What Would It Entail - 1221 Words

Introduction: Imagine a world without moral responsibility. What would it entail? Without moral responsibility, legal systems today would necessarily undergo a dramatic revision. I have not a clue what they might result to. With constituents not being morally responsible for their actions, criminal acts become easily defensible. For the subject, he/she was not â€Å"free† at the time of the act, for one can only be morally responsible for an act if one was free and consciously willed the act ( ). Rape, theft, cheating, murder and torture thus become acceptable acts. A world without moral responsibility would imply more evil, more chaos, more social distrust of others, and more less-social beings†¦Imagine this world. Moral responsibility, then, matters for the sake of society and its people. It does though, as we see, presuppose one thing—a concept termed as free will. In the words of some philosophers, free will is a precondition for moral responsibility, but as a â€Å"thingà ¢â‚¬  in itself, is hard to define ( ). I will only attempt to provide a working definition for the concept of free will to operate on in this paper, for we can agree that 1) moral responsibility matters in society and 2) moral responsibility presupposes that subjects are free at the time of their action, and willed it. But since the 80s, neuroscientists have claimed free will is a nonexistent, illusory thing. Brain experiments measuring neural activity that precedes voluntary conscious action suggest that ourShow MoreRelatedNepotism Should Be Defined As An Immoral Practice1372 Words   |  6 Pagesegalitarian society because it entails rewarding those who have not earned it, indirectly punishing those who have worked hard, and mitigating the efficiency of organizations. Nepotism should be defined as an immoral practice because it entails rewarding those who have not earned it. 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Environmental Justice Some Ecofeminist Worries About A...

Environmental Justice: Some Ecofeminist Worries About A Distributive Model ABSTRACT: Environmental philosophers, policy-makers and community activists who discuss environmental justice do so almost exclusively in terms of mainstream Western distributive models of social justice. Whether the issue is treatment of animals, human health or property, wilderness and species preservation, pollution or environmental degradation, the prevailing and largely unchallenged view is that the issues of environmental justice are for the most part distributive issues. I think this wholesale framing of considerations of environmental justice solely in terms of distribution is seriously flawed. Drawing on both ecofeminist insights into the inextricable†¦show more content†¦The need for environmental justice Whether it is trees, forests and forestry, unsanitary water, food production and agriculture, or training in environmental technologies, it is often poor women and children, particularly women and children of color in the South (or, Southern hemisphere), who suffer disproportionately the effects of environmental degradation. (1) Because of subordinate gender roles as forest managers, it is poor rural women and children in India who walk farther for fuelwood and fodder (e.g., an average of ten kilometers every three or four days for an average of seven hours each time). Because it is poor women and children who perform the water collection work in the South, it is women and children who experience disproportionately higher health risks in the presence of unsanitary water. Each year millions of people, primarily women and children, are affected by major illnesses acquired while drawing water. Women farmers grow at least 59 percent of the world’s food, and in some places (e.g., p arts of Africa), as much as 80 percent. Yet the gender division of labor gives women unequal access to cash crops and their labor is often unpaid. And so-called appropriate technologies often are inappropriate for women: Such

The Host Chapter 11 Dehydrated Free Essays

string(93) " and fanned my shirt out from my body; it moved as stiffly as cardboard with the dried salt\." Okay! You were right, you were right!† I said the words out loud. There was no one around to hear me. Melanie wasn’t saying â€Å"I told you so. We will write a custom essay sample on The Host Chapter 11: Dehydrated or any similar topic only for you Order Now † Not in so many words. But I could feel the accusation in her silence. I was still unwilling to leave the car, though it was useless to me now. When the gas ran out, I had let it roll forward with the remaining momentum until it took a nosedive into a shallow gorge-a thick rivulet cut by the last big rain. Now I stared out the windshield at the vast, vacant plain and felt my stomach twist with panic. We have to move, Wanderer. It’s only going to get hotter. If I hadn’t wasted more than a quarter of a tank of gas stubbornly pushing on to the very base of the second landmark-only to find that the third milestone was no longer visible from that vantage and to have to turn around and backtrack-we would have been so much farther down this sandy wash, so much closer to our next goal. Thanks to me, we were going to have to travel on foot now. I loaded the water, one bottle at a time, into the pack, my motions unnecessarily deliberate; I added the remaining granola bars just as slowly. All the while, Melanie ached for me to hurry. Her impatience made it hard to think, hard to concentrate on anything. Like what was going to happen to us. C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, she chanted until I lurched, stiff and awkward, out of the car. My back throbbed as I straightened up. It hurt from sleeping so contorted last night, not from the weight of the pack; the pack wasn’t that heavy when I used my shoulders to lift it. Now cover the car, she instructed, picturing me ripping thorny branches from the nearby creosotes and palo verdes and draping them over the silver top of the car. â€Å"Why?† Her tone implied that I was quite stupid for not understanding. So no one finds us. But what if I want to be found? What if there’s nothing out here but heat and dirt? We have no way to get home! Home? she questioned, throwing cheerless images at me: the vacant apartment in San Diego, the Seeker’s most obnoxious expression, the dot that marked Tucson on the map†¦ a brief, happier flash of the red canyon that slipped in by accident. Where would that be? I turned my back on the car, ignoring her advice. I was in too far already. I wasn’t going to give up all hope of return. Maybe someone would find the car and then find me. I could easily and honestly explain what I was doing here to any rescuer: I was lost. I’d lost my way†¦ lost my control†¦ lost my mind. I followed the wash at first, letting my body fall into its natural long-strided rhythm. It wasn’t the way I walked on the sidewalks to and from the university-it wasn’t my walk at all. But it fit the rugged terrain here and moved me smoothly forward with a speed that surprised me until I got used to it. â€Å"What if I hadn’t come this way?† I wondered as I walked farther into the desert waste. â€Å"What if Healer Fords were still in Chicago? What if my path hadn’t taken us so close to them?† It was that urgency, that lure-the thought that Jared and Jamie might be right here, somewhere in this empty place-that had made it impossible to resist this senseless plan. I’m not sure, Melanie admitted. I think I might still have tried, but I was afraid while the other souls were near. I’m still afraid. Trusting you could kill them both. We flinched together at the thought. But being here, so close†¦ It seemed like I had to try. Please-and suddenly she was pleading with me, begging me, no trace of resentment in her thoughts-please don’t use this to hurt them. Please. â€Å"I don’t want to†¦ I don’t know if I can hurt them. I’d rather†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What? Die myself? Than give a few stray humans up to the Seekers? Again we flinched at the thought, but my revulsion at the idea comforted her. And it frightened me more than it soothed her. When the wash started angling too far toward the north, Melanie suggested that we forget the flat, ashen path and take the direct line to the third landmark, the eastern spur of rock that seemed to point, fingerlike, toward the cloudless sky. I didn’t like leaving the wash, just as I’d resisted leaving the car. I could follow this wash all the way back to the road, and the road back to the highway. It was miles and miles, and it would take me days to traverse, but once I stepped off this wash I was officially adrift. Have faith, Wanderer. We’ll find Uncle Jeb, or he’ll find us. If he’s still alive, I added, sighing and loping off my simple path into the brush that was identical in every direction. Faith isn’t a familiar concept for me. I don’t know that I buy into it. Trust, then? In who? You? I laughed. The hot air baked my throat when I inhaled. Just think, she said, changing the subject, maybe we’ll see them by tonight. The yearning belonged to us both; the image of their faces, one man, one child, came from both memories. When I walked faster, I wasn’t sure that I was completely in command of the motion. It did get hotter-and then hotter, and then hotter still. Sweat plastered my hair to my scalp and made my pale yellow T-shirt cling unpleasantly wherever it touched. In the afternoon, scorching gusts of wind kicked up, blowing sand in my face. The dry air sucked the sweat away, crusted my hair with grit, and fanned my shirt out from my body; it moved as stiffly as cardboard with the dried salt. You read "The Host Chapter 11: Dehydrated" in category "Essay examples" I kept walking. I drank water more often than Melanie wanted me to. She begrudged me every mouthful, threatening me that we would want it much more tomorrow. But I’d already given her so much today that I was in no mood to listen. I drank when I was thirsty, which was most of the time. My legs moved me forward without any thought on my part. The crunching rhythm of my steps was background music, low and tedious. There was nothing to see; one twisted, brittle shrub looked exactly the same as the next. The empty homogeny lulled me into a sort of daze-I was only really aware of the shape of the mountains’ silhouettes against the pale, bleached sky. I read their outlines every few steps, till I knew them so well I could have drawn them blindfolded. The view seemed frozen in place. I constantly whipped my head around, searching for the fourth marker-a big dome-shaped peak with a missing piece, a curved absence scooped from its side that Melanie had only shown me this morning-as if the perspective would have changed from my last step. I hoped this last clue was it, because we’d be lucky to get that far. But I had a sense that Melanie was keeping more from me, and our journey’s end was impossibly distant. I snacked on my granola bars through the afternoon, not realizing until it was too late that I’d finished the last one. When the sun set, the night descended with the same speed as it had yesterday. Melanie was prepared, already scouting out a place to stop. Here, she told me. We’ll want to stay as far from the cholla as possible. You toss in your sleep. I eyed the fluffy-looking cactus in the failing light, so thick with bone-colored needles that it resembled fur, and shuddered. You want me to just sleep on the ground? Right here? You see another option? She felt my panic, and her tone softened, as if with pity. Look-it’s better than the car. At least it’s flat. It’s too hot for any critters to be attracted to your body heat and – â€Å"Critters?† I demanded aloud. â€Å"Critters?† There were brief, very unpleasant flashes of deadly-looking insects and coiled serpents in her memories. Don’t worry. She tried to soothe me as I arched up on my tiptoes, away from anything that might be hiding in the sand below, my eyes searching the blackness for some escape. Nothing’s going to bother you unless you bother it first. After all, you’re bigger than anything else out here. Another flash of memory, this time a medium-size canine scavenger, a coyote, flitted through our thoughts. â€Å"Perfect,† I moaned, sinking down into a crouch, though I was still afraid of the black ground beneath me. â€Å"Killed by wild dogs. Who would have thought it would end so†¦ so trivially? How anticlimactic. The claw beast on the Mists Planet, sure. At least there’d be some dignity in being taken down by that.† Melanie’s answering tone made me picture her rolling her eyes. Stop being a baby. Nothing is going to eat you. Now lie down and get some rest. Tomorrow will be harder than today. â€Å"Thanks for the good news,† I grumbled. She was turning into a tyrant. It made me think of the human axiom Give him an inch and he’ll take a mile. But I was more exhausted than I realized, and as I settled unwillingly to the ground, I found it impossible not to slump down on the rough, gravelly dirt and let my eyes close. It seemed like just minutes later when the morning dawned, blindingly bright and already hot enough to have me sweating. I was crusted in dirt and rocks when I woke; my right arm was pinned under me and had lost feeling. I shook out the tingles and then reached into my pack for some water. Melanie did not approve, but I ignored her. I looked for the half-empty bottle I’d last drunk from, rummaging through the fulls and empties until I began to see a pattern. With a slowly growing sense of alarm, I started counting. I counted twice. There were two more empties than there were fulls. I’d already used up more than half my water supply. I told you that you were drinking too much. I didn’t answer her, but I pulled the pack on without taking a drink. My mouth felt horrible, dry and sandy and tasting of bile. I tried to ignore that, tried to stop running my sandpaper tongue over my gritty teeth, and started walking. My stomach was harder to ignore than my mouth as the sun rose higher and hotter above me. It twisted and contracted at regular intervals, anticipating meals that didn’t appear. By afternoon, the hunger had gone from uncomfortable to painful. This is nothing, Melanie reminded me wryly. We’ve been hungrier. You have, I retorted. I didn’t feel like being an audience to her endurance memories right now. I was beginning to despair when the good news came. As I swung my head across the horizon with a routine, halfhearted movement, the bulbous shape of the dome jumped out at me from the middle of a northern line of small peaks. The missing part was only a faint indentation from this vantage point. Close enough, Melanie decided, as thrilled as I was to be making some progress. I turned north eagerly, my steps lengthening. Keep a lookout for the next. She remembered another formation for me, and I started craning my head around at once, though I knew it was useless to search for it this early. It would be to the east. North and then east and then north again. That was the pattern. The lift of finding another milestone kept me moving despite the growing weariness in my legs. Melanie urged me on, chanting encouragements when I slowed, thinking of Jared and Jamie when I turned apathetic. My progress was steady, and I waited till Melanie okayed each drink, even though the inside of my throat felt as though it was blistering. I had to admit that I was proud of myself for being so tough. When the dirt road appeared, it seemed like a reward. It snaked toward the north, the direction I was already headed, but Melanie was skittish. I don’t like the look of it, she insisted. The road was just a sallow line through the scrub, defined only by its smoother texture and lack of vegetation. Ancient tire tracks made a double depression, centered in the single lane. When it goes the wrong way, we’ll leave it. I was already walking down the middle of the tracks. It’s easier than weaving through the creosote and watching out for cholla. She didn’t answer, but her unease made me feel a little paranoid. I kept up my search for the next formation-a perfect M, two matching volcanic points-but I also watched the desert around me more carefully than before. Because I was paying extra attention, I noticed the gray smudge in the distance long before I could make out what it was. I wondered if my eyes were playing tricks on me and blinked against the dust that clouded them. The color seemed wrong for a rock, and the shape too solid for a tree. I squinted into the brightness, making guesses. Then I blinked again, and the smudge suddenly jumped into a structured shape, closer than I’d been thinking. It was some kind of house or building, small and weathered to a dull gray. Melanie’s spike of panic had me dancing off the narrow lane and into the dubious cover of the barren brush. Hold on, I told her. I’m sure it’s abandoned. How do you know? She was holding back so hard that I had to concentrate on my feet before I could move them forward. Who would live out here? We souls live for society. I heard the bitter edge to my explanation and knew it was because of where I now stood-physically and metaphorically in the middle of nowhere. Why did I no longer belong to the society of souls? Why did I feel like I didn’t†¦ like I didn’t want to belong? Had I ever really been a part of the community that was meant to be my own, or was that the reason behind my long line of lives lived in transience? Had I always been an aberration, or was this something Melanie was making me into? Had this planet changed me, or revealed me for what I already was? Melanie had no patience for my personal crisis-she wanted me to get far away from that building as fast as possible. Her thoughts yanked and twisted at mine, pulling me out of my introspection. Calm down, I ordered, trying to focus my thoughts, to separate them from hers. If there is anything that actually lives here, it would be human. Trust me on this; there is no such thing as a hermit among souls. Maybe your Uncle Jeb – She rejected that thought harshly. No one could survive out in the open like this. Your kind would have searched any habitation thoroughly. Whoever lived here ran or became one of you. Uncle Jeb would have a better hiding place. And if whoever lived here became one of us, I assured her, then they left this place. Only a human would live this way†¦ I trailed off, suddenly afraid, too. What? She reacted strongly to my fright, freezing us in place. She scanned my thoughts, looking for something I’d seen to upset me. But I’d seen nothing new. Melanie, what if there are humans out here-not Uncle Jeb and Jared and Jamie? What if someone else found us? She absorbed the idea slowly, thinking it through. You’re right. They’d kill us immediately. Of course. I tried to swallow, to wash the taste of terror from my dry mouth. There won’t be anyone else. How could there be? she reasoned. Your kind are far too thorough. Only someone already in hiding would have had a chance. So let’s go check it out-you’re sure there are none of you, and I’m sure there are none of me. Maybe we can find something helpful, something we can use as a weapon. I shuddered at her thoughts of sharp knives and long metal tools that could be turned into clubs. No weapons. Ugh. How did such spineless creatures beat us? Stealth and superior numbers. Any one of you, even your young, is a hundred times as dangerous as one of us. But you’re like one termite in an anthill. There are millions of us, all working together in perfect harmony toward our goal. Again, as I described the unity, I felt the dragging sense of panic and disorientation. Who was I? We kept to the creosote as we approached the little structure. It looked to be a house, just a small shack beside the road, with no hint at all of any other purpose. The reason for its location here was a mystery-this spot had nothing to offer but emptiness and heat. There was no sign of recent habitation. The door frame gaped, doorless, and only a few shards of glass clung to the empty window frames. Dust gathered on the threshold and spilled inside. The gray weathered walls seemed to lean away from the wind, as if it always blew from the same direction here. I was able to contain my anxiety as I walked hesitantly to the vacant door frame; we must be just as alone here as we had been all day and all yesterday. The shade the dark entry promised drew me forward, trumping my fears with its appeal. I still listened intently, but my feet moved ahead with swift, sure steps. I darted through the doorway, moving quickly to one side so as to have a wall at my back. This was instinctual, a product of Melanie’s scavenging days. I stood frozen there, unnerved by my blindness, waiting for my eyes to adjust. The little shack was empty, as we’d known it would be. There were no more signs of occupation inside than out. A broken table slanted down from its two good legs in the middle of the room, with one rusted metal chair beside it. Patches of concrete showed through big holes in the worn, grimy carpet. A kitchenette lined the wall with a rusted sink, a row of cabinets-some doorless-and a waist-high refrigerator that hung open, revealing its moldy black insides. A couch frame sat against the far wall, all the cushions gone. Still mounted above the couch, only a little crooked, was a framed print of dogs playing poker. Homey, Melanie thought, relieved enough to be sarcastic. It’s got more decor than your apartment. I was already moving for the sink. Dream on, Melanie added helpfully. Of course it would be wasteful to have water running to this secluded place; the souls managed details like that better than to leave such an anomaly behind. I still had to twist the ancient knobs. One broke off in my hand, rusted through. I turned to the cupboards next, kneeling on the nasty carpet to peek carefully inside. I leaned away as I opened the door, afraid I might be disturbing one of the venomous desert animals in its lair. The first was empty, backless, so that I could see the wooden slats of the outside wall. The next had no door, but there was a stack of antique newspapers inside, covered with dust. I pulled one out, curious, shaking the dirt to the dirtier floor, and read the date. From human times, I noted. Not that I needed a date to tell me that. â€Å"Man Burns Three-Year-Old Daughter to Death,† the headline screamed at me, accompanied by a picture of an angelic blond child. This wasn’t the front page. The horror detailed here was not so hideous as to rate priority coverage. Beneath this was the face of a man wanted for the murders of his wife and two children two years before the print date; the story was about a possible sighting of the man in Mexico. Two people killed and three injured in a drunk-driving accident. A fraud and murder investigation into the alleged suicide of a prominent local banker. A suppressed confession setting an admitted child molester free. House pets found slaughtered in a trash bin. I cringed, shoving the paper away from me, back into the dark cupboard. Those were the exceptions, not the norm, Melanie thought quietly, trying to keep the fresh horror of my reaction from seeping into her memories of those years and recoloring them. Can you see how we thought we might be able to do better, though? How we could have supposed that maybe you didn’t deserve all the excellent things of this world? Her answer was acidic. If you wanted to cleanse the planet, you could have blown it up. Despite what your science fiction writers dream, we simply don’t have the technology. She didn’t think my joke was funny. Besides, I added, that would have been such a waste. It’s a lovely planet. This unspeakable desert excepted, of course. That’s how we realized you were here, you know, she said, thinking of the sickening news headlines again. When the evening news was nothing but inspiring human-interest stories, when pedophiles and junkies were lining up at the hospitals to turn themselves in, when everything morphed into Mayberry, that’s when you tipped your hand. â€Å"What an awful alteration!† I said dryly, turning to the next cupboard. I pulled the stiff door back and found the mother lode. â€Å"Crackers!† I shouted, seizing the discolored, half-smashed box of Saltines. There was another box behind it, one that looked like someone had stepped on it. â€Å"Twinkies!† I crowed. Look! Melanie urged, pointing a mental finger at three dusty bottles of bleach at the very back of the cupboard. What do you want bleach for? I asked, already ripping into the cracker box. To throw in someone’s eyes? Or to brain them with the bottle? To my delight, the crackers, though reduced to crumbs, were still inside their plastic sleeves. I tore one open and started shaking the crumbs into my mouth, swallowing them half chewed. I couldn’t get them into my stomach fast enough. Open a bottle and smell it, she instructed, ignoring my commentary. That’s how my dad used to store water in the garage. The bleach residue kept the water from growing anything. In a minute. I finished one sleeve of crumbs and started on the next. They were very stale, but compared to the taste in my mouth, they were ambrosia. When I finished the third, I became aware that the salt was burning the cracks in my lips and at the corners of my mouth. I heaved out one of the bleach bottles, hoping Melanie was right. My arms felt weak and noodley, barely able to lift it. This concerned us both. How much had our condition deteriorated already? How much farther would we be able to go? The bottle’s cap was so tight, I wondered if it had melted into place. Finally, though, I was able to twist it off with my teeth. I sniffed at the opening carefully, not especially wanting to pass out from bleach fumes. The chemical scent was very faint. I sniffed deeper. It was water, definitely. Stagnant, musty water, but water all the same. I took a small mouthful. Not a fresh mountain stream, but wet. I started guzzling. Easy there, Melanie warned me, and I had to agree. We’d lucked into this cache, but it made no sense to squander it. Besides, I wanted something solid now that the salt burn had eased. I turned to the box of Twinkies and licked three of the smooshed-up cakes from the inside of the wrappers. The last cupboard was empty. As soon as the hunger pangs had eased slightly, Melanie’s impatience began to leak into my thoughts. Feeling no resistance this time, I quickly loaded my spoils into my pack, pitching the empty water bottles into the sink to make room. The bleach jugs were heavy, but theirs was a comforting weight. It meant I wouldn’t stretch out to sleep on the desert floor thirsty and hungry again tonight. With the sugar energy beginning to buzz through my veins, I loped back out into the bright afternoon. How to cite The Host Chapter 11: Dehydrated, Essay examples

Workforce Engagement Management

Question: Write an essay on managing workforce engagement and commitment? Answer: Introduction: An important part of a business organization is its employees. The success of a business organization highly depends on the current state of employee relationship. A good employee relationship helps the business organization to retain the skilled staff for a long time. Moreover, a good relationship encourages the workers to give more work effort in the business operation process. This implies that a good employee relationship is also important for an organization in order to increase the labor efficiency. Employee relation is the effort given by a company to manage the relationship between the employers and employees. The concept of the trade union emerged to protect the employees from the dominance power of employer through the equal bargaining power (Markedbyteachers.com, 2016). Moreover, another role of trade union in an organization is to represent the workers interest in maintenance of good employer-employee relationship. In this assignment, the main objective is to make an exam ination on the conflicting perspectives of the role of trade union that exists in an organization. In the second segment, these approaches will be used to resolve the employee relation problems in a business organization. The concept of Unitary and Pluralistic Perspective regarding to the employee relations: The most popular two employee relation approaches are unitary approach and pluralistic approach. Under Unitary Perspective, a business organization is assumed as an integrated and harmonious system, where both employers and employees share same goal and objectives. In this approach, the existence of trade union in the business organization is treated as an unnecessary element. Even if a trade union is recognized, then the role of that union will be to act as a communication means between the employers and employees of the business organization. From the employee point of view, this unitary approach means working practice should be flexible and the overall business process should be improvement-oriented, multi skilled and ready to resolve the issues with an efficient manner whenever it is required (yourpersonalresearchwriter.blogspot.in, 2010). On the other hand, from the employer point of view, unitary approach means,the employment policy should be such that that it would able to motivate the workers, the objectives of the organization should be properly communicated to staff an d theemployee reward system should be so designed to secure their loyalty and commitments. Moreover, the employers assume that under this approach it is the duty of each employee to discuss their personal objectives and integrate these objectives with the organizations ultimate goal. Pluralistic Approach is completely different from the unitary approach.Under this approach, the business organization is treated as a coalition of competing interest group mediated by the organizations management. This approach assumes that there exists a greater amount of conflict in the business organization than harmony. Therefore, it may happen that management in its mediating role may pay insufficient attention to the needs and claims of employees (www.whatishumanresource.com, 2016). In such a situation, the employee section of the business organization forms trade union with the aim of protecting their needs and claims. For this reason, in the pluralistic approach, trade union is seen as a legitimate representative of employees in the business organization. This implies that, under this approach there exists a conflict of interest and disagreement between the employer group and employee group in the business organization. These conflicts are addressed by the collective bargaini ng power of trade union and the employer group of the business organization. Key ingredients of effective collective bargaining Collective Bargaining is a negotiation process between the employers and employees. At the time of bargaining process, the trade union plays a significant role. This trade union acts as a representative of employees group. The trade union always tries to increase the existing wage scale, makes the working hours favorable to the employees group, makes the employer to arrange necessary training program, improve the health and safety regulations of the company. Though the main objective of the trade union while making the collective bargaining process is to improve the work condition of the employees, sometime the trade union participates in the decision making process of the employer through this the collective bargaining process. An effective process increases the morale and the productivity of the workforce, restricts the freedom of the management, prevents the management from doing unethical labor exploitation, and motivates the workers as they can now approach their owner directly on various matters. There are seven key ingredients of the effective collective bargaining arrangement. The collective bargaining process will not be successful without sufficient degree of organization. This implies that the strength of the workers union should be high enough so that the employers cannot be able to refuse the negotiation process. Another key ingredient of the bargaining process is freedom of association. Without this ingredient, it is not possible to make an effective bargaining process. Moreover, the bargaining process will not begin without the mutual recognition between the both workers group and owner group. An effective bargaining process by the trade union is not possible to make without proper political climate. This implies that, without the government support, the workers of any business organization cannot be able to form trade unions and make an effective bargaining process. In addition to these, the trade union should have sufficient authority power over its member. Otherwi se, collective bargaining process will not be successful. Moreover, the strict prohibition of the give and take policy and unfair labor practices in the trade union are other key ingredients of effective bargaining process arrangement. Merits and Demerits of Different Contemporary approach for promotion of effective employee relations: Different contemporary approaches are used to promote effective relations in an organization. Among various approaches, partnership, engagement and employee voice are considered as most effective approach to maintain good employee relationship. The approach of the partnership working can be defined as an association of both employers and employees, which is based on the fulfillment of common as well as individual objectives of employer, employee and trade union. It has been observed that, the adaptation of this approach help the organization to achieve their goals by equating the objectives of the employers with that of employees. In this approach, there is little chance of emergence of conflicts in the organization related decision making progress. A healthy partnership helps a business organization to address the business related issues more quickly. Though this partnership approach involves a great communication between both the parties, but at the same time, it also motivates the employer to increase their commitments and dedication to the works. Another merit of this approach is it helps to raise the morale of the workers, which in turn increases the work productivity (Ipa-involve.com, 2016). On the other hand, this ap proach has some demerits also. This approach makes the trade union less powerful and puts the employees section in relatively weaker position than the employer section. Moreover, the introduction of this approach in the work environment needs more administration and increases the operation cost of the employers. Another popular approach is employee engagement. According to this approach, there should be a proper condition in every organization, which will enable all the members of the organization to give their best effort every day (sloanreview.mit.edu, 2016). Moreover, this condition will motivate the employees to contribute in the organizational success through their commitment and dedication to the organization. This implies that, employee engagement is trust, integrity, two way commitment and communication between the organization and its member. This employee relation approach increases the likelihood of the business success by improving the organizational and individual performance, productivity and well-being (engageforsuccess.org, 2015). For this reason, the significance of this approach is increasing continuously with the passage of time. This approach has some merits (Butler, Tregaskis and Glover, 2011). It tends the employee to generate positive attitude towards the organization. Employees are seen to be respectful and helpful towards their colleague. Moreover, this approach motivates the workers to go beyond the job requirement and looks for the opportunities, which can in turn improve the organizational performance. In addition to these, it has been seen that, the job performance is directly linked with employee engagement. Even if the employee engagement is the willingness and ability of the employees to contribute in the organizational success, it has some drawback also (www.thetutorpages.com, 2016) Sometime employee engagement program are designed by the employer so that they can able to exploit the talent of the skilled labor to the companys success. Sometime, the main objective of this employee engagement program becomes More take, less give from the organization. Employee Voice is another employee relation approach. It is the participation of employees in the decision making process of organization by raising their voices to highlight their satisfaction or dissatisfaction of jobs (Lund Dean, 2014). The significance of voice concept is increasing gradually in a variety of discipline (Burris, Rockmann and Kim, 2014). At present, the term employee voice becomes an elastic term. The popularity of this approach is increasing overtime as it ensures all the employees of a business organization that they can their view directly to the management authority. Some advantages of this approach are-1) It tends the workers more focused in their job, 2) it enhances the capability of the workers through effective HR management processes, 3) it helps the organization to retain their skilled labor and 6) it articulates and helps to shape the internal culture of the organization (Kaufman, 2014). In this part, the main objective is to use different employment relation approaches that are discussed in the above section in order to resolve the employment issues in Tesco. Tesco is multinational grocery retailer of United Kingdom. At present, the number of employees in this company is 500,000. Recently, this company is facing some problem with their employees, which in turn is affecting the work culture of this company. Due to the festive season, Tesco workers are facing tremendous work pressure (Business Insider, 2016). This tends them to do extra hours. However, the workers do not get extra payment for this. This causes a kind of job dissatisfaction in their mind. Tesco is grocery retail stores. Since the business success of a retail business depends on the performance and commitment of the workers, therefore Tesco should solve this employment problem as soon as possible in order to sustain its business growth. Many Tesco workers complained that, they have to work for 65 hours in week whereas according the agreement, their total work hour in a week is 37 hours. In this context, it can be said that, Tesco should adapt employee engagement approach and employee voice approach in order to solve this employment relation issues. Under these two approaches, the employees can directly talked with the management authority regarding their issues and vision on the future business success through trade union. In this particular case, the TESCO authority has argued that, they would pay their workers for the extra work. However, this decision of the management was not conveyed to the workers for some reason. This makes the workers think that, the company is exploiting them unethically. This hampers the existing employee relation in Tesco. Now, if Tesco employs employee engagement and employee voice approach, then the workers can talk directly with the upper management authority. Then, it will be easy for the workers to get the information on the managers current step. Moreover, another benefit of these two approaches is it will reduce the possibility of the emergence of conflict because of any miscommunication between the management authority and the employee union. In addition to these, it can be said that, if the workers of Tesco are aware about the extra hour payment, then they will be encouraged to put more effort beyond their work hour. Moreover, this also makes the employees to feel that, the management of Tesco is concerned with the well being of its workers. This will in turn motivate the workers and generates positive attitude towards the work. In this way, Tesco can resolve the current employment issues with the help of employee engagement approach and employee voice approach. Here, in this context, it is important to note that, these two approaches will make the employees more involved with the current goal of the organization. This will upsurge the all over organizational performance and help Tesco to acquire more market share. Conclusion: The business organization having strong employer and employee relationship is able to reap various kinds of benefits such as increment in the employee productivity, high employees loyalty to the organization, reduction of conflict in work environment, provision of the motivation to the workers to give more effort. Trade union plays a significant role in the employee relation in a business organization. Different behavioral theorists perceive the scenario of employee relation in business organization and the factors that are likely to affect this relation differently. Because of this, there emerges a different approach in the employee relation field. The main objective of Collective Bargaining is to improve the overall working conditions. An effective collective bargaining process is very important for the employer, employee and society as whole. A healthy employee relationship is the key driver of the future success of a business organization. This relationship is also beneficial fro m the employee side also. In the second part of this assignment, it has been shown how Tesco solves its current employment problem using different employment relation approaches. References Burris, E., Rockmann, K. and Kim, Y. (2014). The Value of Voice (to Managers): Employee Identification and the Content of Voice.Academy of Management Proceedings, 2014(1), pp.16330-16330. Business Insider, (2016).Tesco Workers Want The New CEO To Know About The Unpaid Overtime They're Working. [online] Available at: https://www.businessinsider.in/Tesco-Workers-Want-The-New-CEO-To-Know-About-The-Unpaid-Overtime-Theyre-Working/articleshow/42016636.cms [Accessed 2 Jan. 2016]. Butler, P., Tregaskis, O. and Glover, L. (2011). Workplace partnership and employee involvement - contradictions and synergies: Evidence from a heavy engineering case study.Economic and Industrial Democracy, 34(1), pp.5-24. Ipa-involve.com, (2016).How Do Organisations Benefit From A Partnership Approach? - IPA. [online] Available at: https://www.ipa-involve.com/partnership-in-the-workplace/how-do-organisations-benefit-from-a-partnership-approach/ [Accessed 2 Jan. 2016]. Kaufman, B. (2014). Theorising determinants of employee voice: an integrative model across disciplines and levels of analysis.Human Resource Management Journal, 25(1), pp.19-40. Lund Dean, K. (2014). Employee voice in workplace religious discrimination legal disputes.Academy of Management Proceedings, 2014(1), pp.10072-10072. Markedbyteachers.com, (2016).Employee Relations, Trade Union Recognition - University Business and Administrative studies - Marked by Teachers.com. [online] Available at: https://www.markedbyteachers.com/university-degree/business-and-administrative-studies/employee-relations-trade-union-recognition.html [Accessed 2 Jan. 2016]. relations, T. (2010).The Typed Gold: The unitary and pluralist perspectives of employee relations. [online] Yourpersonalresearchwriter.blogspot.in. Available at: https://yourpersonalresearchwriter.blogspot.in/2010/12/unitary-and-pluralist-perspectives-of.html [Accessed 2 Jan. 2016]. Success, W. (2016).What is Employee Engagement - Engage for Success. [online] Engage for Success. Available at: https://engageforsuccess.org/what-is-employee-engagement [Accessed 2 Jan. 2016]. Technology, M. (2015).Measuring the Benefits of Employee Engagement. [online] MIT Sloan Management Review. Available at: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/measuring-the-benefits-of-employee-engagement/ [Accessed 2 Jan. 2016]. The Tutor Pages, (2016).Management Help / Advice - Strengths and limitations of employee engagement - Tutor Article. [online] Available at: https://www.thetutorpages.com/tutor-article/management/strengths-and-limitations-of-employee-engagement/6544 [Accessed 2 Jan. 2016]. Whatishumanresource.com, (2016).Approaches to Industrial Relations - what is human resource ?. [online] Available at: https://www.whatishumanresource.com/approaches-to-industrial-relations [Accessed 2 Jan. 2016]. Workmen's Compensation. Partnership Partner as Employee. (1922).Columbia Law Review, 22(7), p.685. Www98.griffith.edu.au, (2016). [online] Available at: https://www98.griffith.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/handle/10072/36031/66053_1.pdf?sequence=1 [Accessed 2 Jan. 2016]. YourArticleLibrary.com: The Next Generation Library, (2014).Most Popular Approaches to Industrial Relation. [online] Available at: https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/industries/most-popular-approaches-to-industrial-relation/35432/ [Accessed 2 Jan. 2016]. YourArticleLibrary.com: The Next Generation Library, (2014).5 Necessary Conditions for Effective Collective Bargaining. [online] Available at: https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/hrm/5-necessary-conditions-for-effective-collective-bargaining/35469/ [Accessed 2 Jan. 2016].

Contrast the priorities of the northern and southern Renaissance Essay Example

Contrast the priorities of the northern and southern Renaissance Paper The renaissance was a period in European cultural history that began in Italy around 1400 and lasted there until the end of the 16th century. It flourished later elsewhere in Europe and lasted until the 17th century. The Renaissance brought an all around change in the way people thought and in their beliefs. People began to discover the world and discover themselves as individuals. The world was beginning to change, technology progressed, and art and music became liberated. The Renaissance could also be known as a Revival of Learning. People began to question the basic facts of life of which they were forced to accept. Acceptance was replaced with questioning, experimenting, understanding and learning. Central to the renaissance was humanism, the belief in the active, rather then the contemplative life and a faith in the republican ideal. However the greatest expression of the renaissance was in arts and learning. For example Alberti, in his writings on painting, created both methods of painting using perspective to create an illusion of a third dimension and a classically inspired non-religious subject matter. Even in his architecture, he created a system of simple proportion that was to be followed for hundreds of years. The Renaissance was heralded by the work of the early 14th-century painter Giotto in Florence, and in the early 15th century a handful of outstanding innovative artists emerged there: Masaccio, in painting, Donatello, in sculpture, and Brunelleschi, in architecture. At the same time the humanist philosopher, artist, and writer Leon Baptista Alberti recorded many of the new ideas in his treatises on painting, sculpture, and architecture. We will write a custom essay sample on Contrast the priorities of the northern and southern Renaissance specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Contrast the priorities of the northern and southern Renaissance specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Contrast the priorities of the northern and southern Renaissance specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer These ideas soon became widespread in Italy, and many new centres of patronage formed. In the 16th century Rome superseded Florence as the chief centre of activity and innovation, and became the capital of the High Renaissance. The cultures throughout Europe were hugely diverse and have remained so to this present day. So therefore it is highly likely that the renaissance took on different meanings and interpretations throughout Europe. In northern Europe the Renaissance spirit is apparent in the painting of the van Eyck brothers in the early 15th century. The Italian artists Cellini, Rosso Fiorentino, and Primaticcio took the Renaissance to France through their work at Fontainebleau. The ideas, concepts, understandings and priorities of the renaissance could not have been the same throughout a continent that differed in social, cultural, political and religious issues. So there is no query that the artistic renaissance originated in Italy. And this change in Art had a huge impact on art in the north. Artists in the rest of Europe were impressed by the new ideas on art from Italy. Italy therefore attracted many of the great artists from elsewhere in Europe. When we look at the works of art during the renaissance in both Italy and the north, we can see that they both set out to achieve the same goals more or less, such as, an interest in individual consciousness and a desire to make images of the visible world, often portraying a religious scene, more believable and accessible. 1 However there are many striking differences in methods and techniques due to a manifold of reasons. Because the patrons in the north tended to be of the bourgeois class, rather that religious or noble, the artists that they sponsored, painted for civic or even domestic display. Communities commissioned works for their chapels and town halls. This could be the reason why the works of art from the northern renaissance were often on a smaller scale than those from the Italian renaissance. There was a frequent use of grisaille to portray a more sculptured look on the triptych covers. The climate had a great impact on the methods of painting in the north and south. Frescoing was more common in Italy as the warm climate enabled the paintings to dry quicker, whereas with the damp, colder climate of the north, frescoes took longer to dry. The artists wanted to meet public demand and thus produced smaller, mobile works of art. It is also clear that the northern artists and patrons were concerned about their social status. They wanted to show their current and even potential social positions. The Italian artists seemed somewhat oblivious to their step on the social ladder. Symbolism seemed central to the northern artistic renaissance. One example of this is Holbeins The Ambassador, which features a number of valuable objects, which attempt to display the status of the subjects and their interests in intellectual matters. The northern artists crowded their paintings with many minor details in the background and on the subject matter with the aim of displaying their wealth. The Italian artists did not feel the need to include these small objects of everyday use when depicting biblical scenes or in their portraits of their wealthy sponsors. It is therefore clear that both the northern artists and the Italian artists aimed to achieve a sense of realism and credibility in their work, but they both contained many unique features, which differed greatly from each other. One of the key features of the renaissance is Humanism. This is associated more with the northern renaissance. Humanists believed that God had given each person free will and that it was up to everybody to use their talents to the full and to achieve their true potential. When we think of humanism, we think of the famous Erasmus, Petrarch or Moore. These humanists played an important role in the renaissance. Erasmus had a thorough training in the classic authors as well as in the languages and grammar, which he mobilised in the cause of Christian scholarship. He was probably the greatest classical scholar of his age and he used his knowledge of Greek and Latin sources to demonstrate the profound effect of ancient culture on Christianity. He believed that the classics could inspire good taste, stimulate sound and clear thinking and could cultivate clear, accurate and precise verbal and written expression. He also believed that their study along with the Bible would promote greater religious devotion and goodness. This piety through literature was the basis of Erasmuss educational philosophy and his religious reformism. Erasmus attacked clerical abuse through his literature, he wrote I could see that the common body of Christians were corrupt not only in its affections, but in its ideas. Like Erasmus, Petrarch restored the Latin classics and he initiated the recovery and revision of ancient texts that followed with the early 15th century. Petrarch would be considered a northern humanist because although he was born in Florence, he was raised in Provence. However although Humanism is associated more with the northern renaissance, the humanists of Italy had similar beliefs Alberti of Florence believed that each person was responsible for their own destiny. The longing to come to terms with the way in which the world worked was an essential attribute in the learning of the renaissance, and it is certainly no big shock that important scientific developments occurred during the 15th and 16th centuries. Although Columbus was born in Italy, he would be associated with the northern renaissance, as his culture was purely Spanish. All his letters, even those addressed to Italians, were in Spanish. His studies of the Pole Star led him to the conclusion that the Earth was pear-shaped. Another man from the northern renaissance was Copernicus from Poland. Copernicus was a famous astronomer who by careful observation, with the naked eye, of the phases of an eclipse, he had discovered the dual motion of the planet on their own axes and around the sun. By 1512, he had this system worked out to the smallest detail. However, he hesitated to publish his work as he said, I can well believe that when what I have written becomes known, there will be an uproar. Copernicus changed the way the world thought forever as he argued that the earth was the centre of the universe and not the earth, with the planets and their satellites revolving around it. The amazing thing about he discoveries of Copernicus is that they were the products of pure reason applied to facts known to the ancients and carefully noted by ptolemy2 So it was clear that the northern universities led the way in the new astronomy. It is doubtful whether the cause of scientific development stems greatly from the Italian renaissance. Indeed, it was the thesis of Toffanin that the rise of humanism stifled the sciences in favour of literature. The Germans invented printing and certainly Copernicus was born in Poland, and Francis Bacon precedes Galileo, who only gives a scientific achievement to Italy well into the 17th century, outside the chronological limits usually set to the renaissance. Also an independent spirit of enquiry arose in European biology and medicine. Human dissections were routinely performed from the 14th century and anatomy emerged as a mature science from the eager activity of the Belgian, Andreas Vesalius, whose De humani corporis fabrica is one of the masterpieces of the Scientific Revolution. His achievement was to examine the body itself rather than relying simply on Galen; the illustrations in his work are simultaneously objects of scientific originality and of artistic beauty. The rediscovery of the beauty of the human body by Renaissance artists encouraged the study of anatomy by geniuses such as Leonardo da Vinci. Shortly afterwards, an Englishman, William Harvey discovered the circulation of the blood and established physiology on a scientific footing. His little book De Motu Cordis (1628; On the Motion of the Heart) was the first great work on experimental physiology since the time of Galen. The eccentric wandering Swiss doctor Paracelsus had also deliberately set aside the teachings of Galen and other Ancients in favour of a fresh approach to Nature and medicine and to the search for new remedies for disease. These discoveries were all made by men from the northern renaissance, which may indicate that the renaissance in the north was more concerned with discovery and solving the unknown rather than just art. The Catholic Church was extremely affected by the renaissance too. The renaissance way of think brought about the reformation and there is no doubt that the church could see it coming. Humanists such as Erasmus, Petrarch and Moore questioned the church. They let their beliefs be known that each man controlled his own destiny, and therefore there was no divine rights given to anyone from God. The renaissance was an age of reformers. Above many reforms in art, literature, science and technology was the renewal of the relationship between humanity and God by thoroughly reforming the church. Through reason and education, these humanists aspired to transform not only the church but also society. So in fact it was the northern humanists who paved the way for the reformation. Therefore the Catholic Church faced many threats to its authority during the renaissance period. In both north and south, artists strove to perfect realism in their art and began to analyse nature and the human body. The church had originally exerted control over the masses by keeping them in the dark so to speak, by not encouraging them to investigate, explore or question what they were told. It was not a priority or aim of the northern and southern renaissance to contradict the teachings of the church, but by systematically reasoning and analysing the basic facts of life, they gradually took away the power of the church upon the people. The style of renaissance architecture, which began in 15th-century Italy, was based on the revival of classical, especially Roman, architecture developed by Brunelleschi. It is characterised by a concern with balance, clarity, and proportion, and by the external use of columns and fluted pilasters. Many Roman buildings were still extant in Renaissance Italy and artists and scholars studied their proportions and copied their decorative motifs. The architectural books of the Roman Vitruvius, 1st century AD were made popular by Leon Battista Alberti in his influential treatise De re aedificatoria/On Architecture 1486 but the first major work of the age was the successful construction by Brunelleschi of a dome 1420-34 on Florence Cathedral. Alberti himself designed a new fai ade for Santa Maria Novella, completed 1470, in Florence, and redesigned a church in Rimini subsequently called the Tempio Malatestiano, c. 1450. Bramante came closest to the recreation of classical ideas with works such as the Tempietto of San Pietro in Montorio, Rome, c. 1510 and the new basilica of St Peters in Rome, begun 1506. Other Renaissance architects in Italy include Michelangelo, Giulio Romano, Palladio, Vignola, Sangallo, and Raphael. As Renaissance architecture spread throughout the rest of Europe it often acquired a distinctively national character through the influence of indigenous styles. Renaissance architecture in England is exemplified by the Queens House at Greenwich, London, built by Inigo Jones 1637 and in France by the Louvre Palace built for Frani ois I 1546. In Spain, a fusion of Renaissance and Gothic architectural forms led to the flamboyant style called Plateresque, Manuellian in Portugal, typified by the fai de of the university at Salamanca, completed 1529. Overall, we can see that although the renaissance throughout Europe, meant a change in the way people thought, its priorities varied from country to country. The Italian renaissance prioritised their art producing many famous works of art such as de Vincis Mona Lisa, Michaelangelos David and hundreds more, nevertheless, humanism and discovery were not excluded. However the northern renaissance prioritised Humanism and discovery, although playing an important role in renaissance art.

Free Essays on Islam

Islamic civilization has been the last great world civilization to appear to date. The fundamental ideas and values of Islam have their roots in Muhammad’s recitation of the Qur’an from the city of Mecca. Despite the simplicity of this single event, Islam spread far beyond its Arabian beginnings. As a result of the Arab conquests of the seventh century, many people were attracted to the unity of this Islamic society. The rise of Islam as an international tradition of religious, political, and social principles and institutions is one of the greatest revelations of all time. In the fifth century C.E. a merchant aristocrat called Muhammad from Mecca claimed to have received a divine prophecy from God’s messenger, Angel Gabriel. This prophecy is known as the Qu’ran. Mecca was a thriving commercial town that was a pilgrimage site where Ka’ba stood and was the center of the caravan trade. Mecca also held the origins of Islam. Muhammad was motivated to begin this new religious tradition because he saw what materialism and idolatry was doing to the world. After Muhammad’s proclamation of God’s last call to the people, him and his followers fled to Medina in 622 due to the religious persecutions they had received. This flight is known as the hegira, which is also the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, the organization of this new religious tradition began to develop. Muhammad, the prophet and founder of Islam, defined his followers as being Muslim, which is being submissive to God’s will. Their beliefs were held in the Five Pillars of Islam: absolute obedience to one God, five daily prayers facing Mecca, charity, fasting during Ramadan, and a pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims were also to abstain from pork and alcohol and to have allegiance to their Islamic community. The message of the Qur’an was that the way to paradise lay in gratitude to God for forgiveness and guidance, worship of false gods would not be tolerate... Free Essays on Islam Free Essays on Islam The literal meaning of Islam is peace or surrender of one’s will; in other words, losing oneself for the sake of God and surrendering one’s own pleasure for the pleasure of God. Islam is a religion which impacts every part of life, from eating and sleeping to working and playing. Allah, the almighty one, is the name of the God of the Muslims. The Muslims believe that Allah is an all-powerful, magnificent God who has created the universe and controls even the smallest detail of everything, much like the beliefs of Christians and Jews. Muslims believe that Allah is one, indivisible, and they believe in all the prophets and holy figures of the Christians and Jews including Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Mary, Jesus, and others. Muslims also recognize another prophet named Muhammad, who is a direct descendant of Abraham through his first born son, Ishmael. Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 A.D. and is the heart and soul of Islam. His father died just before he was born and his mother died when Muhammad reached the age of six. As an adult, he worked as a caravan driver and married several times. As a sacred person, Muhammad would retreat to caves and ponder over the differences of many diverse religious beliefs. At the age of forty, he had his first revelation which he initially thought might have been a hallucination. However, after confiding in his wife, Khadijah, he became convinced that his experience was a true communication from God. Muhammad had many more revelations after the first in which he began to communicate more openly with his people. Following the death of his wife and uncle, Muhammad experienced his â€Å"Night Journey† in 620 A.D. At this point, the angel Gabriel guided him upwards to the heavens where he encountered the angels, the great prophets, and at last, the all-mighty God. This was the confirm ation Muhammad needed to confirm that he was a prophet and messeng... Free Essays on Islam Islam is the name given to the religion preached by the Prophet Muhammad in the A.D. 600’s.Isalm is an Arabic word that means submission or surrender. God is called Allah, which means â€Å"The God†, and one who follows these teachings and beliefs is called a Muslim. Muhammad was born about A.D. 570 in the Arabian city of Mecca. Many believe that he began to receive revelations from Allah that were sent through Gabriel. These revelations took place in Mecca and Medina in a 22-year period and are now recorded in the Muslim holy book, the Qur’an. The Qur’an and the Sunna, the example of words and practices of Muhammad, make up the foundation of Islamic law. Islam is the second largest religion in the world, following Christianity. Over 1.1 million people follow this religion. Today, Muslims live in every country in the world. The central concept of Islam is tawhid, the oneness of God. Muslims are much like Christians in that they believe in one god who is the lord of the universe. They believe that they owe worship and obedience to God since He is the creator of the universe and He knows all. Every act performed in obedience to God is considered an act of worship in Islam. Most Muslims take care in their daily lives to respect their parents and elders, to be kind to animals and human beings, and to do their daily tasks to the best that they can. The formal acts of worship, called the Five Pillars, provide the framework for all aspects of Muslim life. The pillars consist of (1) Faith, (2) Prayer, (3) Charity, (4) Fasting, and (5) Pilgrimage. Faith is the main pillar since it is the basis surrounding the religion. They must have faith in God, and only Him. The pillar of prayer is important to most Muslims since they pray five times a day. They pray just before dawn, at midday, in mid-afternoon, just after sunset, and at night. Before they pray, they must wash their hands, their faces, parts of their arms and ... Free Essays on Islam Islam More Than A Religion Despite its huge following around the world and the growing Muslim communities in the United States, Islam is foreign to most Americans who are familiar with Christianity or Judaism. Because most Americans know little or nothing about Islam, they have many misconceptions about Muslim beliefs and rituals. The negative image many people in the United States and Europe have of Islam and the Muslim world has a long history. Many have judged Islam without making an effort to consider this religious tradition on its own terms, without bothering to become acquainted with its teaching and the ways in which Muslims practice their faith. Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam is a monotheistic religion, based on the belief in one God.. This religion was proclaimed by the Prophet Muhammad in Arabia, in the 7th century A.D. The term Islam virtually means â€Å"surrender†. Within Islam the believer (called a Muslim) use the Arabic word for God, Allah , to refer to the creator of the world and of all life within it. Allah is viewed as the creator, sustained, and restorer of the world. The will of Allah, to which man must submit, is made known through the sacred scriptures, the Quran. Allah revealed the Quran to his messenger, Muhammad (praise be upon him). According to Islamic beliefs, Muhammad is the last of a series of prophets. Muhammad's message concurrently perfect and do away with the â€Å"revelations† attributed to earlier prophets. From the very beginning of Islam, Muhammad had portrayed a sense of brotherhood and a bond of faith to his followers. The Prophet fled to Medina in AD 622, it was during this time that his preaching was accepted and the community-state of Islam emerged. During this early period, Islam acquired its characteristics as a religion uniting in itself both the spiritual and temporal aspects of life. Islam also seeks to regulate not only the individual's relationship to God... Free Essays on Islam Islamic civilization has been the last great world civilization to appear to date. The fundamental ideas and values of Islam have their roots in Muhammad’s recitation of the Qur’an from the city of Mecca. Despite the simplicity of this single event, Islam spread far beyond its Arabian beginnings. As a result of the Arab conquests of the seventh century, many people were attracted to the unity of this Islamic society. The rise of Islam as an international tradition of religious, political, and social principles and institutions is one of the greatest revelations of all time. In the fifth century C.E. a merchant aristocrat called Muhammad from Mecca claimed to have received a divine prophecy from God’s messenger, Angel Gabriel. This prophecy is known as the Qu’ran. Mecca was a thriving commercial town that was a pilgrimage site where Ka’ba stood and was the center of the caravan trade. Mecca also held the origins of Islam. Muhammad was motivated to begin this new religious tradition because he saw what materialism and idolatry was doing to the world. After Muhammad’s proclamation of God’s last call to the people, him and his followers fled to Medina in 622 due to the religious persecutions they had received. This flight is known as the hegira, which is also the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, the organization of this new religious tradition began to develop. Muhammad, the prophet and founder of Islam, defined his followers as being Muslim, which is being submissive to God’s will. Their beliefs were held in the Five Pillars of Islam: absolute obedience to one God, five daily prayers facing Mecca, charity, fasting during Ramadan, and a pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims were also to abstain from pork and alcohol and to have allegiance to their Islamic community. The message of the Qur’an was that the way to paradise lay in gratitude to God for forgiveness and guidance, worship of false gods would not be tolerate... Free Essays on Islam RELIGION ISLAM DEFINATION: The Arabic word â€Å"ISLAM† simply means â€Å"submission† , and derives from a word meaning â€Å"peace† . In religious context it means complete submission to the will of God. â€Å"Mohammedanism† is thus a misnomer because it suggests that Muslims worship Muhammad rather than God. â€Å"ALLAH† is the Arabic name for God, which is used by Arab Muslims and Christians alike. Who believes in ISLAM? Why? Muslims believe in ISLAM they believe in One God who is unique, Incomparable he is all powerful he is supreme power he has all authorities. God’s complete authority over human destiny and in life after death. Muslims believe in a chain of prophets starting with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, john, and Jesus, peace be upon them all. But God’s final message was brought by prophet Muhammad and he was the last prophet. Who are the Muslims ? Over one billion people from a vast range of races, nationalities and cultures across the globe. From the southern Philippines to Nigeria – are united by their common Islamic faith.About 18% live in the Arab world; but the world’s largest Muslim community is in Indonesia(130 million),30% of Muslims live in the Indian sub continent,20 % in sub Saharan African,17 % in South east ASIA, 10 % in the Soviet Union and China. All Muslims are not Arabs you will see black Muslims, Indian Muslims, American Muslims Bosinian Muslims, Turkish Muslims and etc Muslims are in many countries and are in many colors. Why does Islam often seem strange? Muslims always lead their live according to laws and teaching of their religion(ISLAM) where as in Christianity they don’t do that. Muslims have religion always uppermost in their minds,and make no division between secular and sacred. They b... Free Essays on Islam Islam The word â€Å"Islam† comes from the Arabic language and means â€Å"submission to God†. A Muslim belongs to the Islamic religion. The Arabic word Muslim means â€Å"one who is submitted to God, wholly committed to the divine power and authority (Speight 2). Islam is the youngest and one of the largest major religions with more than one billion followers (Hopfe 329). Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was born around A.D. 570 in Mecca. His mother died when he was six and his father died before he was born. Muhammad’s uncle, Abu Talib, a traveling merchant, raised him. Muhammad often traveled with his uncle to Syria and other regions for trade. At twenty-five years old, Muhammad married a wealthy widow, Khadija, who was forty at the time. They worked together as caravan merchants. Once Muhammad was allowed more leisure time, he started visiting a popular cave at Mount Hira, three miles from Mecca, to meditate. In the year 610, he received a vision of the angel Gabriel while at the cave. Gabriel brought this command from God: Recite: In the Name of thy Lord who created, created Man of a blood clot. Recite: And thy Lord is the Most Generous, Who taught by the Pen, Taught man what he knew not. From this point forward, Gabriel was to be the middle-man of communication between God and Muhammad, at the frequent revelations throughout the rest of Muhammad’s life (Braswell 12). These communications were transferred over time to become the scriptures of Islam, or the Qur’an. This sacred text teaches about God as well as how to lead a good, faithful life. The scriptures set harsh penalties for evils such as stealing or murder. After three years of silence about his experiences, Muhammad started his prophetic mission. At first, he only converted a few followers; most under forty years old from some of the most worthy families in Mecca. He preached against the idols in the Ka’ba , whic... Free Essays on Islam Next to Christianity, Islam is the next most popular religion of the world, with 1.3 billion followers accounted for in 2002. The word â€Å"Islam† comes from the Arabic word which means the submission or surrender of one’s will to the only true god worthy of worship, which they call â€Å"Allah†. Anyone who follows the religion of Islam is termed a â€Å"Muslim.† The main focus of Islam is the worship of Allah alone and the avoidance of worship directed to any person, place, or thing other than Allah. Islam rejects the worship of Allah’s creation and instead encourages the worship of Allah himself. Similar to the other major religions, such as Christianity and Judaism, Muslims believe in one unique God. Unlike Christianity and Judaism though, Muslims believe that Allah has neither a son nor partner and should be worshipped alone; no one shares in His divinity or attributes. Islam also rejects the existence of any human form of God. They acknowledge Jesus as a prophet, not the son of God. Any human form of God is considered blasphemous because God is far removed from every human imperfection. Some other beliefs of Islam are the belief in the existence of angels and the belief that God revealed books to His messengers as guidance for them. Among these books is the Holy Quran, which Allah revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The Quran, which is the last revealed word of God, is the primary source of Islam faith and practice. It deals with all subjects which concern human beings, but its basic theme is the relationship between God and humans. It also provides guidelines and detailed teachings for a just society, proper human conduct, and an economic system. Muslims believe that by following the Quran, one will live a satisfying life. On the other hand, one who turns away from the Quran will have a life of hardship. The second source of Islam is the Sunnah. The word Sunnah has come to denote the way the Prophet Muhammad l... Free Essays on Islam Islam is the religion of mercy. Islam was very clear concerning women; it gave them their full rights and never considered them as inferior to men. According to Smock and Youssef, â€Å"The introduction of Islam†¦undoubtedly compromises the single most important determinant molding the character of Egyptian culture and as such had a profound effect on the status of women†(quote taken from Smock 35). Although Egypt and the whole Arab world are Islamic countries, Arab women are still denied some of their rights, and are still treated as the ‘weak sex’ that needs to be supported and guided by men. In ancient civilizations, such as Roman women were mistreated A woman didn’t have any rights, her approval in marriage wasn’t necessary, and she was treated like the property of her parents or husband (Badawi 7) Islam honors women and places them highly. Smock and Youssef state, â€Å"Islam, as an integral religion, formulates a total pattern for living rather than focusing primarily on theology. Hence Mohammed was concerned with the role of women† (Smock 37). Islam gives women specific rights, as well as duties and responsibilities. It doesn’t differentiate between man and woman; all people are equal and are judged according to their actions and deeds, not according to their sex. God says in the Holy Qur’an, â€Å"Whoso acts righteously, whether male or female and is a believer, We will surely grant him a pure life (4:123; also 16:19)† (quote taken from Agbetola 134). Islam has defended women starting their early childhood; it forbade infant icide, and also required parents to treat their daughters kindly and fairly. Prophet Muhammad stated â€Å"Whosoever has a daughter and he does not bury her alive, does not insult her, and does not favor his son over her, God will enter him into Paradise† (quote taken from Badawi 15). As adults, Islam has also ensured that women would lead an honorable and dignified life. In the Qur’an it is cl... Free Essays on Islam Orthopraxy in Islam Islamic life is centered on the physical practice of prayer (salat). With that the religion of Islam itself is based in the methodical movement through which Muslims show their devotion to Allah. The prayer begins with the devotee standing, bending slowly into a sitting position and ending in full prostration. Bowing fully onto the ground is a practice that shows humility and represents the true devotion of members. Practice-centered religion differentiates itself from â€Å"orthodox† religion in that it focuses primarily on ritual practice, rather than theology or doctrine, orthodox meaning â€Å"correct opinion†. The most visible orthodox religion of America is Christianity. Christianity centers life around the opinions of the church with less emphasis on purity and behavior. Islamic life is distinctly based on what can be defined as â€Å"orthopraxy† or the importance of religious practice. The orthopraxy of Islam can be seen in at least three of the Five Pillars of Islam, salat, Ramadan and the hajj, which are also representative of Muslim faith and duties. Salat, as mentioned earlier, is the performance of prayer five times a day. The prayer, which includes full prostration, is performed facing Mecca. In the The Meaning of the Glorious Koran, (the earliest source of Islamic writing as dictated to Mohammed), it is written, â€Å"Whencesoever thou comest forth (for prayer, O Mohammed) turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship. Lo! it is the Truth from thy Lord. Allah is not unaware of what ye do (Surah 2:149).† Implicit directions for prayer also display the amount of emphasis on practice. Salat must be performed five times daily, at specific times of the day: early morning, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and evening. Each Friday a congregational service is held at the mosque and every male is required to attend. Before prayer, four ritual aspects are required: ritual purification, proper co... Free Essays on Islam â€Å"The Pillars of Islam†, by Frances Gumley and Brian Redhead briefly explains the basic principles which guide the lives of Muslims all over the world. Frances Gumley is a producer for religious programs for the British Broadcasting Commission and a free lance producer for Radio Four. Brian Redhead is a well known broadcaster for Radio Four. The two have worked together before on two occasions, â€Å"The good book† and â€Å"The Christian Centuries†. â€Å"The pillars of Islam†, is their third collaborative achievement. Gumley and Redhead adopt a very simple and logical style of presenting their views. They use quotations from the Koran and support their views by referring to viewpoints of distinguished Muslim scholars. The authors describe the five pillars in detail using a chapter for each one. The book being an introduction to the Islamic faith, I think that the authors have succeeded in capturing the essence of this particular religion. In my opinion ‘the five pillars of Islam’ is something of a misnomer. I think the first pillar, the statement of faith, Is not a pillar but the basis upon which all else rests. On this foundation rests the other four pillars. If they did not then they would not be important for they are expressions of worship and thus a form of giving, though also, like worship, a form of receiving. For in these pillars rests great inner peace and social peace- a harmony and serenity that is only possible if one is living the life for which one was created. For example everything manufactured works best when the manufacturers instructions are followed. Likewise for man: our proper performance depends upon carefully following the instructions of the manufacturer’s manual. It is therefore our obligation to seek and realize and to obey the word of the creator. The Five Pillars of Islam are the foundation of the Islamic religion. These basic laws are very significant and stand as a way for Muslims to e... Free Essays on Islam The strong impact slavery had on the spread of Israel The word of the Quran had a strong influence on many cultures. The Muslims holy word was fitting to many and easily answered people’s questions on how to get into heaven and how to stay out of flaming hell. The spread of Islam moved quickly considering the extensive geography and different regions that were involved. While the word to the Quran brought guidance to many, Islam spread by word of mouth while trading and military conquests took place. (Stearn,68) Throughout this paper I hope to show how the African Diaspora and slavery both economically and geographically played a huge role in the spread of Islam. The Islam faith offered rules that where easily followed, and it didn’t condemn or renounce material wealth. Economically Muslims brought strong skills in navigation, trade, and commercial exchange. (Fiero, 50) The famous Jihad also translated as the â€Å"holy war† was used as a defense in faith against non-Muslims. Although the Muslim armies did have success in defending there faith and it was thought that the Muslim religion brought power and triumph. As Africans where traded into the Islamic world many of them accepted and agreed with the Islamic faith. (Stern, 68) One example of a military slave that converted to the Islamic belief was a man named Ammar bin Yasir. He was one of the first African’s to embrace Islam, which he did at 48 years old. He told his father, an old Sabena freedman and his mother, also an old black African slave-woman that he had converted to Muslim. They also decided to embrace the Islam culture. When Ammar made and early conversion to Islam he suffered a great deal for his decision. He was punished and tortured, he was forced to sit and witness the brutal and horrifying death of his mother and father for their decision to convert to the Muslim faith and embracing Islam. The pagan Quraysh put a burning rod through Ammara’s chest ... Free Essays on ISLAM The first thing that one should know and understand about Islam is what the world â€Å"Islam† means. The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of Christianity which named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, and Confucianism after Confucius and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam is the religion of â€Å"Allah† (God). â€Å"The Arabic word â€Å"Islam† means the submission or surrender of one’s will to the only true god worthy of worship â€Å"Allah† and anyone who does so is termed a â€Å"Muslim†, the word also implies â€Å"peace†Ã¢â‚¬ . The name of God’s religion Islam was not decided upon by later generations of man. It was chosen by Allah Himself and clearly mentioned in His final revelation to man. Islam is the world’s second most popular religion. It began 1400 years ago in Arabia, but swiftly become a world faith, and now has around 1,200 million adherents. There are between 1. 2 and 1.6 million Muslims in the UK, about 600,000 of who are active in the faith. Those who are not active still regard being a Muslim as an important part of their identity. Islam was the religion of the first couple, Adam and Eve. It was also the religion of messengers of God like Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. The real meaning of their message was the same. Islam teaches that â€Å"believe and obey one true God and obey his messengers†. Jesus (peace be upon him) was the second last prophet of God. He foretold the coming of the last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). While the message of the earlier messengers, including Jesus was limited, but the message of Prophet Mohammad is universal and will remain so till the end of this world. Belief in Islam means belief in One God, belief in all of God’s messengers, belief in all the books sent down to His Prophets. These books include Torah and Gospel (not the Bible), belief in the existence of angels, and belief in the Day of Judgment and Life after Death, heaven and hell...

HR Management Transformation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HR Management Transformation - Research Paper Example This can be explained with the help of an example. Business leaders would want to maximize their profits. The HR leaders may be honored if they are capable of explaining the business leaders of numerous ways to manage the people in the organization for maximizing their profitability. In order to develop a better organization, the leaders need to have lucidity in their thoughts as well as sense of directions. They need to have patience which seems to be the toughest stage. Since the HR managers needs to face the situations where negotiations are made, therefore, the HR leaders’ need to be self disciplined (Saha, n.d.) It can be mentioned that the history of the human resource management can be traced back to the 19th century during the existence of the welfare officers. It was the First World War that sped up alterations in the development of personal management where the women were recruited in order to fill up the gaps that were left by the men who were going to fight. It was during the Second World War, the concept of welfare and personnel work came into being. Further, during the 1960s and the 1970s the development of employment was evident. ... HR as a strategic partner can be understood as maintaining long-term relation with the organizational partners so that the common objectives can be achieved. The companies are capable of making the human resources as the strategic partner’s by delivering effective human resource services. The main reason behind the change of HR management from administrative and operational functions to the strategic partner is that there is constant change in the demands and trends of the organization triggering the need for new ways of thinking as well as operating. Such change necessitates the HR as well as the other professionals to alter their ways of looking at things. In order to add value to the organization, it becomes essential for the human resource professionals to play new roles and thus show broader competencies with the change in time. Furthermore, the companies require new model so that they can assist the decision makers at making sound decisions related to the human resource policies. The companies are capable of enhancing their competitive advantage by aligning the HR strategies to their business plan (Dye, n.d.). Ford Motor Company has changed it view from tough managerialism that can be described as a management philosophy based upon the rigid pursuit of tight control over its employees, to a strategy where the employees are encouraged to participate and involve themselves in the strategy building process. According to the views of the HR Director of Ford Motor Company, Mr. Patrick David, for the restructuring organizations the job of the human resource department comprises one of the challenging tasks. Since many years, human

Fareed Zakaria article The Rise of the Illiberal Democracy, Civil Research Paper

Fareed Zakaria article The Rise of the Illiberal Democracy, Civil Rights, and Women Suffrage Movements - Research Paper Example Democracy is something much broader and holistic in its scope. It is a model of governance in which no individual, group or institution is endowed with absolute power so that it may ignore the aspirations expressed as seemingly disparate and conflicting opinions. Democracy is about liberty, separation of powers and assimilation and recognition of diverse opinions. Liberalism according to Zakaria is primarily an antithesis of absolutism in the political, civil and legal sphere (Zakaria 24: Online). Liberalism is a political doctrine that not only tolerates dissent and political, religious and ethnic pluralism, but goes a step ahead to recognize the opinion of the minorities and conflicting opinions, and extends them a fair opportunity and environment to have a say in the socio-political life of a nation. It is a political doctrine that gives every individual and group the access to some inalienable rights like the right to expression, assembly, religion and property. Illiberalism, sim ply speaking, is a way of politics, which curtails on the essential and fundamental rights of some or all segments of a society that includes the quintessential liberties like the freedom of speech, property, religion and assembly. (Zakaria 27: Online) Liberalism is the actual rule of the people, without any exception, not an arrangement in which an individual or a party rules by proxy and justifies the annihilation of civil liberties in the name of popular support and validation. For instance, Singapore is a liberal democracy in the sense that tough it offers limited political choices to its citizens; it does recognize and support their essentially human aspirations and rights, irrespective of their ethnic background or religion (Zakaria 25: Online). Modern Russia is actually an illiberal democracy in which the ruling party has usurped and appropriated political authority both horizontally and vertically, and has severely curtailed the civil and political rights such as the right t o speech, expression, assembly, and dissent (Zakaria 28: Online). In the context of the American constitution, liberalism certainly came first, followed by democracy (Zakaria 29: Online). Fear of absolute power and authority was the guiding spirit behind the architecture of the American constitution. That is why the American constitution provided for a clear cut division of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. It was unlike the British polity where the ministers are also a member of the House of Commons and the powers of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary tends to overlap or diffuse. In America the secretaries of state and the other government officials are not the members of the Congress. This arrangement negated the concentration of power in any one pillar of the American democracy. Civil Rights Movement The American civil rights movement that unfolded in the period 1955-1968 and aimed at the abolition of racial discrimination in the Ameri can socio-political setup and restoring the voting rights for the African Americans in the Southern States is an apt example of the liberal strains woven in the American democracy (Dierenfield 17). The very Declaration of Independence that can be considered the bedrock of the American constitution states that human beings have â€Å"certain inalienable rights†

Standing Long Jump Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Standing Long Jump - Essay Example The most important technique variable is the selection of takeoff angle. A japanese athlete studied the effects of changes in takeoff angle on performance in the standing long jump. The aim was to identify the "optimum take off angle" and to explain the underlying biomechanics of the standing long jump. When indoor arenas were built, the standing long jump began to disappear as an event. Today, the only country where the standing long jump is a national championship event is Norway. The Norwegian Championships in Standing Jumps (long jumps and high jumps) has been held in Stage every winter since 1995. The performance of standing long jump was often used or adopted to examine the fitness of school children, but the tests had frequently underestimated the subject's true potential when the subject did not use the best possible technique. The most important methods that promote the jumping performance is the selection of optimum take off angle and technical use of the arms. In previous researches, many researchers used the force plates to study the long jump and suggested the technique of long jumps. They later concluded that increasing the take off velocity of the jumper's supporting leg would increase the jumping distance. Numerical models were used by other researchers and found there were no significant inclination angles in the magnitude of the peak ground reaction force. Previous standing long jump study, compared body configuration and joint moment analysis in children and adult males. They suggested that skilled 6 year old children have not developed either hip negative work during preparatory movement or body configuration in the flight phase. The difference in body configuration showed the jumping performance and cross-sectional of the skeletal muscle correlate positively. They also verified that standing long jump performance improved when arm movement was employed. In recent studies, researchers investigated the explosive movements concerned mainly with vertical jump. Although jumping for distance received a lot of attention, most of these works were centered on long or triple jump in athletics. There were no attempts to relate the coordination of hands swing and starting knee angles in standing jumping distance. The difference in initial knee angle in the study has not been investigated in other studies. The performance of standing long jump and its relationship to the body configurations as well as the possible other reasons for the difference are still not so clear. Furthermore, there are no information about trajectory of body center of mass in the standing long jump, but other basic motor skills like walking, running , kicking, and vertical jump had been investigated by using the center of mass analysis. The study efforts were directed towards the investigation of the effects on the arm movement and initial knee joint angle employed in st anding long jump by the ground reaction force analysis, three dimensional motion analysis, and analyzing changes in the force-time characteristics, magnitude of peak ground reaction forces, impulses generated in preparing phase and mass center's pathway characteristic during standing long jump and investigating how the jump performance is related to the body confi