Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Data Collection Method

the researcher used Quantitative data collection methods. Using qualitative data collection method, it rely on random sampling and structured data collection instruments that fit diverse experiences into predetermined response categories. They produce results that are easy to summarize, compare, and generalize. Quantitative research is concerned with testing hypotheses derived from theory and/or being able to estimate the size of a phenomenon of interest. Depending on the research question, participants may be randomly assigned to different treatments.If this is not feasible, the researcher may collect data on participant and situational characteristics in order to statistically control for their influence on the dependent, or outcome, variable. If the intent is to generalize from the research participants to a larger population, the researcher will employ probability sampling to select participants. From this research, the researcher used questionnaires and surveying technique in co llecting data. In the surveying techniques, it involves direct questioning of respondents about price.The researcher can choose whether to present the respondent with a range of possible prices, or force a response with no point of reference other than the concept and the question. While, for the questionnaires, researcher used the Web based questionnaire and structured questionnaire. By using web based questionnaire, it is the use of Internet based research. This would mean receiving an e-mail on which would click on an address that would take to a secure web-site to fill in a questionnaire. This type of research is often quicker and less detailed.People might be in a hurry to complete it and so might not give accurate responses. In this research ,researcher used of 2500 questionnaires mailed. While, for the Structured questionnaire, it is the structure of the individual questions requires respondents to qualify their price based on an implied assumption about quality. The structur e of the individual questions also was designed to capture consumers’ willingness to pay more for the five common wood products, given environmental certification.Respondents were given a non-certified price for each of the five products and asked to identify the price they were willing to pay for an environmentally certified product. DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES Researcher have analyzed their data using data analysis techniques. Data analysis techniques that stated in this research includes, factor analysis, correlation, ANOVA, Chi Square, and descriptive statistics. Factor analysis( maximum likelihood with varimax rotation) was conducted on 20 items. This resulted in a reduction to five underlying factors.The factors were subjected to scale testing with resulting Cronbach alpas ranging from 0. 62 ( involvement in Certification) to 0. 90(importance of Certification). Correlation analysis . Correlation analysis is used by the researcher to test the relationship between factored. All hypothesized relationships were found to be significant and all but one was found to be directionally as hypothesized. Price was found to be positively correlated to consumer willingness to pay for certified wood products, the inference being that consumers perceive incremental value in certified products.ANOVA . Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) is a data analytic technique based on the idea of comparing explained variance with unexplained variance, kind of like a comparison of the coefficient of determination with the coefficient of alienation. It uses a rather unique computational formula which involves squaring almost every column of numbers. ANOVA techniques was used to test the hypotheses of no difference between the cluster means in this research. Chi square.In this research, researcher used chi square. A technique designed for less than interval level data is chi-square and the most common forms of it are the chi-square test for contingency and the chi-square test for indepen dence. The chi-square test for contingency is interpreted as a strength of association measure, while the chi-square test for independence (which requires two samples) is a nonparametric test of significance that essentially rules out as much sampling error and chance as possible.In this research it used chi square for the purpose of compared consumer segments on selected demographic characteristics. The consumer segments compared on selected demographic characteristics includes democrat, and environmental group member. Descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistic used in this research to measures of central tendency of mean. Examples include descriptive analysis of age, gender, education level, income level, republican , political view, democrat and environmental group member.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Human Resource Management †Recruitment and Selection Essay

1. A report distinguishing between traditional personnel management and the new approach to human resource management, outlining their historical development. 2. The Human Resource department in TD Travel Group. Its role and purpose in the organization. Task 2 1. An analysis of the objectives and the process of human resource planning. 2. An evaluation of the systematic approach to recruitment for NIS Europe. 3. An investigation of the selection procedures used for NIS Europe and TD Travel Group. 3. Evaluation and Conclusion 4. Bibliography Task 1 TASK 2 AN ANALYSIS OF THE OBJECTIVES AND THE PROCESS OF HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING. Human resource planning is the task of assessing and anticipating the skill, knowledge and labour time requirements of the organisation and initiating action to fulfill those requirements. Human resource planning involves a strategy for the: * Recruitment * Retention * Utilisation * Improvement, and * Disposal of the human resources of a business. It needs to look at the following factors: * What are the skills and abilities of the current workforce? * What skills and abilities the organisation needs in the future? * Where can the organisation find its future supply of labour? * What are the future objectives of the business likely to be? * How will the business manage and obtain its human resources to meet these objectives? In order to plan Human Resources effectively a business has to undertake considerable research. Here is a table showing the things companies have consider when planning human resources: What is happening now? * Organisational Objectives * Analysis of staff numbers and age * Wage rates * Work loads * Key skills * Labour turnover * Absenteeism What do we expect to happen to the demand for products / services and therefore labour? * Changing technology * Sales forecasts * Market research * New product development * Managerial skills * Wage Rates * Union Agreements What do we expect labour supply to be like in the future? * Local unemployment / employment trends * Local skills and availability * Demographic changes * Legislation * Government training schemes * Quality of local education, housing and transport * Competition for workers All these issues raise questions, which the human resource plan should cover. The plan should include: * Organisation development * Training and management development * Recruitment, redundancy and redeployment * Appraisal and job evaluation * Promotion prospects Human Resource Planning (HRM) is a form of risk management. It involves realistically appraising the present and anticipating the future (as far as possible) in order to get the right people into the right jobs at the right time. This may seem simple at first, short of staff – hire some new staff, too many staff – make redundancies. Unfortunately its not that simple anymore and that is why human resource planning is necessary. Why Human Resource Planning is necessary: It is increasingly important to look beyond the present and short-term future to be able to prepare for contingencies. This will help to exercise control over as many variables as possible, which influence the success and failure of a business. For example, for highly skilled or specialised jobs, it will be more difficult to find replacement staff with the right skills quickly, therefore the need for new staff will have to be anticipated in advance to give enough time for extra training to be given without leaving the company short staffed and unable to provide an efficient service. For example, in the travel industry, reservation staff need to be fully trained on the computer reservation system (CRS) and have a full understanding of fares and ticketing, otherwise there would be a minimum of a six month training period, which would leave the business vulnerable and unable to provide good quality service Redundancies are not as easy to make anymore. It is a much slower more costly experience, not only in financial terms but also in loss of reputation as a secure employer. This in itself may make it harder to recruit labour when required. Rapid technological change is leading to a requirement for manpower, which is both more highly skilled and adaptable. Labour flexibility is a major issue, which means that the career and retraining potential of staff are at least as important as their actual qualifications and skills. They must be assessed in advance of requirements. In the selection process trainability is one of the most popular innovations of the HRM era of personnel management. The UK still suffers from particular skill shortages, despite high unemployment levels, for example nurses at Macclesfield Hospital, 20 nurses from the Philippines have had to be employed, as there was a shortage of suitably skilled staff in the UK. The scope and variety of markets, competition and labour resources are continually increased by political and economic moves such as the unification of Germany, the opening of Eastern Europe and continuing progress towards European Union. Computer technology has made available techniques which facilitate the monitoring and planning of manpower over fairly long time spans: manipulation of manpower statistics, trend analysis, modeling and so on. THE PROCESS OF HRP There are three main factors in HRP: * Forecasting Demand * Forecasting Supply * Closing the gap between demand and supply FORCASTING DEMAND The Demand for labour must be forecast by considering several factors: The objectives of an organisation – Organisations will normally devise a strategic plan, which will set out its objectives. This will be the responsibility of the directors who will devise their plan after discussion with the most senior managers. In some cases the directors of companies may decide to change the strategy of the business completely. This could involve getting rid of the senior managers and replacing them with a new managerial team, which can put the new strategy into place more efficiently. This happened both at British Airways and at Tesco’s where it was decided that a complete change of image was needed to improve profits. Most of the top management were replaced and in both cases the strategy was successful. This sort of strategy will obviously affect the demand for labour in general and / or for particular skills. Manpower utilisation – how much labour will be required given the expected productivity or work rate of different types of employee’s and the expected volume of business activity. Productivity will depend on capital expenditure, technology, work organisation, employee motivation and skills, negotiated productivity deals and many other factors. The cost of Labour – including overtime, training and other incentives, and therefore what financial constraints there are on the organisations manpower levels. Environmental factors – trends in technology and markets that will require organisational change, because of threats or opportunities. The recession in the 90’s created conditions in which expectations of labour demand in the short term were low: downsizing of staffs and delayering of organisation structures were the trend. FORCASTING SUPPLY The available supply of labour will be forecast by considering the following factors: * The skill base, potential trainability and current and potential productivity level of the existing workforce * The structure of the existing workforce e.g. age distribution, skills, hours of work, rates of pay etc The likelihood of changes to the productivity, size and structure of the workforce, caused by, wastage (turnover by resignation and retirement), promotions and transfers, absenteeism and other staff movements; this will require information on: * The age structure of staff (forthcoming retirement or family start-up) * Labour turnover for a comparable period * Promotion potential and ambitions of staff Other causes of changes in productivity are employee trainability and motivation, which may increase productivity and flexibility. Organisational, technological and cultural changes are factors, which may affect employee productivity and loyalty. The present and potential future supplies of skilled labour in the environment – that is, the external labour market. The HR planner will have to assess and monitor factors such as: * Skill availability, locally, nationally and internationally (e.g. within the EU) * Changes to skill availability due to education and training initiatives (or lack of these) * Competitor activity which may absorb more or less of the available skill pool * Demographic changes – areas of population growth and decline, the proportion of younger / older people in the workforce in a particular region, the number of women in a workforce etc. * Wage and salary rates in the market for particular jobs CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN DEMAND AND SUPPLY A deficiency of labour may be met by: * Internal transfers and promotions, training and development * External recruitment or improvement to recruitment methods * Extension of temporary contracts, or contracts of those about to retire * Reducing labour turnover by reviewing possible causes (e.g. pay and benefits) and improving induction and socialisation * The use of freelance / temporary / agency staff * The development of flexible working methods and structures * Encouraging overtime working * Productivity bargaining to increase productivity * Automation (increasing productivity, and / or reducing the need for human labour) A surplus of labour may be met by: * Running down manning levels by natural / accelerated wastage * Restricting or freezing recruitment * Redundancies (voluntary and/or compulsory) * Early retirement incentives * A tougher stance on discipline, enabling more dismissals * Part time and short contract working, or job sharing * Eliminating overtime and peripheral workforce groups * Redeployment of staff to areas of labour shortage. This may necessitate diversification by the organisation, to find new work for the labour force, and/or plans for multi-skilling, so that the workforce can be flexibly deployed in areas of labour shortage as and when they emerge. There are also external constraints on HR planners when considering any of the above such as, UK legislation and EU directives, regulations and court rulings, the employer brand or reputation and other factors must be taken into account when planning to hire, ‘fire’ or alter working terms and conditions. Labour turnover is the number of employees leaving an organisation and being replaced. The rate of turnover is often expressed as the number of people leaving as a percentage of the average number of people employed, in a given period of time. The term natural wastage is used to describe a normal flow of people out of an organisation through retirement, career or job change, relocation etc. AN EVALUATION OF THE SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO RECRUITMENT AT NIS EUROPE. Recruitment is the phase, which immediately precedes selection. Its purpose is to pave the way for selection procedures by producing, ideally the smallest number of candidates who appear to be capable either of performing the required tasks of the job from the outset, or of developing the ability to do so within a period of time acceptable to the employing organisation. The main point that needs to be made about the recruitment task is that the employing organisation should not waste time and money examining the credentials of the people whose qualifications do not match the requirements of the job. A primary task of the recruitment phase is to help would-be applicants to decide whether they are likely to be suitable to fill the job vacancy. This is clearly in the interest of both the employing organisation and the applicants. The current approach to recruitment within NIS Europe works in six stages. Stage One – Determining the vacancies Human resources would confirm what resources are needed and determine as to whether or not they wanted to fill the vacancy. This very much depends on the aim and objectives of NIS Europe. Stage Two – Considering the sources internally and externally If appropriate they would advertise the vacancy internally, or think of possible transfers. HR within NIS always gives this very careful consideration and where possible favour’s this option first for the following reasons: – * Existing employees are know to the organisation and are generally familiar with its customs and practices * The cost and time that recruitment, selection and induction procedures consume can be significantly reduced * Internal recruitment may be used as a means of career development, widening opportunities and stimulating motivation amongst existing employees If the vacancy were not filled internally then they would look to external sources. Dependent on the vacancy this would be via one of the two main means: – * Through employment agencies – governmental, institutional and private commercial * Advertisements in newspapers and journals Stage Four -Preparing and publishing information NIS Europe feels that this aspect of the recruitment process requires very special attention and skill. It is their objective to publish information, which fulfils the following conditions: * It is succinct and yet gives a comprehensive and accurate description of the job and its requirements * It is likely to attract the attention of the maximum number of potentially suitable candidates * It gives a favourable image of the organisation in terms of efficiency and its attitude towards people * It does not contravene employment laws concerning sex and racial discrimination Along with the submission of curriculum vitae, NIS Europe standard procedure is for each applicant to submit a NIS Europe application form. This falls in line with equal opportunities and allows NIS to obtain standard information about the applicant, that on a curriculum vita may be omitted. See appendix for job advert and application form. Stage Five – Processing and assessing applications When all the applicants have been received by the due date, the next task is to select those applicants who, on the evidence available, appear to be the most suitable as future employees of NIS Europe and therefore, worth the time and cost of further examination in the selection procedures. The screening process is based on the published requirements for the job. It involves a scrupulous study of the information provided by the applicants, a comparison of this information with the job requirements, and then a final decision as to whether to accept or reject the applicant at this stage. Stage Six – Notifying applicants Once the selection process from the applicants has taken place, the final step is to notify the chosen applicants of the arrangements for the selection procedures, and the rejected applicants that they have not been chosen. The letter to the successful applicants will have full details about the arrangements for the selection procedures, i.e. time and place. NIS Europe ensures that all letters informing applicants of the result of applications are sent as soon as possible. THE EVALUATION OF THE SYSTEMATIC APPROACH FOR NAVIGANT INTEGRATED SERVICES EUROPE Below is an evaluation of the recruitment procedure for Navigant Integrated Services (NIS). The aim of this evaluation is to determine whether NIS recruitment procedures succeed in getting a suitable person for the job advertised and at an acceptable cost. The methods for auditing the recruitment process follow these performance indicators: – Total numbers of applicants received: Dependent on the type of vacancy NIS Europe can expect to receive on average around a dozen applicants for an advertised job vacancy. They have recently advertised for an accounts co-ordinator and have received over 30 applicants. They have admitted by not stating the salary this has interested applications, covering a wide range of experience, or in some cases very little experience. Time taken to locate applicants: Most vacancies within NIS are usually filled within one month of the advert being placed. Cost per applicant: NIS calculates à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1000.00 per applicant, including the initial training. Time taken to process applications: NIS normally processes their applications within one week. Number of female /minority/ disabled applicants: NIS does not meet this indicator. They predominantly employ females; they have one minority employee and no disabled employees. When this was discussed with our HR department they advised this was nothing discriminate. The travel industry is known as being a female dominated environment and there have never been any disabled applicants at NIS. If there were any disabled or other minority applicants, they would go through the same process, as other applicants and no preferential treatment would be given. Number of qualified applicants: 90% of applicants are qualified for the job advertised. NIS biggest employment is of reservation staff for the travel industry. If they obtain a new account they will need to recruit fairly quickly, training is costly and time consuming so it is important that they stipulate qualified applicants only, at the advert stage, which is why they have a good success rate in finding candidates quickly for the vacancy advertised. Number of qualified female/minority/disabled applicants: About 70% of our applicants are female and qualified. NIS has very few minority or disabled applicants applying. Cost effectiveness of the recruitment methods: Dependent on the type of job will determine where NIS Europe advertises for staff. If they are looking for reservation agents they would normally get in touch with one of the industries recruitment agency’s. Most staff within the industry registers with the agencies. Many years ago jobs were advertised in industry papers the trend now leans towards recruitment agencies. Dependent on the level of salary the agencies take a percentage. For example on a salary of 17,000 they would take 10% of the gross salary. As the salary increases so does the percentage. Although working with an agency can work out costly, they do have a majority of the qualified personnel on their database and therefore gives NIS access to qualified personnel straight away. Monitoring the make-up of the workforce: NIS Europe workforce is split into the following departments and the make up of the workforce is as follows: – Reservations – within the Travel, Hotel & Conference reservations department, NIS employs 60 staff in this department, 10% of the workforce is male, 88.33% are female, none are disabled and only one staff member is a minority employee. * Sales and Marketing – NIS employs eight staff in this department, 37.5% of the workforce is male and 62.5% are female. None are disabled or minority employees. * Accounts – NIS employs four staff in the department, 25% are male and 75% are female. None are disabled or minority employees * HR – NIS employs two staff in this department, 100% are female. None are disabled or minority employees. * IT – NIS employs five staff in this department, 100% are male. None are disabled or minority employees. * Top line management – The top line management of NIS is made up of four. 25% is female and 75% are male. None are disabled or minority. From the above information it is evident that there are three groups of employees that are underrepresented at NIS Europe, male, disabled and minority. Attitude Surveys: Once you under taken employment with NIS Europe, they do not require you to fill in an attitude survey asking you if you were satisfied with the stages of recruitment and selection process. AN INVESTIGATION OF THE SELECTION PROCEDURES USED AT NIS EUROPE AND TD TRAVEL GROUP. Selection is the part of the employee resourcing process, which follows on from recruitment. It essentially involves the identifying of the most suitable of the potential employees attracted to the organisation by recruitment efforts. The crucial importance of selecting people who can meet the requirements described in the job description and person specification hardly need to be stressed. It is equally evident that mistakes in selection can have very serious consequences for corporate effectiveness. Such mistakes may adversely affect colleagues, subordinates and clients. Employee incompetence may lead to costly mistakes, loss and waste of valuable resources, accidents and avoidable expenditure on training. Employee selectors face an inevitable dilemma. They have to carry out a vitally important task, but one that at the same time is fraught with problems to which there are either no answers or no easy answers. The abiding problem is the dependence on subjective human judgment. We must take into consideration, that fallible human beings devise so-called objective lists. For example some person specifications require certain attitudes and attributes, such as conscientious or able to stand pressure, how can the selectors identify these requirements in a person whom they do not know during the short acquaintance of the selection process. In view of the importance and difficulties of the task, employers need to take selection most seriously. Appropriate investment at this stage can and will be cost-effective if it avoids the possibly enormous and incalculable cost that faulty employee selection may produce. For example, NIS Europe recently employed an operations manager through a recruitment agency, within six weeks of employment it was evident to NIS that he was not capable of the job he had been employed to do. Therefore NIS had to terminate his employment at a cost to the company of approximately à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8,000. Other errors of the selection process could include lack of skill or experience of interviewers, stereotyping by the interviewer in the absence of more detailed information and incorrect assessment of qualitative factors such as motivation, honesty or integrity. Various selection methods are used to try to reduce the risks by gathering as much relevant information about the candidate as possible. Currently NIS Europe is working with UMIST on a competencies project where NIS is contacting their client base to investigate in terms of service, what their expectations of NIS Europe are. The information collated in turn will then be translated into competencies and then used in the selection process. Following on from our earlier systematic approach to recruitment is the systematic approach to selection Point five & six of the systematic approach to recruitment overlaps with the first & second point of the Systematic approach to selection. Stage One – Processing and assessing applications When all the applicants have been received by the due date, the next task is to select those applicants who, on the evidence available, appear to be the most suitable as future employees of NIS Europe and TD Travel Group and therefore, worth the time and cost of further examination in the selection procedures. The screening process is based on the published requirements for the job. It involves a scrupulous study of the information provided by the applicants, a comparison of this information with the job requirements, and then a final decision as to whether to accept or reject the applicant at this stage. Stage Two – Notifying applicants Once the selection process from the applicants has taken place, the final step is to notify the chosen applicants of the arrangements for the selection procedures, and the rejected applicants that they have not been chosen. The letter to the successful applicants will have full details about the arrangements for the selection procedures, i.e. time and place. NIS Europe ensures that all letters informing applicants of the result of applications are sent as soon as possible. TD Travel Group operates a very informal selection procedure. If the curriculum vitae are up to standard the applicant will be called for an interview, nothing will be advised on paper, arrangements are made on the telephone. If the curriculum vitae do not have the correct qualifications for the job it will be discarded straight away and no call to advise the applicant will be made. Stage Three – Possible interviewees â€Å"Possibles† will then be more closely scrutinised, and a short-list for interviews drawn up. Ideally this should be done by the HR specialist and the perspective manager of the successful candidate, who will have a more immediate knowledge of the type of person that will fit into the culture and activities of his department. In TD Travel Group’s case, John Owen (the operations Director) would be solely responsible for this stage, as there is no human resources department employed. At NIS Europe Barbara Sutton (Human Resources Director) and the line manager of the relevant department would be jointly responsible. Stage Four- Inviting candidates from the short list for interviews At this stage the company would require successful candidates to complete a standardised application form if not already submitted at the outset. NIS Europe standard procedure is for each applicant to submit a NIS Europe application form along with the curriculum vitae at the first stage for applying for the job. See appendix for application form. This falls in line with equal opportunities and allows NIS to obtain standard information about the applicant, that from a curriculum vita may be omitted. TD Travel Group have no standard information that is required and work off the submission of a curriculum vitae only. Stage five – Interview potentially qualified candidates. Since the interview is likely to continue to play a major role in the selection process, it seems sensible to adopt a realistic approach, which means making the best possible use of the interview. There are many different types of interview including: * One-to-one interviews – these are the most common selection method. They offer the advantages of direct face-to-face communication, and opportunity to establish rapport between the candidate and interviewer. Each has to give attention solely to the other and there is potentially a relaxed atmosphere, if the interviewer is willing to establish an informal style. * Panel Interviews – A panel may consist of two or three people who together interview a single candidate, most commonly, a personnel manager and the departmental manager who will have responsibility for the successful candidate. NIS Europe use the above forms of interview, however they also have other interviewing techniques, which can be panel interviews or one to one interviews, such as: * Audition interview – this is predominantly to assess people in leisure and service industries; it focuses on personality versus skill. This would involve exercises, which display the personality of the candidate as well as the skills. * Criteria based interview – these are specific questions which highlight predetermined behavior which you are looking for e.g. if you need an outgoing person you would ask a question â€Å"If somebody came into the room how would you put them at ease?† You would rate the response as positive or negative. * Behavioral event interview – ideally this interview is a taped interview. The interviewer would have a competence list on a chart and when questions asked and in turn answered, the competencies would be marked off. TD Travel has a much more informal interview technique. It is generally a panel interview conducted by the Operations Director with the General manager and also the Sales and Marketing Director. There are no set techniques; it is more of a formal chat about skills and qualifications, outlined on the curriculum vitae. Stage six – Selection testing Once the interview has taken place, some companies go one step further by inviting candidates for a selection test. These tests are all standardised so that an individuals score can be related to others, reliable in that it always measures the same thing and is non discriminatory. These can be in various forms: * Intelligence or cognitive testing – these test memory, ability to think quickly, perceptual speed, verbal fluency and problem solving skills. See appendix. * Aptitude tests – these are designed to predict an individuals potential for performing a job or learning new skills. * Personality tests – these may measure a variety of characteristics such as the applicant’s skill in dealing with other people, ambition, motivation or emotional stability. See appendix. * Proficiency tests – these measure the ability of the applicant to do the work involved e.g. a typist would be asked to type, and a salesperson would be asked to sell. Td Travel does not use selection tests at all. Most people are employed through word of mouth, as travel is a very incestuous business. NIS Europe use personality and aptitude tests. Stage seven – Checking references of short listed candidates References provide further confidential information about the perspective employee. A reference should contain: * Straightforward factual information confirming the nature of the applicant’s previous jobs, previous employment, pay and circumstances of leaving * Opinions about the applicant’s personality and other attributes. At least two employer references are desirable, providing necessary factual information, and comparison of personal views. NIS Europe and TD Travel Group offer the successful candidate the job subject to checking the references. Stage eight -Institute follow-up procedures for successful applicants The follow up procedures include: * Offer of employment – Assuming that the right candidate has by now been identified, an offer of employment can be made. It is common for an oral offer to be made. With a negociated period for consideration and acceptance. * Draw up a contract or written particulars – this should include all terms, conditions and circumstances of the offer must be clearly stated and negotiable aspects of the offer and timetable for acceptance should be set out, in order to control the closing stages of the process * Arrange work permits if required – Work permits are required of people coming into the UK for employment * Plan induction – Induction is a formal programme, designed and carried out by HRM to introduce new employees to the organisation, in all its social as well as work aspects. Stage nine- Review all candidates Review un-interviewed candidates and sort out those that my be kept on file for possible future use. Send standard letters to unsuccessful to applicants and holding letters to those being kept on file. NIS Europe will hold candidates on file for a maximum of one year. TD Travel group do not use this procedure, they would start their informal recruitment process again as and when required. SUMMARY OF THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR TD TRAVEL GROUP AND NIS EUROPE It is evident from the above information that NIS Europe carries out a more formal selection procedure than TD Travel Group. This is down to the fact that NIS Europe have more employees than TD Travel Group, and therefore see it necessary to have a HR department.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Entrepreneurship - Creative Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Entrepreneurship - Creative Journal - Essay Example In business, most managers believe that this is the most significant mark of a successful entrepreneur (Mazzarol, 2007). Achievement can also be enhanced by giving rewards, salary increment, bonuses and rises to most successful employees. Employers also play significant roles in developing employees’ skills and talents. They can collude with learning institutions to support and supervise research done by their employees, or through transversal skill development (Mazzarol, 2007). Human resource managers also need to provide clear hiring and exit procedures, but more notable is to retain current employees through a set of institutional benefits like competitive wage, support for international mobility, and supplementary pension schemes (Mazzarol, 2007). Locus of control describes the extent to which a person believes that the outcome results are influenced by their own behaviors, or from their external surrounding. Managers, therefore, need to create an environment that motivate s its employees to work hard towards achieving the organization’s goals (Mazzarol, 2007). Locus of control is usually low when change strategies are being implemented within the organization. In order to solve this problem, managers have to create an effective means of communication that informs the employees on the strategies and processes required for the implementation of that change. As the work environment changes, I realized that I can either contribute to the success or failure of a business. My attitude towards the impacts of external influences on the quality of work and the success of the business is the key factor that influences my contributions to the success of the business. Positive external influences enhance my efficiency and productivity within a short period, as compared to negative external influences that still require consultations and decision making process in order to be resolved. This process involves much time, and this slows down employees’ morale towards achieving the organizational goals and objectives (Mazzarol, 2007). Second Journal Entry Set Small and large firms play ever-increasing roles in innovation. Innovation is mainly driven by market dynamics and technology. Currently, recommendable advancements have been made in several areas that include multimedia, computers and electronic devices. Of all the innovations that have been done, internet is one of the innovations that have significantly influenced my daily life. The internet has changed the way I learn, shop, communicate and conduct my business. In the modern world, internet is the most famous and effective means of spreading information, fact or fiction (Mazzarol, 2007). In the past centuries, people were once limited to news of the local television channels and newspapers. However, anybody can currently search the globe, international markets, foreign products, different cultures, international jobs and so on. Through the internet, it is much easier and c heaper to communicate with friends and relatives more than telephones and letters. The internet has given me an opportunity to meet several friends both locally and internationally. It is possible to directly communicate to distance friends face-to-face, or through chatting. In other words, internet has limited both geographical and political boundaries that earlier

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Annual report analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Annual report analysis - Essay Example It shows that company was not performing as good as it is performing in the current year and it is coming back to its real best. Ans 3 Working capital is basically is a ratio which indicates after deducting liabilities from its assets mean current assets. So it is originally the sign of strength of the company. If any company has large enough working capital after paying off all of its liabilities that means it is still in position to run its operations. Working capital and current ratio are directly related because both indicate the strength of the firm after paying off its liabilities. Yes, definitely because the larger the working capital firm has after deducting its liabilities the larger the chances that it can pay off its liabilities gracefully. Ans 8 After overall analysis of the firm, figures suggest that firm is not doing well enough work in the form of its profitability area. The firm is not enough to eliminate its expenses and that is why all of its ratios represent very poor figure of their profitability scenario. Almost all the ratios are giving a very poor picture of the company's standing in the industry. It has been the situation in all three years and they are still not putting effective to overcome this problem. ans 11 After analyzing the company's debt and debt equity ra... 2003 0.21 2004 0.4 2005 0.34 Ans 6 The price earning per share is 0.4. Ans 8 After overall analysis of the firm, figures suggest that firm is not doing well enough work in the form of its profitability area. The firm is not enough to eliminate its expenses and that is why all of its ratios represent very poor figure of their profitability scenario. Almost all the ratios are giving a very poor picture of the company's standing in the industry. It has been the situation in all three years and they are still not putting effective to overcome this problem. Ans 10 The Company's debt ratio and debt equity ratio are as follows: Debt ratio debt equity ratio 05 0.618 1.618 04 0.164 0.197 03 0.043 0.045 02 0.064 0.068 ans 11 After analyzing the company's debt and debt equity ratio it has been noted that the company is using its investments very efficiently and the industry average of ratio should be around 0.1 - 0.5 Ans 12 ROI is the earnings on the investments that are originally brought by company's borrowings (equity) ROI and ROE are interrelated in a manner that the company invests its borrowed money to earn profits. Financial leverage takes the form of borrowing money and reinvesting it with the hope to earn a greater rate of return than the cost of interest. Leverage allows greater potential return to the investor than otherwise would have been available. The potential for loss is greater because if the investment becomes worthless, not only is that money lost, but the loan still needs to be repaid. Ans 13 The Company's debtor turnover ratio is as follows: 3 69.3 4 78.8 5 122.16 Ans 14 After analysing the

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Titanic The Best Film I Have Ever Seen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Titanic The Best Film I Have Ever Seen - Essay Example Cameron weaves the tale of the ill-fated voyage around an intense love relationship between two mismatched and star-crossed protagonists whose affair seems doomed to failure because of class differences. Handsome Leonardo DiCaprio as the poor artist Jack Dawson and beautiful Kate Winslet as the American debutante Rose DeWitt Bukater give stellar performances, ably supported by outstanding acting by Billy Zane as Rose’s cold-hearted fiancà © Cal Hockley, Frances Fisher as Rose’s financial ruin-facing mother Ruth DeWitt Bukater, and Bernard Hill as the imposing ship captain Edward John Smith. By ensuring the tragic sinking of the Titanic does not eclipse the protagonists who are in priority focus from start to end, Cameron adroitly sidesteps a common failing in most epic disaster films – too many sub-plots interwoven around too many supporting characters. Two other contributors to the gripping nature of the film are its powerful visual effects whereby computer-sim ulated realities are used with devastating effect, and the outstanding soundtrack, especially â€Å"Hymn to the Sea† and the super-hit number by Celine Dion â€Å"My Heart Will Go On.† Although 80 percent of the 3-hour plus film comprises flashbacks, Cameron’s use of genuine documentary images traverses the thin line between illusion and reality so effectively that viewers do not just watch the film, but vibrantly experience it right from the day the ship was launched in Southampton to the time it sinks. The climax of the film is undoubtedly the overwhelming scenes of the mighty ‘unsinkable’ ship in its death throes as it slowly but surely sinks into a cold watery grave.  After viewing ‘Titanic,’ I was so awe-struck that it seemed James Cameron went to great lengths to specially construct a brand new ‘Titanic’ ocean liner, launch it with grand pomp and fanfare, and then let it sink with terrible grandeur†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦I ha ve no doubt ‘Titanic’ is the best film I have ever seen.

Friday, July 26, 2019

Cross-culture essay (Cross-National Work Experience Interview)

Cross-culture (Cross-National Work Experience Interview) - Essay Example rst, according to Melissa Honda, the major glaring difference between the Japanese and the USA workplace culture is the cooperation aspect of the workplace. This cultural difference is referred to as the collectivism vs. individualism difference (Yūki and Brewer, 136). In the USA, there is the tendency of most workers within a working environment doing their tasks on their own, and only engaging others when there is a need. Thus, to the extent that an individual in the USA workplace environment is able to accomplish all the required tasks by him/herself, then there is little engagement with the rest. However, the case is very different in Japan, more especially in the project management related industries, where the workplace mostly constitutes working groups as opposed to individuals. Individuals in Japan collaborate in every aspect of accomplishing their tasks, such that by the end of the project, the work is a product of various contributions, as opposed to being the product of individual specialty. In the high individualistic cultures, self-determination is highly valued (Gudykunst, 241). Thus, the USA work environment comprises of an environment where self-determination plays the biggest role in the accomplishment of tasks, such that there is a high level of segmentation and division of labor within organizations, based on the individual worker’s specialty. On the other hand, Japan presents a collaborated work environment where the tasks are more attributed to group work and group collaboration, such that the individual workers will work well in groups as opposed to working as individuals (Yūki and Brewer, 147). Thus, Melissa initially faced the challenge of accomplishing the designated tasks single-handedly when she joined her organization in the USA in 2012, and had to take a few months to get used to this different culture of working. Nevertheless, having worked for the organization for three years now, Melissa is now capable of working both as an

The dignity of difference , how to avoid the clash of civilzations. by Essay

The dignity of difference , how to avoid the clash of civilzations. by jonathan sachs - Essay Example Sacks reflects on this issue, and he recalls Jonathan Swift’s observation that we have â€Å"just enough religion to make us hate one another but not enough to make us love one another† (Sacks 4). Therefore, â€Å"the great faiths must now become an active force for peace and for the justice and compassion on which peace ultimately depends† (Sacks 4). Globalization poses a lot of challenges, because we are more aware of the presence of other cultures in the world, and there is a danger of imposing a single way of life in a plural world, which would be a mistake. The moral dimension of globalization cannot be ignored. In Sacks’ view, the moral and spiritual issues involved in globalization â€Å"are among the most important we must face if we are to enhance human dignity, improve the chances of peace and avoid Samuel Huntington’s prediction of a clash of civilizations† (Sacks 2). Sacks pretends to exorcize what he calls â€Å"Plato’s ghost†, which is universalism, or the idea of a universal truth. According to Plato, in the world of ideas, difference is resolved into sameness. This concept implicates that there is one truth on the essentials of human condition, and one possessor of the truth, while the others who think in a different manner are mistaken. The attempts to convert, cure and save others from their error have lead to some of the greatest crimes of history. Nowadays, corporate globalism promotes a uniformity of practices throughout the world, in despite of differences. The sequence of universalizing systems or regimes in Western history, from Greek and Roman civilizations, has tended to erase the local customs, cultures and languages, and it has culminated in globalization and the emergence of a universal culture. Corporate globalism takes the role of these systems in the present-day world, and it is based on the market, the media, and multinational

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Principles of Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Principles of Law - Essay Example Doctrine of Judicial Precedence This doctrine is based on the principle of stare decisis which simply means to â€Å"stand by what has been decided and do not unsettle the established† (Dernbach and Richard 1981, p.35). The decision is based on two principles, ratio decidendi and obiter dictum, which means the reason for the judgment and other things, said pertaining to the case respectively. It is important to note that, though the obiter might not be part of the judgment, but it can be used in future judgments because of its persuasive nature (Knoops 2005, p.2). Original precedence present themselves in the nature that the present case is coming to the court for the first time and the presiding judge does not have the opportunity or chance to look at past decisions to make a decision on a point of law (Rossini 1998, p.34). This is what is known, as reasoning by analogy and the decision made in the case at hand will be binding at future cases. For example in the case of DPP v Smith (2006), where the defendant had gone to visit her former girlfriend and held her down cutting out her valued hair, the learned magistrate held that it was not actual bodily harm resulting out of assault. On appeal, it was held that even if the issue of the hair was to be determined scientifically or medically, the hair above the scalp was still regarded as hair regardless of its nature. The judges therefore decided that this was actual bodily harm and therefore the case provided precedence for future cases. Binding precedence on the other hand or those whereby a case has been made and future judges or the present judge must abide by it regardless of his or her own opinion. This therefore means that courts in the lower ranks must follow the particular decision regardless of any new issue arising and the cases presented must be similar to the previous decision or must have facts that are almost similar to the case at hand. The judicial system in England and Wales are such that courts are bound and they must follow the cases and decisions made in the upper or superior courts as the decisions in these cases provide precedents that must be followed in future cases with similar circumstances. These cases must therefore be followed or applied by courts down the hierarchy. It is important to note that magistrates or subordinate courts do not set precedent but they must follow the cases set by the superior courts, in this case the House of Lords or the appellate courts (Antoine 2008, p.118). Persuasive precedents are those in which the court decides whether to follow the precedence set or not to follow it. This precedence is not binding to the court and the court can follow them or ignore them depending on the legal principle in the case (Mitchelle and Minel 2003, p.73). These precedents can come from the lower courts or the magistrate courts and only the legal principles present in them can be applied in the upper courts. In R v R 1991, the Court of Appeal prov ided a persuasive precedence for an upper court, the House of Lords holding that a man can be found guilty of rape as against his wife. The Privy Councils in England and Wales are also influential providers of persuasive precedence to the courts of law though the decisions are not as binding as decisions made in a court of law. For example in R v Mohammed 2005,

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Discussing Cases Concerning the Difficulties in Defining the Elements Assignment

Discussing Cases Concerning the Difficulties in Defining the Elements of Homeland Security - Assignment Example Being able to secure one’s country though is never easy, especially on the part of those that are noted as the heating point of cultures where a diversified of the human population grows, such as that of the United States. SAFETY of the nation. This is the primary aim of the application of the different procedures implied in creating a much safer society that is best to serve the values of the people living within the communities that are known for freedom and popular understanding of democracy. This, in particular, includes the United States which is understandably noted for its realization of democracy and the importance it particularly makes certain in the different laws and regulations it creates in the ways by which it reconnects itself with all the other nations around the world. Possibly, through the existence of these major elements of national status, the United States is noted for always assuring that the entire nation is under a specific level of security that nurtures its belief and upholds its dignity towards the importance of democracy among its people. This is the reason why it has naturally been debated how the nation’s governmental administration should deal with the threats to their homeland security while being able to find the right procedures needed to deal with the accused terrorists who are within the territories of the United States (Worth, et al 1999: 17). Through the laws that had been made dealing with these individuals lawfully had been naturally created to at least protect them too of their rights as humans. This is the reason why it has naturally been constantly debated how a homeland security law could actually be balanced and impartial in handling both the values of the country and the values of the accused individuals of terr orism, despite the fact that at some point, some of these accused individuals have already been proven of giving lesser  respect to the humanitarian values of those who have become their victims.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Bio-remediation Advantages and Disadvantages assessment Case Study

Bio-remediation Advantages and Disadvantages assessment - Case Study Example Micro-organisms cannot break down metal particles. There are several bioremediation approaches that may be undertaken depending on the nature of the contaminant and the extent of contamination. QUESTION ONE There are several bioremediation methods that the company can adopt to avoid the disastrous effects of the oil spill accidents (Elweis 38). Bioremediation is necessary as it will reduce the effects of the oil spill in both environments – land and water. In the first accident, the oil spill will spread in the soil of the bed as well as in water. The methods that are to be used for the tanker that runs aground should be able to take care of the oil that gets absorbed by the bed while as the for the second ship, the method should focus on the elimination of oil that is found on top. The method of biodegradation that can be used to degrade petroleum in the second oil spill accident is nutrient enrichment. The research indicates that the major factor that hinders the biodegradat ion of petroleum that results from oil spills due to tanker accidents is the lack of an adequate nutrient supply to the marine micro-organisms that decompose oil. The process involves the addition of a carefully formulated fertilizer to the water contaminated by oil. This fertilizer contains specific nutrients that promote the growth of indigenous marine micro-organisms that are responsible for degrading petroleum. The fertilizers must be carefully selected to ensure only nutrients that are vital to the growth of the specific bacteria are present. The major nutrients that are required for optimum growth of the marine micro-organisms that degrade petroleum are nitrogen and phosphorus. The fertilizer selected should be that which provides the slow release of nutrients. This is very important as it ensures that the nutrients are available to the micro-organisms throughout the biodegradation period. The fertilizers used are usually present in two forms, either as granules or in a liquid form. The fertilizer in a liquid form is applied to the surface of water by the use of sprinklers. The use of nutrient enrichment method to combat the effects of oil spill has advantages as well as shortcomings as indicated in the table 1 below. Table 1 Advantages and Disadvantages of the Nutrient Enrichment Method Disadvantages Advantages Addition of nutrients could cause eutrophication leading to depletion of oxygen. No formation of algal blooms occurs. Some components of the fertilizer may be harmful to other marine organisms. Cases of adverse ecological effects are rare. Some of the products of bioremediation using nutrient enrichment may be harmful. The method is safer in comparison to other methods of conventional degradation. The increased growth and multiplication of the micro-organisms may cause an ecological imbalance in the marine environment. The other method that can be used by the company to reduce the effects of the oil spill is the slurry phase bioremediation that i s suitable for contaminated soil (Elweis 292). It involves the excavation of the contaminated material and its transfer to the slurry where the contaminating agent is removed. The contaminated material is suspended in an aqueous solution, and the treatment process is conducted under saturated conditions. In this case, the contaminated

Monday, July 22, 2019

Literature Changes During the Civil War Essay Example for Free

Literature Changes During the Civil War Essay When the country was still quite young and change was ever-imminent, our great America wasn’t always so great. This budding country lacked its own culture, and every single work produced by its inhabitants was rooted to an earlier version from its mother Britain. Much of our nation was devoid of literary culture and education. We were often looked down upon by other countries flourishing with their own trademark foods, goods, and customs. Very few prominent writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson were able to create a base example of what an American literature might actually look like. Prior to the Civil War, there were almost no published American authors, as the United States was more inclined toward English texts, which were less expensive. Reading and writing had just begun to trickle down to the middle class, making literature much more popular among the common man, as rates of literacy rose tremendously. The multitude of uses for literature once the Civil War began caused an even larger development. During a time of great change and conflict, America began a period of immense literary thirst. Before the Civil War started, literature had only recently become a more regular piece of daily life. At first only the wealthiest could be expected to know how to read and write. However, as the nation approached the time of the Civil War, the lower classes were also expanding their education by becoming literate. The common man started to take more of an interest and a stand in the goings on of the country- for the most part, learning how to read allowed them to keep up with the happenings from around the nation. Literature was also serving a more entertaining purpose. Fiction grew in popularity, but infamy too. â€Å"American statesmen and leaders were fearful of fiction. They accurately understood its subversive power: fiction empowered individuals; it catered to peoples passions, fancies, and whims, which threatened republican ideas of order and rationality,† (Stauffer 237). As this quote explains, many politicians believed that fiction would lead to chaos and revolution. Literature has always had the power to plant a seed in our minds, and this was no different during the time of the Civil War. Still, these opinions did not keep novels from finding a place in most households. Mostly middle- and upper-class women were the audience for this type of reading material. Fiction, spreading rapidly, became one of the most popular types of literature in this era. Literature before the Civil War was mainly centered on functionality. Literacy had just begun to grow, so the people who learned to read had to have a reason for it. The most common reading material of the time included religious reading, instructive reading, newspapers and magazines, and â€Å"reading for escape† (Salisbury). The best method of escaping for bored housewives or even the common man was a novel. As previously stated, these fictional stories had just begun to boom in popularity. Religious reading mostly included bible study, common for the average Christian household. Newspapers and magazines were crucial for spreading news, and when the nation found an efficient way to broadcast information, people snatched them up. During a time when you couldn’t turn on your flat screen television or pull out your iPad for news updates, newspapers were essential to society. Finally, guides were another usual form of reading material. Stay-at-home wives collected cookbooks and mothering manuals by the shelf-full. All these types of reading provided some function to those who read them, which displays how the country used literature in a very confined manner. The Civil War had a big impact on literature, but literature also had a large impact on the Civil War. For example, the movement against slavery was intensified by passionate works of literature such as Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. These novels helped to spark an interest in the subject for many more people, particularly those of a higher class, who then began to encourage the movement. Literature needed to change in numerous ways. When the war began, letters would be used to keep families in touch with soldiers. News would become more biased and exaggerated depending on its origin (North vs. South). Many children created care packages and wrote letters to soldiers, which gave the men at war some hope and knowledge of the outside world. In 1864, Harper’s Weekly published a story about a young girl named Lula who wished to write a letter to a soldier. That letter wound up in the hands of Daniel P. Fleming- a man who had no family to write to. â€Å"Lula’s letter came when he felt forsaken—desperate—and saved him† (Diffley). Their correspondence created a magnificent bond that carried Fleming throughout the war, and impacted both he and Lula for the remainder of their lives. Literature served a great purpose in the Civil War, and its growth did not stop there. When literature grew in popularity, it had a plethora of effects. It both helped and hurt our country. On one hand, it led to the letters that kept the spirits of our soldiers high. On the other, it produced media that exaggerated truths and spread lies. Since the North and South had greatly varying opinions at the time, their news sources also greatly varied. Each would produce its own version of the truth, and neither would be completely honest. This sensationalism only continued to spread, which became its worst in the 20th century. Not all of the effects of literature’s changes were completely bad, though. Novels allowed people to escape the awful experiences they were going through, if only for a little while. Writers became more successful and American authors had more of a chance as American writing took over the aforementioned British literature. Essays and stories meant to rally the nation during war kept each side unified, even as the country itself split in half. Literature was, perhaps, a great factor in keeping the United States from permanently disbanding. Literature impacts a lot in our lives today: it is a tell-tale sign of the amount of education one receives, it determines a lot of our viewpoints on many issues, and it can even affect the choices you make. This was true during the Civil War era as well, but this took off mostly at the time of the Civil War itself. Before the war, literature had only just begun to spread. It was quite obviously linked to social class as well, as the upper classes were known to have a much higher percentage of literacy than the lower classes. Also, British works became less popular, while American authors prospered. With novels on the rise with the common woman, literature asserted itself as an everyday piece of life. This was reinforced by the use of newspapers, magazines, and books that provided instruction and recipes. Literature took off right before the start of the Civil War, in part causing it. Certain literary works had a strong impact on society, creating controversy and drawing the boundary between the North and the South. Literature also played a huge role in the lives of many soldiers during the war itself. It not only kept the soldiers motivated by giving them something to look forward too, but it also connected them to the outside world and reminded them of all the people they were fighting for. Literature helped to both keep this country together and tear it apart. While the printed media was not always as honest as it should’ve been, and the letters did not always keep the soldiers motivated, it is impossible to argue that literature went through an incredible change during the Civil War. Literature will always be a part of our lives, and this rang especially true during this time of struggle, which unlocked an appetite for literature that our country had never known before.

Domestic Violence Against Women In India Sociology Essay

Domestic Violence Against Women In India Sociology Essay Domestic Violence is an act of physical, sexual or psychological abuse against a woman by someone who is intimately connected to her through marriage, family relation or acquaintanceship. It has its roots in the patriarchal set up of the society. Women have always been considered to be the weaker sex. Right from the later Vedic age to the 21st century, Indian women have never experienced the freedom that men have. They have always been subjected to inequality. The subordinate status of women combined with patriarchal ideologies is a major cause of domestic violence. According to United Nation Population Fund Report, around two-third of married Indian women are victims of Domestic Violence attacks. To protect women against Domestic Violence, the Parliament passed The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 According to this act, any woman who has been subjected to domestic violence can file a complaint to the police officer, protection officer or the magistrate in the for m of Domestic Incident Report, which is similar to an FIR. However, this act is not enough. In light of the increasing instances of domestic violence against women, the government needs to take more stringent measures to reduce the prevalence of domestic violence against women. Objectives The objectives of this project are as follows:- What is the magnitude of domestic violence against women in India? What is the prevalence of physical, sexual and psychological abuse against Indian women? What community and families are associated with domestic violence against women? Whether domestic violence is more prevalent in the higher or in the lower strata of the society. Methodology Hypothesis: The prevalence of Domestic Violence against women is an indication of patriarchal ideologies The survey was conducted in Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Ahmadabad in 2012. The survey includes forty women who represent different families culturally as well socially i.e. they belong to different stratus of the society. The study is based mainly on quantitative data. It has tried to get empirically sound and statistically reliable data regarding the physical, sexual and psychological abuse against women. Qualitative methodology has been used to interpret and analyze the data collected. Review of Literature Behind Closed Doors by Rinki Bhattacharya is one of the few books which deal with Domestic Violence against women in India. This book contains narratives by seventeen women who have been the victims of domestic violence. These women have showed immense courage in sharing their stories. These heart- wrenching narratives bring home the fact that domestic violence is still very prevalent and that no amount of privilege can protect women from abuse. A documentary film called Char Diwari was made on this book. The fact that this documentary has been telecasted only twice and that too at midnight shows that such issues are still not brought out open in the public. This book also contains essays by eminent feminists and other sociologists who have tried to analyze the phenomenon of Domestic Violence. What they really try to say is that in a country like India, where people worship the female power of Shakti in the form of goddess, why should women be subjected to domestic violence? Then there are further essays which deal with the loopholes in the domestic violence bill. The book ends with a road map to support the victims of domestic violence. This book should definitely be read by those who wish to bring about a change in d position of the women in the society. There is a case study on domestic violence against women in Nagpur. This Case Study has been conducted by International Clinical Epidemiologists Network (INCLEN). On the basis of the survey conducted, it was found out that nearly sixty- two percent of the women have been subjected to some form of domestic violence. Most of these women have been the victims of psychological abuse (60.2 % as compared to 37.9 % of the women being subjected to physical abuse ). Ten percent of these women left their husbands but most of them had to return since their natal families refused to accept them. There is still a social stigma attached to leaving your husband and the root cause of this is the patriarchal ideologies which are still widespread today. Another Case Study deals with domestic violence in Kerala. This has been conducted by Centre for Womens Studies and Development, Kerala. Around fifty five percent of the women admit being subjected to domestic violence. In Kerala most of the women have been victimized due to issues related to dowry. Like in Nagpur, psychological abuse is very high in Kerala. (54.23% as compared to 32.4% of thee women who are subjected to physical violence). In Kerala the literacy rate is almost 100 percent, yet women are victimized. What does this show? It again goes back to the patriarchal ideologies that have existed since time immemorial. Results and Interpretation of Data Table 1: Socio Demographic Profile: TOTAL 40 HIGHER STRATA OF THE SOCIETY 27 LOWER STRATA OF THE SOCIETY 13 AGE (in years) Woman Respondent Husband 32 36 33 37 31 35 EDUCATION Woman Respondent Illiterate Primary ( 1-5 ) Secondary ( 6-12 ) >12 Husband Illiterate Primary ( 1-5) Secondary ( 6-12 ) >12 4 6 7 23 0 4 8 28 0 0 5 22 0 0 2 25 4 6 2 1 0 4 6 3 EMPLOYMENT Woman Respondent Unemployed Employed Husband Unemployed Employed 27 23 6 34 17 10 0 27 4 9 6 7 This table shows that literacy rate is lower among the woman respondents as compared to their husbands. The overall employment rate is higher among the husbands. However as far as the lower strata of the society is concerned, more women are employed than men. Now we come to the prevalence of domestic violence. First the researcher will deal with the women of the higher strata of the society. 20 out of 27 women have admitted to being subjected to domestic violence by their husbands. Out of these 20 women, 12 have been physically abused, 5 psychologically and 3 sexually. As far as the women of the lower strata are concerned all the 13 of them have been subjected to domestic violence. Out of these women, 8 are physically abused, 3 psychologically and 2 sexually. Graph showing the prevalence of Domestic Violence. Table 2 will show the lifetime physical abuse and Table 3 will show the lifetime psychological abuse. Table 2: Lifetime Physical Abuse :- TOTAL (20) HIGHER STRATA OF THE SOCIETY (12) LOWER STRATA OF THE SOCIETY (8) Slap 11 8 3 Kick 8 3 5 Weapon 1 1 0 Table 3: Lifetime Psychological Abuse:- TOTAL (8) HIGHER STRATA OF THE SOCIETY (5) LOWER STRATA OF THE SOCIETY (3) Insulted 5 3 2 Demeaned 2 2 0 Unfaithful 1 0 1 Now the researcher would like to draw your attention to the reasons as to why these women are subjected to domestic violence. Table 4 shows some of the reasons identified by these women. Table 4: Reasons as to why women are subjected to domestic violence:- TOTAL 33 HIGHER STRATA OF THE SOCIETY 20 LOWER STRATA OF THE SOCIETY 13 Not Cooking Properly 18 13 5 Not Looking after the Household 5 4 1 Harassment due to Dowry 4 3 1 Talking to Other Men 6 0 6 It is evident from the survey that Domestic Violence is extremely prevalent especially in the lower strata of the society. There is an inverse relationship between socio economic status and domestic violence. Both Education and Employment is also significant for physical and psychological violence. It is seen that women with lower education but better employment than their husbands are subjected to greater domestic violence. This is the case in the lower strata of the society. As far as the higher strata is concerned, it is generally the lesser educated and the unemployed women who are subjected to the wrath of their husbands. Legal Measures for Domestic Violence against women In India In India not much has been done to protect the rights of women. Women have been the victims of domestic violence since time immemorial, but the Domestic Violence Act was passed by the parliament as late as 2005. It was passed in the furtherance of the recommendations of the United Nations committee on the CEDAW. The following abuses are covered by this act:- Physical abuse Sexual abuse Verbal and emotional abuse Economic abuse This act provides women a right to stay in her matrimonial house, even if she does not have ownership rights over the house. Basically a husband cannot throw his wife out of his house. However her rights will extend only to her husbands properties and not to the properties of her in-laws. Under this act, a woman has the right to ask for help and protection. A victim of domestic abuse has the right to seek the help and services of police officers, protection homes, service providers, shelter homes and medical establishments. She also has the right to lodge a complaint under section 498 of the Indian Penal Code for matrimonial cruelty. Under this act, a woman can get the following orders issued in her favour:- Protection Order Residence Orders Monetary Relief Custody Orders Compensation Orders Interim and Ex parte Orders If the respondent is found to be guilty, he can be imprisoned for a term which may extend to one year or can be charged a fine which may extend to Rs 20,000 or both. He may also be asked to provide monetary relief to the victim and her children. In the latter situation, he has to pay compensation damages as well. He has to abide by the arrangements made by the court regarding the custody of the victims children. Drawbacks of the Legal Measures The Act is mainly criticized on the grounds that it is not backed up properly. There is no effort by the government to implement it effectively. Important factors such as the appointment and the training of the protection officers, police officers, service providers, counselors, and judicial officers have been ignored. The authorities lack the initiative to spread awareness. Moreover there is improper budgetary allocation. Most states have still not appointed the Protection Officers. In some states, where Protection Officers have been appointed, they are not aware of their duties and the legal remedies that are available to the victims of domestic violence. Another drawback is that that the act has not been publicized properly. The helpline numbers available to the victims have not been publicized properly. As a result, sometimes domestic violence goes unreported because the victim does not know whom to turn to for help. In some cases, the violence is reported, but no case is filed i n the court. There is a big difference in the number of cases that are reported and the number of cases which are actually heard in the court. These are the drawbacks of the legal measures. Remedial Measures A crucial question in the light of the increasing instances of domestic violence is that what should be done to control and reduce it. As responsible citizens should we just sit and read articles and collect information about domestic violence or should we raise our voices against it?Today Domestic Violence is being viewed as an epidemic disease which needs to be controlled. Many Law agencies, Governmental and Non Governmental Organizations, public and private bodies are working for this cause. We need more stringent laws to curb domestic violence. At present we do not have a single law in the Indian Constitution which effectively deals with the issue of Domestic Violence. Even section 498 A of the Indian Penal Code and The Domestic Violence Act, 2005 have been misused because of the restricted definition of the abuse that women are subjected to. As a result we need more stringent laws to protect the rights of women. There are several NGOs which are actively working in issues relating to women abuse. These NGOs need to spread awareness among women regarding the legal remedies that are available to them. They should encourage more and more women to come forward and report instances of domestic violence so that necessary action can be taken against the culprit. The Police and the Protection Officers need to be sensitized. They need to take Domestic Violence as seriously as other offences. They need to be made aware of their legal duties and the remedies that are available to the victims. Moreover care has to be taken to appoint efficient men as Police and Protection Officers. Gender training should me made mandatory. Steps need to be taken to recognize Domestic Violence as a public health. Training needs to be provided so as to develop the skills of the professionals to provide the basic support to the victims of domestic violence. Documentation on the health consequences of domestic violence should me made so as to spread awareness. Lastly the patriarchal mindset of the people has to be changed. Until and unless women are given due respect in the society, no amount of laws will be helpful. The root cause of domestic violence is patriarchal ideologies and that needs to be changed. Conclusion The study underlines that the situation of Indian women is quite severe in terms of the violence they experience in the marital home. Women are subject to frequent and multiple forms of violence in their lifetime. The main cause of this is the patriarchal mindset of the people. Men have always considered themselves to be the superior sex and have always tried to overpower women. Generally women do not raise their voices against men because they have been taught to believe that they are the inferior sex. In conclusion, it can be said that the hypothesis- The prevalence of Domestic Violence against women is an indication of patriarchal ideologies has been proved and a social reformation needs to be brought about soon. Questionnaire The women were asked the following questions: Name Age Husbands Age Educational Qualification Educational qualification of the husband Employment Husbands occupation Any Physical Violence? Slapped by the husband? Kicked by the husband? Used or threatened to use a weapon? Any Sexual Violence? Any Psychological Violence? Insulted by the husband? Demeaned by the husband? Was the husband unfaithful? Reasons for the violence as identified by the woman. Not cooking properly Not looking after the household Harassment due to dowry Talking to other men The limitation of this study is that in view of the social stigma attached to domestic violence, some women have been reluctant to answer these questions and as a result have not answered them truthfully.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Factors Affecting Witness Accounts

Factors Affecting Witness Accounts Witnesses Accounts and the Reality The information given by an informant may vary significantly with the actual information or what happened on the ground. The most basic question that interviewers, weather in the justice system or in research always grapple with is how to know whether the informant is giving the truth (Dean Whyte 1958). It would be difficult to determine whether this information is the actual absolute truth. However, most interviewers use epistemological approaches to detect the level of truth in the interviewees information. Navarro (2012) asserts that the researches that have been conducted over a long period have not come up with a single conclusive modality of truth detection. Witness accounts may also lack a level of truth or may vary from the reality that transpired at the scene of the event. This difference can be motivated by several factors that range from the effects of the environment to psychological factors. This essay examines the main reasons that can lead to a distortion of the witness accounts from the reality. Specifically, the paper looks at the deflection of the truth due to perception and the effect of long-term memory on the accounts given by the witness. Laub (1992) examines the effect of age and long term memory on the ability to reconstruct the happenings of the Holocaust. At the time of the happenings, the author was a small child that had little knowledge of the happenings in the world. It has to be remembered that the events lasted some time and at the time of the witnessing, the author was already an adult. The author appears to have had a precocious development at the initial stage of life, making him to be able to make out the events. Through learning the basics of this event and the impact of age, the author is able to clearly understand the happening as they should have been. The only difference is that the ability to exaggerate or distort the information is quiet high. In the long term memory, the author cannot single out the specific details of each even and has to fill in the missing information from common knowledge. The deflection of the accounts given, in this case, is based on the learning experience on the subject that the witness has had over a period. In (Dean Whyte 1958), this long term effect of learning on the memory of a witness is described as cognitive formulation. The common knowledge here is that what the witness will have learnt over time will cause a difference on the accounts are given and the actual truth. In Callender (2011), the temporal aspects of philosophy are discussed with regards to the existence of the self. In this study, the author opines that there is a possibility of change in individuals over a period whether physical or in mental strength through learning. The discussion about eternalists is also reviewed by this study. It demonstrates the fact that eternalists perception of different times as analogous to the difference in locations. The argument presented by the eternalist here is that different events that occur or exits at different times give the specific ti mes different images. It is, therefore, possible to have a different perception of time and the events that occurred at those times. This spatial difference and learning is what supports the notion that it is possible to have a different of account from the real happening. A prevalent emotion in time also has an effect on the objectivity of the judgment of an agent or individual (Campbell-Sills, Barlow, Brown, Hofmann 2006). At the time of delivering an account of happenings, the emotional component of the witness are likely to impact on the testimony because this was not present at the time of the occurrence of an event. The argument here can take two facets: first it is difficult to give a real simulation of the events that transpired in terms of emotion. Secondly, the impact of the prevailing emotions of another individual could distort the contents of the account. As a result, emotions play a double role in the delivery of the accounts of witnesses both of which are subjective on the long term memory. On rare cases, the judgment of a person to give an objective account despite the subjective effect of the emotions has also taken place. In this case, emotions are not considered but the correct and proper outcome as is the norm is the guiding princi ple. Apart from the emotional context generated in the long term memory of a person through learning, it is possible that the effect of subjective perception could generate a level of difference. In subjective perception, the main idea is that everyone develops a meaning of the world as they so experience it. As a result, the difference in the experiences that have been gathered in the long term memory of individuals could be the cause of difference on the level of perception. In psychology, subjective perception and the resultant impact on the result of surveys is the main reason for disputing the level of accuracy of a research. This notion of subjective perception mainly concerns the researches that are conducted through the use of observation and non-scientific method. The reason for the bias in the observation and non-scientific methods is that each individuals observation would be different from the reality. And this also informs the difference in accounts of eye witnesses. Perception is closely related to the aspect of objectivity in individuals. Coon (2006) illustrates this objectivity role of perception as the ability of one to just recognize and believe what they see. When one sees something, the mind registers the image generated and can recognize the image. Other sensory stimuli information is also perceived by the brain. The sensory input is first received by the appropriate sensor then taken through the recognition process which utilizes the knowledge that is already owned by the individual. The brain compares the input by the data or information that the individual has learnt over time and selects the closest information that the same individual has of the same input. The mechanism of perception is can also be used to explain the idea behind an illusion. It is common knowledge that illusions are things that can be perceived wrongly. The simplest explanation that can be given in illusions is that the senses send a wrong signal to the brain for i nterpretation returning a wrong conclusion. The result of illusions can also weigh in on the major differences of witness account as compared to the reality. This is mainly attributed to the wrong interpretation or the ability of an event to have more than one interpretation The comparison mechanism in perception is the main reason there could a difference in the perception of different persons. It has been known that there are objects which can be perceived in more than one way. Apart from the different perceptions of a similar object, there is a possibility that different persons might have different perceptions. A common example of the difference in perception is the fact that different persons might perceive a similar color in two different ways. This condition is usually referred to as color blindness (Brewer, Heitzeg, 2008). Color blindness is a common reason for the difference of the witness accounts in cases where the witness is required to pin point the actual color of an object. The result is that while the color could be known or perceived singly by many, a witness could give a different account of the same. In perceptual learning, humans tend to develop a habit or a distinct pattern of learning. These patterns of learning if altered could result to the distortion of the information that is received by the individual. According to Coon (2006), these patterns are imparted by the prevalent norms in a society. It also gives an example of an inverted picture of a human head. Most persons walk upright and as such a human mind is accustomed to learning facial differences at an upright posture. Significant differences can be noted if the same picture of a human head were looked at from the two perspectives. The perception mechanism as described in human psychology has two parts that involve the detection and the search mechanisms. According to Shiffrin Schneider (1977), this process can either be automatic or controlled by an individual. Once the attention of a person has been drawn towards some stimuli input, the control of the process is shifted to the brain power. In a controlled perception, the study found out that the mechanism is serialized. It also requires a high level of input by the user which could limit the amount of information one retains in the whole process. In an automatically controlled process, the input of the user is limited and as such much of the processing power of the brain is focused on generating the conclusion of the perception exercise. These two different forms of perception could be the basis of the difference between a witness account and the reality. As notes, if the process was automatically triggered then the witness could end up with much information as it can which could be the truth anyway. However, if the process is controlled by the individual, it is possible that there could be a large amount of information (Shiffrin Schneider 1977) that is left out in the process. The study further explains that it is difficult to ignore, alter or delete from the long-term memory of a person if the perception was automatically instigated. Apart from memory and perception factor, Undue egocentrism is also a factor in deflecting the opinion of the witness that can cause a difference between the account given by a witness and the truth. This argument proposes that the impact of subjectivity on the minds of individuals is the main cause of the distortion of the account. An example of this would be an account given of a vehicle accident. A witness can state that the driver of the vehicle that was swerving was drunk at the time, and nothing else could be affecting the driving. This is an egocentric opinion or emotions that foster the belief that such driving must only be caused by drinking. Studies that have been conducted on the distributive justice judgment indicate that the basis of the conclusion either the norms or the egoistic self-serving notions (Ramsbotham, Miall, Woodhouse 2011). Apart from these forces, egocentrism is also part of the judgment that could lead to a skewed judgment in giving witness accounts. In conclusion, the level of accuracy in most of the accounts given by witnesses would be varied from the truth. At an early age, a witness would give a different account from the account given after a longer period usually in adulthood. The reason behind this level of difference is that as a person grows, the details in the long term memory can be forgotten or lost. Apart from the loss, there is a possibility that the learning process changes the ideas that a person has. The level of knowledge will shape their opinion and how they would have reported the whole event at an early age. It would take a precocious ability to reproduce the exact account owing to the time difference and the learning process. Perception is also an important aspect (Kuehn1974) of the delivery of a witness account. The main reason which can lead to the difference in the accounts given and the reality include the ability of certain objects to have double perception. A possibility of confusion through the illusion is also a factor that could limit the accuracy of the account. As an individual experiences a world from childhood, the experiences are custom to the person and can also affect the accuracy or the information that is given. It is, therefore, important to have the individuals who verify the accounts of witnesses to take into account the impact of all these factors on the truth value of the account. Bibliography BREWER, R. M., HEITZEG, N. A. (2008). The racialization of crime and punishment  criminal justice, color-blind racism, and the political economy of the prison industrial complex. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(5), 625-644. CALLENDER, C. (2011). The Oxford handbook of philosophy of time. Oxford, Oxford  University Press. CAMPBELL-SILLS, L., BARLOW, D. H., BROWN, T. A., HOFMANN, S. G. (2006).  Effects of suppression and acceptance on emotional responses of individuals with anxiety and mood disorders. Behaviour research and therapy, 44(9), 1251-1263. COON, D. (2006). Psychology: a modular approach to mind and behavior. Belmont, CA,  Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. DEAN, J. P., WHYTE, W. F. (1958). How do you know if the informant is telling the truth?.  Human Organization, 17(2), 34-38.   KUEHN, L. L. (1974). Looking down a gun barrel: Person perception and violent crime.  Perceptual and Motor Skills, 39(3), 1159-1164. LAUB, D. (1992). An event without a witness: Truth, testimony and survival. Testimony: Crises  of witnessing in literature, psychoanalysis, and history, 75-92. NAVARRO, J. (2012). The Truth About Lie Detection. Psychology Today.   RAMSBOTHAM, O., MIALL, H., WOODHOUSE, T. (2011). Contemporary conflict  resolution. Polity. SCHNEIDER, W., SHIFFRIN, R. M. (1977). Controlled and automatic human information  processing: I. Detection, search, and attention. Psychological review, 84(1), 1. SHIFFRIN, R. M., SCHNEIDER, W. (1977). Controlled and automatic human information  processing: II. Perceptual learning, automatic attending and a general theory. Psychological review, 84(2), 127.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Gun Control Problems and Solutions Essay -- Constituton Bill Rights Ri

The problem with guns is fairly obvious: they decrease the difficulty of killing or injuring a person. In Jeffrey A. Roth's Firearms and Violence (NIJ Research in Brief, February 1994), he points out the obvious dangers. About 60 percent of all murder victims in the United States in 1989 (about 12,000 people) were killed with firearms. Firearm attacks injured another 70,000 victims, some of whom were left permanently disabled. In 1985, the cost of shootings was an estimated $14 billion nationwide for medical care, long-term disability, and premature death. In robberies and assaults, victims are far more likely to die when the perpetrator is armed with a gun than when he or she has another weapon or is unarmed. I believe that there are a few solutions that can be used to solve this problem at both a community and national level. The first course of action is to establish a national system for registering guns and ammunition. Anyone can obtain a gun by going to a state with less restrictive laws or by getting a friend who lives in the state to buy the guns for them. A national system would prevent this by scaring those "friends" into not buying the guns legally and selling them illegally, for if the guns are used in an illegal crime, that person can be held accountable. Secondly, a national system would be more helpful in tracking crimes after they have happened, to bring the perpetrators to justice. Instant background checks, on people attempting to buy... Gun Control Problems and Solutions Essay -- Constituton Bill Rights Ri The problem with guns is fairly obvious: they decrease the difficulty of killing or injuring a person. In Jeffrey A. Roth's Firearms and Violence (NIJ Research in Brief, February 1994), he points out the obvious dangers. About 60 percent of all murder victims in the United States in 1989 (about 12,000 people) were killed with firearms. Firearm attacks injured another 70,000 victims, some of whom were left permanently disabled. In 1985, the cost of shootings was an estimated $14 billion nationwide for medical care, long-term disability, and premature death. In robberies and assaults, victims are far more likely to die when the perpetrator is armed with a gun than when he or she has another weapon or is unarmed. I believe that there are a few solutions that can be used to solve this problem at both a community and national level. The first course of action is to establish a national system for registering guns and ammunition. Anyone can obtain a gun by going to a state with less restrictive laws or by getting a friend who lives in the state to buy the guns for them. A national system would prevent this by scaring those "friends" into not buying the guns legally and selling them illegally, for if the guns are used in an illegal crime, that person can be held accountable. Secondly, a national system would be more helpful in tracking crimes after they have happened, to bring the perpetrators to justice. Instant background checks, on people attempting to buy...

Friday, July 19, 2019

Logic and Moral Dilemmas Essay -- Logical Philosophy Philosophical Pap

Logic and Moral Dilemmas ABSTRACT: Logic is of great importance for the philosophy of education. In particular, logic provides a rational and critical approach in ethics, helping us understand the nature of moral dilemmas. Some suggest that all moral dilemmas result from some kind of inconsistency in the moral rules. Unsolvable moral situations simply reflect implicit inconsistencies in our existing moral code. If we are to remain moral as well as logical, then we must restore consistency to our code. This is accomplished by adding exception clauses to current principles, and giving priorities to some principles over others, or by some other device. I argue that we must accept moral dilemmas as an essential part of real-life reality on the grounds that some moral statements concern values. According to Moore's "axiological thesis," whether these statements are true depends on two factors: the set of alternatives from which we make an evaluation, and the scale of values with which we rate them. Also, it is po ssible that a given alternative is no better than another in some respect. Furthermore, there is no respect in which they are equally good or equally bad (the so-called "Condorcet's effect"). Thus, we must accept moral dilemmas as real rather than apparent. Among all the spheres of philosophy of education logic is of great importance. In particular it is logic that provides the rational and critical approach in ethics. So logic help us to understand the nature of moral dilemmas. It has been suggested that all moral dilemmas result from some kind of inconsistency in the moral rules. So our being faced with unsolvable moral situation merely reflected an implicit inconsistency in our existing moral code and that we forced... ...sibus perplexis// Th. Hobbes. A dialogue between a philosopher and a student for the common laws of England. Leibniz G.W. Specimen difficultatis in jure seu dissertatio de casibus perplexis. Doctrina conditiorum. De legum interpretatione/ Ed. by T.Ascarelli. Milano: Giuffre, 1960.P.267-302. 5. Lemmon E.J. Moral Dilemmas// Moral Dilemmas/ Ed. by Christopher W. Gowans. New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987.P.101-114. 6. Lemmon E.J. Deontic Logic and the Logic of Imperatives// Logique et Analyse. 1965. Vol. VII. No.2. P.39-61. 7. Moore G.E. Principia Ethica. Cambridge: The Cambridge University Press, 1960. 8. Rescher N. Ethical Idealism: An Inquiry into the Nature and Function of Ideals. Berkeley,etc.:University of California Press, 1987. 9. Schlesinger G.N. The Sweep of Probability. Notre Dame & London: University of Notre Dame Press, 1991.