Tuesday, December 31, 2019

A World Without Love Is A Deadly Place - 1629 Words

â€Å"A world without love is a deadly place† serves as a warning to the doomed society of the World State in this new world (Fisher 1). In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, â€Å"pain, suffering, and unhappiness are virtually unknown because basic needs are provided for all, and soma tablets are readily available should anyone feel anxious or sad† (Morgan, Shanahan, Welsh 130). The civilization is equipped with a drug called soma. Soma is used to destroy any feeling of sadness or negative feelings; it is part of the society’s method to pursue happiness. The pursuit of happiness is brought to a degree of such extremity that the citizens are â€Å"conceived in test tubes and socialized for specific societal roles† that they are genetically engineered to enjoy (Morgan, Shanahan, Welsh 130). Not only are the citizens programmed to be content with their roles in the society, but their minds are formed by sleep training to believe that their only purposes in life are sexual pleasure and enjoying activities. The government raises them to have sexual interactions with whoever they want, whenever they want. A portion of their sleep training is â€Å"every one belongs to every one† (Huxley 205). The citizens do not experience the pleasure of love, nor do they experience friendship or family. After all, â€Å"without committed partners there is no pain associated with relationship breakup; but neither is there committed love. Without family ties there are no burdens of care but no joy of giving† (Morgan,Show MoreRelatedThe Nature Of Love As Described By Helen Fischer1255 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The evolution of love is ever changing. Its biochemical foundations and its vital importance to human society are informing and transforming the way we understand ourselves†. TED speaker Helen Fischer states that this expression known as love derives from three basic human neural happenings, sex drive, romantic love, and a ttachment. Once all of these stages fall into place within the brain, the phenomenon known as love occurs, according to Helen Fischer. The depth of it all depends on how deep,Read MoreThe Deadly Side of Power779 Words   |  3 PagesThe Deadly Side of Power Power, have you ever thought about it? A word so simple in nature yet the possessor of it has the ability to alter the world. As human beings we are constantly affected by it one way or another. Whether it be through being controlled by it, desiring it, or containing it we cannot discredit the essentiality and presence of it in our world. Constantly throughout every day of our lives we face an aspect of power in one way or another however the most prevalent and relatableRead MoreThe Deadly Duel Of Baron Von Instetten And Major Crampas1210 Words   |  5 PagesThe Deadly Duel Baron von Instetten and Major Crampas The Prussian town of Kessin was left in shock over the unexpected duel of Baron von Instetten and Major Crampas. This duel took place over the issue of an affair in which the wife of Baron von Instetten, Effi Briest, had with Major Crampas. Baron von Instetten was â€Å"a man of character, position and sound morality.† (Effi Briest, Chapter 2). He was an ambitious civil servant who was highly respected by the people around him. Major Crampas, onRead MoreThe Legends Of Gargoyle. Gargoyle1476 Words   |  6 Pages The legends of gargoyle Gargoyle is a place that lies deep in to the earth’s core but not all the way down but just close. The place is very hot so the rocks melted and created these rock guardians that love the hot weather. They love to destroy and crush and they created something that no one would ever imagine. Their own little world that looks so cool because they have lava fountains. The Rock Guardians were so lonely that they created 4,509 creatures like them by putting the rocks in the lavaRead MoreKate Chopin s The Story Of An Hour981 Words   |  4 Pageshave been. Kate Chopin â€Å"The Story of an Hour† (477) The purpose of our entire existence is to create and build a legacy so when we depart this life the ones that we leave behind have something to keep with them. We don’t know the time or the place of when our lives will end on this Earth so every second should be spent cherishing the moments that are created. Life itself doesn’t have a planned setting, the creation process was supposed to be made easy conception, child development, adolescenceRead MoreNuclear Weapons Be Banned1117 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"There is only one way to get rid of nuclear weapons†¦Use them!† (Rush Limbaugh). The world has over 14,900 nuclear weapons 93% of them are owned by The United States of America and Russia. Nuclear weapons were first used in world war two. When they were first used they were very destructive and really put an impact on the world. Nuclear weapons are very deadly and are constantly getting redesigned to be more and more powerful. Not only do nuclear weapon s affect people, they also affect the earthRead More The Contradiction of Chivalry and Courtly Love Essays899 Words   |  4 PagesThe Contradiction of Chivalry and Courtly Love Two conflicting disciplines are prevalent throughout Arthurian Legend; that of chivalry and that of courtly love. The ideal of each clash throughout the medieval tales, and it is impossible to interfuse the two models for society. Chivalry is a masculine code, an aggressive discipline, whereas courtly love is based upon women - their needs, wants, and desires. The consistent problem if Lancelot and Guinevere’s adulterous relationship in differentRead MoreThe World Of Love Where Everything Is Like Willy Wonka s Chocolate Factory950 Words   |  4 PagesMany are drawn into the world of love where everything is like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, a place filled with sweet and wonderful things. Due to obsession and greed, most of those who enter ultimately suffer an unpleasant ending. Like when Augustus falls into the Chocolate River and is sucked up a pipe to the Fudge Room. Love addicts, however, will be sucked up a pipe to the Misery Room instead. Their poor, miserabl e souls will be crushed and disposed of like trash. We also see in media, storiesRead MoreThe Qualities Needed For A Foundation Of Humanity1017 Words   |  5 PagesThe qualities needed for a foundation of humanity varies depending on who is being asked. While some answers may be different, there are some that essential for humanity. We often stray away from what is good in the world and get distracted by the minor aspects of life that brings temporary happiness. A unity of body and soul, along with sin and grace, and a strong sense of community go a long way when discussing christian anthropology. The distinction between body and soul is crucial and oftenRead MoreThe Happiest Year Of My Life1007 Words   |  5 PagesMy father said that fatherhood will be difficult, but he never said it would be deadly. Lamia was everything I looked for in a girl, she is beautiful and kind hearted, graceful and would never hurt a fly. We were Ying and yang. I loved everything about her, her smile, her cry, and how she would curl up into a ball when she slept like a delicate flower. So of course, I asked her to marry me. She said yes. It was the happiest year of my life. After we moved into our little cottage in Amdis. I

Monday, December 23, 2019

How Different Lung Diseases Affect The Lung - 1480 Words

An analysis of how different lung diseases affect the lung’s functions The lungs are essential respiratory organs in humans which enable us to breathe. Our lungs are specialised structures that allow us to exchange gases. We require oxygen from the air to enter our blood, as all cells need it to function. We also need to get rid of carbon dioxide which is a product of many metabolic reactions within our cells. Our lungs allow this gas exchange so we can get rid of carbon dioxide and acquire oxygen. Each person has two lungs that are connected by our trachea (windpipe). The trachea separates into two bronchi, one of each leads to a lung. These bronchi then branch off into smaller bronchioles. The bronchioles are then connected to small air†¦show more content†¦The infected tissue within the tubercles die, leaving the gas exchange surface damaged. This then reduces lung function as tidal volume is reduced. Occasionally the immune cells cannot kill the bacterium but prevent it from spreading to the rest of the body, meaning the individual will not present any symptoms. This condition is known as latent TB. However common symptoms of active TB include, a persistent cough that usually includes coughing up of blood and mucus, chest pains, shortness of breath, high temperature, tiredness and fatigue and even weight loss as many people lose their appetite. People with the inactive form of TB (latent TB) are asymptomatic. These people cannot pass on the infection to others, however if they become destabilized for example by contracting another disease, then their TB infection could become active and so could be passed on. TB can be prevented beforehand by taking the BCG vaccine. However if TB is already present in an individual, they can be treated with antibiotics. This course of antibiotics usually lasts 6 months. However some forms of TB are resistant to certain antibiotics which means treatment take much longer. Fibrosis Fibrosis is a condition in which scar tissue is formed within the lungs. The cause of this condition is not fully known, however it is thought to be a result of an infection or when an individual is exposed to substances such as asbestos or dust.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Walmart’s Key HR Functions Underperforming Free Essays

string(29) " those in the US and the UK\." Introduction The success of any organization depends on its strategic asset, the human capital. As pointed out by Lawler (1996), organization’s competitive advantage comes from its human capital. Efficient management of this resource can bring significant benefits to the company. We will write a custom essay sample on Walmart’s Key HR Functions Underperforming or any similar topic only for you Order Now It should be remembered that motivation is the epicenter of performance and an important factor ensuring the success of a company. Improving workplace productivity however remains a major challenge in most companies. In this regard, this study explores the human resource management approach at Wal-Mart. It identifies the ways in which two HR functions (employee motivation and employee performance practices) are underperforming. This includes a brief account of how the functions operate within the organization, how they are applied and what the outcomes for the business are given that they are underperforming. The paper evaluates why these particular functions are considered to be underperforming using Herzberg’s motivator Hygiene Theory. Further the paper makes some recommendations for improvement of these HRM practices and the benefits to the company. What is human resource management? Human resource management encompasses all activities associated with management of the human capital and in ways towards achieving the corporate goal or objective. In any organization, the human resource department plays a crucial role. Not only are HR managers required to recruit and train employees, but they also have the obligation of motivating and engaging the workforce. Understanding what motivates the employee and ensuring good employee employment practices is key for talent retention and performance (Lockwood et al. 2010). Regardless of the economic environment, it is imperative for companies to create an engaged and motivated workforce. Underperformance in the workplace has recently been a major concern in Wal-Mart stores. According to a new research report by Wolfe research, an equities research firm, Wal-Mart has been underperforming over the past years. The firm lowered Wal-Mart from a â€Å"market perform† rating to an â€Å"underperform† rating (Covert, 2014). Failure by Wal-Mart has been attributed to their poor employment practices especially low wages and lack of rewards. Whereas Wal-Mart may not be the only big store chain criticized for its poor employment practices and policies, it has come to the spotlight owing to its aggressive policies and low cost strategy which undermines the effort made by employees. Just last year, a lawsuit was filed against Wal-Mart by the international Labour Rights Fund for requiring overtime, denying minimum wage and punishing union activity (Covert 2012). This is clearly a violation of worker’s rights. Wal-Mart which was initially a corporate fortress seems to be headed to a downfall. Even its operations in the US indicate the possibility of a failure in the giant retailer. More recently, Wal-Mart warned its investors that its comparable store sales may be slightly negative after the third quarter. This is also evident in the huge layoff of 2300 workers at Sam’s club, one of its stores. The layoff was attributed to their poor performance. Whereas Wal-Mart still remains the corporate fortress in the retail sector due to its massive size, its underperformance in the US and emerging markets indicate the possibility of a failure in the near future. Walmart’s bad business practices Wal-Mart has on several accounts been criticized for poor wages. Why should employees suffer in one of the giant retail stores that make billions of profit annuallyWal-Mart is ranked among the best 100 corporations by Forbes magazine yet most of its employees take on average less than $250 a week. Full-time employees are paid between $6 and $7.50 an hour. A further a third of the employees who are part-time are limited to working up to 28 hours a week and are not eligible for benefits. Such pay scale places them and their families below the poverty line. The lack of rewards demotivates and discourages them from performing well. Perhaps Wal-Marts bad business practices are more evident with the Rana Plaza tragedy which led to the loss of over 1000 lives. The tragedy exposed some of the profound flaws in the industry. Rana Plaza produced private garments for some of the giant retailers including Wal-Mart. Evidence provided by the Bangladesh center for Worker Solidarity showed that Wal-Mart had been producing its garments in Ether Tex factory situated on the 5th floor of the building (Steven 2013). Some documents were found in the rubble detailing purchase orders for certain garments which were to be delivered to Wal-Mart. Further, at the time of the tragedy, Wal-Mart was already listed in Ether Tex’s website as one of the main customer. Although Wal-Mart denied knowledge of their operations at the factory building, it announced its plans to put in place new safety measures at some of their factories in Bangladesh. The corporate fortress, however, promised to stop production if urgent safety problems were uncovered at some of its factories. The company further assured the Bangladeshi government of their support and commitment towards improving workplace safety. But the company stopped short of committing to these improvements and distanced itself from the Rana Plaza tragedy. This is a clear example of bad business practice. Why these particular functions are considered to be underperforming Last year, Wal-Mart reported $11 billion in net income yet it has not been able to remedy some of its questionable workplace practices. Wal-Mart has been filed in over 5,000 lawsuits for poor employment practices such as inadequate health care, wage law violations, worker exploitation and their anti-union retailer stance. Wal-Mart anti-union stance can be seen in their recent threat to close one of its stores in Quebec after workers successfully unionized. Citing ‘economic reasons’; Wal-Mart announced their plans on shutting the store. However, this argument was rejected by Quebec’s labor relations and Wal-Mart’s firings found illegal. Further, the move to extend operations to overseas markets including setting up factories in emerging markets such as Bangladesh and China was driven by the desire to take advantage of cheap labour. For example, Wal-Mart pays much less its employees in China compared to those in the US and the UK. You read "Walmart’s Key HR Functions Underperforming" in category "Essay examples" A further criticism has been the lack of employment benefits. Part-time employees are limited to working up to 28 hours a week and are not eligible for benefits. While, workers who are eligible for benefits pay way over the odds to get health insurance and other benefits. The company has often come under criticism for not providing employees with affordable access to health care and employees are overburdened. For example, in 1999, 36% of the total costs were paid by the employees. In 2001, there was a 42% rise in employee burden. The health of its employees has been deteriorating at a faster rate. According to the company’s internal memo discovered by New York Times, Wal-Mart workers were sicker compared to the national population. This begs the question: Why can’t such a giant corporation provide its workers medical retirement benefits given the huge profits that they makeThis question was once raised by one of Wal-Mart’s managers only to be fired by the CEO and reasons of disloyalty cited as the reason for being quitted. (Jordan 2008). As Michael Porter (1980) once pointed out that a company would rely on three basic competitive strategies to maintain their edge in the market: differentiation, cost leadership, and focus strategy. Wal-Mart has obviously taken the cost-leadership strategy by reducing the cost of recruitment, providing low pay, no rewards, requiring overtime, and cheap children labors. It currently faces a barrage of lawsuits for extensive violations of labour laws. Wal-Mart also faces law suits for extensive violations of state regulations that require time for breaks and meals. In some instances, minors are forced to work late for the performance appraising. Outcomes for business Wal-Mart may be headed for a downfall. Its customer service is already low and their low-cost strategy has led to many cut offs of employees. Since recession, Wal-Mart has been cutting down on their staff. Without enough manpower for their retail operations and with workers on site underpaid, its merchandize remains stacked on pallets in warehouses instead of the shelves where customers can reach them. What then is the value of offering lower prices if the products are not accessible to the customers? Further, the check-out lines are painfully long and there seems to be a decline in the overall customer shopping experience. Customer shopping experience has been deteriorating due to the longer checkout lines, disorganization and less staff help. Last year, the giant retailer was placed last among in the American Customer Satisfaction Index, a six year in a row in which Wal-Mart has taken the last spot (Ungar 2013). Lessons must be learnt from the experience of the other low end retailers. McDonald’s earnings have fallen significantly due to their poor terms of employment. Similarly, Wal-Mart needs to consider the potential upside of their aggressive policies. Despite the poor employment practices, Wal-Mart still remains among the leading retail giants. Its remains ahead of its competitors such as Target and JC penny. However, Wal-Mart faces a threat from Costco, its primary competitor. Costco has been experiencing a fairly healthy 8% growth in annual sales (Ungar 2013). In fact, a significant number of customers are moving to this retailer for their shopping experience. Could this be attributed to the good employment practices at CostcoUnlike Wal-Mart, employees at Costco get a decent living and are paid in excess of the minimum wage. Given the aggressive HR policies employed by Wal-Mart, it begs the question: what then is the role of HR managers in this companySince, as HR professionals, they are required to put in place strategies oriented towards the employees. To some point, however, employees seem to be encouraged to think of themselves as ‘servant leaders’. For example, employees are called â€Å"associates† showing that the company values their contribution. Such kinds of HR policies are employed in most of the best performing companies. These policies and practices serve to motivate employees to increase their performance and can aid in developing good corporate culture. However, employees may not feel appreciated if they are paid less than minimum wages and denied rewards and opportunities for professional growth. There seem to be no opportunities for enhancement and professional growth. Wal-Mart does very little training and developments of its human resources and as such, opportunities for enhancement of professions especially for women are limited. In fact, several claims have been filed against Wal-Mart for discriminating against women in terms of employment positions and the lack of opportunities for advancement. Improving employee motivation and employment practices at Wal-Mart As HR professionals continue to seek bright, talented and highly engaged workforce, motivational theories can provide insights on how Wal-Mart can improve employee motivation and engagement. Several motivational theories have been suggested including the Expectancy Theory, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory, Herzberg’s motivator Hygiene Theory, Goal Setting Theory, and Equity theory (Lockwood et al. 2010) Herzberg’s motivator Hygiene Theory is perhaps more applicable to the case of Wal-Mart. The theory suggests that two main factors must be met for employees to become satisfied with work. These are: the hygiene factors and motivator factors. The hygiene factors include meeting the basic needs such as adequate pay, comfortable working environment, effective supervision and good relationships with the core workers. On the other hand, motivation factors include advancement and professional growth, and rewards or opportunities for recognition (lockwood et al. 2010) Wal-Mart needs to consider applying the two-factor theory of motivation if they are to improve on the performance of their employees. They need to revamp their policies, increase the salary of their employees, and the safety and security of the employees. Further, they need to consider motivators that are intrinsic to the job which include providing rewards for achievement and increasing their growth opportunities. Pundits, policymakers and activists outraged by the company’s low wages have been calling for protests. According to Robert Reich, a professor at U.C. Berkeley, Walmart’s net income is estimated at $17 billion meaning that they can easily afford to give its workers a small pay-rise (Atner 2013). The Chancellor professor of public policy has in fact urged shoppers to boycott Wal-Mart since they do not want to share even a little bit of their income with their employees (Atner 2013). Conclusion In today’s highly competitive marketplace, motivation of employees and employing the best employment practices is key to success. Underperformance in the workplace has recently been a major concern in Wal-Mart stores. Several lawsuits have been filed against Wal-Mart for violation of worker’s rights including low wages, lack of employment benefits, being required to work overtime and denied to participate in union activity. Bad employment practices are clearly evident in Wal-Mart. This has affects employee productivity as it demoralizes and demotivates them. Wal-Mart needs to consider applying the two-factor theory of motivation if they are to improve on the performance of their employees. Incentives are key to maintaining a motivated workforce and ensuring business success. Appraising and offering hardworking employee with incentives will motivate them to go the extra mile of putting the company first. Employee valuations need to be implemented and growth opportunities made plenty. HR managers at walmart need to understand the benefits of employee motivation and engagement. By sharing their profit, employees will feel appreciated and more passionate about their work. Ultimately, this will result in improved performance and greater customer satisfaction Reference Ciura, B., 2014. Is Wal-Mart’s empire about to failViewed on 29th March 2014. Available from http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/02/01/is-wal-marts-empire-about-to-fall.aspx Covert, B., 2014. Walmart’s labor practices backfire. Viewed on 29th March 2014. Available from http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/02/10/3271221/walmart-downgraded-understaffing/ Gusdorf, M.L. and Reed, S.M., 2009. The role of mission and values in strategic human resource management. Society for Human Resource Management. Jordan, T., 2014. The good, the bad and Wal-Mart. Workplacefairness Lockwood, N., Anderson, C., Fiester, M. and Samers, K., 2010. ‘Motivation in today’s workplace: the link to performance’. Research Quarterly. The Society for Human Resource Management Rasouli, R., 2013. ‘Modelling the impact of HRM practices on knowledge workers’ job satisfaction and intention to stay: re-examining the Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation’. World of Sciences Journal Steven, G., 2013. As firms line up on factories, Wal-Mart plans solo effort. Viewed on 29th March 2013. available from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/business/six-retailers-join-bangladesh-factory-pact.html?pagewanted=all_r=0 Thomasson, E., 2014. Bangladesh factory inspections highlight safety risks as anniversary of Rana Plaza tragedy looms. Retail Marketing. Ungar, R., 2013. Wal-Mart pays workers poorly and sinks while Costco pays workers well and sails-proof that you get what you pay for. {Viewed on 30th March 2014} available fromhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2013/04/17/walmart-pays-workers-poorly-and-sinks-while-costco-pays-workers-well-and-sails-proof-that-you-get-what-you-pay-for/ How to cite Walmart’s Key HR Functions Underperforming, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Breakdancing Essay Example For Students

Breakdancing Essay Breakdancing a form of African American dance that emerged from the hip hop culture of the South Bronx, New York, during the mid-1970s. Drawing upon several African American dance forms, break dancing coalesced in the 1970s and reached its peak in popularity during the 1980s. Breakdancing developed out of the Bronx, New York, disco scene. When disco DJs changed records, dancers would fill the resulting musical breaks, or breakbeats, with movements that emphasized the rupture in rhythmic continuity. These highly acrobatic interludes developed into a new genre that mixed Afrodiasporic dance styles, reflecting the influence of the lindy-hop, the Charleston, the cakewalk, and the jitterbug as well as the Afro-Brazilian martial-arts dance Capoeira and the antics of Kung Fu movies. Breakdancing included breaking flipping, spinning, pivoting on the head and hands, up-rock a mock-combat style, often directed against an opponent, and webbo fast footwork between other dance moves. When breakdancing spread to Los Angeles, California, dancers added the electric boogie, automaton-like dance moves that incorporated pantomime. In the beginning, breakdancers adopted a confrontational attitude, as crews met each other in fake rumbles that often turned into real fights. Even peaceful displays resembled the competitive toasting of Bronx musicians in concurrently developing rap music. Like other facets of the hip hop movement, breakdancing met with commercial success and public notoriety in the early 1980s. Paralleling Sohos embrace of Bronx graffiti art, Manhattan dance clubs welcomed breakdancers to their floors. And like rap, breakdancing appeared in a number of popular films, including Wild Style 1982, Breakin 1984, and Beat Street 1984, which featured the Rock Steady Crew, breakdancings most renowned posse. This publicity, which deemphasized breakdancings confrontational aspect, turned the dance into a national sensation among white as well as black youths; suburban schoolchildren donned hip hop fashions, and some white teenagers signed up for breakdancing lessons. Widespread media attention diminished breakdancings power as a unique voice of self-affirmation for inner-city youth. Its influence, however, set the trajectory of subsequent dance trends. Black performers such as Michael Jackson, MC Hammer, and Missy Elliot draw from breakdance styles that never stop evolving. Even such breakdancing originals as Richard Crazy Legs ColÃÆ'Â ³n of the Rock Steady Crew, continue to innovate and perform.