My Son, My Executioner

â€Å"My Son, My Executioner† In the Donald Hall poem,† My Son, My Executioner, â€Å"Hall depicted a father who has grown old, holding their young child in their arms. Hall portrayed strong imagery of a fatherly figure giving up everything to care for his young child. The tone of the poem is both happy and dark. Hall’s theme showed that once a person has a child, the parent’s life is completely changed. â€Å"My Son, My Executioner† is a very well written poem with a deep, true meaning that readers could relate to. The imagery helps Hall depict a father caring for their young child.Hall is first telling the reader that the father is with his child. The child seems to be very young because the father takes the child in his arms. â€Å"I take you in my arms/quiet and small and just astir. † This shows that the father cares a lot about his child. The father could be taking out time from his day to share this moment with his child. The son, who is in his arms or lying on his lap, shares the father’s warmth. â€Å"And whom my body warms. † The father expresses how he has to give up himself in order for the son to be happy and healthy. â€Å"Your cries and hungers document/out bodily decay. Hall is saying when the child is hungry then he must get fed. As time goes on, the father gets older and the roles of father and son are reversed. The dedication has to be there for the parents to raise a happy and healthy child. The tone of this poem is a combination of happiness and darkness. The poem can be seen to have a happy tone that Halls shows well. He writes about the father acknowledging his child as his own. â€Å"My son. † Hall portrays happy images like a father wrapping his arms around his young child. â€Å"I take you in my arms. † The father also makes it known that his presence will live forever in his child.This means the father will always be with the child spiritually. On the other hand, t his poem can be taken in a direful tone. Right from the title, Hall throws a dreary feeling toward the reader. â€Å"My son, my executioner. † There are words that Hall uses in his poem that show a darker side. â€Å"And start to die together. † The reader could interpret these lines as some sort of sick meaning. This poem could either be taken in a happy tone or a dark tone. The main theme Hall is trying to express is that once a person has a child, their lives are changed forever.In the first line, â€Å"My son, my executioner,† is saying that once a child comes into the world, in a sense the parent’s life is taken away. Yet as morbid as that sounds, the parent’s life is made eternal through their child forever. The father knows his time is now focused on his son. There is a reversal of roles, as the child gets bigger and stronger, the father gets weaker and will die. â€Å"Sweet death, small son, our instrument/of immortality. † Another p roblem was that the parents had their child young. That day the child was born, their lives were changed and it will never be the same again. We twenty-five and twenty-two. † In conclusion, Donald Hall portrays a father who has grown old, holding their young child in their arms. . The way Hall used imagery, showed the reader a fatherly figure that gives up everything to care for his son. The tone of the poem was important because it let the reader know that the poem could be seen as happy or dark. The theme showed the readers that once they have a child, their lives are changed forever. â€Å"My Son, My Executioner† is a very well written poem with a deep, true meaning that readers, along with parents, could relate to.

Political Theory: Comparing Locke, Rousseau and Plato

Locke: What is the purpose of politics – we could live in the state of nature, we don’t need contract or soverign – life, liberty and property State of nature: men live according to reason and governed by reason – man exists in the state of nature in perfect freedom to do as they want, a state of perfect freedom – not necessarily good or bad, bit is calm and peaceful – men give up some of their freedom to secure the advantages of civilized socity men have the right to protect their freedom (killing if necessary) – bound by the laws of nature – contrast with hobbes: everyone has the right over everything, there exist no private property – Liberty to do as he will, but not harm others Purpose of government: – to secure the natural rights of property rights and liberty – we need law enforcers (soverign), we give power to one person and in doing so this creates a government Private Property: – one establi shed once you mix your labor with good most important because we must create a state because of the scarcity of resource (prisoners dilemma) and the innovation of money – mandatory to own property while living in commonwealth, can mix labour with other peoples resource (compensated) Representation: – ensures the government represents the people – safeguard against oppression – disapproval of absolute monarchies; they are arbitary and represent interest of one – governement must always be for the people 1. government must be desgined to protect the people from the gov . natural rights must be secured Rousseau: – mans main drive is self preservation, but thinks that hobbes and locke overestimated the likelihood of the state of war – men are inherintely good State of Nature: – gives life to general will, so all can live well – men are free and equal, seen as nobel savages, only concerned with immediate needs (hunger, sex, f ear, death) – savages are motivated by self preservation and pity, men are naturally good and don’t want to hurt each other, doesn’t want the state of war believes civilization is what corrupted him, save man is not concerned with materialistic values Morality: differs from locke – in the state of nature there is no reason for law, right or morality because we tend to avoid harming each other because of our natural aversion to pain and suffereing Social Contract: – must have a group that mediates the people and government – we must force people to be free and force people to follow the sovereign Property rights: must mix labor, cannot have more than others because this is a source of inequality – materialistic thinks are making us morally worse – everything that comes from nature is good, everything from society is bad – a source of inequality; creates dependence and jealousy Purpose of government: – to bring the people in harmony – to unite them under the general will representation: – citizens cannot give away their civil duties, they must participate in politics, because the direct democracy must represent the general will Rousseau-Social Contract †¢ The problems of inequality, amor proper, problem of general discontent †¢ Answer to the problem of natural freedom. †¢ Nature provides no standards for determining who should rule †¢ Man is not a political animal, the general will is the foundation of all legitimate authority †¢ All standards of justice and right have the origin in the unique human property of the will or free agency †¢ Liberation of the will from the usual sources that is the true center of gravity of Roussau’s philosophy. †¢ Primacy of the will Given rousseau’s libertarian conception of human nature. †¢ The fundamental problem is how to find a form of association that defends and protects with all the commo n force the person and goods of each associate and by means which each individual uniting with all obeys only himself and remains free. †¢ First part says that the aim of the contract is to protect and defend the common goods of each member. Consistent with Locke’s claims that the purpose of society is protect the security of each members. Rousseau adds a second and more disctinctly original claim. The contract must ensure the conditions for mutual protection, but also in uniting with one another each person obeys only himself and remains as free as he was before. †¢ Isn’t the essence of the social contract giving up part of our natural freedom? †¢ How can we remain as free. †¢ Total alienation of each associate together with all of his rights to the entire community †¢ Total alienation, entire community. †¢ To ensure the terms of the agreements, persons must totally give themselves up for the social contract. †¢ When we alienate ours elves, this must be given to the entire community.This is to ensure that the general will works. †¢ General will is only legitimate sovereign. The famous doctrine of the sovereignty of the people †¢ When we give ourselves over to it, we do nothing more than obey ourselves. Sovereign is not third party, it is simply the people as a whole acting in their collective capacity. †¢ How do we remain as free as we were before? †¢ Formula for freedom or tyranny of the majority? †¢ Only through total alienation do we remain free, because nobody is dependent on the will of another.The new kind of sovereign is the general will, which is the general interest or rational will of the community. Since we all contribute to the shaping of this general will, we do nothing but obey ourselves when we subscribe to this general will. †¢ Not the freedom of the state of nature, but it is a new kind of freedom that he calls â€Å"moral freedom†. †¢ The passage from t he state of nature to the civil state produces a remarkable change in man. Gives our actions a moral quality that they previously lacked. What man loses is his natural liberty, but he gains civil liberty. But, to the proceedings acquisitions or civil liberty, we add moral liberty which makes man truly the master of himself. Obedience that one has prescribed for oneself is freedom, moral liberty. †¢ The moral and political implications are massive. †¢ For Hobbes and Locke: liberty is the sphere of human conduct that is unregulated by the law. Where the law is silent, the citizen is free to do whatever it is he chooses to do. †¢ For Rousseau, law is the very beginning of our freedom, but we are free to the extent that we are participants in the laws that we in turn obey.Freedom means acting in conformity to self-imposed law. †¢ A difference between two very different conceptions of liberty: Liberal vs. Republican †¢ Rousseau makes heroic and unreasonable assum ptions about human nature. Why would we like to get together and engage in debate about political matters. †¢ Human nature and our capacity to engage in debate. Unless everyone is engaged in the process of legislation, there is no way to know that the laws are really an expression of my will. You will find yourselves dependent on the will of others.Freedom from dependence. – The problems of inequality, amor proper, problem of general discontent †¢ Answer to the problem of natural freedom. †¢ Nature provides no standards for determining who should rule †¢ Man is not a political animal, the general will is the foundation of all legitimate authority †¢ All standards of justice and right have the origin in the unique human property of the will or free agency †¢ Liberation of the will from the usual sources that is the true center of gravity of Roussau’s philosophy. †¢ Primacy of the will Given rousseau’s libertarian conception of h uman nature. †¢ The fundamental problem is how to find a form of association that defends and protects with all the common force the person and goods of each associate and by means which each individual uniting with all obeys only himself and remains free. †¢ First part says that the aim of the contract is to protect and defend the common goods of each member. Consistent with Locke’s claims that the purpose of society is protect the security of each members. Rousseau adds a second and more disctinctly original claim. The contract must ensure the conditions for mutual protection, but also in uniting with one another each person obeys only himself and remains as free as he was before. †¢ Isn’t the essence of the social contract giving up part of our natural freedom? †¢ How can we remain as free. †¢ Total alienation of each associate together with all of his rights to the entire community †¢ Total alienation, entire community. †¢ To ensu re the terms of the agreements, persons must totally give themselves up for the social contract. †¢ When we alienate ourselves, this must be given to the entire community.This is to ensure that the general will works. †¢ General will is only legitimate sovereign. The famous doctrine of the sovereignty of the people †¢ When we give ourselves over to it, we do nothing more than obey ourselves. Sovereign is not third party, it is simply the people as a whole acting in their collective capacity. †¢ How do we remain as free as we were before? †¢ Formula for freedom or tyranny of the majority? †¢ Only through total alienation do we remain free, because nobody is dependent on the will of another.The new kind of sovereign is the general will, which is the general interest or rational will of the community. Since we all contribute to the shaping of this general will, we do nothing but obey ourselves when we subscribe to this general will. †¢ Not the freedom of the state of nature, but it is a new kind of freedom that he calls â€Å"moral freedom†. †¢ The passage from the state of nature to the civil state produces a remarkable change in man. Gives our actions a moral quality that they previously lacked. What man loses is his natural liberty, but he gains civil liberty. But, to the proceedings acquisitions or civil liberty, we add moral liberty which makes man truly the master of himself. Obedience that one has prescribed for oneself is freedom, moral liberty. †¢ The moral and political implications are massive. †¢ For Hobbes and Locke: liberty is the sphere of human conduct that is unregulated by the law. Where the law is silent, the citizen is free to do whatever it is he chooses to do. †¢ For Rousseau, law is the very beginning of our freedom, but we are free to the extent that we are participants in the laws that we in turn obey.Freedom means acting in conformity to self-imposed law. †¢ A difference between two very different conceptions of liberty: Liberal vs. Republican †¢ Rousseau makes heroic and unreasonable assumptions about human nature. Why would we like to get together and engage in debate about political matters. †¢ Human nature and our capacity to engage in debate. Unless everyone is engaged in the process of legislation, there is no way to know that the laws are really an expression of my will. You will find yourselves dependent on the will of others. Freedom from dependence.Aristotle: reasoned approach – basic goal of politics was to help society achieve the good life, create a society that allows its citizens to prosper – humans are seen as â€Å"political animals† and thus politicas as a force of nature – citizens take place in politics, they are seen as the backbone of the state and have a responsibility to the state, – not all citizens are equal, but all want sovireign – good citizens not posses what it takes to be good man – polity= best form of government; the rich rule over the rest by knowledge and democracy king should not have all the power, he should be the guardian of the law – (has less power than plato and machs ruler) because of the seperation of powers; legislative, executive and juidical – less power and more mobility – CITIZENS; anyone can participate in politics (must participate) – By nature everyone has the capacity of reason and is able to participate in politics – Slaves are legit they are the means of production so that everyone else can participate in politics – Ruled by; virtue, moral and reason – Education: can change conslitation for progess because children are taught from young age to reason, (public learning) – Bartering=natural Aristotle- Politics Human beings are political animals. Problematic relation between economics and politics Role of labour and role of commerce The political community is de signed to promote human flourishing Happiness is a life of activity expressing virtue Essence of Political rule: ruling and being ruled The highest community is the political community Without law man is the worst of animals and law depends for its existence on the state.In order to meet our needs we must interact with nature to get the results we want. Work is a process, not an activity. Work is enslaving, provided by necessity Some people are fit for being slaves, others are fit for ruling. It is only natural that things are that way. Man is a political animal, that needs to live in a community. Trade is necessary, and therefore there is a need for a division of labour. Property is those goods need to develop their ability to develop a virtuous life Surplus has to be exchanged. Profit making is the pursuit of false wealth (capital)The Unconditionally best regime is the rule of the virtuous. Fundamental value of political community is friendship Aristotle criticizes Plato’s utopia, arguing that it gives too much unity to the state, and would make the state into an individual. A government is good when it aims at the good of the whole community, bad when it cares only for itself. Good Governments Bad Governments Monarchy Tyranny (Worse) Aristocracy Oligarchy Constitutional government (polity) Democracy (Least worse) Citizenship is defined by participation in office and in ruling. Political rule is mastery of free people ublic life is far more virtuous than the private Good citizen vs. good man Aristotle does not have a conception of an absolute good and has a more matrial account of morality. – rights Machiavelli: use deception and illusion for the better purpose of economic ends of the state – prince must be immoral opportunitst, people should never know the â€Å"real him†, but this creates a high risk of being seen as bad leader – overall the lead is not a good one because you cannot rule you people with immoral action â⠂¬â€œ ends justify means – goal of politics to maintain power and stability citizen must obey ruler and do as one told, no room for citizen participation in politics – equality does not exist – prince must be loved and feared – progress for the state = improving means of production (capitalism) Virtue: fortune/luck is half our actions – always appear virtuous – one capacity to understand political life and control it for the greater good of the state not for the sake of morality – priority of security over morality – price must be immoral when need be, to ensure the state security – generosity vs compassion – Machiavelli-Power A good ruler is not always good; he is good when he has to be but is cruel when the situation requires it. †¢ Leader or prince must have virtu: a set of qualities necessary to be a politician worthy of praise †¢ Learn to be able to not be good †¢ He attacks secular moralists a nd the Christian ideals of morality †¢ The prince must have courage to do whatever it takes to get what he needs. †¢ â€Å"Small evils to prevent greater evils† †¢ Political stability is a condition for a private moral life †¢ Domestic sphere is the domain of morality. †¢ Role of the state is to ensure security †¢ Prince must be a realist †¢ Acquisition of power is important How is power won, lost and maintained is the main focus of The Prince †¢ No traditional idea of â€Å"legitimate power† †¢ To achieve political ends, power is necessary. †¢ Fortuna, it is good to do whatever is required to obtain power. †¢ Appear to be good to the general public †¢ We admire the virtuous leaders †¢ No hard rules in politics, no political formulas †¢ Skill, assertive independence is necessary to have political power. †¢ People want power, mainly self interested †¢ Stability, is important †¢ Glory is not a bad thing, it is actually praiseworthy †¢ The Prince must try to master Fortuna as much as he possibly can Hobbes- Leviathan: The Sovereign is not the direct expression of individual rules but an abstraction of the natural desire to rule †¢ Hobbes wants us to abstain from politics by agreeing to be ruled by this artificial man or sovereign †¢ For by art is created the Great Leviathan, commonwealth †¢ Trade liberty for security †¢ Liberty under Hobbes’ sovereign is whatever is not restricted by law. †¢ Humans in the state of nature are in a constant state of war, everything belongs to †¢ Society and political community is artificial †¢ Human equality : in nature nobody is superior to another †¢ What makes authority possible? What is the source of authority?What makes legitimate authority possible? †¢ How can individuals who are biologically autonomous, who judge and see matters differently, who can never be sure whether they can trust one another, how can such individuals accept a common authority? †¢ That is the fundamental question of the social contract tradition. †¢ When is authority in question? True in Hobbes’ time of civil war †¢ Hobbes tells a story: he tells the story about something he calls the state of nature. Hobbes will always be associated with the idea of the state of nature. †¢ It is not the biblical account of Eden, nor is it a political condition like maintained by Aristotle. Sovereign’s main function is to make us equal †¢ The state of nature is not a condition of actual fighting, but a known disposition of actual fighting. †¢ His claim that the state of war is a condition that we are naturally in, is to say that nature does not unite us. If nature is a norm, it does not mandate us to peace, friendship and solidarity with others. Only art and human relations can bring about peace. †¢ Authority and relations are the product of cont rivance and art. – Plato: moral guidance, not legal obidence – philosopher king rule over all with rationality (rational part of soul rules over honor seeking and appeitive) must make the state a â€Å"utopia†; all work together for the common good of the state- seek harmony – children are all raised together and educated together – soverign is essential because it takes the best people in society and puts them in power – ruler acts as moral guider for other social classes – philosopher kings; determine justice and law because of their unique virtue (rationality) – each individual serves as a purpose in society, according to certain qualification (rationality, honor, appetite) that makes them more suited to a particular task (ruler, auxiliary, worker) without the philosopher king men fall pity to their desires and appeitiess(greed) – the state acts as a check for the passions of individuals – humans want what is i ntrinstically good, while they are capable of commiting wrong, this is because of some appetitie/desire rather than some flaw – there exists no equality, there is a social order in which you are born into – everyone is guided by the philosopher king beacuase they posses the ultimate truth, without them the normal person would not know how to act in socity and would fall prey to passions and selfishness humans want what is best, therefore listen to higher good – justice throught: strength, philosophy and doing good to friends Property: plato fails to identify population increase and other countries boundarys Plato- Republic: †¢ What is justice? Is it appearing just but really being unjust? Is it the rule of the strongest? †¢ Move away from ordinary definitions of justice. Perfect Justice vs. Perfect injustice †¢ The Necessary myths: religion. Myths are not true but they are helpful in a society to keep order. â€Å"Noble lie† †¢ Allegor y of the cave: The world of appearances is only a reflection of the pure realm of forms. The best life is the one spent contemplating the fundamental laws of the universe. †¢ The Philosophers must be kings, also called guardians. †¢ Their role is to overlook everything in society is working correctly, and in order to do this they must be philosophers. †¢ Rulers must live in commune, share everything in order that their desires are quenched and they can dedicate full attention to the city. †¢ We are born with natural aptitudes and we should become that to which our natural aptitude fits best. †¢ Perfect city: harmony and order †¢ Noble lie: Gold people are the most apt to lead and become guardians.Silver people are merchants and traders, and bronze people are craftsmen. People can only mate with a person of the same category. †¢ The skill of a guardian/ruler is similar to that of craftsman. The state is the guardian’s craft so he should be pr epared to deal with it appropriately. Democracy is cause of conflict because most people are not suited to rule or make political decisions. †¢ Mastery according to nature †¢ Justice: minding your own business. †¢ Women are not naturally inferior to men. †¢ The form of the Good is higher than justice, and requires extensive training to grasp it. Truth exists independent of time and space. †¢ Justice is a relation among individuals, depending on social organization; and that in consequence it can be studied better as part of the structure of a community than as a quality of personal conduct. †¢ Men are acquisitive, ambitious, competitive, and jealous by nature. †¢ Democracy ruins itself by excess of democracy. Its basic principle is the equal right of all to hold office and determine public policy. People are not properly equipped by education to select the best rulers and the wisest courses. †¢ To understand politics, we must understand psycho logy. Like man, like state† †¢ Human behavior flows from desire, emotion and knowledge. Desire, appetite, impulse instinct, these are one; emotion, spirit, ambition, courage another; finally knowledge, thought, intellect, reason, these are another. †¢ Statesmanship is a science and an art. Only a philosopher king is fitted to guide a nation. †¢ Education should be physical as well as intellectual, and musical. †¢ Justice is about organizing the political community so everyone can live the good life. †¢ Perfect organization of the city so each individual can develop his or her own nature †¢ Every individual is the product of the city People are slaves to their own desires †¢ Good life=contemplation †¢ The perfect ruler has knowledge of the Good, and designs all laws and institutions in according with the Good. †¢ What’s missing is a fundamental knowledge of the structure of the world. †¢ The confine of reality is own huma n nature. â€Å"City† Timocracy Love of honor, desire of treasure. Good=Honor Oligarchy Regime founded on Prosperity. Good=Money Democracy Rule by the multitude. Good=Freedom Tyranny Takes power, wages war, enslaves the people. Good=Desires of tyrant

Examining Bermuda: Tourism Planning Essay

The beautiful island of Bermuda is a ‘fish hook’ shape island located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 575 miles east of North Carolina. Bermuda is considered by many to be a wonderful tourist destination with turquoise waters and first class accommodations and activities. Perhaps we never knew that Bermuda is actually composed of over 100 islands. We might also not have known that due to the Gulf Stream, Bermuda has the most northerly coral reefs in the world. Bermuda technically is a British colony, but they have been self-governed since 1620. When we examine the island of Bermuda from the viewpoint of the tourism industry, we can learn much from Bermuda’s successes as well as their attempts to revitalize their tourism industry. Hold on to your shorts as we examine tourism policy planning in a pink sand paradise. (www. bermudatourism. com) In looking at Bermuda for the purposes of tourism policy planning we are initially reminded of how many positive realities we can see in the Bermuda tourism picture. Needless to say, tourism is obviously a major part of Bermuda’s economy. Bermuda is an interesting case study in that they were considered the ideal model for a narrowly defined tourist destination, but in the early 1990s fell into less prosperous times. Perhaps one could say that when it came to making money from the tourism market, Bermuda became too ‘fat and happy’ for their own long-term good. Michael V. Conlin sheds more light on this phenomenon when he writes in his case study on Bermuda tourism that â€Å"notwithstanding the long-term success of its tourism industry, Bermuda experienced a significant deterioration of its visitor count beginning in the early 1990s that had a serious impact on the country as a whole. † (Conlin, p. 1). By studying ups and downs of the tourism economy in Bermuda and the unfolding of Bermuda’s tourism committee work, we can hopefully learn some lessons to enable us to practice more successful and responsible tourism in the future. Bermuda is considered a mature international tourist destination that usually is quite successful and economically prosperous. By the middle of 1992, however, â€Å"Bermuda’s tourism leaders had recognized that Bermuda’s tourism industry was not immune to the economic climate or, indeed, to the changes that were taking place in the global tourism marketplace. † (Conlin, p. 13). One of the changes that was taking place in the global tourism marketplace was that technological advances and increases in personal wealth were greatly boosting the tourism industry. In light of the great global growth of the tourism industry, we should obviously see the need for more sophisticated planning and management in the this industry. In this light we can begin to see that tourism planning in many cases needs to be an ongoing, flexible, and continually evolving process. Perhaps this revelation was something that the Bermuda tourism board never sincerely grasped or believed until the 1990s. Once this revelation was understood, the Bermuda tourism authorities were in position to take steps to address the critical issues and problems that were eroding their prosperity and market position. By the time the year 1992 arrived, we could say that the Bermuda tourism board was ready to do some serious tourism planning! When it comes to tourism planning we can say that there are believed to be two sides to the planning process as well as the need for a type of corporate planning model. Indeed, Conlin writes that â€Å"planning within the tourism industry takes place at both the micro level and the macro level. † (Conlin, p. 2) Macro level planning can be defined as dealing with the growth of tourist destinations as geographic, political, and social units. In terms of the island of Bermuda, we can learn that â€Å"many islands are particularly susceptible to the to the consequences of poor planning given their small size and the relatively greater impact that tourism can have on their development. † (Stonich, 1995). Conlin seeks for us to understand that â€Å"increasingly, the failure to plan will not simply be a cosmetic issue but a more fundamental economic, ecological, and social concern. † (Conlin, p. 4). The micro level of tourism planning could be said to involve specific actions that operators undertake once they have honestly evaluated the realities of their business activities. In one sense, this is where a strategic planning and goal planning model are put into place. Conlin writes that ideally this model will be â€Å"based on the goal of matching an organization’s strengths with the market opportunities presented by a changing external environment. † (Conlin, p. 3). In this model we will see such elements as a mission statement, stakeholder analysis, implementation, and strategic control. We might say that macro level planning in the tourism industry is ultimately concerned with the growth and sustainability of a tourism destination. On the whole, we can say that when it comes to successful tourism planning at the micro and macro level there is the need to â€Å"match product, price, location, and management expertise with the market and its expectations in a way that will attract investment. Increasingly, this is done with the needs of the host community as a major focal point. † (Conlin, p. 5). In this case, the host community is, of course, Bermuda, with its turquoise waters, pink sands, and tempting culinary delights. Let’s continue on to see how these concepts were applied specifically to the case of Bermuda in the 1990s. We have already begun to see that â€Å"as Bermuda’s tourism industry moved into the 1990’s, it was characterized by a sense of complacency, a reluctance to innovate, a decreasing level of service quality, and a deteriorating physical plant. † (Conlin, p. ). At this point the tourism planning committee needed to make some changes to move Bermuda from being stagnated and losing market share to a place of revitalization and wisdom for the future. In 1992 they created the Commission on Competitiveness which was to examine the status of tourism and international business on the island. The commission was to explore new areas for economic stimulus. Conlin writes that â€Å"the mandate of the commission reflected a broad concern about national economic well-being in a rapidly changing international marketplace. † (Conlin, p. 15). The Commission on Competitiveness had representatives from the tourism industry, from the public sector, from educational fields, and from international business firms. â€Å"To achieve a high level of community involvement, the Tourism Planning Committee created 16 task forces under the leadership of prominent local stakeholders. At any given time, this structure resulted in approximately 120 persons being actively involved in the process of examination. It was truly a community activity. † (Conlin, p. 16). Some of the important findings of the Tourism Planning Committee include understanding the following conclusions: Bermuda is a model for developing tourism as a basis for a prosperous economy. Its past success should provide confidence that Bermuda tourism can improve in the future. The economy and quality of life in Bermuda are dependent upon tourism. Changes in world tourism, including new products, choices, and competition, will dictate many of the circumstances to which Bermuda will have to adapt. The cruise ship visitor cannot replace the stay over visitor for economic impact on the island. Bermuda’s tourism product is overpriced compared with some of its competitors, and it does not satisfy the price-value expectations of visitors. Bermuda must accept the need for fundamental change. It cannot dictate the terms of world tourism. This will require significant investment of resources and effort. There are no simple, single, or quick fixes for improving the tourism industry in Bermuda. Conlin,1995). When we assess the actions taken by the Commission on Competitiveness we can see that their work was arguably thorough, with many valuable conclusions and recommendations. We should not be surprised that the actual implementation of these recommendations was slow in process. Conlin writes that â€Å"the process of adoption was slow and involved trade-offs between competition interests. † (Conlin, p. 17). In this situation we can see that when it came to revitalizing the economic conditions in Bermuda there existed â€Å"an underlying theme of a call to a greater degree of public participation. (Haywood, 1988,p. 105). In this vein, we can also learn about what has come to be called ‘community inclusive tourism planning’. Involving the community in tourism policy planning often has positive consequences for policies being adopted and eventually successfully implemented. Including the community results in an increase in communication between the policy makers and the public, but this new relationship also carries with it the responsibility to carry on this communication and deal with the outcomes of policies and strategies. With growing concern about the environmental and social impacts of tourism, planning also has become more integrated (Gravel, 1979) and has matured to the point where it must consider the impact of tourism development on a number of fronts, not just site-specific economic sectors. (Conlin, p. 6). In this decade, all of us have become familiar with the going green movements, so it should not surprise us to hear that there is a call for more inclusive policy planning in the tourism industry. As we near the end of our brief look at the unfolding of tourism policy planning in Bermuda, we can also learn about the destination life cycle theory of tourism development. According to Conlin, â€Å"the product life cycle continues to play an important role in marketing management, including applications to the hospitality industry. † (Conlin, p. 5). The idea of adapting one’s approach to changing situations brought on by the stages of the product life cycle, when applied to tourist destinations, is called the destination life cycle theory. (Conlin, p. 5). A. M. Morrison described the life cycle as: The product Life Cycle idea suggests all hospitality and tourism services pass through four predictable stages: (1) introduction, (2) growth, (3) maturity, (4) decline. Marketing approaches need to be modified with each stage. Avoiding a decline is the key to long-term survival. Atlantic City, New Jersey is a great example of a travel destination that went through one life cycle (from a fashionable to a rather seedy seaside resort) and then got a completely new lease on life as an exciting gambling destination. Morrison, 1989). We see that through the efforts of the Tourism Planning Committee the island of Bermuda had the opportunity to revitalize and reposition itself to have its own ‘new lease on life. We learned that even though a tourist destination may be considered to be mature, ideal, beautiful, and economically prosperous, there may and almost certainly will be the need to address declining and/or changing market position and then take wise and strategic steps to rejuvenate itself. We also hopefully learned that tourism planning should be community-based, especially in a place such as Bermuda where the population is considered to be a major part of the tourism product. Mark Twain once wrote of Bermuda â€Å"the deep peace and quiet of the country sink into one’s body and bones and give the conscience a rest†¦Ã¢â‚¬  For anyone going to Bermuda, we wish you all the best in your activities and in your personal encounter with the deep peace and quiet of the island.

Why the Tomato Was Feared in Europe for More Than 200 Years Essay

Why the Tomato Was Feared in Europe for More Than 200 Years - Essay Example hem, however the wealthy Europeans used Pewter plates which were high in lead content , the tomato due to its high acidity would leach the lead from the plate resulting to the numerous lead poisoning deaths.In Europe it was classified as â€Å"deadly nightshade † that contained toxins called tropane alkanoids as put by Adrew f Smith. Pietro Andrae referred to it as the golden apple and a nightshade . As the tomato popularity increased ,there was a period in time in which the plantations were infested the green tomato worm, with a length of three to four inches and a horn sticking out of it back.a man named Dr.Fuller claimed the worm was a poisonous rattlesnake that was very reactant to the skin , claiming that contact with the worm would lead to eventual death, however an entomologist Benjamin Walsh cleared all possible misconceptions highlighting that the worm was just but a mere worm that fed on tomato leaves. . The article educates and seeks to emancipate the readers on the stages the fruit underwent before it peaked its popularity. The essay also enables the reader to familiarize themselves with the historical progressions of the tomato fruit , from where it was initially planted to all the rising negativities that faced its production. The fruits history comes from way back when it was deemed poisonous . The purpose of this article is to educate the reader and enable us to demystify ourselves. The target audience in this case is the prospective tomato consumer. It goes on to educate the consumer and future consumers that the fruit was faced by numerous misconceptions. The author educates the target which is the consumer on the fruit, clearing out all the disapproving theories and sublimed misconceptions. The persona of the writer is informative. She states and issues facts making various quotations like what the Italian herbalist Pietro Andrae, reffered to it as soddom apple. She goes on to give quotations even on the issue of worms where Dr. Fuller claimed

The Oral Approach and Situational Language Teaching Essay

The Oral Approach and Situational Language Teaching - Essay Example The target language is the main language in the classroom, and everyone learns it better by speaking it. Reading and writing in the target language follows once a lexical and grammatical foundation has been established. That means, the learner is corrected when he makes mistakes in spelling, vocabulary use, etc. The teaching of the foreign language is from simple to more complex forms. Upon learning this, some may be curious as to the Oral Approach is regarded by students if they have already been exposed to other teaching approaches. Would this approach clash with other methods students have already been accustomed to or would it supplement them? How about students with language impairments? Would the Oral Approach be able to encourage them or discourage them from speaking in a foreign language? The Situational Language Teaching approach is a language teaching approach that helps the learner understand the foreign language better by clustering lessons based on certain situations. Pi ttman (1963) clarifies the word ‘situational’ as identifiable concrete materials, pictures and relia which are used together with actions and gestures in order to demonstrate the meanings of new language words and phrases. If possible, these are used to teach a lesson on a particular situation. This eases the learner, knowing that what he is learning is about something familiar to him and can focus on the theme of the lesson. For example, simpler lessons teach about vocabulary on family will have pictures of family members. In any learning situation, it helps if the new knowledge is linked with previous knowledge. The Situational Language Teaching approach capitalizes on the learner’s own context. In the article, an example was provided on using actual objects to help students learn foreign words without necessarily identifying the object in the home language. This is effective since the objects are familiar to the students. The same may be true when the teacher teaches them a song about something they can relate to in their own context. It would be effective to use visual aids for the song so it becomes easily understandable to the learners especially if the song depicts a story. The pictures in the story may be presented while parts of the song related to the picture are sung. The theory underlying these approaches leans on the behaviourist perspective. Palmer (1957) summarizes the process of learning a language as receiving the knowledge or materials (stimulus), retaining it by repeating it both mentally and verbally, and using it in practice until it becomes a skill which later on becomes second nature to the individual. The issue now comes for people who would have deficiencies in the skills of memory and repetition. Does that mean they will be unable to learn another language due to their limitations? If these language teaching approaches are effective in the classroom, how would it translate to outside the classroom? It would be alri ght if the students live in the country where the target language is spoken since there would be several people whom they can practice their new skills with. If they live in their home country, however, where the target language is constrained within the classroom, then there would be no other people to practice with and understand what they are saying especially in the home if

The impact of financial crisis on five USA companies Essay

The impact of financial crisis on five USA companies - Essay Example However, subprime mortgage loans given to individuals with less than perfect loan carrying capacity and declining home prices coupled with structural changes in the United States economy that had built up a huge deficit in trading with the rest of the world caused the bubble to burst. This left many with write-offs worth many billions and assets whose real value had declined substantially. Because the mortgages converted into mortgage-based securities sold to many around the world, the financial crisis turned global. Businesses now faced a changed business environment, uncertainty and problems raising funds. This dissertation examines the impact of the financial crisis of 2007 – 2009 on selected businesses headquartered in the United States of America. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the years 2008 – 2009 presented the world with the deepest global recession since the great depression and the most important of all reasons for this economic downturn was a global financial crisis (Berlatsky, 2010, Pp. 16 – 20). In an interlinked world, economic problems in one country were bound to have an impact on the others to threaten global financial stability. According to the previously mentioned author, prominent economists suggest that the United States economy that had been the envy of the world for many years now carried mountains of debt that endangered prosperity and the global economy. A desire on the part of Americans to own their homes had resulted in a massive increase in home prices in the United States of America and irresponsible lending at low rates of interest to many who were bad credit risks created a bubble involving rapidly increasing home prices that were to later collapse. In a market wit h collapsed property values, banks could no longer readily recover the amounts loaned to bad credit risks. Because many banks were involved in arrangements involving credit default swaps, the financial strains were to result in the collapse of

Critical Assessment of a Brief of Evidence from the Perspective of the Essay

Critical Assessment of a Brief of Evidence from the Perspective of the Police Officer Checking the Brief - Essay Example Since, there is a wide variance in the facts of cases this application by the jury is to a very large extent dependant on the application of commonsense and community perceptions. Moreover, the law is such that the level of justifiable self-defence is significantly dependant on the level of danger presented by an attacker. Furthermore, a defendant cannot be convicted for an offence unless the court is convinced first, that the defendant committed the act alleged by the prosecution and second, that the defendant had the intention to commit that act. In other words, it has to be established beyond any doubt that the act was something about which the defendant was aware and had all intent to commit. Such inferences can be drawn if no other rational or reasonable conclusion can be surmised from the evidence presented by the prosecution. "In cases where the evidence discloses a possible defence of self defence the onus remains throughout upon the prosecution to establish that the accused is guilty of the crime of murder and the onus is never upon the accused to establish this defence1." In this connection in The Queen v Howe2 it was held that, "The state of the law appears to be that once a ground is disclosed by the evidence upon which a plea of self defence may arise, it is essential to a conviction of murder that the jury shall be satisfied beyond reasonable

DQ Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

DQ - Assignment Example This may lead to heated arguments and losing temper. It is also good practice to engage the client in the solution, by asking them their suggestions. The other key objective is to listen keenly, internalize the complaint, and, take time to understand before responding. These techniques help avoid taking issues as personal attacks. Feedback meetings with clients need to be well organized so as to maximize the outcome, while avoiding ambiguity. It is important when planning, to have in mind, which areas to collect feedback, what is to be addressed in the meeting, what the possible client reactions are, and, how to manage the reactions. It is advisable to devise a plan to be followed in the manner in which to engage the client. It is also important to schedule the meeting in an environment that is suitable to the client. On the material day, it is good to start by engaging the client on more general issues, before narrowing down to specifics. The client should be given ample time to express themselves without interjections, and, their complements, or complains well recorded. It is also good practice to respond to those issues that can be addressed on the spot, while committing to respond to the other, and make necessary adjustments soonest applicable. Self expression is an important tool to earn and maintain customer confidence. One way of doing this is to ensure that one is well informed about the company history, policies, products, services, and, future plans. This helps one to be articulate when handling the customers. When talking to clients, it is good to make prior preparations, to avoid rushing over issues. One should also talk naturally, avoiding reading lengthy documents. Eye contact should also be maintained, while avoiding distructive behavior. It is also good to explain using good examples where appropriate. While responding to client concerns, one should portray good understanding of the issues, and, when not sure

The country of Armagede Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The country of Armagede - Essay Example A wild animal refuge spans an area of some 1500 miles to the south. This refuge is heavily guarded against poachers and contributes more than three million dollars a year in tourism dollars that offset the cost of the reserve and contribute to the hospitality and cultural art industries in the country. The country supports a population of 4,763,271 Armagede nationals with about population of 3,445,192 who are largely subsistent farmers with a per capita income of about population of $223. The largest concentration of citizens is in the two largest cities in the north and south where residents are employed in government jobs. There is a population of approximately 544 people per square mile. In the past decade the country has begun to maintain vital statistic and economic records that help show a continuing improvement in the country’s economic indicators. The per capita income has increased by nearly 5% per household over the past decade, as represented by the graph below. The re is one university, Aduine University, in the north, a state sponsored university staffed largely by well educated professors from countries that offer incentives for foreign academic services. Most of the graduates go on to work for the government and in state sponsored elementary, middle schools and high schools. A large number of graduates leave the country for graduate studies in medicine and law, but statistics support the fact that these individuals return to Armagede upon completion of their studies.

The Need for Cultural Sensitivity in Multicultural Special Education Essay Example for Free

The Need for Cultural Sensitivity in Multicultural Special Education Essay Teachers in this changing multicultural society need to be aware of challenges in teaching English Language Learners as well as African-American students. Labeling students immediately as having a learning disability is a disservice not only to the student it is affecting, but also the entire school system. Teachers must learn to incorporate multicultural activities into their teaching style, which would allow them to connect with as many of their diverse students as possible. â€Å"For many multicultural learners, the noble ideal of leaving no child behind has not yielded the desired dividends in general and special education. †(Obiakor 148). I believe that students of all ethnic backgrounds would benefit from their teacher being more sensitive to their diverse cultures and backgrounds. Festus E. Obiakor’s article regarding† Effective Intervention for Today’s Schools† portrays a 9 year-old student named Ricardo whose teacher does not understand his culture and diversity. Ricardo spoke English with an accent, and had a hard time relating to his classmates. The teacher actually had made a note that he was trouble and did not get along with his peers (148). Ricardo was ultimately labeled as having a behavior disorder and was put into a special education classroom. Unfortunately, this is an alarming trend that is occurring in our nations Ramirez 2 schools. â€Å"Students learning English were disproportionately identified as having a disability in the three largest urban districts. †(Turnbull 79). Obiakor notes in his article, that according to the U. S. Department of Education in 2001 that although Hispanic students made up 4% of the general public school enrollments, there was a national average of 14% of these students being placed in special education services(149). This is where teachers need to turn to the theory of cultural relativism. If educators were able to â€Å"know what it is like to be a member of the second culture and to view the world from that point of view,† (Gollnick and Chin 17), teachers would be able to better understand the needs of their students of various ethnic backgrounds. Rather than place them in special education services hastily, by understanding the other culture, teachers perhaps would stop judging the ethnic minority students behaviors as deviant, and put aside their cultural biases (Obiakor 149). If an educator gains an understanding of their students’ background, becoming in-tune with their cultural nuances, they will then begin to turn the tide of stereotyping these students as having special needs. Culturally biased standardized tests are also another factor that affects the student from another culture to be unfairly marked as needing special education. â€Å"Unjustifiable reliance on IQ and other evaluation tools, high-stakes testing, and power differentials between minority parents and schools may also be contributing variables. †(Gollnick and Chin 185). Educators need to recognize that students may fail these tests due to differences in the child’s cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Festus E. Obiakor’s article states that African American learners in special education are continuing to experience â€Å"inadequate general and special education services. †(p. 28) African American students are among the highest ethnic group placed in special education services, due to the process of over-referrals. â€Å"â€Å"With over-referrals, teachers tend to make Ramirez 3 excessive referrals of students of color for placement in special education classes for students with disabilities. †(Gollnick and Chin 183) The disproportionate placement of students of color is one of the most problematic issues facing education (Gollnick and Chin 180). Many students, according to Obiakor’s article who attend urban settings are often labeled â€Å"slow learners† or â€Å"learning disabled†, which in turn takes them out of the running for higher educational opportunities(29). As is the case with Hispanic students, African American culture is not understood by the majority of teachers, most of whom have typically been White. I believe if teachers and administrators take on a culturally responsive aspect to their lessons, they eventually would stop making such rash assessments on these culturally diverse students, eventually allowing these students to be assessed according to their real capabilities, not based on their ethnocentric attitudes and feelings. As a future educator, I realize the need to challenge myself and my peers to become culturally and emotionally sensitive to students of diverse backgrounds. Labeling a child as learning disabled when they are in fact not, is a tragedy that none of us should make. Multicultural students will not only have to deal with discrimination based on their race, but they will also have to deal with the negative connotation a special education label may bring to them. Teachers have such an important role in a child’s life that it is important to try our best not to negatively impact any child. By understanding how a culture learns, the teacher needs to develop a curriculum that is culturally and historically relevant to these children. Educators need to take into account the vast learning styles of these students to make sure that we are not making the mistake of mislabeling a child as having a learning disability, when in fact, one is not present. References Obiakor, Festus E. (2007) Multicultural Special Education: Effective Intervention For Today’s Schools. Intervention In School and Clinic. Volume 42(3), pages 148-155. Obiakor, Festus E. (2010) African American Learners In Special Education: A Close Look at Milwaukee. Intervention In School and Clinic. Volume 5(2), pages28-48. Turnbull, A. (2010) Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today’s Schools. (R. Turnbull, Michael Wehmeyer, Eds. ) New Jersey: Merrill.

Performance Management System in British Airways

Performance Management System in British Airways Abstract As a company develops and takes on additional employees, the management of that company becomes a great concern. Different companies have currently started systems of performance management; as getting requiring aims has meant improving cultures of performance management across companies. In this paper we will discuss about the performance management style in British Air line. We will define Performance management in British Airline as an integrated and strategic style to presenting sustained achievement to corporation, in this situation BA, with developing the performance of the staffs through improving the abilities of team and individual participators. We will describe that system of a performance management sets out to make aim and objectives of BA to assure that BA is successful and staffs perform to the maximum probable standard. This research will also recognise any complications with BA in the type of developed performance. It is compulsory to make whether systems of performa nce management will enhance BA because they influence every person in the corporation. Performance Management System in British Airways Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Back Ground Management of performance, as relating to human resource management (HRM), is the system of presenting continued achievement to companies through developing abilities of staffs. It encourages the philosophical value that staffs are not capital presenter of companies with an aggressive benefit (Stankard, 2002). Management of performance demonstrates different confrontations in terms of logical implementation. Earlier researches have greatly failed to control different organizational constraints on its excellent execution. Overwhelming obstacles to modification is particularly compulsory presented their close connection to the achievement of the psychological agreement and concerned systems of HRM. The psychological agreement construct comprises of the presence of a soft group of anticipations held through the staff, which have to be managed. Within the connection demonstrated through these constructs, the employer and the staff inform, discuss, observe and then re-negotiate the relati onship of employment. In current management, different corporations focus the significance of performance management. Why is performance management so essential to organizations? Is performance management a compulsory exercise to corporations? Performance management is a method to management, which staffs and managers are unified to achieve aims of corporations (Locke, 1997). Aims are described, and results are then recognised to obtain the aims, which were apparently described. Promises of managers and staffs are achieved, to obtain the recognised results, and results are observed. In fact, performance management is a continuing method that continually calculated, observed and managed the general performance in a corporation (Stankard, 2002). Performance management has become gradually more essential from the generally extensively applied performance appraisal system to an incorporated and continues method of these days. Performance management in current human resources (HR) exercise is no longer depends on the value rating form as the individual measurement. Performance management describes aims, and recognised results to obtain aims. Staffs and managers are dedicated to obtain the recognised results, and observe results. Studies confirm that organizations that applied performance management fares excellent in terms of non-fiscal and monetary features than those corporations that do not exercise performance management. Therefore, the recognition of performance management and its styles for current corporations is compulsory in deciding and guaranteeing its aggressive benefit in the ever-modifying environment of business (Locke, 1997). Style of Performance management in British Airline is incorporated into corporation at various positions, to achieve the broader concerns of corporation where as simultaneously obtaining the similar aims (Irwin, 2002). Dissimilar standards of incorporation which performance management focuses to achieve are; vertical incorporation which connect the business, objectives of individual and team, functional incorporation which connect various parts of BA, integration of HR which connects development of business, development of HR and reward in order to obtain a coherent manner to controlling staffs and lastly the incorporation of individual requirements with BA to make the excellent performance. Systems of performance management focus to make a shared consideration about what is to be obtained in the BA (Linda, 2002). 1.2 Introduction This world is modifying. Both organizations and people currently compete in an international place of market. Consumers desire quality services and goods at aggressive prices. If the produce of a company cannot struggle, it will have not market. But this is main issue that as a corporation how to develop productivities and struggle with other corporations? Human resource management (HRM) must be utilised (Linda, 2002). HRM present to the practices and strategies required to carry out the individuals, or personal, features of a management level, containing recruiting, training, appraising and rewarding. As the compulsory section in HRM, performance management should be focused. Performance management is applying through nations such GDP, people and corporations. Performance management is about to achieve the excellent performance from people, but goes further in that it also focuses to achieve the excellent performance from the corporation and from the people as a whole. Performance management derives from the approach of management for human resource as an integrated and strategic method to the management and improvement of staffs. The method of evaluating, identifying and improving the performance of work for staffs in the corporation, so that the objectives and aims of corporation are additional successfully obtained, as at the similar time profiting staffs in terms of identification, getting response, catering for work requirements and giving support of profession (Alfred, 1970). Through process of performance management, strengths and talent of staffs, with areas, which need developments, are apparently recognised. This will make sure that staffs are ready for development of career (Stankard, 2002). Planning of Performance is the early phase for Process of Performance Management, manager are connected setting of goal and defining the job. Description for responsibility of job for all positions of employees is recognised throughout this early phase. Therefore, staffs are cleared of their aim and they have an excellent consideration about the direction of the corporation. The great participation and involvement of staffs, levels of performance are then recognised. Therefore, both the staffs and managers are capable to make the aims through presenting the plan and the exact aims (Irwin, 2002). Once strategy and aims are made, feedback and observation are carried out to make sure the success of staffs in obtaining expectations of performance (Campbell, 1973). The presentations of staffs are assessed and recorded. Bosses will then present response and compulsory training to staffs. The communication will be two-way and continuing. Expectation of job will be assessed and modified if compulsory. If hopes are completed, staffs must achieve identification and be supported. If performance falls short of anticipation, staffs shall be directed to support effectual approach to develop about obtaining specified aims. 1.3 British Airline British Airways is the biggest international passenger airline in the world. The important performance of British Airways and its subsidiary undertakings are the action of domestic and international charter and scheduled air services for the presence of travellers, mail and freight and the delivery of supplementary services. British Airways, which originated as Aircraft Transport and Travel, began its maiden every day international scheduled air services between Paris and London after World War 1 (Irwin, 2002). In 1939, government of UK combined Imperial Airways and British Airways to make British Overseas Airways, which became a government possessed corporation. Major operation of BOAC was services of long haul and British European Airways was initiatives to serve domestic, continental and market of Europe (Stankard, 2002). In 1976, British Airways began its first supersonic traveller service jointly with Air France. British Airways was privatised in 1987 and was merged with British Caledonian. In 2002, British Airways Citi Express was shaped through integration Bryman Airways and British Regional Airlines, which were entirely possessed subsidiaries. The Airline had 373 aircraft in operation as of September 30, 2001 (Irwin, 2002). In UK, the Airline presents most of the working services it needs for the managing of cargo and passengers. At international airports, apart from JFK, the subcontracts of Airline facility of the majority of its ground handling requirements. Ramp, runway and facilities of terminal are presented through operators of airport that charge airlines for implement of these services, mainly through charges of parking and landing. Facilities of navigation are presented to aircraft through countries through whose territory they fly or through international regions like Euro control. Duti es of navigation are normally based on space flown and load of aircraft. 1.4 Research Aim This research observes the system of performance management, which has become part for human resources of British airways. It defines the method related and the various kinds of performance management. 1.5 Research Objectives This is the major objective of this research to points out the requirement for rules and directions to govern performance management in British Airways because of modifications that have taken place in the company in current years. In the method of implementing and designing a latest style of performance management, the managers should play a task in the process of design, in educating staffs about the significance of the style, in deciding on fiscal and non-fiscal actions of performance. One more purpose of this paper is to identify the idea of performance appraisal and also observe the normal performance observing and mechanism of assessment in BA. To determine the various systems of performance management applied through the British Airways To investigate the perceptions of the employees of British Airways on the various systems of performance management applied to calculate their performance To study how the staffs of British Airline perceive the effects of performance management on their own performance To analyse the way by which the British Airlines employees are approaching the results of their performance management 1.6 Research Questions What is a Performance Management? What Are The Components of A Performance Management System? What Is Performance Appraisal? What kind of Performance management in BA? What is the roll of Performance Management in BA? What is the consequence of performance management in BA? Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This part presents an assessment on current literature on concerned issues which makes the beginning source for the research. The literature review is separated into two groups where the first lives on relating of literatures on the issue of performance. In the same time the second group concentrates on the composed scorecard with its account and improvements observed (Marr, 2004). The features, customization and implementation of the scorecard are also discovered to confirm its significance in the situation of British airlines. The literature review also demonstrates the important success aspects and decides the main criteria of performance management for British Airways (Linda, 2002). Carter McNamara, (1997) defined that Performance management is a comprehensive method which highlight on the general association presentation to the companies and at the level of staffs. It furthermore leans to aim on the method to supply a goods or services in the company. Before that Alfred D. chandler, (1970) suggested the shift of Performance Management from structure of association to the workers for accomplishing excellent performance. Gary Cokins, (2008) characterised the multi-dimensional structure of association in order to performance management. Our reason of composing this item is to recount the connection between staffs performance management to accomplish its strategic aims. Employees Performance Management is a comprehensive method, which is founded on the workforce performance and the completion of organizational aims at all positions. The rudimentary beliefs behind the performance management is to evolving the position between the objectives of company, with the abilities and capabilities of staffs, furthermore it focus on the improvement and enhancement of the general method. Individuals mainly misperceive the performance management to the appraisal of performance; in genuine performance appraisal is assessing the past performance whereas performance management is a continuing method to assessing the completion of aims. Alan Nankervis, (2004) while managing his study in a British organisation discovers that there are some associations which distributed their objectives of corporations with their staffs. Different companies use the performance appraisal as in evaluation to the performance management in which the aim is made on the evaluation between t he performance measures being created through the company and the genuine performance of the workers while no one really contrasts the presentation contrary to the objectives of company (Glendinning, 2002). Performance management is the genuine topic as we work in the corporation for value command, in Quality founded association the target of the presentation is created on the accomplishment or fulfilment of the aims other than made standards. No question in performance management which is really the sub part of value command having different measures of performance but these presentation measures are very much associated with the objectives of companies (Stankard, 2002). 2.2 Shift from Performance Appraisal to Performance management Different researchers have been made in the performance appraisal but regrettably it did not present any acceptable outcomes as Thomas B. Wilson, (1994) tends to recount the performance appraisal as it did no work for the workers with on for the association except evolving the expiation or dissatisfaction. In the same way Wendy K. Soo Hoo, (2004) resolved two of his studies that 90% of the workers discovered the presentation appraisal as an unsuccessful. The causes he deduced from his study are like the Managers bypass presenting dependable critiques because they dont desire any clash. Normally managers fear the appraisal method as much as workers manage, so they delay and dont arrange sufficiently. Staffs can be disheartened through rankings and data from the study demonstrated that 80% of persons observe themselves in the top 25% of all performers. So 55% will be actually disheartened through dependable response about where they stand (Hal, 2008). We came to understand from all overhead consideration that appraisal of performance is not managing certain thing additional for the association and the association bestowed workers founded on the appraisal incapable to achieve the needed outcome. Reward does not modify the presentation of persons who perform solely for prize (Linda, 2002). Excellent remuneration scheme cannot ever be an excellent choice for the association for accomplishing its aims. On the contradict part it can discourage the workers due to inadequate circulation of pays on the cornerstone of performance appraisal (Marr, 2004). On the entire penalties of performance appraisal can guide lead to the down turn of general presentation of the company. On the opposite edge, Performance management of the workers is the plan which endow the companies to accomplish their aims through using the completely ability grade of their staffs. It starts when a worker connects the company and finishes when he departs his company (Glendinning, 2002). Glendinning, (2002) propose that performance management is the strategy which is presumed to be the requirement of the hour for and a replacement of early performance appraisal method. He farther contended that a corporation without a performance administration strategy has no dream for its future. Linda Gravette, (2006) with her study resolved that workers should be well renowned with the performance management strategy, used in the company and there must be a consideration with the workers about the extent and the assessment they are utilising for the evaluation of performance. 2.3 Role and Significance of Productive Performance Management System Modifying individual worker demeanour depends at the heart of organizational change plans. This is because they disregard or disturb made modification psychology values. Senior management can suppose that because they are prepared to pro-actively adopts modification; their workers will be identically pro-active. Though, enforcing activity on workers who are not arranged outcomes in clash (Glendinning, 2002). Usually, only 20 per cent of workers in companies are arranged to take affirmative activity in answer to initiatives of change. More than 70 per cent of latest strategic plans go incorrect for this reason. Therefore, to be thriving in forming demeanour, performance management strategy should accomplish acceptance through those being managed (Kaplan and Norton, 2000). Latest companies require replying additional competently to altering external and interior situations, and organizational discovering has become a significant strategic concentration (Marr, 2004). With expecting and answering to alterations in the natural environment through positive discovering involvements, different companies are developing into discovering companies. However, the inquiry of how to best change approaches through organizational discovering and improvements remain (Latham and Wexley, 1981). Actually, numerous change plans go incorrect because either organizational heritage is not prepared to modify at that period, or because they manage not foresee the influence of change on systems of human. Actions in the last cited class normally outcome in opposition and finally malfunction of the initiative of change. As cited earlier, one procedure that companies can apply to sway competencies of worker in a kind order with the change of company is to evolve robust performance management methods (Bank, 2007). 2.4 Necessary components of performance management System Andrà © A. de Waal; Vincent Coevert (2007), undertook a study for understanding the result on the output of the freshly applied performance management strategy in two public and personal banks. Outcomes of the study was that in personal part it made an important enhancement as in public part it did not play any important role. The cause behind this division of outcome was operation of the scheme in both of the banks and the philosophy of management. In management of public bank did not hassle sufficient for the implementation of the freshly evolved scheme as in personal bank the management endeavoured to apply it with its genuine soul (Kurtzman, 1993). So it is the management firm promise in the direction of the implementation that how pledged the managers is in order to performance management. Performance management and getting the needed demeanour is one of the centre matters which most of the association falls short to investigate in alignment to accomplish the needed aims (Glendinning, 2002). Demeanour of company must be evolved amidst the individual in a style which is presentation oriented and demeanour must be investigate and then changed to evolve the needed approach. The achievement of the plan is connected with anticipations of staffs if the workers anticipations fulfil with the plan of appraisal, then there affirmative connection and vice versa. The other thing which should be kept in mind while evolving the aims that it must be in accord with the workers and association ability. Person must be responsible in encouraging of a performance management strategy which really encourages the culture of value. Defining the identical things through Nonna Turusbekova (2007), recounts the requirement of the value management plan in the company to achieve yearning manners of employees because employees generally breaches the directions and detract the value methods. The rudimentary reason of performance management strategy is to conceiving the position in between the association aims and its sub strategy to accomplish the association aims, Carter McNamara, (2008). In modern company must be a balanced performance management strategy to accomplish the companies aims. With strategically utilising the performance management strategy companies can evolve its presentation measures, can evolve the assessment and then accounts the result for farther enhancement and in this a relentless method hold running. In TQM methods Performance management strategy play a significant function for evolving with assessing and accomplishing the aims. The improvements like metrics, catalogues must be agreed with the plan in the value method to the companies. A balance performance management strategy initiative was taken by Kaplan; Norton, (1992) to accomplish the dream of company strategically. Balance score business card concentrating on the four enterprise potential i .e. economic, clientele approval, enterprise method and the company discovering and modern culture (Kaplan and Norton, 1996). A review resolute that the businesses apply a mean of 13 management devices at the business position. These devices are proposed to assist assess or supervise the presentation of an association, and inside this the most well liked performance associated device was the Balanced Scorecard. In the nonattendance of a rudimentary strategic situation, managers discovered it complicated to acquiesce on a befitting set of assesses of organizational performance (Ambrose Runyard, 1992). Balance scorecard is the stage for assessing the association presentation having cooperating with economic and non- fiscal facets of business (Federal regulations, 2001). 2.5 British Airways British Airways has started a balanced sequence of non-fiscal and fiscal symbols of performance to increase its position of performance management. These are the key performance indicators (KPI) of British Airways: 2.5.1 Economic For the future of British Airways and to return their shareholders, BA has to keep a stable and powerful monetary performance. 2.5.2. Operation Margin That is the working income separated through income, which is demonstrated as a percentage is a compulsory style of measuring the monetary performance. BA has set an aim of getting 10% of working margin gradually in the coming monetary years. BA has obtained their aim of 10% working margin in 2007/08. Despite of different financial situations and increasing costs of fuel in the latter six months, business plan of BA has supported to obtain the set aim for the year 2007/08. 2.5.3 Customers Word of mouth is a significant feature for the achievement of the BA. To have an excellent recognition of the consumers, BA has an important operative method in position. This is an on-board review which is performed through a free market research corporation. Monthly about 55,000 passengers are reviewed about all features of their knowledge of flight with BA. The review supports to calculate the percentage of passengers who are going to suggest BA to others (Bank, 2007). This review supports to assess the situation to which passenger knowledge can influence the income of the corporation in future. BA has focused an aim of 63% passengers to be in the group of exceptionally likely or precise likely. BP10 plan of BA has attempted to redefine the capacity made to the passengers under the caption BA Basics and Brilliance. BA has obtained 59% in the passengers proposal measure. In 2007/08 BA had a reduction of 2% as contrasted to the last year which was attributed to the deprived performa nce at Heathrow? British Airways is focusing on developing their products of on-board and also on ground passenger service. BA is financing on presenting excellent facilities to the passengers through attempting to raise the sign of passenger suggestion. Performance of BA on this sign was 61% in 2006/07 and 59% in 2007/08. 2.5.4 Operations BA has to perform its performance dynamically if they have to please anticipations of passengers and also to operate the company, cost successfully. Heathrow being at the centre for operations of BA with its organization restrictions had an important strain on performing the actions keeping excellent quality, continually. Business strategy of BA has focused on five important fields of working performance. In these five, keeping time in departure is the compulsory measure of working performance. Timekeeping supports in the smooth working of the rest of working method and is an important aspect in affecting decision of passenger in proposing BA to others. This aspect is calculated through measuring how different flights of BA are all set to depart 3 minutes before to the planned time (Bank, 2007). 2.5.5 Employees One of the important features which affect the performance of BA is involvement of its staffs. They must be inspired, dedicated to the aim, values and aims of the BA and must be prepare for the modification and to serve the passengers. In 2006/07 BA has system of Index for Employee Involvement, which is focused through all staff speak up. The goal of the review is to focus and match the scores of other important companies in airline sector and BA has set an aim target of 73% in 2007/08. They obtained 65% which 5% less than the performance of last year. Plan of BA concentrates at financing in the growth of abilities of the staffs, through presenting proper educating and allowing them to be capable to do the job positively. 2.5.6 Performance Performance is described as the process or action of performing. One more description of the word demonstrates the abilities of a product or machine. Lebas (1995) demonstrates performance as the future possibility to perform especial activities to effectively obtain set aims within the presented time structure and restrictions of the actor and the condition. Performance in one situation can bring an entirely dissimilar definition when applied in a disparate situation. For instance, performance in an environment of computer system can mean the efficiency and effectiveness of the tools applied in efforts of telecommunication. Performance in a deal of business can explain to finish and present charges that have been approved upon based on a written agreement between the purchaser and seller (Hope, 2003). Conversely, performance can be described as the real outcomes obtained contrasted to outcomes that were anticipated or wished. The variations in real outcomes contrasted to what was anticipated is identified a gap of performance. Therefore improvement of performance is required to narrow the gaps, if any there (Ittner and Larcker, 1998). Performance must be about acquiring or achieving aims that has been focused earlier to operating the act or work. Performance is the time test of any plan. If the proper amount of attempt is presented to achieve anticipated presentation, quality is obtainable. Additionally, the description of performance very much relies on the condition and restricts also who holds the making of decision with concerns to the performance obtained (Hope, 2003). 2.6 Performance Measurement (PM) PM can be demonstrated as a method of reviewing the accomplishments of a person, group or even a company with regards to achieving focused aims through statistical proof which can come in the style of monetary data, share of market, or even the assets one has. According to the research, the leadership of a company plays a vital task in deciding the success and future of the corporation (Armstrong, 2001). In spite of concentrating on numerical values like enhancing production, the higher management of companies must play duty of prioritizing current assets of the corporation like nurturing and appreciating the contributions of employees in terms of the views they present, servicing and acknowledging the requirements of consumers as developing on what the company does best in spite of venturing too much into latest areas that do not assure achievement (Cooper, 1989). PM was normally connected to obtaining positive monetary outcomes where metrics created for calculation relied a lot on financial achievements which in a style or another supported vast improvements of different packages of accounting. Since the 1990s and 2000s, people have begun to critique the job and entire depend on monetary signs as missing other compulsory aspects that demonstrate the overall health of companies. Companies begun to feel the significance of calculating further fields of performance that can demonstrate the between the company and its assets in spite of relying only on monetary signs that tend to explain earlier accomplishments and aims of short term rather than concentrate on the upcoming direction of the company (Lawrie and Cobbold, 2004). Folan and Browne (2005) demonstrated that in the following years, the development of PM would keep and it would move towards concentrating on the external situation of a company. In spite of the common system of considering that a company has apparent limits and finite connection with other companies, development of PM will gradually turn its focus to contrasting the health of a company with its opponents (Armstrong, 2001). Figure demonstrates the development of dimension and how the concentration of PM has modified from monetary concentration to operational and strategic through the years. (Armstrong, 2001) PM plays three vital tasks in controlling performance. Firstly, PM presents cooperation through narrowing the concentration and focus of policy makers on the significances and aims of the company (Gary, 2008). Then, it presents a method for observing though applying reports of performance to confirm how well anticipations of stakeholders have been achieved up to now. PM serves as an analytic tool in assessing the motive and influence connections between arrangements taken and the outcomes obtained thereby permitting corrective activities to be taken to develop any unwanted conditions. Henri (2006) additionally discloses that from the three tasks recognised, the knowledge achieved can be applied to clarify activities reserved and strategies for future businesses. PM brings also the concentration of officials to important success aspects for the companies and aims that must be the goal of employees (Ordiorne, 1965). PM permits BA to decide its present position with relation to last accomplishments, the final aim of the company, the excellent systems for achieving the aim and how the company can establish if its aim is realized and complete.

School Shootings: Causes and Warning Signs

School Shootings: Causes and Warning Signs The Virginia Tech Massacre, the Sandy Hook shooting, and the Columbine High School Massacre are events that people will never forget. School shootings are a rare occurrence but for the people experiencing these events time stands still, and they will never forget. This paper will look at the reasons why these events take place, and the warning signs displayed by the shooters before the event happens. This paper will also explore what the media’s role in covering the shooting events, and the preventive measures that have been made over time to combat this issue that faces schools around the world. The number one issue that faces children today is bullying in school. It is not just the face to face type of bullying that is thought of when a person thinks of bullying. Today’s youth have to face cyber bullying along with the face to face bullying at school. Roland defines bullying as â€Å"continuing, negative behavior directed toward a victim by an individual or group† (2002). Another study calls the act of bullying marginalization. They define this as the act of pushing individuals outside the realm of social significance (Mongan, Hatcher and Maschi 2009). Yet another word associated with bullying that came from Mongan, Hatcher, and Maschi’s study is what is called masculinity attacks (2009). There study was conducted on the Columbine shooting. This is a statement from a survivor of that shooting describing what was said to the two young men that committed the shooting. â€Å"Sure we teased them. But what do you expect with kids who come to school with weird hairdos and horns on their hats? It’s not just jocks; the whole school’s disgusted with them. They’re a bunch of homos†¦..If you want to get rid of someone; usually you tease ‘em. So the whole school would call them homos† (Gibbs Roche, 1996, p.48). Bullying would be a form of peer rejection. When a person is rejected by one group that they see as a positive, they may be pushed to another group that will have a negative influence or even resort to social isolation. Studies show that if a person has a strong attachment to family, peers, and school they are less likely to be an offender of delinquent acts (Curran and Renzetti 2001). They will see themselves as outcasts from the mainstream groups, and he or she will grow a large amount of animosity toward the group that bullied them. There has been some research conducted on the effects of bullying on school shooters, but bulling may be just a catalyst and not the main reason. Hann and Mays conducted a study and found that two thirds of all the offenders were bullied prior to the shooting incident (2013). Hann’s and Mays’s study does show a connection between bullying and school shooting, but also shows that the bully or bullies may not be the specific targets. They s uggest that the stats show that bullies are the targets, but then go on to say that the shooters randomly target students in the school forgetting about the bullies (Hanns and Mays 2013). They may give more weight to the theory that bullying is more of a catalyst to the shooting than a main reason. Being bullied at school can lead to indicators or warning signs that a child may be going in the wrong direction. If the child becomes very isolated from social interactions this may be a warning sign that he or she may be having problems. Mongan, Hatcher, and Maschi show the stages that a person goes through before the final act of violence. They have come up with a model called the Stages of Change Model. This informative model shows people what to look for in regards to a child’s behavior. The table on the next page shows the different stages that a child may go through before committing the school shooting. This chart is to show school administrators and parents the warning sig ns to look for. TABLE 1 Applying the Stages-of-Change Model to Youth At Risk of Committing a School Shooting Stages of change        Ã‚  Identifying signs: Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of at-risk youth Stage 1         Precontemplation _ Has thoughts about planning or engaging in a school shooting Stage 2        Ã‚  Contemplation _ Feels unfairly treated Has ‘‘grandiose’’ ideas of getting back at the school or others Stage 3        Ã‚  Preparation _ Weighs the pros and cons of attempting a school shooting Has morbid fantasies of death Develops a plan of attack Stage 4        Ã‚  Action _ Commits to follow through on plan_ Withdraws from others_ Obtains weapons for attack Stage 5        Ã‚  Maintenance _ Establishes a plan and sets a date for the attack_ Spends time rehearsing plans (i.e., thinking about it or practicing) Stage 6        Ã‚  Termination _ Feels attack is justified_ Completes the attack (murder and/or suicide) (p.639) These warning signs are used to help prevent a possible shooting. Other issues that may also push a child to delinquency or other crimes may include abuse in the home. If a child is already having a tough time at school, and then he or she goes to an abusive home life this will have a negative effect on the child. He or she may also have a personality disorders that have an effect on the delinquency, and this can often lead to suicide (Hann and Mays 2013). Violent movies and music have also been linked to violent behavior along with interest in firearms and bombs. Other psychological problems including depression, impulse control, or sadistic tendencies have been linked to school shooters (Hann and Mays 2013). Another argument that is being made is the accessibility of guns in the United States. Hann and Mays study points out that this is a major factor in the person’s ability to commit the act of a school shooting (2013). However, Mongan, Hatcher, and Maschi (2009) point out about the availability of guns in America that, â€Å"school shoo tings have also occurred in countries that employ strict gun control laws, and school shootings did not begin in America until 1966 even though there was a pro gun culture† (p637). When these types of events take place people want to place the blame on someone or something to achieve closure. This is when the blame game starts and blame is pushed from one person or thing to another. According to Hann and Mays parents are often at least partially to blame for the shooting then followed by teachers and school administrators (2013). However, there is another source that many people place at least some blame too and that is the media. The media coverage of school shooting is very highly scrutinized among the victims and researchers alike. Some researchers put a lot of blame on the media for their coverage of these events. The people who make these claims seem to believe that the media’s coverage of these events cause â€Å"copy cat† school shooters. Hann and Mays point out that school shootings did not attract the media attention before 1997 as they do now (2013). The first major event that got the media coverage that Hann and Mays are speaking of is the Columbine shooting in 2001. It was the worst high school shooting of the time killing 12 students and one teacher and is believed by some to inspire others to commit similar crimes in different parts of the United States (Hann Mays 2013). A study was conducted by Haravuori, Suomalainen, Berg, Kivirousu, and Marttunen to see what impact the media coverage had on adolescents traumatized in a school shooting. This study was conducted on 231 students aged 13-19 years in Finland. A similar study was conducted on students at Virginia Tech after that shooting. There were three types of journalistic behavior experienced during the media coverage of both events. These behaviors included behaving badly, media mod, and displaying compassion. Both studies concluded that that being approached by the media and being interviewed had a negative effect on posttraumatic distress (2011). Most media outlets would say that they were doing what the people want them to do and that is to report the news, and something as big as a school shooting would need to have extended coverage to get all that needs to be reported. They would also argue that they show great sympathy for the victims and their families. Where the issue lies for the researchers is when the extended coverage becomes too extended. Hann and Mays suggest that the media coverage prolongs the grief found in the communities that experience these tragedies (2013). What is meant by that statement is that the media prolongs the grieving process in that the people have to relive the event every time they step out their door or turn on the television. The researchers say that media needs to stick to just the facts of the situation and not over do the coverage with needless information. The entire how, why, and the target selected may spark another school shooting at another location according to the researchers. The prevention of these types of crimes has to be combated early before the crime even happens. Parents, teachers, and school administrators need to see the warning signs early to prevent these types of crimes in their communities. The majority of the effort should be placed on prevention. According to Hann and Mays (2013), â€Å"In almost all shootings there were signs that the shooter or shooters might be preparing for this violent act. Over 90% of the shootings studied were planned at least 2 days ahead, and most of these shootings were discussed by the perpetrators via social media shortly before they occurred† (p.52). They also say that the media needs to tone back on the coverage of school shootings to help prevent other possible shootings (2013). Another possible prevention is schools suspension practices. If a child is suspended from school then that child may not have the proper supervision at home. If a child is already displaying warning signs of a possible delinque nt then this type of punishment will only aggravate his or her already fragile condition (Hann Mays 2013). Hann and Mann state that some school districts have created crisis management teams to deal with possible school shootings. Mongan, Hatcher, and Maschi conducted a nationwide survey in 2007 that concluded that, â€Å"6% of students had carried a weapon on school property† (p. 635). They suggest that the policies that schools have in place that deal with carrying weapon on their campus is not enough and that better measure need to be in place to help prevent and combat the issue of school violence. Schools need to provide workshops to educate on the stages of change model (Table 1) and how it applies to school violence, and instituting and formal referral process in the schools (Mongan, Hatcher, Maschi 2009). Almost all of the authors of articles that deal with school shooting do say that more steps need to be taken to prevent these acts of violence from happening. These authors contend that due to the violent nature of these crimes and the negative effect that it has on our society that stronger measures need to be implemented in our schools. School administrators and parents need to look for the warning signs that the child displays, and they need to have a reporting system in place that will handle the problem before it escalates. They also say that the media needs to scale its coverage back to limit the amount of time it takes for the community to heal. Media outlets need to be aware that they may inadvertently spark a copycat school shooting at another location with the extended coverage that is given to these types of events. A group that has studied school shootings has produced a chart that shows the different stages of progression that a possible school shooter may go through bef ore committing the act. They suggest that schools have workshops for parents and teachers to help with seeing the warning signs before they get out of hand. References Curran, D.J., Renzetti, C.M. (2001) Theories of Crime (2nd ed). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn Bacon. Center for the Prevention of School Violence (2002, May). Just what is school violence: New brief. Retrieved November 21, 2008, from http://www.ncdjjdp.org/ cpsv/index.html Center for Disease Control. (2008). Understanding school violence. Retrieved November 21, 2008, from http://cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/YVP/SV_FactSheet.pdf Gibbs, N., Roche, T. (1999, December 20). The Columbine tapes: In five secret videos they recorded before the massacre, the killers reveal their hatreds-and their lust for fame. Time, 154(25), 40- 51. Haan, P., Mays, L. (2013). Children Killing Children: School Shootings in the United States. Social Work Review / Revista De Asistenta Sociala, (4), 49-55. Mongan, P., Hatcher, S., Maschi, T. (2009). Etiology of School Shootings: Utilizing a Purposive, Non-Impulsive Model for Social Work Practice. Journal Of Human Behavior In The Social Environment, 19(5), 635-645. doi:10.1080/10911350902910583 Reddy, M., Borum, R., Berglund, J., Vossekuil, B., Fein, R., Modzeleski, W. (2011) Evaluating risk for targeted violence in schools: Comparing risk assessment, threat assessment, and other approaches. Psychology in the Schools, 38, 2, 157‑172. Roland, E. (2002) Bullying, depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. Educational Research, 44, 55‑67.