People resourcing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

People resourcing - Essay Example These changes offer organizations opportunities and challenges for success in equal measure. These conditions cause the change the nature of human resource planning. Success in the current dynamic market requires companies to improve performance. Improvement includes reducing costs, improving quality, innovativeness, creativity, and speed aimed at productivity. These duties rest on people who make up the organization because they make both long-term and short term organizational solutions. Human resources encompass most important resources in any organization that operates with the aim of achieving success (Wernerfelt 1984, 19). A volatile business environment means that the management of business organizations must comprehend that primary means of gaining competitive advantage have changed. The business world has seen various companies collapse in the economic recession that is slowly being managed. Companies hit by the recession range from world leading insurance, manufacturing, an d processing companies. National governments across the world had to salvage some the companies to save them from imminent collapse. The environment saw other companies close their operations in some parts of the world to minimise expenditure. The economic downturn did not spare national economies with Greece’s economically crumbling. The European Union is struggling to help the country resuscitate its economy. Italy is also struggling. Human resource planning must be used to develop new strategies that will help the company remain competitive in the market. Human resource planning helps the company to consider issues that enable gaining of competitive advantage. The management of companies should recognize that usual sources of success are still reliable but human resource planning enhances sustainability of success. Usual mechanisms that lead to success include economies of scale, production technology that covers both process and product, and protected markets. The input b y success factors offers competitive advantage. Human resources appear at the top of the ladder in the management hierarchy of organizations. This illustrates their importance in the running of business companies. Human resources management conducts job analysis processes before recruiting qualified employees with appropriate skills for specific jobs. It also enhances commitment of employees and makes sure that the company retains the best by taking care of their welfare (Lado 1994, 31). When the human resource department does this, it motivates employees because it takes care of the needs of the workforce. A business organization enjoys a competitive advantage by creating value for its clients. The organization must focus on product and service differentiation. It is important that the company give services and products that are unique. To do this, human resources must single out different markets and treat them as individuals. The concentration should be on particular market segme nts or groups and make sure that the products and services they receive are effective and more efficient than those provided by competitors are in the same market (Wright 2007, 56). In the process of achieving competitive advantage, human resources take a three-pronged approach including cost leadership,

Public Myth vs Social Reality Essay Example for Free

Public Myth vs Social Reality Essay Pierre Bourdieu asserts that public opinion does not exist. This poses the question, how should we conceive public opinion? If it is true that the public does not exist, than the real question is, whose opinion is public opinion? Rational Choice Theory poses that idea that human beings form their opinions and decisions based on collective observations and calculations. It also assumes all individuals are well informed of all of their options and that it is an inherent human tendency to think everyone makes decisions this way. If this is true, it would explain the blind faith people have in public opinion. It is a faith so devout, it often sways and molds popular culture ideals. Pierre Bourdieu strongly negates this view. Pierre Bourdieu is a highly acclaimed French sociologist. Born on August 1, of 1930, he recently passed away on January 23, 2002. His views embody the disciplines of many tenets including: philosophy, literary theory, sociology, and anthropology. He is the protagonist of the world of sociological studies, and he opposed and debunked some of the most prevalent antagonisms in the genre. His most popular work is Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste. In the 1967 study, he interprets how members of the upper class define taste as an aesthetic. He finds that the public has no genuine representation in democratic societies. Rational Choice Theory is the theory that assume human beings naturally choose a given path dependant on whether it is the best means to achieve their goals. It is a belief in methodological individualism; this meaning it adopts the belief that social situations, and group behavior is solely the result of individual action. Within this theory, corporations and national governments are viewed as individual operators as well. The problem that arises with this theory are the certain assumptions. This theory assumes human beings are aware of certain information, of which they aren’t always aware, and it assumes that individuals consistently make mental calculations to determine their next decision. Bourdieu is historically known for his opposition to this theory, based on the fact that he feels human beings operate more based on how they feel toward a given situation or at a given time. In his book, Outline Theory of Practice, Bourdieu analyzes human nature. He points out the human tendency to conform. Doing one’s duty as a man means conforming to the social order, and this is a fundamentally a question of respecting rhythms, keeping pace, not falling out of line. ‘Don’t we all eat the same wheat cake? Don’t we all get up at the same time? These various ways of reasserting solidarity contain an implicit definition of the fundamental virtue of conformity. (Bourdieu, 1977) He later goes on to show that conformities only other opposition is eccentricity, which becomes natural for those intrigued by it irregularity. The opposite of which is the desire to stand apart from others. Working while the others are resting, staying in the house while the others are working in the fields, traveling on deserted roads, wandering round the streets of the village while the others are asleep or at the market – these are all suspicious forms of behavior. The eccentric who does everything differently (Bourdieu, 1977) Bourdieu believes that society cannot just be analyzed in terms of economic classes and ideologies, but that individual education and culture must be applied as well. Bourdieu does not separate people based on class and then analyze them, but groups everyone into what he calls a field/ social arena. This contradicts classic Marxism. In this field people compete and struggle to attain their desires. It is a system of social positions organized by terms of power relationships. This idea of terms of power is most easily defined as the differential between a judge and a lawyer. Within this field the social agents fight over monetary gain, or whatever holds symbolic significance. In all of Bourdieu’s beliefs, his most popular is his assertion that the public does not exist (1984). This concept is addressed in his book, Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste, in that he feels there is a different of class taste between the ruling class and popular culture. But, within this conflict, there is no public, only a media mediating between the two and a culture to which they often cater to do so. Jon Simons addresses this concept in his essay, Governing the Public: Technologies of Mediation and Popular Culture, when he says, technologies constitute the people as a mediated public. The public is only amenable to representation in the form of an electorate which is an effect of technical organization that can mediate between people at a distance from each other. The key point of this analysis is that the public does not exist prior to or outside of its constitution. (Simons, 2002) His essay evaluates the importance of media technologies within a democracy. Bourdieu feels that in this field of power struggle, the ruling class uses their cultural capital to assert their distinction (1984). This is seen in the way politicians might only use terms or syntax understandable to the elite of society. This separation between popular culture and the elite culture of a society makes it virtually impossible for government officials to ever get the unanimous appeal for which they often aspire. Most political elites view popular cultures’ apathy towards politics with great disdain. Even still, they relentlessly attempt to relate to popular culture voters, whom they know will support them. In John Fiske’s critique on television, Television Culture he analyzes the nature of what makes popular television. He concludes that the shows that succeed in gaining popularity tend to have many symbols and plot lines containing multiple meanings. He also states that remain within a duality of containment and resistance (1987). This idea basically revolves around the fact that television producers, who are viewed as the upper class and political elite, are expected to produce material that correspond with popular culture. This material that the elite minority culture produces for the popular culture contradicts elitist ideals but allows the status quo to remain intact. This means the political elite can only remain the elite so long as they humor the beliefs and ideals of their less powerful but more dominant counterparts. The rules Fiske establishes for television shows can very easily be applied to the media. They present the media as a tool being used to prey on the wants and needs of different cultures. Another media technology that isn’t always addressed is the literary outlets in societies. This is undoubtedly the reason that Pierre Bourdieu is an acclaimed literary theorist as well, addressing such theorist as reader response theory. Reader response theory augments the importance of the role of the reader in interpreting texts. It disagrees that there is a solitary, fixed meaning integral to every literary work. This theory embraces that an individual creates his or her own meaning through a transaction with the text based on personal associations. Because all readers bring their own emotions, concerns, life experiences, and knowledge to their reading, each interpretation is subjective and unique. It is common that many people trace the foundation of reader-response theory to scholar Louise Rosenblatts influential 1938 work Literature as Exploration. She believed, close readings of literature should practice impassiveness in the study of texts and should reject all forms of personal interpretation by the reader. The text is an independent entity that could be objectively analyzed using unambiguous methodological criteria (Rosenblatts, 1938). Her work has been the topic of study for many professors and theorists who specialize in this form of analysis. In Fish’s piece, Is there a text in this class? The authority of interpretive communities, he argues that the readings of a text are culturally constructed. He feels that reader-response theory recognizes the reader as an active agent who imparts real existence to the work and completes its meaning through interpretation. Reader-response is an experience that every user goes through during the act of reading, it transpires and it affects reader and sometimes this counteracts to force user to do some practical reaction (Fish, 1986). This aspect of Stanley Fishs theory is one of the most radical and controversial and is part of the reason why many people object to the views backing this movement. He adds further rational to his stance with his view that most of the theories that are formulated on the grounds of practical experiences are likely to be accurate and are easily acceptable. The reader of reader-response theory is not just a hypothetical or theoretical reader, he is a practical reality (Fish, 1986). Since this theory has exact results it effects lives, personalities, cultures and societies. There are also some theories that fail but the reason of their failure is not the notion of being a textual work, it is their impractical approach that disappoints them (Fish, 1986). Fish’s attempt to place reader-response theory in a position of practical perspective more certifies its methodology. His political stance frees other theorists to do more in-depth analysis. Applied to the idea of public interpretation, we see that there is again another outlet for public opinion to be controlled through the targeting of specific popular culture emotions or ideals, and triggering whatever reader response might favor certain positions, or corporations. I’m sure news paper, and magazine advertisers are well studied in reader response-theory. Despite the insurmountable methods of control instilled on individuals, through popular culture, by the media, Simons argues that there are certain times when citizens group together in masses and act on their own apart from the propaganda projected by the media. A prime example of liberal citizens standing up and countering Bourdieu’s perception of public opinion is the Civil Rights movement in America. It was a much needed, and detrimental, shift in popular culture and eventually governmental law. A more contemporary version of this would be Hurricane Katrina, or 9/11. In her article Al Qaeda, Terrorism, and Military Commissions’, Ruth Wedgwood proves that though most American citizens consider terrorism to be a federal and national problem, it is very much a local one. Al Qaeda’s published doctrine maintains that there are no innocent civilians in Western society (Wedgwood, pg2)†¦ She later goes on to analyze the psychological foundation they use to form their tenet. She says,†¦this tenet leads it to [committing] the gravest of international crime[s] (Wedgwood, pg2). All of these qualities impose a large enough threat to individual human ideals and popular culture that a public arises from a nonentity. We also see this with protests. Here is where the weakness lies in Bourdieu’s theory. Despite this, we still see the prevention of certain liberal up risings maintained by systems of control, like racial, sexual and religious prejudice, or even class prejudice through the myth of the American Dream. The American dream that one can become something from nothing is the main reason why America is the fastest growing country. It is often seen as a melting pot encompassing many different religions and nationalities. People move to America with dreams of becoming wealthy, but many of the ideologies that have existed within the country for years inhibit these dreams from coming true. It is Harlon L. Dalton’s belief that Horatio Alger’s writings, during the mid to late 1800’s, promoted a destructive myth that overlooked the realities of society. Dalton specifically targets Alger’s story Ragged Dick, about a young man who devoutly works his way up the American corporate ladder slowly succeeding based on his merit. Dalton feels the myth implied by this is that the American dream is accessible to all those who are willing to work for it. Alger has been a highly acclaimed writer in American culture, and the popularity of his work partly suggests that most Americans have and inherent belief in this myth. If this mindset is a part of the mental tapestry of America, and it is as destructive as Dalton claims it to be, it would mean that American’s are inherently delusional. One might argue that this is only the problem of the minorities in this country, but Dalton protests that part of the want for most Americans to believe in this myth is fueled by a white discomfort with addressing the reality of a racial problem in America. He identifies this when he says, By interring the myth of Horatio Alger, or at least forcing it to coexist with social reality, we can accomplish two important goals. First, we can give the lie to the idea that Black people can simply lift themselves up by their own bootstraps. With that pesky idea out of the way it is easier to see why White folk need to take joint ownership of the nation’s race problem†¦ (Dalton) This idea of dual ownership for racial injustice is a concept Dalton feels most whites avoid and is a concept we see on many occasions being played out by the media in daily society. This is just a perfect example of the power of popular culture to create a sense of public opinion. In Horatio Alger’s day, the sociological circumstance of America was perfectly visible to every individual, but people chose to adopt the popular false reality projected from Alger’s novels. Alger was noted for not being a very skilled writer, and the majority of his novels were written solely for the purpose of maintaining his extremely large fan base, so he made sure his books adhered to certain ideals. Most of these ideals involved the overlooking of racial stratification. Racial stratification that existed in the U. K. at the beginning of the last century also deprived its colored citizens from the access to the most valuable resources the American society had, from the education, proper medical treatment etc. To make the Afro-Americans believe in the uniqueness of the whites they developed ridiculous theories of the mental or physical prevalence of their race. (Banton, 1998) Despite this, America wins the title for being the most racially conflicted, and thus corrupted. This corresponds with Bourdieu’s view that ethnicity and education will be one’s core sources of decision making, as apposed to ideology (1984). The first persuasion, which is that everyone can participate equally and can always start over, is troubling, as throughout most part of the American history, women of any race and men who were Native American, Asian, black, or just poor, were barred from all but a narrow range of elective positions. White men, especially European immigrants, able to ride the wave of the Industrial Revolution to comfort or prosperity, have always been the most valued members of the American society. Those who do not fit to that description, disappear from the collective self-portrait. The situation is that not only has the ideal of universal participation been denied to most Americans, but also the very fact of its denial is been denied in our national self-image. This state of things determines deep misunderstandings and correspondingly deep political tensions. This is especially true for the victims of racial attacks. Social stratification, according to some scientists has always accompanied the life of the human beings, after appearing on the down of the humankind history. The reason for its existence is a very simple one and it’s that the amount of resources this planet can provide is limited, thus it’s impossible to give everything needed or desired to everyone. As we all know people have always been unequal. It was determined by numerous factors even many centuries ago, and nowadays the amount of those factors has increased greatly. Despite of the principles about the equality of all of the societys members that are declared in the contemporary society nowadays, the phenomenon of discrimination still exists in our country. This problem is enforced by Bourdieu’s public opinion created by the media, and heartfelt by many individuals. From one viewpoint it is only natural for people to treat those a certain way in accordance with their age, gender, religious beliefs, physical condition, but when these peculiarities are used for to determine the persons rights or regulate his or her freedom of action and choice, it created huge problems in interpersonal and social communication, and other processes. One is only left to wonder what the state of racism would be in this country if it wasn’t constantly displayed as the symbol of western society. One might argue, like in the case with Horatio Alger, the disregard of racism only resulted in its unacknowledged enhancement. The very purpose of the Civil Rights movement in the states was to allow whites the opportunity to see how black were being treated by the police Lots of books and articles written recently, state that the degree of negative discrimination is still very high in the U. K. , which strings the social relations up, and leads to numerous conflicts within various racial groups. Martha Minow addresses this in many of her writings. In her essay on identity, titled Not Only for Myself Identity, Politics, and the Law, she says, There are two kinds of people in the world†¦those who think there are two kinds of people, and those who do not (Minow, 1997). Her essay reveals the ever segregating nature of Western Civilization, while she takes a clear stance in favor of the universal individual. Her essay takes an in depth look at the attitude that is truly necessary for one to make a lone effort towards furthering the genuine full racial integration of the United Kingdom. Her essay condemns all those who settle into social tribes of convenient sameness. To encourage those who oppose conforming to the common American culture of segregation, she describes in detail the trials of a young Nathan Marx. The story also suggests how an identity is founded on both the views of others and the individual; Marx is treated as a Jew both by his non-Jewish fellow officers and by the Jewish trainees. Both kinds of treatment influence his sense of himself as a Jew. Although he resists both, he defines himself in the course of that resistance (Minow, 1997). Here Minow points out a key factor of equality in that individuals all find equality in others in the fact that they refuse to be solely identified ethnically. Those who rather remain segregated are incapable of seeing others as equal to them and just harbor hate. This is a complexity that the U. K. often shares with the U. S. The ironic factor in this circumstance is that racial and religious separatism is just as much the result of the media as it is the people at adhering to it. If we look at the statistics found by the 2005 United States Census Bureau, the discrepancies in success among ethnicities is quite revealing.

Maurice Agulhons The Republican Experiment :: essays research papers

Maurice Agulhon. The Republican Experiment, 1848-1852. London and New York: Cambridge University Press. 1983.Pp195.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This books main objective was to describe how France was in the process of becoming a democratic Republic. The book gave a full evolution and fulfillment that France made by the first four years of its first trial run at becoming a democratic Republic. The book gave in detail from start to finish how France finally prevailed during the 18707’s. The Republic was reborn when the Second Empire had made itself impossible: too aggressive for the alarmed Europe of the time and too authoritarian for an awakened society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Second Republic was not completely credited simply to the combination of government which held power during those four years. The powers were attributable to the Republic that tried to succeed from February to June 1848 and then survive from June 1848 to January 1849, and were above all due to the ideal Republic defined and desired between 1949 and 1851 by the only true republicans of all the time, those who were in opposition. The textbook as compared to the book chosen was alike in many aspects. Not only did the two books contain a lot of information but also the book compared very similarly with the classroom notes. Many of the ideas that were briefly discussed in class were given in much more detail in the book. The book information really did not differ in the views that were depicted in the textbook. Both sources were good detailed accounts of history during the republican era. The importance and purpose of this book was to give the audience or the reader complete and detailed accounts of the French Revolution. The author’s purpose was to tell from begging to end how the French went through many trials and failures before becoming a true form of democratic government. “However, the overall impact of these individual memories would not have been sufficiently strong had not literature evoked a collective memory. If the Republic was better know during the forties and able to win supporters from beyond the restricted circle of republican survivors and their immediate, this was the achievement of History.

Controversies of Racism Essay

The subject of racism is a continual controversial issue within everyday society. It’s inevitable. Everywhere you go, you’ll come across some sort of discrimination or racism. It’s like we’re programmed to judge instantly, it’s in our human nature. Religion, age and racial discrimination literally surrounds us and we can’t do much to stop it until we change ourselves, and let’s face it that’s probably not going to happen. So the main questions I normally ask myself are: Why are we prejudiced? Is being different that bad? And are we really that different? Hitler definitely seemed to think that we were. So did America back in the 1600’s where the first of racism and black slavery began and half the world’s population in the 21st Century think so too. It was said for many years that Hitler was obsessed with racial â€Å"purity† and spread his beliefs in speeches and writings pronouncing that his race needs to remain pure in order to rule the world. What was his definition of pure? To have blue eyes, fair skin and blonde hair. Who is to say that makes you the perfect being? Absolutely no one. When Hitler and the Nazis came to power, these beliefs became the government motto and were spread publicly in posters, on the radio, in movies, in classrooms and in newspapers. After Hitler took power, Nazi teachers in school classrooms began to apply the principles of racial science. The teachers measured skull size and nose length and recorded the colour of the student’s hair and eyes to determine whether students belonged to the â€Å"true race†. This constant negative message that was being sent out influenced the younger students to continue with racism. The Nazis also began to put their ideology into practice with the support of German scientists who believed that the human race could be improved by limiting the reproduction of people considered â€Å"inferior† such as Jews, people with disabilities, gypsies, black people, and people with skin diseases, Jehovah’s Witnesses and any other flaws humans are born with. Hitler viewed the Jews not as a religious group, but as a poisonous, disgusting â€Å"race†, which â€Å"lived off† other races and weakened them. And so began the Holocaust. Hitler threw innocent Jewish people into concentration camps letting them starve to death, gassing them, burning them alive and countless other torturous acts because they weren’t what he saw to be the ‘’perfect being’’. That may have been around sixty years ago but why does genocide still happen? After the Jewish Genocide, the cold war genocide, Rwanda genocide and just recently the genocide in Darfur occurred. Slavery is a black eye on the soul of America’s history. There has never been an excuse for one human to own another. We humans as a species should always have been treated equally. Why should people own other people? Are human beings animals? How can you hate someone so much by the colour of their skin? There simply is no answer. Slavery began around the 1600’s when the first black man was used as a servant. The slavery continued on, all the way through to the 1900’s where the servants were used to clean, cook food, babysit and do the dirty work around the house while a racist extremist group called the Ku Klux Klan that believed in Hitler’s message abused them with hate crimes and acts of domestic terrorism. Black people were treated like they were the scum of the earth; they were abused, spit on, beaten and in worst case scenario, murdered. They weren’t allowed to go to the same stores, schools, diners, and churches as the white people in America which was a huge disadvantage to the African-American race. When the racial segregation happened, which was a big milestone in history, the African–Americans were allowed to have the same facilities as everyone else, much to Americas disdain. Their freedom was limited; the African-Americans resorted to sitting at the back of the bus, or were only allowed to go to certain public areas. So why it is that racism still exists? What will it take for mankind to realize that despite the colour of a person’s skin, we are all amazing, complex people, who have wonderful characteristics that should be admired and loved? But people also need to realize that some people that were born black didn’t CHOSE to be black. I mean, I’m a black girl but that doesn’t make me hate the whites and love the blacks. Both races are the same to me. I guess equality is such a new concept within everyday American society that many raw emotions still cloud their judgment. Now in the 21st Century, racism still exists and in varying forms. Not only is there racial discrimination, religion is discriminated against also. When you see a Muslim man walking down the street or a woman wearing a burka, do you cower in fear? There is this new phobia called Islamophobia where there is hatred, prejudice or fear of a Muslim person and this term came to use fter the September 11 terrorist attack. But why be scared of only Muslim’s? Everyone is capable of causing great harm to society and just recently the Norway attack occurred and this attack wasn’t done by a Muslim. It was by a Norwegian citizen that no one suspected. This man, Breivik planned the attack to annihilate multiculturalism in Norway and to preserve a Christian Europe. His political views were to conserve his culture and promote Islamoph obia, he also urged Europeans after this attack to restore the â€Å"historic crusades† against Islam as in the Middle Ages. You could say that Islamophobia is the new form of black racism as it is a practice of discriminating against Muslims by excluding them from the economic, social and public life of everyday society. The new law that was passed down in France of not being able to wear the burka is an example. French police arrested two veiled women just hours after the country’s new ban on wearing the burka in public came into force. This law is the first of its kind to be enforced in Europe, and the French police said they will be extremely cautious as there are fears of Muslim women provoking violence while the burka. The law should not push minorities around. I believe that people should be allowed to wear what they want, free of coercion. The burka is a Muslim practice and I do not see the big deal, it is not a security risk. It is believed that Islam has no values in the Western society and is an inferior and violent religious belief. On the contrary, the violent belief is this new phobia. What do you think? Far too many of us speak of equality and hope, yet secretly have hate. Most people will tell you, that they are not racist individuals. Many of these people though, are either fooling themselves, or just don’t want to make a bad reputation for themselves. Everyone is based on little more than stereotypes and stories of that what happened years ago with Hitler and the black slavery. So we need to put aside all the things that happened generations ago. It happened out of ignorance and right now what we need to be doing is unite as one race, stop the negative attitudes and beliefs that permeate around us and try to make the future brighter. Some people believe that racism is in our human nature. Do you think so?

Mahatma Gandhi Research Paper

Aroused by the massacre of Amritsar in 1919, Gandhi devoted his life to gaining India’s independence from Great Britain. As the dominant figure used his persuasive philosophy of non-violent confrontation, he inspired political activists with many persuasions throughout the world (Andrews 23). Not only was Mahatma Gandhi a great peacemaker, but also his work to achieve freedom and equality for all people was greatly acknowledged. Gandhi’s unconventional style of leadership gained him the love of a country and eventually enabled him to lead the independence movement in India. Mohandas Gandhi, later called Mahatma Gandhi, was born on October 2,1869 in Porbandar, which is the present day state of Gujarat, India (Andrews 17). He grew up in a very controlled family that had an alliance with the family ruling Kathiawad. He was engaged to two other women who both died, then he eventually married Kasturba at the age of 13. Gandhi sailed to England to attend University College in London to study law (Kamat’s Potpourri). In 1891, he was able to practice in the British bar. Gandhi went back to India and tried to authorize a law practice in Bombay, with very little achievement. Two years later, an Indian firm with curiosity in South Africa had an office in Durban where Gandhi was commissioned as legal advisor. This is where he lived for twenty years once he began his job doing labor on the sugar estates in South Africa (Moreorless). As soon as he arrived in Durban, he found himself being treated as if he was not human. The Africans forbade fundamental individual rights and political rights from the Indian immigrants. This conduct resulted in Gandhi’s outburst in fury towards the African’s reactions to Indian immigrants to South Africa. He then began a civil right’s campaign, which resulted in the development of his passive resistance policy, which eventually inspired thousands. The Union of South Africa government adjusted Gandhi’s demands, which included recognition of Indian marriages and abolition of the poll tax (Kamat’s Potpourri). When this man saw how terrible people were being treated because of diversity he said, â€Å"†There is nothing that wastes the body like worry, and one who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever,† (Gold 231). By saying that, he meant that no one should worry about where hey stand in society or how they are judged because in God’s eyes everyone is perfect and everyone is equal therefore, no one who has any faith in God should be worrying about their so called â€Å"imperfections. † This great man struggled to gain the important rights for all Indians, and this is where it all began. Once Gandhi’ s mission in South Africa was complete, he returned to India and became involved in the home ruling movement. He was concerned with excessive land tax and discrimination, so he organized protests by peasants, farmers, and urban laborers to help them stand tall and fight for what they deserved (Gold 57). During World War I, Gandhi had an active part in recruiting campaigns by launching his new movement of non-violent resistance to Great Britain (Byers 202). When Parliament passed the Rowlatt Acts in 1919, Satyagraha, which means insistence on truth, spread throughout India, recruiting millions of followers. British soldiers massacred Indians at Amritsar as a demonstration against the Rowlatt Acts. In 1920 the British government failed to make peace, which resulted in Gandhi organizing a campaign of non-cooperation (Andrews 103). There was chaos in India as the public office resigned, courts were boycotted, and children were taken out of schools. Sitting Indians, who ignored police officers when told to move, even if they got beaten, blocked the streets. Gandhi was arrested, but the British soon were forced to free him. India’s economic independence was made of Gandhi’s Swaraj (self governing) movement. Because of this, India boycotted all British goods and British industrialists were left in extreme poverty across India. To save the country, Gandhi brought back cottage industries. He started to symbolize the return of simple village life by using a spinning wheel. â€Å"Gandhi became the international symbol of a free India. He lived a spiritual and ascetic life of prayer, fasting, and meditation,† (Andrews 126). He refused material possessions, and wore the lowest-class clothing and supported himself on only vegetables, fruits, and goat’s milk. Fellow Indians looked at him as a God-like force, often referring to him as Mahatma (which means great-souled). Gandhi's ahimsa (idea of nonviolence), was essentially the way of life in the Hindu religion. Since India followed Gandhi’s ahimsa with such support, Britain would soon understand that violence is useless in this country and leave. In 1921, Gandhi received complete leadership from the Indian National Congress, the group that started the movement for nationhood. But, the Indian population could not understand why the whole world wasn’t practicing and showing the ahimsa (Kamat’s Potpurri). Because of this, many armed revolts broke out against the British. Gandhi eventually admitted that his campaign was a failure, and quickly tried to end it. Gandhi was then seized and imprisoned by the British government in 1922. He was released in 1924, and distanced himself from being involved in any politics and instead focused on getting the Indian community closer (Gold 149). Unavoidably, he was brought back into the political forces. In 1930, a new campaign of civil disobedience was called to the Indian population saying they should refuse to pay taxes, especially on salt (Moreorless). The campaign was the famous march to the sea, where thousands of Indians followed Gandhi from Ahmedabad to the Arabian Sea, and made salt by evaporating sea-water. Gandhi was again arrested, but released in 1931 as he stopped the campaign. In 1932, Gandhi started new civil-disobedience campaigns against the British. Since he was arrested twice, the Mahatma fasted for long periods many times. These fasts were very useful against the British because revolts would have broken out if Gandhi had died. In September 1932, while in jail, Gandhi performed a â€Å"fast unto death† in order to help the Hindu Untouchables. (Byers 202). The British considered the Untouchables as a separate part of the Indian government and tolerated their injustice. Although Gandhi was a member of the upper caste, he strongly believed in removing this unjust caste system. In 1934 Gandhi resigned from politics, being replaced by Jawaharlal Nehru. Gandhi continued teaching ahimsa and traveled across India. He was known for his dedication and political power. Since he was viewed with such great esteem, the British had to wait for Gandhi’s approval to limit the home rule in 1935. In 1939 he returned to politics and designed his first act manipulate the ruler of the state of Rajkot to change his autocratic rule (Moreorless). The colonial government had to intervene because the fast caused commotion across the country. When World War II broke out, the Congress party and Gandhi refused to support Britain in the war unless they were given complete independence. The British refused their proposal. When Japan entered the war, Gandhi still refused to allow India to fight in the war. He was imprisoned in 1942 but was freed after two years due to his bad health (Kamat’s Potpourri). By 1944 the British agreed to allow Indian independence only if the two nationalist groups, the Muslim League and the Congress party, resolved their issues (Andrews 178). Gandhi was strongly against the dividing of India but in the end had to agree, hoping that peace would be accomplished after the demand for Muslim separation was achieved. India and Pakistan split to two separate states when India gained its independence in 1947. Gandhi begged Hindus and Muslims to live together peacefully during the riots. Mahatma fasted until the riots stopped (Moreorless). He also fasted successfully on January 13, 1948, to bring about peace, but twelve days after that fast ended he was assassinated by a Hindu on his way to an evening prayer (Byers 203). Gandhi's death was a worldwide devastation that left the population in shock. In the United Nations there was a day set aside to mourn for Gandhi and remember his acts of nonviolence for eternity. All countries sent their apologies and reassured that he would never be forgotten. The teachings of nonviolent movements were inspired in other countries, as well as the U. S. A. â€Å"under the civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and in South Africa under Nelson Mandela,† (Moreorless). Gandhi was the most inspirational leader in the twentieth century because of his unique tactics of protesting and making peace worldwide. The most persuasive ways of accomplishing change in social issues came from his idea of civil disobedience and nonviolence, which advised freedom movements around the globe (Moreorless). This political leader and peacemaker will always be remembered as a successful man who impacted many to be non-violent. This accomplishment is a great achievement because without this concept India may still have been fighting for independence. Gandhi said, â€Å"The† (Moreorless) and that is what Gandhi chose to do. By doing favors for other people he was able to find out who he was, he found out he was the Mahatma because he truly did have a great soul.

The Reiss

The Reiss The Reiss-Epstein-Gursky Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI-R) is the psychological assessment instrument which is used to measure such a variable as the anxiety sensitivity which can be explained as the fear of anxiety.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Reiss-Epstein-Gursky Anxiety Sensitivity Index specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, the anxiety sensitivity is the fear of the anxiety-related factors which can lead to the negative and threatening physical, psychological, and social consequences. To have the opportunity to receive the important information on the patient’s level of the anxiety sensitivity, Reiss developed the ASI-R as the 16-item measurement which is rated on a 5-point scale. The original ASI-R was developed and improved with references to Epstein and Gursky’s researches. The ASI-R is used to determine whether the patient is characterized by the high anxiety sensitivity, and the t est is effective to identify the patients who suffer from the panic disorder and from the posttraumatic stress disorder (Barlow, 2004, p. 350; Reiss-Epstein-Gursky Anxiety Sensitivity Index, 2014). While choosing the appropriate and valid psychological assessment instrument, it is necessary to refer to the aspects of the decision theory and such indicators as the hit rate, miss rate, false positive errors, and false negative errors which can influence the test interpretation procedure and the overall validity of the psychological assessment instrument. Correct and incorrect decisions related to interpreting such a psychological assessment instrument as the ASI-R are based on discussing the hit rate, miss rate, false positive errors, and false negative errors, and they can affect the accuracy of the test interpretation and following diagnosis. It is also important to determine what type of errors can be discussed as acceptable while conducting measurements.Advertising Looking for assessment on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Definitions of Hits, Misses, False Positive Errors, and False Negative Errors in Relation to the ASI-R While interpreting the psychological assessment instrument such as the ASI-R, correct decision should be based on the analysis of the hit rate. From this point, the hit rate is the number of those persons who possess the qualities measured with the help of the analyzed assessment instrument (Cohen, Swerdlik, Sturman, 2012, p. 169). These identified people are discussed as having the definite characteristic or quality. Referring to the ASI-R, it is important to note that ‘hits’ are the measure which are related to those persons who are determined as characterized by the certain level of the anxiety sensitivity. The correctness of the decision made by the psychologist also depends on the miss rate. ‘Misses’ are the failures in identifyin g the patients who are characterized by the certain attribute or characteristic. The miss rate determines those people who were not identified appropriately as possessing the certain attribute or characteristic (Cohen et al., 2012, p. 169). The ASI-R is developed according to the principles of the self-report, and the test can be proposed for individuals and for the groups of people. That is why, the ‘misses’ can be identified only while focusing on the anxiety sensitivity examined in the group of clients. ‘Misses’ can also be discussed as false negative and false positive errors. False negative errors are the ‘misses’ which are associated with stating that the person possesses the definite attribute in spite of the fact that the person is not characterized by the certain quality (Cohen et al., 2012, p. 169). Referring to the ASI-R, it is possible to note that false positives occur when the persons who really do not have the high level of the a nxiety sensitivity are identified as possessing this quality.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Reiss-Epstein-Gursky Anxiety Sensitivity Index specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More False negative errors can be defined as the ‘misses’ which occur when those persons who possess certain qualities are identified as not having them (Cohen et al., 2012, p. 169). Discussing the case of the ASI-R assessment, it is important to note that false negatives and false positives are typical for the test because the ASI-R is based on the principle of the self-report, and the factor of subjectivity can prevent the psychologist from receiving the accurate results to conclude on the problem effectively. How Hits, Misses, False Positive Errors, and False Negative Errors Might Apply to Interpreting the Construct Measured by the ASI-R The ASI-R is discussed as the traditional psychological assessment instrument used to mea sure the patients’ fear of anxiety. The assessment tool is designed as the self-report that is why hits, ‘misses’, false positive and false negative errors can affect the process of interpreting the anxiety sensitivity measured by the ASI-R significantly. While focusing on the hits, it is important to pay attention to the fact that the ASI-R is the multidimensional psychological assessment instrument that is why it is necessary to determine the level according to which the anxiety sensitivity is characteristic for the person. On the contrary, it is rather difficult to determine the hit rate because the accurateness of the test results depends on the level of the observed anxiety sensitivity without references to the number of persons examined with the help of this psychological assessment instrument (Barlow, 2004, p. 350). As a result, the focus on hits and the hit rate is not reasonable for the ASI-R.Advertising Looking for assessment on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, while referring to the examination of the groups with the help of the ASI-R, it is important to state that the hits and misses play the important role in interpreting the anxiety sensitivity as the construct measured by the assessment tool. In spite of the fact that the ASI-R is based on the principle of the self-report, the percentage of persons who can be identified wrongly according to the ASI-R or the percentage of ‘misses’ cannot be rather high because of the people’s focus on their fears and anxiety while answering the proposed questions. There are situations when false positive and false negative errors can be observed in relation to measuring the anxiety sensitivity. Referring to the interpretation of the construct, it is important to note that false positive and false negative errors are closely associated with the factor of subjectivity and inadequate perception of the situation (Hunsley Mash, 2008, p. 236). Certain psychological problems and disorders can influence the persons’ data, and these factors can lead to false positive and false negative errors. In this case, false positive errors as the determined ‘misses’ can be discussed as acceptable types of errors in relation to the ASI-R because such results can stress on the persons’ other psychological problems and fears. How Hits, Misses, False Positive Errors, and False Negative Errors Can Affect the Evaluation of the ASI-R’s Validity While discussing the question of the ASI-R’s validity, it is important to note that hits, ‘misses’, false positive and false negative errors can affect the evaluation of this psychological assessment instrument. Validity can be defined as the test’s characteristic according to which the assessment tool can be discussed as measuring the certain construct effectively or non-effectively. Referring to the validity of the ASI-R, it is necessary to focus on the effectiveness of the assessment tool in relation to measuring the anxiety sensitivity. In spite of the fact that the ASI-R is usually discussed as characterized by the good internal consistency, such factors as the hits, ‘misses’, false positive and false negative errors can influence the general appropriateness of the ASI-R for measuring the level of the patients’ anxiety sensitivity. The hit rate is not appropriate to be discussed as influencing the validity of the ASI-R because the assessment is mainly used to measure the anxiety sensitivity in individual patients. The issue of ‘misses’ can affect the procedure of evaluating the test’s validity because of the necessity to decide on the test’s sensitivity and specificity (Barlow, 2004, p. 350). Nevertheless, the failure to identify the patients suffering from the high level of the anxiety sensitivity is minimal because of the test’s focus on determining the patients with panic disorders. The false positive and false negative errors’ role in discussing the validity of the ASI-R is also minimal because the percentage of false negatives and false positives is usually low while discussing the ASI-R results (Hunsley Mash, 2008, p. 236-237). Nevertheless, there are situations when the determined anxiety level makes the psychologists provide wrong conclusions about the psychological disorders. However, the ASI-R is discussed as useful to make decisions regarding the patients’ level of the anxiety sensitivity and associated psychological disorders. Conclusion Different correct and incorrect decisions can occur while interpreting the ASI-R because of the impact of the observed hits, ‘misses’, false positive and false negative errors. However, these issues can affect the psychologist’s decision regarding the patient’s state minimally because the ASI-R is designed appropriately, and it is characterized by the high validity. While referring to th e range of acceptable errors, it is possible to determine false positive errors as acceptable while interpreting the ASI-R results. References Barlow, D. (2004). Anxiety and its disorders: The nature and treatment of anxiety and panic. USA: Guilford Press. Cohen, R. J., Swerdlik, M., Sturman, E. (2012). Psychological testing and assessment: An introduction to tests and measurement. USA: McGraw-Hill Education. Hunsley, J., Mash, E. (2008) A Guide to Assessments That Work. USA: Oxford University Press. Reiss-Epstein-Gursky Anxiety Sensitivity Index. (2014). Web.

Free Essays on The Joining Of Two Worlds In Angela Carters “the Company Of Wolves“

The Joining of Two Worlds in Angela Carter’s â€Å"The Company of Wolves† Animals and humans are two very different creatures, and yet in this story they share similar qualities. This is demonstrated in â€Å"The Company of Wolves† by Angela Carter where â€Å"carnivore incarnate† defines the assimilation of animal and human characteristics. The word â€Å"carnivore,† meaning a flesh-eating mammal, and â€Å"incarnate† meaning endowed with a human body, illustrates the joining of the animal/natural world and the human world. The role of nature in this story demonstrates the link between the animal/natural world and the human/civilized world. In Carter’s story, both the girl and the wolf share human qualities as well as animal ones. The wolf, initially thought of as a handsome hunter by the girl, turns out to be â€Å"carnivore incarnate† (227), a flesh-eating mammal endowed with a human body. At first, when the girl realizes this truth, and notices her grandmother’s disappearance, she is extremely frightened. â€Å"No trace at all of the old woman except for a tuft of white hair that had caught in the bark of an unburned log. When the girl saw that, she knew she was in danger of death† (226). However, she soon realizes that she has no reason to be afraid of the â€Å"hunter† if she makes herself unwilling to be the â€Å"hunted.† Instead of being eaten by the wolf like one would initially think, the girl uses her animal sexuality to surprise and outwit the wolf. â€Å"She ripped off his shirt for him and flung it into the fire† (227). This reveals the way humans c an display animal tendencies. In reverse, the story ends with the girl sleeping in bed with the wolf. â€Å"See! Sweet and sound she sleeps in granny’s bed, between the paws of the tender wolf† (227). The last impression that the wolf leaves is that he is tender. Tenderness is not a quality that is normally attributed to a carnivorous animal that has just eaten... Free Essays on The Joining Of Two Worlds In Angela Carter's â€Å"the Company Of Wolvesâ€Å" Free Essays on The Joining Of Two Worlds In Angela Carter's â€Å"the Company Of Wolvesâ€Å" The Joining of Two Worlds in Angela Carter’s â€Å"The Company of Wolves† Animals and humans are two very different creatures, and yet in this story they share similar qualities. This is demonstrated in â€Å"The Company of Wolves† by Angela Carter where â€Å"carnivore incarnate† defines the assimilation of animal and human characteristics. The word â€Å"carnivore,† meaning a flesh-eating mammal, and â€Å"incarnate† meaning endowed with a human body, illustrates the joining of the animal/natural world and the human world. The role of nature in this story demonstrates the link between the animal/natural world and the human/civilized world. In Carter’s story, both the girl and the wolf share human qualities as well as animal ones. The wolf, initially thought of as a handsome hunter by the girl, turns out to be â€Å"carnivore incarnate† (227), a flesh-eating mammal endowed with a human body. At first, when the girl realizes this truth, and notices her grandmother’s disappearance, she is extremely frightened. â€Å"No trace at all of the old woman except for a tuft of white hair that had caught in the bark of an unburned log. When the girl saw that, she knew she was in danger of death† (226). However, she soon realizes that she has no reason to be afraid of the â€Å"hunter† if she makes herself unwilling to be the â€Å"hunted.† Instead of being eaten by the wolf like one would initially think, the girl uses her animal sexuality to surprise and outwit the wolf. â€Å"She ripped off his shirt for him and flung it into the fire† (227). This reveals the way humans c an display animal tendencies. In reverse, the story ends with the girl sleeping in bed with the wolf. â€Å"See! Sweet and sound she sleeps in granny’s bed, between the paws of the tender wolf† (227). The last impression that the wolf leaves is that he is tender. Tenderness is not a quality that is normally attributed to a carnivorous animal that has just eaten...