Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Bad Boys I Synopsis Free Essays

Terrible Boys which was coordinated by the Michael Bay, previous video chief, got the opportunity to be perceived as this activity parody film had been a success. Assigning a major financial plan for this film was delivered by Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson. The primary throws in this film are two Miami cops, Mike Lowrey in the depiction of Will Smith (a lone wolf) and Marcus Burnett in the individual Martin Lawrence (a family man). We will compose a custom exposition test on Awful Boys I Synopsis or then again any comparative point just for you Request Now Their group up gives the film most ideal chances. Lowrey and Burnett takes an exceptionally perilous case since 100 million dollars of heroin had been taken out of the storm cellar of police base camp, which had been the greatest medication bust of their vocations. These two Miami police officers have just got 72 hours to recover the heroin before the Internal Affairs Division closes them down. A French medication boss named Fouchet (Tcheky Karyo), puts them hot on the path, since this medication master leaves a hint of bodies afterward. Offering shading to the story is played by Julie Mott (Tea Leoni), who saw the homicide of her companion, Maxine Logan (a hooker). She chose to contact the police and is eager to talk just to Mike yet he doesn’t recognize what he resembles. Since Mike isn't there, Marcus, his accomplice needs to imagine as Mike, carrying on with an unhitched male way of life. In Mike’s return, he ought to likewise imitate Marcus as a wedded man. Makes it energizing that it has been confused on the two sections however they need to do it with the goal for them to get the help of the sole observer. This film is an incredible film uniquely their idea of the â€Å"buddy† recipe. The scenes are reasonable and high brutality gave the film an exceptionally appealing taste to the watchers. Before the finish of the film, what we care about are the story, picture and principle characters which give the film a phenomenal film. Awful Boys. (1995). Abstract for Bad Boys. Recovered April 23, 2009 from http://www. imdb. com/title/tt0112442/. MSN films. (1995). Terrible Boys: Synopsis. Recovered April 23, 2009 from http://films. msn. com/motion pictures/film summation/awful young men. 1/ The most effective method to refer to Bad Boys I Synopsis, Papers

Saturday, August 22, 2020

The United States Beer Industry Essay Example for Free

The United States Beer Industry Essay 1.The U.S. blending industry has gotten increasingly focused in the course of the most recent two decades for a few reasons. a.The utilization of brew has been gradually declining, with the end goal for organizations to pick up piece of the overall industry, they need to take clients from different organizations. This would then prompt a few organizations to leave business because of the absence of clients. b.Brand dependability additionally expanded. Ad assumed a huge job. Bigger organizations had the option to burned through $0.40 per instance of brew sold. Littler mass-showcase brewers couldn't stand to spend close to that sum. c.Technological change in canning and appropriation lead to the convergence of the preparing business, also. The size that a mass-advertise brewer needs to achieve to secure all economies of scale has developed. They should create more brew and accomplish more pieces of the overall industry. Not all organizations arrive at least effective sizes of creation. 2. The serious structure of the fermenting business utilizing Porter’s five powers model. a.Risk of section by potential contenders. New smaller scale preparing organizations have low boundaries of passage. New miniaturized scale preparing organizations don't depend intensely on brand faithfulness or economies of scale. Mass market brewers our confronted with higher boundaries to passage in view of brand steadfastness of clients and total cost points of interest. b.Intensity of contention of recently settled organizations new clients are continually entering the market as they become legitimate age and the ability to devour lager, so mass market brewers attempt to engage them to get their business, limiting the opposition to take different organizations contenders. Request has likewise been developing, making them less serious. c. Dealing intensity of (purchasers might be the individual clients who expend it item) this is low for mass market brewers on the grounds that there is an enormous number of purchasers accessible for High microbrewers. d.Bargaining intensity of providers (the associations that give contribution to the business, for example, materials, administrations and work) the fermenting business has medium to low bartering intensity of providers. e.Threat of substitutes is a danger in light of the fact that there are other mixed drinks that can be an immediate substitute for lager, for example, spirits and wine. 3.Small mass market organizations in the preparing business are searching for high obstructions of passage, solid haggling power from providers and solid bartering power from purchasers. To arrive at economies of scale, they would require a ton of cash underway volume, causing a high hindrance of section. Providers can charge the new organizations more significant expenses since they are additionally offering to different mass market organizations and don't require or rely upon the new organizations for orders. Purchasers are solid and can drive down costs since they don't have to sell the new firms item. There are different mass market brews that as of now have solid brand steadfastness that their clients are buying. 4.There are two distinctive key gatherings in the preparing business: mass market brewers (Anheuser-Busch, SAB-Miller, and Molson Coors) and premium miniaturized scale brewers. The competition is diverse in the two gatherings. Mass market brewers are increasingly serious, and center around getting however much of the market as could be expected by fermenting a lager enjoyed by many. Microbrewers items are center towards littler client by who like particular tasting lagers.

Saturday, August 15, 2020

Meade, George Gordon

Meade, George Gordon Meade, George Gordon, 1815â€"72, Union general in the American Civil War, b. Cádiz, Spain. Graduated from West Point in 1835, he resigned from the army the next year and became a civil engineer. In 1842, Meade reentered the army in the corps of topographical engineers. He served in the Mexican War and on various engineering projects. In the Civil War he was made a brigadier general of volunteers (Aug., 1861). In the Seven Days battles (1862), he was severely wounded at Frayser's Farm (or Glendale), but he recovered in time to lead his brigade ably at the second battle of Bull Run. In the Antietam campaign, in the battle of Fredericksburg (1862), and in the battle of Chancellorsville (1863) he distinguished himself further. Meade took command of the Army of the Potomac on June 28, 1863. Several days later he won the important battle of Gettysburg (see Gettysburg campaign ). This brought him a brigadier generalcy in the regular army. He was criticized, however, for not following up his victory. Meade commanded the Army of the Potomac until the end of the war, but Ulysses S. Grant really directed his army in the Wilderness campaign and subsequent operations. He was promoted to major general in the regular army on Grant's recommendation in Aug., 1864. After the war Meade commanded various military departments. See G. Meade, The Life and Letters of General George Gordon Meade (2 vol., 1913); biography by F. Cleaves (1960). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Where Are All The Women - 1105 Words

Where are All the Women in Tech? An article named â€Å"The Computer Girls† appeared in the April 1967 issue of Cosmopolitan, which encourages women to consider programming as their career choice and even claimed that â€Å"this is the age of the Computer Girls†. Ironically, those statements show that the 60s tech industry may have been more progressive than it is today. The high-tech industry is the place that world-changing innovation happens. But we are also going backward in this field while the male-dominated culture continues to remain, which is supposed to be all about moving forward. If the truth is really like the article explains, â€Å"Programming requires patience and the ability to handle detail. So women are ‘naturals’ at computer†¦show more content†¦Actually, today’s engineering profession takes gender diversity in college very seriously. In early 1970, Georgia Tech and Caltech both had zero female undergraduates, but â€Å"in 2011, Georgia Tech led the na tion in granting engineering bachelor’s degrees to women, and in Caltech, women comprised around 40 percent of undergraduate enrollment.† Amy Bix, who is the author of â€Å"Girls Coming to Tech!: A History of American Engineering Education for Women†, tries to from a historical perspective, provide evidence that higher education has already started to open their arms to women. It’s not only the higher education institutions that are promoting systematic support for female engineering students, such as learning-community programs and extracurricular support. Some industry leaders also started trying to find ways to inspire girls to notice the beauty of tech at a young age. Bill Gates and Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg back the nonprofit coding education site Code.org to encourage and teach more American children – especially girls – to learn Computer Science. Even Victoria Secret Supermodel Karlie Kloss has joined the growing list of encouraging young women to take up computer coding. By calling them to apply for â€Å"Kode with Karlie Scholarship,† she explained the reason specifically for the girls, about why she offers this precious opportunity, â€Å"I think it’s crucial that young women learn to code as early as possible to

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Genetic Engineering The Tremendous Benefits Outweigh the...

Wouldnt it be great to improve health care, improve agriculture, and improve our quality of life? Genetic engineering is already accomplishing those things, and has the potential to accomplish much more. Genetic engineering, also referred to as biotechnology, is a fairly new science where the genes of an organism are modified to change the features of an organism or group of organisms. Genes are found in the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of an organism, and each gene controls a specific trait of an organism. Scientists have discovered what many of these genes control, both in plants and animals. Scientists then can modify these genes to benefit the organism. For example, if a person has a gene that codes for a certain†¦show more content†¦They are being engineered to stay ripe longer so they will stay fresh longer and taste better (Advocates . . .). Coffee will be decaffeinated naturally, popcorn will be given a butter flavor on the cob, and grapefruit sweetened naturally. By the year 2000, it looks as though a fifth of all food will be produced through biotechnology (Dyson). Biotechnology may be able to solve the food shortage problem in many poor parts of the world (Bio technologys . . .). Many people dont realize how much of their food is already enhanced through genetic engineering. Critics believe that using biotechnology in agriculture will pose human health and safety risks such as allergic reactions and biological contamination. This is a reasonable concern, but it isnt likely to happen. Several agencies have developed laws and regulations to ensure that genetically altered foods are safe. The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed strict regulatory requirements to make sure genetically engineered foods are safe. Genetically altered foods will be judged based on their individual safety, allergenicity, toxicity, etc. Under the Drug and Cosmetic Act, the FDA has control over genetically altered products and drugs for humans and animals. Before a new genetically altered food can be accepted, companies must follow a set of seven questions developed by the FDA. To name a few, companies have to ask, Does the genetically-modified plant have a history of safeShow MoreRelatedHuman Genetic Engineering At The Germ Line Of A Family1267 Words   |   6 PagesContinuous advancements have been made in these fields, and thus contribute to human genetic engineering. The method of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, also known as embryonic screening, allows parents at risk of transmitting a genetic disease to ensure their future children are unaffected by the disease. Some say that it would be greatly favorable for parents to have the ability to avoid passing on a genetic disease. While there is potential to eliminate many diseases, it also has an equallyRead MoreThe Golden Age Of Computing1440 Words   |  6 Pagesthe computer revolution, the genetic revolution hopes to do for life what computing did for information. We are near being able to manipulate organisms for any number of reasons. Whether it be for medicine or agriculture, the technology we have will change the way we interact with the natural world. Over the years, genetic engineering continued to prove itself beneficial in the fields of medicine, manufacturing, and agriculture. These benefits range from curing genetic diseases to increased farmingRead MoreGene Technology Essay1397 Words   |  6 Pages2: Gene Technology Introduction to Biology Mr. James Cox March 3, 2013 Gene technology is the term given to a range of activities concerned with understanding the expression of genes, taking advantage of natural genetic variation, modifying genes and transferring genes to new hosts. Gene technology sits within the broader area of biotechnology – the use of living things to make or change products. Humans have been using biotechnology for centuries in activities rangingRead MoreThe Main Ingredient For A Wellness Recipe1640 Words   |  7 Pagesis, was not accompanied with the mass-presented GMOs food. According to a book, Genes on the Menu: Facts for Knowledge-Bases Decisions written by author Paul Pechan, the basic facts and introduction of GMOs was described. Pechan stated, A genetic engineering procedure where a gene from one, sometimes unrelated, organism is transferred to another†¦, which is how Genetically Modified Organisms occurred in the actual world (3). Along with this statement, it was specified that by making such modificationsR ead MoreEthics, Public Health, And Environmental Safety3018 Words   |  13 Pageswe define biotechnology and consider best practices in agriculture, both in the United States and around the globe. With the advent of genetic engineering and the adoption of transgenic crops, a new set of questions regarding ethics, public health, and environmental safety has grown from a theoretical concern to one that must be considered as genetic engineering plays an increasingly large role in our everyday lives. As genetically modified (GM) food has entered the marketplace, these ethical questionsRead MoreThe Invention Of The 21st Century2497 Words   |  10 Pages(Fletcher 8). The act of genetic manipulation or engineering may be akin to the Greek myth of Prometheus. He stole fire from the heavens in a compassionate act to ease human suffering. While this fire may have been frightening at first, when man learned to harness it he was able to make vastly improve the quality of life. Preserving and improving the quality of life has always been a primary goal in the practice of medicine. If humanity can correctly wield the awesome power of genetic control, we wouldRead MoreA Bright Future With Genetically Modified Superfoods2397 Words   |  10 Pagesis now. Human ingenuity and intelligence has soared far above the levels that the human race has ever thought possible; humans are right on the threshold of these and many other genetic engineering and biotechnological advances. Regardless of the limitless possibilities, nay-sayers say the risks far outway the benefits. Critics say that these new advances are far too dangerous and too experimental; however, this tremendously beneficial form of science has the capabilities to progress far beyondRead MoreGenetically Modified Food And Its Effects On The Body As Natural Plants?1809 Words   |  8 Pagesnot it is safe to consume, if the pros outweigh the cons. I will compare genetically modified food to naturally produced food. Do GMOs have the same chemical reactions in the body as natural plants? Are the chemicals of both equivalent? Who is impacted by GMOs? According to Hembree Brandon from the Delta Farm Press, many scientists believe GMOs are unsafe and do not pose any threat to the environment. For example, the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has states that in â€Å"theRead MoreEssay on Use of Nanotechnology in Medecine2565 Words   |  11 Pagesclot and save the spy along with his secret information. This idea has evolved from science fiction into what is today the branch of science and technology that is known as Nanomedicine. The potential benefits of Nanomedicine are to possibly develop a cure for cancer, cure diabetes, suppress genetic defects, and even cure mental illness. Nanorobots could be injected into the blood stream where they could wipe out viruses, bacteria, and other harmful organisms before they could lead to disease. NanorobotsRead MoreCloning: The Face of a Better Tomorrow Essay1995 Words   |  8 Pagesmeat. Cloning could also improve our agriculture and help to preserve our animal population. Lastly, cloning could quite possibly serve a major purpose in the medical field. In spite of several doubts and risks, cloning is an innovative process that can produce a variety of overwhelming benefits that can better today’s and tomorrow’s future. To many it may seem as if cloning has just recently been discovered but in reality cloning has been around for years. In the article â€Å"Clone and Cloning† from

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Dove Case Free Essays

Describe the evolution of the dove brand? The origins of the Dove brand lay in the U. S. In 1957 the first dove product was launched that was called the beauty bar. We will write a custom essay sample on Dove Case or any similar topic only for you Order Now This product claimed that it was different than soap and that it would not dry out your skin. The advertising campaign for this launch was created by the Ogilvy and Mather advertising agency. The main message of this advertisement was that Dove soap does not dry out your skin because it contained a quarter of cleansing cream. The message that Dove does not dry out your skin was expressed in billboards, television and print. As time passed by minor changes were made to the slogan. For example, the term cleansing cream was replaced with the term moisturizing cream. The Dove beauty bar was endorsed by dermatologists and physicians for the treatment of dry skin in the 1980s. In the year 2000 Dove was approached to become a Masterbrand. This meant that Dove would lend its name to Unilever entries in the personal care categories. Next to the beauty bar category there would also be other categories where Dove would have an active name. For example, deodorants, hair care products, body lotions, facial cleansers and hair styling products. Now that Dove became a Masterbrand it was no longer sufficient to communicate functional benefits. Just because now there were different categories and functionality has a different meaning throughout the different categories. It was important that Dove would stand for a point of view. Having this in mind, research led to â€Å"The campaign for Real Beauty†. The ideas for this campaign started in the year 2002. There was a search for an alternative view of the goal of personal care. The findings of the research of this campaign showed that only 2% of the respondents worldwide described themselves as beautiful. Following this research the first exploratory advertising executions were initiated. In these advertisements ordinary people were used in supermodel contexts. This was called the Tick-Box campaign. In 2005 the next series of Dove ads were known internally as the Firming campaign. Firming campaign because a cream was promoted that would firm the skin. The goal was to change the way how beauty is viewed by society by provoking discussions and debates about â€Å"real beauty†. However this campaign was rather risky because they did not knew whether consumers would be inspired to buy a brand that focuses on real beauty and that does not promise to make you more attractive. The risk for Dove was that it would be perceived as an ordinary brand and would not stand out among the other brands for beauty products. In 2006 Dove ran an ad in the broadcast of the Superbowl football game. The next stage in the Real Beauty campaign of Dove was developing a film concerning self-esteem. Unilever defined a mission statement for â€Å"The Campaign for Real Beauty†. Namely, â€Å"Dove’s mission is to make more women feel beautiful every day by broadening the narrow definition of beauty and inspiring them to take great care of themselves†. Later that year, Dove announced a contest where consumers were aspired to come up with their own ads for Dove Cream Oil Body Wash. This was a new product that would be launched in early 2007. Dove came a long way and was now seen as a brand of great value. Dove had grown a lot and was identified as one of ten brands with the greatest percentage gain with regards to brand health and business value for in the previous three years. How do you asses Unilever’s branding strategy (i. e. reducing the number of brands and building masterbrands)? When looking at Unilever’s branding strategy the focus lies on building masterbrands. This is a good strategy because the number of brands is reduced. Hence the focus lies on one larger brand instead of several smaller brands. This is good because it makes the decision making process a lot easier for the consumer. On the other hand it is also easier for Unilever because it now can put its energy on one larger brand. This means that the developments around the brand can be more specific. Meaning that you could create brand awareness more easily because there are less choice alternatives available for the consumer. Secondly, because of the masterbrand different products belong to one brand. This means that consumers can buy different products from one brand. The brand is no longer specific for one product category. Therefore if a consumer is loyal to a brand it will also buy more products that belong to that brand and will not go to competitors. For example, if the consumer knows that Dove offers a good quality moisturizing cream the consumer is more likely to perceive other products of Dove as good quality. Furthermore, if Unilever would not pursue the branding strategy of masterbrands it would lead to competition among the several smaller brands. You could say that each brand of Unilever would operate as a separate business, meaning that it would compete with its fellow brands as well as with brands of other firms. The previous would only lead to a division of Unilever which is not good for brand development. Instead the brands should work together because they all are a part of Unilever. Finally, the branding strategy of Unilever also provides possibilities of growth for the brand. By reducing the number of brands which are for example not profitable enough. The focus lies on the masterbrands and this reduction in costs can be used for the more promising masterbrands and therefore lead to growth by expanding product lines and so on. How to cite Dove Case, Papers

Monday, May 4, 2020

The Influence of Video Games in Our Lives free essay sample

Whether it is an advertisement on television, an aisle in Wal-mart, or a collection in a students friends room, the ongoing increase of the use of video games among todays teenagers is stealthily accumulating. Even though there may be some ratings on games for teenagers today, I believe that the ratings should become more emphasized, and parents should have stricter guidance on the buying of games. Increasing the rating system for video games and having stricter parental guidance would be influential towards putting a stop to increasing obesity, rising violent ehavior, and disinterest in education among todays teenagers. Teenagers in todays society are greatly influenced by playing video games during their free time. Instead of performing active, enjoyable, and lighthearted activities at home, teenage gamers are constantly occupied with excessive revel at playing enslaving video games. Now more than ever before, video games are much more complex and interesting to young gamers. We will write a custom essay sample on The Influence of Video Games in Our Lives or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Also, the advancing technology has proceeded to the point where a gamer can become engrossed in a multimedia classified as a virtual reality or lternate universe. As a result, teenagers are not getting enough exercise to stay healthy. This recurring dilemma is causing an extravagant amount of teenage gamers to gain body weight excessively. Regardless, of how dangerous neighborhoods might have become in the twenty- first century, teenage parents should still encourage their son or daughter to operate with healthy entertainment (Lynne). Also, even though there is a continuation of growing continuation of weight watching games and the distribution of the recent game system Wii, I solely believe that there should e more bounteous advances in games that consist of weight watching genres that help maintain the gamer interested and productively active. By the unsatisfactory habit of playing video games, it is also known that teenagers are continuing to have an increase in violent and aggressive behavior. Whether young gamers might be at school, in the public mall, or at their own grandmothers house, they might become more influenced to contain bellicose personalities by the dangerous enthrallment of the consistent use of violent video games. According to the college writer, Grace Shin, When video games first came out, indeed they were addictive owever there seems to be a strong correlation now between the violent nature of games these days and the aggressive tendencies in game players (Shin). For instance, in Littleton, Colorado on April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold attacked Columbine High School before they committed their own suicide twenty three people were wounded and thirteen were pronounced dead. It was generally known that they both enjoyed the video game doom, which is a game, licensed by the US military to help endorse oldiers to effectively kill their opposition (Shin). Another growing problem that is vastly occurring among young gamers is that they do now have a constant growing interest in education. While there may be some educational video games that are being manufactured, there are not enough being processed for the teenage group. Most educational games are especially made for a much younger audience. According to the psychologists, Dr. Andersons and Dr. Gentiles research, instead of young gamers being intrigued with educational learning, children are spending average, and 5 hours per week for girls. Niolent Video Games). Furthermore, the parents of young adults gamers are not strategically involved to make sure their child has some value of education in their day. I believe that parents should try to limit their childs downtime. Additionally, I honestly think that teenagers would be more educated and prepared for their next stage in life if their parents would step in and be courageous heroes by encouraging them to practice educational things. Beyond recall, video games carry a few consequences with them for the average teenage gamer.

Saturday, March 28, 2020

A Midsummer Nights Dream - The 4 Teen Lovers Are Fools Essays

A Midsummer Night's Dream - The 4 Teen Lovers are Fools In Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" the mortal teenage characters fall in love foolishly, and the character Bottom states, "O what fools these mortals be". They are foolish because they act like children. Although Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius, and Helena appear grown-up, when they are in love they act foolishly. The four teenage lovers are fools.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Medicine, The Romans and the ancient Greeks Essays

Medicine, The Romans and the ancient Greeks Essays Medicine, The Romans and the ancient Greeks Essay Medicine, The Romans and the ancient Greeks Essay Essay Topic: History We often take it for granted that doctors can successfully treat most of mankinds diseases. In fact, were usually dumbfounded when they cant. But it wasnt that long ago those doctors had extremely limited knowledge and resources in fighting disease. The people of Ancient Egypt made several major medical discoveries and began treating diseases in a physical manner alongside older spiritual cures. Fuelled by a desire to enter the afterlife Egyptian knowledge of the workings of the body took in new areas of medicine ranging from a basic understanding to the introduction of surgical experiments. Medicine was very important to the Ancient Greek. Medical practice in Ancient Greece, like Egypt, was based largely upon religious beliefs. The Cult of Asclepios grew in popularity and was a major provider of medical care. This cult developed old theories and introduced several treatments not too dissimilar from modern alternative medicines (herbs, spices). Such treatment the Greeks used was the Temple of Asclepios this was a kind of health farm that you see today it included a stadium and this was for exercise to keep you fit and healthy and threw as also a gymnasium. The other buildings there were for religious purposes like the Abaton. This was for the patients to sleep in a warm, quiet area so that the Greek Gods and their healing snakes would visit them. The Asclepion was designed to relax the patients who were sick, injured or the stressed. The Ancient Greeks though made major strides in medical knowledge. The works of Hippocrates (a Greek medical genius) and his followers led to several scientific facts being recorded for the first time he was the first person ever to study the patients he was working with his method: diagnose, prognose, observe and treat. Hippocrates theory of the Four Humours was, for a long time, the basis upon which to develop their medical knowledge. Some of the medical methods we use are based around methods Hippocrates thought all them years ago! Roman medicine was a mixture of new theories and developments of Greek practices. Medicine was improved through the studies of Galen; this was through a desire to maintain a fit and healthy army to keep control of their empire. Medicine in Ancient Rome also brought about some great developments of Public Health facilities. Unlike the Greeks the Roman cities were very large and contained a lot of people, they did this so that communication was good and therefore ideas would spread quickly, but so would diseases. Instead of the Ancient Greeks the Romans had doctors to stop disease before catching it, whereas the Greeks would try to find a cure and they would take their time, the Romans could not afford to do this as they had a big army to look after and they could not risk plagues or other terrible diseases going through their armies. They had developed the Greek ideas of running water and washing thoroughly. The first doctors in Rome were Greek; they were captured in battle after the Roman Empire had now made their move for world domination. As you can imagine the people of Rome didnt like this, as they would feel inferior in medicine. In 46bc Julius Cesar (The Emperor) said that doctors could become citizens of the Roman Empire, as all the doctors in Rome were Greek, this was now an incentive for all Greek people to train as a doctor. The people of Rome didnt like the Greek method of treating the sick as they thought a healthy diet and exercise would not work. Everybody had read about Hippocrates who was a famous Greek doctor and the doctors became more frequent throughout Rome mainly to a shortage of jobs at the Greeks fallen Empire. The Roman population was now around 1million and they now had an independent government. The price for doctors was very high and for people who couldnt afford this they had to prepare home remedies, such as herbs and spices. They realised after a lot of people were becoming ill that they were all living next to a swamp that realised that the swamps were causing this disease that was killing the population, the disease is now commonly known as malaria. To prevent this they built a temple next to the swamp and dedicated this to the god of Fever. They soon noticed that this wasnt working and they decided to drain the pond. This proves that the Romans thought about their methods and questioned them and try to improve them. The Romans were now very wealthy and could afford to train their own doctors although the training was based on the Hippocratic oath deigned by Hippocrates the Greek doctor, but his method did work as not long after the Romans started to design their own instrument for amputations on their patients. They had started to employ Public Doctors these were to make sure the Roman people were all fit and healthy. There were still other method of curing or preventing disease and that was to build temples for the Gods theses were called Asclepions, they were to treat the injured and the unwell. They were also the first people to introduce the Roman baths these were for people to relax and to wash themselves in, they would cost a small amount of money so the baths could be kept clean. It didnt stop there as they invented the first public toilets, these were made to stop the public going to the toilet in the street to stop infection and disease. In Roman times there idea was that prevention was better than cure. but the main reason was that they thought that a bad smell meant that there was disease about and therefore they wanted to stop any bad smell this was also a reason why they built the Asclepions. They built these sacred medical buildings after a plague in 293bc. This is at least one of the similarities of the Greek and Roman medical knowledge. In AD 129-216 the new face of Roman medicine was arriving. Galen was a doctor from the age of 12; he had a very rich family. He met lots of important people and he was taught at the best medical school around in the great city of Alexandria on the mouth of the River Nile (Egypt) where he studied medicine for 10 years. Galen travelled around the Roman Empire finding out about new ideas and cures. He later returned back to his birthplace in Pergamum in 157AD to a job tending to the Gladiators and later in 161AD ha travelled to Rome to work on the Gladiators there. This is where Galen writes hid books about his cures and theories for illnesses. Galen then decides to dissect animals, as he wants to find out more about the human body. He cant cut up a human body, as that is illegal in the Roman Empire even for medical purposes! There was one problem with this method and that was that he thought the animals he was dissecting and looking at their bones were the same as human bones and so he wrote wrong information in his books i. e. he realised that monkeys had 2 jaw bones and so he wrote that humans did as well, but as we well know they do not.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Corporate Governance and Company Performance Coursework

Corporate Governance and Company Performance - Coursework Example Whether corporate governance is good for a company is a question that needs critical considerations. This question is often answered by the situations in the marketplace in terms of the results of the companies that strictly follow corporate governance. Sometimes corporate governance can be injurious to the organization. Sometimes the company may miss opportunities because of some aspects of corporate governance leading to costly liabilities. For this reason, as good as corporate governance is, sometimes it is good to leave the directors at liberty to decide on some issues away from the stringent corporate governance requirements. When such decisions are made, the directors should be given an opportunity for explaining the rationality of their decisions and justify the outcomes of such decisions. Due care is for this reason of the essence taking into consideration the probable impact of certain decisions not consistent with corporate governance on the shareholders. Such decisions cou ld lead to resentment from the shareholders making them flee in case of undesirable outcomes of decisions inconsistent with corporate governance. However, when such decisions lead to satisfaction within the company stockholders, they would be for the betterment of the organization and value for stockholder's investments.Highlights of Corporate Governance Benefits against Company PerformanceCrook says that significant implications for the growth and development of an organization are attributable to corporate governance.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Interior design - university case study Assignment

Interior design - university case study - Assignment Example ful forces for the effectiveness of school and universities; however this belief must be justified by empirical evidence for its better implementation at practical level. The University of Minnesota is also trying hard to adopt technologies and techniques that will help them improve student learning in the classroom environment. The management and the professors at the University of Minnesota thinks that it is not the laptops, projects or tablets which are considered important for the classroom environment. But it is the swivel chair that contributes towards the effective learning of the students. Research support the fact that the instructors should have students switch and change in a fluid moment rather than make them clunking around and trying to get them into different situations. The researchers at the global education environment think that the role of the teacher should be more of a coach rather than just focusing on the delivery of information which may not even be effectively interpreted by the students. The classrooms at the University of Minnesota are more intentionally designed that positively correlates to the student engagement which helps in improving the rate of student success. When students at the University of Minnesota were questioned about the swiveling chairs and connectable tables, almost 72 percent of the students said that the changes in the interior of the classroom increased the level of concentration and their engagement in classrooms. They also agreed to the fact that changing the interior of the classroom and including more swiveling chairs and connectable tables will help the students to achieve higher grades. After observing the effectiveness of swiveling chairs and connectable tables the University of Minnesota is planning to renovate more classrooms and also the lecture halls for the fall semester. Beside the interior of the class, leadership is also considered to be a powerful force for the effectiveness of student learning.

Monday, January 27, 2020

Criminological Theories of Terrorism

Criminological Theories of Terrorism ORIGIN Terrorism has occurred throughout history for a variety of reasons. Its causes can be historical, cultural, political, social, psychological, economic, or religious-or any combination of these. Some countries have proven to be particularly susceptible to terrorism at certain times, as Italy and West Germany were during the 1970s. Terrorist violence escalated precipitously in those two countries for a decade before declining equally dramatically. Other countries, such as Canada and The Netherlands, have proven to be more resistant, and have experienced only a few isolated terrorist incidents. In general, democratic countries have provided more fertile ground for terrorism because of the open nature of their societies. In such societies citizens have fundamental rights, civil liberties are legally protected, and government control and constant surveillance of its citizens and their activities is absent. By the same token, repressive societies, in which the government closely monitors citizens and restricts their speech and movement, have often provided more difficult environments for terrorists. But even police states have not been immune to terrorism, despite limiting civil liberties and forbidding free speech and rights of assembly. Examples include Russia under tsarist rule and the Communist-ruled Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, as well as the Peoples Republic of China, Myanmar, and Laos. In broad terms the causes that have commonly compelled people to engage in terrorism are grievances borne of political oppression, cultural domination, economic exploitation, ethn ic discrimination, and religious persecution. Perceived inequities in the distribution of wealth and political power have led some terrorists to attempt to overthrow democratically elected governments. To achieve a fairer society, they would replace these governments with socialist or communist regimes. Left-wing terrorist groups of the 1960s and 1970s with such aims included Germanys Baader-Meinhof Gang, Italys Red Brigades, and the Weather Underground in the United States. Other terrorists have sought to fulfill some mission that they believe to be divinely inspired or millennialist (related to the end of the world). The Japanese religious cult Aum Shinrikyo, responsible for a nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995 that killed 12 people, falls into this category. Still other terrorists have embraced comparatively more defined and comprehensible goals such as the re-establishment of a national homeland (for example, Basque separatists in Spain) or the unification of a divided nation (Irish nationalists in Northern Ireland). Finally, some terrorists are motivated by very specific issues, such as opposition to legalized abortion or nuclear energy, or the championing of environmental concerns and animal rights. They hope to pressure both the public and its representatives in government to enact legislation directly reflecting their particular concern. Militant animal rights activists, for example, have used violence against scientists and laboratory technicians in their campaign to halt medical experimentation involving animals. Radical environmentalists have sabotaged logging operations and the construction of power grids to protest the spoiling of natural wilderness areas. Extremists who oppose legalized abortion in the United States have attacked clinics and murdered doctors and other employees in hopes of denying women the right to abortion. Â  [2]Â   More than 2, 000 years ago the first known acts of what we now call terrorism were perpetrated by a radical offshoot of the Zealots, a Jewish sect active in Judea during the 1st century ad. The Zealots resisted the Roman Empires rule of what is today Israel through a determined campaign primarily involving assassination. Zealot fighters used the sica, a primitive dagger, to attack their enemies in broad daylight, often in crowded market places or on feast days-essentially wherever there were people to witness the violence. Thus, like modern terrorists, the Zealots intended their actions to communicate a message to a wider target audience: in this instance, the Roman occupation forces and any Jews who sympathized or collaborated with the invaders. Between 1090 and 1272 an Islamic movement known as the Assassins used similar tactics in their struggle against the Christian Crusaders who had invaded what is today part of Syria. The Assassins embraced the same notions of self-sacrifice an d suicidal martyrdom evident in some Islamic terrorist groups today. They regarded violence as a sacramental or divine act that ensured its perpetrators would ascend to a glorious heaven should they perish during the task. Â  [3]Â   THEORIES OF TERRORISM THE POLITICAL THEORY OF ANARCHISM AS A THEORY OF TERRORISM Terrorism is most definitely not a form of governance, but anarchism is. Most anarchists reject terrorism in its vanguard varieties (for nationalist or religious purposes), but in a theoretical sense, anarchism justifies terrorism as a form of criminal action that attacks the values of an organized, complacent society. Anarchism is a theory of governance that rejects any form of central or external authority, preferring instead to replace it with alternative forms of organization such as shaming rituals for deviants, mutual assistance pacts between citizens, syndicalism (any non-authoritarian organizational structure that gives the greatest freedom to workers), iconoclasm (the destruction of cherished beliefs), libertarianism (a belief in absolute liberty), and plain old rugged individualism. Anarchism is often referred to as the nineteenth century roots of terrorism, the term first being introduced in 1840 by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. Anarchism definedis the rejection of the state, of any form of coercive government, of any form of domination and exploitation. It is the notion of free and equal access to all the worlds resources to enable positive freedom (freedom to) in place of negative freedom (freedom from, or the basis of most constitutional rights). THE POLITICAL THEORY OF FASCISM AS A THEORY OF TERRORISM Fascism is the one form of government with the most disagreement about a definition for it. The word comes from the Latin fasces which means to use power to scare or impress people. It generally refers to the consolidation of all economic and political power into some form of super-patriotism that is devoted to genocide or endless war with ones enemies. Benito Mussolini, who practically invented the term in 1922, said it is the merger of state and corporate power. Mussolinis version of fascism was based on the idea of an indomitable power and an attempt to resurrect imperial Rome. Adolf Hitler said fascism is the clever and constant application of propaganda so that people can be made to see paradise as hell, and the other way around. Hitlers brand of fascism drew upon philosophical reflections by Hegel, Nietzsche, and Spengler, and also drew upon Nordic folk romance from Wagner to Tacitus. Japanese fascism involved racism, fanaticism, historical destiny, and a mixture of Bushido, Ze n and Shinto Buddhism, emperor worship, and past samurai legends. THE PHILOSOPHICAL THEORY OF RELIGION AS A THEORY OF TERRORISM More than one criminologist has pointed out that the disciplines of theology, religion, and philosophy have had important things to say about terrorism (Stitt 2003; Kraemer 2004). It is also a fact that about a quarter of all terrorist groups and about half of the most dangerous ones on earth are primarily motivated by religious concerns (Hoffman 1993). They believe that God not only approves of their action, but that God demands their action. Their cause is sacred, and consists of a combined sense of hope for the future and vengeance for the past. Of these two components, the backward-looking desire for vengeance may be the more important trigger for terrorism because the forward-looking component (calledapocalyptic thinking, or eschatology) produces wild-eyed fanatics who are more a danger to themselves and their own people. The trick to successful use of terrorism in the name of religion rests upon convincing believers or convertees that aneglected dutyexists in the fundamental, m ainstream part of the religion. Religious terrorism is therefore, NOT about extremism, fanaticism, sects, or cults, but is instead all about a fundamentalist or militant interpretation of the basic tenets. Evil is often defined as malignant narcissism from a theological point of view, and religion easily serves as moral cover for self-centred terrorists and psychopaths (Stitt 2003). Religion has always absorbed or absolved evil and guilt in what is called theodicy, or the study of how the existence of evil can be reconciled with a good and benevolent God. Most religions theodicize evil away as either: (1) a test of faith; (2) a product of free will; (3) part of Gods plan; or (4) functional to let people learn right from wrong; and terrorists easily make use of these established theodicy or critiques of them (Kraemer 2004). THE ECONOMICS THEORY OF RATIONAL CHOICE AS A THEORY OF TERRORISM The discipline of economics has many concepts that are relevant to an understanding of terrorism supply and demand costs and benefits, etc. Fully-developed economic or econometric models of terrorism are quite rare, however, and often involve such things as psychic costs and benefits (Nyatepe-Coo 2004). More down-to-earth economic theories can be found in the literature ondeterrence. Rational choice theory, in particular, has found a place in criminology, and holds that people will engage in crime after weighing the costs and benefits of their actions to arrive at a rational choice about motivation after perceiving that the chances of gain outweigh any possible punishment or loss. THE GLOBALIZATION THEORY OF TERRORISM Nassar (2004) has probably written the most interesting piece on globalization theory as it relates to terrorism, and although his ideas are fairly critical of the U. S. for exporting nightmares as well as dreams, he does provide a robust introduction to the complex topic of globalization. Globalization contributes to dreams, fantasies, and rising expectations, but at the same time, it leads to dashed hopes, broken dreams, and unfulfilled achievements. Terrorism breeds in the gap between expectations and achievements. The thinking is very similar to strain theory in criminology or the rising expectations theory of prison riots, and about the only thing unique about globalization theory is that it adds a rich-poor dichotomy. Rich people (or nations) are seen as wanting power and wealth, and poor people (or nations) are seen as wanting justice. From this perspective, then, rich people are part of the causal factor or root cause of terrorism, since they contribute to the conditions whic h give rise to it. Perpetrators of terrorism (always treated as an ill-defined concept in globalization theory) are never seen as born or raised with any specific predispositions toward it. In brief, globalization theory holds that if the oppressed and disgruntled poor people of the world were simply given the chance to find peaceful means for achieving justice, terrorism would not thrive. SOCIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES OF TERRORISM Modern sociological perspectives are primarily concerned with the social construction of fear or panic, and how institutions and processes, especially the media, primary and secondary groups, maintain that expression of fear. Labeling theory in criminology, for example, is a social constructionist viewpoint that, in my opinion, goes about reconnecting consequences with causes in a way that is less systematic than the way functionalists did it a long time ago. Some societies become softer targets after terrorism (especially after short-term target hardening), and other societies become stronger in the long term. It depends upon interaction patterns, and stabilities and interpenetrations among the structural subsystems (economy, polity, religion, law). PSYCHIATRIC THEORIES OF MENTAL ILLNESS AS A THEORY OF TERRORISM The leading exponent of the terrorist-as-mentally-ill approach is Jerrold Post (1984; 1990), who has gone on record saying that the most dangerous terrorist is likely to be a religious terrorist, and that all terrorists suffer from negative childhood experiences and a damaged sense of self. His analysis of the terrorist mindset (a word that substitutes for terrorist personality, and technically means a fixed mental attitude or inclination) draws upon a view of mental illness that compels, or forces, people to commit horrible acts. It should be noted that we know from criminal justice that this is not the only possible view on mental illness. More crazy people come into contact with the law through sheer folly and foolishness than a compulsion their mental illness made them have. Post (1990) makes a somewhat neo-Freudian distinction between terrorists who desire to destroy the nation, or world, of their fathers and those who desire to carry on the mission, or world, of their fathers. BIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF TERRORISM David Hubbard (1983) was one of the first biological researchers of terrorism, and his line of work is similar to the familiar cycle of violence hypothesis in criminal justice. In this view, people who commit repetitive and cyclical acts of violence (which would include wife beaters, rapists, and serial killers) are driven by hormonal or neurochemical fluctuations in their body or brain chemistry. Three compounds, in particular, have been singled out as having abnormal levels among terrorists: norepinephrine, acetylcholine, and endorphins. Of these, norepinephrineis suspected as being the most influential, as it is associated with the so-calledflight or fight mechanismin human biology. The theory of fight or flight was developed by W. B. Cannon back in 1929, and refers to a state of arousal under stress in which the heart, lungs, and muscle operate more efficiently. As it applies to terrorism (and crime), the behavioral requirements of such activities (fighting exhilaration before an event, and fleeing manipulation of audience after an event) produce a syndrome of physiological need for arousal at fairly regular intervals. Motives for terrorism appear to be quite stable when the biological viewpoint is taken, and it is possible to link a variety of aspects in the typical terrorist profile with biological factors. TRADITIONAL CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES APPLIED TO TERRORISM Its not easy applying traditional criminological theories to terrorism. Most of these theories were designed to explain ordinary street crime like robbery or burglary, and have a certain hardiness to their perspectives which makes them difficult to extend. Ruggiero (2005) is typical of those who have attempted to apply such theories or suggest various extensions, starting with Durkheims functionalism by asking whether Durkheim would see terrorism as part of the normality of crime or as part of a clearly unacceptable, dysfunctional form of crime. On the one hand, Durkheim said that all crime serves positive functions (of innovation and evolution), but on the other hand, the organic metaphor that Durkheim used seems to suggest that some forms of crime only cause disintegration and are cancerous. The Chicago school of disorganization in criminology would presumably focus on the distinctiveness of different social worlds between terrorists and non-terrorists, analyzing the communication blockages, for example. Strain theorists would likely argue that terrorism is inevitable as a manifestation of the broken promise that everybody can rise from rags to riches, and study the adaptation Merton described as rebellion. Learning theorists would likely emphasize the importance of role models or the techniques of neutralization involved along with the drift into a terrorist lifestyle. Labeling theorists would probably say, cynically but truly, that terrorism is what the other person does. Control theorists would likely focus on terrorists being unattached, unloved, uncommitted to education or business, uninvolved in conventional tasks, and having their hands idle so time becomes the devils playground for them. Conflict theorists would probably focus on the presence or absence of associations that provide room for collective action and permanent confrontation, although more radical versions of conflict theory might glamorize terrorism as proto-revolutionary action. Integrat ed theories would likely focus on the influences of aggressive proneness, provocation, and the support of third parties. THEORIES UNIQUE TO DOMESTIC TERRORISM Freilich (2003) does a good job of reviewing the theories in this category, a relatively small area of research which tends to be studied within a field called the sociology of social movements. There are three groups of theories. The first is called economic/social integration theory, and it holds that high concentrations of farming, economic depression, and social disorganization are all related to high levels of domestic terrorist activity, militia movements in particular. In some varieties, it tends to be a kind of farm crisis or agrarian reform theory frequently used by those who study the Latin American context. The second theory is called resource mobilization theory, and it suggests that states which are more prosperous and socially integrated would tend to develop more domestic terrorist activity, on the basis that group competition for power and resources becomes intense. The third group of theories are called cultural theories, and propose that states experiencing greater cultural diversity and female empowerment along with increasing paramilitarism are likely to develop greater levels of domestic terrorist activity. In terms of research findings, more empirical support seems to exist for the third set of theories (at least according to Freilich 2003), although resource mobilization theory tends to dominate the theoretical literature. Also in general, there is more empirical support for the idea that domestic terrorism more often plagues richer and affluent nations than poor ones. Â  [4]Â  

Sunday, January 19, 2020

You Are What You Eat

Lauren McFall Mr. Gossett English 10H-4 March 17, 2008 You are What You Eat Throughout the past twenty years, obesity in the United States has drastically increased. Currently, one-hundred and seventeen billion people in the United States are obese. Out of those people, three-hundred thousand people die each year because of complications due to being over-weight. One out of every four children in the average school in the United States is over-weight. In an effort to combat this growing obesity epidemic, concerned members of the school community have petitioned the GRCSS School Board, recommending that high-calorie beverages in school vending machines and high-fat-content food items currently available from the hot-lunch menu be replaced by more healthful alternatives. Admittedly, one concern is that many schools have a hard time budgeting this kind of substitution. Healthful foods are currently more expensive for schools to provide, and also, schools worry that children who are addicted to eating their high-fat junk food will not buy healthful foods if they substitute them, decreasing income used for extra-curricular activities, sports, clubs and more. It is also true, of course, that some students will instead, bring in their own junk-food and high-calorie beverages from home. These concerns for altering the hot-lunch menu are genuine. However, if high-calorie beverages and foods in schools are replaced with more healthful alternatives, some children will establish more healthful eating habits at young ages, and carry that over with them into adult-hood. Schools that have made the switch have said, â€Å"It’s not true that children will only eat junk, they just need healthier choices. And granted the school may suffer financially, a school free of vending machines and fast food in the cafeteria values the well-being of their students. Another reason this switch could be beneficial is because research has shown that the high sugars in soda can be linked to hyperactivity, anxiety and difficulty concentrating. Children who eat junk food and drink regular soda are not getting essential vitamins and nutrients, decreasing the efficiency and effectiveness of their education in the classroom. Those students who take in their daily amounts of fruits and vegetables, and eat overall healthier meals, will feel better and have greater intentness in the classroom. Clearly, then, it is in the best interest of the students of schools that high-calorie beverages in vending machines and high-fat-content food be eliminated from hot-lunch menus. Not only will it establish more healthful eating habits in young-adults, but it will hopefully also limit the sickening statistics of obesity in our country. You Are What You Eat Lauren McFall Mr. Gossett English 10H-4 March 17, 2008 You are What You Eat Throughout the past twenty years, obesity in the United States has drastically increased. Currently, one-hundred and seventeen billion people in the United States are obese. Out of those people, three-hundred thousand people die each year because of complications due to being over-weight. One out of every four children in the average school in the United States is over-weight. In an effort to combat this growing obesity epidemic, concerned members of the school community have petitioned the GRCSS School Board, recommending that high-calorie beverages in school vending machines and high-fat-content food items currently available from the hot-lunch menu be replaced by more healthful alternatives. Admittedly, one concern is that many schools have a hard time budgeting this kind of substitution. Healthful foods are currently more expensive for schools to provide, and also, schools worry that children who are addicted to eating their high-fat junk food will not buy healthful foods if they substitute them, decreasing income used for extra-curricular activities, sports, clubs and more. It is also true, of course, that some students will instead, bring in their own junk-food and high-calorie beverages from home. These concerns for altering the hot-lunch menu are genuine. However, if high-calorie beverages and foods in schools are replaced with more healthful alternatives, some children will establish more healthful eating habits at young ages, and carry that over with them into adult-hood. Schools that have made the switch have said, â€Å"It’s not true that children will only eat junk, they just need healthier choices. And granted the school may suffer financially, a school free of vending machines and fast food in the cafeteria values the well-being of their students. Another reason this switch could be beneficial is because research has shown that the high sugars in soda can be linked to hyperactivity, anxiety and difficulty concentrating. Children who eat junk food and drink regular soda are not getting essential vitamins and nutrients, decreasing the efficiency and effectiveness of their education in the classroom. Those students who take in their daily amounts of fruits and vegetables, and eat overall healthier meals, will feel better and have greater intentness in the classroom. Clearly, then, it is in the best interest of the students of schools that high-calorie beverages in vending machines and high-fat-content food be eliminated from hot-lunch menus. Not only will it establish more healthful eating habits in young-adults, but it will hopefully also limit the sickening statistics of obesity in our country.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

A View of Strategic Hrm in a New Zealand Corporate

| Strategic HRM It’s More Than Just a Policy| A view of Strategic HRM in a New Zealand Corporate| | Glenn Duncan – 0705186| 11/8/2011| | *NB: Something, Something Else, Something Else 2, Outside, Thingy, Doublecheck and Hirethem are all pseudonyms. Executive Summary: In this paper I aim to highlight the importance of ensuring that all aspects of the Strategic HRM policy of an organisation are functioning. This will enable the organisation to gain the maximum benefit from its investment in HRM and the resulting motivated and engaged employees. Job satisfaction is related to goal efficacy, management support, performance appraisal review, rewards, organisatioanl facilitation and clarity of goals; (Lee C, 1991). To be effective in any Strategic HRM policy an organisation not only has to â€Å"Talk the Talk’ they have to ensure they â€Å"Walk the Walk† right down to the perceived lowest levels of the corporate ladder. The corporate I was employed at generally had a very good Strategic HRM system; unfortunately there were issues with its execution in some parts of the business. I will highlight three areas in my experience as a line manager where the division I was in was less than adequate at â€Å"Walking the Walk†, and the effect I felt this had on my team’s performance in the key areas of goal setting, performance management and personal development. Poor planning, ineffective goal setting, a dysfunctional reporting system and lack of cohesion in line management and HR and impersonal development are major roadblocks to the success in achieving the HRM goals of an organisation. My findings were that to ensure a HRM plan is effective an organisation has to ensure that it has sufficient suitably skilled and resourced HR experts and line managers, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and timely (SMART) goals, supported by a reporting system that is both robust and accurate. Just having a Strategic HRM policy in place doesn’t give you the strategic advantage an organisation needs to compete in today’s markets, ensuring that it is effective from the boardroom down to the lowest rung on the corporate ladder does. Introduction: Something * is a fully owned subsidiary of the Something Else* under Something Else 2*, the consumer brands arm of the corporate, based in Melbourne Australia. Something* is a strong market leader and operates in the competitive Thingy* market in New Zealand. The department within Something* this paper will focus on is the Field Sales Team in the Outside *department. The Other* department markets nothing products to any retail or foodservice outlet that is not a supermarket. Other* channel contributes 20% of the volume, but over 50% of the gross margin. Something Else* as a corporate organisation operates what would be considered a world leading Strategic Human Resource Management policies and practices. This is evidenced by the inclusion of a board sub- committee whom assist the Board in fulfilling its corporate governance responsibilities in relation to the recruitment, retention, remuneration policies and to promote a safe and healthy working environment. Something Else* overall corporate strategy is developed by the Executive Committee, an eight member team from various disciplines lead by the CEO. The executive committee includes the Group Director Human Resources whose role includes responsibility for Something else*16,800 (Full Time Equivalent) staff worldwide with a focus on recruitment, reward strategy, capability management, organisational development, health and safety, training and employee relations. Fonterra seeks feedback from its employees through regular engagement surveys and forming various committees to ensure employee considerations are taken into account on numerous different levels. Something Else* factory workers in generally under collective agreements. Something Else’s* salaried staff are on individual employment contracts, and are performance managed using an HR framework known as Doublecheck*. This framework drives performance, development, succession, talent management and recruitment processes. It incorporates Something Else’s* performance objectives and values and links through to remuneration. The outcomes of Doublecheck*are designed to create opportunities for Something Else’s* people to develop both as individuals and in their careers. Something Else* outsources some of its HR functions including recruitment of salaried staff to organisations such as Hirethem*. The performance management quarterly reviews are focused on Key Performance Indicators (goals) and a range of competencies based on the organisations values: * Co-operative Spirit * Do What’s Right * Challenge Boundaries * Make it happen Something *employs the same HR format as its parent company. The GM of Human Resources is a valued member of the Senior Leadership Team which takes input from Something Else* corporate and various departments to decide the both the financial and strategic goals of the company. The HR team consists of a General Manger, HR Manager, and two HR Advisors. Payroll and Recruitment search are outsourced. Something*uses Something Elses’s* Doublecheck framework to performance manage and develop its salaried employees. Figure 1 – Reporting Structure – something* Ltd – Outside – Field Sales TeamFigure 2 – Something* Ltd – Strategic HRM System Whilst the intentions of the Something* HRM system are robust, the execution of some key elements of the HRM process are dysfunctional and fail to add value to the process. I will focus on three important factors of the HRM process: * Goal setting (KPI’s – Key Performance Indicators) * Performance Management (KPI progress at quarterly reviews) * Employee Personal Development I will present my argument using the HRM Performance casual chain, Source: Adapted from Purcell, J & Hutchinson S (2007). ‘Frontline managers as agents in the HRM Performance casual chain: theory, analysis and evidence† Human Resource Management Journal 17(1), p. 7. Which I feel shows the consequences of failing to execute HRM strategy logically. Figure 3 – HRM Performance Casual Chain: Source: Adapted from Purcell, J & Hutchinson S (2007). ‘Frontline managers as agents in the HRM Performance casual chain: theory, analysis and evidence† Human Resource Management Journal 17(1), p. 7. Goal Setting: Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) At Something* Key Performance Indicators are set by senior managers using financial data and strategic initiatives from the annual business plan, passed down through the line managers for their respective department. These Key performance indicators will usually include core goals such sales volume / value, speed to market of new product launches, customer count. HR Practice Theory; Something* through the Doublecheck* framework was to set five to six SMART KPI’s and measure an employee’s participation in company activities against a set of competencies based on the Something Else* values. Progress against these were to be reviewed and feedback given / received at quarterly intervals. HR Practice Reality; Frequently the planning of the company was not complete in time for the start of the financial year, company goals were often to be achieved in a 10 month period rather than a 12 month period. This delay also had impact on other areas of planning which leads to a further delay in arrival of the tools the team required to achieve their goals. Goals were also derived from corporate strategy and had little relation to do with the Outside* market. Often in Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies the majority of the strategic focus goes on sales through the high volume supermarket (Key Account) or the Foodservice channel, there often was a lack of in depth understanding of any other channel. Whilst a good deal of this was outside of the overall HRM control, it greatly affected the results the team could achieve against their KPI’s and hence morale and the reputation of senior management. Employee Perception; Employees feel a disconnect from the setting of goals and become increasingly frustrated when poor management decisions and failing to meet timeframes impacts on their ability to meet KPI’s. At reviews employees often questioned the leadership team’s knowledge of the â€Å"out of Home† market the team operated in. â€Å"Knowing you are being judged on your performance but having to either chase unrealistic goals or mark time and wait can be sole destroying† Something*employee. Employee Motivation / Organisation Performance; Employees do their best to strive for goals however a sense of confusion over priorities and clarity results in a lack of motivation, end result is very rarely do KPI’s get achieved, performance reviews are filled with reasons why targets were not met (covering the backside). Performance Management: The Doublecheck* framework for a quarterly review consisted of an employee self-assessment of performance against KPI’s and competencies; this was sent to the line manager prior to the planned appointment. The line manager would compare the employees perceived performance figures against company top line figures. During the meeting the performance against KPI’s and competencies of the employee would be discussed and encouragement given or plans put in place to improve performance. HR Practice Theory; It is the intention of the company to provide accurate data around the employee’s performance relative to the actual market performance. This would lead to a positive conversation about achieving KPI’s and how to ensure this continues or alternatively a conversation about how to lift the employee’s performance to make up any short falls and obtain the goals set for the year. HR Practice Reality; Due to internal database issues quite often only top line data could be used, drilling down into data resulted in more questions than answers. The combination of inaccurate data and lack of clarity in the KPI’s resulted in a great deal of time spent at performance reviews comparing and or justifying data between what the company believed to be accurate and what the employee believed to be accurate. This caused unnecessary angst between both parties. . Employee Perception; Employees felt there was a double standard in the outputs of the company; employees were expected to strive for excellence in their output, as measured in the competencies, whereas the company was permitted to produce less than satisfactory reporting. Employees considered this to go against Fonterra’s value of â€Å"Make it Happen† which focuses on a climate for success, exceptional results, stepping up, take accountability, plan thoroughly, perseverance and celebrate success. The team expressed that they felt let down by the company in the pursuit of their personal and company’s goals. Employee Motivation / Organisation Performance; For the majority performance reviews become conversations over missed opportunities, time delays and excuses. Quite often segments are cut and paste from previous reviews. The process fails to motivate even the high performers. Employee Personal Development: Central to Something Else* HRM strategy is a desire is to attract, retain and develop people of the highest caliber, by believing that learning is an integral part of each employee’s role, learning and development especially when done on the job, dealing with real issues and challenges. It is stated that identification and accelerated development of key talent is critical to Something Elses*success. HR Policy Theory; The Doublecheck*system has a segment where an employee discusses their career aspirations with the line manager with input from HR and agree a realistic career goal. Line managers then work with the employee and the HR team to map out a pathway of development allowing the employee to reach these goals over time. This pathway was to include training, coaching and mentoring. HR practice Reality; Something*under direction from Something Esle2* purchased a generic set of sales courses intended over time to develop a high performance sales team. Unfortunately this generic course was very â€Å"key Account â€Å"focused and again had little relation to the Outside* market. This action took out of play the HR department’s allocated budget intended for personal development towards career goals for each team member. Employee Perception; Members of the team generally felt that they were being disadvantaged by being sent of generic courses they felt did not improve their skill base, knowledge or chance of advancement in Fonterra as a whole. They felt they were being treated as a herd instead of individuals. Training was catering for the lowest common denominator and did not challenge the high performers. Employee Motivation / Organisation Performance; If employees, especially the high performers (who can be high maintenance due to their driven nature), perceive they are not being rewarded by development / progression they ask why should my performance be better than another employee if there is nothing in it for me. Overall result is a decline in motivation across the board. The Role of the Line Managers: Line Managers are tasked with the role of executing a great deal of the HRM policies for Something*, yet generally speaking, the amount of training given to line managers on the intricacies of HRM is minimal. Employees are greatly influenced by the HRM practices they experience of line managers, these can be both positive and negative, a good manager can make poor HR policies work whereas good HR practices can be negated by poor line manager people management or leadership skills. (Hutchinson, 2007) The relationship between employees and Line Management is important in in? encing the employees’ views of the support received or available from the organisation as a whole, both at the functional transactional level and in the corporate climate, this often determines the attitude towards organisational commitment and outlook towards the job. (Hutchinson, 2007) Conclusion: It is considered that SomethingElses* overall HR strategy is very robust and the corporate intention is to run a world class Strategic HRM system. At Something* I believe that the overall strategy is not achieving its goals. This was generally caused by a lack of cohesion between various departments which in turn lead to delays in the planning processes. The delays in the planning process ultimately affected the ability of all employees to meet their KPI’s causing stress and friction between competing employees. At times, it appeared that some senior managers were primarily focused on obtaining their own KPI’s, often to the detriment of the overall company goals. At Something* the HR personnel ratio to employees of approximately 100/1 (excluding the GM HR who was generally focused on strategy) caused issues. HR team members were not able to spend sufficient time with the line managers in discussions / planning around employees. When time was spent with the HR team it was generally pressured and not of great quality. There was also a lack of a cohesive approach by HR and line managers to the review and performance management process, each Line Manager generally went about the process the best way they knew how, hoping they were following the correct procedure and delivering the same message. It is argued that perhaps line managers should not be heavily involved in the HRM process as studies have shown in the undertaking of performance appraisals, management implementation was usually irregular within organisations and that the actual practice was also subject to significant variations of quality (McGovern P) and to further evidence to this argument were the findings: also to be taken into account is the short-term nature of managerial activity which leads to a tendency to put a greater priority on the achievement of the budget numbers, rather than the achievement of objectives through the team. McGovern P). My argument is who better than to review an employee’s performance than the Line Manager who on a daily basis has to work closely with the employee, a HR person jumping in from time to time unaware of the daily challenges would not gain the same insight as a Line Manager does. When discussing the issues around requiring accurate data for reporting on KPIâ€℠¢s and the angst this would cause with HR, a Line Manager would get the distinct impression that the HR advisor did not completely understand the numbers or jargon being used. (Brown, 2001) writes: Ann Boswall, vice-president of human resources and one of six members of top management team at Imperial Tobacco in Montreal, adds, â€Å"It is absolutely essential for HR to do a better job of learning about the business outside of their own department†. With regards to personal development, sending experienced sales teams on generic courses is a tick box exercise; according to the verbal feedback I received, if a post course survey was carried out the over whelming response would have been that no real learning experience has taken place. (T Short, 2010) writes: The failure to evaluate learning events and show positive business results was clearly linked to an undervaluing of training and development investment among senior managers. Recommendations: Ensure the corporate planning process has sufficient time allowed to achieve its goal of presenting a business plan that is able to be executed for the full twelve months of the financial year. This would take a great deal of pressure off the business as a whole. Setting SMART goals that give clarity of direction to the wider team and are specific to each departments channel not generic companywide goals. Even in a company with a goal-setting procedure that had been in use for over ten years, content-related problems with goals (such as lacking goal clarity or conflicting goals) were key predictors of goal commitment and job satisfaction. (Bipp, 2011) The HR department has to be resourced such to permit the Strategic HRM plan to be implemented from the top down. Not having the resources to penetrate and spend time where it counts most left the HR team performing mainly transactional duties such as recruitment and disciplinary activities. Green, 2002) writes: For over a decade, HR leaders have been striving to become business partners. They want to have a strategic impact on their organizations; however, many are struggling to make this transition. The primary reason for lack of progress in this endeavor is that HR analysts, the staff who carry out this mission, are still trained and reinforced in the traditional, transactional mindset. In order for the entire HR department to be consi dered strategic in nature, the HR analyst must learn critical consultative skills. p. 111) To counter this a 2004 Cranet survey indicated that people responsible for HRM activities have a growing proportion of members educated in business related studies, 43% in New Zealand from a business studies background. (E Rasmussen, 2010). Training of both the HR team to understand requirements of each department they deal with and equally training Line Managers in people management skills would help with alignment of HR Personnel and line managers in their duties within the HRM framework. This activity would go a long way to improving the overall performance of the HRM framework and the job satisfaction of employees within Something*. (Hutchinson, 2007) writes: It is often observed that there is a gap between what is formally required in HR policy and what is actually delivered by FLMs. The way FLMs undertake their HR duties of selecting, appraising, developing, communicating, involving, etc. , is inextricably linked to a wider set of what are increasingly called leadership behaviours, which aim to in? ence employee attitudes and behaviour and give direction. These two aspects of FLMs’ roles can be brought together in the term ‘people management. Implementing the above as a bare minimum would greatly improve the overall performance and moral of the Outside* sales team at Something*. Literature Sources: 1) http://www. SomethingElse*. com 2) http://www. something*. co. nz 3) http://scholar. google. co. nz. ezproxy. aut. ac. nz/ 4) http://search. proquest. c om. ezproxy. aut. ac. nz 5) http://web. ebscohost. om. ezproxy. aut. ac. nz References: Bipp, T. (2011). Goal-Setting in practice. Personell review, 40(3), 318. Brown, D. (2001). HR's role in business strategy: still a lot of work to be done. Canadian HR Reporter, 14 (9), 20. E Rasmussen, T. A. , N Hawort. (2010). Has the Strategic Role and Professional Status of Human Resource Management peaked in New Zealand. Journal of industrial relations, 52, 103 -118. Green, M. E. (2002). Internal human resources consulting: Why doesn't your staff get it? Public Personnel Management, 31(1), 111-119. Hutchinson, P. a. ( 2007). Front-line managers as agents in the HRM performance causal chain: . Human Resource Management Journa, 17(1), 3-20. Lee C, B. P. , Earley C, Lock E A. (1991). An Empirical Analysis of a Goal Setting Questionnaire. Journal of Organizational Behavior, Vol. 12( No. 6), pp. 467-482. McGovern P, H. -H. V. , Stiles P. Human resources management on the line? Human Resource Management Journal, 7(4). T Short, R. H. (2010). Challenges in aligning workplace learning with business goal. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 50(2), 381.