Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy - Essay Example Thus a cold war erupted between the U.S. and USSR which eventually came to an end with the help of doctrinal regimes implemented by Reagan (Fischer, 1997). Define presidential doctrine and summarize the regional or global events during the Cold War leading up to the formation of the Reagan doctrine. Presidential doctrine defines the policies, procedures, reforms and initiatives taken by a country’s president which are intended to enhance global position of the nation and to achieve greatest good for citizens of own country as well as those across the globe. Before arrival of President Reagan, communism had become common and superpowers like Soviet Union were suppressing the Third World countries in attempt to invade them. The Soviet and the Vietnamese led various Marxist movements which depressed capitalism and eventually forced the entry of Cuban armies and Soviet troops into different territories including Angola, Cambodia and Afghanistan. These countries did not have suffic ient powers to hold the forces and hence turned to other countries for help. The U.S. which believed itself to be the savior and leader nation for all decided to intervene and rescue these countries through Reagan doctrine. This doctrine created waves of passion across nations and gave boost to conservatism in America (Carpenter, 2012). Describe the Cold War relationship that existed between USSR and the U.S. before Reagan doctrine was announced. Before Reagan, there were only two prevailing superpowers, the U.S. and the USSR, which considered their coexistence to be catastrophic and hence wanted to triumph over the other. The perceived equality of power of both nations had led everyone to believe that the two countries pose threats to each other. The mutual suspicion rose amongst the two parties and past experiences of World Wars led them to believe that dangers exist. Soviet Union was spreading communism which challenged the survival of capitalism in the U.S. Reagan rejected the i dea of control over European nations by the Soviet Union and claimed it to be unfair for USSR to exercise its rights outside its jurisdictional system and boundaries. Thus Cold War broke and Reagan introduced the Reagan Doctrine to stop communism by supporting and providing arms to the rebels and freedom fighters in Third World countries for self-defense (Katz, 1991). Describe the relationship that currently exists between the U.S. and USSR. The relationship between United States and the Soviet Union enhanced eventually after the Reagan doctrine. The leaders of Soviet Union realized soon that they essentially need the support of capitalist countries in order to flourish in the economic and business world. The greatest capitalist power is the U.S. and hence USSR has been keeping stable relationship with it and has signed various pacts to ensure peaceful relationships in field of politics, science and technology (Cox, 1990). The recent patterns of American-Soviet relationships are inc lined towards development in the fields of economic trade growth and mutually collaborative effort in scientific expansion. Describe the effect that the Reagan doctrine has had on regional or global affairs since the time when it was announced during the Cold War. When Reagan doctrine was introduced, the Cold War came to an end and relationships between U.S. and USSR were also improved. The Soviet Union retreated from all the territories and the world moved towards democratic and harmonious terms. Moscow no longer targeted

Foreign Market Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Foreign Market Analysis - Essay Example product. The feel good factor is that it is pro-American country with the Filipinos and their government having very friendly relations with the U.S. The Philippines is the 19th largest export market of the United States with an approximate annual export of $8 billion. For launching a new product by JF’s Electronics, the Philippines can be the perfect launching pad as people there have liking for the U.S. products. Language is not a barrier, as the Philippines is the third largest English speaking country (buyusa.gov). The Philippines market environment for the mobile phone products, called the Cellular Mobile Telephone System (CMTS) is quite encouraging for the U.S. products. Let’s review different environmental aspects related to the Philippines economy, politics, legal, regulatory, technological, and social factors to ensure that the JF’s Electronics would succeed in providing a secure international platform to its new product – customized mobile phone. JF’s Electronics new product – the customized mobile phone would find a ready and ripe market as the mobile phone is a favorite digital device of the Filipinos. More than 22 million Filipinos have a mobile phone. The number of mobile subscribers is growing fast; in 2004 the growth rate touched to 34% to more than 30.2 million. In Short Messaging Service (SMS), this country is the world leader. As per the market report, carriers cover more than 200 million text messages a day in Philippines. The above scenario projected by the U.S. Commercial Service regarding the mobile phone market and the Philippine’s 100 years old friendly business relations with the U.S. are enough to build up confidence of the JF’s Electronics to enter in the Philippines market with its new product launch, i.e. customized mobile phone (buyusa.gov). The Philippines imports in electronics are into raw material to be used in export processing locations. Consumer goods, a subsector of electronics industry are 0.93

Definitions in Psychology Theories and Research Methods

Definitions in Psychology Theories and Research Methods AP Psychology Identifications History Wilhelm Wundt- (1832-1920) He is the founder of scientific psychology because he was the first person to open a Psychology laboratory in 1879. Wundt is closely tied to structuralism which uses introspection to focus on the basic elements of consciousness. Introspection- introspection is a way for people to look within themselves and describe what they are feeling and thinking. Wundt used this method in the structuralism school of psychology in order to understand the structure of the mind and to identify the basic elements of consciousness. William James- (1842-1910) He is an American Psychologist that is closely associated with functionalism. He was interested in the function and purpose of our behavioral acts and how they intertwine with our environment. Functionalism- The functionalism side of psychology is focused on how our metal operations help us to adapt to our environment. They used methods such as stream of consciousness in order to help explain our behavior. Max Wertheimer- (1880-1943) He is a psychologist mainly known for being a founder of the Gestalt theory who also made contributions to perception, sensation and experimental psychology. Sigmund Freud- (1856-1939) He was an Austrian Physician who is known for creating the Psychoanalytic approach to psychology. He believed that our actions and the way we perceive things are dictated by our unconscious. He also stated that our mind was divided into 3 parts: the Id, Ego, and Superego. Psychoanalytic theory- This is Freud’s theory that our thoughts and actions come from our unconscious. He believed talking with his patients over a long period of time could bring some of their unconscious memories into light and help them overcome their struggles. John Watson- (1878-1958) He was a behaviorist that is most famous for his â€Å"Little Albert† experiment. He paired a white rat with loud noises and because of this little Albert started crying and was afraid of the rat. He believed that this showed our behaviors are all learned. Ivan Pavlov- (1849-1936)He was a behaviorist that founded the theory of classical conditioning. He is most known for his experiment with dogs in which he paired a tone with food which created a conditioned response to the tone (dog drooling). B. F. Skinner- (1904-1990) Skinner was a behaviorist that founded operant conditioning. He created a box (Skinner’s Box) in which rats have to hit a bar for food. This box shows that our behavior is greatly influenced by the consequences after a behavior. Behaviorism- This is the perspective of psychology that believes everything we do is a learned response to a situation. They only believe in objective science and therefore do not believe in any of the mental or unconscious processes. Humanist perspective- This perspective of psychology believes we are all good people and we just have to meet our growth potential. It also states that in order to move on to the next level of growth all of the needs below it need to be satisfied. Psychoanalytic perspective- This perspective of psychology is focused on how our thoughts and actions are a product of our unconscious sexual urges. It also focuses on our development through the psycho sexual stages. Biopsychology (or neuroscience) perspective- This perspective of psychology is focused on the relationships of biological, neuroscience, behavior, and our psychological processes. Psychologists in this field study how our genes and our environment interact. Evolutionary perspective- This perspective focuses on how natural selection has influenced human behaviors and traits and why we act like we do based on evolution. Behavioral Perspective- This perspective of psychology only focuses on observable behavior and how we have learned to react to different situations. Behaviorists do not believe in anything that goes on inside of the mind because they cannot directly observe it. Cognitive perspective- This perspective of psychology studies how we encode, process, store, and retrieve information. By studying this they hope to learn how we solve problems, reason and react to situations based on how we think. Social-cultural perspective- This perspective of psychology is focused on how we are shaped by our culture and how our interactions and beliefs differ from someone with a different cultural background. Research Methods Hindsight bias- in research methods, this is the tendency to believe that they knew something would happen all along after they see the result. For example, you predict the Mavericks were going to win but they lost, after the game you will think, I knew they would lose because their Point Guard was off all game. Applied research- Applied research is a research method used to find solutions to everyday problems such as stress. Basic research- This research method is used to do research for the sake of science itself and to accomplish scientific gain. Hypothesis- In scientific method, a hypothesis is a testable prediction often based on a theory. Theory- In scientific method, a theory is an observation that predicts behaviors or events. In order to test a theory you must make a hypothesis based on the theory you want to be tested. Operational definitions- In scientific method, an operational definition are the set of procedures used to define the research variables. Validity- In the principles of test construction, validity is how well the test can predict what it was designed to predict. For example, a driving test is used to test if you know the laws on driving and how to properly handle a car; this test is pretty reliable in testing the subject it was designed to test. Reliability- In the principles of test construction, reliability is how consistent the scores on a test are. There are two ways to test reliability, you can have someone take the test twice and see how the scores compare or you can separate the test by even and odd numbers and have them take both tests. With both of these methods the scores should be close if the test is reliable. Sampling- In research methods, a sample is a portion of something that is used to represent the entirety of what is being sampled. The sample is usually a random sample because that usually will usually yield results applicable to the entirety of what is being sampled. Population- In random sampling, population is the entirety of the group you are studying. Usually testing or polling an entire population would take too long, that is why researchers often use random sampling of the population. Random selection- In random sampling, random selection is a sample that accurately represents an entire population because everyone has an equal chance of being randomly selected. Stratified sampling- in research methods, stratified sampling is when a population is separated based on criteria such as gender, race or income. After you have your population categorized they are randomly sampled in each category. Experiment- In research methods, an experiment is when a researcher manipulates the independent variables in order to affect the dependent variables. Experiments are often used to find cause and effect. Confounding variables- In research methods, confounding variables are outside influences other than the independent variable. To prevent confounding variables the experimenter must limit the variables that the participants of the experiment have. Assignment- In research methods, assignment is the method the researcher uses in order to assign the participants of an experiment to a group. Random assignment- in research methods, random assignment is to assign the participants to a random group. This method tends to yield the most accurate results because everything is random. Experimenter bias- In research methods, Experimenter bias is when the researcher influences the experiment in order to obtain the results he was looking for. To prevent this from happening the researcher usually just observes the experiment and has no interaction with it. Double-blind procedure- In research methods, a double blind procedure is a way to prevent bias in the experiment. When using the double blind procedure neither the experimenters nor the participants know which group they are in. Participant bias (AKA response bias)- In research methods, participant bias is the tendency for the participants to act the way they think the researcher wants them to act. Because of this data can be inaccurate because the people were responding the way they thought the experimenter wanted, not the way they actually felt. Hawthorne effect- In research methods, the Hawthorn effect is that when people know that they are being observed they tend to change their behavior based upon what they think the observer wants to see. Correlation- In research methods, correlation is the relationship that two variables have. The correlation can measure anywhere from -1 to 1. -1 and 1 are both very strong relationships while 0 would be no relationship. Scatter plot- In research methods, a scatter plot is a graph with multiple dots placed on it. The dots on a scatter plot could be really close or really spread apart. If they are close there is a high correlation and if they are spread apart there is a low correlation. Survey method- In research methods, a survey method is a method of learning the behaviors of a specific group. This is mainly done by questioning a representative sample of a group in order to find out specific information about the group being surveyed. Naturalistic observation- In research methods, watching the subject in their natural habitat without controlling the situation is called naturalistic observation. This is the best method to try and limit the Hawthorne effect and get the best results. Case study- In research methods, a case study is the in depth studying of a specific individual to hopefully gain a better understanding of larger groups. Descriptive statistics- In research methods, descriptive statistics are used to display the data gained through research and experiments. There are many ways to use descriptive statistics such as mean, median, mode, variability, range, standard deviation and many more. Through the use of these things you can paint a picture of the data in easy to use graphics and numbers. Measures of variability- Variability is a huge part of statistics and in order to have meaningful data you need to have your variability clearly displayed through the use of standard deviation or other measures of variability. Normal curve- In research methods, the normal curve is bell shaped and it describes how data is distributed. With a normal curve most scores fall near the mean rather than on either end of the normal curve. Inferential statistics- In research methods, inferential statistics are how we use data to help understand and draw conclusions about the data. Statistical significance- In research methods, statistical significance is the chance that the outcome of an experiment is due to chance or the independent variable. Before a researcher begins their experiment they set their P value to establish what results would be statistically significant. For example, if a researcher set his/her P value at (p APA Ethical Guidelines for Human Research- In research methods, these guidelines protect humans from unethical or psychologically damaging experiments. There are strict standards that must be followed in order to fall within the APA ethical guidelines such as immediately debriefing the participant if you have deceived them. APA Ethical Guidelines for Animal Research- In research methods, these guidelines protect animals from unneeded harm from psychological experiments or any unethical experiments. Biology Neuroanatomy- In biology, this is the study of our anatomical structure of our neurons and how our different parts of the brain make it work. Neuron- In biology, a neuron is a nerve cell that creates the nervous system. Neurons send information through our body through neurotransmitters. Some examples of neurotransmitters are serotonin and dopamine. Dendrites- In biology, dendrites are the branchlike ends of neurons that are responsible for receiving the information from other neurons. Cell body (soma)- the soma is where the signals from the dendrites go and from the soma they are passed on. Brain plasticity- In biology, brain plasticity refers to the brains ability to adapt if part of your brain gets damaged. Your brain will use another part of your brain to help replace the damaged part. The older you get the less brain plasticity you will have. Myelin sheath- In biology, the Myelin sheath is a cover over your axons to help speed up the process of your neurons. The lack of a myelin sheath causes multiple sclerosis Axon- In biology, the axon is the long part of a neuron that is responsible for the action potential. If you are healthy you will have a myelin sheath covering your axon. Terminal buttons- In biology, terminal buttons are at the very end of a neuron and are responsible for sending the signal on to other neurons. Neurotransmitters- in biology, neurotransmitters are a chemical that passes a message through neurons. Examples of neurotransmitters are dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. Synapse- In biology, the small gap in between neurons is called the synapse. The neurotransmitters must pass through the synapse in order to be passed through the next neuron. Receptor sites- in biology, receptor sites are the receivers of specific neurotransmitters. Receptor sites are located on the dendrites. Threshold- In biology, a threshold is the amount of stimulus we need in order for us to detect the stimuli. There are two types of thresholds for humans, the absolute threshold and the difference threshold. Action potential- In biology, the action potential is a brief firing of a neuron. The action potential is an all or nothing thing if the neuron doesn’t receive enough chemical signals it won’t fire. Neural firing- In biology, neural firing is when the neuron reaches its action potential and fires it’s signal to the next neuron. Excitatory neurotransmitters- in biology, excitatory neurotransmitters are like accelerators for the neurons. They increase neural firing. Inhibitory neurotransmitters- In biology, inhibitory neurotransmitters are compared to brakes for neurotransmitters. The decrease neural firing. Acetylcholine (ACH) In biology, ACH is a neurotransmitter that plays a part in our attention and arousal. ACH is located in both the central and peripheral nervous system. Dopamine- In biology, dopamine is a neurotransmitter responsible for movement, learning, attention and emotion. Too much dopamine is linked with schizophrenia and not enough dopamine is linked with Parkinson’s disease. Heritability- In biology, Heritability is the amount of difference in a group or between individuals you can attribute to genetics alone. Serotonin- In biology, Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal. A lack of Serotonin is known to cause depression. Endorphins- In biology, Endorphins are neurotransmitters that have an ability to dampen pain and they can also control pleasure. Motor Neurons (Efferent) in biology, motor neurons carry messages from the brain and spinal cord to your muscles and glands. Sensory Neurons (Sensory) In biology, sensory neurons are neurons that carry information from your sensory receptors to the brain and spine. Central Nervous System- in biology, the central nervous system consists of the brain and the spine. Spinal Cord- In biology, the spinal cord is the long tube going down your back that is protected by the vertebrae. The spinal cord is responsible for the transmission of neurons between the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system. Peripheral nervous system- In biology, the Peripheral nervous system is the neurons that that connect the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system. The peripheral nervous system is the head over the somatic and autonomic nervous system. Somatic nervous system-In biology the somatic nervous system falls under the peripheral nervous system. The somatic nervous system is responsible for voluntary movement. Autonomic nervous system- In biology, the autonomic nervous system is a part of the PNS and is responsible for the regulation of internal organs and glands such as the heart. The Autonomic nervous system is responsible for the sympathetic and parasympathetic part of the PNS. Sympathetic nervous system- In biology, the sympathetic nervous system is part of the autonomic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for arousal in situations such as a dog baring its teeth at you. Parasympathetic nervous system- In biology, the parasympathetic nervous system is under the autonomic nervous system. It is responsible for calming the body. Lesions- a lesion is a destruction of tissue. A brain lesion is the destruction of part of your brain tissue. If you were to have a brain lesion you would have brain damage and loose function of part of your brain. Electroencephalogram- In biology, an EEG is an amplified recording of brain waves. In order to see the brain waves electrodes must be placed on the scalp. CAT or CT Scan- in neuroimaging techniques, a CT scan is a series of x-rays taken at various angles and combined. CT scans are a good technique for seeing brain damage. MRI- In neuroimaging techniques, an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce pictures of soft tissue. MRIs are good for showing the anatomy of a brain. PET scan- In neuroimaging techniques, a PET (positron emission tomography) is a visual display of our brain activity. We can see which part of the brain is being used by the radioactive glucose that is injected into the body. This method is good for seeing what part of the brain is being used during certain tasks. fMRI- In neuroimaging techniques, a fMRI (Functional MRI) is a technique that shows the blood flow of the brain. This technique is good for showing how our brain functions. Hindbrain- In brain structures, the hindbrain is the oldest part of our brain. It includes the medulla, pons and the reticular formation. The hindbrain is responsible for our heartbeat, breathing, and other automatic survival functions. Medulla- In brain structures, the Medulla is the bottom of the brainstem and it controls our heartbeat and out breathing. Pons- In brain structure, the Pons is the top of the brainstem that is responsible for arousal and wakefulness. Cerebellum- In brain structures, the cerebellum is located at the rear of the brain. The cerebellum is responsible for our balance and movement. Midbrain- In brain structures, the midbrain is responsible for auditory and visual information and is in charge of eye movement and body movement. Reticular formation- in brain structures, the reticular formation is the part of the brainstem that controls arousal. Forebrain- In brain structures, the forebrain is the part of the brain that includes the thalamus, hypothalamus, and the cerebrum. Thalamus- In brain structures, the Thalamus is responsible for directing the traffic to the parts of the brain. It is located on the top of the brainstem. Hypothalamus- In brain structures, the hypothalamus is responsible for eating, drinking and controlling body temperature. The Hypothalamus is located in the limbic system. Amygdala- In brain structures, the Amygdala is responsible for controlling our fear and aggression.

Huckleberry Finn :: essays research papers

Huckleberry Finn Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by: Mark Twain there are two major symbols. One of those symbols is the Mississippi River and the other is the Village in which Huck lives. The two symbols represent freedom and rules respectively.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Village is a symbol of rules and the law. This symbol is very obvious when Huck is living with the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson. For instance, Huck asked if he could go out and have a smoke and the Widow Douglas said â€Å"†¦it was a mean practice and wasn’t clean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Twain 2). This restriction was not the only one. The Widow Douglas’s sister Miss Watson would keep â€Å"pecking at him† (Twain 3) and telling him â€Å"don’t scrunch up like that Huckleberry—set up straight.† and when he did that she would say â€Å"Don’t gap and stretch like that, Huckleberry—why don’t you try to behave?† (Twain 2). The Widow Douglas also made Huck go to school and read the Bible, both things he did not want to do. Huck was being pushed into religion and was being corrected and told what he was doing was wrong constantly. Huck needed some freedom, which he found on the river.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Mississippi River is a symbol of freedom to both Huck and Jim. Huck escapes from the widow’s house and gets to do whatever he wanted when he wanted. For instance, Huck could pull out his pipe and smoke all he wanted. When the ferry boat came to look for him, he â€Å"lit a pipe and had a good long smoke† (Twain 38). For Jim, the river means a new chance at life. A life without being a slave and not taking orders and doing whatever he is told. Jim wants to do whatever he wants to do. The river also gives Jim a chance to get to Cairo and earn some money. He needs to earn the money so he can buy his wife and daughter from The Widow Douglas. If she will not sell his wife and daughter back to him then he plans to go and steal them back. Then Jim will actually be able to enjoy his freedom with his family.

A good detective story Essay

What makes the story of ‘The Speckled Band’ by ‘Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’ a good detective story? â€Å"†¦ A story that tells of crime and the detection of criminals. † The dictionary definition of a detective story – but this isn’t all we expect from a detective story. We expect atmospheric settings, interesting characters, mysterious crime, suspense, an evil plot and a hero that saves the day right at the eleventh hour, accompanied by a faithful companion. These are a few factors that mould together to make a good story. In this essay I will explore some of these factors and decide whether ‘The Speckled Band’ has enough good features. Sherlock Holmes is the hero. He is the well-spoken detective that never ceases to amaze the reader with his extensive knowledge of the world he lives in. â€Å"The left arm of your jacket is splattered with mud†¦ the marks are perfectly fresh†¦ There is no vehicle save a dog-cart which throws up mud in that way†¦ â€Å". He is the perfect gentlemen and in my imagination is immaculately dressed in only the finest of clothes. However, I have seen illustrations of him that may have influenced this image. He doesn’t seem to fear anything; he handles the most dangerous situations with the calmest of attitudes. An example of his fearless attitude is when Dr Roylott confronted him and aggressively bent a poker out of shape. Holmes casually straightened it back out again and didn’t lose his temper in the slightest. He gathers clues and even though they are mentioned to us, his intelligence allows him to see perfectly ordinary objects in a way we can’t. For instance, a leash with a knot tied in it, or a saucer of milk. Holmes reveals that her knew they were part of the crime but how, we may never know. He seems to be able to piece together hidden clues and build up to the final picture before the reader has even had chance to fathom out the first set of clues! He’s quick, smart and can follows clues like a bloodhound on a scent trail. Helen Stoner is the sister of the victim. She goes to Sherlock Holmes in confidence that he will solve the mystery and let her live in peace again. The death of her sister, Julia Stoner, shook her up so much that she shivers in fear. She was in a â€Å"†¦ pitiable state of agitation†¦ † her face was â€Å"all drawn and grey† and her eyes looked like those of a â€Å"†¦ hunted animal†. The death had caused her visible stress and she had become restless which in turn had affected her health. She is in a dangerous position and if Holmes doesn’t act quickly, she too may suffer the same fate as her beloved sister. Dr Roylott is the father of Helen and Julia. His aggressive, violent nature does him no favours and if anything only confirms Holmes’ suspicions. An example of his frightful temper would be during his confrontation with Holmes: â€Å"see that you keep yourself out of my grip†. Holmes, undeterred, carried on his investigations later to find Dr Roylott victim of his own crime†¦ dead. Julia Stoner, the initial victim, was engaged to a half pay major of the marines. We do not learn anything about her fianci other than this information. However, it is made clear that Julia getting married would leave less inheritance for her father, Dr Roylott. This is the proposed motive. There is little information about Julia in the text but enough to start building ideas about the crime. The narrator, Dr Watson, an enthusiastic supporter and faithful friend of Sherlock Holmes, follows all Holmes’ investigations. He is quick to learn and very eager to do so: â€Å"me dear fellow, I would not miss it for anything†. We are not given much information about him in the story, because he is telling it. All these characters make the story an enjoyable read. As to the original question, what makes the story a good detective story, I think it is all the components such as the characters and their individual personalities; a motive; a crime; the suspense; and the settings. All these fit together to make the final picture, a good story!

Book of Exodus Essay

Birthstones are essentially stones with special shapes or colors used for warding off diseases or misfortunes and as facilitators to being about the user’s wishes (Dunwich, 2003). These stones are usually associated with the day or time or month etc. a person is born, hence the name. The use of such stones has been a part of many religions in different parts of the world, and in the modern day too finds many followers. The purpose of this paper is to give a history of the use of stones as symbolic references, and trace their usage as birthstones. Stones as Symbols Stones are the foundation of human civilization. The body of earth comprises of stones of various shapes and sizes, and people from ancient world considered stones as the most stable of all elements, because of its capacity to remain steady. Hence, stones came to be associated with permanence by people from ancient cultures, who gave them special importance as sacred symbols (Tresidder, 2005). Some of the cultures even today follow the practice of worshipping stones which have a special shape. In general, all the ancient cultures stones held a special symbolic value. Tresidder (2005) gives some examples like, the individual standing stones of specific shapes being worshipped, sacrificial stone axes or knives in the Neolithic age, and using stones to mark sacred places or act like altars etc. In funeral ceremony stones were used, as also by certain religion in the modern world for symbolizing eternal life. In addition to the above examples Tresidder (2005) also mentions that the stones having specific shapes, sizes and colors were also used as amulets. Many people used to believe that these stones bring the wearer good luck, while others used them to ward off certain mishaps. Many theorists believe that this was the origin of birthstones as we know today. Gemstones Schumann (1993) says that gemstones have been known to men for more than 7000 years. The earliest gemstones belonging to the precious category were the amethyst, garnet, amber, jade, emerald, turquoise, lapis lazuli etc. Possession of these stones was considered to be a status symbol among the royal and other wealthy people. Hence, these stones came to be associated with power in addition to being used as amulets and talismans. These stones depending on their history were used to sustain health or bring seafaring people safely and mainly to ward off evil. As time passed on, special stones started to have specific meaning based on various myths, legends and symbolic meaning attached to them. (Dunwich, 2003). Schumann (1993) also says that people used these stones as remedies in powdered form as remedies or were placed in contact with the body, a practice followed even today. Gemstones are usually categorized as of precious and semi-precious type. (Schumann, 1993) says that in olden times very few stones were designated as precious stones based on their rarity and beauty. In modern times this number has increased multifold. The semi-precious stones were the stones which were less valuable and not very hard. These stones even today are used to denote the stones which are of lesser value than the precious stones, though the difference between them is not very clear. In present times the quality of stone and at times even their occurrence i. e. natural or synthetic, decides whether a stone is of the precious or semiprecious type. Gemstones associated with Zodiac The association of gemstone with the zodiac was not just associated with a single race or religion in ancient times. Many cultures had similar beliefs. Walker (2002) says that, since ancient times Christians and Jews related certain stones as to the twelve tribes or Israel and to the twelve apostles. Ancient Jewish cabalists believed that the stones each one having an anagrm of the name of the God had mystical power over the twelve angels. This is given by Walker (2002 ) in his book as follows: ruby over Malchediel, topaz over Asmodel, carbuncle over Ambriel, emerald over Muriel, sapphire over Hercel, diamond over Humatiel, jacinth over Zuriel, agate over Barbiel, amethyst over Adnachiel, beryl over Humiel, and jasper over Barchiel. In addition to this, gemstones were also related to the twelve months of the year, twelve parts of the human body, the twelve hierarchies of the devil etc (Walker, 2002). Each sign of the zodiac was associated with a stone and assisted it in exerting its influence over men. The gemstones hence started as being allocated as to the signs of the Zodiac and from these birthstones and month-stones started to emerge. In addition to this the gemstones were also related to medicines. For instance jade was said to be originally applied by the Spanish conquerors as a cure for kidney ailments. The stone was referred to as pie-dras de yjada or the stones of the side i. e. the kidney stones. From the yjada the name jade came (Walker 2002). However Gleadow (2001) says that, while the ancient cultures associated stones as being related to zodiac the wearing of birthstones was not very common in those times. He refers to George Kunz who suggested that this practice arose in Poland in the eighteenth century among the Jewish population there. Walker (2002) also has a similar opinion who mentions that the Jews of Poland related a gemstone to the birth month of the wearer. This was because of their interest in the significance of the original twelve stones in the breast of the Jewish High Priest. The above Jewish practice can be traced back to biblical times, specifically to the breastplate of Aaron (Dunwich, 2003), who was a Hebrew High Priest and a brother of Moses. This breastplate is known as the Breastplate of High Priest and is said to be the oldest amulets known to man. Dunwich (2003) says that according to Bible this breastplate was made of the following gemstones: sardius, topaz, carbuncle, emerald, sapphire, diamond, ligure, agate, amethyst, beryl, onyx, and jasper. These twelve stones, as mentioned earlier used to represent the twelve tribes of Israel, the twelve months of the year and the twelve signs of the zodiac. Gleadow (2001) says that the most common list of birthstones can be derived from the Book of Revelation, beginning with St. Peter, Aries and the month of March and assuming the Jasper of that month to be red. However, there were many changes made to this list and the list available by different religions or different countries differ a lot and tend to disagree. Also, there is no possibility to get an authentic list because there was no such list to begin with and also the difficulty in recognizing the various gemstones. Gleadow (2001) gives examples for this in his book. He says that the Authorized Version has the reversed order of third and fourth stones in the Book of Exodus. The topazion is said to be a greenish stone, which means that it cannot be the modern day topaz. In addition, the association of the Apostles with the twelve stations also leads to confusion as all the Gospels do not mention the name of the Apostles in the same order. The list is hence different for people in different countries though it holds similar meanings and significances. Hence the lists are different for ancient Jews, Romans, Arabians, Poles, Russians and Italians, even though the source for all these is same.

Explain why the bank of Englan essays

Explain why the bank of Englan essays The policy of overfunding corresponded with the view of pragmatic monetarism of the early eighties. However its utilisation was a direct result of what went before it. The corset and credit controls were the main tools that the authorities used to control the money supply in the years preceding overfunding. Therefore it is useful to consider these policies as a precursor to examining overfunding. The corset was different from previous schemes of monetary control in that it didnt differentiate between bank lending to the public or private sector. In this way the government felt that it would be able to permit competition between banks and avoid freezing the distribution of deposits between them (Dow and Saville, 1988,pp154). The corset was designed to work hand in hand with other schemes the were already in place and imposed a limit on the banking system as a whole rather than on individual establishments thanks to the transfer provisions in the scheme. The corset was generally a success. In our brief description we saw that the corset was in tended to control the bank systems lending as a whole over the six years of its existence it appeared to have done this. The system was not ever-present after its introduction in 1973. In fact originally it was only in place for little over a year. It was then reinforced in 1976 , for a much shorter time, before its final stint between 1978 and 1980. Over this time the growth if the banks sterling deposits were kept , in the majority, within the targeted zones. However there is some debate as to whether the banks would have chosen this rate of growth regardless of the presence of the penalties. This is illustrated by the fact that when the corset was first imposed the demand for bank loans went from a lofty position and fell away quickly. This shows that the new legislations were not having a particularly drastic effect. However the fact these criticisms can be refuted by ...

The Meaning of Life Professor Ramos Blog

The Meaning of Life There I was sitting front row at my 6 a.m. Seminary class. This was a class that was held Monday through Friday every morning before school. Unlike many other students I was happy to be there that early. Not only was I there physically but mentally, emotionally and with my whole soul. I craved knowledge of this religion, but it wasnt just a religion: it was my life, it was a way of being, it was the center of my world. Aside from Seminary classes held every morning before school I attended church on Sunday for three hours, Wednesday nights was held for the youth (a program called Young Womens) I read the scriptures and prayed with my family morning and night and, again, by myself morning and night. Twice-a-year we would hear from the prophets of the church, of God, and there I was with a notepad and a pen I didnt want to miss a thing. This person was in contact with God. Wouldnt you take notes? I was baptized at 8, doing baptisms for the dead in the temple by 13, given my patriarchal blessing at 16 and preparing for an 18 month mission at 17. Around that age i naturally started to question. And from then on I was thrown into a whirlwind of confusion until recently I found some grounding. Im not sure exactly what it is that I learned about the LDS Church and I dont want to come off anti-religions im just telling my story. In my youth I loved the Young Womens program that was in my church and I dedicated myself to it. I wanted to be Christ-like, I wanted to help everyone and save them. I remember getting rewarded for doing Christ-like things like bringing others to the gospel, sharing the Book of Mormon, bearing my testimony and immersing myself in the word of God. But does anyone ever think of the pressure that puts on a 14 year old child, to be perfect, essentially like Christ? Maybe it was just me that took it to that extreme or maybe its embedded in the churchs teachings. After all the church is named Latter Day Saints. So I took that title seriously I was going to be perfect at being perfect, until I couldnt. Cult is a scary word but more importantly I dont think its accurate. I mean, maybe its a really nice cult, im not sure. All I know is when I started to question the church it was unacceptable to my father and all of my family I knew at the time. And when I started to Branch off my father got angry with me. When I started you know, being human and having sex with my boyfriend at 17, my father called me a harlot. Not a hoe, not a slut, biblical terms here. He gave me an ultimatum, stop committing the sin next to murder our get out of his house because, for him and his house he will serve the Lord. So as soon as I turned 18 I moved in with my boyfriend. At the time I thought I had failed my father on Earth and my Father in heaven. I was shameful and a failure. I felt defeated, my life was just beginning but i felt that it was already over. That shame I felt was excruciating. You see shame is a self-conscious emotion and its different from guilt. I thought at the time that I felt guilt, but theres a difference between guilt and shame. Guilt is a feeling about what youve said or done that violates your standards or principles, shame is a bad feeling that you have about yourself as a person. I couldnt admit this to myself at the time but I didnt want to be a part of any thing that played off of your emotions. I didnt feel guilty, I did however feel like a murderer. What a thought for 17 year old to have and how awful for a young woman to feel those things. I mourn for her. A few months after moving in with my boyfriend i got pregnant. So there I was a child raising a child. No one taught me about contraception or protection, not in the school system and certainly not at home. Abstenence was the only birth control i knew. So maybe I wasnt a child but it was a very confusing time as it is for anyone at that age. I never felt that I could ask questions because I knew it was taboo so I dealt with it myself the best that I could as a kid transitioning to an adult. I couldnt ask questions during that confusing time and any opposing views to the church remained unanswered, rejected or ignored. As a result I suppress a lot of feelings and thoughts and consequently became numb. And so co-dependency was born. I now know that this was a direct result of the rigidity of my childhood, my religion. Co-dependency is essentially a lost self. And thats exactly what I was, lost, I had absolutely no identity. I buried myself in other peoples problems and my parents and f aith, for whatever reason, felt it necessary to support that behavior. I learned that the LDS Church hindered me which in turn made me who I am. I started dissecting this idea when I hit rock bottom recently in my life. And when i hit, it hurt, but i learned a valuable lesson that i couldnt have learned any other way except through that painful experience. I had got myself into an abusive relationship and when i got out i was angry and i started blaming my parents and the church, I hated religion and I hated everyone. When I was at the bottom it was uncomfortably quiet and I realized that I wasnt descending anymore. For a moment I saw myself, and then I came out of denial and started coming into awareness and reality. I found myself wanting to learn and understand like I did in my religion as a child. When I was out of my mind in shock my default setting that was programmed in me as a kid kicked in and I just started structuring anything that was out of order. My whole life had been controlled and structured by others. To find my own sense of control I adapted and did the same. Where would I be without that structure? I learned to be thankful for my rigid upbringing and the principles, for that strive for perfection, because it drove me to keep going. I still struggle with the hindrances of my childhood but im not angry anymore and I understand that my father was adapting. He was just surviving in his environment, living in the only way he knew and he will continue to do so, bringing others to Christ and Salvation and nothing will penetrate his belief. Surely its a loss for me, a loss of my father, but Ive gained myself. Theres a scripture I learned a long time that goes like this: Will you use this as a stumbling stone or a building block? I choose building block.

Biography of Eratosthenes, Greek Geographer

Biography of Eratosthenes, Greek Geographer Eratosthenes of Cyrene (c. 276 BCE–192 or 194 BCE) was an ancient Greek mathematician, poet, and astronomer who is known as the father of geography. Eratosthenes was the first person to use the word geography and other geographical terms that are still in use today, and his efforts to calculate the circumference of the Earth and the distance from the Earth to the Sun paved the way for our modern understanding of the cosmos. Among his other many accomplishments were the creation of the first map of the world and the invention of an algorithm known as the sieve of Eratosthenes, which is used to identify prime numbers. Fast Facts: Eratosthenes Known For: Eratosthenes was a Greek polymath who became known as the father of geography.Born: c. 276 BCE in Cyrene (present-day Libya)Died: 192 or 196 BCE in Alexandria, Egypt Early Life Eratosthenes was born around 276 BCE in a Greek colony in Cyrene, a territory located in present-day Libya. He was educated at the academies of Athens and in 245 BCE, after earning attention for his skills, he was invited by Pharaoh Ptolemy III to run the Great Library at Alexandria in Egypt. This was a major opportunity, and Eratosthenes was excited to accept the position. In addition to being a mathematician and geographer, Eratosthenes was also a very gifted philosopher, poet, astronomer, and music theorist. He made several significant contributions to science, including the discovery that a year is slightly longer than 365 days, requiring an extra day- or leap day- be added to the calendar every four years to keep it consistent. Geography While serving as the head librarian and scholar at the Library of Alexandria, Eratosthenes wrote a comprehensive treatise about the world, which he called Geography. This was the first use of the word, which in Greek means writing about the world. Eratosthenes work introduced the concepts of torrid, temperate, and frigid climate zones. His map of the world, though highly inaccurate, was the first of its kind, featuring a grid of parallels and meridians used to estimate distances between different locations. Though Eratosthenes original Geography did not survive, modern scholars know what it contained thanks to reports by Greek and Roman historians. The first book of Geography contained a summary of existing geographical work and Eratosthenes speculations about the nature of the planet Earth. He believed it was a fixed globe whose changes only took place on the surface. The second book of Geography described the mathematical calculations he had used to determine the circumference of the Earth. The third contained a map of the world in which the land was divided into different countries; it is one of the earliest examples of political geography. Calculating the Circumference of the Earth Eratosthenes most famous contribution to science was his calculation of the circumference of the Earth, which he completed while working on the second volume of his Geography. After hearing about a deep well at Syene (near the Tropic of Cancer and modern-day Aswan) where sunlight only struck the bottom of the well on the summer solstice, Eratosthenes worked out a method by which he could calculate the circumference of the Earth using basic geometry. Knowing that the Earth was a sphere, he needed only two critical measurements to calculate the circumference. Eratosthenes already knew the approximate distance between Syene and Alexandria, as measured by camel-powered trade caravans. He then measured the angle of the shadow in Alexandria on the solstice. By taking the angle of the shadow (7.2 degrees) and dividing it into the 360 degrees of a circle (360 divided by 7.2 yields 50), Eratosthenes could then multiply the distance between Alexandria and Syene by the result to determine the circumference of the Earth. Remarkably, Eratosthenes determined the circumference to be 25,000 miles, just 99 miles over the actual circumference at the equator (24,901 miles). Although Eratosthenes made a few mathematical errors in his calculations, the, canceled each other out and yielded an amazingly accurate answer that still causes scientists to marvel. A few decades later, the Greek geographer Posidonius insisted that Eratosthenes circumference was too large. He calculated the circumference on his own and obtained a figure of 18,000 miles- about 7,000 miles too short. During the Middle Ages, most scholars accepted Eratosthenes circumference, though Christopher Columbus used Posidonius measurement to convince his supporters that he could quickly reach Asia by sailing west from Europe. As we now know, this was a critical error on Columbus part. Had he used Eratosthenes figure instead, Columbus would have known he was not yet in Asia when he landed in the New World. Prime Numbers A noted polymath, Eratosthenes also made notable contributions to the field of mathematics, including the invention of an algorithm used to identify prime numbers. His method involved taking a table of whole numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) and striking off the multiples of each prime, beginning with multiples of the number two, then multiples of the number three, etc. until only the prime numbers remained. This method became known as the sieve of Eratosthenes, as it works by filtering out the non-prime numbers in the same way that a sieve filters solids out of liquids. Death In his old age, Eratosthenes became blind and he died of self-induced starvation in either 192 or 196 BCE in Alexandria, Egypt. He lived to be about 80 to 84 years old. Legacy Eratosthenes was one of the greatest Greek polymaths, and his work influenced later innovators in fields ranging from mathematics to geography. Admirers of the Greek thinker called him Pentathlos, after the Greek athletes known for their prowess in a number of different events. A crater on the Moon was named in his honor. Sources Klein, Jacob, and Franciscus Vieta.  Greek Mathematical Thought and the Origin of Algebra. Courier Corporation, 1968.Roller, Duane W.  Ancient Geography: the Discovery of the World in Classical Greece and Rome. I.B. Tauris, 2017.Warmington, Eric Herbert.  Greek Geography. AMS Press, 1973.

Global Perspective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Global Perspective - Essay Example The military power which both the US and the USSR accumulated, most especially weapons of mass destruction, quite effectively dictated the impossibility of their engaging in direct armed conflict. Such a conflict would have led to the deaths of millions upon millions of people, not to mention the probable obliteration of entire cities. At the same time, however, these two nations were adversaries and, because of their ideological differences, disagreements between them were as intense as that between warring nations. The US and the USSR were caught in a war with one another but had to avoid the possibility of this war turning hot.' Accordingly, their conflict assumed the form of a race for industrial development, a contest over the acquisition of satellite states, an arms race and even a space war. They may have avoided direct military confrontation but they quite often engaged in indirect warfare through proxy states, as in the Vietnam War or the first Afghanistan War, to name but two examples. Indeed, they divided the world between them. As may have been inferred from the foregoing argument, the United States and the Soviet Union were in a war with one another and the conflict between them was as contentious and as dangerous as any which had ever unfolded between two nations.

Beverly Daniel Tatums Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in Essay

Beverly Daniel Tatums Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria - Essay Example The paper under consideration presents the analysis of Beverly Daniel Tatum’s â€Å"Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria†. The core of the paper is to determine the nature of racism and show Tatum’s main point view on racial segregation and African-American isolation. Through the article, she attempts to highlight how racism has developed in the African American population through constant analysis and comparison to other ethnic groups and why this phenomenon occurs. The rhetorical strategies used are not expressed effectively, as the majority of the assessments of modern black racism are speculatory and often based on personal judgment without adequate justification for opinion. Introduction Beverly Daniel Tatum’s â€Å"Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria† is an exploration of racism as it pertains to black youths and the role of racism as compared to the White dominant social norm. Tatum attempts to illustrate the phenomenon of why racially-similar groups, especially African Americans, tend to remain segregated in same-race groups without inter-mingling in the social environment. Through the article, she attempts to highlight how racism has developed in the African American population through constant analysis and comparison to other ethnic groups and why this phenomenon occurs. ... Tatum believes that her definition of racism is â€Å"a system involving cultural messages and institutional policies and practices as well as the beliefs and actions of individuals’’ (Tatum, 7). Here, Tatum attempts to create an appeal to pathos by further highlighting her own credibility related to her own sociology knowledge, but it too is ineffective since the author does not explore the issue further using concrete information from reputable sociological or political science data sources. The author is, instead, creating a sense of bias in the process, somewhat over-analyzing the actual realities of lifestyle with each ethnic group. Rather, Tatum manages, it seems, to simply assume certain sociological characteristics about White groups or African-American groups and therefore does not manage to instill a sense of integrity or knowledge-based authority when making her argument about the phenomenon of group-oriented ethnic segregation and prejudice. Tatum’s ethos arguments, in an attempt to appeal to the readers’ emotions, also does not do a significant job of instilling sympathy for the plight of African-Americans in today’s society. Tatum suggests that this segregation occurring is a product of White privilege and therefore receive preferential treatment in all elements of society. A reputable educator from the Philadelphia school district believes this also, offering that this is a hypocritical form of reasoning (Paslay, 3). Tatum’s attempt to instill compassion and condolence for the state of African-American isolation from the rest of society simply does not achieve its intended ethos results as it, again, illustrates that

Compensation Practice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Compensation Practice - Assignment Example Their award winning online banking has served 30 million users. Through their big size, capability and commitment the bank is able to serve the community with superior economic value and services (Our Vision, 2013). Compensation refers to all forms of financial return in terms of tangible services and benefits that the employee receives as a part of employment relationship. It is an integral part of the human resource management that helps in employee motivation and improvement in the organizational effectiveness by paying salary or wage. Salary refers to the payment of the managers or professionals, whose payments are calculated on monthly or annual basis. In contrast, wage is the payment that is received by the workers in hourly or daily basis or for overtime (Bhattacharya & Sengupta, 2009, p. 2).This study deals in understanding the compensation policy of Bank of America Compensation Strategy Compensation strategy is designed depending upon the business strategy and goal. The busi ness goals and objectives are aligned with the Human Resource strategies. The compensation committee devises the compensation plan. The strategy depends upon both the internal and external factors as well as on the life cycle of an organization (Bhattacharya & Sengupta, 2009, p. 3). ... Practices followed by Bank of America The Bank of America follows â€Å"pay-for-performance compensation program† (BOA Compensation Principles, n.d.) which, provides rewards for long term and sustainable result that are aligned to the shareholder’s interest. The primary objective is to provide a tie up between payment and performance while at the same time providing a balancing reward with practical business decision and efficient risk management. All the compensation programs are designed to be consistent with the Compensation Principles, which ensures that the compensation practice does not encourage excessive risk, focuses the employees in managing the company towards long term goals and sustainable values for the shareholders and provides an appropriate realization of the rewards overtime (BOA Compensation Principles, n.d., p. 1). The benefits that the generally provide to their employees include health and dental benefits from the first day of employment, â€Å"Li fe Insurance, Accidental Death, Dismemberment coverage and Disability benefits† (Bank of America, Careers, 2013), retirement benefits, leave benefits like paternity leave, fitness centers, employee cafes and Associate discount program. They also provide a three week vacation when the position starts from entry level. Analysis of the compensation principle The pay of the executive is linked to the performance of the company, which in turn is supposed to increase the stakeholder’s wealth. Compensation also influences the employee wok behavior and organizational performance. This is the measure of paying the employee, which affects the quality of work, attitude towards customers and willingness to be flexible, learning new skills or suggesting

Punctuation Marks in the English Writing Research Paper

Punctuation Marks in the English Writing - Research Paper Example Introduction More and more users of English are joining this language community worldwide, as globalization increases. A common language to use in communication across the globe is necessary: electronic technology allows people to reach anyone, from anywhere in the world, so communication has to take place in a common language, if the advantages of instant access and wide connectivity are to be realized. The structure, syntax and construction of English have been, throughout its history, adaptable. From its earliest documentation, by writers such as Geoffrey Chaucer, to its latest uses in text-messaging and social website writing, this language has changed. These changes have often been visible in the words used, the structure of sentences, the positions of parts of speech in expressed sentences, and in the punctuation marks used in writing. Punctuation is defined in the Encyclopedia Britannica as â€Å"The use of spacing, conventional signs, and certain typographical devices as aid s to the understanding and correct reading, both silently and aloud, of handwritten and printed texts.† Many say that punctuation is necessary to â€Å"clarify meaning† and that its misuse â€Å"appears to reflect wider social decline† (Hitchings, 2011, web page), and hence it needs to remain traditional. But clear and accurate meaning is important in any written communication, and changing a language for the sake of change is not wise. Still, there seems to be room for change in the punctuation of English. Thesis Statement This essay will focus on the question of why we use punctuation marks in English writing. To explore this question, the flowing ideas will form the structure of the discussion: The historical development of punctuation marks in language, with specific focus on English The current use of punctuation marks in English, and how this is changing The continued need for accurate use of punctuation, to ensure clear communication Background – Th e Historical Development of Punctuation in Written Language Earliest Forms In classical times, the Greeks and then the Romans used punctuation to indicate to speakers when and for how long they had to pause in their speech. These symbols were eventually named after the pauses they represented, so that a period came to show the longest pause, when a speaker had reached the end of a complete idea; the comma indicated a short pause, for breathing or effect; and a colon indicated that a clause, or a sub-idea, had ended (Nordquist, 2011, web page). Nordquist cites W.F. Bolton (A Living Language, 1988), who suggests that these punctuation marks came to assist speakers in planning the pace, emphasis and elocution of a speech. The Vulgate Bible, for example, allowed St. Jerome to begin to standardize the use of punctuation – he used the period to show when a passage should be read in one breath – from period to period – rather than to end an idea (Crandall, 2008, web pa ge). From the Fifth to the Twelfth Centuries, punctuation continued to determine the reading style of a passage, rather than any syntactical structure, even

Human Aanatomy and Physiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Aanatomy and Physiology - Essay Example Human males are capable of producing sperm throughout their lives that numbers in the millions. In females however, eggs are produced only in the hundreds. In fact, when females are still in utero, they produce all of the eggs that they will produce in a lifetime. These eggs then enter into Prophase I and stay dormant in this state until such time that the female begins puberty. At this time, eggs may continue undergoing meiosis to completion. This takes place with each egg one by one until menopause, resulting in monthly cycles until then. It is also important to note that not all of a female’s eggs will ever resume meiosis. Some will simply be reabsorbed by her body. In addition, at time of menstruation, the female will release one egg from the ovaries into the uterus to await fertilization. Males on the other hand have millions of sperm that can be released in mass proportion upon each ejaculation. The pathway taken by sperm as they leave the testes and travel through the body is as follows: sperm originate in the seminal vesicles which are located at the bladder’s base. Each seminal vesicle is joined with a vas deferens in order to form an ejaculatory duct. These ducts are fused with the urethra. During the path taken from the vasa deferentia into the urethra, the sperm acquire a thick, alkaline liquid. This liquid id provided by the prostate and is a nutrient rich solution for the health and motility of the traveling sperm. Upon ejaculation, the bulbourethral glands emit a mucous like secretion, followed by expulsion of sperm from the male body. The structure and function of male accessory glands are as follows: male accessory glands are composed of the ductus deferens, the epididymis, the urethra and the ejaculatory duct. This is a network of ducts in which the sperm travels to get from inside the body (the testes) to the outer portion of the body (the penis). The

Srategic analysis of an e-business application initiative Assignment

Srategic analysis of an e-business application initiative - Assignment Example Commerce institutes of the interchange of the products and services between groups, individuals and businesses and the act is as an essential activity in any business. Methods in e-business enable the link of internal and external data processing system between firms flexible and efficient to work with as the partners and the suppliers communicate easily (Vaman 94). This enhances the need to satisfy the customer expectations and needs in a better way. Though the internet is public, companies tend to use secure and private networks for effective and proficient administration of their core functions. Anheuser- Busch InBev brewing company is one of the largest suppliers of beer in the global market. The multinational company operates from Belgium-Brazil and its headquarters based in Leuven, Belgium (Grant). The company constitutes of 25% market share as it is the world’s largest brewer and owns seventeen brands that produce, individually, over one billion US dollars revenue in a year out of the two hundred portfolio in 2013. There are global brands included in the portfolio. These brands are Stella Artois, Budweiser and Corona. The international brands constitute Hoegaarden, Leffe and Beck’s. The locally based brands include Skol, Antarctica, Bud Light, Brahma, Quilmes and Habrin (Elliott 107). Anheuser- Busch InBev Company hires over one hundred and fifty thousand people in twenty-four different countries. There was an interbred in 2004 where the company merged to form Am Bev thus created the world largest brewer. The company operates. Revenue of all the 200 AB InB ev brands totaled to over forty three billion US dollars in 2013. Apart from the brewing and packaging operations, the companies participate in agricultural operations and environmental conservation programs. This program promotes marketing of the company products as the

Human Aanatomy and Physiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Aanatomy and Physiology - Essay Example Human males are capable of producing sperm throughout their lives that numbers in the millions. In females however, eggs are produced only in the hundreds. In fact, when females are still in utero, they produce all of the eggs that they will produce in a lifetime. These eggs then enter into Prophase I and stay dormant in this state until such time that the female begins puberty. At this time, eggs may continue undergoing meiosis to completion. This takes place with each egg one by one until menopause, resulting in monthly cycles until then. It is also important to note that not all of a female’s eggs will ever resume meiosis. Some will simply be reabsorbed by her body. In addition, at time of menstruation, the female will release one egg from the ovaries into the uterus to await fertilization. Males on the other hand have millions of sperm that can be released in mass proportion upon each ejaculation. The pathway taken by sperm as they leave the testes and travel through the body is as follows: sperm originate in the seminal vesicles which are located at the bladder’s base. Each seminal vesicle is joined with a vas deferens in order to form an ejaculatory duct. These ducts are fused with the urethra. During the path taken from the vasa deferentia into the urethra, the sperm acquire a thick, alkaline liquid. This liquid id provided by the prostate and is a nutrient rich solution for the health and motility of the traveling sperm. Upon ejaculation, the bulbourethral glands emit a mucous like secretion, followed by expulsion of sperm from the male body. The structure and function of male accessory glands are as follows: male accessory glands are composed of the ductus deferens, the epididymis, the urethra and the ejaculatory duct. This is a network of ducts in which the sperm travels to get from inside the body (the testes) to the outer portion of the body (the penis). The

Truth and Socrates Essay Example for Free

Truth and Socrates Essay ?Euthyphro is a dialogue between Socrates and a traveling cleric. The two men meet at court, where the cleric, Euthyphro, claims to have a clear definition of piety. Socrates exclaims that he wishes to know the definition of piety so that he may better defend himself in his upcoming trial. Euthyphro agrees to teach Socrates, and so they begin to discuss. Early on, Socrates makes clear his desire for a universal truth, or a definition of piety that will be true in every case. Euthyphro makes several attempts to define piety in a way that satisfies Socrates. The first attempt at a definition does not satisfy Socrates because it is merely an example. In trying to define piety, Euthyphro merely states that his current undertaking at court is pious. While Socrates does not disagree outright, he presses Euthyphro for a universal definition of piety that could be used in every situation. Euthyphro’s second definition, â€Å"what is dear to the gods is pious, what is not is impious,† pleases Socrates because it is a universal statement. This definition is general enough to be widely applicable, and seems to outline the defining characteristics of piety. Upon closer inspection, however, Socrates finds the definition unsatisfying. Because the gods disagree about so many things, and act in contradiction to each other, it would be foolish to assume they would all agree upon the definition of piety. Euthyphro points out in his defence that all the gods would agree that Euthyphro’s current action of bringing his father to trial is pious. Socrates dismisses this, as it is not a universal definition and is essentially just another example. Euthyphro attempts to satisfy Socrates by amending his definition slightly. Piety, says Euthyphro, is what all the gods love, and the impious is what all the gods hate. Socrates is not satisfied by this definition, either, and so he tries a different tack to extract a definition from Euthyphro. Socrates does this by asking: â€Å"Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods? † When Euthyphro seems unsure, Socrates simplifies his question with an analogy. He asks Euthyphro if something is â€Å"carried† because it is â€Å"a thing carried,† or if it is â€Å"carried† because something is carrying it. Both men agree that the action confers the state of being. That is, a thing loved is so because someone loves it, and the thing itself is not creating a state of â€Å"loving† within the people around it. Likewise, being loved is not a state inherent to the thing loved, but is the result of the love others bear for the thing. Moving from his analogy back to Euthyphro’s definition, Socrates shows the fallacy in Euthyphro’s statement. Being god-loved cannot confer piety, as it confers â€Å"god-loved-ness† instead. Therefore, in Euthyphro’s statement, all the gods loving something would make that thing universally god-loved, but in no way makes it pious. An act is loved by the gods because it is pious, and not the other way around. Socrates, presumably tired of Euthyphro’s poor definitions, takes a stab at defining piety himself. He muses to Euthyphro that piety is a species of the genus justice, and that perhaps starting there would help the two men to agree on pious qualities. Socrates uses a poem as an example: â€Å"You do not wish to name Zeus, who had done it, and who made all things grow, for where there is fear there is shame. † While surely, says Socrates, those who feel shame also feel fear for their reputation or good name, those who feel fear do not necessarily feel shame as well. Being fearful of disease or poverty is not shameful, and is quite understandable. Shame is a smaller part of fear, covering a smaller area, just as piety covers a smaller area than justice, although the two entirely overlap. With a newfound agreement on the properties of piety, Socrates again asks Euthyphro to define piety by what part of justice it constitutes. Euthyphro states that â€Å"the godly and pious is the part of the just that is concerned with the care of the gods, while that concerned with the care of men is the remaining part of justice. † Socrates seems pleased by this new definition, but has one area that must be further defined – namely, the term â€Å"care for. † Socrates points out that the term â€Å"care for† means to benefit the object of care. Caring for the gods would then benefit them and make them better, an impossible act of hubris that flies in the face of the religion of the day. Euthyphro quickly enhances his definition: it’s the kind of care that a slave gives to his master. Socrates continues to press Euthyphro and demands to know what goal the gods intend to achieve by way of human service. Euthyphro gives a long-winded answer that Socrates immediately reduces to two independent clauses. The first is that the gods achieve, by way of human servitude, piety on earth in their servants’ actions. The second is that piety is the knowledge of how to sacrifice and pray. Socrates points out that Euthyphro’s latest definition reduces piety to a sort of commerce between gods and men, where pious men are the best bargainers and most skillful traders. Euthyphro agrees, although he would prefer grander wording. Socrates then asks: If pious men are trading with the gods, and the gifts from gods to men are obvious, then what are the gifts from men to gods? Euthyphro answers that the gods desire from men pleasing attitudes such as honour and reverence. Socrates once again reduces Euthyphro’s statement to a simpler form: â€Å"The pious is once again what is dear to the gods. † The argument has come full circle, back to a point where an object is conferring an action upon actors, and logical analysis leads round and back again. Socrates points this out, eager to dive back into defining piety, but Euthyphro claims he is now in a hurry and must continue the conversation some other time. While Euthyphro is unable to define piety in a convincing way, Socrates himself takes up the challenge in The Apology. While he doesn’t come right out and say it in so many words, Socrates clearly details how a man should act throughout his life and care for his soul to ensure a pious existence. According to Socrates, a man who wishes to live a pious life, insofar as he wishes to take the greatest care of his soul and follow the purest pursuits on Earth, should seek the truth in any form, at any cost. This is most clearly expressed by the statement â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living. † Socrates would presumably define piety as the pursuit of truth. Piety, in the religious world of Socrates, can be taken as a more all-encompassing trait than it might be in modern times. Because everyone in Socrates’s society participated in the same religion, piety was a universally positive trait. Good things came from the gods, and men who engaged in religious acts were generally also pillars of Athenian society. Today piety has a narrower definition. Because religion no longer holds the position it once did in the world, and because people follow so many different religions, piety has been relegated to a rather specific set of qualities, most of which involve devotion to the church. In Socrates’s time, goodness and godliness were so close as to be inseparable, and so to be pious was to be a multitude of positive adjectives that existed in the wide realm of goodness and godliness. Piety is a desirable trait in humans, spawning bravery, kindness, wisdom, and all manner of positive attributes in those who are considered to be pious. However, each of these positive attributes is directly connected with discovering truths. Bravery or courage, one of the most readily identifiable positive traits, is a special kind of knowledge (Plato, Laches 196. c). By understanding the risks and rewards of a particular action in a certain situation, brave people will risk themselves to a certain degree, presumably because they have calculated the rewards to be justifiably great. An equally courageous act, the admission of ignorance, would allow a general to withdraw his troops from a potentially compromising situation, probably to the disdain of his fellow generals. While scorn may be heaped on this general for â€Å"fleeing,† his courage and strength of character saves the lives of his soldiers to fight another day; a prouder or more ignorant general would foolishly stand his ground and lose. Prudence, it would seem in this situation, is part of bravery. The observance of the truth, that of the general’s previous ignorance of the current field of battle, allows the general to be courageous and brave. Truth is far more important than anything else. Truth is possessed by the gods, and occasionally discovered by man, perhaps by some design of the gods. When mathematics was discovered, and the objective truths of the hypotenuse and division were used, the gods were credited with the creation, or perhaps the release of, these intangible and indisputable truths. Men could not touch them, overturn them, or argue about them. They simply were. When the prophet at Delphi relayed a message from the gods, specifically that no man was wiser than Socrates, the truth of the matter was unquestioned by Socrates. Socrates, incredulous at this prophecy, began to pursue the meaning of the statement. Socrates refers to this as â€Å"my investigation in the service of god. † Wisdom, a desirable trait on its own, seems to be the knowledge of things. But how could Socrates be the wisest man? He had no knowledge of many things, such as politics, poetry, or craftsmanship. As he interviewed learned men in Greece, he began to realize an important difference. Many men in Greece had knowledge of things. They knew how to write, fight, or create, but these were not the truths Socrates sought. These were merely the men’s experiences, an amalgamation of experience. An objective truth, such as the use of a hypotenuse, was nowhere to be found. Socrates, in his staunch pursuit of truth, considered what he knew to be true in the same manner as geometry. He realized there was little he knew so well as his own ignorance – namely, the truth was that he did not know much at all. And so it became clear to Socrates that his wisdom was a by-product of the admission of his own ignorance, and that the pursuit of truth, no matter how damaging to the reputation of the seeker, was considered wise by the gods. Truth and piety became intermingled for Socrates, as he followed his divine mission in the pursuit of truth, no matter the cost to his reputation, or the danger it posed for him. Socrates’s willingness to die for the truth is an act of piety, as is his impoverished life and disregard for his reputation. When Socrates meets someone who thinks he is wise, Socrates believes he is coming to the assistance of the gods by showing that person his ignorance (Plato, Apology 23. b). Socrates devotes his whole life, and his death, to the pursuit of truth, no matter the cost. Because Socrates associates the notion of truth so closely with the gods, it could be said that his god is truth, and vice versa. When the notions of â€Å"god† and â€Å"truth† become synonymous, Socrates’s definition of piety becomes apparent. Bibliography Brickhouse, TC. and Smith, ND. (1990). Socrates on Trial. Oxford University Press. Grube, G. M. A. and John Cooper (2002). Five Dialogues. Hacket Publishing. Linder, Doug (2002). The Trial of Socrates. University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law. Retrieved November 11, 2013. Plato (400 BC). Apology. 17a-42a. Plato (400 BC). Euthyphro. 2a-16a. Plato (400 BC). Laches. 178a-201a. Plato (400 BC). Crito. 43a-54e.

An Assessment Of Human Resource Information System Information Technology Essay

An Assessment Of Human Resource Information System Information Technology Essay Nowadays, we are in a highly dynamic and competitive business globe. Hencea key person or top management of any organization tries to earn a larger share of the existing market. In such an environment, Information Technology (referred to henceforth as IT) and Information Systems (referred to henceforth as IS) would sharpen the business process and smooth the functions of the day-to-day operations. Although there are number of software or ISs are available in an organization, Human Resources Information System (referred to henceforth as HRIS) is the only system which takes care of human capital of the organization. Therefore, it is very important to have an effective and efficient HRIS and it should be maintained properly. Especially, infrastructure of the telecommunication organizations should be consisted with innovative technologies to cater quality service through their satisfied staff. Human Resources (referred to henceforth as HR) Department should pay more attention to achieve the desires of internal customers such as employees, middle managers and senior managers. According to the pilot survey, nearly all the employees in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC are using HIRS which has been implemented island wide. Existing users are facinga lot of system issues such as outdated, incorrect, inconsistent data, less reliability and user-friendliness, low performance, insufficient user training and most importantly poor contribution in making decisions. Theseissues mightheavily affectthe companys HR functions. The main objectives of this study are to assess the effectiveness of existing HRIS implemented in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC and identify its implications, advantages of introducing Online Performance Appraisal System (referred to henceforth as OPAS) to support the Strategic Human Resource Management (referred to henceforth as SHRM) in same organization context. To achieve the above objectives, the researcher has to address different aspects and various categories of employees and all managerial and technical difficulties in using the system, user trainings, inaccuracy of data, and use of web base sub sets of HRIS, etc. Conceptual Background Main focus of this section is to describe the main concepts which would be used in the entire research study. What isHuman Resource Information Systems? Tannenbaum(1990, p. 27) defines that Human Resource Information System is the system used to acquire, store, manipulate, analyze, retrieve and distribute related information regarding an organizations human resources.Nowadays, HRIS functionality includes corporate communication, recruitment, selection, training, employee opinion survey, compensation, payroll services and employee verification as well as general information (NgaiWat 2006). Same time HRIS assists HR professionals to focus on human capital analysis, but simply having more information does not automatically lead to a better analysis (Roehling et al. 2005). HRIS is an important tool for many businesses. Even the small office needs to realize the benefits of using HRIS to be more efficient. Normally,HR system should provide the capability to plan, control and manage HR costs more effectively; achieve improved efficiency and quality in HR decision making; and improve employee and managerial productivity and effectiveness. They also provide centralized location for company policies, announcements, and links to external URLs, reliable communication processes and save paper by providing an easy-access. There are two types of IS for HR Professional. The software available as web-based and desktop based. More popular some HRIS modules are: Recruitment Attendance and Leave Organization charts Employee self-service (Employees can update personal information and view benefits selections, absence transactions and payroll information) Automatic alerts Benefits Administration (Save paper and postage, take weeks off the benefits open enrollment period, reduce administration time, and improve data accuracy) Training and developments What is Human Resources management? Human Resources management is the process of managing human capital in organizations in a systematic and structured manner. This covers the job analyses, planning, recruiting the right people for the job in right time, managing wages and salaries, providing benefits and incentives, training and development, performance evaluation, resolving disputes, and communicating with all employees within the organization. What is the Performance Appraisal System? The Performance Appraisal System (referred to henceforth as PAS) is a software program which provides the facility to evaluate an individual employees performance and productivity link with objectives of the organization and pre-defined criteria in systematic way. Generally, performance appraisal interview is conducted once a year. Some companies have implemented mid-year review to monitor the progress of achieving individual targets. In the process of PA interviewing supervisor provides feed back to the employees, recommend trainings, and discuss compensation, disciplinary decisions, or job status. Performance management systems would align and manage organizations resources in order to achieve corporate goals through highest possible performance. What is the Strategic Human Resource Management? The strategic human resource management is relationship of strategic goals and objectives of the organization, with human resources in order to increase productivity, flexibility, to develop organizational culture and competitive advantage. HSRM involves as a strategic SHRM partner to achieve corporate goals through human resources functions such as employee selection, recruitment, carrier development, benefit management, etc. Main features of SHRM: There is a precise relationship with overall organizational strategic goals and HR policies and practices. HR management delegates much of their responsibilities down the line. There are some organizing schemas linking individual HR interventions mutually supportive. Contextual Background This section covers the current context of the research study in brief. A pilot survey was conducted to identify the contextual background of the Sri Lanka Telecoms (referred to henceforth as SLT) HRIS and used a semi-structured interview guide line to interview six senior managers who are attached to the HR group and other user group who are involving implementation and currently using the HRIS. Through the pilot survey the researcher has identified the problems of the context. Furthermore, SLT Annual reports were referred to in order to identify their policies and practices and also Telecom Management Information System (hereinafter referred as TMIS) documents such as user guides, architecture, diagrams were referred. At present,Sri Lanka Telecom is the leading Telecommunications Service Provider in Sri Lanka. For the first time SLT introduced a HRIS in year 2000 through a local company. It included very basic HR functions and facilitated simple operations. However in year 2005 the system was upgraded and currently using new version which has many automated HR processes keeping up-to- date employee records such as payroll, Attendance, personal information, training and development, benefit management, etc. Chief Officer Human Resource (referred to henceforth as CHRO) of Sri Lanka Telecom stated that SLT had spent around 30 Million LKR for Telecom Management Information System to upgrade the entire HR system in 2005. Although, SLT is paying approximately 1.5 million LKR for the annual maintenance of HRIS there are some technical and managerial issues available. Most of the users who are using existing system face lot of -issues such as out dated, incorrect, inconsistent, information less reliability and user-friendliness, low performance, insufficient user training and especially poor contribution in decision making. Human Recourse activities are very important for any organization to carry out their day to day business activities. As displaying in Figure 1.1, there are twenty sub modules are available in TMIS and it starts from employee recruitment to termination.HR processes include HR planning, exam assessment information, recruitment, Employee Information Manager, transfers, promotions, payroll, bonus, training development, attendance leave, disciplinary, welfare benefit management (e.g. loan, housing loan, medical reimbursement, circuit bungalow reservations, quarters allocation). Module Overview of the Telecom Management Information System C:UsersSLTUSERDesktopTMIS Diagrams.jpg Figure 1.1.HRM Enterprise Module Overview.Reprinted from TMISV2 System Architecture Document (p.11), by Hsenid Business Solutions,2005. Reprinted with permission. Research Issue Although, Sri Lanka Telecom PLC has been using the existing Human Resources Information System for the last decade, there is no sufficient improvement in human resource management and it does not support the strategic decision making. Furthermore, manual performance appraisal stem is not contributed to the strategic human resource management effectively and efficiently. Purpose of the research The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of existing Human Resource Information System implemented in Sri Lanka Telecom Public Listed Company (referred to henceforth as PLC)and to understand weather existing sub systems and web-based applications are supported to the strategic human resource management adequately. Especially HRIS should be contributed to the decision making in human resource management. Outcome of this research would contribute to the body of knowledge by filling existing gap in strategic human resource management of HRIS at SLT studies by analyzing senior HR mangers, middle HR mangers and senior officers of other user groups who are engaged in human resources group as well as Human resources information system. This study would determine the advantages of online performance appraisal system further for strategic human resource management at Sri Lanka Telecom PLC. Significance of the Study All employees are using SLT HIRS in their day-to-day activities to fulfill various individual, operational and managerial requirements. Currently, SLT has implemented the HR system island wide (All groups, divisions in head office and regional offices). Most of the users who are using existing system face lot of issues such as out dated, incorrect, inconsistent data, less reliability and user-friendliness, low performance, insufficient user training and most importantly poor contribution in making decisions. which might affect the operations relating to the HR matters such as salary, overtime (OT) and Bata payments, maintaining employee master records, attendance, leave and benefit management (Issuing loan, medical reimbursement, etc..)etc. Therefore, it is necessary to have an assessment of all subject modules in existing HRIS and identify the advantages of automating the performance appraisal system (referred to henceforth as PAS). We have to gather ideas from different aspects, and various categories of employees including senior managers. All managerial and technical difficulties in using HRIS, training requirements, inaccuracy of data, barriers to maintain up to date records, use of web base sub system, etc., need to be addressed. It is also necessary to assess existing HRIS and its relevance to the strategic human resource management in line with the organizational HR goals. Objectives and Research Questions Table 1.1 Objectives and Research Questions of the Study. Objectives Research Questions To identify the features of HRIS What is HRIS? What are the features of HRIS at SLT? To evaluate the existing HRIS for Strategic Human Resources Management (SHRM) How existing system is supported to strategic human resource management? How web-based applications are useful to strategic human resource management at SLT? To identify the advantages of Online Performance Appraisal System (OPAS) for Strategic Human Resources Management(SHRM) at SLT What is performance appraisal system? What are the advantages of online performance appraisal system for strategic human resource management at SLT? Note. Researchers work Research Method and Design Research approach The researcher uses deductive approach since general quantitative data would be moving to the particular situations of organizations. Time horizon Researcher gathered data one time interviewing from senior managers in a pilot survey and through e-mailing the research questionnaire to the sample group within the SLT. Therefore, time horizon is cross sectional. Population, Sample Sample Techniques All employees in SLT have been considered as population. Sampling process of the research is based on the stratified random sampling technique. Data collection methods and procedures 1. Semi-structured interviews Six interviews were conducted with senior managers in SLT based on semi-structured interview guide line. 2. Questionnaire Research questionnaire was designed using the liker scale method and e-mailed to the sample group. 3. Journal articles and work papers Journal articles and work papers were used to find out more information on previous research work relevant to HRIS, HRM, PAS and SHRM. 4. SLT annual reports and TMIS documents Annual reports and TMIS documents were referred. Internet / web sites Refer online journal articles, text books, etc. Scope of the study / Delimitations Existing HRIS contains twenty separate modules to provide HR practices such as Human Resource Planning, Recruitment and Selection, Training and Development, Time and Attendance, Disciplinary, Payroll, Welfare and Performance Appraisal, etc. SLT HRIS is same as traditional HR services which provided conventional HR systems in other organizations. Four out of twenty modules (Recruitment, HR Planning, Exam Assessment and Disciplinary) are not being using and Performance Appraisal module is not yet implemented. In this study, researcher hopes to evaluate the existing HRIS and its usefulness for strategic human resource management and identifies the advantages of sophisticated On-line Performance Appraisal System which will improve the strategic human resources management at SLT. Organization of this dissertation Chapter 1: Introduction -This chapter contains the background of this study, research issue, significance of the study and its objectives. Literature survey would be discussed under chapter 2 which include spats studies and their findings. It also highlights the existing gaps in body of knowledge and discovers the potential contribution of the current research to fill the gap. Mainly, chapter 3 explains the Research Methodology of the study which includes research philosophy, approach, strategy and conceptual framework of this research. Conceptual framework is developed identifying context of the study. Furthermore, select the suitable statistical methods to analyze the data. The researcher elaborate the results and present using appropriate graphs, charts and tables using statistical software packages would be consider in Chapter 4 called Data Analysis. Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendations Point out the observations, findings of this study and highlights the future researches for the potential researchers. Chapter Conclusion This section briefs the facts of the entire research study. Present business world is very competitive and running with the state-of-the-art technology. Many organizations use Information Systems in four levels (strategic level, management level, knowledge level and operational level) in their day-to-day operations. HR Department uses HRIS for the workforce management. However Human Resource Information System implemented in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC has lot of issues, such as insufficient user training and less supportive for the decision making at each organizational level. Therefore, main objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of existing Human Resource Information System in SLT and its usefulness for Strategic Human Resource Management to identify the advantages of Online Performance Appraisal System which will advance the Strategic Human Resources Management at SLT. Outcome of this research would contribute to the body of knowledge by filling existing gap in strategic human resource management of HRIS at Sri Lanka Telecom PLC.

The Rich Brother by Tobias Wolff Essay -- Rich Brother Tobias Wolff Es

The Rich Brother by Tobias Wolff Works Cited Not Included Tobias Wolff's short story, "The Rich Brother", is a parallel story to the biblical fable of Able and Cain. The biblical story of Able and Cain is that of the first story that puts man against man. Cain and Able are children of Adam and Eve, where Cain is the eldest and Able the younger of the two. In the biblical story Cain and Able end up giving gifts (sacrifices) to appease to their God. This in turn, creates tension between the two because Able's sacrifice of the lamb is much favored by God than is Cain's offering of his crops. Cain becomes outraged because he believes that Able has purposely tried to embarrass him, ultimately, leading Cain to become so enraged that he ends up murdering his only brother in cold blood. Throughout, 'The Rich Brother', Wolff portrays Peter as Cain because he shows a lack of devotion to God, creates a rival ship with his brother, and climatically abandons his only brother Donald. Throughout the ?The Rich Brother? Pete never criticizes God but never speaks as profoundly about God as his brother does. His brother Donald is represented as almost a religious zealot where as Pete is merely portrayed as a rich business man. In the bible Cain is less favored then his younger brother Abel because of his gift to his almighty God. God favored Abel because Abel gift was that of his first born lamb whereas Cain?s gift was only part of his crop. Abel?s sacrifice of his first born lamb showe...