English Paper on Sunday Morning and Swan and Shadow Essay

English Paper on Sunday Morning and Swan and Shadow - Essay Example The drifting of swam through water gives a pleasant feel to the readers as it takes a person to a place of peace where there is no complexity or fear. The way the writer of the poem has structured this poem reflects his creative skills and thoughts. The poem was written in the early 20th century and it shows that the poets of that time had a good sense of innovation and creativity. An interesting point in the poem is that the reflection of swam has not been shown as the reflection of the poem in the water. Had the writer done that, it would have produced a relatively ordinary feeling to the readers. The writer has continued the poem in the reflection instead of showing the reflection of text of the upper part of the poem. As far as the wording of the poem is concerned, there is not a smooth flow between them. At some points, the words do not seem to be joining with the next coming word but when a reader extracts the meaning of the whole sentence, the construction of words becomes logical. One cannot say that understanding the poem is easy because of the structure of sentences. A reader has to read the poem several times in order to get out of the Hollander’s frustrated and puzzled use of words and sentence construction. The structure of the poem makes it a bit difficult to read in a flow because the poem flows from the head of the swan to the neck and then shifts to the body part, which makes the reading somewhat difficult. A reader can question himself/herself whether he/she is reading the poem in a correct flow or there is some other way to read the poem correctly. Lack of periods and commas also make the reading of the poem more difficult than it actually appears to be. Continuously passing out memories and inadequacy of the memory to store the scenes form the theme of the poem. The writer might have tried to demonstrate that the world is not as simple as it appears to be. One has to go through various experiences of life to

Civil Rights Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Civil Rights Paper - Essay Example First-hand accounts of the Civil Rights Movement are common. They provide a superb window into the United States of the time. One of the things that make America such a strange country is that it was founded as a beacon of liberty, and was indeed the freest country in the world for much of the 18th and 19th centuries—if you were white. The flip side was that millions of Americans were slaves—treated like objects or animals. How could this dichotomy exist during this time in American history? The answer is that it could not continue to exist—it would be destroyed by the Civil War. While many Americans lament the loss of life during the Civil War and the destruction wrought by the dispute, the truth is that there was a glorious side to the War. It set millions of people free. One of the great predictors of this was John Quincy Adams. He was a president in the 1820s and died before the war began. Nevertheless, his first-hand account of what slavery meant to the Unit ed States is a very important aspect of our understanding of the United States at this time. In his memoirs he wrote: If slavery be the destined sword of the hand of the destroying angel which is to sever the ties of this Union, the same sword will cut in sunder the bonds of slavery itself. A dissolution of the Union for the cause of slavery would be followed by a servile war in the slave-holding States, combined with a war between the two severed portions of the Union. It seems to me that its result might be the extirpation of slavery from this whole continent; and, calamitous and desolating as this course of events in its progress must be, so glorious would be its final issue, that, as God shall judge me, I dare not say that it is not to be desired (Haysville). An account such as this one really breathes new life into our understanding of the precursor to Civil Rights Movement. In his memoir, Adams shows us just what America should be and what a cancer slavery and racism truly are . Without this kind of language it would be hard to grasp the full dimensions of the conflict that would come—both the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. Flash forward to the 1960s. A hundred years have passed since the slaves were emancipated and yet little has truly changed. African Americans cannot vote and have few rights. Something must be done about this situation. And so the Civil Rights movement was born. This was a gathering of millions of Americans who believed that the promise of American has not yet been fulfilled. They came from all backgrounds and races and they all believed in the worth of their country and themselves. They believed that America should truly be a beacon for freedom. Their leader was Martin Luther King Jr., a man whose speeches and writings provide an excellent view of this incredible historical movement. Few men left us much of a mark on the movement as Martin Luther King Jr. King Jr. is famously known today as a great speaker, but his wo rds are more than great rhetoric, they are a depiction of a whole era and the soul of the movement. We understand from just a few sentences what the Movement means to the country, when in a Birmingham jail, King says: You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But

Milk and Fresh Fruit Juice Essay Example for Free

Milk and Fresh Fruit Juice Essay Breast milk can be produced fresh or can be frozen for use at a later date. Breast milk can be left for up to five days in a fridge with a tempeture of 4 degrees Celsius or lower, it can be left up to two weeks in the freezer compartment of a fridge. If the breast milk is frozen it can be left up to six months in a freezer with a tempeture of at least minus 18 degrees Celsius. It is recommended by the department of health that formula milk should be made fresh rather than made up in advance, for more convience liquid formula can be bought. If liquid formula isn’t available then a flask with boiling water can be made so formula can be made when needed. EYMP3-5. 2 It is important to follow carer’s instructions regarding dietary requirements as some children will have severe reactions to some food. Diabetic children will have specific dietary requirements that need to be followed carefully because if not could lead to the child having low or high blood sugars. Children that have food intolerances may get diarrhoea if they are given foods that they are intolerant to. Children with known allergies should be supervised whilst eating. The signs of an allergic reaction are; swelling of the lips and eyes, redness of the face or other parts of the body. They could also start to itch or have difficulty breathing. Children with a severe may be prescribed an epi pen and training should be given before administrating. EYMP3-5. 3 CULTURE| DIETARY REQUIREMENTS|. Hindu| Mainly vegetarianSome lambPork rarelyNo beefSome chickenSome cheeseNo milk or yoghurt with rennetSome eggs and shellfishNo fast periods| Muslim| Halal lamb, beef and chickenNo porkSome cheeseNo milk/yoghurtHalal fish/shellfishFast during ramadan| Christian| Some lambNo porkSome beef and chickenMost cheese/milk/yoghurt/eggsSome fishNo shellfishNo cocoa/tea/coffeeNo fast periods| Jewish| No PorkKosher Beef/chicken/lambNo cheese or milk with meatNo blood spots in eggsNo ShellfishFish with fins and scalesFast periods on Yom Kippur for adults| Sikh| No beefPork rarelySome lambSome chicken and cheeseSome fish and shellfishMilk/yoghurtNo fast periods| Buddhist| Mainly vegetarianEating fish and meat is allowed in Buddhism, though vegetarianism is encouraged. Buddha advised the monks to avoid eating ten kinds of meat for their self-respect and protection: humans, elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, boars and hyenas. Some animals attack people when they smell the flesh of their own kind. Tibetans will not ever eat fish, and usually stay away from foul. The reason is that different kinds of meat supposedly give different kinds of obscurations. Fish, the obscuration of aggression; foul the obscuration of desire; and red meat the obscruration of ignorance. Evidently, they would take the ignorance over the others. Also, it was generally better to eat red meat because the animal killed was very large and only one life had to be taken to feed many people; with fish, you usually have to take many more lives to fill the same number of stomachs. | Rastafarian| Some lambNo porkSome beef, chicken, cheese, milk yoghurtNo shellfishNo fast periods| EYMP 3 – 5. 4 Educating children in food management and portion control is very important as eating habits developed in childhood will continue into later life. Education starts with the parents and it is in the home where all children’s eating habits are formed. Leaflets should be given to parents when they give birth about properly feeding their children and the importance of nutritional value of food. Nurseries and schools should give regular newsletters to parents with the importance of nutritional value in foods. Educational establishments should educate children and parents about the importance of portion control and ensure that correct portion sizes are given. This message can be reinformed with smaller plates. Health Visitors, school nurseries, health professionals and dieticians are all crucial in spreading the message to children and parents about the importance of healthy eating and portion control. They are also crucial in checking that children are gaining weight healthily but not too much. Encouraging lots of physical play in school/nursery will help in keeping childrens weight under control. Educating children in the importance of not bullying other children who are overweight is also very important. SHC 32 – 1. 1 Job description Look after children and ensure they are kept healthy and safe Ensure all health and safety guidelines are strictly adhered to Carry out risk assessments before any new activities/toys are introduced Devise educational and fun activities for children from age 4 to 11 Supervises activities Supervise children Read to the children Supervise toilet trips Prepare healthy and nutricious snacks for children Keep play areas clean and tidy Assist children with homework Baking with the children SHC 32 1. 2 I am expected to follow the following codes of practice: Safeguarding – ensuring that the children are kept safe whilst in our care and also be very observant as to what happens when the children are not in our care, ie if the children arrive with bruises or if they are upset, shaken or distressed when they arrive or as they are leaving. Also to make sure that other staff treat all the children well and do not mistreat any of them. Whistleblowing Policy – ensuring that if there is anything that we do not feel comfortable about, for example if we feel that one of the staff members are behaving inappropriately towards any of the children, we are expected to report this to our Manager to ensure that action is taken to prevent further mistreatment. Health Safety at Work Act – acting responsibly in the environment in which we work. Ensuring that we follow all guidelines to keep our work place safe and that we keep ourselves, our colleagues and the children safe. National minimum standards – EYFS Welfare Requirements – ensuring that children are developing properly in line with targets set for their ages. National Occupational Standards – Ensuring that we conform to best practice set within the industry to make sure that we are complying with standards set. SHC 32 2. 3 Working practices may be affected if hypothetically my Manager decided that a game of hopscotch was not appropriate for the young children to play but, as a younger person, I believed that it was a safe game to play. I would have a discussion with my Manager and explain why I thought it was safe and my Manager would explain that she had carried out a risk assessment for Hopscotch and decided that it was inappropriate. In a previous role, I did not agree with the way a member of staff disciplined young children when she was unhappy with their behaviour. She shouted at the child without coming down to their level or explaining what the child did. I was uncomfortable with this and brought it to the attention of my Manager who addressed this with the member of staff. This gave me the confidence and experience to ensure that I was very aware of the way my colleagues behaved and to take appropriate action when required. SHC 32 4. 1 I have regular meetings with my Supervisor to discuss how I am progressing within my role and any feedback from parents or colleagues is passed on to me. I have regular meetings with my Manager to discuss my progression where I am asked if I need any additional help or whether I have any comments as to how we can make things better. I regularly meet with my colleagues to discuss planning and how we can make things better for the children and planning activities for the different age groups to ensure all our activities are consistent with each other. I have regular appraisals to monitor my progress and to give and receive feedback about my role and development. I have a college tutor who is there to help me develop my role, develop as an employee and develop my skills as I work towards my Level 3. I frequently research new activities and legislation on the internet to consistently develop. EYMP 4 – 4. 1 It is key to review my practice to ensure that I am fully up to date with latest legislation as things change so frequently and it is important that children are always kept safe and parents are always kept fully informed. It is important to think critically about what I do in my work and analyse how I do it and why I do it that way and asses the effectiveness of what I am doing at work and how I can become more effective. It is something that we need to do regularly to get a clearer picture of what we do in our roles and assess whether we are being really effective.

Challenges to the Attainment of Work-life Balance

Challenges to the Attainment of Work-life Balance The purpose of this paper is to review the recent literature on the recent state of theoretical and practical issues affecting the attainment of work-life balance within organizations. It also challenges some of the metaphorical assumptions associated with work/life balance. The balance between work and life is becoming an important strategic component in the Human Resource Management arena. Hence, to successfully maintain key human resource functions such as attracting and retaining talented staff within the organization, policies should be focused towards endorsing work-life balance. Introduction For the past ten years there has been increasing interest in work-life balance and has drafted innumerable attention from popular presses and scholarly journals. This increase in attention is in part ambitious by recent concerns stipulating that an imbalanced work/life relationship can reduce the health of individuals resulting in lower work performance and can have negative impacts on family life. The concept of work/life balance began to emerge in the 1980s and 1990s where companies first started to offer work/life programs. While the first effect of these programs were mainly to sustain women with children. Theses included maternity leave, home-based work, flex-time, employee assistance programs (EAPs) and child-care referral. During the 1980s men also began voicing work-life concerns. However, todays work/life programs are less gender-specific and recognize other commitments as well as those of the family. The issue of work/life balance began to emerge to the forefront of research and organizations when Rosabeth Moss Kanter revealed the phenomena in her influential book Work and Family in the United States: A Critical Review and Agenda for Research and Policy (1977).. However, the term work-life balance was first coined in 1986 in reaction to the unhealthy choices that many Americans were making in favor of the work place, as they opted to neglect family, friends and leisure activities in the pursuit of corporate goals. The articles published at that time suggested a sharp increase in the working hours of the Americans and this had started to affect their families and individual heath. Work life balance then slowly started gaining grounds in the various organizations. By the end of the decade, work-life balance was seen as more than just a womens issue, affecting men, families, organizations and cultures. Since, then it has developed in to a multidimensional facet with factors affectin g the both the individual and is critical for organizational success. It is formidable to note that the term work/life balance is widely but an official definition of this term still remains indefinable. Even though there are many conceptualizations of work-family balance occurring in recent literature, a direct developed measure of the construct does not exist. This unreliable measure of work-family balance undermines the ability to fully explore the rudimentary facets of this phenomenon. However, this negatively impacts investigations into the policies with respect to individual and organizational outcome variables. Within organizations and corporations there is increasing attention among organizational stakeholders (management, executive directors, owners etc.) for the introduction of work/life balance policies. This has become a predominant issue within the workplace. Many organizations have implemented proficient polices and programs with the objective of improving employee experiences of work-life balance. In the absence of a well developed measure of work-family balance, assessing impact of such interventions empirically becomes problematic. However, there is the need to fully understand and find an effective measure of work/life balance. This allows human resource practitioners to employ a proactive approach towards seeking innovative ways to augment their organizations competitive advantage. It will also aid in finding a balance between challenges of the work/life dilemma and recommend complimentary solutions. In attempting to find an effective measure of balance, the organization would t hen be capable of assessing the impact of the policies created on employee discernment of balance. This can also promote inter-organizational assessment of the levels of perceived work-life balance which can provide useful information to organizational stakeholders for policy drafting. Definition of Work Life Balance Work/life balance can be defined as the absence of unacceptable levels of conflict between work and non-work demands Greenblatt(2002). It incorporates the achievement of a reasonable level of involvement among the various roles in the lives of individuals and assesses their ability to deal with simultaneously with the complex demands of life. There are various definitions of work/life balance that is commonly associated with an equilibrium or sustenance of a sense of harmony in life. However, the meaning can take on different characteristics as it can mean different things to different groups. For example, work/life balance is different within different stages of life every individual experiences. An individual who has recently graduated from university and is not married would have a different conception of work-life balance compared with an individual who may be married and has responsibility to their spouse and children. Johnson (2005) suggests that ones perception of work-life ba lance is dependent on the individuals environment, age and lifestyle. Another important consideration is the level of conflict between work and family spheres especially when there is role conflict (Kossek and Lambert 2005). Furthermore, the job requirements of the individual in the workplace would often hamper with their family life responsibilities. (Williams 2008). The meaning is dependent on the circumstances of the discussion and the researchers viewpoint. There are some acceptable definitions regarding work/life balance and some definitions may overlap and some are evolving which are discussed further. The Traditional view of work/life balance The traditional view of work/life balance assumes that it involves the commitment of equivalent quantity of time to paid work and non-work roles. There are generally five major perspectives used to explain the correlation between work and life stipulated by Zedeck and Mosier (1990) and ODriscoll (1996). The first perspective is the segmentation model which theorizes that work and non-work are both independent domains of life that are separate and have no influence on the other.   This appears to be offered as a theoretical possibility rather than a model with empirical support.   The spillover model is the complete opposite of the segmentation model hypothesizes that both spheres are interdependent on each other either in a positive or negative way.   The research into this sphere can support its proposition however it is deemed having little value as it is too general.   This standpoint needs a more meticulous proposal about the causes, nature and effects of spillover.  The other models examined are more detailed adaptations of the spillover model. The third model is the compensation model which states that the demands or satisfactions that is lacking in one sphere can be made up in the other.   For example, work may be routine and undemanding but this is compensated for by a major role in local community activities outside work.   The other model is an instrumental model whereby an activity in one sphere accentuates the other sphere.   The traditional example is the instrumental worker who will seek to maximize earnings, even at the price of undertaking a routine job and working long hours, to allow the purchase of a home or a car for a young family.   The final model is a conflict model which states that each sphere has multiple demands, thus requiring individuals to prioritize and make choices that can lead to conflict. The contemporary view of work/life balance The contemporary view stipulates that the concept is recognized to be more complex and a number of different issues are to be incorporate. Contemporary studies have explored and measured six aspects of work/life balance that can provide a valuable construct for theoretical advancement and practical human resource interventions. The framework consist of six conceptualizations of work-life balance found in recent literature are as follows multiple roles, equity across multiple roles, satisfaction between multiple roles, fulfillment of role salience between multiple roles, a relationship between conflict and facilitation and perceived control between multiple roles. Work-life balance defined as multiple roles This view is drawn from an individuals multiple life roles which stipulate that the non work (personal/ family) demands are spilled over into the working day of the individual that negatively affects the health and work performance of the individual. This can be referred to as a multiple demand carry over which is referred by Greenhaus and Beutell (1985) as bidirectional, denoting home-to-work and work-to-home spillover. It is now accepted that there are positive as well as negative carry over with recent research identifying the bidirectional constructs of work-family facilitation and enhancement, as well as conflict. Within recent works Greenhaus and contemporaries have defined the multiple role conflict of work/life balance generally as Work-family balance reflects an individuals orientation across different life roles, an inter-role phenomenon (Greenhaus, Collins Shaw 2003). Work-life balance defined as equity across multiple roles The multiple roles definition of work-life balance as further examined by Greenhaus that explored with further focus on the fulfillment across an individuals multiple life roles or the equality of time. Work-family balance was therefore defined as the extent to which an individual is engaged in and equally satisfied with his or her work role and family role. There are three components of work family-balance that are time balance, involvement balance, and satisfaction balance (Greenhaus, Collins Shaw 2003). Time balance refers to an equal amount of time devoted to work and family roles and involvement balance refers to an equal level of psychological involvement in work and family roles. Satisfaction balance stipulates that there is an equal level of satisfaction with work and family roles. The individual components of work/life balance can represent either a positive balance or negative balance depending on the levels of time, involvement, or satisfaction which are equally high or e qually low. However, the work/life balance can be viewed a continuum anchored that is skewed to one end by disparities in favor of a certain role (family, personal roles). It can also be relatively balanced state to extensive imbalance in favor of the other role (work). Work/life balance can be conceptualized as an independent variable of an individuals desires or values. Bielby and Bielby (1989) observed that married working women may emphasize their family in balancing work and family identities and Lambert (1990) discussed maintaining a particular balance between work and home. The term balance here is used to represent an array of diverse patterns of dedication, rather than parity of dedications across roles. It can be inferred that an individual who gives extra priority to one role than the other is relatively imbalanced even if the distribution of commitment to family and work is highly consistent with what the individual wants or values. This conjures the controversial question whether su ch imbalance in favor of one role is healthy or not. Work-life balance defined as satisfaction between multiple roles Kirchmeyer research have focused on the importance of individual satisfaction with multiple roles defined work-life balance as achieving satisfying experiences in all life domains and to do so requires personal resources such as energy, time, and commitment to be well distributed across domains (Kirchmeyer 2000). Clark (2000) also focused on individual satisfaction within the description of work/family border theory and defined work-life balance as satisfaction and good functioning at work and at home with a minimum of role conflict (Clark 2000). Work-life balance defined as a fulfillment between multiple roles This aspect focuses on the individual satisfaction where there is an overlap with the acknowledgment an individuals perspective the multiple roles in relation to its importance. This point of view recognizes that the salience of roles is also not a static evaluation but may change over time with diverse familiar life changes such as work promotion, new baby, sick spouse or parents etc. Greenhaus and Allen then defined work-life balance as the extent to which an individuals effectiveness and satisfaction in work and family roles are compatible with the individuals life role priorities at a given point in time. Similarly, work and life balance research should focus on whether ones expectations about work and family roles are met or not. Eby, Casper, Lockwood, Bordeaux and Brinley (2005). Work/life balance defined as a relationship between conflict and facilitation Recent research has revealed the psychosomatic constructs that map work-life balance, noticeably conflict and facilitation. Consequently, work-life balance is been defined as an absence of conflict and a presence of facilitation where low levels of inter-role conflict and high levels of inter-role facilitation represent work-family balance (Frone 2003). The assessment of the four bidirectional conflict and facilitation constructs can be used as a framework to test this definition: Balance is a combined measure whereby work-family conflict was subtracted from work-family facilitation, and family- work conflict was subtracted from family-work facilitation (Grzywacz Bass 2003). Work-life balance defined as an apparent control among multiple roles This aspect is the least supported within the research literature. It states that work-life balance can be interpreted as a degree of independence where an individual perceives themselves having control over their multiple role demands. Fleetwood states that Work-life balance is about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work (Fleetwood 2007). Apparently, work-life balance can also be seen as a result of individual sovereignty over the roles most salient to the individual. Therefore, an individual could reduce their work hours to spend time with for example their children which can be perceived as effective work-life balance. Finding a balanced work/life measure The brief review of the literature denotes that there has been limited systematic effort to clearly develop one clear definition or one specific measure of work-life balance. It is important to work towards a consensus of the precise meaning of work-life balance. With the emergence of a specific definition of work-life balance, it would foster decisive outcome variables to authenticate the contemporary theoretical models that describe the relationship among common moderators, outcome variables and the background of work-life balance. This would ensure that a detailed measure of work-life balance could also be used to contrast the levels of perceived balance among the levels within an organization. This would be significant for comparisons among the levels of balance among organizations. It would incorporate questioning employees to rate their present discernment of work-life balance to avidly create an effective measure of balance. The development of a systematic scale would also be necessary to sufficiently authenticate such a measure. The review of the literature reveals that is difficult in capturing a simple holistic measure of the meaning of work-life balance. A basis for recognizing the common threads of meaning can develop using the six definitions of work-life balance previously reviewed. Some definitions consist of the concept of perceptions of good balance as imperative to the significance of work-life balance. The realization that levels of work-life balance can change over time according to the salience of specific life events is also important to note. This would acknowledge the repeated readjustment to several demands that most employees cope with over their period of employment. An integration of the two core meanings or definition of work-life balance can equate the following definition, Work-life balance is the individual perception that work and non-work activities are compatible and promote growth in accordance with an individuals current life priorities (Kalliath 2008). The literature proposed that any appraisal of work-life balance should include individual preferences of current roles. This definition further acknowledges that an effectual balance would lead to positive improvement within the work and non-work spheres. Consequently an individuals work/life precedence can be voluntarily changed to incorporate the development of non-work activities (eg new baby, travel vacations) or growth at work (working harder to gain a promotion). This definition of work-life balance has to be operational within the context to measure validation and development across variant samples. Theoretical Framework: Work-Family Border Theory (Clark, 2000) The theoretical framework employed to understand the balance between work and life is the Work-Family Border Theory. The work-family border theory (Clark, 2000) and boundary theory (Ashforth, 2000) each contribute to the study of work-family connection by depicting the circumstances under which changeable degrees of work-family integration are likely to positively or negatively affect an individuals well-being. These theories deals with how people build, preserve, negotiate and cross boundaries. It shows how people depict the lines between work and family (Clark, 2000). In both theories are similar by an incorporation or segmentation as indicated primarily by displaying characteristics of flexibility and permeability. It is suggested that both are integrate evident when two or more spheres are highly flexible and permeable with respect to one another. The Boundary theory and work-family border theory are common with respect to the extent of work-family integration depending on similarities among these domains with each other (Desrochers Sargeant, 2004). However, the two theories diverge on the nature of the relationship and implications for work-family balance. The difference among roles is the determination of the clarity of how substantial the boundary is between one domain and another that consequently influences the possibility of work-family conflict Ashforth (2000). (Desrochers 2005). This theory has a propensity to focus on transitions within an organizational context Matthews (2007). Even though, reference is made to conversion between organizational roles and non-organizational roles (conversion between work roles and family roles), Clark (2000) states that the transparency of the work-family border is distinguished from the correspondence of role domains in which these two factors interact to influence work-family balance. Matthews (2007) states that this theory is mainly focused on the approach of people transitions between the work and family domains. The Work-family border theory denotes how individuals negotiate and control both the borders between work and family spheres and try to find a balance between them (Clark, 2000). The design of this theory is focused on finding a framework to undermine the criticism and gaps of previous theories on work and family (Akdere, 2006) by dividing the boundaries within the employees life. The theory seeks to deal with how the segmentation and incorporation, management and border creation and border crossers have on the relationships of work and home factors influence on work-family balance. The term border-crossers are referred to employees that are intending on making constant daily alterations between their work and family lives. The distinguishing factor between Work-family border theory and boundary theory in that its definition of borders not only encompasses psychological categories but also the substantial boundaries that divide place, people and time that is associated with work versus family spheres (Desrochers 2005). However, Clark (2000) research tries to comprehend the progression of work-family conflict. The earlier approaches were inadequate as they lacked predictive ability and offered modest direction in either forecasting work-family conflict or solving problems that arise from trying to find a balance between work and family responsibilities (Clark, 2000). Not all individuals are characterized engage in this transition of border-crossing as the language and customs are highly alike within both spheres. Within work domain the language and behavior that is expected are diverse from the expectation within the family domain and consequently a more extreme transition is required. The underlying concept of work-family balance theory refers to satisfaction and good functioning at work and at home, with a minimum of role conflict (Clark, 2000). The foundation of this theory is built upon the roles between spheres and has the possibility for further clarification on the work and family conflict processes between the family and the workplace (Bellavia Frone, 2005). The fundamental concepts of the work-family border theory are the work and home domains, the borders between work and home, the border-crosser with other important domain members. The Work and Home Domains The work and home are regarded by Clark as being two different domains that has differential behavior rules, and thought patterns. The differentiation among the work and home domains can be classified in two distinct groups that are the differences in value ends and differences in value means (Rokeach, 1973 as cited in Clark, 2000). The Work primarily deals with satisfying the means and ends of providing an income and giving a sense of accomplishment, while home life satisfies the ends of attaining close personal relationships. Within the work sphere the desired ends of responsibility and capability were ranked as the most important whereas the life aspect the desired ends of loving and giving were ranked the most significant means in achieving happiness in the home (Clark 2000). Due to the differentiation in spheres, individuals often find a balance that assimilates both work and life to some degree (Clark, 2000). With respect to the way in which individuals deal with differences of the two domains can be explained on a continuum with one end being integration and segmentation on the other Nippert-Eng (1996). The Borders between Work and Family Within the context of the border theory, an individuals role takes place in a detailed sphere of life and these domains are distinguished by borders that demarcate from either being psychological, chronological, or physical (Clark 2000). The physical borders define where domain or behavior takes place regarding to the workplace or within the home (Clark 2000). Within the research frameworks, the literature is geared towards more controlling and setting time schedules in examining the role conflict boundaries, however less consideration is given to space Ahrentzen (1990). The temporal border refers the time in which work is finished and when responsibilities of the family initiate (Hill 1998). The psychological borders refers to the rules an individual creates that dictate their emotions, behavior patterns and thinking patterns which are appropriate within a specific domain such as work but not family life (Clark, 2000). Psychological borders are used by individuals to identify the ru les that create the physical and temporal borders. It is created as an endorsement which a process in which individuals takes elements given in their environments and organizes them in a way that makes sense (Clark 2000). Work-Family Conflict The various predictors of work/family conflict can be grouped into two general categories role environment and personality. The Role environment consist of several types of role related predictors of work/family conflict such as behavioral involvement, psychological involvement, role-related stressors and affect, and role related resources. Behavioral involvement represents the amount of time devoted to work and family roles. As more time is devoted to one role, it would be expected that less time would be available to meet the demands of another role. Consistent with this notion, a number of studies have found that the time devoted to family activities and chores is positively related to levels of family to work conflict, whereas the time devoted to work is positively related to levels of work to family conflict. Work and family stressors, dissatisfaction, and distress have been examined as potential causes of work-family conflict. It is generally hypothesized that role characteristics can produce role-related dissatisfaction or distress, which may lead to cognitive preoccupation with the source of the distress or to reduced levels of psychological and physical energy. The resulting increase in cognitive preoccupation or reduction in energy can undermine an individuals ability or willingness to meet the obligations of other roles (Frone, Yardley, 1997). Consistent with this line of reasoning, past research has found that work demands, work-role conflict, work role ambiguity, and job distress or dissatisfaction are positively related to reports of work/life balance conflict. Work and family social support have been explored as potential resources that reduced work-family conflict. For example, a supportive supervisor may not make excessive demands that would cause an employee to work at home. Likewise, a supportive spouse or other family member may provide direct assistance with demands at home, thereby reducing the likelihood that an individual is preoccupied with these problems at work. Past research has found that higher levels of social support at work are related to lower levels of work-to-family conflict, whereas higher levels of social support at home are related to lower levels of family-to-work conflict (Adams, 1996). Personality. Although most research has explored role characteristics  as potential causes of work-family conflict, a few studies have begun to  examine personality dispositions as causes of work-family conflict. Various  personality characteristics, such as mastery, hardiness, positive affectivity,  and extraversion may be conceived of as individual resources in that they  capture a tendency to actively cope with problems at work and home,  thereby reducing the likelihood of work-family conflict. Other personality  variables, such as negative affectivity and neuroticism, may be conceived  of as individual deficits in that they capture a tendency to avoid problems  at work and home, thereby increasing the likelihood of work-family conflict. Several recent studies have found that high levels of hardiness, extraversion,  and self-esteem were associated with lower levels of both work-tofamily  and family-to-work conflict (Bernas Major, 2000; Grandey Cropanzano,  1999; Grzywacz Marks, 2000). One study reported that high  levels of neuroticism were associated with higher levels of both work-tofamily  and family-to-work conflict (Grzywacz Marks, 2000). Managing the boundary between the work and family spheres The review of the literature have show that little studies have examined an individuals perception within the boundaries of work and family roles (Nippert-Eng 1996). The analysis of borders can elucidate the extent in which individuals can control the issues determining work and family balance (Guest 2002). This allows for the analysis of physical and psychological controls, an examination of the nature of border permeability and the extent in which they can be managed or moved. This is consistent with the centrality of the issue where individuals perceive the parameters of work and family activities, which create personal meaning and the management of relationships among families and work Zedeck (1992). Kirchmeyer (2000) views living a balanced life as reaching a level that satisfies experiences within all life domains and requires individual resources such as commitment, energy and time to be well distributed across domains. Similarly, Clark indicates that work and family balance i s a satisfaction and good functioning of roles at work and at home with least role conflict (Clark, 2000). Furthermore, another definition of balance stipulates that a balanced life is productive, healthy and satisfying including facets of love, play and work (Kofodimos 1993).These definitions of balance share two important elements. There is the notion of equality, or near-equality, between experiences in the work role and experiences in the family role (Reiter, 2007). Clark (2000) and Kirchmeyer (2000) imply similarly high levels of satisfaction, health, functioning and efficiency across the various roles. Furthermore, the definitions of work and family balance implicitly consider two constructs of equality that are inputs and outcomes. The inputs are the personal resources (Kirchmeyer, 2000) that are applied to each role. Kirchmeyer (2000) states that balance within work and family requires that each role be approached with approximately an equal level of involvement, time, commi tment or attention. The balance achieved can either be negative or positive. A positive balance refers to an equal amount of attention, time, involvement, or commitment, whereas negative balance refers to an equally low level among these inputs. These inputs determine an individuals level of role commitment in accordance with the time dedicated or psychological involvement in each role. There is difficulty in determining an individual who is substantially balanced as being more betrothed in the work role than in the family role. The other component of balance is the resultant outcomes that are experienced in work and family roles. A frequent outcome included in definitions of balance is satisfaction (Kirchmeyer 2000; Clark2000). The relationship between work/life balance and quality of life The balance between work and life is denoted to promote well-being. It is suggested that an imbalance in work will stimulate high levels of stress, cause a reduction in the quality of life and diminish an individuals job performance (Kofodimos 1993). Within an organization the promotion of work/life balance can be promoted by an organizational change approach proposed by Hall (1990). This organizational change can take effect, by companies and individuals considering the advice given by literary publications providing on how to promote a greater balance in life (Cummings 2001; Fisher 2001). However, the question arises on how work/life balance can enhance an individuals quality of life. With respect to individuals, multiple roles can protect and create a buffer from the effects of negative experiences in any one role in an individuals life (Barnett Hyde, 2001). Work/life balance not only produces this buffering effect but can directly promote well being. Marks and MacDermid (1996) states that individuals who are believed to have a balanced life are deemed primed to seize the moment when they meet a role demand since one role is seen no less than the other. Within this way of thinking individuals who are perceived to have balance experience lower levels of stress when enacting roles due to the assumption that they are participating in role activities that are salient to them. It is evident that individuals that have a balance have experienced less role overload and less depression compared to individuals that were deemed imbalanced MacDermid (1996). Furthermore, when an individual has a

A Womens Perspective of the Civil War Essay -- Women in the Civil War

For a long time, the Civil War was the most glorified and â€Å"cleaned for the purpose of propaganda† conflict in world history. The war was fought between celebrated generals Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant, whose armies fought for grand and noble principles and were never guilty of any of the heinous war crimes perpetrated by other armies. The inclination to depict the Civil War in this glorified manner strengthened over time until the process of converting the Civil War from hell on earth to a sacred cause systematically destroyed the anguish that the war created. The war the women on both sides of the conflict experienced underwent a comparable change because it reminded the victims of their suffering. Unfortunately, some historians have been too worried about correcting the evils committed against women during the Civil War to look at the reasons why the war and its suffering have been sanitized. Focusing on the woman’s point of view during the Civil War, espec ially the African American woman’s point of view, meant focusing on misery. By removing women from the overall picture of the Civil War, historians could ignore the misery and create a more affirmative representation of the Civil War. Until recently, the most basic historiographies of Civil War women were made of three parts. These included Northern women and the lasting consequences of their participation in the Civil War; Southern women, their encouragement or non-encouragement of the Confederate government and military, and their responsibility for the advancement of the Lost Cause; and African American women, whose experiences were a bit difficult to describe for lack of personal accounts. In 1938, in Women’s Life and Work in the Southern Colonies – one of the... ...Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1970. Silber, Nina. Gender and the Sectional Conflict. Chapel Hill, NC: Univ. of North Carolina Press, 2008. Spruill, Julia Cherry. Women's Life and Work in the Southern Colonies. Chapel Hill, NC: Univ. of North Carolina Press, 1938. Baker, Jean H. "Reviews of Books: United States." American Historical Review 102 (1997): 191-2. DeCredico, Mary A. "Scarlett Doesn't Live Here Anymore." The Alabama Review 56 (2003): 65-67. Fox-Genovese, Elizabeth. "Rich White Southern Women." Nation 236 (1983): 370-2. Matthews, Jean. "Adam's Rib." Canadian Review of American Studies 2 (1971): 114-124. "Recommended Reading for CWTI Elementary Program Participants." Colonial Williamsburg. http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/History/teaching/TIParticipantGuide/Images/Recommended_Reading_Elementary_11.pdf (accessed October 17, 2011).

Concept Of Self Essay -- essays research papers

Within everyday life people believe themselves to be constantly changing. In actuality, the changes that one believes to have are but minor changes. A person’s personality is usually set at an early age in childhood. A social psychologist named George Herbert Mead understood society through socialization stems he called social behaviorism. Mead and another psychologist by the name of John B. Watson worked together on this approach. Watson focused on outward behavior in this partnership of ideas. However, Mead emphasized on inward thinking, which he contended was humanity’s defining trait. The back-bone of Mead’s study and the central concept is the self. The self being "A dimension of personality composed of an individual’s self-awareness and self-ima...

Compare and Contrast Two Supply Chains

To start, it is vital to clarify the concept of a supply chain. It consists basically of all the process that the materials suffer as they flow from the source to the final customer. There are many concepts linked to this term, purchasing, warehousing, manufacturing, etc. Or more precisely: â€Å"a supply chain is a system of business enterprises that link together to satisfy consumer demand. The elements of a supply chain can be contained in the same business or be part of different companies† (Riddalls et Al. 2000) For this essay I have chosen two very different companies; Zara, a Spanish fashion collection manufacturing company, and Dell, American multinational information technologic corporation. Some years ago, in the fashion industry there was a relationship between price and quality. For high quality brands, there was a need to spend a high amount of money. Zara was one of the first companies that changed this assumption by introducing good quality clothes at a good price. Normally, if you look at any other brand such as Loewe, Louis Vuitton, etc. you will realize that they basically have two different collections of clothes: autumn- winter and spring-summer. Zara does not use in this way of supplying their stores. On the contrary they believe in change. They are constantly changing their clothes and supplying their stores (over 14,000 stores in the whole world) with new and different outfit two times per week (only for the European stores) to satisfy the needs of their customers. Traditionally all the fashion companies required long time to supply the stores with the clothes. Basically the whole supply chain has very long lead times; if you want to produce a new t-shirt, the production, manufacturing, packaging and specially distribution will require a lot of time which will make the planning for weeks or even months. Zara, on the contrary, has manage to minimise the time to supply the demand as much as possible but, how do they do that? First of all they minimize the time spent in design, as they don’t always look for the most innovative and creative clothes. What they do is listen to consumer preferences and what it is more popular and produce what they want. That is why they always have fresh and trendy designs. In terms of production, they have and control the main factory in La Coruna (north of Spain) to be able to supply as fast as possible all the stores. The fact of having the factory in Europe and not in other countries such as China is high, but it is something that is covered by lower transportation costs as well as the capacity to supply demand almost immediately, which its translated in big amount of sells. It is a very flexible demand based production. Another positive point of Zara, due to high frequency of changing clothes is the low risk that this report. As they change constantly the outfit, if there is a product that is working good it can be immediately replace within a maximum of one week, while in other companies, where the stock is bigger, it will need to be stored in the shops for longer time. This will carry on low inventory costs. Zara, has an agile production that focus it success in the quick response to demand even though it is no, a priori, predictable. Dell’s supply chain, on the other hand it is completely different that Zara’s one. The components of Dell’s supply chain are the customers, Dell’s website (which is the only official place where you can buy a Dell computer), Dell’s assembly plant and Dell’s suppliers. The way Dell computers production works is completely different from Zara. In the previous example we saw that the company was the one regarding the demand and trends in order to make their products (clothes). Dell provides the customers a platform, their webpage, where they have all the different options for their products.

Health Benefits of Namaz or Salah.

Namaz The Best Exercise (STD: V, VI, VII, and VIII) What is Namaz? Namaz is the Urdu word for Prayer. The Arabic word for Prayer is Salah. Namaz is the form of Worship of Allah S. W. T performed by Muslims. Namaz is one of the most important of the 5 pillars of Islam. Allah S. W. T has mentioned the benefits and the importance of Namaz as many as 500 times in the Holy Qur’an. Apart from the spiritual benefits that Namaz offers to Muslim worshippers, it is also one of the best forms of exercise that one can do on a regular basis. Namaz has been made compulsory for Muslims 5 times daily the five times are: Fajr: Early morning just before sunrise. It consists of 4 Rakats. Zuhar:: Afternoon paryers post the period of Zawaal (when sun is perpendicular to earth). It consists of 12 Rakats. Asar:: Post afternoon and before Sunset. It consists of 8 Rakats. Maghrib: Just after Sunset. It consists of 7 Rakats. Isha: Late evening after the Sunset is complete and darkness of the night is complete and the cooling effect of the atmosphere begins. It consists of 17 Rakats A Rakat is one complete cycle of Standing, Bending, Prostrations and subsequent Sitting or Standing up again in the Namaz. Each posture of the Namaz has a standard defined procedure and recitations that are observed by every Muslim irrespective of where he lives or what race he belongs to. Muslims follow the methods as taught to us by Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu-Alaihi-Wasallam). Praying Namaz requires one to be clean in all respects, be it’s the physical self, the surroundings or the intent. No matter how hard a person prays or for how long he lies in prostration (Sajda), unless his intention are clean and motives selfless, the Namaz will not be accepted by Allah. It is required that a person ensures the surrounding is clean and free from sins where he intends to offer Namaz. The Prophet (Sallallahu-Alaihi-Wasallam) advised that except for the washroom or where one relieves himself and the graveyard, Allah has made the whole world as a place of worship for his believers. Namaz makes us disciplined and brings feeling of regularity and gives a direction to our daily life, 5 times a day, if we make it a routine to get up on hearing the Azaan, do the Wuzu (ablutions) and head for prayers, either in a congregation or alone, we feel a sense of Time Management in our daily chores. Interestingly there are various similarities between some of the postures of Namaz and Yoga! Now let us see some beneficial effects of different Namaz postures. Different Namaz Postures And Their Benefits: Posture 1 Name: Niyyat (Takbeer-e-Tahreema) First Takbeer in standing position to begin prayer Instructions: Bring hands, palms open, up to ears, and place thumbs behind earlobes, as â€Å"Allahu Akbar† (God is Great) is uttered. Beneficial Effects: It relaxes our body, straightening back improves posture and improves concentration. It also sharpens our vision by focusing on the floor. Posture 2 Name: Quayam Instructions: After you have touched your earlobes and said Takbeer bring down your hands and place your hands below the navel In this posture your sight should be fixed where you are going to perform Sajdah (Prostration), Place right wrist over the left, Wrap your left wrist with the thumb and the little finger. Rest the remaining fingers on the left forearm; Make sure your hands are tied below the navel, Beneficial Effects: It relaxes legs and back and extends concentration. It stimulates heart, thyroid and other important function of our body. Posture 3 Name: Ruku' (pronounced Rukoo) Instructions: Bend down at waist, placing palms of hands with fingers spread over knees. Back is parallel to ground, such that if a glass of water were on the back, it would not spill. Eyes looking down, directly ahead. Beneficial Effects: Blood is pumped down into upper torso as our muscles are stretched it also tones our muscles. This posture improves personality, generating sweet kindness and inner harmony. Posture 4 Name: Qauma Instructions: Stand straight again with you hands by your sides Beneficial Effects: It relaxes body and releases tension. Posture 5 Name: Sajdah Instructions: Go down to a kneeling position by placing both hands on knees, lowering oneself slowly and easily onto knees, then touch the head upon the ground so that the following seven body parts are in contact: forehead, two palms, two knees, toes of both feet. The end position of this posture is given below. Beneficial Effects: It prevents growth of flabbiness in the mid section and increase flow of blood in the head, including eyes, ears, nose and lungs; allows mental toxins to be cleansed by blood. It increases elasticity of joints. Posture 6 Name: Jalsa Instructions: Sit on your left foot which should be flat the ground, keep your right foot upright with toes faceing the Qiblah and place your hands near the knees in a manner that the fingers face the Qiblah Beneficial Effects: It cleanses respiratory, circulatory and nervous system and brings lightness in body and emotional happiness. Posture 7 Name: Second Sajdah Instructions: Go down to a kneeling position by placing both hands on knees, lowering oneself slowly and easily onto knees, then touch the head upon the ground so that the following seven body parts are in contact: forehead, two palms, two knees, toes of both feet. The end position of this posture is given below. Beneficial Effects: It prevents growth of flabbiness in the mid section and increase flow of blood in the head which allows mental toxin to be cleansed by the blood. It increases elasticity of joints. Posture 8 Name: Quood (Qa'dah-e-Akhira) Last sitting Completing the Salat: Beneficial Effects: It detoxifies liver and stimulates action of large intestine. It improves digestion. Posture 9 Name:Salaam Saying peace to end the Namaz Instructions: Turn your head to the right shoulder and say Salam, then turn your head to the left and say Salaam Beneficial Effects: It is one of the best neck exercises. http://www. janathimessage. co. uk/kids/learning/namaz. html www. chishti. org Namaz The Best Exercise (STD: I, II, III, and IV) Muslims pray five times a day, which each prayer made of a series of postures and movements, each set of which is called a rak'ah. For praying Namaz we should not only keep ourselves clean but our surroundings and the place of worship should also be clean. Namaz teaches us to be disciplined and understand the importance of Time Management. It is the perfect combination of Ablution (Wudu) and Namaz that keeps our soul and body clean and healthy. Interestingly there are various similarities between some of the postures of Namaz and Yoga! Now let us see some beneficial effects of different Namaz postures. Posture 1 Name: Niyyat (Takbeer-e-Tahreema) Beneficial Effects: It relaxes our body, straightening back. It also sharpens our vision by focusing on the floor. Posture 2 Name: Quayam Beneficial Effects: It relaxes legs and back and extends concentration. Posture 3 Name: Ruku' (pronounced Rukoo) Beneficial Effects: Blood is pumped down into upper torso as our muscles are stretched it also tones our muscles. This posture improves personality, generating sweet kindness and inner harmony. Posture 4 Name: Qauma Beneficial Effects: It relaxes body and releases tension. Posture 5 Name: Sajdah Beneficial Effects: It increase flow of blood in the head, including eyes, ears, nose and lungs; allows mental toxins to be cleansed by blood. It increases elasticity of joints. Posture 6 Name: Jalsa Beneficial Effects: It cleanses respiratory, circulatory and nervous system and brings lightness in body and emotional happiness. Posture 7 Name: Second Sajdah Beneficial Effects: Knees forming a right angle allow stomach muscles to be developed. Posture 8 Name: Quood (Qa'dah-e-Akhira) Beneficial Effects: It improves digestion. Posture 9 Name:Salaam Saying peace to end the Namaz Beneficial Effects: It is one of the best neck exercises. http://www. janathimessage. co. uk/kids/learning/namaz. html www. chishti. org

Company †Strengths and weaknesses Analysis Essay

Application Assignment †¢Application Assignment on Situational Analysis and SWOT common to all themespgs MM-112 to MM-122 PART B and C (to be submitted together) (15+ 5 Marks) Company –Strengths and weaknesses Analysis Remember this assignment is in continuity to the previous marketing assignment. Here we do a strength and weakness analysis for our company vis -a- vis competitors. We need to know: A. What special strength/ competence or assets company has to satisfy the needs of customers? B. Who competes with us in meeting those needs and what is their competence, strength or asset? Can we scale our own firm and the major competitors on those competencies and strengths? This kind of an analysis follows a 3-step process. 1Identification of all our Competitors. Competition does not stem only from products or firms that compete directly for your market share but also from any company that satisfies the same customer need. (Refer to the ‘Market concept of competition’ at the end of the assignment ) 2List the areas in which your organization or the competitor has the competence. Needless to say that these areas should be industry relevant. An indicative list of the areas in which a firm can have strength / competence is listed below. Innovation ?Ability to develop innovative products ?Amount of Rs. spent on R&D ?Patents that a company has to its credit ?Technical product or service superiority Manufacturing ?Favorable Cost Structure ?Flexible production operations ?Access to Raw materials ?Quality of work force ?Capacity ?Outsourcing Finance- Access to capital ?Ability to generate funds in the short and long run ?Ability to use debt and equity financing ?Parent firms willingness to finance Management ?Quality of top and middle management ?Knowledge of business ?Culture ?Strategic goals and plans ?Entrepreneurial thrust ?Planning or operation system ?Loyalty ?Quality of strategic decision making. Marketing ?Product quality reputation ?Product differentiation ?Brand name recognition ?Customer orientation ?Breadth of the product line ?Segmentation ?Distribution ?Retailer relationship ?Advertising / Promotional skills ?Sales force ?Service Customer base ?Size and loyalty ?Market share ?Growth of segments served This list is only indicative to serve as a guide to the major areas in which a firm can have strength/ competence. You can add on or delete items to suit to your company and industry. 3Scaling your organization vis – a – vis the competitors on the parameters listed above-The Competitive strength Grid *(Please refer exhibit at the end of the assignment) Once the strengths / assets relevant to the industry have been identified, one has to scale one’s own firm and the major competitors on those strengths. One such grid has been done for the Luxury car market. The left side of the grid identifies the areas in which a luxury car maker can have strengths/ competencies namely product quality, product differentiation etc. On the right side various brands have been scaled with either less than average, average or above average position with respect to the strength/ competence identified. For ex. Cadillac has above average position in product quality, average when it comes to product differentiation and less than average on dealer satisfaction, all 3 areas being key to success in a car market. Assignment questions 1. Identify all the major competitors to your product. (Already done in part A of the assignment) †¢ICICI bank †¢HDFC †¢SBI †¢Deutsche Bank †¢Citibank †¢Goldman Sachs 2. Identify and list all the major strengths/assets/ competencies relevant to your industry. Core competencies: †¢Customer service †¢Risk management & Compliance †¢Strategy & Development †¢Strong leadership and management †¢Sales, marketing and Operations †¢Client base and brand 3. Scale your firm and any two other competitors on these strengths in a Competitive Strength Grid as is shown in the example. HSBCICICI bank Deutsche Bank †¢Customer service †¢Reach to the customer is good †¢Good relationship management †¢Premier clients focused cells †¢Reach to the customer is good †¢Premier clients focused cells †¢Reach to the customer is good †¢Good relationship management †¢Premier clients focused cells †¢Risk management & Compliance †¢Credit Risk †¢Operational Risk †¢Market Risk †¢Credit Risk †¢Operational Risk †¢Market Risk †¢Credit Risk †¢Operational Risk †¢Market Risk †¢Strategy & Development †¢Reach to global markets †¢Presence in emerging economies †¢Specific to one country †¢Reach to global markets Strong leadership and management †¢Business expansions & Leadership support †¢Culture of developing and retaining leaders †¢Strong international management and leadership †¢Business expansions regionally †¢Strong management presence †¢Business expansions & Leadership support †¢Strong international management and leadership †¢Sales, marketing and Operations †¢Consumer / Transactional Sales †¢Advisory / Relationship Management Sales †¢Consumer / Transactional Sales †¢Advisory / Relationship Management Sales †¢Consumer / Transactional Sales †¢Advisory / Relationship Management Sales Client base and brand †¢History and strong brand †¢Your local banker approach †¢Internationally renowned brand †¢Strong regional brand †¢History and strong brand †¢Internationally renowned brand 4. Do you have a competitive advantage superior to that of the competitor in any or more area? Do you see major areas for improvement in any competitive area? The areas of competitive advantage are: †¢Strategy & Development †¢Reach to global markets †¢Presence in emerging economies †¢Strong leadership and management †¢Culture of developing and retaining leaders Strong international management and leadership †¢Client base and brand †¢History and strong brand †¢Your local banker approach †¢Internationally renowned brand Areas for improvement: †¢Larger presence in retail operations in emerging economies †¢Leveraging technology to increase efficiency, access to markets and risk management †¢Innovation by providing weekend banking and banking in non official hours PART C Assignment question 1. Based upon PART A and Part B of the assignment, consolidate the Strengths , Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats for your organization into a SWOT Grid.

Smuckers Case Study

Scope of competitive rivalry- Competition among the industry is dominated by larger more diverse companies offering many efferent products in the processed foods industry. Number of Buyers – The number of users has been steadily increasing over the past few decades. With consumers looking for ways to simplify creating meals and snacks they are more apt to purchase processed foods in order to quickly prepare and serve foods when eating at home or eating meals on the go. Degree of product differentiation- Rivals in the processed foods market are fighting for more of the market.Without either expanding or acquiring new lines some of these businesses are having a hard time keeping their share of the market. Product innovation; The industry is always looking to innovate. This is pretty easy to see from just browsing the grocery store aisles. There are always new and improved products or existing products that are just packaged better for easy on the go eating. Demand-Supply Conditi ons- Processed foods are, plus or minus, 70 percent of what most of us eat. 2) The demand for processed foods does not look like it is going to subside any time soon. There are many suppliers out there but they are also dealing with negotiations to get their products into the top five grocers in America who have the power of choosing hat products they can negotiate for the lowest price, this can be detrimental to smaller manufacturers. Pace of Technological Change- Technological advances in producing these products can help cut costs over time, therefore making more profit on the foods that they are making.Vertical Integration- With acquisitions becoming a necessity of staying in the processed foods playing field these companies need to integrate any way that they can in order to stay competitive in the growing market. Economies of Scale- The processed foods industry is dominated by the top five brands. These brands are making it harder for the smaller companies to gain more of a ma rket share without acquiring more businesses or increasing their product line to gain a share of the market.Learning/Experience Curve Effect- Processed foods make up about 70% of an average Americans diet. It is imperative for their survival that they try to gain a cost advantage over their competitors in order to maintain or increase their share of the processed foods market. Competitive Analysis S. W. O. T. Analysis Strengths Started back in 1897 by Jerome Monroe Smacker, this has been a well-known ND recognized brand for over 115 years. (4) With the acquisitions they have made they are climbing up the processed foods top 100 list.Strong Financial Standings – from 2009 to 201 3 Income before expenses went from $ 396. 1 Million to $ 817. 3 Million. Innovation- they are always looking for new ways of presenting their product in order to make the consumers life easier. Company was listed in the top quartile of Fortune's â€Å"1 00 Best Companies to work for† every year since the magazine created the ranking in 1997. (1) Weaknesses Smaller size in the processed foods market may limit their bargaining power tit grocery retailers.Peanut Butter and Jelly – with most schools now banning any peanut products because of allergies the days of bringing a BP to school for lunch are almost extinct. Volume declined 6% and 1 1 % for Jiff and Smacker's fruit spread respectively. (6) Opportunities Innovating their products to appeal to more consumers such as their creation of the Jiff To Go Lunchbox snacks. More acquisitions of smaller processed food companies when their finances allow. Expanding more internationally pushing the products that have a successful presence in other countries. The retreatsCompetition from larger processed foods manufactures. Lesser bargaining power with the top five grocery retailers who make up about 40% of the grocery sales in the United States. Fear of a decreased market share could lead them to make bad financial decisions in regards to pricing, acquisitions and other expenses that they can control. Healthier Eating habit by people in the U. S. May lessen the already smaller share of their stake in the processed foods market. Financial Analysis Gross Profit Margin- The profit Margin was increasing from 2009 to 2010.Since 201 0 it has gone down a little bit to now being . 457 in 2013. This should be a concern for Smacker's even though over the past two years it has stayed stealing and also slightly increased in 201 3 so far, this is something that they should be putting great attention into. Current Ratio- With a Current Ratio oaf mere 1. 3181 in 2009 transforming into a current ratio in 2013 being 2. 6729 it is showing that Smacker's is financially sound and the fluctuations have not been too severe over the past five years again reiterating their stability in the processed foods market.They are sufficiently able to pay current liabilities without concern. Long Term debt-to-equity Ratio- Smacker's Lon g Term Debt to Equity ratio has fluctuated some over the past five years. In 201 1 the ratio was at its lowest indicating that during that time they were at a better standing to borrow funds if needed. In January 2012, the company closed its purchase of a foddering coffee and hot beverage business from Sara Lee. (7) Without this acquisition to show the jump in ratio from 201 1 to 2012 the company would seem to be in financial distress.Working Capital- The working capital was rapidly increasing from 2009 to 2011. In 201 2 the company saw a decrease in working capital. With the gain of the Sara Lee acquisition there was more funds being used for day to day operations, while this went down it does not mean that the Company is failing – it just means that they have more operating costs than previous and need to work more on the cost of manufacturing these goods to increase revenues more in the future.Strategic Recommendation Smaller Market Share – With the bigger processed foods companies such as Kraft and Nestle gaining a large portion of this market I would recommend that Smackers continue to acquire smaller companies or subsidies of already established companies to continue the growth and success that they have over the more than a century that they have been in business. Peanut Butter and Jelly- With the Healthy and Natural Foods movement going on and also the increase in schools banning peanut butter Smacker's two most well- known products are now fighting for 2nd and 3rd place for the company's sales contributions by product line.They are remaining steady over the past 3 years. In 201 3 Peanut Butter was at 13% (a 1% gain over 201 2) and Fruit Spreads went from 8% in 201 1 to 6% in 2013. One of their newer acquisitions f coffee is booming with a 4% gain over the past 3 years going from 44% in 2011 to a whopping 48% in 2013. I would recommend focusing more advertising and marketing dollars on the products with a decrease in product line sales in order to save what they had originally started their company with.Increasing International Expansion – With the well-known brand name and similarity Of products that people use in other countries I believe that by exporting more of their products Smackers can grow in to a larger and better recognized brand globally. If they started out just shipping and not creating acclivities overseas they could save money in the beginning by not having the overhead of a brand new facility and all of the expenses that come along with it. Also they could easily pull out of the markets that they are not able to penetrate successfully.

Solution to Nuclear Weapons essays

Solution to Nuclear Weapons essays Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction which, if used, would kill indiscriminately. Nevertheless, those who posses nuclear weapons state claim that nuclear weapons are able to deter nuclear or conventional attack by threatening disastrous retaliation. This policy is called nuclear deterrence. To base a country's national security on the threat to murder millions of innocents is an ethical issue of global proportion. Nuclear deterrence is the threat to retaliate with nuclear weapons. In general, deterrence refers to the attempt to create risks that lead the opponent to not engage in a certain policy or action. Can nuclear deterrence succeed? For it to succeed, a threatening nation has to be capable and willing to use its nuclear weapons and must effectively communicate this to the nation that is to be deterred. For this communication to be successful, the threatening nation must be capable of two things. First, the threatening nation must be able to inflict unacceptable damage to the inferior nation. Second, the threatening nation must have the plans and the readiness necessary to demonstrate that it can deliver on its "message." Conveying willingness to use retaliatory nuclear forces creates a dilemma: The threatening nation must show willingness to engage in a war it tries to deter or prevent. The components of nuclear deterrence have a physical and a psychological character. On the physical level, deterrence requires a series of military instruments, sufficient to threaten the opponent in a way that it would not even think of attacking. Successful deterrence is guaranteed, however, only if the will is there to use these weapons. Deterrence is credible only if a nation is able to successfully convey the two points to its opponent, that it is capable and willing. In other words, successful deterrence depends on psychological components: communication and perception. How can one prove that nuclear deterrence works? S...

The Importance of Communicating a Vision to the followers.

The Importance of Communicating a Vision to the followers. A vision can be loosely defined as the detailed mental image of things to come. Possessing a vision is paramount for any organization since it gives a sense of purpose and meaning to the organization members.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of Communicating a Vision to the followers. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As such, it is imperative that in any setting there be a leader who comes up with a future plan and then steer his followers towards its achievement. This paper sets out to emphasize the importance of not only having a vision but also effectively communicating the same to the followers for the good of the organization. Visions are often formulated by an individual or a group of people towards a specific purpose. As such, the visions may be highly personalized and may not necessarily conform to the desires of the majority. As a leader, it is important to communicate such visions to the follo wers and convince them as to the need to embark on the proposals since it is the followers who will determine the success of the vision (Gill, 2006). This will act as a source of motivation and morale in their day to day activities. Communication of a vision is a key step in establishing the character of the leader to the followers. The traits a leader posses determines the level of cooperation they receive from their followers Communicating a vision to the followers gives them a glimpse of what to expect from you as a leader and they judge you by the principles that govern your actions (Cartwright Baldwin, 2007). Personal character traits such as self confidence, honesty and trust can only be seen through their actions and ability to communicate with others.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Palmer (2008) sharing a vision of the future reassures the fo llowers of better days ahead. In addition to this, it provides meaning and a sense of belong to the followers and other stakeholders as they deem themselves as part of something greater. A shared vision inspires and motivates them to aim higher and employ extra effort so as to actualize the vision and make a significant difference in their own capacities. This in turn acts as a unifying factor and creates a sense of community between them. In addition to this, communication of visions provides the followers with a theme of change or transformation. This is important especially in cases where a seamless transition is desirable. At the same time, the visions also help followers to understand what is expected of them and this helps them make reform and become more innovative. Sharing the visions also assist in developing and shaping the culture of the organization. This is because a shared vision if embraced by all develops a life of its own and becomes part of the organization. This i mproves interactivity between members and they develop common values and beliefs as they all set target towards a common goal. Gill (2006), further asserts that sharing of a vision with the followers equips them with referenced framework on how to actualize the same. For a vision to become reality there needs to be rules and regulations which act as guidelines to all members. Communicating these to the followers smoothen the implementation process making it easier to achieve the set goals and objectives because every member receives clear directives on how to go about actualizing a particular vision. This paper set out to highlight the reasons as to why it is important to communicate visions to the followers. From the above discussion, it can be authoritatively asserted that communication of a vision to the followers may mark the difference between a successful and a failed vision.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of Communicating a Vision to the followers. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore for any organization’s visions to become a reality, it is imperative that these points be taken into consideration for the benefit of both the leader and the followers in their quest for achieving organizational goals and objectives. References Cartwright, T. Baldwin, D. (2007). Communicating Your Vision. Center for Creative Leadership. Gill,R.(2006). Theory and practice of leadership. USA: Sage. Palmer,E,R.(2008). Ultimate leadership: winning execution strategies for your situation. USA:Wharton School Publishing.

Aravind Eye Hospital Essay Example

Aravind Eye Hospital Essay Example Aravind Eye Hospital Essay Aravind Eye Hospital Essay * What is Aravind’s mission? How successful is Aravind at achieving its mission? The mission is to bring eyesight to the masses of poor people in India, Asia, Africa and all over the world. To provide quality care as a non-profit eye hospital. To spread the Aravind model and offer hope in all parts of the world. Aravind has grown from a 20-bed hospital in 1976 to 1224 beds in 1992 as one of the biggest hospitals of its kind in the world. The Aravind organization consisted of main hospitals that charged for fees, free hospitals, eye camps, IOL factories with sponsors and volunteer organizations from all over the world. * What are the key factors that have led to Aravind’s success? What has Dr. V’s role been in creating that success? What challenges does Aravind currently face? * Key factors: Dr. V was inspired by Mahatman Gandhi and philosopher Swami Aurobindo, dedication through professional lives to serve humanity and God * Dr. V’s spiritual belief and committed to the mission of the hospital * Dr. V inspired his family and professionals to push the mind and body to its highest effort levels, worked twice as hard for half of the salary. * Dr.V has been the driving force behind the hospital * 90% of annual budget is self-generated, 10% from sources around the world, such as Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind (UK) and the SEVA Foundation (USA). * Expend all surplus on modernizing and updating equipment and facilities with the generosity support from local business community * Spiritual approach sustaining the mission at Aravind * Challenges: franchising the model and spreading it around the world. * What type of customers do the free and paying hospitals serve? What are the similarities and differences in the service and care provided at the free and paying hospitals? Free Hospitals: * Outpatient facilities were not as organized, crowded and cramped rooms * Poorer patients, more commotion, longer wait * ICCE type surgeries, not as well equipped * No beds to recuperate and recover, 6 x 3 bamboo/coir mat spread out on the floor as a bed and small sized pillow. 20-30 patients with self-contained bathroom facilities * Detailed records were kept of all post-operative complications, such as iritis Paying Hospitals: * Patients paid for the services, Rs 500 to Rs 1000. With IOL implant total cost Rs 1500 to 2500 * Operation rooms were conducted in an efficient manner, well-paced, routine way The customers at the free hospitals are poorer compared to the paying hospital * What issues does Dr. V. face in achieving his goal of â€Å"mass-marketing† cataract surgery throughout India and to the other parts of the world? What recommendations would you make to Dr. V. to help him achieve his goal? * India has the second largest population after China, with 20 million blind eyes and another 2 million added annually. With the per-capita income Rs 6800 who couldn’t afford private treatment, $200 million would be required to overcome the blindness problem just in the country. * Despite the effort in eye camps and surgery camps in remote areas, villagers are not responsive to treatment due to various reasons, such as fear of surgery, can’t afford food and transportation. Lack of organizational skills, creating propaganda, organizing logistics. Recommendations: * I would recommend that putting a protocol in place by establishing step by step procedures and instructions. Assign a training sector for building eye camps, surgery camps, sponsors and volunteer groups. Regulations and rules must be applied to all areas in order to provide standards and consistencies in quality eye care. Well run group such as the Dindigul group can assist other camps and lead the initiative. To reach the general audience and promote the Aravind mission through public media, such as TV, internet and newspaper or publications in remote areas. * Establish brand recognition as a marketing tool for the Aravind group and present the mission with the brand signature. As you prepare the case for discussion, please consider the following: Business Model and Financial Analysis: How central is cataract surgery to Aravind’s â€Å"business†? What percent of all procedures at Aravind are for cataracts? (Exhibit 5) * 850 million population in 1991, second highest after China * 20 million blind eyes, another 2 million being added annually * Cataract was the main cause in 75-80% of the cases * Annual per-capita income was Rs 6800 ($275) over 70% below the Rs 2500 ($100) poverty line * 800 ophthalmologists performed nearly 1. 2 million cataract operations/year * 42000 eye hospital beds, free eye care and cataract surgery to people who couldn’t afford private treatment * 30% of cataract surgeries were performed in government sector * 40% for a fee, 30% free of cost by volunteer groups and NGOs * Allocation of Rs. 60 million ($2 million) annually for blindness prevention programs * $200 million would be required to overcome country’s blindness problem * Cataract was the major cause of blindness in developing countries, 75% of all cases in Asia. 80% were age-related, over 45 years age group * By 1992, the hospital group had screened 3. 65 million patients and performed 335000 cataract operations, 70% free of cost * What is Aravind’s gross margin? What does this mean? How much financial flexibility does this give them? (Exhibit 6) * Net surplus $18319363, 52% * Cash flow and marginal issues, not financially sufficient at Tirunelveli How does Aravind finance its operations? How sustainable is this financing model? * 90% of annual budget is self-generated, 10% from sources like Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind in UK and SEVA Foundation in USA. What are Aravind’s biggest expenses? How well does Aravind manage its costs? * The three highest expenses: Stipends and staff salaries, IOL and Camps. The total expenditures are 48% which is still profitable for the Aravind to maintain the mission. Which of Aravind’s costs are variable and which are fixed? * fixed costs (for salaried labor, buildings, and equipment) * Variable costs (for medication and supplies) Operations: How efficient is Aravind (in % terms versus â€Å"industry standards†) at performing cataracts surgery? (Hint: look for information that will tell you how fast Aravind performs procedures versus the standard, and/or how many operations per doctor, or operations per bed, they perform versus the national average. ) Aravind had performed around 335000 cataract surgeries, 150 operations performed in 6 hours at the eye camp. 70% were free of cost for the poorest of India’s blind population What are the occupancy rates at the various facilities for free patients and paying patients? The occupancy rate for paying patients is 58% at the various facilities and for the free patients is 88%. How important is Aravind in terms of the number of cataract surgeries it performs each year? (in relation to the total number of cataract surgeries performed in India each year? i. e. what is Aravind’s â€Å"market share†? (exhibit 5 and page 3) 41013 cataract surgeries were performed vs. total 1. 2 million cataract operations performed in India. 40% were performed in the private sector for a fee, 30% in the government sector free cost to the patients, and remaining 30% were performed free of cost by volunteer groups and NGOs. Aravind in the 30% of the market share. How are its satellite hospitals at Tirunelveli and Theni doing? How are its eye camps performing? What problems, if any, exist, and why? The satellite hospitals are managed by Dr V’s sister, brother and close families. Some fundamental management problems exist due to cash flow issues. At Tirunelveli, they were unable to re-pay the cost-of-capital. The physical design are improved and the free section’s exam rooms are more spacious than at Madurai. Operating room capacity is better utilized with a central surgical facility, yet Tirunelveli is still not financially self-sufficient. Attracting quality people may become an issue due to the fast expansion. Training is provided on site and recruited by the hospital. Common challenges for eye camps: organizational skills, creating propagandas, organizing the logistics. Lack of consistency on principles and procedures. The Dindigul camp was well run and organized with trained teachers and involved sponsors. Marketing: Aravind divides its customers into paying and nonpaying. What does it promise to each? Quality eye care is delivered to both sections. At the non paying section, the outpatient facilities are not as organized, more crowded and cramped. Longer wait due to the number of patients. No beds to recuperate and recover, but a 6’ x 3’ bamboo mat in a large room and self-contained bathroom facilities. At the paying section, the operation rooms are conducted in an efficient and well paced, routine manner. Detailed record are kept on all patients in both areas. IOL implants are offered for paying patients due to cost. How does Aravind differentiate its marketing plan to its different types of customers? For each, consider: communications, pricing, type of service and delivery of service. Transportation and food are provided for poor patients in the eye camp, with free counsel offered to the patients. Eye camps are sponsored by local business enterprise or social service organization. Public announcement, pamphlets and advertisement were distributed 1-3 weeks in advance. What proportion of Aravind’s patients are paying versus non-paying? (Exhibit 5)? What is the trend in terms of the proportion of free vs. paid? Are free patients an increasing or decreasing percentage of total patients? (Hint – use #’s from exhibits 4 and 5) 38% of the surgeries are performed for the paying patients vs. 62% for free patients. There is a 1% increase in 1991 for paying patients, and a slight decrease of 0. 5% in non paying patients. Free patients are a decreasing trend comparing 1991 to 1990 but overall trending is still on the rise throughout the years. 40% of the patients are paying vs. 60% are non-paying. Organizational Behavior: How has Dr. V’s leadership style contributed to his success? Dr. V attracted his family and professionals to his Aravind group with his philosophy. To serve humanity and God through your dedication in the profession. What is Aravind’s corporate culture? What practices and/or policies have created this culture and contribute to its sustainability? Aravind provides continuous training to its ophthalmic personnel, research and training collaborations with St Vincent’s hospital in NYC and University of Illinois’ Eye and Ear Infirmary in Chicago. Ophthalmologists are sent to those institutions to do their residency. Through the unfailing support of his family members, the Aravind has a strong alliance built on devotion and dedication. How does Dr. V. attract and motivate the best eye doctors in the world to work with him? Dedication and devotion to the practice. All doctors in residence were gradually conditioned physically for long hours of concentrated work. The doctors at Aravind are trained to work double than the government hospitals. They dedicate themselves for helping people through a spiritual experience. Doctors were encouraged to attend conferences, publish papers, buy books, and are encouraged to do anything to advance their professional standing in the field. Despite the fact that their salaries are consistent with their reputation in the field, the doctors work twice as hard for half the salary. How essential is Dr. V. to Aravind? What will happen to the company after he is gone? Dr. V has established the structure for Aravind. His philosophy has embedded in the mind of his staff . His legacy will be carried on through dedication to the mission of the hospital. As they implement structure to the organization through policies and procedures, improvements will be made through eye camps and surgery camps continuously. As the mission spread around the world through marketing the Aravind model, Dr. V’s philosophy will be remembered and celebrated. The mission is to bring eyesight to the masses of poor people in India, Asia, Africa and all over the world. To provide quality care as a non-profit eye hospital. To spread the Aravind model and offer hope in all parts of the world. Succession plans are in place for Tirunelveli Hospital and Coimbatore Hospital.

The Clan of the Cave Bear essays

The Clan of the Cave Bear essays Many people are familiar with the ancient picture of cave-dwellers being the hairy, gruff bully of a man, dressed in animal skins, club in hand as he drags a female back to his cave. This drastic picture is not what one would get while reading Clan of the Cave Bear. The tale is a little more picturesque, but equally brutal, nonetheless; when it comes to the role of male versus female. Beatings, rape and humiliation are just a few of the realities dealt out to the females of the clan, especially to a woman who is "misbehaving" in a man's eyes. Several themes came to mind while reading Auel's book: Nature versus Nurture and Gender Roles/Feminism seemed to be the most prevalent. When we say "nature versus nurture" the question usually arises, is the way we behave more controlled by genetics or the environment? In Clan of the Cave Bear the clan seems to survive by tradition and memory only, there is no new or other way to do things for them. The rules they follow, the beliefs they have about the spirits and gender roles are followed so precisely that the clan has become incapable of changing their ways and cannot adapt to new situations. For example, when it comes to the hunting, only men hunt, women do not and should not hunt no questions asked. The women are also ingrained to be submissive and physically cannot learn to do new things. When Ayla entered the Clan, it forced them to think about things that have been lost to memory; it makes them question their society, their traditions. Ayla is different and has a natural instinct to rebel against the Clan's original ways because to her they do not make sense. For Creb and Iza, she tries to behave as a mode l Clan woman and abide by the ancient ways, however; they do not come naturally to her so she struggles and resists the traditional roles of a woman. The Clan does punish her for her disobedience, but other Clan women see that females can hunt, heal and stand up to abuse and explo...

Funny Earth Day Quotes

Funny Earth Day Quotes Discussing pollution, global warming, and a dying planet can be quite onerous. To impress the urgency of the situation, and yet make matters light, you need a dash of humor. Here are some funny Earth Day quotes to make your point clear. Not only do these quotes nail the issue, but also they can stir up the masses. Today we need more hands to help us save Earth. We need to channel efforts right from the grassroot level. The powerful lobbies of wealthy industries need to be sensitized to the degradation of the environment that happens due to careless and wanton use of resources. Are we ready to clean up our act? If you think it is time to stir the hornets nest, let us work towards saving our planet. Let humor pave the way for meaningful dialogue. Dwight D. Eisenhower Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and youre a thousand miles from the corn field. Henry David Thoreau What is the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on? Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the earth. Stephanie Mills Environmentalists have long been fond of saying that the sun is the only safe nuclear reactor, situated as it is some ninety-three million miles away. Edward Abbey Our modern industrial economy takes a mountain covered with trees, lakes, and running streams and transforms it into a mountain of junk, garbage, slime pits, and debris. Marshall McLuhan There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew. Robert Orben There’s so much pollution in the air now that if it weren’t for our lungs there’d be no place to put it all. Bill Vaughn, The Portable Curmudgeon Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them. Ralph Nader The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun. Dave Barry Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer. Dan Quayle It isnt pollution thats harming the environment. Its the impurities in our air and water that are doing it. Dave Foreman Our environmental problems originate in the hubris of imagining ourselves as the central nervous system or the brain of nature. Were not the brain, we are a cancer on nature. George Carlin Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, Insecticided grain, For strip-mined mountains majesty Above the asphalt plain. America, America, Man sheds his waste on thee, And hides the pines with billboard signs, From sea to oily sea.