Muhammad with the following revelation: Read in the name of your Lord who created; Created man from a clot of blood; Read and your Lord is the most Beneficent; Who taught man by the pen; Taught man what he knew not (Quran 96: 1-5)  [vii]   These were the first revealed verses of the Islamic book, the Quran and since then Muhammad stopped retreating in the Cave of Hira and took upon himself the duty of spreading the message of God. At first, Muhammad only preached to his wife and close friends. But as more revelations enjoined him to proclaim the oneness of God universally, his target circle grew; at first the poor and the slaves, but later, also the more prominent people of Mecca. However, not everyone accepted what he had to say and even members of Muhammads own clan denied him openly. The opposition persecuted and tortured him and his early followers in every possible manner. But this did not deter Muhammad away from his mission but rather it strengthened and sharpened his resolve to spread the light of Islam. The Quraish had always held their idols in high regards and therefore found it difficult to come to terms with belief in one unseen God, which was one of the pinnacle pillars that Muhammads religion was based on. As Muslims grew in number, the severity of punishment of the local leaders also increased. They boycotted him and his followers from every kind of trade and transaction, so much so that they had to go without proper food and drink for many weeks. Soon, the opposition to Muhammad reached such a high pitch that, fearful for their safety, he sent some of his adherents to the Christian ruler of Abyssinia asking for protection.  [viii]  Before long, the fame of Muhammad had spread to almost every part of the Arabian Peninsula. A group of people from Yathrib, modern day Medina, met Muhammad and entered into a contract with the Muslims. When the persecutions in Mecca increased and life there became unbearable for the Muslims, the people of Yathrib invited the Prophet and his companions to migrate to their city.  [ix]  Muhammad accepted their invitation and this emigration from Mecca to Medina marked the beginning of an important Islamic era. The Muslims who migrated from Mecca were called the Muhajirs while the people of Medina who received them with open arms came to be known as the Ansars. It was here that Muhammad gradually laid the foundation of an Islamic state. Many of teachings of the Prophet in Medina were concerned with the life of a community in its social, political, economic and administrative aspects. With the help and support of the local Ansars, Muhammad was able to establish a system of government that was way ahead of the time it belonged to in terms of its form and working.  [x]   When the leaders of Mecca found out that Muhammad was building a city state, they became anxious about the new influence. They feared that this position of authority and power would encourage Muhammad to extract revenge on them. The Quraish believed the best way to deal with this threat was to destroy Islam in its infancy. They gathered a large army and marched north towards Medina. When Muhammad came to find out about their intentions, he too put together an army consisting of only three hundred and thirteen men. The resulting battle was known as the Battle of Badr and it was the first major war fought by the Muslims. Even though Muhammads army was poorly equipped and faced a force three times its size, they remained steadfast in their resolve towards protecting Islam and the Muslim army as a result was able to route the forces of Mecca. The Battle of Badr was a landmark in the history of Islam and it had several important effects in terms of Medina as a city state. Firstly, Muhammad with only a handful of men was able to defeat a much larger army through sheer determination and discipline. This brought home to the leaders of the Quraish, the abilities of the very man they had driven from their city. Also, one of the allied tribes which had pledged support to the Muslims in the battle had proved lukewarm when the actual fighting started. They were expelled from Medina and Muhammad served a warning to every tribe in allegiance with the Muslims: membership in the community imposed the obligation of total support.  [xi]   The Quraish, however, felt humiliated and almost one year after the Battle of Badr, they waged war again on the Muslims, this time coming with an army of almost three thousand soldiers. After establishing a strong foothold early in the battle, the Islamic army was put under pressure and had to retreat. Seeing as Muhammad and his followers were not entirely overpowered, the Quraish sent out an army again two years later in the hope of completely eliminating any sort of Islamic threat. At the Battle of the Trench, the result was completely different. The Muslims scored a signal victory by introducing a new form of defense. On the side of Median from which the attack was expected, they dug a trench too deep for the Meccan cavalry to clear without exposing itself to the archers posted behind the earthworks. After an inconclusive siege, the Meccans were forced to retire and thus establishing Medina and Muhammads Islam as a power to be reckoned with in the Arabian Peninsula.  [xii]   The Constitution of Medina dates from this period. The charter established Muhammad as the leader of Medina and the Muslims as a separate entity in their own right. The Constitution also defined the role of non-Muslims in the society. Jews, for example, were part of the community; they were dhimmis, that is, protected people, as long as they conformed to its laws. Followers of the monotheistic religions were permitted spiritual independence. This did not, however, pertain to the Pagans as they could not be tolerated in a place that worshiped one God.  [xiii]   According to Ibn Ishaq, one of the earliest biographers of the Prophet, it was at about this time that Muhammad sent letters to various rulers all around the world- the King of Persia, the Emperor of Byzantium, the Negus of Abyssinia, and the Governor of Egypt among others inviting them to submit to Islam.  [xiv]   Muhammad so efficiently established a number of allies that, by 628 AD, he and almost a thousand Muslims were able to stipulate admittance to Mecca. This was a milestone in the history of Islam. Just a short time before, Muhammad had left the same city to establish an Islamic state and now he was being treated by the Quraish as a leader. Almost a year later he was able to occupy Mecca without any violence which. He cleaned the Kabah from the gods that were present and forever ended idol worship. At the same time Amr bin Al As and Khaleed bin Walid, accepted Islam and swore allegiance to Muhammad. Their acceptance of Islam was very important because they would later go on and through various campaigns, expand the Muslim empire.  [xv]   After almost a decade since Muhammad migrated to Medina, he made his last pilgrimage to Mecca and delivered a farewell sermon to a congregation of about 120,000 people. Shortly afterwards, he was taken ill and passed away in 632 AD. The death of Muhammad was a profound loss. To his supporters he was more than a friend and a teacher. He was also a perfect role model who till this date has guided the faith and life of countless men and women and which has brought in a distinctive era in the history of mankind. After his death, Muhammads legacy was continued by his close companions who took the responsibility of presiding over the Muslim population for years to come based on his teachings. Muslim dynasties were soon established and subsequent empires such as those of the Persians, Ottomans and the Mughals of India, were among the largest and most powerful the world has ever seen. The people of the Islamic world created numerous sophisticated centers of culture and science with far-reaching mercantile networks, travelers, scientists, hunters, mathematicians, doctors and philosophers, all of whom contributed to the rise of Islam.

Compare and Contrast Between Rwanda and Darfur Genocide, from the Const

The analysis of the genocides that took place both in Rwanda and Sudan’s Darfur region exhibit some similarities as well as differences. The character of violence was similar in both cases, but in Rwanda the violence was more intense, participatory, and extraordinary. The violence in these two places took place in an environment that had experienced civil wars. It was a period of political transition which was further aggravated by ethnic nationalism and a conflict of ethnic populations that were living in close proximity. However, in the Rwandan genocide, the state is more centralized, compact, and effective. This is what explains the intensity and variation. The international response to these genocides through observers emphasized on using the genocide label to create domestic constituencies especially in the Rwandan case. The Darfur case however, revealed that both of these strategies are not effective. Responding to the genocide in Darfur, the US officials declared the label genocide to be occurring. Thereafter, a politically civil-society coalition emerged so as to lobby the administration. The net outcome of these two scenarios however was the same in the absence of effective policies that could halt the genocide. The Rwandan genocide has always acted as the point of reference for similar genocides taking place around the world. Since the 2003 crisis in Darfur, a lot of comparisons have been made to Rwandan genocide. Observers have likened the Darfur genocide to what happened in Rwanda and of course giving it two connotations. First, the violence in the western parts of Sudan has been referred to another Rwanda, by basing their arguments on the nature of the violence. Since whatever was happening in Darfur is similar t... ... different since the US was guided by the realism approach of not extending humanitarian help beyond their borders. Works cited Kupperman, Alan. Genocide: The Cases of Rwanda and Sudan. (2007) Retrieved from http://www.fpri.org/footnotes/1215.200705.kuperman.genociderwandasudan.html Lim, Timothy. Analyzing foreign policy: duties beyond borders? (2000) Retrieved from http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/tclim/F09_Courses/425f09_duties.pdf Merlingen, Michael. European security and defense policy: an implementation perspective, (2008). New York: Routledge publishers. Shapiro, Alan. Genocide in Darfur, Inaction in the Security Council Retrieved from http://www.teachablemoment.org/high/darfur.html Straus, Scott. Rwanda and Darfur: A Comparative Analysis. Retrieved from http://www.chgs.umn.edu/histories/occasional/StrausGSP2006.pdf