Narrative Structure

In this report I am going to be covering camera techniques, narrative structure, format, styles and content and technical elements. When doing so I am going to be explaining how each one works, what it does and give examples of how they are used. Camera techniques In film and television production there are two main types of camera techniques single camera production and multi camera productions. A single camera production either film or video is employed on the set and each shot to make up a scene. These shots are taken individually. Using the single-camera setup generally employs just one camera. Each of the various shots and camera angles is taken with the same camera which is moved and reset to get each shot or from a new angle, if a scene cuts back and forth between actor A and actor B, the director will first point the camera towards A and shoot shots number 1, 3, 5, 7, and so on. Then they will point the camera toward subject B and do shots number 2, 4, 6, 8, ECT. Multiple-camera mode of production or multicam is a method of shooting films and television programs. Several cameras either film or video are employed on the set and simultaneously records or broadcast a scene. By using this format there is multiple shots taken to chapter the overall action and establishes the geography of the room. An example of the set up of a multi camera production set is shown below Narrative structure Narrative structure helps to define the story and helps to understand the message within the film giving it a meaning, this only applies to the way the story is told not the story itself. Narrative structure is divided into 3 different stages also known as the chronological stages. Stage 1 -the beginning – the state of equilibrium Stage 2 –the middle – the destruction of equilibrium Stage 3 – the end- the reinstatement of the equilibrium. However there is another way to describe Narrative structure in more depth the French male Tzvetan Todorov does this by using 5 stages. Stage 1 – A state of equilibrium is defined. Stage 2 – Disruption to the equilibrium by some action or crisis. Stage 3- the character(s) attempt to repair the disruption, Setting goals to resolve problem. Stage 4- The Character(s) attempt to repair the disruption; Obstacles need to be overcome to restore order. Stage 5- Reinstatement to the equilibrium. Situation is resolved, a conclusion is announced. Narrative Flashbacks Narrative flashbacks takes the narrative back in time from the current point that the story has reached. Most of the time flashbacks are used to recount events that have happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in a crucial back-story or stories. A character origin flashback specifically refers to flashbacks dealing with key events early in a character's development. In the opposite direction, a flash forward reveals events that will occur in the future. This technique is used to create suspense in a story, or develop a character. Linear Vs Non Linear Non Linear is where events that are happening are portrayed out of chronological order It is often used to mimic the structure and recall of human memory but has been applied for other reasons as well. 2 examples of non linear films are kill bill and across the hall however linear is where events that happening are in chronological order; the story starts at the beginning goes on throughout the middle and then finishes at the end an example of a linear film is little red riding hood and also beauty and the beast. Realism vs surrealism Realism narrative is a storyline that capture real life though the life of the character(s) . The events that happen within the story line could happen in everyday The clue of its meaning is within the name realism, so anything that happens within a realism narrative is capable of happening in everyday life. Surrealism narrative is the opposite within this particular narrative the content and events involved in the story line will be unreal and essentially made up from someone’s imagination. Comedy Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humor. Comedy, unlike other film genres, puts much more focus on individual stars, with many former stand-up comic transitioning to the film industry due to their popularity. The plot of the comedy is often concerned with a love affair or some other scandal. However, the plot is generally less important than its witty dialogue. Hybrid comedy genres †¢ Action comedy films blend comic antics and action where the film stars combine wit and one-liners with a thrilling plot and daring stunts. These types of films are often with mismatched partners films which are an example of this are Rush Hour, Bad Boys, and Hot Fuzz. †¢ Comedy horror is a type of horror film in which the usual dark themes are treated with a humorous approach. These films are either use goofy horror clichà ©s such as in The Old Dark House, Young Frankenstein, Little Shop of Horrors, Haunted Mansion and Scary Movie. †¢ Fantasy comedy films are types of films that use magic, supernatural and or mythological figures for comic purposes. Most fantasy comedy includes an element of parody turning many of the fantasy conventions on their head such as the hero becoming a cowardly fool. Examples of these films include Night at the Museum, Day, and Shrek †¢ Sci-fi comedy films, like most hybrid genre of comedy use the elements of science fiction films to over the top extremes and exaggerated science fiction stereotypical characters. Popular examples of these types of films include Ghostbusters, Evolution and Men in Black. †¢ Military comedy films, involve comic situations in a military setting. Examples of military comedy are What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?, MASH, the Private War of Major Benson. Action Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes are put into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases. Story and character development are generally secondary to explosions, fist fights, gunplay and car chases. This particular genre is closely linked with the thriller and adventure film genres and spy fiction. Technical elements Light In film, the use of light can influence the meaning of a shot. For example, film makers often portray villains that are heavily shadowed or veiled, using backlight. There are many different types of lighting techniques including Background lighting, Cameo lighting ,Fill light, Flood lighting ,High-key lighting ,Key Lighting ,Lens flare ,Low-key lighting, Mood lighting, Rembrandt lighting, Stage lighting and Soft light Sound Sound effects or audio effects are created or enhanced sounds, which are used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media. In motion picture and television production, a sound effect is a sound recorded and presented to make a specific storytelling or creative point without the use of dialogue or music. In professional motion picture and television production, dialogue, music, and sound effects recordings are treated as separate elements. Dialogue and music recordings are never referred to as sound effects, even though the processes applied to them, such as reverberation or flanging effects. Editing Film editing is part of the process of filmmaking. It involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storytelling. Film editing is the only art that is unique to cinema, separating film-making from other art forms that preceded it such as photography, theater, dance, writing, and directing, Film editing is often referred to as the â€Å"invisible art] because when it is well-practiced, the viewer can become so engaged that he or she is not even aware of the editor's work.

Better Pay and Working Conditions in Multinational Essay

Reaction Paper Part I: Identification Alexander Hijzen and Paul Swaim, â€Å"Do multinationals promote better pay and working conditions? † OECD (Organization for Economic Development) Observer, October 2008; Issue 269, pp 15 – 17. Part II: Abstract Summary The article examines the behavior of international business enterprises, also known as multinational enterprises (MNEs), wages and working conditions, from the perception of the Organization for Economic Development (OECD). It gives a basic definition of a MNE as a corporation with headquarters in one country and affiliates, subsidiaries or merged operations in one or several other countries. Example MNE’s mentioned in the article include: Coca-Cola, Nike, Microsoft, EDF (French energy company), Rio Tinto (British-Australian mining firm), and Toyota. The article notes that there are thousands of MNEs and that they all are not a symbol of Western economic dominance. Some of the top firms listed now in FT one of the UK’s top international business magazines includes China, Russia, India, and Brazil. First, the article addresses the pro and con opinions that supporters and opponents of globalization bring to the working table of MNE’s. It stresses the fact that no matter what one’s opinion may be, the role of the MNEs in the world economy will continue to grow. Next, the article discusses the nature of MNEs as well as notes their advantages on employment (wages and working conditions). Concerning the wages, the article mentions that MNEs’ technical expertise and modern management styles would provide a basis for higher pay wages. However, the pessimists doubt the higher pay since the MNEs are typically in a strong bargaining position with local workers. The article explains that the best way to answer the question do multinational promote better pay and working conditions was to present a comparison of local and foreign companies in terms of their labor practices. So a study was completed to report on this question. The study showed that MNEs do tend to pay more than local firms that compete in the same markets. In general the pay is 40% higher. The study also noted that the pay may be higher to minimize worker turnover and reduce monitoring cost. These results were based upon the report focusing on three OECD countries (Germany, Portugal, and the UK) and two emerging economies (Brazil and Indonesia). Then the author presented the results from the study of those newly hired workers pay vs. those workers who moved from a domestic to a foreign-owned firm, as well as their adjustments to labor practices/working conditions. The study showed higher wages for newly hired workers and small losses or no effect for those moving to foreign firms. Several previous studies were mentioned which noted that multinational tend to adapt to local practices rather than impose their own. Finally, the author expresses the effect that experienced managers have on MNE’s. It has been proven that local firms that recruit managers with experience in multinationals enjoy higher productivity. They can more easily recognize and enforce internationally accepted labor standards. In the end, it is noted that not only experienced managers but also government support is what will help the MNEs be productive and help development.

Mobile Computing and Social Networking Essay

1Introduction Tiny, portable gadgets, such as pocket digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones have been in the recent years pushed on the mark. Mobile or ubiquitous computing and handy gadgets are changing the relations between computers and humans.there is an introduction of a new communication approach based on context. This approach enables people to interact with computers, objects and environments seamlessly. Mobile computing devices have enabled composite cooperation and communication patterns that were not dreamt of in the past years. They possess vital features in portability, ability to share information using communication networks; wireless, and synchronizing the information with other standardized gadgets. There have drastic changes in the technological landscape in the past years led by the emergence of mobile computing devices focusing on consumer preferences. The rapid increase in use of mobile computing gadgets is nowadays noticeable in the medical or healthcare industry. The healthcare industry has never been a frontrunner in terms of Information Technology and computing in relation to caring for patients and clinical trials. Health care providers are adopting new and innovative ways using mobile computing platforms to support patient care. Thus through a constant drive to find a new method of improving the quality of patients’ lives, the health care industry has benefited. This has seen the enormous growth of wearable portable systems, monitoring the patient’s conditions for vital signs. This paper focuses in assessing the concept of monitoring patients using mobile computing gadgets transmitting using wireless technology. It also assesses the use of social networks to group support for patients with similar medical conditions. 2Monitoring patients using wearable, mobile gadgets 2.1concepts Mobile health monitoring systems have come handy in helping people to engage closely in their own health care. This technology involves the integration of a biosensor which monitors vital signs (such as heart rate, BP, temperature and other health-related information), environmental sensors, and a location sensor into a wearable wireless network. This allows an enduring, unobtrusive monitoring with immediate feedback to the patient or physician about the current status and a real time update of the user’s health data. The data makes up the EPR (electronic patient record), which allows the health status data of the patient to be accessed using many devices and heterogeneous networks. Mobile computing application in medicine allows access to EPR for consolidated information on patients from any location within the network. This advancement has brought about many benefits to the medical industry. However, it does not make a substitute for the direct eye to eye meeting between patient and the doctor due to the various setbacks it suffers. 2.2Advantages of using mobile computing to monitor patients Monitoring patients using wearable, mobile devices has a lot of merits as compared to the traditional inpatient visit by the patient. These include: 2.2.1Patient participation in their own health care This technology allows the healthcare providers to be close and interact more with patients. This grows the sense of ownership amongst patients and their relatives as they tend to take in more information and interact with it. This interaction provides the clinician an improved access to information thus leading to a better diagnosis. The resultant is a sense of ownership in the patients leading to high rates of diagnosis acceptance and following of post-diagnosis orders. 2.2.2Easier and quicker visibility of the patient’s condition The physician does not have to wait for laboratory results to be sent or telemetry to be done. The mobile computing devices allows for real time viewing of information. 2.2.3Increase in efficiency of healthcare The provider does not have to move from machine to machine, one room to the other seeking the patient’s data. Updated data can be accessed from the electronic patient records in real time by the wearable monitoring devices. This leads to swift and accurate decision making concerning patients issues since it relies on accurate data. 2.2.4Cost The development of these mobile devices can be realized within modest charges compared to specialty systems. The maintenance of these small but essential devices is also low compared to the specialty systems. This pulls down the cost of running mobile-computing monitoring devices. 2.3Disadvantages of using mobile computing to monitor patients Monitoring patients using mobile computing powered devices also suffer some setbacks. 2.3.1Health hazard The issue of radiations still is unclear posing uncertainties on its application. The health care industry players have not agreed on the standards of these devices. 2.3.2Technical stress Its application may bring more technical emphasis which can result in a stress issue to patients and medics (Brahnam & Jain, 2010). The patients’ data has to be stored securely. This is often a challenge because the users of these devices may be unequipped with the necessary level of expertise; to perform the encryption tasks. However, security is a point of concern in the application of these gadgets. An effective protocol or security measure should be used to ensure heavy security to the data accessed through them. This entails an implementation of strong access protocols at both the gadget and the network levels. Appropriate encryption measures should also be implemented to safeguard against unauthorized access of the information stored in the device, in case it lands in the wrong hands due to theft. However, these devices should be designed only to allow viewing of sensitive data locally on the mobile computing device rather than storing it. 2.4Use of social network to group support for patients Online health social networking sites give patients the privilege to obtain and disclose information on some health condition without disclosing their identities (Turban & Volonino, 2011). Support groups help patients to cope with the various conditions by providing social support and network of information to its members. Patients educate each other on the conditions and treatments using the social network. This often impacts the old doctor-patient relationship, and could develop a foundation for a market driven system where clients can make choices. Health oriented social networks are extremely beneficial to patients they provide an instrumental support by providing stress relieving services, financial assistance, advice and willingness to help. It offers nurturing support aiming at comforting stressed patients without necessarily solving the problems leading to the stress by making the patient feel cared. 3Conclusion The application of technology in the health industry has come a long way. Its adoption in the monitoring of patients has been extremely beneficial to both patients and doctors. However, there still concerns over the security of the many sensitive data passed on from one point to the other by these mobile devices. Improved security measures should be enacted, to ensure that the patient’s data is safe from external access since it may incriminate the privacy right of the patient. Health care oriented social network has been much of a platform where patients share their experiences. The healthcare providers get to acquaint themselves of the patients’ experiences and also market their services by engaging directly with the patients. * 4.0References Brahnam, S., & Jain, L. C. (2010). Advanced Computational Intelligence Paradigms in Healthcare 5: Intelligent Decision Support Systems. Berlin, Germany: Springer. Shahriyar, R., Bari, F., Kundu, G., Ahamed, S., & Akbar, M.(2009). Intelligent Mobile Health Monitoring System (IMHMS). In P.kostkova (Eds..), Electronic Healthcare: Second International ICST Conference, EHealth 2009 Istanbul, Turkey, September 2009 Revised Selected Papers (pp. 5-12). Berlin, Germany: Springer. Tan, J., (2005). EHealth Care Information Systems: An Introduction for Students and Professionals. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Turban, E., & Volonino, L. (2011). Information Technology for management: Improving strategic and operational performance (8th ed.). Hoboken NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Evolving Public Health Nursing Role Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evolving Public Health Nursing Role - Article Example Evolving public health nursing practice is demonstrated by the community participation and ethnographic model. The model is built on the assumptions related to community based participatory research (CBPR) and encourages the community members and trusted community leaders to be engaged in problem identification, project evaluation and dissemination processes. The critical and social action theory provides the philosophical basis for CBPR approach. It creates partnerships with members from different social economic status and maintains balance between community members and researchers through shared leadership, teaching and learning between each group. Public health nurses and community partners are able to be sensitive to ecological context and culture which is important in health promotion since community participation and ethnographic model builds upon local community knowledge for public health nurses. An approach that is ethnographically informed to community and population assessment involves collection and analysis of data allowing socio-cultural contexts, systems and meaning. These assumptions are useful in the steps and processes of action research. Planning actions can be made by the community and the nurses through data collection. Participatory action research emphasises the involvement and action of the community. This design was appropriate for this study since drug and substance abuse does not only affect the individuals involved but also the community as a whole. Participatory action research is based on reflection, data collection and action particularly on public health nursing. It also focuses on research whose purpose is to enable action. In this case, action was data collection and was done by displaying socio-economic information about teenagers in the community and the places that were associated with substance use and disuse. The data was collected through interviews and photovoice. GIS mapping was used by the public health

Illustration of Federalism The Immigration Debate Assignment

Illustration of Federalism The Immigration Debate - Assignment Example The law states that it is illegal for a person not to carry a foreign identification if they are illegally in the state. The law also allows residents of Arizona to sue any government society that is found not following the laws of immigration. It prohibits people who are hiring labour from taking up illegal immigrants. The law further stipulates that fines will be given to anyone who does not follow the immigration laws. Supporters of SB 1070 say that illegal immigration is a problem in Arizona since the resources in the state are taken up by people who do not belong to the state, and that the illegal immigrants have bought with them many evils in the state such as drugs from the Mexico border. Views of those in opposed to the immigration law are mostly the immigrants who are there legally, and they say that they feel threatened by the strict laws since they may be targeted because of their heritage. Those in favor of the laws feel that it will keep the state safe from the evils that the immigrants bring to the state, and residents will have access to all resources. The federal judge (Judge Susan Bolton ) was opposed to the laws requiring police officers to check a person’s identity while implementing other laws, and the one requiring immigrants to carry their foreign identification documents or risk being charged. However, she preserved the policies that require all entities to abide by the immigration laws and the restriction of hiring illegal immigrants as daytime workers. The interests of the federal government in opposing the Arizona law are political and economic in that the government aims to increase its economic stability by using the immigrants. The political reasons are in getting support from many people in order to get votes during elections. The case in the Supreme Court is whether the ruling made by Judge Susan Bolton should

Crime 200 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Crime 200 - Essay Example In fact statistics reveal widespread use of marijuana in the US and across the world. Given that the government has made little success in its efforts to eliminate its use for over 40 years now, pundits predict that the future might compel governments to legalize it. With this prospect in mind, it is prudent to understand the impact such a move would have to the society so as to lay sufficient ground beforehand. In this respect, this paper examines the impact of marijuana with focus on Colorado – which together with Washington have been viewed as experimental labs. Marijuana is a soft drug made from dried leaves, flowers, stem and seeds of the Cannabis sativa plant. Its key component is a psychoactive chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and is used for recreational, medical, religious and spiritual purposes (National Institute on Drug Abuse). This drug is known to have both positive and negative effects to its users and the society at large. To a user, weed, as marijuana is christened, causes memory impairment, distortion of sight, loss of motor coordination and with long term use individuals may develop, testicular cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory complications. On the positive effects, it has been found to be therapeutic helping reduce pain and anxiety (Drugs.com). However, this article does not pursue the health and psychological effects of marijuana use, rather it focuses broadly on the implications that legalization of marijuana has on the society. The fight towards legalization of marijuana in the US began with the 1970 presidential commission that â€Å"called for federal decriminalization and eventual legalization, regulation, and control of marijuana† and recommended that marijuana be decriminalized (McVay, 1991). This move came about consequent of the relaxed attitudes toward marijuana, the apprehension of a significant

Financial System and Intermediaries Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial System and Intermediaries - Assignment Example This role is performed by intermediaries by taking the advantage of economies of scale while markets do the same by facilitating offer and trade of assets that comprise investors’ portfolios (Gup, 2011, Pg. 11) Financial intermediaries are the financial institutions such as banks, building societies, investment banks pension funds or insurance companies. Financial intermediaries include insurance companies that offer risk investment, financial advisers who offer specialist advice saving the investor costs and time in looking for the most suitable investment. Credit unions provide facilities for depositing and lending within a certain community and investment trusts or mutual funds that pool small savings of individual investors to enable a bigger investment trust. They enable small investors to enjoy smaller commission rates that are available on big purchases (Allen and Gale, 2001, Pg. 501). Commercial banks are intermediaries that issue among others savings account deposits. With a 100 000, the investor can open a savings account that will earn interest annually. They carry interest payments and offer time deposits. In this case, interests are earned with fixed terms to maturity (Gup, 2011, Pg. 47). Mutual funds raise funds through the sales of shares to individuals as well as institutions. The shares are pooled to buy a diversified portfolio of bonds, stocks or both. A mutual fund intermediary may keep some of the cash for other investment opportunities that may come up in the future (Gup, 2011, Pg. 82). An investor may also require an adviser as a financial intermediary to help in making the right choice of institution to invest with. Advisers spare investors time and resources that may be spent in the process of looking for a suitable investment bank, firm or institution (Gup, 2011, Pg 87). There are numerous banks in the UK that offer financial services to people all over the world. Barclays bank is

Comparing Biblical and Denominational Christianity Research Paper

Comparing Biblical and Denominational Christianity - Research Paper Example Both types of belief systems ascribe to the basic Christian tenets, but the way in which they develop traditions and interconnections to each other through frameworks of belief, are constructed upon differing forms of guidance. In understanding the differences between Biblical Christianity and denominational Christianity, systems of belief must be examined and interpreted through meanings and from where those meanings are developed. Interpretation is the foundation of how the Bible is received, however. The Bible was written in languages with meanings that have changed, and has been translated into the common modern tongue of every written language. Therefore, the translation is used to determined interpretation. As an example, the shortened comment â€Å"spare the rod, spoil the child† is often used as biblical wisdom, but this phrase is a shortened version of several in the Bible. One of the verses that this phrase comes from the section that states â€Å"he who spares the rod, hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him (New International Version Bible: Proverbs 13:24). The word for ‘rod’ is ‘shebet’, which is a reference to the Hebrew for shepherd’s staff. The staff was not used to beat the sheep, but to guide them and to fend off predators when the sheep were vulnerable (Nicholson and Parker 217). As an example, the shortened comment â€Å"spare the rod, spoil the child† is often used as biblical wisdom, but this phrase is a shortened version.... The problem with the concept of Biblical Christianity is that it still depends on the interpretations of someone within the group in order to create beliefs and meaning. The belief in the superiority that is assigned by claiming to only use the Bible as a resource for worship is the first belief that connects the members of the groups. All aspects of life are informed through the wisdom that is provided in the Bible, with agreements on interpretation being taken as absolutes. Some interpretations of Biblical Christianity are based upon the idea that the beliefs are developed through believing what the Bible says and not making adjustments for the state of modern life. The concept of heresy is determined through assessing beliefs that are outside of the bible wisdoms, that are â€Å"held in opposition to the commonly received doctrine and tending to promote division or dissention† (Ridenour 15). Therefore, whatever falls outside of what is believed by those who adhere to Biblic al wisdom is considered heresy. Therefore, in believing that the form of Christianity that is being practiced is Biblical is to believe that all of the interpretations made by the group adhere to strict and literal references to the Bible. Another example can be found in Timothy I. The statement that â€Å"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modes apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety: not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;† has been used to control the dress of women in some Christian groups (King James Version, I Timothy 2:9). In literal form, this suggests that wearing such items is an affront to God. However, once again, when put into context,

Conflict resolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conflict resolution - Essay Example A conflict is a situation of misunderstanding between two or more people. When there is a conflict, it is advisable to solve the problem peacefully and if the disagreement can not be solve and is likely to cause undesirable situation like a fight then one can run away. The complicated consequence that can arise from the action of any one in the conflict is referred to as ramification. Running away from the conflict will leave the problem unresolved and this will increase enmity. In my experience of two classmates quarreling one of them fled due to fear of being beaten by the other one. Fighting over a conflict can make one to get injuries like nose bleeding or bruises or other forms of injuries and this will make either or all of the people involved in the conflict to be punished by the school administration. The cause of a fight is failure by the two people in a conflict to agree and reconcile with each other. The fight I witnessed was between two school mates who disagreed and star ted shouting at each other and this lead to a fight. It ended with one bruising the other and the principal punished all of them.To fix a conflict is to solve a problem that causes disagreement between people and restore peace. In the School my two classmates disagreed but the class teacher called them to the office and solved the problem and they became friends again.  Competency 1 In terms of the campus culture the principal is somewhat serious and this is observed often.Competency 2 The collaboration with the surrounding community is somewhat significant to principal as often observed.Competency 3 Compliance with code of ethics is somewhat often observed by the principalCompetency 5 It is often observed that the principal perceive the importance of this leadership qualityCompetency 6 This leadership is often taken somewhat serious by the principle.Competency 7 This leadership the principal like it but often observed by the studentsThere was no place marked 1, 2 or 0 which means all the leadership skills were admired.

FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa as a business event Essay

FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa as a business event - Essay Example The choice of the host country is very important moment in the preparation of World Cup since it is, beyond the purely sporting aspects of economy. In order to obtain the nomination by the FIFA authorities, cities and nations compete in projects. This event requires the construction of reception infrastructure, transport and communication inevitably leads to strong changes in terms of city planning. Often, the FIFA World Cup becomes an excuse to initiate or accelerate some of urban changes resulting in the initiation of work. FIFA World Cup is an opportunity to orchestrate an extensive modernisation of the country by fostering urban renewal and social changes. The organisation of the Cup was such a chance for South Africa to initiate huge upgrades with respect to certain routes and urban infrastructure. Indeed, this radical change in the appearance of the country was not done without pain, as South Africa found itself plunged into a very important phase of work that disrupts the rhyt hm of life in South Africa and, most importantly, led to a substantial financial contribution to taxpayers. In South Africa, ten stadiums will be used throughout the World Cup 2010. Distributed throughout the territory of Polokwane to Cape Town, these stages hosted the greatest football competition in the world. Of the ten stages of the World Cup, some were just renovated, while others are out of land recently, to offer viewers a high quality of comfort and safety. South Africa regularly hosts major international sporting events since 1994 and has successfully organised some of the most important ones; the Rugby World Cup 1995, World Cup Cricket in 2003, the Women's World Cup Golf (2005 to 2008) and the only race in the streets of opening of the A1 GP World Cup of Motorsport (from 2006 to 2008). But the FIFA World Cup is the largest sporting event in the world in terms of television audience. World Cup 2010 in South Africa is announced as a major turning point for the host country b ut also for the entire continent. Bold alternative to the Afro-pessimism, it would now "Africa" to be placed in the heart of the international scene. FIFA and Cup organisers intend to explicitly celebrate the humanity of the continent. Political leaders in South Africa placed the hosting of the FIFA World cup at the top of their agenda. Mandela said when the role of football in the struggle against apartheid and said that "football was the only joy for prisoners "on Robben Island (Jones, 2004). Mbeki added that the hosting of World cup project is a journey of hope for South Africa, Africa and the world, a journey that gives the strength and endurance we need to walk the difficult road that still separates us from African renaissance. While FIFA announced in 2008 that the 2010 Cup will be even more profitable than the last, some question the benefits and economic benefits in terms of construction of new stages (Pillay, Tomlinson & Bass, 2009). As far as the non financial benefits of World Cup are concerned, it is said that South African media enjoyed and participated in this myth of nation building through sport. Others, however, underline the symbolic dimension of this event; some scholars suggest that playing at the Cape Town may be interpreted as a way of "doing justice to history" (Hill, 2003). It was evident, however, that the 2010 World Cup in South Africa was the intersection of meanings, actions and multiple political aspirations and that local and national interests intertwine. This World

The Cost of Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Cost of Conflict - Essay Example There was a recent business article which featured two former Boeing employees. During the time, Michael Sears was the CFO and Darleen Druyun was the corporate vice president. Darleen decided to retire earlier from the Air force as a Number 2 acquisition executive. The beginning of the events that transpired was sparked by Darleen requesting Sears for jobs for two of family members. Darleen allocated a contract to Boeing out of the appreciation for the company for offering her and her two family members. This was seen as not only unprofessional and breach of codes of conduct but also a violation of established legislation. From the viewpoints of the participants the cost of this conflict could be seen both in terms of economy and development of the organization. It should be noted that the contracts were awarded not on the basis of merit but as a result of paying back for a favor done. This could have detrimental economic impacts to the company. This conflict had the potential of bringing down the company since the employees were not picked on the basis of their qualifications for the jobs they were expected to perform. The implication of this is that the employees could not be trusted to discharge their duties with the professionalism and dedication deserved. This conflict was resolved in court. Since it was a matter of breach not only to the professional codes of conduct but a matter of contravention to the contract law, the matter was brought before the court. Since both the participants were guilty, Darleen was sentenced to nine month’s imprisonment because of awarding the contract not out of qualification but gratitude because she and her two family members were given jobs by the company. Similarly, Sears was sentenced to four months in prison the reason being that he handled the employment in an improper way. He improperly and unprofessionally

Waste Water Management Essay Example for Free

Waste Water Management Essay 1.0 Introduction The working title of the study is initially drafted as: Investigatory Project about Improper Waste Management. In particular, the research will focus on how understanding the nature and dynamics of waste management could effectively lead to effective waste management. The paper discusses in detail the research proposal of the topic. Waste management is the polite term for garbage management, a system of handling the amount of garbage generated by human. In this research proposal, the background and problem of the study are presented; the objectives of the study are formulated. Here, vital concepts, questions and assumptions are stated. Finally, the methodology to be used is discussed. 2.0 Background of the Study Waste management refers to the collection, transportation, processing, recycling and disposal of waste materials. These waste materials are solid, liquid, gaseous and even radioactive substances. Managing these human-generated wastes requires reducing their effect on health and the environment as well as recovering resources from it. There are existing waste management methods that include disposal methods, recycling methods and avoidance and reduction methods. Despite the fact that waste handling and transport varies from region-to-region, country-to-country, there are waste management concepts that are universally accepted and implemented. These are the waste hierarchy or the 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle), the extended producer responsibility (EPR) and the polluter pays principle. Consolidating the matter directed on the implementation of a solid waste management program in every region in every country. Waste management programs, in particular, are designed to better manage solid wastes for the purpose of protecting Improper waste management is a serious problem in the Philippines, causing much of the flood that is taking away the lives of many, for instance. Such a massive waste management problem in the Philippines reflects two things: first is the question on the effectiveness of waste management programs implemented by the government and second is the social responsibility of the Filipinos themselves. The study intends to investigate improper waste management as committed by the Filipino people. 3.0 Statement of the Problem Whether there are environmental education program that aids in advocating effective waste management is not known hence this study. At the grassroots level, where there is direct contact with the Filipino people, whether people understood the aims of waste management programs is also not known. It is not known how the Philippine government makes the people aware and if they act on their learnings about waste management. The key problem that will be addressed in this study is to understand the extent of improper waste management in the Philippines. The following research questions will be given answer to in the course of the study. 1) What are the waste management programs that are inexistence and implemented in India? Are these programs enough or is there a need to improve these programs? 2) Are the people aware of these waste management programs? When they are aware, are they applying the teachings of these programs? 3) Why people are committing waste management improperly? Are there strategies that could address improper waste management at the grassroots level? 4.0 Research Methodology The research strategy that the study will utilize is the descriptive method. A descriptive research intends to present facts concerning the nature and status of a situation, as it exists at the time of the study and to describe present conditions, events or systems based on the impressions or reactions of the respondents of the research (Creswell, 1994). It is also concerned with relationships and practices that exist, beliefs and processes that are ongoing, effects that are being felt, or trends that are developing (Best, 1970). This research is also cross-sectional because of limited time. This research is a study of a particular phenomenon (or phenomena) at a particular time. (Saunders et al, 2003) Accordingly, cross-sectional studies often employ the survey strategy. In this study, primary and secondary research will be both incorporated. The reason for this is to be able to provide adequate discussion for the readers that will help them understand more about the issue and the different variables that involve with it. The primary data for the study will be represented by the survey results that will be acquired from the respondents. On the other hand, the literature reviews to be presented in the second chapter of the study will represent the secondary data of the study. The secondary sources of data will come from published articles from medical books and journals and theses and related studies. The survey method, also known as the questionnaire method, will be used in gathering the data for this study. Surveys are the most common form of research method for collection of primary data. The descriptive survey of the population is valuable in understanding the audience, and in the definition of the existence and magnitude of the problems, and the survey data are also helpful in determining cause and effect relationships between variables. Five hundred Filipinos will be surveyed regarding the waste management processes that they involved themselves into.

Animal Rights For Farm Animals Sociology Essay

Animal Rights For Farm Animals Sociology Essay The paucity of legal scholarship and teaching in the area of animals and the law is puzzling, particularly given the general interest in, and intense debate about, the treatment of animals by humans over the last 30 years. The lack of interest in Australia is ironic, as it was the work of the Australian philosopher Peter Singer, in the highly influential book Animal Liberation, which can be said to have reinvigorated much of the modern debate about the status of animals.  [1]  By contrast with the Australian uninterest, countries such as Sweden, the United Kingdom, Finland, Switzerland and the Netherlands have moved to ban the cruel practice of keeping pregnant sows in sow stalls, Australias most recent Model Pig Code provided for a minor increase in stall size and a generous 10 year phase in period for a 6 week limit on the use of sow stalls. Moreover, the deplorable practice of keeping hens in battery cages continues to be legal in all Australian jurisdictions while the EU has banned the use of all battery cages by January 2012. Further to this, the United States legal academy has been actively exploring legal issues relating to animals for a number of years. The Lewis and Clark Law School, in Portland, Oregon, has established the National Center for Animal Law and publishes an annual journal, Animal Law.  [2]  Approximately 40 law schools in the United States offer courses on animals and the law.  [3]  The legal profession in the United States has been no less active. A large number of State Bar Associations have established animal law sections or committees. Activist attorneys established the independent Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) in 1981. The ALDF not only provides free legal advice and assistance to prosecutors in cruelty cases, but also maintains a national database of cruelty cases, and provides support for lawsuits that test the boundaries of animal law.  [4]  Certainly, Australias poor animal welfare standards in comparison are a fundamental flaw of Australian animal protection laws. Nevertheless, even if the State and Territory Governments decide to implement ambitious welfare standards, as the legislation stands, these standards would go substantially unenforced. As such, this essay attempts to explore the current legal system governing our animals and in the process it will bring to light the deficiencies that currently exist. The focus of which will be on the treatment of factory farmed animals and how Australia continues to lag behind the rest of the world in developing a legal system that effectively shuts out animal cruelty. The notion of animal law is one that is highly complex yet ironically extremely underdeveloped. This in turn has led to mass confusion about the treatment of animals by various bodies. According to voiceless, over the last 30 years, there has been a dramatic increase in our understanding of animal intelligence and behaviour and a broad acceptance that animals are sentient beings that have a right to live free of suffering. This has led to the recognition that the existing legal system has failed to provide animals with access to justice.  Ã‚  To address this failure, two streams of law have been developed that aim to use legal mechanisms to improve the lives of animals.  [5]   1. Animal welfare laws may be defined as those laws that seek to promote the interests of animals, within a legal framework that characterises them as property. In essence, animal welfare law sanctions exploitation of animals but seeks to define acceptable limits to that exploitation by prohibiting unnecessary pain and suffering.  [6]   Some examples of activities considered necessary under Australias current animal welfare laws include:  [7]   Confining millions of pigs, chickens and other farm animals in concrete and steel sheds (modern factory farms) with no access to the outdoors, little to no access to bedding material and  little to no meaningful contact with their young; Denying anaesthetic during painful procedures such as tail docking, castration and teeth clipping; and Using a range of methods from baits and traps to guns and bows and arrows (in some states) to kill millions of wild animals defined as feral or game every year. It is under this area of law that Australia is clearly lacking in its commitment to the protection of animal welfare. Ultimately, such necessary activities are permitted on the basis of efficiency and economics. This is further reinforced by Francione who argues that most animal welfare legislation is based on an understanding of animals as commodities (evidenced by the significant exemptions and qualifications typical of such laws, including the use of animals for food and for scientific research).  [8]  However, the imposition of cruelty for economic reasons alone is unjustified and essentially this needs to be reformed. For Singer, a utilitarian, the qualified protection provided by animal welfare legislation reflects a failure to give equal consideration to the interests of animals. In turn, this failure reflects speciesism an irrational, discriminatory and morally unjustifiable preference for the interests of humans over animals.  [9]   Public consideration of the issue of cruelty to animals tends to focus on the treatment of companion animals and animals used in research. Wolfson and Sullivan argue that this focus also underpins law-making and legal scholarship.  [10]  Yet, they point out, it is farmed animals that account for almost all animals killed by humans (in the order of 98 in every 100 killed).  [11]  This is once again a clear failure in the development of an effective body of law. The protection of animal welfare and rights is clearly a mirage of hope. This is primarily based on the notion that anti-cruelty legislation has been called upon because of the impact that humans are having on farmed animals, yet our legal bodies continue to ignore such blatant actions and focus on an area of law that appeases society without actually effectively addressing the issue at hand. Ultimately, as will be discussed later, this creates a false sense of security amongst humans that our governments are effectivel y targeting animal welfare rights. In the United States these animals are invisible to the law. At federal level, farmed animals are exempted from anti-cruelty legislation.  [12]  States are also increasingly incorporating customary farming exemptions. If industry participants can establish that particular treatment of a type of animal is commonplace and accepted industry practice, no criminal liability can arise based on that treatment, regardless of how cruel the treatment might actually be. The end result is a profit-driven industry, with a proven record of sustained infliction of cruelty on animals, which is largely self-regulated on issues of animal welfare.  [13]  Further to this, legislation in Australia exempts farming from cruelty offences, and although most jurisdictions have adopted codes of conduct for the treatment of farmed animals, these are not always compulsory, and are not subject to wide public scrutiny. Thus, the issue of profit making industries again go es to the core of animal welfare rights. The failure to understand animal welfare rights over economic progression will inevitably ensure that this remains a perpetual problem. Until society puts animal welfare ahead of profits then Australia will remain in a contained cyclical downfall with respect to the protection of animals. It is at this point where the implementation of animal rights law may help to aid the development of animal protection in the future. 2. Animal rights law may be defined as an area of law which seeks to question animals well-entrenched status as property, with a view to securing fundamental rights for (at least some) animals.  [14]  The quest for animal rights is not a pursuit for the same rights that humans should have. Essentially, animal rights lawyers argue that animals should not be treated by the law as mere things. This area of the law is based on the assumption that unless animals have rights, they will continue to be treated by society as resources to satisfy human wants and needs.  [15]   Thus it is the development of this area of law that is essential to the proper development of animal welfare laws. The development of these two areas ultimately complements one another with the hope of eradicating the issues that arise under the first type of legal system. That is, the protection of animals from unnecessary pain and suffering only. Singer may regard animal welfare legislation as a positive development, but would argue that to be effective such legislation needs to consider the interests of animals and humans equally. It is here where animal rights law begins to reflect such an ideological stance, and as already discussed, this is a major step in the development of an effective body of law that deals with animals and humans. Whilst the need for legal advocates is an urgent one, animal law, as already discussed is a relatively new body of law that is still in its infant stages of development. In the United States, animal law has been developing at an increasing rate over the last thirty years. However in Australia, there are still only a handful of advocates (committees, universities and organisations) actively debating these issues. A 2006 survey conducted in connection with the Federal Governments Australian Animal Welfare Strategy found that participants had a shallow understanding of animal welfare issues and that there appeared to be assumptions by the general public about animal welfare and the existence and enforcement of legislation to protect animals from mistreatment.  [16]  Thus, this clear lack of transparency and education with respect to the law inevitably inhibits the ability of animal law to grow as a serious body of law. In recent years, increased scrutiny and criticism of intensive factory farms have changed the way that animal industries market their products. No more hiding beneath a veil of secrecy hoping that issues such as sow stalls, battery cages and meat chicken growing and processing wont be discussed and debated. The social justice movement of animal protection is rapidly picking up momentum and animal industries are now, more than ever, being called upon to justify or change their practices. However despite this change in perception, it is clear that Australia is still falling behind in the protection of intensively farmed animals. This can primarily be linked backed to the argument that animals can never gain adequate protection under the law without a fundamental reappraisal of their legal status as property. For example, according to the American lawyer Gary Francione, because their interests are evaluated against this status as property, the outcome is almost certain: people win and a nimals lose.  [17]  He takes the view that, although an animal treatment by its owner may ostensibly be limited by anticruelty laws, property rights are paramount in determining the ambit of protection accorded to animals by law.  [18]  If we say that an animal is property, he declares, we mean that the animal is to be treated under the law primarily as a means to human ends, and not as an end in herself.  [19]  Thus, to expand legal protection and remedy available to factory farmed animals, a uniform and settled approach on standing must be established upon the principle that animals are not merely a means to human ends but have by virtue of themselves, basic moral rights.  [20]  Ultimately, the treatment of animals as property inhibits the ability of the law to protect their rights as it would be extremely unlikely that standing can be established. As Cassuto argues, animals lack legal protections because they are commodified property whose worth emanates from thei r market value.  [21]  In other words, systematic abuse arises is sanctioned in the discourse of property because such animals are not considered as individual, sentient beings but a mere commodity.  [22]  Granting standing to a plaintiff to sue to enforce an animal welfare statue therefore can serve to interfere in another individuals property right. The conflict of interest that arises is therefore an inherent problem within this body of law. The continuation of animals being associated as mere commodities will essentially inhibit the development of animal rights and ultimately will ensure Australia remains behind the rest of the world. The notion that factory farmed animals are mere commodities with no measurable rights is made apparent especially in our NSW legislation. The legislative framework governing the lives of animals on factory farms is indicative of the dichotomy drawn between farm animals on the one hand and companion animals or endangered species on the other. As already pointed out by Wolfson, public consideration of the issue of cruelty to animals tends to focus on the treatment of companion animals and animals used in research. This is made no more apparent than in our legislation. Firstly, NSW implemented the Companion Animals Act 1998 (NSW).  [23]  The Companion Animals Act covers the responsibilities and rights of the owners of companion animals, such as cats and dogs. The aim of the legislation is to protect the rights of animals and their owners in balance with the rights and needs of others in the community. Thus, where NSW attempts to convey to the public that it is serious about animal r ights, it appears that this is only with respect to companion animals. It is an unfortunate occurrence as it has created a sense of security amongst the public that our state is serious about animal protection, yet the truth of the matter is that we are neglecting the primary group of animals that are in need the most. In NSW, the key piece of legislation is the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 (POCTAA).  [24]  One would assume that this may provide some protection to farmed animals. However, this is clearly not the case as Peter Sankoff suggests An examination of POCTAA as a stand-alone document further supports the suggestion that the animals best protected by NSW animal welfare law are animals the community has the most immediate and intimate relationship with.  [25]  Provisions in the Act establish stringent definitions of cruelty contained in sections 4(2) and 5 in which the following is an act of cruelty whereby an animal is unreasonably, unnecessarily or unju stifiably beaten, kicked, killed, wounded, pinioned, mutilated, maimed, abused, tormented, tortured, terrified or infuriated, over-loaded, over-worked, over-driven, over-ridden or over-used, exposed to excessive heat or excessive cold, or inflicted with pain. In section 4 of the POCTA Act, animals used for the production of food and industry are defined as stock animals comprising cattle, horses, sheep, goats, deer, pigs, and poultry. By virtue of this definition they are exempt from numerous acts that would come under the definition of cruelty if these acts were committed against an animal not defined as a stock animal.  [26]  Such exemptions are facilitated by the establishment of a legal defense to an alleged cruel practice through section 24 of the POCTA Act whereby a person is not guilty of the offence if the court is satisfied that the act or omission in respect of which the proceedings are being taken was done to a stock animal in the course of various industry practices.   [27]  Such practices sustaining the defense include ear tagging or branding and all acts if an animal is less than two to six months of age depending on the species of animals. Stock animals are also exempted from section 9 of the POCTA Act which stipulates that confined animals are to be exercised. Under 34A the POCTA Act, Industry codes of Practice can be adopted as guidelines, relating to the welfare of farm animals meaning that it is the Industries themselves regulating animal welfare in factory farms. This essentially creates a clear conflict of interest because rather than establish independent bodies or legislative frameworks, removed from subjective bias such as monetary concerns it appears that the government is content with self regulation that is clearly ineffective. Further to this, an examination of the other regulatory instruments that work alongside POCTAA further support the suggestion that being a high visibility animal is legislatively beneficial. Exhibited a nimals, the highest visibility animals, are granted the full range of protections available under POCTAA, and then they have their own piece of additional legislation in the form of the Exhibited Animals Protection Act 1986 (NSW).  [28]  The protections available to animals in circuses, zoos, and those used in theatre and film, are strong and comprehensive. The reason EAPA was created was due to the public outcry over the poor conditions being provided for animals exhibited in some circuses and fauna parks.  [29]  This demonstrates how important visibility is to good legal protections, and essentially this highlights the chronic issue plaguing farmed animals as they are completely removed from the spotlight. Thus it is clear this is an extremely underdeveloped area of law, as Wolfson identifies, it is farmed animals that account for almost all animals killed by humans (in the order of 98 in every 100 killed).  [30]  Thus, how can Australia possibly consider itself at the forefront of animal welfare rights, when the core group of animals remains unprotected by any form of solid legislation? Essentially, Australia is still lagging behind significantly and this will be further highlighted by a comparative analysis below of the developments taking place in the United States and Europe. The underdevelopment of our legal system with respect to animals is not confined to NSW only. If one were to take an analytical view of our Victorian legislation for instance, the public would indeed see that this is a nationwide issue. Section 6(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 Victoria, and its state and territory equivalents, exclude production animals (the vast majority of animals in Australia) from the legislations protection. If production industries follow a code of practice for their particular animal, they are exempted from prosecution for cruelty, despite the fact the codes are barely enforced, or allow very cruel practices. However, as discussed above, such codes of practice are clearly a form of appeasement rather than a serious attempt at protecting our animals. As a result, millions of factory-farmed animals daily endure conditions that would be illegal if they involved a companion animal such as a cat or dog. As Katrina Sharman, corporate counsel for animal advocacy group Voiceless says: Most never see the light of day, feel the earth beneath their feet, walk freely, stretch their wings or limbs, forage for food or engage in normal socialisation.  [31]  Even the limited legislative protection that Australia offers animals is inadequately enforced. Under section 24 of the act, charges may be laid by a member of the police force, a public servant in the Department of Primary Industries, municipal council officer or RSPCA officer.  [32]  But in reality, all bodies are under-resourced, meaning most breaches of the law are not detected or investigated, let alone prosecuted, even if there is genuine will to do so.  [33]  And even if someone is convicted, penalties are woeful. Under section 10 of the act, for example, the maximum penalty for aggravated cruelty is 12 months jail. In this regard, greater deterrence through the form of a more imposing legislative framework is crucial to ensure that industries and individuals refrain from continuing such acts. Ultimately, education has been an insufficient tool to protect our animals and from an industry perspective, unless penalties become harsher, they are going to continue to practice in a way that is focused on efficiency alone and not in a way that would be in the animals interest. According to a publication issued by the Australian Chicken Meat Federation Inc: Concern for bird welfare is backed by Government and Industry Standards which ensure birds are kept comfortable and treated humanely.  [34]  Similarly, Australian Pork Limiteds website tells us that: Australian consumers can have every confidence in the animal welfare standards applied by Australian pork producers [because] our farmers all abide by the standards as set out in the Model Code.  [35]  Despite such positive sentiments, the issue at hand here is that most farm animals fall largely outside the protective reach of animal welfare legislation. They are classified in law as property or commodities as discussed above. The Codes mirror this approach, which has drastic ramifications for the way farm animals are treated. For example, the Codes permit permanent indoor confinement of female pigs, layer hens and meat chickens in circumstances which severely limit their ability to carry out their normal behaviours. They also provide for certain Management Practices or Elective Husbandry Procedures to be performed on farm animals. The Pig Code  [36]  sanctions the docking of piglets tails, while the Poultry Code  [37]  provides for layer hens to be subjected to appropriate beak trimming. These procedures are both permitted to be carried out without pain relief, notwithstanding the fact that scientific research points to the fact that they are likely to cause acute and chronic pain.  [38]  Most animals in factory farms live a life of confinement. They spend their time crammed into cages, sheds or feedlots and they never see the sun. Take, for example, the breeding pigs (sows), numbering about 300,000.  [39]  These intelligent, emotionally complex beings spend the bulk of their reproductive lives in stalls so small they cannot turn around.  [40]  The sole purpose of their existence, as determined by us, is to produce the five million pigs slaughtered every y ear to fill the mouths of our pork, ham and bacon lovers.  [41]  This industry is so fixated on profits and meeting the demands of society that from an economic perspective no other form of treatment is feasible. Thus, it is clear that the industry has taken advantage of the laxity of the legislative framework and incorporated this into its own practice codes and industry standards. Through this, it is clear that Australia desperately needs to change to ensure that it ceases to lag behind the rest of the world and become a leader at the forefront of animal welfare. As argued, Australia is clearly lagging behind in the development of animal law, and the primary area is that of factory farmed animals. Despite Australian Pork Limited Claiming that Australian pig farmers are leading the way in making positive changes in the way pigs are raised, such claims are largely a falsity. As can be seen from the discussion above, in Australia, there are State and Territory animal welfare laws that are intended to protect animals but in reality, the fundamental interests of most farm animals, including pigs, are not protected in law. As already discussed, National Model Codes of Practice apply in addition to some animal welfare laws; however, these Codes also fail to provide true protection. To make matters worse, they are often used to justify many cruel factory farming practices. The current Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals- Pigs (revised) (2006) (the Revised Code)  is no exception. Continuing on from the above discussion, some of the cru el practices it permits are: Pregnant sows may be confined for the duration of their 16 week pregnancy in individual sow stalls, measuring no more than 0.6 x 2.2m. These stalls, which have been associated with physical disorders, chronic stress and depression, are so small that female pigs cannot even turn around.  [42]   From about 2017: The maximum time for holding pregnant pigs in sow stalls will reduce to 6 weeks. This is two weeks more than the minimum standard being introduced by the European Union and New Zealand. Sow stalls are already banned  in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Finland. They are also banned in Florida and are being phased out in Arizona, California, Colorado, Maine, Michigan and Oregon in the United States. Two of the largest pork producers in the US and Canada also recently announced their plans to phase out sow stalls.  Ã‚  [43]   Heavily pregnant and nursing sows will be confined for up to 6 weeks of each reproductive cycle in farrowing crates, before their young are prematurely weaned. These crates, which measure 0.5 x 2.2m, are even smaller than sow stalls.  [44]   Pig producers  are not obligated to provide access to the outdoors where pigs can engage in natural behaviours such as grazing, wallowing in mud, walking around and nosing or manipulating their environment.  [45]   Painful mutilations of young piglets, including tail docking, teeth clipping and castration without pain relief, continue to be permitted.  [46]   Natural materials such as straw for sleeping and nesting, while encouraged,  are not mandatory, rendering many pigs subject to a miserable life on concrete floors.  [47]   Thus, whilst it is correct to say that the Pig Code has recently been reviewed, the upshot of that review, other than largely reinstating the existing system, was to defer phasing out sow stalls for a decade. If sow stalls are phased out in 2017 as mentioned above, then Australia will still be 14 years behind the EU which hasnt allowed new stalls to be built since 2003. Australia will also be markedly behind eight US States including, most recently, Michigan, which is scheduled to phase out sow stalls over the next decade. No Australian jurisdiction has even meaningfully debated a ban on sow stalls. Their spin on the Poultry Code appears to have overlooked the section conveniently titled hatchery management which allows approximately ten million culled or surplus hatchlings (predominately male chicks) to be disposed of by carbon dioxide gassing or quick maceration as if they are trash, which technically they are in industry terms, since they are of no economic utility.  [48]  AE CLs press release also failed to mention that conventional battery cages are scheduled to be phased out across the European Union by 2012, whereas several attempts to introduce a ban in Australia have met considerable resistance.  [49]   Further to the above, a number of European countries have taken a leadership role in the area of chicken meat

Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams :: The Glass Menagerie Essays

In his drama, The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams uses symbolism in order to develop multi-faceted characters and to display the recurring themes of the play. These various symbols appear throughout the entire piece, and they are usually disguised as objects or imagery. They allow the reader to know the characters’ personalities, and their true inside characteristics. These symbols also add to the major themes, which develop as the play gains momentum. In the drama, symbols play the most important role. One of the most recurring symbols is the glass menagerie itself. It consists of glass animals frozen in form and it is housed at the Wingfield’s apartment. The glass menagerie has a high amount of meaning for all of the characters in this play. â€Å"Ultimately, the glass menagerie is symbolic of all their shattered dreams, failing to fulfill their transcendent aspirations, the Wingfields find themselves confined to a wasteland reality, their dreams become a ‘heap of broken images’'; (Thompson 15). Just as the menagerie itself is frozen in time, the Wingfields are also. They are restricted to the one way of living that they have practiced as time had passed, so they do not know how to break free of that confinement. All the characters as a whole have tried to escape the harsh reality, but in every case they manage to fail, and in turn shatter their dreams like glass. This continuing struggle is a large part of the major theme of The Glass Menagerie. Just as the glass menagerie represents all of the characters as a whole, it also represents each character individually. â€Å"Though the glass menagerie is most directly relevant to Laura, all four characters have sublimated their animal drives into esthetics. Laura has her glass animals, Tom his movies and poems, Amanda her jonquil-filled memories distorted into hopes, and Jim his baritone cliches of progress'; (Cohn 101). Though Amanda blames her children alone for relying on false illusions, she too carries this fault. Although it is obvious that the glass menagerie represents Laura because of her frailty, Tom, Amanda, and even Jim are exemplified too. They all concentrate their powers in illusions, only in different ways. More specifically, the glass menagerie unravels the character of Laura and lets the reader into her true personality. The glass menagerie â€Å"embodies the fragility of Laura’s world, her search for beauty; it registers sensitively changes in lighting and stands in vivid contrast to the harshness of the outer world which can (and does) shatter so easily'; (Stein 110-111).

History of Special Education Essay -- Special Education

History of Special Education Introduction Special education has faced many changes during the last century. During this time there have been many opinions on the way students with differences should be taught and treated. This paper will discuss the history of special education during the twentieth century. We will also discuss the laws associated with Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Finally we will discuss the current and future challenges that the laws have on special education. History of Special Education For most of our nation's history, children with special needs or disabilities were shunted aside. In spite of mandated education laws that had been in place since 1918, many students were denied education and forced to learn at home or be institutionalized. For the few mild or moderate disabilities students who were allowed to enroll in special programs in public school, they were often placed in classrooms separated from other students and denied a proper education. William (2008), points out, â€Å"Rarely was there anything 'special' about these programs. American society largely continued to view many people with disabilities as being crippled, feeble-minded, mentally defective, or diseased, under a medical model of disability.† These views and ideas often led many students with disabilities to drop out before graduating from high school.One of the first movements of special education in the United States started after World War ll, when several parents organized advocacy g roups surfaced in the states. The American Association on Mental Deficiency was one of the first groups to form and held its first conference in 1947 to address the needs of Special Education in the U.S.Several landmark cases also ha... ...ualized to the students’ needs, in an environment which best service the child. However, more is still needed to ensure that all students are being identified and served earlier, and that these service are more widely available to the students and their parents. As educators we should take steps to ensure that we are prepared to teach all students, and to help those students make a smooth transition into adulthood. Works Cited Heward, W. L. (2009). Exceptional children: An introduction to special education (9thed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Myhill, W. (2008). The First One Hundred Years of Special Education in America? 1817 to 1925. Retrieved December 9, 2010 from http://knol.google.com/k/william-myhill/ Pardini, P. (2002), The History of Special Education. Retrieved December 9, 2010 from http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/16_03/Hist163.shtml

Graduation Speech: I Am Crowd Member No. 5 :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Well, my fellow graduates, this is really it. We are all probably feeling mixed emotions right now. Some feeling sweet relief that it is finally done, over, and finished. Maybe a twinge of sadness and nostalgia because pretty much all you have known for a good majority of your life has come to an end. I am sure by now we have all heard that question, "What are you going to do after high school?" Some of you do have definite plans and know exactly what you are going to be doing. But, if you are anything like me, you have probably rolled quite a few things around in your head and you have a pretty good idea of what you might do. Maybe all you have thought about is getting the heck out of here and meeting new people. But no matter what you do or whoever you meet, those new people and places are going to have one less thing in common with you. They won’t know what is was like going to a small school and knowing everybody’s face, or running to the lunch line on Wednesday for a hoagie, or hatching corny skits for assemblies, or marching in the parade at Homecoming. All of us in this room tonight have something in common, and high school is not something you forget. It only happens once and you can’t go back! (For most of us anyway.) So since we can’t stay here, we have to go somewhere else and make something of ourselves. But what are we going to do? What do we want to do? Sometimes, what we want to do isn’t exactly what we end up doing. We all have dreams. Everyone does, like myself for example. I know exactly what I want to do, but it doesn’t happen to be what everyone else likes to do as well .... and that’s to act. Whether it be a commercial, on stage, or in a movie, I like to act. It is what I love doing. What do I have to lose in trying. What do all of you have to lose in pursuing your dreams? I’m going to try my hardest to do what I love, even though members of my family and some of my friends are concerned that all I will get is a pimple cream commercial, or an insignificant role as "Crowd Member No.

Empowerment supports organisational objectives at the expense of the individual worker Essay

Introduction Companies today are designed in someway, at some level, to develop individuals either for their own sake, the company’s sake or hopefully for both. The team has become a sophisticated structure. I t is ‘finely engineered, maintained to a high standard, and when running smoothly it is highly productive’ (Cole, G, A, 1997: 63). It provides an environment in which energy can be maximised towards corporate needs, which also allows the individual to satisfy his or her own needs within work, rather than only outside of it. So often seemingly dull unimaginative and uncreative employees surprise their companies when they reveal the depth of their energy outside work. However it is the ‘corporate attitudes’ (Legge, K, 1995: 104) that stifled them, and when released companies recognise they have a pool talent, a wealth of resources, at their fingertips. In the ‘1980s and 1990s rationalisation and downsizing’ (Legge, K, 1995: 53) were very much the order of the day therefore empowerment became a business necessity. Empowerment has been in the ‘forefront of quality improvement efforts’ (Cole, G, A, 1997: 23). Several businesses worldwide have been and still are currently closely watching quality the ability to produce superior and distinguished goods and services to meet customer needs. The commitment to quality today is very present in ‘service industries, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and educational institutions’ (Mabey at el, 1998: 48). Total Quality, also known as Total Quality Management (TQM), is seen differently by different people. Organizations are reportedly introducing ‘soft and hard’ (Cole, G, A, 1997: 67) employee relations policies associated with the shift to human resource management (HRM). Softer aspects of HRM, based on the encouragement of employee commitment in support of management aims, have received particular attention given their proposed linkage with ‘improved organizational performance’ (Cole, G, A, 1997: 67). This has, in turn, led many organizations to adopt schemes designed to encourage employee involvement. The concept of empowerment has been identified as a ‘recent and advanced manifestation of employee involvement’ (Cole, G, A, 1997: 68). Empowerment has been defined in different ways. Some have claimed it is ‘a fundamentally different way of working together’ (Spencer & Pruss, 1992: 271) and ‘quite different from the traditional notion of control’ (Cole, G, A, 1997: 94). Cole (1997) is able to define the concept of empowerment as an application to ‘none managerial roles’ such as team members. However, he argues there are several possible meanings. These can range from having ‘increased authority’ (Cole, G, A, 1997: 53) and therefore their ability exercise a wider range of choices at work and to be given a more varied and interesting job in the form of job enrichment. At best empowerment increases individuals discretion over how they do their work. It may also provide additional opportunities for group problem solving on operational issues. Empowerment is seen as ways of giving people more opportunity or ‘power’ (Mabey et al, 1998: 38) to exercise control over, and have responsibility for, their work. It is intended to encourage individuals to use their abilities by enabling them to take decisions. According to Potterfield (1999), empowerment will be best defined as a way of bestowing upon employees ‘the power to use more judgment and discretion in their work and to participate more fully in decisions affecting their working lives’ (Legge, K, 1995:84). Others are more sceptical. Armstrong (1996) points out that ‘Empowerment, for example, may mean little more than giving employees the opportunity to make suggestions for change’ (Armstrong, 1996: 76). In practice, empowerment is intended to release active employee engagement only so long as it falls within the parameters for which it was selected as a strategy. In most organisations it is ‘management which defines and adjudicates and ultimately exercises control’ (Armstrong, 1996: 78). The concept of empowerment ‘is based on the belief that to be successful, organisations must harness the creativity and brain power of all the employees not just a few managers’ (Graham & Bennett, 1995: 3). The idea that everybody in the business has something to contribute represents a radical shift in thinking away from the old idea that managers managed and the workforce simply followed orders. The fact that empowerment does represent a radical shift in thinking explains why, in many organisations, the initiative has failed. Empowered organizations are composed of empowered persons, although it is not necessarily true that a group of empowered persons automatically creates an empowered organization. Organizations that are ‘truly empowered have moved out of the old paradigm of competition and beliefs in limitation and scarcity’ (Sparrow & Marchington, 1998: 291). The face of the contemporary workplace is drastically changing. More and more companies are realising the value of more ‘flat democratic organisational structure’ (Mabey et al, 1998: 23) over the traditional autocratic, hierarchical management styles. In contrast to empowered workplaces, disempowered workforce suffers from poor self-esteem, lack of a personal vision and a feeling of hopelessness. These ‘attitudes and beliefs form inner barriers that block growth and proactive development’ (Legge, K, 1995: 63) and manifest in the worker in the form of reluctance to accept responsibility, hesitance to communicate openly, lack of commitment and ownership and, ultimately, in below average performance. Such employees ‘become passive passengers who are more focused on having their personal needs met than on contributing fully’ (Sparrow & Marchington, 1998: 82) so that the company can grow. Because they feel afraid, uncertain and insecure, they will unconsciously sabotage new interventions and approaches. An example of this is the resistance management often experience when implementing a ‘quality management system’ (Sparrow & Marchington, 1998: 82). In this way employees become a stumbling block to progress instead of much-valued assets. In companies where managers make a concerted effort to delegate and share power and control, the ‘results are not always impressive’ (Graham & Bennett, 1995: 93). The reason for this is either a lack of understanding of the nature of empowerment, or a greater focus on applying a set of managerial techniques than on creating conditions that are essential for empowerment to thrive. Where empowerment does not work it is because ‘people do not think it through’ (Mabey & Salaman, 1997: 83). To avoid such failures it is important to gain commitment for the senior management team, and then to cascade this down to other levels of management. The hardest group to convince about empowerment are ‘middle managers’ (Spencer & Pruss, 1992: 92), because it is their jobs that are most likely to be affected. It is because these managers often have the most to lost that they may have a tendency to undermine or delay implementation of a new policy. The implementation of empowerment in organisations instead of the traditional hierarchies means a ‘flatter organisational structure’ (Cole, G, A, 1997: 57), which can give rise to considerable resentment and individual resistance. There are, naturally, many problems that can arise in the empowerment process. Many workers may ‘resist these new responsibilities’ (Mabey et al, 1998: 23); they in fact like having their decisions made for them and will resent the extra burdens (and work). There still may be those workers who resent the implications of greater self-direction, possibly even arising from an obvious fear. There is an interesting theory underlying this reaction. Maslow has called this the Jonah Complex, ‘the fear of one’s own greatness’ (Maslow, 1971: 34). While Maslow discussed this term in a more mystical, spiritual context, it is associated as a sort of classic block to self-actualisation. Since empowerment speaks to the same sort of needs as self-actualisation, it could be drawn that there is the possibility of a collective sort of Jonah Complex at the heart of many conflicts in organizational transitions. Employees may also be ‘cynical and suspicious of this approach’ (Gennard & Judge, 1997: 235, Hitchcock and Willard, 1995:27) as another way to get more work out of them for less money. However allowing employees to take an active part in the change process from the very beginning, and showing them that their organization is truly changing will remove some of their wariness. There is also the danger of the ’employees feeling too empowered’ (Legge, K, 1995: 57); in feeling so independent of other facets of the organization that there might also be troubles in transitioning to teams. Empowerment supports organisational objectives at the expense of the individual worker to ‘speed up the decision making processes and reducing operational costs’ (Sparrow & Marchington, 1998: 293) by removing unnecessary layers of management such as staff functions, quality control and checking operations. In retrospect empowerment is usually advocated to ‘release the creative and innovative capacities of employees’ (Armstrong, M, 1996:386), to provide greater job satisfaction, motivation and commitment and giving people more responsibility enables employees to gain a great sense of achievement from their work therefore. The reasons for ’empowerment emerging as a concept for our time’ (Armstrong, M, 1996:385) is the need to generate energy release in employees by providing them with visionary leadership and a supporting environment and by treating them as a valuable asset to be invested in rather then as a cost despite the fact that organisatio ns are driven by profit generating, cost reduction and market pressures. Empowerment at workplace level has ‘greater justification for management in HRM terms’ (Beardwell & Holden, 1994:582). Management needs to decide how much power to delegate to employees while controlling their levels of creative energies and at the same time ‘not undermining managerial prerogatives’ (Beardwell & Holden, 1994: 582). TQM (total quality management) ‘suggests a system whereby worker empowerment is restricted very much within the boundaries set by the management’ (Beardwell & Holden, 1994: 582). Training can provide ‘an opportunity to empower and motivate employees’ (Honold, L, 1997). Empowering workers in this small way (i.e., schedule the training sessions) during the actual implementation of the organizational change can provide workers with a small degree of control over what is essentially a change in process over which they have no control. Empowerment can be argued ‘as an objective in its own right as a means of extending worker satisfaction’ (Gennard & Judge, 1997: 211). This can be related to the concept of Quality of Working Life (QWL). It refers primarily to how efficiency of performance depends on job satisfaction, and how to design jobs to increase satisfaction, and therefore performance. The early psychological basis of QWL and of justifications of empowerment relating to increased worker motivation was Herzberg (1968). Herzberg developed a theory called the two-factor theory of motivation. Herzberg argued that ‘job factors could be classified as to whether they contributed primarily to satisfaction or dissatisfaction’ (Spencer & Pruss, 1992 : 64). There are conditions, which result in dissatisfaction amongst employees when they are not present. If these conditions are present, this does not necessarily motivate employees. Second there are conditions, which when present in the job, build a strong level of motivation that can result in good job performance. Management very rarely discusses the practical problems in attempting to apply empowerment through ‘quality management’ (Mabey & Salaman, 1997:34) therefore employee views and feelings are unheard. The argument in supporting quality management requires an increase in ‘workers skills and results in genuine employee empowerment’ (Mabey & Salaman, 1997:34). However, in contrast to the optimistic approach is the argument that empowerment through quality management results in the ‘increasing subordination of employees in return for little or no extra reward’ (Mabey & Salaman, 1997:35). Recently, empowerment has become ‘an important Human Resource Management tool’ (Graham & Bennett, 1995: 93) in many organisations. It has been portrayed as the ultimate tool to access unleashed potential and help leaders get the best from their people. In reality, however, organisations that are trying to empower people may be fighting an uphill battle. Managers who harbour a fear that affirmative action may jeopardise their jobs, may be more worried about keeping their jobs than about empowering others. With the rationalization of layers of management, promotion is becoming less realistic and, therefore, middle managers share with non-managerial employees ‘growing feelings of cynicism as well as a heightened sense of estrangement from the predominant goals and values of their employing organizations’ (Denham, N et al, 1997). According to Maslow (1998), people need a sense of ‘self-determination, autonomy, dignity, and responsibility’ (Legge, K, 1995: 221) to continue to function in a healthy, growth-motivated way. When placed in an environment where any or all of these qualities are removed from them and they are instead ‘forced to submit to another’s will and think and act under constant supervision’ (Legge, K, 1995: 221), their sense of esteem and self-worth is robbed from them. The implementation of empowerment can be used successfully as a HRM tool as it provides a competitive advantage ensuring ‘organisational survival’ (Mabey & Salaman, 1997:25) and at the same time protecting employees jobs. However, employee’s maybe compelled to work harder and more flexibly ‘for their own good’ (Mabey & Salaman, 1997:25) otherwise they might be made redundant for the greater good. The aim of empowerment is to ‘enable employees to actually have to deal with problems to implement solutions quickly and without recourse to supervisors’ (Gennard & Judge, 1997: 71) and or higher levels of management. This is increasingly necessary as large and bureaucratic organisations ‘delayer’ (Beardwell & Holden, 1994: 91) management hierarchies in the search for administrative efficiency and lower costs. Employee empowerment is a very important aspect when considering human resource management. The failure of employers to give employees an opportunity to participate in decisions affecting their welfare ‘may encourage union member ship’ (sparrow & Marchington, 1998: 53). It is widely believed that one reason managers begin employee involvement programs and seek to empower their employees is to ‘avoid collective action by employees’ (Cole, G, A, 1997: 83). Employee empowerment offers the employers and the employees the chance to be on the same level, so to speak. Empowerment allows them to help make decisions that affect themselves, as well as, the company. Basically, through empowerment, employers and employees are in a win-win situation. The ’employees feel like they are needed and wanted, while the employers gain satisfaction through their prosperity’ (Mabey & Salaman, 1997: 64). Employee empowerment can be a powerful tool. The now advanced leadership style can ‘increase efficiency and effectiveness’ inside an organization (Graham & Bennett, 1995: 13). It increases productivity and reduces overhead. Overhead expenses are those needed for carrying on a business, i.e. ‘salaries, rent, heat and advertising’ (Mabey & Salaman, 1997: 39). It gives managers the freedom to dedicate their time to more important matters. Managers can highlight the talents and efforts of all employees. The leader and organisation take advantage of the ‘shared knowledge of workers’ (Beardwell & Holden, 1994: 64). Managers at the same time ‘develop their own job qualifications and skills attaining personal advancements’ (Spencer & Pruss, 1992: 38). Empowered employees can make decisions and suggestions that will down the line improve service and support, saving money, time and disputes ‘between companies and their customers’ (Gennard & Judge, 1997: 291). Empowerment of qualified employees will provide exceptional customer service in several competitive markets; therefore it will ‘improve profits through repeated business’ (Beardwell & Holden, 1994: 76). Customers prefer to deal with employees that have the power to manage arrangements and objections by themselves, without having to frequently inquire of their supervisors (Beardwell & Holden, 1994: 76). Empowerment is a strong tool that will increase ‘revenue and improve the bottom line’ (Sparrow & Marchington, 1998: 280). Empowerment is also the best way to ‘promote a good long-lasting employee-customer relationship’ (Sparrow & Marchington, 1998:32). Empowerment also brings benefits to employees. It makes them feel better about their inputs to the company; it promotes a greater productivity, and provides them with a ‘sense of personal and professional balance’ (Cole, G, A, 1997: 91). It exercises employees’ minds to find alternative and better ways to execute their jobs, and it increases their potential for promotions and job satisfaction. It results in ‘personal growth’ (Mabey at al, 1998: 174) since the whole process enlarges their feelings of confidence and control in themselves and their companies. It is a process that makes workers utilize their full potentials. This enables them to stay behind their decisions, assume risks, participate and take actions. It is a ‘win-win situation’ (Wilkinson, A, 1998); customers benefit from sharp employees; organizations benefit from satisfied customers and sharp employees; and employees benefit from improving their confidence and self-esteems. Benefits come with changes in the organization’s culture itself. Benefits require ‘changes in management and employees’ (Mabey at al, 1998: 54). For empowerment to succeed, the ‘management pyramid’ (Mabey et al, 1998: 54) must be inverted. Old-fashioned managers must take a step back and for the first time serve their subordinates and give up control. Old-fashioned employees must also agree to changes. They could see ’empowerment as a threat’ (Spencer & Pruss, 1992: 147), especially if they became use to the convenient old style of management structure where the ‘rules and decisions always came from above’ (Legge, K, 1995: 94). Employee involvement and participation schemes are to ‘enhance job responsibility’ (Legge, K, 1995: 24) by providing individuals with more influence over how they perform their tasks (employee empowerment). Each individual can make a personal decision on how to perform his or her task instead of being instructed on how to do so by management. When employees are involved, they have some influence on how they perform their job. This in turn is likely to ‘increase their contentment with the job’ (Mabey at al, 1998: 134), the probability that they will remain in that job and their willingness to except changes in the task that make up the job. Individual employees are more likely to be ‘effective members of the workforce’ (Sparrow & Marchington, 1998: 76) if management taps into their knowledge of the job by seeking their opinion on how the job should be performed and how it can be organised better. For employees, the greater empowerment and control given to frontline staff and to their teams has meant a great degree of freedom than ever before in controlling their own working lives (Sparrow & Marchington, 1998:166). The power that managers have, the capacity that managers have to influence the behaviour of employees and work responsibilities, must be ‘now shared with employees’ (Gennard & Judge, 1997: 73) through the creation of trust, assurance, motivation, and support for competitive needs. Work-related decisions and full control of the work is being pushed down towards the lowest operating levels (Armstrong, M, 1996: 58). Self-conducted teams have also emerged, which are groups of empowered employees with no or very little supervision. These groups are able to ‘solve work problems, make choices on schedules and operations, learn to do other employees’ jobs, and are also held accountable and responsible for the quality of their outputs’ (Beardwell & Holden, 1994: 12) Guest (1987) argued under ‘high commitment management’ workers would be committed to management’s vision, and that management would favour individual contracts over collective agreements as a mean of furthering worker commitment and dependence, thus making unions redundant. Employees who feel they are in a stable work environment ‘will feel more secure and empowered’ (Cole, G, A, 1997: 94). Advancement opportunities and rewards/incentive programs should also be implemented, as they feed into how committed and employee feels to making positive contributions and whether or not they are recognised for their efforts. Morale, too, provides a good measure of the culture of the organisation. Organisations with a ‘restrictive, secretive environment where information is tightly controlled’ (Beardwell & Holden, 1994: 162) will have less informed less empowered employees. Organisations with a more open environment, where ideas are encouraged from all levels will have a freer flow of information, better-informed employees, and thus higher empowerment. Through the process of employee empowerment, ’employees feel more valued’ (Beardwell & Holden, 1994: 40) because they are able to participate in the planning process and the decision making process. Empowerment gives employees the opportunity to contribute to the company’s overall success (Beardwell & Holden, 1994: 40). This helps an employee feel that he/she is truly valued, rather than that they are just a back to be stepped upon by those trying to reach the top. All in all, if the employee is happy with their job, than a paying customer will see that and want to return. Empowerment allows an employee to find ‘new ways to express their creativity’ (Armstrong, M, 1996: 161). Through creativity, employees are able to make sales or transactions an unforgettable and pleasurable experience for customers, thus ensuring the customers return. Employee empowerment can have a ‘profoundly beneficial impact on the bottom line if used correctly’ (Mabey et al, 1998: 18). Empowerment allocates responsibility to an employee and creates the motivation to surpass customer expectations. In order to keep customers for life, employers must empower their employees to make their own decisions. Empowerment gives ’employees the opportunity to make decisions and suggestions’ (Cole, G, A, 1997: 39) that will down the line improve service and support, saving money, time and disputes between companies and their customers. Empowerment is an aspect, which must be considered in ‘negotiating an effective team contract’ (Spencer & Pruss, 1992: 69) .The team must be empowered to seek and find information across the existing management structures. The communication aspect of empowerment means that the team must be clearly shown where their work adds value to the company, where their effects will show results and where their work fits in with the company’s objectives. ‘Organizations wishing to instil a culture of empowerment must find a way of establishing systems and processes that do not restrict employees. By concentrating on what behaviour is considered optimal for the employees and what they do well, management can adapt, develop and change the organizational structure to produce the sought after behaviour’ (Erstad, M, 1997). Culture changed programmes are ‘commonly promoted’ (Mabey et al, 1998: 132) to increase the power of the worker, through empowerment. However, critics have argued empowerment is a means of increasing work intensity and gaining greater managerial control over labour (Brambell, 1995, Legge, 1989). Conclusion Work place attitudes such as ‘praising teams for success and punishing teams for failure are inherent in our society’ (Mabey et al, 1998: 32) where winning and survival have become synonymous. Businesses are installing empowerment into their organisations to ‘give people more responsibility and asking them to test the corporate boundary limits’ (Graham & Bennett, 1995: 91). A t the same time, organisations are asking staff to be more entrepreneurial, and take more risks. It can be argued employees who empower themselves can be called troublemakers and those who take entrepreneurial risks and fail are referred to as failures. The business ethic which condemns failure as a bad thing is going to ‘restrict its best people’ (Beardwell & Holden, 1994: 12), force them to avoid taking risks that may one day be beneficial and will prevent the team experiencing the excitement of the empowerment which is vital to motivation and team dynamics. The advantages gained through empowerment are numerous. Employee empowerment allows an organization to unleash the vital, untapped forces of employee creativity and motivation to solve business problems (Legge, K, 1995: 50). Empowering employee also allows them to make decisions on the spot. This is very important when you work in an industry where you work directly with a paying customer. When employees are empowered, the employer enables them to offer full service to their clients and protect them from the competition. ‘The rewards of empowerment outweigh the risks of losing the employees themselves’ (Spencer & Pruss, 1992: 203). The retail industry is a perfect example. Managers are ‘learning to give up control’ and employees are learning how to be responsible for the actions and decisions (Cole, G, A, 1997: 34). It is fundamental that management shares information, creates autonomy and feedback, and trains and creates self-directed teams for empowerment to work properly. Managers often prefer not to ‘communicate with employees, and not to share some extremely important information’ (Beardwell & Holden, 1994: 247) with them, but an effective leader must have no hidden agendas. They must treat employees as ‘stakeholders for the road of success’ (Beardwell & Holden, 1994: 247). Employees must have a clear vision of success, because if they are not aware of what success means to the company and where the company is heading, there is no way they can feel empowered to help accomplish this success. ‘Empowerment is not something, which can be passed over from management to employees as a pen is handed from one person to another. It is a complex process, which requires a clear vision, a learning environment both for management and employees, and participation and implementation tools and techniques in order to be successful’ (Erstad, M, 1997). 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